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 57
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On December 9. 1903. Mr. Benson was united in marriage with Miss Maude Rowe, of Burns Valley, LaCrosse county. Wis. George attended the district schools of his native township, and has been in possession of the home farm since the age of twenty-one years. Ile is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. and is interested in the live issues of the day.
Edward Bergman, a popular young farmer and business man of Norwalk, with property interests in various parts of Monroe county, was born October 11. 1873. in the town of Ridgeville. this county. to William and Bertha (Hass) Bergman. the father a native of Saxony. Germany, and the mother a native of Ohio. Mr. Bergman. Sr .. came to America in 1852. and first located in the state of Ohio, where he was married. and shortly after- ward moved to the town of Ridgeville and homesteaded an eighty acre tract of wild land in section twenty-eight, which at that time was unbroken and covered with timber and roamed by wild game and Indians. To this he eventually added another forty acres, making in all a farm of 120 acres, and immediately set to work to clear and improve the land and establish the family home, battling, as it were, the trials and hardships of pioneer life. There were no roads of any kind in the county except the Indian trails and a stage road from La Crosse to Sheboygan, and white settlers were scarce: the only means of transportation being either on foot or by ox team. They raised a family of ten children. nine of whom are living. Edward is the seventh child. Mr. Bergman. Sr., was a brilliant and well educated man, was a great reader and kept up with the current events of the day: he was a Democrat in politics and took an active interest in all
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publie matters, and was a prime mover in every enterprise that might develop his town and county.
Edward lived at home until he was twenty-two years of age and acquired an education in the district schools. Ilis first expe- rience on his own resources was in the threshing and saw mill business: the threshing machine he operated during the summer season and the saw mill during the winter months: he was a faithful worker. economical and persevering. and made a suc- cess of his occupation. On October 11. 1897. he was married in the town of Ridgeville. to Miss Alvina Generikow. daughter of Minherd and Amil Generikow : she was the fourth child of a fam- ily of six children. all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Berg- man have one child. Otho O .. born October 20. 1909.
After their marriage they moved to Norwalk. in Monroe county. where Mr. Bergman purchased a livery stable. which he operated for a while. then disposed of this and returned to the threshing and saw mill business, which he has since conducted along with other lines most successfully. In 1898 he took a con- tract to carry the mail on the rural delivery route. and is still holding this position with the Government. In 1899 he erected a modern residence in the village of Norwalk. containing eleven rooms, which he occupies with his family. Mr. Bergman is a Republican in politics.
A. W. Bernett*, a resident of the city of Tomah. was born in Switzerland in 1855. and after the death of his father. his mother left her native country and came to America with her family of children in 1872. our subject being one of that number. After a residence of five years in Bangor. La Crosse county. Wis .. Mr. Bernett was employed at farm work. and afterwards engaged in track laying for the Chicago. Milwaukee and St. Paul Rail- road. and after a time he took charge of a section as foreman. which position he held for several years. In 1885. he came to Tomah and purchased eighty acres of land in the town of La- Grange, which he now owns and upon which he has made exten- sive improvements. having in the year 1900. erected a large and commodious barn. Mr. Bernett has since that time resided in Tomah. where he has been employed as a skilled mechanic in the shops of the Chicago. Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, where he is now engaged as a faithful and valued workman. He owns a fine and substantial residence, and is a progressive citizen and is inter- ested in the advancement of his home city and county. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. and the Woodmen of the World.
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Mr Bernett was married at Lafayette. Wis .. to Miss Barbara Orphwell, and to this union has been born one son. George, born in 1883. He received his education in the graded and high school of Tomah, and has been game warden of the district for one year.
Joseph Betthauser, who lives on his farm of 115 acres in see- tions thirty-two. thirty-one and ten. Oakdale township. is a pros- perous farmer and one of the steady office holders of the town. He is a Democrat in politics and has served the town board for years in the capacity of supervisor. assessor. chairman of the board. town clerk and treasurer and for twenty-four years has heen school treasurer and a hard worker in the school interests. He was born June 25, 1858. in Rockboro. Dane county. Wis., the son of Val and Margaret (Snider) Betthanser. both natives of Germany. They came to America in 1856 and located in Dane county, where they lived on a rented farm for about eight years and then moved to Oakdale township, in Monroe county. in 1864. and bought forty acres in section twenty-eight and homesteaded another forty acres which he converted into a highly productive farm and beautiful country home. They were among the early settlers of the county and Mr. Betthauser now lives in ease and comfort as a result of his many years of hard work. at the age of eighty-eight years. and tells many interesting tales of pioneer life. His wife passed away in 1881. They were devoted mem- bers of the Catholic church and raised a family of nine children in that faith. Mr. Betthauser helped to build the first Catholic church in Oakdale in 1870. and in 1910 assisted in the erection of the St. Michael Indian Creek church, at a cost of $6.250. Rev. Louis Wurst. pastor; Joseph Betthauser. Seb. Rieber and L. Shie, building committee.
Joseph is the oldest of the family. and lived at home on the farm until he was twenty-two: he attended school up to his six- teenth year, and on November 26. 1884. he was married in Maus- ton, Junean county. to Miss Anna Mary Haschke, daughter of Her- onimad and Mary Haschke. and they have eight children, viz. : Frank. Joseph. John. Eddie. Otto. Anna. Mary and Lonis. Mr. Betthauser bought his farm shortly after his marriage in 1886, and since that time has been continually improving it, so that it is now one of the best farms in Indian Creek. He keeps it well supplied with a good grade of stock, and uses the most modern methods in condueting it. In connection with his general farm- ing. he carries on a fine dairy business, and is considered one of the valuable citizens of the township. He makes a specialty
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of raising and breeding Durham and Holstein cattle. of which he has a fine display.
William L. Blake, a well known farmer of section twelve, Greenfield township, was born in Camden, Oneida county, N. Y., September 3. 1848. His parents. Frederick and Emily (Sanford) Blake, who were natives of New England, came to Wisconsin when William was but nine months old, and located in Waukesha county, but soon thereafter moved to Walworth county. where they remained three years. then came back to Waukesha. From there they returned to New York, but again came back and set- tled in Waukesha county, where they spent the balance of their lives. William L. is the youngest and only surviving member of a family of three children; of the others, Mary married Jonas Stahl. and is now deceased. and Aurelia, the wife of Dr. S. S. Smith, is deceased. The grandparents on the Sanford side were also from New York state. They had a family of twelve chil- dren. ten sons and two daughters.
William L. Blake, the subject of this sketch, was raised on the farm and attended the district school. Ile remained at home until he was twenty-six years of age, when he started out for himself. He went to northern Wisconsin and found employment in the lumber woods. He went next to Iowa. from where he re- turned after a time to his boyhood state of Wisconsin, and located in 1876 on his present farm containing seventy-seven acres, only seven acres being cleared at the time of purchase. Since that time the soil has been brought to a high state of cultivation, and the place improved with a good class of buildings, making it a beautiful country home. He has always been interested in the affairs of his community, and for some time served on the side board, was assessor for seven years, and chairman of the town board for one term. Mr. Blake is a lover of antiquities, and has in his possession a rare collection of Indian relies. He is known as one of the well-to-do, public spirited. and influential citizens of Monroe county.
On February 25, 1875. Mr. Blake was married to Miss Lydia E. Fulmer, daughter of William and Lucretia L. (Martin) Fulmer, natives of New York state, who came to Oconomowoc, Wis., Mrs. Blake's native place, in 1847. They reared a family of six chil- dren, Mrs. Blake being the fourth in order of birth. The others are Wallace W., of Sioux Falls, S. D., Marian, the wife of W. Hlatch, of Madison. S. D., William H. resides in Coleman, S. D., Albert M., who died in 1903, and Alfred B. Fulmer. of Dell Rapids, S. D. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Blake are For-
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rest L., Ethel M .. deceased. Robert O., Carl F., and Frank W. Blake.
Jesse Blake, grandfather of our subject. was born December 14, 1775. in Connecticut, and Marrilla Loomis, his wife, was born May 20. 1775. They came from Litchfield, Conn., to the town of Camden, Oneida county. N. Y .. where they spent their lives. Ephriam Sanford, the maternal grandfather, was born Angust 12, 1789, and his wife, Temperance Dunbar, was born Angust 13, 1791.
Albert A. Bliss, a progressive and prosperous farmer and sub- stantial citizen of LaGrange township, is a native of Georgetown, Madison county, New York. and was born December 18. 1857, to Eliab and Rhoda (Davenport) Bliss, also natives of New York state, and who were descended from English and German an- cestry. Eliab Bliss, was a millwright and spent most of his active life in Madison county, conducting the Georgetown mill. He died at the age of eighty-six and his wife, mother of our sub- ject, died at the age of eighty-two years. Of seven children born to them, five are now living, viz .: Albert A, Charles of New York state. Sarah Jane. widow of George Tripp. of Hamilton, N. Y., Harriet Bliss, and Celestine. Those deceased are Evert and Betsey Am.
Albert A. received a limited education in the public schools and assisted his father in mill work and was employed on the farm : when yet a young man he came west to St. Joseph. Mich., and later moved to LaGrange township. Monroe county. Wiscon- sin. where he made his home with his uncle. Burden Davenport, and was variously employed at farm work for a time and then spent three years in railroading with the Wisconsin Valley Railroad. He then went with the Northern Pacific Railroad. and for several years was employed in the engineering and train de- partment of that road. At the death of his uncle. Mr. Davenport, in 1896, he fell heir to the present farm where he now resides in section seventeen, LaGrange township, and to which he has devoted much time and energy in improving.
Burden Davenport, unele of our subject, was a native of New York state; in 1855 in company with Amos Greenfield, he came to Wisconsin and located on the farm in LaGrange township, Monroe county. where he built a log house where he lived for some years, when he erected a new frame residence which was his home until his death which occurred in 18-, at the age of seventy-two years. He was one of the pioneers of his township,
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and like our subject, was one of the progressive and influential citizens of the town.
William H. Blyton, one of the veterans of the Civil War, and a prosperous and respected citizen of Sparta, was born on October 4. 1842, at Franklinville. N. Y. His father. Thomas W. Blyton, was born in western New York in 1814. The maiden name of his mother was Elizabeth MeClure, a native of Cattaraugus county, New York. The paternal grandfather was Thomas Blyton, a native of Ohio. The ancestors of the Blytons' and MeClures' were of Irish descent. As early as 1844. Thomas W. Blyton, father of our subject, went to Illinois, but after a short sojourn, returned to New York and resided in Cattaraugus county until 1852. when, at the earnest solicitation of Mr. A. F. Bard, of Sparta, he came to this city. then but a small village. and fol- lowed his trade as carpenter in the employ of Mr. Bard. At the end of two years. he sent for his family, who arrived at their new western home in October. 1854. He lived here uninterrup- tedly engaged at his trade until 1864. On September 13. of that year. he enlisted for service in the Federal Army in Company C. Nineteenth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He con- tinned in the service until the close of the war. when he was honorably discharged. Returning home with health much im- paired from exposure and fatigue. incident to his service in the defense of his country which left him severely afflicted with asthma on account of which he decided to change his place of resi- dence. Ile removed to Barron county. this state. He died at Sparta, Wis .. July 28, 1898.
William H. was the oldest of a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters: the next in order of birth was Charles W. Blyton. He also was a member of Company C, Nineteenth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers. but on account of disability, was discharged at Suffolk, Va., on June 15. 1863. He returned to his home in Sparta, where he died December of the same year. De Forest Blyton is a resident of Austin. Minn. De Wilton. lives in Barron county : Manley died in childhood: Olive, the oldest daughter, is the wife of A. J. Pierce, of Austin, Minn .; Medora, is the wife of Samuel Finley. and resides at Devil's Lake, N. Dak .; Merissa, is the wife of William Pitts, and also lives at Towner, N. Dak. Mary the youngest. died in childhood.
Mr. Blyton was but twelve years of age when the family came to Wisconsin-in fact they arrived in Sparta on his twelfth birthday. In 1862, when little more than twenty years of age, he also enlisted in Company C. Nineteenth Regiment, Wisconsin
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Volunteer Infantry, with his father and brother. He was made Commissary Sergeant of his regiment and was later promoted to Quartermaster-Sergeant, and two years later. on October 22, 1864. he was commissioned First Lieutenant by Secretary Stanton, in the Second Regiment United States Infantry, and was assigned to duty as Quartermaster of that regiment. and served in Vir- ginia until the close of the war. when he. with his regiment, accompanied General Sully's expedition to the western frontier. In October. 1865. he was appointed Post Quartermaster at Fort Randall, in what was then Dakota Territory. at the same time being transferred to the Fourth United States Infantry. serving at Fort Randall until June 20. 1866, when he was mustered out of the service at Fort Leavenworth. The Nineteenth Regiment was stationed at Norfolk. Va .. from May 1, 1863. to October of the same year. Was the first under fire at Suffolk. Va .; was on duty at various points on York river, after which it returned to Newport News, where it remained until November. It then went to Newborn. N. C .. and was in defense of that place until 1864. The regiment was then ordered baek to Yorktown. and assigned to the Third Brigade. First Division of the Eighteenth Army Corps. under the command of General B. F. Butler, and took part in the Petersburg and Richmond campaign. The nineteenth was the first infantry regiment to get into the city of Richmond after the night of Jeff Davis. and its flag was the first infantry flag that Hoated from the state house. Mr Blyton has many narrow escapes. but received no wounds in the war of the Rebellion. but during a skirmish with the Indians on December 7, 1865. he was severely wounded by being shot in the left arm which was permanently disabled. resulting in his discharge for disability. Upon leaving the army. Mr. Blyton returned to Sparta where he was engaged for two years in merchandising. In 1869 he entered the Insurance field, which business has ever since been his occupation. On Jan- mary 16. 1864. while at home on a furlough, Mr. Blyton was mar- ried to Miss Harriet E. Washburn, daughter of William and Harriet Washburn, who settled in Sparta in 1855. where Mr. Washburn died in 1862; his wife. mother of Mrs. Blyton, surviving until 1869. Besides Mrs. Blyton, the members of the family are. Josephine, wife of S. C. Miles, of Prairie Farm, Barron county. Wis .; Clara N .. who is the wife of B. L. Spring, and Andrew C .. both of whom reside in Milwaukee.
To Mr. and Mrs. Blyton one son was born, Edgar E., born March 12. 1869. Mrs. Blyton died in 1881 and he again mar- ried, Sarah E. Burroughs. June 16. 1883.
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Mr. Blyton has for many years been one of Sparta's most enterprising and progressive citizens. He has filled various offi- cial positions with credit and ability. He has been city clerk constantly since 1870; was supervisor in 1884, representing the second ward of the city; he was elected to the legislature in 1883 to 1885 and again in 1889, holding the office for three terms. Politically he is a Republican. Ile is a charter member of the John W. Lynn Post No. 30, G. A. R., and has held all the posi- tions of the Post.
James A. Bolton, one of the progressive and wide-awake native sons of Monroe county, resides on his farm of 105 acres in section sixteen, La Grange township, was born in Wilton township. De- cember 29. 1867. the son of Edwin L .. and Roseline (Cady) Bol- ton, natives of Vermont. The original Bolton ancestors came from England; the grandfather of our subject, John G. Bolton, a woolen manufacturer. settled in New York state when Edwin L. was fifteen years of age. They later came west to Wisconsin, and located in Dane county, near Madison, and in the late fifties, moved to Monroe county and settled in the town of Wilton. Edwin L., father of our subject, was a school teacher, which occu- pation he followed in Monroe county for twenty-one years, and occupied a prominent place in educational circles as well as the general affairs of his town. In 1873 he located on a farm in see- tion seventeen, La Grange township, where he died in 1886, at the age of forty-nine years. During the Civil War he enlisted in Com- pany E. Seventeenth Wisconsin Regiment. and served nine months as elerk and adjutant. His widow, mother of our subject, resided at Tomah until September 23. 1912. when she died. They were the parents of ten children. eight of whom are now living. (See sketch of W. E. Bolton.)
James A. Bolton spent his boyhood on the home farm, receiv- ing his education in the district schools of his neighborhood; he had nearly reached his majority when he started out to make his own way in the world. He was employed at farm work for six years, and in 1894 leased the Henry Mallory farm which he conducted for ten years in connection with his own farm pur- chased the same year, which he has improved with a substantial residence, new barn, sheds and other ontbuildings. Here he ear- ries on general farming and dairying, using modern methods in his operations, and his equipment is of the latest and up to date. As a man, Mr. Bolton stands high in the confidence and esteem of the community and he is justly connted as one of its fore- most citizens. He has devoted his time to home matters, and be-
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lieves in the welfare and progress of his community. Mr. Bol- ton and his estimable wife, who was Miss Lillian Stowell. of Big Springs. Adams county. Wis .. and the daughter of Ceylon and Mary Stowell. of New York, were married November 24, 1898.
Westley E. Bolton resides in section seventeen La Grange town- ship. and is one of the leading citizens of the town. Hle was born in Wilton township. Monroe county. Wisconsin. October 1. 1863. His parents, Edwin L., and Roseline (Cady) Bolton, were natives of England and Vermont, respectively. The father came west to Wisconsin in the early fifties, locating in Dane county. where he remained four years, when with his father. John G. Bolton, he came to Wilton township. Monroe county. and in 1873. when our subject was ten years of age, moved to La Grange township and settled on the farm where our subject now resides. a small amount of which was cleared at that time. The father died in 1886, at the age of forty-nine years. His widow. mother of our subject. made her home in Tomah until her death. September 23. 1912. John G. Bolton, grandfather of our subject. who was born at Leeds. England, died in 1884, aged abont seventy years. Har- riet Lathem Bolton, his wife, died in 1889, at the age of seventy years. The maternal grandfather of Wesley E. was Reverend Cady. a Methodist clergyman. He died in Greenfield township, and was survived for some years by his wife.
Westley E .. the subject of this sketch, is one of a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters: of the others. Frederick E .. is professor of psychology in the State University of Iowa, James A .. of LaGrange township, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume: Herbert E., has chair in history of Berkeley. Cal .: Laura, wife of Dr. A. R. Bell. of Tomah: Dr. Ernest LeRoy, of Chilton. Wis .: Grace is a teacher in the Tomah high school; Edwinnie, wife of Roy Naphus, resides in Iowa; Edmund and John W. and Hattie M. are deceased. Our subject was reared on the home farm and received his education in the district schools. lle assisted his father with the farm work until he reached the age of seventeen, when he started ont in life for himself. He was employed four years by S. H. Griswold in the lime business in the town of Wilton. and then rented a farm in Wilton township. which he carried on until 1897. then purchased the home farm of 145 acres to which he has since added the Henry Mallory farm of eighty acres, making in all 225 acres which is well improved. His residence. barns and outbuildings are of modern construction and well kept up. and the beautiful country home of Mr. Bolton is indicative of the ambition of its
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owner. He is active in the affairs of his township and for the past seven years has been chairman of the town board. He has filled the office of treasurer for one year, was assessor for the years 1904 and 1905. and has also been a member of the side board. He is at present and has been for the last five years. sec- retary of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance company of Tomah.
He was married at Wilton in 1884 to Miss Willella Hancock. daughter of William and Ellen (Gooder) Hancock, natives of England, and who settled in Wisconsin many years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Bolton are the parents of four children. viz. : Char- lotte MI .. Edwin E .. Raymond L .. a student at Lawrence univer- sity. and Russell B. Bolton.
William H. Boomer, proprietor of the Spring Brook farm. con- sisting of 110 acres in section 22. Adrian township, is the son of Charles C. and Avilla (Holmes) Boomer, of Tomah, and was born on the old homestead August 11. 1869. The father came to Adrian township in 1865 and purchased the land, which at that time was little less than a wilderness: the parents were both natives of Michigan, and in 1866 they moved to the farm in Adrian and immediately set to work to improve the land and establish the family home ; they erected a substantial residence and outbuild- ings. cleared the land and soon brought it to a high state of cul- tivation and prodnetiveness.
Charles C. Boomer, father of our subject. for many years a prominent and influential citizen of Adrian township. is a native of Saline. Mich., where he was born in 1834. His parents. Caleb and Mahalia (Barton) Boomer, who were natives of New York state, were among the early settlers of Michigan, where Charles Boomer was reared. When the Civil War broke ont Mr. Boomer enlisted on Angust 14, 1862. at the age of twenty-eight. for three years at Manchester. in Company B. Seventeenth Regiment. Michi- gan Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into the service on August 26 of that year. and after faithfully serving his country until June 3. 1865, he was mustered out at the Delaney house in Washington. D. C. Among the many batttles in which he par- ticipated was the battle of South Mountain, Maryland: Antietam ; Fredericksburg: siege of Vicksburg: Jackson. Miss. : Wilderness : Spottsylvania : Petersburg. Va .. and many others to the number of thirty in all. After the surrender of General Lee his regiment embarked at City Point for Alexandria. Va., and participated in the grand review at Washington. Mr. Boomer is a well-preserved man for one of his years, and lives to enjoy the fruits of his long and busy life. honored and respected by all who know him.
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