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 253

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 253

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JOHN CURTIS, farmer, See. 6, P. O. Marshland, Buffalo Co., was born in Tioga Co., N. Y., Jan. 5, 1838; came to Wis- eonsin, with his parents, in 1846, first locating in Dodge County, where his father still resides; here he lived until 1871, when he moved to Trempealeau County, on the farm where he now lives. He enlisted in the Ist Wis. Battery, at LaCrosse, in 1861, and served until the close of the war. Was married, in 1867, to Alzoa Kidder, of Dodge County. They have five children- Emma A., Alanson, Archie R., Clyde C. and John.

EDWIN ELKINS, earpenter and builder, Trempealeau, was born in Seneca Co., N. Y., Nov. 26, 1837. He came to the vil- lage of Trempealeau in 1857, where he was engaged in a saw- mill. In 1861 he enlisted in Co. D, 14th W. V. T., and served until the close of the war, being promoted to First Lieutenant December, 1864. He then returned to Trempealeau and was elected to the office of County Sheriff for the years 1868-69. He has since been elected to various town offices in Trempealeau, and has been Town Treasurer for six years.

ALEX. B. FLEMINGTON, farmer, See. 17, P. O. Trum- pealeau ; was born in Scotland on the 31st of May. 1826. He came to America in 1844, remaining four years in Rhode Island, where he was engaged in a calico manufactory. Ile came to Mil- waukee in 1844, working there in a carriage manufactory, and remaining five years. He afterward went to Harte Prairie, where he stayed until 1854, when he came to Trempealeau

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

County and bought the land on which he now lives. He returned to Ilarte Prairie, but only remained a short time, after which he came again to Trempealeau County and settled on his farm, on which he has since lived. There is an old Indian mound on his place, which joins the field that was used by the old Catholie mis- sion to the Indians. He was married in Milwaukee, August 20. 1851, to Miss Mary Taylor, who is also a native of Scotland.

DANIEL W. GILFILLAN. farmer, Section 16, P. O. Trempealeau ; was born in the State of Vermont, December 19, 1825. Ile received a common school education, afterward at- tending the Vermont University at Burlington, where he gradu- ated when twenty-two years of age. lle then went to Ohio, where he engaged at teaching, principally at Wilmington and Xenia, where he was Principal. In 1852 came to Wisconsin, lived in La Crosse one year, and then moving to Minnesota, where he lived for three years. In 1856 he returned to Wisconsin and com- menced keeping a hotel in the village of Trempealeau, known as the Vermont llouse, which he ran until 1860. being at the same time School Superintendent under the old system. After leaving the hotel he taught more or less until 1873, and was at one time School Superintendent of Trempealcan County for three years, and was also ('lerk of the Town Board for one year. Is also connected with the Bible Society, of which he is now Secretary. Was married in 1850 to Helen S. Partridge. in Vermont, she be- ing a native of that State.

F. A. GOODHUE, of the firm of F. A. Goodhue & Son, dealers in books, stationery and furniture, is the son of Thomas and Sarah Goodhue, having been born in Vermont, January 15, 1821. He first came to Wisconsin in the year 1856, where he worked at his trade, that of millwright, for one year in La Crosse. and afterward went up Black River to Robinson Creek and worked in what was then known as the Pettinbone Mill. In 1858 he came to Trempealcau and worked at his trade and carpentering until 1879, when he started in his present business. He has been a member of the Village Board of Trempealeau. He was mar- ried in New York, in the year 1852. to Miss Alzina Manning, a native of Canada. They have three children, Edwin F .. Elbert N .. Alletta.

E J HANKEY, general merchandise, Trempealeau ; was born in Germany, Nov. 17. 1844. Iu 1854 he came to America, and located first at Beaver Dam. Wis., where he followed his rrade, that of cabinet-making, and elerked until 1868, when he came to Trempealcau. Here he started a small grocery and pro- vision store in company with Thomas Veltum, in the building which now stands opposite R. W. Russell's store. They continued business under the firm name of Hankey & Veltum for three and one-half years. when Mr. llankey sold out to his partner and left Trempealeau for a little more than a year. Upon returning he entered into business with his former partner, increasing their stock, and in 1876 moved into what is known as the Healey Brick Block. He emtinued in this partnership until 1878, when he bought out the establishment lle does a jewelry business of 827,000. He has held the office of Town Clerk in his village for six years.

ABNER HARRIS, retired merchant, Trempealrau, is quite an old settler in Trempealeau, having come there in 1859. He was born in New York, Sept. 24, 1819, and first came to Wis- consin with his brother, in the spring of 1848, but only stayed here in Dane County for a short time and then went back to New York. In 1855, he returned to Wisconsin and worked with his brother at the carpenter and joiner's trade in Dane County ; con- tinued at this for three years, when he began buying wheat. IIe afterward moved to Spring Green, in Sauk County. In 1859, came to Trempealeau, where he started a general merchandise store, in company with J. M. Borratt, in the brick block then known as Noyce and James' Block, but which has since tumbled down. Was married in 1860 to Miss Anna D. Doud, she being the daughter of Chauncey and Sarah Doud, who came to Trem- pealeau in 1857.

LEMUEL I. HARE, farmer, Sec, 35. P. O. Trempealeau : was born Feb. 19, 1829, in Clinton Co., New York. In 1856 he came to La Crosse Co., Wis .. where he bought a farul and lived for a number of years. holding the office of Constable a part of the time. In 1865 moved to Trempealcau County. where he pur- chased a farm, which was originally bought from the Government by Leander Bilboe. The Indian trail which ran from Trempea- leau Mountain to the Little Tamarack, in 1835, passed a little west of Mr. Hare's house. He also held the office of Constable in the county. He was married in New York, Jan. 1, 1855. to Miss Eliza Cary, who was a native of that State, and whose grandmoth- er's name was Seott, a second cousin to General Scott. They have eight children-Freeman S., Emmit M .. Lottie, Willie P .. Effic E., Alta G., Elizabeth and Lemuel W.

HENRY HELLER, grain warehouse, etc., Trempealeau, was born in Germany Dec. 4. 1845. In the year 1866, he came to America, arriving in Trempcaleau, Wis., in 1867, and became engaged with Riemenschneider, buying wheat. In 1870. he built the house where he now lives and kept boarders until 1873. He then built a warehouse and has been engaged at buying grain, etc., ever since, having handled as much as 30,000 bushels of grain in a year. Mr. Heller is now President of the Town Board of Trempealeau, and is also a member of the A .. F. & A. M. Trempealeau Lodge, No. 117.

BENJAMIN F. HEUSTON, mail agent on the Green Bay & Minnesota Railroad, Trempealeau, was born in New Jersey, March 8, 1823, being the youngest son of Paul and Naomi Heuston, whose maiden name was Cox. The father moved to Warren County, Ohio. in 1829, where his remains now lie interred in the burial grounds of the "Orthodox Friends," at Waynes- ville. The subject of this sketch taught school when nineteen years of age, and passed the winters of 1843-44 teaching near Rodney, Miss. Spent his twenty-first birthday stemming the current of the Upper Mississippi, and afterward passed some time in the lead mines near talena, then came up river on the steamer Otter, landing at La Crosse in September, of 1844, and going directly to the Black River Pineries, where he remained seven years ; was here elected Justice of the Peace in 1846, and the same year heard William T. Price deliver his first Fourth of July oration. On that occasion, after the toast had been drank. the hilari y of some of those present became so perverted that a fight ensucd. which led to the thought of a temperance reformation, io which Mr. Heuston, in connection with William T. Price. John Valentine and James O'Neil took an active part, and a large por- tion of the inhabitants signed the pledge. About the same time, he became active in a movement to procure a preacher for the community. A meeting was called, a subscription circulated, the denomination named, and Heuston, Price and Valentine were appointed a committee to carry out the plan. The preacher in charge of the Methodist Epi-eopal Church at Prairie du Chien was addressed, bringing a response from Rev. Alfred Bronson. followed by the advent of Rev. R. R. Wood, he being the first preacher on Black River. Heuston was the first Town Clerk in the precinet where Neillsville now is, and, as a Justice of the Peace, as-isted later at Black River Falls in county canvass of the votes east for the first county officers of La Crosse County. In the fall of 1851, entered in partnership with Ira Ilammond to purchase a piece of land at James Reed's Landing now Trempea- leau ) with the object of building a warehouse, and to found a village. Began work at once erecting the cellar walls before win- ter, and finished the building the next summer. The firm were joint proprietors with James Reed in laying out the village of Montoville (now Trempealeau ), Heuston becoming Postmaster, being the first one in the county. On the Ist of February, 1853, he was married in Montoville to Miss Catherine A. Davidson, a native of Glasgow, Scotland, daughter of the Rev. IIugh David- son, one of the carly settlers of Walworth County. At the close of the same year, moved to a farm near the present village of Galesville, and, on the organization of the town of Gale, became

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HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY.

Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and Justice of the Peace. At the first meeting of the Trempealeau County Board, Mr. Heuston was elected its Chairman, and was also the first County Judge of said county, which office, after a re-election, he resigned in 1860 to visit Eastern cities with reference to an educational design concerning object-lessons in colors; returned the same year from New York to Chicago, and there engaged in a wholesale fruit store, where, being impressed by the immense loss of fruit and butter from careless handling of commission merchants, con- ceived the idea of refrigerator cars, and the personal branding of packages. Selecting the department of butter and cheese for a test of his scheme, procured the promise of a refrigerator car (then unknown in Chicago) for the Fox River Valley Railroad, and canvassed among the farmers of Northeastern Illinois and some in Wisconsin for farmers' co-operation in the scheme. The farmers, then by a clear majority, had little faith in the success of butter-making in Illinois, declaring that good butter could not be made there, in the very regions since renowned for butter and cheese factories. This scheme, however, was summarily termi- nated by the breaking-out of the war. In August, of 1863, Mr. Heuston enlisted at Geneva, Wis., in Company C, 22d W. V. I., his family returning to the farm at Galesville. As a Corporal and Color-guard, he was wounded in 1864, and began the " march to the sea," with his arm in a sling. At the close of the war, he returned to his farm, and, in the spring following, was elected Town Collector, and the next fall County Clerk and Clerk of the Court. In November, of 1871, was appointed " Mail Route Agent," in which capacity, he now serves on the G. B. & M. R. R. At an old settler's meeting in 1871, he read a paper on the early history of Trempealeau County, which included accurate details of the achievements previous to 1856. This was ordered printed and filed, and he was made Chairman of the permanent organization. In 1879, he printed and copyrigh'ed a pamphlet entitled " General Alphabet," and has written various articles for the press ; some on politics and travel, but mostly on Temperance Reform. Mr. Heuston has three children-George Z., Benjamin F., Jr., and Elizabeth A.

HERMAN HOBERTON, proprietor of the Trempealeau Wagon Works, eame to America in 1854, having been born in Prussia May 22, 1841 ; first located with his parents in Fond du Lae Co., where he lived four years, and then went to Dodge Co., where he learned the trade of wagon-making ; afterwards traveled in various places, being in lowa part of the time, but finally set- tled down in Trempealeau in 1863; he started a wagon-shop, which he is still running, and does a very good business. Mr. Hoberton has been a member of the Village Board of Trempea- leau ; also one of the Trustees of the village graded school for four years, and is a member of the A., F. & A M., Trempealeau Lodge, No. 117.

SILAS E. HOUGHTON, farmer. Sec. 7 ; P. O. Trempea- leau ; was born in Saratoga Co., N. Y., Sept. 17, 1836; was engaged at farming in his native State until 1865, when he came to Trempealeau Co., where he bought a farm from the Govern- ment ; in the spring of 1866, he built a house on his land, which was destroyed by fire in 1867, after which he erected his present residence ; there are several Indian mounds on his place, though none of them have been examined. Mr. Houghton has been Town Supervisor of Trempealeau. He was married in February, 1860, to Miss Melinda A. Clothier, a native of New York ; they have six children-Denis L., Silas R., J. C., Dudley S., Ella E. and Leon L.

