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 885

W. G. CLOUGH, Principal of the high school, was born
in Portage, May 20, 1853; son of Wm. R. and Mary A.
GOWEY CLOUGH; parents settled in Delavan, Wis., in
1846; afterward removed to Portage; father died Feb.
8, 1869; Mrs. C. is still a resident of Portage; Mr.
C. was educated in the public schools of Portage, and
also a graduate of the State University at Madison in
1875; taught district schools three winters prior to
entering the State University; afterward appointed
Assistant Principal of Portage High School, and held
the position one year; since that time has been
Principal in the same school.

ROBERT COCHRANE, miller and grain dealer, was born
April 25, 1822, in Westfield, Chautauqua Co., N.Y.;
his mill is in Westfield, Marquette Co., Wis., and his
residence is in Portage; in 1842, came west, and
remained nearly three years in Joliet, Ill.; about
1845, he, with three brothers, bought fully a thousand
acres of land, near Waupun, and farmed unitedly on a
large scale; in 1850, himself and two brothers went to
Marquette Co. and bought a large tract of land, and
laid out a village, which, in honor of his birthplace,
he named Westfield; there they erected a grist-mill
and saw-mill, and store and dwelling, and thus founded
the village.  He was married on the 12th of January
1859, to Miss Lucy R. EMERTON, of Ft. Winnebago; she
was born on the 21st of September 1838, in Columbia,
Coos Co., N.H.; during the war, the COCHRANE brothers
divided their respective interests, Mr. Robert C.
retaining the Westfield property; he also has a farm
in Dodge Co., besides the improvements at Westfield,
and a large brick residence in Portage.  One child
died in infancy, and four are living - Jennie E., Lula
A., R. Livingstone, and T. Harry.  Mr. C. has held
town and county offices, and was a member of
Legislature in 1863; is a member of the Odd Fellows
and of the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons; he votes
in local elections for the "best man," but in State
and National affairs is of decided Democratic
proclivities.  Mrs. C. is a Presbyterian; the family
are highly respected.

J. COLE was born in the town of Cherry Valley, Otsego
Co., NY., Nov. 15, 1815; worked in cotton mills in
Oneida Co. until nearly 21 years of age; then went to
Lockport, N.Y., and remained about three years;
returned to Rochester, and worked in the cotton-mills
for eighteen months; in the fall of 1839, removed to
Newton Falls, Ohio, residing there eleven years; he
subsequently resided in Painesville one year,
Cleveland one year, town of Bristol two years; Mr. C.
came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1854 and located at
Oconomowoc, residing afterward at Milwaukee and
Hartford; in the fall of 1858, was employed by
railroad company, as machinist, running stationary
engines, etc.; remained in their employ for twelve
years; in September 1871, engaged in flour and feed
business, and has continued in that business ever
since; he also deals in wooden pumps.  Mr. C. was
married in Rochester, N.Y., in the fall of 1839, to
Mary A. McDONALD, a native of Watertown, Jefferson
Co., N.Y.  Mr. and Mrs. COLE are both members of the
M. E. Church; Mr. C. is Steward, Recording Secretary
and Class Leader in the church.

Submitted by Carol