It is always a pleasure to look over a splendidly kept farm, with everything in ship-shape, like that of John G. Voss, of Sugar Creek township, Walworth county, known as “Rollingdale Farm,” of the choice landed estates of that community, and here the subject has devoted years of patient toil in order to bring it up to a high standard and make it productive. Such persistent care always results in favorable returns.
Mr. Voss was born in Lafayette township, this county, on August 20, 1872. He is the son of Augustus and Maria W. E. (Winter) Voss, both born in Germany, where they spent their earlier years, finally coming to Walworth county, Wisconsin, where the father bought a farm of one hundred and forty- four acres and here spent the rest of his life engaged in farming. There were seven children in this family, five sons and two daughters. Politically, the father was a Republican, and he was a member of the board of supervisors of Lafayette township. He was a very active man in the county. He was a faithful member of the Lutheran church. It was in 1858 that he came to this county. His wife came in 1863 with her parents.
John G. Voss was educated in the Elkhorn high school and the normal at Oshkosh. He began life by teaching school, which he followed two years, this being prior to going to the normal, from which he was graduated in 1898. He was very successful as a teacher and his services were in great demand. On January i, 1899, , he became county superintendent, which office he held continuously for ten and one-half years, m a manner that reflected much credit upon himself and to the satisfaction of all concerned, doing a noble work in promoting the educational standard of the county, and taking a high rank with the leading educators of southern Wisconsin. He has always been a close student and has kept fully abreast of the times in all that pertains to his profession. While teaching, he purchased one hundred and twenty-six acres, where he now lives, his place now consisting of one hundred and thirty-five acres. He moved here in 1906 and took charge of the farm in 1909, and he has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser, and he is now devoting his attention to dairying on an extensive scale, for which he is exceptionally well equipped. He raises full-blood Holstein cattle and Berkshire hogs. He is president of the County Holstein Association, and secretary of the Holstein Friesian Breeders’ Association of Wisconsin, and he is a director from Wisconsin of the American Association. He is a director of the International Dairy Show at Milwaukee. The domestic life of Mr. Voss began on August 30, 1905, when he was united in marriage with Sarah Gleason, of East Troy, this county. Here she grew to womanhood and received her education. Two children have been born to the subject and wife, John D. and Donald G. Mrs. Voss is a member of the Catholic church. Fraternally, Mr. Voss belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons, including the chapter and the commandery.
From: Beckwith, A.C. (1912). History of Walworth County Wisconsin