USA > Wisconsin > Brown County > History of Brown County, Wisconsin, past and present, Volume II > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
Mr. Steckart was united in marriage in 1902 to Miss Agatha Lee, a daughter of Patrick and Helen Lee, of De Pere. Mr. Steckart served as alderman of De Pere from April 1, 1906, to April 1, 1912, and in that year was elected mayor of De Pere. While serving his city as alderman he was a member of the street-paving committee for two years, of which
48
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
committee he was chairman for one year. Fraternally he belongs to Green Bay Council, K. C., and is also a member of the Catholic Order of For- esters of De Pere and the Travelers Protective Association of Green Bay. He and his family are members of St. Francis Xavier's church of De Pere. Mr. Steckart is one of the public-spirited men of De Pere and is always ready to lend his assistance to the support of every enterprise that will in any way advance the business and moral interests of the city in which he lives. He is conservative and reliable in his business operations, has been uniformly successful during his business life and is in every way entitled to be numbered among the desirable and useful citizens of his part of the state.
DANIEL WHITNEY.
The name of Daniel Whitney, whose portrait found an honored place in the State Capitol building at Madison, should head the list of Green Bay's honored citizens, for he was the founder of the town. The family is an old English one, upon whom was conferred a coat of arms in days long gone by, and a brother of our subject, Joshua, became prominent and prosperous in Quebec, Canada, as the owner of a large hotel. Daniel Whit- ney, who had for friends such distinguished men as Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, the latter of whom was his attorney, penetrated into the western wilderness of Wisconsin at a time when there were few white settlers within the borders of the state and became the owner of the first store owned by a white man west of the lakes. From that period until his death he was closely associated with the work of planting the seeds of civiliza- tion leading to the development of one of the great commonwealths of the Mississippi valley. He was born in Gilsum, New Hampshire, September 3. 1795, and it was in the summer of 1819 that he arrived in Brown county, establishing a store near Camp Smith, two and a half miles above the present site of the city of Green Bay. A small village was there found at that time and after making his initial step as a business man on the frontier Mr. Whitney continued an active factor in the work of public improvement. His store was not only the first conducted by an American but was also the most extensive one west of the lakes. All around for miles stretched the green woods, which were the haunt of at least six different Indian nations. With the spirit of the explorer Daniel Whitney pushed his way into the wilderness, making long journeys into the interior and seeking out what he regarded as favorable locations for trade. He explored the Fox river to its source and the Wisconsin from the rapids to its confluence with the Mississippi. In 1821-2 he acted as sutler for the United States troops at Fort Snelling on the St. Peters river in Minnesota. At different points along the Mississippi he established trading posts, supplying traders with goods, and he also had a trading post at Sault Ste. Marie.
He had many thrilling, exciting and sometimes dangerous experiences which were incident to the settlement of the frontier. In the fall of 1822
--
DANIEL WHITNEY
EMMELINE WHITNEY
51
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
he made the journey on foot from Fort Snelling to Detroit, accompanied only by a single Indian to assist him with his provisions and bedding, which they hauled on a hand sled. The journey covered about one thousand miles, during which time they met but one white man and saw but two cabins. On another trip to Detroit, which was made on foot, Mr. Whitney was accompanied by a six-foot Indian, named Blacksmith, and when he had to go to Washington in the interest of early legislation, Mrs. Whitney and this Indian guide accompanied him. They had to cross the Detroit river on ice, as there were no bridges and the ice was very thin but Mr. Whitney ran across, although the ice bent perilously under his weight. The Indian, however, was afraid and would not follow Mr. Whitney, who recrossed but could not persuade the redskin to walk over the ice, which he knew was dangerous, as the water was deep and the current strong. Mr. Whitney then secured a rope from the sled and a cudgel and compelled the Indian to lie down upon the ice, while with the rope he drew him over in safety. This was but one of the many incidents such as the frontiersman experi- enced in his efforts to establish a home at the outskirts of civilization. In ' the fall of 1824 a vessel which was bringing goods and provisions for Mr. Whitney, to be sold at Green Bay, became frozen in the ice near Mackinac. Such an accident at that time threatened serious consequences to the settle- ments, involving many hardships from lack of food and necessary supplies. To Mr. Whitney it meant great loss unless the ship could be reached. When the ice had become frozen along the shore and made a bridge across the rivers and bay he fitted out an expedition and with several Canadian French- men started on horseback to Mackinac, making the entire journey on ice. With his train he returned with all that he could carry of the goods that he regarded as absolutely necessary in the settlements. On first settling here he bought up all the furs he could obtain from trappers and Indians and sent them to John Jacob Astor of New York, who also owned land here, which was named after him, Astor, and occupied the heights of this section, while the lower part, called Navareno, was owned by Mr. Whitney. Both properties constitute portions of Green Bay at this day.
Mr. Whitney saw the possibilities for empire building in this section and, embracing his opportunities, carried on extensive operations. Several times he went to Canada, where he secured a large number of men used to voyaging and the life of a trader. Accompanied by them, he returned on foot and in bark canoes, exploring new sections of the country on the way and from the Mackinac boat transporting his goods to his different trading posts. Many of these French Canadians whom he brought to this section are still in the county and have become substantial farmers and prosperous citizens of this part of the state. From that early day Mr. Whitney was largely engaged in the transportation business until roads were made throughout the state and navigation developed. For many years he was active in transporting all supplies for Forts Winnebago and Crawford and for the troops along the upper Mississippi. The supplies were conveyed in boats from Green Bay along the Fox and Wisconsin rivers. This involved an almost unbelievable amount of labor and cost and many hardships were incidents of the work.
52
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
Between the years 1825 and 1830 Mr. Whitney explored the upper Wisconsin and built mills at Plover and Portage, where for more than fifteen years he engaged in the manufacture of lumber, which was rafted down the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers to be marketed in St. Louis. This was the first lumbering establishment built on the Wisconsin and probably the first on any tributary of the Mississippi. He also owned a large cranberry marsh on the Wisconsin and he had Indians pick the ber- ries, which he shipped on rafts poled by Frenchmen to the St. Louis market. During the same period Mr. Whitney also erected the first shot tower at Helena on the Wisconsin river and conducted an extensive business there. He conducted a supply store among the Stockbridge Indians from the time that they arrived in this state to establish new homes in 1827 or 1828 until their removal to their reservation in Shawano county, and his first store was in Allouez about two miles from Green Bay, on the old road, back of the coach line. The remains of the old cellar were visible until a few years ago and here Daniel Henshaw, Mr. Whitney's oldest son, was born. While transacting business for them, covering about thirteen years, he enjoyed their unqualified confidence, which he merited by reason of his strictly honorable methods and liberal dealing. Ilis just treatment of them led him to be looked upon by the Indians as a father and friend.
In 1831 Mr. Whitney left his home at Camp Smith and removed his family to Navareno, now Green Bay, near the mouth of the river, taking with him his old store which he moved to Navareno on sleds over the ice. He always regarded this site as a most advantageous one for a town and ever had unfaltering faith in the future of the city. He cleared and made a road from river to river with his own men, which is now Main street. He manifested this faith in his investments and in the development of his business enterprises, purchasing the land upon which the city now stands in 1828 or 1829 and laying out the town of Navareno. He had well formu- lated plans for the building of the city. He carefully systematized the work and in 1830 had completed a wharf and warehouse and also built the Washington House where now stands the Beaumont IIotel, a school build- ing and several dwellings for the mechanics and laborers in his employ, while the race track was on the hill. He had warehouses all along the river and ran his own steamers on the same. From 1830 until 1840 he continued his building operations there as fast as materials and necessary supplies could be obtained, erecting eight or ten stores and a large number of dwell- ing houses, which he rented, owning in all twenty-five houses in the lower town. He built a fine house of four stories with marble fireplaces in every room but it was never finished and after his death it was taken down and the material was used in other buildings. He also gave away a number of lots to mechanics and others who were desirous of building homes of their own. He also owned a large part of Sheboygan and much of it remained his property up to the time of his death. He cooperated in every movement to further the interests of the new town of Navareno. He manifested particular helpfulness toward the building of Christ's church, which was the first Protestant church of Green Bay and the first of the Episcopal denomination in the state. He gave the lot to this church,
53
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
donated the parsonage and bell and bought twenty-five pews to help it along, which he kept during his lifetime and which were subsequently retained by his wife until the church burned down. He was always interested in the church from its completion until his death and on more than one occasion quietly furnished the money for needed repairs and improvements. Inter- esting to record is how he became possessed of his land in Navareno, which he first owned in partnership with three French gentlemen by name, Grig- non, two of whom he bought out but with the last he drew lots for the balance and won.
During the last fifteen years of his life Mr. Whitney was not actively engaged in any particular line of business but concentrated his energies upon the supervision of his realty holdings, which were extensive and were judiciously secured. The history of no resident of Green Bay is more closely identified with the upbuilding and development of the state. He was intrepid, fearless, determined and resourceful and the words failure and discouragement had no part in his vocabulary. On one occasion he , was returning home from Grant Kaukauna, traveling on the ice with horse and train. In the night his horse broke through and, being unable to extricate the animal alone, he tied it so that the horse's head would be above water and walked three miles for assistance rather than let the horse drown, as many would have done. It was well known that Mr. Whitney was courageous and practically fearless. He always was in the lead when out with a party of men in the wilderness and would never require any man to take a risk that he would not himself undergo. He was a man of unswerving honesty, reliable in all his dealings and possessed in unusual degree the confidence of employes and dependents and as well of all who had business dealings with him. He was generous and ready in sympathy and . gave freely of his means to the poor and needy, his benevolence, however, being of a most unostentatious character. Often a needy one would find in his doorway or kitchen corner the necessary aid quietly deposited there by Mr. Whitney at nightfall or at dawn of day. At Christmas, too, many a family shared the happiness and joys of the season when otherwise they would have sat around an empty board. The poor and needy, indeed, found in him a friend.
Mr. Whitney passed away November 4, 1862, in his sixty-eighth year. in the home which he had occupied for almost three decades. By the terms of his will his widow was made sole executor of his large estate. It was in Middlebury, Vermont, on the Ist of September. 1826, that he wedded Emmeline S. Henshaw, who was born in Middlebury. Vermont, July 21, 1803. She came to Wisconsin first in 1825 from Middlebury, where her father, Daniel Henshaw, owned a paper mill, and made the perilous journey alone, accompanied only by a sister, and they made their first home with the family of Judge Arndt. Among one of her early experi- ences of real pioneer life was a trip to St. Louis on the Mississippi in canoes in the company of a sister and guided by Indians. She became known far and wide in the pioneer days as the "Queen of Navareno," a woman of fine appearance, descended from an old Derbyshire family of England, which had for many years resided near Hatton Hall. Of a big heart and
54
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
sympathetic nature Mrs. Whitney was much beloved by all and proved a true and helpful friend to many. Mrs. Whitney's family, the Henshaws, came to America at an early day from England. Her brother, John Hen- shaw, was Episcopal bishop of Kentucky and Jacob Robinson, a brother- in-law, was the first minister of that church in Greece. Another brother-in- law was Mr. Fitch, who was a chaplain in the United States army, stationed at Detroit. Mr. Post, another of her brothers-in-law, was a Congrega- tional minister in St. Louis. In all she had six sisters. Yet another brother-in-law, Mr. Richardson, was prominent in mercantile circles in New York city in his day. Mrs. Whitney died October 25, 1890, and on her the transcendent eulogy might well be pronounced that she was a woman of true Christian character, whose influence was always for good. She was buried from the church of which she had been such a faithful attendant and her granddaughter, Mrs. Samuel Bell of Green Bay, was the last to be married therein, before it burned down. By her marriage she became the · mother of seven children, namely: Daniel H., at home; Joshua ; Williani B .; Charles R., who was born September 27, 1838; John P. K., whose birth occurred November 10, 1840; Harriett H., born October 18, 1842, 110w Mrs. F. Lewis, of Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Henry Clay, born April 12, 1847.
