History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 18

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 18

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sincerity and honesty and this has been one of the major reasons for the business success of the partners.

William Coffey, deceased, for many years a farmer of the town of Cottage Grove, was born in Boston, Mass., July 22, 1840. His parents were Patrick and Annastasia (Lantry) Coffey, both natives of Ireland. The family immigrated to the United States when Mr. Coffey was a boy, coming directly to Cottage Grove township, where they entered two eighties of government land. The old folks lived the balance of their lives in Cottage Grove. What op- portunities Mr. Coffey had for obtaining an education were very limited, being only those afforded by the district schools of Cottage Grove. During the early part of his manhood he traveled much. After his marriage he earned a livelihood for himself and family by working land on shares for several years, managing, by frugal- ity and hard work, to accumulate sufficient money to purchase one hundred acres of land, where the widow and family now reside. Politically he was a Democrat and as such served his town as asses- sor and justice of the peace. His religious affiliations were with the Catholic church .. On February 20, 1865, Mr. Coffey married Susan Ann Reynolds, daughter of Daniel and Mary Ellen (Rey- nolds) of the town of Cottage Grove. (For further mention of Mrs. Coffey's family see the sketch of Daniel Reynolds). Five children blessed this union-Mary Ellen, born December 16, 1865. the wife of John Coughlin of Cottage Grove; William James, born November 14, 1867, a carpenter by trade, married Catherine Mur- phy, and is now a resident of Yale, S. D .; Daniel Edward, born May 29, 1871, a carpenter by trade and an accomplished violinist, lives at home ; John Albert, born December 29, 1878, lives at home ; and Susan Ann, born September 30, 1881. The youngest daughter is a teacher ; she received her preparatory education in the district school of the town of Cottage Grove and was given a teacher's certificate at the Whitewater Normal school five years ago, since which time she has been engaged in her profession. All the chil- dren are musically inclined, and all play some instrument, violin or piano. Miss Susie plays both the piano and violin. Mr. Coffey died April 10, 1897. He was a sterling, upright citizen, of frugal habits. a man much admired and respected by all with whom he came in contact.

Charles J. Coggins is a highly respected citizen and office-holder in the town of Fitchburg, where he has had his residence for the past sixteen years. He was born in western Northamptonshire. England, on May 19, 1861, and is one of five children born to Henry

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and Elizabeth (Bonham) Coggins, the mother and four children still residing in the mother country and the father being deceased. The father of our subject was a farmer by occupation and the latter was reared in the quiet surroundings of a country life. He re- ceived his education in the common schools of his native country, and at the age of twenty years, in April, 1881, he migrated to the United States and located at Cold Springs, Jefferson county, Wis. There he remained until the spring of 1890. engaged in farming, and then came to Dane county and settled in the town of Fitch- burg, where he has resided ever since. After coming to Fitchburg, in partnership with Charles Parish he purchased one hundred and forty acres of land, and two years later bought an additional one hundred and fifty acres, which joined the original purchase. In December, 1901, they sold this large tract of land and purchased the place where they now reside, which comprises two hundred and and seventy-three acres of well improved land. Aside from the business of general farming they make a specialty of raising cattle, sheep, and hogs, in the live stock line, and they are also extensive growers of tobacco. Mr. Goggin's success is very gratifying to himself and his many friends, as he started in life with compara- tively nothing, and has reached his present status by hard work and intelligent management of affairs. He is a Republican in his political affiliations, has served in the responsible position of super- visor of the town of Fitchburg, and at the present time is treasurer of school district No. 6. His fraternal associations are expressed by membership in the lodge of Modern Woodmen of America at Verona. Mr. Coggins was married on June 10, 1886, selecting as his helpmate Miss Lucy Higbee, daughter of George and Serena (Ransom) Higbee, natives of the state of New York. These par- ents were early settlers in Jefferson county, coming there several years before the Civil War. Later they entered eighty acres of government land, near Cooktown in Rock county, and the father always followed farming as an occupation. Both of these parents are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Coggins there have been born six children, the two older ones having been born in Jefferson county and the others in the town of Fitchburg. Their names fol- low: Edith, Harry. Minerva, Glenn, Winnie and Edna, all living at home. Charles Parish, who is associated with Mr. Coggins in the extensive farming operations referred to, was born, September 14, 1856, at Coldspring, Jefferson county, Wis., and is the son of George and Sarah (Coggins) Parish, natives of England who came to the United States about 1846 and settled in Jefferson county,

