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 95

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168

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 95

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In the fall of 1883 Lemuel Warren added a saw mill to the woolen mill, which is also in operation. Thus it will be seen that the water power is being well ntilized; but there is still room for more as Sugar river is a never-failing stream and at this point furnishes an eight foot head of water

Prominent among the names identified with the history of Green county, that of Warren stands conspicuous from the early history to the present time. The ancestors of these Warrens were natives of New England for a number of generations. Their great-grandfather, a black- smith by occupation, having served as a soldier in the French and Indian War, participating in the battle of Quebec. The grandfather, Lovewell Warren, was born in Marlborough, Mass., Oct. 2, 1764, and was of a family of Ilowes, and was married to Ama Holden. She was born at Charlestown, N. H., in 1794 and was of a family of Adams. Lovewell Warren removed from Leominster, Mass., and settled at Montpelier, Vt., purchased government land, and became a pioneer in the place. The land he improved is still owned by a family of War- rens-his descendents. It was there that Lem- nel Warren was born Oct. 27, 1791, and his early life was spent on his father's farm. When a young man he went to Franklin Co., N. Y.,

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where he formed the acquaintance of Betsy R. Richardson, to whom he was married in 1817. She was born in Granville, Washington county, Aug. 1, 1793. Lemuel Warren was overseer of Hogan's mills, and remained a resident of Franklin county until 1836, then removed to Chautauqua county, and two years later with his family emigrated to Wisconsin, landing at Milwaukee on the 5th of July, 1838. They pro- ceeded to Janesville which was at that time but a small town, where, although times were hard, they succeeded in making a living. In 1841 they settled on a farm in the town of Union, now known as Center, situated on the Madison road at a distance of twelve miles from Janes- ville. At that time there were eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom several had attained their majority, and the older boys -William, Zebina and John H., left home to battle with the world on their own account. Sept 13, 1846, the father died, and a few years subsequently the family were stricken with grief by the death of the three daughters. Those of the family who remained could hardly recover from such a blow, but they struggled on and finally succeeded in paying for the farm by hard work and prudent economy. The mother afterwards came to Albany, this county, to reside with her sons, where her remaining days were spent. She died Aug. 17, 1870.

Zebina, the second son, was born at Hogans- burg, Franklin Co., N. Y., May 2, 1821. When sixteen years old he went to Michigan, and lived one year in Kalamazoo; then in 1838 joined his parents in Rock county and lived with them two years, then made a claim of gov- ernment land in the town of Center, Rock county, but not having money to pay for it, started out in search of employment. He drove to Milwaukee, and arrived there with money enough to pay for one horse feed. He soon found employment at various things, among others he took a contract from the government to dig a well at the light house, and by winter he had made enough money to enter his land.

In December of that year he engaged as book- keeper for the firm of Holton & Goodell, and remained with them three years, then returned to Rock county and settled on his land, where he continued to live until 1847, when he came to Albany and erected a grist mill. In 1851 he engaged in the mercantile trade in company with his brother. His death occurred in De- cember, 1854. He was married to Maria, daughter of Erastus and Margaret (Bartle) Pond. Two children blessed that union, one of whom is now living-Ella, now the wife of L. A. Nichols. Mr. Warren was a man of good education and fine business qualifications. He was prominently identified with the interests of both town and village, and was in office from the time of the town organization.

Lemuel H., the fourth son, was born at Ho- gansburg, Franklin Co., N. Y., Sept. 30, 1830, and was but eight years old when the family came to Wisconsin, and he grew to manhood in Rock county. In 1850 he came to Albany and engaged in elerking for his brother two years, then in 1854 he engaged in mercantile trade in company with his brothers, J HI. and E. F., and continued that business until 1865, when he sold his interests and engaged in the lumber trade five years. He then became a mail contractor and has, while attending to that business, traveled extensively. In 1882 he bought a farm near Madison, where he lived one year and then returned to Albany. He was married March 26, 1854, to Martha Stanley, who was born in Susquehanna Co., Penn. Four children blessed this union-Frank, Carrie, Fred and Eva. The former, Frank S., was born in the village of Albany, where he grew to manhood, his younger days being spent in school and assisting his father in the store. When eighteen years old he was engaged as clerk in E. F. Warren's store. At twenty years of age he was married to Clara Trousdale, who was born in the village of Fayette, Lafayette Co., Wis. They then went to Monroe, where he engaged as clerk for F. S. Párlin a few

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

months, then went to Yankton, D. T., in com- pany with his father, who was going there to look after his stage interests. In 1878 he had full charge of the stage line from Yankton to Sioux Falls, and remained there until 1879, when he returned to Monroe, bought a livery stock and managed a stable two years, then, in the spring of 1881, he started west and visited Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. Returning in the fall, he bought the omnibus line at Monroe and ran that during the winter of 1881-2. In the spring of 1882 he went to Dane county and purchased a farm in company with his father, and lived there one year, then returned to Albany, and during the summer was in the em- ploy of the Western Stage Company. In the fall of 1883 he bought the livery stock of E. F. Warren, and is now engaged in the livery husi- ness. Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Warren are the parents of two children (twins)-Bessie and Jessie. He is a good business man, accommo- dating and affable, and has many friends.

