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 42
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 42
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Politically our subject affiliates with the Democratic party. Mr. Pray was joined in wedlock September 9, 1885, to Miss Cora M. Mortiboy, of Hixton, Jackson County, Wis- consin. Mrs. Pratt was born in Sechlerville, Wisconsin, September 1, 1864, and is a daughter of Edward and Katie (Voose) Mor- tiboy. One child has been born of this union: Hazel H.
OHN O. SMITH, foreman and chief en- gineer of the saw and planing mills of the Sterling Lumber Company, Sterling, Clark County, was born in New Brunswick, January 4, 1857, the son of William and Eliza- betlı (Arınstrong) Smith, both also natives of New Brunswick. They had three children: James C., Henry D. and John O. The lat- ter was reared to farm life, and received his education in the common schools of his na- tive country. He served an apprenticeship of four years at the blacksmith's trade in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and in 1876 removed to Kingman, Maine, where he again
served an apprenticeship of two years in the machine shops. He next worked in Holton, same State, for F. Sharp Bros. until 1880, when he came to Eau Claire County, Wiscon- sin, and worked at the blacksmith and mill- wright's trade for the Northwestern Lumber Company, and was also second engineer for the same company at Wheaton three years. He came to Sterling in the spring of 1886, and commenced work for the Eau Claire Luin- ber Company as engineer, and when the busi- ness was purchased by the Sterling Company, he was continued by them, and now has gen- eral control of the engines and machinery in both the saw and planing mills.
Mr. Smith was married in Maine, April 6, 1877, to Rachel Carr, a daughter of W. H. Carr, deceased. They have four children: Maggie E., Grant W., Jimme E. and Roy.
OSEPH R. STERLING, of the Sterling Lumber Company, Sterling, Clark Coun- ty, was born in Somerset County, Maine, April 7, 1846, the son of C. I., a native of An- son, Maine, but now also a resident of this place. Our subject's mother was also a native of the same place. They were the parents of seven children, six of whom still survive: Julia, John, Philena, Joseph, Caroline and Aurilla. The parents came to Black River Falls, Wis- consin, in 1853, when the Indians were nu- merous, and where the father engaged in lumbering.
Joseph R., our subject, was educated in Black River Falls, and has been engaged in lumber most of his life. He served in the late war, in Company K, Tenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, remaining four years, and was in many hard-fought battles. He came to this county in 1860, where he worked for W. T. Price in the pineries two years, and
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was engaged in driving logs in the summers. He began first in a humble situation, and rose to the position of superintendent and general manager, and is now a member of one of the largest lumber companies here. The firm owns about 5,000 acres of pine and hard-wood land in Clark County, and do an immense business, employing 100 men in their mills alone, besides running three camps which employ 100 men also. The mills run day and night, and they ship in nearly every di- rection.
Mr. Sterling was married April 30, 1871, to Angie Fessenaber, daughter of Henry J. Fessenaber, of Sterling. They have two chil- dren: Gertrude, born April 30, 1874, and Everard F., October 8, 1877. Mrs. Sterling is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church; and politically Mr. Sterling is a Re- publican.
The Sterling Company's saw-mill was erected in 1882, by the Eau Claire Lumber Company, and was transferred to the Sterling Company in 1888. The main building is 150 x 32 feet, and two stories in height. They use the hand-saw and band re-saw, driven by the Phoenix engine, which is a 175-horse power, supplied by a battery of three Kinney Bros. boilers, 32 x 44 inches each, besides a pump boiler. The capacity of the mill is 60,000 feet in ten hours. The mill and yards are supplied by electric lights, generated by a dynamo in the mill. The engine and boiler room is 24 x 50 feet, and the electric light room is 16 x 20 feet. The logs are brought from their camps and those in the neighbor- hood camps in winter, and during the summer of 1890 they ran the mill night and day. Their planing mill was erected in 1886, and is a large frame, the main building being 120 x 56 feet, with engine and boiler room 18 x 36 feet. They use the Fisher & Mallory 26-inch double surfacer, the Willoughby,
Rugg & Richardson fourteen-inch flooring- inill, and also have self-feed rip-saws and other machinery, driven by a sixty-horse- power Stevens' Point engine, supplied with steam from an 18 x 4 feet boiler.
EORGE B. PARKHILL, an attorney, Notary Public and Pension Notary of Thorp, was born in Lennox, Madison County, New York, February 26, 1861, the son of Eli Parkhill, a native of the same place. He emigrated to Marquette County, Wisconsin, in 1867, settling on a farm, and in the spring of 1874 removed to Marathon County, where he died November 18, 1888. He was a carpenter by trade, and also held various offices in the latter county. He was a soldier in the late war, in Company I, Fif- teenth New York Infantry. Our subject's mother, Susan A. Niles, was a native of Gal- away, Saratoga Connty, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Parkhill had nine children, of whom seven are still living, namely: William L., Niles S., Reuben E., Hiram J., George B., Jesse F. and Fred. A. Their two daughters died in infancy.
The subject of this sketch attended the common schools until fifteen years of age, when he began teaching. He secured a teacher's certificate when fourteen years old, and taught several terms. In 1879 he at- terded the State Normal School at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and in 1880 graduated at the Osli- kosh Business College. After that he was engaged as book-keeper for S. M. Weber in Oshkosh for four months, and then went to Manitowoc and clerked in a general store a short time. He next went to Mitchell, Da- kota, engaged as book-keeper for the Oshkosh Lumber Company, where he remained two months; then returned to Manitowoc and
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kept books for the estate of Jonah Richards two months; next returned to the college, where he tanght school and also read law. In the fall of 1883 lie entered the law de- partment of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, graduating at that institution June 18, 1884. Mr. Parkhill then opened an of- fice in Thorp, June 25, saire year, and has built up a good practice in its varions de- partments. He was Justice of the Peace a number of years, and is now assistant. Post- master. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen, and of the sons of Veterans. He was married November 15, 1887, to Belle M. Salisbury, and they have one child, Oakley L., born July 22, 1890.
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EORGE WILLIAMS, a prominent farmer of Clark County, was born in Ontario County, New York, in Decein- ber, 1826, one of a family of ten children, only four of whom grew up,- one daughter and three sons. The family came from Wales many years ago, in three branches, one of which settled in New Jersey, one in Massachusetts and one in New York State. Our subject is of the Massachusetts branch, although born in New York State. His father was a representative man, of sterling worth and good education for the times in which he lived. From youth to the age of forty years he was a teacher; and he was seventy years of age when with his wife he accompanied his three sons to this State, settling in this county. Here he lived to the remarkable age of 100 years, one month and fourteen days. His wife survived him three or four years, and died at the age of seventy- nine years. The Williams family came to Clark County in June, 1855, and, excepting the families of Thomas Wage, Sr., and Levi
Marsh, were the first settlers within a radius of eight miles. To reach this point they had to make a journey of seventy miles, from Sparta, with their own team, through an un- broken region. During the first several years of their residence here, especially the third and fourth years, they had to endure many hardships. Their present comfortable home is a magical contrast to the desolate, dreary and monotonous wildness of those primitive times. Mr. Williams' two brothers, Isaac and Ela, have married and settled, the former in Wood County, just over the line fromn Clark, and the latter within the same section as that upon which he himself lives.
Mr. Williams married Mary Morse, who was of a family from Lewis County, New York, and they have had nine children, six of whom are living, namely: Anna, Amelia, Willis, Jane, Salina and Henry. The four daughters are married and two are settled in Clark County, one in Wood County and the other in the State of Washington. The two sons, yet unmarried, remain upon the home- stead with their parents, content to remain with, and lighten the cares and burdens of, parents now passing down the decline of life, respected by all.
ULLEN AYER, a prosperous farmer residing on section 18, Unity Town- ship, is deserving of mention in this connection, and we gladly allot the following space to a sketch of his life. He was born at Emden, Somerset County, Maine, March 2, 1841, and is a son of Jonas and Leah (Nut- ting) Ayer, natives of the same State and county. The family removed to Iowa Conn- ty, Wisconsin, in 1845, when the country was new and thinly settled, and the privations and hardships of the pioneer were no small
25
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consideration. In 1868 they went to La Crosse County, Wisconsin, where the father died in 1874, at the age of sixty-seven years. The mother is still living, and resides in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, at the ad- vanced age of seventy-seven years.
Jonas Ayer was a farmer by occupation, but after emigrating from Maine to Wiscon- sin he worked in the lead mines for several years at Mineral Point. In politics he was a stanchi adherent to the principles of the Whig party, and in later years voted with the Re- publicans.
