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 41
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 41
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He has three children, namely: Abbie Ma- ria, born at Stockholm, New York, March 10, 1864; Sherman, born February 13, 1867, at the same place; and Gordon M., July 16, 1878, on the old homestead in Clark County; and Abbie Maria, who marricd George Harding September 8, 1880, and is the mo. ther of four children: Theron B., Edith, Ethel and Esther. Sherman married Lessie W. Heath, October 1, 1890.
ARL RICHELEU, a farmer of Green- wood, was born near Threunohjem, Nor- way, September 15, 1838, the son of C. N. Richeleu, deceased. Onr subject came to the United States in 1861, settling in Spring- field Township, Jackson County, Wisconsin, fifteen miles west of Black River Falls, on wild prairie land, where he was engaged in lumbering during the winter months, and in farming in the summer. He was drafted in the late war in the first draft in Wisconsin, in 1863, and served three months, having
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been discharged ou account of sickness. Ile came to this county in 1871, settling on his present farm on section 36, township 27, range 2, Warner Township, near Greenwood, which was at that time covered with heavy timber. He owns 120 acres, of which nearly seventy acres is cleared, where he is engaged in general farming and stock-raising.
Mr. Richeleu was married in Fehrnary, 1862, to Christena A. Christianson, a native of Norway. They have had seven children, four of whom are now living,-Theodore M., Christian C., Mary Ann and Charles. Chris- tian married Jennie Severson, and now re- sides in Warner Township. Mr. Richeleu was a member of the Town Board several years, of which he was Chairman one and a half years. He has been Road Overseer ten or twelve years; a member of the School Board several years, of which he is now a Di- rector. Religiously both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and politi- cally he is a Republican. He is an enter- prising and public-spirited citizen, taking a great interest in the growth and development of his county. IIe gives liberally to charit- able and benevolent purposes.
RSON CORNWELL .- Located on sec- tion 16, Pine Valley Township, is the elegant residence and productive farm of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Cornwell is one of the practical farmers of Clark County. He was born December 24, 1829, the son of Smith and Polly Cornwell, both natives of New York. IIis parents died and are buried in Jefferson County, that State. In 1850 Orson became an apprentice to the carpenter's trade. He was very industrious and economical, and by the time he was mar- ried had saved up $500. May 15, 1866, he
came to Wisconsin and liere continued work at his trade for some years, after which he turned his attention to farming.
December 24, 1857, Mr. Cornwell wedded Hannah Goodrich, who was born in Jefferson County, New York, August 19, 1835. Her paternal ancestors were English people. She was reared in her native State, is a lady of much education and culture, and takes an interest in literary matters. This union has been blessed with one child, Isabelle, a gradu- ate of the Neillsville High School. Mr. Cornwell's political views are in harmony with Republican principles. He is a member of the K. of II., and is a most worthy citizen. Mrs. Cornwell is a member of the W . C. T. U.
RANCIS M. IIARLOW, of section 33, Warner Township, Clark County, was born in Hastinge County, Upper Canada, July, 10, 1833, the son of Hezekiah and Julia A. (Weese) Harlow. The father was the son of John Harlow, a ship carpenter by trade, who came from England when a young man; the mother was a daughter of John Weese, of German ancestry. The parents had ten children, only three now living: Mary A., now Mrs. Hubbell, of Hastings County, Up- per Canada; Francis, our subject, and Charles E., who, if living, resides in New York State, bnt has not been heard from for several years.
The subject of this sketeli was reared to farm life, and educated in the common schools of his native county, where he also worked at the carpenter's trade. He came to this county from Canada in 1856, where he was subse- quently naturalized, and first voted for Fre- mont. IIe entered 160 acres of land one mile south of the village of Loyal in Loyal Town- ship, the same fall, but on account of sickness in his family he returned to Canada, and
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thereby lost his claim. He remained until 1865, when he came to Genesee' County, Michigan, bringing his family, and remained until the spring of 1868. Then, on account of his wife's sickness, he returned to Canada, and in June, 1872, removed to tlris county, settling on section 20, township 27, range 2 west. In the fall of 1874 lie settled on his present farnı of forty acres, thirty-two of which he has since cleared. He erected a fine frame honse, which was burned February 9,1882, and nearly every thing was consumed, with no insurance.
Mr. Harlow was married December 5, 1855, to Miriam Hubbell, a daughter of Barce (deceased) and Candace (Guernsey) Hubbell, the former a native of Upper Canada and the latter of Connecticut. Mrs. Harlow's uncle, Nehemiahı Hubbell, is eighty-two years of age, and still lives on the place where he was born, in Hastings County, Upper Canada, and is very wealthy. Mr. and Mrs. Harlow have had seven children, three of whom are How living: William W., George F. and Miriam E. William married Lonisa Hocks, lives in this township, and has one child, Dimple May. Both Mr. and Mrs. Harlow are members of the Baptist Church, the for- mer lraving united with that church over twenty-five years ago, and the latter when seventeen years old. Socially Mr. Harlow is a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity, and politically is a Republican.
ENRY HUNTZICKER, a farmer and stock-raiser of Eaton Township, Clark County, was born in Alsace, France, November 8, 1833, the son of Frederick (deceased), a native of the same province. Emigrating to the United States in 1853, he was first employed in woolen factories at
Wolcottville, Connecticut, and Plymouth, same State, until 1856, when he came to this county. The first year here he was employed by a man named Conrad in clearing a tract of land in Weston Township; and he also worked several winters in the pineries. He settled upon his present farm of 280 acres in 1862; it was then all in heavy timber; 100 acres is now cleared. A portion of his live- stock consists of Cotswold sheep and graded short-horn cattle. His brother George, of Neillsville, settled near him at the same time, and two years later his brother Jacob, who died June 7, 1888.
December 18, 1864, is the date of Mr. Huntzicker's marriage to Mary E. Waten- phill, a daughter of Philip Watenphull, deceased; slie was born in Prussia, Jannary 29, 1846. The children are John Henry, born January 1, 1867; Jacob William, No- vember 6, 1871; Albion C., May 3, 1874; Clara M., July 3, 1876, and Robert C., May 23, 1881. One sou, Elmer F., was scalded to death when three years old by falling in a pail of hot water. John H. married Miss Maria, daughter of John Nichol, of Eaton Township, and lives with lris father, the sub- ject of this sketch, carrying on a cheese fac- tory. Frederick Huntzicker, the father, liad seven children, four of whom are living. John is living on Long Island, New York, and Frederick is living in Alsace. Mrs. Huntzicker's parents had twelve children, six of each sex; eight are living: besides Mrs. Huntzicker, there are William, Adam, Henry, Philip, Katie, Anna and Julia. Their father died in Jackson County, Wisconsin, in December, 1883, where he had settled in 1867. The parents emigrated from Prus- sia to Washington Connty, Wisconsin, in 1846, when Mrs. Huntzicker was six months old, and they settled in the woods about thirty miles from Milwaukee, in which
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town they did their marketing. Mr. Waten- phull took his produce to that place in an ox wagon, requiring three days each way to make the journey.
The subject of this sketch has been a mem- ber of the Township Board, and Chairman of of the same at two different times; was Town- ship Treasurer six years; and member of the School Board for sixteen or eighteen years. In politics he is independent. He and his wife are Lutherans iu religious faith, but they attend the Presbyterian Church, as there is no Lutheran Church near.
ILLIAM HUNTLEY. of section 31, town 25, range 2, Weston Town- ship, Clark County, was born in Washington County, Wisconsin, March 25, 1848, the son of William Huntley (deceased), a native of Scotland, who came to Buffalo, New York, as early as 1841, and thence to Milwaukee in 1843. He was a shoemaker, and worked at his trade in this city for sev- eral years, or until his death, which occurred in August, 1853. Our subject's inother, whose maiden name was Mary Burks, was a native of Sheffield, England, and now lives on the old homestead near our subject, on section 29, this township. They were the parents of five children: Annie, Richard, William, John and Thomas. Annie and John live in Neillsville, Richard in Chippewa Falls and Thomas in La Crosse. William served in the late war in Company G, Fifty-first Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, remaining three months; and Richard was also in the war, in Battery D, First Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, serving three years.
Our subject came to this county in the fall of 1867 and worked in the pineries; returned to Milwaukee in the spring of 1863; and the
same spring came again to this conuty, set- tling on his present farm, which was then covered with heavy timber. He built a log house in which he lived until 1884, when he erected his present fine frame, 18 x 26 feet, two stories high, with an L 18 x 26, one and a half stories, at a cost of $1,000. He owns 100 acres of land here, sixty acres of which is cleared, and altogether lias about 18,000 acres in this county.
Mr. Huntley was married April 9, 1873, to Mary V. Newcomb, a daughter of Martin Newcomb, deceased; she came to this county in 1872. They have seven children, viz .: Elva R., Jolin W., Ellen R., Williain, Charles and Grover C. Elva is now attending the high school at Neillsville. Mr. Huntley has followed surveying for several years. He is now a candidate on the Democratic ticket for County Surveyor.
ENRY LA BOSSIER, a general mer- chant of Dorchester, was born in Frank- lin County, Vermont, December 14, 1851, the son of John and Idell (Martell) La Bossier, both natives of France. The father came to Canada when quite sınall, and after- ward settled in Central Fall, Rhode Island, where he still resides. They were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom still sur- vive, viz .: Joseph, Henry, Peter, Ealtirese, Hilliard, Melvina, Mary, Lawrence and Louis.
The subject of this sketch removed with his parents to St. Mary, Canada, in 1854, where he was reared on a farm, and educated in the French language. In November, 1868, he came to Janesville, Wisconsin, and worked as a farm hand nntil 1875, when he removed to Fond du Lac Connty, this State, and en- gaged in the boot and shoe business with J. Boulais. In April, 1876, they came to Dor-
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chester, where they engaged in their former business, and later in general merchandising and logging. In 1882 Mr. La Bossier bought his partner's interest, and has since continued alone. Ile carries a capital stock of $10,000, his annnal sales being from $20,000 to $24,000. He is also engaged in buying, pressing and shipping hay. Mr. La Bossier, was Postmaster here nearly four years, under Cleveland, but never seeks other public office.
He was married February 18, 1878, to Ida, daughter of Isaiah Roy, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. They have four children: Josephine, Melvina, Wilford and Eveline. Religionsly Mr. La Bossier is a member of the Catholic Church, and politically a Demo- crat.
RED A. LEE, Neillsville, Wisconsin, was born in Yorkshire, England, in September, 1828, and came to America with his father. There were eight children in the family, four of whom located in Wau- kesha County, Wisconsin. The father bought a tract of land there, which he cleared up and developed into a fine farm. At the early age of fifteen Fred began to support himself, working out by the month and receiving small wages. His education was obtained in the common schools of Wankesha County. Hle learned the cigar trade in Milwaukee and was engaged in the manufacture of cigars eight years.
Mr. Lce married a Wisconsin lady, Lizzie Kotchson. Eight children have been born to them, seven of whom are living, all liav. ing received a good education. The subject of our sketch located in Clark Connty in 1868, having little or no means when lie came here. For twelve years le clerked for J. J. C. Thompson & Co. Since July, 1881,
he has been agent for the American Express Company. Mr. Lee has served the public as Justice of the Peace two years, Town Clerk six years and City Treasurer two terms. He affiliates with the Democratic party, and is regarged as one of the honorable and up- right citizens of Neillsville. His wife is a member of the Episcopal Church ..
OHN MARX was born in Germany, August 15, 1846, and left his native land when a boy sixteen years old. He came to Canada, and a few years later, in 1879, located in Washington County, Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming. His time has since been variously employed-farming, lumbering, burning brick, etc .; and by his own exertions lie accumulated enough to buy a nice little farm of forty acres. It is lo- cated three miles from Neillsville, on section 3, Pine Valley Township, Clark County ..
March 13, 1865, Mr. Marx married Addie Allings, who was born in Wisconsin, Septem- ber 6, 1850, the danghter of German parents. Mr. Marx is at present building a neat resi- dence on his farm, which he expects to oc- cupy soon. He is ranked among the best citizens of the township. Politically he is a Democrat.
JOHN McGROGAN, a livery, transfer, dray and mail carrier of Thorp, was born in Guelph, Ontario, November 5, 1848, the son of James McGrogan, a native of Connty Antrim, Ireland, who came to Connecticut as early as 1845. He was a farmer by occupation. Our subject's mother, nee Jane Gibbs, was a native of County Ty- rone, Ireland. They were the parents of six
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children, four of whom still survive: John, Felix, Eliza and James.
Our subject came to Wrightstown, Wis- consin, in the fall of 1871, and tlience to Dorchester, this county, in 1874. While in the latter place he worked in the pineries, and also took contracts for cutting wood for the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company. In 1879 he went to Connecticut, but the next year returned to this county, locating in Abbotsford, where he remained one year. When he reached tlrat place lie did not have enough money to pay for liis dinner, but succeeded in borrowing some money. He next went to Stanley, Chippewa County, and in October, 1881, came to Thorp. The place then had but one-half of a mile of turnpike road, and there were but six or seven build- ings in the city. He first began draying with a yoke of oxen. which lie afterward traded for a team of horses, and he now owns seven horses, five carriages, two double bug- gies, six cutters and a dray wagon. He owns a livery stable and a fine residence.
Mr. McGrogan was married May 12, 1873, to Margaret Finnegan, daugliter of Michael Finnegan, now deceased. They have had six children, five of whom are still living, viz .: William, Martha A., Olive M., Martha and Margaret. One daughter, Agnes A., died in infancy. The mother died January 22, 1885, and Mr. McGrogan was married July 8, same year, to Hannora Sullivan, daugliter of Frank Sullivan, late of Brown County, Wisconsin.
RADBURY C. WILTIMORE, of the firm of Wiltimore Bros., general mer- chants of Dorchester, was born in Can- ada East, December 21, 1852, the son of Daniel and Catharine (Jaques) Wiltimore,
the former a native of Derry, New Hamp- sltire, and the latter of St. Lawrence County, New York. The father went to Canada when a young man, and in 1855, with his family, emigrated to Wanshara County, Wis- consin, settling on Indian lands. The red inen were numerous at that time, but never gave the family any trouble. Mr. and Mrs. Wiltimore had ten children, viz .: Elmina, Daniel O., Lucy, Alice, James A., Augustus, Eliza, Jolin A., Bradbury and Arthur.
The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and educated in the villages of Plain- field and Lodi, New York, and graduated in 1872 at the Commercial College. He then entered the establishment of S. O. Root, of Lodi, as book-keeper in his wholesale liard- ware store, remaining until 1877. In that year he came to Dorchester, and in 1873 en- gaged in his present business, in company with John A., and they carry a capital stock of $6,000, doing an annual business of $18,- 000, which has constantly increased. Mr. Wiltimore was Postmaster liere from 1880 to 1886, and was Town Chairman in 1881- '82. Politically he is a Republican.
ILLIAM H. MARDEN, "the hunter," residing on section 2, Wes- ton Township, Clark County, was born in Upper Canada, fifty miles front Quebec, March 12, 1845. His father, Joseplı A. Marden, was a native of Massachusetts, who came West with his family in 1854, settling in Richland County, where he now lives. His mother, whose name before mar- riage was Lucy Annis, was also a native of Massachusetts. Of their thirteen children, eleven are still living, namely: Clifton S., Riley, Joseph A., Mary E., Alfred C., Will-
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iam H. (subject), Lorenzo D., Edwin J., Hat- tie, Alberto L. and Solomon S.
Mr. Marden, the present subject, was brought up on a farm and while a youth learned the blacksmith's trade, following it twelve years. In the late war he served one year in Company K, Second Wisconsin Vol- unteer Infantry; was taken prisoner at the battle of Bull Run, and held ten months, when he was paroled, exchanged and dis- charged; but he re-enlisted October 1, 1863, in Company A, Thirtieth Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry, and served until September 20, 1865, when he was honorably discharged in Louisville, Kentucky. He was in the battles of Nashville, Shiloh, Baton Ronge, with the Indians elsewhere, etc.
In the fall of 1865 he came to Richland County, this State, bnt traveled most of the time for a year. November 18, 1866, he married Charlotte Williams, dangliter of George D. and Dorcas (Riser) Williams, of Richland. She was born in Marion County, Ohio, September 8, 1846. Her parents had nine children: Olive, Edward, Nancy, Char- lotte, Polly, W. Jackson and Caroline. One son, John, died a prisoner at Andersonville during the late war. Mr. and Mrs. Marden have had eleven children, ten of whom are living, namely: George H., Mary J., William W., Seymour L., Charles H., Ivy T., Steven A., James I., Cora E. and Benjamin.
Mr. Marden resided in Richland Connty from the time of his settlement there until he located at his present place in the spring of 1877, excepting three years he spent in Ohio. He settled upon his present farm in the dense forest, entering a claim to 45.84 acres under the homestead laws, which he still owns. In his political views he is a Re- publican.
IIis sobriquet of "the hunter" is well earned, and he lias killed 50 deer since his
settlement here, and about the same nunber of bears, the latter of which he catches in traps. He has also killed eleven foxes and twenty-seven wild cats. He killed one deer that dressed over 300 pounds. At present he has a barrel of venison salted down from deer which he killed last fall. The preceding autumn he secured one bear and eleven deer, and in 1888 three bear and nine deer. Oc- tober 15, 1890, lie killed a deer that weighed 200 pounds dressed. Once he killed a lynx that weighed 100 ponnds.
