History of Kenosha, (Kenosha County) Wisconsin United States of America

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Biographies:

James J. Blaisdell, educator, was born at Canaan Grafton county, N.H., Feb. 8, 1827, son of Elijah Blaisdell, a distinguished member of the New Hampshire bar. He entered Dartmouth college in 1842, and was graduated in 1846. The next year he spent in teaching in Montreal, Canada, after which for nearly three years he studied law with his father in Lebanon. After practising that profession for a short time, he decided to enter the ministry, and was graduated from Andover theological seminary in 1852. He became pastor of the Third Presbyterian church, Cincinnati, Ohio, and remained in that pastorate seven years. In 1859 he was called to Beloit college, as professor of rhetoric and English literature, from which position he was transferred in 1865 to the chair of mental and moral philosophy. Professor Blaisdell was identified from early life with the work of public instruction in the common schools. He was superintendent of schools in Lebanon, N. H., from 1847 to 1849, and in Beloit, Wis., from 1864 to 1869. He was a diligent and thoughtful student of social questions, and made frequent addresses on methods of penal administration and kindred subjects. In the civil war he was chaplain of the 40th regiment of Wisconsin volunteers, a regiment largely made up from volunteer teachers and students from Wisconsin colleges. He took an active part in temperance reform, and was an earnest advocate of prohibition. He received the degree of D.D. from Dartmouth college in 1873, and from Knox college in the same year. He was president of the Wisconsin home missionary society, president of the Wisconsin children's home society, and chairman of the committee on reformatories and penitentiaries. He died at Kenosha, Wis., Oct. 9, 1896.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Joseph Very Quarles, senator, was born in Kenosha, Wis., Dec. 16, 1843; son of Joseph Very and Caroline (Bullen) Quarles; and grandson of Samuel and Lydia (Very) Quarles and of John and Lucinda (Drake) Bullen. He attended the University of Michigan, leaving in 1864 to enter the U.S. army as a private in the 39th Wisconsin volunteers. He was mustered out of service with the rank of 1st lieutenant; was graduated from the University of Michigan in 1866 and was admitted to the bar in 1868. He was married, Sept. 25, 1868, to Carrie A. Saunders, daughter of William S. and Sarah (Davis) Saunders of Chicago, Ill. He was district attorney of Kenosha county, 1870?76; was mayor of Kenosha, 1876?79; a representative in the state assembly 1879, and state senator, 1880?82. He removed to Racine in 1882 and in 1888 to Milwaukee, where he established the law firm of Quarles, Spence and Quarles. He was elected U.S. senator in 1899, to succeed Senator John L. Mitchell, Democrat, for the term expiring March 3, 1905.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor