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 33
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Clem W. received a common school education and afterwards studied for a short time at Milton college. Commencing when a young man, Mr. Crumb spent twenty-two years as a commercial traveler, after which he dealt in western lands, and since 1903 has been manager of the Clem W. Crumb Land Company, of Milton. Mr. Crumb has always been a man of intense activity and a thorough man of affairs. He has a pleasing personality and readily makes and retains friends. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also is connected with the Masonic fraternity.
On June 5, 1889, Mr. Crumb married Miss Lizzie, daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (Howard) Johnson, of Darien, Wis. They have one child, Fred W., who was born April 25, 1897.
W. H. Ashcraft is one of the representative and early busi-
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. . ..
Querge Scafidi
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ness men of Janesville. He was born in the Empire state, in Ot- sego county, New York, on August 1, 1833. The traditional his- tory says that the family settled in the Connecticut colony long previous to the Revolutionary War, and it is certainly known that W. H. Ashcraft, the great-grandfather of our subject, was long a resident of that state. Jared Ashcraft, the paternal grand- father, was a native of Otsego county, New York, where he passed the greater part of his life; but his death occurred at the home of his son in Michigan.
Jedediah Ashcraft, the father of W. H., was also born in Ot- sego county, of which county his wife, whose maiden name was Miss Hannah Smith, was also a native. They became the par- ents of three sons and a daughter, who grew to mature years, and all, with the exception of our subject, are still residents of New York.
W. H. Ashcraft was reared in his native county and remained under the parental roof until sixteen years of age. His father was a cabinetmaker by occupation, and the son assisted him in his business from an early age, and when arriving at the age of fifteen years he was possessed of a good knowledge of the trade. The following year-in 1849-he left home and, going to Bing- hamton, N. Y., worked at his chosen occupation for a period of four years. At the expiration of that time he emigrated to the West, locating in Janesville, where two years later-in 1856- he established his present business as furniture dealer, which he has carried on continuously since. He began on a small scale as a retail dealer, but not long afterward engaged in manufac- turing, conducting both branches of the business. He now owns a fine store in which he is located on the north side of West Mil- waukee street, of which he took possession in 1870, and also the store building adjoining it on the west. His success is due en- tirely to the careful attention which he has given to the details of the business, together with his honest, upright dealings, which have secured the confidence and respect of the public. Begin- ning business in Janesville when but a youth, and with no means save his personal earnings, he has gradually built up an extensive and substantial trade and is numbered among the leading and enterprising business men of the city.
In 1854 the marriage ceremony which united the destinies of Mr. Ashcraft and Miss Martha Carodine was performed. The
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lady is a daughter of John Carodine, an early settler of Green county, Wisconsin, who is now residing in Albany, that county. Mr. and Mrs. Ashcraft have two children-Estella H. and Wil- liam H. The latter is associated with his father in business. He is a graduate of the Oriental School of Embalming and makes a specialty of embalming the dead, being very skillful in that art. He is now married, his wife having been Miss Catherine B. Carle, a daughter of W. F. Carle, of Janesville.
Kimble Killam, a native and well-known citizen of Rock coun- ty, Wisconsin, and one of her large class of prosperous and sub- stantial farmers, was born on January 18, 1849, and is the second of a family of five children born to Rush and Ada J. (Kimble) Killam, natives of Pike county, Pennsylvania. Of their other children, Lucy A. lives in Janesville; Harriet, third child, is de- ceased; Cornelia T. is married to Mr. Charles Clayton and lives in Indiana ;and Augusta, the youngest, is the wife of Mr. G. Dab- bert and lives in Wisconsin. The father first came to Rock county in 1839 and entered a tract of government land and laid the foun- dation of his future home. In 1845 he returned to his native state and married, and bringing his bride to his new home in Milton township, there reared his family and lived until his de- cease in 1871.
He was a man of determined purpose, strict integrity and per- severing industry and commanded the respect of all who knew him by his upright, manly living. He began with no capital other than his native abilities, and attained to a place among the well-to-do farmers of the community of his day, and be- sides left to his family the heritage of an honored name. His widow survived until December 14, 1906.
