- THOMAS W. ORBISON, a member of the O'Keefe-Orbison Engineering & Construction Company, of Appleton, Wisconsin, whose reputation as a consulting engineer is country wide, was born in Plover, Wisconsin, in 1854, and is a son of Thomas and Susan S. (Kellogg) Orbison. Thomas Orbison was a native of Ireland, from whence he came to the United States in 1849, and located in Wisconsin. He was a minister of the Methodist faith, and had various charges throughout the State until 1869, when he came to Appleton to reside. His death occurred in Appleton in 1872. Mrs. Orbison, who was born in Pennsylvania, and is now living in Appleton, is a descendant of the old New England family of Kellogg. She and her husband had a family of three children: Mary, who is married and resides in New York City; Kate, living in Appleton, and Thomas W. Thomas W. Orbison's early education was secured in the public schools. Attended Lawrence College, Appleton, for three years and graduated from the civil engineering department of Union College in 1876. Shortly thereafter he went to the State of Colorado, where he was engaged in railroad work, and on his return to Wisconsin continued to engage in this line until 1881. From this time his chief work has been that of consulting hydraulic engineer, and opened an office in Appleton in partnership with Capt. Nathaniel M. Edwards in 1884, and subsequently the O'Keefe-Orbison Engineering and Construction Company was established by Mr. Orbison and Ed O'Keefe, a connection that has continued to the present time. Civil engineering covers so wide a field that of late years it has been necessary to specialize in the several individual branches, but in this connection it may be stated that both Mr. Orbison and the firm he represents have gained a reputation that extends from coast to coast as paper mill and hydraulic engineers.
In 1880 Mr. Orbison was married to Irene Ballard, daughter of Anson and Harriet (Story) Ballard, and to this union there were born three children: Eugene, a graduate of Cornell University, who is now connected with the General Electric Company, Schenectady, New York,, and Nellie and Mary, who are living at home. The family are members of the Congregational Church. Mr. Orbison is a Republican in political matters, and is fraternally connected with the Elks. He is a director of the Riverside Paper Mills, and is a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Western Society of Civil Engineers and the Wisconsin Society of Civil Engineers. He is best known as a consulting engineer on hydraulic work.
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1854 - Abt 1937 (82 years)
Has 2 ancestors and 6 descendants in this family tree.
1900 Census
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Orbison, Nellie Irene
