Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-07-05
JOHN H. ROUNTREE DEAD.
The WeIl-Known Wisconsin Pionee,
Passes Away.

Passes Away.
PLATTEvILLE, Wis, June 2S.-John H ~
Rountree, one of the most prominentfi,
pioneer settlers of Wisconsin, man an
known from state border to state Dor III
der for more than sixty years, Il dead ~
The end came last evening at the family ~
homestead in this village. hT
One of the first settlers of the state, a ali
leader in the development Of the lead in
regions of Wisconsin and Illinois, one Se
of the organizers of the Grand Chapter ~ =,
Royal Arch Masons, Of the state sof
prominent in politics of county and4ch
state for many years-few men were hd
better known in Wisconsin than john
Hawkins Rountree Born in Kentucky =, nv
on March "a, 1905, he spent his youth AZ
and boyhood until 1924 in hisv6
native state. In 1924, however, co
he saddled his horse and rode acrossSnn
the country to Montgomery County M
H., distance of 800 miles, and twoSe
years later, at the age Of q, was electedce
sheriff of the county. Early in 1897, Ws
hearing great deal about the lead..'o.
mines at and near Galena, he started,a
northward with an OK team, and arriy.nl,
ing ut the mines on the oath Of May hesiI
commenced digging for lead. The(K
country, however, was then overrun bvm,
hostile Indians But before the end Owl,
the year he had made permanent setM1
Element where now stands this thrivingms
little city. He built cabin of logs anddi'
sods, and commenced mining opcrapo
tons Ill earnest; two years later bulldingM,
| IA 10 hat, -.
ton. Foreseeing future for Patteth,
Vile, Mr.. Rountree in 1884 purchased(M
the entire site of the present village apr
the first land sale Of the United Statena
land office, then located at Minera(I
Point On
In October, 1929, Mr.. Rountree wasos
made justice of the peace for lowasio
County, the appointment being by Goyrel
Cass. On May 10, the same year, heEa
was appointed postmaster. In lS32,ds
however, the Black Hawk war breakingNa
out, he laid down his mailing stamp, or !
gained a mounted cavalry companyla
and became captain of it. In 1884, theln
war being over, he was appointed chieba
Justice of the court of Iowa Countylil
From 1887 to 1867 Mr.. Rountree servebal
much of the time in the territoriaJo
Council and the state Legislature. He'd
was eight years in the Council, -four
years in the state Senate, one year ala
member of the Constitutional Conven-le
ton, and one year In the Assembly. Ia
Mr. Rountree was one of the organizcrsp,
of the Northwestern Mutual Life InsurYa
ance Company, and was n director oSn1
the company from the time of its foundgl,s
alton to the time of his death. No manMi
in the state has spent so many years aDoi
Madison among the lawmakers as MrAp,
Rountree, and no man connected witIsoi
the legislative history of Wisconsin hadls
purer record. del
In politics Mr.. Ronntree was originTh
ally Wing, and later Republicans
He was connected with the Methodis(M
Church from 1886, and was active in I2tht
ligious, benevolent and literary enteTset
prises He became q Mason when anie
young man, and passed all the chairsan,
was high priest of the chapter andns
grand high priest of the Grand Chapof
ter
Mr. Rountree was twice married theoo
fruits of the first marriage being tiYeMc
children, and of the SECOND ten. OF !
his sons, George II. Rountree,Ir
who has long been connectedlis
with the Northwestern Mutual Life meg
surance Company, is the best knoWn,rt
Phil. became a newspaper man. ""dMr
John M. and Harry became lawyers. ,ol
Even in his old age Mr.. Rountreehe
stood perfectly erect. He was fully silva
feet tall, an exceedingly well-preserved es
man, and a man of good habits. IN \
striking contrast with the humblela,
cabin Of fifty years ago is the elegant ID,
house where he spent his declinlng,el
years and where he died. er
Mr. Rountree's death was notIunex he
pected He has been failing in heath 3
for some months, the decline of Old agef.s
setting in, that could have but one re NE
suit. He passed away peacefully. ,ill
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