ALMON JOHNSON, farmer, Sec. 32; P. O. Centerville ; was born in Ohio Oct. 21, 1819; he came to Columbia Co. in 1854, where he lived three years, and, in 1857, moved to Trem- pealeau, locating one mile cast of Galesville, where he lived until 1867, when he moved on the farm where he now lives. He was married in the year 1845 to Miss Elizabeth Robinson, of Ohio, by whom he has had ten children, nine of whom are living -- Leonard .A., Edward R., Homer E., Franklin S., Mary I., Will-

iam E., Chauncey N., Emma E. and Orrin M .; they lost their oldest son, Samuel A., who died at home March 7, 1872 ; he was a soldier in the 30th W. V. I., Co. C, in 1862, and served until the close of the war.

WILSON JOHNSON, retired farmer ; P. O. Trempealeau ; came to Wisconsin when only seventeen years of age, having been born in Parke Co., Ind., Aug. 17, 1829; he first lived in Shullsburg, La Fayette Co., working in the lead mines, driving team for two years, and, in 1849, moved to Jackson Co., Iowa, where he ran a ferry-boat at Bellevue; continued in this business until 1854 ; then farmed until 1857, at which time he moved up the Mississippi River to Richmond, Minn., opposite the village of Trempealeau ; he again commenced running a ferry-bort at Rich mond, being the first ferry run at that place ; in 1859, he moved across the river to Trempealcau, and, in 1863, started a grocery and provision store, which he run until 1870, when he was elected Constable, and appointed Deputy Sheriff under D. W. Wade, and also the next term under Joseph Kellogg ; he is proprietor of what is known as the Noyce farm, and still holds the office of Constable. Was married in Jackson Co., Iowa, to Miss Lucinda Fulton in the year 1853, his wife being a native of Ohio.

PAUL KRIBS, farmer, Sec. 3; P. O. Trempealcau ; was born in Canada Feb. 24, 1814; here hie resided until the year 1851, when he came to the United States, first living in Elgin, Ill., where he worked at the carpenter and joiner trade until 1865, when he removed to Trempealeau Co., and bought the farm on which he now lives; he was Chairman of the Town Board of Trempealeau for one year, and was married, in 1838, to Miss Sarah A. Vanburan, she having been born in New York Dec. 7, 1816 ; their family consists of eight children -- David H., John G., Louis W., Aaron, Mary C. (now Mrs. C. C. Kribs), Sarah A. (now Mrs. Arthur Porter, of Oregon), Paul D. and Phillip G. Two of the sons, John and Aaron, were soldiers in the late war, the former serving nearly four years in the 8th Ill. V. C., Co. I, being promoted to the position of Captain, and was wounded in the leg ; the latter enlisted in the 58th Ill. V. I., and was wounded at the battle of Fort Donelson, also at Pittsburg Landing.

WILLIAM McDONAH, farmer, Sec. 27, P. O. Centerville ; was born in Orleans Co., Vermont, Dec. 15, 1832. His father was of Scotch, and his mother of Irish descent ; he came to Wis- consin when sixteen years of age, and first worked on a farm in Dodge Co. for James Gillfillan, remaining there for seven years ; in 1855 he came to Trempealeau Co., where he bought a farm from the Government on Sec. 3; on this he lived until 1863, at which time he purchased the farm where he now lives. There are a number of Indian mounds on the place. Mr. MeDonah is Chair- man of the Town Board of Trempealeau ; has also been side Supervisor and a member of his district School Board for nine years ; he married Sarah A. Cusick, who was born in New York, and they have five children, three sons and two daughters.

