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Note: Custom Field:<_FA#> 1840Census of Iowa Pg 5 First Dist. Custom Field:<_FA#> 1856Census Clayton pg 520 Roll #39 Dwelling #110 Mendon tws Custom Field:<_FA#> 1860Cens Mendon tws McGregor, Ia line 667 Custom Field:<_FA#> 1870Cens Guard tws Office of Farmmersburg #221 NORTH IOWA TIMES
December 28, 1882
Died-- - -At the residence of his son-in-law, Maple Moody Jr. in McGregor, December 25th 1882. Solomon Wadsworth, aged 77 years.
The deceased was one of the first settlers in Clayton County, and has an interest in common with the early settlers in shaping the then promising future of the now found territory. He was born in Connecticut in 1805, where he spent his boyhood days on the farm and in obtaining a fair education in the schools of that period. In 1835 he came to Iowa and after a trip over this portion of the territory took up his residence in Millville Township, in this county, where, for a number of years he managed the Redman Farm. In company with Ed. Dickens and where he aided in building the first saw mills on the Turkey and in erecting the first log cabins. He was a number one hand with an ox team and his services were generally sought after in giving the early settlers homes in which to dwell.
While in Millville he married Miss Ismaia Vansickle, sister of Mrs. Ed Dickens. By this union ten children were born to them two of whom are in the land of promise. Andrew, the eldest, is in the south part of the state; Mrs. Elmira Mason, Mrs. Maple Moody Jr., Mrs. Branderbury, Mrs. Nancy Townley, and Albert and Solomon are residents of this township, while another daughter Mrs. Larmungen lives in Fairview township, Allamakee County, all of whom, whith the aged mother mourn the departure of the husband and parent, whose life work forms such an interesting chapter in the early history of our county.
After several years in Millville, the family moved to Farmersburg township where Mr. Wadsorth purchased a track of land and on which he resided for a number of years. We believe his land comprised a portion of the farm now owned by Hon. Thomas D. White, near National. His next venture in the farm line was on Sni Malgill where he carved out a homestead, on which he remained for several years. While on the farm he established a hour ferry, crossing to the mouth of the Wisconsin River. This privilege was fainally purchased by Alex McGregor, whith whom Mr. Wadsworth became connected and for whom he acted as agent in the management of land claims in this township.
In the early settlement of the county the dreaded disease, small pox raged in the settlement on the Turkey and Mr. Wadsworth was one of the first taken down. He was removed to an old cabin in the woods, inhabited only by wild animals, plentiful throughout the county, where he lingered along in an uncertaion state for many weeks. Food was passed to him through the crevices in the cabin. So bad was he that the clothes fairly stuck to him. When he had recovered, he came out of the cabin but a shadow of himself; a mere skeleton of bone and tissue, He however rallied, under the benign influence of out-door life, in the chase after wild game and in sports prevalent in those days, among the early settlers.
In the early days of McGregor, in her palmiest days, he took an active part in business matters, and was among the leading men then pushing on to conquer for a share of the wealth in store. He was energetic and persevering, and accoplished the greatest results when doing for others. He was everybody's friend and his own worst enemy.
He has been confined to his bed for the past four years at the residence of son-in-law with whom he and his wife have resided. His ______ been a terrible sufferer and during the past week more intense than ever, often he called upon those attending him to do something that would put him out of the great misery
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