History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 62

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

USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 62

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).

603

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Joseph, Anthony, William and Peter. The family are all members of St. Peter's Catholic chtirch, of Ashton Corners.

Michael G. Mandt is one of the prominent business men and highly esteemed citizens of Stoughton, being one of the interested principals in the Mandt-Powell Concrete Machine & Foundry Com- pany, of which he is president, and also being one of the leading contractors and builders of this part of the county. Mr. Mandt is a native son of Dane county, having been born on the family homestead, in Pleasant Springs township, September 2, 1856, and being a son of Gunder and Jorand (Sennes) Mandt, both of whom were born and reared in Norway. The father settled in Pleasant Springs township in 1846, securing one hundred acres of wild land, which he reclaimed and improved. developing a good farm and there continuing to reside for twenty-seven years. He then removed with his family to Stoughton, where he died at the age of seventy-two years, his second wife, Jorand, surviving him and passing away at the age of seventy-three years. Of the first mar- riage four children were born, and two of them are still living,- Julia, who is the widow of Hanson Rasmussen, and Mary, who likewise resides in Dane county. Of the twelve children of the second marriage eight are living, namely: Anna, widow of As- bjorn Hanson; Belle, wife of George Brown; Michael G .: of this sketch ; Ella, wife of Albert Burell; Peter; Della, wife of T. A. Homme; Carrie; and Gunder G. On the home farm, in Pleasant Springs township, Michael G. Mandt was reared to the age of seventeen years, having in the meanwhile duly availed himself of the advantages of the public schools. In 1873 he located in Stoughton, where he worked at the blacksmith trade for three years. He then learned the carpenter's trade, to which he gave his attention for twelve years, the greater portion of the time as a con- tractor. For twelve years past he has also been a successful stone contractor and builder. Among the more important struc- tures which he has erected may be mentioned the Orphans' Home, the Old People's Home, and the postoffice in Stoughton. He is the inventor of the Mandt concrete building blocks, and in Janu- ary, 1906, he effected the organization of the Mandt-Powell Con- crete Machine & Foundry Company, for the manufacturing of the concrete building blocks upon an extensive scale, as well as the making of the machines for their construction. A large and well equipped plant will afford all the needed facilities and will add materially to the industrial prestige of Stoughton. In his poli- tical adherency Mr. Mandt is a Republican. in a fraternal way he

604

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

is identified with the Woodmen of the World. and both he and his wife hold membership in the United Lutheran church. January 25, 1881, Mr. Mandt was united in marriage to Miss Andrea Hal- verson, daughter of Ole Halverson, of Primrose, Wisconsin, and they have four children,-Obert, Maude, Tekla and Alsward.

William T. Mann, of the firm of Chase, Gross & Mann, engaged in the retail lumber business in Sun Prairie, is one of the representa- tive citizens of the town and is a member of one of the pioneer families of Dane county. He was born in Fitchburg, this county, January 19, 1857, and is a son of John Edwin and Josephine ( Bliven) Mann, the former of whom was born in Unadilla, Otsego county, New York, April 29, 1817, and the latter of whom was a native of Fall River, Mass., both families having been founded in America in in the colonial era. John E. Mann, who is now living retired in Sun Prairie, is a son of Andrew and Anna Maria (Phelps) Mann, both natives of Hebron, Conn. where the former was born September 14, 1784, and the latter November 29, 1787. They were numbered among the early settlers of Otsego county, N. Y., whence they later removed to Marshall, Calhoun county, Mich., where the latter died September 9, 1850. Andrew Mann had been the owner of a large farm in Otsego county, New York, and upon locating in Marshall, Mich- igan, he there erected a commodious hotel, which he successfully con- ducted for a number of years. He was a Democrat in politics and his wife was a comunicant of the Protestant Episcopal church. Of their five sons and two daughters only two are living .- Mrs. Anna M. Thomson, of Jackson, Mich .; and John E. father of the subject of this sketch. Andrew Mann passed the closing years of his life in Sun Prairie, where he died September 21, 1872. John Edwin Mann was educated in the schools of Connecticut and New York, and accom- panied his parents on their removal to Michigan, where he assisted his father in the management of the hotel, of which he himself was proprietor several years. Later he operated a flour mill in Illinois, for a period of about nine years. In 1850 he located in Madison, Wis., where he engaged in the livery business, while he later became the owner of a farm in the vicinity of the capital city. He disposed of this property in 1872, exchanging the same for a hotel, called the American House, in Sun Prairie, and he operated this hotel success- fully for a number of years, after which he was engaged about ten years as traveling salesman for the Smith Middlings Purifier Com- pany, a large concern in Jackson, Michigan. Since 1884 he has lived retired in Sun Prairie, where he has an attractive home and where his friends are in number equal to his acquaintances. In politics he is a

605

BIOGRAPHICAL.

stanch Democrat, and for a number of years he was a member of the county board of supervisors, representing Fitchburg township. July 5. 1842, was solemnized his marriage to Miss Josephine Bliven, who was born at Fall River, Mass., but who was a resident of Illinois at the time of her marriage. She was a daughter of Joseph S. and Rachel Bliven, the former of whom died in Illinois and the latter in Sun Prairie, Wis., Mrs. Josephine ( Bliven) Mann was summoned into eternal rest January 20, 1903, having been a communicant and de- voted member of the Protestant Episcopal church. Of her cleven children nine are living: Juliette, who was the wife of A. M. Sey- mour, is deceased ; Joseph A. died in childhood ; Harriet is the widow of George E. Knapp, of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin ; Louise is widow of C. H. Chittenden, of Berkley, Cal. ; Louis T. is a resident of Jack- son, Mich., being a twin of Louise ; Josephine is the wife of Profes- sor Howard L. Smith, of Madison, a member of the faculty of the University of Wisconsin ; William T., subject of this sketch, was the next in order of birth ; Frederick M. is a resident of South Dakota, as is also George A .; Charles E. is treasurer for the Swift Packing & Provision Company, in the city of Chicago; and Allie is the wife of Frank Richie, of Jefferson, Wis. William T. Maun secured his edu- cational discipline in the publc schools of Sun Prairie and Mazomanie, this county, and he then became his father's assistant in conducting the American House, of which he later was proprietor for several years, becoming one of the well known and popular hotel men of this part of the state. In 1881 he removed to Spink county, S. Dak., this being while the two states were still the territory of Dakota, and there he was engaged in farming until 1889, when he returned to Wiscon- sin and engaged in the lumber business, at Ashland and Washburn. In 1889 Mr. Mann returned to his old home in Sun Prairie, where he has since been associated in the retail lumber business with James W. Chase and Albion Gross, under the firm title noted in the opening lines of this sketch. He is one of the progressive and public-spirited citizens of the town and is thoroughly identified with local interests. In 1901 he completed the erection of his attractive modern residence. In politics Mr. Mann clings to the faith of the Democratic party, and he is now president of the village, having previously served two years as a member of the board of trustees; he is also supervisor for Sun Prairie village. He and his wife are communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church, and he is affiliated with Sun Prairie Lodge, No. 143, Free and Accepted Masons, and also with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Insurance of Beavers. On March 22, 1881, Mr. Mann was united in marriage to Miss Sarah M. Haner, who was born

606

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

in Bristol township, this county, November 17, 1856, being a daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Stroup) Haner, who are now venerable residents of Sun Prairie. Mr. and Mrs. Mann have two children,-Edwin H., born August 8, 1888, and Dorothy M. born December 5, 1895.

Charles E. Marks, a carpenter and contractor living at 1815 Jef- ferson street, Madison, was born in Platteville, Wis., June 9, 1875. His parents were Henry P. and Anna (Staver) Marks, the former was born in St. Louis in 1840, the latter a native of the Badger State. The father was in the grocery business at Platteville, Wis. but after re- moving to Rockford he was contractor and builder, also following up the trade in Dane county. On August 22, 1862 he enlisted in Company C, Thirty-third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and with his regiment was a participant in the Vicksburg and Red river cam- paigns and the battle of Spanish Fort. The Thirty-third did garrison duty most of its four years serveice, and was mustered out August 9, 1865. Mr. Marks served without being either wounded or captured. His wife died in 1880 and he passed away in November, 1903. The subject of this sketch is the youngest of the three surviving members of a family of four children. Miss Louise is a stenographer who makes Madison her home. Eugene is a carpenter residing in Madi- son. Charles E. Marks received his scholastic training in Rockford, Ill., schools and served his apprenticeship with his father. He con- tinued to work with and for him until he came to Madison in 1894 and then became employed by John L. Cary, with whom he remained several years, and for several years he and his brother Eugene were in partnership. His special line of carpentering now is the building of dwellings. He is his own architect, as a general rule, and the symme- try of the buildings which he has erected bears witness to his ability in that line. On April 21, 1897. Mr. Marks was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Agnes Mullen, born in La Fayette county, Wis., and a daughter of William and Sarah Mullen. Her parents are still living, making their home in La Fayette county. Mr. and Mrs. Marks are the parents of one child, Harold Eugene. The home in Wingra Park is one of the most sightly places in the city and the home life is well worthy of emulation.

