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 37
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Mr. Starr died at the family home in 1889, and his wife passed away in 1903.
Frank P. passed his boyhood assisting in the farm work and attended the district schools of the neighborhood and had the ordinary experiences of the wide-awake farmer boy. He sup- plemented his common school education by study in the Beloit schools, fitting himself for teaching-a profession to which he devoted himself continuously for some twenty years with marked success, being for eight years principal of the graded school at Afton, Wis. He was for two years president of the Teachers' Association of Rock county. Mr. Starr has always taken an active interest in political and civic affairs and at one time served as Clerk of Rock township. In 1898 he was elected on the Re- publican ticket, county clerk of Rock county, and by reëlections, filled that office six years. He was then elected to the office of supervisor of assessments and is now (1907) acting in that capacity. He is a man of fine personal and social qualities and popular among his wide circle of loyal friends. He is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Loyal Americans, and in religious faith is con-
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nected with the Congregational church. He is a man of literary ability, fond of books, and as a ready and forceful speaker has on various occasions exercised his talents with good effect during political campaigns.
Asa D. Sanborn, who was one of Rock county's prosperous and enterprising citizens, was a native of Littleton, N. H. He was born in 1827, and was a son of Ezra and Mrs. Whitman Sanborn, both of whom were natives of New Hampshire and passed their lives there, the father being a carpenter by trade.
Asa D. was educated in the common schools and grew to manhood in his native state and was there engaged for some years in manufacturing sash and blinds. In 1864 he disposed of his interests in the East and, removing to Wisconsin, settled on a farm in Rock county and there engaged in farming for some seven years. In 1871 Mr. Sanborn retired from the farm and moving to Janesville, opened a grocery store and carried on a successful business in that line until his decease in 1895. He was a quiet, home-loving man, unassuming in manner, never seeking or caring for official position, finding in his own business ample scope for gratification of his ambition. He was a Re- publican in politics. In his business relations he was always prompt and upright, and as a man was universally esteemed for his manly character.
In 1851 Mr. Sanborn married Miss Angie M., daughter of Joseph L. and Laura (Gove) Taylor, who was born in New Hamp- shire in 1833, and who now resides in her comfortable home at No. 162 South Main street, Janesville. Her father, a native of Massachusetts, was a shoe dealer in early life, but later engaged in farming. Her mother was a native of New Hampshire.
Of two sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Sanborn, the elder, Charles A., was in business with his father at Janesville for some years, but now lives in North Dakota, where he is engaged in the sale of agricultural implements. He married Miss Nellie Drake, and they have two children, viz .: Roy A. and Lawrence D. The younger son, B. T., was a physician and practiced his profession at Janesville until his decease in 1891.
Stanley B. Smith was a native of Philadelphia, Jefferson county, New York, and was born on October 4, 1843, the son of Jesse and Mary Brooks Smith. In 1846 his parents removed with their family to Wisconsin, and settled in the town of Union,
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where our subject spent his boyhood. He supplemented his com- mon school education with a course of study at the University of Michigan and also studied law with a view to entering the profession, but decided to enter business life instead. After coming to Janesville when a young man, Mr. Smith, with his two brothers, was for several years connected with the Clow Reaper Manufacturing Company, being a stockholder and director in the company. In 1876 he took a position as bookkeeper in the Rock County National bank, and there familiarized himself with every phase of the banking business, being successively teller, cashier, etc. Mr. Smith continued his connection with this in- stitution till 1894, when he resigned and soon afterwards became president of the First National bank of Janesville, which office he filled at the time of his decease, which occurred on January 19, 1906. The city sustained the loss of one of its best citizens and most progressive business men and a man whose helpful in- fluence was felt in every department of civic life. He was a recog- nized authority in literary matters; a leading member of the Round Table, once a noted club in Janesville; associated with various literary organizations, and himself a fluent and interest- ing writer of pure English, though he never allowed his produc- tions to be published over his own name.
