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 263

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 263

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

J. W. EVANS, Waupaca Woolen Mills. Born, in 1843, in Wales ; he has spent nearly his whole life in the woolen-mills of America. His parents located, when he was an infant, in Central New York. When but eight years of age he began work in the local woolen mills. During the civil war he served eighteen months with the 3d N. Y. Light Artillery, in the Army of the James. Coming to Waupaca in 1867, he at once bought an interest in the firm of Dayton, Dewey & Co. This firm had, the year previously, bought the old City Mills, and Mr. Evans, being a practical woolen manufacturer, at onee took charge of the remodeling of the old flouring mill as a woolen mill. Mr. Evans gradually bought out the interests of the various men composing the firm of Dayton. Dewey & Co., and finally became sole owner. In 1877, he erected a new and substantial dam and dye house; in 1879, he sold a quarter interest in the property to Charles Evans, who is now associated with him. Mr. Evans married Anne Edwards, of Mar- cellus, N. Y. Their four children were born in Waupaca.

P. A. HOUSE, proprietor Waupaca Wagon Works; born in 1823, in Herkimer Co., N. Y .; his ancestors settled in the Mo- kawk Valley prior to the Revolution; at fifteen years of age, P. A. House left his native county for Jefferson Co., N. Y .; served six years' apprenticeship, and began at twenty-one with 836 capital ; was for seven years in Syracuse and Binghamton, N. Y., and, in 1854, located in Waupaca. In the fall of that year he built the first wagon ever built on the Indian Reserve. It is still in use by T. Baker, a farmer of Waupaca Township. Mr. House in now doing the best business in his line between Oshkosh and Eau Clare ; he manufactures from 75 to 100 wagons annually ; em- ploys twelve men. In 1872, he lost nearly everything by fire ; re-built his shops near the south end of Main street, and is again in good shape for business; he is now rebuilding his residence, which was partially burned April 6, 1881; he had lived in the

house twenty-four years. Mr. House is a Baptist, a Templar and Freemason ; his wife was Lydia M. Welch, of Washington Co., N. Y. They have an only daughter, having lost three children.

JOHN JARDINE, manufacturer, Waupaca ; born in 1834, in Powfoot Parish, Humfreysshire, Scotland. In carly life he served a three-years apprenticeship, as a carpenter and joiner, and worked for many years in Glasgow; in May. 1856, he came to America and to Waupaca ; enlisted in September, 1861, in Co. A, 8th W. V. I .; re-enlisted at the expiration of his term of service and served until the cessation of hostilities in 1865. Mr. Jardine thus has a military record exeelled by few, if any ; he fought with his regiment at Corinth, Iuka, the battles about and in the seige of Vieksburg; was in the expedition up Red River, under

-----------

1085

HISTORY OF WAUPACA COUNTY.

A. J. Smith ; helped " Pap " Thomas demolish Hood, at Nash- ville, and helped give the confederacy its final quietus at Spanish Fort and Mobile, leaving the service with the rank of Second Lieutenant of Co. A; returning to Waupaca, he bought a one- quarter interest in the planing-mill, and has steadily increased his interest, now owning shares in the saw-mill and foundry as well as the planing-mill. Mr. Jardine is a Freemason; has served several terms as Alderman, and is one of the six members of the Green- wood Park Association. He married Mrs. Elizabeth Shearer, by whom he has two children. Mrs. Jardine's maiden name was Barr, and at the death of her former husband, Thomas Shearer, she was left with two children ; her birthplace was Paisley, Scotland.

CHRISTIAN JOHNSON, of Johnson & Hanson, tanners; born 1826, on one of the small Danish Islands ; came to America and Waupaca, in 1863; was the Dayton, Dewey & Co., a few years ; in 1873, he bought an interest in the tannery of C. F. Zahl, and five years later bought him out; in May, 1881, M. A. Hanson bought an interest with Mr. Johnson. The firm does a large business, not only in tanning, but in supplying leather and findings to loeal manufacturers, and shipments of the same to Boston. Mr. Johnson married in Denmark, Dorathy Larson. They belong to the Scandinavian Lutheran Church of Waupaea.

WALTER LEVISEE, Waupaca, was born in 1817 in Wash- ington Co., N. Y., of which county, with Saratoga, his ancestors were the earliest settlers. Young Levisee grew in Chenango Co., N. Y .; in 1845, he settled in Bedford, Ohio, where he was ordained as a Baptist minister; two years later he removed to Princeton, Ill., where he labored eleven years in the ministry ; was about five years in the furniture business in Princeton ; came to New London in 1857, and was prominent in organizing the Baptist Church there, and those in Northport, Shiocton and Wau- paea, he being under the auspices of the Am. Baptist H. M. Society, and the first Baptist preacher in Wolf River Valley. In 1860, he came to Waupaca ; began the furniture business in 1862; was burned out in 1875, which year also witnessed the death of his beloved wife (née L. E. Brown, of Chenango Co., N. Y.), and a daughter aged twenty-two. The present Mrs. Levisee was the widow of Ambroise Gard, who was one of the first white men to visit Waupaca Falls. Mrs. L. is a native of Jefferson Co., N. Y., and came West over twenty-five years ago. Mr. Levisee is now the veteran furniture dealer in Waupaca Co.

A. LOOS, farmer, Sec. 33, P. O. Waupaca, was born in Bel- gium, June 11, 1832; his father was a miller and his son was soon placed under his vigilant eye to learn the same trade, which he followed in his native country till he came to America ; Ang. 22, 1856, he landed at Green Bay, remaining there a short time, but soon found himself in Two Rivers, where he remained one year and ran a mill; from there he went to Neshetah and ran a mill for two years, when he went to Neenah and eontinned milling a number of years, till his health gave way, and he was obliged to qnit milling ; he then built a large bakery and ran it eight years ; his oldest son, in the meantime, becoming a practical baker ; one ycar he ran a hotel and saloon. Jannary 29, 1881, he moved onto his present farm of 187 aeres ; he has 138 acres under cul- tivation, which is free from stumps and stones; his farm good and the location fine. He was married in Belgium in 1856, to Miss Rosy L. Estas ; she was born in Belgium, June 22, 1832. They have nine children, and their change from city life seems a pastime to them.

IRVING P. LORD, attorney at law, Waupaca, is a son of G. L. Lord, and was born Oct. 10, 1858, in Waupaca, Wis. After graduating from the high school in his native city, Mr. Lord spent a year on the Pacific Slope as a pleasure socker and as a teacher. On his return he took a one year's special course at Lawrence University, at the end of which he entered the law office of F. F. Wheeler (now of Omro, Wis.); was admitted to the har of Wisconsin, in the Circuit Court of March, 1881, Judge Parks presiding ; from his boyhood Mr. Lord has been an owner and

" fancier" of thoroughbred animals and fowls; before he was seventeen, an article written by him on "The Care of Poultry," published in the Patron of Husbandry, Des Moines, Iowa, at- tracted wide attention, and has resulted in his being retained as a regular correspondent of the Chicago Times, the Milwaukee Republican and News, and as an occasional writer for the Inter Ocean. The father of Mr. Lord was born May 16, 1825, in Canada ; came to Waupaca in 1851; was elected County Treas- urer in 1869, and Mayor of Waupaca in 1880. G. L. and W. C. Lord have owned the Waupaca Star Mills for the past thirty years.

D. L. MANCHESTER, M. D., Waupaca, was born Feb. 25, 1833, in Plainfield, Sullivan Co., N. H. Six years later the fam- ily removed to Windsor Co., Vt. The father of D. L., Dr. John Manchester, also a native of Sullivan Co., N. H., was a very ae- tive practitioner, and interested his son in the healing art when he was a mere lad; coming to Waupaca in 1854, D. L. spent eight years as a contractor and builder ; enlisted July, 1862, in Co. G, 21st W. V. I., which company was mainly raised by M. H. Ses- sions and himself. At Perryville, the first decisive battle in which the Twenty-first participated, Dr. Manchester received a gun-shot won'd which crippled his right shoulder ; from the date of the battle, Oct. 8, 1862, until January, 1863, he was in the New Albany, Ind., Hospital ; at the time of his discharge his weight was about 100 pounds, which is about one-half his present weight ; his shoulder was so badly shattered as to require five months in healing; on his return North, he was elected City Treasurer of Waupaca; early in 1864 he resolved to adopt the medical pro- fession, and to this end proceeded to Meriden, N. H., where he began the study of medicine with a brother ; after attending two full courses of lectures at Dartmouth College, and one at the State University of Vermont, he took a third course at Dartmouth, from which historic institution he graduated in November, 1866; re- turning to Waupaca, he has sinee resided and practiced here; in 1870 he attended a course of lectures at the Chicago Medical Col- lege, and attended the Practitioner's Course in 1880; the Doctor is a member of the Baptist Church, and has been for more than twenty years a Freemason; was Mayor of Wanpaca in 1879; Dr. Manchester is perhaps better known than any physician in Wau- paca Co., which is owing to the dual fact of his long residence within its borders, and his successful and increasing practice.

HACON NORDVI, merchant, Waupaca, was born in Wardoe, Norway. His father was an enterprising shipping merehant, who dealt with the merehants of Russia, Spain and Denmark ; at seven years of age, Hacon was sent to school in Copenhagen, the Danish capital ; at seventeen he entered the National University of Norway, at Christiana, and in due time graduated from the Department of Medicine ; having lost his parents and an only sister by death, he, in 1853, came to America, and was, for different periods of time, in business in Taycheedah, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Green Bay and Kewaunce, Wis .; while a member of the firm of O. Thompson & Co., Manitowoc, he resolved, owing to a partial failure of his health, to return to his native land, and actually went to New York for the purpose, but missed the steamer (the Austria). which burned at sea, when a few days ont, nearly all on board perishing. Returning to Wisconsin, he began again at Green Bay ; came from Green Bay to Waupaca in 1865; has since carried a large stock of general merchandise here, and is doing a good and satisfactory business ; he is a Freemason ; his wife was Mary Hudson, a na- tive of Jefferson Co., N. Y .; they have three children.

C. S. OGDEN, Waupaca, County Judge of Waupaca Co., and one of the earliest settlers in Northern Wisconsin, was born Ang. 2, 1819, in Cannonsville, Delaware Co., N. Y. The family first settled in New Jersey, and afterward became one of the wealthiest and most influential in the Empire State ; whole counties, in West- ern New York, were owned by this family, which " eon-olidated " under the title of the Ogden Land Association. William B. Ogden, the Chicago railroad magnate, was of this family, and an uncle of the Judge. After leaving the common schools of his

1686

HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

boyhood, C. S. attended Knoxville Academy at Corning, N. Y. ( then Painted Post). In 1834 or '35 he located near Niles, Mieh. ; remained there until 1848, then came to Wisconsin. This now great State had then just secured her place in the sisterhood of States. Judge Ogden located at Plover, Portage Co .; engaged for three years in lumbering and keeping store; then farmed three years, and. in 1854, struck out for the woods of Central Waupaca Co .; finding a fine water power at the present site of Ogdensburg, he built a store, and ere the doors and windows were adjusted, he placed therein a $6,000 stock of goods. It was seemingly a wild venture, as his nearest neighbor in the forest was three miles away. Persuaded that a good town could be built here, he was, at differ- ent times, joined by Messrs. Hopkins (who opened a hotel ), Rat- cliff, Kerrick, Batchum, and the Colliers, with others. Judge Ogden built a saw mill and grist mill, and for a few years Ogdens- burg (named in his honor at the raising of the saw-mill) was a busy and promising place. Its central location gave rise to an ambition, on the part of its people, to have it made the county seat. The destruction of Judge Ogden's mills, by fire, in 1859, was a blow from which the aspiring little busy town never recovered. Judge Ogden, though nearly rnined by the calamity, rebuilt the saw-mill and kept it running until 1866; since then he has re- sided in Waupaca, practicing law, the study of which he began while at Ogdensburg. He was admitted to the bar at the first term of court ever held in Waupaca. Judge Ogden has been al- most constantly in office since his settlement in this eounty, repre- senting St. Lawrence on the County Board for years ; was elected District Attorney in 1857 ; elected County Judge in 1860, and refused a renomination ; he has, however, in spite of strong oppo- sition, been elected four times since, and is now serving his fifth term. The Judge is an excellent type of the calm, elear-headed and kindly men who, coming from the best and richest State in the Union, are so rapidly leading Wisconsin to the foremost place in the ranks of the great States.

SAMUEL PINKERTON, farmer, Sec. 21, P. O. Waupaca, was born in Ireland Jan. 1, 1803. His early life was on a farm. His father rented a small piece of land, and upon that his family eked out au existenee. April 10, 1841. he married Mary War- nock; she was born in 1809. In 1847, Mr. Pinkerton, with his wife and three children, set out for America, and landed in New York. He remained in Washington Co., N. Y., for six years, having hired out upon a farm to earn a support for his young family. In 1853 he came to Waupaca and settled on his present place. He had means to buy one forty of land, and pre-empted a quarter section. He at once erected a log house, and commenced to carve out a home. He bad an opportunity to pick bis land from a large territory, and future developments have shown the wisdom of his choice. He now owns, with his son John, now at home, 640 aeres of land, 280 acres being in the homestead. At the time he came there was one little log store kept in Waupaca, run by Holt. He has been Supervisor several times, but never wanted to be bothered with offices. ITis son John, who is at home and superintends the farm, is Chairman of the town, and has been for several years. Mr. Pinkerton has reared a large family of children, who have become respected and influential citizens. He has striven zealously to educate them, two of whom have graduated from seminaries and colleges.

TRUMAN RICH. photographer, Waupaca, born Jan. 6, 1833, in Montpelier, Vermont ; was born and raised a farmer's son ; spent four years in New Hampshire, and in 1851 came West ; first stopped in Winnebago Co., Wis., and in July, 1852, settled as a farmer in Royalton, Waupaca Co., Wis., being one of the first to locate there. Two years later, Mr. Rich settled in the town of Waupaca, and lived there until September, 1864, when he enlisted in the U. S. service ; was in the Army of the Ten- nessee, under A. J. Smith. Mr. Rich received a gunshot wound at the decisive battle of Nashville. One of the large bones of the forearm was destroyed, and he was four months in the hospital. In 1865, he came to Waupaca, and for three years was in the

grocery business. Hle then began learning photography of H. J. Perkins; went into the business for himself at the City Gallery, which he still owns, though since May 1, 1880, he has occupied the spacious rooms of Mr. Perkins, whom he bought out. Mr. Rich thus enjoys a monopoly of the photograph business in Wau- paca. and is fully competent to meet the wants of its citizens in this line. His copying in India ink, water colors, Berlin photos, etc., is done by the Auburn, N. Y., Copying Company. Mr. Rich was one term Under Sheriff of Waupaca Co. He is a member of the Baptist Church and the T. of H. His wife was Flora P. Cole, of Calais, Vt. They have lost one of their children, and have four living.

HON. MYRON REED, attorney at law. Waupaca, was born Sept. 19. 1836, in Messina, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y .; received a common school education, and a course of instruction at Union Academy, Belleville, N. Y., entering the Law School at Albany University in 1857. He was admitted to the bar, upon exam- ination, the following year ; eame to Waupaca (then one-third its

---

present size), in the year 1859. The legal lights here at this time were E. L. Browne, O. E. Druitzer and M. H. Sessions. With the latter gentleman he formed a partnership which con- tinued until 1871. Mr. Reed has held the positions of Clerk, Supervisor and President of the village of Waupaca, Alderman and Mayor of the city, and is now a Supervisor thereof. In 1871, Mr. Reed was elected State Senator over his partner, the then incumbent ; was re-nominated at the end of the term, but declined to run for the office. While in the Senate, he, almost alone, secured the adoption of Article 4 of the Amendments to the Con- stitution. Mr. Reed has been High Priest of Waupaca Chapter, No. 39, R. A. M., since its organization in 1868, and was Master of Waupaca Lodge, No. 123, A., F. & A. M .. at least two-thirds of the time since its institution in 1860. He is also a member of the K. of P.

0. Il. ROWE, Under Sheriff of Waupaca Co., born, Feb. 14, 1831, in Cortland Co., N. Y. ; married Kate Dodge, of Madison Co., N. Y. They have six children. Mr. Rowe settled in Wey- auwega, Wis., in 1855, and engaged in the harness and saddlery business there until 1864. Ile then made a visit East, and, while in Dunkirk, N. Y., enlisted in the 187th N. Y. V. I. Was with the Army of the Potomac, and participated in the siege of

1087

HISTORY OF WAUPACA COUNTY.

Petersburg ; served until the war closed, and returned to Wey- auwega, where he continued his former business until 1873. 1Ie then went to Northport. While there he served four years as Justiee of the Peace. In November, 1878, he was elected County Sheriff, and after serving out his term, was appointed to his present position. In the spring of 1879, he came with his family to Waupaca, where he has since resided.

WINFIELD SCOTT, Waupaca, one of the pioneers of Wau- paca County, was born in 1833, in Attica, N. Y. His father, David Seott, born in 1794, engaged in an extensive milling and merchandising business, at one time owning nearly the whole of Attica. In 1847, a fire destroyed so much of his property as to cause his removal West. The year 1849 found him farming near Waupaca, " where," he says, " I spent some of my happiest days." At the outbreak of the war, in 1861, Mr. Scott was in the drug business ; was stricken with paralysis in 1862, and went to New York for medical treatment. He died in June, 1864, and lies buried on the old Attica homestead. His son, whose name heads this sketch, made his start in life in partnership with his father. The misfortunes of the sire caused Winfield to come West in 1850. Locating at Appleton, Wis., he entered the employ of Reeder Smith, and was with him for five years. While here he became Secretary of the Winnebago Lake and Fox River Plank Road Company ; he was also the first telegraph operator in Apple- ton. In 1856, he came to Waupaca and began business. In 1859 and 1860, he was Clerk of the Court and Deputy County Treasurer. In 1861, he was elected Clerk of the Court, and re- elected in 1863. By appointment and election, Mr. Scott has filled as principal or deputy nearly all the county offices, in spite of the fact that he is a sturdy Democrat. Was elected County Judge in 1873, and served four years. He is now Deputy Reg- ister of Deeds. Mr. Scott owns a complete abstract of the titles of all Waupaca County real estate. This abstract was compiled by him at great cost of time and labor. He is the owner of 200 city lots in Waupaca, and 200 acres of land near the city with two fine water privileges ; aside from his official duties, he has, during the past twenty-five years, carried on an extensive specu- lating real estate and insurance business. Has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since his first settlement here. Is also a Mason, belonging to both the Chapter and Lodge of Waupaca. In addition to the duties of his arduous county and private business, he has repeatedly served as Clerk, Supervisor and Trustee of the village and city of Waupaca.

