USA > Wisconsin > The United States biographical dictionary and portrait gallery of eminent and self-made men, Wisconsin volume > Part 21
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minor duties of farm life which his extreme youth could compass, and in which he displayed great energy and facility. When he had attained the age of thirteen, his three elder brothers, William, Zeb- iner and John, having left home to battle with the world on their own account, great grief and affliction came upon the family in the death, first of the father and subsequently of the three sisters, Maria, Louisa and Elizabeth. Those of the family who remained could scarce recover from such a blow, but putting their trust in God they struggled on and finally suc- ceeded in paying for their 'farm by hard work and prudent economy. As the care of the farm naturally devolved upon Eugene, he found little time or op- portunity to devote to school, spending but three months each winter in this manner; but, thanks to the fact that his mother had formerly been a teacher, he received from her the most important elements
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of early instruction. At the age of twenty-one, with a capital of five hundred dollars, he went to Albany, Wisconsin, and there entered into a copartnership with his brothers, John and Lemuel, in the mercan- tile business, which he pursued for sixteen years in their company, when he bought out their interest and continued in the business alone for five years. Meanwhile, in 186r, it had been thought advisable for either himself or one of his brothers to enlist in the service of their country, which was at that time so much in need of men; and as he had always had military aspirations and had commanded an inde- pendent company of artillery for three years, he thought that he was naturally the one to go, and accordingly, on the 28th of August, enlisted in Com- pany B, 13th Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, of which he was soon appointed first lieutenant. In the year 1862 he was in the army of Kansas, where there was no fighting, but long and tedious marches to be accomplished over the ice and snow-clad prai- ries, and the following year, being sent to the army of the Tennessee, was engaged in fighting “bush- whackers," and scouting, most of the time, at Forts Henry and Donelson. While here he was detailed as judge advocate of a general court martial which continued in session for three months, fifty-two cases being tried and five men receiving the sentence of death. In the fall of 1863 he was ordered to Hunts- ville, Alabama, and thence to Stephenson, Alabama, where, after a long and weary march on short rations, he remained until November, when he pro- ceeded to and encamped in the village of Edgefilla, opposite Nashville, Tennessee; here he remained until the summer of 1864, and then returned to his family and business. He had been at home but one week, however, when he received from the secretary of war an appointment to a captaincy in Major-Gen- eral Hancock's corps, but as one of his brothers had
accepted an appointment to the position of United States revenue collector, and the other was in very poor health, and his business was, in consequence, left entirely in the hands of employés, he was obliged to decline the appointment.
In the year 1869 he built a large flouring mill on the site formerly occupied by one which his brother Zebiner had built, but which had been carried away by high water. This has proved to be a fine invest- ment, as it produces a thousand barrels of flour, together with tons of feed, yearly. He has also been engaged with his brothers in the mail and stage bus- iness; running from eight to fifteen routes in 1871, they increased their business until 1874, when he sold out his mercantile business, and at present gives his entire time to the management of his mail lines, employing hundreds of men and horses.
Mr. Warren's religious views are broad and lib- eral, and he still holds to that belief in universal salvation which he early imbibed from the teachings and precepts of his mother.
He was married at Oregon, Wisconsin, September 9, 1855, to Miss Sarah S. Gleason, whose father and mother removed to Wisconsin from Oswego, New York, when she was but a little girl. Her father died shortly after, leaving his wife with very limited means to support and rear seven children. In the year 1863 Mrs. Warren shared equally with her husband the hardships and privations of camp life, thus showing that constancy and affection which have rendered their union one of happiness. They have been blessed with five children; Mary, Nelly, Willie, Grace and Charles, all of whom are still liv- ing, save Willie, who died in 1867 at the age of three.
Mr. Warren's business success is thus attributable to no advantages of education and wealth, but rather to honesty, industry, perseverance and the good advice early given him by his parents.
HON. HORATIO N. DAVIS,
BELOIT.
