USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 90
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Harold L. Swan, proprietor and editor of the Mazomanie Sickle, was born in Christiania, Norway, November 29. 1869. He is the son of Hans H. and Randina Swan, both born in Norway, the former on January 13, 1840, and the latter on June 4, 1845. Mr. Swan received his scholastic training in the institutions of Stoughton and in 1882 started in to learn the trade of printer. He served his apprentice- ship with the Normannen of Stoughton, of which he later became one of the publishers. In 1893 he purchased the plant of the Mazomanie Sickle, and since that time has been its editor. He is a stanch sup- porter of the Republican party. On February 5, 1891, Mr. Swan was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Johnson, daughter of Richard and Jane (Lowry) Johnson of Stoughton and to this union have been born three children. The names of these, with the dates of their birth, fol- low: Jane Idelle, March 29, 1892 ; Harold Johnson, March 30, 1896; and Julian McAllister, September 16, 1898. Mr. Swan is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America, the Equitable Fraternal Un- ion, the Mystic Workers of the World and the Order of Beavers.
J. D. Synon, of Verona, was born in the district of Prince Ed- ward, Ontario, Canada, December 22, 1842, of Irish ancestry, his father having come from Ireland to Canada, with his parents, at the age of fourteen years and his mother at the age of nine. His father, Thomas Synon, came to Milwaukee. July 4, 1859, and immediately came on to Verona, Dane county. Here he bought land, improved it and made his home until his death December 5, 1902, his wife having died four years previously. They were the parents of nine children, J. D. Synon, the subject of this sketch; Jane, who married James Budrase, of Minnesota ; George, (deceased) who was a physician in Chicago: William, a physician of Milwaukee; Thomas and Daniel, twins, the former an attorney in Norfolk, Va., and the latter a farmer
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of Fitchburg; Emily, (deceased) was a teacher in Chicago; Mary Ellen, of Fitchburg; Agnes (deceased) was a teacher. Mr. Synon received the greater part of his education in Canada, and after com- ing to Wisconsin, worked a farm in partnership with his father until he was thirty years of age; he then bought the farm of two hundred and forty acres which he occupies at the present. He was married February 24. 1881. to Miss Jane Miles of Verona ; they had two chil- dren, Cassie and Jerome, both at home. Mrs. Synon diod June 17, 1887, and Mr. Synon subsequently married Miss Delia Reynolds, of Madison.
Hon. Jonas Swenholt, the incumbent of the office of state fish- and game-warden, whose Madison home is at 2102 Oakland avenue, was born near Oconomowoc. Waukesha county, Wis., December 20. 1855. He is a son of John and Ingeborg Swenholt, both of whom were born in Norway. The father was a Norwegian farmer who settled in Waukesha county in 1844, clearing and improving a farm. In 1864 he moved to Waupaca county and lived on the farm which he cleared, until his death, which occurred July 2. 1881, the day that President Garfield was shot. His widow is still living, having passed the eighty-third milestone on April 14. 1906. She makes her home with her son in Madison. There were but two children in the family. Ingeborg is the widow of Rev. E. J. Homme, the founder of the Norwegian orphans' home at Witten- berg. Shawano county. His death occurred in June, 1903, at the age of sixty years. His widow is now living in Glendale, Oregon. Jonas Swenholt received an academic education in the common schools of Wisconsin. He devoted his time to farming for a few years after the completion of his studies, and then moved to Shawano county and built the first house in what is now the village of Wittenberg. . The village today has a population of about thir- teen hundred and the government conducts an Indian school at the place. Mr. Swenholt conducted a store there for thirteen years and then operated a saw mill which he previously purchased. In 1893 the mill was burned to the ground with a loss of fifteen thousand dollars. In 1894 he was made register of deeds of Shawano county and re-elected to the position in 1896. In the fall of 1900 he was elected to a seat in the lower house of the state legislature. and again in 1904 was chosen to fill the same position. During the last session in which he served he was chairman of the committee on . fish and game and a member of the committee on claims. On September 19. 1905, Gov. R. La Follette appointed him fish and game warden. His term expires July 1. 1907. His political affiliations
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are with the Republican party and his appointment to office was a recognition of his faithful services in its behalf. Previous to his coming to Madison to live he had held all the political offices of his town and village, and had served as postmaster, the appoint- ment having been made by President Garfield. In July. 1883. Mr. Swenholt married Miss Anna Lysne, daughter of Henry Lysne, and a native of Portage county. Her parents, both deceased. were na- tives of Norway. Henry Lysne and his son Ole served throughout the Civil War in the Union army, the son being killed in the last battle before Petersburg. To Mrs. and Mrs. Swenholt have been born four children. John is a student at the University of Wiscon- sin in the class of 1908, in the pharmacy course. Helmer is also an attendant of the same institution, in the engineering course. Edna is in the high school and Casper in the grade school.
A. J. Swenson is a retired gardener of Madison, where he has lived since 1856. He was born in Stockholm, Sweden, July 22, 1819, son of Sever and Carrier Swenson, both natives of Sweden. His parents were poor and their son had no opportunity to attend school but was hard at work as soon as he was old enough to find employ- ment. He became an expert gardener and in 1856 embarked for America, soon after becoming a resident of Madison, Wis. He was employed for three years by Governor Farwell in various kinds of work about his home and bought a lot of Governor Farwell as soon as he could save enough from his wages. The entire sum which he possessed with which to erect his house was ten dollars and this only sufficed to purchase covering for three sides of the little cottage. A blauket temporarily enclosed the fourth side but Mr. Swenson soon earned money to finish his dwelling and continued to add to his prop- erty as he accumulated a competence, little by little, by means of thrift and unceasing energy and labor. He now owns two full city lots and his daughter owns two adjoining lots. Each of Mr. Swenson's chil- dren have been presented by their father with two lots. The first strawberries ever cultivated in Madison were raised by Mr. Swenson, who was fond of making experiments with his garden and was always very successful. In 1853 Mr. Swenson married, in Chicago, Miss Car- rie Peterson. a native of Sweden, and four children were born to the marriage. Albert, the oldest son and Christine, the oldest daughter. reside with their father in Madison. Anna is Mrs. Ole Swenson and lives in Minnesota. Sophia is Mrs. Hamilton, also of Minnesota. The family belongs to the Norwegian Lutheran church. In political sympathies Mr. Swenson is a Republican.
A
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Andrew W. Swenson, carpenter and contractor and member of the firm of Swenson Brothers, first saw the light of day in Norway, October 15. 1863. He is a son of John and Sonnov (Wesnes) Swen- son. The father was born December 12, 1822, and in 1882, having been sent for by his sons, came to the United States. From the time of his arrival until his death in 1886 he lived with his son William on a farm. In Norway he had followed the vocation of rope-maker. His widow is still living, an honored resident of Elinside, a suburb of Mad- ison. She is a member of the Lutheran church. By a previous mar- riage John Swenson was the father of four children. Severen, now deceased, was a resident of Minnesota and president of a bank there. At one time he was county auditor. John A., formerly a carpenter and contractor of Madison, is now a prospector. Magnus, who makes his home in Madison, is interested in the manufacture of mining tools in Chicago. Mary is now Mrs. Harvey. The subject of this sketch is the eldest of the three children by the second marriage. The others are William R., the partner of Andrew W., and Anna B., the wife of John Golbin, a painter of Madison. Andrew W. Swen- son received his education in the public and private schools of his na- tive country. As soon as he had been confirmed he took passage as a sailor, plying between Europe and America for five years. He then came to Madison in 1881 to serve his apprenticeship as a carpenter under his brother, J. A. Swenson, of the firm of Warns & Swenson. For some four years he worked intermittently at farming and car- pentering at Stoughton, where he also put in six years clerking in a store and another year at the same occupation in Sun Prairie. In 1891 he returned to carpentering again, removing to Waukesha as a railroad carpenter. He did not stay there long, however, but came back to Madison, going into the employ of his brother J. A. Swenson. He continued in this position until the present partnership was formed in 1900. On April 18. 1887, Mr. Swenson led to the altar Miss Annie E. Ham, a native of Wisconsin, and daughter of H. A. and Martha Ham, now residents of Stoughton. To this union has been born one son, Verne A. H. Mr. and Mrs. Swenson are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Swenson is a third degree Mason, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Beavers. He is a finished workman and an industrious, enterprising and cheer- ful citizen. His home and its surroundings are worthy of emulation.
George W. Swenson, postmaster and general merchant in the little village of Klevenville, is a native of Norway. He was born in Telemarken, Askenaud. June 24. 1860, and came to America with his father when he was about four years old. He was the
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youngest of a family of nine children of whom only three are living, -Reguild, widow of Andrew Goodmanson, of Fertile, Worth county, Iowa : Jerjan, of Forestville, Iowa, and George W .. the subject of this sketch. The mother died in Norway and the father, Swen Swenson, settled in Perry. Dane county, about 1864. He was a teacher in his native land, but adapted himself to the conditions of a new country and followed farming and employed himself wtih mason work as necessity demanded, until his death in 1875. George W .. was reared in the town of Perry, Dane county, and in Rudd, Iowa, and attended the public schools and later the North- western Business College of Madison. He began life for himself as a clerk and book-keeper at Mt. Vernon. Later he followed the same occupation at Mt. Horeb until 1885. In 1886 he received the appointment as postmaster at Mt. Vernon and he remained at that place until 1891 when he came to Klevenville and entered into a partnership with Iver Kleven; three years later (1894) he bought out his partner and has since been sole proprietor of the business. He carries a good line of general merchandise, hardware, groceries, dry goods and boots and shoes. April 3, 1895, he was married to Inger Kleven, of Springdale, daughter of Iver Kleven, who now re- sides at Madison. They have three children, Ivester Mabel, Grace Alpha and Irene Alena. Mr. Swenson has always taken an active interest in local politics and has served as postmaster of Kleven- ville since 1891, with the exception of one term of four years when the position was held by his father-in-law, Iver Kleven. He has been justice of the peace since locating in Klevenville, was town clerk in 1897-98, served as census enumerator in 1900 and at the present time is serving as clerk of the school district. He was in- strumental in organizing joint district number 9, and carried his point against great opposition. The school district was organized in 1899 out of territory belonging to five other districts, all of which appealed to the state superintendent. Mr. Swenson has always been connected with the Republican party and has been chairman of the town organization for four years ; he was also a delegate to the Republican state convention in 1904. He belongs to the order of F. and A. M. at Mt. Horeb, and is a member of the Lutheran church.
Ole C. Swenson, a well known and successful carpenter and builder of Stoughton, claims the fair land of Norway as the place of his nativity, having there been born August 24. 1844, and being a son of Swen and Martha ( Pederstatter) Nelson. He was reared and edu- cated in Norway, where also he learned the blacksmith trade. In
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1868, at the age of twenty-four years, he bade adieu to home and na- tive land and came to America, making Stoughton his objective point. In the autumn of that year he entered the employ of T. G. Mandt, who later organized the present Mandt Manufacturing Company, and he rema ned with this concern nine years, at the expiration of which he turned his attention to the carpenter's trade, which he has since con- tinued to follow in this city, except for an interval of four months passed in Minnesota and fifteen months in Chicago. In 1904 he erected his own handsome residence, in Harrison street, at a cost of three thousand dollars. For eight years he was in the employ of F. G. Hill, and since 1902 he has been one of the valued employes of Morten Christensen, one of the prominent contractors of Stoughton. In politics he gives his support to the Republican cause and he and his family hold membership in the Norwegian Lutheran church. In 1874 Mr. Swenson married Miss Dora Forthun, of Stoughton, and they became the parents of six children,-Lovena, Annie (deceased) Helmer, Orvin, Eda and Raymond.
William R. Swenson, carpenter and contractor, and member of the firm of Swenson Brothers, was born in Norway. November 3, 1864. He is a son of John and Sonnov (Wesnes) Swenson, for a brief outline of whose lives see the sketch of Andrew W. Swenson in this volume. William R. Swenson was educated in the Christiania, Nor- way, common and high schools, and then entered life as a sailor, con- tinuing in that occupation for five years. He has visited Russia, Denmark, Holland. Germany, France, England, Ireland, and Scotland. When he touched the shores of America he determined to make this country his home, and in 1882 came directly to Stoughton. His first labor was that of a farm hand, and then he accepted a position as a clerk in a Stoughton store, remaining there some seven years. He worked at his trade in the summer and clerked during the winter months. For a year he was employed in Milwaukee as a railroad carpenter and subsequently for the shipyard in that city. In 1893 he returned to Madison and went to work for his brother, continuing in that occupation until the present partnership was established. The firm has done a great deal of business in Madison, and the surround- ing towns, and that it has been satisfactory is evidenced by the increase of business from year to year. In 1885 Mr. Swenson married Miss Hansine Anderson, a native of Norway who came to the United States in 1883. Her parents. John and Hannah (Hokins) Anderson, still reside in Norway. Mrs. Swenson is the eldest of the seven children in the family. Of the others, Alice is the wife of Christ Hansen and lives in South Dakota; Morris is a farmer near
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Edgerton, Rock county; Carl is employed by the Knickerbocker Ice company at Williams Bay; Inga; Lena is married and has four children, and Bert lives in Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Swenson have had five children. Sigurd, the first born, died when but two years of age. Sigurd J., the second child, is now a tinsmith in Madison ; and Eleanor L., Ruth Elizabeth and Anna Maria Pauline are at home. The family are members of the Trinity Lutheran church. Mr. Swen- son is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons. He is a man of excellent judgment, sound business sense ande genial, courteous manner.
