Untitled From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901 - page 203-204

ANDREW EASTMAN, a retired pioneer and a hero of the Black Hawk war, who has his residence in Lancaster, Grant county, was born in Ohio March 10, 1818, a son of Moses and Elizabeth (COURTWRIGHT) EASTMAN, the former of whom was a native of the State of New York, and the latter of New Jersey.

In June, 1821, Moses EASTMAN migrated with his family from Ohio to Indiana, and two or three years later removed to Illinois. In 1827 he came to Grant county, Wis., spent one winter at a place then called Hardscrabble, and the following spring crossed the county line into Lafayettte county, and settled on land purchased from the government. This land he converted into a valuable farm, which became the permanent homestead of the family, and on which he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1863, at the age of seventy-six years. His widow survived a number of years and died at the age of eighty-four. They were the parents of six sons and eight daughters, several of whom died young.

Andrew EASTMAN was about nine years of age when brought to Wisconsin by his parents, and he was reared among the wild scenes of frontier life. Although but fourteen years old at the breaking out of the Black Hawk war he volunteered as a soldier, was equipped with a musket, and now draws a pension for his services, being perhaps the youngest ex-soldier on Uncle Sam's pension roll. He still remembers the condition in which Grant county existed nearly three-quarters of a century ago, when, attracted by the rich mines of the southern part, and at Mineral Point and Galena, Ill., the early pioneers had begun settlement, for the country, even in close proximity to the mines, was but sparsely inhabited. Many of these pioneers would engaged in mining for a short time, and would then enter the cheap government lands and devote their time and energy to the clearing off of the timber, and to carving out homes for themselves from the wilderness. Most of the honest, robust and courageous settlers have passed away, and their places are now occupied by descendants who enjoy all the luxuries of modern times.

On Jan. 15, 1840, Mr. EASTMAN, married Miss Louisa Maria GOODRICH, who still lives to share with him the competency their mutual labor has won. She was born in Delaware county, N.Y., Sept. 3, 1825, a daughter of Hiram and Elmira (BURDICK) GOODRICH, who in 1829 migrated from New York to Wayne county, Penn., and thence to Indiana. There the family suffered greatly from sickness. Mrs. EASTMAN's grandfather BURDICK had died in New York, and the grandmother accompanied her daughter Elmira and her son-in-law Hiram to Pennsylvania and Indiana, dying in the latter State, as also did a brother of Mrs. EASTMAN. Owing to the sickness prevailing in the Hoosier State Mr. GOODRICH moved his family to Linn county, Iowa, and it was there Andrew EASTMAN found and married the daughter, Louisa Maria, since which time this couple have lived in Lafayette and Grant counties - a period of over sixty years. Mr. and Mrs. GOODRICH also came to Wisconsin shortly after the marriage of their daughter, locating in Lafayette county, where Mrs. GOODRICH passed away. Mr. GOODRICH later returned to New York state, there remarried, and went to California, but died on the day of his arrival in the Golden State.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. EASTMAN has been blessed with eleven children, all of whom attained mature years excepting the eldest, a daughter who died when three years old; Lucius Albert, the eldest son, was killed in the second battle of Bull Run, in 1862; another son, Lemuel Davison, also a soldier in the Union army, died in hospital in Springfield, Mo., the same year; the other eight still survive, and are named as follows: Andrew Jackson, Eva D. (Mrs. DEAN), Francis Marion, Oliver Campbell, Henry Ellsworth, Louisa Elizabeth (Mrs. Beverly PRITCHARD), Esther Ann (Mrs. George PATTON), and Luelle May (Mrs. John REUKAUF).

Mr. and Mrs. EASTMAN have for thirty years been members of the Methodist church and lived strictly up to its teachings. The duty that devolved upon them in rearing their large family has been faithfully performed as well as every duty to society. They are still enjoying a fair degree of health, and are passing their declining days in comfort at their home in Lancaster, venerated and beloved by all who know them.




This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck