The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 146

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 146

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RICHARD BARROW, deceased ; was born at Hawkhurst, County Kent, England, in 1782, and was the son of John and Susan Barrow, with whom he spent most of his time till his marriage, in 1818, to Miss Lucy, daughter of Humphrey and Mary (Rogers) Wickham, a native of County Sussex, England. After marriage, they settled on a farm in County Kent, which was afterward their home till 1839. April 28, of that year, they sailed from London, and landed in New York (as emigrants to America) the last day of May following, locating at Oriskany Falls, Oneida Co., N. Y. They made their home there for three years ; then removed to Chittenango, Madison Co., whence in June, 1845, they immi- grated to Columbus, Columbia Co., Wis., and located on a farm on Secs. 22, 23 and 27, now consisting of 181 acres, and 11 acres in the town of Elba, Dodge Co. Here Mr. Barrow died in 1854. Their family consisted of themselves and nine children ; the latter are as follows: Richard, born 1819, and now lives at Baraboo, Wis. ; Frances, born 1820, now Mrs. John H. Valentine, and lives at Mason City, Iowa ; John, born in 1825, now at Merrimac, Sauk Co., Wis .; Ann, born 1827, the late wife of George McCafferty, now deceased; James, born 1830, now at home; Seymour, born 1832, now deceased ; Samuel, born 1834, now deceased; Thomas, born 1836, now at home; Lucy, born 1839, now deceased.

JOHN BEBOW, farmer ; Sec. 16; P. O. Columbus; was born in Mecklinburg Schwerin, in 1828. IIe came to America in 1852 ; located in Erie Co., N. Y., where he followed farming for nine years. In 1861, he came to the town of Columbus, purchased a farm of 65 acres on Sec. 16, where he now owns 125 on Secs. 9 and 16, and also a farm of 90 acres on Secs. 8 and 17. He was married in 1852, to Miss Dorothea Minken, a native of Mecklinburg. Their children are Louisa, now the wife of Fred Prieri, and lives in the town of Leeds; Mary, now the wife of Henry Reider, of the town of Columbus ; Matilda, Frank and Charles at home. They are members of the Lutheran Church.

NELSON C. BISSELL, merchant tailor, Columbus ; was born in Susquehanna Co., Penn., 1823. His father, David Bissell, was a native of Connecticut; his mother, Hepsibleth Reynolds, was born in New York. When 15 years old, he began the tailor's trade in Montrose, Penn., and five years later, he went to New York City, where he continued his trade a year ; returning then to Pennsylvania, he worked three years at his trade in Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., and afterward at Lanesboro for a short time. Returning then to Montrose, he clerked in a hotel for two years. At Dundee, in May, 1854, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Ireton, and in August following they came to Wisconsin, and located at Columbus, where he has still continued the merchant tailor's trade. They have one daughter-Katie. Mr. Bissell was a member of the County Board of Supervisors from the Third Ward of Columbus, in 1877. Himself and family are connected with the Presbyterian Church.

DEXTER BLANCHARD, farmer, Sec. 21 ; P. O. Columbus ; this pioneer of Columbia Co. was born in the town of Rochester, Windsor Co., Vt., in 1826; his father, John Blanchard, was a tanner by trade, and he worked much of the time with him at the same business in his younger days. In 1846, he and his father came to Columbia Co., Wis., and entered a farm of 247 acres, on Secs. 28 and 29, town of Columbus, where they built their log shanty, covered it with prairie hay and " kept bach" therein for about six months. They returned to Vermont in the fall, and in the following spring (1847) came again with fam- ily to Wisconsin, and located on the farm which was ever after their home till their death ; Mr. Blanchard has always made his home on the original farm, and now owns 83 acres of it on Sec. 28. He was married in 1864, to Miss Emma J., daughter of Thomas and C. J. Sallsbee, a native of Ohio but an emigrant to Wisconsin in 1856; their children are John, William T. and Marietta.