Matthew J. Tappins, secretary of the state board of control, was born in Iowa county, Wis., May 2, 1863. His parents, George and Ellen (Flannery) Tappins, were both natives of Ireland, the fa- ther coming to this country in 1841 and settling in Benton, Wis. His occupation was that of farmer and he continued in it until his retirement in 1896. He now makes his home in Avoca, and al- though he has passed the seventy-third milestone he is still hale and hearty. His wife died in 1893 at the age of fifty-six. She was a devout member of the Catholic church, as is her husband today. Of their six children five are still living. The subject of this sketch finished his preparatory education in the Highland high school. After the completion of his academic studies he taught for several years and was eminently successful. In the fall of 1884, when Mr. Tappins was but twenty-one, he was elected circuit clerk of Iowa county, which position he held for ten successive years. in 1894 he entered the office of Spensely & McIlhan at Mineral Point for the purpose of studying law. After eight months he be- came assistant cashier in a Dodgeville bank ; he had been there but three months when he was appointed (December 1, 1895) assist- ant secretary of the state board of control and on the 10th day of March, 1898, was elected by the board as its secretary. The effi- ciency of his work in that capacity is attested by his successive service there through the many changes of administration. On March 8, 1888. he married Miss Anna Noble. a daughter of Richard and Louisa (Corbin) Noble of Dodgeville. Mr. Noble is now de- ceased, and his wife is a resident of Denver, Colo. To Mr. and Mrs. Tappins have been born four children .- Garold James. Homer. Noble L., and an unnamed baby. Mrs. Tappins is a member of the Christ Presbyterian church of Madison. Mr. Tappins belongs to the Knights of Pythias.
Werner Tasher, a farmer and breeder of high grade and thor- oughbred stock, whose farm is near Mount Vernon, was born in the
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town of Primrose. December 13, 1866. His parents, John and Mary ( Elmer ) Tasher, were natives of Switzerland who came to this country in the latter part of the fifties, landing in New York. They came west by way of the Eric canal and the Great Lakes. Mrs. Tasher (then Miss Elmer) joined the Swiss colony, at New Glarus, Green county, and Mir. Tasher made his way to Sauk county, Wis., where he worked for Judge Siebecker's father. From Sauk county he went to Green county, there married, and subsequently the fam ly removed to Dane county and in January, 1866, moved onto the farm which the subject of this sketch now conducts. Here the father remained until within two years of his death, which occurred at New Glarus, Wis., July 9, 1898. The mother d'ed October 30, 1890. Werner Tasher was but six weeks old when his parents moved to the farm where he now resides. His scholastic education was received in the district schools of Prim- rose and the Mount Vernon institution and he immediately took up the vocation of farming when he had completed his course. He has fol- lowed that calling all his life. In time the father's farm came into his hands, he being the only survivor of a family of three children. The place contains some three hundred and twenty-five acres and is devoted chiefly to the raising of blooded stock and dairying. Mr. Tasher is the owner of the Clyde stallion, Rustic Prince, registercd No. 11583. In politics Mr. Tasher is a Democrat and now the representative of his town on the county board of supervisors. a position which his father held many years before him. In religious matters he is associated with the Roform church. On March 2. 1893, he married Fredericka, daughter of William and Caroline (Bortlung) Schettler, and a native of Springdale. The parents were both natives of Germany and the father was a soldier in the Union army, participating in Sherman's march to the sea. Mr. and Mrs. Tasher have four children, Mary M. Emiline E., and Iva A. and Eva E., twins. The Tasher home, known as the Sugar River Valley Farm, is beautifully located and one of the best equipped places in the county.
Charles A. Taylor, a genial conductor in the employ of the Chi- cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, is a native of Iowa county, Wis. His parents were John and Mary (Pullis) Taylor, the for- mer a native of New York state and the latter of Pennsylvania, who came to Wisconsin early in its history. John Taylor was one of the many Wisconsin men who offered their services to assist in preserving the union. He enlisted at Highland, August 21, 1862, in the Thirty-third Wisconsin infantry. This regiment was re- cruited principally from Green. Kenosha, Rock and La Fayette counties and its organization was completed at Camp Utley, Racine,
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under the superintendence of Col. Jonathan B. Moore, its command- ing officer. It entered the United States service on October 18, 1862, and less than a month later (November 12, 1862) left the state, via Chicago and Cairo, 111 .. for Memphis, where it arrived on November 16. Here it was assigned to a brigade in Lauman's division of Sherman's wing of the Army of the Tennessee and par- ticipated in Grant's movement toward Jackson, Miss., leaving Mem- phis ten days after its arrival with ten days rations and one hundred rounds of ammunition per man. Sherman had the advance and when his command arrived at Wyatt it was ordered back to engage in the campaign against Vicksburg. Later the Thirty-third went into winter quarters at Moscow and while there was transferred, with Lauman's division, to the Sixteenth Army Corps under Gen- eral Hurlburt. In April. 1863, the Thirty-third participated in the Coldwater expedition under Col. George E. Bryant of the Twelfth Wisconsin. The following month the regiment was thrown to the rear of Vicksburg, being stationed at the extreme left. There it remained until after the capitulation of the city on July 4. The next engagement of the Thirty-third was the second battle of Jack- son. In February, 1864, it formed a part of Sherman's Meridian expedition, marching three hundred and seventy miles in twenty- nine days. The same year Banks' Red river expedition was under- taken and Moore's regiment formed an integral part of the move- ment. At Nashville and Spanish Fort the Thirty-third partici- pated. at the latter place being the first regiment to enter the stronghold, capturing two Napoleon guns and a number of prison- ers. August 8, 1865, tho regiment was mustered out at Vicksburg and a week later reached Madison. John Taylor was never seri- ously wounded nor taken prisoner, although his eye sight was seri- ously impaired. He passed away March 28, 1903, at the age of eighty-two. His wife died November 1, 1887 at the age of fifty- seven. They had four children,-George, employed by the Fair- banks-Morse company of Beloit ; La Fayette, in the livery business in Milwaukee ; Charles A., the subject of this sketch ; and Jane, who married John De Lany of Montfort, Wis., and died in 1892, aged twenty-six. Charles A. Taylor was born June 20, 1861, and was edu- cated in the public schools of Avoca and upon the completion of his studies he went to work on his father's farm. At the age of twenty-four his career as a railroad man was begun. For ten years he served as a brakeman and saw many of the modern conven- iences and appliances come into use. On February 13, 1892, he was made a conductor and has ever since been one of the most
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trusted and skillful employes of the company. On April 14, 1884 Mr. Taylor was united in marriage to Hilda M., daughter of Wil- liam and Mary (Lieber) Nebel, residents of Prairie du Chien, Wis. Mr. Nebel was a piano tuner and repairer, having learned his trade in Germany. Years ago, before there was a railroad in that section of the country. Mr. Nebel was a merchant in Sauk City. He was born in Germany, March 2, 1821, and died April 11, 1906. Mrs. Nebel was born in the same country on December 17, 1838. Mrs. Taylor is one of four living children, of whom she is the oldest. Henry Nebel is a traveling salesman for a La Crosse clothing firm and makes his home in Prairie du Chien, Wis .; Oscar and Leo Nebel are engaged in the poultry business in Worthington, Minn. To Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have been born three children: Henry Charles, employed by the Alford Brothers' laundry company; Alma Alida, a milliner ; and Hazel May a student in the third year class of the Madison high school. The family are all attendants of the First Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Taylor is a member of Madison Division No. 82. Order of Railway Conductors. He weighs two hundred and twenty-five pounds and is a fine specimen of vigor- ous manhood.
Herbert J. Taylor, who lives upon the farm reclaimed from the wilderness by his father, John A. Taylor, an early settler of Dane .county, is one of the well-known members of the community. To- gether with his sister Carrie he owns and operates the farm upon which they were born and does a general farming business. John A. Taylor, their father, was born in Madison, Madison county, N. Y. March 31, 1817, son of Nathan Taylor, whose father and grandfather bore the same name and resided in Connecticut colony. John A. Tay- lor was educated in New York and married Miss Frutilla F. Fergu- son, who was born in Oriskany Falls, N. Y. January 28, 1824, daugh- ter of Daniel K. and Gertrude ( Casety) Ferguson, who came to Sun Prairie in 1846 and there spent the residue of their lives. Gertrude Casety's father, Thomas, was prominent in the Oriskany Falls settle- ment in its early history and owned a grist-mill and practiced law. Mr. and Mrs. John Taylor came to Sun Prairie township in 1845 and 1846, obtained a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which they cleared and improved, sharing in the deprivations and struggles of the new community. Mr. Taylor lived until 1888 and his wife until 1905. Eight children were born to them; William, deceased: Rosalie; Julia and Henry, deceased; Carrie who lives on the old homestead with her brother Herbert; Lenora, Herbert and Albert. Herbert was born in the town of Sun Prairie. September 16, 1860, attended school in Sun
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