History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume I, Part 56

Author: Beckwith, Albert C. (Albert Clayton), 1836-1915
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Indianapolis, Bowen
Number of Pages: 792


USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume I > Part 56


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Moines, Iowa. From there she won first and championship at five different state fairs and at the International Stock Show in Chicago in 1910 she was first champion and grand champion.


We may also see at Mr. Mitchell's stables the world's champion Shire stallion, "Dan Patch." the only draft horse in the world that won first prize at the International Exhibition three years in succession. He cost ten thou- sand dollars, and he weighs two thousand four hundred and ten pounds and he is as active as a coach horse. His services are given to the surrounding country at a mere nominal sum, in order to benefit the breed of horses in this region.


In 1910 there was added to the coach horse department the champion hackney stallion, "Prick Willow Carnout," and three imported hackney mares, the best that could be bought in England, regardless of price. In selecting the live stock for Ceylon Court farm, price has not been considered, the main object being to secure the best of everything. Probably there is more high priced stock on Ceylon Court farm than any other in America.


In I911 further improvements were made, such as the building of a modern garage of concrete, with an addition containing electric dynamos for running lathes, drills and other necessary machinery. Mr. Mitchell pur- chased, in that year, the Batisford farm adjoining his land on the southeast and on this extensive improvements are now going on, it being Mr. Mit- chell's intention to make thiis an experiment farm for the benefit of the people who may be near enough to profit by it.


ALBERT S. ROBINSON.


The people of Linn township and southern Walworth county are too familiar with the career of Albert S. Robinson for the biographer to call special attention to his record other than to give the salient facts in the same, for liere he has spent his entire life and has gained a prominent place in the esteem of the people, and is universally respected in the business world. fair dealing being his watchword in all transactions. He is optimistic. looking on the bright side of life and never complains at the rough places in the road. knowing that life is a battle in which no victories are won by the idle and indifferent, but that the rewards worth while are to the diligent and courag- cons of heart. He is the representative of one of our worthy old pioneer families, the Robinsons having been well known here since the time when


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this country was a vast forest, with few settlements and when the fertile soil lay. for the most part. untouched by the plowshare. The several members of the family have taken an active part in the upbuilding of the locality in every way possible.


Albert S. Robinson was born in Linn township, this county, on Febru- ary 3. 1855. and is the son of Samuel and Jane ( Reed) Robinson. The father, who was born in Massachusetts, was reared in Chenango county. New York. He came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1844 and purchased land in Linn township, south of Lake Geneva, but he did not settle there until 1846. He was married before leaving New York to Freelove Thornton, who died in New York, leaving one son, Irving Robinson, now living in Linn township, this county. Samuel Robinson was again married in 1848 to Mrs. Jane Marshall, widow of Horace Marshall. She was born in the town of Ovid, Seneca county, New York, in 1808, and when twelve years of age she moved to Genesee county. New York, with her parents, and there grew to womanhood and was married. She came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1846, with her first husband, who died soon afterwards. To Samuel Robin- son and wife two sons were born. Charles, the elder, was drowned in Lake Geneva when but four years of age. The other son is Albert S., of this review. The death of Samuel Robinson occurred on February 5. 1897, his wife having preceded him to the grave on December 29, 1893.


Albert S. Robinson grew to manhood on his father's farm, and there assisted as much as he could with the general work when a boy and he received his education in the local public schools and the high school at Lake Geneva. He continued farming on the home place for some time after leaving school. From 1890 to 1910 he was secretary and manager of Lakeview creamery, which he had helped organize and the large success of which was due mostly to his capable management. He has made farming his chief life work and has been very successful at this line of endeavor. He is now the owner of two hundred and seventy acres of fertile and well improved land, which yields abundant harvests under his skillful superintendence. He has always kept a good grade of live stock, and he has a large, pleasant home. IIc has been connected with the Farmers National Bank of Lake Geneva since its organization and in 1911 he was elected president of the same, which position he still holds, managing its affairs in a manner that reflects much credit upon his ability and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned, in fact its ever-growing prestige is due in no small measure to his able manage- ment and rare business acumen. He has been very successful in a business