Of the five sons, Eugene F. Warren was the youngest. He was born at Fort Covington, N. Y., June 30, 1833, came with the family to Wis- consin, and at an early age commenced those minor duties of farm life which his extreme youth could compass, and in which he displayed great energy and facility. He was but thirteen years old when his father died, but as his older brothers had left home, the care of the farm naturally devolved on him, and he found little time or opportunity to attend school, spending but three months each winter, in that manner. For- tunately his mother was a woman of refinement and education, and he received from her the most important elements of early instruction. After acting one year as express messenger on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, at the age of twenty-one, with a capital of $500 he came to Albany, and entered into a co-part- nership with his brothers, John H. and Lemuel, in mercantile business, which he pursued for sixteen years, when he bought out the interests of his partners, and continued in the trade alone

for five years. Meanwhile, in 1861, he assisted in recruiting company E, 13th Wisconsin Vol- unteers, and was mustered in as Ist lieutenant of the company. In 1862 he was in the army of Kansas, where there was no hard fighting, but long and tedious marches to be endured, over the ice and snow clad prairies, and the following year being sent to the army of the Tennessee, he was engaged in fighting "bush-whackers," and in scouting most of the time at Forts Henry and Donelson While there, he was detailed as judge-advocate of a general court-martial which continued in session for three months, fifty-two cases being tried, and five men receiving the sentence of death. In the fall of 1863, he was ordered to Huntsville, Ala., thence to Stephen- son, Ala., where after a long and weary march, on short rations, he remained until November, when he left that place and encamped in the vil- lage of Edgeville, opposite Nashville, Tenn., where he remained until the summer of 1864, and then returned to his family and business. He had been at home but one week, however, when he received, from the secretary of war, an appointment to a captaincy, in Major-Gen. Han- cock's corps, but as one of his brothers had ac- cepted an appointment to the position of United States revenue collector, and the other was in very poor health, and his business in conse- quence was left entirely in the hands of em- ployes, he was obliged to decline the appoint- ment. Mr. Warren was a brave soldier, compe- tent for any position, and repeatedly refused promotion, having promised to remain with the boys with whom he enlisted and among whom he was a great favorite. In 1869, he built the flouring mill of Warren & Tomkins, and in 1881 purchased the Albany Woolen Mill. He has, also with his brothers, been engaged in the mail and stage business, which furnishes em- ployment to hundreds of men, and requires hundreds of horses, their lines extending from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Slope. Mr. War- ren is a republican in politics, a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in his religious views,

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broad and liberal, holding to the belief of uni- versal salvation. His business success is attrib- ntable to honesty, industry, perseverance and the good advice early given him by his parents. Mrs. Warren was formerly Sarah S. Gleason, and was born in Tioga Co., N. Y., and was mar- ried to E. F. Warren, Sept. 9, 1855. In the year 1863, she shared equally with her husband the hardships and privations of camp life, thus showing that constancy and affection, which has rendered their union one of happiness. They have been blessed with five children-Mary, Nelly, Willie, (who died in 1867, aged three years) Grace and Charles.

POSTOFFICE.

The postoffice at Albany was established in 1848, Erastus O. Pond being appointed the first postmaster. The office was kept in his store, on block 13. Mr. Pond was succeeded as post- master by E. F. Warren, and he in turn by An- drew Burgor, Hiram Brown, Charles Campbell, Ferdinand Eldred, Hamilton Coates and John Lemmel, the present incumbent. Mr. Lemmel took the office on the 7th of August, 1866. In 1868, the office building was destroyed by fire, but Mr. Lemmel was successful in saving all mail records and postage stamps. Nov. 27, 1883, the office building was again consumed by fire. Mr. Lemmel, this time, succeeded in saving the mail, but some postage stamps and the old records were destroyed. The office be- came a money order department Oct. 28, 1878, and up to March 18, 1884, had issued 9,286 orders. The income of the office is about $500 annually.

