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 927-928
 
PATRICK SHEEHAN was born on Prince Edward Island, British North America, in April 1827; came to Wisconsin in June 1851, locating at Watertown eighteen months, after which he came to Portage.  Mr. S. was bridge-tender four years; worked at the carpenter's trade; has been a contractor and builder; was Alderman, and is now serving as marshal.  He was married at Portage June 26, 1854, to Margaret H. MALONEY, who was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, Dec. 15, 1834; they have seven children - William, born Feb. 11, 1857; Johanna A., March 2, 1860; John H., May 4, 1863; Thomas G., Feb. 24, 1868; Patrick F., Sept. 12, 1870; Mary E., April 30, 1873, and Clara, Feb. 28, 1876.  They have lost two children - Mary, aged 1 year and 7 months, and Frank, aged 4 years and 10 months.  They are members of St. Mary's Church.
 
Page 928
 
ALEXANDER SHERET was born at Ft. Winnebago Oct. 9, 1850; in 1860, he commenced clerking for D. FERGUSON, in Portage; was with him nearly two years; afterward, was at Green Bay for a short time; for the last eight years, he has been with E. J. JAEGER, as salesman; in the spring of 1880, he commenced his present business, carrying on business with a partner; they deal in fancy goods, notions, hosiery, furnishing goods, etc.; a fine assortment of goods in their line will always be found at their establishment, which is located near Bard's jewelry store.  Mr. SHERET's parents, Alexander and Margaret ROBINSON SHERET, were born at Montrose, Scotland; his father was engaged in the hardware trade in Portage for several years prior to his death; his widow is still a resident of Portage.  The subject of this sketch was married in Portage Nov. 1, 1876, to Miss Emma E., daughter of J. B. WOOD, now a resident of Ft. Winnebago.  Mr. S. is a member of the I.O.O.F. Lodge and Encampment; he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
 
A. E. SMITH, the subject of this sketch was born in the town of Cabot, Vt., Sept. 25, 1820; he moved to Massachusetts and lived there about nine years prior to his coming to Wisconsin when he came in May 1857, locating at Plover, Portage Co.; he remained there three months, then went to Waupaca, Waupaca Co., Wis.; was engaged in the hotel business there for eleven years, removing from there to Beaver Dam; he kept the Clark House for four years; rented the Silver House and kept both houses; sold out there and kept the eating-house at Minnesota Junction for a year and a half, and from there went to Elroy-Junction, and was proprietor of the eating-house there for six years; owned a farm in Columbia County for a number of years, and lived there in 1879; in 1880, purchased the Corning House, of which he is at present proprietor.  Mr. SMITH was married in Cabot, Vt., June 10, 1854, to Sarah O. WARNER, a native of Cabot; they have three children - Clinton E., Edna and Eddie W.; lost one daughter, who died at about the age of 3 years.
 
SILAS M. SMITH was born in the town of Bastard, County of Leeds, Upper Canada, Sept. 27, 1815, and is the son of Silas and Phoebe SMITH, who were natives of the State of Vermont.  He came to Michigan in 1837, locating at Orion, Oakland Co.; came to Watertown, Wis., in May 1842; remained there one year; then going to the town of Aztalan, where he stayed about a year; from there, removed to Portland, Dodge Co., where he erected the first house in the town, which was about 1844; then moving again, he came to Fountain Prairie, Columbia Co., in 1846; was the first Town Clerk, and held that office for several successive years; was elected Justice of Peace in 1849, and held that office for a number of years; worked at the carpenter and joiner trade for a time; was engaged in merchandising with Mr. BRAYTON for two or three years, and in business alone for some time, until the fall of 1857 or 1858, when he sold out, and removed to Randolph and carried on the mercantile business over the line in Dodge Co., living, however on this side of the line; was appointed Clerk of the Court in December 1871; November 1872, elected to the position of Clerk of the Court, and re-elected in 1874 and 1876; then buying the abstract business of ALVERSON & YULE, in connection with C. L. DERING - the business being carried on at the present time by them under the firm name of SMITH & DERING.  Silas M. SMITH was married at Brockville, Canada, Jan 31, 1837, to Mary Ann CAMPBELL; she died in the town of Portland, Dodge Co., Aug. 5, 1845, leaving three children.  One son, George A. now at Lanark, Ill.; is agent for the W. U. R.R. Co.; has been stationed there for the last ten years, and twenty years with the same company; he also served in an Iowa regiment for two years during the late rebellion.  Mr. Silas M. SMITH married for his second wife, Cynthia M. BENNETT, in Fountain Prairie, Oct. 2, 1847; she died in Portage, June 16, 1876, leaving one daughter, who is now Mrs. Azelia M. WILDE.  His present wife was Ann Jeannette GALLETT, a native of Penn Yan, Yates Co., N.Y.; married Aug. 28, 1877.  Mr. S. was Supervisor of Fountain Prairie in 1857; served three years as Supervisor from Randolph, Columbia Co. in 1870, 1871 and 1872.
 
Submitted by Carol