The eldest, Daniel Henshaw Whitney, was born in Green Bay, June 7, 1827, and traces his ancestry back to one of the old New England fam- ilies, the line of descent coming down through John, John, Timothy, Joseph, Samuel and Daniel, the subject of this review. His were the usual experi- ences of one who is reared upon the frontier and he lived to become a well known, influential and prominent citizen of Calumet county, Wisconsin. He was well educated and possessed sound business principles and practical judgment. He filled the office of register of deeds in Calumet county in 1849 and 1850 and was renowned for his beautiful penmanship, which was considered a high accomplishment in the olden days of pioneerdom, and the records show that he was painstaking and trustworthy. Of him it was said: "A more whole-souled, warm-hearted man or obliging neigh- bor never lived." For some time he was proprietor of Whitney's landing at Stockbridge, Wisconsin.
Daniel Henshaw Whitney was married March 10, 1863, to Eva Rosina Baeder, who was born October 21, 1838. Mrs. Daniel H. Whitney was a native of Germany, born in Stuttgart. the capital of Wurtemberg. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel H. Whitney had two children, who were born at Stockbridge, on Lake Winnebago; Emmeline Stillman, the wife of S. A. Bell, born Octo- ber 28, 1865; and Daniel Whitney, born January 27, 1867, his birth occurring about three months after the death of his father on the 17th of November, 1866. He is now a business man of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Whitney later married again, becoming the wife of Ernst Funke, of Oconto, Wisconsin, on the 30th of November, 1885.
Joshua Whitney, the second son of Daniel Whitney, was born in Green Bay, August 30, 1829, and was married here November 9, 1852, to Elizabeth Frances Irwin, who was born November 7. 1832, and of this union was born Emmeline H., now of Buffalo, on August 8. 1853, who married Novem-
55
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
ber 28, 1887, Walter Calhoun, who was born August 27, 1852, and they have one child, George Whitney Calhoun, born September 16, 1890.
William Beaumont Whitney, the third son of Daniel Whitney, was born in Green Bay, April 4, 1832, although the town was then known as Navareno. He was named after the resident army surgeon, Dr. William Beaumont, who was the sole physician of the city, and a silver snuff box was presented to his father for him by Pierre Grignon in recognition of the fact that he was the first white child born on the claim. Grignon was the owner of the French claim and transferred it to Daniel Whitney, who built thereon the town of Navareno while John Jacob Astor located the town of Astor on an adjoining claim which he had purchased. William B. Whitney attended school in Green Bay until fifteen years of age and then spent some time as a student in Piqua, Miami county, Ohio. He afterward returned to Green Bay, spending two years there and at Sheboygan looking after his father's property and also assisting his brothers at Kaukauna. where they conducted a forwarding business in connection with their cousin, Daniel M. Whitney. W. B. Whitney in the fall of 1851-2 removed to Cin- cinnati, where he served as bookkeeper with several firms. While there he was married, November 21, 1854, to Laura Margaret Clewell, who was born in February, 1830, and died May 4, 1884. Of this union were born two daughters: Helen Clewell, born November 15, 1863, who married Francis Sedgwick Bangs; and Mary Douglas, born October 29, 1865, the wife of George M. Henderson. On the 23d of November, 1886, Mr. W. B. Whitney wedded Emma Varian and they had one child, Margaretta V., who was born March 15. 1892. On the 30th of September, 1859. William B. Whitney went to Philadelphia and was the bookkeeper for Sharpe, Leisering & Company for a few years and was next appointed manager of the coal department of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company and later was purchasing agent and secretary and treasurer for some of the allied companies until September 1, 1870, when he engaged in the coal business for himself, gaining prominence and success in that field. He died July 25, 1906.
Such in brief is the history of Daniel Whitney and his family, with- out which the record of Brown county would be incomplete and unsatis- factory. It would be impossible to overestimate the worth of the work of Daniel Whitney in the settlement of this state and the development of its natural resources and the promotion of its trade relations. He builded wisely and well and the great state of Wisconsin is a monument to such men as he.
ERNST FUNKE.
Prominent in the public affairs of Oconto, as an official and as a busi- ness man, Ernst Funke became well known. He was born in Lützen, province of Saxony, Germany, January 20, 1835, a small town around which was fought the famous battle of that name between the great Napoleon and the allied Russians and Prussians under Prince Wittgenstein, May 2,
56
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
1813, Napoleon remaining invincible, and in the Red Lion Inn, a celebrated hostelry of those days the Corsican world conqueror made his headquar- ters at the time. After spending the first eighteen years of his life in the land of his nativity Ernst Funke started for America on a sailing vessel, which was thirty-six days crossing the Atlantic. His ultimate destination was Milwaukee but, failing to find employment there at his trade of rope making, he went to Oconto in June, 1853, to work in the woods. He had no money with which to pay his way to that place, so he worked his passage on the lumber vessel Napoleon to a point off Oconto and then came ashore in a small boat. With other men he went up the river to the first mill, where they failed to find employment. They had to sleep on the ground and forage for something to eat, but after enduring many hardships and privations Mr. Funke succeeded in obtaining work as cook in a lumber camp at fourteen dollars per month, while later his wage was increased to eighteen dollars per month. During the first year of his residence in Oconto he shipped on a trading vessel, which traded with the fishermen on the Lake Michigan and Green Bay shores. He utilized every opportunity that would enable him to gain a start in the business world. For a time he drove oxen with a man who was destined to become the lumber king of Wisconsin and achieve nation-wide renown as United States senator. Isaac Stephenson, and they remained lifelong friends. He also was employed for a short time in a hardware store at Fort Barlow. At length he embarked in the hotel business, erecting a hotel in Oconto and conducting it suc- cessfully for sixteen years. As proprietor thereof he formed a wide ac- quaintance and became not only widely but favorably known, gaining many friends throughout the community and among the hotel patrons.
On the 30th of November, 1885, Mr. Funke was united in marriage to Mrs. Eva Rosina (Baeder ) Whitney, who was born October 21, 1838, and was the widow of Daniel Henshaw Whitney. She survives her husband, who passed away January 29, 1906. Although he was in poor health for six years previous to his demise, he was sick only a week and was buried in Woodlawn cemetery, Green Bay. Mrs. Funke built a handsome home at Astor heights in 1907 and here she resides with Mr. and Mrs. Bell. Samuel Bell was born on the west side of Green Bay, where he attended school and graduated. He entered the banking business as col- lector and at the age of only twenty years filled a position as bookkeeper effi- ciently. He now holds a similar position of wider seope in a Chicago institution. Mr. and Mrs. Bell have a daughter, Harriet Whitney, born October 7, 1897.
Fraternally Mr. Funke was a prominent Mason, holding membership in the blue lodge at Green Bay and the chapter at Oconto. Politically he was a republican and served in various offices. He first acted as trustee of the village in 1862 and later was president of the Pier committee. He was also a member of the county board in 1877-78 and at one time was mayor of the city, in which connection he administered the affairs of the office in a most prompt and businesslike way and sought the progress and improvement of Oconto in every possible way. Still higher political honors eame to him in his election in 1878 to the general assembly and so creditable was
57
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY
the record which he made in office that he was reelected, thus serving for two terms as a member of the state legislature. President Arthur appointed him postmaster of Oconto, in which position he remained for four years, and thus in many offices he proved himself a capable official, loyal to the best interests of the community. He retired several years before his death with a comfortable fortune, which had been honorably won and was justly merited. His was a creditable record in that he worked his way upward from a very humble position, wisely utilizing his time and his opportunities, and while winning success, meeting fully every obligation of manhood and citizenship.
EUGENE LEO BAU'R.
Eugene Leo Bau'r has for five years been identified with the business interests of Green Bay, where he owns and operates a first-class buffet. He is one of the many citizens Germany has furnished Dodge county, his birth having occurred at Baden, on the 26th of August, 1876. His parents, Carl and Mina (Vogt) Bau'r, emigrated to the United States with their family in 1883, settling in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There the father engaged in the saloon business until a few years prior to his death, which occurred in 1910, at the age of sixty-two years. He is survived by the mother who is now sixty-two years old and a resident of Milwaukee. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Bau'r four are living, of whom our subject is the second youngest. In order of birth the others are as follows: Carl, who is engaged in the saloon business at Milwaukee; Mathilda, the wife of C. Kempf, a saloon keeper in Milwaukee ; and Olga, who is living. with her mother.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.