A powerful businessman, land speculator, and contractor. He moved to Wisconsin in 1844, and soon settled in Baraboo where he worked as a sawmill operator and trader. In the 1850s he moved to Wood County, helped found the village of Dexterville (believed to be named after his white mule, Dexter), and engaged in sawmilling and trading. He was practically the owner of the town of Dexterville, and owned a large interest in the town of Pittsville; as well as in the city of Arcadia, where he owned a famous spring, which was considered by many to furnish the finest mineral water in the state. He represented Wood County in the state assembly (1867), and after leaving the legislature devoted his interests primarily to contracting and real estate (in Wood and several other counties he bought altogether some 70,000 acres of land). He built a major portion of the Green Bay, Winona and St. Paul R.R. between 1872 and 1874, and in the early 1880s constructed his own railroad from Dexterville to Vesper, the line being acquired by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul in 1890. In 1886 Hiles moved to Milwaukee, and was later among those who utilized their fortunes to aid the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Co. through the panic of 1892-1893 (The Depression of 1893 was one of the worst in American history). Hiles' vast and varied holdings eventually made him one of the wealthiest men in the state.
First married in Michigan to Amanda Brown (died 1855); 2 children, Frank Pierce and James K. P.
Later married Mary Downing, of Vermont; 1 child, Phoebe A. [Brown] (who later moved to Passadena, California).
...........................................................
George Hiles Called Hence
George Hiles [70], the millionaire lumber-
man, died at his Milwaukee home, 88
Farwell avenue, last Sunday after-
noon, at 4:30 o'clock, of paralysis.
Mr. Hiles had been in feeble health
for several years, during which time
he had aged rapidly... He spent
nearly all of last summer at Dexter-
ville supervising his many enterprises...
—excerpt from The Centralia Enterprise And Tribune; Saturday, March 14, 1896
Hiles Monument
Wisconsin Registered Landmark No. 26
Frank P. Hiles, Milwaukee,
only surviving son is authority that
the stone was shipped from Vermont
and cost $10,000. The monument
is 45 feet high and as far as
can be learned is the highest in the
state.
--excerpt from Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin; Wednesday, August 14, 1929
First married in Michigan to Amanda Brown (died 1855); 2 children, Frank Pierce and James K. P.
Later married Mary Downing, of Vermont; 1 child, Phoebe A. [Brown] (who later moved to Passadena, California).
...........................................................
George Hiles Called Hence
George Hiles [70], the millionaire lumber-
man, died at his Milwaukee home, 88
Farwell avenue, last Sunday after-
noon, at 4:30 o'clock, of paralysis.
Mr. Hiles had been in feeble health
for several years, during which time
he had aged rapidly... He spent
nearly all of last summer at Dexter-
ville supervising his many enterprises...
—excerpt from The Centralia Enterprise And Tribune; Saturday, March 14, 1896
Hiles Monument
Wisconsin Registered Landmark No. 26
Frank P. Hiles, Milwaukee,
only surviving son is authority that
the stone was shipped from Vermont
and cost $10,000. The monument
is 45 feet high and as far as
can be learned is the highest in the
state.
--excerpt from Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin; Wednesday, August 14, 1929
A powerful businessman, land speculator, and contractor. He moved to Wisconsin in 1844, and soon settled in Baraboo where he worked as a sawmill operator and trader. In the 1850s he moved to Wood County, helped found the village of Dexterville (believed to be named after his white mule, Dexter), and engaged in sawmilling and trading. He was practically the owner of the town of Dexterville, and owned a large interest in the town of Pittsville; as well as in the city of Arcadia, where he owned a famous spring, which was considered by many to furnish the finest mineral water in the state. He represented Wood County in the state assembly (1867), and after leaving the legislature devoted his interests primarily to contracting and real estate (in Wood and several other counties he bought altogether some 70,000 acres of land). He built a major portion of the Green Bay, Winona and St. Paul R.R. between 1872 and 1874, and in the early 1880s constructed his own railroad from Dexterville to Vesper, the line being acquired by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul in 1890. In 1886 Hiles moved to Milwaukee, and was later among those who utilized their fortunes to aid the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Co. through the panic of 1892-1893 (The Depression of 1893 was one of the worst in American history). Hiles' vast and varied holdings eventually made him one of the wealthiest men in the state.
First married in Michigan to Amanda Brown (died 1855); 2 children, Frank Pierce and James K. P.
Later married Mary Downing, of Vermont; 1 child, Phoebe A. [Brown] (who later moved to Passadena, California).
...........................................................
George Hiles Called Hence
George Hiles [70], the millionaire lumber-
man, died at his Milwaukee home, 88
Farwell avenue, last Sunday after-
noon, at 4:30 o'clock, of paralysis.
Mr. Hiles had been in feeble health
for several years, during which time
he had aged rapidly... He spent
nearly all of last summer at Dexter-
ville supervising his many enterprises...
—excerpt from The Centralia Enterprise And Tribune; Saturday, March 14, 1896
Hiles Monument
Wisconsin Registered Landmark No. 26
Frank P. Hiles, Milwaukee,
only surviving son is authority that
the stone was shipped from Vermont
and cost $10,000. The monument
is 45 feet high and as far as
can be learned is the highest in the
state.
--excerpt from Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin; Wednesday, August 14, 1929
First married in Michigan to Amanda Brown (died 1855); 2 children, Frank Pierce and James K. P.
Later married Mary Downing, of Vermont; 1 child, Phoebe A. [Brown] (who later moved to Passadena, California).
...........................................................
George Hiles Called Hence
George Hiles [70], the millionaire lumber-
man, died at his Milwaukee home, 88
Farwell avenue, last Sunday after-
noon, at 4:30 o'clock, of paralysis.
Mr. Hiles had been in feeble health
for several years, during which time
he had aged rapidly... He spent
nearly all of last summer at Dexter-
ville supervising his many enterprises...
—excerpt from The Centralia Enterprise And Tribune; Saturday, March 14, 1896
Hiles Monument
Wisconsin Registered Landmark No. 26
Frank P. Hiles, Milwaukee,
only surviving son is authority that
the stone was shipped from Vermont
and cost $10,000. The monument
is 45 feet high and as far as
can be learned is the highest in the
state.
--excerpt from Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin; Wednesday, August 14, 1929
Family Members
Advertisement
Advertisement
