Below Taken from HISTORY OF LINN, COUNTY, MISSOURI 1912. Born on a farm in the State of N.Y. Reared from the age of 5 in Wisconsin, a Union Soldier during the Civil War and since 1866 a farmer in Linn Co.,Mo. William A. Balcom, of Jefferson township, has been useful in many places and many capacities and in each has proven himself worthy of esteem because of his fidelity to duty and in his ability in preforming it. His life has been varied in location and calling but he has always been the same straightforeward, upright and industrious man, whatever his surroundings were. Mr. Balcom is one of the fast fading body of hardy pioneers who laid the foundations of Linn County's civic education and religious institutions, and started it on its interesting career of progress. He has lived long among this people, and has been permitted to witness and enjoy the fruits of early labors of his companions and himself, who came to this part of this State when it was but little past its days of an untroden domain, and the people revere him as one of the county's real founders, subsequent builders and present patriarchs. William A Balcom's life began in Wayne Co. N.Y. July 13 1837 and he was the son of Jessie and Martha ( Reed ) Balcom, the former a native of Conneticut and the latter of the State of New York.The father was a mason and farmer. He lived in New York State till 1843 then moved his family to Walworth Co. Wisconsin where he cleared a tract of 80 acres of wild land near Lake Geneva and transformed into a good farm Both parents died in Wisconsin. They had five children, three of whom are still living, William being the only one residing in Missouri.The grandfather, John Balcom, was a manufacturer and farmer. He died in N.Y William Balcom was but five years old when his parents moved from New York to Wisconsin He grew to manhood on a Walworth Co. farm, which he helped to clear and improve and obtained a common school education in the neighborhood. His life was uneventful until 1864 when he enlisted in the Union Army in the 49 th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He served till the close of the war but saw no actual hostilities, being assigned his whole connection with the army to detail duty in St. Louis. When the war's ruffled plumes were smoothed and the battle flags were furled, he returned to Wisconsin and in 1866 came to Missouri and Linn Co. He located in Jefferson Township where he is still engaged in farming on a farm that he has occupied for ten years. He helped clear two others and finially bought this one as a permanent resident. He has farmed it with intelligence and vigor and it shows in its every phase and feature the marks of skilled husbandry. Mr. Balcom was married three times.His first union was with Miss Elizabeth Kady and was solemnized in this State in 1867. She died in 1869, and he was united in a second marriage with Miss Laura B. Brunemer in 1871. She passed away in 1879, leaving one daughter who is now Mrs May Dureche and lives in Rosedale, Kansas. The third marriage took place in 1882 and joined him with Miss Nannie E. Clough, a native of Missouri and daughter of Elbridge and Lettie ( Sensentaffer ) Clough, long esteemed residents of this county. They have two sons living, Russel L. and Herald C. The mother is still living. The father is a Republican in politics and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic fraternally. He is an admired type of a sturdy pioneer, a man of high character and is everywhere held in the most coridal and admiring esteem. ----------------------------------------------------------------- He is buried in the Laclede Cemetery, Laclede,Linn Co.Mo. with his third wife .The second wife is buried in the Brunemer plot in thr same cemetery. His first wife is buried in Linneus Cemetery, Linneus , Linn Co. Mo. ---------------------------------------------------------------- He was a Union veteran of the Civil was from Wisconsin. IN CO K 49 WISC. INF.HE SERVED When he returned to Walworth Co. Wisc. the widow Elizabeth Cady hired him to help her move the family and stock to Missouri where her late husaband had just purchased land. Through this arrangement he went to Mo. and became her husband. Upon her death he filed a curator report, 7 Aug 1868 and was appointed legal guardian to them and served until he reinquished the position, December 13,1870. ----------------------------------------------------------------- He was appointed guardian of the five Cady children from Aug. 1868 to Dec. 13, 1870 ----------------------------------------------------------------- The 1860 census Town of Hudson, Walworth Co. Wis. Page 25 says he was born in Mass ---------------------------------------------------------------- !n the Parson Creek Township, Linn Co. Mo. Census he is listed as a sawyer 45 years of age with wife Laura, 25 years of age and daughter May, 6 years of age.. He is buried in the Laclede Cemetery with third wife, Nannie 1857-195O ----------------------------------------------------------------- I visited the grave three different years and his third wife is buried with him and others in his plot. Also buried in the plot are his sons by third wife, Clyde ( who never married ) and Lloyd and Wife and their two sons. ----------------------------------------------------------------- In the diary of William A Balcom he says Friday 24,1905 "TODAY IS THE 23 RD ANNIVERSARY OF OUR WEDDING W.A. BALCOM TO NANNIE E CLOUGH." This is on bottom of page38 journal without cover. The HISTORY OF LINN CO SAYS THE MARRIAGE WAS IN 1882
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I have plot maps showing the property owned by the Cady children.
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He ws a Republican- Also in the 1880 census, he was boarding two men listed as sawyers and he did have aa sawmill nearby and he is listed as a sawyer He must have been running a small saw meill Years later Clyde and Lloyde were going to a saw mill
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Written by his granddaughter, Mrs Inez Friesner, daughter of son, Lloyd, to me in 1999. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and remember begging to stay all night with them. I liked to sit on grandpa's lap out in the yard. He usually had a citten or two on his lap Chickens were always near as he would be peeling apples or vegitables which were within his reach.
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He was a Methodist and Republican