USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 51
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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
child, Cyrilla Muriel, born January 9, 1905. Mrs. Kennedy's father, John Jones, is a native of Canada and came to Westport with his pa- rents, William and Margaret (Thompson) Jones, in an carly day; they live in Duluth, Minn. Helen' (Hughes) Jones, wife of John Jones, came to Dane county with her parents, Eugene and Julia Hughes, about 1854.
John T. Kenney was born on a farm in Jefferson township, Adams county, Ind., December 21. 1864. He is a son of Michael D. and Bridget Kenney both of whom were born near Castlebar. County Mayo, Ireland. They were married in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1851, and a few years later became pioneer residents of the farm in Indiana where they lived continuously thereafter until the time of their death in 1901. The subject of this sketch began teaching in the winter of 1880 and continued in this work for nine successive years ; the last two as superintendent of the schools of Mercer. Mercer county, Ohio. Incidentally, by attending school in the summer, he was graduated, in the scientific course, from the Ohio normal university at Ada, Ohio, with the class of 1886. He sup- plemented his work as teacher thereafter with the study of law. and in the fall of 1889 entered the senior class of the Cincinnati law school. He was graduated with his class and was admitted to the Ohio bar the following year. In October, of the same year he entered into partnership with W. E. Touvelle for the practice of his profession at Celina, Mercer county, Ohio. This partnership con- tinued for twelve years. The firm gave its attention during this time mainly to the trial of contested will cases, and suits for per- sonal injuries, chiefly against railroad corporations. For three years he was a member of the board of teachers' examiners of Mercer county, Ohio. For two years he represented that county in the Ohio legislature. In that body he vigorously opposed the election of M .A. Hanna to the United States senate, and very actively assisted in forming the coalition of Democrats and anti- Hanna Republicans by means of which Mr. Hanna came within one vote of defeat. May 15, 1900, he was united in marriage to Miss Sadie E. Connor, daughter of Michael C. and Catherine (Kelley) Connor of Token Creek, Dane county, Wis. To this union three children have been born. These are Mary. born April 26, 1901, at Celina, Ohio ; Catherine, born July 31, 1903, at Madison, Wis., and John Martin born January 13. 1904, at Madison, Wis. Mrs. Kenney was graduated from the Madison high school with the class of 1889 and completed the junior year in the University of Wisconsin, with the class of 1896. In January, 1902, the family
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located in Madison, Wis. In April of the same year Mr. Kenney assisted in organizing the Waunakee state bank of which he is a director. In August following, he with others, organized and in- corporated the Dane Abstract of Title Company of which he is president and counsel. He is a member of the Knights of Colum- bus and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Kentzler Brothers is the name of one of the leading livery firms in the city of Madison, and the members of the partnership are An- drew R. and Milo M. Kentzler, sons of Andrew Kentzler, an early resident of the city, and who for years successfully conducted the business to which his sons have since succeeded. Andrew Kentzler, the father, was born at Berne, Switzerland, on May 2, 1832, came to the United States at the age of seventeen and settled in Fort Akin- son, Wis., where he worked several years for Milo Jones, proprietor of the Green Mountain House, receiving for his first year's labor three dollars per month, for the second nine dollars. He then worked at Whitewater one year for twelve dollars per month, after which he came to Madison and for five years was employed at the United States hotel at a salary of sixteen dollars per month; but being attentive and faithful to his duties the appreciate patrons often contributed to him more than his wages amounted to. In 1858 he purchased a horse and buggy and started a "one-horse livery," which was the nucleus for what afterward became the largest livery establishment in the city of Madison, containing a large number of fine horses and a full assort- ment of vehicles. He continued in the management of the business until July 1, 1903, since which time his sons, who are the imme- diate subects of this review, have successfully conducted the same. Mr. Kentzler was married, December 25, 1858, to Miss Johanna Rein- hardt, a native of Stuttgart, Germany, who came to America as a young girl and at the time of her marriage was a resident of the city of Madison. Of this union six children were born, of whom only three are now living, the two sons named above, and a daughter, Anna, who is now the wife of Jolin Grinde, of Madison. Andrew R. Kentz- ler, the elder son, was born in Madison, Wis., January 1, 1863, and the younger, Milo M. Kentzler was born in the same city November S. 1864. They received their education in the common schools of the city of their birth, and in 1882 Andrew R. became an assistant of his father in the livery business, followed two years later by the younger brother. Milo M. Thus were they permitted to learn every detail of the business and the success that has attended their efforts is due in large measure to the habits of industry and intelligent management
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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
inculcated in them by their father. Andrew R. Kentzler was married on May 18, 1893, to Miss Emma Purdy, of Madison, daughter of Sam- uel J. and Sarah (Tyler) Purdy, both of whom were natives of Bing- hampton, N. Y. To Andrew R. Kentzler and wife have been born two children, Ruth P. and Paul R. Milo M. Kentzler was married October 8, 1891, to Miss Kittie Haak, daughter of John Haak, an old resident of Madison. The Kentzler brothers are independent in their political views, and they support men and measures that meet their conscientious approval, regardless of any meaningless party shibbo- leth. Milo M. is a member of the Knights of Pythias order, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Modern Wood- men. He has also been one of the volunteer firemen of the city of Madison for more than twenty years.
Otto Kerl, Sr., is one of the prominent farmers and extensive landholders of Berry township, is an ex-member of the state legis- lature and is a citizen who has ever commanded the highest meas .. ure of popular confidence and regard, as evidenced in the various positions of public trust to which he has been called. Mr. Kert was born in the city of Langensalbya, Prussia, February 12, 1822, and is a son of Frederick and Marie (Hesse) Kerl. The father was a brewer by vocation and he was an active participant in the Franco-Prussian war, while he was a member of the army in the city of Berlin for some time prior to this. He lived to a patriarchal age, his death having occurred in 1892, and his wife passed to the life eternal in 1856. Frederick Kerl was a man of influence in his community, having been president of the city council for some time and having stood for the most sterling attributes of character. He was the owner of a good farm, of seventy acres, and he passed his entire life in the fatherland. His religious faith was that of the Evangelical church. He was three times married, the maiden name of his second wife having been Agnes Kunbye and that of his third wife Fanny Schlick. All died in Prussia. Of the two children of the first marriage the subject of this sketch is the elder ; three children were born of the second union and five by the third. Otto is the first member of the immediate family who came to America, but in 1890 the fourth son of the third wife. an artist by profession, came to this country, and settled in Milwaukee. Otto Kerl was afforded the advantages of the excellent schools of his native land, where he also learned both the brewer's and cooper's trades. He remained resident of Prussia until 1847, when, at the age of twenty-five years, he severed the home ties and set forth to seek his fortunes in America. He came at once to Dane
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county, Wisconsin, settling on his present fine homesetead in June of that year and thus becoming one of the pioneers of this beautiful section of the Badger state. He first secured two hundred acres, and he is now the owner of a fine demesne of three hundred and sixty acres. When he located here the land was covered with heavy timber and no improvements of more than nomenal order had been made, so that he grappled with the forest and has re- claimed his farm by means of indefatigable energy, and while devel- oping one of the best places in the county, practically the entire tract being now available for cultivation, while the permanent im- provements are of the best types, the buildings being commodious, well arranged and substantial. The greater portion of the land lies in section 27, forty acres being in section 28. In 1854 Mr. Kerl erected and equipped a small brewery on his farm, continuing to operate the same until 1861, since which time he has given his un- divided attention to farming and stock-growing. He is a man of strong mentality and positive character, and has long been influen- tial in local affairs, being one of the best known citizens in the western part of the county and having a circle of friends that is circumscribed only by that of his acquaintances. He has much practical knowledge in regard to therapeutics and materia medica, and for many years he has utilized this knowledge in relieving the physical afflictions of the many who have appealed to him for such ministration, having effected many remarkable cures and being commonly known as Dr. Kerl. In politics Mr. Kerl has ever been a stalwart supporter of the principles and policies of the De- mocracy, and he has been a prominent factor in its local councils. He has served fifty-six years as justice of the peace, was several years a member of the town board, was four years incumbent of the office of county commissioner, was township clerk thirty-five years, and in 1873-4 was representative of his county in the assembly of the state legislature. For many years he was a director of the Berry and Roxbury Fire Insurance Company. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. In August 1849, Mr. Kerl was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Walther. who was born in Germany and who died in the year after her marriage. Her only child, Augusta, died at the age of eleven years. For his second wife Mr. Kerl married Amelia Peppelbaum, likewise a native of Germany, and she was survived by one son, Fritz, who died at the age of twenty-four years. After the death of his second wife Mr. Kerl married Johanna Festge and they have seven children namely: Anna, Herman, Otto, Jr., Fannie. Edward, Robert and Ida.
