History of Grant County, Wisconsin, Part 134

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1044

USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County, Wisconsin > Part 134

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As a lawyer, Mr. Eastman exhibited marked abilities, ranking among the foremost of that bar which was rarely equaled and never excelled in the State.

Political questions were viewed by Mr. Eastman from a Democratic standpoint, and his marked abilities were recognized by that party, resulting in his election as a member of the Thirty-second Congress for the Second District. Upon the expiration of his term he was hon- ored by a re-election, and faithfully did he protect the interests confided to his care by his con- stituents. At the close of his second term Mr. Eastman retired to private life, and, although an active participant in political matters and occupying a prominent position in the county, he accepted no further official position, but devoted the years previous to his death to his practice and attention to private interests.

Mr. Eastman married Miss Charlotte L. Snoall, of Hollowell, Me., who remained to mourn his early death. Though cut off in his prime, and just as the county of his adoption was enter- ing upon its fullest prosperity, he had still left his imprint upon the pages of its history, which will ever remain as long as Grant County continues as an integral portion of this great State.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ABBREVIATIONS.

Do.

.Company or county

P. O .. Post Office W. V. C .. .Wisconein Volunteer Cavalry

W. V. I. Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry W. V. A .. ....... Wisconsin Volunteer Artillery

st .. ....... street

LANCASTER.

REV. EVAN ARTHUR, died at Beetown, March 21, 1881, in the 65th year of his age. He was born in Wales, and came to the United States about 1833, at the age of 18, and soon became a mas- ter workman in the iron rolling mills of Pennsylvania ; afterward was Superintendent of several mills in other States. He traveled considerable, residing in and traveling over thirteen different States. He came to Grant Co. in 1850, and settled at Cassville, where, in 1851, he lost his wife. Martha Arthur ; soon thereafter he moved into the town of Beetown, where he has ever since resided. He united, when a mere boy, with the church, and, for the last quarter of a century at least, has been an active Christian worker and a consistent member of the Methodist Church, saying, just before his death, " My peace has been made with God for many years." Wherever known he was universally respected as one of God's noblemen. By his death the county loses an old, respectable citizen. He left eight children.

L. J. ARTHUR, of Lancaster (son of Rev. Evan Arthur), attorney at law and Notary Pub- lic; was born near Dubuque, Iowa, June 29, 1850; came to Grant Co. in 1851, and settled at Cassville ; he has resided in said county ever since. He graduated at the Platteville Normal School in 1871; during the following winter, he was Principal of the Potosi Graded School, and, during the next succeeding two years, was Principal of the Cassville Graded Schools ; io 1875, he graduated in the Wisconsin University Law School, and has been practicing law at Lancaster, Wis .; he was a candidate for District Attorney in 1880. Was married, June 6, 1878, to Miss Emma Ziegler, daughter of M. M. Ziegler, of Lancaster. Mr. Arthur is a self-made man, having borrowed money and schooled himself, both in the normal and the law school ; friends, who knew him from childhood, lent him money on his own note, when he was only 16 to 18 years old, thus furnishing him the means to educate himself. He now has an elegant home, and has a good law practice and is in fair circumstances. He is known as an earnest temperance man and temper- ance worker ; his example and success are well worth the consideration of young men.

WILLIAM ALCORN, carpenter, Lancaster ; a native of Ireland ; he came to New York in 1833, and remained there until 1845, when he came to Grant Co., where he has since resided and worked at his trade. He was married, in 1849, to Miss Miram Lockhardt, a native of Indiana. Mr. Alcorn has been, for over twenty-five years, a member of the I. O. O. F .; he is a member of the Grand Encampment, and has passed all the chairs of the subordinate lodge. They have had ten children, eight of whom (four sons and four daughters) are living.

