HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY



Minn.; Sophia, deceased; Mary, now Mrs. Henry Martin, living in California;
Lillie, wife of Bernie Landry of Milwaukee; and Midy, who lives in California.
Joseph B. Pinsonneau in his boyhood attended school in Centralia. He then
found
employment helping to clear the land now occupied by the main streets of
Wis-
consin Rapids. Soon he became a worker in the lumber industry, a part of
the
time in the woods and in the spring and summer on drives. He made 12 rafting
trips as far as St. Louis, and also for a number of years operated a flat-boat
ferry
on the Wisconsin River before any bridge had been built in this locality.
At
times he worked for the city in one capacity or another, for several years
as a po-
liceman, and for nine years was a member of the volunteer fire department.
For
11 years he worked in the lumber yard of Norman Gerard, in Grand Rapids,
where
the city hall now stands. He also helped to build the roadbed of every railroad
in Wood County. In 1897 Mr. Pinsonneau bought 50 acres of land in Sigel Town-
ship, and for seven years subsequently resided on it engaged in farming.
In 1904
he sold the farm and has since worked more or less for the city, where he
has made
his home. He has erected a number of dwelling-houses here and has frequently
taken an active and helpful part in civic affairs. In religion he is a Catholic.
Mr. Pinsonneau first assumed the responsibilities of domestic life on Dec.
25, 1875,
when he was united in marriage at Centralia, this county, to Mary Akey. Their
home life lasted 16 years, or until Nov. 15, 1891, when she passed away.
They
had six children ,Josephine, now Mrs. Josephine Mabey of Wausau; John B.,
of
St. Paul, Minn.; Joseph, deceased; Mary, wife of William Nacker of Chicago;
Orabell, wife of William Fogarty of Rudolph, this county; and Charles, a
farmer
in Rudolph Township. On June 18, 1893, Mr. Pinsonneau married Mary R.
Comeau, who died 12'2 years later on Jan. 22, 1906. The children of this
mar-
riage were: Elizabeth, now Mrs. Archie Hadley of Chicago; Sophia, residing
with
Elizabeth in Chicago; Lucy Eva, and Richard, deceased; Genevieve, at home;
and
Leonard, who is serving his seventh year in the United States army. Mr. Pinson-
neau has seen this community grow from a little hamlet composed of a few
" shingle
shanties" to a fine flourishing city of mills, factories, large and
well-stocked stores
and modern homes.
   Charles Albert Normington, proprietor of a laundry and dry-cleaning plant
in
Wisconsin Rapids, employing some 20 or more people, has been for a number
of
years one of the prominent and successful business men of this city, and
has taken
a not insignificant part in promoting its development and prosperity. He
was
born in Lisbon, Waukesha County, Wis., Feb.- 27, 1878, the youngest of the
five
children of James and Charlotte (Cook) Normington. The other members of the
family were: Frank, now proprietor of the Normington Bros.' Laundry at Marsh-
field, this county; Joshua, proprietor of a similar plant at Stevens Point;
John
who holds a responsible position with the Consolidated Water Power &
Paper Co.
of Wisconsin Rapids; and Lottie Jane, who is the wife of William Moore of
Lanoa,
Wis. Charles Albert Normington up to the age of ten years resided on his
parents'
farm, and then accompanied them to Waukesha, where they lived for two years,
at the end of which time they took up their residence in Milwaukee. He acquired
his elementary education in the rural school near the home farm and later
attended
graded schools in Waukesha and Milwaukee. He was still young when he laid
aside his school books to engage in the laundry and cleaning business in
Milwaukee,



315