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 84

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 84
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 84
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 84

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assumed charge in 1889. Ile is a gentleman of education and energy, and under his ad- ministration the Herald has made commend- able progress.

Stark Butman was born in Erie county. Ohio, in 1832, and in the fall of 1852 he came with his father to La Crosse county and settled in the northern part of that TARK AND HIRAM BUTMAN are county, but returned the same autumn to among the well-known pioneers of Ohio. In the fall of 1853 he returned to La Crosse and Trempealean counties, this State, accompanied by Hiram, and set- the former residing on section 36, and the ' tled on the land that he and his father had latter on section 27. Gale township. The located the previous year, and began at once brothers are descended from an early family to make improvements. June 15, 1555,

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Stark Butman was united in marriage, by Elder Sherwin, of La Crosse, to Mary Jane Lynn, a native of Ohio. Her parents were Henry and Harriet Lynn, natives of New York, but early settlers of Huron county, Ohio, where they lived until death. Mrs. Butman went to the city of La Crosse in the fall of 1854, where she remained until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Butman continued to reside on their farm in La Crosse county until 1859, when they settled where they now live. he having purchased the place in 1856. He has a fine farm of 200 acres, and still owns a small part of the place in La Crosse county. Mr. and Mrs. Butman have eight children, three sons and five daughters, viz .: Eugene S., who was married to Lizzie Stellpflug and lives in Pipestone county, Minnesota; Emma, the wife of David G. Lonie, also resides in Pipestone county, near. the city of that name; Eva I., the wife of Allie Bartlett, resides in Kingsburg county Sonth Dakota; Erie II., at home; Nancy M., the wife of Clinton Lovell, also in Kingsburg county; Nettie L., the wife of William E. MeKown. of Pipestone county, Minnesota; Ernest H. and Frank Milton. They lost an infant daughter. Mr. Butinan has been Postmaster at Decora Prairie since July, 1873.

Hiram Butman was born in Ohio, in 1836, and, as already stated, came with his brother Stark to Wisconsin in the autumn of 1853. and improved a farm in Black river valley, now in the town of Holland, La Crosse county. He was married September 1, 1559. to Mary M. Harrison, daughter of Thomas

daughter, Alice R., born in Holland, La Crosse county, in 1962, and is now the wife of William Burton, of Chicago. They lost their oldest child and only son, Charles Hiram, also born in Holland, La Crosse county, in 1860, and died January 26, 1865. They have an adopted daughter, Gertrude S., born March 1, 1871, and has been their child since she was an infant of seven months. Mr. and Mrs. Butman have a pleasant home, beautifully located on an elevation, and surrounded by shade and ornamental trees.

The brothers are among the well-known and representative citizens of Treinpealean county, and for almost forty years have been residents of this immediate vicinity, and have ever been known as men of integrity and public spirit.

BENRY THORSGAARD, one of the representative citizens of Blair, Trem- pealeau county, was born in the famous Gulbransdalen valley, Norway, in 1845, a son of Lars Erickson Thorsgaard. In the summer of 1854 the family emigrated to America, being thirteen weeks in making the passage from Christiania to the port of Que- bec. After arrival they came directly to . Wisconsin, and settled on a tarm on Coon Prairie, Vernon county, where they were among the early pioneers. There the parents lived until death, the father surviving the mother a number of years.

When a young man the subject of this and Ruth Ann (Hine) Harrison, early settlers i sketch learned the trade of milling with John of Erie county, Ohio, and still reside on the old homestead where they first settled. The father was born in the State of New York, and the mother near where they now reside in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Butman have a Edmunds, on Squaw creek, near Black River Falls, where he remained five years. Mr. Thorsgaard followed the occupation of mil- ling about fourteen years. He came to Blair from Ettrick in 1873, where he had worked

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at his trade for a considerable time. In partnership with John and Orrin Van Ness they erected a flouring mill, which Mr. Thors. gaard operated until 1883, when he sold out. In 1886 he was elected Treasurer of Trem- pealean county, and served honorably and efficiently in that position four years, and has also held several local offices, including Chair- man of the Town Board. He is now devoting considerable attention to farming.

He was married in 1880, to Agnethe Ekern, a native of Norway, and they have four daughters: Pauline, Louise, Hanna and Chris- | passengers were lost; but the Oliver family, tina. Mr. Thorsgaard is esteemed as a pub- after undergoing great danger and privation, escaped. They settled in Allegany county, Maryland, where father and son engaged in mining, and where the former died in Feb- ruary. 1848, leaving the mother with eight children, of whom Robert was the eldest. lie-spirited and enterprising citizen. In his political affiliations he is a Republican, and is devoted to the principles of that great na- tional party. Though not a prohibitionist in the modern acceptation of that term, yet he is an earnest advocate of the principles of temperance. He is liberal in his religions belief, and ever takes a prominent part in whatever tends to promote the moral and material growth of the community in which he lives. He has a pleasant home in the vil- lage of Blair, where he and his family are surrounded by the comforts of life, which have been acquired by his industry and en- terprise.

OBERT S. OLIVER resides in section 36, township 19, range S west, where he settled in April, 1855. Ile bought this place of David J. Monroe, but nothing had been done on the place when he bought it except the building of a log cabin and the breaking of a few acres of land. Ile was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, Jannary 10, 1822, the son of George and Sarah (Lambie) Oliver, the latter having died when her son was a child. The father emigrated with his family to Nova Scotia,

where he and his son Robert engaged at work in the coal mines. In 1542 the family re- moved to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, but mining proving to be a dull business at that place, and the ontlook for future work not being favorable, they remained there but one month, when they returned to Nova Scotia. June 17, 1846, the family again left that country, their destination being the State of Maryland. While passing down the coast on shipboard their vessel was wrecked off New- port, Rhode Island, and a number of the

In the spring of 1849 our subject left home and went to Pottsville, Pennslyvania, where he remained some time. Ile was married in that city August 24, 1849, to Mary Scott, soon after which he returned to Maryland and worked in the coal mines until 1852. February 2, of the same year, he started for California, via the Isthmus, leaving his family in Maryland. The Cali- fornia gold fever was then raging violently, and Mr. Oliver, with thousands of others, became possessed of a desire to visit the " land of gol !. " The party of which he was a member took passage in the steamer Ben Franklin for the Isthmus; thence they as- cended the Chagres river on a small steamer for about twenty-eight miles, and then on foot to Panama, intending there to take a steamer up the Pacific Coast. Here they were compelled to wait two weeks, and were then obliged to take a sail vessel for San Francisco. This proved a long and tedious passage, and they endured much suffering for want of food and water. On one occasion

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they stopped at a small island to secure water, when three men made their appearance who had recently escaped from a whaler that had put in at the same place and for the same purpose, and these men had left the ship and crew with the intention of improving the first opportunity to take passage to California. The captain of the ship Cornelia took them aboard and sailed away, but soon the whaler hove in sight, and the runaway sailors were surrendered. In fact, the whole affair was a ruse on the part of the two captains to seenre the runaways. Later the Cornelia put into the port of Acapulco, Mexico, for provisions, and they finally reached San Francisco, after many trials and tribulations, on July 24. 1852.

Mr. Oliver at once proceeded to the mines, and continued to mine for gold until the fall of 1854, when he returned by the same ronte. In the spring of 1855 he came to Trempealean county, and made his present location, and in June of the same year he returned for his family, and here he has since lived. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver have thirteen children, five sons and eight daughters. Mr. Oliver is the only one of his father's family who ever settled in Trempealean connty. He is one of the substantial and respected citi- zens of Gale township.

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ILLIAM B. ARNOLD, of the town of Arcadia, resides on section 10, township 21, range 9 west, where he located September 30, 1864, at which time no improvements whatever had been made on his place. IIe was born in Saratoga county, New York, June 26, 1831, a son of Benejah Douglas Arnold, also a native of the Empire State. According to the genealogy of the family three brothers by the name of Arnold

emigrated from England at an early date, and from one of these brothers has the sub- ject of this sketch descended. B. D. Arnold married Maria Wilbur and continued to live in the State of New York until his decease, which occurred in Saratoga county, Septem- ber 28, 1886, at the advanced age of eighty- nine years. His widow still survives, at the age of eighty-five years. They were the parents of eight children who attained to ma- ture years, five sons and three daughters, of whom six survive, viz .: The eldest, Martha, widow of Isaac McCourtie, resides in Chicago; William B., our subject; Douglass, a resi- dent of Beloit, Wisconsin; Marvin resides on the old homestead in New York; Alfred also lives in that State, and Jennie is the wife of James G. Bentley, of Saratoga county. Will . iam B. Arnold was reared on the homestead farm and educated at Madison University, New York, and for many years followed the occupation of teaching. He was a teacher for a time in the Ballston Spa Academy, Sara- toga county, New York; and taught for five terms very successfully in the district where he now resides. Ile was married September 3, 1862, to Miss Carrie Sawyer, danghter of Thomas and Eliza Jane ( Hong) Sawyer, both na- tives of the Empire State, where they continued to reside until their death. Eight children, three sons and five daughters, have been born to them, viz .: Ella M., who is now the wife of Jay I. Dewey, of Arcadia; Libbie M., who is the wife of S. P. Cook, of Independence; Wyman S., Bertha M., Jennie L. and Frank L., twins, and Clarice Viola and Elmer D. In September, 1864, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold came to Trempealeau county and settled where they now live, since which time Mr. Arnold has taken an active interest in the canse of education and progress. Ile is a man of culture and nearly all of his children who have attained to mature years have been

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well qualified and successful teachers. In his political affiliations Mr. Arnold is a Dem- ocrat, but was a Republican in the early history of that party, voting for Presidents Lincoln and Grant. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold have a pleasant home where peace, happiness and prosperity abound.

ANIEL KENNEDY, one of the repre- sentative citizens of Trempealeau county, settled in this part of the State October 26, 1854. Ile was born in Bombay, Frank- lin county, New York, February 24, 1835, and was reared to the occupation of farming. Ilis father, also named Daniel Kennedy, was a native of Ireland, where he grew to man- hood and was married. After emigrating to this country the father made his first settle- ment in Franklin county, and in 1853 the family, consisting of parents and five chil- dren, came to Elkhorn, Walworth county, Wisconsin. In October, 1854, the subject of this sketch came to Trempealean county and made a location for the family, entering 400 acres of land in Gale and Ettrick town- ships. Ile began the improvement of this land the next year, and has the honor of doing the first breaking in Beaver creek val- ley, north of Galesville. In 1856 his father's family joined him, and there the father died June 28, 1578, at the age of seventy-seven years and eleven months. The mother died August 26, 1591, at the home of her dangh- ter near Chippewa Falls. Betsey. the eldest of the family, is the wife of W. W. Parker: Margaret married John McKeeth, and died a ' foundation.

ern California, where he is now engaged in the livery business. He has regained his health, and is doing well at his new place of residence. Hle still owns his farm in Trem- pealeau county, which constitutes the land that Daniel located in 1854. Cornelius, the youngest of the family, entered the army in the war of the Rebellion, as a member of the Thirtieth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He lost his health in the army, and died a number of years ago.

Daniel Kennedy and his brothers improved the farm above mentioned and made of it a splendid place, and the three brothers, James, Daniel and Cornelius, each owned an interest in this farm. In 1562 Daniel sold his por- tion to his father. who later disposed of his interest to James, and the latter finally be- eame possessed of all the land Daniel had entered in 1854. In 1862 our subject por- chased his farm of 260 acres, located on sec tion 16, two and a half miles north of the village of Galesville, and known in the early days as the Parker place. This is one of the most valuable farms in Trempealeau county, and well adapted to both grain and stock raising, nearly all being under cultivation and in pasture. The farm is well watered, one part by a fine spring. Ile erected his fine brick residence in 1875. Mr. Kennedy has for many years been engaged in the live- stock business, and has always been largely interested in the raising of cattle, and for more than twenty years has been a buyer, feeder and shipper of stock. Ile was one of the organizers of the bank at Galesville, of which he has been a stockholder since its

number of years ago; Daniel is the next of the family in order of birth; James continued Mr. Kennedy was married in the iall of 1562, to Miss Helen Bidwell. a native of to reside in Trempealean county until the New York, and daughter of Chester I. Bid- fall of 1884, when, his health failing, he re- s well, one of the pioneers of this county, and moved with his family to Beaumont, South- ; who died many years ago. Mr. and Mrs.

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Kennedy have three children, namely: Her- bert D., who is still at home; Edward B., a student at Wooster, Ohio; Edith, their only danghter, is a student at Galesville Univer- sity. They lost a daughter, Gertrude, at the age of fourteen years. No man, perhaps, is better known throughont the country than Mr. Kennedy, with whose growth and prog. ress he has been identified since the early pioneer days. Cordial and genial in his disposition, fair and honorable in his dealings, he possesses the respect and confidence of all who know him.

AUL HUEFNER, of Fountain City, Wisconsin, is one of the largest grain dealers in Buffalo county. Ile is a native of Germany, and possesses in a marked degree the thrift and energy which are so characteristic of his countrymen. A brief biography of him is as follows:

Paul IIuefner was born in Bavaria, Ger- inany, June 29, 1839, son of Valentine and Elizabeth (Froehlich) Huefner, both natives of that place. His father emigrated with his family to the United States, landing in New York, and from there went to Southbridge, Massachusetts, where he was engaged in the Hamilton Print Works. In 1860 he came West, locating first in Madison, Wisconsin, afterward in Buffalo City, Buffalo county, and still later in Fountain City. Both he and his wife are now deceased. They were the par- ents of four children, namely: Ferdinand, Paul, George, who died in infancy, and Re- gena. Panl was reared at Southbridge and there learned the trade of printer of prints. At the age of eighteen he went to Manches- ter, New Hampshire, and was engaged in work at his trade there abont two years. At the end of that time he directed his course

westward, took up his abode in Madison, Wisconsin, and became interested in the grain business. This was in 1860. He re- mained there, dealing in grain, about two years, after which he located at Hastings, Minnesota, where he lived eight years, also operating in grain there. After that he spent much of his time for a year at Buffalo City, Buffalo county, and from that tempo- rary abode came to Fountain City and located permanently. Here he opened the grain business with his brother Ferdinand and David and William Thompson, under the firin name of Huefner Bros., Thompson & Co. In 1875 the Thompsons withdrew, and the firm became Huefner Bros. They con- tinned to transact business together until 1878, when Ferdinand retired, leaving our subject alone. Since that time Mr. Hnefner has carried on the business in his own name. He has three warehouses at Fountain City, located along the track of the Chicago, Bur- lington & Northern railroad, where he re- ceives his grain. Besides these he has ware- houses at Cochrane, Alma, Nelson, Stockholm, Maiden Rock and Hajer, all on the Chicago, Burlington & Northern railroad. Mr. Huet- ner also deals in agricultural implements. He has a halt interest in the Eagle Flouring Mill. Mention of this mill will be found in a sketch of George L. Huber, in this work. Mr. Hnefner is a stockholder in the Fountain City Brewing Company. He has various real-estate interests here and elsewhere: owns a number of dwelling houses and business blocks in Fountain City; has a farm of 120 acres, all under cultivation, near the city; one of 140 acres in Trempealean county, forty acres of which are improved; 120 acres in Buffalo county, twenty eight miles from Fountain City, forty acres of this under cul- tivation; and a farm of 120 acres (thirty

Iven Pedrames

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acres improved) in Gihnantown township, thirty miles from Fountain City.

Mr. Huefner has never held any political or official position, his own personal affairs wholly occupying his time. He has been eminently successful in his business opera- tions, and has aceminulated a handsome for- tune. lle was married at Hastings, Minne- sota, in 1868, to Lonise, daughter of Charles Dameral. Their union was blessed with one son, Paul Ferdinand Louis. Mrs. IInefner died at Hastings in Mareh, 1871. In 1587 he was married at Lewiston, Minnesota, to Florence E. Cook, by whom he has had two children, Clara being the only one living. IIe is a member of the Catholic Church, and in politics is a Democrat.

Owing to his extensive business transac- tions in this portion of Wisconsin, Mr. Huef- ner is well known here, and his strict in- tegrity and other estimable qualities have won for him many friends among the people with whom he has come in contact, and he has the respect and esteem of all who know him.

which is operated by a large water-power, possesses a roller system of grinding, and has a capacity of seventy-five barrels in twenty- four hours. Mr. Pederson has been largely instrumental in establishing other branches of manufacture, including the woolen mill and ereamery at this place.