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Wis. There they preempted eighty acres of government land and experienced all the trials and surmounted the difficulties that pre- sent themselves in a pioneer life. The father and mother have both been dead for many years. Charles Parish, their son, was educated in his native town of Coldspring, and in 1890 accompanied Mr. Coggins to the town of Fitchburg in Dane county, where they have been equal partners in business ever since, Mr. Parish being a member of the Coggin's home circle. Although nature endowed him with a small stature and limited the possibilities of his physical development, yet he is possessed of more than the ordinary mental qualifications, and the deficiency in brawn is more than offset by a good supply of brain power. He was reared and baptized in the Episcopal faith and still maintains his membership in that denomi- nation. He has never married.

John Lewis Colby is as yet a comparatively young man, but he has achieved a degree of success in his undertakings that is usually only attained by men after years of strenuous endeavor. Mr. Colby was born in the town of Oregon, Dane county, on August 27, 1862, and he is the eldest son of Romanzo H. Colby, who is given a more extended mention on another page of this volume, which is devoted to biographical and genealogical review. Our subject received his education in the district schools of Oregon and at Evansville, and remained with his father upon the farm until he had attained to his legal majority. He then worked one of his father's farms during the summer and officiated as a school teacher in the winter. At the age of twenty-two he purchased eighty acres of land where the Story postoffice now stands, and he owned and managed this farm until 1904, teaching school also twelve winters in succession, at Mt. Horeb two years and in the town of Verona one term, the remainder of his pedagogic work being in his native town of Oregon. On March 1, 1896, he purchased the general store business of N. E. Lamb, with postoffice in connection, at Story, and continued that business for nine years, when he sold out and removed his family to Wingra Park in order that his chil- dren might have the superior educational advantages there afforded. In 1903 he purchased one hundred and twenty-seven and one-half acres of land, in Oregon, lying just across the road from the home of his father, and he still owns the place, although not personally engaged in its cultivation. He purchased the general mercantile establishment at Wingra Park in April, 1906, and is catering to the trade of that vicinity in a way that is satisfactory to his many patrons and remunerative to himself. Mr. Colby was married,

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November 12. 1891, and the maiden name of his wife was Elona Burd, who was born in the town of Verona, March 11, 1864. She is one of nine children born to William R. and Eliza A. (Mutchler) Burd, highly esteemed residents of Verona. The names of the children in the Burd family, with other facts concerning them, are thus given: Maggie married W. W. Morse and resides in Bar- aboo, Wis .; Gertrude is deceased; Lucella married Willis Morse. and resides in Madison; Emma is deceased; Elona is the wife of the subject of this review; Hattie married Robert I. Harvey and resides in Chicago; Sarah married O. W. Donkle and resides in Black Earth, Wis .; Leslie O. resides in Belleville, a biographical sketch of whom appears in this volume; and Clinton B. married Frankie Case and resides in Brooklyn. To Mr. and Mrs. Colby there have been born three children: Grace, Helen Maud, and Harold Leslie. In political affairs Mr. Colby maintains an inde- pendent attitude, giving his support to men and measures as they meet the approval of his enlightened judgment, regardless of the party emblem they may bear. The confidence of the public in his integrity and ability has been attested on several occasions. He had charge of the Story postoffice in the town of Oregon eight years, until it was abolished by the location of the rural route, and he filled the responsible position of justice of the peace for the same length of time. He was also secretary and treasurer of the Story Creamery Company for several years. His religious faith is that which is taught by the Methodist church, and in this as in other matters he gives a hearty and unselfish support.

Romanzo H. Colby is another of the substantial citizens of the town of Oregon, who, by his industry and honorable methods has won for himself a reasonable competence and the respect and es- teem of all who know him. He was born in Erie county, N. Y., on February 18. 1839, and his parents-Giles and Julia (Childs) Colby-were also natives of the Empire state. Our subject at- tended the district schools in the place of his birth until nine years of age, when, in 1848, the family removed to Wisconsin and settled near Mt. Zion, in Rock county, and he finished his education there. The father rented a farm on Rock Prairie, where he remained two or three years, and then moved his family to Monticello, where for two years he worked a farm on shares, and then moved to a farm in Rutland township, Dane county. He remained at the latter place about two years, and then moved to Exeter, in Green county, where the father. mother and oldest son died of typhoid fever, in 1854, the father being fifty-five years old at the time of his death. After

