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 67
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Gunda Christine (Gregerson) Davidson was born April 17. 1864, at Sonstby, Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson have had a family of eleven children: Mathilda Josephine, Gerda Davida, Gerhard Daniel, Conrad Albert, Alf. Harold, Leona Elfreda, Jul. Arthur, Guy Clarence, Carl Fritjof, Ruth Viola, Ester Constance, of which Gerda Davida died at the age of eighteen months. the remaining ten children still living at home with their parents.
Mr. Davidson and his family came to Eau Claire, Wis., October 9, 1890. and for two winters found employment in the woods and in the saw mills in the city. He started work with the Madison St. Manufacturing Company during the summer of 1891 as a building earpenter and part of the time as cabinet maker in the company's factory, staying with this firm until 1897, when he was employed by the Hoeppner Bartlett Company, building contractors, of Eau Claire, Wis., as foreman in their shop.
Since 1908 he has lived on his farm of 160 acres in the Town of Union, where he has built up a home. ITis sons are looking after the work on the farm, and Mr. Davidson is still holding the position of foreman with the Hoeppner-Bartlett Company, of Ean Claire.
William Llewellyan Davis, president of the Dells Paper & Pulp Company, the largest manufacturing industry in Eau Claire, was born at Neenah, Winnebago county, Wis., January 22, 1858. a son of John R. and Jane (Jones) Davis. John R. Davis was an energetic Welehman, born in Wales in 1817. He learned the wagon maker's trade in Liverpool, England, and in early man- hood came to America and first located in Canada, later moving to the state of New York, where for a time he was engaged in the manufacture of carriages and omnibuses at Utiea. In 1846 he
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came to Wisconsin and conducted a carriage factory at Mil- waukee until 1848. The following year (1849) he located at Neenah, where he carried on the same business until 1852, then purchased the old government flouring mill and conducted it for all the output he could get, until one night in the winter of 1874 the mill took fire and with some saw and shingle mills near by was entirely consumed. In 1872-73 he was actively engaged in lumbering on the Wolf river, and after the destruction of his mills he organized the Winnebago Paper Company, himself being president, with John R. Ford secretary and H. Shoemaker treas- urer. The original capacity of the mill was two tons of print daily, which was increased during his lifetime to three times the original output. He gradually took over the stock of his com- pany, and after his death, on June 7. 1885, William L. Davis had charge of the mill until the death of his brother, David, at Eau Claire, when he moved to this city and took charge of the Dells mills, in which he controlled a large interest. Mr. and Mrs. John R. Davis were the parents of seven children. as follows: John R. Davis, of the John R. Davis Lumber Company, located at Phillips: Myra, wife of A. J. Whiddeir, of Bothel, Wash .; David R., who died in Ean Claire on August 3. 1903; Henry, de- ceased ; William L .; George A., who for several years was sec- retary and manager of the Electric Light Company at Neenah, died January 10. 1914, and Benjamin W., who for several years was secretary of the John R. Davis Lumber Company and mayor of Phillips before that plaee was destroyed by fire, and had the honor of being the youngest man ever elected to the office of mayor in the state of Wisconsin. Mr. Davis. Sr., was in the best sense a thorough and practical business man, whose elear eut, honorable methods, skillful management of affairs and sterling manliness made him a leader among his associates and a force for good in the community in which he lived. He was an honored member of the Methodist Episcopal church, a Mason and Knights Templar.
The Dells Paper & Pulp Company is the successor of the Eau Claire Pulp & Paper Company, which was first operated on a small scale by local people. In 1894 the present company was organized by W. L. Davis, D. R. Davis and O. H. Ingram, of which D. R. Davis was president until his death in 1903.
William L. Davis, the genial manager of the Winnebago mills at Neenah and a large stockholder in the Dells company, eame to Eau Claire in 1903 and assumed the presideney, in which eapacity he is still serving. This is the largest institution in the eity ;
W. L Davia
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gives employment to about four hundred people, and its products are sold in all parts of the United States. Mr. Davis is also president of the Ean Claire Dells Improvement Company, a di- rector in the Union National Bank, president of the Davis Falls Land Company, and is now engaged in the construction of a large water power plant at Davis Falls, near Jim Falls, on the Chippewa river, which is probably for the use of additional pulp and paper mills. Mr. Davis was reared in Neenah, receiving his education in the public schools. At the age of seventeen he en- tered the mill of the Winnebago Paper Company and there learned the business in all its details and step by step arose to the commanding position he now ocenpies. A man of influence, he is prominent in commercial and financial as well as social eir- cles of the city. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of Ean Claire, the Chi- cago Athletic Association, the Neenah-Nodoway and Oshkosh Yacht clubs. He is also a member of the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Wisconsin Society of Chicago.
