Bio: Wills, Samuel (1881)

Contact: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Wills, Hanley, Barden

----Source: History of Northern Wisconsin (Eau Claire County, Wis.) 1881, page 337

SAMUEL WILLS was born in Adams County, Pa., December, 1820, and came to Illinois in 1840, and to Eau Claire in the Fall of 1841; he worked in the woods and in saw mills for two years, and went to Chippewa Falls in 1843; engaged in running saw mills and in general work until 1859; in the Spring of 1860, he went to Knapp, Stout & Co., at Menomonie, remaining with them until 1872, when he came to Eau Claire, and was in the stage office two years; he then took a trip to Montana and Utah, and upon his return to Eau Claire, was with the Northwestern Lumber Co. for one year, and was Street Commissioner for four years; he is at present with Smith & Rowe. Mr. Wills claims his marriage with Margaret Hanley to have been the first marriage between a white man and woman in Eau Claire. Mrs. Wills died in Menomonie. They had two children, one of whom, Mary C, is living; their only son died. Mr. Wills was married to his present wife, Kate Barden, in Eau Claire.