Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-01-26

o. Paquin, one of the best known
pioneers of this section, died last
Wednesday morning, after short i'll
ness, the cause of death being old age
He was an early settler in this section,
known to large population of Wausau
and Merrill and living here for almost
sixty years he saw this portion of the
country grow from wilderness to one
of productive fields and prosperity.
Deceased was born in Lorrell, prov
enee of Quebec, Can, Aug. 6, 1896,
Being past eighty.two years of age at
the time of death. His early life was
spent on farm, but displaying taste
for mechanics he picked up crude
knowledge of blacksmithing and car
pentry and this knowledge came very
handy to him in after life He left
Canada iG 1919 and came to this coun-
try. AT that time the Wisconsin valley
pinery was offering inducements for
young men and he came here. His first
stopping place was Grand Rapids.
There being no roads north of there at
that time he pushed through the wilder
ness to point about eleven miles north
of the city where he purchased a piece
of government land and established a
"a IL.
time OF his death. When he came here
he had to follow trails and ford streams
and the journey was serious under.
taking
Seven years after coming to this Sec
ton he became associated with Thos
Grundy in the operation OF sawmill
on Pine river At that time, of course,
there were no railroads in tie country
and to get the product of the mill to
market it was necessary to raft it down
the river He continued in this bust
ness for years and finally decided to
give his whole attention to his farm,
and had been farmer for about thirty
five years.
Upon visiting Wausau, or Big Bull
Falls as it was then called, in 1850, MIR.
Paquin remained for time guest of
John LeMessurier. The latter con-
Quoted boarding house and the village
was then very sparsely settled The
Chippewa and Winnebago Indians were
very numerous and friendly to the
whites and between the two races, quite
trade was carried on. Mr.. Paquin IN
his life time related of many instances
where the red men furnished their
white brothers with provisions in time
of need.
Mr. Paqnin was possessed of a very
independent spirit and only in late
years did he look to anyone else for as
sistance. 1t was only within the past
fifteen years that he allowed a thresh
ing machine to come onto his place.
For years, every kernel of grain pro-
duced on his farm was threshed out
with fail He shoed his horses him.
self. mended the harness of his animals.
did bis own carpentry and blacksmith
ing and he owed no obligations to any
one.
lie was always fond of horses and
horse racing and for number of years
not a fair was held in Marathon or Lin
coin counties but what Mr., Paquin was
not entered in the farmers race. So
enthusiastic was he that he prepared
track on his farm which he used sum-
mer for exercise for trotting horse
and in winter he cleared the Wisconsin
river near his home for an ice track.
A horseman's association was formed,
comprised of Wausau and Merrill men,
and once each winter Mr.. Paquin would
invite its members to his home. These
events were always looked forward to
with pleasure by the members. After
racing on the ice in the afternoon the
members would sit down to a bounteous
supper in the evening, the table groan-
ing beneath the load of good things
Then Mr.. Paquin would bring down an
old violin from the wall, and the bal
ance of the evening would be merry
with music, dancing, etc. These were
extremely pleasant meetings, but on
account of his failing years they were
dispensed with for several seasons back
Deceased was genial, whole souled,
honorable man, and the news of his
death will cause sincere regret on the
part of those who knew him. As far as
being a husband, father, neighbor and
friend is concerned he fulfilled his mis-
sion in this life His honesty and SIM
plicity are measurements by which his
life may be best judged, and the world
would be better off if we had more of
such characters.
Deceased is survived oy his wife
whom he married in 1851, she being
known in her maiden name days as
Miss Sarah Smith Also by three daugh-
tiers, Mrs. A. NJ. Willard of Milwaukee;
Mrs. A. l.. Randall of the town of
! Texas and Mrs. A. G.. Gray of Valley
/ Junction.
The funeral was held from the Nj. f.
church, this city, Saturday afternoon,
Rev. F. IL. Brigham conducting the
| services.
1T Is INEFFECTIVE.