GORHAM ALEXANDER (deceased); a native of Jefferson Co., N. Y .; he came to Grant Co. in 1840, and located in Beetown ; Sept. 4, 1861, he enlisted in Co. F, 10th W. V. I .; he was taken sick while in service, removed to a hospital in Nashville, where he remained a short time, and was then taken to the hospital at Louisville, Ky., where he died in January, 1863. He was married, in 1846, to Miss Emily Ward, a native of Vermont, and left four sons and five daughters. Mrs. Alexander resides on a farm on Scc. 13; P. O. Liberty Ridge.

CHARLES H. ANGUS, farmer, Sec. 30; P. O. Lancaster ; he was born in Montgomery

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of Lancaster. In January, 1863, he enlisted in Co. K, 47th W. V. T., and served about eight months, when he was discharged from the hospital on account of disability. They have five children-John D., Ed W., Charles B., George P. and Laura C. Mrs. Angus is a member of the Congregational Church. Mr. A. is a member of the I. O. O. F., and in politics a Republican.

ALFRED E. AUSTIN, farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Lancaster ; born in town of Lancaster, Wis., Oct. 30, 1858; went to Iowa in 1878, returned in 1880; owns 118 acres of land, with a fine large house and barn ; is a stock-raiser. His sister keeps house for him. In politics a Democrat. His parents were Henry and Mary Austin, natives of England.

HENRY AUSTIN, farmer ; P. O. Lancaster; was born at Terickenham, Middlesex, England, Nov. 20, 1821. He left London March 21, 1846, in the ship Mediator ; landed at New York City May 4, 1846, after a pleasant trip of six weeks ; after a short stay in the city, he started for Detroit, Mich., intending to enter the nearest Government land to the city ; he found 80 acres, which he entered ; this was at Flat Rock ; built the first home in America, where he remained five years, then, on account of the fever and ague being so bad, he sold and removed to Wisconsin in the year 1851, near Lancaster, and bought 40 acres of improved land of Myron Tuttle, an old settler, which place he has added to until he now owns 501 acres of land, with a fine brick house, 22x22, with good barn, 20x20, stable, 18x30-a fine home, made mostly by his own industry ; he is quite extensively engaged in the stock business and grazing, as his farm is adapted to that line; also in the creamery business, and has made it a success. His first wife, Miss Eliza Children, was born at Bethnal Green, London, April 17, 1825, and married at St. George's Church, Southwark, London, Jan. 19, 1841, died at Lancaster. Grant Co., Wis., Nov. 10, 1855 ; by this union there were five children-Eliza, born at Hanworth, Middlesex, England, Jan. 14, 1842; Henry, born at same place Oct. 27, 1843, now residing in Applington, Butler Co., Iowa, as is also William, who was born at the same place Feb. 6, 1846; Jane was born in Michigan, July 30, 1848, died at Lancaster, Wis., March 23, 1853; Arthur G., born in Wisconsin Sept. 30, 1854, died at Walla Walla, Washington Terri- tory, Sept 8, 1878; his second wife, Mary Ann Penrice, a native of Accrinton, Lancashire, Eng., born Dec. 18, 1841 ; came to America with her parents about thirty years ago; settled at Milwaukee, Wis .; they now live at Eskridge, Kan. ; married Jan. 10, 1858; they have seven children-Alfred E., born Oct. 30, 1858 ; Walter A., March 20, 1860 ; Charles F., March 22, 1862, died November, 1876 ; Reuben A., born Sept. 27, 1864; Ellen A., Dec. 16, 1866; Edwin J., May 7, 1869 ; Mable A., July 19, 1877. In politics, Deworcat ; in religion, Swedenborgian. Has been Clerk of School District No. 3 two years.

J. H. BALDWIN, watchmaker and jeweler ; commenced business Dec. 5, 1879, with an assortment of jewelry, clocks, watches, plated and silverware ; his business has increased, and he carries at present a $2,500 stock. Mr. Baldwin learned his trade in Illinois, where he was engaged in business with his brother for ten years. He is a native of Ohio, born near Cleveland Nov. 18, 1848; a son of A. S. and M. J. (Harding) Baldwin. His early life was spent on a farm.

