USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 32
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Levi DeSteese was born in Germany and his wife, Elizabeth W. Williams, was born in Wales. After spending his youthful days in his native country, during which time he learned the tailor's trade, he came to America and resided for a time in New York and Pennsylvania. In 1848 he became a resident of Chicago and while there worked on the Illinois canal. He bought two or three acres of land on West Madison street that fronted on Union Park, that section of the city having but few residents. He started a tailoring shop on Lake street near the bridge but his establishment was destroyed in the great fire of 1871, in which he lost all of his property. With courageous spirit, however, he em- barked in business again and took a contract for furnishing all the west side firemen with uniforms. For several years he continued in that business and made and occupied a prominent position in the business circles of the city at that day. During the Civil war he had defended the Union cause as a soldier of Company D, Third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. As a result of an opera- tion in the Alexian Brothers Hospital at Evanston, he passed away February 13, 1898, which was the day on which the Maine was sunk through Spanish treach- ery. He was then eighty-four years of age. His wife survived him and died in Plymouth, Indiana, at the age of seventy-eight years. She was a member of the Free Will Baptist church and Mr. DeSteese belonged to the Masonic fra- ternity. In their family were four children: William; Mary M., the deceased wife of Willard Kingsbury; Florence, who became the wife of Dr. Covert, of Plymouth, Indiana, and has passed away; and Albert, who died unmarried.
William DeSteese was a lad of nine years when he came with his parents to Wisconsin, the family home being established in Berlin, about 1859. Two years later a removal was made to Fond du Lac county, and they settled in Lamartine township. It was about that time that the father enlisted for service in the Civil war and William DeSteese, the eldest of the family, engaged for a time in hauling timber. Later he and his mother went to Brandon and on the 17th of March, 1864, he enlisted as a member of Company D, Thirty-Eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Three times he offered his services to the government be- fore he was accepted. Although he was then but a lad in his teens he had done
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considerable drilling with local companies so that he was somewhat acquainted with the orders of war before he engaged in active duty. He participated in the battle of the Wilderness and all of the engagements before Petersburg to- gether with a number of others and he was wounded on the skirmish line at Ream's Station, in Virginia. When mustered out he held the rank of corporal.
When the war was over Mr. DeSteese returned to Fond du Lac to which place his mother had in the meantime removed. He accepted a position as fire- man on an engine on the St. Paul railroad and was later promoted to the posi- tion of passenger conductor in which capacity he served for thirty-two years. He was a courteous, obliging and popular official of the railroad. When he left that service in 1900 he engaged in the real-estate and insurance business, becom- ing head of the collection department for H. E. Swett, with whom he remained nine years. On the expiration of that period he was elected city comptroller for a two years' term at the end of which time he reentered the real-estate, insurance and collection business. He is accorded a good clientage in this connection and is doing a business which is satisfactory and gratifying.
On the 17th of January, 1872, Mr. DeSteese was married to Miss Mattie Coon, a daughter of Abraham and Esther Coon, who were early settlers of Fond du Lac and here spent their remaining days. They had a family of seven daughters and four sons, including Mrs. DeSteese, who was born in this city. The only child of her marriage is a son, Harry, who is conducting an electrical business in New York city. He married Mable Dunwodie and they have one son, Harry Guy DeSteese.
Mr. DeSteese is prominently known in various fraternal connections. He belongs to Fond du Lac Lodge, No. 140, F. & A. M., Darling Chapter, No. 20, R. A. M., Fond du Lac Commandery, No. 5, K. T., Kilbourn Council, No. 9, R. & S. M., and Wisconsin Consistory, No. I, in which he has attained the thirty- second degree of the Scottish Rites. He also holds membership with the Order of Railway Conductors, being past chief conductor of division No. 46, at Mil- waukee. In 1890 when he was transferred to the railroad here he joined the Business Men's Association and has been an active member thereof ever since. His name is on the membership rolls of Fond du Lac Lodge, No. 57, B. P. O. E., in which he is a past exalted ruler and also a past district deputy of the state. He maintains an active interest in military affairs and with his old army com- rades through his membership in E. A. Brown Post. No. 130, G. A. R., of which he is a past commander, and with the Sons of Veterans Camp. Few men of his years can claim a record as a soldier of the Civil war. The same spirit of loyalty which characterized Mr. DeSteese in his boyhood days and prompted his enlistment in the Union army has been manifest throughout his life and in all matters of citizenship he stands for improvement and progress.
WILLIAM NINNEMANN.
William Ninnemann is the owner of an excellent farm of one hundred and thirty-six acres in Ripon township, where he engages in general agricultural pursuits and dairying. He is one of the enterprising and capable citizens Ger- many has furnished the United States, his natal day having been August 26, 1870. His parents were Karl and Augusta (Neils) Ninnemann, who passed their entire lives in the fatherland.
Reared in a home of limited circumstances, William Ninnemann was given but few advantages in his youth. He received a common-school education and when little more than a child began earning his own living. Feeling assurred that he would find better opportunities in the new world than in the old, he, with his wife, took passage for the United States at the age of twenty-four years.
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The family came direct to Ripon, Mr. Ninnemann's entire capital consisting of ten dollars upon his arrival. He was very fortunate in immediately securing work as a farm hand and he encountered no particular hardships. He con- tinued to follow his occupation for eight years thereafter, and by the practice of diligence and thrift, during that time accumulated sufficient money to begin farming for himself. For seven years he rented a place near Ripon, in the cultivation of which he met with such success, that at the expiration of that period he bought the farm he now owns. Since acquiring this property he has worked tirelessly in his endeavor to further improve and cultivate it, and that his efforts have been well directed is evidenced by the general appearance and condition of his buildings and fields. He plants his land to such crops as are best adapted to the soil, and he keeps a small herd of dairy cows. He has every reason to feel gratified with the success he has made since locating here, as it is in every way highly creditable, and a tribute to his enterprise and energy.
In Germany on the 30th of March, 1893, Mr. Ninnemann was married to Miss Auguste Mueller, whose parents are now residing on a farm at Rosendale. Mr. and Mrs. Ninnemann have eight children, all of whom were born in Fond du Lac county. In order of birth they are Walter, Edwin, Fred, Frank, Esther, Ruth, and William and Lily, who are twins. They are all at home and have been given the advantage of a common-school education.
The parents and elder children are members of the Evangelical church at Ripon. Mr. Ninnemann enjoys the full rights of citizenship, giving his polit- ical support to the republican party. He is deserving of much commendation for the position he has attained in the community, as he began his career in this country practically empty-handed, and is now numbered among the sub- stantial citizens and capable agriculturists of Ripon township.
JONAS RHODES LONGLEY, M. D.
Dr. Jonas Rhodes Longley, who has been successfully engaged in the prac- tice of medicine and surgery at Fond du Lac since 1907, maintains offices at No. 40 South Main street and has his residence at No. 60 East Follette street. His birth occurred in North Platte, Nebraska, on the 17th of July, 1879, his parents being Fifield and Anna Elizabeth (Rhodes) Longley, the former a native of So- lon, Maine, and the latter of Somers, Wisconsin. William Jonas and Caroline (Routan) Rhodes, the maternal grandparents of our subject, were natives of New Jersey and early settlers at Somers, Wisconsin. William J. Rhodes fol- lowed farming and stock-raising and owned many sheep and fine horses. He was also a prominent factor in public life and for several years served as a member of the state legislature. Both he and his wife passed away at Somers, Wisconsin, when well advanced in years. Their children were five in number, William, Anna, Mary, Catharine and one who died in early life.
Fifield Longley, the father of Dr. J. R. Longley, was reared in Maine and worked in a sawmill as a boy. Subsequently he entered Bowdoin College and later studied medicine, being first graduated from the Eclective Medical College of Cincinnati and afterward from the Keokuk Medical College of Keokuk, Iowa. After leaving the last named institution he entered the government employ as in- ternal revenue collector in California and opened the first land office in western Nebraska. Eventually he settled down to the regular practice of his profession at North Platte, where he has since remained, enjoying an enviable reputation as a successful and able physician. His high standing in the profession is indi- cated by the fact that he is now serving as president of the Lincoln County Medi- cal Society. For a time he held the office of postmaster at Blair, Nebraska.
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Jonas Rhodes Longley was reared in the place of his nativity and completed a course in the high school of North Platte in 1896, while in 1902 he was gradu- ated from the University of Nebraska, in which institution he had served as as- sistant chemist. After leaving the university he became a registered pharmacist and for one year was engaged as mining chemist at Deadwood, South Dakota. Subsequently he attended the University of Chicago and also Rush Medical Col- lege, graduating with the degree of M. D. in 1906. He then spent a year and a half as interne in St. Elizabeth's Hospital of Chicago and in 1907 opened an office at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where he has since been engaged in the active practice of medicine, enjoying a gratifying and constantly increasing patronage. In the line of his profession he is connected with the Fond du Lac County Medi- cal Society, the Wisconsin State Medical Society and the American Medical Asso- ciation, thus keeping in close touch with the progress which is being continually made by the medical fraternity. In addition to his private practice he also ably discharges the duties devolving upon him as local surgeon for the Soo line.
On the 27th of June, 1911, Dr. Longley was united in marriage to Miss Juan- ita Belle Murphy, a native of North Platte, Nebraska, and a daughter of Emery W. and Annie (Sutherland) Murphy, who were born in Iowa and Canada re- spectively. The parents of Mrs. Longley, who reside at Marengo, Iowa, have six children, namely: Juanita, Emery, Waugh, Beatrice, Hazel and Jane.
In politics Dr. Longley is a stanch republican, loyally supporting the men and measures of that party. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, belonging to Fidelity Lodge, No. 19. He is a member of the Alpha Kappa Kappa and Alpha Theta Chi, college fraternities. He holds to high ideals in his profes- sion, is conscientious in the performance of his daily duties and in his ministra- tion to the sick he proves that his knowledge is of a practical as well as compre- hensive nature.
JOHN DYER, SR.
In a small but fertile valley on section 24 of the township of Byron is located the finely cultivated farm of John Dyer, Sr. Mr. Dyer has the distinction of be- ing the oldest pioneer settler in that district, but is still active in the management of his seventy acres of farm land. He is seventy-seven years of age, his birth occurring in Ireland, April 15, 1835, and is a son of John and Nora (Leonard) Dyer, both natives of Ireland. They were married in that country and came to America in 1836. They landed in Boston, where they remained for twelve years and at the end of that time journeyed westward and located in Fond du Lac county in the township of Byron. Here the father bought the seventy acres of land on section 24 upon which his son in now living, and was active in their cultivation until his death in 1891. He was the father of eight children : John, the subject of this review ; James; May; Martin; Patrick; Catherine; An- drew ; and Michael.
John Dyer was educated in the public schools of Boston, Massachusetts, but laid aside his books at the early age of fifteen years and assited his father until 1862. In that year he enlisted in Company K, Twentieth Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry, and served during the remainder of the Civil war. He was pres- ent at many different engagements and was active in the battle of Mobile, Ala- bama. In 1865 he was mustered out with honorable discharge and returned immediately to Byron township where he has resided ever since. He has given his entire time since the close of the war to the cultivation of seventy acres of land. He has made many improvements upon his property and has become suc- cessful and prosperous during the years.
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Mr. Dyer was married in St. Patrick's Catholic church of Fond du Lac, to Miss Mary A. Halpin, a daughter of Francis and Bridget (Geelan) Halpin, both of whom were natives of Ireland. The father was born in County Meath in that country in 1812 and came to America when he was nine years of age. He died in 1892 in Fond du Lac township, at the age of eighty years. His wife left her native country for America when she was fifteen years of age and died in Fond du Lac township when she was sixty-five. Mr. and Mrs. John Dyer are the parents of six children: John F., who married Miss Rose A. Flood ; James H,. who wedded Miss Nettie Forrester; Martin S .; Phillip L., who mar- ried Miss Christina Karst; William L. ; and Eugene E., who lives with his father and is active in the management of the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Dyer and their family are members of the Catholic church and in politics Mr. Dyer is a demo- crat, conversant with the history of his party and loyal to its principles. Mr. Dyer is now seventy-seven years of age, a genial and happy-hearted man who has given his life to the improvement and development of Fond du Lac county and who is now enjoying the fruits of his labors.
AUGUST C. DALLMANN.
August C. Dallmann is president of the Dallmann-Cooper Supply Company. of Fond du Lac, dealers in builders' supplies and manufacturers of elastic roof paints, structural iron paints, etc. The continuous growth of the business has extended over ten states and made it one of the leading industrial enterprises of this city. In its conduct Mr. Dallmann shows marked energy and enterprise. He is one of Wisconsin's native sons, his birth having occurred in Waterloo township, Jefferson county, May 26, 1858, his parents being August and Chris- tina (Kaiser) Dallmann, both of whom were natives of Prussia, Germany. The paternal grandfather, August Dallmann, was a soldier of the German contingent in the Napoleonic War of 1812. Both he and his wife died in Germany, in which country they spent their entire lives. They had three children: August ; Yetta, who is deceased; and one, who is living in Janesville, Wisconsin. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Dallmann was Fred Kaiser, also a soldier in the Napoleonic wars at the beginning of the nineteenth century. He married Christina Sabel and both died in Germany. They had three children, Christiana, Dorothy and Fred.
August Dallmann, the. father, spent his youthful days in the fatherland and became familiar with agricultural pursuits. The opportunities of the new world attracted him, however, and in 1856 he sailed for America, settling in Waterloo township, Jefferson county, Wisconsin. There he worked as a farm hand until his labors had brought him sufficient capital to enable him to purchase a tract of forty acres. At length, he removed to Dodge county, settling in the town- ship of Portland where he acquired a large farm of one hundred and eighty- two acres and there he died in 1896, when in his sixty-sixth year. His widow still survives him and is now more than eighty-three years of age. Both were consistent members of the Lutheran church. The father had been a soldier of the regular army while in Germany and his bearing suggested his military spirit and experiences. He never sought to figure prominently in public life in this state, yet served as supervisor when in Portland township. His genuine personal worth commended him to the confidence and good-will of all, and his wife, too, was respected by all who knew her. In their family were four chil- dren, two of whom reached adult age, August C. and Ferdinand.
August C. Dallmann was about thirteen years of age when he removed to Dodge county, Wisconsin, and upon his father's farm there he spent the period of his minority, working in the fields when not occupied with the tasks of the
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schoolroom. He attended the district schools and for a short time was a student in the Northwestern College at Watertown, Wisconsin. He started in the business world as a traveling salesman for the firm of Roper & Ferry, of Water- town, dealers in agricultural implements, and for thirty-eight years he re- mained upon the road as traveling representative for different houses. He was a most successful salesman and his geniality made him popular wherever he went. He has made his home in Fond du Lac where in connection with E. F. Cooper he organized the Dallmann-Cooper Supply Company, which was in- corporated in 1900, for the sale of builders' supplies and for the manufacture of elastic roof paints, structural iron paints, etc. Their business extends into ten different states and is constantly growing. Their patronage is already ex- tensive so that their annual sales have reached a large figure.
Mr. Dallmann has been married thrice. In 1888 he wedded Miss Lena Meink, a daughter of William and Yeptha (Hart) Meink. There were two children of this marriage: Guy, who is acting as bookkeeper for the Dallmann- . Cooper Supply Company .; and Arthur, who is also employed by the firm. The wife and mother died in 1892 and in 1894 Mr. Dallmann wedded Emma Koehne, a daughter of Wilhelm and Wilhelmina Koehne. Mrs. Emma Dallmann passed away in 1906, at the age of forty-seven years, leaving a daughter, Leona. In October, 1910, Mr. Dallmann married Eleanor Applegate, daughter of Hou- ston and Mary Louise (Anderson) Applegate, who were natives of Ohio and early settlers of Iowa. Her paternal grandparents were James and Eleanor (Dennison) Applegate and her maternal grandparents were Andrew and Eleanor Anderson.
In his political views Mr. Dallmann is a republican and in 1896 was elected county treasurer in which position he creditably acquitted himself. He has never, otherwise, sought public office. He belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran church. His fraternal relations consist in membership in Fond du Lac Lodge, No. 140, F. & A. M., and Fond du Lac Lodge, No. 57, B. P. O. E.,-associa- tions which indicate much of the nature of his interests and the rules which govern his conduct.
MICHAEL BOHAN.
Michael Bohan has been successful in the cultivation of seventy-eight and one-half acres of Fond du Lac county land and has been prominently identified with agricultural interests in this section of the country since 1884. He was born in Byron township, February II, 1856, and is a son of Peter and Alice (Heenay) Bohan, both natives of Ireland. His father left his native country when he was a young man and crossed the Atlantic to America at an early date. He took up a homestead claim in Wisconsin, built a log cabin on his holdings and spent his life in the improvement and cultivation of the soil. He died in 1894 in the eighty-fifth year of his age. His wife, also a native of Ireland, left that country when she was very young and settled in Fond du Lac county where her marriage occurred. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bohan became the parents of seven children: Mary; Catherine; Elizabeth, who died in 1882; Michael, the subject of this review; John E .; Ann; and one who died in infancy.
Michael Bohan was educated in district school No. 5, Byron township, and studied until he was sixteen years of age. He spent some time assisting his father with the work on the farm and gained valuable personal experience in the details of agriculture. When Peter Bohan retired from active life in 1884 his son, Michael, assumed the entire management of his holdings and has di- rected, controlled and operated the farm since that time. He now owns a highly
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developed tract of land of seventy-eight and one-half acres with modern equip- ment, fine barns and outbuildings. He has erected a beautiful and comfortable home upon his farm, equipped with every new idea in house furnishings, and here he and his family reside. Mr. Bohan is well known socially in Byron town- ship and his pleasing qualities of mind and heart have gained for him hosts of friends in his native district.
In 1885, Michael Bohan was united in marriage to Miss Katie McDonald, a daughter of Martin and Rose McDonald, farming people and pioneer settlers of Dodge county. To Mr. and Mrs. Bohan six children have been born: John, Frank, Alice, Mary, Michael Jr., and Florence, all of whom are residing with their parents on the home farm.
Mr. Bohan gives a general political allegiance to the democratic party but reserves his right to independence of thought in this respect. He has served two vears as supervisor and was road commissioner for fifteen years. He is inter- ested in the cause of education and is a member of the school board. He was treasurer of this organization for twelve years and did efficient, capable, and honest work in this office. Fraternally he holds membership in the Modern Woodmen of America but beyond this has no connections of this kind. He is a regular attendant of the Roman Catholic church of Byron and a devout ad- herent to its doctrines. Mr. Bohan has lived his entire life in Byron township and is now at the age of fifty-six years one of its best known and most widely popular residents. His life in all its various relations has been worthy, honor- able and upright and his success has been the natural outcome of his concentrated industry and his broad intelligence.
HENRY L. LAMB.
The Lamb family has been represented in Fond du Lac county for more than sixty-seven years. The work of civilization had scarcely begun in this district when Peter Lamb took up his abode here. He was a native of Ireland, reared in that country, where he married Marguerite Crowley. The favorable reports which he had heard concerning the new world, led him to the determi- nation to try his fortune on this side of the Atlantic and in 1845 he made the long voyage on a sailing vessel. After landing on American shores he proceeded into the interior of the country to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin which was then largely wilderness. He secured some timber land and began cutting away the trees and grubbing the stumps. Much arduous labor was necessary to con- vert the tract into a productive farm but with unfaltering determination he con- tinued in the work to the time of his death, which occurred about 1892. His wife long survived him and died in 1911. He was at one time school superin- tendent and was interested in many practical projects for the welfare of the community.
His son, Henry L. Lamb, was born on the old family homestead in the town of Friendship and under the parental roof he remained throughout the period of his boyhood and youth. His experiences were such as were usual with boys of his period and his home training developed in him a spirit of industry, enterprise and self-reliance. He has always been a farmer and for sixteen years has owned the place upon which he now resides. He has made it one of the attractive features of the landscape, having made a large number of improve- ments thereon. He has divided his farm into fields of convenient size by well kept fences, has supplied large barns and sheds for the protection of grain and stock and has secured the latest improved machinery to facilitate the work of fields.
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