History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 93

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 93

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

John and Emily (Shure) Coldwell,-who was born in Columbia county. May 12, 1862. Mrs. Thompson's parents were both natives of Norway who settled in Columbia county about 1855, where they took up eighty acres of government land, and where both of them died, the father, May 14, 1863, and the mother, August 7, 1899. Mr. Coldvell was also a Republican in politics, and his church relations were the same as the Thompson family with which he was allied by marriage. Of Mr. Thompson's family of nine children six are living .- Anna, Albert, Eddie, Esther, Emery and Reuben. The eldest, Joseph, died in 1905, in his young manhood, and two others, Robert and Edwin, in childhood. Mr. Thompson's residence is at the present time in Dane township. Dane county, but his postoffice is Lodi, Columbia county.

Hon. Torgor G. Thompson, ex-member of the Wisconsin legisla- ture, and one of the leading citizens of the town of Deerfield, where he is also the largest land owner and most extensive farmer, is a native son of Dane county and a representative of one of the pioneer families. He was born on the Thompson homestead in the town of Deerfield, on March 19. 1853, and is the son of Gullick and Daanat Torgersdaughter (Rothe) Thompson, Gullick Thomp- son was one of the hardy pioneers of Dane county. He was born in Voss, Norway, on February 2, 1821, and came with his parents to America in 1840. He resided with his parents in Chicago until the death of the latter in 1842, and the following year he came to Dane county. Here he purchased and entered one hundred and ninety-five acres of land, and the first thing he did was to con- struct a "dug out" on the northeast corner of section number two. In this "dug out" he lived for two years, keeping "bachelor's hall" as he was then a single man. Game of all kinds was plentiful and he had little trouble in providing himself with more than enough fresh meat, feeding to the wolves what he did not care to eat. In 1845 he was married, and he then built a house on the site of the present home of his son, which farm he purchased from Nels S. Grulderhus and there lived the balance of his days, dying there on January 20, 1895. His wife was also a native of Voss. Norway, where she was born on October 5, 1820. She died at the home- stead on July 25, 1902, having made her home with her son during her widowhood. Nine children were born to Gullick Thompson and wife, Torger G. being the only surviving one. Torger G. Thompson was reared on the farm. He received his education in the public schools of joint school districts six and ten, town of Deerfield. and also attended Albion Academy three winter terms.

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By the time he was twenty-one years of age, the responsibility of the management of his father's large farming operations had prac- tically fallen upon his shoulders. In 1879 his father gave him three hundred and twenty acres, which he operated independently. Up- on the death of his father, in 1895, the whole of the extensive and valuable estate passed into his hands and he has judiciously and successfully combined the personal management of the same. Not- withstanding the great amount of his time and attention required by his extensive business interests, Mr. Thompson has found time to perform fully the duty he owes to the community as a citizen. and has served the people in various ways at different times. He served for six years as school clerk, two years as supervisor and for three years as chairman of the town board, his position as such making him a member of the county board for the same period. He is a stalwart Republican, and as such was elected in 1902 a member of the Wisconsin legislature from the second district of Dane county. During the session of the legislature of 1903 he served on the committees of agriculture and of printing, and was a useful working member of that body. Being of the minority, how- ever, prevented him, with other stalwarts, from rendering any con- spicuous service. His religious affiliations are with the United Lutheran church at Liberty Prairie, of which he served as trustee for fifteen years. On September 11, 1883, Mr. Thompson married Alice, the daughter of Andrew and Alice Musifin, natives of Nor- way. and both pioneers of Dane county. Mrs. Thompson was born on April 5, 1851, and received her education in the schools of Cam- bridge. To Mr. and Mrs. Thompson two children have been born as follows: George Arthur, born August 22, 1884, and died April 22. 1885; and Delia A., born December 23, 1886, and died in in- fancy.

Nels J. Thori was born in Norway and came to the United States with his parents when he was ten years of age. His father, Jens H. Thori. was born in Norway in 1819, was married in Norway to Miss Guriwa Johnson, born in 1817, and came to Pleasant Springs. Dane county in 1861. This was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thori until 1828 when they came to the town of Windsor and purchased a farm where they still reside. Of their family of seven children, but four are living. The family attend the Norwegian Lutheran church. Nels J. Thori was born in Norway, September 14, 1851, attended school in Pleasant Springs and has always been a farmer. He is at present engaged in a general farming business in the town of Wind- sor. Like his father he is a Republican. In 1886, he married Miss

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

Maria Hanson, a native of Norway, where her parents spent their entire lives. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thori; Jens and Matilda. Mrs. Thori's sister Julia is Mrs. Andrew Korri- son of Morrisonville.

