Untitled From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ. 1901 - page 53-54

RICHMOND B. PIERCE. Grant county has no more highly esteemed citizen than Richmond B. PIERCE, of Cassville township, who fought for the preservation of the Union during the dark days of the Rebellion, and who is descended from good old Revolutionary stock. He was born in Ipswich, N.Y., in 1828, a son of Joseph and Eleanor (MITCHELL) PIERCE, both members of old New England families. His maternal grandfather fought with Putnam, Prescott and Warren at Bunker Hill on that memorable day in June, 1775. Regarding his paternal great-grandfather, who was killed by the Indians in the early days of the New England Colonies, some interesting facts have been handed down to the present generation. He lived in the days of almost constant Indian warfare, and was a typical pioneer of those stirring and dangerous times. He was often heard to say that no Indian should ever have the satisfaction of taking his scalp, and to prevent the accomplishment of this barbarous practice, should he be so unlucky as to fall into the hands of the savages, he is said to have kept his head shaved, thus preventing the growth of the scalp lock so much prized by the savage warrior. He was finally surprised by a band of Indians, while at work in his field, and slain, but his scalp never adorned the belt of his slayer. It is an interesting fact that the farm on which the great-grandfather was killed in Colonial times was the one on which Richmond B. PIERCE was born, it having descended by inheritance through several generations of the family. The parents of our subject never came West, but made their home in New England throughout life. They had twelve children, three sons and nine daughters, of whom Richmond and his sister Maria, widow of William B. FRISSEL, are the only survivors. Her husband was a soldier in the Civil war, being a member of a Massachusetts regiment.

In his native State Richmond B. PIERCE grew to manhood. He was married at Winchester, Mass., March 28, 1854, to Miss Mary Jane MORSE, who was born in Maine, but was reared in Massachusetts. Her parents, Moses and Louisa (COOPER) MORSE, were also representatives of old New England families. On her father's side she belongs to the same line of ancestry as did Samuel F. MORSE, the famous investor of the electric telegraph. She is also descended from Revolutionary ancestry, her paternal grandfather having fought at Bunker Hill. Her maternal grandfather, however, was an English sea captain, and in the war of the Revolution took sides with the British. It is stated of him that, after the war had closed, he approached the New England coast for the purpose of getting his family, who had remained in the Colonies while he was fighting against them, but, failing to secure them, he sailed away, and was never again seen by them. Mrs. PIERCE's father came to Grant county, Wis., in 1851, and purchased a tract of land. He passed the last days of his life in Minnesota, but his wife spent the last fourteen years of her life at the home of Mr. and Mrs. PIERCE, in Grant county, where she died Sept. 22, 1896. In their family were six children, three of whom died in infancy. Those living are R. S., of Beetown, Grant county; Edwin R., of Bloomington, Ill.; and Mrs. PIERCE. To Mr. and Mrs. PIERCE have been born twelve children, six sons and six daughters, of whom six are living, namely: Wallace R.; Charles E.; Mary C., wife of William WOODHOUSE; Fred L.; Nella A., wife of Leo GRATTAN; and Margarette, a teacher by occupation. Eleanor L. died at the age of twenty-six years, while the others died in infancy.

In the spring of 1855 Mr. and Mrs. PIERCE moved from Massachusetts to Wisconsin, and took up their residence in Grant county. In August, 1861, he was enrolled as a member of Company F, 7th Wis. V.I., which formed a part of the famous Iron Brigade, and followed the fortunes of his regiment, taking part in all the battles and marches in which it participated, up to the time of the battle of South Mountain, in September, 1862. In this hard-fought battle he was severely injured by a gunshot just above the right knee, and was in the hospital about eight months. This wound not only renders the limb stiff at the knee, but has never permanently healed, and still requires dressing every day. Notwithstanding the trouble it has always caused him, Mr. PIERCE has done much work as a farmer, and has a pleasant home and unencumbered farm of eighty acres in Cassville township. His wife is a lady of culture and intelligence, as becomes her New England descent and parentage, and is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Both Mr. and Mrs. PIERCE are widely and favorably known throughout Grant county, and well deserve the high regard in which they are held.




This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck