The history of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Part 152

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1082

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JAMES ABLARD, farmer, Sec. 6; P. O. Campbellsport; born June 2, 1830, in Lincoln- shire, England, where he obtained his schooling, and lived until June, 1853, when he came to America ; began as a farm hand at Pittsford, N. Y., and, after his marriage to Miss Mary Caffrey, settled on a farm ; they came to Ashford in 1863, he buying his farm of seventy acres; of this sixteen were cleared, the remainder heavy timber. Beginning in a log house, the labor and management of Mr. Ablard have resulted in a well-improved farm, with all needed buildings, stock, tools, etc., and a large and handsome residenee, built in 1879. Mrs. Ablard died in March, 1864, leaving three children-Mary A., William J. and George, who died Dec. 2, 1864. The present wife is a daughter of Chauncy Thomas, and was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., marrying in Madison Co., N. Y., H. Haddoek, who died in 1862 or 1863, she coming to Wisconsin in 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Ablard are members of the Byron M. E. Church. In politics, Republican.

HENRY BARNETT, farmer, Sec. 11 ; P. O. Campbellsport ; son of John H. Barnett, who was born in Switzerland, and pressed into Napoleon's army when 18; taken prisoner at Waterloo, he, after his release, emigrated to America and settled in Albany, N. Y., where he married Miss Lana, daughter of William Scott ; his eldest son, onr subject, was born in Jefferson Co., N. Y., March 27, 1819, and came from Lewis Co., N. Y., to Milwaukee, in 1846, with his family ; leaving his family in Fox Lake, Mr. Barnett cut the first track from the Byron openings to the unfinished shanty of Mr. L. Crouch ; returning, he and his family, accompanied by J. L. Perry and family, arrived in June, 1846, at Cronch's, where they lived until the next October, when Mr. Barnett pre-empted 160 acres of his present farm ; this was the first claim made in Ashford Township, and his was the first family to settle here ; assisted by Crouch and Perry, he cut the first road to West Bend, then with an ox team he went to Milwaukee for provisions and mill irons. On the 4th of July, 1845, Mrs. Barnett, Mrs. Perry and Mrs. Everett ( wife of the mill- wright) raised a flag and held the first celebration, Crouchville receiving its name the same evening. Mr. Barnett made the first assessment in Ashford, and, as a member of the first Board of Supervisors, laid out most of its present roads, also those of Anburn ; he is now the oldest resident of either town, and was the

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second settler in Auburn ; in his house the first religious service was held by Rev. Mr. Sears. Mr. Barnett married Miss Lana, daughter of Isaac Scott, in 1839; they have had eleven children-Eli ( deceased ), Jennie, William H., John G., Elizabeth, Matilda C., Seth G., Leah H., La Fayette (deceased ), Julia M. and Francelia ; Jennie is now Mrs. J. F. Stevens, of Chicago; William H. and John are in Iowa; Eliza- beth is the wife of John Hendricks, of Ashford ; Matilda, now Mrs. F. Ribble, resides in Orleans, Neb .; Seth is in Portland, Ore .; Leah M. is now Mrs. Wallace Goodsell, of Howard Lake, Minn .; Julia M. is now Mrs. James Yancy, of Lewis Co., N. Y., and Francelia is with her parents. The family are Baptists. Mr. Barnett has 240 acres, a large basement barn, and a handsome modern farm residence, built in 1863, and has 160 acres in Iowa. In politics, Republican.

