From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
publ. 1912, Page 1315-1316
 
GEORGE MONROE VAN VELZER.  It is a good sign when so many of the residents of 
a county are found to have been born there.  It indicates that they have found 
right at home all the opportunities necessary for the gratification of their 
ambitions in a business, political or social way, and it also indicates 
stability.  One is reminded that "A rolling stone gathers no moss."  That 
young man is the wisest who, when conditions will permit, remains in his 
native locality and addresses himself to the improvement of conditions he 
finds there and to his personal advancement along such lines as he may choose, 
selecting that for which he is best fitted by nature.
 
One such is George Monroe VANVELZER, well known citizen of Williams Bay.  He 
was born a short distance east of the town of Lake Geneva, this county, 
September 30, 1839.  He has thus come down to us from the pioneer epoch and 
has lived to see and take part in the wonderful development of the county 
during the past three quarters of a century, and his reminiscences of 
conditions prevailing here in those early days are both interesting and 
instructive.  He is the son of Philander VANVELZER, a sterling early settler, 
a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work.
 
George W. VANVELZER grew to manhood on his father's farm and there found 
plenty to do as soon as he was old enough to follow the plow or wield the axe, 
and, in fact, he lived there the greater part of his active life.  He was 
married on August 30, 1862, to Belle Viney MADDEN, daughter of Patrick and 
Nancy (CASEY) MADDEN.  She was born in Pennsylvania and her parents moved to 
near Binghamton, New York.  About 1850 they moved to Walworth county, 
Wisconsin, and settled along Sugar Creek, moving to Richmond township four or 
five years later and there the parents spent the rest of their lives, and 
there on the old home place lives Patrick MADDEN, brother of Mrs. VANVELZER.  
This family became well established here and was highly respected.
 
George M. VANVELZER remained on the home place until about 1875, when he 
bought one hundred and fifty-six acres west of Williams Bay, in Walworth 
township, and there he lived until about 1900, when he built a neat home in 
the village of Williams Bay and moved thereto, selling his farm and retiring 
from active life. He had been very successful as a general farmer and stock 
raiser and accumulated a competency.
 
One daughter has been born to the subject and wife, Olive Jeanette, who 
married Ulysses Grant LOCKWOOD, a younger brother of William 
LOCKWOOD,deceased, whose sketch contains the LOCKWOOD ancestry.  Mr. and Mrs. 
U. G. LOCKWOOD live about a mile north of Williams Bay on a farm, and they 
have one son, Wesley VanVelzer LOCKWOOD.
 
Mr. and Mrs. VANVELZER also took a boy to raise, George Allen VANVELZER, a son 
of Wardruff OWEN and Helen (MADDEN) OWEN, his mother having been a sister of 
Mrs. VANVELZER.  She died when the boy was a baby and at the age of fifteen 
months he was given to the subject and wife by his father.  He was born in 
Sugar Creek township this county, August 18, 1872.  He married Ammie CARLSON, 
a native of Sweden, and they had two daughters, Helen Marie and Hazel May.  He 
lives in Williams Bay, and has a farm of his own and also follows railroading 
on the Chicago & Northwestern road.  His wife is now deceased.
 
Submitted by Carol