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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
Charles Kerr, farmer and stock raiser, living about a mile west of the village of Mazomanie, was born in the borough of Whitehaven, county of Cumberland, England, November 12, 1828, and is a son of John and Martha (Rutledge) Kerr, both natives of that county. The father was a flax dresser and also traveled through the flax growing districts of England and Ireland, buying the fiber for his employers. After a time in this work he engaged in business for himself as a man- ufacturer of linen thread. He was a member of the British Temper- ance Emigration Society and in 1844 came to America on the sailing vessel Cairo, of Boston. After a tempestuous voyage of five weeks the family landed in Boston and shortly afterward came on west, lo- cating in the town of Mazomanie, where the subject of this sketch now lives. Here the mother died in 1857 and the father in 1865. He was a Republican in his political views and both parents were mem- bers of the Congregational church. Their children were Alexander, Francis, Eleanor, Charles, Mary, John, Daisy, and Sarah Jane. Of these all are dead except the subject of this sketch. Charles Kerr had no opportunity to attend school in his boyhood and what education he has he has acquired by self-study and by association with educated people. In this way he has managed to acccmulate a fund of infor- mation that places him on an equality with the average citizen of his neighborhood. He was associated with his father in making thread before coming to this country. For ten seasons he was employed in getting out logs along the rivers of Wisconsin, and in 1859 went with eight others to Pikc's Peak in quest of gold. Then for a time he was in southern Kansas, but in 1860 returned to Mazomanie, where he has been engaged in farming and stock raising ever since. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of the old homestead and is considered one of the representative farmers of the neighborhood in which he lives. He is a Republican and has held the office of supervisor, as well as some other minor offices. In church matters he is a Congregationalist. On April 5, 1863, he was united in marriage to Miss Clara Greening. (See sketch of her father, James H. Geening) and to this union have been born the following children. Frank, a farmer on the old place : Wil- liam Alfred, a commission merchant at Aberdeen, S. D .; and Nellie, who died at the age of twenty-four years. Frank has been twice mar- ried : first to Birdie Rienow and after her death to Nellie Koch. To this second marriage have been born two children, Clara and Stella. William A. married Nettie Baldwin.
Lawrence L. Ketchum, chief engineer of the Wisconsin state capitol, was born in La Grange county, Indiana. His parents were Stephen and Asenath (Whitney) Ketchum, both born in New
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York state. They came to Indiana in 1835 when that country was still new. They were married August 1, 1839. In 1855 they imi- grated to Iroquis county, Illinios. The next year Stephen Ketchum went north in search of a new home and purchased a farm in Dane . county in the town of Primrose. On his return trip he went to Indi- ana to settle his business affairs before moving to his new home in Wisconsin. While there he was kicked by a horse and died within twenty minutes after the accident. The widow and her eight children went to the farm in Primrose that fall. The trip was made in a cov- ered wagon, drawn by oxen which did good service on the farm for several. years. When the Civil War broke out the oldest, Edwin, en- listed in Company K. Thirty-third Regiment of Wisconsin Volun- teers and served until the close of the war. Another brother, George. who enlisted in Company E. Forty-seventh Regiment Wisconsin Vol- unteers, on January 24, 1865, died at Camp Randall, February 22. 1865. In 1868 Lawrence was engaged to take the mail route from Madison to Bem postoffice in Green county, via Verona, Mt. Vernon and Primrose. Before commencing this undertaking he was required to take the usual oath to support the constitution of the United States. The oath was administered by the Madison postmaster, E. W. Keyes. He continued in this work until 1870 when he decided to take Horace Greeley's advice and go west. In company with Wm. T. La Follette,-a brother of Wisconsin's junior senator, Hon. Robert M'. LaFollette,-he went to Clay county, Neb., where Mr. La Follette homesteaded a quarter section of land. In the fall and win- ter of 1870-I he hunted and trapped, killing many buffalo and wolves. Before reaching Denver he came in touch with a party of friendly Sioux Indians with whom was living a young man who has since be- come famous the world over,-Wm. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill). When' Denver was reached not a single rail of the D. & R. G. R. R. had yet been laid and many men were carrying on business in log cabins. Mr. Ketchum's older brother, Hubert, who had preceeded him to Nebraska, was a member of the party which went across the plains to Denver. While in Denver ex-Governor Hunt engaged him to work in a logging and lumber camp thirty miles south of Denver. where he assisted the engineer and fireman in their work. He had always had a liking for mechanical work and under the influence of these men the latent talent came to the surface and Mr. Ketchum's life-work was determined. From Denver he drifted down through Kansas and at Abilene saw the noted Wm. Hecox (Wild Bill) who was city marshall at that time and doing business with a double bar- reled shot gun instead of the little club of to-day. From here he
