Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-02-23

Another early arrival of note who
came to the lead mines of Potosi was
James F. Chapman, who with his fam
lily settled in La Fayette in 1886. He
was a surveyor and hailed from Ken
lucky. He first occupied a log cabin
a little west of the village and Chap
mans cabin was known far and wide.
Some years afterward he built two
story frame dwelling in the village
near the Coons, Wolley & Co, store
building, in which he continued to re-
side to the time of his death in 1865.
His wife and one son, James F., had
preceded him in death, the former at
the homestead in La Fayette, the lat
ter in Colorado Mr. Chapman was a
prominent citizen of Potosi and a
true type of the Kentucky gentleman
handsome appearing tall and erect as
an arrow, standing some six feet in
height. He was a lover of good horses
and had many. one large bay gelding
being his favOrite saddle horse and
not used for any other purpose. When
astride this animal Mr.. Chapman pre-
scented as fine an appearance as any
man who ever sat i'll a saddle. 1t can
truly be said that as a horseman he
equals. On many occasions he was
grand marshall of celebrations in Po-
tosi and astride of this horse with the
music of brass bands and the booming
of big cannon Mr.. Chapman was
never unseated In 1916 he was ap-
pointed commissioner to expend the
money in the construction of the Po-
tosi canal and the same year the legis-
H. abr, fNt. frYsP-
from the Grant to the Mississippi
rivers. In 1849 he was elected the
first chairman of the board OF super
viSors for the town of Potosi, declin-
ing a second term. In 1863 he was
elected to the state legislature as a
democrat. At the time OF his death
he was the owner of a farm and vast
tracts of island lands and many La
Fayette lots. All of this property
after Mr.. Chapman's death fell to his
son, Theophilas, and daughter, Eliza
beth, Mrs. Byrne now of San Fran
cisco, Calf. Following the death of
the son in 1889 the property was sold
to different parties. Adam Schu-
macher became the possessor of about
700 acres of land and the La Fayette
village lots including the once fine
Chapman residence. This building
al the time Mr.. Schumacher pur-
chased it was in dilapidated con-
dition. He remodeled and made a
practically new house OF it. 1t is now
owned and occupied by Mrs. Robert
Mcknight and family.
Two dentists, Drs. Lundy and Evans,
were located in Potosi i'll the early
fifties, one of whom, DR.. Evans, in
after years became the private dentist
OF Empress Eugenia OF France ana
aided her to escape from Paris when
the Germans entered the city in 1871.
The lawyers who practiced their
profession in PotoSi in the early days
were David T. Anderson, c. S. Elmer
son. Charles Latimer, Cole and Biddle-
come William Hull and Cyrus K.
Lord. The two former removed to
other places. Chas. Latimer met his
death in a duel with Thomas Gloster
in Potosi in 1845 Orsamus Cole be-
came chief Justice of Wisconsin and
died in Madison few years ago. VIM.
r. Biddlecome, one of the bright
est intellects and promising young
attorneys the state could boast, re-
moved to St Louis and pursued his
profession. He died in Florida many
years ago. Cyrus Lord became coun-
ty Judge in 1850. He was appointed
receiver of the land office at La
Crosse by President Franklin Pierce
and removed to that city in 1855. He
died there some years ago. William
Hull, more Familiarity known as Bill
lie Hull", was elected district attor-
ney of Grant county in 1851 and
served one term. He was elected to
the legislature in 1S54-55-56 and was
speaker OF the assembly in 1856 dur
ing the reform administration OF Gov
Bashford when the railroad land sub
sidy was divided among the 'incorrup-
tihle" lawmakers. HUI, it was said
received $4,000 in script upon which
he realized about $4,000 in current
funds. In 1857 he removed to La
Crosse and again entered the prac-
tice of law He became attorney to1
the Commodore Davidson steamboat
line and held the position until taken
by death some years ago.
The medical profession was emf
nently represented by such skilled
practitioners as Drs. G. d. CrockWeli
Allen Hill, Carlos Nj. Hewett, Bennett
Armstrong, George w. Bicknell. JONI
Creighton and Dorm and Earle. al
Of whom are dead In 1852, DR.. I. l.