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The Leland and Mayo Families in Eau Claire
Robert Leland came from Mascarene, New Brunswick, Canada to Eau Claire County, WI in about 1849. Robert Leland was born 15 July 1825 in Mascarene and died in Eau Claire in 1912. He married Jane Marie Hoyt who was born 1 Dec. 1828 in Mascarene and died 14 Mar. 1909 in Eau Claire. Family legend has it that they lived the first winter in a dugout on the banks of Sherman Creek. (In 1861 Jane Hoyt Leland, along with her sister, Sarah, were among the organizers of the First Baptist Church at 4th and Niagara Streets, Eau Claire. Sarah married Robert's brother, George Leland; she was the first Sunday School superintendent, and also led the singing.)
John Hubbard Mayo joined the Leland family about 1872. He married Robert's daughter Anna Leland, waiting for her to become 17, and founded the Eau Claire Mayo family, now in its sixth generation here. John Hubbard Mayo was born 24 Nov. 1850 in SW Harbor, ME and died 19 Apr. 1925 in Eau Claire. He at one time served as Chairman of the Town of West Eau Claire. Anna Maria Leland Mayo was born 1 May 1860 in Eau Claire and died 18 Sep. 1910 in Eau Claire.
Among John and Anna's children was Grace Darling Mayo. Grace was born 23 Oct. 1883 and died 5 Sep. 1973 in Cambridge, MN. She was a Gold Star Mother. Grace married John J. Brill who was born 2 Oct. 1882 in Dunn County, WI and died 10 Mar. 1950 in Eau Claire County. Grace's direct descendant, Donald Brill, is the contributor of this article.
These families, knowing the price of freedom, have been actively involved in the major events of the country from its founding with seven ancestors known to have arrived on the Mayflower, eight served in the American Revolution, and generations since represented in the many international conflicts.
More history of the Leland and Mayo families can be found in West of the Chippewa: a Town of Union history, Eau Claire County, WI by Charlene M. Gillette.
George Brill and Family
George Tabor Brill. 1845 - 1925, Mary deJane Nimmo Brill, 1854 - l924. The photo was probably taken about 1924 shortly before her death, at the Jim Pratt's house, two doors down from the home of son, Clare, in Eau Claire on Babcock St. The whole area is now occupied by' Luther Hospital. The Church in the back-ground is the old Epiphany Lutheran, an identifying feature. The cane that appears in the picture was his birthday gift at age seventy nine. It is in my possession, a gift from Cousin Willard Brill, who is probably the youngest person today having a grandfather in the Civil War.
George's Civil War Service
The account of the 25th infantry seems to be valid for Uncle Max who was with the outfit all four years but not for Grandpa George who joined the outfit in August l864. This was after the battle of Vicksburg which took place in January of that year.. This was the reason for his omission from the Bronze Plaque in Vicksburg. The old story that he missed the battle in the field hospital with dysentery is apparently not true. That was a problem that they were discharged with, recorded on the pension applications. They did not have good cures in those days. It is a mystery that he would be assigned to the 25th several years after its mobilization and finish the tour with brother, Max, in Sherman's march to the sea.
George Brill's Certificate of Service in the Civil War.
Newspaper Account of George's Birthday Party
Civil War Vets Greet a Comrade
79th birthday of Geo. T. Brill made occasion of happy affair
Seventeen members of Eagle Post, G. A. R., honored one or their comrades at yesterday noon, and in a manner the memory or which will be cherished for many a day. The recipient of the courtesy was George T. Brill of 122 Babcock Street. It was arranged by Mr. and Mrs. Clare Brill, whose home is a couple of doors from the older Brill's, and where the surprise was sprung. It was a birthday party and Mr. and Mrs. Brill, Sr., with sons Daniel and George were "invited over." As comrade Brill put it he was 'flabbergasted' to find the dining room filled with old comrades and friends. There were seventeen of them, welcomed by members of the family and by H. H. Stokes, a friend of the family. There was a glorious feed, and then the presentation of an historic walking stick , by Capt. C. H. Henry, "from his comrades in Eagle Post No. 52, G.A.R." With this went the following greeting, signed individually:
“To Comrade George T. Brill. Dear Comrade:
On this, the seventy-ninth anniversary of your birth these comrades of yours have gathered to congratulate you and to voice the hope that you and your good wife may enjoy many more years of happiness. We bring you our sincere appreciation of you as a comrade and friend, and we wish that the memory of this day may bind the ties of friendship closer with us all while life shall last.”
Comrade Brill was born March 22, 1845, and this paper is going to tell the dates of nearly all of the seventeen comrades who were present, as follows:
- W. H. Cornel, Oct. 31, 1844
- Robert K. Boyd. April 24, 1848
- A. W. HenSel Nov. 7. 1840
- J. F. Ellis, Jan. 5, 1845
- Chas. B. Walworth, Jan. 8, 1850
- Chas. H. Henry, May 7, 1848.
- B. N. Castles Oct. 11, 1837
- G. F. Hallas, July 29, 1849
- W. H. Biesecker, Dec., 1836
- Chas. F. Petzold, Sept. 12, 1846
- W. T. Dinniny, Oct. 17, 1848
- Jere Murphy, Nov. 1, 1840
- George Dascher, Mar. l4, l843
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