WI BIO - Dodge Co - ROWELL, Ira

History of Dodge County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1880, p 594

Ira ROWELL, manufacturer, Beaver Dam [Beaver Dam Township, Dodge County, 
Wisconsin], was born 20 October 1836 in Springwater, Livingston County, New 
York, and came to [the Territory of] Wisconsin in August 1842, locating in 
Lisbon. [The author probably means Lisbon Township in Waukesha County, a 
community there bearing the name "New Lisbon." In 1842, however, Waukesha 
County, which was created on 31 January 1846, was still part of Milwaukee 
County. The only other "Lisbon" is Lisbon Township, then in the territorial 
county of Portage, but now in Juneau County, is a much less likely option.] 
In 1862 he [Ira ROWELL] moved to Hartland [Waukesha County, Wisconsin] and 
opened a general store which he continued for two years. [Wisconsin had 
become a State on 29 May 1848.] In 1864 he moved to Beaver Dam and connected 
himself with his uncle, John [see also the Dodge County, Wisconsin, biography 
of J. S. & Samuel W. ROWELL], in the manufacture of agricultural implements, 
and is now carrying on that business.

In November 1868 he [Ira ROWELL] married Mary THOMPSON [a maiden name?] of 
Canada. He has [Ira and Mary ROWELL have] three children: (1) Jennie, (2) 
Wallie and (3) Edla [Edna?]. Mr. ROWELL was Alderman of the Third Ward [of 
Beaver Dam] for two terms, and also Supervisor of the Third Ward.

[An 1878 map of Beaver Dam, The western boundary of the Third Ward, 
separating it from the Fourth Ward, is not clearly indicated, but the Third 
Ward appears to include the land west of either Spring or College Street, the 
land south of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway line, and the land 
extending south to (but not including) the Wayland Institute college grounds.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly