History of Iowa County, Wisconsin, Part 131

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 958

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MI. W. PRATER, dealer in groceries, boots, shoes, hats and caps ; is a native of Allegany Co .. New York, and was born Sept. 12, 1840; when 3 years of age, his parents came to Wisconsin and

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located at Mineral Point in 1843 ; he grew up and learned the tinning business here ; he has been engaged in mercantile business here for twenty-three years ; he was in the hardware trade until 1867, and since then has been engaged in his present business. He was Messenger for two years in the State Legislature. He is a member of the order of I. O. O. F. In 1858, Mr. Prater married Miss Elizabeth Curnow, a native of England ; they have two children-William and Charles; they have lost four children-Edith, Mary, Robbie and John.

BENJAMIN T. PRIDEAUX, of the firm of Devlin & Prideaux, dealers in hardware, stoves and house-furnishing goods ; is a native of Iowa Co., and was born in Dodgeville Sept. 4, 1843; he grew up and learned his trade here. When the war broke out, he enlisted in Co. C, 31st W. V. I. ; he served three years, and participated in all the battles of the regimeut ; after his return he worked at his trade, and in 1875, he engaged in business with Mr. Devlin, and they have built up a good trade. He belongs to Mineral Point Lodge, No. 1, A., F. & A. M., and to Iowa Chapter, No. G. Was united in marriage, July 2, 1872, to Miss Louise Martin, a native of this city ; they have two children-Guy S. and infant daughter.

THOMAS PRIESTLEY, manufacturer and dealer in harness ; is a son of George and Ellen W. Priestley, and was born in Leeds, England, Jan. 29, 1836 ; his parents came to Wisconsin and settled in Mineral Point in 1838, and were among the earliest settlers here; Thomas grew up to manlinod and learned his business here ; in 1860, he went to the mountains and returned the following year. After the war broke out, he enlisted in Co. E, 11th W. V. I .; he was promoted and commissioned Captain of Co. B, 30th W. V. I .; he remained in the service until Sept. 20, 1865. Since the war he has been engaged in his present business. Mr. Priestley was elected Superintendent of Schools of the city, and held that office six years ; he held the office of Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue for Iowa Co. In 1868, he received the nomination for the State Legislature on the Democratie ticket, and came within forty-seven votes of being elected in his district which has a Republican majority of five hundred. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery ; he is also a member of the I. O. O. F. Mr. Priestley was united in marriage to Miss Catharine Jane Tyack, a native of Mineral Point, Jan. 30, 1867 ; they have three children-Mamie W., Harry T. and Thomas M.

THOMAS PRISK, retired , is a native of Cornwall, England, and was born Sept. 1, 1805 ; he grew to manhood there, and emigrated to the United States in 1833, and came to the Territory of Wis- consin, and arrived at Mineral Point April 1, 1834; he was one of the earliest settlers who came here ; he engaged in mining, and after a short time bought land, and began making a farm; in the spring of 1850, he went to California, and returned in the spring of 1853, and again engaged in mining. Mr. Prisk has been twice married ; his first wife was Hannah Provice, a native of Cornwall, England ; she died in February, 1862, leaving seven children, only two of whom survive, one daughter, Kate, now married and living in St. Louis, and one son, John, living in Colorado ; two sons were in the army during the war ; they enlisted and served in Co. E, 11th Iowa V. I. ; after serving their term of enlistment, they re-enlisted as veterans ; they were in thirteen general engagements ; after the war they died of disease contracted in the army ; Mr. Prisk married his present wife, Anna Maria Cox, June 27, 1863 ; she is a native of Corn- wall, England , she came here in 1848; she married Oliver Honey Church, a native of Cornwall, England ; he died in March 1850, leaving three daughters, Anna Maria, now Mrs. Warein ; Elizabeth Aun, now Mrs. Cox ; Mary Jane, now Mrs. Treweek. When Mr. Prisk came here, he built a cabin by Jerusalem Spring, and hewed the logs on the inside, and they said he was making it very stylish ; he had nothing when he eame, and earned what he has, by his own industry.

JOHN H. PROCTOR, farmer, Sec. 3; P. O. Mineral Point ; owns 200 acres of land, valued at $30 per acre. Born in England, in 1840; came to America in 1850, and located with his parents in La Fayette Co. Was married to Elizabeth Mathews, in 1860, a native of Ohio; they have four children --- William M., Morris, Annis and Jennie.

R. DE LOS PULFORD, druggist ; is a native of Onondaga Co., N. Y., and was born Dec. 13, 1822. In 1839, he came West with his parents, locating at Michigan City, Ind. ; during the same year, R. De Los immigrated to Mineral Point for his health, and remained here until the fall of 1840, when he returned to Michigan City. In 1843, he came West again with his parents, and took up his permanent abode in Mineral Point. He opened a drug store opposite his present place of business, and has continued in the drug business since then, a period of thirty-seven years, and is the oldest merchant without change of firm name in the State. Mr. Pulford's father was a practicing physician, and was recognized as the most eminent in the Northwest. In 1852, De Los was united in marriage to Emerilla

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Hobart, of Onondaga Co., N. Y. Mr. Pulford is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is one of the most prominent as well as the oldest living member of the Grand Body of the State. He was initiated in Mineral Point Lodge, No. 1, and has been an exalted member of the Grand Body sinee 1848. He was initiated in 1846; was exalted Dee. 17, 1848, Milwaukee Chapter, No. 1, and was knighted June 27, 1851, Wiseonsin Encampment, No. 1 ; in June, 1873, he was elected Grand Master of the State; he was Deputy Grand Master at an early day, and held various other offices in the Grand Lodge. Mr. Pulford is now a consistent, conscientious and enthusiastic member of the fraternity.

WILLIAM RABLIN, retired farmer ; is a native of Cornwall, England, and was born in the Parish of Camborne, Dee. 11, 1809. After reaching manhood, he was united in marriage on the 4th of March, 1835, to Miss Lavinia Prince ; she was born in the Parish of Camborne, April 19, 1813 ; soon after being married, they eame to the United States, and came direct to the Territory of Wisconsin, and arrived at Mineral Point on Saturday evening, June 27, 1835; the next day, Sunday, the first day spent in their new home, there were seven fights; it was a new experience to them, and it did not create a very favorable impression. He engaged in mining at Linden, with his brother ; they had a eabin or sod house, built in the side-hill ; his wife came out from the Point to visit him, and, notwithstanding his protests that the place was unfit for ber to live in-like the true wife that she was, and has always been-she insisted, that, if it was good enough for him, it was good- enough for her, and she would share it with him, and she did so ; they afterward built a log house ; on Sunday, when there was preaching at some cabin, they were obliged to cross a swampy place, and he would take his wife in his arms and earry her, jumping from one bog to another in doing so. Mr. Rablin continued mining about seven years. In February, 1843, he went to Dodgeville, and opened the first tavern ever kept in that place; in the spring of 1844, he moved on his farm, four miles south of Mineral Point, and engaged in farming; in 1846, he bought the lots where he now lives, and built a small house twelve feet square ; his wife was not strong, and the place was built and partially furnished, so that they could always have a place to stop and rest, when they came in town to trade, or attend church, without disturbing their friends; the place was familiarly known as " Castle Montgomery ; " it was a place of rest and refreshment for them, for many years. Mr. Rablin was successfully engaged in farming and stock-raising for many years. In 1867, he removed to the city and built the house where he now lives, and since then has resided bere ; he has recently sold his farm of 600 acres ; when he came here, he had very little, but by his industry and good management he has accumulated a competeney. Mr. and Mrs. Rablin have lived here over forty-five years, and are now among the oldest living settlers of Iowa Co.

E. G. REYNOLDS, farmer, Sec. 22; P. O. Mineral Point ; owns 118 acres of land, valned at $25 per acre ; was born in New York in 1841 ; came to Wisconsin, in 1850, and located in Green Co., in 1865; settled on his present farm. Married Mary A. Thomas, in 1865; they have two children- Clarence D., born in 1866, and Jessie W., in 1876. Mr. R. enlisted in the 10th Light Artillery. in 1861, and was discharged in 1865; was in thirty-three different engagements and eight general battles. Religion, Methodist. Is a Republican in politics.

JOHN J. ROSS, capitalist ; is a native of Ireland, and was born in the county of Tyrone, Nov. 29, 1819; he emigrated to the United States, and came to Wisconsin in July, 1839, and located at Mineral Point, and was one of the early settlers here ; he engaged in mining ; in 1849, he went to Califor- nia ; started January 13, in company with five others ; he returned at the close of the same year ; he brought to Galena the first $20 gold piece made from California gold ; he resumed his mining operations, and has successfully carried on the business of mining and smelting over forty years ; he has carried on the business more extensively than any other person in this State ; he has sold mineral as high as $102 per thousand; in June, 1865, he sold 500,000 pounds of mineral at $70.50 per thousand, the largest sum ever realized at a single sale of mineral in this mining region ; he, with William T. Ilenry, owns at Linden the largest, best and most extensively worked zinc mine in this State, and from which they are producing a large amount of mineral ; for some years, Mr. Ross has been engaged in raising fine blooded stoek- horses, eattle, sheep, hogs-and he has some of the finest stock in the State; when he came here, he only had thirteen sovereigns, and by his own energy he has beeome one of the most successful business men in this State; he owns, besides his large mineral and mining interests, over 3,000 aeres of land; also city property ; he is a member of the County Board of Supervisors from this city, and also a Director in the Warren and Mineral Point Railroad ; he was one of the Commissioners to settle the Iowa County Bond Debt, and has held town offices. In 1854, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Sproule, in this city ; they have three sons-William S., Samuel and Charles.

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HENRY SCHELLENGER, deceased ; is a native of Erie Co. Penn., and was born in 1815: his parents came West to Kaskaskia, Ill., in 1819 ; he learned the trade of blacksmith in St. Louis; in 1835, came to Wisconsin and settled at Wiota, La Fayette Co., and in 1840, came to this county ; began mining and engaged in farming. In 1840, he married Miss Martha Bigelow, a native of New York State ; Mr. Schellenger died Aug. 29, 1872, leaving three sons and six daughters ; Mrs. Schellenger is still living in Platteville.

SILAS H. SCHELLENGER, teacher, Mineral Point ; is a native of Iowa Co. ; was born April 8, 1846 ; he attended school here, and afterward graduated at the State Normal School, at Platte- ville ; since then has been engaged in teaching and farming. He married Miss Clara M. Keene, from Grant Co., Wis., Dec. 28, 1875; they have two children-Edna May and Stella Corinne.

NICHOLAS SCHILLEN, proprietor of the Globe Hotel; is a native of Germany, and was born in Prussia June 10, 1833; he emigrated to the United States in 1857, and came to Wisconsin the same vear, and located at Mineral Point, and has lived here twenty-three years; in 1873, he opened the Globe Hotel, and since then has carried on that business. In 1860, he married Miss Anne Stiles, a native of Highland, this county ; they have seven children-Katie, Mary, Nicholas, Barbara, Henry, Annie aud Clara.

F. W. SHEPARD, of the firm of Shepard & Ellis, dealers in foreign and American marble monuments and headstones ; is a native of Iowa Co., and was born in Mineral Point Dec. 27, 1857 ; lie learned his trade here; in 1877, he engaged in his present business, and the firm of Shepard & Ellis have built up a good trade in this section of the State. In April, 1879, he married Miss Lucy Pierce, a native of this city.

CHARLES SHERMAN, proprietor of Pecatonica Mills, Mineral Point (owns 22 acres of land, valued at $75 per acre) ; born in Connecticut in 1811; came to Wisconsin in 1845, and settled on his present farm. Married Mary J. Seeley, she, too, is a native of Connecticut ; they were married in 1833, and have seven children-Sarah J., Theodore, George Clinton, Emeline, Antinette, Frederick and Augusta. In polities, is a Republican.

GEN. JAMES SMITH ; is a native of Ireland, and was born in 1801 ; when only 16 years of age. in 1817, he emigrated to the United States; he attended Pittsfield Academy, in Massachusetts, John Van Buren being a schoolmate at the same time. In 1831, he, with Lieut. Knowlton, brought 750 men to Green Bay, Wis .; they were distributed among the several forts ; he returned to Philadelphia and New York several times for recruits ; he served in the Black Hawk war ; he served under Gen. Scott and Gen. Taylor, with Jeff Davis, Stonewall Jackson and many other officers of the late rebellion ; he saved the life of Gen. Scott at one time on their way from Portage to Green Bay ; he came to Mineral Point in 1836; after coming here he was visited at his own house by Gen. Zach Taylor, who wanted him to go with him and serve in the Florida war: after coming here he was in the land office until its removal ; he has lived here forty-four years, and his house is one of the oldest in the State. In 1817, Gen. Smith was united in marriage 10 Miss Ann McSherry, a native of Ireland; they have been married sixty-three years, and have had a large family of children.

ISAAC SUTHERS, dealer in iron and rags, is a native of Iowa Co., and was born Jan. 21, 1846; he has made this his home for thirty-five years. After reaching manhood, he married Miss Harrict Woolrich, a native of Cheshire, England, Sept. 12, 1868. He is engaged in the iron and rag business, and is also interested in mining. They have three children-James, Frank and an infant daughter. William and Harriet Luthers, the parents of Mr. Luthers, were natives of Yorkshire, England, and were early settlers here ; he was engaged in farming until a few years before his death ; he died in September, 1877, and his wife, Harriet Luthers, died Aug. 13, 1878 ; they left five children, three sons and two daughters, all living in this county.

