SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Luther Witt, Page 561

LUTHER WITT was one of the pioneers of Sheboygan County.  He was born in the town of Jeffrey, Cheshire County, N. H., July 27, 1807.  His father was Charles Witt, and his grandfather, Ebenezer Witt, was one of the early settlers of that town, the family being of English origin.

    Luther Witt was brought up in his native town, and at the age of twenty years went to Lynn, Mass., where he worked on a farm for a year or two, and then returned to New Hampshire, and soon after bought a farm in the town of Unity, Sullivan County, on which he settled.  On May 12, 1831, about a year before locating in the town of Unity, he was married to Miss Betsey Thompson, who was also a native of the town of Jeffrey, N. H.  Mrs. Witt was born May 9, 1807, and was a daughter of Henry and Betsey (Jaquinth) Thompson, early settlers of that town.

    In 1845, Mr. Witt sold his New Hampshire farm and started for Wisconsin, then regarded as the far West.  They came the greater part of the way by the Lakes, and were about three weeks in making the trip to Sheboygan County.  They settled in the town of Lyndon, about two miles south of Cascade, where he made a fine farm, upon which he and his wife lived for some ten years, and there two of their children were born.  Going to the town of Rhine, he there spent about two years, and then removed to a farm just west of the city of Plymouth.  In 1888 Mr. Witt retired from active pursuits and purchased a beautiful home in Plymouth, where he passed the rest of his life, being stricken very suddenly, August 26, 1890.

    Politically, our subject was a Republican.  In early life, both he and his wife were members of the Baptist Church, but after coming to this county, for the sake of convenience, they identified themselves with the Congregational Church.  Of the five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Witt, Olive Roana, was born June 23, 1832, in Jeffrey, N. H., and married Isaac Ames, of Kansas City, Mo.; Charles Granville, born June 22, 1833, in the town of Unity, resides in California; Ida E., born July 20, 1845, in Jeffrey, married Daniel Ames, and resides at Renville, Minn.; Alpha T., who was born October 10, 1846, is the wife of William Swart, of Plymouth Township; and Sophina E., whose birth occurred April 6, 1848, became the wife of George W. Jones, and now makes her home in Plymouth.  The mother of these children still survives, being in her eighty-seventh year.  She is one of the few remaining landmarks.  When she and her husband came to this county, they built their first home in an Indian village.  The red men had threatened to kill the first white man that should try to settle there, but during their absence on a hunt, Mr. Witt erected his cabin and moved into it.  When the Indians returned, they were surprised at the temerity of the sturdy pale face, but made no effort to dislodge him.  Through all the hardships attending frontier life, Mr. and Mrs. Witt bravely passed.  When they came to the county, they had less than $100, but through industry and wise investment became well off.  Mr. Witt was a strong temperance man, and was in the highest sense a good citizen.