----Source: 1891 History of Clark & Jackson Co., Wis.



WILLIAM HUNTLEY, a well known citizen of Neillsville, who has been active in the development of Clark County along various lines of endeavor, was born in Washington County, Wis., March 25, 1849. His parents were William and Mary (Burk) Huntley, the father being a native of Scotland, and the mother of England, Sheffield, England, being the place where they were married. Emigrating to the United States about 1845, they first spent a year in Buffalo, N. Y., and then removed to Milwaukee, Wis., where the father followed his trade of shoemaker in the employ of Bradley Metcalf, and where he subsequently died about 1854. The mother died in Neillsville, Jan. 15, 1897.

They had five children-Anna, now Mrs. John Sufficoll, residing in California Richard, now deceased William, of Neillsville John, deceased, and Thomas, a railroad man, living in La Crosse. Richard served three years in the Civil War as a member of the First Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, enlisting as a private at West Bend, Wis. William Huntley's opportunities for gaining an education were but limited, as at an early age he had to help his mother. He came to Neillsville in 1868 to get a home and farm. In company with his brothers, Richard and John, and Thomas and John Sufficoll, he bought 460 acres of timberland of the Fox River Land Company, in the Township of Weston. There were that time no roads.

Mr. Huntley worked on his land in the summer at logging in the winter. With the help of an ox team he cleared up his farm and erected good buildings on it, cultivating the land with profitable results. He also assisted in locating a good many people in homes in Clark County, tramping over the country with a pack on his back. For a number of years he was identified with the lumbering industry, logging for the mills, and later he spent some time lumbering in the South and on the Pacific Coast. While residing in Weston Mr. Huntley served fourteen years as township assessor, Weston Township at that time comprising one-third of the county. He was also for some time chairman of the township board, his brother, John, serving in that office one term. He was in those days an active politician, serving on Democratic committees and being deep in the councils of his party.

Twenty-five years ago Mr. Huntley took up his residence in Neillsville in order that his children might have superior educational advantages. He soon became a prominent here, interesting himself in the growth and development of the place, and showing so much public spirit that before long he was elected mayor of the city, in which office he served eleven years. During President Cleveland's second administration he was appointed postmaster of was superseded when the Republicans came into office again, and again appointed under President Wilson's administration.

He is one of stockholders in the Neillsville Canning Factory. Mr. Huntley is one of surviving veterans of the great Civil War, having enlisted in 1864, when only 15 years of age, in Company C, 51st Wisconsin Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, being stationed in Missouri, and taking part in the last skirmish of that great struggle. He was married April 9, 1873, at Neillsville, to Mary Newcombe, a native of Washington County, Wis., and daughter of Martin and Deborah (Wilson) Newcombe. Her father died in Waushara County, her mother and the children subsequently coming to Clark County. Mr. and Mrs. Huntley have seven. children-Elva, formerly a teacher, who married Joseph Richardson, and resides at Fargo, N. D. Edith, also once a teacher, who is now Mrs. Otto Schaller, of Chippewa Falls Ellen, at home Charles, of Minneapolis Grover and William, of Neillsville, and John at home. Elva has two children, Margaret and Huntley. Charles has two children, Marion, and Broderick. Edith has one child, John William. Grover has one child, Marion.

1880 Federal Census--Weston, Clark, WI

Mary Huntly @70, b. England, Parents b. England

Son: John @27, b. WI, Farmer, Father b. Scotland, Mother b. England