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this sad breaking of the home circle the remaining members of the family became scattered, and the surviving sons came to the town of Oregon, where the subject of this review commenced working by the month as a farm hand and continued so engaged for seven years, after which he began farming independently. But the tocsin of war soon called him from his peaceful pursuits, and on February 22, 1864, he enlisted as a private in Company I of the Thirty-sixth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry. This regiment was organized at Camp Randall, Madison, under the supervision of Col. Frank A. Haskell, and it left the state on May 10, 1864. With the regiment Mr. Colby participated in the fighting about Spotsylvania Court- house, the second battle of Cold Harbor, and on the Jerusalem plank road. In the latter engagement, on June 22, 1864, he was severely wounded, receiving a bullet through his left arm, which made it necessary to have a part of the bone removed, and he was sent back to the Harwood hospital at Washington. He was trans- ferred to the veteran reserve corps on January 18, 1865, and was mustered out on February 9. following, on account of the disabil- ity caused by the wound. Mr. Colby has a picture, which he re- ceived in July, 1864, representing a view of the hospital where he was confined. After his discharge from the army he purchased ninety acres of land, lying east of his present residence, and built a dwelling house thereon in 1866. He then sold that property and purchased the place where he now resides. He has always fol- lowed the occupation of a farmer, and in that exclusive line of work has achieved flattering success, wholly unaided, excepting by the wise counsels and encouragement of a faithful wife. Mr. Colby now possesses two hundred and sixty acres of land. There were five children born to the parents of the subject of this review, and of these four are still living: Henry M. resides at Scranton, Ia .; Lorenzo, who is the twin brother of our subject, resides in Tuscola county, Mich .; and G. S. Colby resides at Willamette, Ore. Mr. Colby was married in the month of June, 1863, to Miss Louise Faulkes, daughter of John and Nancy (Ford) Faulkes, of the city of New York. She is one of a family of seven children, six of whom are living: Charles resides in Leroy. Ia. : Anna is now Mrs. Smith and resides at North Chicago; George resides on a farm near the subject of this review; and Emma resides in North Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Colby are the parents of eight children. the names and other information concerning whom follow: John L. married Elona Bird and resides in Wingra Park; Nona E. married Charles Baldwin, of Madison, and is now deceased; Ralph F. married

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Emma Balfour and resides in the village of Oregon; Gertrude mar- ried Ira Dalrymple and resides in Belleville; Charles Edward is deceased ; Charles C. resides with his father; Arthur A. married Jane Leslie and resides on a farm near his father; Grace E. died in infancy. Mr. Colby is a Republican in his political affiliations, and has served one term on the Oregon town board. In religious faith he is a Spiritualist.

William Chelis Colby is now living retired in a beautiful home in South Madison after a career of more than ordinary usefulness, divided between the occupations of railroading and farming. He was born in the village of Salisbury, Merrimack county, N. H., on February 5, 1830, and is the only survivor of a family of three chil- dren born to William and Sophia (Mason) Colby, both of the par- ents being natives of Warner, N. H. Our subject attended the common schools of his native place and at the early age of sixteen years began life as a workman on railroads. He came to Wiscon- sin in 1854, and his first employment in the Badger state was in the construction work on the Milwaukee road from Prairie du Chien to Milwaukee, in which he continued for fifteen years, during the last seven years of which he had entire charge of the construction work. He was then employed as a conductor for about seven years, but because of failing health he quit the railroad business and purchased a farm in the town of Madison, the place known as the old VanBergen farm, and he resided thereon twenty-seven years, engaged in general farming and stock-growing. He then sold his farm and purchased other property from his wife's parents, also situated in the town of Madison, and he resided there until 1902, when he sold out to the company that erected the Battle Creek Sanitarium on Lake Monona. Mr. Colby then purchased fifteen acres of land in South Madison, where he built a beautiful home in which he now resides. In his political views the subject of this review gives an unswerving allegiance to the time-honored principles of the Democratic party, and his personal worth and ability has been recognized by his fellow citizens in a substantial way. He has held the office of supervisor, representing the town of Madison on the county board of which he is the present chair- man, and has also filled the responsible position of assessor seven terms. Fraternally he holds membership in the Masonic lodge of the city of Madison. Mr. Colby was married on March 7, 1864, and the lady of his choice was Miss Hannah Lawrence, a native of London, England, where she was born, August 14, 1841. Her par- ents were Thomas Saffre and Charlotte (Scott) Lawrence, who

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migrated to America and were respected citizens of the town of Madison. They became the parents of twelve children, six of whom are living: John Thomas resides in the city of Madison; Hannah is the wife of the subject of this review; Thomas resides in Denver; Richard resides in New York; Charlotte married a Mr. Phillips and resides in San Francisco; and George resides in the city of Madison.

