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
934-935

EDWARD L. WILCOX, foreman of the round-house, C. M. &
St. P. R.R. at Portage, Wis.; born Nov. 6, 1829, in
New Hartford, Oneida Co., N.Y.; is a son of Samuel W.,
who built the arsenals for the Government at Batavia,
N.Y.; the mother, Abagail (WHITE) WILCOX, still lives
in Whitestown, Oneida Co., N.Y., which was named after
her grandfather, who was the founder of the town; she
is aged 91, in 1880.  The subject of this sketch
learned the trade of machinist at Willow Vale, N.Y.,
of the firm of Rogers & Spencer; about 1850, he began
work for N. Y. C. R.R., at Schenectady, where he
remained three years; then was at La Porte, Ind. for
the M. S. R.R.; afterward at Chicago, with the C. & R.
I., and then at Bloomington, in employ of C. A. & St.
L. R.R; was for some time in charge of the round-
house, at North Milwaukee; was afterward foreman of
the round-house at Davenport, Iowa, on the M. & M.
R.R; he ran an engine nine years between Milwaukee and
La Crosse; and he has been in continuous charge of the
round-house at Portage for the past ten years; there
may be several other railroad with which he was at
some time connected, as he could at any time procure
work, on any railroad in various capacities; he has
served the C. M. & St. P. Co., twenty-five years.  He
was married in 1863 to Miss Mary McCAULEY, a native of
Milwaukee; they have had five children, four of whom
died in childhood; have one son - William Henry, born
Nov. 21, 1870; his residence is on Emmet street; is a
member of A.O.U.W.; he is President of the Wisconsin
Milling and Mining Co., of the Black Hills, D.T.; they
own four claims together with a water-right and a
mill-site; when the balance of their stock is sold,
the company will enlarge their facilities for
developing the mines.

Page 935

JOHN A. WITTER, photographer; was born in Manchester,
Boone Co.; Ill, April 20, 1857; resided there until 18
years of age, when he moved to Janesville, Wis., and
to Portage, Oct. 1, 1878.  Mr. W. learned the
photographic art at Janesville, and began business
Oct. 28, 1878.  He is a Good Templar and a member of
the Presbyterian Church.

ADDIS L. WITTER was born in the town of Manchester,
Boone Co., Ill., Sept. 19, 1859; removed thence to
Clinton Junction, Wis., in 1876; removed to Janesville
for a few months in 1878, and to Portage Oct. 1, 1878,
where he has since resided; and is associated with his
brother John A., in the photographing business.

Submitted by Carol