- JAMES MENDENHALL, a leading citizen of Janesville, and one
of the honored pioneers of
- Rock County, was born in Columbia County, Pa., Dec. 14, 1811.
Two brothers, named MENDENHALL, emigrated for England to America
during the early days of the history of the Colony of Pennsylvania,
and settled in that State. They belonged to the Society of Friends,
and from these brothers the MENDENHALL family in America have
sprung. They and their descendants were prominently identified
with the history of the early settlement of Pennsylvania, and
several members of the family took part in the Revolutionary
War.
- The parents of our subject, Abner and Lydia (CARLTON) MENDENHALL,
adhered to the
- religious views of their ancestry and were strong in support
of that faith. The father was a native of Philadelphia, born
in 1769, and his wife was also born in that city, in 1772. Mr.
MENDENHALL was a farmer by occupation and during the pioneer
days of Columbia County, purchased a heavily timbered tract of
land and there developed a farm upon which he resided until his
death, which occurred in 1842. His wife survived her husband
for about four years, when she too, passed to her final rest.
They were the parents of ten children, seven sons and three
daughters, all of whom grew to years of maturity, while five
lived beyond the age of four score years. At the present time,
1889, there are four of the family living - Martha, who is now
eighty-three years of age; Lydia, aged eighty years; James, aged
seventy-eight years; and Samuel, who is seventy-four years of
age. With the exception of our subject all are residents of
Pennsylvania.
- James MENDENHALL was reared to manhood in his native county,
assisting his father in the
- labors of the farm. His advantages for education were limited
to such opportunities as were afforded in those early days.
The school house in which he obtained the rudiments of an education
was extremely primitive in its character, and for only three
months during the winter season was he permitted to attend.
At the age of eighteen years, he was apprenticed to the trade
of a millwright, his compensation being the board and eighteen
cents per day, for which small salary he was compelled to purchase
his own clothes and pay for his washing. He served a term of
three years, working form daylight until 9 o'clock at night,
but at the end of that time, he had obtained a good trade, by
which a living might be made. Notwithstanding his wages were
so small, he clothed himself in a comfortable and respectable
manner, and by economical living also saved some money. His
term of apprenticeship having expired, he continued to work for
his old employer for several years, or until his removal to the
West in 1835.
- A new era in the life of Mr. MENDENHALL then began. The
news of the infant town of
- Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan, and the vast prairies
of the adjacent territory, had reached his home in Pennsylvania,
and he resolved to see for himself the country about which such
flattering reports were made. On the 8th day of April, 1835,
he shouldered his knapsack, and alone and on foot, started for
Chicago, a distance of many hundred miles. He met with many
interesting experiences on the way. The country was new and
beautiful, and the trip, which lasted several weeks, was altogether
delightful. Traveling on foot to Erie, Pa., he there took a
steamer for Cleveland, when on reaching that city, he again,
with knapsack on his back, continued his journey on foot to Toledo,
thence traveling on what was called the National Road across
the State of Michigan to Chicago. He found a small town on the
site of the present city, which to him appeared an undesirable
place. He remained in Chicago until the following October, working
a short time at his trade and also engaging for a time in hewing
timber for the harbor of Chicago, on the present site of the
city of Evanston, which was then government land. As before
stated, in October, he left Chicago for Racine, and made a claim
near that city. He also visited Milwaukee, this journey being
accomplished on foot, though he was accompanied by a young man
named Otis, whose acquaintance he had formed in Chicago. After
his return Mr. MENDENHALL engaged in the lumber regions on the
Calumet River until the following spring, when he returned to
Racine, and worked at the carpenter and millwright business for
a year. During this time he erected the frame of a large mill
at the rapids of the Root River, and in 1837, went to Delavan,
Wis., there assisting in building a saw and grist mill for the
Phenix Bros. Those were the first mills erected at that place
he then engaged to build a mill at Waterloo, now Shopiere, Rock
County, for K. BLODGETT, and in 1841, made his first purchase
of land, 100 acres, in the town of Clinton, on Jefferson Prairie.
- In the month of February, of the following year, Mr. MENDENHALL
was united in marriage
- with Miss Margaret C. RICE, a native of Ontario County, N.Y.
He then settled on his land, which he improved, making it his
home for twenty years. About this time Mr. MENDENHALL assisted
in organizing the town of Clinton, was chosen its first Treasurer,
and was prominently connected with building the first church
and school-house in that town, being a member of the Board of
Trustees in both places. In 1849, he joined a California expedition
and crossed the plains to the "land of gold." Five
months were consumed in the journey, which is now accomplished
by the iron horse in a week. For about a year he remained on
the Pacific coast, engaged in mining, when he returned home by
way of the Isthmus of Panama.
- Mr. MENDENHALL sold his farm in 1861, and removed to Janesville,
that he might have better
- opportunities for educating his children, and also to lighten
the burdens of his wife, who was in poor health. Mrs. MENDENHALL's
health was improved by the change, but on the 12th day of October,
1887, the final summons came and the faithful wife was laid in
her last resting place. This worthy couple had traveled life's
journey together for the long period of forty-five years, and
the death of Mrs. MENDENHALL left a void in the home which can
never be filled. They were the parents of three children, two
of whom are living - Willoughby C., the eldest, died suddenly
of heart disease at Amherst Junction, in November, 1883; Ida
is the wife of S. F. HAMMOND, a resident of Ashton, Dak.; James
D., is a General Freight and Passenger Agent on the Wisconsin
Central Railroad, with headquarters at Duluth, Minn.
- Mr. MENDENHALL is one of the honored pioneers of Rock county.
For nearly half a century,
- he has been identified with its growth and progress, and
has ever born a prominent part in the promotion of its moral
and religious interests. He has the welfare of the entire community
at heart, and his labors in its behalf have not been in vain.
In earlier life, he was a member of the Baptist Church, but
later united with the Methodist denomination, of which for many
years, he and his wife were faithful and consistent member.
In politics, he is an ardent supporter of the Republican party.
His father was strongly an anti-slavery man, and instilled the
doctrine of freedom to all, into the minds of his children.
From these teachings his son did not depart, but has ever been
found on the side of truth and justice. Mr. MENDENHALL has a
pleasant home in Janesville, where he is enjoying the evening
of a life well spent.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 873-874.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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