BIOGRAPHIES: SURNAMES BEGINNING WITH "D"
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DEANS, John T. is a retired farmer and lives on the corner of Fifth and Walnut streets, River Falls, Wis. He is a native of New York State and was born in the town of Waddington, St. Lawrence County, November 9, 1832. He attended the common schools and lived there until October 16, 1866. He is a son of George and Margaret (Thompson) Deans. His father was born in Scotland on Queen Victoria's birthday. He was a tailor by trade and came to the United States before his marriage. He settled first at Quebec, Canada, and resided here about two years, and then he removed to Montreal and from there to St. Lawrence county, New York. He died here at the age of eighty-four years. His mother died at the same place one year before his father. In 1866 Mr. Deans came west, settled in Kinnickinnic Township, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, and purchased a farm of 160 acres located just west of the monument. He left the home farm and moved to River Falls about 1896 and has resided here twelve years. He is a Republican in politics; has held the office of township chairman, was a member of the county board for about five years and a member of the schoolboard for fifteen years. He is a member of the Congregational church and was on of the trustees of the church when he resided in Kinnickinnic Township. Mr. Deans was married to Sarah Ann Freeman, March 17, 1859. She was born at Waddington, N.Y., a daughter of John and Mary Freeman. Her father was a native of Wales, but moved to England when a small boy, and came to America at an early date, settling on a farm in St. Lawrence county, New York. In 1870he and his wife came to Wisconsin and lived with Mr. and Mrs. Deans. He died in about four months after arriving here, at the age of seventy-seven years. Mrs. Dean's mother died at the age of ninety-two years. She was the mother of twelve children, three of whom are still living. The oldest daughter, Judith, married Thomas W. Tait. Mrs. Deans was educated in St. Lawrence County, New York, and remained at home until her marriage. She is a member of the Congregational church. She has borne ten children, seven of whom are still surviving-Judith is the wife of J. H. Rogers and they have two children, Harry and Dean; George W. is a farmer and resides in Oak Grove township, Pierce county, Wisconsin. He married Mary Madison and they have nine children-Nora; Esther, married A. Barrett and has one child; Lewis, Henrietta, John, Nettie, Harold, Edith and Irving. John was the third child born to Mr. and Mrs. Deans and he died at the age of seven years; Alexander died at the age of twenty-eight ; he married Lucy Morgan and one child was born to them, Edna; Margaret Isabelle is single and is a teacher in the Normal School at Moorhead, Minn.; Charles is a salesman on the road; he married Grace Sanford, who died leaving two children, Warren and Dorothy; Mary is the wife of H. L. Thinker, of Holcomb, Wis., and they have two children, Lola and Irving; Ernest resides on the oldhome farm in Kinnickinnic township. He married Margaret Elliott and they have one child, Royce. Howard is an express messenger on the railroad and is single. Sarah is the tenth child; she died May 6, 1908. She was a teacher in the High School at Moorhead, Minn. The first four children were born in St. Lawrence county, New York, and all the others in St. Croix County, Wisconsin.
(taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley, volume 1, published in 1909).

DENZER, Barnard was born 19 Oct 1824 in Germany and died 27 April, 1900 in Oak Grove, Pierce County, Wisconsin, where he resided at the time of his death. Mr. Denzer settled in Kenosha, WI for a few years after emigrating to the United States in 1856 and arrived in Pierce County in 1864. On the 1880 census Bernard Denzer and his family are found living in Trimbelle. Bernard married Agnes MEYERS and they had the following children: Barbara, born 1849 in Germany (married John Joseph Truittman of Pierce County in 1865), Agnes, born 1850 in Germany (married John Pfluger of Pierce County in 1872), Stephen, born 1853 in Germany (married Hannah O'Connor), Andrew, born 1855, and Barnard "Barney", born 1857 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Most members of this family are buried in the Trenton Cemetery in Pierce County. After his first wife, Agnes, died, Barnard married Mary ______ and they had the following children: Bernard (2) , born 1860, Mary born 1862, Henry, born 1864 and John, born 1866. Submitted by descendant Kathryn C. Bryan (kc.bryan@worldnet.att.net.)

