USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 54
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was the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Beyer) Reese. Jonas G. South- wick and family came to this county in the fall of 1849, and for two years made their home west of Delavan, then purchased the homestead in the southwestern corner of Delavan township. He had eleven children by the second marriage, namely : Henry, deceased; George, who was the father of Oliver P., of this sketch; he and Harriet were twins, the latter dying when nineteen years old; Charles lives at Williams Bay ; Chauncey and Rachel died in infancy ; James died March 13, 1912, in . Delavan, leaving two sons; Oliver died when nineteen years old; William H. lives north of Williams Bay ; he was born April 17, 1852, on the place on which he now resides. He married Marietta Bowlsby, of Wintersett, Iowa, and they had two children, one of which died when eleven months old; the other, Ernest E. was born April 1, 1887. and he married Rose Weeks of Chicago and they have one daughter, Mary R. William H. Southwick has lived on the home farm all his life. His wife died on May 5, 1904. Mary married C. M. Williams and lives in Chicago; Sanford died when four years old. Jonas Southwick died in the fall of 1896 and his wife died in 1890.
William H. and Ernest Southwick raise fine Rhode Island Red poultry and took many premiums, having been awarded the first, second and third prizes at the Southeastern Wisconsin Poultry Show for Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds and second cockerel and third and fourth pullets in single comb.
George Southwick, father of the subject of this sketch, married Emma Russell, daughter of Marcus and Rebecca (Potter) Russell. George South- wick bought a farm near where the Observatory stands and there spent the remainder of his life. When he was thirty-three years old he met with an accidental injury from which he died November 10, 1870. His son, Oliver P., of this sketch, was then only fifteen years old. Emma (Russell) South- wick lived until June 18, 1906.
Oliver P. Southwick was the third child in a family of four children, the others being, Doric C., who lives in Beloit, on the Illinois side of the line; Jennie, who married Lavelette E. Francis, now deceased : she lives on part of the old homestead ; Mahetabel, the youngest child, married Dr. Charles Fran- cis, now deceased, and lives in Williams Bay. Doric C. Southwick, men- tioned above, was born August 22, 1865, married Mary Nott. daughter of Charles Nott, of Elkhorn. He farmed the home place until the spring of 1910, then moved to Beloit where he is now residing.
After his father died Oliver P. Southwick lived with his grandfather Southwick and his uncle, William Southwick, north of Williams Bay. When
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eighteen years old he went to work for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad and was with them eight years, having been in the service of this road at va- rious stations ; he was at Lake Geneva four years as cashier and clerk. Leav- ing the road in March, 1895, he turned his attention to other pursuits.
Mr. Southwick was married on March 4. 1896, to Mary AA. Ladd. daughter of Wesley and Phoebe (Haley) Ladd, at Ringwood, Illinois. Wes- ley Ladd was born at Hebron, New Hampshire. December 5, 1810. He came to McHenry county, Illinois, in 1836 and entered land from the gov- ernment and he spent the rest of his life in that county. There he married Phoebe Haley, daughter of Edmund and Lucy Haley. She was born at Byron, Genesee county, New York, and came to MeHenry county, Ilinois. with her parents while she was young. Mrs. Wesley Ladd died on Decem- ber 28, 1894, and the death of Wesley Ladd occurred on March 25. 1897. Mary A. Ladd was born in McHenry county, Illinois, and she lived in Ring- wood, Illinois, until her marriage. Her parents moved to that city in 1881 and there spent the rest of their lives. Oliver P. Southwick and wife have one daughter, Mary Arline Southwick, who was born November 3. 1904.
After his marriage Mr. Southwick entered the general merchandise busi- ness at Williams Bay, buying out C. W. Williams & Company, and he has been in business here ever since, enjoying a large trade, keeping his store well stocked with a large and carefully selected stock of goods at all seasons and he is one of the best known merchants and progressive business men in the southern part of Walworth county. He sustained a serious loss by fire in 1903, his store taking fire from the adjoining hotel. He then purchased the building where the store is now located. He has two store rooms, neatly kept and well arranged. Personally, he is a straightforward, honest and obliging gentleman who has the interests of his locality at heart.
JOHN W. UTTER.
That the plenitude of satiety is seldom attained in the affairs of hie is to be considered a most beneficial deprivation, for where ambition is satis- fied and every ultimate end realized, if such be possible, apathy must follow. Effort would cease, accomplishment be prostrate and creative talent waste its energies in inactivity. The men who have pushed forward the wheels of progress have been those to whom satisfaction lies ever in the future, who have labored continuously, always finding in each transition stage an incen-
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tive for further effort. John W. Utter. farmer and stock raiser of Delavan township, Walworth county, is one whose well directed efforts have gained for him a position of desired prominence in the various circles in which he moves, and his energy and enterprise have been crowned by success, and. having ever had the interests of his county at heart and sought to promote them in every way possible, he has well earned a place along with his enter- prising fellow citizens in the permanent history of Walworth.
Mr. Utter was born on December 13, 1850, in Delavan township, this county, on the farm where he still resides. He is the son of Samuel and Har- riet Utter. The father was born in Washington county, New York, on Jan- uary 23, 1807, the son of Abraham and Marilda Utter. He was reared on the farm and when twenty years of age he went to Castile, Genesee county, New York, where he lived until September, 1843, when he moved to Dela- van township, Walworth county, Wisconsin, when the country was new and little developed, and here he became very comfortably established on the farm where the subject now lives. Samuel Utter was married on February 23, 1832. to Charlotte Ferris, and two children were born to them who died in infancy. Mrs. Utter died on September 26, 1840, and Mr. Utter was mar- ried again, in Castile, on September 9, 1841, to Harriet A. Winston, daughter of John Winston. Mrs. Utter was born in Chenango county, New York. Three children were born of this second union, namely: Amanda, Loretta and John W., of this sketch. The first named married J. S. Spencer.
The father, Samuel Utter, was supervisor for three or four terms. He was a man who enjoyed the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. His death occurred in May, 1898.
John W. Utter grew to manhood on the home farm and there he as- sisted with the general work when but a boy. He received his education in the common schools of his locality. Upon reaching manhood he was united in marriage with Ida Vincent, daughter of Jarvis and Sallie Ann (Water- bury ) Vincent. To this union two children were born. Elma, wife of Ray Bowers, lives in Delavan township, and Earl, who lives in this county. .
The wife and mother passed to her rest on January 18. 1879, and Mr. U'tter was subsequently married to Ella Virgil. daughter of James and Julia ( Chesebro) Virgil. The father was born November 28, 1826. He is now living with the subject, his wife having died on February 19, 1894. They were the parents of five children, namely: Frank, who is now fifty-three years old : Ella, wife of Mr. Utter of this sketch ; Emeline, born July 7, 1862 ; Nettie, born May 16, 1865: Carrie, born June 21, 1870.
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To the subject and his second wife two children were born, namely : Mae, born May 3, 1887, and Grace, born December 10, 1892.
Mr. Utter is the owner of a finely improved and productive farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 26, Delavan township, which he has man- aged in such a skillful manner as to bring him large annual returns. He keeps a good grade of live stock and he has a good set of buildings.
Politically, Mr. Utter is a Republican, and in religious matters he be- longs to the Baptist church. He and his wife are members of the Royal Neighbors and he is a Woodman. Religiously, the family are all members of the Baptist church.
OSCAR E. ROMARE.
One of the successful business men of Williams Bay who is eminently deserving of the success he has attained is Oscar E. Romare, for he has forged his way to the front through obstacles, overcoming an environment that would have discouraged many less courageous ; but he has in him many of the attributes of the hardy people of Sweden which never fail of success when backed by energy and ambition.
Mr. Romare was born at Lund, Skone, Sweden, May 20, 1875, and is the son of John P. and Anna C. (Göberg) Romare. The father was born in the same vicinity as was his son, on March 10, 1844, and is the son of Sven and Anna (Asserina) Sandberg. When John P. Romare was eight years old his father died, then his mother married Mangnua Romare, and the boy was ever afterward known as John P. Romare. On October 31, 1868, he married Anna Christina Göberg, daughter of Nels and Inga (Han- sen) Göberg. She was born and reared at the same place as Mr. Romare, the date of her birth being November 14, 1844.
In May, 1882, Mr. and Mrs. Romare and three children came to Amer- ica, locating in Chicago, where they remained until about 1903, them came to Williams Bay, this county, where he now resides. They have one son, Oscar E., of this sketch; and three daughters, Mrs. Ida Oleson, born Decem- ber 25, 1871, lives in Chicago; Mrs. Mollie Holmgren, wife of August Holm- gren of Lake Park, Minnesota, was born August 29, 1881 : Helma, who was born November 7, 1885, married George Lane, and they live at Lake Park, Minnesota.
Seven children were born to John P. Romare and wife, all of whom died
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in early life. Mr. Romare is a member of the Swedish fraternal order known as the Svtgord, holding his membership with the Chicago lodge. He and his wife are highly respected for their clean lives, kindness and neighborliness.
When Oscar E. Romare was seven years old the family came to Chicago and there the subject grew to manhood and received his education in the pub- lic schools, also took a four-years course in mechanical engineering at night school. He also took a comprehensive correspondence course in the same subject. This will show his determination to win over obstacles, and educa- tions thus gained are always appreciated and lead to success. When sixteen years old he began as an apprentice with the Preble Wood Working Machin- ery Company, manufacturers of all kinds of wood working machinery. There he learned to be a machinist and tool-maker. Four and one-half years later he went with the Westinghouse-Church-Cure people, manufacturers of ice machinery. self-feeding boiler plants, etc., near Chicago, remaining with them three and one-half years, making tools and special machines. He next went with the Rambler Bicycle Company, manufacturers of bicycles and automobiles, having charge of a department there and did tool making.
In May, 1901, Mr. Romare came to the Yerkes Observatory, Walworth county, where he has since remained. Here he designs and constructs in- struments and telescopes, everything but the lenses; he is called on to make special appliances for use on the big telescopes, various instruments needed in original research, much in the way of experimental work. Among them is a machine for measuring astronomical photographs microscopically, to determine the distance of stars, and other instruments never before made. He is now designing an automatic telescope that will continue all night photographing portions of the heavens, changing plates and re-setting itself, without attention from the time of starting. In 1901 he was engaged to construct the Snow telescope with a thirty-inch aperture, which he com- pleted in 1904. Just after it was finished it was almost totally destroyed by fire, and he had to do the work over, which required another year and a half. The instrument was taken to Mt. Wilson in California where it is now in use at the observatory there.
Mr. Romare was married on May 18, 1904, to Ethel Elizabeth Stam, daughter of Joseph John Stam and wife, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work. Mrs. Romare represents an excellent family and she is a lady of culture and many winning attributes. One son and one daughter have blessed this union, Ernfred and Mildred.
Mr. Romare has recently started a machine shop at Lake Geneva where
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he has installed special machinery for his instrument work and is also well equipped for automobile and marine-engine work. He is widely known in the world of science, mechanics and invention, and is deserving of a great deal of credit for the way in which he obtained his education in this field of endeavor. He is one of the very few men engaged in his line of work. He has ever been a profound student, keeping up with the trend of modern thought in the scientific world, and, being yet young in years, the future must necessarily augur much of success for him, should he continue his research work and give full sway to his inventive and mechanical genius. He is a young man of sociable instincts and agreeable personality and is fond of home and family.
JOSEPH STAM.
The late Joseph Stam, for many years one of Walworth county's influ- ential and honored citizens, was a man of well rounded character, his varied interests having produced a symmetrical development; and while his ener- gies were chiefly given to business he was a valued factor in the church and civic life of his country and in social circles, where his upright life and genial temperament made him a general favorite.
Mr. Stam was born in Montgomery county, New York, probably at Sharon Springs, October 17, 1822. He was the son of Henry and Hannah (Huffnell) Stam. Henry Stam was of Swiss parentage and his wife was a native of Switzerland.
Joseph Stam grew to manhood in New York and there followed the carpenter's trade. In 1849 he came to Sharon, this county, and there con- tinued carpentering and building, going to South Grove a few years later and there started a wagon factory and manufactured wagons several years. He also kept a store in the early days, drawing his supplies overland from Milwaukee. He was in business both at Sharon Grove and East Delavan, building up a large trade with the early settlers roundabout. He also built and ran a saw-mill at the head of Lake Geneva, and he became one of the substantial and well known business men of the county in his day. In 1864 he bought a farm about half a mile west of Williams Bay and there- after turned his attention to farming, continuing the same with uninterrupted success the rest of his life.
