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 913

ESTHER F. MARSH, widow of Darius MARSH, a former
physician in Portage; she was born on the 2d of August
1802, in the town of Brookfield, Otsego Co., N.Y.; her
deceased husband was born on the 25th of December
1798, in Litchfield, Conn.; on the 1st of April 1815,
when a mere lad, he enlisted as bugler, in the United
States Army, and he served until his honorable
discharge, on the 1st of March 1819; Mrs. MARSH's
grandfathers, on both sides were Revolutionary
soldiers, and of the old English Puritan Stock.  They
were married Feb. 1, 1820, in Broome Co., N.Y.  He was
educated as physician and practiced the healing art
several years in the East; came West in 1846, and
settled in Galesburg, Knox Co., Ill., where he
practiced his profession; after residing in other
places in Illinois, he came to Columbia Co. in 1856,
and located at Ft. Winnebago, near Portage; in 1861,
he enlisted in Capt. COFFLIN's company, to try the
fate of a second war; he was honorably discharged in
April 1862, because of injuries received at Bowling
Green.

Page 916

JOHN METZLER, boot and shoemaker and repairer; born in
Baden, Prussia, in 1848; came to America in 1867; and
settled in Portage in spring of 1870; has carried on
the business since 1876; employs one journeyman.  Was
married on the 20th of March 1871, to Miss Paulina
DAUP, formerly of Erie, Penn.; has three children,
named Carrie, Charley and Johnny.  The family
affiliate with the Catholic Church; his shop is on
Cook street, and his house on Bronson avenue.

CHARLES MOHR is a native of Germany; was born in
Hesse-Cassel, Oct. 15, 1836, and came to America in
1853; engaged in steamboating on the lakes four years
before coming to Wisconsin; in 1857, he located in the
town of Caledonia on a farm, and remained there until
1860; he commenced teaching school in this county, and
taught most of the time for four years; went then to
Milwaukee and clerked in a wholesale grocery for nine
months, after which he as employed in the office of
the Banner & Volksfreund, attending to their
collections; he then was engaged in lumber
manufacturing one year, also made a business of
raising hops on year; then traveled for the Banner &
Volksfreund one season; then coming to Portage
September 1869, he commenced his present business of
merchant and dealer in hops.  Mr. M. was married in
Portage, July 1, 1862, to Mary ARNTZ; she was born in
Prussia; they have one son - Charles, Jr., aged 17
years.  Mr. and Mrs. MOHR are members of the German
Methodist church.

GEORGE W. MORRISON, son of George T. and Harriet T.
MORRISON, who settled at Southport, Wis., in 1845, and
came to Marcellon, Columbia Co., in 1849; remained
there until 1857; from there removed to Portage;
mother died in June 1860, and father in October 1878. 
Mr. MORRISON was born in Jordan, Onondaga Co., N.Y.
April 26, 1839; engaged in farming while living in
Marcellon; was in the City Hotel here for five years,
his father being proprietor; lived in Brandon, Fond du
Lac Co. for three years, in mercantile business; from
there went to town of York, Dane Co., and again
occupied his time in farming; thence to Lowville, and
farmed there for three years, then coming back to
Portage, where he entered the store of GATES & AUSTIN,
as a clerk, remaining with them six years; he then
went into business with his brother, James G., and has
continued it to the present time.  Married in Portage
July 6, 1863, to Miss Z. E. MARRS; she was born in the
town of Paris, Edgar Co., Ill., Sept. 5, 1839
(daughter of Sylvanus R. MARRS, who was among the
early settlers of Portage); they have four children -
Arthur J., Stephen F., Marion E. and George W., Jr.
Mr. M. is a member of the A.O.U.W. and Temple of
Honor.  Mrs. MORRISON's father died in Portage March
17, 1851; her mother also died here Nov. 11, 1868;
they were both natives of Clark Co., Ind., and came to
Watertown, Wis., in 1849, and came to Portage in 1850.

JOHN MUELLER, the subject of this sketch, was born in
Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, June 1838, and came to New
York City in 1862, remaining one year there, when he
came to Portage and engaged in the coopering business
ever since; worked alone, at first, and now employs
three men; manufactures all kinds of cooperage.  Was
married in Portage October 1867, to Anna SCHLEISMAN;
she was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany; they have
four children, Anna, Charles, Louis, and Fannie.

DAVID G. MUIR, a native of Dunbar, Scotland; was born
July 11, 1840, and is the son of Daniel and Ann MUIR,
who came to America in 1849, coming directly to
Marquette Co., Wis. and engaged in farming; lived
there until 1861, when they came to Portage, where
they now reside.  D. G. MUIR commenced business here
as a clerk and continued as such until 1865, when he
went into the mercantile business with PARRY & BEBB,
under the firm name of PARRY, BEBB & MUIR, which firm
existed four years when the present firm of PARRY &
MUIR was organized.  Married in the town of Buffalo,
Marquette Co., Wis., Oct. 20, 1863, to Catherine H.
CAIRNS; she was born in Peebles, Scotland; they have
four children, Carrie, Annie, Wilberforce D. and John
D.  Mr. M. is a member of the Presbyterian Church; he
has been one of the choir singers in that church for
sixteen years.  He is a charter member of the Temple
of Honor.

GEORGE MURISON was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, March
17 1833; moved to Montrose when 3 years of age, and
lived there until he came to America, locating at
Milwaukee in 1850, where he remained until October
1853, when he came to Portage; in 1858 engaged in
business in the manufacture of furniture, undertaking,
etc., which he still continues.  Mr. M. was married in
Portage, July 3, 1864, to Jane DALTON, a native of the
city of York, England; she died July 17, 1866, leaving
one child - Richard W. - born July 8, 1866; he was
married again, Nov. 26, 1868 to Fannie E. WALLACE, a
native of Essex Co., N.Y.; they have two children -
Wallace, born Sept. 7, 1869; Mary F., born July
29,1876.  Mr. M. is a member of the I.O.O.F. Lodge.

Submitted by Carol