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 120

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 120

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W. C. JONES, grocery, dealer in glassware, crockery, etc., Water street, Black River Falls, was born in Vermont, Sept. 30, 1844; came to Wisconsin, April 23, 1866, and settled in Black River Falls, and then first commenced to clerk for J. C. Spaulding & Jones until 1869, when he took charge of D. J. Spaulding's grocery and provision store, and re- mained in that position until December, 1879, after which time started in business for himself, succeeding D. J. Spaulding, putting in an entire new stock of groceries, etc. Has continued to increase his stock up to the present, and now owns the largest grocery store in Jackson County. Mr. Jones is a member of the order of A. F. & A. M., Black River Lodge, No. 74, also order I. O. O. F., Albion Lodge, No. 134, and Temple of Honor. Was married, Dec. 8, 1868, to Miss Mary E. Campbell ; she was born in Grant Co., Wis., IS51. Have a daughter, Bessie.

HENRY LAKE, proprietor of the River Side Hotel, Black River Falls, was born in Livingston Co., N. Y., July 30, 1823 ; came to Wiscon- sin in 1849, and, settled in Walworth County, on a farm, engaged in raising live-stock. Continued there until 1855, when he went to Trem- pealeau Co., Wis., and raised fine Durham stock. In the Fall of 1874, sold out his farm, which consisted of 720 acres of land, which he run in connection with his father, and bought what was then known as the " Sheppard property," which was situated three miles below Black River Falls, and consists of 320 acres. Erected the River Side Hotel in IS75, and has run it since. Was married, to Miss Elginette I'rasens, Jan. I, 1855. She was born in Wayne Co., N. Y., in 1831. They have three children-Robert Preston. first American child born in the northern half of town of Preston, Trempealeau County where they lived ; 1Ienry Aleck and Nettie.

ALGEROY LECLAIR, hardware store, Main street, Black River Falls, was born in New York, Nov. 25, 1827. Came to Black River Falls in 1861, and opened a hardware store in the building he now oc- cupies. Has held office of Town Treasurer ; been a member of the Village Board ; is a member of the order of F. & A. M., Black River Lodge, No. 74, Chapter, No. 41, and belongs to the order of I. O. O. F., Albion Lodge, No. 134, and Temple of Honor. Was married to Miss Jenette Folson, April 8, 1854. She is a native of New York, born 1835. Have five children now living - Edgar A., Flora, J. V., A. F. and Georgie E.

W. T. MURRAY, hardware and lumber, Black River Falls, was born in Pennsylvania, Sept. 19, 1838. Came to Jackson County and settled at Black River Falls in 1857. His first work was stage agent for Price & Douglass, on the route from La Crosse to Black River Falls, and in 1859 clerked in the County Treasurer's office under Hugh Doug- lass, after which he commenced to study law with C. R. Johnson, but soon gave it up and went to work for W. P. Price. On the Ist of Janu- ary, returned to Johnson's office and took charge of it for him while he was at Madison in the Legislature, and in April, 1861, commenced work for D. J. Spaulding in saw-mill, and continued there until 1879. Had charge of all Mr. Spaulding's business outside of the saw-mill, finally going in partnership with Mr. Spaulding. Has been connected in the hardware business with Mr. R. B. Jones since 1875. Mr. M. was a member of the County Board for two years, and in 1863 was United States Deputy Provost Marshal in Clark County. Was married, October, 1862, to Miss Sarah E. Cutts. She was born in New York, April 7, 1842 ; died Dec. 17, 1879. Are five children living - William Price, Anna, Maggie, Julia and Warren T. Two dead, Theodore and Sarah, both buried in Black River Cemetery.

ULRICH ODERBOLZ. brewer, Black River Falls, was born in Switzerland, April 19, 1819. Came to America in 1852, and located at Canton, Ohio, and worked in a brewery there for six months, then left there and spent six months traveling down the Ohio and Lower Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, then on to Texas, and from there back up the Mis sissippi to Galena, Ill., where he stopped and worked in a brewery until 1854. He then went to La Crosse, Wis., and stayed there till 1856 ; came to Black River Falls and erected a brewery and lived in a little frame house between his present home and the brewery ; erected a brick residence in 1869. Was married to Anna Helbling, in June, 1857. She was born, Sept. 14, 1837, in Switzerland, and came to America with

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

her parents when seventeen years of age. They have eight children- Mary L., Annie M., George W., Julia, Frank, Charles, Emma J. and Edward.