Mr. Stam was united in marriage with Elizabeth White in 1860. She was born in the state of New York, near Albany, on August 23, 1837, and
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there her early life was spent and she received her education, and there she and Joseph Stam were married. She is remembered as a most exem- plary woman, devoted to her home duties, and she was neighborly and char- itable in her instincts. Her death occurred on November 13, 1903, Joseph Stam surviving until September 23, 1907. Three children were born to them, namely : Charles E. : Mary E. is deceased ; and Ethel E., who married Oscar E. Romare, a sketch of whom will be found in this work.
Joseph Stam was a quiet, diligent, hard working man, fond of home and family, well thought of and respected. He never boasted of his own accomplishments, but his life here in the early days was replete with worthy incident, embodying not a little stirring adventure, and his activities were decidedly beneficial to his part of the county.
EDGAR E. WHITE.
A well known and popular citizen of Elkhorn is the genial auctioneer, Edgar E. White, representative of another of our sterling early families, and a man who has been content to spend his life within the borders of his own county, wisely deciding that it were useless to attempt to find a better.
Mr. White was born in Spring Prairie township, Walworth county, Wisconsin, November 5, 1861. He is the son of Edgar and Dorothy (Mohr) White, a complete sketch of whom appears in the review of the subject's brother, Henry H. White, the present postmaster of Lake Geneva.
Edgar E. White grew up on the home farm, and when a young man he worked out at farm work for a time. On October 3, 1883, he was united in mar- riage with Louise Schaub, of Spring Prairie, daughter of Caspar and Elizabeth (Schwartz) Schaub. These parents were natives of Germany, where they spent their early lives, emigrating to America about 1852. They located in New York city, where the father conducted a meat market for a number of years. He was twice married, first to the sister of his last wife, his first wife dying after the family came to America, thus his second marriage was solemnized here, his last wife, Elizabeth, being the mother of Mrs. White.
Mr. Schaub finally came to Spring Prairie township. Walworth county, Wisconsin, where he bought a farm on which he spent the rest of his life. Caspar Schaub also spent about twenty years of his life in the ministry of the Methodist church, in which he did much good. He lost his life on a steam- boat on Lake Michigan, the boat being burned and the passengers drowned. This was about the year 1890. Two children were born of his first union.
EDGAR E. WHITE
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR LEHOX TILDEN FOU DATIONS
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Edward E. and Charles. The former, who is principal of the high school at Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, has been teaching for over thirty years and is a well known educator. The latter died at Boenna City, Michigan. Five children were born to Caspar Schaub and his second wife, namely: Kate, who is the wife of John Messersmith, lived in Spring Prairie township, where her death occurred ; Louise, wife of Mr. White, of this sketch ; Lucetta died in Spring Prairie town- ship, unmarried; John is farming in Spring Prairie township, this county; Clarence C. lives at Boenna City, Michigan, and is at present city treasurer there.
Mrs. White grew to womanhood in Spring Prairie township, was edu- cated in the public schools and there she lived until her marriage. Mr. White engaged in buying and selling live stock after his marriage, also handled poul- try, continuing this line of business with success until 1892 or later. He moved to Elkhorn in 1893 and here he has since resided, with the exception of about a year, 1910, spent on a farm near Elkhorn.
Since coming here he has taken an interest in public affairs and he was assessor of Elkhorn for three years, then resigned to run for sheriff of Wal- worth county in 1900, and he was elected in November of that year, taking office in January, 1901. After holding the office two years, he was appointed under-sheriff, which position he held two years. He again made the race for sheriff in 1906 and was elected, serving from January, 1907, to the end of 1908. In 1909 he was appointed under-sheriff, to fill a vacancy and he held that position two years. He discharged the duties of these offices in a man- ner that reflected much credit upon himself and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned, irrespective of party alignment. He was ever faithful and conscientious in the discharge of his duties and it is doubtful if the county has ever had a more efficient or satisfactory public official.
About 1890 Mr. White first began as an auctioneer, his knowledge of live stock and his experience in this line giving him a decided advantage in this work, and he has been conducting public sales ever since with a marked degree of success. He has cried perhaps one hundred sales annually.
Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. White, namely : Orvilla, who married Perry James, of Delavan township, now lives in Delavan; Carrie is the wife of Joe Itson, of Burlington, and they have one daughter, named Elizabeth ; Mabel is the wife of Harry Gates, of Geneva township, the son of C. M. Gates, mentioned in this work, and she has two children, Edith and Donald; Edgar, Hiram, Charlie and Gladys are all at home with their parents. Mr. White is a member of the Masonic fraternity, prominent in the chapter at Elkhorn.
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THOMAS LACKEY.
The years of the honored subject of this sketch are a part of the indis- soluble chain which links the annals of the past to those of the latter-day progress and prosperity, and the history of Walworth county would not be complete without due reference to the long life he has lived and the success he has achieved as an earnest, courageous laborer in one of the most important fields of endeavor, agriculture. He is public-spirited and lends his support to any cause that has for its ultimate object the betterment of his locality in material, civic and moral lines.
Thomas Lackey, for many years one of this county's leading farmers and stock men, now living in retirement in his pleasant home at Williams Bay, was born March 1, 1834, at Banbridge, near Belfast, Ireland. He is one of the nine children born to Hugh and Isabel (Baird) Lackey, both parents being of Scotch descent and were Presbyterians. Hugh Lackey died in Ireland, and his widow and children later came to America, the son Joseph locating, about 1850, on a school section in the town of Troy, Wal- worth county, Wisconsin; his two brothers, Archie and David, followed him here the next year, and the following year Hugh came, then Robert, and Thomas, of this sketch, the latter having been about sixteen years old. Their sister Mary married Thomas Morrow in Ireland and remained in that country until 1860 to sell the property, then she joined the family in America.
Thomas Lackey lived for a year on the farm of his brother Joseph, and he attended school two years after coming to Dane county, this state. Hugh learned the blacksmith's trade and the rest all followed farming. Archie inoved to Dane county, where he bought a farm on which he spent the rest of his life, owning two hundred acres when he died, leaving four sons and one daughter. David, who was a soldier in the Civil war, died after the war, unmarried, at the home of his brother Thomas in Dane county. Thomas Morrow, who married Mary Lackey, died and she later married John Black and lived in Troy, where they both died. Joseph, who also lived in Troy some time. later retired and moved to Troy Center, where he died.
After spending two years in this county Thomas Lackey moved to Dane county where he ran a broom factory for about three years. On March 19. 1863, he was united in marriage with Flora Jane Rawson, who was born in Stockbridge, New York, June 20, 1845, and was the daughter of Dr. Lorenzo and Mariett (King) Rawson. Her father, who was born
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in Vermont, was the first homeopathic physician in that state. Doctor Rawson was descended from Edward Rawson, who was born in Gillingham, Dorsetshire, England, in 1615. Edward Rawson married Rachel Pern, daughter of Thomas Pern and granddaughter of John Hooker, whose wife was a sister of Edmund Grindal, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, a great pro-Puritan advocate.
Edward Rawson came to Newbury, colony of Massachusetts Bay, as early as 1637 and was a grantee of that town, and he became secretary of the colony and secretary of state in 1647. Some of his descendants were prominent in the Revolution and many have been long lived. Lorenzo Raw- son was born in 1810 in Bethlehem, Gratton county, New Hampshire, and he lived there until he was ten years old, when he accompanied his parents to Lvandon, Caledonia county, Vermont, where he remained until 1831. He located in Hadley, Massachusetts, soon after and lived there until 1833. In April of that year he married Mary King, of Enfield, Connecticut, then settled in South Hadley, Massachusetts. He moved to Stockbridge, Madi- son county, New York, in 1834, and in 1846 came to Koshkonong, Rock county, Wisconsin, and in 1848 moved to York township, Dane county, this state, and there began a pioneer life. He was one of the founders of Metho- dism in the town of York and was very active in church work, often taking his family in his wagon drawn by oxen and spending the entire Sunday at church.
When Mrs. Lackey was three months old her parents moved to Kosh- konong, Wisconsin, and there they lived a year and a half, then moved to York, Dane county, where she grew to womanhood and lived until her marriage.
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