Monroe County Biographies 

CHANDLER DAMMON, farmer, Sec. 32, P.O. Sparta, was born in Maine, in 1819, where he was brought up, and married Matilda Doan, born in the same State. They came to Dane Co., Wis., in 1844, and settled in the town of Rutland, where they lived till 1857, then came to Monroe County and purchased present farm; lived, however, one year in the village of Sparta, before locating on his farm. Mr. and Mrs. Damman have had twelve children, nine of whom are living—three sons and six daughters. His farm contains eighty acres.
(History of Northern Wisconsin 1881)

MARK DANIELS, station agent at Cashton; born in Florence, St. Joseph Co., Mich., in 1842, where he was brought up. He enlisted in 1862, in the 19th Mich. He served in the army till the close of the war. Was severely wounded before Atlanta, July, 1864. After the close of the war, he returned to Michigan, and was engaged as clerk at Detroit one year. He has been engaged in railroading since 1866. Was at that time appointed receiving clerk at Winona Junction, on the C, M. & St, Paul R. R. Thence to Trempealeau, where he was baggage master for some time. Thence to Mankato; afterward to St. Peter. He then returned to Winona Junction, near La Crosse, where he was station agent for five years; he was then engaged in the Auditor's office, at Le Seuer for a time; thence to Melvina, Monroe Co., where he was the first station agent at Melvina. Was appointed station agent at Cashton, September, 1879, the first agent at this place. He was married in St. Peter, to Mary I. Clapp. They have one child, Lola. Lost one child, Francis.
(History of Northern Wisconsin 1881)

JAMES DAVIDSON, retired, Sparta, born in New Hudson. Allegany Co., N. Y., in 1825. He was brought up on a farm. When a young man he was engaged for a time in the manufacture of gloves and mittens, and afterward in selling this class of goods. When twenty three years of age he went to New York City and engaged as salesman for Wells & Christie, wholesale dealers in boots and shoes. He was afterward engaged as buyer for another house in the same business. In 1861, in company Col. Forrest, recruited and organized the 5th N. Y. C. He was placed in military command of Staten Island; he went to Annapolis, Md., as major of the 5th C, and went into a camp of instructions in that city, where he remained during the following Winter. In the following Spring he went to Harper's Ferry, and was placed in Banks' command; accompanied that general in his campaign in Shenandoah Valley, and had command of the rear guard in the retreat. He resigned his commission at the end of this campaign, returned to New York, thence to St, Louis, thence into the pineries of Wisconsin, where he engaged in lumbering and merchandising. Came to Sparta in 1865. His wife was Miss Delia Heller, a native of New York.
(History of Northern Wisconsin 1881)

WILLIAM L. DALY  is one of the live wires of Greenfield township, where he resides on section sixteen, engaged in farming. He was born at Tomah, Wis.. on November 14, 1862, the son of John and Catherine (Haley) Daly, both natives of Ireland, who, after their marriage, came to America, and in 1856 to Tomah; they removed after a time to Tunnel City, where the father was employed on the original tunnel of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway. In 1867, he settled on eighty acres of school land, called at that time on account of its condition, "Grub Land," and there he continued to reside until his death in 1893 at the age of eighty-six years. His wife, mother of our subject, passed away the same year at the age of seventy-two.

William L. is one of a family of six children, of the others, Timothy is deceased; Martin; Mary, deceased, was the wife of James Barney; John, deceased; William L. and Jerry, who is in the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. William attended the district school and was raised on the home farm where he has always lived with the exception of about seven years he was employed on the railroad and mining contract work in northern Wisconsin. He returned in 1894 and permanently located in the homestead farm as owner and proprietor, and in 1901, he built a modern residence and barn. Besides general farming, Mr. Daly deals extensively in grade Durham and Holstein cattle, and is a recognized authority in those lines, having been generally successful in every branch he has undertaken. He is thoroughly up with the times, public spirited and generous and is considered one of the most prosperous and progressive citizens of his community. He was married on April 14, 1895, to Miss Margaret O'Brien, daughter of William and Catherine (Sullivan) O'Brien, of Tomah township. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Daly, viz: Marcus J., John W., Bernadine K., Florence M. and Helen F.
(History of Monroe County Wisconsin 1912)

The maternal grandfather of our subject was Alpheus Stoddard, also from Chesterfield, and extensively engaged in farming in northern Vermont, and owned in his own right 500 acres of land. His wife, the maternal grandmother of Captain Davis, was Charlotte Farnsworth. who also was a native of Vermont. The early ancestors of this branch of the Stoddard family were David, born October 23, 1754, and who was the great grandfather of Mr. Davis; Sarah, the great grandmother, was born February 20. 1757. They were the parents of ten children, viz: Lucy, born October 26, 1775; David, born June 24. 1777: Jesse, born June 30, 1779; Lydia, born March 24, 1782: Arad, born February 15, 1784; Charles, born March 16, 1786; Alpheus, grandfather of our subject, born January 11, 1788; Luther, born February 6, 1790; Sally, born March 19, 1792; Eleazer, born May 18, 1794, and Abel, born September 28, 1796.

Captain Davis was reared on a farm in Vermont, and received his elementary education in a log schoolhouse, after which he attended a select school for a short time, and this was supplemented by a course at the Orleans Liberal Institute, which he attended during the year 1852-3. He taught school during the winters of 1855-6-8-9, and worked on the farm during the summer months. He continued farm work until the breaking out of the Civil War, and being imbued with patriotism and love for the Union, he enlisted as a private in company D, sixth Vermont Volunteer Infantry, October 2, 1861, and was mustered into the service at Montpelier. Vt., October 15, of that year, as second sergeant, was promoted to orderly sergeant in January, 1862, and to second lieutenant May 1, 1862, and to first lieutenant December 1, 1862. On February 3, 1863, for meritorious conduct, he was commissioned captain, continuing as such until the expiration of his term of service. Captain Davis participated in more than two score of the most sanguinary engagements of the war, and became conspicuous for his gallant and heroic conduct. During the battle of Lee's Mills, near Yorktown, April 16. 1862, while his comrades were falling right and left around him, he was wounded and carried from the held, being fortunate to escape with his life. He still carries the bullet in his left side. At the end of sixty days he was able to return to his regiment, and almost immediately became engaged in the seven days' battle before Richmond, change of base being to Harrison's Landing on the James river: he was honorably discharged and mustered out October 28, 1864. A more complete record along these lines has been contributed by Mr. Davis, and will be found among the reminiscences of this volume. After his discharge from the service, he returned to his home in Vermont, and in 1867, came to Wisconsin, first settling at West Salem, La Crosse county, where he engaged in farming. In 1879, he removed to Sparta, locating on West Montgomery street, where he was engaged in the milk business until 1888. For the next two years he turned his attention to the creamery business and in 1890, removed to Harvey, Ill., and took an active part in the upbuilding of that town. He next removed to Morenci, Lenewee county. Mich., and engaged in farming until 1893: he then went to Chicago. Ill., and resided for two years, and returned to Michigan, settling this time at Lamont, where for eight years he was interested in horticulture. Returning again to Harvey, Ill., he remained two years and in the fall of 1908, came back to Sparta, where he still resides. At the time of locating the state school for dependent children at Sparta, Mr. Davis owned the farm upon which the buildings are now located and which he sold to the state.

Mr. Davis has been twice married, his first marriage, occurred on April 10. 1858, to Miss Persis Ann Stewart, a daughter of Thomas Carlisle and Emily Brigham. of Brownington, V.; she died in Sparta, June 13, 1880, at the age of forty-three years, leaving besides her husband, the following children: Edward W., of Brookings, S. D.: Fred E., of Chicago: Laura B., wife of Rev. S. B. Andrus, Waterville, Minn.; Jennie S., wife of Harry B. Parker, Detroit. Mich.: Mabel P.. wife of Charles Williams, of West Derby, Vt.: Carl E., Fargo. N. D.; Persis S., the wife of Dr. Howard Rogers, of Framingham, Mass., and John T. Davis, of Chicago.

Mr. Davis has seventeen grand children and two great grand-children. His second marriage, which occurred on June 22, 1884, was with Miss Maria S. Houghton, who was born in 1845, daughter of Solomon and Catherine (Albee) Houghton, the former of St. Johnsbury, Vt., born May 28. 1813, and the latter, Catherine Albee, born April 30, 1814. They lived after their marriage at Augusta, Me., until July 4. 1855, when they came to Wisconsin and settled near Reedsburg, Sauk county, on a farm in Winfield township, where they lived until their decease, his death occurring April 3, 1896, and hers December 13, 1892. They were married at Windsor, Maine, October 2, 1837. From 1834 to 1837 he was a pattern maker for the Fairbanks Scale Company from whom he won honors for his superior workmanship. His health becoming impaired, he went to California in 1850, and remained there for about eighteen months, returning at the end of that time much benefited. The Houghton family trace their ancestry down the line to the historic Garfield family. Mrs. Davis is the third child of a family of four children, those besides her being, Cornelia, who married Vandan B. Clark, of Kearney., Neb., both of whom are now deceased, his death occurred in 1892 and hers in 1902. John died November 1, 1877, and Frank T. lives on the old homestead near Reedsburg, Wis., where he has resided for the past fifty-eight years.

Captain Davis is a man who stands high in his community, having the confidence and respect of all who know him. He is a member of Lynn Post, No. 30, Grand Army of the Republic, and both he and his estimable wife are members of the Congregational church, of which Mr. Davis became a member over fifty years ago in Vermont. During the past three years, he has been patriotic instructor in the schools of Sparta. It is a pleasure to give this tribute to a man whose life has been filled with action. He is too energetic a man to be satisfied with inactivity, so there has been more or less doing 'round about him in various lines during his whole lifetime.
(History of Monroe County Wisconsin 1912)

WILLIAM E. DAVIS, a representative and influential citizen and land owner of Sparta, is a native of the Granite state, and was born December 8, 1864, and is the only surviving son of a family of three children born to Hiram and Amelia (Chandler) Davis, natives of Hanover, Grafton county, N .H. The names of the other children are Helen M., who also lives in the town of Sparta, and Harriet Anna, who is deceased. Late in the sixties, Hiram S. Davis, with his family, came to Wisconsin, and purchased eighty acres of land near the now city of Sparta, to which he soon added two other eighty's which he cultivated and improved, making one of the finest farms in Monroe county, where he resided until his death. Mr. Davis subsequently sold the
north eighty, making changes by purchases and re-purchases until the farm now contains 164 acres.

He was born June 9, 1824, and died in April, 1910. The mother passed away in 1870 at the age of forty-three. David L. Davis, paternal grandfather, and Jeremiah Chandler, maternal grandfather, were both natives of the Granite state, where they spent their lives. The paternal great grandfather of our subject was Bezaliel Davis, a soldier in the War of the Revolution, the powderhorn carried by his distinguished ancestor is still in the possession of the family. The great great grandfather, Benjamin Davis, married Phoebe Doan, a native of Cape Cod. Bezaliel Davis married Mary Wright, their marriage occurring September 12, 1776. David L. Davis married Anna Smith, a native of Grafton county, New Hampshire, and a daughter of John Smith. He was a farmer by occupation, a Democrat in his polities and a Universalist in his religious faith. He was a member of the Masonic order. He lived out the alloted three score and ten years, but his wife survived until her eighty-seventh year; they both died in Grafton county, New Hampshire. They reared seven children, five sons and two daughters, six of whom grew to maturity. Their names were Anna H., who married Joseph Tenny, a native of Grafton county, and a son of a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. Tenny died April 24. 1892, aged eighty-eight years: Mrs. Tenny survived until 1896. Harriet Newell was the wife of Moses Morse, and died in Monroe county about 1874: John S. was a resident of Angelo, Monroe county, when his death occurred. Rodolphus B., who died at the age of eleven years; James C., who moved to Ohio, where he died in 1846; David L., who lived and died in his native state, and Hiram S.. who was the youngest of the family.