J. MONTGOMERY SMITH. Searching the streets of Athens with a lantern, Diogenes illumined a truth of his own discovering, namely, that honest men are a nations rarest as well as most precious jewels, and we have discovered that of those who shine in the crown of the Republic, none have a higher worth than the faithful administrators of the law. Prominent on the roll of true and good men, we find the name of J. Montgomery Smith, a native of Pennsylvania ; he was born at Big Spring, Bedford Co., Feb. 26, 1834 ; came to Wisconsin with his father, the late Gen. William R. Smith, in January, 1838, and settled at Mineral Point. He received a common-school education, but depended principally on his father for instruction and aid in prosecuting his studies ; commenced a regular course of reading, prepara- tory to studying law, under the guidance of his father, in 1848, and applied himself diligently to reading

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TOWN OF MINERAL POINT.

history and elementary law books until 1852 ; he then made an overland trip to California; returned to Wisconsin in 1855 and resumed his legal studies at Madison, where he spent two years in the Attorney General's office while his father held that position ; returned to Mineral Point in 1859, and soon after entered the law office of Hon. J. H. Clarey, where he remained until the fall of 1862, when he applied to the Iowa County Circuit Court for admission to the bar, the late Judges Dunn and Crawford, having been appointed a committee with Hon. J. H. Clarey, to whom the matter was referred, after a thorough exami- tion in open court ; having reported favorably, he was admitted, and has since that time practiced his chosen profession, and by diligence and industry has succeeded in establishing a large and lucrative law business. In politics, Mr. Smith is a Democrat, and has twice been elected District Attorney for Iowa County, although at both elections the county gave a large Republican majority ; was also elected Superintendent of Schools, and is now serving his second term as Mayor of the city of Mineral Point; the Democratic Convention in IS79 nominated him by acclamation for Attorney General, and the Third Congressional Dis- trict in 1880 selected him as one of the delegates to Cincinnati, where he warmly supported Gen. Hancock. Mr. Smith is very quiet and reserved in his manners and domestic in his habits and tastes. He has been twice married, the first time in 1862 to Antonia Hildebrand, who died in 1868. In November, 1870, he was married to Mrs. Jennie M. Crawford; his family consists of a son by his first wife, and a daughter the fruit of his second marriage. During business hours, Mr. Smith can always be found at his office, but his evenings are spent at home in the bosom of his family. He possesses one of the largest and best- selected libraries in the State. In public office he worked for the good of his constituents, and was economical, systematic and prompt in all his departments of duty. As a man and public officer, Mr. Smith pos- sessed the unlimited confidence of the people, and through his varied career has maintained a character above suspicion or reproach. He has been a liberal contributor to churches and benevolent enterprises of various kinds, and in all that pertains to the welfare of this city or the good of his fellow-men, he is ready at all times to lend a cheerful support.

WILLIAM SMITH, blacksmith ; is a native of Lancashire, England, and was born Jan. 26, 1832 ; he emigrated to America in 1851, and came to Mineral Point the following year and learned his trade here; in 1862, he engaged in business for himself, and has carried it on since then ; he is the oldest blacksmith now in business here ; he is a member of Iowa Lodge, No. 1, I. O. O. F. ; also of I. O. G. T., and the Temple of Honor. In April, 1858, he was united in marriage to Miss Phillipi Oates, a native of Cornwall, England ; they have three children-Mary, Annie, Willie ; they have lost one daugh- ter-Annie.

HARKER SPENSLEY (deceased) ; was a native of. Yorkshire, England, and was born in 1813 ; he emigrated to America in 1848 ; came to Dubuque the following year ; then to Wisconsin, and located at Shullsburg, La Fayette Co., and engaged in mining and smelting ; in 1856, he came to Mineral Point, where he carried on the smelting business until a few years before his death, when he gave the en- tire management of his business to his son, who still continues the business. He married Mrs. Ruth Spensley, born in Yorkshire, England ; she died in 18.7; Mr. Spensley died in 1876; leaving two sons-John and Calvert.

JOHN SPENSLEY, proprietor of Spensley's Smelting Furnaces ; is a native of Yorkshire, England ; was born May 22, 1841 ; his parents came to the United States in 1848; they came to Wis- consin the following year and located in La Fayette Co., at Shullsburg, and, in 1856, they came to Mineral. Point ; he grew up and received his education in this State; in 1872, he succeeded his father in the smelting business, and since then has been engaged in mining and smelting; has a large farm of 400 acres adjoining the city ; has held the office of City Alderman. Was united in marriage, Oct. 8, 1872, to Miss Mary J. Waller, of Dubuque, daughter of the late Robert Waller, one of the oldest and most honored resi- dents of that city ; they have three children-Harker B., Robert W. and Maria.

JAMES SPENSLEY, farmer and smelter, Sec. 36; P. O. Mineral Point; the subject of our sketch was born in Yorkshire, England, on the 17th of April, 1833, and is the son of Richard and Alice Spensley ; when he was 6 years old his parents emigrated to America and settled in Dubuque Co., Iowa, where he passed his early life, receiving a common English education, and assisting in his father's work; being of an adventurous turn of mind, he left home at the age of 16, and, with an ox-team, started across the plains for California ; owing to the large emigration of that year (1850). the feed of every kind on the way was consumed, and, when within 600 miles of Placerville, his point of destination, he was obliged to abandon his team and walk the remainder of the way; having only about four pounds of flour and one and one-half pounds of hacon to subsist upon, he endured the severest perils, but with a stout heart ; finally, at 10 o'clock on Thursday, the 24th of August, he reached the end of his long journey ;

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he worked for his board until Saturday night, and, during the next week, engaged in mining, having met with some friends who supplied him with an outfit of' tools; continuing this employment for nearly three years, with varied suceess, he, in April, 1853, left the mines and went to San Francisco, intending to em- bark for Australia ; he, however, changed his purpose, and took passage for New York, via Panama, and arrived at his home in July ; about this time his father moved to Galena, Ill., and engaged in the smelting business at that place ; his health having become greatly impaired by exposure, he was unable to attend to any regular business during the following three years, more than to assist in keeping his father's accounts ; at the expiration of this time, having recovered his health, he removed to Mineral Point, Wis., and, form- ing a copartnership with his father and brother, established himself in the smelting business, under the firmu name of James Spensley & Co .; in 1861, the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent, and, from that time until the present (1880), he has eondueted the business in his own name, and, by careful and judicious management, and close application to business, has made it a financial success; he is, besides, larvely engaged in farming interests. His political sentiments are Republiean, and, although he has no am- bition tor politieal emoluments, he was elected to the State Legislature in 1866, and there rendered good service ; all worthy matters of public interest readily enlist his sympathies, and he heartily supports any enterprise tending to the welfare of the town or State. He is a leading member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and has always lent a willing hand in furthering the cause of religion in his community. Mr. Spensley was first married, on the 24th of September, 1856, to Miss Elizabeth Ann Todd, daughter of George and Elizabeth Todd, of Jo Daviess Co., Ill .; Mrs. Spensley died on the 11th of June, 1873, leaving a family of eight children. Visiting England in 1874, he married his second wife, Elizabeth Ann Spensley, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Spensley, of Reeth, Yorkshire, on the 12th of May; she died March 15, 1877. and ou Dee. 29, 1879, he was married to Miss Annie S. Osborne, daughter of H. T. and Annie Osborne, of Mineral Point. Mr. Spensley's excellent personal qualities have secured him many warm friends, and he lives in the enjoyment of an ample competence, commanding, by his upright life, the highest respeet of all with whom he has to do.

LAWRENCE SPITZBARTH, farmer; Sec. 24; P. O. Mineral Point ; owns 40 acres of land, valued at $30 per aere; was born in Germany in 1841; came to America in 1849 with his parents and settled on their present farm, containing 270 aeres. His father, August Spitzbarth, was born in Germany, and married Margaret Fritch, a native of Germany; they have five children-Lawrence (the subject of the above sketeh ), Hanuah, Benhart, John, Maggie.

J. A. SPRATLER, dealer in groceries, provisions and crockery ; is a native of Germany. and was born in Bavaria July 9, 1836; he came to the United States in 1852, and lived in Freeport, and attended school there; he came to Mineral Point in 1856; he formed a partnership with E. Kinne in 1860, and the firm of Kinne & Spratler was one of the oldest firms in the city ; they carried on the mer- cantile business together for twenty years in the same location they now oeeupy. Mr. Spratler is a mem- ber of the Masonic Order, and is Master of Mineral Point Lodge, No. 1, the oldest lodge in the State ; he is also King of Iowa Chapter, No. 6. In 1859, Mr. Spratler was united in marriage to Miss Emma E. Fick ; they have nine children-Albert, Millie M., Lawrence E., Laura E., Rudolph H., Bertha E., Fred W., Louis H. and Walter H.

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History of Iowa County, Wisconsin, Part 131

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 958

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 958