USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 77
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versity of Wisconsin, with the class of 1902. He is a farmer and a member of the firm of Renk Bros., stock raisers. He was for four years secretary of the creamery association and treasurer of the experimental association of Madison. He was married, June 8, 1803, to Miss Laura Conrad, daughter of Lawrence and Barbara (Trapp) Conrad, both of whom were born in Columbia county. Mr. Conrad died in Bristol, but his widow is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Renk have one daughter. Irene B.
William F. Renk, of the firm of Renk Bros., of Sun Prairie, was born in Bristol, Dane county, of German ancestry. His paternal grandfather, Joseph Renk, born November 1, 1806. was a native of Eusenheim. Germany, and his wife, Catherine (Emmert) Renk was also German. They came to the United States in 1846, and settled on a farm in Bristol township, although he was a wagon-maker by trade. They remained on this farm until their death. his occuring March 23, 1873, and hers; July 6, 1888. Their son, Nicholas, the father of the subject of this sketch, came with them to this country. He was born in Bavaria. in 1837, so that he was a lad of nine years at the time and had received the rudiments of his education in his native land : this was supplemented by attendance at the district schools of the town of Bristol. He became a farmer and owned three hundred and forty acres of land. and upon this homestead, assisted by his sons he erected the buildings, the barn in 1822 and the house in 1880. He served as town treasurer and assessor and as treasurer of the Bristol Fire Insurance Co. He was liberal and and independent in both his political and religious views, but usually supported the Republican party. He married Miss Mar- garet Schroud. who was born in Hampden township, Columbia county, in 1847 ; she is a member of the Catholic church. They had three children Henry J., William F., the subject of this sketch ; and M. Catherine, of Sun Prairie. Nicholas Renk died July 13. 1888. W. F. Renk was born October 12, 1875. He received his early education in the common and high schools of Sun Prairie, and was graduated from the agricultural college of the University of Wisconsin, in 1898. where he was awarded the medal as the best judge of sheep. In company with his brother he owns three hun- dred and eighty acres of land. which is run as a stock farm, their specialties being Shropshire sheep, shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. Their stock have taken many premiums at county fairs, and they were first winners at the state fair in the Wisconsin class. The firm imported fifty head of sheep from England at a cost of $3,500 ; one ram owned by the firm ranked first at the Wis-
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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
consin state fair. both when entered as a yearling and as a two- year-old. Renk Bros. also deal largely in seed corn and oats. Mr. Renk is, in politics, a Republican, and has held the elective offices of assessor and side supervisor. He has also been secretary of the Wisconsin sheep breeders' association. He married Miss Caro- line M. Derr, daughter of Joseph and Rosina ('Thein) Derr, natives of Germany, now residents of York township. Dane county. They came to Columbia county in 1846 and to Dane in 1900. Both fam- ilies are connected with the Catholic church. Mrs. Renk is one of a family of twelve children, nine of whom are living ; she was born in Columbia county, April 11, 1882. and married Mr. Renk, May 28, 1891. They have one child, Walter Frank.
Daniel Reynolds, Sr., a retired farmer of the town of Cottage Grove. first saw the light of day in the county of Antrim, Ireland, in 1811. His parents were Samuel and Mary (Kerns) Reynolds, both natives of Ireland. All the education Mr. Reynolds ever re- ceived was a three months' term in the common schools of Ire- land. On June 18, 1827, he landed in America. For several years he was employed as steward of a large contracting firm of New York and for six years was in the employ of the Vanderbilt family. Then he came to Wisconsin and entered under the homestead law the farm which he has since occupied. His first home was a log hut built by himself. Soon after his arrival he purchased a yoke of oxen and two cows, using the cows as well as the oxen for breaking purposes. For several years he did breaking for the neighboring settlers, clearing his own land in his spare time. In politics he is a Democrat. but has never aspired to office. His re- ligious affiliations are with the Catholic church of Cottage Grove. In July, 1839, Mr. Reynolds married Mary Ellen Melarkey and to this union have been born nine children, Martha Jane, born 1840, deceased : William James, born 1842, deceased ; Mary Ellen. born 1844. wife of John Connors of Cottage Grove; Susan Ann, widow of William Coffey : Daniel W. ; Katie, born 1850, lives at home, and with her father manages the farm, the daughter attending to all business transactions; Matilda, born 1852 deceased; John, born 1854, died in infancy ; and Eddie. born 1856, died in infancy. Al- though Mr. Reynolds is ninety-five years of age he is remarkably well preserved in mind and body. Few men who live to reach his age are as active. A number of years ago he moved to the village of Cottage Grove, but the inactivity of village life was distasteful to him and he soon returned to the farm. He is ever eager to aid in the public benefactions, and a worthy cause is always helped.
