History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 83

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304

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* During the seven years of his judicial life, when not engaged in his own district, his time was almost constantly occupied in holding court in other districts of the circuit, and frequently at Chicago, where he was highly esteemed as an able Judge. Wherever it was his fortune to preside, he won, as in his own district, the confidence and respect of the profes- sion, and all interested in the orderly, intelligent and impartial administration of justice. He was a genial gentleman, an excellent lawyer, and an able and faithfui Judge. He died in Madison, September 3, 1877 .*

WILLIAM J. L. NICODEMUS

was born August 1, 1834, at Cold Springs, Virginia. Soon after his birth, his parents moved to Maryland, settling near Hagerstown. He received his early education at the country school and was quick to learn. He afterward taught school, occupying his winter months in that vocation, and working on a farm during the summer. Meanwhile, his abilities and address attracted toward him so much attention that, in 1854, he was the recipient of an appointment from the member of Congress of his district as cadet to the military academy at West Point, entering the institution July 1, of that year, and graduating July 1, 1858, when he was pro- moted in the regular army to Brevet Second Lieutenant of Infantry.

He began his duties as soldier in the garrison at Newport Barracks, Kentucky, where he remained until January 19, 1859, when he was transferred to the frontier as Second Lieutenant of the Fifth Infantry, in which capacity he conducted recruits to Utah. He then took part in the Utah expedition. Afterward and until 1861, he served in Forts Fauntleroy, Defiance and Union, in New Mexico-going upon the Navajo expedition in the year last mentioned. On the

*From the pen of S. U. Pinney, Madison, Wis. Bissell'e Reports, U. S. Courts, Seventh Circuit, Vol. VII-1874-1878, pp. 11-13.

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14th of May, 1861, he was promoted to First Lieutenant of the Eleventh Infantry. On the 24th of October following, he was commissioned Captain of the Twelfth Infantry Regiment, being engaged as Acting Assistant Adjutant General of the Department of New Mexico, from that time to June, 1862. He took part in the battle of Valverde February 21, 1862, and for gallant and meritorious services in that conflict was brevetted Major. He was engaged in open- ing communication between Fort Craig and Fort Union, in February and March following, and was in various skirmishes. In September, he was on recruiting service at Cincinnati, during a threatened attack upon that city. On the 11th of October, he was appointed Colonel of the Fourth Regiment of Maryland Volunteers, joining this regiment in the field, but ordered after- ward with his force to Baltimore to guard recruits. He resigned that office on the 17th of No- vember following.

On the 20th of February, 1863, he was given Signal duty and continued in that service until August 23, 1865, having first the command of the "Signal Camp of Instruction ;" then of the Signal detachment in the Department of West Virginia; in charge also of the Signal line between Harper's Ferry and Washington ; then of the Signal detachment with the Army of the Potomac on the pursuit of the enemy through Maryland, in July, 1863, participating in several skirmishes, being commissioned Major of the Signal Corps, the 18th of September, to rank from March 3, previous. He was then put in charge of the Signal Bureau at Washington, and was in command of the Signal Corps from October 13, 1863, to December 26, 1864, being commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the latter June 30, of the year last mentioned, to rank from March 3, 1863. He was made Inspector of the same corps March 31, 1865, serving to August 23, following, when he was mustered ont and restored to his regiment-the Twelfth In- fantry-to rank from October 24, 1861. He served from September, 1865, to the year 1868, in garrisons at Fort Hamilton, New York, Richmond, Petersburg and Fredericksburg, Virginia, and at Washington, when he was detailed to give instruction in military science and tactics in the Western University at Pittsburgh, Penn. Here he remained two years. He was honorably discharged from the army on the 29th of December, 1870, under an act of Congress of that year, and was, on the 18th of January following, elected to a professorship in the Uni- versity of Wisconsin.

In February, 1871, he entered upon the duties of his new position. Ambitious and ener- getic, he soon gave life to the department to which he had been called. He thoroughly remod- eled the course in civil engineering, and soon drew around him a number of students of that specialty, winning from them, by his thorough but kindly manliness, by his enthusiastic devotion to their wants, and by his efforts for their subsequent welfare, a warm and lasting regard. Equal success crowned his efforts in the department of military science, where he succeeded in making both popular and useful the drill, which before had always been extremely irksome to the stu- dents. His genial manner and varied experience made him a very pleasant companion, and he soon won the regard of his fellow-workers at the University .* As Professor of one of the tech- nical courses, the classes instructed by Prof. Nicodemus were small, and the relationship between teacher and student correspondingly close. Though he met the regular college students but for one term in the class-room, it was not difficult for them to discern, in that short time, those genial heart-qualities, that almost womanly tenderness, which made him the warm personal friend of every worthy man who made his acquaintance. A more striking illustration of the esteem in which the students held Maj. Nicodemus could not be found than the spirit manifested toward him at all times by the University battalion. No man could have been more successful in eliciting an interest in an irksome duty than was he in conducting the military exercises. t

The connection of Prof. Nicodemus with the geological survey of Wisconsin began by his being employed to prepare maps for an annual report. In 1875, he was regularly commissioned topographical assistant of the survey, and personally prepared or superintended the preparation of all the maps for the report of that year. The next year a regular plan for the maps to ac-

*See Appendix to Annual Raport of the Wisconsin Geological Survey, for the year 1878, where is to be found an excellent paper in memory of Prof. Nicodamns, prepared by Prof. Allan D. Conovar, of tha University of Wisconsin.

t Adapted from tha University Press (Madison, Wis.,) January 17, 1879.

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company the volumes of the final report was adopted, and he was intrusted with their prepara- tion. In his report for 1876, the State Geologist says : "Prof. Nicodemus has been actively. engaged in compiling the geographical data for the maps, and in drawing them upon a uniform and accurate scale. Each township has been carefully built up from the notes and plats of the original Government linear surveys, and the natural features have been compiled from a large collection of State, sectional, county, township, and special maps," "The work of this depart- ment [drafting]," says the chief geologist, in 1877, " which assumes increasing importance in the preparation of the final report, has continued, as heretofore, mainly in the hands of Prof. William J. L. Nicodemus and Mr. A D. Conover, of the State University. They have, during the year, completed the drawing of the maps for the atlas accompanying Volume II of the final report-and a portion of those for the remaining volumes; and several others are in various de- grees of advancement." In his report of 1878, the State Geologist remarks : "Prof. W. J. L. Nicodemus, topographical assistant to the survey, and Mr. A. D. Conover, of the State Uni- versity, who have previously done the larger part of the drafting of the geological maps, have completed those assigned them for the atlas that is to accompany Volume III of the final report, and have made progress with other work placed in their hands."

Since his connection with the University of Wisconsin, Prof. Nicodemus has more than once been tempted to leave; and, among other proffers, he received one from Gen. Sherman, with whom he was personally well acquainted, asking him to accept a position as professor of mathe- matics at $2,500 per annum, in gold, in a college just being started by the Khedive of Egypt. Of modest, retiring disposition, Prof. Nicodemus rarely spoke of himself or of his many exper- iences. Possessed of a large store of nervous force, he rapidly and efficiently accomplished whatever he took in hand. Ambitious to provide for the wants of his family, should they ever be left without his care, he felt pressed to engage in business enterprises outside of the duties of his pro- fessorship. As he was never slack in his duty to the university, he must have drawn very largely on his vitality to accomplish the work he undertook. This is more especially true of the past university year, when, burdened more than usually with the needs, for instruction in his growing department, and with his work for the geological survey, he shared largely in the labor, the risks, and anxieties consequent on publishing, along with A. D. Conover, a large and very accurate map of Wisconsin. The draft on his nervous system proved great, and brought on insomnia, which finally developed alarmingly. He died in Madison, on the 6th of January, 1879, and was buried near that city, in the beautiful Catholic cemetery of Forest Hill .* The position he occupied in the university he continued to fill most acceptably until his death. He was married, in Georgetown, D. C., to Miss Fannie E. Pettit, December 27, 1864.

