History of Iowa County, Wisconsin, Part 143

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

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C. M. REYNOLDS, proprietor of American House, Mifflin; was born in Chemung Co .. N. Y., April 8, 1835; learned the trade of carriage-maker, and came to Wisconsin in December, 1855, and engaged in the carriage-making business. He enlisted, Ang. 11, 1862, in the 30th W. V. I .; mustered out in 1865, and returned to Mifflin ; opened a hotel in July, 1880. His wife, Louisa Halsted, was born in Allegany Co., N. Y., in 1834; they were married in 1855 ; have no children. In politics, Republican ; in religion, liberal ; member of I. O. O. F .; has invented a car-coupler and gang-plow ; owns town prop- erty in Champaign City, Ill., 8 acres near Mifflin, and 160 aeres in Wayne Co., Mo.

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TOWN OF MIFFLIN.

H. P. RUNDELL, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Livingston, Grant Co., Wis .; was born in Cornwall, England, in 1820; came to America in 1853; settled near Platteville; came to Iowa Co., Wis., in 1864 ; bought 146 acres, and now owns 313 acres of land, and improved with a house 40x18, wing 26x12, as fine a place as there is in Mifflin. His wife, Elizabeth Ann Endey, was born in Cornwall, England, in 1830; came to America in 1856: married in 1857 ; they have eight children-Alnia P. (in Montana), James A., Melissa P., Georgiana A., Earnest E., Clarence B., Oscar B., Beatrice L. In politics, Repub- lican ; in religion, Primitive Methodist ; his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church ; he is also a class-leader, and has been Justice of the Peace seven years.

JOHN SCHUSTER, farmer, Sec. 16; P. O. Mifflin; born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Feb. 14, 1828 ; eame to America in 1852 ; settled in New York ; remained there about three years, then went to Galena, then to Grant Co., Wis., and bought 49 acres of land, and made part of the improvements ; remained there about seven years, then sold out and moved to Iowa Co., Wis., and now owns 280 acres of land, on which he has made most of the improvements ; his house is 20x24, two stories ; granary 20x 20. His wife, Mary Weller, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1833; came to America in 1853; they married in 1858; they have three children-Carrie, Willie and Katie.

PAINE T. STEVENS, farmer, Sec. 5; P. O. Montford ; was born in Mifflin, Iowa Co., Wis., Feb. 13, 1849, and attended school at Platteville Normal; graduated in 1873, and taught in the Graded School at Platteville one year, and then removed to a farm of 215 acres. He is a member of Wingville Lodge. A., F. & A. M., and W. M. Was School Treasurer six years, County Surveyor one term, member of the Board of Supervisors, and Justice of the Peace. His wife, Carrie Edwards, was born in Galena, Jo Daviess Co., Ill., in May, 1849 ; they were quarried March 25. 1873; they have one child-Lorenzo-born June 27, 1876.

GEORGE W. STRONG, farmer, Sec. 17; P. O. Livingston ; was born in Portage Co., Ohio, April 28, 1827 ; came to Wisconsin in October, 1847, and settled in Mifflin, Iowa Co .; he is a blacksmith by trade ; he owns 160 acres of land ; he moved on the farm in 1875 ; in 1853, he was engaged in black- smithing in the copper mines in Michigan. His wife, Louisa Jacka, was born in Cornwall, England, April 16, 1835 ; came to America in 1849; they were married Dec. 27, 1850; they have had seven children, four living-Emma, now Mrs. Miller ; Fannie, deceased ; Randolph, deceased ; Edith, deceased ; John, George W. and Mary. In politics, he is a Democrat ; in religion, he is a liberal believer ; he is a member of the A., F. & A. M., and Secretary of Mifflin Lodge ; a Good Templar, and W. C. T. He is School Director of District No. 1.

WILLIAM THOMAS, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Livingston ; was born in Derbyshire, England, Feb. 8, 1826; came to America April 6, 1848, and direct to Big Patch, Wis., where he remained one year, then to the town of Mifflin one year ; in 1850, he went to California and remained about fourteen months ; he then went to England in December, 1852, and returned in April, 1853, to Big Smelzer Patch, Grant Co .; he remained there about eight years; then went to Iowa Co. in 1859, and bought and now owns 500 acres of land, with a barn 30x30, a house 16x30, and a good stock farm ; has a good grade of Durham stock. His wife was Kittie Peters, born in North Hill Parish, Cornwall, England, in 1830 ; she came to America in 1852, and they were married in the spring; they have had fourteen children. nine living-Nicholas, Elizabeth A., Samuel P., George H., Sarah, William, Noah, Mary J. and Kittie. He has been on the School Board, and Pathmaster two terms.

JOSEPH WALKER WELLS, miner, Mifflin ; born in Burlington Co., N. J., March, 1816, and came to St. Clair Co., Ill., thence to Wisconsin in 1838, and then to Iowa Co., Wis .; engaged in mining. He now owns 80 acres of mining land. In 1852, he went to Colorado, and returned to Wisconsin in May, 1855. Hlas been Justice of the Peace and Town Supervisor, under the old organ- ization.

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TOWN OF ARENA.

ETHAN ALLEN BLYNN, farmer, Sec. 14; P. O. Mazomanie; Mr. Blynn was born in Montgomery Co., N. Y., in 1819 ; he came to Wisconsin in the spring of 1847, reaching Chicago on May 5 of that year ; thenee to Janesville, where he was engaged in a stage office for about two years ; thence to Beloit, Wis., where he was engaged as clerk in a hotel known as the " Rock River Honse ; " thence to Mineral Point about 1852; he afterward went to Illionois, where he was engaged on the I. C. R. R. for about three years ; he then returned to Iowa Co. Mr. Blynn was a soldier in the war of the rebellion ; he enlisted in the fall of 1861, in the 11th W. V. I .; he was connected with that regiment abont ten months, and was discharged for physical disability ; in 1863, he served in the 40th, a 100-day regiment ; in the spring of 1864, he enlisted in the 49th W. V. I., and served until the close of the war. He then settled where he now lives, in 1866. His wife was Miss Louisa Smith, born in Madison Co., N. Y .; they have four children-Charles A., Frank S., Eugene L. and Joseph E. His farm contains 130 acres.

JAMES ALLISON, farmer, Sec. 21 ; P. O. Arena; born in Scotland in 1808; he came to the United States in 1835; he lived about three years in Orange Co., Vt., and spent about one year in Boston, Mass .; he removed to Illinois, and thence to Mineral Point, Iowa Co., in 1840, which makes him one of the earliest of the pioneers of the county ; he was somewhat unfortunate in his earlier experience in this country ; he made a claim of a farm in Illinois, which he lost ; after coming to Iowa Co. he lived a short time at Mineral Point; went from there to the town of Ridgeway ; he made a claim on Sauk Prairie, upon which he spent all the money he had, about $90, and afterward lost the land because he had no money to purchase it when it came into market ; he worked at the shot-tower at Helena about one year ; his first permanent settlement was in the town of Dodgeville, where he bought 80 acres of land of Mr. William Ruggles, which he afterward sold and located in the town of Ridgeway, where he entered 360 acres ; he settled where he now lives in 1865. He married Mrs. Ellen Williams, formerly Ellen Perry ; has one daughter-Janet ; his present farm contains 80 acres.

EDWIN R. BOVEE, farmer ; P. O. Arena ; was born in the eastern part of the State of New York Jan. 22, 1825; he lived in that State till 1849, when he came to Waukesha Co., Wis., where he remained a short time ; he then went to Jefferson Co. and engaged in farming ; he came to Arena in 1857, and engaged as station agent ; this position he held for twelve or fourteen years; has been engaged principally in farming for several years. He was married to Miss Anne Bird, daughter of William Bird, who came to Wisconsin from England about 1843; Mrs. Bovee was born in 1838 ; they have one daughter -Lunette, now a student of Ripon College ; have an adopted son-John R. The parents of Mr. Bovee, with their family, except himself, who was the oldest child, came to Wisconsin in 1843; his mother died soon after the family arrived in Milwaukee ; his father now lives in Waukesha Co.

