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 251

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 251

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JAMES ERVIN, retired farmer, was born Jan. 14, 1810, in New Jersey ; left his native State in 1852 and came to Wiscon- sin, where he settled in Walworth Co., town of Richmond ; re- mained there until 1858, at which time he sold his farm and moved to Trempealeau Co., town of Lincoln, then called Preston, where he bought 160 acres of land and commenced farming. At that time the Indians were very plenty in Trempealeau Co., and were very friendly to Mr. and Mrs. Ervin, who used to do a good deal of trading in the way of flour, pork, vegetables, etc. Their grain markets were Sparta, La Crosse and Trempealeau, and they sometimes hauled a load of grain to the pineries and exchanged it for lumber. Mr. Ervin was married to his first wife, Miss Eliza- beth Crane, Jan. 21, 1833. She died in 1850, leaving three children-Emma L. (now Mrs. S. J. Beebe), Augusta E. now Mrs. John Kinnie) and Isabella G. (now Mrs. L. D. Parsons). They also lost three children-Margaret H., died July 20, 1864; Annie E., died June 5, 1865, and Martha, who was Mrs. L. D. MeNett when she died. He was married to his second wife, Mary E. Crane, a native of Elizabeth, N. J. She was born Oct. 21,1816.

DANIEL K. HAGESTAD, carpenter and contractor; was born in Norway, June 23, 1852; he came to America with his parents in 1854, and first settled in Columbia Co., Wis., where they remained for six years, and then removed to Beaver Creek Valley, Trempcaleau Co., where his father pre-empted a claim from the Gov. ernment, on which the subject of this sketch lived until 1879, when he came to Whitehall and was elected to the office of County Sheriff for the years 1879 and '80. He is at present Deputy Sheriff under N. L. Tolvstad. Mr. Hagestad built a saw-mill on Hardie's Creek in Trempealeau Co. during the spring of 1881, which was destroyed by fire about the time it was completed. He was married in May, 1878, to Miss Maggie Hagestad, who is also a native of Norway. She was born March 14, 1860. They have one son-Carrol N. They are members of the Lutheran Church. While Mr. Hagestad was engaged in a saw-mill on Black River, at the mouth of Hardie's Creek, there was a ball found in a log, while sawing it, which was supposed to have been there fifty-four years.

MOSES D. INGALLS AND F. W. INGALLS, farmers, Sec. 28, P. O. Whitehall. The former was born in Vermont Jan. 4, 1825. They came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1853, first living in Rock Co., and in the summer of 1855 came to Trem-

pealeau Co., where they entered a farm of 220 acres, and in 1856 began to improve it, they being among the first settlers in the town of Lincoln. Before the Green Bay & Minnesota Railroad came through the village of Whitehall they used to market their grain in Trempealeau, La Crosse and Sparta. Moses D. was the first Chairman of the Town Board of Lincoln, and has been Town Clerk and Justice of the Peace.

GEORGE McCANN, section boss of Sec. 29 of the Green Bay & Minnesota Railroad at Whitehall, was born in England Dec. 5, 1849 ; left there in 1870, and went to Canada with his brother, where he remained one year working at constructing rail- roads, and then came to the United States, where the engaged with the Green Bay Railroad Company, and has been with them ever since. Mr. McCann is a member of the I. O. O. F., Trem- pealeau Valley Lodge, No. 249, and was married in 1875, to Miss Millie Tuttle. of Dexterville, Wood Co., Wis, who was born March 17, 1855. They have three children-Mary E., Annie MI. and George H. Mr. McCann was in the British Navy for eight years, sailing, in 1862, around the Cape of Good Hope, and from there to the East Indies ; then back to Portsmouth, then back around the Cape of Good Hope to Hong Kong, China; then to the East Indies ; then to Ceylon, and was engaged in the Abyssinian war.

SAMUEL S. MILLER, of the firm of Miller & Atwood, lawyers at Whitehall, was born in Utica, Dane Co., Wis., July 17, 1850. He received a common-school education and commenced teaching to get means to attend the Albion Academy, where he graduated in 1870. He then went to Iowa, where he engaged in the drug business, and from there to Grand Rapids, Wis., where he still continued to act as drug clerk ; but his health failing at this time, he was obliged to leave his position, and in 1872 he en- tered the law class of the Madison University, where he graduated in 1873, and was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court. In October, 1873, he went to Eau Claire, where he entered the law office of Neggett & Trull, remaining there until 1877, when he removed to Whitehall, where he has since practiced his profession. He was elected District Attorney of Trempealeau Co. in the fall of 1880, and still holds that office.

