USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 28
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 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100
Ole .H. Farness, of DeForest, is one of the earliest settlers in the county, coming from Norway,-where he was born November 28, 1826,-in 1847. His parents, Herman and Rande H. Farness. were born in Norway, and after the death of Mrs. Farness there, her husband followed his son to America, coming in 1856, but he lived only two years after his arrival here. Ole H. Farness re- ceived his education in Norway, and upon coming to Dane took up one hundred and twenty acres of government land. He obtained more, from time to time, until, at one time, he owned six hundred and twenty acres. He is at the present time a general farmer and stock-raiser, on a farm of three hundred and ten acres. He is a Republican and a member of the Lutheran church. He was mar- ried in 1847, to Miss Gertrude Esse, (born in Norway, April 13, 1827), by whom he had six children, Lars, Herman, Rande, Ole, Betsey, Herman. of whom only one, Rande, is living. His first wife died June 2, 1859, and the following year he married Miss Anna Nelson,-daughter of Nels Knutson,- who died March 3, 1902. Her children were Gertrude, Nels, Thomas, Thomas, Jo-
277
BIOGRAPHICAL.
seph, Sarah, Betsey, Joseph, Simon and Benjamin; of these the elder Thomas, Joseph and Sarah died.
Creighton P. Farnsworth, M. D., medical superintendent of the Madison sanitarium at South Madison, was born near Mulberry Grove, Bond county, Ill. His parents were Henry C. and Adaline (Muelter) Farnsworth, both natives of Ashtabula county, Ohio. The father was a farmer until President Lincoln's call for 75,000 men was issued. He attempted to enlist but was rejected because of his youth. Three months later, however, he was accepted and succeeded in joining his company, K; of the Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was a partcipant in the battles of Chan- cellorsville and Gettysburg, and then the Twelfth army corps, of which the Twenty-ninth Ohio belonged, was merged with the Eleventh corps to form the Twentieth and went west to assist in the siege of Chattanooga. The regiment saw service in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Ringgold, Fort and Kenesaw Mountains, Peach Tree Creek, in the military operations about Atlanta and Savannah, and the engagements at Averasboro and Jonesboro. When hostili- ties had ceased the regiment participated in the grand review at Washington and was then mustered out. Mr. Farnsworth returned to Ashtabula and was married, proceeding thence to Bond county, Ill. His residence there continued until 1875. when he removed to Mount Hope, Grant county, Wis., to engage in farming. He still makes Grant county his home, although now retired. His wife died in 1881 at the age of forty-six. They were both members of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Their daughter Pearl, now Mrs. Benjamin Pendleton, is the only survivor, beside Dr. Farns- worth, of the five children. Dr. Farnsworth received his prepara- tory education in the high school at Mount Hope. His medical training was acquired in the sanitarium at Battle Creek, Mich. On September 4. 1900, he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Bennett, a student in the medical course at Battle Creek. As a wedding trip Dr. Farnsworth and his bride accompanied President Charles Kendall Adams, of the University of Wisconsin, on a trip to Europe, remaining abroad three months and visiting points in Italy. Switzerland, France, Germany and Belgium. Dr. Farnsworth was President Adams' physician and the voyage was taken with a view to benefiting the latter's health. Upon their return to Madison Dr. Farnsworth accepted a call to become superintendent of the Guadalajara sanitarium of the state of Jalisco, Mexico. This place has one of the finest locations in the world. at an elevation of fifty- two hundred feet, and has a capacity of one hundred patients.
278
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
The doctor remained there one year and then went to Chicago where he took an advanced course along the lines of electric treat- ment and surgery. In a few months he came to Madison to accept the position he now holds. He has organized the corporation and superintended the erection of the sanatarium. It has a capacity of seventy patients and is filled practically all the time. Inclusive of nurses and doctors it employs some forty people. The location on the shore of Lake Monona is quiet and exclusive,-altogether an ideal spot for such an institution. A nurses' school is conduct- ed in connection, of which Dr. Farnsworth is also superintendent. He belongs to the county, the state and the American medical asso- ciations. The doctor and his wife have two children, a boy and a girl. Both Dr. and Mrs. Farnsworth are members of the Seventh- day Adventist society, and the doctor of the Modern Woodmen of America. Dr. Farnsworth is a man of wide and successful ex- perience, is eminently fitted to superintend such an establishment, which fills a long felt want in this section of the state.
George A. Farr is the owner of one of the fine farms of Cottage Grove township, his homestead being situated in section 9, and he is one of the popular and prosperous citizens of this section of the country, while further interest attaches to the consideration of his career in this work by reason of the fact that he is a native son of Cottage Grove township, where his parents took up their abode more than half a century ago. He was born on the pioneer farm of his father, in the township mentioned, on August 18, 1853, being a son of Horatio and Lucinda (Barrows) Farr, the former of whom was born in the state of Vermont and the latter in that of New York. The paternal grandfather was a valiant soldier in Continental line during the War of the Revolution, the Farr family having been founded in New England in the early colonial era. George A. Farr was reared on the home farm, early beginning to as- sist in its reclamation and cultivation, while his educational advan- tages were those afforded in the district schools and Albion Acad- emy, which latter institution he attended one term. His father was twice married, four children having been born of the first union, while George A. was the first born of the three children of the sec- ond marriage. His brother, Charles, is a prosperous farmer of Dunn township, Dane county, Wisconsin, and his sister, Seraph, is the wife of Thomas Willey, of Lake Mills, this state. The par- ents of Mr. Farr came to Dane county in September, 1852, and the father purchased a tract of government land in Cottage Grove township, the same being covered with the native forest and having '
219
BIOGRAPHICAL.
no improvements. They resided on this place a short period, and then disposed of the property, the father thereupon purchasing an other place, in the same township where he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, having been folk of sterling character and having been uniformly esteemed in the community. The father died in 1882, and the mother in 1890. George A. Farr continued to be associated in the work and management of the home farm until he had attained the age of twenty-seven years, when he purchased a farm of forty acres, in his native township. there being actively en- gaged in farming about twelve years, at the expiration of which he sold the place and purchased his present fine homestead, which comprises about sixty-seven acres, practically all being available for cultivation, while the improvements are of substantial order. Mr. Farr has never manifested any desire for public office, but has been a stanch supporter of the cause of the democracy and has given his aid and influence in furtherance of enterprises and undertakings tending to advance the general welfare of the community. He is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. On May 5, 1881, Mr. Farr was united in marriage to Miss Kate Durfey, who was born March 12, 1851, her parents, Loomis and Ellen (Hooven) Dur- fey, having likewise been numbered among the pioneers of Cottage Grove township. She was the third in order of birth in a family of seven children, and following is a brief record concerning the others : Flora is the wife of John Sanders, of Colorado; Henry is deceased ; Edgar is a resident of the city of Madison; Delilah is the wife of Andrew Qually of Chicago. Illinois; Nellie is the wife of Elwood Emerson of Chicago; and Lillie is the wife of O. C. Whaling, of Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Farr have four children, name- ly : Winifred who was born May 20, 1882, and who is now the wife of Daniel Moe, of Cottage Grove township ; Nellie D., who was born Dec. 20, 1883, and who is now the wife of Herbert R. Cone, of Cot- tage Grove township; Charles Earl, who was born April 18, 1891; and Clarence Aibert, who was born October 20, 1896.
Anthony O. Farrell is one of the highly respected retired farmers of the town of Oregon, which has been his home for many years, and where by honest effort and strenuous toil he has gained a com- petence that makes his declining years ones of quiet enjoyment. He was born in the county of Sligo, Ireland, on May 2, 1828, and is the son of Matthew and Bridget (Feeney) Farrell. both natives of the Emerald Isle, where they spent ali the years of their use- ful lives. They were the parents of six children, only two of whom are now living, the subject of this sketch having a sister,
280
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
Mary, who is the wife of Michael Crowe and resides in the village of Oregon. Matthew Farrell served for thirteen years as a sol- dier in the British army. Anthony O. Farrell, whose name intro- duces this memoir, received his education in the schools of his native country, and continued to reside there until he had reached the age of twenty-six years. He then, in 1854, sailed for America, in the ship, Conqueror, and first took up his residence in Vermont, where he resided twelve years, working a part of the time in the marble quarries and when not thus engaged being employed as a farm hand. In 1866 he came to Wisconsin and first secured em- ployment on the railroad then being constructed between Brooklyn and Madison. He followed this occupation for three years, then worked on a farm for about two years, after which he worked land on shares, and in 1875 purchased the one hundred and twenty acres of land in the town of Oregon, which he had previously been farm- ing, and on which he has since continued to reside. He was mar- ried in 1856, to Miss Ellen Dunn, who was also a native of County Sligo, Ireland, and the date of her birth was May 8, 1857. Her . father was Lawrence Dunn and the maiden name of her mother was Bridget Kelly. In the Dunn family there was a large family of children, but only two daughters came to America-Bridget, who married a Mr. Gilfeather, and she who became the wife of Mr. Farrell-both of them being now deceased. Nine children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Farrell: Matthew T. married Catherine Keigen and resides in the town of Union; Patrick L. married May Kelley and is now deceased .- his widow resides in Dakota ; Bridget married Byron Andrew and resides in Superior, Wis .; Edward married Mary Wallace and resides in South Dakota ; Ellen married Olamp Garvoil and resides in the town of Rut- land ; Mary Augusta is deceased; John William resides in Chi- cago ; Margaret Ann, now Mrs. Silver, resides at Kilbourn, Colum- bia county. Wis. ; and Anthony J. married Wilhelmina Ace, and resides with his father. Mr. Farrell is a Democrat in his politi- cal affiliations, and his religious faith is expressed by membership in the Roman Catholic church.