DENZER, Barnard (Barney), Jr. was born to Bernard and Agnes Denzer on July 23, 1857, Kenosha, WI. His parents settled in Kenosha for a few years after arriving in the United States. In 1864, the Denzer family moved to Trimbelle, Pierce County. Barney Jr. never married and died in the Hudson Hospital, Hudson, MN in 1958 at 101 years old. Submitted by descendant Kathryn C. Bryan (kc.bryan@worldnet.att.net.)

DENZER, Stephen was born 1853 in Germany to Barnard Denzer and Agnes MEYERS. As a young boy, he emigrated to the United States in 1856 and resided in Kenosha, WI with his family, until their arrival in Pierce County, WI in 1864. In 1884 Stephen Denzer married Hannah Loretta O'Connor, who was born in Ireland in 1866. By 1885, Stephen and Hannah were residing in Lake Preston, South Dakota and the following children were born to them: William, born 1886, Leonard, born 1888, Evaline, born 1890, Kathryn, born 1892, Teresa, born 1894 and Agnes, born 1896. In 1895 Stephen moved his family to Missouri for a few years, seeking work in the mines and returned in 1905 and settled in the Motley-Pillager area of Minnesota. William and Leonard, his two sons contracted TB while in Missouri and both sons died in 1919 and are buried in Motley, MN. By 1920, Stephen and Hannah once again settled in the Town of Trimbelle. Both Stephen and Hannah Denzer died in December of 1926 at the home of their daughter, Agnes (Belvidere Township, Goodhue County) and are buried in Big River, Wisconsin. Submitted by descendant Kathryn C. Bryan (kc.bryan@worldnet.att.net.)

DODGE, Sumner D. has resided in River Falls, Wis., for over a half century. He was born August 22, 1829, in Lincoln county, Maine, where he was educated and where he lived until he was twenty-one years of age. He learned the trade of a tinner and then went to Boston, Mass., and followed his trade for eight years. In 1856 he removed to River Falls, Wis., and conducted the tinner's trade and hardware business very successfully for about thirty-four years, and about 1890 he sold out to his son. He occupied a store in the Tremont Block and then he removed to a building he erected and occupied it up to the time he retired. His father's name was John and his mother's name was Sarah Dodge before her marriage. They were both natives of Lincoln county, Maine. The father was a mason by trade and he followed that and farming during his life. He died January 1857, at the old home place. The old block house is still standing in the township of Edgecomb which he helped to build in 1809, in advance of the War of 1812. The mother died in 1842. Sumner D. was the youngest of a family of eight children and he is the only one now living. Mr. Dodge is a stockholder in the Farmers & Merchants State Bank of River Falls, and was for many years a director of the bank. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and has passed all of the chairs three times. Mr. Dodge married, January 1, 1854, Eliza A. C. Pratt, of Weymouth, Mass. Mrs. Dodge was born at Braintree, Vt., July 21, 1829. Her father was Samuel Pratt and her mother was Anna White before her marriage. Mr. Pratt was born at Braintree, Mass., and Mrs. Pratt was a native of Vermont. Her father was a tin peddler for many years and later he was in the hardware and tinware business in Weymouth. He came to Wisconsin in 1855 and purchased a farm in Pierce County and there he conducted the farm until a few years before his death. He was well advanced in years and died at Hastings, Minn. Her mother died at about seventy-five years of age. Mrs. Dodge is one of six children. She attended the district schools of her native place and remained at home until her marriage. Mrs. Dodge has had seven children, all born in Pierce county except the oldest, who was born in Massachusetts. Ella is the widow of Oliver Heasley and resides with her mother. She has had two children-Ethel is married to Harry Hurlbert and Hattie G. is dead. George J. is the second child; he resides in River Falls and is conducting the business established by his father in 1856. He married Miss McKag, who bore him two children. Cecil is now in partnership with his father. He married Kate Kennedy and has one child-Allen. Morris resides in Seattle, Wash. He is married and has one child. George J. Dodge married for his second wife Ida Evans and by this union they have six children-Ella, Mabel, Arthur, Everett, Theodore and Louise. Hattie is the third child born to Mr. and Mrs. Dodge and is the wife of J. E. Bailey, of Tacoma, Wash. They have an adopted daughter-Edna. Wendall S. is the fourth child. He is a baggage master on the Omaha branch railroad and resides at Ellsworth. He married Lizzie Huber and has three children-Howard, Royce and Jerald. Everett, the fifth, died at the age of thirty-one. He married Gengina Harper. Anna is the wife of George F. Hernandez. Clarence S. married Amelia Bayloff, of Durand, Wis. They have two children-Sumner and Yalta. Mr. Dodge is a young looking gentleman for his age; one would guess his age at about sixty years. His memory is good and he is enjoying splendid health. He and his good wife have grown old together, as they are about the same age. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909

