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 87
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On April 1, 1879, Mr. Teall married Miss Fannie E. Cromwell. daughter of Edwin and Julia (Tyler) Cromwell, and their five children are named respectively : Robert J., who resides in Cali- fornia; Annie, wife of Rev. T. B. Thompson, and resides in Rockford, Ill .: Julia Elizabeth, and Thomas T. Teall, civil engineer and county superintendent of highways, Sparta.
Robert J. graduated from Beloit College at the age of twenty. Annie and Julia Elizabeth are also graduates of the same college, and Thomas T., engineering course, State University of Wisconsin.
John Teasdale, who was esteemed alike for his sterling worth as a man, and the public spirit, enterprise and tenacity of purpose which made him an important factor in the building up and development of a rich and prosperous portion of the state of Wisconsin, was born in Yorkshire. England, on February 9. 1829, and died at his residence in Sparta, February 9, 1911. just eighty-two years later, the final summons reaching him on his birthday. Many times during the last few weeks of his life, while confined to his bed with his life and strength fast ebbing away, did he ask his son Howard how many days it was until the ninth of February, it being his one great desire to live until his eighty-second birthday. and in this instance as all through life, his determination accomplished the desired end.
Mr. Teasdale left his native land in February. 1850. and settled first in Johnstown. N. Y., and while a resident of that state he met Miss Sarah Seymour, whom he wedded at Glovers- ville, in 1854, and who for more than half a century assisted him to meet and conquer the adversities of pioneer life, and to enjoy the fruits of their industry, she having died in this city July 20, 1895. The year following their marriage, Mr. Teasdale took his young bride, and animated with the same spirit which has caused hundreds of thousands of others to brave the hardships of pioneer
JOHN TEASDALE
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BIOGRAPHY
life, he headed toward the "land of the setting sun," settling in Janesville, Wis., in 1855, the following year moving to Reeds- burg, and in the spring of 1857, he arrived in the little village of Sparta, near and in which place the remainder of their lives was destined to be spent. Being a carpenter and joiner he immediately commenced contracting, one of the first jobs he secured being the construction of the Jackson store building, afterwards occupied by Rufus S. Dodge for many years, and now known as the Jackson building, occupied as a blacksmith shop by Mr. West. He also constructed the Dan Potter and Z. K. Jewett residences, both of which are still standing. During this time he built the first schoolhouse in the Blackburn district, north of this city. This building he contracted for $400. To show what conditions were at that time, he found on completion of this work that the town warrants which he accepted for pay could only be sold for 30 cents on the dollar, and this amount he had to accept, as the money was needed. This left him with a number of unpaid bills on his hands, among them one for $20 for hardware, which had been furnished by Walter Allen. Mr. Allen persistently endeavored to collect the bill, visiting Mr. Teasdale, who at this time was on the farm where the brick house now stands. Finally he found Mr. Teasdale and his wife wallowing around in the wet marsh one cold fall day, endeavoring to get sufficient hay to winter their only cow. Allen again insisted on his pay, and Mr. Teasdale told him that all he had was that one cow, and that if Allen would take that and leave him alone, he was welcome to it. This he refused, also a watch which was offered him. The next year Mr. Teasdale raised 275 bushels of wheat, which he sold to John Moffatt, under contract for 85 cents per bushel, but before the delivery was completed the price of wheat had dropped to 74 cents, and never again reached the 85-cent mark until after the war.
Mr. Teasdale moved on the farm north of this city, where the briek house now stands, in 1859, and succeeded there in accumu- lating 1,000 acres of land. His life was a busy one from the beginning, and as a result of his hard work, energy and perse- verance, the brick house and other substantial buildings were erected by him, and he was considered among the most desirable and prominent citizens of his community. He became interested in the promotion of a cheese factory when the dairy business in Monroe county was in its infaney, and in this venture lost heavily. He also was a heavy loser in indorsing notes for his friends, and through these unfortunate ventures he was forced
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to dispose of the original farm in order to save himself from financial ruin, and he then moved on to the Pomeroy farm, which he had acquired. There he remained until 1884, when he moved into this city. During most of his life here, he resided in the residence where the new Catholic church now stands, having sold that property to the Catholics a few years ago.
Nearly the entire rural telephone system out of this city has been laid under the direction of Mr. Teasdale, and for many years he and his old horse and the "Democrat" wagon were a familiar sight along the telephone lines.
