Bio: Sampson, Ahira (1837 - 1913?)

 
Contact: Stan

Surnames: Sampson, Teel, Scott, Daly, Witter, Moore, Halverson

----Source: History of Wood County, Wis. (1923) page 314

Henry Ahira Sampson, a veteran lumberman and one of the builders of Wis. Rapids, was the first white child born in this vicinity, the interesting event having occurred in a log shanty near Whitney Rapids, eight miles down the river, March 1, 1842. His parents were Ahira and Jane (Teel) Sampson, the father a native of New York State, a Wis. pioneer, and one of the founders of Wis. Rapids. Henry Ahira's school opportunities were limited, being confined to the district school, except for a year which he spent at Point Bluff. His industrial career was begun early and as a logger for T. B. Scott, and later he followed the lumber business for 30 years on the Wis. River and the headwaters of the Tamarack, with John Daly as partner. He and Mr. Daly, with J. D. Witter, built the Oberbeck Furniture Co.'s plant on the west side, which is now the plant of the Ahdawagam Paper Box Co. He also erected sawmills on the west side in Wis. Rapids, and others about three miles out of town, and cut a vast quantity of timber, one contract alone amounting to 33,000,000 feet. Though his operations are not now extensive, he has not wholly given up the business. He is the owner of 800 acres of land in the vicinity of his mill in Seneca Township, and also has a farm in Seneca Township. His residence is on the old homestead established by his father before the Civil War period, and which was then one of the best obtainable in this part of the county. Mr. Sampson is one of the stockholders of the First National Bank and has for many years taken a leading part in the local business affairs. He also served for awhile as alderman. Mr. Sampson married Omeda J. Moore, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Moore, her parents being farmers of Rudolph, Wis., though previously from Ohio. The result of this union was one child, Henry A., Jr., who is now connected with the mercantile establishment of Abel, Muller & Co. Mrs. Sampson died about 20 years ago. Henry A., Jr. resides in the old home residence with his father. He married Ida Halverson and they have six children, Ray, Jeannette, Harold, James, Ralph and Madge.