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 52
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His son Benjamin was reared amid the scenes and the conditions of pioneer life and in the common schools of Raymond township acquired his education. He early assisted his father in the work of the fields and became acquainted with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the erops. When twenty-five years of age he left home and went to lowa, but after a year in that state returned to Racine county, where he has since been engaged in farming, making his home in Raymond township, where he owns and culti- vates one hundred and fifty-six acres of good land, annually gathering sub- stantial harvests, which bring to him a gratifying yearly income. In 1872 he was united in marriage to Miss Esther Law, a daughter of George and Rebecca Law, who were natives of England. Three children were born of this mar- riage : Robert Benjamin : Mary Rebecca, deceased ; and Derrick Wendell.
The parents are adherents of the Congregational church and in his political views Benjamin West is a stalwart republican, having supported the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He has been town clerk of Raymond township for sixteen years, his long connection with the office plainly indieating his capability and the confidence reposed in him by his fel-
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low townsmen. He has also served as clerk of the school board and he is actively and helpfully interested in all plans and projects for promoting the public welfare. For more than two-thirds of a century he has been in this county and is one of its honored and respected citizens, having led a life which commands for him the good will and high regard of all with whom he has come in contact.
Robert B. West obtained a common school education and assisted in the work of the old homestead farm until 1905, when he started out independently, purchasing seventy-one acres of land in Mount Pleasant township, where he has since made his home, his time and energies being devoted to the further development and improvement of this tract, which is today one of the excel- lent farm properties of the district.
On the 13th of March, 1905, Mr. West was married to Miss Emily Matilda Halter, a daughter of Henry Halter, and they have become the parents of three children, Esther May, Jeanette Marion and Eunice Henrietta.
Mr. West belongs to the United Order of Foresters at Raymond and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party. For one year he filled the office of assessor but has never been ambitions to hold political positions. He is deeply interested in the work of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he holds membership, and has served as superintendent of the Sunday school in the Raymond Congregational church in Raymond township. For three generations the West family has been actively associated with the agri- cultural development of Racine county and throughout the entire period the family name has been an honored one in this part of the state. The work instituted by the grandfather has been carried on by the father and son and they have not only contributed to the material development but have also been active in upholding the legal and moral status of the community.
THE NORTHROP FAMILY.
The Northrop family trace their ancestry from the Northrops and Booths of Yorkshire and Kent counties, England, who emigrated to America in 1637, settling in Fairfield county, Connecticut, where many descendants still abide. Doctor Booth Northrop married Miss Huldah Shepard, October 15, 1812, at Newtown, Connecticut, and began the practice of medicine at Galway, Sara- toga county, New York. To them were born three daughters and three sons. Two sons, the subjects of this sketch, located in Raeine-George Chester Northrop and Byron Booth Northrop. The older brother, Rev. Henry Horatio Northrop, was a Presbyterian clergyman, serving important parishes in the state of Michigan. He was regent of the State University. He died at Flint, Michigan, February 26, 1905, in his ninety-first year.
George Chester Northrop, a lawyer by profession, came to this county in 1849, stopping for a time at Rochester and then moving to Racine. He be- came a member of the Racine county bar. In 1854, joining with Horatio B. Munroe, Reuben M. Norton and Henry S. Durand, he organized the Racine
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County Bank, and was cashier and manager for several years. He was twice honored by his fellow citizens with the office of mayor, being elected by large majorities in 1861 and 1863. In the fall of 1864, he was elected to the state legislature, and lacked only a few votes of being chosen speaker of the as- sembly. For one year he served the city as superintendent of the public sehools, when his health began to fail and his earthly life closed July 15, 1874, leaving an only daughter, Sarah, now the wife of Will R. Banks of Lamar, Missouri. Their children are Northrop Banks and Mary Booth Banks.
Byron Booth Northrop was born October 2, 1830, at Galway. Saratoga county, New York. He was educated at Yates Academy in Orleans county, New York, and Westcott Academy at Homer, Michigan. In 1847, he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, taking the classical course, and graduated with the elass of 1855. The degree of A. M. was conferred upon him in 1877. For several years he was in the employ of A. S. Barnes & Com- pany, publishers, New York city, as general agent for Michigan and Wiseon- sin, introducing their school books to the public and private schools of those states. In 1858, he established the first bank in Wevanwega, Waupaca county, Wiseonsin, being a bank of issue called the Bank of Weyauwega. Disposing of this business, he came to Raeine in 1859 and, associated with his brother. George, established the bank of B. B. Northrop & Company. This bank con- tinned in successful business for twelve years, when with the Bank of Racine, Henry J. Ullman, president, it was merged into the Manufacturers National Bank of Racine in March, 1871. Mr. Ullman was elected vice president and B. B. Northrop, cashier of the Manufacturers National Bank of Raeine March, 1871. Mr. Northrop was annually re-elected for thirty-seven years, when, his hearing becoming sadly impaired, he retired January. 1908.
It will hardly do to omit mention of the most important event in everyone's life. On January 20, 1863, Byron Booth Northrop and Miss Alice Theresa Porter, the youngest daughter of the late Allen Porter, formerly of Hartford. Connectieut, were united in marriage in the First Presbyterian church of Racine by the pastor, Rev. Charles J. Hutchins. (Andrew Parsons and Miss Martha Giles were married at the same time, thus making this a double wed- ding.) This union was blest with two sons and one daughter. The sons, Allen Booth and George Porter are conducting the W. A. Porter Furniture Com- pany, which was established by their unele William Allen Porter. The dangh- ter, May, was married May 21, 1891, to Philip Mayer Wackerhagen by Rev. Henry H. Northrop, of Flint, Michigan. To them were born a daughter, Alice, and a son, Edward, both named after grandparents. Alice is a graduate of Vassar College and Edward is in his second year in the Racine high school. The father, Philip M. Wackerhagen, associated with the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company, passed away December 10, 1915, from Myocarditis. The family continue to reside at 1211 Main street, which is the site of the Porter homestead, where the grandmother played when a child six years old. The native burr oaks are still casting their benign shadows over the place as in the earliest days when Racine was a wilderness.
This narrative would be incomplete without mention that B. B. Northrop was in 1877 a delegate to the Republican state convention at Madison. and
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was placed upon the important committee on resolutions. In 1878 he was elected a school commissioner from the second ward, and was by the board of education chosen as its president. In 1885 he was elected an alderman from the second ward and appointed by the mayor, Hon. Joseph Miller, chairman of the finance committee of the city council. He also served during his term of two years on three most important special committees of the council, viz : revision of the city charter, lake shore protection and city water works. In 1887, he was nominated school commissioner from the second ward by Hon. D. A. Olin, mayor, confirmed by the council, and by the board of education elected president. He was reappointed and re-elected, holding the office of president for four years. During these years, Hon. Horatio G. Winslow, a man of learning and distinguished ability, was superintendent of the public schools, and the cause of popular education was decidedly advanced.
In conclusion it can be safely said, that in every effort made to promote the welfare of the city, Mr. Northrop has loyally endeavored to lend a helping hand. In church work, in Young Men's Christian Association work, in char- itable endeavor, and all kindred efforts he has sought to do his duty. And now, after an active and strenuous life, as an octogenarian he is enjoying a quiet and hopeful life in his commodious home at 845 Main street.
(A more minute sketch of these brothers can be found in the histories of Racine and Kenosha counties, published in 1892 and 1906, which it seemed unnecessary to repeat in this volume.)
ALONZO SILAS TITUS.
Alonzo Silas Titus, conducting business under the name of the Waterford Milling Company, was born at Richland Center, Wisconsin, February 14, 1858, a son of Starr and Elsa (Hickox) Titus. The father was born at Buffalo, New York, where he was reared to manhood, and thence removed to Illinois. He was a millwright by trade, but afterward took up the occupation of farm- ing, which he followed for a number of years in McHenry county, Illinois. There most of his children were born. At length, because of failing health, he removed to the pine woods of Wisconsin and in 1859 he passed away. He was a wide-awake, enterprising business man and prospered in his undertak- ings. He was also active in matters of reform and stood for public improve- ment along all lines, doing much effective work for the benefit of his com- munity. He was held in high esteem by those who knew him best. for his life record was such as would bear the closest investigation and scrutiny. In politics he was a stanch republican. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Starr Titus were twelve children, of whom three are yet living. Three of his sons were soldiers of the Civil war and two died while defending the Union cause, while the third, Ira, passed away in 1916. Those who still survive are: Frank, a fruit grower in California ; Nellie, the wife of Joseph MeGandy, of Tacoma ; and Alonzo Silas.
