History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc., Part 105

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052

USA > Wisconsin > History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories; biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers; views of county seats, etc. > Part 105

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FREDRICK SCHENDEL, proprietor of hotel, Princeton. His house is a two-story brick, containing sixteen rooms for guests, and is very complete in all its appointments, containing a good billiard and sample rooms, and centrally located. He was born near Berlin, Prussia, in 1845, where he was raised and educated. He came direct from Berlin to Princeton, in 1870, and engaged at his trade-that of mason, which he learned in the Old Country. He was married in 1871, to Miss Henrietta Krausen. They have three children. He is captain of the Princeton Schuetzen Verein.

JOHN P. SCHNEIDER, owner and proprietor of the American House, Princeton, was born in Schleswig Holstein, Germany, in 1817. He was a son of Heinrich and Katrina Schultz Schneider. They were natives of Germany, and by occupation farmers. Mr. Schneider was raised, educated, and learned the trade of blacksmith in his native place, also served four years in the army, and, when the war between Denmark and Schleswig Holstein was declared in 1849, he was commissioned and given a command of 4,000 men, in the Danish Army; but, having con- sciencious scruples against fighting against his own kin and the land of his birth, he came to America, locating in Milwaukee in 1850, where he worked at his trade one year. Then, in connection with Charles Burbach, established business which he conducted for one year, when he went to California, overland route, locating fifteen miles from Marysville, at Charlie's Ranch on the Yuba River, where he carried on blacksmith- ing for two years. He then returned to Milwaukee, remaining one year. He then moved to Oshkosh, where he established a vinegar factory, which he conducted for some thirteen years. While at Oshkosh, he built two halls. The first was called the Germania, which he afterward tore down, and built upon the site a larger one, called Schneider Hall. He was prominent in the organization of the first two fire companies in Oshkosh, which were organized in his (Germania) hall, and for five years was foreman of the Germania, No. 2, and was also lieutenant of the Oshkosh Rifle Co. In 1871, he exchanged his Oshkosh property for Youngs Hotel at Berfin. He assumed the proprietorship and conducted it for two years, when he sold the hotel, and in 1875, came to Princeton and bought the hotel he now owns. Mr. Schneider has been several years President of the Village, and during his term of office made many valu- able and substantial improvements. He was also captain of the Schuetzen Verein, of Princeton, which office he resigned. Ile has been three times married, and has ten living children. His present wife was Katie Hoyer. They were married at Oshkosh in 1860. She was a native of Baden, Germany, and came to America in 1853. They have six children.

FERDINAND T. YAIIR, general banking, hardware, lumber and grain, Princeton, was born in Prussia, Dec. 13, 1834. His father was a native of Prussia, and a manufacturer of prints, calicoes, etc. Ifis mother's maiden name was Caroline Lielendahl, also a native of Prussia. She died in her native land. The family emigrated to America in 1849, locating on a farm near Watertown, and where the father now lives. The subject of this sketch commenced his business career as a clerk in a general store at Watertown, where he was engaged about three years. He then learned the blacksmith trade, which he followed for seventeen

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HISTORY OF GREEN LAKE COUNTY.

years in Berlin, Waupun and Chicago. In 1861, he came to Princeton, and for five years was foreman of the carriage and wagon manufactory of Aug Dhiel. Then established blacksmithing, which he conducted two years, one year in company with August Swanke. At the expiration of the two years, he engaged in buying grain and selling farming imple- ments. In 1874, he bought the hardware stock of H. H. Hopkins, and, in 1875, built the building he now occupies, and the same year added banking business, associating with him Mr. Thompson and Fish, who is now president of the bank. Mr. Thompson retired from the firm. Mr. Yahr is a self-made man, commencing his business career without capital and working the first three years for $130. April 29, 1861, he married Miss Amelia C. Schaal, a native of Prussia and a resident of Dodge County. He has held nearly all the town offices, and is a member of the County Board of Supervisors. He is a member of Princeton Lodge, No. 166, also of the Berlin Commandery.

MARKESAN.

