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 20
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 20
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44
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having had four years in the lumber yards in Michigan.
Mr. Beilfuss was married October 19, 1878, to Adelgunde Stoever, a daughter of Henry Stoever, of Kiel, Manitowoc County, Wis- consin. They have three children,-Arthur, Walter and Carl,-all of whom are at home and attending school. Mr. Beilfuss was brought up in the Lutheran faith, and is a Democrat politically.
NNIE SUFFICOOL, widow of John Sufficool, was born in Buffalo, New York, March 31, 1845, and received her education in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. By attending normal school she prepared herself for teaching, which vocation she followed four years in the district schools. Her father was born April 29, 1806, and died in Mil- waukee, August 24, 1854. He was a slioe- maker, and followed that trade a number of years. He had a fair education, and took pride in being posted on the topics of the day. Mrs. Sufficool is the oldest of a family of six children, five of whom are living. Her mother is now seventy-six years old.
The subject of our sketch was inarried April 4, 1864, in Milwaukee, to John Suffi- cool, who was born in Pennsylvania, Febru- ary 2, 1834, and was educated in the public schools of his native county. At Mineral Point, Wisconsin, in 1862, he enlisted in Company B, Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry, under Captain Burton. Was in Dakota on the Indian expedition, and was also in Frank- fort, Kentucky. During his whole service he was on guard duty, being Orderly Ser- geant of his company, and was honorably discharged in 1865.
The war over, he returned home and for two years worked in the lead mines of Wis-
consin, receiving small wages. Mr. Sufficool first took up his abode in Clark County when he was thirty-three years old; moved right into the woods, and when he had put up a log house he had just 50 cents left. Settling on the frontier at that early date, he met with many hardships. During the sum- mer he worked at stone-inasonry, and in the winter spent his time in the woods. He bought a home in Weston, where he lived and where he cleared up twenty-five acres of land. For services rendered in the ariny he afterward received a pension. For sixteen years he was an invalid, suffering from a stroke of paralysis. He returned to Clark County, and made his home in Neillsville for three years. His death occurred in 1887. Mr. Sufficool was held in high esteem by a large circle of friends, and in his death the community lost a most worthy man. While residing in Weston he was chairman of the Town Board of Weston Township for inany years. He was an honored member of the Masonic fraternity.
HARLIE A. L. VARNEY, a dealer in fresh and cured meats at Thorp, Clark County, was born in Norridgewock, Maine, April 25, 1865, the son of Hiram W. Varney, whose biography appears in this work. The latter emigrated to La Crosse County, Wisconsin, in July, 1865, remained four years, then went to Mitchell County, Iowa, two years later to La Crosse, thence to this county in 1873, settling in Warner Township, where he still resides.
Charles A. L., our subject, was educated in the common schools of Warner Township, and also attended school one year at Neills- ville. He worked in the pineries in the win- ters, and farmed and cleared land in the
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summers, until Angust, 1890, when he came to Thorp and engaged in his present busi- ness. He has a large trade, and keeps all kinds of fresh, salt and cured meats. Mr. Varney was married November 27, 1890, to Miss Nettie Vanairsdale, who was born near Saxeville, Waushara County, Wisconsin, September 15, 1869, the daughter of Garrett Vanairsdale, of Saxeville. Mr. Varney is a member of the Modern Woodinen, and in his political views is a Republican.
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ERBERT I. BRACKETT, attorney and counselor at law of Black River Falls, is the present District Attorney of Jack- son County, to which position he was elected November 4, 1890. He was born in the vil- lage of China, Kennebec County, Maine, De- cember 18, 1859. In 1863, his father, James HI. Brackett, emigrated with his family to Wisconsin and settled in Monroe County, where he still resides. James H. Brackett was born in the State of Maine in 1807, and belongs to an early New England family. His grandfather was born in the State of Massachusetts in 1717, and died in 1817; he was a soldier in the French and Indian war, but was too old for service in the war of the Revolution. James H. Brackett married Rose Brown, also a native of Kennebec County, and of an old New England family. She was born in Brooks, Maine, in 1830; her father, Sethi Brown, was born in Stoddard, New Hampshire, in 1790, and died in 1846, in China, Maine. His father was a native of the north of Ireland, and came to this country when a young man, serving several years in the Continental army of the war of the Revolution.
The maternal grandmother of Herbert I. Brackett was Hannah Whitney; she was born
at Gorham, Maine, in 1794, and became the wife of Setlı Brown. Her mother was Phoebe Hopkins, who was born near Cape Cod, Mas- sachusetts, in 1760, and married Asa Whit- ney. She was in Boston when that city was in possession of the Britishi, and while it was besieged by General Washington, and at the surrender of the British forces. Asa Whit- ney, her husband, served as Major in a Mass- achusetts regiment in the Continental arıny, and her father and two brothers were also soldiers in the same army. She was a niece of Stephen Hopkins, one of the immortal signers of the Declaration of Independence. She died at the advanced age of ninety-seven years, and for many years drew a pension from the Government in acknowledgment of the service rendered by her husband.
James H. Brackett followed the occupa- tion of farining until the age of fifty-three years, when he went into the hotel business; later he embarked in the mercantile trade, but is now practically retired from business. He and his wife had born to thein two sons and one daughter: Myron, Mary (deceased) and Herbert I.
The last namned, the subject of this sketch, was brought up in Monroe County, Wiscon- sin, where he attended the common-schools of Cataract until the age of seventeen years; lie then entered the Galesville University, where he pursned his studies for three years ; then a year was spent in the Normal School of Valparaiso, Indiana; for three years after leaving school he was engaged in the profes- sion of teaching in Monroe County, but in 1884 he entered the law office of Judge George M. Perry, of Black River Falls, and in March, 1887, he was adınitted to the bar of Jackson County. He is now associated with Judge Perry, with whom a partnership was formed in 1889. He was elected Jns- tice of the Peace in 1885, on the people'
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ticket, and re-elected in 1887. Politically he is a Democrat, his ancestors for several gen- erations having been Democrats of the Jeff- ersonian school. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Banner Lodge, No. 34; he is also a member of Shamrock Lodge, I. O. O. F. Although one of the younger members of the Jackson County bar, he has already attained an excellent reputation as a lawyer. He is a gentleman of much native ability, and is highly esteemed and respected as a citizen.
Mr. Brackett was united in marriage June 14, 1886, in Beaver Damn, Wisconsin, to Miss Catherine O. Williams, a native of Dodge Connty, Wisconsin, and a danghter of the Rev. David R. Williams. One daughter has been born of this marriage-Corrinne.
HOMAS O. MOSHER, a dealer in hardware, stoves, tinware and farm im- plements, of Thorp, Clark County, was born in Merricksville, Ontario, May 27, 1852, the son of Aaron Mosher, of Bangor, La Crosse County, Wisconsin, where he settled in 1857. He was a farmer nearly all his life, but is now retired. Thomas O. was reared on a farm, educated in the common schools, and was engaged in farm work until twenty- nine years old. In 1881 he came to Thorp, where he built a store and engaged in liis present business. He carries a capital stock of $3,000, his annual sales being about $12,- 000, which is constantly increasing. He keeps a tinner, who is also a clerk in tlie store. The past season he sold forty spring- tooth harrows, and also wagons, carriages and cntters. Mr. Mosher was Town Clerk of Thorp five years, and also held the office of Notary Public, Justice of the Peace and School Director, all in one year, and at the
same time conducted a barber shop. He is Recording Secretary of the I. O. O. F. Lodge.
He was married December 7, 1881, to Eva Fullmer, a native of Ontario, Canada, but was taken to the State of Wisconsin when small, where she remained until the age of fourteen years, when they came to tliis county. She is a daughter of David Full- mer, of Loyal, this connty. Politically Mr. Mosher is a Republican.
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INCENT B. NEWLAND, the present Postinaster of Melrose, was born in the town of Hardwick, Worcester County, Massaacliusetts, October 5, 1821, the son of Vincent C. Newland, who was born in Bris- tol County, Massachusetts, Angust 26, 1798. In 1832 he went to Warren County, Penn- sylvania; in 1833 to Erie County, same State; in 1835 to Holmes County, Ohio, and in 1852 returned to Worcester County, where he remained until 1855, in which year he came to Jackson County, Wisconsin, locating in the town of Melrose, where he died April 17, 1886. He was a blacksmith by trade, and politically was a Republican, and held several township offices. His father, David Newland, was born in Massachusetts and died there at a good old age. He was a farmer by occupation. Our subject's motlier, Betsey S. (Brown) was born in Hardwick, Worcester County, Massachusetts, June 16, 1800, and died in Jackson County, Wiscon- sin, at the age of eighty-four years. They were the parents of eight children, only three of whom are now living, viz .: Vincent B., Mary E. and Watson B.