There were twelve children born to Jonas Ayer and wife: Jane, Ellen, Leah, Sophia, Cullen, Owen, Jonas (1), Jonas, (2) Eliza- beth, Esther, Caroline, and Angusta,
Cullen Ayer was the fifth of the family; he was reared at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, and there received his education. At the age of seventeen years he began working in the timber on Black River, and has been con- nected with this business ever since, meeting with more than an ordinary degree of suc- cess. As his means have increased lie has invested in land until he now owns 840 acres, on sections 7, 17, 18, and 21, Unity Town, ship. It was in 1871 he settled at his pres- ent home on section 18; tliere he has 170 acres cleared and in a good state of cultiva- tion. It has been no light task to place this land in a condition for the plow and reaper, but energy and determination will overcome almost insurmountable obstacles. Starting in life with no capital, as did our worthy subject, the success which has crowned his efforts is the more to be comunended.
Politically Mr. Ayer is identified with the Republican party. During the late civil war he was in the Government employ, in the Quartermaster's department. For fourteen years he has been chairman of the Town Board, and for the same length of time has
served most efficiently ou the County Board.
Mr. Ayer was united in marriage August 8, 1864, to Miss Mary J. Lampshire, of Min- eral Point, Wisconsin. Mrs. Ayer was born in England, February 16, 1847, and is a danghter of Henry and Catlierine (Ilarris) Lampshire, also natives of England. They emigrated to America in 1848, and settled at once at Mineral Point, where they resided for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Ayer are the par- ents of eleven children: Edgar, Cullen, Jr., Frank, Jonas, William, Leonard, Mary J., Owen, Belva, Leah C. and Adelia. Frank died in 1881, at the age of eight years.
EORGE WILDING, Sr., one of the early settlers of Wisconsin, was born in Kent County England, March 11, 1816. He left his native land and came to America in 1850, and the following year located in in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. He is what might be called a self-made man, for when he started out in life he had no capital save a willing hand and a determination to succeed. He rented a farm in Wankesha County and during the thirteen years he re- mained on it he saved $400. He has been a resident of Clark County for twenty years, having settled here in 1871. Previous to that time he bonglit eighty acres of land on section 21, Grant Township, on which he paid taxes a few years before taking po-ses- sion of it. From a wilderness he cleared and improved the land until it now ranks among the leading farins of Clark County.
Mr. Wilding used glasses for over twelve years, but now has his second eye-sight and can see well to read any kind of print. Few men have endured more hardships in the early history of Wisconsin than he. By liis industry and economy he has reared a large
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family of children, and is now in independent circumstances. He has been married twice, and has children by both wives. His present companion has shared with him the vicissi- tudes of life and both are enjoying the com- forts which their savings have provided. Mr. Wilding and his wife have been blessed with nnusually good health, neither having been sick a day in their lives. Mr. Wilding favors the public schools and all enterprises that tend to the public good. He is one of the worthy and respected citizens of the county.
EORGE WILDING, JR., of Grant Township, Clark County, was born in England, November 17, 1841. and was brought to this country by his parents when he was only four years old; a few years after- ward they located in Clark County in 1867. Young Wilding was not eighteen years old when the great civil war broke out, and he joined Company I, First Wisconsin Cavalry Volunteers, as a private, and participated in the battles of Cape Girardeau (Missouri), Lookout Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Murfreesboro, under General Sherman, Chickamauga, Buz- zard's Roost, Atlanta, Nashville, under Gen- eral Thomas, helped to chase General Lyons out of Kentucky, and his regiment was prob- ably the best that Wisconsin ever sent out. On account of an injury received in service he is drawing now a small pension. He was honorably discharged in 1865, after a service of three years and six inonths.
This year he married Mary Rehorst, and they had three children, all of whom are liv- ing. He purchased forty acres of land three miles east of Neillsville, which he cleared and improved and on which he made his home. In 1872 his wife died, and he was subse-
quently married, in Clark County, to Miss Maria Hitchcock, whose death followed fifteen years afterward. For his third wife Mr. Wilding wedded Minnie West, of Grant Township, and by this marriage there is one daughter, the pride of the family.
Mr. Willing is one of the prosperous farmers of Grant Township. His farm is located on section 21, where he is giving special attention to stock-raising, in which he has been very successful of late. He has also had a large experience in the lumber business. All that lie possesses is the result of his own honest toil and good management. Politically he is a Republican.
LBERT D. BASS, a manufacturer of and dealer in pine and hard-wood lum- ber, lath, shingles, pickets, and also in general merchandise, at Mayville. His large mill was erected by himself and Nathan Clark in 1881, and in 1885 Mr. Bass bought his partner's interest. The capacity of the mill is 30,000 feet per day, and cuts from two to three millions each year. Our sub- ject was born in Windham County, Connecti- cut, July 30, 1854, the son of Charles and Waity (Allen) Bass, both natives of Connecti- cut. Albert D., their only child, was edu- cated in the public schools of Hartford, but at the age of fourteen years left school and clerked a short time in a clothing store at Danielsonville. He then returned to Hart- ford and worked in a grocery store a few months; next went to Leeds, Massachusetts, where he kept books for the Northampton Emery Wheel Company until the spring of 1874. In that year he came West, and finally landed at St. Paul, and then went to Hutch- inson, McLeod County, Minnesota. Being short of means be went to work as a farm
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hand, which he continued a short time, and then tanght school near by, in Mecker County. In the spring he came to La Crosse, and in Jnne to Longwood, this county, where he worked on the Withee farm until fall. Next he worked in the woods at skidding, continning for Hixon & Withee until the fall of 1879, when he and Nathan Clark engaged in logging, in which they were very successful. Their camps were in the vicinity of Curtis, but were located per- manently here until 1881.
Mr. Bass was married August 10, 1881, to Emina Knecht, daughter of Gabriel Knecht, deceased; she was born in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. Mr. Bass was Chairman of this town one year, and has taken the first degree in Masonry, but there is no Masonic lodge here.
RWIN F. BROOKS, lumberman and contractor, and a farmer of section 8, township 24, 1 east, has 140 acres in the homestead farm and 160 acres of timber. He was born in the town of Eaton, Lorain County, Ohio, December 11, 1851, a son of Bartimeus and Elizabeth O. (Smith) Brooks. In his father's family were the following chil- dren: Alonzo E., Alva A., Henry, George W., Dan H., Erwin F. and Lettie, all of whom are living except Alva and Henry. During the first year of the Rebellion Alva entered Company A, Seventh Iowa Volun- teer Infantry, and served two years and ten months, being in many battles, etc., when after a short sickness he died in a hospital at Memphis, Tennessee. George also was in the service near the close of the war, being with Sherman in his march to the sea. Will- iam Henry died at the age of twenty-two years.
The Brooks family came to Wisconsin in 1858, and first lived a year or more in Sparta, next for a time near La Crosse, and in Marelı, 1860, removed to Clark County.
Bartimens Brooks was born in the town of Duminerston, Windham Connty, Vermont, November 20, 1786. Ile had five brothers and two sisters, all natives of that State, and three of the brothers served the American cause in the war of 1812,-Jehiel, Bartimens and Dan; and Hiram was in the Mexican war. Of this branch of the Brooks ancestry one came to Ohio and one to Kansas. Mrs. Elizabeth O. Brooks was born November 22, 1809, in Morris Connty. New Jersey, and is still living. She had three brothers, but 110 sisters. In an early day her father moved with his family from New Jersey to Cayuga County, New York. December 25, 1882, Erwin F. Brooks married Minnie McIntyre, and has had the following children : Elsie M., born June 8, 1884; Mabel G., June 13, 1886; and Raymond, January 26, 1888.
Mr. Bartimens Brooks purchased thie present homestead, which originally com- prised 400 acres, and commenced clearing, and continued the hard work of pioneering it up to the time of his death, July 2, 1875, since which time his son, the subject of this sketch, has carried forward the good work. The farm is in good cultivation, thoroughly equipped with fine farm buildings. The sister, Miss Electa, and the mother are with him on the homestead. Of the brothers, Alonzo resides on section 9, same township, while Dan lives in Wood County, and George is in California. Erwin's grandfather, a farmer, was one of the early pioneers near Montreal. Mitchell Arquette's children were: John, who is living in the town of Richfield, Wood County; Mary, now the wife of George Dawes, in Necedah, Junean County, this State.
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There are cases of longevity in the ances- try of our subject. Bartimens, Alva, Hiram and Mary Brooks all lived to be over eighty- eight years of age.
