Vernon County, Wisconsin Biographies

Willam C. T. Adams
Source: Herringshaw's American blue-book of Biography: Prominent Americans of 1912- An Accurate Biographical Record of Prominent Citizens of All Walks of Life; submitted by Therman Kellar

Adams, William C T., president of Highland College, Kans., was born July 6, 1869, in Vernon County, Wis. He graduated from the Wisconsin State Normal school, the upper Iowa University, the Taylor University and the University of Michigan; and has received the degrees of M.A. and M.S. He was ordained a minister of the Presbyterian Church; has been principal of schools in Wisconsin and North Dakota; and filled professorships in upper Iowa University and in Bellevue college of Nebraska. Since 1909 he has been president of Highland college of Kansas.

Ferdinand Barta
Source: Progressive men of Minnesota. Published by The Minneapolis Journal (1897) submitted by Diana Heser Morse

Ferdinand Barta is a St. Paul attorney and prominent Republican politician of Ramsey County. He was born September 8, 1857, in the town of Union, Vernon County, Wisconsin. His father was Joseph M. Barta, who came to the United States from Bohemia in 1849, and later settled on a farm in Wisconsin and from 1865 devoted his attention to the invention and perfection of a twine binder, in which he was successful. His mother's maiden name was Mary Holak. Mr. Barta received his education in the public schools in the vicinity of his home. Like most western boys of the time he was obliged to do much for himself at an early age. From his seventeenth year he studied and taught alternately and in this way managed to keep up with his class and secure a full course in the high school at La Crosse. From 1870 to 1882 he studied law in the office of Howe & Tourtellotte, and held a clerkship under Leonard Lottridge for a year prior to his admission to the bar in November, 1882. In May, 1883, he decided to seek a new location in the west. Stopping in St. Paul, he determined to locate there, opened an office and has maintained a successful practice ever since. Mr. Barta has been a Republican ever since he attained his majority. Soon after coming to St. Paul he began to take an active part in the political affairs of the city and county and was for six years a member of the city and county Republican committees. His first candidacy for office was for the legislature from the Fifth ward of the city of St. Paul in the fall of 1894, for which office he was elected, although the district had a normal Democratic majority of five hundred. While in the legislature he devoted his time to hard and effective work in the interests of his constituents, being a member of several of the more important committees. He was renominated for the office without opposition in 1896 and was re-elected. Mr. Barta is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He was married in January, 1888, to Miss Lena Brings, daughter of Joseph and Lucy Brings, who were early settlers of St. Paul. They have one son, whose name is Joseph.

Andrew H. Dahl
One of the best known men in the public life of Wisconsin is the recent incumbent of the office of state treasurer, Andrew H. Dahl, who on December 31, 1912, closed three terms or six years of efficient service. Mr. Dahl is a resident of Westby, Vernon county, where he has long been prosperously identified with business and public affairs. In his public service as in his private business, his guiding principle has long been a square deal for all and special privileges to none, and the people of his home county and of the state at large have repeatedly placed the seal of their approval upon his manner of exemplifying this rule.

Mr. Dahl was born in Lewiston, Columbia county, Wisconsin, April 13, 1859, and is one of the leading representatives of the Norwegian-American citizenship of this state. His parents, Michael H. and Elizabeth (Asbjornsen) Dahl, were both natives of Moi, Norway. The father was born in 1801 and died in 1869, and the mother was born in 1815 and died in 1884. They were married in Moi, and of their children the two living are Andrew H. and his sister Sarah, the widow of Ole T. Westby. The mother subsequently married Jens A. Peterson, but there were no children from that union. The Dahl family, father and mother, emigrated to America in 1852, and spent thirteen weeks on the sailing vessel which finally landed them in New York City. Going up the Hudson, they continued their westward journey through the Erie Canal to Buffalo, and thence on a steamer through the Great Lakes until their arrival at Milwaukee. There the father bought a yoke of oxen and drove* overland to Lewiston in Columbia county. That was then a wilderness region, and Michael Dahl should be credited with the pioneer work of hewing a farm from the aboriginal conditions. After twelve years residence there he sold his place, and, again with ox teams, migrated on to Coon Prairie in Vernon county. There he bought a farm and spent the rest of his active career in general agriculture. He was one of the active members of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. During the first years of his American residence he voted the Whig principles, but later joined the Republican party.

Andrew H. Dahl was reared to manhood on the home farms in Columbia and Vernon counties, and had the inestimable advantage of living in a good home characterized by industry, thrift and fine principles. He learned to work, and during the winter seasons attended the common schools, and later the Viroqua high school and the Northwestern Business University at Madison.

At the age of twenty-two he began his career in merchandising as a clerk in a general store at Viroqua. After an experience of three and a half years, he began on his own account in 1884, under the firm name of Galstad & Dahl, the general merchandise and agricultural implement business. In 1888 Mr. Dahl bought out his partner, and has since conducted the business with increasing prosperity under the name of A. EL Dahl & Company.

