History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 14

Author: Keyes, Elisha W. (Elisha Williams), 1828-1910
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Madison, Wi. : Western Historical Association
Number of Pages: 998

USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 14

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Madison, and is the mother of the following children: James Michael, Murty Raphael, John Henry, Thomas Burke, and May Elmore; Thomas J. married Catherine McNamara and resides in Chicago; and Mary A. married Henry O'Neil, resides in Madi- son, and is the mother of the following children : Myrtle Frances, Michael Henry, and Harold Edward. Michael J. Burke was a Democrat in his political proclivities, and the family are members of St. Raphael's Catholic church.

Ernest F. Burmeister, former sheriff of Dane county, is pro- prietor of the Elks Hotel, in Middleton, and is one of the popular citizens of his native county. He was born May 24, 1867, on a farm in Middleton township, this county, the place of his birth being lo- cated four miles southwest of the village of Middleton. He is a son of Henry and Eliza (Pierstoff) Burmeister, both of whom were native of Germany, the father having been born in Mecklenburg: March 19, 1826, and having served the requisite period in the Ger- man army. In 1857, he came to America, making Dane county his destination. He settled on a tract of forty acres of land in section 26, Middleton township, the place being known as the old Indian Forty and being the farm on which the subject of this sketch was born. He was there engaged in agricultural pursuits for eight years, at the expiration of which he sold the property and removed to Verona township, where he purchased one'hundred and twenty acres. He lost this property through misfortune and then began anew, on what was known as Nine-mound Prairie farm, where he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring October 19, 1876. He was a prominent member of the Grange and both he and h's wife were zealous members of the Lutheran church. He aided in the building of the first church of this denomination in Middle- ton township. His wife came with her parents to Middleton Junc- tion, and here their marriage was solemnized. Mrs. Burmeister was likewise born in Mecklenburg, Germany, and she now maintains her home in the village of Middleton. Of the children those living are Henry, Emma, Carl, Ernest F., William, Otto and August. Those deceased are Andrew, August (1st). John and Clara. Ernest F. Burmeister, the immediate subject of this sketch, received the ad- vantages of the public schools and was reared to the sturdy life of the farm. At the age of twenty-one years he secured employment as a mechanic, in the shops of Kundert & Hissig of Green county, Wisconsin. In 1888 he was married and thereafter was employed in the mercantile establishment of his father-in-law, in Mount Ver- non, for a short time. He then took up his residence in Canby,

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Minnesota, where he served eight months as city marshal. In 1892 he returned to Mount Vernon, soon afterward taking a posi- tion as traveling representative for a large manufactory of agricul- tural machinery. Later he established himself in the livery busi- ness in the city of Madison and after disposing of the same he be- came turnkey and deputy sheriff, under C. W. Mead. He there- after served one year and four months as jailer, under Sheriff C. F. Moulton, and was finally promoted to serve the full term as under- sheriff. He also held this office under the administration of Sher- iff G. M. Kanouse. In the fall of 1889 Mr. Burmeister was elected sheriff of Dane county, on the Republican ticket, being the first German and the youngest man and having the largest majority of any man ever elected to this office in the county. He contin- ued incumbent one term, giving a most excellent administration of shrievalty, and he thereafter made a tour in the west, returning to Dane county in 1894 and purchasing the Elks Hotel, in Middleton, which he has since conducted successfully. He is a candidate for the office of sheriff for the election of the autumn of 1906. Mr. Burmeister is identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Equitable Fraternal Union, the Modern Woodmen and the Independent Foresters. In 1888 Mr. Burmeister was united in marriage to Miss Julia Weltzen, whose parents were pioneers of Dane county. The six daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Burmeister are: Lillian. Eula, Florence, Marie, Lu- cille, and Ouida.

Almon A. Burr, a prominent farmer of the town of Medina, is a native of Medina. Dane county, Wis. The Burr family are of English origin and two brothers came over in the Mayflower, soon followed by another brother. Two settled in the east and one in the south and from one of the eastern branches Almon A. Burr is descended and represents the ninth generation of his family in the United States. His father, Augustus T., was born in 1822 in Med'na county, Ohio. was educated in Ohio, married Miss Cath- erine Lucas, who was born in Litchfield, Conn., in 1818. They came to Dane county in 1845, two years after their marriage and were pioneers of the new country. They obtained a farm in sec- tion 12 and afterward moved to section 11 which they made their permanent home ; Mrs. Burr there died in 1892 and her husband in 1902, the latter eighty years of age. Two sons were born to them ; Theron Burr, of Evansville, and Almon A., of Medina. Mr. Burr was a Republican and active in politics. In Ohio he held the office of state deputy sheriff. He was a member of the Masonic order.

