USA > Wisconsin > Biographical sketches of old settlers and prominent people of Wisconsin > Part 6
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Robert Boyd Wentworth was united in marriage, October 9, 1850, to Miss Lydia H. Pike, of Fryeburg, Maine, who died June 6, 1894. Four children were born to them, namely, Ella A .; Winfield S .; Florence J .; and John P., all of whom are living but John, who died in childhood. February 2, 1898, Mr. Wentworth was married to Miss Emma C. Haight, of Milwaukee.
The name of Wentworth was taken from the Lordship of Wentworth, in the wapentake of Strafford, in the County of York, England; where at the time of the Norman Conquest, 1066, lived Reginald de Winterwade. Wentworth signifies the White hall, court or town.
Burke, in his Peerage, speaking of Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, who was beheaded May 12, 1641, says: "of this very illustri- ous family was William Wentworth, who emigrated from the County of York, in England, to Boston, in America, in the year 1628, and subse- quently removed to New Hampshire."
Elder William Wentworth was one of the first settlers of Exeter, New Hampshire, and was an Elder in the Church there, and also in Dover, which was his home later.
Robert Boyd Wentworth belongs to the seventh generation of Elder William Wentworth, and his great grandfather, Lieutenant Samuel Merrill, was in the battle of Bunker Hill, fought in 1775.
Mr. Wentworth is in the enjoyment of a vigorous old age, stil active in business and keen as ever in intellect.
N. D. M. BRADT.
MRS. N. D. M. BRADT.
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NICHOLAS DANIEL MONROE BRADT.
NE of the most important things in early, as well as later in life, is decision, which Napoleon defined in his politics to be "I will and I won't." This has been one of the characteristics of our subject, although in his firmness he has always shown prudence in upholding what he considered right, and in denouncing a wrong.
Nicholas Daniel Monroe Bradt was born in the town of Stockbridge, New York, and is the son of Nicholas Daniel Monroe Bradt Sr., who died at the age of 27 years, when our subject was only four weeks old, leaving his wife Percilla J. (Perry) Bradt with a family of four children, namely; Caroline F., who married John Easton, and now resides in Carthage, Missouri; George A., now living in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Susan, who died in Oakland, Wisconsin, June 15, 1851, at the age of nineteen years; and Nicholas D. M. Bradt, now a resident of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, and to whom was given the father's name as his share of the estate. Sometime afterward, the widow married George W. Champney, who with the family emigrated to Wisconsin in 1844, settling at Oakland, where Mrs. Champney died May 30, 1853, leaving three children by her second husband, namely, Almon E., who lives in Blue Earth City, Minnesota; Elliot J. Champney, who fell in the Civil War at Vicksburg; Emily J., who died January 30, 1868, aged eighteen years. George W. Champney emigrated to Augusta, Kansas, where he died in 1897.
N. D. M. Bradt was married November 19, 1854, to Jane Turner, who was born in Canada, P. Q., August 21, 1835, being the daughter of Hiram Turner, who was born in Canada, P. Q., and died in the town of Oak- land, Wisconsin, February 15, 1871, aged 65 years; and Direxia (Cass) Turner, his wife, who was born in New Hampshire, and died in Oakland, Wisconsin, October 20, 1873, aged 59 years; and they had three children, namely, Mary, who married Carloss Curtiss and died in December 1853, aged 22 years; Julia, who died when quite young, and Jane, the wife of N. D. M. Bradt, to whom one son, Sanbern Adelbert, was born at Fox Lake, Wisconsin, November 29, 1857, and died at Oakland, Wis- consin, at the age of 22 years.
Mr. Bradt left the home of his step-father at the age of 14 to begin life's battle alone. He fully recognized the necessity of an education, yet owing to the inadequate convenience of good schools, it was with difficulty he made much headway. There was a select school in Fort Atkinson, but the cost of tuition was beyond the financial ability of a poor boy, struggling for himself, so he was compelled to accept the situation, remembering he received only seven dollars per month for the best of the season, and from that had to clothe himself and pay his board
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of seventy-five cents a week, when not at work. By the practice of close economy he managed to save money enough to purchase a good violin, which he learned rapidly and turned to good account by playing for dances. The revenue from this encouraged the young man, so that he got together six yoke of oxen and a 24-inch plow and started in the "breaking " business, for which he received from three to six dollars per acre for "breaking." Being successful in that business, he took up the threshing machine, and afterwards blacksmithing, gunsmithing, farming, selling agricultural implements, and to day is one of the most prosperous Real Estate, Loans and Insurance men in Jefferson County and has succeeded in accumulating a comfortable competency.
While Mr. Bradt was not born in this country, he is a loyal Amer- ican and says as he looks back to the early days, he recognizes this as one of the lovliest countries a man ever set foot upon.
In religion, Mr. Bradt is a Free Thinker, and is about the same in politics, not allying himself closely with any party, but voting as his judgment seems to dictate is for the best interests of his fellow man.
He has served as Supervisor in the town of Oakland, also in the City of Fort Atkinson, of which city he has also been Mayor.
CLARK-ENG.CO - MIL
HUGH B. STOKES.
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HUGH BOURNE STOKES.
N the bright lexicon of youth there is no such word as fail;" with this thought uppermost in his mind, when a boy, it is no wonder that our subject has made a success of life, for there has been no turning to the right or left with him; no dreaming away time or building air castles.
Hugh Bourne Stokes, one of the most successful farmers of the state, was born in Lincolnshire County, England, February 2, 1851, and came to America when two and one-half years of age with his parents, who settled on the banks of the Crawfish river, in the Town of Portland, Dodge County, Wisconsin, where they encountered the sufferings and privations which befell the early settlers. But with strong hearts and willing hands they soon succeeded in securing a home. Mr. Stokes well remembers seeing the Indians come to his father's house and barter to trade venison and bear meat, for corn and other farm products.
While not regarded as a talkative man, but to the contrary very conservative and unassuming, Mr. Stokes becomes very interesting when he recounts the many anecdotes of his early boyhood days, while the country was in a wild state. He well remembers when the village of Portland was the terminus of the "plank road, " and was supposed to be the future great city of the state, and hearing the people argue that Waterloo would never amount to anything; and how the people went to church in their farm wagons, taking their dinners and horse feed along, and remaining at "meeting" the whole day, returning to their homes in the evening in time to do their chores, having enjoyed the Sabbath day, as but few do at the present time.
His parents being poor, and school facilities very limited, his chance for an education was meager, but by perseverance and energy, which are his characteristics, he succeeded in getting a fair education, and the push and energy with which he was endowed when a boy, has been carried all through life, so that from a comparatively poor boy, he has risen to the proud position of one of the most prominent farmers in Jefferson County, owning and personally supervising nearly six hundred acres of as fine land as there is in the State of Wisconsin, and so successful has he been, that many of his neighbors are influenced in their planting, by the crops which he sows. The writer of this sketch has heard the remark, "watch Hugh Stokes and plant the same crops and you will have it right."
Mr. Stokes was twice married, the first time to Miss Louisa Yergus, of Portland, in 1871, and in the selection of a wife Mr. Stokes exhibited the same good judgment that he has always shown in his business affairs; and in her he truly found a helpmeet, she being a woman of rare quali-
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fications and an ardent worker in the Church of which she was a. member, so that when she was "called home" her family were not the only mourners, for her loss was deeply felt by all who had the good fortune to come in contact with her in the various walks of life. Five children, Henry W., James L., Frank, Nellie M. and Nettie, was the result of this union, and all are living at this time, his wife having died April 8, 1893. Mr. Stokes struggled to keep his little family together for four years when he married his present wife, Miss Amelia Paul, May 25, 1897, she being the eldest daughter of John Paul, a well known farmer living in the vicinity of Waterloo, and in the selection of a second wife, Mr. Stokes showed the same rare good judgment that he did formerly, for she is well known as a kind hearted, industrious, econom- ical and thorough business woman; well calculated to fill the position to which she has been chosen, and a worthy helpmate.
Mr. Stokes purchased the farm where he now resides, one-half mile south of the Village of Waterloo, one-third of which is in the corporate limits of the village, in the year 1891.
Mr. Stokes has been a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for more than twenty-five years and for several years was Pres- ident of the Board of Trustees of the M. E. Church.
Whilst never being an active politician, Mr. Stokes has always been a staunch Republican, but has never sought any political office, although he served several terms as a member of the Board of Education.
Mr. Stokes' parents, James Stokes and Marian Cole Stokes, were born in England, emigrating to this country in 1853, settling as recited above. His father was a farmer and minister, having preached the Gospel in England before emigrating, and was well known for his unswerving fidelity in the discharge of his duties; firm in his convic- tions, and of the strictest integrity; upright, and interested in all that had a tendency to benefit the people with whom he came in contact. Combining, as he did, the position of preacher and farmer, he was enabled to accomplish much good, and as a thorough Christian gentleman, was always ready for every good word and work, and doubtless many lives were made better by his faithful instructions, and firmness of character, qualities much needed in those early times, even as they are essential today.
Hugh B. Stokes had but one brother, James B., who was born in Portland in 1858 and still resides in this state. His father died aged fifty-nine years and his mother aged fifty-two years and they rest side by side in the beautiful little cemetery in Portland.
JOSEPH CHAUNCEY PATTEN.
MRS. JOSEPH CHAUNCEY PATTEN.
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JOSEPH CHAUNCEY PATTEN.
OSEPH CHAUNCEY PATTEN, eldest son of George and Hannah (Flint) Patten, was born in Canajohara, Montgomery County, New York, December 12, 1825. In his youth he was a brave little fellow, and his parents being poor he conceived the idea of earning his own living, and engaged himself to a Captain of a ferry boat on the Mohawk river, and later as teamster on the Erie Canal. Not finding this kind of work suited to his tastes he concluded to learn the carpenter and cabinet maker trade. One incident in connection with his boating experience shows the honorable character of the boy. His " boss" informed him of the rules of the Company, one of which was, that if any of the property under his charge were stolen, he would be compelled to steal from others, or to replace it by having the value deducted from his meager wages. This he felt he could not afford to do, and steal, he would not, so he soon resigned, and began to learn his trade, at which he worked some time, finally concluding to go West and seek his fortune, which he did in 1849, locating at Elba, Dodge County, Wisconsin, on the Crawfish river, where he purchased a farm of 160 acres, 80 acres of which were in the Town of Portland, the "Crawfish" running through both tracts. When he had completed his purchase, he had but fifty dollars, which was all absorbed in paying for the necessary papers of transfer. In 1850, his father, wishing to try what was then known as frontier life, came to Wisconsin and rented Chauncey's farm, and he began working at his trade as a builder, first building a snug little frame house in which his parents and himself lived the first year. During this time he assisted in building the beautiful residence of Governor Lewis in Columbus, where he worked early and late, and so honest was he about giving his employers full time, that on Saturdays when he could have rode home, a distance of seven miles, with some neighbor, if he would "knock off" in the middle of the afternoon, he would continue at his bench till sundown, then walk the seven miles to his home.
He was married July 3, 1849, to Margaret, eldest daughter of Joseph I. and Catharine Adams Flint, who were married in 1827, and ten children were born to them, Margaret being the oldest, was born in 1828, and assisted in rearing the younger children, and while yet a little girl would assist her mother in spinning and weaving wool for garments, and flax from which they made table linen and towels. She would walk over a mile to school, and would often walk three miles to assist her cousin to organize a Singing School, she being the leading soprano. Husking bees, and apple parings were frequent in her early days, and on occasions of this character, a dance closed the frolic. Her father was
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considered one of the best dancers of those early days, and when 90 years of age, he often danced the "French 4." He died when 91 years of age, his wife having died nearly 40 years before.
Mr. and Mrs. Patten had ten children, six boys and four girls, all of whom are now living; Janetta, born March 12, 1850, and married to Charles Hathaway, of Brockport, New York, in 1871, now residing in Lake Mills, Wisconsin; Delos W., born May 21, 1854, married February 7, 1875, to Maggie Cox, moving to Canada, where she died, and he afterwards married Sarah Nelson, of Lowell, Wisconsin; Willard H., born September 17, 1856, married October 27, 1889, to Leonora Shultz, of Colby, Wisconsin; Lorenzo L., born February 7, 1861, married October 30, 1889, to Frances Uehling and resides in Milwaukee; Orlando E., born February 23, 1863, married December 30, 1896, to Martha Boghart, of Watertown, now residing in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin; Augusta, born December 8, 1858, married January 26, 1897, to John Q. Adams, a farmer living at Northwood, Iowa; Myrtie M., born April 5, 1871, married March 11, 1891, to Will G. Buck, of Fall River, now living at Marion, Iowa; Cyrus L., born August 2, 1865, married December 4, 1895, to Ella Leonardson, now residing in Waterloo; Chester J., born March 29, 1868, married November 12, 1895, to Mary Swantz, and with his brother Cyrus is now engaged in the photograph business in Waterloo; Henrietta, born March 24, 1852, feeling that her parents are growing old, and should not be left alone, wisely chose to remain with them and thus lend com- fort to them in their declining years, and though a dressmaker and music teacher, with plenty of patrons in each branch, her parents prefer that she abstain from business and take entire charge of their cozy home on Monroe street.
The children all having made homes for themselves, Mr. Patten. after having lived on a farm for forty-two years, sold it in 1895 and moved to Waterloo where he has built a beautiful home and retired from an active business life, for aside from farming he has built residences for nearly all his old neighbors in Elba and Portland, besides the Catholic Church and School House, and the School House in his own district.
For anumber of years past, the family have assembled under the paren- tal roof on the anniversary of their marriage, and July 3, 1899, they celebrated their Golden Wedding, at which all their ten children, except Augusta, who was unable to be present on account of sickness, seventeen grandchildren and one great grandchild, were present. Out of compli- ment to the old couple, the Waterloo Brass Band, of which two of the sons are members, gave them a delightful serenade.
Mr. Patten and his entire family are musicians, or very musically inclined, and when his boys were home he organized Patten's Cornet Band, which gained quite a reputation for their excellent music, and were called upon to play for picnics, weddings, laying corner stones, serenades &c., often going 20 to 25 miles to fill an engagement. They also belonged to the Philharmonic Orchestra. The family were not only instrumentalists, but possessing good voices were often called upon to sing in concerts and different churches.
Mr. Patten is now in his 75th year, and is known to be one of the most active men of his age in Waterloo.
VALENTINE WEST AND WIFE.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
VALENTINE WEST.
O more worthy example of a keen, energetic, successful man, who was compelled to work out his own way; a man who never waited for extraordinary opportunities, but always endeavored to seize common occasions and make the best of them; a man who in his early youth was, by force of circumstances, compelled to learn just how many cents there were in a dollar-such a man is the subject of this sketch.
Valentine West is the eldest son of Henry West, who was born March 19, 1821, and died January 4, 1872, and Anna Mary Roth, who was born April 24, 1824, and died April 11, 1891. They were both natives of Hessen Darmstadt, Benshien, and were married in 1842.
They emigrated to America, landing at New York, July 1, 1848, going direct to Albany, where they resided for one year; then moved to Clyde, Wayne County, New York, where he lived for six years, working in the Glass works at that place. In 1855, desiring to see more of his adopted country, and wishing to purchase some land, as he had been a farmer in Germany, he came to Wisconsin and in November of that year, purchased ten acres in Section eight of the town of Milford, and, with his family, settled and founded a little home; both he and his wife, being hard workers, and by economy, they were not long in being the possessors of one hundred acres. Before leaving Germany he served six years in the Army.
They had eleven children born to them, seven boys and four girls, namely: Valentine, who was born in Hessen Darmstadt, Benshien, Germany, November 27, 1844; Lena, born 1846 and died in infancy ; John, born in New York April, 1849, and now living on a farm in Dakota; Anna, born in New York, 1851, and died November, 1855; Philip, born 1856 and died January 11, 1872; Mary, born 1859 and died January 8, 1872: Frank, born 1860, and died January 8, 1872; Frank, born 1862, now working as a laborer in Watertown, Wis- consin; Peter, born 1864 and is a farmer; Gregory, born 1868 and is working a farm at Beloit, Wisconsin; Lizzie, born 1869 and died January 25, 1872. All the above, except the first four were born in Wisconsin. Two boys, Philip and Frank, and two girls, Mary and Lizzie, died within two weeks of that dreaded disease, small pox.
Valentine West was eleven years old when his parents brought him to Wisconsin, and one year later he went to "work out" at $3.00 per month and he continued to work as a farm hand till he was 26 years of age, when he thought it was time for him to make a home for himself. He was married December 10, 1870, to Miss Matilda Heitz, who was born in Milford, Wisconsin, September 25, 1852, and was the daughter of
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Chris. Heitz, who was born in Germany 1814, and Minnie Shifman, who. was born in Prussia, September 15, 1814, and both are now living in Watertown, Wisconsin. They had nine children, five boys, Frank, Peter, Chris., Walter and Adolph, and four girls, Matilda (Mrs. West), Minnie, Caroline and Augusta.
