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| William M. Jacques, Jr., surveyor, and dealer in real estate, Big Rapids, was born in Kings Co., Nova Scotia, April 6, 1844, of French and Irish extraction. His parents, William M. and Anna M. (Harris) Jacques, came to the “States” in June, 1844, and engaged in farming, in Delafield, Waukesha, Co., Wis. The father also established a shoe store, where the acted some years in the capacity of an assistant. Mr. Jacques had just passed his 17 birthday when the alarm of the civil war swept over the land, and but a few months lapsed before he yielded to the almost resistless influence which swayed every soul at the North. He enlisted Sept. 1, 1861, at Milwaukee, in Co. G, 1st Wis. Vol. Inf., Capt. Bloodgood. His regiment was in action in about 20 engagements, and its members participated in skirmishes without number. Mr. Jacques was wounded in the right thigh at the battle of Perryville, and at Chickamauga in the left hand. He was mustered out in Sept., 1864, with a Lieutenants commission. He returned home and spent the next 2 years at Spencer’s and Alverson’s Academies in Milwaukee, at the latter he took a special course in surveying. Mr. Jacques came to Big Rapids in 1872, and obtained a situation as clerk in the Register’s office, where he was employed 18 months, operating to some extent meanwhile as a surveyor. In 1873 he received the appointment of Deputy County Surveyor, and was elected the next year to the post of County Surveyor, which office he held until 1883. He is of a speculative turn of mind, and always been engaged more of less handling real estate, which is now his sole business. He owns his residence of State street, 80 acres of farming land on sec., 22, Grand Tp., 80 acres in Newaygo, and a house and 3 acres of land in Walworth Co., Wis. He belongs to the fraternity of Odd Fellows, and is a member of the Post French, G.A.R. Mr. Jacques was married in Ottawa, Waukesha Co., Wis., April 5, 1871, to Alice I., daughter of Thomas and Alvira Boone, native of Iowa. They have one daughter, Nevada P., born in Wisconsin, Jan. 28, 1876. Mr. Jacques has given a great deal of time and interest to the science of fish culture. He has stocked a number of water courses of the county, and in 1874 established a trout fishery on sec. 24, Big Rapids Tp., starting with 10,000 eggs. A year later he was compelled to abandon his scheme on account of his fish being stolen. |