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Almon A. Burr was born in Medina, November 30, 1858, attended school in Medina and the Waterloo high school and taught school for eight years. For twenty-seven years he has been engaged in farming and has a splendid farm of two hundred acres. He is also interested in the Waterloo Canning and Pickling Association and secretary of the organization. He is associated with the Republi- can party and takes great interest in politics. As treasurer and clerk of the free high school he has endeavored to promote its in- terests and has also labored for the district schools as clerk and treasurer. June 25, 1884, Mr. Burr was married to Miss Violetta Thompson, born in Medina, August 20, 1852, daughter of Amos and Adaline (Muzzy) Thompson, who lived in Cattaraugus county, N. Y., before they came to Dane county. Mr. Thompson is a veteran of the Civil War and a member of the G. A. R. He served during the last year of the war in the First Regiment Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, Company H. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have five children. Seven children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Burr ; Harvey Ray, Amy Estelle. Edna Christina, Jennie May, Allen Russell. Mabel Violetta and Dorothy Adele. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Burr is a member of the Waterloo Lodge No. 63, F. & A. M. and the Modern Woodmen. Mrs. Burr is a prominent member of the Eastern Star.

George T. Burthe, a prominent farmer of the town of Dunkirk, was born in Rock county, Wis., February 18, 1863, and is a son of Halvor and Alice (Evans) Burthe, natives of Norway. For a re- view of the family history see the sketch of Albert Torgeson. From the time he was four years of age Mr. Burthe lived in the town of Pleasant Springs, receiving his education in the schools of that township. He has always pursued the vocation of farmer. He now owns three tracts of land in the town of Dunkirk, compris- ing some two hundred acres, and one hundred and twenty acres in the town of Pleasant Springs. Since 1892 he has made the farm in the town of Dunkirk his home. In 1886 Mr. Burthe was united in marriage to Anna. daughter of Thomas and Susan (Quale) Asle- son of Dunkirk, and to this union have been born three children, -Theodore, Stella and Gilman. Mrs. Burthe's paternal grand- parents, Asle and Astle Thorson, came to Dane county from Nor- way in 1846 and in the spring of 1847 settled in the town of Dun- kirk, where they lived the rest of their lives. Her parents are still living, making Dunkirk their home. Her maternal grandparents, Andrew and Christie (Quam) Quale were born in Norway, and set- tled in Dunkirk in 1848. In his political affiliations Mr. Burthe is 10-iii

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associated with the Democratic party. He and his wife are mem- bers of the United Lutheran church. Mr. Burthe is one of the representative citizens of the community.

Albert Burull, superintendent of the Mandt Wagon Co., of Stoughton, was born in Toten. Norway, August 19, 1853, son of Olaf A. Grau and Karina Burull. Olaf was a blacksmith and ma- chinist in Norway where both he and his wife spent their entire lives. Albert Burull was educated in the common schools in Nor- way and grew to maturity in his native land. For some time he was employed in the government telegraphic service, his work being the construction of new lines through the country. Con- vinced by the reports of fellow-countrymen who had preceded him to the United States that his labor would there receive better recompense, he embarked for America in 1880 and settled in Stoughton, where he was immediately employed by the T. G. Mandt Wagon Co., now known as the Stoughton Wagon Co., in the steam fitting and engineering department. With this company he worked in different capacities, part of the time as foreman of the wheel department, until 1896, when he became connected with the Mandt Wagon Co., also founded by T. G. Mandt. as superin- tendent, which is his present position. On May 19, 1883, Mr. Burull married Miss Elsie Mandt, daughter of Gunder G. and Jorunde (Siunis) Mandt, who were pioneers of the town of Pleas- ant Springs. Three daughters were born to the marriage ; Oleda J., Palma and Edna A. Mrs. Burull is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and her husband of Christ Lutheran church of Stoughton. Mr. Burull takes a lively interest in politics, is a Re- publican and has represented his ward on the city council for nine years, rendering faithful and efficient service to the city. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen organization of the F. and A. M. and of the Beavers.

