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 31

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 31

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).

In 1855, the Fort Howard Era, a Democratic paper, was edited by E. P. Royce. Since then repeated attempts have

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HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.

been made to maintain a local journal, and the Fort How- ard Monitor and the Fort Howard Herald were at different times the result. In September, 1875, David M. Burns commenced a small monthly paper - the Fort Howard Review. This passed into the hands of the Review Print- ing Company, James Kerr, secretary, by whom it is now published weekly.

St. Patrick's Church was organized in 1866 by Rev.

men's society, of which Hugh Doherty is president. The female society numbers sixty-seven members.

Norwegian Lutheran Church was organized in 1867 with 170 members ; communicants, sixty. The church building was erected in 1868, and additions made in 1874 to com- plete the structure, which is located on Broadway, near Taylor & Duncan's foundry and machine shop. The pastorates are filled from the Norwegian, Lutheran & Dan-

ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, FORT HOWARD.

Father William Verboort, and the building completed and blessed the same year. It is located, corner of Cherry and Hubbard streets. Father Verboort was followed by Rev. E. McGinnity, who served about six months, leaving on the day the church was blessed. Rev. Francis McDonald succeeded him, and remained until April 4, 1869, when the present pastor, E. Walsh, took charge. In 1870 the church building was enlarged to double its former capacity, and four years afterwards a good parsonage erected. The present membership is 105 families - about 450 souls. Connected with the church are two temperance societies and the Altar Society. Fifty members have joined the

ish conference. Rev. Irwin J. Olson was in charge from date of organization until January 8, 1873, when Rev. Theodore H. Dahl, the present pastor, commenced his labors. The present 'membership is 249; communicants, 109.

Scandinavian and Moravian Church was organized Sep- tember 21, 1866. The present pastor is Rev. A. M. Iverson, who commenced his labors in November, 1866. The church is located on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Wil- low streets, and was dedicated February, 1869. Present membership is 114. The history of this church is one of uninterrupted harmony from its beginning to the present time.

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

Methodist Episcopal Church was organized October 16, 1869, with a membership of forty-one, Rev. W. J. Olmstead, pastor. The present incumbent, Rev. G. W. Burtch, began his pastorate in October, 1880. The church building front- ing Hubbard street, between Chestnut and Broadway, was dedicated May 6, 1871, having been two years in building. A parsonage is attached. Church membership, eighty.

First Baptist Church was organized by Rev. Thomas M. Simons, of the American Baptist Home Mission Society, May 1, 1851, in Green Bay ; removed to Fort Howard in 1854. He supplied the pulpit until the time of his death, July 5, 1852. Rev. James G. Henschall, its present pas- tor, has officiated since 1876. The first church building was of wood, 20x44 feet, on the site of the present structure, fronting Chestnut street between Main and Hubbard ; and was built in 1873. In 1874 it was placed to form part of a new edifice, a Gothic building of veneered brick, with tower and spire, at a complete cost of $8,000, giving a fine auditorium of 34x64 feet and a con- venient class-room in the rear. The parsonage is on the same lot. The Society's present condition is one of thrift and prosperity, though, with all the other religious organiz- ations, it has suffered during the times of past panic and general distress. Its present membership is sixty-five.

First Congregational Church was organized January, 1855, with a membership of seven persons, by Rev C. W. Mon- roe, who remained as its pastor eighteen months. The church building was soon after this erected on the corner of Fourth avenue and Howe streets. Rev. Jeremiah Por- ter commenced his labors in January, 1857 ; and was fol- lowed September, 1857, by Rev. J. C. Marsh, who left at his wife's death in December, 1858. The house was then closed until November, 1863, at which time Rev. D. C. Curtis, the present pastor, was invited to its pulpit. The present membership is fifty.

First Presbyterian Church was organized March 20, 1876, with fifteen members. The pulpit is supplied by the Presbytery. The church building was erected in 1876 and fronts on Chestnut street between Hubbard and Main. Present membership is twenty-one.

Royal Arcanum, Mystical Council, No. 519, was estab- lished September 9, 1880, with seventeen members. It is a mutual life insurance company. Charles H. Puerner is regent.

A. O. U. IV., Howard Lodge, No. 72, was organized July 24, 1879, with forty-one members. Its officers are changed every six months.

Ansgar, a relief association, was established in 1875, and incorporated in 1879. Loren Anderson is president.

BUSINESS INTERESTS.

Next to West Depere, Fort Howard is the most promi- nent manufacturing point of Brown County, and among the most important enterprises, if not the most important, is the elevator business carried on by Messrs. Cargill & Van Valkenburg. The building was erected by Messrs. Elmore & Dousman in 1862, their sons subsequently being ad- mitted to the firm, and later still, D. M. Kelly. The ele- vator, which has a capacity of 300,000 bushels, is leased by Messrs. Cargill & Van Valkenburg, from the Chicago & Northwestern Company. Among the manufacturers of iron who are noted throughout Northern Wisconsin and beyond these limits, are D. M. Burns, boiler works, shingle frames, etc .; O'Leary Brothers, boiler makers ; Joseph Nadeau, in- ventor and manufacturer of the " Nadean" washing machine. Messrs. Eldred & Son and Schwartz & Voigt operate ex- tensive planing mills. Gerhard, Oldenburg & Co. and A. Siegmund & Co., furniture; David McCartney, lumber dealer; Johnson & Havens, marble works; Hall & Burns,

hardware; J. & J. H. Delaney and Fred. Wohlfarth, cloth- ing, do a thriving business in their several lines. There are also numbers of groceries, drug stores, etc., doing well.

The general repair and construction shops of the G. B., W. & St. P. R.R. Company are located at Fort Howard, on the south side of the slough. The grounds of the company extend along both sides of their track a distance of 300 feet, and cover an area of abont twenty-five acres, upon which are now standing a brick round-house, with stalls for ten engines ; a brick blacksmith-shop, 40x60 feet ; a machine shop, 45x50 feet ; a car shop, 40x50 feet ; an office, 15x30 feet, and an oil and supply room, 30x36 The pay-rolls of the shops carry the names of seventy-two men, working full time, exclusive of all train men. Since 1879 about $5,000 worth of new machinery has been put into the shops, a new blacksmith shop built, and the capacity of the round-house doubled. The business of the road crowds the capacity of the shops to their fullest extent, and is constantly enlarging its volume. The company intend these shops shall fully meet all requirements of their road, not only in the repair and construction of box, flat and caboose cars, but also of express and passenger coaches. The machine, car and blacksmith shops, as also the round-house, are each under charge of a competent foreman, and all under the skilled direction of E. Osborn, master mechanic. Mr. Osborn is a native of New Jersey, a machinist by trade, and was for ten years foreman of the machine shops of the Sussex & Blairstown Railroad of that State, under the general super- intendency of Timothy Case, before accepting his present appointment as master mechanic August 1, 1879. For sketch of the road, see County History preceding this.

Fort Howard is the terminus of the Wisconsin and Penin- sular divisions of this road. Their round-house at this station, built ten years since, has stalls for ten engines, and keeps a constant force of fourteen men, including machin- ists, blacksmiths and laborers. One express train, one mixed and three freight trains are daily dispatched from this point over the Peninsular division, which extends from this point to Escanaba, Mich., a distance of 179 miles.

Anson Eldred & Son, lumbermen. Business is carried on at Fort Howard, Oconto, Stiles and Little Suamico. At Fort Howard the planing mill and box factory are located ; at the other points, their lumber and shingle mills. Opera- tions were commenced in this State in 1842, at whicht ime Mr. Eldred opened a lumber yard in Milwaukee. In 1846 he removed to that city from Detroit, where he was born and had been engaged in lumbering operations prior to 1842. In 1852 he built a lumber mill at Stiles where he owns a very fine water-power, which is now utilized as a grist-mill and for other manufacturing purposes. The lum- ber mill at this point was operated from 1852 to 1876, had a capacity of 20,000,000 feet of lumber and 8,000,000 shin- gles annually, and was in the center of a fine tract of 40,- ooo acres of pine lands, owned and controlled by the mill interest. In 1873 a steam-mill was bought at Little Suam- ico, the control of 50,000 acres of pine land secured, trib- utary to that point and Oconto, and operations commenced on the shores of Green Bay. Three years later, in 1876, the Oconto mill was bought. The same year the Stiles mill was discontinued. The Oconto mill has a capacity of 20,- 000,000 feet of lumber, 8,000,000 shingles and 4,000,000 lath, and the Suamico mill of 7,000,000 feet of lumber, 10,- 000,000 shingles and 2,500,000 lath annually. In 1879 the planing mill and box factory at Fort Howard was erected on a tract of twenty-five acres lying along the west side of the Fox River, just within the city limits on the south. The lower story of the building, the planing mill, is 76x160 feet; the upper story, the box manufactory, is 40x160. A Corliss engine of 180 horse-power affords double the power required

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HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY.

to drive the present machinery, and will soon be utilized for other purposes. The capacity of the planing mill is 125,000 feet of dressed lumber daily, and the box factory uses from 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 annually. The mill handles about 20,000,000 feet of lumber, two-thirds dressed, and about 8,000,000 shingles in a year. Their yards are sup- plied with excellent docks along 1,200 feet of river front, and are connected by switch with the tracks of the Chicago & Northwestern, the Wisconsin Central and the Green Bay, Winona & St. Paul Railways. Shipments over these lines range from ten to twenty cars a day, and are made as far southwest as New Mexico, as far west as Denver, and south- east to Pittsburgh. The number of hands employed by this firm is about 300, and of these from 135 to 150 are upon the pay-rolls of the Fort Howard establishment. The members of the firm are Anson Eldred and Howard S. Eldred, his son.

J. P. Laird & Co., lumbermen. Mills located in Pine Co., Minn., and in Shawano Co., Wis. The members of this firm are J. P. Laird, Charles Lampson and L. Howland. The Wisconsin mill is located in the town of Angelica, Shaw- ano County, twenty miles northwest from Green Bay. This mill was erected in 1871, in the center of a timber tract of about 5,000 acres. The yearly product for the first eight years was 7,000,000 feet. Since then the average cut has not exceeded 3,000,000 annually, and the operations of this mill give employment to a force of 100 hands. The bulk of this cut in lumber has been shipped from Green Bay to Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. The shingle pro- duct, down the Mississippi to the river ports, are made over the line of the Green Bay & Minnesota Railroad. L. How- land, the only member of the firm at this point, is a native of Kenosha, Wis. In 1861, before he was twenty-one years of age, he enlisted for the three months' service in the First Wisconsin Infantry, and was elected second lieutenant of his company. At the expiration of his term of service, he re-enlisted in the First Wisconsin Cavalry, was commissioned first lieutenant, and served until July, 1865, when he was mustered out of the service as major, having seen constant service, principally with the army of the Cumberland. Retiring from the service, he was engaged in contracting along the line of the Kansas Pacific Railroad until 1867, when he came to Fort Howard with the intention of resuming his work as contractor in connection with the Northern Pacific Railroad. Changing his plans, he entered into the lumber commission business, at this point, and three years later engaged in the manu- facture of lumber, as before stated.

Schwarz & Voigt, builders and man- ufacturers of and dealers in sash, doors, blinds, flooring, siding, plain and dressed lumber. This house was established in 1865 as C. Schwarz & Co. The follow- ing year Mr. Voigt became a member of the firm, and on the retiring of Theodore Kenmitz in 1877 the firm name became, as now, Schwarz & Voigt. The first year's business was conducted in a build- MOSSENG CO VY ing just south of their present location- an old saw-mill in which a planing ma- chine was set up. In 1866 the present site was selected and purchased. The premises front on Fox River 178 feet, and run west to Pearl street, comprising in all about two acres. Here they erected their original building- a planing mill, 36x50. Additions and enlarge- ments have been made from time to time as increased busi-

ness demanded, and their buildings now are a planing mill and manufactory, 70x70, two stories and a half high ; a brick office, 20x26; brick boiler and engine house, 14x20; a barn, 18x38 ; a two-story warehouse, 22×46, for the stor- age of sash, doors and blinds, and sheds aggregating 172X 22 feet. Their engine affords ample power for this machin- ery, which is of the latest and most improved patterns, and the business gives regular employment to a force of from twenty to forty hands, according to season and business. Their premises are well docked along the entire river front, with eleven feet of navigable water at all seasons. During the fifteen years that this firm have been doing business, they have built no inconsiderable part of the best structures in this city and Green Bay, among which may be mentioned the Fort Howard High School, the court-house and the Pres- byterian Church, just completed at Green Bay. Christian Schwarz is a native of Germany, from which country he came to America in 1852, and the following year to Fort Howard where he learned his trade and established his busi- ness. John M. Voigt is also a Germrn by birth. He came to America in the same ship with his partner, settled in Buffalo, learned his trade there, and came to Fort Howard in 1866. The same year he entered the firm of which he is now junior partner.

S. Anderson, ship builder. This ship yard is located on Fox River, just south of the middle bridge, and covers a tract of two acres available for ship-yard purposes. The principal work the past season was the building of a light- draft steam-barge, for river, bay and lake trade, adapted for grain carriage as well as iron ore and common freight. The force employed during the season of 1880 was about forty hands. Mr. Anderson is a native of Norway, in which country he learned his trade, came direct to Wisconsin in 1854, since which time he has maintained a residence in the State. Three years later he settled in Fort Howard, where he has been engaged in ship building almost ever since. For many years his yards were located in the south ward where Eldred's planing mill now stands, the removal to his present location being made in 1879.

HOWARD BOILER WORKS.

OFFICE

HOWARD BOILER WORKS, D. M. BURNS, PROPRIETOR.

D. M. Burns, boiler manufacturer. This business was established by the present proprietor in 1864. His manu- factory lies between Pearl and Water streets, just south of Walnut street bridge, and consists of two boiler houses- one for the manufacture of boiler iron, the other for sheet

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HISTORY OF NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

iron-the whole giving employment to a force of about nineteen hands. In 1874 Mr. Burns took charge of the Monitor Iron Works, lying a few lots south of his boiler works, and conducted them for the joint stock company to which they belonged and of which he was for some time secretary and treasurer, until 1876, when the company ceased operations. He then leased the property and carried on business one year, when business depressions compelled him to close operations, and he devoted his attention exclu- sively to his boiler manufactory which he had continued as a separate personal industry. Mr. Burns is a native of Scotland, learned his trade in Dundee where he was brought up, came to America in 1853, and to this city ten years later. He is a practical mechanic of good inventive powers, and is now manufacturing an improved saw sharpener for mill saws of his own invention, of which 100 are now in use. He has also the exclusive right of manufacture for this State of Taylor's shingle packer, which is being generally adopted in all the mills of the north country. As a citizen Mr. Burns has been prominently identified with the munic- ipal offices of this city. He has served several terms in the City Council, is President of the City School Board, was Mayor of the city in 1874, and a member of the State Assembly-session of 1877.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

FRANK AUSTIN, farmer and stock dealer, Ft. Howard, was born, reared and educated in Voluntown, Conn. In 1856 he went to Cleve- land, from whence he went to Lake Superior and engaged in sailing and trading on the lakes, which he carried on four years, during which he began meat packing, and general dealing in meats, fruits, etc., etc. After a ten years' service in the business there, he went to Ishpeming, where he carried on the business more extensively, and also engaged in stock dealing generally. In 18So, he removed to the present place, where besides his stock operations, he carries on an exten- sive farm. In 1862, he was married to Miss M. J. Spafford of Detroit, whose people came from England and settled there. They have four daughters living, and one son buried in Lockland Cemetery, Onton- agon Co., Mich.

C. J. BLACK, meat market, corner Third avenue and Clark street, Ft. Howard, also dealer in meat cattle. Born in Denmark 1852, came to this country 1873, to Waupaca County ; remained there about eight months ; traveled for a year ; was stationed at Amherst Junction, G. B. & M. R. R., for three years ; afterwards came to Ft. Howard, where he followed his present business. He was married to Miss Sine Madson, 1879. She was born in Denmark, May 22, 1861. They have one child, Oscar J., born Dec. 13, 1880.

ROBERT J. BLACK, meat market and stock dealer, is a native of Denmark, and came to this country 1865 ; started in business for him- self 1870. He married Miss Wilson, a native of Denmark. They have four children. Mr. Black's stock-dealing extends all over this State and into Illinois. He carried on a business in Quinnesec, Lake Superior, for the last three years, which he owns at present, but does not conduct it. He keeps a large grazing farm which he keeps well stocked for the market.

EDMUND P. BOLAND, Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts, was elected to this office, Jan. 1, 1877, and has since held it by succes- sive re-elections. He is a native of New York ; came with his parents to Ft. Howard in 1856; received his education in this city, and at St. Francis College, Milwaukee, and has read law one year ; was mem- ber of the County Board for the First Ward of Ft. Howard, in 1876, and the same Fall, was elected Clerk of the Court. For the past seven years he has been treasurer of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of the State of Wisconsin.

THOMAS M. CAMM, groceries, boots and shoes, crockery, etc. ; corner Broadway and Main. This business house, the property of Mr. Camm, was built in 1860; fronts twenty-four on Main, and sixty feet on Broadway ; two stories in height ; both occupied by the stock of the house whose business gives employment to a force of three persons. Mr. Camm was born in Ft. Howard in 1829, his father being at that time in the United States Military service at this point, and received his education here. In 1857, he bought an interest in the general merchandising house of W. J. Fisk, which then became Fisk & Co. Two years later he purchased Mr. Fisk's interest in the business, and since then he has been in trade on his own account. He was Town Clerk of the town of Ft. lloward, before the borough charter was granted ; was the first Superintendent of City Schools, and Notary Public, and has been at various times, a member of the City Council.