The last named was reared by his uncle, Mark Hickox, for he was but a year old when his father died. He attended the district schools to the age
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of fourteen years and then started out to earn his own living as an apprentice to the milling trade, at which he worked for others for some time, and in 1895 he embarked in the milling business on his own account at Waterford. Hle had to incur an indebtedness to secure the mill property, but he possessed energy and determination and believed those qualities would prove a substan- tial foundation on which to build success, nor has he been disappointed. for as the years have gone on he has made the business a profitable one. The product of his plant ineludes seventy-five barrels of flour per day and the plant also has a capacity of twenty tons of ground feed. The excellence of the flour which he manufactures seenres for him a liberal patronage and the business now returns to him a good income.
On the 11th of October, 1893, Mr. Titus was married to Miss Kate Kon- nedy, a resident of Clinton, Wisconsin, and a high school graduate. She also pursued a course in stenography and was employed as a stenographer for a few years. By her marriage she has become the mother of five children: Leonard K., who is a high school graduate and is now a student at college in Berea, near Cleveland, Ohio; Evelyn A., who is a graduate of the Waterford high school and is now assistant manager of the Craig sanitarium at Rock- ford, Illinois: Starr, who is a graduate of the Waterford high school : Leta. now a high school pupil; and Catheryn, also in school.
Mr. Titus is a member of the Congregational church and is serving as clerk of the church board. Fraternally he is connected with Temple lodge, No. 96. F. & A. M., and Burlington chapter, R. A. M,, and of the former is a past master. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Foresters. His political allegiance is given to the prohibition party and for two years he was supervisor of the village of Waterford. He is the present fire chief of the Waterford fire department and he is much interested in every- thing pertaining to the welfare and upbuilding of the district, giving active co-operation and hearty support to many plans and measures for the general good of the community.
HENRY HALTER.
The life record of Henry Halter is proof of the fact that success is not a matter of genius or of fortunate circumstances, as some contend, but is the direct result of earnest labor and perseverance, for Henry Halter is a self- made man who owes his prosperity entirely to his persistent, earnest effort. He is now successfully engaged in truck farming upon a traet of land of forty- four acres on section 31, Mount Pleasant township. He was born in Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, October 13, 1855, a son of Lewis and Mary (Concehman) Halter, who were natives of France. In the year 1842 the father came to the new world and in 1846 arrived in this state, settling in Milwaukee county. where he continued his residence for fifty-seven years, removing in 1903 to Mount Pleasant township, Racine county. He was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, however, for his death occurred in 1904, while his wife passed away in 1892.
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Henry Halter is one of their family of nine children, eight of whom are yet living. He pursued his education in the public schools of Milwaukee and Racine counties and in the city of Racine learned the tinner's trade, which he followed for three years. He afterward spent a year in California and upon his return worked upon his father's farm up to the time of his marriage, which was celebrated in 1883. He then purchased a part of his father's land in Caledonia township and continued to engage in farming there until 1903. He next bought forty-four acres of land in Mount Pleasant township, which he has since devoted to the purposes of truck farming, making a specialty of cabbage, potatoes and onions. He annually gathers good crops and his success is the result of his close application, unfaltering energy and firm purpose.
In 1883 Mr. Halter married Emma Swantz, who died leaving one daughter, Emma, the wife of Robert West, of Mount Pleasant township, by whom she has three children-Esther, Janet and Eunice. In 1891 Mr. Halter was united in marriage to Miss Fredericka Sheckler, her father being John Sheckler, an old settler of Racine county. To them have been born two children, as follows: Edna, the wife of Harvey Hansche, by whom she has one child ; and Frank, at home.
Mr. Halter belongs to the Baptist church and makes it- his daily purpose to conform his life to its teachings. In politics he is a republican and for twenty-three years he has served as a member of the school board and has also been school clerk and pathmaster. In public service he has proven loyal and progressive and at no time is he remiss in the duties of citizenship. He rejoices in what has been accomplished to promote the welfare of Racine county and is ever ready to lend his aid and co-operation to movements for the general good.
JOHN O'LAUGHLIN.
John O'Laughlin, who died July 15. 1913, was well known as the head of the John O'Laughlin Stone Company, owning quarries at Racine. Waukesha and Waterloo. Wisconsin. His business reached extensive proportions and in" its management he displayed un faltering enterprise and keen discernment. He was born at Taycheedah, Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, in 1856, a son of Andrew and Ellen (O'Gorman) O'Laughlin, who were natives of County Clare, Ireland. The paternal grandfather. Michael O'Laughlin, was a wealthy resident of Ireland and had a family of nine sons, six of whom were surveyors. One of these. Peter O'Laughlin, engaged in surveying in Fond du Lac county for many years. Another son became a civil engineer and laid out the North- western Railroad between Fond du Lac and Green Bay. A cousin of these brothers became governor general of New South Wales in the early '60s. Michael O'Laughlin married Susan Talty and they spent their entire lives in Ireland, passing away at an advanced age. John O'Gorman, the maternal grandfather of John O'Laughlin of this review, was also a native of the Emer- ald isle, where he became owner of valuable farming lands, on which he had
JOHN O'LAUGHLIN
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a number of tenants. Andrew O'Laughlin, the father of John O'Laughlin. came to the United States in 1846 and settled in Taycheedah. Wisconsin, whenee he removed to La Salle county, Illinois, in 1866. There he purchased and cultivated a large tract of land until 1881, when he retired from active business life and removed to Chicago, where he passed away in 1885. at the age of seventy-four years. His widow survived him for but eight months and was sixty-six years of age at the time of her death. Both were members of the Catholic church, and in polities Mr. O'Laughlin was a liberal democrat. They had a family of nine children.
John O'Laughlin was reared in Fond du Lac county to the age of ten years and then went with his parents to La Salle county. Illinois, where he was reared to manhood upon the home farm. He pursued his education in the dis- triet schools and in St. Francis College of Milwaukee and for a time engaged in teaching school. In 1880 he went to Chicago and became interested in the stone business. He was employed for three years at the Union Lime Works, of which he was superintendent for a time, and subsequently he filled the responsible position of general superintendent with the Keys & Thatcher Stone Company for five years. He did general contracting work in building streets and sewers and in laying water pipe through rocks, being the only one to whom a license was issued to blast rock in the streets of Chicago. He was thus engaged for seven years, at the end of which time he leased the Keys & Thatcher quarries and established the Artesian Stone & Lime Works, which he sold in 1894. He then spent about a year in Europe and upon returning to the United States, while on his way to Milwaukee, he noticed an old aban- doned lime kiln at Ives, Racine county. He left the train and soon made arrangements to buy the land, upon which he erected a large and very com- plete plant for crushing stone. It was Mr. O'Laughlin who originated the present plan of stone crushing which is now largely used throughout the United States and Europe. From the beginnnig his business grew rapidly and he employed several hundred men at this plant. He also owned the Portland granite quarries, near Waterloo, and the Waukesha quarries, where two hun- dred men are employed. In that undertaking his son, Joseph J., became inter- ested with him. The stone is all used in street paving and buildings, and the business has grown continually and rapidly. The granite quarries furnish stone for street paving and building blocks. Mr. O'Laughlin had various other business interests, constantly extending his efforts along lines which con- tributed to the material growth and prosperity of the localities in which he operated as well as to his individual success. His plans were always well formulated and carefully thought out and then were promptly executed. He possessed excellent ability as an organizer, added to initiative and industry, and he combined seemingly diverse interests into a unified and harmonious whole which produced splendid results.
In 1880 Mr. O'Laughlin was married to Miss Mary Casey, a daughter of John and Mary (Malouney) Casey. They became the parents of eight children. namely : Joseph, Mae. Helen, Frances, George, Margaret. John and Robert Fergus.
Mr. O'Laughlin was a member of the Catholic church, of which his widow was also a communicant, and he held membership with the Knights of Co-
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lumbus and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. In politics he was a democrat, yet did not consider himself bound by party ties and often cast an independent ballot. His home at No. 834 Main street, which his widow yet occupies, is one of the most beautiful in Raeine. Throughout his entire life Mr. O'Laughlin displayed a spirit of unfaltering industry and worked his way upward through elose application and persisteney of purpose. He was at all times actuated by a spirit of laudable ambition, and when one avenue of op- portunity seemed closed to him, he would carve out another path whereby he might reach the desired goal. His plans were always clearly defined, and ho readily recognized opportunities, which he wisely and carefully utilized, so that splendid results were achieved.
EDWARD HENRY SKEWES.
Edward Henry Skewes is a representative of one of the old families of Racine county and has passed his entire life here, as his birth occurred in Yorkville township. He is now the owner of one hundred and forty acres in that township and is there engaged in the dairy business, shipping milk to Chicago and likewise raising cabbage, which he also disposes of in the city markets.
His natal day was the 12th of May, 1869, and he is a son of Hannibal and Eliza (Phillips) Skewes, both natives of Cornwall, England, the former born in 1838 and the latter in 1840. When twenty years old the father came to America and joined an uncle who was living in Yorkville township, Racine county, Wisconsin. Subsequently he purchased a farm and devoted the re- mainder of his life to its cultivation and improvement. He held title to one hundred acres, and his well directed labor yielded him a good return. He had no capital when he came to this country and has at all times been dependent upon his own efforts for success. Some time after locating in this county he sent money to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Skewes, to pay their passage to the United States. He passed away in 1912, and his demise was the occasion of widespread regret, for he was well known and highly esteemed. He was married in Yorkville township in 1864 to Miss Eliza Phillips, whose death occurred in January, 1903. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he was for years a local preacher in that denomination. In his early life he was identified with the Bible Christian church. He was a re- publican and took an active interest in local affairs, but was most prominent in connection with the efforts to do away with the liquor traffic. He served as town chairman for several years on the no license issue and was a strong advocate of laws prohibiting the sale of liquor. To him and his wife were born six children, of whom four survive, namely : Edward Henry ; Manly, who is a train dispatcher in the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail- road at Minneapolis ; Clinton, who is farming the homestead ; and Lillie, the wife of Derrick West, a farmer of Raymond township. The maternal grand- father of our subject, Thomas Phillips, came to Racine county with the second
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colony which settled here and was a factor in its early development along various lines, especially, however, in regard to its agricultural interests.
Edward H. Skewes received his education in the distriet schools of York- ville township and as a boy and youth devoted much time to helping his father. He remained at home until he was twenty-eight years old, when he operated a rented farm, after which he leased his present place for three years. He then bought the property, which comprises one hundred and forty aeres of excellent land in Yorkville township and which is in a high state of develop- ment. When he began farming on his own account he had only a capital of five hundred dollars, but he was thoroughly familiar with agricultural pur- suits and as the years have passed his resources have steadily increased until he is now in comfortable circumstances. He gives much attention to the dairy business, shipping milk to Chicago, and he has a fine herd of Holstein eows, at the head of which is a registered bull. In future he intends to breed and raise all of the cows for his dairy. He also gives considerable attention to truck gardening, raising cabbage on an extensive scale and selling it in the city markets.
Mr. Skewes was married in March, 1897, to Miss Helen Gilmore, a daughter of Lyman and Caroline (Stilwell) Gilmore, both natives of New York state, whenee they came to Racine county, Wisconsin, in 1846. They passed their remaining days here and gained a high place in the estimation of all who knew them. To Mr. and Mrs. Skewes have been born two children, namely : Alma, who has completed her education and is at home ; and Lyman, attending school.
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