William Bigelow Atwater

The following is from Biographical History of La Crosse, Trempealeau, and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin, Printed by the Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago in 1892. Pages 428 & 429: (My apologies, the author is unknown to me.)

      W. B. Atwater, an honored and highly respected early settler of Farmington township, La Crosse County (post office Stevenstown), has made his home here since 1856.

    Mr. Atwater dates his birth in Nova Scotia, August 3, 1834.  His father, Ward Atwater, was born in Nova Scotia, of Scotch and English ancestry, and his mother, also a native of that country, was before her marriage Miss Mary Ann Biglow.  Her father, Daniel Biglow, was a descendant of Scotch ancestors.  The subject of our sketch was a lad of six years when his parents came to Wisconsin and settled in Waukesha county.  There the family lived until 1856.  Daniel Biglow, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Atwater, was a wealthy and prominent man in Nova Scotia, where he owed a fisher, fleet and mills.  He subsequently came to Wisconsin, and at one time owned eighty acres in what is now the heart of Milwaukee.  He entered a large tract of Government land in Waukesha County, and there built a mill.  Ward Atwater worked in the mill for some time.  in 1856 the Atwater family came to La Crosse county and took up their abode in Lewis valley, where the father lived until his death, which occurred in June, 1881.  He had in early life been a ship-builder and miller, and was an expert mechanic.  He and his wife were the parents of nine children, six of whom are now living, viz: Emma, Sarah Jane, W.B., Harriette, Rebecca, and Milton.  Those deceased are as follows: Joseph, who was a member of the First Wisconsin Cavalry, became prominent as an attorney, politician, and statesman in Oregon, and died in 1891; James, a member of the Eagle Regiment, Eighth Wisconsin Infantry, Company D, died while at home on furlough; Charlotte was the wife of Daniel Kennedy. The mother is still loving on the old farm near Mindoro, and is now about ninety years of age.

    W.B. Atwater was reared on a farm and received his education in the district schools ofthe neighborhood where he resided.  At the age of eighteen he began to learn the trade of carpenter, became a thorough mechanic in his line of work, and has followed that trade the most of his life.  He owns a  good farm of 120 acres, which he purchased in 1856, and which is now well improved with a story-and-a-half cottage home, good barn, other out-buildings, fences, etc all showing the hand of enterprise and industry.

    Mr. Atwater was married in 1857, to Miss Caroline C. Post, a lady of education, refinement, and culture, and for some time a popular and successful teacher.  She is a daughter of Joseph Post, deceased.  Mrs. Atwater was born in Ohio, but was reared and educated in Wisconsin.  They have three children. Joseph Truman, their oldest, has been engaged in teaching for eight years.  He received his education in the Black River Falls, Galesville and La Crosse high schools.  He married Stella Pettingill, and has one daughter, Millie G.  The other members of the family are Leonard Frank and Grace.  The former wedded Nettie Frank, and has one child, Leslie L., and the latter is at home.  Mr. and Mrs. Atwater lost one son, Elmer, at the age of twenty-two years.

    Politically Mr. Atwater is a Republican, and has served as Assessor and Justice of the Peace for twenty years.  He is a member of the I.O.O.F., Lodge No 291, of North Bend.

• *Transcribed Monday, September 1st 2008, By BSFB, with many thanks to my mother LASF for finding this online after a cousin suggested we might find it helpful. My mother is his GG Grandaughter. I hope my posting this here will help future family historians.I highly recommend that you take the time to look the actual book up online.