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 98
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 98
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 98
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Mr. Uhl was married May 15, 1861, to Miss Christena Harth, a daughter of Freder- ick and Mary L. Harth; the former was born in Germany September 24, 1812, and died in Gale township May 7, 1887. His wife died May 10, 1889. In 1846 Mr. Harth emigrated with his family to America, and settled in Washington eonnty, Wisconsin, and in 1854 they came to Trempealean county. They had a family of ten children, who are now widely
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> cattered. Mr. and Mrs. Uhl have five chil- dren: George F., Katy B., Frank A., Mary R. and Teresa C. They lost their first two children, a son and a daughter, in early infancy. Mr. Uhl, like his brother, is num- bered among the leading farmers of Trem- pealean county. Both he and his wife have spent their mature years in Wisconsin. They have a pleasant home, and are surrounded by the comforts of life. a condition which has been secured by patience and industry.
ICHOLAS LENIRBACH, a hardware merchant of Arcadia, began business in this city in 1884, and erected his fine brick store building the following year. He keeps a complete stock of hardware, and is one of the leading merchants of Trempealeau county, of which he has been a resident since 1866. He was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1849, a son of Andrew Lehrbach, a native of Hessen, Darmstadt, Germany, who came to America about 1839, loeating in the city of Buffalo, New York. In 1852 the family removed to Niagara Falls, which was about the time the first suspension bridge was con- structed across the Niagara river. There Mr. Lehrbach, Sr., engaged in keeping hotel, and in 1855 emigrated with his family to Red Wing, Minnesota, where he died in 1867, and the mother survived until 1889, dying at the same place. They were the parents of eight children, five of whom are now living, viz .: Nicholas, Andrew, at Red Wing, Min- nesota; Rosa, wife of Louis Schilling; Louisa, wife of Joseph Belhammer; and Mrs. Sophia Tideman, all of whom are residents of Red Wing except the subject of this sketch. The deceased members of the family died in infancy.
Nicholas, our subject, spent most of his 50
carlier life at Red wing. He learned the trade of a brewer at Trempealean, which occu- pation he followed for five years, and was later engaged in keeping hotel at that place, and still later, for two years, engaged in mer- chandising at Dodge, having erected the pre- sent store and warehouse at that place. After being two years engaged in business at Dodge, he located at Arcadia.
September 27, 1875, Mr. Lehrbach was united in marriage to Miss Della Kidder, who was born at Black River Falls, Wiscon- sin, April 22, 1857, a daughter of Jesse B. Kidder. The father was a son of Thnothy L. and IIannah Kidder. The Kidder family in America descended from early New Eng- land ancestry, the genealogy of whom. recently published, states that the first recorded American ancestor was James Kid- der, who was born at Grinstead, Sussex, Eng. land, in 1826. The first record of him dates in 1650, at which time he was a resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Jesse B. Kidder was born in Concord, Maine, May 15, 1831, and was married July 28, 1852, at Antwerp, New York, to Mary Jane Manning, a daugh- ter of William and Mary Manning. She was born January 25, 1829, and died at White- hall, Wisconsin, April 5, 1873. Mr. Kidder was again married, November 11, 1877, to Ann Cook. The children by his first mar- riage are Ella Maud, Della, William Lovell, Elroy Jesse, Mary Jane, George Washington and Ermina Rose. Mr. and Mrs. Lehrbach have two sons: Lester and Leslie. They lost five children in infancy. Mr. Lehrbach is one of the representative citizens of Arcadia, is a successful business man, and is esteemed both for his social qualities and for his pro- gressive and enterprising spirit. In his poli- tical sentiments he is a Democrat, and has been called upon by the people several times
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to serve in local offices. He has also been Town Treasurer, and is now the village president.
LEXANDER B. FLEMINGTON, who resides on section 17, located in the town of Trempealeau in 1855. IIe purchased the land which comprises his pres- ent tarm of the Government, he having made all his own improvements. He was born in Ramfordshire, Scotland, May 31. 1826, the son of James and Mary (Dove) Flemington. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Alexander Dove, who was a man of great force of character and of much influence in his day and generation. He was of the rank of workingmen, but possessed of a superior mind. A memoir written of him at the time of his death in 1840, says:
"Alexander Dove was a native of West Highlands, and was born in 1766. At ten years of age he lost his father, and was thrown on the world to support himself. He worked for some time as a carpenter in Greenock, Bonhill and Rosenthal. He went to Johnstone about 1792, and entered a fac- tory as a wood turner, and here he became a self-taught mechanic, and made the first mule jenny that was driven by water-power in Johnstone. He went to Galloway in 1795 to fit up the machinery of a wool spinning fac- tory, where he remained about four years, and then went to Thornliebank and Paisley. In 1804 he removed to the bridge of Weir, where he worked as a mechanic until 1825, and then returned to Johnstone, where he re- mained until death. He thoroughly under- stood the principles of mechanics. His mind was too active and vigorous to engage in any mechanical or professional work without thoroughly understanding the prin-
ciples on which it was founded. From his youth he was a thorough reformer. He was active in politics, and for this reason suffered much persecution, and would have been im- prisoned had he not evaded the tyrant's menials. Not finding him, much of his property was taken. He was an assiduous student of politics, and much of his leisure time was given to reading and study. His literary acquirements and scientific attain- ments were extensive. He was familiar with optics, electricity, chemistry and gal- vanism. On one occasion he was summoned to Edinburg as a witness in a criminal case, the merits of which turned on the fact of the prisoner's insanity or sanity. In conse- quence of the knowledge that Alexander Dove displayed, Lord Jeffrey, then the advocate, paid him compliments of the high- est character in open court. He never in the course of a long life sacrificed his principles to please his employers or no secure their favor, while his unbending integrity in some instances subjected him to their persecution, and to the loss of employment. Workingman as he was, he gloried in his independence, and in the unshackled exercise and full expression of his opinions. His benevolence was great, and his moral sentiments of a high order. Knowing so well the value of educa- tion, he had an ardent desire to see his own family educated. Ile was, in fact, in all respects a "most worthy citizen."
Thus it will be seen that Mr. Flemington is descended from an honorable and worthy ancestry. His parents had but two children of whom the subject of this sketch was the youngest, the elder being a sister. In 1842 James Flemington came to America to es- tablish a home for his family. He went to the State of Rhode Island, and the following summer traveled West as far as Michigan, and finally made a settlement in East Green-
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
wich, Rhode Island. In 1844 the father was followed to the new world by his wife and son. James Flemington was an engine driver by occupation. In 1845 he went with his wife and son to Taunton, Massachusetts, and there drove an engine for a manufactur- ing company. The parents came to Trem- peanlean county to join their son, and remained one year, after which they returned to Rhode Island and lived until death. The sister of Mr. Flemington, already mentioned, married in Scotland, Mr. L. Black, after which they came to America and settled at Taunton, Massachusetts. Two years later Mr. Black died in New London, Connecticut, leaving two sons. Later the wife remarried, her second husband being Rev. Wilcox, and settled in Rhode Island.
. Alexander B. Flemington, our subjeet, was about eighteen years of age when he came to America with his parents. He worked in the muslin de laine print works at Taunton, Massachusetts, and then returned to East Greenwich, Rhode Island, going thence to Southbridge, Massachusetts, where he was engaged in the print works. In 1848 he went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he remained five years, and during that time learned the trade of carriage-making with Isaac Kingsley. He was married in that city, August 20, 1851, to Mary Taylor. From Milwaukee he removed to Walworth county, and engaged in wagon-making for George Esterly, and in 1855 eame to Trem- pealeau county. Mrs. Flemington was born in Edinburg, Scotland. Their children are: Alexander D., a lawyer by profession, and a resident of Ellendale, North Dakota. Ile took a course of instruction at the high school of Trempealeau, and also a literary course at the Wisconsin State University. He was for some time a teacher in the inter- mediate department of the Trempealeau
school, and went thence to Whitehall, where he was principal one year. Ile studied law with Judge Newman and graduated in the law department of the Wisconsin State University. Ile is a young man of ability, and has already taken a high standing at the bar. Ile located in Ellendale, Dakota, in July. 1874. where he was honored by be- ing ehosen a delegate for Circuit Judge. Elizabeth F. is the wife of Louis Tatero, of New Richmond, Wisconsin; Jessie is the wife of George Cummings; Allan J. resides in Glenwood, Wisconsin; Andrew F. is the next in order of birth; Mary is the wife of Willis Suttie; Ada is engaged in teaching, and is at present principal of the graded school at Somerset, Wisconsin.
Mr. Flemmington has a farm of 120 acres under a fine state of cultivation. Ile has a pleasant home, is surrounded by the comforts of life, the result of the industry of himself and his good wife, and is numbered among intelligent and esteemed citizens of Trempea- lean county.
ILLIAM L. CUMMINGS, of Trem- pealean, is now serving his seventh year and fourth term as Superin- tendent of the Schools of this county, having been first elected in 1854. 1Ie succeeded W. J. Showers, who served one term of three years. Mr. Cummings was born in the town of Bloomfield, Walworth county, Wisconsin, September 7. 1548. ITis father, Israel P. Cummings, was an early settler of that county, where he located in 1844, but in the spring of 1856 he removed with his family to Neills- ville, Clark county, where they comprised the third family of the place. In 1861 the family removed to Whitehall, Trempealeau county, but have been residents of the town
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of Trempealcan since 1881. Israel P. Cum- mings was born in Massachusetts, in 1819, and is descended from an early family of the Bay State, and is of English origin. Ile passed his early life in his native State, as a woolen manufacturer. He married Miss Mary Hale, a native of Worcester, Massachu- setts, after which he removed to what is now Walworth county, Wisconsin, where he fol- lowed the occupation of farming, and con- tinned the same until his removal to Clark county, when he engaged in Inmbering. The wife and mother died in April, 1870. They were the parents of six children, five sons and a daughter, namely: Charles, who resides in Greenwood, Clark county ; Wallace and Israel reside near Whitehall, Trempealeau county; William L., our subject; Ida, the wife of George W. Stone, of Boone, Iowa; and George L., a farmer in this connty.
William L., our subject, was educated in the common schools, and later at the Gales- ville University. Ile began teaching when in his twentieth year, and taught successfully for the long period of sixteen years. In 1882 he was called to the principalship of the school at Blair, this county. previous to which time he had tanght in various district schools in the county. During the third year of his principalship at Blair, he was elected County Superintendent. In May, 1872, Mr. Cummings was united in marriage to Adelaide, daughter of Delavan Bunn, who settled on the farm where Mr. and Mrs. Cummings now live in 1859. Mr. Bunn came to Trempea- Jean county with his family from Cattaraugus county, New York, and resided on this farm until 1873, when he removed to a farm in the town of Gale. In the spring of 1880 he moved to Kingsbury, South Dakota, where he now lives. Mrs. Cummings is a native of New York, but was a mere child when she came to this county with her parents. Mr.
and Mrs. Cummings have seven children: Florence, Carroll, Susie, Sibyl, Alson, Arthur and Laura. Mr. Cummings has devoted his best energies to the cause of education, and has ever as teacher or superintendent dis- charged the duties of an educator with ability, earnestness and fidelity. In fact, his close application to his duties has often threatened to seriously impair his health. Under his able and earnest superintendence the schools of Trempealeau county have made rapid ad- vancement in efficiency. It may be truth- fully said that in due appreciation of the demands of the public school system, in earnestness of purpose and untiring industry Mr. Cummings is numbered with the leading educators of Wisconsin. Politically he is a Republican, and is also an earnest advocate of the principles of Prohibition. Both he and his family are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
HESTER N. ASIILEY, Chairman of Ettrick township. has been a resident of Trempealean county since 1879, and has occupied his present farm on section 6 since 1887. Hle was born in Jefferson county, New York, a son of Stephen H. Ashley, a native of Livingston county, same State. The mother of our subject, nee Nancy Waterbury, was a native of Ontario county, and after marriage the parents settled in Jefferson county. In 1852 they removed to Lodi, Columbia county, Wisconsin, where they lived fourteen years, and then returned to New York, but a year later they came again to Wisconsin and located in Green Lake county. Returning, however, to Co- lumbia county. they later came to Ettrick township, where the father died in 1886, and the mother now resides at the home of a
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daughter in Fayette county, lowa. Stephen HI. Ashley and wife had nine children who grew to mature years, and five are still living, viz .: James W., the eldest, resides at Marke- san, Green Lake county, Wiseonsin; Dor- man P., a resident of Adair county, lowa; Lanra A., wife of F. D. Arnold, of Hoquiam, Washington; Mariette, wife of R. H. Rath- bun, of Fayette county, lowa; and Chester N., the youngest surviving member of the family.
The latter was born in 1848, and in early life learned the miller's trade with his father and elder brother, James. The father fol- lowed the milling business for over forty years, and also had two brothers who followed the same occupation for an equal length of time. Our subject learned his trade in Green Lake county, and later was engaged at Dekorra and Poynette, Columbia county. He came from North Bend, Jackson county, to Ettrick, and For ten years operated the flour- ing mill of Iver Peterson, at Ettrick, and then engaged in the occupation of farming.
Mr. Ashley was married at that place to Miss Mary Canee, a daughter of Robert Cance, an early settler of Ettriek township. He was born in Scotland in 1822, and was married to Christina Edmond. In 1858 they came to the United States, settling in Ettrick township, Trempealeau county, where Mr. Cance died in 1886, and the mother now resides with her son, James E., in the village of Ettrick. They had two children, of whom Mrs. Ashley is the eldest. The only son, James E., is a hardware and dry-goods mer- chant at Ettrick. Robert Cance was engaged in farming many years on the place where Mr. Ashley now lives. In 1884 he engaged in business in the village of Ettrick, and at his death he was succeeded by his son. He was a representative citizen, and served a 'afflicted with partial paralysis from which term in the Legislature of Wisconsin, to time he was able to do but little work. lle
which he was elected in 1882. Ile was a Republican in politics, held many local ofhi- ces, and was esteemed as a man of ability and integrity. Mr. and Mrs. Ashley have four sons: Robert II., Edmond W., James C. and Chester N., the last two being twins. Mr. Ashley is one of the representative citizens of Ettrick township. Politically, he is a Re- publican, has served a number of terms as a member of the Board of Supervisors of this township, and is now serving his second term as chairman of that body.
- ALISHA STEVENS, who resides at the old homestead of his parents on section 7, Trempealeau county, is a son of Alex- ander Stevens, who settled on the farm in 1855. The father was born in Scotland, September 22, 1810, where he grew to manhood and learned the trade of flax dresser. When a young man he crossed the ocean, going first to Andover, Massachusetts, under contract to work in a factory. Ile was married in that State to Anna Scott, a native of Scotland, shortly after which his health failed, owing to the character of his work, and he accord- ingly removed to Fond du Lac county, Wis- consin, and engaged in farming. In 1855 he came to Trempealeau connty, and settled on the farm where his widow and son still lives. Ife made the first improvements on this place and lived here until his death, which occurred November 22, 1889, at the age of seventy- nine years and two months. Mr. Stevens was a well-known and respected citizen, was quiet and industrious and of a social and agreeable nature. He was endowed with a robust con- stitution, possessing mneh physical strength. Four years previous to his death he became
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
left four children, two sons and two daughters, viv .: William Seott, Elisha, Jennie and Mrs. Nellie S. Frame, widow of Rev. W. R. Frame. All the children were born in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin.
Elisha, the subject of this sketch, was born in 1849, and now owns a half interest in the old homestead, where he has always resided since coming to Trempealean, except a period of four years.
He was married to Miss Esther Van Vleet, a native of Wisconsin. No more honorable or worthy class of men are found anywhere than the pioneer who came to the country and struggled faithfully and persistently to make for himself and family a home, and after passing away left as an inheritance to his children not only the material accumula- tions of his labor and industry, but also an honorable and faithful record in all his rela- tions with his fellow men. With sneh is found the name of Alexander Stevens, whose children have reason to be proud of the rec- ord he has left.
ELBERT CLARENCE BURNS, of Trempealean county, is a sou of Will- iam Thomas Burns, who was born in Ticonderoga, Essex county, New York, July 20, 1824. He was the son of John and Lanra Burns. December 13, 1847, W. T. Burns was united in marriage to Louisa Jane Bugbee, a danghter of William Bugbee, and in 1854 they came to Wisconsin, first to Portage, and thence to Trempealean town- ship, settling on section 1. This farm was entirely new, but he improved the place and made of it a pleasant home, and here he re- sided until his death, Angust 20. 1854. Hle was a well-known and esteemed citizen, and took an netive interest in promoting the
growth and prosperity of the community in which he lived. He was a member of the Town Board of Trempealeau, and took an active part in the religious and educational progress of the town. He was especially act- ive in church matters, and was one of five who built the Methodist Church at Centre- ville, he having been a member of that de- nomination for twenty years. Politically he was identified with the Republican party. Ile met his death in a sudden and peculiar way, having died from the sting of a bee.
His only child, Delbert C., was born at the homestead in Trempealean county, March 8, 1857, which he now owns and ocenpies.
He married Lunetta C. French, a daughter of Henry French, of Galesville, and a well- known pioneer of Trempealeau connty. Mr. and Mrs. Burns have two children: Florence Mabel and Lulah Camele.
292 EORGE YOUNG FREEMAN, the pre- sent District Attorney of Trempealeau county, has been a resident of Galesville since the autumn of 1858. He was born in the village of Quakerstreet, Schenectady county, New York, Angust 13, 1827, a son of Lewis Freeman, a native of Montgomery county, same State, and a grandson of Charles Freeman, a native of Connecticut. The Freeman family are of Puritan aneestry, the genealogy of which mentions three brothers, Charles, Samuel and George, all of whom re- moved from Connecticut. The first men- tioned, the grandfather of the subject of this notice, made his settlement in Montgomery county, and the other brothers settled else- where. Lewis Freeman married Mary V. Young, and soon afterward settled in Sche- nectady county, where he was engaged in the mereantile business for many years. He
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died when our subject, his only ehild, was but a lad, and after the death of the father the mother returned with her son to the home of her father.
When George was sixteen years of age he came with the family of his grandfather Young to Wisconsin, and settled at Elkhorn, Walworth county. Ile received an acade- mical edneation, and began the study of law at Elkhorn, which he pursued for two years, and in 1852 went to New York eity and en- tered the office of Judge W. D. Waterman, then Judge of the Marine Court of that city. He remained in that office until the autumn of 1858, when he came to Galesville, and was admitted to the bar, but afterward returned to New York, and in the spring of 1859 located permanently in Galesville. He found here in the village at that time, engaged in the practice of law, Romanzo Buon, now United States Distriet Judge for the Western Distriet of Wiseonsin, who had located in Galesville in 1856, the first lawyer of the place; and also Captain A. A. Arnold. Mr. Freeman entered at once into the practice of his profession, which he has continued to the present time. He has been associated with several different partners at different times, his chief partnership having been with II. F. Smith, a well-known lawyer who recently died at Elkhorn, Wisconsin.
In 1862 Mr. Freeman raised a company for service in the war of the Rebellion, which consisted of 110 men, and he was commis- sioned its Captain. But circumstances were sneh that he was unable to enter the field, and was succeeded by Captain A. A. Arnold, and this organization became Company C, Thir- tieth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infan- try. Politically Mr. Freeman is of Whig antecedents. He voted for Lincoln in 1864 and Grant in 1868, since which time his sym- pathies have been with the Democratic party
in the national issues of the day. He has always taken an active interest in politics, and thongh not a partisan in the strict sense of that word, has ably and conscientiously labored in support of those principles which he believed would best promote the interest of the people. He is now serving his second term as Distriet Attorney, having been elected to that position in 1862 and again in 1590. In January, 1883, he was appointed by Pres- ident Cleveland Principal Examiner of land claims and eontests, and was in the land offiee at Washington in the discharge of his duties until March, 1890, including a year of Pres- ident Harrison's administration.
Mr. Freeman was married, January 1, 1850, to Ann S. Hollinshead, a native of Tompkins county, New York, who came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, with her parents in 1539. They have three sons, the two eldest of whom, Charles E. and Edwin W., are twins. They are both graduates of Galesville University, after which Charles E. took a theological course at McCormick Theological Seminary, and was ordained a Presbyterian minister, and is now in charge of a church at Spirit Lake, Iowa. Edwin W. studied law with his father, and is now practicing in San Bernardino, California. Ile is of the firm of Rolf & Freeman. These sons were born October 1, 1860. The youngest son, George R., was born in Mareh, 1867, and was for some time a student of the Columbia Law School in Washington City, has attended law school in Chicago and Washington, District of Colum- bia, and is now located at San Bernardino, California. Mr. Freeman has been a mem- ber of the bar of Trempealean county for the long period of thirty two years, being the oldest lawyer now in practice in the county. He is recognized and esteemed as a lawyer of ability and of strict integrity. While reared according to the principles of the Presbyterian
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Church, he is not a member of any religious denomination, but is liberal and progressive in his views. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He has a beautiful residence in the suburbs of Galesville, his homestead including a number of acres of valuable and productive land.
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