On December 14, 1881. he married Miss Anna Bowron, of Osh- kosh, Wis., danghter of Stephen and Frances (Kimball) Bowron, and they are the parents of two children, Stephen Rogers and William L. Davis, Jr.
Alexander Dean,* the popular undertaker of Eau Claire, is the son of Alexander and Matilda (Garritson) Dean, who were both born in Scotland, where the father followed the occupa- tion of ship builder near Aberdeen until 1868, when he was sent by Queen Victoria to the Bay of Chileura, Quebec, Canada, and employed as a ship builder by the English government. IIe fol- lowed this business successfully for years, making himself finan- cially independent, so that at the time of his death he was liv- ing in retirement and ease. After a few years in Quebec he moved to New Brunswick, continuing in the business and obtain- ing all his timber from the Canadian forests until 1888. when he retired from active work, moved to Eau Claire and here spent the remainder of his life. He passed away in 1895 at the age of 98 years, and was laid to rest in Forest Hill Cemetery. Mrs. Dean died in 1868 and was buried in Rustiguise, N. B. They had a family of twelve children, seven of whom are now (1914) liv- ing, viz : Anna lives in Montreal : Eliza, Jennie and James live in Los Angeles; Isabell, Tillie and Alexander, Jr. (our subject). Those deceased are Mary, Maggie, Alexander, William and Alex- ander.
Alexander, Jr., was born near Aberdeen, in Scotland. in 1866,
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and obtained most of his education in New Brunswick, N. S., where the family lived for some time. In 1888 he came to Eau Claire and went to work for the Phoenix Manufacturing Com- pany as woodworker and machinist, remaining in that position for about ten years. In 1899 he went to St. Paul, Minn., and took up a course of embalming at the Barnes School of Embalm- ing, and also studied the method of funeral directing, and in 1900 he returned to Eau Claire and opened his present estab- lishment for this work at the corner of Water street and Fourth avenne, where he has since carried on a successful business. Ile also manufactures picture frames of all designs, at which he realizes a good profit.
Mr. Dean is a man of rare business ability, thoroughly up with the times and a first-class fellow in every respect. He is president of the Ean Claire Rod and Gun Club, of which he was the organizer and founder, and the spacious and commodious building which the club occupies is the result of his personal efforts and supervision. He is a Mason and a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and also was a member of the Knights of Pythias. He is independent in politics, is a member of the church and has been head of the Sun- day school for years.
Mr. Dean was united in marriage to Miss Ellia Rilette, daughter of Erickson Rilette, of Christiania, Norway. Mrs. Dean is a lady of excellent business qualifications, and a fair share of the successful business career of Mr. Dean can justly be credited to her good judgment and untiring efforts.
Julius Derge, the popular manufacturer and jobber of cigars in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is the son of Ferdinand and Augusta (Grewe) Derge, and born in Neiderfenow, Province of Branden- burg, Germany, July 1, 1853. He was reared in his native coun- try, acquiring his education in the public schools. Emigrating to the United States in 1870, he came to Wisconsin and spent one year at Rolling Prairie, after which in 1871 he went to Milwau- kee and learned the cigar makers' trade. In 1875 he settled in Eau Claire and in partnership with his brother, Ferdinand, en- gaged in business for himself under the firm name of J. Derge & Brother. This partnership continned until the death of Ferdi- nand in 1891. Mr. Derge has since conducted the business alone and from a small beginning, has by his fair and upright deal- ings, built up a manufacturing and jobbing trade second to none in this part of the state. ITis popular brands of cigars, the "Eau Claire Club" and the "D. B." are in great demand not only in
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Wisconsin, but in adjoining states. Mr. J. Derge is ranked among the progressive and substantial business men of Eau Claire.
On April 16, 1879, he married Miss Anna Kneer, daughter of Mathias Kneer, a pioneer hotel keeper of Eau Claire, and they have three sons, Julius, Jr. ; Mathias, and Frank. In religious be- lief Mr. Derge is a Lutheran, and fraternally, is a member of Freiden Lodge, No. 254, Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Eau Claire, while in polities he is independent.