WOLCOTT BIXBY, farmer, Sec. 10 ; P. O. Campbellsport ; born in Palatine, N. Y., Feb. 5, 1822; when 11 years old, he accompanied his parents to Ashtabula Co., Ohio, where he received his schooling; in September, 1846, he settled in Crouchville; a carpenter by trade, he built the first frame- house in the town of Ashford for R. F. Adams; he found only one house between West Bend and I. Crouch's shanty ; the roads at this time were merely tracks through the woods; the settlers at this time were Messrs. Crouch, Barnett, Crownhast, Perry, Hull and Helmer. Mr. Bixby built the first frame barn in Auburn in 1849, afterward building for the same man, Mr. Hill, a house and blacksmith-shop ; about all the settlers in both towns were required to raise these ; he bought forty acres in Section 15, in 1847. Married, in the spring of 1848, Miss Cornelia Glines, a native of Jericho, Chittenden Co., Vt., who, after living in various parts of Vermont and New York, came to Kenosha, Wis., in 1845; they began life on the forty acres of land, where they lived until 1864, when he settled on his present improved farm of eighty-five acres. Mr. Bixby bought the first-named forty of the Government-cleared and added to it. The young couple saw much of early hardships, as all provisions for a time eame from Milwaukee ; lived in a " shake " roofed shanty ; went with ox teams, and sometimes on foot, to Fond du Lac for goods; lived on bread and meat, and still maintain that they were good old times. Mr. Bixby is independent in politics, a temperance man, a do-right in religion, and a good type of the early York State settlers. Four sons have blessed the union -- Edgar, William, John and Daniel.

STUART CAMPBELL, farmer, Sec. 11; P. O. Campbellsport; born in County London- derry, Ireland, Sept. 4, 1817; in the spring of 1841, he came to America, and located in Orange Co., N. Y., worked on Delaware & Hudson Canal; removed with his wife to Ashford, in 1850, and bought an eighty-acre pre-emption claim ; four acres had been cleared and a log house built; beginning with little, Mr. C. did sturdy pioneer work, cleared and added to the eighty, and now has as a homestead, 200 acres improved, several good barns, with stoek, implements, etc .; he replaced the log house with a roomy and tasteful residence in 1860; he also owns sixty-three acres on See. 13 (see history of Campbellsport). He married, Sept. 30, 1848, Miss Julia M. Southard, who had lived and was married in Orange Co., N. Y., but was born in Sullivan Co .. N. Y .; they have eleven children-Sarah J., Nancy M., Charles C., Belle A., James S., Robert J., Willie F., Lillie M., Eddie T., Libbie J. and Frank D .; of these Nancy, Belle and James are in Fayette Co., Iowa. Mr. Campbell was a Whig and War Democrat; was several years Supervisor, then Assessor. He was a generous giver in building the Campbellsport M. E. Church, of which Mrs. C is a member ; their eldest daughter married R. E. Forsythe June 1, 1879; after a brief honeymoon, the young couple started for a new home in Nebraska; while on the way, Mr. Forsythe fell from the train at Burlington, Wis., June 18, and was instantly killed.

SYLVESTER CISCO, farmer, Sec. 12; born Sept. 21, 1823, in Rockland Co., N. J .; he lived there until he was 19, then settled in Deer Park, Orange Co., N. Y .; during the next twelve years, he was engaged on the Hudson and Delaware Rivers and the Delaware & Hudson Canal. Married in Orange Co. in 1848, Miss Sarah L. Southard, who was born in Sullivan Co., N. Y., but had lived in Orange since she was an infant; in 1850, they came to Wisconsin in company with S. Campbell and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Cisco spent the first year in Oakfield, the second in Ashford, then bought forty acres in Auburn, about two acres of this were cleared, on which was a tumble-down log house; having paid his last shilling to the man who brought them into the county, he now did real pioneer work with his ax, without a team or means to get one ; he, with the aid of his true-hearted wife, rolled the logs together and burned them, then in the unbroken soil planted corn with only a hoe-a hard beginning for the young couple whose only capital was health and pluck; Mr. C. says he did not receive a cent until he had been in the State eighteen months ; keeping at it, he set out the best orchard in the county, added to his farm, built as good a house as was then in Auburn, and in 1868, sold 160 acres here ; he then bought his homestead of 141 acres. then rough, stony, stumpy land, which he has brought to a state of cultivation not excelled by any farm in the county ; has six acres devoted to fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, etc .; has added to the buildings, now having a most elegant residence on the outskirts of the village ; he also owns 40 aeres in

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Auburn, 80 in Osceola, and 144 in Clay Co., Neb. Mr. and Mrs. Cisco have five children-Mahlon J.,. Susan A., Stella, Willie E. and Leon ; M. J. and W. E. are in Nebraska, as is Stella, now Mrs. Aug. Kissinger ; Susan A. is the wife of Elon Flint, of Minneapolis, Minn. Mr. C. is a Democrat, and a man who has made a record second to none as a man and citizen. Mrs. Cisco belongs to the New Cassel Bap- tist Church.

