John Disney (1803 - 1880)

Born 17 Mar 1803 in New York City, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 27 Oct 1880 at age 77 in Lake City, Wabasha, Minnesota, United States

Biography

From the History of Wabasha County, Chicago:

John C. Disney, a pioneer of Gillford Township, was born in New York City, March 17, 1803, son of John and Catharine Disney. The parents were natives of Ireland who had emigrated to this country in about the closing years of the eighteenth century. Mrs. Catharine Disney died in New York City in March, 1805, at the age of 44 years, and her husband then returned to his native land, where he died in December, 1815, at the age of fifty-nine. Their son John remained with a sister at Richmond, Va., till twelve years old, when he ran away and joined the American army as a drummer, taking part in the War of 1812-15 with Great Britain. He subsequently traveled about the country, residing for a while in various places, but regarding New York as his home.

On June 9, 1823, he married Lola Clark, and they made their home in Utica, N. Y., till about 1850, when Mr. Disney with his family moved to Virginia, where for several years he found employment on a plantation. They then returned to New York, which state continued to be their home until 1857. A considerable emigration from the East to Minnesota and other parts of the Northwest had set in a year or two previously, and Mr. Disney resolved to seek his fortune in the promising territory, which was soon to become a state. In 1858, therefore, he arrived with his family in Gillford Township, Wabasha County. There he took land and developed a farm, on which he resided until the fall of 1878. He then retired and bought a residence in Lake City, where he subsequently made his home until his death, October 27, 1880.

His wife, Lois Clark Disney, died March 15, 1848, leaving four children: Robert T., John C., William J. and Mary L., who became the wife of Edwin Bowen, of Joliet, Ill. All are now deceased except William J.

On June 23, 1849, John C. Disney married for his second wife, Mary Sweetman, nee Wall, by whom he had four children: Kate, who married Albert Field, of Zumbro Falls; Louis, who married Byron Miller, and went to reside in Mexico, Oswego County, N. Y.; Charles, who became an attorney at Hudson, Wis.; and Alice, who married Charles Colby, of Lake City. By her first husband, Samuel Sweetman, Mrs. Mary Disney, had a daughter, Henrietta, who married Daniel Edwards, of Lake City. John C. Disney was a member of the Methodist church, and politically a Republican. The first school opened in the town of Gillford, was held in the kitchen of his house. All his sons by his first wife, served in the Civil and Indian Wars. He was a sturdy and patriotic America citizen who did his full share in the development and civilization of this region. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Hill, H. H., & company, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]. History of Wabasha County. Chicago: H. H. Hill & company, 1884. HathiTrust Digital Library Early Settlers, Page 1079; https://hdl.handle.net/2027/loc.ark:/13960/t2j67r080?urlappend=%3Bseq=935

• Memorial: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190653512/john-disney