- JOHN HENRY OSTRANDER is one of the leading representatives
of the farming interests of
- Green county, and is living on his fine place four miles
south of Juda. He is the son of James and Maria (LORING) OSTRANDER,
who were born and reared near Schenectady, N.Y., the former the
son of Samuel OSTRANDER, who came to New York from Holland about
1774.
- James OSTRANDER was born Aug. 15, 1810, and died in Green
county March 30, 1892. He
- was a paper-hanger by trade, and followed that as a means
of livelihood in New York in the winter, and engaged in faring
in the summer. In 1851 he moved from that State to Walworth county,
Wis., where he bought a farm and cultivated it for four years,
and then moved into Green county. After his removal to the West
he followed farming exclusively. A stanch Democrat, he was a
man of some influence in the world of politics. As a member of
the United Brethren Church, he lived an honorable and upright
life. Maria LORING became his wife in New York in 1831, and died
in 1863, aged fifty-five years. She was the mother of six children:
William, born in 1832, was living in Kansas when last heard from:
Jeremiah, born Aug. 8, 1834, lives in Wilson county, Kans.; John
H.; Thomas L., born in 1838, died while a member of the 1st Wis.
Heavy Artillery, at Berwick, La., Sept. 8, 1864; Mary, born in
1840, married Charles M. BALL, a veteran of the 1st Wis. Heavy
Artillery, now living in Kansas; and Susan, born in 1842, married
Baird STEPHENSON, of Benton county, Iowa, where they still live.
- John H. OSTRANDER was born Aug. 28, 1830, and married Miss
Sarah C. DAVIS, June 15,
- 1856. Mrs. OSTRANDER was born Oct. 6, 1837, a daughter of
Archibald and Elizabeth (DEVER) DAVIS, pioneer settlers of the
county. To this union were born the following children: Viola
H., born Sept. 11, 1858, is the wife of John ZIMMERMAN, a farmer
near Oakley, Wis.; Cynthia M., born Sept. 3, 1860, married William
H. ZIMMERMAN, a farmer in the town of Spring Grove; Clarence
D., born Aug. 9, 1862, died Aug. 14, 1862; John W. J., born April
17, 1866, married Lillie BENNAGE and is a farmer in the town
of Jefferson; Annie E., born Jan. 26, 1868, married Jesse ROWE,
a farmer of Spirit Lake, Iowa; Walter L., born Dec. 30, 1869,
married Carrie TRACY, and is a farmer in the town of Jefferson;
Edgar O., born Oct. 18, 1871, resides at home with his parents;
Dora M., born Jan. 9, 1874, with his parents; Dora M., born Jan.
9, 1874, died April 1, 1876; General O., born Feb. 7, 1876, married
Miss Kate ZIMMERMAN; Blanche, 1876, born Oct. 25, 1877, married
Burt G. WONCHELL, of Jefferson.
- Mr. OSTRANDER was reared on the farm, and had his education
in the public schools. All his life
- he has been a farmer, and everything he has or is, he has
accumulated with the help of his faithful wife. A fine farm of
430 acres is their home, and here they occupy a roomy and commodious
house, and have all the equipments such a place demands. Mr.
OSTRANDER was a member of the 1st Wis. Heavy Artillery (in which
all his brothers served), entering the service in July, 1863,
as a member of Company D, and was honorably discharged in July,
1865. The greater part of his time in the army was spent at Fort
Jackson, Brazier City, and New Orleans. Mr. OSTRANDER has been
school director for many years, and was on the school board a
number of years. For fifteen years he has been justice of the
peace and is a Republican. The first vote which he cast for President
was given to John C. Fremont. Mr. OSTRANDER has never united
with any church, but holds to the Golden Rule, as the fundamental
law of all right living. He is a man of high character and fine
repute and has lived a creditable life.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin,"
(c)1901 Union Publishing; pp. 675-676.
-
- Courtesy of Carol.
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