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 130

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 130

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The first mill was that of Andrew Warren. He ran it for several years and sold an interest to Cooper & Smith. In 1857, Mr. Warren, realizing the necessity of a railroad, and having confidence in the plausible representations in regard to the Horicon Railroad scheme, turned over one- half of the mill property to the railroad company and mort- gaged the other half in the same interest, when this ex- pansive bubble burst. The owners of the mill succeeded in recovering the part sold, while the mortgaged part was lost to them. In 1870, John B. Scott, an enterprising citi- zen of Grand Rapids, down the river, bought the Smith in- terest in the mill, and a part of the Cooper interest. From this time, the property has been steadily improved in all respects, large piling yards have been prepared, drying sheds built, railway tracks laid, improved machinery intro- duced and the mill in all its appointments is first-class. The firm name is J. B. Scott & Co., and has a high reputa- tion in business circles.

The Jenny Lumber Company .- M. H. McCord and H. E. Howe built a mill in the upper part of the village in the Winter of 1879. This mill was operated with good success until July 19, 1881, when it was burned to ashes, entailing a loss of $30,000. Each of the partners of the firm will, in the Winter of 1881, build a new mill on a large scale, one of them, Mr. McCord's, on the old site, while Mr. Howe will build on the island opposite. They will severally associate themselves with new partners, and have strong firms. The one will be McCord & Wright, the other, H. E. Howe, H. H. Chandler and Ed. Whitlock : H. E. Howe & Co.

The Merrill Manufacturing Company is composed of capitalists from Fond du Lac, and the mill was built in the Winter of 1880-1, at the upper end of the town. It is a first-class mill, and during its first season has done good work. The members of the firm are: Col. C. K. Pier, Charles Mihills, and Mr. Skinner, who is the manager. This was the initial mill after Jenny became Merrill, and infused new life into the young city.

Champagne & Woodlock are building a saw-mill on

what is called the old Robinson place, above "Prospect Park," the juvenile suburb of Merrill. It will have im- proved machinery and be of large capacity.

The Lincoln Lumber Company, during the Winter of 1881-2, will build across the river opposite the Island above the town, a mill with a capacity of 100,000 feet a day. It will have double rotaries and gangs of the latest form. The building will be 40x150 feet, with a machine shop at- tached. There will be six boilers, forty-two inches by twenty-four feet. Three steam engines with 18-inch cylin- ders, built by Th. R. Reeves, of Clinton, Iowa, who also con- structs some of the other machinery. Planing, re-sawing, and other dressing machinery will be extensive, and the whole establishment will be a model in every respect, and a prominent factor in building up Merrill.

Lincoln County flouring mill, built in 1877; was thor- oughly remodeled in the Summer of 1881. Charles E. Mayer was the millwright. It now has five sets of Stevens' rollers, a new bolt, an Eureka packer, and all the latest mill- ing improvements. It is located at the south end of the dam, and is driven by water. It is owned by Rusch & Spiegelberg.

The Bar is well represented in Lincoln County.

E. L. Bump, of Wausau; H. Hetzel and W. H. Cannon are associated in a firm under the name of Bump, Hetzel & Cannon. They do a law, collection and insurance busi- ness.

D. W. McLeod and V. R. Willard, constitute the law firm of Willard & McLeod.

Hoyt and Meadows are associated as Hoyt & Meadows; practice in all the courts.

Van R. Willard, attorney at law, real estate, tax-pay- ing, etc.

George Gale, attorney at law.

The medical profession has as practitioners : Dr. L. B. La Count, Dr. John Wiley, Dr. J. F. Whiting, Dr. F. H. McNeel. Dentist, G. W. Stoan.

Ross, McCord & Co., own the only bank in the place, and it has the full confidence of the community, and ample facilities for transacting all business offered. The proprie- tors are John; Ross, of Galena, Ill .; Th. B. Scott, Grand Rapids, Wis., and M. H. McCord, Merrill, Wis. President, M. H. McCord ; Cashier, H. C. Ross. The bank has a fine building, with a secure vault built up with the structure, and with all modern requirements.

Newspapers .- Merrill has two well-appointed newspa- pers ; the first one in the field was the Lincoln County Ad- vocate, making its first appearance February 6, 1875, with M. H. McCord, editor, and A. D. Gorham, publisher. It is a well made up paper.

The Northern Wisconsin News, was the next candidate for public favor, and it was sent out the first time in 1878, by Finn & Vaughan. June 17, 1881, it was sold to the present proprietors. It is now published by W. H. Cannon, H. C. Hetzel and H. J. Hoffman, and is an enterprising sheet.

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN

George H. Ripley is proprietor of a stage line running daily between Merrill and King's Station via Rock Falls, connecting with the trains both ways.

Merrill and Grandfather, leaves Merrill, Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 o'clock P. M. Leaves Grandfather same days at 6 A. M.

There is at the present time such a " boom " in Merrill, to use a current expression, that before this work gets to press there may be numerous changes and additions to its business ; but this is a faithful photograph of this juvenile emporium of the lakelet county of Wisconsin, whose future must be in striking contrast with the inertia of its past.

VARIOUS EVENTS.

In the Winter of 1875, Dan Scott began to run a daily line of stages to Wausau, having been tri-weekly before this.

In the Spring of 1875, 6,000,000 feet of lumber was run down the river from Merrill.

Scott & Andrews' mill started the 15th of March, 1875. In June, 1875, two pianos were brought to town.

On the Ist of July, 1875, the first daily-mail service began.

Land sold in the county in the year ending September 1, 1875, 57,672 acres, valued at $175,155.

In the Winter of 1876, hard wood was worth from $2 to $3 a cord.

On the 23d of March, 1876, a Ladies' Aid Society was organized. Mrs. D). A. Klein, president ; Mrs. G. W. Stro- bridge, secretary ; Mrs. C. B. Donaldson, treasurer.

The centennial celebration of the 4th of July, 1876, was not neglected in Merrill. Dan A Klein led an appropriate procession of fantastiques. A glee club sang patriotic songs. M. H. McCord was the orator of the day. E. B. Donald- son was the chaplain. Charles O'Niell read a centennial poem.

The lumber cut in 1876, was : Lumber, 4,175,135 ; shin- gles, 2,040,000 ; hard wood, 175,000 ; pickets, 131,000 ; lath, 100,000.

In the Winter of 1877, a bill was introduced into the Wisconsin Legislature, to divide Lincoln County and organ- ize from the northern part the county of Manitowoc.

Much excitement prevailed in northern Wisconsin, in 1876-7, in relation to taxing certain railroad lands. A law was finally passed, exempting them from taxation for a term of years.

In July, 1877, the section of the temperance cause, called the " Murphy movement," struck Merrill, and had an ephemeral effect.

An election, in October, 1878, to see whether the county would give the Wisconsin Valley Railroad Company $110,- ooo, was carried in the affirmative, but it afterward came to naught.

Improvements in Merrill, in 1878, about $40,000.

September 22, 1879, a dramatic company was formed, with Tip Caul, R. F. Vaughn, M. W. Sweeney, Harry Howe, Nellie Day, and others, as members.

On Thursday, August 7, 1879, the county voted, nine to

one, to exchange $55,000 in bonds for a like amount of railroad stock.

Dwellings erected in 1880, 35; business buildings, 6. 1881, dwellings, 102; business buildings, 30.

At the big freshet in June, 1880, there was an enormous jam of logs on the Grandfather, which was broken on the 16th.

The Jenny Lumber Co.'s mill was burned on the night of July 19, 1881. McCord & Howe were proprietors. It was a great loss, $30,000, the insurance being but $8,000.

There has been but little criminal violence in Merrill. In the Summer of 1881, Owen Lloyd shot and killed a girl named Jessie Adams, at the house where she lived. He was subsequently tried, adjudged guilty of murder, and sentenced to State Prison for life.

February 6, 1881, near the depot, a meat market was burned.

