USA > Wisconsin > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Wisconsin, past and present : including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county [microform] > Part 42
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Judge Morrow was born in Aurora county, New York, Janu- ary 1, 1832, and received his education at the Aurora Academy, after which he clerked in a store for three years, and following that he accepted a position with George A. Prince, a manufac- turer, with whom he remained two years, when he went to Boston to enter the employ of the Mason & Hamlin Organ Company. He arrived at Sparta September 18, 1856, and resided in that city continuously up to the time of his death. He was admitted to the bar in 1859, and in 1872 formed a partnership with Judge C. M. Masters, which continned, with the exception of the time when Judge Morrow was sitting as circuit judge, up until the time of his death.
Judge Morrow served the county faithfully as district attor- ney for six different terms, was president of the village two years, clerk of the Board of Education seven years: was United States Internal Revenue Collector two years during Cleveland's first term. At the end of this time his distriet was consolidated with the second. and the office moved to Madison under the collector of that district. He was delegate-at-large io the National Democratic Convention at Chicago in 1884, and was appointed judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in 1893 by Gov- ernor Peck and held the office until the next election when. owing to the district being overwhelmingly Republican. he was defeated. Hle had served as grand chancelos and past supreme representative of the Knights of Pythias: he was a member of A. O. U. W. and a Mason, He was married April 9. 1860, to
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Miss Olive Graves, of Sparta, and to them was born one daugh- ter, Mary who still resides in Sparta in the old home. Judge Morrow died suddenly on the 28th day of July, 1899, dropping to the sidewalk and expiring almost instantly while going from his home to the office in the afternoon of that day.
Adelbert E. Bleekman, Sparta, was born at Salisbury, Herki- mer county, New York, March 26, 1846. After receiving an academic education he studied law, came to Wisconsin in 1869, and settled in Tomah in the practice of his profession. In 1873 he was elected a member of the assembly. During the late war he entered the military service as private in Company A, Second Ohio Cavalry, and was in the battles of the Wilderness, Hanover Court House, Ackland Station, and all of Wilson's engagements during his raids in 1864. While residing at Tomah he was elected without opposition to the state senate in November, 1873. Removing to Sparta in June, 1875, he was elected district attor- ney for the county of Monroe for 1876, 1877 and 1878. Mr. Bleekman's law firm in Sparta with Mr. Bloomingdale was Bleekman & Bloomingdale. Afterwards he moved to La Crosse, where he died June 27, 1908.
Henry C. Spaulding was a son of V. Spaulding, who came to Monroe county from Chelford. Mass., in the year 1855. Henry C. was born in Massachusetts on the 10th day of January, 1844. He studied law at Tomah with the firm of Graham & Bleekman and was admitted to the bar in 1872. On the 24th day of June, 1871, he was married to Miss N. M. Wells, who was born in Michigan. Six children were born to them, Clara B., Susie, Laura, Harry A .. Edward, and Estella M.
In 1877 Mr. Spaulding formed a partnership with A. E. Bleekman under the firm name of Bleekman & Spaulding, which continued for about three years. He afterwards entered into partnership with F. E. Campbell under the firm name of Spaulding & Campbell, which firm continued for some two years. After that Mr. Spaulding practiced alone at the city of Tomah until the time of his death, which occurred on the 7th day of May. 1907.
He attended Beloit College. taught school. studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1872. Ile served as a private in Company H. Tenth Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry, during 1861- 1862; in 1864 he again enlisted as a private in Company E. Forty-fourth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Spaulding was a man of fine personality, a pleasing and forceful
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speaker .. and look great interest in public affairs. In his practice he met with a large measure of success, particularly in criminal law.
David F. Jones was born in Utica, N. Y .. May 11. 1859. He removed to Wisconsin with his parents at an early age and in 1874 became a resident of the city of Sparta. His early educa- tion was received in the Sparta schools and was completed by a thorough course at Galesville College and Lake Forest Uni- versity. He studied law in the office of Morrow & Masters at Sparta and was admitted to the bar in 1881, and the following year was elected district attorney for Monroe county, which office he held for six consecutive years. He was elected again in the fall of 1893 and served one term.
