Elam David Hewitt (1813 - 1869)

Born 1 Mar 1813 in Edinburg, Saratoga, New York, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Almeda B. (Holcomb) Hewitt — married 29 Mar 1840 in Saratoga County, New York

Descendants

Died 21 Mar 1869 at age 56 in Randolph, Columbia, Wisconsin, United States

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Biography

Elam David Hewitt was born March 1, 1813, in Saratoga County, New York, the son of William Hewit.

1860 • Randolph, Columbia Co., Wisconsin, Occupation: Farmer and Carpenter. ^[1]

He married Almeda B. Holcomb (1817–1890). They had the following children:

Mary Fatima Hewitt (841–1914), who married Henry Bradshaw (1836–1896).

Jerome B. Hewitt (1844–1923), who married Josephine E. "Belle" Woodruff (1854–1896).

Hannah Almeda Hewitt (1849–1879), who married William H. Hughes (1853–).

Albert E. Hewitt (1850–1884), who married Ida Belle Clark (1848–1923).

George W. Hewitt (1853–).

William Wallace Hewitt (1854–1924), who married Kathryn S. "Kate" Hughes (1858–1913).

Cecil Almeda Hewitt (1857–1929), who married Gilbert Dixon Huntley (1860–1936).

Henry S. Hewitt (1859–), who married Johanna L. Burke (1862–).

Alice Lena "Allie" Hewitt (1860–1942), who married William Henry Collins (1860–1943).

Elam David Hewitt died in 1869. Burial: Friesland Cemetery, Friesland, Columbia County, Wisconsin.

From: Elam D. Hewitt, The History of Columbia County Wisconsin, by Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1880. Transcribed by James T. Paxton:^[2]

From page 850: All the first settlers avoided the prairies, having somehow, formed the erroneous idea that no one could live and support himself there, because there was no timber, and but little water or marsh - three very important requisites in a new country; also, that the land was considered too poor to grow timber; too cold for man or beast to live on in the winter, and only fit for cattle to range on in summer; and some men thought that it would never be settle, and that they would get the use of it for pasture as long as they lived; consequently, you would find all the first settlements in the openings, at the edge of the timber, and near some spring of water - water and wood being the principal things looked for; and when land was purchased on the prairie it was generally for speculation, and the most of that was done after the Mexican land warrants came into market. The first man, in this town, who was bold enough to venture clear out into the prairie was the late E.D. Hewit, in March, 1847, having been enticed there by a large spring of water and some marsh, on Section 34, and lived there for several years, and raised crops without any fence, or any fear of being annoyed by roving cattle - his own cattle being tethered on the marsh.

From page 1042: ELAM D. HEWITT (deceased); was a native of Saratoga Co., N.Y.; son of William Hewit, and was born March 1, 1813. Was married, March 29, 1840, to Almeda B. Holcomb, who was born Jan. 14, 1817, in Vermont; daughter of Isaac and Hannah Holcomb, who removed to Saratoga Co. when she was only 5 or 6 years old. Mr. Hewit came to Wisconsin with his family in July, 1846, and lived in Cottage Grove, Dane Co., till the next December, then came to Columbia Co. and located in what is now the town of Randolph, when there were but few families in the town; in March, 1847, he entered 160 acres in Sec. 34, and built a cabin 10 x 14 feet, in which they lived about a year, then drew lumber from Milwaukee with ox teams, and built a home in which he spent the remainder of his days. He worked at carpenter work for fourteen or fifteen years after he came to Wisconsin, hiring the work done on his farm; he died March 21, 1869, after an illness of only three days, leaving a widow and nine children - Mary F. (now Mrs. Henry Bradshaw), of Crookston, Polk Co., Minn.; Jerome B., Hannah A. (Mrs. William H. Hughes), died Dec. 3, 1879, leaving one child (Hughie E.); Albert E., in Black Hills, Dak.; George W., William W. lives in the town of Randolph; Cecil A., Henry S. and Allie L.; Cecil A. and Allie L. are living on the homestead with their mother. P.O. Randoph Center.

Sources

1. DESCENDANTS OF CAPTAIN THOMAS HEWITT OF STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT. By Virginia Hewitt Watterson. Elam D. Hewitt and Almeda Holcomb. pg. 116, pg. 298.

1. ↑ 1860 United States Federal Census.
2. ↑ The History of Columbia County Wisconsin, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1880. [1]

• The History of Columbia County Wisconsin, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1880. [2]

• 1860 United States Federal Census.

• The History of Columbia County Wisconsin, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1880. Elam D. Hewitt Page 1042.

• Wisconsin Genealogy Trails. Columbia County, Wisconsin Biographies.

• Find A Grave. Elam David Hewitt.

• Newspapers.com - The Wisconsin State Register - 21 Jun 1873 - Page 4. Sale of the property of Elam D. Hewitt.

• The Wisconsin State Register - 25 Apr 1874 - Page 4. Estate of E. D. Hewitt.

• The Wisconsin State Register - 5 Aug 1871 - Page 1. E. D. Hewitt, first man to settle on the prairie.