William was born in Otsego County, New York on July 2, 1832. He moved with his family to Wisconsin, then alone to Iowa in about 1855. William married Cordelia Hatch on March 20, 1858 in Caroll County, Iowa. Cordelia's grandfather had married William's great aunt. William & Cordelia had a son, Lorenzo Reuben, but Cordelia died in Caroll County, Iowa, on January 31, 1861. At the outbreak of the Civil War, William enlisted in the 6th Iowa Cavalry, Company A, and left Lorenzo with Cordelia's mother in Tipton, Iowa. William served three years in the Indian Territory, taking part in the Battle of the Badlands and other actions. After he returned from the war, William taught school in Wisconsin and Iowa. He married Nancy Jane McLain in Cedar County, Iowa, on August 19, 1866. Nancy was the daughter of John and Esther Pletcher McLain. She was born in Center County, Pennsylvania on December 27, 1844. William and Nancy settled on a farm near Tipton, Iowa.
In the spring of 1879, the family moved from Iowa to Pipestone County, Minnesota, at the urging of William's brother Daniel, who was one of the first settlers of that county. They had six children at this time. They loaded their possessions in a prairie schooner and set out for Minnesota. When they arrived in Troy Township, William had just 7 cents in his pocket. He filed a soldier's claim and built a tiny shack. He then broke land for a garden and used the sod to build a bigger sod house. Two more children were born in Pipestone County, on the Troy Township farm that became William and Nancy's home for the rest of their lives.
In their declining years, William's parents, Lorenzo and Rachel Sweet, came to live with William and Nancy on the farm. William died at the farm on August 14th, 1909. He is buried in the Troy Cemetery, which is also known as the Prairie Lawn Cemetery, in Pipestone County. William's son from his first marriage, Lorenzo Reuben, died of scarlet fever in Troy Township on August 25th, 1915. He had never been married. After William's death, Nancy moved into Pipestone City, where she died on April 6, 1923.
In the spring of 1879, the family moved from Iowa to Pipestone County, Minnesota, at the urging of William's brother Daniel, who was one of the first settlers of that county. They had six children at this time. They loaded their possessions in a prairie schooner and set out for Minnesota. When they arrived in Troy Township, William had just 7 cents in his pocket. He filed a soldier's claim and built a tiny shack. He then broke land for a garden and used the sod to build a bigger sod house. Two more children were born in Pipestone County, on the Troy Township farm that became William and Nancy's home for the rest of their lives.
In their declining years, William's parents, Lorenzo and Rachel Sweet, came to live with William and Nancy on the farm. William died at the farm on August 14th, 1909. He is buried in the Troy Cemetery, which is also known as the Prairie Lawn Cemetery, in Pipestone County. William's son from his first marriage, Lorenzo Reuben, died of scarlet fever in Troy Township on August 25th, 1915. He had never been married. After William's death, Nancy moved into Pipestone City, where she died on April 6, 1923.
William was born in Otsego County, New York on July 2, 1832. He moved with his family to Wisconsin, then alone to Iowa in about 1855. William married Cordelia Hatch on March 20, 1858 in Caroll County, Iowa. Cordelia's grandfather had married William's great aunt. William & Cordelia had a son, Lorenzo Reuben, but Cordelia died in Caroll County, Iowa, on January 31, 1861. At the outbreak of the Civil War, William enlisted in the 6th Iowa Cavalry, Company A, and left Lorenzo with Cordelia's mother in Tipton, Iowa. William served three years in the Indian Territory, taking part in the Battle of the Badlands and other actions. After he returned from the war, William taught school in Wisconsin and Iowa. He married Nancy Jane McLain in Cedar County, Iowa, on August 19, 1866. Nancy was the daughter of John and Esther Pletcher McLain. She was born in Center County, Pennsylvania on December 27, 1844. William and Nancy settled on a farm near Tipton, Iowa.
In the spring of 1879, the family moved from Iowa to Pipestone County, Minnesota, at the urging of William's brother Daniel, who was one of the first settlers of that county. They had six children at this time. They loaded their possessions in a prairie schooner and set out for Minnesota. When they arrived in Troy Township, William had just 7 cents in his pocket. He filed a soldier's claim and built a tiny shack. He then broke land for a garden and used the sod to build a bigger sod house. Two more children were born in Pipestone County, on the Troy Township farm that became William and Nancy's home for the rest of their lives.
In their declining years, William's parents, Lorenzo and Rachel Sweet, came to live with William and Nancy on the farm. William died at the farm on August 14th, 1909. He is buried in the Troy Cemetery, which is also known as the Prairie Lawn Cemetery, in Pipestone County. William's son from his first marriage, Lorenzo Reuben, died of scarlet fever in Troy Township on August 25th, 1915. He had never been married. After William's death, Nancy moved into Pipestone City, where she died on April 6, 1923.
In the spring of 1879, the family moved from Iowa to Pipestone County, Minnesota, at the urging of William's brother Daniel, who was one of the first settlers of that county. They had six children at this time. They loaded their possessions in a prairie schooner and set out for Minnesota. When they arrived in Troy Township, William had just 7 cents in his pocket. He filed a soldier's claim and built a tiny shack. He then broke land for a garden and used the sod to build a bigger sod house. Two more children were born in Pipestone County, on the Troy Township farm that became William and Nancy's home for the rest of their lives.
In their declining years, William's parents, Lorenzo and Rachel Sweet, came to live with William and Nancy on the farm. William died at the farm on August 14th, 1909. He is buried in the Troy Cemetery, which is also known as the Prairie Lawn Cemetery, in Pipestone County. William's son from his first marriage, Lorenzo Reuben, died of scarlet fever in Troy Township on August 25th, 1915. He had never been married. After William's death, Nancy moved into Pipestone City, where she died on April 6, 1923.
Inscription
W. W. SWEET - Co. A. - (Illegible) IA. CAV.
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