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 179

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 179

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the office of Pease & Goodell, then editors of the Montello Express. He remained there three and a half years, then went to Winneconne, and. with W. H. Walker, edited the Winneconne Items a year and a half. He then went to Minnesota and spent three years in printing, when he returned to Montello in the Spring of 1877 and bought out Mr. Goodell's interest in the Express, and, with J. B. Cogan, conducted it till Mr. Co- gan disposed of his interest to J. T. Cogan. Since that time, Bissell & Cogan have conducted it.

J. T. COGAN, editor, Montello. Was born in this place in 1855. His boyhood days were spent in attending school. In 1871, he entered the Montello Express office as an apprentice under Pease & Goodell. He has worked in that office since 1871. In 1879, he became one of its proprietors, under the firm name of Bissell & Cogan.

MARK DERHAM, farmer and speculator, Montello. Was born in the County of Sligo, Ireland, about 1829. He worked with his father on a farm till he was eighteen, then commenced in the mercantile busi- ness for himself, and continued in it till he came to America, in February, 1847. Stayed in New Jersey two years. Then came to Marquette County in September. 1849, and settled on 200 acres on Sec. 21. Re- mained on it six years, then moved into the American House at Mon- tello, and ran it twelve years. In 1866, he was elected County Treas- urer, and re-elected to that office in 1868-70. Has been Chairman of his town twelve years, and is at present Chairman of the village.

WILLIAM & JOHN ENNIS, proprietors of the Fountain House, Montello, are the second and fifth sons of John and Mary Ennis, who were born in Ireland in 1804 and 1816. In 1840, the parents came to Kingston, Canada, then to Marquette County, and settled on Sec. 36, town of Buffalo, in October, 1849. William was born in Ireland, Aug. 20, 1839. His early life was spent on a farm with the rest of the family. By strenuous efforts, he succeeded in obtaining an education which fit- ted him for teaching, which occupation he followed for several years, in connection with his farm labors. He has been Chairman of his town, and held various local offices. John J. was born in Canada, June 17, 1843. His younger days were spent in labor on their farm. In the Fall of 1862, he enlisted, with his brother Thomas, in Co. G, 32d Wis. V. I .; shortly after leaving the State, and at Jackson, Tenn., Thomas died. John served with his gallant regiment in all its victories and defeats. In the early part of their service, they were in Tennessee and Mississippi. They were finally transferred to the Army of the Cumberland, and served with Sherman in his memorable Atlanta campaign. From 1865 to 1870, he was agent for the Dodge County Insurance Company. He was the only licensed auctioneer in the county. William and John have been intimately associated in business from boyhood. In the Fall of 1878, they bought out and took charge of the Fountain House, which, in connection with their 1,200-acre farm, receives their time and attention.

EDWARD McCAFFREY, landlord, Montello, was born in Mas- sachusetts in 1833. His early life was spent in one of the large cloth manufactories of his native State. In 1850 he came to Packwaukee. He secured a farm there, and continued to farm it till 1875, when he moved to Montello and bought the American House, and has continued its gentlemanly and obliging landlord ever since. In 1861 he associated with him Wm. C. Rood, and bought the steamer "Lady Jane," and ran it, for three years, between Portage and Green Bay, carrying as high as 60,000 bushels of wheat a year, besides general freighting. He has held various local offices, and been Chairman of Packwaukee nearly fifteen years. He owns a farm on Sec. 9, Packwaukee, of 520 acres.

A. M. MORRILL, trader, Montello, was born in Essex Co., Vt., in 1811. His early life was spent on a farm. When nineteen years old he clerked in a store awhile, then went to Massachusetts, upon a rail- road, then went back to Vermont, in the mercantile business for him- self, and continued in that till he came to Wisconsin, in 1848. He set- tled at Prairie du Sac, in Sauk County, and went into the mercantile business, which he followed till he bought an interest in a flouring mill. That burned, and he lost nearly all his means, He then went to West Canada, and engaged in boring oil wells. From there he went to Mad- ison, and, in 1872, came to Montello, and entered mercantile business. In 1854 or '55 he was one of the stock-holders of, and helped to build, the bridge across the Wisconsin River, at Prairie du Sac.