HERMAN M. BLUMENTHAL, of the firm of Turner & Co., proprietors of marble works, Columbus, was born in Prussia in 1853, and came with his parents to America in 1868; they located at Columbus, Wis., where he began his trade in 1870, with Miller & Graham, and has since con- tinued his trade in this city ; he became a partner in the firm of Turner & Co. in January, 1878. He was married, in May, 1878, to Miss Mary, daughter of the Rev. F. Kluckhohn, of this city ; they have one son, Edwin. They are members of the German M. E. Church. Mr. Blumenthal is a member of the I. O. O. F.

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F. H. BOLTE, of the firm of Bolte & Eckoff, proprietors of the Columbus Foundry, manu- facturers of the Eureka Windmill and pumps of various kinds ; Mr. Bolte was born in the town of Col- umbus, Columbia Co., Wis., in 1856; was educated at the Northwestern University at Watertown, Wis., from which institution he graduated in 1871; he entered upon an apprenticeship at the carpenter and joiner's trade in 1872, with Charles Breyer, of the town of Elba, Dodge Co., and continued with him for three years ; he invented and got patented the Eureka Windmill in December, 1878, of which he and his partner are now sole manufacturers ; he also invented the Economist Churn in April, 1879. In December, 1879, he was married to Miss Minnie Eckoff, of Columbus, Wis. They are members of the Lutheran Church.

PROF. G. M. BOWEN, Principal of high school and Superintendent of the city schools of Columbus ; was born in the town of Amsterdam, Montgomery Co., N. Y., in 1847 ; when 10 years of age, he, with his parents, M. H. and Matilda Bowco, removed to Fond du Lac Co., Wis., and located on a farm near Ripon : three years later, they removed to Auroraville, Wausbara Co., and settled on what is known as the " Indian land," where they now reside; Mr. Bowen received his earlier education in the public schools of Wisconsin. In 1864, he enlisted in Co. I, of the 7th W. V. I., at Auroraville ; was with the Army of the Potomac, and was wounded at the battle of Spottsylvania Court House, May 12, 1864, receiving two wounds, from one of which he now carries a ball; he rejoined his regiment at Peters- burg, in August following, and was with it in all its principal movements and at the surrender of Gen. Lee, April 9, 1865 ; was mustered out at Madison, Wis., in July, 1865 ; returning then to Auroraville, he spent two years attending the common schools and teaching; he entered the State Normal School at Whitewater, Wis., in April, 1868, and graduated from that institution with the first class in 1870; he was elected Principal of the West District of Jefferson, Jefferson Co., in the fall of 1870, and in the following year was elected Teacher of Mathematics in the Jefferson Liberal Institute; in 1872, he was elected Principal of the Wausau High School, and re-elected in 1873, to the same position ; he was elected Principal of the Berlin High School in 1874, and in January, 1876, he was elected to the principalship of the Columbus High School, and has been re-elected to that position for four successive years. The Professor is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, and of the Universalist Church.

JOHN A. BOWEN, farmer, Sec. 36 ; P. O. Columbus ; son of Joseph Bowen and Catharine Allison, natives of New Jersey ; born in Morristown, Morris Co., N. J., Sept. 13, 1812 ; his father removed with the family to Seneca Co., N. Y., in May, 1833, and in November following went to Tompkins Co., where his mother died in 1834; his father then returned to New Jersey, and died there in 1836; John A., the oldest of a family of five children, was educated in the district schools of New Jersey ; he followed teach- ing in New Jersey for ten quarters, and then returned to New York, and continued there for three win- ters. In December, 1836, in Morris Co., N. J., he was married to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of John and Mary (Todd) McCord ; she is a native of that county ; they removed within a fortnight after marriage to Tompkins Co., N. Y., where they lived on a farm until 1842; immigrating thence to Wisconsin, they located in the town of Richmond, Walworth Co .; six years later, they removed to the town of Columbus, Columbia Co., and located on Sec. 10, where he now owns 280 acres ; nearly twenty years after, he removed to a farm of 80 acres on Sec. 36, where he has since lived ; he also has 10 acres in the town of Portland, Dodge Co. Mr. Bowen has been Assessor of the town for ten years, and member of the Town Board for two terms. They had five children, as follows : Mary C. (now deceased), Edward and Mary I. (twins, the latter deceased ; the former now lives on Sec. 10, of this town), Erastus (now with his brother on the farm) and Eliza E. (now the wife of Ezra W. Richmond, and lives in the town of York, Dane Co.). Mr. and Mrs. Bowen are members of the Presbyterian Church.

