- ARTHUR HERN. Both as a business man and as a farmer the subject
of this sketch has been
- successfully engaged in Rock county, though farming has been
and still is his chief occupation. He possesses an active, energetic
temperament, which, combined with his cool judgment and good
principles, has smoothed the pathway of life and won for him
the esteem of the people among whom he has lived for so many
years.
- Timothy HERN, his paternal grandfather, was a native of Ireland,
and emigrated to America when
- about eighteen years old, settling in Maine. He was educated
for the Catholic priesthood, but gave up that faith, and for
many years engaged in teaching school in Maine, being a fine
scholar. He married Miss Sally MALCOLM, who was born in Maine,
of Scotch descent, and was one of a family of seven children,
four sons and three daughters, of whom the boys were all sailors,
and captains of vessels, having learned navigation from Mr. HERN.
The father of Mrs. Timothy HERN was a soldier in the Revolutionary
war.
- William HERN, the father of our subject, was born in Maine
about 1807, and in his youth acquired
- the trade of a ship caulker. He married Miss Rachel HUNTER,
daughter of David HUNTER, a wealthy shipbuilder and lumberman
of Scottish and English ancestry, and a man of unusual energy
and ability. David HUNTER erected a sawmill and a gristmill at
a point known as HUNTER's Mills, and was thus the founder of
the town afterward called Clinton. He held many offices of honor
and trust, and lived to the good old age of eighty-seven years,
leaving a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters.
William HERN served as captain of an artillery company of the
Maine State militia for a number of years. In 1844, he moved
with his family to Lowell, Mass., and there worked at the carpenter's
trade for four years. In 1848 he resolved to try his fortunes
in the West. He lived for a year in Chicago, then in 1849 came
to Rock county, Wis., locating in Bradford, where he followed
carpentering for several years. In 1851 or 1852 he bought a farm
of eighty acres, to which he afterward added 100 acres. It was
unbroken prairie land, but he reduced it to cultivation, and
here he remained until his death, in 1865, at the age of fifty-eight
years. His wife survived until Jan. 5, 1887, passing away at
the age of seventy-five years. They were Universalists in religious
faith. To William and Rachel HERN were born five children, three
sons and two daughters. Two of the sons, Hartwell C. and David
W., served in the Civil war. Hartwell C. had served as ship carpenter
on a United States vessel before the war, and was in the South
when Fort Sumter was fired upon. He at once came North, and in
1861 enlisted in Company E, 5th Wis. V. I., for three years.
He was orderly sergeant, and for gallant conduct a commission
as second lieutenant was issued to him, but before it reached
him the young soldier fell in battle at Williamsburg, May 5,
1862. David W. HERN enlisted in the 2d Minn. V. I., and served
during the Civil war, also in the Indian war in Minnesota. He
is now a resident of St. Paul, Minn. Of the two sisters of our
subject one survives, Martha, wife of William GETTY, of Minneapolis.
- Arthur HERN was born in Clinton, Kennebec Co., Maine, Dec.
14, 1836. At the age of seven
- years he moved with his parents to Lowell, and four years
later, when the father came West to try his fortune, the mother
and our subject returned to Clinton, Maine, for a few years.
Arthur HERN settled in Bradford township with his parents in
1851, and has remained in Rock county ever since. He had attended
the common schools in Maine and the grammar school at Lowell,
Mass. After coming to Wisconsin he entered Milton (Wis.) College
as a student. At the death of his parents he came into possession
of the home farm, containing about 200 acres, in Bradford township.
His present home of 272 acres in La Prairie township he has occupied
since 1879. For a number of years he successfully operated a
cigar factory.
- On Dec. 10, 1868, Mr. HERN married Miss Harriet E. LAWRENCE,
daughter of Clark W. and
- Hannah M. (LEWIS) LAWRENCE. They had a son, Herbert A. Politically
Mr. HERN is a Democrat, and served as justice of the peace for
one term. Fraternally he is a member of Good Samaritan Lodge,
No. 135, F. & A. M. He is one of the most prominent citizens
of La Prairie township, and is most highly respected by all who
know him.
- On April 13, 1893, the entire community was shocked to hear
of the sad death of Mrs. Arthur
- HERN. Matthew BITSON and his wife had for some months occupied
a house on Mr. HERN's estate, and it was well known in the community
that their relations were not pleasant, Mr. BITSON having frequent
quarrels with his wife. On these occasions Mrs. HERN had frequently
acted as a peacemaker, her kindly disposition often causing her
to be called upon to smooth the rough paths of her friends. This
was the case on that ill-fated April morning, when, in response
to Mrs. BITSON's appeal for aid against the violence of her husband's
temper, Mrs. HERN entered the BITSON house. Mr. BITSON, enraged
at her appearance, shot both his wife and Mrs. HERN, and then
fired the house to conceal his crime. The charred remains of
both women were found in the cellar, and a night-and-day search
for the murderer was successful. He plead guilty and received
a life sentence. Mrs. HERN had been deeply beloved, and her tragic
death, while on a mission of benevolence, was the cause of great
indignation, as well as the most universal sorrow.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c)1901, pp. 757-758.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|