THOMAS G. OWEN, minister of the Congregational Church, Trempealeau ; was born in Champaign Co., Ohio, July 30, 1830 ; his parents moved to Illinois when he was but seven years of age, locating in McDonough Co., where he received a common school education. He commenced his ministerial service in the M. E. Church in 1858, being ordained Deaeon at Ilannibal, Mo., by Bishop Janes, and Elder by Bishop Ames in 1860, at Hudson, in the same State. Mr. Owen took charge of his first church in Illinois, where he remained only six months and was then trans- ferred to St. Louis, remaining there for two years. The principal part of his work was in Missouri, until the rebellion, when he en- tered the service of the Christian Commission and came North, and has remained here ever since. In 1870 he left the Methodist Conference and united with the Congregational Church, and has been a minister of the Gospel in that church ever since. He was married in Bushnell. Ill., to Miss Isabell Provine, in the year 1858. She died in October, 1873. In 1874 he was again married to Margaret Cragg, who was born in England in 1839.

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

HON. ALFORD WILLIAM NEWMAN, Trempealean Cir- "uit Judge in and for the South Judicial Circuit ; was boro at Durham. Greene Co., N. Y., April 5. 1834. His parents resided on a farm near the village, where Judge Newman remained until he was twenty years of age, engaged in agricultural pursuits dur- ing the summer, and attending school in the winter. In 1854 he matriculated at Hamilton College, whence he graduated in 1857. and continued the study of law, which he had commenced while a collegeate. On Dec. 8, of the latter year, the Judge was exam- ined at Albany and admitted to the bar, and in January, 1858, he came West, settling in Ahnapee, Kewaunee Co. After a two months sojourn here, he removed to Trempealeau, where he has since resided In 1860 the subject of this sketch was elected Town Clerk and was subsequently appointed County Judge, which position he resigned in 1866, to accept the nomination of Distriet Attorney. Being elected he served until 1876, meanwhile repre- senting the county in the Assembly in 1863, and the District as Senator during 1868-69, when he resigned to take his place on the

Circuit bench, to which he was elected the previous fall. Judge Newman was married August 15, 1860, to Miss Celia E. Hum- phrey and has two children living-a young lady and a son, the latter three years of age.

JACOB II. PIERSON, druggist, Trempealeau ; was born in North Ireland, Sept. 25. 1824, and in 1849 came with his wife to Canada, where they lived until 1861; he was a graduate of Apothecary Hall, in Dublin in 1844, and there joined the Irish Constabulary, where he served five years, and had charge of John Mitchell while he was in jail at Killmauren. In 1861 Mr. Pierson came to Trempealean, Wis., where he commeneed farming, and in 1874 started a drug store in Trempealcan, it being the first reg- ular drug store in the village. Ile also owns a large farm within one mile of the town, which he runs in connection with his store. lle is a member of the Congregational Church and also of the A .. F. & A. M., Trempealeau Lodge, No. 117.

ABRAHAM PITTENGER, farmer, See. 15, P. O. Trem- pealeau, was born in Jefferson Co., Ohio, May 21, 1802, where, after reaching manhood he was engaged at farming and black- smithing. In 1854 he came to Wisconsin and first located on Bright & Prairie, La Crosse Co., where he bought a farm of 160 acres from the Government, on which he lived until he moved to Trempealcau Co. There is now but one man older than Mr. Pit-

tenger in Trempealeau Co. He has always taken an active part in the public interest of his region ; has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for forty-six years, and was married in 1820, to Miss Ellen Furgeson, by who'n he had ten children, eight of whom are living. His wife was a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and died in 1845 in Ohio. Ile was mar- ried, in 1849, to his second wife, Miss Lucy E. Barnes, who has had live children. two of whom are living. She is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

