USA > Wisconsin > Walworth County > History of Walworth county, Wisconsin, Volume II > Part 61
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Mr. Greene was twice married, first, to Lucina Brewer, by whom five children were born, namely : Porter, Lucinda, George, Addie (deceased) and Harvey.
The wife and mother died on March 23, 1865, and on May 27, 1866, Mr. Greene was united in marriage with Lestina M. Gould, who was born in Charlemont, Massachusetts, on June 29, 1835, the daughter of Eli and Tirzah (Smith ) Gould, who came to Walworth county in 1856 and located in Troy township on a farm, but they spent their last days at Grand Rapids, Michigan. They were the parents of five children, of whom two are living. Mr. Gould died in 1885 and his widow on June 29, 1896.
To Mr. Greene and his second wife two children were born, namely : Everett A., born December 17, 1872, and he was educated in the public schools and in the East Troy and Elkhorn high schools, and he is engaged in operating the homestead. Politically he is a Republican. He was married on June 6, 1894, to Ezzie Dixon, who was born in Elkhorn on February 14. 1868, the daughter of Frank and Ann (Farrar) Dixon, who came here from Ireland, the mother being a native of England ; they were early settlers in Walworth county and here they spent the rest of their lives, Mr. Dixon's death occurring in 1897
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and his widow died in December, 1908. To Everett A. Greene and wife three children have been born, namely : Mabel Independence, born July 4, 1895; Porter Frank, born December 8, 1898; Percy Dixon, born October 12, 1904.
The second child born to Mr. and Mrs. Porter Greene was a daughter, Tirzah Belle, who is now the wife of Hiel M. Peck, a farmer of Lafayette township, and to them six children have been born, namely : Ora May, Jeddie Greene, Marian Winnifred, Donald Hiel, Fannie Lestina and an unnamed daughter. Hiel M. Peck is the son of C. I. Peck and wife, a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work.
Mrs. Porter Greene was educated in the public schools and select schools of Massachusetts, and she taught school in that state for two years, and she continued this line of work in the public schools of Walworth county for some time after coming West. She is a lady of many praiseworthy attributes of head and heart and has long been a favorite with a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, and is well known throughout the community in which she resides.
EDWARD B. WATROUS.
The name of Edgar B. Watrous needs no introduction to the people of Walworth county, having long been regarded as one of the representative and substantial citizens of Troy township, and his life record is well worth a careful perusal by those who have become discouraged on life's highway or who are hesitating where the ways divide.
Mr. Watrous was born at East Troy, this county, July 14, 1859, and he is the son of John G. and Ann Elizabeth (Bunker) Watrous, both natives of New York, the father of Poughkeepsie and the mother of Deruyter. The paternal grandfather was a boat builder on the Hudson river, and he also operated many boats, and freighted a great deal in the early days. When a young man the father of the subject also operated boats.
Edgar B. Watrous was educated in the public schools and he remained on the home place until he was about twenty years of age, then went to Mil- waukee, soon afterwards finding employment on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, as a passenger brakeman, and he worked at this for eight years. Before taking this position he worked for C. J. Smith in his machine shop, now known as A. O. Smith, large manufacturer of auto parts. Mr. Watrous worked as a machinist for about three years. He married in Mil- waukee and subsequently came to Troy township, Walworth county, and
MR. AND MRS. EDGAR B. WATROUS
TILDE: YOU
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operated two hundred and twenty acres of land, then purchased in 1892 the farm of one hundred and fifty-five acres where he still lives, and in March, 1893, he moved here. He has put up excellent buildings and modern im- provements and has met with success as a general farmer and breeder of thoroughbred Holstein cattle, and he also carries on dairying.
Mr. Watrous was married on January 1, 1890, to Fannie Belle Reynolds, who was born in Detroit, Michigan, October 15, 1866, the daughter of James E. and Sarah A. (Blanchard) Reynolds, the father a native of Medina, New York, and the mother a native of Troy, Walworth county, Wisconsin. Her maternal grandparents, George and Lydia Jane (Taylor ) Blanchard, were born at Aurelius, near Auburn, New York. He came alone in 1836 or 1837 to Walworth county, Wisconsin, being among the earliest pioneers, and took up a farm of one hundred and sixty acres from the government, which he later added to until his place consisted of two hundred and twenty acres, which he improved and on which he spent the balance of his life. He returned to New York and there married, and spent two years in his native state, then brought his family to his farm in Walworth county and here he and his wife died.
James E. Reynolds came to Walworth county from Detroit in 1868 and located on the Blanchard farm and lived there until 1899, then moved to Troy Center, where he lived eight years, then moved to East Troy and died there two years later, since which time his widow has made her home with Mr. Watrous of this sketch. James E. Reynolds left home when sixteen years of age and began railroad work, then for many years he was an express messenger on the Michigan Central between Detroit and Chicago. After coming to Wal- worth county he engaged in farming and he was one of the earliest threshers here, being the first man to use a steam thresher in this county, but for some time he had used horse power. Politically, he was a very active Republican and he held various offices. Fraternally, he was a Mason. He owned one of the very first automobiles in this county and was one of the first to run one here.
Edward B. Watrous affiliates with the Methodist church at Troy Center, and fraternally he belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons, and he is a charter member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Troy Center, and he and his wife belong to the Order of the Eastern Star, as did also Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds, both ladies having been worthy matrons of the local lodge, and they all have held offices in these organizations. Mrs. Watrous belongs to the Royal Neighbors at Troy Center, being a charter member of that lodge and also the local Eastern Star chapter. Mrs. Reynolds organized the Eastern Star at East Troy and also at Elkhorn.
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Mr. Watrous is a Republican and he has served as township treasurer for two years. He is a member of the County and American Holstein Friesian Associations.
Mrs. Watrous has been the organist of the Troy Center church since its organization and has taken the lead in that branch of the church work. For the past five years she has been president of the Ladies Aid Society in the church here. As a girl she attended Milwaukee College, known as the Mil- waukee Downer College. She studied music two years, then took private lessons under Prof. H. Philmore for three seasons. Professor Philmore now conducts various conservatories in Los Angeles. Mrs. Watrous taught music successfully for fifteen years, having classes in all the nearby towns. While a student in Milwaukee she gave recitals, which she has continued at times since organizing her classes. She has unusual musical talent according to those who have heard her. She is also an artist of recognized talent, being now the only painter in oils of any note in this county.
CARLOS S. DOUGLASS.
One of the best known business men of Walworth county is Carlos S. Douglass, who has spent his life in his native community, having been born in Walworth township on August 1, 1854. He is the grandson of Christopher Douglass and son of Carlos Lavalette Douglass, one of our sterling pioneers, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work.
The subject attended the Fontana district schools and the Big Foot Acad- emy, also Beloit College, and was graduated from the latter in 1878. He be- gan his business career by forming a partnership with his father in farming and milling, later adding a real estate business. They built the first full roller mill in this part of Wisconsin, and were among the best known mill men in this part of the state for many years. The death of the father occurred in 1898 and the subject continued to operate the mill with his usual success until 1908, when he sold his interest.
Mr. Douglass has been chairman of the county board for eight years. He was chairman of the town board for thirteen years, and he was three times assessor of his township. He has identified himself with many enterprises which have helped the growth of the village of Fontana, whose interests he has ever had at heart and sought to promote ; not only has he assisted in the up- building of that place, but also Williams Bay and Walworth. He is now
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president of the Walworth State Bank, manager of the Fontana Land Com- pany and president of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company. . He has been very successful in whatever he has turned his attention to, being by nature a business man of keen discernment, able to see with remarkable. ac- curacy the future outcome of a present transaction, and he seldom makes a mis- take. He keeps fully abreast of the times in all matters pertaining to com- mercial life, civic affairs and current literature. He has a beautiful and mod- ernly appointed home in Fontana.
Mr. Douglass was married on September 10, 1879, to Emma Bordwell, daughter of Danthford and Jennie (Burns) Bordwell. She was born in Mc- Henry county, Illinois, near the Walworth county line. To this union two children were born, Courtney C., born on December 26, 1880, and William LeRoy, born April 16, 1882.