W. R. O'llEARN, cashier of Jackson County Bank, Black River Falls, was born in Canada, Jan. 15, 1843. Came to Wisconsin with his parents, who settled in Dodge County in 1845, and moved from there to Jackson County in 1855, where he has remained ever since, first farm- ing with his father and going to school, but received his principal educa- tion at Galesville University ; after which he engaged in the lumber business, also as book-keeper for D. J. Spaulding where he remained until Jan. 2, 1877, when he commenced as cashier in the bank where he still remains. Is a member of order of A. F. & A. M., Black River Lodge, No. 74, Chapter, No. 41, and La Crosse Commandery, No. 9. Was married to Miss Flora Johnson, in 1869. She was born in North Adams, Mass., Nov. 24, 1846. Have two sons, Thomas and Harry.

JOHN PARSONS, Postmaster, Black River Falls, was born in England, April 23, 1828 Came to America with his parents and set- tled in Fond du Lac Co., Wis., on a farm, and at the age of sixteen went to live with D. C. Brooks, where he remained until he was twenty- one years of age. He then went to La Crosse, remained there two years, and helped to plaster the first frame house that was built in that city. In 1853, came up Black River to Jackson County and settled on a farm in the town of Alma, which place he sold out in 1855 and moved to Black River Falls, opened a general merchandise store on Water street and continued at that until 1861, when he was appointed Post- master under President Lincoln and has kept that position to this date. Has also been Town Clerk for ten years, member of the School Board and chairman of Republican Committee of Jackson County. Is a member of the order of F. & A. M., Black River Lodge, No. 74, also order of I. O. O. F., and Temple of Honor and Methodist Episcopal Church. For thirty-one years was married to Miss Almaria K, Foster, July 1, 1850. She was born in Massachusetts, April 18, 1833. Have four children all living-Amelia M. (now Mrs. W. H. Deming), Curtis P. (who entered the mail service at the age of sixteen, en route from Tomah to St. Paul, now settled in Minnesota, and Clerk of District Court, also superintendent of D. J. Spaulding's large farm of 4,000 acres), Erving W. (also in the mail service en route from Chicago to Ce- dar Rapids, Iowa), Frank A. (Assistant Postmaster at Black River Falls).

HON. G. M. PERRY, Judge of Probate Court of Jackson County, was born in the town of Albia. Jackson Co., Wis., Aug. 23, 1848. Re- ceived his common school education at Denmark Academy, Lee Co., Iowa. Was one year at the Illinois Industrial University, of Cham- paign, Ill. Also one year at Howe Seminary, which was about all the high-school education he received. Studied law and was admitted to the Bar, March 23, 1870. Was elected to the office of Clerk of Court in 1876, re-elected in 1878. Resigned that office Feb. 4, 1881, to accept the appointment of County Judge, to fill vacancy of Judge M. Bump, deceased, for the term ending first Monday in January, 1882. Perry was also elected to the office of County Judge for a term of four years, com- mencing, January, 1872, without one single vote against him. He is also County Deputy Clerk and Deputy Register of Deeds. George en- listed in the late war, Co. G, 5th Reg., Wis. V. I., Ang. 22, 1864, and served for one year. Was engaged in the following battles : Hatcher's Run, Va .; Petersburg, first and second, and Sailor's Creek, at time of Gen. Lee's surrender. Returned home and went to work for his father in saw-mill. Was married to Miss Nellie Martin, who was born in Canada, 1853. Have got two children, Myrtie B. and Harry M. George is a member of the order of I. O. O. F., Albion Lodge, No. 134, also member of A. F. &. A. M., Black River Lodge, No. 74, and Temple of Honor, No. 62.

T. H. PHILLIPS, book-keeper for D. J. Spaulding, Black River Falls. Born in Columbia Co., Wis., Nov. 24, 1851. Worked with his father on the farm in Summer, and went to school in Winters, until the year 1869-70, when he went to Madison University, after that taught school in La Crosse County, until 1873, when he came to Black River Falls, and went to work for Mr. Spaulding in the lumber yard, assorting and salesman, and in 1874, went into the office as assistant book-keeper with W. R. O'llearn. In 1875, went to Madison, and attended the commercial college. In the Winter of 1875, taught school in Rock County, and in the Summer of 1876, went to Toledo, Ohio, and started a commercial school, which he conducted one year, returned to Black River, and accepted the position as head book-keeper with D. J. Spauld- ing. Mr. P. is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Black River Lodge, No. 74, also Temple of Honor. Was married Sept. 10, 1879, to Miss Eugenia Jessil ; she was born in Jackson Co., Wis., Oct. 28, 1857.

HON. CARL C. POPE, Black River Falls. Was born at Wash- ington, Orange Co., Vt., July 22, 1834. After receiving an academic education, he entered the law office of IIon. J. P. Kidder, at West Ran- dolph, Vt., in March, 1854, where he remained till January, 1856, when he was admitted to the Bar. He passed an extra examination in the law, and was highly complimented by the examining committee for his pro- ficiency. In the Spring of 1856, he left Vermont, and came to Black River Falls, Wis., where he has since resided. Soon after his settlement

in the West, he began to take a leading part in political matters, as well as in professional life. Being a forcible and eloquent speaker, he soon rose to public notice and popularity. In the Fall of 1857, he was elected District Attorney of Jackson County, and commenced his duties as such, Jan. 1, 1858, and held the office by re-election until Jan. 1, 1862. He also held the same office by election, from Jan. 1, 1876, to Jan. 1, 1878. It is the greatest compliment that can be paid to the accuracy of Mr. Pope as a lawyer, to mention the fact that of all the indictments or in- formations he drew, none were held insufficient by the courts. He was elected to the Assembly in the Fall of 1861, and held that office till Jan. 1, 1864, and was elected to the Senate for the term commencing Jan. 1, 1864. Then four years of legislative duties, preceding the pendency of the civil war, and the influence of Mr. Pope was always on the side of the Union, and against its foes. At the head of the Committee on Fed- eral Relations of the Assembly in 1863, and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1865, he wielded a powerful influence in behalf of the cause of the Union. In 1864, he was a member of the National Republican Convention that nominated Lincoln and Johnson, and after their nomination, took a prominent and active part upon the stump to promote their election. In the Fall of 1876, he was again elected to the Assembly, and re-elected in the Fall of 1877. In the Assembly of 1877, he was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and the next year a mem- ber of that committee, but not chairman, as the Republican party was in the minority in the Assembly. A leading Democratic paper, at the con- clusion of the session of 1878, spoke of Mr. Pope in the following com- plimentary terms : "The ablest and most industrious member of the last Assembly, or the last two for that matter, is Hon. Carl C. Pope, of Jackson County, and this may be said without disparagement to num- bers of other very able members who have left enviable records. If there is anything lacking in his character as a legislator, it would take a very observing critic to point it out. From first to last, in appearance, in ability, in oratory and in parliamentary knowledge, he is deserving being pointed to as an ideal. Added to these qualities, he displays an untiring industry and a thorough honesty in the performance of his leg- islative duties, that makes him invincible on the floor, and a host in the committee room. His seat in the Assembly has become an honored one." Mr. Pope also held the office of County Judge of Jackson County, by appointment, about six months, and was elected to that office and served about six months of his term, and resigned the office. He is also a mem- ber of Black River Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 74, and of Black River Chapter, No. 41, of R. A. M., and of Ft. Winnebago Commandery of Knights Templar, at Portage City. He was for many years master of Black River Lodge, and was the first High Priest of Black River Chap- ter, and filled these responsible positions to the entire satisfaction of the members of these bodies. He has ever been one of the most extensive and critical readers. Ilis familiarity with the ancient classical writings is proverbial. He has also been an attentive and constant reader of Shakespeare, Milton and Dante, and many poets of less celebrity. And he has not overlooked in his reading, the sacred pages of the Bible. There is hardly a passage of importance in the New Testament that he cannot repeat from memory ; and the more important parts of Shake- speare and Milton are as familiar to him as household words. He pos- sesses a vigorous constitution, an active temperament and retentive memory. And he is emphatically a self-made man. Until the com- mencement of the civil war, he was a member of the Democratic party, but upon the commencement of that war, he became a firm supporter of the administration, in its effects to crush the rebellion, and maintain the integrity of the Republic. In this course he became estranged from the Democracy, and has ever since been a zealous member of the Repub- lican party. As a lawyer he ranks high in his profession, and as an advo- cate is not excelled in the State of Wisconsin. Laborious in his prepara- tion, and consummate in his skill in the execution of his plans " amid the dust and heat " of forensic battle, he is a formidable antagonist. Respectful to the court, and honorable and obliging to the members of the Bar, he is universally respected among the members of his own chosen profession. And like every true lawyer, he has rendered a great deal of gratuitous services for the poor and oppressed. And such serv- ices have not been rendered grudgingly, but with the same zeal as though he was working for a large fee. Ile is now forty-six years of age, and in the full vigor of manhood.

