WI BIO - Dane Co - FORD, Charles F.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 449-450

Charles F. FORD, the well known owner of the large machine and repair shops 
located at 120 East Washington Avenue, Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, which 
business he established in 1887, is a skilled machinist and employs only the 
best workmen, giving constant employment to three or four hands all the time. 
For twenty years our subject was with the Madison Manufacturing Company, and 
for thirteen years was foreman of the shops. Charles F. FORD came to [the 
Territory of] Wisconsin in 1846 and settled in Rock County with his parents, 
in 1848 [Wisconsin became a state 29 May 1848], settling in Cambridge, Dane 
County, and there he learned the trade of blacksmith in his father's shops. 
After this he worked at the trade of machinist, and when he came to Madison, 
Wisconsin, it was for the purpose of giving his children the advantages of an 
education. In Madison he became connected with the Madison Manufacturing 
Company, as above stated.

Charles F. FORD was born at the city of Oswego, Tioga County, New York, 22 
June 1834, son of Nelson FORD. When twelve years of age he came with his 
parents to Wisconsin. In those days there were no railroads and the route to 
Dane County was overland with a wagon and team. After spending one winter 
near Janesville, Rock County, Wisconsin, he spent two years in Shopier, Rock 
County, Wisconsin. In 1848 the father brought the family to Cambridge, Dane 
County, Wisconsin, and established a smithy, and the father and son conducted 
this business for some time, when the father, Nelson FORD, engaged in the 
mercantile business and about 1861 moved to Keokuk [Lee County], Iowa, and 
there lived until his death, at age sixty-four, having been retired from 
business for some years.

Nelson FORD was born of Connecticut parentage, and when young had moved to 
Oswego, Tioga County, New York, with is parents, and had learned the trade of 
blacksmith with his father, Nelson FORD, Sr. Finally both father and son 
came to Wisconsin together, and Nelson FORD, Sr. settled down at Argyle, 
Lafayette County, Wisconsin, where he died full of years. The wife of Nelson 
FORD Sr., Hulda[h] (ARNOLD) FORD, survived him some years, and her death 
occurred in Argyle, Lafayette County, Wisconsin, when she was ninety-eight 
years of age. She and her husband were Baptists, good old pioneer people. 
[The 1881 History of Lafayette County, WI, p 651, gives the names of Nelson 
and Huldah FORD among the founding members of the Argyle Baptist Church, 
which was "organized on 21 August 1851 by a Council called for that purpose, 
of which the Rev. S. S. WHITMAN acted as Moderator and the Rev. J. D. COLE as 
Secretary, with the following members: Nelson and Huldah FORD, John and 
Hulda HILL, Orlean and Elizabeth DOGGETT, John Z. and Mary SAXTON, Wealthy A. 
and Mary HILL, and Amos G. HILL, Asa SAXON and Helena SAXON." It was a 
prosperous church until 1876, after which it had no settled pastor, and "its 
prospects at present are not said to be very encouraging."]

Nelson FORD, Jr. was married in New York to Miss Wealthy EASTMAN, who was 
born and reared in New York, coming to Wisconsin with her husband, reared a 
family and died in Cambridge, Dane County, Wisconsin, in 1861, when she was 
not more than forty years old. She and her husband were members of the 
Baptist Church, and were among the best people of the community, beloved and 
respected. Our subject was the first born of the family. His brother, 
Henry, is a resident of Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin, and is employed in 
the Eclipse Windmill Company. A sister, Mrs. Rosilla TOWNE, is the wife of 
an attorney of Edgerton [Rock County], Wisconsin.

Charles F. FORD was married in Dane County, Wisconsin, to Miss Patience 
SAFFORD, who was born in the East and came West when young with her parents, 
Philip and Catherine SAFFORD, the father later becoming a resident of Sauk 
Centre, [Stearns County], Minnesota, where he died some years ago. The wife 
and mother makes her home at the old farm in Stearns County, Minnesota. She 
is now past eighty years of age, a respected lady in the community. Mr. and 
Mrs. Charles F. FORD attend the Congregational Church, of which Mr. FORD is a 
member. Mr. FORD is not a politician, but votes with the Republicans in 
political matters. Charles F. and Patience (SAFFORD) FORD are the parents of 
three children: Oliver FORD, deceased [p 450], was a brilliant young man who 
died after his graduation from the State University of Wisconsin; Catherine 
is the wife of Fred CURTIS, the leading photographer of Madison, Wisconsin; 
and Estelle is the wife of Charles ABBOTT, leading marble dealer of Madison.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly