USA > Wisconsin > Wisconsin, its story and biography, 1848-1913, Volumr VI > Part 42
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Fred C. Hannahs is indebted to the public schools of Kenosha for his early educational discipline. As a young man he engaged in independent business, in the manufacturing of tables and other articles of furniture. In 1892 he effected the organization and incorporation of the Kenosha Crib Company, of which he became president and of which Johnson A. Jackson became secretary and treasurer. The business was incorporated with a capital stock of forty thousand dollars and the company built up an extensive trade, in the manufacturing and sale of children's beds, cradles and carts. After the death of Mr. Jackson the business was re- organized, under the present title of the Hannahs Manufacturing Com- pany, and the enterprise has been greatly amplified and diversified. Mr. Hannahs continues as president of the corporation, of which his son Lynn T. is treasurer, the secretary being A. B. McCall. The company manufactures an admirable line of library and parlor tables, as well as cribs and other furniture for children, and the trade of the concern now extends into virtually every quarter of the civilized world, with specially large sales throughout the United States and in Cuba, Porto Rico, Mexico, South America and Australia. The large and modern plant of the company utilized a floor space of approximately 150,000 square feet, employment is given to a force of three hundred operatives, and the institution is one that has greatly contributed to the industrial and commercial prestige of Kenosha. Mr. Hannahs has distinctive me- chanical and inventive ability and has devised and patented a number of inventions that have been of marked value and that have a wide demand,-notably a spring cradle and a woven-wire bed bottom.
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In his native county Mr. Hannahs is known and honored as a busi- ness man of the best type and as a citizen of unequivocal public spirit and progressiveness. His political support has been given to the Repub- lican party, he is a Royal Arch Mason, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Unitarian church, besides which they are popular factors in the representative social activities of their home city.
In the year 1882, at Kenosha, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Hannahs to Miss Amelia L. Harrington, and they have three children,- Charlotte E., Lynn T. and Fred C., Jr.
CAPT. CHARLES H. HENRY, Department Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, a resident of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, who has been for many years a prominent figure in the business and public
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life of this city and of the surrounding country, probably knows more about the history of Wisconsin during the days of its early develop- ment than do most men who are alive today, for he was engaged in the land and timber business in the upper part of the state when it was practically an unexplored wilderness. For many years he has lived in Eau Claire and in addition to taking a prominent part in the business world he has held a number of public offices, and being one of that class of men which frontier life seems to breed, that is, men who are public spirited and eager to do anything in their power to benefit the country, he has given generously of his time and energy to the service of the people of the state and of the community.
Charles H. Henry served in the Civil war and won an enviable · reputation as a soldier, but as he would say, this was no more than would be expected of him for he comes of a line of soldiers. His great-great-grandfather, John Henry, was the first of the family to come to this country. He was a native of Coleraine, county London- derry, Ireland, and he came to this country in 1718, landing in Bos- ton. He later located at Worcester, at a time when there were only fifty houses in the place, and these were in reality only log huts. He with a few other intrepid souls established in Hampshire county, Massachusetts, what are known as the Scotch-Irish settlements at Colerain in 1738. This post was one of the most exposed on the fron- tier and the little settlement was surrounded by a high stockade as a protection from the Indians, and later from the French and Indians. A son of John Henry, Andrew Henry was the great-grand- father of Charles Henry, and he was one of the men of seventy-six. He enlisted for the Revolution from Colerain, Massachusetts, a mem- ber of Captain Hugh Mcclellan's company, and his first engagement was at Dorchester Heights, when the British were forced to evacuate Boston. The grandfather of Charles Henry, John Henry, was a sol- dier of the war of 1812, and one of his feats during this struggle was to carry a cannon, with the aid of eleven other men, along the beach at Sacketts Harbor.
