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 43
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 43
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44
HARLES F. JAHN, of section 34, Clark County, was born in Saxony, Germany, June 1, 1851, the son of Gottlieb Jahn, a native of the same country. He brought his family to the United States in 1852, settling in the woods eight miles from Sheboygan, where he cleared a large farm. He remained there many years, but subsequently sold it for $10,500, and is now retired and living in the city. He was the father of eight children: Theresa, Pauline, Edward, Charles, Gustav, Louise, Ida and Johnadolın. Our subject's mother died sev- eral years ago, and the three last named chil- dren are by his second wife.
Charles F. was educated in the common and private schools of Sheboygan County. In 1864 the family removed to Rockland, on Lake Superior, in Upper Peninsula, Michi- gan, but the father returned in 1867. In 1869 Mr. Jahn came to De Pere, Wisconsin, where lie worked in an iron blast furnace until the fall of 1878, when he came to this county, settling on his present farın. He owns 160 acres of good land, sixty acres of which is cleared. He has worked in the pineries inost of the winters since coming to this State.
Mr. Jahn was married January 31, 1875, to Louise Korp, a daughter of Edward and Johannalı (Horn) Korp, of Maple Grove, Wis- consin. They have had four children, three
375
CLARK AND JACKSON COUNTIES.
of whom are now living: Emma. William and Caroline. Mr. Jahn was Assessor of his connty four years, and was chairman of the board one year. Politically he is a Democrat, and religionsly a member of the Lutheran Church.
--
NDREW EMERSON .- Away over the sea, among the pine-clad hills of Nor. way, lived Lars Emerson, a brave and hardy son of the northern chime .. He wedded Paulina Johnson, and to them were born eleven children: Emory, John, Henry, Emma, Andrew, Nettie, Julia, Bender, Matthias, Eliza and Julia The father was proprietor of different mills, both saw and grist inills, and was very successful in his business. In 1854 he emigrated to America, and settled on a farm in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, where he passed the remainder of his days; the mother is still living, and makes her home in Dakota with a son. The parents were both upright and consistent members of the Lu theran Church.
Andrew Emerson, son of Lars and Paulina (Johnson) Emerson, was born in Norway, June 24, 1844, and was a lad of ten years when his parents came to America; he was trained to the occupation of a farmer, and worked with his father until the latter's death ; he then bonght the old homestead in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, which he still owns. When quite a young man he eu- gaged in one of the leading industries of Wisconsin, logging, and has been connected with the business ever since that time; for the past twenty years he has managed a luin- ber camp in the pineries, and is now asso- ciated with the La Crosse Lumber Company.
In 1875 Mr. Emerson purchased 320 acres of choice farming land in Loyal Township,
and eighty acres in Beaver Township; from time to time he has added to this investment until he now owns 2,000 acres, all of which is clear of debt. His improvements are of modern style and substantial character, and are not surpassed in the county; he has erected large and convenient barns for storing the products of his broad acres, and has built a residence that is a home in every sense of the word.
Politically our subject is identified with the Republican party. He has been called to represent the people of luis township and county in various offices, and has always dis- charged his duties with that integrity and loyalty which are characteristics of the mau. In reviewing the accomplishments of Mr. Emerson, from the time he set foot upon our shores in helpless childhood, to the present, when he is surrounded with all that makes life desirable in the way of means, home, and friends, we are filled with admiration and deep respect for the energy, perseverance and wisdom that have brought about so happy a consommation.
In 1873, October 13, Mr. Emerson was united in the holy bonds of marriage to Miss Helen Johnson, a native of Norway, born October 10, 1850. They are now the parents of five children: Julia, Lawrence, John, Frank and Elsie.
OHN SCHWAMB, of section 11, Wes- ton Township, Clark County, was born in Washington County, Wisconsin, Oc- tober 10, 1861, the son of Jacob Schwamb, deceased, and a cabinet-maker by trade. Our subject was reared in Cedar Creek, a smal village in his native county, and worked on a farm. He came with his parents to this county in October, 1877, settling on section
376
BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY OF
12, across the road from his present home. The place was then a dense woods, and all had to work liard to elear a place to raise crops. Mr. Schwamb now owus forty acres of land, sixteen of which is eleared, where he is engaged in general farming and stock- raising ..
He was married April 5, 1884, to Mary J. Blanchard, a danghter of Freeman S. and Hannahı (Keyser) Blanchard, of Minnehaha County, Sonth Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Sehwamb have two children: Arthur and Lulu, born March 29, 1885, and June 14, 1890, respectively. Mr. Schwanıb is a Re- publican politically, and is an enterprising young man, interested in his conntry's wel- fare. For further account of his parents see biography of Jacob Sehwamnb.
AMES SHORT .- This gentleman, who is one of the successful farmers of Clark County, resides on a farın of 120 acres, which is located on section 18, Washburn Township. He took this as a homestead claim in 1869, and by the expenditure of much labor he cleared up thirty acres which were at that time a wilderness. He also cleared about eighty acres for other parties.
Mr. Short was born in Madrid, New York, July 17, 1836. About forty years ago his parents came to Wisconsin and settled in Jefferson County, becoming early pioneers of that district. His father still resides there. Of the eleven children his parents reared all are living except two. James received his education in Jefferson County, and remained with his parents until he was twenty. He then began to work out by the month. The first six months he received a three-year-old heifer, one pig and three dollars in money. He continned to work by the month until the
war broke ont, when lie with three of his brothers entered the army, enlisting in Con- pany D, Twenty-ninth Wisconsin Infantry, Captain Bryant. He participated in tlie bat- tles of Grand Gulf, Champion Hill, Vicks- burg, Sabine Cross Roads, and remained in the Gulf Department until the war closed. At Sabine Cross Roads Mr. Short was cap- tnred, but made his escape and traveled five miles in the night to get back to Union ranks. He was in active service until 1866, when he was honorably diselarged. At one time while drawing a ball from his gun he acci- dentally shot off two of his fingers. The war over lie returned to his home in Jefferson County,
Mr. Short has been twice married. His first wife, nee Mary Elliott, of Jefferson Connty, Wisconsin, whom he wedded August 3, 1860, died during the war, in 1864 She bore him one ehild, that is also deceased. December 4, 1871, Mr. Short was married, in Clark County, to Martha Shopp. They are the parents of three children. The sub- ject of our sketch affiliates with the Republi- can party and is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He has served as School Treasurer five years and as a member of the Town Board one year.
ARS W. LARSON, the present Post- inaster and grocer of Greenwood, was born near Christiania, Norway, August 1, 1853, tlie son of Lars Larson, a native of the same place. He bronght his family to the United States in 1860, settling in Black River Falls, but afterward removed to Spring- field Township, Jackson Connty, eleven miles west of his former location. Onr subject's inother died when he was nine years old, after which the father gave np housekeeping,
377
CLARK AND JACKSON COUNTIES.
and the children were placed among the neighbors until large enough to provide for themselves. Mr. and Mrs. Larson had five children, one of whichi died in the old coun- try; our subject's twin brother, Ole, lives in Black River Falls, and the other brother, Peter, died in 1887, at the age of thirty-one years. The father was again married, and by this union there were three children: Nelson, Carl and Amelia. He died in Au- gust, 1890.
Lars W., onr subject, came to this county about eighteen years ago, and first worked in the woods during the winters, and rafted lumber down the Mississippi River in the summer. He afterward conducted a camp for Robert Schofield four years, and also for Price & Gibson three years. In 1884 he set- tled permanently in Greenwood. Mr. Larson was married, May 28, 1882, to Mary Peter. son, daughter of Elias Peterson, of Green- wood, and they have three children: Lottie, born March 2, 1883; Ella, May 19, 1885; and Alvin L .. July 22, 1887. Mr. Larson was appointed Postmaster in July, 1889. Socially he is a member of the Masonic order at Neillsville, and politically a Republican.
- -
HARLES STERRITZKY has been an important factor in the early history of Lynn Township, Clark County, and is to-day one of the prominent farmers and busi- ness men of Lynn. He was born in Ger- inany, May 5, 1832, and was only eight years old when he was bronght to this country by his parents who had a family of four chil- dren. In 1841 his father located in Mil- wankee, where he remained twelve years, working by the month, and during that time not only supported his family, but also saved enough of his earnings to buy forty acres of
land near Milwaukee. In 1856 he took np his abode in Clark County, bought 280 acres of land and became one of the early pioneers of Lynn Township.
The subject of this sketch remained with his parents until he was twenty-eight years of age. Then he started out for himself, on eighty acres of wild land. During the win- ter he was employed in the pineries and in the suminer worked on his farm. By jndi- cions management le accumulated money enough in this way to buy eighty acres more land. His farm was a wilderness at the time he bought it, but he industriously went to work to clear it up, and not only accom- plished that, but also added to it by more recent purchase, now being the owner of 120 acres of choice land. This is located on sec- tion 8, Lynn Township, and adjoins the vil- lage of Lynn. Until 1889 Mr. Sterritzky gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. In that year he entered into a partnership with the Ure Brothers, in the general iner- chandise business, and in June, 1890, he bought out their interest and is continuing the business alone. He keeps in stock a choice selection of goods and has a fine trade that extends over a large amount of territory.
Mr. Sterritzky was married, February 25, 1861, to Katie Miller, daughter of Lamberd Miller, an old pioneer of Clark County. He had a family of four dangliters, Katie being the second born. She received her education in this county and her husband was educated in the German schools of Milwaukee. The latter is fond of reading and keeps himself posted on current topics of the day. Mr. and Mrs. Sterritzky have two sons and two dangliters, all having received fair educa- tional advantages. Anna attended the dis- trict schools and also devoted two terms to the study of the German language. She is now assisting her father in the store. Mr.
378
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
Sterritzky has served the public in many capacities; was School Director one term; Treasurer and Clerk of the School Board three years; Town Clerk five years; Chair- man of the Town Board five years; Treasurer of the Town Board four years; Assessor two years; Justice of the Peace since the town of Lynn was organized; is now a Notary Pub- lic, and has been Postmaster nineteen years. He was one of the foremost men in the organization of the Lynn Mutual Fire In- surance Company, in 1878, and has been secretary of the same since its organization. Ile has never taken much intererest in poli- ties until the present election; has always been a Democrat. He favors the public school system, while he believes that parents should have a control over their own children in selecting what studies they pursue.
In speaking of the early hardships the pio- neers endured, Mr. Sterritzky remarked that, in 1856, when he located in Lynn, they had to go a distance of sixty-five miles for seed wheat, and some of their provisions were brought from La Crosse. That winter a deep snow fell, and the advent of spring was wel- comed by all.
OSEPH ARQUETTE, hotel-keeper at Lynn, Clark County, was born at Beards- town, Illinois, February 22, 1836, the second son of a family of seven children, four of whom grew up, three sons and one danghter. Mitchell Arquette, the father, was born in La Prairie, Canada, one of a family of four sons and three daughters, all withi one exception remaining in Canada. His grand- father was one of the early pioneers near Montreal, and was a farmer. Mitchell Ar- quette's children were: John, who is living in the town of Richfield, Wood County, this
State, and Mary, now the wife of George Dawes, in Necedah, Jnneau County, this State. John Arquette has been twice mar- ried, and has three sons and two daughters.
Mitchell Arquette was employed by the Hudson Bay Company for ten years, and was a man who endured great hardships in the early years of his life, between eighteen and thirty. He was past middle life when he married Margaret Robbie, the daughter of a Frenchman of great mechanical and engi- neering skill. He became a citizen of the United States when about thirty years of age, or soon after he quit the Hudson Bay Com- pany. Thereafter he was employed about twenty years by the American Fur Company, in their trapping and hunting and dealing with the Indians. Here is a demonstration that a life in the woods and in camp, with its hardships, does not always mean a short duration of life, as he lived to be ninety-six years of age, retaining his mental faculties almost unimpared to the last. But he was preceded by a still more remarkable instance of longevity, lias father having reached the extreme old age of 104 years!
Joseph Arquette's brothers and sisters were born in the United States. Joseph married Mary Ann Bradby, of Kilbourn City, Wisconsin, October 16, 1857, when twenty-one years of age, and they have five children living, namely: Carrie M., born May 4, 1860; Emma, born December 1, 1863; James F., born April 15, 1865; Celia J., September 28, 1867, and Mary E., Octo- ber 20, 1872. Carrie married Joseplı No- watney, since deceased, and has four children, viz .; Earl C., born June 13, 1881; Grace H., born July 22, 1883; Joseph G., born Jannary 4, 1885, and Mary Maud, July 12, 1887. Enuna married George Kenister and has the following named children: George E., born April 18, 1883; Joseph H., June 24, 1884;
379
CLARK AND JACKSON COUNTIES.
Bert A., November 27, 1886; Stella, born July 17, 1890. The remaining members of the family are single. Mrs. Arqnette's mother, whose age is seventy-four years, is living with the family, enjoying good health; her husband died at the age of seventy-two years.
Mr. Arquette, whose name heads this sketch, during the late war enlisted in Com- pany C, Fifty-eighth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, and served to the end of that great struggle, being discharged in the antumn of 1865, at Columbus, Ohio.
EV. CHARLES A. SMITH, a farmer on section 23, Loyal Township, and a min- ister of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, was born in Penn Yan, Yates County, New York, a son of Albert W. and Harriet A. (Swartzwout) Smith, natives of Steuben County, same State, who, in 1843, settled iu Waukesha Connty, Wisconsin; later they removed to Plover, Portage County, where Mrs. Smith died, in 1849, aged abont twenty- nine years. He afterward returned to Wau- kesha County, but now lives in Monroe County, this State, aged seventy-four years. He has been a farmer and a minister of the Free will Baptist Church, beginning to preach when about twenty-one years of age. Exercising his ministerial gifts only in a sparsely settled country of pioneers and hav- ing met with many financial reverses, his "treasures upon earth" are at present not very extensive. He has had seven children, viz .: George, Charles A., Adaline, Emma, Eli, Elias and Judson, of whom the eldest and three youngest are deceased.
Mr. Smith, of this sketch, was reared in Wankesha and Portage counties, on a farmn. At the age of eleven years he began working
ont by the month, and at the age of twenty began teaching school, in Dane County, and followed that vocation until the spring of 1861. In Angust following he joined the army as a private in Company E, Eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and after serving out the time of that enlistment he re-enlisted and served until the close of the war, being honorably discharged and mus- tered ont at Deniopolis, Alabama, in Sep- tember, 1865. In January, 1863, he was promoted to be First Sergeant. The arena of his military career embraced Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas and Missonri. He participated in the siege and capture of Vicksburg, Banks' Red River expedition, second battle of Nash- ville, siege and capture of Spanishi Fort, etc.
After the war he came to Dane County and soon moved to Clark County, homestead- ing 160 acres of timber land where he now lives. Here he built a log-honse 18 x 28 feet and a story and a-half high, and at once began clearing np the land for cultivation. His place was at first many miles in the woods from any neighbor, and there were no roads. Altogether he has cleared here about eighty acres. He now owns eighty acres where he lives, besides 240 acres of timber land on sections 24 and 25 in the town- ship of Loyal. He started out in life with only what money he received when dis- charged from the army. He has given all his time to farming until within the last three years, which he has devoted more to the ministry. He joined the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in 1874, and in 1887 was licensed to preach. He has held almost all the offices of his township; he is a Repub- lican.
Jannary 4, 1863, is the date of his mar- riage to Angusta M. Miles, of Dane County, who was born in Erie County, Pennsylvania,
380
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
March 16, 1843, a daughter of Samnel J. and Sarah (Burch) Miles, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and New York. They came to Dane County and settled on a farın near Madison, where they still live, eaclı aged sixty-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had two children: Harriet A., now the wife of Robert A. Brasier, a farmer in Loyal Township; and Allen J., who died when an infant.
AVID EBENEZER METCALFE, a farmer of section 12, township 24, range 24, was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, August 16, 1848, the eldest of a family of four sons and two daughters. His father, Henry Metcalfe, was a native of Yorkshire, England, of English ancestry, and his grandfather was one of seven brothers, all of whom have had interesting careers. One branch of the family came to Canada, one went to India and one settled in Cuba. In the Canadian branch the second son is a physician in Thurso, Ontario, the third is a merchant at Smith's Falls in that dominion, and the fourth occupies the old homestead in Canada, with the mother.
Mr. Metcalfe, whose name introduces this sketch, came from the East to Wisconsin in the fall of 1867, but did not settle at liis present home until 1874, in the meantime being in and out of the county at intervals. From that date his interests have been in the farm, where he has done a great work in bringing it np to its present state of per- fection. Meanwhile he has also taken an active interest in town and county affairs, as a member of the County Board and as Town Treasurer.
He married Miss Lillian Kipp, who was born November 23, 1857, a daughter of
Zaccheus Palmer Kipp, of Centralia, Wis- consin. The Kipp family trace their ances- try back to England, and likewise do Mrs. Metcalfe's mother's ancestry, the Newcom bes.
TEPHEN WELCH was born in Dexter, Michigan, April 28, 1835, son of John and Ann Welch, natives of Ireland. His father lived to the advanced age of eighty years, and his mother was 102 when she died ! They came to Wisconsin when Stephen was six years old and made their home in Mil- waukee for twelve years. IIe was the young- est of their six children, four of whom are still living. All are engaged in engineering except one who works in the rolling mills of Milwaukee. Mr. Welch received his edu- cation in Milwaukee and remained with his parents until the fall of 1861, the time of his enlistment in the army. He served as a pri- vate in Company F, Twelfth Wisconsin In- fantry, and participated in the battles of Holly Springs and Vicksburg, Mississippi, and with Sherman to Atlanta. He was a brave and faithful soldier during the entire term of his enlistment, and received an honorable discharge in 1865, after which he returned to his home in Waukesha County, Wiscon- sin. He saved the money he earned while in the army and after he came home he paid off the indebtedness existing on his father's farm. In 1866 Mr. Welch located permanently in Clark County. Here for twelve years he worked in the woods for one man.
After remaining single forty years, the subject of our sketch took to himself a wife. Johanna Cushing, the lady of his choice, was born in 1858. This union has been blessed with three children, two of whom are living: John James and Angeline, both attending the district schools. Mr. Welch resides on a
381
CLARK AND JACKSON COUNTIES.
farm on section 15, Grant Township. He is a Republican and a believer in the Bennett law.
HARLES BENJAMIN TRAVIS, fur- niture dealer at Humbird, Clark County, was born in Chenango County, New York, Febrary 18, 1836, the only child of Benjamin Travis. His father was born in Westchester County, that State, in a family of five sons and two daughters, all of whom were natives of that county. The grand- father Travis was also born in that county, in 1782, of a line of ancestry that cannot be further traced. He served in the war of 1812 and was wounded, but lived to the age of seventy-eight years, after having settled near Madison, this State. The grandmother's ancestry were English; her maiden name was Mary Ann Thompson.
Benjamin Travis arrived in Wisconsin June 1, 1846, driving from Milwaukee to Madison with a hired team, there being no stage at the time. The family had come all the way from Chenango Forks, New York, by canal to Buffalo, and thence to Milwaukee on a steam propeller, the lake voyage re- quiring eighteen days.
Mr. Charles B. Travis, our subject, spent a portion of his time fromn 1856 to 1874 in Jackson and Clark counties, and since that date has been a permanent resident of the town of Mentor. In 1861 he offered him- self for enlistment as a hundred-day man in the army, under the first call for volunteers, and was rejected; afterward he was again re- jected as a cavalryman, and as an infantry- man in the Eighth Wisconsin, but in 1864 he was accepted and was given the position of carpenter. He was sworn into service at St. Louis, Missouri, August 26, and was sent to Nashville, Tennessee.
After the war was over he returned to the North, and, October 4, 1866, married Josephine H. Niles, of Dane County, Wisconsin, who was born April 21, 1839, the eldestof eleven children, five daughters and six sons, natives of Tolland County, Connecticut; seven of these are still living, but none in this State excepting Mrs. Travis. This lady taught school most of the time from the age of sixteen years to about seven years ago; has taught seven years in Clark County, the rest of the time in Dane County and in Mad- ison. She is now a member of the Board of Education. Mr. Travis is Justice of the Peace of the village and Town Clerk; has been Deputy Sheriff of Clark County, and was Postmaster during Cleveland's adminis- tration. He takes an active interest in pub- lic affairs.
SCAR F. ROLLINS, a farmer of sec- tion 7, township 25, was born Decem- ber 30, 1847, in Aroostook County, Maine, a member of a family of six sons and two daughters, of whom all but one are liv- ing. The parents, John and Josephine M. (Pishion) Rollins, emigrated from Maine to Michigan in the early '50s, and nine years afterward came to Adams County, Wiscon- sin, and eight years still later to Clark County, with a team in mid-winter, and settled on sec- tion 9, township 25, range 1 east, where the inother now resides. The two eldest children were born in Maine, the next two in Michi- gan, and the remaining four in Wisconsin. Four sons and one dangliter live in Clark County. One, the youngest son, is still un- married. Or the earliest progenitors of the family in America but little is known. The father lived to the age of sixty-seven years, was very domestic in his tastes and neighborly.
As the name would indicate, the maternal
382
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.