The mother of these children passed away on September 9, 1901, and Mr. Douglass was united in marriage with Annabel Purl, on October 22, 1902. She came to this county from Topeka, Kansas, and she is the daughter of Filmore and Kate (Casey) Purl. She received a good education at Lewis Institute, Chicago, and she came to Fontana as a teacher. She is a lady of cul- ture and refinement.
Mr. Douglass is a member of the Masonic order and the Modern Wood- men. He has always taken an active interest in political affairs, being an ardent Republican, and in 1909 he was nominated for state senator, and he carried his county by over one thousand votes, showing his popularity at home. He is guardian and administrator of numerous estates, some of them being very large, involving much care, judgment and close attention.
LEWIS CURTIS.
The late Lewis Curtis was one of the honored pioneers of Walworth county who aided in laying the foundation on which to erect the superstructure of the locality's present prosperity and progress. Through the period of early development he was an important factor in the improvement and advance- ment of material, civic and moral affairs. Always calm and dignified, never demonstrative, he had the greatest sympathy for his fellow men, was always willing to aid and encourage those who were struggling to aid themselves ; yet, in this as in everything else, he was entirely unostentatious. Nothing could swerve him from the path which he believed to be the right one: friendship
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was to him inviolable and the obligations of home life a sacred trust. His upright life commanded universal respect.
Mr. Curtis was born in Plymouth, Chenango county, New York, Novem- ber 8, 1813. He was a son of Junia and Nancy (Mead) Curtis. The father was of New England ancestry, his progenitors having lived in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Junia Curtis lived in New York City for a time, where he was interested in developing a rotary engine, similar to the mod- ern steam turbine. He was working on the problem of applying steam navi- gation so that it might be commercially successful. He was intimate with Robert Fulton, to whom he submitted his plans. Fulton, backed by the power- ful influence of Chancellor Livingston, seemed to have a monopoly on the use of the Hudson river, appropriated the ideas already evolved, and got the credit for being the first to make steam navigation a commercial success. Mrs. Curtis's grandchildren still have many of his drawings of inventions. Junia Curtis also lived at Salina or Syracuse, New York, and there he was the first to put in steam pumps for pumping salt, having made the pumps himself. He built up an extensive business and employed many men. Some believe that he was the real inventor of the steamboat.
Lewis Curtis was just a lad when his father died, and his mother also died when he was young, and when eighteen years of age he was thrown upon his own resources. He went to Toledo, Ohio, where he engaged in the mercan- tile business for himself. He married Mary Elizabeth Humphrey at Chilli- cothe, Ohio. She was the daughter of Hiram and Mary ( Blodgett) Humph- rey, one of the early settlers of New England, who lived first in Massachusetts, then in Connecticut. Michael Humphrey married Priscilla Grant, from whose family Gen. U. S. Grant was descended. The Humphrey ancestry embraces a number of prominent people in the United States and also has been traced back several generations in England. Mary Elizabeth Humphreys was a sister of Benjamin Humphrey, one of the early citizens of Elkhorn, Wisconsin.
Lewis Curtis and wife started from Toledo in 1839 to drive to Chicago, where he intended entering the merchandise business, but he was unable to rent a room for his store. He was offered a large piece of land in what is now the heart of Chicago, in exchange for his team, but refused it, thinking the town was in too swampy a place to have any future. He came on to Lake Geneva, this county, arriving in January, 1840. Here he immediately went into business, opening the first drug store in Lake Geneva. Here he became a leader in business and public affairs, and for ten years he served as postmaster, his termi extending all through the Civil war. He was also interested in real estate operations, particularly in the buying and selling of farms. He assisted
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in all movements having as their object the general upbuilding of the con- munity. He was one of the leading promoters and subscribers to the railroad project whose successful accomplishment was celebrated in 1856 by a great gathering on the hill now occupied by the St. Francis church. The Female Seminary also found in Mr. Curtis an appreciative and sympathetic advocate and a substantial supporter. In fact, there was hardly any public enterprise which did not know him as its stanch friend from its incipiency to its final accomplishment.
Lewis Curtis owned about one thousand acres of land, as valuable as the county could boast, around Lake Como and along Lake Geneva. The ground on which the Yerkes Observatory now stands and also that of the Young Men's Christian Association camp formerly belonged to him and remained in the family until sold for the uses mentioned. They received one thousand dollars for eleven acres to the Young Men's Christian Association, also sold one hundred and forty-five acres for the observatory. By his public spirit, his business position and social standing he belonged to that select few who are always relied upon to build the institutions of a community, to direct public sentiment and mold public opinion. He was intensely loyal to the Union and during the great war of the Rebellion gave active support to the federal gov- ernment. He gave liberally in helping care for the families of those who went to the front. But prominent as he was in early day public and business affairs of Lake Geneva and vicinity, his leading place in the history of Walworth county was as one of the pillars of the Congregational church, of which he was a deacon for over sixty years, a remarkable record and one fraught with the greatest good. From the time of his advent in Lake Geneva he was one of the church's most prominent members and substantial supporters, and in his earnest work for the religious welfare of the city his influence was most potent and long continued. He was familiarly known as "Deacon" Curtis, or "Uncle" Lewis Curtis. He was indeed a good and useful man and his in- fluence for the amelioration of conditions here was far-reaching.
Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Curtis, named as follows : Mary Augusta died in childhood; Martha Ann died when young; Hiram Humphrey, born December 6, 1844, lives at Castlewood, South Dakota, where he is president of a bank, also a real estate dealer and an authorized abstractor ; Frances Caroline married Albert A. Sawyer and resides at Oak Park, Illinois; Lewis Henry died when about ten years of age; Walter lives on the farm on the Elkhorn road, three and one-half miles northwest of Lake Geneva; Annie E. died when about six years old; Harriet and Anna Belle both live in Lake Geneva, both highly esteemed for their upright character and kindness of heart.
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The death of Mrs. Lewis Curtis occurred on March 21, 1868, Mr. Curtis surviving thirty-six years, dying on July 6, 1904, at the ripe old age of ninety years, heaven having bounteously lengthened out his life until it was replete with blessings, his career having been signally long, useful and honorable, one of which his descendants, his wide circle of friends and acquaintances and the county may well be proud.
GEORGE HUTTON.
Another of the progressive farmers of Sharon township and one of our most sterling native sons is George Hutton, a man who has lived to good pur- pose because he has believed in doing well whatever he undertook and not waiting for someone else to do his work for him. He is the scion of a sterling old English family many of whose commendable traits seem to have out- cropped in him, thus making him a good citizen in every sense of the word and winning for him the respect of all with whom he has come into contact.
Mr. Hutton was born on the farm which he now owns in Sharon town- ship, this county. Here he grew to manhood, assisting with the work on the home place when he became of proper age and in the winter months attended the public schools in his home community, and here he has spent his life. He is the son of John and Bridget (Mack) Hutton, the father born in England in the year 1804 and there he spent his boyhood and attended school, emigrat- ing to the United States when eighteen years of age on an old-fashioned sailing vessel which required several weeks for the trip. His first wife was Mary Fay, who was born in Ireland. She came to the United States when young and her death occurred in the town of Delavan, Wisconsin, on January 1, 1864.
John Hutton was one of the early settlers of the town of Geneva. He came to Delavan about 1858. He was married a second time, his last wife, who was born in Ireland, being named Mack. From her native country she came to the United States when a child with her parents. Seven children were born to John Hutton and his first wife, and there were four children by the second marriage, namely: George, Sarah, Eliza and Alice.
George Hutton, of this sketch, was married on April 18, 1906, to Fannie E. Cusick, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Campbell) Cusick, both natives of Ireland, from which country they emigrated to America when young and were married in the state of New York, where they established their home, finally coming to Walworth county, Wisconsin, where they spent the balance of their lives, the father dying on February II, 1904, and the mother on De-
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cember 19, 1893. Two children have been born to the subject and wife, one dying young ; Francis John was born November 4, 1908.
George Hutton has farmed all his life. He now owns one hundred and sixty-acres in section 13 and one hundred and twenty and one-half in section 14. He has kept his land well improved and has a good home. Politically, he is a Republican. He belongs to the Catholic church at Elkhorn. He has been assessor of his township for six years, being still an incumbent of this office, the duties of which he has discharged very satisfactorily, as is indicated by his long incumbency.
MARK HOBERT WEST.
It seems that there is no start in life which so well prepares a man for his future career, no matter what he may choose to follow as the boyhood years spent on the farm; this is not strange to the contemplative mind, for in the first place the boy reared next to nature, to the fresh soil, surrounded by the clear air and amidst the growing, blooming vegetation will be stronger physically and mentally than his city-bred brother, and all will agree that health is the first prerequisite in the chase for success in this world; many a man has been handicapped, submerged and defeated because of lack of it. Another thing, the farmer boy knows few of the temptations that lead to ruin which the city boy has to combat from almost the very cradle; the former uses his energy in wrestling with the plow, the unbroken colt, the quick-grow- ing sprouts, and many other things in his every-day life, while all this pent- up energy of the city lad must seek outlet in various channels, so he gets into trouble or at least neglects to properly direct his energies in life's affairs and when manhood comes he is left behind by his stronger and more self-reliant country contemporary.
Mark Hobert West, of Lafayette township, Walworth county, was born and reared on the farm and has made farming his life work and his life has therefore been healthy and happy, still living on a part of the old home- stead in Lafayette township where his birth occurred on May 29, 1866. He is the son of Nelson and Anne Maria (Hodges) West, the father born in Chenango county, New York, June 23, 1829, and the mother born at Scriba, Oswego county, that state, July 5, 1834. He was ten years old when he ac- companied his father, Stephen G. West, to Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1839, when this country was a wilderness and the haunt of red man and wild beast. Two brothers, William and Jesse Pike, had preceded them here in
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1836, having walked from Detroit, Michigan, here. The grandfather of the subject took up government land here, a part of which is now owned by his grandson, Mark H., of this review. He cleared and developed a good farm, undergoing the usual hardships and privations incident to pioneer life in the great northern woods, and the death of Stephen G. West, the grand father, occurred at Rippon, Fond du Lac county. His wife was known in her maid- enhood as Rebecca Pike, whose death occurred in Chenango county, New York.
Nelson West, father of the subject, was educated in the public schools of New York and Walworth county, Wisconsin, and he devoted his life to agricultural pursuits. He was married on February 14, 1855, to Anne Maria Hodges, the daughter of William and Mary Ann Hodges, a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work.
To the parents of the subject nine children were born, of whom four are living, namely: Henry P., of Ripon, Wisconsin; Addie M. lives in White- water, Wisconsin; Mark Hobert of this sketch: Grace is the wife of George Kirchoffer, of Whitewater, this state. Politically, the elder West was a Democrat and was active in political affairs, holding a number of the town- ship offices, and he was postmaster of Westville for many years. He was the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of excellent land, and was one of the substantial farmers and influential men of his community. He attended the Methodist Episcopal church. His death occurred on May 23, 1909. .
Mark H. West of this review was reared on the homestead where he assisted with the general work when old enough, and he received his educa- tion in the district schools of his community, and in the Elkhorn high school, later attending Milton College. He turned his attention to farming early in life and is now the owner of forty-seven acres of good land on which he has made a comfortable living, this being a part of the old homestead. Politi- cally, he is a Democrat, but has never been an aspirant for public office.
Mr. West was married on February 14, 1907, to Anna E. Stallmann, who was born in Muskego, Waukesha county. Wisconsin, on February 17, 1878. She is the daughter of August and Bertha (Hafer) Stallmann, he a native of West Alice and she of Milwaukee, and her death occurred in Sugar Creek township, this county, in 1896, and in that township he is still living at an advanced age. They came to Walworth county in 1893. To Mark H. West and wife one child has been born, Nelson A., whose birth occurred on February 14, 19II.
Personally, Mr. West is a man of charitable and kindly impulses and he is well liked by all who know him.
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