In 1875 was published a " Hand-Book for Charcoal Burners," a Swedish work, translated by Prof. R. B. Anderson, of the University of Wisconsin, and edited with notes by Prof. Nico- demus. The original work is by G. Svedelius, and is probably the best treatise on the manu- facture of charcoal ever written. Prof. Anderson's translation is admirable. The notes of Prof. Nicodemus add to the interest and value of the book. The twenty-three wood engravings illus- trating the text are well executed. Prof. Nicodemus had prepared, at the date of his death, and nearly finished what was at first intended only as a translation of Reauleaux's " Manual of Civil Engineering " (the volume containing tables); but, under his hands, it developed into a much more complete manual of tables than the original.

Prof. Nicodemus was a member of the Wisconsin Academy of sciences, arts and letters, and contributed to its "Transactions " several papers that are commendable not only for what he says, but for the way he clothes his thoughts. These contributions are (1) " On the Wisconsin River Improvement ;" (2) " Railway Gauges ;" (3) " The Ancient Civilization of America." "The ancient works," he truly and clearly says, in the last-mentioned paper, " divide them- selves into three great geographical divisions, namely : South America, on the west coast, be- tween Chili and the second degree of north latitude; Central America and Mexico; and the valleys of the Mississippi and Ohio." He has given to the periodical press a number of articles,

* See Annual Report Wisconsin Geological Survey, 1878, pp. 50, 51.

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notably one on "Telegraphy " and another on " Tunneling," printed in the University Press, Madison, Wis., in October and November, 1871.

LA FAYETTE KELLOGG,

son of Rowland Kellogg and his wife Sarah Titus, was born at Elizabethtown, Essex Co., N. Y., and was educated at the same place. Came West in 1838, and spent nearly a year in the lead mines at Mineral Point, and returned to Madison in the summer of 1839, held several town and county offices until August 11, 1840, when he was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court of the Territory, which office he held until the State Government was organized, when, from continued ill health, he was obliged to give up all kinds of business until December, 1851, when, his health having improved, he again took charge of the office as Deputy Clerk, and dis- charged the duties of the same until the organization of the separate Supreme Court in June, 1853, when he was again appointed Clerk, and held that office to the day of his death. He was also elected Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives at its session in 1845, and was re-elected at the session of 1846, 1847 and 1848, and was also elected Secretary of the first convention to frame a constitution for the then future State of Wisconsin, which constitution was rejected by a vote of the people on the first Tuesday of April, 1847. He died in Madison on the 4th day of June, 1878.

NATHANIEL W. DEAN

was born in Raynham, Bristol Co., Mass., September 17, 1817. He received an academic education, and taught school one or two winters, commencing when he was eighteen years of age, near his native home. When he was twenty-one years of age, he went to what was then the Far West, and located at Niles, in Michigan. Here he entered upon mercantile life, with fair prospects, that were blasted, after a few years, by a severe loss by fire, that deprived him of all his property. He then came across Lake Michigan, and, after spending a short time at Joliet, Ill., in 1842, came to Madison, where he resided until his death. For a time he served as a clerk with his cousin, Dr. Weston, who was one of the early merchants in Madison. In 1844, Mr. Dean commenced business with his brother, E. B. Dean, Jr., and for several years their store was the leading establishment in the place. They started business in the old Argus wooden building, on Main street, but soon located in what is known as the "Great Arcade Building," that stood on King street. This old Arcade building was removed several years ago, and is now known as the Pyncheon residence. In this building, N. W. and E. B. Dean were successful merchants for several years, keeping a general stock of dry goods, groceries and crock- ery, usually kept in small places. They were succeeded in business, in about 1849, by William N. Seymour and E. L. Varney. In a year or two, N. W. Dean opened a store in his own name, and continued to be a leading merchant in Madison until 1857, when he retired finally from this line of business and afterward devoted his time in taking care of extensive real estate interests, of which he had then become possessed, and to which he subsequently made large ad- ditions. He left a considerable estate in lands, located in various parts of Wisconsin and in other States, extending into Kansas, where he owned a fine farm. His property and its great variety gave ample labor to Mr. Dean in its management, and to this work, he devoted a large portion of his time for more than twenty years. Mr. Dean was not engaged in prominent public enter- prises in Madison, to any considerable extent. He was a liberal contributor to the Congrega- tional Society, aiding in the erection of its church and in many other ways. He was a member of the Park Hotel Company and its largest stockholder. He erected, a few years ago, the brick block at the point centering on King and Pinckney streets, at the east corner of the square. As a business man, he was industrious and energetic and generally successful.

