USA > Wisconsin > Clark County > Biographical history of Clark and Jackson Counties, Wisconsin : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each, and engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 13
USA > Wisconsin > Jackson County > Biographical history of Clark and Jackson Counties, Wisconsin : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each, and engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 13
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Joseph, our subject, was reared to farm life, and received his education in the com- mnon and private schools of his native county. He came to this county in 1870, and first worked in the pineries thirteen winters on Black and Popple rivers, and also drove logs three springs. Before coming to this county he worked nearly a year in a saw-ınill in White Hall and Montague, Michigan. He followed the wagon-maker's trade in Neills- ville until the spring of 1887, when he settled on his present farm of eighty acres, which he had previously purchased. He has since cleared twenty-five acres of this tract, and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising.
Mr. Lehnerd was married November 18, 1884, to Sophia Esselmann, daughter of Clement Esselmann, of Loyal Township, Clark County. They have four children: Frank, born January 10, 1886; Joseph, March 27, 1887; Lawrence, March 19, 1888;
and Edward, February 20, 1889, all of whom are deceased except the last narned. Mr. and Mrs. Lehnerd are members of the Cath- olic Church, and the former is independent in politics.
OLLA PRESTON, a farmer residing on section 35, Hixton Township, Jackson County, was born in Milwaukee, Wis- consin, May 17, 1840, and is a son of James and Ruby (Smith) Preston, natives of the State of New York. The parents were united in marriage in Detroit, Michigan, and in the year 1837 emigrated to Wisconsin, and set- tled in Milwaukee; in 1841 they removed to Racine, Wisconsin, and later went to Sheboy- gan. In 1861 the father came to Jackson County, where he passed the remainder of his days; his death, however, occurred in Madison, Dakota, November 24, 1889, while he was making a visit in that place. His age was eighty-six years; he was a carpenter by trade, and also followed the business of a mill- wright. He held many of the minor public offices, and was a leader in his community. He and his wife were members of the Presby - terian Church; she died in St. Paul, Minne- sota, February 1, 1888, at the age of seventy- eight years. She was the mother of three children: James M., Rolla and Fannie L.
Rolla Preston was reared in the town of Cascade, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, and in the year 1861 he came to Jackson County, where he has since made his home. He owns 280 acres of land, 100 of which are in a high state of cultivation. In early life he followed the mason's and plasterer's trade, but the greater portion of his life has been spent in agricultural pursuits.
In February, 1865, Mr. Preston joined the army as Corporal in Company H, Forty-
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eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He saw service in Missonri and Kansas, and on the plains, keeping peace among the Indians. The exposure and privations of camp life told npon his health, and he has never fully recovered his usual strength. In his political belief he affiliates with the Republican party. He is a member of the William Moore Post, No. 92, G. A. R., at Black River Falls.
The first day of March, 1863, was a day memorable in the history of onr subject, as it was then he wedded Miss Elizabeth R. Allen. Mrs. Preston was born in Elmira, New York, June 18, 1845, and is a daughter of Ira B. and Mary A. (Hollenback) Allen. Her par- ents settled in Jackson County, Wisconsin, in 1855, two miles east of the town of Hix- ton; there they lived for many years; in 1874 they removed to Virginia, and the father died there . April 10, 1886, at the age of sixty- nine years. The mother then returned to Wisconsin, and died at Sechlerville, Wiscon- sin, June 20, 1888, at the age of sixty-six years.
Mr. and Mrs. Preston have had born to them two children: Frank R. and Ruby A. Frank married Miss Lillie Downer, and they have one child, Nina. Ruby A. married Mr. Kimball Berry, a farmer residing in Jaskson County.
OHN COX, of section 12, Eaton Town- ship, Clark County, was born in Leeds County, Canada, thirty-three miles north of Brockwell, October 6, 1836, tlie son of George Cox, a native of Somersetshire, Eng- land, who came to Canada when a young man, where he still resides. Onr subject's mother, nee Lucy Dowsett, is now deceased. They were the parents of eleven children,
tive of whom still survive: John, James, George, William and Chiarles.
The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and received his education in the com- mon schools. He worked in the pineries several years in Canada, and then, in Decem- ber, 1867, came to this county. In Novem- ber, 1868, he settled on his present farın of forty acres, thirty of which is cleared. He has worked most of the winters in the piner- ies, and drove logs in the spring and summer, and has also followed the carpenter's trade.
