Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II, Part 62

Author: McKenna, Maurice
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : Clarke
Number of Pages: 738

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Mr. Weeks married Miss Lillian M. Wood, a daughter of Colonel J. D. Wood, of Mechanicstown, New York, who was for many years identified with public affairs in Orange county and held some prominent offices. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Weeks: Thomas S., Marie L., Jessie E. and Alfred T.

The family are affiliated with the Congregational church and fraternally Mr. Weeks is a member of the Masonic bodies and also the Knights of Pythias. His political support he gives to the prohibition party, thus voicing his views on the liquor question. Mr. Weeks is a man of high standards in both civic and business life, and his influence is always exerted in behalf of every worthy cause while his cooperation is given to every movement that he feels will elevate the moral, social or intellectual status of the community.

SAMUEL HOUNSELL.

Samuel Hounsell owns a beautiful home on the shores of Winnebago lake in Fond du Lac county. He has one hundred and twenty-three acres of land which he is cultivating according to progressive, modern methods, and he is enjoying a measure of success that is the fitting reward of his labors. He was born August 9, 1837, in England, a son of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Talman) Hounsell, who were also natives of that country. They crossed the Atlantic in 1847, settling in Southport, now Kenosha, Wisconsin, where the father worked as a laborer. In 1849 he removed to a farm north of Plymouth, in Sheboygan county, taking up his abode on forty acres of land which he care- fully cultivated. His wife died on the 13th of April, 1853, and he survived only until the 14th of August, 1854. In their family were six children, Caro- line, Jonathan, Marwood, William, Mary Ann, now Mrs. Symes, of Manitowoc, and Samuel, all now deceased with the exception of the two last named.

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In early youth Samuel Hounsell was bound out to serve until he was eighteen years of age, when he hired out to a Mr. Crocket, receiving as com- pensation for his services his board and the privilege of attending school in the winter months, while in the summer seasons he was paid ten dollars per month. He continued with Mr. Crocket until the summer of 1857, and then turned his attention from agriculture to commercial pursuits by entering a tin shop at Chilton, Wisconsin. He was connected with that business until the fall, after which he removed to Baraboo and secured employment with a Mr. Burdick, agreeing to chop two cords of wood a day for a salary of ten dollars per month. He also worked for his employer's brother for eleven dollars per month but he had to take a gun for the first month's pay and a watch for three months' work. Certainly it was a small wage for the arduous services which he ren- dered. He learned, however, the value of industry and perseverance and learned, moreover, to conserve his own resources. Going to Sauk Prairie, Sauk county, he worked there for thirteen dollars a month. On his way to Sauk City he had several adventures and his sense of humor makes his telling of these very amusing, especially his account of how he fell into the river and lost nearly all of his possessions except the old shotgun and a little trunk with a Bible his mother gave him and a few clothes. This occurred on the 10th of November, 1858, and one can imagine that the water was not very warm. He managed, however, to reach the opposite bank where he built a fire and dried his clothes. In 1862 he came to Fond du Lac and the following year purchased sixty acres of his present farm. In its cultivation he met with success, his crops finding ready and profitable sale, and as his financial resources increased he extended the boundaries of the place until it now comprises one hundred and twenty-three acres which he has brought under a high state of cultivation and to which he has added many modern improvements. His residence is a lovely home on the shores of Winnebago lake and he is there surrounded with all of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.

On the 22d of December, 1861, Mr. Hounsell was married to Miss Mary Ann Goding. Her father was a shoe merchant who came to America in 1847 and settled in Calumet county, Wisconsin, when it was still an unbroken wil- derness. He lived here six months without seeing the face of man, woman or child, except Indians, and in the first years the family endured many hard- ships and felt the loneliness heavily, especially as they came from the heart of London. The father had ever so often to make the trip to Fond du Lac to purchase the family supplies which he bought in the first house ever built in that place. In his family were six children, four sons and two daughters: Mary Ann, the wife of our subject; Isaac Goding, of Fond du Lac; John, also a resident of that place; Sarah Jane, of Fond du Lac; Louis, deceased; and Louis, living in Fond du Lac. Mr. and Mrs. Hounsell have also become the parents of six children, as follows: Elizabeth Carlin, the wife of Charles Schlader, of Fond du Lac; Sarah Jane, the wife of George Wille, of Fond du Lac; Edward James, a merchant of Fond du Lac; Mary Ann, the wife of A. J. Stewart, a mail carrier; Lucy Belle, the wife of Jesse Doncaster, residing in St. Paul, Minnesota; and Samuel H., who married Gertie Tate and lives at home.

In politics Mr. Hounsell is a stanch republican and for one term served his town as supervisor, while for nine years he was district clerk and for many years was pathmaster. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and both he and his wife are members of the Rebekah lodge of that organization. Mrs. Hounsell has attained the degree of "chivalry" in the order and was decorated by her lodge at Appleton, Wisconsin, on June 3, 1904, it being the highest honor of the order. Mr. Hounsell holds membership in the Baptist church. On the 22d of December, 1911, they celebrated their golden wedding, on which occasion Mrs. George Breed, who was their bridesmaid when they were married a half century before, was again with them-a similar instance

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occurring in the lives of few. On the same occasion their son Samuel was married, making the event an epoch in the history of the family. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hounsell are greatly respected and they have a large circle of warm friends for while they have advanced in years beyond the Psalmist's span of three score and ten they still belong in thought and purpose to the younger generation. Theirs is a most hospitable home, the proverbial latchstring always hanging out, and the spirit of good cheer which is ever present there is greatly enjoyed by all who cross their threshold.

LLEWELLYN A. BISHOP, M. D.

A thorough training in the Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago pre- . pared Dr. Llewellyn A. Bishop for the practice of medicine and surgery in which he has since engaged. For forty-two years he has been a representative of the medical profession in Fond du Lac, and his success is a proof of his ability and the confidence reposed in him by the public. For many years he has been the loved family physician in a large number of Fond du Lac's lead- ing homes, and in the discharge of his duties he is ever conscientious, faithful and capable. . He was born in Eden township, this county, August 24, 1846, and is one of the eight children of John C. and Caroline (Anderson) Bishop, the former a native of New York and the latter of Kentucky. The paternal grand- father was Arch Bishop, and he too was a native of the Empire state. He became one of the early settlers of Fond du Lac county where he died at the venerable age of eighty-four years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Ann Upham, was a native of Rutland, Vermont, and became the mother of thirteen children. The maternal grandparents of Dr. Bishop spent their last days in Kentucky, their home being on the pike about fifteen miles southeast of Louisville, in which locality the grandfather followed the milling business. John C. Bishop, the father of our subject, was reared in the Empire state, and starting in the business world became a clerk in a hardware store in Troy. On his removal to the middle west he settled first in Dubuque, Iowa, whence he came to Fond du Lac county in June, 1846, taking up his abode in Eden town- ship where he engaged in farming and improved a good tract of land upon which he reared his family. He was active and influential in community affairs and in 1850 was elected clerk of the court. On the expiration of his term in · that office he returned to the farm but spent the last few years of his life in Fond du Lac. For a time he engaged in the operation of a mill. He died in this city at the ripe old age of eighty-two years while his wife reached the age of seventy-nine years. Of their children Dr. Bishop is the eldest. The others are : Hoel S., who is a colonel in the United States army, and is stationed at Fort Sheridan, Illinois; William and Susan, both deceased; Stephen, living in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; Arch Bishop, of California; Carrie, of Fond du Lac; and a daughter who died at the age of sixteen years.

Dr. Llewellyn A. Bishop has spent his entire life in the county of his na- tivity, his youthful days being passed upon his father's farm. He supple- mented his district school education by a course in the Fond du Lac high school, and then, having determined to make the practice of medicine his life 'work, matriculated in the Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago in which he com- pleted his course with the class of 1870. Through all the intervening years he has remained a close and discriminating student of his profession. Through the perusal of medical literature and the leading medical journals he has kept in touch with the advanced work done by the leading physicians and surgeons of the country and has been quick to adopt every method or idea which he has

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY

believed to be of value in professional service. He has long enjoyed an extensive practice and he has the high regard of his professional brethren with whom he is brought into still closer connection through his membership in the Fond du Lac county and Wisconsin State Medical societies and the American Medical Association.

On the 16th of March, 1870, Dr. Bishop was married to Miss Cynthia A. Patchen, who is a native of the state of New York as were her parents, Terah J. and Sophronia (Sutton) Patchen, who, in 1856, arrived in Fond du Lac. Her father, a physician, died in Florida and the mother passed away in this city. They had two daughters, the younger being Fanny, the wife of Llewellyn Hunter. The elder became Mrs. Bishop and is the mother of one child, Marlea O., who is a teacher in Brunot Hall at Spokane, Washington, being at the head of the musical department in what is one of the leading schools of the northwest.

Dr. Llewellyn A. Bishop has attained high rank in Masonry and exemplifies in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. He belongs to Fond du Lac Lodge, No. 140, F. '& A. M., Darling Chapter, No. 20, R. A. M., Fond du Lac Com- mandery, No. 5, K. T., and the Wisconsin Consistory, A. A. S. R. He is one of the well known Knights Templar of the state and is a past grand 'commander of the grand commandery of Wisconsin. He also belongs to Fidelity Lodge, No. 19, K. of P., of which he is a past chancellor and to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he is a man of considerable local influence in its councils. He has served for two terms as mayor of Fond du Lac, his reelection being indicative of the excellent record which he made during his first term. He is opposed to everything like fraud in municipal affairs and has a most hearty concern for the public wel- fare, leading in those movements which bring about the pure refinement and wholesome reforms that have been gradually growing in the political, municipal and social life of the city.

WILLIAM P. FAGAN.

William P. Fagan has been a lifelong farmer of Taycheedah township and his work has been attended by a substantial measure of success for he is in- dustrious, energetic and determined. His place is largely devoted to dairy farming and his methods are practical and progressive. Mr. Fagan was born on the farm which is now his place of residence, this having been the old family homestead. His parents were John and Mary (Cody) Fagan, both natives of Ireland, whence they came to the new world in 1852. Making their way to Wisconsin they settled in Fond du Lac county and the father devoted his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits.

In his boyhood days William P. Fagan attended the district schools, alter- nating his time between the duties of the schoolroom, the pleasures of the play- ground and the work of the fields. He has always been a farmer, nor has he sought to turn his efforts into other channels, for he finds this work congenial and as the result of his intelligently directed labor he has prospered. He has placed all of the improvements upon the farm, including new buildings, well kept fences and modern machinery. He is largely engaged in dairy farming and for this purpose keeps a goodly number of high-grade cattle. His dairy products by reason of their excellence find a ready sale on the market and his business is proving profitable.

In this county Mr. Fagan was married to Miss Catherine Bintz, in the year 1881. She is a daughter of Jacob and Anna Bintz, the former of whom is de-

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ceased and the latter of whom resides in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Fagan have four children, namely: Robert M., aged sixteen years; Mary Irene, thirteen years of age; William James, eleven; and Hazel Catherine, three. The family attend St. Patrick's Catholic church, in the work of which they are much in- terested, and to the support of which church they contribute generously. William P. Fagan votes with the democratic party but is not a politician in the office-seeking sense of the word. Fraternally he is a member of the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin. He has always lived in Taycheedah township and is well known to his fellow townsmen as a representative, progressive and re- liable citizen whose business integrity is above question.

OLE A. ANDERSON.

Ole A. Anderson, who has been engaged in the real-estate business in Fond du Lac for the past seven years, is one of the enterprising citizens that Norway has contributed to this city. His birth occurred in the Norseland, his parents being Andrew O. and Martha (Christoferson) Anderson, likewise natives of Norway. The father, who was a shoemaker by trade, emigrated to the United States with his family in 1881, locating in Dodgeville, Iowa county, this state.

Ole A. Anderson, who was only a child when he emigrated to America with his parents, completed his education in the public schools of Dodgeville, which he attended for two months. He continued to make his home in that town for twenty-four years and at the expiration of that time, in 1905, he came to Fond du Lac and established a real-estate office. As he is a diligent, enterprising man of reliable methods and sound integrity, he has won the re- spect and confidence of all with whom he has had transactions, and is building up an excellent business.

In Dodgeville Mr. Anderson was united in marriage to Miss Georgiana Francis, and to them have been born eight children: George A., Lillie N., Rudolph L., Almer F., Mattie, Stella, Nora and Charles.

The family manifest their religious faith through their membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which they take an active and helpful interest. The political support of Mr. Anderson is accorded to the democratic party, and while residing in Dodgeville he served for nine years as clerk of the board of education and for two he was chairman of the board of election. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, the Mystic Workers and the Buffaloes, to the principles and teachings of which organizations he is very loyal.

MARION A. TRENTLAGE.

Marion A. Trentlage is one of the well known and successful agriculturists of Fond du Lac county, where he is engaged in the cultivation of his farm of one hundred and twenty-four acres located in the township of Eden. He is a son of John H. and Laura J. (Lake) Trentlage, the former a native of Ger- many and the latter of Pennsylvania. The father was born in Germany in 1834 and emigrated to the United States in 1852, at the age of eighteen years. On reaching the shores of the new world he spent his first year in New York city, after which he removed to Chicago, where he was engaged as clerk for three years, and then took up employment in a hardware store in Milwaukee,

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HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY

Wisconsin, to which he devoted his attention for a similar period, after which time his employers sent him to Campbellsport, in Fond du Lac county, to take charge of their store located at that place. He remained in that position for one year and then removed to Waucousta in the township of Osceola, where in company with J. D. Iding he opened a general merchandising establishment. The partnership formed between himself and Mr. Iding continued without in- terruption for twenty consecutive years. At the end of that period he pur- chased Mr. Iding's interest in the store and thereafter as proprietor of the business he continued to be engaged until 1898, after which he retired from active business cares and passed away in the year 1900. Mr. Trentlage was united in marriage to Miss Laura J. Lake, of Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of fourteen children, ten of whom are still living.

Marion A. Trentlage was reared in his parents' home and received his early education in the public schools of Wisconsin. He remained under the parental roof and was engaged in work with his father until the age of fifteen, at which time he started in life for himself as a farm laborer, working by the month, and in that business continued for some time. He later homesteaded eighty acres of land in Langlade county, Wisconsin, upon which he lived for seven months, and then returned to 'Fond du Lac county, where he continued to operate for a number of years. In 1902 he removed to Appleton, Wisconsin, and there took up work in the paper mills, at which employment he continued without inter- ruption for seven years. At the end of that time he returned to Fond du Lac county and purchased a farm of ninety-four acres. He later purchased thirty acres, which he added to the ninety-four as above described, which now con- stitutes the home place. In the cultivation of this farm he has since been con- tinuously and successfully engaged.

Mr. Trentlage was united in marriage at the age of twenty-five to Miss Minnie E. Williams, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bemsley Williams. To Mr. and Mrs. Trentlage three children have been born, Otto N., Gilbert L. and Ruth Ann. Mr. Trentlage has served as a member of the school board of his district for nine years and he and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Trentlage is one of the well known and respected citizens of his county and is always identified with matters of a public nature intended to improve the condition of the people of his county and state.

JOHN YAGER.

The death of John Yager on November 13, 1909, deprived Fond du Lac county of an enterprising and progressive citizen and the agricultural interests of the state of Wisconsin of a worthy and honorable representative. He was born near Eden on the 25th of January, 1860, and was the eldest son of Nicholas and Anna (Weisner) Yager. The parents were born in Germany but came to the United States in the early '50s, settling in Eden, Wisconsin.

John Yager received his early education in the district schools of his native county and pursued his studies until he was sixteen years of age. From that time until his death he was actively connected with the occupations of farming and lumbering in Fond du Lac county. He spent the first years of his active life in the employ of others and worked for five or six winters in the pine woods of Wisconsin but later abandoned this calling and never afterward resumed it. When he was twenty-six years of age he rented a farm three miles south of the city of Fond du Lac and here he lived for two years. In 1888 he removed to Byron township, where he occupied a farm as a renter and was active in the cultivation of the soil for seven years. He then returned to his native section and bought the old Yager homestead and its surrounding acres and made this

JOHN YAGER

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HISTORY. OF FOND DU LAC COUNTY

his home for eleven years. In 1905 he removed to an adjoining farm and car- ried on farming there until his death, on November 13, 1909. He was well known throughout Fond du Lac county as a farmer interested in the modern development of his occupation. He ran a threshing outfit successfully for twenty years and gained a gratifying degree of prosperity during his life.

In 1886 Mr. Yager was married to Miss Amelia Huck, a daughter of Carl Huck, of Eden, and to this union were born eight children, Henry, Frank, Irvin, George, Mabel, Edna, Arthur and Mary. Mr. Yager was a devout ad- herent of the Roman Catholic religion and held membership in St. Mary's church of Eden. His wife and family are also adherents of the same faith and are actively connected with religious work in Fond du Lac county. He was a charter member of the Catholic Order of Foresters at Eden. Politically Mr. Yager gave his allegiance to the democratic party but never took an active part in local affairs, preferring to concentrate his attention upon the improvement and development of his farm. His death at the age of forty-nine interrupted a career which had been continuously successful since its beginning. Mr. Yager was a representative citizen of Eden and Fond du Lac county and he was well known and widely popular in his section of the country. Agricultural interests suffered a great loss by his death and his place in the community will be dif- ficult to fill.

EVERETT W. CLARK.

The name of Everett W. Clark, president of the E, W. Clark Motor Car Com- pany and also of the E. W. Clark Company, is widely and favorably known in the business circles of Fond du Lac. Not only is he one of the foremost rep- resentatives of the commercial fraternity of the city, but he has figured with equal prominence in municipal affairs, having served as mayor of the city for three years, while he has held various other political positions of importance and responsibility. He is a native of this county, his birth having occurred in the town of Forest on the 29th of October, 1870. His parents were William and Arvilla (Ehle) Clark, of whom the former passed away about 1874. The mother is now living at Sheboygan Falls, Wis.

Everett W. Clark, who was only a child of about four years when his father died, was reared by his maternal grandfather, Harrison Ehle. He pursued his education in the country schools until he was a youth of about twelve years, when he laid aside his text-books and began earning his own livelihood. For three years thereafter he worked on a farm, but at the expiration of that time he obtained a position in an implement store. He remained in the employ of others for twenty years, and during the greater part of that time was engaged in the sale of farming implements and various kinds of vehicles. In 1904 he engaged in the automobile business and three years later organized the E. W. Clark Motor Company, of which he is the president, C. J. Hinn being vice president, J. W. Im- mel, secretary, and Anton Hoenigsberg, treasurer. Mr. Clark is also the presi- dent and founder of the E. W. Clark Company, wholesale dealers in buggies and cutters. He is likewise treasurer of the latter company and O. A. Kuhn is secre- tary. He possesses keen powers of discernment in business affairs, is a capable organizer and has remarkable executive ability, all of which have figured promi- nently in promoting his progress and the development of the enterprises he has founded and is directing.

Mr. Clark married Miss Rose Kuhn of Jefferson, Wisconsin, a daughter of Frederick Kuhn, a farmer of Jefferson county, and to them have been born two children, June and Francis.

In religious faith the family are Methodists, and fraternally Mr. Clark is a member of the Masonic order, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, Independent Vol. II-27

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Order of Odd Fellows and the United Commercial Travelers. He is a stanch democrat in his political views and in the spring of 1908 was elected mayor of Fond du Lac, in which capacity he served for three years, discharging the duties of his office with the promptness and efficiency that characterize him in his busi- ness transactions. Prior to this he was president of the board of trustees of the county asylum and poor farm, having assumed the duties of this office in 1903. Mr. Clark is active and enterprising in matters of business and conducts his af- fairs in strict accordance with the highest standards of commercial integrity, and in citizenship he is public-spirited and progressive, giving his cooperation to every movement that he feels will forward the welfare of the community.

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Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II, Part 62

Author: McKenna, Maurice Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago : Clarke Number of Pages: 738

Author: McKenna, Maurice
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : Clarke
Number of Pages: 738