Bio: Baillet, John H. (History - 1827)

Contact: Janet Schwarze

Surnames: BAILLET HORTON DAVIDSON

----Source: History of Clark and Jackson Counties, published by Lewis Publishing Co., 1891, page 192 and 193:

JOHN H. BAILLET, superintendent of the Sawyer farm, section 28, Hixton Township, Clark County, was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, January 28, 1827, the son of Francis E. Baillet (deceased), a native of Baltimore, Maryland. He was for nine years clerk of Cattaraugus County, and was also deputy clerk several terms. He came to Wisconsin in 1868, and soon afterward settled in Black River Falls, where he died a few years ago. Our subject's mother, nee Elizabeth Horton, was born in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1800, and now lives in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. She is blind, but other wise enjoys good health. Of the parents eight children, five still survive, namely: John H., George W., Lydia J., Frank and Pemelia. One son, Harry, died when twenty-one years of age.

John H., our subject, was reared on a farm, and educated in the common schools of his native State. He participated in the late war, in Company D, One Hundred and Seventy-ninth New York Volunteer Infantry, enlisting February 13, 1864, and was discharged in June, 1865. He was in the siege of Petersburg, and helped make the charge that drove Lee's army out of the city. He was Sergeant on detached duty mostly, and mined several of the hardest battles. His brother, George, was a Lieutenant in the war, in the Thirty-seventh New York Regiment, served one and a half years, and was discharged for disability. Our subject removed to Caroline County, Virginia, in 1868 returned to New York in 1870 and then came to this county in the spring of 1872. He first ran a lumber camp for Sawyer in township 26, near Greenwood, where he remained until August, 1878, he went to Gary, Deuel County, Dakota, and took up a homestead, which he entered and proved up, where he was engaged in farming until May, 1890. He then returned to Wisconsin, and took charge of this farm. The Sawyer farm, of which he is foreman, contains many buildings, and among them are two large barns which are supplied with water from a wind-pump, so that the stock can all be watered without removing from their stalls.

Mr. Baillet was married in April, 1850, to Margaret G. Carpenter, a native of Cattaraugus County, New York, and a daughter of Isaac Carpenter, deceased. They have had one child, Ellen, who died at the age of nine years. The mother died in September 1851, and Mr. Baillet was again married, in July 1854, to Olive B. Ackley, a native of Madison County, New York. They have had two children: Fred and George. The former died in Dakota, October 18, 1887, and the latter is a resident of Gary, Dakota. He is married to Luny Davison, and they have tow children: Beverly G. and Nela E.. Mrs. Baillet died October 24, 1887, just six days after their son. Her death was caused by a nervous break shock at his death. Mr. Baillet never seeks office, but has been induced to serve on the School Board. Socially he is a member of the G.A.R., Odd Fellows and Masons. Mrs. Baillet was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which our subject was formerly a member, and although he has not renounced Christianity he is a firm believer in the existence of spirits. He has had sufficient evidence to prove to him that his departed friends see and know what he does, as they have often communicated with him.