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From the Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 555-556
GEORGE TUFFLEY, a retired farmer living at Lancaster, Grant county, and an ex-soldier of the United States volunteer army, was born in Warwickshire, England, April 10, 1818. His parents, John and Margaret (HOPKINS) TUFFLEY, removed when George was about six years old to Birmingham, where at the age of eight he began to work at making pearl buttons, and so continued two years. Dissatisfied with this trade, he tried several others, and at the age of fourteen years was apprenticed to a gunmaker, learned the trade thoroughly, and followed it in both England and America.
When twenty-three years of age Mr. TUFFLEY married Miss Mary Ann DARBY, a native of Birmingham. Having already decided to sail for America, Mr. TUFFLEY, in February, 1850, with his wife and three children, embarked on board the sailing vessel "Camillius" for the port of New Orleans, and after a voyage lasting seven weeks and four days arrived in safety. He had early formed a high opinion of American institutions, and longed to become a citizen of the country in which every voter had a voice in shaping the laws, and within thirty minutes after landing in the Crescent City he had sought out a justice of the peace, and had taken the oath of allegiance to the United States government.
From New Orleans Mr. TUFFLEY and his family went on a large steamer to St. Louis, and there transferred themselves and their baggage to a smaller one, bound for Galena, Ill., at which place Mr. TUFFLEY worked three weeks at his trade. He then came to Grant county, Wis., April 10, 1850, for five years worked at gunsmithing in Platteville, then abandoned it for farming, buying government land in Marion township for fifty cents an acre. Within two years from the time of his first purchase he was the owner of 400 acres of fine woodland, and although he had no experience in farm life, or as a woodman, he acquired the necessary knowledge quite rapidly, and eventually became one of the best and most prosperous farmers of the county. As time passed on, however, the clouds of war began to lower, and soon the cry of secession rang throughout the land. Mr. TUFFLEY, as a patriotic American citizen, almost at once responded to the call to arms, although the day was fast approaching when he would be exempt from military service. But a desire to preserve the integrity of the flag of his adopted country filled his heart, and he enlisted in October, 1861, in Company K, 12th Wis. V.I. and served three years and twenty days, his discharge papers being dated Oct. 30, 1864. For nearly a year and a half Mr. TUFFLEY was with his regiment in Kansas, engaged in active operations, but the first severe fighting in which he took part was at the siege of Vicksburg, Miss., in which the gallant 12th Wisconsin held a prominent and conspicuous position. Mr. TUFFLEY also served with his regiment in the Atlanta campaign, participating in its most deadly battles, including the battle of Atlanta itself - the deadliest of all - on July 22, 1864. He also fought at Kenesaw Mountain, and in many other important engagements. About the time that Gen. Sherman was prepared to start on the famous march to the sea the term of enlistment of the 12th Wisconsin expired, and it was honorably discharged and mustered out. Thomas TUFFLEY, eldest son of George, enlisted at the same time with his father, served until the end of the war, and is now a resident of Boscobel, Grant county.
Mr. TUFFLEY, although he resumed farming on his return from the war, and calls the old farm his home, passed much of his time, together with his son Thomas, in the city of Lancaster. To the marriage of George and Mary Ann (DARBY) TUFFLEY came twelve children, of whom seven were left with their mother when the father started off for the war, and two were born during the term of service. Five are still living, viz.: Thomas, mentioned above; Margaret, wife of Joseph FRAZIER, who resides near Mount Hood, Oregon; Clara, wife of Matthew LAMBERT, of Marion township, Grant county; George, the present recorder of deeds of Grant county; and Lincoln, the youngest, who resides on the old home farm in Marion. Mr. TUFFLEY has had his share of family afflictions. While in the service of his adopted country five of his children were called away, between the ages of eight months and seventeen years. His lamented and estimable wife, who was three years younger than himself, died in April, 1886, most deeply mourned by her husband and surviving children.
In politics Mr. TUFFLEY has been a Republican from the time he became entitled to a vote, and exercised his first Presidential franchise for John C. Fremont, in 1856. He has himself been honored with election to several offices, having served as chairman of the Marion town board two years, as town clerk for five years, and for many years as justice of the peace, and he has proven himself to be at heart a true and patriotic American. His record is one in which his descendants may well take pride in years after he has, in due course of nature, succumbed to the inevitable. His religion is governed by the Golden Rule of the Master, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them," and no man in need ever passed unaided from his door.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck