BIOGRAPHIES:  John H. BUNKER, Turtle Lake, Barron Co., WI

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Submitted by:  Vic Gulickson <vic@indy.net>  24 February 2004
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John H. Bunker, vice-president of the Bank of Turtle Lake, and extensive
real estate dealer of Turtle Lake, was born at Franklin, Hancock County,
Maine, Sept. 21, 1863, son of Josiah G. and Susan (Trefether) Bunker, both
natives of that state. He was reared in Maine, and attended school there
until he was seventeen years old. Then he clerked in a general store at
Franklin for a year. In 1881 he came to Wisconsin, and with headquarters at
Rib Lake, in Taylor County, worked for John Kennedy, both in the woods and
in saw mills. From this employ he went to Janesville, Wis., where he
learned telegraphy. In 1882 he entered the employ of the Omaha as station
agent at Boardman. In 1884 he first came to Turtle Lake in the same
capacity. From here in 1885 he was transferred to Rhinelander, in this
state. But he had made many friends in Turtle Lake, and liked the prospects
here, so in 1886 he left railroad work, came back to Turtle Lake, and
entered the employ of the general store of F. C. Wickenburg. This building
was burned in 1887. Mr. Bunker then formed a partnership with Mr.
Wickenburg, and the two erected a new store. In 1900, L. M. Richardson
became a partner. In that year the three partners organized the Bank of
Turtle Lake, with Mr. Richardson as president, Mr. Bunker as
vice-president, and Francis G. McKinzie as cashier, in which position all
three have since remained. In addition to this, Mr. Bunker is extensively
engaged in the buying and selling, and also handling on commission, of all
kinds of city and rural improved and unimproved property, especially farm
lands. In public affairs he has served in such positions as chairman of the
township and president and treasurer of the village. He is a member of the
Blue Lodge and Chapter of the Masonic order, and also of the Odd Fellows.
In July, 1921, he was appointed temporary postmaster of Turtle Lake and is
now serving. Mr. Bunker was married at Osceola, Wis., Oct. 15, 1891, to
Kate Umland, daughter of George and Katherine (Harff) Umland, natives
respectively of Germany and St. Paul, Minn., and both now deceased. There
was one other child in the family, Henrietta, the wife of L. M. Chinnock of
Riceville, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Bunker have had four children: George H.,
Addie L., Edith and Susan, an infant. George H. is engaged in the hardware
business in Turtle Lake. Addie L. is attending the University of Wisconsin.
Edith died at the age of six years. Josiah G. Bunker was born in Maine and
as a youth became a carpenter, working at general construction work and in
building men-of-war. He owned a farm to which he devoted considerable time,
and he also worked in logging camps and on river drives. After the timber
had began to diminish he entered a store in Franklin, Hancock County,
Maine, as clerk. He was soon promoted to manager, and remained in that
capacity some thirty years. He died in 1917. His wife is still living in
that state, at the age of 83 years. In the family there were six children:
Emma, Alice, Kate, John H., Theodore and Edith. Emma is the wife of Harry
Spring, of Skowhegan, Maine. Alice has been employed for over a quarter of
a century in the pension department at Washington. Kate is single and looks
after her mother. John H. is a banker and real estate man of Turtle Lake,
Wis. Theodore died in St. Paul in 1910 and Edith died at the age of nine
years.

--Transcribed from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper,
Jr., & Co., 1922, pp. 169-170.


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