| ISAAC A. KIERSTEAD, farmer, Sec. 12, P.O. Oregon; born in the town of Randolph, Cattaraugus Co., N.Y., Sept. 7, 1832; son of Abraham and Rebecca Kierstead, who were New Jersey people of the Knickerbocker stock; the family came to Wisconsin via the lakes, in the summer of 1843, the father making a claim to the present K. homestead, and holding it for a time under the Protective Claim Society; the family were unfortunate in New York, and began in Wisconsin Territory with but little means; logs were rolled up for a house, and half the shanty roofed with shingles sawed out by the sire and children, and blankets were hung from this half roof, and the family “moved in” to this floorless, doorless and windowless shanty in November, 1843; only a huge fire, kept constantly burning, protected them from the blast and snows, until the roof was finished of home-made shingles; today we see the blossoming farm and happy home of these brave pioneers of thirty-seven years ago, and feel like seconding Greeley’s “Go West.”Of the five children, three are dead, viz., Lydia S. (Mrs. Bedford); E.A. (Mrs. J.M. Bennett), and Sylvester C.; their pioneer mother died in February, 1875; the father now 84, is near his son and only living daughter (Mrs. S.G. Abbott); Isaac A. Kierstead married Helen M. Saulsburg in 1857, they have three children – Elwyn H., Ida M. and Genevieve, all born on the old farm in Oregon. Mr. K . has been an honorable member of the Presbyterian Church of Oregon for twenty-four years; is now an Elder. A Democrat in politics, and has been several years Town Clerk.
Ref. 1880 History of Dane County, Wisconsin, page 1243. |
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