Biography of Charles Ducklow
Background on Community-Based “History Books”
[Updated January 7, 2009]

In the late 1800s and into the early 1900s several printing companies entered the business of publishing "history books” on local communities and its key members. Publishers of these books were particularly successful when they found a community where pride and egos were in battle among prominent community members. Books from these publishers would typically have a chapter or two about the origin of the community and the geography that made the area highly desirable to live and work. Beyond these obligatory chapters, the vast volume of the book was filled with short biographical sketches of members of the community. Each person depicted was painted in glowing terms with flowery language that surely caused a few readers to consult a dictionary. In many cases the virtues of some men were so exemplary it is a wonder why the Catholic Church never conferred sainthood!

One quickly comes to understand that these types of “history” books were not particularly concerned about recording a balanced and accurate history at all, but rather about the publisher making money by playing into egos. They earned revenues by getting many "key" members of the community to pay a fee to be included in the book. Those that paid a fee were either interviewed by an agent of the publisher or the subject themselves created an autobiography by filling-out and mailing-in a questionnaire. The publisher’s staff writers converted the raw and often boring information into a glowing short biography. Little, if any, fact checking was done— the quality of the information was completely up to those providing the data. Inconvenient facts or embarrassing history was easily ignored.

Once enough community members signed-up and provided information, the publisher printed the “history book.” Beyond the up-front revenue from biography fees, the publisher also made money by selling the compilation of biographies back to everyone included, as well to selling it to the local libraries.

For uncertain reasons, these types of self-congratulating community books lost favor upon the start of World War II. However, a variation of the form continued at least into the late 1900s: The "Who's Who" series of books was still being printed in the 1980s, but rather than being based around a local area, they most often were centered on an industry or profession and covered the entire nation.

So what has this have to do with the greater Ducklow family history?

As fate would have it, Charles Ducklow, son of Thomas and Elizabeth, had his biography published, posthumously, in the "History of Monroe County." It was first printed in 1912 by C.F. Cooper & Co. firm of Chicago, Illinois. Charles’ family, or the perhaps the Masonic fraternity paid homage to him, including the extra expense to have his picture published on a stand-alone page [see image above]. Here is entire biography for Charles from that book [see footnote on copyright].

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"History of Monroe County"
Originally Published in 1912 by C.F. Cooper & Co., in Chicago, Illinois
pp. 658-660

Charles Ducklow, deceased. To the young men of our land the life of the subject of this sketch is an enduring example of the cardinal virtues of industry, uprightness and frugality, of strict temperance and unwearied perseverance.

Mr. Ducklow was a native of Wisconsin, born April 3, 1853 in the town of Ashippun, Dodge county. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth (Nicholson) Ducklow, natives of Cork, Ireland, and who came to the United States and settle in Dodge county in the early forties. They were the parents of twelve children. [see footnote] Charles being the eighth in order of birth. Five brothers and three sisters still survive. [see footnote]

Charles Ducklow passed his boyhood in Dodge county and his early experiences were those of the average poor boy of that region. He received his early education in the common schools of his native place, and in 1874 began the trade of carpenter and joiner, and followed this occupation in his home town, and also bought cattle in Calumet and Pierce counties. In 1879, he removed to Pierce county, Wisconsin, where he continued at cattle buying, until 1883, whence he moved to Modena, Buffalo county, and was postmaster under both the Garfield and Harrison administrations, and also engaged in mercantile pursuits, carrying on a successful business here until the spring of 1890. He then moved to Wilton, Monroe county, and resumed his mercantile trade in that place. In 1893 he added a lumber yard to his other line of business, which he enlarged from time to time as increasing trade demanded. In 1897 he disposed of his mercantile establishment and from that time on devoted his entire attention to his lumber interests, which grew to such large proportions, that at the time of his decease, November 26, 1911, his was among the largest enterprises of its kind Monroe county. He was a man of excellent ability, keen foresight, and success crowned his efforts. In all his affairs, Mr. Ducklow as characterized by his promptness, good judgment and conservation, and admired by all who were brought into contact with him for his honorable and inherent methods, and his passing away was mourned as that of a good man, a useful citizen and a loyal friend. He took a commendable interest in public affairs, and for several years worked in Republican campaigns.

Mr. Ducklow was reared an Episcopalian, but contributed liberally to the support of other churches. He was prominent in Masonic circles, a member of Wilton Lodge, No. 203, Sparta Lodge, No. 19, R. A. M., Sparta Commandery, No. 16, Wisconsin Consistory, Scottish Rite, and Tripola Temple, Mystic Shrine, Milwaukee. He was also a member of the Eastern Star, and Modern Woodmen of America. The burial was made at Woodlawn cemetery, Sparta, November 30, 1911, under Masonic auspices.

On November 20, 1882, Mr. Ducklow was united in marriage to Miss Eva I. Shaw, daughter of John and Jerusha A. (Wheeler) Shaw, residents of Rock Elm, Pierce county. Mrs. Ducklow is a native of Dodge county, Wisconsin where her parents resided for many years. Her father died in 1904; he was born in 1840. Her mother is still living.

To Mr. and Mrs. Ducklow were born four children, viz: William T., born October 22, 1883; Elmer E., born March 25, 1889; Charles E., born March 15, 1891, and Lynn S. Ducklow, born February 21, 1902.

Since the death of his father, William T. has been the active manager of the lumber business formerly conducted by his father. He is an enterprising young business man and gives promise of becoming one of Monroe county’s most influential citizens, following in the footsteps of his father in many ways. He is also active in Masonic circles, being a member of the same bodies as was his father, with the exception of the Eastern Star.

Mrs. Ducklow is a most estimable lady whose superior qualities of mind and heart attract to her the admiration of all who come within the range of her influence, and presides with grace and dignity over her beautiful home at Wilton.

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Footnote: The original publication occurred in 1912. Its copyright expired on or before 1987 . The book is now in the public domain.

Footnote: This biography states that Thomas and Elizabeth had twelve children. This is in conflict with the burial and baptism records of St. Paul's Church of Ashippun Township, Dodge County, Wisconsin. These records indicate that there were three siblings that died as infants. A count of twelve children would only account for one on these infants. Such a count may be a case that where the author of Charles' biography choose to ignore two deaths that may have been still-born, or perhaps was even unaware of two of the infants at all.

Footnote: This biography states that Charles was the eighth born. This seems certainly wrong, even with using a count of twelve children. All facts researched would indicated that he was the seventh born.

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Early Death of Parents
[Updated January 21, 2009]

Sadly, one theme that reoccurs in the greater Ducklow family is the premature death of a parent. There are a numerous stories in the family history where one parent has died before the youngest child has reached the age of fifteen; here are six that occurred near the turn of the twentieth century:

(1) Gunder Ostenson, husband of Lucinda Ducklow Ostenson completed raising their daughter Anna Elizabeth Ostenson when wife Lucinda died from Tuberculosis at age 52 in 1918. Their daughter Anna was 14 years old when her mother died. Anna went on to marry at the young age of 16 to Willard Holman.

(2) Lucinda Ducklow Ostenson was the second wife that Gunder had out-lived. His first wife, Anna Stenson Ostenson, died at age 40 in 1902. Anna left Gunder with three children to raise: Ruth age nine, Hattie age seven, and Edwin age four. As a farmer this was a large burden to bear. His solution was pragmatic: re-marry quickly. Lucinda Ducklow, at age 37, wed Gunder just a few months after his first wife’s death and she immediately took over the role of mother to Gunder’s young children.

(3) John T Ducklow and Kathryn Nicholson may have married for the purpose of raising a semi-orphaned nephew. Kathryn’s sister-in-law, Mary Grooms Nicholson, died when she was in her 30s. She left behind two sons: George, age ten, and Van, age 14. Their father, James Nicholson, was unable to care for his young sons alone after their mother passed. Mary Groom’s parents took in Van. John and Kathryn Ducklow adopted George very shortly after they were married in 1904. This was John’s second marriage as his first wife Blanche Townsend died in 1903. John and Kathryn raised George Nicholson as their own son—they legally adopted him and George's name became George Nicholson Ducklow.


Lynn Shaw Ducklow
Circa 1908, age 2.5 years
Young boys were frequently dressed in a gown to make diaper changing easier. Curls in young boys hair was also popular at this time - there is no explaining hair styles!
Cropped Photo from Deb Ehlers Good Collection




(4) In 1911 Eva Shaw Ducklow had to finish raising her youngest son Lynn [see photo above] alone when Charles died at the age of 58. Lynn was only nine years old when his father died unexpectedly from complications of gallstone surgery. Lynn’s older brothers had reached adulthood: William was 26, Elmer was 22 and Charles Jr. was 20 at the time of their father’s death.

(5) Willis Francis Ducklow, son of Frank Erwin Ducklow and Francis Mary Prine, was born on April 9, 1910. Tragically, seventeen days later his mother died. She was 28 years old. The offical recorded cause of death was measles, but apparently the delivery of Willis was difficult. The combination of a weaken immune system and loss of blood caused her death. Baby Willis was raised by his Grandparents, George and Emma Ducklow, as Frank was not able. They were aged 58 and 57 at the time. Family lore has it that on the hour Willis was being baptized in one church, his mother was being eulogized during her funeral in another church.





Nellie Ducklow LaGrander, circa 1909, about age 28
Son Clair George LaGrander, about age 12
Daughter Isla LaGrander, about age 6
Son George Merle LaGrander, about age 4
Photo from the Esther Northfield Ducklow Collection





(6) George A LaGrander, working as an engineer on a logging train, was fatally injured in a train coupling accident, being crushed between the bumpers of two cars on April 7, 1905. He was taken home and did not realized how badly he was hurt. He "laughed and played with the children until the end came in a few hours" [see footnote]. George was only 30 years old upon his death. He left behind wife Nellie LaGrander nee Ducklow age 28, son Clair George, age 8, and daughter Isla, age 23 months. Nellie was also pregnant with George Merle LaGrander who was delivered seven months after George's death [see family photo above]. About six years later, Nellie wed Albert Davis, in October of 1911. Albert helped Nellie finish raising her children to adulthood.

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Who are these people in relation to the heads of the greater Ducklow family, Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow? Lucinda was Thomas and Elizabeth's 14th and last child. Gunder Ostenson was Lucinda's husband. John T Ducklow was Thomas and Elizabeth's third child and their first son. Kathryn Nicholson was John T's second wife. Charles Ducklow was Thomas and Elizabeth's seventh child. He married Eva Shaw. George Ducklow was the sixth child of Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow; George married Emma Hamilton and Frank Erwin was their son, Willis their Grandson. Nellie LaGrander was the first child of George and Emma Ducklow. She married George LaGrander.

Footnote: Quote on George LaGranders last hours came from his obituary published in the Spring Valley Sun April 1905.

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Charles and Eva Ducklow

The Modena Years 1884-1890
[Updated December 26, 2008]

Who was Charles Ducklow? Charles was Thomas and Elizabeth's seventh child born in 1853. He married Eva Shaw from Rock Elm Center in 1882. Eva and Charles lived in and ran retail businesses in Olivet [Pierce County], Modena [Buffalo County], and Wilton [Monroe County].

Brothers Charles and George split their business partnership of running the Ducklow Mercantile Store in Olivet after owning it together just three years. George took sole ownership in 1883. Charles and Eva, his bride of one year, left Olivet and moved 43 miles southeast to Modena, a small village in Buffalo County Wisconsin. There they bought and ran an existing grocery store and post office [see footnote] purchased from the estate of Benjamin F. Babcock [see footnote]. Charles was age 30 and Eva was age 18.


Location of Modena Wisconsin
Graphic from Wikipedia - Source


What exactly brought Charles and Eva to this hamlet is yet to be discovered, but perhaps it was just the simple reason to run their own business. The Ducklow store in Olivet was likely not profitable enough to support two expanding families. In 1883 Modena was a small center of commerce whose main economic driver was a water-powered mill that ground locally grown wheat into flour. The mill brought farmers to the village and who then naturally took the occasion to buy a few necessities and collect and send mail from the Ducklow grocery store. Perhaps another attraction to take up in Modena, at least for Eva, was the close proximity of a sister who married a cheese-maker that lived in the area.


