History of Iowa County, Wisconsin, Part 132

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

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HON. MOSES M. STRONG .* Moses MeCure Strong is of Puritan stoek. His paternal ancestor, Elder John Strong, emigrated to America in 1629, and settled at Dorchester, Mass. He died at the age of 94 years at Northampton. The father of Mr. Strong was educated as a lawyer and became distinguished at the bar. In 1825, he was called to the bench, whenee he retired to private life. Moses MeCure Strong was born at Rutland, Vt., May 20, 1810. He derived his earliest educational instruction from his mother. He was five years at the village school, thenee went to the grammar school at Castleton, Vt. In 1825, he entered the Freshman Class of Middlebury College, Vt. Three years after, he joined the Senior Class of Dartmouth College, where he graduated in 1829. Having graduated, he entered the law office of Rodney C. Royee, and, at the expiration of one year, he entered the law school at Litehfield, Conn .. where he remained one year, when, after a thorough examination in open court by the judges and members of the bar, he was admitted to practice in all the courts of Connecticut. In 1836, he removed to Wiseonsin. In July, 1832, Mr. Strong was married to Miss Caroline Frances Green, daughter of Dr. Isaae Green, of Windsor, Vt. In 1833, he received the appointment of Deputy Surveyor General of the State of Vermont. In 1835, when the Democratie and Whig parties were being organized for the approaching Presidential election, although Mr. Strong's father, and numerous relatives, were all Whigs, yet the leading measures of Jackson's administration met his approval, and he eut loose from his political

*Prepared by Col. W. B. Slaughter.

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TOWN OF MINERAL POINT.

associations, and supported Mr. Van Buren for the Presidency. In 1836, while at Washington City, he was engaged by Gov. Hubbard and others to invest large sums of money in Government lands, and under their directions, he went directly to Mineral Point, in Wisconsin, and invested the funds intrusted to him. Upon his arrival he opened a law and land agency office, and has made that place his home ever since. In 1837, Mr. Strong received an appointment from Gen. Lytle for surveying Government lands on the west side of the Mississippi River, in what are now Jackson and Dubuque Counties. In 1838, he was appointed United States Attorney for the Territory of Wisconsin, which office he held three years, dis- charging its duties with punctuality and ability, and acquiring high professional distinction. In 1841, Mr. Strong was elected a member of the Legislative Council to fill a vacancy, and, in 1842, was re-elected for the full term of four years, in which he took a prominent and active part in all questions brought before it, and was twice elected as its President. He was elected as one of the delegates to the conven- tion which assembled in Madison in 1846, and took a leading part in framing the first constitution. This constitution was submitted to the people for adoption, and, after very exciting discussions throughout the State. was rejected. Another constitution was adopted in February, 1848, and ratified by the people in March of that year. In November, 1849, Mr. Strong was elected to the Assembly, and, at the meeting of the Legislature in 1850, was chosen Speaker. The session lasted thirty-four days, being the shortest ever held in the State, mainly due to the promptness and ability of the Speaker.

In 1852, he devoted much of his time in aiding the construction of the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad, and, afterward, in constructing the Mineral Point Railroad. He drew up the charter of the La Crosse Railroad, and its adoption was due chiefly to his efforts. He was elected its first President, and continued in its management until the financial disaster of 1857. He was also President of the Mineral Point Railroad, which he materially benefited by successful arrangements with the Illinois Central & Galena and Chicago Railroads. Mr. Strong spent six years in promoting the success of these enter- prises, which withdrew him from his profession of the law, and it required years of laborious effort to regain what he had lost. Mr. Strong, from early education and habit of thought, is a firm believer in the Christian religion, and, being attracted by the beautiful and classic liturgy of the Episcopal Church, he took an active part in organizing a church in Vermont, and was a member of the Vestry. On removing to Mineral Point, he, with a few other churchmen, organized Trinity Church in that parish, of which he has ever since been a Vestryman, and in which he received the rite of confirmation at the hands of Bishop Kemper. Since then he has been a regular communicaot, and frequently a delegate to the Diocesan Convention. His religious character has nothing of asceticism in it. He has always indulged in the innocent amusements of life. Since 1858, he has avoided public life, and confined himself chiefly to his professional duties in the practice of the law. His chief care for the last few years has been to provide for the education of his son and daughter. In 1863, the two children went with their mother to New Haven, Conn., she remaining with them four years, when his son completed his collegiate course at Yale College, graduating in 1867, at the age of 21. His daughter during the same time was educated at the

ladies' school, in charge of the Misses Edwards. Mr. Strong's son remained one year longer in the Shef- field Scientific School, connected with Yale, with the view of qualifying himself for the profession of a mining engineer. He was then sent to Germany, where he spent two years in the best mining schools of the country. Since his return to America, in 1870, he has been engaged in railroad engineering, until in 1873 he was appointed Assistant State Geologist. Mr. Strong is gratified with the success of his efforts in the education of his children. Nature has endowed Mr. Strong with some rare gifts. among them a vigorous physical constitution, an intellectual ability of a high order, logical, discriminating and compre- hensive. He is an able debater, a close reasoner, an impressive, and occasionally an eloquent, speaker. He has acquired an enviable reputation at the bar and in the legislative councils, in which bodies, as a Parliamentarian and presiding officer, he has bad no superior in the State. But his knowledge of the principles of law, his calm deliberation, his logical power and his analytical acumen, better fit him for the bench than the bar. If elevated to that position, his ability, learning and experience will enable him to reflect as much honor on that exalted station as its sanctity and dignity would reflect upon him.

E. W. SYLVESTER, retired farmer, Mineral Point ; is a native of Franklin Co., Me., and was born Aug. 25, 1820 ; after reaching manhood, he came West to Wisconsin in the spring of 1843, and taught school near Platteville; in the spring of 1846, entered land from Government in this county and made a farm ; in 1850, went to California, and returned in 1852 ; was successfully engaged in farming for thirty years, and still owus a good farm of 500 acres finely improved ; when he came to Wisconsin, he ouly had a few dollars, and his success is owing to his own efforts and good management ; has held the office of "Town Superintendent of Schools, and was Assessor for many years. He was united in marriage April 23,

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

1856, to Miss Nancy Howard, a native of Indiana; she came to this State in 1850; they have two chil- dren-one daughter. Nettie, and one son, Homer ; they lost two children in infancy.

MARK W. TERRILL, proprietor of the City Hotel ; is a native of Iowa Co., and was born Jan. 26, 1840 ; he grew to manhood here, and during the war enlisted in Co. I, 2d W. V. I., and served over three years ; since the war, he has been engaged in the hotel business. In 1858, he married Miss Elizabeth Ann Rablin, a native of Cornwall, Eng. ; she died in November, 1878, leaving three chil- dren-Mark W., William and James R. In 1879. he married Miss Laura Andrews, daughter of the late Robert Andrews, who was one of the earliest settlers of this county and served in the Black Hawk war. Mr. and Mrs. Terrill have one daughter-Nettie.

WILLIAM TERRILL (deceased) was a native of Cornwall, Eng., and was born in 1813 ; he emigrated to the United States in 1835, and came to Mineral Point the same year and engaged in min- ing ; for many years he kept the "Stag Inn Hotel," well known to all the early settlers in this section of the State. In March, 1838, he married Miss Eliza Crowgey, a native of Cornwall, Eng. ; she was born in April, 1819. Mr. Terrill died Feb. 9, 1864, leaving one son, Mark W., and one daughter, Lizzie.

JOHN TEMBY, farmer, Sec. 4; P. O. Mineral Point; owns 133 acres land, valued at $35 per acre ; born in Cornwall, Eng., in 1835; came to America in 1854, and located in this county. Married Grace Bennett in 1857 ; she, too, was born in England; have six children-Joseph J., Eliza J., Annie Edith, William Henry, Elizabeth and Alvin.

JOHN THIES, dealer in groceries and provisions, is a native of Germany, and was born in the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg Aug. 6, 1846 ; his parents emigrated to America in 1857, and came to Wis- consin the same year, and located at Mineral Point; he grew up and attended school here ; engaged in his present business in 1874, and has carried it on since then. In 1874, he married Miss Mary Ketter, a native of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, Germany ; they have four children-Annie, Henry, John P. and Mary.

JAMES TOAY, retired, is a native of Cornwall, Eng., and was born Nov. 29, 1823; he grew to manhood there, and came to the United States in 1842, and came to Wisconsin and arrived at Min- eral Point June 21, 1842 ; he engaged in copper mining, and continued in that business until 1850, when he went to California, and remained there for eighteen months, and then returned and engaged in farming in the town of Linden, and carried on that business for eighteen years, when he moved in the city, and since then has not been engaged in active business. Five years after coming to Mineral Point, Mr. Toay was united in marriage Nov. 13, 1847, to Miss Ann Vivian, daughter of Francis Vivian, one of the oldest settlers now living in this section of the State ; he came here in 1832. Mr. Toay has held various county offices ; he was elected a member of the Board of County Supervisors ; he was Chairman of the Town Board of the town of Linden for five years; he was elected President of the Iowa County Agricultural Society, and for four successive years he was elected President of the Southwestern Wisconsin Industrial Association ; when he came here, he had very little ; he owns some of the most desirably located property in the city ; he has been actively identified with the interests of the county, and his success in life is owing to his own efforts. He is a consistent member of the Primitive Methodist Church.

JOHN TOAY, deceased ; was a native of Cornwall, England, and was born in 1820; after reaching manhood, he emigrated to America with his brother James Toay, and Philip Allen ; he came to Mineral Point the same year and began working at his trade of stone-mason and plasterer, and carried on that business for twenty years ; he was a partner of Mr. Allen's in mercantile business for many years. In the fall of 1846, he married Miss Louise Richards, a native of Cornwall, England. Mr. Toay represented the Southern Assembly District of Iowa Co. in the State Legislature ; he was prominently identified with the interests of his church, after coming to this country; was a local preacher until his death, which oc- curred in the spring of 1867 ; he left seven children-John R., James M., Simon, Samuel M. Mary L., Hattie and Lizzie. Mrs. Toay still resides in the place where they were married.

JAMES M. TOAY, of the firm of Martin & Toay, dealers in hardware, stoves and house fur- nishing goods ; he is a native of Iowa Co., and was born in Mineral Point Sept. 24, 1854; he attended school, and learned his trade here ; soon after reaching his majority, in the spring of 1877, he associated with Mr. Martin and engaged in his present business, and they have built up a large and leading trade. Mr. Toay was united in marriage to Miss Louise Jacka, a native of this city, Oct. 10, 1878 ; they have- one son-John Spencer Toay. Mr. Toay is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and belongs to Mineral Point Lodge, No. 1.

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TOWN OF MINERAL POINT.

JOHN R. TOAY, of the firm of Toay Bros., dealers in groceries, provisions, boots and shoes ; is the eldest son of John and Louise Richards Toay, and is a native of Iowa Co .; he was born in Mineral Point Jan. 27, 1850 ; he attended school here, and afterward entered his father's store as clerk ; he established their present business in 1877, and the firm of Toay Bros. have built up a large, successful trade. In December, 1873, Mr. Toay was united in marriage to Miss Maria Gray, daughter of Hon. John Gray, an old settler and a leading merchant of this city. Mr. Toay is a member of Iowa Lodge, No. 1, I. O. O. F .; also belongs to the A. O. U. W., and to the I. O. G. T.

PETER TOAY, deceased ; was a native of Cornwall, England, and was born in 1818 ; he em- igrated to the United States and came to Mineral Point in 1840, and engaged in mining; in 1849, he went to California, and returned in 1851. Mr. Toay married Jane Martin, a native of Cornwall, England ; she was one of the carly settlers here. Mr. Toay died in 1858, leaving three children-Peter, Martha J. (now Mrs. Noble) and Annie (now Mrs. Rogers). Mrs. Toay still resides here, and is now Mrs. Jane Hills.

JOHN P. TRAMEL, City Clerk and Justice of the Peace ; is a native of Kentucky, and was born in Clark Co. Dec. 24, 1820; he lived in that State until 16 years of age, when he came to Mineral Point, arriving here March 19, 1840; he entered the law office of Frank Dunn, brother of Judge Dunn. Mr. Tramel was Deputy Clerk of the Courts of this county under Gen. George W. Jones, now of Dubuque. In 1844, Mr. Tramel was united in marriage to Miss Martha D. Nichols, a daughter of Col. Abner Nichols, who came to Wisconsin Territory in 1827. Mr. Tramel was appointed and served as Dep- nty Sheriff under James H. Gentry, who was appointed Sheriff by Gov. Dodge. Mr. Tramel was en- gaged in the hotel business ; he kept the Franklin House, which was burned in November, 1844, and was afterward engaged in the hardware business here ; he holds the office of Justice of the Peace; he was first elected to that office in 1858; he has held the office of City Clerk for the past four years ; he is a member of the Masonic order, and has served as Master of Mineral Point Lodge, No. 1, the oldest lodge in the State ; he is also Secretary of the Blue Lodge and the Chapter. Mr. and Mrs. Tramel have six children-Charles, now engaged in the hardware business in Chicago; Frank, now engaged in the hard- ware business in Englewood ; Laura, Mary, Florence and George.

SAMUEL TRELOAR, farmer, Scc. 33 ; P. O. Mineral Point ; owns 85 acres of land, valued at $40 per acre ; was born in England in 1832; came to America in 1834 with his parents, and located in this county ; in 1852, he went to California, where he was married to Elizabeth Lee, a native of Wis- consin ; they have six children-Lizzie J., F. Benjamin, Albert Lee, William E., Carrie J. and Forest H. He returned to Wisconsin in 1879, and settled on his present farm. In politics, he is a Republican.

L LIAM TREWEEK, blacksmith ; is a native of England ; his parents came to Wis- consin during his early childhood, and grew to manhood and learned his trade here; he established his present business in 1868, and has since then successfully carried on the business here, and has built up a good trade. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and also a member of the order of Odd Fellows. In 1869, Mr. Treweek was united in marriage to Miss Jane Honeychurch, a native of this city ; they have three children-Anna M., Charles and Amelia.

HARMON VAN DUSEN, M. D. Among the older class of medical practitioners in Iowa Co. Wis., is Harmon Van Dusen, who is well known among the profession, he having been twice at the head of the Wisconsin Medical Society ; though 70 years of age, his mind is very active, and, when not otherwise engaged, he always has a book in hand in the evening ; his usual custom has been to study till midnight ; a lifetime of such mental industry wust necessarily result in the accumulation of a great fund of knowledge outside of medical science-a fund easily discernible by conversing with the Doctor, but of which he makes no ostentatious display ; he is as modest and unassuming as he is studious, and reads for his own benefit and pleasure rather than for show. Dr. Van Dusen is the son of Henry Van Dusen. : 1 farmer, and Sally Stoddard, and dates his birth at Salisbury, Conn., July 23, 1807 ; he farmed until his 18th year, supplementing a common-school education with one year's attendance at the Middlebury Acad- emy, Wyoming Co., N. Y .; he read medicine at Bethany and Delphi, N. Y .; attended one course of lect- ures at Castleton, Vt .; was admitted to practice under a county license in 1828 ; practiced at Tully, Onon- daga Co., until 1834, when he attended a course of lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, receiving his diploma from the same ; returning to Tully, he continued practice there until 1847, when he came as far West as Milwaukee; in December of the following year, he removed to Mineral Point, and here made a permanent settlement ; he has been in general practice, and had from the start, and has care- fully maintained, a good standing in the profession ; he has been President of the Iowa County Medical Society since its origin ; is also a member of the State Medical Society, and was its President in 1868 and

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :

1872. While residing in the State of New York, during the administration of Mr. Van Buren, from 1837 to 1841, Dr. Van Dusen was Commissioner of the United States Deposit Fund, a trustworthy posi- tion ; he was Mayor of the city of Mineral Point in 1876, and had previously held one or two minor municipal offices ; he has always acted with the Democratic party. Dr. Van Dusen has been a member of the Masonic fraternity over fifty years; he joined the order in July, 1827; he attends the Episcopal Church. He has had three wives; the first was Miss Aurora Hobart, of Delphi, N. Y., they being united in 1829 ; she died at Tully, N. Y., March 1, 1842, leaving five children ; the second wife was Mrs. Mar- garet Ann Maun, of Syracuse, N. Y., they being married in 1843 ; she died March 22, 1852, leaving one son-Wilson H .- now practicing medicine at Montford, Grant Co., twenty miles from Mineral Point ; his present wife was Mrs. Jane E. Ackley, a cousin of his second wife, the maiden name of both being Wil- son ; Mrs. Van Dusen has a daughter (Mrs. Caroline E. Smith) by her first husband, but no children by her present union ; she is a Christian woman, and she and her daughter are communicants in the Episcu- pal Church. Dr. Van Dusen has partially retired from business, his rides being limited to the city and to the day-time ; a few of his old neighbors, when sick, will not call anybody else, but he is working out of the practice as rapidly as he can conveniently ; he is held in high esteem by the older citizens of the city and county, and, by some of those out of town, his retirement from practice is much regretted.

WILLIAM VARCOE, general agent for McCormick's reapers and mowers; is a son of George and Elizabeth Pollard Varcoe; is a native of lowa Co .; was born in the town of Linden, June 14, 1848; he attended school there, and afterward took a commercial course at Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College, in Chicago; has been engaged in present business since 1875 ; is general agent for the Counties of Richland, Crawford, Grant, Iowa, La Fayette, south half of Sauk, west half of Green and Jo Daviess, from Warren west to the river; has a large experience in the business, and has built up an extensive trade ; belongs to the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of the Chapter and Com- mandery.