DODGE, Richard H. (Civil War) was born in Lockport, N. Y., May 1, 1844, son of Noah and Calista (Eaton) Dodge. He was educated in the district schools at Albion College and at Hillsdale College, in Michigan. In 1869 he left Hillsdale and went to Jackson, Mich., and November 7 of that year he arrived in Red Wing on a visit to friends, since which date he has made his residence in this section of the country. In the winter of his arrival he taught school in district No. 1, Gilmore, in the town of Isabelle, Wis. Several years thereafter he taught winters and summers, and in 1871 purchased from the Carpenter heirs a farm in Isabelle township. He was married April 28, 1872, to Lucy D. Parker, one of his former pupils, daughter of Abner W. and Emily (Griswell) Parker, old settlers of Pierce County. This union was blessed with nine children, six of whom are living. Lela is Mrs. J. L. Crandall, of Rayne, La.; Frank died in infancy; Abbie N. is Mrs. A. H. Spriggle, of Bay City, Wis.; Edith died in childhood; Ernest L. lives in Ladysmith, Wis., where he conducts a book store; Claude E., telegraph operator at Galena, Ill., was married June 24, 1908, to Lizzie M. Stolt, of Bay City. His twin, Edward, died in infancy; Ray H. lives in Bay City, Wis., and works for the C., B. & Q.; Emily C. is single and lives at home. Mr. Dodge belongs to no particular church. In Bay City he was superintendent of Sunday school for many years; also taught singing-school and conducted the choir. He is a member of Bay City Camp, No. 6,252, Modern Woodmen of America, occupying the office of escort. He is overseer of Bay City Homestead, No. 975, Brotherhood of American Yeoman, and a member of A. E. Welch Post, No. 75, G. A. R., of Red Wing, Minn. He has been delegate to the congressional convention at Chippewa Falls, Wis.; to the state convention at Madison, Wis., and to many county conventions. He has held every office in the township of Isabelle except assessor, beginning his office holding in 1872, when he was first elected town clerk. The last term of service as clerk has dated since 1900, and he still holds that position. Mr. and Mrs. Dodge have a pleasant home in Bay City, well furnished and plentifully supplied with good books and current literature. Our subject served in the Civil war, enlisting at the age of nineteen in Company H, Eleventh Michigan Volunteer Cavalry, in 1863, from Jackson, Mich. In the spring of 1865 the regiment was consolidated with the Eighth Michigan Cavalry as Company B, and mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., on the 22d day of September 1865. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909)

DOPKINS, Charles now serving his twenty-fifth year as school treasurer was born in 1844 in the town of Delafield, Waukesha County, Wis., son of Lewis and Alfa (Plumby) Dobkins. In the family are four half-brothers-Warren is a truck farmer in Chicago; Addison is deceased; Bert lives in River Falls township, and Edgar died at the age of five years. Charles received his education in the common schools and came to Pierce county in 1870, staying one year in El Paso township, after which he removed to his present location, which consists of a fine farm of sixty acres on section 24, River Falls township. He is a Republican in politics and a good citizen in every respect. Mr. Dopkins was married first in 1869 to Louisa Miller, by whom he has three sons and three daughters, all of whom are living. Mattie was born in 1871, married "Mike" McCuewas and has one daughter, Maud, born in 1890. George was born in 1873, married a Miss Walker and has one daughter. Lewis married Leddie Wilcox. Hattie, now Mrs. Heacox, lives in Beldenville, and Adelia is still at home. In 1881 Mr. Dopkins was married the second time to Lillie Peterson a native of Pierce county, whose parents live in Pueblo, Col. Mr. and Mrs. Dopkins have been blessed by this union with six children-Glen, Merl, Clarabelle, Gladys, Warren and Blanche. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909

