USA > Wisconsin > Brown County > History of Brown County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 32
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Mr. Kriescher has been twice married. In 1854 he wedded Miss Mar- garet Hagan, who was born in Germany, about three miles from the birth- place of the subject of this review. Her father, Henry Joseph Hagan, was one of the early settlers of Brown county. By this marriage were born nine children : Henry Joseph, who was born February 2, 1855 : Mary, born April 14, 1857 ; Elizabeth, June 18, 1859: John Steffen, December 26, 1861 ; George Peter, April 15. 1864; John Amandas, August 4. 1867: Sophia, August. 1870; Herman Joseph, July 8, 1874: and Nellie Margaret, December 17, 1878. Mr. Kriescher's first wife died in 1892 and two years later he mar- ried Mrs. Elizabeth (Newman) Cronan, the widow of Christian Cronan. Mrs. Kriescher resides with her husband in Bay Settlement. Both belong to the Holy Cross Catholic church.
Politically a stanch democrat, Mr. Kriescher served as township super- visor and chairman and also as township assessor of Preble township. He was for many years treasurer of his school district but has of late years refused to accept public office. He has been closely identified with the upbuilding and development of Brown county and is justly accounted one of the contributing factors in the general growth. He has, moreover, other claims to widespread respect and esteem, for he is one of the honored veter- ans of the Civil war. He joined the Federal army in 1865, enlisting in the Fifty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, as a private, and he earned his promotion to the position of corporal and then to sergeant. He was hon-
Vol. II-17
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orably discharged in June, 1866, as commissary sergeant. His life has been so usefully spent and so valuable in its activities that he has won and re- tained the respect and confidence of many friends. Although he has reached the age of eighty-two, in spirit and interests he seems yet in his prime and is widely and favorably known in Brown county, being classed with the representative and valued citizens.
WILLIAM B. SURPLICE.
William B. Surplice, a partner of the law firm of Surplice & Cook, was born at Ludington, Michigan, May 22, 1885, and is a son of Charles and Mary ( Black) Surplice. The father is a cigar manufacturer, carrying on business on Chicago street. He lived for a time in London, Canada, and came from Ludington to Green Bay in 1896. In Ludington he had served as city marshal for several years and was well and favorably known there. In Green Bay he has won a place among the representative business men. The family comes of English ancestry.
William B. Surplice was a lad of about eleven years at the time of the removal of the family to Green Bay and here he continued his education in the public schools until graduated from the high school with the class of 1904. During the two succeeding years he assisted his father in the cigar factory but, desirous of promoting his education, he then entered Lawrence Uni- versity, in which he studied for a year. During that period he determined to enter upon a professional career and in 1907 began studying in the law office of Green, Fairchild, North & Parker, with whom he remained until 1909. He was admitted to practice in February, 1911. He was also previous to this time with the law firm of Sheridan & Evans. He entered upon practice. determined that if close application, earnest study and fidelity to the interests of his clients would win success it should be his and these qualities have figured largely in bringing him to his present creditable posi- tion as one of the representative younger members of the Green Bay bar.
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Mr. Surplice holds membership with the Delta Jota fraternity at Law- rence University and his religious faith is evidenced by his membership in the Episcopal church. He is a popular young man as well as an enter- prising young lawyer.
WILLIAM COOK.
William Cook, a partner of the law firm of Surplice & Cook, has since IQUI occupied well appointed offices in the Minahan building. Green Bay numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred on Christ- mas day of 1884. His parents are James and Mary Cook. The father came to Green Bay with his parents from Texas in 1855. when but two years of age, and was here educated. For more than thirty years he has
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been a business man of this city and both he and his wife are widely and favorably known here.
