History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Larsen, Lewis who holds a responsible position with the Rhinelander Lumber & Coal Co., and who is a veteran in the lumber industry, was born in Waupaca County, Wis., Dec. 13, 1855, son of Ole and Gurina (BENSON) LARSEN. The parents, natives of Norway, came to America as young people, the mother crossing on a sailing vessel and reaching this country after a voyage of 16 weeks. The early occupation of the father was that of a deep sea sailor and he also sailed several years on the Great Lakes after coming to this country. After his marriage to Gurina BENSON he bought a tract of government land in Waupaca County, Wis., which had been purchased from the Indians, and in the early spring of 1856 he built a small house on it, into which he and his wife moved before it was fully completed. He then began to improve the property, a task in which he was interrupted some years later by the outbreak of the Civil War, as finding it hard during war times to make a living on the place, in 1863 he followed the example of others and became a soldier, enlisting in Co. C, 44th Vol. Inf., from Iola, Wis. With that organization he served until the close of the war, when being honorably discharged, he returned home and resumed the task of developing his farm, in which he was ultimately successful. In February, 1878, he suffered a bereavement in the death of his wife. They had been the parents of nine children, namely: Lewis of Rhinelander; Anna, who married E. R. ERICKSON, she and her husband being now deceased; Bennett, who is at the head of the Larsen Machine Shop in Rhinelander; Nettie, now Mrs. Hans LIEN of Iola, Wis.; Martin, deceased; Ole, of Iola; Theresa (first), who died in infancy; Theresa (second), now Mrs. Ole LIEN of Iola; and Gusta, who is the wife of Knute THOMPSON of Iola. Lewis LARSEN as a boy attended public school in Iola, Wis. At the age of 17 he began working in lumber camps on the Wolf river and was later amployed on the Eau Claire River near Wausau. In 1886 he came to Rhinelander, Oneida County and for four and a half years was in the employ of Brown Bros. as foreman, also being in charge of the retail selling department. In December, 1900, he took a homestead of 140 acres in what is now the town of Newbold, though it was then in the town of Pelican, and, having built a shack, began his residence there. A few days later, however, he found that six other men--George LYONS, Vic LANGLEY, William TAYLOR, A. L. FRASIER, a Mr. LONGTINE and John BOLEAU--also held claims to the land, and in order to avoid law expenses, he bought the claims of five of the men and relinquished his right in 40 acres to the other one. The other 100 acres he kept and still owns. He lived on the property for about ten years, during which time he cleared up 15 acres, but for a great part of the time he was working in Rhinelander as yard man for the lumber concern of Queal & Co., and in other capacities. In 1908 he entered the employ of the Rhinelander Lumber & Coal Co., as yard foreman, also making some of the retail sales and he has since remained with the same company. He was treasurer of the town of Pelican for two years and of the town of Newbold for one year. In 1903 he built his dwelling-house in Rhinelander, at the corner of Alban and Edgar streets. Mr. LARSEN was married Oct. 14, 1883, at Wausau, Wis., to Helen OSBORN, who was born at Athens, N.Y., May 26, 1859. The fruit of this union is a son, Richard E., who was born June 22, 1889, was educated in the common and high schools of Rhinelander and the Ferris Institute at Big Rapids, Mich., and who is now sales manager for the Rhinelander Lumber & Coal Co. He married Mattie MCLAUGHLLIN, of Rhinelander, and has one child, James A., born March 14, 1921, the family home being at 84 Margaret Street. Richard A. LARSEN is a Mason belonging to the local lodge, and the LARSEN family attend the Congregational Church.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 344-345 (with pictures), History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co

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