History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 89

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

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and until h's death was engaged in the sale of grain, feed, coal, brick, etc. Mir. Story was married, in 1849, to Mary Elliot Friend, a native of Beverly, and the daughter of a very prominent and wealthy man ; she died in 1902: they had three children, William Friend, who has been in the American express office in Chicago, for over forty years ; Charles H., a merchant of Belleville, and Edwin C. Mr. Story was a Democrat until the organization of the Free Soil party, was a man who has always kept himself posted on affairs of public interest, but never aspired to public office. He belonged to the Sons of Temper- ance from 1840 until he came west in 1859. His interest in the pub- lic welfare. as shown by the establishment of the public library in Manchester, was similarly manifested in Belleville where he estab- lished a library for the use of the public and maintained it for several years at his own expense, and later had it incorporated. He was fa- miliarly known in his community as "The Grand Old Man of Belle- ville," from his resemblance to Mr. Gladstone. He died March 3, 1906.

Jacob Strand is the owner of a well improved little farm of thirty acres, the greater portion of which lies within the corporate limits of the village of Sun Prairie. He is a representative of the sturdy Norsemen, who have contributed so largely to the development and substantial upbuilding of the Badger state. He was born in Noway, December 31. 1865, and is a son of Thomas K. and Sarah (Gunderson) Strand, both of whom were likewise born in Norway, the former March 15, 1828, and the latter in May, 1834. They set- tled on a farm in Burke township, Dane county, Wisconsin in 1885, and there remained until 1898, when they removed to Sun Prairie. where the father died in 1901. and where the mother still maintains her home. In politics Thomas K. Strand was a stanch Republican, and his religious faith was that of the Lutheran church, of which his widow also is a devoted member. They became the parents of nine children, of whom eight are living. The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in his native land, whence he accompanied his parents on their immigration to America, having been a resident of Dane county since 1884. Ilis first farm comprised forty-seven acres and was located in Burke township, and his present place. which he has improved with excellent buildings, has been in his possession since 1898. Mr. Strand exercises his franchise in sup- port of the cause of the Republican party, is identified with the Order of Beavers, and both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. June 9, 1892. Mr. Strand was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Ekan, who was born in Norway, April 2, 1874, being

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a daughter of Iver and Joanna Ekan, who came from Norway to Dane county, Wisconsin, in 1875, locating on a farm. The mother died April 21, 1902, and is survived by eight of her nine children. The father consummated a second marriage and still resides on his farm. in Vienna township. To Mr. and Mrs. Strand have been born three children,-Tenny Elmer, Joanna Semanda, and Andrew, the last named having died in infancy.

Martin A. Strommen, son of Kettli and Lena (Holton) Strommen, is a native of the town of Christiania and a farmer upon the old family homestead. Jorge and Ann Strommen, parents of Kettli, came to Dane county. with their parents in the early days and ob- tained a fine farm of six hundred and twenty acres, upon part of which Martin, their grandson, now lives. Mrs. Jorge Strommen still lives at the old home. Kettli was their only child and always lived with his parents, assisting in the care of their large property. He married Miss Lena Holton, who after the death of Mr. Strom- men in January, 1882, married Ole P. Nelson of Christiania. Mr. Nelson was born in Haviland, Norway, son of Peter and Bertha Olson Nelson, who came to Richland county, Wis., in 1867. To Mr. and Mrs. Kettli Strommen were born four children : Albert (de- ceased), Martin, and Carl (deceased). Three children were born to Mrs. Strommen's second marriage; Clara, Relia and Oscar. Martin was born in Christiania. February 22, 1878, attended the district schools and farmed on the old homestead until 1903, when he built his present beautiful home on a part of the original Strom- men property. His large barn was built in 1902 and he is inter- ested in dairying as well as general farming. Considerable to- bacco is also raised upon the farm. Martin was married Novem- ber 15, 1899, to Miss D. Amelia Christianson, daughter of John and Ingebrigt Christianson, natives of Norway. Two children have blessed the marriage ; Deloris Alfred, born in 1900 and Inez Lena born in 1903. The Strommen family has always been identified with the Norwegian Lutheran church. Mr. Strommen is a mem- ber of the Repubican party, has served as the town board and held other local offices. He is always interested in the welfare of the community.

