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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01076 9245
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/wisconsinitsstor05ushe
WISCONSIN
ITS STORY AND BIOGRAPHY
1848-1913
BY
ELLIS BAKER USHER
President Wisconsin Archaeological Society ; Member of the American Historical Association, The Mississippi Valley Historical Association, The Wisconsin State Histor- ical Society and the Amer- ican Political Science Association
VOLUME V
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1914
COPYRIGHT, 1914 BY
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING CO.
1219062
JAMES E. KERNAN, who is widely known to the grain trade through- out the Northwest, has steadily worked his way upward in his chosen field of endeavor to a position where his influence is felt in every department of one of the greatest industries the country has produced. As chairman of the Grain and Warehouse Commission, at Superior, he is the active directing head of that authoritative body which has been directly responsible for the promotion of numerous movements and much legislation of a beneficial nature, and among his associates he is recognized as a man thoroughly capable of discharging the duties of his office. Mr. Kernan is a native of the East, having been born in Rock- ville, Connecticut, January 2, 1853, and is a son of Eugene and Marie (Broghan) Kernan.
Eugene Kernan was born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1825, and on reaching his majority emigrated to the United States on a sailing vessel, landing at New York City. Not long thereafter he drifted to Rockville, Connecticut, where he secured employment in a woolen mill as a wool washer or scourer, but in 1858 turned his face toward the West and eventually located at Hudson, Wisconsin. Here he became one of the pioneer farmers of St. Croix county, and continued to be engaged in agricultural pursuits up to the time of his death, in 1880, when he was fifty-five years of age. He was a Democrat in politics, but was a farmer, not a politician, and never cared for public preferment. Mr. Kernan was married in Connecticut to Miss Marie Broghan, who was born in County Meath, Ireland, and she survived her husband some years, passing away in 1893, when she was seventy-one years of age. They were the parents of nine children, of whom James E. was the oldest, and of these four still survive.
James E. Kernan was five years of age when he accompanied his parents to Wisconsin, and his education was seenred during the winter months in the district school which was two miles from his home. Like other farmers' sons of his day, he assisted in the work of the homestead during the summer months, being thoroughly trained in the various sub- jects necessary to the knowledge of a successful farmer. On attaining his majority he embarked upon his career as an agriculturist in St. Croix county, but two years later engaged in the grain business at River Falls. Wisconsin, and was so engaged there until 1878. In that year Mr. Kernan went to Odebolt, Sac county, Iowa, where he spent one year in farming, and following this returned to Wisconsin and passed another twelve months in tilling the soil. Mr. Kernan then went to Crookston. Minnesota, and farmed for another year, and then located in North Da- kota, where, until 1908, he had extensive grain and farming interests. In
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the meantime, in 1900, he had come to Superior, Wisconsin, as a grain inspector, and in February, 1909, was appointed a member of the Grain and Warehouse Commission, subsequently being elected chairman of that body, a position he has continued to hold. He has identified himself with movements for the public welfare, and in every way has shown himself an earnest, progressive and public-spirited citizen. In political matters, he supports Republican principles and candidates, and his fraternal con- nection is with the Independent Order of Foresters.
Mr. Kernan was married November 29, 1871, to Miss Ellen Kelly, who was born in Racine, Wisconsin, and to this union there have been born four sons, namely : James A., George C., Eugene E. and Roscoe F.
ELBERT EVERETT HOWLAND. The principal hardware establishment of the city of Merrill in Lincoln county is the E. E. Howland Hardware Store at 1006 East Maine street. This store contains the largest and most complete line of hardware supplies in the county, and its proprietor is a man of long and thorough experience in the business, uses judgment in the selection of his stock, and has made a study of the wants of local trade, which enables him to satisfy its demands in every department of its business. Mr. Howland has been identified with the hardware trade in Merrill since 1903. In that year he and Olaf Norland established a hardware stock at 908 East Maine street. A year and a half later Mr. Norland retired from the firm of Norland & Howland, and the junior member then made a partnership with Harry Hurd, and continued busi- ness under that association as Howland & Hurd until 1910. Mr. Hurd then retired from the firm and since that time Mr. Howland has been in business alone. In 1912 at 1006 East Maine street Mr. Howland erected a substantial business block, built of pressed brick, and his store has since had its quarters there. This business block gives an imposing front to the business district of Merrill, and is considered one of the best business structures in the city. It has a frontage of thirty feet, is one hundred and ten feet in depth, and has two stories and basement. The second floor was partly finished for offices, but Mr. Howland has found that he already needs much of that space and has used it for a ware- room. In the rear of the store is a tinshop to supply all the demands of his trade in that line. His stock of hardware is complete in every department, and he also carries a complete stock of fishing tackle and sporting goods, which is a very important part of his trade.