GEORGE H. OLDS, Postmaster, Whitehall, was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., Jan. 8, 1834 ; is the son of William Olds, who was born in the town of Hillsdale, N. Y., March 1, 1799, and came with his family to Wisconsin in 1853, and settled on a farm in Trempealeau County, of which he bought the first 40 acres from William Cran, afterward buying some from the Gov- ernment, and kept on adding to it until he has in all 520 acres. William had another son, James D., who came to Wisconsin two years previous to 1853 and located at Chippewa Falls, but came to Trempealeau County to join his father after his arrival here. In 1857, the subject of this sketch went in company with his brother, James D., to Caledonia, when they commenced in the mer- cantile business and farming. Here he remained until 1863, with the exception of a part of the year 1861, when he was in the war, and then moved on Pigeon Creek, and in the spring of 1874, eame to Whitehall, where he was appointed to the position of Postmas- ter, holding that office ever since. Mr. Olds bought the first house sold in the village of Whitehall and served the first papers as Deputy Sheriff, issued in the Trempealeau County Court in 1854, by Judge Gale.

GEORGE QUACKENBUSH, farmer, Sec. 26, P. O. White- hall, was born in Washington Co., N. Y., May 4, 1833. Came with his parents to Wisconsin in 1842, where they commenced farming in Waukesha County. They remained there until 1855, at which time they moved to Black River Falls. Ilere he engaged in the lumber business in a mill owned by J. B. Mills. In 1862, he en- listed in Co. C, 19th W. V. I. and served one year, when he was discharged on account uf sickness and returned home Jan. 9, 1863. Hle re enlisted in Co. D, 25th W. V. I. and served two years more, when he returned home and worked at lumbering for three years at Pine Hill. He then came to Trempealcau County, where he

10.42

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

bought a farm in the town of Hald. Ile remained here four years and then came to Whitehall Ile now owns 160 acres of good farm land in sight of the village of Whitehall. He is a member of Trempealeau Valley Lodge. No. 249, I. O. O. F .; was married July 4, 1863, to Miss Josephine Boyce, who is a native of Dutch- ess Co., N. Y. She was born Aug. 17. 1-45. They have four children. Emma, Charles, Luther H. and Ester.

CHRISTOPHER E. SCOTT. general merchandise, was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y .. July 10, 1831; left his native State in 1851 and came to Dane Co., Wis., where he worked on a farm. Then returned to New York, remaining there two years, after which he came West again, going to Jackson Co., lowa. ; he then went back to New York and enlisted in Co. D, 10th N. Y Artil- lery and served until the close of the war, being in all of the prin- cipal battles of the Potomac. In 1866, he came to Wisconsin and located at Whitehall, Trempealeau County, which has since been his home, he taking an active part in all publie enterprises. Mr. Scott was married in 1854. in Michigan, to Miss Mary C. Miller, who was born in Illinois in 1834. Their family consists of four children, Walter, Fred, George S. and Harry.

NELS. L. TOLVSTAD. County Sheriff of Trempealeau County ; P. O. Whitehall ; was born in Norway, March 25, 1850 ; came to America with his parents in 1861, first going to Dodge County, where he lived ou a farm with them until 1864, when they moved to the town of Ettrick. Trempealeau County, and bought a farm of 120 acres. The subject of this sketch received a common school education and attended the Galesville University for two terms ; held the office of Town Clerk, in the town of Et- trick, during the years 1873-74, and was chairman of Town- board for the year 1879, being elected County Sheriff in 1880 ; is a member of the Lutheran Church and was married in 1874 to Miss Antoinette Lorson, she being born in Norway. They have three children-Ludvic, Martha and an infant daughter.

EDWIN H. WARNER, dealer in hardware and stoves; was born in Madison, Wis., in 1853, being a son of H. M. Warner, surveyor of Dane Co. and Commissioner of the Poor. Here he lived with his parents until he came to Whitehall ; his was the first hardware store in the town, and was established in 1874; he does an annual business of $10.000 : he is a member of the I. O. O. F .. Trempealeau Valley Lodge, No. 249, and was elected to a membership of the Town Board of Whitehall in 1881 ; he was married to Sarah J. Rogerson in 1875. She was born in Dane Co. in 1858; they have one daughter-Edith.

