USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92
The last named was educated in the public schools of Fond du Lac township and completed his studies at the age of fourteen years. He assisted upon the home farm, learning practical details of agricultural life, and later assumed the management of the homestead and the direction of the farm, and has been very successful in his efforts since that time. He engages in general farming on the twenty-four acres of land which he owns on section 36 and has been unusually successful in all the various departments of agriculture.
252
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Politically Mr. Green is entirely independent of party lines and policies, pre- ferring to keep his judgment unbiased and his mind unprejudiced. He is deeply interested in anything which pertains to the welfare of his native section and has served with great ability and efficiency as road commissioner. He is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church and his religion influences his daily life. His work in the line of activity upon which so much of the prosperity of the state of Wisconsin depends has been continuous and capable and his success is the prosperity of a man who has given his life and his most earnest endeavors to the promoting of the agricultural development of his section.
EDWIN ABEL CAREY.
Edwin Abel Carey, deceased, was for more than forty years identified with the growth and development and leading business, commercial and financial in- terests of the city of Fond du Lac. His birth occurred at Bergen, Genesee county, New York, on the 16th of February, 1830, his parents being William and Polly Ann (Wilcox) Carey. William Carey was a native of Pennsylvania and in the early days of his manhood he removed to Bergen, Genesee county, New York, where he established himself in the grain and grass trade, in which he was engaged continuously for some years thereafter. He removed with his family, in 1845, to Fond du Lac, reaching that place by way of Milwaukee, thence by wagon over the old Watertown road, and on his arrival he purchased a farm near the site upon which later the city of Fond du Lac was built. He established his residence in what is now known as the Fond du Lac House, a building which at that time had been erected by the government and used as a government station on the military road between Forts Howard and Winnebago. He made his settlement in this county in the month of May, 1845, and, being a man of unusual intelligence, with large business capabilities, he applied himself to the planning of a home for himself and family, the realization of which he was not permitted to enjoy, his death occurring on the 29th of March, 1846. He was a democrat in his political convictions, that party at that day being the dominant national organization in control of the offices of the federal govern- ment. During his residence in the state of New York he was appointed by the president as chief of the United States census bureau for Genesee county, in which he lived. His wife survived him for many years and died at her home in Fond du Lac on the Ist of March, 1866. She was a woman distinguished for her earnest Christian character and both she and her husband were charter members of the Presbyterian church of Fond du Lac. To Mrs. Polly Ann Carey belongs the distinguished honor of having prepared the elements for the first communion of the local society of that denomination in Fond du Lac. At the time of William Carey's death no public cemetery had been established in Fond du Lac and he was accordingly buried upon his own farm but later his remains were moved to the Fond du Lac cemetery immediately following the incorpora- tion of that association. He had been united in marriage, in the state of New York, to Miss Polly Ann Wilcox, by whom he had eight children. Kirt- land emigrated to California at an early day, during the gold excitement in 1849, making the journey by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Having contracted the isthmus fever, he died in San Francisco one week after his arrival in that city. Edwin Abel, of this review, was the next in order of birth. William, who wedded Miss Charlotte Winans, was a dry-goods merchant of Adrian, Michigan, where he passed away in April, 1888. Elizabeth is the wife of H. K. Laughlin, at one time a prominent dry-goods merchant of Fond du Lac. Austin, who died in the fall of 1909, was a successful dry-goods merchant of Adrian, Michigan. Clarissa is the wife of J. B. Perry, of Fond du Lac. Two children of the family died in infancy.
EDWIN ABEL CAREY
255
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Edwin Abel Carey was reared in his father's home and received his early education to the age of twelve in the public schools of the district in which he lived. With his parents he removed to Wisconsin, settling with them in Fond du Lac in May, 1845. His first year was spent in work upon his father's farm and the following year he obtained a clerkship in the general store of Clock & Weikert, remaining with this establishment for several years thereafter, during which time he devoted a part of his attention and means to the support of his mother and the younger members of the family, having as well a general over- sight of the family estate. In 1849 he was employed as salesman in the lumber yard of Curt Lewis in Fond du Lac and in 1852 he established himself in the omnibus line business of that city and in this venture he was singularly suc- cessful. In addition to his interests in the bus line he also was engaged in the business of general contracting. Early in the year 1861 Mr. Carey formed a copartnership with his brother-in-law, H. K. Laughlin, under the firm name of Laughlin & Carey. This company engaged in the general retail dry-goods busi- ness in Fond du Lac and the phenomenal success which attended the united efforts of Mr. Carey and his partner soon made their establishment one of the best known and leading merchandising houses in this portion of the state at that time. Their retail sales in one year, notwithstanding the sparsely settled surround- ing country and the meager population of the city of Fond du Lac, approximated the large sum of two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. This estab- lishment continued to do a successful and growing business for many years after its organization, Mr. Carey retaining his interest in the business until 1879. During that year, on account of failing health, he sold his entire holdings in the business to his partner, H. K. Laughlin, and soon thereafter became a stock- holder in the Fond du Lac Iron Company, of which later he became the general manager and treasurer. For many years previous to 1880 Mr. Carey had been known as one of the conservative, successful and wise business men of his sec- tion and in that year he was elected to the board of directors of the First National Bank and later to the office of vice president in 1883. At the time of his assuming official duties in that banking house A. G. Ruggles was its president and upon his death, in 1888, Mr. Carey was chosen as his successor, a responsible position in which he served with great acceptability during the many years of his incumbency of that office. In August, 1885, he formed a copartnership with H. M. Kutchin and under the firm name of Kutchin & Carey the company ac- quired a lease of the Palmer House, the largest and most pretentious hostelry of Fond du Lac. Entering upon the possession and operation of the property at once, the firm continued active in business until July, 1886, when Mr. Carey purchased the interests of Mr. Kutchin and became thereafter the proprietor and general manager of this hostelry. In the year 1889, upon the expiration of the lease, he purchased the property, the original cost of which, in real estate, build- ings and equipment, was ninety thousand dollars. Having now acquired owner- ship to this advantageously located property, he at once effected necessary and elaborate improvements in the way of costly decorations and high-grade up- holstery furnishings and soon after the house became widely known as being one of the most modern and best conducted hotels outside of Milwaukee in the state of Wisconsin.
Mr. Carey was first married on the 15th of December, 1852, choosing as his partner in life Miss Mary Taylor, a daughter of Hon. J. M. Taylor, who at that time was one of the most prominent of Fond du Lac citizens, having served for three terms as mayor of that city. Mrs. Mary Carey was a native of Ver- gennes, Vermont, and in early life removed with her parents to this county in 1849, passing away in 1884. On the 29th of April, 1886, Mr. Carey wedded Mrs. Kittie McCall, the surviving widow of Captain James McCall, who is said to have been the first man to enlist for the Civil war from Fond du Lac county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McCall were born two children: James E., Vol. II-15
256
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
who suffered death by accident, having been run over by a locomotive in Mil- waukee; and Louisa, the wife of Joseph Sandford. Mrs. McCall Carey, the second wife of Edwin Abel Carey, passed to her reward in the land beyond on the 16th of March, 1889. On the 8th of July, 1890, Mr. Carey was united in wedlock to Miss Caroline F. Lessenyoung, whose birth ocurred in Osceola town- ship, Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, at Armstrong's Corners, on the 27th of December, 1860, her parents being Nicholas and Mary (Koch) Lessenyoung. Her paternal grandparents were Peter and Elizabeth (Schlim) Lessenyoung. Her maternal grandparents were William and Clementine (Luecking) Koch. The former was three times married. Nicholas and Mary (Koch) Lessen- young, the parents of Mrs. Caroline F. Carey, were both natives of Germany, the former born in Luxemburg and the latter in Westphalia. They emigrated to America in a very early day, settling upon a farm in the township of Osceola, Fond du Lac county. Later they removed to the township of Brothertown in Calumet county, where they continued to live until the time of their death, Nicholas Lessenyoung passing away in the year 1907 at the age of seventy-four. His surviving wife died in 1908 in the seventy-fourth year of her age. They were both loyal and devout members of the Catholic church. Unto them were born eight children, as follows: Mrs. Otto Zipp, now of Merrill, Wisconsin ; Mrs. E. A. Carey; Mrs. Jacob Rank, of Hilbert, Wisconsin; Michael J .; Nich- olas J .; Mrs. Mary E. Conger, deceased; Mrs. N. Ziegalbauer, of Brothertown township; and Mrs. Delia Thuerwachter, of Calumetville.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Edwin A. Carey were born three children: Harriet M., now a pupil at St. Mary's Springs Academy ; Edwin A., in attendance at the public schools; and Louise C., also a pupil in St. Mary's Springs Academy.
Mr. Carey was a member of Fidelity Lodge, No. 19, K. P., and of Fond du Lac Lodge, No. 57, B. P. O. E., and a loyal adherent of the republican party. His long and active connection with the business affairs and public interests of his adopted state and city was brought to a close by the occurrence of his death on October 13, 1910, at the age of eighty years. He was a member of the Epis- copal church, while his widow is a devout communicant of St. Patrick's Catholic church. Edwin Abel Carey was a resident citizen of Fond du Lac for a period of sixty-five years and during that long span of time he so lived as to retain the universal respect of all his associates and as an enduring monument to his memory he bequeathed to his family an honored name untarnished by any act of his that would reflect adversely upon his strict integrity or in the least cloud the moral rectitude of his long and useful life.
HENRY J. HEYDE.
Henry J. Heyde has for the past four years been successfully engaged in business as the proprietor of a plumbing and heating establishment at No. 61 North Main street in Fond du Lac. His birth occurred in Mauston, Wisconsin, on the 8th of August, 1874, his parents being Ludwig and Louisa (Schwartz) Heyde, both of whom were natives of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. His paternal grandparents, Joachim and Christina (Bauman) Heyde, lived to an advanced age and reared a large family. Johan Schwartz, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was killed in a railroad accident. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Bertha Prohl, was nearly ninety years of age when called to her final rest.
Ludwig Heyde, the father of Henry J. Heyde, was reared in Pittsburg and there learned the shoemaker's trade. Later in life he took up his abode among the early settlers of Juneau county, Wisconsin, and there he devoted his at- tention to general agricultural pursuits with. excellent success. His demise
257
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
occurred at Delafield, Wisconsin, in 1900, when he had attained the age of eighty years. His wife, who survived him for five years, passed away at the age of seventy-nine. They were both consistent and devoted members of the Lutheran church. Ludwig Heyde participated in the Civil war as a brave and loyal defender of the Union. Unto him and his wife were born six children, as follows: Agnes, who is married and resides in Wausau, Wisconsin; Augusta, who is the wife of John C. Peters, of Marshfield, Wisconsin; Minnie, the wife of Otto F. Peters, of Delafield, Wisconsin; Adelphine, who is the wife of Will- iam Schmeichel and resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Charles; and Henry J., of this review.
The last named spent the first twelve years of his life on a farm and attended the district schools in the acquirement of an education. In 1886, he went to Mil- waukee, Wisconsin, and learned the plumber's trade, which occupation has claimed his time and energies continuously since. While living in Milwaukee, he attended the evening session of a business college for two years. After mastering his trade he traveled as a journeyman all over the United States, Mexico and South America. Returning to the United States, he located in Fond du Lac and became an employe of I. L. Galt, in whose service he remained for ten years. On the expiration of that period he embarked in business on his own account and for the past four years has conducted a plumbing and heating establishment at No. 61 North Main street, where he also has his home.
On the 27th of June, 1906, Mr. Heyde was united in marriage to Miss Lois Pedix, a native of Fond du Lac township, this county, and a daughter of James and Mary (Davis) Pedix. James Pedix, a native of New York, passed away in 1901, when about sixty-five years of age, but is survived by his wife. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Heyde were Richard and Mary Pedix, while her maternal grandparents were William and Eliza (Roberts) Davis. Mrs. Heyde has spent her entire life in Fond du Lac county and obtained her education in the country schools. She is one of a family of five children, the others being Frances, Gwendolyn, Elizabeth and Guy Pedix. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Heyde have been born two children, Russell James and Henry Ralph.
Fraternally, Mr. Heyde is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to Fond du Lac Lodge, No. 30, Encampment No. 15 and Can- ton No. 17. In the canton he is now serving as sentinel. Both he and his wife attend the Congregational church. His strong and salient characteristics are such as endear him to all who come within the close circle of his friendship, while wherever he is known he is respected and honored.
WILLIAM STEVER.
William Stever has been prominently identified with the agricultural inter- ests of Fond du Lac county since 1887. He has never owned a farm of his own but has spent most of his active life in carrying on agriculture by working on shares. He has at various periods in his career rented land, developed and im- proved it and his opinion on all matters relating to the cultivation of the soil has great weight in Fond du Lac township. Mr. Stever is a native son of Wiscon- sin, having been born in Auburn, May 18, 1856. His parents were William and Anna (Whilhauser) Stever, both natives of Germany. They were married in their native country and settled in Wisconsin about 1854. They were among the pioneers in the city of Kenosha and the father engaged in farming in the outlying districts until his death in 1887. After his settlement in Kenosha, the elder Mr. Stever never changed his place of residence and died upon his original holdings. He and his wife were the parents of five children, Adolf, Henry, William, Lizzie and Minnie.
258
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
William Stever received his education in the district schools of Auburn town- ship and pursued his studies until he was about fourteen years of age. In 1869, he laid aside his books to assist his father in the work of the farm and since the death of the latter the son has been actively engaged in farming for himself. He has always worked on shares or as a renter and has never owned a farm of his own. He is now engaged in the cultivation of one hundred and twenty acres of land in Fond du Lac county, where he has resided for five and one- half years. His energies and activities have always been directed along progres- sive and modern lines. He is a thorough student of the science of agriculture and carries out his modern theories in the conduct of the property which he rents. He is known as a successful agriculturist and as a man well acquainted with the details of modern farm life and his services are always eagerly sought after.
On April 9, 1887, Mr. Stever was united in marriage to Miss Lena Sumer- feldt, and to this union have been born seven children: Ella; Florence, the wife of William McCormick; Henry ; Clarence; Edna ; Ralph; and Ruth. Mr. Stever is a republican in his political affiliations and a consistent believer in the poli- cies of that party but beyond voting the republican ticket upon national and local issues he takes no very active part in public affairs, preferring to concen- trate his attention upon his farm work. He holds membership in the German Lutheran church. Mr. Stever's life has been entirely devoted to agricultural pursuits. His ideas of agriculture are progressive and scientific and his experi- ments all terminate successfully. He is one of the many men in Fond du Lac county whose exertions and intelligent activities are doing so much to promote the development of the agricultural resources in the section in an efficient and prosperous way.
THOMAS D. GENGE.
Thomas D. Genge exemplifies in his career his possession of those organizing and constructive talents which are necessary to the development and upbuilding of industrial life. He is at present proprietor and active manager of the Ripon Roller Mills, one of the largest institutions of its kind in the county and under his management its business has increased and the quality of its work improved to a remarkable degree. He was born in England on December 9, 1876, and is the son of Thomas and Emily Genge. His father was a farmer in England.
Thomas D. Genge received his early education in the public schools of Eng- land and supplemented this by one year in a Ripon school. In 1893 he laid aside his text-books and entered at once upon the milling business, in which he has been engaged all during his active life. He worked for the Plum Creek Mills in Plum Creek, Wisconsin, from 1893 to 1896 and then worked for three years in mill work in Neillsville, Wisconsin. Subsequently he owned or leased mills in other parts of the state until he came, in 1909, to Ripon. He gained a practical working knowledge of the details of the trade and became an expert miller at Plum Creek. When he came to Ripon in 1909, he purchased the Ripon Roller Mills from W. S. Crowther, who had organized the concern in 1892. During the period of Mr. Genge's connection with the roller mills, many modern improvements have been added and new milling equipment has been installed. The capacity is now one hundred and twenty-five barrels a day and even this output is constantly in- creasing. The mill operates during the entire year and does a large amount of merchant and custom work. It also does a large business in grinding feed for the farmers of Fond du Lac county and this department is rapidly becoming an important part of the business. Mr. Genge has recently improved the water power of the concern by running a thirty-four inch pipe line from the
259
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Ripon Roller Mills to the Gotham mill pond, a distance of about fifteen hundred feet, thereby obtaining a fall of forty-seven and a half feet and consequently increased power. He gives his attention to the various details connected with the operation of his enterprise and the knowledge and experience which he gained in the long years in the milling business are valuable assets to him in the conduct of his institution.
In November, 1906, Thomas D. Genge was united in marriage to Miss Ada F. Cole, a daughter of Francis and Izora L. Cole, of Green Lake, Wisconsin, and they are the parents of one child, Cole Deane, born October II, 1907. Mr. Genge is a member of the Masonic order, but beyond this has no fraternal affili- ations. He is an example of the energetic and prosperous business man who by bending all of his efforts and talents toward the upbuilding of his enterprise is adding materially to the importance and growth of his section of the country.
RICHARD P. LAMB.
A native of the town of Friendship and a man for twelve years prominently identified with its agricultural interests and activities is Richard P. Lamb, one of the progressive farmers of this section of the state. In his comparatively short period of activity along this line he has gained for himself a reputation for honesty, industry and remarkable efficiency which is seldom equalled. He was born in the town of Friendship in 1877, a son of Peter and Marguerite (Crow- ley) Lamb. He received his education in the district schools of his native town and at an early age learned the contracting business in which he attained a degree of proficiency which made him successful as long as he continued in this line of work. He began his business career as a contractor when he was sixteen years old in 1893 and continued in that business up to the year 1900 when he gave it up to engage in the cultivation of the soil on one of the many fertile farms of that region. From 1900 up to the present time he has given his entire attention to farming and the reward which this line of activity gives to its followers has been his in a remarkable degree. In recent years he has dis- continued his personal supervision of the farm and has spent much of his time in traveling. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is a firm believer in its principles and policies although he is not particularly active in local political affairs.
Richard P. Lamb is unmarried. He holds membership in St. Patrick's Catholic church of Friendship and is well known in religious circles of the town. The present prosperity of Fond du Lac county is in a large measure dependent upon its agricultural interests which have been for many years important factors in its development and Richard P. Lamb has done more than his share of honest and efficient service in this direction.
ELLIOTT H. YORTY.
In 1889, when Elliott H. Yorty died upon his farm in Metomen township, the agricultural interests of Fond du Lac county lost a conspicuously successful representative and a man who was an influencing factor in making the occupa- tion of tilling the soil honorable and worthy among the activities of man. Mr. Yorty was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania, in 1834 and was the son of Levi and Alpha Yorty, both natives of that state, of Mohawk-Dutch ancestry. The par- ents of our subject came to Wisconsin in 1848 and located in Rock county. Three years later they removed to Metomen township, Fond du Lac county, where
260
HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
the father took up land three miles northwest of Brandon and was active in its improvement and cultivation until his death, which occurred in 1874, his wife having passed away in 1867.
Elliott H. Yorty was the third in a family of four children born to his parents. He remained at home until he reached manhood and from an early date was identified with the operation of his father's farm. He spent some years engaged in this line of occupation but in 1869 came to Brandon, where he entered the lumber business in partnership with his brother, Andrew J. Yorty. His business discrimination, his unquestioned honesty and his appreciation of local economic conditions made him immediately successful and his prosperity had a firm foun- cation in his perseverance and well centralized labor. In 1880, however, he abandoned the lumber enterprise with which he was connected in order to re- sume his agricultural operations upon his father's farm. He was successful in this as he had been in his previous activities. He cultivated the soil, following modern and progressive standards, improved the property and made it productive to its highest point by planting always the most suitable grains. He made his home upon the farm until his death, which occurred in 1889.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.