Bio: McCann, James W. (1914)

Contact: Crystal Wendt

----Surnames: McCann, Kerrigan, Rice, Ransom, Briskie, Bolin, Pfaff, Amborn 

----Source: History of Eau Claire County, Wisconsin (1914) pages 784-785. 

James W. McCann, logger and general contractor of Eau Claire, is a native son of Wisconsin, having been born in Walworth county, this state, November 21, 1859, the son of Patrick and Mary (Kerrigan) McCann, both of whom came from Ireland. The father came to the United States in 1845 and first located in the state of New York. He married at Hoosick Falls, and came to Wisconsin in the early fifties and was numbered among the pioneer farmers of Walworth county. In 1862 he moved to Monroe county, where he was engaged in farming until his death at the age of 72 years. He had six children who grew to maturity, as follows: John, who owns the old homestead, is a farmer and extensive land owner in the town of Wilton, Monroe county; James W.; Ella, now Mrs. Hugh Rice; Joseph, Edward and Frank, all residing in Wilton, except Joseph and James W. 

James W. went with his parents to Monroe county when he was three years old, and there grew to manhood on his father's farm and attended the public school. In 1876, when 17 years of age, he came to Eau Claire and for eleven years followed the woods and rivers. In 1887 he located at Ashland and there engaged in general contracting which he has since followed. In 1898 he returned to Eau Claire county and made his home on his 160-acre farm in Union township, which he had owned for 25 years. During the present year, 1914, he sold his land and moved into the city of Eau Claire, where he is giving his whole attention to logging and general contracting in paving, sewer building and the buying and selling of timber and farm lands. 

Mr. McCann married in 1886 Miss Clara Ransom, daughter of Anson B. and Lucinda Ransom, of the town of Union. Their family consisted of five children, four of whom grew to maturity, as follows: Lucy L. is the wife of Joseph Briskie; Nellie, now Mrs. P. J. Bolin; Grace is deceased, and Evelyn. In May, 1906, Mrs. McCann died, and on February 18, 1908, Mr. McCann was again married, this time to Ella Amborn, daughter of August and Emma (Pfaff) Amborn, of Union township. In politics Mr. McCann is a Republican, and religiously he is a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. He is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters and the Modern Woodmen of America.