Mrs. James F. Williams of Madison, better known as Ada K. Markham,
passed away at her home in Madison on Tusday of last week after a long
illness. In fact, she had been in ill health for the past 3
years.
Deceased was born Ada Rogers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Rogers,
on Dec. 26, 1867, and had the age of almost 81 years at the time of
death.
On October 11, 1891, she was united in marriage to George Markham who
passed away July 16, 1909. Upon his death, she took over
publication of the News Wave which she and her husband had been
operating since 1892. She continued as publisher of the news
Wave
until October 1920 when she sold the business to G. L. Kirkpatrick,
present publisher.
In 1924, she was united in marriage to James F. Williams and madison
had been their home ever since.
Funeral services took place in Madison Friday of last week.
+++
MARKHAM, Claron A.
Source - Independence News Wave, Friday, 01 Nov 1935
Claron A. Markham died Tuesday at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Was
born
at Independence, Wisconsin on January 3, 1878, a son of Arthur A.
Markham and Rose Biship Markham, pioneer settlers of Trempealeau County
Wisconsin. His age was 57 years, 9 months and 26
days. He
was graduated from Independence High School in 1896, and in 1901
graduated from the University of Minnesota, College of Law.
He began his law practice in Beaver Dam on October 20, 1904.
He
married his college classmate, Mary Emma Westfall of Redwood Falls,
Minnesota.
Two children were born to this union, Muriel G. D. Markham and Claron
Edmond Markham. Also survived by his brother Attorney John A.
Markham, and Fred C. Markham, Independence, Wisconsin; sisters,
Marianne E. Markham, Independence and Mrs. Blanche Weis, Madison,
Wisconsin. Also Attorney William H. Markham, Huron, Wisconsin.
+++
MARKHAM,
Fannie (Mrs. George) nee BISHOP
Source - Independence News Wave, 13 May 1932
Mrs. George (Fannie Bishop) Markham was born on August 15, 1841 in
Indiana. She was the daughter of Dr. Edwin Bishop and Manerva
Shelley
Markham.
On October 8, 1862 married George H. Markham. Their only
child,
George
A. Markham, died in 1909. He had been a publisher of the
Independence
News Wave.
Mrs. George H. Markham died April 30, 1932 while on a visit to her
brother Herbert Bishop at Fredonia, New York.
She was buried in Independence, Wisconsin.
+++
MARKHAM, George A.
Source - Independence News Wave, 24 Jul 1909
Died Friday July 16, 1909 of blood poisening caused from an abscess on
the gall bladder, George A. Markham, son and only child of Mr. and Mrs.
G. H. Markham of this village aged 44 years, 2 months, 7 days.
The deceased was born May 7, 1865 in the house in which he
died.
The house was built many years before the present Independence was
founded.
He was educated at the Winona Normal and Galesville University and
while attending the latter institution became interested in printing
which he afterward took up as a vocation.
In October 1887, he purchased the printing office in this village and
has since labored unceasingly to build up a creditable business and to
uplift the community. October 11, 1891, he was married to Ada
Rogers of Osseo and they began the publication of the Wisconsin Good
Templars for nearly 30 years. Politically he was a
prohibitionist
and was a zealous worker in that cause, always ready to give time and
money to advance the cause. His interest in reform brought
him
much work from the state and nation which gave his office unusual
prominence for an office in so small a town.
He early joined the Wisconsin Press Association and was a member of its
executive committee at the time of his death.
Mr. Markham's physical trouble dates back at least 5 years when he
began to have attacks of intense pain which physicians decided came
from gall stones and advised an operation but the press of business
seemed to give no time and treatment was put off from year to
year. On Friday July 2, he had a severe spasm of
pain. ON
Sunday, he had another one of excruciating pain. The doctor
game
him a hypodermic which relieved him but did he did not rally as he had
from previous attacks. Not gaining as was hoped, he was
removed
to the to the home of his parents outside the village, hoping that
coolness and quiet would have a strengthening effect. He did
not
gain and on Tuesday July 13, Dr. Pritchard and a nurse were called from
Winona. The eminent surgeon have little hope under the
knife. Mr. Markham consented. Dr. Pritchard
assisted by the
physician of the village preformed the operation. They found
a
large abscess and a perforated gall bladder and were unable to do more
than arrange for drainage of the poison from his side.
On Friday July 16, he fell into a stupor and passed away in his
sleep. The funeral was held on Monday from the home of his
birth
and was charge of the M. W. A. Lodge with Rev. Chalfont.
He is survived by his widow, Ada, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George
H. Markham.
+++
MARKHAM, George H.
Source - Independence News Wave, 14 May 1920
George H. Markham Is Laid To Rest
(Written by his nephew, John A. Markham)
Honorable George H. Markham, a leading citizen of this community for
nearly 64 years died at his home here last Thursday, May 6, 1920 and
was laid to rest with his parents, his brother and son on Monday in
Green Wood Cemetery.
He was born in Yorkshire, England, January 24, 1837, the second son of
Captain John Markham of the British Navy. His early boyhood
was
spent ont he Island of Guernsey with his parents and three brothers,
John, Arthur, and Albert. By special dispensation he made a
Mason
at "Doyle Lodge No. 99" on the Island of Guernsey when a boy of 19, but
on coming to this country there being no lodge available in the new
country, he neglected to affiliate again with this fraternity.
He came to America on August 13, 1956 in the company with his parents,
his brother Arthur, who was a partner with him a great many years in
the farming operations they conducted. With them came Walter
Maule, and a Mr. Lyne who had been their instructor in the old country
and also Mr. Davis. They sailed from Southhampton, England
and
landed at New York. From thence, they traveled by rail to
Chicago
and thence by boat to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from which they continued
their journey by rail to Columbus, Wisconsin. Here they began
to
encounter the wilderness and the remainder of the journey was a slow
and painful progress by means of an ox team, finally reaching
Trempealeau Valley in October of the same year in time to erect with
their crude implements, a rude log cabin on the site which became to
him hoe for more than half of a century.
The new settlers unused to the hardships and with very meager
equipment, undertook to hew out of the "wild" a home in the
wilderness. They had no near neighbors and no supplies to be
had
nearer than Black River Falls. The first winter in the
wilderness, 1856-57, the winter of the "big snow", tested his metal to
the breaking point and it was by the most narry margin the family
escaped starvation. He frequently recounted his experience of
a
trip he made for supplies to Black River Falls during the worst part of
that winter when the snow was over four feet deep on the level and no
road broken to follow. He made the trip in a day by foot,
taking
a hand sled to haul his purchase of provisions. On the
return, he
reached the home of Gullick Olson in Preston Township, Trempealeau
County, by late at night and in the morning, Mr. Olson equipped him
with a pair of snow shoes which he soon learned to operate and with
their help was able to complete the journey oback to the little log
house in time to save the other members of the family from starvation.
Near the site of the log cabin a few years later, they built the first
frame residence in this community,an eight sided, four story dwelling
just at the foot of a bluff, commanding a magnificent view of the
valley. The odd shaped house was commonly called "the Markham
Castle" and still stand as a land mark well knwon throughout Western
Wisconsin and continued to be the home of Mr. Markham until 1912 when
he retired from the farm and built a comfortable home in the village.
On October 8, 1862, he married Fannie M. Bishop, daughter of Dr. Edmund
Bishop of Portage, Wisconsin. Their only son George A. born
May
7, 1865, died without issue July 16, 1909, for many years owned and
edited the local newspaper at Independence, Wisconsin.
He was a man of clear and sound judgement, good success of his business
affairs, and was considered a very successful farmer. A
pioneer
in the introduction of blooded stock and improved methods of farming,
early won him the high appreciation of his neighbors. He
always
had a keen and lively interestin politics giving public matters careful
and thorough thought and study; a man of broad views and well read on
all topics of the day, his interest in his town, state and country
never failed.
+++
MARKHAM, John
Born 1797 in England. Died 1870 in Independence.
Captain in
the British Navy. Came to Independence in 1857.
+++
MARKHAM, Mrs. John A.
Source - Independence News Wave, 23 Apr 1953
Mrs. John A. Markham died April 20, 1953.
Mrs. John A. Markham was born December 20, 1874 at Valparaiso,
Indiana. Her mother, Amanda Pershing, was a cousin of General
John J. Pershing and her father was William E. Brown, Civil War veteran
who saw service at Gettysburg.
On May 21, 1904, she married a prominent Independence Attorney, John A.
Markham.
They had three sons, Arthur, George and Richard. The youngest
son, Richard, a commander in the United States Navy, is stationed at
the Naval Base in New Foundland.