USA > Wisconsin > Green County > History of Green County, Wisconsin. Together with sketches of its towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 42
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and trying nature that if they could have been foreseen, it is certain our travelers, instead of attempting to go forward, would have turned their faces about and adopted some other means of coming west.
But they persevered in their efforts, until they reached a point near Richmond, Ind., and then learning that the roads were still worse further west, they concluded to return to Cin- cinnati, take a steamer and come as far as prac- ticable by water, which was done. Before ar- riving at Cincinnati, however, all or most of the children broke out with the measles. Their situation was now bad in the extreme, yet would have been much worse were it not that kind and Christian friends were at hand and ready and willing as far as they could, to sweeten the cup of sorrow. The mother of those sick children had a lady cousin, the wife of David K. Cady, living in the city, who, npon learning of the condition of things, immediately went to work and prepared an upper room of his store, where they might remain until means of get- ting away could be had ; their dwelling house would have been thrown open if it were not that their own children would have been ex- posed to the contagion. As soon as possible a passage to St. Louis on a steamer was secured. At first two staterooms were allowed to be oc- cupied, but when the boat reached Louisville it became so crowded with passengers that one of the rooms had to be given up, which made the trip very unpleasant. On arriving at St. Louis, our pioneer family with their household goods and teams were transferred to another boat which was ready to leave for Peru, one of the towns sit- nated on the Illinois river. On reaching this point the horses were again harnessed and at- tached to the wagon, and soon moving north- ward. The parents full of sorrow and anxiety on account of the condition of their youngest child, whose appearance plainly indicated that death would very soon take from them all that was mortal of their loved one. They were not mistaken. nor were their fears groundless, for
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on the last day of their long and weary journey, about twenty miles from the home of the child's grandparents, it was conveyed to a brighter home than earth can ever furnish, and its little body was sorrowfully buried out of sight the next day after their arrival at the residence of George W. Clingman, near Cedarville, Stephenson Co., Ill. After spending some days among kind and sympathing friends and relatives they were again on the road and a half day's travel brought them to their future home and farm located in the town of Clarno, Green county, where the subject of this sketch, now in the eightieth year of his age, still lives, with his youngest daugh- ter, Mrs. A. E. Anderson, and family. At one time he owned nearly a half section of land which has been disposed of in various ways, with the exception of forty acres which is nicely situated, of excellent quality of soil, well tim- bered, and free from any incumbrance. He owes not a dime that he is aware of, never was sued, and never sued any one, and says that were it in his power he would abolish all law for the collection of debts. Politically, he is a green- backer and anti-monopolist, and is happy to know that the late decision of the Supreme Court of the United States sustains him in his views of the money question. He has held different offices of trust and honor in the county and township where he lives; was a member of the convention which framed the ratified con- stitution of the State. For a period of several years he has taken no active part in politics fur- ther than to cast his ballot, which he holds to be a duty. It can scarcely be said of him that he is a member of any religioas denomination, true that more than forty years ago he joined a small society of the New Church, or better known by the name of Swedenborgians, in Chillicothe, Ohio; but since coming to this State he has met but few of the same faith. In his isolation and seclusion, he claims that the theo- logical and philosophical teachings of the Swe- dish scribe have done much to reconcile him to his lot and strengthen him to bear the misfor-
tunes and ills of life. He still retains to a re- markable degree, his eyesight, and reads and writes without the aid of glasses ; his hearing is quite defective, otherwise he is very sound and vigorous for one of his age, and bids fair to live many more years. Ile and his wife have four children living-Washington C., living at Washington, Iowa ; Charles, who resides in Monroe, of this county ; Mary Gorham, living at Winnebago, Ill., and Annie E. Anderson, of Clarno.
James Biggs.
James Biggs was born in 1799, in what was then the Northwest Territory, now the State of Ohio. Ile was married in what was at that time Delaware Co., Ohio, to Mary McDonald. Of this marriage there were three children born. . He was married the second time, after the death of his first wife, to Angeline Robin- son. This event took place Dec. 8, 1833, in Milford, Union Co., Ohio. The next spring they moved to Iowa Co., Wis., settling first at Wiota and in June, 1834, moving to what is now the town of Adams, in Green county, where Mr. Biggs died, June 27, 1870. He had five children by the second marriage, all of whom, to- gether with Mrs. Biggs, are now (1884) living. Mr. Biggs was postmaster twenty-three years at Walnut Springs, in the town of Adams. He finally resigned and the office was discontinued.
Mr. Biggs during all his residence in Green county was a farmer. He was a member of the second constitutional convention, but took no important part in the proceedings of that body, but nevertheless ranked among its most worthy and intelligent members. He was a gentleman of fine culture and first class abilities, well read, of large and varied frontier experience, a sound adviser, and steadfast friend. Ill health alone prevented his taking a conspicuous position.
MEMBERS OF THE STATE SENATE WHO HAVE REP- RESENTED GREEN COUNTY. I .- Eighth District.
E. T. Gardner, 1848; E. T. Gardner, 1849; W. Rittenhouse, 1850; W. Rittenhouse, 1851; T. S. Bowen, 1852.
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
II .- Twenty-fourth District.
T. S. Bowen, 1853; Francis H. West, 1854; Francis H. West, 1855; George E. Dexter, 1856; George E. Dexter, 1857; John H. Warren, 1858; John H. Warren, 1859; John W. Stewart, 1860; John W. Stewart, 1861; Edmund A. West, 1862; Edmund A. West; 1863; Walter S. Wescott, 1864; Walter S. Wescott, 1865; Henry Adams, 1866; Henry Adams, 1867; Henry Adams, 1868; Henry Adams, 1869; John C. Hall, 1870; John C. Hall, 1871.
III .- Twelfth District.
Orrin Bacon, 1872; Orrin Bacon, 1873; Har- vey T. Moore, 1874; Harvey T. Moore, 1875; Joseph B. Treat, 1876; Joseph B. Treat, 1877; Joseph B. Treat, 1878; Joseph B. Treat, 1879; J. W. Blackstone, 1880; J. W. Blackstone, 1881; A. N. Randall, 1882; A. N. Randall, 1883.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Thomas S. Bowen.
[From the Monroe Sentinel, Oct. 31, 1883.]
. Thomas. S. Bowen, a well to do farmer, died at his residence in the town of Clarno Oct. 20, 1883, after a lingering sickness, which confined him to his bed for two years and six months. He was gradnally passing away during this long length of time. Ile was born in Vermont, Ben- nington county, May 1, 1808. He came to this State in 1836, four years after the close of the Black Hawk War. He selected a farm in Clarno, on the line which divides this State from Illinois. There were but six houses in the township. They were built of logs, the chimneys of sticks and mud. There were no roads except Indian trails. God gave him suffi- cient length of days to see railroads take the place of those trails, and his adopted State of Wisconsin emerge from an Indian hunting ground to take high rank as an agricultural State. When the things of this world were fading before him, he had the pleasure of know- ing he had done his share of this work of im- provement. For integrity amd probity he stood without a rival, and was as fixed in his principals as the everlasting hills. He was noted for his
honesty in his business relations. Miss Bing- ham, in her History of Green County, relates the following incident:
"Corn was everywhere so scarce that winter [1842-43] that men came to Green county from a hundred miles away to buy, and many cattle died of starvation. After a time, only three men in the county had corn to sell. They sold for twenty-five cents a bushel; but one of them, a very sanctimonious man, said, 'Let us charge fifty cents.' 'No,' said one of the others, lengthening his sentence with strong Anglo- Saxon expletives, 'that may do for you, but as for me, I have a soul to save, and shall charge only twenty-five cents.' Speculators wanted to buy all this farmer's corn, but, as the grateful customers of Thomas Bowen still remember, he refused to sell to any one more than one load at a time."
