George Delavan Pearce

Regions: Dutchess and Oneida Co., NY; Walworth Co., WI

From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, publ. 1912 - Page 677-681 GEORGE DELAVAN PEARCE. Throughout an active and interesting career duty has ever been the motive of action with George Delavan PEARCE, one of the old settlers and well-known agriculturists of the southern part of Walworth county, and usefulness to his fellow men has by no means been a secondary consideration with him. Thus strong and forceful in his relations with his fellows, he has gained the good will and commendation of his associates and the general public, retaining his reputation among men of integrity and high character, and never losing the dignity which is the birthright of the true gentleman. Mr. PEARCE was born at New Hartford, Oneida county, New York, January 26, 1832. He is the son of William and Amy (DODGE) PEARCE. He is descended from Nathan and Abigail (SPINK) PEARCE, who were married on October 8, 1724, and they lived in Rhode Island, probably near Providence. Nathan PEARCE was a minister of the Baptist church. His family consisted of nine children, of whom the youngest, William, was born September 12, 1745, old style calendar (September 23, new style), at Providence. He was a member of the New York State Militia during the Revolutionary war, and he saw service along the Hudson river. His wife, Chloe CAREY, was born on June 6, 1746, married March 2, 1766, and died September 4, 1778. Her father was also a minister. Six children were born to William PEARCE by his first wife. His second wife was Lydia BIRDSALL, who was born August 20, 1757, married February 7, 17__, and to this union four children were born, William being the eldest, and he was the father of George D. PEARCE, of this sketch. William, father of the subject, was born June 15, 1784, in Dutchess county, New York. He married Amy DODGE, May 18, 1809. She was born in Dutchess county, New York, April 18, 1789, and in that county the parents of the subject lived about 1816 when they came to Oneida county, New York. They became the parents of thirteen children: Lorenzo Dow being the eldest, and George Delavan, of this review was the twelfth in order of birth. The eighth child was Jonathan Howland PEARCE. He lived in Walworth probably seven or eight years before and during the war, returning to New York in November, 1864. A sister, Eliza, married Justus MOAK, September 7, 1853, and came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1854 and they lived at Watertown, where he was postmaster for a number of years. George D. PEARCE lived in Oneida county, New York, until in April 1854. On April 18th of that year he was united in marriage with Emily Jane BAKER, daughter of James and Ann (BRAKEFIELD) BAKER. She was born in Oneida county, New York, June 3, 1836. Her parents came from London, England, and they were natives of Maidstone, county Kent, England. They came first to Philadelphia later moving to Oneida county, New York, not long before Mrs. PEARCE was born, and they moved to Walworth county, Wisconsin, about 1858 and after a short residence with Mr. PEARCE moved to Waukesha county, where Mrs. BAKER died, after which Mr. BAKER returned to Walworth and lived with his son, Benjamin BAKER, who then farmed at what is now part of Walworth village. When Benjamin moved to Minnesota, Mr. BAKER moved there and spent the rest of his life in that state. The day of their marriage George D. PEARCE and wife started for Wisconsin. After spending three months at Delavan, he bought a farm of eight acres in section 20, Walworth township, Walworth county, also bought forty acres near the lake. He paid sixteen dollars an acre for the land, getting half a crop. He got one dollar and fifty cents per bushel for his wheat during the Crimean war and in a few years he had a good start in the new country. He then bought sixty-six and two-thirds acres in the northwestern half of section 29, Walworth township. He remained on the first eighty ten years, then sold it and bought where he now lives in 1864 His present fine farm is in section 18. He became the owner of over one hundred and eighty acres and here he has lived ever since. He has lived in only three different houses in his life, one in New York, one in section 20, this township, and the one which he now occupies. He never owned a firearm and never saw a fist fight. Within a month after he located in Walworth township he was called on to contribute to the erection of the First Baptist church, and he did so, and he has been an earnest member of the church for years. He has been a deacon for thirty or forty years, and he was clerk of the church for thirty years. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. PEARCE: Mary Hart, born April 4, 1855, married James M. WEEKS, November 10, 1875, and she lived at Delavan about five years and two years at Darien, then went to Pipestone, Minnesota, where they lived seven years, then returned to Delavan and spent ten years. Mr. WEEKS was a merchant, was born February 26, 1849, and died in December, 1906, his wife preceding him to the grave on January 29, 1904. They were the parents of five children: George, who died when seventeen years old; Grace, who married Will HARRISON; Mary, who married Frank E. WIRE, lives in Denver, and they have four children, Justin, Marian, Dorothy and a baby girl that died in infancy; Belle WEEKS married Frank ROLAND and lives at San Antonio, Texas; Pearl WEEKS is living at Walworth with Mr. PEARCE. Theodore Hurd PEARCE, born August 29, 1857, lived on the home farm until he was grown then worked a year at the Deaf and Dumb Institute, alter which he spent some time in Dakota and Minnesota, then returned to the home farm, after which he rented a farm in Sharon township and lived there about two years; on October 18, 1881, he married Carrie J. TEETER, daughter of Henry and Sarah (JOYNER) TEETER; she was born in Sharon township, this county, her people having come here from Schoharie county, New York, in the early days, her parents being descended from early Dutch of New York. After his marriage Theodore H. PEARCE rented another farm, on which he remained a season, then bought a farm in Boone county, Illinois, and lived there ten years; he owned this farm. After selling it be bought eighty acres in Sharon township, this county, but did not live on it, having moved to the farm owned by his wife's father, where he remained, taking care of the old people, until January 1898, when he moved to Franklin county, Tennessee, and bought one hundred and thirty-six acres on which he farmed. His wife died on August 17, 1890. In September 1900, he returned to Wisconsin, driving a team all the way; he farmed two years on his father's place, then purchased it and has since farmed for himself. Six children were born to Theodore H. PEARCE, namely: Alma, who married D. M. EDENS, of Tennessee, now lives at Tweedie, Washington, near Spokane; they have two children, Walter Robert and Carrie Talitha; Mr. EDENS has a farm of one hundred and sixty acres there. Fern May PEARCE married William D. SUTTON and they also live near Tweedie, Washington, where Mr. SUTTON has one hundred and twenty-five acres of land, and they have one daughter, Mary. Sarah Emily PEARCE married Howard FLORES and they live in Denver, where he is an architect and fruit grower, and they have one daughter, Ina. Grace Emma PEARCE is attending college at Beloit in her senior year. Lawrence Bernard PEARCE, born November 6, 1895, died in infancy. Edith Georgia PEARCE is attending school. Theodore H. PEARCE was again married on September 19, 1901, to Mildred P. MOORE, daughter of McChesney and Nancy (HAWKINS) MOORE. She as born in Franklin county, Tennessee, where the parents both died. Four children were born of this marriage, Mildred Alice, Theodore Arvin, Dorothy Irene, and Elna Louise. Emily Baker PEARCE, third child of George D. PEARCE, of this sketch, was born July 2, 1860. She married Herman R. ADAM, December 15, 1881, a broker in Denver, and they have one son, Royal, born November 30, 1882. He married Mattie A. YOXALL, October 1, 1907, and they have two children, Royal H. and Marjorie Eleanore. George Benjamin PEARCE, next child of the subject, was born September 23, 1863. He married Effie E. LLOYD, October 1, 1889. He lived at Janesville until his wife died in March, 1907, leaving two children, Rexford DeWitt and Malvern. After the death of the wife and mother, George PEARCE moved to Whitewater and there he has since engaged in gardening and fruit growing; he has recently moved to Lima Center. Grace Anna PEARCE, the next of the subject's children, was born October 11, 1866. She married William J. PEETS, August 4, 1886, and lived in Waupun and Walworth. Mr. PEETS, who was a civil and mechanical engineer, died February 6, 1892, leaving two children, Wilbur J., Jr., and George Kenneth PEETS, both now attending the technical department of Cincinnati University. Mrs. PEETS married Rev. Joseph JENKINS, November 22, 1898. He is a minister in the Baptist church, having been pastor of the First Baptist church at Walworth seven years and at Toulon, Illinois, for seven years. He is now at Macomb, that state. They have one daughter, Emily May. William Henry PEARCE, the next of the subject's children, was born August 31, 1871. He married Dora N. CHRISTIANSON, September 22, 1897, and they live at Lima Center, Rock county, Wisconsin, where he has a general store, but he formerly engaged in farming; they have five children, J. Howland, Herman, Anders, Emily, and Percy. Frankie James, seventh in order of birth of George D. PEARCE's children, was born March 5, 1874, and died in infancy. Charles Sumner, the youngest of the children, was born September 16, 1877. He married on June 21, 1909, Vivian COATS, of Corsicana, Texas, and they live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he is interested in the Johnson Soap Works, and he has an active part in its management. They have one daughter, Jane PEARCE. The subject's children have all received excellent training and they are well situated in life, and are highly respected wherever they live.