Fourth Generation

84. William Henry "Will" ROOT¹²¹ was born on 3 October 1864 in Warren County, NY.^{3,55,178,179,180,276} He was adopted in 1866 in Warren County, NY.^178,179 by Ephraim and Ann (Parker) Root. The identity of his birth parents is not known, although the 1880 Census indicates that they were both born in New York state. He appeared in the census in 1870 in Greenfield Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁴⁸ Will appeared in the census in 1880 in Greenfield Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁷⁸ His occupation was listed as "Help." He appeared in the census in 1895 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²³⁴ There was 1 male and 2 females living in his household; their names were not listed. It is likely that they were William, Dora and their daughter Helen. He served in the military on 13 January 1899 in St. Louis (Independent City), MO.² Will appeared in the census in 1900 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷³ His occupation was listed as "dry goods salesman." After 1901 he was a rural mail carrier in Monroe County, WI.^179,277

An article in the 14 October 1899 issue of the Tomah Journal reports: "W. H. Root is employed as clerk in the Chicago Fair Store." He appeared in the census in 1905 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²³⁵ Will appeared in the census in 1910 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸² He died on 26 October 1913 at the age of 49 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^{55,179,276,278}

An article in the History of Monroe County: "William H. Root, the adopted son of Ephraim G. Root, was born in the Adirondack mountains, in Warren county, New York, on October 3, 1864, and Gen. Ethan Allen was his great-great-uncle. He was adopted at the age of two years. He remained on the home farm in Greenfield township until 1892, when he removed to Tomah and engaged in the mercantile business, and since 1901 has been employed in the rural mail service.

During the war with Spain, Mr. Root served in Company K, Third Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers, until the close of the war, having been with his regiment in Puerto Rico. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Woodmen of the World, and the Mystic Workers of the World.

On November 3, 1885, Mr. Root was married to Miss Dora Vandervort, daughter of J. B. and Anna (McIntyre) Vandervort, of Tomah. They were natives of New York state, and on coming to Wisconsin first located in Oconomowoc, but later moved to LaGrange township, Monroe county. To Mr. and Mrs. Root have been born four children, viz.: Helen married D. R. Richmond, of Grundy Center, Iowa; and Vivian, who lives at home. Those deceased are Elsia and Janet E."

. He was buried on 29 October 1913 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸⁵ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

William Henry "Will" ROOT and Dora A. VANDERVORT were married on 3 November 1885 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.^{179,217,279,280,281} at the LaGrange Methodist Episcopal Church. The biographical sketch of Will in the History of Monroe County indicates that they had four children, Helen, Vivian, Elsia and Janet E. However, a cemetery plot in the Oak Grove Cemetery that was purchased by Dora contains the grave of "James Root," who was born in 1890 and died in 1895. He is buried with Dora, William and Elsie, and it is believed that he was a son who died as an infant.

Dora A. VANDERVORT⁸⁹, daughter of James Baker VANDERVORT and Anna Mary MCINTYRE, was born on 12 March 1867 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^{148,178,276,282}

. She appeared in the census in 1875 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁴⁹ She appeared in the census in 1880 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁷⁸

Dora was a member of the Kirby Ladies Aid in 1889. Dora appeared in the census in 1905 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²³⁵ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸² She lived in Grundy Center, Grundy County, IA in 1916.²⁸³ Dora appeared in the census in 1920 in Shiloh Township, Grundy County, IA.²⁸⁴ She was living with her daughter Helen and her family. She appeared in the census in 1930 in Washington Township, Grundy County, IA.²⁸⁵ She died in 1949 at the age of 82 in Des Moines, Polk County, IA.^{89,276,278,280} (She may have died in 1945.) Dora was buried in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸⁵ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

William Henry "Will" ROOT and Dora A. VANDERVORT had the following children:

173	i.	Elsia "Elsie" ROOT was born in 1887 in Monroe County, WI.^55,185 She died on 14 October 1889 at the age of 2 in La Grange Township, Monroe County, WI.^{55,179,185,286} Obituary Notes: "Elsie Root, aged 2 1/2 years, eldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Root, of LaGrange, died Tuesday afternoon from the effects of injuries received Sunday. While playing with other children in the yard, she fell and pulled a large saw horse upon herself. She received a blow on the temple, which resulted fatally. The funeral was held on Thursday." She was buried on 16 October 1889 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸⁵ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.
+174	ii.	Janet E. ROOT.
+175	iii.	Helen "Nellie" ROOT.
176	iv.	James S. ROOT was born in 1890 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^55,185 He died on 23 May 1895 at the age of 5.^153,185 He was buried on 24 May 1895 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁸⁵ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.
+177	v.	Vivian ROOT.