HON. S. A. PEASE, lawyer, Montello, was born in the town of Spaf- ford, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Feb. 23, 1817. At the age of seventeen he went to the village (now city ) of Auburn, and attended school there till the age of twenty. In the Spring of 1836 he came West, coming to Buffalo on the canal, thence by steamboat to Detroit, then by a new stage line to LaPorte, Ind., where he remained till January, 1837, when he came to the town of Salem, Kenosha Co., where he remained till 1849. While in Kenosha he studied medicine with his brother-in-law. Dr. Paddock. He is a graduate of Rush Medical College, Chicago. In June, 1850, he came to Marquette County and commenced the practice of medicine at Packwaukee. In 1859, moved to Oxford, and commenced publishing the Marquette Express, in connection with his profession, till 1862, when he moved to Montello, and continued his practice, in connection with the publishing of the Montello Express til 1875, when he disposed

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

of that paper. In 1856, while Marquette and Green Lake counties were one, he was elected County Treasurer. In 1865-6-9 and 70 he was a member of the Wisconsin Assembly. In 1866 he was a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention. In 1868, was a delegate to the National Convention, at New York, that nonunated Seymour for President ; and, again, a delegate to the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore, that nominated Greeley for President. In 1861 he commenced the practice of law, though he had studied and practiced it before commenc- ing the study of medicine.

JUDGE W. H. PETERS, lawyer, Montello, was born at Summer- hill, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Nov. 26, 1825. Till seventeen years old, he worked on a farm, then worked on the Erie Canal till '48, when he came to Wisconsin. He stopped at Milwaukee a short time, then with his family came to Montello, forded the Fox, and proceeded to Packwaukee and settled on a farm on Sec. 15. He read law with E. B. Kellsie, and was admitted to the Bar in September, 1857, Judge Charles H. Larribee presiding. He and Capt. Walker formed a law partnership and opened an office in Harrisville, hanging out the first shingle in the county. In '58, he was elected District Attorney, the first one in the county. In 1860, was elected County Judge; in '78, was elected to the Assembly. Since that time he has been engaged in the practice of his profession and farming. He has a farm of 177 acres of fine land, which is bounded on three sides by lakes.

JUDGE S. R. ROOD, Montello, was born in Washington Co., Vt., in 1820. He had only the advantages of a common school, with the ex- ception of four terms at a select school. In '44, he moved to Janesville ; remained there till September, 1848, when he went to Stanton. In '51, went to Packwaukee ; in '54. was elected to the Assembly ; in '57, was deputized County Treasurer, and moved to Marquette County ; remained there till the division in the county in '58, when he moved to Mon- tello. In the Fall of '58, was elected County Treasurer ; in '65, was elected County Judge, and again in '69. Has been Chairman of the County Board three years in succession, and held various local offices.

ASH SPENCER, merchant, Montello, was born in Lewis Co., N. Y., in 1836. At the age of fourteen, he commenced running a grocery store. In 1854, he, with his parents, came to Wisconsin and settled at Mar- quette. His parents soon after returned East, while our subject remained and engaged in the lumber business. In a few years he bought out his employer and conducted the business for himself five years. At that time Marquette was the most lively town in the county, and Mr. Spencer has sold 1,500,000 feet of lumber a year. He also carried on a general merchandise business in connection with it. In the Winter of 1864-5, he was at Nashville in the Quartermaster's department. In '77, he dis- posed of his lumber and bought the Lake House at that place and ran it till the Spring of'S1, when he moved to Montello and opened a store at the old stand of Perkins, Newhall & Perkins.

WESTFIELD.

This is a small village (unincorporated), of about 400 people, situated on the line of the Wisconsin Central Com- pany, in the western part of the county, twelve miles from Montello. It is the center of a large agricultural district, and is comparatively a large shipping point for produce and stock. Its general trade is good for a village of its size. In the nature of manufactories are the wagon shops of Philo Lackey, and Fuller & Bissell, and the cabinet shop of Lawton & Pond.

Westfield has a fine graded village school, whose princi- pal is E. H. Phillips. There are three churches-the Con- gregational, about thirty members, Rev. Mr. Dugan, pastor ; the German Methodist Episcopal, Rev. Mr. Reichardt ; and the Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. W. P. Hill. The latter society was formed in 1857, the church built in 1863, and the present membership is sixty.

The Central Union, a Republican journal in its sixth volume, is edited by S. D. Forbes.

The village was platted in 1856, by Pickens Boynton for Robert Cochrane, who with his brother, II. B., was the first settler within the limits of the town. They came in 1849, and located on the site of the present village. When the town was organized in 1854, H. B. Cochrane became one of

the three supervisors. After the Cochranes came Samuel Crockett, Austin Stone, William Phillips and others, to settle in the village. The Cochranes built a house on the bank of Duck Creek, just south of the saw-mill in the village. It was a log structure 16x24 feet, with an addition in which the proprietors lived. They boarded fifteen mill hands and kept hotel. This was the first house erected in town. In 1850, the saw-mill was built ; the post-office was also estab- lished this year and Robert Cochrane appointed Postmaster. He brought the first mail-bag, containing one letter on his back, from Packwaukee. There were no wagon roads in those days. In 1853, Joseph Wood built the first hotel in the village. Among the earliest general merchants were Aldrich & Olden.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ROBERT COCHRANE, proprietor grist and saw mills, and dealer in grain and farmers' produce, Westfield. Settled at Waupun, in 1845, and lived there until September, 1849. at which time he went to West- field, Wis., and made his claim of land and began the erection of a saw mill, that being in Spring, 1850. He built his grist mill in the Summer of 1853, since which time he has been engaged in the mercantile, grain and milling business. He was also present at the organization of the township of Westfield, taking part in the same. He made the first town plat of the village of Westfield, July 19, 1856. He was a member of the Legislature, in 1864, and has done much to make Westfield the thriving village it is. He was born in Chautauqua Co., N. Y., April 25, 1822. He married Miss Lucy R. Emerton, January, 1858, at Ft. Win- nebago, Columbia Co. She was born in New Hampshire, in 1838. They have four children, Jennie E., Lucy A., Robert L. and Thomas H., all living at home in Portage City. Mr. C. also made another vil- lage plat, Oct. 23, 1876. The village is having a healthy growth.

ARCHIBALD CRAWFORD, of the firm of Winkie & Crawford, lumber and farmers' produce, Westfield. Was born in Henryville, Canada East, Aug. 9, 1855. He came West with his parents in IS61, and settled at Oxford, Marquette Co. He lived there twelve years with his parents on a farm, and then followed teaching for four years; after which he learned telegraphy at Westfield. He entered the office, April, 1878, and after learning the art he was employed as agent at Bancroft. White River, and at Westfield, for about two years. He finally resigned his position and began business for himself. He was married, Aug. 25, 1879, to Elizabeth A. Lawson. They have two children, Elva I., and Edith B.

SAMUEL CROCKETT, general merchandise, Westfield. Was born in Manchester, England, May 10, 1821. He came to America in 1843, and settled in Oneida Co., N. Y. In 1849, he went to Wisconsin, and remained a few months, and returned to New York City. In 1850, went to Easton, Pa., and in Fall, 1851, to Stewardsville, N. J., where he lived until March, 1856. He followed his trade of tailor in the above cities. He was married in the latter place in September, 1852. He moved to Wisconsin, and settled at Westfield, April 19, 1856, and has since resided there. He was a member of the Legislature in 1877. He has served as County Coroner sixteen years. He went to Europe in Summer of 1874, to visit to the city of his nativity. While abroad, he visited Scotland, France and Belgium, and returned home in the Fall of 1874. He is one of the early pioneers of Marquette County, and the coun- try on every hand was a comparative wilderness at the time of his settle- ment. Mrs. Crockett's maiden name was Eliza Snyder She was born in Stewardsville, N. J., June 1, 1SIS. They have one son living, named George B., born Oct. 9, 1858, in Westfield. He is a graduate of the Oshkosh Business College, and assists his father in their store.

SELOFTUS D. FORBES, editor Central Union, Westfield, settled at Sun Prairie, in 1848, with his parents, where they lived about one year, and then moved to Mayville, Dodge County. In 1860 he went to Marquette County and taught school ; in August, 1862, he enlisted in Co. G, 32d Reg. Wis. Vol. I .; served about eighteen months in that regiment, going as sergeant and being promoted to second lieutenant ; he resigned in December, 1863, on account of his health. He afterward re-enlisted in Fall of 1864, in Co. I, Ist Heavy Artillery, and at the organization he was appointed orderly sergeant, and was soon promoted to second lieutenant. He was mustered out at Alexandria, Va., June, 1865. He returned to Pack- waukec. and lived there until 1867, when he went to Milwaukee, and was engaged on the staff of the Evening Wisconsin as commercial, news and as- sociate editor, but on account of ill health he resigned his position and re- turned to Pack waukee and was principal of the Montello school in the Win- ter of 1870-71; in the Fall he was elected County Superintendent of Schools in Marquette County, where he served one term, He followed teaching

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HISTORY OF MARQUETTE COUNTY.

Winters until 1877, and in the Spring he established his newspaper, as above noted. He was born in Medina Co., Ohio, May 12, 1836, and was married at Horicon, June 30, 1860, to Smilde E. Pond, who was born in Addison, Steuben Co., N. Y., June 12, 1840. They have five children -Annie E., Wilber E., Florence E., Clarence A., and Frederick L.

CALEB F. FULLER, Postmaster, Westfield, was born in Smith- field, R. I., Feb. 2, 1829. He settled in Newton Township, Marquette Co., in 1856, and lived there about three years and followed farming. He was elected Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, and moved to Mon- tello in 1860; he held the office four years. In 1863, he erected a woolen mill at Harrisville, and moved there Jannary, 1865, where he lived until 1874. He made the first cloth manufactured in the county on a power loom. He moved to Westfield afterward, and has lived there since. He was appointed Postmaster Feb. 19. 1881.

PHILO LACKEY, manufacturer of wagons, carriages and sleighs> and dealer in agricultural implements, Westfield, settled in Newton, Marquette Co., in 1853; lived there about five years and followed farm- ing and carpenter work. He then moved to Westfield and lived until 1861, following carpenter and wagon work. He enlisted in December, 1862, in Co. A. 34th Reg. Wis. V. I., and served until the close of his term of enlistment, which was nine months and twenty days, and was mustered out in Fall of 1863 at Milwaukee. His health was impaired in the army, and he was sick for some time. On being able to resume labor he built the Westfield House, etc., and kept hotel about four years, or until 1869. He sold his hotel and visited the States of Missouri and Kansas in November and December, 1869, remaining a short time. In 1870, he returned to Westfield ; visited Northern Wisconsin now on the line of the Central Wisconsin R. R. Took the first homestead in Hull Township, Marathon Co. He soon gave up his claim and bought the lots he now occupies. In 1872, he erected his blacksmith and wagon shops. In 1881, he built another shop in connection with his increasing business. He was born in Stanbridge, Lower Canada, Jan. 27, 1830. He was married in Waukesha County, May 2, 1852, to Mary Stuart, born in Vermont, June 14, 1828. They had six children-named Ara- minta C., married to E. W. Lowe, and living in Minnesota; Ada L., married to George A. Whitney, living in Minnesota ; Thomas H. B., also married and living in Minnesota ; Lillian F., married to Mr. Sam- uel E. Smart, and living in Minnesota ; William II., assisting his father ; Zelia M., at home. Mrs. L. died March 3, 1875, and he was again mar- ried Oct. 21, 1875, to Miss Jane Stuart, a sister of his first wife. She was born in Canada East, May 29, 1850. Mr. Lackey was elected Sheriff of his county in the Fall of 1877, and served one term. He has also been Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, etc.

WILLIAM PHILLIPS, insurance and real estate, Westfield, set- tled in Waukesha in 1844, and lived there about seventeen years, two years of which he was engaged as jobber in timber. He then moved to Oshkosh, and lived there until 1850; from there he went to Wrights- town, Brown Co. In the Spring of 1853, he moved from the place, but returned and spent the Winter of 1854-55, and in March he went to Beloit, and was there married, March 15, 1855. He then moved to Marquette County, and has since lived there. He followed jobbing in timber until 1864 ; then he embarked in the mercantile business, keep- ing a general store. He continued in that for eight years, and met with the loss of his store, goods and dwelling, including all his personal effects, by fire, since which time he has been engaged as noted above. He was ordained a minister of the Free Baptist, in April, 1873, and was a pastor of that denomination six years. He was born Cayuga Co., N. Y., May 10, 1827. Mrs. Phillips's maiden name was Isabella Watson ; she was born in Argyleshire, Scotland, Oct. 8, 1831. They have three children- Frank W., born Aug. 12, 1856, and now married and living in Chicago ; Merritt W., born Ang. 13. 1858, now a student at Ripon College, and George W., born Nov. 9, 1860, now fireman on the railroad at Monroe.

HENRY R. ROBERTS, of the firm of E. Roberts & Sons, hard- ware, Westfield, was born in Friendship, Adams Co., Jan 31, 1856. He lived with his parents until August, 1877, at which time he moved to Westfield, and began the business in which he is now engaged.

OTHER SETTLEMENTS.

A number of towns were settled about the time Mon- tello was founded. Moundville is one year older, having

been settled by men sent out by the Potters' Society, of England. The association paid the expenses of emigration to this country of a certain number of potters, in order that those who remained in the old home might derive benefit from increased wages, incident to the decrease in skilled hands. It appears that Isaac Brown, W. L. Gaylord, H. Brown, L. Felton, R. Wells and D. Coon had settled there prior to the arrival of the English colony.

