Charles W. Tomkins

As printed in 1884

Charles W. Tomkins, manager of the Albany flour mills, of which he is a one-half owner, is a native of Ireland, born in county Wicklow, Feb. 29, 1832. His father was the owner of a flour mill in which the subject of this sketch went to work as soon as large enough to be of assistance, and continued to work until he was eighteen years old, when he came to America, He first located at Janesville, where he engaged at his trade until 1852, when he came to Albany, where he had been previously engaged by Zabina Warren to operate his mill. In 1853 he went to Jo Daviess Co., Ill., and lived one year, then returned and engaged again in the Warren mill, which he continued to operate until 1860, when he rented the "Kellogg mill" and operated that on shares two years, then again returned to the Warren mill and run it until it was washed away in 1867. In 1868 the firm of Warren, Tomkins & Erolc was formed, and the present mill was built, and has since been under *the supervision of Mr. Tomkins, who bought Erolc's interest in 1879, since which time the firm name of Warren & Tomkins was adopted, and has secured for it an enviable reputation. He was married in 1860, to Lucy A. Hoyt, from the State of Maine. They have had three children born to them — Estella, Warren and Arthur. The former, Estella, was the only daughter, she was born in 1861 and died in 1873.

The second grist mill was erected in 1857 by T. Kellogg, and was located on the west side of the river. This mill was 40x60 feet in size and used three run of buhrs, Mr. Kellogg owned the mill about ten years then sold to William Nye and J. Montgomery, who, in 1877, removed the machinery and sold the building and water privilege to the Albany Woolen Manufacturing Company. This company put in the necessary machinery and established the "Albany Woolen Mills." In 1881 E. F. Warren, then superintendent, purchased the property and has since operated the same. The line of goods manufactured embraces flannels,blankets, yarns and skirts. The mill furnishes employment to about eighteen operatives.

In the fall of 1883 Lemuel Warren added a saw mill to the woolen mill, which is also in operation. Thus it will be seen that the water power is being well utilized; but there is still room for more as Sugar river is a never-failing stream and at this point furnishes an eight foot head of water

Prominent among the names identified with the history of Green county, that of Warren stands conspicuous from the early history to the present time. The ancestors of these Warrens were natives of New England for a number of generations. Their great-grandfather, a blacksmith by occupation, having served as a soldier in the French and Indian War, participating in the battle of Quebec. The grandfather, Lovewell Warren, was born in Marlborough, Mass., Oct. 2, 1764, and was of a family of Howes, and was married to Ama Holden. She was born at Charlestown, N. H., in 1794 and was of a family of Adams. Lovewell Warren removed from Leominster, Mass., and settled at Montpelier, Vt., purchased government land, and became a pioneer in the place. The land lie improved is still owned by a family of Warrens— his descendents. It was there that Lemuel Warren was born Oct. 27, 1791, and hisearly life was spent on his father's farm. When a young man he wont to Franklin Co., N. Y., where he formed the acquaintance of Betsy R. Richardson, to whom he was married in 1817. She was born in Granville, Washington county, Aug. 1, 1793. Lemuel Warren was overseer of Hogan's mills, and remained a resident of Franklin county until 1836, then removed to Chautauqua county, and two years later with his family emigrated to Wisconsin, landing at Milwaukee on the 5th of July, 1838. They proceeded to Janesville which was at that time but a small town, where, although times were hard, they succeeded in making a living. In 1841 they settled on a farm in the town of Union, now known as Center, situated on the Madison road at a distance of twelve miles from Janesville. At that time there were eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom several had attained their majority, and the older boys — William, Zebina and John H,, left home to battle with the world on their own account. Sept 13, 1846, the father died, and a few years subsequently the family were stricken with grief by the death of the three daughters. Those of the family who remained could hardly recover from such a blow, but they struggled on and finally succeeded in paying for the farm by hard work and prudent economy. The mother afterwards came to Albany, this county, to reside with her sons, where her remaining days were spent. She died Aug. 17, 1870.

Zebina, the second son, was born at Hogansburg, Franklin Co., N. Y., May 2, 1821. When sixteen years old he went to Michigan, and lived one year in Kalamazoo; then in 1838 joined his parents in Rock county and lived with them two years, then made a claim of government land in the town of Center, Rock county, but not having money to pay for it, started out in search of employment. He drove to Milwaukee, and arrived there with money enough to pay for one horse feed. He soon found employment at various things, among others he took a contract from the government to dig a well at the light house, and by winter he had made enough money to outer his land.

In December of that year he engaged as bookkeeper for the firm of Holton & Goodell, and remained with them three years, then returned to Rock county and settled on his land, where he continued to live until 1847, when he came to Albany and erected a grist mill. In 1851 he engaged in the mercantile trade in company with his brother. His death occurred in December, 1854. He was married to Maria, daughter of Erastus and Margaret (Bartle) Pond. Two children blessed that union, one of whom is now living — Ella, now the wife of L. A. Nichols. Mr. Warren was a man of good education and fine business qualifications. He was prominently identified with the interests of both town and village, and was in office from the time of the town organization.

