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 34
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The father was a Democrat in politics, and with his family was in religious faith a Catholic.
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James S. was eleven years old when the family came to this country and nearly twenty when they came to Wisconsin. He had the ordinary experience of the farmer boy, working on his father's farm and attending the district schools, until he grew to manhood, and then learned the carpenter and builder's trade. In the spring of 1850 he left home and began life for himself, settling in Janesville, where he continuously plied his trade until his retirement from active business.
For many years Mr. McGowen held a first place among the successful and reliable contractors and builders of Janesville, and the evidences of his skill and workmanship are to be seen in all parts of the city. He has always been a Democrat in politics, but has taken no active part in political matters more than to perform his duties as a loyal citizen. He is a Catholic in re- ligious faith.
In 1854 Mr. McGowen married Miss Mary Louise, daughter of Daniel and Deborah L. Bennett, who was born in Hounsfield, Jefferson county, N. Y., on June 23, 1831, and whose death oc- curred February 19, 1905. Of four children born to Mr. and Mrs. McGowen the eldest, James B., is deceased; the second, Emmett D., is a successful attorney in Janesville, whose sketch appears in another part of this work; Mary L., the third child, married Mr. Charles F. Miles, a Unitarian minister, and lives in Menomonie, Wis .; and Eva, the youngest, died in infancy. Since the decease of Mrs. McGowen Mr. McGowen has continued to occupy his comfortable home on Milton avenue and busies him- self in fruit and bee culture, the productions of new fruits being his specialty.
Mr. McGowen is one of the most successful fruit growers in the state of Wisconsin, and his advice is sought in all fruit cen- ters throughout the state.
Hiram Merrill, a native of Adams, Jefferson county, N. Y., was born in 1829 to David and Eunice (Lord) Merrill, both of whom were natives of Maine. His father, who settled in Milwau- kee, Wis., in the fall of 1837, prior to settling there was for some years a hotelkeeper at Messena, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., and later moved to Cleveland, Ohio. He owned a ship yard at Mil- waukee, and built many lake vessels. His death occurred at Janesville, Wis., on March 12, 1872, in his seventy-ninth year. His wife-our subject's mother-died on November 10, 1855.
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The first representative of the family in this country was Na- thaniel Merrill, who came from England in 1635 and settled at Newberry, Mass., where his son, Abraham, was born in 1637. Following in genealogieal line were David, born February 20, 1677; David, born May 1, 1708; Melalat, born July 29, 1741, and William, the grandfather of our subject, who was born April 12, 1767. Our subject attended the Milwaukee publie schools and after leaving school worked in his father's ship yard. At the time of the California "gold fever" young Merrill, on March 5, 1849, with a party of gold-seekers started overland with ox teams for California. Gaining the summit of the Sierras on September 27, he soon reached his destination, where he lived five years, three of which were spent in mining and two years of the time constructing water ditches, which he sold to miners for hydraulic mining purposes. In 1854 he returned to Milwau- kee via Nicaragua and during the next ten years was engaged in the grain and real estate business. In 1864 he went to Wash- ington, N. J., and engaged in milling, but in 1866 returned to Wisconsin and settled at Janesville and became interested in the gas works, with which he has been prominently connected sinee.
Mr. Merrill is known as a man who takes a lively interest in all affairs pertaining to the welfare and development of his city. Besides serving as president and holding a controlling interest in the New Gas Light Company, for many years he has helped to organize and is a stoekholder in a number of other industries and public utilities. He has served as a member of the state leg- islature, also as mayor of Janesville. In political sentiment Mr. Merrill is an independent Republican.
He is a member of the Masonie fraternity, and to do good is his religion.
On October 20, 1856, Mr. Merrill, at Machias, N. Y., married Miss Louise Ballard. Of four children born to them, Harry E. died June 9, 1893; May Evelyn died in 1867; Louise Adelle is married to Dr. T. B. Wiggin and lives in Chicago; and Jessie Eu- genia is the wife of Mr. Burton L. Nowlan, of Janesville.
William A. Murray, the subject of this sketch, was born in Janesville, Rock county, Wisconsin, July 30, 1866, the fifth of a family of nine children, of which six were boys and three girls, born to John Murray and Rose (Barrett) Murray, who were both
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natives of Ireland. John Murray came to New York state at the age of twelve years, then moved to Wisconsin in 1854 and engaged in stonecutting, where he remained until he came to Janes- ville in 1855. He was employed by the Janesville Barbed Wire Works. He died February 14, 1904, aged eighty-four years. His wife died June 13, 1897, aged fifty-eight years.
William was educated in the common schools of Janesville and at the age of fourteen years started out in life for himself, and was first employed by Samuel Henderson in the meat busi- ness, and was in his employ for four years. IIe then started in the business for himself on West Milwaukee street, Janesville, which he conducted with success for four years, when he en- tered the employ of Nelson Morris & Co., of Chicago, as traveling salesman. After one year of traveling he again opened his mar- ket on West Milwaukee street, which he has conducted continu- ally since 1898.
In politics Mr. Murray is a Democrat and is popular with the people of Janesville. They have honored him by electing him alderman of the Fifth ward for three terms and president of the board of aldermen for four years. He is a member of all the Catholic societies and also a Modern Woodman and belongs to St. Patrick's Catholic church.
In 1894 he was married to Miss Catherine Murphy, daughter of Patrick Murphy. There have been three children born to them-William Emmett, Mary Hazel and Frank.
Elbridge Gerry Fifield, who was born at Gilmanton, N. H., on February 2, 1817, was the son of Samuel and Abigail (Leav- itt) Fifield, and the fifth of a family of eight children. He was of sturdy New England stock and traced his paternal ancestry to William Fifield, who immigrated from London, England, in 1634. His grandfather was a revolutionary soldier. He spent his boyhood on his father's farm and received such education as the district schools of that time afforded, later attending an academy at Montpelier, Vt. In 1837, being then twenty years old, he with others made the journey from his home to Wiscon- sin, traveling by stagecoach, canalboat, sailing vessels, slow steamboats, and walking from Detroit to St. Joseph, Mich., a dis- tance of 280 miles, reaching Milwaukee, then a mere village, on June 11. Thence he walked to Jefferson county, where he entered a claim soon after his arrival and where he made his
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home till 1845. The hardships of those pioneer days were many, but there were mingled with them many pleasures growing out of the feeling of friendliness and neighborliness existing between those early settlers. As an instance of this Mr. Fifield loved to refer to his first winter's experience, when, being engaged in getting out timber for himself on Bark river, and having neither horse nor ox team, he walked to Janesville and borrowed a yoke of oxen from Samuel St. John, and after using them in hauling his logs returned them to their owner in the spring. While living on his farm Mr. Fifield was largely employed in rafting logs and lumber down Rock river, and also did much in opening and im- proving the territorial roads in southern Wisconsin. He was the first to drive a team-oxen-over the completed road from Rock river to Milwaukee.
After selling his farm in 1845 Mr. Fifield opened the first lumber yard in Janesville, locating it at the west end of what is now the Court Street bridge, and near where he built his home. Associated with him at a later period were his three brothers, who had moved to Janesville, so that since its establishment in 1845 there has continuously been a Fifield lumber yard. As the years passed the business enlarged and for nearly forty years the yard occupied the entire block between Pleasant and Dodge streets.
During eight years, 1855 to 1863, Mr. Fifield was engaged in mercantile business at Jefferson, his early home. On his return to Janesville in the year last named he bought at the corner of North Jackson and Ravine streets the home where he passed the remainder of his life. Mr. Fifield was a Republican in politi- cal sentiment from the time of the organization of that party in 1856, and though never an office seeker held several local offices, as member of the school board, alderman, etc. In October, 1853, Mr. Fifield married Miss Sarah R. Copeland, of West Bridgewater, Mass., a direct descendant of Miles Standish, John Alden and Francis Cook. Of six children born to them, Frank E., James S., Helen C., who is the widow of Mr. Frank Sherer, and Cath- erine R., live at Janesville. Two children died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Fifield celebrated their golden wedding on October 24, 1903. The happy event was attended by children, grandchildren and many relatives and friends, and was a source of unalloyed pleasure. Mr. Fifield was a man of deep religious convictions,
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BIOGRAPHICAL
and his religion was to him a continual source of comfort and blessing. With his wife, he was a Swedenborgian in belief. After the death of Mrs. Fifield, which occurred July 1, 1905, his strength gradually declined until his decease, which occurred on February 26, 1907. His was a long and useful and happy life and he passed away in the fullness of years, esteemed and be- loved, leaving to his family the rich heritage of an honored name.
James R. Lamb, one of Janesville's wide-awake and enter- prising citizens, is a retired farmer whose life has been passed in Rock county. He was born in Johnstown township on No- vember 9, 1864, and is the second of three sons born to Robert and Anna (Risk) Lamb, natives of Scotland. His elder brother, William, is a farmer in Johnstown township, and his younger brother, Robert, lives on the family homestead. The parents came to the United States in 1849 and settled in Johnstown town- ship, Roek county, Wiseonsin, where the father bought a tract of unimproved land, where he made a home and reared his fam- ily. He was a man much esteemed in the community for his goodness of heart and kind, neighborly qualities and beloved by all who knew him. He was a Democrat in politics and in re- ligious faith was, with his wife, affiliated with the United Pres- byterian denomination. His death occurred at his home in 1890 and was followed by that of his wife in 1893.
James R. grew to manhood on the home farm, where he had the common experiences of the western farmer boy and received a good common school education in the district schools of the neighborhood. He lived on the family homestead until he was twenty-nine years old, but in 1893 settled on a farm of his own comprising 440 acres. Here he carried on general farming with good success for five years, but in 1898 leased the place and moved with his family to the city of Janesville.
Mr. Lamb has always taken an active interest in local publie affairs, and while living in Bradford township was for some years a member of the town board and also served as township treas- urer. He owns and controls much farming land and has a beauti- ful and commodious home at 158 Milton avenue, where he and his family reside. They are active members of the Presbyterian church, he being an elder in that body.
In 1896 Mr. Lamb married Miss Ella M., daughter of Elijah
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P. and Clara (Hurd) Wixom, who was born in Rock county. They have one child, Stuart James, a promising boy of ten years.
Edson A. Burdick was born July 3, 1839, in the town of Grafton, Rensselaer county, N. Y. His parents were Zebulon P. and Philena (Brock) Burdick. Mr. Burdick's father was a man of literary attainments and practiced law in early life, but on account of failing health was forced to give up active prac- tice, and engaged in farming in order to live an out-of-door life. His talents and public-spiritedness were recognized by his fellow citizens and he was chosen by them as their representative in the Wisconsin legislature for several terms in both houses.
Edson A. Burdick is a direct descendant, on the paternal side, of Robert Burdick, who was undoubtedly the first Burdick to emigrate to America. He was one of the founders of West- erly, R. I., and was a large purchaser of Narragansett Indian lands. He was deputy several terms in the Rhode Island colonial general assembly.
Our subject was educated in the common and high schools of Janesville and in the Evansville Seminary. While at Evansville he gave the study of languages special attention, but further progress in student life was broken off at this time by the break- ing out of the Civil War. He served as enrolling officer and en- listed subsequently as corporal in Company A, Fortieth Wiscon- sin Volunteer Infantry. After the war he engaged in teaching for years until his health failed, when he removed to California, where he completely recovered. In the spring of 1877 he was appointed to a clerkship in the bureau of pensions at Washing- ton, D. C., and became a principal examiner in the bureau, where he remained until he resigned in May, 1905.
Mr. Burdick has always been a Republican and has held various local offices, such as town clerk of Janesville for a num- ber of years and superintendent of schools of the First district of Rock county from 1872 to 1875. He has been a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, also of the Anthropological Society of Washington, D. C., and of the Biological and Microscopical societies of the same place. He is also a member of Harmony Lodge No. 17, A. F. and A. M., of Washington, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Burdick was married on June 12, 1878, to Miss Eleanor
ILALVOR L. SKAVLEM.
.
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BIOGRAPHICAL
M. Grubb, of Janesville. They are the parents of one son, Zebu- lon Palmer Burdiek.
Frank C. Cook, the son of Josiah F. and Mary Amanda (Kings- bury) Cook, was born at Brockport, N. Y., June 28, 1846. His father was a native of Vermont; his mother, of New York state. His father having died when Frank was still an infant, he was obliged to start at an early age to make his own way in the world and began when scarcely thirteen years old to learn the jeweler's trade, being apprenticed to an uncle at Brockport, N. Y. About 1861 he came to Janesville, Wis., and found em- ployment with Mr. James A. Webb, then the leading jeweler of Janesville. A few years later, Mr. Cook started for himself, and during the seventies he built the bloek on West Milwaukee street, where he conducted the successful business of a jeweler until December, 1906, when he retired. Mr. Cook was a director of the Merchants and Mechanics bank at Janesville. His death occurred at Janesville on June 10, 1907. Though not an ardent politician, Mr. Cook never neglected his duty as a citizen. His vote was always cast for the Republican ticket. He was a char- ter member of the Janesville Lodge of Elks and also of the Knights of Pythias. He was a member of the Unitarian church at Janesville, being for many years the treasurer of the society and one of its trustees. He was genial and kindly in his dispo- sition, thoroughly upright in all his business relations and highly respected by all who knew him. He was married April 26, 1868, at Janesville, Wis., to Frances B. Alden, who survives him.
Levi B. Carle, who ranks among the leading influential citi- zens of Janesville, Wis., a native of Lowell, Mass., and born August 8, 1835, is one of three children of John B. and Parnell (Blossom) Carle, the others being Wilbur F. and John H. Carle.
The genealogy of the family is traced to one of three brothers who immigrated from Ireland in 1680 and settled in that part of the colony of Massachusetts which later became the state of Maine. Our subject's great grandparents were Nathan and Sarah Carle, born, respectively, March 11, 1747, and March 10, 1749. Their son, Silas our subject's grandfather, was born No- vember 12, 1776, and died May 7, 1858, in his eighty-second year. He was a farmer by occupation ; his wife, Abigail, was born De- cember 27, 1779, and died at the age of nearly eighty years, Sep- tember 23, 1859.
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HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY
The mother of our subject, Parnell, nee Blossom, was born in Woodstock, Vt., and was descended from an old New England family of Scotch lineage. Her death occurred in Rock county, Wisconsin, December 27, 1856.
His father, John B. Carle, was born in the town of Waterbor- ough, near Portland, Maine, on February 24, 1808, and he be- longed to the fifth generation from one of the three brothers hereinabove referred to. His early purpose was to learn the cab- inet maker's trade, but he abandoned this and became a machin- ist and was employed by the Middlesex Manufacturing Company at Lowell, Mass. He was a skillful mechanic, and although his services were always in demand, he saw greater opportunities in the West, and in 1852 removed with his family to Rock county, Wisconsin, and settled on a new farm in the township of Janes- ville and there established the family home. Later in life he retired from the farm and took up his residence in Janesville. After the death of his wife (our subject's mother) in 1856, he married Miss Robena Mouat, and by her had one child, Jennie M., now the widow of Harry F. Killer (deceased), of Janesville. On the death of his second wife, he married her sister, Miss Mary Mouat. He was a man of firm convictions with the courage to maintain them in all that was right, and was universally esteemed . for his manly character. A Whig in early life, he became a Re- publican on the formation of that party in 1856. In his religious faith he was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church. His death occurred September 1, 1884.
Levi B. received his education in the common schools, and while yet a youth, started out for himself with no capital other than his native abilities and $18 in money and a determination to succeed. Going to Milwaukee, he was for a time employed as a bookkeeper, and still later engaged in selling books at auction for a Chicago publishing house.
After closing this engagement young Carle spent a year farm- ing, and then, in 1858, settled at Janesville, opening a grocery store, which he conducted successfully for twenty-one years. Re- tiring from the retail trade in 1879, Mr. Carle engaged in the wholesale grocery trade at Chicago, Ill., but after four years, in 1884 he returned to Janesville, and, with his son, Norman L., engaged in the leaf tobacco business, in which he has since con- tinued with success.
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BIOGRAPIIICAL
Mr. Carle's business career has been successful from the be- ginning, and through it all he has been known far and near for his honorable and fair dealing and his strict adherence to the principle taught in the Golden Rule.
He was president of the First National Bank of Janesville for three years, and is now vice-president of the same institution. Is now president of the Janesville Machine Company, and one of the directors of the Janesville Electric Company.
He was president of the Business Men's Association of Janes- ville for four years. He is ever ready to advance the interests of Janesville.
On April 18, 1857, Mr. Carle married Miss Kate Higgens, whose parents settled in Wisconsin when she was a child. They had three children, Parnell, Norman L. and Josephine. Mrs. Carle, whose death occurred in July, 1894, was a devoted wife and mother, and a woman of noble Christian character and do- mestie virtues.
Edwin Case, who has resided in Rock county, Wisconsin, since 1842, was born in Spofford township, Onondaga county, New York, on May 25, 1831, and is one of two surviving children of Samuel and Cloe J. (Olmstead) Case, both natives of New York state, the other survivor being a sister named Cordelia. The names of those deceased were Henry, the eldest; Abigail, Maraba and Henry, the youngest. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, also kept a hotel in the town of Senate, N. Y.
In 1842 he brought his family overland with teams and wagon from New York to Rock county, Wisconsin, and settled on a small farm which he bought in Clinton township, and also eon- ducted a hotel for a time. Later he returned to New York and there died about the year 1853, his wife having passed away some four years prior to that time. They were both devoted members of the Baptist denomination and people highly esteemed and much beloved for their kindness and goodness of heart.
In polities the father was a Republican, and for a time served as town supervisor of Clinton township.
Edwin attended the district schools and received a good Eng- lish education. He was an ambitious, energetie and self-reliant boy, and from the time he was fourteen years old, did a man's work, taking a large share in the eare of his father and mother, both of whom were in ill health much of their later lives. For
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five years he worked out by the month and being thrifty and economical saved enough to buy forty acres of land in Clinton township, and also bought and sold several other pieces of land with considerable profit. Later he purchased a farm in La Prairie township, which he improved and where he made his home until 1902, when he retired from farming and took up his residence in the city of Janesville.
In politics Mr. Case has always been a Republican, but has taken no active interest in political matters more than to per- form his duties as a loyal citizen. He is a man of kindly disposi- tion and generous impulses, and always ready to give a helping hand to those in need, and has a wide circle of true friends.
In 1858 Mr. Case married Miss Eliza, daughter of Amey Her- rick and Harriet (Winegar) Belding, who was born in Mont- gomery county, New York. Her parents, also natives of New York, passed their lives there, the father being a farmer by occu- pation. Mrs. Case is the ninth of ten children, of whom two be- sides herself, viz .: Emeline, the third, and Catharine, the seventh, are living. The names of those deceased in the order of their birth, were Sarah, Charles, Hannah, Spedy, Deodatis, Juliet and Henry. Mr. and Mrs. Case now live in a pleasant home at No. 161 Racine street, Janesville, in the enjoyment of the fruits of their years of more active life. They have never had any chil- dren of their own, but have an adopted daughter, Olive, who is married to Mr. William M. Cook, and lives in Chicago, Ill.
James A. Fathers was born in Chicago on May 5, 1859, and was but an infant when his parents removed to Janesville. He attended the public schools until he was fourteen years old, when he entered the woolen mills of F. A. Wheeler & Sons, learning the trade of a carder. Not liking the pursuit, he abandoned it, and subsequently acquired the harnessmaking trade in the establish- ment of C. H. Payne. After working four years as a journey- man, he bought out Mr. Payne and successfully conducted the business until 1889, when ill health compelled his retirement from active labor. For three years he conducted a meat market, but abandoned this enterprise upon his election to the city treas- urership in 1894. This office he has held continuously up to the present time by successive reelection. To the discharge of his official duties, he brought a large fund of common sense, a con- siderable knowledge of public affairs and unswerving integrity,
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which qualities joined with gentleness of disposition and urban- ity of manner, admirably qualify him for a post of grave respon- sibility whose occupant is daily called upon to do business with "all sorts and conditions of men." The year 1894, however, did not mark Mr. Father's debut in the arena of public life.
At the age of twenty-two he was chosen, on the Republican ticket, to represent the Third ward upon the board of aldermen. He occupied a seat in that body for four years, and for three years served as president of the council.
He is universally popular, and is regarded as one of Janes- ville's most influential citizens. He is a stockholder in the Bower City bank. Mr. Fathers belongs to both the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities, being a member of Janesville Lodge No. 55, F. & A. M., and belongs to Janesville City Lodge No. 90, I. O. O. F., being a P. G. R. of the grand encampment of the jurisdiction of Wisconsin, and the present grand scribe of said jurisdiction.
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