Washburn County WIGenWeb Project

People Histories

Athol Wynne
(01 Aug 1875 - ?¹)

-As transcribed from the "COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF THE UPPER LAKES REGION"

by J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, IL, 1905

page 446

Athol Wynne is one of the successful young business men of Shell Lake, Washburn county. He was born in Winnebago county, Wis., Aug. 1, 1875, son of James and Mary (Wynn) Wynne.

Edward Wynne, his grandfather, was a native of Wales, and a school teacher by profession. His son, James Wynne, was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, soon after his birth the family moved to Ontario, where the parents died. About 1870 James Wynne came to Wisconsin, living in Winnebago county until 1881, when he settled at Shell Lake. He was appointed by Gov. Rusk first sheriff of Washburn county, in 1882, and served two years. In 1887 he took up a homestead claim in the town of Bashaw, Section 8, Town 38, Range 13, of which he has sixty acres under cultivation. He has filled various local offices, being chairman of the town of Bashaw at one time, and serving at present as assessor. Mrs. Mary (Wynn) Wynne was born near Schenectady, N. Y., and came with her parents to Wisconsin, settling in Grant county, where they died. Her father, a carpenter, was killed by a fall from a building on which he was at work.

Athol Wynne attended public school in Washburn county, and at sixteen began teaching, following this occupation for seven years in Washburn and Polk counties. In 1898 he was elected clerk of the circuit court and re-elected in 1900. He has invested largely in land, now owning about 400 acres, some of which is under cultivation; he also does a brokerage business in real estate.

Mr. Wynne was married April 16, 1902, to Pearl Hampton, daughter of Matthew Hampton, of Spring Valley, Wis. She died at Shell Lake, Jan. 19, 1904, aged twenty-three years. Mrs. Wynne was a member of the M. E. Church, with which Mr. Wynne is also identified. He has one child, Dwight Hampton, born Jan. 5, 1904. Fraternally Mr. Wynne is connected with the Masons and the Independent Order of foresters, being secretary of the local lodge of the latter organization.

1 - Editorial Note - There is no record within Washburn Co.of when or where Athol Wynne died, nor of his son, Dwight. It is assumed they moved to a different locality after his wife, Pearl Elizabeth's death. Pearl is buried in the Shell Lake Memorial Cemetery. A transcription of her tombstone states that she was born on 18 Dec 1880.