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 77
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General Charles King said in speaking of the sad death of Major IIugh J. MeGrath, of Eau Claire, at Manila from the effects of a wound received during the recent charge on the town of Noveleta.
"I knew Major MeGrath well for many years, and always
MAJ. HUGH J. MCGRATH
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considered him a man of splendid character and a soldier of the highest type. He was one of my successors as Military Instruc- tor at the State University, and while there, made a very credit- able record. He was attached to the 4th Cavalry, one of the best mounted regiments in the service. At the outbreak of the war, he was appointed a Major on the staff, and assigned to duty in the South, so that he did not join the 4th Cavalry while it was in my brigade at Manila. When he reached the Philip- pines, early in the Spring, however, he took hold with magnificent vim and was in one fight after another. He was most conspicnous for bravery, as was shown in the praise he received from the Philippine Commission for his conduct in swimming the river at the attack of Calamba. It was a parallel to Funston's heroic act. Funston, being a volunteer, his deed was heralded through- ont the world; Major MeGrath being a West Pointer and a regu- lar, no particular attention was paid to his act.
Understand that this is no disparagement of Funston, who was in my brigade at San Francisco, and for whom I have the highest admiration. But if a man wants to attain distinetion, he is more apt to get it in the volunteers, than if he sticks to his legitimate sphere in the regular service. Major MeGrath re- ceived his wounds which resulted fatally in leading his troops in a headlong charge, and his loss will be deplored in his regi- ment and throughout the cavalry service."
Thomas McKernan,* who is a native of Ireland, was born October 20, 1839, to Thomas and Mary (Dalton) MeKernan. When ten years of age, in 1849, Mr. MeKernan came with his parents to America, who settled in Lafayette county, Wiscon- sin. Of a family of six children, Thomas is the only member now living. The others were Susie, Helen, Patrick, Philise and John. Soon after arriving in this country and during the cholera epi- demic of 1849, the father died from this dread disease near St. Louis, and was buried on the banks of the Mississippi river with hundreds of others who died at the same time.
In 1857 Mr. MeKernan came overland from Lafayette county to Eau Claire county, driving a large drove of cattle. He settled on a farm in Pleasant Valley township and engaged in farming there for about three years. In 1860 he went to Montana where he remained two years, thence to Colorado. After a sojourn there of six years, he returned to Eau Claire and Pleasant Valley and resumed farming on his 240-acre traet. Disposing of this farm in 1903, he retired and moved to the city of Eau Claire, where he now owns several dwellings which furnish him a sub-
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stantial income. After the death of his father, and until her decease in 1894. his mother kept house for him, Mr. McKernan being a bachelor. Mr. McKernan has been a hard worker during his lifetime, was a successful farmer and has always been a progressive and public spirited man, and a member of St. Pat- rick's Church, of Eau Claire.
George W. G. Miller, superintendent of the Kaiser Lumber Company, of Eau Claire, was born at Muscatine, Ia., September 25, 1863, and is one of a family of five children born to Freder- ick and Caroline (Link) Miller. Of the others Frederick. Wil- liam and Minnie are deceased; Lonis lives in Houston, Tex., en- gaged in the canning business, and our subject, George G. Fred- erick Miller, father of George G., was born in Germany, and as a young man, came to the United States, landing in New York city after a voyage of eleven weeks at sea. He was a carpenter by trade and first settled at St. Louis, Mo., going from there to Muscatine, thence to St. Paul. Returning to Muscatine after a time, he settled permanently there and engaged in contracting and building, which he followed until his death, in about 1898. aged 68 years. The mother lived to be nearly 80 years old and died in 1909 at her home in Muscatine.
George G. attended the public schools of Muscatine, until 16 years of age, then went to work in the planing department in the sash, door and blind factory of Cadle & Mulford. He later he- came associated with the Hurshey Lumber Company, going from that concern to the sash, door and blind factory of the Huttig Manufacturing Company, but later returning to the employ of the Hurshey Lumber Co. In 1880 he joined the Muscatine Lum- ber Co., remaining with them one year, when he again returned to the Hurshey Co., and had charge of their planing mill until 1888. He then went south for the same company and took charge of their planing mill at Sargent, Mo., remaining there until the Spring of 1890, when he became associated with the Consolidated Box & Lumber Co. He then became foreman for the South Mus- catine Lumber Co., remaining in that capacity until 1896, when he became superintendent of this company's planing mill and box factory, remaining in that position until 1905, when he came to Eau Claire and connected himself with the Kaiser & Geisler Lumber Co., as superintendent of their mill. This business was later changed to the Kaiser Lumber Co., of which he is at this time, 1914, superintendent of mills, having under his direction upwards of two hundred men.
