Jefferson County, Wisconsin
Biographies
Charles Abbetmeyer
Source: Little Sketches of Big Folks in Minnesota. (Publ. 1907) Transcribed by Marilyn Clore
ABBETMEYER Charles D, St Paul. Res 1222 St Anthony av, office Concordia College.
Educator. Born Aug 19, 1867 in Bodenteich Hannover Germany, son of Carl and Marie (Busse) Abbetmeyer. Married June 14, 1888 to Matilda Meckelburg. Educated in public and private schools of Nicollet and St Peter Minn; graduated from Northwestern University Watertown Wis, B A; U of M, Ph D 1900 and Johns Hopkins Univ Baltimore Md. Evang Luth Pastor E Farmington Wis 1890-96; St Paul (West Side) 1896-98; Baltimore Md 1898-1902. Teacher of English Concordia College St Paul. Author of “Lutheran Forms for Sacred Acts” 1904; editor of “Young Lutherans’ Magazine.”
Addison Edgerlon Cady
Source: Herringshaw's American Blue-Book of Biography by Thomas William Herringshaw and American Publishers' Association (1914) tk, Transcribed by AFOFG
Cady, Addison Edgerlon, wholesale grocer, banker and statesman of St. Paul, Neb., was born Dec. 7, 1853, in Watertown, Wis. He is president of the Nebraska Mercantile company; and has been a state representative and a state senator.
Colonel Charles R. Gill
He was born in Herkimer County, New York, in the year of 1830. He removed to Batavia, Genesee County, in 1843, where subsequently he studied law. He removed to Wisconsin in 1854, and established himself in the practice of the law in the City of Watertown. In 1859, he was elected Senator from Jefferson County, and represented that district two years.
At the session of 1861, Governor Randall, in his message, advised that measures be taken to place the Executive of the State in a position to respond to any call which might be made by the President, in case the Southern States should attempt to throw off the United States authority.
On the 11th of January, Colonel Gill submitted a resolution calling for a Joint Select Committee of three from each house, to inquire into the expediency of placing the State on a war footing, and to report a plan or bill for that purpose. The Joint Committee was appointed, and Colonel Gill, as Chairman, reported a bill for the defense of the State, and to aid in enforcing the laws and maintaining the authority of the General Government. The bill became a law, and under it and its amendments, Governor Randall organized the first regiments of the State. Colonel Gill, throughout the regular and extra sessions of 1861, boldly advocated a vigorous prosecution of the war, and took a decided stand against the sending of Commissioners to the Peace Congress.
After the close of the session, Colonel Gill returned to Watertown and devoted much of his time to the raising of companies and recruits, and in July, 1862, in response to a call of Governor Salomon, for 300,000 men, he enlisted in a Company then being recruited at Watertown, as a private, and gave his assistance by voice and action to the filling of the company.
Governor Salomon authorized the organization of a regiment in Dodge and Jefferson Counties, of which Colonel Gill was appointed Colonel. The Twenty-ninth Regiment rendezvoused at Camp Randall, and left the State for service in the field in November, 1862.
Colonel Gill's military history is identical with that of the Twenty-ninth. It is unnecessary to repeat it here. Colonel Gill accompanied it in its movements, taking part in the Yazoo Pass Expedition, and in the battles of Port Gibson and Champion Hills, and finally in the siege of Vicksburg, during which his health became so precarious as to compel him to resign and return to Wisconsin. He recovered after many months of suffering, in which life hung upon a thread.
In 1865, he was nominated by the Union party, as their candidate for Attorney General of the State, and he was triumphantly elected by a large majority. Colonel Gill, throughout the war, took an enthusiastic interest in its prosecution, and lent every aid in his power to that end.
[Source: The Military History of Wisconsin: a record of the civil and military; By Edwin Bentley Quiner; Publ. 1866; Transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack.]
William Dempster Hoard
An altogether new character in the civil and political history of Wisconsin, and one which has but few counterparts anywhere, is William Dempster Hoard. He was born at Stockbridge, Madison Co., N. Y., Oct. 10, 1836, and was the son of a Methodist Circuit-Rider. His early education was derived entirely from the common schools, which were then none of the best. At the age of twenty-one he settled near Oak Grove, Dodge Co., Wis., where he worked upon a farm, but removed to Lake Mills, Jefferson County, in 1860.
