Bio: Sargent, James H. (History - 1836)

Poster: Janet Schwarze

----Surnames: SARGENT STRONG MCCAULEY NEWTON DUNN LITTLE

----Source: Biographical History of Clark and Jackson Counties, Wisconsin, by The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891, Pages 343-344.

JAMES H. SARGENT, late proprietor of Sargent's Hall, Thorp, was born in the town of Maria, New York, July 8, 1836, the son of James Sargent, formerly of Parker's Prairie, Minnesota, where he died in 1888, at the age of eighty-six years. They removed to Hamilton County, New York, when our subject was an infant, and a few years later to the Adirondac Mountains, where the father was foreman of the building of the machinery for the Adirondac Iron Works. Three years later they emigrated to Democrat Prairie, Wisconsin, where he built the first frame house in the city of Berlin, then called Strong's Landing. He lived at this place a few years, and then located on Indian lands, in the same county, near Princeton. The Indians were numerous, and often came and looked through the cracks of their shanty while the family was eating dinner. They would beg or steal more or less, but were never hostile. After eight years residence there, they removed to Peddler's Grove, settling on the prairie land, where they set up stakes, tying them together with bark, which they also used for a covering.

James H., our subject, served in the late war, Company H, Sixteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, serving from December 31, 1863, July 12, 1865. He was in the battles of Vicksburg, Memphis, Kenesaw Mountain, Marietta, Atlanta, Chattahoochee, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesboro, Columbia, Raleigh, Lovejoy Station, Savannah, and also with Sherman to the sea. He held the office of Sergeant, and had charge of the battalion of Savannah, Georgia. He was tendered a captain's commission, but refused. He was at the grand review at Washington, and after the war returned to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and later to August, where he kept hotel three years. He then went to south Fork, and ran a hotel at Hank's stopping place nine or ten years next returned to Augusta, after which he left his farm and went to camp in the Elk mountains, Colorado, where he mined two years, and still has an interest in seven mines there. He then came to Thorp in 1881, where he built the Forest Queen Hotel, which he ran a few years and then sold out. In 1883 he built a large hall known as the Opera House, with the Forest Queen saloon on the first floor.

Mr. Sargent's mother, nee Elizabeth F. McCauley, was born in Goffstown, New Hampshire, July 13, 1810. Mr. and Mrs. Sargent had twelve children, five of whom are still living, viz. Theodore L., James H., Frederick, Edward and Sarah. Frederick was also in the late war, in Company I, Thirtieth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Thomas N. was in the same company Oscar, in the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and Charles M., in Company C, Eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Oscar died at Arlington Heights, Virginia, in 1862 Charles died at Germantown, Mississippi, while in the service of his country Thomas in Minnesota after the war William F., in Scott's Valley, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, leaving a family and Harriet at the age of fourteen years. Lenora Sargent was drowned at Fayston, Vermont, at the age of four years, by falling off a bridge, in 1836.

Mr. Sargent was married April 3, 1856, to Julia A. Newton, daughter of Samuel Newton. They have three children: Hiram F., Lenora E. and Emma A. Hiram was married to Nellie Dunn, and they have two children: Guy and Arthur (a Christmas gift) Lenora married Charles S. Little, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and they have one child also, Clara E. Mr. Sargent is a Mason, a member of the I. O. O. F., of the G. A. R. and Merchants Association. He was a member of the Town Board seven years in Eau Claire County, but has always refused office here. His son, Hiram, is his partner in business, and with w. H. Mead he owns forty acres of mineral land in Clark County, which contains vast quantities of rich hematite iron ore, which assays sixty-three percent. The have also some mining land in Taylor county, Wisconsin, which contains silver, lead, gold and traces of gray copper, and they are now sinking a shaft to develop it.