Allen R. Bushnell, lawyer, and counsel and treasurer of the Wis- consin Life Insurance company of Madison, was born in Hartford, Trumbull county, Ohio. His father was Dr. George W. Bushnell, who was born August 11, 1800, in Connecticut. For many years he was a practicing physician in Ohio, where he was widely known as a man of strong individuality and mature judgment. He died on August 8, 1892. Dr. Bushnell's wife was Sallie Bates, also a native of Connecticut, where she was born in 1801. Both the doc- tor and his wife were members of the Disciples' church, the doctor serving as elder for more than a generation. Mrs. Bushnell died in 1866. Of the eight children of Dr. and Mrs. Bushnell only three

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are living: Sarah married Charles Davies after being left a widow by S. D. Watkins, now lives in Lancaster, Wis .; Allen R .. the sub- ject of this sketch ; and Amoret, now Mrs. A. W. Rewey of Platte- ville. Allen R. Bushnell, was educated in the Hartford, Ohio, high school and Oberlin and Hiram colleges, his collegiate work being a special course to fit him for the law. When he had completed his school work he came to Wisconsin and entered the law offices of Hon. Steven O. Paine at Platteville, taught school to help pay expenses, was admitted to the bar at Lancaster and on December 1, 1857, he hung out his own shingle in Platteville. He was elected district attorney of Grant county in 1860, and continued his practice there until May, 1861, when he resigned his office, and under President Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers, enlisted as a private in the "Platteville Guards," which afterward became Company C, Seventh Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry, and he was elected first lieutenant of the company. This regiment became a part of the Iron Brigade, and was in most of the battles of the Army of the Potomac. Mr. Bushnell saw some of its sharpest fighting,-was within a few feet of Maj. F. W. Oak- ley when the latter lost his arm,-and he was promoted to captain of his company. In 1863 Mr. Bushnell received his honorable dis- charge from the army on surgeon's certificate, for disability in- curred, and he returned to Ohio, where for a year he was under the care of his father. In 1864 he returned to Wisconsin to resume the practice of law, but instead of continuing in Platteville he removed to Lancaster in Grant county. In 1872 he was elected and served as a member of the lower house of the Wisconsin legislature. Later he framed a bill which was passed, making Lancaster a city, and he was elected its first mayor. For four years he was United States district attorney for the western district of Wisconsin, and was then elected in the third district to the fifty-second United · States congress. It is worthy of note that this body was the first to take any action on the election of United States senators by di- rect vote of the people, and it was Mr. Bushnell who introduced and helped to push through the lower house a proposed constitu- tional amendment to that effect. In 1891 Mr. Bushnell removed to Madison. His connection with the Wisconsin Life Insurance Co., began in 1895, when he was made counsel for the company, soon after being made a director. In 1900 he was made secretary and in January, 1905, he assumed his present position. Mr. Bush- nell was a candidate, in the spring of 1906, for election to the Wis- consin supreme bench. He has been twice married, first in Septem-

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ber, 1866, to Laura, a daughter of Esquire Addison and Martha (Barber) Burr, of Vermont. By this marriage he had one daugh- ter, Mabel, now the wife of James B. Kerr of St. Paul, Minn. His first wife died in 1873, and in May, 1875, he married Mary F., daughter of Cyrus and Fanny (Barber) Sherman of Lancaster, a cousin of his first wife. To this union was born one son, who died in infancy. Mrs. Bushnell is a member of the Episcopal church and her husband of the Congregational. Mr. Bushnell is a Royal Arch Mason, and has held nearly all the offices which the order can bestow, except that of tyler. Politically Mr. Bushnell is an old school Democrat. and has long stood high in the councils of his party.

John R. Caldwell, president of the Morrisonville state bank since its organization, has been a prominent farmer of the county for a number of years. As indicated by his name. Mr. Caldwell is of Scotch origin and his grandfather, John Caldwell, came to Wiscon- sin in 1850 and resided upon a farm of two hundred acres in Col- umbia county. His wife was Janet Robertson, also a native of Scotland. Their son, Robert Caldwell, was born in Scotland in 1837, was educated in Scotland and came to Columbia county, Wis., with his parents when he was a boy of thirteen years. He assisted his parents with the work of clearing the new farm and early com- menced farming for himself. He married Miss Elizabeth Caldow, who was born in Scotland in 1838 and came to Wisconsin in 1853 with her parents, locating in Columbia county. Eight children blessed their marriage; John R., William K., Adam (deceased), David A., Charles P .. Mary, Martha and Thomas A. Robert Cald- well was a successful farmer, the owner of three hundred and eighty acres of land and active in the interests of the community, where he held several offices. He was an adherent of the principles of the Republican party. Mr. Caldwell died in 1885 and his wife in November, 1888. They were both prominent in the Presbyterian church. John R. Caldwell, their oldest son, was born in the town- ship of Arlington, Columbia county, March 2, 1863, attended the Arlington school and the Poynette high school and soon devoted his attention to farming. He is the owner of a fine farm property in the town of Vienna, in all three hundred and twenty acres, which he keeps in a prosperous and profitable condition. Clydesdale horses, short-horned cattle and Poland China hogs are bred upon his farm and an extensive general farming business carried on. Mr. Caldwell is a Republican and supervisor in Vienna and is the president of the Arlington Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Co.

