Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-09-07
a1tth ttr Bntnat ptnnrrrs
(By Judge Wilmott)

lumber point, three yards being in
operation at the same time and all
doing a good business. In real early
days, lumber to be used in the cree
ton of buildings in Lafayette, Van
Buren, and the head of the hollow,
later Potosi" was shipped here by
steam boat and much was hauled
from Hough's mill, down on Platte,
and from Galena. 1t was not until
1853 that a lumber yard was estab-
lished in Potosi. when Kinney and
Augustin operated a steam saw mill
down at Lafayette John Van Dyke
established a small yard in the vii
lage of Potosi in 1856. 1t was located
on the grounds where Mrs. T. H.
Runkel's residence now stands. Mr..
Van Dyke did not continue in the
business but for short time, the
saw mill yard was too strong COM
petitor. In 1860 John Lyle a capital
ist lumberman from the pine regions
of the north, opened up a lumber yard
in Van Buren, and put it in charge OF
a competent man and perfect gentle
man named Charles F. Olmstead, who
came here with his family from a
point up north. He conducted the
business up to August 1862 when he
resigned his position to enter the SER
vice of his country in the Civil war,
and was made first lieutenant of
Company H. 25th regiment Wisconsin
Volunteer Infantry, and died in the
service. Lytle did not continue in the
lumber business in Potosi very long
after Olmstead's resignation and he
sold the business to Joseph H.
Schneider of Glen Haven who con-
ducetd it for many years. He was
succeeded by Kendrick and Wallen-
horst and in the course of years the
business into the hands of the pres
ent Potosi Lumber Company. In
1868 Alexander M. Ncaville and Thos.
Davies established a lumber yard on
lots below the Catholic church in
Potosi Davies shortly thereafter
withdrew and Neaville became sole
owner and after several years closed
out Thus at the period of 1868 there
were three lumber yards in Potosi,
Kinney and Lewis at the saw mill in
Buren, and Neaville and Davies in Po-
tosi.
Davis Gillian was anDther early
arrival to the mining regions, coming
to the Dubuque lead mines from
western Virginia in 1882 when twenty
years of age. He entered into the
mercantile business and had a good
/; trade, but trusted too much to the
honesty of the miners and lost out
A man by the name of Sanford, who
later became wealthy and built the
Sanford block in Dubuque was book
keeper for Mr. Gillian and had Gill
Ian remained in Dubuque as Sanford
did and speculated in property he
: too, might of become a wealthy man
He was the first Sheriff of Dubuque
county, Territory off Michigan, and
filled the office with marked ability
He was married in Dubuque to Miss
Mary Kreiser who had come to Du-
buQue from Ohio with her parents il
> 1882 when ten years of age. This
: marriage took place in 1885. Mrs
Gillian was a sister of Celestin Kali
tenbach's first wife who died Of
cholera in 1852. Two children, a sor
and daughter we're born to Mr.. ant
e Mrs Gillian in Dubuque. In 1S4(
Mr.. Gillian, lured b. the big strikes
e in the mining regions of Potosi an(
: misrepresentation of his father-in
law, Adam Kreiser, who told him tina
e mineral was found in abundant guam
with his family from Dubuque to Pc
r itosi and settled in Dutch Hollow. Ha
:. was man of a bright and keen in
tellect and was admired by every one
: for his gentlemanly conduct and sooI
made hosts of friends He was elect
: ed to the Wisconsin Legislature il
O 1849 and was a useful member of tina
/ body. His opinion In matters of law
: Especially mining laws were strOngl!
: adhered to. In politics, he was al
ardent democrat and his advice an(
opinions in the councils of the party
was often sought and listened to-. HI
e died of cholera in 1852 aged 40 years
q 4 leaving a widow with seven children
t ! four SONS and three daughters. Mrs
= Gillian continued to reside at tbs
s / homestead and raised her children tt
e manhood and womanhoOd. She died
~ in 1888 aged Sc years. Three sons
Henry, Nathan and Franklin and two
j, daughters, Mrs. Greene Palmer anC
S Mrs. Andrew Winkler have passed tC
g their reward. The youngest son Will
: liam who was but little more than
5 one year old when his father died, is
: a prosperous farmer and residing in
l the town of Harrison, Josephine the
l youngest daughter still resides on the
hOhACoIOe1Os A1Ch4J LhC OOu W Ok
: a counter part of his father and was
2 a true type of manhood. He was a
: staunch friend, and his word was as
l good as a gold bond, no one knew
: his friendship better than the writer
Everybody had a good word for Henry
Gillian and he could count his friends
by legions. In politics, like his father
!, before him he was a democrat and was
} true to his principles. He was chair
man of the board of supervisors of
} the town of Potosi in 1888. He died
on his farm in the town of Harrison
in 1896, aged SO years.
In 1857 some sturdy Canadian
Frencrmen came to Potosi from Can
ada looking for work They soon
found employment chopping cord
wood for Nelson Smith down on
Platte river. They remained batchel-
ors quarters and bought their supplies
in Potosi. They often came here to
attend dances and to have good time
in general. Being all of joviaI ma