J. B. SIMCOCK, Waupaca, was born Oct. 22, 1833, in Staffordshire, Eng., and was with his father's family up to the settlement in Dayton, Waupaca Co. He then returned south, remaining in Kenosha and Chicago until the spring of 1856. The year 1857 found him in the hardware business in Saxeville, Wis. In the spring of 1858, he began the same business on his own account on Main street, Waupaca. Mr. Simcock was then assisted by a brother, Samuel, who has sinee died. Samuel was succeeded by a brother now in Amherst, Wis. William Simcock bought an interest with J. B. in 1865, and they were joined by William A. West in 1867, thus constituting the present well- known hardware firm of Simcock & West. J. B. Simcock has been actively identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church since his first settlement in Waupaca, serving as Sabbath School Superintendent, Trustee and Steward. Ile also served for a num- ber of years as Village Trustee, and as one of the School Board.

REV. SAMUEL SIMCOCK, deceased, was a native of Staffordshire, Eng., and brought his family, consisting of himself, wife, four sons and two daughters, to America in 1842. He located in Lake County, Ill., and, five years later, went to Ke- nosha, Wis., going from there to Winneconne, Wis. Elder Sim- cock and family are well remembered among the pioneer settlers of this thriving young city, as he did his utmost in promoting the cause of Christianity among the wild, rude population so insepara- ble from frontier towns. One of the daughters taught the first school in Winneconne. In 1852, the family settled in Dayton,

Waupaca Co., where the Elder engaged in farming until the fall of 1857, when he removed to Waupaca, where he died in Decem- ber, 1864. As a Christian gentleman of positive, rigidly upright character, and, as the most kindly of husbands, fathers and neigh- bors, his death was a cause of sorrow to many who had so well- known him during his twenty-two years' residence in the West.

WILLIAM SIMCOCK, Waupaca, was born Aug. 20, 1826, in Staffordshire, Eng. He accompanied his people to the United States in 1842, and remaining with them came to Waupaca in February, 1863. Went into partnership with his brother, J. B. Simcock, early in 1865. Like his brother, Mr. Simcock has been a very prominent, active and unselfish supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Waupaca. Is now class leader, which position he has filled about fifteen years. Is now serving his second term as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, of which board he has been for many years a member. He has also served as Sabbath School Superintendent, and, as Steward of the church, Mr. Simcock has never had political aspirations, and has only served on the School Board.

R. SWAN, of the firm of J. Towle & Co., manufacturers of tight barrel staves and shingles, Waupaca County. Mr. Swan was born in Rensselaer Co., N. Y., where he was reared and educated. At the age of twenty-three he went to Buffalo and engaged in the business of general cooperage, which he followed from 1851 to 1862. He then went to Cleveland and conducted the same busi- ness until the close of the war. In 1872 he engaged with the Standard Oil Co., of Cleveland, for whom he traveled for over eight years, engaged in the purchase and shipment of staves, dur- ing which time he engaged in the present business. The firm gives employment to ten men and has a capacity of 1,000,000 staves annually.

JAMES THOMAS, deceased, Waupaca ; was born in Seneca Co., N. Y., in 1820 ; his early life was ou a farm, and by that training he learned that persevering diligence and economy was the right road to wealth; he was married in New York, and shortly after, came to Waupaca and settled on his present farm, in 1849 ; he got from the Government 360 acres of land and commenced at onee to improve it; having arrived in the fall, the first thing to do was to build a shanty to live in. Mr. Thomas drew for his shanty the first lumber that was sawed at Weyauwega ; Mr. Thomas held the plow for every one of the 275 acres that is improved on his large farm, which now contains 460 aeres ; in an early day he did a great deal of breaking for other people ; he probably did as much to improve this country as any man in it. They have a large stock upon it ; a specialty is made of the Devon cattle. They have a large house and two barns, one 40x50, with good board sheds attached, one eighty feet long, the other forty feet long ; the other barn is 30x40, and attached are two sheds, each forty feet long. He died April 29, 1880. They heve had ten children, one of whom, John F., died in the army.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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