Commemorative Biographical Record of the Upper Wisconsin counties of Waupaca, Portage, Wood, Marathon, Lincoln, Oneida, Vilas, Langlade and Shawano, containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of many of the Early Settled Families.

Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co 1895
Copied & transcribed by our dear friend, Elaine O’ Leary 
 

Pages 28 - 30

DANIEL HAIGHT PULCIFER, than whom there is no one better known throughout the entire State of Wisconsin, in both public and private life, is a man of whom the city and county of Shawano may well feel proud. 

He is a native of Vermont, born at Vergennes, Addison county, November 16, 1834, and comes of a sturdy race, for the most part farmers who live by honest toil in the valleys of the Green Mountains.  His father, John Pulcifer, a ship carpenter by trade, and a native of New York State, married Mary Haight, who was of the same nativity, and they had a family of thirteen children, six of them being sons — of whom the following reached maturity: Daniel H., subject of sketch; Edwin D., a wealthy farmer of Plainview, Pierce Co., Neb., where he is prominent in local politics as a stanch Republican; and Jane E., Mrs. Charles Connely, of Syracuse, N. Y.; Mary E., Mrs. Dennis Darling, of near Syracuse, N. Y.; Martha E., Mrs. William H. Wright, of Syracuse, N. Y.; Bertha, Mrs. David Jones of Shawano, Wis.; and Dora R., Mrs. Parmalee W. Ackerman, of Shawano, Wisconsin. 

Owing to an unfortunate infirmity, the father of this large family was unable to wholly support them, and as a consequence much fell upon the shoulders of the eldest son, our subject, who for some years was the mainstay of the family, the entire support, in fact; but he was equal to the task, as the spirit of determination and resoluteness, which has so forcibly characterized his entire after life, was a dominant feature in his boyhood years.   Thus it can be readily understood how it was that his education was so limited that at the age of twenty he could read with great difficulty, and write not at all, much of what he did know having been gained by practical experience in a country printing office which he entered as an apprentice at the age of fourteen years, at Whitehall, N. Y., and where he had to do all the chores that usually fall to the lot of a happy printer's “devil.”  In 1855, at the age of twenty-one years, he migrated to Wisconsin, locating at Oasis, Waushara county; but in February, 1865, he removed to Shawano, where his energy, honesty and genial temperament soon made him one of the popular citizens of that new section. In the meantime he had some more newspaper-office experience, where he had little difficulty in appreciating the necessity .of improving what little education he had, and, with all the energy of a strong physical and mental constitution, he proceeded with a fixed determination, not only to learn but, even to excel, if possible. In the spring of 1858 he made a bold dash into the arena of journalism by starting, at Pine River, Wis., the Pine River Argus, which soon afterward was merged into the Waushara County Argus, the plant being removed to Wautoma, where Mr. Pulcifer succeeded, by ingenuity and finessing, in securing the county printing, taking it out of the hands of another office, and this proved a source of considerable profit to him. Later he sold out the Argus, and became editor of the Plover Tidies, at Plover, Portage county; still later he be-came editor and proprietor of the Columbus Republican, at Columbus, Wis., so continuing until in 1863 he became connected with the Commonwealth, at Fond du Lac (daily and weekly), as local editor. Severing his connection with this journal in February, 1865, Mr. Pulcifer came, as already related, to Shawano (his family following him a few days later), to take charge of the Journal, a thriving newspaper of that city, with which he was connected some time. In 1889 he became a member of the present firm of Kuckuk & Pulcifer, general merchants, Shawano.