DAVID S. WATSON, farmer, Sec. 24, town of Hale, P. O. Whitehall ; was born in Perrysburg, Cattaraugus Co . N. Y. Left there at the age of twenty-one years and came West with his parents, settling in Genesee, Waukesha Co., Wis., in 1842. He there worked at carpentering until 1861, with the exception of two years that he was in California mining. Ile held the office of Assessor in Waukesha Co., and was Town Clerk, Justice of the Peace and School Commissioner under the old Territorial laws. Mr. Watson moved to Trempealeau Co. on his farm, which he had entered previous to his moving there. Ile has held various offices in the town of Ilale, having been Justice of the Peace, Clerk and Chairman of Town Board eight years, and Chairman of County Board two years; he is a member of A., F. & A. M., also of the I O. O. F., Trempealean Valley Lodge. No. 249.

EUGENE D. WEBSTER, livery and sale stable ; was born in Green Co., Wis .. June 12. 1846 ; he came to Whitehall in 1875 and engaged in his present business ; he also has a farm of 177 acres, in connection with his stables; he has been Constable in Whitehall two years and is a member of the I O. O. F., Trem- pealcau Valley Lodge, No. 249 ; he was married JJuly 1, 1877, to Miss Mary A. Rogerson, who is a native of Wisconsin. They have one son-Albertie.

LYMAN H. WHITELEY, proprietor of the American House, and furniture dealer ; was born Dec. 12, 1840, in Des Moines Co., Iowa; came to Wisconsin with his parents is 1850. and settled at Burlington, Racine Co., and was there engaged with

his father in teaming to Milwaukee, which he followed for one year, when he went to Emmet Co .. Mich., where he engaged at lake fishing. At this he continued four years, and in 1856 moved to Black River Falls, Wis .. his father having died the year pre- vious ; he here eommeneed in the lumbering business and in 1873 went to Corral City, and started a general merchandise store. In 187-1 he removed to Whitehall and opened a furniture store. Ile has held the office of Justice of the Peace for six years iu Whitehall, and has been Town Clerk ever since he came here, with the exception of one year; he is a member of the Northwestern Benefit Association. lle was married Jan. 1, 1861, to Miss Zilpha Wright, daughter of B. G. Wright, of Wrightsville ; she was born in Grant Co., Wis., August 4, 1842. Their family con- sists of four children-Cora E., Phebe E .. Fredrick W. and Win- nifred.

JOSEPHI WRIGIIT, farmer, Sec. 20, town of Pigeon, P. O. Whitehall; was born in the eastern part of Canada, Sept. 18, 1830, and in 1868 came to Wisconsin. locating in Trempealeau Co., town of Pigeon, then Lincoln. He owns 160 acres of land, which was a claim that he purchased from Orisan Lamberson and afterward pre-empted it as a homestead, living there ever since. Was side Supervisor of the town of Pigeon for 1880 and re- elected in 1881 ; has been School Clerk of Joint Distriet No. 1, in towns Pigeon and Lincoln for thirty-nine years. Mr. Wright was married in 1855 to Miss Anna Douglas, she being also a na- tive of Canada. They have six children-Margaret E , Mary R., Thomas W., Agnes I., Lettia J. and James W.

TREMPEALEAU.

Most delightfully situated on the Mississippi River, in the southeast corner of Trempealeau Town, the village pre- sents many features of excellence that have been availed of from time to time, and, until later years, promised superior advantages that have not, from a variety of reasons, been fully realized

It was in the vieinity of the village, as also in the vil- lage itself, that the first settlement of Trempealeau County was undertaken and consummated.

In 1840, James Reed settled in this county.

In 1843, William Bunnell is reputed as having settled here, building a house on the present site of Jack McCar- ty's residence. He was followed in 1844. by Paul Grignon ; in 1845, by A. Chenevert ; in 1847, by Charles Perkins, and in 1848, by Edward Winkleman. These severally set- tled in and about the present village, and the improvements, all of which, with the exception of the double log house erected by James Reed, near the present site of Krib's hardware store on Front Street, were of a character primi- tive rather than elaborate.

In October, 1851, B. E. Houston, subsequently, and when the county was set apart as an independent constitu- eney. the first County Judge, came into present Trempea- leau Village from Black River, to locate permanently. He purchased a small story and a half house standing on Front street, below what has sinee been known as Melchior's Brewery, erected by J. B. Douville, and thus being vested with title, confirmed his decision to settle here by remaining.

At that time, relates Mr. HIeuston, the improvements of the future village were limited to the log cabins of those whose names are mentioned above. The coming of this gentleman was prompted by the apparent advantages that were possessed by the site as a shipping-point. and aeting upon this conclusion, Ilenston and Ira S. Hammond pro- eeeded to the erection of a warehouse, that is still stand- ing on Front street, third door east of the Utter House.