The subject of this sketch, Vincent B., was reared and educated to the age of eleven years on a farm in Worcester County, Mass- achusetts. In 1832 lie went to Warren
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County, Pennsylvania; in 1835 he went with his parents to Holmes County, Ohio; in 1848 he returned to Worcester County, Massa- chusetts, and in 1853 came to Jackson County, where he took up Government land. He returned to Massachusetts and remained until 1857, when he came back to Jackson County and was engaged on his farm until 1865. In that year he rented his place and moved to the village of Melrose and opened a blacksmithi shop, which lie continued until 1866. He next conducted a hotel until 1868, when he sold out and returned to his farm. In December, 1870, he came to the village of Melrose again, and engaged in the mer- cantile business. In February, 1871, he was appointed Postmaster of his city, wliclı posi- tion he held until 1876. After his term had expired, he continued in the mercantile busi- ness until 1884, and five years later was again appointed Postmaster, which position he now holds. Politically he is a Republi- can, and religiously is a member of the Metli- odist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Newland was married in March, 1844, to Prudence Tuttle, who was born in Liv- ingston County, New York, June 20, 1827, the daughter of Bishop M. and Rebecca (Cooper) Tuttle, both natives of Connecticut and of English extraction. They snbse- quently moved to Ohio, where the mother died. After her death the father came to Jackson County, Wisconsin, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a farmer by occupation, and also served in the war of 1812. He was a very prominent man in his time. Mr. Newland while in Massachusetts, in 1856, took an active part in the organiza- tion of the Republican party. In November of that year he was elected Representative in the Legislature. Mr. and Mrs. Newland have had five children, namely: Hiram F., born December 27, 1844; Benjamin H., May 18,
1847; Virgil M., November 13, 1851; Charles, December 2, 1857; and Wilbur F., February 14, 1866. Two are now deceased: Hiram F., who was killed in the army, Oc- tober 30, 1864; Wilbur F. died May 2, 1882.
OBERT J. BATES, a well-known busi- ness man of Alma Centre, Wisconsin, is a native of the Green Mountain State, born in Brookfield, March 6, 1840. He came with his father to Wisconsin in May, 1850, and settled in Fond du Lac, Robert being the youngest child in the family. They removed to Alına Centre in 1856, and the father engaged in agri- cultural pursuits. In those days educational advantages were limited and the subject of our sketch walked six miles to the district school. He remained with his parents until lie was twenty-one years old, the time of his entering the army. He enlisted as a private in Company G, Tenth Wisconsin Regiment, under Captain William Moore, and was after- ward promoted as First Sergeant. He par- ticipated in the battles of Perryville and Stone River and was in the liottest of the figlit. At the first battle of Perryville half his regiment was killed. His comrades were falling on all sides, and when the ammunition was exhausted and they were ordered to fall back he was the only one left for a distance of ten feet on either side. In the spring of 1862 he was at Huntsville, Alabama. Cap- tain Moore was killed near Huntsville, Ala- bama, by bushwhackers, in a fight in which Mr. Bates and his company were engaged. At Chickamanga their company suffered heavy losses. Other battles in which Mr. Bates took part were Hoover's Gap, Mission- ary Ridge and Peach Tree Creek, and he went with Sherman in his campaign as far
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as Atlanta. After three years' service as a faithful soldier he was honorably dis- charged November 5, 1864. He then re- turned to Jackson County, Wisconsin, worked in the lumber woods and for three years ran on the Black and Mississippi rivers. He bought a quarter section of land, three iniles and a half fromn Alına Centre, where he was successfully engaged in farming from 1867 until 1883. During that time, in 1871, he was elected Sheriff, filling the office two years. In 1883 he was engaged in the drug business, in which he has continued up to the present time. He was appointed Post- master in 1883, and lield that office until May, 1886; was re-appointed Postmaster April, 1889, and is still holding the office at this date. He served as Clerk of Alma Township one year and as Justice of the Peace two years.
Mr. Bates was married, in 1877, to Mrs. Susan Hursey, a widow. Four children have been born to them,-two boys and two girls,- all having good educational advantages. Mrs. Bates is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is associated with the Masonic order, blue lodge and Royal Arclı Masons, the I. O. O. F., G. A. R. and the Modern Woodmen. Politically he has always been a Republican.