Mr. Bowen was conscientiously an honest and honorable man, and held many offices of trust. He was elected State senator for 1852-53. The second year of his term he was called home on account of his wife's illness. She died in April of that year. He was left with a family of eight children Seven years later he married his second wife, who now survives, and by whom he had two children. He was an indom- itable worker. In 1866, finding his health was failing, he left his farm to his sons to manage, and removed to Monroe, where he resided twelve years, then went back to his farm. He is now buried beneath its sods. He leaves a wife and nine children to mourn his loss, besides many acquaintances, who extend their sympathy to his family.
Walter S. Wescott.
Walter S. Wescott came to Green county in 1843. He was born in Wetherfield, Wyoming Co., N. Y. His parents, John and Eunice (Reed) Wescott, were natives of the same State, and are both now deceased, and buried in Mon- roe. Walter S. Wescott first settled in the town of York, where he owned a farm. He af- terwards removed to the town of Adams, and
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
in 1864, to the farm he now occupies on section 26, of Monroe. It contains 480 acres. He also owns other land in this county, and an exten- sive cattle ranch in Nebraska, where he spends the greater part of the time in looking after his interests there. ITis family resides upon the farm in this county. Mrs. Wescott was form- erly Thankful B. Cleveland, daughter of James Y. and Edith C. Cleveland, well known citizens of Green county. James Y. Cleveland is de- ceased, but his widow is living in Monroe with her son, H. G. Cleveland. Mr. and Mrs. Wes- cott have three children-Ida M., who is now living at home; Eva M., wife of Charles D. Bragg; and John J., who resides at home. Mr. Wescott is, politically, a republican, and has held various offices of honor and trust. He was elected to the assembly in 1859 and again in 1862. In 1863 he was elected to the office of State senator. He has taken an active interest 'in public affairs in the county, and is a useful and highly respected citizen.
Henry Adams.
Henry Adams, a pioneer of Green county, was born in Bedford Co., Penn., April 30, 1811. He was married to Sarah Mills, a native of the same county, born Dec. 13, 1813. After mar- riage they remained in Bedford county a few years, then removed to Ohio and settled in Coshocton county, where they lived until 1845. In that year they came to Wisconsin. He en- tered a farm of 160 acres in what is now the town of Mount Pleasant. He was a man of good education and ability and soon became prominent in public affairs. He was a member of the Territorial legislature. After the organ- ization of the town, he filled offices of trust in the town. In 1866 he was elected to represent his district in the State Senate, and re-elected in 1867. He improved a good farm in Mount Pleasant and lived there until 1868, then sold and went to Hardin Co., Iowa. He afterwards returned to Green county and settled in Mon- roe, where he resided until the time of his death, July 13, 1871. Mrs. Adams now lives in
Nebraska. Ten children were born to them, eight of whom are now living.
Orrin Bacon.
Orrin Bacon, proprietor of the Monticello Mills, is a native of the Bay State, born at Barn- stable, Oct. 4, 1822. When he was twelve years old his parents removed to New York and settled in Monroe county, where his father purchased a farm. Here he spent his youth, ob- taining his education in the district schools. He remained with his parents until 1843. In that year he came to the Territory of Wiscon- sin and settled in Rock county, where he pur- chased a half section of land near Janesville. He engaged largely in raising grain and stock. His health failing, he returned east and re- mained there until 1854. He then came back and bought the mill property at Monticello of Mathias Marty, and immediately commenced building the present mill. Since that time he has continued to reside in Monticello, where he has a fine residence on the south side of the river. Mr. Bacon has been twice married. His first wife was Mary A. Flegler, who was born in Pleasant Valley, Duchess Co., N. Y., and died Dec. 17, 1871, leaving two children- Emily and Edgar O. He was again married May 20, 1873, to Alda M., daughter of T. Z. and Lucia W. Buck. They have one child -- Sturgis C. Mr. Bacon represented the first assembly district of Green county in the legislature in 1871. He was elected to the State Senate in 1872 and 1873.