The real estate transfers, in 1880, amounted to 167,- 000,000 acres.

THE GREAT DELUGE.

The various floods on the Wisconsin, the most notable of which are mentioned in connection with the counties below through which the river runs, did comparatively little damage in Merrill up to the time of the great June freshet, in 1880. After a copious and long continued rain the river began to rise until it was higher than ever remembered here, and as the mighty waters went rushing onward, a great destruction of property was witnessed, the breaking of booms, mills torn from their foundations, bridges swept away, and millions of feet of logs hurried down the impetu- ous stream. The railroad sustained heavy damage by being submerged, having washouts, bridges dislocated, telegraph lines disabled and communication effectually cut off. John B. Scott's dam was carried away. The Jenny Company's logs were in imminent danger, but they stood the awful pressure. The bridges on the Trappe River took the occa- sion to make excursions down stream. The mill on the Pine was considerably damaged, and the bridge near its mouth conformed to the moving spirit and went with the current. Mr. Hazeltine had half a million feet of logs join their companions in the main river. John Callon's boom, dam and logs, a valuable trio, joined in the chorus of "the march to the sea." A temporary boom at McIndoe's Island, containing about a million feet of logs, headed the proces- sion for the region down below.

Jenny, or Merrill, as it now is, or Jenny Merrill (to re- tain for a dashing young city in her teens her Christian name), is so well set up above the river, with sloping banks that greatly magnifies its carrying capacity as it rises, that the highest flood is enjoyed as a spectacle, the damage it may be doing up and down the river exciting the same kind of sympathy given to the poor sailors by well housed peo- ple when the tempest is howling without.

The early Fall of 1881 was an exceptionally rainy one, and while with the moving out of the ice in the Spring with the melted accumulation of the snow of the Winter is expected, this flood and the long continued stage of high

445

HISTORY OF LINCOLN COUNTY.

water was entirely a new experience, and a like visitation unremembered by that widely located individual, the "oldest inhabitant."

MERRILL'S HONORED DEAD.

DR. DUDLEY E. BLODGETT. The Doctor came here when Jenny was young, and when it was uncertain whether it would ever live to grow up. He had previously lived in Oshkosh, and he was well educated, and a man of extraordinary abilities, an extensive reader, familiar with the past and current literature. Originally, he had a vigorous constitution which became greatly undermined, although he rallied at times to evince a remarkable amount of activity. He used stimulants freely with periodical exacerbations, and step by step, he went down, and at the age of thirty-five, on the 31st of August, 1881, his earthly light went out. le was an honorable, free and kind hearted man, and left none but friends.

MISS MAY POOR was for several years, a resident of Merrill, as a successful music teacher. She died in the East, May 7, 1881, aged twenty-six years. She was a beloved sister of Mrs. G. W. Strobridge.

JOSEPH S. SNOW. When sixty-eight years of age, on the 27th of August, 1881, Mr. Snow departed this life, at the residence of Thomas Maloney. He was one of the oldest inhabitants of this section, having arrived forty years before his death, when he settled on the east side of the river, but subsequently moved on to the west side, where for the past twenty years, he was engaged in farming, having been in early days a successful logger. He was a broad shouldered man who never recoiled from any responsibility.

TERESA J. ANDREWS was born in Middlebury, Tioga Co., Pa., Aug. 11, 1846. She was married with Mr. F. M. Andrews, Aug. 10, 1868, and immediately came West. She was a most estimable woman, kind and considerate, and with a quiet dignity and simplicity that won all hearts. She was a much beloved wife and mother. Her departure was on the 22d of February, 1879, leaving a husband and three children to keenly feel their great loss.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

CHARLES ARCHIBALD, contractor and builder, Merrill, was born in Montreal, Canada, Dec. 10, 1850. He served an apprenticeship of four years in Montreal before beginning his present occupation. He first settled in Green Bay ; remained there and in that vicinity six years, following his trade. Then he went to Wansau for about four years, and from there came to Merrill. He was married in September, 1879, to Mary R. Comb. She was born in Pennsylvania.

