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From the Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901- PAGE 616-617
MYRON A. BISHOP, a proprietor of the "Gates House" at Platteville, Grant county, was born in Huron county, Ohio, Dec. 19, 1845, a son of Alonzo and Louisa (REYNOLDS) BISHOP, the former of whom was born Dec. 28, 1809, in New York state, the latter Sept. 28, 1813 in Connecticut.
Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo BISHOP lived in the Empire State for six years after their marriage, then removed to Huron county, Ohio, and in 1854 came to Wisconsin, locating in Beloit, where the father was engaged in farming. The latter days of the parents were passed however, at the home of their son Myron A., in Platteville, where they passed away in 1881, the mother of Nov. 13, and the father on Nov. 18. They had born to them thirteen children, eight of whom reached mature years, the seven besides Myron A. being (1) George W., who was born in New York State in 1836, was educated in Ohio, and when a young man came to Wisconsin and engaged in the lumber business in the pineries. At the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in the 10th Wis. V.I., and served through the entire struggle. After the war was over he purchased a farm in Perry, Dallas Co., Iowa, and married Miss Esther ARTHUR, of Wisconsin, who bore him three sons, George, Dr. Earnest and Ora, all residents of Iowa. George W. BISHOP died in 1898. (2) Thomas, born March 25, 1844, was also a soldier in the Civil war, and was killed before Petersburg, Va., June 17, 1864. (3) W. H., born in 1847, came with his parents to Wisconsin, where he worked on his father's farm until enlisting in the fall of 1864, in the 12th Wis. V.I., and served until the close of the war; he was with Sherman on the march to the sea, and while in the service sustained a sunstroke that left him in poor health for some time. He married Miss Sarah A. JAMES, of Wyoming, Iowa Co., Wis., was for many years employed as United States Mail carrier between Mineral Point, Dodgeville and Arena, and in 1877, settled in Platteville, where he carried on a livery business until his death, in 1893; he left his wife with one son, Dr. T. W. BISHOP, of Platteville. Of the surviving daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo BISHOP, (4) Amanda, born in New York in 1834, became the wife of A. W. GREENE, of Beloit, Wis., who in 1857 settled in Arena, Iowa county, where Mr. GREENE farmed until his death in 1863. He left his widow with two children, Della and Lydia, the former of whom is the wife of D. C. MUNYON of South Dakota, and the latter the widow of George BURROW, and a resident of Minnesota. Mrs. GREENE was married after her first husband's death to Frederick BEAUMONT, and resided at Lone Rock, Wis., until her death, Dec. 17, 1900. By her second marriage she became the mother of two children, Alonzo and Frances. (5) Mary J., born in Ohio in 1838, is the wife of J. N. DODGE, a farmer of Round Lake, Minn., and has three children, George, Minnie and William; the latter was educated at the Platteville State Normal School and the Chicago Dental College. (6) Sarah Louisa, born in Ohio in 1842, is the widow of George W. BILLINGTON, of Arena, Wis., who died Jan. 5, 1900. She now resides in Wyoming Valley and has six children living, Cora (wife of Robert EDWARDS, of Sibley, Iowa), Frankie (married to Dana HICKOX, of Clarion, Iowa), Minnie (wife of Louis BILLINGTON, of South Dakota), Iva (wife of Allen OLSON, of Iowa county, Wis.), and William and Roy, at home. (7) Eva, born in Ohio in 1852, was married to Albert GREEN, who died in Brandon, Wis., leaving his widow with four daughters, Carrie, Sylvia, Anna and Minnie. Mrs. GREEN was later married to Hiram DODGE, and died in July, 1899, leaving two sons and one daughter by Mr. DODGE.
Myron A. BISHOP was educated in the common and high schools of Beloit, Wis. At the early age of sixteen he enlisted in Company B., 34th Wis. V.I., under Capt. James M. RUBY, took part in several skirmishes, and was honorably discharged at the close of his one year's term of enlistments. After his return he again attended school six years, and then engaged in teaching, a vocation he followed about seven years.
On Aug. 19, 1868, Mr. BISHOP married Miss Carrie WARD, daughter of William A. and was born in Nova Scotia Dec. 9, 1845, but early came to the Wolverine State, and here engaged in school teaching. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. BISHOP taught school a year in Perry, Dallas Co., Iowa, and then returned to Wisconsin. For three years Mr. BISHOP was engaged in mercantile trade, then for two years ran a stage between Platteville and Boscobel, and next conducted the "Park House," at Platteville, for about six years, at the end of which time he sold out and engaged in merchandising at Mount Hope for two years. He then disposed of his mercantile business and kept a hotel in Cassville for about five years, in 1898 purchasing the "Gates House," in Platteville, of which he has since continued to be the genial and popular proprietor. He and his wife are both well fitted for this business, and the kindly and hospitable faces of both are familiar to all travelers in the habit of visiting the town. The hotel is conducted on the temperance plan, and in the most orderly and homelike manner; the table is supplied with the best viands afforded by the local and city markets, and the sleeping apartments are clean, neatly furnished and comfortable in every respect. Mrs. BISHOP is a lady of culture and refinement, and she possesses the happy faculty of making her numerous guests feel at home. For the past fifteen years, also, Mr. BISHOP has acted as an auctioneer through Grant and adjoining counties, and has gained for himself the reputation of being one of the best salesmen in this section.
To Mr. and Mrs. BISHOP have been born three sons: Bert M., now the only survivor, born Jan. 15, 1875, is a graduate of the Platteville Business College, 1894, and of the State Normal school, Platteville, class of 1898, is well advanced in literature and music, and socially is one of the leading young men of the town; Willet J., born April 10, 1877, died the same month; and Harold, born Sept. 3, 1881, died April 22, 1886.
In politics Mr. BISHOP has always identified himself with the Republican party, and has been very active in party work, especially in local matters. He is a member of Sherman Post, No. 62, G.A.R., of Platteville; of Platteville Lodge, No. 125, K. of P.; of the Knights of the Globe; and of the M.W.A.
During the drought in Nebraska, in 1894, when the farmers and others of that State had suffered heavy losses, an agent was sent to Platteville to solicit money for the relief of the more pressing immediate wants, and oats for the coming spring season. Through the efforts of Mr. BISHOP and his influence with the G.A.R. 1,100 bushels of oats were contributed, and these, with a neat sum in cash, were freely divided among the veterans and Nebraskans in want. In 1899 Mr.. BISHOP purchased a farm of 160 acres in Petersburg, Neb., which he rents.
T. W. BISHOP, M. D., a nephew of our subject, was graduated from the Platteville Normal in 1890, and from Bellevue Medical College, New York, in 1894, and is now a physician of Platteville. In 1896 he married Miss Floy WHEELER, of Baraboo, Wis., daughter of Rev. Bert WHEELER, D. D., of the M. E. Church.
William A. WARD, Mrs. BISHOP's father, was born in Nova Scotia in 1804, son of Robert WARD, and was of English extraction. In 1827 he married Elizabeth REID, a native of Nova Scotia, born in 1802, and they came with their family to Wisconsin in 1846, locating at Ridgeway, where he engaged in farming. He died in April, 1883. Mrs. Elizabeth WARD died in July 1854, and in 1857 he married for his second wife Margaret McKENZIE, of Ridgeway. By the first wife he had the following children who grew to maturity: G. S., born in November 1828, now of Iowa; Kate E., born in 1830, who married Alexander McKENZIE; Sarah A., born in 1832, who married William J. LAUGHLIN, and is deceased; John W., born Jan. 27, 1835, who died in 1900; James E., born in November, 1836 of Hollandale, Wis.; Nancy V., born June 28, 1838, who married William A. McKENZIE; and Carrie, Mrs. BISHOP. By the second marriage there were three children: Etta, born in 1858, wife of Robert CLARK, of Chicago; William A., born in 1861, of Chicago; and Zella B., born in 1864, who is unmarried.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck