Biographies:   James M. VANCE, Town of Seymour, Eau Claire Co., WI 

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Nance Sampson  <nsampson@spacestar.net>  13 February 2000	
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James M. Vance, highway and bridge contractor, with post office address
Chippewa Falls, was born in Monroe county, Iowa, October 8, 1854, the son of 
Rev. John A. and Nancy J. (Snodgrass) Vance, natives of Pennsylvania and
Ohio, respectively and pioneers of Monroe county, Iowa, where the father 
improved a farm of eighty acres.  He was also a clergyman of the United 
Presbyterian church.  In 1876 he came to Wisconsin and was pastor of the
Lisbon congregation, of Sussex, Waukesha county, eleven years.  He was
twice married; his first wife was Nancy J. Snodgrass, by whom he had three
children, as follows: Mary Ann, wife of C. H. Dunlap, of Seattle, Wash.;
Martha J., wife of C. C. Palmer, of Eddyville, Ia., and James M., the subject
of this sketch.  His second wife was Lucinda Presley, and they were the 
parents of two children: John P., a civil engineer on the Canadian Pacific
railroad and who lost his life in a blizzard in northwestern Canada, and 
Jennie, a trained nurse of Newcastle, Pa.

James M. grew to manhood in Iowa, was educated in the common schools and 
began life as a farmer in his native state.  He came to Eau Claire county
in 1887 and settled on a farm of 190 acres in the town of Seymour, to which 
he has subsequently added until now his farm contains 230 acres of well
cultivated land, improved with substantial buildings.  From 1887 to 1906
Mr. Vance carried on farming operations on this farm.  In the last named
year he turned the management over to his son, Martin Roy, and since that
time has given his sole attention to highway bridge contracting in north-
western Wisconsin, his operations extending over nine counties.  This 
business was started by Mr. Vance in 1902 and for four years he carried it
on in connection with his farming operation, but the business grew to such
large proportions he finally turned his farm business over to his son, as 
stated above.  Mr. Vance has always taken an active interest in social as 
well as civic affairs and has been many times honored by his friends for
office.  He was elected and served as chairman and clerk of the town of
Seymour for about sixteen years.  He was elected treasurer of Eau Claire
county and served in that capacity during the years of 1905, '06, '07 and 
'08.  In politics he is a Republican, while fraternally he is a member of
Eau Claire Lodge, No. 112, A. F. & A. M.

On October 24, 1878, he married Miss Jeannette Rogers, daughter of Archibald
and Agnes Rogers, natives of Dundee, Scotland, and pioneers of Waukesha 
county, Wisconsin.  They have a family of five children living, as follows:
James T.; John A., in business with father; Jesse George, Methodist Episcopal
minister; Martin R., on farm, and Jennie D., at home, and two deceased,
Willard and Charles.

--Taken from "The History of Eau Claire County, 1914, Past & Present",
page 889 - 890