Mr. Miller is a thorough lumberman, having in his many
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years of experience, obtained a thorough knowledge of the busi- ness in all its branches. In 1882 he married Anna Benninger, daughter of Jacob Benninger of Muscatine. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller have been born seven children as follows: Frederick Lee and Delmor are deceased; Florence married William Leonard, a large ranch owner of Alberta, Canada; Arthur is now attending the State University of Wisconsin; Edward, who attended the Phillipsburg Academy, is now with the Kaiser Lumber Co .; Trne and Anna Fern. Mr. Miller is a member of Camp No. 106, Med- ern Woodnien of America, Muscatine, the A. F. and A. M., being a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery. Ile is a member of the Congregational church, and resides at 321 Hud- son street, Eau Claire.
Squ're Freedom Mitchell, deceased, was the son of Samnel and Adeline (Lombard) Mitchell, of Dansville, New York. Here he was born on November 4, 1851, reared and educated in the public schools. His father was both a farmer and lumberman and thus they worked together until the Fall of 1871, when they came to Eau Claire. Young Mitchell's first employment here was with the Daniel Shaw Enmber Company, with whom he re- mained one year, and then took a position with the Northwestern Lumber Company, at Porter's Mills, remaining with this com- pany for twenty-five years, acquiring a thorough knowledge of the saw mill business from operating a slab saw to superintend- ing the mill in which he was employed. In the meantime, on July 15, 1874, he was married to Miss Laura Ann Shaw MeIntosh, and in November, 1878, moved on the farm which is the present home of the family. Two sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, Dr. R. E. Mitchell, a prominent physician of Eau Claire, and Russell A. Mitchell, of Minneapolis, who, with their mother, sur- vive him. Two other children, one of whom died some years . ago, received the benefit of a home with his family.
In 1900 Mr. Mitchell engaged as superintending foreman with the Fred B. Dubach Lumber Company, of Dubach, La., acting as superintendent of saw mills for four years; he later served in the same capacity for the Arpin Lumber Company, of Atlanta, Wisconsin, for one year, and still later served in the same ca- pacity for the Arkansas Lumber Company, at Warren, Ark., remaining there for about three years, after which he was fore- man for the Rainy River Lumber Company, at Rainy River, Ont. In July, 1909, he went to Bismark, Okla., and there he was en- gaged with the Choctaw Lumber Company, with whom he re- mained until December, 1912. After coming home for his annual
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vacation, while gathering holly for the Christmas decorations. he fell from a tree, receiving the fatal injuries which resulted in his death on February 20, 1913, and in the demise of one as noble in character as he, not only his family, but his entire acquaintance were bereft of a most highly esteemed and faithful friend.
Mr. Mitchell was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in the Knights of Pythias Order he was deputy vice chancelor, in the state of Louisiana, he was also an Odd Fellow in that state, a member of the Royal Arcanum and of the Order of Hoo IIoo.
Mrs. Mitchell, the daughter of Benjamin Gennings and Lydia (Burce) MeIntosh, was born at Farmington, Maine, September 29, 1853, and came with her parents to Eau Claire. in 1864, and ten years later was married to Mr. Mitchell.
Roy Earnest Mitchell, M. D., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work, was born March 17, 1876, at Porter's Mills. and Russell Allegne was born May 15. 1878. also at Porter's Mills, is now a well-to-do contractor in Minneapolis. He was married at Stanley, Wis., September 29, 1903, to Miss Ethel Allington, of that place. They have four children : Frederick Russell, born Angust 6, 1907; Delos Raymond, born January 17, 1909, Robert Allington, born December 6, 1910, and Laura Elizabeth, born May 15, 1914.
Mrs. Laura Ann Shaw Mitchell is a lady of refinement and culture and a thorough business woman. When she was mar- ried, their farm consisted of but forty acres, to which has been added, as the result of her ambition and superior business man- agement, the adjoining property until now the farm consists of 280 acres in Brunswick township and is one of the good homes of the county. The farm has been in her entire charge since her marriage, while her husband was elsewhere employed, as above stated, but spending her winters, however, with Mr. Mit- chell.
