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 21

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 436


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 21
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 21


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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


lumber inspector and shipper for C. N. Payne & Company, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, from their mills at Merillon.


July 2, 1876, lie married Emma Lake, of Merillon. She was born in 1861, the daugh- ter of New York parents. Her education was obtained in the public schools of Jack- son County. Their union has been blessed with three children: two boys and one girl. Mr. Cannon resides in a neat farm res- idence, two miles west of Merillon and does business in town. He lias served two years as one of the Supervisors of the town of Alma. In his political views he is inde- pendent.


OSEPH SICHLER, an enterprising and well-to-do farmer, residing on section 23, Garden Valley Township, Jackson County, was born in Würtemberg, Germany, September 21, 1831. He camne to the United States in 1849, and the first three years of his residence in this conntry were spent in New Jersey, where he worked through the winter for $6 per month and in the summer did gardening for $10 per month. He then spent one year in Southern Illinois and one year in Iowa, after which, in the fall of 1855, he came to Jackson County, Wis- consin. Here he worked in the woods one winter, at $26 a month, and bought forty acres of land which he cleared up. The country was wild, settlers were few and pro- visions had to be brought from La Crosse by wagons, and consequently were very high. A barrel of pork was worth $50 and flour cost $13 to $14 a barrel.


In 1856 Mr. Sichiler returned to New Jer- sey, and on April 11, was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth McGovern, the first couple married in this neighborhood, in


15


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Hayden school-house. She was born in County Cavan, Ireland, March 17, 1836, came to America with her brother, and worked in one family in New Jersey for seven years. Their nnion has been blessed with ten chil- dren, and although they have had much sick- ness in their family their children are all living. All have received a'good education and five of them are married and settled in life. Mrs. Sichler has been a helpinate to her husband in more ways than one. During the dark days of the civil war she would take her child in the crib and go to the field and work there all day and half of the night. They have met many obstacles, but by industry and economy have accumulated a nice little for- tune. Their farm, consisting of 300 acres, is located two miles west and one north of Alma Centre. Mr. Sichler makes a specialty of raising stock. The family are members of the Catholic Church.


HARLES G. POPPE, of section 2, Withee Township, was born near Frank- fort on the Oder, Prussia, October 17, 1857, the son of John G. Poppe, of this town. The latter brought his family to Perth County, Canada, in August, 1861, then to Hnron County, same country, in 1869, and next to this county, in the fall of 1877. Charles G., our subject, came to Clark County, in December, 1876, where he worked for Joe Gibson in the pineries the first and second winter and for Mead and Prentice during the summers. He has worked in the woods every winter except the last two, since he came to this county, and previous to 1890 he worked for himself. He then rented a farm of B. J. Brown one year, and in June, 1885, settled on his present place of eighty acres, ten of which is cleared. Mr. Poppe


has been Assessor for the past two years, and also hield the same office several years ago.


He was married December 11, 1880, to Cynthia C. Carpenter, born in Chemung Township, McHenry County, Illinois, Decem- ber 31, 1856, the dangliter of David Carpen- ter, deceased. She came with her parents to Black River Falls when an infant, where she was reared and educated. She then came with her parents to this county, in 1872, where she began teaching school at tlie age seventeen years. She taught the first school in the district south of their residence, now District No. 2, this township, having followed this occupation fourteen terms. Mr. and Mrs. Poppe have two children: Elsie May, born December 20, 1881, and Violet Ernstine, April 11, 1889.


OHN G. KLOPF, wholesale liquor dealer, Neillsville, Wisconsin, was born in Germany, September 22, 1830. He came to America with his parents in 1846. His father had some means and settled in Brooklyn, New York, his family consisting of two sons and one daughter. He was a stone-cutter in the old country and his trade was adopted by his two sons.


In 1855 John came to Wisconsin and located in Sheboygan County, becoming one of the early pioneers of that place. At first he purchased forty acres of land, which he cleared and to which he subsequently added forty acres more. This he developed into a good farm and remained on it until 1871. In 1874 he removed to Clark County and en- gaged in his present business. By fair dealing he has gained an extensive acquaintance throughont the county and has a liberal pat- ronage.


Mr. Klopf has been twice married. His


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first wife, a native of New York, he wedded in 1858. By her he had eight children, four of whom are living, all having received good educational advantages. The maiden name of his present wife was Nancy Argrave. One of liis sons, John A., is engaged in agri- cultural pursuits, owns a good farm and has a family of six children. Politically Mr. Klopf affiliates with the Democratic party. The family are members of the Lutheran Church.