Mr. Cox was married in Canada, October 25, 1862, to Elizabeth Edmunds, danghter of Caleb, deceased, and Jane (Andrews) Ed- munds. Mr. and Mrs. Cox have ten chil- dren, nine of whom are still living, namely: Olive, born May 17, 1863; Ernest, October 11, 1864; Saralı, December 10, 1866; George, May 3, 1868; Frederick, January 6, 1872; Sidney, August 29, 1873; Charlotte, August 12, 1875; Ephraim, August 31, 1877, and Doretta, May 27, 1882. Olive was married to Daniel Stoneburg, of this city, and has four children, viz .: Herbert, born July 1, 1881; Ivan, June 6, 1884; Berton, August 29, 1886, and Joseph, June 10, 1888.
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E. POATE, dealer in tinware, stoves, hardware and agricultural imple- ments, Maple Works, Wisconsin, is a native of England. He was born March 18, 1850. His parents, with their family, came to America thirty-four years ago and located in Portage, Wisconsin. The subject of this sketch is the fourth of their ten chil- dren, six of whom are now living. He re- ceived a fair education in the public schools of Portage, and at the age of twelve years began to work on a farm, receiving $12 per month. He was subsequently employed for
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two years on a boat on the Wisconsin River. after which he worked in a lumber yard in Portage. Some time later he engaged in tinsmithing there. He moved to Rio, and after condneting the business there two years, in 1873 came to Clark County. Until 1889 he did a tinning business in Neillsville. At that time he moved to the enterprising little village of Maple Works, where he condnets a large and profitable business in hardware, tinware, agricultural implements, etc.
Mr. Poate was married in Neillsville, Wis. consin, in 1876, to Emma Moulten, who was born thirty-six years ago. Of the three chil- dren born to them two are living. Mrs. Poate received her early education in Roches- ter, New York, and finished her studies at the Davenport University, Iowa. Mr. Poate's father was one of the leading contractors and builders in Columbia Connty.
RED J. VINE was born in Buffalo, New York, November 10, 1844, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Vine, natives of Sussex County, England, who came to America in 1844 and located in Buffalo. Mr. Vine was the youngest of their family of four children. He received his education in the public schools of his native city, attending school in winter and working in the summer time. In starting out in life Mr. Vine had little or no capital save a willing hand and a determina- tion to succeed. He came to Wisconsin in 1864 and located in Clark County, where he bonght forty acres of land that by hard work he reclaimed from the wilderness. As the years went by he prospered in his undertak. ings and is now the owner of a half section of land, sections 9 and 16, in Grant Town- ship. This is located five miles from Neillsville.
Mr. Vine was married in Buffalo, in 1864, to Mary Boss, who was born Jnne 1, 1844. Her parents were also natives of England. They have seven children: Etta A., Arthur, Fred, Elsie, Frank, George and Edna. All have received a liberal education in the dis- trict schools and in Neillsville, and for three years Elsie has been a teacher. Politically Mr. Vine is a Democrat. He favors the public-school system, bnt believes that par- ents should control the education of their children. He has been Chairman of the Town Board for three years, and for sixteen years served as Town Clerk of his town, and as Postmaster of Pleasant Ridge ten years; he has been Secretary of the Clark Connty Fair Association, and is President of the Lynn Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He is engaged in general farming and stock-rais- ing, making a specialty of fine sheep, which he imports. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. That he is regarded as one of the representative citizens of his county is at- tested by the fact that he is the present nominee of his party for the office of Connty Treasurer.
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LEXANDER SHANKS, of section 12, Eaton Township, Clark County, was born in Middlesex County, Ontario, February 28, 1850, the son of Hugh Shanks, a native of Ireland. Our subject was reared to farm life and received his education in the common schools. He came to this county in in 1869, where he first began work in the pineries, and also drove logs during the springs and summers. He settled on his present farm in 1874, which was then covered with heavy, hardwood timber. He owns 120 acres, of which sixty acres is cleared, and here is successful as a general farmer and stock- raiser.
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Mr. Shanks was married October 6, 1872, to Mary Robertson, daughter of William and Catharine (Shinners) Robertson, both deceased. Mrs. Shanks was born in the city of Ottawa, Canada, February 29, 1848. Of their six children three are now living: David J., Pearl L. and Lucy M. Mr. Shanks was a member of the Town Board one year, Assessor one year, a member of the School Board seven years and is now Treasurer of the same. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity, and both himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which the former is a district 'steward for the Green- wood district. Politically he is a Prohi- bitionist.
EZEKIAH HUBBELL, of section 11, Eaton Township, Clark County, was born in Hastings County, Ontario, No- vember 5, 1848, the son of Ira and Mary A. (Harlow) Hubbell, both natives of Hastings County, and both are also about sixty-six years of age. Our subject was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. He worked at the blacksmith's trade with his father until twenty-five years of age, and since that time has been engaged in farm work mostly. He came to the United States in June, 1880, and worked on a farm near St. Paul, Minnesota, until the fall of the same year, when he came to this county, and in Jannary, 1881, bronght his family here from Canada. He first worked in the saw-inill of Thomas Miller thirteen months and eight days, and then settled on his present farın of eighty acres, twenty-three of which is cleared. During the winters he worked in the pineries on contracts, in which he was quite success- ful. Mr. Hubbell came to this county with only $11 in cash, and has risen to his present position by his own nnaided efforts.
He was married March 4, 1873, to Melissa Rupert, a native of Hastings County, Ontario, and danghter of Leonard Rupert, a native of the same county. They have two children : Arthur S., born October 22, 1874, and Winn- ifred, Angust 7, 1876. Mr. Hubbell is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and also of the I. O. O. F. and Modern Woodinen.
DMUND MORTIBOY, an honored citi- zen of Jackson County, is an American by adoption, having been born in Wor- cestershire, England, May 13, 1833. His parents, Job and Ann (Griffiths) Mortiboy, were also natives of England, although the Mortiboys are of French descent, and the Griffiths are of Welsh ancestry. They emi- grated to America in 1855, and located in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, but two years later removed to Fond du Lac County, Wis- consin; there they resided until 1858, and then came to Jackson County, and settled on the land where the town of Hixton now stands; there they passed the remainder of their lives, living to a good old age. The father was a blacksmith by trade, and he also gave some attention to farmning. He and his wife were life-long members of the Presby- terian Church. They had three children born to them: Edmund, Alfred and Lydia. Al fred joined the army as a musician in the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and died at Memphis, Tennessee, from dis- ease; Lydia is now the wife of E. B. Holmes, of Jackson County.
Edmund Mortiboy grew to man's estate in England, and received an early training in his father's trade, blacksmithing. He fol- lowed this occupation until he was twenty- two years of age, and then came to America,
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and has been identified with the interests of Jackson County since the year 1859. He settled on the land he now owns in 1875; his farın consists of 200 acres, in Hixton Township, and is as good land as lies within the borders of the county; 130 acres have been rendered fit for cultivation, and the efforts attendant upon the task of clearing forest lands should not be lightly estimated. For sixteen years Mr. Mortiboy was engaged in the blacksmith's trade in Sechlerville, Wisconsin. He abandoned this, however, for an agricultural life, and has made a success of his undertaking; he has many excellent improvements, and is giving his whole atten- tion to this pursuit.
Politically he is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and has represented the people of his township in the various local offices.
Mr. Mortiboy has been three times mar- ried: he was first united to Miss Eliza Lee, a native of England, by whom he had three children: Henry A., deceased; Frances E. and Ralph E. After her death he married Miss Catherine Vose, of Jackson County, Wisconsin. She was the mother of two daughters: Cora M. and Edith M. She was called to her eternal rest, and Mr. Mortiboy was afterwards married to Miss Fannie M. Nolop, of Jackson County; five children were born of this marriage: Alfred G .; Jess- amine A., Dean, Nell and Josephine.
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SRAEL R. BARNUM is a man whose uprightness and integrity render it a pleasure to sketch his career and record it on these pages of the history of Jackson County. He was born in Shandaken, Ulster County, New York, July 1, 1823, and is a son of Israel and Mary (Rose) Barnum, also
natives of the State of New York. Israel Barnum was a relative of the famous P. T. Barnum. He came with his wife to Wiscon- sin at an early day and settled in Dunn County, where he still resides, at the ad- vanced age of ninety-four years; his wife died in 1882, at the age of eighty-two years. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812; all his life he has been a farmer; lie and his wife are members of the Baptist Church; they had born to them ten children: Israel R., Hiram, Jonathan, William, Mary A., Zadok, Noah, Jane, Warren and Antonette. The eldest born, and the subject of this no- tice, was reared on a farm in the midst of the scenes of his birthi, attending the common schools. In the year 1856 he came to Jackson County, hoping to make a home and accumu- late some property; in 1861 he bought 200 acres, which now comprise his farm, seventy acres having been placed under cultivation through his persevering efforts. It has been no light task to clear this land from the wild forest, and fit it for the plow, and too much praise cannot be given to those hardy pioneers who have made Jackson County what she is to-day.
