Obit: Vanderhoof, Wesley (1843 - 1938)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: VANDERHOOF CLARK KAYHART DEGRAW SLEYSTER HEIN

----Sources: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., Wis.) 02/03/1938

Vanderhoof, Wesley (16 OCT 1843 - 7 JAN 1938)

Wesley Vanderhoof, who died at his home in the town of Sherman January 7, 1938, was one of four surviving Civil War veterans of Clark County, the other three being Thomas Goodell, Spokeville, Albert Darton, Loyal, and Sylvanus Warner, Thorp, all of whom are past 90 years of age.

Wesley Vanderhoof was born on a farm in Pequanic, Morris County, N.J., Oct 16, 1843, a son of Jacob and Jane (Miller) Vanderhoof. He grew to young manhood there, receiving only a limited education. In 1861 he answered the call of his country and enlisted in Company E, 8th New Jersey Regiment and was mustered in at Trenton, that regiment being sent to Washington. He saw and participated in much hard fighting. At Chancellorsville he received a hip wound and lay in the field for six days before hew as picked up and taken to Mt. Pleasant Hospital at Washington. Here he recovered and rejoined his regiment.

He took part in battles at Williamsburg, Yorktown, Harrison Landing, Fair Oaks, Deep Bottom and the fighting in front of Petersburg. At the close of the war he came west and after spending a few months at Plymouth, Wis., he came to Neillsville in 1869. He helped build the first turnpike road in Clark County, leading north out of Neillsville, Wis. He spent his winters in the woods and worked at log driving in the spring.

In 1884 Mr. Vanderhoof bought a farm in the town of Sherman and that year his parents and other members of the family came to Clark County to join him. There were no roads at that time, the land being covered with pine and hardwood timber, and only 17 houses had been erected between his farm and Neillsville, Wis. He was a member of the county board for six years and often walked in for its meetings. Most of the family provisions were carried from Spencer, 4 miles away. He built a log house and barn, acquired a yoke of oxen, and a few chickens, but it was two years before he added a cow to his livestock.

On Sept. 6, 1882, he was married to Ellen Clark. Six children were born to this union: Pearl and Alfred, living on the home place in the town of Sherman, and with whom deceased made his home; Guy, of Chippewa Falls, Maude, Mrs. Robert Sleyster, Cochrane, Wis.; Hazel, Mrs. Martin Hein, Chippewa Falls, Wis.; and Frank, who passed away Dec. 18, 1937.

He leaves also three sisters and a brother, Mrs. Ed Kayhart, town of Sherman; Mrs. Sarah DeGraw, Loyal; Mrs. Martha Neil, Seattle, Wash., and Lige Vanderhoof, Priest, Idaho. His wife passed away in May 1929.

Being a good farmer, deceased gradually increased his acreage until he owned several hundred acres. He became a breeder of Holstein cattle, good horse, Poland China hogs and Shropshire sheep. He took a keen interest in his town and the affairs of the county at large. He served as justice of the peace and school clerk for 37 years.. Military rite were conducted at the M.E. Church Spencer, January 10, at 2 p.m., the Rev. Ge. R. Carver officiating. Burial took place in the Cole Cemetery.