He is a native of Norway, where he was born in 1842, but eante to America at the age of twenty years, Ile enlisted in Vernon county, Wisconsin, in 1862, in Company K, Twenty-fifth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. For a time after its organization his regiment was located in Minnesota, operating against the Indians at New Ulm and vicinity. In 1963 they went to Columbus, Kentucky, and joined the expedition against Vicksburg, under the command of General Jeremiah Rusk, afterward Governor of Wisconsin and now occupying the Department of Agricult- ure in Washington, District of Columbia. After participating in the siege ot Vicksburg the command to which Mr. Pederson was at- taelied went to Jackson, Mississippi, but after returning to Vicksburg proceeded to Chat- tanooga, joined Sherman's army, and took part in the famous Atlantic campaign, par- tieipating in many noted and important battles. Ile had the honor, also, of march- ing with his regiment to the sea, under the command of General Rusk, and thence on to Washington, taking part in the grand review in that city.

VER PEDERSON, of Ettrick, Trempea- leau county, is one of the representative citizens and leading business men of this county. He located in what is now the vil- lage of Ettrick in 1870, and engaged at once in merchandising, and in 1877 he laid out the village. Whatever of importance at- Mr. Pederson was married at Ettrick, to Mary Nelson, who came to Trempealean county from Norway with her father in 1861. They have three children; Albert, Emna and Ida. They lost their eldest child, Peter. Mr. Pederson is a man of unusual business capacity. and a progressive, enterprising eitizen. In politics he has always been a taches to this small city is due to the enter- prise and business capacity of Mr. Pederson. IIe began business in a small way when he first came here, but by energy and persever- ance he rapidly enlarged the area of his oper- ations until he has established various branches of business and mannfactures. He erected his present fine flouring mill in 1884. Republican, and has always possessed much 44

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

influence in the local councils of his party. Hle was a gallant soldier in the war for the Union, and is a respected and valued citizen.

OHN BIBBY, one of the well-known citizens of Gale township, Trempealean county, resides on section 27, where he settled in 1856. He made the first improve- ments on the place, having obtained his farm from the Government. He was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, August 15, 1832, a son of Thomas Bibby a miner by occupation. In 1853 the family emigrated to the United States, locating in Allegany county, Mary- land, where the father and son were engaged in mining. In October, 1854, Thomas Bibby, accompanied by James Hardie, came to Trempealean county, and made settle- ments, but Mr. Bibby did not long survive, passing away in December, 1856. His wife, Isabella Bibby was married to Mr. C. E. Pynn, November 2, 1881, a farmer living was but a child of fifteen months. Thomas ; near North Bend, Jackson county, Wisconsin; John Bibby married Miss Eliza Emerson, of North Bend, Jackson connty. November 29, the mother of our subject, died when her son Bibby was the father of five sons and one daughter, four of whom were by his first marriage and two by the second: Margaret, 1883, and is now buttermaker for the Gales- the eldest, married James Hardie, and died ; ville Arctic Spring Creamery Company, at December 6, 1958; Richard is a resident of Galesville, Trempealeau county, Wisconsin; Gale township; James died in Australia in 1859; John, the subject of this sketch; Thomas was accidentally killed in the mines of Australia, in February, 1890; Joshua died in this county, May 15, 1889. and Margaret Bibby was married March 28, 1888, to Mr. William Tibbitts, a farmer living near North Bend, Jackson county, Wiscon- sin. The other members of the family are still at the old home mentioned.

whom were born at the homestead in Gale township, namely: Isabella, Thomas, John, Margaret, James and Mary Ann. Mr. Bibby's farm contains 280 acres, and is in a fine state of cultivation. Here he has re- sided for the long period of thirty-five years, and Ims been closely identified with the growth and development of the country. When a postoffice was established in his neighborhood he suggested that it be called Glasgow, for the town in Scotland near which he was born. Ilis suggestion was adopted, and not only the postoffice but the neighbor- hood around is known as Glasgow. Mr. Bibby and his brother Richard, who lives near him, are numbered among the intelli- I gent and well-known citizens of Gale town- ship, and have done their share toward developing the resources and promoting the growth of the county with which they have been so long identified.

John Bibby, the subject of this sketch, arrived in Trempealean county October 25, 1556, when all was yet new and wild. He was married March 28, 1856, to Mary Mc- HOMAS HUNTER, of Gale township, Trempealean county, owns and occu- pies the homestead farm of his father. John Hunter, who was one of the pioneers of this county. In the biography of William Millan, who was born in Argyleshire, Seot- land, in 1880, a daughter of John and Isa- bella McMillan. Mr. Bibby and wife came to this county in the autumn following their marriage. They have six children, all of . Dick, found elsewhere in this work, it is

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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