Elbert Everett Howland was born on a farm near Rutland, in Dane county, Wisconsin, October 29, 1877, a son of Samuel S. and Oretta W. (Osborn) Howland. His father, a Canadian by birth and a farmer by occupation, was twice married, and the Merrill hardware merchant is the youngest of his second family of children. The father moved to Wisconsin in 1848, about the time the territory became a state, and for
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many years was one of the substantial farmers and influential citizens of Dane county. His death oeeurred when his youngest child Elbert was six years old.
Mr. Howland had the advantages of the county schools of Dane county up to the time he was about thirteen years of age. His mother then moved to Stoughton, Wisconsin, and there he finished his education in the high schools and the Stoughton business college. When ready to take up the practical duties of life on his own account, he entered the Stoughton flour mills, learned the miller's occupation, and followed the trade continuously for eight years. During the last three years he was head miller of the Stoughton mills. Though his success presaged a successful career in that line, he chose another field, and in partnership with Olaf Norland, also of Stoughton came to Merrill, and established the hardware business, with what success has already been related.
Mr. Howland on April 12, 1899, married Miss Aletha W. Strommen of Stoughton, a daughter of Gunder Strommen. Four children have been born to their marriage as follows: Gerald, Giles, Lillian and Ruth. Fraternally Mr. Howland is affiliated with the Equitable Fraternal Union, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Knights of Pythias.
DAVID LIVINGSTON. In the death of David Livingston in 1910, the city of Merrill lost its foremost merchant, and one of the enterprising and public spirited citizens who have done much in the past twenty years to promote both the business and civic prosperity of the com- munity. The late Mr. Livingston had come to Merrill in 1890 from Chicago and bought from S. Heineman his mercantile establishment, which still is conducted under the name of Livingston. The late Mr. Livingston possessed that talent for merchandising which is not altogether the result of training, and all his earlier experiences and preparations were such as to increase his resourcefulness and success as a merchant. David Livingston was born in Chicago, Illinois, July 3, 1858, a son of Isaac Livingston. His early boyhood was spent in his native eity, and from the local schools he entered practical life as an employe in the general offices of the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company at Chicago. When still a young man he went west and spent four years in California. Returning to Chicago, he established himself in the retail grocery busi- ness and successfully followed that line until his removal to Wisconsin. In 1890 he bought the Heineman general store at Merrill, moved his family there and was a resident of the city until his death. In 1892, with his brother Samuel and his brother-in-law. Charles Livingston. (David Livingston married a Miss Livingston, but not a relative), bought out the general store of Heineman Brothers at Wausau. Thereafter the Livingston interests conducted both establishments with much success, although Mr. David Livingston continued in charge of the Merrill store.
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After his death in 1910 the Wausau store was sold to the Winkleman Company. The Livingston family still own the building at Wausau in which the business is conducted, and it is the finest business block in Wausau. The Livingston building at Merrill, in which the Livingston Department Store is located, is also the largest and best built structure of its kind in Merrill. The store occupies all the floor space, and is an up to date and well equipped department store, including groceries, shoes, dry goods, clothing and men's furnishing departments, ladies' ready to wear department, and also carpets and other house furnishings. About thirty clerks are employed in the establishment, and the annual volume of business easily ranks this concern as one of the largest in northern Wisconsin.
After the death of David Livingston, the business was incorporated as a stock company, with his son Cliff Livingston as president, Mrs. Jennie, widow of David Livingston, vice president, and S. S. Stein as secretary and treasurer. Cliff Livingston and S. S. Stein are actively engaged in the management of the store.
The three children of the late David Livingston and wife are: Sid- ney, who is living on a ranch in Pasco, Washington; Clifford R., and Isabelle.
Clifford R. Livingston was born in Chicago, March 18, 1889, and was about one year old when the parents moved to Merrill. He grew up in this city, attended the public schools, and for three years was a student in the Shattuck Military Academy at Faribault, Minnesota. With his education completed he returned to Merrill, and entered his father's store, where he worked through all the various departments, and thor- oughly trained himself for the responsibilities which have since de- volved upon him as president of the company.
