USA > Wisconsin > Fond du Lac County > Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 50
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
his labors is but the merited reward of a life of well directed and untiring indus- try. When he first came to this county he became ill and was obliged to remain in a hospital for a long time before his health had been restored sufficiently for him to take up farming. Notwithstanding the obstacles and difficulties in his path, however, he has worked his way steadily upward to a position among the substantial and respected citizens of the community. He is a shareholder in the Farmers' Creamery Company of Fair Water.
In 1868 Fred Falbe was united in marriage to Miss Rosie Cebull, who was born in Germany on the 2d of February, 1849, her parents being Peter and Tune (Schipen) Cebull, the former a farmer of Rush Lake, Wisconsin. Her parents were born, reared and married in the fatherland and emigrated to the United States in 1865, locating at Ripon, Wisconsin, where Peter Cebull began farming. A few years later he removed to Brandon, this county, where he made his home until called to his final rest in 1887. His wife, surviving him for a number of years, passed away in 1904. To Mr. and Mrs. Falbe have been born seven chil- dren, as follows: Minnie, who was born on the 13th of April, 1869, and is de- ceased ; Mary, born September 14, 1872, the wife of Thomas Hornby, a cement contractor of Waupun, Wisconsin; Josie, who was born on the 7th of March, 1877, and gave her hand in marriage to William Gohrhouse, a cigar-maker of Waupun, Wisconsin ; Henry, born September 2, 1879, at home; Laura, who was born on the 12th of July, 1882, and died at the age of six years; Frederic, who was born June 24, 1886, and farms on the home place ; and Lydia, born March II, 1889, the wife of Henry Liske, a merchant of Fair Water, this county.
Fred Falbe gives his political allegiance to the democracy, has served as super- visor of Metomen township for four years and for several years acted as school director in that township. His religious faith is that of the German Lutheran church, to which his wife and children also belong. During the long period of his residence in Fond du Lac county he has become widely known and his many excellent traits of character have won him a circle of friends which is almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintances.
ARTHUR W. JONES.
Arthur W. Jones, who is operating the farm on which he was born on the 7th of June, 1872, is one of the highly capable and efficient agriculturists of La- martine township, where he is successfully devoting his energies to diversified farming and stock-raising. His father, Joseph Jones, was born in New Hamıp- shire on October 27, 1825, and there he was also reared. In 1844 he came to Fond du Lac county, and soon thereafter settled on a farm in Lamartine town- ship, where he still makes his home. He worked diligently, directing his under- takings with intelligence, and as a result he prospered in his activities, acquiring two hundred and forty acres of land. He devoted himself to the further im- provement and cultivation of his homestead until fifteen years ago, when he with- drew from active work and has since been living retired, although he still resides on his farm. The greater part of the land is in a high state of productivity and has been improved by the erection of a comfortable residence and substantial barns and outbuildings. There are twenty-five head of cattle, six horses and other stock on the place, which is equipped with everything essential to its cultivation. Lamartine was the scene of the marriage of Mr. Jones to Miss Miranda Wilson, the mother of our subject, who was born in the state of New York. She came to Fond du Lac county in the early '40s. Besides the son, Arthur W., there was also born of this marriage a daughter, Emma, who is the younger of the two. Mr. Jones has two sons, Albert of Lamartine township, and Louis, who is a resi- dent of Schofield, Wisconsin, who were born of another marriage.
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
The entire life of Arthur W. Jones has been passed on the farm where he now resides. In the acquirement of an education he attended the district schools of this community until he was sixteen years of age, then began his career as an agri- culturist. He worked for his father, until the latter's retirement fifteen years ago, when he leased the farm, and has since been operating it on the shares. As he is a practical man of diligent habits and well organized methods he has pros- pered in his undertakings and is ranked among the successful agriculturists of the township.
At Rosendale, on the 13th of January, 1897, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Mary McNamee, a daughter of Patrick H. and Ann E. (Ellis) McNa- mee, prosperous farming people of that section. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones: Alice B., whose birth occurred on the IIth of Novem- ber, 1898; and Joseph A., whose natal day was August 22, 1900.
The family are members of the Roman Catholic church, and Mr. Jones gives his political support to the democratic party. He is one of the best known men in the community, his people having been more or less prominently identified with the progress and development of Lamartine township for nearly seventy years, being among the first settlers in this section.
JACOB H. WALDSCHMIDT.
Jacob H. Waldschmidt is entitled to be numbered among the oldest surviv- ing pioneers of this county and city, having maintained a continuous residence here for a period of sixty-two years. He is a veteran of the Civil war, living a retired life at the age of eighty-one years. He is a son of William and Catharine (Hinn) Waldschmidt, both of whom were natives of Germany and who have long since passed away, the mother having died in 1831 and the father in 1847.
Jacob H. Waldschmidt is a native of Germany and the only child of his parents. His mother having died in his infancy, he grew to manhood in the home of his grandmother, Mrs. Hinn. He received his early education in the schools of his native land and during the early years of his life was there engaged in farming. In the year 1850, at the age of nineteen, he emigrated to America and settled on a farm in the township of Forest, in this county. His first purchase was forty acres of good Wisconsin land to which he later added an additional twenty acres. After having improved this property for some years he disposed of it at a hand- some profit and immediately thereafter purchased a farm of eighty acres to which he later added an additional fifteen acres. He continued to live upon this prop- erty and by constant attention to its improvement he succeeded in bringing it to a high state of cultivation and eventually sold eighty acres of this farm retaining for his own use fifteen acres, which he still owns. He continued to live in the township of Forest until the year 1897. During that year he removed his resi- dence to St. Cloud, Wisconsin, where he lived with his son, Dr Waldschmidt, for a period of six years, after which he removed to the city of Fond du Lac and there purchased the home in which he now resides. In 1865 Mr. Waldschmidt responded to the last bugle call of President Lincoln for volunteer troops for the defense of the flag of his adopted country and in company with sixteen associates from his own township he enlisted in Company H of the Fourteenth Regiment of Wisconsin, Volunteer Infantry and continued to follow his command for a period of eight months, at the expiration of which time he was discharged from field service in Mobile, Alabama, October 9, 1865.
Jacob H. Waldschmidt was united in marriage to Miss Margareta Heinzel. on the 8th day of January, 1854. Mrs. Waldschmidt was the daughter of Hein- rich and Margaretha (Dilling) Heinzel, and to this union six children were born. Henry is the deceased husband of Cornie Kremer, and to them eight children
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
were born, William, Otto, Hattie, Landry, Ida, Katie, Reuben and Meta. George of Milwaukee, is the husband of Anna Petri, and they have nine children, Clara, Oscar, Hilda, Paul, Rosa, Benno, Elmer, Oliver and Stanley. Charles is engaged in farming and resides on the old homestead in Forest township. He is the hus- band of Emma (Scherer) Waldschmidt. Six children have been born to them: Lydia, .Walter, Harry, Alvin, Norma and Reinhardt. Jacob is a resident physi- cian in Fond du Lac in the active practice of his profession. He first married Miss Boll, who is deceased. Dr. Waldschmidt later chose as his partner in life Miss Huldah Hartung. Margaretha is the wife of Heinrich Grebe and has seven children, Paul, Emil, Martin, Rudolph, Oscar, Bernhart and Leona. Katharina is the wife of Lewis Scherer and to this union three children have been born, Lorena, Elsie and Wilmar.
Mrs. Waldschmidt, the wife of the subject of this review, died in the month of April, 1911, aged seventy-seven years, three months and seven days. She was a native of Germany, her birth having occurred in Klein Gladenbach, only three miles from Nieder Deiten, the place at which occurred the birth of her hus- band.
Jacob H. Waldschmidt is a man possessing a cultivated, intellectual mind and a strong will of enduring physical temperament. Now at the age of eighty-one years his natural powers are unabated. His eye is clear and keen, enabling him to en- joy his library and the current literature of the magazines and newspapers of the daily press without the aid of glasses, and his nervous force still maintains its wonted equilibrium, which still enables him to write a clear and legible hand. His life as a pioneer resident of this county reaches back to the year 1850. At that time Fond du Lac county was sparsely settled, unprovided with many of the necessary conveniences of life and largely covered with virgin forest. He has lived to see this rich portion of his adopted state developed into one of the best improved agricultural sections of the northwest, crossed and re-crossed by lines of · railway systems and the place in which he now resides has grown from a village hamlet to one of the thriving, modern manufacturing and commercial centers of the middle west. He is a man universally respected by all who know him and highly esteemed for the service he has rendered his county and city as one of its enterprising citizens.
HENRY D. HILL.
Henry D. Hill is the popular and efficient president of the Fond du Lac Grocers Association, being engaged in the grocery business located at 272 South Main street, Fond du Lac. He was born on the Indian reservation in Wau- shara county, Wisconsin, September 18, 1852, and is the son of DeWitt C. and Julia R. (Ball) Hill. DeWitt C. Hill was a native of Massachusetts and in that state grew to the years of maturity. Shortly after his marriage he removed to Wisconsin and settled in Waushara county upon a farm where he continued for some time to reside and later removed to Fond du Lac in the '50s, where he devoted his attention to the pursuits of his trade, that of a molder. He con- tinued to reside in this city until the time of his death in 1887, at the age of sixty-nine, his wife, a native of Vermont, having preceded him in death about two years previous at the age of fifty-seven years. To Mr. and Mrs. Hill four children were born: Maria, the deceased wife of W. H. Hutchison, she being the first white child born in Waushara county, this state; Henry D .; Emma D., the wife of W. T. May living at Marshfield ; and Mary E. of Vancouver, Wash- ington.
Henry D. Hill was reared at home and educated in the public schools of this city. After completing his schooling he learned the carriage trimmer's trade.
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
This he followed for a number of years and later removed to Chicago in 1886. Here he was engaged in the grocery business until 1905. He then removed to Fond du Lac where he established himself in the grocery business to which he has since devoted his entire attention.
Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Miss Isadore Smith, on September 12, 1882. She is the daughter of D. W. and Harriet E. Smith, her birth having occurred in this city. Her parents were natives of the east and removed to Fond du Lac at an early day. Her father was the senior member of the firm of Smith & Chandler, doing a general grocery business here for many years. Later he removed to Great Bend, Kansas, at which place he died. His wife reached the end of her earthly journey later in the city of Chicago and was buried in the cemetery at Fond du Lac. To them five children were born, Marian, Frank, George, Isadore, and one who died in infancy.
Henry D. Hill is a member of Harvey Lodge, No. 832, A. F. & A. M. of Chicago, of Darling Chapter, No. 20, R. A. M., of Fond du Lac, and is a mem- ber of the Elks lodge of that city. He is affiliated with the republican party and an enthusiastic member of that great political organization. Mr. Hill is one of the live, progressive business men of the city of Fond du Lac, highly re- spected by his associates and greatly esteemed for his enterprising activities in all matters relating to the advancement of the business and social interests of this city.
DAVID JONES.
David Jones is the oldest surviving settler in Metomen township and is liv- ing upon his original tract of second-hand government land on section 34 which he obtained by deed from President James K. Polk. For well over half a cen- tury he has been a resident of Fond du Lac county, witnessing the gradual change and development and assisting in it by constructive work along argicultural lines. He is carrying on general farming and stock-raising on two hundred acres but he does not by any means narrow his interests to this one line of activity. He is well known in business circles of his section being a heavy investor in local en- terprise's and is prominent in every public movement for general advancement. He was born on the border line between England and Wales on January 5, 1828, and is a son of William and Esther (Dyke) Jones. His father was born in Breckenshire, England, in 1794, and his mother was also a native of England. She died when our subject was about seven years of age, passing away in Radver- shire, Wales, in 1835. Her husband afterward married Miss Mary Evans and came to the United States in 1842, settling in Utica, New York, where he re- mained for three years. In 1845 he came to Kenosha county, Wisconsin, and followed general farming in that section until his death which occurred in 1858, his wife having passed away one year before. By his first union he had six chil- dren : William, John, and Mary Ann, all of whom have passed away; David. the subject of this sketch; Rice, who is engaged in farming in California; and Edwin, who has also passed away.
David Jones came to America with his father and remained upon the home- stead in Kenosha county until he was twenty years of age. In 1848 he came to Metomen township, taking up in 1850 eighty acres of government land on section 34, for which he paid three hundred dollars, and receiving his deed from Presi- dent Polk. He built a house upon his property and has resided therein since that time. He added to his holdings from time to time until he now owns two hundred acres of excellent farm land. Upon this he engages in general agri- cultural pursuits and is extensively interested in the breeding and raising of high-grade Guernsey cattle, having imported the head of his herd from Guernsey.
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His farm is intelligently developed and capably managed in all its departments, and his business methods have always been beyond reproach, forming with his efficiency in agricultural details the basis of a solid and substantial success.
Mr. Jones was married on December 25, 1856, to Miss Lucy J. Knapp, a daughter of Alva and Mary (Cuthbert) Knapp, the former born in Hillsboro, Vermont, December 22, 1801, and the latter in the same place in 1806. Mrs. Jones' grandfather on the maternal side was a veteran in the Revolutionary war. Her parents came to Fond du Lac county in 1851 and settled at Round Prairie in Metomen township where the father took up government land. Upon this farm they resided for many years, selling it eventually and removing to Brandon, where the father died on September 27, 1875, and the mother on the 22d of July, 1879. They were well known pioneers in Wisconsin's settlement and were among the founders of the Methodist church in this locality. They became the parents of nine children: James, Eliza and Ovett, all of whom have passed away ; Charles, who is engaged as a carpenter in Lyndon, Washington; Oscar and Mary, both of whom are deceased; Lucy, the wife of our subject, who was born in Starks- boro, Vermont, May 27, 1837, and died September 22, 1907; and Wesley and Loretta, also deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Jones became the parents of six children : William A., born October 9, 1857, who passed away September 17, 1889; Frank E., whose birth occurred June 27, 1860, and who is a retired farmer, residing in Brandon ; Ralph, who was born December 5, 1864, and who is professor of path- ology in the Madison University of Madison; Jessie E., born July 30, 1869, who became the wife of J. G. Seelig, of Ripon, Wisconsin, and who passed away De- cember 31, 1904; Fred Arthur, whose natal day was January 10, 1873, and who is in the buttermaking business in Ontario ; and John Edwin, whose birth occurred June 1, 1876, and who is associated with his father in the conduct of the home- stead.
David Jones gives his allegiance to the republican party and is prominent and active in local affairs. He served as pathmaster and director of the school board, having held each office for several terms. He never seeks political preferment but does his duty ably and efficiently when called upon to do so. He is well known in business circles of Brandon, being a stockholder in the Farmers Tele- phone Company which he helped to organize and also in the Farmers Creamery Company of Metomen township. He is one of the earliest settlers in the section and has the distinction of having built in his early career the first house in the village of Brandon. He is now eighty-four years of age and has earned retire- ment although he is still laboring. The section to which he came as a pioneer has grown and expanded into a rich, prosperous and well developed farming district, the life and activities of David Jones being important factors in the change.
THOMAS F. COYNE.
Thomas F. Coyne is numbered among the worthy and representative citizens of Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin. He owns and operates a valuable prop- erty consisting of forty acres of fertile and productive land in the district and has done constructive work in agricultural development. He was born in Lamartine township, on September 19, 1871, and is a son of John and May (Connaughty) Coyne, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of New York state. The father came to America when he was seven years of age and settled with his parents in Wisconsin. When he grew to manhood he fol- lowed farming until the outbreak of the Civil war, at which time he enlisted in Company C, Seventeenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served for three years and ten months. He was present at many of the important engage- ments of the war and was twice wounded. He now resides in Lamartine town-
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ship, where he is carrying on a prosperous agricultural enterprise. Mr. and Mrs. John Coyne became the parents of eight children, namely: James J., a con- tractor and builder residing on West Arndt street, in Fond du Lac, who married Miss Mira Conoboy of Lamartine, by whom he has two children, Margaret and John; Ellen B., who married J. I. Liberty, of Stetsonville, Wisconsin, engaged in the real-estate business, handling Montana land; Thomas F., of this review; Anna, the wife of Thomas E. Shields, a machinist of Baraboo, Wisconsin, and the mother of three children, Lucille, Raymond and Thomas; Mate, the wife of John O'Brien, of Osceola, who is engaged in farming; Kittie, who married Fred Bouhauser, a railroad engineer of Appleton, Wisconsin, by whom she has one son, Glenn; Bridget, who resides at home; and John, Jr., who also lives with his parents.
