Nathan Calkins (deceased) was born in Wheatville, Genesee county, N.Y., March 19, 1829, a son of Disbrow Calkins, who was born in Vermont and died in Wheatville, N.Y. His grandfather, Lezal, died in New York. Nathan Calkins attended school in New York for about ten years, and afterward took a short course at a college. In September, 1858, he came west and settled in Roy township, Dodge county, Wis., where he remained until the fall of 1871, when he removed to Fairchild, Eau Clair county. In 1878 he came to Auburn township, Chippewa county, and settled on a farm of 120 acres, which he purchased from William M. Gibson. He is quite feeble at the present time, suffering severely from paralysis, while the farm is conducted by his son, Lyman, who came from the far west in 1890.
February 18, 1846, Mr. Calkins married Miss Sarah Miles, at Wheatville, Genesee county, N.Y. She was born in New York state, and died in the town of Auburn, Chippewa county, March 15, 1891. They were the parents of five children, as follows: Florence Amanda, born in New York, December 24, 1847, married to Jesse Hoyt, and now living in Le Roy, Dodge county, Wis. (they had one child, Florence, who died October 18, 1866); Disbrow Lyman, born in New York, July 1, 1851; Ersbin A., born in New York, July 8, 1853, was married to John Miles at Bloomer, Chippewa county, Wis., February 15, 1880; George Monroe, born April 5, 1856, married Edna Maud Wooley, at Chippewa Falls, August 10, 1890; Betsy A., born at Le Roy, Dodge county. Mr. Calkins was very successful in his younger days, until the weevil destroyed so much grain in New York state. Since coming west he was equally prosperous until the failure of his health. His death occurred in October, 1891.