As a politician, Mr. Dean did not meet the fondest hopes of his friends from the bright promise of his early years in Wisconsin, and possibly his life in this respect was hardly satis- factory to his own ambition. For many years, there were but few men who were more popular

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with the people of the Territory, or who possessed brighter prospects for political proferment than did Mr. Dean. He was a man of fine personal address, of excellent ability, and a zealous Whig, so long as that party lived. His being a Whig prevented early promotion ; as, in Terri- torial days, the Democrats had their own way in Wisconsin. In 1847, Mr. Dean was the Whig candidate for the Constitutional Convention and made a gallant run, but, his party being largely in the minority, he was unsuccessful. For several years he was a Regent of the Wisconsin University, and was active in promoting the affairs of this institution in its early days, when it had to struggle hard for a respectable foothold. In 1856, Mr. Dean was elected a member of the Assembly, and served faithfully and efficiently in that body. It was during the session he was a member, that the bill providing for the erection of the new capitol was passed, and he was entitled to much credit for the success of that measure. He became a Republican upon the organization of that party, and for many years was a zealous worker in it.

Mr. Dean was a man of fine social qualities-intelligent, fluent in conversation, and attract- ive in manners. In society, he occupied a prominent position, and was extensively acquainted in all parts of the State, and in many other parts of the country.

In 1847, Mr. Dean was married to Miss Harriet H. Morrison, daughter of the late James Morrison, of Madison. One child, a son, was born to them in 1849, but died when he was quite young. Mr. Dean died February 28, 1880.

TIMOTHY BROWN

was born at Elbridge, Onondaga Co., N. Y., July 24, 1823. His father, Squire M. Brown, was a well-to-do farmer of that town, and occupied a position of considerable prominence. Hs frequently represented his town in the County Board, and his district in the Legislature. He was an excellent, practical agriculturist. The subject of this sketch, as a lad, worked on bis father's farm ; received an academic education, and, at the age of seventeen, struck out for him- self. From early childhood, he showed wonderful business qualifications; was ever ready to trade, and always had something to sell. At the age of seventeen, Mr. Brown took a position in a country store at Jordan, near Syracuse, that was owned by George A. Mason, Esq., wbo had married his elder sister. Here our subject remained some two or three years, receiving small pay; but when he left; he had saved his earnings with much care-nothing had been wasted. He then received a position as book-keeper in the bank of Salina. His faithfulness to business soon earned promotion, and he became first teller and then cashier of that strong bank- ing institution. By frugality, he accumulated some means while in this bank. In 1855, he resigned his position as cashier of the Bank of Salina, and settled in Madison.

He became cashier of the old " Dane County Bank," in which he also was a large stock- holder, and remained in this position till 1864, when this bank adopted the natural banking laws and became the First National Bank, and for some years Mr. Brown acted as cashier of that bank and was a main stockholder in it. He afterward sold out a portion of his stock, resigned his position as cashier, and was, for a few years, Vice President of the institution, de- voting a large portion of his time to outside investments. He retained, to the time of his death, a small amount of the stock of that bank, and continued one of its directors and a member of the executive committee. His business experience and wise counsel were of importance to the man- agement of the institution.

In 1870, Mr. Brown became the owner of a large portion of the stock of the Madison Gas Company, from which time he took almost exclusive charge of its affairs. He made important improvements in the works. He took a deep interest in the management, became thoroughly versed in what was the best machinery, and procured it.

For about twenty years, Mr. Brown was a Director in the Madison Fire Insurance Com- pany-a member of the Executive Committee all the time-and for many years Treasurer of it.

