BARNETT J. WILLSEY pg 707-708 Farmer, sec. 29; P.O. Pittsfield; was born in the State of New York in 1835; and is the son of Barnett Willsey. In 1840 he was brought by his parents to this county, who settled on the present estate, now consisting of 240 acres, valued at $50 per acre. Here he has lived ever since, except that from 1854 to 1857 he was in California, in the mining business, in which he was successful. At his home his vocation has always been farming, and in this occupation has been prosperous, being now one of the most enterprising and substantial farmers in the community. He also deals in stock to some extent. The past year he erected a fine two-story frame house, with L; also a large frame barn, etc. The improvements on this place are excelled by few, and the farm itself is in most fertile district. In 1858 Mr. Willsey married Eliza Jane McClintock, a native of Indiana, and they have 3 children living,- Emily Alice, Charles L. And James O.; one child, Mary E., is deceased. We give Mr. Willsey's portrait in this volume.(on pg 714). ***************************** JAMES G. WILLSEY pg 708-709 The first of the Willsey family who came to this county was a parent of the subject of this sketch. They were natives of New York and emigrated to Ohio in 1837, where they remained until 1840, when they joined the tide of emigration westward and found a location on sec. 34, Pittsfield tp. Their names were Barnett and Cornelia (Kizer) Willsey. Upon this section they established themselves, where Mr. Willsey lived until his death, which occurred in 1858. He was buried on the old home farm. His widow still resides at the old homestead. James G. was born in the State of New York, Feb. 28, 1830, and was therefore about 10 years of age when his parents came to this county, with whom he remained until about 1851, when he married Miss Melinda Rogers; she was born in Greene Co., ILL., in 1830, and was the daughter of David and Fannie Rogers, early settlers in Martinsburg tp. The former died in 1871; his wife two years afterward. Immediately after James G. Willsey's marriage he settled on 40 acres of land which his father gave him, where he remained until 1854, when he selected and purchased the northwest quarter of sec. 34, Pittsfield tp., which is one of the most fertile sections in this county. At that time this land was in a perfectly wild state; not an improvement of any kind had been placed upon it by the hand of man. It was a fine, rolling prairie, interspersed here and there with patches of scrub oak and hazel-brush. The first land cultivated on this farm was in the summer of 1854, when Mr. W. employed a man to break 40 acres, which he did with oxen. This land, as fast as broken, was surrounded with an eight-rail fence, Mr. W. hauling the rails for the same from the south part of Martinsburg tp., a distance of eight miles. In 1857 he erected a log cabin, on the north part of his farm, 16 feet square. It contained two rooms, one above and one below. Into this cabin he moved his family, and although rather tight quarters during the busiest seasons, found room and accommodations for as many as nine hired hands besides his own family. During the years 1868-9 the balance of the 160 acres was fenced and put under cultivation, with the exception of 50 acres which he has never plowed, but which he set aside for pasture for stock, there being several never-failing springs of pure water on this. Mr. W. ascribes much of his success in the raising of stock, especially hogs, to this pasture, and the fact of their always being able to procure pure spring water. He states that during the worst seasons of cholera, when hogs all around him were dying, he lost very few. In 1860 Mr. W. built his present residence. It is a frame structure, two stories in height, the main part 18 by 32, L 14 by 28; it is one of the finest farm residences in the county. The out-buildings are all of the modern construction and first-class in every way. Mr. W. has devoted much attention to floriculture, and has a fine greenhouse in addition to his residence, in which he has hundreds of choice plants, including exotics, etc. Take it all in all, the surroundings and improvements of this home farm render it one of the finest and most pleasant in the county. Seventeen years ago he purchased the southwest quarter of sec. 27. It was partly improved and he has brought it into a high state of cultivation. The winter of 1879-'80 he erected on this place a very fine residence, which in point of construction and modern conveniences is equaled by few. From the observatory on this dwelling one of the finest views of the surrounding country can be obtained, extending to the west, to Louisiana and Hannibal, a distance of 20 miles, and southeast to a distance of about 24 miles. Mr. W.'s only child and son, William Riley Willsey, who was born in July, 1853, now resides at this place. As a relaxation from active business, to which he had applied himself with scarcely an intermission since he was a boy, in 1875 Mr. Willsey decided on making a visit to the Pacific slope to see the country and visit numerous relatives, also with some ideas of locating there, if the golden shore should prove preferable to his old home. With the above objects in view, in company with his wife and son, he started on this trip, via the Union Pacific R. R. to San Francisco, where several days were agreeably spent in viewing the metropolis of California, when he departed by the steamer "J. L. Stephens" for Portland, Oregon, and from there to Oregon City, where he remained some ten days, and also visited the State Fair at Salem; then took passage up the Columbia river to Wallula, Washington Territory. This river he describes as furnishing the most beautiful scenery he ever beheld. From Wallula they took the cars to Walla Walla, where his sister, Mrs. Richard Wells, resided. At this place the party remained some four weeks, visiting and viewing different parts of the country, where they started on their journey homeward, via the Columbia to Portland, where they took the cars to Harrisburg; they then traveled by rail to Roseburg, then to the northern terminus of the Oregon and California Railroad; from this place they were obliged to travel 270 miles to Reading. During this stage trip, which lasted six days and six nights, it rained continuously. On several occassions the coach was mired down, taking much time and all hands to release it. The fatigue of this journey was so severe that a passenger, an old man, became temporarily insane. Our party, however, arrived safely at Reading, where they took the railroad for San Francisco; then took the U. P. R. R. for home, where they arrived about four months after they had left. They were thoroughly satisfied with the trip, and also satisfied that they found no better place than at the old, homestead in Pike. They traveled between 5,000 and 6,000 miles, 1000 of which were on the Pacific Ocean. Mr. Willsey's portrait will be found in this volume. (Pg 714). ****************************** WILLIAM B. WILLSEY pg 710 Farmer, sec. 34; P.O., Pittsfield; is the owner of 50 acres of land worth $50. Per acres; is a native of this county and was born Aug. 24, 1851; was married in this county Aug. 9, 1870, to Miss Loese W. Hoyt, a native of Vermont, and who was born June 11, 1847. They are the parents of 3 children, namely, - Charles H., born May 26, 1871, Ora C., Jan. 2, 1873, and Eva M., Jan 1, 1876. ****************************** WILLIAM W. WILLSEY pg 710 Farmer, sec. 34; P.O., Pittsfield; is a son of Barnett and Caroline (Kizer) Willsey, natives of New York; is a native of this county, and was born in 1848. In 1868 he married Frances J. Robinson, also a native of Missouri, and was born in 1848. They have 3 children, - Perry A., Almira M. and Nancy C.; Both Mr. and Mrs. W. belong to the Christian Church. Mr. W. owns 80 acres of land worth $60 per acre, and is a Democrat. ******************************************** Glenda Rochester, N.Y. ********** .............\\\|/// \\ ~ ~ // ( @ @ ) ------- oOOo-(_)-oOOo---------------------------- Visit my web page & sign my Guestbook <A HREF="http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~glendasubyak">Glenda - Rootsweb pg</A> http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~glendasubyak