Henry Marks is the owner of a valuable farm of two hundred acres, in section 1, Blooming Grove township, and has here resided for the past forty years. He was born in Minden. province of Westphalia, Prussia, December 15, 1849, and is a son of Moritz and Lizzie Marks, both of whom were born in that same province, where they remained until 1866, when they immigrated to America, making Wisconsin their destination and settling on a portion of

607

BIOGRAPHICAL.

the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch. The father, with the aid of his sons, reclaimed a considerable portion of the homestead from the virgin forest, and here both he and his devoted wife continued to reside until they were called to the life eternal. They were people of unassuming worth of character and lived lives of signal honor and usefulness. Henry Marks secured his educa- tional training in the excellent schools of his native land, and was eighteen years of age at the time of accompanying his parents on their voyage across the Atlantic to the United States and thence onward to the Badger state, of which he may thus claim to be a pioneer. After the death of his parents, he purchased the interests of the other heirs to the old homestead, and has since given his at- tention to its cultivation, while he has made permanent improve- ments which mark it as one of the most valuable and attractive farmsteads in the county. He has shown much of energy, discrim- ination and business acumen in handling the work of his farm, has known the dignity of honest labor through long and intimate experience, and has stood exponent of the utmost rectitude and honor in all the relations of life, so that to him has been accorded the fullest of measure of popular confidence and esteem in the community which has so long been his home. He is one of the prominent and influential citizens of his section and one of the county's representative agriculturists. He still maintains a gen- eral supervision of his farm, but has delegated the more arduous work to others, as his health has become somewhat delicate in later years. He may well feel that his "lines are cast in pleasant places," for he has the companionship of a devoted and cherished wife and has a family of children of whom he may justly be proud. while he is in a community filled with loyal friends. Mr. Marks espouses the cause of the Democratic party and he and his family are members of the German Lutheran church. In 1870 was sol- emnized the marriage of Mr. Marks to Miss Sophia Poggemiller, who was born in Cottage Grove township, being a daughter of Christian and Sophia Poggemiller. Mr. and Mrs. Marks have six children: Lizzie, who was born June 27, 1874, is now the wife of Henry Brandt, of Burke township, this county ; Henry Carl Wil- liam was born November 28, 1876; Christian Frederick Carl, Feb- ruary 12, 1879 ; Charles William August, August 24, 1882; Anna Maria Emma, March 29, 1885 ; Sophia Louisa Justina, October 13, 1887.

R. W. Marks, of the Belleville Supply Co., of Belleville, was born in Belleville, October 3. 1867. The Marks family were among the

608

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

very early settlers of Connecticut, the first of the family being Corn- wall Marks, a native of Cornwall, England, a blacksmith by trade, who first settled in Hartford, Conn. and later removed to Pawlet, Vt. where he built a large house, himself fashioning all the nails for its construction. They lived during the thrilling esipode of the witch- craft excitement, and his wife related to her descendants the gruesome story of havng seen a woman hanged for witchcraft. This founder of the American branch of the family lived to ninety years old. His di- rect descendant, Elisha Marks, born in Pawlet, Rutland county, Vt. was also a blacksmith by trade, and was married to Miss Ann Smith. In 1883 he went into the mercantile business in Pawlet, in company with a brother, and remained there twelve or fourteen years; from there he went to Granville corners, N. Y. where he was engaged in the same business for a while. He sold out, eventually, to his part- ners and purchased a farm in the vicinity, which he operated for six or seven years and then sold out and went to Burke, N. Y. and again engaged in business ; he remained there until 1876 when at the age of eighty-one years, he came to Dodgeville, Wis. with his son Reuben, and lived with him until his death the following year ; his wife sur- vived him less than a year, being eighty-one years old at the time of her death. Reuben, son of Elisha and father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Pawlet, Vt. December 27, 1823. His mother also belonged to the old New England stock. There were four children in the family, Reuben. Mary Ann, who married a Mr. Derby, of Burke, N. Y. : Malona, who married and lived in N. Y., and Ira, who lived in Canada. Reuben was ten years old at the time of the removal of the family from Vermont to New York, and received most of his educa- tion in the latter state. At the age of eighteen, he went to work for an uncle, in a starch mill, in Pawlet, which was just across the state line, in Vermont. Three years later he went to Burke, N. Y. where he built a starch mill and ran it for three years ; from there he went to Chateaugay Corners, where he built a saw mill which he operated for two years and then returned to Pawlet where he engaged in mercan- tile business, with a partner, under the firm name of Marks & Wood- ward, where he remained for a period of three years, being at the same time interested in a foundry. In 1855 he came to Wisconsin, landing in Belleville. April 11. He bought a farm in the town of Montrose where he staid until 1864, when he joined a party and, with an ox-team, went to Montana, where he operated as a builder and con- tractor, building mills, etc., in the Gallatin valley. He earned twenty dollars a day, and remained there three years. He built the first boat that came down the Yellowstone river and in all built fourteen boats

