Herbert Owen Huckstead, 1865

stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Fri, 16 Feb 2001

Surname: HUCKSTEAD, HOLLAND, COFFIN, MOWE, REED

----Source: History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918), by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

HERBERT OWEN HUCKSTEAD, one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Grant Township, was born in the county of Kent, England, May 4, 1865, son of Henry and Elizabeth (Holland) Huckstead. His parents were farming people there and had four children: Elizabeth, who married Walter Hills (now deceased), of Des Moines, Iowa; Mercy, now Mrs. Allen Coffin, of Des Moines; Herbert, of Grant Township, Clark County, and Kate, who is the wife of F. W. Mowe, of Pella, Iowa. In 1862 Henry Huckstead left England with his family for the United States, making the voyage of fourteen days on a steamer. Heading for Clark County, Wis., they made the latter part of their journey, from Black River to Grant Township, by stage, and located on twenty acres of wild land in section 20. Here Mr. Huckstead built a frame house and began the development of a farm, using an ox team. In 1885 he sold out and went to Iowa, locating on a farm in Humboldt County and there his wife died in 1905, at the age of 76 years.

Subsequently he returned to Clark County, where he spent the rest of his life, dying in 1915, at the age of 82. They were faithful members of the Methodist Church. Herbert O. Huckatead was educated in a district school in Grant Township, but his studies were not long continued, as he had to begin industrial life at an early age. For awhile he worked in the lumber camps, and then struck out as a farmer in Humboldt County, Iowa, raising Durham cattle. In 1903 he returned to Clark County, and on Nov. 29, that year, he was married to Hattie Reed, daughter of the pioneer, Thomas Reed. He first rented the Thomas Reed farm of 120 acres, and later purchased it.

Since locating on the farm he has made some good improvements on it, building a barn 40 by 60 feet, and a silo 14 by 35 feet, besides other necessary buildings. He raises pure-bred Holstein cattle and aside from his direct farming interests is a member of the Farmers' Co-operative Elevator and Lumber Company of Neillsville, which he helped to organize. He also aided in the organization of the Farmers' Co-operative Creamery, which he has served as secretary for twenty-five years, and has been a member of the school board.

His religious affiliations are with the Methodist Church, and he belongs also to the lodge and encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mrs. Huckstead is a member of the Ladies' Aid Society of Pleasant Ridge, Grant Township. Their family includes three children, Harold, Dorothy and Ruth.