It is largely due to his untiring zeal and efforts that Janes- ville today has its public library. Mr. Smith was a man of cheer- ful, sunny disposition, and the very soul of good fellowship in its best sense. He was a brilliant conversationalist, at once in- structive, humorous and witty, and through his nobility of char- acter, scholarly attainments and manly virtues, attracted to him- self many devoted friends. He was withal a man of generous im- pulses and gave largely to charities of various kinds. In politics he was a Republican, though he never sought or desired office.
In 1889 Mr. Smith married Miss Martha M. Logan, who, with his two sisters, Mrs. Thomas Alsop, of Brooklyn, Wis., and Mrs. Mary Richardson, of Santa Barbara, Cal., are the only members of his immediate family to survive him.
Edson S. Williams, who lives at 101 Jefferson avenue, in Janes- ville, Wis., is a native of New York state. He was born at Car- mel, N. Y., on December 17, 1843, to Wright and Elizabeth (Hughes) Williams, natives of New York.
Edson was raised at Carmel, where he attended the public
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schools until he was thirteen years of age, then set to work at the farming business, which he followed for four years. He came to Wisconsin in 1856 and settled at Evansville, where he engaged in the harness business, and followed the same until 1880. He came to Janesville, Wis., in 1888, where he has since remained.
When the Civil War broke out and the call for troops was made, Mr. Williams, in 1861, responded and enlisted in Company H, Second Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and with the Iron brigade, was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. He saw much service, being with his regiment engaged in the battles of Bull Run, Gainsville, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, loosing his right leg in that battle, July 1, 1863. He served until November 26, 1863, when he received an honorable discharge and was mustered out of the service.
Mr. Williams is a member of Union Lodge No. 11, Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, of Washington, D. C., and in re- ligious matters he affiliates with the Episcopalians.
On September 22, 1890, Mr. Williams married Lorinda F. Stevens, at Janesville, Wis., and who is the daughter of Samuel and Fanny Stevens, of Janesville, Wis., deceased.
John P. Watson, one of Janesville's successful contractors, and a resident of that city since 1855, is a native of Cambridge- shire, England, was born November 16, 1826. His parents, Wil- liam and Mary (Spinks) Watson, were also natives of England. At the age of thirteen he began working on the railroad, but soon afterward was employed on bridge building, and was en- gaged in that line of work on various railroads in the old coun- try until 1849, when he emigrated to America. He made his home in Chicago and for one year was engaged in bridge building for the Chicago & North-Western Railroad Company on the old Galena division between Chicago and Elgin.
In the spring of 1850, during the great gold excitement, he went to California, going overland by team, and engaged in placer mining in Placerville. The succeeding two years were spent in the gold mines with varying success, at the end of which time he returned to New York by way of Nicaragua and at onee sailed for his native land, where on March 23, 1852, in Spalding, Lincolnshire, England, he was married to Miss Susan Wilson, a daughter of John and Sarah (Taylor) Wilson of that place.
Within three months he returned to Chicago, where he en-
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gaged in the hotel and livery business for two and one-half years. At this time he loaned money, which he had made in California, for twenty-five per cent.
In the spring of 1855 Mr. Watson came to Janesville, where, after a few months as proprietor of the Ogden house, he resumed his former business as contractor, building bridges and culverts on the Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad between Janesville and Brodhead. This work occupied one summer, when he began contracting and building in the city.
He built a store for J. J. R. Pease, also the Jackman block and a number of dwellings, and in 1861, repaired the dam across the Rock river above Milwaukee street. About 1862 he built a round house and railroad bridge at Janesville for the Chicago & North-Western railroad. He built piers and foundations for the bridges at Racine and Kenosha and the smaller bridges on the Lake Shore division for the same company, as well as the masonry work for the bridges on the line between Janesville and Green Bay, and the Madison division. He enlarged and straightened the tunnels at Sparta, Wis., built the masonry for bridges in Minnesota and for the air line between Fond du Lac and Mil- waukee.
He has done a large amount of tunnel work, and, altogether, has employed or been in charge of a large number of men, more, perhaps, than any other man in the state. During the high water of the spring of 1881, when Janesville was threatened with inundation, he came to the rescue, and by his experience and knowledge of such work, relieved the city of serious trouble. During that and the following year he built the race and lower cotton mill.
