William Lightfoot ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11}

   Cause of his death was Cardiovascular Disease.¹²

  General Notes:

While he was in the Civil War, William wrote at least one lengthy letter to his older sister, Elizabeth, describing his day to day duties in the army. The letters are from "Camp Lookout", Tennessee. William describes the action near Nashville and other areas near that location.
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1875-1878 Raised chickens and berries.
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The following is from "Cedar Chronicles 1836-1996" by Donald & Dorothy Stout:

"J.P. Stotler of Iowa township, on May 3, 1894, suffered a severe loss in his horse herd. Twelve were poisoned and seven of them died. This all happened one night. The next day he examined the feed boxes and found evidence of strychnine mixed with the salt. His loss totaled $2,250.00 for some were stallions, another a prized racehorse. A man named William Lightfoot was arrested on the basis of a sworn information. He denied the guilt and his friends raised $300.00 to get him out on bond. A hearing was scheduled later."
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The mystery surrounding the series of horse poisonings which occurred in Cedar county a few years ago is about to be cleared up. Dan Doty was arrested at Enid, Okla., and has made a partial confession. It will be remembered that thirteen valuable horses were poisoned and one man, Wm. Lightfoot served a jail sentence of several months for complicity. The case attracted much attention here at the time, many of the parties being well known.

(Source: West Branch Times, West Branch, Iowa, 10 Dec 1903, page 7)

NOTE - Daniel Doty was married to Vietta Wymer, a niece of William Lightfoot.
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  Death Notes:

William's obituary published in the Wisconsin Leader-Times from Eau Claire, Wisconsin on Saturday, February 8, 1930 stated that he was survived by one brother and three sisters. The one brother was probably Lester, who later died in 1932, but Luke died sometime about 1930, so that means Luke probably died before William. Two of the three sisters that were still surviving would work out to be Eunice, who died only 4 months later in 1930, and Susanna who died in 1959. The only other sister that could possibly be alive in 1930 would have to be Mary Alice Lightfoot.
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  Burial Notes:

Because of his Civil War Military record, an application was made and approved for a government furnished military headstone. The application was made by Charles Lightfoot, son of William, on 7 Apr 1930 the date on which William was buried. It was approved by the War Department on 23 May 1930, ordered from the supplier in Lee, Massachusetts, and shipped to Forest Hill Cemetery on 18 Aug 1930.
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1930: The "Record of Funeral" from Lenmarks' Funeral Home indicates the following:
Place of Death: res [this probably means "residence"]
Date of Funeral: February 8, 1930
Time of Funeral Service: 2 PM
?man: Rev. Charles Buetcher [illegible printing before the letters "man"; perhaps "Preacherman"?]
Attending Physician: Dr. Mitchell
Cause of Death: cardiovascular disease
Occupation: Steam Engineer at Saw Mill
Date of Birth: September 1, 1846
Name of Father: Daniel Lightfoot
Birthplace: England
Name of Mother: Susanna Arnsberger
Birthplace: USA
Burial was at Forest Hill Cemetery, "single graves, Lot No. G???d 10 in Section "D"
Total cost of the funeral services was $193.00

The total charges of $193.00 apparently paid by his wife, Loretta. The date of the funeral was February 8, 1930 and interment was April 7, 1930 nearly one month later. The ground was probably frozen solid so the actual interment had to wait until a thaw occurred. The Certificate of Death incorrectly indicates that the date of burial on February 8, 1930.
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Grave location is noted as "Single Graves (G????10), Section D". The word(s) after Single Graves is indecipherable. The "Grave No. is left blank.

Find A Grave Memorial 73641899

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73641899/william-lightfoot: accessed April 10, 2025), memorial page for William Lightfoot (1 Sep 1846\'966 Feb 1930), Find a Grave Memorial ID 73641899, citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, USA; Maintained by Catherine (Clemens) Sevenau (contributor 47082189).
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  Noted events in his life were:

1. 1850 US Census, 20 July 1850, Green Township, Wayne, Ohio, United States. ⁷ 1850 US Census
Page 186B, Family 205, Roll 739
Green Township, Wayne, Ohio
William Lightfoot..4..OH

(Living with parents.)

2. 1860 US Census, 12 July 1860, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ⁸ 1860 US Census
Page 145-146, Family 1007, Roll 314
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
William Lightfoot..13..OH

(Living with parents.)

3. Military: Company I, 46th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Between 7 June 1864 and 23 September 1864, Davenport, Scott, Iowa, United States. ¹⁵ 1864: William Lightfoot enlisted in Company I of the Iowa 46th Infantry Regiment on June 7, 1864.

46th Iowa Infantry Regimental History:
Organized at Davenport June 10, 1864. Ordered to Memphis, Tennessee, June 20, and to Collierville, Tennessee, June 27. Assigned to guard duty on Memphis & Charleston Railroad till September, 1864. Action near Collierville, Tennessee, July 24 (Detachment of Company "I"). Repulse of Forest's attack on Memphis August 21 (Detachment). Mustered out September 23, 1864.

Regiment lost during service 1 Enlisted man killed and 27 Enlisted men by disease. Total 28

On the 21st of April, 1864, the Governors of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin voluntarily tendered to the President of the United States an enlistment of 85,000 volunteers to serve for the period of one hundred days. Ten thousand of these were to be enlisted in the State of Iowa.

Company I of the 46th Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers (100-day men) was enlisted in Cedar, all the men excepting three being residents of the, about fifteen or twenty men enlisting for this service in other regiments.

The 46th Regiment was ordered into quarters on the 30th day of May, 1864, and mustered into service by Captain. Chambers, U.S.A., at Davenport, Scott County, Iowa, June 10, 1864. June 14, left Davenport en route for Cairo, Illinois, and on the 18th of June started for Memphis, Tennessee, by boat. The regiment arrived at Memphis on the 19th of June, and remained there until the 27th of June, when it was ordered to guard duty on Memphis & Charleston Railroad at Collierville, Tennessee, and on 29th of same month Companies A and I were stationed three miles west of Collierville, where they remained until the time Forrest's dash into Memphis, when they were ordered back to Collierville, where they remained a few days. Afterward, the same two companies were sent to their former position west of Collierville, where they remained until ordered to Memphis to be sent home. The regiment was mustered out at Davenport on the 23d day of September, 1864.

The only men of this regiment who were under fire during the service were eighteen men under Captain. W. P. Wolf, who were ambuscaded by about forty guerrillas July 24, 1864, Leonidas Brown receiving a wound which afterward proved fatal, W. P. Wolf severely, and John Diltz slightly wounded. J. W. Thompson, John Duncan, Wm. D. Hall and F. M. Brown were taken prisoners.
(Note: This regiment was mustered out at Davenport, Scott County, Iowa, September 23, 1864.)
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4. 1870 US Census, 25 July 1870, Wapsinonoc Township, Muscatine, Iowa, United States. ⁹ 1870 US Census
Page 21, Family 142, Roll 413
Wapsinonoc Township, Muscatine, Iowa
Wm. Lightfoot..24..OH..Laborer

(William was living with and working for the Jasper and Frances Curney family.)

NOTE - It is interesting to note that his parents were shown in the 1870 Census to still live in nearby Cedar County, but at the age of 24, William was out working on his own in Muscatine County. The physical distance was not too far apart because William apparently met Loretta Linn in nearby Cedar County where they were married sometime around 1875.

5. 1870 US Census, 29 August 1870, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ¹⁰ 1870 US Census
Page 28, Family 211
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
William Lightfoot..23..OH

(Living with parents.)

