Wisconsin

Biography of William F. Coon, M. D.

Dr. William F. Coon, born on September 20, 1875, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was a prominent physician in Caney, Kansas. After earning his M.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1903 and gaining experience as an intern in Minneapolis, he practiced in Elysian, Minnesota, before relocating to Caney in 1909. Dr. Coon was active in local medical societies and owned a successful general medical and surgical practice. He was married to May Prescott in 1905, and they had one daughter, Zula Evelyn. Dr. Coon was also involved in various community organizations, including the Masons and Elks.

Biography of Chester D. Ide

CHESTER D. IDE. – This prominent citizen and real-estate dealer of Spokane Falls, Washington, was born in Vermont in 1830. His first home in the far West was in Wisconsin, where he lived thirty years, and came to the Pacific slope in a wagon, following the line of construction of the Union Pacific, and being four and one-half months on the way. At Dayton, Washington Territory, he found work at his trade as carpenter and builder, and the next season took up a claim at Mondovi, then a wilderness, now a flourishing village. He remained four years on his farm, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alexander C. McClelland

ALEXANDER C. McCLELLAND. – The present registrar of the United States land-office at La Grande, Oregon, is a native of Indiana, having been born there in 1842. He received his education at the Berlin High School, Wisconsin, and in 1863 came west to Montana as a gold-seeker. He found the employment of his intellectual acquisition more profitable, however, and for a number of years engaged in school-teaching and educational work in the Willamette valley. In 1867 we find him in the mines at Baker City, looking after “lodes” and “leads,” and also in 1870 engaged in the stock business with … Read more

Biography of Syrenous Burnett McCord

S.B. McCORD. – Syrenous Burnett McCord, one of the leading hardware merchants of Eastern Oregon, was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, in 1842. He went with his parents to Wisconsin when a youth, and lived there several years. At the age of eighteen he entered into an apprenticeship in a blacksmith shop in the city of Black Jack, his boss being the Honorable George W. Strong; and there he served out his time and came out a good workman. He crossed the plains in 1864, leaving with Colonel Flurney’s train. At Baldock’s ranch, in the Powder river valley, Oregon, he … Read more

Biography of George S. Hine

George S. Hine is state dairy commissioner of Kansas with office in the State Agricultural College at Manhattan. His early life was spent on a Wisconsin dairy farm. Thus he is in a measure a dairyman to the manner born, as well as a man of thorough technical training and wide experience in that field. He had gained considerable distinction as a technical expert in his chosen profession in Wisconsin before he was called to Kansas, and has been identified with the dairy department of the state for the past six years. He was born on his father’s farm near … Read more

Biography of Fred Harvey Quincy

Fred Harvey Quincy. Success in any line of occupation, in any avenue of business, is not a matter of spontaneity, but represents the result of the application of definite subjective forces and the controlling of objective agencies in such a way as to achieve desired ends. Senator Quincy has realized a large and substantial success in the business world, has been given important public office, in which he has served with honor and distinction, and his career has well exemplified the truth of the foregoing statements. He occupies a prominent place in the financial circles of Kansas, is the controlling … Read more

Biography of J. H. Spines

J. H. Spines. The men who establish, organize and develop successful commercial establishments must possess many qualities out of the ordinary. Their insight into business conditions must be keen and far-reaching, their knowledge of values profound, and their ability to grasp opportunities unlimited. Without industrial and commercial interests no locality progresses, for such enterprises are the very life of a community. The investment and attraction of capital, the employment of labor and the consequent opening of new avenues of endeavor to meet newly created demands, all infuse blood into the veins of a section and endow it with new vigor … Read more

Biography of David Lister

DAVID LISTER. – David Lister of Tacoma, Washington, belongs to that class of men who have done so much for the material prosperity of our country by being the first to go into new places and build up new industries. He was born in England in 1821, and came to New York in 1847. He worked for steamboat companies in that city until 1854, when he went to Philadelphia and connected himself with the Delaware Canal Company, where he remained ten years. He then went to Pestico, Wisconsin, a town located among the pineries on Green Bay. In that place … Read more

Biography of Elisha H. Lewis

ELISHA H. LEWIS. – This well-known gentlemen was born in New York in 1824. He was raised on a farm, and received a common-school education at his home on the slopes of the Catskill Mountains. In 1845 he went to Chicago and thence to Wisconsin, where he worked as millwright until 1849. Coming in that year by the Isthmus to California, he was mining in several camps with the usual checkered luck of those days, making a return to the “States” for a visit. In the spring of 1852 he returned by water to California, and in the fall of … Read more

Biography of George Benson Kuykendall, M.D.