About this time he became quite prominent in state politics and was elected a delegate to the National Republican Conven- tion at St. Louis in 1896, which nominated President MeKinley. During 1897-1898 represented his district in the assembly and made a brilliant record at this session ; his ability was recognized on all sides and he was appointed a member of the committee to revise the Statutes of 1898 and rendered a valuable assistance in that work.
In July, 1898, he was appointed by President MeKinley United States District Attorney for the Western District of Wis- consin and his administration to that most important office stamped him as a lawyer of energy, ability and integrity. On January 1, 1899. he formed a partnership with R. A. Richards, who moved to Sparta from Tomah, under the firm name of Jones & Richards, which continued up until the time of the death of Mr. Jones, which occurred on the 20th day of December, 1900.
Mr. Jones was interested in local polities and served as chairman of the Republican County Committee for six years and was frequently a delegate of state and congressional con- ventions and in the year 189. . he became a candidate for the state senate, and the history of that memorable fight in which the senatorial district met several times in the different parts of the senatorial district, which consisted of Jackson, Monroe and Vernon counties, is still fresh in the minds of some of the participants. Mr. Jones was defeated for the nomination. but his course marked him as a man to be reckoned with in the future. He served the city of Sparta in the capacity of its attorney several terms. he was a Knight Templar and prominent in Masonic and Odd Fellow lodges and at all times enjoyed
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the confidence of his friends. While attending a term of the United States Court at Madison in the month of December, 1900, he was taken suddenly ill and came home to take to his bed with a severe case of typhoid fever and after a gallant fight for his life he gave up and passed away deeply mourned and his death sincerely regretted by the community at large.
Mr. Jones was quite prominent in church and temperance work in his own community and for five consecutive terms he was superintendent of the Sunday school of the First Congrega- tional Church; he was a deep student of the Bible and his lectures to the school were interesting and instructive and delivered in that eloquent manner of which he was a master they were very interesting, indeed. He was married at Sparta, Wis .. on March 12, 1884, to Miss Flora Smith and to them were born three children, Marcus, Augustus and Ida.
Frank H. Bloomingdale, Sparta, was born at Coudersport, Pa., October 15, 1854. and in the spring of 1863 he came to Wisconsin with his parents. His education was commenced in the public schools at Sparta, and in the fall of 1872 he entered the state university, where he completed his sophomore year. In the fall of 1874 he entered the law school of Michigan State University, and was admitted to the bar at the December term of the Monroe County Circuit Court at Sparta in 1877. In January, 1879, he commenced practice of the law at Sparta. in partnership with A. E. Bleekman, and the firm continued as Bleekman & Bloomingdale. Later on the firm moved to La Crosse when after practicing a few years it was dissolved and Mr. Bloomingdale moved to California, where he is now engaged in practice.
George A. Richardson was born in the town of Manchester. Bennington county, Vermont, March 22, 1834; he was educated in the common schools and fitted himself for college at Burr Seminary and graduated from Middlebury College in the class of 1860.
He taught school for a time and then enlisted in the Four- teenth Vermont Volunteer Infantry of Nine Months' Men and served nearly a year, being discharged at Brattleboro, Vt., about two months after the Battle of Gettysburg. After his discharge from the service Mr. Richardson taught school and attended the Albany Law College at Albany, N. Y., for some time and came to Sparta. Wis., in April, 1866, and finished his law education in the office of Graves & Wheeler and entered upon the practice of his profession. He was elected district attorney of Monroe
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conuty and served for one term in 1871-1872 and receiving an advantageous offer from M. A. Thayer he entered into his employ and served as bookkeeper and cashier in the bank of M. A. Thayer & Co. until 1893; since that time Mir. Richardson has retired from active practice of law but maintains an office where he occupies his time with light office work. more as a matter of having something to do as he is a very industrious man by nature.
Ile has served the Sparta Free Library as chairman of the library board for over twenty years and rendered invaluable service in and about the construction of the new library building. He has also served as secretary and treasurer of the Sparta cemetery since it was organized in 1886. He and his estimable wife still reside in their pleasant home on Water street, which is situated on the same lots where they began housekeeping in the spring of 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson are prominent members of the Congregational church and are active in religions work and highly respected in the community.
William B. Naylor, Jr., was born in Grand Rapids. Wis., and moved to Tomah with his parents in 1873. He attended the Tomah public schools, worked as a clerk in the office of II. MI. Sowle and through that became much interested in handling pensions and in pension laws. all of which aroused his interest in law as a profession. He determined to become a member of the bar; he attended the University of Minnesota for one year and then attended the University of Wisconsin Law College from which he graduated in 1894. He opened an office in Tomah. July 20, 1894, with II. E. Glover, who was a classmate in college of Mr. Naylor's and whose home was originally at Spencer, Iowa. This firm. Naylor & Glover, engaged in practice for about a year when Mr. Glover retired and Naylor continued the business alone. Hle served as city attorney and city clerk a number of different terms and was school district clerk, of School District No. 1. of the city of Tomah, for about nine years and resigned this office when he became district attorney of Monroe county. which position he served with distinction from 1904 to 1908; and by his conservative methods, thorough preparation and his alert interest in the county's affairs he left behind him in that office an enviable record, having to his credit a collection of about $10,000 in sums of various sizes for support due for inmates of the insane asylums and for other matters affecting the financial interests of the county: as district attorney he conducted the prosecution of the two trials of Sammel Montgomery for the murder of his wife, which resulted in the conviction of Mont-
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gomery, and the appeal from the Circuit Court was sustained by the Supreme Court of the State. In 1901 a partnership was formed between Mr. Naylor and William McCaul under the firm name of Naylor & McCaul, which firm still continues at practice in Tomah. At the present time Mr. Naylor is serving his school district as president of the school board.
Hle is a pleasing and forceful speaker, has always been an aetive Republican worker and takes great interest in the local affairs of his own community and the county at large.
Howard Teasdale, state senator, of Sparta, has made an indeli- ble impression on the public life of Sparta and throughout the state of Wisconsin. Ile was born at Janesville, Rock county, on August 9, 1855, son of John and Sarah (Seymour) Teasdale (sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this work).
Mr. Teasdale first attended the schools of District No. 8, of Sparta township, where his parents were early settlers; he after- ward pursued a course of study at the Sparta high school which was supplemented by a modern classical course at the Wisconsin State University, and afterwards a special one-year course, then took up the study of law in the law department of the university, graduating with the class of 1882. During the years of 1881 and 1886 he was engaged in the machinery business, retailing binders and other machinery with his father, who was an extensive operator in this line. It was this business and the management of the homestead farm of 1,000 acres, that engaged Mr. Teasdale's attention until 1889, when he moved to Sparta and opened an office and engaged in the practice of law, which he has since carried on successfully in addition to many other business enter- prises in the city.
Senator Teasdale's life has been one of constant activity since early boyhood. During some ten years he followed the vocation of teaching country schools during the winter months, eight years were spent in the Monroe county schools, and two years in Dane county. Hle has taken an active interest in politics and has been called upon to fill many local offices of trust. For one year, 1890 to 1891, he was justice of the peace, and from 1891 to 1896 was eity clerk : it was largely through his influence that the city waterworks system was installed in Sparta, he having charge of the system as superintendent for ten years, until October, 1910, when he resigned on account of his pressing senatorial duties. He was city attorney ten years, has been treasurer of city schools fifteen years, and in 1905 was appointed by Governor LaFollettee as district attorney for Monroe county,
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filling the office for nearly two years, and was then elected for a two-year term. He was elected state senator in 1910 from the district composed of Jackson, Monroe and Juneau counties. His opponents in this campaign were W. B. Naylor, W. S. Hake and G. M. Frohmader, Mr. Teasdale winning in the four-cornered contest by a majority of 500. During his term of office Mr. Teas- dale has taken an active part in all the important legislation coming before the senate; he represents the Progressive Tem- perance element and he literally opposed the Income Tax Act and the Teachers' Pension Act. He introduced a bill for ad valorem tax of telephone property; a bill forcing the physical connection of the two railroads entering cities and villages; a bill requiring owners of cemetery lots to give them care; a bill requiring uniform accounting of all asylums; a bill permitting county court to be held at Tomah ; a bill on drainage; the law requiring physicians to make thorough examination of patients before prescribing liquor; a bill for the protection of shredder operators against injury while their machinery is in operation, and many other matters of legislative importance.
Senator Teasdale is a man of pleasing personality, courteous in manner, quiet in demeanor, of generous impulses, and withal public-spirited and charitable, and whatever relates to the moral or material betterment of the community finds him an ardent advocate and hearty supporter.
Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Independent Order of Good Templars, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Rebekahs. He is one of the largest stockholders in and has had charge of the local telephone system since 1898: he is a stockholder and director in the Electric Light & Power Company, a stockholder and director in the Bank of Sparta, and stockholder of Citizens' Bank. Monroe County Bank, of Sparta, and Bank of Ontario, special state treasury agent for Wisconsin. and has been court commissioner for several years. He also has large property holdings both in Sparta and other localities of the county.
In 1897 Senator Teasdale married Miss Carrie E. Davis, a native of Pennsylvania and daughter of Thomas Davis, of Tomah. Mrs. Teasdale is a woman of fine endowments, whose superior qualities of mind and heart attract to her the admiration of all who come within the range of her influence.
William R. McCaul was born in Tomah. December 5. 1872, and has resided in that city all of his life. He is a graduate of the Tomah high school. studied law in the office of Judge Graham
HOWARD TEASDALE
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and was admitted to the bar in 1900. He practiced for one year alone and in 1901 formed a partnership with Mr. Naylor under the firm name of Naylor & McCaul, which firm still continues in practice at Tomah. Mr. McCaul has been city attorney for several years, of the city of Tomah, and has conducted the affairs of this position with marked ability; outside of that he has never held any office. He is a publie spirited citizen and interested in the affairs of his community of the county; is a Democrat in politics and has become prominent in the affairs of his party.
John Jacob Esch, Republican, of La Crosse, was born near Norwalk, Monroe County, Wisconsin, March 20, 1861, of German parents ; in 1865 his parents moved to Milwaukee, and five years later to Sparta, Wis., where both still reside; after graduating from the Sparta high school entered the modern classical course of the state university at Madison, and took his degree with the class of 1882; for three years following engaged in teaching and the study of law, and in 1886 entered the law department of the state university and graduated in 1887; since being admitted to the bar has practiced law in La Crosse; the only elective office held by him was that of city treasurer of Sparta in 1885; in 1883 organized the Sparta Rifles, afterwards known as Company I, Third Regiment, Wisconsin National Guard, and was commis- sioned captain, retaining the office until 1887 ; upon his removal to La Crosse helped organize Company M, of the same regiment, being first lieutenant and afterwards captain; in January, 1894, was commissioned acting judge advocate general, with the rank of colonel, by Gov. W. H. Upham, holding the office for two years; was elected to the Fifty-sixth, Fifty-seventh, Fifty-eighth, Fifty-ninth, Sixtieth and Sixty-first congresses, and reelected to the Sixty-second congress, receiving 15,365 votes to 7,365 for Paul W. Mahoney, Democrat ; 1,180 for John Marquet, Socialist- Democrat, and 458 for A. A. Merrill, Prohibitionist.
JAMES N. GILLETT. Autobiography.
I was born in Viroqua, Vernon county, Wisconsin, on Septem- ber 20, 1860. Within a month after the great tornado which destroyed that town my parents moved to Sparta, Wis. This was about August, 1865. My father was Cyrus F. Gillett. He had two brothers, Ransome and Abraham, who also moved to Sparta about that time. I went to school at the North Primary
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School, when the old brick high school was finished I went to it. I did not graduate from high school, but was in the class that graduated in the spring 1879.
In December. 1878, I commenced the study of law in the office of Bleekman & Graves. Before finishing my studies Mr. Graves retired from the firm and Mr. F. H. Bloomingdale became a member thereof. I was admitted to practice in the fall of 1881 before Judge Newman who was then circuit judge. Judge Graham, of Tomah, was one of the committee who examined me.
The first lawsuit I ever tried was in Sparta before Justice Samuel Hoyt. It grew out of a horse trade between R. B. Sabins, a deacon in the Baptist church, and a man by the name of Lee. G. W. Meadows, who was studying law with Morrow & Masters, represented the defendant. Mr. Meadows is now a judge in the northern part of Wisconsin. Mr. Hoyt was also a deacon in the Baptist church. The case was decided in my favor, but in looking at it from this distance, I am inclined to believe that the greater factor in the case was the fact that my client and the justice were both deacons of the same church.
In the spring of 1883 I had decided to go West, not knowing just particularly where, but would locate in any favorable spot from Montana to the Pacific ocean. Before leaving. M. A. Thayer, who at that time was a prominent banker in Sparta. requested me to remain there and kindly offered to provide me with a law library and an office free of rent until such time as I could pay for it. This to me was an exceedingly kind offer and coming as it did at that time to one without anything, it gave me a feeling of admiration and friendship for Mr. Thayer which I never forgot.
However, I was firm in my intention to go West and I did, leaving on the 15th day of May. 1883. for St. Paul, from whence I intended to take my bearings. I had $45 when I started, but I considered this sufficient capital for any young man going into a country having the great possibilities that I dreamed the West had. I remained in Montana for several months, working in a saw mill near Bozeman to earn enough money to take me further on my journey. I learned that the thermometer frequently fell as low as 40 degrees below zero and as I had lived many years in a cold climate I wanted to get away if I could.
About the middle of July. 1883, I reached Seattle, which was then a small town of about five thousand. I took a contract for clearing a block of land overlooking Lake Washington. I cleared the land all right, according to contract. but the fellows for
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whom I was working were as poor as I was and they failed to pay me $83, the balance due in my behalf. Both of them after- wards became millionaires. While in Seattle, Henry Ward Beecher appeared there and lectured in one of the churches, his subject being "The Common People," and charged $1 admission. I happened to be in from my work getting supplies and I thought this would be my only opportunity to hear and see Beecher. I was not dressed at all for the occasion, but inasmuch as his sub- ject was on the common people and as I represented that elass about as thoroughly as anybody could at that time, I concluded to go and hear what he had to say about me and the rest of us and I hid my supplies in an alley near the church and went in. After working a while in Seattle I met a couple of young lawyers who were just locating. Both were from La Crosse. I believe one's name was Kellogg, although I am not sure. I got them the first business they had. After this I found employment in a saw mill at Port Gamble, owned by Pope, Talbott & Co. I worked for them through the fall and winter of 1884, when I decided to go to California.
I arrived in California about the 22nd day of April, having been seasick all the way. We had a storm and a rough voyage. I was traveling steerage and somehow or other I did not seem to get along just right and remained for several days in San Francisco recuperating and in looking over the situation. I finally decided to go to Humboldt county. I was told that Eureka was a thrifty little city and the center of the great redwood forests. As I had always lived in a country where there was timber and hills I thought I would feel more at home if I settled in such a place and I arrived in Eureka on the 5th of May, 1884. I worked there for a while in the woods and in saw mills until I had earned sufficient money to get a small law library and some office furniture. Having secured enough to get started I bought my library, furnished my office and commeneed the practice of law. At that time Eureka was a very prosperous community. There was considerable litigation and in a very short time I had worked myself into a very good practice which continued to grow as time rolled on.
In 1896 I became a candidate for the state senate from the First Senatorial District and was elected for a term of four years. In 1902 I became a candidate for Congress from the First Con- gressional District of California and was elected and served through the Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth congresses. While I was in Washington I was a member of the Judiciary Committee.
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Judge Jenkins, of Chippewa Falls, Wis., was chairman of that committee.
My life in Washington was very pleasant. I met there Miss Anna Smith, who was then employed in the Interior Department. She was my teacher in Sparta for many years in the primary, intermediate, and high school grades. I also met Henry Casson, sergeant-at-arms of the House of Representatives, and William Kern, who lived in Sparta a number of years ago and who will be remembered by all the old settlers. I also had the pleasure of again meeting my old chum and schoolmate. John Esch, who at that time was, and is now, one of the most prominent and highly respected members of the House of Representatives.
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