BIOGRAPHIES:  Robert Henry MONTEITH, Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, WI

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**Posted for informational purposes only - Subject is no relation to the 
poster of this bio.**

Robert Henry Monteith, Eau Claire, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland (of 
pure Scotch descent), Aug. 16, 1825, and came to America, with his parents 
when three years of age, locating in Montreal, where they remained until the 
Patriot war, when they moved to Highgate, Franklin Co., Vt.  Mr. Monteith 
learned the trade of millwright, at Hyde's Falls, in the town of Highgate 
before he was fifteen years old.  In October, 1843, he came to Janesville, 
and January 1, 1844, went to Jefferson and built a small saw-mill for 
Darling & Kendall; in 1854, he went to Richland County, and in 1859 came to 
the town of Eau Claire, now Washington(*), and engaged in farming.  In 1862, 
he sold out and cleared another farm in Chippewa County, eight miles west of 
Chippewa Falls.  In 1869, he came to the village of Eau Claire, where he has 
since remained, excepting a year, in which he lived in Pulaski, Mo.  He 
worked at his trade most of the time until 1876, when he began working on 
his patent threshing machine, the "Badger State Economist," which was 
patented Feb. 14, 1879, and is acknowledged to be the most perfect machine 
now in use; it is manufactured by J. G. Thorp, J. F. Gilbert, Chapman and 
W. A. Rust, they having a contract and paying to Mr. Monteith a royalty.  
Mr. Monteith was married in the town of Summit, Waukesha Co., March 25, 1850, 
to Mary Jane Riley, who was born in Canada.  They have four children living 
-- Emma Jane, Joseph Samuel, William Arthur and Rosetta.  While in Chippewa 
County, Mr. Monteith was Justice of the Peace two years, and Clerk of a 
school district for six.  He is a member of the Temple of Honor.  Mr. 
Monteith's father, Joseph Monteith, was born in Scotland, and died in 
Richland Co., Wis., in April, 1864.  His mother, Jane (Cortes) Monteith, was 
born in Ireland, of Scotch parents, and died in Jefferson County, in December 
1852.

(*) - The Town of Washington was formed in January 1866.  See a map of the 
townships of Eau Claire Co. at 
http://users.rootsweb.com/~wieaucla/ecmap.htm#Communities and Townships

--Taken from "The History of Northern Wisconsin containing an Account of its
Settlement, Growth, Development and Resources; An extensive Sketch of its 
Counties, Cities, Towns and Villages, Their Improvements, Industries, 
Manufacturies; Biographical Sketches, Portraits of Prominent Men and Early
Settlers; Views of County Seats, Etc."  Chicago:  The Western Historical
Company.  A. T. Andreas, Proprietor.  1881.  Pages 328-329