Hiram S. Davis, our subject's father, was a man of strong convictions on questions of right and wrong, and never lacked in courage to express his sentiments., and was a Democrat in polities.

William E. Davis received his education in the district and high schools of Sparta, and has always lived on the family homestead, which is still conducted as the Davis estate. In December, 1903, Mr. Davis was married to Miss Margaretta Lewis, daughter of Charles and Eliza Maria (Bush) Lewis. Charles G. Lewis, a native of Vermont, a descendant from an old and prominent New England family, came to Wisconsin many years ago and settled in Dane county, where he remained until 1879, thence removed to Monroe county. Mrs. Lewis was a daughter of Henry L. and Margaretta Bradley, natives of Maryland. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley later settled in New Jersey, and in the forties came to Wisconsin and thence to the state of Washington, where they died. To Mr. and Mrs. Davis have been born four children, viz: Edgerton L., Phillip C., Karen F. and Ruth Davis.

Charles G. Lewis was born December 18, 1823, at Cornwall, Vermont. His father, Martin Lewis, was also born in the same place, but his mother was born in Tolland. Conn. Martin Lewis came to Wisconsin with his family in the spring of 1846, traveling by way of the lake to Milwaukee, and from there to Madison by team, near which city he lived on a farm until the fall of 1880, when he moved to Sparta with his son, Charles (his wife having died at the home near Madison). Mr. Lewis lived with his son on a farm between Angelo and Sparta, where he died at the age of ninety-six years. Martin Lewis had three children, Charles G., Harriet T., died some years ago, and Henry M., an attorney at Madison, and at the present time referee in bankruptcy. The family of Charles G. Lewis consisted of Margaretta B., Harriet, Carl H., and Silas M., all born at Sun Prairie, near Madison. Charles G. taught school for a time at Sun Prairie, was elected a member of the board of education for Dane county, until the territory became a state, was chairman of the town board for five terms, and in 1878 was elected to the general assembly for one term.
(History of Monroe County Wisconsin 1912)

ALVIN DAY, of Tomah, Monroe county, Wis., was born in this county, February 25, 1866, a son of Calvin and Mary (Davis) Day. Alvin attended the distinct school up to his sixteenth year, and at an early age started out in life to earn a livelihood. He was at first employed on a farm, following which he spent three years in Nebraska, where he worked on a ranch. Returning to Monroe county, he worked for six years on a cranberry marsh owned by the Appleton Trayberry Company, and at end of which time he began in a small way to develop a cranberry marsh on a small forty acre tract which he had acquired in section twenty-six, LaGrange township. Within a short time he added another thirty acre tract in the same section, again adding by purchase 365 acres in sections twenty-six, twenty-seven and twenty-eight, all located in LaGrange township. He, in the meantime, disposed of part of the land not suitable for development, retaining 240 acres, a large part of which has been put under cultivation, and a crop of 1000 barrels of cranberries being the output of 1911, which was sold in the eastern market. Mr. Day devotes his entire attention to cranberry culture, which together with a large force, is employed at the industry, the largest of its kind in Monroe county.

Mr. Day has been a resident of Tomah since 1910. Prior to that time he had resided in LaGrange township. He is a public spirited citizen and is interested in the welfare of Monroe county; besides he is experienced in his particular line of business. He has been clerk of the school board in the town of LaGrange for twenty years and is a member of the Woodmen of the World.

Mr. Day was first married to Miss Bertha Bahling, whodied in 1893. In 1898, he married Miss Catherine Desburg, who died in 1911. To this union wore born a family of six sons, viz: Arthur C. born December 21. 1899; Harold K., born February 27, 1903: Alva L., born November 2, 1904: Paul II., born February 27, 1900: Ray A., born January 25, 1908, and Harrv C, born November 9, 1909. Mr. Day was again married June 6. 1912. in the city of Milwaukee, to Miss Alice Uischuer, daughter of William Uischuer, of La Orange township. Mrs. Day is the second child of a family of six and received her education in the public schools of Monroe county.
(History of Monroe County Wisconsin 1912)

