USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine > Racine, belle city of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. II > Part 26
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Politically Mr. Hansen maintains an independent course, voting for men and measures rather than party. He belongs to the Lutheran church, in the faith of which he was reared. He has never regretted the fact that in carly manhood he left his native land, seeking his fortune in America, for here he has found the opportunities which he sought and in their utilization has worked his way steadily upward, becoming one of the substantial and prosperous citizens of his adopted county.
WILLIAM HUNTER.
William Hunter, who was engaged in farming near Franksville and is now living retired, was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, September 15, 1829, a son of James and Jane (Hasty ) Hunter, who were also natives of the land of hills and heather. At an early day in the development of Racine county they estab- lished their home in Yorkville township, becoming pioneer settlers of that region. William Hunter is the only survivor of their family of eight children. The father had forty acres of land, which he carefully and successfully culti- vated. His religious faith was that of the Presbyterian church and his po- litical belief was in accord with the principles of the republican party.
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In early life William Hunter began work on the railroads and when but eighteen years of age had risen to the position of foreman in connection with the Glasgow & Southwestern Railroad in Scotland. He proved his ability and fidelity. which qualities won him advancement from time to time, and on one vecasion he came within a single vote of being chosen assistant superintendent of the road. He was but twenty-four years of age when he bade adieu to friends and native land and sailed for the new world, becoming a resident of Racine county. He began work as a farm hand in this county and in 1862 removed to Raymond township. He made arrangements to purchase a farm, although he had no capital at the time. He borrowed five hundred dollars from a man whom he did not know, but his honesty impressed itself upon all with whom he came in contact and it became a recognized fact throughout the locality that his word was as good as any bond ever solemnized by signature or seal. He started with absolutely nothing but in the course of time became the owner of one hundred and sixty acres, which he divided with his brother. and he still retains possession of the eighty-acre traet, which is rich and val- uable and returns to him a most gratifying annual income. When the farm came into his possession, however, the land was in poor condition and scarcely anything could be raised upon it, but he systematically began its cultivation and development and today his fields produce one hundred and fifty bushels of corn to the acre. Not only was Mr. Hunter successful in the production of crops but also won substantial profit in the raising of full blooded Durham cattle and his stock has won many ribbons at the fairs. He is an expert judge of stock and has been often called upon to act in that capacity. For a long period he carried on general agricultural pursuits but is now living retired. for he has reached the age of eighty-seven years. His rest is, certainly de- served, as it is the fitting crown of a well spent life.
In 1850 Mr. Hunter was united in marriage to Miss Andica Boyd, who was born in Scotland and died in 1908. They were the parents of eight children but only three are now living: James and William Wallace, both upon the home farm ; and Mary, the wife of Adam Hay, a drayman of Racine.
In his political views Mr. Hunter has always been an earnest republican and has filled the offices of supervisor. and constable and township treasurer. It was due to his efforts that the road was opened between Raymond and Franksville. His life has ever been actuated by high and honorable principles, for he has long been a consistent member of the Congregational church, in which he served as deacon for thirty years. He has come to the evening of life respected and honored by all who know him, and he can look back over the past without regret and forward to the future without fear.
WILLIAM WALLACE HUNTER.
William Wallace Hunter has been a lifelong resident of Raymond township. He was born on the old family homestead October 4. 1862, his parents being William and Andica (Boyd) Hunter, who are mentioned above. He is in- debted to the district school system for educational privileges which were
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accorded him and he began life on a farm, choosing to follow the occupation to which he had been reared. He has since carried on general farming and dairying and he keeps on hand a good grade of Holstein cattle. He is now operating eighty aeres and the tract is in a high state of cultivation, for he employs modern farming methods in the work of plowing, planting and har- vesting.
In 1895 Mr. Hunter was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Anderson, a daughter of Nels Anderson, who was one of the early settlers from Norway. Mr. Hunter belongs to the Ancient Order of United Foresters. In politics he is a republican and has filled the office of town treasurer, but he cares little to hold offiec, feeling that his time and energies are fully elaimed by his business duties and interests. The name of Hunter has long been associated with the agricultural development of Racine county and the work instituted by the father is being carried on by the son with continued success.
N. C. PEDERSEN.
N. C. Pedersen, engaged in the real estate business in Racine, was born in Denmark, February 22, 1851, a son of Peter Nelson and Christine (Christen- sen) Pedersen, who spent their entire lives in Denmark. Their son, N. C. Pedersen, was reared and educated in that country and forty-four years ago came to the United States, being at the time a young man of about twenty- one years. He was lured by the hope of finding better business opportunities in the new world, nor did he find that the hope was a fallacy, for he here met conditions that enabled him to work his way upward and obtain good re- wards for his labor. He located in Raeine and secured employment on a rail- road. Afterward he worked in the lumber woods of Michigan for a time but at the end of a year returned to Racine and was employed as a farm hand. Ilis next position was that of night watchman for the J. I. Case Company, where he continued for six years, and for nineteen years he was a member of the police force of Raeine. Desiring, however, to engage in business on his own account, he purchased a restaurant on Junction avenue and remained there for seven years, enjoying a good patronage throughout the entire period. It is now about four years since he turned his attention to the real estate field. handling both land and town property. He engages quite largely in specula- tion and his sound judgment enables him to make judicious investments which vield him a substantial profit. He has built a fine residence on Washington avenue and also owns other houses in Racine which he rents.
In August. 1880, Mr. Pedersen was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Vin- eent, who was born in Kenosha, and they have four children: George L., of Racine : Hayes ; Florence L., the wife of Carl W. Carlson, of Racine ; and Irene, at home.
While Mr. Pedersen usually votes with the democratie party he does not consider himself bound by party ties and casts an independent ballot if his judgment so dictates. His sons are members of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Pedersen belongs to the Lutheran church and has guided his life by its teach-
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ings. He does not look back with regret upon his determination to come to the new world; on the contrary he has always been glad that he determined upon that course, for here he found the opportunities which he sought and in their utilization has made steady progress along business lines, gaining a ered- itable position among the substantial citizens of Raeine.
ARTHUR EHRLICH.
Arthur Ehrlich, whose prominence in real estate eireles is indicated by the fact that he is now serving for the second term as president of the Racine real estate board, came to this city in 1895 and a decade later turned his attention to the real estate business, in which connection he has contributed much to the substantial expansion, improvement and upbuilding of the city. He was born in the province of Pomerania, Prussia, July 24. 1867, and attended a military school of that country. He was a youth of nineteen years when he crossed the Atlantic to America in 1886. after which he spent a few years in Rhode Island. There he engaged in the life insurance business and in 1895 he came to Raeine as local representative of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, continuing in that field for fifteen years, during which period he wrote a large amount of insurance, establishing a business which proved both profitable to the company and to himself. In 1906 he entered the field of real estate and in the intervening period has been most active along that line. He has opened up various additions to the city, has built up the entire west side of Raeine, and has also operated extensively on the north and south sides. He has laid out over five hundred acres on the west side and has sold more lots than all other real estate dealers in that distriet combined. He is regarded as a most accurate valuator of property, and there is no real estate on the market with which he is not familiar. He displays notable preseienee in making invest- ment and his keen sagacity and enterprise are bringing to him most gratifying and substantial success. His activities have largely set the standard for work in the real estate field of Raeine. and that he occupies a prominent position among his colleagues and contemporaries in this line is indicated by the fact that he has been honored for the second term with election to the presidency of the city real estate board. He is also vice president of the Wisconsin Asso- ciation of Real Estate Brokers and is a member of the National Real Estate Association.
On the 2d of June, 1911, Mr. Ehrlich was married to Mrs. Nellie (Wag- ner) Shaughnessy of Raeine, who was born, however, in Detroit. By her first marriage she had two children, William and Kamma, both high school stu- dents. To Mr. and Mrs. Ehrlich have been born two children, Arthur and Kingston Wareb. The middle name of the second child was formed by taking the initials of the Wisconsin Association Real Estate Brokers, for he was born on the evening of its state convention, held at Raeine, and the members of the association set aside a sum of money to be given him on his twenty-first birth- day. The little fellow is now two years of age. The family attend the Meth- odist Episcopal and the Christian Science churches. Mr. Ehrlich gives his
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political allegiance to the republican party and is thoroughly conversant with the questions and issues of the day but does not seek nor desire publie office. In the past few years he has been called upon to lead practically all of the parades held in Raeine. He is splendidly qualified therefor, owing to the extensive military training which he received in Germany and his training as a member of the National Guard of Rhode Island, to which he belonged. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum. He has been a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity for the past seventeen years and is a staff officer of the Uniform Rank. His is a soldierly bearing and he seems born to command, having the ability to secure notable co-ordinated effort from those under his direction. He also marshals his forces in business life with a military pre- cision that results in success, making each effort count for the utmost in the attainment of the result desired.
HENRY W. SHERIFF.
Henry W. Sheriff, a farmer residing near Franksville, was born in Cale- donia township, December 27, 1860. a son of Edward and Elizabeth (Thomp- son) Sheriff. The father, who was born in Yorkshire. England, in 1835, reached the age of seventy-four years, passing away in 1909, while his wife. who was born in Toronto, Canada, in May, 1840, died August 22, 1915. They were married in lowa and in 1859 became residents of Caledonia township, Racine county, where the father first engaged in business as a teamster. In 1862, however, he invested the money which he had saved from his earnings in a farm of sixty acres and later he purchased more land. To him and his wife were born ten children. of whom seven are living, the eldest being Henry W., of this review. The others are: Addie, the wife of Harry Grigg, a resi- dent farmer of Caledonia township; George, who is inspector of the J. I. Case engines : Lizzie, the wife of H. A. Hilker, agent for the Red Seal Oil Company at Racine ; Sarah, living in Racine; Clara, the widow of W. Tuffnel and a resi- dent of Racine ; and Irvin, who is bookkeeper with the IIilker Shoe Company of Racine.
The usual experiences of the farm bred boy fell to the lot of Henry W. Sheriff, who early became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. Through the summer seasons he worked in the fields and in the winter months pursued his education in the public schools.
On the 6th of January, 1886, Mr. Sheriff married Miss Rachel Woolnough, a daughter of Captain Woolnough, who sailed on the lakes for many years. To this union was born a son, Edward, who died in June, 1887. The demise of the wife and mother occurred in May, 1887. In November, 1888, Mr. Sheriff wedded Miss Alice Gibbs. a daughter of Robert T. and Charlotte (Wiltsey) Gibbs. The father was born in South Lansing, Tompkins county, New York, June 13, 1836, and was a son of Phleming and Sallie (Nettles) Gibbs. The ancestry of the family has been traced back to Mayflower days and in their veins is the mingled strain of English, German and Irish blood. The great grandfather, James Gibbs, was for seven years a soldier in the Revolutionary
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war, participating in many hotly contested engagements and on one occasion doing notably good service in exterminating a band of tories and Indians. In the year 1846 the paternal grandparents of Mrs. Sheriff came to Racine county, where Phleming Gibbs purchased eighty acres of land in Caledonia township. thereon spending his remaining days. Their son, Robert T. Gibbs, was a lad of ten years when he accompanied his parents to the west and al- though his school privileges were limited he became a well informed man of marked intellectual foree. He was also self-made financially and through per- sistent effort and capable management became one of the successful men of his township. It was in Caledonia township that he wedded Charlotte Wilt- sey, who was born December 29, 1844, a daughter of David and Harriet (Downes) Wiltsey, both of whom were natives of New York, whenee they re- moved to this county in 1842, taking up their abode upon a farm in Caledonia township. where they continued to reside until called to their final rest. Mr. and Mrs. Wiltsey had six children, only one of whom is now living, West Wiltsey, who followed the lakes for ten years and then settled in Michigan. where he farmed until 1910, when he came to make his home with Mr. and Mrs. Sheriff. Following the marriage of Robert T. Gibbs and Charlotte Wiltsey they began their domestic life upon a farm in Caledonia township and as the years passed met with a substantial measure of success. The father died No- vember 14, 1902, having for more than a decade survived his wife, who passed away December 27, 1890. In their family were but two children : Mrs. Sheriff. and Wiltsey, who died December 9, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Sheriff have become the parents of two children : Evelyn, the wife of Robert Merry, living in Mil- waukee, where he is engaged in steam fitting ; and Arthur, at home.
The family residence stands on a nice farm of one hundred and twenty aeres and Mr. Sheriff there carries on general agricultural pursuits, bringing his fields to a high state of cultivation and as a result annually gathering good harvests. His political allegiance is given to the republican party, but he does not seek nor desire public office. His entire life has been passed in this county and that his career has been upright and commendable is indicated in the faet that many of his stanchest friends are those who have known him from his boyhood.
THEODORE R. OLSON.
Theodore R. Olson, characterized by a spirit of marked enterprise and pro- gressiveness, is proprietor of a five and ten cent store, located at No. 1354 Washington avenue in Racine. His colleagues and contemporaries recognize him as a most wide-awake and progressive business man whose activities are typical of the spirit of the times, and thus it was that he was chosen president of the Junction Business Men's Association, of which he was one of the organ- izers. He was born in North Cape, Wisconsin, October 18, 1878, a son of Soren and Sina Olson, both of whom are natives of Aalborg, Denmark, but were mar- ried in this country. In early life the father came to the United States and set- tled at North Cape. While residing on a farm he also carried on blacksmithing.
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During the infaney of his son, Theodore, he removed to Racine, where he estab- lished a smithy which he conducted for many years but retired from active business about five years ago and is now at the age of seventy-eight years enjoying well earned rest which is the merited reward of his former industry and activity. Although now well advanced in years, he is still hale and hearty. His wife is living at the age of sixty-eight years. In their family were eight children : John, deceased; Mary, the wife of Frank Kammerer, of Racine: Martin, a machinist of Everett, Washington; Julius A., a practicing dentist of Racine; Emma. the wife of W. H. Richardson, of this city; Theodore R. : Edith, the wife of W. H. Christensen, of Racine; and Arthur, who has passed away.
After mastering elementary branches of learning Theodore R. Olson at- tended high school in Racine and subsequently pursued a pharmaceutical course. Following his graduation he entered into active connection with the drug business in 1895 and for eleven years was an employe of the Robinson Drug Company, remaining with the house during several changes in its own- ership and acting as manager of the store. He also spent six years upon the road as traveling salesman for the S. C. Johnson Company and five years ago, or in 1911, embarked in his present line of business, establishing a five and ten cent store at No. 1354 Washington avenue in Racine. In the establishment he has been accorded a very liberal patronage and his trade has reached sub- stantial and gratifying proportions.
In 1908 Mr. Olson was married to Miss Millie Kempf, of Racine, the wed- ding ceremony being performed in Buffalo, New York. Mrs. Olson is a daugh- ter of George Kempf, of Racine. In politics Mr. Olson is a stalwart advocate of the republican party and is now serving for the second year as alderman of Racine from the eleventh ward. He is a prominent member of the Masonie fraternity, belonging to Belle City Lodge, No. 92, A. F. & A. M .; Orient Chap- ter. No. 12, R. A. M .; Racine Commandery, No. 7, K. T .; the Wisconsin Con- sistory, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite : and Tripoli Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is also a member of the Elks lodge of Racine and is the first sergeant of the Elks Marching Club. He attends local churches and gives his aid and influence to further all the projects and practical movements for the benefit of the city along material, social, political and moral lines. He is a very energetic and enterprising man, always alert and readily recognizing opportunities for the city's benefit. No one ques- tions the sincerity of his public-spirited efforts and his friends cite many evi- dences of his devotion to the general good.
EDWARD ZAHN.
Edward Zahn, organizer and proprietor of the Zahn Dry Goods Company, has continuously been at the head of this business which is now one of the important commercial enterprises of the city. It was organized in 1898 and through the intervening period of eighteen years has been developed in ac- cordance with modern commercial methods.
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Edward Zahn was born in Walworth county. this state, on the 3d of April, 1865, and is a son of Edward and Eliza Zahn. The father, a native of Ger- many, was born in 1823, and came to America in the year 1841, settling in Cin- cinnati, where he lived until 1843. The succeeding two years were passed in Racine and in 1845 he removed to Vienna. Wisconsin, where he established one of the first flour mills of the place. There he continued his residence until his death, which occurred in 1895. while his wife survived him until 1913.
Edward Zahn obtained a high school education in Raeine and when his textbooks were put aside began clerking in a dry goods store so that he made his initial effort in business along the line in which he is now engaged. In 1898 he organized the Zahn Dry Goods Company, establishing his store at No. 428 Main street, where he occupied two floors of a building twenty-five by one hundred and ten feet. carrying there a large line of general dry goods, carpets, rugs and draperies, together with ready to wear clothing. He is now located at 436-438 Main street in a new modern store thoroughly equipped. He has added a millinery department and his business occupies three floors. Each department is well equipped. He has an attractive line of goods and the business methods of the house as manifested in the courtesy of employes and in the honor that is evidenced in all trade relations have been factors in bringing about his continuous prosperity.
On the 21st of April, 1895, Mr. Zahn was united in marriage to Miss Hattie E. Eason. a daughter of Captain James Eason, one of the early settlers of Ra- eine and today the oldest living pioneer of the city. He served in command of a number of lake vessels and as such made the fastest time between Chi- cago and Buffalo. He was well known along the lake route and enjoyed the high regard and confidence of all with whom he came in contact. To Mr. and Mrs. Zahn were born two sons-Edward James and Russell Victor, aged re- speetively twenty and fifteen years.
The family attend the Baptist church and Mr. Zahn gives his political sup- port to the republican party. He belongs to the Commercial Club and puts forth every effort in his power to further the development and promote the progress of the city along commercial lines and to extend its trade relations in other connections. He is interested as well in those concerns which are a matter of civic virtue and eivie pride and he neglects no obligation of citizen- ship while at the same time he most carefully and wisely conducts his private business affairs.
SAMUEL E. HOLLICK.
Samuel E. Hollick, who on the first of January. 1915, assumed the duties of the office of sheriff, to which he had been elected in the fall of the previous year, was born near Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on the 10th of September, 1875, a son of Leonard and Barbara (Fogel) Holliek, who in the year 1881 removed to Ohio and after a residence of ten years in that state went to Mich- igan. The mother has passed away but the father still survives.
Samuel E. Hollick was a little lad of but six years when the family home
SAMUEL E. HOLLICK
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was established in the Buckeye state and a youth of sixteen when they removed to Michigan. In the interim he had attended the public schools of Ohio and through the periods of vacation his early life was devoted to farm work, but thinking to find other pursuits more congenial than the work of the fields, he left home on attaining his majority and in 1896 came to Racine. For a few years he engaged in teaming in this city and then took up street car work, serving as motorman and conductor for thirteen years. He was also employed in various factories and in 1913 he became a candidate for the office of sheriff but was defeated by eighty votes. The following year he was elected to the office as a candidate on the republican ticket and is now the incumbent in that position, making a creditable record by the prompt and faithful manner in which he discharges his duties, neither fear nor favor swerving him from the course which he believes to be right.
On the 17th day of May, 1905, Mr. Holliek was married to Miss Adeline Becker, of Racine. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has many warm friends in those organizations, men who esteem him for his sterling worth and recognize in him a genial gentleman who possesses the business ability and other qualifications necessary for the discharge of the duties of the position which he is now filling.
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