A. LOUIS BRAUCKLE, brewer, Columbus; was born in Wurtemberg, Germany Feb. 2, 1814, and is the son of an extensive farmer in that country, Thomas Brauckle ; at the age of 20 years, he began the brewer's trade in Wurtemberg, and continued the same there till 1845, when he emigrated to Mil- waukce, Wis., and there worked at his trade for Mr. Brown, till 1847; he then went to Racine, where he followed his trade till the fall of 1848 ; he then came to Columbus, where he worked for Mr. Jussen nearly a year ; then bought the brewery of him, and has since been its proprietor. He was married March 1, 1851, to Mrs. Mary, widow of John Erhart, and a daughter of August Nussar, a native of Wurtemberg ; they have one son-Peter, and have lost three children. They are members of the Catholic Church.

GUSTAVUS BREUNING, manufacturer and dealers in boots and shoes, Columbus ; was born in Prussia in 1843; he emigrated, in 1854, with his parents, Gotlieb and Henrietta Breuning, to America, and located at Watertown, Wis., where his father died, about four weeks after their arrival; his mother soon removed to Columbus with the family, and made it her home till her death, which occurred in 1875. Mr. Breuning entered upon a three-years apprenticeship at the shoemaker's trade, with Julius

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Fox, at Columbus, in 1858, and continued with him a year as a journeyman, after his apprenticeship. In 1866, he opened a shop of his own, in this city, and has since been engaged in the manufacture as well as dealing in boots and shoes. He was married in 1866, to Miss Louisa Diamond, a native of Columbus, Wis. Their children are George and Carl. Mr. B. is a member of the Lutheran Church, his wife of the Episcopal.

WILLIAM BUTLER, carpenter, Columbus ; was born in Wiltshire, England, in 1819 ; he was educated in the common schools of his native country ; when quite young, he began the carpenter and joiner's trade, with his father, and continued the same there till 1841. He was married in 1840, to Miss Hellen Taylor, with whom he sailed for America early in 1841, and landed in New York City in March of that year, continuing his trade in the city for fourteen years. In June, 1855, they emigrated to Wis- consin, and located in the village of Columbus, where he has since followed his trade, and has been con- nected with the erection of many of the prominent buildings of the city and surrounding country, among them the public school buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Butler have seven children, as follows : William Thomas, James and George, all three of whom are now in Colorado ; Charles, now in Nebraska ; Nellie, now the wife of Linton McNeel, and lives at Neillsville, Wis .; Sadie, at home with her parents. Mrs. Butler is a member of the Baptist Church.

R. W. CHADBOURN, banker, Columbus ; was born in York Co., Me., in 1819, and is the son of Nathaniel and Ruth Chadbourn, with whom he spent his earlier life, on a farm, in his native county, completing his studies at the academy at Gorham, Cumberland Co., in 1841 ; he then went to the State of Virginia, where he devoted his time to teaching till 1846, returning then to Maine, whence, in 1849, he emigrated to Columbus, Wis. For the first few years, he was interested in making land entries for emigrants, and otherwise aided them in securing homes; he gradually worked into the business of money loaning, and in 1855, secured a charter and began a regular banking business. He was married in 1866, to Miss Catherine, a daughter of Thomas C. Atwater, a native of Catskill, N. Y .; they have one son-Frederick A. Mr. and Mrs. Chadbourn are members of the Congregational Church.

