Dutcher, William M. & Mary H.; Beaver Township, Clark County, Wisconsin

William was born in 1837 in New York to Ruloff and Sarah Dutcher. In 1850, he was living in Springfield, Otsego Co., New York and in 1860 in Olive, Ulster County, New York. In 1861, he became one of two hundred and twenty Union Soldiers who fought with Company K of the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry during the Great Civil War. At the time of his enlistment, he was living in Washington Co., WI, and his regiment was organized at Camp Randall, in Madison, and mustered into service 11 Jun, 1861, leaving for Washington, D.C., June 20-26, 1861. From there, they moved about the Washington, D.C., area and into Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He fought at Bull Run, the defenses of Washington D.C., Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. William was mustered out July 6, 1864. His regiment lost 10 officers and 228 enlisted men who were either killed outright or mortally wounded, and 77 enlisted men succumbed to disease.

William married Mary H. Branch in 1866, shortly after the Civil War. Both of them were natives of the empire state. They were the parents of eight children: Willie who married Albins E. Castner of Loyal, 4 April 1888 and later resided in Rapid River, Michigan; Alice Laure who was born June 4, 1868 and married William Thayer, Jr.; Lavina who was born in 1870 and died in 1881; Lyda; Ruby who was born in 1875 and died in 1883; Rarda; Sophia (local teacher who married Fred Gross of Loyal, May 16, 1900), Viola who was born in April of 1883 and married Joe Cline. Both Lavina and Ruby are buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery of Loyal, Wisconsin.

Any U.S. citizen, or intended citizen, who had never borne arms against the U.S. Government could file an application and lay claim to 160 acres of surveyed Government land. For the next 5 years, the homesteader had to live on the land and improve it by building a 12-by-14 dwelling and growing crops. After 5 years, the homesteader could file for his patent (or deed of title) by submitting proof of residency and the required improvements to a local land office.

Local land offices forwarded the paperwork to the General Land Office in Washington, DC, along with a final certificate of eligibility. The case file was examined, and valid claims were granted patent to the land free and clear, except for a small registration fee. Title could also be acquired after a 6-month residency and trivial improvements, provided the claimant paid the government $1.25 per acre. After the Civil War, Union soldiers could deduct the time they served from the residency requirements. The Dutchers applied for such acreage in section 33 of Beaver Twp., Clark Co., WI. The Dutchers, if not the first settlers, were the first homesteaders in that township. Their second child, Alice Laure (Thayer) was born 4 Jun, 1868, with the distinction of being the first white child born in Beaver Township.

Both the 1875 Wisconsin State Census and the 1880 Federal Census records the Dutcher family's presence in Beaver Township, Clark Co., Wisconsin. William was also found on the Special Veterans' Census for 1890 where his length of service during the Civil War is listed as three years, two months and seven days and indicates his departing rank was "2nd Sergeant". The 1905-1910 Federal Census records indicate they had retired from farming and were residents of Greenwood, Wisconsin. They were living between the families of Matilda Hogue and Hiley Pratt in 1905 and in 1910 between Alonzo Sheets and Rev. Charles E. Schrein. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and William was an active member of the GAR, John Eaton Post #210. In 1918, the Dutcher Family contributed to the Red Cross effort for World War I. As they aged, William and Mary moved near Granton to live with their daughter Alice and her husband, William Thayer, Jr. and it is there that we found them listed on the 1920 Census. After residing in Clark County, Wisconsin for 52 years, William and Mary H. (Branch) Dutcher moved to Portland, Oregon to live with their daughter, Viola Cline. William died there February 1, 1922. Mary, having spent the remaining ten years of her life there, died August 15, 1929, at the age of 81 years. She did not live to experience any of the great depression which hit October 29, 1929. Her demise marked the passing of the last pioneer resident of Beaver Township.

Dutcher, William M
County:	Portland, Oregon
Death Date:	1 February 1922
Certificate:	292

Dutcher, Mary H.
County:	Portland, Oregon
Death Date:	15 August 1929
Certificate:	2416

1880 Federal Census, Beaver Township, Clark Co., Wisconsin
Name	Relation	Marital Status	Gender	Race	Age	Birthplace	Occupation	Father's Birthplace	Mother's Birthplace
William Dutcher	Self	M	Male	W	43	NY	Farmer	NY	NY
Mary H. Dutcher	Other	M	Female	W	32	NY	Keeping House	NY	NY
Willie Dutcher	Other	S	Male	W	14	WI	At Home	NY	NY
Allice Dutcher	Other	S	Female	W	12	WI	At Home	NY	NY
Lovina Dutcher	Other	S	Female	W	10	WI		NY	NY
Lyda Dutcher	Other	S	Female	W	7	WI		NY	NY
Rarda Dutcher	Other	S	Female	W	4	WI		NY	NY
Sophia Dutcher	Other	S	Female	W	2	WI		NY	NY

Previous Household: Orsamns, Mary J. and Maynard Matteson.

Next Household: Henry, Emma, William and Berton Smith.

Jan. 2, 1920 Federal Census--Granton, Clark County, Wisconsin-by Harry J. Rose

Family

Name

Relation

Marital

Sex

Color

Birth Year

Birthplace

Education

Occupation

Father Born

Mother Born

Ownership

20-22

Thayer, Will Jr.

Head

Married

Male

White

Wisconsin

English

Merchant, Hardware Store

Canada

Mort. Free

~Alice

Wife

Married

Female

White

Wisconsin

English

New York

~Alva

Daughter

Single

Female

White

Wisconsin

English

Wisconsin

Dutcher, William

Head

Married

Male

White

New York

English

New York

Renter

~Mary

Wife

Married

Female

White

1848-71

New York

English

New York

Homestead of William M. Dutcher, Early Pioneer Settler

Section 33, Beaver Township

Land Description:

1	E½SE	4TH PM - 1831 Minnesota/Wisconsin	No	27 N	1 W	33
2	SWSE	4TH PM - 1831 Minnesota/Wisconsin	No	27 N	1 W	33
3	SESW	4TH PM - 1831 Minnesota/Wisconsin	No	27 N	1 W	33

Property Owner	Purchase Date	Type	Location
DUTCHER, WILLIAM M.	5/15/1873	Homestead, Original Entry	SWSE	33	Eau Claire	WI0280__.455	498
DUTCHER, WILLIAM M.	5/15/1873	Homestead, Original Entry	SESW	33	Eau Claire	WI0280__.455	498
DUTCHER, WILLIAM M.	5/15/1873	Homestead, Original Entry	E½SE	33	Eau Claire	WI0280__.455	498

William Dutcher
Union Army
Regiment State/Origin:	Wisconsin
Regiment Name:	2 Wisconsin Infantry
Regiment Name Expanded:	2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry
Company:	A
Residence:	Washington Co., Wisconsin
Rank In:	April 29, 1861 as a Private
Rank In Expanded:	Private
Rank Out:	July 6, 1864 as a Private (1890 Census says 2nd Sergeant)
GAR Member	John A. Eaton Post, # 210; Greenwood, Clark Co., Wisconsin

William Dutcher is also featured in the book, "Civil War Soldiers in the heart of Clark Co., Wisconsin."

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Aug. 8, 1850 Federal Census, Granville, Milwaukee Co., Wisconsin; by J. Tibbetts
Family	Name	Estate Value	Gender	Race	Age	Birthplace	Occupation
362-367	Rudoff Dutcher	2,000	Male		53	NY	Farmer
	Sarah Dutcher		Female		51	NY
	G. W. Dutcher		Male		15	NY	Farmer
	Wm. M.		Male		13	NY
	H. J. Dutcher		Female		8	NY
	Peter Root		Male		22	France	Farmer