RIEL SPENCER BROWN, one of the old and respected citizens of Jackson County, was born February 5, 1820, a son of Ariel D. and Betsey (Ward) Brown. His father was a native of New York, and his mother of Vermont. Paternal grand- father John Brown was an old soldier of the Revolutionary war, having enlisted wlien a boy sixteen years of age. Jonathan Ward served in the war of 1812, his commanding . officer being General Brown. Ariel is of English descent, born in New York, and when a boy his parents moved to Ohio, in which State he was brought up. His father was one of the old pioneers of Aslıtabula Connty, Ohio. In 1848 he married Miss Sarah Ann Noble. In 1856 he, in company with his faithful wife, came to Wisconsin, buying a farm of 160 acres on sections 6 and 7, township 22, Jackson County. He began cultivating and improving his farm, which he still owns, and it is now one of the best farms in the county. The country here when he first came was thinly settled. Black River Falls was a mere hamlet. The Shanghai Honse was the only hotel, and Mr. Brown sold butter, eggs, etc., to the landlord of that then noted hostelry.
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The union of Mr. and Mrs. Brown was blessed with four children. The oldest daughter, Marian, is the wife of Edward Noble, in Sauk County; the next, Sarah Ann, is married to George Bennett, of Barron County, this State; the third and youngest daughter, Maria, died in 1891. The only son, Ariel D., lives with his father. Mr. Brown and his noble wife can truly be called pioneers of Jackson County. For forty-two years they walked hand in hand down the pathway of life, each being a joy and con- fort to the other; but she grew weary, and on February 22, 1890, rested by the wayside and left him to journey alone. This devoted wife and loving mother was a member of the Methodist Church, and died as she had lived, a trne and faithful follower of the Lamb, her last words being, "Jesus is most precious."
Mr. Brown and all his children are men- bers of the Methodist Church, and the chil- dren are following closely in the footsteps of their Christian parents. Mr. Brown lias passed the seventieth mile-post of life, and · awaits the Master's call to join his faithful wife in the beautiful home beyond the pearly gates.
LBERT PRIBBERNOW, of section 1, Green Grove Township, Clark County, was born in Pommern (Pomerania), Prussia, March 3, 1855, the son of J. Freder- ick and Soplria (Wussow) Pribbernow. The parents came to the United States in 1871, settling first in Dodge County, Wisconsin, in Hermann Township; in 1873 they removed to Toledo, Ohio, and in 1876 to this county, where they now reside, in Green Grove Town- ship. They had nine children, five of whom are now living, viz .: Wilhelmina, Augusta, Caroline, Louise and Albert. Two dangliters,
Ulricke and Ernstine, died after reaching maturity; both were married and left fami- lies. Another daughter, Emily, died at the age of seventeen years, and another died in infancy.
Albert, their only son, came to the United States in 1872, coming direct to Hermann Township, Dodge County, where he worked as a farm hand until 1876, and then came to this county. He was first employed on the Spaulding farm in Sonth Fork during the snminers, in the pineries during the winters, and driving logs in the spring. In 1880 he settled on his present farm of 160 acres, sixty-two of which is cleared. He was mar- ried July 8, 1880, to Caroline Schuman, a dangliter of Fred Schuman, deceased. They have had five children, fonr now living: Angust, Arthur, Lena and Adelia. Mr. Pribbernow was Assessor three years of Colby Township, then including Green Grove; Town Clerk one year; School Clerk three years, and Justice of the Peace two years. Religionsly he is a member of the Lutheran Church, and politically a Democrat.
OHN K. PRAY, book-keeper and general manager for the D. J. Spalding Lumber & Mill Company, is one of the most energetic and progressive young business men it has been our pleasure to meet, and we cheerfully record the following brief sketch of his life. He was born in Black River Falls, Jackson County, Wisconsin, March 20, 1860, and is a son of Herman H. and Anna J. (King) Pray, natives of Michigan and New Jersey respectively. They were early settlers in Jackson County, and have en- countered and passed through all the trials and discomforts of pioneer life. They were united in marriage at Black River Falls,
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Wisconsin. Four children were born to them, the second being John K. He was reared in his native place, where he received a practical education that has well fitted him for the duties devolving upon him in his present re- sponsible position.
In the year 1888, in the month of April, Mr. Pray was called to the situation which lie has since so ably filled. He has entire charge of the books of this large lumber firm, and acts as general manager. It is a line of work requiring good business ability and sound judgment, both of which he possesses to more than an ordinary degree; he has given perfect satisfaction to his employers, and they are to be congratulated upon securing the services of so capable a person.
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