Washington County Biographies



Part of the Wisconsin Biographies Project



Gad W. Root

Gad W. Root, farmer, Sec. 20; P. O. Hartford; has 60 acres of land; settled in the county in 1846; is the son of Alonzo and Susan (Streator) Root, and was born in Portage Co., Ohio, Aug. 1, 1827. The parents were natives of New England, who had migrated to Ohio in an early day. Remaining in his native county till 1846, he then came to Wisconsin, and, in the fall of that year, engaged as teacher for the school district, consisting of the whole of Town 10 north, Range 18 east, now Hartford; he had about twenty-six pupils, and boarded around, some of his boarding places being three miles distant from the schoolhouse, which was situated on the present site of Dean's Block; the building was constructed of logs; this was the second term of school taught in the town, Mr. Root's predecessor being Richard Rumril, who taught the first school in the township. Mr. Root remained in this neighborhood about a year, then spent some years in various counties of the State. He returned to Ohio and was married in Portage Co., Sept. 5, 1855, to Miss Clara Gee, daughter of Peter Gee. Mrs. Root was born in Palmyra, Portage Co., Ohio. After his marriage, he came with his wife to the town of Rubicon, Dodge Co., making their home near the town line between Rubicon and Hartford; continued to reside on that farm from 1856 to 1860, when they sold out and went to Waukesha, where they lived two years, then returned and bought back the old place in Rubicon; made that their home till 1866, when they sold out and moved to Hartford and established themselves on their present farm. They have three children, two daughters and a son; the eldest, Clara, is now Mrs. Walter Melcher, of the town of Hartford; Harriet and Worthy are at home. Mr. Root has served several years as Justice of the Peace, and has served five years in succession as Assessor of the town of Hartford.

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