JOHN H. VIVIAN, M. D .. physician and surgeon ; is a native of Cornwall, England. and was born July 27, 1825; he received his education there and studied medicine ; after reach- ing manhood, he came to the United States, in 1847, and came to Wisconsin and located the same year at Mineral Point, and engaged in the practice of medicine. He has practiced his profession in Mineral Point for a period of one-third of a century-a greater length of time than any other physician here. During the war, Dr. Vivian was appointed surgeon of the board of enrollment of the Third Congressional District, and was afterward commissioned surgeon of the 50th W. V. I; he has held the office of Mayor of the city, and has served several times as a member of the County Board ; he was twice elected a member of the State Legislature. and is now a member of the State Board of Charities; he is a member of lowa Lodge No. 1, I. O. O. F., the oldest lodge in the northwest. Dr. Vivian has been twice married ; his first wife was Miss Elizabeth Stansmore, a native of England, whom he married in 1849. His present wife was Miss Amelia Stansmore, a native of England ; they have five children-Amy, Stansmore, Fred, Alfred and Ellen.

WILLIAM WALKER, proprietor of Walker's hotel ; was born in Ireland, Jan. 1, 1814 ; he emigrated to the United States in 1839; lived two years at Joliet, Ill., and came to Wisconsin and settled at Mineral point in 1841 ; he engaged in teaming, and used to haul lead to Galena ; has carted lead to Milwaukee, and would bring a load of merchandise back with him, taking eight days to make the trip ; he afterward engaged in manufacturing lime, and carried on that business for some years. He built his hotel in 1860, and opened it for business the following year ; the property has eost him, altogether, over $10,000. Mr. Walker married Miss Letitia Gibson, a native of Ireland ; they had one son - William, who is not living.

JOHN B. WALLIS, farmer; Sec. 8, P. O. Mineral Point (owns 290 acres of land, val- ued at $30 per acre) ; born in Cornwall, England, in 1846; came to America with parents in 1848 ; mar- ried Miss Sarah Remfry. June, 1870; have two children-Millicent A. and John B .; are members of the Primitive Methodist Church ; politics, Republican.

JOHN WASLEY, carpenter and builder; is a native of Cornwall, England, and was born August 26, 1844; his parents emigrated to the United States in 1849, and settled at Bruce Mines, Can- ada ; here they remained for three years, and then came to Mineral Point in 1852; he learned the trade of carpenter and joiner ; he has been engaged in building here for many years; he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Mineral Point Lodge No. 1 ; also belongs to the Chapter and Commandery, and belongs to the A. O. U. W. He was united in marriage Aug. 15, 1866, to Miss Louise J. Wight, a native of Cornwall, England. They have three children-Ulysses, Annie and Martin M.

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TOWN OF MINERAL POINT.

RICHARD WEARNE, of the firm of Wearne & Son, foundry and machine-shop ; is a na- tive of Cornwall, England, and was born May 31, 1842; his parents emigrated to the United States, and canie to Mineral Point in 1848; when he was only 11 years of age he began learning his trade in his father's shop. In 1859, when only 17 years of age, he and William Jaeka started with one yoke of oxen for California ; he only had three sovereigns when they reached Omaha; Jaeka wanted to return, and did so-Mr. Wearne went on to California, and was there three years and in British Columbia four years, engaged in mining ; since his return he has been engaged in business here with his father. He belongs to Mineral Point Lodge No. 1. A., F. & A. M. In November, 1869, he married Miss Mary A., daughter of Samuel Treloar, one of the old settlers of Linden. They have three children-Lulu, Charles and Fred.

PATRICK WHALEN, engineer on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad; is a native of Ireland, and was born in 1849 ; the family eame to America in 1858; they came to Wisconsin and settled in La Fayette County. Mr. Whalen entered the employ of the Mineral Point Railroad Com- pany in June, 1868, and has run an engine sinee 1873. In 1873 he married Miss Catharine Dailey, from this eity ; she died October 27, 1875, leaving one sou, John. He married Miss Mary L. Gerarden, a native of St. Louis, March 4, 1878. They have one daughter-Amelia.

JOHN H. WILKINSON, blacksmith ; is a native of Iowa County, and was born in Min- eral Point Jan. 29, 1849; he learned his trade here; in 1870 he engaged in his present business, and has built np a good trade. He married Miss Celia Williams, from Hazel Green, Grant Co., Dec. 24, 1869. They have five children-Charlie, Henry, Frank, Willie and Leda M.

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History of Iowa County, Wisconsin, Part 132

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