While living in Modena, Charles and Eva started a family. Their first two of four sons were born there. William Thomas Ducklow was delivered 22 October in 1885, and then three and half years later came along their second child, Elmer Eugene Ducklow, born 25 March in 1889.

William Thomas Ducklow, circa 1903, age 18
Cropped Photo from Deb Ehlers Good Collection

Elmer Eugene Ducklow, circa 1897, age 8
Cropped Photo from Deb Ehlers Good Collection

Charles and Eva did not put down deep roots in Modena. After just five years of running the grocery business there, they sold it. In the spring of 1890 they and their two young sons moved again. This move took them another 99 miles southeast to the Village of Wilton in Monroe County.

Wilton is where Charles and family really established themselves. They became prominent community members and quite successful in business. Charles had found a fast growing village that suited his ambitions and it had many former residents of his home area —Dodge County. The old relationships of his youth likely accelerated his success selling groceries, lumber and coal. A future post on Charles Ducklow and the Wilton years is being written.

Location of Wilton Wisconsin
Graphic from Wikipedia - Source

Footnote: In the late 1800s there were several hundred tiny rural post offices across Wisconsin. These remote offices generally were along stagecoach lines. Most were not stand-alone buildings like most post offices of today, but rather part of an existing grocery or mercantile business, or in some cases, just a corner in someone’s home. Many of tiny posts closed when rural free delivery was estiablished. The Modena Post Office operated from 1862 until 1957 is now served by Mondovi; the Olivet Post Office operated from 1870 until 1907 is now served by Spring Valley.

Footnote: The original owner of the Modena Grocery Store was Benjamin F Babcock. He died August 31, 1878. Mr. Babcock's estate apparently did not settle quickly as he owed money to vendors and extended credit to his customers. As a result it took several years to settle his estate before his business could be turned over to his heirs and then be sold. The extended time of settlement likely gave Charles time to save some money to make the purchase possible.

Source: "History of Monroe County," Biography of Charles Ducklow, pages 658-660

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The Rock Elm and Olivet Years for George and Charles Ducklow

Brothers, Business Partners and Finding Wives
[Updated December 28, 2008]

Who were George and Charles Ducklow? They were Thomas and Elizabeth's middle born sons. George was the sixth born, and Charlie the seventh separated by about 21 months apart. Most Ducklow's from Pierce or St. Croix Counties descend from George and Ducklow's from Monroe and LaCrosse Counties descend from Charles.

In 1868 George Ducklow had become a young man and in need of a profession. Apparently farming, the livelihood of his father and older siblings, was not the path he saw for himself. So at age 17 George left the Ducklow farmstead and became an apprentice for Mr. William Campbell. Mr. Campbell was a blacksmith in Ashippun Township in Dodge County and no doubt had shod horses and repaired tools and equipment for the Dukelow / Ducklow families. While George was learning the trade, he lived with Mr. Campbell and his wife Margareth, who were both immigrants from Scotland. After a three to four year apprenticeship, George was ready to strike out on his own.

George Ducklow circa 1869, age 18
Cropped Digital Image from Deb Ehlers Good Collection


In 1873 young George left Dodge County and came to Rock Elm Center in Pierce County. He was among a notable number of former Dodge County residents that came to the area being promoted by lumber businessmen and investors. He opened his own blacksmith shop in the then booming timber and sawmill town. Rock Elm Center had grown into a thriving community of about 300 people fairly quickly, as it was founded in about 1864. Having success as a blacksmith, George established himself in the community and eventually bought what became known as the Charlie Greer Farm just a few miles outside of town.



Left: Location of Ashippun, Dodge County Wisconsin
Graphic from Wikipedia Source

In terms of physical appearance and character, George was "small in stature and wiry" —meaning he was short, lean and tough — a description by George's youngest brother Peter as later retold by Peter's daughter-in-law Irma Ducklow. Irma also recalled Peter saying that George "rode logs down the river" [see foot note]. George was open to adventure and it was likely one reason he left Dodge county and came to the logging frontier of Rock Elm.

Right: Location of Rock Elm Center, Wisconsin
Graphic from Wikipedia Source

Rock Elm is also where he met his bride, Emma Eunice Hamilton. Like George, she too was born from Irish parents and was originally from Dodge County [see footnote]. She had come to Rock Elm to keep house for her brother John Hamilton. George and Emma married at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Rock Elm on December 31, 1875. She was 23 years old, and George was then 24. They were blessed with their first child, Nellie Ducklow, who came along ten months later. She was born on the Greer farm, October 16 of 1876. Their second child, Vernon was also born on the same farm 27 June of 1880.



Left: George and Emma Ducklow Wedding Photo, 1875
Photo by S. B. Dilley Photo Artist, Lake City, Minnesota
Original part of Esther Ducklow Collection

Right: Wedding Band
George and Emma were married 52 years
Photo by Jeff Ducklow
Artifact from Esther Northfield Ducklow Collection





Below: George Ducklow's Home & Business.
Home on far left; Mercantile Store, Harness Shop and Dance Hall in Olivet
From Left to Right: Son Vernon (on the horse), Emma, Frank, Nellie, Joise, George,
nephew Willis Matthewson, and Carrie Noble Coon
Digital image from Esther Ducklow Collection

In about 1879 George’s younger brother, Charles (Charlie) also came north from Dodge County and joined George in Rock Elm. Charles had initially trained as a carpenter and joiner five years prior, but he had business aspirations in the booming lumber area of Pierce County. By spring of 1882 Charlie and George became business partners, joining talents by setting up a store in the newest lumbering frontier in Pierce County: Olivet. They ran a harness / blacksmith shop and mercantile store / dance hall. Quite a combination! The early 1880s was a period when Olivet was a center of commerce for lumber milling of the vast hardwoods and pine being felled in Gilman Township of Pierce County. At its height two separate sawmills cut timber there, and the Ducklow store was one of eight businesses in the village. Perhaps at its peak in the early to mid 1880s, the population of Olivet was near 400 people. One news item in the River Falls Journal of Feburary 1886 reported the stave operation in Olivet was shipping out 1,000 bundles of staves daily.

Charles Ducklow about age 50, circa 1903
Cropped Image from Deb Ehlers Good Photo Collection


A letter written around 1945 by George and Emma's daughter Nellie offers a small peek into this period. She writes, “ My father sold the farm [the Greer farm] and moved to Olivet. My father and Uncle Charlie D went in[to] the store business togather [sic] in what was know [sic] as the M E Taylor building. We lived upstairs.” Nellie goes on to say, “My folks … fixed over the old store building making the living rooms in [the] back a public hall.”

George & Emma's Daughter Nellie in 1937, age 60
Cropped snapshot from the Jeff Ducklow Photo Collection

In addition to running the Ducklow mercantile business, Charles also bought cattle. The reference [see footnote] does not say he bought and sold cattle, although presumably he didn't just buy. One must assume he bought young head, raised them for a year or two and then sold them as finished-off cattle ready for butchering. His buying and selling of cattle in Pierce County was based on success he had doing this in Calumet County, prior to his coming north to be close to brother George.

Like George, brother Charles also met his bride in Pierce County. He married Eva Shaw on November 20, 1882. They wed at the Dunn County Courthouse in Menomonie. Eva was just 17 years old and Charles was 29. She was the daughter of John and Jerusha Wheeler Shaw. The Shaw family had a farm near the Greer farm outside of Rock Elm. George’s daughter Nellie mentions the Shaw farm in her 1945 letter. She writes, “I went to the little school house on the Shaw farm … I believe I was four years old and carried many a merit home that we used to get for good work.”

The Ducklow general store / dance hall in Olivet operated for about 17 years, from roughly 1881 to 1898. The first few years George and Charles ran the business together. But from about 1884 forward just George and his family ran the business. After only three or so years into the partnership George and Charlie had split up. No facts have been discovered as to why the split occurred, but a number of reasons have been suggested: Maybe the brothers disagreed over business decisions; perhaps George and Charlies' new wives did not get along; it could be that the business was not able to support two families; or it may have been because a long hoped-for rail-line through Olivet never materialized, stunting the little hamlet’s ability to thrive economically (see footnote) and causing Charlie to decide not to invest his time in an Olivet business when it was clear the trains would not be coming there.

A "one bottom plow" pin believed to be an award to George for selling these plows.
Measures about 2 1/4" x 1"
Artifact from the Esther Ducklow Collection
Photo by Jeff Ducklow

So about 1884 Charlie and Eva left Olivet and moved southeast to a tiny village called Modena in Buffalo County Wisconsin. Modena lies approximately nine miles to the north of Alma, Wisconsin. There George and Eva took over a small grocery store with a post office from Benjamin F. Babcock. Modena is also where Charles and Eva’s first two sons were born: William Thomas Ducklow,who was delivered on October 22, 1885, and Elmer Eugene, who saw his first daylight on March 25, 1889.

Charlie and Eva did not put down deep roots in Modena. After five years of running the grocery and post office there and shortly after son Elmer was born, Charlie and his young family moved further south. In 1890 they established themsleves in the Village of Wilton located in rolling hills of Monroe County [about 10 miles south of Tomah]. There Charlie began started selling grocercies out of his home and by 1892 he had his own grocery store on main street. Three years later, in 1895, Charlie saw the opportunity to expand his business and started selling lumber and coal. This expansion proved to be very profitable in the growing town.

Charles and Eva Ducklow Family circa 1895
Digital image from Deb Elhers Good Photo Collection

Charles and Eva had two additional children born in Wilton: Charles Edwin, born 15 March 1891; and Lynn Shaw born 21 February 1902. The photo above must have been taken about 1895, before son Lynn was born.

In addition to Nellie and Vernon who were born on the Greer Farm, George and Emma Ducklow had three other children born in Olivet: Josie Emma, born in a room above the Olivet store on Valentine’s Day, 1883; Frank Erwin born at home on February 17, 1885; and Clayton Joseph born at home on May 12, 1893.





George and Emma Ducklow Family circa 1890
Photo part of Jeff Ducklow Photo Collection





In about 1898 George moved his mercantile business from Olivet to Spring Valley. Spring Valley had become a boom town with the discovery of iron-ore in 1890 followed by a quick build-up of a smelting industry and supporting economy in the early 1890s. George continued to run his general store in Spring Valley until perhaps 1910 (the actual year is not yet firm) and then sold the business. At this point his interests turned to sheep farming on 40 acres of property he bought to the west of Spring Valley in Gilman Township [Pierce County]. Additional posts regarding George and Charles lives are forthcoming.


Footnote: An article called “The Road Less Traveled” written by Chuck Rupnow, published April 3, 1986 by the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram discusses Olivet in the 1880s. The Chicago, Freeport, and St. Paul Railroad Company had an interest running tracks just west of Olivet and establishing a depot there. In would have become part of a line connecting parts northern Illinois to St. Paul. But in the end the line did not get built anywhere near Olivet because they could not convince an important landowner, Albert Hurtgen, to use his property. He too was influential on the Gilman Town Board and convinced them of the same. This decision angered many in Olivet. Looking back, it does appear that it assured Olivet’s short-lived business history after the timber was taken. For more information also see "The Rest of the Story," written by Elva Haddow and published in the 1986 booklet called "...And All Our Yesterdays" in 1986 by the Spring Valley Ara Chapter of the Pierce County Historical Association.

Footnote: Comments on George's appearance and character are excerpts from a letter written October 6, 1985 from Irma Ducklow to Esther Northfield Ducklow. Irma married Maurice Ducklow, son of Peter and Helen Ducklow.

Footnote: The reference to Charles buying cattle comes from his biographry published in "History of Monroe County" in 1912. The full text of the biography is published elsewhere in this blog.

Other background sources:
Pierce County's Heritage, Volume 2, Pierce County Historical Society, 1973
"... And All Our Yesterdays," Spring Valley Area Chapter of the Pierce County Historical Society, Book 1, 1986
"... And All Our Yesterdays," Spring Valley Area Chapter of the Pierce County Historical Society, Book 2, 1986-87
"... And All Our Yesterdays," Spring Valley Area Chapter of the Pierce County Historical Society, Book 3, 1988

Footnote: A genealogy web page about Emma Hamilton's family can be found here.

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