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Plainfield Biographical Sketches |
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SHERMAN BARDWELL, dealer in general merchandise, real estate and stock, PLainfield; first located at this place May 22, 1856, and began the mercantile business in 1862; he started the first printing office in the village in 1877, and built the first grain elevator in 1876, and started the first manufacturing interest in the place; he was born in Allegany Co., N.Y., Aug. 17, 1828, and came to Wisconsin at the age of twenty-six years; he was a member of our Legislature in 1872. He was married in Allegany Co., N.Y., April 22, 1856, to Roxana Swift, who was born in Avon, Genesee Co., N.Y; she died leaving one daughter - Charlotte M., now Mrs. George F. Fox, and living in Plainfield. Mr. B. was again married at the same place in New York to Esther Sherman; they had four children - Mary A., Frank D., Jay and Grace. Mrs. Bardwell died July 16, 1875; he was again married in March, 1876, to Alice H. La Selle, who was born in Swanton, Vt., Feb. 5, 1850.
WALTER W. BEACH, Deputy Sheriff of Waushara Co., Plainfield; was born in Chittenden, Vt., Oct. 3, 1823, and lived in that State until he was twenty-two years of age, then went into Canada with machinery for the first woolen factory ever operated in the eastern part; he remained about two years, then went to his native home and farmed two years, after which he came WEst and spent the winter of 1849 at Kingston, Green Lake Co.; the following spring he settled on what was then called Big Prairie, in Marquette Co.; he got a mail route established between Portage City and Stevens' Point, and named the first post office Oasis; he also followed farming and lumbering; in the fall of 1854, he went to the pineries, and in the spring of 1855, settled at Plainfield, since which he has followed farming and lumbering. He was elected Sheriff in the fall of 1858, and served one term; he was re-elected in the fall of 1876; he has done much to help the town, and to help make Plainfield the thriving village that it is; he was one of the leading spirits to induce the Wisconsin Central Railroad, running from Stevens' Point to Portage City, to build through the village; he was also one of the early pioneers, and took an active part in the organization of the township. He was married, Jan. 13, 1845, in Chittenden Co., N.C.; his wife's maiden name was Isabunds I. Dodge; she was born in Addison Co., Vt., Dec. 24, 1823; they had eight children - Lorinda T., (deceased); Clara B. (married to J.B. Mitchell, of MItchell Hotel, Plainfield, and she died July 19, 1881), Martha A. (now deceased), John T. (now United States Postal Clerk between Chicago and LaCrosse), Lucius W. (at Plainfield), Lotta J. (married to Dr. Frank P. Nourse, and living at Cable, Bayfield Co.), Lucy A. and Walter J. (living at home).
BISHOP B. BORDEN, dealer in drugs, groceries and fancy ware, PLainfield; settled in Plainfield in May, 1869, and followed farming three years; he then went, in company with Mr. G.W. Sheardown, in the drug, grocery, boot and shoe business in an old store house (moved from Campbell's Corners, in Plainfield, about twenty years ago); they continued in company about three years, but only a short time in the old store; Mr. B. then bought the entire interest, and has since conducted the business; he was born in Stueben Co., N.Y., Jan. 19, 1838. He was married in Tioga, Penn., in June, 1865; his wife's maiden name was Jennie E. Mitchell; she was born in Tioga Co., Penn., in October, 1843; they have three children - T. Ernest, Ella M. and Frank R. Mr. Borden enlisted in Co. F., Eleventh Regt. Penn. Cavalry, in August, 1861, and during the following winter he was mustered into the regimental band; served in that capacity until he was captured on the Wilson raid in June, 1864; he was confined in Andersonville Prison until the close of the war, and was mustered out at Annapolis in June, 1865.
JAMES BREEN, M.D., physician and surgeon, Plainfield; born in Holton, Me., Jan. 20, 1840; he attended the school in his village, and at the age of twelve years he went with his brother, JOhn Breen, to Washington, D.C., and lived until 1870; in 1865, he began the study of medicine, and afterwards attended the Georgetown University, and graduated from that institution in the class of 1870; he then went to Chicago, and there began the practice of medicine, which he followed until 1875; losing his health, he came to Wisconsin to recruit, and finally located at Plainfield, where he continued until 1879; in 1880, he went to California; also visited Oregon, W.T., Arizona and the Sandwich Islands; he remained in the WEstern World fifteen months. three months of which he spent on the Grand Round Reservation in Yam Hill Co., Oregon; he returned to Plainfield in 1881, and since then he has engaged in the practice of medicine. He was married in Stevens' Point, June 20, 1877, to Mary E. Moody, who was born in North Hampton, Mass., July 20, 1849.