T' HE parents of H. N. Davis were Boswell and Clarissa Davis, descendants of families of early settlers in New England, but had been long residents of the town of Henderson, Jefferson county, New York, where Horatio was born, June 17, 1812. He was brought up on a farm, and inherited a good con- stitution which was strengthened by healthful occu-
pations. His educational advantages were quite lim- ited, such only as were then afforded in a common school and a period of three months at the age of fifteen at academic studies. At this age, finding himself entirely unfitted to commence the battle of life on an equal footing with many of his associates who were more favorably circumstanced by reason
OF Davis
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of their educational advantages, he sought to make up, by appropriating such time as could be spared from domestic duties, in acquiring a knowledge of such branches as would qualify him for business pursuits only.
Believing that the West afforded better opportuni- ties than the East for a successful career, he came to Wisconsin in 1838, bought a farm in Waukesha county, and cultivated it for fifteen years with good success. During this time he filled many public offices. For several years he was chairman of the board of supervisors of the town and village where he resided, and was frequently elected chairman of the county board. In 1847 he was elected county treasurer of Wankesha county, which position he held by subsequent elections for six years. In poli- tics, he had been a whig until the formation of the republican party, which organization he joined with a conscientious zeal. In 1862 he was commissioned captain in the commissary and subsistence depart- ment by President Lincoln. Was subsequently bre- veted major by President Johnson for faithful and efficient service, and remained in the army until the close of the war.
Returning home, he moved to the city of Beloit, Wisconsin, the same year being elected president of
the Beloit National Bank, which position he held by subsequent elections for eight years. For three successive years he was elected mayor of the city of Beloit, and for four years he has represented the county of Rock in the State senate. In fact Mr. Davis has built up an honorable name in his locality, which commands respect. His public spirit, liberal disposition, and genial manners, have won for him the regard and esteem of a large circle of friends, and the faithful discharge of the duties in his many offices of trust, has given him an enviable reputa- tion.
Mr. Davis was married in 1837 to Miss Clarissa F. Cushman, a lady of excellent characteristics, refine- ment and intelligence; they have had eight chil- dren, five still living, two sons and three daughters. The eldest son, Cushman K. Davis, is now gov- ernor of Minnesota, The second son, Francis N. Davis, is at the head of the large paper house of F. N. Davis and Co., Beloit. Two daughters are married, and the youngest is still living with her parents.
Mr. Davis is one of the many men in the State who from humble beginnings, by force of character, untiring energy, and good understanding, has raised himself and family to distinction.
FRANCIS N. DAVIS,
BELOIT.
F RANCIS NEWCOMB DAVIS, a native of Waukesha, Wisconsin, was born on the 5th of October, 1840, and is the son of Horatio N. Davis and Clarissa née Cushman. After completing his preparatory education he entered Carroll College, at Waukesha, pursuing a thorough business course. His taste for a business life developed at an early age, and after closing his studies in the above place, in order the more perfectly to fit himself for a successful business career he pursued a course of study in the Lincoln Commercial College, of Milwaukee. After his graduation he spent six months as clerk in the post-office, and was also for some time engaged in the railroad and express offices, and at the close of his engagement accepted a position in the Kenosha County Bank. At the end of four years' successful work, owing to impaired health, he spent six months in traveling, visiting Central America and Califor- nia. Upon his return to the North he accepted a
position as cashier in the wholesale house of Web- ster and Sage, of Chicago, where he remained, how- ever, but a few months, before he was called to the position of cashier in the bank at Kenosha, Wiscon- sin. Accepting the situation he remained in it till January, 1865, and during that year removed to Beloit, and organized the Beloit National Bank. He also became largely interested in the building- paper business, and in 1873 this branch of enterprise had become so extensive and claimed so much of his attention that he was obliged to discontinue his banking interests, and devote himself entirely to it. The enterprise is one that is wholly due to his own inventive genius and energy, he having invented not only the aluminous and ornamental building paper and the figured carpeting paper, but also the machinery for manufacturing it. He is also engaged . in the manufacture of paper barrels and the McPherson steam vacuum pump. Mr. Davis has
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the happy faculty of seizing opportunities and turn- ing them to the interests of his business ; and though he is known as a shrewd manager and careful finan- cier, he has made for himself a most worthy reputa- tion for honorable, open and fair dealing. His career has been prosperous from the beginning, and as a reward of his industry and enterprise he is now in the enjoyment of an ample fortune and public esteem. He has always been a practical, close- observing man, and in his extensive travels through- out the United States and Canada he has gained a
most valuable experience and thorough knowledge of men and things.
In his religious communion Mr. Davis is identified with the Episcopal church.
In political matters he has never taken any active part, and is in no sense a partisan. Independent in his opinions, he supports for office him whom he considers best fitted for the place.
He was married on the Ist of February, 1864 to Miss Helen Dunlap, by whom he has two children, namely, Walter Dunlap and Genevieve.
EDWARD FERGUSON,
MILWAUKEE.
E' DWARD FERGUSON was born January 9, 1843, in Hannibal, Oswego county, New York, son of Mary and George Lester Ferguson. His family removed within two or three years after his birth to Oswego, New York, where the mother died when he was but eight years old ; and until the age of twelve he was kept at the ward schools of that city, when he began work in a store. After two years of such employment, his health failing by rea- son of close confinement, he was entered as student in the Fulton Academy, New York, which he at- tended but one term. This ended his scholastic advantages, as he was constantly employed there- after in contributing to his own maintenance. His eldest brother was at that time proprietor and pub- lisher of the "Oswego Daily Times," and Edward was employed by him as collector for a short time after leaving school ; after which he served as clerk for about two years, first in a book-store and after- ward in a drug-store. This eldest brother having by this time married and settled in Milwaukee, Ed- ward was induced to remove there also, which he did in May, 1860. Soon after his arrival he was employed as book-keeper in the office of L. Cutler and Son, commission merchants, where he remained until the first news of the firing upon Sumter was received, when he immediately enlisted in the Milwaukee Light Guards, which were then being organized for active service, and which were assigned as Company A of the Ist Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers. After serving through this three months term, and passing safely through that dreaded ordeal - the first time under fire- in the engagement with Stonewall Jack- son's brigade at Falling Waters, Virginia, he re-
turned to office work, but not to remain. The pre- parations for reorganizing the "Old First " rekindled his desire to assist in suppressing the rebellion, and he reënlisted in Company A, of the Ist Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers, for three years or during the war. Feeling too young and inexperienced to as- sume the responsibilities of a commissioned officer - being not yet nineteen - he accepted the appoint- ment of first sergeant of his company, and served in that capacity about a year, frequently taking the place, however, of officers temporarily absent from command, acting part of the time as sergeant-major of his regiment in the army of the Cumberland, and during the march of four companies with a division in a feint movement on Chattanooga (across the Cumberland mountains) was appointed as acting adjutant and quartermaster of the battalion. The Ist Regiment, though constantly in pursuit of the enemy, performing most honorably the duty assigned to it by being almost continuously on the march, took part in no general engagement until the latter part of 1862. Their record was therefore unevent- ful until, in pursuit of Bragg's army through Ken- tucky the engagement known as the battle of Chap- lin Hills was brought on by McCook's corps attack- ing the enemy near the village of Perryville. The details of this fight are well known, as well as the part borne by the 1st Wisconsin. Its record upon that field was written in the blood of about one half its effective force; and though the sacrifice seems out of proportion to the results secured, yet all was gained that could have been, under the circum- stances. In that battle Mr. Ferguson received a buckshot wound through the cheek and a musket
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ball through his left shoulder which paralyzed his arm. While lying on the field between the fires of his own regiment and the enemy's, he received an- other gunshot wound through the right foot. He was carried to the field hospital, and from thence to the village of Perryville, where he was given a room in a private' house, and nursed with the greatest care for two months by his brother Thomas, who secured permission to take him home as soon as he could be removed on a cot. With this permission came his commission as second lieutenant of Com- pany C, in his own regiment. After reaching Mil- waukee Lieutenant Ferguson spent nearly two years in confinement to bed and room, suffering the am- putation of his right leg mid way between knee and ankle, eight months after the wound was inflicted. For the first year it was scarcely thought possible that he could survive from week to week; but a naturally strong constitution, which the hardships of service had strengthened, added to a cheerful and abiding trust in the future, carried him safely through the trying period, and restored him to as full a degree of health as can be hoped for in view of his severe wounds. Being unable to return to duty he was honorably discharged by reason of "wounds received in action," June 17, 1864. As soon as health would permit he was appointed clerk in the general land office at Washington, which position he resigned in 1866 to return to Milwaukee. Upon the death of his old employer, General Lysander Cutler, he was appointed by Governor Fairchild to the office of State Fish Inspector, this office being rendered vacant by the death of General Cutler. In November, 1868, he was appointed secretary of the National Asylum for Disabled Volunteers, north- western branch, located near Milwaukee, which posi-
tion he held till January 1, 1869. On the 28th of December, the same year, the appointment of pen- sion agent at Milwaukee was conferred upon him by President Grant, which was confirmed by the senate, and renewed January 17, 1874, which posi- tion he still holds. He was also secretary of the Forest Home Cemetery for one year, and aid-de- camp, with the rank of colonel, on the military staff of Governor Washburn during his term of office. Was a member of the board of directors of the Young Men's Library Association of Milwaukee for two years, vice-president for one year, and is now president. In May, 1873, he was elected at New Haven, Connecticut, junior vice-commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was treas- urer of the Young Men's Republican Club, which was organized and did efficient work during the campaign of 1872. In politics he is a republican, and as such attended the soldiers' convention held in Pittsburgh in 1866, to give expression to the sol- diers' views of reconstruction as proposed by Presi- dent Johnson ; and in November of that year, as a candidate for the position of clerk of the circuit court received forty-four hundred and twenty-five votes, his competitor being elected by about nine hundred and seventy-five majority.
Mr. Ferguson is a member of the Episcopal church, having been confirmed at an early age, and now holds the office of vestryman in St. Paul's Church, of Milwaukee. He was married at this church, August 14, 1867, to Marcia B. Brocan, and is the father of three children. The second child, a daughter, died in October, 1871, at the age of eight- een months. The eldest, a son, now living, was born May 17, 1868, and the youngest, also a son, still living, was born May 3, 1875.
WILLIAM M. TALLMAN,
JANESVILLE.
W TILLIAM MORRISON TALLMAN, of Janesville, lawyer and real-estate owner, was born in Lee, Oneida county, New York, June 13, 1808, and is the son of David and Eunice Tallman, both of whom were natives of Woodbury, Litchfield county, Connecticut. The family immigrated from Litchfield county to Oneida county in 1806, and resided there until 1816, when they removed to Brooklyn, Kings county, New York.
In 1821 Mr. Tallman began the study of law in the office of the late Hon. F. A. Talmadge, in Vesey street, New York, then on the site of the Astor House. After studying law one year, he determined upon a more complete preliminary education, and in 1822 began to prepare for college at the academy in Norwalk, Connecticut. He remained here four years, and then, in September, 1826, entered the freshman class of Yale college, where he continued
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four years more, going through the entire collegiate course, and graduating with his class in September, 1830. Immediately after graduation he entered the law school connected with Yale, and was there two years, completing the full course of legal studies. He was admitted to the bar in New Haven in the fall of 1832.
Never intending to remain or practice in Connec- ticut, although his family had meanwhile become residents of New Haven, he at once returned to the city of New York and commenced anew there the study of law, and the practice then peculiar to the courts of that State, in the office of Hon. James Talmadge and W. H. Bulkley, in Wall street. He was admitted to the bar of New York State in Albany in October, 1833. Immediately thereafter he entered upon the practice of law in his native county, at Rome, New York, and continued so engaged until 1850, when he removed with his family to Janesville, Rock county, Wisconsin, where he has ever since (1875) resided. He resumed practice at Janesville, and continued it until 1854, when he relinquished the profession entirely - having been in the practice twenty-one years-and has not since transacted business for others.
In October, 1848, he purchased at public auction, at the Philadelphia Exchange, of the trustees of the old United States Bank, numerous tracts of rich, pro- ductive, agricultural and mineral land, situated in the counties of Green, Lafayette, Grant and Iowa, in the State of Wisconsin, and during the four or five subsequent years he added other large purchases of lands in those counties, and also in Rock county, Wisconsin, exceeding altogether ten thousand acres. These lands rapidly rose in value, and he disposed of many of them within a few years at a very large advance, seldom less than quadruple their cost, and generally much more than that. In 1849 he laid out an addition to Monroe upon land purchased from said trustees and others, and lands which cost him six dollars and fifty cents per acre at the sale, produced as much as fifteen hundred dollars per acre when sold in town lots. Thus a purchase which was regarded by many at the time of the auc- tion as extremely improvident and reckless, became one of extraordinary profit, as he foresaw it would be. He had acquired, as early as 1854, a sufficient competency, and did not therefore deem it desirable to pursue the practice of law, but he has notwith- standing been always actively employed. He is the possessor of a valuable landed estate, and has devoted
most of his time during the past twenty-five years to the developing, improving, and disposing of the same. He has also expended much of his means and time in building and making improvements in the city of Janesville. Always strictly temperate in his habits, exemplary, conscientious, economical and industrious, he has prospered in most of his en- deavors, and in view of the objects and purposes with which he set out in business in early life, he has been reasonably successful.
Very early in his professional life he concluded that neither political distinction nor official position, even if attainable by him, were desirable objects of pursuit or congenial to his tastes, and he has uni- formly declined such distinctions. Notwithstanding which, during a considerable portion of ten or fifteen years, without solicitation on his part, and really against his wishes, at the urgent request of his fellow citizens of both political parties, he has oc- cupied the position of alderman of Janesville, and has also been one of five county commissioners for Rock county, in which he had in common with other citizens large pecuniary interests to be cared for and protected.
In politics, he was a whig from 1833 to 1838; ever afterward an active and zealous abolitionist. He has acted and voted with the liberty party, the free- soil party, and has acted with the republican party since its organization in Wisconsin, in July, 1854. He ever, for more than twenty years, performed his share in preparing the popular mind for the conflict which at length ensued. The dominant principle of his political creed has always been "equality of human rights for all men," and he has conscien- tiously endeavored to discharge the duties which as a patriot and a Christian he owed to his country and fellow-men. Having witnessed the triumph of the great principle of his political creed, he feels that he has been a successful politician without the vex- ations and disappointments of office.
In 1831 he married, at New Haven, Emeline, second daughter of Norman and Ruth Dexter, of Hartford county, Connecticut, by whom he has had two sons and one daughter, named respectively, William Henry, Edgar Dexter, and Cornelia Au- gusta. His sons are both married and successfully engaged in business in Janesville. His eldest son, William Henry, early established at Janesville, and has carried on during ten or fifteen years the first and most extensive manufactory of per- fumery and fancy goods in the Northwest. The
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goods manufactured by him have become staple goods in that line, and are extensively sold by all the leading wholesale and jobbing drug-houses in ten or twelve States of the North, as well as in New York, Boston and San Francisco, and in some fabrics he has no successful competitor either in the United States or abroad.
This industry is the product of his individual mind and personal labor and indefatigable persever- ance, and entitles him to the distinction of having created, in a new country, a new and unusual manu- facture, which had hitherto been confined to the old and more highly civilized communities of Europe.
His only daughter was married to John P. Beach, in 1865, and settled in Chicago, where she died with- out issue in 1866, aged twenty-eight years. She was a Christian, a model woman, and an ornament to her sex.
In 1837, Mr. Tallman, with his wife, joined the Congregational church, at Rome, on profession of their faith in Christ, and are members of the church of that denomination in Janesville. In private life they have endeavored to be exemplary in a quiet way without ostentation; and they have neither sought nor acquired any distinction outside of their home circle.
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