USA > Wisconsin > Vernon County > History of Vernon County, Wisconsin, together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 36
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In November, 1863, Hartwell Allen, of the town of Harmony, was elected county superin- tendent. Ile was re-elected in 1865, serving until Jan. 1, 1868.
In November, 1867, T. J. Shear, of Hillsbor- ough, was elected to succeed Mr. Allen, and served one term.
J. N. Wright was elected in November, 1869, and served two years. Mr. Wright came to Vernon county at an early day from Ohio, and
located in the town of Webster. He was a school teacher by profession and taught school in various parts of the county. A few years ago he removed to one of the northern Wiscon- sin counties.
Succeeding Mr. Wright, Hartwell Allen was again elected and served another term as super- ntendent.
In November, 1873, O. B. Wyman was eleet- ed county superintendent. In 1875 and 1877 he was re-elected, serving in all six years. He is now district attorney for Vernon county.
William Haughton succeeded Mr. Wyman, being elected in November, 1879, and re-elected in 1881. William Haughton moved with his fam- ily to Wisconsin in the year 1865 from western Canada, where his parents had settled with a large family while he was still a boy. Brought up on a farm with an only brother two years younger than himself, his thoughts turned rather to books than to the plow. By wood and lake and breezy hills he became imbued with the spirit of poetry and at the age of fif- teen was a contributor to a local paper published at Barrie on the shores of the beautiful lake Simcoe, north of the city of Toronto. Soon after he wrote for the Morning Chronicle, of Quebec, and for the Times of Owen Sound, on the borders of Huron, in Grey county, occasion- ally finding a welcome and a corner in Gra- ham's and other American magazines, always writing under the nom de plume of Sylvicola, or the Woodsman. As his parents were mem- bers of the Church of England, whose gorgeous liturgy captivated his young heart, he prepared himself both by home study under the direc- tion and assistance of the pastor of his Church, and by the aid of public schools for the ministry of the establishment. While yet young he became a fair classical and mathemati- cal scholar and soon began the study of theol- ogy. Circumstances, however, prevented his entering the ministry of the Church of England.
Instead thereof he married the girl of his . heart's choice, whom he had known from child-
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hood, and ere he was yet twenty-one or she sev- enteen years old they took upon themselves the cares and burdens of housekeeping, settling in western Canada, where he taught school and gave private instructions for a living. He has never had cause to regret his early marriage. His companion has been a faithful and loving wife through all these years; at this writing the mother of twelve children, four boys and eight girls. Three of the number sleep, and nine are living. One girl is married to Henry Carson, Jr., of the Viroqua Censor; another to Theodore Brown, of Canada, but who now resides near Viroqua; and one has been for some years a teacher in the graded schools of Viroqua.
As before stated, Mr. Haughton settled in Wisconsin the year of Lincoln's martyrdom in 1865. He loved Ameriea long before he came to it. Ile wrote of her liberties and noble in- stitutions, and at last received a welcome and a home in the land he loved. Soon after coming he published the lines that have since appeared in book form under the caption of Ad Meam Musam, which perhaps we will be pardoned in reproducing here:
Come my old harp, in other days We trilled some wild and stirring lays, Though rude our songs, yet full and free We poured untaught our minstrelsy; And there were hearts that heard and felt Our music oft could soothe and melt; Could fall entranced on beauty's ear, And wake the sigh and win the tear. Through Kippel's shades-by Huron's strand- I swept thee with inspiring hand; By Elva's lonely stream I gave Thy music to the trembling wave.
Here still the morn thy songs invite, The parting eve-The starry night -- The fragraut vale-The leafy hill, The lake, the mountain and the rill, Here where Itasca's gorgeous lake With glory burns-awake-awake! Where Mississippi's waters roll Are scenes to warm and nerve the soul. We love the land whose kindly breast A welcome gave and bade us rest.
Her patriot songs, her birds and flowers, Her mountains and her lakes and ours. No stranger wanders to her heart Theu longs to leave it and depart, Her generous grasp is round him thrown She wins and wears him as her own. O, heaven blessed land! from sea to sea, From isle to isle they throng to thee- They eome thy noblest boons to share- Enough for all, and yet to spare.
In boyhoods years we loved to tell Of how her heroes fouglit and fell; How met the dark oppressors pride- Beat back his hosts and conquering died. We loved to trace her history o'er, And longed to tread her sacred shore; To feel the liberty she gave And find near her great heart a grave. For me, when I her name forget- The welcome on these shores I met- May I an ingrate, wandering roam, An outcast from the joys of home.