Packwaukee was settled in 1849 by E. Pettengill, E. T. Older, C. G. Barker, Jesse Older, William Ewen, David Phelps, S. A. Pease, John Chapman, E. King and Samuel Wayman.

In 1855, F. A. Hoffman established the Montello Young American. E. B. & C. S. Kelsey afterward became the pro- prietors, and changed its name to Montello Ledger. C. K. Simonds acted as editor, in 1858. In 1862, publication was suspended. S. A. Pease purchased the press on which the pioneer journal was printed, using it in the publication of the Express, at Oxford, which was begun in 1858, and moved to Montello in 1862.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

MARTIN G. ELLISON, JR., County Clerk of Marquette Co., Moundville. Was born in England, in 1841. His father, Martin G. Ellison, was born in England, March 8, 1808. He was an engraver by trade, and followed it through life. In 1849, he with his family came to Marquette County, and settled on 120 acres, town of Moundville. He afterward went to Dover, N. H. He died in Moundville, Jan. 5, 1878. Our subject remained on the farm and helped to improve it, and has now 500 acres of land, 200 of which are improved. In 1853. he went to Dover, N. H., and entered the Dover Academy, where he re- mained five years. He then returned to Moundville ; in January, 1862, he enlisted in Co. E, 2d Wis. Cavalry. He was captured near Yazoo, Miss., Dec. 1, 1864; was exchanged in March 1865, joined his regiment and was mustered out at Austin, Texas, Nov. 16, 1865. He returned home, and in the Fall of 1876, was elected County Clerk, and re-elected to that office in 1878 and 1880. He is now drawing pension from Government.

CHESTER FRINK, farmer, Sec. 34. P. O. Packwaukee. Was born in Connecticut, in 1844. His parents are natives of the same State, and came to Marquette County and settled on their present farm in 1857. By hard labor and good management, they have secured one of the best farms in the county. They have 200 acres of fine land with excellent buildings. In October, 1880, the father of our subject died, being eighty-one years old. Chester assumed charge of the farm, and is the support of his aged mother who lives at the homestead with bim. He has been Chairman of this town and held various local offices.

TOWNSEND W. WHITSON, farmer, Sec. 28, P. O. Packwaukee, Was born in New York City, July 2, 1848. He is a son of Abraham U. and Hannah C. Whitson, who were born on Long Island, in 1810. The family spent five years in New York City previous to coming to Wisconsin, in August, 1851. They settled on their present place and began active operation for making a home. They now have over 250 acres of fine land, 140 acres of which are improved and under a high state of cultivation with fine buildings upon it. Mr. Whitson died in October, 1879, and the splendid farm he left is a monument to his untiring energy. His widow is still living with her son Townsend, who has charge of the farm. He has been on the farm since its settlement, with the exception of the time he was attending the Portage Business College, from which he received a diploma.

616

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN

MONROE COUNTY.

GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION.

Monroe County is nearly thirty miles square. It abounds in fertile valleys in the southwestern section, and has a rolling prairie in the central portions, while in the northern and eastern parts there are extensive cranberry marshes, where the berry grows in its native state, though there has been in some instances, consider- able attention paid to its cultivation. A range of hills runs from the southern boundary to the northern, divid- ing the county and turning the course of the streams east and west. These hills presented such a formidable obstruction to the builders of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and the Northwestern railroads, that they were obliged to tunnel them ; the former road having one tunnel, about 1,200 feet long, three miles west of Tomah, the latter three, the longest of which is over 3,800 feet in length. The Baraboo and Lemonweir rivers each has its source in this county, upon the east side of the range, while upon the west side are the La Crosse and Little La Crosse rivers. The Kickapoo, run- ning toward the south, also rises in this county. In addition to these there are a number of creeks and brooks, which are well stocked with the choicest speckled trout. The farming lands of this county are very fine. Beaver Creek, La Crosse and Leon valleys are settled by a thrifty class of farmers, who have many of them realized wealth from patient cultivation of the soil in these valleys. The general product is wheat, oats and corn, while in some localities the hop culture is quite extensive. The quantity of berries which are gathered yearly, form quite an article of export, the villages of Tomah and Tunnel City having shipped the past year over twenty-four car loads of blueberries alone. The soil is in the south and southwestern portions of the county, a rich loam slightly mixed with sand. Along the northern sections of the county there are a great multitude of swamps of more or less extent, upon which the cranberries grow wild.

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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