History of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens.

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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
father was a miller, and when thirteen years of age, Thomas began to work in the mill. In 1855 became to America, settling in Vernon Co., Wis. He made his home with an uncle, near Springville, for three years, when, in 1858, he was married to Sarah Pidcock, born in Ohio, June 28, 1835. He then, for four years, rented a farm in Viroqua town, after which he was en¬ gaged in farming in different parts of the county. In 1869 he went to Iowa, locating in Allamakee county. He remained there two years, after which he returned to Vernon county and rented a farm on section 16, town 12, range 6, Sterling town. After renting this two years, Mr. Sidyie purchased it, and has since made it his home. Mrs. Sidyie died, at Viroqua, Dec. 18, 1863, leaving three children—William, Eliza Ellen and Margaret J. The two oldest ones live in Genoa, the youngest in Iowa. Mr. Sid- yie's father was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, in 1809. He died in 1866. His mother was born in Perthshire, in 1810. They were mar¬ ried in 1833. Mrs. Sidyie came to America to join her son in 18'57, and has since made her home with him. She has six children living— Thomas, James, Margaret, William, John and Robert.
Leonard Wakefield, one of the early settlers of Sterling town, was born in New York State in 1800. He grew to manhood in his native State, and was there married to Polly Whitney, also a native New York. Soon after marriage he moved to Pennsylvania, where he bought a farm and lived until 1833. He then went to Ohio, settling in Seneca county, and living there twelve years. Going then to Illinois, Mr. Wake¬ field purchased government land in Lake county, and cleared a farm. In 1856 he again turned his face westward, locating in Sterling town, Vernon Co., Wis. He purchased land on section 2, town 11, range 6, and also on section 35, town 12, range 6, and here remained until his death, which occurred in 1871. His wife died in 1878. Their son, Elijah, is still a resident of the town. He was born March 15, 1827, in Pennsylvania.
In i853 he married Cleora Stickney, by whom he had four children, one of which is living. He lived in Ohio and Illinois with his parents, and came with them to Sterling, locating on land on section 2, which his father had entered in 1855. He enlisted in 1864, in company B, 42d Wisconsin Volunteers, and went south. He served until the close of the war, being dis¬ charged in June, 1865.
Adelbert, son of Elijah Wakefield, was born Sept. 21, 1854, in Lake Co., III. He was reared on a farm, and received his education in the district school. He was married, March 30, 1876, to Jane Wilder, born in Crawford Co., Wis. Four children have blessed this union— Effie C, John B., Charles and Hiram. He now occupies the old homestead of his grand¬ father. His children are the fourth generation that have lived on that place.
Henry Weber is a settler of 1856. He was born in Saxe-Coburg Germany Aug. 25, 18 22. He at¬ tended school until fourteen years of age, when he was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith trade, at which he continued to work until 1847, when he left his native land and emigrated to America. He landed at New York, but not finding employment went out of the city and succeeded in getting work on the New York Sd Lake Erie Railway, and subsequently on the Erie Canal. In 1850 he started west, visited Chicago, and from there went to St. Paul, Minn., and also Stillwater, and afterward to St. Louis, Mo., where he worked at his trade until 1856. In 1856 he made a settlement in Vernon county. He has since been a resident of Sterling town. Mr. Weber has improved his farm, erected sub stantial buildings for stock, grain, etc., and is an extensive raiser of small fruits, making a speciality of grapes. His farm comprises 280 acres. He was married in 1854 to Mary Pauly, also a native of Germany. They have had ten children—Elizabeth,Henry, Bertha,Mary, Chris¬ tian, Louisa, Josephine, Sophia, John and Caro¬ line J.    Josephine died when four years of age.