H. SMITH, a general inerchant of Withee, Clark County, was born in
O Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Angust 11, 1867, the son of Edward Smith, of this County. Our subject spent the first eleven years of his life in his native city, and in 1878 came to this county, where he lived with his parents at Christie. He next went to Greenwood, and one year later, in 1881, to Longwood, where he worked with his father
in a hotel, and also in the pineries for a time. He came to Withee in the summer of 1889, and established a general store in company with M. E. Lantz, but in July of the next year Mr. Smith purchased his partner's in- terest. He now keeps a general stock of goods, and has a capital stock of $2,000. His sales the first year amounted to $8,000, and have been constantly increasing since that time. Mr. Smith is very obliging, genial to his customers, sells at reasonable prices, and thus is securing the confidence and respect of the people. In addition to his store he also owns forty acres of land on section 3, Hixton Township, twenty-three acres of which is cleared and under cul- tivation.
He was married December 4, 1889, to Clara Moody, who was born in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, a daughter of James C. Moody, whose biography appears in this work. Mr. Smith is a member of the Mod- ern Woodmen, and is now holding the office of Notary Public.
AMES C. MOODY, of section 9, Hixton Township, Clark County, was born in Monroe Township, Perry County, Ohio, November 7, 1837, the son of Hiram Moody, a native of Topsham, Maine, born August 20, 1810. He was a coast sailor in the cod fisheries several years, and also worked in the pineries during the winters. He removed to Ohio in 1827, and in 1852 came to Wis- consin, where he bought 820 acres of land from the United States Government in Ver- non, then Badax County. In 1854 he brought his family to this State, and settled on Round Prairie, one and a half miles from Viroqua, on land he purchased from the State. Our subject's mother, nee Sarah Longstreth, was born at
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James' Mill, Muskingum County, Ohio, De- cember 20, 1810, about eight miles from Zanesville. She was one of the first wliite children born in that county. Her brothers were noted drovers, and our subject went with them over southern Ohio, driving stock to various points. Her uncle, Michael Long- streth, owned large estates of coal land in southern Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Moody liad six children, all of whom grew to maturity, and five are now living, namely: James C., Catharine, Martha, Nathan E. and Abigail. One son, Bartholomew L., was killed at the battle of Corinth while fighting for the Union. The father served three years in the late war, in Company C, Eighteenth Wiscon- sin Volunteer Infantry, was wounded at Shi- loh, and now draws a pension.
James C. Moody, our subject, also served in the late war, in Company I, Sixth Wiscon- sin Iron Brigade, serving four years. He was in the battles of Gainesville, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Rappahan- nock, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Get- tysburg and the Wilderness. He was wounded in the right thigh at the battle of the Wilderness and left lying near the battle-ground without any protection from the rain and storms, was taken a pris- oner and held for thirty-one days. He caught cold, and both ears swelled shut, having lost the hearing entirely of the right ear. He was taken to Belle Isle, where he was kept for some time, then to Lynchburg, where a great sore came on the back of his head, which was infested with maggots. They were nearly starved in prison, and often had to eat spoiled meat, and many of his comrades starved to death. He lost fifty-eight pounds in weight while in prison. While they were being removed from Lynchburg, a railroad bridge took fire, and while tlie guards were busily at work to extinguish it Mr. Moody
and five others escaped. After wandering for seven days and nights, almost starved, and at times nearly recaptured by rebel cav- alry passing within a few rods of them, they evaded their pursuers, traveled over 120 iniles, and reached Chesapeake Bay. Here they made a raft by lashing two bridge tim- bers together, and were making their way across the bay when they were met by a passing Union steamer, laden with wounded soldiers from Petersburg, and were taken on board. They were so nearly starved that they had to be guarded to prevent them from injuring themselves by eating too much. They had been two or three days with noth- ing to eat. At one place one of the party slipped slily into the negro quarters of a plantation, while the others lay concealed in the brush of a ravine near by, and at once inade his wants known. The woman put a splendid dinner in a basket, and an old negro man took his fishing pole and the basket and started down the ravine toward the creek, where he sat the basket down and began fishing. The boys came up, had a feast, and had enough left for another meal. They were also helped at other points by the slaves. Mr. Moody afterward returned to his regi- ment, and was in the battles of First and Second Hatcher's Run, Boydtown Plank Road, Gravel Run, Five Forks, and was present at the surrender at Appomattox. He received a brevet Captain's commission for bravery on the battle-field, and also held all the non-commissioned offices in his com- pany.
After the war Mr. Moody was engaged in farming two years in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, and then went to the city of La Crosse, where he worked for C. C. Washburn as sawyer and filer during the summers, and scaled logs in the winters for twelve years. He then spent one year working for other
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parties, and in 1881 came to this county, and took charge of a mill for Mr. Washburn, which he ran six years, and is a logging jobber.