Our subject filled various offices, among them those of clerk of the court, sheriff and Deputy U. S. marshal, and served three terms as mayor of the city of Shawano. In 1866 he was elected to represent the District of which Shawano county formed a part in the Assembly, and was again chosen in 1878, each time by an unusual majority. He was also sergeant-at-arms of the Assembly in 1880. As a legislator he was practical and influential. His firm convictions, clear perception, and affable, though brusque, manner made him a universal favorite with members of both political parties. He compiled the Blue Book for 1879, and did it as well as it had ever been done before or has been since.  In 1882 he was appointed, by Postmaster general Howe, post office inspector; and he was regarded as one of the shrewdest and most valuable officials in that most difficult branch of the service. Reminiscences of his experience would make an interesting volume, and thousands of post Offices were subject to his examination. Among those agencies of Uncle Sam he was noted for his patient kindness in giving instruction and counsel to the inexperienced, and in meting out justice fearlessly in cases of dishonesty or willful negligence. Patience, shrewdness, industry and cool judgment are requisites of a successful inspector, and few officials possess these qualities in a greater degree than did Mr. Pulcifer. He was continuously retained in his position in spite of political changes, serving as inspector under Postmaster general Howe, Gen. Gresham, Frank Hatton, William F. Vilas, Don E. Dickinson, John Wanamaker and W. S. Bissell, under all of which administrations he was never once censured for failing to do the work assigned to him. His duties in the capacity of post office inspector took him into thirty other States and Territories, and his labors in Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Virginia and other Southern States gave him a rare opportunity to acquaint himself with the customs and habits of the people of those sections; and his after conversations about them and their ways were regarded by his friends as being "as entertaining as a lecture."  As sheriff he was known for his utter fearlessness in the discharge of his duty. On several occasions he arrested parties who drew revolvers and knives on him, but Sheriff Pulcifer was always quick and strong enough to arrest his man without serious injury, although he was wounded on one occasion, necessitating a painful and dangerous surgical operation. 

On July 6, 1856, Mr. Pulcifer was married at Oasis, Waushara Co., Wis., to Miss Anna E. Wright, a native of New York State, born May 26, 1840, whence when a girl, she accompanied her parents, Orvil and Emily Wright, to Wisconsin, their first new western home being made at Kenosha. Mr. Wright was a well-to-do farmer, who drove his own team all the way from New York State to Wisconsin.  To Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Pulcifer were born children as follows: Orvil W., who was a farmer in South Dakota dying there at the age of twenty-seven years; John H., a prosperous merchant of Shawano, who married Laura E. McLaughlin, at White Lake, S. D., in 1885; Charles, deceased in infancy, and Mary E., now Mrs. Anton Kuckuk, of Shawano. In his political preferences Mr. Pulcifer has always been a stanch Republican since the organization of that party, and he was the first man, in the Republican State Convention of 1880, to vote for Gen. Grant (as a delegate from the First Senatorial District). During the Harrison Convention of 1892, held at Minneapolis, he was appointed messenger, duties of importance and secrecy connected with the Convention being en-trusted to him.  It is a notable fact that he was never beaten as a candidate for office, and that he always ran largely ahead of his ticket. Few men have done more effective work for their party; but in the performance of official duties he knew no party, no friend, no enemy — he simply did his duty, and always did it well. Socially Mr. Pulcifer is a Freemason, and was instrumental in establishing a Lodge of that Fraternity at Shawano.  He has always been a total abstainer, and has taken a more or less active part in the temperance cause, for several years past having been a prominent member of the Temple of Honor in Wisconsin, in which Order he in 1883-84 was grand chief templar of the State.

Mr. Pulcifer owns one of the finest private collections of minerals, curios, etc., to be found in the State, many of which are of much value; and besides what he has in his own cabinet he has presented many interesting specimens to the Wisconsin State Historical Society and to Lawrence University, Appleton.  His collection is the result of fifteen years research throughout the several States he has visited, and to give an idea as to its value it may be further mentioned that Mr. Pulcifer carries an insurance on it of $500.00. He has amassed considerable property, owns a pleasant home in Shawano, with large, fine, well-kept lawn, shaded with pines and oaks. The village of Pulcifer, in Green Valley township, Shawano county, was named in his honor. Such is a brief sketch of one of Wisconsin's typical self-made men and representative successful business citizens, one possessed of much natural ability, supported by a due allowance of courage, acumen and, perhaps best of all, sound judgment in all his acts, and to be relied upon as a friend under all circumstances.