History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 42

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

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tional training, while he continued to assist in the work of the home farm for a number of years, his parents continuing residents of Dane county until the close of their lives. From the beginning Mr. Hildreth has had to make his own opportunities, and ambition and self-reliance have been dominating characterics of the youth and the man. At the age of fourteeen years he had saved enough from his small earnings to enable him to enter Albion academy, where he remained as a student for one term. In the following year he was enrolled as a student in the University of Wisconsin, where he completed his education. At the time there were only three buildings on the grounds of what is now one of the greatest universities of the country, and he had a sleeping room in the old building which was then used as the library. Mr. Hildreth's first business venture of an important nature was to secure control of one of the best hotels in the city of Rochester, New York, and he owned and successfully conducted the same for a number of years. After disposing of the same he engaged in the laundry business in Utica, New York. He later closed out this business and returned to Wisconsin, purchasing the Indian Garden farm, his present place of residence. He gave his attention to the management of this farm until about 1880 when he leased the property to his tenants and returned to Rutland township, where he had previously pur- chased another valuable tract of land, upon which he took up his residence, leasing the major portion of the land to desirable tenants. On this place he continued to make his home for a score of years, at the expiration of which period he sold the property for a con- sideration of twelve thousand dollars and returned to his Indian Garden farm, in May, 1905. He here intends to make his per- manent residence and to develop the entire tract of one hundred and twenty-nine acres into a beautiful park .- making the same a pleasure resort for the citizens of Madison. The enterprise is a commendable one and the natural attractions of the place render it possible to develop a most beautiful summer resort. Mr. Hil- dreth is a stanch supporter of the Republican party and its cause and has always taken an active interest in public affairs, but has never sought or held office. He and his wife are members of the Seventh-day Adventist church. In association with one of his brothers he erected the Adventist church in Stoughton, and he has been a liberal supporter of the work of the church. locally and at large. He is the owner of fourteen city lots in South Madison, besides other property in the capital city, and he has extensive creamery interests in Dane county and other points in southern

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Wisconsin. He is a man of genial nature and has a host of loyal friends, while his generosity and kindliness are ever manifest in his intercourse with his fellow men. He has accumulated a com- petency, and he and his devoted wife are now living a life of gracious retirement, in the full enjoyment of the rewards of years of earnest endeavor. April 22, 1881, he was united in marriage to Miss Emma Wise, daughter of Solomon and Amanda (Unax) Wise, of Davis, Stephenson county, Illinois, no children having been born of the union.

Frederick G. Hill is one of the leading contractors and builders of the city of Stoughton and is one of the popular citizens and busi- ness men of the thriving second city of the county. He was born in Stoughton, October 10, 1858, and is a son of Joseph A. and Jane E. (Buckman) Hill. His father was born in England, whence he came to the United States about 1855, soon afterward taking up his resi- dence in Stoughton, where he followed the painter's trade for several years. At the time of the Civil War he tendered his services in de- fense of the Union, enlisting in Company A, Twenty-third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, in which he was promoted corporal. He died while in the service, having contracted disease which terminated fa- tally. His wife was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, being a daughter of Reuben Buckman, formerly of Ogdenburg, that state, and one of the worthy pioneers of Dane county. He reclaimed a good farm in Dunkirk township, where he resided until his death. Joseph A. and Jane E. Hill became the parents of two children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the elder; his sister, Emma G., is now the wife of James M. Clancy, of Stoughton. Mr. Hill was af- forded the advantages of the public schools of Stoughton, where he was reared to manhood. Here he served a thorough apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, becoming a skilled artisan in the same. For eight years he followed his trade as a journeyman, and in 1887 he engaged in business for himself, as a contractor and builder. He has gained an excellent reputation for high-grade and reliable work and has been very successful in his operations. He did the carpenter work for the Hyland building, the Scheldrup drug store, the Haus- man building, and the Methodist and Baptist churches in Stoughton, where also many of the handsome residences of the city stand in evi- dence of his skill. He also erected a number of the best cottages on Lake Kegonsa. Mr. Hill is a staunch advocate of the cause of the prohibition party, fraternally is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, in whose work they take an active in-

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terest. October 19, 1883, Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Miss Cora L. Lombard, daughter of Ford Lombard of Pulaski, New York. They have no children.

Ole O. Hill is a pioneer resident of Perry township, where he came with his father in 1848 and has been engaged in farming ever since he finished attending school. Ole Boken and Anna (Bergum) Boken, his parents, were natives of Norway, married there and came to America with their little family when Ole O. was but five years old. Mr. Boken served in the Norwegian army for several years but in America turned his attention at once to farming. He purchased forty acres in the town of Perry, cleared and improved it and from time to time, added to it until he owned two hundred acres of improved land, well equipped with comfortable buildings." Mr. Boken died in 1878 and his wife in 1896. Ole O. is their oldest son and there are three other members of the family living; Therman O. resides in Trem- peleau county, Wis .; Mary is Mrs. Slotten of Trempeleau county ; Astrea is Mrs. Helgeson. Ole O. was born in Valdras, Norway, September 23, 1843, attended the Dahleville district school and as- sisted his parents on their farm until he was twenty-five years old. At this time he purchased eighty acres of unimproved property and began to work upon it, adding to it from time to time. He now owns a fine farm of two hundred forty acres all of which he has improved and equipped by his own unaided efforts and upon which he carries on an extensive general farming business. In March, 1868, Mr. Hill married Miss Astrea Jelly, born in the town of Blue Mounds, February 26, 1851, daughter of Ole and Maria (Severude) Jelly. Six children blessed the marriage; Anna, Maria, Lena, (Mrs. Edward Goli of Dahleville), Alma, Otto C. and Elmer. Mrs. Hill has one younger sister Anna, who resides in Dahleville and two younger brothers, Knudt, who lives in Blue Mounds and Ole, who farms the old homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Hill have lived in Dane county since the early days and have materially aided in the progress of the community. They are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Hill is affiliated with the Republican party but has never devoted much time to practical politics.

Joseph W. Hobbins, president and cashier of the Capital City bank of Madison, was born in Birmingham, England, on July 23, 1848. He is a son of William and Fannie Hobbins, both natives of England. On December 10, 1875, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary N. Mears, daughter of James R. and Lois C. Mears of Madson. To this union have been born eight children,, as fol-

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lows: William J .. Lois F., Joseph N., Harry M., Mary K., James R., Fannie and Grace.

Martin Hobbs, one of the old settlers of Dane, was born in Ire- land, November 11, 1837. His parents, Michael and Katharine (Fein- erty) Hobbs, natives of Ireland, were farmers in their native land where they lived and died. They had a family of two sons and six daughters, all of whom are living. One son and three daughters re- mained in Ireland; the other son, the subject of this sketch, and two daughters are living in this country. All of them received their edu- cation in their native land, and Martin was twenty-five years of age when he left his home to seek his fortune in a ne wcountry. He came to Washington county, Wis., when he first arrived in the United States, lived there for a few months and then moved to Waukesha county where he remained four years. Later, about 1866, he came to Dane and settled in Oregon township; after a stay of two years he went to the town of Primrose, which was his home for thirty years. His last move was to return to Oregon, in which town he owns an im- proved farm of two hundred acres. Mr. Hobbs has taken his share of responsibilities in public affairs having served as chairman of the town board and as school treasurer, and as supervisors of Primrose for seven years. His party politics are Democratic, and his church connections are with the Catholic church of Oregon. Miss Mary Cullen, daughter of Daniel and Ann Cullen of Fitchburg, became his wife February 27. 1867. They were also natives of Ireland, Mrs. Hobbs coming to the United States with her parents when she was two years old; Mr. and Mrs. Cullen settled in Dane, town of Fitchburg, in 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Hobbs have nine children, all born in Dane county and all living .- Michael, of Oregon village ; Daniel of Oregon township ; Margaret, at home ; Catherine, a steno- grapher, Mary a book-keeper, Bezie, with Electric Company of Madison as stenographer and book-keeper; Agnes, Thomas and Ambrose, at home on the farm. All were educated in the schools of Primrose township and of the village of Oregon.

