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THOMAS WESTON
One of Necedah’s First Settlers

By Jackie L. Martin Hufschmid

 
Born: 1818 in Rupert, Vermont

Died: 30 Nov 1887 in Necedah, Juneau Co., Wisconsin

 Thomas moved with his parents, when quite young, to the State of New York, where he received a common school education. At the age of fifteen, he commenced work in a woolen mill, and followed the same for three years. He concluded to see some of the western country and traveled over a great part of the United States, until 1840, when he came to Wisconsin.  He first settled at Grand Rapids, where he followed lumbering during the summers and spending the winters South for two years. He then purchased an interest in a mill, and was engaged in the same until 1846.

In 1848, he came to Necedah, and was a member of the firm of T. Weston & Co., until 1881, when the company changed names to the Necedah Lumbering Company and remained until 1898.  

He was a Democrat, and held various local offices, but Thomas took more interest in his business than in public office.  

In 1852, he was married to Elizabeth Dawes, a native of Maine. Elizabeth was born 19 Apr 1828 at Machias, Maine, and died on 05 Nov 1911 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They had the following children, which were all born in Wisconsin:
 

  1. Helen was born 18 May 1852 and on 01 Jun 1871 in Juneau County she married Owen King (ca 1846 Canada). They are listed in the 1900, 1920 and 1930 census living at Spring Green, Sauk Co., Wisconsin. Helen died before the 1920 census. They had eleven children.
  2. Hiram Irving was born 19 Dec 1854 and died in 1925. He is buried at Bay View Cemetery in Necedah.
  3. John C. was born 22 Feb 1859 and died in 1860. He is buried at Bay View Cemetery in Necedah.
  4. May W. was born 17 Jun 1857 and on 19 Jun 1902 in Juneau County she married John Godfrey (ca 1848 Scotland). They are listed in the 1910 and 1920 Milwaukee, Wisconsin census. They did not have any children.
  5. Emma was born 26 Jul 1861 and married Robinson.
  6. Hattie A. was born 05 May 1863 and died on 13 Sep 1877. She is buried at Bay View Cemetery in Necedah.
  7. Laura A. was born 07 May 1865 and on 09 Jul 1885 in Juneau County she married Clarence M. Hutchinson (Aug 1859). They are listed in the 1900 census living in Necedah. They are listed in the Milwaukee 1910 census. They had ten children.
  8. Elizabeth was born 26 Nov 1867 and on 03 Jun 1886 in Door County she married Louis Reichel. Louis was born in Wisconsin on 21 May 1865. They lived in Sturgeon Bay, Door Co., Wisconsin, during the 1900 census. They lived in Grand Rapids, Wood Co, Wisconsin during the 1910 and 1920 census. He was an optometrist in Grand Rapids. They moved to San Diego, San Diego Co., California in 1921 where they remained until their deaths. Louis died in San Diego on 02 Sep 1940 and Elizabeth died in San Diego on 24 Jun 1957. They had five children.
  9. Dolly was born 01 Mar 1868 and on 03 Jun 1897 in Juneau County she married George H. Parham. She died on 18 Jan 1893 at the age of 23 during childbirth, the infant son also died. Dolly and the son are buried in Bay View cemetery in Necedah.

Thomas and Elizabeth are buried at the Bay View Cemetery in Necedah.

1850 CENSUS
District No. 3, Adams County, Wisconsin dated 29th Sep 1850 #875/875
Thos. Weston, age 30, born in VA
John Warrington, age 35, born in NY
Jane, age 22, born in NY
Mary, age 1, born in Wis
John Warner, age 30, born in NY

 1860 CENSUS
Necedah, Juneau County, Wisconsin dated 20 Sep 1860, page 207, #1662/1449
Thomas Weston, age 42, merchant, value of real estate $26,000, value of personal estate $22,000, born in Vermont
Elizabeth, age 32, born in Maine
Ellen, age 6, born in Wis
Hiram, age 5, born in Wis
May, age 3, born in Wis
Alice Powers, age 19, domestic, born in Ireland
Thomas Brown, age 26, domestic, born in Ireland

 
1870 CENSUS
Necedah, Juneau County, Wisconsin, dated 13 Jul 1870, page 15, #45/48
Thomas Weston, age 52, lumberman, real estate $100,000, personal estate $50,000, born in Vermont
Elizabeth, age 42, keeping house, born in Maine
Hellen, age 16, born in Wis
Hiram, age 15, born in Wis
May, age 13, born in Wis
Emma, age 9, born in Wis
Hattie, age 7, born in Wis
Laura, age 5, born in Wis
Elizabeth, age 3, born in Wis
Dolly, age 1, born in Wis
Alice Powers, age 23, domestic servant, born in Ireland
can’t read, age 28, domestic servant, born in Maine
Betsy Quam, age 16, domestic servant, born in Norway

 1880 CENSUS
Necedah, Juneau County, Wisconsin, dated 17 Jun 1880, page 25, enumeration district 194, #206/207
Thomas Weston, age 63, lumber dlr & ?, born in Vermont, parents born in Vermont
Elizabeth, wife, age 52, keeping house, born in Maine, parents born in Maine
Hiram, son, age 25, salesman
May, age 22, daughter, crayon painting
Laura, age 15, daughter, at school
Elizabeth, age 13, daughter, at school
Dolly, age 11, daughter, at school
Mary Sanderson, age 21, servant, born in Wis
Rachel Swanson, age 22, servant, born in Norway
Napoleon Arntz, age 22, servant, born in Wis

Death of an Early Necedah Pioneer

The death of the subject of this sketch marks the passing of one of the earliest pioneers of this community. Sixty years have passed since she first came to Necedah with her husband as a happy bride, and became identified and associated with its development and progress. In all the years that have since intervened her personality her personality has only reflected that which is good and true in all relations of life.

Mrs. Elizabeth Weston, nee Dawes, was born April 19, 1828 at Machias, Maine, and departed this life at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, November 5, 1911. When about twenty-three years old she came to Wisconsin with her parents, settling near Portage City. In 1852 she became the wife of Thomas Weston, the senior member of the pioneer lumber firm of T. Weston & Co., which had just begun operations at Necedah and in the pineries to the northward. Mr. Weston passed to the life beyond November 24, 1887, nearly twenty-four years ago. Except the past five years Mrs. Weston’s home was Necedah. Since then her residence has been in Minneapolis and Milwaukee, moving to the latter city two years ago last June.

The following children survive their parents: Mrs. Helen King of Spring Green; Hiram Weston of Jefferson; Mrs. May Godfrey, Mrs. Emma Robinson, Mrs. Laura Hutchinson of Milwaukee, and Mrs. Elizabeth Reichel of Grand Rapids. Three children pre-deceased their parents: John, Hattie and Mrs. Dolly Parham.

Tuesday morning following her death a short service was held at the home in Milwaukee, conducted by her pastor, Rev. C. H. Beale of the Grand Avenue Congregational Church, after which the remains were taken to Necedah. On Thursday morning services were held from the old home, conducted by Rev. J. H. Rowland of Union Grove, assisted by Rev. Klein of the local M. E. Church and a very large number of the old friends and neighbors attended. Interment was made in the family lot in Bayview cemetery. During the hour of service all the business places in the village were closed out of respect to the memory of the departed... 2

 
Sources:

  1. History of Northern Wisconsin. Publisher: Western Historical Co., Chicago 1881. p.386
  2. Necedah Republican, Thursday 16 Nov 1911, P 1
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