Book 'l-^'^jI^ u v- r_> »^l-*» Is?.^ -^r-^- "r i£\\\Li ^ji>\ji::^ ^ ix»- j H^^ -j^»-" D S' ^t--;' p ^'■5f^Lb''-^''4i"i^'--''*ro^-?5=/'' !Sil^ ^j^B ■» (.. -4»- ^^0 4 'm- ■•► t S^_^^^rr2f^^^^^'v£>^ ^^-<' "Jl IS^'^W-^ O '"^'■'Y'Y'Y- ■"^' "^" ■-{.'"-; /Y \^*^-^^^-'-Y--y -'4.' y'-^'^-i-'^ K«a^ -^ 4^ ^h^ :^^h-^ ^'.t. -''W^. iijaa^ a^ ^J ■;2if i FIRST PRESIDENT. -•► 19 fflK i'^:<^t^t;^'t;:An-..'tjat>'[ga'tg;' i^'t! *-^ HE Father of our Country was '1 born in Westmorland Co., Va., " Feb. 22, 1732. His parents were Augustine and Mary (Ball) Washington. The family to which he belonged has not been satisfactorily traced in England. His great-grand- father, John Washington, em- igrated to Virginia about 1657, and became a prosperous planter. He had two sons, Lawrence and John. The former married Mildred Warner and had three children, John, Augustine and Mildred. Augus- tine, the father of Ceorge, first married Jane Butler, who bore him four children, two of whom, Lawrence and Augustine, reached maturity. Of six children by his second marriage, George was the eldest, the others being Betty, Samuel, John Augustine, Charles and Mildred. Augustine Washington, the father of George, died in 1743, leaving a large landed i)roperty. To his eldest son, Lawrence, he bequeathed an estate on the Patomac, afterwards known as Mount Vernon, and to George he left the parental residence. George received only such education as the neighborhood schools afforded, save for a short time after he left scliool, wlien he received private instruction in mathematics. His spelling v/as rather defective. Remarkable stories are told of his great physical strength and development at an early age. He was an acknowledged leader among his companions, and was early noted for that nobleness of character, fair- ness and veracity which characterized his whole life. When George was i4yearsoldhehad a desire to go to sea, and a midshipman's warrant was secured for him, but through the opposition of his mother the idea was abandoned. Two years later he was appointed surveyor to the immense estate of Lord Fairfax. In this business he spent three years in a rough frontier life, gaining experience which afterwards proved very essential to him. In 175 r, though only ig years of age, he was apjxsinted adjutant with the rank of major in the Virginia militia, then being trained for active service against the French and Indians. Soon after this he sailed to the West Indies with his brother Lawrence, who went there to restore his health. They soon returned, and in the summer of 1752 Lawrence died, leaving a large fortune to an infant daughter who did not long survive him. On her demise the estate of Mount Vernon was given to George. Upon the arrival of Robert Dinwiddle, as Lieuten- ant-Governor of Virginia, in 1752, the militia was reorganized, and the province divided into four mili- tary districts, of which the northern was assigned to Washington as adjutant general. Shortly after this a very perilous mission was assigned him and ac- cepted, which others had refused. This was to pro- ceed to the French post near Lake Erie in North- western Pennsylvania. The distance to be traversed was between 500 and 600 miles. Winter was at hand, and the journey was to be made without military escort, through a territory occupied by Indians. The t -•► GEORGE WASlIINGTOiW trip was a perilous one, and several times he came near losing his life, yet he returned in safety and furnished a full and useful reix)rt of his exjxjdition. A reginieiil of 300 men was raised in \irginia and put in com- mand of Col. Joshua Fry, and Major Washington was commissioned lieutenant-colonel. .Vctive war was then begun against the French and Indians, in whicli Washington took a most iin|X>rtant part. In the memorable event of July 9, 1755, known as Brad- dock's defeat, Washington was almost the only officer of distinction who escaped from tiie calamities of the day with life and honor. The other aids of Braddock .vere disabled t-arly in the action, and Washington alone was left in that capacity on the field. In a letter to his brother he says : " 1 had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet I escaped unhurt, though death was leveling; my companions on every side." An Indian sharpshooter said he was not born to be killed by a bullet, for he had taken direct aim at him seventeen times, and failed to hit him. .\fter having been five years in the military service, and vainly sought promotion in the royal army, he took advantage of the fall of Fort Duquesne and the expulsion of the French from the valley of tlie Ohio, 10 resign his conmiission. Soon after he entered the Legislature, where, although not a leader, he look an ictive and im|xjrtant part. January 17, 1759, he married Mrs. Martha (l)andridge) Custis, the wealthy widow of John Parke Custis. \Vhen the British Parliament had closed tlie jwrt •if lioston, the cry went up throughout the provinces that "The cause of Boston is the cause of us all." It was then, at the suggestion of Virginia, that a Con- gress of all the colonies was called to meet at Phila- dclphia.Sept. 5, 1774, to secure their common liberties, peaceably if |>ossible. To this Congress Col. Wash- ington was sent as a delegate. On Slay 10, 1775, the Congress re-assembled, when the hostile intentions of England were plainly apparent. The l>attles of Con- cord and Lexington had been fought, .\mong the first acts of this Congress was the election of a com- mander-in-chief of the colonial forces. This high and responsible office was conferred \\\k>t\ Washington, who was still a member of the Congress. He accepted it on June 19, but up ixissible disadvantage, and while his forces often met with reverses, yet he overcame every obstacle, and after seven ye.irs of heroic devotion and matchless skill he gained liberty for the greatest nation of earth. On Dec. 23, 17S3. Washington, in a parting address of surpassing beautv, resigned his 4" ^ commission as commander-in-chief of the army to to the Continental Congress sitting at Annapolis. He retired immediately to Mount Vernon and resumed his occupation as a farmer and ijlaiiter, shunning all connection with public life. In F"ebruary,i789, Washington was unanimously elected President. In his presidential career he was subject to the peculiar trials incidental to a new government ; trials from lack of confidence on the part ofotlier governments; trials from want of harmony between the different sections of our own country; trials from the impoverished condition of the country, owmgto the war and want of credit; trials from the beginnings of party strife. He was no partisan. His clear judgment could discern the golden mean; and while perhaps this alone kept our government from sinking at the very outset, it left him exposed to attacks from both sides, which were often bitter and very annoying. .■\t the expiration of his first term he was unani- mously re-elected. At the end of this tenn many were anxious that he be re-elected, but he absolutely refused a third nomination. On the fourth of March, 1797, at the expiraton of his second term as Presi- dent, he returned to his home, hoping to pass there his few remaining years free from the annoyances of public life. Later in the year, however, his rejxjse seemed likely to be interrupted by war with France. At the prospect of such a war he was again urged to take command of the armies. He chose his sub- ordinate officers and left to them the charge of mat- ters in tlie field, which he superintended from his home. In accepting the command he made tht* reservation that he was not to be in the field until it was necessary. In the midst of these preparations his life was suddenly cut off. December i 2, he took a severe cold from a ride in the rain, which, settling in his throat, produced inflammation, and terminated fatally on the night of the fourteenth. On the eigh- teenth his body was borne wiih military honors to its final resting place, and interred in the family vault at Mount Vernon. Of the character of Washington it is im]X)ssible to speak but in terms of the highest respect and ad- miration. The more we see of the operations of our government, and the more deeply we feel the difficulty of uniting all opinions in a common interest, the more highly we must estimate the force of his tal- ent and character, which have been able to challenge the reverence of all parties, and principles, and na- tions, and to win a fame as extended as the limits of the globe, and which we cannot but believe will be as lasting as the existence of man. The |)erson of Washington was imusally tan, erect and well proiX)rttoned. His muscular strength was great. His features were of a beautiful symmetry, lie commanded respect without any appearance of hau^Jjti'ifss, and ever serious without being dull. i J^^I^^"^^ / M^^i J^i^am. ^ h SECOND PRESIDENT. 23 \ t-^A&ae^ ■* »» %,A.,^ OHN ADAMS, the second , President and the first Vice- ' President of the United States, was born in Braintree ( now Quincy ),Mass., and about ten miles from Boston, Oct. 19, 1735. His great-grandfather, Henry Adams, emigrated from England about 1 640, with a family of eight \U sons, and settled at Braintree. The parents of John were John and Susannah (Boylston) Adams. His father was a farmer of limited means, to which he added the bus- iness of shoemaking. He gave his eldest son, John, a classical educa- tion at Harvard College. John graduated in 1755, and at once took charge of the school in Worcester, Mass. This he found but a "school of affliction," from which he endeavored to gain relief by devoting himself, in addition, to the study of law. For this pur[X)se he placed himself under the tuition of the only lawyer in the town. He had thought seriously of the clerical profession but seems to have been turned from this by what he termed " the frightful engines of ecclesiastical coun- cils, of diabolical malice, and Calvanistic good nature,'" of the operations of which he had been a witness in his native town. He was well fitted for the legal profession, possessing a clear, sonorous voice, being ready and fluent of speech, and having quick percep- tive jxjwers. He gradually gained practice, and in 1764 married Abigail Smith, a daughter of a minister, and a lady of superior intelligence. Shortly after his marriage, (1765), the attempt of Parliamentary taxa- tion turned him from law to politics. He took initial Steps toward holding a town meeting, and the resolu- -^ \ tions he offered on the subject became very popular throughout the Province, and were adopted word for word by over forty different towns. He moved to Bos- ton in 1768, and became one of the most courageous and prominent advocatesof the popular cause, and was chosen a member of the General Court (the Leg- lislature) in 1770. Mr. Adams was chosen one of the first delegates from Massachusetts to the first Continental Congress, which met in 1774. Here he distinguished himself by his capacity for business and for debate, and ad- vocated the movement for independence against the majority of the members. In May, 1776, he moved and carried a resolution in Congress that the Colonies should assume the duties of self-government. He was a prominent member of the committee of five appointed June 11, to prepare a declaration of inde- pendence. This article was drawn by Jefferson, but on Adams devolved the task of battling it through Congress in a three days debate. On the day after the Declaration of Independence was passed, while his soul was yet warm with the glow of e.xcited feeling, he wrote a letter to his wife, which, as we read it now, seems to have been dictated by the spirit of prophecy. "Yesterday," he says, "the greatest question was decided that ever was debated in America; and greater, perhaps, never was or will be decided among men. A resolution was passed without one dissenting colony, ' that these United States are, and of right ought to be, free and inde- pendent states.' The day is passed. The fourth of July, 1776, will be a memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to Almighty God. It ought to be solemnized with pomp, shows* „ — _„_„_= ■► t 24 JOHN AVAMS. I * games, si^rts, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward for ever. \ ou will think me transix)rted with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of the toil, and blood and treasure, that it will cost to maintain this declaration, and supfX)rt and defend these States; yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of light and glory. 1 can see that the end is wi/fih more than all the means; and that |X)sterity will triumph, although you anil 1 may rue, which I hope we shall not." In -November, 1777, .Mr. .\dams was ai>ix)inted a delegate to France and to co-operate with Benijamin Franklin and .\rthur Lee, who were then in I'aris, in the endeavor to obtain assistance in arms and money from the French Government. This was a severe trial to his patriotism, as it separated him from his home, comiKilled him to cross the ocean in winter, and ex- lX)sed him to great iH;ril of capture by the British cruis- ers, who were seeking him. He left France June 17, 1779. In September of the s.ime year he was again chosen to go to Paris, and there hold himself in readi- ness to negotiate a treaty of (Kiace and of commerce with Great Britian, as soon as the British Cabinet might lie found willing to listen to such proixisels. He sailed for France in November, from there he went to Holland, where lie negotiated inijiortant loans and formed iui|)ortant commercial treaties. Finally a treaty of peace with England was signed Jan. 2 1, 1 7 S3. The re-action from the excitement, toil and anxiety through which M r. .Xdams had passed threw him into a fever. .-Xfter suffering from a con- tinued fever and becoming feeble and emaciated he vvas advised to goto F'ngland to drink the waters of Bath. Uhilein England, still drooping anddesixind- ing, he received dispatches from his own government urging the necessity of his going to .Amsterdam to negotiate another loan. It was winter, his health was delicate, yet he immediately set out, and through storm, on sea, on horseback and foot, he made the trip. February 24, 1785, C'ongress appointed Mr. Adams envoy to the Court of St. James. Here he met face to face the King of England, who had so long re- garded him as a trailer. .\s England did not condescend to apiwint a minister to the United States, and as Mr. .Xdams felt that he was accom- plishing but little, he sought peniiission to return to his own coimtry, where he arrived in June, 1788. When Washington was first chosen President. John .\danis, rendered iUustiious by his signal services at home and abro.id, was chosen Vice President, .\gain at the second election of Washington as President .\dams was chosen Vice President. In 1706. Wash- ington retired from public life, and Mr. .Adams was elected President, though not without muchoi>i>osition. Serving in this office four years, he was succeeded by Mr. Jefferson, his opponent in ixslitics. While Mr. .\dams was Vice President the great <» French Revolution shook the continent of Europe, and it was Ujwn this jwint which he was at issue with the majority of his countrjnien led by Mr. Jefferson. Mr. .\dams felt no sympathy with the French people in their struggle, for he had no confidence in their power of self-government, and he utterly abhored the classof atheist philosopliers who he claimed caused it. On the other hand Jefferson's sympathies were strongly enlisted in behalf of the French peoiile. Hence or- iginated tiie alienation between these distinguished men, and two powerful parties were thus soon organ- ized, .Adams at the head of the one whose sympathies were with England and Jefferson led the other in synijiathy with France. The world has seldom seen a spectacle of more moral beauty and grandeur, than was presented by the old age of Mr. Adams. The violence of party feeling had died away, and he had begun to receive that just appreciation which, to most men, is not accorded till after death. No one could look upon his venerable form, and think of what he had done and suffered, and how he had given up all the prime and strength of his life to the public good, without the deepest emotion of gratitude and respect. It was his peculiar good fortune to witness the complete success of the institution which he had been so active in creating and supiwrting. In 1824, his cup of hai)piness was filled to the brim, by seeing his son elevated to the highest station in the gift of the people. The fourth of July, 1826, which completed the half century since the signing of the Declaration of Inde- pendence, arrived, and there were but three of the signers of that immortal instrument left upon the earth to hail its morning light. And, as it is well known, on that day two of these finished their earthly pilgrimage, a coincidence so remarkable as to seem miraculous. For a few days before Mr. Adams had been rapidly failing, and on the morning of the fourth he found himself too weak to rise from his bed. On being re(iuested to name a toast for the customary celebration of the day, he exclaimed " In- dependence FOREVER." A\'hen the day was ushered in, by the ringing of bells and the firing of cannons, he was asked by one of his attendants if he knew what day it was? He replied, "O yes; it is the glor- ious fourth of July — God bless it — God bless you all." In the course of the day he said, "It is a great and glorious day." The last words he uttered were, "Jefferson survives." But he had, at one o'clock, re- signed his spiiit into the hands of his Ciod. The ])ersonal appearance and manners of Mr. .\dams were not particularly prejxjssessing. His face, as his iKJrtrait manifests,was intellectual ard expres- sive, but his figure was low and ungraceful, and his manners were freipiently abrupt and uncourteous. He had neither the lofty dignity of Washington, nor the engaging elegance and gracefulness which marked the manners and address of Jefferson. >► M ■» ■«£st.. w '^^TZ. •4^ THIRD PRESIDENT. 27 i,l HOMAS JEFFERSON was born April 2, 1743, at Shad- ^*well, Albermarle county, Va. His parents were Peter and Jane ( Randolph) Jefferson, the former a native of Wales, and the latter born in Lon- don. To them were born six daughters and two sons, of whom Thomas was the eider. When 14 years of age his father died. He received a most liberal education, hav- ing been kept diligently at school from the time he was five years of age. In 1760 he entered William and Mary College. Williamsburg was then the seat of the Colonial Court, and it was the obodeof fashion and splendor. Young Jefferson, who was then 17 years old, lived somewhat expensively, keeping fine horses, and much caressed by gay society, yet he was earnestly devoted to his studies, and irreproacha- able in his morals. It is strange, however, under such influences, that he was not ruined. In the sec- ond year of his college course, moved by some un- explained inward impulse, he discarded his horses, society, and even his favorite violin, to which he had previously given much time. He often devoted fifteen hours a day to haid study, allowing himself for ex- ercise only a run in the evening twilight of a mile out of the city and back again. He thus attained very high intellectual culture, alike excellence in philoso- phy and the languages. The most difficult Latin and Greek authors he read with facility. A more finished scholar has seldom eone forth from college halls; and there was not to be found, perhaps, in all Virginia, a more pureminded, upright, gentlemanly young man. Immediately uix)n leaving college he began the study of law. For the short time he continued in the practice of his profession he rose rapidly and distin- guished himself by his energy and accuteness as a lawyer. But the times called for greater action. The policy of England had awakened the spirit of resistance of the American Colonies, and the enlarged views which Jefferson had ever entertained, soon led him into active political life. In 1769 he was chosen a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. In 1772 he married Mrs. Martha Skelton, a very beauti- ful, wealthy and highly accomplished young widow. Upon Mr. Jefferson's large estate at Shadwell, there was a majestic swell of land, called Monticello, which commanded a prospect of wonderful extent and beauty. This spot Mr. Jefferson selected for his new home; and here he reared a mansion of modest yet elegant architecture, which, next to Mount Vernon, became the most distinguished resort in our land. In 1775 he was sent to the Colonial Congress, where, though a silent member, his abilities as a writer and a reasoner soon become known, and he was placed upon a number of important committees, and was chairman of the one appointed for the draw- ing up of a declaration of independence. This com- mittee consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. Jefferson, as chairman, was appointed to draw up the paper. Franklin and Adams suggested a few verbal changes before it was submitted to Con- gress. On June 28, a few slight changes were made in it by Congress, and it was passed and signed July 4, 1776. What must have been the feelings of that 2$ THOMAS JEFFERSON. man — what the emotions that swelled his breast — who was charged with the preparation of that Dec- laration, which, while it made known the wrongs of America, was also to publish her to the world, free, fcoverign and independent. It is one of the most re- markable ])apers ever written ; and did noother effort of the mind of its author exist, that alone would be sufficient to stamp his name with immortality. In 1779 Mr. Jefferson was elected successor to Patrick Henry, ;.s Governor of Virginia. At one time the British officer, Tarleton, sent a secret expedition to Monticello, to capture the tlovernor. Scarcely five minutes elapsed after the hurried escape of Mr. Jef- ferson and his family, ere his mansion was in posses- sion of the British troops. His wife's health, never ver)- good, was much injured by this excitement, and in the summer of 1782 she died. Mr. Jefferson was elected to Congress in 1783. Two yeirs later he was apiKiinted Minister Pleniix)- tentiary to France. Returning to the United States in September, 1789, he became Secretary of State in Washington's cabinet. This position he resigned Jan. I, 1794. In 1797, he was chosen Vice Presi- dent, and four years later was elected President over Mr. Adams, with Aaron Burr as Vice President. In 1804 he was re-elected with wonderful unanimity, and (leorge Clinton, Vice President. The early part of Mr. Jefferson's second adminstra- tion was disturbed by an event which threatened the tranipiility and peace of the Union; this was the con- spiracy of .Aaron Burr. Defeated in the late election to the Vice Presidency, and led on by an unprincipled ambition, this extraordinary man formed tiie plan of a military expedition into the Spanish territories on our southwestern frontier, for the pur|X)se of forming there a new republic. This has been generally supix)sed was a mere i)retext ; and although it has not been generally known what his real plans were, there is no doubt that they were of a far more dangerous character. In 1809, at the expiration of the second term for which .\Ir. Jefferson had been elected, he determined to retire from jwlitical life. For a period of nearly forty years, he had been continually before the pub- lic, and all that time had been employed in offices of the greatest trust and res|X)nsibility. Having thus de- voted tlic l>esl part of his life to the service of his country, he now felt desirous of that rest which his declining years reipiired, and u\>on the organization of the new administration, in March, 1809, he bid fare- well forever to public life, and retired to Monticello. Mr. Jefferson was profuse in his hospitality. Whole families came in their coaches with their horses, — fathers and mothers, l>oys and girls, babies and nurses, — and remained three and even six months. Life at Monticello, for years, resembled that at a fashionable watering-place. The fourth of July, 1826, being the fiftieth anniver- sary of the Declaration of American Independence, great preparations were made in every part of the Union for its celebration, as the nation's jubilee, and the citizens of Washington, to add to the solemnity of the occasion, invited Mr. Jefferson, as the framer. and one of the few surviving signers of the Declara- tion, to participate in their festivities. But an ill- ness, which had been of several weeks duration, and had been continually increasing, compelled him to decline the invitation. On the second of July, the disease under which he was laboring left him, but in such a reduced state that his medical attendants, entertained no hope of his recovery. From this time he was perfectly sensible that his last hour was at hand. On the next d;iy, which was Monday, he asked of those around him, the day of the month, and on being told it was the third of July, he expresied the earnest wish that he might be jiermitted to breathe the airof the fiftieth anniversar)'. His ])rayer was heard — that day, whose dawn was hailed with such rapture through our land, burst \1\y3n his eyes, and then they were closed for- ever. And what a noble consummation of a noble life! To die on that day, — the birthday of a nation,- - the day which his own name and his own act had rendered glorious; to die amidst the rejoicings and festivities of a whole nation, who looked up to him, as the author, under God, of their greatest blessings, was all that was wanting to fill up the record his life. Almost at the same hour of his death, the kin- dred spirit of the venerable Adams, as if to bear him company, left the scene of his earthly honors. Hand in hand they had stood forth, the champions of freedom ; hand in hand, during the dark and desper- ate struggle of the Revolution, they had cheered and animated their desjxanding countrymen; for half a century they had labored together for tiie good of the countrj'; and now hand in hand they de|)art. In their lives they had been united in the same great cause of liberty, and in their deaths they were not divided. In person Mr, Jefferson was tall and thin, rather above six feet in height, but- well formed; his eyes were light, his hair originally red, in after life became white and silver)' ; his complexion was fair, his fore- head broad, and his whole countenance intelligent and thoughtful. He jwssessed great fortitude of mind .".s well as personal courage ; and his command of tem- per was such that his oldest and most intimate friends never recollected to have seen him in a passion. His manners, though dignified, were simple and un- affected, and his hospitality was so unboimded that all found at his house a ready welcoine. In conver- sation he was fluent, eloquent and enthusiastic ; and his language was remarkably pure and correct. He was a finished classical scholar, and in his writings is discemable the care with which he formed his style upon the best models of antiquity. T'- I -^- *■ J^ (Z/0<-^<-^ .^-^ £^.,c6yt^ ^riv ^^ FOURTH PRESIDENT. 31 pnjES n^^Disoi]. AMES MADISON, "Father of the Constitution," and fourth * President of the United States, was born March r6, 1757, and died at his home in Virginia, "^ June 28, 1836. The name of James Madison is inseparably con- nected with most of the important events in that heroic period of our country during which the founda- tions of this great lepubHc were laid. He was the last of the founders of the Constitution of the United States to l)e called to his eternal reward. The Madison family were among the early emigrants to the New World, landing upon the shores of the Chesa- peake but 15 years after the settle- ment of Jamestown. The father of James Madison was an opulent planter, residing u^xdu a very fine es- tate called "Montpelier," Orange Co., Va. The mansion was situated in the midst of scenery highly pictur- esque and romantic, on the west side of .South-west Mountain, at the foot of Blue Ridge. It was but 25 miles from the home of Jefferson at Monticello. The closest personal and ixalitical attachment existed between these illustrious men, from their early youth until death. The early education of Mr. Madison was conducted mostly at home under a private tutor. At the age of 18 he was sent to Princeton College, in New Jersey. Here he applied himself to study with the most im- ■► P ^j l y prudent zeal; allowing himself, for months, but three hours' sleep out of the 24. His health thus became so seriously impaired that he never recovered any vigor of constitution. He graduated in 177 i, with a feeble body, with a character of utmost purity, and with a mind highly disciplined and richly stored with learning which embellished and gave proficiency to his subsr ' quent career. Returning to Virginia, he commenced the study of law and a course of e.xtensive and systematic reading. This educational course, the spirit of the times in which he lived, and the society with which he asso- ciated, all combined to inspire him with a strong love of liberty, and to train him for his life-work of a statesman. Being naturally of a religious turn of m.ind, and his frail health leading liini to think that his life was not to be long, he directed especial atten- tion to theological studies. Endowed with a mind singularly free from passion and prejudice, and with almost unequalled powers of reasoning, he weighed all the arguments for and against revealed religion, until his faith became so established as never to be shaken. In the spring of 1776, when 26 years of age, he was elected a member of the Virginia Convention, to frame the constitution of the State. The next year (1777), he was a candidate for the General Assembly. He refused to treat the whisky-loving voters, and consequently lost his election ; but those who had witnessed the talent, energy and public spirit of the modest young man, enlisted themselves in his behalf, and he was appointed to the Executive Council. Both Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson were Governors of Virginia while Mr. Madison remained member of the Council ; and their appreciation of his t 3* JAMES MADISON. intelleclual, social and moral worth, contributed not a little to his subsequent eminence. In the year 1780, he was elected a member of the Continental Congress. Here lie met the most illustrious men in our land, and he was immediately assigned to one of the most consjiicuous [wsitions among them. For three years Mr. Madison continued in Con- gress, one of its most active and inllueniial members. In the year 17S4, his term having expired, he was elected a member of the \'irginia Legislature. No man felt more deeply than Mr. Madison the \itter inefficiency of the old confederacy, with no na- tional government, with no |X)wer to form treaties which would be binding, or to enforce law. There was not any State more prominent than Virginia in the declaration, that an efficient national government must be formed. In Januarj', 1786, Mr. Madison carried a resolution through the Cleneral Assembly of Virginia, inviting the other States to ap|ioint commis- sioners to meet in convention at Annapolis to discuss this subject. Five States only were re|>resented. The convention, however, issued another call, drawn up by Mr. Madison, urging all the States to send their delegates to I'liiladelphia, in May, 1787, to draft a Constitution for the United States, to take the place of that Confederate League. The delegates met at the time apiointed. F,very State but Rhode Island was represented, (ieorge Washington was chosen president of the convention; and the present Consti- tution of the United States was then and there formed. There was, perhaps, no mind and no i^en more ac- tive in framing this immortal document than the mind and the pen of James .Madison. The Constitution, adopted by a vote 81 to 79, was to be presented to the several States for acceptance. But grave solicitude was felt. Should it be rejected we should be left but a conglomeration of independent States, with but little [ower at home and little respect abroad. Mr. Madison was selected by the conven- tion to draw up an address to the people of the United States, ex|K)unding the principles of the Constitution, and urging its adojition. There was great op|K)sition to it at first, but it at length triumphed over all, and went into effect in 1789. Mr. NLidison was elected to the House of Repre- sentatives in the first Congress, and soon became the avowed leader of the Republican party. Wjiile in New York attending Congress, he met Mrs. ']"odd, a young widow of remarkable (xjwer of fascination, whom he married. She was in person and character i|ueenly, and probably no lady has thus far occupied so prominent a jiosition in the very peculiar society which has constituted our republican court as Mrs. Madison. Mr. Madison served as Secretary of State under Jefferson, and at the close of his administration was chosen President. .\t this time the encroach- ments of F^ngland had brought us to the verge of war. British orders in council destioyed our commerce, and our flag was exposed to constant insult. Mr. Madison was a man of i)eace. Scholarly in his taste, retiring in his disiwsition, war had no charms for him. But the meekest spirit can be roused. It makes one's blood boil, even now, to think of an .\merican ship brought to, \.\\to\\ the ocean, by the guns of an English cruiser. .\ young lieutenant steps on board and orders the crew to be paraded before him. With great nonchal- ance he selects any number whom he may please to designate as British subjects ; orders them down the ship's side into his boat ; and places them on the gun- deck of his man-of-war, to fight, by compulsion, the battles of England. This right of search and im- pressment, no efforts of our Government could induce the British cabinet to relinquish. On the i8th of June, 1812, President Madison gave his approval to an act of Congress declaring war against Great Britain. Notwithstanding the bitter hostility of the Federal party to the war, the country in general approved; and Mr. Madison, on the 4th of March, 1813, was re-elected by a large majority, and entered uion his second term of office. This is not tlie place to describe the various adventures of this war on the land and on the water. Our infant navy then laid tlie foundations of its renown in grap- pling wiih the most formidable power which ever swept the seas. The contest commenced in earnest by the appearance of a British fleet, early in Februaiy, 1813, in Chesai)eake Bay, declaring nearly the whole coast of the LTnited States under blockade. The F;mi)eror of Russia offered his services as me ditator. America acce|)ted ; England refused. A Brit- ish force of five thousand men landed on the banks of the Patu.\et River, near its entrance into Chesa- peake Bay, and marched rapidly, by way of Bladens- burg, ujwn Washington. The straggling little city of Washington was thrown into consternation. The cannon of the brief conflict at Hladensburg echoed through the streets of the metropolis. The whole population fled from the city. The President, leaving Mrs. Madison in the White House, with her carriage drawn up at the door to await his sjieedy return, hurried to meet the oflScers in a council of war. He met our troops utterly routed, and he could not go back without danger of being cajUured. But few hours elapsed ere the Presidential Mansion, the Capitol, and all the public buildings in Washington were in flames. The war closed after two years of fighting, and on Feb. 13, 1815, the treaty of i>eace was signed at Ghent. On the 4th of March, 1817, his second term of ofl[ice expired, and he tesigned the Presidential chair to his friend, James Monroe. He retired to his beau- tiful home at Montjielier, and there passed the re- mainder of his days. On June 28, 1836, then at the age of 85 years, he fell asleep in death. Mrs. Madi- son died July 12, 1849. ^"^^TL^ ■^•- FTFTIf PRESIDENT. AMES MONROE, the fifth Presidentof Tlie United States, was Ijorn in Westmoreland Co., Va., April 28, 1758. His early life was passed at the place of rs'; ... nativity. His ancestors had for nany years resided in the prov- ince in which he was born. When, / at 17 years of age, in the process % of completing his education at William and Mary College, the Co- lonial Congress assembled at Phila- delphia to deliberate upon the un- just and manifold oppressions of Great Britian, declared the separa- tion of the Colonies, and promul- gated the Declaration of Indejjen- dence. Had he been born ten years before it is highly probable that he would have been one of the signers of that celebrated instrument. At this time he left school and enlisted among the patriots. He joined the army when everything looked iio[)e- less and gloomy. The number of deserters increased from day to day. The invading armies came pouring in ; and the tories not only favored the cause of the mother country, but disheartened the new recruits, who were sufficiently terrified at the prospect of con- tending with an enemy whom they had been taught to deem invincible. To such brave spirits as James Monroe, who went right onward, undismayed through difficulty and danger, the United States owe their political emancipation. The young cadet joined the ranks, and espoused the cause of his injured country, with a firm determination to live or die with her strife for liberty. Firmly yet sadly he shared in the mel- ancholy retreat from Harleam Heights and White Plains, and accompanied the dispirited army as it fled before its foes through New Jersey. In four months after the Declaration of Independence, the patriots had been beaten in seven battles. At the battle of Trenton he led the vanguard, and, in the act of charg- ing upon the enemy he received a wound in the left shoulder. As a reward for his bravery, Mr. Monroe was pro- moted a captain of infantry ; and, having recovered from his wound, he rejoined the army. He, however, receded from the line of promotion, by becoming an officer in the staff of Lord Sterling. During the cam- paigns of 1777 and 1778, in the actions of Brandy wine, Germantown and Monmouth, he continued aid-de-canip; but becoming desirous to regain his position in the army, he exerted himself to collect a regiment for the Virginia line. This scheme failed owing to the exhausted condition of the State. Upon this failure he entered the office of Mr. Jefferson, at that period Governor, and pursued, with considerable ardor, the study of common law. He did not, however, entirely lay aside the knapsack for the green bag; but on the invasions of the enemy, served as a volun- teer, during the two years of his legal pursuits. In 1782, he was elected from King George county, a member of the Leglislature of Virginia, and by that body he was elevated to a seat in the Executive Council. He was thus honored with the confidence of his fellow citizens at 23 years of age ; and having at this early period displayed some of that ability and aptitude for legislation, which were afterwards employed with unremittingenergy for the public good, I- ^ 4^ 36 ■•► .t JAMES MONROE. he was in the succeeding year chosen a member of the Congress of the United States. Decplyas Mr. Monroe felt the imi^erfettionsof theold ■'"onlcderauy, he was opixjsed totlie new Constitution, -ihinking, with many others of the Republican party, '.hat it gave too much [wwcr to the Central Government, and not enough to the individual States. Still he re- tained the esteem of his friends who were its warm supiwrters, and who, notwithstanding his opposition secured its adoption. In 1789, he became a member of the United States Senate; which office he held for four years. Kvery month the line of distinction be- tween the two great parties which divided the nation, the Federal and the Republican, was growing more distinct. The two i)romiiient ideas which now sej)- arated them were, that tlie Republican party was in sympathy with France, and also in favor of such a strict construction of the Constitution as to give the Centra! (iovernment as little jxawer, and the State Governments as much [X)wer, as the Conslitution would warrant. The Federalists sympatiiized with England, and were in favor of a liberal construction of the Con- stitution, which would give as much jwwer to the Central Government as that document could ix)ssibly authorize. The leading F'ederalists and Republicans were alike noble men, consecrating all their energies to the good of the nation. Two more honest men or more pure patriots than John Adams the Federalist, and James Monroe the Republican, never breathed. In building up this majestic nation, which is destined to eclii)se all Grecian and Assyrian greatness, the com- bination of their antagonism was needed to create the light eipiilibrium. .\nd yet each in his day was de- nounced as almost a demon. Washington was then President. England had es- poused the cause of the Bourbons against the princi- ples of the French Revolution. All Europe was drawn into the conflict. We were feeble and far away. Washington issued a proclamation of neutrality be- tween these contending |)owers. France had helped us in the struggle for our liberties. .Ml the despotisms of Euroi)e were now combined to prevent the French from escaping from a tyr.mny a thousand-fold worse than that which we h.id endured Col. Monroe, more magnanimous than prudent, was anxious that, at whatever hazard, we should help our old allies in their extremity. It was the impulse of a generous and noble nature. He violently opixised tlie Pres- ident's proclamation as ungrateful and wanting in magnanimity. Washington, who could appreciate such a character, develoiKjd his calm, serene, almost divine greatness, by apixjinting that very James Monroe, who was de- nouncing the |X)liiy of the Government, as the minister of that Government to the Republic of France. Mr. Monroe was welcomed by the National Convention in France with the most enthusiastic demonstrations. Shortly after his return to this country, Mr. Mon- roe was elected (iovernor of Virginia, and held the office for three yeais. He was again sent to France to co-oi)erate with Chancellor Livingston in obtaining the vast territory tlien known as the Province of Ix)uisiana, which F'rance had Init shortly before ob- tained from Spain. Their united efforts were suc- cessful. For the comparatively small sum of fifteen millions of dollars, the entire territory of Orleans and district of Louisiana were added to the United States. This was probably the largest transfer of real estate wiiich was ever made in all the history of the world From F" ranee Mr. Monroe went to England to ob- tain from that country some recognition of our rights as neutrals, and to remonstrate against those odious imi)ressments of our seamen. But Eng- land was unrelenting. He again returned to Eng- land on the same mission, but could receive no ' redress. He returned to his home and was again chosen Governor of Virginia. This he soon resigned to accept the [XDsition of Secretary of State under i Madison. While in tiiis office war with England was declared, the Secretary of War resigned, and during these trying times, the duties of the War Department were also put uix)n him. He was truly the armor- bearer of President Madison, and the most efficient business man in his cabinet. L^pon the return ol peace he resigned the Department of War, but con- tinued in the office of Secretary of State until the ex- piration of Mr. Madison's adniinstration. At the elec- tion held the previous autumn Mr. Monroe himself had been chosen President with but little opposition, and uix)n March 4, 1817, was inaugurated. Four years later he was elected for a second term. Among the imiwrtant measures of his Presidency were the cession of Florida to the L'nited States; the Missouri Compromise, and the " Monroe doctrine.'' This famous doctrine, since known as the " Monroe doctrine," was enunciated by him in 1823. At that time the United Stales had recognized the independ- ence of the .^Kjuth American states, and did not wish to have European jwwers longer attempting to sub- due [wrtions of the American Continent. The doctrine is as follows: "That we should consider any attempt on the part of European powers to extend their sys- tem to any jwrtion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety," and "that we could not view any inter|X)sition for the inirixjse of oi)pressing or controlling American governments or provinces in any other light than as a manifestation by European ]X)wers of an unfriendly disixjsition toward the United States." This doctrine immediately affected the course of foreign governments, and has become the approved sentiment of the United States. At the end of his second term Mr. Monroe retired to his home in Virginia, where he lived unril 1830, when he went to New York to live with his son-in- law. In that city he died,on the 4th of July, 1831. ^ ^ J. 5, M 'i>»v5 I ■^•- S/X TH PRESIDENT. 39 OHN QUINCY ADAMS, the sixth President of the United States, was born in the rural home of his honored father, John Adams, in Quincy, Mass., on the I ith of July, 1767. His mother, a woman of exalted worth, watched over his childhood during the almost constant ab- sence of his father. When but eight years of age, he stood with his mother on an eminence, listen- ing to the booming of the great bat- tle on Bunker's Hill, and gazing on upon the smoke and flames billow- ing up from the conflagration of Charlestown. When but eleven years old he took a tearful adieu of his mother, to sail with his father for Europe, through a fleet of hostile British cruisers. The bright, animated boy spent a year and a half in Paris, where his father was associated with Franklin and Lee as minister pieni[X)tentiary. His intelligence attracted the notice of these distinguished men, and he received from them flattering marks of attention. Mr. John Adams had scarcely returned to this country, in 1779, ere he was again sent abroad. Again John Quincy accompanied his father. At Paris he applied liimself with great diligence, for si.x months, to study; then accompained his father to Holland, where lie entered, first a school in .Amsterdam, then the University at Leyden. About a year from tliis time, in 178 1, when the manly boy was but fourteen years of age, he was selected by Mr. Dana, our min- ister to the Russian court, as his private secretary. Tn this school of incessant labor and of enol)ling culture he spent fourteen months, and then returned to Holland through .Sweden, Denmark, Hamburg and Bremen. This long journey he took alone, in the winter, when in his sixteenth year. Again he resumed his studies, under a priv.Tte tutor, at Hague. Thence, in the spring of 1782, he accompanied his father to Paris, traveling leisurely, and forming acquaintance witii the most distinguished men on the Conlinent; examining architectural remains, galleries of paintings, and ail renowned works of art. At Paris he again became associated with the most illustrious men of all lands in the contemplations of the loftiest temporal themes which can engross the human mind. After a short visit to England he returned to Paris, and consecrated all his energies to study until May, 1785, when he returned to America. To a brilliant young man of eighteen, who had seen much of the world, and who was familiar with the etiquette of courts, a residence with his father in London, under such cir- cumstances, must have been extremely attractive; but with judgment very rare in one of his age, he pre- ferred to return to America to complete his education in an American college. He wished then to study law, that with an honorable profession, he might be able to obtain an independent support. Upon leaving Harvard College, at the age of twenty, he studied law for three years. In June, 1794, be- ing then but twenty-seven years of age, he was ap- pointed by Washington, resident minister at the Netherlands. Sailing from Boston in July, he reached London in October, where he was immediately admit- ted to the deliberations of Messrs. Jay and Pinckney, assisting them in negotiating a commercial treaty with (lieat Britian. After thus spending a fortnight in London, he proceeded to the Hague. In July, 1797, he left the Hague to go to Portugal as minister plenipotentiary. On his way to Portugal, upon arriving in London, he met with despatches directing him to the court of Berlin, but requesting him to remain in London until he should receive his instructions. ^^'hile waiting he was married to an American lady to whom he had been jirevioirsly en- gaged, — Miss Louisa Catherine Johnson, daughter of Mr. Joshua Johnson, American consul in London ; a lady endownd with that beauty and those accom- jilishment which eminently fitted her to move in the elevated sphere for which she was destined. -I •4^ 46 ■•► /OIfJ\r QUlNCY ADAM5. He reached Berlin with his wife in November, 1797 ; where he remained until July, 1799, when, having ful- filled all the puriKjscs of his mission, he solicited his recall. Soon after his return, in 1802, he was chosen to the Senate of Massachusetts, from Boston, and then was elected Senator of the United States for six years, from the 4tli of March, 1S04. His reputation, his ability and his experience, placed liim immediately among the most prominent and influential members of that l)ody. Especially did he sustain the Govern- ment in its measures of resistance to the encroach- ments of England, destroying our commerce and in- sulting our flag. There was no man in America more familiar with the arrogance of the British court uiron these points, and no one more resolved to present a firm resistance. In 1809, .Madison succeeded Jefl'erson in the Pres- idential chair, and he inmiediately nominated John (Juincy Adams minister to St. I'etersDurg. Resign- ing his professorshii) in Harvard College, he embarked at Boston, in .\ugust, 1809. Wliile in Russia, Mr. .\dams was an intense stu- dent. Fie devoted his attention to the language and history of Russia; to the Chinese trade; to the Euro|)ean system of weights, measures, and coins ; to tlie climate and astronomical observations ; while he Kept up a familiar ac()uaintance with the Greek and Latin classics. In all the universities of Europe, a more accomplished scholar could scarcely be found. .Ml through life the Bible constituted an important part ol his studies. It was his rule to read five chapters every day. On the 4th of March, 1817, Mr. Monroe took the Presidential chair, and immediately apjiointed Mr. .\dams Secretary of State. Taking leave of his num- erous friends in public and private life in Euro\)e, he sailed in June, 1819, for the United States. On the i8th of .^ugust, he again crossed the threshold of his home in (Juincy. During the eight years of Mr. Mon- roe's administration, Mr .Xdams continued Secretary of State. Some time before the dose of Mr. Monroe's second term of oflice, new candidates began to be presented for the Presidency. The friends of Mr. .\dams brought forward his name. It was an exciting campaign. Party spirit was never more bitter. Two hundred and sixty electoral votes wore <:ast. -\ndrew Jackson re- ceived ninety-nine; John Quincy .\dams, eighty-four; William H. Crawford, forty-one; Henry Clay, thirty- seven. As there was no choice by the i>eople, the question went to the House of Representatives. Mr. Clay gave the vote of Kentucky to Mr. .\danis, and he was elected. The friends of all the disappointed candidates now combined in a venomous and persistent assault uixm Mr. Adams. There is nothing more disgraceful in the past liistor)' of our country than the abuse which was [X)ured in one uninterrupted stream, upon this high-minded, upright, patriotic man. There never was an administration more pure in principles, more con- scientiously devoted to the best interests of the coun- try, than that of John Quincy Adams; and never, per- haps, was there an administration more unscrupu- lously and outrageously assailed. Mr. Adams was, to a very remarkable degree, ab- stemious and temperate in his liabits; always rising early, and taking much exercise. \Mien at his home in Quincy, he has been known to walk, before breakfast, seven miles to Boston. In Washington, it was said that he was the first man up in the city, lighting his own fire and applying himself to work in his librar)' often long before dawn. On the 4th of March, 1829, Mr. Adams retired from the Presidency, and was succeeded by .\ndrew Jackson. John C. Calhoun was elected \'ice Presi- dent. The slavery question now began to assume |X)rlentous magnitude. Mr. Adams returned to Quincy and to his studies, wliich he iniisued witii un- abated zeal. But he was not long permitted to re- main in retirement. In November, 1830, he was elected representative to Congress. For seventeen years, until his death, he occupied the post as repre- sentative, towering above all his peers, ever ready to do brave battle' for freedom, and winning the title of "the old man eloquent." Ui)on taking his seat in the House, he announced that he should hold him- self bound to no party. Probably tiiere never was a member more devoted to his duties. He was usually the first in his |)lace in the morning, and the last to leave his seat in the evening. Not a measure could be brought forward and escajje his scrutiny. The battle which Mr. .\dams fought, almost singly, against the proslavery i)arty in the Government, was sublime in Its moral dating and heroism. For persisting in presenting j>etitions for the abolition of slavery, he was threatened with indictment by the grand jury, with expulsion from tile Houfe, with assassination; but no threats could intimidate him, and his final triumph was complete. It has been said of President Adams, that when his body was bent and his hair silvered by the lapse of fourscore years, yielding to the simiile faith of a little child, he was accustomed to repeat ever)' night, before he slept, the pra)er wliich his mother taught him in his infant years. On the ztstof February, 1848, he rose on the floor of Congress, with a paper in his hand, to address the speaker. Suddenly he fell, again stricken by jiataly- sis, and was caught in the arms of those around liim. For a time he was senseless, as he was conveyed to the sofa in the rotunda. With reviving conscious- ness, he opened his eyes, looked calmly around and said " T/iis is Ihe fmi of failh ."then after a moment's pause he added, " I am coiiti-ut" These were the last words of the grand " Old Man Eloquent." — ^ -A^ I #V-4 -^•- ■•► SEVENTH PRESIDENT. ^13 ^ *«S,e^^^'>*'^^S/2!^37raV^ t] NDREW JACKSON, the seventh President of the United States, was born in Waxhaw settlement, N. C, March 15, 1767, a few days after his father's deatli. His parents were poor emigrants from Ireland, and took up their abode in Waxhaw set- tlement, where they lived in deepest poverty. Andrew, or Andy, as he was universally called, grew up a very rough, rude, turbulent boy. His features were coarse, his form un- gainly; and there was but veiy little in his character, made visible, which was at- tractive. When only thirteen years old he joined the volun- teers of Carolina against the British invasion. In 17S1, he and his brother Robert were captured and imprisoned for a time at Camden. A British officer ordered him to brush his mud-spattered boots. " I am a prisoner of war, not your servant," was the reply of the dauntless boy. The brute drew his sword, and aimed a des|)erate blow at the head of the helpless young prisoner. .\ndrew raised his hand, and thus received two fear- ful gashes, — one on the hand and the other upon the head. The officer then turned to his brother Robert with the same demand. He also refused, and re- ceived a blow from the keen-edged sabre, which quite disabled him, and which probably soon after caused his death. They suffered much other ill-treatment, and were finally stricken with the small-pox. Their mother was successful in obtaining their e.xchange. and took lier sick boys home. After a long illness Andrew recovered, and the death of his mother soon left him entirely friendless. Andrew supported himself in various ways, such as working at the saddler's trade, teaching school and clerking in a general store, until 1784, when he entered a law office at Salisbury, N. C. He, however, gave more attention to the wild amusements of the times than to his studies. In 1788, he was apix)inted solicitor for the western district of North Carolina, of which Tennessee was then a part. This involved many long and tedious journeys amid dangers of every kind, but Andrew Jackson never knew fear, and the Indians had no desire to repeat a skirmish witn the Sharp Knife. In 1791, Mr. Jackson was married to a woman who supix)sed herself divorced from her former husband. Great was the surprise of both parties, two years later, to find that the conditions of the divorce had just been definitely settled by the first husband. The marriage ceremony was performed a second time, but the occur- rence was often used by his enemies to bring Mr. Jackson into disfavor. During these years he worked hard at his profes- sion, and frequently had one or more duels on hand, one of which, when he killed Dickenson, was espec- ially disgraceful. In January, 1796, the Territory of Tennessee then containing nearly eighty thousand inhabitants, the people met in convention at Knoxville to frame a con- stitution. Five were sent from each of the eleven counties. Andrew Jackson was one of the delegates. The new State was entitled to but one member in the National House of Representatives. .Andrew Jack- son was chosen that member. Mounting his horse he rode to Philedelphia, where Congress then held its Ji 4^ ■•► .t I-' 44 ANDREW JACKSON. \ sessions, — a distance of about eight hundred miles. Jackson was an earnest advocate of the Demo- cratic party. Jefferson was liis idol. He admired Bonaparte, loved France and hated England. .\s Mr. Jackson took his seal, (Jen. Washington, wiiose second term of ortice was then expiring, delivered his last speech to Congress. .\ committee drew up a complimenlary address in reply. Andrew Jackson did not approve of the address, and was one of the twelve who voicd against it. He was not willing to say that CJen. Washington's adminstration had liceii '" wise, firm and patriotic." Mr. Jackson was elected to the United .States Senate in 1797, hut soon resigned and returned home. Soon after he was chosen Judge of the .'Supreme Court of his State, which |)osition he held fjr si.x years. NVhen the war of 1812 with llreat Britian com- menced, Madison occupied the Presidential chair. Aaron Burr sent word to the President that there was an unknown man in the West, .\ndrew Jackson, who would do credit to a commission if one were con- ferred Ujwn him. Just at that time (ien. Jackson ofTeied his services and those of twenty-five hundred volunteers. His offer was accepted, and the troops were assemhled at .Nashville. As the British were hourly e.\i)ected to make an at- tack upon New Orleans, where Cen. Wilkinson was in command, he was ordered to descend the river with fifteen hundred troops to aid Wilkinson. The expedition reached Natchez; and after a delay of sev- eral weeks there, without accomplishing anything, the men were ordered hack to their homes. But the energy (len. Jackson had displayed, and his entire devotion to the comrfort of his soldiers, won him golden opinions; and he hecanie the most (wpular man in tlie State. It was in this expedition that his toughness gave him the nickname of " ( )ld Hickorv." Soon after this, while attempting to horsewhip Col. Thomas H. Benton, for a remark that gentleman made al>oul his taking a part as second in a duel, in which a younger brother of Benton's was engaged, he received two severe pistol wounds. While he was lingering ujion a bed of suffering news came that the Indians, who had combined under Tecuniseh from Florida to the Lakes, to extemiinate the white set- tlers, were committing the most avxful ravages. De- cisive action became necessary. Cen. J.ackson. with his fractured Ixsne just beginning to heal, his arm iit a sling, and unable to mount his horse without assis- tance, gave his ama/ing energies to the raising of an army to rendezvous at Fayettesville, .Mabama. The Creek Indians had established a strong fori on one of the bendsof theTalla)jn the British, who were the allies of the Indians No man of less resolute will than (ien. Jackson could have conducted this Indian campaign to so successful an issue Immediately he was ap|x)inied major-general. Late in .Vugust, with an army of two thousand men, on a rushing march, Cen. Jackson came to Mobile. .\ British fleet came from Pensacola, landed a force uiwn the beach, anchored near the little fort, and front both ship and shore commenced a furious assault The battle was long and doubtful. .\t length one of the ships was blown up and the rest retired. Garrisoning Mobile, where he had taken his little army, he moved his troops to New Orleans, .\nd the battle of New Orleans which soon ensued, was in reality a very arduous campaign. This won for (ien. Jackson an imjierishable name. Here his troops, which numbered about four thousand men, won a signal victory over the British army of al)out nine thousand. His loss was but thirteen, while the loss of the British was two thousand six liundred. The name of (ien. Jackson soon began to be men- tioned in connection with the Presidency, but, in t824, he was defeated by Mr. .■Xdanis. He was, however, successful in the election of 1828, and was re-elected for a second term in 18.32. In 1S29, just before he assumed the reins of the government, he met with the most terrible affliction of his life in the death of his wife, whom he had loved with a devotion which has l)erhaps never been surpassed. From the shock of her death he never recovered. His administration was one of the most memorable in the annals of our country; a))plauded by one party, condemned by the other. No man had more bitter enemies or wanner friends. W. the expiration of his two terms of office he retired to the Hermitage, where he died June 8, 1845. The last years of Mr. Jack- son's life were that of a devoted Christian man. ■n 9 7 ^-e>'^ .^.2^^7.^^.^.^>e^ EIGHTH PRESIDENT. 47 * i ARTIN VAN BUREN, the eighth President of the United States, was born at Kinderhook, N. Y., Dec. 5, 1782. He died at the same place, July 24, 1862. His body rests in the cemetery at Kinderhook. Above it is plain granite shaft fifteen feet high, bearing a simple inscription about half way up on one face. The lot is unfenced, unbordered or unbounded by shrub or flower. There is but little in the life of Martin Van Buren of romantic interest. He fought no battles, engaged in no wild adventures. Though his life was stormy in political and intellectual conflicts, and he gained many signal victories, his days passed uneventful in those incidents which give zest to biography. His an- cestors, as his name indicates, were of Dutch origin, and were among the earliest emigrants from Holland to the banks of the Hudson. His father was a farmer, residing in the old town of Kinderhook. His mother, also of Dutch lineage, was a woman of superior intel- ligence and exemplary piety. He was decidedly a precocious boy, developing un- usual activity, vigor and strength of mind. At the age of fourteen, he had finished his academic studies in his native village, and commenced the study of law. As he had not a collegiate education, seven years of study in a law-office were required of iiim Ijefore he could be admitted to the bar. Inspired with a lofty ambition, and conscious of his ix)wers, he pur- sued his studies with indefatigable industry. After spending six years in an office in his native village. he went to the city of New York, and prosecuted his studies for the seventh year. In 1803, Mr. Van Buren, then twenty-one years of age, commenced the practice of law in his native vil- lage. The great conflict between the Federal and Republican party was then at its height. Mr. Van Buren was from the Ijeginning a politician. He had, perhaps, imbibed that spirit while listening to the many discussions which had been carried on in his father's hotel. He was in cordial sympathy with Jefferson, and earnestly and eloquently espoused the cause of State Rights ; though at thai time the Fed- eral party held the supremacy both in his town and State. His success and increasing ruputation led liim after six years of practice, to remove to Hudson, th. county seat of his county. Here he spent seven years , constantly gaining strength by contending in the courts with some of the ablest men who have adorned the bar of his State. Just before leaving Kinderhook for Hudson, Mi. Van Buren married a lady alike distinguished for beauty and accomi)lishments. After twelve short years she sank into tlie grave, the victim of consump- tion, leaving her husband and four sons to weep over her loss. For twenty-five years, Mr. Van Buren was an earnest, successful, assiduous lawyer. The record of those years is barren in items of public interest. In i8t 2, when thirty years of age, he was cliosen to the State Senate, and gave his strenuous support to Mr. Madison's adminstration. In 1815, he was ap- fjointed .Attorney-General, and the next year moved to Albany, the capital of the State. While he was acknowledged as pne of the most prominent leaders of the iJeinocratic party, he had •^'^^ i^ ^ 48 MARTIN VAN BUREN. the moral courage to avow that true democracy did not require that " universal suffrage " which admits the vile, the degraded, the ignorant, to the right of governing the State. In true consistency with liis democratic princii)les, he contended that, while the path leading to the privilege of voting should be open to every man without distinction, no one should l)e invested with that sacred prerogative, unless he were in some degree (pialified for it l)y intelligence, virtue and some property interests in tlie welfare of the State. In 1 82 1 he was elected a inemher of the United States Senate; and in the same year, he took a seat in the convention lo revise the constitution of his native State. His course in this convention secured the approval of men of all parties. N'o one could doubt the singleness of his endeavors to promote the interests of all classes in the community. In the Senate of ttie United States, he rose at once to a cons])icuous iK)sition as an active and useful legislator. In 1827, John Quincy Adams being then in tlie Presidential chair, Mr. Van Buren was re-elected to the Senate. He had been from the beginning a de- termined opix)ser of the .\dministration, adopting the "State Rights" view in opposition to what was deemed the Federal proclivities of Mr. .Adams. Soon after this, in 1828, he was chosen Governorof the State of New York, and accordingly resigned his seat in the Senate. Probal)ly no one in the United States contributed so much towards ejecting John Q. Adams from the Presidential chair, and placing in it Andrew Jackson, as did Martin Van Buren. Whether entitled to the reputation or not, he certainly was re- garded throughout the United States as one of the most skillful, sagacious and cunning of |X)liticians. It was supiwsed that no one knew so well as he how to touch the secret spiings of action; how to pull all the wires to put his machinery in motion; and how to organize a jwlitical army which would, secretly and stealthily accomplish the most gigantic results. By these lowers it is said that he outwitted Mr. Adams, Mr. I'lay. Mr. Webster, and secured results which few thought then could be accomplished. When .\ndrew Jackson was elected President he apix-inted Mr. Van Buren Secretary of State. This position he resigned in 1S31, a'ld was immediately apiwinted Minister to Kngland, where he went the snme autumn. The Senate, however, when it met, refused to ratify the nomination, and he returned home, api)arently untroubled; was nominated Vice President in the place of Calhoun, at the re-election of President Jackson; and with smiles for all and fiowns for none, he took his place at the liead of that Senate which hjd refused to confirm his nomination as ambassador. His rejection by llie Senate roused all tlie zeal of President Jackson in behalf of his repudiated favor- ite; and this, probably mure than any other cause, secured his elevation to the chair of the Chief Execu- tive, (^n the 20th of May, 1S36, Mr. Van Buren re- ceived the Democratic nomination to succeed Gen. Jackson as President of the United States. He was elected by a handsome majority, to the delight of the retiring President. " Leaving New York out of the canvass," says Mr. Parton, "the election of Mr. Van Buren to the Presidency was as much the act of Gen. Jackson as though the Constitution had conferred uix)n him the jwwer to apixaint a successor."' His administration was filled with exciting events. The insurrection in Canada, which threatened to in- volve this country in war with England, the agitation of the slavery cpiestion, and finally the great commer- cial ])anic which spread over the country, all were trials to his wisdom. The financial distress was at- tributed to the management of the Democratic party, and brought the President into such disfavor that he failed of reelection. With the e.xception of being nominated for the Presidency by the " Free Soil " Democrats, in 1 848, Mr. Van Buren lived quietly uix)n his estate until his death. He had ever been a prudent man, of frugal habits, and living within his income, had now fortunately a conqjetence for liis declining years. His unblemished character, his commanding abilities, his unquestioned patriotism, and the distinguished jxDsitions which he had occupied in the government of our country, se- cured to him not only the homage of his party, but the respect ot the whole community. It was on the 4th of March, 1841, that Mr. Van Buren retired from the presidency. From his fine estate at Lindenwald, he still exerted a powerful influence ujxjn theiwlitics of the country. From this time until his death, on the 24th of July, 1862, at the age of eighty years, he resided at l.indenwald, a gentleman of leisure, of culture and of wealth; enjoying in a healthy old age, probably far more happiness than he had before experienced amid the stormy scenes of his active life. ■■ •►-< i ^ //r)9a-iA^ T^.^ I <^ NINTH PRESIDENT. WILLIAM ttENK¥ ^RRmO) ILLIAM HENRY HARRI- SON, the ninth President of the United States, was born at Berkeley, Va., Feb. 9, 1773. His father, Benjamin Harri- son, was in comparatively op- ulent circumstances, and was one of the most distinguished men of his day. He was an intimate friend of George Washington, was early elected a member of the Continental Congress, and was conspicuous among the patriots of Virginia in resisting the encroachments of the British crown. In the celebrated Congress of 1775, Benjamin Har- rison and John Hancock were both candidates for the office of speaker. Mr Harrison was subsequently chosen Governor of Virginia, and was twice re-elected. His son, William Henry, of course enjoyed in childhood all the advantages which wealth and intellectual and cultivated society could give. Hav- ing received a thorough common-school education, he entered Hampden Sidney College, where he graduated with honor soon after the death of his father. He then repaired to Philadelphia to study medicine under the instructions of Dr. Rush and the guardianship of Robert Morris, both of whom were, with his father, signers of the Declaration of Independence. UlX)n the outbreak of the Indian troubles, and not- withstanding the remonstrances of his friends, he abandoned his medical studies and entered the army, having obtained a commission of Ensign from Presi- dent Washington. He was then but 19 years old. From that time he passed gradually upward in rank until he became aid to General Wayne, after whose death he resigned his commission. He was then ap- pointed Secretary of the North-western Territory. This Territory was then entitled to but one member in Congress and Capt. Harrison was chosen to fill that position. In the spring of 1800 the North-western Territory was divided by Congress into two portions. The eastern portion, comprising the region now embraced in the State of Ohio, was called " The Territory north-west of the Ohio." The western portion, which included what is now called Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, was called the "Indiana Territory." Wil- liam Henry Harrison, then 27 years of age, was ap- pointed by John Adams, Governor of the Indiana Territory, and immediately after, also Governor of Upper Louisiana. He was thus ruler over almost as extensive a realm as any sovereign ufMn the globe. He was Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and was in- vested with powers nearly dictatorial over the now rapidly increasing white population. The ability and fidelity with which he discharged these responsible duties may be inferred from the fact that he was four times appointed to this office — first by John Adams, twice by Thomas Jefferson and afterwards by Presi- dent Madison. When he began his adminstration there were but three white settlements in that almost boundless region, now crowded with cities and resounding with all the tumult of wealth and traffic. Oneof these settlements was on the Ohio, nearly opposite Louisville; one at Vincennes, on the Wabash, and the third a French settlement. The vast wilderness over which Gov. Harrison reigned was filled with many tribes of Indians. About i > t -4•- WILLJAM HENRY HARRISON. the year 1806, two extraordinary men, twin brothers, of the Shawnese tribe, rose among them. One of these was called Tecumseh, or " The Crouching Panther;" the other, OUiwacheca, or " The Prophet." Tecumseh was not only an Indian warrior, but a man of great sagacity, far-reaching foresight and indomit- able perseverance in any enterprise in which he might engage. He was inspired with the highest enthusiasm, and had long regarded with dread and with hatred the encroachment of the whites upon the hunting- grounds of his fathers. His l)rother, the Prophet, was anorator, who could sway tlie feelings of the untutored Indian as the gale tossed the tree-tops beneath which they dwelt. But the Prophet was not merely anorator: he was, in the superstitious minds of the Indians, invested with the sui^erhuman dignity of a medicine-man or a magician. With an enthusiasm unsurpassed by Peter the Hermit rousing Europe to the crusades, he went from trilie to tribe, assuming tliat he was sjiecially sent by the Great Spirit. Gov. Harrison made many attempts to conciliate the Indians, but at last the war came, and at Tippe- canoe the Indians Were routed with great slaughter. October 2S, 18 12, his army began its march. When near the Prophet's town tliree Indians of rank made their appearance and in(p!ired wliy Gov. Harrison was approacliing them in so hostile an attitude. After a siiort conference, arrangements were made for a meet- ing the next day, to agree upon terms of peace. But Gov. Harrison was too well acquainted with the Indian character to be deceived by such jirotes- tations. Selecting a favorable siwt for his night's en- campment, he took every precaution against surprise. His troops were jxjsted in a hollow square, and slept Uiwn their arms. The troops threw themselves \x\to\\ the ground for rest; but every man had his accourtremeius on, his loaded musket by his side, and his bayonet fixed. The wakeful Governor, between three and four o'clock in the morning, had risen, and was sitting in conversa- tion with his aids by the embers of a waning fire. It was a chill, cloudy morning with a drizzling rain. In the darkness, the Indians had crept as near as [xsssi- ble, and just then, with a savage yell, ruslied, with all the desperation wliich superstition and pas-;ion most highly inflamed co\ild give, uj^n tlie left flank of the little army. The savages had i)een amjjly provided with guns and ammunition by the English. Their war-whoop was accompained by a shower of bullets. The camp-fires were instantly extinguished, as the light aided the Indians in their aim. With hide- nus yells, the Indian bands rushed on, not doubting a s|)eedy and an entire victory. But Gen. Harrison's troops stood as immovable as the rocks around them until day dawned : they then made a simultaneous charge with the bayonet, and swept every thing be- fore them, and completely routine tbf foe. Gov. Harrison now liad all his energies tasked to the utmost. The British descending from the Can ■ adas, were of themselves a very formidable force ; but with their savage allies, rushing like wolves I'rom the forest, searching out every remote farm-house, burn- ing, plundering, scalping, torturing, tlie wide frontier was plunged into a state of consternation which even the most vivid imaginaticjn can l)ut faintly conceive. The war-wlioop was resounding everywhere in the forest. The horizon was illuminated with the contlagra- tionofthe cabins of tiie settlers. Gen Hull had made the ignominious surrender of his forces at Detroit. Under these despairing circumstances, (iov. Harrison was a[)ix)inted by President .Madison commander-in- chief of the North-western army, with orders to retake Detroit, and to protect the frontiers. It would be difficult to place a man in a situation demanding more energy, sagacity and courage; bui Cieneral Harrison was found equal to the position, and nobly and triumphantly did he meet all the re sixjnsibitities. He won the love of his soldiers by always sharing with tiiem their fatigue. His whole baggage, while pursuing the foe up the Thames, was carried in a valise; and his bedding consisted of a single blanket lashed over his saddle. Thiriy-five Britisli officers, his |)risoners of war, supped with him after the battle. The only fare he could give them was beef roasted before the fire, witliout bread or salt. In 1816, Gen. Harrison was chosen a member of the Xational House of Representatives, to represent the District of Ohio. In Congress he proved an active member; and whenever he s[X)ke, it was with force of reason and |X)werof eloquence, which arrested the attention of all the members. In 18(9, Harrison was elected to the Senate of Ohio; and in 1824, as one of the presidential electors of that State, he gave his vote for Henry Clay. The same year he was chosen to the United States Senate. In 1836, the friends of Gen. Harrison lirougii*. him forward as a candidate for the Presidency against Van Buren, but he was defeated. At the close of Mr. Van Buren's term, he was re -nominated by his party, and Mr. Harrison was unanimously nominated by the Whigs, with John Tyler for the Vice Presidency. The contest was very animated. Gen. Jackson gave all his influence to prevent Harrison's election ; but his triumph was signal. The cabinet which he formed, with Daniel Webster at its head as Secretary of State, was one of the most brilliant with which any President had ever been surrounded. Never were the prospects of an admin- istration more flattering, or the hopes of the country more sanguine. In the midst of these bright and joyous prospects. Gen. Harrison was seized by a pleurisy-fever and after a few days of violent sick- ness, died on the 4th of .April ; just one month after his inauguratioti ^s President of the United States. i~ -U TENTH PRESIDENT. 55 OHN TYLER, the tenth ^ Presidentof the United States. He was born in Charles-city Co., Va., March 29, 1790. He was the favored child of af- fluence and high social po- sition. At the early age of twelve, John entered ^Villiam and Mary College and grad- uated with much honor when but seventeen years old. .\fter graduating, he devoted him- self with great assiduity to the study of law, partly with his father and partly with Edmund Randolph, one of the most distin- guished lawyers of Virginia. At nineteen years of age, ne commenced the practice of law. His success was rapid and aston- ishing. It is said that three months had not elapsed ere there was scarcely a case on the dock- et of the court in which he was not retained. When but twenty-one years of age, he was almost unanimously elected to a seat in the State Legislature. He connected himself with the Demo- cratic party, and warmly advocated the measures of Jefferson and Madison. For five successive years he was elected to the Legislature, receiving nearly the unanimous vote or his county. When but twenty-six years of age, he was elected a member of Congress. Here he acted earnestly and ably with the Democratic party, opposing a national bank, internal improvements by the General Govern- ment, a protective tariff, and advocatmg a strict con- struction of the Constitution, and the most careful vigilance over State rights. His labors in Congress were so arduous that before the close of his second term he found it necessary to resign and retire to his estate in Charles-city Co., to recruit his health. He, however, soon after consented to take his seat in the State Legislature, where his influence was powerful in promoting public works of great utility. With a reputation thus canstantly increasing, he was chosen by a very large majority of votes. Governor of his native State. His administration was signally a suc- cessful one. His popularity secured his re-election. John Randolph, a brilliant, erratic, half-crazed man, then represented Virginia in the Senate of the United States. A portion of the Democratic party was displeased with Mr. Randolph's wayward course, and brought forward John Tyler as his opponent, considering him the only man in Virginia of sufficient popularity to succeed against the renowned orator of Roanoke. Mr. Tyler was the victor. In accordance with his professions, upon taking his seat in the Senate, he joined the ranks of the opposi- tion. He opposed the tariff; he spoke against and voted against the bank as unconstitutional ; he stren- uously opposed all restrictions upon slavery, resist- ing all projects of internal improvements by the Gen- eral Government, and avowed his sympathy with Mr. Calhoun's view of nullification ; he declared that Gen. Jackson, by his opposition to the nullifiers, had abandoned the principles of the Democratic party. Such was Mr. Tyler's record in Congress, — a record in perfect accordance with the principles which he had always avowed. Returning to Virginia, he resumed the practice of his profession. There was a rplit in the Democratic ^ »► ■ M* •9^ JOHN TYLER. party. His friends still regarded him as a true Jef- fersonian, gave him a dinner, and showered compli- ments upon him. He had now attained the age of forty-six. His career had been very brilliant. Incon- sequence of his devotion to public business, his pri- vate affairs had fallen into some disorder; and it was not without satisfaction that he resumed the practice of law, and devoted himself to tiie culture of his plan- tation. Soon after this he remo\ed to Williamsburg, for the better education of his children ; and he again took his seat in the Legislature of \'irginia. By the Southern Whigs, he was sent to the national convention at Harrisburg to nominate a President in 1839. The majority of voles were given to Gen. Har- rison, a genuine Whig, much to the disapixjintment of the South, who wished for Henry Clay. To concili- ate the Southern Whigs and to secure their vote, the convention then nominated John Tyler for Vice Pres- ident. It was well known that he was not in sympa- thy with the Whig party in the North: but the Vice President has but very little power in the Govern- ment, his main and almost only duty being to pre- side over the meetings of the Senate. Thus it hap- pened that a Wliij; President, and, in reality, a Democratic Vice President were chosen. In 1841, Mr. Tyler was inaugurated Vice Presi- dent of the United States. In one short month from that time. President Harrison died, and Mr. Tyler thus found himself, to his own surprise and that of the whole Nation, an occupant of the Presidential chair. This was a new test of the stability of our institutions, as it was the first time in the history of our country that such an event had occured. Mr. Tyler was at home in Williamsburg when he received the une.xpected tidings of the death of President Harri- son. He hastened to Washington, and on the 6th of .\pril was inaugurated to the high and responsible office. He was placed in a (wsition of exceeding delicacy and difficulty. All his long life he had been opi)Osed to the main principles of the party which had brought him into jxjwer. He had ever been a con- sistent, honest man, with an unblemished record. Gen. Harrison had selected a Whig cabinet. Should he retain them, and thus suiround himself with coun- sellors whose views were antagonistic to his own? or, on the other hand, should he turn against the party which had elected him and select a cabinet in har- mony with himself, and which would opix)se all those views which the Whigs deemed essential to the pub- lic welfare? This was his fearful dilemma. He in- vited the cabinet which President Harrison had selected to retain their seats. He reccommended a day of fasting and prayer, that God would guide and bless us. The Whigs carried through Congress a bill for the incor|X)ration of a fiscal bank of the United States. - The President, after ten days' delay, returned it with ■ his veto. He suegested, however, that he would \ ■^•- approve of a bill drawn up upon such a plan as he proixjsed. Such a bill was accordingly prepared, and privately submitted to him. He gave it his approval. It was passed without alteration, and he sent it back with his veto. Here commenced the open rupture. It is said that Mr. Tyler was provoked to this meas- ure by a published letter from the Hon. John M. Botts, a distinguished Virginia Whig, who severely touched the pride of the I'resident. The opiiosition now e.xuUingly received the Presi- dent into their arms. The party which elected him denounced him jjitterly. .\11 the members of his cabinet, excepting Mr. Webster, resigned. The Whigs of Congress, both the Senate and the House, held a meeting and issued an .address to the people of the United States, proclaiming that all political alliance between the Whigs and President Tyler were at an end. Still the President attempted to conciliate. He appointed a new cabmet of distinguished Whigs and Conservatives, carefully leaving out all strong party men. Mr. Webster soon found it necessaiy to resign, forced out by the [jressure of his \\'hig friends. Thus the four years of Mr. Tyler's unfortunate administra- tion passed sadly away. No one was satisfied. The land was filled with murmurs and vituperation. Whigs and Democrats alike assailed him. More and more, however, he brought himself into sympathy with his oW friends, the Democrats, until atthe close of his term, he gave his whole influence to the support of Mr. Polk, the Democratic candidate for his successor. On the 4th of March, 1845, he retired from the harassments of office, to the regret of neither party, and probably to his own unsjjeakable telief. His first wife, Miss Letitia Christian, died in Washington, in 1842 ; and in June, 1844, President Tyler was again married, at New York, to Miss Julia Gardiner, a young lady of many personal and intellectual accomplishments. The remainder of his days Mr. Tyler passed mainly in retirement at his beautiful home, — Sherwood For- est, Charles-city Co., Va. A polished gentleman in his manners, richly furnished with mformation from books and experience in the world, and possessing brilliant jjowers of conversation, his family circle was the scene of unusual attractions. With sufficient means for the exercise of a generous hos jHtality, he might have enjoyed a serene old age with the few friends who gathered around him, were it not for the storins of civil war which his own princijiles and policy had helped to introduce. When the great Rebellion rose, which the State- rights and nullifying doctrines of Mr. John C. Cal- houn h.ad inaugurated, President Tyler renounced his allegiance to the United States, and Joined the Confed- erates. He was chosen a member of their Congress; and while engaged in .active measures to destroy, by force of arms, the Government over which he had once presided, he was taken sick and soon died. :;» iJ i '^ 4 'o-^C^^ -^•- J- ELEVENTH PRESIDENT. 59 4 1^ AMES K. POLK, the eleventh ®kPresident of the United States, was born in Mecklenburg Co., N. C, Nov. 2, 1795. His par- ^A ents were Samuel and Jane (Kno.x) Polk, the former a son of Col. Thomas Polk, who located at the above place, as one of the first pioneers, in 1735. In the 5'ear 1S06, with liis wife and children, and soon after fol- lowed by most of the members of the Polk farnly, Samuel Polk emi- grated some two or three hundred miles farther west, to the rich valley of the Duck River. Here in the midst of the wilderness, in a region which was subsequently called Mau- ry Co., they reared their log huts, and established their homes. In the hard toil of a new farm in the wil- derness, James K. Polk spent the early years of his childhood and youth. His father, adding the pur- suit of a surveyor to that of a farmer, gradually increased in wealth until he became one of the leading men of the region. His mother was a superior woman, of strong comnmn sense and earnest piety. Very early in life, James developed a taste for reading and expressed the strongest desire to obtain a liberal education. His mother's training had made him methodical in his habits, had taught him punct- uality and industry, and had inspired him with lofty principles of morality. His health was frail ; and his father, fearing that he might not be able to endure a f ra I sedentary life, got a situation for him behind the counter, hoping to fit him for commercial pursuits. This was to James a bitter disappointment. He had no taste for these duties, and his daily tasks were irksome in the e.xtreme. He remained in this uncongenial occupation but a few weeks, when at his earnest solicitation his father removed him, and made arrangements for him to prosecute his studies. Soon after he sent him to Murfreesboro Academy. AVith ardor which could scarcely be surpassed, he pressed forward in his studies, and in less than two and a half years, in the autumn of 1815, entered the sophomore class in the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill. Here he was one of the most exemplary of scholars, punctual in every exercise, never allowing himself to be absent from a recitation or a religious service. He graduated in 18 18, with the highest honors, be- ing deemed the best scholar of his class, both in mathematics and the classics. He was then twenty- three years of age. Mr. Polk's health was at this time much impaired by the assiduity with which he had prosecuted his studies. After a short season of rela.xation he went to Nashville, and entered the office of Felix Grundy, to study law. Here Mr. Polk renewed his acquaintance with Andrew Jackson, who resided on his plantation, the Hermitage, but a few miles from Nashville. They had probably been slightly acquainted before. Mr. Polk's father was a Jeffersonian Republican, and James K. Polk ever adhered to the same politi- cal faith. He was a popular public speaker, and was constantly called upon to address the meetings of his party friends. His skill as a speaker was such that he was populady called the Napoleon of the stump. He was a man of unblemished morals, genial and -4*- ■•► .t 60 JAMES K. POLK. courteous in his bearing, and with that sympathetic nature in the joys and griefs of others which ever gave him troops of friends. In 1823, Mr. Folk was elected to the Legislature of Tennessee. Here he gave his strong influence towards the election of his friend, Mr. Jackson, to the Presidency of the United States. In January, 1824, Mr. Polk married Miss Sarah Childress, of Rutherford Co., Tenn. His bride was altogether worthy of him, — a lady of beauty and cul- ture. In the fall of 1825, Mr. Polk was chosen a member of Congress. The satisfaction which he gave to his constituents may be inferred from the fact, that for fourteen successive years, until 1839, he was con- tinued in that office. He then voluntarily withdrew, only that he might accept the (rubernatorial chair of Tennessee. In Congress he was a laborious member, a frequent and a popular speaker. He was always in his seat, always courteous ; and whenever he s|X)ke it was always to the [xiint, and without any ambitious rhetorical display. During five sessions of Congress, Mr. Folk was Speaker of the House. Strong passions were roused, and stormy scenes were witnessed ; but Mr. Polk per- formed his arduous duties to a very general satisfac- tion, and a unanimous vote of thanks to him was passed by the House as he withdrew on the 4th of March, 1839. In accordance with Southern usage, Mr. Folk, as a candidate for Governor, canvassed the State. He was elected by a large majority, and on the 14th of Octo- ber, 1839,100k the oath of office at Nashville. In 1841, his term of office expired, and he was again the can- didate of the Democratic party, but was defeated. On the 4th of March, 1845, Mr. Polk was inaugur- ated President of the United States. The verdict of the country in favor of the annexation of Texas, exerted its influence u[)on Congress ; and the last act of the administration of President Tyler was to affix his sig- nature to a joint resolution of Congress, passed on the 3d of March, approving of the annexation of Texas to the American Union. As Mexico still claimed Texas as one of her provinces, the Mexican minister, Almonte, immediately demanded his passports and left the country, declaring the act of the annexation to be an act hostile to Mexico. In his first message, President Polk urged that Texas should immediately, by act of Congress, be re- ceived into the Union on the same footing with the other States. In the meantime. Gen. Taylor was sent with an army into Texas to hold the country. He was sent first to Nueces, which the Mexicans said was the western boundary of Texas. Then he was sent nearly two hundred miles further west, to the Rio Grande, where he erected batteries which commanded the Mexican city of Matamoras, which was situated on the western banks. The anticipated collision soon took place, and war was declared against Mexico by President Polk. The war was pushed forward by Mr. Polk's administration with great vigor. Gen. Taylor, whose army was first called one of "observation," then of "occupation," then of "invasion, "was sent forward to Monterey. The feeble Mexicans, in every encounter, were hopelessly and awfully slaughtered. The day of judgement alone can reveal the misery which this war caused. It v/as by the ingenuity of Mr. Folk's administration that the war was brought on. 'To the victors belong the sjxjils." Mexico was prostrate before us. Her capital was in our hands. We now consented to peace upon the condition that Mexico should surrender to us, in addition to Texas, all of New Mexico, and all of Upper and Lower Cal- ifornia. This new demand embraced, exclusive of Texas, eight hundred thousand square miles. This was an extent of territory equal to nine States of the size of New York. Thus slavery was securing eighteen majestic States to be added to the Union. There were some Americans who thought it all right : there were others who thought it all wrong. In the prosecution of this war, we expended twenty thousand lives and more than a hundred million of dollars. Of this money fifteen millions were paid to Mexico. On the 3d of March, 1849, Mr. Polk retired from office, having served one term. The next day was Sunday. On the 5th, Gen. Taylor was inaugurated as his successor. Mr. Folk rode to the Capitol in the same carriage with Gen. Taylor; and the same even- ing, with Mrs. Polk, he commenced his return to Tennessee. He was then but fifty-four years of age. He had ever been strictly temperate in all his habits, and his health was good. With an ample fortune, a choice library, a cultivated mind, and domestic ties of the dearest nature, it seemed as though long years of tranquility and happiness were before him. But the cholera — that fearful scourge — was then sweeping up the \';dley of the -Mississippi. This he contracted, and died on the isth of June, 1849, in the fifty-fourth year of his age, greatly mourned by his countrymen. T -4^ TWELFTH PRESIDENT. i a vJw ZACHARY TAYLOR. -h tellectual stimulus. Thus with him the uneventful years rolled on Gradually he rose to the rank of colonel. In the Black-Hawk war, which resulted in the capture of that renowned chieftain, Q)l Taylor took a subordinate but a brave and efficient part. For twenty-four years Col. Taylor was engaged in the defence of the frontiers, in scenes so remote, and in employments so obscure, that his name was unknown beyond the limits of his own immediate acquaintance. In the year 1836, he was sent to Florida to compel the Seminole Indians to vacate that region and re- tire beyond the Mississippi, as their chiefs by treaty, had promised they should do. The services rendered here secured for Col. Taylor the high appreciation of the Government; and as a reward, he was elevated to the rank of brigadier-general by brevet ; and soon after, in May, 1838, was appointed to the chief com- mand of the United States troops in Florida. After two years of such wearisome employment amidst the everglades of tlie peninsula. Gen. Taylor obtained, at his own request, a change of command, and was stationed over the Department of the .South- west. This field embraced Louisiana, Mississijjpi, Alabama andtieorgia. Establishing his headquarters at Fort Jessup, in Louisiana, he removed his family to a plantation which he purchased, near Baton Rogue. Here he remained for five years, buried, as it were, from the world, but faithfully discharging every duty imposed ujwn him. In 1846, Gen. Taylor was sent to guard the land between the Nueces and Rio Grande, the latter river being the boundary of Texas, which was then claimed by the United States. Soon the war witli Mexico was brought on, and at Palo .Vlto and Resaca de la Palma, Gen. Taylor won brilliant victories over the Mexicans. The rank of major-general by brevet was tlien conferred u[K)n Gen. Taylor, and his name was received with enthusiasm almost everywhere in the Nation. Then came the battles of Monterey and Buena Vista in which he won signal victories over forces much larger than he commanded. His careless habits of dress and his unaffected simplicity, secured for Gen. Taylor among his troops, \\\^ sohriquet of "Old Rough and Ready.' Tne tidings of the brilliant victory of Buena Visla spread the wildest enthusiasm over the country. The name of (ien. Taylor was on every one's lips. The Whig party decided to take advantage of this wonder- ful ix)|)ularity in bringing forward the unix)lished, un- lettered, honest soldier as their candidate for the Presidency. Gen. Taylor was astonished at the an- nouncement, and for a time would not listen to it; de- claring that he was not at all qualified for such an office. So little interest had he taken in ]X)litics that, for forty years, he had not cast a vote. It was not without chagrin that several distinguished statesmen who had been long years in the public ser\'ice found their claims set aside in behalf of one wl.ose name had never been heard of, save in connection with Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey and Buena Vista. It Is said that Daniel Webster, in his haste re- marked, " It is a nomination not fit to be made." Gen. Taylor was not an eloquent speaker nor a fine writer His friends took possession of him, and pre- pared such few communications as it was needful should be presented to the public. The jxapularity of the successful warrior swept the land. He was tri- umphantly elected over two opposing candidates, — (}en. Cass and Ex-President Martin Van Buren. Though he selected an excellent cabinet, the good old man found himself in a very uncongenial position, and was, at times, sorely perplexed and harassed. His mental sufferings were very severe, and probably tended to hasten his death. The pro-slavery party was pushing its claims with tireless energy, expedi- tions were fitting out to capture Cuba ; California was pleading for admission to the Union, while slavery stood at the door to bar her out. Gen. Taylor found the ix)litical conflicts in Washington to be far more trying to the nerves than battles with Mexicans or Indians. In the midst of all these troubles. Gen. Taylor, after he had occupied the Presidential chair but little over a year, took cold, and after a brief sickness of but little over five days, died on the 9th of July, 1850. His last words were, " I am not afraid to die. I am ready. I have endeavored to do my duty." He died universally respected and beloved. An honest, un- pretending man, he had been steadily growing in the affections of the people ; and the Nation bitterly la- mented his death. Gen. Scott, who was thoroughly acquainted with Gen. Taylor, gave the following graphic and truthful description of his character: — " With a good store of common sense, Gen. Taylor's mind had not been en- larged and refreshed by reading, or much converse with the world. Rigidity of ideas was the conse- quence. The frontiers and small military posts had been his home. Hence he was quite ignorant for his rank, and quite bigoted in his ignorance. His sim- plicity was child-like, and with innumerable preju- dices, amusing and incorrigible, well suited to the tender age. Thus, if a man, however respectable, chanced to wear a coat of an unusual color, or his hat a little on one side of his head; or an officer to leave a corner of his handkerchief dangling from an out- side jwcket, — in any such case, this critic held the offender to be a coxcomb (perhaps something worse), whom he would not, to use his oft repeated phrase, 'touch with a pair of tongs.' ".\ny allusion to literature beyond good old Dil- worth's spelling-book, on the part of one wearing a sword, was evidence, with the same judge, of utter unfitness for heavy marchings and combats. In short, few men have ever had a more comfortable, labor- saving contempt for learnirg of every kind." t .^- -x^ D -iL: ^y x^c-t/j Ji ■^•- THIRTEENTH PRESIDENT. 67 ^'MILLftRn FILLfflnHE.'