John McIntosh, great grandfather of Mrs. Mitchell, was born August 30, 1746, at Inverness, Scotland, and died in June, 1836, at Durham, Maine. He served as a soldier in the British army and was brought over to the colonies before the Revolutionary War, but by some means unknown, escaped from the British serv- ice. Ile married and settled in Ilarpswell, then in the Massachu- setts colony, but later moved to Durham, Maine. Ilis first wife was Susan Farr, by whom he had the following children : Jane, mar- ried Mr. Dougherty; Hannah, married Amasa Mortin; Margaret, married Mr. Eaton; Mercy, married Peter Parker; Asenath, married Thomas Mitchell; Harmony, became the wife of Mr.
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Dyer; Alexander, married Hannah Jordan, and William, married Naney and Sophronia Gennings. The second wife of Mr. Meln- tosh was Sallie Mitehell (nee) Dyer, and they became the parents of two children: Sallie, who married Iliram Jennings, died September 25, 1890. and John, who married Louisa Dean.
William MeIntosh, the son of John and Susan (Farr) MeIn- tosh, and grandfather of Mrs. Mitchell, was born June 15. 1796, at Durham, Maine, and died June 7, 1879, at Farmington, Maine. He was twice married; his first wife was Naney Gennings, who was born June 13. 1801. at Ravenna, Ohio, and died January 31. 1836. Iler parents were Benjamin and Mary (Lawrenee) Gen- nings; the latter born September 3, 1763, died November 25, 1860. To this union three children were born, as follows: Ben- jamin Geunings, father of Mrs. Mitehell; William Drew, born April 5, 1827, at Durham, Maine, married Keziah Backus and had one ehild, Minnie II. He died at Newton, Massachusetts, December 26, 1903, and John Alexander, born January 2, 1831. at Durham, Maine, and died December 26, 1860. Ile married Harriet Lemont, and one child, Frederick L., was born. Mr. Me- Intosh's second wife was Sophronia Gennings, a sister of his first wife, and she died in 1870. They had one child, Naney Emmeline, born April 13. 1839, and died September 15, 1888. She married twiee, first to Dave Mitchell and seeond to Porter Russell and had one child by adoption, Mary Russell.
Benjamin Gennings MeIntosh, father of Mrs. Mitchell and son of William and Nancy (Gennings) MeIntosh, was born De- cember 25, 1823, at Durham, Maine, and died May 20, 1913. at Eau Claire, Wis., whither he came in 1864, and settled on a farm in Brunswick township, there following general farming for many years. Ile then moved to Mondovi, in Buffalo county, and there he was also engaged in farming until 1900, when he retired and returned to Eau Claire, and later to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Mitchell, in Brunswick township, and at the time of his death was in his eighty-ninth year. He was a member of the Unitarian Church and in polities a staunch, dyed-in-the-wool Re- publiean. Ile was a delegate to the party when it was formed in the state of Maine, and during his long and useful life never missed an opportunity to vote. He retained all his faculties until the last and could see to read without glasses, and at the time of his decease was the oldest Odd Fellow in the state of Wiseonsin, having been a member of that order for nearly sixty- five years.
On November 11, 1852, he married at Willing, N. Y., Lydia
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Margaret Burce, who was born June 24, 1828, at West Mills. Maine, and died at Eau Claire, Wis., May 2, 1870. She was the mother of the following children: Laura Ann Shaw, who mar- ried Squire Freedom Mitchell; Nancy Maria, born January 25, 1858, and died August 14, 1904. She married July 15, 1876, at Ean Claire, Frank Hall, and two children were born, Earl Lester. born May 26, 1877, and Neal Chester, born May 24, 1881; John William, born August 11, 1860. At Mondovi, Wis., June 20, 1891, he married Emma Jane Hakes, who was born November 8, 1870. They had one child, Forest Roy, born November 15, 1901; Charles Morris, born August 28, 1862, died at Eau Claire, August 26, 1864; Charles Shaw, who was born December 8, 1867, married Violet Loper, at Edson, Wis., April 1, 1889. They are the parents of two children, Benjamin S., born December 30. 1899. and Florence I., born July 11, 1912.
Benjamin Gennings MeIntosh was married for the second time, November 13, 1873, to Mrs. Attie J. Murtaugh (nee) Scott, a resident of Arkansaw, Wis., but living at the time in Eau Claire county. They became the parents of the following children : Mary Matella, who was born August 15. 1875, died May 5, 1888: Martha Marilla, a twin sister, born Angust 15, 1875, married September 27, 1905, George L. Robinson. To this union four children were born: Kenneth on September 7, 1906: Lyle and Layn, twins, born November 29. 1907, and Thomas. born October 24, 1909.
