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 23
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 23
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a happy family of three boys and two girls, and live on a farm in the town of Weston, six miles from Neillsville. Mr. and Mrs. Holden worked hard on a farm until eight years ago, when they sold out and built a house in Neillsville, where they expect to spend the remainder of their lives. They have means saved from former years.
Mr. Holden had two brothers in the late war, who enlisted in 1862, and one was killed in the battle of the Wilderness, and the other escaped without injury, being discharged March 4, 1865. Mr. Holden came out of the logging camps and enlisted under Cap- tain O. F. Waller, and at that time weiglied 175 pounds, but when discharged from the hospital, in October, 1865, was reduced to 121 pounds. Coming Northi saved his life, but the army life cost him liis liealth. He now belongs to the G. A. R. post at Neills- ville. He has been a Republican all his life, and is a believer in the Bennett school law. He also believes this to be the best nation in the world, and Wisconsin one of the best States, and no man need want that will work and save liis earnings.
HEODORE LA BUDDE, Neillsville, Wisconsin, was born in Germany, De- cember 25, 1851, and came to America with his father in 1858. His father settled at Plymouth, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, becoming one of the pioneer farmers of that place. He had a family of five children, all of whom are living. At the age of twenty- one years Theodore started out in life for himself, and since that time has been vari- ously employed. February 10, 1877, he was united in marriage with Sarah Bringelson, a native of Plymouth, Sheboygan County, Wis- consin. Four daughters have been born to
L. M. Gallaher
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them. Mr. La Budde is a member of the K. of HI. and the K. of P.
W. GALLAHER .- Among thie enter- prising citizens of Neillsville, Wiscon- sin, we find the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, and who is an expert ma- chinist and operates a planing and saw inill. IIe was born in Litchfield County, Connecti- cnt, April 19, 1831, son of J. M. and Maria Gallaher, natives of a West India island. His father was a woolen manufacturer in Con- nectient. They moved to Medina County, Ohio, when L. W. was seven years old, and he obtained his education in the common schools of Ohio. There are eight children in the family, scattered in different States. The father and inother were Wesleyan Meth- odists, and the father a Whig and an Aboli- tionist. His death occurred in Warsaw, In- diana, and he is buried there.
The subject of our sketch assisted his father in the factory nntil he was eighteen years old, and by that time had acquired a knowledge of machinery. Then he was en- gaged in running engines for six years. By 1853 he had saved up $200. He came to Warsaw, Indiana, and opened a planing-mill and door factory, which he operated success- fully for three or four years. He was united in marriage to Abigail Baker, a native of Kosciusko County, Indiana, and they have had seven children, namely: Nelson E., Elma W., Carrie P., Charles S., Earl L., Owen V., Reuben H. Mr. and Mrs. Gallaher are active workers as members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, contributing liberally to its charities. This worthy couple are devoted Christians and exemplary citizens, and have the satisfaction of knowing their children
are following the example set them, and are receiving a good education.
Mr. Gallaher came to Jackson County, Wisconsin, in 1868, and in 1871 came to Clark County, settling in Neillsville, and for a year was interested in the Hub Mannfac- turing Company. That, however, proved unsuccessful, and he came to his present location and started his planing-mill and sash and door factory. In 1880 he was burned out, and the following year he re- built. He is now doing a successful business and employs a number of hands. Mr. Gal- laher is a member of the I. O. O. F., and has been for twenty-eight years.
YLVANUS S. WARNER, of section 27, Thorp Township, Clark County, was born in Jefferson County, New York, April 1, 1846, the son of Stephen A. (deceased) and Elizabeth (Sweet) Warner. The father, a farmer by occupation, was a native of Montgomery County, New York. The parents had eleven children, five now living: Jonathan B., William S., James A., Anna and Sylvanus.
Mr. Warner, the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm, and received a cominon- school education in his native county. He was a soldier in the late war, in Company F, Twentieth New York Cavalry, and served two years and three days. In January, 1869, he came to Junean County, Wisconsin, set- tling eight miles south of Mauston, where he resided until May, 1874, and in that year came to his present farm. His was the first wagon to go through from Neillsville to Chippewa Falls; his nearest postoffice was Edson, in Chippewa Connty, abont eleven miles distant. While living in Junean County he plowed the ground where the city
16
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of Elroy now stands. He settled in this connty among Indians and wild animals, and the former had a large pow-wow dance near his place, in which over 200 participated. He now owns a fine farm of fifty-six acres, thirty of which is cleared, where he is en- gaged in general farming.
Mr. Warner was married October 20, 1866, to Phœbe J. Warden, who was born in Jef- ferson County, New York, the danghter of Darius Warden, deceased. They have five children, namely: Bill, Abi, Lizzie, Lewie and Susie. Abi was married to Otto Even- son, and has one child-Ernest. Mr. War- ner was a member of the Town Board of Thorp when it was first organized, and has also been School Clerk and School Treasurer. He is a member of the G. A. R.
ENRY V. JERALD, of section 32, Thorp Township, Clark County, was born in Wilmer Township, Herkimer County, New York, July 30, 1836, the son of William Jerald, deceased, a native of Yorkshire, England, who came to the United States when a young man. He was an English soldier, and was sent to Kingston, Canada, and from that city, with others, de- serted and came to the States. He settled in Herkimer County, and in 1839 removed to Jefferson County, same State, and settled in Theresa Township, where Henry V. was reared to farm life and educated in the com- mon schools, and also in the Academy of Theresa. Before the war he sailed on the lakes several years, after which he went to Branch County, Michigan. He was a soldier in the late war, in Company G, Ninth Michi- gan Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battle of Murfreesborongh, where he was captured and taken to Winchester, Tennessee,
but was paroled after two days. After the war Mr. Jerald returned to Jefferson County, New York, and the following spring (1866) resumed sailing on the lakes. In the fall of 1876 he came to Juneau County, Wisconsin; in the fall of 1878 to this county, and the next spring settled on his present farm of eighty acres, thirty of which he has since cleared.
He was married August 13, 1863, to Hes- ter A. Wright, who was born in St. Lawrence County, New York, the daughter of William Wright, deceased. They have had two chil- dren: Alice B. and Mary E. The former married Marttelo Warner, of this county, and has three children: Grace, Peter and Will- iam. Mary died January 16, 1889, at the age of twenty-two years. She was married to Jerome B. Carkins, who lives with Mr. Jerald. She left three children: Henry B., Iva B. and William O. Mr. Jerald has served as Town Clerk one year, Justice of the Peace two years, and School Clerk onc year. Politically he is a Republican.
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ATTHEW K. PYNN, a prominent farmer of Jackson County, was born in Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, May 25, 1827, the son of Edward Pynn, who was born in Muscato, same country, March 29, 1804. He came to this country Jnne 6, 1849, locating in Waukesha County, Wis- consin. He followed the life of a sailor in Newfoundland for twenty years, after which he followed various other pursuits, and also held several minor offices in his county. He died in Waukesha County, at the age of seventy-two years. He was a well-to-do man, and was a member of the Episcopalian Church. His father, Thomas Pymm, was a native of the same country, and was also a
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sailor all his life. Onr subject's mother, nee Anna Karney, was born in Harbor Grace in 1806, and died at the age of eighty years, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. She was the danghter of Matthew and Anna (Garland) Karney, the former a native of England, and the latter of Ireland, and both died at an ad- vanced age. The father was a merchant and ship-owner, and was a very prominent man. Mr. and Mrs. Pynn were the parents of thirteen children, viz .: Mattliew K., Edwin J., Angelena, George, Edward, Julia, Kath- rine, Anna, Mary, Arnold, Frances, and one who died in infancy. Edward J. and Julia are now deceased.
Matthew K., their eldest child, was reared and educated on a farm in Harbor Grace, and in 1843 began life as a sailor, and made six voyages, seal hunting on the coast of Labra- dor, and spent three snminers on the coast of Labrador, coasting and trading among the Esquimaux. In 1849 he came to this coun- try with his father, locating in Waukesha, Wisconsin. In 1852 he went to what is now called Waushara, where he took up a claim and afterward returned home to help his father harvest, but while he was away somne parties "jumped " his claim, and he became disgusted and never returned to it again. He remained with his father most of the time until 1855, when he came to Jackson County, locating in the town of Melrose, where he worked in a saw-mill until 1860. In that year he bought sixty acres of land.
August 11, 1862, lie enlisted at North Bend as a private in the late war, in Company C, Thirtiethi Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was first ordered to St. Louis, where they joined the Sully expedition against the Sioux. They went up the Missouri River and helped to build Fort Rice. From the month of September, 1864, Mr. Pynn kept a diary of his important marches, thus: " September
11, marclied eighteen miles, and camped on Cannon-Ball River, without tents. Septem- ber 12, one wagon and a yoke of cattle were sent back to Fort Rice; marched eighteen miles and camped on Prairie Creek. Sore feet was the general complaint, and several of the boys gave out. September 13, marched twenty miles on Muddy Run, and September 14 marched fifteen miles and camped on Cannon-Ball River, where the cavalry killed some buffalo. September 15, marched twenty- one miles; camped on Bad Creek, in an In- dian town named Wauka-paw-sechia. Sep- tember 16, Indians surprised our camp, and ran off sixteen horses. Again inarched twenty miles, and camped on Cannon-Ball River. September 17, marched fifteen miles; September 18, eighteen miles, with neither wood nor water, and eighteen oxen gave out. September 19, inarched eighteen miles, and saw many signs of Indians. September 20, broke camp at four o'clock A. M., marched twenty miles, and arrived at Captain Fisk's Corral. Captain Fisk had been captured by the Indians, and we were then going to his rescue, in which we succeeded, and took him back to Fort Rice. There we found orders from the War Department to build flat-boats and go down the river to St. Louis, thence to St. Joe, Missouri, next to Quincy, and then to Louisville. In December we were ordered to the battle of Nashville, where we were held in reserve."
Mr. Pynn received his discharge August 24, 1865, at Madison, Wisconsin. After the war Mr. Pynn commenced work on his farm at Melrose, where he now owns 185 acres in sections 22, 27 and 28, residing in the latter section. He carries on general farming and stock-raising, but gives especial attention to the rearing of Poland-China hogs. Politi- cally he is a Republican, and was the first Constable elected in Melrose. He is also
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a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
He was married February 24, 1854, to Phœbe A. Bullock, who was born in Attica, New York, in 1829, the danghter of Ebenezer and Huldah Bullock, natives of Wyoming County, New York. They came to Jackson County, Wisconsin, in an early day, where they subsequently died. Mrs. Pynn died at about forty-five years of age, leaving six chil- dren, namely: Eva, Carrie, Alice, Charlie, Anna and Lyle. Eva, Alice and Anna are now deceased. August 16, 1882, Mr. Pynn married Martha Robinson, who was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, the daugh- ter of John and Mary Robinson, natives of Maryland. They came to Greene County, Wisconsin, where the mother died. After her death the father came to Jackson County, where he also died.
AVID CARPENTER, deceased, late of section 28, Withee Township, Clark County, was born near Buffalo, New York, November 18, 1827, the son of Joseph Carpenter, also deceased, a native of the same place. The father was a soldier in the war of 1812. David was reared to farm life, and received his education in the common schools of his native State. At the age of eighteen years he came to Chemung Township, Mc- Henry County, Illinois. In July, 1857, he removed to Black River Falls, where he worked in the saw-mills and also on the river until he came to this county, in June, 1871. He took a homestead of 120 acres, and in June of the following year brought his fam- ily to this place, where they still reside. He worked in the lumber camps during the win- ters, and was engaged in clearing his land and farming in the summers. Mr. Carpenter
has held the office of Assessor two years, Justice of the Peace two terms, and was a member of the School Board several years. He was also a member of the A. O. U. W.
He was married in McHenry County, Illi- nois, June 20, 1851, to Miss Rhoda P. Stiles, who was born in Franklin County, Vermont, January 21, 1836, the daughter of Samuel Stiles, deceased. They had seven children, five of whom are now living, namely: Elsie, now Mrs. Marshall; Cynthia, who married Mr. Poppe; Harriet, Edgar and Howard. The last three are now living with their mother on the old homestead. The father died November 16, 1882, and was buried in Black River Falls. His son Edgar is an en- terprising young man, and bids fair for future prosperity. He was born in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, May 8, 1871, and was brought to this connty when an infant, where he received but limited educational ad- vantages. He now works in the pineries during the winters, and works on the home- stead in the summers.
F. BRAULIN, merchant, Neillsville, Wisconsin, was born in Syracuse, New York, May 12, 1850. His father was born in France, and his mother in New York State. In his father's family were ten children, he being the seventhi born. At the early age of thirteen years he began working in the lumber woods of Brown County, Wisconsin, receiving $30 per month. At the age of sixteen, in 1866, he took a trip up the Mississippi River, and ran a ferry on Lake Pepin. Returning to Brown County, he learned the blacksmith's trade there in 1867, and worked at it until eight years ago, when he engaged in the mercantile business at Neillsville. He is buying and selling pine
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saw-logs and timber, and has a general iner- chandise store, and by fair and honest deal- ings has worked up an extensive trade.
In 1870 Mr. Braulin was married, in Wrightstown, Wisconsin, to Ollie R. Taylor, danghter of Benjamin Taylor, a farmer of Brown County. She received her education in the common schools. They have four chil- dren, namely: Ida M., Sadie, Lester F. and William H. H., all receiving good educational advantages. Mr. Branlin began married life with limited means. The first year he worked for $28 per month, and saved up $80. With that, in 1872, he started a blacksmith shop at Green's Mill, where he was successfully engaged for two years; then he bought a barn and ran it for three years; sold and moved to Greenleaf, Brown County; went into the machinery and wagon manufacture for four years, then sold out and moved to Neillsville. As the years went by he accu- mulated a snug little sum of money, with which he purchased an eighty-acre farm in Brown County. Mr. Braulin is associated with the I. O. O. F. at Neillsville. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.
ILLIAM T. MURRAY, one of the leading business men of Jackson County, has been identified with tlie interests of Black River Falls since the year 1857. His father, William M. Murray, was a native of Huntingdon County, Pennsyl- vania. He married Miss Hannah Price, daugliter of William Price, and sister of the Hon. William T. Price. The family removed to Black River Falls in 1857, and one year later went to Iowa, locating near Davenport; thence they moved to Iowa City, where the inother died; the father then returned to Davenport, where he died at the age of sixty-
four years; there were eight sons born to these worthy parents, all of whom, excepting one, grew to maturity.
William T. Murray was born in Hunting- don Connty, Pennsylvania, in 1838, and is the second born. The first employment he had after coming to Wisconsin was acting as stage agent for William T. Price and Hugh Doug- las. About this time Mr. Douglas was elected Treasurer of Jackson County, and placed Mr. Murray in charge of the business con- nected therewith; the latter was still under age, but he occupied this position for a period of two years, and at the end of that time entered the law office of C. R. Johnson as a student. After a time he determined to see more of the country lying west, and he ac- cordingly went to Sioux City, Iowa, which was then a frontier town. Finding the oppor- tunities for advancement not so good as in Black River Falls he returned to that place, and again took up his studies with Mr. Jolın- son; when the latter gentleman was elected to tlie State Legislature Mr. Murray had en- tire control of the business.
In the spring of 1861 he abandoned the legal profession and entered the employ of D. J. Spaulding, with whom he remained for a period of eighteen years; in the beginning he received the munificent salary of $16 per montlı, but in process of time, by his ener- getic labors and faithful performance of duty in behalf of his employer, his position was advanced and his salary increased in accor- dance with his responsibilities.
In 1862 he was appointed Deputy-Provost Marshal of Clark County, the duties of which office did not encroach upon his regu- lar business. In connection with the salaried position which he occupied he formed a part- nership with Mr. Spaulding and M. B. War- ner in the lumber business, the firm being Warner, Murray & Co. This relationship
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existed eleven years, when Messrs. Murray and Warner purchased the interest of Mr. Spanlding; soon after the partnership as it then existed was dissolved, and Mr. Murray continued alone until 1887; in that year he discontinued the part of the business which comes under the head of logging, but re- mained actively engaged in the lumber trade.
Mr. Murray owns about 8,000 acres of land, a portion of which has been cleared and placed under cultivation; he gives some at- tention to the raising of live-stock and has met with good success. In 1874 he entered into partnership with R. B. Jones in the hardware business at Black River Falls, and still owns his interests there. In 1884 he and his son, in company with Alexander Hys- lop of La Crosse and J. C. Bowden, entered into business relations for the purpose of carrying on the lumber trade, the firm being known as Bowden & Murray Lumber Com- pany. The wholesale office of this firm is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and they operate with a capital of $100,000
Mr. Murray is president of the Price Manufacturing Company, and has been since its organization; he is a stockholder and President of the First National Bank of Black River Falls. The facts here given are sufficient to show that our subject is a inan of superior business qualifications; he is a man of absolute integrity of character, and socially and financially ranks with the leading inen of the connty. He has served on the County Board for five years, four years of the time being chairman; he has been a member of the City Council, and of the School Board, and is deeply interested in the moral, religious and educational growth of the people.
Mr. Murray was united in marriage to Miss Sarahı E. Cutts, a daughter of Rev. William H. and Anna Cutts, natives of Eng-
land. Mrs. Murray was born at Bellville, New Jersey, and removed to Wisconsin with her brother-in-law, Jeremy Taylor, a well- known citizen of Jackson County. Mr. and Mrs. Murray are the parents of seven children, two deceased: William P., Anna, Margaret, Julia and Theodore. Anna is the wife of Pliny Jones of this county. In 1879 the family was called to mourn the death of the wife and mother, which occurred De- cember 17.
NDREW PETERSON, of section 10, Eaton Township, Clark County, was born in Central Norway, June 12, 1846, a son of Peter Olson (deceased), a na- tive of the same country, who came to the United States in 1872. Ile was born in 1801, and died in 1885. Our subject's mother, nee Mary Olson, was also born in Norway, in 1804, and died in Greenwood prior to her husband's death. They were the parents of five children: Elias, Ole, Hannah, Carl (deceased) and Andrew.
The subject of this sketch came to the United States in 1868, stopping the first summer in Black River Falls, but in Octo- ber of the same year removed to Neillsville, where he remained fifteen years, engaged at the shoemaker's trade. He came to his pres- ent farm of sixty-one acres in 1883, and has since cleared thirty acres. He has one of the best farms in the county, the soil being of a sandy loam, which produce immense crops. Mr. Peterson was married June 11, 1870, to Olive Isaacson, who was born in Norway, the daughter of Isaac Isaacson, deceased. Of their six children, four are still living: Maria, Albert, Edward and Isabelle. Maria is now teaching in the town of Withee, two miles west of Withee Station. The mother
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died August 3, 1879, and both she and her linsband were members of the Lutheran Church Politically Mr. Peterson is a Re- publican, and has also been an active mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., in both the subordi . nate and encampinent lodges, for many years. Hle became identified with the subordinate lodge at Neillsville in the winter of 1871- '72, and has been an active member ever since, having transferred his membership to Greenwood in the summer of 1890.
ARTIN MATHISON, of section 12, Eaton Township, Clark County, was born in Norway, October 29, 1838, the son of Arnold Mathison, de- ceased, a native of the same country. He was a seafaring inan, and was lost at sea when our subject was three months old. He was reared and educated in the city of Trondhjem, where he learned and followed the potter's trade. In 1861 he came to Can- ada, remaining until the fall of 1862, when he went to Manistee County, Michigan, and worked in the pineries eight months. In 1863 he came to Black River Falls, Wiscon- sin, where he worked in the saw-mills and also in the woods until 1870, and in that year came to Warner Township, this county, and worked in the woods that winter. In 1871 he removed to Loyal Township, where he commenced to open a farm, but in 1882 came to his present place, which was then covered with timber. He now owns forty acres, twenty-six of which is cleared.
Mr. Mathison was married May 20, 1863, to Caroline Sewaldson, a native of Norway, and they have six children: Mary C., Annie, Henry, John C., Benjamin and Albert. Mary was married to Wilbert Stoneburner, of this city, and has four children: Inez,
Bertha, Harry and Elsie. Mr. Mathison was Postmaster of Loyal, and is now a Di- rector of the School Board of this city. Re- ligiously he is a member of the Lutheran Church, and politically a Republican.
OBERT DOUGLAS, a farmer of Jack- 25 son County, was born in Kirkendbright- shire, Scotland, August 30, 1815, the son of Thomas Donglas, who was also born in Scotland, in the year 1787. In 1844 he came to this country, locating in Jackson County. Wisconsin, where the town of Mel- rose nów is. He was a cattle-buyer by occu- pation. He subsequently went to Clark County, this State, where he died at about the age of sixty-five years. His father was also born in Scotland, and died there at the age of 100 years. He was a farmer by occu- pation, and was a very prominent man. Our subject's mother, Jane (Dalryple) Douglas, was born in Scotland in 1787, and died there at an advanced age. They were the parents of eleven children, viz .: John, James, Will- iam, Jane, Robert, Hugh, Thomas, Isabella, David, George and Mark. All are deceased but William, Robert, Hugh and Mark.
The subject of this sketch, the fifth child, was reared and educated in his native coun- try. In 1837 he came to the United States, locating in Jackson County, Wisconsin, in the spring of 1840, and at that time he and Jacob Spaulding were the only white men in the county. In 1842 he built a saw-mill, which proved a failure on account of not having sufficient water-power. In the fall of the same year he took a claim at North Bend, and also built a mill there, using the machinery in the old mill. With his brother Thomas, and brother-in-law, Jason Walker, he ran this mill until 1854, when Mr. Dong-
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