Person:George Witter (6)

George W. Witter, son of Josiah and Calista Witter, was born in Brookfield, Madison County, N. Y., August 10, 1839, and died May 8, 1921.
He had five sisters and a brother, the late J. D. Witter, who died at Grand Rapids in 1902. When eleven years old the deceased came to Dakota, Waushara County, Wis., with his parents, who located on a farm at that place. At nineteen year of age he began teaching school in winter and working on his father's farm in the summer, until at the age of twenty-three years in August, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, 30th Wisconsin V. I., which went into active service. He was discharged from service the thirtieth day of August, 1864, and was commission in the 43d Wisconsin V. I., serving to the close of the war, being mustered out at Milwaukee, Wis., July 9, 1865. He then returned to agricultural pursuits in Waushara County where he remained until November 24, 1874, when he and his family moved onto the farm in the town of Maine, one mile west of the city of Wausau, where he has been a continuous resident helping to supply the residents of the city with the products of the farm and milk from a herd of fine Holstein and Jersey cattle. He was a progressive farmer and in politics, a republican.

On February 27, 1868, at Grand Rapids, Wis., he was married to Miss Emma Coon of Nile, Allegany County, N. Y. One son Harry E. Witter, was born to them. They also have an adopted daughter, Mrs. Silas C. Fletcher, of Mosinee.

Since the death of his wife several years ago he has lived alone until a few weeks since when he became unable to care for himself and gladly accepted every attention members of his family lovingly gave. Death was due to cerebral hemorrhage.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Witter were loyal Seventh Day Baptists. Funeral services were conducted at the home by Rev. William Taylor, Master of Lodge No. 130, F. & A. M. Interment was in Pine Grove Cemetery.
F. W. B.

George Witter was born in Brookfield, Madison County, N.Y. on August 10, 1839, son of Josiah and Calista (Langworthy) Witter, natives of New York. When a boy of eleven, in 1850, George moved with his father's family from New York to Waushara County, Wisconsin, and there attended the public schools. When his school days were over, he went into farming and school teaching for several years.
In August 1862, at the age of twenty-three he enlisted in Company G, 30th Wisconsin Voluntary Infantry, which was in active service. He was discharged from the 30th and in August, 1864, was commissioned in the 43rd Wisconsin Voluntary Infantry, serving until the end of the war, and was mustered out at Milwaukee, WI on July 9, 1865.
Mr. Witter returned to his farm in Waushara County, where he remained until 1874, when he moved to Marathon County. In November 1875 he established his dairy farm in Maine Township, (still operating today). By 1880 he had developed a dairy herd and had begun to deliver milk door-to-door in Wausau, the first person to do that. He was the first farmer to introduce registered Jersey cattle to Marathon County. He was remembered as a man with a booming voice, and it was said that when he called the cows home at night he could be heard all the way to Wausau! He was elected to many offices during that period.
George Witter was married at Grand Rapids (now Wisconsin Rapids), Wisconsin in 1868, to Miss Emma Coon, daughter of Elijah and Prudence (Bowler) Coon, natives of Rhode Island. The Witters had one son and an adopted daughter. Mr. Witter and his family were members of the Seventh Day Baptist Church.
George Witter died on May 8, 1921. He is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau, WI.