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 82
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 82
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 82
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in the early days was that the small amount of timber that the country contained would soon be exhausted. But the present condi- sion of the country shows how groundless were their fears, the country containing at present more timber than in the early pio- neer days, the result of suppressing fires that consumed the early timber before the days of the white men. The Gibson brothers are numbered among the representative men of Trempealean county, where they have lived so long and have done their share toward developing the growth and assuring the prosperity of their country.
Delorm P. Gibson, whose farm joins that of his brother, was born in Iowa county, Wisconsin, July 19, 1843, being about thirteen years of age when he came with his parents to their new home in West Wiscon- sin. Ile resides on the old homestead of his parents, with whom he lived or they with him until their death. He married Miss Margaret A. Harvey, a sister of his brother's wife. The time of their marriage was De- TOSEPH DICKINSON COOPER is another of the pioneers of this town. Ilis father, John Cooper, was born in IIardin, Ohio, a son of Jesse Cooper, a pioneer of that country, where he was reared. When he reached mature years he chose farming as his occupation and soon after married Miss Mary Adams, who was also born in Hardin county. He finally decided to emigrate West. where there was open Government land, and about 1842 he took a trip to Iowa with a brother-in-law, traveling on foot. The latter did not return to Ohio. but Mr. Cooper returned, and in 1546 emi- grated with his family to Wisconsin and settled in Sank county, where he was among the first settlers. Hle lived at various places in Sank county, and in 1870 came to Trem- pealean county and lived on section 4 in the town of Albion until his death, which of- curred September 14, 1889, at the age of about eighty-one years. The wife and mother cember, 1868. The original homestead which he owns and occupies, contained eighty acres; his present farm includes a quarter section. He and wife have seven children, three boys and four girls, all of whom were born at the homestead. They are Charles, Mina. Pauline, Guy D., Mary E., John A. and Roxana. It will thus be seen that the Gibson brothers are among the earliest pioneers of West Wisconsin. They remember well the early times and the privations endured by the early settlers. The winter of 1856-'57 was a severe one, and of course the family had not yet an opportunity of raising food for their support. They had food shipped to them from lowa county to Fountain City, and went several times to the latter place, where they would load their wagons with corn, which they would take to Eau Claire and have ground, the round trip requiring them to travel about 120 miles; and all this dis- tance to get a grist of corn meal; but game ' is still living at the age of seventy-seven was plentiful, bear and elk and other wild years, and is quite smart for her years.
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The subject of this sketch was one of days. Mr. Cooper has never recovered his health and is a constant sufferer from disease contraeted while in the service of his country. Since the war he has resided on his farin. Ile was married March 16, 1862, to Miss Elizabeth Williams, danghter of Satley and Julia Williams, who settled in what is now the town of Albion, in 1861. Seven chil- dren have blessed this union, four boys and three girls, viz .: George D., John L., William 11., Mary Elizabeth, Clara M., Edwin Albert and Effa Jane. Ile is a member of the Wheeler Post, G. A. R., and has the confi- dence and esteem of all who know him. thirteen children. Ile first came to Trem- pealeau county in the fall of 1861, and the following year settled on his present place. Ile enlisted on February 29, 1864, in Com- pany K, Thirty-sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served until May 16, 1865, when he was discharged at the Harvey Hos- pital, Madison. He joined his regiment at Madison and went thence to Washington and joined Grant's army immediately, and the tenth day after leaving Madison took part in the severe battle of Gainesville. He also fought in the celebrated battle of Cold Harbor, taking part in the fearful charge at that battle, his regiment, which numbered about 1,000 when it left Madison, losing over T. CLAIR JONES, of Eleva, was born in Vietor, Ontario county, New York, June 9, 1836, a son of William and Thankful (Covel) Jones, the former born in Boston, Massachusetts, and the latter a native of Maine. They were married in Steuben county, New York, and soon after located in Ontario county. In 1849 they emigrated to Wisconsin, settling in the town of Oregon, and here the wife and mother passed away, February 19, 1856. After the death of his wife the father made his home with his son St. Clair, who had removed in 1865 to the town of Sumner, until his death, which oc- curred in 1873, at the age of seventy-three to Miss Hannah Tinker, a native of England. born in 1841, daughter of Hilton and Sarah (Smith) Tinker, natives of England, who were pioneers of Dane county, Wisconsin. The mother died in her native country and the father afterward married again, and he and wife are now living in Iowa. half its number; and he also was in the bat- tle of Fredericksburg. Mr. Cooper also took part in the siege of Petersburg, and was among the front troops at that place. On June 18, 1865, he took part with his regi- ment in a charge of the rebel works at Petersburg and came out of the same with but sixty men. At this charge there was not an officer, commissioned or non-commissioned, but who was killed or wounded. He re- ceived a gunshot wound in the foot in this action, which incapacitated him for further duty with his regiment. lle was taken from the field to the hospital, the following day to City Point, and eight days afterward was ' years. St. Clair Jones was married in 1858 sent to Mount Pleasant Hospital. Washing- ton. July 20, 1864, he got a furlough and came home, afterward returning to the hos- pital at Washington, where he remained until March. All this time he was suffering from his wound and also from general de- bility. In March, 1865, he was sent to Ilarvey Hospital, Madison, and was dis- At the breaking out of the war Mr. Jones was a resident of Dane county, and from there he enlisted August 9, 1861, in Com- pany I, Twenty-third Wisconsin Infantry, charged May 16, 1865, after serving his country so long, faithfully and well. In the meantime he had been furlonghed for thirty
.
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and was mustered into service on the 19th of the same month. Ile went to Cineinnati, thenee to Camp Bates, thence to Louisville, Kentucky, thenee to Memphis, Tennessee, and participated in the first attack of Vicks- burg under General Sherman. From there he went np the Arkansas river and took part in the first engagement at Arkansas Post. Ile then went to Young's Point, where he staid during the winter of 1862-'63, thence to Milliken's Bend and took part in the cam- paign against Vieksburg under Grant, and was actively engaged until the surrender. Ile then went to Jackson, Mississippi, and there joined Johnson; returned to Vicks burg and down the river to New Orleans. In the fall of 1863 he made a campaign West of that city toward the Red river for the purpose of meeting Kirby Smith and Diek Taylor, and met these Generals at what was then known as Carrion Crow Bayou and had a hard fight. About 300 men of the Twenty-third went into this fight, and but thirty-two reported after the battle there, the remainder having been either killed, wonnded or taken prisoners; thienee to New Orleans, where the prisoners lost at Carrion Crow were exchanged, and returned to his regi- ment; thence campaigned to Fort Gaines at North Mobile Bay. After the surrender of Fort Gaines he took part in the Red river campaign, where the regiment which had been recruited sustained a great loss. After that campaign in January, 1864, he shipped to Matagorda Bay, but removed thenee to Bagdad on the Rio Grande river, thenec to New Orleans and prepared to commence the campaign on Mobile, Alabama. IIe took part in the attack on Fort Morgan, and also the capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, and thence to Mobile, which finished his war record. Ile was mustered out at Mobile, July 4, 1865. All four of his brothers were
in the army. One, William, who was with him in the same regiment, Company II, con- tracted the inflammatory rheumatism in the swamps of the Yazoo river and lived until the following spring, when his death occurred at the St. Louis general hospital. John A. was in the Seventhi Regiment, and was taken prisoner at the first battle of Bull Run, and afterward served in the Forty-eighth Illinois. Ilis home is now in Unity, Trempealean county. Covil served in the Seventh Wis- eonsin in the latter part of the war. IIe is now a resident of this town. St. Clair Jones' general health was much broken by exposure in the swamps, but he never entered a hos- pital until about seven days before his regi- ment was mustered out, having become nearly blind, and although opposed even then to going was almost compelled to do so, and was in the general hospital at Mobile and transferred then to New Orleans, where he lay fifteen days and was then sent home. His eyes troubled him for a long time, and he never recovered his former health.
In July, 1867, Mr. Jones eame to the town of Albion, then a part of the town of Sumner. Ilis farm is on Trout creek in this town, but he and wife live at their pleasant home in Eleva. They are the parents of five children, all boys, viz .: Norman E., a resi- dent of Unity; Almon L., who resides on the old homestead; William S., Henry Wes- ley and Wallace L. Mr. Jones is a member of Wheeler Post, G. A. R. In polities he is a Republican.
AVID JEREMIAH ODELL, another of the pioneers of Buffalo county, located there in October, 1556, being one of the very earliest settlers of that county. settling in what is the town of Modena. Ile
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
was born in Geanga eounty, Ohio, July 3, 1832, one of eight children, four boys and four girls. When he was eight years of age, his parents removed to what is now Waukesha county, then a part of Milwaukee eounty, and here Mr. Odell, Sr., erected the first house in Merton, Waukesha county. and re- moved thenee to Columbia county where they lived for several years. In 1856 they came to Buffalo county, but soon after Mr. Odell, Sr., returned to Columbia county, where he died, his wife having previously died in the town of Merton.
Mr. D. J. Odell and father entered 640 acres of land in the town of Modena, where he lived and improved the greater part of it until 1867, when he sold out in Buffalo county and bought a farm in the township of Albion, Trempealeau county. Ile lived on this farm for many years and then sold it to the Whipple Brothers and purchased a farm known as the Leach farm, which he still owns. Ile and wife now live in the village of Eleva, where they have a pleasant home abont three- quarters of a mile from the home farm. Mr. Odell and a brother, Charles, living at Reeds- burg, formerly of Lodi, are all that are now left of this once numerous family.
Odell is a prominent politician of this eounty, athiliating with the Democratie party. Ile and wife are well worthy a place in the re- cord of the old settlers now being prepared.
OSWELL PHILIP GODDARD, the pioneer business man of Eleva, erected a store building at this point in the spring of 1877, which was the first business house erected. Elliott J. Carpenter came at the same time and began the ereetion of a gristmill. Soon after the mill (which was but a small affair) was started he sold a half interest to John Redfield, and not long after Mr. Crocker became sole owner. He after- ward sold to Snoyenbos & Rusling, who now own the mill. Mr. Goddard at once engaged in mercantile pursuits, erecting a building 32 x 46, keeping a general line of merchan- dise, and for a number of years he was the only merchant in the place. Later he sold his business, rented his store and engaged in the farining implement business, which he is now carrying on successfully. He handles the l'lano goods, manufactured at Plano, Illi- nois. Ifis stock, which is very extensive, includes harvesters, binders, horse-rakes, and buggies.
Hle was married in Columbia county, mowers, and all farm implements and wagons to Miss Alice Thomas, daughter of James ' Thomas, a well-known pioneer of Columbia
Mr. Goddard was born in Lower Canada county, who died March 4, 1867. They are (now the Province of Quebec) January 14,
the parents of four boys: Otis W., Charles 1836. His father, William Goddard, was a native of the State of New York and re- moved to Canada in early life. The mother, C'atherine (Philips) Goddard, was a native of Vermont. When Roswell Goddard was thir- teen years of age the family removed to Wal- worth county, Wisconsin, settling at West Troy, where they remained for two years; then they removed to Dane county, same E., Mcclellan, and Edwin. Sinee he settled here, now forty-three years ago. Mr. Odell has seen the country grow from a state of wilderness to its present advanced condition. The Indian, the elk, and the deer long since , disappeared, were then numerous. Now all this has passed away, and where roamed the Indian and wild animals are found fruitful fields and all evidences of cultivation. Mr. State, where the parents died and are buried.
John. a Sprecher J.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
Ile was one of ten children, all of whom grew to mature years and all of whom are living except Marshall, who died from the effects of disease contracted while in the army, he having served in the famous Eighth Wisconsin Eagle Regiment. Two other brothers, Abram and George, were also in the army, in Illinois regiments. The subject of this sketch came to Buffalo county in 1860 and settled on a farm in the township of Modena. His health failed to some extent and he rented his farm and engaged in selling machinery for about eight years before com- ing to Eleva. When he left that county he ! sold his farm.
He was married at West Point, Columbia county, Wisconsin, to Rosina Thomas, a native of Canada, daughter of James Thomas, a pioneer of that county. Six children have blessed this union, two boys and four girls, viz .: Roswell, the eldest son, who was born in .July, 1861; Lila, wife of L. A. Merritt, of Naples, Buffalo county; Luna, wife of William Knapp of Mondovi; Harry, Myrtie and Alice.
Mr. Goddard is one of the representative men of this town. In his political views he was in former times a Democrat, but being impressed with the belief that the evil of for five years, and has filled the same position intemperanee should be suppressed by law, in the township of Albion for several years. Mr. Goddard and E. JJ. Carpenter owned the land on which the original town of Eleva was platted. and he had made an addition to the original plat in his own name. and believing that the surest method to sup- press this evil is by utterly prohibiting the sale and manufacture of intoxieants he has become a confirmed Prohibitionist in his sen- timents. It may be truthfully said that it is owing chiefly to his influenee that no saloon 22222#22222 is found in Eleva. As an illustration of his influence in the cause of temperanee and OIIN SPRECHER, the leading business man of Independence, Trempealean county, is engaged in the sale of farm- ing implements. Immber, grain, hay,etc. He was born November 29, 1550, in Troy, Sauk county, Wisconsin, and continued to reside morality the following ineident might be narrated: Soon after the town was started two young men came to the place for the purpose of erecting a saloon, purchased the 'Inumber for the building and were about to
begin its construction. Realizing at once the importance of preventing the young men from carrying out their plans, Mr. Goddard approached them in a kindly way and rea- soned with them as to the evils that would result should they continue in their deter- mination to go into the saloon business, and told them of the importance of starting in the right way, as they entered upon their career in life. So effectually did he impress them with the truth of his arguments that they desisted from their undertaking, Mr. Goddard saving them from financial loss by purchasing their lumber. In his religious affiliations Mr. Goddard has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1874, and was largely instrumental in building the church at Eleva, and has filled the positions of superintendent and elass-leader of his church for many years. Hle established a Sabbath-school several years previous to the building of the church, and furnished a building for church and Sabbath-school pur- poses. Besides his mercantile interests Mr. Goddard is also interested in agricultural matters, owning a fine farm of 120 acres near Eleva. While residing in Buffalo county Mr. Goddard served his township as Treasurer
43
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
there with his parents until 1873, when he came to Trempealeau county and engaged with Krumdiek & Muir, in the sale of farm implements. In 1876 he came to Arcadia, and continued the business of his former employers for two years, at the end of which time he purchased the interest of Mr. Krum- dick, the firm becoming Muir & Sprecher. One year. later he bought ont his partner, and since then has conducted the business alone. Mr. Sprecher has spent his whole life thus far in Wisconsin, his father having been one of the pioneers of Sank county, where he still lives. Mr. Sprecher possesses excellent business ability, a fact which his sueeessful career has established, and perhaps no man in the county does or has done a larger business than he in the line which he follows. His successes have been attained by elose attention to business, and by fair and honorable dealing to all. He began life, in a business way, with but $200. His field of operations now are not confined to the narrow limits of his eounty; he has ex- tensive interests in Milwaukee and Chicago, being interested in real estate in both those eities.
Mrs. Sprecher was formerly Miss Caroline Scaffer, of Sank county. They have three children, two sons and a daughter, viz .: John Henry, Walter A. and Carrie G. They also lost two children.
ENRY BECHMANN was born in Chris- pendorf, Saxony, August 29, 1834, son of Henry and Sophia (Brendell) Beclı- mann. The elder Mr. Bechmann was born in 1804, son of Christoph, and was a mason by trade. His wife was born in 1806. They had a family of seven children, namely: Caroline, who married a Mr. Mueller: Chris-
tian; Henry, the subject of this biography ; Johanna, now Mrs. Herbst; Theresa, who married Christ Meinhardt; Paulina, who married Christ Scherf; and Carl-all living except the two oldest, Caroline and Christian, who died in the years 1884 and 1885 respect- ively. The father died at the old home in 1880, the mother having passed away in 1853.
Henry Bechmann spent his early life at home, and attended the publie schools until he was fourteen. In 1857 he bade adien to his native land and set sail for the United States, landing in Baltimore and from thenee eoming direct to Fountain City, where he had a brother-in-law. The date of his arrival in this city was August 18, 1857. At that time the town comprised about 200 inhabitants. The first year he engaged in farming, and after that learned the trade of mason. He was chiefly engaged in building until 1873. That year he was brought before the publie on the Reform tieket, and was nominated and elected Registrar of Deeds, re- ceiving a majority of 300 votes. In 1875 he was re-elected to the same position on the Democratic tieket, also receiving a large majority this time, and was again elected in 1877. In this position he served six years, performed his duties faithfully and gave entire satisfaction to all concerned. He was Town Treasurer in 1868-'69, and again in 1872-'73. During the time he was Registrar of Deeds he resided at Alma, and after the ex- piration of his term of office he moved back to Fountain City. He then purchased the drug business of G. G. Oppliger, which has sinee been condueted under the name of Bechmann & Son. Since his return to Foun- tain City he has held various positions of local prominence and trust. In the spring of 1891 he was elected Justice of the Peace, receiving a large majority of the votes cast.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Mr. Bechmann was married, February 18, Wisconsin, and he received his education in 1856, in the old country, to Wilhelmina, the common school. He was reared to the ocenpation of farming, to which he has since been wholly devoted, except three winters. when he was engaged as clerk in the mer- cantile house of 11. E. Getts & Co., of Whitehall, Wisconsin. danghter of Michael and Wilhelmina Fratz seher. Following is the issue from this nnion: Charles Richard, who is in business with his father; Emma, wife of Hermann Spuehr, of Chicago; Otto C., a druggist of Cherokee, Iowa; AAnna M., and Paulina, who died February 26, 1892.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Bechmann are members of the Lutheran Church.
Mr. Larson has been called upon by his fellow citizens to serve in various official positions, being elected Supervisor of the town of Pigeon when but twenty-one years of age, and elected Toown Clerk when twenty- two, serving in that capacity for eleven years; at the expiration of that time he was elected chairman of the town, and is now serving his third term as such; he has also served as Secretary of the Pigeon Mutual Fire Insur- anee company ever since its organization in the year 1882. In his political affiliations Mr. Larson is a Republican. He was mar- ried May, 28. 1887, to Miss Maria Skorstad, a danghter of Christian and Elene Skorstad, both born in Norway, in 1819 and 1821 re- spectively, and who in the year 1868 emi- grated with their six children from the parish of Vardahl, in the county of Christiania,
LE E. LARSON resides in the town of Pigeon, on section 26, township 23. range 7 west. Ile is a son of Erick Larson, born in the year 1826, and Oline Larson, born in the year 1817, and who in the year 1859 emigrated with their children from the parish of Ringsacker in the county of Hedemarken. Norway, to Ameriea. set- tling in the town of llamilton, La Crosse county, Wisconsin, where they resided six years, removing thenee to Trempealeau county, settling in the year 1865 on the place now owned and ocenpied by their son, | Norway, to this county, and in 1869 com- Ole E. Larson, with whom they now reside. meneed pioneer life in Trempealeau county, No improvement had been made upon the place at that time, and consequently they had to go through the usual hardship of pioneer life. The farm contains 240 acres, and is , under a good state of cultivation. Erick
on section 27, township 23, range 7 west. Mr. Skorstad died September 2, 1586, leav- ing his family in comfortable circumstances. Mrs. Skorstad is still living on the homestead with three of their children,-Andrew, Peter Larson and wife have but two children, the : and Carrie,-while their oldest daughter, now eldest of whom is Lars, born 1552, and mar- Mrs. Olive Rye, lives at West Superior. Wis- consin; and Anton, the youngest member of the family holds a position as salesman with a mercantile firm at Osseo, Wisconsin.
ried in 1876 to Miss Ellen Johnson. They have two children: Edwin and Emma. They are now residing in the town of Northfield, Jackson county, Wisconsin.
Mrs. Larson was born in Norway. August 7, 1863, and eame to this country with her parents at the age of five years.
Ole E. Larson was born in Norway, Sep- tember 21, 1855, and was in his fourth year when he came to America; all of his mature Mr. Larson is one of the representative years have been spent in Trempealeau eounty, I men of his town. He is a gentleman of good
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
attainments, and the various official positions to which he has been called, and the ability with which he has discharged the duties per- taining thereto, is evidence of the esteem and confidence in which he is held by his fellow citizens.
OHN A. STELLPFLUG, who resides on section 29, Gale township, is a repre- sentative of one of the pioneer families of Trempealean county. His father, John Stellpflug, was born in Prussia, in 1797, and was reared to the occupation of a farmer and shepherd, as is the custom in the agricultural regions of that country; he also served his time in the Prussian army. IIe was twice married, his first wife being Mary Rokus, who died in Germany, leaving three sons, the eldest of whom, Herman, came to America in 1845, the first of the family who came to the United States. Louis, the second son. came to this country with the father. He was married in Louisiana, after which he lived a number of years and died leaving a family, who removed after the father's death to Louisiana. The third of three sons, Chris- tian, learned the trade of a harness-maker in Germany, and came to America with his father. He also died in this county, leaving a family; his widow is now also deceased. The father remarried in Germany, his second wife being Elizabeth Lnoir, to whom three sons were born before the family left Ger- many. John A. was the eldest; Francis, now a merchant of the city of La Crosse; Clem- ents, a resident of Gale township, was born on the ocean in the passage to America.
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