History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Pond, L. Philip a pioneer of the town of Russell, Lincoln County, and a Civil War veteran who passed away many years ago, but who established a good farm which his sons are now operating, was born at Hector, a little village in Schuyler County, N. Y., Dec. 16, 1840. His parents were Willard E. and Clarissa (WOODFORD) POND, the father born in Bristol, Conn., Dec. 17, 1807, and the mother at Scipio, Cayuga County, N. Y., Jan. 1, 1813. The former was a blacksmith by trade but spent most of his life as a farmer. They were married Sept. 1, 1835, and came to Wisconsin two years before it was a state, or about 1846, locating at Fond du Lac County, where they pre-empted 80 acres of wild land, on which they built the usual pioneer log cabin. Having little or nothing when they arrived, they suffered many privations during the early years. They had a large family of children, namely: Celia Antoinette, born at Cuba, N. Y., Jan. 29, 1837, who became Mrs. E. C. HILBORN; James Burton, born at Cuba, N. Y., June 11, 1838, who married Anna F. LYNCH on Jan. 23, 1859; Homer Woodford, born at Hector, N. Y., Nov. 12, 1839; Orson Willard, born at Hector, N. Y., May 2, 1841; L. Philip, born at Hector, N. Y., Dec. 16, 1840; George Franklin, born at Libertyville, Ill., Oct. 5, 1844; Harriett Ann, born at Brooklyn, Ill., Oct. 25, 1846; Almira Urania, born at Alto, Fond du Lac County, Wis., Nov. 15, 1848; Ozias Walter, born at Alto, Wis., Oct. 25, 1851; Clarissa Elminie, born in the city of Fond du Lac, Wis., Nov. 8, 1856; and Edward Payson, born May 3, 1858. It will be seen from the birthplaces given, that after coming west the family stopped for several years in Illinois first at Libertyville, with is in Lake County, north of Chicago and but a few miles from the Wisconsin line, and next, before coming to this state located for awhile in the western part of Illinois, at Brooklyn, where Harriet Ann was born in Schuyler County. L. Philip POND was about four years old when he accompanied his parents and the rest of the family to Wisconsin. He acquired the elements of knowledge in the common school, and at the age of 15 left home to shift for himself. He was only 18 when the Civil War broke out, and a few months later, in July, 1861, he enlisted in the army from Ripon, Wis., becoming a member of the First Wisconsin Cavalry, with which organization he served three full years to May, 1864, when he went home on a furlough, and in that month he married (May 25, 1864) to Mary J. POST of Neenah, Wis. His honeymoon was short, as he re-enlisted that same month and he returned to the army at the end of his two or three weeks furlough, serving thereafter until the close of the war. He was a member of the squad that captured Jefferson DAVIS, and received his share of the reward offered, which made him richer by $328. Not longer after his return home he and his wife moved to Wabasha County, Minn., where they took a farm, remaining three years, at the end of which time they returned to Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. In 1878 Mr. POND moved with his family to Appleton, Wis., and went on the road selling the Champion agricultural machinery. His next move was to Stevens Point, Wis., where he became agent for the Wheeler & Wilson Sewing Machine Co., and there he remained until the spring of 1884, when he came with his family to Lincoln County. Here he homesteaded 160 acres of land in the town of Merrill, though subsequent changes in town lines for a time placed his farm in the town of Pine River, and later in the town of Russell. The land was in Sections 24 and 25 and was all wild, and there were, of course, no buildings. On their arrival the family unloaded their few household effects among the brush under the canopy of the heavens, and for the first month they lived in a tent while a more substantial dwelling was being constructed, which was completed in the early part of June. Mr. POND'S cash capital when he arrived was 50 cents and he had a family of six on his hands. The nearest supply point was Gleason, ten miles distant, where C. A. BERKMAN conducted a small store, but the village cound only be reached by following a trail or rough "tote road." Mr. POND packed his supplies on his back in summer and in winter conveyed them on a hand sled. Sometimes he went to Merrill for them, which place was 25 miles away. It was two years after he had settled on his place before he was able to buy an ox-team. Consequently it was up-hill work, everything being done by hand; his first log buildings were crudely constructed. There he labored until his death some nine years later, on March 5, 1893. He had by that time succeeded in clearing 20 acres and had a comfortable log residence, improved by siding up and otherwise, and which surviving members of the family still occupy. His wife died May 14, 1921. Their children were: Lewis E., born at Alto, Wis., died in infancy; Willis E., born May 1, 1868; at Viola, Minn.; Nella May, born in Fond du Lac City, now Mrs. William MACDONALD of Rhinelander; Charles J., born at Ripon, Wis,; Sept. 8, 1872; and Philip A., born at Appleton, Wis., Oct. 6, 1880. After Mr. POND'S death his sons, Willis E. and Charles J., took over the management of the farm and care of the family and they now have 70 acres under cultivation and are actively engaged in general farming and dairying. They keep a herd of Durham cattle, with a pure-bred sire, and have two pure-bred cows. Their operating equipment is adequate, and as a part of it may be reckoned a horse team, which has been in use on the farm for 22 years and still looks well and does good service. At the mother's death the two sons above mentioned became the owners of the property and have since increased the area to 160 acres. It lies on the Prairie River about a mile from Langlade County and the village of Parrish. In 1922 William E. POND became a member of the town board of Harrison. The family were Congregationalists in religion, but as there is not church of that denomination near them, they affiliate with the Presbyterian Church at Gleason.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 687-688; History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co

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