USA > Wisconsin > Dane County > History of Dane County, Wisconsin > Part 204
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DANIEL L. VAN HOESEN, Sec. 17; P. O. Madison. As the name indicates, this gen- tleman is of good old Knickerbocker stock ; his father, John Van Hoesen, was a native of Kinderhook, and his mother, Mary Wessells, of Montgomery Co., N. Y .; their son was born July 11, 1818, in Augusta, Oneida Co., N. Y., and resided in New York State up to 1854, when he came West, buying the old Stoner
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farm; this was one of the first farms claimed in the County of Dane, and was the choice of the man for whom the beautiful prairie was named ; Mr. Van Hoesen has erected the farmhouse and done most of the building and fencing here. He is a Democrat, and has been Supervisor, Assessor and Chairman (see county records). He married Frances, daughter of Chester and Lucy (Root) Darling; she was born in Vernon, Oneida Co., N. Y., and has two daughters-Kittie, born in Oneida Co., and Helen, born in Fitchburg.
JOSEPH VROMAN (deceased); was born Jan. 30, 1816, in Manlius, Oneida Co., N. Y .; his parents, Jacob and Rachel (Towles) Vroman, removed to Indiana and died near Vincennes, when he was a young lad; relatives took him back to New York, where he grew to manhood ; coming West in 1836, he wintered in Madison, then went to Potosi, Wis., and later to La Fayette Co., Wis .; in 1839, George Vroman and himself entered 320 acres on Stoner's Prairie, and 300 of it comprises his estate. He married Mary Westrope Dec. 17, 1840, and that fall began life on this farm in a log house ; one settler only lived between him and Madison; in 1843, his brother George built for him the first framed barn in the town-it still stands ; himself, brother and W. A. Wheeler also built the noted Badger Mills of early days. Mr. Vroman was one of the honored pioneers of the State and county, serving several terms as Super- visor, Chairman, etc .; he died Dec. 15, 1869, leaving five children-George W., Harriet (Mrs. Isaac Sherman), Emmeline (Mrs. S. D. Moore), Hiram and William A; all were born on the homestead in Fitchburg ; Hiram Vroman married Mary, daughter of W. B. Westrope, at or near her birthplace, in La Fayette Co., Wis. He is a Democrat, and has been Town Clerk and Chairman of his native town. His pioneer mother is with him ; she was born Oct. 9, 1821, in Lawrence Co., Ill .; her father, Abner West- rope, born in Kentucky, first visited Southwest Wisconsin in 1828, and, in 1830, settled permanently near Belmont, La Fayette Co .; his wife, Sarah Ashbrook, was also a Kentuckian, and they saw much of frontier life ; during the Black Hawk war (summer of 1832), the family were in Fort De Sallust, Mrs. V. well remembering the excitement and alarm among the settlers; she was the first white woman in Fitchburg, and is now its oldest settler.
GEORGE VROMAN, Sec. 30; P. O. Stoner's Prairie; born near'Cazenovia, Madison Co., N. Y., March 22, 1814; leaving his native State, he came up the lakes to Milwaukee, which he reached July 11, 1836; most of his time was spent here and in Mineral Point and Madison up to September, 1838, when he settled in Madison, residing there until 1862, when he settled on his 144-acre farm ; Mr. Vroman served an apprenticeship of seven years as a carpenter in New York, and was the leading spirit in erecting the Badger Mills in 1842 ; Joseph V. and himself entered a half-section in Fitchburg in 1840, part of which is now the estate of the late Joseph Vroman; on this, in 1843, George V. built the first framed barn. He married, March 24, 1844, Miss Amy Wardwell, born March 24, 1827, in Steuben Co., N. Y .; they have two living children-Edgar J. and Alfred H .- and have lost seven children ; George F. died Aug. 20, 1847; William H. died Dec. 8, 1847 ; Mary E. died Aug. 8, 1852; James B. died Oct. 27, 1875 ; Jennie F. and Samuel F. died Feb. 15, 1875; Hiram A. died Sept. 3, 1876. Mr. Vroman is one of the pioneer settlers of the State, and a man well known and respected. He is a Republican.
HENRY WEST, Sec. 6; P. O. Madison ; born near Mauch Chunk, Penn., Aug. 18, 1832, son of Paul and Sarah (Graves) West ; after the death of her husband, the widow married Jacob Zink; who came West and located near Verona Corners, May 7, 1845 ; he now lives on the old Abbott farm, in Verona; his wife died while on a visit East in the winter of 1875 ; her parents, a brother and three sisters, are all buried in the same old Pennsylvania cemetery, the youngest dying at 74 and the eldest at 92. Henry West went to Kansas in 1857, made and lost a claim, and made some money at hunting in various parts of the Northwest. He married, Oct. 29, 1859, Phoebe A. Burch, born May 8, 1840, in Erie Co., Penn .; they were married in Verona, and began on 40 acres of the present farm, $500 in debt; to-day he owns 220 acres in the homestead farm, and 138 in Verona ; has re-built his house, built a basement barn, set shade and fruit trees, and literally made his own home by labor and judicious management ; they have five children-Clara, Ralph, Bertha, Stanley and Edna; little Gracie died Jan. 20, 1874. Mr. West is a live, stirring farmer, and a Republican in politics.
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TOWN OF BLACK EARTH.
JOHN ADAMS, Black Earth ; born in Pulaski Co., Ky., in 1819; when about 13 years of age, he removed with a half-brother to the State of Indiana, and thence to Winnebago Co., Ill., about 1837; he removed to Dodgeville, Iowa Co., in 1839, which he made his home till 1849; in the latter year he removed to Blue Mounds, where he engaged in business ; came to Black Earth in the spring of 1863. His wife was Miss Eliza Blanchard, daughter of Ashael and Elizabeth Blanchard. Mrs. Adams was born in Cortland Co., N. Y .; she removed with her parents from Orleans Co., N. Y., to Iowa Co., Wis., in 1844; her father died at Dodgeville, in 1852; her mother died at Blanchardville in 1871. Mr. Adams has been a prominent and successful business man ; was elected Sheriff in 1863, served two years. He has five children-Alva, John, Frank, Elizabeth and William.
FRANK ADAMS, merchant, Black Earth; was born at West Blue Mounds, Iowa Co., Wis., in 1854. He was married to Miss Emma Wilson, daughter of Henry Wilson. He engaged in the mer- cantile business August, 1879; he was, for several years previous to that time, engaged with his father in the stock business; has one child-Clarence H. His father, John Adams, was one of the pioneers of Wisconsin; he was born in Kentucky in 1819; when 13 years of age, in company with his half brother, he went to Indiana, thence to Illinois, and to Dodgeville, Wis., in 1839; he came to Black Earth in the spring of 1863; he was elected Sheriff of Dane Co. in 1863, served two years. He was married in 1846, to Eliza Blanard, born in the State of New York, and came to Wisconsin with her parents in 1844. Mr. John Adams is an active, energetic and successful business man; has been variously engaged as merchant, stock-dealer, farmer, etc .; he was a member of the State Legislature in 1869-70 and 1872. Has five children-Alva, John, Frank, Elizabeth and William. Alva is engaged in the hardware business, at Al- amosa, Colo., he was a member of the first Legislature of that State, and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Cincinnati in 1880. William is with his brother Alva.
SAMUEL BARKER, merchant, Black Earth; born in Leeds, England, in December, 1817; came to the United States in the fall of 1848; he lived six years near Akron, Ohio; came to Madison in 1854 ; bought a farm in the town of Vermont; has lived in the village of Black Earth since 1869. He was married to Sarah Lawson, also born in Leeds ; they have five children-William, Richard, Anna E., Samuel and Eva. Mr. Barker has made two visits to his native land during his residence in this country.
THOMAS BARBER, hardware dealer, firm of Barber & Son, Black Earth; born in England in 1817. He married Rachael Shaw ; came to Wisconsin from England in 1847, and settled in the town of Berry, Dane Co., where he lived about eight years ; located in the village of Black Earth in October, 1855, and engaged in selling farm machinery, which he still continues in connection with a general hard- ware business. His wife died in 1877 ; he has five children-his two oldest sons, James S. and John S., are at Beloit, Mitchell Co., Kan., engaged in the hardware business; David A. is associated with his father in business; Mary E. and Hannah L. Mr. Barber visited his native land in 1878.
