- BARNABAS BALLOU ELDREDGE, a pioneer lawyer and honored citizen
of Janesville, was
- born at Sharon Springs, Schoharie Co., N.Y., on the 2nd day
of February, 1824, and is descended from an old New England family.
His parents were David and Sally (SWIFT) ELDREDGE, and his father
was also born in Sharon Springs. The ELDREDGE family on the paternal
side is of Welsh origin and dates its advent in America back
to 1750, when two brothers, Zenas and Edward ELDREDGE, emigrated
from Wales to America, settling on Cape Cod, Mass. The latter,
from whom our subject traces his descent, was born in Wales,
Sept. 9, 1737, came to America in his youth and was married in
Massachusetts, to Miss Adna HAMMOND, an aunt of Judge HAMMOND,
a well known political writer of New York. She was born at Dartmouth,
Mass., May 25, 1735, and died at Sharon Springs, N.Y., on the
5th of December, 1825, her husband having died at the same place,
March 28, 1821.
- Barnabas ELDREDGE, their son, was born at New Bedford, Mass.,
Sept. 29, 1768, went to
- New York with his parents, where he married Dacia WADSWORTH,
daughter of Josiah WADSWORTH, of Poughkeepsie, formerly of Hartford,
Conn. Eleven children were born of their union. The father died
at Sharon, Sept. 5, 1842, and his wife died at the same place,
Dec. 5, 1825.
- David ELDREDGE, their son and the father of our subject,
was born at Sharon, Sept. 3, 1797,
- and married Miss Sally SWIFT, on the 9th of October, 1816.
She was born in Otsego County, N.Y., Nov. 14, 1798, and was a
daughter of Thomas SWIFT, formerly of Rhode Island. Her death
occurred Oct. 8, 1865. Five children were born of their union,
one son and four daughters - Irene, who was born at Sharon, April
14, 1818, is the widow of William DALE, who was the superintendent
of construction of the great aqueduct bridges of New York and
New Jersey; Nancy, born in Sharon, Feb. 8, 1820, wedded Philip
H. PALNER, and died at Cherry Valley, N.Y., March 19, 1882; Julia,
born Dec. 14, 1821, is the wife of William BECKER, of Easton,
Pa.; Barnabas B. is the fourth child; Louisa, born Sept. 11,
1825, is the widow of a Mr. WORTHING, and resides at Sharon Springs,
N.Y.
- Barnabas B. ELDREDGE took a preparatory course of study at
the Clinton Liberal Institute and
- graduated from Hamilton College in the class of 1845. He
entered upon a course of study at Cambridge Law School under
the direction of Prof. Greenleaf and Judge William Kent, son
of Chancellor Kent, closing his term at the law school in 1847.
Next, he went to Albany, N.Y., where he pursued his law studies
with the Hon. Samuel Stevens, of that city, and was admitted
to practice in the courts of New York at a term of the Supreme
Court held at Salem, in May, 1848, Judges Cady, Hand and Willard
presiding. He began practice at Sharon Springs, but soon after
made a trip to Wisconsin for the purpose of selecting a location.
The serious illness of his father recalled him to New York before
he had established an office, and he remained in his native State
until 1850, at which time he came to Janesville, arriving at
this destination on the 9th day of November of that year.
- At Clinton, Oneida Co., N.Y., on the 2nd day of February,
1848, the marriage of Mr.
- ELDREDGE and Miss Louisa M. HUTCHENS was celebrated. The
lady was born at Clinton, May 6, 1825; and is a daughter of William
HUTCHENS. Two children were born to them. William Mellen, the
elder, who was born at Clinton, N.Y., in 1848, married Miss Sarah
C. PEASE, daughter of the Hon. John J. R. PEASE, of Janesville
and is engaged in the drug business in this city; Charles Chamberlain,
the younger, was born at Janesville, July 10, 1856 and died in
infancy. The mother, who was a lady possessed of many excellencies
of character, died March 29, 1877, in this city.
- On coming to Janesville, Mr. ELDREDGE formed a law partnership
with Isaac WOODELL and
- J. J. R. PEASE, under the firm name of WOODELL, ELDREDGE
& PEASE, which connection continued until June 6, 1851, when
Mr. WOODELL retired, the firm remaining ELDREDGE & PEASE
until January, 1866.
