- ALMERON EAGER, of Evansville, Rock County, is president of
the BAKER Manufacturing
- Co., and for years has been a leading spirit in the business
interests of the city. He is a man of much intelligence, force
of character and uncompromising honesty.
- Mr. EAGER was born in Sangerfield, Oneida Co., N.Y., March
14, 1838, a son of William and
- Caroline (NORTHRUP) EAGER. His father was born in Oneida
County, and his mother in Delaware County, N.Y., and they were
reared and married in their native State. Nine children were
born to them, seven of whom are now living: Amy, wife of Peter
CASE, of Fredericksburg, Iowa; Almeron, of Evansville; Adelia,
wife of William CASE of Fredericksburg; Alvin, of Grand Island,
Neb.; Amos, of Lincoln, Neb.; Orinda, wife of John ELLISON, of
Fredericksburg; and De Witt, of Beaver Crossing, Neb. The father,
who was a farmer, came West in the spring of 1855, locating in
the town of Union, Rock Co., Wis., where he died in 1861, at
the age of sixty-one. His wife died in Oneida County, N.Y., in
1850, at the early age of thirty-eight. She was a Methodist.
Oliver EAGER, the paternal grandfather of Almeron EAGER, was
a native of Massachusetts, and an early settler in Oneida County,
N.Y. He died at the age of sixty-five. He was a farmer, and the
father of five children. Almeron EAGER's maternal grandfather
was also a native of New York, and died when his daughter Caroline,
mentioned above, was about three years old, leaving one son and
one daughter. He was a hard-working, honorable man.
- Almeron EAGER was reared on the Oneida County farm, and obtained
his education in the
- district school. He came to Rock County, Wis., in the fall
of 1854, and bought eighty acres in the town of Union, which
he improved and afterward sold. He then purchased a tract of
200 acres, lying two and a half miles east of Evansville, and
partly improved it. In 1868 Mr. EAGER moved into Evansville,
and in partnership with W. S. SMITH, opened a general store.
SMITH & EAGER continued the store fourteen years, and then
bought leaf tobacco for some three years or more. In the meantime,
in 1883, a company was formed to build a tack factory in Evansville,
and four years later Mr. EAGER became associated with it as secretary.
He held that position until the company went out of business.
In 1873 Mr. EAGER, in company with A. S. BAKER, L. M. SHAW, L.
MYGATT, C. SNASHALL and W. S. SMITH, organized the BAKER Manufacturing
Co., to engage in the manufacture of windmills, tanks and pumps.
Mr. SNASHALL was president of this corporation, and W. S. SMITH
secretary. Since 1885 Mr. EAGER has been president, and Clifford
SMITH secretary. The company gives employment to some sixty or
seventy-five persons, and have an authorized capital of $300,000.
They ship goods all over the United States, and won two gold
medals at the world's fair for the best wind and power mill.
- Mr. EAGER and Miss Lovie BOYCE, daughter of Henry and Mary
(ALMY) BOYCE, were
- married Nov. 26, 1863, and they have had four children, Clarence,
Gertrude, and two who died in infancy. Clarence died when one
year and nine days old. Gertrude married Lile HUMPHREY, and is
the mother of one child, Leonard. Mrs. EAGER is a member of the
Methodist Church. Our subject belongs to Union Lodge, No. 32,
A.F. & A. M., Evansville, Chapter No. 35, R.A.M., and Janesville
Commandery No. 2, K.T. He is a Republican, and takes pride in
the fact that he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He
was town treasurer for many years; a member of the village board
of Evansville for many years, and president of the board three
years; has been a member of the county board of supervisors nine
years, and is still acting in that capacity. On Nov. 6, 1900,
he was elected assemblyman for the Second District of Rock County,
receiving 2,670 votes, his opponent 915 votes. Mr. EAGER owns
a number of store buildings and residence properties in Evansville.
He built his present home, at No. 321 West Main street, in 1878.
While he was on the farm he spent a year and a half in the book
delivery business.
- Our subject has traveled in every State and Territory in
the Union, and has visited all points of
- interest in the United States. In 1899 he took a trip to
Alaska. In 1900 he traveled through Europe, attended the world's
fair at Paris, went through Germany, saw the Passion Play, visited
the mountains of Switzerland, went through the St. Gothard tunnel
(the longest in the world), and journeyed over Holland, Belgium,
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, pp. 130-131.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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