JACOB DEGENHARDT, proprietor of the Railroad House, Camphellsport; born in Kreis-Mullhausen, Kullstadt, Prussia, Sept. 6, 1832 ; was educated in the Fatherland, where he traveled nine years for a firm, selling woolen goods ; came to America in 1857, locating iu Grant Co., Wis., and attending the Platteville school two winters ; was two years in the European Hotel, Milwaukee, then trav- eled a year, selling dry goods, notions, etc. He then married and settled on a farm in Ashford, also anting as an insurance agent ; has owned and kept the Railroad House since May, 1874, having in connection a bar and livery. Married Mrs. Regina Mauel, by whom he has three children-Regina, Michael and Henry ; Mrs. D. was born in Rhenish Prussia, in 1826, her former husband, Bernhardt Mauel, leaving her at his death with a sixty-acre farm and four children-Anna, John, Frank and Margaret. The family are Roman Catholics, and Mr. Degenhardt is a Democrat, having been Supervisor three years, and Assessor the same length of time.

CHARLES C. HANSON, proprietor lumber-yard, Campbellsport; born in New Orleans, La., May 16, 1832; his father, Christian H., was first mate of a Danish ship, and was accompanied by his wife ; after the birth of Charles, they returned to Denmark, where he was educated ; after a six-months service in the Danish Navy, he left in the spring of 1848, and followed the sea eight years on German, English, Spanish and American merchantmen, visiting both East and West Indies, and nearly all the African and South American ports. In 1856, he married Miss Julia O'Keeffe in New Haven, Conn., and settled in Fond du Lac; was in various kinds of business here until 1876, when he and Mr. P. J. Sausen started the second lumber-yard in Campbellsport, they doing business until December 1879, when Mr. Hanson bought out Mr. S .; he now deals in in pine lumber, lath, shingles, moldings, pickets, doors, sash, and cord-wood ; he also takes contracts for buildings. Is a member, with his wife, of the Catholic Church, and a Democrat ; is now serving his second term as Justice of the Peace.

WILLIAM HAUSMAN, M. D., Elmore; born in Buffalo, N. Y., Dec. 9, 1854; he was educated in the public schools of St. Louis : began the study of medicine, 1869, with Dr. N. Senn, of Ashford ; entering the Chicago Medical College, he graduated as physician and surgeon March 10, 1874, and has since been in active practice in Elmore, where he has a most pleasant home, carned by his most successful practice during this time; though young, the Doctor is now President of the Rock River Medical Society, which he joined in March. 1874, and has been an active member of the Wisconsin State Medical Society since June. 1878; the Doctor is also a member of Kewaskum Lodge, No. 101, I. O. (. F., and, with his wife, of the Reformed Church of Elmore; married Miss Charlotte Fleischman, of Ash- ford, in August, 1874 ; they have three children-Edward N., Elizabeth A. and Wm. P. Republican.

W. S. HENDRICKS, farmer, Sec. 1; P. O. Campbellsport ; born in Juniata Co., Penn., May 3, 1835. His parents, Andrew and Margaret Hendricks, removed to Milwaukee Co., Wis., 1847, residing there four years, then settling on a farm on See. 3, town of Ashford, where they spent the remain- der of their days; they had nine children-Jemima, Wm. S., Sarah, John A., Amelia, Mary and Oliver are living; Isaac enlisted in Co. A, 14th W. V. I. and was shot and instantly killed before Vicksburg; Benjamin enlisted in Co. B, 35tb W. V. I., and died in the service at Port Hudson, Miss. W. S. Hen- dricks settled on his farm of 100 acres in 1856; of this about seven acres were improved, on which was a log house ; as a result of sturdy work with his ax, he has cleared the remainder of heavy timber, and made of it a good farm ; in 1873, he built a modern brick farm residence, the farm and buildings appear- ing but little as they did in 1856; it is devoted to grain and stock. He married Miss Carrie A., daughter of Wm. Peck, a pioneer of 1846, in Eden ; she was born in Woodbury, Conn., and is the mother of four children -Flora M., Clarence W., Elmer E. and Frank G. Mr. Hendricks is an Independent Republican.

