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
929-930

EZRA K. THAYER, born in Orwell, Addison Co., Vt., Jan.
3, 1812, where he resided until coming to Wisconsin,
town of Green Lake, Green Lake Co., in 1853; lived
there for eleven years, then removed to the town of
Marcellon, Columbia Co., where he remained up to the
time of coming to Portage in the spring of 1877; has
been engaged in grocery business since November 1879. 
Married at Sudbury, Rutland Co., Vt., March 12, 1845,
to Angeline E. WALLACE, a native of Vermont.  They
have two children - Wm. W. and Isabella.

Page 930

HENRY C. THEDE, born in Milwaukee, Wis., July 15,
1849; his parents, W. H. and Catherine THEDE, moved to
Sauk City, where they now resides in 1851; Mr. T.
learned his trade, that of a harness-maker, in Madison
and Mazomanie, and followed it in various places
before beginning for himself at Portage in 1877.  He
was married at Sauk City, Aug. 23, 1877, to Josephine
STURM, born in Tyrol.  They have one child, William,
born May 31, 1878.

ALEXANDER THOMPSON, born in Glasgow, Scotland, May 26,
1848; came with his parents, Ninnian and Mary
THOMPSON, to Ft. Winnebago, in August 1850; father
worked at carpenter's trade for fifteen years, then
engaged in farming in the town of Decorah, Columbia
Co., which he still continues.  Alex. T. worked at
carpenter's trade three years, but in 1870 engaged in
grocery business, and dealing extensively in clover,
timothy and field seeds generally, which business he
still continues.  Mr. T. was married in Portage, Dec.
18, 1872, to Susan M. PURNELL, a native of Norwich,
Conn.  They have one child, Mary Emma, born May 9,
1874.  Mr. T. is a prominent member of the I.O.O.F.

A. B. THOMPSON, born in Smithfield, Providence Co.,
R.I., Aug. 6, 1825; came to Pardeeville in November
1864, resided there ten years, then removed to
Portage.  Was married in Smithfield, R.I., November
1846, to Thankful HANDY, a native of that place; they
have four children living - Morgie A., now Mrs. Geo.
W. DUSENBERRY, of Portage; Philip F., Alice G., now
Mrs. Frank A. MATHEWSON, of Pardeeville, and Frank B.,
living; Sarah, deceased.  Mr. and Mrs. THOMPSON are
member of the Presbyterian Church, and of the
temperance society.

MISS JENNETTE THOMPSON, at Corning House; was born in
Buffalo, Marquette Co., Wis., in December 1857; her
parents are farmers and were counted of "pure blood in
the land of Burns."  She has been for six years a
member of the United Presbyterian Church; has been a
year in the hotel.

WERT F. THOMPSON, deceased, was born in Colchester,
Vt. , in 1834; lived in Ohio before coming to
Wisconsin; settled in Portage in 1858; was married in
1860, to Miss Cornelia E. REED, formerly of Seneca
Co., N.Y.; her father, Warren S. REED, came to Portage
in 1858, and died in January 1867.  Mr. REED started
the restaurant business, at the depot, which, with
enlargements, is now conducted by Mr. FOX.  Mr.
THOMPSON died in May 1865, and at the time of his
death, was in charge of the railroad shops; he has
been a railroad man most of his life; he was a 32d
Degree Mason, and was buried with Masonic honors; Mrs.
THOMPSON and her brother reside in the "Reed
Homestead."  The brother, Samuel, was born Jan. 10,
1844; he has been a resident of Portage since the age
of 14.  In June 1873, he was married to Miss Julia
CRANE, of Mauston, Wis.; they have one child, born
September 1874, and named Wert Thompson REED; Mr. REED
is a railroad engineer.

EPHRAIM B. TRADEWELL, farmer; born in the city of
Baltimore, Md., in 1822; in 1840, he came to
Wisconsin, and settled in Kenosha, which continued his
home until the spring of 1851, when he came to
Portage.  In 1853, he was married in in Kenosha, to
Miss Harriet DANA; in 1860, he bought a farm, 200
acres, in Marcellon, Columbia Co., Wis., which he
still owns and rents; since 1874 he has lived in
Portage; has two children - Frances, born in December
1856; and Major D., born in 1858; both live in the
county; his wife died in 1876; he was crippled in the
knee, by the cut of an ax on patella, when a child;
Government was making the canal when he came to
Portage, and water was let into the canal that same
year; muscle and grit were the elements of success
then, for those were rough pioneer times.

Submitted by Carol