BACKBIOGRAPHIES:
FOR THE SURNAMES BEGINNING WITH THE LETTER "C" (page 2)
COMBACKER, A.(Mexican War) Among the
enterprising, successful and reliable attorneys of Pierce county,
Wisconsin, the subject of this sketch holds a conspicuous place.
He is a native of Massachusetts and was born in Boston, January
15, 1857, to John F. and Mary (Ferlein) Combacker, both natives
of Germany, who came to the United States when they were quite
young. His father settled in Boston, Mass., and engaged in the
manufacturing of cigars, running a large factory and continuing
there for some years. In 1857 he removed to St. Croix county,
Wisconsin, and purchased a farm in Somerset Township, where he
engaged in farming for many years. At the time of his death he
was the owner of about 320 acres of land. He followed farming all
of his active life and in 1886 moved to Stillwater, Minn., where
he lived a retired life for about four years and died in 1890. He
was a soldier in the Mexican war. A Republican in politics, he
held the offices of supervisor, town clerk and justice of the
peace of the town, and county surveyor of St. Croix county. He
was a great student and kept himself well posted as to the
current events of the day. He was about sixty-eight years old at
the time of his death and his wife was sixty-nine years of age.
She died at Stillwater, Minn., in 1887. They were the parents of
four children-Josephine, Henry E., Emma and our subject. Mr.
Combacker remained at home until he was twenty years old. He
obtained his education in the common schools of St. Croix County,
Wisconsin, assisted upon the home farm and then began the study
of law at Hudson, Wis., with the firm of N. H. & M. E. Clapp.
He was admitted to the bar in 1879, and moved to Ellsworth, Wis.,
in 1880, where he has practiced his profession ever since. He
held the office of county judge for an unexpired term, served as
district attorney for twelve years, and as a president of the
village of Ellsworth for the greater part of the time since its
organization in 1887, still holding that office. Nearly all of
the improvements of Ellsworth have been made while he has held
the office of president. He is also secretary of the Ellsworth
Heat, Light & Power Company. Mr. Combacker was one of the
first organizers of the Pierce County Telephone Company and was
secretary for some time. He then sold out his interests. In
politics he is a Republican. Mr. Combacker was married November 9,
1882, to Ada F. Brown, of Hudson, Wis., where she was born to
Lewis and Frances Brown. Her father was sheriff of St. Croix
County for a number of years. He died in Kansas, ad his wife
passed away at Ellsworth, Wis., in 1905. There has been born to
Mr. and Mrs. Combacker three children-Marie, Gratia and Vivian. (taken
from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in
1909)
CONDIT, ELIAS R. , merchant
and farmer, Rock Elm, was born in Mont Clair, Essex county, N. J.,
May 18, 1833. His great-great- grandfather, John Condit, was a
native of England, of Norman descent, and immigrated to America
in 1678. His first wife, Catherine Barton, was a niece of Sir
Isaac Newton. Our subject's grandfather and great-grandfather
were each named Peter. His father, William Dodd Condit, was born
at Orange, N. J., April 14, 1811, and died at Rock Elm, June 14,
1891. William D. Condit married Margaret Hagar, a native of
Connecticut, whose family came originally from Holland. Their
children were: Elias R., Mary E. (Mrs. C. A. Ackerman), Theodore
D., Edward O. (died in the United States service), Frances A. (Mrs.
H. Tousley), Harriet D. (Mrs. J. C. Anderson), Jesse M., Charles
H., Sarah L. (Mrs. S. Cook), Clarence A. and Cora A. (Mrs. F.
Gilmore). Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Condit came to Wisconsin in 1850 and
to Rock Elm township in 1867. They will long be remembered among
the worthy pioneers of this place. Mrs. Condit died there
September 12, 1884. Mr. Condit was an old-line abolitionist. He
voted for William Henry Harrison, also for Benjamin Harrison, and
at each intermediate presidential election. Elias R. received but
little schooling in his youth. At the age of thirteen years he
began clerking in a jewelry store at Mount Morris, N. Y. In 1850
he came with his parents to Hartford, Washington county, Wis.,
and worked on a farm. In 1857 he engaged in keeping a hotel at
Rubicon, Wis. In 1867 he removed to Rock Elm township, Pierce
county, and purchased 240 acres of wild land, upon which he now
resides. At that time game was very plentiful, deer often coming
within a few rods of the house. Mr. Condit has bought and shipped
many tons of venison from Rock Elm. Upon one occasion Mr. C. A.
