----Source: CLARK COUNTY PRESS (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 01/29/1876

Spaulding, Jacob (? - 23 Jan 1876)

Last Monday evening it was rumored here that Jacob Spaulding, of Black River Falls, Wis., on of the oldest residents, and for many years one of the most prominent businessmen in this part of the state, had died suddenly on the day previous of apoplexy, at Medford, Wis., the county seat of Taylor Co. The report seemed to be unauthorized, and was not credited, but on Tuesday the relatives of the deceased at this place (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.), Mr. O. P. Wells and Mrs. D. R. Brown, received notice of the sad event, fully corroborating the account received on Monday.

Mr. Spaulding first settled at Black River Falls in the spring of 1839, and during the thirty-seven years that have elapsed since then he has shown himself a man possessed of ability, energy and much goodness of heart. Known and respected by all, the sad intelligence of his death is received with universal regret. His life work is ended and he has gone to his reward, but the familiar name of "Uncle Jake Spaulding" will be known and spoken with reverence by generations to come.

Response

As part of the effort to put together the Mormon Church's part in Wisconsin/Clark County logging history, the local church committee is trying to find descendants of the original Mormon settlers in Wisconsin. Of particular interest is a man named Jacob Spaulding. Jacob was a Mormon who left the church after the death of Joseph Smith and stayed in Wisconsin. A descendant of Jacob's approached a church member within the last couple of  years and told him who she was. Because the meeting was in a professional capacity, than man could not reveal any details of the conversation without the lady's permission. The committee is hoping to find this woman or any other family member who would be willing to help. I was given an old binder that contained a lot of Jacob's history so I know
there are Spauldings out there working on family history. Some of the things in the binder came from the Jackson County Historical Society. Kathy Englebretson