In May, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, 4th Wisconsin Infantry, and served until July, 1862, when he was discharged for disability. Soon regaining his health at his former home in New York, he re-enlisted, in Company A 1st New York Artillery, and remained in the service as a private to the close of the war. There are flippant and careless souls who declare that Gov. Hoard and Phil Cheek, Jr., are the only private soldiers left in Wisconsin.At the close of the war he returned to Wisconsin and engaged in the nursery business at Columbus, but in 1870 again established himself at Lake Mills and began the publication of the Jefferson County Union, receiving during the same year the appointment of Deputy United States Marshal and also having to do with taking the Federal Census. In 1872 he was elected Sergeant-at-arms of the State Senate, and the following year removed to Ft. Atkinson, which has since been the place of residence of himself and his newspaper.
There is far more than is generally understood in the career of Hoard that is proud and creditable.
Starting with absolutely no capita1, he put his paper in the way of accomplishing something substantial for the community as well as for himself. From the beginning he devoted considerable space in his paper to the discussion of dairy and farm matters. Himself an expert in the business of making butter and cheese, his articles attracted and held attention from the good sense and practical knowledge which they displayed.
It is true that at first the fruits of his effort seemed to be insignificant-certainly unsatisfactory -but he continued unswervingly in the course originally marked out, and finally began to rally the local farmers around him. Almost entirely through his efforts the Jefferson County Dairyman's Association was organized, in 1871, followed by the Wisconsin State Dairyman's Association, of which he was also the real founder, and for three years Secretary, and then the Northwestern Dairyman's Association, of which he has annually been chosen President without opposition, since 1878.
The value of this State Association in particular to the farmers of Wisconsin, can hardly be computed. It found them turning out but a limited amount of dairy products, and those with a decided reputation for inferiority. In the course of a few years it saw the production increase many fold, and the reputation for both cheese and butter advance to the very front rank, manufacturers of "Wisconsin carrying off from every competition more than her proportionate share of the prizes- indeed in some instances taking the grand prize over all competition in the nation or world.
It is certainly true that "Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war." In this view Mr. Hoard is conspicuously entitled to the laurels of the victor; for himself and his Jefferson County Union were prime factors in this great progress, which means cash-increased profits-better education and more comfort in life to every maker of butter and cheese in the State.
After a time the demand for the "Dairy Department" of his paper became such that he was compelled to issue special editions, and finally to establish Hoard's Dairyman on a separate basis, which has a wide circulation, and is an accepted authority on dairy matters throughout the Nation.
When the Wisconsin Farmers' Institutes were organized by the State University in 1886, for the purpose of holding educational sessions in different portions of the State, Mr. Hoard was selected as the leading lecturer on dairy matters. In two seasons he delivered more than 300 addresses on this subject exposing in a frank and fearless manner to the slipshod and slovenly farmer the folly of his ways, and preaching the doctrines of agricultural regeneration through such improved methods as were in pace with modern improvements in other branches of business.
These addresses, at once simple and homely, were yet so eloquent with incontrovertible facts, common sense, and pat illustrations, and so interspersed with a pathos, humor and drollery not equaled by any other speaker in the State, as not only to convince, but to captivate his audiences everywhere.
When, therefore, in the spring of 1888, without any knowledge or consideration on his part, his name was brought forward as that of a suitable candidate for Governor, it was received not only with favor, but with enthusiasm. And so widespread and powerful did this enthusiasm become that, though remaining quietly at home and "pursuing the even tenor of his way," the Republican masses sought him out and made him their nominee for Governor, contrary, it must in truth be said, to his own judgment of ability and qualifications.
In the campaign which followed he was in demand everywhere as a speaker, and through his addressee demonstrated that the country editor and dairy specialist had been a close student and logical thinker in many lines of political and philosophical inquiry. Indeed, an impromptu address to the club of "first voters" in Milwaukee, being stenographically reported, was widely published and favorably reviewed. He was of course elected and duly inaugurated.
In his mental organization Mr. Hoard is essentially a philosopher. This is known to all who have listened to his public addresses or have enjoyed a personal acquaintance with him. He never appeals to passion or seeks favor by pandering to ephemeral whims. In his message to the Legislature he says: "I feel authorized to say in their (that is, the farmers') behalf that they have no sympathy, as I have none, with any effort at legislation on any question which springs from prejudice."
All his writings and speeches are conceived and framed on the same basis- "know the truth and be guided by reason." In the only authentic biographical sketch of Mr. Hoard that is extant, is the modest assertion: "He was educated in the common schools." He is one of the few who really appreciate the value and vital importance of the district schools. In the message above referred to, in recommending attention to them, he said: "I confess too much solicitude for the common schools, and especially for the district schools in rural communities. I have a profound respect for the high school, the academy, the college and the university. These, however, are but the fruits of a lowlier blossom, and they have many and most earnest advocates. But the common district school, the 'people's college,' is so much everybody's business that in many respects it suffers from neglect. It is to the little country school that we must look, in a great measure, for the inculcation of the true principles of American citizenship."
Mr. Hoard is yet so new in the executive chair that it is impossible to speak intelligently of his administration, further than that he is careful, conscientious and conservative,
[Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara; By Acme Publishing Co., Chicago; Publ. 1889; Pgs. 180-182; Transcribed and submitted by Andrea Stawski Pack]
A. E. Ransom
Source: Progressive men of Minnesota. (Shutter, Marion Daniel, 1853-ed.) Minneapolis, The Minneapolis Journal (1897) Submitted by Diana Heser Morse
A good many disappointments have followed the entertainment of the hope that some day a fortune might be realized from the representations of attorneys who claimed to have discovered the existence of large fortunes in European countries to which American heirs were entitled. A. E. Ransom, however, is one of the heirs to a fortune of eighteen million pounds sterling lying in the Bank of England, about the existence of which there is no doubt, but to which the Ransom family in America have as yet been unable to establish clear title. Mr. Ransom is a native of Concord, Jefferson County, Wisconsin, where he was born September 30, 1866, the son of Nathaniel C. Ransom and Catherine Olivia Coggins (Ransom). Nathaniel is now a resident of Milwaukee. He was a member of the Forty-seventh Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers, Company H, and to his efforts in a large degree is due the progress made thus far in establishing the title of the Ransom family to the English property. The Ransoms came from England in the early part of the Eighteenth century. Arthur E. was educated in the public schools of Wisconsin and the state university. He graduated from the high schools at Unity, Wisconsin, in 1883, receiving first honors and the prize for oratory. He entered the state university with the class of 1888, in his eighteenth year. He was a student at Madison when that institution was under the direction of President J. W. Bascom. While at the university he took a very active interest in the work in the military department, which was in charge of a regular army officer, thus insuring the best of discipline, and has been almost continually connected with the national guard work ever since. He became a member of Company E, of the Second Regiment, located at Fond du Lac, then joined the Sheridan Guard, Company A, of Milwaukee, remaining with them until the organization of Company H, Fourth Regiment, Milwaukee, of which he was made captain. In 1883 Major Ransom moved to Albert Lea. He was elected captain of Company I, Second Infantry, but resigned on December 15, 1895, on account of business which kept him almost constantly away from home, and accepted the position of aide-de-camp on the staff of Governor Clough, with the rank of major. While in Milwaukee, prior to his removal to Albert Lea, Mr. Ransom was engaged in the capacity of private secretary to Mr. Rockwell, of the Rockwell Manufacturing Company. Upon his removal to Albert Lea, he became identified with the Ransom Bros. Company, wholesale grocers, as traveling salesman. He is widely acquainted in Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa. He had spent some time in studying law with the intention of making that his profession, but gave it up for the mercantile business. In that connection he became an expert accountant, and at one time charge of the English course and bookkeeping department of the McDonald Business Academy, in Milwaukee. His first dollar was earned by teaching school at Thorpe, Wisconsin, in 1883. In the fall of 1894, Mr. Ransom formed a partnership with Senator T. V. Knatvold and H. G. Koontz, known as the Ransom-Knatvold Manufacturing Company, for the manufacture of pipes. This business was sold within a year to Chicago buyers.
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