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Generous, high-minded and sincere he is much respected by his neighbors.
Daniel W. Reynolds is one of the representative farmers of Cot- tage Grove township, his place being located in section seventeen and comprising forty-three acres. He was born in this township, October 26, 1851, and is a son of Daniel and Mary (Melarky) Rey- nolds, both of whom were born in Ireland, while they were num- bered among the early settlers of Dane county, Wisconsin. Daniel W. Reynolds was reared on the farm and after availing him- sel of the advantages of the district schools he was for two years a student in the high school at Marshall. His initial venture in an independent business was made when he was a young man. He rented a farm in Cottage Grove township, residing upon the same two years, after which he located in the village of Cottage Grove, where he was successfully established in the hotel business for twelve years. He then traded his hotel property for a farm in Sun Prairie township, but moved to his present homestead farm which he had purchased above five years previously. He later disposed of the farm in Sun Prairie township. Mr. Reynolds has made the best of improvements on his farm, which is one of the valuable places of this section of the county. In 1895 his residence was de- stroyed by fire. being replaced by the present modern structure. He has ever shown a public-spirited interest in local affairs and has been called to offices of trust. He has served as constable, town- ship supervisor and school clerk, having been for several years a member of the board of supervisors of Cottage Grove township. He is independent in his political attitude and both he and his wife are communicants of the Catholic church. January 29, 1879, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Reynolds to Miss Catherine Flynn, who was born in Cottage Grove township, October 1. 1859, being a daughter of John and Ellen (Clarey) Flynn, and following is a record of the names and dates of birth of their eight children, all of whom are living: Martha Jane. November 30, 1879 : Mary Ellen, October 19, 1881 ; William James. August 15, 1883 ; Catherine, May 7. 1886 ; Daniel Edward. July 8, 1888 : Josephine. February 4, 1890; John Francis, September 3. 1893; and Mildred, February 24, 1895. Martha J., is a successful teacher in the public schools, and Wil- liam J., a carpenter by trade, is now a resident of Fort Worth. Texas.
A. A. Rhodes, (deceased), was born in Madison, Dane county. April 23, 1862, died August 17. 1898. He was the son of James Rhodes, a butcher by trade, and one of the early settlers of Mado-
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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
son. He was educated in the public schools of Madison and at the . University of Wisconsin. After completing his education he went to Dakota. and was engaged for some time as a clerk in a bank; then he returned to Wisconsin. Later he went to Kansas and fol- lowed the occupation of farming. In 1894. he returned to his na- tive state, and bought the farm which Mrs. Rhodes still owns. He was married December 19, 1889, to Miss Katie Evarts,-daughter of Leeman and Mary (Cole) Evarts,-who was born in Capron, Boone county. Ill. Mrs. Rhodes' father was a native of Massachu- setts and one of the early settlers of Illinois. In his later life he went to Syracuse. Nebraska, where he died. December 20, 1893. Mrs. Evarts now resides in Ingham, Lincoln county, Neb. She is a native of Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes were born two children, Florence, born December 30, 1890, and Alva. born August 27, 1894, both natives of Meredith, Kansas. Mr. Rhodes was a Democrat in politics and a member of the K. of P. lodge. He was interested in matters of public welfare and served in a number of local offices; his wife was reared and educated in Kansas, where her parents moved when she was four years of age.
Fred M. Richards, general superintendent of the Madison Gas and Electric Company, was born in Columbia county, Wisconsin, December 12. 18:0. He comes of good stock, the father, Robert Richards, being a native of Dane county, and his mother, née Esthma Isadora Dean, of New York. The father's vocation is that of flour miller, and he is at the present time operating a mill' at Chatfield. Minn. When the sombre cloud of war dimmed the horizon of national unity. he laid aside his citizen's garb and joined the ranks of the Union army, enlisting in Milwaukee. December 31, 1861. in Company E. Eighteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. The regiment came under McPhersons' command and participated in the battles of Champion's Hill, the siege of Vicksburg, the Mis -. sionary Ridge fights and at Allatoona withstood with great gallantry a furious assault of the Confederate army. At the latter place Mr. Richards was wounded and captured. He was taken to one of the enemy's hospitals and later exchanged. On July 12, 1865, he was honorably discharged. After the cessation of hostilities he re- turned to the milling business. Of his family of seven children, six are boys. The children are all living. The father is sixty-three years old and the mother fifty-three. Fred M. Richards finished his academic work in the Kilbourn high school and then entered the E. P. Allis & Company shops in Milwaukee to learn the machin- ists' trade. After four years there he put in the same length of
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
time firing a Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company's engine. From that position he worked into the electric lighting business in Portage, Wis., and after another four years accepted employment as assistant engineer for the Madison company. This was in November, 1900. Within eight months after his arrival he was made chief engineer, serving as such two years. In 1903 he was appointed superintendent of the Madison Gas & Electric Com- pany plant, and July 1, 1906, was appointed to his present position. Mr. Richards has been twice married. On December 21, 1889, he led.to the altar Miss Lottie A., daughter of I. B. and Cornelia (Cone) Pickard of Kilbourn, the former deceased, the latter an hon- ored resident of the city of the Dells. Mrs. Richards died April 25, 1891, at the age of twenty-one. On her father's side she was of English descent, on her mother's of Scotch and Dutch. Mr. Rich- ards' second marriage, which occurred April 1, 1893, was to Miss Amelia Rhein, of Green Lake, Wis., and a daughter of John and Louisa (Weilde) Rhein, both natives of Germany. By his second marriage he is the father of four children-Aden Robert, Florence Vera, Lorna May and Cecil Ione. The parents are members of the Baptist church, and the father belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons. He is a man highly spoken of, intelligent, energetic and resourceful.
Geo. W. Richardson, of Dane, belongs to a New York family. His paternal grandfather was Benj. Richardson who lived and died in that state. His parents were Geo. W. and Maria (Hazlett) Richardson, the former born in New York in 1824, and the latter in Elmira, N. Y., in 1828. They were married in Illinois and made their home in Genoa, Dekalb county, until their death, his occur- ring in 1886 and hers in 1903. He was a farmer by occupation, a Republican in party affiliations and, with his wife, belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their two sons and three daughters all except one daughter are living. Mr. Richardson re- ceived his educational equipment in the high school of Genoa. He began life as an Illinois farmer, but in 1890 began working for the railroad, and since 1893, has been station agent for the C. & N. W. R'y, at Dane. He owns property in Dane and also in Dakota. He and his wife attend and support the Methodist Episcopal church, and he votes with the Republican party. His marriage occurred April 10, 1888, and his wife was Miss Sarah E. Westover, born in Clintonville, Ill., March 12, 1868. Her parents were Benj. and Bertha (Barns). He was born in Sheffield, Berkshire county. Mass., and she in Alexander, Jefferson county, N. Y., March 28,
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1816, and October 4. 1827, respectively. They were among the early settlers of Illinois and were married January 1, 1852. He is a carpenter by trade and a Republican in politics, and is still living ; his wife died December 17, 1894. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Richardson were Abijah, born March 29, 1273, and Lois (Carrier) Westover, born February 17. 1782. He died December 20, 1824, and his wife survived him nearly forty years. passing away in 1861 or 1862. Her maternal grandparents were Ira Barns, born September 21. 1800, and Eliza (Carnegie) Barns, born June 19, 1806, and died August 3, 1887. Ira Barns was the son of Jabez and Mary (Crowell) Barns. He died at Alexandria, Jefferson county, N. Y., in the twenties and she in July. 1859, at Pawpaw. Lee county, Ill., aged eighty-four years. Eliza Carnegie was the daugh- ter of James and Abigail ( Holsey) Carnegie, bothi born în Vermont, where she died in 1812 ; her husband lived to marry five times, and died in Alexandria, Jefferson county. N. Y., aged seventy-seven years. His parents were Andrew and Lydia (Robins) Carnegie.
Bradford B. Richmond is a prominent farmer of the town of York, where he carries on the business established by his father, Ezra W. Richmond. The founder of the Wisconsin branch of the Richmond family was Peres Bradford Richmond, who came from New York at an early day and obtained a farm of four hundred acres from the government lands in York township. Here he lived until his death in 1888. He was a prominent member of the com- munity, a Whig and a Republican. Mrs. Peres B. Richmond, née Harriet Warner, was a native of New York, where she lived until after her marriage. Of their six childen, four are living. Their son, Ezra W. Richmond was born in New York, September 11. 1837, attended the district schools in his native county and be- came a student at Oberlin University, Ohio. For some years he followed the profession of teaching, in Missouri, and then in Dane county, and left it to engage in farming in Columbia county, where he purchased a farm and lived two years. For fourteen years he owned a farm in Sun Prairie, which he managed successfully until his return to the old homestead in York. This he occupied until 1900, when he moved to the city of Columbus to spend the residue of his life free from business cares. He married Miss Eliza Bowen, who was born in New York in August. 1841, and five children were born to them; Mabel. Hattie. Bradford B .. Elizabeth and Caroline. All were well-educated and the daughters taught school. Hattie married William L. Fritz, a farmer of Columbia county, Wis. Caroline is Mrs. Frank S. Roberts and her husband is connected
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
with the Columbus Canning Factory. Bradford B. was born at Sun Prairie, Wis., February 23, 18:5, attended the home schools and the Story Business College at Portage and has always been in- terested in farming. He operates his father's farm of two hundred and seventy-three acres and devotes particular attention to the breeding of pure registered Galloway cattle, of which he usually has a herd of about forty-five head : also registered French coach horses and Duroc Jersey hogs and Shropshire sheep. Like his father. Bradford B. Richmond is a Republican in political affilia- tions and all the family are identified with the Congregational church.
Charles Reed Riebsam, deceased, was prominently identified with various enterprises in the city of Madison during many years of a very active life and he was recognized as one of the leaders in the industrial affairs of the capital city. He was born at Muncy, Ly- coming county, Penn., on September 3, 1826, and was one of four children born to Philip and Sarah (Erwin) Riebsam. The father was also a native of the Keystone state and the mother was of English descent, her ancestors being of the religious sect known as Friends or Quakers. Of the four children born to this parentage only one now survives, William Erwin, and he is a resident of the state of California. The subject of this review received his early education in the public schools of the city of Philadelphia and then took up the study of medicine, graduating from the medical de- partment of the University of Pennsylania, with the class of 1849, receiving the degree of M. D. It seems, however, that his tastes were not in accord with the demands of that profession and he never entered upon the practice of the same, but soon after his graduation he entered a telegraph office and remained so employed until 1857. when he migrated to Wisconsin and located in the city of Madison. Soon after his arrival he entered the employ of the state bank and filled a responsible position with that institution for a number of years. For a considerable time. eighteen years, he was connected with Fuller & Johnson, general agents for the Walter A. Wood (harvesting machine) Company, and later he be- came connected with the Madison Gas & Electric Company, acting as secretary of the same until the time of his death, which occured on November 12. 1902. Mr. Riebsam was a Republican in his political affiliations, but he never assumed the role of an office- seeker. However, at the time of the Civil War he served under N. B. Van Slyke in the adjutant-general's office at Madison, and he also had a position in the comptroller's office during the incum-
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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
bency of Jeremiah Rusk. Mr. Riebsam was married on December 3, 1848, to Miss Sarah J. Wilson, daughter of Luther and Harriet (Hutchings) Wilson, of the state of New York, the place where they resided being now a part of the city of Syracuse. The parents of Mrs. Riebsam were both natives of the Empire state, but in 1846 they immigrated to Wisconsin and located in the city of Madison, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying in 1848 and the mother in 1877. Two daughters were born to them, only one of whom, Mrs. Riebsam, is now living. The subject of this review was reared in the Presbyterian faith, but after his marriage he became an attendant at the Congregational church, of which Mrs. Riebsam is a member. He also had mem- bership in the Old Settlers' club of Madison, an organization that was formed the same year of and a short time previous to his death. He was an honorary member of the Madison Hook and Ladder Company.
George C. Riley, a dealer in real estate in Madison, was born in Dane county, January 27, 1874. He is a son of Edward F. and Eliza LaBore Riley. George C. Riley is one of three brothers, the others being Charles G., a practicing attorney of Madison, and Frank M., an architect in Boston, Mass. George C. received his education in the public schools of his native city and studied for a time in the University of Wisconsin. Immediately after complet- ing his studies he entered the real estate business and has con- tinued in it ever since.
Martin Riley, of Marshall. was born in Carey, Ireland, October 25, 1849, of Irish parentage ; Jeremiah Riley was born in 1810, and his wife, Elsie, in 1813. They came to Ohio in 1851 and to Wis- consin and settled in Marshall. Dane county, in 1856. Mr. Riley worked on the railroad for some time and finally purchased a small piece of land in section 8 ; fifteen years later he bought eighty acres in section 18, and here made his home until his death in 1879; his wife survived him twelve years, hers occurring in 1891. Out of their family of six .- five sons and one daughter,-only two sons are living, the subject of this sketch and a brother Patrick of the town of York. The family attended the Catholic church ; and Mr. Riley's political creeds were expressed by the Democratic party ; at one time his vote saved the town from being bonded for a rail- road. Martin Riley received his education in the common school of district No. 1 of Medina township, and began his independent work at the rate of four dollars per month. In 1881 he became the owner of forty acres of land and this has increased with the years
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until it has become a farm of two hundred acres. It is worthy of note as showing what can be accomplished by the patient accumu- lations of years that the property now owned by Mr. Riley is the same as that upon which he worked for four dollars per month ; he now ranks as one of the well-to-do farmers of Medina. He was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Tolan, June 14, 1816. She is the daughter of William and Mary (Braden) Tolan, and was born in Kenosha in 1859. Mr. Tolan was born in Belfast and his wife in County Sligo, Ireland. They came to the United States when they were young, were married in Boston, and came to Wisconsin in its early days. He died in York, in 1892, and his widow is still living. They had two children, Mrs. Riley and Mamie, wife of Patrick Riley of the town of York. Mr. Martin Riley is a Free Mason and a member of the Waterloo lodge. He and his wife have had three children, the oldest, Mary, is dead; the others are William J., and George W.