EPHRAIM CROCKER, livery stables, Broadway, Ft. Howard. Mr. Crocker is a thoroughly representative pioneer man and citizen, and one devoted to the advancement of the developing interests of the State. He was born in Massachusetts, July 16, 1819; in 1850, he came here and has been connected socially and politically with its interest since. In 1848, he was married to Miss Hannah S. Hewitt, in Kingsville, Ohio. They have one son and one daughter. His stables were established in 1854, and are the oldest in this part of the State. They are well kept, well conducted and are in point of convenience and capacity, sufficiently ample for the very extensive trade in this part of the State.

SILAS L. DOYNE, dealer in drugs and medicines, corner Main street and Broadway. This business was established in 1868, by Harris & Chappell, became Harris alone in 1870, and Harris & Co. by admis- sion of Mr. Doyne in 1871, and so continued until the fire of 1872, since which time Mr. Doyne has conducted the business alone. It is the oldest drug house in the city, does a prescription business largely and gives employment to two persons. Mr. Doyne is a native of Belgium ; came to Green Bay with his parents in 1854. Pursued his studies in English at Robinsonville, in the school there established under the care of the Winnebago Presbytery, and in the high school at Green Bay. Leaving school he entered the drug house of W. King, Green Bay, and has been in that business as clerk and proprietor ever since. Heis a member of the A. O. U. W. beneficiary society of this city.

W. D. FISK & CO., contractors for railway supplies. This busi- ness which was established in 1862, by W. J. Fisk, and became W. D: Fisk & Co. in 1877; consists in the supply of wood, ties, telegraph pole, etc. to railway companies. Their operations extend along the line of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway for 200 miles principally north of Ft. Howard at which point their central office is located. Their sup- plies are mainly purchased from sub-contractors and settlers, the residue being supplied by their own camps. Their operations give employment to a force of from 250 to 300 teams, and from 600 to 800 laborers.

W. J. Fisk is a native of Ohio. He came to Ft. Howard in 1836, the year after his father, Joel S. Fisk, settled there, and was engaged in general merchandise and lumbering from 1853 to 1862, at which time he commenced operations as contractor for railway supplies. He is the present supply agent for the Chicago & Northwestern Railway for 650 miles of track, and during the season of 1880-I furnished 1,000,000 ties for that corporation, besides other material in vast quantities. He represented this county in the Assembly of 1875, '76 and 77 ; and is vice-president of Kelley's National Bank of Green Bay, and in which he is a private stockholder.

W. D. Fisk was born in Ft. Howard ; received his education at Lawrence University, Appleton, and before entering the firm of which he is now a member was bookkeeper for the National Iron Company at Depere. He is a member of the present Board of Supervisors for Brown County, and represents the Third Ward of Ft. Howard in that city.

A. L. GRAY, general dry goods, boots and shoes, Main street, one. door from Broadway. This business house is located in the west store room of Gray's Block, a two story brick, fronting seventy-three feet on Broadway and running eighty feet to the rear, built in 1871. The busi- ness was established as geneneral merchandise in 1861, has undergone some changes, and is now, dry goods, boots and shoes, and sewing ma- chines, the sewing machine department occupying the east room of the block. In addition to his regular business Mr. Gray deals quite ex- tensively on the street and in real estate transactions. Mr. Gray is a native of Canada, his father being one of original charterers of city of London in the Province of Ontario, and one of the oldest Masons in that section- of the Dominion. He came to Green Bay in 1859, and commenced business in 1861, at which time his capital was only $80. He is the present Mayor of Ft. Howard, represented Brown County in the As- sembly of 1879. has held various city offices and is captain of the Bay City Light Guards, a military organization of some celebrity.

HALL & BURNS, dealers in general hardware, stoves, farmer's tools, paints and oils, and jobbers in tin and sheet iron, one door north of post-office. This business was established in 1869, by James Osborne, and the following year purchased by W. A. Hall, the senior member of. the present firm, who in 1872, formed a partnership with Thos. H. Burns. They occupy a two-story building, 22x80, the upper story used as a tin-shop and store-room, and a warehouse in the rear, 22x36 feet, the operations of the firm giving constant employment to an average force of five hands.

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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