Bisher, John

(Source:  Photo courtesy of City and County of Kenosha, Vol. II, S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1916)

John Bisher
"John Bisher, who is one of the most esteemed residents of Somers Township, has reached the advanced age of eighty-seven years and can look back upon a long life of honorable and useful activity.  He followed the carpenter's trade for twenty-five years and was known as a skilled and conscientious worker.  He is also entitled to mention as a veteran of the Civil War, having served throughout the entire conflict.
Mr. Bisher was born on the Isle of Guernsey, in the English Channel, in April, 1829, a son of Peter and Mary Bisher.  He received a common school education there but when fourteen years of age came to the United States and located in Kenosha County, Wisconsin.  For a number of years he worked as a farm hand, but in 1861 he proved his loyalty to his adopted country by enlisting in the Union Army, becoming a member of Company B, Seventeenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.  He was at the front with that command for four years and took part in a great deal of hard fighting.  After being mustered out of the Army he returned to Kenosha County and for a quarter of a century he worked at carpentering.  He erected many residences in the county, and, as he managed his business affairs well, his capital grew steadily.  At length he retired from active life and is now residing on twenty-two acres of land which he owns in Somers Township and is enjoying a well deserved leisure.
In 1876 Mr. Bisher married Miss Annie Lawson.  He supports the Republican Party at the polls and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, whose teachings have guided his life.  He began providing for his own support at an early age and throughout his active career was dependent entirely upon his own efforts for success.  He is widely known and the honor in which he is held is fully deserved as he has measured up to high standards of morality in all relations of life. 
(Source: Photo courtesy of City and County of Kenosha, Vol. II, S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1916)

15 acre parcel located south side of Berryville Road just east of the North Shore RR across street from Lindstoth

Ozanne Family

1877 partial map of Somer Township
Ozanne parcels, Section 9 and 10
Peter Ozanne, James Ozanne, Dr. James Ozanne, E.G. Ozanne, H.A. (Helena Ozanne) Hitler, A.C. Ozanne

James Ozanne
James and Rachel (Thoume) Ozanne were natives of Guernsey.  They were the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter, namely:  James, Peter, John and Rachel of whom John died at the age of fifteen years, and Rachel died in childhood.  James Ozanne and his family came to America, landing at Racine, Wisconsin June 18, 1842.  On July 4th following, he bought 326 acres on land, located in Somers Township, Kenosha County, later dividing a portion of this land between his sons, James and Peter, and passed the balance of his life here, dying age at 72 years.
He was twice married, his first wife being the mother of  Peter and James.  After her death, he went back to Guernsey where in 1847 he married Mary Carre, who lived in Somers Township  four children were born to this union:  Helena, widow of H.A. Hitler of Somers Township whom she had one children, Clinton; Alfred, who died in Tempe, Ariz in 1916, leaving three children; Miss Emma, of Somers Township, and Edward G., also of Somers Township.
(Source:  Biographical Record of Prominent and Representative Men of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin, J.H. Beers & Co., 1906)

Dr. James Ozanne
Dr. James Ozanne (son of James and Rachel Thomne Ozanne) was born on the Isle of Guernsey May 21, 1825.  He was a physician.  He was a graduate of Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, 1862.  He married September 21, 1851 in Princeton, Wisconsin, Miss Marie Fidelia Kellogg, the daughter of Austin Kellogg, one of the first pioneer settlers in Somers, Township and Kenosha County, also Kellogg's Corners neighborhood in Somers Township.  Dr. James Ozanne died in Somers July 24, 1891.  His widow, Maria, moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin with her son.  To this union six children were born: James Thoume Ozanne, Rachel Amelia, Walter Henry, Gail Austin, Irvine Eugene, and Herbert Giles.
(Source:  "The Kelloggs in the Old World and the News, Volume 2, by Timothy Hopkins, published in San Francisco, California 1903).

