USA > Wisconsin > Eau Claire County > History of Eau Claire county, Wisconsin, past and present; including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county > Part 28
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Doolittle & Sturdevant. At the end of two years, in 1880, he severed his connection with Mr. Doolittle and entered into part- nership with J. R. Sturdevant, forming the well-known firm of Sturdevant & Sturdevant, which arrangement continued for eight years, when the partnership was dissolved, and from 1888 to 1903 Mr. Sturdevant practiced alone at Neillsville. In the latter year he was elected attorney general of the state, and re-elected in 1905. Finishing his second term in 1908, he became attorney for Governor Davidson, at Madison, holding that position until August, 1910, when he located at Eau Claire, where he has since been in active and successful practice of his profession as a member of the firm of Sturdevant & Farr.
Mr. Sturdevant has been twice married; his first wife was Minetta, daughter of Orson and Enretta (Hastings) Bacon, of Neillsville, Wis., by whom he had three children, viz .: Clarence L., IIugh. II., and Viola E. The present Mrs. Sturdevant was Mary E. Williams, daughter of Peter Williams, of Camp Point, III.
In politics Mr. Sturdevant is a republican, and as such repre- sented Clark county in the legislature for two terms and served the same county two terms as district attorney. He is a mem- ber of the Unitarian Church, Modern Woodmen of America and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
John C. Gores. Born March 26, 1857, at Oshkosh, Wis. When thirteen years old left school to earn his living. Admitted to the bar in his native city June 26, 1884, and thereupon removed to Eau Claire, where he has resided ever since. For several years a member of the legal firm of Gores & Miner, afterwards Gores, Frawley & Miner. In 1889 chosen by the Common Council alder- man of the Eighth Ward to fill a vacancy, which choice was unanimously ratified by the people at the following election. Twice thereafter elected alderman, the last time without opposi- tion. Served on the School Board and County Board.
. Since 1890 practiced law alone, specializing in office work. In 1897 acted as referee to try the case of Laycock vs. Parker, which, up to that time, was the most lengthy case tried in Eau Claire county. On appeal to the supreme court, the case was affirmed and the court in the opinion expressed its special appro- bation of the manner in which the trial was conducted by the referee. In 1897 appointed as city attorney, to which office there- after two different proffered appointments were declined.
In civic affairs and in politics has always taken a proper degree of interest. At all times a thorough-going, independent and progressive, though not an extremist. Believes that the
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spoils system tends to draw the worst instead of the better men into politics. During the time of the greenback and free silver agitation in 1877 and 1878, contributed newspaper articles in favor of the resumption of specie payment and against free sil- ver. In the last battle for free silver in 1896 wrote a pamphlet entitled "Ilonest Money-An Essential in the Prosperity of the Republic." Was the first in the city to advocate publicly the adoption of the commission form of government for eities. There- after visited Galveston, Tex., where the plan was first tried, to observe its practical workings. In 1905, when it was proposed by the governor in his message to Wisconsin legislature to re-establish the former method of taxing mortgages, Mr. Gores opposed the proposition in an exhaustive printed argument en- titled "The Taxation of Mortgages with Reference to Northern Wisconsin," which was submitted to the legislature. The law was left unchanged notwithstanding the governor's attitude.
Throughout life has been a strong book lover, and acquired a reading knowledge of several foreign languages. June 18, 1890, was married to Kate Schultze, who has resided in the city sinee her birth.
Julius C. Gilbertson, a well-known lawyer of Eau Claire and member of the legal firm of Larson & Gilbertson, was born in the city of Eau Claire, June 28, 1875, and is a son of Tolof and Susan (Lamb) Gilbertson, both natives of Norway. The paternal grand- father of Julius C .- Gilbert Peterson-came to the United States in 1867 and settled in the state of Iowa, where he resided until his death. John Lamb, maternal grandfather of Mr. Gilbertson, emigrated to the United States and was among the pioneer farm- ers of Dunn county, Wisconsin, having located there in 1866, where he lived and died. Tolof Gilbertson, the father, who was a machinist by trade, came to Eau Claire in 1867. He was an industrions and hard working man and worked at his trade at the time of his death in 1911 at the age of sixty-three years. IIe was the father of ten children, eight of whom are now (1914) living, as follows: Mary is the wife of Charles Sullivan; Julius C., Tilla, now Mrs. Vigo Neilson; Adolph, Cora, Victor, Robert, and Clarence.
Julins C., whose whole life has been spent in Ean Claire, acquired his elementary education in the public schools. In 1893 he matriculated with the University of Wisconsin, at Madison, where he spent four years, graduating from the College of Letters in the class of 1897. He was admitted to the bar of Wiseonsin.
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In 1898 he was elected judge of the municipal court for a term of four years, and in 1902 was re-elected.
Judge Gilbertson is a man of ripe scholarship, well grounded in the fundamental principles of the law, with ability to apply them in practice, and both as an office counsellor and a practi- tioner in court has won most gratifying success. He is a repub- liean in polities. He was a member of the state legislature in 1911. Ile is highly esteemed for his manly qualities, and by none more than those intimately associated with him who know him best. He is a member of Eau Claire Lodge, No. 242, A. F. and A. M., the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Modern Woodmen of America, Knights of Pythias, I. S. W. A., and the Sons of Norway.
Judge Gilbertson married in 1903 Miss Jessie MeGrath, daugh- ter of John F. and Mary (Burns) MeGrath, one of the old and highly respected families of Ean Claire. To Mr. and Mrs. Gil- bertson have been born two children-Joeylyn M. and Julius C. Gilbertson, Jr.
Joseph W. Singleton, a prominent member of the Eau Claire county bar, was born in Louisville, St. Lawrence county, New York, September 8, 1861, son of Peter and Ellen (MeCarthy) Sin- gleton, both natives of St. Lawrence county. Thomas Singleton, paternal grandfather of Joseph W., was a native of England and followed the trade of ship carpenter prior to coming to the United States, and was a soldier in the Napoleonic War. Emi- grating to America, he became one of the pioneers of St. Lawrence county, New York, where he engaged in farming and lived there until his death.
The maternal grandfather, Dennis MeCarthy, was a native of County Mayo, Ireland, and was also a pioneer of St. Lawrence county, settling on Long Sault Island, where he resided until his death by drowning in Sault rapids. Peter Singleton, father of Joseph, was a farmer by ocenpation, and spent his whole life in the county where he was born, and died at the age of seventy- two years.
Joseph W. was educated in the common schools of St. Law- rence county, the Jesuit College, the Georgetown University of Washington, where he was graduated with the degrees of bache- lor of philosophy and bachelor of laws in 1888. He also after- ward taught school for one year in the St. Joseph College, at Burlington, Vt., and in October, 1889, was admitted to the bar of that state and practiced his profession in Burlington three years. .
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Ile came west, and on January 4, 1892, located in Eau Claire, where he has since carried on a successful practice of law. The first two years after coming to Eau Claire he was connected with the office of the late Thomas F. Frawley, and on February 1, 1894, became the first tenant in the Ingram Bloek where he has since had his office.
Mr. Singleton was married to Miss Ellen Francis, daughter of Patrick and Bridget (O'Brien) Gleason, of Cylon, St. Croix county, Wisconsin, and four children have been born to them, viz .: Joseph W., Jr., and Ellen Geraldine, twins; Lydia F. and Panl G. Mr. Singleton is a prominent member of St. Patrick's Church, the Catholie Knights of Columbus. He served as city attorney of Eau Claire from 1895 to 1897 and represented the Sixth Ward as alderman in the Common Council for six years, and was municipal judge for four years, and in politics is a democrat.
Lelon Ansil Doolittle, a prominent attorney of Eau Claire, was born in Russell, St. Lawrence eounty, New York, July 22, 1853, a son of Ansil, Jr., and Jane Ann (Smith) Doolittle. His great grandfather, Abraham Doolittle, was one of five brothers who were representative farmers, merchants and mechanics of their day in the town of Cheshire, New Haven county, Connecticut. The grandfather, Ansil Doolittle, married Maria King, and they were the parents of three sons and three daughters. The eldest son, Ansil, Jr., father of Lelon Ansil, married Jane Ann Smith, and they were the parents of three sons and one daughter; the iatter married Edgar E. Davis. The eldest son, Marshall Erwin, is a practicing physician. The youngest son, Rollin Edson, is a lawyer, as is also our subject.
Lelon Ansil was reared on the farm, attended the district school, and at the age of seventeen secured a second grade teach- er's certificate and made a success as a school teacher. At the age of twenty-two years he had completed a regular college course and was graduated from the St. Lawrence University with the class of 1875, paying his tuition by teaching as principal of graded schools, selling subscription books, and farm laborer. The practice of awarding honors at graduation had not then been adopted in this institution, but his good work and conduct were recognized by electing him to membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Through the influence of friends he came to Wisconsin in 1877 and settled at Neillsville, where, during the summer of that year, he accepted the position as principal of the high school of that city. After serving one year, he resigned and entered
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the law department of the University of Wiseonsin, finishing the two-year course in one year. After graduating with the class of 1879, he returned to Neillsville and was soon thereafter ap- pointed county judge of Clark county. Up to that time no indexes had been made of the probate records ; there was no court calendar, minute book nor court record in the office ; all the papers except such as had been lost or destroyed were in a heterogeneous mass, but within six months every paper entitled to record was recorded, and all the records of the office were as complete and as perfect as it was possible to make them. Before his term of office as judge had expired he was elected county superintendent of schools, a position lie filled with honor to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents until he moved to Eau Claire in January, 1885. While much of his time at Neillsville was taken up with his official duties, he built up and conducted a success- ful law business, and in 1879, in company with Hon. James O'Neill, founded the Neillsville Times, which they edited jointly until Judge Doolittle moved to Eau Claire, and which, under their management, became the leading weekly paper of the county.
Judge Doolittle came to Eau Claire to avoid newspaper work and politics, and after his arrival gave his sole attention to the practice of law, and has sinee been engaged in the general prac- tice of his profession. Ile served as city attorney for three years, and for several terms as president of the Associated Charities. He has been one of the directors of the Eau Claire Public Library for many years, and for several terms has been president of the board. Since 1903 he has been largely interested in real estate in northern Wisconsin, being president of the Traders' Land Com- pany, which is capitalized at $10,000.00, and also of the Guaran- teed Investment Company, with a capital of $76,000.00, both of which were incorporated in 1904.
Judge Doolittle was married May 4, 1880, to Bessie Adams Weeks, daughter of Friend and Betsey Maria (French) Weeks, of Rutland, Vt., and they have one adopted son, Maxson Rusk Doolittle. The judge is a member of the First Congregational Church of Eau Claire.
Roy P. Wilcox has made an indelible impression on the public life of Eau Claire, and, as a lawyer, stands preeminently high. Through his seventeen years as an active attorney he has come to be recognized as one of the able practitioners of the bar of Wiseonsin.
Roy P. Wilcox was born in the city of Ean Claire, June 30,
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1873, and is the son of Nelson C. and Angeline (Tewkesbury) Wileox. He is of English and Irish lineage and comes of one of the oldest families in America, the Wilcox ancestry dating back to early colonial days. He received his early education in the public schools of Eau Claire and then took a course in the law department of Cornell University, at Ithaea, N. Y., graduating in the class of 1897. One year previous to his graduation he had been admitted to the bar of Wisconsin, and immediately after leaving Cornell he began the practice of his profession in his native city. On September 1, 1897, he became a member of the law firm of Frawley, Bundy & Wilcox; sinee the death of the senior partner, July 1, 1902, the firm has been Bundy & Wilcox.
Mr. Wilcox has achieved success at a time in life when most men are fortunate if they have laid the foundation for success ; and this has been accomplished by his own ability and energy, for he left college not only with exhausted resources, but with debts to pay. While his success has been due mainly to his legal abilities, he has shown a capacity for business that, of itself, would have made him a success in commercial affairs, and has been connected with some large projects that have been man- aged most admirably, notably the water power and utility prop- erties formerly owned by the Chippewa Valley Railway, Light and Power Company, the values of which were greatly enhanced under the management of this company, of which he was one of the organizers.
On occasions Mr. Wilcox has been active in public affairs, but never as an official, nor obtrusively. For instance, Eau Claire was the first city in Wisconsin to adopt the commission form of government, and Mr. Wilcox was very distinctly connected with the movement that culminated in that result. He assisted in drafting the bill providing for government by commission in the cities of Wisconsin, and when the bill was introduced in the legislature he went to Madison and worked for its passage. Then, when the bill became law, he took the platform in Ean Claire to advocate the adoption of this form of government in his home city, and to his efforts is due, in no small degree, the fact that Ean Claire has its present satisfactory form of city government.