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way and has accumulated a competency. He deserves a great deal of credit for his success, being a fine example of a virile, persistent, cautious, broad- minded, self-made American. He came up from the pioneer log cabin in which he first saw the light of day. Ile built his present fine residence in 1895. It is one of the commodious, modern and attractive homes of the county, and here he has many of the comforts and conveniences of life that are seldom found on the farm. His large barns and other substantial out- buildings show that in farming as well as in other affairs he is thoroughgoing and progressive.


Mr. Robinson was married March 27, 1888, to Mrs. Sarah Towslee, widow of George Towslee. She was the daughter of Benjamin and Louisa Sutton, and was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, and there spent her childhood, coming to Lake Geneva about 1872, where she joined her sister, who had resided here for some time. She was married in Lyons, this county, to George Towslee, who died in Iowa, after which event she returned to Walworth county, his death having occurred in 1882.


Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, namely : Blanche Alice, Miles Albert and Hugh Irving.


Fraternally, Mr. Robinson belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen.


Personally, Mr. Robinson is a "plain, blunt man." like Shakespeare's Brutus, but withal a man whom it is a pleasure to know, for he can be trusted. confided in and depended upon,-in short, he is a man's man-strong, cool. courageous, calculating and honorable.


HORACE S. RICHARDS.


In the death of Horace S. Richards, Walworth county lost one of its most valued citizens. Much of his long and useful life was spent within its borders, although he first saw the light of day in faraway bleak New Eng- land. In America, it has been truthfully said that labor is king, and the sovereignty that the liberty-loving people of this country acknowledge is that of business. The men of influence in this enlightened age are the enterpris- ing, progressive, representative men of industry and commerce and to such ones advancement and progress are due. Mr. Richards was one who had the mental poise and calm judgment to successfully guide and control large business affairs, and at the same time he had a keen appreciation of the


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ethics of commercial life, so that he not only commanded the respect of his fellow men for his uprightness, but also excited their admiration by his splendid abilities. So, after a most commendable career, he has gone to "join the choir invisible of those immortal dead who live again, in minds made better by their presence."


Mr. Richards was born at Burlington, Vermont. April 21, 1831. He was the son of William and Susan ( Stafford ) Richards. The family moved to St. Lawrence county, New York, while he was a child and there he grew to manhood. When he was about fourteen years old he began working in the woolen factories there, and for many years he followed this work in one branch or another.


Mr. Richards was married in March, 1856, to Harriet Martha Hodge, daughter of Milo and Lilias ( Robertson ) Hodge. She was born in Pots- dam township. St. Lawrence county, New York. The parents of the mother of Lilias Robertson were named Webster (closely related to Daniel Webster) and they reared Lilias from early childhood, her mother having died when she was very young. Milo Hodge was the son of Benjamin and Hanna ( Smith ) Hodge. They came to Wisconsin about 1855 and located in Wau- shara county, where they lived a number of years, and they died in this county. Lilias Hodge, Mrs. Richards' mother, died in New York. Milo Hodge came to Wisconsin and located at Mukwonago, where he was mar- ried again and spent the rest of his life.


After Mr. Richards' marriage he remained in New York until the com- mencement of the Civil war, when he enlisted in the Ninety-second New York Volunteer Infantry, and after a year in the service he was seized with a serious illness and was discharged for physical disability. After his dis- charge he and his wife and children came to Wisconsin. His health was very poor and he came here believing that the change would benefit him. He located at Mukwonago, where he worked in a carding mill. Later he moved to Lake Geneva, where there was a larger mill, and here he was employed a number of years. After the mills ceased operation he followed the carpen- ter's trade for a few years, but his health continuing to fail, he retired from active work. Mr. Richards took an active interest in public affairs and took a keen interest in politics. He was a Republican.


Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Richards, namely: Herbert, who lives in Lake Geneva, and who married Jennie LaBelle, is a painter by trade; George Frederick, who lives in Beloit, married Josie (Holland) Downs, and they have one son. George Frederick, Jr. ; Charles married Nora Withie and lived in Michigan until his death, in February, 1895: Minnie is


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the wife of Joseph Ellis and lives in Zenda, this county, where he has a hard- ware business, and they have two sons, Allen and John ; John, the fifth child of the subject and wife, is a professor in the State University at Madison ; he married Mabel Wilson : Lillian is the wife of J. Melvin Johnson and lives at Madison, where Mr. Johnson has an official position with the American Tobacco Company.


The death of Horace S. Richards occurred on July 27, 1909, after a well spent and honorable life, in which he won the esteem of all with whom he came into contact. He was well known throughout this county, having come to Wisconsin in 1863, and to Lake Geneva in 1866.


MISS HELEN MARTIN.


The life history of the estimable and popular superintendent of schools of Walworth county, Miss Helen Martin, most happily illustrates what may be attained by faithful and continued effort in carrying out noble purposes. It is a story of a life whose success is measured by its usefulness-a life that has made the world better and brighter. Her career has been dignified and womanly, her manner unaffected and her actions, springing from a heart charged with love and altrustic sentiment for humanity, have been a blessing to all who have come within range of her influence. She is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of this county, and is the second woman to hold the office of county superintendent in Walworth county, the first having been Miss Lillian Webster. now the wife of Charles Greene, who served one term. The office of county superintendent is not a political office in Wisconsin and the election is held in April. There were three candidates in 1909 and Miss Martin proved an easy winner.


Miss Martin was born in Spring Prairie township, this county, and there she attended the district schools; later the family moved to Elkhorn and she was a student in the public schools there, and was graduated from the high school. She then spent three years in the University of Wisconsin. after which she taught in the schools of Elkhorn with a great degree of success until elected county superintendent. She has in her charge one hundred and four country schools and fourteen graded schools, of which seven are high schools, in fact all the schools of the county, except those of Whitewater and Lake Geneva, are under her jurisdiction. She has given eminent satis- faction in the discharge of her duties in this important office and her course has been highly commendable.


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Miss Martin's father, Charles Martin, was born in Delaware county, New York. November 12. 1818. He learned the carpenter's trade when a young man, which he continued after coming to Walworth county, Wiscon- sin. in 1844, building several houses in Spring Prairie township. In 1845 he married Elizabeth Martin, a cousin, who was born in Hartford county, Connecticut. After their marriage they turned their attention to farming. Mrs. Martin passed away in 1850, leaving one daughter, Delia. In 1854 Mr. Martin was united in marriage with Caroline Fowle, who was born in Wyoming county, New York, and her death occurred on January 30, 1891. She was the daughter of Samuel and Harriet ( Ingraham) Fowle, who moved with their family to Walworth county, Wisconsin, about 1840 and settled among the pioneers in Darien township, where Lawson school house now stands, and some ten years later the parents moved to lowa.


The death of Charles Martin occurred in 1906. He was an active mem- ber of the Spring Prairie Baptist church, and for a period of twenty years he was superintendent of the Sunday school there. He was also a member of the Walworth County Agricultural Society. He was a wide reader and kept well informed on current topics of public interest.


Delia Martin, mentioned above, became the wife of Emery D. Williams, a native of Jefferson county, New York, born January 6, 1841. He enlisted in 1861 in Company I, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, in which he served gallantly as a private for four years. After his marriage he moved to Carroll county, Missouri, where his death occurred in Decem- ber, 1879, leaving three children: Alice, now deceased: Ira M. and Charles A., both living in California. Mrs. Williams returned to Elkhorn in 1880.


Four children were born to Charles Martin and his second wife, two of whom died in infancy, and a son died when sixteen years old, leaving Helen, the subject, who makes her home with her half-sister, Delia.


