Contact: Stan

----Source: Levis 125 Year Book (1981); provided by ""The Jailhouse Museum".

Surnames: WILLIAMS SEARS ZANK GALBREATH FEUTZ

Williams, Arthur -- Family

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Williams and son Oliver, and his grandfather John August Williams settled in Levis (Clark Co., Wis.) in 1908 after trading their home, tailor shop, a meat market in Chicago, Ill. For 60 acres of land, a log house and barn.  There are no buildings left at present.  It was situated southwest of the John Sonheim farm.  Oliver was born in Chicago in 1907.  Oliver was just a baby when they came to Levis.  They lived on the farm four years.  As Mrs. Fred Sears took her sons to Neillsville to attend school there, the Williams family went to live with Mr. Sears and Roscoe.  John Williams rented some land west of the Sears place where he kept their cattle.  They lived there one year.  Oliver’s sister Mildred (now Mrs. Albert Zank) was born.  They then moved to the Tom Lowery farm, now the Carl Opelt farm.  It was at this time that John Williams lost his eye sight.  They lived there four years.  Oliver attended Riverside School where he had to walk two miles.  This was so different from these days when the bus stops for students at their driveways.  Then they moved to Lynn Township on a farm they rented from Henry Williams.  They lived there four years, and in 1917 they purchased the farm now owned by Oliver’s son Wendell.

In 1922 the doctor told John Williams he had a choice - surgery, with restored sight, or death in seven months.  He chose surgery and did live the seven months, but he was so happy to see while he could.

Oliver and wife Hazel purchased the farm known as the Rose Galbreath farm.  Many people will remember the barn dances held there.  Mrs. Chris (Ethel Galbreath) Feutz was married in the living room of the house in 1913.