Rev. Jacob Aall Ottesen Stub, the popular and able pastor of Christ Lutheran church in the city of Stoughton, was born in Utica township, this county, August 6, 1877, and is the son of Hans G. and Diddrikka (Ottesen) Stub, representatives of sterling pioneer families of Wisconsin, the father having been born in Muskego, Waukesha county, this state, February 23, 1849, and his mother being born in

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Manitowoc, Manitowoc county, in the early 50's. The paternal grand- father, Rev. Hans A. Stub, was a native of Norway, where he was edu- cated in the University of Christiania, and there he was ordained to the ministry of the Lutheran church. He became one of the earliest clergymen of the Norwegian Lutheran church to take up pastoral work in America, having come to Wisconsin in 1848, locating in Mus- kego where he had charge of mission work, being also one of the six clergymen who organized the Norwegian Lutheran synod in the Uni- ted States. He was afterward incumbent of pastoral charges in Ver- non county, Wisconsin. At the time of the Civil War he returned to Norway, where he remained five years, at the expiration of which he came again to America and located in Winnesheik county, Iowa, where he had charge of several churches for twenty-nine years. In 1891 he again visited Norway, returning to America in 1897, and re- tiring from the active work of the ministry in the following year. He now resides in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the home of his son, Rev. Hans G. Stub, D. D. The maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Rev. Jacob Aall Otteson, who likewise was born and reared in Norway, where he received a liberal education and where he was ordained a minister of the Lutheran church. He taught for three years in the Latin schools of Christiania, and in 1852 came to the United States, locating in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where he was one of the pioneers in the mission work of his church, having charge of congregations in various places in that section of the state. In 1860 he removed to Dane county, locating in . Utica township and thereafter serving several congregations until 1891, when he retired and removed to Decorah, Iowa, where he died in the autumn of 1904. at the age of seventy-nine years. Professor Hans G. Stub, the father of him whose name initiates this article, was graduated from Luther College, at Decorah, Iowa, as a member of the class of 1866. He studied theology thereafter, in St. Louis, Missouri, and in 1872 was ordained to the ministry of the church of his fathers. In the same year he took up his residence in Minneapolis, Minnesota, there be- coming pastor of Our Saviour's Norwegian Lutheran church and mission, in which he served zealously and ably until 1878, when he became professor of theology in the Lutheran Seminary, at Madison, Wisconsin. This incumbency he retained until 1888, with the excep- tion of two years passed in special study in Leipsic, Germany. In 1888 the seminary was removed from Madison to the city of Minne- apolis, and there he held the chair of theology to the present time. save for an interval of four years, 1896 to 1900, during which time he

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was pastor of a church in Decorah, Iowa. The mother of the subject of this sketch died when he was but two years of age, and thereafter he was reared to the age of seven years in the home of his maternal grandparents, in Dane county. He then went to his father who had but recently consummated a second marriage, having wedded Miss Valborg Hovind, of Madison, who was born in Norway and who was a well known vocalist and teacher of vocal music, having been edu- cated in Germany and France. Mr. Stub's father was then living in the city of Madison, and here the boy was afforded the advantages of the public schools which he continued to attend until 1888. He finally matriculated in Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, from which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1898, with the degree of Bache- lor of Arts. It was but natural that inherent predilections should lead him to the work of the ministry, and in 1901 he was graduated from the seminary of the Norwegian Lutheran church, in the city of St. Paul. After his ordination he became assistant pastor, under Rt. Rev. Halverson, of Wesby, being assigned to a congregation at Viro- qua, Vernon county, where he remained nearly a year. In May 1902, he became pastor of Christ Lutheran church, in Stoughton, and the pastorate he still holds, having in fused much zeal and vitality into all departments of the church work and enjoying unqualified popular- ity in the community. August 26, 1902, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Stub to Miss Aleda Hoverson, daughter of Hover and Bertha (Johnson) Hoverson, of Soldiers' Grove, Crawford county, and of this union has been born one child, Didrikka Aall.

George Sullivan, the efficient superintendent of streets of the city of Madison was born in Madison, February 12, 1856. He comes of good Irish stock, his parents, Timothy and Elizabeth (McCune) Sullivan, being natives of the Emerald Isle, the former of County Clare and the latter of Rosscommon. Timothy Sullivan came to the United States in the early forties, locating first in Rah- way, N. J., where he engaged in farming and truck gardening. In 1855 he and his wife made their way to the capital city of Wiscon- sin, and for many years lived on a farm, Mr. Sullivan doing occas- sional jobs of teaming. He is now retired, having reached the age of seventy-four, while his wife is seventy-two. Of their ten chil- dren, of whom the subject of this sketch is the second, five are still living. Mary is the widow of John O'Connell of Madison ; Hannah is the wife of Frank Memhard of Madison ; Dennis, a clerk, makes the same city his home; and John, a teamster, also makes his home in the city of his nativity. George Sullivan received his early schooling in the public institutions of Madison. The print-

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ers' trade appealed to him and four years were spent in learning its "ins and outs," and the following seven years were put in on a farm. On his return to the city at the end of that time he engaged in the construction work and has since made that his means of live- lihood. During the years of 1887-1888 he served as alderman from the sixth ward. In 1899 the common council of the city of Madi- son made Mr. Sullivan superintendent of streets and he has served continuously since through the different changes of administration. That his work as a public officer has been highly satisfactory there is no doubt. On May 3, 1880, Mr. Sullivan was united in marriage to Katie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis McCarthy of Madison. Both Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy are natives of Ireland, who came to this country in the early fifties. For many years McCarthy was a hop and tobacco grower, but like so many other Dane county far- mers, has of late years turned his attention to the raising of sugar beets. McCarthy is now about seventy-two years of age and his wife is sixty-eight. Mrs. Sullivan died December 14, 1900, leaving, beside her husband, six children: Emma, a stenographer ; Helen, who keeps house for her father: Jennie, a student in the business college ; Anna, attending the public schools ; Florence and Eugenia. The family are all members of the Catholic church and the father belongs to the Catholic Knights of America.

James Sullivan, (deceased), was a native of Queenstown, Cork county, Ireland. He came to Toledo, O., at an early date, having first spent some time in Pennsylvania. In May, 1839, he came to Madison, Wis., and engaged in teaming. He followed that occu- pation for about five years, part of the time making the long jour- ney between Milwaukee and Madison, hauling the material for the bu lding of the old capital. He owned a farm in Toledo, O., and this he sold and invested the proceeds in the land in Burke town- ship where he made his home until his death, April 19, 1867. The story of Mr. Sullivan's l'fe is the story of the thrilling and adven- turous experiences of the pioneer. His first journey from Toledo to Madison was made alone on horseback, and the following year he made the same journey accompanied by his family. His was among the first Catholic families to settle in that vicinity, and they preceded the first priest by three years. Father Condig, of Milwaukee, was brought out to baptize two children of Mr. Sullivan, Jane and Michael, and at that time the first mass was said in his house. They were the first children christened in the Catholic church of Wisconsin. At that time their nearest neighbors were a mile away and the farms were also separated by a creek. In this home, carved

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out of the wilderness, Mr. Sullivan spent his life of seventy-five years, and brought up his family of nine children. His marriage occurred about 1828, to Miss Catherine Cahoo, also a native of Ireland. It was solemnized in Albany N. Y. Six children were born in Toledo, Ohio, and three in Dane county. Margaret, of Mauchchunk, Penn., married Matthew Gorry, of Fitchburg; both are deceased ; Mary, of New York state, married John Conlisk, of Toledo, O .; both are deceased; Patrick, deceased, of Toledo, O., spent most of his life in Missouri. Hannah, married Samuel Barry ; James spent most of his life in the west; was in the Civil War, in Kit Carson's cavalry, and died in Mexico, shortly after the war; Catherine, now Sister Mary Magdaline, a sister of charity, in Cleveland, O .; Jane, died young ; Michael, died in Toledo, O .; Ellen, died unmarried. The mother of this family died at Burke, 1864, aged sixty years, and is buried in the family burying plot in the Catholic cemetery of Madison. The subject of this sketch was a man of strong personality a stanch democrat, and while deeply interested in political movements, was not a seeker of official posi- tions, but nevertheless served in local offices at different times. He was a well-to-do farmer, owning at the time of his death, two hun- dred acres of land in the town of Burke.