Albert L. Dodge, who was a lifelong resident of Eau Claire, and one of its foremost business men, was born in Hartland, Ver- mont, February 16, 1847. Ile received a good education and came to Eau Claire September 25, 1865. For fifteen years he was en- gaged in the drug business on Water street, and then took up the insurance business and was agent, notary, bookkeeper, etc.
In 1866 he became a member of the First Congregational Church of this city, and from that time on until his death, which occurred on January 20, 1914, he was one of its most prominent and active members. Ile was one of the organizers of the first Young Men's Christian Association of Eau Claire, and was presi- dent of the same in 1895. He married Miss Fannie B. Bliss and there are three children now living: Albert Cole, resides in Lon- don, England, is married and has one daughter; Jessie E. is the wife of Amer L. Wrigley, of Fremont, Ohio, and James A., of Oak Park, Illinois.
Moses B. Bliss, father of Mrs. Dodge, was born at Wilbra- ham, Massachusetts, on May 3, 1798. He married Paulina Bullen, and lived in the state of Maine until they eame to Eau Claire, Wis., in 1867. He was a surveyor and they had two daughters: Roxana B. Guild, and Fannie B. Dodge.
William J. Dodsworth, conductor on the Wisconsin Division of the Chieago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad, between Fairchild and Mondovi, was born in Euelid, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, April 30, 1863, the son of Henry and Elizabeth A. (Deme- line) Dodsworth, the father a native of Yorkshire, England, and the mother of Indiana. The family settled in Elroy, Wisconsin, in 1865, locating on a farm of 80 aeres to which was subsequently added an adjoining 80, which the father cleared, cultivated and improved, and there made his home until his death. The family consisted of eight children : Henry C .; Mary, wife of J. H. Rose ; William J .; Adeline, wife of John Dewey ; George; Fannie, wife of John Britt; Charles and Nellie (twins), the latter being the wife of Elmer Kenyon.
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William JJ. was raised to manhood on the homestead farm at Elroy, was educated in the public schools and followed farming as a vocation until 1885. He then entered the employ of the C., St. P., M. & Omaha Railroad, as conductor on the eastern division, and has acted in that capacity ever since, but since 1905 has been on the Mondovi division. He was married January 22, 1890, to Leora, daughter of Warren D. and Ann (Robinson) Hatch, the father a native of Ohio and the mother of Pennsyl- vania. They were pioneers of Wisconsin, first settling in Dunn county in 1857, and in Eau Claire county in 1875, locating in the town of Pleasant Valley, where Mr. Hatch served as postmaster four years, of the Shaw postoffice. Mr. and Mrs. Dodsworth have two daughters, Laura Alice and Fae E. Mr. Dodsworth is a member of the Plymouth Lodge, No. 302, A. F. and A. M., of El- roy, and politically is a democrat.
Daniel H. Dougherty* is a native of St. Malico, Canada, where he was born July 20, 1856. He attended the common schools and was variously employed until he reached the age of twenty-three. He came to Eau Claire October 18, 1878, and for the next five years, he was engaged in Inmbering. after which he embarked in the liquor business.
On November 23, 1885, he was married to Miss Bridget Gor- man, and they had six children, all of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Dougherty died October II, 1901, at Denver, Colo., her remains being interred at Eau Claire. Mr. Dougherty married for the sec- ond time, taking for his wife Minnie Belle, daughter of James Belle, a veteran of the civil war, and a member of Eagle Post No. 52, Grand Army of the Republic, of Eau Claire, who died in 1909. Ilis widow now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Dougherty. Mr. Dougherty is a member of St. Patrick's church and has one brother, who has been in the Eau Claire Fire De- partment for twenty-four years.
John Dougherty, captain of Company 5, Eau Claire Fire De- partment, born in Canada, September 19. 1857, the son of Mar- tin Dougherty, a native of County Mayo, Ireland, and Bridget Morris Dougherty. The father came to Canada when he was twenty-three years of age and there followed farming all his life. They reared a family of eleven children.
.John was educated in the common schools and worked on the farm until he was fifteen years of age, and was then employed in saw mills until the spring of 1880, when he came to the United States, going to Clinton, lowa, where he worked as raftsman on the river. The same year he came by boat to Eau Claire and was
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employed in the woods and on the river by various concerns until 1890. In May of that year, he was appointed pipeman on the Eau Claire Fire Department, and on April 1, 1904, was promoted to captain of Ilose Company, No. 5, a position he still holds. He married Susan Fitzpatrick, of Ean Claire, and has two children, May Ruth and Annie M.