James M. Farwell, for many years a successful farmer in the town of Vienna, is of New England descent and the son of one of Windsor's pioneers. His father, James Farwell, was the son of Oliver and Enseba Farwell. who always lived in Vermont. Their son, however, came west in 1846, when forty-four years of age, and lived upon a farm at Windsor station until his death in 1878. The long journey was made with a team and consumed a number
281
BIOGRAPHICAL.
of weeks. Mr. Farwell married Miss Mandana Castle, born in Vermont in 1801, and two sons and three daughters were born to them, all living except one son. As justice of the peace for many years, none of Mr. Farwell's decisons were ever reversed. He was allied with the Republican party. Both husband and wife were members of the Universalist church. Their son, James M., was born in Westford, Chittenden county, Vermont, July 5, 1835, was sent to school in his native town in Vermont and in Windsor and early engaged in farming. He now is the owner of three hun- dred and sixty acres of fine farm property in the township of Vienna, where beside his other farm industries he raises Poland China swine and a herd of registered Holstein cattle. Like his father, Mr. Farwell is a Republican but devotes little time to active participation in political matters. January 16, 1867, he married Miss Mary J. Hilliard, who was born in Ohio, December 31, 1846, daughter of Martin E. and Lura A. (Sartwell) Hilliard, natives of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard came to Windsor in 1850, where Mr. Hilliard died in January, 1904, and his widow is still living, seventy-nine years of age. Of their five children three are. living. Mr. and Mrs. Farwell have had five children; the oldest daughter, Alice, and the next daughter. Ida May, attended the home schools and the latter died in 1895; Hartwell, the oldest son, lives at home; Estella is the wife of Ole Anderson; Charles W., a graduate of the DeForest high school, married Miss Sadie Durkee and has one daughter, Fern Luva. The family are members and workers of the Congregational church. All have attended the home schools.
John Fassbender, Jr., of Springfield, is an active factor in the life of that community, having filled various offices of public trust as town and village official. He was born in Springfield, October 21 .. 1857, of German ancestry. His grandparents on both sides of the family,-John and Margrett Fassbender, and John and Christ- ina Nettekoven,-were born and died in Germany. In June, 1856,. John Fassbender, Sr., born in Germany August 15, 1824, came to the town of Springfield. He was thirty- two years of age at the time, and had been a soldier in the German army before seeking his fortune in the new world. In December, 1856, Miss Veronia Nettekoven also came from Germany to Springfield, and the fol- lowing year, February 11, 1857, they were married. Mrs. Fass- bender was nine years the junior of her husband, her birthday- occurring October 4, 1833. They made their home at Spring- field, and the subject of this sketch was the oldest of eight child-
282
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
ren-three sons, John, Henry and Peter, and five daughters, Christina, Maggie, Mary, Aggie and Anna,-who were born to them. John Fassbender, Jr., was educated in the public school of Springfield, and is an insurance agent by profession. A Demo- crat politically, he has acceptably filled the positions of a notary public, justice of the peace, town treasurer and town assessor. He is a member of the Catholic church and is unmarried.
