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
893-894

WILLIAM M. DAVIE, machinist, was born 1820, in State
of New Jersey; served his apprenticeship as machinist,
in New York City; from age of 12 to 18, was a
seafarer, and made several voyages as a "whaler."  He
was married in 1846 to Miss Mary L. VAN SANDS, of New
Jersey.  He has been connected with the N.Y.C. and the
N.Y. & N.H. R.R.s; he came West in 1854 and was master
mechanic on the C. & M. R.R.; this was the second
railroad built in the State; in 1873 he settled in
Portage, where he still resides; has worked for many
different railroads, but is now in the employ of C.M.
& St. P. as machinist.  Has three children - Mary E.,
William C. and Winnefred E.; his daughter is now wife
of T. T. RHODES, and resides in Kansas.  Owns a
pleasant residence next to the "little brown church on
the corner," situated on Wisconsin street; he is a
natural mechanic and a genial citizen.

Page 894

MORTON E. DAVIS, freight conductor on the St. P. R.R.,
was born in Madison Co., N.Y., in 1848; came West in
1856 and  lived three years in Walworth Co., Wis.; in
1859, moved to Hardin Co., Iowa; his father was a
real-estate speculator; in 1860, he made Beloit his
home; spent nearly four years in Milton College, and
graduated therefrom in 1864; in 1867 and 1868, he
tried the business of buying, training and selling
horses; for the work he has taste and ability - seldom
misjudges the capabilities of a horse.  In 1868, he
married Miss Euphremia L. VINCENT, daughter of
Christopher VINCENT, of Rock County.  He tried the
livery business first in Edgerton, and then in
Chicago; the fearful epizootic in 1873 found him at
609 and 611 Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, in livery,
with large stock of fine horses, the result was
bankruptcy; his railroad life began as brakeman in the
fall of 1874, on the Wisconsin Division of the C. &
N.; this he continued till the fall of 1875, when he
tried his hand at the horse business again; bought
some fine Kentucky stock and trained them, and did
well, until a mishap, in September 1876, set him back
again; then immediately went to braking again on Sept.
15, 1876, for the C.M. & St. P. R.R., and after one
years' experience, was given charge of the same train,
which he still retains; no accident has ever happened
to his train; he has had even another "horse
experience;" in 1865, he had a first-class training
stable at Milton, Wis.; had seventeen horses in
charge, and all of them "fast;" with the best of
these, he made the eastern circuit two seasons; his
affliction this time was that of having "too much
partner;" he is now confining his attention to the
"iron horse;" has three children - Minnie E., born in
1872; Jesse M. in 1875, and Susie Burdick, called
"Birdie," born in 1878; his parents live with him; Mr.
DAVIS is an Ancient, Free & Accepted Mason and a
Knight of Pythias; although a thoroughbred horseman,
he was never intoxicated; is devoted to his family,
but has a lingering love for the "horse;" is social,
popular and respected.

CHAS. L. DERING.  The subject of this sketch was born
in Sunbury, Penn., Dec. 3, 1836, and came to Wisconsin
the spring of 1849, locating at New Diggings, La
Fayette Co.; lived there until the fall of 1863; is
the son of Charles and Maria M. DERING; his mother
died at New Diggings in 1859, and his father died in
Texas in 1875; the year 1863 he came with his father
to Columbus, this county; April 19, 1861, Chas. L.
enlisted in Co. I, 3d W.V.I., at Shullsburg, entering
the service as a private; was first Color Sergeant of
his regiment, and afterward Sergeant Major; then
promoted to 2d Lieutenant of Co. I; again promoted to
1st Lieutenant, and mustered out as 1st Lieutenant of
Co. B, July 24, 1863; was in all the battles his
regiment participated in, until he was wounded at the
battle of Cedar Mountain, Aug. 9, 1862; Mr. DERING was
educated at Platteville Academy, Wis., graduating from
that institution in 1855; also spent one year at
Hobart College, Geneva, N.Y., and on account of ill
health was obliged to leave college before completing
his course; had taught school several terms before
entering college, and one term afterward; then
commenced the study of law in Shullsburg, in the
spring of 1858, and admitted to the bar in the fall of
1859; engaged in the practice of his profession, at
Columbus, with Gerry W. HAZLETON, and remained with
him twelve years; in 1875 dissolved partnership; in
November 1878, in connection with Mr. SMITH, purchased
the abstract business of ALVERSON & YULE, and
continued his practice in Columbus until the spring of
1879; still continues to practice here; also engaged
in abstract and insurance business; was U. S.
Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue from 1864 to
1866; was Village Clerk from the organization of
Columbus, in 1864, to the time of city incorporation;
then served one year as City Clerk; Supervisor of
Second War one term; afterward, Supervisor from Third
Ward one term; winter of 1867, was Assistant Sergeant-
at-Arms of State Senate; member of School board four
years before the city incorporation; three years
member of Board of Education; elected to State Senate
in the fall of 1878.  Mr. DERING was married at
Waterford, Erie Co., Penn., Oct. 7, 1874, to S. Ada
MAXWELL; she was born in Chenango Co., N.Y.; have two
children - Jesse G. and Irma.

Submitted by Carol