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

Londo, Orville one of the few surviving pioneers of the city of Tomahawk, Lincoln County, was born in the province of Quebec, Canada, March 11, 1861, of Canadian-French parentage. When he was nine years old, the family having lost all they had by fire, the father came to Wisconsin, found work in Wausau, and as soon as they had accumulated a little money, returned to Canada for his family. On his return with them they all located on a homestead in Marathon County, 11 miles from Wausau, which they began to develop, and though very poor and suffering many privations, in time they cleared up the place and found themselves the owners of a fairly good farm. There in time both parents died. Orville LONDO had but little schooling but from a very early age has been engaged in the active pursuits of life with the main object of making a living, which he has done practically since the age of 11 years, at which time he used to ride race horses. At 12 he hauled logs for his father with an ox team, and it was not long before he was contributing out of his earnings to the support of the family. On May 4, 1887, he was married at Duck Creek, near Green Bay, Wis., to Rose CORBEY, daughter of John L. and Delphine (ARSONBEAU) CORBEY, and who was born at Green Bay March 16, 1861. A few months laters, in July that year, he and his wife came to Tomahawk with a wagon and team, bringing their few personal belongings with them, and buckling down to hard work as pioneer settlers of the little village, which had just then been founded. It was on Bradley's first plat of the town, known as the "Forks" and three miles south of the present site of Tomahawk that they first located, residing for the first year in a small log shanty with a trough roof. It was a poor dwelling-place, especially in winter, as it was not storm-proof and leaked badly, so that icicles would even form on the stovepipe. It was there that their first child, Elroy, was born, without the assistance of a doctor or nurse, and soon after its birth it was found necessary to remove the mother and child to a more comfortable location. This child was born in February and during the following winter work was very scarce, but Mr. LONDO secured a job working for a lumber and mill many, for whom he hauled logs at the rate of $2.50 per 1000 feet, "finding" both himself and the team. It was small pay even for those days, and by the time he got the job he was entirely out of money and had to get supplies from the camp store on the strength of it. This was about all he got, for his employer, it seems, was also in embarrassed circumstances, and when spring came told him he could not pay him, but allowed him to take the remaining supplies in the store and such lumber as he might need to build a house. Those early years were very had ones for the family, but gradually times improved for them and Mr. LONDO finally became prosperous. Today he owns four large farms in this vicinity, three of which are occupied by renters, the other being operated by himself. He has fair sets of buildings on all the farms. The one he operates, which lies close to the city, is well stocked with dairy cattle and is well equipped with all necessary tools and machinery. He is also engaged in logging timber from his own lands, carrying on this work continually, and he owns a comfortable residence at No. 104 Soma Avenue, Tomahawk. Mr. LONDO was reared a Catholic and in politics has always been independent. He and his wife have been the parents of four children, Elroy A., Louis M., Josephine J., and George E., whose record is brief is as follows: Elroy A., born Feb. 26, 1888, is married and is now doing dental laboratory work in Chicago. Louis N., born Oct. 22, 1889, is living at home and is assisting his father in logging. He was the first child baptized among the members of St. Mary's Catholic Church, then a small congregation worshipping in the building now known as Foresters' Hall. Josephine J., born June 24, 1895, is a bookkeeper in the employ of Blum Bros., of Marshfield, Wis., where she resides. George E., born Sept. 8, 1896, is residing at home, and, like his brother Louis, is assisting his father in the latter's logging enterprises. Elroy and George were both in the United States service during the World War. Elroy, who entered the navy and trained at Great Lakes, was en route for France when the armistice was signed and the vessel turned back. George, who was in the ambulance corps of the army, went overseas and saw active service for 11 months in France.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 649-650; 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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