Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 4 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 29

In a history of Milwaukee it is imperative that mention be made of C. Columbus Owens, who for many years was a prominent factor in business circles, supervising and directing important business interests and investments. He was also keenly interested in the civic development and moral progress of the community and along many lines wrought for good in connection with public affairs. Mr. Owens was born in the Cream city, June 22, 1851, a son of Richard G. and Mary Ann (Jones) Owens. The father was an outstanding figure in connection with Milwaukee's growth and progress. He was dependent upon his own resources from the age of twelve years, at which time he was left an orphan. His birth occurred in Anglesea, Wales, January 8, 1811, and after starting out to provide for his own support he worked on a farm in his native country until June, 1832, when, having attained his majority, he started for the new world, thinking to improve his financial condition on this side the Atlantic. He was truly the architect of his own fortunes and he built wisely and well. He arrived on the shores of the new world on the 8th of August, 1832, and for a year thereafter was employed on a farm on Long Island. He then removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where he learned the business of manufacturing French buhr millstones. Fifteen months later he removed to Buffalo, New York, and there began contracting in the manufacture of millstone, which he sold to the dealers. He afterward established a store and made some real estate investments but the latter proved unprofitable and left him without financial resources. It was at that time that he first visited Milwaukee, arriving in this city on the 1st of October, 1837, when en route to Galena, Chicago, St. Louis and other points in the west. Returning to this city he decided to locate, foreseeing something of what the future had in store for this great and growing district. He spent his first winter in clearing land which he purchased in the town of Greenfield and in the spring of 1838 he returned to Buffalo but after three months he again came to Milwaukee. Later, however, he removed to St. Louis, where he engaged in the manufacture of millstones until June 1, 1840. At that date he once more took up his abode in Milwaukee, where he continued to reside throughout his remaining days. As the years passed he utilized his opportunities for investment in real estate and became the owner of much valuable property, buying, selling and renting, so that he left a large estate to his family.

On the 7th of June, 1841, Mr. Owens was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ann Jones, who was born in Montgomeryshire, Wales, in 1821, a daughter of Evan Jones, who on leaving the little rock-ribbed country of Wales made his way to Chicago, where he arrived on the 1st of July, 1831, having crossed the Atlantic in one of the old-time sailing vessels, after which he proceeded by steamer to Albany, by canal to Buffalo and thence by lake steamer to Chicago. He was at that time the possessor of eleven hundred dollars in gold, of which sum he invested seven hundred dollars in a farm near Des Plaines. He died of cholera in 1852 in his seventy-second year.

The wedding journey of Mr. and Mrs. Richard G. Owens consisted of a trip to Milwaukee. They became passengers on the steamer Illinois, but the vessel was of such draught that it could not make the harbor and the newly married couple was transferred to the Trowbridge, a smaller vessel, which brought them up the river to a point now known as Wisconsin street. They registered at the Milwaukee House, one of the early hotels located on the site of the present Miller block. Mr. Owens afterward built the block on Wisconsin street next to Chapman's large department store and he was very prominently identified with the development, growth and improvement of Milwaukee.

His son, C. Columbus Owens, attended the public schools and continued his education in the Milwaukee Academy and in the Spencerian Business College of this city. Early in his business career he became connected with vinegar manufacturing as a member of the firm of Bechtner, Gersting & Company and later he conducted a similar enterprise at East Saginaw, Michigan. He afterward removed to Milbank, Dakota, where he and his brother opened a general mercantile establishment, under the firm style of Owens Brothers. Their business prospered as the years passed but following the death of his father Mr. Owens returned to Milwaukee and he and his brother. Richard G., took up the management of the large estate left by the father. Throughout his remaining days C. C. Owens devoted his attention to the management of the estate and the sale of realty and in all of his business affairs displayed sound judgment and unfaltering enterprise, greatly increasing the value of the estate which he and the others of the family had inherited from the father.

On the 3rd of February, 1881, was celebrated the marriage of C. Columbus Owens and Miss Josephine M. Purdy, a daughter of Nathaniel and Susan J. (Reamer) Purdy of Milwaukee. Her father lived to a very ripe old age, passing the eightieth milestone on life's journey and for many years he was the superintendent of the Milwaukee Spoke & Bending Company. He was also the patentee of a process used in wood bending by the firm and enjoyed the reputation of being the best judge of lumber in the state. He was also the inventor of many different kinds of woodworking machinery used all over the country. Mr. Purdy was a native of Colborne, Canada, born June 3, 1829. He lived for a time in Watertown, New York, and came to Milwaukee at an early day. He had acquired his education in Canada and learned the carriage-making business there. He continued to devote his attention to that occupation for many years and was long associated with George Ogden. He was considered one of the best carriage-makers in the middle west and enjoyed an equally enviable reputation in lumber trade circles. In his later years he was identified with Gustav Seefeld in the wood bending business. He invented most of the machinery used in connection with the enterprise and was at all times a most capable and resourceful business man. He died July 3, 1914, and is still survived by his wife. During the period of the Civil war he was at Louisville, Kentucky, in the employ of the government, building and repairing railway coaches on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.

Mr. and Mrs. Owens have become the parents of two sons: John Purdy and George James. The former is a graduate of the Wisconsin University and served for eight months at Camp Taylor in the World war. He is now an accountant with the West Envelope Company. George James is a graduate of an automobile school of East Milwaukee.

When quite young Mr. and Mrs. Owens became members of the Spring Street Congregational church and were very prominent in its work and upbuilding. Through their efforts the Congregational church at Milbank was built and Mr. Owens became the first Sunday school superintendent, while his wife became the secretary of the Sunday school and also church organist. Mrs. Owens is still very active in the church and takes a most helpful part in all lines of church work. Mr. Owens was a member of the Old Settlers' Club for many years, his life being passed in this city, save for the brief period in which he was engaged in business in East Saginaw, Michigan, and in Milbank, Dakota. He watched with the keenest interest Milwaukee's development and bore his full share in the work of general progress and improvement. His cooperation could at all times be counted upon to further any measure for the general good and his life measured up to high standards of manhood and citizenship. Mrs. Owens and her sons are widely and favorably known in Milwaukee and her good works have indeed been a contributing factor to the moral progress of the community.