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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
went to Muskogee, Indian Territory, and worked as fireman on the construction train of the M. K. & T. R. Ry. until Denison, Tex., was reached. He then worked on the Houston and Great Northern R. Ry. until a junction was made with the Texas Pacific R. Ry. at Min- eola, and then on the Texas Pacific R. Ry. west through Dallas to Ft. Worth. Here he joined a man who had 22,000 head of cattle to drive north to Nebraska City. Shortly after this General Custer dis- covered gold in the Black Hills, and the business men of Kearney, Neb, engaged Mr. Ketchum to locate a route from that city to Custer City, Dakota, in order that Kearney might be a great outfitting point for parties en route to the "new diggings." This trip was made in the winter. Indians and deep snow retarded his progress. Upon his return to Kearney, Mr. Ketchum found a party of sixty men with seventeen wagons waiting for him to guide them to the new gold fields. On this trip he was accompanied by his younger brother, Ami Whitney Ketchum. Later Mr. Ketchum was employed in the quartermaster department of the army and saw service with General Merritt, Gen- eral Mackenzie, General Crook and Colonel Henry which actually en- gaged in subduing the Sioux Indians. He was present at the cap- ture of Chief Dull Knife and his band of Cheyennes in 1878 after they broke away from their reservation in Indian Territory and left. a bloody trail through Kansas and Nebraska. They were captured near where Chadron, Neb. is now situated. In 1879 the Ute Indians under Chief Captain Jack massacred the agent Meeker at White River agency together with all the white men they could find and carried off into captivity all the women,-Mrs. Meeker and daughter, Josie. being among them. In the spring of 1880 General Mackenzie was sent into their country and Mr. Ketchum went on this expidition. On this trip he was associated with Chris. Gilson, one of the best government scouts who ever followed a trail. Later at White River, he was in close touch with Luther S. Kelly, another scout known as "Yellowstone Kelly." It was Kelly who was with General Terry when General Custer was sent on his last trip against the Indians. When no word was received from Custer for two or three days Kelly was sent out to find him and was the first white man on the Custer battlefield. In 1881 Mr. Ketchum returned to Kearney, Neb., and became engaged in the machine shop and foundry business. During his residence in Kearney he served as chief of police under Mayors H. J. Mack, C. B. Finch and N. A. Baker. In 1900 he returned to Wisconsin to accept a position as chief engineer at the Racine Wagon and carriage works. In 1903 he was appointed chief engineer of the Wisconsin state capitol and has since that time faithfully and effi-
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ciently filled the position. In 1882 he married Miss Lucy L. Powell, daughter of Adam and Rachael Powell, of Kenesaw, Neb. To Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum have been born eight children, of whom five are living. Edith, in the letters and science course and Merritt, in the electrical engineering course of the class of 1907, University of Wis- consin; Maud in the high school; and Leslie W. and Dean in the ward schools of Madison. Ruth died at the age of six years, Mabel at five months and Robert M. at thirteen months. The family are members and regular attendants of the Baptist church. Mr. and Mrs. Ket- chum are members of the orders of the Eastern Star. Mr. Ketchum is a Knight Templer Mason, a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and an active member of the National Association of Sta- tionary Engineers. His educational advantages were limited to the common schools and his own personal energies. He took advantage of night schools wherever it was convenient and also took a course in the "International Correspondence School." All his study and thought have been on mechanical, steam, electrical, hydraulic ยท engineering and he was the first engineer to take advantage of correspondence study course in engineering as taught by the University of Wisconsin. These studies have brought him into close touch with manufacturers and has always secured for him employment in the best and largest power-plants in communities where he resided. Following is the maternal ancestry of Mr. Ketchum as recorded in the "Whitney Genealogy" and the "Ancestry of John Whitney:" Turstin, "the Flem- ing." a follower of William the Conqueror, is recorded in the Dooms- day book. 1086. Authentic record begins in 1242, with Sir Robert de Whitney, from whom the direct line is, Sir Eustace (about 1820); Sir Eustace, knighted by Edward I in 1306; Sir Robert, M. P ... 1377-80; Sir Robert, knighted by Richard II, killed in battle of Pilleth, 1402: Sir Robert. M. P .. 1416-22. d. March 12, 1441 ; Sir Eustace, m. Jenett. dau. Sir John Ludlow, d. 1470; Robert, m. Constance, dau. Jas. Tou- chett; James, m. Blanche, dau. Senior Milbourne; Robert, m. Mar- garet, dau. Robert Wye: Sir Robert, knighted by Queen Mary, m. Sybil, d. 1567: Robert, m. Elizabeth: Thomas. m. Mary, dau. of John Bray of Westminster, d. 1631; John (the first Whitney in America), m. Elinor, d. June 1. 1673 ; Dea. Joshua, b. 1635, m. Abigail Tarball : Col. David, (1682-1769) m. Elizabeth Warren: Solomon, (1733"1772) m. Sarah: Tarball. (1763-1850) m. Mrs. Lois (Lawrence) Hopkins: Solomon, (1790-1843) m. Sarah A. Haskins; Aseneth Whitney, m. Stephen Ketchum (1813-1856)-children-Edwin, b. 1840; Al- bert. (1842-46): George, (1844-65): Ann Eliza, b. 1846; Hubert, b.
