| From
Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of
Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ.
1901 - page 113-114
ERASMUS WITHERBEE was born in Hazel Green, Grant county,
where his home is found at present, May 15, 1843, and
is a son of Hiram and Experience A. (DAY) WITHERBEE.
The father was born April 17, 1810, at the main entrance
to Bunker Hill Monument, and the mother Oct. 30, 1823,
at Edwardsville, Madison Co., Ill. Hiram WITHERBEE was
the son of Calvin and Harriet A. (ESTABROOK) WITHERBEE,
the former a native of Scotland, the latter of Massachusetts.
Calvin WITHERBEE was a ship carpenter and a sea-faring
man. He died in New Orleans, from yellow fever, about
1815.
Hiram WITHERBEE came from Madison county, Ill., to
Wisconsin as early as 1832, and followed lead mining
for a number of years near Hazel Green, finally becoming
the owner of valuable mineral lands, which he controlled
throughout life. He was quite successful, and about
1850 bought the "Empire Hotel" property at
Hazel Green. For some nine years he was the popular
landlord of that hostelry, which he then traded for
a farm in Smelser, near what is now called Elmo Station,
where he died in 1867. Mrs. Experience A. WITHERBEE
died in 1850. She and her husband belonged to the Presbyterian
Church. In connection with Mr. CRAWFORD and one or two
others, Mr. WITHERBEE was instrumental in the erection
of the first Presbyterian church in Hazel Green, which
was destroyed by the tornado of 1876. Hiram and Experience
A. WITHERBEE were the parents of five children, of whom
three died in infancy; the survivors of are Erasmus
and Hiram J. Mr. WITHERBEE married for his second wife
Miss Margaret A. EASTMAN, of Grant county, and to this
union were also born five children, all of whom are
living: (1) Experience A., born in Hazel Green in 1852,
is the wife of Charles NEPEIER, of Chicago. (2) Levi,
born in September, 1853, is married and is the owner
of a cattle ranch in Yuma county, Colo. (3) L. C. is
a partner with his brother Levi in the cattle business.
(4) Julian V., born in Grant county, is now a traveling
representative of the St. Louis Stock Yards; he found
a wife in Colorado. (5) Orvil O., born in Smelser, Grant
county, has become a noted physician and surgeon, and
lives in Los Angeles, Cal.; he is married, and has two
children.
Hiram J. WITHERBEE, the only brother of our subject,
was educated at the Platteville Normal school. In his
early life he was a miner and farmer, and was a school
teacher in Grant and Lafayette counties for several
years before his entrance into pastoral work, in 1885.
He is a Methodist clergyman. Miss Julia A. HANEY, of
Grant county, became his wife, and they have had the
following children: (1) Harriet A., who died Aug. 1,
1898, was a young lady of great promise, and a worker
in the church of her town, where she had many friends.
(2) Hiram S. is a clergyman of the Methodist Church
at Brush, Colo., and (3) Oliver Day, a minister of the
same church in Wisconsin. (4) Miss Elizabeth H. is at
home.
Erasmus WITHERBEE grew to manhood under the parental
roof, and obtained his education in a private school
in Hazel Green, and the academy at Platteville. In 1862,
leaving school, he enlisted in Company I, 25th Wis.
V.I. under command of Col. Montgomery. The regiment
was mustered into the government service at La Crosse,
Wis., and sent to the Western frontier, New Ulm, Minn.,
to protect the settlers from the raids of the hostile
Indians. In the early part of 1863 it was sent to Kentucky,
and in May of that year was made a part of the forces
which were to hold the Rebel Johnson in check until
Vicksburg should be compelled to surrender. After the
fall of that stronghold, the 25th Wisconsin was sent
to Helena, Ark., and in the following spring it was
sent to Kentucky, and was marched overland to Mooresville,
Ala., where Mr. WITHERBEE was taken sick, and compelled
to seek the hospital at Decatur, in that State. After
a furlough at home he joined his regiment at Rome, Ga.,
in time to follow Gen. Sherman to the sea. The 25th
was part of the army that marched clear through to Washington,
and took part in the "Grand Review." At the
close of the war Mr. WITHERBEE could say that he had
served as a soldier in every Southern State except Florida
and Texas, and in the greater number of the Northern
States. An honorable discharge from the service was
given him at Washington in June, 1865. At Helena, Ark.,
Mr. WITHERBEE was made quartermaster sergeant Nov. 1,
1863, and throughout the war maintained a high standing
as a soldier and a clear-headed and intelligent man.
After the close of the war Mr. WTIHERBEE returned home,
and the same year went to Lincoln, Neb., to take up
a homestead claim, securing a good farm. He was married,
July 4, 1876, in Philadelphia, to Miss Mary RICHARDS,
of an old and prominent family of Smelser, Grant county,
and formerly from Tennessee. Mrs. WITHERBEE was born
in Platteville, Wis., where she received her education
in the academy and the State Normal. The house which
they occupied at the beginning of their married life
was situated on part of the land purchased by her father
from the government, and here a fine home was erected
in 1880. The greater part of Mr. WITHERBEE's business
life has been devoted to mining, and he owns a large
acreage of valuable mineral lands, to the development
of which he is still giving much attention. To him and
his wife have been born a family of three children:
(1) Blanche, born in Hazel Green in 1877, acquired a
good education in the village school, and was a graduate
in voice culture, under Prof. CHURCHILL, of the Platteville
State Normal. She is now at home, and has been one of
the successful music teachers in this part of the State.
(2) Exie L., born in August, 1881, is a graduate of
the Hazel Green high school, and has studied at the
State Normal, Platteville. She is now a grammar school
teacher in Hazel Green. (3) Pearle, born in 1888, is
now a student at the home school
Mr. WITHERBEE was identified with the Republican party
for many years, became a Greenbacker during the administration
of President Hayes, for twelve years was a Prohibitionist,
and in 1896 and 1900 was a strong advocate of the election
of W. J. Bryan, believing in legislation for the benefit
of the masses. For twelve long years he helped to wage
the war against the liquor traffic, but in 1896, becoming
convinced that the mass of the American people, of whatever
persuasion, want and will have their whisky, he transferred
his allegiance as noted. A public-spirited and upright
citizen of the town, he has been called on to fill several
local offices, was a member of the school board twelve
years, and town clerk two years. Mr. WITHERBEE is adjutant
of W. O. Topping Post., No. 266, G.A.R., at Hazel Green.
Mrs. WITHERBEE is a member of the Congregational Church,
and that church has always received a liberal support
from her husband.
This information was found at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~wigrant/bio040.htm
This biography generously submitted by Carol
Holmbeck |