John Lemmel, postmaster at Albany, and a prominent citizen of this county, was appointed to that position in 1866, and has since continued to serve the people in that capacity in a satis- factory manner. He is a native of France, born in Hiertigheim, near Strassburg, Nov. 2, 1825. He attended school as he had opportunity, until sixteen years old, when he was apprenticed to an older brother to learn the trade of tailor. After serving his time, he went to Strassburg

and worked as journeyman for some time, then opened a shop at Hiertigheim, and continued in the business until 1853, when he left his na- tive land and came to America, landing at New York, October 29, of that year. In June, 1854, he came west to Madison, Wis., and thence to New Glarus, where he purchased a farm, on which his father and only daughter settled. He then went to the town of Sylvester and worked in the store of C. F. Thompson seven months, then engaged with S. S. Hills, at Monticello a few months, then came to Albany and had a position with Charles Campbell until 1862, when he opened a shop and carried on the busi- ness of merchant tailor until the fall of 1864, when at his country's call, he enlisted in the old 5th Wisconsin Volunteers, company I, Capt. Thomas Flint being his captain. He belonged to the sixth army corps, Army of the Potomac, Gen. Meade commanding. On the 2d day of April, 1865, he was seriously wounded at the battle of Petersburg. After being seven months in the hospital, he returned again to his family, who had in the meanwhile lived in the country with his father-in-law. He settled again in the village of Albany, and engaged in in his old trade-merchant tailor-and did a flourishing business. In 1882, he sold out and only retained the postoffice. He has been twiee married. His first wife was Eva Baszler, who bore him two children, one of whom is now living. Mrs. Lemmel and an infant son died on the ocean while on the way to America. His second wife was Orphia Stauffacher, born in Switzer- land, coming to this country when six years old. Six children blessed this union-Lydia, Mary E., William T., Emma, Ella and John. Mr. Lemmel has the confidence and esteem of his fellow men to a goodly degree, and belongs to the best class of Green county citizens.

CIVIC SOCIETIES.

There are several societies represented in this village, and the most of them are in a pros- perons condition. The A. F. & A. M. and the I. O. O. F. fraternities had the misfortune

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of having their charters and all records de- stroyed by the fire on Nov. 27, 1883, and thus in order to obtain their history, the historian is obliged to rely on the memories of the older members. Albany Lodge, No. 75, I. O. O. F., was organized on the 19th of February, 1854, with the following named charter members : Hiram Brown, J. H. Warren, Ira S. Dexter, C. S. Gleason, Yates Lacy, Charles Robertson, E. L. Warner and A. Thomas. The lodge was in a flourishing condition, and in -1861, its membership numbered nearly ninety. But when the Civil War broke out, and our Nation was calling for brave and patriotic citizens, so many of the leading members re- sponded, that the lodge had its last meeting on the 20th day of July, 1861. In October, 1865, the members returning from the field of battle, re-organized, and the lodge in a short time re- gained its former vigor. Their lodge room, with contents, was destroyed by the fire. But as they had money in their treasury, they at once rebuilt without calling for or accepting aid from other lodges. Their present room cost them about $750, which amount has been fully paid. The following named members of the lodge are past noble grands : John H. Warner, Thomas Flint, J. B. Perry, C. W. Burns, M. T. Gleason, Ira S. Dexter, S. A. Pond, C. S. Gleason, L. A. Nichols, L. H. Warren, E. F. Warren, C. S. Tibbitts, W. H. Howard, Thomas Gravenor, Richard Glennon, N. B. Murray, A. L. Weston and J. F. Carle. The officers in 1884 were: A. W. Murray, N. G .; A. L. Whitcomb, V. G .; C. S. Tibbits, secre- tary; Thomas Gravenor, treasurer; and J. B. Perry, John Lemmel and J. F. Carle, trus- tees. Regular communications every Tuesday evening. The present membership is fifty.

Albany Lodge, No. 36, A. F. & A. M., was organized under dispensation March 1, 1851, and was granted its charter June 9, 1852. H. B. Jobes is the present W. M., and Thomas Gravenor, secretary. Regular meetings are

held on the first and third Wednesdays in each month.

Hiram B. Jobes, a native of the town of Brant, Erie Co., N. Y., was born Jan. 30, 1838. In his childhood he attended the district school until twelve years of age. He then entered a printing office in the village of Gowanda where he served three years. In 1855 he came to Al- bany and engaged as clerk with his uncle, E. Bowen, by whom he was employed nine years; then in company with E. W. Persons bought his uncle's stock of goods and they carried on busi- ness together one year. His partner then sold his interest to Hiram Bowen, who was succeeded one year later by Gilbert Dolson, with whom Mr. Jobes continued in business until 1871. In that year they were burned out, and Mr. Jobes purchased his partner's interest in the stock that was saved. He continued business alone until September, 1883, when he sold out to J. F. Litel. He has been three times married. His first wife, Ophelia H. Stetson, of Erie Co., N. Y., was born March 8, 1837, and died July 19, 1870. He was again married in 1871 to Sarah Van Curen, who died in the spring of 1873. He was married the third time in July, 1874, to Mrs. Frances Usher Banks, who was born in Alexandria, Licking Co., Ohio. Mr. Jobes is a member of Albany Lodge, No. 36, of A. F. & A. M. and has been connected with temperance work for a number of years.

Thomas Gravenor, the present clerk of the town of Albany, is a native of Wales, born March 17, 1840. He attended school in his native country until eleven years old, was then apprenticed to a shoemaker to learn the trade. He served four years, then at the age of fifteen years he came to America with his parents, with whom he remained until the death of his father, which occurred in Monroe Co., Wis., Feb. 9, 1859. The family then came to Green county, where he traded for a farm in the town of Mount Pleasant and engaged in farming. In 1864 he went to Colorado, and engaged in mining three

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

years, then returned and resumed farming. In 1876, on account of failing health, he moved with his family to California and remained one year. He then went to New Mexico and en- gaged in the livery business, while his family returned to Green county. A few months later he returned to Albany and engaged in the gro- cery and provision business, in which he still continues. He still owns his farm in Mount Pleasant, which he rents. Mr. Gravenor has been twice married, first to Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Thomas and Ann Pryce who died Aug. 21, 1872, leaving one child-William J. He was again married April 25, 1875, to Araminta Dorman and they have one child-Jesse Thomas. Mr. Gravenor's father, William Gravenor, was born in the southern part of Wales. In 1855 he emigrated to America and first settled in Mount Pleasant, Green county, where he pur- chased a small improved farm, and lived there three years. He then sold out and moved to Monroe county, where he died in 1859, soon after which his family returned to Green county where his widow, Margaret Gravenor, died in 1866. They had four children -- William, Jane, Thomas and Margaret. William is dead; Jane is the wife of W. L. Baldwin and lives in Minnesota; Margaret is the wife of Amos St. John, and lives in Mount Pleasant.

Erastus Hoyt Post, No. 69, G. A. R., was organized on the 24th day of March, 1883. The officiating officer being L. O. Holmes of Bara- boo; mustering officer deputy of Wisconsin. He was assisted by comrades James Brown, Wal- lace Eastman, Delos Williams and Wilson Brown of Evansville. The following were elected as the first officers: Capt. Thomas Flint, commander; Capt. C. W. Burns, S. V. C .; Capt. J. F. Annis, J. V. C .; F. J. Carle, adju- tant; John Gillett, quartermaster; N. B. Mur- rey, officer of the day; Peter Benson, officer of the guard; S. F. Smith, sergeant-major.

Erastus Hoyt, after whom the lodge was named, came to Albany in about 1860. He was a young man, and soon became a favorite among

his associates. He entered the employment of Timothy Kellogg, as teamster, and in a short time united in marriage with Betsy Kellogg, a sister of his employer. When the Civil War broke out he responded to the call of his coun- try by enlisting under Capt. C. W. Burns, in the old company F., 31st regiment, Wisconsin Vol- teers, in August, 1862. While on duty as a soldier, he contracted that dreadful disease, chronic diarrhæa, which resulted in death, while he was yet in service, and his body now lies mouldering by the side of other brave comrades in the village cemetery. He is justly entitled to the tribute of respect shown him by his sur- viving comrades. He was born in 1840, and died in 1863.

In the fall of 1859, the first literary society was organized in the village of Albany, Wis .- the Albany Lyceum, which held its first meet- ing on Nov. 2, 1859, at high school building on east side of Sugar river, It was presided over by J. H. Warren, who was chosen president and William Gould, secretary. A constitution and by-laws were submitted and adopted. Promi- nent among the members who took an active part in the deliberations, may be mentioned the names of H. Medbery, Jr., C. W. Tomkins, Ira Dexter, J. B. Perry, E. R. Rockwood, H. B. Jobes, William Gould, J. H. Warren, J. H. Barnes, Gustave Klaesy, N. D. Tibbitts, H. A. Elliott, E. F. Warren and Warren Osgood. The following question chosen for discussion at a subsequent meeting of the society, reflects great credit for the mark of appreciation and esteem bestowed on the gentler sex :

Resolved, "That the education of females is of greater importance to society than that of males."

The society expended its forces in a little over two years, and was known as an event of the past. October 15, 1880 witnessed a re-or- ganization, and a new membership, virtually a distinct society, as it embraced only three of the original members-J. B. Perry, C. W. Tomkins and HI. B. Jobes, but retained the

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HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY.

name and adopted the same constitution and by-laws which governed the first. H. Medbery, Jr., again became a member in the winter of 1883. The present membership includes the above, also Prof. J. L. Sherron, Aaron Brough- ton, Warren Howard, S. S. Hills, Richard Glen- nan, Warren Tomkins and others. The society has made rapid progress in the pursuit of use- ful knowledge. It holds regular meeting each week, in Grange Hall, Albany.

The leading citizens of Albany have always opposed the liquor traffic, and have thus kept up a continual battle with the demon alcohol. The first temperance society organized was Albany Lodge, No. 38, I. O. G. T., which was chartered Dec. 25, 1856. This was succeeded in June 10, 1857, by Rescue Lodge, 117, I. O. G. T. Among the charter members of Rescue Lodge were : Mr. and Mrs. L. Warren, E. F. Warren, Mrs. Maria Warren, Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Tibbitts and Mrs. Werner. This lodge surrendered its charter after a few years, as likewise did several succeeding Good Templar lodges and was re- peatedly resurrected. The lodge, in 1884, was known as Crystal Fountain Lodge.

Sons of Temperance, Drunkards' Friends, No. 198, was organized Nov. 22, 1882, with nine- teen charter members. The following were the first officers elected : II. B. Jobes, W. P .; Nellie Warren, W. A .; J. F. Carle, W. R. S .; Charlotte Roberts, W. A. S .; Freeman Roberts, W. F. S .; V. D. Burt, W. T .; Rev. Tyacke, W. Chaplain; C. M. Lockwood, W. Cond .; Mrs. Ella J. Kellogg, A. C .; Mrs. Tyacke, J. S .; George Owens, O. S .; Mrs. John Lacy, P. W. P .; Nellie Warren, D. P. The lodge is now in a flourishing condition and numbers seventy-five members. Weekly meetings are held at the Grange Hall.

Crystal Fountain Lodge, No. 478, I. O. G. T., was chartered Jan. 25, 1879, with twenty-one members. The first officers elected were as fol- lows : N. B. Murrey, W. C. T .; Erva Maynard, W. V. T .; Rev. S. E. Sweet, W. C .; J. F. Annis, W. S .; Eddie Dorr, W. A.S .; G. H. Turner, W.

F. S .; Mrs. A. Burt, W. T .; D. Atkinson, W. M .; Viola Burt, W. D. M .; Mrs. Alba Murrey, I. I. G .; F. L. Roberts, W. O. G; Mrs. Olive Annis, W. R. HI. S .; Mrs. Susan Alverson, W. L. H. S .; V. D. Burt, P. W. C. T. Meetings are held every Wednesday evening. The present mem- bership of the lodge is eighty-seven.

RELIGIOUS.

There were no ministers of the gospel among the early settlers, but through the untiring ef- forts of Chloe Pond, Louisa M. Nichols and Maria I. Pond,* who canvassed every family in the neighborhood, a Sabbath school was organ- izad in 1846. The meetings were at first held in a log school house west of the village. But when cold weather set in they met in the vil- lage. The people all took an active interest, and by prompt attendance, a wide-awake and instructive Sabbath school was continued for several years.

Rev. J. D. Stevens was the first Congrega- tional preacher to hold services at Albany. He came here first in 1853. Elder G. R. Patton, a Baptist preacher from near Juda, was the first minister of the gospel to preach west of the river in Albany. He held services in the little log school house in 1847. Rev. Church, a Presbyterian, preached the first sermon in the village of Albany proper, in 1848, in a small frame building located where J. B. Perry's office now stands. This was his only visit to this place.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Albany was organized at the stone school house in 1855. Among the first members of the class were: Mrs. Ann Eliza Jobes, V. H. Vancuren and wife, D. S. Smith and wife, Ashael Hills and wife, and Henry Dickinson and wife. Among the preachers who have filled the pulpit for this class are the following: Revs. Cauley, Ferguson, Wheeler, Coleman, Budlong, Butler, Wilde, Hammond, [The last named served during the war as chaplain of the 5th Wis

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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 95

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1168

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1168