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1848: Loren, b. 1851; Lawrence b. 1851; Ami Whitney, (1854-78). Of Mr. Ketchum's paternal ancestry the following brief entry is made: Robert Ketchum, born 1737, died 1810. He married Miss Pierce and served in the Revolution under Washington. His son, George P., was born in 1777 and died 1866, and his son Stephen, born 1813, and died 1856, was the father of L. L. Ketchum of this sketch.
Judge E. W. Keyes. A biographical sketch of E. W. Keyes will be found on page 7 of volume II.
Michael Killerlain is one of the highly respected citizens of the town of Dunn and he has followed that honorable vocation in Dane county during all of his mature life. He is a native of the Green Mountain state. and was born in the county of Rutland, Vermont. on December 10, 1857, his parents being John and Nora (Kivlin) Killerlain, both of whom were born in Ireland. To the union of these parents there were born eight children: Timothy. the eldest son, and Mary, the eldest daughter, are deceased ; John is deceased and his widow resides in Davenport, Iowa; Patrick is deceased ; Bridget married William Trainor and resides in the city of Madi- son ; Katie married Dominic Conlin and resides in Madison ; Mamie married Thomas Brennan and resides in Two Harbor. Minn .; and Michael is the subject of this review. The family came directly to Wisconsin from Vermont, in 1857. and the father purchased forty acres of land and began general farming in the town of Fitchburg, Dane county. He remained on this farm three years, and then sold it and worked farms on shares in the same township for nine years, until his death. Some time after the demise of the father, the mother married Thomas Carey, of Fitchburg, and about three years after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Carey removed to Madison, where they now live in retirement. Michael Killerlain, who is the immediate subject of this review, received a lim- ited education in the district schools and remained at the par- ental home until he had reached the age of twenty-one years, as- suming charge of affairs and supporting the family until the time of his mother's second marriage. He then moved to the town of Dunn, where he worked a farm on shares for five years, after which he moved to another farm in the same town and remained there the same length of time. He then resided in the city of Madi- son two years, working one year in the capitol under Governor Peck's administration. Returning to the town of Fitchburg he then farmed for his father-in-law, five years, then rented a farm near Syene, upon which he resided three years, and then for another year conducted a farm in Fitchburg, after which he purchased the
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place where he now resides. He later added forty acres to his landed possessions, and now has a well-improved farm, the result of his own efforts and those of his faithful helpmate. Mr. Killer- lain was married on November 24, 1880, to Miss Ellen Glennon, who was born in the town of Blooming Grove, October IT. ~ 859. daughter of Edward and Ellen (Madden) Glennon, old residents of Dane county. Mr. and Mrs. Killerlain are the parents of eight children ; the two eldest Mamie and Jennie, are twins, the former being the wife of T. M. Cusic, of the town of Dunn, and the latter is Mrs. William Lawler, of the same township; Nellie is deceased ; and the others-John, Edward, Henry, Frank and Mary, reside at home. Mr. Killerlain maintains an independent attitude in his poli- tical views, and his worth as a citizen has been recognized by elec- tion to the position of road supervisor, a position he now holds. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church.
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