Biographical Sketches

extracted from
History of Northern Wisconsin
The Western Historical Company
A. T. Andreas, Proprietor
1881

ANDREAS, CHAUNCEY T., jeweler, Bayfield; was born in Sparta, Wis., in 1859, son of Jere and Elizabeth Wise Andreas. he was brought up and educated in his native town; learned the jeweler's trade of L. D. Merrill, of that place; went to Mather, wis. for two years; went to Bayfield, Wis., in January, 1881, and opened a jewelry store.

BANFILL, HON. JOHN, retired, Bayfield, was born in Topsham, Vt., Feb. 12, 1811. He remained at home till 1823 and then moved to Dover, N. H., and from there to Boston. In 1835 he went to New Orleans to work at his trade, the mason's, and while there volunteered to go with the expiedition that was to search for the body of Maj. Dade, who had been killed by the Indians. After returning to New Orleans he went north to New York, and then to Albany. In 1838 he went to Lancaster, Grant Co.; moved to Prairie du Chien and kept the Grant House, and then took contract to build the court-house in Clavton Co., Iowa. He returned to Paririe du Chien and kept the Prairie House, but sold out and went to St. Paul and built the Rice House. He then built a saw-mill and bought a farm sixteen miles up the Mississippi River. While here he was sent to the State Senate; was also Postmaster at Winona. In 1861 he moved to Bayfield, Wis. where he kept hotel. Since coming to Bayfield he has been School Treasurer, Judge of Probate Court from 1870 to 1878, Chairman of County Board, and has held other offices. In 1838 he married Miss Nancy Foster, of New York City. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

BACHAND, LOUIS J., County Clerk, Bayfield, was born in Two Rivers, Manitowoc Co., Wis., April 17, 1853, where he remained till 1862, going thence to Chicago to attend school. In 1866 he came to Bayfield and in 1870 engaged in fishing, which he carried on till the Spring of 1878, when he was elected Assessor. In 1880 he was elected County Clerk for Bayfield. He is a member of the Catholic Church.

BOUTIN, HON. N., of the firm of N. & F. Boutin, fish dealers, Bayfield, was born in Canada East, Aug. 17, 1831. With the family he moved to Detroit in 1837, where he lived eleven years, and then moved to Mackinaw, and soon afterward to Manitowoc Co., Wis. While there he was in the mercantile business. He moved then to Kewaunee County, and while there was sent to the Legislature. He then returned to Manitowoc, where he engaged in fishing up to the year 1870, when he moved to Bayfield and established the firm as it now stands. He has been a politician more or less, holding the position of Sheriff for years, and in 1880 was elected County Treasurer. In 1848 he married, then being only seventeen years of age, Miss Conture, of Detroit. They have had four children, Mary, now Mrs. Mahan, being the only one living.

BOUTIN, FRANK, firm of N. & F. Bourtin, fish dealers, Bayfield, was born in Canada East, September, 1833, and followed the fortunes of the family till coming to Bayfield, where he entered the fish trade and general merchandise business with his brother, Nelson. They have $200,000 in their business, handling 1,500 half barrels of fish in the Summer, and about 100 tons of fresh fish in the Winter, employing about 100 men. In 1853 Frank married Miss Mary Landie, of Canada. They have six children: James, Frank, Emily, Lucy, Mary and Anita. Of his brothers four were in the 27th Wis. V. 1 - Joseph C., Duffey, Solomon and Felix.

BOUTIN, DUFFEY, saloon, Bayfield, was born in Detroit, Mich., Dec. 15, 1845. He moved from place to place engaged in fishing -- Mackinaw, Whiskey Island, St. Helena Isle and Two Rivers, where he remained till 1850; then to Kewaunee and on to Bayfield, where there are now living several brothers, Benoni, Edward, Felix F., Nelson, Frank, Joseph C., Duffey and Solomon D. In 1868 he married Miss Lawrence. They have three children -- Walter, aged thirteen; Nettie, eleven; and Lafayette, three. He has been Deputy Sheriff. His brother Joseph is also married and has a family of seven children living. He has also three sisters, Emily, Clara and Adeline.

BONO, J. B., hotel, Bayfield, was born in Detroit, Mich., April 14, 1832. When five years of age, went with his parents to Sault St. Marie, where his father, John Bono, died in 1880, at the advanced age of 106 years and six months. J. B. left there in 1854 and went to sailing and fishing. He came to La Pointe in 1855, and there kept a boarding house; then coming to Bayfield, he kept the first hotel in the place; in 1867 he sold out and went to his trade, shoe-making; in 1870 he began his present business of hotel and a meat market with grocery store; in 1853 he married Miss Benson, of Michigan. They have five children -- Alice (now Mrs. Welcome), Albert, Julia, Hattie and Henry. The family attend the Catholic church.

CHAPMAN, JAMES, merchant, Bayfield, was born in Sault St. Marie, Mich., May 22, 1853. His parents moved from there to Mackinaw, and from there he attended Erie Academy in Erie, Pa. In the summer time he engaged on a revenue cutter, and went to school in the Winter. He came to the iron region on Lake Superior in 1849, locating at Marquette. He was one of the first settlers there. He took an iron claim for S. McKnight, and then worked at proving up. He was in Detroit in 1854, and had been at the treaty between the Chippewas on Lake Superior and Mississippi and the government. He returned to Marquette and remained until 1856, when he came to La Pointe. He came to Bayfield, and in 1861 was employed in the Indian Agency, and was Postmaster from 1856 to 1864. In 1871 he went into general merchandise business. In 1858, was elected the first Register of Deeds for Bayfield, holding office till 1868; has been Supervisor of town and county, and Deputy Collector of Customs. He attends the Episcopal Church.

CRUTTENDEN, COL. J.D., real estate, Bayfield, was born in Georgetown, D. C., March 2, 1822. He lived there till 1838, then moved to St. Louis, where he remained till 1846; then up the river to Prairie du Chien, Wis.; in 1849, to St. Paul, in the Indian trade, and afterwards formed a partnership with R. P. Russell at St. Anthony. He then went to Little Crowing, where he stayed until 1855, in the meantime representing this section in the Territorial Legislature, and then in the State House in 1857-8. He was appointed Register of United States Land-office in 1859 by President Buchanan. In February, 1861, he was made captain and assistant quartermaster; was promoted to colonel and insepctor of the quatermaster's department, and in 1865 was mustered out, and in 1869 came to Bayfield. He was elected Register of Deeds in 1872, which he has held since; also Town Clerk since 1874; has held deputies in town and school offices. In 1861 he married Miss Lucy F. Green, of Granville, Ohio. They have one child, H. Rice. They attend the Episcopal Church.

FISCHER, FRED, general store, Bayfield, was born in Hanover, Germany, Nov. 8, 1847; was brought an infant to America, landing in Baltimore in January of that year. He lived after that in St. Louis, and in 1867 went to Milwaukee, and afterward to Michigan. In 1869 he went to St. Paul; in 1873 came to Bayfield and opened a saloon. In 1879 he went into the fishing business and general merchandise. He has been on the town board for four years, and is now chairman of the Town and County Board, and is one of the Masonic fraternity. In 1873, he married Miss Elvina Topel, of Sheboygan County. They have four children -- Henry, Fred, Charlie and Alfena.

HOWLEY, J. PATRICK, boarding-house, Bayfield, was born in Kilkenny Co., Ireland, Nov. 1, 1823. He came to America in 1840, landed in New York, and went from there to Connecticut where he farmed and worked in a factory. In 1847 he took a trip to California, and stayed till 1861, when he enlisted in the 3d V. I. Co. I. He was mustered out in 1865, and from California he returned to Connecticut. In 1866 he went to Milwaukee where he was until 1870. In 1874 he reached Bayfield, and opened the Lake View House. In 1857 he married, but lost his wife, and in 1874 married Miss Bridget Shildah, of Ireland. He has been Constable from 1874 to 1877.

