USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Biographical and Genealogical > Part 95
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100
Sylvanus Trow, of Oregon, was born in Brooklyn. Green county, October 20, 1852. His parents, Edward and Sarah (Evans) Trow, 1 natives of Wales, came to America in 1845 and settled in Brooklyn where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, and where both died. Of their family, five sons and one daughter survive them. The subject of this sketch received his education in the district schools of Brooklyn and followed his father's occupation of farming. He re- mained on his father's farm, assisting in its management until he was thirty years of age: then he married Miss Catharine Darkin. Jan- uary 28, 1882, and removed to Albany where he lived twelve years. In 1896 he moved to the town of Oregon and in 1901 settled on the farm of one hundred and ten acres which he now owns. This he runs for dairying, stock raising and general farming. Mrs. Trow was born December 10, 1853, in England, and is the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Candler) Darkin, both of whom lived and died in England, where Mrs. Trow still has two sisters living. She came to this coun- try in 1880 and two years later married Mr. Trow. They have six children, Edward, Jr., born in Brooklyn: Nina Laura, Nora Edna, Nellie May, and Maud Amy all born in Albany, and Orville Earl, born in Oregon township. Mr. Trow is a Republican, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Oregon villiage, and belongs to the fraternal society. Knights of the Globe. His children have re-
918
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
ceived their education in the schools of Oregon village, and one son is taking the short course in agriculture in the city of Madison.
Frederick Jackson Turner, professor of American history in the University of Wisconsin, was born at Portage, Columbia county, Wisconsin, November 14, 1861. He is the son of Hon. Andrew J. and Mary (Hanford) Turner. His father was for many years one of the prominent newspaper men, and Republican politicians of the state. As editor of the Portage Register, he was known as an able and ag- gressive writer; during the years 1863, 1864, 1866 and 1869, he repre- sented the Portage district in the legislature, where he was influential in the councils of his party and in the work of legislation. Freder- ick J. attended the public schools of Portage and then entered the Uni- versity of Wisconsin, graduating from the ancient classical course in 1884 with the degree of A. B. He was known as an excellent scholar, and was prominent as a public speaker, orator and debater. After graduation he was appointed instructor in rhetoric and oratory at the University of Wisconsin, 1885 -- 88, and was an assistant for part of the time to the late Prof. William F. Allen, in history. The university granted him the degree of A. M. in 1888, and the following year he was appointed assistant professor of American history in the Univer- sity of Wisconsin. He then attended the Johns Hopkins University as a graduate student in the department of history and politics. Here he established a reputation as one of he most brilliant students ever in attendance at that celebrated school, and was accorded the unusual privilege of receiving its Ph. D. degree after only one year in resi- dence, completing his thesis for the degree after his return to the Uni- versity of Wisconsin. He was elected professor of history in the Uni- versity of Wisconsin in 1891, his title being changed to that of profes- sor of American history in 1893, to which branch he has since con- fined himself. He is today recognized as one of the foremost of living historians, his name being especially identified with the history and settlement of the great American west and northwest. He is, withal, an exceedingly popular professor, and an inspiring and gifted class room lecturer. He has a fluent and graceful delivery, a fine command of language, and the ability to render his subject a living thing. Pro- fessor Turner has received many flattering offers from other Universi- ties of prominence, but his interest in his state and University, to- gether with the splendid facilities for research work in his chosen field of history, afforded by the libraries of Madison, have thus far influ- enced his choice, and he has remained in Wisconsin. He was mar- ried November 25, 1889, to Miss Mac Sherwood, of Chicago, and has
919
BIOGRAPHICAL.
one child living. He is a member of the American Historical Asso- ciation, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, and a corresponding member of the Massachusetts Historical Society and the Colonial Society of that state; to the publications of the above societies he has been a frequent contributor, as well as to the Atlantic Monthly, the Educational Review, the Chautauquan, the Dial, and other literary journals. Some of his more prominent writings are: Character and Influence of the Indian Trade in Wisconsin, Johns Hopkins Studies, 1890; Significance of the Frontier in American History, Report of the American Historical Association, 1893; State-Making in the West in the Revolutionary Era, Am. His. Rev., October, 1895 : January, 1896, The Origin of Genet's Projected Attack on Louisiana and the Flor- idas ; same, 1898; Documents Illustrative of Genet's Proposed Ex- pedition Against Louisiana and the Floridas, in Reports of the American Historical Association, 1896-1 : The Problem of the West, Atlantic Monthly, 1896; Dominant Forces in Western Life, same, 1892, and the West as a Field for Historical Study.
Sheldon Tusler, an extensive and prosperous farmer of the town of Dunn, was born at Freehold, Warren county, Penn., February 23. 1838. His parents were Stephen and Mary ( Hampshire) Tus- ler, natives of England, where the father saw service in the English army. Of nine children in the Tusler family, Sheldon Tusler is the only one living. When but six years old he came with his parents to Wisconsin, across country in a wagon. Their first home was near the Humes bridge in Rock county, five miles from Janes- ville, where Stephen Tusler had purchased forty acres of govern- ment land. The following year he sold out and purchased another farm from the government of sixty-two and one-half acres in the town of Rutland, adding eighty acres to it within a few years. Here Stephen Tusler and his wife lived the rest of their days ; Mrs. Tusler died in 1878 and her husband passed away in 1884. When Sheldon Tusler was twenty-one years old he married ( September 22, 1859.) Margaret, daughter of Jesse and Catherine (Cox) Utter of New York, and started in to support himself and wife. In 1860 he bought sixty acres of land in Rutland township, becoming in- debted for the whole amount. After twenty-five years he sold this place, having paid off his debt, added to the farm until it con- tained two hundred and thirty acres and made many improvements on it. He then bought the farm in the town of Dunn which he is still working. Two years were spent in Stoughton for the pur- pose of giving the daughter certain educational advantages there, and two years more were spent near Sidney, Neb., for the benefit
920
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
of Mrs. Tusler's health. Mr. Tusler has had ample experience in town offices, having served two terms as chairman of the town of Rutland and six terms in the same capacity in Dunn ; one term he was assessor of town of Rutland and three terms he has been as- sessor of town of Rutland and three terms he has been assessor of the town of Dunn. For several years he has been school director. Religiously he is not affiliated with any church, but attends the Baptist, of which his wife is a member. Mrs. Tusler was born March 3, 1840. and received her education in the same schools as did Mr. Tusler,-those of the town of Rutland. She and a brother, David Utter of Stoughton, are the only living members of the Utter family of five. To Sheldon and Margaret Tusler have been born three children,-Leonard A., August 19, 1860, married Cornelia Connor, and now lives in Mitchell county, Ia. ; Lucius A., March 7, 1867, married Lottie Black of Cottage Grove and is now farming in the town of Fitchburg: Hattie May, September 7. 1873, wife of Isaac Black, and now lives in Dunn township with her parents.
Lars I. Tygum is the owner of a fine farm in the township of Windsor, of which township his father. Ingebrigt Larson, was one of the very earliest settlers. Ingebrigt Larson was born in Nor- way in 1822, received his education in the common schools in his native place and came to the United States in 1845. His first home in Wisconsin was in Muskego, from which place, after a short residence, he moved to Rock county and in 1847, came to Windsor. He married, after his arrival in Wisconsin, Mrs. Bertha (Oleson) Johnson, whose husband was drowned as they went from Chicago to Muskego. Mrs. Johnson had one daughter at the time of her second marriage. In 1850, Mr. and Mrs. Larson purchased a farm in Vienna, which is now owned by their son Lars. Mr. Larson died May 20, 1905. and Mrs. Larson June 12, 1901. Their son Lars was born in the town of Windsor, July 10, 1849, attended the home schools and the University of Wisconsin and has always been in- terested in farming. He raises tobacco as well as other crops and has lately devoted some attention to sugar beet culture. He keeps a herd of short-horned cattle and raises Poland China hogs. Mr. Tygum is a Republican in his political affiliations and is active in matters concerning the schools, having served as clerk of the school board for twelve years. Mrs. Tygum was, before her mar- riage. Miss Lizzie Ziner, who was born in Norway, March 28, 1858, and came to Wisconsin with her parents in 1869. She is the daugh- ter of Paul and Lizzie (Oleson) Ziner, who came to Madison in 1869 and later resided in the town of Vienna. Mrs. Ziner died in
921
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Vienna in 1897 and Mr. Ziner went to Polk county,. Wis., where he died in 1900. Mr. and Mrs. Tygum were married December 2. 1815, and have had eight children, of whom all but two are now living ; Betsey, Herman, Paul, Martin (deceased), Hans, Martin, Dora Tunettie (deceased). Dora Thelma. The family attends the First Lutheran church of DeForest.
H. J. Ulrich, secretary and treasurer of the Belleville Telephone Co., was born in the town of Montrose, September 20, 1860. His father, John C. Ulrich was a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, and came to this country when a child, with his mother and step-father; they settled at Snowshoe, Center county, Pa. where the son grew up and married Miss Elizabeth Ganzalez, a native of Pennsylvania. In 1858, they came to Wisconsin and located in the town of Montrose, where they bought a farm and entered upon the business of farming, in which he continued until 1882, when he retired; later he moved to Evansville and was living there at the time of his death, January 29, 1902, in his seventy-ninth year. His wife died the following year, June 19, 1903, aged seventy-six; both are buried in the Belleville ceme- tery. They had a family of six children, Francis of River Falls; Sam- uel: Washburn, of North Dakota: Sarah, who married Alec Manson, of Belleville: Mary married Thomas Belker, (deceased), and after his death. George Prucia, of Rice Lake; Alice. (deceased, buried at Evans- ville); and H. J., the subject of this sketch and the youngest except Alice. He was reared near Paoli on his father's farm and received his education in the public schools. He followed farming for a few years and in 1887 he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business: he had a partner for two years and then carried on the business alone for fourteen years. His fair dealing and integrity liad won the confidence of the community. so that when he sold out in 1903, he had built up an extensive and prosperous business. At that time he was one of the organizers of the Belleville Telephone company and has since given his attention to that enterprise. He was united in marriage, February 16, 1881, to Miss Antha Pierce, of Paoli, daughter of Eli Pierce, one of the early settlers of Springfield township. now a resident of Cali- fornia. Mr. and Mrs. Ulrich have two children, Edith and Milton, both at home. Mr. Ulrich has served as a trustee on the village board of Belleville for twelve years: he is a Republican in his politics and is a member of the order of Free Masons, belonging to the lodge at Oregon.
John C. Uphoff is the owner of a fine landed estate of ninety acres in Cottage Grove township. where he has resided from the
1
922
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
time of his birth, which occurred on the old homestead farm which he now owns, March 16, 185%. His parents, Christian and Louisa Uphoff, were both born and reared in Germany, and were num- bered among the sterling pioneers of Dane county, having resided in Cottage Grove township until their death. They became the parents of fourteen children, of whom six are living, namely: Henry, a resident of Milwaukee ; William, a resident of Chicago; Ferdinand, a successful farmer of Cottage Grove township: Au- gust, a resident of Madison: Samuel J., a representative farmer of Cottage Grove township; and John C., the immediate subject of this sketch. John C. Uphoff was reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm and was afforded the advantages of the public schools of his native township. He has been actively identified with agricul- tural pursuits from his boyhood to the present, having initiated his independent career at the age of seventeen years, when his father gave him the homestead of fifty acres on which he now resides. A few years later he purchased another farm, of forty acres, not far distant from the home place, and he has since continued to operate both farms, which are among the best in this section of the county. having good improvements and being maintained under a high state of cultivation. His life has been such as to commend him to the confidence and uniform esteem of his fellow men, and he is one of the substantial farmers and popular citizens of Cottage Grove township. In politics Mr. Uphoff votes in accord with his convictions, being a stanch supporter of the Prohibition party and its principles. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and both he and his wife are devoted members of the Evangelical church. On June 3, 1880, Mr. Uphoff was united in marriage to Miss Mary Graceley, who was born February 18, 1860, being a daughter of George and Mary (Herb) Graceley, of Cottage Grove township. She has five sisters and one brother, namely : Catherine, who is the wife of August Uphoff, of Madison ; Sarah, who is the wife of William Wittie, of Cottage Grove township; Emma, Helen and John, who remained with their father on the old homestead, the mother being deceased; and Julia, who is the wife of Peter C. Cotris, of Milwaukee. Mr. and Mrs. Uphoff have six children, whose names, with respective dates of birth, are as fol- lows. Mabel Catherine, May 12, 1881: Sadie Luella, March 3. 1884: Clara Louisa, May 12, 1886: Elmer Christian, September 21, 1889 : Alice Adella, August 21, 1891 ; and Raymond Franklin, Aug- ust 21, 1894. Mabel C., the eldest daughter is now the wife of Frank Uphoff of Cottage Grove township.
923
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Simon J. Uphoff, a thrifty and respected farmer of the town of Cottage Grove, was born in the same town, June 18, 1855. His parents were Fannet Christian and Louisa Gertrude (Dupken) Up- hoff. natives of Germany. Of their fourteen children only six are living .- Henry, a resident of Milwaukee; William, of Chicago; Fer- dinand, of Cottage Grove ; August of Madison ; Simon J., the sub- ject of this sketch ; and John C., who resides on the old homestead in Cottage Grove. Simon J. Uphoff had a very limited education. At the age of twenty he started out to win his own bread. For one year he rented and worked his father's farm. The second year the father divided the estate, and Simon received fifty-five acres as his share. After a few years he purchased two hundred and forty acres ad- joining, so that now he has a farm of two hundred and ninety acres. Polttically Mr. Uphoff is an Independent. In 1883 his neighbors showed their appreciation of him by electing him their town treasurer, which office he held for two years. In his religious life he is con- nected with the Evangelical church. On November 5, 1876, he mar- ried Mary Ellen, daughter of Charles and Lavina Schafer, of the town of Blooming Grove. Mrs. Uphoff was born February 23. 1855, and died June 16, 1889. Beside Mrs. Uphoff there were ten children in the Schafer family, of whom all are living: Daniel Franklin. now a resident of Iowa : Sarah Jane, widow of Walter Dodge, Madison ; Emma Lucinda, now Mrs. Mann of Milwaukee; Horace Manuel of Cottage Grove; Charles Edward. of Madison ; William Arthur, of Cottage Grove ; Angelina Matilda, (Mrs. Charles Smith) of Madison ; Larin Benjamin, of Arizona: Irwin Leroy, of Blooming Grove; and Frances Sophia, now the wife of the subject of this sketch. To Simon J. and Mary Ellen Uphoff were born five children .- Adelaide Lavina, born October 27, 1877, now the wife of Charles Korfmacher of Cottage Grove ; Charles Franklin, born October 7. 1879. who mar- ried a cousin. Mabel Catherine Uphoff, and now resides in Cottage Grove; Orvin Freddie, born March 16, 1882, and who married Belle Maden, of Iowa: Warren Winfield, born March 12. 1884; and Laura Blanche, born April 13, 1887. who married John Friedenburg, of Cot- tage Grove. On July 22, 1891, Mr. Uphoff led to the altar Frances Sophia Schafer. a sister of his first wife, and to this union six chil- dren have been born .- Robert Waine, born August 19, 1892: Edith Frances, born June 8. 1895: Marion Elizabeth, born November 24, 1898, died May 12. 1900; Leonard Arthur, born June 2, 1900; and Ralph Edward, born February 3, 1903. and Myron Kenneth, born November 11, 1905. Mr. Uphoff. is a member of Cottage Grove camp, No. 3061, Modern Woodmen of America. Aside from the
924
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
fifty-five acres given him by his father, he has had no assistance in his climb to a position of prosperity and esteem in the community.
Frederick R. Usher is now living in retirement in the village of Stoughton enjoying a well-earned respite from a life of activity and close application to agricultural pursuits. He is a native of the old Empire state, having been born at Sheridan, Chautauqua county, N. Y., September 30, 1841. His parents were Newell and Anna (Asham) Usher, both natives of Madison county, N. Y .. where the families of each had long been prominently identified with affairs. Indeed, members of these families were pioneers of that portion of the state. Robert Usher, who was the paternal grandfather of him whose name introduces this memoir, was born in Madison county, and it is thought that he lived his entire life there, engaged in the ancient and honorable occupation of a tiller of the soil. The maternal grandfather was also a life-long resident of Madison county and was engaged as a hotel proprietor during the major portion of his active career. Returning to him who is the immediate subject of this review it should be stated that Mr. Usher grew to manhood in his native state and was educated in the schools of Chautauqua county, supplementing the knowledge thus gained by an academical course, in which he graduated at the age of nineteen years. He had scarce had time to give much thought to his future career when the lowering clouds of impending Civil War attracted his attention and aroused the patriotism within him. He enlisted on October 29, 1861, as a corporal in Company K. of the Ninth New York cavalry and served with it in that capacity until the one year term of enlistment had expired. During his term of service he participated in some of the most sanguinary con- flicts of that year. the principal ones being the engagements at Fairfax Court House. Manassas Junction, in the spring of 1862. Big Bethel, the many skirmishes leading up to the siege of York- town, May ? to 12. 1862, and the battles of Williamsburg and White House Landing. He was mustered out in the fall of 1862. upon the expiration of his term of enlistment, and soon thereafter migrated to Wisconsin, settling in the township of Rutland. Dane county. There he made his home for nineteen years, engaged in the occupation of a farmer, and then removed to the village of Stoughton, where he now lives in comparative retirement. In politics he has always maintained an unswerving allegiance to the principles of the Republican party, and has been honored by his fellow citizens in the election to the position of trustee of Rutland township, and also filled for fifteen years the position of clerk of
9:25
BIOGRAPHICAL.
the district. In religious faith he is a Universalist and officiates as trustee of the local church organization. On September 26, 1861. he was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Roberts, daughter of Franklin and Sophia (Smith) Roberts, the former being a prom- inent farmer of Chautauqua county, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Usher are the parents of the following children: Mirton is a farmer ; Frank follows the occupation of a carpenter at Stoughton ; Charles is a farmer in Iowa; Duwayne is a prominent grocer at Stoughton ; Anna is a saleswoman in the employ of a dry goods establishhment in the same village, and Elbert is a farmer at Rio, Wis. The family is well known in that section of the county and the members of it are all highly respected. Mr. Usher identifies himself with his old comrades in arms by keeping a membership in the G. A. R. post, No. 153, at Stoughton, in which he holds the office of quarter- master.
Charles Richard Van Hise, Ph. D., president of the University of Wisconsin, was born at Fulton, Wis., May 29, 1857. the son of Will- iam Henry and Mary (Goodrich) Van Hise, the former born near Trenton, N. J., and the latter near Bangor, Maine. The senior Van Hise was a farmer in early life, but later became a merchant. Pres- ident Van Hise was one of a family of four daughters and three sons. He spent the first eight years of his life on the farm, when the family moved to East Milton. He prepared for college at Milton Junction and Evansville, and entered the University of Wisconsin in the fall of 1874, was graduated with the class of 1879 in the metal- lurgical engineering course. He had meanwhile taught school for one year, 1876-77. His alma mater has conferred upon him the fo !- lowing degrees: B. Met. in 1879; B. S. in 1880; M. S. in 1882 and Ph. D. in 1892. He was married to Alice Bushnell Ring, a native of Wisconsin, and a daughter of John and. Janet ( Bushnell) Ring, De- cember 22, 1881. President Van Hise entered the faculty of the University of Wisconsin immediately after graduation, and has been connected with it ever since, a period of twenty-six years, holding successively the positions of instructor in chemistry and metallurgy (1879-83) ; assistant professor of metallurgy (1883-86) ; professor of metallurgy (1886-88) : professor of mineralogy and petrography (1888-90) ; professor of archean and applied geology ( 1890-92) ; professor of geology from 1892 until elected president of the univer- sity at the April meeting of the board of regents in 1903. He has also been non-resident professor of structural geology in the Univer- sity of Chicago since 1892. Along with his work as a teacher. he has prosecuted extensive research work in geology. He was assist-
926
HISTORY OF DANE COUNTY.
ant in the Wisconsin geological survey in 1881-82 ; consulting geolo- gist to the Wisconsin geological and natural history survey since 1897 : a member of the staff of the United States geological survey since 1883, and since 1888 has had charge of the Lake Superior divi- sion of the survey, and since 1892 has also supervised the work on the crystalline rocks of the New England and Appalachian regions. He has been one of the editors of the Journal of Geology from the date of its foundation in 1893. The results of his work have ap- peared as monographs in various scientific journals, and government publications, and have given him an international reputation in the scientific world. His earlier papers were on the secondary enlarge- ment of minerals in rocks, including quartz, feldspar, and hornblende. Many of the details of the genesis of quartzites, schists, and gneisses were worked out. This ied to a general consideration of the phe- nomina of the metamorphism of rocks and rock-flowage. The results of his investigations on the alterations of rocks will shortly appear as a monograph on Metamorphism, to be published by the United States geological survey. A third main line of work has been stratigraphy and historical geology. Besides various papers on these subjects, Professor Van Hise has taken a chief part in the publication of three monographs of the United States geological survey: No. xix, "The Penokee Iron-bearing D'strict:" No. xxviii, "The Marquette Iron- bearing District ;" and No. xxxvi, "The Crystal Falls Iron-bearing District," all of Michigan. As Bulletin No. 86 of the United States geological survey, he has published a "Correlation Paper on the Archean and Algonkian Rocks of North America:" he also has a pa- per in the Sixteenth Annual Report of the United States geological survey, on "Principles of North American Pre-Cambrian Geology." When the long story of the ancient and altered rocks of our country is finally told, it will be found that many of the more important chapters have come from the observations and deductions of Professor Van Hise. From "The University of Wisconsin," by R. G. Thwaites, this summary of the writings of President Van Hise is obtained.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.