GEORGE BENSON KUYKENDALL, M.D. – This gentleman, one of the foremost physicians of Eastern Washington, was born near Terre Haute, Indiana, in the year 1843. When three years old he was taken by his father’s family to Wisconsin. In 1852 the family set out on the long, hard journey to the Pacific slope. That was the sad year of cholera and pestilence. Being somewhat late in starting, the Kuykendall family followed in the wake of sickness and death, the mournful evidences of which were most vividly impressed on the mind of the boy who afterwards became the man here described. … Read more

Biography of Jacob W. Smith

Jacob W. Smith, whose extensive farming interests are in Crittenden Township, has known Champaign County as a home for nearly thirty years. His work and management have brought him success to a high degree, and he has long enjoyed a position among the most influential residents of southern Champaign County. Mr. Smith was born in Racine County, Wisconsin, November 30, 1858. His parents, Frederick and Catherine (Bienemann) Smith, were both natives of Germany, his father of Mecklenburg. The father came to America when about eighteen years of age and spent his active life as a farmer in Wisconsin, where he … Read more

Biography of M. B. Valodin

M. B. Valodin, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Oakland; born in Portsmouth, Scioto Co., Ohio, March 28, 1828; at 8 years of age, he removed with his parents to New Madrid, Mo., living there until 1838, at which time his father died, when he removed with his mother and sister to Edgar Co., Ill., where he engaged in farming until 1844, with the exception of one year in which he attended school in Paris; he then went to Wisconsin, where he was engaged at work in the shot tower at Helena, six months, and followed mining the same length of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of L. L. Silverthorn, M. D.

L. L. Silverthorn, M. D., physician and surgeon, Charleston; was born in Stroudsburg, Monroe, Co., Penn., Oct. 21, 1830; his early life was passed upon a farm; he was the youngest of a family of twelve children, and his father being in moderate circumstances, he was thrown upon his own resources, and obtained only such an education as the common schools afforded; in 1850, he began teaching school, which he continued at intervals for three years; in 1852, he entered upon the study of medicine, in Fond du Lac, Wis.; in 1854, he came to Charleston and continued his studies … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James M. Miller

James M. Miller, dealer in dry goods, boots and shoes, clothing and furnishing goods, Charleston; has been a citizen and merchant of Charleston for more than forty years, being the oldest merchant now doing business in the city; he was born in Spencer Co., Ky., Aug. 29, 1814; he is a son of John H. and Jane Miller, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Pennsylvania; he was raised on a farm and followed the occupation of farming until 1838, when he came to Charleston and engaged in general merchandising, having visited the State and purchased land … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Clinton W. Mumford

One of the leading merchants of Wallowa county, the subject of this sketch is justly entitled to honorable mention in this portion of our work and because of his excellent achievements, which he has accomplished in a life of activity and enterprise, and because of his ability that has been brought into requisition in these endeavors, and because of the sound principles that dominate him and the broad public spirit that characterizes him, we are pleased to grant this to him, while also it is but right to mention that he is esteemed by all and is the recipient of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George H. Furgason

Among the heavy property owners of Wallowa County, mention must be made of the esteemed subject of this sketch, whose career has manifested steadfastness of purpose and capabilities that have wrought out his present prominent place in the agricultural and stock raising population of our county, while his qualities of uprightness and truth have given him the happy prestige that is his to enjoy, and it is due to such men as Mr. Furgason that Wallowa county owes her development and prominence today. George H. was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, on August 13, 1959, being the son of Alexander … Read more

Biography of James D. Halsey

Any work that purports to give in review the lives of the pioneers and leading citizens of Wallowa County would be quite incomplete were there failure to mention the esteemed and intelligent gentleman and capable and patriotic citizen whose name is at the head of this article and who has wrought for the development and advancement of our county for many years, maintaining meanwhile an unsullied reputation and showing forth a character of moral worth and intrinsic value that has placed him in position to be the recipient of the confidence of his fellows, while his vigor, excellent judgment and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Arba Adams

Among the earliest pioneers that broke sod in what is now Wallowa County, and constantly since that time a steady worker in the lines of development that have brought so much wealth to the coffers of the county, namely stock raising and farming, the estimable gentleman, whose name is at the head of this article, is eminently fitted to be represented in this history, and it is with pleasure that we accord him such at this time. Mr. Adams was born in Vermont, on December 8, 1842, being the son of Joshua and Roxana Adams, and in his native state … Read more

Biography of Lorenzo Bacon

Who can estimate the labor performed, the hardship endured and the deprivations to those that first opened up this section of the country for their fellows and for the advent of civilization? All praise to men and women who leave pleasant homes in the east, cross the weary plains to settle in the wilds of nature and build homes for themselves. Of this worthy number, especial mention must be made of the distinguished gentleman whose name heads this paragraph, and who was one of the earliest settlers, if not the first settler, on Lost Prairie, in the northern part of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Tusten, H. W.

Tusten, H. W. farmer, P. O. Russell, came here with the Northwestern Colony, in the spring of 1871. He opened the first general store and continued merchandising for six years. At the same time he opened a farm of 320 acres, and now has 200 acres of it under cultivation. He makes a specialty in the stock business, dealing largely in cattle and horses. He keeps the Membrino stock of horses. He was born in Ontario County, N. Y., in 1833, lived in his native State until 1841, and then came with his parents to Kenosha, Wis., where they lived … Read more