6. Occupation: Farmer, 1878, Cedar, Iowa, United States. 1878: "The History of Cedar County, Iowa, 1878" references "Wm. Lightfoot" on page 567 and 648:
Lightfoot, Wm., farmer, Section 24; Post Office Atalissa

7. 1880 US Census, 1 June 1880, Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, United States. ² 1880 US Census
Page 128A, Family 8, Roll 0358
Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa
William Lightfoot..Head..32..OH..Fireman In Saw Mill

(Living with wife and 2 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 1 Sep 1846, then his age should have been 33 instead of 32.

8. Occupation: Farmer, 1884, Cedar, Iowa, United States. The birth record for Charles (as un-named male child #3), dated December 25, 1884, shows the occupation of the father, William Lightfoot, is indicated as "Farmer".

9. 1885 Iowa State Census, 1885, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ³ 1885 Iowa State Census
Page 384, Line 9, Family 94
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
Township 79, Range 3, Section 26, NW Quarter of the SW Quarter
William Lightfoot..37..OH..Laborer

(Living with wife and 3 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 1 Sep 1846, then his age should have been 38 instead of 37.

10. 1895 Iowa State Census, 1895, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ⁴ 1895 Iowa State Census
Page 473, Line 7, Family 80
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
William Lightfoot..48..OH..Farmer

(Living with wife and 4 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 1 Sep 1846, then his age should have been 49 instead of 48.

11. 1900 US Census, 5 June 1900, Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, United States. ⁵ 1900 US Census
Sheet 8B, District 106, Family 173
Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa
119 East Second Street; house rented
Married 25 years
William Lightfoot..Head..Sept 1847..52..OH..River Pilot

(Living with wife and 4 children.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 01 Sep 1846, then his age should have been 53 instead of 52.

12. 1910 US Census, 23 April 1910, Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States. ¹¹ 1910 US Census
Sheet 20A, District 55, Family 452
Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
840 Menominee Street; house rented
John Gordon..Head..48..Canada English..Laborer, Saw Mill
Antone Lago..Companion..66..Canada French..Laborer, Saw Mill
Carl Schmuck..Companion..18..IA..Sawyer, Box Factory
William Lightfoot..Companion..64..OH..married 37 yr..Engineer, Saw Mill

NOTE - Apparently this was just 4 room-mates living together in one house. Although he was still married to Loretta, William was living separately from her while she was living back in Muscatine, Iowa. Supposedly William was in Eau Claire to be near his married son, Lee, but according to family stories, they had broken up because of William's drinking and William had no other place to go.

13. 1920 US Census, 19 January 1920, Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States. ⁶ 1920 US Census
Sheet 15B, District 122, Family 360, Roll 1984
Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
942 Chauncey Street; home owned, no mortgage
Wm Lightfoot..Head..73..OH..Engineer, lumber

(Living with wife.)

14. Obituary: Wisconsin Leader-Times, 8 February 1930, Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States. ¹⁶ William Lightfoot, 83, died at his home, 98 Lee street, Thursday morning, following an illness of about two years. Mr. Lightfoot had been a resident of this city for twenty-three years. He is survived by his widow, three sons, Lee, of Cornell; Charles, of Eau Claire, and Harry, of Chicago, and one daughter, Mrs. Joseph Weir, of Eau Claire; one brother and three sisters.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. from Lenmark's. Rev. Charles Butcher will officiate. Interment will be in the Forest Hill cemetery.

(Source: Wisconsin Leader-Times, Eau Claire, WI, 8 Feb 1930)
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William married Loretta A. Linn, daughter of Moses Linn and Hannah Darner, on 15 March 1874 in Tipton, Cedar, Iowa, United States.^{1 2 3 4 5 6} (Loretta A. Linn was born on 13 October 1854 in Zanesville, Muskingum, Ohio, United States,^{2 3 4 6 17 18 19 20 21 22 23} died on 19 January 1946 in King, Waupaca, Wisconsin, United States ²³ and was buried on 22 January 1946 in Forest Hill Cemetery, Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States ²⁴.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. 1880 US Census, 1 June 1880, Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, United States. ² 1880 US Census
Page 128A, Family 8, Roll 0358
Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa
William Lightfoot..Head..32..OH..Fireman In Saw Mill
Loretta A. Lightfoot..Wife..26..OH..Keeping House
Leoniuas Lightfoot..Son...4..IA..At Home
Lena Lightfoot..Daughter..1..IA
Thomas Hoefer..Boarder..60..GERMANY..Labors In Saw Mill