ENRY J. FESSENDEN, the book- keeper and chief clerk in the store of the Sterling Lumber Company, Sterling, Wisconsin, was born in Boston, Massachu- setts, April 6, 1822, the son of Timothy (de- ceased) and Angeline (Robley) Fessenden, the former a native of Haverhill, Massachu- setts, and the latter a resident of Montpelier, Verinont. The father was a blacksmith and machinist by trade, and worked many years in Boston; the mother was a daughter of Richard Robley, a Revolutionary soldier, who was first in the British army, but afterward deserted and joined the American side. The parents had nine children, seven of whom still survive, namely : Louise, Angeline, Lucy, Henry, Sarah, Nancy and Francis. One son, George, died after reaching maturity, leaving a family.


The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Boston, where he first learned the blacksmith's trade, but was forced to abandon it on account of ill health. He next learned the carriage and wagon-maker's trade, at which he worked six years, and tlien tanght vocal and instrumental music several years in Hancock County, Illinois, making his home in Carthage. He went to the lat- ter State in 1838, settling first in Greene


County; thence to Griggsville, Pike County, in 1839; in 1845 to Columbus, Adams Coun- ty; in October, 1850, to Hancock County ; in 1854, to Carthage, same county. He was a soldier in the late war, in Company D, Six- teenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served from May 24, 1861, until May 8, 1862, when he was discharged by special field order, having been detailed leader of the Sixteenth Illinois Regimental Band. He re-enlisted August 15, 1862, and served until August 3, 1863, when lie was discharged for disability. He participated in the battles of Port Gib- son, Champion Hill, Black River Bridge and Vicksburg. After the war Mr. Fessenden returned to Carthage, and in October, 1863, came to La Crosse County, Wisconsin, set- tling in West Salem, where he clerked in a store and also worked at the carriage-maker's trade until 1871. He next removed to Birm- ingham, Marshall County, Kentucky, in 1874 to thiis county, in February, 1875, to Union City, Tennessee, next to Osborne County, Kansas, and in 1881 to Clark County, where he has since lived on the old Eau Claire Lumber Company's farm until in April, 1883. In that year he came to Sterling and took charge of the store and books of the Ean Claire Lumber Company, and was retained by the Sterling Lumber Company when they took charge of the business in March, 1888.


Mr. Fessenden was married in Columbus, Adam's County, Illinois, November 17, 1846, to Minerva Ann Nance, who was born near New Albany, Indiana, the daughter of Will- iam Nance, deceased. They have liad seven children, four now living, -- Emma, the wife of H. O. Pixley, of Covert, Kansas; Ella A., wife of Joe Sterling, a member of the firmn of the Sterling Lumber Company; Eva G., now Mrs. J. B. Swift, of Chicago; and George E., of Thorp, this county, who mar- ried Amanda E. Shonp, of Loyal, thiis county.


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Socially Mr. Fessenden is a member of the I. O. O. F and G. A. R. fraternities, politi- cally a Republican and religiously Mrs. Fess- enden is a member of the Christian Church.


ATT KAPELLEN, a boot and shoc merchant of Neillsville, was born in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, Octo- ber 27, 1857. His parents, Anton and Ag- nes Kapellen, natives of Germany, located in Sheboygan County, in 1857. The father purchased a tract of wild land, which, by the expenditure of much time and hard labor, he developed into a fine farm. His lack of money was overbalanced by his German thrift, and prosperity attended his efforts. He and his wife reared a family of six children. Ilis son, the subject of this sketcli, was educated in Sheboygan County, and at the age of four- teen years began to provide for himself. Some twelve years ago he was married in his native county, to Caroline Millenger, by whom he has two children. Her father was a native of Tennessee. Mr. Kapellen came to Clark County nine years ago and engaged in the boot and shoe business. He has estab- lished a lucrative trade here, and is ranked among the prominent business men of Neills- ville.


REDERICK J. SHELDON, of section 27, township 28, range 2 west, Hixton Township, Clark County, was born in Onondaga County, New York, October 16, 1839, the son of Frederick Sheldon (deceased) a native of Connecticut. The father, a cooper and farmer by occupation, emigrated to Dear- born Township, Wayne County, Michigan, settling fourteen iniles west of Detroit,


where Frederick lived until after the war. He served in that struggle, in Company B, Second Michigan Volunteer Infantry, thircc years, and was in all the battles from First Bull Run to that of the Wilderness and North Anna, including Spottsylvania Court House, second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Manassas Junction, Vicksburg, Jackson, Knoxville and others. His regiment made a charge on a redont at Knoxville, and lost ninety-six men in fifteen minutes! They participated in twenty-five battles and many skirmishes, Mr. Sheldon having served in all but one. He was wounded in the face at Knoxville.


After the war, in July, 1865, he entered thie United States employ as carpenter, and worked at Nashville, Tennessee, eleven months, or until June, 1865, when he returned to Michi- gan. He lived in Dearborn until July, 1867, when he went to Fulton, Illinois, and De- cember 10 of the same year to Big Falls on Popple River, this county, settling one and one-half miles southwest of Longwood, where has since resided. The first winter he was engaged in the pinerics, and in July, 1868, he brought his family to this county, taking a homestead on the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 27, Eaton Town- ship, now Hixton. Ile still owns 160 acres of this tract, fifty of which is cleared.


Mr. Sheldon was married at Saginaw, Michigan, November 18, 1864, to Ellen E., Clark, daughter of Brenton Clark, of Wheat- land, Michigan. They had six children, four of whom survive: Willie A., Albertis, Frank L. and Nancy M. The eldest son is married and lives in White Sulphur Springs, Montana. The mother died September 22, 1888; she was a faithful Christian woman, an affectionate wife and tender mother. Mr. Sheldon has held the office of Justice of the Peace three years, School Clerk many years,


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and Town Treasurer six years. He is a member of the G. A. R. and I. O. O. F. fra- ternities.


-


AMES RICIIMOND, M. D., has been engaged in the practice of his profes- sion in Black River Falls ever since Oc- tober, 1887. He was born in St. Lawrence County, New York, January 15, 1858, and is a son of John Richmond, a native of Leeds, England; the father emigrated to tliis country when he was twenty-two years of age, and settled near Canton, New York. There he married Margaret Hoy, a native of Dublin, Ireland; he was a farmer by occnl- pation, and continned to live in St. Lawrence County nntil his death, whichi occurred in September, 1866; his widow still survives, and resides in Isabella County, Michigan, with her son, Dr. P. E. Richmond.


James is the youngest of eleven children, ten of whom are sous; at tlie age of fifteen years lie went West with his brother, Dr. P. E. Richmond, who is a graduate of the Mc- Gill Medical College, Montreal; lie remained with his brother in the State of Michigan un- til the fall of 1875; he had been attending school, and in the spring of 1875 was en- gaged in teaching; he then went to Trem- pealean County, Wisconsin, and entered the high school at Galesville, of which liis brother, Steplien Richmond, was then princi- pal; he was graduated from this school in 1877, and the following year he took a course of study at the University of Galesville. For several years he was engaged in the profes- sion of teaching, but all this time he was con- templating the study of medicine, and finally abandoned the school-room and turned his attention exclusively to the pursuit of this science. In the year 1885 he entered tlie


College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chi- cago; he was graduated from this institution in 1887, and located immediately afterward at Black River Falls; he has always been an in- dustrious student, and although lie lias been a resident of Black River Falls a compara- tively brief period, lie lias acquired the repu- tation of a careful and skillful physician.


Dr. Richmond was united in marriage, in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, to Miss Maggie Carpenter, a danghter of Henry Carpenter, an early settler in the town of Preston; one child lias been born of this union: Lorana.


EORGE C. ANDREWS, a blacksmith of Greenwood, was born near Smitli's Falls, Ontario, December 3, 1830, the son of Elkana (deceased) and Elizabeth (Hut- ton) Andrews, the father a native of New York, and of English ancestry, and the mother was of Scotch parentage. George C. was reared to farm life and educated in the com- mon schools, and also learned the trade of blacksmith when a boy, which he followed twenty-four years in his native country. In 1871 he came to Wisconsin, settling in Greenwood, where lie lias since been engaged at his trade. Previous to this, however, he spent the winter of 1858-'59 in this State, just across the river from where Greenwood now stands, the present town site being then covered with a heavy growth of sugar trees. During the spring of 1859 he was engaged in making sugar near the main street, and also drove logs from Poplar River to La Crosse, after which he returned to Ontario. Dur- ing the winter of 1871-'72 he worked many nights until after midnight, and has shod as high as fifty yoke of oxen in one year. He


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owns 160 acres of land, besides his large shop and residence in Greenwood.


Mr. Andrews was married about thirty-five years ago, to Lorinda Chamberlin, and they have had nine children, seven now liv- ing: Elizabeth, Gelia, Flora, J. Sheldon, George B., Effie B. and Lillie. Elizabeth married Erastus Bowen, of Columbus, Wis- consin, and has two children : Rose and Grace. Gelia married Dr. Thomas, of Greenwood; Flora married Ralph Hall, the photographer and painter at Greenwood, and lias one child, George. Mr. Andrews is a local minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church; socially, he is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge, and politically a Prohibitionist, but votes for principles and men.


BNER D. POLLEYS, a prominent citi- zen of Jackson County, was born in in Washington County, Maine, May 3, 1856, the son of William H. Polleys, who was born near Halifax, Colchester County, Novia Scotia, May 18, 1824. In 1841 lie came to Washington County, Maine, and in 1856 to Jackson County, Wisconsin. At one time he owned about 1,200 acres of land in this county, but has since sold a considerable portion, and invested the money in lands in different parts of the country. He owns property in Florida, Georgia and also in La Crosse. His residence is one of the finest and best improved places in Melrose. He is also interested in a mill at La Crosse. Politically he is a Democrat. His fatlier, AbnerPolleys, was born at Bridge Hill, Massa- chusetts, in the year 1786, and subsequently came to Dodge County, where lie died at the age of sixty-six years. He was a farmer by occupation, and a very prominent man in his lifetime. Our subject's mother, nee Doro-


thy A. Woodcock, was born in Washington County, Maine, in 1829, and died in Jackson County, Wisconsin, at the age of fifty-eight years. She was a daughter of Dexter and Jane (Hovey) Woodcock, both natives of Maine. The father was a prominent manu- facturer and dealer in boots and shoes. Mr. and Mrs. Polleys had four children, namely : William E., Edgar II., Abner D. and Frank O., all of whom are still living.


Abner D., their third child, was reared in Melrose, Jackson County, and completed his education in the high school at Black River Falls. In 1876 he went to La Crosse, where he was employed as book-keeper in his father's mill until 1880. In that year lie returned to Jackson County, and engaged in farming un- til 1887, when he was elected Town Clerk of Melrose, which position he now holds, hav- ing been elected by a unanimous vote. He is now giving considerable attention to the raising of fine-breed cattle, horses, pigs and sheep. He averages about twenty five head of cattle, twenty horses, 150 sheep and twenty - five hogs. Politically he is a Prohibitionist, and socially a member of the I. O. O. F. fra- ternity, No. 300, Melrose, and is also a mem- ber of the Good Templars lodge, No. 220.


RNST R. POPPE, of section 20, Hixton Township, Clark County, was born in Hohengrab, Kreis Soldin, Reg. Bezirk, Frankfort-on-the-Oder, Prussia, April 25, . 1828, the son of Jolin G. Poppe, who died when Ernst was but two years old. The latter learned the cabinet-maker's trade in the old country, at which he worked for twenty years, and then served four years in the German army during the Polish rebellion of 1848. He removed to County Perth, Upper Canada, in 1857, where he worked at the


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carpenter's trade in the suinmers and the cab- inet-maker's trade in winters until 1874. In that year he came to Wisconsin, spent three months in Sheboygan County, and in Au- gust of the same year came to this county, settling in Greenwood. In October he camne to his present farm of 320 acres, over sixty of which he has since cleared. His nearest neighbor at that time was Joe Gibson, three miles distant. Besides his general farming, he has also worked at the carpenter's trade, and has built most of the barns and frame houses in his neighborhood.


Mr. Poppe was married in Kollin, Province of Brandenburg, November 23, 1854, to Lonise Lau, a daughter of Frederick Lau, a native of Canada. They had five children: Gustav B., Frederick, Elizabeth and Augusta (twins) and Ernst G. The mother died in the spring of 1866, and Mr. Poppe was again mar- ried, October 8, 1866, to Barbara Elizabeth Hassenpflug, a daughter of Johan Hassen- pflug, deceased. They had nine children, six of whom are now living, viz .: William, Wil- helininie, Albert, Charles, Henry and Matilda. Mr. Poppe was a member of the Town Board four years, has been a member of the School Board several years, and is now serving as School Treasurer. He is a member of the Lutheran Church.