William Hoberland, one of the successful German farmers of the town of Middleton, was born in Hanover, Luneburg, Germany, De- cember 22, 1847. His parents, George and Elizabeth (Flucher) Hoberland, were natives of Hanover, where the father was a laborer. In 1871, after the family was grown up, George Hober- land and his wife came to America and located in Middleton. They were devout members of the Lutheran church. William Hoberland, the subject of this sketch, was the second of four chil- dren, the others being Dora, widow of John Sander of Madison ;

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John, a farmer in Verona, and Henry, a carpenter in Middleton. The parents died in Middleton not many years ago. William re- ceived his education at the common schools of Hanover and at the age of fourteen went to work on a farm. For six years he remained in that work, and then came to the United States. Houston county, Minn., was the scene of his labors for the first two years of his life in this country, after which he drifted to Middleton, where he farmed on a rented farm for four years. At the end of that time an opportunity was offered to buy one hundred and twenty-four acres of partly improved land at the head of Lake Mendota, and Mr. Hoberland took it. He lived there for thirteen years and then sold it to buy the farm where he now lives, a part of section 28, town of Middleton. When the place first came into Mr. Hoberland's hands it was entirely unimproved. In 1898 he built the house and in 1903 the barn was erected. Though an active Republican the only office he has ever held was as a mem- ber of the school board for two years. He is a believer in the Lutheran faith, and worships with the congregation of that de- nomination at Middleton. On October 6, 1875, he married Mary, daughter of James and Charlotte (Windt) Koepcke. Mr. and Mrs. Koepcke came to America from Mecklenburg, Germany, in 1853, living at different times in the towns of Madison, Pheasant Branch, Springfield and in Middleton, where Mrs. Koepcke has con- tinued to reside since her husband's death a few years ago. To William and Mary Hoberland have been borne two sons, Augustave and John, both living at home. Both sons received all the educa- tional advantages that the schools of the vicinity offered. William Hoberland is distinctively a self-made man. He started life with no other capital than ambition and energy and today is one of the most prosperous farmers in the community.

John Hoepker is an old resident of Dane county and one of its well-known farmers. He came from Germany in 1847 with his par- ents, Mink and Catherine Hoepker, and lived upon a farm in the town of Madison. Mink Hoepker died the same year of his arrival in Dane county and his son John cared for the widowed mother, who lived until 1882. John is the only living child of Mr. and Mrs. Mink Hoep- ker and was born November 12, 1830, in Germany, where he attended school until the age of seventeen when he came to the United States with his parents. After a few years on the farm in Madison township he went to Blooming Grove and in 1867, purchased a farm of two hundred and forty acres in the town of Burke, which is his present home. All of the improvements upon the property have been made

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by Mr. Hoepker and he has been obliged to rebuild both house and barn after their destruction by fire. He raises a good deal of stock, particularly Poland China hogs and short-horned cattle and carried on for years an extensive farming business, which is now managed by his two youngest sons, Walter and Frank. December 13, 1856, Mr. Hoepker married Miss Angeline Scheible, who was born in Witten- burg, Germany, in 1840, daughter of George and Christian Scheible, who were natives of Germany and came to Madison,in 1853 and after- ward lived in Burke. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hoep- ker; Margaret, the oldest, is the wife of Vernard Vahlen; Mary is Mrs. George Wolf; Christina is Mrs. William Hessing; Henry and Alfred are farmers ; George, Emma and Charles are deceased ; Walter and Frank manage the home farm for their father. The family be- long to the Lutheran church. Mr. Hoepker is a Democrat in his political affiliations.

Peter Eric Hoveland, who died on his fine homestead farm, in section 32 Cottage Grove township, December 2, 1904, was a sterling type of that sturdy element which has contributed so materially to the development and material prosperity of Dane county and the state of Wisconsin at large. He and his estimable wife came to America without financial means and worked together, frugal, industrious and economical, until they had gained a position of independence and pros- perity. He was born in Norway, November 3, 1839, and was a son of Eric Oleson and Gro (Nelson) Hoveland, both of whom passed their entire lives in Norway. He was reared to maturity in his native land, where he received a common school education and where he was iden- tified with agricultural pursuits up to the time of his immigration to America. He was married in 1867 and shortly afterward set forth with his young wife to establish a home in the United States. They came at once to Wisconsin and located on the farm which is now the home of Mrs. Hoveland. About a year after their arrival, however, they left this homestead and went to what is now the state of Southi Dakota, where Mr. Hoveland continued to be engaged in farming for the ensuing fourteen years, becoming the owner of a valuable property in that section. At the expiration of the interval noted he disposed of his Dakota farm and returned to the original homestead in Cottage Grove in township, Dane county, Wisconsin, where he passed the re- mainder of his life. The homestead comprises forty acres of fine land and is maintained under a high state of cultivation, while the permanent improvements are of substantial order. Mr. Hoveland commanded tho high regard of all who knew him. He was a Repub-

