HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY. 
 
lion, and died soon after his discharge, of disease 
contracted in the army. After locating on his 
farm T. W. Thompson bought a number of 
cows, making butter and cheese in addition to 
the usual farm labors. In 1846 he opened a 
general store on his farm in Sylvester. After 
his death, in 1849, his sons, Charles and Henry, 
carried it on until 1852. 
Sylvester R. Stephens is a son of Reuben and 
Sally (Milk) Stephens. His father was born 
in Herkimer Co., N. Y., and his mother was a 
nativeof the same State, who were married in 
Ithaca, and lived in Erie Co., Penn., until-1841 
when they emigrated to this county and settled 
on section 36, town of Sylvester, where the 
father died in 1858, aged fifty-seven years. The 
mother is still living, and at this time (1884) is 
eighty-one years old.  They brought up a 
family of eight children, of whom Sylvester, 
the subject of this sketch, is the eldest. He 
was born Sept. 20, 1822, in Tompkins Co., N. 
Y. 'He went with the family to Pennsylva- 
nia, and from there to Green county, where he 
still lives. He was married Oct. 16, 1844, to 
Wealthy Ball, who was born in Pennsylvania 
May 18, 1823. Her parents moved to Will Co., 
Ill., in 1838, where the father died; after which 
she made her home for two years in Walworth 
Co., Wis., and thence came to Green county. 
They have eight children-Alfred R., Susan E., 
Wilder M., Amanda M , Alba H., Ed. W., James 
S. and Theo. R.    Mr. Stephens enlisted in 
August, 1862, in company K, 22d regiment,Wis- 
consin Volunteer Infantry, and served until 
June, 1863, when, by reason of disability, he 
received his discharge and returned to his home. 
His farm contains 234 aces, and is valued at $40 
per acre. Mr. and Mrs. Stephens are members 
of the M. E. Church at Juda. Politically he is a 
republican, as was his father before him. 
Pitt Lindley, deceased, was a native of In- 
diana, born Jan. 13, 1822.  When he was nine 
years old, his parents removed to Illinois, 
where his father died when he (Pitt,) was about 
twenty-one years old. He then came with his 
 
mother and her family to Green county, and 
settled near Ball's mill, in the town of Sylves- 
ter. He was married July 23, 1846, to Betsey 
Hills, who was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., 
March 26, 1827.    Her parents came to this 
county in 1839, and settled in the town of Syl- 
vester, on the' place where Mr. Connelly now 
lives. Her father was a native of Connecticut. 
Her mother, a native of New York, died when 
she was six years old, and her father was again 
married.  They reared fourteen children, of 
whom she was the ninth. Mr. Lindley, subject 
of this sketch, died April 30, 1867. Mrs. Lind- 
ley is still living and is a member of the Bap- 
tist Church. They had seven children-Luella, 
C., now Mrs. James Burt, born Oct, 22, 1848; 
Alfonso E., born Aug. 9, 1852, and died Oct. 
11,1 863; Delpha L.-born Dec. 10, 1856; New- 
ton, born Feb. 1, 1859; Mary. E., born Dec. 8, 
1860; Ida M., born Dec. 5, 1862, now married to 
Julius Carver, and Arthur, born Oct. 25, 1864. 
Mr. Lindley was a republican, and at the time 
of his death owned 240 acres of land.  He was 
brought up in the Society of Friends. 
Samuel West, a son of George West, an old 
settler of the town of Sylvester, was born in 
Sylvester, March 11, 1843.  He has lived upon 
the homestead, where he was born, all his life, 
except three years spent in the army. He enli, t- 
ed in company K., of the 22d Wisconsin Vol- 
teer Infantry, and participated in numerous 
engagements. He was taken prisoner near 
Franklin, Tenn , Mari 25, 1863, and sent 
to Richmond, where lie spent one day and 
night in Libby prison. March 28, 1863, he was 
paroled and sent to parole camp at St. Louis 
Mo., where he was exchanged and returned 
to his company, at Nashville, Tenn.     He 
was with Sherman on his march to the sea, 
and was present at the grand review at Washing- 
ton. He was mustered out of the service near 
Washington, June 12, 1865, after which he re- 
turned to Sylvester.  He was married March 
23, 1867, to Katie M. Read, who was born in 
Cortland (Co., I . Y., June 2, 1849, and came 
 
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