JARED E. BARNETT, proprietor of stage and express line ; commenced this business in 1868, succeeding his brother, Thomas Barnett ; he is a native of Jefferson Co., Penn., born Feb. 25, 1831 ; in 1847, he came to Lancaster with his parents ; his father built the Telegraph House in 1848, and kept it until 1852, when he exchanged it for the hotel where the Phelps House now stands, and long known as " Barnett Corner." His mother dying, his father abandoned the hotel, and, in September, 1863, died, at the age of 66. Mr. Barnett was married, July 8, 1856, to Miss Harriet Fisher, daughter of Herman and Mira (Elderkin) Fisher ; they have three sons and four daughters-Nellie, Mira, Mary, Harry, Fred, Hattie and Ralph.

J. O. BARTLETT, proprietor of restaurant and confectionery store ; opened his store in the spring of 1876, first in John Larkin's building ; in the winter of 1878, he moved to his present store in the Henry Remeyer building. Mr. Bartlett has been a shoemaker in Lancaster since June, 1869, carry- ing on both branches of business until January, 1880, when failing health compelled him to lay aside shoe- making. He was born in New Hampshire Oct. 15, 1824, a son of Daniel W. Bartlett. He was married in New London, N. H., in May, 1850, to Miss Elizabeth Haines ; they have two sons and a daughter- Victor L., George E. and Belle.

C. H. BAXTER, of the firm of Howe & Baxter, general merchants ; is a native of New York, and was born in Stillwater, Saratoga Co., Nov. 15, 1841 ; he came with his parents in 1857, and they located in Grant Co .; in August, 1860, he entered the store of George Howc as clerk, and remained until the fall of 1862, when he entered the army, cnlisting as private in Co. C, 25th W. V. I. ; he was taken sick on the Yazoo River and discharged ; he afterward raised a company which became Co. K. 47th W.

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V. I., and was commissioned Captain and was sent to the Department of Middle Tennessee, with head- quarters at Tullahoma, and, by order of Gen. Thomas, he became Chief of Ordnance Department, Middle Tennessee, on the staff of Gen. Vancleve and Gen. Milroy, and served in that position until the end of the war. After his return from the service he became a partner of Mr. Howe, and since then has been successfully engaged in mercantile business here. Mr. Baxter has served as Chairman of the Republican County Central Committee of Grant Co. for the past five years ; has also served as member of the Town Board ; he was elected the first President of the Veteran Soldiers Association, of Grant Co., and was re- elected to the same position. Mr. Baxter was united in marriage, Feb. 20, 1865, to Miss Maria Howe, daughter of George Howe, an old and honored merchant of Lancaster. Mr. and Mrs. Baxter have two children-George Howe and Laura.

THOMAS BEETHAM, farmer, Sec. 9; P. O. Lancaster ; owns 400 acres land, valued at $20 per acre ; born in Yorkshire, England, in 1843; came to America in 1849, and located in Janesville ; came to this county in 1857 ; settled on present farm in 1872. Married Annie Dyer, a native of this county ; have four children-John, Jessie, Nellie and Frank.

RICHARD BENNETT (retired) ; a native cf Cornwall, England, born Sept. 20, 1813 ; he came to America April 10, 1847, landing in New York ; June 10, 1848, he came to Grant Co .; he was engaged in mining most of the time up to 1870, since which time he has turned his attention to farm- ing, with his son, but has lately retired from active business. He was married, June 8, 1833, to Miss Mary Vincent, also a native of Cornwall ; they have had nine children-Ann (married), Eliza (married), Charles, Mary S. (married), Philip D. (deceased), Elizabeth (married), Sarah (married) and Ann (mar- ried). The son, Philip, enlisted in Co. F, 7th W.V. I., and was wounded July 1, 1863 ; he died July 5, 1863, at the battle of Gettysburg. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are members of the Congregational Church.

LEWIS A. BEISTHAUPT, farmer, Secs. 27 and 34; P. O. Lancaster ; he is a native of Ohio ; came to Grant Co. in 1860; he enlisted in August, 1862, in Co. C, 25th W. V. I., and served until the close of the war. He was married, Oct. 11, 1859, to Miss Martha A. Strong; they have five sons and a daughter. The family are members of the Congregational Church. Owns 125 acres of land.

JOSEPH BOCK, of the firm of Bock & Schreiner, abstracts; was born in the province of Alsace, Germany ; received a partly collegiate education ; emigrated in 1857, and after a few months resi- dence at St. Louis, settled at Cassville, in this county, the same year. Enlisted as a private in Co. C, 2d W. V. I., April 19, 1861 ; took part in the battle of first Bull Run, the skirmishes near Gordonsville, Va., near Richmond Railway and along Rappahannock, Va .; was wounded in both thighs at the battle of Gaines- ville, Va., Aug. 28, 1862 ; participated in Burnside's mud march against Fredericksburg; his wounds opened in 1863 and prevented farther active service, and he was mustered out of service in 1864. In 1865, he was elected Register of Deeds for Grant Co., and held that office until 1869, when he engaged in his present business and has the only set of abstract books of Grant Co. Mr. Bock was elected Represent- ative to the State Legislature, and served during the sessions of 1876-77.

David Schreiner, of the firm of Bock & Schreiner; is a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and was born Dec. 21, 1842; emigrated to America, and came to Wisconsin in 1855, and settled in Grant Co .; during the war, he enlisted in August, 1862, in Co. C, 25th W. V. I .; was slightly wounded at Decatur, Ga., and was severely wounded in front of Atlanta, August, 1864, losing the left arm ; served until June, 1865; in 1869, he was elected Clerk of the courts, and held that office eight years ; has held the office of Town Treasurer and Town Clerk, and is now Justice of the Peace. In May, 1869, he was married to Miss Clara Stelzner, from Indiana ; they have two children-Laura and Ethelinda.

ALEXANDER G. BONHAM, Sec. 30 ; P. O. Hurricane Grove ; owns 170 acres of land valued at $40 per acre; born in Pike Co., Mo., in 1823, came to Wisconsin in 1834; settled on his present farm in 1848. Married Elizabeth Kilby, a native of Lincoln Co., Mo., and they have six children -Charles O., Lemuel E., Lepora, Lura, Laura and Mable. Mr. B. has been a member of the Town Board, and has also held the office of Justice.

FRANCIS H. BONHAM, farmer, Sec. 34; P. O. Lancaster ; has 160 acres and 40 acres of timber in Harrison ; was born Sept. 11, 1806, in Wythe Co., Va., son of Nehemiah and Isabella (Scott) Bonham. Mr. B. came to Grant Co. in 1827, and made several trips to Virginia, and in 1840 brought his family and settled at Hurricane Grove, and engaged in mining until 1844, when he removed to his farm where he has since made his home. On Dec. 23, 1830, he was married by Rev. Mr. Watters, in Pike Co., Mo., to Mary Ann, daughter of William and Lucy (Oglesby) Nevel, of Shelby Co., Ky., where she was born Mas 9A 1819. they had nina schildern Funhame I now Mro D D Tet caran childan

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William N., married Lizzie Parker, of Salem, Oregon, where they now reside, with three children; Ma- tilda I., now wife of Samuel J. Shelton, of Salem, Oregon ; Calvin R., married Anna Myers, of Salem, Oregon, he having previously married Sophronia Sears; Charles W., married Dolly Parker, of Canyon City, Oregon, has two children; Mary F., wife of Renben G. Brooks, of Vermont, now at Hopkinton, Iowa, one child ; Martha Ann, wife of C. M. Jackson; Lenora, wife of Mark Baldwin, died in the spring of 1878 ; James H. (his second son), died March 12, 1860, at 22 years of age. Mr. Bonham is a Prot- estant; in politics is a Republican, and participated in the meeting when the Republican party was or- ganized in Grant Co .; he has in his possession a sword brought. to America by his great-great-grandfather over 200 hundred years ago (he having been an officer in the British navy); the father of Mr. B. was an officer in the war of 1812. Mr. B. is a hearty, jovial old gentleman, and has for twenty years held the office of Justice of the Peace and several other offices, and states that when he settled here, there were no houses between his place and Lancaster, and that he cut the first tree to make the Lancaster road, and that there were only three or four houses on the Potosi road, 72 miles, and says he has been frequently in the sugar camp of old Black Hawk. Mr. and Mrs. B. celebrated their golden wedding, and received a number of very fine presents, a very fine easy chair from the " Potosi delegation," a $20 gold piece, etc.

EDMOND H. BORAH, farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Lancaster ; was born in Kentucky June 2, 1820, of German parentage, who came to Wisconsin in early times. Mr. Borah after coming to Wis- consin worked by the month, then by his labors accumulated a farm of 200 acres of land; he then went to California, was very successful; he then returned to Wisconsin, traded for 300 acres of land, nicely im- proved by his own industry ; he has been engaged in the stock business for about eight years ; he is now in Kansas, where he owns 580 aeres of land on the Kansas Pacific R. R. His wife was Sarah M. Kilbey, who was born in Wisconsin, Dec. 29, 1836 ; they married Sept. 16, 1853; they have four children- Kilbey H., born Dec. 29, 1855 ; Adolph D., July 2, 1857; Nettie, Sept. 16, 1862 ; Georgie, March 1, 1868. Mrs. B.'s father was born in North Carolina, in 1806; eame to Wisconsin in 1832; died in 1876 ; her mother, Rhoda Parsons, a native of Virginia, now 76 years of age, residing now at Hurricane Corners.

HENRY BRINKMAN, Sec. 28; P O. Hurricane Grove; owns 80 acres of land, valued at $40 per acre ; born in Germany in 1829; came to America in 1857, and settled in this county ; in 1865, he settled on his present farm. Married Sophia Kuhn, a native of Germany ; they have nine children- Mary Lizzie, Fred. H., Clara, Edward, William, Annie M., Albert, Ellen Nettie and Fanny Eve.

ALLEN RALPH BUSHNELL, of Lancaster, of the firm of Bushnell, Clark & Watkins, lawyers, was born on his father's farm on West street, in the town of Hartford, Trumbull Co., Ohio, July 18, 1833. His father, Dr. George W. Bushnell, now over 80 years of age, and. possessed of remarkable vigor, still lives on the old farm upon which he settled, then in the dense woods, in 1824; he is a native of Connecticut, as was also his wife, Sally Bates, now deceased, Mr. B.'s mother. Mr. B.'s early life was that of the usual farmer's boy, going to district school summer and winter term, until big enough to help on the farm, and then working on the farm through the farming season, and going to school winters. When 14 years of age, the Hartford High School was started, and he put in a few terms there. Here the intention of becoming a lawyer was formed. His school education was completed at Oberlin and Hiram Colleges, where he pursued a special course of study to fit himself for that profession, teaching school winters to help pay expenses. In the fall of 1852 he came to Wisconsin, and taught school that winter at Block House Branch, noar Platteville. The following spring he went back to Ohio and resumed his studies until the fall of 1854, when he returned to Platteville, and has ever since then made Grant Co. his home. He studied law with Judge Stephen O. Paine, at Platteville, was admitted to the bar of the Fifth Judicial Circuit in the fall of 1857, and on December 1 of the same year, opened an office, and commenced the practice of his profession at Platteville. In the fall of 1860, he was clected District At- torney of Grant Co. On the breaking-out of the rebellion, he resigned that office and enlisted as a private in the " Platteville Guards " Company, which on going into Camp Randall in the summer of 1861, was made Co. C, 7th W. V. I., and elected him its 1st Lieutenant, S. J. Nasmith, an old soldier of the Mex . ican war, being made Captain. He served with his regiment in the Iron Brigade, mostly in Virginia ; was in various battles and skirmishes ; was promoted to Captain in 1862, and discharged for disability in 1863. On returning to Platteville, he in the winter of 1863-64 resumed the practice of law. On the election of the Hon. J. T. Mills to the position of Circuit Judge, on his invitation, he removed to Lan- cas'er, occupied his law office, closed up Judge Mills' legal business, and has continued the practice of his profession there ever since. In 1867, he took into partnership in law practice, Col. John G. Clark. R. A. Watkins, Esq., was added to this firm Jan. 1, 1880, forming the present firm. Mr. B. was married in 1867, to Miss Laura F. Burr (daughter of Addison Burr, Esq., and his wife Martha Barber, of Lan-

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caster), by whom he had three children, only one of whom, his daughter Mabel, is now living; Laura died in 1873. In 1875, he was married again to Miss Mary F. Sherman (daughter of Cyrus Sherman, de- ceased, and his wife, Fanny Barber, of Lancaster), his present wife, by whom he has had one son who died in infancy. Mr. B. has paid little attention to politics, but was a member of the Legislature of 1872. On the erection of the " village " into the " City of Lancaster " in 1878, he was elected its first Mayor. His residence is pleasantly situated in the northwest quarter of the city, on Bushnell street, and the north- ern continuation of Madison street.

COL. JOHN G. CLARK, attorney at law, of the firm of Bushnell, Clark & Watkins, was born in Morgan Co., Ill., July 31, 1825; he came to Wisconsin first in 1837 ; subsequently resided in Missouri several years. In 1847, he graduated from Illinois College, and returned to Wisconsin and en- gaged in mining ; from 1849 to 1853 inclusive, he was employed in surveying Government lands in Wis- consin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri, and became familiar with all the hardships and exposures of such a life, surveying during that time perhaps as much land as any man in the State. In the fall of 1853, he was appointed Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court of Grant County ; in 1854, he was elected Clerk of that Court, and was re-elected in 1856, and again in 1858, to the same office, and in 1860, was elected to the Legislature. On the breaking-out of the rebellion, he went into camp with Co. C, 2d W. V. I., in- tending to go into the field with that regiment, but was prevented by a call of an extra session of the Legislature ; on its adjournment, he entered the military service as Lieutenant and Quartermaster of the 5th W. V. I., and was with that regiment in all its campaigns until May, 1863, when he was commissioned Captain and Provost Marshal of the Third District of Wisconsin ; in February, 1865, he was commissioned Colonel of the 50th W. V. I., and was sent to Missouri and placed in command of the First Subdistrict, composed of some half dozen counties, with headquarters at Jefferson City, till in July, when he was sent to Kansas, and for the first time was in command of his whole regiment; subsequently, he and his com- mand were sent to the Upper Missouri among the Indians, where they remained till June, 1866 ; his regi- ment scouted over Missouri among the bushwhackers, and at Fort Leavenworth at the time of the mutiny, demonstrated that it was among the most reliable in the service ; he keenly felt that the 50th was abused, and that insubordination was rewarded when mutinous regiments were mustered out before their term of service had expired, and it was sent out on the plains, where it could not by any possibility be discharged till long after. He was admitted to the bar in 1861, but did not commence practice till 1867. He has held many minor offices, such as Chairman of the Town Board, County Board, and Mayor of the city ; was Chairman when the railroad was built, and was prominent in devising the ways and means, and in as- suming the responsibilities .that insured its construction ; he has been active in advancing the interests of his locality in educational matters, and was instrumental in securing the erection of perhaps the best school- house in the State for the money expended in its construction. In 1874, he was a prominent candidate for Congress from this District, and again in 1880, but had his name withdrawn. He is connected with the Masonic order, and has served his lodge ten years as Master ; he is also identifled with the Odd Fel- lows; in 1878, he was Grand Master of the order in this State, and is now Grand Representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge, re-clected in June, 1881. He was united in marriage, Feb. 19, 1852, to Miss Minerva A. Pepper, a native of Mineral Point, daughter of Harvey Pepper ; they have one daughter- Alice, now Mrs. E. R. Tiel, of California-and one son-William Harvey Clark, now in Lancaster.

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History of Grant County, Wisconsin, Part 134

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1044

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1044