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 52
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Stillman G. Bond, whose family is of English origin, is a native of Clarksburg, W. Va., and was born August 13, 1835, the youngest of six children born to Levi H. and Anna (Moore) Bond, the former a native of Quit Dell, W. Va., and the latter of Philadelphia, Pa. Of their other children, Alexander C. lives at Farnia, Ill., and Louis A., Daniel M., who was a physician at Johnston, Wis .; Louis A. (2d) and Elizabeth are deceased. Our subject's father was born in 1801 and married our subject's mother March 17, 1825, in Cumberland county, New Jersey. She died at Milton, Wis., May 26, 1872, and on June 19, 1874, he married Mary Needham. Prior to 1849 he was a' farmer and stock raiser in his native state, and drove his stock to the Balti- more market. In the year last named he removed to Wisconsin and settled on a tract of land in Milton township, which he im- proved and on which he lived until 1860, when he purchased a farm between Milton and Milton Junction, on which he lived until his decease, May 10, 1891. He was a man of convictions and intense religious nature. In political views he was a staunch abolitionist and thoroughly believed in anti-slavery principles. Some of his religious views were in accord with those of the Seventh Day Adventists, but he was an active and devoted member of the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Milton. Through- out his life from early manhood he served his church as a dea- con, an office which his father before him honorably filled for
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many years. He came of an ancestry of marked religious ten- dencies.
Stillman G. lived on his father's farm till he was twelve years old and attended the district schools. Later he entered Milton College and was a student there at the opening of the Civil War. On October 15, 1861, he enlisted in the army for a term of three years. In May, 1862, was transferred to the U. S. A. hospital service and assigned to duty in the U. S. A. General Hospital at Fort Riley, Kan. ; thence he went to the Army Post Hospital at Co- lumbus, Ky., and from there to Madison, Wis., where, by ap- pointment of the medical director, he was made acting and dis- pensing steward. He served eleven months at the Harvey U. S. A. General Hospital, and then was transferred to the medical directors' office in the department of the Northwest, and later on was placed in the management of the U. S. A. General and Officers' Hospital at Milwaukee till the close of the war. After the war Mr. Bond returned to Milton and resumed farming, and continued in that occupation until impaired health compelled him to abandon it. In 1901 he removed to Milton Junction, where he has since lived in retirement.
In religious faith Mr. Bond is a firm adherent of "the faith of his fathers," and is an honored member of the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Milton. In June, 1863, he married Miss Della S. Doty, of Milton. Their only child, Lewis H., is fore- man of a manufacturing establishment at Harvey, Ill.
Allen B. West, widely known for his activity in educational affairs and one of the influential men of Milton Junction, is a native of Utica, Dane county. Wisconsin, and was born July 15, 1856, the second of four children born to William B. and Jose- phena (Burdick) West, the former a native of Verona, Oneida county, New York, and the latter of Alfred, Allegany county, New York. Their other children were William L., who died in 1901; Amy S., now the wife of Mr. William H. Allen, and Nettie I .. who is married to Rev. W. D. Burdick. William B. West re- moved with his father, Isaac West, from New York to Kosh- konong township, Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in 1841, thence Isaac went to Walworth county, Wisconsin, where he died. William B., our subject's father, then went to Milton, where he attended college and married. Soon after that he settled on a farm at Utica in Dane county, where he lived till 1891. He
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then removed to Milton Junction and with his brother-in-law, Mr. S. G. Burdick, under the firm name of West & Burdick, was engaged in the lumber trade two and a half years. On the dis- solution of that firm, on the death of S. G. Burdick, the firm of W. B. West & Son, our subject, was formed, and continued until 1902, when the West Lumber Company was organized, of which he was president until his decease in 1904, at the age of seventy-one years. He was a prominent man of affairs and a man of commanding influence in the community. He served as justice of the peace, and for many years was a deacon in the Seventh Day Baptist Church. Our subject's mother, who was born in 1828, died in 1906 at the age of seventy-four years.
Allen B. was reared on his father's farm and attended the public schools, supplementing his preliminary studies with a four terms' course at Albion Academy. He afterwards was grad- uated from the State Normal School at Whitewater with the class of 1884. After leaving the academy he taught district and graded schools for five years, and after taking his normal course, he was for nine years principal of the Reedsburgh High School. He then spent thirteen years as principal of the high school at Lake Mills, and during 1906-7 has been an instructor in the Janesville High School, which position he still occupies.
