"The BIOGRAPHICAL History of Clark County, Wisconsin"

Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, Chicago and Winona, H. C. Cooper Jr., & Co. in 1918; , page 453.

Charles B. Travis, justice of the peace at Humbird, Mentor Township, of which place he has long been one of the leading citizens, was born in Chanango County, New York, Feb. 18, 1836, son of Benjamin and Margaret J. (Vernosdol) Travis, who were natives of the same state. The father, Benjamin, died at the early age of 22 years, when the subject of this sketch was only 6 months old. His wife survived him twenty years, dying Nov. 3, 1856, at the age of 40. Charles B. Travis was reared by his paternal grandparents and was 10 years old when he arrived with them, June 1, 1846, in Madison, Wis. There he resided until 1856, in which year he first came to Clark County. As a speculation he bought eighty acres of land near Humbird, but did not live on it. He had learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for a number of years. In 1864 he enlisted in the United States Volunteer Service, as a carpenter, and did guard duty, also taking part in the battle of Nashville, Tenn. He was honorably discharged in 1865.

For several years Mr. Travis taught school in Clark County, and for eight years he was clerk in the store of Cross and Freeman at Humbird. Later he engaged in the furniture business here, conducting a store for eighteen years. In 1884 he was appointed postmaster at Humbird and served as such for nine years under his old boyhood chum, Hon. W.F. Vilas, the Postmaster General. For the last thirty years he has been agent for the Hartford Fire Insurance Company. In 1884 he was appointed Notary Public. During his active career Mr. Travis acquired a considerable amount of property at Humbird, but is now living practically retired. As early as 1868 he was elected justice of the peace, which office he has held up to the present time, and during that period he has married about eighty couples, many of them being of the second generation. He served as deputy sheriff one year, 1869, and was also for two years clerk of the Mentor Township Board. Mr.

Travis was first married, Oct. 4, 1866, to Josephine Niles, who was born in Willington, Tolland County, Conn., April 21, 1839. She died Dec. 1, 1904, after thirty-eight years of happy married life. She was for many years a school teacher and at one time was principal of a ward school at Madison, Wis. She also served fifteen years as treasurer of the school board of Mentor Township. On Feb. 21, 1906, Mr. Travis married, Secondly, Harriet E. Terrell, who was born near Devil's Lake, Wis., Aug. 29, 1859, daughter of George and Frances (Sperry) Terrell. Her father died in January, 1903, and her mother, April 16, 1913. Mr. Travis has always taken a warm interest in the progress and development of the community in which he has spent so many years of his life and has identified himself closely with its interests. He is a man who has made many friends and few, if any, enemies, and has had a useful and honorable career.

1880 Mentor Township, Clark Co., WI Federal Census

Benjamin Travis @43, b. NY, Carpenter, Parents b. NY

Wife: Caroline (Josephine) B. @41, b. CT, Teaching School, Parents b. CT