The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 131

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement > Part 131

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Jas. L. Sims, page 730, officers 1860, should be Jas. L. Lines. Jas. Hastie, page 730, Clerk 1872, should be William Hastie.

Page 731, " Village of Dekorra," far north as Madison, should read far south as Madison.

Since the article, page 752, on the Village of " Inch " was printed we are informed that there were lots sold, houses built, and some business was done in 1856 or 1857 .- Ed.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ABBREVIATIONS.

OD .. Company or county

dir. .. dealer

W. V. I. Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry

P.O .. Post Office W. V. A Wisconsin Volunteer Artillery

S. or Sec. Section

Bt .. .street W. V. C. Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry

CITY OF PORTACE.

W. H. C. ABELL, dentist ; born at Middletown, Genesee Co., N. Y. (now Wyoming Co.), May 25. 1827. When about 12 years of age, his parents removed to Ohio ; lived there until he was 20 years of age. Educated in dentistry in Middletown, Conn .; commenced study with a brother in 1852 ; prior to that time, he was engaged in civil engineering, being Second Assistant Engineer of the Western Division of the Erie Canal during its construction in New York State. The Doctor was married at Skaneateles, Onondaga Co., N. Y., in April, 1854, to Angelina C. Lawton ; she was born at Catskill, Greene Co .. N. Y. They have three children-David Hunter, Fannie Jewett and Henry Russell. Mr. Abell is a member of the A., F. & A. M. Lodge.

MILES T. ALVERSON, real-estate and loan agent ; was born in the town of Rodman, Jefferson Co., N. V .. Jan. 26, 1833 ; son of Ahanson and Sylenda Alverson, who moved to Russell, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., November. 1848, where Miles T. lived until 1854, when he came to Wiscon- sin in October of that year, locating on what is now the town of Arlington, on Sec. 1, with his friend Ambrose Powers, remaining with him, more or less, until 1857, when he went to Southwestern Mis- ssouri, where he taught school a portion of the time, only remaining there a year, when he returned to Wisconsin to Lowville, working at the carpenter's trade. Married, March 23, 1859, to Melissa A. Low, only daughter of Hon. Jacob Low, of Lowville, who died Jan. 24, 1875; her mother, Catherine Low, is now living ; they were among the carly settlers of that place. Mrs. Alverson is probably the oldest settler now living within the corporate limits of Portage ; she was born in the city of New York, March 28, 1841. They have two children-Charles Lewis, born Dec. 23. 1860, and Harry Bartlett, March 27, 1872. After marriage, Mr. Alverson was engaged in teaching and working at his trade as carpenter and joiner, but teaching principally, until 1864 ; one year of this time, he carried on his father-in-law's farm ; in 1864, went to Milwaukee and took a course in commercial college. returning to Poynette, where he taught the higher department of the public school, that being his third term at this place ; he returned to Milwaukee in 1865, and was employed as a teacher in Bryant & Stratton's College, where he remained until he came to Portage. Jan. 1. 1867 ; . was Deputy Treasurer two years, then elected County Treasurer in the fall of 1868; re-elected in 1870. In 1872, in company with Thomas Yule, purchased abstracts of titles of lands in this county ; was engaged in the abstract business and real estate, loans, etc., until November, 1878. when he sold out their abstracts, and since then has been in loan and real-estate business ; since Ang. 1, 1879, has conducted business alone ; was Town Superintendent of Schools in 1861, Town Clerk of Lowville in 1862 ; was Deputy County Treasurer two years after he went out as County Treasurer, and Deputy County Register at the same time. Mr. A.'s father died Ang. 29, 1879; mother now lives on the homestead, in Russell, St. Lawrence Co .. N. Y. Mr. A. was one of the charter members of the I. O. O. F .; also a member of the A .. F. & A. M., and was a member of the School Board two years.

WILLIAM ARMSTRONG was born in County Armagh, town of Drumminmadder, Treland, June. 1824; came in 1839 to America, and located in the vicinity of Stevens Point, Wis .; engaged as head sawyer in Harper's mill for three years, then came to Marquette (now Green Lake)

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES :

Co .: was on a farm one summer : bought and run a saw-mill at New Lisbon for fifteen or sixteen months ; came to what is now Portage : ran a lumber yard two or three years; took up the claim and entered property in that place : commenced brick making in 1847. which he has continued since. with the exception of two years. Mr. A. was married in Portage to Hulda Fish. They have had three children, of whom but one. William John, is living; William James, deceased : Sally Jane. deceased. Mr. A. was one of the first Aldermen of the city. serving several terms.

CHARLES J. ARNOLD, son of Josiah Arnold. was born at Columbus, Columbia Co .. Wis .. Oct. 24. 1817. Attended Portage High School and Racine College ; came with parents to Portage in 1851 ; followed lumbering during ten years, up to 1879, when he engaged in his present business, that of freighting. He was married at Portage. June 30, 1870, to Mary F. Hutt, born in Canada. They have three children-Lonis C .. Robert H. and Carl S. Mr. A. is a member of the A. O. T. W. and A., F. & .A. M.

JOSIAH ARNOLD, son of Sylvester Arnokl. was born in the town of Washington. Berkshire Co., Mass., Nov. 1. 1820 : moved to Stockbridge, Mass,, with his parents, in 1824 ; his father died in that place Oct. 18. 1845 : removed to Canaan, Columbia Co .. N. Y., and resided there ten years : he lived afterwards for various periods in New York City, Stockbridge. Washington. Mass .. Maryland, Virginia, and Hamilton. Madison Co .. N. Y. : taught school in the latter place until he came west in the spring of 1843: he located first at Stoughton. but moved to Janesville in the fall of 18-43. where he remained two or three years. teaching the first public school; in the spring of 1844. after the close of his school. he elerked for one year in Janesville ; commenced general mercantile business in spring of 1845 with Daniel E. Bassett ; they started a branch store at Colum- bus. in fall of 1845. closing out the business at Janesville in the spring of 1846 : continued in busi- ness at Columbus until 1847 with Bassett ; then one year alone in trade ; Mr. A. was appointed Clerk of Circuit Court in 1848, and elected to same position in the fall of same year ; in 1850. elected Register of Deeds ; held the office two years ; came to Portage in 1851, where he has since resided (except during a few years at Germantown), and engaged in the hardware business with J. B. Fargo, from 1853 to 1857 ; continned in that business alone until 1861 : then engaged in the lumber business, operating a large mill at Germantown. Juneau Co., Wis. ; also associated with Carnagie & Prescott in a lumber yard and planing-mill. at Portage ; Mr. A. owns pine lands in Wood. Marathon and Clark fos. Mr. A. was married in the town of Fulton. Rock Co., Wis., Dec. 20, 1846. to Mary Jane True, born in Perry. Wyoming Co .. N. Y. They have five children-Charles J .. born Oct. 24, 1847 : William S., born Ang. 10. 1850 : Samuel E., born Nov. 9, 1854 ; Harry E., born Feb. 1. 1859 ; Fred D., born March 23. 1864. Mr. A. was Postmaster at Columbus for two years : Alderman of Portage in 1854. 1855 and 1856; in the spring of 1877, elected Mayor, and is now serving his third year ; in 1877. elected Assemblyman. He is a member of A. F. & A. M., Lodge No. 23, Chapter 14. and Commandery No. 4. Mr. A.'s grandfather, Timothy Arnold, served in the Revolutionary war.

JOHN ARTHUR was born in County Radnor. Wales, in November. 1821 : came to America in 1845 ; lived in New Jersey until 1851 ; worked for a hosiery manufacturing company at New Brunswick. in that State; in 1851. Mr. A. came to Wisconsin. but returned to New Jersey for five years after 1853 ; came to Portage in 1858. and began dealing in furs, hides, wool. etc .. with Evan Arthur and Samuel Brown. Mr. Brown retired from the business in 1867.

EVAN ARTHUR was born in County Radnor, Wales. in 1824 ; came to America in 1851. and settled first in New Jersey : in 1854, he began tanning and dealing in hides with Samuel Brown : John Arthur became a partner in 1858 in this business. He was married at Milwaukee, in 1863. to Elizabeth F. Remington. a native of New York State ; they have four children-Evan R., Willie J. Grace and Nellie ; Mr. Arthur's mother died at Ft. Winnebago, after living there about one year : father. John, died at Portage in November, 1862 ; his sisters were Mary, now Mrs. H. H. Beanor. of Canada : Ann, Mrs. Samuel Brown, who died in Milwaukee in 1872 or 1873 : Sarah. a resident of Portage, and Elizabeth, now Mrs. O. J. Thomas, residing near Pewaukee. Wis.

CHARLES P. AUSTIN was born at Hamburg, Erie Co., N. Y .. Jan. 5. 1836 ; when he was å child, his parents moved to Ohio ; came to Wisconsin in the spring of 1845 ; located at Janes- ville until 1850, when he came to Portage ; Betsey Austin. his mother, died in Dodge Co .. Wis .. and his father, James Austin, died at Portage ; Mr. Austin began clerking for John Gates, with whom he continued until enlisting in April. 1861. in Co. G. 2d W. V. I. ; participated in the following battles : Blackman's Ford, Va., First Bull Run, Gainesville, Chancellorsville. Wilderness. Gettysburg. and Spottsylvania ; he was wounded in the left foot at the battle of Gainesville. Aug. 28, 1862, for

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CITY OF PORTAGE.

a long time disabled. and while on the skirmish line. the fifth day of the fight. at Spottsylvania. he was wounded in his left hip; this wound rendered him unfit for duty up to the time of his discharge ; after leaving the army, he returned to Portage and again entered the store of Mr. Gates. with whom he had been prior to entering the service; in 1868. he commenced business for himself. the firm being Austin & Campbell ; at the expiration of one year, John Gates purchased Mr. Campbell's interest, and Mr. G. continued in business until the time of his death : Mr. Austin was appointed Postmaster in 1870; served in that position until December, 1874 ; since that time he has been with Loomis, Gallett & Breese. as salesman. He was married at Kilbourn City, Wis .. Sept. 17. 1867. to Mary J. Campbell : she was born at Carlisle, England, Aug. 19, 1847 ; they have four children-Euphenes M. George (., Martha A. and Nellie May. Mr. A. is a member of the A .. F. & A. M. Lodge and of the Presbyterian Church.

EDMUND S. BAKER, born in the town of Ft. Winnebago, Oct. 27. ,1848; son of Charles and Priscilla Baker, who came to that town in April, 1848; mother died in 1862; father now lives on Sec. 2, where he first located : Edmund S. remained on the farm until he was 20 years of age ; came to Portage ; clerked for Mr. Bacon in the hardware business for a year, then entered the law office of Emmons Taylor; remained there about three years, and was admitted to the bar Dec. 6. 1870 ; then engaged in farming until 1874, when he commenced the practice of law : Justice of the Peace for three years. Married in town of Ft. Winnebago, Jan. 19, 1871. to Miss Isabel A .. daughter of A. Z. Malthey. of that town; she was born in the village of Mcbean. Tompkins Co .. N. Y., March 10. 1857 : they have three children-Emmons M., born April 52, 1875 ; Burchard H .. born June 17. 1877. and Ada May, born Feb. 11, 1879 ; Mr. B. is a member of the A .. F. & A. M.