Ole J. Moe, retired farmer and business man. is the son of John J. and Julia (Anderson) Moe, and is the older one of a family of nine children, as follows : Ole J., Andrew, Toxy J., John J., Cecelia and Carrie, 3 deceased. The father was born in Nor- way and came to America in 1847, settling in Dane county, Wis- consin, where for some time he was engaged in farming. He later moved to LaCrosse county, this state, and there carried on farming with a marked degree of success.
Ole J. was born in Dane county, this state. June 3, 1849, and moved with his parents to LaCrosse county and lived on the home farm until he married Miss Rachel Johnson. Ile then went to Trempealean county and there purchased a farm and resided until he came to Eau Claire in 1888. After his arrival here, he embarked in the hotel business, which he carried on successfully for fourteen years. Disposing of his hotel interests, he pur- chased a farm near Chippewa Falls, which he conducted for three years, then returned to Eau Claire, and has since lived
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in retirement. Mr. Moe has four sons. Joseph G., William J., Morris E. and Edwin UI., and two daughters, Mary, who married August Berg, and Luella S., who married Al. Winge. The wife, mother of these children, died April 19, 1911.
Mr. Moe is prominently identified with the Norwegian Luth- eran church and is a member of the I. S. W. A.
Charles Frederick Mcessner,* a well known farmer of Union township, was born at Ihringen Baden, Germany, on March 18, 1866, the son of John W. and Barbara (Bultzhauser) Moessner. The father was born in Germany, followed farming there until 1883, when he emigrated to the United States, and located at Menomonie, Dunn county, where he engaged in the lumber and saw mill business. Ile later took up farming, which he followed until his death, February 12, 1893. During his residence in Ger- many, he at one time was an inspector general in the German army. He was twice married, first to Miss Mayer, and two chil- dren were born, Rosa and William. His second wife was Barbara Bultzhauser, who died at Menomonie in 1907. aged seventy-six years. To this marriage thirteen children were born, as follows: Barbara, Edward, Salome. Marie, Charles F., Christiana. Gustav (names of the others not obtainable).
Charles Frederick was edneated in the schools of his home town in Germany. He came to America on the steamship "Mamie" and landed in New York City. From there he went to Buffalo and remained a short time, then came to Wisconsin and located at Menomonie, Dunn county, where for twelve or four- teen years he was employed by Knapp, Stout & Company, in their saw mills and at other work, including some six years, when he had charge of the farm of Mrs. V. A. Knapp, at two different times. He also spent some time in the cooper shop where he learned the cooper's trade. He was later engaged in the liquor business for eight years at Altoona. In the Spring of 1909 he purchased the Murphy farm of 230 acres, part of which is located in the city of Eau Claire, and the balance in Union township, and has since been engaged in general farming and stock raising, keeping a herd of Holstein cattle from which he does an extensive dairy business, and also raises Chester white hogs.
On June 16, 1894, Mr. Moessner married Anna Fobian, daughter of Frederick and Ernestina (Boetzher) Fobian. To this union have been born eight children, viz .: Helen; Edward, de- ceased; Anna ; Lillia; Lucile; Carl. Ernest and Alfred. Mr.
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Moessner is one of the successful and enterprising farmers of Union township, and he and his family are members of the Luth- eran church.
Chester D. Moon, secretary of the Northwestern Lumber Company, and the son of Delos R. Moon, Sr., and Sallie (Gilman) Moon, was born in Eau Claire, July 9, 1879. His father. who was one of the early bankers and lumbermen of this city, was a native of Chenango county, New York. His mother, Sallie Gil- man, born in Ohio, was a daughter of John L. and Cornelia (Baker) Gilman, natives of Vermont and New York respectively, and descended from English and Scotch ancestry. Delos R. Moon (sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume), father of Chester D., came to Eau Claire in 1857 and engaged in the banking business with Hall Brothers, of Aurora, Il. In the early Sixties, associated with Gilbert E. Porter, he engaged in the lumber business at Porter's Mills, this county, under the firm name of Porter & Moon, and from this partnership eventually sprang the Northwestern Lumber Company, with which he was connected until his death. November 4, 1898, at the age of 63 years. He left a family of seven children as follows: Lawrence G .; Frank, who is now deceased; Angeline, wife of J. G. Dudley ; Sumner G .: Chester D .; Pauline, wife of Otto F. Haueisen and Delos R.