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HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY.

The fall of his arrival, ground was " broke " for the build- ing, and before winter had become altogether an established fact, he had completed, with the assistance of A. A. Angell and others, the cellar, and run up the stone foundations. In the meantime, he procured lumber in the Black River country, floated it down the stream to the mouth of Beaver Creek (a small stream named by James Reed), carted it over to the building site, and in the spring completed the warehouse. It was 24x50, two stories high, and to-day. having served its purpose, is rapidly going to decay.

Among those who came in the fall of 1851, was Mr. Charles Cameron and A. A. Angell, the latter's wife follow- ing her husband during the winter, the first white woman, it is claimed by some, to settle here permanently. Others maintain, with equal vehemence, that it was Mrs. Michael Bebault. Horace E. Owen, who located what has since been known as the "Four Mile Farm," came this year, as also did Elezur Smith, etc.

Early in February, 1852, N. B. Grover came hither from La Crosse, and opened a shoe shop opposite the Utter House, in which he also sold notions, etc., the first com- mercial venture in the village. In May, of this year, George Batchelder and wife made their advent, and put up a house below IIammond & Heuston's warehouse ; later came Mrs. Charles Cameron, when herself and husband became occupants of the old Douville mansion, and kept boarders, the first to engage in that checkered, if profitable, business in Trempealean ; a Mr. Marshall came in soon after, and put up a house near where McCarty now lives, above Big Spring; also Israel Noyes, who boarded with the Camerons until October, when he was joined by his wife, and went to living in the second story of Hammond & Heuston's warehouse, where a child was born to them the same season, said to be the first birth in the village. Mar- vin and James Pierce came in and built a small house on the north side of First street, above Melchior's brewery ; Ira E. Moor and Alvin Carter built a residence near the present location of Hoberton's blacksmith-shop. During this year, Alexander McMillan, latterly of La Crosse, put up a blacksmith-shop east of Bright's present store, the first in the village. These, with Alexander McGiloray, S. Seymour, Robert Farrington, Charles IIolmes, Miss. Cath- arine Davidson and possibly one or two others, compre- hended the arrivals for 1852.

Among the events was the opening of the first hotel in the village. Mrs. Batchelder was the hostess, and her cuisine is to-day recommended as among the pleasurable experiences of life at that period.

Another was the celebration of the Fourth of July. The ceremonies took place in the second story of the Ileus- ton warehouse, and were usual to the occasion, Mr. Heuston reading the Declaration, and those in attendance, without special reference to precedence, orated.

The chief event, however, and one in which succeeding generations would become more intimately interested, was the formal survey and platting of the village. On the 7th of April, William Hood, as Surveyor, laid off the present site, and at a meeting convened soon after, it was formally named Monteanville, but upon motion the name was changed to Montoville. It was laid off out of lands belong- ing to James Reed and IIammond & Heuston, which had been elaimed at an earlier date by Edward Winkleman, who was divested of the title, however, and came into market as the property of those cited, and others. No sooner had

this been accomplished, and the preliminaries toward found- ing a village complied with, than another survey was com- pleted under the direction of F. M. Rublee, Timothy Burns and Benjamin B. Ilealy. This was on the 23d of the same month, and the name "Trempealeau " derived from "Mont-trempe-I-eau, the mountain that stands in the water," given to the re-surveyed premises.

This year came also the Rev. Mr. Watts, a minister of the Gospel, and, as already stated, Catharine Davidson, one of the contracting parties to the first marriage between whites in the village, she being united to B. F. Henston in February following.

During the succeeding two years, the arrivals were scarcely numerons, though inducements were offered in the price asked for lands, and the advantages assured to be within the reach of even modest men of enterprise with but moderate capital. But few came in though. La Crosse and the Black River country absorbed nearly all the arrivals into this portion of Wisconsin.

Among those who were added to the populousness and importance of the village, in 1853, '54 and '55, were, A. M. Brandenburg, B. B. Healy, A. P. Webb, Romanzo Bunn, D. O. Van Slyke, Patrick Duggan, Frank Duggan, Aaron Iloughton, Joseph Gale, Gilbert Gibbs, Oscar Beardsley, John Gillis, Lewis Hutenhow, William Olds, Hiram Brown, Philo Beard, Chester and Chauncey Beard, Chase Wasson, Antoine Grignon, and possibly some few others. The im- provements were hardly in keeping with this "rush " of settlers, and beyond the building put up by Grover, in the village limits, and residences on the prairie by H. Stewart and others, but little was done to add to the value or ap- pearance of the place and vicinity.

In 1856, the " flush times " of Trempealeau, it may be said, had a beginning. Up to that date, comparatively speak- ing, very little had been done to aid in rendering the place arthitecturally, " splendid," and the population did not ex- ceed forty, all told.

Early in 1856, the lumber and shingle company of Bre- denthal, King & Co. was organized, and preparations were coneluded to locate at some eligible point in the Upper Mis- sissippi, where access to the lumber regions and pineries would be easy. The machinery was completed and shipped to the mouth of Black River, after which Bredenthal & King came West and halted at La Crosse. Here they were joined by J. M. Barrett, identified with them in the mill venture. and the three called on S. D. Ilastings, the agent of Rublee, Healy, Batchelder and Utter, for the sale of lands in Trempealcau County, and upon his recommenda- tion, decided, after a personal examination of the territory, to locate on a site given them for that purpose, south of the village. At the time this decision was made, water in the river was unusually high and superficial investigation sup- plemented by the apparent liberality of Rublee et al., decid- ed the company upon the location of its enterprise. Every nerve was therefore strained to build and complete the mill structure, set up its machinery, and get to work with the least possible delay. Meantime the water subsided and the owners of the mill began to realize that they were engaged in an investment that would, sooner or later, prove profit- less. When they began to manufacture, these apprehen- sions were fully verified. Access to the mill property for logs was impossible, save in a round-about way. The raw material was conveyed to the saw by teams, and at an ex- pense more than neutralizing the profits to be derived from

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

an active, and gradually strengthening market. In short, the mill was a complete failure because of this oversight, and finally the company disbanded. The founders save Mr. Barrett, who is still a resident of Trempealeau, returned whence they came, and the mill was sold to the highest bidder and taken elsewhere.

Notwithstanding these calamitous results to an under- taking that was sought to be established under auspi- cious surroundings, the effect produced upon Trempealcan and vicinity was identical with that hoped for from the completion of the mill. Property advanced along the line, in value and importance. Many were seeking in the West opportunities for the investment of capital that were denied them on favorable terms elsewhere. The town filled up with strangers; houses, cabins and shanties were built with surprising frequency, and people began to buy in all di- rections. This demand created the utmost excitement, and the price of lots appreciated so rapidly that no one was able to predict a possible value in advance. In the spring, the most desirable lots could have been purchased for from $40 to $50. In May, when the building of the mill was ar- ranged for, double this price was demanded, and when the mill was completed, as high as $1.000 was refused for the same pieces of property that could not have found a pur- chaser a year previous.

As an instance, it may be stated that while this scale of prices was maintained, a gentleman offered $2,100 for lots on the river bank opposite the Melchior House, and it was declined. They could not now be sold at anything like that figure.

Among the prominent arrivals for 1856, were O. S. Bates, S. D. Hastings and family, Noah Payne and family, W. T. Booker, J. H. Crossen, J. P. Israel and family, S. F. Harris and family, Thomas Van Zant, Mr. Mills, Will- iam Held. A. W. Hickox, C. W. Thomas, John Smith, Dennis Smith, D. W. Gilfillan, D. B. Phelps, C. C. Crane, the IIall boys. Mr. Jayne and many others. The improve- ments consisted in part of the mill and a large house ad- joining for the accommodation of hands employed therein ; the Congregational Church put up under a contract with C. C. Crane, and numerous private buildings for residence and commercial purposes. Gilfillan built a hotel where Russell now lives. Hastings erected a residence opposite the public square. Robert Jones a brick residence on Third street, the first brick house in the village, now occupied by D. Coman, and the Rev. Mr. Hayes put up a frame on the hill. In addition to Gilfillan's tavern, C. S. Seymour was proprietor of the Trempealeau House, built in 1852, by A. A. Angell, and Frederick Harth occupied the old log house of James Reed, as the Washington Ilotel. Jasper Kingsley maintained the only saloon in the village, and the commercial and marine interests were divided be- tween J. P. Israel, W. T. Booker, Mills & Van Zant and N. B. Grover.

J. A. Parker came in this year and built the house now occupied by Antoine Gugnon, he was the first lawyer in the village. Dr. Alson Atwood also came in and built a house, and is claimed by some as the first physician to settle in Trempealeau, though it is contended by others that this dis- tinguished honor is legitimately the property of Dr. E. R. Utter. Dr. Bunnell came here at an early day, and located as already stated, but it is doubtful if he was a resident at the time whereof mention is now made. Money was plenty, it is said, and times unprecedentedly prosperous. Almost every

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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