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
959-960  

CHARLES A. COLONIUS, of the firm of George LINCK &
Co., dealers in dry goods, goods, etc., etc.,
Columbus, was born in Prussia in 1837.  He came to
America in 1855; worked on a farm in Orange Co., N.Y.,
for nearly a year; in 1856; he went to Cincinnati,
Ohio, and enlisted in Co. I of the 6th United States
Infantry, of the regular army; was employed most of
the time for five years in the Quartermaster's
commissary department, and in the Adjutant General's
office; was mustered out at Fort Mojave, Lower
California, in 1861.  Returning then to Germany for
two years, in 1864 he came a second time to America,
and located in Watertown, Wis.; engaging in the
commission business there, with his brother, for a
short time, and in the winter of 1867-68, he came to
Columbus, and clerked for FULLER Brothers, for five
years.  He then began business for himself, but in
January 1874, he joined as a partner in the firm of
George LINCK & Co.  He was elected a member of the
City Council, from the Third War, in 1874; in April
1876, he was elected City Treasurer; re-elected in
1877-78-79 and '80.  He was married 1866 to Miss
Josephine BRAYER, a native of Prussia, but emigrated
to America with parents when 3 years old, and settled
in the town of Elba, Dodge Co., Wis.  They have had
three children, all of whom are deceased.  They
adopted two - Josie, deceased, and Jessie.  Mr. and
Mrs. COLONIUS are members of the German M. E. Church.

Page 960

BERNARD CONLIN, deceased, was born in County Sligo,
Ireland, in 1811; he was the son of Thomas CONLIN,
with whom he lived in this native country, till about
1830; emigrating then to America, he was employed in
the construction of railroads and mining, in
Massachusetts, for a number of years, and was
afterward employed on the Erie Canal.  He was married
in 1848, to Miss Hannah, daughter of Thomas and Mary
(HART) CLARK; also a native of County Sligo, Ireland,
but an emigrant to America, with her parents, in 1847,
and located, first, to Worcester, Mass., later,
removed to Fitchburg, Mass.  Mr. and Mrs. CONLIN came,
in 1848, to Columbus, Columbia Co., Wis., and located
on a farm on Section 25, where he first bought a farm
of 100 acres, and afterward increased it to 140 acres.
He died, at his home, June 22, 1876, leaving a wife
and seven children.  The latter are as follows: Mary,
now the wife of John DARGAN, and lives in Mitchell
Co., Iowa; Ella, now in Dubuque, Iowa; Catherine, now
at Emmetsburg, Md.; Thomas, Bernard, Elizabeth and
James, at home.  The family is connected with the
Catholic Church.      

AMASA G. COOK, attorney at law, Columbus; was born in
the town of Norwich, Chenango Co., N.Y., in 1823.  His
father, Sylvanus COOK was born in Rhode Island in
1787, and removed to Chenango Co., N.Y., with his
parents in 1798.  His mother, Mary GREEN, was also a
native of Rhode Island, born 1790.  Mr. COOK spent his
earlier life on a farm in his native county with his
parents; at the age of 17, he entered the Oxford
Academy, and later the academy at Norwich, where he
completed his studies in 1844.  He then began teaching
in the public schools of Honesdale, Penn., and
afterward, taught in select schools at Laurens, Otsego
Co., N.Y.; in 1845, he entered upon the study of law
with FULLER & WEST, of Honesdale, Penn., and pursued
his study as much as circumstances would permit while
teaching.  He next read with Charles A. THORP, of
Norwich, for two years, an later with Hon. L. S.
CHATFIELD of Laurens, Otsego Co., N.Y.  Mr. COOK was
admitted to the practice of law in September 1849, and
in October, following, he removed to Wisconsin, and in
March, 1850, he located at Columbus.  He soon formed a
co-partnership with Gov. LEWIS, in the practice of his
profession, which lasted a year; after which he
continued the practice alone till 1862, when he took
in as a partner, Mr. E. E. CHAPIN, and the firm was
known as COOK & CHAPIN till may 1869; since which time
he has had no partner.  He was appointed District
Attorney by Gov. Dewey in 1850, and in the fall of
that year was elected to the same office, for a term
of two years; he was Postmaster of Columbus from 1856
to 1861, and has held various other offices in the
city.  He was at one time the Democratic candidate for
the Wisconsin Assembly, and in 1869 was candidate for
the office of Secretary of State; was also a candidate
for Congress in 1870 and again in 1874.  In 1853 he
was married to Sarah J. daughter of Ard. S. and Betsey
ROCKWELL, of Otsego Co., N.Y.; who afterward removed
to Elkhorn, Walworth Co., Wis., where Mr. ROCKWELL
died in 1865.  Mrs. ROCKWELL afterward died in the
city of Columbus.  Mr. and Mrs. COOK have five
children - three sons and two daughters.  They are as
follows: Hobart, (a graduate of the State University,
now a law student with his father); Henry (now at
home); Charles, Bertha and Mary (students at the State
University).  Mr. C. has been a member of the Masonic
Fraternity for nearly twenty-five years.  His family
is connected with the Episcopal Church.

Submitted by Carol