Peter Doyle, who for two score years was prominent among the successful men of Eau Claire county, was born in Dublin, Ire- land, in 1845. As a boy he attended the common schools of his native place and was later variously employed, and while yet a young man, emigrated to the United States, thence to Wiscon- sin, and for a time resided at Portage City, Columbia county, com- ing to Eau Claire in the early sixties. In those days the lumber business was the chief industry, and steamboats plied up and down the Chippewa river and on one of these Mr. Doyle found employment as pilot, a position he held for some time. In 1884 he went to Altoona and for sixteen years conducted one of the principal hotels of that place. In 1902 he retired from active business and returned to Eau Claire, where he died October 31, 1907, at the age of 62 years. Mr. Doyle was characterized by his promptness, good judgment and conservatism, and all who came in contact with him, esteemed him for his honorable and upright methods and his passing away was mourned as that of a good man, a useful citizen and loyal friend. Ile was prominently iden- tified with the St. Patrick's Church, and was a charter member of the Catholic Foresters of Eau Claire.
In 1872 Mr. Doyle married Miss Belinda Harrington, daugh- ter of Daniel and Margaret (Calahan) Harrington, and by this union four children were born as follows: Angie A., Joseph A., Margaret M. and Francis L.
Daniel Harrington, father of Mrs. Doyle, was also a native of Freland, and was born in 1834. He, in early life, came to the United States, and was one of the early settlers of Ean Claire county. Ile was an engineer of occupation, and for many years was in the employ of the Eau Claire Lumber Company. Ile was a man of publie spiritedness, clear foresight, sound and re- liable, and always ready to do his part in furthering any project. looking to the betterment of his city and county. He married in Massachusetts, Miss Margaret Calahan, also of Ireland, a woman of rare domestic virtues, and to them eight children were born as follows : John, Belinda, Timothy, Joseph, George, James, Fran- eis and Loretta Harrington. Daniel Harrington died May 19, 1885, his widow surviving until October 24, 1911. when she, too,
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passed away, honored and respected by all who knew her. They were members of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church of Eau Claire.
Joseph Harrington, son of Daniel, and brother of Mrs. Doyle, married Artie Michand, of Bemidji, Minn. John and James Harrington are deceased, the former having died January 30, 1884, and the latter March 9, 1900. Mrs. Doyle, who died Feb- ruary 3, 1914, was held in high esteem by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
David Drummond, president of the Drummond Packing Com- pany of Eau Claire, was born in western Ontario, Canada, No- vember 27, 1849, is one of a family of five children born to John and Alice (Jeffrey) Drummond. Of the others, Duncan is de- ceased, John is vice-president of the Drummond Packing Com- pany, Mary married Patrick Fitzgerald and Alice married W. K. Atkinson. The parents, who were natives of Seotland, came to Ontario, Canada, in 1842, and there spent many years of their lives. The father is now (1914) living in the city of Eau Claire at the age of ninety-one years.
David Drummond was reared in the province of Ontario and there received a good education in the publie schools. Soon after his arrival in Eau Claire in 1870 he embarked in the meat busi- ness and was one of the founders of the Eau Claire Gas Light Company, whose plant was put in operation in 1882, and was also one of the organizers of the Eau Claire Park Company, a real estate company, in 1888, and was connected with the Pioneer Fur- niture Company. In 1873, as a member of the firm of Brooks & Drummond, he established the packing business, which was ear- ried on as a co-partnership until the death of Mr. Brooks in 1876. For the next five years the business was carried on by Mr. Drum- mond alone and in 1881 his brothers, Duncan and John, became associated with him, and from that time until 1893 the business was conducted under the firm name of Drummond Brothers. In the last named year incorporation papers were taken out and the name changed to the Drummond Packing Company, of which he has since been president. Under his careful and efficient man- agement the institution has grown and extended until it now ranks among the largest and most complete paeking plants in northwestern Wisconsin. Not only to his own business has Mr. Drummond devoted himself with untiring zeal but also in the development of his adopted eity has he been an important factor. Always a builder, he is largely interested in real estate there, and in 1895 erected the Drummond block on South Barstow street.
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which is one of the leading commercial and office buildings in the city. Ile built his present office building and refrigerator plant on Galloway street in 1880 and also erected the first build- ing occupied by the Eau Claire Grocery Company on Galloway street in 1882, and started his fine packing plant at its present location in Eau Claire in 1875, adding to its facilities year by year and doubling its capacity in 1914. In 1888 he erected his hand- some residence in Oakland Place, where he has since resided.
In brief, Mr. Drummond has been from an early time closely identified with, and an integral part of the growth and pros- perity of the city of Eau Claire, and incidentally with that of Eau Claire county, and has been and is one of its most progressive and substantial business men, always ready to assist in any enter- prise for the upbuilding of his home city, and is public spirited to a rare degree.
On August 25, 1886, Mr. Drummond married Miss Ella Briggs, daughter of Myron and Margaret (Hindle) Briggs, pioneers and respected residents of Eau Claire. To Mr. and Mrs. Drummond have been born five children : Margaret D., David M., George B., Henry H. and Dorris Margaret, who is the wife of Byron Culver and has one daughter; Sallie W., who has two great grand- fathers, two grandmothers and one grandfather. Myron Briggs, father of Mrs. Drummond, was a soldier in the Civil War, being a member of the Eighth Wisconsin regiment, of which he was color bearer.
Mr. Drummond is a prominent member of the Masonic fra- ternity. He is now a member of Eau Claire Lodge, No. 112, A. F. and A. M., the Eau Claire Chapter, No. 36, R. A. M., and the Eau Claire Commandery, No. 8, Knights Templar. Ile is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks.
John Drummond,* the genial vice president of the Drummond Packing Company, was born in County Middlesex, Province of Ontario, Canada, November 10, 1852, the son of John and Alice (Jeffrey) Drummond, both natives of Scotland. They settled in Ontario, in 1842, and there reared a family of five children as follows: Duncan, who is now deceased ; David; John; Mary, wife of Patrick Fitzgerald and Alice, who married William K. Atkin- son.
John Drummond was reared in Canada until nineteen years of age and there attended the public schools. In 1871 he came to Eau Claire and for two years was employed as a foreman on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. In 1873 he was promoted
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to freight engineer and worked in that capacity until 1877 when he became engineer in the passenger service, remaining thus em- ployed until 1884, sinee which time he has been actively eon- nected with the Drummond Packing Company as vice president and superintendent of the packing department.
On June 2, 1880, he married ('lara E., daughter of John and Kate E. (Kennedy) Bartlett, pioneer settlers of the city of Hud- son, St. Croix county, Wisconsin. The father of Mrs. Drummond was in his day an active politician. To Mr. and Mrs. John Drum- mond have been born three children, viz .: Frank B., who is as- sistant superintendent of the Drummond Packing Company; Clarence N. and Mildred, wife of IIomer II. Smith. In political affiliations, Mr. Drummond is a Republican. In fraternal matters, he is prominently connected with Eau Claire Lodge, No. 112, A. F. and A. M .; Eau Claire Chapter, No. 36. R. A. M. and Eau Claire Commandery, No. 8. Knights Templar.
Rev. Arthur B. C. Dunne is pastor of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church of Eau Claire, but the fame of his beneficent work and influence has spread beyond the borders of his eity, county and state. ITis ministry has been wonderfully successful in his parish and his lectures and writings have attracted the attention of an audience scattered all over the West.
Father Dunne was born at Prairie du Chien, Wis., June 2, 1866, the son of Michael and Catherine (O'Donnell) Dunne. ITis father was a native of Ireland and his mother of Quebec, Canada. He received his early education in the parochial and public schools of Prairie du Chien, and at the age of fourteen entered St. John's University at Collegeville, Minn. In 1881 he was ad- mitted to Sacred Heart College, Prairie du Chien, where he studied the elassies for four years and was graduated in 1885. He then pursued his studies in philosophy and theology at St .. Francis' Seminary, Milwaukee, for four years, and was gradu- ated in 1889. His whole course of studies and training had been directed toward his preparation for the priesthood, and on July 7, 1889, he was ordained at La Crosse, Wis., by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Killian Flasch. On July 19 of the same year he was appointed assistant pastor of St. Patrick's Church, Eau Claire, and officiated in that position until October 6, 1891, when he assumed the duties of pastor. Thus, at the early age of twenty-five he was given a field for the full scope of the rare powers of mind, heart and tongue with which he is richly endowed.
For more than a quarter of a century Father Dunne has been connected with St. Patrick's Church and his labors have been
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