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William Littleton Fleharty
b.3 Mar 1802 Caroline, Maryland, United States
d.17 Sep 1873 Apple River, Jo Daviess, Illinois, United States
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m. 1828
Facts and Events
"In 1838 and 1839, the number of settlers [in Gratiot township] was largely augmented. They were David Atwood, Samuel Cole, S.G. Bragg, Erastus Bebee, Charles Webster, B.W. and E.W. Tuttle, William Fleharty, and perhaps two or three others."S1 William's date of arrival in Gratiot township, Wisconsin is here reported as 1838 or 1839. In the same source, Butterfield states "...her [Eveline Fleharty] father, William T., ... came to Galena in 1827, and to Gratiot's Grove, Wis., in 1828."S1 During the 1832 Black Hawk War, he served in the Iowa County, Wisconsin Militia, and daughter Eveline was born in Iowa County in 1828. He may have moved from Iowa to Lafayette County, or the county lines may have changed. Or the later date may be an error in the source. It may also be that the 1838/1839 settler was another William Fleharty. Further research is needed to determine whether there was a second William Fleharty, and if the county line moved. [edit] MilitaryWilliam served as a Private in Captain John B. Terry's Company of the Iowa County, Wisconsin Territorial Militia.S4S5 He enlisted and served for a three month term, from 18 May to 20 Aug 1832.S5 The fighting began on 14 May, and Black Hawk surrendered on 27 August. During the War, a stockade was built on Captain Terry's land in Linden Township, Iowa County, Wisconsin TerritoryS6. Called Ft. Napoleon, it was a settler's stockade. Because Linden and Mineral Point townships adjoin, it's possible Ft. Napoleon was the closest stockade for the Flaherty family. William may have served at this fort, or with Dodge's mounted militia, or with both. It's likely that William saw Black Hawk's advance as a direct threat to his family and farm, and his enlistment was motivated by the desire to protect both. Other soldiers, though, were motivated by the $6.66 per month regular militia pay, or the $20.00 monthly for mounted militia, plus, in some cases, enlistment bonuses.S7 As a farmer, William undoubtedly had use for the money he earned as a soldier, and he did take advantage in 1852 of the veterans' land act to obtain 40 more acres of land.S4 References
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