WILLIAM H. BRISBANE, farmer and attorney, Sec. 21; P. O. Arena; son of Dr. William H. Brisbane, who was born in Beaufort Co., S. C., Oet. 12, 1806. Dr. Brisbane was of Scotch extraction ; his father owned a large plantation, from whom the Doctor inherited a large number of slaves. In early life, becoming convinced that slavery was wrong, he proved the sincerity of his convictions by emancipating his slaves, some thirty in number, and saw them all settled in a free State, as free men and women. By this act, he, of course, incurred the displeasure of the slave-holders of his native State. He was ever after arrayed with the Abolition party, against the institution of slavery. He was for some time a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio. In about 1846, he came to Philadelphia, and took charge of an anti-slavery paper, ealled the American Citizen ; but, his health failing, he was obliged to discontinue this work at the end of one year. He then removed to the State of New Jersey, and took charge of a church, near Cam- den, where he remained until 1849, when he returned to Cincinnati, where he established an anti-slavery paper called The Crisis, which wielded a great influence both North and South. He removed to Wisconsin in 1853, and resided a short time at Madison ; but came to Arena in the spring of 1854. From this time until his death, he was prominently identified with all the leading reforms of the day. At the breaking- out of the rebellion, he was chosen Chaplain of the 2d Wisconsin Cavalry. In 1862, he was appointed one of the Tax Commissioners of South Carolina, and took up his residence in Beaufort. This position be held till 1870. He was, at one time, Chief Clerk of the Senate of Wisconsin, and has held other positions

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TOWN OF ARENA.

of honor and trust. Dr. Brisbane was as strong an enemy of intemperance as of slavery. These he regarded as the great enemy of our free institutions, and he fought them with all the energy and ability that he possessed. Yet so mild was he, and careful of the feelings of others, that he never gave offense, and all united, of whatever religious or political opinions, in their respect, esteem and admiration of the man. He was married, when but 18 years of age, to Miss Anna Lawton, who still survives him. They had ten children, only three of whom are living-Benjamin, who resides in New York ; William H. and Mrs. Phebe A. Reeve, of Black Earth. Dr. Brisbane died at his home in Arena in 1878. William H. Brisbane, Jr., was born in Cincinnati in 1838. He was with his father most of the time until he reached manhood. He enlisted, in 1861, in the 1st W. V. I. for three months. He re-enlisted in the 2d W. V. C .; was made a Second Lientenant, and resigned in June, 1862. He then went to New York City, where he was employed in the Custom House till 1864. He then joined the 56th New York Militia, which was ordered to Pennsylvania when that State was invaded by Gen. Lee. In 1864, he went to South Carolina as surveyor and clerk, at the front of Beaufort. He studied law, and practiced for a time in New York and Chicago. He was married to Elizabeth Sniffen ; has had eight children-five of whom are living --- Henry C., John B., Mariem, Edith M. and Phoebe E. The homestead where Mr. Brisbane now resides contains about 300 acres.

MRS. RUTH CALKINS resides in Sec. 31 ; P. O. Arena ; she is the widow of John Cal- kins, who was born in the State of Connecticut in 1803 ; his parents removed to Steuben Co., N. Y., when he was 18 years of age. He was married to his present widow, Ruth Crawford, born in the State of New York, in 1809; they removed to Illinois about 1836, and to Wisconsin about 1845, and settled in the town of Arena, where Mr. Calkins died in 1873. Mrs. Calkins has had eleven children, nine of whom are living-Emily, John F., Maria A., Homer, Orra, Stephen, Anson, Reuben and Louis; the names of the deceased children were Jerome and Isabel. Louis was born in the town of Arena in 1849; he resides at the homestead, of which he has charge. Farm contains 120 acres.

WILLIAM CALDWELL, farmer, Sec. 36; P. O. Mazomanie ; son of John and Harriet Caldwell, who, like many others of the English settlers of this part of Wisconsin, came here under the auspices of the British Temperance Association ; they came in 1849, and settled in Dane Co., where the father died in 1861 ; mother died in 1853 ; parents had nine children, eight of whom are living, all born in England ; oldest son, John, still lives iu England; William was born in 1828; was married to Mary Hannah Blakey, who came from England in 1846; they have five children-John, Harriet, Elizabeth Anne, William B. and Tom. Mr. Caldwell's farm consists of 484 acres.

WILLIAM J. DAVIS, manager of the hardware store of Davis Bros. (John and D. J.), son of Benjamin J. Davis, a native of Wales, and one of the earliest settlers of the town of Ridgeway, Iowa Co. ; parents have twelve children, all of whom were born in the town of Ridgeway ; eleven of the chil- dren are living, nine sons and two daughters; John, of the firm of Davis Bros., is at present traveling salesman for Ball & Goodrich, wholesale grocers, of Milwaukee ; D. J. is a member of the firm of Davis & Fairlamb, who are extensively engaged in the manufacture of milk cans ; they are located in Chicago ; the hardware store in Arena, of which William J. has charge, is doing quite an extensive business ; sales for 1879 were $13,000.

JOHN A. DAWSON, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Arena. He is the oldest surviving son of William and Ann Dawson (see biography of S. W. Dawson) ; he was born at the homestead May 3, 1846. He was married to Mary Ann, daughter of John Porter; they have five children -- Frederick T., William L., Nellie, Leonard P. and Franklin. He resides upon a part of the homestead farm ; he has 300 acres of land. His mother resides in the village of Arena.

STEPHEN W. DAWSON, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Arena ; son of William L. and Anna Dawson, who emigrated from Yorkshire, England, to Iowa County, in May, 1845. Mr. William L. Dawson was one of those early English settlers who came over under the auspices of the British Temperance Association. He settled in the town of Arena, on that portion of the homestead farm where his son Ste- phen L. now lives. He had seven children-three sons and four daughters ; two sons and two daughters are still living. He enlisted in the war of the rebellion in the 2d W. V. C., Co. F; he was appointed bugler of his company, and afterward became regimental hugler. He died while in the service, in 1862. Stephen W. was born on the farm where he now lives, Oct. 23, 1847. He was married to Mary, daughter of Hiram Carter ; they have five children-William, Agnes, Lulu, Stephen A. and Daisy. He has 380 acres of land.

LOUIS ENOCH, proprietor of Wisconsin House, Arena. Mr. Enoch was born in the town of Dodgeville, Iowa Co., in 1851 ; his parents. John and Sarah Enoch. natives of Wales, are still residents

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

of Dodgeville. Mr. Euoch his been engaged in mining for many years; he still owns an interest in a valuable lead mine near Dodgeville. He came to Arena and took charge of the Wisconsin House, in April, 1880.

JOHN GOODLAD, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Hyde's Mills ; son of William and Ann Goodlad, who were among the earliest of the English settlers of Iowa County who came over under the auspices of the "British Temperance Emigration Society." His father settled in the town of Arena, on the farm which John now owns ; his father went to England about 1868, but returned and settled at Osborne, Kan., where he died, Aug. 22, 1879. He was born in 1803. Mother now lives at Stavely, England ; she has six children-three daughters, who live in England, and three sons, in the United States. John Goodlad was born Dec. 23, 1830. He was married to Mary Yapp. They have seven sons and one daughter-Joseph, John, William, Henry S., Selina, Charles H., Frank and Ernest. Mr. Goodlad has about 500 acres of land.

JOHN HODGSON, farmer, See. 31 ; P. O. Arena. Mr. Hodgson was born in England, in 1821; he is the son of Richard Hodgson (see biography of Francis Hodgson). He came to the United States with his brother William, in June, 1845, several months before his father came. His wife was Miss Ann Emery ; like many of the early English settlers, Mr. Hodgson is one of the substantial men of Iowa Co. The memory of both himself and wife goes back to the time when Wisconsin was in its infancy ; to the time when the Indian yet lingered on the borders of civilization, and Wisconsin was still the hunting ground of the savage. A part of the farm which Mr. Hodgson now owns was entered as Government land. He has now a pleasant home and 265 aeres.

WILLIAM HODGSON, farmer, See. 1; P. O. Arena. Mr. Hodgson is the third son of Richard and Jane Hodgson; he was born in England in 1825; he came to Wisconsin from England with his brother John in 1845; he has been a resident of Iowa County since that time. He was married to Mrs. Harriet Dobney, daughter of Nathaniel Porter. They have three children-Ralphe, Bertie M. and Lillian L. Mrs. Hodgson has two children by her former husband-Blanche A. and Fan- nie. Mr. Hodgson settled on a part of his present farm in 1851 ; he has 220 aeres.

FRANCIS HODGSON, farmer, Sec. 26; P. O. Arena; born in Yorkshire, England, in 1827 ; he is a son of Richard Hodgson, who was born in England Feb. 25, 1797, and who was married to Jane Wright, born Jan. 7, 1800; they were married June 20, 1820, and came to America in Octo- ber, 1845. They had twelve children, all of whom were boru in England. Mr. Richard Hodgson still lives with his children in the town of Arena; his wife died Nov. 15, 1875. Francis was married to Betsy Wilkinson, born in England. Mr. Hodgson, like others of this numerous family, is one of the successful and substantial farmers of Iowa Co. He began life poor ; his first successful investment was that of $5, which he borrowed to pay his wedding expenses. This investment he has uever had cause to regret. From small financial beginnings, by hard work and elos: attention to business, he has attained to not only comfortable, but to affluent eireumstances. His farm contains 720 acres. He has six children-Lewis, Kate, Harriet I., Elmer F., Walter and Wilber P.

JOSEPH S. HUGGINS, farmer, See. 12; P. O. Mazomanie; born in the State of New Hampshire, in 1818, where he lived till 1840, when he went to the State of Iowa. He resi led near Bur- lington, in that State, for some time; he was also at Galena, Ill. ; he was engaged in lumbering in the Chippewa River region as early as 1843. He returned to the State of New Hampshire; went to Boston, Mass., where he lived about nine years. He returned to Wisconsin in 1854, and settled where he now lives, in 1856. He was married to Elizabeth Murdough, born in New Hampshire ; has two children-James and Susan. His farm contains 258 acres. In his younger life, Mr. Huggins was en- gaged in teaching, for a considerable time. He also learned the business of surveying, which he still fol- lows to some extent.

DAVID HOLCOMB, farmer, Sec. 17; P. O. Mazomanie ; born in Oswego Co., N. Y., in 1822; he came to Wisconsin with his father's family in 1845, the family settled in Troy, Walworth Co .; they came to Iowa Co. in 1855, and settled where David now lives; father died May, 1874; mother lives at the homestead ; David took possession of the homestead farm iu 1873. He was married to Miss Annie Appleby, daughter of James Appleby ; they have nine children-Worcester, John, Florence, George, Nettie, William, Franklin, Ernest and Lulu. Mr. Holcomb's parents had eight children, six sons and two daughters ; three sons and one daughter are living, all residents of Wisconsin.

RICHARD P. JONES, farmer, Sec. 14; P. O. Arena; born in Wales in 1828; he emi- grated to the United States with his parents, John P. and Mary Jones, in 1851 ; his parents settled at

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Blue Mounds, Iowa Co., where they resided till their death ; John P. went to Galena, Ill., and engaged in mining for about two and a half years; thence to California, where he also engaged in mining ; he made two trips to that State; was there altogether, over ten years; he returned to Dodgeville, where he kept the United States Hotel ; this property he owned for about twenty years, when he exchanged it for prop- erty in Adamsville, where he settled in the fall of 1875, and engaged in the mercantile trade; settled on his present farm in the spring of 1879. His first wife was Mary Watkins ; she died in 1874. His present wife was Mary Farris. He has two children by his first wife-Martha and Mary ; has one by his present wife-Frank. His farm contains about 240 acres.

THOMAS JONES, farmer, See. 14: P. O. Arena ; born in Wales in 1819 ; he came to Iowa Co. with his parents, and settled in Blue Mounds, where his parents resided till their death ; the family consisted of the parents and five children, four sons and one daughter; the children are all residents of Iowa Co. Mr. Jones went to California in 1850, and engaged in mining ; he was absent about four years ; he settled on his present farm in 1866 ; his first wife was Elizabeth Edwards ; his second wife was Mar- garet Morris ; his third and present wife was Margaret Evans; he has one child by first wife-Mrs. Mar- garet Roberts ; lost one child ; has five children by second wife-Ellen, Anna, Christie A., Thomas and Katie ; lost three. Mr. Jones' farm contains 336 acres.

RICHARD KNIGHT, farmer, Sec. 26; P. O. Mazomanie ; born in Leicestershire, Eng., but a few miles from the city of London, in 1834; he came to Iowa Co. from England in 1850; he remained about two years, and then went to Ohio, where he lived ten years ; he then returned to Wiscon- sin and settled in the town of Vermont, Dane Co., where he was married to Mary Caldwell ; he settled where he now lives in March, 1876; in June, 1876, Mr. Knight met with a severe and nearly fatal acci- dent ; while crossing the railroad track at Mazomanie, his team became frightened at the cars, and he was thrown from his wagon with great force; his head was so severely injured that it was thought he would not reeover ; he is, however, able to be about and oversee the duties of his farm, but still suffers from the injuries he received ; he has seven children-Frank, Loraine, John W., Fred, Harriet, William and Mary. His farm contains about 150 acres.

SYLVESTER LAMPMAN, farmer and carpenter ; P. O. Arena; born in the town of Swanton, Franklin Co., Va., July, 1834. His parents removed to Dane Co. about 1850; his father still lives in the town of Cross Plains. Mr. Lampman is a carpenter and joiner by trade, which he followed for many years ; he settled on his present farm in the fall of 1874. He was married to Fanny Farewell ; they have seven children-six sons and one daughter. His farm contains 222 acres.

HENRY LINLEY, farmer, Sec. 13; P. O. Mazomanie; born in Nottinghamshire, England, in 1824 ; he is the son of John and Isabelle Linley. His parents and three sons came from England to Iowa Co. in June, 1844, being among the earliest of the English settlers of this portion of Wisconsin. The family settled in the town of Arena, where his father has since resided. Mr. Henry Linley lost his first wife in England, and was married to Miss Sarah Bagnall, and came to Iowa Co. from England in 1849, and settled, with his father, in Sec. 24, Arena. His father has lived with his son Henry since that time; he is now in his 85th year. In 1856, in company with Joshua Rhodes, he built the Dover Grist-mill ; he sold his share of this mill in 1864. Mr. Linley has had seventeen children, ten of whom are living- Isabelle (now Mrs. Ellis), William H., John, Emily E. (now Mrs. John Thomas), Arthur L., Henry F., Albert, Gertrude, Herman and May A., all of whom were born in Iowa Co., except Mrs. Ellis. Mr. Linley's farm contains 315 acres.

EVAN LLOYD, farmer, Sec. 20 ; P. O. Arena. Mr. Lloyd was born in Carnarvonshire, Wales. in 1823. He emigrated to the State of Pennsylvania in 1839 ; he lived in Pennsylvania for about three years, and came to Iowa Co. in 1842 ; he lived some time at Mineral Point and at Dodgeville, and worked at the shot-tower at Helena as early as 1844; he settled on a farm, in the town of Arena, in 1850 ; after- ward went to Missouri, but has been a resident of fowa Co. most of the time since 1842. He was mar- ried to Jane Hodgson, whose parents were among the earliest settlers of Iowa Co .; they have eight chil- dren-Richard, Edward, Ella, Margaret, Katie, Jennie, Bessie and Robert. His farm contains 305 acres.

PETER LLOYD, Sr., farmer, Sec. 28; P. O. Helena ; was born in North Wales in 1810. He went to England when 12 years of age, where he lived for several years. When about 20 years of age, he went to the city of London, where he lived several years ; he then returned to Wales, and after- ward removed to Liverpool, where he was employed on the police force of that city, and where he was married to Margaret Davis, also a native of Wales. He emigrated to New York, where he stayed a few inonths, and thence to Pittsburgh, where he was employed in a coal mine ; he came to Mineral Point in

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History of Iowa County, Wisconsin, Part 143

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