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lican in politics, and was a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church, as is also his widow, who still resides on the home farm, which is now operated by his only son. On Christmas day of the year 1867 Mr. Hoveland was united in marriage to Miss Martha Johnson Offerdahl, who was born in Norway, September 25, 1843, a daughter of John Christopherson and Ellen (Offenson) Offerdahl, who remained resident of Norway until their death. Mr. and Mrs. Hoveland became the parents of nine children, whose names, with respective dates of birth, are as follows: Lena, March 4, 1869; Julia, July 7, 1872; Eric Gustave, October 24, 1875; Rachel, July 14, 1876; Julia, July 12, 1877; Lena, October 12,1879; Olans, September 6, 1880; Caroline, June 17, 1882; and Nellie, October 28, 1885. Of the children only three are living: Eric G., who has charge of the home farm; Julia, who is a trained nurse and employed in the Madison sanitarium; and Caroline, who is the wife of Otto Niemann, of the firm of Fischer & Niemann, dealers in wood, coal, etc., in the city of Madison.

John Hoeveler is now living in comfortable retirement in the city of Madison after long years of activity in mercantile affairs, in which he met with a reasonable degree of success and also maintained the high regard of his associates and competitors. He was born at Col- ogne, Germany, on April 28, 1835, his parents Valner and Agnes Hoeveler-having been life-long residents of the same country. Our subject received his education in the excellent schools of the Fatherland. When he was but twelve years of age his mother died, and six years later he started for an independent career in the land of more favorable opportunities. He landed in New York and remained in that city about eight months, then continued his journey westward to Wisconsin. In Janesville he secured employment in a furniture store and continued so engaged for four years, at the end of which time he came to Madison and started in business as a partner in the firm of Daubner & Christofferson. He was a member of this firm for thirty-three years and three months, Mr. Christofferson dying seven years prior to the dissolution of the partnership. Our subject then sold the establishment to his son, who still continues the busi- ness on Main Street. During the years from 1863 to 1865 he con- ducted a grocery store at Pheasant Branch, but at the same time re- taining his relations with the furniture esablishment. Mr. Hoeveler made all of the desks now used in the Assembly chamber in the state capitol. In 1885 he made an extended visit to the Fatherland. When he first came to Madison, in 1858, he purchased the lot where his residence now stands in the city and paid for the same $150. Some

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idea will be given of the increase in the value of real estate in Madi- son when the fact is stated that the same lot is now valued at $150 per front foot. During the years of our subject's prosperity in business he bought a lot and built a home thereon for his wife's parents in Richland Center, Wis. He was married in April, 1857, to Miss Agnes Kirch, who was also a native of Germany, born in February, 1835, daughter of Peter Kirch and wife. To this union fourteen chil- dren were born, the names and other facts concerning whom are given as follows: Mary Elizabeth married Jacob Kehrein and resides in Milwaukee; John P. married Anna Weyman and resides in the city of Madison; Charles is deceased; Theodore married Julia Stoeviken and resides in Madison; Barbara married Professor Kehl and re- sides in Madison; Wilhelmina married Jacob Buellesbach and resides in Madison; Christina resides with her father: Martha married Leo Sachs and resides in Madison; Anna Frances married Frank Kemp and resides in Beloit, Wis .; Agnes is deceased ; Frances resides with her father; Theresa married Edward A. Iverson and resides in Chicago; Catherine married Edward Argost and resides in Illinois; and two children died in infancy. The mother died May 17, 1905. Mr. Hoeveler gives an unswerving allegiance to the tenets of the Democratic party, and his religious faith is expressed by membership in the Roman Catholic church. He has been a member in good stand- ing of the St. Michael's Society for the past forty years. '

Theodore Hoeveler, who conducts the furniture and upholstery establishment at 115 West Main street, and an undertaking estab- lishment at 137 West Johnson street, which concern is the oldest of the kind in Madison, was born in Dane county, May 16, 1865. His parents were John and Agnes (Kirch) Hoeveler, both natives of Cologne, German Prussia. He received his preparatory edu- cation in the Madison schools and at the age of fourteen years went to work for his father in the furniture business as a finisher. After two years his father took him to Milwaukee to learn the trade of upholsterer. Two years more of his life were spent in the Cream City, and his apprenticeship was completed in Chicago, where he was employed by the Pullman Palace Car Company for a portion of a year. He then returned to Madison and entered the North- western business college, graduating in 1884. Upon the comple- tion of his commercial course he worked as an upholsterer in St Paul, Minneapolis. St. Louis and New York, and in 1885 established an upholstery store on Wabash avenue in Chicago which he con- ducted for six years. Mr. Hoeveler then returned to Madison and opened a store on Carroll street and in 1901 bought out his father's

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business. The firm name was "H. Christophers & Company" and later "Hoeveler & Barckhan" but since 1903 Mr. Hoeveler has been conducting the business alone. He has an excellent stock of goods, filling all four stories of the commodious building on West Main street which he owns. The undertaking department is situated in the new brick building on Johnson street which he has leased. He has been granted a license as an undertaker and embalmer by the state board of health and his business in that line is constantly in- creasing. On June 2, 1891, he was united in marriage in Milwau- kee to Miss Julia Stoeveken, a resident of that city although a na- tive of Minnesota. Her parents are Anton and Louise (Munch- rath) Stoeveken. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoeveler have been born two children-Louise and Theodore Anthony. The family are com- municants of the Holy Redeemer Catholic church. Mr. Hoeveler is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Modern Woodmen of America and St. Michael's Benevolent Society. Of sound busi- ness sense and genial manner a brilliant future is predicted for him by all with whom he comes in contact.

August Hoffman, deceased, for many years a farmer in the town of Primrose, was born in Switzerland cn Christmas day, 1830. With his wife, also a native of Switzerland, he came to the United States in the fall of 1881 and settled on a farm in the town of Primrose. The place comprised some eighty acres of ground, wholly unimproved when he purchased it, which he cleared and improved. It was on this farm that Mrs. Hoffman died two years after her arrival in this country, and her husband was still active in its management when he succumbed in 1902. The place then reverted to a son, Henry Hoff- man and a daughter, Elizabeth Hoffman. Henry was born in Switz- erland, January 14, 1859, and preceded his family to this country some four years. Since the father's death Henry and his sister Elizabeth have made the old homestead their residence and have earned a livelihood from it. Politically Henry is independent, casting his vote as his con- science and judgment dictate. His religious affiliations are with the Reformed church. He has turned his special attention in farming to dairying and is making a great success of it. The only other child of August Hoffman, Mary, makes her home in New Glarus, Wis.

William Hoffman, proprietor of the grain and flour mill at Mid- dleton, is a native of Germany. His parents, Godfried and Chris- tina Hoffman were born in Bavaria and there spent their lives farming. Two of their sons, Theobald, who is a farmer in Arkan- sas, and William came to America; the other three children, Mary, Frederick and Jacob, remained in Bavaria. William, who was the

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third child, was born at Hexiheim, November 1, 1847, educated in the common schools and lived with his parents until he had attained the age of seventeen years, when he determined to go to America. For two years and a half he worked in a brewery at Manetta, Lan- caster county, Pa., and then journeyed to Madison, Wis., where he worked one year. For the next three years Mr. Hoffman found em- ployment at the Pheasant Branch brewery and then located at Middleton, where he opened a hotel, which he managed suc- cessfully for seventeen years. In 1889, he built a grain and flour mill which was destroyed by the fire in 1900. The same year it was rebuilt and in it Mr. Hoffman carries on a general custom business, shipping to Madison, Pheasant Branch, Pine Bluff, Springfield and other villages in the vicinity. Mr. Hoffman is a Democrat but has never aspired to office, his time completely occu -- pied by his business. In October, 1868, he was married to Miss Catherine Hoffman, daughter of William and Lena Hoffman of Bavaria, Germany. Their family consists of five children, all of whom have attended the Middleton schools. The oldest daughter, Lena, is the wife of Henry Niebold of Middleton. William, the second child, is a butcher of Middleton, and Emma, John and AI- bert still live at the parental home. The family are supporters of the German Lutheran church as were their ancestors in Germany. Mr. Hoffman is a member of the Middleton branch of the I. O. O. F.

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History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 42

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