Biographical Sketch of
Mrs. Harriet Thompson
Transcribed by Christy Janke
Source: Memorial and Biographical Record and Illustrated Compendium of Biography of Citizens of Columbia,
Sauk and Adams Counties, Wisconsin, published 1901 by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1901, Pages 292 - 293
Mrs. Harriet Thompson, whose home is on section 31, Lincoln township, Adams county, Wisconsin, has spent almost her
entire life on the frontier, and has witnessed the entire growth and development of this section of the Union. She was
born at Mackinac, Michigan, September 18, 1828, when this region was an unbroken wilderness inhabited only by the red
men, and abounding in wild game of all kinds. She early became familiar with all the hardships and privations of
pioneer life, but with the advancing white man all the comforts of civilized life have been brought to her door.
William Sylvester, the father of our subject, was born in Hanover, Massachusetts, October 28, 1793, and for twenty-four
years was employed as blacksmith by the American Fur Company at Mackinac Michigan. In 1835 he removed to Green Bay,
Wisconsin, where he followed farming for about thirteen years, and was then appointed by the government as blacksmith
for the Indians at Point Bois, Wood county. He was granted a permit to build on the Indian lands, and in 1848 erected
the first house in Adams county, it being known as the Marsh house, into which the family moved that fall. After the
land came into market, he entered one hundred sixty acres, and rented his house to our subject, while he moved to
Portage in 1848, andserved as the first mayor of that city. He also conducted a grocery store at that place, which
he afterward osld. He returned to the Marsh house, Adams county, making his home there for a number of yeras. He then
sold the Marsh house farm to Silas C. Fletcher and then moved to Ripon, Wisconsin, where he spent the remainder of his
life. He was one of the minute men from Massachusetts in the war of 1812, and was the first postmaster in Adams county,
Wisconsin. On the 3rd of May, 1820, he married Miss Nancy J. Allen, who was born in Detroit Michigan, March 17, 1805,
and died at Marsh house January 12, 1848. Eleven Children were born of that marriage: Edwin J., William, Charles,
Harriet, Clarissa A., Amanda F., Nancy Jane, Mary M., Delia S., Eliza P. and Emma A., all born in Mackinac except the
three youngest. For his second wife he married Mrs. Bates, of Rockford, Illionois, who died some years later, and
afterward he married Harriet Westcott, of Sheboygan, who still survives him. By his last marriage two children were
born at Marsh, named as follows: Lillian and Willis.
On the 12th of May, 1848, Miss Harriet Sylvester gave her hand in Marriage to Silas C. Fletcher, who after living in
Adams county, Wisconsin, for a few years, moved to California, where they made their home for about thirteen years. On
their return to Adams county, Mr. Fletcher purchased his father-in-laws's farm, which he successfully operated until his
death, June 2, 1890. Mrs. Fletcher was again married May 28, 1899, her second union being with Charles R. Thompson, who
came to this state in the spring of 1845, and first settled in Dodge county where he continued to reside until 1891. In
1892 he came to Adams county, which has since been his home. For one year he served as a soldier in the Union army during
the Civil war, enlisting as a private in Company I, Forty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, but on the 24th of March
1865, he was promoted to corporal. Both Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are highly respected and esteemed by all who know them,
and have many warm friends throughout Adams vounty. George W. Fletcher, the only child born to Silas C. and Mrs. Fletcher,
was born March 16, 1849. He is the present owner of the Marsh house and farms about two hundred acres of land in Adams
county. He was married, October 6, 1868, to Miss Mary A. Crane, a native of Fon du Lac, Wisconsin. They were the parents
of six children; those living are Minnie May, Silas C. and Mabel R. Mrs. Fletcher died November 12, 1881, aged thirty.
Mr. Fletcher was married, October 3, 1882 to Clara Jones, born April 9, 1861, at Cambria Wisconsin. They have five
children: Hazel I., Jane, Edwin W., Hattie L. and Ella M.Transcribed by Christy Janke
This site is maintained by Joan and was last updated October 2004
Click here to send Joan an e-mailBack to the Adams homepage