^ ILLARD FILLMORE, thir- teentli President of the United States, was born at Summer Hill, Cayuga Co., N. Y ., on the 7th of January, 1800. His father was a farmer, and ow- ing to misfortune, in humble cir- cumstances. Of his mother, the daughter of Dr. Abiathar Millard, of Pittsfield, Mass., it has been said that she jx)ssessed an intellect of very high order, united with much personal loveliness, sweetness of dis- position, graceful manners and ex- quisite sensibilities. She died in 1831 ; having lived to see her son a young man of distinguished prom- ise, though she was not permitted to witness the high dignity which he finally attained. In consequence of the secluded home and limited means of his father, Millard enjoyed but slender ad- vantages for education in his early years. The com- mon schools, which he occasionally attended were very imperfect nistitutions; and books were scarce and expensive. There was nothing then in his char- acter to indicate the brilliant career upon which he was about to enter. He was a plain farmer's boy ; intelligent, good-looking, kind-hearted. The sacred influences of home had taught him to revere the Bible, and had laid the foundations of an upright character. When fourteen years of age, his father sent him some hundred miles from home, to the then wilds of Livingston County, to learn the trade of a clothier. Neav the mill there was a small villiage, where some enterprising man had commenced the collection of a village librar)-. This jiroved an inestimable blessing to young Fillmore. His evenings were spent in read- ing. .Soon every leisure moment was occupied with books. His thirst for knowledge became insatiate; and the selections which he made were continually more elevating and instructive. He read history, biography, oratory, and thus gradually there was en- kindled in his heart a desire to be something more than a mere worker with his hands; and he was be- coming, almost unknown to himself, a well-informed, educated man. The young clothier had now attained the age of nineteen years, and was of fine personal appearance and of gentlemanly demeanor. It so happened that there was a gentleman in the neighborhood of ample pecuniary means and of benevolence, — Judge Walter Wood, — who was struck with the prepossessing ap- pearance of young Fillmore. He made his acquaint- ance, and was so much impressed with his ability and attainments that he advised him to abandon his trade and devote himself to the study of the law. The young man replied, that he had no means of his own, no friends to help him and that his previous educa- tion had been very imperfect. But Judge Wood had so much confidence in him that he kindly offered to take him into his own office, and to loan him such money as he needed. Most gratefully the generous offer was accepted. There is in many minds a strange delusion about a collegiate education. K young man is supposed to be liberally educated if he has graduated at some col lege. But many a boy loiters through university hall' Hnd then enters a law office, who is by no means as ¥ 68 MILLARD FILLMORE. A well prepared to prosecute his legal studies as was Millard Fillmore when he graduated at the clothing- mill at the end of four years of manual labor, during which every leisure moment had been devoted to in- tense mental culture. In 1823, when twenty-liirec years of age, he v/as admitted to the Court of Common Pleas. He then went to the village of Aurora, and commenced the practice of law. In this secluded, peaceful region, his practice of course was limited, and there was no opiwrtunity for a sudden rise in fortune or in fame. Here, in the year 1826, he married a lady of great moral worth, and one capable of adorning any station she might be called to fill, — Miss .\bigail Powers. His elevation of character, his untiring industry, his legal acquirements, and his skill as an advocate, gradually attracted attention ; and lie was invited to enter into partnership under highly advantageous circumstances, with an elder member of the bar in Piuffalo. Just before removing to BufTalo, in 1829, he took his seat in the House of Assembly, of the State of New York, as a representative from Erie County. Though he had never taken a very active |)art in [wlitics, his vote and his sympathies were with the Whig party. The State was then Democratic, and he found himself in a helpless minority in the Legislature, still the testimony comes from all parties, ihat his courtesy, ability and integrity, won, to a very unusual degrt e the respect of his associates. In the autumn of 1832, he was elected to a seat in the United States Congress He entered that troubled irena in some of the most tuumltuous hours of our national history. The great conflict respecting the national bank and the removal of the deposits, was then raging. His term of two years closed ; and he returned to his profession, which he pursued with increasing rep- utation and success. After a lapse of two years he again became a candidate for Congress ; was re- elected, and took his seat in 1837. His past expe- rience as a rejiresentative gave him strength and confidence. The first term of service in Congress to any man can be but little more than an introduction. He was now prepared for active duty. All his ener- gies were brought to bear uiwn the public good. Every measure received his impress. Mr. Fillmore was now a man of wide repute, and his |X)|nilarity filled the State, and in the year 1847, -he was elected Comptroller of the State Mr. Fillmore had attained the age of forty-seven years. His labors at the bar, in the Legislature, in Congress and as Comptroller, had given him very con- siderable fame. The Whigs were casting about to find suitable candidates for President and Vice-Presi- dent at the approaching election. Far away, on the waters of the Rio Grande, there was a rough old soldier, who had fought one or two successful battles with the Mexicans, which had caused his name to be proclaimed in trumpet-tones all over the land. But it was necessary to associate with him on the same ticket some man of reputation as a statesman. Under the influence of these considerations, the names of Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore became the rallying-cry of the Whigs, as their candidates for President and Vice-Peesident. The Whig ticket was signally triumphant. On the 4tli of March, 1849, (Jen. Taylor was inaugurated President, and Millard Fillmore Vice-President, of the United States. On the 9th of July, 1850, President Taylor, but about one year and four months after his inaugura- tion, was suddenly taken sick and died. By the Con- stitution, Vice-President Fillmore thus became Presi- dent. He appointed a very able cabinet, of which the illustrious Daniel Webster was Secretary of State. Mr. Fillniore had very serious difficulties to contend with, since the op(X)sition had a majority in both Houses. He did everything in his power to conciliate the South ; but the pro-slavery party in the South felt the inadequacy of all measuresof transient conciliation. The [xjpulation of the free States was so rapidly in- creasing over that of the slave States that it was in- evitable thai the power of the Government should soon pass into the hands of the free States. The famous compromise measures were adopted under Mr. Fillmore's adminstration, and the Japan Expedition was sent out. On the 4th of March, 1853, Mr. Fill- more, having served one term, retired. In 1856, Mr. Fillmore was nominated for the Pres- idency by the " Know Nothing " party, but was beaten by Mr. Buchanan. After that Mr. Fillmore lived in retirement. During the terrible conflict of civil war, he was mostly silent. It was generally supjxjsed that his sympathies were rather with those who were en- deavoring to overthrow our institutions. President Fillmore kept aloof from the conflict, without any cordial words of cheer to the one parly or the other. He was thus forgotten by both. He lived to a ri]je old age, and died in Buffalo. N. V., March 8, 1874. '//^ly^. FOURTEENTH PRESIDENT. fed^fJ»J»^ . -^^^^ ^^ FRANKLIN PIERCE. '4 ^^^^i^^ AAy^,4-.44..t».t «A ^5S€^nnP^ -.►^5=;'^ »<- •-'^vrm^ r RANKLIN PIERCE, the fourteenth President of the .A ^'United States, was born in Hillsborough, N. H., Nov. 23, 1804. His father was a Revolutionary soldier, who, with his own strong arm, hewed out a home in the wilderness. He was a man of inflexible integrity; of strong, though uncultivated mind, and an uncompromis- ing Democrat. The mother of Franklin Pierce was all that a son could desire, — an intelligent, pru- dent, affectionate. Christian wom- an. Franklin was the sixth of eight children. Franklin was a very bright and handsome boy, gen- erous, warm-hearted and brave. He won alike the love of old and young. The boys on the play ground loved him. His teachers loved him. The neighbors looked upon him with pride and affection. He was by instinct a gentleman; always speaking kind words, doing kind deeds, with a peculiar unstudied tact which taught him what was agreeable. Without de- veloping any iirecocity of genius, or any unnatural devotion to books, he was a good scholar ; in body, in mind, in affections, a finely-developed boy. When sixteen years of age, in the year 1820, he entered Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, Me. He was one of the most popular young men in the college. The purity of his moral character, the \mvarying courtesy of his demeanor, his rank as a scholar, and genial nature, rendered him a universal favorite. There was something very peculiarly winning in his address, and it was evidently not in the slightest de- gree studied : it was the simple outgushing of his own magnanimous and loving nature. Upon graduating, in the year 1824, Franklin Pierce commenced the study of law in the office of Judge Woodbury, one of the most distinguished lawyers of the State, and a man of great private worth. The eminent social qualities of the young lawyer, his father's prominence as a [jublic man, and the brilliant political career into which Judge Woodbury was en- tering, all tended to entice Mr. Pierce into the faci- nating yet perilous path of political life. With all the ardor of his nature he espoused the cause of Gen. Jackson for the Presidency. He commenced the practice of law in Hillsborough, and was soon elected to represent the town in the State Legislature. Here he served for four yeais. The last two years he was chosen speaker of the house by a very large vote. In 1833, at the age of twenty-nine, he was elected a member of Congress. Without taking an active part in debates, he was faithful and laborious in duty, and ever rising in the estimation of those with whom he was associatad. In 1837, being then but thirty-three years of age, he was elected to the Senate of the United States; taking his seat just as Mr. Van Buren commenced his administration. He was the youngest member in the Senate. In the year 1834. he married Miss Jane Means Appleton, a lady of rare beauty and accom- plishments, and one admirably fitted to adorn every station with wiiich her husband was honoied. Of the ■r " ^ m <» 72 FRANKLIN PIERCE. three sons who were born to them, all now sleep with their parents in the grave. In the year 1838, Mr. Pierce, with growing fame and increasing business as a lawyer, took up his residence in Concord, the capital of New Hampshire. President Polk, uix)n his accession to office, appointed Mr. Pierce attorney-general of the United .States ; but the offer was declined, in consequence of numerous professional engagements at home, and the precariuos state of Mrs. Pierce's health. He also, about the same time declined the nomination for governor by the Democratic party. The war with Mexico called Mr. Pierce in the army. Receiving the appointment of brigadier-general, he embarked, with a jxartion of his troops, at Newix)rl, R. I., on the 27th of May, 1847. He took an imixjrtant part in this war, proving him- self a brave and true soldier. When Gen. I'ierce reached his home in his native State, he was received enthusiastically by the advo- cates of the Mexican war, and coldly by his oppo- nents. He resumed the practice of his profession, very frequently taking an active part in ix)litical ques- tions, giving his cordial support to the pro-slavery wing of the Democratic party. The compromise measures met cordially with his approval; and he strenuously advocated the enforcement of the infa- mous fugitive-slave law, which so shocked the religious sensibilities of the North. He thus became distin- guished as a "Northern man with Southern principles.'' The strong partisans of slavery in the South conse- quently regarded him as a man whom they could safely trust in office to carry out their plans. On the 1 2th of June, 1852, the Democratic conven- tion met in Baltimore to nominate a candidate for the Presidency. For four days they continued in session, and in thirty-five ballotings no one had obtained a two-thirds vote. Not a vote thus far had been thrown for Gen. Pierce. Then the Virginia delegation brought forward his name. There were fourteen more ballotings, during which Gen. Pierce constantly gained strength, until, at the forty-ninth ballot, he received two hundred and eighty-two votes, and all other candidates eleven. Gen. Winfield Scott was the Whig candidate. Gen. Pierce was chosen with great unanimity. Only four States — Vermont, Mas- sachusetts, Kentucky and Tennessee — cast their electoral votes against him Gen. Franklin Pierce was therefore inaugurated President of the United States on the 4th of March, 1853. His administration proved one of the most stormy our country had ever experienced. The controversy be- tween slavery and freedom was then approaching its culminating |X)int. It became evident that there was an " irrepressible conflict " between them, and that this Nation could not long exist " half slave and half free." President Pierce, during the whole of his ad- ministration, did every thing he could to conciliate the South ; but it was all in vain. The conflict every year grew more violent, and threats of the dissolution of the Union were borne to the North on every South- ern breeze. Such was the condition of affairs when President Pierce approached the close of his four-years' temi of office. The Nortli had become thoroughly alien- ated from him. The anti-slavery sentiment, goaded by great outrages, had been rapidly increasing; all the intellectual ability and social worth of President Pierce were forgotten in deep reprehension of his ad- ministrative acts. The slaveholders of the South, also, unmindful of the fidelity with which he had advo- cated those measures of Government which they ajv proved, and perhaps, also, feeling that he had rendered himself so unpopular as no longer to be able acceptably to serve them, ungratefully dropped him, and nominated James Buchanan to succeed him. On the 4th of March, 1857, President Pierce re- tired to his home in Concord. Of three children, two had died, and his only surviving child had been killed before his eyes by a railroad accident ; and his wife, one of the most estimable and accomplished of ladies, was rapidly sinking in consumption. The hour of dreadful gloom soon came, and he was left alone in the world, without wife or child. Wlien the terrible Rebellion burst forth, which di- vided our country into two parties, and two only, Mr. Pierce remained steadfast in the principles which he had always cherished, and gave his sympathies to that pro-slavery party with which he had ever been allied. He declined to do anything, either by voice or pen, to strengthen the hand of the National Gov- ernment. He continued to reside in Concord until the time of his death, which occurred in October, 1869. He was one of the most genial and social of men, an honored communicant of the Episcopal Church, and one of the kindest of neighbors. Gen- erous to a fault, he contributed liberally for the al- leviation of suffering and want, and many of his towns- people were often gladened by his material bounty. cz ^-"^-'^^'ze^ G-^ucyJz^z/PZ^^^^^ u FIFTEENTH PRESIDENT •^►Hh-^ 75 -««e- ^mi''mi''mim!^'^^^^''i^^'^^^^ii^^^^^^'i^^^ "ffffu [Mi^ BBSHAiM-a] \-♦ -^»- AMES BUCHANAN, the fif- .teenth President of the United States, was born in a small frontier town, at the foot of the eastern ridge of the Allegha- nies, in Franklin Co., Penn., on the 23d of April, 1791. The place where the hunihle cabin of his father stood was called Stony Ratter. It was a wild and ro- mantic spot in a gorge of the moun- tains, with towering summits rising grandly all around. His father was a native of the north of Ireland ; a poor man, who had emigrated in 1 7 S3, with little property save his own strong arms. Five years afterwards he married Elizabeth Spear, the daughter of a respectable farmer, and, with his young bride, plunged into the wilder- ness, staked his claim, reared his log-luit, opened a clearing with his axe, and settled down there to per- form his obscure part in the d-rania of life. In this se- cluded home, where James was born, he remained for eight years, enjoying but few social or intellectual advantages. When James was eight years of age, his father removed to the village of Mercersburg, where his son was placed at school, and commenced a course of study in English, Latin and Greek. His progress was rapid, and at the age of fourteen, he entered Dickinson College, at Carlisle. Here he de- veloped remarkable talent, and took his stand among the first scholars in the institution. His application to study was intense, and yet his native powers en- <• abled him to master the most abstruse subjects with facility. In the year 1809, lie graduated with the highest honors of his class. He was then eighteen years of age; tall and graceful, vigorous in health, fond of athletic sport, an unerring shot, and enlivened with an exuberant flow of animal spirits. He immediately commenced the study of law in the city of Lancaster, and was admitted to the Ijar in 1812, when he was but twenty-one years of age. Very rapidly he rose in his profession, and at once took undisputed stand with the ablest lawyers of the State. When but twenty-six years of age, unaided by counsel, he suc- cessfully defended before the State Senate one of the judges of the State, who was tried upon articles of impeachment. At the age of thirty it was generally admitted that he stood at the liead of the bar; and there was no lawyer in the .State who had a more lu- crative practice. In 1820, he reluctantly consented to run us a candidate for Congress. He was elected, and for ten years he remained a member of the Lower House. During the vacations of Congress, he occasionally tried some important case. In 1831, he retired altogether from the toils of his profession, having ac- (|uired an ample fortune. Gen. Jackson, upon his elevation to the Presidency, appointed Mr. Buchanan minister to Russia. The duties of his mission he performed with ability, which gave satisfaction to all parties. Upon his return, in 1833, he was elected to a seat in the United .States Senate. He there met, as his associates, Webster, Clay, Wright and Calhoun. He advocated the meas- ures proposed by President Jackson, of making repri- .t 76 JAMES BUCHANAN. sals against France, to enforce the payment of our claims against that country ; and defended the course of the I'residenl in liis unprecedented and wholesale removal from office of tiiose who were not the suj)- porters of his adiuinistration. \}\)0\\ this question he was brought into direct collision with Henry Clay. He also, with voice and vote, advocated expunging from the journal of the Senate the vote of censure against (.len. Jackson for removing the deposits. Karnestly he opixjsed the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia, and urged the prohibition of the circulation of anti-slavery documents bv the United States mails. As to petitions on tlie subject of slavery, he advo- cated that they should be respectfully received; and that the re[>ly siiould be returned, that Congress had no [xjwer to legislate upon the subject. " Congress," said he, '■ might as well undertake to interfere with slavery under a foreign government as in any of the States where it nowe.xists." U|X5n -Mr. I'olk's accession to the Presidency, Mr. Buchanan became Secretary of -State, and as such, took his share of tlie resjxjnsibility in the conduct of the Mexican War. Mr. I'olk assumed that crossing the Nueces by the American troops into the disputed territory was not wrong, but for the Afexicans to cross the Rio Cirande into that territory was a declaration of war. No candid man can read with pleasure the account of the course our Ciovernment pursued in that movement Mr. Buchanan identified himself thoroughly with the |)arty devoted to the iJi-rpetuation and extension of slavery, and brought all the energies of his mind to bear against the Wilmot Proviso. He gave his cordial approval to the compromise measures of 1850, which included the fugitive-slave law. Mr. Pierce, upon his election to the Presidency, honored Mr. Buchanan with the mission to England. In the year 1856. a national Democratic conven- tion nominated Mr. Buchanan forthe Presidency. The political conflict was one of the most severe in which oir country has ever engaged. .