Pages 435-436

MYRON W. ROUNSAVELL, agent of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaho Railway Co. at Hayward, Wis., and a popular citizen of that place, was born near Kankakee, Ill., Nov. 6, 1848. His parents were James Harvey and Ann (Thompson) Rounsavell, the former a native of Pennsylvania. His ancestors came from Holland in Colonial days.

James Harvey Rounsavell moved to Illinois about 1830, and settled, a few years later, on government land in Kankakee county, his nearest market for some years being Chicago. He died on this farm when about fifty-five years of age, his wife passing away a few years before. Several of Mrs. Rounsavell's brothers went to California during the gold excitement, and there died. Mr. and Mrs. Rounsavell had a family of twelve children, of whom four sons and four daughters are still living, as follows: Milton H., of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Myron W.; Perry, of Kansas; Frank, of Bibon, Wis.; Sarah, widow of Andrew Wiley, of Kankakee; Emma R., widow of A. S. Turner, of Bibon; Nancy, widow of Morris Lamb, of  Sacramento, Cal.; and Ida, Mrs. John Nelson, of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The boyhood of Myron Rounsavell was passed in Kankakee county, where he attended the public schools, and, later, Laird's Seminary in Kankakee. Until he was twenty-three he lived on the home farm. Then he learned telegraphy in the Cincinnati, LaFayette & Chicago railroad office in Kankakee, where he was in charge, as operator and ticket agent, for ten years. He then became an employee of the Lake Eire & Western Railway Co., filling the position of agent at Bluffton, Ohio, for another ten years. In 1891 he came to Ashland, Wis., as telegraph operator on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railroad, going from there to Mason, Bayfield Co., Wis., and in the fall of 1893 becoming operator at Hayward. A year or two later he was appointed agent for the company at Hayward, and has ever since held that position, the business at the station having increased steadily during his incumbency.

Mr. Rounsavell married Jennie P. Ellingwood, a native of Indiana, daughter of Elijah and Mary A. (Rice) Ellingwood, of Kankakee, Ill. Mr. Ellingwood was born at Manchester, Ind., was a carpenter, and in 1856 settled at Kankakee, where he and his wife died. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Rounsavell are as follows: Earl R., assistant cashier of the Manufacturer's Bank at New Richmond, Wis., Grace Reals, Mrs. Oscar B. Crandall, of Cable, Wis.; and Helen Yvonne, Mrs. Earl Nichols of Shinglehouse, Pa. All have had the best advantages. Mrs. Rounsavell is a member of the Methodist Church. The pleasant home of the family was built by Mr. Rounsavell. He is a member of Hayward Lodge, I. O. O. F., having joined the order in Kankakee in 1871, and has passed all the chairs; he is also a member of Progress Camp, No. 4153, M. W. A. Mr. Rounsavell has been a life long Republican, but is not an active politician.