Bio: Lamont, Hon. John F. (No dates given)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Lamont, Kretlow, Young

---Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913.

Lamont, Hon. John F. (No dates given)

HON. JOHN F. LAMONT, who twice served in the office of mayor of Wausau, Wisconsin, and is known all over the state for his public interest and his value in constructive citizenship, standing at the head of educational progress and exerting unmeasured influence in this direction, was born at Mill Center, Brown County, Wisconsin, and is a son of Angus and Almira Lamont. Angus Lamont was born in Prince Edward's Island and was a pioneer lumberman in Wisconsin. His wife was a native of New York. In 1874 they moved to Colby, Wis., and there Angus Lamont died October 25, 1910, his widow yet surviving.

John F. Lamont was graduated from the Unity High School in 1882 and from then until 1884, when he entered the University of Wisconsin, he taught school. Graduating from that institution in 1888 he then turned his attention to business and engaged in the lumber industry from 1888 until 1894, at Colby, in the meanwhile becoming widely known and tendered many political offices. In the latter year he was a member of the county board of supervisors of Marathon County and was also elected county superintendent of schools. Immediately he set about the organization of a training school for teachers, the first county organization of its kind in the United States. He organized also the Marathon County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy; was state president of the State Association of County Superintendents of Schools ; was chairman of the State Board of Visitors to River Falls Normal School; was treasurer of the State Teachers' Association; state manager for Wisconsin for the National Educational Association, and during his service of ten years and six months as county superintendent, the schools of Marathon county became rated as the best in Wisconsin. From 1894 until 1905 Mr. Lamont was thus continuously engaged in educational work along the line of school extension but in that year he retired and again turned his attention to a business life, entering into the real estate, loan and insurance business, in which he continues, and until 1909 he was the junior member of the firm of Kretlow & Lamont. He was not permitted long, however, to withdraw from the public eye, in 1906 becoming secretary of Wausau's Fire and Police Commission; in 1908 being first elected mayor of Wausau and reelected in 1910, and in 1911 became secretary of the Marathon County Agricultural Society. During 1910 and 1911 Mr. Lamont delivered many lectures in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, for the Wisconsin Advancement Association in the interests of Upper Wisconsin.

On December 25, 1897, Mr. Lamont was married to Miss Jessie M. Young of Wausau, and they have four children: Alexander, James, Marion and Katherine. He has long been identified with Masonry and is a Knight Templar, and belongs also to the Knights of Pythias and the Elks.