John Alger was born near Dunfrees, Canada West, in 1838.  He came alone to this country when twelve years of age and no contact with his family for eighteen years, passing most of his time on the lakes.  He was on his way to Milwaukee to ship again when a stranger accosted him on the ears and insisted that he knew him; but it was a case of mistaken identity.  He was taken for his brother, and through this stranger learned that he was only 16 miles from his beloved Christian mother and three brothers, who lived near Omro, Wisconsin.   He immediately set off for a reunion.

            Arcelia Huffman

Feb. 7, 1866, he was married to Miss Arcelia Huffman at Wexford, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin.  They lived for a time in Canada and then removed to Plainfield, Wisconsin.  In 1889, they moved to the Thorp area, ready to explore the forested wilderness.  It could be the change in residence was necessitated by the Pestigo and Hinkley forest fires which resulted in a depleted log supply.  In the process of moving, John caught his arm between two railroad cars and had to have it amputated.  His sixteen year old son, George Henry Alger, was then forced to take over many of the tasks which John could no longer perform.

John died, at his home in Thorp, Clark County, Wisconsin, on Friday, Sept. 26, 1890, John Alger, of heart failure at the age of 51 years, 9 months and 19 days and was buried East Thorp Village Cemetery.  Ten years later, Arcelia was laid to rest beside him. She died at the home of her son-in-law, J. D. Elmendorf, after suffering with cancer for a year and a half.

Census Records