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 96
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parta. After the war, Mr. Blake returned to De Soto, in the town of Wheatland, and re- sumed work at his trade. He has been a resi- dent of Viroqua since 1872. Ile married Ella R., daughter of James Osgood. They have two children-Edith and Willie.
P. P. Ilektoen was born in Hamar Stift, Nor- way, in 1839. He received a good education in a school corresponding to the normal schools of the United States. He came to the United States in 1859, coming directly to Viroqua town. In 1861 he bought a small farm of I. Bjorseth, on section 3, town 13 north, of range 4 west, where he still resides. In 1862 he married Olive Thorsgaard, also a native of Norway. Their oldest son, Ludvig, graduated from the Nor- wegian Lutheran College, at Decorah, Iowa, in
June, 1883. Their other children are Martin and Maria. Mr. Hektoen has been for many years a teacher and is a man of considerable culture.
David Strawn has resided in Vernon Co., Wis., since 1859, and at present, is a retired farmer. He purchased a part of his last farm, on section 29, north of the village of Viroqua, of Alonzo Pierce. Mr. Strawn was born, in 1827, in Perry Co., Ohio, where he grew to manhood. Ilis parents were John and Rebecca Strawn, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Virginia. They resided in Ohio until their death. Mr. Strawn married Amy Hone, born in Ohio. They have two children-Mary A., now Mrs. L. W. Ady, and Grant. Mr. Strawn's farm contained 320 acres, well improved, in- eluding good buildings, and was sold in July, 1883, to Philip Rhodes, who has been a resi- dent of Vernon county for thirty years. He be- gan poor, and has made all his improvements, making it one of the best farms in the county.
Elijah Tilton is the son of Simeon II. and Eliza (Brown) Tilton, and was born in what was then locking, now Vinton Co., Ohio, in 1833. Ile came with his parents to Vernon Co. Wis., in 1860. He was married, in Ohio, to Lydia A. Mercer, a native of that State. She died in 1864. They had three children, one of whom is living-Mrs. Eliza E. Smith. Subse- quently. Mr. Tilton married Mrs. Sarah C. (Ady) King, by whom he has eight children, six boys and two girls-Pearly J., William L., Henry L., Jesse E., Hannah A., James E., Grace E. and Carl E. Mr. Tilton enlisted Feb. 18, 1865, in company B, 50th Wisconsin Volunteer In fantry, serving until the close of the war. Mr. Tilton has a farm of 200 acres, seventy of which is timber land and the remainder under culti- vation.
Simeon H. Tilton was born in Pennsylvania, in 1809. When nine years of age, he went with his parents to Indiana and from thence to Ohio. In 1854 he came to Vernon Co., Wis., purchas- ing land in Webster town, In 1860 he settled
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on section 24, Viroqua town, and in 1868 on section 33. Mr. Tilton was married to Eliza Brown, born in Pickaway Co., Ohio. They had five children, three of whom are living-Elijah, Rebecca and Mary, now Mrs. William C. Alden. These children all live in this town. Mr. Tilton died Dee. 31, 1876. Mrs. Tilton is still living.
J. Henry Tate, general merchant, has been a resident of Viroqua since 1865. He was born in the town of Landgrave, Bennington Co., Vt., in 1830. He was reared to the business of farming. In 1847 he went to Boston, Mass., where he was engaged as clerk for two years. Ir. 1849 he went to California; was absent about two years, when he returned to New England; lived in Boston several years, and went to Rhode Island in the spring of 1860. Hle enlisted on the breaking out of the war, in the 2d Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry, and went into the service as commissary sergeant. He was in the service three years; was, for ten months, as- sistant quartermaster of the 3d Division of the 6th Army Corps. He was present at several of the earlier battles of the war, including the first battle of Bull Run, battle of Fredericksburg and Salem Heights. Col. Tate is one of the promi- nent business men and one of the enterprising citizens of Vernon county. Ile is an ardent re- publican, politically. a He was elected to the State Assembly in 1873, and was a member of the State Senate in 1876 and 1877. lle is en- gaged in general merchandising at Viroqua, also has another store at Cashton; the firm name there being Tate & Nelson. Mrs. Tate was formerly Helen M. Walker, also born in the town of Landgrave, Bennington Co., Vt. They have six children-Mrs. Nellie M. Towner, Mrs. Ella I. Boyer, J. Henry, Jr , Addie M., Frank E. and Frederick A.
George W. Morgan is the only resident photographer in Vernon county, and as his , mercantile trade, and his stock is mostly com- artistic ability is excellent, his patronage is large and remunerative. Mr. Morgan was born at Elk Grove, Grant Co., Wis., in 1845. ITis | he has been fairly successful. In addition to father, Samuel Morgan, was an early settler of | his business interests in Vernon county, he has
that county, and a wagon maker by trade. He removed to Allamakec Co., Iowa, in 1850, where he now resides. George W. commenced learn- ing the art of photography in 1866, with Dr. IIall, of Lansing, Iowa. Dr. Hall subsequently died, and Mr. Morgan took charge of his busi- ness and continued it with fair success for about six years. In June, 1872, he located in Viroqua. Mr. Morgan married Hattie L. Mur- ry, a native of Ohio.
Frank M. Towner is proprietor of the only exclusive book and stationery house in Vernon county. He carries a full stock and varied assortment, including fancy goods, musical instruments, etc., and his stock is valued at from $8,000 to $10,000. Mr. Towner was born in Erie Co., Penn., in 1854. In his carlier life, he took a select course of study in the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor and was subsequently a student in the Wisconsin State University, at Madison. He came to Viroqua in 1866, and embarked in his present business in the fall of 1872. Mr. Towner en- joys a first class custom, and is highly respected as a citizen. He married Nellie, daughter of Col. J. Henry Tate, one of the most prominent merchants of Viroqua and Vernon county.
N. McKie is a prominent and successful merchant of Vernon county. He is extensively engaged in the drug, hardware and lumber trade at Viroqua, and is held in high esteem by his acquaintances. He was born in sunny Eng- land, in 1828, and served an apprenticeship in the drug business, at Dumfries, Scotland. In 1848 he went to St. Louis, Mo., where he opened and operated two drug houses, in the retail trade for ten years. From 1851 to 1861 he was engaged in farming and merchandising, in St. Clair Co., Ill., and in 1869, he located at Viro- mua. He immediately embarked in the general posed of drugs and hardware. In December, 1880, lie engaged in the lumber trade, in which
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also had a branch establishment in Crawford Co., Wis. Mr. McKie married Sarah J., daughter of Dr. James Rusk. They have six children-Harriet, Sarah E., Jane E., James H., Hngh and Ernest.
John J. Hammond resides on section 32, Viroqua town, where he settled in the spring of 1871. He purchased of N. Wells forty- four acres of good land, especially adapted to the raising of small fruit. Mr. Hammond devotes the major portion of his time to fruit growing. His vineyard produced, in 1880, about 6,000 pounds of fine Concord grapes, and in 1882, over 4,000 pounds. Berries form a respectable part of his fruit interests, and in 1882, he raised over fifty bushels of excellent Early Richmond cherries. He is also engaged in the cultivation of sugar cane, making annu- ally from 100 to 600 gallons of sorghum molasses. John J. Hammond is a native of Northamptonshire, England, born in 1839. When seventeen years of age, his father and mother, William and Elizabeth Hammond, emi- grated to these United States, and located in New Jersey. There the father embarked in the boot and shoe trade, which he continued until his death, in the spring of 1882. In 1861 be removed his family to Illinois, where he lived during the remainder of his life. Mr. Hammond was united in marriage, in 1863, 10 Ann Ilall, a native of Illinois, whose parents came from England. Mr. and Mrs Hammond have been blessed with nine children, three of whom are living-Alice Ann, Ida Mary and Addie Belle. Those deceased were named Alice P., Elizabeth Ann, Lydia M., Oliver S., Eleanor S. and Cora Estella.
Capt. Robert P. Clarke was not an early set- tler of Vernon county, but was so intimately and prominently connected with the early his- tory of the Mississippi valley that a brief sketch of him here will probably be of interest to the readers of Vernon county history. He was born near Pittsburg, Penn., in 1802. He began keel-boating on the Ohio river when but
twenty years of age, and followed boating in that kind of a craft until steamboats began plying the Mississippi. At one time, when ascending the Mississippi river, he was attacked by a large party of Indians, not far from the city of La Crosse. After a desperate fight with the savages, in which twelve of his crew were killed, he succeeded in beating off the Indians. Ile commanded one of the first steamboats that ever ascended the Mississippi river. It was called the Mexico, which, under his command, carried the first private freight to the head of navigation on that river, and he also com- manded the third steamer that ascended the Missouri river. He owned and commanded a number of the finest river steamboats, including the Mexico, Lady Washington, George Washing- ton, Chief-Justice Marshall, General LaFayette and others, and was identified with steamboat interests down to nearly the time of the close of his long and eventful life. During the Texas war for independence, his sympathies were aroused by the struggling Texans in their struggle for independence. Ile organized a company, consisting mostly of the erew of his steamboat, and left St. Louis, Mo., with his company for the headquarters of Gen. Samuel Houston, the commander of the Texan forces. Ile joined that general and participated in the sanguinary battle of San Jacinto, where the Mexi- cans lost 630 killed, and 730 taken prisoners. Among the latter were included Gen. Santa Auna. Capt. Clarke was the first to carry the news of that important victory to New Orleans. After he retired from steamboating he located at Cincinnati, afterward removing to St. Louis, which was his home for many years. He was a resident of the latter city when the war for the Union broke out, and although too old to en- gage in active service he took a deep interest in the success of the Union cause, and was an ardent supporter of the old flag during that fearful struggle. Notwithstanding he followed the river so many years, where moral and re- ligious principles are not supposed to predomi-
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nate, Capt. Clarke was a man of strong religious convictions, and highly respected wherever known. As wassaid of him at his death, he was "a public spirited and Christian gentleman, honest, plain spoken, frank and kind-hearted." He re- ceived his first religious impressions under the ministrations of Dr. Lyman Beecher, at Cincin- nati, Ohio. He removed to De Soto, Wis., where his children resided, in 1874, where he died in October, 1880. The respect and esteem in which he was held was well attested by the large number of prominent citizens that attended the funeral of their deceased friend and neigh- bor. He was married twice, the first time at Wheeling, W. Va. lle had three children by this marriage, but he lost his whole family in one night at Wheeling, by that dreadful, de- stroying scourge-yellow fever. In 1840 he married a Vermont lady, Mary Warren, by name, whom he met as a passenger on his boat, while ascending the river. He had five children by this marriage, four of whom are living. Ilis oldest daughter, Mary L., is the wife of Rev. William J. Clark, of Knox Co., Ohio. A younger daughter, Elizabeth W., resides with her brother, C. Edward, at Viroqua. The mother of these children, the second wife of Capt. Clarke, died at St. Louis, Mo., of cholera, in 1849.
George H1. and C. Edward Clarke, sons of Capt. Robert P. Clarke, comprise the firm of Clarke Bros., general merchants, Viroqua. They engaged in business here in 1882 and are doing an extensive business.
George H. Clarke, of the above named firm, was born in 1845 at St. Louis, Mo., where he grew to manhood. In 1863 he went to Col- orado, where he was engaged in mining and merchandising. The party to which he be- longed had several severe battles with the say- ages, this being the period of active Indian hostilities. In 1866 he returned to St. Louis, soon after becoming connected with the Kansas Pacific Railway survey. He continued thus oc- cupied for about a year, meeting with many
thrilling adventures in the wild regions of the west. Heagain returned to St. Louis, engaging in merchandising and in 1873 settling in De Soto, where he continued until 1882, when he eame to Viroqua. Mr. Clarke has been twice married. His first wife, Martha M. Trott, was a native of Maine, but was reared in Vernon Co., Wis. His present wife was Miss L. M. Sweet, born in Ricbland county, and by whom he had two children. While at De Soto Mr. Clarke was engaged in various enterprises be- sides that of merchandising, among others that of putting up ice for the St. Louis market, be- ing the first in the county to engage in that business. Ile put up on an average about 5,000 tons of ice annually.
C. Edward Clarke was born in St. Louis, in 1843. When seventeen years of age he accom- panied his father to the mining regions of the west. They took a quartz mill with them, be- ing interested in the mining business for about six years. In 1864, joining a volunteer force that was organized to put down an Indian outbreak, he participated in a hard fought bat- tle with the Indians, including the battle of Sand creek, Nov. 29, 1864, in which 500 Indians were killed. In 1866 he went to Arkansas, where he became interested, with his father and Joseph Brooks, in cotton farming, afterwards merchandising and interested in railroad con tracts and cotton buying on an extensive scale at Indian Bay and Duvall's Bluff on White river, Ark. In 1876 he came to Vernon county, locating in DeSoto. In 1882 he came to Viroqua, engag- ing with his brother in the general merchandise trade. Mr. Clarke is a cultured gentleman. Ile has traveled extensively, and possesses much general information.
George Dennis lives on section 22, where he settled in 1873. He was born in Morgan Co., Ohio, April 3, 1824, where he lived till he came to this county. He was married to Sarah J. Ai- kins and came to Vernon county in 1854 and has been a resident of the town of Viroqua since that time. Mr. and Mrs. Dennis have five chil-
H
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dren-Lucinda, Nancy J., James, Herman and Henry. Mr. Dennis' farm contains 120 acres. Ile has a good farm, well improved. Mr. Den- nis is of German descent, his paternal grand- father being a native of Germany. His parents, William and Mary Dennis, died in Ohio.
