USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 44
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John N. Holverson, a well-known harness-maker of Rockdale, a native of Dane county, is of Norwegian parentage. His father, Nels Holverson, was born and educated in Norway and there married Ingebar Oney. Mr. Nels Holverson learned the harness maker's trade in Norway but when he came to Wisconsin in 1849, he ob- tained a farm at Albion and cleared and improved it. In 1856 the farm was sold and the family moved to Oakland, where they pur-
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chased another farm property. In 1861 Mr. Holverson enlisted as a private in Company H of the Fifteenth Wisconsin Infantry and remained in the service for two years. Upon his return he located in Rockdale where he resided seven years after which he lived at . Busseville until his death in 1890. Mrs. Holverson died in 1895. Their family numbered seven sons and daughters. Kate, the oldest daughter, is the widow of Lars Johnson. John N. is the subject of this sketch. Annie is Mrs. Russell of Liberty, N. D. Peter is a farmer of Rock county, Wis. Lena is Mrs. William Henph of Sumner, Wis. Mary married Mr. Cole of Fort Atkinson, a hard- ware dealer. Amelia is the wife of Frank Barston a farmer of Al- bion. John N. was born at Albion, January 3, 1851, attended the school of the district for a few years and began to work out when he was ten years old. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed to B. L. Nelson, a harness maker of Rockdale and remained with him for seven years. The next three years he spent at Spring Grove, Minn., and upon his return to Rockdale he opened an establish- ment for the making and repairing of harnesses, which is his pres- ent business. In 1891 he purchased a farm of eighty acres known as the I. C. Yager farm, which is managed by his son-in-law, Olat Haren. Mr. Holverson is a Democrat in his political affiliations but does not desire office. April 28, 1874, he married Miss Serena Tellefson, daughter of Chester Tellefson and Haga (Asmonson) Tellefson of Rockdale and sister of Charles and Theo. Tellefson. Two children blessed the union; Nora who is the wife of Olat Haren and lives on her father's farm in section 24, in the town of Christiania, and Christian, who lives with his parents. The family are members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.
Samuel Holverson, who has dealt in leaf tobacco at Stoughton for a number of years, is a native of Dane county. His parents, Gulbrand and Martha Holverson, were born, educated and married in Norway and embarked for the United States in 1852. For the first two years they made their home at Cottage Grove and in 1854 purchased a farm of seventy-six acres in the town of Dunn, sections 11 and 14. This was the permanent home of Mr. and Mrs. Hol- verson and here their children were born. Twelve children came to them, of whom three died in infancy and of the others Halvor, Carrie, Christiana, Lena, and John are deceased ; Gulbrand G. is the oldest living son ; Ida is the widow of John Lillesand; Anna is the widow of Peter Daley; Samuel M., was born in Dunn township, June 30, 1867, attended the district schools and in 1885 opened a grocery store in Stoughton. After three years he sold his business
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and was employed by Johnson and Melaas as manager of the Chi- cago Fair store. He was later employed by the same firm as sales- man in a general store and at the same time dealt in leaf tobacco. Since 1901 he has been a member of the firm of Holverson and Bit- ter, dealers in leaf tobacco and since 1904 has also dealt in real es- tate independently. Mr. Holverson is a member of the Independ- ent Order of Foresters. He is an independent voter, not allied with any political party and is active in municipal politics, having repre- sented the second ward in the city council of Stoughton for two years and having recently been appointed supervisor to fill a vacancy and in the spring of 1906 elected for the full term of two years. January 7, 1891, he married Miss Helen Holtan, daughter of Halvor and Ingebor (Olson) Holtan, who were natives of Nor- way and pioneers of the town of Albion. Three children have blessed the marriage; Inez (deceased), Hiram Silas and Mabel Hazel. The family is prominent in the Christ Norwegian church of Stoughton.
John L. Holz owns and manages the farm in the town of Perry which was the original home of his parents in Wisconsin. He is the son of Vincent and Mary E. (Bientz) Holz, the former a native of Baden, Germany, and the latter of Pennsylvania. Vincent Holz was educated in Germany, served three years in the German army and came to the United States in 1854. The first year he worked out and then decided to locate permanently in the town of Perry, where he purchased a farm of one hundred and forty acres. This was his home until his death in 1890 and he made many improve- ments, which were afterward continued by his sons. John L. was born on the farm in Perry, March 5, 1874, attended the nearest dis- trict school and also the Madison Business College. When he reached the age of twenty-one he purchased the interest of his brothers and sisters in the farm and took charge of it. His mother remained with him after the death of her husband, Vincent Holz, and still makes her home on the farm with John L. who has not married. In 1900 he sold forty acres and changed his residence upon the property to the other remaining one hundred acres. Mr. Holz is a progressive and energetic young farmer and has added much of the value of the property by his careful and wise manage- ment. He is one of a family of nine children. Caroline, the oldest daughter, married Edward Post of Madison. Anna married Alois Haack of Pine Bluff, Wis. Katie married Andrew Wunderl of Madison. Vincent resides in Washington. Lena married Michael Angenir of Washington. Joseph lives in the town of Perry. Mar-
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garet, deceased. married Sabbas Brunner of Washington. Barbara, deceased, married William Dorn of Iowa county, Wis. John L. is the youngest son. Mr. Holz is a member of the German Catholic church and is a Democrat in his political affiliations.
Frederick Homburg is the owner of a fine farm of eighty acres, most eligibly located in section 18, Cottage Grove township, and he is one of the sterling pioneer citizens of Dane county, where he has gained independence and prosperity through well directed effort in . connection with the great basic industry of agriculture. He is a native of Germany, where he was born August 10, 1830, being a son of Henry and Anna Maria (Langer) Homburg, who passed their en- tire lives in the fatherland. Frederick was reared to manhood in his native land, being afforded the advantages of the excellent schools and serving three years in the German army according to laws of the empire. He immigrated to America in 1865 and made his way to the state of Wisconsin, becoming one of the pioneers of Dane county, where he has been continuously engaged in farming, having assiste:1 in reclaiming much of his land from the forest wilds and now having one of the valuable places of his township. He accumulated an estate of one hundred and twenty acres, which he has deeded to his son, retaining but a small cottage and the land it stands on adjoining the farm of his son Charles, and here he expects to pass the remain- der of his days. He is in excellent health and well preserved, but after bearing the "heat and burden of the day" and gathered in the goodly harvest of earnest endeavor, he feels entitled to rest from his labors and is now living practically retired. He is a man of the highest principle, generous and tolerant in his judgment of others and ever ready to aid in good works. His political support is given to the Democratic party, and both he and his wife are zealous members of the German Lutheran church. Mr. Homburg has been twice married, his first union having been solemnized in Germany, and two children representing the offspring of this marriage,-Henry, and Frederick, Jr. After the death of his first wife Mr. Homburg married Miss · Anna Maria Rothe, who was born in Germany, in December, 1830. and they have three children: Edward, born February 18. 1866; Maria Louisa, March 8, 1870, and Charles Henry Frederick, May 19, 1872.
Harmon H. Hoover, a prominent farmer of the town of Dunkirk, Dane county, is the son of Zenos and Lavina (Graves) Hoover and grandson of John Hoover, who was born in Virginia, of German parentage, and resided for some years in Licking county, Ohio. John 28-iii
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Hoover was the pioneer of the family in Dane county. He married Mary Baker, a native of Maryland. Their son, Zenos Hoover, was born in Virginia, lived for a time in Licking county, Ohio, and mar- ried Lavina Graves, daughter of Claudius and Electa (Evert) Graves, pioneers of Licking county, and was one of the earliest set- tlers of Waushara county, Wis. In 1856 he moved to the town of Blooming Grove, Dane county, and resided there until 1869, when he returned to Licking county, Ohio. In 1870 the family came again to Wisconsin and purchased a farm of one hundred and fifty-six acres in Dunkirk township which has ever since been owned by the family. Mr. Hoover died in 1891. Two sons survived him; Har- mon H. and Curtis, who lives in the town of Rutland. Harmon H. was born in Hartford, Licking county, Ohio, July 24, 1850, attended the district schools in Blooming Grove and assisted his father in farming. This he has always made his occupation and since the family came to Dunkirk in 1870 he has worked upon the homestead, one
hundred and thirty-five acres of which he now owns. He carries on a general farming business and raises considerable tobacco. January 21, 1874, he married Miss lda Gregory, daughter of New- ton and Johanna S. (Angel) Gregory of Stoughton and three chil- dren were born to the marriage; Ellsworth, Leslie and Ninan. Mr. Hoover is identified with the Republican party but is not an active politician or office-seeker. He is a member of the F. and A. M.