There were three sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Teasdale, viz. : Frank, who died in 1870, and Howard and JJoseph, both of whom survive and are residents of this city.
During the latter part of Mr. Teasdale's life, he was badly crippled with rheumatism, the result of exposure of the early years. but even this was not sufficient to prevent him from taking an active interest in every enterprise around him.
The deceased was a member of the Masonic order and also of the Methodist Episcopal church in which for many years he was an active worker.
Mrs. Jeddie Thurston, wife of the late Adelbert D. Thurston, of Leon township, was born JJune 1, 1865, in the town of Wells. Monroe county, Wis., and is a daughter of Henry and Mary Nichols, prosperous and influential citizens of that town. When seventeen years of age. in 1882, she was united in marriage with Mr. A. D. Thurston, and to them were born four children, all of whom are now (1912) living. viz. : Minnie B., born November 2. 1884: Leah, born July 14, 1886: William IL .. born October 8, 1892, and Hazel, born December 6, 1898.
Mr. A. D. Thurston, deceased, was born in the township of LaFayette, Monroe county, March 22, 1864; his father, William Thurston, was one of the early and most respected residents of Farmer's valley in Wells township. Mr. Thurston spent his boyhood days on the homestead farm, attending the district school and assisting in the farm work. He was wide-awake and thrifty. and soon after reaching manhood, acquired a good farm in Leon township where he lived until his death, February 4, 1910, and was engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He was known as a successful farmer, a moral and upright citizen, and a man devoted to his home and family. He was a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
William H., since the death of his father, has had the manage- ment of the homestead farm.
BIOGRAPHY
Charles Todd, vice president of the State Bank of Wilion. was born near Homer, Cortland county. N. Y .. September 30. 1837. 10 Charles and Marie ( Williams) Todd. on the same farm where his father was born. and died in 1838 at the age of thirty-six years. Ilis widow. mother of our subject, survived until 1874 and died at the age of sixty-five years. Charles Todd. Sr. was a son of Dan Todd. a native of Connecticut, Who, in 1794, came up the Tioughnioga river in a canoe and was one of the pioneer settlers of Cortland county. He died in 1842 at the age of sixty years. His wife. paternal grandmother of our subject. was Sarah Foot. who lived to the age of seventy years and died in 1845. The maternal grandfather of Charles Todd was Thomas Williams. whose wife's maiden name was Olive Blodgett ; they were natives of Massachusetts. having been born near Springfield, that state : he was the son of Ambrose Williams and died at the age of sixty- eight: her death occurred in 1860. and tradition claims that his great great grandfather was a passenger on the Mayflower.
Charles Todd. Jr .. was raised on a farm which was sold when he enlisted as a private in the Union Army on April 24. 1861. in Company. D. Twelfth Regiment. New York Volunteer Infantry. and was mastered into the service at Elmira May 12. and his regiment was immediately transferred to Washington. D. C. Ile participated in the skirmish at Blackburn Ford, July 18. 1861. and was also in several of the important engagements in Virginia. nelnding the battle of Bull Run. Ile served with distinction throughout his term of enlistment and received his honorable dis- charge at Elmira in May. 1863. After returning to his home in Homer he was employed for a time at general carpenter work. and in 1868 came to Wisconsin. locating in Sauk county. where he remained three years. until 1871. when he was employed by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad in construction work. Since the spring of 1873, when he first came to Wilton, he has been a resident of Monroe county; he was first employed by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at tunnel No. 1. and for the next three years followed the ocenpation of railroad building. taking part in grading and track laying. Ilis next employment was with Moll & O'Brien. with whom he remained three years, when he purchased a farm of eighty acres in section nineteen. Wilton township. where he was engaged in farming from 1883 to 1890. He then received from Gov. George R. Peek an appoint- ment as messenger at the state capitol at Madison, and served in that capacity four years. He then returned to Monroe county and located in the village of Wilton, which has since been his home.
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where he lives and enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him. He has served as justice of the peace almost continuously since 1876, and for several terms as clerk of the township. In 1903 he became vice president of the Wilton State Bank, in which capacity he is still engaged.
Mr. Todd is a man of large, wholesome publie spirit and tense patriotism. Every movement that has for its motive and impulse the advancement of the city or county, is assured in advance of his hearty assistance and support ; his energy and sagacity, which he is always willing to supplement in a financial way, have been the dominating influence of many a profitable projeet; his is a strong character, and one that by reason of its power and mag- netism could not fail to be of effect in molding the thought and trend of the community of which it formed an integral factor.