HAYWARD, A. C., Postmaster, Bayfield, was born in Buffalo, N. Y., March 8, 1828, where he lived until 1857, when he removed to Superior City, Wis., where he remained seven years, engaged in house building and acting as Assistant Postmaster. Coming to Bayfield in 1864, he engaged in the mercantile business. He was then appointed Postmaster and has held the position ever since. He has been Deputy Collector of Customs of the port of Bayfield, Clerk of Court, and has held position on the school board. In 1855 he married Miss Elizabeth Sutton, of New York. They have one child, a daughter, Mattie. Mr. Hayward is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

KNIGHT, COL. JOHN H., Bayfield. Was born near Dover in Kent Co., Del., on Feb. 3, 1836; was educated in New York at Charlotteville, Schoharie Co., and at Fairfield, Herkimer Co. Studied law three years under Hon. N. B. Smithers, at Dover, Del. Graduated at the law school Albany, N. Y., in 1859, and in same year was admitted to practice in Delaware law courts, and formed a partnership with Hon. George P. Fisher at Dover. When the war broke out he responded to the call of President Lincoln for the three months' troops and raised a company; was mustered in as first lieutenant, preferring the captaincy to go to one having some knowledge of tactics; served in his company until mustered out at the expiration of term of service; was immediately appointed assistant adjutant-general of volunteers and tendered a commission of captain in the regular army -- the latter was declined and the former accepted, and he was assigned to the staff of Brig. Gen. H. H. Lockwood, where he served until the Spring of 1862; meantime having accepted a captaincy in the regular army he was in April on his own request ordered to his regiment (18th U. S. I.), then serving under Gen. George H. Thomas at the siege of Corinth. Served with his regiment from that time in the Army of the Cumberland until January 1864, just after the battle of Mission Ridge, when he was ordered to Detroit, Mich., as mustering and disbursing officer. Shortly after entering upon this duty was appointed chief mustering officer and acting assistant provost marshal general of the State of Michigan, in which capacity supervised the re-organization of the Michigan regiments; execution of the draft laws and finally the disbandment of the Michigan regiments. He held the following commissions in addition to those above state: Colonel of 1st Del. C.; brevet major and lieutenant-colonel in the regular army. Participated in a number of engagements and battles during the war during the time of his field service, beginning with the first battle of Bull Run and ending with the battle of Mission Ridge. He was detached from his regiment during his service in the Army of the Cumberland at a number of times by Gen. Thomas for important duties. His health was completely broken down during the war, and has only recovered it during his residence in Wisconsin in the pure climate on the south shore of Lake Superior. He was relieved from duty at Detroit, Mich., in February, 1867, and remained on leave of absence until in October, same year, when he received orders and joined his regiment at Ft. Sanders, Wyoming Ter. In the spring of 1868, he commanded the troops assigned to protect locating and constructing parties of the Union Pacific Railroad between Ft. Sanders and Ft. Bridger, and established his headquarters in the western end of Bridger's Pass; was ordered to Camp Douglas, Salt Lake City, in November, 1868, and remained at that post until in April, 1869, he elected to be discharged from the army under the Act of Congress reducing the regiments in the regular army, and returned to his home at Wilmington, Del. Shortly afterwards, in May, 1869, was assigned by the President, agent for the Chippewa Indians of Lake Superior, and was ordered to Bayfield, Wis., whither he went and assumed the duties of Indian Agent, which he performed about one year and was relieved by the civil appointee. In the Fall of 1870, he resigned his commission in the regular army, and established his residence at Bayfield, Wis. In 1871, was appointed Register of the United States Land Office at Bayfield, and still retains that position. In 1863, was married to the eldest daughter of Levi G. Clark, of Wilmington, Del. She died on June 29, 1867, leaving one child, Eugenia B., who is still living. In 1874, he married a sister of his first wife, from which union he has four children -- Susan B., Clark M., Mary Emlen and Elizabeth K. He is a member of Oriental Lodge of Masons of Detroit, Mich., and of the Episcopal Church.

