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 96

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 96
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 96
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 96

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June 7, 1867, is the date of Mr. De Groff's marriage, at Augusta, Wisconsin, with Fran- ces. daughter of Alfred Newman. Three children have been born to them,-Winifred, Fred O. and Rob Roy.

Colonel De Groff is a member of the Ma- sonic fraternity, and was Worshipful Master of Alma Lodge, No. 184, for thirteen years; Chancellor Commander of Alma Lodge, No. 48, K. of P., five years; and Adjutant of Fimian Post, No. 196, Department of Wis- consin, five years. He was on the staff of General Alger, Commander-in-Chief of the G. A. R .; also Aid-de-Camp to Department Commander A. G. Weissert, of the Depart- ment of Wisconsin. In 1873 he was ap- pointed by Governor Washburn Captain of the Alma Rifles, State Militia.

Colonel De Groff is truly a self-made man, and is eminently deserving of the success he has attained. llis genial disposition has

drawn around him a large circle of friends. Indeed, he is one of the most popular men of his section of the State. Yet in the prime of manhood, he has only begnn his career of usefulness.

SCOTT HOTCHKISS, of Indepen- dence, was born in Greene county, New York, March 27, 1837, a son of Henry E. Hotchkiss, a native of New Durham, New York. His grandfather, Lemuel Hotchkiss, belonged to an early family of the colony of Connecticut, and was a captain in the war of the Revolution. A number of years after the colonies had secured their independence, he settled in New Durham, New York, a town so called because it was settled by emigrants from Durham, Connecticut. The father of our subject married Alice Smith at Cano, Greene county, where he passed the most of his life. Mr. Hotchkiss was a cabi- netmaker by trade, but also followed the oc- cupation of a farmer. He and his wife were the parents of four children, three sons and a daughter, of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest: Elizabeth is the wife of Francis Walters, of Cairo, New York; Henry E., a farmer, resides near Osseo, Trempealeau county; Addison died in Texas, of typhoid fever.

E. Scott was reared to the occupation of farming, and received a good English educa- tion. In 1856, when nineteen years of age, he went to Richland county, Wisconsin: in 1857 he rented a farm; in the fall of 1859 came to Osseo and engaged in farming and later in merchandising and milling; and in 1876 he went to California, his intention being to locate there. should he be pleased with the country: but returned the same season to Wisconsin. At the fall election of

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that year he was elected Sheriff of Trem- pealeau county, and January 1, 1877, when he entered that office, the county seat was re- moved from Galesville to Areadia. After the expiration of his term of office as Sheriff he was Under Sheriff for two years, during which time he continued his residence in Arcadia. In the meantime he had purchased a farın near Independence, Burnside township, and in 1883 he took up his residence in that village, where he bought and condneted a lumber-yard five years. Since that time he has devoted his attention exclusively to farm . ing and stoek-raising, giving considerable attention to the rearing of Hambletonian horses and Shropshire sheep. He has a fine farm of 280 acres, which lies just without the village of Independence, and also a pleasant home in the village where he resides.

In 1862 Mr. Hotchkiss was married, at Osseo, to Miss Ilarriet A. Field, a daughter of the IIon. Robert C. Field, who was born in Greene county, New York, May 6, 1804, and died at Osseo, June 16, 1876. His father, Robert Bates Field, was a native of Connecticut, and his mother's maiden name was Sally Austin. Mr. Field received a good education, and in early life began the study of law and with a view of making it his profession, but which proved distasteful to him, and he engaged in mercantile pursuits. In 1849 he removed with his family to Rich- land county, Wisconsin, and in 1859 to Osseo. In 1844 he represented Greene county in the New York Legislature, in 1857 represented Richland county in the Legislature of Wis- consin, was a member of the State Senate in 1874-'75, and for a time was a member of the County Board of Supervisors. He was a Demoerat in early lite, but later a Repub- lican.

Ile was twice married. his first wife being Harriet Graham, and he was married to his

second wife, Mary Stoddard, April 1, 1835. Mr. Field was the father of seven children, all by the second marriage, and of these Mrs. Hotelkiss is the eldest; Stoddard and Francis E. are residents of Osseo; Robert died at the age of eleven years; Horace A. lives in Osseo; lliram II. is the next in order of birth; May Elizabeth died at the age of twenty-three years. Ilon. Robert C. Field was a man of ability, was well known throughout the State, and was prominent in political and business circles. Mr. and Mrs. Hotchkiss have two children: Mary Alice, wife of Dr. Albert A. Manrer, of La Crosse; and Francis, at home. Mr. Hotchkiss is one of the representative citizens of his city; has been a member of the Board of Supervisors several times, and in 1890 was elected chairman of that body. In 1885 he was Enrolling Clerk of the State Senate. lIe has also been Sheriff and Under- Sheriff, and held other official positions. In his political affiliations lie is a Republican.

CHRISTIAN L. KASS resides on sec- tion 26, in the town of Pigeon, where he settled in 1866. He was born in 1825, in Norway, where he grew to manhood. Is a carpenter and builder by trade, to which he served an apprenticeship in his native land. In 1861 he emigrated with his family to America, and settled in La Crosse county, with his family, where they lived till 1866, when they removed to what is now the town of Pigeon, in Trempealeau county. The first land he obtained here was the forty aeres on which the residence stands; and this he purchased of the Government. It is on sec- tion 26. The remainder of the farm, which contains 160 acres, is on seetion 27. The eldest of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Kass, is Lonisa. She was educated at the public

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schools and also took a course at the high school at Black River Falls, and at Blair. She began teaching in 1873, in Jackson county, and taught many terms in that and Trempealeau counties. She went to North Dakota in 1888, and for three years was a teacher in Cass county, and is still engaged in teaching in Dakota. The second member of the family is Nels C. Kass, who was born in Norway in 1858. He married Maria Johnson and resides at the homestead. The remaining members of the family are Bertha, Minnie, Carl B. and Albert.

AMES SAMSON, of seetion 23, Gale township, has resided in Decora Prairie since the spring of 1855. He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, April 21, 1821, a son of Thomas and Eliza (Goode) Samson. The parents never came to America, but spent all their lives in their native country. The subjeet of this sketch was one of twelve ehil- dren, ten of whom grew to mature years. Mr. Samson has the honor of being descended from Tam Samson, the subject of one of Robert Burns' most popular poems, the title of the poem being " Tam Samson's Elegy." Tam Samson's history says he was a worthy old sportsman, and a great friend of the poet, though many years his senior. When he went out hunting on a certain occasion, and having become advaneed in life, he expressed a wish to die and be buried in the muirs On this hint Burns composed his elegy and epitaph. Tam Samson outlived the poet. The epitaph that accompanied the elegy is in- scribed on his gravestone in the church- yard of Kilmarnock, which is as follows:

" Tam Samson's well-worn clay lies here ; Ye canting zealots, spare him ;

If honest worth in Heaven rise. Ye'll mend or ye win near him."

Six brothers of the subject of this sketeh are still living, of whom he is the eldest. Robert, the next in order of birth, is in Scot- land, as is also John and Thomas, twins. The two youngest, William and Charles, re- side in New Zealand, and one sister, Janet, the widow of Archibald Wilson, resides in Kankakee county, Illinois. James Samson was married, in Scotland, in 1844, to Janet Vallance, who died at the homestead in Gale township, Trempealeau county, March +, 1869. She was the mother of twelve chil- dren, eight of whom are living, viz .: Janet, Margaret, Thomas, Agnes, James, Mary, Alexander and Robert. December 14, 1871, Mr. Samson was married to Mrs. Catherine Bennett, whose maiden name was Catherine Rifenburg, a native of New York. Her father died when she was a child, after which her mother remarried, and when she was fourteen years of age the family removed to Wisconsin, and settled on Decora Plains, this county, in the autumn of 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Samson have two sons: George and David. Mrs. Samson has a daughter by her first marriage, Abigail. now the wife of Walter Thomas. Mr. Samson is one of the substantial citizens of Gale township, and he and his wife have a pleasant home on the beautiful prairie.

ALTER JACKSON resides on see- tion 36, in the town of Glencoe, Buffalo county, where he settled in the spring of 1862. He was born in the town of Newburgh, Fifeshire, Scotland, in 1830. His father, Henry Jackson, died in his native land. at the age of fifty-two years, and the mother, whose maiden name was Anna White, died three years before the death of her husband. The subject of this

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sketch was one of eight children, six of whom General Hood. Following in the pursuit of Hood into Alabama, our subjeet did duty for a time at Ihuntsville, in that State, but was finally ordered to join his regiment at Goldsboro, North Carolina, marching with Sherman's army to Raleigh, thence to Washington, District of Columbia, taking part in the grand review in that city. Like so many others of our heroes, Mr. Bigham's health was much broken in the service of his country, and he has never fully recovered. On the 9th of Janu- ary, 1867, he was united in marriage to were living in 1891, and all residents of the United States. Walter Jackson learned the trade of blacksmithing. This is the occupa- tion of the father, and all of the sons served an apprenticeship to that trade. In 1854 Walter came to America and lived in Pen- sankee, near Green Bay, for nearly nine years, engaged as blacksmith and engineer in a sawmill. Ile came here from that place. Ile has a good farm of 120 aeres, which is well improved. He was married, in 1865, to Ellen Beveridge, a native of the same town as himself. Mrs. Jackson died August 7, 1887, Miss Grace K. Gardner, daughter of Ilenry leaving five children, three boys and two girls, viz .: Robert, Adamston, Ellen, Walter H. and Anna. Mr. Jackson combines farming with blacksmithing. He is an excellent mechanic as well as a good farmer. Ile is an · industrious and respected citizen, and is known as an honest, upright man.

and Miranda (Shelley) Gardner, the former of whom was a native of Allegany county, New York, and the latter of Rhode Island. They early removed from New York to Indiana, thence overland with teams to Ar- cadia, Wiseonsin, in 1857, and settled on a traet of Government land. In 1870 Mr. Gardner removed with his wife to Butler county, Missouri, but about a year later again changed their residence, going to Phillips county, Kansas, where the father died on the 27th of Angust, 1572. The wife and mother survived her husband until December 15, 1888, at which time she passed away at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bigham, with whom she had lived since the death of her husband. Mr. and Mrs. Gard- ner were the parents of five children, two sons and three daughters. The ekler son, Milton II., served in Company C, Thirtieth Wisconsin regiment. Ile made his home in Trempealeau county until 1869, when he went to Missouri, which was the inducement for the parents also to go to that State, and later to Kansas. In 1890 he removed to Buchanan county, Iowa, where he now lives. Myron B., the younger son, was a member of Com-

OHN BIGHAM was born in Putnam connty, New York, August 27, 1839, having been seventeen years of age when his father emigrated from the State of New York to Buffalo county, Wisconsin (see sketch of Daniel Bigham). John Bigham has spent all his mature years in Trempeau- lean county. September 21, 1864, he en- listed in Company II, Third Wisconsin In- fantry, and served loyally and well until the elose of the war. After enlistment he went direet to Madison, Wisconsin, and thenee to Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was at this time on detached service and did duty at Chattanooga for a considerable time, but finally joined the army of General Thomas, at Nashville, and took part in the celebrated battle of that place, which resulted in the | pany B, Second regiment, Wisconsin Volun- complete overthrow of the rebel army under unteer Infantry, in the late war, and was

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killed at the battle of Bull Run, July 19, 1861. The eldest of the family is Mrs. Helen C. Simpson, of Arcadia; another daughter is Mrs. Minerva C. Farlin of Ar- eadia; Mrs. Bigham is the youngest of the family and was born in Boone county, Indi- ana, in 1851. Mr. and Mrs. Bigham have five children, three sons and two daughters, viz .: Bertha M., Minnie H., Eliner, Ellis and Byrd. Mr. Bigham, as will be seen, is one of the pioneers of Wisconsin, and during his long residence in this section has won the respect and confidence of all who know him. He is an ardent Republican in politics.

ICHOLAS BACH .- No name is more familiar to the people of Buffalo county than that of Nick Bach, one of the largest land-owners in the county and the proprietor of that famous hostelry of the Waumandee valley, the Waumandee Hotel.

Nicholas Bach was born in Niederkirchen, Bavaria, Germany, November 1, 1842. son of Nicholas and Josephine (Bielmn) Bach, natives of Bavaria, the former born in 1811 and the latter in 1816. Grandfather Bach was named William. Of the ten children born to Nicholas and Josephine Bach, nine are living in the United States, viz. : William ; Savilla, now Mrs. Weber, of Dubuque; Mag- gie, now Mrs. Minninger, of Chicago; Nich- olas, the subject of our sketch; Ellie, now Mrs. Tritschler, of this county; Michael, of Iowa; Eva, now Mrs. B. Baumheffer of Dubnque; Anna, wife of Frank Muller, of La Marsh, Iowa; Lena, now Mrs. A. IIeinz, of Buffalo county. They emigrated to the United States in the spring of 1857. landing at New York and at once coming West to what is now known as East Dubuque, Illinois. The father at first rented land and subse-

quently purchased forty acres. Ile was in- dustrious and economical, and continued to increase his acreage, extending it into Grant county, Wisconsin, until he had one of the largest farms in that section of the country, all under good cultivation. At an advanced age he retired from active work, and subse- quently bought a home near his favorite son, Nick, in Waumandee, where he expected to spend the rest of his days. One evening he took his rod and line and went over to the Waumandee to catch a few trout. While out he was attacked by a vicious bull, and before he could be rescued his arm, shoulder-blade, and several ribs were broken, besides receiv- ing internal injuries. Medical aid was sum- moned but was of no avail, and a few hours later he died. This occurred December 14, 1888, when he was eighty-three years of age. His widow is still living, and makes her home with her daughter Maggie, at Chicago.

The subject of our sketch was reared at home. attending school and assisting bis father on the farm until he was sixteen. At that age he left home and was employed by a Scotch farmer, near Fair Play, Wisconsin, with whom he remained over three years, and where he had a pleasant home. For kindness shown him then he still holds that family in grateful remembrance. Young Bach left his kind employer and pleasant home in order to enlist in the service of his country. Before he was mustered in, how- ever, his father went after him and took him home, he being then under age. Displeased, of course, at not being allowed to enter the service, he soon afterward went to St. Paul, and for some time was variously employed at different places; drove carriage for a banker, Mr. Thompson, at St. Paul, several months; was employed on steamboats for a time; as a teamster, was in Government em- ploy and went to Fort Thompson with pro-

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visions and cattle for the soldiers, returning seven months later with furs, hides, etc .; again engaged in steamboating, afterward in the transfer business at Dubuque, and then for two years was on a packet running from St. Paul to Dubuque. We next find him in Glencoe, engaged in farm work. He soon afterward pre-empted a homestead in Wau- mandee township, which, after making some improvements, he sold. Coming over into the Waumandee valley, he engaged in farm- ing with Casper Schmitz. Mr. Schmitz owned a store and farm near the site of the Waumandee Hotel. He received a kick from an Indian pony, which caused his death; and Mr. Bach was appointed administrator of his estate.

August 1, 1879, Mr. Bach was united in marriage with Mrs. Schmitz, widow of his friend Casper Schmitz. By her former marriage she had three children: John, Rosa (wite of Joseph Kuehnhackl, of La Crosse) and Emily.

Mr. Bach is a man of fine business ability IIe possesses an unusual amount of energy, enterprise and good judgment; and his well- directed efforts have been rewarded with suc- eess. From time to time he added to his landed estate until his farm comprised about 700 acres in a solid body-one of the finest farms in the country. IIe raised one year as high as 7,000 bushels of grain. The elegant brick house and many of the other buildings on his farm were erected by him.

The hotel building which occupied the site of his present one was burned during a lease. He then erected a large and substantial one of brick, and, leasing his farm, moved to the hotel and took charge of it himself. Con- nected with the hotel is a large hall which is used for entertainments, etc. Mr. Bach's courteous manner and genial nature con- tribute to his popularity as a landlord. " eldest sister, Mary Melvina, is the widow of

Guests at the Wanmandee hotel are always sure of a good table and prompt and kind attention.

Ilis political affiliations are with the Democratic party. He has held the office of Supervisor of Montana township, and several times has been Roadmaster of Waumandee. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. Lodge, of Fountain City, No. 13, and of the St. Joseph Society, of La. Crosse. Both he and his wife are consistent members of the Catholic Church.

HARLES EDGAR PERKINS, one of the well known pioneers of Trempealeau county, came to this State in June, 1556, at which time he located in Galesville. IIc was born in Hartland township, Windsor county, Vermont, July 22, 1521, a son of Nathan Perkins, a native of the same county. The Perkins family settled originally in Mas- sachinsetts, being early settlers of Plymouth township, Plymouth county, and were of English ancestry. The grandfather of our subjeet, Nathan Perkins, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, and one of the first settlers of Woodstock, Vermont, where he settled in 1790. Our subject's father was born April 8, 1793, and was married to Mary Marcy, a daughter of William Marcy, of Pu- ritan ancestry. The parents continued to live in Vermont until their death, the father dying at St. Albans April 6, 1865, and was buried at Morrisville on his seventy-second birthday, and his wife died at the same place November 6, 1877, and was buried by the side of her husband. They were the parents of six children, five of whom, three sons and two daughters, grew to mature years. Charles E. Perkins was the eldest of the Family; the

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Dr. Almon Tinker, of Morrisville, Vermont; Sarah Jane was twice married, her first hus- band being Marvin Farnam, by whom she had two children: Henry M., an attorney at Minneapolis, and Florence, also of Minne- apolis. Sarah Jane's second husband was G. D. Williams; she died a number of years ago. Laura Ann, the second sister, died at the age of two years. Nathan Henry Perkins was born in May, 1831, and in 1852 went to Aus- tralia, and several years later was known to be in Oregon, but has not been heard of since 1876. George Edwin Perkins was born in 1836, and is now a merchant in Butte City, Montana.