Mr. Barnnın at one period of his life was engaged in a tannery, and he has also fol- lowed surveying, serving as County Sur- veyor for one term; he has been Town Clerk almost continuously since 1861, and he has been Justice of the Peace for several terms. In his political faith he is a Pro- hibitionist. He cast lris first Presidential vote for James K. Polk. He is a believer in churches and religious denominations, and con- tributes liberally to their support, althoughi he is not a member of any denomination.
July 20, 1851, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Chariton. She was born in Middletown, Delaware County, New York, November 22, 1832, and is a daugh-
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ter of William and Saliva A. (Bivens) Chiari- ton, natives of the Empire State. Mr. and Mrs. Barnum are the parents of ten chil- dren: Sarah, Alice, Mary, Sidney, Elmer, Iona, Lillie, Ada, Willie and Elva; Sidney, Alice and Mary are deceased.
RA FIKE, for inany years a resident of the State of Wisconsin, was born in On- tario, Canada, August 26, 1844. His fatlier, Samuel Fike, was born at Fort Hope, Ontario, Canada, in 1809, and still lives in the Dominion. He is a farmer by occupation, and has accumulated considerable property. He married Ann Losey, also a native of Can- ada; the paternal ancestors are descended from the Germans, and the mother's fore- fathers came from Ireland and England. Mr. and Mrs. Fike are worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They have had born to them eleven children: Ira, Sidney, Sarah, George, Adelaide, Alice, Al- len, Martha, Lydia, Agnes, and Carrie, de- ceased.
Ira Fike was reared in his native country, and received the practical training of a fariner; he attended the common schools of that day, and until he was twenty years of age remained under the parental roof, giving the benefit of his labors to his father. Wlien he started out for himself he came to the United States, locating in Jefferson County, New York. There he followed the occupa- tion of farming until there was a call for men to go to the defense of this nation; in 1863 he enlisted in Company (, Ninety- fourth New York Volunteer Infantry, as a private and served until peace was declared. He was at the taking of Petersburg, and in many minor engagements; was mus- tered out at Alexandria, Virginia, in July,
1865, and honorably discharged. After the close of the war he returned to New York and resided in Oswego County until 1867; in that year he came to Wisconsin, locating in Adams County, where he made his home until 1871, coming at that time to Clark County, and purchasing the farm where he now lives; he owns 160 acres on section 22, and 160 acres on section 26, Fremont Township. He has given all his time and attention to the cultivation of the soil, and in the season has been engaged to some ex- tent in logging. The only capital which he had in the beginning of his business career was willing hands and a determination to win his share of this world's goods, and in this he has been more than successful.
Mr. Fike is a Republican, and has served as chairman of the Town Board for nine years. For three years he was superintendent of the county poor farm, displaying unusual capa- pabilities in the management of this institu- tion, and was two years chairman of the County Board. He is a member of Master Lodge, No. 163, A. F. & A. M., and of lodge No. 198, I. O. O. F., and Black River Lodge, No. 32, A. O. U. W.
Our subject was united in marriage April 3, 1867, to Miss Frances C. Polmatier, of Oswego County, New York. She was born in Columbia County, New York, March 30, 1842, and is a daughter of Elias and Re- becca (Simmons) Polmatier, natives of New York. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Fike, Samuel E., who first saw the light of day December 13, 1868.
OHN CASTNER came to Clark County, Wisconsin, in 1855, and found it a wild and thinly settled country. He has wit- nessed its developinent and growthı from its
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original state to one of high cultivation, and has seen it attain rank among the first conn- ties of the land. He was born in Seneca County, Ohio, July 27, 1835, and is a son of John and Maria (Sabens) Castner, natives of New Jersey and Massachusetts respectively. The parents were married in Cayuga County, New York, and in 1835 emigrated to Seneca County, Ohio, where the father died; later the mother moved to Steuben County, In- diana, where she ended her days on earthi. John Castner, Sr., was a farmer by occupa- tion. Sixteen children were born to him and his wife, thirteen of whom lived to mna- turity: Jacob, William, Mary, Elizabeth, Phobe P., Jane, John, the subject of this sketch, Margaret, George, Nancy, Eliza, Car- oline and Stewart.