NDREW J. BULLARD, a farmer and stock-raiser of section 24, Weston Township, was born in Menomince, Michigan, June 6, 1842. His father, San- ford Bullard, deceased, was one of the earliest settlers of Milwaukee, a millwright by trade, and was temporarily employed in his trade at Menomince, residing there with his wife when Andrew was born. His mother, whose maiden name was Martha Gasser, was a native of Switzerland, and brought to Amer- ica when eight years of age. Her father died cu shipboard, on their voyage to this country, and the children came on and settled in Ohio. Her mother is now residing at Little Falls, Minnesota, nearly eighty years old.
Mr. Bullard, our subject, was reared to farm life, and served nearly four years in the late war, in Company D, Twelfth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, engaging in the sieges of Vicksburg, Jackson and Atlanta, and was with Sherman in the grand inarch to the sea. During the most of his time in service he was Corporal.
After the war he lived in Washington County, following agriculture, until the all- tuin of 1870, when he moved to Clark County, entering a claim to a tract of heavy timber land under the homestead laws, where he now resides. In the spring of 1871 lie erected a pole shanty, and kept " bach" while he ent the trees off of three acres. The next fall he built a log house, and during the ensning winter was employed in the pincries. The next spring he bought a farm here. He now is the owner of a quarter section of
good land, of which eighty-tive acres are cleared. He devotes his attention to general agriculture and the rearing of live-stock. His cattle are Holstein and short-horn. He has been Clerk of the School Board, is now Trustee of his School District, County Super- visor, and is agent and director of the Lynn Insurance Company, which is one of the best in the country, and on account of its low rates is most available for the farmers. In his political principles lie is a Republican.
OHN M. DAILEY, of section 14, Colby Township, was born in Oneida County, New York, October 29, 1818, the son of Samuel (deceased) and Elizabeth (Meggs) Dailey; the former was a native of Connecti- cut, and the latter of Mohawk Valley, New York. The parents had nine children, three of whom survive: Einily, John and Lebbeus. Jolin was reared to farm life and educated in the public schools of his native county. He came to Wisconsin in 1854, and lived one year in Oshkosh, engaged in the saw-mnills. In 1855 he went to Fond du Lac and worked at the same occupation until 1862, when he enlisted in the late war, in Company A, Twenty-first Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served nearly three years. He partici- pated in the battles of Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, siege of Atlanta, Ben- touville, and was also with Sherinan to the sea. After the war Mr. Dailey returned to Fond du Lac, and worked in the machine shops until 1873, when he came to this connty and settled on his present farm. The place was thien covered with timber, with no roads, and he was obliged to carry every- thing on his back from Colby. There was not a house or clearing from the latter place to Stevens' Point. He homesteaded 160
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acres, thirty of which he cleared, but after- ward sold all but two acres, seventeen of the latter being cleared.
Mr. Dailey was married May 23, 1843, to Maria Palmer, and they had four children, two of whom survive-George and Mary. The mother died in 1866, and Mr. Dailey was again married, Angust 16, 1868, to Mrs. Naomi Thresher, daughter of Abel Bradway, deceased. Previous to this union she had been twice married, first to Leander Z. Cha- pin, by whom she had seven children, six now living, viz .: Leander, David, William, Lovisa, Austin and Caroline. She was mar- ried a second time, to Joseph Thresher, by whom she had six children: Mary, Henry, Alvira, Albert, James and Charles. Mr. Dailey has been a member of the Town Board two terms, and chairman of the same one term. Socially he is a member of the G. A. R., and politically a Republican.
EORGE GARFIELD was born October 5, 1859, son of Moses A. Garfield and Anna M., his wife. His father came to Wisconsin in 1866, and located in Clark County, where he bought 120 acres of wild land. By hard work he cleared up and put 100 acres in good farming shape. He was a very industrious man, and also cleared a great deal of land for other people. His death occurred in 1885. Mr. Garfield was fond of reading and made it a point to keep himself posted on the general topics of the day, and by all who knew him he was much esteemed for his many noble qualities. Of their six sons and six daughters. four sons and three daughters are living, the subject of this sketch being the eightlı born. He re- inained with his parents up to the time of his father's death. August 16, 1881, he was
married to Dosty Howard, a native of Brown County, Wisconsin, born in 1862. Two chil- dren have been born to them-Bessy and Frank. Mr. Garfield votes the Republican ticket. His farın, the one formerly occupied by his father, is located on section 17, Pine Valley Township. Mr. Garfield's mother died October 9, 1889, and is buried in the Neillsville cenietery.
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