Our subject was reared on his father's farm, having the common experience of the ordinary farmer boy, and re- ceived his preliminary education in the district schools and later studied two terms at Milton College. Mr. Killam lived on the family homestead until 1895, taking the management of it at the time of his father's decease and afterwards coming into possession of it by purchasing the interests of the other heirs of his father's estate. In the year last named he sold the place and bought a farm of 160 acres in Lima township, which he now owns and where he lived until February 1, 1900, when he was appointed superintendent of the Rock county asylum and poor
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farm at Janesville. The poor farm comprises 380 acres of well- improved land and there are in the institution an average of 230 inmates, with a working force of twenty helpers. Under Mr. Killam's thorough and careful management, with his practical knowledge of affairs, the institution has become a model of its kind and ranks with the best in the state.
For many years Mr. Killam has been active in the local coun- cils of the Republican party and has been called to fill numerous local offices. For seven years he was supervisor of the town of Milton, served as township assessor for five years, and for two years was chairman of the town board.
In 1873 Mr. Killam married Miss Mary A., daughter of Philip and Nancy (Livingston) Marquart, who was born in Milton, Rock county. Her parents moved from Ohio, their native state, in 1845, and settled in Wisconsin, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Of seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Killam the eldest, Grace C., is married to Mr. Roy Mepham, of Reeds- burg, Wis .; Myrtie E. is the wife of Mr. Archie Cullen and lives at Milton Junetion ; Luey C. is married to Mr. Philip Bower, a farmer of Lima; Nellie is a teacher and lives at home; Rush P. married Miss Louise Peabody and lives on the county farm; Mark, the sixth child, and Eva E., the youngest, also live at home.
Loren Finch, who was a resident of Rock county, Wisconsin, for nearly half a century and for many years was counted among her prosperous farmers and representative citizens, was a native of New York state. He was born on June 29, 1821, and was a son of Alva and Phoebe Finch. His father was a farmer in New York and died there when his son was quite young.
Our subject passed his early life in his native state, where he received a good English education in the common schools. Soon after attaining his majority in 1844 he came West and settled in La Prairie township, Rock county, where he devoted himself to farming and made his home. Mr. Finch was a man of indus- trious habits, a good manager, and withal honorable and straight- forward in all his business affairs, and maintained the confidence and good will of all who came within the range of his influence. He had a kind and loving disposition and was a model husband and neighbor, unselfish in his actions and always ready to help those in need or distress. He was a Republican in political senti- ment and filled numerous local offices, serving as justice of the
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peace, treasurer of the township and town supervisor. In re- ligious faith he was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Finch carried on general farming and stock raising with good success and added to his original holdings from time to time, owning at the time of his decease a model farm of 260 acres, well improved and under a high state of cultivation. In 1892 he retired from the farm and moved to Janesville, where he died in 1893 honored and beloved by a wide circle of friends. In 1856, at the age of thirty-five, Mr. Finch married Miss Nancy, a daughter of Joseph and Hannah Wilcox, who was a native of Allegany county, New York. Her family settled in Milton town- ship, Rock county, in 1845, but later removed to La Prairie town- ship, where they died. Her father was a Baptist minister and a man greatly beloved and highly esteemed for his manly character.
Mr. and Mrs. Finch had no children. Mrs. Finch still lives in Janesville and has a comfortable home at 59 Milton avenue. She is an honored and devoted member of the Methodist Episco- pal church.
Dr. Henry Palmer, a native of New Hartford, N. Y., was born July 30, 1827, to Ephraim and Abigail (Brown) Palmer, both natives of New York. In 1856 the family moved to Wisconsin and settled on a farm at Edgerton, in Rock county, where the father passed the remainder of his life. He was a man of com- manding influence and at one time served as a member of the state legislature. Henry was educated in his native state, sup- plementing his common school education with a thorough course of medical study at Albany, and practiced his profession at Troy, N. Y., till his removal to Wisconsin with his father in 1856. Set- tling at Janesville in that year, he began practice then as a partner with Dr. Robert B. Treat and so continued till 1860.
At the opening of the Civil War Dr. Palmer entered the vol- unteer service as company surgeon, but was soon made regimen- tal surgeon of the Seventh Wisconsin Infantry. The following year he became surgeon of the celebrated "Iron Brigade"' and later was placed in charge of the hospital at York, Pa. He was appointed medical inspector of the Eighth Army Corps in 1864, and the following year was detailed to close the affairs of the military hospital at Camp Douglas, Chicago. He was mustered out of the service with the rank of brevet lieutenant colonel.
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Returning to Janesville at the close of the war, Dr. Palmer held a leading place in his profession until the day of his decease, June 15, 1895. He was professor of clinical surgery in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of Chicago (now the medical de- partment of the University of Illinois), from its organization till his decease. Ile also was vice-president of the American Medical Association and for ten years was surgeon general of Wisconsin. Dr. Palmer was a prominent figure in the civic life of Janesville and served as mayor of the city during 1866 and 1867, and Palmer Memorial Hospital now stands as a lasting monument to his memory and worth.
In 1852 Dr. Palmer married Miss Edna A., daughter of Noah and Almira (Butler) Hoyt, natives of New York, who settled in Wisconsin in an early day. Of eight children born to Dr. and Mrs. Palmer, Theo. W., Kittie and Charles died in infancy ; Clara also is deceased. Of those living, William HI. is a practicing physician at Janesville, Stella is married to Mr. S. A. Sabine and lives in Colorado, Ella Eloise is the wife of Mr. Malcolm Morral, of Janesville, and Elizabeth Gertrude is married to Mr. J. Seel bert Taylor, of Janesville. Mrs. Palmer resides at the beautiful family home at 115 Madison street, Janesville, where the benign influence of her cheery manner and womanly virtue has long made it a center of domestic happiness and social enjoyment.
John T. Snyder, who was born in Marion county, Indiana, on September 27, 1837, is a son of James S. and Eliza (Martin) Sny- der, natives of Ohio. They were among the pioneer settlers of Richland county, Wisconsin, where the father died in 1890 at the age of eighty years. The mother died in July, 1906, in her ninety- fourth year. Our subject is one of a family of eleven children, nine of whom still survive, viz .: Jeremiah L., of Richland Center, Wis .; Kate, the widow of W. H. Dean, deceased, of Footville, Wis .; William, of Richland county ; James B., of Rockford, Ill .; Isaac N., of Reedsburg, Wis .; Barton W., of Rock county, Wiscon- sin ; Mary E., widow of Mr. Frank Davis, deceased, of Richland county ; and Albert I., of Milwaukee. Selina Jane died in infancy and William died at the age of ten years.
Our subject attended the district school in his native place, and after the removal of the family to Richland county, Wiscon- sin, in 1854, he helped to build a log schoolhouse, where he taught school in 1855.and 1856. He also worked by the month at farm-
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ing. In the spring of 1861, with his brother Jeremiah, he went to Green county, Wisconsin, making the journey on foot, and there rented a farm, and also taught school. By his enterprise, economy and thrift he accumulated means sufficient to buy some land, and in 1869 purchased 120 acres in Rock county. To this he added by other purchases from time to time, and now owns a farm of 320 acres, known as one of the most highly improved and productive farms in Center township, being thoroughly equipped with modern improvements, buildings, etc.
Mr. Snyder has always taken an active part in educational matters and is always in hearty sympathy with all matters re- lating to the public welfare. He has served as a member of the school board, is a strong advocate of temperance, and since boy- hood has been an earnest and consistent member of the Christian church.
On February 25, 1863, Mr. Snyder married Miss Martha A., daughter of Mr. Abram and Mary Ann (Putnam) Fleek, of De- catur, Wis. They have seven children, viz .: Frank HI., of Janes- ville; Fred W., of Footville, Wis .; Mary E., Mattie, Charles E., Glenn G. and Grace A. In 1895 Mr. Snyder removed with his family to Janesville, where he now lives retired from active busi- ness, honored and respected by all who know him.
Elijah P. Wixom, who lived for more than half a century in Rock county, Wisconsin, and attained to a place of prominence and influence among her substantial and representative citizens, was a native of Putnam county, New York. He was born Feb- ruary 15, 1835, and was one of a family of nine children born to Robert and Charity (Barrett) Wixom, both natives of New York state, and of German lineage. They settled in Fulton town- ship, Rock county, in 1850, on a farm which the father improved and where the family had their home. He was also a carpenter by trade and built many barns throughout Rock county. He died at the family homestead in November, 1868, and his widow, who survived to an advanced age, passed away in 1891.
Elijah P. was a bright, energetic and self-reliant youth and acquired a good English education in the common schools during his boyhood. When the family moved from their eastern home, being then but fifteen years old, he alone took charge of and drove a flock of sheep from Ithaca, N. Y., to Buffalo, whence he had them brought by boat around the lakes to Milwaukee and
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thence drove them across the country to Fulton township, Rock county. On attaining his majority he left his father's home and went back to his native place, but a year later returned and soon afterwards, in partnership with his brother, bought a farm and engaged in farming. He continued in that occupation till 1871, when he retired from farming and with his family took up his residence in the city of Janesville.
Mr. Wixom was active and influential in local affairs and filled with credit to himself numerous offices of trust. In his earlier life he was a Republican in politics, but later became a Democrat. He was somewhat active in the Masonic order and was a member of the Knights of Pythias. In religious faith he was affiliated with All Souls' church, of Janesville.
In 1863 Mr. Wixom married Miss Clara M., daughter of Silas and Cynthia (Cowan) Hurd, who was born in Fulton township. IIer parents, natives of New York state, were among the pioneer settlers of Rock county, settling there about 1838 on land which her father bought from the United States government. He was a successful and prosperous farmer for many years, and by his own efforts rose from a condition of comparative obscurity to a position of affluence and prominence in the community. He with his family was connected with the Universalist church. A sketch of his life appears in another part of this work.
Of three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wixom the eldest, Claron W., is deceased. Ella M., the second child, is married to Mr. James R. Lamb and lives at 158 Milton avenue, Janesville, Wis .; and Silas, the youngest, is single and lives with his mother in the beautiful family home on Milton avenue.
Henry L. McNamara, one of the representative business men of Janesville, was born in Williamstown, Mass., on March 15, 1851, and is the son of Lawrence and Harriet (Hickox) MeNa- mara, both natives of Massachusetts. The father died on June 30, 1858, and was survived by his wife, who is still (1908) living, at the age of seventy-eight years. After completing his studies, which included a common school course in the district schools and a graduating course in Graylock Institute, of Massachusetts, Henry L. removed to the state of Iowa in 1869 and engaged in farming until 1871, when he engaged in the real estate business in Chicago, which he followed for some three years. He then turned his attention to merchandising, handling woodenware, and
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continued in that line from 1874 to 1879, when he disposed of his business and went on the road as a traveling salesman, sell- ing woodenware, until 1898, and on April 1 of that year he lo- cated in Janesville and engaged in his present business of hard- ware, and is considered one of the practical business men of the county.
Mr. McNamara has always held allegiance to the Republican party, although not in an office-holding capacity. He finds re- laxation from his daily business cares in the various fraternal orders of which he is an active and influential member. He has been a member of the Masonic order for the past fifteen years and is treasurer of the Janesville Commandery No. 2, and is also a live member of the Elks lodge.
On December 10, 1873, Mr. McNamara was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Ward, who is the daughter of John G. Ward, of Fulton county, New York state, who came to Wisconsin in 1878 and died in Janesville April 14, 1892.
Mr. and Mrs. McNamara are the parents of three children, all of whom are now living, viz .: Harry W., who is in business with his father, was born December 18, 1875; Frank L., who is district attorney of Sawyer county, Wisconsin, was born January 21, 1877; and Mark L., born December 14, 1879, is also associated with his father in business at Janesville. The brothers are all graduates of the Janesville high school and Frank is a graduate of the law department of the university at Madison, Wis.
Peter Myers, whose life was closely identified with the pros- perity and development of Janesville, was a native of France, his birthplace being on the banks of the Seine 150 miles from Paris. He was born on February 8, 1819, the son of Peter Myers. His father was a soldier under Napoleon and lost a limb in the battle of Moscow. He emigrated to the United States with his family of eight children when our subject was a young lad, and bought and settled on a 640-acre traet of land near Lancaster, Pa., where he died suddenly, dropping into his chair dead on entering his house. The farm having been willed to one of his brothers, our subjeet found himself thrown upon his own re- sources, and going to Buffalo, N. Y., learned the butcher's trade and lived there ten years. and there made the acquaintance and . was a companion and roommate of the late John Plankinton, of Milwaukee. From Buffalo Mr. Myers removed to Rockford, Ill.,
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and in 1845 settled at Janesville, where he made a permanent home and became a prime factor in the progress and develop- ment of the city. On his arrival he opened a meat market in a building on West Milwaukee street; the site is still owned by the Myers estate. Ilis business prospered, but in 1846, owing to the breaking of the dam in the river, his basement was flooded and he moved to a small building standing on tamarack poles at the east end of the Milwaukee Street bridge, a site which he afterwards bought and on which he erected a substantial build- ing. Prosperous and thrifty from the first, he invested his money in business property and erected numerous blocks which stand as lasting monuments to his business sagacity and enterprise. He was ever ready to help those who showed a desire and willing- ness to do right. Quick to look into the welfare and future in- terests of his home town, he never refused to enroll his name in a good cause when sought to do so. He was one of the thirty-six charter members of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company ; also one of the original stockholders in the first rail- road which made its way into Janesville, in January, 1854, then known as the Milwaukee & Mississippi, later as the Milwaukce & Prairie du Chien, which changed to the Milwaukee & St. Paul and at last merged into the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. He was also one of the original stockholders in the North-Western railroad. He was also closely allied with the Janesville cotton factories, at one time being one of the heaviest stockholders, and it may safely be said he was ever ready to take the initiative in any enterprise to promote the city of Janesville. His was the first brick residence built in Janesville. He also erected the Myers Hotel, which at that time was one of the finest hotels in the state, and in 1870 at a cost of $30,000 erected the Myers Opera House, and later numerous business blocks. He owned more corner lots than any citizen ever owned in Janesville. His com- modious and beautiful residence at the corner of East and Mil- waukee streets, still occupied by his widow and owned by his daughter, Miss Katherine I. Myers, is one of the finest in the city. In 1850 Mr. Myers closed out his buteher shop and devoted him- self to the pork packing business, in which he amassed his wealth.
Mr. Myers was a man of simple habits, caring little for per- sonal adornments, and yet in the appointments of his home and the furnishings of his hotel and decorations of his opera house
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he was most luxurious and artistic. He was well known from coast to coast, on account of his strong personality, as "Peter the Peculiar"; however, underneath a blunt exterior beat a warm and generous heart, and by his wise prudence, thrift, uprightness of character and kindliness he gained and held the confidence and respect of all who knew him, and his death, which occurred on March 13, 1888, was mourned by all as that of one of the city's most enterprising men and benefactors.
In political sentiment Mr. Myers was in early life a Demo- crat, but later became a Republican. In casting his ballot, how- ever, he regarded more the fitness of the candidate than party affiliations.
His religion was to love justice, to assist the weak, to forget wrongs and to remember benefits. "Tis a fitting inscription which encircles a large portrait of him in the Myers Opera House : "Janesville's Benefactor, Peter Myers, born February 8, 1819, died March 13, 1888. He made and left the best efforts of his life for you."
On July 15, 1847, Mr. Myers married Miss Julia Ann Blakes- ley. Mrs. Myers was born at Burlington, Bradford county, Pa., in 1826. Of five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Myers the eldest, Charles, is deceased. Those surviving are John B., Walter R., Katherine I. and Peter L.
James S. McGowen, more than threescore years a resident of Wisconsin, is a native of County Fermanagh, Ireland. He was born November 5, 1830, and is the second of four children born to John and Mary (McDonald) McGowen, natives of Ireland. The father was a farmer there until 1840, when he immigrated to the United States with his family and settled on a farm near Rochester, in Monroe county, New York. In 1849 the family moved to Dodge county, Wisconsin, where the father bought a tract of unimproved land, on which he built a log house and where he successfully continued his occupation of general farm- ing. Here he reared his family and made his home until his de- cease in 1857. The mother died in 1880, past ninety years of age. Their first child, Mary, died in Ireland; Charles, the third child, lives in the state of Iowa; and John, the youngest, is now de- ceased.
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