Mr. Dahl has for many years interested himself in local government and has been an active factor in Republican polities, he was a member of the Vernon county board of supervisors in 1896-97 ; was trustee of the Vernon county asylum in 1897, serving nine years; was elected president of the village board at Westby in 1898 and by reelections served four successive terms until 1902. In 1898 Mr. Dahl became a member of the Wisconsin assembly from Vernon county. He was three times re-elected, each time getting the nomination without opposition, and it was his distinction to have first in the history of Vernon county broken the long-established custom of giving a representative but two terms in office. In the legislature he was on the committee on education, was chairman of the committee on charitable and penal institutions during 1905, and succeeded the late and revered A. E. Hall of Dunn county as chairman of the committee on assessments and collections of taxes. The culmination of his political honors came with his election to the office of state treasurer in 1906. He was re-elected in 1908 and 1910, and gave the state as capable an administration of this important office as it has ever had. In 1912 he was elected a delegate at large from Wisconsin to the National Republican Convention held in Chicago. He supported the candidacy of Senator Robert M. LaFollette for president.

Mr. Dahl is a member of the Lutheran church, and is affiliated with the Sons of Norway. He was married on October 10, 1882, to Miss Julia Vinje, who was born at Voss, Norway. Seven children have been born to their marriage : Harry J., who married Nellie Riege, is a member of the firm of A. H. Dahl & Company at Westby; Elnora E. is the wife of William F. Whitney, of Wenatchee, Washington; Chester T. is also a member of A. H. Dahl & Company, and he and his brother now have the entire management of this prosperous business; Lulu E., Alice I., Victor V., and Aad J. are the younger members of the home circle.
["Wisconsin Its Story And Biography 1848-1913" By Ellis Baker Usher, Volume 6 - 1914 - Transcribed and Submitted to Genealogy Trails by Friends for Free Genealogy]

Nelson Norman Lampert
Nelson Norman Lampert, vice president of the Port Dearborn National Bank of Chicago is a native of Wisconsin, and has had a Long and successful career as a Chicago banker. On the organization of the Wisconsin Society of Chicago he was honored with election as its first treasurer. Mr. Lampert was born at Newton in Vernon county, Wisconsin, March 19, 1872. His parents were Bartholomew and Mary (Stork) Lampert. The father, who was born at West Bend, in Washington county, Wisconsin, died at the age of sixty-two. The mother was also born at West Bend and is still living. On both sides the family were established in Wisconsin during the pioneer era. The Chicago banker was the oldest of six children, four of whom are living. Bartholomew Lampert became prominent in the Methodist ministry, having been educated in a theological seminary in Ohio. He held various charges in Wisconsin and Illinois and was a presiding elder in the Chicago district at the time of his death. In politics he was always a Republican.

Nelson Norman Lampert came to Chicago with his parents at the age of fourteen and was graduated from the Garfield grammar school. In May, 1887, when a little more than fifteen years of age, he entered the service of the Fort Dearborn National Bank as a messenger boy. By earnest and faithful work he was promoted through all the grades leading up to the vice presidency, to which office he was elected in 1904, when thirty-two years of age.

Mr. Lampert is a prominent figure in Chicago Masonic Circles. He is past master of Garden City Lodge, A. F. & A. M. ; past thrice illustrious master of Tyrian Council R. & S. M. ; past commander of Apollo Commandery No. 1 K. T., and in the Scottish Rite is a member of Oriental Consistory and an honorary thirty-third degree Mason. In December, 1907, he was unanimously elected illustrious potentate of Medinah Temple of the Mystic Shrine.

Mr. Lampert is a member of the Banker's Club; of the Mid-Day Club ; the Hamilton Club ; the Glen View Golf Club ; the Chicago Athletic Association, of which he has served as treasurer; the Columbia Yacht Club ; the Union League Club ; the South Shore Country Club. His politics is Republican.

On June 28, 1910, Mr. Lampert married Miss Nettie Tuohy, who was born at Woodstock, in McHenry county, Illinois.
["Wisconsin Its Story And Biography 1848-1913" By Ellis Baker Usher, Volume 6 - 1914 - Transcribed and Submitted to Genealogy Trails by Friends for Free Genealogy]

Brevet Brigadier General Jeremiah M. Rusk
Was born in Morgan County, Ohio, in 1830, and removed to Bad Ax County, Wisconsin in the year 1853. In 1855, he was elected Sheriff of that county for two years, at the expiration of which period he was appointed under Sheriff, and served till 1859. In 1861, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly, serving one term, and was commissioned Major of the Twenty-fifth Regiment in July, 1862.
He accompanied his regiment in the Indian Campaign into Minnesota. Returning to Wisconsin, he proceeded with the regiment to Columbus, Ky. thence down the Mississippi, and up the Yazoo River to Satartia, from which place they marched under a scorching sun, thirty miles to Haines' Bluff, the exposures and hardships of which march will long be remembered. Subsequently the regiment was stationed at Helena, where on the death of Lieutenant Colonel Nasmith, Major Rusk was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel. In the Meridian expedition the regiment was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Rusk, and returned to Vicksburg without losing a man. In the subsequent campaigns, he commanded the Twenty-fifth the greatest portion of the time. In the Atlanta campaign, the Lieutenant Colonel repeatedly led his men into action, and at Decatur, came near being captured. With the subsequent history of the Twenty-fifth, that of Lieutenant Colonel Rusk is identified, and it is not necessary for us to repeat it here. He successfully led his brave regiment through the march to Savannah, and up through the Carolinas, and thence home, where they were disbanded. The testimonials of commanding officers, which we have seen, speak highly of his efficiency, ability and bravery.
In the fall of 1865, he was nominated as the candidate of the Union party for Bank Comptroller, and was triumphantly elected by a large majority.
He was brevetted Colonel, and subsequently Brigadier General, for meritorious services.
[Source: "The Military History of Wisconsin: a record of the civil and military"; By Edwin Bentley Quiner; Publ. 1866; Transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack.]