Jolın Castner, Jr., was reared in Seneca County, Ohio, and lived on a farm until he was twenty years of age; he spent his time in the ocenpations incident to farmn life, and attended the common schools of that day. In 1855 he bade adien to the parental roof and the scenes of his childhood and youth, and started to the West. He came to Clark County, Wisconsin, and rented a farm on Black River, and at the same time entered a farm on section 19, Loyal Township; in 1862 he disposed of this place, and removed to Monroe County, Wisconsin, where he lived until 1869; he then returned to Clark County, and purchased 160 acres of land, which he now makes his home; he has 120 acres still in his name, having disposed of forty acres, and sixty-four acres are cleared. Starting out in life for himself withont capi- tal, Mr. Castner is certainly deserving of much commendation for the success with which he has met. He has held his share of the township offices, and although not a member of any church organization, he at- tends the Methodist Episcopal Church regu-
larly and contributes generously to its support, Politically he adheres to the prin- ciples of the Republican party.
September 17, 1859. is a memorable day in the life of Mr. Castner, as it was then he was joined in marriage to Miss Lydia Mack, of Clark County, Wisconsin. She was born in the Dominion of Canada, February 1, 1844, and is a daughter of Daniel and Mary (Benedict) Mack, also natives of Canada. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Castner: Mary, the wife of Ernest Boyer; George, who married Lillian Nutting; Sophironia, wife of Dr. J. L. Bradfield, of Chicago, Illinois, and Albina, wife of Will- iam Dutcher; Albert, Alfred, Daniel, Frank, and an infant unnamed are the other mein- bers of the family. Mrs. Caster has been a member of the Methodist Church in full connection since 1869.
ILLETT E. BURT was born Angust 19, 1842, in St. Lawrence County, New York. His parents, both na- tives of that State, are now deceased. He attended the district schools of St. Lawrence County and finished his education in the graded schools of Potsdam, New York. He remained with his parents until he reached his majority, when, in 1865, he came to Clark County, Wisconsin. Here young Burt found employment in the forests, felling pine for logs, etc., and receiving $30 a month for his labor. By hard work and economy he saved enough of his earnings with which to buy a half interest in a farm, which he did in the spring of 1869. For six years he lived on it with his brother-in-law.
In 1872 Mr. Burt wedded Alice Mason, who was born in 1848. She was educated by the private teachings of her mother, a
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gradnate of the university at Oberlin, Ohio, and a lady of much culture. This union has been blessed with four children: Floy, Milan, Edward and Gene. Two of them are attend- ing the district schools of the township.
Mr. Burt's farm is located on section 3, Pine Valley Township, and is two miles from Neillsville. When he first came to Wis- consin he bronght with him the first sulky hay rake and mowing-machine that was ever in the county. He is a man well posted on general topics and is ranked among the fore- most farmers of the township.
TEPHEN M. ANDERSON, Justice of the Peace and School Clerk of Green- wood, was born near Ottawa, Ontario, June 14, 1828, the son of Elkanah Anderson (deceased), who was born near Oswego, New York, of English and Welsh ancestry. His father, John Anderson, came from the latter country, and his mother, nee Hannah Baker, from England. Our subject's mother, form- erly Elizabeth Hutton, was born near Lake Champlain, New York. Mr. and Mrs. An- derson had eight children, six of whom still survive, viz .: John, Jane, Elkanah, Joseplı, Stephen and George C. The father had two children by a former marriage: Rubie and Lorena. The parents both died in Canada.
Stephen M. Anderson, the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm, and received a limited education. He came to Junean Connty, Wisconsin, in July, 1868, where he remained until 1870, and in that year came to this county, locating in what is now Green- wood. It was then heavy woods, there being but three houses on the present village site, and he is the eldest settler now living here. There were deer, bear and Indians all around him, where are now fine farms. He cleared
a fine farm of eighty acres which joins the village.
Mr. Anderson was married September 2, 1851, to Harriet Campbell, a native of Can- ada, and they have ten children, eight of whom still survive, namely: Mary J., George D., Ann E., Franklin H., Victoria I., Rod- erick M., William C. and Mattie M. Mary J. married Robert Robinson, of St. Paul. Ann E. was married to William Johnson, of Eaton Township, and has one child, Rawlin B. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Metli- odist Episcopal Church, and holds the offices of steward and trustee. He is devoted to the canse, and gives liberally to the support of the gospel. He has been chairman of the Town Board, and assessed the connty the first time, when Eaton Township contained fourteen Congressional townships. He is also Town Treasurer and School Clerk, and has been Justice of the Peace eight years. Socially he is a member of the I. O. O. F., and politically a Republican.
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