LANGDON PORTER. farmer, Sec. 34, P. O. Centerville, was born in Medina Co., Ohio, Sept. 26. 1819. He came to Wis- consin in 1840. first locating in Walworth Co., where he took up a claim from the Government, having but $25 in his pocket. Here he remained until 1852, when he sold his farm and went to California and Oregon, at the time of the mining excitement. Iu 1855 he returned to Wisconsin, settling in La Crosse Co., where he resided until 1864, when he moved to Trempealeau Co., his present home. While in La Crosse Co., Mr. Porter was Chairman of the Town Board of Holland, and in this county has been As- sessor and Side Supervisor; also holding the office of Town Chairman for one year. He was married in Walworth Co., in March, 1844. to Miss Eunice Wright, who was born in Washing- ton Co., N. Y .. Aug. 2, 1824, and with her parents came to this State in 1842. They have had five children, three of whom are living-Arthur A., Mary N. now Mrs. William H. Gibson) and Francis A .; the two who died were-Jesse H., died in Walworth Co. in 1855, and Perry S., died in the same county, Oet. 22, 1855.

CHRISTIAN RIEMENSCHNEIDER, grain merchant, Trempealeau, was born in Germany July 24, 1826; came to America and first located in Milwaukee, Wis., where he was en- gaged in the commission business until 1862, when he moved to Trempealeau. He is agent for the Diamond Joe, and also the St. Louis and St. Paul. packet lines of steamboats on the Missis- sippi.

HENRY RUDOLPH, farmer and proprietor of the Trem- pealeau quarries, P. O. Trempealean, was born in Hanover, Ger- many. Nov. 20. 1818, and there learned the trade of marble- cutting; was engaged at work on the cathedral at Cologne. Ile came to the United States in June, 1849, and worked at his trade on several of the largest buildings in this country. In 1856 he came to Trempealeau Co., and took up a farm on the Black River, afterward going back to Ohio. In 1861 he returned to this place and has made his home ever since in the village of Trempealeau. opening his quarries in 1863. Ile has furnished and cut building stone for Sparta, La Crosse, Winona and St. Paul. Mr. Rudolph was married in 1850, to Miss Anna Deubner, of Dayton, Ohio. who was born in Germany. They now have a family of five chil- dren-Katie, a teacher in Duluth ; Lilly ( Mrs. W. J. Showers, of Trempealeau); Emma, also a school teacher at Duluth ; Annie and Adolphus.

THOMAS J. SEYMOUR, dealer in staple and fancy groee- ries, Trempealeau, was born in Ohio, Oct. 11, 1842; came with his parents to Wisconsin in 1853, and lived with them on a farm in Trempealean County until 1868, his father being one of the first settlers in the county. Ile then started out in the world for himself; first running a peanut stand on the street in the village of Trempealeau. In 1868 he opened his fruit store in a room &x 16, his stock consisting of fruits and confectionery ; and in 1870, built the store room which he now occupies. and moved into it the same year, having gradually increased from a small stock to what it now is. Mr. Seymour has always taken an active part in the public interest of his town ; he was married in 1863. in Rochester, to Miss Sophia C. White, a native of Vermont. They have two daughters, Nellie and Maud. Mr. Seymour is a member of the A., F. & A. M., Trempealeau Lodge, No. 117.

WILLIAM J. SHOWERS, Principal of the Trempealean Graded School. was born in Mercer Co., Penn., Sept. 22, 1845. Ile is the son of Elias and Sarah A Showers, and came with them

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HISTORY OF TREMPEALEAU COUNTY.

to Wisconsin in 1854, where they settled in Dane County. Here he attended the public school until 1864, when he began to teach, his first school being at Cross Plains, Dane County. In the winters of 1865-66, he went to Iowa, where he attended the Mar- ion Seminary, and afterward taught until the spring of 1868, when he was a student of the academy at Marshall, Dane County. After two years of study there, be entered the State Normal School at Whitewater, where he was graduated in 1873. In September of that year, he took charge of the Literary Department, in the Institution for the Blind, at Janesville, Wis., where he continued until that institution was burned down. In the fall of 1875, he was engaged as principal of the graded school at Trempealeau, which position he still ocenpies. Was married July 31, 1877, in Trempealeau, to Miss Lillian A. H. Rudolph. by whom he has two children, William (. B. and one son unnamed.

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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