Alexander Bailey

HON. ALEXANDER BAILEY, who has been a resident of the village of Salem, Wis., for nearly fifty years, is now one of the most prominent and influential citizens of that village. He was born in the town of Lorraine, Jefferson Co., N. Y., June 26, 1824. son of George and Olive (Kasson) Bailey, the former a native of Rhode Island and the latter of Montgomery county, New York.

The paternal grandfather, George Bailey, and his wife, Nancy Briggs, belonged to prominent stock of Massachusetts, and were of English descent. They had a family of seven children. The founders of the Kasson family in this country were Adam and Jane (Hall) Kasson. members of the Presbyterian Church of Voluntown at its incorporation in October, 1723. Their son, Robert Kasson. born in 1741. was the grandfather of our subject, and married Jennie Gaston. He was a soldier in the French and Revolutionary wars, but being opposed to the acceptance of French aid in the latter struggle, because they were Roman Catholics, he finally left the service, for which he was court-martialed, but afterward reprieved. He was a wheelwright by occupation, and made his home in Broadalbin, Fulton Co.. N. Y., where he died Sept. 25, 1826, aged eighty-five years.

George Bailey, the father of Hon. Alexander, spent his life at Lorraine, Jefferson Co., N. Y., where he died in May, 1838, aged fifty-four years, nine months. He belonged to the Minute Men at Sackett's Harbor, and in the battle saw General Gray, commander of the British troops, shot. His wife survived him, passing? away in May, 1876, at the age of eighty-seven years. They had seven children, as follows: Marvel, who resided in Watertown, Jefferson Co., N. Y.; Clark, who was a farmer of the Empire State; Harvey, who died in Adams, where he followed harnessmaking; Jane, wife of Levi Lamson. deceased in 189; George, who was a farmer of Webster county, Nebr.; Henrv, who resided in Adams, N. Y.. and Alexander. All of these children, with the exception of Alexander, are now deceased.

Alexander Bailev. the vouneest of the family, attended the district

COniEIORATIVE 105 scliools until thirteen years of age, and completed his education in Adams Seminary. He taught his first school the winter he was seventeen years of age and "followed that profession for two years, when, in 1843, he came to the West to try his fortune on its broad prairies. By canal and lake he journeyed westward, landing in October, 1843, in Milwaukee, where he left his wife, while he started on foot to seek a location. He walked all the way to Kenosha county, and purchased 160 acres of land on Section 33, Brighton township, paying for it at the Government price of $1.25 per acre. On the claim a small frame cabin had been built, 10x10 feet, and for four months this was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bailey. They lived in true pioneer style, and experienced many of the privations and hardships incident to life on the frontier. For fourteen consecutive winters he engaged in teaching school, while in the summer season his energies were devoted to the cultivation and improvement of his land, which in course of time yielded him abundant harvests.

In 1856:\Mr. Bailey removed to what is now the village of Salem, and purchased 145 acres of land on Sections 10 and 11, Salem township, putting up the first building in the village and renting same out to Schuyler Benson, who conducted a store in the building for a number of years. Mr. Bailey continued to operate the farm until 1859. He then accepted the position of station agent at Salem, with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, and served as such until 1889, or for thirty long years, a fact which illustrates his faithfulness and the trust reposed in him by the company. Much of this time he held the office of postmaster, to which he was appointed in 1860. No other filled the position until the election of Grover Cleveland, in 1884, when, on account of his political views, he was superseded by a Democrat. Other official positions he has also held, having served as assessor in 1850-51; in 1858 as superintendent of schools in Salem township; from 1862 to 1869 as town treasurer; and in 1870 was elected to the State Legislature, where he served with distinction. He was one of the organizers of the Old Settlers' Club of Salem township.

Mr. Bailey is now living retired after many years of faithful labor. He has a wide acquaintance throughout his community and is held in high esteem for his sterling worth and integrity. His public and private life are alike above reproach, and he well deserves representation in this volume.

On July 16, 1843, just before coming West, Mr. Bailey married Miss Betsey L. Haws, daughter of Ebenezer and Lucinda (Potter) Haws, and seven children were born to this union, Ellen Jane, Frances A., Eugene. George, Lamont and Lillie (twins) and Rosa. Of these, (i) Ellen Jane married Andrew Booth, and they live in Trevor, Wis. They have four daughters living, Mabel, Carrie. Gertrude and Nina. Mabel married Henry Lubeno, and they have three children, Harry, Mildred and Vera. Carrie married Ellery Patterson, of Glendive. Mont., and they have three children, Myron, Eugene and Helen. Nina married George Swan, and they live in Topeka, Kans., and have two children, Donald and Dorothy. (2) Frances A. married Jerome Palmatier, who was a soldier in the Civil war and died in May, 1874. " They had two children: Myron, who died at the age of twenty-six years, married Lovina Riley, and had one child, Lora; Luanah, who mario6 COvIMEMORATIVE ried George Patrick, has two children, Byron and Mihon. (3) Eugene married Avis Smith, and for his second wife Carrie Davison (now deceased), by whom he had four children, Bessie (who married Llewellyn Lloyd), Eugenia, Alexander and Ivlarjnrie. He married for his third wife, Inastelle Gauch, and they have two children, Annie Frances and George. (4) George is deceased. He was twice married, his first wife being Elizabeth Oberlander, and the second Nellie Bowman. They had one child, Christine, who died in infancy. (5) Lament died in infancy. (6) Lillie married Adelbert Cornwell, and they live in Bristol, and have four children: Ralph, who married Margaret Bishop, and has two children, Marie and Hele:i; Ina. who married Edwin Thom, and has two children, Lillian and Marion, twins; Clarence, and Kenneth. (7) Rosa, the youngest child of Alexander Bailey, married Robert Tait and they had one child, Harold, who died at the age of nine years. They live in Milwaukee. The mother of the foregoing children was called to her final rest Aug. ij. 1891, and her remains were interred in the Liberty cemetery, in Salem township.

Hon. Mr. Bailey, although in his eighty-second year, reads and writes without glasses. He stands erect and walks rapidly, and with a firm step. He carries with him an inexhaustible fund of humor, is a good conversationalist, and possesses a remarkable memory. He is one of the oldest settlers in Kenosha county.

As printed in Commemorative biographical record of prominent and representative men of Racine and Kenosha counties, Wisconsin, containing biographical sketches of business and professional men and of many of the ea (1906). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.