Mr. E. S. Stein, secretary and treasurer of the company, was born in Milwaukee, and his father was a successful photographer of that city.
W. S. HENRY. Among the old and substantial banking institutions of Wisconsin, is the Jefferson County Bank of Jefferson, which was founded in 1855, and whose continuous existence and practically unin- terrupted prosperity for more than half a century gives it special dis- tinction among the banking houses of the state. W. S. Henry, who has been cashier of this bank since 1911, has been in the banking business practically all his life, and his father was a well known banker of Jeffer- son county.
W. S. Henry was born at Jefferson, Wisconsin, July 2, 1862, a . son of Yale and Sarah (Sayer) Henry, both of whom were natives of New York state, and of old American families. Yale Henry came to
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Wisconsin in 1841, was one of the pioneer settlers of Jefferson county, and near the little village of Jefferson took up a tract of wild land, in the improvement and cultivation of which he endured all the labors and hardships of frontier life. A man of great energy and splendid business judgment, he won for himself a worthy suecess, and was for years recognized as one of the most substantial citizens of the county. Besides reelaiming a valuable farm from the wilderness, he was closely identified with important business enterprises. On the organization of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Jefferson in 1873, he was chosen president, and wisely guided the destinies of that bank for nearly a quarter of a century, until the end of his own life. From 1870 until 1885, he also did a large business in the buying and shipping of grain and hops, and perhaps to no other individual was the development of the hop-growing industry in that county more due. His name is found on the list of those who or- ganized and gave liberally and generously to the Liberal Institute at Jefferson, in its day one of the best educational centers in the southern part of the state. Up to 1886 Mr. Yale Henry lived on the old homstead farm, then moved to Jefferson City, and lived there secure in the regard of all who knew him until his death on January 10, 1896. His wife, who had cheerfully borne with him the pioneer labors of his early residence in Wisconsin, died in 1872. The senior Henry joined the Republican party at its organization, and voted consistently for its candidates until his death. He was a member of the Universalist church and fraternally was affiliated with Jefferson Lodge No. 9, A. F. & A. M., and Jefferson Lodge No. 29, I. O. O. F. Of his eight children only three are now living.
Mr. W. S. Henry grew up in Jefferson county and had the full ad- vantages of the local schools until he had reached his majority. At the same time he had spent all his vacations in assisting to run the home farm, and remained in the country until 1881. In 1888 Mr. Henry entered the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Jefferson as clerk, and two years later was promoted to the position of assistant eashier. He con- tinued one of the officials in that bank during the remainder of his father's life, and for some years afterwards, and resigned in 1911 to take the eashiership of the Jefferson County Bank. The Jefferson County Bank was founded in 1855, and now bases its operations upon a capital stock of $75,000, fully paid in. Its surplus fund is $15,000; its banking house with furniture and fixtures, is valued at $7,500; and its deposits at the close of year 1913 were approximately $425,000. The executive officials are: Warren HI. Porter, president; J. W. Puerner, vice presi- dent ; W. S. Henry, cashier ; M. Beck, assistant cashier ; and Roy Puerner, teller. Mr. Henry is also a director in the Wisconsin Manufacturing Company, one of the leading industrial enterprises of Jefferson county. vice president of the R. Heger Malt and Brewing Company, and is in- terested in various other business coneerns in that locality.
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In politics he has chosen differently from his father, and has long been a loyal worker in behalf of the Democracy. Several times he has served as delegate to the Wisconsin state convention and was a delegate to the national convention in 1896 at St. Louis. A progressive and broad minded citizen, he served as mayor of Jefferson from 1900 to 1906, and again from 1908 to 1910. His administration of municipal affairs was careful and effective, and under him the city made substantial advance- ment especially in its permanent improvement. Mr. Henry was reared in the faith of the Protestant Episcopal church, and attends and gives his liberal support to its work. Mrs. Henry is a communicant of the same church. His fraternal affiliations are with the lodge and chapter of Masonry, and he and his family are in the leading social activities of Jefferson.
On November 26, 1882, Mr. Henry married Miss Jessie M. Harris, of Fond du Lac. Of their four children three are living, Sarah, Lulu and Robert Kirkland.
LUCIUS K. BAKER. One of the greatest industries in the northwest is the lumber industry. Among the men conspicuous in the development of this industry is Lucius K. Baker of Ashland. His start as a lumberman was made in western Michigan, nearly forty years ago and his home has been at Ashland for the past twenty years.