Thomas F. Coyne was reared at home and acquired his education in the district schools of Lamartine township. He has been identified with agricul- ture since his early childhood, when he aided his father in the work of the farm. He has not, however, had continuous identification with this line of work. For two years he was engaged as assistant engineer in the Fond du Lac power house and spent one year traveling in the west. He was successful as a bridge builder in the employ of the Wisconsin Central Railway, retaining his connection with this corporation for one year. At the end of that time he settled on the farm of forty acres which he has since developed and im- proved. He has brought his holdings to a high state of cultivation, has built suitable barns and outbuildings and is ranked among the progressive agricultur- ists in Lamartine township.
On January 16, 1900, Mr. Coyne was united in marriage at Osceola, Wis- consin, to Miss Mary O'Connor, a daughter of Thomas F. and Barbara (Mori- arty) O'Connor. Mrs. Coyne's father was a farmer in Osceola and was suc- cessful in his chosen occupation. Our subject and his wife have three chil- dren, Ethel L., Eldon J. and Helen M. He and his family affiliate with St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church, holding membership in Fond du Lac. Mr. Coyne keeps in touch with the trend of modern agricultural development and his record of well directed activity, resulting as it has in gratifying success, is a proof of what may be accomplished by determination and enterprise, com- bined with constructive executive talent and unwavering diligence.
ALEXANDER LEONARD.
Alexander Leonard is a progressive and prosperous farmer of Forest town- ship, owning the farm upon which he was born and operating it along the most modern and systematic lines. He has improved his holdings greatly and now has his property in an excellent condition. Mr. Leonard was born July 5, 1872, and is the son of Anton and Rosa (Shenkel) Leonard, natives of Germany. The father came to the United States when he was thirty years of age, settling in Pennsylvania, where in 1855 his marriage occurred. He was numbered among the earliest pioneers in the settlement of Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, com- ing to Forest township in the early '50s. Here he worked in a sawmill belong- ing to his uncle, L. D. Leonard, for a short time, abandoning this line of occu- pation when he purchased eighty acres of uncultivated timber land, to which he added from time to time and which he greatly improved. He died in his home in Forest in 1896, when he was seventy-one years of age. His wife is still living and makes her home with our subject, at the age of seventy-seven years. To their union were born eleven children, of whom Victoria passed away at the age of one and one-half years. Those who survive are Rosa, Anton, Dena, Lena, Sophia, Theresa, Christina, Alexander, Charles and Annie.
MR. AND MRS. ALEXANDER LEONARD
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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY
Alexander Leonard spent his childhood in the little log house in which he was born. He assisted his father in the work of the farm and early became acquainted with the best and most effective agricultural methods. In 1901 he purchased the home place and set about its further improvement and develop- ment. He built all the present farm buildings with the exception of the home and has carried on general agriculture with success which has come as the natural result of energy, ability and systematic activity. His farm is one of the finest in Fond du Lac county, being operated intelligently and systematically. His practical methods have been productive of excellent results and he is num- bered among the representative and enterprising young farmers in his section.
On September 3, 1901, Mr. Leonard was united in marriage to Miss Theresa Loehr, a daughter of Peter Loehr, of Forest township. They have two chil- dren: Alice, born on the 29th of May, 1905; and Alexander, born November 15, 1908. The family belong to the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Leonard is republican in his political beliefs and was elected in 1909 to the position of town treasurer, in which office he is now serving, bringing to the discharge of his duties the conscientiousness, ability and industry which have made him success- ful in his vocation. He gives his active support to movements for the general welfare and is in all things capable of making his public spirit effective for good.
HERBERT ORIN LEWIS.
Herbert Orin Lewis is one of the popular, well known, young business men of Fond du Lac city. His vocation is that of a public accountant. He maintains his residence in the city of his birth, at No. 18r East Second street. He was born in Fond du Lac, January 23, 1873, and is a son of Orin F. and Mary A. (Murray) Lewis. His father was a native of the state of New York and his mother of Prince Edwards Island. The paternal grandparents of our subject were Matthew I. and Betsey Ann Lewis. His maternal grand- parents were Mr. and Mrs. Murray. Orin F. Lewis, the father, at the age of fifteen years removed from the state of New York with his parents to Wisconsin and located in the county of Fond du Lac in the year 1847.
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