Biography/History

The Vilas family can be traced to Peter Vilas (1704-1756) who came to New Hampshire from England during the 1730s. He and his descendants remained in New England until Joseph Vilas, Sr., (1790-1867) settled in Manitowoc, Wisconsin in 1822. Joseph Vilas was born in Ogdensburgh, New York and served in the War of 1812. His son Joseph Vilas, Jr., (1832-?) was a prominent businessman in Manitowoc and was a partner in a large mercantile business and the founder and president of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad.

Nathanial Vilas (1766-1852) had four sons: Nathanial Vilas (1795- ), Erastus Vilas (1793-1871), Royal Vilas (1804-1874), and Joseph Vilas (1790-1867). Joseph and wife Mary A. White Vilas (1799-1840) had five children:

• Mary Chandler Vilas Platt (1820- ), who married Jarvis Elyphalet Platt (1814- ) and had one daughter, Helen M. Platt (1858- ).
• Joseph Vilas Jr. (1832- ), who married Mary Platt Vilas (1833- ) and had one son, Joseph Stillwell Vilas (1858- ). Joseph Stillwell Vilas married Elizabeth Emery Vilas and had two sons: Ned Vilas and George W. Vilas. George had two daughters: Joan and Mary.
• Marcellus Bowen Vilas (1834- ), who married Sarah Vilas and had two children, Lillie E. Vilas Sorenson and Perry E. Vilas.
• Helen M. Vilas (1837-1857), who married John P. Arnold.
• Cornelia Vilas Morse (1829-1916), who married Cornelius Wick Morse (1833). They had three children: Norman Vilas Morse (1867- ), who married Josephine Thubanville Morse; Bowen Bigelow Morse (1869- ); and Helen Vilas Morse (1871- ). Cornelius had three siblings: Charlotte E. Morse Beeman, who had a son George Beeman; Fanny Morse Isham; and Norman B. Morse.