Charles E. Perkins, our subject, grew to manhood in Morrisville, Vermont, where he learned the trade of woolen manufacturing with Nathan Perkins, his father, also receiv- ing a good English education, and studied law with Judge Luke P. Poland. In 1848 he went to Lowell, Massachusetts, and worked at his trade for two years, after which he re- turned to Vermont. In 1856 he located at Galesville, Trempealeau county, where he worked at whatever he could find to do until 1858, and in that year was elected Registrar of Deeds of this county, serving in that ea- pacity two years. In 1860 he was defeated on the People's ticket for County Clerk, and in 1862 was again elected Registrar of Deeds, without an opposing vote, and re-elected in 1864. From 1866 to 1871. Mr. Perkins was engaged in the insurance business; in the fall of 1870 he was elected Clerk of the Court without opposition, and held that office until in January, 1875. In the spring of 1873 he was elected County Judge, assuming the du- ties of that office in Jannary following, and held both the offices of County Judge and Clerk of the Courts during 1874. He held the office of County Judge until January 1, 1881, having been elected County Clerk in

the fall of 1880, and resigned the former office. During his term as Clerk Mr. Perkins made a complete abstract of Trempealean county. In 1877, he removel to Areadia, which had then become the county seat, and continued to make this his home after the county seat was removed to Whitehall, though he continued a county officer several years after the removal. Probably no man has been so many years a county officer as Mr. Perkins, his entire career in that capacity covering a period of at least twenty years. lle has also filled the office of Town Clerk five years, and Justice of the Peace a number of years. He was admitted to the bar in the fall of 1882.

April 2, 1848, Mr. Perkins was married at Johnson, Vermont, to Mary B. Stearns, a daughter of John and Mehitable (Hall) Stearns. This union has been blessed with five children, four of whom are living, viz .: Laura Ann, born at Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1849, married Hiram R. Gale, August 10, 1871, and died August 22, 1879, at Willnar, Minnesota; George Henry, a real- estate dealer of Minneapolis, was born at Morrisville, Vermont, in 1851, married Sarah Eliza Merrill in January, 1874, who died in Georgetown, Texas, in 1879, and in 1881 he married Hattie Spicer; Isabel L., born in Morrisville, Vermont, August 25, 1853, married Seth A. Walker, of Neillsville, Wis- consin; Harriet Maria, born at Galesville, September 2, 1858, married Ole B. Canutson, of Arcadia; Merton Nathan, a printer by trade, was born at Galesville, July 7, 1867. Mr. Perkins is one of the well known citizens of Trempealeau county, where he has lived for the long period of thirty-five years, and has witnessed and been identified with the growth of the country from a state of wilder- ness to its present condition of advancement and prosperity. In his political affiliations

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he was formerly a Whig, casting his first presidential vote for Henry Clay in 1844, and has been identified with the Republican party since its organization.

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EV. FATHER AUGUST A. BIRSNER is the present pastor of St. Bridget's Church at Ettrick. The following in- formation was gleaned from the church books, in which the baptismns, marriages and deaths were recorded by the respective pas- tors during the time they presided over the congregation. The first resident pastor of the Catholic Church at this place was Father C. A. Gerst, who came in 1869 and remained but about one year and is now deceased. Father Gerst had no immediate successor, the church being attended for a time by a visit- ing priest, Rev. Ilenry Kampsehroer, who is now stationed at Watertown, Wisconsin. The second resident priest was Rev. Martin Connolly, who remained from January, 1871, until October, 1872, after which he went to California, and was succeeded by Rev. James Tuohy, who appears to have remained but about six months. In the meantime the place was again occasionally visited by Father Kampschroer, until finally Rev. Tuohy was succeeded by Rev. Charles A. Gunkel. After him eame Rev. N. Flannang, who is now de- ceased. The next resident pastor was Rev. W. White, by whom the church building was rebuilt, and who is now at La Crosse, Wis- eonsin. After Father White came Rev. P. A. de Paradis, who stayed a little over a month. The next pastor was Rev. J. B. H. Conroy, now deceased; next came, after an interval of several months, Rev. 1. Harrier, who later returned to his native Germany. Ile was succeeded by Rev. J. J. Burns, who remained with his people for the signifieant

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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