SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Edwin G. Trowbridge, Page 615

EDWIN G. TROWBRIDGE, of Sheboygan Falls, is one of the many early residents.  His coming dates back to the '50s, as the year of his first arrival here was 1857.  Mr. Trowbridge was born in Cattaraugus County, N. Y., May 31, 1834.  His father, Dr. James Trowbridge, was a native of Massachusetts.  His mother, whose maiden name was Olive Sackett, was born in Worcester, of the same State.  Dr. Trowbridge, early in his married life, settled in Hinsdale, Cattaraugus County, N. Y., having been one of the early physicians of that county.  Previous to 1840, he removed to Erie County, Pa., and thence to Lake County, Ohio, and about 1842 the family removed to Spring Prairie, Walworth County, Wis., where Dr. Trowbridge died in the summer of 1844.  After the death of the husband and father, the mother returned with her children to the State of Ohio, and later to the old home in the State of New York.  The mother subsequently re-married, and died in 1871.

    The subject of this sketch is one of a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters.  Three of the brothers are living.  James, the eldest, is a resident of Orchard, Mitchell County, Iowa, and is a farmer by occupation; William, the second in order of birth, is a resident of Buffalo County, Wis.; Edwin G., of this record, who is the youngest of the brothers, came West for the second time in 1855, and resided for a time, before coming to Sheboygan County, near Tiffin, Ohio.

    On the 3d of May, 1857, Mr. Trowbridge was married in Sheboygan County to Mary A. Mason, a daughter of Benjamin and Mary Ann Mason.  The latter's maiden name was Mary Ann McComas.  Mrs. Trowbridge's parents were natives of Dublin, Ireland, where they grew to mature years, and married, and where one child was born to them, which died before they came to America.  The father came to the United States in 1832, and prepared the way for his wife, who followed him to the New World about two years later.  They resided for some time in the city of New York, where Mrs. Trowbridge was born on June 21, 1834.  From the city of New York the family removed to Schenectady, in the same State, and thence to Chicago, and to Salina, Wis., in 1839, but soon after removed to land that the father pre-empted, situated on the Green Bay Road, about one mile from the village of Sheboygan Falls.  Mr. Mason was a chandler by trade, which was quite an important business in his early days, especially in England.  While pursuing his trade in New York City he was the first to manufacture the celebrated Colgate soap, which afterward acquired a wide reputation.

    After residing at their home near Sheboygan Falls for a number of years, Mr. and Mrs. Mason removed to Hancock, Mich., but later returned to their former home, where the father died on November 1, 1882, at the age of seventy-seven years, his birth having occurred in 1805.  The mother died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Trowbridge in Hancock, Mich., September 6, 1883, ten months after the death of her husband.  Her age was seventy-five years.  They lived together for the long period of fifty-four years.  In their family were seven children, six of whom were born in the United States.  It was their first-born, Samuel, who died in Ireland, as mentioned above.  Mrs. Trowbridge, the eldest of the six, as already stated, was born in New York City; Thomas, the second and eldest son, resides in Hancock, Mich.; Archibald, the next brother, loves at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Trowbridge; William, the next in order of birth, is also a resident of Hancock; Eliza died at the age of three years; a son also died in very early childhood.

    In May, 1860, Mr. and Mrs. Trowbridge removed to Hancock, Mich., where, for thirty-one years, Mr. Trowbridge was connected with the famous Quincy copper mine in the capacity of superintendent of surface work, as contractor.  On the 28th of July, 1891, Mr. and Mrs. Trowbridge returned to Sheboygan Falls, and now reside at their pleasant home on the corner of Pine and Summer Streets.  He also owns a fine farm near the village.

    Mr. Trowbridge and wife have four children, three sons and a daughter, as follows: Al, of Hancock, Mich.; Benjamin J., a carpenter and builder by occupation, now in Roseburgh, Douglas County, Ore.; and Olive and Edwin G., who are at home.  They lost their second child, Clara, at the age of three years.