Grant Twp., Clark Co., WI

John Davis Wage was born Feb. 27, 1781, either during the voyage of his parents to America, or after their arrival and settlement in Springfield, Massachusetts.  John then removed to Wysox in 1813.

After a short time he moved to the wilderness at South Hill, Orwell Township, and cleared a farm. In 1856 he sold his property and removed to Wisconsin where he died at an advanced age. Before coming to Wysox he had married a Miss Ferry by whom he had children: John, Chester, Chapel, Henry, Abigail, Caroline, Elsie and Emily P.

John was a shoemaker and followed that trade in both Massachusetts and Pennsylvania

The first wife of John Davis Wage was Abigail Ferry.  They married March 28, 1807 in Springfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts and were the parents of Chester Chapel (b. Feb. 7, 1813 (Springfield, Hampden Co., MA); Elsie; Emily Parmelia (b. Sept. 9, 1826); Elsie; Caroline; Abigail; Henry and John (b. 1811). 

In 1813, the family moved to South Hill, Orwell Township, and where they cleared a farm.  Abigail died Feb. 16, 1838 in South Hill Cemetery, Orwell Twp., Bradford Co., PA.

Following the death of Abigail, John married Susanna Fowler.  She was the widow of Fred Cogswell, by whom she had three children--Fred, Orlando and Bulah.  These three children remained behind in Pennsylvania.  John and Susanna had children Fernando, Thomas, Susann, and Biansa. 

In 1856, John sold his acreage and joined the homesteaders of Wisconsin, among them was Levi Marsh.  They drove by team to Buffalo, N. Y., from which point they shipped their team to Chicago. They then drove by horse team to Sparta, Wis., where Mr. Wage's family joined him and where they spent the winter. In the spring of 1857 they resumed their journey, coming by ox team to Neillsville. On arriving here John D. Wage secured a preempted farm of 160 acres in Grant Township, which was located two miles away from the nearest neighbor, and he had to cut a road to his farm for his wagon. At that time there were only seven or eight houses in Neillsville; their trading-place was Sparta and the nearest mill was at Weston Rapids. In addition to his ox team, Mr. Wage had two cows and a pig with which to begin farming. For the family residence put up a log building, with a sloping roof covered with boards. Here he and his wife spent the rest of their lives.  He improved his farm and in time, after much hard work, became fairly prosperous. At the time he moved onto his place Grant Township was not organized and he was one of those who effected its organization. He also served as supervisor and was active in school affairs. A man of liberal views in religious matters, he was affiliated with the Universalist Church.

John died at sea, Henry died at Greeley, Colo., Chester C. born 1813, married 1840 Ellen, daughter of James Lent of Rome, settled in Tuscarora, died 1907. Abigail married Philander Barnes; Elsie married Wesley Robinson of Orwell.

John Davis Wage died at the advanced age of 85 years and six months in 1865 and Susannah died at the age of 71.  Both were laid to rest in Grant Cemetery, Grant Township.