M. M. POST, Freeman House, Black River Falls, was born in Ohio, Oct. 14. 1845. Came to Black River Falls in 1869, and went to work on the river, driving logs for McMullan. Remained with him one Win- ter, then went to work in the woods until 1879, when he went teaming for Mr. Spaulding, and on April 1, 1879, took charge of the hotel where he now is. He enlisted in Co. B. 2d Wis. C. V. in 1864, at La Crosse. Mr. Post was married to Fannie Freeman, April 20, 1880. She was born in Canada, Nov. 17, 1855, and is a daughter of Samuel Freeman, the former proprietor of the Freeman House.

A. A. PRESTERMOEN, proprietor of hotel, Black River Falls, was born in Norway, April 7. 1834. Came to America with his parents in 1856, and located at Black River Falls. Went to work by the month at blacksmithing, which he followed five years, at which time he started a shop for himself and run it for two years, then started a boarding-

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

house in the place where he now is. Mr. Prestermoen was Town Super- visor for one year, and is a member of the Lutheran Church at Black River Falls. Was married, in 1860, to Caroline Anderson. She was born in Norway in 1831.

HON. WILLIAM THOMPSON PRICE. To no single in- dividual, perhaps is Jackson County more indebted for the development of its resources and the establishment of its most important industries than to him who is the subject of this sketch. He is emphatically a representative man of the county, the State and the Northwest. Senator Price was born in Barre Township, Huntingdon Co., Pa., June 17, 1824, where he received the limited educational advantages afforded by the common schools of those early days. When he had run the gamut of the scholastic curriculum accessible at home, he journeyed to Hollidays- burg in the vicinity, where he entered the service of a merchant in a clerical capacity, passing his evenings in the study of the law. In the Spring of 1845, Price emigrated to the West and cast anchor at Mt. Pleasant, lowa. His stay here was too short for the fever and ague to deplete his energies, for in the succeeding Fall he removed to Black River Falls, where he laid the foundation of a flourishing business and a successful career. Immediately upon reaching the Falls he became a partner in a lumbering camp, six miles ahove Neillsville, and that year with seven men and one yoke of cattle obtained 700,000 feet of lumber in the rough as the results of their season's labor. In 1846, he entered the service of Jacob Spaulding at the Falls, as business manager, and in 1847, ran a logging camp on Hall's Creek in conjunction with Samuel Crawley, the latter with the assistance of two men "chopping," Price serving as driver and cook. An invoice of assets at the close of the sea- son showed that the company had cut 1,000,000 feet of logs. In 1848, he retired from Mr. Spaulding's employ and became associated with Amos Elliot in a lumber camp in Clark County, where Price & Whipple erected a mill during the following year. Upon the dissolution of the firm Mr. Price engaged in speculations, hauled cord wood, contracted, etc., with profit, and in 1853, united with F. M. Rublee of La Crosse, in logging on Black River. The next year he removed to La Crosse, where in addition to his engagements with Rublee, he opened a livery stable and established a stage line between that city and Black River Falls. The same year he returned to the Falls where he has since resided, con- stantly occupied in the business of logging, banking, speculation and politics. In 1856, he furnished means to establish the Jackson County Banner, the first paper in the county, since merged into the Badger State Banner, and was on the highway to personal and financial prosperity when the panic of 1857, took him at its flood and he was left as was sup- posed, hopelessly bankrupt, with liabilties aggregating $50,000, and no available assets. But unawed by the outlook, he resumed the contest with fate as he had begun it years before, without capital and by the greatest diligence, careful economy and adherence to principle, he was able seven years later to liquidate every claim held against him, dollar for dollar, with ten per cent interest, an evidence of integrity character- istic of the man. In 1860, Mr. Price carried on the Albion Mills at the Falls with D. J. Spaulding, and upon his release from the toils of debt, resumed the business of logging, gradually extending his field of opera- tions until to-day he is the most extensive individual operator in the Northwest. His logging camps are located on Chippewa, Black and Yellow rivers and their tributaries, where during the season of 1880-81, he employed a force of 500 men at an expense of $100,000, for the sex- son, and laid by a crop of 100,000,000 of feet of old and new logs. In politics Senator Price was a worshiper at the Democratic altar until 1854. During that year he in company with others who became dis- gusted with the squatter sovereignty doctrine of Douglas, and insisted upon an enforcement of the provisions contained in the Wilmot Pro- viso, left the Locofoco Lodge, and advocated the election of Moses S. Gibson, a Free-Soiler, to the State Senate in place of W. J. Gibson, the regular Democratic nominee. And here it might be observed that this was the first movement in Northwestern Wisconsin at least, if not in the State, looking to the organization of the Republican party, with which party he has since been closely identified, honored and hon- oring. Almost from the day of his arrival in Jackson County he has been made the recipient of official confidence, having served in the capacity of Deputy Sheriff in 1849 and 1855; member of the Assembly in 1851 ; County Judge in 1853-4; and a member of the State Senateat the sessions of 1857, '70 and '71, '78 and '79, and '80 and '81, and Presidential in 1868. During the session of 1879, he introduced a joint resolution providing for an amendment to the constitution of the State prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors in Wisconsin except strictly for use in the arts and as medicine. The mat- ter was referred to a select committee, and Senator Price submitted the majority report, supplementing the same with an exhaustive and unan- swerable argument in support of his position, which was considered the clearest exposition of the subject ever presented in the Legislature of this State. In addition to these political preferments Senator Price was Collector of Internal Revenue from 1863 to 1865; and president of the Jackson County Agricultural Society for many years. He has been president of the Jackson County Bank since its organization, and presi- dent of the Black River Improvement Company, to which position he

has been re-elected for sixteen consecutive years. In person Senator Price is below the medium height, with strong individuality expressed in the lines of his countenance, which is full of expression and indicates his capacity to invest whatever he narrates with a charm that is magnetic. He is a delightful conversationalist, full of reminiscences and stories that sparkle as a beaker of wine, and possessing a wonderful capacity to in- terest an audience, is considered one of the ablest debaters in the Legis- lature of Wisconsin. A man of decided convictions, he holds to that which he believes to be right, does that which he believes to be right and does it like a man. All who know him speak of Senator Price as the most faithful of friends, the most generous of foes, as a man whose integrity is as unchangeable as the laws of the Medes and Persians, and one who has done what he could to make the world purer, clearer and brighter, and to lift up the erring, the fallen or the weak and place him upon the platform of an independent manhood. Senator Price was married July 10, 1851, to Miss Julia Campbell, of Grant County, by whom he has two children surviving, a son and daughter.

JAMES ROBIE, M. D., Black River Falls, was born in Franklin Co., Vt., Aug. 23, 1830. Came to Green Co., Wis., where he remained a short time and then started for St. Paul, Dec. 12, :855, and on the way he stopped at Black River Falls, where Mr. Sam Hoffman, pro- prietor of the Shanghai Hotel, had his leg broken. Dr. Robie stopped to attend Mr. Hoffman with no intention of remaining there, but finally stayed until after the rebellion. In 1865 went to Missouri where he opened a drug-store and practiced his profession. Some time after he came back to Black River Falls, and is still practicing his profession there. Dr. Robie was a graduate of Woodstock Medical College in Vermont in 1852. Was married to Ellen L. Leary, Oct. 12, 1868; she was born in 1849. Their family consists of five children-Nellie L., Laura, Edgar, Gratia and Alice.

A. E. SAWYER, lumberman, Black River Falls. Born Nov. 24, 1827, in New York State. Came to Wisconsin in Fall of 1853, and set- tled at Beloit for one year; in 1854 went to Prairie du Chien and remained there until the Fall of 1859, then commenced lumbering on the Chippewa River until 1862, then came on the Black River; in 1867 moved to Black River Falls. Mr. S. has been one of the largest lumbermen on the Black River for a number of years. He now owns twenty-five thousand acres of pine land including two good farms in Northern Wisconsin. He also owns a large gents' furnishing store in Black River Falls; was mar- ried in 1851 to Miss Lydia Baillett ; she is a native of New York, have one son, Willie E., born in 1858.

ANDREW SHEPPARD, proprietor saw-mill, Sec. 32, P. O. Black River Falls. Born in Canada, April 25, 1819. Came to Galena, Ill., in 1839, and worked there until the Spring of 1840, came up the Black River to what was then known as O'Neill's Creek, but which has since been changed to Perry Creek. Here he worked at the lumber business and in the Summer of 1842 built a saw-inill on Squaw Creek, remaining there over thirty years, during which time he built fifteen saw-mills and two grist-mills on Black River. Mr. Sheppard is a member of the M. E. Church and was married in Rock Island Co., Ill., to Miss Arminda Pierson ; she was born in Pennsylvania, March, 1828. They have three children-Elizabeth, now Mrs. Albert Snow, residing at Le Claire, Iowa ; Mary A., now Mrs. Smock, of Davis Ferry, Black River, and Andrew W., still living at home. They have lost four children- Jeremiah, Susanna, Arminda and May.

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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