This country hamlet is very pleasantly situated on the rather uneven land lying both sides of the Grand River, in the town of Mackford, which forms the southeast boundary of the county. The village was platted out, September 1, 1849, by John Chapel and Charles E. Russell, who chris- tened it Granville. The post-office was established one year later, under the name of Markesan. John B. Seward settled here in 1845, and built a saw and grist mill. His was the first frame house erected in the village. The Con- gregationalists were the first to hold religious services. The society was organized in 1847, by Rev. A. Montgomery and J. H. Kissom, at which time the church numbered seven members. In 1858, the congregation erected, on the high, elevated ground east of the center of the village, quite an imposing and well-built edifice, for public worship. The society has had no regular pastor for several years. The churches represented at present in the village, are the Uni- versalists, Episcopal and Methodists. The Universalists hold services each alternate Sunday, Rev. McNeal, pastor. Rev. J. Dumbleton officiates regularly every Sunday for the Methodists, while the Episcopal services are ably conducted by the Rev. George Gibson, every Sunday morning.

Lodge No. 59, Freemasons, was organized in 1850. The society now numbers forty members, and meets regu- larly the first Wednesday in each month. Present officers : George McCracken, W. M .; Thomas Atkinson, secretary ; S. W. Mather, treasurer. The Good Templars have a flour- ishing organization of nearly 200 members. The lodge re- ceives a liberal support from the farmers, who take a great interest in advancing the cause. The Temple of Honor Hall. where the society holds its regular meetings, is a neat frame structure, very tastily fitted up, and serves as a lect- ure-room and public auditorium. The hall has a seating capacity of 500.

The village receives its communication from the outside world by the means of a daily stage line, which makes con- nections with the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad at Bran- don Station, a point fourteen miles northeast, in Fond du Lac County. The stage arrives in Markesan at 11 A. M., and leaves at 2.30 P. M. The post-office is at present in charge of William Paddock, who does quite a large business in the way of sending money-orders. There being no banks in the village, the people are obliged to resort to post-office orders as a safe means of sending money.

The manufactories of Markesan consist of one grist-mill and cheese factory. The grist-mill is a large four-story frame building, and has a capacity for eighty barrels of flour per day ; water power supplied by Grand River. The cheese factory ranks as one of the important industries, and manufactures annually 60,000 pounds of cheese.

Besides these, the village contains four general stores, one hardware store, two wagon shops, one blacksmith shop, two grocery stores, two barber shops, one millinery store. and one hotel, built by Hiram Potts, now owned by George McCracken, who has succeeded in making for himself a wide reputation as a genial and obliging landlord.

The Green Lake County Democrat, published by S. D. Goodell, was moved to Markesan from the village of Prince- ton, June 1, 1881. It is now the only Democratic paper published in the county, and ranks second in circulation.

The village of Markesan is the third in importance in the county ; the center of a very rich farming country ; its trade, which is already very large, is yearly increasing, while its business men are capable, and have the means to supply the wants of the population. A good district school-house, built of stone, two stories high, is very pleasantly located upon a rise of ground near the center of the village. The building is one of the best of its kind in the county.

The town of Mackford, from which the village derives its principal support, was organized in 1849. At the first town meeting there were seven votes cast. Squire Mc- Donald was elected Chairman; L. Wooster and John S. Toby, Supervisors; John Chapel, Justice of the Peace; J. C. Mathews, Town Clerk. The first white settler was Hiram McDonald, who located lands as early as 1837. His father, Samuel McDonald, came in soon after. In 1843, Hiram McDonald erected a saw-mill, at which time the village of Waupun had but fourteen male inhabitants; twelve out of the fourteen were present at the raising. In 1844, George Pratt and Lyman Austin came to the town, and in 1845-6, quite a number were added to the settlement. Among these were Austin McCracken and sons, William Butler and son, James Densmore, William Hare, S. M. Knox, John Larkin, J. L. Millard, Abram Moore, William Shaw and Barlow Swift. The first school was taught by Miss Mc- Cracken, in 1846, in her father's log house. In 1848, a school-house was built of slabs, on the south side of the river, and public school organized. Dr. Randall, a Method- ist minister, preached the first sermon, in 1846. The serv- ices were held at the house of Lyman Austin. The town of Mackford is situated in the southeast corner of the county, in Town 14, Range 13. The surface is gently roll- ing, interspersed with prairie and openings. The land is mostly of a tillable nature, and is nearly all under an ex- cellent state of cultivation. The farmers are independently rich, and are surrounded with all the comforts that a well- to-do farmer could wish for, such as cozy dwelling-houses, neatly furnished; good, substantial barns, with all the im- proved machinery of modern times. Population of the town principally Americans.

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

HENRY C. DEAN, merchant tailor, Markesan, was born in Ma- lone, Franklin Co., N. V, May 28, 1847. llis father, John Dean, was a native of New York, and born at North Hero, a point of land jutting into Lake Champlain, May 7, 1800. He was of Irish ancestry, and a manufacturer of woolen goods. llis wife. Lucy Tucker, was born at South Hero, on Lake Champlain. Her ancestors were early settlers of Vermont. The subject of this biography lived with his parents until nearly fourteen years of age. He enlisted at the age of thirteen in Bat- tery D, Ist N. Y. L. A., July 27, 1861, serving with the battery during the term of enlistment, three years. He participated in thirty-two gen- eral engagements, and was honorably discharged Sept. 6, 1864, when he returned home. November, 1864, he re-enlisted and was commissioned second lieutenant, and returned to his battery and served with them un- til the close of the war. He then returned to his native State and en- gaged in different branches of industry until he came to Wisconsin in 1875. Ile located at Sparta; from there he went to St. Louis; remain- ing a few months, he returned to Beaver Dam, and in September, 1878, came to Markesan and established his present business. He was mar- ried at Sparta, June 17, 1877, to Miss Edith Sloper. They have one son, Claud H.

JOHN DUMBLETON, pastor Methodist Episcopal Church, Mar- kesan, was born in Buckinghamshire, Eng., in 1828. His father, Rev. John Dumbleton, was a native of England and a clergyman, and for twenty- two consecutive years pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Swanbourn, Buckinghamshire, where he died in 1871, after long years of usefulness, aged seventy-seven years. The maiden name of his wife was Sarah Alderman. The subject of this sketch pursued his theologi- cal studies under private tuition, and began his clerical labors as pastor of the Brading Congregational Church, Isle of Wight, where he re- mained four and one-half years, and was also pastor of the Congrega- tional Church at Kent. Then, after devoting one year in London, en- gaged in missionary work. He moved to Toronto, Canada, and en- gaged with the North American Tract Society, establishing a new mis- sion among the lumbermen in Northern Canada. He came to Wiscon- sin in 1873. locating at Sussex, Waukesha Co., remaining there one year as pastor of the B. C. Methodist Church, then labored one year for the B. C. Methodist Church at Little Prairie, Walworth Co .; then to Bur lington, Racine Co., where he remained two years, when he came to Kingston, Green Lake Co., remaining there as pastor of Methodist Episcopal Church one year, when he removed to Markesan. His pas- toral charge includes the churches of Kingston, Marquette, Lake Maria and Markesan. He was married in St. Johns, London, by Dr. U. Hughs in 1853, to Miss Annie Jordon. They have eight children.

CHARLES LAMBERT. Markesan, was born in County Surry, Eng., March 27, 1829. He is a son of Henry Lambert, who was a dry goods merchant and Phoebe Knight Lambert. They were both natives of England. During the year 1838, at the age of nine years, Mr. Lam- bert came to America with a Quaker, by name John Robinson, and set- tled with him on a farm near Palmyra, N. V. He remained with him until 1848, when he engaged with Henry Fellows, living in the same neighborhood, to learn the cooper's trade, with whom he remained one year. In 1850, he came to Kenosha, and after a short time, to Green Lake County, locating on 160 acres of Indian land near Princeton. Up to 1863, he was engaged in the various occupations of hotel-keeping, grocery and butchering business. In that year, he was employed by the Government as a mechanic, and attached to the quartermaster's depart- ment of the Army of the Cumberland, and located at Nashville. Tenn., where he remained until the close of the war. He then returned to Markesan and established his present business, that of dealer in furni- ture, etc. lle was elected Town Clerk in 1873, and Justice of the Peace in 1874. and has held both offices since. In 1853, he married Miss Ma- ria A. Crown, a native of Vermont. They have eight children.

AUSTIN MCCRACKEN, attorney and counselor at law, Markesan, was born at Shelburne, Chittenden Co., Vt., May 12, 1807. His father, John McCracken, was aiso born in the same county. His paternal an- cestry are supposed to have been Scotchmen, and were among the earli- est settlers of Vermont. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this biography was in the Revolutionary war, and assisted in the capture and defeat of Burgoyne. He was a warm personal friend of Gens. Ethan Allen and Putnam. His brother, Col. McCracken, also participated in the same war, and lost an arm in the service. Mr. McCracken removed to Batavia, Western New York, with his parents, who were farmers, at the age of four years, remaining with them until the age of nineteen, when he went to Ann Arbor, Mich. Remaining but a few months, he returned to Batavia. In 1832, he went to Saline, Washtenaw Co., Mich , where he remained, engaging in various occupations, until the Fall of 1835. when he went to Chicago, remaining there three months. He came to Wisconsin, and made a claim where the village of East Troy now stands, which he located June 1, 1836, and the next Fall moved his family on to it. He remained there ten years, engaged in farming, and during that time was delegated by Byron Killburn to visit the Terri- torial Legislature, then in session near the Mississippi River, and obtain

the laws whereby to incorporate Milwaukee as a village. He came to this county (then included in Marquette County) in 1846, and located on the land and laid out the village plat of Mackford. Being public spirited, ambitions and generous, he contributed liberally to promote the interests of the citizens and build up the country. He made a donation of a Sabbath-school library to the Congregational Church. He was married at Batavia, N. Y., July 1, 1830, to Miss Caroline McLard, who was a native of East Troy, N. Y. He is a well preserved man, for one of his age. and actively engaged in his profession, and comes of a family noted for longevity, his grandmother dying in Rochester, N. Y., at the advanced age of one hundred ; and his father was killed by accident, while attend- ing the county fair at Batavia, N. Y., having walked from his home, some two miles, to attend it, at the age of ninety-six.

ABRAM MOORE, retired farmer, Markesan, was born in the town of Shirley, Mass., June 21, 1809. His father was a farmer and stone cutter, a native of Vermont, and his ancestors among the earliest settlers of New England, and participated in the Revolutionary war. He mar- ried Miss Vina Farr, a native of Vermont, at Chesterfield, N. H. The subject of this sketch at the age of two years moved with his parents to New Hampshire, and lived with them until twenty-two years old, when he went to St. Johnsbury. Vt., and learned the foundry business, remain- ing there eighteen months. He then came West, living in Michigan and Indiana some thirteen years. He helped to build and start the first blast furnace in the State of Indiana, located at Mishawaka, St. Joseph Co., and assisted in building several other furnaces in different localities. In company with his brother Hiram, he built and conducted the foundry business at Kalamazoo, Mich., and there made the first sickle ever used on a reaping or mowing machine. They also built a machine that would cut, thresh, clean, and put in bags wheat and other grain. The machine was a modern wonder, and performed its work perfectly, and would cut, clean, thresh and put in bags from twenty to forty acres a day. McCormick attempted to get possession of the patent for the sickle, and obtain control of it, and expended some $30,000 in law suits and various other ways, to accomplish his end, and eventually. in con- sideration of a sum of money paid to Hiram Moore, did obtain con- trol of it. Mr. Moore came to Wisconsin in April, 1846, and located in what is now the town of Manchester, Green Lake Co., and engaged in farming He retired from the farm in 1861, and moved to Markesan. He was married at Battle Creek, Mich., Dec. 3. 1843. to Miss Helen Botts, who was born at Cherry Valley, N. Y., July 6, 1809. They have one child living, Louisa M., now Mrs. D. D. Williams.

WILLIAM PADDOCK, harness maker and carriage trimmer, and, Postmaster, Markesan, was born at Montpelier, Vt., Jan. 6, 1832. His ancestors were from England. His father, Benjamin F. Paddock, was born at Ilartford, Windsor Co., Vt., and by trade a harness maker. His mother's maiden name was Arabella Scott, a native of Waitsfield, Vt. In 1836, Mr. Paddock removed with his parents to Albany, N. Y., where they lived one year. They moved to Troy, N. Y., remaining there eleven years, where Mr. Paddock received an academic education. He left school at the age of fourteen years, being advanced in his studies for that age, having read Virgil, Cicero and Sallust. He came West with his parents in the Spring of 1848. They came up the lakes from Buffalo in the side-wheel steamer " Superior." It was her first trip, and she had on board 1,200 passengers. They located at Neenah. The following Winter, they removed to Green Bay, where they established the harness business. They made the trip by river, on what was then called a Dur- ham boat, passing over all the rapids between Neenah and Depere. They remained in Green Bay one and one-half years, and returned to Neenah. In 1851, the subject of this sketch established a harness mak- ing business at Ripon. He remained there three years, and then returned to Neenah, where he remained three years, when he again returned to Ripon, and remained until 1864. when he came to Markesan and es- tablished his present business. He has held the various offices of Post- master, Justice of the Peace, and was elected member of Assembly in 1880, defeating his Democratic opponent by a vote of 1,718 to 1,264. Mr. Paddock was married in the town of Pomfret, Windsor Co., Vt., Jan. 23, 1859, to Miss Laura J. Harding. They have two sons. Elmer Ells- worth, the oldest, is at Oshkosh keeping books. Walter Scott, the youngest, has charge of the Post-office at Markesan, and assists his father in business.

LUTHER A. PHELPS, Markesan, is one of the prominent farm- ers of Green Lake County. Ilis farm embraces 1,000 acres; he also owns 350 acres in the town of Randolph. He makes a specialty of dairy business, keeping 100 cows. He was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., June 20. 1818, and is a son of David and Mary (Woolsey) Phelps. They were both natives of Massachusetts. Mr. Phelps lived upon his father's farm until 1845. when he came to Wisconsin, and located in the town of Addison, Washington Co., where for eight years he engaged in farming. Ile then came to Green Lake and purchased 200 acres of land, which is a part of his present extensive farm. He was married in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. in 1845, to Miss Wealthy Heaton, a native of New York. They have two sons and two daughters.

CHARLES E. RUSSELL, retired farmer, Markesan, was born in Litchfield Co., Conn., Oct. 25, 1808. He is a son of John and Charit;

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HISTORY OF GREEN LAKE COUNTY.

(Evarts) Russell. They were farmers, and natives of New York. Mr. Russell was raised and educated and lived in his native State until he came to Wisconsin, in 1844. He entered some land at what was known as Tichora, and the same year returned to Connecticut. He again re- turned to Wisconsin in 1847, sold the land he had entered, and bought the land he now owns, which is situated on the banks of Little Green Lake. His home ,as been in Green Lake County ever since. He was married in Connecticut, in 1832, to Miss Catherine C. Deming, a native of Massachusetts. They have two sons and two daughters living. John, the oldest, is in Minnesota, and engaged in farming ; Emmet C., the youngest, is living on the old homestead. Mr. Russell owns 490 acres of land.

DR. CHARLES WARE, physician and surgeon, Markesan, was born at Middletown, Conn., July 21, 1821. His ancestors were English. He is a son of George and Mary (Palmer) Ware, who were both natives of Vermont, and their ancestors among the earliest settlers of that State. His father was a contractor and ship carpenter, and a noted artisan in his branch of industry. Dr. Ware received his preli ninary education in Vermont, and read medicine with Dr. Witter, of Seville, Medina Co., Ohio ; also attended lectures at Cleveland Medical College, and gradu- ated at Rush Medical College, Chicago, in the class of 1848, having pre- viously read medicine with Dr. J. K. Bartlett, of Milwaukee. He re- moved from Connecticut to Ohio in 1840, and to Milwaukee in 1847. The year of his graduation, he came to Green Lake County and com- menced practice. He was at one time located at Ripon and Kingston. He was married at Chicago, in 1848, to Miss Martha A. Sheldon, a na- tive of Vermont. They have one son, Charles, Jr. Dr. Ware has lived in Markesan twenty years.

DARTFORD.

This picturesque little village is situated at the outlet of Green Lake, on a somewhat high point of sandy land be- tween the lake and the Puckaway. It is on the line of the Fond du Lac & Western Railroad, and has a population of 400, mostly Americans from the Middle and New England States. The county seat was permanently located at this place in 1867. It being the most central point in the county, there is little danger of it ever being deprived of its well-earned right to the possession of the records. The village was named after Anson Dart, the first white settler, he having located land as early as 1840. The town plat was laid out January 28, 1847, by John C. Sherwood and Put- nam C. Dart. Mr. Dart kept the first post-office, established in 1847. S. M. Walcott opened the first stock of merchan- dise, and B. B. Spalding was the first to introduce the prac- tice of medicine. Among others who took an active part in the early settlement of the village, were William H. Dakin, Giles H. Marshall, D. L. Harkness, William C. Sherwood, James Catlin, John E. Sheppard, D. R. Thurs- ton, H. A. Buck, John S. Ward, Charles De Groff, R. J. Stratton, John S. Root, Charles E. Stacey and B. D. Eaton.

In the Spring of 1846, Sherwood & Dart built the first saw-mill, and the following year erected a four-story frame grist-mill, 40x60. In 1855, John C. Sherwood built a large woolen-mill, at a cost of $20,000. Mr. Edwin Quick was given the management, and succeeded in doing a profitable business until 1873, when the mill was entirely destroyed by fire. Anson Dart was made the first Justice of the Peace, and a Mr. Stimpson built the first hotel. The first school district was organized April 10, 1847.

The Methodists were the first to organize a religious society in the town. Their first services were held at pri- vate houses and the public school-house. The Church was duly organized in 1849, and a church building erected in 1850, the first one in the county ; a bell was added in 1851. Rev. R. S. Hayward was the pioneer minister, and preached

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Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1052

Author: Western historical co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1052