Andrew Henry was the father of Charles Henry, and he was born in New Haven, Oswego county, New York, in 1817. His father was a farmer in this section of the state and the lad grew up on the farm and learned the cooper's trade. When he became master of his trade he opened a cooper's shop in Texas, Oswego county, and when he had any time to spare from his shop he devoted it to the cultivation of his farm. While living here he was an officer in a state militia com- pany, thus carrying out as far as possible the traditions of his family. In 1850 he came out to Wisconsin and settled in Waterford, in Racine county. Here he engaged in farming and he also plied his trade for a time. In the early fifties he made the overland journey to Cali- fornia, taking his son, Antle, with him. For three and a half years
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he was engaged in prospecting and mining in California, and was quite successful. When he returned to Wisconsin at the end of this time he again took up farming and also became a freighter; plying between Waterford and Milwaukee. In 1863 he bought a farm near Easton, in Adams county, Wisconsin, and here he spent his last days, dying in 1872.
Andrew Henry was a keen thinker on political questions at first being a member of the Whig party and afterwards of the Republican. In his religious beliefs he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Ann Wickwire, of Mexico, Oswego county, New York. Mrs. Henry was born there in 1818 and died in 1894. To this union were born five children,-three sons and two daughters. The eldest of these, Antle B. Henry, is now living in Bandon, Oregon. He holds a record for bravery and suffering quietly endured during the Civil war that it would be hard to equal. He first enlisted for service in Company F, Bell City Riflemen, at Racine, Wisconsin, and in the spring of 1861 was mustered into the Second Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers. He was in the first Battle of Bull Run, and was rendered unconscious and unable to retreat with his comrades and was left on the field. He was reported dead and his family mourned him as lost when they learned that he had been picked up from the battle field and taken to Libby prison. Here he was impris- oned for seven months and was then paroled and sent home. He later joined his regiment and in the battle of Fredericksburg he was thrown from his horse and was badly injured. When his term of enlistment had expired he returned to Wisconsin only to enlist in the First Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, and he remained in this regiment until the close of the war.
The second son, John A. Henry, is living at Easton, Adams county, Wisconsin. He enlisted at Burlington, Wisconsin, in the First Wis- consin Infantry, but was rejected on account of his size and age. He was determined to go to the front in some way, so he went down to Chicago and enlisted again, but the regiment had its quota before his turn came and he was again turned away. He later enlisted in Company M of the Fourth Regiment of Wisconsin Cavalry and served during the war in the Gulf department.
Charles H. Henry was the third son. Alice, the eldest daughter, died at thirty-three years of age, the wife of George Darrow. Orpha, the youngest, married Otis Olson and now lives near Winnipeg, Mani- toba, Dominion of Canada.
Charles H. Henry was born in Mexico, Oswego county, New York, on the 7th of May, 1848. Growing up in the frontier districts of Wis- consin, he had little opportunity for a good education. He went to school in Racine county for a time and later attended the schools of Waterford in the same county and at White Creek in Adams county.
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When he was fifteen years and seven months old he ran away from school with some other boys and enlisted in Company K of the Twenty-fifth Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers. He served for six- teen months in this regiment, enlisting in December, 1863, and being discharged in August, 1865. He was with General Sherman's army during the famous campaigns of the last years of the struggle, and he took part in all the skirmishes and battles in which his regiment participated, and in June, 1865, was transferred to Company C, Twelfth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was one of the soldiers who marched in the grand review in Washington on the 24th of May, 1865, and following his transfer to the Twelfth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, he returned home. He was eager to complete the education which had been interrupted and so in September of that year he entered Brunson Institute at Point Bluff, Adams county.
In the spring of the following year he gave up the idea of going on with his education and engaged as a raftsman in driving logs on the Wisconsin and Yellow rivers, spending the winter months in the logging camps, and his summers in farming. He was thus engaged until 1870 when the tales of that northern section of Wisconsin that had scarcely been explored fired him with the desire to penetrate the great forests and see for himself what things were like. He there- fore went up into this part of the country and entered the timber and lumber business, making his headquarters at Stevens Point, Wiscon- sin, as the United States land office of the state was located there at that time. Later on the land office was moved to Wausau, Wis- consin, and Mr. Henry located in the latter place. Here he made his home until 1879, being engaged in the land business as well as deal- ing in timber anl lumber. In 1879 he removed to Eau Claire, continu- ing in the same business. He did an extensive business, having his men scattered throughout the forests of the northern section of the state. He continued in the business until 1896 and was widely known in lumber circles. At this time he retired from business, but he holds interests in various manufacturing plants and has investments in Oregon and Washington timber lands.
