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
904-905

VALENTINE HELMANN, born at Smalcalde (now Prussia),
Sept. 29, 1831; came to America Aug. 1, 1847, landing
at New York City; came to Richwood, town of Shields,
Dodge Co., with his uncle, Sept. 15, 1847; came to
Portage, May 10, 1850; worked at the carpenter's trade
most of the time, until the spring of 1864, although
he engaged in insurance business in 1863; he served as
Justice of the Peace several years; in the spring of
1864 he was elected City Clerk; again elected to that
position in 1874; spring of 1875, once more elected
Justice of the Peace; elected City Clerk in 1876 and
1877; City Treasurer from 1878 to 1880.  Married at
Portage, Nov. 2, 1851, to Margaret WARD; she died
April 8, 1873; leaving nine children, all now living -
George P., Wm., John V., Lawrence F., Chas., Lizzie,
Henry, Katie, and Anna.  Married for second wife,
Catharine KOBERSTEIN, at Milwaukee, Aug. 26, 1875; she
was born in Bavaria; by this marriage there are two
children - Rosa and Barbara; Mr. H. is a member of the
Board of Education, from Fourth Ward; also a member of
Leiderkranz Society.

Page 905

NICHOLAS M. HENRY, born on the Isle of Guernsey March
1, 1831; came to Portage in 1866; in 1867 he spent
nine months at Oxford; balance of the time has been
engaged in flour, feed and grocery trade in Portage.
He was married in New York City, July 6, 1868, to
Caroline LePAGE; she was born on the Isle of Guernsey
Jan. 30, 1833.  Both he and his wife are members of
the Baptist Church.

WILLIAM HENSEL, wagon-maker, born in Schleswig,
Germany, on the 1st of March, 1835; he, with his
parents, came to the United States, and settled in
Milwaukee in 1849; in 1856 he went to California, and
was with his uncle in business; in 1859, returned, and
lived in St. Louis till 1861, when he enlisted in the
2d Mo. V.I.; was Sergeant of Company H; served three
years, and then, 1864, came to Portage.  Was married
Oct. 4, 1865, to Miss Paulina ELTERMAN, of Portage;
had six children - Louis, born in 1867; Willie, born
in 1869, now dead; Henry born in 1870; Sophia, born in
1872; Willie, born in 1874, and Lizzie, born in 1876,
and lately dead.  He was Chief Engineer of the Fire
Department four years, and Assessor two years; belong
to "Ancient Order of United Workman," also to
Independent Order of Odd Fellows; has been
representative to the Grand Lodge and to the Grand
Encampment of Wisconsin; is partner in firm of COLLINS
& HENSEL, wagon-makers; business is prosperous.

JOHN HETTINGER was born near Buffalo, Erie Co., N.Y.,
Aug. 2, 1839; located in Freeport, Ill., in 1844; came
to Portage, Wis., with his parents, Michael and
Frances HETTINGER, May 12, 1849; Mr. H. began hotel
business in Portage, March 20, 1865, in which he has
continued ever since; also engaged in speculating in
horses, real estate, etc.; his father, Michael
HETTINGER, commenced brewery business at Portage, in
1849, and continued it until his death, Oct. 20, 1862;
his mother is still living, now Mrs. ZETZ, of
Freeport, Ill.  Mr. H. was married in Portage April
22, 1861, to Wilhelmina EBERLINE, a native of Hesse-
Darmstadt; they have six children living - Lizzie J.,
Clara F., Anna, Josephine, Minnie, Emma F.; lost three
sons - John, aged a little over 5 months, one infant,
Willie; Johnnie, aged less than 5 months.

DRAYTON A. HILLYER was born in Granby, Hartford Co.,
Conn., Dec. 21, 1840; came, with his parents, Andrew
A. and Nancy HOLCOMB HILLYER to Portage, Wis., Feb. 1,
1857; associated with his father as clerk in the drug
business, until the time of his father's death, Dec.
27, 1862; he then continued the business alone until
1868; has not been engaged in active business since;
his mother is now a resident of Portage.  Mr. H. was
married at Green Bay, Wis. Sept. 21, 1871, to Alice W.
HICKOX, born in Pottersville, Warren Co., N.Y.,
daughter of Rev. HICKOX, an Episcopal clergyman, who
located in Wisconsin about 1857.  Mr. H. is a member
of the three A.F. & A.M. bodies here, and also belongs
to the Milwaukee Consistory.

ED. C. HINMAN was born at Battle Creek, Mich., March
1, 1852; received his education at Michigan
University, graduating as civil engineer in January
1874; appointed Assistant Engineer of Fox and
Wisconsin Rivers improvement, and has been stationed
here since Aug. 4, 1874.  Mr. H. was married at Ann
Arbor, Mich., Oct. 25, 1876, to Carrie L. RISDON; she
was born at Ann Arbor; they have one child - Gertrude
R., born April 1, 1879.

Submitted by Carol