USA > Wisconsin > Rock County > Rock County, Wisconsin; a new history of its cities, villages, towns, citizens and varied interests, from the earliest times, up to date, Vol. II > Part 30
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David H. received a good English education in the public schools of his native place, and in early life spent seven years in teaching. He also attended the Normal school at Whitewater, where he was graduated in 1881. Two years later he became a clerk in a drug store and at the same time pursued the study of pharmacy and continued in that capacity for some six years. Having thoroughly familiarized himself with the details of his chosen occupation, Mr. Pollock was ready to start out on his own account, and for that purpose in 1888 settled in Beloit and estab- lished the drug trade which has since engaged his time and atten- tion and in which he has been eminently successful. He has al- ways taken a commendable interest in civic affairs and whatever tends to promote the welfare of the city or his fellows, has his earnest sympathy and support. He has been somewhat active in political matters, is a Republican in his views and is now (1907) serving his tenth year as alderman from the fourth ward of Beloit.
Mr. Pollock is president of the Mutual Savings Bank of Be- loit, one of the substantial financial institutions of the city whose help to those of moderate means in caring for their savings and in other ways looking after their interests, has been and is well nigh incalculable. It carries on its books the names of 6,000 de- positors.
As alderman, Mr. Pollock served as chairman of the commit- tee having in charge the matter of the franchise for the Inter- urban railroad, and took an active part in securing the system of sewers now in operation, the paving of the city streets and other valuable public improvements. In religious affairs he is alert and active, a member of the Congregational church and a member of its board of trustees and chairman of the building com- mittee, and had an active part in the work of the building com- mittee having in charge the erection of the new church edifice in 1905.
Mr. Pollock has the distinction of being the owner of the only modern apartment building in his city, known as "The Bonita."
In 1902 Mr. Pollock married Miss Florence, daughter of Dr. R. H. Stetson, at Lima, Rock county, and by her has one child, Florence Bonita. Mrs. Pollock died April 8, 1906.
Mr. Pollock is a man of fine social qualities and by the force
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of a pleasing personality, attracts many warm friends. He is an active member of the Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias.
Oscar T. Thompson, who is at the head of one of the prominent manufacturing industries of Beloit, Wisconsin, is a native of that place and was born in 1860, the son of John and Martha (Walles- verd) Thompson, both natives of Norway. The father, one of Beloit's oldest and most respected citizens, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work, lives in retirement from active business, enjoying with his wife and family in their elegant home the well earned fruits of his long and honorable business career.
Oscar T. had good educational advantages in the common and high schools of Beloit, and after finishing his studies there went abroad, spending one year in Norway. On his return home, he was for six months bookkeeper in the Citizen's National Bank at Beloit, after which he became associated with his father in the manufacture of plows and many other varieties of agricultural implements. During the first six years of his connection with the business, he was associated with his father and brother under the name of J. Thompson & Sons; but when in 1886 the business was incorporated as the J. Thompson & Sons Manufacturing Company, he became its secretary and treasurer, and so continued until his father's retirement in 1902, when he was made presi- dent and treasurer and his brother, Alfred S. Thompson, was made secretary. Mr. Thompson is eminently fitted by education and training for the responsibilities of the position he holds as the head of a great industrial establishment, and under his care- ful management the high standing attained by the concern under his father's direction, has been ably and fully maintained. Mr. Thompson has given his attention closely to his business, finding little time for outside matters. He is a Republican in politics, but takes no part in political matters more than to perform his duties as a good citizen. He is interested and somewhat active in education matters, and in July, 1907, was elected a member of the school board of Beloit. He is also a member of the library board. He is connected with the Order of Elks and in religious faith is affiliated with the Episcopal church.
On June 30, 1896, Mr. Thompson married Miss Cora Clark, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Clark, of Beloit, and they have two children, Albert and Martha.
John Hackett was born in the state of Vermont, January,
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1808, the son of a New England Baptist minister. Early in life he was thrown upon his own resources, but having a natural love for study, succeeded in preparing himself for the bar, to which, after coming to Wisconsin territory, he was admitted.
While quite a young man, having borrowed $2,000 from his uncle in the East, he started a general store with a partner in the state of Ohio. There also he married the accomplished and beautiful daughter of Caleb Blodgett. That Ohio venture prov- ing a failure through fault of his partner, involving the loss of his $2,000, in the year 1836 Mr. Hackett came with his father-in- law and the sturdy Blodgett boys to the spot where the city of Beloit now stands, the land at that time being not yet even open to government entry. With the help of friendly Indians Mr. Blodgett promptly built a double log cabin, which both families occupied, ploughed some of the rich land east of it, sowed wheat and raised a crop. John Hackett, though naturally more inclined to professional work, took hold of that pioneer life and labored in the harvest field with the rest, not only during that first har- vest year of 1837, but also for several summers after becoming settled in other business.
The village of Beloit, first platted in 1837, was entered as farm land in 1838, and the lots then sold or assigned. Caleb Blodgett having built the Rock River house at what is now the northeast corner of State street and East Grand avenue, Jolın Hackett secured the lot at the southeast corner of those streets and built there a modest home and store combined. There he opened a general store, which is claimed to have been the first in Beloit.
From the beginning, Mr. Hackett had a definite purpose, viz. : to earn an honest living for his family, pay off that $2,000 debt, then if possible, make an independent fortune and in and through it all develop in himself a true manhood. In that fourfold pur- pose he succeeded. His eastern uncle had a large raft of bass- wood lumber which had been floated down Rock river to Beloit and lodged on that island where now is located the Beloit Iron Works. To this nephew, John, he entrusted the sale of that lum- ber, and also made him his agent in various other investments. By industry, frugality and honorable dealing Mr. Hackett suc- ceeded in all these business interests and so laid the foundation for a fortune. While carrying on his store he became possessed
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of a farm on the west side of Rock river which covered all that region now occupied by the fourth ward, platted it into lots, and with the rapid sale of these, entered on a stage of prosperity which made him in time one of the wealthiest men in the place. He was Beloit's first postmaster, and when the city was organ- ized, one of its early mayors. He paid that $2,000 debt, purchased and sold farms and built and owned that West side stone flouring mill, so long known as the Hackett mill and later as the Blodgett mill. For many years he owned a warehouse and also held much stock in the West Side paper mill and in the East Side mill.
Soon after acquiring land on the west side of Rock river, John Hackett showed his faith in the growth of Beloit by building there in 1842-1843, on the conspicuous location now occupied by the city high school, a substantial stone home, the first house erected on that side of the river. There his daughter, Ella (Mrs. John Russell Adams), was born, and about ten years afterwards, his wife died.
John Hackett, along with Lucius G. Fisher, of Beloit, and several men of Janesville, incorporated the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, then of Janesville, but later of Milwaukee, Wis. IIe was also one of the incorporators of the Beloit & Madison railroad, which afterward became the Madison division of the Northwestern Railroad Company. Mr. Hackett was also active in all school matters, and one of the Be- loit public schools on the west side bears his name.
In the early part of his Beloit life Mr. Hackett was a member of the First Congregational church, but later came with his wife into regular attendance on the St. Paul's Episcopal church. That society's second building was erected on a part of his west side home lot, donated by him for that purpose and still their church home.
John Hackett was by nature a man of literary tastes and he acquired a fine private library, the best in Beloit, and called by Senator Matt Carpenter the best selected for its size of any in the state. After his fortieth year he learned French so as to read it easily, and among his 1,300 volumes, some 300 were in that lan- guage, mainly scientific works. While a young man, I remember hearing some college man remark that if one of our college pro- fessors, then of doubtful health, should break down, Mr. Hackett could fill his place. Mr. Hackett was a member of the Wisconsin
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territorial assembly in 1840-1842, and of the convention called to form a state constitution in 1846. He also represented this county in the state legislature in 1852.
John Hackett was naturally reticent and kept his own coun- sel, revealing his plans only as they were carried out. His early training developed in him habits of order, promptness and de- cision, but he was also of a social disposition and always culti- vated a cheerful spirit. When his store on Bridge street (now East Grand avenue) was burned, involving the loss of half his library, he said to a sympathizing friend, "Yes, I am sorry to lose the books, but I can afford the loss better than some others could," and passed the matter off with a pleasant laugh. While not lacking in gifts to various charitable objects, he believed especially in helping people to help themselves. So he became a sort of private building and loan association long before such enterprises were publicly known, thus helping many a young man to secure for himself a permanent home.
About the year 1858 Mr. Hackett retired from active business and thenceforward was occupied only with the care of his va- rious properties, keeping active to the very last. He was confined to his bed only a week before his peaceful death, February 5, 1886, at the age of seventy-eight years.
On the day of the funeral, Monday, February 15, out of re- spect to his memory and in accordance with the proclamation of Mayor Charles H. Parker, most of the stores were closed and the members of the common council, with many other citizens, attended the impressive public services held at the Episcopal church.
February 14, 1888, at a public gathering held in the opera house, Mr. John R. Adams, of Chicago, in behalf of his wife, Mrs. Ella Adams, the donor, presented to the city of Beloit that beau- tiful and massive memorial fountain which bears the name of John Hackett and graces the market place at the junction of Fourth street and Grand avenue. It was publicly accepted by the mayor, Prof. E. G. Smith, who concluded as follows: "In accepting therefore this gift for the city, we do it as a memorial to one prominent in our early history, loved by his personal friends, trusted by his fellow townsmen, honored and respected by all.
"We accept it as a memorial, fittingly chosen to remind us
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and later generations of a citizen, identified with kindly acts and progressive ideas, who thought of and unselfishly entered into the works and plans of others. We accept this memorial as a tribute of a daughter's love, keeping before the people the record of her father's life and those motives which made him an important factor in the early development of our city. We receive this monument, made of imperishable granite, as something that will endure, a pride of our city and as a voice reminding our young men of those early days and urging them to a like high apprecia- tion of the duties and privileges of citizenship."
In December, 1889, Mrs. Ella Adams, to the further memory of her father, erected in the Beloit cemetery a monument con- taining thirty-two tons of New Hampshire granite, the largest private monument in the city or county.
John M. Keep was born at Homer, Cortland county, New York, January 26, 1813, of New England stock. At an early age he entered Cortland academy at Homer, and entered Hamilton college in 1832, graduating in 1836. IIe immediately began his legal studies with Augustus Donnelly, a distinguished lawyer at Homer, N. Y., and completed them with Horatio Seymour, Esq., at Buffalo. He was subsequently admitted to the bar and began practice at Westfield, N. Y. In 1844 he removed to Beloit, Wis., where he resided up to the time of his death. In the spring of 1856 he was elected judge of the first judicial circuit of Wiscon- sin, but was compelled to resign his position on account of ill- health and the pressure of private business, at the end of two and one-half years. In religion Mr. Keep was a Congregation- alist, having united with that denomination at the age of sixteen years, and in all the relations of life and the connections he formed, he preserved unblemished his Christian character. His early political preferences and party associations were with the Whig, and later with the Republican party. He was never a candidate for any political office. Judge Keep died on March 2, 1861, aged forty-eight years. Although a comparatively young man, Judge Keep was exceptionally strong as a lawyer, a writer and a public speaker.
Hon. Lucius G. Fisher was born in Derby, Vt., on his father's farm, August 17, 1808, died in Chicago, March 6, 1886. Educated in the common schools and local academy, working on the farm meanwhile. Taught a government school in Stanstead, Canada,
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and later the school in Derby, where he received his preliminary education.
In 1833 appointed deputy sheriff for Derby and vicinity. At that time the office was an important one, as the country was in- fested by smugglers from the Canadian side.
After being appointed three terms, he resigned and became connected with the Fairbanks Scale Company, of St. Johnsbury.
In 1837 arrived in Chicago, a town of 3,000 inhabitants.
From the present site of Marshall Field's store to the lake was then a cornfield. Not liking the looks of things he went to Milwaukee and later to New Albany. He made a short stop at Janesville, where there were only three houses.
Being pleased with the then named New Albany, he settled there and soon after, as one of a committee chosen to select a name for the village, suggested "Beloit," which name was adopted.
In 1839 was appointed sheriff of Rock county by Governor Dodge, and later by Governor Doty, and still later was elected by the people.
In 1840, was appointed by the territorial legislature one of a board of commissioners to lay out roads from Beloit to Milwau- kee and to Madison.
In 1842 married Miss Caroline Field and began business under the firm name of Fisher & Bundy, later Fisher, Cheney & Co.
He was largely instrumental in inducing the Northwestern Railroad Company to extend their line to Beloit, raising the money ($80,000) and personally pledging its collection.
He was director of the railroad from Beloit to Madison.
He was president of the first bank in Beloit, and also started the "Beloit Journal," the first paper there.
With others he built the first paper mill there and was largely identified with other enterprises.
When Beloit became a city he was for several years an alder- man, later was elected to the legislature.
He was largely instrumental in organizing Beloit college, and was for years one of its trustees and also of Rockford seminary.
He was one of the incorporators of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee in 1857.
In 1861 he was appointed postmaster at Beloit by President Lincoln, which office he held for five years, moving to Chicago in 1866.
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There he entered into the real estate business and built several downtown buildings.
In 1870 he was elected supervisor of Hyde Park.
In 1883 took an extensive trip on the continent and from that time until his death in 1886, spent the time in travel and looking after his property interests.
He left three children : Lucius G. Fisher, Jr., Mrs. William A. Bond, Mrs. Dr. Samuel R. Ward.
Thomas Lappin, the pioneer merchant of Janesville, was born in County Mead, Ireland, on May 12, 1812, and was the son of William and Ann (Welch) Lappin. His father was an only son, and his mother an only daughter, consequently his cousins, aunts and uncles were necessarily limited. In 1825 the family emi- grated from Ireland to America. After spending two years in New York they removed to Detroit, where Thomas learned the printer's trade and was one to set type on the first issue of the "Detroit Free Press."
In the spring of 1838 he set sail for Milwaukee, taking a small stock of general merchandise with him, in which J. & L. Ward, of Detroit, were interested. The vessel in which he sailed was wrecked on the reefs and but a small portion of the stock was saved. Being anxious to meet his partners in Milwaukee, he stored the goods, and out of patience waiting for an expected boat, with some others started on foot over the Indian trail for Milwaukee. (On coming in sight of the lake near the old North Point lighthouse, they had the pleasure of seeing their boat pass them.)
In December of the same year he came to Janesville and in company with the Wards he opened the first general store in this city, in June, 1839; in fact, it was the first store of any kind in the town. They occupied a one-story frame building made of logs and it was called "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Their stock in- voiced at $350. In 1840 the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Lappin began business himself with a stock of $140. He walked to Chicago to replenish his stock, and found that he had exceeded the amount of his cash by $15, for which the house refused to trust him, the recent panic in financial affairs having destroyed commercial confidence. In 1840 he erected a two-story frame building, and at this time there were between seventy and eighty inhabitants, and they wondered what Uncle Tom could do with
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a two-story building. Later on Mr. Lappin erected the large and sightly block on the corner of Main and Milwaukee streets, which is one of the most substantial and stately business blocks in the city and forms one of the four corners which are the pride of our citizens and the admiration of the strangers within our gates.
Mr. Lappin always had a pleasant word and a kindly greeting for everybody. Time and again has the writer heard his cheery "Good morning, my boy," which was his customary salutation to his young men friends, and by whom he was reverently called "Unele Tommy." A man honest as the day is long, who would scorn to do an unkind aet and who was spoken of by young and old, from the rich man who counted his thousands, to the poorest bootblack in the streets, by all grades and classes of society as one of God's noblemen. "Gentle to bear, kindly to judge," pos- sessed of a warm heart, a generous nature, he is one whom to know was to love, honor and esteem. His reputation for hospi- tality was second to none and his home is where his friends love to congregate.
Mr. Lappin's wife was Mary J. Jackman, daughter of Timothy and Ester Cooper Jaekman. She has been a worthy helpmate for many years and is still spared to preside over the home where peace and happiness ever reign supreme. She is a lady of whom too much cannot be said in her praise, and she shares with her husband the good will of everybody who has the honor of her acquaintance.
Benjamin Franklin Pixley, born September 26, 1815, son of William Pixley and Abbey Lewis, his wife, was the fifth in a family of ten. William Pixley, B. F. Pixley's father, was in direct line of descent from William Pixley, one of the early settlers of Hadley, Mass., his name appearing on an old map as owner of a parcel of land in that town, about 1663. The father of B. F. Pix- ley (William Pixley) was born May 30, 1784, at Stratford, Conn., died June 20, 1853; married November 1, 1808, at Kirkland or Augusta, Oneida county, New York, Abbey Lewis, daughter of Captain Nathaniel Lewis and Abigail Wooster, of Huntington, Conn. He was born an "old whig," a strong partisan and a de- termined Henry Clay man, and felt deeply Clay's defeat. He is named in Thurlow Weed's autobiography (page 224) as an active anti-mason, one of the committee from Chili and Wheatfield to urge the governor to offer a large reward for the apprehension
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and capture of the abductors of William Morgan. B. F. Pixley lost his mother at an early age, and his father was compelled to place him under the care of a maternal uncle, as there was so large a family of young children that it was impossible to keep them all at home and give them the proper care. After his father's second marriage he returned home, aiding his father in the farm work, getting his schooling at the district schools of the day, and at an academy, or what would answer to our present day high school. Between 1842 and 1848 Mr. Pixley made two or three trips west, through Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin. Much of this traveling was done on horseback, and he drove a flock of sheep from Oneida county, New York, to Janesville, Wis., around the lower end of Lake Michigan, and on this journey passed through the present site of Chicago, the whole of which he could have bought for the value of his flock of sheep. He bought some land near Janesville and located, going back in October, 1848, to Rochester, N. Y., where he married on October 25 Jane Eliza Lewis, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Bowen Lewis. Isaac Lewis was in the army during the war of 1812 and a direct descendant of a veteran of the Revolutionary army. Mr. Pixley and his wife at once went to Janesville to make their home, going by boat from Buffalo to Milwaukee, thence to Jancs- ville by stage, as at that date no railroad entered Janesville. From this time on Mr. Pixley engaged in many enterprises, farm- ing, milling, merchandising, etc., keeping all the time in touch with the wool industry of the country, becoming widely known as an expert buyer of this commodity, which led to his being in- duced, in 1863, to form a partnership with others in Chicago, un- der the name of Pixley, Hall & Kinzie, located at the corner of Michigan avenue and Lake street. Mr. Pixley moved his family to Chicago at this time. He was very successful in his business, making many acquaintances and business friends among Chi- cago's solid business people of that time. In the spring of 1871 Mr. Pixley bought a peach farm in St. Joseph, Mich., thinking to retire here and devote most of his time to outdoor pursuits, but in October, 1871, occurred the great fire in Chicago, in which Mr. Pixley lost all his possessions except the Michigan home, com- pelling him again to take up business. He also was a loser to the extent of many thousands of dollars in the great fire of Boston (1872?) and of course was seriously affected by the panic of
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1873, though he kept on for a number of years, showing an amount of grit that is not usual, finally retiring to his Michigan home, where he made a success of growing fancy fruit for the Chicago market. In February, 1895, Mr. Pixley had a fall, re- sulting in a broken hip, from which he recovered after a long confinement, but the shock had broken down his constitution, resulting in gradual failure and his death June 23, 1901. Mr. Pixley, like his father, was an "old whig," but later became a conservative Democrat, was rejected as a volunteer during the rebellion through some physical disability. Mr. Pixley was a Cleveland Democrat, and possibly was one of the best posted men of his day on the politics of the country and the men en- gaged in them. Mr. Pixley was not a politician in the sense of seeking office, never having sought nomination, though always active in local and national elections, and wrote a great deal on this and other subjects.
Mr. Pixley was born and brought up in a Presbyterian family and community, but both he and his wife, while living in Janes- ville, became interested in the Episcopal church and became com- municants, he being senior warden of the parish in St. Joseph, until his death. Mr. Pixley was a large man, physically and ment- ally. Always had the respect and love of the people who knew him.
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