J. K. Schreiner, M. D., resides in Viroqua village. He was born in Christiana, Norway, in 1857. In 1875 he began the study of medicine and for six years was a student of the medical department of the University of Christiana, graduating from that institution in 1881. He came to the United States soon after hisgradna- tion. Dr. Schreiner is a cultured gentleman and thoroughly educated in the science of med- icine. He has established an excellent practice and receives not only the patronage of his own countrymen, but is appreciated as a skillful physician by other nationalities. He spends Tuesday and Saturday afternoons of each week at the village of Westby, attending to his pro- fessional calls. Dr. Schreiner married Chris- tina Gjerdrum. She is a well educated and re- fined lady.
O. Tollefson is a native of Norway and a brother of L. Tollefson, Esq., of Viroqua. He was born in 1854 and came to this country with his parents in 1860, settling in Allamakee Co., lowa. In 1871 he went to La Crosse, Wis., and engaged as clerk in the wholesale estab- lishment of Marsten & Son. He was also engaged for a time with Charles Solberg and afterwards was in business three years for himself. Ile came to Viroqua in 1882, forming a partnership with Joseph Omundson in the general mercantile business, under the firm name of Tollefson & Omundson. Mr. Tollefson has since purchased the interest of Mr. Omundson and is now doing business under the firm name of O. Tollefson & Co. Mr. Tollefson is one of the most enterprising young merchants in the county.
Harrison Gochenonr is a native of Clinton Co., Ind., who located here in the practice of
dentistry in January, 1883. Ile was born in 1857 and commenced the study of his profession at Frankfort, Ind., where he served an appren- ticeship with Dr. J. D. Wirt. Ile came to Wis- consin in September, 1880, and located at Viola in Richland county, where he remained about two years and then came to Viroqua. Dr. Gochenour is well educated in his chosen pro- fession, and during his short residence in Ver- non county has secured by his merits the confi- dence of the public and established a good pat- ronage. He married Emily Landes, a native of Virginia. They have one daughter-Blanche.
B. F. Ferguson, of Morley & Ferguson, who succeeded P. B. Vess in November, 1882, in the harness trade, has been a resident of Vernon county since 1852. He was born in the town of Highland, Iowa Co., Wis., in 1850. His father, William Ferguson, was an early settler in the town of Wheatland, this county, where he still resides. Mr. Ferguson learned his trade with the firm of B. F. Purdy & R. L. Ferguson, his brother, of Viroqua, and has been in business for himself over a year. lle was married to At- tilla, daughter of Nathan Coe, of Viroqua. Mr. Morley, of this firm, is a son of Calvin Morley, a sketch of whom will be found in this volume.
Ethan A. Stark manufactures wagons and does repair work in Viroqua. He has been a resident of Vernon county twenty-seven years and engaged in his present business about nine years. He was born in old rock-ribbed New Hampshire, in 1825. Ilis father was Jednthan Stark, who died when Ethan was but a lad. When thirteen years of age Mr. Stark went to Lowell, Mass., and secured employment in the large woolen mills at that point. He was only a boy, but thrifty and industrious, and finally became overseer in the factory where he first entered. He held this responsible and labori- ous position for sixteen years,and then resigned to come west. IIe located in Vernon county and purchased a farm in Viroqua town, where
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
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he has engaged in agricultural pursuits for some years. In 1875 he succeeded Samuel Met- calf in the wagon maker's trade, and has sinee condneted the business with fair success Mr. Stark ma ried Amanda F. Weeden, born in
Vermont, in 1829. Her father died in Vermont, but her mother came to Viroqua and here de- parted this life Aug. 26, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Stark have one daughter-Helen M., born Sept. 18, 1873.
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
TOWN OF WEBSTER.
This portion of Vernon county is bounded on the north by the town of Christiana, on the east by the town of Stark, on the south by the town of Liberty, and on the west by the town of Viroqua. The town is square in size, compris- ing 36 seetions. There is only one stream of any importance within its limits, with the excep- tion of the main branch of the Kickapoo river, which flows through the eastern half of section 36. The west branch of the Kickapoo river enters the town on section 6, and takes a south- erly course through sections 5, 7, 18, 19, 30, 29 and 32, leaving the town on the southwestern part of section 33. Besides the streams men- tioned, there are various tributaries which form a net work of water courses throughout the town, making the land valuable for both stock and agricultural purposes.
The surface of the territory is very rolling, and along the banks of both branches of the Kickapoo river, the bluffs greatly resemble those on the Mississippi.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
In 1852 two brothers, R P. and A. W. Gil- lett, came into the present boundary of this town and entered land on section 18. The former now resides in Monroe Co., Wis., and the latter in Anoca, Minn.
William Jobe came the same year, but now resides in Kansas. In 1853 John Snider came into the town, entered land on section 19. After Snider came the following settlers, all of whom are now deceased: John Graham located forty aeres on section 19; Lemuel Joseph settled on section 28; John Richardson, on section 21;
Sol Richardson, on section 17, and John Potts- on section 21. Isaae Glenn and his son Isaiah came from Ohio to Webster town in 1853. The former died here in 1862. Mordecai Adams is a native of Morgan Co., Ohio, and came to Ver- non county in 1853, and to this town in 1855.
Joshua Selby was a bachelor from the good State of Maryland in 1854. In 1859 he married Rebecca Stanaford. By being industrious and economical, Mr. Selby has accumulated a hand- some competence.
James Allen is a native of Athens Co., Ohio, where he was born in 1807. He came to this town in 1854, and purchased eighty acres of land on section 4. He was the first chairman of the board of supervisors, and held that honor- able position for six years. Ile was married in' Ohio, in 1831, to Amanda Gardner, who bore him nine children-Rodney D., Augusta E., Charles A., Arthur P., Calista C., Oscar P (who died at Pittsburg Landing in 1862), Harvey M., Edwin P. and Albert G. Four of these sons were in the Union army-Rodney, Perry, Oscar and Harvey. Mrs. Allen departed this life May 4, 1882, and Mr. Allen was again married July 25, 1883, to Mrs. Albina HIngbert, who is now seventy years of age.
James Oliver came in 1854 and settled forty acres of land on section 5, where he still resides.
William Staniford located on section 28, in 1854, and Wesley Potts settled on section 17. where he now lives.
Jesse Appleton settled here in 1855, and now owns about 1,300 acres of land. He has been
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twice married. Ilis present wife was Mary McMichael.
John Lyons is a native of Columbiana Co., Ohio, and in 1851 came to Vernon Co., Wis. He located 160 acres of land in this town, which he still owns. Ile was married in 1852 to Catharine Cowden.
Isaiah Glenn, one of the honored pioneer set- tlers of this town, was born in Columbiana Co., Ohio, in 1832, and in 1854, accompanied his parents to Vernon Co., Wis. He pre-empted eighty acres of land, which he sold in 1865. When he located in Webster town, there were only three families living within its borders, and Mr. Glenn taught the first school. In 1856 he married Elizabeth Teal, and two children were given them-Laura J., wife of George Fulton, and Clarence. Mr. Glenn suffered the loss of his wife in 1859, and was again united in marriage, in 1865, to Mary Criss, who is the mother of seven children. Minnie, Theophilus, Preston, Rosetta, George, Anna M. and Minnie B. Mr. Glenn's father, Isaac, was born in Ohio in 1806, and was fifty six years of age at the time of his death.
ORGANIC.
On the 7th day of April, in the year 1856, a band of hardy pioneers and early settlers gath- ered together at the house of Sol Richardson to perfect the organization of a new town. It was called Webster, after the great American States- man. The general affairs of the town have surely been conducted in a manner creditable to the name of that illustrious man, as is fully sub- stantiated by the general prosperity of the set- tlers and thrifty appearance of the land at the present time.
After officers of election were appointed and approved, the following were selected by the thirty-five voting, to first conduct the affairs of the new town: Chairman of the board of su- pervisors, James Allen; clerk, John Richard- son; side board, James Oliver and William Huntington; assessor and treasurer, Isaac Glenn. The present officers of the town are: Chairman, bers only ten.
William Hayes; clerk, Isaiah Glenn; treasurer, John Snider; side board, Abner Silbaugh and Lewis Shown; assessor, C. Didrickson.
FIRST THINGS.
'The first white child born in the town was to R. P. Gillett and wife, in 1855.
The first couple married in the town of Web- ster was R. P. Gillett to Rebecca Smith, in 1854.
The first religious services were held at the village of Avalanche, by Rev. Munion, in 1854.
The first white person who died in the town was Edward Post, in 1855.
The first school in the town was taught by Isaiah Glenn, in a log building on section 8, in 1855. This building had been erected for a dwelling house.
The first school house was built of logs, and erected on section 18, in 1857.
The first election was held at the house of John Richardson, on section 21, in 1856.
The first postoffice established in the town was at Avalanche, in 1868, and Robert Welch was the first postmaster.
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