LEVI W. BARDEN was born in Benton, Yates Co., N. Y .. Sept. 3. 1820; lived in that town until he was 24 years of age ; resided in Gorham, Ontario Co., N. Y., six years ; was engaged in farming until the spring of 1851 ; in May of that year, he entered the New York State and National Law School, from which he graduated Aug. 11, 1852, at Ballston Spa, Saratoga Co., N. Y .; was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of New York State. at Rochester, in September, 1852 ; came to Portage, Wis., November, 1852. and entered the law office of Judge Dixon for four months, then entered into partnership with John A. Johnson, where he remained until the death of Mr. Johnson, in June, 1853; after 1861, looked after his private affairs, and was manager of the Green Bay Transportation Company, in which position he continued for several years. until about the time of the dissolution of the company ; first admitted to practice in Wisconsin at Janesville, in November. 1852; afterward admitted to practice in Portage during the first term of court held there after he came; next admitted to the Supreme Court of Wisconsin ; then to United States Court at Milwaukee ; while a resident of Benton, N. Y., he was Town Superintendent of Schools two years ; after he was 17 years of age, he taught in the public schools of his native county and in Ontario Co., every winter for eleven years ; was Town Superintendent in town of Gorham two years ; Justice of the Peace of same town, which office he resigned when he went to law school. He was commissioned Colonel of one of the uniformed regiments, New York State Militia; Captain also of a rifle company. in town of Benton ; Captain of company in town of Gorham ; afterward com- missioned Colonel of regiment to which this company was attached ; and, in 1857, he purchased property where he is now located : the property was owned by Moses Panquette and his mother ; part of the house he now occupies was owned and occupied by the Pauquette family ; in 1865, Mr. Barden enlarged and improved the buildings considerably, and moved here to his present house in 1865 ; platted 100 acres, and Jerome B. Fargo platted 40 acres in 1857. known as Barden & Fargo's Addition to the city of Portage ; he has since vacated the 100 acres, except a few of the streets which are retained as they were platted; the 40 acres is still a part of the city plat ; since coming to his present location, Mr. B. has devoted his attention to farming. Ile has held offices of Justice of the Peace, District Attorney, Alderman of Second Ward, Supervisor, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, member of Assembly and State Senator. He was married at Mentor, Lake Co .. Ohio. Nov. 29, 1853, to Jane R. Corning ; she was born in Mentor. Nov. 14. 1824 : they have three children -.- William C., Marshall W. and Mary E.

P. J. BARKMAN is a native of Canada West ; was born July 23. 1846 : when about 5 years of age, he came to Wisconsin with his parents, Richard and Louisa Barkman ; they located at Oshkosh, and he lived there until he was 16 years of age, then came to Portage ; previous to leaving Oshkosh, he had been engaged in the tinsmith business; after coming to this city, he worked for I. W. Bacon until six years ago, when the firm of J. E. Wells & Co. was formed. of which he is a member. He was married in Portage Jan. 9, 1868. to Mary L. Pixley ; she died

878

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

Ang 8, 1878, leaving two children-Fred, born Sept. 24, 1869 ; Harry. June 1, 1874. Mr. B. is a membe of A. O. U. W.

ANTON BARTL was born in Austria Nov. 11, 1843; came to America in 1870 and located in Menasha, remaining there six months ; prior to locating at Portage, in 1877, he resided in Appleton, Oshkosh and Beaver Dam. Mr. B. commenced the brewing business when 16 years of age, and has continued in it ever since. He was married at Beaver Dam to Anna Waldheir, who died in May, 1878, leaving two children-Frank and Ida. Was married in Portage May 21, 1879, to Julia Mettler. Mr. B. is a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge, Leiderkranz Society and the Hook and Ladder Company.

IRVING BATH, editor and proprietor of Portage Democrat ; was born in Charlton, N. Y., April 27, 1844. In 1863, his parents came from Michigan to Columbus, in this county. and the vear afterward were followed by their son, Irving, who remained with them for three years, attend- ing school. after which he took a course of medical lectures at Ann Arbor. Mich. Upon the com- pletion of the course, he went to Beaver Dam, Dodge Co., and was engaged in the drug business until 1869. when he removed to Berlin, continuing there in the same business up to the year 1871, when he went to Cameron, Mo., and carried on the drug and jewelry business for about two years, when he returned to Beaver Dam : in 1875, he was appointed. by Attorney General A. Scott Sloan, Patent Clerk in the land office at Madison, and continued such under Gov. Taylor's administration ; in 1878, he came to Portage and engaged as editor of the Portage Democrat, having the previous year purchased a third interest in that paper ; in 1879, he became its sole editor and proprietor, which he has continued ever since. Hle has served as Hospital Steward of the 47th W. V. I. up to the elose of our late civil war. lle married Miss Emma L. Chatfield. daughter of George and Eliza C'hatfield, of Beaver Dam, Dodge Co .. Jan. 11. 1869. They have one child, a daughter-Leila.

JACOB BAUER, wagon-maker ; was born in June, 1833. in Germany ; came to United States in 1850, and worked six years at his trade in Oneida Co .. N. Y .; in July, 1856, settled m Portage, and for awhile worked as journeyman. but has been proprietor for fourteen years ; is now partner in firm of Bauer & Lewis, for manufacture of new work, but cach has other business sep- arate. lle was married in 1855, to Miss Rosa Wagner, formerly of Germany. They have seven children-Caroline, born 1856 : Fred. 1860; Albert, 1864; Anna. 1866; Otto, 1869 ; Minnie, 1872. and Emma, 1878. In 1864. he enlisted in the HIth W. V. L., and served till the close of the war. He has been member of City Council two terms, and served three terms in Board of Supervisors of Columbia Co. He has a residence on Superior street, but the shop is on Canal street. Business is in " healthy condition."

JACOB BEST was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, March 24, 1848 ; came to Amer- iea August, 1867, locating at Milwaukee, where he remained until 1876. when he came to Portage, and has resided here ever since. While living in Milwaukee, was engaged in manufacture and sale of wines and liquors ; since coming here, engaged in the brewery business. Was married at Port- age, April 19, 1876, to Lizzie, daughter of Charles Hærtel ; she was born in this city. They have two daughters-Angusta M. and Ella M. Mr. B. is a member of the Leiderkranz and Turner Soci- eties and Fire Department. Dramatic Association and Portage Business Men's Association.

DEABOLT BLASS, Jr., son of Deabolt and Lena Blass; was born in New York City Jan. 10, 1848 ; came with his parents to Portage in May, 1852. Father resided in this place eighteen years, then removed to Mauston ; mother died at Mauston, Feb. 18. 1879; father is now engaged in mercantile business at Mauston. The subject of this sketch has resided in Portage since 1852 ; has been engaged in the barbering business for himself since the spring of 1866. Mr. Blass was married in Chicago. Oct. 22. 1873. to Anna MI. Weber, a native of Richberg. Wurtemberg, Ger- many ; she was born Dec. 19, 1852 ; came to America in 1872. They have three children-Anna L., born Oct. 6, 1874; Deabolt M., born Feb. 23. 1877, and Edwin J .. born April 16. 1879. Mr. B. is a member of the Odd-Fellow Lodge. D. Blass, Sr .. was born in Alsace (now Germany) in 1807 ; came to America in 1830 ; married in 1836, to Magdalena Kripe ; she was also born in Alsace, July 22, 1813, and came to America in 1836. The parents of Mrs. D. Blass, Jr., Joseph and Theresa Weber, were married in 1849-both natives of Germany ; her father was born in 1822, died April 16, 1859 ; mother's maiden name was Theresa Shurr ; she was born in 1831, and died March 17. 1863.

ERNEST BOTHIN, retired carpenter and joiner : born in Germany on the 27th of September, 1811 ; came to the United States in 1852, and stopped two years in Ohio, and then, in the spring of 1855, settled in this city, where he now lives. Soon after coming into Columbia Co.,

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CITY OF PORTAGE.

he bought a farm of 220 acres in Lewiston Township, which he carried on till 1877, when he sold the farm and returned to city life. Was married. in 1835. to Miss Rozena Laveranz in Germany ; have six children-Ottella, Amelia, Emma. Minnie, Julius, Henry ; has buried two children ; the daughters are married. Himself and wife are members of the Evangelical Church, of which he is a class leader, and to whose welfare he is devoted. He has retired from active life, and is enjoying the fruit of industry and economy : lives in a fine brick house on Cook street ; also rents another house near the depot, and owns other real estate in the city.

MRS. SAMUEL S. BRANNAN was born in Georgia, Franklin Co., Vt., on the 24th of April, 1837 ; she is the daughter of Joseph and Rhoda M. Prentiss ; she came West in 1856, and made her home with her brother, Judge G. C. Prentiss, then of Portage. now of La Crosse, Wis. On the 27th of August, 1861, she was married to her late husband. Samuel S. Brannan, whose extended biography appears in this volume, with others of the illustrious dead of the county ; her entire married life has been passed in Portage, and most of it also in her present home ; she has four children-S. Prentice, born June 2. 1862 : William R .. Feb. 24. 1864 ; Lucy C., known as " Kittie," Ang. 5. 1865, and Jackson T. Brannan, Oct. 24. 1868. Her husband's mother, aged 75, widow of William Brannan, formerly of this city. resides with the family, and is still active and vigorous. One son, Willie, is AAssistant in the post office at Portage : and the other. S. Prentiss. is mail agent on the Madison & Portage Railway.

LL. BREESE was born May 13. 1833. at A bermyuack, in the parish of Malwyd, Merioneth- shire, North Wales : he is the son of Edward and Mary Breese ; he immigrated with his parents to this country in the month of May, 1846. and settled in the town of Randolph, this county ; his education was academic ; up to the age of 25. he was engaged most of the time with his parents in cultivating the farm. In the fall of 1858. owing to impaired health, he accepted the position of' Deputy Sheriff of Columbia Co., hoping thereby to improve his health and extend his knowledge of business, and the circle of his acquaintance. Previous to this, he held the office of School District Clerk, Town Supervisor. Justice of the Peace, and Town Treasurer. In the fall of 1860. he received from the Republican County Convention the nomination for County Treasurer, and was elected the following November. He held this position for three consecutive terms, in all six years, having no competitor for the office. except in the first instance. In January, 1867, at the close of his third term as Treasurer, he entered as a partner the dry-goods firm of N. H. Wood & Co., the firm being composed of N. H. Wood. R. O. Loomis. C. R. Gallett, and himself. This connection was continued until 1869, when Mr. Wood disposed of his interest to the other partners, and retired from the firm. which thereafter stood and was styled Loomis. Gallett & Breese. In the summer of 1869. at the urgent solicitation of friends. he became a candidate for the office of State Treasurer at the State Convention held that fall. On the first informal ballot, he received a plurality of votes, but, owing to local combinations. the nomination fell to his competitor. In about a month after this convention. the nominee for Secretary of State, resigning his position upon the ticket, made it necessary for the State Central Committee to fill the vacancy by appointment. Without solicitation on his part, or even knowledge of the vacancy, the committee tendered him the nomination for that place. commun- icating their action by telegraph. Hlad it not been for the persistent entreaty of a few intimate friends, the appointment would have been declined. He was elected the following November. Under the organization of the State Government of Wisconsin, the office of Secretary of State is by far the most important of the State offices ; besides involving the duties of Secretary of State proper. this officer is also ex officio Auditor of State, and School Land Commissioner, and also ex officio Commissioner of Insurance. In May, 1870, he represented Wisconsin as Commissioner of Insurance at the National Insurance Convention held in the city of New York. This convention was composed of those officers in the different States who had charge of the different departments therein. lle was eleeted Vice President of the convention for the term of one year : re-elected the second year, and elected President the third. and presided at its fourth annual session. After the expiration of his second term as Secretary of State, he returned to Portage and resumed his former occupation as merchant. In addition to this, he also held the positions of President of the City Bank of Portage. President of the Portage Iron Works and President of the Board of Education. He has been engaged in farming more or less extensively throughout his life. Religionsly, he is a member and Elder of the Presbyterian Church, professing Christianity at the age of 14 years. He is an active worker in the church and Sunday school. Mr. Breese was married. June 9, 1853, to Miss Mary E. Evans, of Milwaukee, by whom he has had six children, three boys and three girls, one of the latter dying in infancy.

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The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 131

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899, [from old catalog] ed; Western historical company, chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1104