Jens Thorstad, a well-known stock raiser of the town of Deer- field, was born in Sogendal, Norway, December 26, 1858. He is the son of Nels and Susan (Quam) Thorstad, natives of Norway, and he and a sister, Anna, now Mrs. Ole Koupanger, were the only children. His education consisted of the Norwegian public school course and two years in a Norwegian academy in the old country. In 1877 he came directly to Dane county from his native land. For a couple of years he worked as a farm hand and from 1880 to 1883 worked tobacco land on shares. In the latter year with his brother- in-law he purchased eighty acres of land on Wheeler Prairie. The same fall he sold his interest to his brother-in-law and bought an- other eighty in the town of Cottage Grove, where he lived until 1898, when he moved to his present location in the town of Deer- field. Two years previous to his moving he had begun breeding Poland China hogs, and so great has his success in this line been that he is now shipping all over this and adjoining states. In 1900 he began to breed Holstein cattle and his success in this line has also been very marked. Mr. Thorstad is very fond of books and has a very fine library with many valuable Norwegian histories. His mother, who is eighty-five years old and in good health, makes her home with him. Politically a Republican, he has served as such as postmaster at Nora, thirteen years on the town board of Deerfield, and is at present on the board of school directors. For about three years he has been a trustee of the Dane County Agri- cultural society. His church affiliations are with the Norwegian Lutheran church. On February 2, 1885, he married Betsey Olene, daughter of Halvor and Engiborg (Grytebek) Holton, of Albion, Dane county. Mrs. Thorstad was born September 11. 1858. To Jens and Betsy Thorstad seven children have been born,-Nels Holberg, November 24, 1885 ; Harlow Severen, September 18, 1887; Selina Enora, December 2, 1889; Emmil Gerhard, December 5, 1891 ; Kathinca Josephine. February 14, 1894 ; Lucius Berlin, April 20. 1898 ; and another child born in 1901, who died in infancy.

Andrew Thronson is a retired farmer of Cambridge, where he has lived since 1899. His parents, Tosten and Caroline Thronson, came from Norway in 1843. They embarked for the United States on a sailing vessel that was eleven weeks en route and landed in New York city. From New York to Milwaukee the journey was made

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

by the lakes and ox teams brought the family the remainder of the distance to AAlbion, Dane county, where Mr. Thronson obtained a farm of one hundred and sixty acres three miles from Albion Center. The first dug-out was succeeded by a log cabin and later by a sub- stantial dwelling of stone and on the home they had made and im proved, Mr. and Mrs. Thronson lived the remainder of their days. Five children were born to them; Thomas, who lives at the old home in Albion; Andrew; Christiania, who is Mrs. Andrew Lar- son of Clear Lake, Iowa; and Christopher ( deceased). Mr. Thron- son died in 1856 and his wife in 1871. The family attended the Lu- theran church. Mr. Thronson's family are members of the Meth- odist church. Andrew was born at Albion, October 1. 1848, at- tended the district schools and worked with his father on the home farm for a number of years. One year he spent in Roches- ter, Minn., and upon his return he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres partly improved, in the town of Christiania, sec- tion 15. Until July, 1899, he made this his home and at that time moved to Cambridge and rented his farm. Mr. Thronson has been supervisor in Christiania and Cambridge, has held the office of trustee and has always been interested in politics, voting the Republican ticket. In March 1872, he married Miss Sarah Inge- brightson, daughter of Berick and Ann (Olson) Ingebrightson, who came to Dane county from Norway in 1844. To the marriage were born seven children. Sophia, the oldest, married Lewis Ol- son of Milwaukee and has three children; Alice, Angelina and Mil- ford. Benjamin A. is cashier of the bank of Cambridge. Mary B. is Mrs. James A. Scobie, of Cambridge and has two sons, Wiley and Stanley. The younger children are Anna F., Talmon, Chris- tian and Della. All have attended the Cambridge high school and are members of the Methodist church.

