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

Parker, Ira John engineer for the Tomahawk Pulp & Paper Co., at Tomahawk, Lincoln County, was born on a farm in Waushara County, Wisconsin, Dec. 14, 1861, son of A. R. and Sarah E. PARKER. The father, a native of Vermont, was the son of Ira PARKER, a miller who operated a grist mill in that state and who came to Wisconsin in the early 40's, settling at Oshkosh, or close to the site of that city, where he engaged in farming. At that time A. R. PARKER, father of the subject of this sketch, was a young man. Subsequently the family moved to Waushara County, where Ira PARKER took a government homestead which he farmed until his death in 1864. A. R. PARKER, who accompanied his parents to Waushara County, remained with them on the farm there and after his father's death bought the interests of the other heirs, conducting it himself until about 1893, when he and his wife moved to Berlin, Wis., where they now reside. He is a Civil war veteran, having enlisted in the Wisconsin regiment in 1863 and served until the close of the war, taking part in numerous engagements and skirmishes. His wife Sarah was born in New York State. They have had three children: Jane, who married George JENNINGS and is now a widow residing with her parents; Ira J. of Tomahawk; and Edward of Spring Lake, Wis. Ira John PARKER attended school in Waushara and worked on his parents farm until 1885, when he gave up agricultural pursuits and took up stationary engineering, which he has since followed. In 1891 he came to Tomahawk and ran an engine in the Bradley sawmill. He also operated the engine of the Bradley tug boat on the Wisconsin River and the Bradley famous boat train. Afterwards he was with the Crane Lumber Co. as engineer and from there went to the Tomahawk Pulp & Paper Co. for C. B. PRIDE as engineer, and he has now been with that concern for 18 years. He was also for one year formerly engineer in the city waterworks of Tomahawk. He belongs to the fraternal order of Woodmen of the World. Mr. PARKER was married in Waushara County, Wis., in 1886 to Mary L. SHELDON, daughter of Palmer and Lucy (CORSE) SHELDON, her parents being natives of New York State who settled and farmed in Waushara County, but are now both deceased, the mother having died Jan. 31, 1922, at Wautoma, Wis. The father, who died Dec. 3, at Wautoma, Wis., was a Civil War veteran, having served in the 52d Wisconsin Regiment. Mr. and Mrs. PARKER are the parents of three children, Ira Sheldon, Lutie Jane and Robert Albro, of whom the following is a further record. Ira Sheldon PARKER was born at Cadott, Chippewa County, Wis., on June 20, 1887. He moved with his parents to Tomahawk, Wis., when three years old, subsequently attended the graded school there and was graduated from the high school in 1904. For two years he worked in the Bradley Bank of Tomahawk. He then attended Ripon College at Ripon, Wis., was graduated there in 1910, and for a year and a half subsequently was engaged in teaching history and economics. He was then appointed first income assessor of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas counties and held that office for five years. In 1916-17 he attended law school at the University of Wisconsin, and in 1918 he was appointed income assessor of Marathon County, a position that he held for three years. Then he accepted a position with the Great Northern Inc. Company of Wausau, Wis., which in January, 1922, sold out to a Chicago Company, though still retaining the name of the Great Northern Inc. Company. He went with it to Chicago and is now its assistance secretary. Lutie Jane PARKER, born in Tomahawk, Aug. 27, 1895, attended the grade and high schools of the city, being graduated from the latter in 1912. In 1917 she was graduated from Ripon College; during the two following years she taught history and English in the high school at Wausaukee, Wis., and in 1920 and 1921 in the high school at Tomahawk. She was married July 14, 1921, to Willis OSBORNE, editor of the Tomahawk Leader. Robert Albro PARKER was born in Tomahawk, Wis., July 16, 1897. He attended the graded and high schools of Tomahawk and was graduated from the high school in 1916. In 1917 and 1918 he was a student at Ripon College, but in October of the latter year he enlisted in the United States service and was sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where he had training in a replacement camp. He was all ready to go overseas when the armistice was signed, and he was honorably discharged Dec. 30, 1918. During the years 1920 and 1921 he attended River Falls Normal School at River Falls, Wis., where he was graduated June 8, 1921. He is now teaching at Seneca, Wis., where he has been principal for two years.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 685-686; 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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