KNIGHT, ALONZO, book-keeper, Bayfield, was born in Kent Co., Del., April 13, 1854. He attended Mt. Vernon Grammar School in Philadelphia, then the High School, and finally went to Pierce's Business College. On leaving school, began keeping books. In 1878 he clerked in Philadelphia. In 1881 he came to Bayfield, arriving the 29th of May. He is engaged in keeping books for his brother, Col. John H. Knight. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and corresponds with his home paper, The Dover State Sentinel.

LEIHY, ERVIN, general store, Bayfield, was born in Oswego Co., N. Y., Oct. 12, 1822. His early life was passed on a farm, and at eighteen moved to Illinois. Later he bought a farm on Bad River and moved to it in 1846. In 1870 he moved to Bayfield, built his present residence and opened a store, and is engaged in clearing another farm on Sioux River, about eight miles from the village. In 1851 he married Miss Morrin, of La Pointe. Their children are -- Hannah (now Mrs. Newland), Eunice (now Mrs. Inglis), Eliza (now Mrs. Herbert), Charles, Charlotte (now Mrs. Boutin) and Phoebe. Mr. Leihy was member of Town and County Board for Ashland, while living on Bad River, and in 1871 and 1872 was Supervisor in Bayfield and is now on the Board. He has held other offices.

LEY, MRS. ANNA, general store, Bayfield, widow of Peter H. Ley, one of the pioneers of Bayfield. He was a native of Prussia, and died June 16, 1876. Mrs. Ley was born in county Clare, Ireland. Her maiden name was Sexton. She was married to P. H. Ley in 1854., in Detroit, Mich. In the Spring of 1856 they came to Bayfield and opened a store, and since 1857 have been in the same dwelling. They had one child, who died before its father. Mr. Ley during his life served as Supervisor, Register of Deeds, etc. They were both members of the Catholic Church.

MAHAN, SAMUEL E., real estate, Bayfield, was born in Terre Haute, Ind. 4, 1846; graduated in 1861 from the State University and began the study of medicine, taking one course of lectures at Ann Arobr, Mich. But his health not being favorable he went out to Kansas and entered mercantile life in Harvey County; then he took a homested in McPherson County, where he remained till 1873, when he came to Bayfield. In 1877-8 was County Clerk; is now secretary of the Telephone company of Ashland and Bayfield, and secretary of the Hydraulic Company of Bayfield, and has just closed his term as Indian Agent. In 1878 he married Miss Mary J. Boutin of Bayfield. They have had two children, Frances Edna and Lucille Eugenia, only one of whom is living. Mr. Mahan is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

NOURSE, J. H., merchant, Bayfield, the oldest son of Rev. James Nourse, was born in Washington, D. C., July, 1830. In 1853, just a few months before marriage, he was appointed by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, a teacher to Spencer Academy, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. Failing in health, returned with his wife to Washingotn late in the Fall of 1854. Bleeding from the lungs, in August, 1856, he visited Bayfield, and early in the Spring of 1857 brought his family to that healthy spot. In the Fall of 1858 took charge of a large hotel belonging to the Bayfield Land Co., called the Bayfield House, and since burned. Taught the public school from October, 1861 to June, 1864; was County Treasurer during the same time and Town Clerk from April, 1860, to 1864; Collector of the port in 1863 and 1864; Receiver of the U. S. Land-office from 1869 to May, 1871; has been in his present business since May, 1872; and from April of that year up to the present time (1881) annually elected Town Treasurer. His wife was Miss Isabel Rittenhouse, of Washington, D. C.; they have had eleven children, four deceased.

PIKE, CAPT. R. D., manufacturer, Bayfield, was born in Corcoran Co., Penn., April 13, 1838. He was taken to Toledo, Ohio, by his parents in 1845, and remained there, receiving the rudiments of an education . He came to Bayfield in 1855, but not having finished his education went to Detroit, Mich., and took a commercial course. In 1862 he enlisted in the 27th Mich. V. I.; was transferred to the 1st Cav. and at the battle of Appomattox he was promoted to captain, and after some service on the plains returned home in 1866 and commenced lumbering. At first he had a shingle mill, then a saw-mill, and finally has a mill that produces lumber, 40,000 of shingles, and 30,000 laths, and staves for fish barrels; he is also engaged in the real estate business. Capt. Pike has been Chairman of the County Board, Clerk of County Court, and filled other public offices. He became a member of the Masonic lodge in 1863 at Fort Howard.