CALVIN DAY, a representative and highly respected citizen of Wellington township, was horn in Pennsylvania. August 14, 1829, a son of Elias and Charity (Eator) Day. When our subject was two years of age, his parents moved to Athens count, Ohio: after a residence there of twenty-one years, the family moved to Wapello county, Iowa, where the father engaged in farming and made his home until his death in 1887. The mother passed away when Calvin was twelve years old. They reared a family of nine children. After the death of his wife, Elias Day was married for the second time to Jane Dudley in Athens county, Ohio, and by this union two children were born. The early ancestors on the paternal side of Calvin Day came from Wales, while his mother was Pennsylvania Dutch. His grandfather on the maternal side was a soldier in the War of 1812, and his great grandfather was a soldier in the Revolution.

When a more lad, Calvin received his early education in the cooper shop of his father from a private instructor, and when he reached the age of seventeen years, he bought his time from his father with his share of his mother's estate, so that he was free to carve out an independent livelihood for himself. He began his career as a laborer, which occupation he followed until he bought from his father fifty acres of land in Athens county, Ohio, for which he paid his father $200. A man of thrift, steady and economical habits, Mr. Day from the beginning prospered, and is now the owner of 139 acres of land in Wellington township and 123 in Forest township, on which he has made valuable and lasting improvements, He has built a fine residence, barn and outbuildings, and keeps his place well stocked with good horses and cattle, and in his farming operations, employs the most up-to-date methods. Mr. Day is a man of liberal education, self acquired, and is well posted on all current subjects. In political sentiment he is independent, but a strong believer in Socialism.

Mr. Day has been four times married: first at the age of twenty, and by his first wife had one child, Elenor. He married again in 1856 and by that marriage had one son, John. In 1857, he married for the third time and seven children were born, viz: Helen, Jane, Frank, Sarah, Calvin, Alvin and Samuel. On September 30, 1883, in the town of Wellington, he was married for the fourth time, this wife being Mrs. Adda L. LaRouge, and by this union four children were born, viz: Mary, born March 3, 1885; Lewis, born February 8, 1887; Archie and Arthur, twins, born June 20, 1891. Mrs. Day is one of a family of ten children. Her parents were among the early settlers of Monroe county and the father at the time of his death, which occurred May 20. 1885, was the owner of 100 acres of land. His wife, mother of Mrs. Day, passed away September 25, 1885.
(History of Monroe County Wisconsin 1912)

THEODORE DONSKEY, one of the leading farmers of Ridgeville township, was born in Germany on October 29, 1869, and came to America with his parents, John and Josephine (Grathenerk) Donskey the following year. The family first located in Chicago, Ill., and shortly afterward moved to the town of Wells, in Monroe county, where, in 1872, they purchased a farm of 160 acres and lived there until they retired from active farm life. Thev raised a family of six boys and five girls, all of whom are now—1912—living, Theodore being the eldest of the family. The parents were thrifty and persevering, and it was not long after they purchased the farm, before their faithful efforts were justly crowned with success. They brought the land to a high state of cultivation and made it one of the ideal country homes. They were both devoted members of the Catholic church, and were highly respected in their community. The mother passed away in 1900, the father still survives at the age of seventy-two and holds the confidence and esteem of his many friends and acquaintances.

Theodore Donskev was married in Chicago, Ill., in 1887, to Miss Frances 0. Parker. They have had two children, viz: Martha, born January 12, 1896, and Rosa, born July 28. 1898. After their marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Donskey lived in Summit Ridge, in Ridgeville township, where they worked a rented farm for about twelve years, then bought a farm of 330 acres in the town of Ridgeville, which they afterward sold, and purchased another tract of 200 acres in sections nine and four, which has since been their homestead and is one of the ideal farm homes of Monroe county. Mr. Donskey is a man of excellent judgment and thoroughly up to date with his farming methods as well as in matters involving public interest, and consequently he has made his chosen occupation a grand success. He is a Democrat in his political views, and has held the office of town treasurer for two years, and takes a keen interest in the general progress and welfare of his town and county. He is public spirited and enterprising and is a valuable citizen in his community.
(History of Monroe County Wisconsin 1912)

GEORGE D. DUNN was born at Elmira, N. Y., September 18, 1838, being the son of Thomas and Rachel (Satterlee) Dunn, natives of Bath and Elmira, N. Y., respectively. Thomas Dunn was born in 1790 and married Rachel Satterlee in 1829: he was reared in the mercantile business which he carried on when he came to manhood and also engaged in the real estate business: his early business career was at Eimira, N. Y. He came to Sparta. Wis., in 1862, where he died in 1871. Rachel Satterlee. the mother of George D., was born in 1809 and died in 1885: she was the daughter of Elias and Elizabeth (Smith) Satterlee: their earlier life was spent at Elmira and they were among the pioneers of that place; Elias Satterlee, her father, was a physician by profession and at the time of the Wyoming valley Indian massacre his father's family were residents of the town of Wyoming. Pa., and when the Indian outbreak occurred, they returned to Connecticut: about the year 1804 Elias Satterlee moved to Elmira, N. Y. He was in the military service for a time as a surgeon in the War of 1812, and participated in the Battle of Lundy's Lane, Canada. After his return to Elmira he was accidentally killed by the discharge of a gun: his death occurred when Rachel, the mother of George D. was six years of age. The family consisted of five children, two sons and three daughters; they were of English descent.

My. Dunn's ancestry were of Scotch descent and were among the earlier settlers of the state of Pennsylvania; William Dunn, paternal grandfather of George D., settled at Bath, N. Y., where he remained until 1804, then removed to Elmira, N. Y., when the father of George D, was five vears of age. Charles Dunn, the brother of Thomas, was the first white child born at Bath, N. Y.: the other members of the family were Thomas Dunn and Judge James Dunn and William Dunn, and two sisters, Susan and Elsie. They each raised large families whose descendants are to be found in the different parts of the United States.

George D. Dunn was the only son in a family of five children, and besides himself there is only surviving a sister, Fanny S., widow of S. N. Dickinson, now living at Sparta, Wis. George D. was educated in the public schools of Elmira, N. Y., and began his business career as clerk for the firm of Thompson Dunn at Elmira, at the age of sixteen. In 1856, he came West and located in Lodi, Wis., where his uncle. Rev. John Lewis, was then located. A few mouths later he went to Janesville, and entered the employ of Chapman Brothers as clerk. After a time he was placed in charge of a branch store, of this firm at Albany, Wis., which he managed for about two years in that place. In June, 1861, the store was removed to Sparta, and Mr. Dunn continued in charge of the same.

In the fall of the same year he purchased this branch store and has been since continuously engaged in the dry goods business at Sparta. His first store was located in a wooden building where the Stringham building now stands. In 1869, he erected the present store building which he has occupied ever since. Mr. Dunn has been continuously engaged in business for himself and has made a remarkable record, being the only merchant in the slate of Wisconsin who has continued in the dry goods business without any change of firm name for over fifty years.

When Mr. Dunn came to Sparta in 1861, it was but a small village of about six or eight hundred people, and his competitors were, S. D. Jackson and Co., 0. D. Randall, brother of ex-Governor Randall, and G. W. Root. At present 0. D. Randall is the only one of the above merchants who is living besides Mr. Dunn.

Mr. Dunn was one of the original organizers and stockholders of the Monroe county bank, which was inaugurated in 1894. At that time he was elected president of the board of directors and has continuously held that office since that time. Under his presidency the bank has built up a handsome business and is one of the solid financial institutions of this part of the state.

During his long career in business Mr. Dunn has accumulated a comfortable fortune and his liberality in aiding in different enterprises has been one of the characteristics of his life; many a struggling church has received a generous contribution from Mr. Dunn to aid it in building a building or for some other worthy purpose, all given unostentatiously and with a desire to do good; he was one of the principal instigators of the company which originallv built the armory now owned by the Aibonito Guard Association and he has been equally and at all times interested in public enterprises which were for the benefit of the city and surrounding country and has been free to give to objects which he thought were worthy and of benefit to the community at large.

Truly a remarkable record is that of Mr. Dunn in the mercantile business; his name is synonymous with square dealing, honesty and uprightness and when the last chapter of his life is brought to a close it may be truly said that the career of George D. Dunn, while modest in its way, was that of a typical American boy coming from good old pioneer stock, who steadily climbed the ladder of success depending entirely upon his own native gifts and perseverance.

Among the relatives of Mr. Dunn who helped to make history in the different parts of the country was an uncle by the name of Dr. Benedict Satterlee, who gave up his duties in the East and went as a medical missionary among the Pawnee Indians and was stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., in 1833, at a time when that was indeed a part of the far West and almost out of the reach of civilization. He left Elmira with his bride in that year, she dying on the way. About 1836 he was found dead, supposed to have been killed by the Indians, but years afterward an old trapper made a death-bed confession that he killed him for his gun. Mr. Dunn has in his possession letters written by Dr. Satterlee during the period of 1833 to 1836 which were sent across the country before the time that the postage stamps came into use. These letters contain accounts of the adventures of Dr. Satterlee in that country and are truly something very interesting.
(History of Monroe County Wisconsin 1912)

 Orville J. Dorwin, a former member of the Sparta Sash & Door Company, who has arisen from a poor but ambitious farmer boy to the position of one of the leading manufacturers and substantial business men of Sparta, was born in Angelo township, Monroe county, Wisconsin. July 28, 1866, the son of Samuel N. and Lucy (Rollins) Dorwin, both natives of Vermont, who were among the early settlers of Monroe county. Raised on the home farm with the success of the business largely dependent upon him, Mr. Dorwin's educational advantages were somewhat limited: he attended the district schools and his aptitude for practical knowledge, overcame the obstacles which confronted him in the way of education, and placed him on the plane with others whose advantages were far greater. At the age of twenty-four, he left the farm and spent two years at the carpenter trade with E. T. Hanchett, and in the spring of 1892, he located in Sparta and commenced contracting: and building, which he followed for a period of six years, during which time he erected some of the most substantial dwellings and other buildings in the city. In 1898 he engaged in the sash and door business with Frank Freeman, the style of the firm being Dorwin & Freeman. Mr. Freeman later sold his interest to Mr. Dorwin, and later he sold a half interest to W. H. Stelting and the firm name changed to Dorwin & Stelting, which continued for two years. Mr. Stelting selling his interest to M. R. Ebert, when Mr. Dorwin became sole owner of the business, and carried it on successfully until 1908; at this time he associated with the Naset Brothers, under which arrangement the business has since continued as the Sparta Sash & Door Company, one of the chief industries of the city, its output being distributed throughout the entire state. The finishings for two buildings for the state school, two ward schools, and several store houses for the government range, as well as numerous other buildings have come from this factory, the business having increased from a small beginning to over $40,000 in 1910. Mr. Dorwin severed his connection with the above firm on November, 1911, and now has lumber interests at Ft. Meyer, Fla.

Mr. Dorwin is a man who enjoys the confidence and esteem of all with whom he comes in contact, both in a business way and socially. Unassuming in manner, he has a quiet consciousness of his own, strength of character and latent force thus has carried him past all difficulties which he has encountered during his lifetime. He is an active member of the Masonic fraternity at Sparta.

On October 18, 1892, Mr. Dorwin was married at Baraboo, to Miss Amelia Seltz, daughter of August Seltz, of Sparta.
(History of Monroe County Wisconsin 1912)

Sidney N. Dorwin, for fifteen years local manager of the Brittingham & Hixon Lumber Company, of Sparta, came from Fairfax, Franklin county, Vermont, where he was born on August 22, 1859, to Samuel N. and Lucy (Rollins) Dorwin, natives of that state, where they lived until 1860, then moved to Wisconsin and located at Angelo, in Monroe county, where the father conducted a shoe store until the breaking out of the Civil War. He enlisted in company D twenty-fifth regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry for three years' service in which he experienced many hardships. In one of the battles in which he was engaged, he received a severe wound from the effects of which he lost one of his legs; as soon as his condition would permit, he received his discharge from the service and returned to his home in Angelo and resumed his shoe business. He was one of Monroe county's most highly respected citizens, and although being at the disadvantage of having but one limb, he was active and progressive and took a deep interest in all public matters. He died in 1907 at the age of seventy-five years.