WILLIAM AVERILL, dry goods, groceries, notions, etc., Merrill, was born in Mt. Vernon, N. H., Oct. 8, 1807. He came to Geneva in October, 1840, where he lived nine years, following farming. In 1849, he came to Merrill, and lived about two miles above the present site of the place ; here he remained until the Spring of 1865, engaged in lum- bering and farming ; he then went to Montello, and carried the U. S. mail from there to Pardeeville, which he followed about two years, then removed again to Merrill. Two years after his return he engaged in the mercantile business. He has served as Postmaster at Merrill for ten years. He was married, in 1842, at Geneva. His wife died in the Spring of 1856. They had six children-Chilli, William, Jr., and Ella, living. and Anna, Sarah and an infant, deceased. He was again mar- ried, in the Summer of 1870, to Mrs. Agnes Baldwin, a native of Scot- land.

HENRY BAEHMAN, blacksmith, Merrill, was born in Prussia, Nov. 1, 1847. Ile first settled in Granville, Milwaukee Co., in 1866, where he lived about one year, then he moved to Milwaukee, in 1867, and to Prairie du Chien in 1868, and to St. Paul, soon after, and went into the pine woods, running a blacksmith shop. IIe remained there one Winter then he went to Minneapolis. He returned to Milwaukee ; was there a short time and went to Weyauwega, from there he went to Wausau, and came to Merrill in Fall, 1874. Ile was married in town of Berlin, Marathon Co., October, 1873. to Lena Ninow, who was born in Prussia, Aug, 17, 1853. They have four children-Martha, Edward, Otto and Henry, Jr.

CHARLES H. BARNUM, restaurant, Merrill, was born in Rosen- dale, Fond du Lac Co., Oct. 15, 1854. His parents lived there one year and moved to Wausau, where he spent his boyhood. He after- ward visited various portions of the West and finally located at Marsh- field, on the Wisconsin Central Railroad. He remained eight months in that place, and followed his present occupation, then sold out and came to Merrill. He was married at Wausau, Oct. 17, 1877, to Mary I. Sarvis, who was born in East Oasis, Waushara Co., Oct. 20, 1857. They have one child, named Georgiana.

JOHN BORNGESSER, proprietor of meat market, Merrill, was born in Hartford, Wis., Feb. 26, 1858. He lived there with his parents until he was sixteen years of age, then they located in Weyauwega. He was there with them, at different times, until April 13, 1881, at

which time he began his present business in Merrill. Ile was married in Quinnesee, Mich., Feb. 21, 1881, to Amanda D. Tourtlott, who was born in Oconto, Oct. 5, 1853.

HERMAN C. F. BOETTCHER, of the firm of Boettcher Bros., general merchandise and manufacturers of brick, Merrill, first came to Wisconsin, June 25, 1869 ; visited various places in the State and finally located in Merrill, October, 1870. He engaged in the pineries several Winters, taking contracts for piling lumber, etc. He began business in his store, Nov. 7, 1877. He was born in Plathe, Pommern, Prussia, Germany, March 2, 1844. Married, March 13, 1873, in Caarzig, near Naugard, Prussia, to Friederika Kmaack, who was born in the same place. They have had six children - Otto, Richard, Martha, and an infant not yet named ; also, Robert and Charles, now deceased,

WILLIAM. H. CANNON, District Attorney, and one of the pro- prietors of the Northern Wisconsin News, Merrill, first settled in Plainfield, in the Fall of 1858. He spent his school days in the above village, and lived there until he was about twenty years of age, when he went to Neillsville, where he studied and practiced law for about four years, when he came to Merrill and has since been in the practice of his profession here. He was born in North Branch, N. Y., Septem- ber, 1852. Was married at Ripon, Wis., Jan. 1, 1880, to Maggie E. Taylor, who was born in Fond du Lac County.

DANIEL O. CHANDLER, of the firm of Chandler & Co., pro- prietors City Bakery and Restaurant, Merrill, was born at Pitcher's Springs, Chenango Co., N. Y., Dec. 23, 1848. He came to Boscobel, in 1858, living at home until the Rebellion broke out, at which time he enlisted as drummer in Co. K, 12th Wis. V. I., at the age of thirteen. He served out his enlistment, when he ie-enlisted and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., July 16, 1865. He then went to his home in Boscobel and remained until No- vember, 1865, when he went to Wausau, where he resided until 1876, when he settled in Merrill. He was married in Wausan, Jannary, 1865, to Mary E. Stephens, who was born in Marathon County, Ang. 25, IS58. They have one child, Garfield.

HENRY H. CHANDLER, general merchandise, millinery and fancy goods, Merrill, was born in Bloomfield, Me., March 1, 1836. 1Ie settled in Milwaukee in the Fall, 1857; engaged as a mechanic, and re- mained until the beginning of the Rebellion, when he enlisted as a private in Co. B, Ist Reg., Wis. V. I. He served three months and was re-enlisted as first sergeant in Co. D, same regiment, for three years. He served nine months in that capacity when he was promoted to second lieutenant, served about one year when he was promoted to first lieutenant. He was soon after appointed captain in Ist U. S., V. V. Engs., under Col. William E. Merrill, and served until the close of war ; was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., when he returned to Milwaukee. From thence he moved to Green Bay, and engaged in the manufacture of shingles, remaining until the Fall of 1871. He then moved to Osh- kosh, where he again began manufacturing shingles, until the Spring of 1874, when he moved to Manville. in the same business, also keeping hotel and store. In November, 1879, he came to Merrill and began his present occupation. During the season of 1880, he was identified with the Jenny Lumber Co. He was married in Milwaukee, Nov. 4, 1864, to Emily S. Prevo, who was born in Milwaukee, March 21. IS42.

P. B. CHAMPAGNE, dry goods, hardware, provisions and lumber- men's supplies, also dealer in logs and lumber, Merrill. Was born in Juliette, Canada East, Dec. S, 1846. He located at Grand Rapids, in December, 1863, where he remained until 1870, in the lumber business ; from there he went to Wansau, where he was engaged part of the time in the mercantile business and lumbering until 1875, at which time he came to Merrill, and engaged in his present occupation. He was mar- ried in Friendship, Allegany Co., N. Y., in 1871, to Alice G. Coon, who was born in Deposit, Broome Co., N. Y. Oct. 28, 1853. They have two children, Percy B. and Marie E. Mr. Champagne is the present Chairman of the County Board of Lincoln County. He is also Chair- man of Supervisors of his town. He does an extensive business in the pineries, and employs 150 men.

FRED H. CLARK, contractor and builder and architect, Merrill. Was born at New York Mills, Oneida Co., N. Y., Feb. 5, 1855. ITe came to Wausau, with his parents in 1859, where he spent his school- days, and remained until 1870 ; he then went to Winnebago City, Minn., where he lived three years, and learned his trade ; he then returned to Wausau, where he remained until 1876 ; since that time he has been in business in Stevens Point, Plainfield and Marshfield. lle built a num- ber of good buildings at the above places. Ile came to Merrill in the Spring of ISS1, formed a co-partnership with Mr. Wm. La Selle, of Wausau. Ile was married at Plainfield, Oct. 17, ISSo, to Lizzie Cope- land, who was born in the township of Maine, State of Maine, July 23, 1862.

WILLIAM DEREG. Sheriff Lincoln County. Came to Merrill in the Fall of 1870, and worked in the pine woods and at lumbering. He was also engaged working on the Wisconsin River, driving logs and running the river, which business he followed about six years; then he began the lumber business for himself, which he followed four years

446

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

until the Fall of 1880, at which time he was elected Sheriff of Lincoln County. He was born in New Brunswick, May 22, 1857, and spent his school-days in Blackberry, Kane County, Ill.

THOMAS DE VALL, contractor and builder, Merrill. Came di- rect to this place in June, 1880, from Europe. He was born in Here- fordshire, England, April 28, 1847, and there learned his trade. He lived in various portions of the Southwest for eleven years, then returned to Europe on a visit, remaining two years, after which he came to Mer- rill. He was married in England, November, 1878, to Beatrice Yapp, who was born in England, in 1852.

MELVIN B. DILLE, foreman in Jenny Lumber Company saw- mills, Merrill. First came to Wisconsin in October, 1849. and settled in Lomira, Dodge Co .; he lived there a greater share of the time until 1860, and from there he went to Fond du Lac, where he lived five years, and there began milling. He went from there to Green Bay, remaining three years, then went to Oakfield, remaining two years, engaged in retail lumber trade. From there he went to Necedah, in 1870, where he pur- chased one-half interest in a shingle mill, the firm name being, " The Shingle Mill Co.," composed of T. Weston & Co., and M. B. Dille. He remained at Necedah for ten years and then came to Merrill. Ile was born in Madison, Geauga Co., Ohio, July 27, 1833. He was married in Lomira, Nov. 17, 1859, to Mary J. Wade, who was born in New York. She died, March 24, 1877. They had three children, named, Wade M., Jennie L. and Rosa B. He was again married Oct. 27, 1877, to Marga- ret Walsh, a native of New Brunswick.

DAVID FINN, contractor and builder, lumberer and farmer, Mer- rill. Settled with his parents in Oconomowoc, in the Spring of 1852, They lived there until the Fall of 1859, then moved into the town of Texas, Marathon Co .; they lived there until the organization of Lincoln County, when the subject of our sketch moved into the town of Pine River, where he at present resides. He was elected Superintendent of Schools in the Fall of 1874, which office he held for six years. He has held several town offices also. He was born in New York City, April 23, 1851 Mr. Finn established the Northern Wisconsin News, and was proprietor of the same until 1880, at Merrill.

JOHN J. FROEHLICH, manufacturer, cigars, of the firm of Neubauer & Froehlich, Merrill, was born in Milwaukee, July 23, 1851, where he spent his school days. After visiting various portions of the West, he finally located in Merrill, May 3, 1881.

FRANCIS E. FULLER, photographer, Merrill; first settled at Wausau in the fall of 1869, at which place he began photographing. He remained there four years, from there he went to Manchester, Iowa, and followed the hotel business, until January. 1879, then he went to Wausau, and again began photographing. July 6, 18So, he came to Merrill. He was born in Harvard, McHenry Co., Ill., June 27, 1852. Ile has been twice married, and lost both wives, and also one boy.

AUGUSTUS D. GORHAM, publisher, Lincoln County Advocate, was born in Green Bay, March 31, 1846. He lived there until the Jater part of 1867, and there learned the printer's trade. He went to Shawano, and followed his business in the office of M. HI. McCord, where he remained until Jan. 16, 1875 ; from there he came to Merrill, where he has since lived. He served one term as Clerk Circuit Court, of Shawano County. After coming to Merrill, he also served three terms in the same capacity. He was married in Shawano, May 13, 1874, to Kate M. Bridge, who was born in Shawano, May 13, 1857. They have one boy, William A.

JOHN M. GRIGNON, in shingle-mill of T. B. Scott, Merrill, was born in Green Bay, May 22, 1852. He lived there and other places in Wisconsin and Michigan, until the Spring of 1881, when he came to Merrill. He was married in Green Bay, Nov. 27, 1880, to Ellen E. McQuaid, a native of De Pere, Wis.

II. CLARK GROUT, log and lumber scaler, Merrill. Was born Oct. 12, 1842, in Canada East. He went to Omro, in August, 1878, and lived there a short time, and went into the lumber woods on the Wolf River, where he remained about four months; from there he went to Marshfield, and worked in a saw-mill a short time; he then went to Wausau, and engaged in the lumher business; then he came to Merrill, where he has since remained. He was married in Oshkosh, Oct 25, 1878, to Rachael T. Grout, who was born near Montreal, Canada, Sept. 22, 1857.

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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