At the usual age William Cook entered the public schools of Green Bay and passed through consecutive grades until graduated from the high school with the class of 1904, of which class he was president. He started out in the business world as an employe of the United States Express Com- pany, with which he remained for a year, when he resumed his education as a student in the University of Wisconsin. He was graduated from the Marquette University with the class of 1909 and subsequently was employed in various law offices, including that of Martin, Martin & Martin. His study and experience as a law clerk qualified him to pass the examination for admission to the bar in 1911, when he entered upon practice, forming a partnership with William B. Surplice. Although they are numbered among the youngest lawyers of the Green Bay bar, they are rapidly win- ning for themselves a creditable place among the older attorneys here. In April, 1912, Mr. Cook was elected city attorney of Green Bay and has since his election filled that office in a creditable manner. Mr. Cook is a member of the Marquette Club and of St. Patrick's church. He and his partner are young men, ambitious, energetic and resolute, and the posses- sion of these qualities is winning for them recognition as able lawyers.
CAPTAIN CHARLES A. GRAVES.
The beautiful harbor on which the city of Green Bay is situated is rapidly giving rise to the comparatively new and continually growing business of commercial navigation. The bay is dotted with ships plying back and forth between the cities on Lake Michigan, tug lines have been organized for the carrying of freight and the water carriers are important rivals of the railroad in this district of Wisconsin. A prominent repre- sentative of this line of activity is Charles A. Graves, captain of the Nan Tug Line, with offices at No. 320 North Washington street, where they have been located since 1902. Charles A. Graves is a native of Green Bay, where his birth occurred August 17, 1862. He is the son of Orlo B. and Lucy Ann (Lessey) Graves. His father came to Green Bay from, Ohio in the early days of its settlement and followed the profession of law for some time. He was very prominent in local politics during his life and held the positions of district and city attorney for many years. He was paymaster for the Indian reservation in the vicinity of Green Bay and sheriff and under-sheriff for several terms. He was one of the most prominent men in the city and county and was particularly active in the Odd Fellows lodge. He studied law in the offices of Judge Arndt and worked himself up from an obscure position until he was recognized as a dominating force in local party affairs. The family is of British origin but have been in America for over a century. He continued his residence in Green Bay until his death in 1879, at the age of sixty-one years. Ilis wife survived him until 1897, when she passed away at the
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age of seventy-five. Both are buried in Woodlawn cemetery at Green Bay.
The son, Charles A. Graves, received his early education in the public schools of his native city but laid aside his text books at the age of six- teen. He followed the occupations of railroading and sawmilling for a short time but finally became interested in the steamboating business. He took a keen interest in the subject of navigation and was soon thor- oughly versed in the various details connected therewith. He received his first license as a captain at the early age of twenty-one, passing his examination with honor, and has followed the profession continuously since that time. He knows the great lakes in every one of their various aspects, is well acquainted with the harbors and ports of Wisconsin and of the other states where he lands and has that faculty of quick compre- hension of what is needed in an emergency which is so necessary to the man who trusts himself to the sudden weather changes on Lake Michigan
His politics are nominally democratic but he never allows his affilia- tion with the party to influence his individual opinions. He votes for the man whom he considers best qualified to carry out the wishes of the people and keeps himself for the most part independent of party lines. His business is absorbing naturally and allows him but little time for fraternal affiliations. He is, however, a member of the Order of Elks and takes a great interest in the affairs of this organization. He has a keen intellect, a great resourcefulness and the power of quick action in an emergency, which are the natural results of his many years of service on the lakes.
LOUIS BENDER.
The activities of Louis Bender have been so varied and important that it is difficult to determine which have been the most directly bene- ficial. Of late years he has been closely associated with the business development of Brown county and as proprictor of one of the finest hotels in Scott township has a prominent place in business circles. He was born in Green Bay in pioneer times and is a son of one of the earliest settlers in the city. His birth occurred December 22, 1857. His father, Ludwig Bender, came to Wisconsin from his native country, Germany, and settled in Green Bay, where he worked at his trade of cabinet-making. He opened a small shop in the little village and conducted it successfully until his death, in July, 1893, when he was seventy-six years of age. He witnessed the entire growth of the city from an unorganized village to a modern municipality and to a great extent was active in the development. His death was regretted by a wide circle of friends who respected and honored him for his upright, straightforward and worthy life. His wife was in her maidenhood Miss Dorothy Resch, a native of Germany, who died in Green Bay in 1872, when she was thirty-eight years of age.
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Louis Bender was the only child born to his parents. He attended the German Lutheran parochial school in Green Bay and pursued the usual course of studies through the various grades until he was eighteen years of age, at which time he entered the Green Bay Business College. He was graduated in shorthand and bookkeeping and afterward studied law in the offices of Norris & Chaynoweth. He remained with this firm as clerk for some time and then left Wisconsin and went to Chicago, where he entered the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. For three years he discharged his duties in this connection ably and efficiently and then went to Milwaukee to accept a position as private secretary to F. N. Phinney, general manager of the Wisconsin Central Railroad. After one year he went to Minneapolis and became law clerk and stenographer for the St. Paul road under Mr. Norris, who was at that time general solicitor. Here he remained for three years, his able work gaining recog- nition. At the end of this period he was appointed court reporter of the tenthi judicial district of Wisconsin. This office he was obliged to resign after several years on account of ill health and at this time he determined to retire from his connection with the profession. When he retired as court reporter he went to the shores of Green Bay, at Red Banks, an old historic spot, and there bought land and built a hotel which he has since successfully conducted. The qualities of industry, discrimination and judgment which were contributing factors in his profession have made his business career also prosperous and have gained him a high place in the respect and esteem of his associates and friends.
In 1879 Mr. Bender married Miss Ellen A. Smith, a daughter of Michael Smith, of Sugar Creek, Door county, a well known Indian trader in that section. . They have twelve children, Louis A., William H., Jose- phine, Edith, John, Katherine, Nealie, Burley, Fenton, Carleton, Harold and Genevieve.
In all the various relations of his life Mr. Bender has steadily adhered to a progressive and straightforward policy and this, added to his fine qualities of mind and character, has gained him success and prominence in business and the confidence, friendship and esteem of those with whom he comes in contact.
JAMES P. LARSEN.
James P. Larsen is operating and improving the farm upon which he was born, his one hundred acres of excellent land constituting one of the finest properties in Denmark. He has been engaged in the cultivation of the soil practically all his life, first as assistant to his father and then as an independent farmer. He was born in a little log cabin upon his father's farm in 1877, a son of Hans Larsen and Stina ( Peterson) Larsen. The father bought forty acres of land in Denmark, Wisconsin, in the early days of its settlement and continued to operate and improve it, adding to his holdings from time to time until his death, which occurred in 1900.
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James P. Larsen was educated in the public schools of his native sec- tion and since his childhood has been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He now owns the family homestead and is active in the cultivation of one hundred acres of land, constituting one of the finest farms in the section. and he does all the work in the fields himself. The forty acres which comprised the original farm are enclosed by stumps which were pulled from the ground with screw pulleys during the work of clearing. Mr. Lar- sen has made substantial improvements, bringing the property to an excel- lent condition.
In 1908 Mr. Larsen was united in marriage to Miss Antoinette Baum- gard, a daughter of Paul Baumgard, of Bellevue. They have three child- ren, Sylvester T., Gladys E., and Alice E., all of whom live at home.
Mr. Larsen gives his allegiance to the Lutheran religion, while his wife is an adherent of the Roman Catholic church. He is well known in New Denmark, where he has lived since his birth and where his friends respect and esteem him for a life which in all its activities has been success- ful and upright and in all its phases straightforward and honorable.
JEREMIAH S. DUNHAM.
Jeremiah S. Dunham, deceased, was numbered among the most re- spected, active and successful business men of De Pere, Wisconsin. . His birth occurred at New Brunswick, New Jersey, November 19, 1831, his parents being Jeptha and Ann ( Runyon) Dunham. The father was the seventh in line of descent from Deacon John Dunham, who was born in the village of Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England, and was married in Leyden, Holland, October 17. 1619, to Abigail Wood, a distant relative. He came to the new world as a passenger on the Mayflower in 1620 with the Plymouth colony. On account of religious persecution he sailed under the name of John Goodman and was one of the members of that colony to whom was given a share in the first allotment of land. Later the Dun- ham family moved to New Jersey and Asariah Dunham, the great-grand- father of Jeptha Dunham, was a civil engineer and surveyor in New Jer- sey. In 1763 he was appointed by the governor of the New Jersey colony as commissioner to examine land titles in Bergen county. New Jersey. In 1775 and 1776 he was a member of the provisional congress and at the same time was lieutenant colonel of the Second Middlesex Regiment of Colonial Volunteer Infantry. In 1777 he was commissary general for New Jersey, where he died in 1790. The mother was of Huguenot descent and a member of the well known Runyon family of New Jersey.