He was married, November 7, 1860, to Ann E. S. Adams, who was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, April 24, 1840, the daughter of Lewis G. P. Adams, of Vernon County, this State. They had two children: Edwin L. and Clara. Edwin married Lucinda Amo, lives in Minneapolis, and has three children: Edwin L., Robert I. and Walter E. Clara married Walter H. Smith, a merchant of Withee, this county. Mr. Moody was mar- ried to his present wife, Ellen Carleton, a daughther of Thomas V. Carleton, of Neills- ville, Wisconsin, May 12, 1878. The father was a Mexican soldier, and a pioneer of She- boygan Connty. Mrs. Moody was born in the latter county, June 22, 1850. Mr. Moody is a member of the G. A. R. and the A. O. U. W. fraternities at Withee. Has been Justice of the Peace for six years and has been Postmaster. He owns 520 acres of land, and draws a pension of $25 a month.
Mr. Moody's genealogy is as follows: his grandfather, Nathan Moody, was born on Lake Umbagog, Maine, a son of Lawrence A., a son of Joshua R., a native of Mnirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland. The latter had a land grant from the king of England, with a com- mission as Lieutenant-Governor of the then Province of Maine. He crossed the ocean in 1692, and settled in Maine, where he was the Governor for some time. His son Law- rence and another son were under General Wolfe at the Heights of Abraham; the former was wounded there, his brother was killed, and his bones still lie on the Heights of Abraham. Nathan Moody and a brother were soldiers in the war of 1812, and an- other brother, Alexander, was in the Florida Seminole war, where he is supposed to have
been killed. Our subject's uncle, James W. Moody, was a soldier in the Mexican war. His grandfather on the maternal side, Bar- tholomew Longstreth, was a soldier in the war of 1812, under General Crogan, and a brother, Philip Longstreth, was also in the same war. Mr. Moody's brother, Nathan, was President of the Wisconsin State Farm- ers' Alliance, and is now Secretary of the same.
ENRY J. WENDT, of section 15, Withee Township, Clark County, was born in Hanover, Germany, August 7, 1840, the son of William Wendt, deceased, a native of the same place, where he died in 1890, at the age of seventy-eight years. The parents had five children, namely: Dora, now Mrs. William Sauke of Hanover; Henry J., the subject of this sketch; Mary, who mar- ried William Schultz, of Hanover; William, of Longwood; and Sophia, now Mrs. Fred- erick Walter, also of Hanover. Henry J. came to the United States in 1868, settling in Allegan County, Michigan where he clearcd a farın and lived until the spring of 1883, in which year he came to this county, and set- tled on his present farm of eighty acres, thirty-two of which he has since cleared. IIe has built a good house, barn and other neces- sary buildings.
Mr. Wendt was married Angust 14, 1870, to Haunah Lohrberg, who was born in Ma- honing County, Ohio, November 17, 1849, the daughter of Angust Lohrberg, deceased. Her parents had five children: David, of Allegan County, Michigan; Paulina, now Mrs. Henry Kanche, of Washington State; Lizzie, who married Jacob Schlintz, of Al- legan Connty; Hannah, the wife of our sub- ject, and John, of Allegan Connty. Mr. and
Deamon
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Mrs. Wendt had nine children, eight of whom are now living, viz .: William, Charles, David, John, Frederick, Amelia, Dora and August. Religiously Mr. Wendt is a member of the Methodist Church, and politically a Repnb- lican.
ENNIS CANNON, JR., is a native of the Emerald Isle, born June 14, 1846. Dennis Cannon, his father, came to America when he was twelve years old, but returned to his native land and remained there a number of years. He crossed the Atlantic again, bringing with him a family of four children, and located in St. Andes, New Brunswick. He afterward removed to Wilmington, Delaware, where lie was con- nected with a gun-powder factory. In 1855 he came West and settled in Columbia Conn- ty, Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming. All of his nine sons and three daughters are living. He is a man of good habits and is highly esteemed by all who know him.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the public schools of Portage, Wisconsin, and at the early age of fifteen years started ont to look after his own interests. He worked on a farm eleven months for one man, receiving seven dollars per month. Afterward he was in the employ of the Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railroad Company, for one year, firing extras. His next employment was in the Inin ber business on the Wisconsin River, engaged in log-driving and running rafts of lumber from Jonny Bull to St. Louis, for nine years, and during that time saved up a few hundred dollars. For five years he was fore- man of the work there, building the first dam above Merrill on the Wisconsin River at Pilliken Rapids. He came to Jackson County in 1873. Eight years he was employed as
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