trapper, woodsman, b. England. He migrated to the U.S. in 1851. He worked in the copper mines of northern Michigan for a short time, but soon turned to trapping and trading. He built a cabin near Eagle River, Wis., and from this point plied his trade over large areas in the northern part of the state. After the Civil War he moved to Pine Lake, Langlade County, where he engaged in lumbering and farming, and in 1896 settled in Three Lakes, Oneida County, where he spent the remainder of his life. Often referred to as the "King of the North," Gagen was the subject of numerous legends and anecdotes and was widely known as one of Wisconsin's pioneer settlers and woodsmen. G. O. Jones, et al., comps., Hist. of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Cos. (2 vols., Minneapolis, 1924); Antigo Herald, July 21, 1921.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of Dan Gagen, King of the North for details.

View newspaper clippings at Wisconsin Local History and Biography Articles.

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[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]