Joseph B. Treat.
J. B. Treat was born in Penobscot Co., Maine, Dec. 30, 1836. He is a son of Nathaniel and Mary (Parker) Treat. He received an academic education in his native State, and in 1860, removed to this county and engaged in the mercantile business. He was elected to the State Senate from 1875 to 1879. In January 1859, he was married to Priscilla Gould, dangh- ter of N. Gould, a native of Lisbon, Maine. The result of this union was two sons-Charles,
De tien
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
a graduate of West Point, in the "class of 1882," and Harry W.
John W. Blackstone,
of Shullsburg, Lafayette Co., Wis., was born at White Oak Springs, Dec. 22, 1835. He was county judge from 1862 to 1868, and was dis- trict attorney from 1873 to 1875. He was elect- ed to the assembly in 1878, and State senator in 1879. Ile represented the 12th senatorial district, composed of Lafayette and Green counties, for the years 1880 and 1881. He is a graduate of Platteville Academy. He entered Beloit College in 1855, and at the middle of the sophomore year went to Brown University, Providence, R. I., where he remained one year taking special studies. Returning home in 1857, he began the study of law in the office of John K. Williams, of Shullsburg, Wis., and entered into partnership with him after two years of study. The partnership continued two years, at the end of which time, he was elected connty judge of Lafayette county, serving for four years. He was re-elected, serving from 1862 to 1868. Mr. Blackstone was married June 20, 1861, to Ellen E. Hardy, of Platteville, Wis., by whom he has four children, two boys and two girls. After leaving the Sen- ate in 1881, he entered the United States pen- sion office, at Washington, and was soon detailed as a special examiner, in which service he re- mained two and one-half years. Resigning his clerkship in the pension office, he began the practice of law in Shullsburg, Wis., October 1883. Ile now resides there, engaged in farming, mining, and the practice of law.
MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY WHO HAVE REPRESENTED GREEN COUNTY.
Henry Adams, 1848, John C. Crawford, 1849 ; William C. Green, 1850 ; Julius Hurlbut, 1851; Freeman J. Spofford, 1852; Thomas Fenton, 1853; Abner Mitchell, 1854 ; Amos D. Kirkpatrick, 1855; Martin Flood, 1856; Martin Flood, 1857 ; James E. Vinton and William G. Brown, 1858; Albert II. Pierce and Ed- mund A. West, 1859; Walter S. Wescott and
Martin Mitchell, 1860; James Campbell and Obadiah J. White, 1861; Calvin D. W. Leonard and Harvey T. Moore, 1862; Walter S. Wescott and Ezra Wescott, 1863; William W. MeLaughlin and Frederick B. Rolf, 1864 ; William W. Mclaughlin and David Dunwid- die, 1865 ; Daniel Smiley and Egbert E. Carr, 1866 ; Lucius W. Wright and David Dunwid- die, 1867 ; Albert H. Pierce and Jacob Mason, 1868 ; J. F. Wescott and Thomas A. Jackson, 1869; C. D. W. Leonard and Thomas A Jackson, 1870 ; Orrin Bacon and Marshall Il. Pengra, 1871; Marshall H. Pengra, 1872 ; John Luchsinger, 1873; C. R. Deniston, 1874; C. R. Deniston, 1875 ; John Luchsinger 1876 ; Franklin Mitchell and John Luchsinger, 1877 ; John Luchsinger and Franklin Mitchell, 1878 ; Fordyce R. Melvin and Franklin Mitchell, 1879; Cyrus Troy and Burr Sprague, 1880 ; Cyrus Troy and Burr Sprague, 1881 ; Hiram Gabriel and John Bolender, 1882; Hiram Gabriel and John Bolender, 1883.
O. J. White.
O. J. White has been a resident of Green county since 1835. He was born in Connecti- cut, March 26, 1814, and is a son of Obadiah and Electa (Phelps) White. The former is buried in Vincennes, Ind., the latter in Rich- land Co., Wis. O. J. White left his native State when five years old, and went to Franklin, Del- aware Co., N. Y., where he remained four years, then went to Crawford Co., Ill. and from thenee to Danville, Vermilion county, in the same State, after which he came to Green Co., Wis. and settled on section 30, Clarno township, where he resided till 1844. He then moved to his present home, on section 31, of which he owns the east half of the northwest quarter, and the west half of the northeast quarter. He has altogether, 392 acres, and one of the finest farms in the county with substantial and ele- gant improvements. Mr. White was married in 1844 to Sarah A. Fisher of Stephenson Co., Ill., daughter of John and Mary (Wilt) Fisher, who died in 1878, and is buried at Rock Grove,
18
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
Stephenson Co., Ill. They had three sons-Fran- cis F., Eugene A. and Joseph W. Mr. White is a republican and has been prominent in polit- ical affairs of the town and county. He was elected to the legislature in 1861), and served one term; was a member of the town board several terms, in former years, and was chair- man of the board in 1881. Mr. White's son, Joseph W., carries on his father's farm. He was married Nov. 28, 1879, to Villa C. Sehrack, of Orangeville, Stephenson Co., Ill. They have one child-Clarence J.
David Dunwiddie.
David Dunwiddie of Brodhead, is one of five brothers, who settled early in Green county, several of whom still survive and are prominent- ly known as representative citizens. The brotli- ers of Mr. Dunwiddie are Isaac (deceased), Jude Brooks Dunwiddie, Hiram (deceased) and Daniel a resident of the town of Spring Grove. The subject of this sketch was born in Green Co., Ohio, in 1823, and was reared to agricultu- ral pursuits. He came to this county in 1845 locating near Juda. He also took up land in the town of Decatur. He resided for many years on his farm and became prominently known as a successful farmer and stock raiser. In 1873 he removed to Monroe and engaged in merchandising, which he continued two years. In 1875 he came to Brodhead, and engaged in the live stock business. He is now doing an ex- tensive business in the firm name of Dunwid- die & Son. He has held a number of official positions. He was a member of the legislature of Wisconsin during the sessions of 1865 and 1867. His wife was formerly Cynthia Mitchell, who has also resided in the county since 1845, her parents coming two years later. Mr. and Mrs. Dunwiddie have five children-Benjamin F., of Janesville; Alice, wife of Joseph Humph- rey; Isaac Foster, who is associated with his father in business; Flora, and Laura, wife.of T. W. Golden, clerk of the court of Green county. Marshal II. Pengra.
Marshal H. Pengra was born in Darien, Genesee Co., N. Y., Jan. 18, 1819. He is a
son of Moses B. and Sarah (Johns) Pengra. The father is a native of Bennington, Vt., born March 25, 1797. The mother is a native of Wales, born Jan. 11, 1799. IIer parents emi- grated to the United States in 1801, and located in Genesee Co., N. Y., where she was reared to womanhood. She was married March 27, 1818, rearing a family of five children-Marshal H., being the eldest. The father died Oct. 1, 1835, and the mother in 1848. On the death of his father, Marshal H. took charge of the family and removed to Erie Co., Penn., where he was married April 16, 1840, to Elvira Lyon, born in Franklin Co., Mass., Oct. 23, 1819. Mr. Pengra lived in Pennsylvania, until the spring of 1844, when he removed to Rockford, Ill. In 1845 he .removed to this county, and settled on the west half of the west half of section 23, where he has since resided. Coming to the county in limited circumstances he had to put up with all the trials and hardships of pioneer life; but by hard labor and industry he has accumulated a nice property. His farm contains 276 acres. He has been largely identified with the political history of the county. Until he came to Green county he had been acting with the democrats, but since the organization of the republican party he has acted with that party. He was elected a member of the General Assembly in 1871, and re-elected in 1872. He was also elected a member of the board of county com- missioners, serving one term. He has always taken an active part in town affairs, serving as clerk twelve years, chairman of the board eight terms; assessor and justice of the peace. Mr. and Mrs. Pengra have raised a family of six children-Marshal P., Delia E., Winfield S., Mary R., Moses B. and Charles F.
John Luchsinger.
John Luchsinger, county treasurer, was born in Canton Glarus, Switzerland, June 29, 1839. In March, 1845, his parents emigrated to America, settling for a short time at Syracuse, N. Y. The fall of the same year they removed to Philadelphia, where John received his early
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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.
education in Jefferson Grammar School. He with his parents came to Wisconsin and located . at New Glarus, this county, in 1856. In 1872 he was elected to the State legislature, and was re-elected in 1875, 1876 and 1877, serving with honor to himself and satisfaction to his con- stituency. He has been a member of the county board for a number of years and was chairman of that body in 1879. Was admitted to the bar in 1884. Ile is at present treasurer of Green county. In 1868 he was married at New Glarus to Elsbeth Kundert, by whom he has five sons and two daughters-John, Henry E., Samuel C., Thomas W., B. Frank, Elsbeth and Barbara. Mr. Luchsinger has always taken an interest in educational matters and is at present a member of the board of education. He is a man of more than ordinary ability, and is the author of some excellent articles on the dairy business and of the history of the Swiss colony of New Glarus. He is a member of the Swiss Reformed Church.
Charles R. Deniston.
Charles R. Deniston, now a resident of Clarno, was born in that town July 31, 1835, being the first white male child born in Green county. His father, John W. Denistou, settled in Clarno withi his family in the fall of 1833. John Den- iston was a native of Ohio, born in 1800. His parents died when he was a child and he went to Missouri where, when a young man, he was married to Ann M. VanZant, a native of that State. He came to Green county in company with his father-in-law, Abner VanZant. They settled on the same piece of land and were in partnership until the death of Mr. VanZant in February, 1847. They built a grist mill in Clarno in 1835, the first mill built in that town. The two families settled in Cadiz in 1846, where John W. Deniston died March 23, 1848. His widow lives in Nebraska with her youngest son, William R. John Deniston had seven children, five of whom are living. Charles R. Deniston was a resident of the town of Cadiz, from 1846 to 1884, when he returned to Clarno, He has
been twice married. His first wife was Susan Coryell, who died in March, 1873. His present wife was Hattie M. Bramhall, a native of New York. There were three children by the first union, and by the latter, two. Mr. Deniston has been town clerk, assessor, postmaster, chair- man of the town board and member of the as- sembly, serving in the latter capacity in 1874 and 1875.
John Bolander.
John Bolander, president of the Citizens Bank of Monroe, Wis., was born in Union, now Snyder Co., Penn., March 5, 1837. He was a son of John and Catharine (Stees) Bolander, natives of the same county. In 1840 his father with the family emigrated to Stephenson Co., Ill. His father was a life long member of the German Reformed Church, and his mother of the Lutheran. He was one of a family of twelve children, ten of whom lived to an adult age. His father was a man of more than ordi- nury ability, and had a large circle of friends. John, the subject of this sketch, was three years ol.l when his parents settled in Stephenson county, where he was brought up and educated. When nineteen years old he was employed . as clerk by David Witmer at Rock Grove. Two years later he came to Juda where the stock had been removed. In 1863 he engaged in the gro- cery business in Monroe. In 1865 the firm was changed to Bolander & Ball, and continued until 1867; from that time up to 1873, J. Bolan- der, when the firm was changed to J. Bolander & Co., and also changed the business to dry goods. Mr. Bolander is among the oldest busi- ness men in the city. In 1861, he was married to Sarah E. Hosier a native of Ohio. By this union there were four children-Kittie, Freder- ick, Charles and Edna. Mr. Bolander is a staunch republican and was a member of the county board for ten years, and four years chair- man. He wasin 1882 elected to the general as- sembly, re-elected in 1803.
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