S. J. Hopkins, postmaster and general merchant of Paoli, was born in Center, Rock county, January 8, 1861. His father was James Hopkins, born March 12, 1827, and who came with his parents, John and Sarah (Green) Hopkins, to Toronto, Canada, in 1834. In 1848 they came to Wisconsin, and settled in Center township, Rock county, on sections 3 and 10. Mr. and Mrs John Hopkins both died there and are buried in the Ball Tavern cemetery. Mr. James Hopkins married Miss Elizabeth Adee, a native of Delaware county, N. Y., and the sub- ject of this sketch is the youngest of their three children; the others are one brother, John R. and a sister, Amanda E. who married E. L. Ste- vens, of Woonsocket, S. D. Mr. James Hopkins made farming the chief occupation of his life, although he was engaged in the importa- tion of horses. He retired in 1904 and lives in the village of Foot- ville, Rock county. Mr. S. J. Hopkins spent his boyhood in the man- ne: usual to the farmer's son, dividing his time between work on the farm and attendance at the district school, remain'ng on the home- stcad until 1897, when he came to Paoli and engaged in general mer- chantile business, carrying a full line of the staple goods, such as is found in a general store. May 1, 1896, he was appointed post-master
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of the village of Paoli, and still occupies that position, serving his second term. Mr. Hopkins was twice married; on May 18, 1891, to Miss Amanda V. Austin, of Cannonsville, Delaware county, N. Y., a native of Green county, Wis. They had one child, Leah Pearl. On January 12, 1897, Mr. Hopkins contracted a second marriage with Miss Anna Minch, daughter of Frank Minch, of Montrose township. They have one daughter, Viola Elizabeth Barbara. Mr. Hopkins is a mem- ber of the Masonic lodge, the Modern Woodmen and the Royal Neigh- bors.
Henry C. Horstmeyer, the well known and prosperous plumber and gas-fitter of Madison, was born in Dane county on September 20, 1874. He is a son of C. A. and Minnie (Luckensmeyer) Horstmeyer, the former a native of Germany, the latter of Dane county. The father is a retired carpenter, who now makes his home in Madison. When seventeen years of age the father came to the United States and located in Madison where he was married. About 1878 the family removed to Sheffield, Iowa, where for thirteen years the father worked as both farmer and carpenter. He is now fifty-six years of age and his wife fifty-three. Both are members of the Evangelical church. Of their five children, Charles, the eldest, died at the age of thirteen ; Henry C., the subject of this sketch, is a plumber in Madison ; William A. is a barber in the capital city ; Edward A., a jeweler, makes his home in St. Louis; Lillie makes her home with her parents. Henry C. Horstmeyer was educated in the country schools of Iowa. Upon the completion of his scholastic work he learned the trade of plumber and has worked at it continuously since. His start was with Edward C. Mason. It was not until 1903 that he entered the com- mercial world "on his own hook." For nearly three years he had a partner, the firm name being Horstmeyer & Ottow, but recently Mr. Horstmeyer purchased his partner's interest and since February 14, 1906, has been conducting the business alone. His establishment is at 123 South Webster street. His yearly increase of business is ample evidence of the fine quality of the workmanship. On June 7, 1900, he married Miss Marie Weseloh, a daughter of John Weseloh, a Sauk county farmer and a Wisconsin pioneer. This union has been blessed with three children,-Hazel Ethel, Harold Frederick and Ed- ward William. The family religious connections are with the Evan- gelical association, although Mrs. Horstmeyer is a member of the Luth- eran church. Mr. Horstmeyer is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Fraternal Aid Society. Gen al, courteous and strictly honest. he is a man with whom it is a pleasure to have dealings, commercially or otherwise.
