Untitled From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 978-979

PETER WOODHOUSE. Among the prominent citizens of Bloomington, Grant county, is Peter Woodhouse, the senior member of the banking firm of WOODHOUSE & BARTLEY, and a worthy representative of one of the pioneer families of southwest Wisconsin.

John WOODHOUSE, the father of our subject, was born about 1793 in Staffordshire, England, where he was reared, and where he married Ann NEWTON, who was born there in 1791. In 1830 Mr. WOODHOUSE left his family in England and crossed the ocean with the intention of providing a new home. By occupation he was a miner, and immediately after landing in America he made his way to Pottsville, Penn., the heart of the anthracite region of that State, where he secured employment, working industriously for two years before he thought it advisable to send for his family. In 1837 the family came to Wisconsin, settling in Grant county, where the father had been a short time previous to the arrival of the others. For years afterward he engaged in lead mining, being very prosperous. His land, on what is now known as Blake's Prairie, was obtained from the government, and this became the permanent home of Mr. WOODHOUSE, who died there in March, 1859, his widow surviving until February, 1868. Being among the earliest of the pioneers, they endured all of the privations and hardships incident to those early days, patiently waiting the time when their labors should be rewarded. They were held in high esteem, and their memory is reverenced by those who now profit by the trials which they passed through. They became the parents of a large family of children, all but two of whom were brought from England. Of their six sons and four daughters, three survive: Mrs. Jane HADLEY, of Bloomington; Peter, subject of this biography; and James, who is a resident of Lancaster. Mrs. Maria FOX died in Pennsylvania, never having come to Wisconsin, and soon after her death her husband, Henry FOX, was accidentally drowned in the mines, while he was at work. The first of the children to pass away after locating in this State was Levison, who died of typhoid fever in 1869, and his wife died two days later, leaving a family of nine children, the youngest but two hours old. Hannah became the wife of John CLEGG, and died in 1865, at the age of thirty-two, leaving eight children; her husband survived many years, dying on May 20, 1901. Rev. John WOODHOUSE, a Methodist minister, was the next to pass away, and he was followed by Simon. The latter kept a hotel in Bloomington for many years; he left a wife and five children. Samuel died at Maxwell, Iowa, several years ago, and May Ann, Mrs. HOLLENBECK, died at her home in Legal, Indian Territory, leaving four children.

Peter WOODHOUSE, our subject, was born in England, Sept. 11, 1824, and was about eight years old when he came to America. Coming with the family to Wisconsin in 1837, this State has been his home ever since. For sixty-four years his hopes and fortunes have been bound up with those of Grant county, and very little of its development has been unobserved by him. Since 1849 his residence has been at Bloomington (at that time known as Tafton), and he previously lived in both Potosi and Beetown. For many years he engaged in both farming and mining, and he is considered one of the most substantial citizens of the county. In 1883 Mr. WOODHOUSE established the banking house in Bloomington in which he is the senior partner, and has been successful in its management. All of the brothers were successful men of business, and were estimable and honored citizens.

Mr. WOODHOUSE was married Jan. 11, 1858 to Miss Rachel LYONS, who was born April 11, 1832, in Manchester, England, a daughter of John LYONS, and came with her parents to America when but two years old. The family lived two years in Philadelphia, and then removed to Potosi, where the parents passed the rest of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. WOODHOUSE have four children: Lily G, Mrs. BARTLEY; Rose, wife of Harry GRANT; Milton F.; and Bertha, Mrs. MARTIN. Three children have passed away: Bessie, who died at the age of six years; Anna Mary, at the age of eight days; and Daisy, at birth.

Peter WOODHOUSE has traveled much, and has an interesting fund of information. In 1852 he went to California, and on the way had a most thrilling experience. Going by way of the Isthmus, he was a passenger on the ill-fated steamer "North America," which was wrecked on the Pacific coast, about thirty miles below Acapulco. The steamer was a total loss, and the passengers had a narrow escape. At Acapulco they were transferred to a sailing vessel, and after many hardships reached San Francisco in safety. Mr. WOODHOUSE remained in California about five years, and returned by the Panama route to New York.

Mr. WOODHOUSE is a progressive and public-spirited citizen. In his early voting days he was a Whig, but he has acted with the Republican party since its organization. Mrs. WOODHOUSE is a member of the Methodist Church, and he is liberal in his religious views.



This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck