Tracy, John

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 2472
• Immigration: Abt 1865
• Biography: 1911; History of Outagamie County, Wisconsin Page 1038

Notes:

Biography:
HON. JOHN TRACY. The career of the Hon. John Tracy, of Appleton, Wisconsin, who started life with no advantages of any kind save those given him by nature and worked his way to a position of esteem and respect among the foremost men of his section, illustrates what can be accomplished by persistency, honest endeavor and a determination to succeed, when backed by a natural ability. Mr. Tracy was born in County Limerick, Ireland, April 18, 1852, a son of Edward and Johanna (Brown) Tracy, natives of the Emerald Isle, where the father died in 1862. The mother brought her children to the United States in 1865, settling in Appleton, Wisconsin, whence her two brothers, Richard and Patrick, had preceded her some twenty years, and she still survives her husband and resides in Appleton. She has been the mother of five children, namely: John; Edward, who died in 1868; Mary, whose death occurred in 1901; Kate, died in 1880; and Nora, who married a Mr. McDermott and lives in Chicago. John Tracy was the eldest child of his parents', and he was given little chance to secure the education which he craved, it being necessary for him to go to work when he was but thirteen years old in the spoke and hub factory at Appleton. He secured what education he could in the night school, after the long, wearisome day in the factory was finished, and continued to attend that institution until he had reached the age of seventeen years, when he devoted all of his attention to his work. He had started to work for Jarrard & Mason, July, 1865, at a salary of forty cents per day, and during the same year J. H. Marston purchased the interest of Jarrard, the firm name becoming Mason & Marston Hub and Spoke Factory. In 1877 Mr. Tracy was given the position of foreman, which his attention to business, hard, persevering labor and general ability.entitled him, and he held that position for about twenty years. He now leases the mill in which he first started to work at forty cents per day, and is at the head of a firm that employs twenty men, uses 1,000,000 feet of logs yearly, and turns out hubs and spokes that are used all over the United States and Canada. On November 18, 1879, Mr. Tracy was married to Miss Maggie Powers, who was born in Massachusetts, daughter of William Powers, and seven children have been born to this union: Edward, who is engaged in business with his father; Margaret, who is deceased; Kitty, at home, a teacher; Emma, who died in 1910; Agnes, also a teacher; Mabel, living at home; and Florence, who is attending school. The older girls were given a high school education, while Agnes is a graduate of Oshkosh normal school and is now teaching at Appleton. The family are attendants of St. Mary's Catholic Church. Mr. Tracy has always been a stanch and active supporter of the principles of the Democratic party, and his services have been recognized by his election to various positions of honor and responsibility. From 1882 until 1890 he served as a member of the City Council of Appleton, and in the latter year was elected to represent his district in the State Legislature, being re-elected in 1902. He has been chairman of the county board for the past sixteen years, and for the past thirty years has served as treasurer for the Fourth district. Mr. Tracy is the owner of a fine farm in Outagamie county, but makes his home in the city. Although he has been successful in his personal ventures, he has never let himself be governed by the wish for self gain or promotion, but has always been one of the leaders in any movement that his judgment told him would further the interests of the community at large.

John married Powers, Margaret 18 Nov 1879. Margaret was born Bef 1861, , , Massachusetts, USA; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]