The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 116

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

USA > Wisconsin > Rock County > The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc. > Part 116

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H. G. McARTHUR, Congregational Minister ; was born in Porter, Niagara Co .. N. Y., March 25, 1834 ; came to Wisconsin about November 15, 1860, locating at Oshkosh, Wis .; from Porter he went to Chicago to study and prepare for college ; he then took a course at Knox College and a theological course at the Union Theological Seminary of New York City, and at the Chicago Theological Seminary, since which time he has been Pastor in charge of the following churches : First Congregational Church at McGregor, Iowa; First Congregational Church at Oshkosh, Wis .; First Congregational Church at Griggs- ville, Ill .; First Congregational Church at Geneseo, Ill. He then moved to Beloit, and, being out of health, he has not taken full charge of any church, but supplies the pulpit of the First Congregational Church ut Rockton, Ill. During the war, he was sent with hospital supplies to the Wisconsin soldiers by the Chris- tian Association. Mr. McArthur married, May 5, 1859, Sarah Blood, of Amsterdam, N. Y .; he has two children-Lizzie M. and Henry B. Mr. and Mrs. McArthur are members of the First Congregational Church.

JOHN McLEAN, Pastor First Presbyterian Church; born in Waterville, Oneida Co. N. Y., Sept 3, 1837; he received part of his education in Whitestown Seminary, and then entered Hamilton College, and graduated from there in 1862, and was then called upon to deliver the Pastor's Oration in 1865, before the students; he then graduated from the Auburn Theological Seminary in 1865, and at once accepted a tutorship in Hamilton College, and during college vacation in 1866, he supplied the pul- pit in Second Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, Mo., and then returned to his duties in Hamilton College ; the same year, he was called as Pastor to the First Presbyterian Church, Galena, Ill., where he officiated till 1872; he was then installed as Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Beloit, which he is holding at the present time; during the years 1875-76, he filled Prof. Blaisdell's position in Beloit College dur- ing his absence, besides fulfilling his regular pastoral duties ; in 1877, he was elected Trustee and member of the Executive Committee of Beloit College. He was married in his present residence in this city Oct. 8, 1878, to Carrie Evans, daughter of John Evans, Esq., M. D., and owns his residence and grounds on School street.

JAMES M. MALTBY, farmer, Sec. 8; P. Q. Beloit ; born in Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1808; he moved to Oswego Co., N. Y., and was engaged in farming there till 1859; he then came to Beloit and bought eighty acres in Sec. 8, with residence and barns and all improvements; afterward bought eighty acres for another party. but had to assume it himself, and again went to farming, which he did not intend doing. He married in Oswego Co., N. Y., in 1827, Sarah Meachem, and they had three children ; his wife died in Beloit in 1866, and he married again in 1868, Mary J. Lambert; they have no children.

OTIS MANCHESTER was born March 17, 1795, in Liverton, Newport Co., R. I., and came to Wisconsin in the latter part of July, 1845, to look after his property in Rock Co., consisting of a farm of 480 acres; in 1811, he went to Providence, R. I., and served an apprenticeship at tailoring ; in the fall of 1816, he went to New Bedford, Mass., and opened a tailoring establishment on his own account; then worked as journeyman in New York City a short time, and on July 20, 1817, went to Utica, N. Y., where, in the winter of 1818, he engaged in the tailoring business, which he carried on for forty years with good success; in 1834, he also opened a tailoring establishment at 175 Broadway, in connection with Joseph Hoxie, under the firm name of Manchester & Hoxie. and shortly thereafter bought out the interest of Mr. Hoxie, and removed to 187 Broadway, at the head of John street ; he continued there for six months, when he removed to what was then known as store No. 2, under the Astor House, which he carried on for four years; in 1840, he went back to Utica to look at the interest of the business at that place ; from Utica he removed to Beloit, where he opened a general store in connection with Mr. John N. Reynolds, which building he bought, and, shortly after, the adjoining corner store, now occupied by Winslow & Rosenberg. Mr. Manchester was elected and served as Alderman in Utica, and

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was also President of the Mechanics' Association of Utica. Mr. Manchester married Jan. 13, 1819, Maria Bishop, daughter of Deacon David Bishop, of Paris, Oneida ('o., N. Y. ; he married the second time, Jan 13, 1821, Hannah Ingals, of Northampton, Mass. ; has three children living-Thomas Clark, Elisha Wells and Mary Ingall. Mr. Manchester is a member of the First Presbyterian Church at Beloit. DAVID MERRILL, farmer, Sec. 10; P. O. Beloit ; born in Shelburne, Mass., in 1812; he . left there in 1836, and went to Michigan in 1841; came to Wisconsin, and located at Beloit; the first land he bought was 100 acres where the city now stands, on the west side of the river; he sold it out at different times, and it is now all laid out in city lots; be built the first stone house on the west side of the river, the oldest house now standing, and his family was the first on the west side of the river; he also built the new brick block at the west end of the bridge, on the north side of the street, and also owns six stores and dwellings adjoining this block ; he bought the farm he now lives on, known as the Clute farm, 240 acres, in Section 10; the residence and barns on it were built by Mr. Clute, but Mr. Merrill greatly improved it while he lived in the city and suburbs; he built twenty-four dwellings and barns in Beloit, and has broken and improved five farms in the township, and built a residence and barn on each one; he has broken over 1,200 acres of land, which he owned and sold; he built over twenty miles of rail and board fence ; he now owns 240 acres in Section 10, with residence and barns, and twenty-five lots in Beloit, valued at $20,000. He married, in Beloit, in 1842, Agnes Fonda, and this was the first public wedding in Beloit. They had seven children, six now living.

S. T. MERRILL was born in Franklin Co., Mass., Sept. 24, 1816; from Massachusetts, he removed with his parents to Cheshire Co., N. H .; in that neighborhood, he received his education. From New Hampshire, at the age of 21 years, he went to Georgia, where, at Sparta and Ft. Gains, he spent eight years in teaching. About four years of that time he was Principal of the Cuthbert Academy, in Randolph Co., Ga. He then came to Beloit, about the middle of May, 1846, and took charge of the Beloit Seminary. He continued in charge of that institution until the male department was merged into what is now Beloit College. Mr. Merrill taught the first class in that college. He continued to teach until relieved by the professor appointed for the class. He then started the manufacture of paper in part- nership with T. L. Wright. under the firm name of Wright & Merrill. This firm, in 1851, built the first paper-mill that was erected on Rock River. He also, in 1852, opened a book store in connection with Wright & Newcombe. under the firm name of Wright, Merrill & Newcombe. He sold out to his other partners in 1856. He then engaged with Chas. Walker in building another mill on the east side of Rock River. This mill is known as one of the Rock River Co.'s mills. In 1872, Mr. Merrill purchased an interest in the O. E. Merrill & Co.'s iron works, and was made the Treasurer of the company. For the past three years, he has been President of the company. He is also President of the Eclipse Wind-Mill Co. About the year 1854, he was Superintendent of Schools at Beloit. He was also a member of the Common Council of that city, and is now a member of the County Board of Supervisors. In 1876, and the year following, he served in the Legislature from Beloit. He is one of the Executive Committee of Beloit College, and Treasurer of that institution. In 1873, he was sent by Gov. Washburn to Vienna as State Commissioner to the Exposition at that place. In 1876, President Hayes appointed him Com- missioner at large to the Paris Exposition. Mr. Merrill married, Sept. 1, 1853, Jane Blodgett, of Coopers town, N. Y. He has five children living-"Mary Isabella, George Spencer, Louis Blodgett, Helen Colt and Robert Taylor. Mr. and Mrs. Merrill are members of the First Congregational Church at Beloit.

C. M. MESSER; born in New Hampshire, in 1811; came to Chicago in 1835, and remained among the Indians there till about July, 1837 and then came to Beloit ; in the fall of that year he bought a claim to eighty acres Government land, and then squatted on eighty acres timber land; he built a log house on the timber land and lived in it during the winter of 1837-38, and, in the spring of 1838, moved into the village of Beloit. and followed his business of carpenter and joiner, but was principally engaged in land-surveying, dividing and tracing the Government lines, which business he has followed up to a few years ago; about 1840, he built a small frame residence, which he lived in until 1867, and then built a large frame house, which he now occupies; in 1841, he returned East and was married, in New Hamp- shire, to Abigail Loomis, and then returned to Beloit; they have four children-Frank, Fred, Charles and Ella. Before the city was organized he was Highway Commissioner and holds the office still.

FRED. MESSER was born Oct. 5, 1849, in Beloit, Wis., where he went to school; was engaged for a time in the machinery department of D. S. Tambling & Co., and then for three years as journeyman and then as foreman in the machinery department of the Merrill & Houston Iron Works at Beloit.

SARAH A. MILLETT, widow, Sec. 9; P. O. Beloit; the daughter of James and Sarah F. Appleton : born at Marblehead, Mass., Jan. 20, 1811. She married Stephen C. Millett, May 6. 1833,

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at Gloucester, Mass. Her husband was born at Salem, Mass., May 20, 1810. They came to Wisconsin in 1845, and located in Beloit; had nine children, four now living; in 1848, Mr. Millett bought 240 acres Government land, in Section 9, and seventy acres more in same section afterward, making 310 acres in all, 40 acres of which he afterward sold to A. Myers, leaving 270 acres, which is now owned by his widow ; he built a large stone residence, with barns and improvements; Mr. Millett was educated for the ministry at Amherst College, Massachusetts, graduated from there in 1830, and was ordained a Deacon in St. . Michael's Church at Marblehead, Mass., by the Right Rev. Alexander B. Griswold, in 1833, and was ordained as Minister in St. Peter's Church, Salem, Mass., by the same Bishop ; he was instrumental, by his energy in raising subscriptions, in building St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Beloit ; was the first Rector appointed and officiated there for eight years ; was afterward Missionary at Oshkosh, Stevens Point and Lancaster, and died in Beloit, on his farm, May 28, 1867.

D. P. MILLER, livery, foot of Broad street ; was born in Colerain, Franklin Co., Mass., June 23, 1816 ; came to Wisconsin February 16, 1856, locating at Beloit; from Colerain went to Greenfield, and there learned the tailor's trade; from Greenfield moved to Ashfield, Franklin Co., Mass., and, at 20 years of age, commenced business for himself in the tailoring line, which he conducted for nineteen years, and, during that time, saw the rise and fall of some twelve different tailoring establishments ; Mr. Miller had a fine business at this place, and cleared $10,000 in nineteen years; from Ashfield he came to Beloit and bought a farm for $8,000, and remained at farming for three years, and. after trying the tailoring and confectionery business, built a livery stable, and is carrying on the business successfully ; Mr. Miller is said to have the best establishment of its kind in Beloit, keeping twenty three horses and between twenty-five and thirty carriages of all descriptions; he also owns two farms-one farm of 160 acres, all in cultivation, and valued at $8,000; the other, eighty acres, all cultivated, and valued at $2,000. Married, November 27, 1840, Mary Ann Holmes, of Ashfield, Franklin Co., Mass. Members of the Presbyterian Church.

DR. T. W. MORSE, physician and surgeon, West Bridge street ; was born in Syracuse, N. Y .; came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1845, and located near Rochester, Racine Co., thence moved to Water- ford, Racine Co., from there to Appleton, Wis., and Menasha, where he was Receiver in the United States Land Office at that place; from Menasha back to Appleton, Wis., where he engaged in the manufacture of children's carriages; from Appleton he removed to Delavan, where he acted as Special Agent of the Security Fire Insurance Co .; from Delavan to Chippewa Falls ; the winters of 1864-65-66, were spent by him in Rush Medical College, Chicago, as student, where he graduated with all honors, passing every chair, and receiving a special diploma on the eye and ear ; from Chippewa Falls he came to Beloit, where he is having good success, and his business is constantly increasing. Dr. Morse enlisted, in 1862, in the 21st Wis. V. I., Co. B, Capt. Turner; was promoted to Lieutenant in the regular army ; mustered out in February, 1866 ; was Commander in the Texas Freedman's Bureau. Dr. Morse married, in the latter part of February, 1873, Anna Barlow, of Delavan, Wis .; he has one child living, by first wife-Effie. Both Mr. and Mrs. Morse are members of the Baptist Church at Beloit.

JOHN D. MUNSON, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Beloit; born in Ulster Co., N. Y., in 1822 ; his parents moved to Seneca Co., N. Y., in 1831 ; he remained there till 1866, part of the time engaged at farming and part at mechanical trade. He married, in Seneca Co., N. Y., October 6, 1852, Anna A. Vail, and had three children-John W., Annie M. and Lillian. In 1866, he came to Beloit and bought eighty acres land in Section 7, with house partly built, which he completed and built barns, etc., and now occupies.

ANDREW MYERS, farmer, Sec. 9; P. O. Beloit ; born in Germany in 1825 ; came to New York in 1846; went to Luzerne Co., Penn., where he resided till 1861 ; in that year came to Beloit and bought 200 acres land in Sections 9,16, and eighty acres in Section 8, a total of 280 acres, which he now owns; he built residence and barns and made all improvements. He married, in Luzerne Co., Penn., in 1848, Rachel Obitz; they had ten children, seven now living, five daughters and two sons; the sons both live in Dakota and are unmarried ; three daughters are married, one lives in Beloit and the other with a married sister.

CHARLES NEWBURGH, clothing; born in Oettingen Ries, Bavaria, April 27, 1836; son of Solomon N. Newburgh, who was a teacher in the public schools ; Charles graduated at college in his native city and came to Ohio, thence to New York and then to Pennsylvania and to Steubenville, Ohio; then went to New York and enlisted in the 7th N. Y. V. I .; at battle of Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862, was wounded in the left arm by rifle ball; was honorably discharged, in consequence, November 17, 1862; then went to Cincinnati and engaged in produce business, which he carried on successfully till 1865, then went to Virginia and was there till 1872; then came to Beloit and engaged in clothing busi- ness; has built up a very successful business; has as fine an assortment of clothing goods, furnishing

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goods, hats and caps, trunks and general stock, as is to be found in the country. Mr. Reither is con- nected with the concern : was born in Germany, December 31, 1833; came to New York in 1848: he has been in the merchant-tailoring business many years, and is a thoroughly capable business man : he came to Beloit in spring of 1853. Married Matilda Newburg, of Cincinnati, in 1864; have nine children. Is a member of the Royal Arch Masons.

ALMON E. NEWTON, farmer, Sec. 22 ; P. O. Beloit; born in Lewis Co., N. Y., in 1836; he came to Beloit in 1857, and followed his trade of mason in the city of Beloit for five years ; he then bought, in 1862, 180 acres of land and lived on it four years, then sold it and bought eighty acres in Sec. 22, with residence partly built ; finished it, built barns and improved it ; he then went to Newark Town- ship and lived there one year, and then came back to Beloit and lived on his farm. His father and mother, Ebenezer and Phoebe Newton, were married in York State, in 1812; had seven children, six now living; his father died in Newark, in 1866 ; his mother is now living with him. He married, in Beloit, in 1864, Miss Mary Foster ; has two children-Charles F. and Clarence H. His father was Captain in a regiment in the war of 1812, and had command at Sacket's Harbor and Ogdensburg. He now owns eighty acres of land with residence and barns in Section 22. His family attend the Baptist Church.

JOHN NICHOLS, of the firm of Hall & Nichols, boot and shoe merchants, East Bridge street ; born in Folkingham, Lincolnshire, England, June 9, 1845 ; is a shoemaker and fitter by trade ; moved to Canada with his parents in 1846, when about six years and a half old; moved with parents to Beloit, Wis. Married Miss Elizabeth R. Clifford, of Beloit, in 1873; have one child-Mabel, born September 24, 1878. Went into partnership with Mr. Robert Hall, in 1874. Mr. Hall was born in Folkingham, Lincolnshire, England ; this gentleman is the oldest boot and shoe merchant in Beloit. They intend soon moving to their new shop, which they are building for their own use, near the bridge.

CLARK NYE, farmer, Sec. 21 ; P. O. Beloit; born in Otsego Co., N. Y., 1803; he lived in Herkimer Co., N. Y., for fourteen years, and, in 1846, came to Beloit; he bought 120 acres of land in Section 21; he built a residence and made all improvements ; he afterward bought 84 acres more of timber and pasture land. He married, in Frankfort, Herkimer Co., N. Y., in 1828, Naby Morgan, of Oneida Co .; they have seven children now living; two of his sons, William and Charles, own land in this saine section, and are farming; the other two sons are in Kansas in mercantile business; one daughter is at home, the others are married.

T. OLESON, farmer, Sec. 18; P. O. Beloit; born in Norway, in 1813; came to Wisconsin and located in Beloit in 1842 ; he bought forty acres of land in Section 18, and built a log house, which they lived in till 1871; in that year he built a comfortable frame house, with barns and improvements, which he now occupies. He was married, in Norway, to Annie Oscar, and has six children now living, named Ole, Knud, Arthur, Henry, Samuel, Mary. He now owns 127 acres in all, part of which is in Newark Township.

OTHO H. ORTON, attorney and counselor at law ; came to Beloit in the spring of 1875; engaged in practice here ever since ; Mr. Orton is a son of Hon. - Orton, Judge of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, who located in Milwaukee in 1837 or 1838. Otho H. was born at Valparaiso, Ind. : he was educated at Wisconsin State University and Maryland Agricultural College ; admitted to the bar in 1872 ; was associated with his father in practice of his profession until he came to Beloit ; he has held the office of City Attorney one term. Married Miss Minnie L. Goodhue, daughter of William T. Goodbue, the (deceased), one of the original landholders of Beloit. Mr. Goodhue died here April 19, 1879.

PARKER & DENNETT, manufacturers of harvesters and mowing machines.

CHARLES H. PARKER, manufacturer ; came to Beloit in the fall of 1849 ; has been prominently identified with the business and political interests ever since.

L. HOLDEN PARKER, attorney and member of the firm of Parker & Dennett, manu. facturers ; born in Belvidere, Boone Co., Ill .; came to Beloit in 1849 ; Mr. Parker graduated from Michi- gan University, at Ann Arbor, in 1875; admitted to the bar the same year.

REV. L. PARMELY, Pastor Baptist Church ; was born in New Hartford, Oneida Co., N. Y .. Sept. 17, 1818, and came to Wisconsin in May, 1862, locating at Beloit ; from New Hartford he moved to Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y. and thence to Saratoga Springs, and, at the age of 15, he entered the Madison University, where he graduated in 1841, and was ordained as Pastor of the Baptist Church in Galway, N. Y .. where he remained four years; then moved to Hartford, Washington Co., N. Y., and thence to New York City, where, for five years, he was Pastor of the Shiloh Baptist Church ; from there he went to West Chester, Penn., and was Pastor of the First Baptist Church at that place for five years, after which he moved to Lower Merion, Penn., then to Elgin, Ill., and afterward to Beloit for five years, Elkhorn two years; to Ionia, Mich., five years ; and Baraboo, Wis., three years, and is now filling the pulpit

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of the Beloit Baptist Church. Mr. Parmely was Treasurer of Beloit, in 1877, for one term. He married, July 1, 1868, Emma J. Parmelee, of Connecticut; he has five children-Chauncey H., George W., Lula P., Mary Estelle and Edna E. . Mr. and Mrs. Parmely are members of the Baptist Church.

DR. A. PATTERSON, physician, East Bridge street ; came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1877, and located an office for the practice of medicine in Beloit ; he was born in Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., N.Y., in 1820, and moved to Durand, Winnebago Co., Ill., March 26, 1839, walking all the way from Cleveland. Ohio, to Durand, with a pack on his back. In 1849, he graduated at Rush Medical College, passing all the Chairs, and commenced the practice of medicine on March 26, 1849. in which he gained a handsome competence and gave to each of his sons a good farm, well stocked. He has held the offices of Town Clerk, Road Commissioner and School Director, in Durand ; during the war, the Doctor had full charge of a ward in Hospital 14, located at Nashville, Tenn. He is essentially a self-made man ; he, when young, had his father and mother to support, and, although sick most of the time, not only managed to support them well but to make enough money to complete his course of studies in Rush College. He married, January 2, 1848, Ruth Burrows, of Oswego Co., N. Y .; has two sons-Wilson A. and Watson G.

A. R. PECK, farmer, Sec. 14; P. O. Beloit, born in Litchfield Co., Conn., in 1829; his par- ents moved to Livingston Co., N. Y., when he was 8 years old ; in 1842; they came to Beloit, and his father, Charles Peck, bought eighty acres of Government land in Section 13, and afterward 120 acres more in Sections 13, 14, a total of 200 acres, which he sold to his son, Augustus R. Peck, in 1873. He died in Sacramento, Cal., August 4, 1875, and his remains were brought back and buried bere. His wife died here. in 1868. Augustus R. married, in Middletown, Orange Co., N. Y., in 1871, Lydia Kirk ; has no children. He built the residence he lives in, with barns, etc., and made all improvements.

SHELDON W. PECK, farmer ; P. O. Beloit; born in Litchfield, Conn., in 1810; came to Beloit in 1856, and bought Henry Waterman's property, located opposite C. & N .- W. R. R. depot, which has partly improved it; it cost him, when completed, about $10,000, but would not sell now for more than one-half that amount if he wanted to dispose of it. He married, in Litchfield, Olive G. Beebe; they had five children, four living-Clara, Katie, William and Robert. His family attend the Congrega- tional Church.

HENRY PENTLAND, grocer ; born in Ireland, in 1833; his parents moved to Wisconsin in 1843, and located at Elkhorn, Walworth Co .; remained till 1853; when he was 20 years of age, he left home and went to California, where he engaged in the shell-fish trade six years ; he went from California to Ireland, on a visit to his old home ; in 1860 he returned to Beloit, and, in 1865, formed a copartnership with his brother, William Pentland, in the grocery business ; continued until 1867, when he sold out his interest in the business and formed another copartnership with D. L. Simmons, under the firm name of Pentland & Simmons, general grocers; they carry a large and complete stock of everything in their line of business, and have a large country trade among the surrounding farmers. He married, in 1874, Mrs. A. F. Briggs, (widow of the late Edward Briggs), and a native of New Hampshire.

J. L. PERKINS & CO., hardware merchant; Mr. J. L. Perkins was born in New Hamp- shire, and came to Beloit with his parents when young; was educated here; he entered the store of Winslow & Rosenberg as clerk, and remained in their employ as clerk eleven years ; in 1878, he opened the preseut store, in business for himself as a hardware merchant, and carries a full line of stoves, tinware, hardware. farining tools, house-furnishing goods, cutlery and plated-ware, and has built up a very profit- able business; Mr. P. is an energetic and pushing man, and has the confidence of the people of this city and surrounding country.

J. J. PIERRON, contractor and builder ; born in Department Muerth, France, April 4, 1825; came to America, May, 1847; went to Syracuse and was there ten years, working at his trade as carpenter an i builder ; after moving to several places, finally located in Beloit, in 1857; brought his family in the fall of · same year ; it was hard to find work enough to support his family at first, but, after hard work and much perseverance and frugality he did well, and, in 1862, went into business on his own account and has accumulated a comfortable property ; owns four houses and shop; when he first came could neither read nor write the English language, and worked under some disadvantages. Married Olive Rousch, a native of France, May 6, 1852; have three children ; Olive C. is living at home; Joseph C. graduated at Ann Arbor, Mich., June, 1876, with honors, and is now at Lincoln, Ill., in the drug business; Ferdinand is with his brother in the same business. Mr. Pierron and family are members of the Catholic Church.

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The History of Rock County, Wisconsin: Its Early Settlement, Growth, Development, Resources, Etc., Part 116

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