Dr. John Favill, perhaps the most prominent of the early physi- cians of Madison, Wis., was a native of Herkimer county, N. Y., and received his medical education at Harvard University. His wife was Louisa Baird, a daughter of Henry S. Baird, of Green Bay, one of the prominent pioneers of Wisconsin, the first attorney general of Wisconsin. and president of the first council of the terri- tory. Her mother, Elizabeth T. Baird, was descended from the ruling chiefs of the Ottowa nation, with an admixture of French and Scotch blood, and was a great-niece of President Monroe. Dr. Favill came to Wisconsin in 1846, locating at Lake Mills, Jefferson county, where he practiced two years ; in 1848 he moved to Madi- son, which was his residence ever 'after. During his long life of thirty-five years in Madison, he filled a large place in the commun- ity, being admirably endowed both by education and natural ability. He was lovingly called "Old .Dr. Favill" by all who knew him, and had a character so pure and lofty, that he was readily given first place in the hearts of his fellow townsmen. Dr. Charles S. Sheldon of Madison writes: "He was independent and liberal in his views, charitable in his judgments, generous and unselfish to a fault, his friends and admirers were legion, and he is still mourned in many households." His death occurred in Madison, December 9, 1883. He is survived by three children, Therese, Dr. Harry Baird, a prominent physician of Chicago, Ill., and Eleanor, wife of Horace K. Tenney, a lawyer of Chicago ..
Carl J. G. Felland, secretary of the Stoughton Lumber Associa- tion, was born in Pleasant Springs township, this county, Septem- ber 28, 1857, being a son of Gunder (Gunderson) and Tone (Neve- stedt) Felland, who came from Norway to America in 1846, be- coming pioneers of Pleasant Springs township, Dane county, where the father purchased eighty acres of government land. in section 25. He reclaimed this tract and subsequently added to the same one hundred and twenty acres adjoining, developing one of the valuable farms of this part of the county and continuing to reside on the homestead until his death, which occurred July 24, 1887, at which time he was seventy-one years of age. He secured his
283
BIOGRAPHICAL.
naturalization papers under the name of Gunderson, but he later adopted the surname of Felland as did also his brother. His wife is still living. They reared a family of six children, namely : Gun- der, Olaf. Ole, Elsa (widow of G. Gjorgensen), Carl J. G., and Trena Serena (wife of Ole Sundbey). Carl J. G. Felland was reared to the sturdy discipline of the homestead farm and after securing a good preliminary training in the public schools of his native township he entered Monona Academy, in the city of Madi- ·son, where he continued his studies for some time. He thereafter
continued to be identified with the operation of the old home farm until 1901, and he still owns the property. In the year mentioned he took up his residence in the city of Stoughton, where he has since maintained his home. In August, 1900, the Stoughton Lum- ber Association was organized and Mr. Felland was one of those interested in the organization and incorporation of the concern, of which he has been secretary since 1903. The company has ex- cellent facilities and controls a large business. In politics he gives his support to the Democratic party, and he and his wife are mem- bers of the Lutheran church of Pleasant Springs. September 28. 1898, Mr. Felland was married to Miss Elsie Lee, daughter of Ole H. and Marie (Trobaten) Lee, of Pleasant Springs township, and the one child of this union is Gonard Andreas.
Gunder W. Felland, a farmer in the town of Pleasant Springs, was born at Moe. Telemarken, Norway, April 24, 1843. His par- ents, Wetley and Astrid (Reinen) Gunderson, were both natives of that place. They were married in 1839 and the father followed farming in his native country until 1846, when, with his wife. and two of his brothers, Gunder and Ole, he came to America. The voyage was made in the brig "Washington," a sailing vessel. and they were nine weeks and two days on the water. They landed at New York, went from there to Buffalo by way of the canal, and then by steamer to Milwaukee. There they got a team and came to the town of Pleasant Springs. Together the three brothers ob- tained one hundred and twenty acres of land, put up a log cabin and began making a home. In 1855 Wetley Gunderson pre-empted forty acres of government land and later bought eighty acres more, and lived on this farm until his death, which occurred in 1899 He was a Democrat in his political faith and in church matters was a Lutheran, being one of the founders of the West Lutheran church. His wife died in 1897. Of their eight children five are still living. They are Andrew, a farmer in the town of Burke; Martin, living in Worth county, Ia .; Ingeborg, living at Rothsay,
284
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
Minn .; Elsie, at Stoughton, and Gunder W., the subject of this sketch. Mr. Felland received only three months schooling, in the common schools, the greater part of his education having been ac- quired by self study. In his youth he learned the blacksmith's trade and worked as it for several years. In 1869 and again in 1872 he visited different parts of Iowa, looking for a location, and after that lived with his parents, taking care of them in the declin- ing years. He now owns one hundred and twenty-five acres of good land. upon which he carries on a general farming business, giving considerable attention to stock raising and dairying. Al- though a Democrat in his political views he is by no means an active politician. He is a member of the West Lutheran church, in the town of Pleasant Springs, and has always been active in church work. On June 21, 1880, he married Emma C. Larsen, whose parents. Andrew and Jeannette (Everson) Larsen, were na- tives of Christiana, Norway, but came to the United States in 1867 and settled at Stoughton, where the mother died in 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Felland have six children. Jeannette S. and Marie A. are now attending the Albion academy ; William A., Olaf E., Lydia A., and Clara G., are attending the home schools.
George H. Fett, secretary of the Menges Pharmacy company of Madison, and manager of the University avenue pharmacy of that firm, was born in Madison, February 23, 1876. He is a son of George and Katherine Fett, the former born in Prussia, November 5, 1839, and the latter in Alzey, Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, Au- gust 29, 1841. The father enlisted February 13, 1864. in Company C, Fourth United States Infantry. With his regiment he partici- pated in the engagements of the Wilderness, May 6 and 7, 1864, Spottsylvania Court-house, May 12 to 19, inclusive, North Anna . river, May 24, Harris Court-house, June 2. Cold Harbor, June 7, and Petersburg, June 17 to 20. The regiment was also present at Appomattox when Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered. Mr. Fett en- tered the service as a private, and when he was mustered out on February 13, 1867, had risen to the rank of corporal. George H. Fett received his preparatory education in the public schools of Madison. On September 13. 1891, he entered the drug business as an apprentice for Wilson & Fox, with whom he remained a year. He then became an employe of A. F. Menges, with whom he has. since remained. In 1893 he successfully passed the examination for assistant pharmacist given by the state board of pharmacy and three years later was given a certificate as pharmacist by the same board. In politics Mr. Fett belongs to the Republican party and
285
BIOGRAPHICAL.
his religious affiliations are with the German Methodist church. He is identified as a member of the Wisconsin Pharmaceutical Association ; Henry Harnden camp, Sons of Veterans; and Madi- son Lodge, No. 410, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is recognized as a young man of principle and character and one of the ablest of the younger generation of Madison busi- ness men.
Joseph F. Fiebiger owns and operates a large farm in Medina township. His father, Joseph Fiebiger, was a native of Bohemia and spent his life in Germany. Joseph Fiebiger. Sr., married Miss Francis Blaha, a native of Moravia. Joseph Fiebiger, Jr .. was born in Bohemia, September 14, 1846, spent his boyhood at the parental home but early decided to try his fortune in the west and came to America in 1867. His first home in America was in Jefferson county. Wisconsin, and he managed a hardware store in Jefferson, Jefferson county, for a period of fourteen years. He then located in Dane county and obtained one hundred and fifty-five acres of farm land which he improved and farmed and made his per- manent residence. On this property in Medina Mr. Fiebiger carries on a general farming business and raises a large amount of stock. He is a Democrat and much interested in local affairs, particularly those pertaining to schools. For six years he was a school director of the Medina free high school and was also for four years the town assessor. In 1872, he married Miss Johanna Hebl. who was born in Waterloo, Jefferson county, Wis .. August 3, 1854, and is a daughter of John Hebl, whose life appears elsewhere in this work. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fiebiger, all of whom received the benefit of education in the Medina free high school, whose interests their father had labored to promote. George John, the oldest, afterward studied medicine and is a prac- ticing physician of Waterloo, Wis. The younger children, Anna, Eddie, Elinor and Lydia, remain at home. Elinor and Lydia are students at the high school. The family are members of the Roman Catholic church of Waterloo.
William E. Fincher, a prosperous young farmer of Oregon, is a Pennsylvanian by birth. Both he and his parents, Joseph and Dorothy (Losh) Fincher, were natives of Lycoming county, Pa. His father and two brothers served in the Civil War; his father, who was a farmer and horse dealer, died when he was eight years old and his mother the following year. both in Pennsylvania, leav- ing a family of six children, Margaret, (Mrs. Waltz, deceased) ; Sarah, (Mrs. Day), of Pennsylvania ; Clara, (Mrs. Fry), of Will-
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.