Charles MacLain Colladay, a retired resident of the city of Madi- son, is a descendant of a long line of Colladays of Pennsylvania. Charles Colladay, son of Jacob Colladay, was born in Philadelphia, June 17, 1764. On July 27, 1786, Charles Colladay and Ann Mac- Lain) were united in marriage. Ann MacLain was born June 4, 1767. The youngest child of Charles and Ann Colladay was born April 12, 1809, and was named William MacLain Colladay. In course of time William McLain Colladay married Mary Ann Kirk (born May 19, 1814,) and with his bride started for Canada imme- diately after the wedding, which occurred May 29, 1832. Not hav- ing sufficient money to pay two fares, the bride rode and the groom walked the entire distance. From Canada the young couple drifted to Illinois, where for several years Mr. Colladay was mail carrier, transporting the mail between Aurora and Chicago, and making the journey on foot. In the early forties the Colladays came to the town of Dunn. There was but one other family in the town- ship at the time,-the Wetherbys, who later moved to California. Starvation seemed to stare them in the face on their arrival on the banks of Lake Kegonsa. Mrs. Colladay was so weak from hun- ger that she could proceed no farther. Her husband in search for food came upon a school of suckers crowded into a small bay of the lake. With a pitchfork he gathered enough of the fish to last for some time. Mrs. Colladay preserved them by putting them up in a brine of her own make. A few days later Mr. Colladay killed two deer with one shot, and the venison and the fish lasted through the winter. In the spring the husband obtained work in Stoughton as a carpenter, walking six miles night and morning in order to comply with the provisions of the homestead law. The first frame house erected in Stoughton was built by Mr. Colladay; the first bridge across the Rock river on the road between Madison and Janesville and the first saw and grist mills of the vicinity were his handiwork. After seven years he had fulfilled the requirements of the homestead law and he settled down to farming, which. occu- pation he followed until his death, which occurred November 26, 1893. He always took an active part in politics. He was a Repub-

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lican and he served two terms in the assembly and two in the senate. He held a great many local offices in the town of Dunn; he served as justice of the peace in the early days and performed many marriage ceremonies. He had added to the farm until it contained some five hundred acres of excellent land. Mrs. Colla- day passed away February 12, 1876. It was through Mr. Colladay that the Masonic lodge of Stoughton obtained its charter, he hav- ing walked to Milwaukee and advanced the money to obtain it. He was also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Stoughton. To Mr. and Mrs. Colladay thirteen children were born-Amanda, born March 2, 1833, in Grenville, Ontario, where she died a year later ; John B., born March 16, 1836, died September 30, 1865; Sarah Ann, born January 26, 1838, died March 4, 1841; Emma Jane, (now Mrs. T. P. Camp of Portage. Wis.,) born No- vember 22, 1840 ; George W., born November 28, 1842, died July 6, 1862 while serving in the army; Theodore A., born February 28, 1844, died November 17, 1881; Alva W., born January 28, 1846, lives in Northwood, Ia .; Forest H., born April 21, 1848, lives in Madison ; Alvira (Mrs. James Bean, of Aberdeen, Cal.), born April 23, 1850; Alice A., (Mrs. William Keenan of the town of Dunn), born February 21, 1852 ; William E., born March 25, 1854, resides in Washington, D. C .; Dora A .. (Mrs. Charles Moore of Waterloo, Ia.), born October 15, 1856 ; and Charles M., born October 21, 1858. It is said that Alva W. Colladay was the first white child born in the town of Dunn.