Jeremiah S. Dunham settled in De Perc in 1864 and in 1867 he engaged in the manufacture of flour, in which he continued until 1895. From 1885 to 1890 he was in partnership with B. F. Smith and A. G. Wells, under the name of Dunham, Wells & Company, the firm thus continuing to do busi- ness until 1890, at which time Mr. Wells retired and the firm name of Dunham & Smith was assumed.
JEREMIAH S. DUNHAM
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Mr. Dunham was united in marriage in 1867. at "The Grove," in De Pere, to Miss Frances A. Lawton, a daughter of Joseph G. and Ellen V. (Baird) Lawton, of De Pere. Their children are: Lewis Augustus, a graduate of the Boston Institute of Technology and now a civil engineer of New York city, who married Marjory Blemel: and Edith Virginia, who married Barton L. Parker of Green Bay and now resides in that city. She has one daughter, Alexandrine. Jeremiah S. Dunham died February 26. 1908, at the age of seventy-six years, and his wife still maintains her residence at her old home, located on North Broadway, De Pere. Mr. Dunham was a member of the city council of De Pere from 1881 to 1882 and was president of the council from 1883 until 1885. He was mayor of the city of De Pere during the years of 1888 and 1889. He also served for several years on the school board and as city clerk and at the time of his death had just completed eleven years of continuous service as assistant postmaster of De Pere. He was a member of the Congregational church and had served as church clerk for over thirty years. No better testimonial as to the life and work of Jeremiah S. Dunham could be given than that published in the current press of his city at the time of his death, which is as follows : "All of the positions which he held he honored by a conscientious discharge of duty. He was honorable and upright in all his relations with his fellowmen and enjoyed universal esteem and respect." As a mark of respect to this distinguished citizen the flag was placed at half-mast on the city hall and so remained until the close of his burial service.
CHARLES F. MADDEN. .
Twenty-six years of continued success in the plumbing trade and a final association with municipal activities along this line as plumbing inspector of Green Bay is the business record of Charles F. Madden. His important position involving as it does the comfort, health and sani- tary living conditions of thousands of people is a power for good or evil in the community and to Mr. Madden's credit be it said he makes constant use of its advantages to' promote the welfare of his fellow citizens. He is a native son of Wisconsin and was born on a farm in Granville, Mil- waukee county, in that state in 1870. His father. Michael Madden, was a native of county Tipperary, Ireland, and came to the United States in 1828. His first settlement in America was made at Albany, New York, and he later resided in Syracuse in the same state for some time. He came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1840 and became one of the leading farmers of Milwaukee county. The mother of our subject. Ann ( Kennedy ) Madden, was also born in Tipperary. She came to the United States when a young girl, with her parents, and settled in Oneida county, New York, where she remained for a few years, and in 1850 came to Wiscon- sin. She was married to Michael Madden in Milwaukee and they resided in Granville for many years. They became the parents of twelve child- ren, of whom Charles F. Madden is the youngest.
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Mr. Madden received his education in the public schools at Granville and pursued the usual course of studies until he was sixteen years of age. His business career began in 1886 when he learned the plumbing trade in Milwaukee and worked in this line of activity for eight years. His early efforts were distinguished by the same ambition and desire for success along honorable lines which have distinguished his later career. When he left Milwaukee he followed plumbing in various states and sections of Wisconsin until his removal to Green Bay in September, 1898. He immediately became associated with the Sanitary Construction Con- pany and retained his identification with this corporation until April 12, 1906. During this period his ambition was directed to the scientific aspects of sanitary plumbing. He immediately grasped the wide import- ance of this growing department of his trade and determined to devote his life to becoming more proficient in the rapidly developing branch of public sanitation.