FREDERICK HUEBNER, farmer, Sec. 6 ; P. O. Ashford ; born 1826, in Prussia, where he was educated, was born and bred a farmer; came to America 1853, settled in Dodge Co., where he married Othilie Busstaff, and bought a farm in 1834; this was covered with small timber, and without a house Mr. H. built a log house, 18x26. and a log barn, 18x24; began the labor of clearing and breaking the land, and, having built a large stone house, sold the farm and bought his present improved farm of 100 acres ; on this is a large and tasty house, basement, barn, etc. Mr. and Mrs. II. have four children-Frederick Wm., August Carl, Samuel and Louisa. Religion, Lutheran ; politics, Democratic. Mr. Huebner came to Wisconsin without money enough to buy an ax, but bought one with borrowed money, cleared timber at $5 per acre, worked on farms and in a saw-mill. Few men have done better than he.

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FRANK M. JOHNSON, agent and operator C. & N .- W. R. R., New Cassel ; born Nov. 1, 1853, in Kewasknm, Washington Co., Wis., his mother dying when he was a child, his father placed him in the family of Saml. Riblet, Litchfield, Mich., where he was educated; when abont 16 he entered a store at Newaygo, Mich., and after two years returned to Wisconsin, working over two years as a carriage painter in West Bend ; began railroad life by learning operating at Rushfield, Wis., and after obtaining a thorough knowledge of the details of railroad business here, was appointed to his present position Sept. 15, 1873; is also agent for the American Express Co .; when he first left the train here with his supplies, there was not a railroad building of any kind in sight ; establishing an office for a day or so in the house of Jacob Senft, he found some fencing belonging to the company, and with this built a rude shed, with two compartments, using a dry-goods box for his desk ; here he did business until winter, when a depot build- ing was built, which was struck by lightning and burned July 15, 1875, with all contents except the cash- book, which Mr. Johnson had in his honse ; during the next six months, he did the business in the lumber office of C. D. L. Meyers; the present depot was built in December, 1875. He married, Oct. 20, 1874, Miss Ella, daughter of Frank and Abigail Everly, by whom he has two children-Gracie N., and Willie R. Mr. Johnson is a Republican, and. is now W. C. T. of New Cassel Lodge, I. O. of G. T. He has a pleas- ant home in the village, and about two acres adjoining the village plat known as the Lepper place.

FRANK KLECKER, farmer, Sec. 7; P. O. Ashford ; born in Austria in 1849 ; the family came to America in 1854; his father, Frank Klecker, Sr., bought wild land on Sec. 8, in Ashford ; five acres of this was cleared. on which was a log house ; this family did good work at clearing the heavy tim- ber and building ; sold this farm in 1865, and settled on their present farm of eighty acres ; on this Mr. K. has built a tasteful home, and other substantial buildings ; his mother died in June, 1878, his aged father is still living with him. Married Miss Johanna Veith, a daughter of Joseph Veith, in September, 1877 ; they have two children-Andrew Albert and Mary A. Mr. Klecker is independent in politics, and votes for men that he trusts ; the family came to America with nothing, and their farm and home is the reward of industry and good management.

L. C. KOHLER, shoemaker and dealer, Campbellsport ; born in the town of Ashford, Aug. 27, 1856, his parents having settled on a farm here in 1854; after his schooling in this town, Lorenz, at 14, began learning his trade in Theresa ; spent two years there, and eight months in St. Killian ; was then on the farm awhile, afterward in the town of Wayne, and some months in Chicago; returning to Camp- bellsport, he worked in the shops here nearly three years, and, in February, 1877, began business for himself; has the only boot and shoe store in the village, and is doing a good business, as all goods sold are of his own make, and warranted. Married Miss Mary Mischler Feb. 12, 1877, by whom he has a son-Jolin. Mr. and Krs. Kohler are Roman Catholics, he being Independent in politics.