Reuben Gold Thwaites, secretary of the Wisconsin State His- torical Society, was born in Boston, Mass., May 15, 1853. His parents were William G. and Sarah Thwaites. He was educated in the schools of Boston, and Yale College, where he was also a graduate student from 1813 to 1876, and was at the same time cor- respondent for Boston, New Haven and Chicago newspapers When thirteen years of age he came west to Oshkosh, Wis., and taught school in Winnebago county in the winter of 1871-72. He first entered the field of journalism in Oshkosh in 1872, as city editor of the Oshkosh Times. When he left Yale in 1876, he re- turned to Wisconsin, locating at Madison, and became city editor in April, 1877, and then managing editor, of the Wisconsin State

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

Journal. He was an indefatigable worker, and, in addition to his editorial work, he also conducted a Wisconsin news syndicate which furnished Wisconsin news to the papers of New York. Chi- cago, St. Louis, and several other large cities. In 1884 he was elected assistant secretary of the State Historical Society of Wis- consin, became its secretary on the retirement of Dr. Lyman C. Draper (q. v.) in January. 1887, and is still serving in that capac- ity. When Mr. Thwaites first became associated with the soci- ety, its library. then consisting of about 109,000 titles together with its portrait gallery and museum, were housed in the capitol building in what were believed to be "ample and luxurious" quar- ters. In fact the south wing of the capitol was built chiefly to ac- commodate them. But the space soon became crowded and the legislatures of 1895, 1897 and 1899. generously responded to the appeals of the society for a modern, fire-proof building of its own, of which the present noble structure. built on the "lower campus' of the University, on the ground donated for that purpose by the University regents, is the result. Largely through the efficient management of Dr. Thwaites. the society has won a place among scholars, on a par with that of Masachusetts, hitherto the foremost of American historical associations. and it is excelled by none in the work of investigation and publication. Its library has grown to one of about 250,000 books and pamphlets, and is easily the most important reference library west of the Alleghenies, and ranks as one of the three largest historical libraries in the country. His- torians, special investigators and scholars resort to it from all parts of the country, and all unite in praise of the wonderful facilities afforded for study and research work, and in praise of the uniform courtesy shown them by the scholarly secretary. Mr. Thwaites has travelled widely in this country and in Europe, and is, withal. a keen observer ; though still a comparatively young man, his hab- its of untiring industry have resulted in a large number of works from his facile pen, chiefly on historical subjects dealing with early colonization and exploration in the West and Northwest, and ac- counts of his various wanderings. He has written "Down Historic Waterways." '88; "The Story of Wisconsin," '90; "The Colonies." 1492-1750, '91 ; "Our Cycling Tour in England." '92; "Afloat on the Ohio" '97; "Stories of the Badger State." '00; "History of the University of Wisconsin." '00; "Father Marquette." '02; "Daniel Boone," '02: "Brief History of Rocky Mountain Exploration." '04; "France in America." '05; "Monographs on New France and Mid- dle West." He has edited: Wisconsin Historical Collections. vol-

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

1111es 9-12 : Chronicles of Border Warfare, '95; University of Wis- consin, '00; The Jesuit Relations, 43 volumes, '96-'01 ; new edition. Kinzie's "Wan Bun," '03; Hennepin's "New Discovery." '03; Original Journals of Lewis and Clarke, '05; Early Western Travel, 1750-1850, to be issued in 35 volumes, 31 of which have been pub- lished ; this is a series of valuable reprints and is a monumental work. He lectures on American history in the University of Wis- consin and in other institutions of learning, and has read many papers before literary and historical societies. Next to Dr. Hob- bins, he was the chief promoter of the Madison Literary Club, and for seventeen years its able secretary. Mr. Thwaites was married to Miss Jessie Inville Turvill, of Madison, in 1882, and they have one son. His church affiliations are with the Unitarians. Still in the prime of a vigorous manhood, the world of letters looks to see many more works come forth as the product of his well-stored mind and busy pen. He is an accurate and graceful writer, pos- sessed of a fine historic sense, and has tremendous enthusiasm for his work. His knowledge of places and peoples, gained from travel, supplements his close acquaintance with the literature of all time. The State Historical Society has indeed found a worthy successor of the beloved and scholarly Lyman C. Draper.