Valentine West, after his marriage, rented a farm for two years on shares, and in 1873 he purchased 135 acres, which is now part of the farm where he now lives, situated on the banks of the Crawfish river. The land was covered by heavy timber, and many acres of it overflowed, by reason of a dam across the Crawfish at the Village of Milford, which had been placed there for mill purposes, and not only was Mr. West a sufferer by reason of the river being forced over its banks. but lands for miles on each side of the stream were inundated. Nothwithstanding the many obstacles in his path, Mr. West at once set to work with energy, perseverance and determination, which are his prominent character- istics, and assisted by his faithful, economical and prudent wife, they succeeded in clearing their land of the tall timber, and redeeming it from wild nature, to a condition highly productive.
In the year 1883 the mill at Milford was destroyed by fire. and the owners of the overflowed lands along the river conceived the idea of purchasing the dam and destroying it. A meeting of about 150 interested parties was held, and a committee was selected to negotiate a purchase of the site. Mr. West being one of the most prominent men on the committee, took an active part and succeeded in agreeing with Mr. Green, the owner, upon terms of transfer, which was ten thousand dollars. In the spring of 1884 Mr. West contracted to raze the dam for the sum of $350 by blowing it out with dynamite. This plan was considered a very dangerous one, but Mr. West. with his usual good judgment and determination was equal to a successful accomplishment of his contract. By the razing of the dam thousands of acres of worth- less lands became valuable farms.
Valentine West always felt that short cuts to success would prove a failure, and that the only possible way to build for permanence, was to be faithful in laying the foundation stones. thus he kept adding to his possessions, acre by acre, until he is now the owner of four hundred and twenty-six acres of fine bottom lands lying on the banks of the Crawfish river and situate in Sections 20, 29 and 30, in the town of Milford. Mr. West, being a practical farmer and well advised as to the adaptability of lands for grazing, turned his attention to dairying and stock raising. As the creamery or factory was some distance from his farm. he being an economist of time, did not think it paid to take the time necessary to draw his milk so far and get sour milk in return to feed his stock: so in 1891 he decided to purchase a farm Separator and separate his own cream and manufacture it into butter. Being a practical butter maker. does his own butter making, and only using the milk from his own cows, and those of his son-in-law, he turns out nearly 300 pounds of butter per week. His undertaking was even more successful than he had antici- pated, as he finds ready sale for his butter at good prices to private families in Watertown, who are regular customers, and take the entire
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product of his home dairy, which he calls West's Point Dairy. Aside from the time he gains, he has demonstrated by the thrifty condition of his calves and swine the value of good sweet milk as a food for young stock.
One feature the writer noticed during a recent visit to Mr. West, was the systematic manner in which he conducts the affairs of his large farm. He has numerous buildings in which he carefully stores his machinery when not in use, and has one of the largest barns in the county, it being 170 feet long by 30 feet wide, in the basement of which he has his cow stables, which are models. Another noticeable thing was that he has a place for everything.
Valentine West and Matilda Heitz were married in 1870 and eleven children were born to them, namely: Mary, born November 26, 1871, and died March 9, 1873; Hannah, born September 23, 1873, and married February 16, 1893, to Philip Bergdoll, and is living at Milford, Wiscon- sin, and have four children, Clara, born March 5, 1894, Frances, born August 24, 1895, Walter, born April 3, 1897, George, born August 14, 1898; Lena, born August 11, 1875, was married November 1, 1894, to Frank Steindorf and have two children, Herbert, born June 4, 1896, and Frank, born April 18, 1898, and live in California; Sophia, born February 25, 1878, and married October 8, 1896, to Lewis Steindorf, and have two children, Oscar, born February 7, 1897, and Leonora Matilda L., born September 7, 1898, and live in Watertown, Wisconsin; Henry, born June 26, 1880; Minnie, born February 14, 1882; Philip, born January 31, 1884; Carrie, born April 13, 1886; Walter, born May 11, 1888; Elmer, born October 2, 1890; Adeline, born March 28, 1892, and died July 1, 1898.
All the members of Mr. West's family that have died are buried in the cemetery at Aztalan.
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