WI BIO - Dane Co - NETHERWOOD, Charles W.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol I, pp 304-306

Charles W. NETHERWOOD, the Postmaster at Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin, a 
prominent Republican and a highly respected citizen of that county, was born 
at Watervliet [Albany County], New York, 14 January 1843. He is the son of 
Joseph NETHERWOOD, who was born at Huddersfield [Haddersfield in west 
Yorkshire County?], England, in February 1817, where he grew up to the trade 
of a woolen manufacturer, becoming proficient in all its branches. There he 
[Joseph NETHERWOOD] married Emma BARRACLOUGH, born in his native place and 
his companion when he crossed the ocean in 1842, and settled near Albany 
[Albany County], New York. Employment was found by him in various mills 
along the Hudson [River], but chiefly at Troy [NY]. His skill was frequently 
called into play to get new mills into operation, there being but few of them 
when he first arrived. The great West attracted him, and taking his family 
he proceeded by way of the lakes to Detroit [MI], thence by rail to Chicago 
[IL] and to Footville [Rock County], Wisconsin, and to Dane County [WI] by 
team. Here he [Joseph] bought 80 acres in the north half of the northwest 
quarter of section 34, later adding 40 acres adjoining. By industry he 
improved it into one of the finest farms in the county and sold it at a good 
price in 1883, when he removed to the village of Oregon [Dane County, WI], at 
which place he still resides. His worthy and beloved helpmeet [helpmate] 
died in 1885, aged sixty-nine years. Coming to the U. S. a very poor man, by 
hard work he has amassed a competency. He was made a citizen at Troy, New [p 
305] York, and at once allied himself with the Whig party, being loyal to it 
as long as that party had an existence, transferring his allegiance to the 
Republican party at its birth [Republican party formed 1854]. In no sense a 
seeker after public office, he had, none the less, an active interest in and 
doing all in his power for its success. Just as earnest was he in his 
Christian life and work, being a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. Six children came to bless his [Joseph's] home: Edwin, a resident 
of Holyoke [Hampden County], Massachusetts; Eliza, wife of J. H. MARTIN, of 
Chicago [Cook County, IL]; Emma, a teacher in the public school at Oregon 
[Dane County, WI]; Ada, wife of J. H. RICHARDS, of Brooklyn [Green County, 
WI], and two died in infancy.

Charles W. NETHERWOOD attended such parish schools as the country afforded in 
his youth, until he was ten years old, and then went into a factory, 
subsequently attending one term in a parish school; and this is all the 
education he received in the State of New York. After coming West he managed 
to go to school in the intervals of farm work. He was moved by patriotism 
and enlisted in Company E, 23rd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry; went from Camp 
Randall [one mile outside Madison, Dane County, WI] to Cincinnati [OH], to 
protect that city from the raid of John MORGAN; saw service in Kentucky; 
joined SHERMAN at Memphis and was attached to General A. J. SMITH's division 
of the 13th Arm Corps; made a great march on Christmas Day, [25 Dec] 1862; 
participated in an engagement at Haines' Bluff [Haynes Bluff, Warren County, 
MS] and in the fight at Fort Hinman [Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, AR], when 
the Federals captured 6,000 prisoners. His regiment wintered at Young's 
Point [in Madison County, LA; just south of Duckport, near the LA-MS border], 
where disease made great ravages, large numbers dying as the soldiers 
patrolled the river, only 250 of the entire regiment being able to carry 
muskets, the remainder being sick or wounded. Breaking camp in the spring of 
1863, the regiment went to Vicksburg [MS], taking part in that memorable 
campaign, participating in all the battles, including Champion Hill. In that 
fight he was picked up for dead, after being struck by a piece of iron fired 
from a cannon. The commander of the battery informed him after the war that 
he had loaded his guns with bits of a locomotive, broken up for the purpose. 
He did not go to the hospital for his wound and was present at the battle of 
Black River, although not able to fight. Misfortunes do not come singly. On 
23 May he was twice wounded with gunshots, one in the lower jaw and the other 
in the shoulder; was taken to the field hospital, and on 04 June was sent to 
Memphis, where a portion of the lower jaw was amputated, and was sent home on 
a furlough in September. A surgeon at Memphis told him he could never do 
service again; but after reaching home a surgeon from Camp Randall ordered 
him to the front. He was not permitted to remain long, the surgeons in 
active work soon procuring his discharge, and he was sent home. After the 
war he attended a commercial college at Madison [Dane County, WI]; then was 
clerk in a store at Edgerton [Rock County, WI] one year; later tried farming 
unsuccessfully, not having the physical strength, so he returned to clerking, 
at Oregon. An attempt at broom making was a failure, his poor health and 
disabled arm preventing; after which he went South, and obtained a position 
as second clerk of a steamer, but being unable to perform the duties of that 
position, on account of physical inability, he was compelled to resign and 
return home, when he was commissioned Postmaster, a position he has held 
continuously from 1869, except about nine months in the latter part of the 
[first?] administration of CLEVELAND. [Grover CLEVELAND was president for 
two terms: 1885-1889 and 1893-1897.]

Charles W. NETHERWOOD was twice married: first to Eva BEDFORD, in 1866, she 
being the daughter [p 306] of William and Eliza E. BEDFORD, and was born 25 
December 1846, dying at Oregon [Dane County], Wisconsin, 28 October 1867; was 
childless. His second wife was Mrs. Lucy H. GILBERT, daughter of Mordecai and 
Lucy P. SAYLES, the ceremony occurring in 1868. Mrs. Lucy H. NETHERWOOD [nee 
SAYLES] was born 20 January 1841; the name of her first husband was Thomas 
GILBERT. To Charles W. and Lucy H. NETHERWOOD have been born six children: 
Harry, born 18 October 1870, a bookkeeper in the Madison Democrat [newspaper] 
office; Eva, assistant in the post office; Lucy, Pearl, Bertha, and Perry. 
Mrs. NETHERWOOD has by her first marriage one child, Ada, the wife of A. U. 
MARVIN, cashier of the bank of Middleborough [Jessamine County], Kentucky.

The political faith of Charles W. NETHERWOOD is strongly Republican, and he 
has been prominent in public affairs upward of twenty-five years; was Town 
Treasurer four terms; has been President of the village, except about six 
months, ever since its organization, and Supervisor of the village on the 
County Board. He is connected with the following orders: the Blue Lodge and 
the Royal Arch Masons, having been Master of the former for a long time; and 
the G. A. R., he being Past Commander of O. E. Rice Post, No. 121. Mr. 
NETHERWOOD is president of the Oregon Manufacturing Company; is also owner of 
the chief business block of Oregon [Dane County, WI], which he built.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly