History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 94

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767

USA > Wisconsin > Barron County > History of Barron County Wisconsin > Part 94

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ter, who were living in a dug-out. With this family they sought shelter for a couple of days. They had started with two horses, but now had only one, the other having strayed away. The family in the dug-out being short of sup- plies, the three men drew lots to decide which of them should attempt the diffi- cult journey to Watertown for help and provisions, and the lot fell on the head of the family. But after the matter had been thus apparently settled, Mr. Hul- bert and his partner decided that the other man's place was with his family, and accordingly rigged up a toboggan and started themselves. The distance was between 70 and 80 miles and the weather stormy. After three days and nights' travel they reached Watertown nearly exhausted from cold and exertion. Two days later, having secured supplies, they started on the return trip, against the earnest advice of the Watertown people, who thought the trip impossible, or too dangerous to attempt, and even threatened to put them in the lock-up for their own good, but in spite of this opposition they got away and in three days reached the dug-out, their only rest on the way being during brief stops, during which they burrowed in the deep snow. When they arrived at the dug-out they found that the settler's wife was dead and the little daughter sick with pneu- monia. On the second day after their arrival the girl died, and the bodies were wrapped in blankets and buried in the deep snow of a ravine. The father, wild with grief, refused to leave the locality, but after three or four days, by persua- tion and threats, they forced him to go with them to Watertown. Two weeks later Mr. Hulbert's partner, Mr. Hitt, died. For five months that winter Water- town was cut off from communication with the outside world, except by tele- graph, as no trains were able to run. Before the snow had cleared away, Mr. Hulbert went back with the settler, before mentioned, to help him bury his wife and daughter, an extremely sad task. After the burial he left the man at the dug-out and returned to Watertown, where he remained until April, 1881, when he took a homestead in Brown County, South Dakota. There he remained for five years, at the end of which time he sold out and came to La Crosse, Wis., where he was married, Dec. 8, 1886, to Fannie E., daughter of William and Elizabeth Hemstock, of Burns Township, La Crosse County, where she was born Dec. 8, 1861. Her parents, now deceased, were farmers, who came to that locality from Canada in the fifties. Mr. Hulbert now bought his parents' old home, where he and his wife began housekeeping. There he resided till the spring of 1891, when he sold out and bought another farm nearby. In 1899 he sold this latter farm and came to Barron County, buying the J. P. Jones farm,

one mile north of Barron City. It was a partly improved place with fair build- ings, and he remained on it for two years. In 1901 he sold it and came to Bar- ron, forming a partnership with J. E. Bowen for the buying and shipping of stock, which partnership still exists, though during its continuance Mr. Hul- bert has also been active in other enterprises, operating an elevator at Barron for a while for the Osceola Grain Company. In 1914, together with J. E. Bowen, he purchased the Goheen Block on Third Street, Barron, and for two years carried on a flour and feed business there. At the end of that time he changed to his present business, handling poultry, seeds and eggs, and ship- ping his poultry in carload lots. In this line he has built up a large and profit- able trade and taken rank among the successful business men of Barron. He owns a good residence on Second Street. A Republican in politics, he has served at times in public office. He was treasurer of Burns Township, La Crosse County five years, city assessor of Barron nine years, and an alderman of Barron for four years. He and his wife are the parents of three children: Blanche E., born Jan. 11, 1888, who is residing at home; Amby E., born Dec. 26, 1890, who was graduated from the Barron High School and is now the wife of Charles E. Lawton, an employe of the Standard Oil Co., at Owen, Wis .; and Lula E., born Oct. 22, 1892, who was graduated from the Barron High School, and who was subsequently a teacher in junior Chautauqua work in the Lincoln course at Chicago, but is now a physical instructor in that

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JOHN CARLETON PRILL, M. D.

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city. Mr. Hulbert affiliates with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his family are members.

John Howard Prill, M. D., practicing physician and surgeon, of Chetek, has a high standing in the county, both among the medical men and among the general public. He is skilled in his profession, he has that temperament and disposition which wins for him the confidence of those with whom he comes in contact, and is an excellent example of the modern type of phy- sician and surgeon, young, energetic, cordial and jovial, and thoroughly abreast of the latest developments in medicine and surgery. Added to this, he had the advantages of considerable experience with the United States troops during the World War. He was born in Bloomer, Wis., May 20, 1887, son of Dr. John Carleton and Arabella (Van Loon) Prill, who took him to Sparta, Wis., when he was a child. He attended the graded and high schools there, and in 1905 entered the University of Wisconsin, where he took a year's classical course. In 1906 he entered Marquette University, and was graduated therefrom with the degree of M. D. in 1910. Then he was an interne at Trin- ity Hospital, Milwaukee, for a year, and subsequently went to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he was associated with Dr. William Bradley for a year. Then for two years he practiced at Merrillan, in this state. He came to Chetek in 1914 and opened an office here. Dr. Prill is a member of the Barron County Medical Society, the Wisconsin State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Fraternally, he is a member of the Odd Fellows, the Mystic Workers, the Modern Woodmen and the Beavers, in all of which he is medical local examiner. Dr. Prill is also a member of the American Legion Post, which he organized in Chetek in 1919, and is at present its Commander. He also organized the Headquarters Company, First Battalion, First Infan- try of the Wisconsin National Guard at Chetek in March, 1921. He also holds his commission as captain in the United States Army Medical Reserves Corps. Dr. Prill offered his services to the United States Government at the entrance of this country into the World War, enlisting June 3, 1917, at Milwaukee, Wis. He was commissioned first lieutenant in the medical corps. He served one year and three months with the Eighth Division at Camp Fremont, Calif. Then he was ordered to Siberia. He reached that country but orders were changed and he came back on the same boat. He was then sent to Camp Merritt, N. J., for equipment for European duty, with the Eighth Division. Then he was sent to Camp Mills, L. I., for overseas orders. But the Armistice intervened, and he was sent to Camp Lee, Va., where he was discharged in February, 1919. He returned to Chetek and resumed his practice of medicine and surgery. Dr. Prill was married Oct. 15, 1919, at Eau Claire, Wis., to Zoe Burnsted, who was born in Chetek, Jan. 18, 1901, daughter of Martin and May Gertrude (Lawson) Burnsted.

John Carleton Prill, M. D., who practiced dentistry in Chetek for several years, was born in Sparta, this state, and descended from German ancestry. He was educated as a dentist and a pharmacist. In 1880 he settled in Bloomer. The town was small, the country was still but little developed, and Dr. Prill was the only one in his line there, so he practiced both professions. But as the vil- lage and rural district grew, the demands on his time and energy were too great, so he devoted more and more of his attention to dentistry, which he finally adopted as his sole profession. In 1890 he moved to Sparta and opened a dental office where he continued in practice for nearly a quarter of a century. He came to Chetek and opened an office in 1914. He retired in 1919 and moved to San Diego, Calif., where he now lives. Dr. Prill was married at Bloomer to Arabella Van Loon, the daughter of Sylvester Van Loon, of Holland ancestry, who settled in the vicinity of Bloomer in the early days, secured 460 acres, cleared a part of it, erected a log house and barn, and underwent with his family all the privations of pioneer life. The village of Bloomer was platted . .on his farm, and he sold lots at a considerable profit. He was highly honored

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as the father of the village, and his death at the age of 85 was a distinct loss to the community. His wife died at the age of 80 years.

Jacob J. M. Kohten, who achieved a high local reputation as a farmer in Clinton Township, and especially as an onion grower, but who, in 1913, moved to Florida, was born in Rhenish Prussia, Germany, Feb. 14, 1860. He remained in his native land until the age of 22 years, then in 1882 came alone to the United States and located at Ellinwood, Kans. In 1883 he took out his natural- ization papers and in the same year went to Marysville, Kans., in the vicinity of which place he worked for five years as a farm hand. This was somewhat rougher work than that to which he had been accustomed, as in Germany he had learned the trade of a gardener. For a few terms he attended English school and soon acquired a fair command of the language, also increasing his knowledge by reading as he found opportunity, and at times contributing articles to agricultural journals, some of which received very favorable men- tion. At last he was ready to make a start for himself, and accordingly in 1887 with his brother Frank, homesteaded 160 acres of prairie land near Freeport, Banner County, Neb., erecting on it a sod house as his first residence. Though a very humble habitation, it was soon a veritable home, for to it he brought his bride, Irene Storch, whom he married at Sidney, Neb., Aug. 22, 1887. She was a native of Gotha, Saxe Coburn, Germany, and had come to this country at about the same time as himself, though they met first in Nebraska. Mr. Kohten at once set to work to develop his farm, on which in time he erected fair buildings. In 1888 at Harrisburg, Nebr., he took out his final naturalization papers. After remaining on the farm until 1897, he sold it for $500, receiving also as part of the bargain 10 unbroken horses, and started for Barron County, Wis. He was accompanied by his wife and family, which then included six children, by two other families, those of Mack Mulliken and Frank Heinze, and two cowboys, who drove a herd of 30 horses, the whole party numbering 23 people. There were four covered wagons in which all those rode who were not on horseback, and after a comparatively uneventful trip of 40 days, Barron County was reached toward the end of September, and the three families made settlement. Here the Mullikens still remain. In their family a child was born the night after their arrival. About a week later Mr. Kohten's seventh child, Carl, was born, and ten days after that a child was born in the Heinze family. On his arrival here Mr. Kohten had two good horse teams, but only a small amount of cash in hand. The land on which he decided to settle was a tract of 40 acres in Clinton Township, four acres of which had been chopped and burned, but was covered with stumps. For a residence there was a one-room shack. Once again Mr. Kohten began the development of a farm, gradually clearing the land and bringing it into a tillable condition. Though he passed through the great fire, he suffered no loss, the fire burning off ten acres that he had chopped and brushed. By another purchase of 40 acres he doubled the area of the farm and erected on it fair buildings, including a silo. His success as an onion grower made him known here as the "onion king," and he paid for his land, reared and educated his children, and from a financial standpoint was fairly successful. After residing on his farm here until May, 1913, Mr. Kohten sold out and moved to Tillman, Fla., on the east coast, where he bought 44 acres of land, and is now prosperously engaged in raising citrus fruits and garden produce. He is politically a Republican and for some years was clerk of his school district. He and his family are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. and Mrs. Kohten have had nine children, the first six of whom were born in Nebraska and the last three in Barron County, Wis., the record in brief being as follows: Regina J., born May 9, 1888, whose history will be more fully given ; Joseph M., born Aug. 22, 1889, now living in Barron; Theresa M., born Feb. 12, 1891, who is a trained nurse, a graduate of St. Luke's Hos- pital, Jacksonville, Fla .; Julia H., born Sept. 5, 1892, now Mrs. Louis Bauer of Poskin, Barron County, Wis .; Elizabeth F., born March 25, 1895, who is a graduate of the Barron High School and of St. Luke's Hospital at Jackson-

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ville, Fla., being now a trained nurse in government service at Alexandria, La .; Ernest H., born March 9, 1896, now employed in the navy yard at New Orleans, La .; Carl H., born Oct. 8, 1897, who is a resident of Ogden, Utah; Anna L., born Aug. 22, 1901, and Irene E., born April 16, 1903, both of whom were graduated from St. Joseph's Academy at Jacksonville, Fla., and are now residing in that state.

Regina J. Kohten, superintendent of the Barron County schools, and eldest child of Jacob J. M. and Irene (Storch) Kohten, was born at Freeport, Banner County, Nebr., May 9, 1888, in the sod house in which her parents made their home immediately after their marriage. At the age of seven she began attending school, having to walk a distance of three miles. When nine she accompanied her parents and the other members of the family to Barron County, Wis., riding for 40 days in a covered wagon. In Clinton Township her education was continued up to the age of 14 years in the district school, and after that in the Barron city schools. Having graduated from the high school in 1907, she subsequently taught three years in the rural schools of the county. In September, 1910, she sailed for Europe to visit Belgium and Germany, and prolonged her visit until May, 1911, when she returned home and resumed teaching. For several years she spent her summer vacation periods at the normal school at Superior, Wis., except the summer of 1913, during which she attended the University of Gainesville, Fla., returning to Barron in the fall of that year. In the fall of 1914 she became a regular student in the normal school at Superior, Wis., where she remained a full year, at the end of which time, in the fall of 1915, she was appointed supervis- ing teacher of the Barron County schools. After further study in the Superior Normal School, during the summer of 1916, she was there graduated in the teachers' training course, and continued as supervising teacher of the Barron County schools until the summer of 1918, which she spent as a student in the Teachers' College of Columbia University, New York City. Her long continued and strenuous work along pedagogic lines was now beginning to bear fruit, and in the fall of 1918 she became assistant in the Barron County Teachers' Training School at Rice Lake. In April, 1919, she was elected to the office of superintendent of the Barron County schools, but continued her duties at Rice Lake until June of that year, assuming those of county super- intendent thereafter. In this latter position, which she retains and which places over 200 teachers under her control, she has shown ample capacity, and the schools of the county are flourishing under her direction. As herein shown, her success has been self-achieved by hard and continuous work, accompanied by self-denial, and is therefore the more meritorious. Her ambitions have been directed toward a high sphere of usefulness, which, having now entered, she is not one to let her talents fall into desuetude, but rather to exercise them for still more effective work in the future. Miss Kohten is a member of the Catholic Church, and is widely known and esteemed throughout Barron County for her energy, ability and personal character.

Lars Grinde, a well known resident of De Forest, Dane County, Wis., was born in this place, the son of Sjur and Bertha Grinde. He was reared in Dane County, where he acquired his elementary education, and he was an early graduate of the University of Wisconsin. As a young man he took up agricul- tural work on his own responsibility near De Forest. There he successfully farmed for many years, and there he reared his fine family of children. As old age came on he retired and moved to the village of De Forest, where he and his wife now live. He married Emma Engesether, who was born in Norway and brought to Dane County as a child. Mr. and Mrs. Grinde had twelve chil- dren, of whom there are living eight: Sjur; Peter; George A .; Leonard; Gertrude, wife of Jerome Norsman, of Windsor, Wisconsin; Ida, wife of Ben Bergum, a farmer of Hampden, Wis .; Mabel, wife of Theodore Erickson, a farmer near Dane, Wis .; and Eugene, who is living on the old homestead.

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George A. Grinde, M. D., a skilled practitioner of Cumberland, one of the leading professional men of the northwestern part of the county, and master physician and surgeon of the Island City Hospital, is a native of this state and descended from one of its earliest Scandinavian families. He was born on a farm near De Forest, Dane County, Wis., Feb. 15, 1880, son of Lars and Emma (Engesether) Grinde. He received his early education in the schools of his native place, took his classical studies in Decorah College, at Decorah, Iowa, and in 1908 was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago. Then after the usual period as an interne in the West Side Hos- pital at Chicago, he came to Cumberland and started general practice. His skill and personality have won him a large practice in city and country. In 1914, seeing the need of a local institution for the more adequate care of his patients, especially the surgical cases, he established the Island City Hospital, which has 20 beds, is modernly furnished and has complete X-ray facilities and other modern equipment for diagnosis and treatment. A partner has been secured in Dr. S. O. Lund, and the firm is known as Grinde & Lund. Dr. Grinde is a member of the Masonic order and of the Knights of Pythias. He was married at De Forest, Wis., Nov. 20, 1904, to Bertha Thoe, daughter of Haldur and Ingebor Thoe. This union has been blessed with four children: Iva, born in De Forest in 1904; Herald, born in Cumberland in 1908; Irene, born in 1911, and Gertrude, born in 1918.

Nathaniel Stillick, a pioneer of Sauk County, Wis., was born in New York State, of Holland ancestry, the original name of the family being Van Stillick. He was reared on the banks of the historic Hudson River, and early started work on that stream at a time when the river traffic was of utmost importance. For a time he was steamboat pilot, and after some years was given charge of a boat as captain, making his home in Athens. He came west in the early fifties and located in Sauk County, this state, where he farmed for the remain- der of his life, dying in 1890. By his first wife, Sarah Saulsbury, he had four children : William Penn, a child who died in infancy, Lavina and Lillias. Wil- liam Penn Stillick was the first man to enlist in the Civil War from the town of Winfield, Sauk County. He served in the Fourth Wisconsin, and was killed at Port Hudson, La. Lavina married Jeremiah Cottington, and died at Dallas, this county, in 1910. Lillias married Eleazer Millard, now deceased. By his second wife, Mary Raymond, Mr. Stillick had eight children, of whom there are now living four: Grace, Mabel, Ralph and Fern. Grace married Theodore Nelson, of Sand Creek, Dunn County, this state; Mabel is the wife of Charles Clark, of McCabe, Mont .; Ralph is in Richburg, Sauk County, Wis., and Fern is at Beloit, Wis.

Eleazer Millard, a veteran of the Civil War and pioneer of Barron County, now deceased, was born in Plymouth, near Janesville, Rock County, Wis., Nov. 4, 1845, son of Chauncey and Rhoda (Douglass) Millard, of English and Scotch ancestry. They moved to Sauk County, this state, in 1856, and to Barron County in 1872, the father dying at the age of 75 and the mother at the age of 72 years. Eleazer moved to Sauk County with the family as a boy and there completed his schooling. In 1861, at the age of 16, he enlisted in the Nineteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served through the Civil War. He was in the Wilderness campaign, participated with his regiment in the taking of Richmond, and was present at the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. After the conflict he resumed farming first for his father and then for others. For a time he also worked in the woods. He came to Barron County in 1871 and secured 160 acres of wild land in Dallas Township. He broke the land, erected buildings, constructed fences, acquired equipment and stock, and successfully carried on general farming for many years. In the spring of 1900 he sold out and acquired a home with a few acres of land in the west part of the city of Chetek. He had always been a hard worker, and disliking to be entirely idle he raised sufficient food for the family and kept a horse and cow. Later failing health handicapped his efforts. He served as a member

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MR. AND MRS. ELEAZER MILLARD

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of the county board several terms and for a time was an alderman in the city. His holdings included stock in the Farmers Cooperative Store. Fra- ternally, he was a member of the Masonic order and the G. A. R. He died June 23, 1918, and his death was sincerely mourned. Mr. Millard was married Nov. 10, 1868, in Sauk County, Wis., to Lillias Stillick, who was born at Athens, Greene County, N. Y., July 10, 1849, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Saulsbury) Stillick. They have had five children: Mayne, Guy, Ethel, Fay and Hazel. Mayne was born July 8, 1871, and died at the age of seven years. Guy was born July 20, 1873, and died at the age of five years. Ethel was born April 14, 1876, and died at the age of three years. All three died within a few days of each other of diphtheria. Fay, born Feb. 5, 1881, died of the same disease at the age of four years. Hazel, born Dec. 11, 1892, was graduated from the Chetek High School in the class of 1909. She then entered the Wis- consin State Normal School at Superior, from which she graduated in the class of 1911, after which she taught school for three years. She then entered the Lawrence College at Appleton, Wis., where she was subsequently gradu- ated. After that she taught English in the high school at Manistique, Mich., for three years. Since then she has been teaching English in the high school in Chetek, this county. Mrs. Millard is a member of the Eastern Star and of the Woman's Relief Corps.

Nels Stang, a hard working and respected citizen of section 8, Prairie Farm Township, was born in Norway Oct. 12, 1861, the oldest of the nine chil- dren of Colben and Patrina Stang, the former of whom died in Norway, and the latter of whom is still living there at the age of 82 years. Nels attended school in his native land and grew to manhood on the home farm. In 1886 he came to America and located for two years at Madelia, Watonwan County, Minn. From there in 1888 he came to Barron County. For a while he worked in a sawmill at Perley and then went into the woods for Knapp, Stout & Co. as a sawer. He also worked on the spring drives. In 1893 he located on his present place of 120 acres. A little of the land had been cut over, but none had been broken, and no buildings had been erected. At first he had little to work with. But he has persevered, and by hard work and unremitting toil he has built up a good place. He has a good set of buildings, his farm is well developed, and he has good equipment and suitable livestock. For many years he successfully carried on general farming, and won the confidence and liking of all who know him. Recently he retired and rented his farm to Carl T. Johnson, with whom he now makes his home. He is a shareholder in the Prairie Farm Co- operative Creamery and the Prairie Farm Co-operative store, and also has other interests.

Peter A. Moen, a well known farmer of section 9, Prairie Farm Township, was born in Norway Oct. 25, 1883, the son of Anton P. and Gurena (Nelson) Moen, who brought him to America when he was six months old and a little later to this township. He was reared on the home farm in section 5 and attended the old log schoolhouse in the neighborhood. He helped his parents with their work and as a young man spent several seasons in the woods. In 1911 he bought his present place of eighty acres. A small frame house, 16 by 26 feet, and two log stables had been erected, and a few acres had been brushed. To the development and operation of this farm he has since successfully devoted his attention. He has put up a good set of buildings, and is getting the land well cleared and cultivated. An evidence of his modern spirit is found in the fact that he has installed an electric light and power plant. He is well regarded throughout the community and is taking his part in the affairs of the neighborhood. Mr. Moen was married at Hay River on Oct. 31, 1911, to Anna Widvey, who was born in Nebraska on June 28, 1887, the daughter of Reverend and Elizabeth (Svendsen) Widvey. Her father was the pastor of the Nor- wegian Lutheran congregations in Arland and Prairie Farm townships from 1895 to 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Moen have four children: Esther, Agnes, Juna and Milo.

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History of Barron County Wisconsin, Part 94

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1767

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1922
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1767