Mr. Haughton moved from La Crosse county to Newton, in Vernon county, in 1872, where he took charge of the Harmony Baptist Church, and where he accepted ordination to the minis- try. In the fall of the following year, he took charge of the Viroqua Graded School, and af- terward, of the High School, of which schools he continued in charge for four years. For some eight years he served the Congregational Church at Viroqua, as aeting pastor, giving up that charge in 1881. He has by continued and close attention to his duties, won the good will and confidence of the public, laboring amongst the schools during the week days and preach- ing at some point on Sundays, when Churches and people are in need of, and willing to hear the gospel. For several years, he was a con- tributor to the Viroqua Censor, and from which office a small collection of some of his poems were given the public in book form. He con- tinued for many years to write for the Canadian papers and is State contributor to the Milwau- kee Wisconsin, where he is retained upon the staff of correspondents to that widely circula- ted and very popular publication. Mr. Haugh- tons heart and soul are enlisted in the cause of
·
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education and this fact enables him to be a faith- ful servant of the public, which has seen fit to continue him so far in his present work and for which his early training and predelietions fit him.
COUNTY SURVEYOR
Samuel MeMichael was the first surveyor of Bad Ax county, being elected at the organiza- tion of the county in April, 1851. In Novem- ber, 1851, and again in 1853, he was re-elected. Samuel MeMichael was born in Crawford Co., Penn., in 1815, and moved with his parents to Muskingum Co., Ohio. In 1850 he came west with his family to Vernon Co., Wis., and settled at Springville, in the town of Jefferson. There he lived until 1854, when he moved to Viroqua, which place remained his home until the time of his death. When the war broke out he enlisted in company C, 18th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers, and was taken prisoner at Shiloh, April 6, 1862, with Prentiss' division. Hc was placed in the rebel prison at Macon, Ga., and died on the 27th of June, 1862 Samuel MeMichael was a much respected man among the pioneers, and his sad death was widely mourned in Vernon county.
In September, 1855, W. F. Beavers was elected surveyor, but only served a short time when he died and Samuel MeMichael was appointed to fill the vacancy thus occasioned. Beavers came from Indiana in 1853, and settled at Springville, in the town of Jefferson. He was a professional surveyor, following that busi- ness for a living. He was well thought of by all who knew him, and gave excellent satisfae- tion as a surveyor.
Samuel MeMichael was elected in November, 1856, to serve out the balance of Beavers' term.
In November, 1857, Green Spurrier was elected surveyor and served one term. Mr. Spurrier came from Ohio in 1854, and settled with his family at Viroqua. He was a profes- sional surveyor. He remained at Viroqua until during the war, when he moved to near Sparta,
Monroe county, and died there in 1881. He was a pleasant, social fellow, quite a politician and made many friends here.
Lemuel Joseph was elected surveyor in November, 1859, and was re-elected in 1861 and 1863, serving six years. Hle came here with his family from Ohio, in 1855, and settled upon a farm in the town of Webster. Ile . lived there until he died, about 1873.
B. S. Moore, of Readstown, succeeded Lem- uel Joseph, as surveyor. He was elected in November, 1865, and served one term.
H. C. Joseph became a surveyor by virtue of the election in November, 1867. Ile was a son of the former surveyor, Samuel Joseph. He remained upon his father's farm until about 1876, when he removed to Sioux City, Iowa, and is now engaged in farming near that place. He was an excellent citizen, conscientious and bon- orable in all of his dealings with men.
In November, 1869, I. F. Thorp, of the town of Jefferson, was elected surveyor and served one term .. I. F. Thorp became a resident of Vernon county in the fall of 1856, and has since resided in Jefferson township. He was born May 1, 1832, in Muskingum Co., Ohio, his par- ents being Morgan and Mary A. Thorp. When eight years old he was left motherless, and resided until fifteen years of age with Daniel Murphy, a farmer, at which time he began life for himself. He subsequently worked for different parties, at various employ- ments, attending school at intervals, and thus obtaining a good education. In 1854 he was married to Mary E. Joseph, and two years later came to Wisconsin, making the trip with a team. His wife died in the fall of 1866, leav- ing one daughter-Sarah, who died July 4, 1879. In the spring of 1857 Mr. Thorp and Archibald Morrison succeeded John M. Goldrich in the manufacture of fanning mills. They continued in partnership one season, since which time Mr. Thorp has given his attention to farming. Ile is a republican, and has held the office of township clerk, was county surveyor two terms, and has
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held the office of justice of the peace for several years.
B. S. Moore, of Readstown, succeeded Mr. Thorp and served one term.
In November, 1873, I. F. Thorp was again elected surveyor.
Egbert Wyman, of Hillsborough, was elected .surveyor in November, 1875, and served two years. He is now reading law in the office of Rusk & Wyman at Viroqua.
W. H. Knower, of Genoa, was elected in No- vember, 1877, and being re-elected in 1879 and 1881, is the present surveyor. Mr. Knower has been a resident of the county since 1855. He was born in Roxbury, Mass., in 1830, and lived there until he was ten years of age, when he went to the city of New York with his parents. He received a good education and was engaged in teaching many years, both before and since he camne west, He first came to Wisconsin in 1850, but returned to Brooklyn and engaged in busi- ness. In 1855 he came west to stay. He was married in Rock Co., Wis., to Mary Elliott. They have three sons and one daughter.
COUNTY JUDGE.
Thomas J. De Frees was the first county judge of Bad Ax county. He was elected upon the organization of the county in April, 1851, and served four years.
Hon. William F. Terhune, of Viroqua, sue- ceeded T. J. De Frees as county judge. He was elected in September, 1855.
In April, 1858, Hon. James E. Newell, of Vir- oqua, was elected county judge, serving a term of four years.
Hon.Carson Graham succeeded Judge Newell. He was elected in April, 1861, and re-elected in April, 1865, serving eight years,
In April, 1869, Hon. William S. Purdy, of Viroqua, was elected county judge.
Through the election of county judge, in April, 1873, there arose one of the most impor- tant lawsuits that has ever been decided by the supreme court of Wisconsin. The candidates for county judge were William S. Purdy, the
incumbent, and James E. Newell. Mr. Purdy received 1,217 votes and Mr. Newell 1,240, a majority for the latter of twenty-three votes. The salary of the county judge had been fixed at $1,000 per annum, by the board of supervi- sors. During the campaign J. E. Newell pub- lished a card addressed to the voters, stating that he would attend to the duties of the office for the sum of $600 per annum. After the result of the election was declared, Mr. Purdy refused to give up the office. Both parties claimed to be elected, and both filed the official oath and bond required by law. Whereupon an action in the nature of quo warranto was brought in the supreme court by the attorney general at the relation of J. E. Newell, to determine which of the parties had been elected to the office. The grounds upon which the plaintiff, or relator, stood, was that he had received a majority of twenty-three votes over his opponent, and was therefore entitled to the office. The defendant, W. S. Purdy, based his defense upon the ground that the offer of J. E. Newell to perform the work of the office for $600, and thus donate $400 to the county, was a species of bribery and tended to a corruption of the ballot box. He further named 100 voters and tax payers who it was claimed "intended to vote for the defend- ant, but were unlawfully and wrongfully induced by said corrupt offers of the relator, J. E. Newell, to change their purpose and vote for said relator." The points, made in the argument, supporting the grounds taken by the defense were : "1. It is bribery to pay money to a voter or to prom- ise him money or any other pecuniary consider- ation whereby he is induced to vote, or to for- bear voting, or whereby he is induced to vote for a particular candidate. 2. Though the offer here was to pay the county, and not the voters directly, yet it was an offer of pecuniary benefit to the voter and tax payer by diminished taxa- tion if he would vote for the relator and secure his election. 3. All votes obtained by the pe- euniary inducement offered by the relator are illegal and must be disregarded by the court in
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this action." After a lengthy argument the su- preme conrt decided in favor the defendant, and held that W. S. Purdy was entitled to the office of county judge of Vernon county for another four years.
In April, 1877, Hon. C. M. Butt, of Viroqua, was elected county judge. In April, 1881, he was re-elected.
The gentlemen who have held the office of county judge, having all been lawyers, are treated at length in the bar chapter.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
As all of the gentlemen who have held this office are treated at length in the chapter devoted to the bar, in this connection it will only be necessary to give their names and the years in which they were elected :
Lorenzo A. Pierce, 1851; T. J DeFrees, 1853, 1855; Royal C. Bierce, 1857; C. M. Butt, 1859; W. F. Terhune, 1861; D. B. Priest, 1863, 1865; J. E. Newell, 1867; Carson Graham, 1869;C. M. Butt, 1871, 1873; H. P. Proctor, 1875, 1877, 1879; O. B. Wyman, 1881.
CORONER.
This office was not filled at the organization of the county. From the records it would ap- pear that the office was vacant a good many years.
Clement Spaulding was the first coroner of the county, being elected in November, 1851.
In November, 1857, Jeremiah M. Rusk was elected coroner. He is the present governor of Wisconsin.
In November, 1861, Charles W. Pitcher was elected coroner. Pitcher came from Illinois in 1855 and settled at Liberty Pole, in the town of
Franklin. He remained there a number of years, then moved to Viroqua. From the latter place he went to Sparta, where his wife died. He has since moved to Iowa.
Elisha W. Pickerael succeeded Mr. Pitcher as coroner, being elected in 1863. Mr. Pickerael came from Ohio in 1856 and settled in Viroqua, where he was married a few days later to Rachel White. He was a school teacher by profession. He remained in the village for several years; then purchased a farm east of town where he moved and lived until his death in 1872. He was a good citizen; esteemed by all who knew him.
In November, 1865, H. A. Robinson was elected coroner. In 1867 he was re-elected. Robinson was a blacksmith who settled at Liberty Pole, town of Franklin, at an early day. About 1856 he moved to Viroqua, and opened a shop there, remaining until the time of his death.
H. D. Williams, of Viroqua, was elected cor- oner in 1869 and re-elected in 1871.
C. E. Morley succeeded Mr. Williams, being elected in November, 1873.
B. J. Castle, a newspaper man from De Soto, was elected coroner in November, 1875, and served two years.
H. C. Gosling, of Viroqua, was elected coro- ner in 1877.
Succeeding Mr. Gosling, in November, 1879, C. E. Morley was again elected coroner and served one term.
Stanley Stout, of the town of Liberty, was elected coroner in November, 1881, and is the present incumbent. .
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
The first physician to locate within the limits of the territory now constituting Vernon county was Dr. John H. Sudduth. He was a Kentuck- ian by birth; but came from Grant Co., Wis., in 1847 or 1848, and located upon a farm in what is now the town of Jefferson. In 1850 he moved to the village of Springville, where he remained until just before the breaking out of the war, when he moved to St. Charles, Minn. He is still in practice at that place, having become very wealthy.
The second physician in the county was Dr. George A. Swain. Some of the early settlers, however, claim that Dr. Swain came full as early as Dr. Sudduth. Dr. Swain came from Ohio and located upon a farm near where Brookville now is in the town of Franklin. There he re- mained until a few years ago, when he removed to Kansas, where he died in 1883.
The first physician in the county educated for the profession was Dr. Henry G. Weeden.
VILLAGE OF VIROQUA.
The most prominent physicians who have been located at Viroqua in the past are Drs. Henry G. Weeden, Elisha W. Tinker, J. HI. Schooley and James Rusk. Among those who have studied medicine and really began their professional career here, the most of them, how- ever, attending and graduating from some med- ical college, are the following named: Drs. W. W. Rusk, now deceased; Cass Purdy, now of Iowa; W. B. Morley, now of Nealsville, Wis .; Albert Cory, of Chaseburg; J. B. Trowbridge, now of Minnesota; Frank Johnson of Browns- dale, Minn .; and Dr. Chase.
Dr. Henry G. Weeden was the first physician to locate at Viroqna. Dr. Weeden was born in the town of Washington, Orleans Co., Vt., on the 29th of October, 1821. He was educated at Burlington, in his native State, and came to Viroqua in 1852. He remained here until 1866, when he removed to Montana, where he died on the 26th of August, 1871. His family still live in Montana. Dr. Weeden was one of the sufferers by the terrible tornado of 1865. One of his children was killed, he was severely in- jured and his buildings were destroyed. Dr. Weeden was a man of education, both generally and professionally. He improved the farm ad- jacent to Viroqua, now occupied by Nathan Coe.
Dr. Elisha W. Tinker was the second physi- cian to locate at Viroqua. He came here from Morgan Co., Ohio, in 1854, and at once began practice. He remained until May, 1883, when he removed to the State of Missouri, where he still lives and follows his profession. He was a good physician and an excellent man.
Dr. J. H. Schooley came from Ohio in 1855, and located with his family at Viroqua. He was not a graduate of any medical school, but was a man of "good, sound sense and had had some experience" in the profession. He was about fifty years of age. He remained here for a number of years and then removed to Mis- souri.
Dr. James Rusk came to Viroqua in 1857. He was a son of Daniel Rusk, Sr., one of the early settlers of Perry Co., Ohio, where James was born Sept. 14, 1815. When he was about
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
thirteen years of age his father removed to Morgan county, where until early manhood James remained; and there, while aiding in carving out a home for his parents, he laid the foundation of those principles of uprightness and integrity which characterized him in after life. His education was such as patient, un- aided individual effort gives those who honestly yearn for knowledge. He began life as a teacher, but after some months thus spent he entered the office of Dr. Lyman Little, of Deav- ertown, with whom he remained until he com- pleted the then required course. In 1838 he be- gan the practice of medicine at Nelsonville, Ohio. During this year he was married to Anna M. Little, daughter of Dr. James Little, of Roseville. In 1839 he removed to Morgan county, and until 1855 continued practice in that county. In the meantime, 1849, he gradu- ated at the Sterling Medical College, of Colum- bus. In 1855 he removed to McConnelsville, Ohio, and remained there until coming to Viroqua in 1857. Here he remained until the time of his death, April 15, 1872, aged fifty-six years. He was an esteemed and respected citi- zen. His widow still resides in Viroqua. Their eight children, five of whom are still living, were as follows-Sarah J., now wife of N. Mc- Kie, of Viroqua; Elizabeth, died when eighteen years of age; Hettie M., now wife of M. C. Nichols of Viroqua: Albert married Clara Chase, and now lives upon a farm near Viroqua; Dr. W. W. died March 29, 1882; Susan J., now Mrs. Edson Leavitt, living near Bangor; and David L., of Viroqua.
In 1883 the medical profession was repre- sented at Viroqua, by the following named gentlemen : Drs. William A. Gott, H. A. Chase, J. B. Richards, J. H. Suttle and J. K. Schreiner.
Dr. Wm. A. Gott came to Vernon county in the spring of 1857, and located at Readstown. He was born at Albany, N. Y., in 1830, where he was brought up. He began the study of medicine in 1849; attended two courses of
lectures at the Albany Medical College, and graduated at the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, in 1852. After his gradnation he was surgeon in the Albany City Hospital, for three years. Ile came to this county, as stated, in the spring of 1857. In 1862 he entered the army as assist- ant surgeon of the 25th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, was promoted surgeon, in which capacity he served during the last year of the war. He located at Viroqua, in Septem- ber, 1865. Dr. Gott is a thoroughly educated physician, and by his long and successful prac- tice as a physician and surgeon, has secured an enviable reputation in his profession. The doctor has been twice married; his first wife was Marion S. Gill, born at Strykersville, Wyoming Co., N. Y. She died in the spring of 1880. His present wife was Mrs. Lydia R. ( Ruggles ) Peck. She was for many years a teacher in the High School, at Chippewa Falls, in this State. The doctor has two daughters by his first mar- riage-Florence and Helen.
Dr. Henry A. Chase located at Viroqua in the spring of 1868. He was born in Windsor Co., Vt., in 1844. He removed, when a boy, with his father, S. A. Chase, to Fond du Lac, Wis., where the father still resides. Dr. Chase commenced the study of medicine in 1860, and in 1862 entered the service of the United States as a surgeon's steward, in the Navy. In 1863, when less than twenty years of age, he re-entered the service as hospital steward in the 38th regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer In- fantry. He was severely wounded in front of Petersburg, in June, 1864, from the effects of · which he has never fully recovered. He grad- uated from Rush Medical College, of Chicago, in the class of 1868, and soon after located in Viroqua Dr. Chase is an excellent physician and an esteemed citizen. Politically, he is an ardent republican, and was chosen to represent the second assembly district, in the State Legislature, during the session of 1871 and 1872. Dr. Chase was united in marriage to
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Emma Tiffany, a native of New York. They are the parents of two children-Henry A. Jr., and Mary E.
Dr. J. B. Richards located at Viroqua, July 26, 1879. He was born in Bristol, Maine, in 1832, and at the age of seventeen went to Bos- ton, Mass., and was employed as a druggist clerk. He also devoted his spare time to the study of medicine, and finally attended four courses of lectures at Harvard Medical College, of Boston. He began the practice of medicine in 1856, and in 1858 located at La Crosse, Wis., where he practiced his profession and was en- gaged in the drug trade for twenty years. Dr. Richard's long experience as a pharmacist, and skill as a physician, have won for him a sub- stantial practice, and his upright character and social attainments during his residence in Viro- qua have gained for him a host of friends. Dr. Richards married Ellen E. Washburn, of Oxford, Maine. They have been blessed with four children-J. W., a druggist of Minto, Grand Forks Co., Dak .; J. B., Jr., an attorney- at-law at Frederick, Brown Co., Dak; Jessie, an only daughter, and Frank, at home.
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