The Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Representative Men of Chicago, Milwaukee and the World's Columbian Exposition

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BLOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY AND PORTRAIT GALLERY.
port, a fact which speaks volumes touching the great confidence reposed in his honor and integ¬ rity. In 1868, in partnership with Chas. Paggeot, a Canadian, he began the manufacture of lumber in Manistee, Michigan, and laid the foundations of his present extensive business. From a small log mill the business steadily grew under Mr. Thorsen's careful management into an establish¬ ment producing fifteen million feet of lumber annually. He has since engaged in the manufac¬ turing of salt. Both of these concerns are ope¬ rated under the name of the Stronach Lumber and Salt Company, of whi&h Mr. Thorsen is president.
Mr. Thorsen's early settlement in Wisconsin makes him familiar with the territorial history of the Northwest, and as a friend and neighbor of many of the pioneers he recalls most of the stir¬ ring events of those days, and was no small factor in the territorial fights of 1848. He is a member of the Milwaukee Club and also a member of the Masonic Order. In politics he has never had personal ambition, but has been an earnest sup¬ porter of the Republican party on national issues.
He married, in Milwaukee, in 1850, Miss Sarah Kildahl, a native of Christiansend, Norway, a refined and estimable lady, whose father was a noted architect and public-spirited citizen of Christiansend, and who was chosen to deliver the address of welcome on behalf his native city to the King of Sweden, when that esteemed ruler visited Norway. They have two sons and three daughters. One son, William R., is secretary and treasurer of the Stronach Lumber and Salt Com¬ pany, at Manistee, Michigan, and the other, G. K., is with the Cream City Furniture Company, of Milwaukee. One daughter is the Avife of Mr. John Johnston, of the Wisconsin Marine Bank; one the wife of Mr. A. D. Seaman, president of the Cream City Furniture Company, of Milwau¬ kee, and the other daughter married Mr. J. W. Beswick Purchas, of England, who, with his wife, is now residing in Rio Janeiro.
In religious faith Mr. Thorsen is liberal. Do¬ mestic in his tastes and simple in his habits, he finds in his pleasant home his highest enjoyment and that solace that comes from a consciousness of public confidence and esteem.
EDWARD   P.  ALLIS,
MILWAUKEE, WIS.
EDWARD P. ALLIS was born in Cazenovia, New York, May 12, 1824, and died in Mih waukee, Wisconsin, April i, 1889. He was a graduate of Union College, Schenectady, New York, and originally intended to make the law his profession, but in 1845, ^^ ^be time of his gradua¬ tion, his attention was directed to the w^onderful resources of the northwest, that was just becom¬ ing known in the east. In 1846, therefore, Mr. Allis removed from New York State to Milwau¬ kee, Wisconsin, and having decided to devote himself to mercantile pursuits instead of the law, he formed a partnership with Mr. William Allen, and conducted a leather store at what is now No. 344 East Water street, under the firm name of AUis & AUen, until 1854. Mr. Alhs was ambi¬ tious to enlarge their business, and from selling leather his enterprise led to its manufacture, and a large tannery was accordingly built at Tw^o Riv¬ ers, Wisconsin.    The business not being entirely
to his tastes, Mr. Allis sold his interest in 1854, and engaged in the real estate and brokerage business with John P. McGregor. In i860, with Mr. C. D. Nash and Mr. McGregor, Mr. Allis pur¬ chased the Reliance Iron Works. A few months afterward he bought his partners' interests and became sole owner, and assumed the personal supervision, which he continued as far as possible until his decease. The Reliance Iron Works, when purchased by Mr. Allis, w^as merely a small jobbing shop, where machinery was repaired and special work made to order. The country Avas new, and there was no trade established for any regular line of machinery. The annual business amounted to only thirty-one thousand dollars. Within four years after Mr. Allis had assumed control, the business increased to an annual out¬ put of over one hundred thousand dollars. As Mr. Allis was not a mechanic, nor even an engi¬ neer, his work and   achievements   in   managing