Josiah L. Pettingill
                            G. C. ELLIS

    Every community of this country which has been settled by im-
migration from  the older sections, has been fortunate in  receiving
thereby choice material for the development of efficient citizens and
public servants. For these settlers have absorbed as they grew up the
basic ideas of government "of the people, by the people and for the
people". La Crosse County has seen many examples of this rule-men
who have grown from most humble beginnings to careers of great effi-
ciency and usefulness to the community. Among these, few have cov-
ered a wider range of activity than Josiah L. Pettingill.
     Mr. Pettingill was born in Morris, Otsego County, New York,
November 16, 1840, the fifth child of Alonzo and Lucy (Davis) Pettin-


                      JOSIAH L. PETTINGILL
gill. His parents were also natives of Otsego County, the former born
December 27, 1802; the latter, April 5, 1807. Their children were: Jay.
John A., Martha I. (married John I. Matheson) and Josiah L.
    Josiah L. Pettingill spent his early boyhood in Otsego County, at-
tending the public schools, until the spring of 1854, when his father
became the owner of some pine lands near Flint, Michigan, and moved
there with his family. The next year, Mr. and Mrs. Matheson removed
further West, selecting the beautiful Lewis Valley, La Crosse County
for their future home. In 1856, the ague having made life miserable for
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