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 28
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 28
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by trade, and was a man of considerable edu- cation. He was married March 10, 1865, to Mary Lyle, who was born in Harrison County, Ohio, April 1, 1843. the daughter of William and Jane (Lewis) Lyle, the for- mer a native of Ohio and the latter of Eng- land. The father was a blacksmith by occupation. He died in Harrison County, Ohio, at an advaneed age; the mother is still living, at the age of seventy-three years. Mr. and Mrs. McNab had two children,- John W., boru January 22, 1866, and Alex- ander J., October 7, 1874. The father died October 15, 1886, and the mother, with the aid of her sons, manage their fine farmi of 160 acres, which lies in sections 13, 23 and 24, Irving Township. They carry on farming and stoek-raising, and also own eighty acres in Manchester Township.
ILLIS K. ARMITAGE, of section 13, range 2, Weston Township, Clark County, was born in Dodge County, Wisconsin, January 1, 1851, the son of Jo- seph and Mary (Sykes) Armitage, both na- tives of Laneanshire, England. The father came to the United States about 1842, and is now living in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Of their eleven children, seven are still living, viz .: Thomas, Sykes, Joseph, Robert, Phœbe, Willis and Franees, all of whoin are married. Our subject was reared on a farm and edu- eated in the common schools of his native eounty. He came to this county in the fall of 1882, settling on his present farm, which was then a dense woods. He eleared thirty aeres, and afterward bought forty aeres, fif- teen cleared, and now owns 160 acres in all.
Mr. Armitage was married January 1, 1874, to Susannalı Timerson, a daughter of Jacob and Eliza (Millholland) Timerson, and
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they have three children,-Rosa Belle (de- ceased), Willis, Josiah and Robert Bruce. Mr. Armitage was a member of the Town Board one year, and is now serving his second term as Town Treasurer. Mrs. Armitage is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
OBERT McCALVY, of section 25, Eaton Township. Clark County, was born in Ireland, August 29, 1827, the son of Patrick and Mary (Reed) McCalvy. The parents crossed the ocean when our sub- ject was an infant, and settled at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and then in 1843 settled on Government land eight miles from Milwan- kee, Waukesha County, where the father died in 1887, at the age of eighty-five years. The parents had eight children, all of whom are deceased but our subject and a sister, Mary Mead, of Auburn, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. The mother died in 1846. Two brothers, Thomas and Albert J., were mem- bers of Company A, Seventh Wisconsin In- fantry; both were wounded at the battle of Gettysburg. Thomas died from his wound, and Albert recovered and was returned to his command, and was killed in the battle of Petersburg.
The subject of this sketchi received his education principally by studying at home. Since his marriage lie has been engaged more or less at the carpenter's trade, bnt farming is his principal industry. He was a soldier in the late war, in Company G, Four- teenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battles of Fort De Russy, Louisiana, Pleasant Hill Landing, Cloutier- ville, Cane River, Marksville, Yellow Bayon, Tupelo, Mississippi, Camargo Cross Roads, Old Town Creek, Augusta, Arkansas, Naslı - ville, Tennessee, Spanish Fort, Alabama, and
Fort Blakely. He never received a scratch, and was discharged as color guard. He endured many hardships, but remained to the close of the war. He kept a diary of events during his services.
After the war he lived in Fond du Lac County until 1868, when he came to this county, settling on his present farm of 160 acres, which was then covered with heavy timber, mostly hard-wood. He afterward cleared sufficient space to build a house and garden, where he was surrounded by Indians and wild animals. The former would camp near him and kill game, and always brought venison to his family. There were but tive houses between him and Neillsville, a dis- tance of fourteen miles, and there was but one house in Greenwood, and one in Loyal. Mr. McCalvy and wife had six children when they first came to the county, where they lived in a log cabin with puncheon floor and shake roof. He still owns the original 160 acres, but has since cleared eighty acres, and now lias fine barns and other improvements.
He was married January 14, 1849, to Anna L. Rector, a daughter of John and Margaret (Shutter) Rector. Mrs. McCalvy was born in Albany, New York, March 4, 1825. They have six children, namely: Adelia E., Goorge E., Soplironia A., Mar- garet M., Thomas J. and Albert M., all of whom are married and have children. Mr. McCalvy is a Republican politically, and a strong supporter of the " little school- house," and believes in standing by it. He attended a reunion of his regiment in Mil- waukee in August, 1889, and mnet many of his old comrades, and received a photograph of the assembled veterans on that occasion, and also a record of their names and ad- dresses, and an account of the proceedings. His regiment captured a large cannon at Shiloh, and the General gave it to the regi-
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ment. It is taken to all the reunions, and is kept in Madison. Socially Mr. MeCalvy is a member of the G. A. R. Post, and also of the I. O. O. F. Mr. and Mrs. McCalvy are members of the Presbyterian Church.
FRANKLIN PRATT, Clerk of Eaton Township, Greenwood, was born in Warren County, New York, Septem- ber 21, 1862, the son of Edwin T. Pratt, of Greenwood. The parents came to this county in January, 1885, locating at Christie. Our subject went to Madison, where he attended the Northwestern Business College two seasons, graduating at that institution July 13, 1888. He then returned to his parents, they having removed to Greenwood during his absence, and has worked with his father mostly since that time. He was elected Town Clerk April 4, 1890. He also owns forty acres of land in York Township. Polit- ically he is in.dependent, voting for the man rather than the party. When he first came to Wisconsin he entered into partnership with his father in farming, which continued three years, and during that time he also attended college during the winters of 1888- '89. He spent two winters in the pineries of Wisconsin, and is an enterprising and public-spirited young mall.
Edwin T. Pratt, the father of the above, and a grocer at Greenwood, was born in Warren County, New York, March 16, 1838, the son of Thomas Pratt (deceased), a native of the same State. The latter is a son of Jededialı Pratt, of English ancestry, who was a soldier in the war of 1812. Edwin Pratt received his education in the common schools of Bolton, in his native county, after which he was engaged in farming until January, 1884, when he kept a store and also ran a
livery. Hle then came to Weston Township, this county, where he was engaged in farm- ing until 1888, in which year he came to Greenwood. He built a large store room, with a half above, and engaged in his present business, keeping tobacco, cigars, flour, meal, etc., and has since added groceries. Ile was married, December 18, 1858, to Betsey Ann, daughter of Nathaniel Middleton (deceased); she was born in Warrensburg, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt had seven children, five of whom still survive, viz .: Charles H., George F., Anjanette, Hyland and Minnie. Charles was married to Jane Burdick, and lives in Greenwood, this county, and has two children: Pearl and Lura. Anjanette mar- ried Joseph Covey, of Christie, this county, and they have two children: Howard and Hattie. Mr. Pratt was Collector in Warren County, New York ; also Constable six years in the same county and State; is Justice of the Peace in Weston Township, this county, and was Deputy Town Clerk of Eaton School District many years; and was also Director of the School Board at Christie one terin. Religiously Mrs. Pratt is a member of the Methodist Church; and politically Mr. Pratt is a Democrat.
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OHIN STEWART, real estate and insur- ance agent at Greenwood, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, October 2, 1844, the son of John Stewart (deceased), a native of the same country. The latter was a foreman in a Bond and Free Warehouse at Glasgow many years. The subject of this sketelt came to Peterboro County, Canada, in 1857; in 1864 went to Detroit, Michigan; and in 1866 came to this county, where he was en- gaged in the logging camps sixteen years. He also drove logs twenty seasons, and
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farmed during the summer for eigliteen years. He now owns 1,400 acres of land, 110 acres of which is cleared and is rented to tenants.
Mr. Stewart was married, November 27, 1870, to Clara McMahon, a daughter of John McMahon, of this city. They had ten chil- dren, only four of whom survive, viz .: John A., David, Bernice and Elizabeth. Mr. Stewart has been Chairman of the Town Board several years; lias hield the office of Assessor two years; Treasurer one year; and a member of the School Board many years. He is an energetic and public-spirited man, and takes a great interest in the growth and development of the county, botli morally and educationally. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and is an ardent supporter of the Republican party. Greenwood is an incorported city, and Mr. Stewart was clected its first Supervisor.
HOMAS R. BEGLEY, proprietor of tlic La Belle House, Greenwood, was born in Wolford Township, Province of Quebec, Canada, August 19, 1862, the son of William H., who emigrated from Canada to this county in 1869, settling in Greenwood. Here our subject lias since re- inained, excepting during the years 1881-'82, when in Montana. While in that State he worked eight months in the placer mines at Helena, and also in the yards of the La Belle Lumber County, at Bntte four months. Re- turning to this State in October, 1882, Mr. Begley commenced lumbering, and was also engaged in driving logs. He engaged in his present business in August, 1890, and now has a first-class hotel. He is a member of the I. (). O. F., and on national questions a Republican.
He was married, July 9, 1884, to Melissa Reesman, a daughter of Philip Reesman, of Alına Center, Jackson County, Wisconsin. They have four children: Nina, Marion, Clella and Harold. The wife died April 13, 1891, a member of the W. C. T. U., and after her death a memorial service was held at which resolutions were passed, and a copy of them was furnished to the bereaved family. The local press, in speaking of her death, says: "She started to attend the evening services at the Baptist Church, into the fellowship of which she was shortly to be baptized, but returned sick, before reaching there. Dr. Buland was at once called, but medicine seemed uscless, and in spite of his hope and skill she died in the morning. Her husband, who was foreman on the drive for Colman, was summoned at once, as was also her father's family, from Alma Center. All arrived in time for the last sad services and tributes of respect, which were held in the Methodist chapel, Rev. Pettingill, the Bap- tist pastor, officiating. Though she died at the age of twenty-five, after a married life of but seven years, she leaves behind her as monuments of her love, her devotion and her virtues, four children. The world lives not by the greatuess of its men but by the devotion and virtue of its inothers. Thoughi her life was short and less eventful than inany, yet the good fruit of it shall abide ever in the hearts of all who knew her."
AON. W. HARRISON MEAD, of sec- tion 3, Warner Township, Clark County, was born in Dutchess County, New York, November 19, 1833, the son of Van Renslear (deceased) and Margaret (Marshall) Mead, both natives of New York. Our sub- ject's grandfather, Moses Mead, was a soldier
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in the war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Mead, had ten children, viz .: Egbert, Martha, Will- iam, Nathan, Van Renslear, Moses, Caroline George and Daniel. The mother died about twenty years ago, and the father was again married, and by this union there were four children: Aaron, Arvilla, Lydia and Frank. The father died in December, 1881.
The subject of this sketch, the eldest child, spent the first twelve years of his life on the old homestead in his native county. In 1845 the family emigrated to Jefferson County, Wisconsin, settling in Watertown Township, where Mr. Mead attended the public schools three months, and also worked on the farm in the summer. During the last year of the war he was in the United States service, engaged in putting up telegraph lines in Western Virginia. In 1865 he came to this county and settled on his present farm of 160 acres, which was then covered with heavy timber. There were only three farms opened between this place and Neillsville, and they were the George Huntzicker and Cummings farms. There was not a road or turnpike in the county at that time, and Neillsville con- tained but 200 people, one hotel and two stores. There was no settlement at Green- wood, and wild animals and Indians were numerous, the latter being of the Chippewa tribe. Some trappers stopped with the loggers where Mr. Mead was working, and caught over $1,000 worth of furs in about two months. A man named David Smith came into their camp in the winter of 1866-'67, and in six weeks caught $600 worth of furs. Mr. Mead hunted about five years during the fall of the year, after coming to this county, and killed about forty deer each fall, and also killed a few bear and inany wild-cats. Our subject owns 1,920 acres of land, mostly hard-wood timber land, of which 260 acres is cleared.
He was married July 4, 1861, to Julia A. Smith, who was born in Herkimer County, New York, May 26, 1842, the daughter of Christopher (deceased) and Betsy (l'edricks) Smith; the latter now lives with Mr. Mead, at the age of eighty-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Mead havo had seven children, six of whom are now living: Frank A., Clara, Helen, Harry, Angus and Philo. Clara married Allen Armstrong, of Greenwood, this county, and they have two children, Glen and Margery. Frank is an express messenger on the O. R. N. Railroad in Ore- gon. The remainder are at home. Mr. Mead has been chairman of the Town Board here seven years, and is the present incum- bent, and during two years of this time he was chairman of the County Board. He is a member of the Masonic, I. O. O. F. and tho A. O. U. W. lodges.
ATRICK H. SHEEHAN, of section 22, Clark County, was born in Peter- boro, Ontario, April 11, 1838, the sou of Patrick Sheehan, a native of Ireland, who came with his parents to Canada West in the Robinson emigration. He died there Angust 13, 1889, at the age of ninety-five years; his motlier lived to the age of 115 years! Our subject's parents had ten children, seven of whom are still living, namely: John, Bridget, Patrick, Mary, Catharine, Ellen and Johanna.
Mr. Sheehan came to La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1864, and at once began work in the woods in this county during the winter months, and was engaged in driving logs during the summer. He has been in logging camps thirty-seven winters, including the time in Canada, and has driven logs thirty- five smniners. He came to Greenwood in the fall of 1874, where he lived until July
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1884, when he came to his present farm of 200 acres, forty acres of which is cleared.
Mr. Sheehan was married September 16, 1874, to Caroline Mead, a daugliter of Van Renslear Mead, and they have three children, two of whom are now living-Francis Ritha and Mary Edna. Mr. Sheehan has been As- sessor of his county for the past two years, and has litted the burden of taxes largely from the poor people, assessing the specula- tors as high as that of the poor man. He was a member of the Eaton Town Board for three years while in Greenwood. Politically he affiliates with the Democratic party.
ILLIAM H. BEGLEY, proprietor of the Begley House at Greenwood, was born near the city of Ottawa, Canada, May 1, 1837, the son of Thomas Begley (de- ceased), a native of County Longford, Ire- land, who came to Canada in 1831. Our subject's mother, nee Catharine Thompson, also a native of Ireland, was the danghter of General Jolın Thompson, au officer in the English army, who took his family with him for many years throughout the West Indies, etc.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the common schools of his na- tive place. In 1869 he came to Black River Falls, Jackson County, Wisconsin, where lie remained a few months, and then came to this county. Here he was engaged in running a hotel, and also kept a livery and feed stable. He has also been engaged in lumbering until two years ago, except during the years 1876- '81, when he was engaged in mining in Mon- tana. He worked in the placer mines in Mitchell Gulch, near Helena, and also worked for A. J. Davis in the quartz mills at Butte. Returning to this State in the spring of 1881,
lie resumed his old vocation, and now owns a large barn, hotel, and does an extensive busi- ness.
Mr. Begley was married November 29, 1845, to Margaret Reynolds, a daughter of William and Margaret Reynolds, both de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Begley have three children: Thomas R., George B. and Eliza. Mr. Begley is a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity, and politically is a Republican.
LIAS PETERSON, one of the pioneers of Greenwood, was born in Trondhjem, Norway, March 27, 1833, the son of Peter Olson, a native of the same place. Our subject came to the United States in 1870. Having learned the shoemaker's trade in the old country, he worked at it in Neillsville, this county, from June until the fali of 1871. He then came to Greenwood, where he also worked at his trade, having built the sixth house in the place. The village had just been platted that summer, and our subject bought the first lot after the platting. He followed lis trade here until 1886, when he engaged in general merchandising. During this time he had been burned out twice, the first time in 1878, and the second in 1885, and in the latter fire the village was destroyed.
Mr. Peterson was married in Norway, De- cember 27, 1860, to Miss Andrea Tranmel, a daugliter of Israel Tramnel, of Norway. They have had ten children, of whom six still survive, namely: Carrie, Marit, Sr., Marit, Jr., Peter, Anna E. and Ingeborg. The daughter, Ingeborg, died when seven years old, and the second Ingeborg was born one ' day after the former's death. Carrie mar- ried O. C. Johnson, of Eaton Township, and they have had eight children, of whom four are now living: Julia, Annie, Amelia and
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Carl O. Marit, Sr., married Simon Johnson, of Warner Township, and has four children: Josephine, Amanda E., Selma C. and Helga E. Marit, Jr., married Lars W. Larson, whose sketch appears in this work. Mr. Peterson was a member of the Town Board in 1877-'78, and has been Town Clerk for the past three years. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and the former is also a member of the 1. O. O. F. fraternity. Politically he is a Republican, and is an enterprising and public-spirited man. He owns a fine farm of 120 acres, forty acres of which is cleared, on section 26, range 2 west, Warner Township.
AMES BRYDEN, a prominent farmer, stock-raiser and lumberman of section 35, Warner Township, Clark County, was born in Queens County, Nova Scotia, July 17, 1841, the son of Robert (deceased) and Margaret (Freeman) Bryden, the former a native of Manchester, England, and the latter of Liverpool, Nova Scotia. The father came with his parents to the latter country when a boy; he was a farmer by occupation. Of their nine children, six still survive: James, Jolmı, David, William H., Letitia A. and llenrietta R. John and William H. are en- gaged in our subject's logging camps, of which they are superintendents. David is living in Phillips, Price County, Wisconsin. Letitia married William F. Mason, of Faulk- ton, North Dakota; Henrietta married Mar- tin Schivers, of Caledonia, Nova Scotia.
James Bryden came to Black River Falls in the fall of 1869, where he worked two winters for D. J. Spaulding, after which he became his foreman for six years, or until the latter failed. He then began log- ging for himself, in which he has ever since
continned. He removed to Greenwood in the fall of 1880, and in April, 1883, settled on his present place, which adjoins the town of Greenwood, and the next year built a fine frame residence. He owns 800 acres in this county, 125 of which is cleared, and the re- mainder is covered with hardwood timber, pine, etc. He runs three camps, and during the winters of 1888-'89 and '90, handled nearly 12,000,000 feet of logs each winter.
Mr. Bryden was married May 24, 1881, to Addie Armstrong, born in La Crosse, Wis- consin, the daughter of William J. Armstrong, of Ashland, Wisconsin. They have one child, Wales, born December 5, 1882. Mr. Bryden was Chairman of the Board of War- ner Township one terin, and is also a member of the A. O. U. W. He is one of the en- terprising and foremost citizens of Clark County, and is respected and loved by all who know him.
ARTIN V. HEATH, a farmer of York Township, Clark County, was born February 21, 1836, the second son of Jehiel and Rebecca Heath, of St. Lawrence County, New York. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Sixth New York Infantry. Being placed in the Army of the Potomac, he participated in the battles of the Wilderness and in many minor engagements. In April, 1865, he was in the charge at Petersburg. He was never wounded, although he had two very narrow escapes, one ball knocking an ear-ring ont and another striking the "U. S." on his cartridge-box, with force enough to stagger him. In all he was in seventeen engage- ments. Was laid up in the hospital only by rheumatism one winter. Ile was mustered out on the last of June, 1865. A year or so
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later he came West, and immediately located on a farm in the town of York, which was then a part of the town of Weston, in Clark County. He has since been engaged in farm- ing, until abont a year ago, when he becanie a resident of Wood County, just over the line, still retaining an interest in lands in Clark County.
He has been married twice; first, to Miss Rodella Winnie, August 9, 1862, and subse- quently to Mrs. Sevilla L. Williams, nee Peck, Jannary 2, 1880. By hier former mar- riage she had three children: George P., born December 5, 1852; Frank H., February 8, 1868, and May A., March 9, 1873. The eldest son is married and lives on a farm in Clark County, and the second son is living with him. The daughter is a member of the household of Mr. and Mrs. Heath. Mrs. Heath's first husband was in Company M, First Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, and served eleven months, to the close of the war. Mr. Heath is a pensioner, and Mrs. Heath is en- titled to arrears pension for his dependent children, and is taking steps to secure it.
ENRY W. YANKEE, a farmer of sec- tion 8, township 24, range 1 east, was born December 26, 1844, in Hamilton, Canada, the fourth son in a family of six sons and one daughter. Their father, a year after his marriage, emigrated from near Stettin, Prussia. He was a tailor by trade, but did not follow that vocation innch after coming to America, devoting more of his time to agriculture. His eldest son, Frederick, was born in Prussia; August, James and Henry were born in Canada; and Ernest, Herman and Rosa in Washington Connty, this State. Frederick enlisted for
the Union in the late war, in Company I, Fourteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, in 1861, and during service was taken sick and placed in a hospital, where he died. Rosa came to Clark County with the family, grew to womanhood, married Angust Reidle, and died at the age of twenty-two years.
Mr. Yankee's parents were Frederick and Frederica (Knoll) Yankee. The father came from Washington County, by way of Sparta, to Clark County, with his own conveyance, in company with the Kleinsmidtki and Ster- nitzkyi families. In the early life of these families there was much interchange and ac- commodation, as the Sternitzkyis and the Yankees settled on adjoining sections, while the Kleinsmidtkis were five miles away. No schools, no churches, no stores, no mills, no postoffice, no clearing, almost no neighbors, -- wonld be a description of the situation in 1854, when these pioneer families set foot in Clark Connty. Mr. Yankee purchased 480 acres of land, at the then Government price, $1.25 per acre. This formed what is now the homestead farm of 100 acres, occupied by Herman, eighty-six by Henry, seventy-four by James, and eighty by William; the rest has been sold. James, Henry, William and Herinan now reside in Clark County, Angnst in Ashland County, and Ernest was lost to the family at the age of fourteen years, as nothing has been heard of him since that time, nearly thirty years ago.
Mr. Yankee, whose name introduces this sketch, was married February 25, 1875, to Amelia Knoop, at Lynn, and they have four children, namely: Ernest H. W., born May 7, 1882; Arthur F. F., July 18, 1884; Martin E. F., April 27, 1886, and Lillian A., April 9, 1888. Mrs. Yankee was a daughter of Jacob and Louise Knoop, and was born Oe- tober 8, 1854. She had five brothers but no sister. The family are from Prussia, but she
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