Charles MacLain Colladay was seventeen years of age when he began life for himself. For several years he worked the father's farm on shares, and upon the father's death in 1893 he purchased of the other heirs a clear title to one hundred and thirty acres of the state. In 1899 he retired, and built the beautiful residence at 325 West Washington avenue where he now makes his home. The family spends the winters in Madison and returns to the farm in the summer, where Mr. Colladay conducts a high- class summer resort. He has about one and one-half miles lake front of Lake Kegonsa devoted to that purpose. It is one of the finest locations to be found in the country and during each season the place is patronized by a large as- sembly of prominent guests from various parts of the county. Politically Mr. Colladay is a Republican, but has never held office. Though not a member of any church his sympathies are with the Congregational faith. On December 28, 1887, he mar- ried Catherine Elizabeth, daughter of Edward and Harriet (Hub-

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bard) Whaling, of Deerfield. Mrs. Colladay was born October 20, 1858, in the town of Dunn and received her education in the district schools and the Madison high school. She is the third of the four children in the Whaling family, the others being Byron, born September 29, 1852, lives in Osborn, Kansas; Perry I., born July 29, 1856, died February 14, 1900 ; and Alice, born March 5, 1864, lives in Dodgeville, Wis. To Charles and Catherine Colladay have been born two children,-Earl. Whaling, May, 20, 1891, and Charles McLain, Jr., June 12, 1896. Mr. Colladay is a well educated man, having attended Albion Academy after having received all the in- struction to be had from the district schools. He is a member of- the Kegonsa Lodge, No. 73, Stoughton ; the Madison chapter, No. 4, and the Robert Macoy Commandry, No. 3, Madison.

Daniel B. Collins, M. D., one of the well-known and skillful phy- sicians and surgeons of Dane county, was born in Madison, August 15, 1863, of good Irish stock. His father was Daniel H. Collins, born in the county of Limerick, Ireland, where he was a tanner for a time and later in the dairy business. In 1849 he came to the United States, his objective point being Madison. After his arrival here he married Mary McKeen, also a native of the Emerald Isle, and by her had six children,-M. C., a merchant of St. Paul, Minn., Frank and Daniel B., (M. D.), living at home ; Nellie, head nurse of Racine college, Racine, Wis .; Elizabeth, widow of James Hopkins, now living at home; Genevieve, now Mrs. Henry Cummings of Milwaukee, where her husband is a practicing attorney. Mr. Col- lins was a good type of the old-school gentleman and a lifelong Democrat. He always took an active interest in the municipal and county politics and at one time served as a representative from the third ward in the common council. From the time of his arrival here until his death on July 17, 1903, in his seventy-eighth year, he never left the city. The following tribute was paid to the de- cedent : "In the passing of Daniel H. Collins the world loses an- other of the old school. He settled here when Madison was a small village a half century ago. Coming with Wisconsin's early pio- neers, who were known for their rugged honesty, their indomitable will and their noble principles, he aided in building up the charac- ter of this great commonwealth as well as contributed to its mater- ial prosperity. He was an indulgent father and a faithful hus- band. He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, his ad- vice and counsel were often sought by his fellow-men on vexed questions. He was ever ready to give aid and comfort to those in distress, he added much to the sum of human happiness. The

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world is better for his having lived. While unostentatious in his bearing, he possessed the proud spirit of the knights of old. founded upon lofty principles, a noble character and high ideals. Though not demonstrative in religion he ever remained in close communion with his Creator. He was a true lover of nature, refined and ar- tistic ; the birds of the air and the flowers of the fields were his friends."

Dr. D. B. Collins, the subject of this sketch, derives his descent remotely from Fiacha Fighinte, son of Daire Cearb, son of Olioll Flann Beag, who is number eighty-seven on the line of Heber, and more immediately from the famous Sept of O'Cuileann or Cuil- eann, anglicized O'Collins or Collins. They were the lords of Eighter Conghalach of Lower Connello in the County of Limer- ick, Ireland. The grants were given them by King Charles I of England. January 1, 1649, and one month before he was be- headed, January 30, 1649. The doctor received his education in the high school of Madison and in the University of Wisconsin, reading medicine in the office of the late Dr. F. H. Bodenius while attending college. In 188? he was graduated from the Rush Medi- cal college of Chicago with the degree of M. D. and the following three years he spent in Muscoda, Wis., practicing medicine. In 1890. he returned to the city of his birth and has practiced here continu- ously since. When the course in pharmacy was established at the University of Wisconsin Dr. Collins was a member of the first class. For some years he was physician to the United States pris- oners in this county and is at present the examining physician for several large insurance companies. Dr. Collins has never married. He is a member of the American and State Medical Association, the Central Wisconsin and Dane county Medical Societies, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He makes his home with his mother at 506 South Baldwin street.

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History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 18

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