- In 1857, Thomas H. RUGER, who was afterwards a General of
the United States Army, joined
- Messrs. ELDREDGE & PEASE and the firm was ELDREDGE, PEASE
& RUGER, till the breaking out of the late war; when the
latter entered the service and the old firm name was resumed.
In 1853, Mr. ELDREDGE was appointed local attorney for the Milwaukee
& Mississippi Railroad Company, serving in that capacity
until 1860, and in 1855, became attorney for the Chicago, St.
Paul & Fond du Lac Railroad Company, now the Chicago &
Northwestern, serving until February 1866, when he returned to
Sharon, N.Y., with the intention of retiring from business, but
on the 1st day of July, 1868, he again came to Janesville, where
he has since made his home. He did not resume practice again
for several years on account of the delicate condition of his
wife's health, which made it necessary for him to denote his
whole time to her care, until her death, which occurred in March,
1877. Soon after that sad event, he opened a law office in the
same room which he had formerly occupied, and on the 1st day
of January, 1878, formed a partnership with Ogden H. FETHERS,
continuing with him until January, 1881, since which time he
has been alone in practice.
- Mr. ELDREDGE was a Democrat in early life and cast his first
vote for Silas Wright for Governor
- of New York. In 1848, while in the Empire State, he was a
delegate to the convention at Utica, which nominated Martin Van
Buren for the Presidency, and was also a delegate to the Barnburners
convention, held at Rome, N.Y., where the object was to consolidate
the Barnburners and the Hunkers, but which failed of its purpose.
He then voted for Mr. Van Buren and continued to fraternize with
the Democrats until the organization of the Republican party,
when he joined that political body and has since been recognized
as an active Republican.
- On the 17th day of June, 1878, Mr. ELDREDGE was again married,
becoming the husband of
- Miss Mary A. HUNTER, who was born at Quebec, Canada, and
is a daughter of the Rev. James HUNTER of Galashiels, Scotland.
Her father was a remarkable man in that he retained his physical
and mental vigor until nearly a hundred years old. He died of
cholera at the age of ninety-two years, only two days after what
proved to be his last sermon. He was a minister of the Congregational
Church, of which his daughter is a member. Mr. ELDREDGE's parents
both died at their home in New York, of an epidemic, within a
few days of each other, the mother dying Oct. 3, 1865, the father
on the 8th day of the same month.
- Mr. ELDREDGE is a member of the Episcopal Church at Janesville.
He was one of the incorporators of the Rock County National Bank,
and was President of that institution from Nov. 19, 1881 to Jan.
17, 1887, since which time he has served as Vice-President. He
is also a stock-holder and director of the New McLean Manufacturing
Company, proprietors of the woolen mills. He took a deep interest
in the question of procuring a good water supply for the city
and was the first to advocate the plan of sinking an artesian
well for that purpose, in opposition to all plans to utilize
river or creek water. He was elected a member of the Board of
Water Commissioners and was largely instrumental in carrying
through the plan for artesian water, being ably supported by
John J. R. PEASE and Milton M. PHELPS. The well was sunk to the
depth of 1,087 feet with an eight-inch bore and the water rose
to a height of forty-two feet above the level of the water surface
in the river, discharging at the rate of 800,000 gallons every
twenty-four hours. The water is of excellent quality, and the
system now in use, which is virtually the same with slight variations,
as the one proposed by the original Board of Commissioners, is
voted a grand success. Mr. ELDREDGE is entitled to great credit
for his early conception of the artesian system and his indefatigable
efforts in favor of its adoption. He was the first to advise,
while a member of the Rock County Agricultural Association in
1871, the sinking of such a well at the fair grounds, as a test
for agricultural purposes, which was carried through successfully,
except so far as raising the water to the necessary height for
the purpose stated. He personally secured the subscription for
the purpose, which he headed with a liberal sum. Mr. ELDREDGE,
while one of the very few left of the early lawyers of Janesville,
has always been conspicuous as a leading member of the Rock County
bar. He has been prominently identified with the growth and development
of the city and county and has always borne his part as an enterprising
and public spirited citizen. In manner, he is courteous; in discourse,
interesting; and is universally esteemed and respected for his
upright course in life and unswerving integrity.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 851-852.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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