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"History of Northern Wisconsin, 1881"

Porterville Biographical Sketches

(-as transcribed from pages 343 - 344)


The following biographies appear below in order as found in the book.  Feel free to browse through the whole page or click on the alphabetized name list to go directly to the bio of interest to you:

BRIGGS, Edgar
BROWN, James H.
CHURCHILL, Washington
CLOVER, P. R.

HANSON, N.
McINTOSH, B. G.
MITCHELL, S. F.
MITCHELL, Samuel
POWELL, John Sr.
PRINCE, Peter Abney
RECKER, Val
STAFFORD, H. C.

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BRIGGS, Edgar

EDGAR BRIGGS, sawyer N. W. L. Co., was born in St. Lawrence Co,, N.Y., Dec. 12, 1851. His parents, Ambrose and Ann (Eldridge) Briggs were an old New York State family. Came to Wisconsin in the Fall of 1873, and engaged with Porter & Moon, now the N. W. L. Co., and has remained with them since. Married in Eau Claire, April 8, 1876, to Miss Addie Garnett. Has one son, Dwight Briggs. Is a member of the Chippewa Lodge, No. 140, I. O. O. F., and also of the Temple of Honor.

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BROWN, James H.

JAMES H. BROWN, engineer N. W. L. Co., was born in Orleans Co., N. Y., Jan. 26, 1836. At the age of fifteen years, he left home and went to Ellenville, Ulster Co., N. Y., where he learned his trade with John L. Cox. After spending three months in Sullivan Co., N.Y., he moved to Chicago. Came to Wisconsin in 1855, located at Green Bay, in the employ of the N. Y. Lumber Co. From there he went to Pensaukee with F. B. Gardner & Co., where he remained about eighteen months. After spending some time in Minnesota, he came up the Chippewa River to Eau Claire in 1859, and engaged with the Eau Claire Lumber Co. On returning from a visit to New York State, went with Bussey & Taylor, of Gravel Island, as engineer one season. Was also engineer for Knapp, Stout & Co., at Waubeck. Mr. Brown was at times on boats running between Eau Claire and La Crosse. Came to Porterville in 1867, and took present position. Married at Oxford, Marquette Co., to Elenora Fay, of Marquette Co., who died in Porterville in 1870, leaving one son, Charles Lee Brown. Was married to Miss Anna Faft, at Portage City, Nov. 12, 1872, by whom he has three children - Ella Marion, Bertha Mower and Frederick Dill.

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CHURCHILL, Washington

WASHINGTON CHURCHILL, farmer, town of Brunswick ; born in 1824, in Champlain, N. Y.; there he spent the first thirty years of his life, farming; he was widely known for his noble character, honesty of purpose, and industry. He came to Eau Claire in 1857, and took up land, five miles from his present farm; in 1863, he bought the place where he now lives; it is one of the best farms on the river bottom, being worked in the most scientific way; fine buildings, good fences, and always the best of crops. Mr. Churchill has been unanimously elected to the town offices for twenty-three years; he is highly respected by all who know him; has been successful in business, and those of his family in business are prosperous. In 1847, Mr. Churchill married Miss Lucinda Converse, in Champlain, N. Y. The children are - Julius Caesar, Helen Maria, Edward W., Melinda A., Ferren W., D. Wilmer, Burne A.

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CLOVER, P. R.

P. R. CLOVER, Porterville, head filer N. W. Lumber Co., was born in Armstrong Co., Pa., Nov. 22, 1847; enlisted, in 1863, in Co. D, 2nd Pa., as private; re-enlisted, Jan. 16, 1864, in 3d Pa. H. A.; mustered out Nov. 15, 1865. Was under Gen. Butler at Dutch Gap, and at Fortress Monroe during confinement of Jeff. Davis. Came West in 1867, and settled at Hudson, St. Croix Co. Visited Eau Claire, and, after spending some years in Minneapolis, Minn., finally located at Eau Claire in 1876. Has followed milling and filing as a business.

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HANSON, N.

N. HANSON, sawyer N. W. L. Co., was born in Christiana, Norway, Feb. 15, 1845; came to United States in 1870; came to Eau Claire in 1875, and engaged with Porter & Moon, now N. W. L. Co. Married in Eau Claire March 27, 1878, to Miss Sophia Bowman. Has one son, Walter Scott Hanson.

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McINTOSH, B. G.

B. G. McINTOSH, farmer, was born in Durham, Cumberland Co., N. Y., Dec., 25, 1823. His father, William McIntosh, was born in Massachusetts, June 15, 1796; mother, Nancy (Jennings) McIntosh, born in Ohio, in 1801; came to Wisconsin, July, 1864, and settled in his present home. Married in Allegany Co., N.Y., to Miss Lydia Ann Burce, Dec. 11, 1852, who died, leaving four children - Laura, Nancy M. (now Mrs. F. A. Hall), John W, and Charles S. Was married to his present wife, formerly Miss Abbie J. Scott, at Arkansaw, Pepin Co., Nov. 19, 1873. Mrs. Mclntosh's family are now settled in Arkansaw; formerly from Massachusetts. They have three children - Mary M., Martha M. and Wayne Scott. Mr. McIntosh has a fine farm of 200 acres.

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MITCHELL, Samuel

SAMUEL MITCHELL, farmer, was born in Tioga Co., Penn., April 21, 1810; came to Wisconsin in 1871, and settled in Eau Claire. Married in Livingston Co., N.Y., to Miss Laura Hungerford, by whom he had four children - Henry, Miles, Jane (widow S. E. Leonard), Harriet (now Mrs. H. Olin). Was married to his present wife, formerly Miss A. Lumbard, of Livingston Co., N.Y., in Livingston County, and has by her four children - Laura (now Mrs. James Cayton), Squire F., Thomas and Daniel. Had, formerly, a farm of 170 acres; now has ninety acres in home farm.

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MITCHELL, S. F.

S. F. MITCHELL, sawyer N. W. L. Co., was born in Allegany Co., N. Y., Nov. 4, 1852. Engaged in lumbering in New York with his father. Came West in 1871, and settled in Eau Claire. Spent three years in the employ of D. Shaw Lumber Co., and from there went to his present employers. Married in Eau Claire, Nov. 5, 1874, to Miss Laura McIntosh. Has two children, Roy and Russell.

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POWELL, John Sr.

JOHN POWELL, SR., town of Brunswick, born in Wales in 1799, came to Fond du Lac in 1851; took up his present farm in 1856. He has accumulated some wealth by his industry and keenness; his family are well settled around him; he worked ten years for Sir Robert Peele, on his farm in Wales. It was then sold to the Duke of Newcastle. Mr. Powell worked ten years more on the same farm. In 1825, he married Margaret Williams, of South Wales. The children are - John, Thomas, Robert, Ann, Mary, Edward, Elizabeth and Jane.

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PRINCE, Peter Abney

PETER ABNEY PRINCE, superintendent Northwestern Lumber Co., was born near Three Rivers, Canada East, June 29, 1836. His father, John E. Prince, was born and raised in Portland, Me. His mother, Angelina (Trucky) Prince, being of a French Canadian family. They moved to Canada West in 1845. Mr. Prince learned the trade of millwright with his father, and moved to the United States in 1865. Stopped at Chicago three months, and then moved to Wisconsin, locating at Chippewa City, where he engaged as millwright with Webb & Rumsey; moved to Porterville, Fall 1866, remaining till June, 1867. then engaged with Mitchell & Co., of Chippewa Falls. In November, 1867, went with the Eau Claire Lumber Co., and in April, 1868, returned to Porterville. Built Wheaton Mill, now belonging to the Northwestern Lumber Co. In 1870, built Eau Claire Lumber Co.'s water mill, which was burnt in 1879. Returned to Porterville in 1871, and built shingle mill, and the same Fall was appointed to present position. Married in Canada West, Ontario Co., Sept. 21, 1858, to Miss Margaret Coragan. Has two children, John Enoch, in charge of saw-mill, Susan, now Mrs. Peter Eide, Mr. Prince is Treasurer of School District; first elected in 1877, reelected in 1880; was also Pathmaster from 1873 to 1878.

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RECKER, Val

VAL RECKER, book-keeper N. W. L. Co., was born in Dayton, Ohio, March 1, 1842. Parents came to Ohio from Baltimore, Md. His father, Frederick Recker, died in December, 1842. Enlisted in Dayton, Aug. 5, 1862, in Co. A, 93d Ohio, Col. Anderson; mustered out July 8, 1865; was in Veteran Reserve Corps in Indiana in 1865. In 1869, moved to Spring Hill, Johnson Co., Kan. Kept books for J. C. Rodgers & Co., Spring Hill, ten years. Came to Porterville, March, 1881, and took present position. Married in Middletown, Butler Co., Ohio, Aug. 10, 1866, to Miss Kate Coons. Has had five children, of which three survive - Doc F., Fanny and Tillie.

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STAFFORD, H. C.

H. C. STAFFORD, Porterville, assistant superintendent of the N. W. Lumber Co, was born in Illinois in 1844, parents being formerly New York State people. They moved to Walworth County in 1846, and from there to Black River Falls, in 1855. Mr. S. enlisted May, 1861, at Sparta, Monroe Co., in Co. I, 4th Wis., as private, and was mustered out in July, 1865, as lieutenant of special scouts, serving a total time of over four years. Was taken prisoner at Baton Rouge, Jan. 11, 1863, and sent to Cahoba, Ala., from whence he made his escape, getting into the Union lines at Pensacola, Fla. Married at Baton Rouge, La., June 5, 1865, to Miss Mary Sanchez. Is a member of Eau Claire Lodge, No. 162; Temple of Honor, No. 140.



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