The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 106

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 899

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

maintained a high reputation for strict honor and integrity. In his professional capacity, he is one of th oldest and best exponents of the science of homoeopathy in Southern Wisconsin, and is justly entitled to prominent place among the best American physicians. Socially, he is highly esteemed, and in every relatio of life he has well earned the sincere respect and perfect confidence of all good men. In 1846, Dr. Chitter. den was married to Charlotte A. Wellman, of New York Mills; this estimable lady died at Janesville, May 31, 1847, leaving a young son who survived only four months ; Dec. 30, 1852, he was married to Miss Melissa J. Gillett, who was born in Homer, Cortland Co., N. Y., April 8, 1822; her parents, Isano and Alma Gillett, came to that place from Columbia Co., N. Y., in 1801; she is a lady of a high order of intelligence, and greatly esteemed by all who know her for her sociability and cheerfulness ; she is con- nected with the Episcopal Church; they have living two estimable daughters, Charlotte and Melissa-one daughter, Marian, died, aged 20 months-also one son, George G. Chittenden, M. D., who graduated at Rush Medical College, Chicago, Ill., in February, 1879, and is a copartner with his father in the prac- tice of his chosen profession.

JAMES CLARK, miller; born in Scotland; came to Canada in 1855; moved to Lockport, Ill., where he remained one summer previous to coming to Janesville in 1857. Married Dorothy Airis, of Scotland, in November, 1863. They are members of the Presbyterian Church.

MRS. JOHN CLARK ; was born in Stirlingshire, Scotland, April 30, 1841, and came to America in 1846, and lived in Rock Co .; her maiden name was Agnes More. She married Mr. Joha Clark Nov. 8, 1861. Mr. C. died September 11, 1869. Mrs. C. first lived in Bradford and came to Janesville in 1861, where she still lives. She has two children-Wm. J., born July 29, 1862, and E. Mary. May 27, 1864. Mrs. C. belongs to Presbyterian Church.

PATRICK CLARK farmer, Sec. 34; P. O. Janesville ; born in County Meath, Ireland, in 1823; came to America in 1851, staying in New York until coming to Wisconsin, in 1854; settled in Rock Co. in 1859.

W. CORLEW, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Janesville; born in Rockingham, Windham Co., Vt., Nov. 21, 1812 ; came to Rock Co. July 8, 1846 ; bought ninety-five acres on Sec. 1. Married Miss Betsey L. Daggett, daughter of Henry Daggett, of Maine, January, 1849. He is a member of the Sons of Temperance ; liberal in religion and politics. Mr. C. was for five years engaged in hunting.

HON. HARMON S. CONGER, Judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit; was born in Cortland Co., N. Y., where he read and practiced law until he came to Janesville, in 1855. While a resi- dent of Cortland Co., he took a lively interest in political affairs, and, while pursuing his legal studies, he purchased the Cortland County Whig, which he edited with ability and earnestness for six years ; at the expiration of this period, the young editor sold it out and gave his entire time and energies to his profes- sion ; shortly after his admission to the bar, much to his surprise, he was nominated to Congress by the Whig Convention in 1846; owing to the political complexion of the district, many believed that the nom- ination was only an empty honor, but, contrary to general expectation, Mr. Conger was elected to the XXXth Congress, and was re-elected in 1848, although his opponent was his old preceptor, and one of the ablest and most popular men in the district; after serving two terms in Congress, he gave his undivided attention to his profession, allowing nothing to divert him from the pursuit of his life ; after twenty-five years' experience as an attorney, a ripe scholar. a well-trained lawyer, an honest man, he was elected Junge of this circuit in 1870; re-elected in 1876. Free from obnoxious partisanship as it is possible for a man to be, he has proved to be a most satisfactory and capable judicial officer.

M. M. CONANT, grocer; born in Plainfield, Vt., July 13, 1829 ; was engaged in grocery busi- . ness in Boston for a number of years ; came to Janesville in 1869, and has been in the same business ever since. Married Mary P. Kimball Nov. 8, 1856; she was born in Irasburg, Vt., June 5, 1834; they have four children-Alice M., Arthur H., Kate L., Clarence M., aged 22, 21, 18 and 15 years respect- ively. Mr. C. was School Commissioner two years; has also spent four years in California ; was one of the first Trustees of the city of Yreka, Cal. During the war, was Quartermaster's Clerk under Gen. Pit- cairn, in the Army of the Potomac.

CHARLES B. CONRAD, grocer ; born in Janesville Aug. 29, 1848 ; son of Charles H. Conrad, a native of Canada ; an early settler in Janesville, where he was engaged in business as a carpen- ter and joiner ; built a large flouring-mill, where the post office now stands, and, for many years, carried on an extensive grocery business ; he died April 27, 1877. His widow, Harriet B. Conrad, is now a resident of Janesville. Charles H. Conrad held various important positions; was many times Alderman of the Third Ward; served several terms as County Supervisor, etc.

J. F. COUSENS, foreman in card-room of Janesville Cotton Factory ; born in Brunswick, N. Y., March 16, 1841. Married Sarah M. Wilson Feb. 15, 1871 ; she was born in Savoy, Mass., July 17,

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1845 ; they have two children-Addie K., born March 21, 1874, and an infant. Mr. C. enlisted Sept. 20, 1861, in Co. H, 27th Mass. V. I .; was mustered out in 1864; re-enlisted March 2, 1865, in 6th U. S. Veteran Volunteers, Co. F ; was in the battles of Roanoke Island and Newbern ; held office of Corporal. Mr. C. came to Janesville in 1875 ; was also in present business twenty years at North Adams, Mass.

J. B. CROSBY, General Manager of the Harris Manufacturing Co .; came to Janesville in 1852; engaged in dry-goods business until the organization of the Rock County Bank in October, 1855. when he engaged in the banking business ; was the first Cashier of that institution until 1870, except during the year of 1857; from 1870 to 1877, Mr. Crosby was a resident of Brooklyn, N. Y .; in 1877, he returned to Janesville and has given his attention to the manufacturing business since that time ; his father, Nathaniel Crosby, came to Janesville in 1850, built a large flouring-mill here and carried it on until his death in 1857.

CORNELIUS S. DECKER, farmer, Sccs. 6, 7, 8; P. O. Janesville; born in Orange Co., N. Y., in 1820; came to Wisconsin in 1864, and located on present homestead ; owns 880 acres, 650 under cultivation ; is one of the most extensive farmers and stock-raisers in the county. Married Miss Jane E. Ashby, daughter of John Ashby, of Orange Co., N. Y .; had eight children-Jonathan, Anne, Francis (dead), Cornelius, William, Charles, Theodore and Andrew Keen. Mr. D. is Chairman Board of Supervisors; his son, T. C. Decker, acts as manager for his father ; he was born in Orange Co. in 1851.

JOHN P. DICKSON ; was born in Danville, Vt., April 18, 1808; in 1836, he decided to settle in the West, aud, in May of that year, left Vermont for Milwaukee, where he arrived a month later. After looking about for some time in search of a suitable location, he selected the site of Janes- ville for his permanent residence, and, in August, 1838, entered about 200 acres of land ; part of this he laid out as a farm, and disposed of the remainder in various ways, selling portions of it and again adding other land as occasion served; Mr. Dickson also acted as land agent for Eastern speculators, and gradually developed, in this manner, a business in real estate. Being one of the carliest settlers of the town, he became concerned in the conduct of its government; in 1842, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and, from that time, held the office for many years ; he has also held various other town offices; in 1859, he was elected to the Legislature and served two terms; in political affairs he has attached himself to the Republican party and taken a most active interest in its career and management. Mr. Dickson is one of the representative men of the Northwest. an early settler and one who has identified himself closely with its progress ; he has successfully borne all the hardships and privations incident to such a life, and they have developed in him, as a natural result, both physical vigor and the sturdy moral and mental health which are secured by the constant practice of industry and thrift. On the 21st of November, 1832, Mr. Dickson was united in marriage to Lorinda, daughter of Mr. James Stevens, of Danville, Vt.

EDWARD L. DIMOCK was born in Genesee Co., N. Y., Oct. 13, 1819; son of Horatio and Teresa Maria Dimock, both natives of Tolland Co .. Conn. ; the family is of Scotch descent, some five or six generations since; the subject of this sketch, lived in Genesee Co., N. Y., on a farm until the age of 13; in his 14th year, he went to Rochester and clerked for two years in a dry-goods store in that city ; he then removed to Batavia, N. Y., where he remained about ten years; then he went to Buffalo, N. Y., where he was engaged two years in a like capacity, and, having saved a little money. he resolved to push farther west ; accordingly, in June. 1845, he removed to Janesville, Wis .; he engaged in mercantile busi- ness here and continued in it for six years, when he turned his attention to banking and continued in that business until September, 1857; in 1858, he turned his attention to the business of insurance, and is still conducting the business with success ; in the spring of 1854, he was elected Alderman of the Second Ward of the city of Janesville, and, in the spring of 1855, was elected Mayor, serving one term, and subsequently held other city offices; he was for five years a director in the Milwaukee & Mississippi (now the C., M. & St. P.) Railroad Company ; he was also a stockholder, and for four years, ending with 1861, lessee of the Janesville Gas Works, in connection with Timothy Jackman ; he was a charter mem- ber and first Secretary of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, of Milwaukee; he is a pub- lic-spirited man, and being one of the early settlers of Janesville, has taken a deep interest and contributed in no small degree to its growth and development; at the twenty fifth anniversary of his marriage, which was celebrated in 1876, a friend, who made the formal presentation of the gifts bestowed, said : " In the upbuilding of this beautiful little city of the prairie, it is not too much to say that you have done your full share; and when its history is written, your name will occupy an honorable and conspicuous place upon its pages." Mr. Dimock was married, Oct. 30, 1851, to Miss Emma C. Hauks, daughter of Col. L. B. Hauks, for many years a prominent business man of Hartford, Conn. ; they have had five children. four of whom died in infancy, leaving an only daughter surviving-Mary Emma.

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ELLIS DOTY (deceased), Janesville, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Lock- port, Niagara Co., N. Y., on the 6th day of September, 1838, and was therefore in the 34th year of his age at the time of his death. In 1841, he came to Rock Co. and settled, with his father's family, in the town of Turtle. The family moved to Janesville in the spring of 1847, and the subject of this sketch remained a citizen of this city up to the time of his death. In the year 1854, Mr. Doty entered the office of Joseph Baker, then publisher of the Free Press, for the purpose of learning the printer's trade. He remained there until the consolidation of that paper with the Gazette, two years later, when he was thrown out of employment, and sought a situation in the northern part of the State. Returning a few months afterward, he became in some way connected with his brother, William Doty, in the publication of the Janesville Messenger. Afterward, he was employed by Holt, Bowen & Wilcox, then publishers of the Gazette, and was made foreman of their job office in 1861. Early in 1863, his connection with this establishment was severed, and he removed to La Fayette, Ind., there to engage in the publication of a n .- wspaper. Remaining in that place but a short time, he returned to Janesville and opened a job printing office, afterward associating himself with Garret Veeder, of the present firm of Veeder & St. John, pub- lishers of the Recorder. In 1865, his failing health compelled him to retire from a business which he was eminently qualified to pursue with success, and he disposed of his interest in the establishment to H. L. Devereux, now publisher of the Burlington Standard. During the summer of the year in which Mr. Doty abandoned the printing business, he entered into partnership with two of his brothers for the manu- facture of the celebrated Doty washing machine (the invention of his brother William), and to his energy is due much of the success which has attended the introduction of that household implement. During the following year, R. J. and Hamilton Richardson were taken into the firm, which was styled Doty Brothers & Richardson. A consolidation of this firm with the Badger State Manufacturing Company was effected in 1868, and the name changed to the Doty Manufacturing Company, which it still retains. Mr. Doty occupied the position of secretary of this company for three years, retiring as an officer in 1871, but still holding his financial interest in the concern. During the year 1870, he associated himself with Thor Judd in the manufacture of a gas machine, which had been rendered valuable by improvements made upon it by Mr. Doty. This partnership was continued less than a year, Mr. Judd assuming the entire interest. Being at leisure after the expiration of his third year as Secretary of the Doty Company, Mr. Doty began to work upon an idea, which had originated in his own mind, for the improvement of rail- road car axles. On the 1st of May the first model of his anti-friction axle was completed and a patent secured. An arrangement was effected whereby George Miltimore, of this city, secured a half-interest in the invention, and together they proceeded to introduce it into use. On the first day of July, the first trial of Mr. Doty's axle was made, on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Road, and it was pronounced a success. Mr. Doty's inventive genius has thus removed one of the most expensive drawbacks to railroad- ing, and it will, in time, as the Superintendent of the Burlington & Quincy road writes, " effect a com- plete revolution in the manufacture of rolling stock for railroads." A stock company for the manufacture of the Doty axle was organized in October, 1873, with a capital of $500,000. The inventor had also perfected machines for the manufacture of this axle, which indicate, in a still greater degree than the con- struction of the axle itself, the capacity of his mind for grasping and working out difficult mechanical problems. Mr. Doty died March 15, 1874, at a period in life when he was most useful to his fellow-men, and when the latent genius within him had just begun to develop itself in practical form, and the rich ideas with which his comprehensive mind was stored had barely reached the confines of the mechanical arena where the true civilization of our race is secured by the continuous battling of American genius. Warm, earnest and constant in his affections, possessing also a character controlled by a high standard of integrity, he was, 'nevertheless, of so retiring and undemonstrative a disposition that only his most inti- mate friends appreciated his great worth. His intellectual powers were also of an unusual character. He was highly endowed with mechanical genius, and, in power of concentration and breadth of com- prehension, either of principles or facts, in their relation to practical affairs, he had few superiors. Mr. Doty was married to Miss Olive Parker, of Janesville, Wis., April 16, 1862; they have one child- Ar.hur.

HENRY A. DOTY, milling; born in Janesville ; son of Ezra Philo Doty, who came to Turtle Township, Rock Co., in 1840, and to Janesville in 1845. E. P. Doty was engaged in the manu- facture of sash, doors and blinds till 1865, when that business was merged into the manufacture of the Doty Washing Machine, the business being carried on by Doty Bros. as a firm until 1868, when a consoli- dation took place with the Badger State Manufacturing Company, under the corporate name of the Doty Manufacturing Company. Mr. E. P. Doty managed the business until the time of his death, which occurred March 7, 1869.

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CHARLES DUTTON, grocer; born in Waterbury, Vt., May 18, 1841 ; came to Janesville in 1866. Married Nancy J. Thornton May 15, 1864; she was born in Moretown, Vt., March 28, 1844 ; they have one child-George A., born April 8, 1865.

F. S. ELDRED, grocer; came to Johnstown, Rock Co., Wis., in 1842; engaged in farming there for thirteen years; in the spring of 1855, came to Janesville. where he was engaged in the lumber business until the fall of 1857 ; afterward a member of the firm of Eldred. Barrows & Lund, dealers in agricultural implements, seeds, etc., for one year; in 1858, he established a grocery business; associated with C. H. Conrad, under the firm title of Conrad & Eldred; in six months. Conrad retired, and he car- ried on the business until he took as a partner John H. Wingate for about eighteen months; after that, D. C. Wheeler was associated with him for two or three years ; the present firm of F. S. Eldred & Co. is composed of F. S. Eldred, L. D. Jerome und Charles Trott. Mr. Eldred was connected with the old Central Bank, and has been connected with the First National Bank since its organization, of which he is Vice President ; Treasurer of Cotton Manufacturing Company. He has held various political and religious offices, having served as Alderman and Supervisor ; was also Justice of the Peace while a resident of Johnstown ; also President of the Pickle Company. Mr. Eldred is a native of Winfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y. Married Miss Sarah Wetmore June 18, 1843; she was born in Winfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y .; they have an adopted daughter.

O. C. ELLIS, superintendent of Wisconsin Shoe Company ; Mr. Ellis has been in the shoe business fifteen years; was five years with the firm of Progree & Smith, of Detroit, as superintendent, and previously at New Haven, Mass. Mr. E. was born in Plymouth, N. H., March 26, 1839. Married Emily Wright May 16, 1861 ; she was born in Ashton, N. H., March 13, 1839; they have two children -Charles W., born April 26, 1864, and E. S., born May 6, 1866. Mr. E. was educated at Northfield Seminary, N. H. They belong to the Episcopal Church. They came to Janesville in February, 1878.

LARS ENGEBRETSON, of N. Hanson & Co., furniture manufacturers; born in Norway; came to Janesville in June, 1867, where he engaged in business as a cabinet maker until 1877, when he was admitted into partnership with the firm he is now connected with. Married Lena Edmundson in July, 1869; she is a native of Norway ; they have three children-Emil Alfred, Anna Louisa and an infant son.

FRANK E. FELLOWS, proprietor of Janesville Business College and Institute of Pen- manship, established in June, 1866, being the first institution of this character that was located here. The session opens Sept. 1, and continues to May 1, of each year. The school is conducted on the scholarship and partial-course plans. Full course entitles the pupil to all branches taught in the institution. Partial course comprises penmanship, English branches, higher mathematics, etc. In the theory department, all common English branches are taught. In the commercial department, commercial law and higher mathe- matics, etc. The educational facilities of this establishment are unexcelled, and a most thorough course of instruction is imparted to the scholar, in whatever department he may enter.

BYRON FIELDS, second foreman of the mill-room in cotton factory ; born Nov. 14, 1857, in Maple Grove, South Adams, Mass. ; educated at North Adams Academy. Was in present business at Arnoldville, Mass., five years, also at North Adams two years. Mr. Fields came to Janesville in 1875, and has been connected with the cotton factory ever since. He is a member of the Odd Fellows' Lodge.

D. E. FIFIELD, lumber dealer, Dillon and Janesville ; came to Rock Co. in 1856; son of Samuel and Abigail Fifield. Married, in 1852, Miss Harriet B. Gould, daughter of James and Rebecca Gould, of Northfield, Vt .; they had seven children, three living-Eddie G., Hattie B. and Walter S. His wife died in 1873. , In 1875, he married Mrs. C. B. Hunt, daughter of F. F. Blood, of Janesville. He is at present, and has been, very largely interested in pine lands in Wisconsin and Michigan. Was elected Alderman of the Third Ward in 1870, served four years. For the past ten years, has been Treasurer of the Horticultural Society ; also Trustee and Treasurer of the First Congregational Church.

GILES FISHER, grocer; born in Wilkesbarre, Luzerne Co., Penn., April 24, 1824; was farming till 1858, when he moved to Rock Co. and engaged in general merchandise trade for nine years ; then came to Janesville in 1874, and established in grocery business. Married Caroline L. Thomas Jan. 11, 1848; she was born in Plymouth, Luzerne Co., Penn., April 23, 1824.

JOSEPH FLAGLER, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Janesville ; came to Wisconsin in 1844, locating on the land where he now lives; owns 107 acres of land. A native of Monroe Co., Penn. ; born in 1838. Married, in 1861, Miss Cornelia A. Brown, daughter of H. Brown, of Janesville ; they have two children, a son and a daughter-Mary Emma, born May 24, 1863; John Melville, born July 4, 1865. Mr. Flagler is at present Clerk of School Board; has been Pathmaster two terms.

SYLVESTER FLAGLER, farmer, Sec. 1 ; P. O. Janesville; came to Wisconsin in 1845; located at Janesville, Rock. Co., and carried on the grain and commission business there before removing to

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his farm. Married, in 1873, Miss E. Allen, of Jefferson Co., Wis. ; have two children-Lawrence, born in August. 1866 ; Paul, born in February, 1876. Mr. F. was born in Monroe Co., Penn., in 1843; is a brother of Joseph Flagler.

O. B. FORD was born in Bennington, Vt .. Jan. 19, 1814. His father moved to Lewiston, N. Y., when Oliver was still in infancy ; lived there until 1817, or 1818, then removed to Le Roy, Genesee Co., N. Y .; remained there until he was 12 years of age; they then removed to Byron in the same county, where his father died. In 1830, Oliver was employed as a clerk in Bergen, where he remained about two years ; then he went to Phelps, Ontario Co., N. Y., and was engaged in like capacity there until 1840, when he commenced mercantile business for himself for about one year, under the firm name of Ford & Gilbert; afterward, for a few years, the firm was Horton, Ford & Co. ; he was also largely engaged in real-estate operations in Western New York, for several years. In 1847, he came to Beloit, Wis., and for eighteen months he was interested in land speculations, and was the owner of an undivided quarter- interest in the water-power at Beloit, which he sold to a gentleman of the name of Gordon, from Bangur, Me. ; remaining but a year and a half at Beloit, he then returned to Phelps, N. Y., and resumed his mer- cantile pursuits, the firm for about three years being Ford & Horton; afterward, he was associated with Geo. W. Swift and A. Brinkerhoff, in the same business, for a few years, and also alone for some time. In 1854, he came to Janesville, purchased the New England House, and conducted it for about nine months ; he then built the Ford House, leased it most of the time, but sometimes carried it on himself for a year or two at a time ; at the same time, he was also carrying on a saw-mill, where Ford's mill now stands (Mr. Ford had acquired an interest in the water-power before his removal to Janesville). In 1859. commenced building Ford's flouring-mill; it was completed and started the following year ; prior to this time, Mr. Ford had run the Excelsior mill, this being the beginning of his milling business. In 1868. he went to Aurora and carried on the Black Hawk and Montgomery mills for one year. About six years ago, he purchased the water-power and site of the Big Mill, and erected thereon the present improvements. con- sisting of mill, post-office building, etc .; he disposed of a portion of the water-power to the Janesville Cot- ton Manufactory, of which company he was President for about two years. In 1873 or 1874, he por- chased at United States' sale, at Milwaukee, the interests of A. Hyatt Smith and wife in the water-power herc. Mr. Ford's first wife was Lucretia Sheckel ; she died in Phelps, N. Y., leaving two children, only one now living-Mary N., who was born in Byron, Genesee Co., N. Y., and is the wife of B. F. Crossint, of Janesville. Mr. Ford's present wife was Marietta F. Drake, a native of Rochester, N. Y. Two chil- dren by this marriage, both resider ts of Janesville; Oliver C., born in Beloit, Wis., and William F., born in Janesville, Wis.

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The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 106

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co. Number of Pages: 899

Author: Wesern historical company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 899