Lucius K. Baker was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, August 16, 1855. His father, Edward P. Baker, a native of New York state, when a young man moved to Kellogsville, in Ashtabula county, Ohio, where for many years he operated a tannery and leather business.
Edward P. Baker married Pauline Bloss, a native of Ohio. Their two children were Lucius and Edward B., the latter dying at the age of thirty-four.
Mr. L. K. Baker had a common school education in Ashtabula county, and also in Grand River Institute in Austinburg, Ohio. In 1876 he went to Ludington, Michigan, in the employ of E. B. Ward, who was succeeded by Thomas R. Lyon, (Agent) where he remained until 1896. In 1896 he came to Wisconsin and has been a permanent resident of Ashland since.
In 1893 Mr. Baker with Mr. Stearns, J. W. Gary and J. S. Woodruff organized the J. S. Stearns Lumber Company of which he was made secretary and treasurer. In 1907, Mr. Baker, in company with Mr. Gary and Mr. Woodruff purchased the interests of Mr. Stearns, and Mr. Baker was made president of the new company. The company is still among the large manufacturers in northern Wisconsin, operating large lumber plants at Odanah and Washburn, also the Ashland, Odanah & Marengo Railway Company. The company is one of the best known and most successful in the state.
In addition to his Odanah interests he is president of the Baker
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Lumber Company at Terrell, Arkansas. He is also largely interested in, and a director of the following companies: Scott & Howe Lumber Company of Ironwood, Michigan; the Northern National Bank of Ashi- land, Wisconsin; and the MeCarroll Lumber Company of Hammond, Louisiana; the Lyon Cypress Lumber Company of Gary, Louisiana; the Mellen Lumber Company of Mellen, Wisconsin; The Ellisson Lumber Company of Madison, Wisconsin; the Lyon, Gary & Company of Chi- cago; the Bagdad Land & Lumber Company of Bagdad, Florida, and the Wausau Accident & Insurance Company.
He was mayor of the city of Ludington, Michigan, for one term, and also president of the school board of the same city for a term or more. His political affiliations are with the Republican party. Fra- ternally he is a Mason, having membership in the Ashland Commandery of the Knights Templar.
Mr. Baker was married June 26, 1882, to May C. Foster of Ludington, Michigan. Mrs. Baker died in 1893. Mr. Baker has one daughter, Helen, who resides with him at Ashland.
FRANK W. HOUGHTON. An active member of the Wisconsin bar since 1879, Mr. Houghton was engaged in the practice of his profession at Oshkosh for twenty years, and since that time has maintained his resi- denee and professional headquarters in the city of Milwaukee, where he is senior member of the firm of Houghton, Neelen & Houghton. Mr. Houghton has been dependent upon his own resources from the time he was a lad of eight years, and his life has been one of earnest and con- stant endeavor.
Frank Wilbur Houghton was born at Adams Basin, Monroe county, New York, on the 21st of December, 1849, and is a son of Renben B. and Ruth Ann (Ring) Houghton. The father was born in Massachusetts and the mother was a native of New Hampshire. Both passed the closing years of their lives at Adams Basin, Monroe county, New York, the father having been a farmer by vocation and also a manufacturer of grain-eradles in the early days when these primitive implements were in common use. Lieutenant William Ring, an unele of the mother of Frank W. Houghton, was a valiant soldier in the war of the Revolu- tion, and served under General Ethan Allen in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga.
Mr. Houghton's rudimentary education was obtained in a distriet school in his native place, and he himself earned the means by which he was enabled to carry forward his intellectual training. He was eighteen years of age when he came to Wisconsin, and by hard work he earned sufficient money to justify his matriculation in Lawrence College, at Appleton, this state. In this institution he completed the elassieal course and was gradnated as a member of the class of the Centennial year, 1876, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. For several
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years he devoted more or less time to teaching in the public schools, and thus defrayed a considerable part of his college expenses and also those of the maintenance of himself and his young wife while he was preparing himself for his chosen profession. Mrs. Houghton had in every possible way aided and encouraged him in his plans. He began reading law in a private way and while thus engaged was principal of the high school at Wausau. Later he continued his technical studies at Milwaukee, in the office of Carpenter & Smiths, leading members of the bar of the state. From the office of this firm Mr. Houghton was admitted to the bar on the 4th of September, 1879. In the following April he opened an office at Oshkosh, where he eventually became one of the leaders at the bar of that county.
