Biographies from The History of Columbia County,
Wisconsin, 1880 


Contributed by Carol carolann612@charter.net
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

From The History of Columbia County, Wisconsin, 1880,
publ. by Western Historical Company, Chicago, Page
876-877

JOHN ARTHUR was born in County Radnor, Wales, in
November 1821; came to America in 1845; lived in New
Jersey until 1851; worked for a hosiery manufacturing
company at New Brunswick, in that State; in 1851, Mr.
A. came to Wisconsin, but returned to New Jersey for
five years after 1853; came to Portage in 1858, and
began dealing in furs, hides, wool, etc., with Evan
ARTHUR and Samuel BROWN.  Mr. BROWN retired from the
business in 1867.

EVAN ARTHUR was born in County Radnor, Wales in 1824;
came to America in 1851 and settled first in New
Jersey; in 1854 he began tanning and dealing in hides
with Samuel BROWN; John ARTHUR became a partner in
1858 in this business.  He was married at Milwaukee,
in 1863, to Elizabeth F. REMINGTON, a native of New
York state; they have four children - Evan R., Willie
J., Grace and Nellie; Mr. ARTHUR's mother died at Ft.
Winnebago, after living there about one year; father,
John, died at Portage in November 1862; his sisters
were Mary, now Mrs. H. H. BEANOR, of Canada; Ann, Mrs.
Samuel BROWN, who died in Milwaukee in 1872 or 1873;
Sarah, a resident of Portage; and Elizabeth, now Mrs.
O. J. THOMAS, residing near Pewaukee, Wis.

CHARLES P. AUSTIN was born at Hamburg, Erie Co., N.Y.,
Jan. 5, 1836; when he was a child, his parents moved
to Ohio, came to Wisconsin in the spring of 1845;
located at Janesville until 1850, when he came to
Portage; Betsey AUSTIN, his mother, died in Dodge Co.,
Wis., and his father, James AUSTIN, died at Portage;
Mr. AUSTIN began clerking for John GATES, with whom he
continued until enlisting in April 1861 in Co. G, 2d
W.V.I.; participated in the following battles:
Blackman's Ford, Va., First Bull Run, Gainesville,
Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Gettysburg, and
Spottsylvania; he was wounded in the left foot at the
battle of Gainesville, Aug. 26, 1862, for a long time
disabled, and while on the skirmish line, the fifth
day of the fight, at Spottsylvania, he was wounded in
his left hip; this wound rendered him unfit for duty
up to the time of his discharge; after leaving the
army, he returned to Portage and again entered the
store of Mr. GATES, with whom he had been prior to
entering the service; in 1868, he commenced business
for himself, the firm being AUSTIN & CAMPBELL; at the
expiration of one year, John GATES purchased Mr.
CAMBPELL's interest and Mr. G. continued in business
until the time of his death; Mr. AUSTIN was appointed
Postmaster in 1870; served in that position until
December 1874; since that time he has been with
LOOMIS, GALLETT & BREEESE, as salesman.  He was
married at Kilbourn City, Wis., Sept. 17, 1867, to
Mary J. CAMPBELL; she was born at Carlisle, England,
Aug. 19, 1847; they have four children - Euphenes M.,
George G., Martha A. and Nellie May.  Mr. A. is a
member of the A.F. & A.M. Lodge and of the
Presbyterian Church.

Submitted by Carol