GEORGE BATE, Black Earth. Mr. Bate is one of the pioneers of Dane Co .; he was born in Worcester, England, in 1817; he was apprenticed to the trade of tallow-chandler and grocery business; he emigrated to Wisconsin from England in the spring of 1845 ; he settled in Sec. 21, town of Berry, Dane Co .; this farm he still owns; also owns another farm in Sec. 30; he came to the village of Black Earth in May, 1870, and engaged in the lumber trade the following year. Mr. Bate lost his first wife in En- gland; his present wife was Esther Hale, from the State of Maine, of English parentage; they have two children-William F. and Beda A .; the former was born in the town of Berry, Jan. 9, 1860; he is his father's successor in the lumber trade.
M. C. BURNETT, Postmaster, also of the firm of Burnett & Son, publishers and proprietors of the Black Earth Advertiser, Black Earth ; born in Madison Co., N. Y., in 1811 ; he removed to Ohio with his parents in 1815; he came to Racine, Wis., in 1849; thence to Illinois, but returned to Wiscon- sin and settled at Moscow, Iowa Co., where he lived eight years ; he was Postmaster and Justice of the Peace at Moscow ; came to Black Earth in 1859; was appointed Postmaster here in 1865; has also been Justice of the Peace most of the time since he came to Black Earth. He was married, in 1837, to Jane McNish; they have had two children-Edwin, the older son, died Sept. 23, 1871, in his 33d year; Clar-
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ence, editor of the Black Earth Advertiser, was born in Geauga Co., Ohio, in 1844; his wife was Miss Katie Wallace.
MICHAEL CAREY, farmer, Sec. 39; P. O. Mazomanie; born in County Clare, Ireland, about 1820; he emigrated to West Troy, N. Y., in 1852, where he lived one year; thence to Janesville, Wis., where he lived about four years ; he came to Dane Co. and located on his present farm in 1857, where he has since lived. He was married to Margaret Crawley, of Janesville, Wis .; born in County Cork, Ireland; they have seven children-Daniel, James, John, William, Honora, Ellen and Maggie. Farm contains 125 acres.
SAMUEL CHARLESWORTH, attorney and Justice of the Peace, also Notary Public, Black Earth ; boru in Lancashire, England, in 1819. He was married to Elizabeth Catlin ; came to Wis- consin from England, in 1845, and settled in the town of Black Earth ; he engaged in farming for some time, but has been in public business most of the time since he came to Wisconsin. He was Deputy Sheriff of Dane Co. for seven years; has been Justice of the Peace for about seventeen years ; has practiced law in a Justice's Court for several years ; he has one daughter-Annie, now Mrs. James E. Beardsley.
RICHARD J. COLLIE, dealer in hardware, groceries and notions, Black Earth; born in the city of London, October, 1857; his father died in England ; he came to this country with his mother and sister ; his mother died in 1861 ; his sister is now Mrs. John A. Adams. Mr. Collie was clerk for Mr. Barber in the hardware business for four years ; was also clerk for Isaacson & Nordrum ; he engaged in his present business June 1, 1879. He married Miss Tillie Knutsen, of Lodi.
JOSEPH COOPER, farmer, Sec. 31 ; P. O. Mazomanie; was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1826; came to Wisconsin in 1847 and settled on his present farm, where he has since resided. He was married to Rebecca, daughter of George Lockwood ; her parents came from England to Wisconsin in 1845 ; they have seven children-William, Joseph, John, Mary, Harriet, Lucy and Bessie ; they have lost three children-Sarah A., aged 22; George, aged 19; James died in iofancy. Mr. Cooper's farm contains 240 acres.
REV. HENRY DOCKHAM, Pastor of Methodist Episcopal Church, Black Earth; was born in the State of New York in 1826; he went to Canada in 1846, and engaged in teaching ; entered the ministry in 1849; he resided in Canada till 1873, when he came to Wisconsin; he resided at Monroe three years; his first station in Wisconsin was at Mazomanie, where he preached one year ; came to Black Earth in 1878. He was married to Lois Landon, born in Canada ; they have three children-Ogden A., Eva and Alida.