Peter Ozanne (son of James and Rachel Thoume Ozanne)
"Peter Ozanne was born on the Isle of Guernsey in the English Channel on March 27, 1827, and died March 6, 1905, lacking but twenty-one days of being seventy-eight years old.  He was one of the pioneers in this section of Kenosha County and for many years was a very prominent and influential man in Somers Township.
James and Rachel (Thoume) Ozanne, the parents of Peter Ozanne, were natives of Guernsey.  They were the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter, namely:  James, Peter, John and Rachel of whom John died at the age of fifteen years, and Rachel died in childhood.  James married and reared a family; he became a physician.  James Ozanne and his family came to America, landing at Racine, Wisconsin June 18, 1842.  One July 4th following he bought 326 acres of land, located in Somers Township, Kenosha County, later dividing a portion of this land between his sons, James and Peter, and passed the balance of his life here, dying aged seventy-two years.  He was twice married, his first wife being the mother of our subject.  After her death he went back to Guernsey where he married Mary Carre, who still lives in Somers Township; she has been blind for some years.  Four children were born to this union:  Alfred C. of Tempe, Ariz.; Helena, widow of H.A. Hitler of Somers Township; Miss Emma, of Somers Township; and Edward G., also of Somers Township.
On March 28, 1849, Peter Ozanne was married to Miss Mary Ann LeMessurier, who was born April 17, 1832 in Guernsey, and six children were born to them, as follows:  Mary Ann, Pierre T., Lawrence E., Clarence F., Rosa A. and Charles H.  Mary Ann died aged five months.  Pierre T. is single, and lives on the old homestead with his brother Lawrence E.  Clarence F. twin brother of Lawrence E. died in 1884, aged twenty years and three days.  Charles H. died in 1877 aged nine years, eleven months and twenty-four days.  Rosa A. married Fred L. Holmes, lives at South Haven, Michigan and has five living children: Bertrand M., Harry R., Fred B., Beatrice R. and Mary L.
For a period of nineteen years Peter Ozanne was Somers Town Clerk continuously; for a number of years he was Somers Town Treasurer; was Clerk of School District No. 7; and for a few years was Secretary of the Somers Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
The farm which Mr. Ozanne originally owned in Somers Township, a gift from his father, contained eighty-seven acres, two acres having since been sold.  To have lived in one locality for sixty-three years and to have, during that time, gained the respect and esteem of one's fellow citizens and preserved it to the end, is a pretty fair test of a man's quality, and such was the case with Peter Ozanne.  His remains rest in Oakwood Cemetery.  He was a member of the Methodist Church.
Mrs. Ozanne, who still survives, is much esteemed in Somers Township where she is well known for her many admirable qualities of mind and heart.  Her parents were Abraham and Mary (Le Prevost) Le Messurier, and her maternal grandparents were Daniel and Elizabeth (La Huray) Le Prevost, the family evidently being of French descent.  The three daughters of Abraham and May Le Messurier were:  Mary Ann, Mrs. Ozanne; Margarate, deceased, formerly the wife of Thomas Le Poidevin; and Matilda, widow of Fred Graham, now residing in Racine.
The father of Mrs. Ozanne died in Guernsey (where he was born) aged thirty-nine years.  He was by trade a boot and shoe manufacturer, but gave up much of his time to music, for which he had considerable talent, being a fine performer on the cornet and the clarinet; his services were frequently in demand in musical organizations.  After his death his widow came to America, in 1847, settling in Racine, Wisconsin., where she died in 1886, at the age of seventy-five years.  She married (second) William Graham, who had been a soldier in the Mexican War.  He was a ship carpenter by trade and lived at Racine for many years, dying aged about seventy-nine.  The two sons of Peter Ozanne carry on the farm, both being capable agriculturists and good citizens."
(Source: Biographical Record of Prominent and Representative Men of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin, J.H. Beers & Co., 1906)

Peter Ozanne
He served 19 years as Somers Town Clerk and also several years as Somers Town Treasurer.  He was served a number of years as Secretary of the Somers Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

"Mrs. Holmes (nee Rosa Ozanne) and children of Chicago are visiting with her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Ozanne."
(Source:  Racine Journal, July 11, 1900)

Edward G. Ozanne (son of James and Mary Carre Ozanne)
Edward G. Ozanne, who was engaged in farming in Section 10, Somers Township, was born August 30, 1854, in the township where he now resides, his parents being James and Mary (Carre) Ozanne, who were natives of the Isle of Guernsey, whence they came to the United States in 1842.  Edward went to local school until 16 years old.  he has since inherited a portion of his father's farm and has purchased the interest of the other heirs in the property.  Later he sold off part of his land but at present owns 80 acres. In 1881 Edward G. Ozanne married Miss Ida Clemens, who died in 1895, leaving two children, Edward C. and Mary E.  The former is married and has two children.  Mr. Ozanne was married again October 6, 1898, the lady of his choice being Miss Minnie A. Grimshaw, daughter of Joseph and Bessie (Lee) Grimshaw, the former a native of England.  The mother, who was born in Somers, is still living in that town.
(Source:  The City and County of Kenosha, Wisconsin, Volume II, S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1916)

"E.G. Ozanne has put up a windmill for the purpose of cutting feed.  It is one manufactured by the Winship Co., of Racine.
(Source:  Racine Journal December 3, 1896)

"E.G. Ozanne left on Tuesday fro Beatrice, Nebraska where Mrs. Ozanne is spending a few weeks for the benefit of her health."
( Source:  Racine Journal Aug. 18, 1905)




Isle of Guernsey - About
"Off the northern coast of France lies Guernsey, from which many early settlers came to Racine and Kenosha Counties.  The island is high-cliffed and topped with living green and lies amid the swirling tides of the English Channel.  It was called Sarnia by the Romans.  Guernsey has an area of about 25 square miles, much less than a standard township in the state of Wisconsin.  It is about 5-1/2 miles at its widest point and 9-1/2 miles in length.  Its inhabitants are dairy and garden farmers who have acres of greenhouses where the choicest garden crops are raised.  Famed are the White Pinks and other flowers raised for the English  markets.
The little isle is the home of "a beautiful streamlined creature, straight of back and clean of limb" - the famous Guernsey cow.  In 1831 Capt. Prince of Boston brought two heifers and a sire back with him from Guernsey and sent them to his brother on a tiny island in Lake Winnepesaukee.It was questioned whether these imported cattle could stand a more severe climate, but they proved to have endurance and adaptability.
Tragedy came to the isle in 1940 when the Germans invaded it.  Many of the natives were evacuated but others refused to abandon their cows-most of these gentle-eyed creatures disappeared into the conquerors' stew pots.  America is making plans to return this breed of cattle to native soil."
(Source:  Plight of Guernsey in Dark Days of War Revealed in a Letter to Lawrence Ozanne. Article written by Minnie Ozanne, Racine Journal Times, published September 28, 1945).

Corbett

Partial 1887 map of Somers Township, Kenosha County
Section 2, Corbett parcel
Also note that Corbett parcel is located on "Corbett Road"
Click on map for detail view.

Thomas H. Corbett
Thomas H. Corbett, living on Section 2, Somers Township, where he is systematically and successfully engaged in general farming, was born on the isle of Guernsey, September 12, 1858, a son of Thomas and Margaret (Dorey) Corbett, who were also natives of that place. There they resided until 1870, when they south the opportunities offered in the new world and crossed the Atlantic to the United States. For three years they were residents of Racine County and then came to Kenosha County. The father started here with ten acres of land and at the time he retired from active business he was the owner of eighty-one and a quarter acres of valuable land, constituting a rich and productive property. Mr. Corbett exercised his right of franchise in support of the man and measures of the Republican party and in his religious faith was a Methodist.
Thomas J. Corbett, an only child, acquired his education in the public schools of Racine and after putting aside his textbooks began working with his father and has since concentrated his energies upon the task of keeping the farm up to a high standard. He works diligently in cultivating and improving the fields, and everything about the place indicates his careful supervision and practical methods.
On the 12th of April, 1891, Mr. Corbett was married to Miss Ada Brache, a daughter of Thomas and Julia (Bichard) Brache. They have become the parents of a son, Everett Thomas, who married Louise Hendrickson, a daughter of John Hendrickson, of Racine. Mr. and Mrs. Corbett have recently celebrated their silver wedding and the pleasant occasion was attended by people from Chicago and Racine, as well as from the surrounding country. There were the recipients of a number of most beautiful presents and the affair was one long to be remembered. They occupy a beautiful little home which is the abode of warm-hearted hospitality, its doors being ever open for the reception of their many friends.
Mr. Corbett gives his political allegiance to the Republican party, and both he and his wife attend the Methodist church, supporting all those principles and teachings which work for the uplift of the individual and promote the recognition of his duties and obligations to his fellowmen
(Source: City and County of Kenosha, Wisconsin, A Record of Settlement, Vol. II, pages 536-537, Frank H. Lyman, Chicago, The S.J. Clark Publishing Co. 1916.)

"Tom Corbett, Jr. has purchased 15 acres of land from John Feest."
(Source:  Racine Journal, Mar. 2, 1909)

"James Due, of Racine, is building the foundation for Thomas Corbett's new barn."
(Source:  Racine Journal, Sept. 15, 1914

Bisher

1908 Partial Map of Somers Township, Kenosha County
Section 7, Bisher parcel

John Bisher
John Bisher, who is one of the most esteemed residents of Somers Township, has reached the advanced age of eighty-seven years and can look back upon a long life of honorable and useful activity. He followed the carpenter’s trade for twenty-five years and was known as a skilled and conscientious worker. He is also entitled to mention as a veteran of the Civil War, having served throughout the entire conflict.

Mr. Bisher was born on the isle of Guernsey, in the English Channel, in April, 1829, a son of Peter and Mary Bisher. He received a common school education there but when fourteen years of age came to the United States and located in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. For a number of years he worked as a farm hand, but in 1861 he proved his loyalty to his adopted country by enlisting in the Union Army, becoming a member of Company B, Seventeenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was at the front with that command for four years and took part in a great deal of hard fighting. After being mustered out of the Army he returned to Kenosha County and for a quarter of a century he worked at carpentering. He erected many residences in the County, and as he managed his business affairs well., his capital grew steadily. At length he retired from active life and is now residing on twenty-two acres of land which he owns in Somers Township and is enjoying a well deserved leisure.

In 1876 Mr. Bisher married Miss Annie Lawson. He supports the Republican party at the polls and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, whose teachings have guided his life. He began providing for hi own support at an early age and throughout his active career was dependent entirely upon his own efforts for success. He is widely known and the honor in which he is held is fully deserved as he has measured up to high standards of morality in all relations of life.
(Source: City and County of Kenosha, Wisconsin, A Record of Settlement, Vol. II, pages 394 and 397, photo also page 395, Frank H. Lyman, Chicago, The S.J. Clark Publishing Co. 1916.)

More About Bisher
Anna Bisher was born about 1831 in Sweden.
Immigration Year for John Bisher is 1846
Immigration Year for Anna Bisher is 1866
(Source:  June 1905 Census)