Philo Belden (October 22, 1815 – September 9, 1889) was a Wisconsin pioneer who helped establish the village of Rochester, Wisconsin, and was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate.[1][2]

Philo Belden
From Portrait and Biographical Album of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin (1892)
County Judge of Racine County, Wisconsin
In office
October 1882 – September 1889
Appointed byJeremiah McLain Rusk
Preceded byCharles A. Brownson
Succeeded byEllsworth Burnett Belden
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
In office
January 1, 1872 – January 6, 1873
Preceded byFrancis Huebschmann
Succeeded byRobert Hall Baker
Constituency5th Senate district
In office
January 2, 1871 – January 1, 1872
Preceded byHenry Stevens
Succeeded byWilliam M. Colladay
Constituency7th Senate district
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Racine 3rd district
In office
January 1, 1866 – January 7, 1867
Preceded byFrederick A. Weage
Succeeded byPosition abolished
In office
January 4, 1864 – January 2, 1865
Preceded byHiram L. Gilmore
Succeeded byFrederick A. Weage
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Racine 4th district
In office
January 3, 1853 – January 2, 1854
Preceded byJames Catton
Succeeded byNelson R. Norton
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Racine County, Wisconsin
In office
January 1854 – January 1855
Preceded bySamuel E. Chapman
Succeeded byNelson R. Norton
Personal details
Born(1815-10-22)October 22, 1815
Canaan, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedSeptember 9, 1889(1889-09-09) (aged 73)
Rochester, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeRochester Cemetery
Rochester, Wisconsin
Political party
Spouse
Mary Francis
(m. 1839⁠–⁠1889)
Children
  • Henry Ward Belden
  • (b. 1840; died 1915)
  • Edward D. J. Belden
  • (b. 1842; died 1909)
  • Albert O. Belden
  • (b. 1847; died 1918)
  • Allen H. Belden
  • (b. 1849; died 1916)
RelativesEllsworth Burnett Belden (grandson)
ProfessionLawyer, Farmer, Businessman, Politician, Judge

Early life

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Belden was born in Canaan, Connecticut, the sixth child of Jonathan and Love Dean Belden. He left Connecticut in 1835 and purchased land in the Michigan Territory. However, in 1836 he traveled to Racine County, in the Wisconsin Territory, and subsequently decided to sell his land in Michigan and purchased land in Rochester, in western Racine County, in 1838.[3]

Early years in Wisconsin

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In October 1839, Belden, along with fellow Racine County pioneers Martin C. Whitman, Levi Godfrey, Obed Hurlbut, and Hiland Hurlbut, plotted all of the village property of Rochester west of the Fox River, and the portion on the east side of the river south of Main Street.[3]

Belden made many investments in the development of Rochester, including a saw mill built in 1840, and a water power-producing dam on the Fox River, built in 1842. Also in 1842, he established the first flour mill in Rochester, which he operated as the sole proprietor until 1846. He also operated an iron factory, which made casings for his mills. And he constructed the first brick chimney in Rochester, bringing bricks from the mouth of Root River.[3]

In 1855, Belden organized the Fox River Valley Railroad company, which attempted to construct a railroad from Richmond, Illinois, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, traveling through Burlington, Rochester, and Waterford, in Racine County. He won many wealthy investors in Milwaukee and reorganized the company into the Milwaukee and Northern Illinois Railroad, with Belden remaining as President. The company had nearly completed grading of the route but was never able to lay the rail lines. Belden lost a considerable amount of his personal wealth in the failure of the company.[3]

Political career

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Belden received his first office in 1839, when he was appointed a justice of the peace for Racine County by Wisconsin Territory governor Henry Dodge. He was re-appointed to the position in 1842 by Dodge's successor, James Duane Doty. He was elected to the Rochester Town Board, served five terms on the Racine County Board, and was Chairman of the County Board in 1854.[3]

He was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 1852 as a member of the Whig Party, advocating against slavery and in favor of temperance.[3]

He returned to the Assembly in 1864 and 1866 as a member of the National Union Party, and in 1870 he was elected to represent Racine County in the Wisconsin Senate as a Republican.[3]

In 1882, Belden was appointed to fill a vacant Racine County Judge seat by Governor Jeremiah Rusk. He was elected to a full term as Judge later that year. He resigned the seat in 1889 just a week before his death. His grandson, Ellsworth Burnett Belden, was appointed to finish his judicial term, and was later elected to serve on the Wisconsin Circuit Court.[4][3]

Philo Belden died on September 9, 1889, in Rochester. His funeral was held on September 11, 1889, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Racine, and he was buried at Rochester Cemetery.[1][3]

Family life

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On June 6, 1839, he married Mary Francis Belden of La Porte, Indiana, the daughter of Henry and Fannie Belden.[1] They had four sons, the eldest three served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.[3]

  • Henry Ward Belden volunteered in the 24th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and eventually became a captain in the 37th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment.[3] He married Emily Brown of Rochester, moved to Milwaukee and eventually settled in Tennessee. They had five children, Judge Ellsworth Burnett Belden, Louis Jay Belden, Ruby L. Belden, Robert Brown Belden, and Charles Ezra Belden.
  • Edward D. J. Belden joined the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery Regiment and was stationed in Washington, D.C.[3] He married "Nellie" and moved to Oregon and then California after the Civil War.
  • Albert O. Belden, who was only 15, enlisted at President Lincoln's call for sixty day troops and served as a Private in the 39th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He married Janet Ormiston of Union Grove, Wisconsin, and remained in Rochester. They had a son, Philo Warren Belden.
  • Allen H. Belden married Ella Robertson, divorced, and remarried Etta Burns and also remained in Rochester. He had one son with Ella Robertson, Louis Andrew Belden.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "End of a Long and Useful Life". The Weekly Wisconsin. September 14, 1889. p. 7. Retrieved July 12, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ "Belden, Philo". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Portrait and Biographical Album of Racine and Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin. Lake City Publishing Co. 1892. p. 717.
  4. ^ Assembly, Wisconsin. Legislature (1939). "In Assembly". Retrieved 2015-05-22.
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Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by
James Catton
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Racine 4th district
January 3, 1853 – January 2, 1854
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Hiram L. Gilmore
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Racine 3rd district
January 4, 1864 – January 2, 1865
Succeeded by
Frederick A. Weage
Preceded by
Frederick A. Weage
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Racine 3rd district
January 1, 1866 – January 7, 1867
District abolished
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by
Henry Stevens
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 7th district
January 2, 1871 – January 1, 1872
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 5th district
January 1, 1872 – January 6, 1873
Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by
Charles A. Brownson
County Judge of Racine County, Wisconsin
October 1882 – September 1889
Succeeded by