EMMONS E. CHAPIN was born in the town of Venice, Cayuga Co., N. Y., July 14, 1829, and in 1837, with his parents, removed to the town of Aurelins, near the city of Auburn, in the same county, where he remained until October, 1854, when he came to Wisconsin, first settling at Oconomowoc, and removed to Columbus in January, 1856, where he has since resided; he received an academic edu- cation ; he is a lawyer by profession. For many years, he was a member of the Democratic State Central Committee, and in that capacity has frequently entered into State and national canvasses with speech, pen and purse, to reclaim the State and nation from the theories and aims advocated by the Republican party as opposed to the broad Democratic principles of government early established . and advocated by Jefferson and the fathers ; he attended as a delegate from Columbia Co., and participated in every Con- gressional and State Convention from 1857 to 1879 ; his political course has been liberal and progressive ; in the convention held at Milwaukee in 1869, by which Hou. C. D. Robinson, of Green Bay, was nom- inated for Governor, Mr. Chapin, in connection with a number of other prominent Democrats, insisted upon and succeeded in laying down a platform of principles indicating the new departure that ultimately overthrew the Republican party in Wisconsin, or, as Mr. Chapin put it, " With these principles, and these alone, Wisconsin must and shall be Democratic"-and it was Democratic for the next four years. During the war of the rebellion he contributed time, money and efforts to sustain the Government, and not the political party in the ascendency. firmly believing that military force must be met by military force, and a rebellion against the Government must be promptly met and surely suppressed. He was opposed to any act indicating a repudiation of the national debt, or of an assumption of the rebel debt, or any part thereof, by the United States. He has ever held an aversion to the present mode of the few combined to run an "available" for office, and he insists that the country wants and demands intelligent, straightfor- ward, honest, good, practical, common-sense business men for official position-or that "the office should seek the man and not the man the office." Mr. Chapin has seldom permitted his name to be placed upon a ticket for any office, although often nominated and urged by his friends to do so; yet he has held vari- ous local offices of a non-partisan character, and was placed in those positions by the aid of Republicans ; he was one of the Trustees, and also Supervisor of the village during the years 1872-73. In the fall of 1873, when it was determined to incorporate the city of Columbus, he was appointed by the Trustees of the village to draft a charter and procure the necessary legislation for its enactment. The city charter was drafted by him, and it was passed by the Legislature and approved by the Governor Feb. 26, 1874, and Columbus thereby became a city-but not without some opposition. In April, 1874, he was appointed by Gov. Taylor as a member of the State Board of Charities and Reform, and was chosen by the Board its Vice President ; he held this office till May 1, 1876; he was chosen attorney by that Board to conduct

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the examination of witnesses in the investigation of the management of the State Prison and the Institute for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, in behalf of the State. He was one of the Commis- sioners named by the Legislature of 1874-75 to consider the feasibility of the removal of the State Prison, and presented a report in opposition to such contemplated change; he had much to do toward inaugu- rating the present system of prison management and discipline. Mr. Chapin was appointed to and did represent the State at the National Prison Reform Congress held at St. Louis, Mo., May 13 to 16, 1874, inclusive, and prepared and presented to the Governor (of Wisconsin) a report of the proceedings of that Congress, which report may be found on pages 54 to 78 of the "Fourth Annual Report of the State Board of Charities and Reform of the State of Wisconsin." March 5, 1875, the Legislature of Wiscon- sin enacted a general law authorizing the establishment of free high schools; the city of Columbus availed itself of its privileges under the act, and the free high-school system was adopted Aug. 9, 1875, by a vote of the electors of Columbus; Mr. Chapin was elected President of the Board of Education, and in the month of January, 1876, the Columbus Free High School was fully organized and running under the new law to the satisfaction of all. The first class of seven young ladies were graduated from the high school into the university grade on the 21st day of June, 1878, as the first-fruits of this system, and at this time Mr. Chapin, as President of the Board, in presenting the diplomas, took occasion to make a brief speech, which, as he says, was the best and happiest effort of his life, for his heart was really in the work-and having been a teacher in his early life, he was master of the situation ; he has been Corpora- tion Counsel ever since the city of Columbus was organized, and is now City Attorney ; he was appointed Dec. 24, 1870, United States Court Commissioner, and still holds this office ; he has been a Free and Accepted Mason for over a quarter of a century ; he was one of the charter members of the Columbus Lodge, F., & A. M., No. 75, chartered in June, 1856, and subsequently its Worshipful Master ; in 1875, he was Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of Wisconsin, and in 1876 was elected one of its Trustees for the term of three years, and was re-elected in June, 1879, for a second term.