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November 5, 1889, occurred his marriage to Miss Elizabeth Morri- son, daughter of James Morrison,-for whom the village of Mor- risonville was named,-and four children have been born to the marriage. Robert James is a student at the Lodi high school. The younger children are Jennie Elizabeth, Marjorie Temple and Jessie Florence.

William K. Caldwell, of Morrisonville, was born in the township of Arlington, Columbia county, January 25, 1865. He attended the common and high school of Poynette, and was graduated from the Northwestern Business College in 1887. He first turned his attention to school-teaching, as the young man fresh from college is apt to do, and continued in that work for four years before join- ing the ranks of the educated farmer,-a class which in this state is steadily raising the grade of agricultural life as a profession. He came from Columbia to this county in 1899, purchased the farm on which he resides, consisting of two hundred and forty acres. He is an extensive feeder of horses, also general farmer and stock-raiser. In politics he belongs to the Republican party, and although intelligently interested in public matters is not an office-seeker. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church as is also his wife, to whom he was united March 9, 1899. She was Miss Elizabeth M. Ferguson, daughter of Andrew and Agnes (Harvey) Ferguson. Mrs. Caldwell's parents are natives of Scot- land, her father being born there in 1823 and her mother in 1828. Mr. Ferguson came to Illinois in 1841 and settled in Wheatland, Hill county, where he was married in 1852. His wife came to Illinois with her parents, James and Jennett (Kerr) Harvey, about 1844. They had a family of eight children, five of whom are still living. Mr. Ferguson is a farmer. a Democrat and a supporter of the United Presbyterian church of which his wife is a member. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell have two children, Harold Ferguson, born March 8, 1900. and Lester Earl, born August 25, 1902. Robert Caldwell, father of Wm. K. Caldwell, is mentioned in this work in connection with the sketch of John R. Caldwell.

George Call, Jr., is a well-known farmer of the town of York, where he has resided since he was a boy ten years old. George and Eliza (Griswold) Call, his parents, were born in Ancrum, Col- umbia county, N. Y., and came to Dane county in 1852. George Call was descended from an old American family. His father, Jacob Call, was born in Connecticut and Mrs. Jacob Call's father served six years and nine months in the Revolutionary War. George Call was born December 4, 1812, was educated in New

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York and married Miss Eliza Griswold in 1833. She was born February 22, 1809, and was the daughter of Oliver Griswold, a farmer of Connecticut, who lived for a time in New York and later in Dodge county, Wis., where he died. Mr. and Mrs Call had three children ; the oldest son, Eli, died; the second son is George, Jr., the subject of this sketch, and the only daughter, Annette, married Herman Schultz in 1888. Mr. Schultz is a native of Germany and came to Marshall in 1872. For a short time he made Waterloo his home and spent the residue of his life farming in the town of Me- dina. Mr. and Mrs. Schultz died, leaving nine children, all of whom are living at the present time. When Mr. and Mrs. Call came to Wisconsin, they at once obtained an eighty-acre farm, to which they added from time to time, until at the death of Mr. Call in 1884, he owned one hundred and forty-one acres. His wife lived but a few years longer, until September, 1900. Mr. Call was a Re- publican as is his son, George, Jr. The latter was born in Ancram, N. Y. May 23, 1842, attended school in York and has always been engaged in farming. He has a fine farm of one hundred and nine- ty acres, where he carries on a general farming business and also raises stock, including red-polled cattle. February 21, 1873, he married Miss Harriet E. Carskaden, who was born in York, June 12, 1852, daughter of Orson Carskaden, an account of whose life ap- pears elsewhere in this work. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Call, but they have been very unfortunate in the loss of the two younger children, James G., who was born August 1, 1877 and died in 1883 and Florence May, who was born July 29, 1881 and died in 1883. The oldest son, William Henry, was born January 25, 1875, educated in the Waterloo high school and takes charge of the farm, following in the footsteps of his father.

