HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY



born Oct. 24, 1898, now agent for the C. & N. W. Ry. at Port Edwards;
Franklin,
born Nov. 10, 1901,who is agent for Wisconsin Valley division of the C.M.&St.P.
Ry. at Star Lake, Wis.; and Hazel, born April 3, 1909.
   Charles A. Hatch, superintendent for the-E. W. Ellis Lumber Co., of Wisconsin
Rapids, was born in Batavia, N. Y., July 15, 1861, son of Reuben B. and Emma
(Pierce) Hatch. The father, who was a native of New York State, died in 1885.
The mother, who came to this country from England when six years old, is
still
living in New York State. Their son Charles A. was reared on the home farm
and
attended school in Batavia. He subsequently worked as bookkeeper in different
sawmills at Muskegon, Mich, and at intervals sold goods on the road. Later
he be-
came connected with the lumber industry in Rhinelander, Merrill, and. Milwaukee,
Wis., and in 1907 came to Grand Rapids and entered the employ of the E. W.
Ellis
Lumber Co. The first three years he worked for the company as salesman. Then
in 1910 he became plant superintendent, which position he still retains.
He takes
a strong personal interest in the welfare of the community and for eleven
years was
a member of the Grand Rapids school board. His fraternal affiliations are
with
the local lodge of Elks, and he and his family attend the Congregational
Church.
On April 9, 1889, Charles A. Hatch was united. in marriage at Muskegon, Mich.,
to
Mellie W. Bancroft, daughter of Frank and Rowena C. Bancroft. He and his
wife
have had three children: Marvin, who died at the age of 20; Arthur, who is
with the
American Appraisal Co., of Milwaukee; and Carol, who is residing at home.
Mrs.
Hatch is a member of the Ladies' Aid Society of the Congregational Church,
and of
the Entre Nous Literary Club, and is active in social circles.
   Silas Payne, in early days a stage driver, farmer and river pilot in Wood
County
and for some time a resident of the city now known as Wisconsin Rapids, was
born
in Factoryville, N. Y., Sept. 9, 1837. His boyhood and early youth were spent
in
his native state, where he remained until 1860, when he came to Wood County,
Wisconsin. For some time he drove a stage on the Plank road between Sheboygan
and Milwaukee, and later he drove the stage between Grand Rapids and Portage.
'On the breaking out of the Civil War his patriotism led him to offer his
services to
the United States government, and desiring to have his old acquaintances
for com-
rades, he went back to his native state and enlisted in the 64th N. Y. Volunteer
Infantry. In 1862 he was discharged as being physically unfit for service.
He
then returned to Wood County. Wis., and located at Port Edwards, in the vicinity
of which place, in Seneca township, he bought 200 acres of wild land, he
being the
first settler in that township. On this land he erected a set of log buildings
and
proceded to make a home. Later he replaced his original buildings with others
of
more modern type. There he resided until 1888. For twenty years he was a
pilot
ion the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers, taking many fleets of lumber down
the
rivers in the spring drives. In 1888 Mr.Payne sold his farm and came to Grand
Rapids, where he and his wife operated a boarding-house until the latter's
death
on Feb. 7, 1902. Mr. Payne died Sept. 10, 1906. On July 17, 1864, at New
Rome,
Wis., he married Ellen Ann Carey, who was born in Joliet, Ill., Aug. 9, 1843,
and
their children were as follows: Elmer A., now residing in Milwaukee; Roland
S.,-
chief of police of Wisconsin Rapids; Lee H., of Millwood, Wash.; Nellie,
now Mrs.
Lenijski of Madison; John E., William B., Cora E., and Scott E. The four
last
mentioned are now deceased.
   Roland S. Payne, chief of police of Wisconsin Rapids, was born in Seneca
town-
ship, Wood County, Wis., Oct. 25, 1874, son of Silas and Ellen (Carey) Payne.
He
acquired his early education in the district school and later attended the
Centralia
High School, remaining as a pupil until the spring of 1888.  At the age of
fourteen
he began driving a team in lumber camps. In October 1889, he entered the
employ
*of the Centralia Pulp & Water Power Company, at South Centralia, and
worked
in their pulp mill one year. The following year the company built a paper
mill in
addition to their pulp mill, and when operations were commenced young Payne
be-
gan work in the new mill and helped to make the first sheet of paper ever
made on
the Wisconsin river. After working in the mills until 1892 he decided, owing
to
ill health, to do outside work and accordingly worked one year in the woods
for the



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