After this he was invited to other places to address the citi- zens on the new plan of managing civic affairs, with the result that the commission form of government was adopted in every city he visited, with two exceptions.
As a lawyer, Mr. Wilcox is both a wise counsellor and an
ROY P. WILCOX
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exceedingly able advocate, and his record as a trial lawyer has seldom been equalled. He has acted as attorney for railroads and other corporations for years, defending them against damage claims for injuries, losses, etc., and his success has been startling, considering that he has had to appear before juries on the unpopu- lar side of every such case. He is a forcible, logical, impressive speaker, possessing forensic qualities of a high order, and a manifest honesty of purpose glowing in all his efforts makes him formidable as a pleader in any cause. During the last fifteen years his firm has appeared on one side or the other of most of the big legal cases in and around Eau Claire.
On June 17, 1903, Mr. Wilcox married Maria Louisa, daughter of Manuel and Clementina (Santander) de Freyre, of Lima, Peru, South America. They have two children, Louisa M. and Francis J.
Mr. Wilcox is prominently connected with St. Patrick's Catho- lic Church, of Eau Claire, the Knights of Columbus, the Sons of the American Revolution, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the American Bar Association and the Wisconsin Bar Association, of which he is a member of the committee on legal education.
Martin B. Hubbard, ex-judge of the county court, was born near London, Ontario, Canada, August 11, 1849. His parents, Alfred and Mary A. (Dighton) Hubbard, who were natives of Jefferson county, New York, emigrated to Eau Claire county, Wisconsin, in 1865, settling on a farm in Bridge Creek township, and were among the early pioneers and most progressive and influential citizens of that town. The father retired from active farm duties at the age of sixty-five years and moved to the city of Eau Claire, where he died on May 6, 1908, at the age of eighty- two years. His wife, mother of our subject, passed away March 31, 1910, aged eighty-four years. They were both devoted mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church and were held in the highest esteem by all who knew them.
. The original Hubbard family emigrated from England to America and were among the early settlers in Connecticut. Mar- tin IIubbard, grandfather of Judge Hubbard, who was a success- ful lumberman and manufacturer in Canada during the early forties, died in 1855 at the age of fifty-five years. His wife, Maria Putnam, died in 1866. Benjamin Dighton, maternal grand- father of our subject, also a native of Jefferson county, New York, whose wife was Amanda Cole, was a prominent Methodist clergy- man in Canada.
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Martin Hubbard is the eldest of a family of four children, the others being Amanda, wife of N. E. Pride, of Otter Creek township, Eldred, also of Otter Creek, and Elva, wife of J. H. Tifft, of Eau Claire. Judge Hubbard received his education in the public schools of Canada and Augusta, Wis. He early served as town clerk of Bridge Creek township, resigning that office in 1876 to enter the office of the clerk of court, and while thus engaged commenced the study of law. In 1883 he entered the office of L. R. Larson, as clerk, and while in that position performed the duties of municipal judge under Larson. He was admitted to the bar of Eau Claire county in 1883, continuing in Mr. Larson's office until 1885, when he entered upon the practice of his pro- fession, in which he has since continued. He was elected judge of the county court in 1896 and served one term of four years. A republican in politics, he has been a member of the republican central committee for ten years, and for eight years served as its chairman. He has been a member of the board of education eight years, and president of the same for two years. Judge Hubbard is prominently identified with the commercial and financial inter- ests of Eau Claire, being secretary of the II. T. Lange Company, secretary of the Dells Lumber Company, secretary of the Reeds- burg Canning Company and a member of the board of directors of the Eau Claire National Bank and of the Eau Claire Savings Bank. He stands high in Masonic circles, is a member of the Blue Lodge, chapter and commandery.
In 1889 Judge Hubbard was married at Augusta, Wis., to Miss Elizabeth Reed, daughter of William and Elizabeth Reed.
William W. Downs, who ranks among the influential, success- ful progressive members of the bar of Eau Claire county, Wis- consin, was born in Menomonie, Dunn county, Wis., November 7, 1851. His parents, Burhee and Laura J. (Dunn) Downs, were natives of eastern Maine, and pioneers of Dunn county, having settled at Menomonie in 1849, where the father engaged in the lumber business as a member of the firm of Knapp, Stout & Com- pany. He later was a member of the firm of Carson, Rend & Company, and then for a number of years was engaged in busi- ness alone. After a residence in Eau Claire of a decade or more, he died in about the year 1888 at the age of seventy-four.
William W. Downs came to Eau Claire in 1868, receiving his primary education in the public schools of the city. He after- wards entered the University of Wisconsin and was graduated from the law department in 1874. He commenced the practice of
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law the same year at Eau Claire, where he successfully continued until 1886, when he removed to Bayfield county, Wisconsin, and was there actively engaged in the practice of his profession until 1911, then returned to Eau Claire and resumed his practice there. Mr. Downs is a careful and conscientious student of the law, and in his practice employs the force of a clear, logical and judicial mind, thoroughly disciplined and trained by varied experiences of his forty years of study and practice.
In June, 1874, he was wedded to Alice Daniels, a native of Ohio. Mr. Downs is an attendant and supporter of the Lake Street Methodist church, is a member of the Bayfield Lodge Free and Accepted Masons, and a member of the Royal Arch Masons of Eau Claire. While a resident of Bayfield, he served one term as district attorney for Bayfield county.
George J. Losby, who is one of the promising young lawyers of Eau Claire, was born in that city June 30, 1873. this parents, John and Christian Losby, were born in Norway and emigrated to the United States in the late sixties. They settled in Eau Claire, where the father was variously employed by different lum- ber companies up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1901. George J., the only son in the family, grew to manhood in this city, obtaining his education in the public schools and in the Eau Claire Business College, and for six years held a position as law stenographer. He began the study of law in 1894 in the offices of Judge William F. Bailey and L. A. Doolittle. He was admitted to the bar in 1897 and in 1901 was elected clerk of the court, serv- ing in that capacity five consecutive terms or a period of ten years, and since 1910 has been in the active practice of his pro- fession. Ile married in 1901 Miss Josephine Hansen, of Eau Claire, and two children have been born : Alden and Idele Losby.
Mr. Losby is a member of the Norwegian Lutheran church and the I. S. W. A. Before the Eau Claire city government went on the commission form basis he represented the Eighth ward in the city council four years.
Charles T. Bundy, member of the well known law firm of Bundy & Wilcox, was born in Menomonie, Wis., March 2, 1862, son of the late Judge Egbert B. and Reubena (Macauley ) Bundy. The father was born at Windsor, N. Y., the son of Dr. O. T. Bundy, of Deposit, that state. The mother was born in Glasgow, Scotland, a daughter of William and Margaret Macauley.
Charles T. grew to manhood in Menomonie and there resided until he came to Eau Claire in 1894. He was educated in the public schools of his home city and Madison, graduating from the
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law department of the State university and was admitted to prac- tice in all the courts of the state, both state and federal, the Supreme Court of the United States, courts of appeals in Chicago, St. Louis and San Francisco. He commenced his practice at West Superior in partnership with C. R. Fridley until he formed a partnership with T. F. Frawley and Roy P. Wilcox in 1897, under the name of Frawley, Bundy & Wilcox, which business arrange- ment continued until the death of Mr. Frawley in 1902. Since that time he has been associated with Mr. Wilcox under the firm name of Bundy & Wilcox. Mr. Bundy has been connected with much important litigation, among which may be mentioned the following cases: Harrigan vs. Gilehrist, United States vs. Barber Lumber Company et al., the Ean Claire National Bank vs. Jack- man in the United States Supreme Court, and water power cases in Wisconsin, including the famous Dells case.
On October 22, 1890, Mr. Bundy married Miss May Kelley, daughter of John, Jr., and Cornelia (Drawley) Kelley, of Menom- onie. To Mr. and Mrs. Bundy have been born four children, viz .: Nell R., Katherine M., Egbert B. and Lillian, the youngest of which died in 1910. Religiously Mr. Bunndy affiliates with the Episcopal church, while fraternally and socially he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Robert D. Whitford, attorney-at-law, was born in Jefferson county, New York, July 2, 1851, son of Edward W. and Clarinda (Odell) Whitford. Edward Whitford, paternal grandfather of Robert D., was for many years a resident of Rensselaer county, New York, and one of the pioneer farmers of Jefferson county, that state, where he settled in 1833 and died in 1862, aged 84 years. Robert S. Odell, the maternal grandfather, was a farmer of Rensselaer county, New York, where he died. The father of Mr. Whitford farmed for several years in Jefferson county, and later in Fayette county, Illinois, where he died in 1892.
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