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

Vaughan, David H., county surveyor of Oneida County, who has also for a number of years been closely connected with the lumber business, was born in Saranac, Clinton County, N.Y., Nov. 17, 1842, son of Mr. and Mrs. Eliphalet H. VAUGHAN; the mother's maiden name was Mary Content Roberta DE LA FONTAINE. Both parents are now deceased. David H. VAUGHAN when four years old accompanied his parents to Dane County, Wisconsin, where he resided until 1854. The family then moved to Stevens Point, Portage County, where his education was continued in the public schools. At the age of 14 he took up surveying and lumber cruising with his father and subsequently followed that occupation until Aug. 14, 1862. He then enlisted in Company H. Third Wis. Cavalry as a private and served until the close of the war, being discharged at Benton Barracks, St. Louis in June, 1865. After his return home he for several years followed the profession of a surveyor and also became connected with the lumber industry, running fleets of lumber down the river from Mosinee to St. Louis. Afterwards for 14 years he operated a boom at Stevens Point and conducted a furniture store there, besides being interested in other business enterprises. He also served for awhile as sheriff of Portage County. In 1882 Mr. VAUGHAN came to Rhinelander, then a small hamlet, to look over the country, but owing to his various interests at Stevens Point, he returned to that place, where he remained until 1890. In that year he closed out his business there and coming to Oneida County, took a homestead near Tomahawk Lake , where he lived for two years. He then bought a dwellinghouse in Rhinelander, moving to the city in order that his children might have better educational advantages, while he, himself, took up his former occupation of surveyor and also worked to some extent at lumber scaling . He became so well known in the lumber business, and gained such a reputation as an expert that Governor RUSK appointed him state lumber inspector, and he has received appointment to the same office from each succeeding governor up to the present time. In 1897 Mr. VAUGHAN was elected county surveyor, in which position he is still actively serving, though now 80 years of age. His work as a surveyor has not been confined to Oneida County but has covered a number of other counties in the state. As a Free Mason Mr. VAUGHAN belongs to the lodge and chapter in Rhinelander, to which is membership was transferred from Stevens Point; also to the Commandery at Berlin, Wis. It was in Stevens Point that he was made a Knight Templar, becoming a charter member of Crusade Commandery, No. 17, there, and he is now the only living charter member of that commandery. For several years he was also a member of the local post of the G. A. R. and so remained until it disbanded. He is a member of the Episcopal Church. Mr. VAUGHN was married Dec. 26, 1870, to Jennie BRAWLEY of Stevens Point, Wis., in which city she was born March 29, 1851. Of this union there have been nine children, Mattie Edith, Lucile K., Virginia, David Lynn, Charles Brawley, Miles Bennett, Clayton Dorsey, J. Russell, and Donald Hugh.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 244 (with picture); 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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