HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY. 
 
1876. Richard Sylvester died at Darian, Gene- 
see Co., N. Y., July 22, 1826. They reared a 
family of five children-Amos R, John, Har- 
low, Charles and Mary. The sons removed to 
Edgar Co., Ill., where they lived until they 
came to Green county. In the spring of 1836, 
Amos came here and entered land for his broth- 
ers and others, and returned to Illinois. In the 
fall of that year, the Sylvester brothers, Amos, 
John, Harlow and Charles, and their families, 
came here to reside permanently. Amos set- 
tled on the northwest quarter of the northwest 
quarter of section 15, where he erected a log 
house with a puncheon floor and roof of shakes. 
John settled on the southwest quarter of sec- 
tion 21, where he lived a short time, then re- 
moved   to  the  northwest quarter of the 
northwest quarter of section  12.   He af- 
terwards moved   to  Belleville, Dane coun- 
ty, and afterwards went to Kentucky, where 
he died, at Athens, May 16, 1860. He was 
born Nov. 27, 18'12. He was twice married. 
His first wife was Phiania Hills, who was born 
in 1820, and died Dec. 29, 1851, leaving four 
children. He was again married in 1854, to 
Lucinda H. Smith, who was born in East Avon, 
N. Y., in 1820. She died Sept. 22, 1859, leav- 
ing three children-Frank A., who was drowned 
in Polk Co., Wis; Phiania E. and Ellen A. Har. 
low Sylvester settled on the southeast quarter 
of section 3, where he remained until about 
1869, then sold out and moved to Madison, 
where he still resides. Charles Sylvester set- 
tled on the west half of the northeast quarter 
of section 10, remained there a short time, then 
sold and went to Belleville, where, in company 
with John Sylvester, he engaged in mercantile 
business. He now lives in Polk Co., Wis. 
Amos R. Sylvester received a common school 
education, and at the age of seventeen years, 
left home. He started in the world with fifty 
cents, which his mother had given him, being 
all the money she had. He served an appren- 
ticeship to learn the blacksmith trade, and after- 
wards was foireman in a shop at CamilIl1a: N. 
 
Y., where he was married Feb. 14, 1831. His 
wife died in Sylvester, Aug. 30, 1847, leaving 
five children-Richard, deceased; Abram W., 
Henry W., Mary, deceased; and Moses. He 
was again married Aug. 7, 1848, to Mrs. Loraine 
Rust, widow of Henry Ford. Mr. Sylvester 
was prominent in both town and county affairs. 
Ile held the office of assessor seven years. He 
was one of the originators of the Insurance 
Company of Sylvester. He was killed by his 
team running away, Sept. 14, 1882. He was a 
much esteemed citizen. His widow still resides 
at the homestead. Charles Sylvester, who came 
at the same time as did Amos, married and went 
to Kansas; but later returned and now lives in 
Polk Co., Wis. 
On the 2d of May, 1837, Davis Bowen, a na- 
tive of Virginia, came and entered land on sec- 
tion 27, where he broke some land and erected 
a cabin. The following fall he returned toVir- 
ginia, and brought his family back with him in 
the spring of 1838. Ile died in this town May 
6, 1867. 
James E. Bowen, a son of Davis Bowen, an 
old settler and prominent citizen, was born in 
Fayette Co., Penn., Sept. 25, 1825.  He went 
with his father's family to Preston Co., Va., 
where they had many relatives, and resided un- 
til the spring of 1838. They then started, 
traveling with teams to the Ohio river, then by 
water, to Galena, Ill., thence to Green county, 
arriving in the town of Sylvester, April 21. 
James E. being quite young at that time, spent 
considerable time in hunting and fishing, with 
the young men of his age, sons of the earliest 
settlers of the county, who resided in that vicin- 
ity. He went back to Virginia in the fall of 
1848, and on his return to Green county, found 
when he arrived in St. Louis, that the Missis- 
sippi river was frozen, so took a steamer on the 
Illinois river and came as far as Urbana, where, 
on account of the ice, he left the boat and took 
passage by stage to Freeport, which was within 
twenty-five miles of his home, paying his fare 
to that 1fint. On accomunt of bad traveling he 
 
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