On December 23, 1858, Mr. Todd was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Beck, daughter of William P. Beek, a substantial citizen of Homer, N. Y. She was born in 1840 and died in 1903, leaving. besides her husband. two children, viz .: Mary C., the widow of Imla Kellogg, and William E. Todd.
Herbert B. Tuttle, of section eleven, LaGrange township, who manages and carries on the 430-aere farm of Riley, Hart & Warren, known as the "Bonnie View" farm, was born in Baraboo, Wis .. September 23. 1850, the son of Albert G. and Elizabeth (Clark) Tuttle, natives of Connecticut, who came to Wisconsin in 1846. The father first stopped at Madison, then went to Portage with a stock of goods and opened the first store at that place for Nat Dean. IIe afterward returned to Con- nectient, entering into copartnership with David Munson. He returned to Wisconsin and Baraboo in 1848 and opened the first store there. In 1853 he purchased a farm near Baraboo, at that time being a leading horticulturist of the state, for which he seenred many state premiums as a producer of Russian apple trees. He was the first president of the State Horticultural Society, and a prominent man of affairs. He died in LaGrange township in 1908 in his ninety-first year. His wife, mother of our subjeet. died at Baraboo at the age of eighty-five years. They were the parents of four children, viz .: Albert, deceased : Herbert B., subject of this sketch; Merritt I., born in 1854. and lives in Montana, and Edward K., of Jackson county. Wisconsin, was born in 1857.
Herbert B. had all the advantages of the district schools and was raised on a farm. In 1876 he came to Monroe county and located in Seott township, where for ten years he carried on a
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200-acre cranberry marsh, from which the yield ran as high as 400 to 500 barrels a season. In 1886 he was burned out and then moved to Bear Bluff township, in Jackson county, where he engaged in eranberring for eleven years. In 1897 he returned to Monroe county and took charge of the Purdy cranberry marsh, near Valley Junction. After three years he moved to his present location and has since had charge of the "Bonnie View" farm. On this place there is twenty-seven acres of a cranberry marsh, with room for 110 more.
Mr. Tuttle was married in November, 1876, to Miss Laura C. Daniels, daughter of Luther Daniels, of Baraboo, Wis. She was born in 1860 and died in 1899, leaving, besides her husband, a family of four children. as follows: Genevieve, now Mrs. Louis Armstrong, of Brooklyn, Wis .: Hallie, Mrs. Burt Warrener, of Madison : Arthur E. and Hester A. live at home. Mr. Tuttle mar- ried the second time June 20. 1902, Miss Eva Cattle, daughter of Edward and Louisa (Miller) Cattle, of Juneau county, Wisconsin.
Mr. Tuttle was one of the organizers of Bear Bluff township. in Jackson county, and served as clerk of the town while a resi- dent there. In fraternal matters he is a member of the Masonic order. The Tuttle family were originally from England and Mr. Tuttle can trace his ancestors in a direct line back to William the Conquerer. Two brothers were the first to represent the Tuttle family in this country, one, John Tuttle, member of New Haven colony, owned the original farm where Yale College is now located. The Clark family came from Connecticut.
Capt. William H. VanAntwerp, of Sparta, comes from one of Monroe county's pioneer families and was born December 3, 1869. the son of Henry and Mary (Loomer) VanAntwerp, natives of New York and Massachusetts, respectively. Both the VanAnt- werps and Loomers came from prominent Holland ancestors. Henry VanAntwerp came to Monroe county, Wiseonsin, with his father, William, in 1854, and settled in Sparta when the town was new and but a village. William was a blacksmith by trade and located in a small building on Beaver creek. He took a promi- nent part in politics and court affairs, and took a lively interest in all matters pertaining to the betterment of his city and county. He died in 1877. Henry Van Antwerp, father of our subject, was engaged in commercial trade in Sparta for a number of years. He died August 3, 1899, leaving his widow, who died November 4, 1911, at the age of sixty-five years.
William H. VanAntwerp is the oldest of a family of four children, he. with his sister. Minnie, wife of P. J. MeBride, of
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Portage. Wis .. being the only ones surviving; Lewis and Jessie, wife of A. J. Hanton, of Minnesota, are deceased. He was reared on a farm and received his education in the public schools of Sparta. Starting out in life, he early learned the painters' and decorators' trade, which he followed for some time and later engaged in the laundry business, and still later in the restaurant and other lines. He is a Republican in political opinions and a conspienous worker in the ranks of his party ; he has also for years been prominent in military affairs. first serving as private and later as captain of the Wisconsin National Guards. He was mar- ried to his present wife in 1902.
Cornellius Vandervoort, retired farmer of Tomah. a native of Schoharie county. New York state. was born May 3. 1833. ITis parents were James R. and Mary (Baker) Vandervoort. also natives of New York. coming to Buffalo in 1844. they one year later continued their journey westward. locating with their family of eleven children in Waukesha, Wis., and after three years removed to Oconomowoc, and there purchased a farm on which he lived for ten years. It was in 1852. during the gold excitement in California. that our subject left the parental roof and joined the successful army of gold diggers, and during his stay there sent enough money to his father to pay in full for the farm that he had bought at Oconomowoc. James R., the father of our sub- jeet. was first married to Miss MeIntire in the state of New York. and ten children were born to them, five of whom are now living. His second marriage occurred March 14. 1880. with Miss Mary Moon. In early life he learned the trade of a carpenter and became an expert mechanic. and one of the best hewers of timber to be found in the country. He was a man highly respected in the community. a sincere Christian gentleman and in religions affiliations a Methodist. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. Hle died January 4. 1881.
John Vandervoort. the grandfather of our subject. was a soldier in the Revolutionary War under Washington.
Cornellius attended the district school until he was sixteen Years of age, and at the age of eighteen. in 1852. he started over- land with his brother-in-law and his family for the gold fields in California. making the trip with an ox team. reaching their desti- nation at the end of six months. Their first stop in the Golden state being forty-five miles from Sacramento. They resumed their journey further, where they engaged in their search for the golden metal. After one Year they went to a point on the Yuba river. where the subject was taken ill with fever, resulting in a physical
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breakdown, and becoming homesick, he abandoned further mining explorations and returned to Wisconsin, making the trip by the way of the Isthmus of Panama. arriving in New York City after a twenty-three days' trip, in 1855. after an absence of three years. Arriving at Oconomowoc. Wis., his former home. he bought two forty-acre tracts of land on each side of his father's farm and there resided for about six years. In the beginning of the sixties he moved with his family to Monroe county and bought eighty aeres of land in LaGrange township, adding to this until he acquired 210 aeres in the township, where he resided for some thirty years, since which time he has been a resident of the city of Tomah, where he owns a neat and comfortable residence, besides other valuable eity property. Mr. Vandervoort has been a successful general farmer, and ran the first steam thrasher in Monroe county, and carried on that business for eight years. While conducting his farming interests he was ever successful in the raising of grain and grass crops, to which he gave special attention, as well as the raising of cattle and hogs and the dairy business. After bestow- ing largely the real estate he has acquired to his children, he still retains a sufficient amount of the world's goods to keep him in comfort during his declining years.
Mr. Vandervoort was united in marriage with Miss Julia Ann Gitman in 1856. Six children were born to this union, four of whom are living, viz .: W. E., born August 12, 1858; J. L., born July 9, 1860; Jacob, born October 19, 1862; Alfred. July 20. 1865. Mrs. Vandervoort is deceased. Mr. Vandervoort is a member of the Methodist church, the Knights of Pythias and the G. A. R. In Angust. 1864, he enlisted in Company II, Fifty-first Regiment Wiseonsin Volunteer Infantry and served until the end of the war.
Frank E. Vandervort, of seetion eight. LaGrange township. is one of the wide awake natives of Wisconsin, and was born in LaGrange township September 6. 1867. son of Isaac, who was born in Schoharia county. New York. September 9. 1834, and Laura (Foss) Vandervort. a native of Vermont. Isaac Vandervort was nine years old when his parents moved to Wisconsin. and settled in Waukesha. which was then known as Prairieville. Two years later they moved to Merton and thenee to Summit Center, where they remained two years. Isaac was fourteen years of age when he and his brother purchased forty acres of land near Oconomowoc, which they opened. improved and added to until they had one of the best farms in that section. Here Mr. Vander- vort lived until 1860. When the Civil War broke out he offered
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his services to his country. but was twice rejected. On his third application, however. he was accepted, and in 1864 assigned to Company I, First Heavy Artillery, and served one year. In 1866 he came to Monroe county and for many years was known as one of Monroe county's most public spirited and thrifty farmers. In 1859 he married Miss Laura A. Foss, who died at the age of forty- four years in 1885. In 1887 he married for his second wife Naomi Hoag. a native of Monroe county. New York. James R. Vander- vort and Mary ( Baker) Vandervort, grandparents of our subject, were also natives of the Empire state: they also eame to Monroe county in 1866. where they passed the last days of their lives. He died at the age of ninety-two years and she at the age of seventy- five years. He was a carpenter by trade and a soldier in the War of 1812. The Vandervorts came from old and respected New England ancestry. The death of Isaac Vandervort occurred September 3. 1912.
Frank E., is the third child in order of birth in a family of eight children: the others are Edward JJ., of Tomah township : George. of Vilas county, Wisconsin : Mary, wife of John Trapp, of Tomah: Ody. of LaGrange township; Roy lives at Osseo. Wis .: Alvin J. and Lulu B. Mr. Vandervort attended the district schools and remained on the home farm until the age of twenty- one. when he began farming on his own account. In the fall of 1898 he moved to his present farm of 110 acres, which at that time was all timbered land but twelve acres: he has since cleared the balance. made many improvements and brought the land to a good state of cultivation. In 1898 he erected a small frame house which he occupied until 1905, when he built a commodious and modern briek residence. His barn, erected in 1899, was enlarged in 1912, and a fine stone basement added, and in the same year a silo was built. Mr. Vandervort is one of the substantial and pro- gressive farmers of Monroe county, and takes a commendable interest in affairs of his town, as well as in the county. He has represented his township on the side board and is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
He was married on December 25, 1888, to Miss Lettie Woodard. a native of Watertown, N. Y., and daughter of Wilson and Delia (Taft) Woodard. of Tunnel City. Monroe county. They came to Wisconsin when Mrs. Vandervort was one year old. and settled in Greenfield township, where they continued to make their home until their death. They were the parents of seven children. viz. : Lettie, now Mrs. Vandervort : Anna E., wife of Byron Johnson, of Tunnel City : D. T .. of Riverside. Calif .: Tillie, who was the wife
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of Frank Johnson, died in October. 1903, aged forty years; Delia, wife of Henry Morse, of Warren; Kittie, wife of Odie Purdy, LaGrange township, and Wilson D .. of Greenfield township.
To Mr. and Mrs. Vandervort have been born three children, viz. : Laura, Leon W., and Frank W. Vandervert.
Rollie Vandervort, a native of LaGrange township, Monroe county, who resides on his farm of ninety-three acres in sections twenty and twenty-one, this township, was born in Pleasant valley. March 25, 1886, son of Alvin J. and Lottie (C'ooms) Vandervort, natives of Oconomowoc and Baraboo, Wis .. respect- ively. They came to Monroe county in an early day, and at that time much of the township consisted of wild land covered with stumps, with no wagon road. In 1883, when twenty-one years of age, the father married and located in Pleasant valley. and for several years was employed in the MeKanna logging camp and later settled in Tomah. where he built a home. which he later traded for the farm where our subject now resides. He was born in 1862 and died in 1898. aged thirty-six years. His wife. mother of our subject, who also was born in 1862. survived until 1905. when she passed away at the age of forty-three years. Besides our subjeet, they had one daughter. Eva, who resides at Tomah and is unmarried.
In 1908 Mr. Vandervort married Miss Mattie Griggs. daughter of Clarence and Carrie (Griswold) Griggs. of LaGrange township. They have two children. Dales James, born November 1. 1909. and Helen L., born October 18, 1911. Mr. Vandervort is a member of the Mystic Workers, and is one of the solid young men of pleasing personality of his township. He is fair and square in all his dealings, and promises to be one of the leading citizens.
Lawrence E. van Loon, a successful farmer of seetion twenty- eight. LaGrange township, was born in Holland. June 27, 1840. son of Everhardus and Binke (LaFleur) van Loon, natives of Holland. The father died when our subject was eight years old, and a short time thereafter the mother came to America with her family of five sons, as follows: Lawrence E. : John. who is a resident of La Crosse county ; Rinnert, deceased ; Elbertus. of La Crosse county, and Paul, of San Francisco. Cal. The mother lived to the age of forty-six years and died in 1860. The father. at the time of his death was a government official of the province of Friesland, which was a life position.
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