Perhaps no one agency in all the world has clone so much lor public progress as the press, and an enterprising, well-edited journal is a most important factor in promoting the welfare and prosperity of any community. It adds to the intelligence of the people through its transmission of foreign and domestic news and through its discussion of the leading questions and issues of the day, and more than that, it makes the town or city which it represents known outside of the immediate locality, as it is sent each day or week into other district, carrying with it an account of the events transpiring in its home locality, the advancement and progress there being made, and the advantages which it offers to its residents along moral, educational, social and commercial lines. Walworth county is certainly indebted to its wide-awake journals in no small degree, and one of the men who an- doing a commendable work in the local newspaper field is Francis H. Eames, part owner of the Elkhorn Independent. He has long been connected with journalistic work, and his power as a writer and editor, as a business man is widely acknowledged among contemporary newspaper men and the public in general.
Mr. Eames was born in Spring Prairie township, this county, July 29, 1872, and is the son of Francis H. Sr., and Jenette S. (Smith) Eames. The father was born in Verona, Oneida county, New York, on December 18, 1821. He was the son of Havilah E. and Philatheta (Warner) Eames. The Eames ancestry is traceable back to the famous “Mayflower,” when the Pilgrim fathers founded Massachusetts Bay colony. Later members of the family aided in the struggle of the colonists for independence. Havilah Eames was born in Massachusetts, September 18, 1791, and he devoted his life to farming. When a young man he moved to New York, where he spent his remaining days, dying on July 6, 1840, when forty-nine years of age. His wife was born in Massachusetts. June 6, 1791, and her death occurred in New York on May 6, 1838. Francis H. Eames, Sr., spent his early life on a farm in the state of New York, and after attending the common schools he took a college course, later taught school several terms. In June, 1843, he came to Wisconsin Territory and purchased a tract of wild land in Spring Prairie township, which he developed into a good farm, and here established a comfortable home through his industry and perseverance, being known as one of the substantial pioneer agriculturists of this locality.
Francis H. Eames, Sr., and Jenette Smith were married on the 28th day of June, 1848. She was born in Rochester, New York, April 13, 1831, and was the daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Puffer) Smith. Her father was also born in the Empire state and there he engaged in business as a lumber dealer. Mr. Smith came to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1841, and there engaged in the lumber business until his death. He became one of the substantial and influential citizens of that place, highly respected by all who knew him. His parents were both natives of Germany. Mrs. Smith, who also was of German parentage, was born in New York, and she spent her last days in Wisconsin, where her death occurred in 1884 at the age of seventy-nine years. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a woman of many praiseworthy attributes of head and heart.
Four children were born to Francis H. Eames, Sr., and wife, namely: Olivia M., born October 6, 1849, died February 22, 1860; Alfred W., born January 5, 1852, is now in the Hawaiian Islands, where he owns and operates an extensive pineapple cannery, employing about two hundred and fifty people, and he does an extensive business. He owns a vast tract of land and raises great quantities of pineapples, and has accumulated a handsome competency there. He had resided at Los Angeles, California, since 1874 until about the time Hawaii and the rest of the Sandwich Islands were annexed by the United States. The next child in order of birth in the family of Francis H. Eames was Ira F., whose birth occurred February 3, 1861, and he died April 28, 1870, when nine years old : Francis H., Jr., of this sketch, was the youngest of the family.
The father of the above-named children developed a fine farm from the wild land and in connection with general farming he made a specialty of raising Merino sheep and short-horn cattle, his fine stock ranking with the best in the county. He started in life at the foot of the ladder, but he overcame many obstacles and won a large degree of material success by his close application and honest dealings. He manifested a commendable interest in everything pertaining to the upbuilding of the community, and he won the confidence and high regard of those who knew him. His death occurred on May 30, 1893. His widow- now resides in Elkhorn with her son, Francis II., Jr.
Francis H. Eames, Jr., spent his boyhood, until he was fourteen years of age on his father’s farm, then came to Elkhorn and attended high school, remaining in the Elkhorn schools four years. After leaving high school he went to Chicago and took a commercial course. During vacations in Elkhorn he worked in the office of the Independent, where he learned the printer’s trade, having begun in a boy’s place and worked up, becoming an excellent compositor in due course of time. After finishing in the commercial school in Chicago, he took a position in the advertising department of the Chicago Inter-Ocean. A few months later he took a position as bookkeeper in the John M. Smythe store of that city, remaining there until 1893, when his father died, upon which event he came home and spent the summer on the farm. In the fall following he went to Elkhorn and was again in the office of the Independent, remaining there until the fall of 1894, when he and his mother went to California. In February, 1896, he returned home to look after the place, the barns having been burned down, and he remained there during the years 1896 and 1897. On August 12, 1897, he married Anna Ruth Bradley, daughter of Henry and Jane (Mallory) Bradley, a well known family of Elkhorn. After his marriage he returned to the old homestead and in the spring of 1898 took charge of the same. In 1899 he purchased a one-third interest in the Elkhorn Independent with M. T. Park and Eugene Kenney, but he continued to conduct the farm until 1900. Mr. Park had received an appointment as superintendent of a state institution and Mr. Eames came into the office to succeed to his duties. On November 6, 1902, Messrs. Park and Eames bought out Mr. Kenney and they published the paper about two years, then, on March 1, 1904, J. H. Snyder. Jr., purchased Mr., Park’s interest and Messrs. Eames and Snyder have been joint owners of the paper since.
Mr. Eames still retains the farm, but he has lived in Elkhorn since 1899. He has done much toward increasing the prestige of the Independent, which is recognized as one of the leading papers of southern Wisconsin, making it a newsy, bright, valuable advertising medium, a peer of any of its type in mechanical appearance and editorial power, and its circulation is constantly increasing. It has long wielded a potent influence in local affairs.
Politically. Mr. Eames is a Republican and has done much for the good of the party in this locality. Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias. In May, 1909, he was appointed a member of the board of education and is now the president of the board. In 1905 and again in 1906 he was secretary of the Walworth County Old Settlers’ Society.
Mr. and Mrs. Eames are the parents of two children, Clifford Bradley, born November 5, 1898, and Claude Francis, born June 19, 1900.
Personally, Mr. Eames is singularly obliging and accommodating, a genial friendly gentleman, having faith in his fellow men, public spirited and always ready to do his full share in furthering the interests of his county.
From: Beckwith, A.C. (1912). History of Walworth County Wisconsin