Mr. West has also other business interests to which he has devoted much time. When the West Lumber Company was or- ganized he was made its vice-president and on the death of his father, in 1904, succeeded him as president of the organization and since that time has had the general management of its ex- tensive affairs. Mr. West has served as president, superinten- tendents and principals of the Wisconsin Association, and also as secretary of the Southern Wisconsin Teachers' Association, and president of the Advancement Club of Milton Junction.
In religious faith he is affiliated with the Seventh Day Baptist denomination and is a deacon of the church at Milton Junction.
In 1884 Mr. West married Miss Hattie E., daughter of Robert W. and Ann L. (Newton) Brown. They have three sons, viz. : Allen Brown, who was awarded the Cecil Rhodes scholarship from Milton (Wisconsin) College in 1907; Robert W. and Carrol B., and one daughter, Miriam E.
Franklin Gould, whose death occurred on May 19, 1900, at his home in Lima Center, Rock county, Wisconsin, was a native
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of Clayton, Jefferson county, New York, and was born March 13, 1825, to Amos and Cynthia (Smith) Gould. The father, who was born in Worcester county, Massachusetts, in 1797, settled in Lima township in 1858. He was an honorable man in all his dealings with his fellows, prosperous in his business and a holder of large property interests. He was a Republican in politics and a member of the Baptist church. He died at his home in Lima in 1876, at the age of eighty years. His widow lived to be ninety-three years old and died April 16, 1881.
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Our subject first came to Wisconsin in 1848, and on Septem- ber 27 of that year married Miss Mary A. Frazer, daughter of Jeremiah and Amy Frazer, of Lima township. Returning to Jefferson county, New York, they lived there until 1860, when they came back and made their permanent home at Lima Cen- ter. Mr. Gould was a prosperous farmer and engaged largely in stock raising, and besides making vast quantities of cheese for the market, supplied the dairies with large quantities of milk. His farm of 173 acres was one of the model farms of Lima township. Here he lived until 1879, when he moved into the village, where he passed the remainder of his life. In early life Mr. Gould was a Whig, and cast his first ballot for William Henry Harrison. After its organization, in 1856, he identified himself with the Republican party. He united with the Con- gregational church at Lima in 1868, was an earnest, sincere and devoted Christian man. His widow, who still resides at the old homestead, is also a member of the Congregational church. She is a native of Ontario, Canada, and when about three years old was brought by her parents to Wisconsin. They settled at Lima Center in 1852, but later removed to Adams county, Wisconsin, where the father, who spent his active life farming, died at the age of eighty-four years.
Mr. and Mrs. Gould had four children, of whom two are deceased, viz .: Emeline, the eldest, who died in faney, and Cynthia Ann, who was married to Mr. Eldridge Lowe, and who left surviving one child, Nina M. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Gould now living are Amos F. and Martin F. Amos F., a farm- er at Whitewater, Wis., married Miss Lelia J. Spangle and has two children, viz .: Norah E. and Charles J. Norah E. is mar- ried to Mr. Walter Elphick and has three children-Merrill, Howard and Mary Belle. Martin F., the youngest child of Mr.
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and Mrs. Gould, is a farmer at Lima Center. He married Miss Allie M. Harrington and has three children, viz .: Etta Grace, IIelen Eva and Henry H.
Mrs. Gould comes from a long lived ancestry. Her brother, Oliver E. Froyer, lived to be eighty-eight years old and died at Augusta, Canada, October 24, 1906.
Martin Gould, uncle of subject, was a native of New York state and with his brother, Amos Gould, was associated in busi- ness for fifty years. He was a man of influence in his con- munity and in 1852 moved to Michigan City, Ind., with his only sister, Mrs. Dolly Miner, with whom he lived till her death in 1878. He died in 1880.
William G. Alexander was born May 7, 1852, in Milton, Rock county, Wisconsin. He is one of the influential and prosperous farmers of Rock county, and a man of recognized ability. He now resides on the family homestead in Lima township, con- sisting of 140 acres in Section 15, forty aeres in Section 9 and forty acres in Section 10. Mr. Alexander owns a farm in Seetion 22. He is the son of William and Mary Ann (Goodfel- low) Alexander. His father, born August 25, 1825, in Roxburgh- shire, Scotland, was the only child of William and Janette (Douglass) Alexander. He passed his boyhood and received a good common school education in his native land, and in 1851 married, and in the spring of 1852 came to the United States and settled at Milton, Wis. With little or no means other than his native energy, he at once secured employment at twelve dollars per month, and from his earnings the first five years saved enough to buy eighty acres of land in Section 15, Lima township. In 1856 he moved with his family into a small frame house and began the development of his farm. He was a man of intense activity, upright, elear-sighted and thrifty withal, and to his original purchase afterwards added 245 acres, all of which, under his careful management, was brought to a high state of development. He was a representative man in his community, a Republican in politics, and with his wife actively affiliated with the Presbyterian church. He died at his home April 25, 1895, at the age of seventy years, and his remains were interred at Milton. His wife died at the old home January 29, 1907, aged eighty years. They had a family of six children, of whom our subject is the eldest.
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William G. moved to his present home with his parents when six years of age and there attended the district school. He has always lived on the home farm, and with his father carried on general farming. Of late years the land belonging to the estate has been leased to tenants, though he continues to have a gen- eral oversight of affairs. Mr. Alexander is a Republican in politics and has served as assessor of his township for nine years. He is an honored member and an elder in the Presby- terian church.
On May 12, 1898, Mr. Alexander married Miss Mary B., daughter of James and Elizabeth (McEwen) MeEwan, who was born at Milton, Wis., and there and at Milton College received her education and taught in the public schools for eight years. Her father, a native of Comrie. Perthshire. Scotland, was born May 8, 1823, the fourth son of William and Elizabeth (Dow) MeEwan. He was educated in the parish schools, and in June. 1838, with his mother. four sisters and his brother, William. sailed from Greenock on board the "Lady of the Lake" to New York, and thence came to Milton, where they arrived Septem- ber 11. Mr. MeEwan first assisted his brother Peter. who had taken, in June, 1837, the elaim on which part of the village of Milton now stands, but shortly went to Milwaukee, where he finished learning and worked four years at the carpentering trade and afterwards carried on this trade in Milton. In 1853 he bought a quarter section of land near Milton, which he im- proved, and in 1866 engaged in merchandizing and for some thirteen years conducted a general store.
On October 20, 1861, he married Miss Elizabeth MeEwen, also a native of Scotland, who died August 13, 1878. His second marriage, on November 16, 1881, was to Miss Margaret Young. Mr. McEwan is widely known as one of Rock county's public spirited and representative citizens. He is a Republican in poli- tics and for many years has been actively connected with the Congregational church. He now lives in retirement at Milton. enjoying the well earned fruits of an active and useful life.
Norman M. Gleason, who has spent his life in the place of his birth, which occurred April 28. 1844, is a native of Lima township. Roek county, Wisconsin, and one of its representative farmers. He is a son of George Gleason, a pioneer settler of Rock county, who was born in Hartford county, Connecticut,
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November 11, 1810, and who was the son of Thomas and Eliza- beth (Curtis) Gleason, the former a soldier in the war of 1812. Our subject's father was educated in his native place and in Cortland county, New York, whither his parents removed in his youth. There he married first Miss Laura Cleveland, who died in 1835, leaving one child, Mary Jane, who is married to Ira Kinney. On June 9, 1839. he married Miss Lovina Cravath and continued to reside in New York until 1842. when he moved to Rock county in the then territory of Wisconsin and settled on eighty acres of land in Section 14 in what is now Lima town- ship, but then a part of Milton. He added to his original pur- chase from time to time, owning at the last 270 acres. IIe was a man of influence in the community and active in public affairs. He served eighteen years as assessor and was also supervisor of the town. In 1876 he was elected on the Republican ticket to the state legislature, where he was known as "The Patri- arch," being the oldest member of that body. Both he and his wife, our subject's mother, were devoted members of the Con- gregational church. His death occurred May 13, 1892, at the homestead, and that of the mother October 5, 1895, and their bodies lie side by side in the cemetery at Whitewater. They had one child. besides our subject, viz .: Elizabeth, who married Mr. John M. Thwing.
Norman M. was reared on the farm on which he now lives and which he owns and supplemented his common school edu- cation by a course of study at Milton College. He has been engaged in general farming and stock raising all his active life and also is extensively engaged in the dairy business. He is a man of enterprising spirit, active in affairs and in all his busi- ness and social relations commands the respect of all who know him. He is a Republican in polities and with the exception of three years has held the office of supervisor since 1877. being at present-1907-chairman of the board. He has also been a member of the school board since he was twenty-one years old.
On January 10, 1867, Mr. Gleason married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Edwin and Martha Finch, who came from England to the United States in 1855. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gleason are active members of the Congregational church. Of five children born to them, two, viz .: Charles M. and Ethel L., are living, and three are deceased. - Charles M. is a practicing physician at
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Manitowoc, Wis., and a graduate of Rush Medical College of Chicago. He married Miss Grace A. Barber on August 24, 1904. The daughter, Ethel L., is a graduate of the Normal School at Whitewater.
Frederick Gould, who for many years was one of the hon- ored men of Rock county, was a native of Clayton, Jefferson county, New York. He was born August 12, 1830, to Amos and Cynthia (Smith) Gould, both natives of the Bay state, the father born in Charlton and the mother in Birkshire county. Both went with their parents to Jefferson county, New York, in their youth, and there were married in 1819. The father was for many years engaged in farming with his brother, and as early as 1816 they began to buy and improve wild land, and in 1850 were the owners of 1,475 acres in Jefferson county, New York. Amos Gould settled on a farm in Lima township, Wisconsin, in 1868, and there lived until his decease in 1876, at the age of eighty years. He was an honored citizen in the community and an active member of the Baptist church. His widow died April 16, 1881, in her ninety-third year.
Our subject received a common school education in his na- tive place and at the age of twenty-two began life on his own account. He first settled at Lima Center, Wisconsin, in 1859, and for two years was engaged in general merchandizing. In 1861 he returned to New York and married, and after a short visit to Lima with his family went back to New York and lived there seven years. Mr. Gould then removed with his parents to Lima Center and there passed the remainder of his life. He was a man of quiet demeanor. attending strictly to his own affairs, loyal to his friends and in all his business relations, hon- orable and conscientious. Though he always interested himself in eivie affairs and usually represented his town in political con- ventions, he declined official honors, preferring a quiet life. A man of charitable impulses, he was always kind to the unfor- tunate and deserving poor, giving in the spirit of the Master. Mr. Gould was for twenty-one years secretary of the Town In- surance Company, holding that office at the time of his decease, which occurred December 27, 1903, in his seventy-fourth year.
On February 10, 1861. Mr. Gould married Miss Cynthia A., daughter of Jerry and Ora (Gloyd) Carter, who died in New York and whose remains are interred in the cemetery in Clay-
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ton Center, Jefferson county. Of the two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Gould, the elder, Jemina, is married to Mr. Marshall E. Teetshorn, agent of the American Express Company, of Hous- ten, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Teetshorn have three children, viz. : Ora Belle, Ray. Gould, Alice Eugene. The younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gould, Ora D., resides with her mother in Lima Center.
George S. Parker, of the celebrated Parker Pen Company, Janesville, Wis., was born at Shullsburg, Wis., November 1, 1863. His parents were Norman S. Parker and Roxy Folsom Parker. The father was a descendant of William and Margaret Parker, of Saybrook, Conn., and Dover, England, who came to America in 1632.
Mr. G. S. Parker was educated at the Upper Iowa University and the Valparaiso University. After graduation he returned to farm life, because that was the first work presented. Later eame the invention of his fountain pen and the great business, now so well known, which extends from its center, at Janesville, over most of the civilized and some of the uncivilized world.
Mr. Parker is a Republican in politics, a Mason, an Elk and a K. P., and also a member of the Episcopal church. November 24, 1892, occurred his marriage to Miss Matie M. Clemens, and their children are Russell, Kenneth and Virginia.
Benjamin Brown was born in Framingham, Mass., June 8, 1803, went with his widowed mother to Canada in 1818, and worked on a farm near Sherbrooke until he was twenty-one. Sailing then with his older brother, William, who was a sea captain, from New York to Mexico, he returned alone to the United States at Mobile, Ala., and there caught the yellow fever. After paying the hotel bill, having only half a dollar left, he took his little trunk out into the street and asked a passing waggoner to carry him as far into the country as he could for that sum and leave him at some farmhouse, giving his name. He knew nothing more for about eight weeks, when, coming to himself in a strange place, he heard some one in the next room say, "You won't be troubled with your siek man more than a day longer. I don't think he ean live over twenty-four hours." Rallying all his feeble powers Mr. Brown called out, "I will live." Stepping into his room the doctor replied with a langh, "if that's your spirit I believe you will."
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Finally able to get back to Mobile, whenee his brother, after vainly searching for him, had gone on his way to New York, young Benjamin, penniless and friendless, was about ready to despair when a stranger engaged him to run a yacht ferry back and forth across Mobile bay. This he did with physical and peeuniary profit for that season, and then, with his earnings, started a small notion store in the outskirts of New Orleans. The next year a plausible, educated young man persuaded him to sell out and take a horse-back excursion with him to North Caro- lina, on the way borrowed all his money and then left him there among entire strangers and moneyless. Benjamin, however, gained the good will of that community in Rutherford county, taught their country school three years, and with his new savings started a little store among the gold mines in that region. Later, having gained a wealthy partner, he conducted a larger store in the valley where he had taught school, until 1835. In that year he went north to visit his mother and all the relatives in Massa- chusetts, but she had died from an accident a few weeks before his arrival.
Returning south, he engaged in gold buying and in various forms of business until 1839. In the early spring of that year he chartered a steamer at New Orleans, loaded it with sugar, and took that eargo up the Mississippi to the lead regions at Dubuque. As that whole region was out of sugar, and his was the first boat up, it proved a paying venture, and also introduced him to the great Northwest. Believing that the Mississippi valley was destined to soon be the most growing part of the United States, he went to Massachusetts, married a playmate of his childhood, then Mrs. Lucy A. Leland, and started west, aiming to settle in Burlington, Ia. ' Friends, however, indueed him to come to Beloit, where he arrived with wife and little step daughter, Lucy, October 1, 1840.
Promptly opening a small general store and engaging in trade he also conducted a briek yard as a side effort, but only for one season. After eight years of successful business, having closed his store, he thenceforth occupied himself with dealings in real estate and buildings. In 1844 he had bought for a residence location lots 5 and 6 in block 59, the southwest corner of State and School streets, and in 1845 built there a somewhat elaborate briek home. With its four tall Corinthian columns, facing the
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length of School street, it was conspicuous to the eye and also became well known for its hearty hospitality, especially to all ministers and lecturers. The growth of business in Beloit led to his gradually building around that home six wooden stores, which, with the brick residence, were all destroyed by fire in February, 1871.
Although without insurance, except on one store and the home, Mr. Brown, with his accustomed energy, during the years 1872 and 1873 covered the whole front with three stone and brick blocks of two stores each. His frontage originally extended to the bridge, but a law suit, at an early day, won by the celebrated Matt. H. Carpenter for his opponent, deprived him of all west of what is now 358 Grand avenue. After it was decided young Mr. Carpenter said to him, "You have always been my friend, and I'll never take another case against you. But your lawyer, Judge Keep, was the only man who stood between me and the senator- ship, and I was bound to beat him."
Mr. Brown suffered various business losses through the fail- ures of others, and the tornado of 1883 caused him much unavoid- able damage. In his old age, however, he rallied to the necessity, and with the help of his only son, rebuilt the injured blocks, which have since also been several times enlarged.
Benjamin Brown was an uncompromising anti-slavery man, and a firm friend of temperance. He was for several years an elder of the First Presbyterian church of Beloit, and was the chief builder of its first building, completed in 1850. He was naturally social and a good story teller, a man of natural tact and good judgment and of unusual vitality. His liberality to all forms of benevolence was a regular custom, especially of his later life.
Mrs. Benjamin Brown, a refined Christian lady, much loved by many, died at the home in Beloit, September 1, 1869.
Benjamin Brown living in Beloit to an honored old age, passed away during sleep July 15, 1890. He left one son, William F. Brown, D.D., and a daughter, Maria K. Brown, both residents of Beloit.
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