Some Descendants of Willard Vining and Josephine Brownell

Bill’s Family: Ancestors of Eldora Beahm
These pages are a compilation of my work and that of others. You are welcome to use anything on this page, but be aware that although I have been as careful and accurate as possible, I am not a professional genealogist. I have been working on our genealogy for over 25 years, and started the website in 2005. Some of the lines I have researched myself; some, especially on Rita’s side, we inherited the research of other family members over the past 75 years. Still, the majority of these pages are limited to compilations from published books and what I could find on the internet. The target audience was and remains our family, so the family pages are limited to our own ancestors. I have set it up so that each page is one set of ancestors, with their descendants. For the most part I have limited my scope to their great-grandchildren (second cousins to us); in some cases I list sources which may continue further.		HOME
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Willard Vining and Josephine E. Brownell

30. Willard Vining {a,b} was born 6 Aug 1860 in Marcellon (Columbia) Wisconsin, and died 16 Aug 1928 in Columbia Co, Wisconsin. He is a son of Edward K. Vining [60] and Nancy O. Blatchley [61]. Willard married 12 Jan 1886 in New Lisbon (Juneau) Wisconsin,

31. Josephine E. Brownell {a,b}. Josephine was born in 1859 in Sullivan (Jefferson) Wisconsin, and died in 1898 in Clark Co, South Dakota {a} or Faribault Co, Minnesota. She is a daughter of Ezekiel Brownell [62] and Adeline Pratt [63].

Willard moved from Wisconsin to South Dakota sometime before 1886, probably with his parents, though we have no records to show this. His marriage certificate shows that he was living in Clark County, South Dakota before 1886. Willard returned to Wisconsin to marry Josephine, and they both left for South Dakota after the marriage. Willard and Josephine acquired a homesteading claim; they were farmers, and were Methodist Episcopalian.

Many people were moving to the Dakotas at this time. Prior to 1880 it was mostly unsettled, due both to danger from Indians and the dry conditions -- wells in the eastern US were 10 to 20 feet deep, but in the Dakotas they had to go down several hundred feet. By 1880 the Indians were no longer a threat, and technology had advanced to the point where deep wells and windmill pumps could be used. Railroads were built, and new farm machinery was being produced. One of the biggest factors though, was that this area was going through an unusually wet period, and seemed like normal farmland. Thousands of people moved to settle the Dakotas in the early 1880’s. By the late 1880’s the area had returned to its normal drought condition, and most people returned east.

Willard and Josephine moved from Clark County, South Dakota to Faribault County in south Minnesota sometime around 1893. Willard’s father moved there about the same time. One source says Josephine died in South Dakota, implying that Minnesota was a temporary move. I think it is more likely that she either died in Minnesota, or perhaps the birthplace of their last child is incorrect. After Josephine died, Willard and the children moved back to Wisconsin, living for some time with Willard’s father Edward in Chetek, northern Wisconsin.

30.1. Eva Muriel Vining [15] and David Charles Beahm are direct ancestors, separate page.

30.5. Celestia Parrisade Vining {a} was born 4 Jan 1894 in Elmore (Faribault Co) Minnesota, and died 13 Mar 1918 in Chippewa Falls or Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The DVB Vining book says Celestia was placed in a boarding school and died there, age 24. Perhaps “boarding school” means an institution of some kind? Her middle name Parrisade comes from Willard’s sister, Jane Parrisade Vining.

30.2. Wilford Benjamin Vining {a,c} was born 19 Sep 1888 in Clark County, South Dakota, and died Jan 1916 in Columbia Co, Wisconsin. He married about 1914 in Wisconsin, Edna Peters. Edna was born probably around 1890, and died 1972 in Mayville (Clark) Wisconsin. Wilford and Edna were Methodist Episcopalian. Wilford was a barber; he died of cancer.
Wilford and Edna had one child (first cousin to us):

30.2.1. Wilford Jesse Vining {a,c} was born 27 Oct 1915 in Pardeeville (Columbia) Wisconsin, and died 14 Jun 1994 in Brownsville (Cameron) Texas. He married first, around 1936, Aurora Grunaw. Aurora was born sometime around 1915, and died around 1940. They had one son (living descendants omitted). Wilford married second, Bobbie Ruth Cooper. Wilford and Bobbie Ruth had three children (Patricia, Theresa, Joan; details omitted).
Wilford served in World War II. He was a Seabee in the 113th Construction Battalion, serving in the South Pacific. Wilford worked for Wisconsin Bell Telephone Company, and was elected Mayor of Mayville, Wisconsin.

30.3. Philemon Vining {a} was born 16 Nov 1889 in Clark County, South Dakota, and died 28 Sep 1963 in Bandon (Coos) Oregon. He married 22 Aug 1917, Eva Mae Peterson. They were Methodist Episcopalian.
Philemon and Eva had three children (first cousins to us):

30.4. Verne Terrence Vining {a} was born 6 Feb 1891 in Clark County, South Dakota, and died 26 Nov 1977 in Colorado. He married first, 14 Dec 1914, Myrtle Maynard. Myrtle was born sometime around 1895, and died in 1957. They were Methodist Episcopalian.
Verne and Myrtle had two children (first cousins to us):

Verne married second, 27 Oct 1961, Mrs. Irene Robinson (maiden name unknown). They had no children.

a. “The Vining Family”, Dorothea Vining Barnes; Beacon Herald, 1980
b. Marriage certificate for Willard and Josephine
c. Correspondence from family members

Bill’s Family: Ancestors of Eldora Beahm

Willard Vining and Josephine E. Brownell