From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
Publ. 1912 - Page 971-972
 
WILLIAM HARRISON SOUTHWICK.  It is a good sign when a county like Walworth can 
boast of so many of her enterprising farmers and business men who are native 
sons, for it indicates that here are to be found all the opportunities 
necessary to insure success in the material affairs of life and that her 
native sons, unlike so many from various sections, have found it to their 
advantage to remain at home.  They have been wise in doing this for nature has 
offered the husbandman unusual advantages here and seldom fails to reward the 
honest worker with gratifying results, and when the tillers of the soil are 
prosperous all lines of business flourish, consequently not only the farmers 
have succeeded in Walworth but also the merchants, millers, lumbermen, stock 
dealers, and many others, and the county ranks well with the thriving sections 
of this or any other state.
 
One of this worthy band of native sons is William Harrison SOUTHWICK, of 
Delavan township.  He was born here on April 17, 1852.  He is the son of Jonas 
G. and Mary Ann (REESE) SOUTHWICK, the father a native of Vermont and the 
mother of Pennsylvania.  They grew to maturity in the East and were married in 
Ohio, from which state they came to Wisconsin in 1849 and settled on the 
DeWolf place, where they remained two years, west of Delavan, then moved to 
the farm where the subject now lives and here they established a very 
comfortable home and reared their children.
 
Jonas G SOUTHWICK was twice married, first to Mary BROWN, which union resulted 
in the birth of three children, Leonard, Franklin and Nelson, all now 
deceased.  The following children were born of his union with Mary Ann REESE: 
Henry and Harriet, twins; George, deceased; Charles lives at Williams Bay; 
James and Oliver are deceased; William H. of this review; Mary married C. M. 
WILLIAMS, of Chicago; Sanford died when four years old.  The father of the 
subject died on April 2, 1894, and the mother on January 14, 1888.
 
William H. SOUTHWICK, of this sketch, was reared on the home farm where he 
worked when a boy.  He received his education in the public schools of his 
home community and a short time in the academy at Big Foot, Wisconsin.  He has 
devoted his life to farming.  He lives on the homestead in section 36, Delavan 
township, which consists of eighty acres, and he has kept the land under an 
excellent state of improvement and cultivation.  He owns the place and takes a 
pride in keeping it in fine shape.  He has been very successful as a general 
farmer and stock raiser, and his efforts have been liberally rewarded.
 
Mr. SOUTHWICK was married on December 14, 1861, to Mariette E. BOWLSBY, 
daughter of B. F. and Catherine BOWLSBY.  To this union two children have been 
born, namely: Loran B., who died when eleven months old; and Ernest E., who 
married Rosina WEEKS, of Chicago.  He is at home with his parent.  The wife of 
W. H. SOUTHWICK died on May 5, 1904.  Politically, the subject is a Republican.  
With the exception of a year spent in Elkhorn, he has farmed all his life.
 
Submitted by Carol