USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > A standard history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 9
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Peter Henry was reared on the old homestead farm and was educated in the public schools in the vicinity thereof, completing his studies at the Wonewoe High School. When he left that institution he took up farming in earnest, and for more than a quarter of a century followed the vocation of an agrieulturist, winning success in his chosen occupation and invest-
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ing his earnings with intelligence and foresight. During the period of his agricultural labors Mr. Henry accumulated some 235 acres of land in Woodland Township, which he brought to a high state of cultivation, improved in a modern manner and worked with modern methods, making his property pay him substantially for the labor which he put into its cultivation. In addition to general farming on this tract, which included a part of the land formerly owned by his father, he was a successful breeder of Holstein cattle, and became known in the community as a skilled raiser of crops and an excellent judge of livestock. For about twelve years he acted as supervisor of his township, was school clerk for fourteen years, and for four years was township treasurer, and in all of these offices gave his fellow townsmen excellent satisfaction, his duties being discharged expeditiously and faithfully.
In 1909 Mr. Henry retired from matters agricultural and took up his residence at Reedsburg, where for a time he made his home on Plum Street. During the first four years of his residence in this city he was employed by S. A. Collins in the monument business, but in 1913 retired from active affairs entirely and settled down to enjoy life in his handsome new home, which he had erected at 941 Main Street and which he still occupies. In 1916 he and his son George bought a one-half interest in the Miller Drug Store, and his son is now active in that enterprise. Mr. Henry is a stockholder in the Condensors at Middleton and Footville, and has several other business interests. In politics a democrat, he has been active in his support of that party's candidates and one of the valu- able men of the organization in this section. During the past four years he has served very acceptably as superintendent of the Sauk County Agricultural Fair Grounds. Mr. Henry belongs to the Lutheran Church, of which his son is also a member, while his daughters belong to the Presbyterian faith.
On November 13, 1887, Mr. Henry was united in marriage with Miss Alice Carpenter, who was born at Rockbridge, Richland County, Wiscon- sin, August 6, 1867, daughter of Silas and Clarissa (Smith) Carpenter, the former born in New York in 1839, and the latter in Vermont in 1841. Mr. Carpenter came to Palmyra, Wisconsin, as a child with his parents, Halsey and Sarah Ann Carpenter, and later removed to Richland County, where his parents both died at Richland Center. Mr. Carpenter and his first wife, who died in Richland County .in 1879, had seven children : LeRoy ; Eugenc, deceased; Alice, now Mrs. Henry ; Fred; Elma; Nellie, deceased ; and Edith, deceased. Mr. Carpenter, who still makes his home at Rockbridge, was married a second time, in 1880, to Delia Knapp, and they had two children : Beryl, deceased ; and Mollie. Mr. and Mrs. Henry have three children: George, born July 26, 1890, a graduate of the graded schools and the Reedsburg High School, studied pharmacy and is now engaged in the drug business at Reedsburg, married Miss Louise Monn and has one son, Richard George; Mary, born October 29, 1892, a graduate of Reedsburg High School, taught school for three years, and then entered Wisconsin University, from which institution she was gradu- ated with the class of 1917; and Clarissa, born September 3, 1895, a graduate of Reedsburg High School, and now residing with her parents. Vol. II-5
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JAMES H. BAILEY is one of the oldest native sons of Wisconsin, having been born in this state nearly ten years before the territory was admitted to the Union. His life has been as creditable and useful as it has been long, and for a great many years he has lived at Prairie du Sac.
He was born at the old town of Belmont in Lafayette County, Wis- consin, November 21, 1839, a son of Benjamin Franklin and Elizabeth (Johnson) Bailey. His maternal grandfather was William Johnson. Benjamin F. Bailey came west from Montpelier, Vermont, and married his wife at Belmont, Wisconsin. He was a blacksmith by trade, and the family cherishes the distinction due to the faet that the first plow which turned the first furrow in Sauk County was made in the Bailey shop. On moving to Sauk County Benjamin F. Bailey drove through from Belmont with six yoke of oxen and six teams of horses. In 1857 he moved to Platteville, and he continued following his trade as blacksmith until his death. He died at Grundy Center, Iowa.
James H. Bailey started life for himself at the early age of thirteen. He began an apprenticeship at the harness making trade and worked at it faithfully until he was past twenty-one years of age. The war broke out about that time and he enlisted for service in the Union army, joining the Sixth Wisconsin Artillery. For one year he was a regular artillery- man, and was then assigned to special duty as a harness maker, and served out the last two years of his enlistment in that capacity.
After the war Mr. Bailey lived at Spring Green in Sauk County six months, following which he was on a farm for two years. In 1867 he married Louisa Utendorfer, daughter of George Phillip and Mary (Brown) Utendorfer. Both her parents were natives of Germany, and they were married at Wilmington, Delaware, in 1842. George Uten- dorfer followed the trade of cabinet making in the East, but in 1856 he came to Wisconsin and located at Richland City and soon afterward at Spring Green in Sauk County. In Sauk County he became a carpenter, and that was his chief occupation the rest of his life.
After two years of farming experience Mr. Bailey removed to Prairie du Sac and resumed his work as a harness maker. He followed that trade continuously for twenty-five years, developed a large business and became known as a reliable workman and in every sense a thoroughly energetic citizen. He finally sold his business and since then has occupied himself largely with his private affairs.
Mr. Bailey is a member of the Masonic order and the Modern Wood- men of America. His fellow citienzs have trusted him with various duties of a public nature, and he was a member of the city board for five years and for two terms was deputy sheriff of the county. He is a very earnest and effective exponent of his political faith, which is republican. He and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bailey were born two children : Frances Louise, born January 17, 1869, and now a successful school teacher, and Robert Harold, born May 22, 1883. Robert Harold married Ada Roetner, and their two children are Tom James, born February 16, 1913, and Robert William, born July 4, 1916.
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HENRY J. RODWELL. Among the families which have lived in Sauk County for fully half a century one of the best known is that which bears the name Rodwell and whose members have taken a more or less prominent part in the settlement, development and well being of several communities.
When the Rodwells came to this county in 1867 Henry J. Rodwell was five years old. He has spent practically all his life here and today is rated as one of the most substantial farmers and best citizens of Delton Township.
Mr. Rodwell was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, September 2, 1862, a son of Henry and Rachel Ann (Abraham) Rodwell. His father was born in Yorkshire, England, May 7, 1819, coming to America in 1843, and living for a number of years in Northern Ohio, near Cleveland. He married in Ohio in 1855 Miss Abraham, who was born at the City of Cleveland in 1833. In 1867 these parents came to Sauk County and located on eighty acres of land in Delton Township. Here the father pursued his vocation as a practical agriculturist and at the time of his death in 1885 owned a well developed farm of 120 acres. His wife passed away in 1875. He was a republican and the family were Methodists. Their children were: Edward; Joseph; Sarah Jane; Henry; Martha, deceased ; Mary, deceased; Charles, deceased ; and Robert, deceased.
Henry J. Rodwell grew up on his father's farm and acquired all his education in the schools of Sauk County. He early in life took up the trade of carpenter and has followed it more or less actively in combina- tion with farming. In 1892 he bought eighty acres of wild land in Delton Township, and that property has responded to his efforts at clearing and development until today after twenty-five years, it has a high value and productiveness and is a property which shows Mr. Rodwell's well directed enterprise. In politics Mr. Rodwell is a prohibitionist and he attends worship at the Church of God.
December 28, 1891, he married Miss Lillian Burgess. She was born in Ironton Township of Sauk County October 18, 1872, a daughter of Peleg and Lucretia (All) Burgess. Her father was born in Washington County, New York, December 18, 1844, and was brought to Sauk County in 1851 by his parents, Peleg and Mrs. (Herrington) Burgess. The Bur- gesses located on a farm in Ironton Township, where grandfather Peleg and wife spent their last years. Peleg, Jr., was reared on the farm, was educated in the public schools, and served nearly three years in the Union army as a member of Company F of the Second Wisconsin Cavalry. He was a republican and an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His death occurred February 12, 1902, at Lavelle, Wisconsin. His wife, who was born at Albion in Zane County, Wisconsin, April 3, 1852, died September 1, 1904. They were the parents of thirteen chil- dren : Lillian J., Mrs. Rodwell; Walter J., deceased; Charles P .; John G .; Murlian ; William; Albert; Carrie; Hattie and Sarah, both deceased ; Bertha; George and Arthur.