In 1882, when a large portion of the upper dam was washed away by high water, he checked the flow of water in a gap more than 100 feet wide by fifteen feet in depth, in eighteen days, and restored the power for the work of factories and mills in high water, a feat hardly supposed to be possible.
Mr. and Mrs. Watson were blessed with a family of six chil- dren, one dying in infancy. Mary Elizabeth, the wife of Orion Sutherland; Susan E., widow of Clinton H. Wilcox; J. H., of Janesville; William E., of New Mexico, and Dottie M., wife of William T. King, of Minneapolis. Mrs. Watson passed away January 13, 1899.
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Mr. Watson is a Republican in politics, but has never sought or desired office. Not connected with any church, he has been liberal in support of all. About 1882, after leading a very busy and useful life, he retired from the cares of same. Possessing a spirit of enterprise, supported by indomitable energy and pluck, he never hesitated to undertake a difficult or dangerous piece of work, and has invariably carried out his undertaking with marked success. While having sustained some serious in- juries in the course of his life while in discharge of duty, he has had the good fortune to carry his men through with but one fatal accident among the thousands who have been under his charge.
A man of broad views, free-hearted and ever ready to do a kindness or to assist those in distress, Mr. Watson by his upright, manly course and strict integrity has now the respect and con- fidence of all who know him.
John L. Wilcox. No history of Janesville could be complete without devoting some space somewhere and in some manner to the achievements of the younger class of men who are giving the best years of their lives toward building up the industrial re- sources of the country, and it is therefore a difficult matter to do justice to these young men, many of them being extremely reluctant to talk about themselves; and one of the chief offend- ers in this line is John L. Wilcox, the secretary and general man- ager of the Lewis Knitting Company. He was born in Janes- ville on November 24, 1879. His parents were Clinton H. and Susan E. Wilcox, who were always highly esteemed by the people of Janesville, where they have resided for many years. Father Wilcox passed out of this life on April 1, 1895; Mother Wilcox is still (1908) living, with the hopes of many years to come, in which she is joined by her children and many friends.
Our subject received his education in the public schools of Janesville, and after completing his studies there found em- ployment in Chicago, where he was for several years connected with the wholesale firm of Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co., where he received a business training and experience which proved in- valuable to him and doubtless had a large influence in the forma- tion of his decision to enter upon the career of a manufacturer of underwear. The goods made by his company have received a world-wide reputation.
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Mr. Wilcox is a member of the society of Elks of Janesville, and secretary of the Sinnissippi Golf Club of Janesville.
On January 1, 1901, Mr. Wileox was united in marriage with Miss Mabel Barrett Lewis. They are the happy parents of one child-Annette.
Charles H. Weirick, a prosperous and influential citizen of Janesville, was born at Shopiere, Rock county, Wis., October 7, 1863, to William C. and Susan (Long) Weirick, natives of Penn- sylvania and Ohio respectively. They were married in the state last named, and in 1858 removed to Rock county, Wisconsin, and settling at Shopiere, where they made a home and passed their lives. The father was a mason contractor and followed his occupation until his deeease in 1868. The mother survived until 1898.
Charles H. acquired a good English education in the public schools of his native town and at the age of eighteen years began clerking in a general store, where he remained until he attained his majority. That was in 1884, and from that time on during a period of eighteen years he carried on a general merchandising business in his home town with good success.
Mr. Weiriek has always been interested in public matters and has been active in the local affairs of the Republican party for many years. He served as clerk of the town of Turtle ten years, for six years was chairman of the town board of super- visors, and in 1902 was elected register of deeds for Rock county, and elosing out his mercantile business in Shopiere, took up his residence in Janesville, his present home.
Mr. Weiriek is actively identified with various social, fra- ternal and benevolent organizations, being a member of the Masonie order, Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Order of Elks and Modern Woodmen of America.
On October 1, 1891, Mr. Weiriek married Miss Nellie M., daughter of Mr. Charles W. and Eliza (Nash) Stark. The father, a native of Vermont, is a farmer by occupation and served for many years as register of deeds of Rock county.
Mr. and Mrs. Weiriek have two children, viz .: Marion, fif- teen years, and Maurice, eleven years of age.
Arthur C. Kent, a retired business man of Janesville, Wis., was born at Chataqua, Canada, and is a son of Cartwright and Caroline M. (Smith) Kent, the former a native of Lineolnshire
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and the latter of London, England, she being a half-sister of the Honorable Charles Chichester, queen's counsel, of London.
Arthur C. was educated in the common schools in Canada, and after leaving home acted as French interpreter at the Inter- national Hotel at Niagara Falls, N. Y., during 1853-54. Going to Chicago in 1855, he was for a year ticket clerk in the office of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway. Mr. Kent returned to Canada in 1856 and engaged in the distilling busi- ness; then went to St. Louis, Mo., where he was employed in the slate and marble trade for a time and after that was engaged as a contractor and builder at Lexington, Ky. In 1860 Mr. Kent came to Janesville, Wis., and there, in response to President Lin- coln's call for troops on November 6, 1861, enlisted in Company E, Third Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry, and entered the service as first lieutenant of his company, and served until June 13, 1863, when he resigned and returned home.
Mr. Kent next engaged in the distilling and vinegar business for five years, after which he turned his attention to manufac- turing and building operations. Besides three handsome modern apartment buildings he erected and equipped a large factory for the manufacture of corn planters, and before selling his inter- ests in the establishment in 1905 had manufactured and placed on the market more than a million corn planters. In 1906 Mr. Kent invented and patented a potato planter which has proven a great success. Throughout his varied and busy career Mr. Kent has maintained a high standard of business integrity, and in whatever he has undertaken he has always shown himself capable and trustworthy, so that wherever known he is held in high esteem. He has never sought or held public office, his own business being more to his liking and furnishing ample scope for the gratification of his ambitions. He is connected with the Masonic order and is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. In religious faith he is affiliated with the Episcopal church.
On October 23, 1866, Mr. Kent married Miss Hattie M. Liddle, and they have had two children, both of whom died in infancy.
Claremont S. Jackman, a native of Janesville, Wis., was born November 20, 1846, to Timothy and Maria M. (Smith) Jack- man. The Jackman family is of English ancestry and was first represented in this country in colonial days, some of its mem-
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bers serving in the state militia of Massachusetts, and in the Revolutionary War under Washington. Stillman Jackman, our subject's grandfather, was born in Massachusetts, but later moved to New Hampshire, where he died.
Our subject's father was a native of New York state and in early life was a farmer. He settled at Janesville, Wis., in 1842, where he conducted a hotel and was also engaged in the milling and mercantile business. He was a prosperous and successful business man and a man of commanding influence in the com- munity, and was a member of the first city council of Janesville. He was one of the organizers of the Rock, now Rock County, National Bank, and served as its president from its organization till his decease in 1868 at the age of sixty-eight years. Our sub- ject's mother, who died in 1888, was a daughter of Jesse Smith, a native of Massachusetts, who in 1848 settled in Union town- ship, Rock county, Wisconsin, where he carried on farming and also conducted a store until his decease at the age of ninety years. Our subject is one of a family of four children, of whom two are deceased. His brother, Clarence N., is a carriage manu- facturer of Janesville.
Claremont Jackman was educated in the common schools, and at the age of sixteen, in 1862, enlisted in the army and en- tered the Civil War as a member of the Twelfth Wisconsin Ar- tillery. He fought in the battles of Mission Ridge and Altoona and the siege and capture of Savannah, participated in Sher- man's march to the sea, and later. was assigned to duty at the headquarters of General John A. Logan. After his return from the war he spent one year in the milling business at Janesville, and the next year and a half was engaged in mining in Montana. After his return to Janesville on July 1, 1867, he took a position as messenger in the Rock County National Bank, and worked his way up through the various offices until he became its presi- dent, which office he now (1907) holds. Mr. Jackman is counted among the most progressive and influential citizens of his city. He has large financial interests in many of the city's large manufacturing and commercial enterprises and is a large stock- holder in the Janesville waterworks. In politics he is a Repub- lican and has served two terms as alderman from the Third ward. He is a member of the Masonie order and is connected with Oriental Lodge, Knights of Pythias.
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On March 10, 1869, Mr. Jaekman married Miss Clara Han- chett, daughter of John H. and Julia (Titus) Hanchett. They have one son, Frank, who is cashier in the bank with his father and who married Miss Etta B. Hanchett, by whom he has three children, Franeis, Claremont and Ann.
The Jaekman home at the corner of Park place and St. Law- renee street is a model of elegance and comfort.
Silas Hurd, who was one of the pioneer settlers and sturdy, substantial farmers of Rock county, Wisconsin, was a native of New York state. He was born in September, 1817, and was a son of Jonathan and Elizabeth Hurd. He grew up on a farm, having the ordinary experiences of the eastern farmer boy, and received a good common school education. On attaining his majority he came West to begin life, having no capital save his native ability and a determined purpose to succeed. This was before the days of railroads, and he made the trip from his east- ern home to the then territory of Wiseonsin overland with team and wagon, camping out nights on the way. Stopping near Be- loit, he spent one season there and raised a crop of eorn, and then settled on a quarter section of land which he purchased from the United States government in Fulton township. Here he built a rude log house on the bank of the Roek river, in which he lived with his family until able to ereet a comfortable and substantial modern home. Mr. Hurd had a genius for hard work and turned his hand to anything he could find to do to earn an honest dollar. Thus by perseverance, industry, eeon- omy and thrift his affairs prospered, and, adding to his original purchase from time to time, he owned at one time 1,200 acres of fine, fertile farming land, besides a vast amount of personal and other property. He was always a man of publie spirit, ready to help in any way he eould to advanee the material and moral welfare of the community, and was held in high esteem as one of the self-made substantial and influential citizens of Roek eounty of his day.
In politics he was a staunch Republican, but never sought or cared for official position, finding in his chosen work ample scope for the exercise of his powers and the gratifieation of his ambi- tion.
He died at his home on April 7, 1888, universally esteemed,
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and left to his family, besides the results of his material pros- perity, the lasting heritage of an honored name.
In early life Mr. Hurd married Miss Cynthia Cowan, a native of New York state, whose decease occurred on July 12, 1880. Of seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hurd the eldest, Charles H., is deceased; the second child, Clara M., married Mr. Elijah P. Wixom, now deceased, and resides at 153 Milton avenue, Janesville; the third, Sarah E., who now resides at 203 Milton avenue, is the widow of Mr. George Scofield, deceased; Emma L., the fourth child, is married to Mr. George A. Proctor, died in 1902; John C. is a prosperous farmer of Fulton township; and Malita, the sixth, and Lelia, the youngest child, are both de- ceased.
Sketches of both Mr. Elijah P. Wixom and Mr. George Sco- field appear elsewhere in this work.
James F. Hutchinson, mayor of the city of Janesville, is a native son of Wisconsin, born December 31, 1856, at Dunkirk, Dane county, Wis. His parents were Stoakley and Elizabeth (Ingmalles) Hutchinson, who were both born and reared in England, the father in the town of March, Cambridgeshire, born November 13, 1826; the mother in Lincolnshire, born October 8, 1830. They came to the United States in 1852 and lived in New York city for three years, then removed to Wisconsin in 1855 and settled in Dunkirk, Dane county, where they farmed for three years. Being attracted by the possibilities of Rock county, they moved to Janesville in 1858 and there made their permanent home, Mr. Hutchinson engaging in the business of contracting painter, which he carried on successfully until the time of his death, which occurred on December 23, 1906, at the age of eighty years. Mrs. Hutchinson died January 11, 1880, aged forty-nine years. There were born to them ten children, of which our subject was the second of the family.
James F. received a good business education in the schools of Janesville and then engaged in the contracting work with his father, and in 1895 embarked in business for himself, in which he has been very successful not only in a financial way but also m gaining and holding the esteem of his fellow men.
In politics Mr. Hutchinson is a Democrat, and has been hon- ored by the voters of Janesville, electing him mayor of the city for two terms and twice as alderman of the Second ward.
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