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
892-893

GEORGE CURTIS, JR., attorney was born in Brecksville,
Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, Dec. 18, 1851; followed the
business of farming and teaching school until November
1876, when he began the study of law at Madison, Wis. 
Mr. CURTIS has been in the practice of his profession
at Portage since July 1, 1877.  He married at Lindina,
Juneau Co., Wis., Dec. 24, 1876, to Alyeia M. M.
GREGORY, daughter of Ezra and Martha GREGORY, now
residents of Glendale, Monroe Co., Wis.  Mr. and Mrs.
CURTIS have two children - George G., born May 1878,
and an infant son, born in February 1880.  Mr. CURTIS
was elected Justice of the Peace in April 1880.

Page 893

HENRY HALE CURTIS, attorney at law, was born at
Brecksville, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, Dec. 15, 1848;
removed from there with his parents, George and
Elizabeth CURTIS, in 1856, to Mauston, Juneau Co.,
Wis., where they still reside.  In 1875, he entered
the law office of WINSOR & VEEDER, at Mauston.  Mr. C.
followed farming and school teaching; in 1867, he
entered the Law Department of the State University at
Madison, from which he graduated in the class of 1870,
and in July of that year came to Portage and began the
practice of law; while in Juneau Co., Mr. C. was Court
Commissioner, Justice of the Peace, Town Clerk and the
incumbent of other local offices.  He was married at
Lemonweir, Juneau Co., Oct. 11, 1871, to M. E.
daughter of John McNOWN, who was killed at the battle
of Shiloh; they have three children - Alfred S., born
September 1871; Norman P., born February 1875, and
Nathan, born December 1877.

DANIEL J. DALTON was born in the town of Springvale,
Columbia Co., Wis., August 14, 1853; son of Thomas J.
and Mary A. DALTON, residents of Juneau Co., Wis.;
entered Mauston High school at the age of 17;
afterward attended the commercial college and State
University at Madison; began teaching school winters
at the age of 18; studied law while teaching, and
afterward read law with J. B. TAYLER, and was admitted
to the bar in May 1879.  Mr. D. began practicing law
in Portage in August 1879; he is also in the insurance
business; he is a member of the Guppey Guards, and
attorney for the company.

JOHN R. DALTON was born at York, England, in January
1835, came to America in 1849, locating at Buffalo,
N.Y., for six months, after which he settled at
Milwaukee, where he resided until 1854.  In Milwaukee
Mr. D. attended school and learned his trade, that of
a mason.  In 1854 he came to Portage, which has since
been his home.  He was married in Portage to Emily
ELLIS, born in England; they have two children living
- Reginald G. and George C.  Mr. D. is a member of the
lodge of A.F. & A.M.  They have lost one infant child.

HENRY J. DARTON, freight engineer, C.M. & St. P. R.
R.; born September 1852, at Hartford, Wis.; his father
was one of the earliest settlers of Hartford, his
nearest neighbors then being nine miles distant; began
railroad life in the summer of 1869 as fireman on C.M.
& St. P. R. R., and was promoted to charge of engine
in August, 1876, and has "run" continuously to date.
Was married July 21, 1878 to Miss Alice DEAN, a niece
of R. E. McMILLAN, a leading lumberman of Oshkosh,
Wis.; they have one son - Harry Irving, born Jan. 4,
1880.  On the 27th of April 1879, he was seriously
injured by an exploding torpedo on the track, near
which he was standing.  A fragment of the shell is
still in the wounded leg.  His run is on the Northern
Division.  He is well spoken of by "the boys."

JOHN B. DASSI was born in Lombardy, Italy, Feb. 11,
1825; emigrated to Germany in 1840, and to America in
1850; located in Milwaukee, and engaged in peddling
two years; removed to Portage, Nov. 6, 1854, having
purchased property here in 1851; erected a residence
in 1856; returned to Milwaukee in 1863, and engaged in
clerking until 1869; removed to Portage, and, in 1870,
engaged in present business.  He was elected Justice
of the Peace from 1876 to 1880; Alderman, from 1871 to
1878; member of and organized the Leiderkranz Singing
Society; was President of that society, and is now
Secretary; was connected with the I.O.O.F. from 1856
to 1873.  Mr. D. was married in Milwaukee Nov. 15,
1852, to Barbara DOFMEYER, a native of Bavaria, born
Feb. 2, 1835; came with her parents to America in
1847.  Mr. and Mrs. DASSI are members of the Irish
Catholic Church.  Mr. D. was organist of St. Mary's
Catholic Church.

WILLIAM W. DATES.  The subject of this sketch was born
in the town of York, Racine Co, Wis., April 19, 1845;
is the son of Abram and Polly C. DATES, who were early
settlers of Racine Co.; they moved to the town of Ft.
Winnebago, Columbia Co. in 1852; the father died in
October 1875, and his mother still lives on the
homestead.  William W.'s life was passed on a farm
until he came to Portage in October 1877, when he
engaged in the flour and feed business, which business
he still continues; also is one of the proprietors of
the DATES' Flouring Mill, water and steam combined;
owns a farm of 75 acres in Marcellon; he and his
brother, George D., own the old homestead; George D.
and William W., with their mother own the mill.
Married Lizzie JONES in the town of Ft. Winnebago,
December 1876; they have two sons - George E. and
Fred.

Submitted by Carol