JOHN DRAKE, farmer, Sec. 33; P. O. Black Earth; was born in Portage Co., Ohio, in 1835 ; he removed to Indiana with his parents, John and Mary Drake, when he was a child ; they came to Dane Co. in 1851; an older brother of John's came several years previous to that time; he died in 1866; the family settled on the farm now owned by John in the fall of 1852; his mother died in 1864; his father died in 1868; they are buried on the farm. Mr. Drake was married to Harriet, daughter of William B. Haydon, who died in 1858; they have six children-Walter, Alva, Gracie, Fred, Hattie B. and Frank ; they have lost three danghters. The farm contains 120 acres.
JOHN A. ELLIOTT, farmer, Black Earth; was born in Maine in 1827; he removed with his parents to New Hampshire when he was about 8 years of age; he went to Chicago in 1854, thence to Janesville, Wis., but returned to New Hampshire; in November, 1857, he came to Madison ; he lived one year in the town of Verona, thence to Blue Mounds, where he lived about nine years ; he removed to La Fayette Co., where he lived two years, thence to Black Earth; he owns a farm on Sec. 27, but resides in the village, where he has a pleasant home; his house is built upon one of those mounds so common in this valley, supposed to have been the burial-place of some important personage of that race whom we call Mound Builders, "and know no more." In excavating for the cellar of his house, some of the remains of this personage were found; this is one of the most extensive and interesting of the many mounds found in this vicinity, supposed to have been the work of a pre-historic race.
JOHN FITTON, retired farmer, Sec. 27; P. O. Black Earth ; born in Yorkshire, England; when a young man he went to Derbyshire, where he was employed as overseer in the weaving department of a cotton factory for a number of years. He was married to Hannah Robinson ; emigrated to Wiscon- sin in September, 1848; he bought his farm of the Government, where he settled in 1849; he sold bis farm several years since, retaining sufficient for a homestead; his wife died July 27, 1879. Mr. Fitton was one of the first Justices of the Peace of Black Earth, to which office he was re-elected, serving three years; he was Treasurer of the school-district in which he lives for seventeen years. Mr. Fitton is a rep-
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resentative of that class of pioneers that is fast passing away, and which will soon be known only to his- tory and to the memories of a younger generation ; a class of men who had reached mature life while Wisconsin was yet a Territory, and who know so well, by experience, the sufferings and trials of pioneer life in Wisconsin.
SAMUEL GOODLAD, miller, of the firm of Stanford, Logan & Co., Black Earth. Mr. Goodlad was born near Sheffield, England, in 1835 ; he came to Wisconsin with his parents, from Stavely, Derbyshire, England, in 1846; the family settled in what is now the town of Arena, Iowa Co .; in Feb- ruary, 1863, his father returned to England, where he remained until June 1, 1869, when he came back to America, and located at Osborne, Kan., where he died Aug. 29, 1879 ; his mother and her three daugh- ters reside at Stavely, England ; her three sons live in America. Mr. Goodlad was married to Ann Reeve, who came to Wisconsin with her parents, from England, in 1844; they have two children-Harold and Emma B. Mr. Goodlad is a miller by trade; he served a part of his apprenticeship at Hickox Mill, Iowa Co .; has been engaged in the milling business about thirty years.
JOHN GORST, farmer, Sec. 31 ; P. O. Mazomanie ; Mr. Gorst was born in Cheshire, England, about 1827 ; he came to Wisconsin with his brother, in 1845, and settled in the town of Black Earth ; be located where he now lives in 1848; his father emigrated to Wisconsin in the fall of 1846, and entered the land now comprising the farms of his three sons-Thomas, Charles and John ; the father died April 27, 1863; his mother died in 1877. Mr. John Gorst was married to Prudence Copley, daughter of James and Mary Copley, who came from England in 1846, and settled in the town of Black Earth ; her father died Jan. 14, 1863 ; her mother died Sept. 15, 1872 ; Mr. Gorst has eiglit children-Charles, Will- iam, Robert M., Drucilla, George, Sarah C., Wealthy and Bessie ; lost one daughter, Sarah H. Farm contains 114 acres ; Mrs. Gorst's father's family consisted of parents and five daughters, only three of whom are now living-Martha, Mary and Prudence ; her parents had thirteen children, eight of whom died in England. Charles, the eldest son of Mr. Gorst, graduated at the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, Keokuk, Iowa ; he is now located at Lime Springs, Iowa ; William A. is a clergyman, of the Meth- odist denomination.