Mr. and Mrs. Rodwell have been blessed with nine children, and some of them are still in the family circle. Their names are : Myrtle, deceased ; Esther, wife of Edwin Thomas and mother of two children, Charles and
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Walter; Sarah; Charles H .; Carrie and Marion, both deceased ; Mordecai ; Mildred ; and Everett.
WILLIAM REUSCHLEIN. One of the solid and substantial old families of Sauk County is represented by William Reuschlein, whose name is a household word in Franklin Township. Mr. Reuschlein is one of the oldest mereliants of the Village of Plain, and has been a figure in public affairs both in his home township and in the county for many years.
He was born at Plain in Franklin Township, a son of Sebastian and Cecelia (Schauf) Reuschlein. His parents were natives of Baden, Ger- many, and on coming to Wisconsin first settled at Burlington and after- wards in Franklin Township. Their children were: Elizabeth, deceased ; Caroline; William ; Jane ; Henry J. ; Annie ; John ; Albert and Catherine. The daughter Caroline married John C. Aron, of Franklin Township. Henry J. married Christina Paulus, daughter of Mike and Catherine Paulus. Annie is the wife of Adam Frank, a son of Lawrence Frank. Catherine married Harry H. Plon, of Tory, Wisconsin.
Mr. William Reuschlein married Rose Brechtl, daughter of Ferry and Catherine Brechtl, of Bear Creek Township, this county. The four children of Mr. and Mrs. Reuschlein are : Clarence, aged thirteen ; Laura, aged eleven ; Herbert, aged nine; and Alice, aged three. The older chil- dren are making splendid progress as students in the local school.
Mr. Reuschlein for the past nineteen years has been proprietor of a large and well stocked general store at Plain, and not only has the patron- age which would normally come to his store but has also attracted a large custom because of the service which he gives and the confidence reposed in his integrity as a business man. For a number of years Mr. Reusch- lein served as secretary of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He is now postmaster of Plain, having filled that office for the past four years. During 1911-13 he was a member of the County Board of Super- visors and has been treasurer of the Town Board of Franklin Township for the past four years. Mr. Reuschlein is a democrat, a member of the Catholic Church and of the order of Catholic Knights.
JAMES WILSON BABB, the founder of Reedsburg, pre-empted his lands in what are now Reedsburg and Ironton townships in 1844. These included 11/2 sections west of what is now Reedsburg City and 120 acres in the Township of Ironton. With his son John, he came to the Narrows Creek Gap in May, 1845. Proceeding further up the river they reached the fertile traet comprising what became Babb's Prairie and where they made their principal claim. In December, after they had made some improvements and laid in a stoek of provisions at Baraboo, he returned to his home in Ohio and, early in the spring, accompanied by his sons, Strother and John. the wife of the latter and Washington Gray, he settled himself and his little colony at the Ford. Afterward he brought out his wife, another son, his daughter Betsey, and, as stated. the latter's husband, Sterne Baker. Thus the settlement grew apace and such other promoters as David C. Reed and Mr. Powell rather displaced the original proprietor. But the settlement which developed into Reeds- burg was a fixture and Mr. Babb has always been acknowledged as its
Ser Ringling
W Ringling
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founder. He was a great friend of the home Indians, especially of Ah-ha- choka, the chief of the Winnebagoes. The red men called Mr. Babb Ma-ha-shika Ne-ha-ha-tica, meaning Hairy Breast, and his two daughters were Waeck Peurieka, Wild Flower, and Maka Scow Winca, Wild Rose.
ALBERT CHARLES RINGLING, showman, was born in Chicago, Illi- nois, December 13, 1852, son of August Frederick and Marie Salome (Juliar) Rungeling (Ringling). The family dates from a Hugue- not refugee named Richelin, who fled from France and settled in Hanover, Germany, where the name gradually changed to Rungeling. The family founded and maintained the celebrated German publish- ing house of that name, well known in the 17th and 18th centuries. Frederick Rungeling, grandfather of the subject and a native of Dankels- hausen, Hanover, fought with the German Hanovarians under Welling- ton at Waterloo. He attended college, invented potato bread during a famine, and became wealthy from other inventions; his wife was Rosina Baurmann. On the maternal side the subject was a great-grandson of one Etling, an Alsatian who fought under Napoleon, and a grandson of Nicholas Juliar, of Ostheim, Alsace, various of the Juliars subsequently coming to America and settling in Milwaukee.