Edwin Sumner, the senior member of the firm of Edwin Sumner & Son,, wholesale and retail druggists, was born in New Lisbon, Ohio, September 23, 1841. In 1845 his parents moved to Tiffin, Seneca county, of the same state, which was his home until he was fifteen years of age. After the death of his father, his mother, Mrs. Jane Sumner, with three of her children, two daughters and one son, the latter the subject of this sketch, removed to Wisconsin, settling in Mad- ison in 1856. A picture of Pinckney street, where the establishment of Sumner & Son is now located, taken in 1856, shows an irregular and inartistic sky-line formed by low wooden buildings and a glimpse of a corner of the Capitol Park, with its saplings protected from molestation by the public by a high board fonce. At that time railway communication with the outer world had been established barely two years and, although the population had reached about seven thousand. the place had just been incorporated as a city and was still without public buildings and the conveniences of water, light, etc., which are now in common use in the minature cities of a quarter of the size of Madison in 1856. Soon after his arrival, Mr. Sumner, although only a boy in years, began the moulding of his own career by seeking em- ployment with Philo, Dunning, a sturdy, honest pioneer of 1840, at that time a partner in the firm of Dunning & Paine, grocers and drug-

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

gists, established at 109 King street. After three months a change was made in the firm and it became Wright & Paine, and Mr. Sum- ner remained in their employ for nearly three years. In February, 1859, when the subject of this sketch was only eighteen years of age, he formed a partnership with Philo Dunning, John N. Jones, and James W. Sumner, (his brother), under the firm name of Dunning, Jones & Sumners which was the foundation of the present business firm, and its present location at 15 South Pinckney street selected. A year later the building was found to be too small to accomodate the growing business and it was moved off the site and in two months a new building stood in its place. This display of prompitude and energy is typical of the spirit which has animated the firm through all the changes which the years have made in the personel of the princi- pals. February 10, 1862, the firm was changed to Dunning & Sum- ner, and it is at the present time Sumner & Son, but the man of whom this brief sketch is written has for nearly half a century maintained his connection as an active partner in the business. and the memory of but few of the present residents of the city runs back to the time when he did not dispense his wares for the healing and comfort of the in- habitants. At the present time the firm has a force of four assistants in its employ and has established a branch store on State street, at the intersection of Gilman street, which in size and appointments nearly equals the original establishment. On September 6. 1864, Mr Sum- ner was married to Miss Mary Annette Dunning and they have had two children, one daughter, who died at the age of sixteen months and one son, Louis D., born November 7, 1870; he was educated in the city schools and at the University of Wisconsin in the English course ; He also took a post graduate course in the college of pharmacy, re- ceiving the degree of Bachelor of Science, and is now the junior mem- ber of the firm. He married Miss Mary Clawson, daughter of A. J. Clawson, an early graduate of the University of Wisconsin. Mr. Edwin Sumner is a member of the fraternal order of Free Masons and also of the Congregational church, and he has been a trustee of that church for the last forty years. In the Madison Democrat of May 6. 1906, under the heading "A Semi-Centennial, appeared this notice of the Sumner family: "Just fifty years ago yesterday, James W. Sumner had a neat little cottage purchased and furnished in the 100 block of East Gilman strect. and on that day he sent to Tiffin, Ohio, for his mother, two sisters and one brother to come to Madison. They ar- rived in due time and found a thrifty village. Only two are now liv- ing. Mr. Edwin O. Sumner and Mrs. J. H. D. Baker. Mr. James Sumner came to Madison in 1847, being one of the pioneers."

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James W. Sumner, of 15 Hancock St., Madison is a native of England ; he was born in Manchester. August 1, 1832, the son of James and Jane (Mathew) Sumner. The parents came to America in 1833. landing in New York. They settled in Tiffin, Seneca county, Ohio. James Sumner was a lawyer by profession and a thoroughly educated English gentleman. He practiced law in Tiffin and entered into the political interests of his time, stumping the state against Tom Corbin. He remained in the town where he settled until his death. The subject of this sketch received his edu- cation in the schools of Tiffin, but began at an early age to carve out his own fortunes : he began learning the harness trade when he was only fourteen and worked at it two years in Ohio and two years after coming to Wisconsin. He came to Dane county. May 26, 1847. and settled in Madison ; he took up forty acres of government land in the town of Oregon; after the death of his fa- ther. his mother came west and Mr. Sumner sold his little farm, purchased a house for his mother on Gorham St., opposite Judge Kiser's, furnished it and installed her in her new home. He has been identified with the interests of Madison for nearly sixty years, having served on the board when it was a village, at the time when it received its charter as a city. and afterward as a member of the council representing the second ward. He was nominated for sheriff in 1869. Mr. Sumner's family belonged to the Episcopal church and he was christened in that church in England. He is, in politics, an old-time Democrat, and his fraternal relations are with the K. P., Monona Lodge No. 12. of Madison. He was in business. as a druggist, in Madison, for twenty-five years but has now retired. He owns his home in the city and three other build- ings on the same property lying between Hancock and Franklin Streets. April 8. 1861. Mr. Sumner married Miss Frances E. Fos- ter, daughter of Louis and Lucy Foster. of New York. She was born in Jefferson county. Wis., and died March 30, 1890. They had two children. James F .. of Milwaukee and Ella, who married Mr Steinberg, of Chicago. Both of the children were born and edu- cated in Madison, the daughter having received special training in music ..