CALEB GREENFIELD, proprietor of the Greenfield House, Plainfield, was born in Utica, N.Y., June 19, 1823. He emigrated to Wyocena, Wis., in 1857; he lived there three years, and followed blacksmithing, after which he moved to Plainfield, and followed the same trade until he enlisted, March 4, 1864, in Co. D, 37th W.V.I.; he served one year, and was discharged on account of a wound received in the battle of Petersburg, Va., after which he returned to Plainfield, and began farming. This he followed until 1874; then he kept a hotel two years, farmed one year, then he went to Wautoma, bought the Coon Hotel, kept it fifteen months, sold it, moved to Montello, and lived until fall of 1879. Then he returned to Plainfield, and bought his old stand, kept it one year, and bought the Plainfield House. He was married in Tompkins Co., N.Y., Aug. 23, 1842, to Lydia Cheney, who was born in New York, June 21, 1822; they have had four children, named Daniel W. Greenfield, JOhn W., Mary L., and Lydia J. (now deceased). Mrs. Greenfield died March 5, 1861. Mr. Greenfield was again married Sept. 19, 1870, to Mrs. Emily J. Baker; she was born in Wells, Penn., March 10, 1833. Mrs. G. formerly lived in Acton, Meeker Co., Minn., and her former husband, H. Baker, was massacred by the Indians, Aug. 17, 1862. Mrs. Greenfield made a very narrow escape with her two sons, David E. and William H., she falling in the cellar as one of the ladies was shot and fell against her. Her son, William H., is now living at Plainfield, and assisting in the hotel. Mrs. Greenfield settled in Plainfield first in June 1854.
ARTHUR B. KILBOURN, tinner and overseer in the hardware store of C.E. Storm, Plainfield, was born at Wautoma, Wis., Jan. 21, 1859. He lived there with his parents until he was twenty years of age, attending school, acquiring a business education. He came to Plainfiedl in 1879, and began business.
JEFFERSON B. MITCHELL, proprietor of the Mitchell House, PLainfield, was born in Tioga, Penn., March 31, 1837, and lived there until 1864 with his parents on a farm. He began clerking in a store at seventeen years of age, and remained in that capacity for his father, Thomas K. Mitchell, and others, about ten years. He came to Plainfield in 1864, where he lived about nine years engaged in the mercantile business. He was elected County Treasurer in 1872, and served one term. He went to Centralia afterward, and took charge of a dry goods store two years; then he engaged in the mercantile business for himslef for eighteen months; he then returned to Plainfield and engaged in the same business, and in buying grain, etc., in company with Mr. L.S. Walker, which was continued about three and a half years. In the srping of 1880, he began the erection of his hotel, a large brick building, and began business in it in December, 1880. He was married in Plainfield June 9, 1866, to Clara B. Beach, who was born in Canada West, June 16, 1847; they have had four children, named Charles M., Maude E., Guy W., and Thomas W. Mrs. Mitchell died July 19, 1881. Mr. Mitchell enlisted in Co. I, 1st W.H.A., Oct. 14, 1864, and was discharged Feb. 10, 1865.
GEORGE OCAIN, of the firm of Ocain & Williams, proprietors of steam grist mill, Plainfield. The capacity of the mill is sixty barrels of flour and twenty tons of feed per day. Mr. Ocain was born in Mitchell, Sheboygan Co., March 18, 1846; he lived there with his parents until he was eight years of age; they moved to Ripon, and from there to Saxeville, Waushara Co.; his father, I.H. Ocain, followed the milling business; George lived there until April, 1879, when he moved to Plainfield, and began milling. He was married at Pine River, Waushara Co., Aug. 13, 1871, to Rosa M. Skeel; she was born in Crawford Co., Penn.; they have four children - Willie and Eddie (deceased), Eddie and Lewis, at home. Mr. Ocain enlisted in Co. A, 16th W.V.I., Jan. 1, 1862, served about nine months, and was discharged at Madison, October, 1862, for physical disability.
G.W. SHEARDOWN, Postmaster, dealer in stationery, also keeps a collecting and exchange office, Plainfield; first settled in Plainfield, May, 1856; he clerked in a general store for Charles Mann about one year; he engaged in the mercantile trade, and continued until 1876 with Mr. B.B. Borden; he was appointed Postmaster in May, 1861, and has held the office ever since. He was born in Seneca Co., N.Y., April 17, 1822. He was married in Tioga, Penn., Jan. 31, 1849, to Mary E. Mitchell; she was born in Tioga, Penn., Dec. 11, 1827; they have one son, named Ward B., born June 23, 1858, and he is now employed at Stevens Point by the W.C.R.R. Co.