Bio: Varney, Hiram W. (1836 - 1902)
Contact: Stan
Surnames: VARNEY STEWARD LONGLEY WITHEE
----Sources: 1891 Clark Jackson Counties
Biographical History, Federal Census, Family Records and Military
Records.
HIRAM W. VARNEY, of section 20, Warner
Township, Clark County, was born in Somerset County, Maine, June
23, 1836, the son of Levi and Harriet (Steward) Varney. The former
died when Hiram was six years old, and the latter died on the old
homestead in 1875. They were the parents of eight children, five of
whom are now living: Harriet, Levi, Hannah, Elbridge and Hiram. One
son, the next to older than our subject, Charles, went to
California in 1849, thence to Australia the next year, and it was
reported that he then started to Callao, South America, but as he
was never heard from it is supposed that he was murdered for his
money. The other two were Warren and Joseph the former died about
1846, and the latter in 1882 in Maine.
Hiram W., our subject, was reared on a farm and received his
education in the common schools of his native county. In 1854 he
went, via Panama, to California, where he engaged in mining mostly
until 1859, and in that year returned to his native county. He was
a soldier in the late war, in Company A, Nineteenth Maine Volunteer
Infantry, serving nearly three years. He was in the first battle of
Fredericksburg was then detailed to the Ambulance Corps, and was
afterward attached to the headquarters of the Rhode Island Heavy
Artillery Brigade, driving the headquarters team with the hospital
stores for the field. He accidentally shot the finger off his right
hand while in service which was afterward amputated. He was also
injured in the right foot by an ambulance wagon passing over it,
and now draws a pension for each injury.
After the war Mr. Varney came to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, in August,
1865, and remained until 1868, when he removed to Mitchell County,
Iowa, and was there engaged in farming two years, and also
manufactured milk-safes and fanning-mills one year. In 1871 he
returned to La Crosse, and in the spring of 1873 came to this
county, settling on his present farm of eighty acres, forty-five of
which is cleared. It was then a dense woods, and wild animals and
Indians abounded, but the latter never annoyed Mr. Varney.
He was married July 13, 1861, to Cynthia E. Withee, who was born in
Somerset County, Maine, on the same farm on which her father was
born. Her parents were Zachariah and Polly (Longley) Withee, both
natives of Maine and now deceased. They had seven children, three
of whom are now living: Hiram, Levi and Cynthia. One son, Niran,
deceased, late of Longwood, owned large tracts of pine land in this
county, which is now owned by the heirs. Mr. and Mrs. Varney have
had nine children, seven of who still survive, namely: Charlie A.
L., Alba F., Edith E., Louise A., Ralph L., Mabel F., and Maud B.
Charlie A. L. was married November 27, 1890, to Nettie Van
Airsdale, of Waupaca County, Wisconsin, and is now living in
Throrp, this county. Mr. Varney was the first Assessor of Warner
Township and has also been a member of the School Board several
years. He is a member of the G. A. R. and Masonic fraternities.
Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
and the latter is also president of the Women's Relief Corp, of
Greenwood. In his political views Mr. Varney is a Republican.
***Hiram Warren Varney is also featured in the book, "Civil War Soldiers in the heart of Clark Co., Wisconsin."
ADDED NOTE: Hiram Varney married Cynthia Withee. That family came
from Somerset County, Maine to Wisconsin in the 1800s. I have
additional information on some of the descendants of the Withee
family, for whom Withee, Wisconsin was named. This includeds
Zachariah Withee and his wife Polly Longley. Cynthia Withee was a
sister to Hiram, Niram, and Levi Withee, other early Clark County
families. Please contact me if you have additional information on
these people. Information from: AHodnett@aol.com
Hiram Warren & Cynthia (Withee) Varney
Cynthia E. (Withee) Varney
Census Records
1900 U. S. Federal Census - Warner, Clark County, Wisconsin | |||||||||
Name | Relation | Sex | Race | Age | Marital Status | Birth Place | Father Birth Place | Mother Birth Place | Occupation |
Varney, H. W. | head | m | w | 63 | m | Maine | New Hampshire | New Hampshire | farmer |
Varney, Cynthia | wife | f | w | 57 | m | Maine | Maine | Maine | |
Varney, Edith | daughter | f | w | 28 | s | Wisconsin | Maine | Maine | musician |
Varney, Ralph | son | m | w | 23 | s | Wisconsin | Maine | Maine | teaches school |
Varney, Maud | daughter | f | w | 16 | s | Wisconsin | Maine | Maine |
HIRAM W. VARNEY, Civil War Soldier
1836 - 1902
Muster Rolls [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Medical Discharge [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Pension [1] [2] [3] [4]
HIRAM W. VARNEY was born June 23, 1836. He enlisted with Co. "A" in the 19th Regiment of the Wisconsin Infantry on July 13, 1862, serving as a Private and was discharged June 3, 1865. He died October 26, 1902 and is buried in the Greenwood, Wisconsin City Cemetery. His son, Charles Varney of Greenwood, Wisconsin was listed as his next of kin on his grave registration.
Hiram was born 23 June 1836 in Skowhegan, Somerset, ME, the son of Levi and Harriet (Stewart) Varney.
In August of 1902 they moved off their farm and were living in Harry Hogue's house while building a cozy home of their own across the street. They were just a few weeks away from settling in their own new home, where plastering was underway, when their plans changed abruptly. That Saturday morning, 25 Oct 1902, Hiram had an attack of chronic diarrhea, an affliction he suffered with many times following his days in the army. The next morning he built the fire and did the chores. About 9 o'clock, however, he felt chilled and sat by the fire to warm himself. Finally determining he had an attack of grip coming on, he decided to walk up to Dr. Schofield's office. Cynthia talked him into letting her go instead and returned with some medicine that she gave to him at 10:45. A half-hour later she administered a second dose. After resting on the lounge, Hiram had a fainting spell and asked that the doctor be called, but before he was summoned, he showed signs of the fast approaching crisis. Within minutes, without any apparent suffering, death had claimed its own. His body was laid to rest in the Greenwood, WI City Cemetery. The G.A.R. attended the funeral in a body. The pall bearers were: John Booth, Charles Cummings, John W. Stanton, William Oelig, Paschal Wallis and John Tatro. Cynthia passed away 25 Oct 1915 and was buried at Hiram’s side. The family worshiped at the Grace M. E. Church. The Varneys were the parents of: Charles Abraham Lincoln (25 Apr 1865, Skowhegan, ME, m. Nettie May VanAirsdalde), Perley Forrest (19 Jun 1867* d. 4 Aug 1868, LaCrosse), Alba Forrest (2 Dec 1869* m. Belle C. VanAirsdale), Edith Ellora (27 Jan 1872*, was a music teacher at Medford, d. Denver, Co. 5 Apr. 1950, buried in Greenwood), Louisa "Lulu" Alice (6 Apr 1875* m. Henry Warner), Ralph Lester (30 Jan 1877** m. Henrietta Gertrude Bartlett), Mabelle Florence (6 Jan 1882** m. Ronald M. Lamont), and Maud Beatrice (21 Nov 1884** m. Chester D. Huffmire). *Born in LaCrosse, WI, **Born in Greenwood, WI
Civil War Soldiers in the Heart of Clark Co., Wisconsin
Contributors
Paul Forster, Al Hodnett, Janet Schwarze Ken Wood.
© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.
Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.
Become a Clark County History Buff
|
|
A site created and
maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke, Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,
|