He was connected with many business enterprises in Madison, among which was the Mad- ison Manufacturing Company, and in all positions was of material service in promoting their

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interests. Where extensive business experience, sound judgment and a clear head were required, Timothy Brown was ever found ready, efficient and valuable.

Mr. Brown was a man of retiring habits ; was wholly free from ambition for political pre- ferment-always declining to be considered a candidate for official position. His services were demanded by the almost unanimous voice of the people of the county-as County Commissioner for a term or two-and no county ever had a more competent or faithful officer than he was dur- ing the brief time he could be induced to hold the office. This was the only public office, we believe, that Mr. Brown permitted himself to hold, and he held this one against his own will, but greatly to the benefit of his county.

The life of Mr. Brown was purely a business one. His integrity of character was never questioned. As a business man, he was a marked success ; capable, industrious, frugal, clear- headed and strictly honest, his business life could not fail of being attended with good results.

Socially, Mr. Brown was a pleasant man. He was not what is generally understood to be a society man, as he shrank from it; he disliked crowds ; but he enjoyed a small circle of friends and made himself very agreeable with them. He was also a very kind man to all in distress or who needed help; many are the cases in the city where his means have been quietly used in making happy those who were in needy circumstances. These services were always performed without show. He obeyed in his works the Scripture injunction-not letting the left hand know what the right hand did. He disliked anything like a display in doing good.

On the 6th of June, 1848, Mr. Brown was married to Miss Elizabeth Barnard. They have been blessed with two children, both sons.

The family of Mr. Brown consisted of two brothers and one sister. The sister, the eldest of the family, was the wife of George A. Mason, and died some years ago, and the two brothers, one older and the other younger than Timothy, survive. Mr. Brown died at his residence in Madison, November 15, 1879.

OLE BULL.

Ole Bornemann Bull was born at Bergen, Norway, February 5, 1810. His father, a druggist, who had destined him for the church, steadily repressed his passion for music. At the age of eighteen, he was placed at the University of Christiania, but, when he took the temporary charge of the orchestra at one of the theaters during the illness of the leader, his connection with the university was dissolved. In 1829, he went to Cassel to study with Spohr, but his playing had so chilling an effect, that, in despair, he went to Gottingen and commenced the study of the law. His fondness for his art soon. interrupted this pursnit, and he went to Minden, where he gave his first concert abroad. He then went to Paris, where he was reduced to great straits. A lady, who saw in him a likeness to her deceased son, took him into her house, and he after- ward married her grand-daughter. The proceeds of his first concert which was held in Paris, April 18, 1832, gave him the means for a musical tour through Italy. The next seven years were spent in professional journeys through Italy, France, Germany, England and Russia, by which he acquired a handsome fortune. Returning to his native place in 1838, with his wife, he settled upon an estate which he had purchased in the neighborhood. At the end of five years, he came to the United States, and, after a career of great success, returned to Europe in 1845. During the next seven years, he gave concerts in the chief cities of the Continent, visited Algeria, made improvements in musical instruments, built a theater in Bergen and endeavored to awaken in Norway an interest for national schools of literature and art. He introduced political sentiments into the dramas performed at his theater, and was brought into collision with the police. Lawsuits, in 1852, dissipated a large portion of his fortune, and he once more left his country, for the New World, and purchased a large tract of uncultivated land, comprising 120,000 acres, in Potter County, Penn. A large number of families, to whom the lands were sold at a nominal price, gathered upon the spot, forming the germ of a colony, to which the name Oleana was given ; but at length the project was abandoned and the colony broken up. Ole Bull resumed his concerts, and, in 1854, took a lease of the Academy of Music in New York,

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with the intention of undertaking the management of the Italian opera ; but the enterprise proved disastrous. He then returned to Europe, and, in 1869, re-visited the United States, where, in 1870, he made a second marriage, this time taking for his wife Miss Sarah C. Thorp, of Madison, Wis., where, until his death, he had his American residence. He died at Lyso, near Bergen, Norway, August 17, 1880.

In speaking of his personal appearance, a Madison writer, a short time before his death, said :

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History of Dane County, Wisconsin, Part 83

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1304

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899; Western Historical Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1304