Hawn was passing through the woods near Mr. Condit's farm and
encountered a bear stealing a pig. Upon his arrival Bruin dropped
the pig and threatened to attack Mr. Hawn, who, being unarmed,
shouted lustily for help, and finally succeeded in driving off
the bear. Hearing the noise, Mr. Condit ran to the rescue and
although he found no bear, he found a man badly frightened. Soon
after coming to Rock Elm Mr. Condit opened a general store which
he still carries on in partnership with his son William. March 27,
1857, he married Carolina Farmer, and six children blessed this
union, namely: Emmaret (Mrs. Burges), Wesley, William, Alice, Ida
and Rena. Mrs. Condit died October 16, 1889. Mr. Condit is a
republican. He has filled the offices of postmaster and chairman
of the town board. He is also a member of the Masonic and I. O. O.
F. fraternities. --Taken from the "Historical and
Biographical Album of the Chippewa Valley Wisconsin.
COPLEY, John S. is one of
the successful farmers of Pierce County, now residing on section
twenty-eight, Clifton Township, where he owns 253 acres of rich
farmland. He was born in Delaware County, New York, August
26, 1830, educated in the schools of his native county, taught
school and then learned the blacksmith trade. In 1855 he
came westward, settling in this township, at that time a part of
Prescott. He first purchased forty acres and to this he
added from time to time until he owned 500 acres. This land
was largely wild at the time of his arrival, and he broke and
cleared a large part of it, residing there for fifty-three years,
engaging in general farming and stock raising. Of late
years he has sold some of his land, still retaining 253 acres,
upon which he has made many improvements, erecting a large
substantial frame dwelling, barns and other buildings for the
shelter of stock and grain, his farm being now one of the model
ones of the county. Upon the place is also the old
blacksmith shop, which Mr. Copley ran for many years after coming
here. A Republican in politics, he was chairman of the
township board many years and for thirty years served as coroner.
He affiliates with the Masonic order at Prescott. Mr.
Copley was married when twenty-three years of age to Maria
Hickok, born on a farm in New York State adjoining the natal
place of Mr. Copley. She died in 1896, leaving to mourn her
decease five children: Mary is the wife of Charles Moyer of
Clifton township, and has two children, Grace and Eddie.
Sarah married Charles Chinnock, of St. Croix County, and has five
children: Raymond, Ralph, Ruby, Lloyd, and Ervin.
Lucy resides at home. Catherine is now the wife of Theodore
Nopp, and has four children: Lita, Verne, Merle, and Vinta.
John S. was the fifth child born to Mr. and Mrs. Copley. He
died when nine months old. (Taken from "History of the St.
Croix Valley", published in 1909). Submitted by Pat Casey.
CRAWFORD, David Paul. Although Dave Crawford was born in Ireland and spent much of his adult life in Minnesota, he grew up in Pierce County. David Paul Crawford was born on November 21, 1886, in Ballymoney, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. He is the son of James Paul Crawford and Isabella McCaughey-Crawford. Dave Crawford immigrated to the United States about 1901 to join his mother in Pierce County. Dave's father had been killed in a railroad construction accident in Ireland and his mother had remarried John McKeever of Pierce County. Dave met and married Amelia Marie Hansen in St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN on November 3, 1909. In 1910, Dave and Amelia were living in Hammond, St. Croix County, and he was employed doing a phone repair business. His stepfather, John McKeever died in 1913 and his mother, Isabella McKeever passed away in 1917. Dave Crawford had become close with his half brother Ray Watt McKeever and the two of entered the telephone repair business. From 1920 to about 1923 the two of them worked together in Luck, Polk County, Wisconsin. Dave Crawford lived and worked in Winnebago, Faribault County, MN from 1923 until about 1954. Dave and Amelia Crawford then moved to Wells, Faribault County, Minnesota. Dave Crawford managed the Wells, MN Telephone Office until his retirement. David Crawfords 1/2 brother Ray Walter McKeever passed away in 1967 in Minneapolis, MN. David Paul Crawford passed away April 13, 1970, in the Wells Hospital. Amelia Marie Crawford died on May 29, 1980, in Wells, MN. They are both buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Wells, Faribault County, MN. The David and Marie Crawford children are: (1) Evelyn Agnes (b1911 in Hammond, WI) (2) Viola Mae b1913 in Hammond, WI) (3) Harold David (b1916 in Luck, WI) (4) Lyle Merlyn (b1919 in Luck, WI) (5) Kenneth Leroy (b1921 in Luck, WI) (6) Gladys Mary (b1923 in Luck, WI) (7) Arlene Lorraine (b1926 in Winnebago, MN. When David Paul Crawford passed away in 1970, he had 23 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren. Submitted by descendant, Robert Patrick.