WAUPACA COUNTY POST

December 29, 1927

 

JOHN M. WARE IS CALLED HOME WEDNESDAY A.M.

WAS ONE OF THE FEW RESIDENTS OF WAUPACA CO. SINCE SPRING 1850

FUNERAL FRIDAY

 

            John M. Ware, another pioneer resident of Waupaca county since the spring of 1850, has been taken by death and the funeral will be held Friday afternoon, December 30, 15 the Baptist church this city with Rev. Anthony Jacobs of Stoughton, officiating.

            Deceased was born at Clymer village, New York, Jan. 10, 1846, and at time of death lacked only thirteen days of being eighty-two years of age.

            The father of deceased, Samuel F. Ware, came to what is now Waupaca city in the fall of 1849 and built a shanty on a property on Royalton street, later owned by  the late Royal Green, Frank C. Baldwin, and now occupied by James Keating.

            The next spring the family, consisting of the mother, Polly Ware, and four sons and one daughter, now all deceased, came by boat from Buffalo, New York, to Gills Landing.  The children were DeWitt C., Duane N., Oscar B., Lusina (Mrs. John Cleary) and John M.  While the mother and other children remained at Gills Landing, Duane walked to Waupaca and notified the father, later Judge Ware, of the arrival of his family at the Landing and waiting for a conveyance.  Their conveyance consisted of a cart hauled by two oxen.  This was early in the spring of 1850, and at that time there were only five families living within the area now known as Waupaca city.  Oscar later enlisted and was killed in the Civil War.

            In 1867, the family moved to the farm now occupied by Thomas Dunphy, north of this city.  For many years, Mr. Ware was engaged in buying stock, selling farm machinery and in farming.  He later purchased the farm across the road from the homestead and now owned by Mike Dunphy.

            On December 28, 1886, he was united in marriage to Frances Sibley and to this union three children were born, John, who died in infancy, Frances S., at home and Charles S. of Marinette.  The mother died July 8, 1892, when the surviving children were three years and one year respectively.

            Immediately on the death of his wife, he moved his family from the city where they had resided less than six years back to the old homestead north of the city, under the car of their grandmother Ware.

            Deceased held the town offices of town treasurer and supervisor for many years, and as member of the county board, he held the position of chairman of the board during the building of Waupaca county asylum and other matter of great moment to people of Waupaca county.

            Deceased was a member of the F. and A.M> lodge, 123, and for ten consecutive years he was master of the lodge.  He was also a Royal Arch Mason, a member of Knights of Pythias, and was one of the charter members of the Equitable Fraternal Union.

            A life-long democrat, he was one of the best informed men in Waupaca county on current events and politics.  Up to within three days of the end he read two daily papers and magazines and was keenly alive to all that he read.

            While a young man he was a teacher at Parfreyville, Ogdensburg and near the home farm and many elderly men in this community, George Ratcliffe, James, Fred and Ted Minton and scores of others were his pupils.

            Besides his children there are three grandsons, John M., Frank K., and Richard Charles Ware, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ware of Marinette, who came several days ago and were at the home when the last summons came.

            Interment will be in Lakeside cemetery in the family lot and beside the wife who preceded him in death by thirty-five years and more.  The Masonic service will be observed at the grave.

            A forceful, outstanding character has been lost to this community in the death of one who had been a continuous resident of this city for more than seventy-seven years.