The public offices that Mr. Henry has held have always taken much of his time. In 1896 he was elected sheriff of Eau Claire county, and served through 1897 and 1898. In 1904 he was elected a member of the board of trustees of the Wisconsin Veterans' Home, at Wau- paca, Wisconsin, and he served on this board as secretary until 1910, when he was elected president, an office which he holds at this time. In 1905 he was elected school commissioner from the Third Ward in Eau Claire and in 1911 was elected president of the school board. He is the present incumbent of the office, and has been one of the most determined advocates for the installation of a modern heating and ventilating plant in the schools. This end has been accomplished
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and is of the greatest benefit to the children of the city. For the past four years one of the subjects that has been nearest to Mr. Henry's heart and for which he has worked unceasingly has been for the establishment of a state Normal School at Eau Claire.
Mr. Henry has always taken the keenest interest in the affairs of the Grand Army of the Republic, and the annual reunion has been one of his greatest pleasures. He has served as commander of Eagle Post, No. 52, and he has served many times as a representative at department and national encampments of the Grand Army. He is now serving as the Department Commander for Wisconsin for the years 1913 and 1914. Mr. Henry is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, having first become a member of the order at Forest Lodge, No. 130, Wausau, Wisconsin, in 1872. He also be- came a member of the Wausau Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. He was later demitted from that chapter and became affiliated with Eau Claire lodge, No. 112, and also became a member of Eau Claire Chap- ter, No. 36, and of Eau Claire Commandery, No. 8, of the Knights Templar. The feeling of fraternity which is epitomized by the Masons is shown in Mr. Henry's membership on the board of charities of Eau Claire, where he has served as president for the past three years.
On the 12th of August, 1881, Charles H. Henry and Mary Devitt were married. Mrs. Henry was born at Mukwonago, Waukesha coun- ty, Wisconsin, the daughter of Terence and Mary (Cassidy) Devitt. Her father was born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1815. There he met and married Mary Cassidy, who was also a native of County Clare, and when they had been married only a few years they came to America with their first child. Mr. Devitt was a shoemaker by trade, and in 1862 he located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he followed his trade. He held several public offices, being a justice of the peace in Eau Claire for forty-four years. He also served as town clerk for several years during his residence in Mukwonago, Wiscon- sin. In politics he was a Whig until the formation of the Republican party, when he joined the forces of the latter. He and his wife be- came the parents of several children, all save the first born being in this country. Mrs. Henry was the second child and of this family all save one are now living. The father died in 1912, but the mother is still living, having reached her ninety-second year.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry have five children : Hugh P., Miriam and Mil- dred, who are twins; Webb G. and Rusk G. Henry.
STEPHEN BULL. A certain veneration has always attached to old age, but old age of itself is no distinctive badge of honor, when unac- companied by a long record of good works. A life of important achieve- ments and of substantial benefit to the community is especially worthy of honor, when it is prolonged beyond the usual span of years. It is
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for this reason that the citizens of Racine and vicinity have long re- garded with an esteem which is akin to veneration the career of Stephen Bull, now in his ninety-first year, and at the close of a life of activity and service which has contributed no small element to the permanent prosperity of the city of Racine. Among the citizens who could prop- erly be given a place on the roll of honor as founders and promoters of this city and its strongest institutions, Stephen Bull would have a high rank. Though not in a strict sense a founder, yet he was one of the more aggressive men, who were directly responsible for the upbuild- ing of the splendid industry of Racine, known as the J. I. Case Thresh- ing Machine Company, an industry which is the largest of its kind in the world, and which has probably brought more money to Racine, and distributed more prosperity among its inhabitants than any other local concern.
Stephen Bull, who is of English descent, though several generations of the family have been born on American soil, is a native of Cayuga county, New York, where he was born on the 14th of March, 1822. His grandfather, Horace Bull, was a practicing physician of Dutchess coun- ty, New York, and in that county was born in 1797 the father of Stephen Bull, DeGrove Bull. The latter married Miss Amanda Crosby, who was about two years his junior. Their marriage was celebrated in Putnam county, and soon afterward they moved to Cayuga county, and in 1846 came west, and joined the pioneer settlers of Racine county, Wisconsin. Raymond township was their home, and on a farm in that vicinity, the parents spent their last days. The father was a well-to-do farmer and a man whose qualities of citizenship and character, entitled him to the highest respect of his neighbors. In politics he was one of the old-line Democrats, but never sought any public honors in public service. His death occurred in 1878, and his remains now rest in Racine cemetery, with his wife beside him. She was a devoted member of the Baptist faith.
The children of DeGrove Bull and wife numbered eleven, and are enumerated as follows: Sallie, now deceased, was the wife of Ira Fish; Jeanette became the wife of Thomas Gage; George, was a settler in Ra- cine county in the year 1843, the first of the family to locate here, and subsequently removed to California where he was a merchant for many years, until his death; Stephen, is the next in order of birth; Clarissa became the wife of Robert Dilley; Lydia is the wife of Hon. J. I. Case, the manufacturer whose name is so intimately associated with Racine, and a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Daniel; James; Wakely T .; Caroline, who became the wife of Lorenzo Waite of Racine; and Charles H. who for many years was a resident of the old homestead in this county.
It was the native ability and industry of Stephen Bull, rather than the particularly fortunate circumstances of his early life that caused
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him to become prominent in business affairs. As a boy, he spent his days on the farm, principally in Cayuga county, New York, and obtained a fair education from the district schools, which were in those days by no means of a high class. In 1839, going to New York City, he entered upon a business career as clerk in a grocery store. His three years spent there gave him an excellent foundation for business, and enabled him to go into the same line of business independently. For two years he conducted the store, at the end of which time he sold out and returned home, but in October, 1845, set out for the west as the destination of his highest ambition for a career.
The said location was in Racine county, but two years later he moved to Spring Prairie, Walworth county, where he spent ten years as a general merchant. Selling out his business, he then took up his residence in Racine. His connection with the business with which his name has so long been identified, came about in 1857 when he entered the employ of J. I. Case. Five years later, Mr. Case disposed of three-fourths of his manufacturing interests to three of his most capable employes. These young men, who had been associated with the founder of the business were Stephen Bull, Robert H. Baker and M. B. Erskine. Under this reorganization, the firm title became J. I. Case & Company. The rapid development of the industry is not a matter for this sketch, but it should be stated that credit for the great prosperity of the concern is due, not to any one member of the company, but to the combined calibre and ability of them all. In 1880 the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Com- pany was organized, a title that remains to the present time, and Mr. Bull became vice-president and general manager, under the new organ- ization, having also held the same position with the first firm. Mr. Bull has also contributed his resources and ability in the promotion of various other well known enterprises of Racine. He assisted in the organization of both the Manufacturers National Bank of Racine, and the First Na- tional Bank of Burlington, Wisconsin, and for a number of years was vice-president of the latter bank, and served as director in both.
Mr. Bull throughout his active years took an active part in the Ma- sonic Order, being affiliated with the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Com- mandery at Racine, and with the Mystic Shrine and the Oriental Con- sistory of Milwaukee. In politics he was always a Republican from the organization of that party, though previous to that time he had affiliated with the political party of his father, the old-line Democracy. Through his important business position, and through an ever active public spirit and deep interest in public affairs, he rendered his best service to his community.
In June 1849 occurred the marriage of Mr. Bull with Miss Ellen C. Kellogg, a daughter of Albert B. Kellogg. Their marriage was celebrated at White Pigeon, Michigan. Mrs. Bull, who was a faithful companion of her honored husband for more than thirty years passed away on the
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twenty-seventh day of March, 1880. She was born in New Canaan, Con- necticut. She was a member of the Presbyterian church, while Mr. Bull was for many years a Universalist. The six children born to the mar- riage of Mr. and Mrs. Bull are named as follows: Ida R., the wife of H. W. Conger, who was vice-president of the Milwaukee Harvester Com- pany ; Frank K., now president of the J. I. Case Threshing Company ; Jeannette G., the wife of Richard T. Robinson ; Lillian, the wife of Fred- erick Robinson, of Racine; Fred Herbert; and Bessie M., wife of A. Arthur Guilbert.
EDWARD M. CRANE. Genial personality and efficient official service have given to the present postmaster of the city of Oshkosh, the judicial center of Winnebago county, a secure place in the confidence and esteem of the community, and he is one of the representative citizens of this section of the state,-a man of sterling character and of utmost civic loyalty.
Edward M. Crane, who has served continuously as postmaster of Oshkosh, since 1902, claims the old Pine Tree state as the place of his nativity but he has been a resident of Oshkosh since his childhood days and is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of this city. He was born at Lincoln, Penobscot county, Maine, on the 5th of March, 1861, and is a son of Allen B. and Ann (Miller) Crane, both of whom were likewise born in the old Pine Tree state, where the respective families were founded in an early day, both being of English lineage and of colonial stock in America. Allen B. Crane continued to be identified with business activities in his native state until the year 1866, when he came with his family to Wisconsin and established his home in Oshkosh, which was then a mere village. In his native state he had followed lumbering operations and upon coming to Wisconsin he identi- fied himself with the same line of industry. He has been a prominent factor in connection with this line of enterprise and his operations were of broad extent.
The present postmaster of Oshkosh was about five years of age at the time of the family removal to the city which is now his home, and here he gained his educational discipline in the public schools. For a number of years he was associated with the firm of Parsons, Neville & Company, extensive carriage manufacturers, this concern having removed its plant from Chicago to Oshkosh in 1879. He resigned his position with this firm to assume that of general manager of the Thompson Carriage Company, representing another of the important industrial enterprises of Oshkosh, and of this responsible position he continued in tenure until 1902, when he was appointed postmaster of Oshkosh, under the adminis- tration of President Roosevelt. He was re-appointed in 1907, for a sec- ond term of four years, and his present term will expire in 1915. He has given a most satisfactory administration, vigorous and systematic,
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and has effected many improvements in the local and postal service. At a meeting of Wisconsin postmasters held in the city of Milwaukee in September, 1907, Mr. Crane was unanimously elected president of the Wisconsin Association of Postmasters. His administration was fruitful in the unifying of postal interests in the state.
Mr. Crane has ever been found ready to lend his influence and tangible co-operation in the furtherance of measures and enterprises projected for the general good of his home city, and he is known as one of the most loyal and progressive citizens of Oshkosh. Here he is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica, the Royal League, the Oshkosh Yacht Club. Mr. and Mrs. Crane are Episcopalians.
On the 28th of June, 1893, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Crane to Miss Lilian Felker, daughter of Charles W. Felker, of Oslı- kosh, who is popular in the leading social activities of her home city. Mr. and Mrs. Crane have one son, Charles Allen, who was born on the 3d of July, 1896.
JOSEPH L. FIEWEGER. The Bank of Menaslia, Winnebago county, is one of the staunch and ably controlled financial institutions of this section of the state and its president is a native son of Menasha, where he commands unqualified popular esteem both as a reliable and influential business man and as a loyal and public-spirited citizen. This progressive executive of the Bank of Menasha is he whose name intro- duces this paragraph, and it is pleasing to accord to him due recogni- tion in this publication.
Mr. Fieweger was born in Menasha on the 18th of May, 1857, and is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of Winne- bago county, the name having been closely and worthily identified with the history of Menasha for more than half a century, within which has been compassed the upbuilding of this fine industrial and residence city. Mr. Fieweger is a son of Julius and Caroline (Mahn) Fieweger, both of whom were born in Prussia and the marriage of whom was solemnized in Wisconsin. Julius Fieweger was reared and edu- cated in his native land and there learned the trade of wagonmaker and also that of millwright. In 1853 he immigrated to America and established his home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he was employed at his trades until 1855, when he removed to Menasha, which was then a small village, and engaged in the manufacturing of wagons in an independent way. He built up eventually a large and prosperous business along this industrial line and continued in the same during the residue of his active career. He was a man of strong character and impregnable integrity, was loyal to all civic duties, was an able and steadfast business man and was a citizen to whom was ever accorded
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