August Frederick Rungeling, the father, became a saddler. When financial reverses came to his father he left Germany for Canada, afterwards removing to Milwaukee and later to Chicago, where he changed his name to Ringling. Desirous of engaging in a business for himself, he subsequently took up his residence at Baraboo, Wisconsin. During the famous hop crash in that state he was caught in the vortex, and then removed to McGregor, Iowa. Later the family resided at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, Stillwater, Minnesota, Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and finally Baraboo became their permanent home. To the circus going public the "World's Greatest Show" was billed as belonging to "the five famous Ringling brothers." There were, however, seven sons in the family ; Albert Charles, known to the circus going public and the the- atrical profession as Al; August, Otto, Alfred Theodore, Charles Edward, John Nicolaus and Henry, also one daughter, Ida.
Al Ringling was the moving spirit and dominant factor in the organization of the first show and its subsequent additions. In early boyhood days the principal amusement and recreation of the five Ringlings took the form of circus parades and juvenile performances, beginning with what children commonly called a pin show, the price of admission changing from pins to toys and trinkets, and soon they found they could charge a penny admission, and later 5 cents, and still attract their friends and neighbors. Meanwhile they received a thorough public school education and attended Dolkert's private academy for boys at McGregor, Iowa. The success of the brothers in amusing their school- mates fired their young ambition, and they resolved among themselves to own a real circus some day, and all their plans were made with that end in view. Their first essay at a professional entertainment was in 1883, at Mazomanie, Wisconsin, where with a concert or specialty com- pany, they with a few hired players, gave the first of a series of musical comedies. Their first performance in an "opera house" was an exhibition
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of stage fright such as is seldom seen. The performance was billed as "Ringling Brothers' Classic and Comic Concert Company, an Enter- tainment of Mirth and Music." All had taken up music, and they were thus enabled to give an introductory overture with their own orchestra. The program consisted of juggling, singing, dancing, sup- posedly funny sayings, and a concluding sketch. Mr. Al Ringling and wife (Lou), had one company, and John, Charles and Alfred had another. These two companies were distinguished by numbers, namely, No. 1 and No. 2. Al and Lou Ringling's number being No. 1 and the other brothers the latter number. Both companies were called Ringling Brothers Comic and Classic Concert Company. Al and Lou Ringling's company or No. 1 staid and played on the road for over thirteen weeks, bringing home over $1,300. Charles, John and Alfred's company or company No. 2 closed in less than four weeks and came home financially embar- rassed or broke. Mrs. Lou Ringling, the wife of Al Ringling, took an active part in this company. She did the lighting crayon pictures and worked in other sketches.
After a few years of this form of entertainment the brothers found themselves in possession of some ten or twelve hundred dollars, and they decided to embark in the circus venture forthwith. At this period they were fortunate in making the acquaintance of John Robinson or "Yankee Robinson," as he was called, a famous circus man of ante-bellum days, and they combined their capital with his reputation. With a tent seating about 600 people the first circus show of the Ringling Brothers . was given at Baraboo May 19, 1884. Robinson did not live the season out, but he had no active part in the show, his principal part consisting of a humorous speech to the audience prior to the beginning of the entertain- ment. He always ended his address with the following prediction : "I am an old man. I have traveled in every state in the Union, and have been associated with every showman of prominence in America. I will soon pass to the arena of life that knows no ending, and when I do I want to die in harness and connected with these boys, for I can tell you that the Ringling Brothers are the future showmen of America. They are the coming men." Subsequent events proved that his judgment of human nature, Yankee grit, ability and perseverance in this instance, was correct. Ever since Robinson's death, in 1885, the Ringling Brothers have conducted the circus business under their own name, adding to it each year horses, animals, equipments and performers until its magnitude not only equaled that of Barnum's "Greatest Show on Earth" but has far exceeded it. Aside from the high class entertainment which they give the public, the Ringling Brothers have practically revolutionized the circus business in America. Early in their career they realized that it would be impossible to attain lasting success except by the most honorable and truthful means. They were insistent in employing none but people of good character; they waged unceasing war on dishonest camp- followers, thieves and fakirs who until that time always followed and infested the traveling circus, and they forbade all intoxication and profanity among their own people. In truth, they established such a new moral standard in the handling of a circus that among old time showmen they became known as the new school of American showmen
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and were sometimes facetiously referred to as the "Sunday-school show."