609

BIOGRAPHICAL.

for service on that river. He was in a region frequented by hostile Indians, and had several encounters and narrow escapes. When he returned to Wisconsin he improved his farm and sold it, investing in property in Belleville, and once more engaged in business as a mer- chant, remaining three years; he then went to Adamsville where he was in business for three years, then traded his property for a ho- tel in Dodgeville, the Marks House, now the Merchant Hotel. He built a new, three-story hotel which he ran for seventeen years. In 1893 he sold his hotel and engaged in the hardware business with his son under the name of Marks & Son, for two years, when he retired from his long and varied activities. He was married at the age of twenty-two to Miss Lorena Waite, a native of Hebron, Washington county, N. Y. They had five children, viz., Charles R., of Neosha, Wis. ; Emma, married Frank Faulkes of Brooklyn; Stella, married Mr. Wiloughby, of Belleville; Frank, now a traveling salesman, of Dodgeville; Reuben W., merchant of Belleville. Mrs. Marks died in 1902. Mr. Marks was an independent in politics and never accepted any political office. He is a member of the Masonic order and also of the I. O. O. F. being the oldest member of the latter order in that vi- cinity. He made two subsequent trips to the Yellowstone Park, in 1886 and in 1888, and has a large and valuable collection of minerals and natural history specimens. Reuben Marks, Jr., was educated in the Dodgeville high school and learned the tinner trade in the same place and went into the hardware business in Belleville, in which his father was afterward partner; he sold out and went to Basco, where he combined tinning with a general store for seven years. He then returned to Belleville and worked at his trade for a short time when he engaged again in mercantile business with Mr. Arnold under the firm name of Marks & Arnold and continued under this name for one year, then they incorporated under the laws of 1895 and consolidated with the firm of Manson & Ulerich, Mr. Ulerich retiring from business. They occupy a large building, two stories and basement, and carry the largest stock of goods in the village. Mr. Marks was married Octo- ber 15, 1890, to Miss Lena Kramer. of Waldwick. Iowa county, the daughter of Thomas (deceased) and Mary Kramer. The latter lives with her daughter. Mr. Marks is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal church, of the F. & A. M., the I. O. O. F., and M. W. A. He has also been village clerk and director of the school.

Samuel Marsden has been identified with Dane county history since 1841, the date of the arrival of father and son of that name. Always a farmer, Mr. Marsden now resides on the same property which was the first home of the Marsdens in pioneer days. Sam- 39-iii

610

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

uel Marsden, the elder, was born in Derbyshire, England, and served in the Queen's Guards when a young man. He married Miss Ann Henstock of the same county and engaged in farming in England until 1841 when he took passage for himself and family on a sailing vessel bound for America. The voyage was stormy and it was with devout thanksgiving for their escape from the perils of the sea that the passengers finally landed in New York city. The journey from Milwaukee to Albion was made on foot with several other new arrivals, all of whom, including Mr. Mars- den, purchased farms of government land. The tract bought by Mr. Marsden contained six hundred and forty acres, almost all wild and it was h's task to clear and improve it. He was always · prominent in the community and particularly so in the establish- ment of a branch of the Primitive Methodist church to which the family belonged in England and of which he became a local preacher, holding the first meetings on his farm. Mr. Marsden died in 1863 aged sixty-eight years and his wife in 1881, aged eighty-five years. Fifteen children were born to them. Priscilla lives in England; Anna married Samuel Vickers of Albion; Ruth married Samuel Clark of Albion; Esther (deceased) was the wife of Rev. James Wileman ; Jonathan is deceased ; Job lives at the old home; Henry resides in Edgerton; Joseph lives at Sumner, Wis .; Mary is Mrs. Samuel Tall of Albion : George is deceased ; Samuel farms the old homestead; the other children died in infancy. Sam- uel was born in Derbyshire, Eng .. March 25, 1841, and came to Wisconsin with his parents when he was a little fellow. Dane county schools were rare at that time and he had little opportunity for education except at home. Samuel helped his father on the farm and succeeded him in its management. June 7, 1863, he mar- ried Miss Janette McKinsin Calder, a native of Perthshire, Scot- land, daughter of James Calder, who was a teacher in Perthshire. In 1848 he came to Wisconsin and located on a farm in Lisbon, Waukesha county, returning the next year to bring his family. Later he moved to Albion where he died in 1897 at the home of Mr. Marsden. Mrs. Calder died in 1859. They had a family of five children. all of whom came to America,-Mary is Mrs. John Hebeden of Providence, R. I., Janette is Mrs. Marsden. Ellen is Mrs. Silverrud of Albion ; James is deceased; Lydia married Orrin Poole of Waukesha. Ten children blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Marsden; Annie K., the wife of Rev. Charles Stark of Sun Prairie; Emma J., who married Samuel Hall, a farmer of Al- bion ; Joseph W., a machinist of Waukesha county ; Maggie I., the

611

BIOGRAPHICAL.

wife of Amos Bunting of Albion ; Lillie (deceased) ; Jonathan, who married Ethel Gardner and lives at the old home; Mae E., a teacher; Viola, a teacher; Rollin, who teaches in the Menominee Manual Training school. All have attended the Albion and Ed- gerton schools and are members of the Primitive Methodist church. Mr. Marsden is a Republican in political affiliations.

George Martin is now living retired in the village of Sun Prairie, having been actively engaged in farming in this locality for more than thirty years, and being one of the honored citizens of the county, which he represented as a soldier in the Union ranks dur- ing the Civil War. Mr. Martin was born in East Aurora, Erie county, New York, February 22, 1833, being a son of John and Rachel (Crumy) Martin, both of whom were born and reared in Ireland, where two of their eight children were born, while of the number only one, the subject of this sketch, is now living. His brother, Richard, was a resident of the beautiful city of Los An- geles, California, and died at the age of eighty. The parents im- migrated to America about 1825 and took up their residence in Erie county, New York, where they passed the remainder of their lives, the father having been a farmer by vocation. He was origin- ally a Democrat in politics, but espoused the cause of the Repub- lican party at the time of its organization, his death occurring a few years later, in 1859; his wife passed away about 1840, both having been zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church. George Martin was reared on the home farm and secured such edu- cational advantages as were afforded in the common schools of his native county. He continued to reside in the state of New York until 1864, when he came to Dane county, Wisconsin, and pur- chased one hundred and twelve acres of land in section 20, Bristol township. reclaiming a portion of the place from the virgin forest and developing the same into one of the valuable farms of the county, making all improvements, including the erection of sub- stantial buildings, at a cost of about three thousand dollars. He continued to give his personal attention to the operation of his farm until 1896 when he disposed of the property and removed to Sun Prairie, where he purchased his present attractive residence and where he has since lived essentially retired. May 30, 1864, Mr. Martin enlisted as a private in Company B, Forty-second Wis- consin Volunteer Infantry, with which he served principally on guard duty at Cairo and other points in Illinois until the close of the war, receiving his honorable discharge, in the city of Madison, Wisconsin, June 20, 1865. Mr. Martin exerceises his franchise in

612

HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

support of the principles and policies of the Republican party, and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church in their home town. He is identified with the Patrons of Husbandry and the Independent Order of Good Templars. Sep- tember 23, 1855, Mr. Martin was married to Miss Sarah King, who was born in Erie county, New York, September 24, 1833, being a daughter of Darius and Sarah (Little) King, the former of whom was born in Rhode Island, May 30, 1796, while the latter was born in Massachusetts. Their marriage was solemnized in Erie county, New York, and there they passed the remainder of their lives, the mother dying in 1858. while her husband survived her by many years, passing away in 1885. He was a Democrat in poli- tics and she was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their eight children three are living. Mr. and Mrs. Martin be- came the parents of three children, concerning whom the following brief record is entered: Nellie, who was born in 1860, first mar- ried Henry Hart, remaining a widow a number of years after his death, and she is now the wife of Tobias Archer, whose first wife was her younger sister, Ada. Ada, who was born in 1862, first married George Easton and after his death became the wife of Tobias Archer, who is now a prominent lawyer of Los Angeles. Cal .; she died in January, 1894, leaving two children,-Cec:1 M .. and Robert P. Archer. Eva, who was born August 30, 1868, is the wife of Ulysses S. Jones, a representative farmer of Bristol township, and they have two children,-George Richard and Mar- garet Ellen.

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.

History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 62

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