Bio: Sargent, James H. (History - 1836)
Contact: Janet Schwarze
Surnames: SARGENT STRONG MCCAULEY NEWTON DUNN LITTLE
----Source: Biographical History of Clark and Jackson Counties, Wisconsin, by The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891, Pages 343-344.
JAMES H. SARGENT, late proprietor of
Sargent's Hall, Thorp, was born in the town of Maria, New York,
July 8, 1836, the son of James Sargent, formerly of Parker's
Prairie, Minnesota, where he died in 1888, at the age of eighty-six
years. They removed to Hamilton County, New York, when our subject
was an infant, and a few years later to the Adirondac Mountains,
where the father was foreman of the building of the machinery for
the Adirondac Iron Works. Three years later they emigrated to
Democrat Prairie, Wisconsin, where he built the first frame house
in the city of Berlin, then called Strong's Landing. He lived at
this place a few years, and then located on Indian lands, in the
same county, near Princeton. The Indians were numerous, and often
came and looked through the cracks of their shanty while the family
was eating dinner. They would beg or steal more or less, but were
never hostile. After eight years residence there, they removed to
Peddler's Grove, settling on the prairie land, where they set up
stakes, tying them together with bark, which they also used for a
covering.
James H., our subject, served in the late war, Company H, Sixteenth
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, serving from December 31, 1863, July
12, 1865. He was in the battles of Vicksburg, Memphis, Kenesaw
Mountain, Marietta, Atlanta, Chattahoochee, Peach Tree Creek,
Jonesboro, Columbia, Raleigh, Lovejoy Station, Savannah, and also
with Sherman to the sea. He held the office of Sergeant, and had
charge of the battalion of Savannah, Georgia. He was tendered a
captain's commission, but refused. He was at the grand review at
Washington, and after the war returned to Eau Claire, Wisconsin,
and later to August, where he kept hotel three years. He then went
to south Fork, and ran a hotel at Hank's stopping place nine or ten
years next returned to Augusta, after which he left his farm and
went to camp in the Elk mountains, Colorado, where he mined two
years, and still has an interest in seven mines there. He then came
to Thorp in 1881, where he built the Forest Queen Hotel, which he
ran a few years and then sold out. In 1883 he built a large hall
known as the Opera House, with the Forest Queen saloon on the first
floor.
Mr. Sargent's mother, nee Elizabeth F. McCauley, was born in
Goffstown, New Hampshire, July 13, 1810. Mr. and Mrs. Sargent had
twelve children, five of whom are still living, viz. Theodore L.,
James H., Frederick, Edward and Sarah. Frederick was also in the
late war, in Company I, Thirtieth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
Thomas N. was in the same company Oscar, in the Sixth Wisconsin
Volunteer Infantry, and Charles M., in Company C, Eighth Wisconsin
Volunteer Infantry. Oscar died at Arlington Heights, Virginia, in
1862 Charles died at Germantown, Mississippi, while in the service
of his country Thomas in Minnesota after the war William F., in
Scott's Valley, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, leaving a family and
Harriet at the age of fourteen years. Lenora Sargent was drowned at
Fayston, Vermont, at the age of four years, by falling off a
bridge, in 1836.
Mr. Sargent was married April 3, 1856, to Julia A. Newton, daughter
of Samuel Newton. They have three children: Hiram F., Lenora E. and
Emma A. Hiram was married to Nellie Dunn, and they have two
children: Guy and Arthur (a Christmas gift) Lenora married Charles
S. Little, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and they have one child
also, Clara E. Mr. Sargent is a Mason, a member of the I. O. O. F.,
of the G. A. R. and Merchants Association. He was a member of the
Town Board seven years in Eau Claire County, but has always refused
office here. His son, Hiram, is his partner in business, and with
w. H. Mead he owns forty acres of mineral land in Clark County,
which contains vast quantities of rich hematite iron ore, which
assays sixty-three percent. The have also some mining land in
Taylor county, Wisconsin, which contains silver, lead, gold and
traces of gray copper, and they are now sinking a shaft to develop
it.
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Sargent's Hall.
The cut to the left represents the front of the principal opera hall in Thorp. It is owned and managed by J. H. Sargent and his son, H. F. Sargent, the latter being the local manager. The firm of J. H. Sargent & Son was organized in 1884. The senior member of the firm is a real estate dealer in Taylor county, and the firm is largely interested in ral estate in this county. They own a large quantity of farm and timberland in the county besides several village lots in Thorp. The lower story is occupied as a saloon. It is a quiet and well managed place and probably the largest place of the kind in this section of country. The hall is neatly furnished, well ventilated and has a seating capacity of about five or six hundred. All town meetings are held in this hall, also all of the first-class entertainments, lectures, etc., and even church services are sometimes held here. The senior member of the firm is a native of Vermont. H. F. was born in this state. He has been chief of the Fire Department in Thorp for three years and manager of the Thorp Baseball Club for the same length of time. Both members of the firm are members of the F. & A. M. order and also of the I. O. O. F. J. H. Sargent was a soldier in the late war and H. F. belongs to the Sons of Veterans. ("Clark Co., Illustrated" by Saterlee, Tifft & Marsh; 1890). |
SARGENT STRONG MCCAULEY NEWTON DUNN LITTLE
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