EORGE MEEK, inail contractor and stageman fromn Withee to Greenwood, was born in Macomb County, Michi- igan, April 3, 1830, the son of Andrew and Margaret Meek, the former a native of Penn- sylvania, and the latter of Ohio. They had seven children, five now living: George, John, Kate, Alexander and J. Thomas. George came with his parents to Rock County, Wis- cousin, in 1837, where they settled on a farın,


and remained until 1846. They then re- inoved to Green County, same State, thence to Jackson County, in 1851, where they soon afterward settled, in Trempealeau Valley. The father died at the latter place in April, 1871, and the mother at Black River Falls in Au- gnst, 1881. Mr. Meek, our subject, served in the late war, in Company I, Fourteenth Wis- consin Volunteer Infantry, remaining three years, and was in the battle of Shilolı. On ac- count of disability he was on detached duty mostly as cook in a hospital. Hle now draws a pension of $10 a month. He came to this county in August, 1887, locating in Green- wood, where he has since lived.


Mr. Meek was married September 30, 1866, to Sarah J. Harmer, a daughter of Charles Harmer, of Albion, Jackson County, Wis- consin. They have had six children, four of whom survive: Charles H., Hattie A., Hugh and Ralph, all at home. Socially Mr. Meek is a member of the G. A. R. post, and polit- ically a Republican.


E. TAYLOR, jeweler, Neillsville, Wis- consin, took up his abode in Clark County in 1868. He established his business here at that time, has since been identified with the best interests of Neills- ville and is to-day one of its prominent citi- zens.


Mr. Taylor was born in Tioga County, New York, and is the seventh of eight chil- dren born to Perkin Taylor. He received his education in his native county, and remained with his parents till he was twenty-one years old. He learned the carpenter's trade there and was working at it when the war broke out. He at once joined the ranks of the Union Army, enlisting in 1861, in Company HI, Sixty-fourth New York Regiment, Cap-


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tain Barstow, and as a musician, was in active service with the Army of the Potomae for six months. In 1862, on aeeount of disabil- ity, he was diselarged, after which he returned to New York and was an invalid for a long time. He learned the jeweler's trade in Minnesota, to which plaee he emigrated in 1865, and followed the business there for two years. From that place he came to Neills- ville in 1868 and lias sinee made his home here. Politically he is a Republican. He is known as one of the best rifle shots in the country, and is a total abstainer from gam- bling and the use of whisky, beer, tobaceo, and even tea and coffee.


September 3, 1872, Mr. Taylor married Nellie Chase, a native of Franklin County, Vermont. She was educated at Friendship Academy and Alfred University, in Alle- gany County, New York, was engaged in teaching in the publie sehools of New York nine years and in Wiseonsin two terms. Her father died in Franklin County, Vermont, in 1855.


RCHIE L. GOODVIN, the noted hunter of Clark County, residing on seetion 32, Hixton Township, was born near Dnbuque, Iowa, February 27, 1859, the son of David R. Goodvin, a native of Illinois. The latter, now of Washburn County, Wis- eonsin, was a pioneer of Iowa and also of Wiseonsin, having removed to the latter State in 1858, settling in Sauk County, where he lived until 1868. He then went to Jack- son Connty, and remained until the fall of 1870, when he came to this eounty and set- tled two miles east of Thorp, Withee Town- ship, then Hixton, bnt removed to Washburn County in 1887.


The subject of this sketch settled on liis


present farm of eighty aeres in October, 1878, and has since cleared thirty acres of this traet. He is engaged in hunting every fall, and works in the woods in the winters. He has killed not less than twenty deer eaclı fall for the past twelve years, and in one fall killed forty-nine, and has also killed about fifty or more bear since he settled on his present place. Mr. Goodvin was married May 17, 1875, to Clara Clark, a daughter of Israel Clark, deceased. Of their eight chil- dren, six are now living: Eva, Ida, William, Maud, Frank and George.


ENRY C. PETERS, photographer and artist, has been identified with the in- terests of Neillsville sinee 1888, at which time lie succeeded W. HI. Drake in his profession. This line of work is also ably represented by Miss Mattie Schuster, wlio lias been located in Neillsville for a number of years. She is a competent photographer, and furnishes another example of what woman's wit may accomplish when she turns hier attention to any special braneh.


Mr. Peters was born at West Bend, Wash- ington County, Wiseonsin, in 1867, and is a son of Henry Peters, deeeased, who was a pioneer of the county, having settled there in 1848; the mother is still living; there were four children born to Henry Peters and wife, two sons and two daughters; the eldest son, William Peters, is a merehant of West Bend; Sophia is the wife of A. Harms, a merehant at Wentworth, South Dakota; the younger daughter, Minnie, is still at home.


Henry C. was reared amid the scenes of his birth, and began the study of the art which he has since pursued, at the age of nineteen years; two years previous to his coming to Neillsville he was employed in one




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