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 85
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 85
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 85
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
stated that the families of William Dick, David Cook, John Irvine and Fohn Hunter came to Trempealean county, accompanied by a single man named Phillips. The com- ing of this little colony occurred in the autumn of 1853. John Hunter was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, June 11, 1798, and was reared to the occupation of coal-mining. He was the son of Peter Hunter, and was one of six children. After reaching manhood he married Agnes Ferguson, also born in 1798, and in 1842 he came to America, landing at Montreal, Canada, after which he went almost directly* to Pottsville, Pennsylvania. In 1848 his family, who had remained in Scotland, joined the husband and father in the new world, and abont a year afterward they removed to Maryland, and in 1853, as before stated, came to Trempealeau county. The family that followed the husband and father to the new world consisted of the mother and six sons.
When the little party of emigrants above mentioned started from Maryland to Wis- consin they had no definite object as to what part of the State they would settle, and on reaching La Crosse the families remained there while the men of the party looked about for a suitable place to make homes. They finally decided to settle on Decora prairie. Trempealeau county, which was so named for the celebrated chief Decora, and six weeks after arriving at La Crosse they settled at this place. Above the beautiful plain Decora's Peak. a lofty mountain, looks down upon the inhabitants below as if guarding them from the encroachmeut of enemies. This section of country is prolific of Indian relies, and is one of the most beautiful local- ities in Wisconsin, and the little colony of Scotch settlers, who settled here in 1553, manifested much wisdom in selecting this spot for their home. Mr. Ilunter secured a board a number of years. He was formerly
quarter section of land, and here he and his wife lived with their sons the remainder of their lives, the father dying in 1862, and the mother in August, 1587. They were the parents of ten sons, only three of whom are now living, viz .: Thomas, the subject of this sketch; Dugald is a resident of Texas; and Walter, who resides in lowa. Of this family of ten sons six grew to mature years, the others having died in childhood. The father was a well-known and respected citizen. was a man of strong religious convictions, and was wel! informed on scriptural subjects, by which he endeavored to govern his daily walk. Ile possessed a cheerful disposition, casting sunshine about him wherever he went. Ile was the first Treasurer elected for Gale township, and was ever prominent in whatever tended to promote the best in- terests of the community in which he lived.
Thomas Ilunter, our subject, was born in Scotland, November 26, 1836, and was but twelve years old when he came to the United States. Thomas and Dugald came with their father and mother; the rest of the family two years after. Ile has a clear re- membrance of the wild appearance of the country in early days, and has resided on the homestead place where he now lives for the long period of thirty-six years. Ile married Miss Agnes Grant, who settled on Decora prairie in 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter have had eleven children, fonr sons and seven daughters, but lost two daughters in early life. The surviving children are: Walter. Elizabeth, Agnes, Thomas, John, Nellie, Robert, Ruth, Jennie, May and Isabel. Mr. Ilunter is the only one of his father's family now residing in Trempealean county. He is one of the representative men of Gale town- ship, and has been chairman of the town board two years, and a member of the side
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
a Republican in polities, later a Greenbacker. and now affiliates with the People's party.
Mrs. Thomas IIunter was one of six chil- dren, four of whom are now living, viz .: Ellen, the wife of Walter Irvine, resides in Iowa; Mrs. Hunter is the next in order of birth; Robert lives at the homestead in Gale township; Elizabeth is the wife of John Dick; two brothers, William and Duncan, died in early lite, Mrs. Hunter was born in Scotland in 1842, and came with her parents to America in 1952, going first to Kentucky, and thence to Trempealean county.
ESSE R. PENNY resides on section 3, township 20, range 9, Arcadia, where he settled in 1856, on land which he bought from the Government. He was born in Suf- folk county, Long Island, New York, January 8. 1832. IFis father was also a native of Long Island, and with his family removed to Ohio, when Jesse was about seventeen years oľ age.
The subject of this sketch was married September 20, 1554, at Warren, Ohio, to Miss Phu-be A. Ferguson, daughter of Moses S. and Amelia Ferguson, natives of Trum- bull county, Ohio, where they died, leaving two danghters, Sarah I. married David Bish- op, at Fountain City, and came to Arcadia, with her husband, in the spring of 1856, soon after her marriage. They settled in the town of Arcadia, then the town of Preston. She was the first white woman in the limits of the town at its organization, and had the honor of being called upon to name the town, and gave it the name of Arcadia. Her hus- band served in the Thirtieth Wisconsin, in the war of the Rebellion. Several years later he was struck by lightning and killed. Later she married Mr. Charles Mercer, and now
lives in the town of Arcadia. In October, 1854, soon after marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Penny went to La Crosse, Wisconsin, and thenee to Fountain City the following winter. There Mrs. Penny taught school during the winter of 1855-'56, which was the first school taught in that place. In the spring of 1856 they located their present place, where they have resided most of the time since. In 1860 Mr. Penny's father and mother came to Trempealeau county and settled on the land that he had located, and here the mother died in 1883, at the age of seventy-six years. Her husband still survives at the advanced age of ninety five years. They were the parents of five children that grew to maturity, three sons and two daughters, all except the oldest daughter have been residents of Ar- cadia, and all are now living except one son. Jesse R. Penny enlisted December 5, 1863. in Company C, Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry, Captain Arnold's company, in which he served nearly two years and was mustered out September 20, 1865. He and wife have four children, two boys and two girls: Elma, wife of Frank Geeslin, of South Dakota: Jessie, wife of Lee Mason, of Minneapolis; Lincoln E., of St. Paul, and David G., of Duluth.
AY I. DEWEY of the town of Arcadia, Trempealeau county, is a son of Daniel (. Dewey, who in 1859 settled on sec tion 33, township 21, range 9 west, which place is still the homestead of the family. Daniel C. Dewey was born in Delaware county, New York, April 16, 1828, of Eng- lish de cent, a son of Aaron Dewey. The original ancestor was Thomas Dewey, who emigrated from Sandwich, Kent county, Eng- land, and settled at Dorchester, Massachusetts,
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
where he died, April 27. 1648. When Daniel Rev. J. G. Haight, of Yorkville, Kendall C. was but four years old the family removed ' county, Illinois. Jay I. Dewey, the only son, to the State of Ohio, where he lived until he is the second of the family in the order of birth. He was born in the town of Martin, Allegan county. Michigan, December 10, 1558. having been about six months old when the family came to Trempealeau county. His literary education he received at Arcadia, and later took a course of studies at the commer- cial college at Winona, Minnesota, atter had attained his seventeenth year, when he returned to the State of New York. Aaron Dewey finally removed from Ohio to Dodge county, Wisconsin, where he resided until death. Mr. Daniel (. Dewey on his return West, went to Dodge county, where his father was then living, but later returned to the State of New York and was married to | which he engaged in teaching, and pursued Josephine Trumbull, a native of Eastern New , that vocation for the greater part of ten years York. In 1854 he removed to Michigan, and with great success. in 1859, as already stated, removed to Trem- Hle was married to Miss Ella M. Arnold, daughter of William B. Arnold of the town of Areadia, and their union has been blessed with one son, Theron A., who died September 3, 1891, at the age of two years and one month. pealeau county, Wisconsin. He purchased the farm on which he located, of his father, George D. Dewey, who obtained it as Gov- ernment land, some two or three years previ- ously, but no improvements had been made on it. Here Mr. Dewey lived until his death, which occurred July 4, 1859.
Daniel C. Dewey was a well-known and highly esteemed 'citizen, and a man of more than average intelligence. Ile was a great reader and well informed on the political and other issues of the times, as well as an exten- sive reader of history and well informed on general subjects. He dealt considerably in real estate and possessed excellent judgment as a business man. In early life he was a Whig, and later, a Republican, though never a strong partisan, but was charitable in both his political and religious views. He entered the service of his Government in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting in Company C, Thirti- eth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Angust 10, 1862, and served as Sergeant of his company, but a few months later he was discharged for disability, and never after fully recovered his former health. He left at death his wife, one son, and two daughters. Ida the elder daughter, is the wife of David L. Holcomb, of this town; Ada is the wife of
ILLIAM B. THOMPSON, a well known farmer and stock dealer residing on section 31, Gale town- ship, Trempealean county, is a son of Adol- phus Thompson, a pioneer of this county. The father was born in Colerain, Franklin county, Massachusetts, in 1805, and was de- seended from a Scotch-Irish family. llis father emigrated from the town of Colerain, in the north of Ireland, with a colony of his countrymen to the then colony of Massachu- setts, calling the town where they settled Colerain, after the town in Ireland. Adolphus grew to manhood in his native State, and was engaged, while still a young man, in woolen manufacturing, and also learned the trade of a stone mason. Arriving at years of maturity he married, and soon afterward removed to the town of Locke, Cayuga county, New York, where he and his brother Joseph engaged in wool-carding and cloth-
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BIOGRAPHIICAL HISTORY.
father gave for a burial place, and there the son lies by the side of his father and mother. Ella, the eldest ehild by the second mar- riage, is the wife of O. A. Boynton, of Jamestown, North Dakota.
dressing. Not long after his removal to the State of New York his wife died, leaving her linsband with a son, James I., who was three or four years of age at his mother's death. Soon afterward Mr. Thompson returned to Massachusetts and was married to Mrs. Per- William B. Thompson was about nine years of age when he came with his parents to Trempealean county, and here he has lived for the long period of thirty-five years. His wife was formerly Miss Allie Atwood, a daughter of Royal Atwood, a native of Ver- mont. The latter was married in his native State to Mary Brooks, after which they re- moved to Fond du Lae county, Wisconsin, where they were early settlers. They came to Trempealeau county in the spring of 1868, where the father died in 1879, at the age of fifty-four years, and the mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Atwood were the parents of three children, of whom Mrs. Thompson is the eldest. The second of the family, Erwin L., resides in the town of Caledonia, and Herman B. lives in Kingsbury county, South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have seven children, three sons and four daughters: Lizzie B .; Grace M., the wife of William P. Veitch; Lelia A .: Mabel A .; Allan B .; Perry W. and Merton E. Mr. Thompson is one of the representative farmers and stock-raisers of Trempealean county. Ile has a fine farm of 260 acres, and his improvements are among the best to he found in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have a pleasant home, and are numbered with the intelligent residents of this county. melia Burton, and soon afterward removed to Chautauqua county, New York. Mrs. Permelia Burton had one son, Allen, at the time she married Mr. Thompson, and he is a railroad engineer, living in Oakes, North Dakota. In the spring of 1855 the family emigrated to Galena, Illinois, by rail, and thence up the Mississippi river to Trempea- lean county. The eldest son, however, James I., drove a four-horse team from New York to this county, bringing the household goods of the family. Mr. Thompson first pur chased fifty acres of land in Trempealeau, which was partially improved. Thls he in- ereased to 173 aeres, of which he made a fine farm, and where he resided until his death in 1870, at the age of sixty-one years. His second wife, the mother of our subject, sur- vived her husband many years, dying in the spring of 1555, at the advanced age of eighty- two years. Adolpous Thompson was esteemed as an upright, honorable citizen, was some- what retiring in his manner and of but few words, but was a citizen of unquestioned integrity. Ile was the father of one son by his first marriage, and of two children by his second marriage. James 1., who has already been mentioned several times in this sketeh. enlisted as a soblier in the war of the Rebel- lion, as a member of the Eighth Missouri Zouaves, He contracted a severe cold from exposure at the siege of Fort Donelson, and died while being transported with other sick ILLIAM ULRICHI, of Fountain City, Wisconsin, was born in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, November 22, and wounded sobliers to Louisville, Kentucky. Ile died on the boat, and his body now lies buried in the cemetery on his father's farm. 1854, and is the son of Conrad and Anna This cemetery comprises land which the | (Langhart) Ulrich. The elder Mr. Ulrich
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
was a son of George, and was a potter by trade. Ife and his family emigrated to the United States in the fall of 1855, and located in the town of Waumandee, Buffalo county, where he pre-empted and improved a piece of land. Ile had a family of eleven children: Anna, Louise, Conrad, Jacob, Mary, William, William (2), John, Charles, Paulina and Elizabeth. All are living except William, Mary, Jacob and Conrad, and all in Wiseon- sin but Elizabeth, now Mrs. Sexaner, who lives in Minnesota. The father died in Foun - tain City, December 5, 1890. He had moved to this place in 1876, and was engaged in the cultivation of grapes. his vineyard being one of the finest small ones in the county. Ilis widow is still living.
The subject of our sketch spent his youth- ful years on the farm, helping his father and attending the common schools. He remained at home until he was about twenty-two, when he found employment elsewhere. After the death of his brother, Jacob, in the fall of 1579, he returned to his father's farm and conducted it ten years. Ile also established a cheese factory, which he ran for some time. In the spring of 1891, being administrator of his father's estate, lie leased the farm and moved to town. He purchased the Concordia hall property, which embraces a dwelling and saloon attaelied, and is now conducting the latter.
Mr. Ulrich was married, at Waumandee, June 2, 1850, to Christiana, daughter of Clem- ent and Margaretta (Winkler) Hoffer, whose parents live in Winona. They have three children, viz .: Anna, born May 5, 1882; Darwin W., February 20, 1884, and George, June 23, 1888.
Ile is a member of the I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 280, of Fountain City, and the Modern Woodmen, Wanmandee Camp, No. 754. While living at Waumandee he held several
local positions, among which were Town Trea- surer and chairman of the Town Board; was Justice of the Peace for a number of years. In politics he was formerly a Republican, but is now independent. He was the organizer of the Farmers' Alliance of Buffalo county, in 1889; was chosen its president, and was re-elected the following year. In the spring of 1891, having ceased to be a farmer, le tendered his resignation, which was accepted. During his connection with the organization he was lecturer. He still believes that the principles of the Alliance, if properly carried out, would be beneficial to the country.
EMUEL HARE, one of the well-known citizens of Trempealean, resides on see- tion 35, town 19, range 9, where he has lived since 1863. He was an early settler of La Crosse county, having located on a farm of Government land in the town of Holland in 1856, where he resided until 1863. He was born in Plattsburg, Clinton county, New York, in 1829, a son of Joseph Hare, also a native of Clinton county. The original ances- tor of the family was David Hare, the grand- father of the subject of this sketch. Ile appears to have been a soldier in the British army in the war of the Revolution, but, un- willing to fight against the American colonies in their war for independence, he deserted from the army and later settled in Clinton county, being one of its early pioneers. ile married and reared a family of fourteen chil- dren, one of whom was Joseph, the father of Lemnel. Joseph Hare married Elsie Irish, a native of Vermont, and danghter of David Irish, who was also the father of fourteen children, having been twice married. Mr. and Mrs. Hare were the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters.
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They continued to live in Clinton county until 1-57. when they came to Wisconsin and settled in La Crosse county, and later they went to Pierre county, and still later to Trempealeau county, where they resided with their son, Lemnel, until death. All of their family eventually removed to La Crosse county, though at different times, except the eldest danghter. Mary Ann, who married George Wilson and resides in Essex county, New York. Lemuel was the second of the family in order of birth; Avis married D. H. Baker, and now lives in Pierce county, Wis- consin: Decatur is a resident of this county: Ifuldah married II. MeKinny and removed to Montana, where she died several years ago; Merrill also died several years ago, in the State of Minnesota; he was twice married, having two children by his first wife and three by the second; Franklin, a resident of Trempea- leau county, was a member of Company B. Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, in the war of the Rebellion.
Lemuel Hare was reared to the occupation of farming, which has been his principal business through life. While living in La Crosse county, besides attending to farm duties, he was quite actively engaged in well digging, having been one of the earliest operators in that occupation in La Crosse county. While thus engaged in excavating the earth at considerable distances below the surface he occasionally found objects of much interest which seemed to be of a pre-historic character. On one occasion, at the depth of forty-seven feet, be found bones resembling those of the human body, and also at the same depth an earthen vessel having some- what the shape of a bowl. He also found other relies of an interesting nature. Mr. Hare was married, in New York, to Eliza Carey, a daughter of Ellis and Eliza (Scott) Carey: the latter was descended from the
same ancestry as was General Winfield Scott. Her parents died when she was a child, and she was legally adopted into the family of John Cochran, whose wife was her maternal aunt. At her adoption she assnined the name of Cochran, and was the only child of her adopted parents. Her adopted mother is still living in the State of New York. Mrs. Hare is of Scoteh-Irish ancestry, and Mr. Hare, of Holland descent. They are the parents of eiglit children, tive sons and three daughters, viz .: Freeman Scott, Emmett M., Lottie E., Willie P., Effie E., Alta Grant, Elizabeth L. and Lemnel W. They lost a daughter. Ella, at the age of about one year. Mr. Hare and family have a pleasant home, and are num- bered among the intelligent and progressive citizens of Trempealeau county. He has 220 aeres of land, and is quite extensively engaged in stock-raising and dairying. He also has quite an extensive apiary, taking great inter- est in the cultivation of his bees.
Thirty-six years have passed since Mr. Hare and wife became residents of La Crosse county. The country was then new, and set- tlers were few and far between, but they have lived to witness the great advancement the country has made during the pioneer days. They are happily situated, and enjoying the fruits of an industrious and well spent life.
JOHN SCHMITZ was born in Cologne. Prussia, April 25, 1843, son of William and Margaritta (Schmitz) Schmitz. Will- iam Schmitz was born at the same place, in 1819, and died at Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1885. His widow died in 18SS, at the age of seventy-one years. They emigrated to the I'mited States in May, 1854, landed in New York, and thence direet to Sheboygan, where they spent the rest of their lives. The father
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
was a farmer by occupation. The seven ehil- dren born to them are all living, and are as follows: Mary, wife of Antone Fehlen. of Milwaukee; Otto, of Sheboygan: Sebilla. wife of Fritz Conrad, also of Sheboygan : Anna, who married Nick Felden, of Milwau- kee; John, the subject of our sketch; Eliza- beth, wife of Joe Sehible, of Sheboygan; and Barbara, now Mrs. Merkle.
John Schmitz was reared at home, and at the age of thirteen began to learn the trade of cabinet-making with a Mr. Crocker. of Sheboygan. He worked for him three years and a half, and then one year at Fond du Lae. He was working at his trade at She- boygan when the war broke out.
August 15. 1861, he enlisted in Company HI, Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Infantry. Ilis war record is an honorable one. He risked his life to help save the country of his adop- tion, served with true bravery all through that sanguinary struggle so memorable in the annals of this free land of ours, and was one of the victors who participated in the grand review at Washington. At one time, while helping to storm a fort, he was wounded in the leg by a bayonet. Among the important engagements in which he took part were the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Look- out Mountain, etc. Ile was mustered out of the service at Milwaukee, June 29. 1865.
Returning to Sheboygan after the war was over, Mr. Schmitz again engaged in work at his trade. May 1, 1567, he moved to Foun- tain City. lIere he established a cabinet- making business, and also engaged in con- tracting and building. He constructed the Trempealeau courthouse, the Concordia Hall at Alma, and a number of other large build- ings. Ile continued this business until 1589, when, in company with Paul Mucher, he purchased the Buffalo County Republikaner. This partnership continued one year, after
which Mr. Schmitz sold out to Mr. Mueller. Since then he has not been engaged in busi- ness. Mr. Schmitz is a man of ability, and in his various enterprises has been prospered, thereby accumulating a good property. lle has held several positions of local prominence and trust; was Supervisor two terms. from 1888 to 1890, and has also served twice as Town Trustee.
Mr. Schmitz was united in marriage, Au- gust 15, 1865, at Sheboygan, to Sophia, daughter of John and Mary Prigge. Of the eight children born to them, six are living, namely: Ida, wife of Fritz Bellmer, Foun- tain City: Anna, wife of Robert Schilling, Sheboygan; Mary, Lena. Johnmeda and Clara, at home. Mrs. Schmitz died December 10. 1886, and March 20, 1889, Mr. Schmitz wedded Miss Louise Ganz, a native of Buf- falo county, by whom he has one daughter. Edna.
Mr. Schmitz is a member of the I. O. O. F., the 1. O. U. W., the Modern Woodmen, and the German Harmonia Society. Ile be- longs to the Fire Company. In politics he is Republican.
ENRY ROETTIGER. Mayor of Fonn- tain City. Wisconsin, was born at this place, June 7, 1861. Ile is a public- spirited and enterprising young man, and thus far in life has met with more than ordi- nary success.
llis parents, Fritz and Dora Roettiger, are natives of Hanover, Germany. The former, a son of Fred Roettiger, was born October 4, 1532, and the latter January 26. 1×12. They were married in Fountain City. in 1958, and their union has been blessed with twochildren, Fred and IFenry. The father is a tailor by trade. He and his wife are still living in
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Fountain City, where he is conducting a furniture store.
Henry Roettiger was brought up in his native town, attended the public schools and learned the carpenter's trade. In 1879 he went to Milwaukee, where he studied archi- tecture. Returning home, he engaged in work with his uncle. Henry Roettiger. In 1838 he and his uncle formed a co-partnership. the firm name being Roettiger & Co. Since 1889 Mr. Roettiger's brother, Fred, has been associated with them in business. They have a mill in which they manufacture almost everything in the wood line needed for their building operations. They have erected the principal buildings that have been constructed in this part of the country during their busi- ness career. Among these may be mentioned the courthouse and jail at Whitehall, Trem- pealean county, and the courthouse at Alma, the flouring-mill there, and the Fountain City Brewery. In Clark county they built a Lu- theran Church; a bank building in Spring valley, Minnesota, and a church edifice in La Crosse. Besides these they have erected many residences in Fountain City and else- where. They carry on a furniture business, are stockholders in the Fountain City Milling Company, and also in the Fountain City Brewing Company.
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