On the 1st of July, 1900, Mr. Houghton removed from Oshkosh to Milwaukee, where he formed a partnership with Neele B. Neelen, under the firm name of Houghton & Neelen. In September, 1909, his eldest son, Albert B., was admitted to the firm, the title of which has since been Houghton, Neelen & Houghton.
During his many years of active practice Mr. Houghton has appeared in connection with many important litigations, and has practiced in all of the courts, from that of justice of the peace to the supreme court of the United States. He is a Republican in politics and has been since casting his first presidential ballot, which was for Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. He has been affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows since 1877; the Knights of Pythias since 1883; and the Masonic Fraternity since 1905. In the last mentioned order he holds membership in Damascus Lodge No. 290, F. & A. M .; Kilbourn Chapter No. 9, R. and S. M .; Ivanhoe Commandery, Knights Templar; and Wisconsin Consistory, S. P. R. S.
At the home of the bride's parents, at Weyauwega, Waupaca county, Wisconsin, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Houghton to Miss Mary Julia Balch, who had been his classmate in Lawrence College. She was born at Weyauwega, Wisconsin, January 21, 1855, and is a daughter of Albert V. and Sarah (Parmalee) Balch, honored pioneers of Wisconsin. Representatives of both the Balch and Parmalee families were patriot soldiers in the Continental army in the War of the Revolution. To Mr. and Mrs. Houghton were born five children, all of whom are living except Frank Wilbur, Jr., who passed away on the 13th of November, 1897, at the age of thirteen years; Laura Madge remains at the parental home ; Mary Ruth is the wife of George A. Cierry and they reside in Ironwood, Michigan ; Albert B. is associated with his father in the practice of law, as previously noted; and Harry Abner is a traveling salesman whose residence is at Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
GEORGE OTT. Among the industries which have contributed to the prominence of La Crosse as a manufacturing center, none hold greater
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prestige than that of B. Ott & Sons, Inc., manufacturers of all kinds of machinery, an enterprise that has grown from small beginnings into one of the leading concerns of its kind in the northwest. The president of this company, George Ott, who with his brothers is carrying on the work begun by their father, is a man of consummate business ability, whose entire career has been spent in the line in which he is now en- gaged, although aside from his business interests he has found time to devote himself to the various activities which go to make for good citizen- ship. Mr. Ott was born June 21, 1862, in La Crosse, and is a son of Benediet and Theresa Ott, natives of Germany.
Benedict Ott was eight years of age when he accompanied his parents to the United States, the family locating in Milwaukee, where his father followed marble cutting up to the time of his death. In 1856 Benedict Ott left his home in Milwaukee and went to Dubuque, Iowa, where he spent a short time and was married, after which he came up the river to La Crosse. When permanently settled, he accepted a position as fore- man with the firm of Paul & Leach, machinists, who subsequently sold their business to E. C. and E. G. Smith, and which later became Thornley & .James. He remained with them until October, 1879. In that year he entered into a co-partnership with a Mr. Thornley, under the firm title of Thornley & Ott, and this association continued ten years, when Mr. Ott bought his partner's interest. The firm of B. Ott & Sons was estab- lished in 1890, when the sons were taken into partnership by their father, and so continued until the death of Mr. Ott in 1908. It has been said that the beginning of civilization is the discovery of some useful arts, by which men acquire property, comforts or luxuries. The neces- sity or desire of preserving them leads to laws and social institutions. In reality, the origin, as well as the progress and improvement of eivil society, is founded on mechanical and chemical inventions, and in re- viewing the circumstances of Mr. Ott's career, it is found that his was a life passed for the most part in the invention and development of some of the most useful articles which have been the means of saving labor in late years. It is to Mr. Ott that the world is indebted for the original ideas that resulted in the perfection of the famous McCormick self-binding and reaping machines. Having conceived the idea of such a machine, Mr. Ott was without funds to develop his invention, and finally sold his interest therein for the sum of $500, thus sacrifieing the fame that would have come to him as the inventor of this great labor- saving device, and the financial emoluments, which would have probably amounted into the millions. His fertile mind. however, did not stop at this, for he subsequently took out patents and manufactured many useful articles which are in general use today, specification of which is made impossible by the limits assigned to this review. One, however, is de- serving of special mention, the "B. Ott Cutter." used in tanneries throughout the country. Mr. Ott was a Democrat during the great part
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