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William T. Howery, who is engaged in the restaurant, cigar, tobacco and confectionary busness at Blue Mounds, is a native of Virginia and was born in Montgomery county, that state, April 18, 1841. He is a son of James and Margaret (Hidenrich) Howery, both of the parents having also been born in the'"Old Dominion" and of old Virginia stock. The family came to Wisconsin in 1846, when the subject of this review was but five years old, making the journey to the Ohio river by team and then by steamboat to Galena, Ill. The father had been a blacksmith in early life but later turned his attention to farming, and he brought a team of horses with him to his new home in the Badger state. A good portion of this section was at that time occupied by Indians. The father established a home for his family in what is now the town of Cross Plains, Dane county, where the mother died on August 18, 1856, and a few years later sold out and removed to Marion county, Iowa, where he passed away on September 18, 1874. The sub- ject of this review is one of nine children that were born to these parents, three of whom are deceased, and the names of those living are as follows: William T. is the eldest ; Charles resides near Cres- ton, Neb .; James is a resident of Barron county, Wis .; John re- sides in Dodgeville, Wis .; Josephine resides in Nebraska, and Alvin B. in Madison county of the same state. The subject of this review was educated in the district schools and began his early manhood by working on the farm. He had not as yet inaugurated an independent career when the tocsin of war was sounded and he responded to the call for aid in the defense of the national government. August 18, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Com- pany K of the Thirty-third Wisconsin infantry and served with that command until August 9, 1865, when, peace having been re- stored, he was mustered out with the regiment. During his term of service he participated throughout the entire siege of Vicksburg, taking position at the extreme left of the investing line on May 25, and the regiment occupied that position until the surrender of the city on July 4. On the night of June 4 an attack was made by Companies C and K. supported by an Iowa company, on the enemy's rifle pits, and with an impetuous charge they carried the pits and the enemy fled into his main works. After the surrender, Mr. Howery took part with his regiment in the second attack on Jackson, Miss., and in December, 1864, he participated in the battle of Nashville, Tenn. He was in several lesser engagements and skirmishes, but was on detached service a good portion of the time, serving as wagon master. He was at Montgomery, Ala., when the
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news came of the surrender of Lee, and after being mustered out at Vicksburg on August 9, the regiment embarked for home, reach- ing Madison on August 14, where the men were soon after paid off and formally disbanded, the date of the latter event being August 31, 1865. Mr. Howery then returned to the town of Cross Plains and followed farming there one year, after which he removed to southern Iowa, where he remained until 1877, engaged for the greater part of the time in the same occupation. He then returned to Wisconsin and followed farming at Arena, in Iowa county, one year, and then to the town of Vermont, in Dane county, where he farmed for the same length of time. He conducted a blacksmith shop for another year and then returned to Iowa county, where he worked four years in Sonsetebo's mill. He then removed to Blue Mounds, where he followed teaming for three years, after which he was in the star route mail service from Blue Mounds to Moscow, five years. His next occupation was farming, which he followed five years, succeeded by one year in the livery business, and he then engaged in his present business, which he has followed con- tinuously since. Mr. Howery was married on April 3, 1862, to Miss Susan Campbell, of Dane county, and to this union there were born ten children : Margaret married Conrad Sweeney and lives in Blue Mounds; Ada married James Howery and resides in' Dane county ; Lillie married Jerry Monihan and resides in Depew, Ill .; Laura married Henry Thompson and resides in Beloit, Wis .; Josephine married William Scott and lives in Shellsburg, Grant county ; Elmer resides at Depew, Ill .; William at Larimore, N. D .; Charles at Depew. Ill., and Ervin at Blue Mounds, Wis. Mrs. Howery died on February 18, 1895, and our subject married, for his second wife, Mary A. Collins. Mr. Howery is a member of Ren. Dickinson Post No. 191, G. A. R. at Mt. Horeb.
Rev. Helge Hoverstad, pastor of the Perry district of the Nor- wegian Lutheran church, which includes the Perry, West Blue Mounds and York churches, was born in Vang, Valdres, Norway, March 15, 1870. He is a son of Torgeir and Gjertrud (Leine) Hoverstad, the former born in Valdres, October 4, 1834, and the latter on December 19, 1843. The family is one of great renown and respect in the old country, several members of it having performed notable services in both the church and state. One of the ancestors was an influential and active member of the constitutional congress of 1814. while another was a special commissioner to England during the same critical period of the country's history. His mother is still living on the farm "Hoverstad" in Norway, where for several generations the
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family has made its home. At the age of eleven years Rev. Mr. Hoverstad was graduated from the public school, and three years later from high school taking first honors in his class. Three years later he entered the Hamar seminary and was graduated with a cer- tificate as a teacher. After following that vocation for some three years he came, in 1892, to America. A year later he began to study theology and in 1896 was graduated from the seminary of the United Norwegian Lutheran church. For a time he filled a pulpit at Sioux City, Ia., and again spent a year in study, taking advanced work at the Chicago Lutheran seminary. Upon the completion of his scho- lastic work he received a call to Elliott, Ill., where he remained for seven years as pastor. In 1904 he assumed his present charge. As a pastor he has proven a great success and is highly popular with the members of his various congregations. As a pulpit orator it would be difficult to find his equal. He is a clear, logical thinker whose sermons have the ring of sincerity and power. During his collegiate career he "worked his way" and his pertinacity in his efforts to ob- tain an education has stamped him as a man of character. Rev. Mr. Höverstad is a member of the board of directors for foreign missions of the United Lutheran church.
Charles Henry Hoyt. One of the many fine landed estates which attract the attention of even the casual visitor within the township of Blooming Grove is that owned by Mr. Hoyt, who is now living prac- tically retired on his farm, where he has a beautiful modern residence, about six miles distant from the capital city of the state. Mr. Hoyt was born in the town of Schaghticoke, Rensselaer county, New York, April 14, 1842, and in the same county were born his parents, Henry Wiley and Susan (Van Anden) Hoyt, who passed their entire lives in the old Empire state, the father having been a valiant soldier in the war of 1812. Mr. Hoyt was afforded the advantages of the excellent common schools of Rushville, Yates county, New York, and he early initiated his experience in connection with practical business affairs. When a mere boy he secured employment in the drug store conducted by his brother-in-law, at Clyde, Wayne county, New York, remain- ing thus engaged for a period of four years and acquiring a good knowledge of the business in the meantime. Thereafter he was for seven years employed in the drug establishment of A. M. Clark, in Canandaigua, New York. He then removed to the city of Roches- ter, where he was employed as a salesman and pharmacist in the drug establishment of W. P. Crandall for nine years. The close confine- ment and long hours made serious inroads on his health and he was constrained to seek other occupation. Accordingly in 1879, he came
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to Dane county, Wisconsin, and located on his present fine farm, which has ever since been his home and which he made one of the most prolific and valuable places in the beautiful lake district in which nestles Wisconsin's capital city. He has two hundred acres of land. and the same is rented to good tenants, though he still resides on the homestead and maintains a general supervision of the operation of his fine estate. Mr. Hoyt is a stanch supporter of the Republican party and takes a loyal interest in public affairs in his county. On Septem- ber 25, 1879, he was united in marriage to Miss Marian A. Nichols, a daughter of George M. and Phyantha (Rowley) Nichols, of Monroe county, New York. They have no children. Mrs. Hoyt is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Orville Hubbard, a retired resident of Mazomanie, was born at Burlington Flats, Otsego county, N. Y., July 22, 1833. He is a son of Elijah and Phoebe (Fish) Hubbard, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Otsego county, N. Y. They were married in New York and in 1838 removed to Medina county, Ohio, where they lived until 1844, when they came to Wisconsin, set- tling first at Waukesha, but six years later removed to Dane county. Here the father got one hundred and sixty acres of gov- ernment land, located in what is now the town of Black Earth, though at that tme in the town of Mazomanie. After improving the place and farming on it for fifteen years he rented it out and removed to Mazomanie, where he died. The mother died in Rich- land county. He was a Republcan in his political affiliations and both parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their seven children five are still living. Orville Hubbard lived with his parents until he was about twenty years of age, when he began farming for himself. In August, 1864, he enlisted as a pri- vate in Company M. First Wisconsin heavy artillery, and served until July 14, 1865, when he was mustered out and honorably dis- charged from the service. His regiment was in no engagements during that period, being assigned to duty with the Twenty-third army corps and stationed at Washington, D. C., to guard the national capital. After the war he worked for fifteen years at the cooper's trade, and was then in Thompson's mill at Mazomanie for four years. Since then he has lived retired. He has been twice married. His first wife was Cecelia Huntington, a native of Eng- land. This marriage was in 1857 and was blessed by four children. Frank is a farmer near Green Bay, Wis .; Addie is the wife of Henry Lathrop; Clark is the railroad agent at Prairie du Sac; and Irvin lives at Belvidere. In July, 1891, Mr. Hubbard married Mrs.
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Hulda Swengen, widow of William Swengen and daughter of D. W. and Nancy (Cable) Black. Her children are Annie, Elsie, Cora, Lela and William. Annie and Cora. are in Monroe, Wis., Lela is attending an art school in Chicago, and William is at home.
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