Aliss Martin's great force of character and ripe scholarship, together with her ability as an organizer, enabled her to bring to her work the results of her professional experience with marked effect, and it was not long until the schools under her supervision advanced to the high standing of efficiency for which they are now noted. Many things tending to lessen the teacher's labors and at the same time make them effective have been introduced ; the course of study modified and improved, the latest and most approved ap- pliances purchased and everything in keeping with modern educational prog- ress tested, and, where practical, retained. She takes a great interest in her teachers, all of whom are selected with special reference to their ability to fill acceptably the positions to which assigned. That the advantages of a liberal


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education may be generally disseminated, she has encouraged young people of the county to attend high school by giving them every possible consid- eration. She possesses the personal charm and taet which make her popular with the young and it is nothing unusual to see her on the street or in the school-yard surrounded by a group of urchins. By entering into their spirit and pastimes, sympathizing with them in their troubles, in short, making their interests her own, she has become the idol, almost, of the juveniles of the city, her being one with them rendering the teachers' work easy and adding greatly to her own popularity, not only with the children but also with the . adult portion of the populace.


Unlike so many of her calling who spend their lives in the school room, who become narrow and pedantic, Miss Martin is broad and liberal in her views and has the courage of her convictions on all the leading public ques- tions and issues, keeping in touch with the trend of modern thought, and having an acquaintance with the best general literature of the past and present.


CHARLES I. PECK.


This well known citizen is an excellent example of the alert twentieth- century business man of the United States, coming from an ancestry that distinguished itself in pioneer days. When the country was covered with almost an interminable forest of native trees, filled with wild animals, his people came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, and began to carve homes from the primeval forests, build schools and churches and introduce the cus- toms of civilization in the wilderness. They were willing to endure the hardships that they might acquire the soil and the home that was sure to rise and they did a noble work in the several relations with their fellow men. By a life consistent in motive and action and because of his many fine personal qualities, Charles 1. Peck, for many years one of the leading agriculturists and stock men of Lafayette township, has earned the sincere regard of all who know him, and is deserving of conspicuous mention in his county's history along with other representative citizens who have the interests of this nature-favored locality at heart.


Mr. Peck was born in Lafayette township, this county, at Spring Prairie. on August 14, 1847. He is the son of J. W. and Adaline E. ( Randall) Peck, both natives of the state of New York, the father's birth having occurred in 1818 and the mother's in 1823. They spent their earlier years in their native


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state, and in 1836 came to Ohio, thence coming to Lafayette township, Wal- worth county, Wisconsin, in 1836, buying one hundred and thirty-six acres at Spring Prairie where he built a hotel, known as Peck's Corners. He then went north about two miles and established his home. In 1860 he moved to the farm now owned by his son, Charles 1 .. of this sketch, becoming the owner of eight hundred and sixty-six acres of valuable land in Lafayette town- ship, and other parts of Wisconsin and an aggregate of eighteen hundred acres here and in lowa and Nebraska, being one of the largest land owners and one of the most substantial and influential citizens in this section of the state. He was very active in the affairs of the carly times and was a leader in his community, winning the admiration and esteem of all who knew him as a result of his industry, public spirit and exemplary character. Politically, he was a Democrat and took an active part in political affairs. He was an extensive sheep dealer. He was chairman of the board of supervisors, though he was never a seeker after public office. His wife was a consistent member of the Baptist church.


Five sons and one daughter were born to Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Peck, all living but one. The death of the father occurred in 1876, his widow sur- viving over thirty years, dying in 1907.


Charles I. Peck, the immediate subject of this sketch, was reared on the home farm, where he assisted with the general work during crop seasons, attending the public schools in the winter time, later the Elkhorn high school. Early in life he took up general farming and stock raising for a vocation and this he has continued with almost uninterrupted success, now owning one of the finely improved and fertile farms of the county, consisting of four hun- dred and eighty acres in Lafayette township. He is also interested in land in California, he being one of five men who are interested as a company in the development of thirty-six hundred acres, and he is also one of a company of twelve men who are operating twenty-seven hundred acres of land, being extensive lemon raisers, in which they are very successful. Ile is a director in the Santa Paula Land Company, owns stock in a building and loan com- pany, is a director and vice-president of the Sulphur Mountain Springs Com- pany, owns a hotel at Ventura, California, and stock in one at Santa Paula.


Politically, Mr. Peck is a Democrat, but he has never been an aspirant for public honors, preferring to devote his attention exclusively to his large agricultural and horticultural operations. He has been a close observer and a deep student of these sciences and is thoroughly up-to-date in these lines. He and his wife are members of the Lafayette Congregational church.


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Mr. Peck was married in 1873 to Fannie E. Sewell. a lady of many estimable characteristics and the representative of an excellent old Walworth county family, her birth having occurred in Lafayette township, the daugh- ter of Jirah Sewell and wife, early settlers in this county, who became well established here through their industry and thrift.


The union of Charles I. Peck and wife has been blessed by the birth of four children, three sons and one daughter, the latter dying in infancy: the sons are Jeddiah, now deceased; Hiel Manley, who lives on the homestead here ; and Clyde Edward, who makes his home in California.


Mr. Peck owns a beautiful home at Santa Paula, California, where he now resides, leaving the management of his property in Lafayette township ยท to his son. He is interested in five banks ( director in three and inspector ) in California. also in lands in South Dakota and California.


Mr. Peck's extensive business interests are the legitimate fruitage of consecutive effort, directed and controlled by good judgment and correct principles. He has forged his way to the front over obstacles that would liave discouraged men of less courageous mettle, gradually extending the limits of his mental horizon until he is today fully abreast of the times, a progressive, broad-minded, capable man of affairs. Taken as a whole, his career presents a series of continued successes rarely equaled by men from Walworth county. Strong mental powers, invincible courage and a deter- mined purpose that hesitates at no opposition have so entered into his com- position as to render him a dominant factor in the business world and a leader of men in important enterprises. He is essentially a man of affairs, sound of judgment. of rare business acumen, far-seeing in what he under- takes, and every enterprise to which he addresses himself has resulted in liberal financial returns.


ALFRED JOHN SMITH.


Although England has not sent so many of her people to Walworth county as many of the other nations of Europe, yet those who have honored us with their citizenship have become conspicuous in view of the fact that they have been enterprising and progressive, valued citizens in every respect. having, while advancing their individual interests, not been neglectful of the general good. Of this worthy band the name of Alfred John Smith, of Lake Geneva, the able foreman of Ceylon Court, is deserving of especial mention in a volume of the nature of the one at hand.


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Mr. Smith was born in London, England, March 28, 1866, and there he spent his boyhood and attended the common schools. He is the son of James J. and Emily (O'Neil) Smith. He continued to reside in his native city until he was about seventeen years old. In September, 1883, he emi- grated to the United States, and spent some time in various places in the Southern states, finally coming to Chicago in 1891, where he secured a position as assistant in a greenhouse, which he retained for a period of six years, giving entire satisfaction. In his native land he had mastered the ins and outs of gardening, having spent the time from the age of ten years to the time of his emigration to America engaged in that line of work, taking up the various branches of horticulture, and in Chicago he gained still further experience, until he is now a master of his line. He is a deep student as well as a keen observer and has kept well informed on the progress of horti- culture and general gardening, especially as affecting this country and lati- tude.


In June. 1903. Mr. Smith came to Ceylon Court, Lake Geneva, as head gardener, and he has since had full charge of the grounds, greenhouses and gardens, one of the "show places" of the county, a complete description of which is to be found on another page of this work. But those who have seen Ceylon Court know the inadequacy of mere words to describe its beauty and need not be reminded of Mr. Smith's taste and knowledge in such work and of his faithfulness to the same.




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