Derinda Township (part 5 of 5)

[/ ^ ANS LAMONT is an old and respected resijlj dent of Apple River Township, coming here in 1858. He is a native of County Down, Ireland, and came to America when a young man of twenty-three years. His parents, John and Mary (Donnan) Lamont, were descendants of the old Scotch-Presbyterians, dying at the ages of eighty-six and eighty-four, respectively. It is supposed the father was a man of considerable means; that far back in the annals of the Lamont family history, they were tinged with French blood .

Our subject received his education both in the public and private schools, and passed his early boyhood on his father's farm, assisting in the lighter duties thereof. The parental family included four boys and one girl. Mr. Lamont from his youth up was imbued with the spirit of enterprise, and was impatient to try his fortune in the land of " Liberty." He was the first of the family to strike out for America, his destination being Pittsburg, Pa., where he remained for a time, engaged in various occupations. He had an uncle in America, however, who was contractor on the Kingwood Tunnel, through the Allegheny Mountains, in West Virginia, and was thus in his employ for a time. '

Our subject was married in Pittsburg, Pa., to Miss Alice Lamont, to whom he had been engaged before leaving Ireland. The result of this union was nine children. After removing to Apple River in 1858, he was engaged as baggage-master at that place for a period of eighteen years. Our subject has enjoyed good health all his life, and is now passing his last days amid the comforts of a pleasant home. His wife, who is in every way a most excellent lady, is also remarkably preserved, and has won the esteem of all who know her.

For fifty-five years Mr. Lamont has been a Sunday School worker, serving many years as Sunday School Superintendent, being connected wjth the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has constituted one of the Village Board for a period of seventyfive years, and in every instance has worked for the benefit of the masses and the good of the community.

J"~| AMES GASTON SOULARD was born in I St. Louis, Mo., on the 15th of July, 1798. ] His father, Antoine Pierre Soulard, was a ' native of ' Rochelle, France. He escaped from that country at the. time of the Revolution there in 1793. and came to America, locating at St. Louis when that section was owned by the Spanish Government. He became Surveyor General for that Government, having made the acquaintance of the Governor of that Province during a voyage across the Atlantic. He was a resident there until his death in 1825. The maiden name of his wife, mother of the subject of this sketch, was Julie Cerre. She was bora in Kasknskia, 111., Aug. 10, 1775.

Mr. Soulard, the one of whom this sketch is written, was reared and educated at St. Louis, and was married, March 20, 1820, to Miss Eliza Hunt. In 1821 he sold his property at St. Louis, and the same year was appointed Sutler at Ft. Snelling,aird, accordingly, in the month of October, he started for the fort. He was accompanied by his wife, child, a colored maid-servant, and six men with a keel-boat, loaded with goods. The friends of Mrs. Soulard had tried to persur de her not to make the perilous trip. She, however, resolved to go with her husband, and promised not to do anything that should cause him to neglect his duty. The countiy on either side of the Mississippi, above St. Louis, was inhabited by Indians only. There was a garrison at Rock Island and at Prairie du Chien. A sail was used when the wind was favorable, while at other times the boat was poled along, or drawn by men walking on the bank. At Lake Pepin they found the river frozen, and were obliged to drop back to a point on the east bank of the river, opposite where the city of Winona now stands. There was an Indian trader residing there, and our voyagers shared his wigwam. Mr. Soulard, leaving his wife with the Indian trader, started for Prairie du Chien on foot, to secure teams to take his goods on to the fort. He returned after an absence of ten days. During that time Mrs. Soulard was surrounded by Indians, but the}' were peaceable. The goods were transferred to the wagons, and a start was made. There being no settlements, the party was obliged to camp wherever night overtook them, and in due season Ft. Snelling was reached. Mr. Soulard remained in trade at the -fort until 1823, when he returned to St. Louis, having received the appointment of City Surveyor. In 1827 he came to Galena, and for a period of six years conducted a store in the interest of Gratiot Bros. Soon after he took up a tract of land, and, while attending to his other duties, improved his farm. In 1835 he removed to the farm, and in 1836 raised the first cultivated strawberries in the county. He resided on the farm nearly twenty years, then removed to Galena. His parents had died previous to this, and for some years he directed his attention to the settlement of the estate. In 1869 he commenced on a vineyard, to which, for some years, he devoted considerable time, taking a great deal of pride in the work. He was a resident of the city of Galena until his death, which occurred Sept. 17, 1878.

Mr. Soulard was formerly a Whig, but, in 1856, became a Douglas Democrat, though, in 1864, he voted for Lincoln. In 1852 he was appointed Postmaster, and, at the same time, County Recorder. He also held the ofHce of County Surveyor.

In 1832 the steamer " Warrior " landed at Galena on its way to Ft. Snelling with supplies for the fort, and Mr. Soulard was one of thirty who volun- teered to go with the boat as an escort. They reached the mouth of the Bart Axe while that battle was raging between Gen. Atkinson and the Indians, and the steamer intercepted the savages as they tried to cross the river.

Mrs. Soulard had eight children: Julia A. married E. B. Kimball; Isabelle is married and resides in Chicago; Oelacia is the wife of J. G. Jennings, of Dubuque; Theresa married II. F. McCloskey, of Galena; Adell is married to Capt. E. B. Holcomb, of St. Paul; Henry G. spent four years in Europe attending school, a great part of the time at Heidelberg. After his return he attended Harvard College, and was admitted to practice law at St. Louis. He died two years after at the age of twenty-five. Julia married R. J. Tompkins; Harriett married Walter W. Webb, and now resides in Galena.

Mrs. Soulard is now residing with her daughter at Galena, enjoying good health and spirits, retaining a remarkable memory for one of her years. She delights in telling to young people the thrillingexperiences of her past life.

AMES CHARLTON, the genial landlord and proprietor of the Charlton House, in Apple River, is one of the most intelligent men of his community, and one held in universal respect. He has been a close student and an extensive reader, and there are few subjects upon which he cannot intelligently converse. He has been prominent in local affairs, serving as Justice of the Peace, which office he holds at present, and otherwise identifying himself with the interests of the place.

The subject of this sketch was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, Dec. 3, 1850, and is the son of William and Sarah A. (Irvin) Charlton, the former a farmer by occupation. The parental family included six children, viz.: James (our subject) Elizabeth, Margaret, Edward R., Annie, and Sarah M. James, like his brothers and sisters, received a common-school education, and the whole family emigrated to America in 1870, settling at once in Apple River Township, this county. Seven years later our subject went to Nevada, in the hope of bettering his condition financially, and was occupied in the mines there and in the restaurant business two years. We next find him at Silver Reef, Utah, 230 miles south of Salt Lake City, where'he was first engaged as foreman of a, quartz mill, and later officiated in the same capacity for the Stormont Silver Mining Company, of New York. He was thus occupied until 1880, when he was taken ill with malaria, and, going to Kansas, was engaged for a time in the disposal of some landed property at Wilson.

The wife of our subject was, in her girlhood, Miss Salina J. Woodward, and she was born in La Fayette County, Wis. Her father died when she was a mere child. She was reared in Apple River, and is known to a large portion of its people. By her own efforts she acquired a good education, and for some time before her marriage officiated as a teacher. Her sister Nettie is the wife of W. D. Hall, a member of the firm of Miller, Hall & Son, wholesale dealers in cutlery, brass bedsteads', etc., at Chicago. Mr. Charlton, politically, affiliates with the Republican party, and has been quite prominent in local affairs, serving as a member of the Village Board of Trustees and on the Board of Education. Socially, he belongs to Apple River Lodge No. 548, A, F. & A. M., of which he has been Master two years, and is also Secretary. He stands high in the fraternity, being identified with the R. A. M. of Warren, and Galena Commandery K. T. Both he and his estimable wife are members in good standing of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. Charlton is an Elder and Superintendent of the Sunday-school. He is liberal and public-spirited, and in his capacity of "mine host" is remarkably popular with the traveling public.

JOHN FIDD1CK is one of the very extensive and successful dry-goods men of Galena. He has resided at that place for a great many years, and has been directly connected with the dry-goods business since 1841. Mr. Fiddick began his commercial life by clerking in his uncle's store, and was thus engaged when, at the age of twenty-seven years, he went to California, and was employed at mining. He returned in 1852 from the Pacific Slope, at which time lie commenced with his brother, the firm being W. & .1. Fiddick. He was thus connected for several years, when, in 1870, the firm was changed, afterward being known as J. & R. H. Fiddick. which partnership lasted until 1883, when the junior member, R. H. Fiddick, whose biography appears elsewhere in this work, withdrew, and established a bank, thus leaving John Fiddick sole proprietor until 1888, when he promoted Mr. S. R. Granville, formerly a clerk in his store, to a membership in the firm.

As a merchant, Mr. Fiddick has been a practical and successful one, which can be traced to his fine perception and good judgment. He came to Galena without a great deal of means, but has rapidly risen in wealth, so that now he is in possession of a handsome competency. He came directly from England to Galena, he being then a young man, full of hope and ambition, and by devoting himself closely to the business he had decided to engage in. he. in 1852, became an associate partner. John Fiddick, Sr., father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Cornwall, England, and was born Feb. 26, 1822. He was married in his native shire, to Annie Granville. She was born and reared, lived and died in (Cornwall. At the time of her death she was a very young woman, which sad event occurred when the subject of our sketch, and her only child, was only two years old. Her husband, John Fiddick, Sr., died soon after. Our subject having lost his parents so young in life, was taken by his paternal grandfather to raise. His name was Thomas Fiddick, being also a native of the same shire as the grandson, and was a miner by occupation, having given his entire attention to his chosen calling. He died in his native Cornwall, at the age of about eighty, his death occurring before our subject came to America.

It will thus be seen that Mr. Fiddick, the one of whom this article is written, was thrown early upon his own resources, and that he has been handicapped, but has come out a winner in the end.