Lyman Dorwin, paternal grandfather of Sidney N., was also a native of Vermont, where he lived and raised a family of four children, Samuel N. being the oldest. He was a tanner by trade, and upon his arrival in Monroe county in the late fifties, he built and operated for several years the first tannery at Sparta. He later traded this property for a farm in Sparta township, which he made his homestead and lived there until his death at the ago of eighty-two years. His wife, grandmother of our subject, died when Samuel N. was but twelve years of age. The second marriage of Lyman Dorwin was with Miss Cheida Hoyt, of Vermont. To this union one daughter, Agnes, was born; she married Frank Kendall, of Sparta, both are deceased. ____ Rollins, maternal grandfather of our subject, was a shoemaker by trade, and a native of Milton Falls, Vt. Lucy Rollins, maternal grandmother of Mr. Dorwin. was the oldest of a family of ten children. She died at St. Albans, Vt., the place of her birth, in 1909, aged eighty-eight years. Both the Dorwin and Rollins families were descended from English ancestry.

Sidney N. Dorwin was reared on the farm and attended the district schools until he reached the age of nineteen years, when he became imbued with the advice of the late Horace Greeley to go West. He went to Dakota, where he secured a claim, but not finding the situation to his liking, he returned to Wisconsin, and engaged for two years in farming. The lumber business being at this time at its height, he went to Cumberland, Wis., and was employed for three years by the Beaver Lake Lumber Company. He then worked in the mill and woods until 1886, when he came to Sparta and entered the employ of O. L. Irwin in 1886, with whom he remained until 1896. Mr. Irwin was then conducting the lumber business which has since consolidated with other plants and is now under the ownership of Brittingham & Hixon, with Mr. Dorwin as its manager until September, 1911, having been with the last named company since 1896. Since that time has been engaged as lumber salesman in southern Wisconsin.

Mr. Dorwin is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Modern Woodmen of America. On September 20, 1882, he was married to Miss Nettie J. Harvey, only child of Micah A. and Delia (Chamberlain) Harvey, natives of New Hampshire and early settlers of Angelo, Monroe county, Wisconsin. Mr. Harvey is a mechanic by trade, and is a highly respected citizen. His wife, mother of Mrs. Dorwin, died in 1898 at the age of sixty-two years.

To Mr. and Mrs. Dorwin have been born four children, viz: Harvey C, born February 25, 1885: Ernest J., born June 28, 1888: Harold M., born January 16, 1891, and died June 3, 1911; Delia Lucy, born February 3, 1907.

The following is an extract from an article of the Sparta paper on the death of Harold M. Dorwin:

"Harold M. Dorwin departed this vale of tears and took leave of his beloved parents, brothers and sister early Saturday night, June 3rd. The immediate cause of his death was tuberculosis which developed into an acute form in February of this year. Harold had been in poor health at time of his graduation from the high school, and never really recovered completely from his troubles at that time. His parents and friends besought him to rest, but he was ambitious and anxious to get on in the world, and could not be persuaded to give up his employment until this past winter, when he was beyond help. The work of this young man in the Monroe county bank, has been such as to attract favorable comment from his employers, other bankers and from business men who have observed it. There was a seriousness of purpose and sincerity of interest that foretold promotion and advancement in his chosen profession and in the world of business. His young friends and school associates knew an entirely different side of him from the business side, and feel their loss keenly. His even temperament had a soothing effect upon his companions of less fortunate disposition, and he was a source of comfort to them. Up to the time of his serious attack, he was organist of the Methodist church, and while this work and his work on the piano, he did because of his great love for it, he gave evidence of much talent and musical ability and his efforts on the piano as well as on the large organ were little less than wonderful. The funeral was held at the residence of his parents on south K street, Tuesday P. M., and was largely attended."
(History of Monroe County Wisconsin 1912)

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