Chester D. grew to manhood in Eau Claire, receiving his primary education in the public schools, after which he attended Shattuck School, at Faribault, Minn., and Phillips' Academy, at Andover, Mass., where he prepared for Yale. Returning to Eau Claire from Andover, he entered the lumber yards of the North- western Lumber Company in 1896 as a common laborer, from which position he worked his way to shipping clerk; from that he was advanced to work in the office and later was made man- ager of mills at Eau Claire, remaining in that capacity until 1907. since which time he has been secretary and purchasing agent of the company. He has filled the office of vice president of the Stanley, Merrill & Phillips Railway since 1903. He is a stockholder in the Union National and Union Savings Bank, of Ean Claire, and a stockholder in the Union Mortgage Loan Com- pany.
On May 22, 1902, Mr. Moon married Miss Edith Bucklin, daughter of Charles W. and Fannie (Stanley) Bucklin, of New York City, and they are the parents of two children, Marjorie and Bueklin R. Moon. Mr. Moon is a member of Christ Episco-
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pal Church, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is a man whom every one esteems for his manliness and goodness of heart.
Delos Rensselaer Moon, Sr., whose death occurred at Eau Claire, was a leader in the commercial life of Eau Claire, Wis., and an illustrious example of that type of enterprising, intelli- gent and resourceful business men which has given to that pros- perons city the station it holds among the progressive cities of Wisconsin. He was a native of Chenango county, New York, and was born August 29, 1835. When eight years of age, he, with his widowed mother, moved to Kendall county, Illinois, where he lived until his mother married the second time. In 1845 the family moved to Aurora, III., and there Mr. Moon grew to man- hood. At the age of nineteen, he accepted a position as book- keeper in the bank of Hall Brothers, remaining thus employed until 1857, when he was sent by his employers to Eau Claire to take charge of the bank of Eau Claire. At this time, the se- curities of the bank consisted largely of Missouri state bonds, which were then recognized as security for bank circulation in Wisconsin. In 1861, on account of the pending war. these se- curities depreciated to such an extent that the bank was closed by the state comptroller. After the close of this institution, Mr. Moon engaged in buying and selling logs, timber land and gen- eral merchandise, a business he followed for six years. In 1867 he formed a partnership with Gilbert E. Porter, and they rebuilt the saw mill at Porter's Mills, which had been owned and oper- ated by Brown, Meredith and Porter, and which had been re- cently destroyed by fire. The mill completed, they began the manufacture of lumber, which was rafted down the Chippewa and Mississippi rivers.
The partnership above referred to was the real beginning of Mr. Moon's active business career. The education and business training he received while connected with the bank proved of inestimable value to Mr. Moon, who combined native talent and strength with a good mercantile education. Mr. Moon was in the best sense, a thorough and practical business man whose clear ent, honorable methods, skilful management of affairs and sterling manliness in all his varied relations, made him a leader among his associates and a force for good in the community and city in which he lived. His life was clean, his motives pure, and no one could come within the range or sphere of his in- finence without recognizing his strong personality and inherent
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qualities, elements of character which had much to do in secur- ing for him the high place he held in business and commercial circles, as well as in his social and other relations.
In 1869 the firm of Porter & Moon started a lumber yard at Hannibal, Mo., under the name of S. T. McKnight & Company, to which point the entire output of their mill was shipped. In 1870 the firm of Porter & Moon consolidated with that of S. T. MeKnight, and the firm name changed in Eau Claire to Porter, Moon & Company, Mr. Moon acting as the financier of the com- pany, disposed of the lumber until the death of Mr. Porter in 1880. In 1873 the two firms were merged into the Northwestern Lumber Company, and a stock company was organized under the laws of Wisconsin. Mr. Porter was president of the organiza- tion and attended to the manufacturing. Mr. Moon was vice- president and Mr. MeKnight, who was secretary and treasurer, resided at Hanibal and disposed of the lumber products. This new organization employed at first about fifty men, which num- ber was gradually increased to nearly seven hundred; their operations were principally carried on on the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers. In 1867 the lumber produced was three million feet, and in 1873 ten million feet. The output was gradually increased until 1892, when more than sixty million feet were pro- duced. They owned and operated at one time two mills at Por- ter's Mills, and a saw and planing mill at Sterling, Wis.
Mr. Moon was also an extensive stockholder in the Montreal Lumber Company, at Gile, Wis., which alone eut twenty-five mil- lion feet of lumber. He was also interested in the Chippewa Lumber & Boom Company, of Chippewa Falls. He was vice president of the Shell Lake Lumber Company, a director in the Barronett Lumber Company, and in 1880 became president of the Northwestern Lumber Company. He was in very truth a captain of industry, and his memory is cherished and kept in grateful remembrance for the important part he played in the commercial and material growth and development both of the institutions with which he was so closely connected and the city in which he lived and loved.
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