Fred Tibbit, a prosperous farmer of Dunn township and a de- fender of the flag in the Civil War days, is of English birth, the place and date of his nativity having been Norfolkshire, England. December 27, 1848. His parents were Edward and Ann Tibbit, of old English families, and during the early years of their married life migrated to America. Upon arriving in the United States the family first lo- cated in Michigan, but after remaining there one summer came to Dane county, Wisconsin, and began farming on rented land in the town of Rutland. The father continued as a renter for about five years, then bought twenty acres of land in the same town and later added forty acres more. The family continued to reside on this farm until 1890. when the father retired from active farming and moved to Stoughton, where he resided until his death in 1905. Fred Tibbit grew to manhood at the Dane county home of his parents, and re- ceived his education in the district schools of the town of Rutland. When but seventeen years of age he started life for himself, although he had been practically self-supported for several years prior thereto. On January 26, 1865, he enlisted as a private in Company E, Forty- seventh Regiment Wisconsin infantry and served with it until Septem- ber 4, of the same year, when the regiment was mustered out. With the command Mr. Tibbit proceeded to Nashville, Tenn., and thence to

905

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Tullahoma. at the junction of the McMinnville & Manchester railroad with the Nashville & Chatanooga. There he was employed in guard duty during the entire period of his active service. After being mustered out he returned home and worked as a farm hand by the year for three years. He then became a renter and worked different farms on shares for time, constantly prospering until he was able to pur- chase twenty acres of land in the town of Rutland, on which he re- sided fifteen years. He then sold his farm in Rutland and purchased eighty acres in the town of Dunn, upon which he still resides. Mr. Tibbit is a Republican in his political affiliations but has never essayed the role of an office-seeker. On October 9, 1873, he was married to Miss Angcline Washburn, who was born January 30, 1854, the daugh- ter of Serene and Hannah (Hull) Washburn, of the state of Illinois. Mr. Washburn was a native of Pennsylvania, but became one of the early settlers in the vicinity of Vandalia, Ill., where he located on a farm and resided until his death, in 1856. After the father's death the mother returned with her children to Pennsylvania, where the family remained several years, and then came to Dane county, Wis., and settled in the town of Rutland. After the marriage of her daugh- ter to Mr. Tibbit the mother made her home with them until her death. which occurred in 1884. Mrs. Tibbit received her education in the district schools of Illinois, and is an intelligent and highly re- speeted lady. She and her husband are the parents of two children, as follows: Clayton Serene, born April 21, 1876, died in 1881 ; and Myrtle May, born May 25, 1887. She was married to Herbert Ko- ble of Kansas. Four weeks later she died after a week's illness. Her death was particularly sad. She was an estimable young lady of high character whose amiable disposition had won for her a host of friends. In 1905 Mr. Tibbit suffered an injury to his hip, from which he fears he will never be able to recover, and for this reason he is seriously contemplating the question of retiring from the farm . and engaging in other business. Whatever his decision may be in the matter, a host of friends wish for him long life and continued prosperity, as he is a congenial and much respected citizen. He is a member of the G. A. R., Buckman Post, Stoughton, and attends the Free-will Baptist church.

Patrick R. Tierney, deceased, was for over forty years of his life a prominent and highly respected citizen of Dane county, and whether in the private affairs of life or in the public capacity of anì office-holder he demonstrated his personal worth and capability to a marked degree. He was born at Freshford, in the county of Kilkenny. Irdland, on March 9, 1822, and was the son of Martin and Ellen (Hogan) Tierney,

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

both of whom were also natives of the Emerald Isle, where they spent their lives. Early in life the subject of this review assumed a position of responsibility in his native land, and for five years he officiated as steward of a model government farm at the village of Gormanstown, Ireland. afterwards serving in the same capacity in Scotland. He mi- grated to America in 1849, landing in the city of Philadelphia, and one year later continued his journey westward, locating in 1850 on a school section of land in Dane county, Wis., where his wife and family at present reside. There he remained, superintending his agricultural interests, and also giving considerable attention to the practice of law, until 1881, when he removed to South Dakota and settled on a large farm in Spink county, which real estate is still owned by the members of his family. Mr. Tierney was married on February 15, 1855, to Mary Condon, who was born at Ardfinnan, in the county of Tipperary, Ireland, August 13, 1827, daughter of Patrick and Norah (McGrath) Condon, both of whom were natives of Ireland, born in the latter part of the eighteenth century. Mrs. Tierney was educated at the Presen- tation convent, at St. John's, Newfoundland, where her brother, Rev. Edward Condon, was the parish priest. The Rev. John Condon, par- ish priest of Rhaegormack, in the county of Waterford, Ireland, was an uncle of Mrs. Tierney. Although the latter was reared and educated in the Irish language she can speak in English as fluently as in her na- tive tongue. To the union of herself and Mr. Tierney there were born eight children, viz: Edward, Patrick (died November 17, 1902), Ellen (died December 17, 1902), Norah, Mary, Joseph, Michael, and Roger (died May 6, 1885). The interest which Mr. Tierney naturally took in public affairs brough him into prominence soon after he located in Dane county, and from 1865 to 1870 he served as county coroner. He was also elected to the position of justice of the peace; which event be- came quite noted owing to the legal contest which followed the count- ing of the ballots. His opponent contested the election in the circuit court, and not being satisfied with the decision of that tribunal, which confirmed Mr. Tierney's election, he carried the case to the supreme court of the state, where the opinion of the lower court was sustained, the decision being reported on page 460, in the Twenty-third volume of Wisconsin Reports. In quo warranto proceedings it is the princi- pal Wisconsin case cited by all leading attorneys. Mr. Tierney was always generous, donating four acres of land for a church site in, the town of Westport, the present church of St. Mary's of the Lake, of which his youngest daughter, Mary, was the organist for seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Tierney also donated a site for a school house in dis-

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

trict No .3, and the subject of this memoir taught the first term of school therein, in 1862. It has been maintained as a district school until the present day and the building is known as "the Tierney schoolhouse," a son, Joseph Tierney, being the present district trcas- urer. Norah, the eldest surviving daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tierney, taught school several years in South Dakota, and was married in 1892, to David Kissack, a well-to-do business man. She and her husband make South Dakota their residence, and they are owners of several large tracts of land in that state. When the rural free mail delivery routes were established in Dane county, in 1902, Michael and Joseph Tierney were engaged as carriers on route No. I, running out of Wau- nakee, through the towns of Westport, Madison and Springfield, and the brothers still officiate in that capacity. Patrick R. Tierney was a Republican in his political affiliations, and he was a member of the St. Mary's of the Lake Catholic church, as are also the surviving mem- bers of his family.

Ole L. Tillung a prominent farmer of the town of Christiania, is a native of that township and resides upon the farm which his father owned. He is the son of Lars Bergerson and Ingeborg (Tisdahl) Bergerson, who were natives of Bergenstift, Norway, and there mar- ried. In 1847 they took passage for America and were eight weeks making the voyage. After landing in New York they came by way of the Erie canal and the lakes to Milwaukee and by ox team to Christiania, Dane county. After one year on the farm known as the Ole Quale place, Mr. Bergerson bought forty acres of wild land in section 8, put up a log cabin and began to clear and improve his farm. In 1854 he added another forty acres and in 1861 forty acres more. The entire homestead of one hundred and sixty acres is now owned by Ole L., the only son. Annie, the only daughter, married Elef P. Olia and after his death became Mrs. Gust Rolfson and lives in Christiania. Ole L. was born February 4, 1848. attended school in district No. 2, Christiania, and has always lived at the old home. He assisted his father upon the farm and brought his wife there in 1876. August 26 of that year he married Miss Bertha Quale, who was born in Bergenstift, Norway, daughter of Andrew Thorbjornson, whose wife was Bertha Johannson also of Bergenstift. Three sons of Andres Thorbjornson came to the United States in 1870 and their sisters, Bertha and Ellen, in 1875, but the parents remained in their native land. Mrs. Tillung's brother, Nels. resides in Madison, Wis .; Iver died in Thompson, Ia .; John went to California in 1875, and all trace of him was lost; Ellen married Nels Anderson Quale. Of the twelve children born to Mr. and Mrs. Tillung, but eight are now liv-

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HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.

ing. The oldest son and daughter are both deceased: Andrew re- sides in Chrsitiania and married Miss Amelia Kingland of the same township ; Bella, Lewis, Iver, Martin, Annie, Bennie and Olin reside with their parents: Namon and Gertie are deceased. All have been educated in the home schools and are members of the Lutheran church of West Koshkonong. Mr. Tillung has added some fine buildings to his home, the last being the house, built in 1884, which is a commodious dwelling. He has made many other improvements in equipment and has a very comfortable property. He votes the Re- publican ticket and is interested in school affairs. having served on the school board of that district.

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History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical, Part 93

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