WILLIAM LENLING, merchant, Elmore; born in Prussia in 1844; was educated there, and came to America in 1857 ; after two years spent in Wayne, Washington Co., he settled on a farm in Ashford, where he lived until 1869, when he bought a farm in Lomira, which he sold in 1871, and opened a saloon in Elmore ; has added a good stock of dry goods, groceries, hardware, tin and glassware, crockery, notions, etc .; is doing well, as he has the only complete stock in the village. Married, in 1874, Miss Wil- helmina Goety, and has four children-Adelina, Albert, Bertha and Wilhelmina. Politics, Republican, and a Lutheran in religion.

MORRIS F. LOOMIS, farmer, Sec. 1. ; P. O. New Cassel ; born in the town of Vienna, Oneida Co., N. Y., April 19, 1824 ; his parents settling on an Onondaga Co. farm when he was a child ; he resided there until the spring of 1847, when he bought eighty acres of Government land in Eden, having spent the winter in Racine Co., Wis., where he and another man ent 500 cords of wood ; made his home with A. and P. Odekirk, while he built a log house and did his clearing. In 1849, he married Miss Caroline Raymond, of Auburn, and, in two or three years, settled on eighty acres, Sec. 7 of that town, which he still owns; this was as Mother Nature left it, they living in a log-house while he made bis strong arm and sharp ax tell. Mrs. Loomis died March 11, 1864, leaving six children-Amelia M., Inez C., Florian A., Frank, Irving W., and Edwin P. In 1865, Mr. L. settled on his homestead of eighty acres ; has cleared both eighties and brought them to an excellent state of cultivation, built a pleasant house and several large barns, and is, beside, the owner of an improved eighty in Osceola, and a section of prairie land in Barton Co., Kan., eighty of which is sown to wheat. In May, 1865, he married Emily J. Helmer, of Lowville, Lewis Co., N. Y., by whom he has two children-C. Harvey, and George H. ; Mr. L. is an old-time Whig Republican, and was one of the first three Justices elected in Eden, and is a good type of the energetic pioneers of this county.

MATHEW MCEVOY, farmer, Sec. 5; P. O. Campbellsport; born in Queens Co., Ireland, in 1817; came to America in 1840, locating in Dutchess Co., N. Y., where he married in 1844, Miss

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Catherine Welch ; they came to Ashford in November, 1849, and bought forty acres of heavily timbered land of which five had been cleared ; up to this time all travel had been over a track from the openings to Crouchville, and the road past the MEvoy farm was not opened for two years ; the family lived for a time in a rude shanty ; then bought more land on which was a better habitation, but this was burned with nearly their all-a hard blow-but the battle was begun again; at Mayville, sixteen miles dis- tant, was the nearest mill, and goods were all brought from Fond du Lac; as the family were poor they underwent many privatious, and the result is Mr. McEvoy's good farm of 150 acres. several roomy barns, with a large and tasteful farmhouse, which was built to replace the pioneer's log house-a good showing for a man who began with forty aeres of woods, and a few dollars ; Mr. and Mrs. McEvoy have three chil- dren-James, Mary A. and Richard H. James is a carpenter in Northern Wisconsin; Mary is married, and a resident of Chilton ; and Richard, who is on the homestead, was married Nov. 28, 1877, to Miss Ann Mulvey, of Byron ; they have one son, Mathew F. In politics, they are Democrats ; in religion, Roman Catholics.

THOMAS MCCARTY, farmer, Sec. 4; P. O. Campbellsport ; born in County Leitrim, Ire- land, in 1837, son of Michael and Ann MeCarty, who emigrated to America in 1847, and lived at Provi- dence, R. I., until 1853, when they came to Ashford, and settled on heavily timbered land, now the home- stead ; few families did better or more successful work, the old couple peacefully ending their lives here. Mr. McCarty owns 120 acres, well improved, has built a large, handsome residence in place of the log house of carly days, besides a large and convenient basement barn ; as a farmer and citizen none have done better. He married, June 17, 1869, Miss Mary, daughter of George and Ann Lloyd, who emigrated from Ireland to America in 1840; she was born in Dutchess Co., N. Y., the family settling in Byron in 1849; five chil- dren have blessed this union-Ann E., John A., George H., Thomas W. and Francis A. Mr. McCarty is Independent in politics, and, with his wife, a Roman Catholic.

NICHOLAS REISENWEBER. farmer, Secs. 5 and 8; P. O. Ashford; born in Saxe Coburg in 1819 ; was educated in the Fatherland, and with his wife came to America in 1850, they set- tling on a small farm near Germantown, Wis .; after ten years he sold out and settled on forty acres on Sec. 10 in Ashford; in 1867, he bought his present farm of 140 acres, this about half cleared and on it a log house and a roofless log barn ; Mr. Reisenweber and his sons did good work, cleared the land of stumps, etc., built a granary and barns, and an elegant brick farmhouse in 1876 ; this is a good showing for a man who began $68 in debt on a twenty-acre farm, besides not knowing a word of English ; Mr. and Mrs. Reisenweber have had eight children-William, Lizzie, wife of J. Jaeger, of Byron ; Caroline, wife of W. Specht, of Santa Clara, Cal .; Kate, Frederick, Jacob (deceased ), Louis and John. The family are Lutherans ; father and sons are Independent Republicans, voting for men, not party.

JOEL N. MeSCHOOLER, farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Campbellsport ; born in Peterboro, Madison Co., N. Y., April 19, 1822, son of J. W. and Abigail MeSchooler ; he spent his early life and was educated in his native town, going at 19 to Rome, N. Y .; he was engaged in the manufacture of brick until October, 1846, when he came to Ashford and bought 120 acres of Government land; what is now New Cassel was then a log shanty with a bark roof; he eut the first trail from here to his farm ; finding the whole vicinity a wilderness crossed by only Indian trails, he went back to his wife, who stopped at South- port, Wis., they going to Michigan and remaining until the fall of 1847 ; during this time, Harvey Cartes had settled near by ; Mr. MeSchooler and wife were two days driving a horse team from West Bend, they riding the horses across deep streams, and leaving the wagon and goods till after the stream subsided ; they lived for some time in a shanty, then built a log house, he doing pioneer work with his ax, burning timber and selling ashes at 5 cents per bushel, trade, and hauling them three miles ; to add to their eomfort he was sick with ague the first summer, but they were young, strong, resolute and successful ; Mr. McSchooler now has an excellent farm of 280 acres, a large and tasty residence, and a basement barn, 36x94 feet and 33 feet from sills to plates ; the bays filled from three floors; as he began with almost nothing his record is certainly good. He married Miss Celestia, daughter of Melancton and Sarah Brigham, April 16, 1845; she was a native of Smithfield, N. Y .; they have five children-Sarah A., Myron M., Ida I., Justus N. and Elwyn B. Mr. McSchooler and wife are Methodists ; he is an original Republican, and was in early days Treasurer of Ashford and Auburn.

FREDERICK W. TANNER, farmer, Sec. 11; P. O. New Cassel ; born Jan. 4; 1823, in the town of Brntns, Cayuga Co., N. Y .; here he spent his early life and was educated ; in 1844, he settled in Lynn, Walworth Co., Wis., where he bought and soon sold a farm. He married, July 5, 1848, Miss Helen M., daughter of James Duncan ; she was born and educated in New York City. After a few years residence in Montgomery Co., N. Y., the family, in 1842, settled on a farm in Lynn. The old couple- both well-known and respected pioneers-ended their lives here. In the fall of 1852, Mr. T. and

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wife settled on a timbered farm in the north part of Ashford ; Mr. T. eleared forty aeres, building and living pioneer-fasbion in a log house ; after three of four years, he settled on his present farm of eighty aeres, then partly cleared ; as a result of twenty-five years of eare, labor and management, Mr. T. has an improved farm, excellent orchard, barns, etc., replacing the log house of early days with a tasty brick residence in 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Tanner have two children-Warren B. and Mary A., having lost a daughter. Mr. T. and family are members of the Baptist Church ; politics, Republican.

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The history of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Part 152

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company Number of Pages: 1082

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, Western historical company
Number of Pages: 1082