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 56
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William J. Austin, who for many wears was prominently identified with the agricultural and business interests of Monroe county. was born in Trumbull county, Ohio. May 26, 1822, a son of Freeman Austin, a native of Columbia county. New York : the paternal grandfather was a native of Massachusetts, and some of the earlier ancestors took part in the War of the Revolution. They were of English and Scotch extraction. Freeman Austin lived in the county in which he was born until he was sixteen years of age: he then went to Trumbull county. Ohio, where he was married to Elizabeth JJohnson, who was born in that county. a daughter of William Johnson, a native of New England. Wil- liam JJ. was three years of age when his parents removed to Medina county, Ohio, and at the age of twenty-one years he went to Portage county the same state : he was reared to the occupa- tion of a farmer, and received his education in the common schools and in the academy at Poland. After leaving school he
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began teaching, and followed this profession for some time; he fook up horticulture, and gave his attention to this business for three years. At the end of this period he went to Roek county, Wisconsin, and embarked in the nursery trade, an industry of great importance to a new country : three years later he went to Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, where he purchased a small tract of land, and for three years carried on farming. Disposing of his interests at the end of that time, he removed to Monroe county, in the fall of 1851, and entered a quarter seetion of Government land in the then wilds of the Leon valley. He subsequently added to his origninal purchase until he had accumulated 1,040 acres, which he retained as the home farm and which, by his energy and perseverance, was converted from a wild state to one of high cultivation and productiveness. Soon after locating in the Leon valley, he became interested in the milling business; he took charge of and operated the Leon mill at Leon, which at that time was the largest mill using waterpower in the state outside of Milwaukee. For several years he continued the successful operation of this business, as a custom and merchant mill, in connection with his farming interests. Settlers were few and far between in 1851, when Mr. Austin located in the Leon valley; the three or four families who located at about the same time gradually moved away, leaving him the oldest settler in the valley. In his farming operations his attention was mainly given to the raising of grain and stock, and maintained a dairy from which he derived a handsome revenue. He was also engaged in the mercantile business for many years, carrying on a store in the village of Leon, under the firm name of Tuttle & Austin. For a number of years he engaged in the manufacture of lumber, and operated a lumber yard. The old paper mill in Sparta was built by him and a man by the name of Mather. Ile was a man of rare business judgment, and with the assistance of his wife, who was also possessed of good business ideas, and her diligence in home matters, was largely responsible for the success achieved. Mr. Austin was a man who always commanded the esteem and confidence of the community in which he lived. He was plain and unassuming in manner and very modest and reticent as to his own accomplishments. Although not a member of any church, he contributed liberally to their support as well as to all worthy enterprises. A Republican in politics he was active in the affairs of his party, was a member of the general assembly of 1880-1881, and in fraternal matters was a thirty-second degree Mason. During the latter years of his life he and his wife did much
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traveling, spending their winters in Florida, on the Gulf and in California. His death, which occurred April 30, 1904, was mourned as a great loss to his community.
He was married April 4, 1850. in Sheboygan county, Wiscon- sin, to Maria E. Sanford, who was born at Copley, Summit county, Ohio, a daughter of Benjamin Sanford. of Vermont. Her paternal grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and the mother's maiden name was Margaret Kiefer, a relative of ex- Speaker Kiefer. of Ohio. She died when Mrs. Austin was a girl of ten years; the father died April 12, 1857 ; they reared a family of three sons and three danghters: William, Aaron, Ransom, Cordelia, Orphie and Marie E. Mrs. Austin passed away April 10, 1901, beloved and esteemed by all who knew her. She was a woman of many domestic virtues and mental attainments, un- assuming in manner, modest. of good judgment and untiring energy, always ready to do her part. Her ancestors were of English, French and German lineage.
Ernest Austin, who was born in Monroe county, Wisconsin, February 10, 1860, is one of a family of five children, three of whom are now (1912) living. born to William J. and Maria E. (Sanford) Austin, both of whom were natives of Ohio, where their families were prominently identified with the early history of that state. Ernest received his early education in the public schools, which was supplemented by a thorough course of training in the commercial department of the Valparaiso Normal school, and subsequently the law department from which he graduated in 1886, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. The following year he went to Minneapolis, where for ten years he was engaged in the law and real estate business. After a brief visit to his home in 1898, he went to Seattle, Wash., making that place his home for a time. prospecting and speculating. Ile also visited Alaska and British Columbia, and later spending one year in California, Oregon, Nevada and other Western states. He re- turned to Monroe county in 1902 and took charge of his business interests, consisting principally of farming and milling in Leon township. He is known as a public-spirited citizen and wide- awake and successful in his business undertakings, and in poli- ties is a Republican.
William Alonzo Barber, merchant, manufacturer, banker : born Saratoga county, New York. January 11, 1843; son of Rev. Brad- ford K. and Rowena A. (West) Barber; educated in common schools of New York state and Wisconsin; married Westfield, Wis .. April 9. 1867. Mary Lawton ; children : Fred R., born July
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1869, Edith M., born 1875. Was teacher in country schools during winter months and worked on farms during summer months from the age of fifteen until enlisted in army; engaged in lumber busi- ness 1874; became partner in lumber firm of George Warren & Co., 1875 ; business incorporated later and now having added in- terests. and he is president of the company. In 1891 commenced promotion of inventions of Howard D. Colman; first success in 1896 with Barber-Colman Check Pump for creameries; then the Barber Knotter for spoolers, after that "Barber-Warp-Tying Ma- chine," both now being largely used in cotton mills and popular in the United States. England and Continent of Europe; is not now connected with this company, having retired early in 1910. Partner with Hulbert and Barber "Hulbert Ranch," Meade county, Kansas, in course of development : now president General Store Company, merchants, Warrens, and of George Warren Com- pany, manufacturer and dealer in lumber, real estate, etc., Wis- consin ; vice-president George Warren Company, bank, Warren, Wis., and Warren Land Company, real estate, telephone and farm- ing, Warren, Wis. Has served as town officer : on county boards, and as school district officer many terms: member of assembly, Wisconsin legislature, 1882; appointed postmaster of Warren, Wis., under President Grant, 1876, and has served continuously ever since ; enlisted for three years in Civil War, March 24, 1864, in company B, thirty-seventh Wisconsin Infantry, and served with regiment at Cold Harbor, and near Petersburg, Va .; dis- charged July, 1865. Republican (Stalwart), Baptist. Director Wayland Academy. Beaver Dam, Wis., and of Wisconsin Baptist State Convention, Incorporated.
Arthur W. Barney, banker. of Sparta, Wis., was born in Juneau county. July 28, 1871, and is the son of Charles W. and Mary Hatton (Davis) Barney, natives of New York and Wiscon- sin, respectively. Mr. Barney received his preliminary education in the public schools. Ile began his business career in 1890 as bookkeeper in a bank at Reedsburg, Wis., with which institution he remained until the fall of 1894, when he accepted the position of cashier in the Monroe County Bank of Sparta, and served in that capacity until the spring of 1901, when he became assistant cashier of Bank of Sparta. Shortly afterwards he became vice- president of Bank of Sparta, which position he still retains. Fra- ternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, and a Knight Templar.
On November 30, 1898, he was united in marriage with Miss Kittie Hill, daughter of Ira A. and Mary E. Hill, of Sparta. To
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this union has been born two children, viz: Tyler Davis, born January 28. 1900, and Marion. born December 12. 1901.
Gustav Bartels, for many years a prominent and useful citizen of Ridgeville township, Monroe county. is the son of John and Anna (Kieksoer) Bartels, both natives of Germany. He was born March 18. 1860. in Wilton, this county. His parents came to America in 1855 with two children and first located in Wilton township, where the father worked at farming and his trade of stonemason, which he learned in his native country, and with the proceeds of his labor and economy. he purchased a tract of fifty acres in the town of Wilton, which he improved. brought to a high state of cultivation and made the family homestead, and here lived until his death in 1907. His widow still survives, and her wide circle of friends and acquaintances listen with much interest to her many thrilling stories of their pioneer life, for instance : of the days when Mr. Bartels carried flour on his back all the way from Tunnel City to his home in Wilton, in this county, then a small village of only a few houses and one rail- road : he also often made the trip up and back the same day with a team of oxen, which he used altogether in place of horses, and in those days their meat was wild game and their neighbors were Indians. Mr. and Mrs. Bartels were both members of the Luth- eran church at Ridgeville. Mr. Bartels was full of ambition and ready to assist in every enterprise that could be brought about in those days. He organized one of the first schools in Wilton town- ship. in fact, he was a prime mover in bringing the township to the front as near as could be attained at that time. He was formerly a Democrat in politics, but the latter years of his life. he voted the Republican ticket. They raised a family of four chil- dren, all of whom are living in this county.
Gustav was the third child of the family: he attended the district schools until he was eighteen years of age and lived at home. His first employment away from home was as a farm hand at a salary of $12 per month, and after working for a short time in this capacity, he took a position to work in the pine lumber camps in Warren Mills, Wis., but after a short time he changed again, and this time bought a farm in the town of Ridge- ville in 1881. Three years later, on September 6. 1883. he was married in the town of Tomah, Wis .. to Miss Lizzie Martin, a daughter of Christ and Mary Martin, early settlers of Monroe county and natives of Germany.
Mrs. Bartels is one of a family of eight children, six of whom are living. Her father died in 1890 and the mother still lives
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on the old homestead about four and a half miles south of Tomah, at the age of seventy-two years. Mr. and Mrs. Bartels have had four children, only two of whom are living, viz: Albert C., born October 13, 1891, and Cora M., born December 27, 1905. Their home farm consists of 150 acres of fine land in sections three, four and ten, town of Ridgeville. where they have lived since their marriage, and is one of the ideal country homes in the county. They have made many lasting and valuable improve- ments; in 1883, they built their first home; in 1893, built a base- ment barn. and in 1903 they built a new residence. containing sixteen rooms. A large and commodious granary was built in 1887, and their water supply comes from a drive well 205 feet in depth, besides having several natural springs on the place. Mr. and Mrs. Bartels are both devoted members of the Lutheran church at Ridgeville.
Mr. Bartels is considered one of the most successful farmers in the township, thoroughly up to date in his methods, and is al- ways ready to aid in furthering the interests of his town and county. He is a Republican in politics and has served in various local offices ; he was supervisor for some time and has been treas- urer of the school board for some eighteen years.
Henry W. Battalia, general merchant of Tunnel City, Monroe county, is a native of the Badger state, having been born in Jefferson county, April 26, 1858, the son of Christian and Julia (Schultz) Battalia, natives of Switzerland and Germany, re- spectively. More than fifty years ago they came to Monroe county and settled in Clifton township, and were among the hon- ored pioneers of that section. and there lived the allotted time; the father died in 1900, at the age of sixty-five years, and the death of his wife, mother of our subject, occurred more than thirty-five years ago. Their family consisted of six children, Henry W. being the oklest. The others are John, of Oakdale, this county; Anna married J. Bower, of Marinette, Wis .: Lizzie is the wife of C. W. Haase, of Clifton township; Christian lives in New Lisbon, and Amelia married William Pascoe, of Ash- land, Wis.
Henry W. was reared on the home farm and attended the dis- triet schools. At the age of twenty, he began the carpenter trade and followed that occupation continuously for eight years. He then purchased his father's farm of 200 acres in section four. Clifton township, and for seventeen years was actively engaged in farming operations. In 1903 he moved to Tunnel City and bought the store of C. E. Davenport and conducted a successful
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business for four years : in 1907, in company with Andres Brothers, he purchased the general store of W. J. Donald, and for two years the business was conducted under the firm name of Andres Brothers & Battalia. when this firm was dissolved, and William Woodard purchased an interest with Mr. Battalia : at the end of one year Mr. Battalia purchased the interest of his partner and became sole owner and proprietor, which he has successfully carried on since 1910, and has now one of the leading general stores of the county. While interested in farming, our subject often worked at his trade as carpenter and joiner, and built sev- eral of the buildings in that section, among them being the St. Peter's church at Clifton, which was constructed in 1897, and later he erected two residences at Tunnel City besides his present residence. Mr. Battalia besides conducting a prosperous business, is the owner of considerable other property, including his store building and others in the village. Ile is interested in other en- terprises. and while a resident of Clifton, was a director and for a time treasurer of the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company. He has been treasurer of Greenfield township, and is a member of the Modern Brotherhood of America and the Modern Woodmen of America.
Hle was married September 10, 1885, to Miss Anna Grassman, daughter of Rudolph and Rosa Grassman, of Clifton township. They have had three children and the sad misfortune of losing one-Oscar E., who was drowned at Homer. Minn .. in 1910. at the age of twenty-three years. The others. Elsie F and Fred A .. live at home with their parents.
John Battalia*, who resides on his farm in Oakdale township, was born in Jefferson county. Wisconsin, September 26. 1859. the son of Christian and Julia (Schultz) Battalia, natives of Switzerland and Germany, respectively. The father came to America some time in the early fifties with his mother and two sisters, and located in Jefferson county, where he resided until he removed to Clifton township in Monroe county, in 1862. Hle homesteaded eighty acres of land in Clifton, and there made his home until his death. During the Civil War the father enlisted and served with distinction until its close.
John lived at home until 1886 when, in May of that year. he was married to Miss Amelia Heintz, of Oakdale. She was edu- cated in the district and high schools of Monroe county, and for five years previous to her marriage was a teacher. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Battalia, three of whom are living. Julia M., born May 11, 1889; Inez, born November 3, 1890, was
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educated in the district and high schools of Monroe county, and in the Iowa State Normal school at Des Moines. After completing her education she was engaged three years as a teacher. She now lives at home. The son, Alfred, was born April 14, 1892. After the marriage of Mr. Battalia he purchased forty acres of land in the town of Oakdale, which he afterwards sold and repurchased 100 acres in section fifteen, and later added eighty aeres in section nineteen of the same town, where he now resides. He is a carpenter and for twenty-five years followed his trade, during which time he built many of the fine large barns in Clifton and Oakdale townships. For the past five years he has given his entire time and attention to his farm, and has been successful in its opera- tions. Besides general farming he does an extensive dairy busi- ness and keeps his farm well stocked with a good grade of horses, cattle and hogs.
In politics he is a Republican and takes an active interest in the affairs of his party. He has been supervisor of his town two years, treasurer one term and for twelve years a member of the school board.
Walter Baxter, a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Scot- land. November 3, 1842. Ilis father, George Baxter, was born in Scotland, August 5, 1817, and his mother, whose maiden name was Jean Duncan, also born in Scotland, was married December 21, 1841, and emigrated to America in 1851, when Walter was but nine years of age, and settled in the state of Wisconsin, Waukesha county. In 1864 Mr. Walter Baxter came and located in Monroe county, where he has since resided, engaged in farm- ing in Clifton and Glendale townships. In 1865 he enlisted in company A, fiftieth regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers and served about one and one-half years, until receiving his honorable dis- charge June 12, 1866.
Mr. Baxter is one of the substantial and influential citizens of Monroe county, and takes a commendable interest in the wel- fare of his town and county, and for sixteen years has been clerk of his town and village.
On October 6. 1867, Mr. Baxter was united in marriage to Miss Margaret McQueen, daughter of James and Nancy Mc- Queen, of Glendale. Wis. Of four children born to this union, but one, Luella, who is the wife of HI. W. Smith, of Kendall, is now living.
George G. Becker, farmer and substantial citizen of Tunnel City, Monroe county, Wis., is a native of Illinois, and was born in Chicago, December 29, 1867. His parents were Ignatz and
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Mary (Marhoefer) Becker, who emigrated from Germany early in life, got acquainted in Chicago and were united in marriage there, where they made their home until 1895. They then moved to Monroe county. Wisconsin, and settled in Greenfield town- ship. where they lived until the father died at the age of seventy- four years. His widow, mother of our subject survived four months when she passed away at the age of sixty-four years. They raised a family of nine children. our subject being the eldest. Of the others. Henry is deceased. Charles and Harry are engaged in the grocery business in Chicago. Fred is a member of the police force in that city. Clara is deceased. Ignatz is deceased. Elizabeth Becker (Hall) resides in Greenfield township. Edward also re- sides in Greenfield township.
George G. received his education in the public schools of Chi- cago, and early learned the brick mason's trade, which he fol- lowed until his removal to Greenfield township, in 1893. He first purchased eighty acres of land in section thirty-four. which he sold three years later and moved onto a rented farm in LaGrange township, which he carried on for a period of three years. At the expiration of that time he purchased a 240-acre tract in section ten of Greenfield township, which he farmed and improved by a high state of cultivation and substantial build- ings. and there resided until 1910. when he moved to Tunnel City, where he has since lived. Beginning his operations in Mon- roe county with a cash capital of $100. he has won success and became known as one of the enterprising and well-to-do citizens of this section: he takes a commendable interest in affairs of the county and any movement which he thinks is for the better- ment of the community, receives his support : he is now serving his third term as chairman of the town board, and for two terms has held the office of treasurer of the town. He was married March 22. 1890. to Miss Minnie Krase. daughter of Gustave and Fredreka Krase, of Wisconsin.
Ernst Behrens, farmer. Tomah township. was born in Germany. November 3. 1853. He is the son of Fred and Wehliminia Beh- rens. also natives of Germany. They came to America in 1867. with a family of five children. two brothers of the subject having preceded them the year before. They located in the town of Wilton. Monroe county. Wis., where Mr. Behrens bonght 120 acres of land. only eighteen acres being improved. in section four. town of Wilton. where he lived until he died. He was successful in his early occupation of raising large and profitable grain crops. and thus he was able to equip the farm in first class shape. He
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was an earnest, sincere christian gentleman, and a well respected citizen of his community, and a member of the German Reformed church, to which he gave liberal support ..
Ernst is of a family of eleven children, two of whom are liv- ing. He received a good education in his native country, up to his sixteenth year. when he came to Monroe county. and attended school but a few months after reaching the new country. He remained on the homestead farm until the age of twenty-three, when he acquired 100 acres of land in section four, Wilton town- ship. which he sold a few months later, and was employed at farm work by his father-in-law for six months, when he returned to the neighborhood of his first purchase and bought sixty acres of land to which he later added sixty more, and here made his home until 1894. when he bought eighty acres where he now re- sides in the town of Tomah. He built a comfortable house the first year, a barn in 1902. and silo in 1911. His farm has a fine spring which furnishes water for both his house and barn. His farm is well stocked with horses. cattle, hogs, etc .; and he car- ries on a profitable dairy business. and Mr. Behrens ranks among the successful farmers of Monroe county. He has been trustee of the Tomah Lutheran church for fifteen years, and one of the organizers of the Tomah Creamery. and in politics is a Republican.
October 1. 1876. in the town of Ridgeville, he was married to Miss May Merten, daughter of Chris and Maria Merten. Seven children have been born to this union, six of whom are living: Caroline L., now Mrs. John Sherman ; Emma, now Mrs. Herman Mathewes: Ernst. Louis. Fred. Lidia and Elmer, deceased.
George Benson, section twenty-four. Sparta township. a native son of Monroe county. was born on the homestead farm where he now resides, January 16, 1877. He is a son of Charles and Ernstine (Linke) Benson, natives of Stoten. Germany. Charles Benson. the father of our subject, was the eldest of three chil- dren, the others. Minnie. the former wife of John Winters, is de- ceased, and Fred, of Eagle River, Wis. Charles was born in 1832, and came to the United States in 1850, at the age of eighteen years. Imbued with the energy and vigor of his young man- hood, he set forth to make his way in the then new country. His first stop after leaving the port of New York was in Chicago, and from there continued his course westward into the then wilds of Wisconsin, of which Monroe county formed a part. Locating first on' a rented farm in Bowler's valley. It was two years later that he purchased 100 acres of wild land covered with heavy timber, to which he later added sixty acres more, which embraces
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the homestead farm. The first effort toward home building was the erection of a log shanty. nearly across the highway from where the present house occupied by our subject now stands, which his father built over forty-two years ago, and where he died in 1890, at the age of fifty-eight years. His widow, mother of George, is a resident of Sparta. She is the eldest of a family of three children. The others are Fredricka Schmidt. of Eau- elaire. and Minnie Zimmerman. deceased. of Chicago. George Benson is the youngest of his family. the others are. Charles W. and John F .. of Sparta. Emma. deceased, who was formerly the wife of Charles Jones, of Newlyme township. Minnie, wife of Arthur Jenkins, of Little Falls township. Edith, wife of David Jenkins, of Lafayette township. The paternal grandmother. born in 1812. died in Sparta at the age of ninety-one years.
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