Charles H. Campbell, a progressive farmer of Berry township, was born in the township of his abode, Dane county, Wis., July 22, 1866. After the death of his father, his mother, who was a native of the state of New York, was married, in 1869, to John Hawley, of Berry township, and by this marriage had six children, five of whom are living. Mr. Campbell was educated in the common schools of the vicinity in which he was reared, and upon reaching manhood selected farming as his life's occupation, and has success- fully followed the same. For several years he owned a farm in Berry township, but having sold it now rents what is known as the "Shultz farm," containing two hundred and forty acres. Mr. Camp- bell is quite an extensive breeder of Poland-China hogs, and in addition follows general farming and stock-raising, and also does

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a somewhat extensive dairy business. He is a Republican in pol- itics, and with his wife is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Campbell was married, October 20, 1892, to Miss Lizzie Anderson, who was born in Sauk county, Wis., May 6, 1873. She is the daughter of Benjamin and Catherine (Cook) Anderson, the former of whom was born in Norway in 1833, and the latter is a native of Pennsylvania, where she was born in 1843. They came in early life to Sauk county, Wis., and moved from there to the state of Washington, about 1897. There the father died in 1904, leaving the widow and seven surviving children, nine having been born to the parents. To Mr. Campbell and wife six children have been born as follows: Harry (deceased), Elsie, Clifford, Violet, Pearl, Velma.

Judge Jairus H. Carpenter was born at Ashford (now East- ford), Conn., February 14, 1822. He was educated in the schools of his native town and at Hollister Academy, Mass. After teach- ing school for seven terms, he began the study of law in 1844, com- plepting his studies with the Hon. L. P. Waldo, a prominent attor- ney of Tolland, Conn., and was admitted to the bar in March, 1847. He practiced his profession at Willamatic, Conn., until the spring of 1857, when he came west and located at Madison, Wis., where he has since resided. He married Martha C. Kendall, a native of Palmer. Mass.,in 1852. He espoused the principles of the Repub- lican party at the time of its formation, and served as alternate delegate to its first national convention at Philadelphia and as delegate to the convention which nominated General Fremont for the presidency in 1856. His first professional partnership in Mad- ison was with John W. Johnson, 1857-58 ; then he formed a partner- with General Ezra T. Sprague. under the firm name of Carpenter and Sprague, 1858-61 ; in 1868 was formed the partnership of Car- penter & Chase, which continued until 1874, at which time Captain Chase removed to Souix City, Ia. Since that date Judge Carpenter has had no partner. He is a careful, painstaking lawyer, an effec- tive jury advocate, and noted for the zeal and earnestness with which he espoused a client's cause, when he had accepted a re- tainer. He was for three years a member of the Madison common council, and president of that body and acting mayor for several months in the absence of the mayor. . He has always taken a strong interest in educational matters, as is evidenced by his long service of twenty- eight years on the city board of education of which he was president 1867-1890. He has been a member of the law fac- ulty, University of Wisconsin, since 1868, and was the dean of that

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body the first nine years after its organization. He received the honorary degree of A. M. from Yale college in 1874, and L.L. D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1876. In 1900 he was made Jackson professor of law, emeritus, in the University of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin supreme court appointed him to revise the probate laws of the state in 1878, and he was one of the commissioners to superintend the publication of the revised statutes of 188. In 1885 he was appointed county judge by Governor Rusk, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Sanborn, and held that position until January 6, 1902. He made a patient, conscientious and impartial judge, giving excellent satisfaction both to the bar and the people.

Though now in his eighty-fifth year, he is a well-preserved man, and retains to a marked degree his mental and physical activity. His well-ordered life, cheerful and social nature, and remarkable strength of constitution, inherited from his New England ances- tors, bid fair to give him a much longer lease of life. His parents were Palmer and Martha (Brown) Carpenter, who settled in Minne- sota in 1856, and made that state their home during their last years, lionored and respected by all who knew them.

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History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 14

Author: Keyes, Elisha W. (Elisha Williams), 1828-1910 Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Madison, Wi. : Western Historical Association Number of Pages: 998

Author: Keyes, Elisha W. (Elisha Williams), 1828-1910
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Madison, Wi. : Western Historical Association
Number of Pages: 998