DUNHAM, George Oliver, foreman, Wildwood, St. Croix county, was born in Woonsocket Falls, R.I., April 2, 1853, a son of George and Mary (Cutler) Dunham, of Mansfield, Mass. His father was born January 23, 1822, and was a turner by trade. He came to Wisconsin in 1854, and settled in Arkansaw, Pepin county, where he still resides and works at his trade in a factory. Here George received his education, and when twenty-four years of age went to work for himself, and engaged in a saw-mill at Hersey, Wis., and remained there three years. He then removed to Knapp, where he remained one year. In 1883 he engaged with the mill in Wildwood, then known as the St. Croix Land and Lumber Company. He commenced with the company as a common hand, but by his close application to business and his qualifications for the same, he was given the position of outside foreman, and has charge of the mill and all teams and outside work, by the Wisconsin Iron Company, which succeeded the old firm. In 1876 he married Amelia Crampton, a native of Canada. Her parents were Willard and Lavina (Thompson) Crampton. Three children blessed this union: Willie, Nellie and Allen, who are all at home. Politically, Mr. Dunham is a republican. He was an only child, and his mother died during his infancy.
Source: pp858 “History Of The Chippewa Valley” (Submitted by, Cliff Watt)

DUTCHER, DANIEL W.,(Civil War) farmer, P. O. Rock Elm, Pierce county, was born in New Brunswick, Herkimer county, N. Y., May 13, 1831. His grandfather, Simeon Dutcher, Sr., was a native of France, and came to New York in 1770, from Holland, joined the Continental forces and took part in the siege of Yorktown, where two of his brothers were wounded. He settled in Dutchess county, N. Y., was married three times and became the father of twenty-two children. He died in 1856, aged 103 years. One of his sons, Simeon, Jr., was born August 12, 1791, and married Lydia Schouten, who came of a "Mohawk Dutch" family. Their children were: Phoebe (Mrs. R. Schouten), James, Mary A. Mrs. F. Jones), Benjamin, Daniel W., and Delilah (Mrs. A. Hyatt). Simeon Dutcher, Jr., died at Green, Mecosta county, Mich., in July, 1883. All of the family have been noted for longevity. Mrs. Lydia Dutcher died April 5, 1864 Daniel W. attended the district school only fourteen months in his youth. His father owned a boat on the Erie Canal, N. Y., in which the family lived. In his eighth year Daniel began riding on the towpath. Later he became an expert steersman. In 1847 he removed with his parents to Herman, Dodge county, Wis., where he worked on a farm for a time. Meanwhile he kept up a course of home study and became qualified as a teacher, which vocation he followed for several winters. He went overland to California in 1854, assisting to drive over a heard of cattle. He prospected for gold at various points and rode an express from Shasta to Taylor's Bar on Salmon River. He visited every place on the Pacific coast from Victoria, B. C., to Acapulco, Mex., and made two trips overland from Mazatlan, Mex., to Shasta, Cal., with a single white companion, bringing droves of mules. On these trips they were in constant danger from hostile Indians as well as the "greasers," whom they employed to assist them. In 1858 he returned via the Isthmus and settled at Big Rapids, Mich. He enlisted in 1862, in Company I, Sixth Michigan cavalry, and took part in the battles of Fredericksburg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Winchester, Petersburg and numerous other engagements. At Winchester, September 19, 1864, he captured a major of the Sixtieth Virginia regiment, for which he was presented with the major's saber. June 11, 1863, he was taken prisoner at Seneca, Md., and sent to Libby prison, where he remained until June 30, 1863, when he was paroled. He was sent against the Indians under Gen. Connors in July, 1865. He became corporal and was discharged December 10, 1865. In 1876 he came to Rock Elm and engaged in farming. January 22, 1850, Mr. Dutcher married Miss Sarah White, who has borne him three daughters: Luella (Mrs. Jay L. Hawn), Uretta Mrs. J. D. Bloor), and Myrtie. Politically he is a republican, and has served for eight years as town clerk. He is a member of the G. A. R., the I. O. O. F. and P. of H. --Taken from the "Historical and Biographical Album of the Chippewa Valley Wisconsin.


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