Biographical history of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each; engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families, Part 30

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 938

USA > Wisconsin > Buffalo County > Biographical history of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each; engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 30
USA > Wisconsin > La Crosse County > Biographical history of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each; engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 30
USA > Wisconsin > Trempealeau County > Biographical history of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each; engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 30

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In April of the following year he was elected City Attorney. In November. 1865. he was elected District Attorney of La Crosse county, and was re eleeted in 1867. 1869 and 1871. lle formed a law partner- ship with S. S. Barton in January, 1565, 1853 he embarked in the lumber business in

which continued until 1576. In 1874 he was elected Mayor of La Crosse, and discharged the duties of this office two years. He was again eleeted City AAttorney of La Crosse in April, 1876, and held that position for sev. oral years. lle was a delegate to the Na- tional Liberal Convention at Cincinnati in 1>72, and was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in the same city in 1850. In 1982 he was elected a member of Congress from the Seventh District of Wis- consin. but was defeated when a candidate for re-election in 1554: he was the Demo- cratie candidate for Governor of Wisconsin in 1556, and was a delegate at large from Wiseonsin to the National Democratic Con- vention at St. Louis in 1988, and served as chairman of the delegation. Jannary 1, 1559. the present law partnership of Losey & Woodward was formed.

E. POLLEYS, one of the represent- ative citizens of La Crosse and 2 ex-City Clerk, was born in the town of Baring, Washington county. Maine, May 4. 1551, and is a son of William II. and Dora A. (Woodeoek) Polleys, natives of Nova Scotia and Maine respectively: the father was a Inmberman in Maine, and en- gaged in that business at an early day. Ile eame West in 1549 when a trading post was all that was visible of Minneapolis: later he returned to Maine, and in 1556 he came to La Crosse: his family, however, did not come until the following year, when they located in Melrose. Mr. Polleys invested in land. and made a beautiful home there. For many years he was largely interested in the lumber business on Black river, and in 1870 he erected a steam sawmill at La Crosse. In

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Georgia, and built a large steam sawmill at Bainbridge, which was afterward destroyed by fire. After this he returned to Melrose where he now lives. He has assisted materi- ally in the growth and progress of this county. and has lent a helping hand to all material improvements. He enjoys the highest respect of the entire community. He is now in his sixty-ninth year ; his wife died in June, 1887, aged fifty-eight years. ller life was one of great activity, and she was a woman of rare force of character, giving a strong vitality to any cause she espoused. She was a member of the First Baptist Church, and was an un- tiring worker in the church and Sabbath- school. To Mr. and Mrs. Polleys were born four children: W. E., the subject of this no- tice; Edgar H., Abner D. and Frank O.

W. E. Polleys was educated at Galesville, Wisconsin, and at the La Crosse Business College, being graduated from the latter in- stitution in 1871. He was bookkeeper for his father, and continued in that capacity for six years, when he and his brother, Edgar H., succeeded his father at La Caosse in the Inm- ber business, the firm name being Polleys Bros. They carried on the business until 1884, when they sold out and embarked in the lumber business at Bainbridge, Georgia: there they were burned out within a year's time, and returned to La Crosse. They are now engaged in the logging business on the Chippewa river, and are meeting with grati- fying success.

Mr. Polleys was elected Clerk of La Crosse in 1887, and was re-elected in 1889, serving two terms, with a high degree of satisfaction to his constituency.

He was united in marriage, September 4, 1878, to Miss Emma L. Edwards, a daughter of George Edwards, and to them was born one child, Irene E. The mother was called from this life June 11, 1891, at the age of

thirty-seven years. She was a woman of the rarest traits of character, devoted to her home and family, and beloved by a wide circle of acquaintance. She was a member of the Congregational Church Society. Mr. Polleys is one of the progressive business men of La Crosse, and has always favored those move- ments which have been along the line of ad- vancement. Politically he is identified with the Republican party, and is thoroughly posted upon all the leading issues of that body.

ATRICK KEAVENY, who has for many years been connected with the railroad business in La Crosse county, was born in Ireland in 1831, a son of John and Mary (Feiney) Keaveny. The father died in his native land, and the mother is still living, now a resident of La Crosse, at the age of eighty-six years. They had born to them eight children, seven of whom are living, four sons and three daughters, all having homes in La Crosse. Patrick Keaveny. the subject of the following biography, acquired an education in the old country, and was trained to the pursuit of agriculture. Until he was thirty five years of age he followed this calling, and then, believing greater op- portunities would be offered him in America than in his own country, he emigrated to the United States. The first work he did was in Memphis, Tennessee, where he remained about six months; thence he came to La Crosse, arriving here in 1866. The river packet business was then in its prime, and for two years Mr. Keaveny was in the employ of Davidson & Co., in their packet ware- house.

In 1868 he began his career as a railroad man, in the employ of the Chicago, Milwau-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.9

kee & St. Paul Railroad Company, and after a few years of faithful service he was made section foreman, a position he still holds. During his twenty-one years' connection with this road, there has never been an accident that was due to his neglect, which is, indeed a comforting reflection.

Mr. Keaveny is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, of the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin, and of the Total Abstinence Society. In polities he is independent, sup- porting those men whom he esteems best fitted for the discharge of the duties of pub- lic office.

In 1862 he was united in marriage, in Ire- land, to Miss Bridget Walsh. a daughter of John and Catharine (Cusack) Walsh. Mrs. Keaveny's father was a farmer by occupation, George Roy. September 25, 1556. and lived and died in his own country; her mother still survives, a resident of the Emer- ald Isle. Mr. and Mrs. Keaveny are the parents of six children, five of whom are liv- ing: Mary. the wife of E. J. Kelley, of the board of public works, La Crosse; Catharine, the wife of William Cragen, is the mother of three children: John isliving in Washington ; Sabine and Delia are both in La Crosse; Bridget died at the age of three years, five months and three days. The family are all devont members of the Catholic Church.

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OIIN M. CHILDERS, senior member of the firm of JJ. M. Childers & Co., cut- stone contractors, is a nativo of the State of Ohio, born at Letartville, Meigs county, May 24, 1551, and is a son of Samuel and Edith ( Bradfield) Chiklers. The father was a shoemaker by trade, and was a native of Virginia. The Bradfield and Childers fami- lies were descended from the same ancestors.

About the year 155> Samuel R. Childers

removed with his family to La Crosse. coming from Mason via the Ohio river down to the Mississippi, and thence up the latter river to La Crosse, where our subjeet passed his youth. Here he learned the stone- entter's trade, and has since February 17, 1569, been identified with this industry. In 1985 he formed a partnership with Thomas O'Conner for the purpose of entering into the stone contracting business, and they have built up a large and prosperous trade.

Mr. Childers was united in marriage. June 11, 1580. in the city of La Crosse, to Miss Minnie B. Brabender, of this place, a dangh- ter of Jacob Brabender, a native of Ger- many. Of this union two sons have been born: John M., Jr., June 22, 1554. and

Mr. Childers is a man of broad public spirit, and has liberally sustained those movements which have had for their object the upbuilding of the city and county. He is an active member of the Builders' Ex- change of La Crosse, and is numbered among the leading business men.

NGUS CAMERON, of La Crosse, was born in the town of Caledonia. Livings- ton county, New York, July 4. 1526. Hle received an academic education, read law at Buffalo, and graduated from the National Law School at Ballston. Saratoga county. New York. He was admitted to the bar at Albany in April. 1552.

lle married Mary Baker, of Urbana, Sten- ben county, New York, February 21, 1856, and removed to La Crosse in 1557.

Ile was a member of the Wisconsin Senate in 1863. 1564, 1871 and 1872, and of the Assembly of Wisconsin in 1866 and 1867, and was Speaker of the Assembly in 1867.

George W. Brice

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IIe was a Regent of the University of business than any other photographer in Wisconsin for nine years, from 1866 to 1875. Western Wisconsin. He also does very fine work in India ink and crayon. and was United States Senator from Wiscon- sin for ten years, from March 4, 1875, to March 4, 1885.

REDERICK WILLIAM MOULD, pho- tographer, 413 South Third street, La Crosse, is a native of Baraboo, Wiscon- sin, born March 4, 1857. Ilis parents, Matthew and Jane (Islip) Mould were natives of England, the father being born in North- amptonshire, and the mother in Lincolnshire. They emigrated to America in 1850, and located in Newport, New York, where they resided six or seven years, subsequently re- mother still resides. The father died in 1890, at sixty-seven years of age.

Of the family there were three sons and two daughters, of whom Frederick W. is the youngest; Mary J. is the widow of A. An- drews; Mattie married Henry Marriatt: Matthew Henry married Miss Jennie Buck- ley ; he is engaged in the book and stationery business at Baraboo; Simmons I, married Miss Emma Burdick of Madison, Wisconsin, and is a photographer at Baraboo.

Frederick W. received his edneation in the public schools of Baraboo, and then began the study of photography with his father, who had followed that profession since 1857. In 1880 he established himself in business in La Crosse, being associated for a time with his father. In the spring of 1882 he became sole owner of the business and has since con- ducted it alone. He employes all of the latest improvements in the photographic art, and uses the instantaneous process. Ilis work is first-class in every respect, and his patronage extends throughont this and two adjoining counties; and he does a larger 19

Mr. Mould was united in marriage Sep- tember 3, 1881, to Miss JJulia E. Sorensen of Madison, Wisconsin. She was born in that city December 3, 1859, and is a daughter of David T. Sorensen, a prominent lumber dealer and contractor of Madison. Mr. and Mrs. Mould are the parents of two children: Ida Florence, born Jannary 5, 1584, and Gertrude Lora, born September 28, 1890. Mr. Mould is independent in political matters and sustains no society or church relations.

EORGE W. BRICE, real-estate dealer, La Crosse, Wisconsin .- At the present time there is great activity in the realty market, and it is safe to say that never before in the history of the city have such advan- tages been offered to secure desirable property. Among those active in real-estate operations is George W. Brice, who is also engaged in the loan and insurance business at 116 North Third street. IIe is a native of Franklin county, Berkshire township, Vermont, born February 9, 1836, and is a son of Alexander and Lucy (Wilbur) Brice, natives of New London, Connecticut, and Rutland, Vermont. The father was a farmer in early life, but later engaged in other operations. He was a private in the war of 1812, and for services rendered received a pension; he came to Wisconsin in 1543, and with his family set- tled on a farm at Sugar Creek, Walworth county, where they remained until 1855; in that year they came to La Crosse county and settled on what is known as Brice's prairie. There the parents died, and their remains were interred in the cemetery near the old homestead. Of the ten children born of this

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union, two died in early childhood, four have inspired such confidence and a faithful performance of duty only could have secured its continuance. In all his official relations he rendered a high degree of satisfaction. He was again elected Supervisor in the spring of 1>91. for the Fourteenth Ward of the city. daughters remained in the East, and four sons came West. The father's death occurred No- vember 11. 1574, in his eighty-sixth year. and the mother died July 26, 1565. at the age of seventy-two years. They were for many years devout members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of their sons. Charles lle is succeeding well in the real estate and insurance business, and has earned a well- merited reputation for the conscientious and efficient manner with which he conducts affairs intrusted to his care. Ile is holding his third commission as Notary Public. (. is now living at Hillhurst. in the State of Washington; Milton and George W. enlisted on the same day. February 28, 1563. in Com- pany I, Thirty- sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Army of the Potomac; another son, Robert, enlisted February 25th of the same Mr. Brice was married May 8, 1561, to Miss Eliza Courtright, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Ansel Courtright, who went to California in 1849. and died there year, in the same company. Their regiment was in the battle at the erossing of the North Anna, the Petersburg campaign, Spottsyl- vania and Cold Harbor: in the last battle, some time the following year. The children June 3. 1564, Milton Brice was killed: he . born of this union are: Harvey C., who is a was but thirty-two years of age. At the time ' civil engineer and has been in the employ of of the surrender, George W. Briee was near Appomattox on his way from Buck's Run. In Anne, 1565, the regiment was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, and there mustered ont of service, July 12, of the same year.

After the war, farming engaged the atten- ! tion of Mr. Brice, until 1570, when he em- barked in the farming implement and pump : Mis. Brice is a member of the Methodist !

business, in which he was unusually successful. continuing the same until his election to the office of Registrar of Deed- for La Crosse county.

Mr. Brice has had an extensive experience in official life. He held the position of C'on- stable the first year he was a voter, and later was elected Instice of the Peace: he was elected Assessor of the town of Onalaska in 1870, holding that position six years, and served on the County Board about nine years, being chairman of the same three years. He was elected Registrar of Deeds in 1981, and served six years, three terms, in that capacity. A manly and trustworthy character ouly could

the Great Northern Railroad for four years; he has also held the office of County Surveyor one term: Robert E. is a clerk in the insur- ance business with his father whom he served as Deputy Registrar of Deeds during his last term in that office: Florence, who died at the age of two years; and Myrtle G., still living. Episcopal Church.

Mr. Brice has passed through all the chairs of Odd Fellowship, is also a member of the blue lodge, A. F. & A. M., having been W. M. of the lodge at Onalaska for two years; he belongs also to the chapter and com- mandry. In polities he has always been ac- tively identified with the Republican party. In business affairs he has been quite prosper- ons: had his only purpose been to accumulate he would to day take high rank among the wealthy men of La Crosse, but his aim has been loftier, nobler: his means have been dis- tributed with a liberal hand as many ean attest, and those who have sought his aid

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have been generously helped along life's rugged pathway. In his intercourse with his fellow-citizens, he has been found true to every trust, competent and faithful in every position to which he has been called, honor- able and upright to the ntmost degree.

IRAN G. MILLER, Eclectic physician and surgeon, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was boru at Virgil, Cortland county, New York, March 30, 1825, and is a son of Ben- jamin and Julia (Garrett) Miller. The mother was born at Sharon, Connecticut, of English ancestry ; the father was a native of Williams- town, Massachusetts, and was a lineal de- scendant of the house of llamilton. The paternal grandfather of our subjeet died at the age of ninety-nine years from the effects of a fall; he was a schoolteacher for more than forty years. The family was one of professional men, numbering among the dif- ferent generations many educators; they were large of stature, some measuring six feet, three and a half inches, and were a long-lived race. Hiram G. is the eldest son and second child in a family of eleven children. At the age of eleven years he removed with his father's family to Peoria, Illinois, where he received his elementary education ; he entered Shirtleff College at Alton, Illinois, in 1847, and two years later he was caught in that mighty tide of emigration that swept to the gold fields of California: he went overland via the southern route, and was engaged in mining in the Yuba River locality for two years, meeting with fair success.

When he returned to his home he began the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. L. C. McKenney, at Burlington, Iowa; he pursued his studies for five years, and then engaged in practice at Rosefield, Illinois.

Ile afterwards entered the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, from which he was graduated in 1869. Ile then removed to La Crosse, where he has devoted himself to his profession for the past twenty-three years. He has been eminently successful, and has established a fine reputation as a skillful and trustworthy physician. Ilis pa- tients are not found alone in La Crosse county, but come from distant points.

Dr. Miller was married July 16, 1868, to Miss Virginia E. MeKenney, eldest daughter of Dr. L. C. and Lucinda (Clarke) MeKenney, of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Dr. MeKenney, who was the tutor of Dr. Miller, was a promi- nent physician in Burlington Iowa, but upon his removal to La Crosse he turned his at- tention to the law, in order to avoid the ex- posure attendant upon active medical practice. He died in this city April 19, 1857; his widow is still living, and resides in La Crosse. There were seven children in the MeKenney family, four of whom are living. To Dr. and Mrs. Miller have been born five children : Lewis Benjamin, James Leslie, and Charles Willis, are deceased: Virginia E. and Hiram G , Jr., are aged eleven and eight years re- spectively. Mrs. Miller is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Doctor is an active member of the Prohibi- tion party, having allied himself with that moral reforin in 1887. He was formerly a Democrat.

HARLES J. ALDEN, United States Pension Claim Agent and War Claim Attorney, La Crosse, was born in Mon- roeton. Bradford county, Pennsylvania, July 5, 1844. From an examination of a carefully prepared genealogical record, we find that our subject is a direct descendant of John Alden,

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

who landed on Plymouth Rock December branch establishment in Oakdale, Wisconsin. 20. 1620. The parents of Mr. Alden were In 1576 he turned his attention to agricult- Sylvester W. and Frances ( Wilcox) Alden. ure and operated a farm tor three years. Ile natives of Bradford county, Pennsylvania. was married at New Lisbon, Wisconsin. Sep- tember 10, 1872, to Antoinette, daughter of Joseph and Dorcas Davidson. To them four children have been born: Frances May, Syl- vester W., Leola and Charles J .. Jr. Mr. Alden is a Republican in polities. He be- longs to the Knights of Pythias, to the I. O. O. F., and to Wilson Caldwell Post, No. 38, G. A. R. The father was born March 19, 1810, and the mother July 31. 1815. The former was a son of Timothy Alden, he the son of Israel. he the second son of Rev. Noah Alden. and he, the youngest son of John Alden, born in 1694. and he the son of Joseph, born in 1624. and he the son of John Alden, from whom the family in America has sprung; he was born in Duxbury. England, in 1599. The Some twelve years ago Mr. Alden engaged in the pension and war-claims business, and established an office at Tomah, Wisconsin. Subsequently he removed to Sparta, and after three years there he came to La Crosse, the rapid inerease of his business rendering it necessary for him to place himself within reach of better railroad and mail facilities. During the year just passed 35,000 let- ters were sent ont from his office, besides many thousand circulars. Fully $2.000 are spent annually in advertising. Ile has been instrumental in securing the allowance of claims from every State in the Union. A close application to business, with ample fa- cilities and access to records renders Mr. Alden a very successful practitioner in his line. Hle has acenmulated valuable records and information relative to the pension laws, having full files of cireulars and legal doen- ments issued by the Pension Department. To give an idea of his increase of business since 1583. it may be noted that the number The father of our subject removed his family to Wisconsin, and became heavily interested in lumbering in the vicinity of Green Bay, at which place he died July 13, 1551. Ilis wife died at Monroeton, Pennsylvania, Aug- ust 29, 1547. Two sons comprised their family, De Alanson T. being the elder, and Charles J. the younger. The brothers en- listed in Company II., Twenty-first Wiseen- sin Volunteer Infantiy. August 15, 1862. De Alanson died of disease contraeted in the service. June 2, 1864. Charles J. had a peculiar and varied military career. His first initiation being in Kentucky in pursuit of the rebel General Bragg. Ile first partici- pated in battle at Perryville: here his regi- ment suffered terribly, and after participating in many other battles he was disabled from active service and declared unfit for duty. He was assigned to duty at General Carrington's head-quarters at Indianapolis, Indiana; later on he was transferred to the headquarters of General Ilovey, where he served until the of claims allowed in that year was seventy - close of the war. He was mustered out of two, and in 1890, 937. serviee June 30. 1565.

He then joined his father at Green Bay, Wisconsin, and was engaged in the lumber business until 1570, when he located at To- mah, Monroe county, Wisconsin, where he embarked in the mercantile trade: he had a

ATT. WANNEBO, dealer in staple and fancy groceries, flour, provisions. choice butter, etc .. at La Crosse, Wisconsin, has gained a front position in his

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line of trade, and numbers among his patrons some of the best families of the city. The stock he carries consists of a full line of the choicest articles to be found in the market, and are to be obtained at most reasonable prices. Mr. Wannebo was born in Norway, August 18, 1851, being the youngest of four children born to his parents, who were born, reared and died in Norway. Two of the children, besides the subject of this sketch, reside in La Crosse county, and one resides on a farm in Minnesota. On a farm in Nor- way Matt. Wannebo was reared, but in 1870 he came to America and settled in La Crosse county, and for some time worked by the month on a farm. His brother Andrew set- tled on a farm here in 1865; Otto came to this country in 1867, and the sister Annie, who became the wife of Louie Knudsen, came thither in 1869. After one year spent as a farm hand, Matt. Wannebo went to the pineries of Wisconsin, where he worked as a millwright for eight years, after which he re- turned to La Crosse and built the handsome store building in which he is now doing business. Its dimensions are 24 x 80, two stories in height, and it is located in a con- venient district for trade, at the corner of Clinton and Caledonia streets. Every facil- ity for the prompt transaction of business is here to be found, and in all respects it is an A 1 house and a representative one in the grocery business of the city. Butter and eggs are received direct from the producers, and all kinds of the best fruit and vegetables that are in season are to be obtained at his establishment. Upon coming to America he was compelled to borrow money with which to pay his passage, but he is now in inde- pendent circumstances and has the satisfac- tion of knowing that his present success is dne to his own pluck and industry. Ile is a broad-spirited, liberal-minded man, of the

highest business capacity, and honored in all circles of society. lle has held the positions of Alderman and Supervisor with ability and to the satisfaction of his constituents. Hle is a Republican in politics, and his influence has always been given in support of educa- tional, social and moral interests. Septem- ber 27, 1882, his marriage to Miss Otilia Evanson was celebrated. Her parents were natives of Norway, and her mother is now an old resident of La Crosse county. ller father was a soldier in the Union army during the Rebellion, serving from the be- ginning until the close. Mrs. Wannebo and a single daughter, Emma, are their only sur- viving children, the latter being also a resi- dent of La Crosse. Mr. and Mrs. Wannebo are the parents of the following children: Henry. Morris, Arthur, George and Eva. Mr. Wannebo is a member of the I. O. O. F., of which he is a zealous and active member.

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 938

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 938