William John Soden
Born April 25th, 1848 or 1849, the son of James and Hannah (Ostrander) Soden, in Highland, Michigan. His father, James, was a farmer.
William married Cornelia B. Chase on July 2nd, 1876, the daughter of Timothy C. Chase (25 July 1829, Mass. - May, 1916, Wis.) and Harriet L. McCreary Chase (11 Oct 1829, NY - Nov 1910, Wis). Cornelia, the second of four children, was born on 1856 in Ravenna, Ohio, and died on 1939 in Durand, Ohio.
William and Cornelia had seven children:
Lula C. - married A. W. Rand of Mondovi, a carpenter.
Mary E. - married James Thompson, a farmer in Waubeek. They have one child - Warren.
William J. - resides in Cornell, Wisconsin and is connected to the Paper mill industry. He married Mrs. Eva (Isham) Howland, the widow of Harry Howland, having four children by her previous marriage.
George M. - a mason residing in Durand, married Hazel Cowels. They have one child - Mildred.
Maggie L. - married Owen Thompson, a farmer of Eau Claire, and they have two children - Marion and Elwyn.
John L. - a farmer of Canton Township in Buffalo County, married Millie Isham, and they have two children - Milo and Ezra.
Victor - residing in his mother's farm, married Muriel Throne and they have one child - John L.
William John Soden was reared in Michigan, attended school there as well. He began working at the age of 12, earning his own living until the break out of the Civil War. He enlisted as a private in a Michigan Regiment, and served three years as a soldier. Returning home, he resumed industrial life in Michigan. He move to Buffalo County in 1870, eventually taking a homestead in Canton Township, of Buffalo County. He devoted himself to farming his own acreage, and increasing his homestead. Prior to his death, he had accumulated 280 acres of land, where he resided for thirty-seven years. A stockholder in various companies, William was also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Grand Army Post of Durand. William moved to Durand three years prior to his death. William passed away on 31 July 1916, in Durand, Pepin County, Wisconsin.