A writer for the " History of Wisconsin," in speaking of Mr. Chapin, says : "He does not allow his public duties to interfere with his professional labors, and consequently he enjoys an extensive and luera- tive practice as a lawyer; he stands among the first of the profession, and is held in high repute as a citizen." He is often invited to deliver lectures, orations and speeches, both at home and abroad, and complies, if, as he says, "any one can gather any comfort or happiness therefrom." Mr. Chapin was mar- ried, Dec. 28, 1853, at Aurelius, N. Y., to Miss Emily J., youngest daughter of Nathaniel and Mercy Blanchard. Mrs. C. is a sister of the late Col. H. W. Blanchard, a pioneer of 1836 to Wisconsin, and late proprietor of the Blanchard Mills at Watertown, Wis .; Mrs. C. has in her parlors many pieces in oil, crayon and pastel-the work of her own hands-which would do credit to a more pretending artist. They have two sons-Herbert B., now in the employment of the C., M. &. St. P. R. R. Co., and Clarence E., at home attending school.

DR. E. CHURCHILL, dentist, Columbus; was born in Erie Co., N. Y., in 1836; he received an academic education at Springville, Erie Co., after which he began the study of dentistry with Dr. Streight, of Buffalo, N. Y., and later he continued his studies with Dr. Main, of New York City, where he completed them in 1860; he practiced his profession in the village of Concord, Erie Co .. N. Y., for nearly two years ; in 1861, he went to Washington City for a short time, and in February, 1862, he located at Columbus, Wis., where he has since practiced his profession. In 1868, he was married to Miss Harriet L. Winch, of this city (Columbus). The Doctor is a member of the Masonic Fraternity.

JOHN B. CLEVELAND, farmer, Sees. 15 and 22; P. O. Columbus; was born in Sara- toga Co., N. Y., in 1819; he spent much of his time in Schuylersville, Saratoga Co., till 9 years old ; then removed with his parents to Sandy Hill, Washington Co., N. Y., where he lived until 1837; he then removed to Ashtabula Co., Ohio, where he was engaged in the mercantile trade till 1856; removing from there to the town of York, Dane Co., Wis., he located on a farm and followed agriculture there till 1873; disposing then of his farm in Dane Co. he bought his present one of 120 acres on Secs. 15 and 23, town of Columbus, Columbia Co., where he has since resided. He was married in 1845 to Miss Julia Coleman, a native of Ashtabula Co., Ohio, who died in 1865, leaving seven children-Louisa, Fannie, Oliver C. and Horace W., both deceased ; Julia, Nettie and Mary. Mr. Cleveland was Chairman of the Town Board in the town of York, Dane Co., for one term.

CHARLES A. COLONIUS, of the firm of George Linck & Co., dealers in dry goods, goods, etc., etc., Columbus, was born io Prussia in 1837. He came to America in 1855; worked on a farm in Orange Co., N. Y., for nearly a year ; in 1856, he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and enlisted in Co. I of the 6th United States Infantry, of the regular army ; was employed most of the time for five years in the Quartermaster's commissary department, and in the Adjutant General's office ; was mustered out at Fort

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Mojave, Lower California, in 1861. Returning then to Germany for two years, in 1864, he came a sec- ond time to America, and located in Watertown, Wis .; engaging in the commission business there, with his brother, for a short time, and in the winter of 1867-68, he came to Columbus, and clerked for Fuller Brothers, for five years. He then began business for himself, but in January, 1874, he joined as a part- ner in the firm of. George Linck & Co. He was elected a member of the City Council, from the Third Ward, in 1874 ; in April, 1876, he was elected City Treasurer ; re-elected in 1877-78-79 and '80. He was married, 1866, to Miss Josephine Brayer, a native of Prussia, but emigrated to America with parents when 3 years old. and settled in the town of Elba, Dodge Co., Wis. They have had three children, all of whom are deceased. They adopted two-Josie, deceased, and Jessie. Mr. and Mrs. Colonius are mem- bers of the German M. E. Church.

BERNARD CONLIN, deceased, was born in County Sligo, Ireland, in 1811 ; he was the son of Thomas Conlin, with whom he lived, in his native country, till about 1830 ; emigrating then to Amer- ica, he was employed in the construction of railroads and mining, in Massachusetts, for a number of years, and was afterward employed on the Erie Canal. He was married in 1848, to Miss Hannah, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Hart) Clark ; also a native of County Sligo, Ireland, but an cmigrant to America, with her parents, in 1847, and located, first, to Worcester, Mass., later, removed to Fitchburg, Mass. Mr. and Mrs. Conlin came, in 1848, to Columbus, Columbia Co., Wis., and located on a farm on Section 25, where he first bought a farm of 100 acres, and afterward increased it to 140 acres. He died, at his home, June 22, 1876, leaving a wife and seven children. The latter are as follows : Mary, now the wife of John Dargan, and lives in Mitchell Co., Iowa ; Ella, now in Dubuque, Iowa ; Catherine, now at Emmettsburg, Md .; Thomas, Bernard, Elizabeth and James, at home. The family is connected with the Catholic Church.

AMASA G. COOK, attorney at law, Columbus ; was born in the town of Norwich, Chenango Co., N. Y., in 1823. His father, Sylvanus Cook, was born in Rhode Island in 1787, and removed to Chenango Co .; N. Y., with his parents in 1798. His mother, Mary Green, was also a native of Rhode Island, born 1790. Mr. Cook spent his earlier life on a farm in his native county, with his parents; at the age of 17, he entered the Oxford Academy, and later the academy at Norwich, where he completed his studies in 1844. He then began teaching in the public schools of Honesdale, Penn., and afterward taught in select schools at Laurens, Otsego Co., N. Y .; in 1845, he entered upon the study of law, with Fuller & West, of Honesdale, Penn., and pursued his study as much as circumstances would permit while teaching. He next read with Charles A. Thorp, of Norwich, for two years, and later with Hon. L. S. Chatfield, of Laurens, Otsego Co., N. Y. Mr. Cook was admitted to the practice of law in September, 1849, and in October following he removed to Wisconsin, and in March, 1850, he located at Columbus. He soon formed a copartnership with Gov. Lewis, in the practice of his profession, which lasted a year ; after which he continued the practice alone till 1862, when he took in as a partner, Mr. E. E. Chapin, and the firm was known as Cook & Chapin till May, 1869 ; since which time he has had no partner. He was appointed District Attorney, by Gov. Dewey, in 1850, and in the fall of that year was elected to the same office, for a term of two years; he was Postmaster of Columbus from 1856 to 1861, and has held various other offices in the city. He was at one time the Democratic candidate for the Wisconsin Assembly, and in 1869 was candidate for the office of Secretary of State; was also a candidate for Congress in 1870 and and again in 1874. In 1853, he was married to Sarah J. daughter of Ard. S. and Betsey Rockwell, of Otsego Co., N. Y .; who afterward removed to Elkhorn, Walworth Co., Wis., where Mr. Rockwell died in 1865. Mrs. Rockwell afterward died in the city of Columbus. Mr. and Mrs. Cook have five children- three sons and two daughters. They are as follows : Hobart, (a graduate of the State University, now a law student with his father); Henry (now at home); Charles, Bertha and Mary (students at the State University). Mr. C. has been a member of the Masonic Fraternity for nearly twenty-five years. His family is connected with the Episcopal Church.

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The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement, Part 146

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