William Henry Twist |
 |
One obituary, as posted in the Adams County Times:
Wm Twist, 85, Civil War Veteran, Is Mustered Out
Buried, Tuesday With Military Honors From Soldiers of Later Wars
William Twist, a pioneer resident of the town of Easton and a civil war veteran, passed away Friday, December 15, at his home near White Creek, the cause of death being old age. Death came suddenly, there being no previous sickness to give warning of the approaching end.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, December 19, in the White Creek church, the sermon being preached by Rev William Davies of Wisconsin Dells. He was accorded the honors due a soldier of teh republic by his few surviving comrades of the war for the union and younger veterans of the World War.
The pall bearers were C. J. Walrath, William Colburn, Edward Brown, John Needham, Austin Bacon and Joe Pishion. Burial was made in the White Creek cemetery beside the remains of other members of his family who had preceded him in death. Appropriate hyms were sung by Mrs Meta Hoffman, Mrs Edna Pease and Jacob Kline.
William Twist was born June 19, 1848, in the state of New York and had attained the ripe age of 85 years, 5 months and 26 days at the time of his death. He came to this state while a small boy and most of his life has been spent in Adams county. At the age of 15 years, before he was legally eligible to enlist, he entered the service of his country as a soldier. He served for two years receiving an honorable discharge at the close of the war.
Some years after the war he married Miss Nettie Ellis of White Creek and to this union six children were born. Four of the children and their mother passed on before the father was called. The surviving children are a son, Eugene Twist of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and Mrs Amy Eastman, whose home is in California.
Mr Twist was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic as long as the post to which he belonged continued to function. He was an upright honorable citizen, who had respect and confidence of all in the community where he made his home for so many years.
Second obituary, also from the Adams County Times:
Taps Are Sounded For Civil War Veteran, 85
Funeral services for William Twist, 85 year-old Civil War veteran, who died last Friday, were held Tuesday at White Creek Church, the Rev J W Davies officiating. Interment was in the White Creek cemetery where members of the Legion post of Grand Marsh gave him military honors.
William Twist was born in the state of New York on June 19, 1848. He came to Adams County when a boy. At the age of 15 he enlisted in the Civil War and was in active service until the close of the war. In 1872, he was married to Nettie Ellis. Six children were born to them, two of whom survive, Amy of Rialto, California, and Eugene of Sheboygan Falls. Mrs Twist passed away in 1906. In 1912 Mr Twist was married to Rose Deitzman who died in 1914. He was again married in 1922 to Mrs Julia Woodard who preceded him in death in 1932.
Relatives who attended the funeral from a distance were Eugene Twist, Mr and Mrs Harry Twist and daughter of Sheboygan Falls, Mr and Mrs Hugh Wilson and Nina of Neenah, and Allen Schoff of the Town of Decorrah.
Mr twist was highly respected as a man and a citizen. His stalwart form and his keenness of intellect were well known. He was a proud and dignified member of the G A R and will be greatly missed at future patriotic gatherings in his community. Despite his advanced age he was active and vigorous in body and alert in mind and took as keen an interest in human affairs as most men half his age.
He prepared for the great change of death which he knew might come anytime to one of his years and when it came it did so quickly and quietly as he always hoped it would. His relatives and friends deeply mourn his loss and will always remember with gratitude his kind and upright nature, and his sincere loyalty as a soldier and friend.
|
 |
| The family photo has William with Nettie and their children. The daughters are Lena, Nettie, Jessie, Amy and Jennie (in order of their age), but I cannot identify positively any of them. Although the obituary calls their son Eugene, his name was Palmer Eugene and my aunt (who knew him) always called him Palmer. The family photo was taken in Colman, before they returned to Adams County. |
William Henry Twist was born in 1848 in Nunda, Livingston County, New York to William A Twist and Harriet Amelia Rawson (her name appears some as Harriet and some as Amelia). His father died in 1850, as well as his baby sister. Following his father's death, his mother remarried to Dewitt C French. He had three half brothers: Charles Worthington, Hinman Palmer and Frederick A. By 1860, the family had moved to Columbia County, Wisconsin. William ran away and enlisted before he was old enough. But he returned following the war.
In 1870, the family is in Adams County, Wisconsin and in 1872, he married Zenette (called Nettie) Ellis, daughter of Francis A Ellis and Lydia Samuelson. She was a school teacher. They were the parents of five daughters and one son. The last two daughters, Amy and Jennie were born in Colman, Moody County South Dakota, where they had moved. Before 1900, he and his family returned to Springville, Adams County, Wisconsin, although the oldest daughter, Lena, married and remained in South Dakota. In 1906, his daughter Jessie Cynthia died. In 1906, Nettie died.
In 1912, William remarried to Rose Dietzmann. She died in 1914. Several years later, he remarried again to Julia Woodard. Julia died in 1931 and William died in 1933.
William and Nettie, their daughters Nettie (married Hugh Wilson), Jennie (married Earl Ira Schoff), and Jessie are all buried in White Creek Cemetery. |
|