2. 1885 Iowa State Census, 1885, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ³ 1885 Iowa State Census
Page 384, Line 9, Family 94
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
Township 79, Range 3, Section 26, NW Quarter of the SW Quarter
William Lightfoot..37..OH..Laborer
Loretta Lightfoot..31..OH
Leonidas Lightfoot..9..IA
Lena Lightfoot..6..IA
Charles Lightfoot..0..IA

3. 1895 Iowa State Census, 1895, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ⁴ 1895 Iowa State Census
Page 473, Line 7, Family 80
Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa
William Lightfoot..48..OH..Farmer
Loretta Lightfoot..40..OH
Lee L. Lightfoot..19..Cedar County, Iowa..Farmer
Lena Lightfoot..16..Cedar County, Iowa
Chas C. Lightfoot..10..Cedar County, Iowa
Harrison Lightfoot..6..Cedar County, Iowa

4. 1900 US Census, 5 June 1900, Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, United States. ⁵ 1900 US Census
Sheet 8B, District 106, Family 173
Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa
119 East Second Street; house rented
Married 25 years
William Lightfoot..Head..Sept 1847..52..OH..River Pilot
Lorette Lightfoot..Wife..Oct 1853..46..OH..4/4
Lee Lightfoot..Son..Jan 1875..23 (?)..IA..Steam Engineer
Lena Lightfoot..Daughter..Feb 1879..21..IA..Button Driller
Charles Lightfoot..Son..Dec 1884..15..IA..Laborer
Harry Lightfoot..Son..Oct 1889..10..IA

5. 1920 US Census, 19 January 1920, Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States. ⁶ 1920 US Census
Sheet 15B, District 122, Family 360, Roll 1984
Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
942 Chauncey Street; home owned, no mortgage
Wm Lyhtfoot (Lightfoot)..Head..73..OH..Engineer, lumber
Loretta Lyhtfoot (Lightfoot)..Wife..65..OH

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Wm. Lightfoot
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 15 Mar 1874
Event Place: Cedar Co., Iowa, United States
Gender: Male
Spouse's Name: Loretta Linn
Spouse's Gender: Female

Citing this Record
"Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XJVY-CVC : 5 September 2017), Wm. Lightfoot and Loretta Linn, 15 Mar 1874, Cedar Co., Iowa, United States; citing reference Vol E P 250, county courthouses, Iowa; FHL microfilm 986,805.
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According to the 1910 US Census of Muscatine, Loretta Lightfoot was living with her daughter, LeAnna, and LeAnna's husband, Joseph S. Weir, in Muscatine County, Iowa. This situation was explained by Jean Doris (Lightfoot) Stedman in June of 2001 in that Loretta and her husband, William, had been living apart due to his alcohol abuse. William in the meanwhile had moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin with his married son, Lee, and his wife, Mary McLaughlin. Both William and Lee worked at the Kaiser Lumber Company in Eau Claire up through 1910.

About 1911, Loretta decided to also relocate to Eau Claire but maintained a separate residence from William until sometime after 1914 when they eventually moved back together. The Eau Claire County marriage license book, Vol. 12, page 195 shows a marriage between William Lightfoot and Loretta Lightfoot on 10 Oct 1914. I suspect that they were divorced but then remarried or maybe they just reaffirmed their vows following the years of separation.

The 1920 US Census shows them living together once again. The first year of the Eau Claire City Directories which shows them together was in 1926 but there are issues and names missing in issues from previous years. I suspect that William's health may have been failing by that time because his occupation listed in the 1926 City Directory is that of "gardener" which indicates he no longer was involved in the saw mills, steam engines, or river barge traffic.
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