Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-09-21
FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.
Euzebe LaVgne, 81 Years of Age and 56
Years a Resident of Wood County.

Cdl D d nGSIUEIit vi WUOU CUuikfI
Few men have resided continuously
| in the Upper Wisconsin Valley for
more than half a century, and the
ranks of those few are rapidly being
thinned by the inevitable cycle Of
time. EuZebe LaNigne. a resident Of
Wood county from the days of terrific
rial government, who has witnessed its
growth and development since the
district received its present name, who
| has seen its forests and wild lands
| transformed into beautiful homes and
| farms, its lumber hamletS grow into
| thriving towns, has been next to join
| the old settlers in the grand reunion
beyond. -Four score years and two Of
| life'S allotment may have tinged his
manner with gravity and tempered his
words with fOrethOught. but at no time
in his day did he lay claims to poll
tiCal distinction, far less to military
ren0wn. His triumphS of earth were
of less brilliant order; whether less
associated with the well-being of his
race. with developing the resources
and fOrtifying the powers within his
influence than those of political
leader or a military chieftan, the true
friends of today must judge.
| Mr.. LaVigne passed from earth at
his farm home in the town Of Rudolph
last Friday morning, Sept. 10, at six
| teen minutes after nine o'clock. The
end was painless and peaceful, likened
to the slum6er of babe in parental
arms, marked by neither sound nor
struggle-a happy contrast to the
preceding nineteen days of intense
| suffering. There was present at the
| bedside at the parting hour a wife and
three little children, and the eldest
son, G. EdmOnde LaVigne. Senile
gangrene was the immediate cause Of
sickness, old age and the resultant
lack of vitality brought about his
death. He had not been feeling at
his best for full year, although he
| rode horseback to town four weeks
ago and has not been confined to bed
on account of illness for years and
years. Vigorous, ambitious and ear
nest to the last there are many who
will miss him according to his works.
Euzebe LaVigne was native Of
| Canada, born in Gentilly, Province Of
| Quebec, thirty miles from Montreal.
| Dawn of life came to him on a great
American holiday, July t, 1917, the
beginning of President MOnrOe's
administration and just at the close of
the second war with England. Uncle
Sam was at peace with all foreign
powers, his commerce rode every sea.
and loud bells were prOclaiming the
cessation Of strife between the two
great political partieS-DemOcrat and
FederaliSt.
At the schools of his place Of birth
Euzebe received his education. The
parents had a family of nineteen chill
dren and he was early set to work to
help provide. Only two Of that family
survive, viz: Mrs. Joseph LaVigne of
Grand Rapids and Mrs. Cecil Hammel
of Gentilly, Canada, When eighteen
years OF age our subject resolved to
seek home in the states and in 1885
he landed at IOstOn, Mass, an un-
known young man amiu-U strangers.
He was occupied at diverse lumber
labOrs in that state for tWOyearS, then
went to St. Louis, Mo-, and remained
six years, forming acquaintance of
lumbermen and raftSmen from the
north who induced him finally to start
for the forests of northern Wisconsin.
1t was the spring of 1913, many miles
he had walked that day. when he APP
piled late at night for lodging place
at one of the few log cabins then COM
Inn I'M 4 lr,l nd pD nj q
a resident Of Wood county ever since.
His first engagement was as cook in
| the logging camps, and other common
| labor in this lumber region: there was
no other industry here at that time.
Later Mr.. LaVigne turned to the
mercantile trade and in the sos and
i COS we find him the merchant prince
of Grand Rapids, carrying an immense
| stock all of which he was obliged to
| haul across country by team from
| Galena, ILL.,, d distance Of 245 miles.
| His store was located just north Of the
| present First National Bank. The
second story was used as q church,
| dance room and opera house. the only
public hall in the village. No Old set
| tier has yet forgot those social times
in LaNigne'S hall.
Mr.. LaNigne was the second sheriff
of Wood county, elected in April, 1861,
| to succeed Ben Buck. He served a
second term in 1866, and a third
time from January, 1873, until June,
1875. During the latter period J. d.
Witter was the county judge and j. Q.
| Emery was superintendent of schools:
| Geo. W. Cate of Stevens Point was
| the circuit judge, CnaS. NJ. Webb was
an attOrney-at-laW and COnveyancer.
| Our subject was a member Of the
| first county board, when it comprised
only two supervisors, both represent
ing Grand Rapids, then constituting
all the territory in Wood county. He
was postmaster for one term and held
other offices of trust. He conducted
ferry across the Wisconsin before
the bridge was built. His charities
We're large and varied during those
prosperous times, and, in the language
of an old companion, the life just
gone out leaves behind it striking and
| lasting examples Of enduring conf
dence, industry. integrity and public
spirit"
Politically he was staunch repub-
| lican, voter in its ranks since the
organization of the party. He was an
Odd Fellow for forty-Seven years.
having joined the order at PlOyer:
was transferred as charter member
of the first organization in Grand
Rapids, purchased the outfit to start
the lodge and presented it tC the
order. The Odd Fellows dropped the
charter here at the end of two years
and Mr.. LaNigne rejoined at Plover.
In 1873. Lodge No. 81, |. .. Q. f, was
I,