USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume I > Part 68
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Walter A. West. of this sketch, grew up on the farm at Elkhorn, and he received his education in the public schools and the State University. Fin- ishing school in 1880, he was married on March 16th of that year to Laura R. Fitch, daughter of Zadock Martin Fitch and Julia ( Barns) Fitch. She was born and reared at Elkhorn. Her parents came from Brockton. New York. and located at Elkhorn about 1850. The father of Mrs. West conducted a draying business for many years at Elkhorn.
For three years after his marriage Walter .A. West engaged in farming in the north part of Elkhorn. On March 13, 1884. he went into the butter and cheese business, starting first as a partner of J. H. Harris, Their busi- ness grew rapidly and prospered and developed into the Wisconsin Butter & Cheese Company, of which Mr. West is vice-president, and its large business has been due in no small part to his influence. This company is given special mention on another page of this work.
From 1890 to 1894 Mr. West was state dairy commissioner. In local affairs he has been a member of the school board and he is also an alderman.
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WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
He is a loyal Democrat. Fraternally, he is a Mason, having attained the thirty-second degree, and he belongs to the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is past grand high priest of the grand chapter of Wisconsin. He was grand high priest in 1910, and has long been active and popular in lodge circles. In religious matters hie belongs to the Congrega- tional church, of which Mrs. West is also a member.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. West, namely : Maurice Edgar married Amanda Winters and lives at Fond du Lac. Wisconsin, where he is engaged in the creamery business: Julia lives at home : DeWitt C. is a student in the State University : Walter A., Jr., lives at home and is attend- ing high school.
CHARLES MONROE GATES.
Earnest labor, unabating perseverance and good management are the elements which have brought prosperity to Charles Monroe Gates, who was born on the farm where he still resides in the southwestern part of Geneva township, Walworth county, September 24, 1861. Every locality needs such men-men of genuine worth, of unquestioned integrity and honor.
Mr. Gates has been content to spend his life in his home community and he is widely known throughout the same. He is the son of Irwin Franklin Gates and Charlotte Dewey ( Spencer ) Gates. The father was born in May, 1817. He came from near Moscow, New York, in the early forties, and located in Walworth county. Wisconsin. He was the son of Daniel and Betsey ( Fenton ) Gates. The subject's maternal grandparents were Hiram and Lois ( Mosley) Spencer. Their daughter Charlotte was born in St. Lawrence county, New York. One of Irwin F. Gates' ancestors was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and was wounded by a poisoned bullet. The father of the subject of this sketch was about nineteen or twenty years old when he came west. Ile was a stone mason, and he located first at Racine, Wisconsin, then came to Geneva, Walworth county, and upon his arrival he spent his last quarter for something to eat. He worked at his trade for years. Soon after he was twenty-one years of age he bought the farm where the subject now resides and made his home here the rest of his life. Here he was married and he bought the farm of his wife's father, who came here when the country was first opened for settlement and entered the farm from the government. Mr. Spencer was killed by a mad bull on the farm, after which his widow moved to Elkhorn, where she spent her last days.
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Charles M. Gates was the third in order of birth of a family of four children. namely : Hiram Franklin lives in Rock county, Wisconsin : Charlotte Sophia is the wife of C. J. Eaton and they live in Elkhorn : Bettie Lois mar- ried H. W. Weed and they live in Saskatchewan, Canada. The father of these children was a Democrat and active in the affairs of his community. His death occurred on February 9. 1908, his wife having preceded him to the grave on July 3. 1900. both dying on the homestead, which they had developed through long years of labor, and on this farm, as before intimated, their son. Charles M., grew up and has spent his life, keeping it well improved and well tilled and the buildings in proper repair.
Mr. Gates is a Democrat and he has been a frequent holder of township offices, always discharging his duties faithfully. For eleven years he was assessor of his township and this is his fifth year as chairman.
Mr. Gates was married on November 4. 1883, to lda Cornwell, and her death occurred on November 11. 1884. On November 11. 1885, he was united in marriage with Edie Caroline Kreuger. She was born in Germany and was brought to this county by her parents. Frank and Elizabeth ( Walhandt ) Kreuger. who have lived for many years in Lafayette township. To Mr. and Mrs. Gates three children have been born, namely : Edith May, wife of Bur- ton Fairchild, lived on the Fairchild farm in the central part of Geneva town- ship: she has one daughter. Edna. Harry Monroe Gates married Mabel White, and they live on a farm two and one-half miles north of Williams Bay, and they have two children, Edith and Donald. Frank Eugene Gates is on the home farm with his father.
Fraternally. Mr. Gates is a Mason. He is industrious, diligent, kind and straightforward in manner. Everybody likes him.
GEORGE OLNEY KELLOGG.
The present popular and efficient clerk of the circuit court. George Olney Kellogg, of Elkhorn, has been one of Walworth county's well known citizens for over two decades, where he has sustained an envied reputation in business and public life. His energetic nature, strong determination. sa gacity and capable management have brought to him success in hie's arena where many of his compeers have been unable to attain more than a mediocre victory. He is a man who has, by his exemplary life in all its relations with his fellow men. earned the high esteem in which he is universally helt.
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WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Mr. Kellogg was born in Westmoreland, Oneida county, New York, February 18, 1859. He is the son of Charles Horace Kellogg and Almira ( Olney) Kellogg, the father born in the same vicinity as was the subject, April 15, 1819, and in that county was also born the subject's mother on November 30, 1823, the daughter of James and Phoebe ( Smith ) Olney, he born January 29, 1789, and she on January 6, 1792. The parents of the subject grew up in Westmoreland. Oneida county, New York, and there they were married on March to, 1853. Charles H. Kellogg devoted his life to farming. Politically, he was a Republican, and in religious matters a Congre- gationalist. His death occurred in Oriskany Falls, New York, October 13. 1893. and the death of his wife occurred on May 19, 1894. They were the parents of the following children : Charles Warren lived at Westmoreland. New York: Fannie Maria is the wife of John N. Cole and also lives in West- moreland; Harriet E. is the wife of Charles Byron Keith ; Caroline S. died in girlhood : George Olney, of this sketch ; and Willis James.
The paternal grandparents of these children were Deacon Warren and Rhoda (Case) Kellogg, the latter the daughter of Caleb and Rhoda ( Mills) Case. Warren Kellogg was born in New Hartford, Connecticut, finally moved to Trenton, thence to Westmoreland, New York. Ile was a carpenter by trade and was influential in church affairs for many years, being a deacon. Ile was the son of Abraham and Sarah ( Seymour ) Kellogg, the latter the daughter of John and Hannah Seymour, and was born July 12. 1750. Abra- ham Kellogg was born in 1750, and was the son of Abraham Kellogg. Sr .. and Sarah ( Marsh) Kellogg. She was the daughter of Jonathan Marsh, of Ilartford. Abraham Kellogg, Sr., was the son of Capt. Isaac and Mary ( Webster ) Kellogg. The latter was born May 31, 1697, and she was the danghter of Joseph and Mary ( Judd) Webster. Capt. Isaac Kellogg was born in Hartford, Connecticut, January 17, 1697. He was the first represent- ative from that town to the Connecticut Assembly, and was elected to that office twenty-three times. He was captain of the Fourth Company, of the Train Band. He was distinguished for piety, good judgment, firmness and ability as a magistrate. His descendants are now a small nation. Capt. Isaac Kellogg's father. Deacon Samuel Kellogg, was born in Hadley. September 28. 1662, and he married Sarah Merrill, daughter of Deacon John and Sarah ( Watson ) Merrill, of Hartford. Deacon Samuel Kellogg's father, Lient. Joseph Kellogg, was baptized in Great Leighs, England, April 1. 1626. He came to America among the early settlers and lived at Farmington, Connecti- cut, in 1651. In 1659 he bought, for seven hundred dollars, a tract of land. now covered in part by the Advertiser building in Boston, which is now worth
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more than one hundred dollars per square foot. He was a pioneer in several towns, and was twenty-nine years in military service. being a lieutenant in a military company, and was in command at some famous fights with the In- dians. He was the son of Martin Kellogg, of Lights. Braintree, England. a weaver by profession. His father was Phillip Kellogg, son of Thomas and grandson of Nicholas, of Debden, in Essex.
George Olney Kellogg, the immediate subject of this sketch, grew to manhood in New York state, on a farm. When about twenty years old he began cheese making, which he followed for a number of years. In 1885 he bought a cheese factory in the town of Westmoreland and went into the busi- ness for himself, continuing there until the end of the year 1888, and the first of January, 1880. he came to Whitewater, Walworth county, Wisconsin, and the first of April went to Grant county, this state, where he bought a cheese factory, remaining there until the fall of 1892, then returned to Whitewater and engaged in farming and gardening near that city until 1896. In 1807 he came to Elkhorn to take a position as deputy sheriff and turnkey, serving under F. A. McMillen, also under Seth H. Hollister, remaining in this office four years. Later he was an assistant at the county farm for two years. In 1903 he returned to Elkhorn, and became deputy clerk under T. R. Morgan and served as deputy until October 1. 1905, at which time Mr. Morgan died. and the subject was appointed clerk to fill out the unexpired term. He was elected to that office in 1906. and re-elected in 1908, and was elected for a third term in 1910, and is still holding the office of clerk of the circuit court. While serving as deputy in that office he was also city marshal of Elkhorn.
Politically. Mr. Kellogg is a loyal Republican, and he takes much interest in public affairs, although he has never claimed to be a politician, and he is always found willing to do his part in the county organization and, in fact, in furthering any movement looking to the general public weal. As a public offi- cial his career has been highly commendable and has elicited the praise of all concerned. irrespective of party alignment.
Mr. Kellogg was married in 1889 to Margaret Barns, daughter of Syl- vester and Cornelia Celestia ( Parker ) Barns. Her death occurred in White- water, March 13. 1804. leaving one son, Amos, who was born November 15. 1800: he is now attending the State University at Madison.
Mr. Kellogg was again married November 15, 1900, to Esther Louise Purdy, daughter of Perry Lewis and Esther Ann ( Wilcox ) Purdy. She was born in the town of Lyons, between Lyons and Springfield. Her father was from Delaware county, New York, and her mother is still living, making her home with Mr. and Mrs. Kellogg. A sketch of Thomas Il Wilcox and fam ily appears on another page of this work.
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WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Mr. Kellogg is a Mason, belonging to the blue lodge, chapter and council, and is a Knight Templar. He and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star, as is also Mrs. Kellogg's mother. Religiously, the Kellogg family belong to the Episcopal church and are faithful supporters of the same.
ARTHUR CLOHISY.
The name of Arthur Clohisy. of Elkhorn, is deeply engraved on the pages of Walworth county's history, for through many years he has been an important factor in professional and political life, ranking among the leading legal lights of the local bar. Absolute capability often exists in special in- stances, but is never brought into the clear light of the utilitarian and practical life. Hope is of the valley, while effort stands upon the mountain top, so that personal advancement comes not to the one who hopes alone, but to the one whose hope and faith are those of action. Thus is determined the full measure of success to one who has struggled under disadvantageous circum- stances, and the prostrate mediocrity to another whose ability has been as great and opportunities wider. Then we may well hold in high regard the results of individual effort and personal accomplishment. for cause and effect here maintain their functions in full force. The splendid success which has come to Mr. Clohisy is directly traceable to the salient points of his character.
Mr. Clohisy is a native of East Troy township. this county, and here he has spent his life. He is the son of Mathew and Bridget Clohisy, natives of Ireland, from which country they emigrated to the United States when young. and after their marriage established the family home in Walworth county. Wisconsin, becoming the owners of eighty acres of land. The father died suddenly, leaving the widow with five small children. By good management. economy and perseverance she kept the family together and reared them in comfort and respectability. John is now a druggist in Mukwonago. Wiscon- sin: Daniel, Matthew and Katherine reside at Eagle. Wisconsin; and Arthur of this sketch. The death of the mother occurred in 1885. and the old home- stead is still the undivided property of the children.
Arthur Clohisy was reared on the home farm, where he began working in the fields when quite young. He received his primary education in the dis- trict schools and the village schools at Mukwonago, later attended the White- water Normal School. He then learned telegraphy, at which he worked for some time, saving money enough to defray his expenses at Marquette College,
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Milwaukee. After spending a year in that institution, he was compelled to give up his studies owing to failing health. He subsequently entered the Uni- versity of Wisconsin, where he made an excellent record, and was graduated from the law department with the class of 1894.
Thus well equipped for his chosen life work, Mr. Closhisy entered upon his career. first spending a short time in a law office in Milwaukee, then, in 1895, he returned to Walworth county and opened a law office in Elkhorn, where he has continued in the practice to the present time, being in partner- ship for a short time with David Agnew, but he has continued alone the major part of the time. He was successful from the first and has built up a large and growing clientele, and is known as a painstaking, alert and able lawyer, keeping fully abreast of the times in all that pertains to his profession and taking high rank among his professional brethren in southern Wisconsin.
Politically, Mr. Clohisy is a Republican and has been active in party affairs ever since coming to Elkhorn. He was county commissioner one term, and was city attorney for three years ; he was for some time justice of the peace, filling this office in a manner that reflected much credit upon him- self and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned. his decisions being char- acterized by fairness to all parties, a deep insight into the principles of juris- prudence and they seldom met with reversal at the hands of a higher tribunal.
JOHN T. JENNINGS.
We are glad to give John T. Jennings, one of the successful young busi- ness men of Walworth county, a place in this work along with other enter- prising citizens, for he has led an active and praiseworthy career. He is a member of the well known firm of Kohn & Jennings in Lake Geneva. He was born in Fayette, Wisconsin, on December 10, 1867, and he is the son of John C. and Katherine Jennings. Both parents were born and reared in England. the father in Cornwall and the mother in Brighton. Early in hie they went to Australia and there met and married. Later they went back to England, and from there emigrated to the United States, reaching here in July, 1807. and settled on a farm in LaFayette county, Wisconsin, near Fayette. There John T. of this review, was born and reared, and there they became very comfortably established. The father's death occurred there on October 11, 1911, at the advanced age of eighty-two years. The mother survives and makes her home in Darlington, Wisconsin.
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WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
When John T. Jennings was twenty years old, having grown up on the home farm and made himself useful during the crop seasons there, attending the local schools in the wintertime, he went to Darlington and began life for himself by clerking in a general store, remaining there six and one-half years. during which time he mastered the ins and outs of the business, and then went to Beloit, remaining there in the Golden Eagle Clothing Store for six months. He then came to Lake Geneva, Walworth county, where he worked in the clothing, dry goods and shoe store of O. C. Colby & Company for five and one-half years, in the men's shoes and clothing department, giving his usual high grade service and satisfaction.
Mr. Jennings formed a partnership with Lawrence C. Kolin, in 1901, and entered the business for themselves in Lake Geneva, under the firm name of Kohn & Jennings, and they have continued together ever since, building up a large and constantly growing trade with the surrounding country. They have a neat and well arranged store, carefully stocked with up-to-date goods.
Besides his store, Mr. Jennings has investments in some other enterprises. and he has met with encouraging success in whatever he has turned his atten- tion to. Like his partner, he started on his own resources and forged to the front by his indomitable courage.
Mr. Jennings was married on May 10, 1899. to Alda Hunter, of Rich- mond. Illinois, the daughter of Robert Hunter and wife. The subject is a member of the Masonic order, both the blue lodge and the chapter, also the Knights of Pythias, having been a member of the latter for the past twenty years.
JOHN KOHN.
The United States can boast of no better or more law-abiding class of citizens than the great number of Germans who have found homes within her borders and whom this country is always ready to welcome to its shores. There have come to this country from the fatherland and other alien lands men with limited financial resources but imbued with a sturdy independence and a laudable ambition to succeed, and who have taken advantage of the won- derful possibilities afforded here. Gradually, step by step. they have risen to places of prominence in various lines of activity. Of these there can be none mentioned who deserves more favorable attention than the gentleman whose name opens this biographical sketch and who has for many years been an hon- ored and industrious resident of Walworth county where he is well known and highly esteemed for his many commendable characteristics.
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WALWORTH COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
John Kohn was born at Rhine-Hessen, near Mainz, in the province of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, on February 2. 1835, and he is the son of George and Katherine ( Hebiy) Kohn, natives of Germany. Their son, John, of this review, grew to maturity and received his education in his native land and remained there until 1855 when he emigrated to the United States and stopped in Chicago, but took up his residence in Proviso, a small town in Cook county, where he worked at the carpenter's trade. After remaining there about a year he went to Chicago and spent six months, then returned to Pro- viso and that was his home during the next eight years, during which time he followed the carpenter's trade.
In 1863 Mr. Kohn was united in marriage with Marie Weinheimer. daughter of Fred and Katherine (Senft) Weinheimer. She was born at \'allertheim, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, and she grew to womanhood there. emigrating to America when about twenty-one or twenty-two years of age. She had a sister and brother-in-law at Proviso, Illinois, and she came there and made her home with them. About 1865 Mr. and Mrs. Kohn moved to Chicago where they spent about ten years, engaged in the milk business, and during their residence there the big fire occurred. Besides the milk business they had rental property, several apartment houses, and after the fire a cheaper class of tenants filled the section of the city in which they were living and as a result property values were so depreciated that Mr. Kohn traded his property for a farm near Ringwood, Mellenry county, and soon moved thereto and engaged in farming for three years. In 1880 he moved to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, sold his farm and bought the old Union house on Broad street, south of the railroad. Hle changed the name of the house to the Eagle hotel. which he successfully conducted for a period of ten years, rendering it one of the most popular hotels in this famous resort region, finally turning it over to the management of his sons and retired from business, moving to his home at the end of Geneva street. He afterwards bought a farm of two hundred acres, the Murphy place in Linn township. Walworth county. He improved the farm, erected substantial new buildings and sold it to John Murphy. 1le has been very successful in whatever he has turned his atention to and has accumulated a competency, being a man of keen discernment, sound judgment and up-to-date in his methods, at the same time living daily by the Golden Rule.
Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kohn, six of whom died in infancy ; those who grew up were: Phillip, who is in business where his father first started in Lake Geneva; he married Hattie Shieke and they have three children. John, who was in partnership with Philip in the hotel busi-
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ness, died December 15, 1909. after a very sudden illness, leaving a wife and five children. Lawrence, who is in the firm of Kohn & Jennings, clothiers, of Lake Geneva, married Minnie Dopke and they have three children : her par- ents were early settlers of the vicinity of Elkhorn and Mrs. Dopke is now liv- ing in Lake Geneva. Minnie, Mr. Kohn's fourth child, is at home with her parents. Emma married Michael Quineannon, son of an old family who set- tled near Lake Geneva many years ago. She now lives in Chicago where Mr. Quincannon is a salesman for a wholesale grocery : they have two children. Tillie Kohn married Ernest G. Host, who is in the meat business in Lake Geneva, and enjoys a large trade ; they have three children ; his people are old settlers in Walworth county.
Fraternally, Mr. Kohn is a Mason of many years standing. He has a beautiful home and is there spending his declining years in quiet, surrounded by the blessings of life as a result of his former years of thrift. He has never been a public man. preferring to lead a conservative life, being a home loving man.
AUGUST FREDERICK DESING.
The farmer is not the only necessary factor in a community. His pres- ence is, of course, important, but so is that of the miller, the store-keeper and the blacksmith, all having been necessary since the first settlement. At first the old mills were run by water-power and in very slow time, then steam came into use and wheat was converted more quickly into our flour and the great logs faster into lumber : the first merchants kept their little stock of general mer- chandise in a rude building of logs, now the elegant department store is found almost in every town : the early-day blacksmith, like the brawny-armed Vulcan in Longfellow's poem, stood "under a spreading chestnut tree."-now we find him in a convenient building, equipped with every improved appliance to make his labor easier and his work more efficient. August Charles Desing, of Elk- horn, knows both the old and modern way of blacksmithing, this having been his life work, and he is today one of the best known blacksmiths and wagon- makers in this section of the state, manufacturing the famous "Center" wagon. which, owing to its superior qualities, has ever found a very ready market.
Mr. Desing was born in Brunn, Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Germany, Decem- ber 16, 1858, and is the son of John and Wilhelmina ( Wilk) Desing. He was five years old when the family emigrated to the United States in the fall of 1863. AAfter spending about six months in Youngstown, Ohio, they came on to Walworth county, Wisconsin, locating in Spring Prairie township,
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