Bio: Kilday, Daniel J. (1923)

 
Contact: Stan

Surnames: Kilday, Scott, Glenn, St. John, Brewer, Burns, Noone, Mills, Stahl, Imel, Phillips

----Source: History of Wood County, Wis. (1923) pages 558-559

Daniel J. Kilday, a prominent farmer of Cary Township, was born at Brodhead, Green County, Wis., May 19, 1872, son of John and Katherine (Scott) Kilday. The father was born in Watertown, Pa.; the mother was a native of Ireland and came to America when young; they were married in New York State and after residing there for three years came to Wis. in 1865. Here they first settled near Janesville, and after one year there went to Green County and settled in the town of Jordan Prairie, where they were residents for 50 years or more, being among the first settlers there. At the expiration of their residence there they sold their farm, which they had built up into a fine property, and bought a farm at Brodhead, Wis., where they lived until the father's death, in March, 1915; the mother died in February, 1880. They were the parents of 12 children, nine of whom, as follows, are now living: Mary, now Mrs. John Glenn of Chicago; Margaret, who is Mrs. Amos St. John of Janesville, Wis.; James, living at Brodhead, Wis.; Martin, a resident of the State of Texas; Elizabeth, who married Frank Brewer and is living in Chicago; Daniel J., subject of this sketch; Emma, now Mrs. John Burns of Edgerton, Wis.; Thomas, of Nebraska; and William, also of Nebraska. Daniel J. Kilday received his education in the district schools of Green County; at the age of ten years he went to live with a family named Noone and he made his home with them until he was 18 years old. He then worked out by the month for a time, and subsequently operated a rented farm near Brodhead for seven years.

In 1901 he came to Wood County and bought 124 acres of wild land in Section 36 of Cary Township, and Section 31 of Wood Township, making the trip here from Brodhead in a covered wagon and shipping two head of cattle and household goods. He lived here with Mr. Burkhart until he could erect a small shack on his land and then established his home there and proceeded to develop the property, which was ,covered with brush, stumps, and timber. The development of this region was in such a primitive state at that time that Mr. Kilday was forced to cut a road through the timber in order to reach his land, and he endured many of the hardships of the pioneer during the early period of his residence there. He was an industrious and capable worker, however, and he had wrought great changes in his property before many years had passed. He added to his holdings from time to time until today he has 184 acres; he has cleared the land and equipped the place with a full set of good buildings, and he now has a fine modern farm. He is carrying on general farming and dairying, but is working more and more into the latter branch; his herd of Holstein cattle now includes eight pure-bred animals, and he is improving it from year to year. He is a man of unusual business and personal ability, and has always occupied a very prominent position in the community. He served an unexpired term of three months as chairman of the board of Cary Township and was elected to that office for five years. He has been president of the Farmers Co-operative Cheese & Creamery Co. for the past six years, and he has been the leader in many movements that have marked milestones in the progress of the community. Mr. Kilday was married at Freeport, Ill., March 22, 1900, to Mrs. Otis Mills, who in maiden life was Miss Clara Stahl, being the daughter of Charles and Mary (Imel) Stahl; her parents are now residents of York, Neb. Mrs. Kilday is the mother of three children by her first marriage: Bertha, who is now Mrs. Willis Phillips of Adams County, Wis.; Fred, and Otis; the two latter are engaged in farming in Columbia County, Wis.