Lemuel IT., the fourth son, was born at Hogansburg, Franklin Co., N. Y., Sept. 30, 1830, and was but eight years old when the family came to Wisconsin, and he grew to manhood in Rock county. In 1850 he came to Albany and engaged in clerking for his brother two years, then in 1854 he engaged in mercantile trade in company with his brothers, J II. and E. F., and continued that business until 1865, when he sold his interests and engaged in the lumber trade five years. He then became a mail contractor and has, while attending to that business, traveled extensively. In 1882 lie bought a farm near Madison, where he lived one year and then returned to Albany. He was married March 26, 185i, to Martha Stanley, who was born in Susquehanna Co., Penn. Four children blessed this union — Frank, Carrie, Fred and Eva. The former, Frank S., was born in the village of Albany, where he grew to manhood, his younger days being spent in school and assisting his father in the store. When eighteen years old he was engaged as clerk in E. F. Warren's store. At twenty years of age he was married to Clara Trousdale, who was born in the village of Fayette, Lafayette Co., Wis. They then went to Monroe, where he engaged as clerk for F. S. Parlirt a few months, then went to Yankton, D. T., in company with his father, who was going there to look after his stage interests. In 1878 he had full charge of the stage line from Yankton to Sioux Falls, and remained there until 18*79, when he returned to Monroe, bought a livery stock and managed a stable two years, then, in the spring of 1881, he started west and visited Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. Returning in the fall, he bought the omnibus line at Monroe and ran that during the winter of 1881-2. In the spring of 1882 he went to Dane county and purchased a farm in company with his father, and lived there one year, then returned to Albany, and during the summer was in the employ of the Western Stage Company. In the fall of 1883 he bought the livery stock of E. F. Warren, and is now engaged in the livery lousiness. Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Warren are the parents of two children (twins) — Bessie and Jessie. He is a good business man, accommodating and affable, and has many friends.

Of the five sons, Eugene F. Warren was the youngest. He was born at Fort Covington, N. Y., June 30, 1833, came with the family to Wisconsin, and at an early age commenced those minor duties of farm life which his extreme youth could compass, and in which he displayed great energy and facility. He was but thirteen years old when his father died, but as his older brothers had left home, the care of the farm naturally devolved on him, and he found little time or opportunity to attend school, spending but three months each winter, in that manner. Fortunately his mother was a woman of refinement and education, knd he received from her the most important elements of early instruction. After acting one year as express messenger on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, at the age of twenty-one, with a capital of $500 he came to Albany, and entered into a co-partnership with his brothers, John H. and Lemuel, in mercantile business, which he pursued for sixteen years, when he bought out the interests of his partners, and continued in the trade alone for five years. Meanwhile, in 1861, he assisted j in recruiting company E, 13th Wisconsin Volunteers, and was mustered in as ist lieutenant of the company. In 1862 he was in the army of Kansas, where there was no hard fighting, but long and tedious marches to be endured, over the ice and snow clad prairies, and the following year being sent to the army of the Tennessee, he was engaged in fighting "bush-whackers," and in scouting most of the time at Forts Henry and Donelson While there, he was detailed as judge-advocate of a general court-martial which continued in session for three months, fifty-two cases being tried, and five men receiving the sentence of death. In the fall of 1863, he was ordered to Huntsville, Ala., thence to Stephenson, Ala., where after a long and weary march, on short rations, he remained until November, when he left that place and encamped in the village of Edgeville, opposite Nashville, Tenn., where he remained until the summer of 1864, and then returned to his family and business. He had been at home but one week, however, when he received, from the secretary of war, an appointment to a captaincy, in Major-Gen. Hancock's corps, but as one of his brothers had accepted an appointment to the position of United States revenue collector, and the other was in very poor health, and his business in consequence was left entirely in the hands of employes, he was obliged to decline the appointment. Mr. Warren was a brave soldier, competent for any position, and repeatedly refused promotion, having promised to remain with the boys with whom he enlisted and among whom he was a great favorite. In 1869, he built the flouring mill of Warren & Tomkins, and in 1881 purchased the Albany Woolen Mill. He has, also with his brothers, been engaged in the mail and stage business, which furnishes employment to hundreds of men, and requires hundreds of horses, their lines extending from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Slope. Mr. Warren is a republican in [jolilics, a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in his religious views, broad and liberal, holding to the belief of universal salvation. His business success is attributable to honesty, industry, perseverance and the good advice early given him by his parents. Mrs. Warren was formerly Sarah S. Gleason, and was born in Tioga Co., N. Y., and was married to E. F. AVarren, Sept. 9, 1855. In the year 1863, she shared equally with her husband the hardships and privations of camp life, thus showing that constancy and affection, which has rendered their union one of happiness. They have been blessed with five children — Mary, Nelly, Willie, (who died in 1867, aged three years) Grace and Charles.

As printed in History of Green County, Wisconsin (1884). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.