August Sutter, a prominent farmer of Perry township, was born in Madison. Wis .. September 9, 1863. His father, Ludwig Sutter, was a native of Baden, Germany, and married Crescienta Heller, who was born in the same district. In 1850, they left Germany and came to Madison, Wis., where Mr. Sutter bought wheat for the Conklin firm. In 18:5. he moved to Perry township and en-

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gaged in farming, having purchased one hundred and twenty acres of farin land. To this he added one tract after another until his property comprised two hundred and seventy acres. The last few years of his life Mr. Sutter spent in Mount Horeb, retired, and there he died in May, 1904. Mrs. Sutter still resides in Mount Horeb. Ten children were born to Ludwig Sutter and his wife, all of whom are living. Joseph resides in Perry township; Julia is · Mrs. George Schmidt of Perry ; August is the subject of this sketch ; Frank lives with his mother in Mount Horeb; Louie resides in Blue Mounds township; Mary resides in a convent in Milwaukee; Frances married Casper Hagg of Mount Horeb; Grace is with her sister Mary in Milwaukee ; Leo lives in the town of Blue Mounds, and Willie on the old home farm. August was at home with his parents and assisted his father until he was twenty-nine years old. at which time he bought a farm of one hundred acres in the town of Perry and engaged in general farming at which he has prospered. In May, 1892, he married Miss Catherine Schmidt, born in Perry, daughter of George and Frances (Conlee) Schmidt, natives of Ger- many. Eight children blessed the marriage; George Ludwig, Ed- die Joseph, Clara Julia, Frank August, Ella Grace, Raymond Leo, Stella and Laura Teresa, all of whom are at home. Mrs. Sutter is one of a family of seven children, of whom four are living; George, who resides in the town of Perry ; Albert, who lives in Blue Mounds ; Mrs. August Sutter, and Teresa, the wife of a brother of August Sutter. Mr. Sutter is allied with the Democratic party. The family belongs to the German Catholic church.

Louis O. Sveom, of Stoughton, is a contractor and constructor of all kinds of cement and concrete work, and is numbered among the! successful and reliable business men of the second city of Dane county. He was born in Norway, February 12, 1868, and is a son of Ole A. and Bertha (Torgeson) Sveom, who came to the United States in the spring of 1881. settling in Rock county, Wisconsin, where the father continued identified with agricultural pursuits until 1900, when he re- tired. He and his wife still reside in Rock county, making their home in Avan, though they originally settled in Plymouth township. They have nine children, namely: Andrew; Bertha, wife of Hans Ljom; Bernt : Thea, wife of John Hegge ; John : Olive, wife of O. C. Jensen ; Louis O .; and Olaus. The subject of this review secured his early educational training in his native land, having been twelve years of age at the time of the family removal to the United States. Here he continued his studies for two terms in the common schools of Rock county, and he was employed at farm work until he had reached the

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age of thirty-two years. In 1894 he engaged in the contracting bus- iness in the city of Milwaukee, giving employment to a number of men and there remaining one year. Thereafter he followed the same line of enterprise in Rock county until 1901, when he located in Stoughton, where he established his present business, in which he has met with gratifying success, being the only contractor of the sort in the city and having gained a high reputation for work of the highest grade. In politics he is found aligned as a supporter of the principles and policies of the Republican party. September 6, 1899, Mr. Sveom was married to Miss Sophia Torema Freeman, daughter of Magnus and Helen (Everson) Freeman, of Spring Valley township, Rock county. Mr. and Mrs. Svcom have two chidren,-Lillian R. and Helen.

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History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 89

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