ROBERTS, RUSSELL, saloon, Bayfield was born in Canada West, Aug. 21, 1838. He was reared on a farm, and on leaving home in 1857, he engaged in the same business in Walworth Co., Wis. In 1860 he moved to Grand Rapids, and began lumbering and working as pilot on the river. In 1872 he moved to the western part of the county upon a farm, where his family now is. He engaged in his present business in Bayfield in June, 1881. In 1861 he married Miss VanVaulkinburg, of Ohio. They have six children -- Julia, Jane, Fred. W., Frank, Mary A., William and Edna.

SMITH, CAPT. P. W., hotel, Bayfield, was born in Lowville, Lewis Co., N. Y., Aug. 24, 1827. When twenty years of age he went to sea in a whaler, and at Van Diemen's Land went on board of a merchant ship and returned to New York. In 1861 he raised Co. 9, N. Y. V. I.; resigned in May, 1862, on account of bad health, and came to Bayfield in the same year and opened a hotel, in which he has since continued. In the Fall of 1868, he went to Portage Lake; returned to Bayfield in 1869, and is now proprietor of the oldest hotel in the village. In 1856, he married Miss Sabina Sanders, of Toronto, Canada. They have two boys -- Frederick W., aged twenty-four and William J., twenty-one. Mr. Smith was appointed Sheriff in 1873, and elected in 1876; was Under-sheriff till January, 1880; has been Clerk of the Court, held town offices, and is now superintendent and director of the Hydraulic Co. of Bayfield, and a member of the Masonic lodge.

TATE, ANDREW, was born in the city of Washington, D. C., Aug. 23, 1823, and left that city on the 25th of April, 1857, and arrived at Bayfield 25th of May following. Opened a store and commenced reading law, and was admitted to practice in the County Court in 1858, and in the Circuit Court in 1861; was appointed County Judge in 1861; was elected District Attorney soon after; was the first School Superintendent in the county; was elected Clerk of Circuit Court, then County Treasurer; also County Treasurer in 1880; was elected Supervisor in 1881; joined the Masonic lodge in Washington, D. C., in 1856, and is one of the charter members of Bayfield lodge, No. 215; joined the Odd Fellows in 1844; is president of the Bayfield Hydraulic Company. He married Miss Nellie G. Hall, of Bayfield, formerly of Ohio in July, 1866. They have one child, Lillian.

WADE, B. B., District Attorney, Bayfield, was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., May 21, 1841. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1860, and was admitted to the bar in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1863. In 1864, he took a trip to Colorado, where he practiced and mined, returning to New York in 1868. His health was not good, and he was recommended to the climate of Lake Superior. He came to Bayfield in 1869, and has remained here since, engaged in real estate business. He was County Clerk, and elected District Attorney in Fall of 1880. Mr. Wade is lieutenant of the Bayfield Rifles.

WHITTLESEY, MRS. L. M. relict of Hon. A. Whittlesey, who was born in Ohio, is a native of Massachusetts. They were married in Peoria, Ill., and came to La Pointe in 1854, and from there went to Ashland, and helped lay out the village, living there till 1861, when he was appointed to the land-office and moved to Bayfield where they lived up to the time of his death, which occurred December, 1880. He had always endeavored to develop the resources of his adopted home, in which he recognized the capacity for a great and rich future. He held at one time a place in the Legislature of the State, traveling to Madison on snow-shoes. There is now in the capital a picture illustrating this incident. He was Indian Agent and Port Collector. He died, leaving a widow and one daughter. There were two children -- Delia E., now Mrs. Green, and Jennie, deceased. Mrs. Whittlesey's mother, Harriette M., and her father, J. P. T. Haskell, moved to Ashland in 1855; the latter died in 1875, but the mother is living in Chicago at the advanced age of seventy-two. Mrs. Whittlesey now lives on the property left her by her husband in Bayfield.