SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Harvard Giddings, Page 542

HARVARD GIDDINGS is a native of Sheboygan County, born at Sheboygan Falls, April 4, 1843, and is the eldest of three children born unto David and Dorothy Chapin (Trowbridge) Giddings.  A record of the parents will be found upon another page.  Harvard was educated in the public schools of his native town, after which he attended the academy at Poughkeepsie, N. Y.  At the age of twenty-one years, Mr. Giddings began in the world on his own responsibility.  That year he rented his father's farm at Fond du Lac, and engaged in agricultural pursuits.

    On the 6th of October, 1864, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Giddings and Miss Sarah Genevieve Parker, a daughter of John Parker.  Mrs. Giddings was born March 17, 1842, at Vergennes, Vt., and was the second in a family of five children born unto John and Sarah Huntington (Ward) Parker.  They are all living, and are as follows:  Mary T., widow of A. F. Wheeler, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pa.; Mrs. Giddings, who is the next in order of birth; Helen L.; Julia H.; and Charles E., a dentist at Toledo, Ohio.  Mrs. Giddings was a teacher for many years before her marriage.  She received her education in the schools of Sheboygan Falls, and in the Waukesha Seminary.

    After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Giddings began their domestic life upon a farm in Fond du Lac County, and later located south of the village of Sheboygan Falls, but subsequently removed to that place.  Afterwards Mr. Giddings purchased and for a time operated the Hingham mills.  Disposing of that business, he removed to Fond du Lac, and later to his present home in the village of Sheboygan Falls.  Mr. Giddings has a fine dairy and stock farm, with good buildings thereon.  His residence is a handsome brick one, and every thing about the premises gives evidences of thrift and prosperity.

    Mr. and Mrs. Giddings have become the parents of five children.  William Trowbridge, who was born August 22, 1873, was a young man of the highest character, thoughful (sic) of others, pleasing in address, and loved by all who knew him.  He gave promise of extraordinary ability, and was pursuing his studies at the Wisconsin University, but while spending his vacation at home was taken sick and died, July 19, 1893.  The other members are John D., Harry P., Dora C. and Genevieve W.  All the surviving children still remain under the parental roof.

    In politics, Mr. Giddings is a Greenback advocate, being a strong believer in the principles contended for by that party.  In religious faith, Mr. and Mrs. Giddings are not identified with any denomination.