He soon established a reputation for his grasp of the mechanical details connected with his trade. He regarded his chosen occupation not as a mere trade to be followed in the pursuit of a livelihood but as a useful and practical profession, the mastery of which in its more systematized and special branches meant cleaner and more sanitary living for many thousands of people. He severed his connection with the Sanitary Con- struction Company when he was appointed plumbing inspector of Green Bay, believing that this field offered him a wider scope for his ambition. He has held this office continuously since that time and has made a wide and specialized study of present conditions in his city. He has thor- oughly reorganized the department of which he is the head, has systema- tized it and has improved the methods of work. He has the distinction of being the first plumbing inspector with rooms in the Green Bay city hall. His activities have been widespread and continuons, but neverthe- less, Mr. Madden has found time to give attention to the improvement- of mechanical plumbing details. In 1909 he patented a "cleanout plug for sewers" and this met with such universal approval that in 1911 he secured the patent for a "sanitary catch basin and back water valve." This invention is a decided improvement upon old methods and has gained for Mr. Madden a reputation for intelligent labor. It is designed to pre- vent water from running into unprotected basins during storms and although it has only been on the market a short time the appliance is now in general use. Mr. Madden believes in the usefulness of intercourse with his colleagues and never allows his connection with other members of his trade to lapse through his own neglect. He is a member of the American Society of Inspectors of Plumbing and Sanitary Engineers and his work along scientific lines has been recognized by this association.
In 1901 Mr. Madden was united in marriage to Miss Matilda Del- goffe, of Bay Settlement, Wisconsin, and their married life has been particularly congenial and happy. They reside at No. 416 Crook street, Green Bay, and have many warm friends in the city. Politically Mr. Madden gives his allegiance to the democratic party, but while keeping himself abreast of the times on public questions has never sought office.
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He is a member of the Roman Catholic church and is active in fraternal circles of Green Bay. He belongs to Lodge No. 259, B. P. O. E., and to Milwaukee Division No. 1, Ancient Order of Hibernians. He is affili- ated with Pere Marquette Court, No. 1112, Catholic Order of Foresters, and holds a prominent place in this organization. He is one of the rep- resentative and successful men of Green Bay. A scientific and intelligent understanding of his business has been an important feature in his success.
J. S. JOHNSON.
Nearly every city in the United States has some important industry which is the outgrowth of its geographical position. The immense fish enterprises of Green Bay which have grown to such large proportions in the past quarter of a century are the direct result of the magnificent bay on which the city is situated. One of the most prominent firms in this line of activity in the city is the Johnson Fish Company, with offices at No. 1232 Main street. The senior partner in this concern and a domi- nating factor in its business policy is J. S. Johnson, who has been con- nected with the fish industry since 1883. He is a native of Denmark and was born in that country January 7. 1850. a son of J. E. and Mary (Hansen ) Johnson. The parents never left their native country, where the father's death occurred and where the mother is still residing.
J. S. Johnson received his education in the schools of his native coun- try and came to America in 1868, locating immediately in Green Bay. His first employment was in a sawmill in that city, where he worked for one summer. He spent the next year cutting timber in the woods sur- rounding the city and returned at the expiration of that time to Green Bay, where he found employment as a sailor on a steamboat, working at this occupation until the spring of 1876. In that year he left Green Bay for Medford, Wisconsin, where he worked in the employ of the Wisconsin Railroad Company and continued in this connection until 1883. Since that time Mr. Johnson has been connected continuously with the fishery business in different capacities. He started on a small scale for himself. increasing his capacity and enlarging his facilities until 1904. He had built up a successful business for himself and was gradually attaining a reputation for the quality of his fish and his dependable busi- ness methods. In 1904 he sold the enterprise which he owned to the Booth Fisheries Company and bought another concern, which he called the Johnson Schiller Company, acting as its manager until 1909. He has been senior partner in the enterprise with which he is now con- nected since 1910 and in the two years of his management has built up a successful and rapidly growing trade. Although Mr. Johnson is very prominent in the fish industry in Green Bay, this is by no means his only line of activity. During the course of his career in business life in that city he became connected with the Green Bay Canning Com- pany first as its president and later as its manager, which latter position
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