William Riley, of Springdale township, was born in Washington county, New York, July 16, 1838. He is the son of Richard and Mary (Nichols) Riley, both natives of New York. Mr. Riley's American ancestry dates back to the Revolutionary War. his ma- ternal grandfather. John Stockwell, having served as a soldier in that struggle for independence. He was also a native of New York. Richard Riley was born in 1782 and took part in the War of 1812; he died in 1815 having attained the great age of ninety- three years. His wife died ten years later (1885) aged ninety-four. These hardy pioneers came to Wisconsin in 1855 and located in Dane county on section 2. in Springdale township, on the farm where the subject of this sketch now resides. They were the par- ents of three children, Robert, of the town of Springdale, William, and Lucinda (deceased). William was educated in the public schools of New York state and came west with his parents with whom he remained until the death of his father. He has now a fine farm of two hundred acres. He was married in 1859, to Miss Margaret Dride, a native of Philadelphia, but a resident of Spring- dale. They have six children, Robert. of Riley . Mary, married to Charles Oranger of the village of Riley : James, of Winnebago City. Minnesota ; John R., of Riley: Jenny, married William Carden. of Madison ; Margaret, married Jesse Sutton, of Nebraska. Mrs. Riley died in February, 1890, aged fifty-three years. Mr. Riley carries on the family traditions in his political affiliations, as his father before him was a Republican, and in the stirring years pre- 48-iii
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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
ceding the Civil War, was a strong abolitionist. He has retired from the management of his large farm, his son John R. having pur- chased the entire estate. John R., who was born December 12, 1813, was educated in the public schools, and chose farming as his vocation. He was married April 12, 1904, to Miss Margaret Marks of Riley, daughter of Patrick Marks of Madison : to this union one child, Wesley Malcolm, was born, May 18, 1906.
Harry E. Roberts, who makes his home in Stoughton since he has retired from farming. is a native of Dunkirk, where his family have lived since 1844. His paternal grandfather, William Roberts, was born in Fairfield county, Conn., April 25, 1782, and married Salome Elwell, born in Dutchess county, N. Y., in 1789. Soon after their marriage they settled in Virgil, Cortland county, N. Y., and lived there until 1836, when the spirit of the times sent them west to Illinois and after eight years to Dunkirk, where Mr. Rob- erts died in 1847, and his wife in 1872. Their son Ezra, father of Harry E., was born near Danbury, Conn., December 26, 1810, spent his youth in Cortland county, N. Y., and in 1835 engaged in farm- ing in Warren county, Ill. Here he spent five years, returned to New York for four years and came to Dunkirk with his parents in 1844. Again he engaged in farming and obtained land from time to time until his farm comprised three hundred and seventy-four acres. For several terms he served on the town board and was al- ways a public-spirited citizen. September 3. 1848, he married Bet- sey E. Cannon, daughter of Joseph and Rachel (Huyck) Cannon. who settled in Dunkirk in 1843. Joseph Cannon was a veteran of the War of 1812. Ezra Roberts and his wife had nine children, of whom but three are living; Harry E., Florence E., the wife of George N. Campbell, and James A. Harry E. was born on the Dunkirk farm, February 7, 1854, has always been occupied in farming at the old homestead, a part of which he still owns, and lived there until 1904. during which year he moved to Stoughton, his present home. He was first married March 14, 1878, to Sarah Ellan Bingham, daughter of Rufus and Esther (Ansley) Bingham, of Sumner, Jefferson county, Wis. Three children were born to the marriage: Rufus E., Earl A. and Florence E. Mrs. Roberts died April 9, 1903, and December 29, 1904, Mr. Roberts married Harriet S. Gilbert, daughter of Robert and Harriet (Bristol) Gilbert, the former a native of England and the latter of New York. Mr. Roberts is a member of the Universalist church and his wife of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Roberts is allied with the Prohibition party and is a strong temperance advocate.
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