In the handling of their circus each of the Ringling brothers had his own distinctive duties. Al was equestrian director, and had particular charge of the exhibition before the public. His especial part of the work was to hire the performers, to "put the show together"-that is, to drill and rehearse them and make them fit to be put on the road. For this reason "Uncle Al," as they called him, was personally known to almost every circus performer in the United States-or in the world. Nearly all of them, at one time or another, had worked under his direction.
During the winter seasons, in former years, the brothers conducted a "Carnival of Fun" while the circus was in quarters for the season. As early as 1887 they had placed on the road a No. 2 circus under their name. In 1888 they were billed as "Ringling Brothers Stupendous Consolidation of Seven Monster Shows." In 1889 the title was Ringling Brothers & Van Amburg's United Monster Shows, and the next year Ringling Brothers United Monster Railroad Shows. In 1898 they operated the John Robinson shows in addition to their own. In 1904 they bought a. half interest in the Forepaugh & Sells Brothers Circus, and after manag- ing it on the road for three years they bought them out entirely in 1906. In the following year they bought the famous Barnum & Bailey shows, since which they have been proprietors of all the greatest tented amusement enterprises in the world's history. In 1909 they opened the season by performing at Madison Square Garden, New York City, which previously had been reserved by Barnum & Bailey exclusively. In the same year they bought the celebrated Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and leased it to Cody & Bailey.
No better illustration of what can be accomplished by honest, earnest and steady effort can be given than the brilliant success of the Ringling brothers, who started as poor boys without a dollar, and by indefatigable effort and careful adherence to the most honorable business standards won places in the front rank of their chosen profession. As the oldest of the boys much of the fame that came to the circus was brought to the brother Al. The circus spirit seemed to be more inbued in Al than in any of the others, although each had his part to play. He outlived Barnum and Bailey and the Forepaughs, and at his death was the veteran showman of the country, with a name and fame that has spread to every part of the land. While details of the work connected with the vast circus enter- prise were uppermost in his mind, yet he found time for other things. His sympathy was shown in kindly thoughts and worthy deeds and no man was ever more free from ostentation and selfishness. He remained to the last one of the most progressive and liberal citizens of Baraboo, in which city he had reasonable pride. To keep himself from utter idleness he engaged a Chicago architect to draw plans for a splendid $100,000 theater, and spent his last months supervising its build- ing. Thus Baraboo now boasts the Al Ringling Theater. With his brothers he gave $5,000 toward the erection of the new St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church at Baraboo, dedicated in 1915. His parents were active members of this faith, also was Al Ringling himself and he was buried by this church. He was also a contributor
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to various public enterprises. On a day in 1915 Baraboo celebrated "Al Ringling Day" in his honor, and Governor Phillips, members of the State Legislature, and many notables went to the city to do him honor.
Al Ringling found his chief recreation in fishing and owned a summer cottage at Mirror Lake, Wisconsin. His winter seasons in recent years were usually spent at Sarasota, Florida.
On November 18, 1890, he married Miss Eliza Morris. She was born at Bunker Hill, West Virginia, May 12, 1852, a daughter of John and Christina (Lyons) Morris. When she was eighteen months old her parents removed to McGregor, Iowa, and there she grew up on a farm until she was twelve years of age. Her father then moved into Mc- Gregor and was proprietor of a hotel for ten years. Mrs. Ringling after the death of her parents became self supporting, learned a trade, and after her marriage she lived for twenty-five years with the circus. No small part of the success of Mr. Ringling as a showman is due to his capable wife. She performed a multitude of duties when the Ringling circus was a comparatively small affair. She worked in the side-shows, was snake charmer, rode horses, took part in the parades, and for ten winters she had complete charge of the circus wardrobes. She kept twenty girls employed sewing for her both winter and summer. Mr. Ringling always called his wife "Lou" and they were known by every person in Baraboo as "Al and Lou" Ringling.
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