WI BIO - Dane Co - PARTRIDGE, Albert M.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 341-343

Albert M. PARTRIDGE, a successful farmer of Dane County, was born in Nova 
Scotia, 22 April 1841, a son of Joseph A. and Ruth Ann (SCOTT) PARTRIDGE. 
The father was born in Connecticut, was reared to farm life, and at the age 
of four years was bereft of his father. After reaching a suitable age he 
[Joseph PARTRIDGE] went to Nova Scotia as a peddler, also conducted a store 
there, but afterward lost the property he had made, through a partner. In 
1845 he [Joseph] removed to Boston [Suffolk County, MA], and in the fall of 
1846 came to Wisconsin, where he taught school near Mineral Point [Iowa 
County, Wisconsin Territory]; next moved to Sauk City [Sauk County, WI], then 
to Dover [now in Price County, WI], where he farmed on rented land five 
years, and then purchased 133 acres of land near Black Earth, Dane County 
[WI]. He erected a log house, 14x16 feet, where the parents, ten children 
and eight boarders resided. The father [Joseph PARTRIDGE] died in 1863, at 
the age of fifty-two years, leaving seven small children, and the farm 
heavily mortgaged. Here they remained ten years. After selling the farm, 
the mother [Ruth Ann] resided in Madison [Dane County, WI] until 1883, when 
she visited her children and relatives in Nebraska and California; from there 
she went to Montana to visit her sons, where she was taken sick in the spring 
of 1886. She [Ruth Ann PARTRIDGE] then came to Minnesota, to her daughter, 
Sarah LENNON, where she died, 04 September 1886, at the age of sixty-four 
years and nine months. She was born, reared and married in Nova Scotia.

Albert M. PARTRIDGE, our subject, was reared on a farm, and like most farm 
boys of those days, received a limited education. At nineteen years of age 
his father gave him his time, and he then worked out during the summer, 
giving his wages to his father, and doing chores for his board in the village 
of Mazo Manie [Mazomanie, Dane County] Wisconsin, and attending school in the 
winter. In the latter part of February 1862, an old lady passed through the 
village with a pair of horses and sleigh, on her way to the West. She 
employed our subject to drive the team, giving him his board, and his wealth 
then consisted of $2 of old Wisconsin money, a quilt and one extra shirt. At 
Dubuque [Dubuque County], Iowa, he sold his money for $1 of good money, which 
he invested in [p 342] thread, needles, etc. Albert M. PARTRIDGE remained 
with the old lady until Omaha [Nebraska Territory] was reached when learning 
that Colorado, his objective point, was not as good as he expected, he made 
different arrangements.

Hearing of the gold excitement in Washington Territory he determined to go 
there. A man at Omaha going there told him if he would get $5 to buy 
provisions with, he would haul them for $50, to be paid after they got 
through and as soon as earned. It looked like but little to buy provisions 
to go upon a trip of that kind. At that time bacon could be bought in Omaha 
for 3 cents per pound, and flour at $1 per 100 pounds; these with a little 
dried fruit and beans constituted their fare. He then had not a dollar, but 
met two old neighbors from his Wisconsin home, and they each loaned him 
$2.50. He immediately purchased his provisions, and soon after the party 
started for their new home in far off Washington Territory.

After a perilous and tiresome journey of four months the party landed in 
Auburn mining camp, near the Powder River valley, in the eastern part of 
Oregon, nearly starved, Albert M. PARTRIDGE's weight having been reduced 
fifty pounds. He then worked at anything he could find to do until 01 
February 1863, when with a companion he packed two ponies and a cow, and 
started on a journey of over 200 miles on foot, across valleys and over 
mountains, to Idaho City [Idaho City in the state of Oregon or Idaho City in 
Idaho Territory?]. While there he followed teaming, mining, etc., in which 
he was fairly successful.

Hearing of his father's death, he immediately commenced sending money home to 
pay off the mortgage and for the support of the family. In the summer of 
1864 Mr. [Albert M.] PARTRIDGE returned to his old home in Wisconsin. After 
remaining one year and a half at home, he again went West, working in Montana 
until the spring of 1867, when he went to Leesburg, Idaho Territory, and 
engaged in mining, where he lost all that he had. He again went to work for 
wages, and on 01 November 1867, in company with two other men, started for 
the Sweetwater mines [Sweetwater in Fremont County, WY?], 600 miles distant, 
near the summit of the Rocky Mountains, in Wyoming. At one time he made $50 
per day in the gold mines. He next began railroading, making a trip of 100 
miles alone, through the most dangerous part of the Rockies, in order to 
reach the construction part of the old Union Pacific railroad. He was soon 
at the head of a railroad outfit, and made money rapidly.

In 1870 Albert M. PARTRIDGE returned to the States and remained until the 
spring of 1871, when he went to the silver mines in Utah [then a Territory; 
not a state until 1896], but finding nothing that would pay, he returned to 
the States in 1872. In 1873 he bought his mother's old home, where he 
remained until the fall of 1876. He then sold the place and moved to the 
village of Black Earth [Dane County, WI]. Two years later he was obliged to 
move on a farm to satisfy a mortgage; afterward sold that place and again 
came to Black Earth with his family. He then went to Montana, but finding 
nothing satisfactory, he again returned to Black Earth and purchased a farm 
near the village of Cross Plains [Dane County, WI]. Albert M. PARTRIDGE now 
owns 340 acres of as fine land as there is in Wisconsin, where he is engaged 
in general farming. Politically he was formerly a Republican, but now votes 
the Democratic ticket.

On 06 January 1873 the subject of this sketch [Albert M. PARTRIDGE] was 
united in marriage with Miss Sarah ROBERTS, a native of Berry Township, Dane 
County, Wisconsin, and they had one son, Albert M., born 15 Sep 1874. The 
wife and mother [Sarah (ROBERTS) PARTRIDGE] died 31 Dec 1876, and on 04 Dec 
1877, Mr. [Albert M.] PARTRIDGE [p 343] married Miss Emma MELTZER, who was 
born in Cincinnati, Ohio, 27 Apr 1858, a daughter of William and Caroline 
(FERGE) MELTZER, who came from Germany to this country in 1848. Mr. and Mrs. 
[Albert M.] PARTRIDGE have five children: Henry C., born 22 Oct 1878; 
William E., 14 Feb 1880; Elvie I., 15 January 1883; Edward J., 07 Sep 1887; 
and Adaline C., 07 March 1891.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly