Hiram Ransom Bond was a native of New York state, and was born in Decatur on November 25th, 1824. He comes from English antecedents. His father, Ephraim, was a farmer in his boyhood and early manhood, but at the age of thirty-five, learned the mason's trade and removed to Rochester, New York where he resided and worked at his trade until his death.
Hiram Ransom Bond lived on the farm with his father until he was ten years old. After the family moved to Rochester, he worked with his father in the spring, summer, and fall and attended school about three months each winter. Having learned the mason's trade at the age of twenty, he threw off his fetters of boyhood and embarked in business for himself.
Hiram Ransom remained in Rochester at his trade for another two years. He then moved west and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in July of 1846. This was then a new country and he was not long in reaching the conclusion that the city had a promising future and formed a co-partnership with his uncle, Moses P. Bond, to do general contract work.
The co-partnership only lasted about a year when he withdrew and engaged in the same line of business on his own account continuing for many years.
He become one of the largest contractors in the city and has built or superintended the erection of some of the largest buildings in Milwaukee.
As a builder, he was for many years unusually successful and his name affixed to a contract was a guarantee that the work would be well done.
He always adhered to the old maxim that honesty is the best policy and always carried out "to the letter" his agreements no matter whether profit of loss resulted therefrom.
In 1875 he embarked in the manufacture of bricks and later associated with him William H. Hanchett under the name of Bond and Hanchett.
The company, located at the foot of thirteenth street, employed about 125 hands with a payroll amounting to almost $2800 per month. The yearly output of bricks totaled nearly six million.
After a few years, Hiram Ransom Bond bought out his partner and associated himself with his son Hiram Augustus Bond and continued the business under the firm name of H.R. Bond & Son until 1893.
About the same time that Hiram Ransom engaged in the manufacture of bricks, he became interested in the lime, sand, cement, and coal business under the firm name of Schultz & Bond. This business also proved to be a success.
He later bought out Mr. Schultz's interest and associated with him his son Edgar W. Bond under the firm name H.R. Bond and Company.
In 1889, Hiram Ransom organized the Milwaukee Sand Company, he being the chief owner and it's president from the start and his son Edgar W. the secretary and treasurer of the company.
Misfortune overtook him during the Financial Panic of 1893, but he has never lost the respect of the people of Milwaukee.
In politics, he was a staunch Republican and had been chosen twice to represent his constituents in the Milwaukee City Council.
He has always taken a deep interest in the Masonic Fraternity have taken all of the degrees up to and including the thirty second.
In religious faith, he was a Baptist and had always been active in advancing the cause of religion and morality. He was one of the founders of the West Side Baptist Church first located on Sycamore Street and later on Grand Avenue. He had always been very active in its support and in times when it seemed that their burdens were almost unbeatable, his words of good cheer and encouragement have promoted effort and good feelings and as a result the society has now a home second to none in the city located at the corner of Wells and Seventeenth St.
The church is known as the Tabernacle Baptist Church, a lasting monument to the power of concerted Christian endeavor.
Hiram Ransom Bond married Julia A. Little (1824-1850) of Rochester, New York on the first of January 1845. They had no children. He again married on June 6, 1852, Miss Hannah Moss Warren. Mrs. Bond was a lady of rare attainments and a devoted wife and mother. She was greatly beloved by all who knew her and never tired in church or charitable work. This union was blessed with six children.
- Ida Cleora (1855-1856)
- Edgar W. (1861- )
- Mary P. ( - )
- Gracia P. (1859- )
- Gertrude I. (1864- )
- Eva Irene (1857- )
- Hiram Augustus (1853-1904)