F. HICKSTINE, Black Earth Meat Market ; born in Prussia, in 1834; a son of Peter Hick- stine and Louisa Shultz. Married, in 1861, to Miss Gusta Sawade, by whom he has had twelve children, eight of whom are living in Wisconsin, six sons and two daughters-Mary, Frank, Willie, Max, Otto, Charles, Ferdinand and Emma. Mr. Hickstine came to America in 1866, and located two years in Mil- waukee; moved to Black Earth in September, 1868, and embarked in the butcher business, which he has carried on successfully ever since ; he has two business houses on Main street, with seventy-six feet front, valued at $3,000. The family belong to the German Lutheran Church. Democratic in politics.
JOHN M. IVES, farmer, Sec. 36; P. O. Black Earth ; born in Liverpool, England, in 1825; his parents emigrated to the city of New York when he was a child ; his father afterward went to the city of New Orleans and engaged in business; during the war between Texas and Mexico, he went to the lat- ter country for the purpose of seeing the country, and with a view of locating there with his family; he was arrested by the Mexican forces, accused of being a spy, and was condemned and executed as such. Mr. Ives was sent to Pennsylvania to reside when about 10 years of age, where he lived about fourteen years, and where he learned the trade of a blacksmith ; he went from Pennsylvania to St. Louis, where he stayed about one and a half years ; thence to Dane Co., where he has since resided. He was married to Saralı Ann Heald, daughter of Amos and Hannah Heald, who emigrated to Wisconsin from the State of Maine in 1843; they still reside in Black Earth. Mr. Ives settled where he now lives in 1856; has two children-Clara and Guy. Farm contains about 100 acres.
JOHN MUSKAT, proprietor of saloon, Black Earth ; born in Prussia in 1847; he came to Wisconsin with his parents from Germany in 1854; his father settled in the town of Berry, where he still lives. Mr. Muskat came to the village of Black Earth and engaged in business in 1869. He was mar- ried to Edith Farge, born in Milwaukee; they have three children-Emma, Edith and Charles.
M. H. MYERS, carriage-maker, Black Earth ; born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., in 1823; he came to Milwaukee in May, 1846; thence to Waukesha; he entered land in the town of Dane, Dane Co., in June, 1846, but returned to Milwaukee, where he worked at his trade till the following spring, when he settled on his land in the town of Dane. He was married to Armilla Barney, formerly from Ogdensburg, N. Y .; his wife died in August, 1849; he then went to Milwaukee and resumed work at his trade, where he married Almeda Gifford ; in 1851, he returned to his farm, where he lived two or three years ; his sec- ond wife died in 1853; he went to Clifton, Dane Co., in 1854, where he worked at his trade till 1858; was then engaged in farming for two years ; he went to Canada in October, 1859; thence to Oswego Co.,
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N. Y., in the spring of 1860; in the spring of 1861, he returned to Dane Co .; resided in Dane and Sauk Cos. till 1865, when he settled in the village of Black Earth and engaged in his present business. His present wife was Matilda Hifford; has one child by second marriage-Ada, now Mrs. Edwin Baldwin ; has one son by present marriage -- Albert H.
OLOF C. OLSEN, of the firm of Johnson & Olsen, merchants, Black Earth ; born in Norway in 1848; came to Wisconsin from his native land, in October, 1871. He resided in La Crosse three years, where he was engaged as clerk for Marcus Anderson, a prominent merchant of that city. He came to Black Earth in 1875, and engaged as clerk for the firm of Isaacson & Nordrum, for several years. He entered into business with his present partner, Mr. Johnson, in January, 1879, under the firm name of Johnson & Olsen. He was married to Amelia Mendota, daughter of Carl Erikson, of Black Earth; has one daughter-Munritz.
DR. PHILIP D. PAUL, Black Earth; born in the province of Nassau, Germany, in 1849; came to the United States in 1867. He engaged in the mercantile business at Black Earth, in 1870. In 1871, he became connected with Dr. Disruth, oculist, and made a special study of treating diseases of the eye. He now devotes his entire attention to treating diseases of this organ, and has acquired a reputation, not only at home, but elsewhere. About one-half of his time is passed at his home in Black Earth, and the remainder in visiting different sections of the country. He was married to Hattie E. Piper, born in Hull, England ; they have three children-Gracie, Harry and Willie.
W. P. RANDALL, farmer, Sec. 35; P. O. Black Earth ; born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., in 1813. He removed with his parents to Ohio about 1826; he and a brother went to Winnebago Co., Ill., in 1835 ; they were among the earliest settlers of that county. He was married to Deborah A. Driscoll ; came to Dane Co. while Wisconsin was still a Territory, and settled in the town of York ; thence to the: town of Reedsburg, Sauk Co .; came to the present location in 1869; has four children-William H. resides- in Nebraska ; Mary M., wife of Dr. Gleason, of Mazomanie; Alice, now Mrs. James Barnes, of Nebraska, and Laura, wife of G. Vancamp, who resides in Nebraska. His farm contains 80 acres.
LLOYD A. ROBERTS, farmer, Sec. 32; P. O. Black Earth; born in Massachusetts ip 1811 ; his father died when he was a child. After the death of his father he went to Franklin Co., N. Y., and lived with a sister until he was 18 years of age. He then went to Geauga Co., Ohio, where he was- married, in 1833, to Matilda Boker, a native of the State of New York. They removed to Racine Co., Wis., about 1842; to Black Earth, and settled on the farm where Mr. Roberts now lives, in 1849. His wife died in the fall of 1872; his present wife was Mrs. Mary E. Carpenter. Mr. Roberts has four chil- dren-William B., resides in Nebraska ; Lewis O., lives in Mazomanie; Elmira, now Mrs. William Ells- worth ; Eben, who resides in Kansas; lost five children, one son and four daughters. His farm contains 160 acres. Mr. Roberts, and his son, William B., enlisted in Co. A, 11th W. V. I. ; served two years, and was discharged by reason of disability ; his son, William B., served till the close of the war. Another son, Lyman H., enlisted in 1863 in the same regiment, and died in the service.
J. E. STANFORD, of the firm of Stanford & Logan, merchants, also of the firm of Stan- ford, Logan & Co., owners of Black Earth Mills, Black Earth ; was born in Franklin Co., Mass., in 1831 .. He was married in 1855, to Olive M. Hatch, born in Windham Co., Vt, in 1836. He learned the trade of a tanner and currier in Massachusetts ; lived some time in the town of Whitingham, Vt. ; came to Menasha, Wis., in 1856, where he engaged in the business of chair-making for about two years; came to Black Earth in 1858, and engaged in the grain and produce business. He enlisted February, 1865, in the 49th W. V. I., was honorably discharged Sept. 12 of the same year ; he returned to Black Earth and engaged in his former business ; in 1866, with Mr. Logan, he engaged in the grain and produce business. In the spring of 1868, Mr. Goodlad became connected with them in the milling business, under the pres- ent firm name.
ANTHON STEENSRUD, proprietor of saloon, Black Earth; born in Norway in 1843. His parents and eleven children emigrated to Wisconsin from Norway in 1852, and settled in the town of Vermont, Dane Co .; his father died in the spring of 1878 ; his mother resides at Albert Lea, Minn. He: and two brothers, Ole Andrew and Arne, served in the Union army during the rebellion ; Anthon enlisted July, 1861, in the 6th W. V., I. and was mustered out of the service November, 1865, having served over four years ; he was in all the engagements in which his regiment took part, till the battle of Antie- tam, where he was wounded ; when he had sufficiently recovered, he was placed on detached duty, where he remained during the war; after the close of the war, he lived in Pierce Co., Wis., for two years ; came to Black Earth in 1867. He was married to Miss Inger, who came to this county in 1861.
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