-VII the friends of nlavery were on one side; all the advocates of its re- striction and final al)olition, on the other. Mr. Fre- mont, the candiilale of the enemies of slavery, re- ceived 114 electoral votes. Mr. Buchanan received 174, and was elected. The |X)pular vote stood 1,340,618, for Fremont, 1,224,750 for Buchanan. On March 4th, 1857. Mr. Buchanan was inaugurated. Mr. Buchanan was far advanced in life. Only four years were wanting to fill up his threescore years and ten. His own friends, those with whom he liad been allied in (jolitical principles and action for vears, were seeking the deslruction of tlie Ciovernment, that they might rear upon the ruins of our free institutions a nation whose corner-stone should be human slavery. [n this emereenrv, Mr. Buchanan was hopelessly be- >»nld^red He could not, with his long-avowed prin- I ciples, consistently opjx)se the State-rights party in i their assumptions. As President of the United States, t bound by his oath faithfully to administer the laws. [ he could not, without i)erjury of tiie grossest kind, unite with those endeavoring to overthrow the repub- lic. He tlierefore did nothing. The opiwnents of .Mr. Buchanan's administration nominated .\l)raham Lincoln as their standard bearer in the next I'residential canvass. The pro-slavery party declared, that if he were elected, and the con- trol of the Covernment were thus taken from their hands, they would secede from the Union, taking with them, as they retired, the National Capitol at Washington, and the lion's share of the territory of the United States. Mr. Buchanan's sympathy with the pro-slavery party was such, that he had been willing to offerthem far more tlian they had ventured to claim. All the South had professed to ask of the North was non- intervention upon the subject of slavery. Mr. Bu- chanan had been ready to offer them the active co- operation of the (jovernment to defend and extend the institution. As the storm increased in violence, the slaveholders claiming the right to secede, and Mr. Buchanan avow- ing that Congress had no \x)wer to prevent it, one of the most pitiaiile exhibitions of governmental im- becility was exhibited the world has ever seen. He declared that Congress had no ix)wer to enforce its laws in any State which had witlidrawn, or which was attempting to withdraw from tlie Union. This was not the doctrine of .Andrew Jackson, when, with his hand uixan his sword-hilt, he exclaimed. " The Union must and shall be preserved.'" South Carolina seceded in December, i860; nearly three months before the inauguration of President Lincoln. Mr. Buchanan looked on in listless despair. The rebel flag was raised in Charleston ; Fort Sampler was besieged ; our forts, navy-yards and arsenals were seized; our dejwls of military stores were plun- dered ; and t)ur custom-houses and iX)st-oflfices were appropriated by the rebels. The energy of the rebels, and the imbecility of our Executive, were alike marvelous. The Nation looked on in agony, waiting for the slow weeks to glide away, and close the administration, so terrible in its weak- ness At length the long-looked-for hour of deliver- ance came, when Abraham Lincoln was to receive the scepter. The administration of President Buchanan was certainly the most calamitous our country' has ex- perienced. His best friends cannot recall it with pleasure. .\nd still more deplorable it is for his fame, that in that dreadful conflict which rolled its billows of flame and blood over our whole land, no word came from his lips to indicate his wish that our country's banner should triumph over the flag of the rebellion. He died ^t his Wheatland retreat, June i, 1868. » P _ ■<■ . t <^ G^^^^3^*^<^T^ I <^ SIXTEENTH PRESIDENT. i ABRAHAM > ^>|^^ip < LINCOLN. > % ^^'^^^^^^^^^^J^D^^UMI^^ :i >■ :-'i=-^k.,W BRAHAM LINCOLN, the sixteenth President of the ^^United States, .was born in Hardin Co., Ky., Feb. 12, 1809. About the year 1 7 So, a man by the name of Abraham Lincohi left Virginia with his family and moved into the then wilds of Kentucky. Only two years after this emigration, still a young man, while working one day in a ''" field, was stealthily approached by an Indian and shot dead. His widow was left in extreme poverty with five little children, three boys and two girls. Thomas, the youngest of the boys, was four years of age at his father's death. This Thomas was the father of .\braham lincoln, the President of the United States whose name must henceforth fcever be enrolled with the most prominent in the annals of our world. Of course no record has been kept of the life of one so lowly as Thomas Lincoln. He was among the [Morest of the poor. His home was a wretched log -cabin; his food the coarsest and the meanest. Education he had none; he could never either read or write. .\s soon as he was able to do anything for himself, he was compelled to leave the cabin of his starving mother, and push out into the world, a friend- less, wandering boy, seeking work. He hired him- self out, and thus sjjent the whole of his youth as a laborer in the fields of others. When twenty-eight years of age he built a log- cabin of his own, and married Nancy Hanks, the daughter of another family of poor Kentucky emi- grants, who had also come from Virginia. Their second child was .\brahani Lincoln, the subject of this sketch. The mother of Abraham was a noble woman, gentle, loving, pensive, created to adorn a palace, doomed to toil and pine, and die in a hovel. "All that I am, or hope to be," exclaims the grate- ful son "I owe to my angel-mother. When he was eight years of age, his father sold his cabin and small farm, and moved to Lidiana. Where two years later his mother died. Abraham soon became the scribe of the uneducated community around him. He could not have had a better school than this to teach him to put thoughts into words. He also became an eager reader. The books he could obtain were few ; but these he read and re-read initil they were almost committed to memory. .As the years rolled on, the lot of tliis lowly family was the usual lot of humanity. Thi're were joys and griefs, weddings and funerals. Abraham's sister Sarah, to whom he was tenderly attached, was mar- ried when a child of but fourteen years of age, and soon died. The family was gradually scattered. Mr. Thomas Lincoln sold out his sipiatter's cl.aim in 1830, and emigrated to Macon Co., 111. Abraham Lincoln was then twenty-one years of age. With vigorous hands he aided his father in rearing another log-cabin. Abraham worked diligently at this until he saw the family comfortably settled, and their small lot of enclosed prairie planted with corn, when he announced to liis father his intention to leave home, and to go out into the world and seek his for- tune. Little did he or his friends imagine how bril- liant that fortune was to l^e. He saw the value of education and was intensely earnest to improve his mind to the utmost of his power. He saw the ruin which ardent spirits were causing, and liecame strictly temperate; refusing to allow a drop of ii mxi- cating liquor to pass his lips. .And he had read in God's word, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain;" and a profane expression he was never heard to utter. Religion he revered. His morals were pure, and he was uncontaminated by a single vice. Young Abraham worked for a time as a hired laborer among the farmers. Then he went to Springfield, where he was employed in building a large flat-boat. In this he took a herd of swine, floated them down the Sangamon to the Illinois, and thence by the Mis- sissippi to New Orleans. Whatever Abraham Lin- coln undertook, he performed so faithfully as to give great satisfaction to his employers. In this .ndven- -4•- 8o ABRAHAM LINCOLN. f ture his employers were so well pleased, that uiwn his return they placed a store and n.ill under his care. In 1832, at tlie outbreak of the Black Hawk war, he enlisted and was cliosen captain of a company. He returned to Sangamon County, and although only 23 years of age, was a candidate for the Legislature, but was defeated. He soon after received from Andrew Jackson the apix>intmentof Postmaster of New Salem, His only [xist-office was his hat. .Ml the letters he received he carried there ready to deliver to those he chanced to meet. He studied surveying, and soon made lliis liis Inisiness. In 1834 he again became a candidate for the Legislature, and was elected Mr. Stuart, of Springlield, advised him to study law. He walked from New Salem to Springfield, borrowed of Mr. Stuart a load of iiooks, carried them back and began his legal studies. When the Legislature as- seml)led he trudged on foot with liis pack on liis back one hundred miles to Vnndalia, then the capital. In 1836 he was re-elected to the Legislature. Here it was lie first met Stephen A. Douglas. In 1839 he re- moved to Springfield and began tlie i)ractice of law. His success with the jury was so great that he was soon engaged in almost every noted case in the circuit. In 1854 the great discussion began between Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Douglas, on the slavery (juestion. In the organization of tlie Republican party in Illinois, in 1856, he took an active part, and at once became one of the leaders in that party. Mr. Lincoln's speeches in op|X)sition to Senator Dougl.is in the con- test in iSjSforaseat in the Senate, form a most notable part of his history. Tlie issue was oii the ilavery ipiestion, ,ind he took the broad ground of .he Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal. Mr. Lincoln was defeated in this con- test, but won a far higher prize. The great Republican Convention met at Chicago on the r6th ot June, i860. The delegates and strangers who crowded the city amounted to twenty- five tliousand. .\n immense building called "The Wigwam," was reared to accommodate the Conven- tion. There were eleven candidates for whom votes were thrown. William H Seward, a man whose fame as a statesman had long filled the land, was the most urominent. It was generally supjxised he would be the nominee Abraham Lincoln, however, received the nomination on the third ballot. Little did he then dream of the weary years of toil and care, and the bloody death, to wliich that nomination doomed him: and aslittledid he dream that he was to render services to his country, which would fi.\ uixjn him the eyes of the whole civilized world, and which would give him a place in the affections of his countiymen, second only, if second, to that of Washington. Election day came and Mr. Lincoln received 180 electoral votes out of 203 cast, and was, therefore, constitutionally elected President of the United States. The tirade of abuse that vas poured upon this good and merciful man, especially by the slaveholders, was greater than upon any other man ever elected to this high iX)sition. In February, 1861, Mr. Lincoln started for Wasiiinglon, stopping in all tlie large cities on his way making speeches. The wiiole journey was frought with much danger. Many of the Southern States had already seceded, and several attempts at assassination were afterwards brought to light. .-X gang in Balti- more had arranged, ujx>n his arrival to" get up a row," and in the confusion to make sure of his death with revolvers and hand-grenades. A detective unravelled the plot. .\ secret and special train was provided to take him from Harrislnirg, through Baltimore, at an une.xpected hour of the night, 'i'he train started at half-past ten ; and to prevent any jxissible communi- cation on the part ot the Secessionists with their Con- federate gang in Baltimore, as soon as the train had started the telegraph-wires were cut. Mr. Lincoln readied Washington in safety and was inaugurated, although great anxiety was felt by all loyal people. In the selection of his cabinet Mr. Lincoln gave to .Mr Seward the Department of State, and to other prominent op|X)nents before the convention he gave important |)Ositions. During no other administration have the duties devolving upon the President been so manifold, and the resixjusibilities so great, as those which fell to the lot of President Lincoln. Knowing this, and feeling liis own weakness and inability to meet, and in his own strength to cope with, the difficulties, he learned early to seek Divine wisdom and guidance in determining his plans, and Divine comfort in all his trials, bo'h personal and national. Contrary to his own estimate of himself, Mr. Lincoln was one of the most courageous of men. He went directly into the rebel capital just as the retreating foe was leaving, with no guard but a few sailors. From the time he had left Springfield, in 1861, however, plans had been made for his assassination, and he at last fell a victim to one of them, .\pril 14, 1865, he, with Gen. Grant, was urgently invited to attend Fords' Theater. If was announced that they wouiti l,e present. Gen. Grant, however, left the city. President Lincoln, feel- ing, with his characteristic kindliness of heart, that it would be a disap[X)intmeiit if he should fail them, very reluctantly consented to go. While listening to the jilay an actor by the name of John \\'ilkes Booth entered the box where the President and family were seated, and fired a bullet into his brains. He died the next morning at seven o'clock. Never before, in the history of the world was a nation jdnnged into such dee|) grief by the death of its ruler. Strong men met in the streets and we])t in speechless anguish. It is not too much to say that a nation was in tears. His was a life which will fitly become a model. His name as the savior of his country wnll live with that of Washington's, its father; hiscountry- men being unable to decide which is the greater. »►-■- ^6<^ %^^^ -4»- S£ VENTEENTH PRESIDENT. ; > i AWAy.*.'lgg ! g^t.:'':'-f77r'"w:" NDREW JOHNSON, seven- Jteenth President of the United States. The early life of Andrew Johnson contains but the record of poverty, destitu- tion and friendlessness. He was born December 29, 1808, in Raleigh, N. C. His parents, belonging to the class of the "poor whites " of the South, were in such circumstances, that they could not confer even the slight- est advantages of education ujxjn their child. When Andrew was five years of age, his father accidentally lost his life while herorically endeavoring to save a friend from drowning. Until ten years of age, Andrew was a ragged boy about the streets, supixsrted by the labor of his mother, who obtained her living with her own hands. He then, having never attended a school one day, and being unable either to read or write, was ap- prenticed to a tailor in his native town. A gentleman was in the habit of going to the tailor's shop occasion- ally, and reading to the boys at work there. He often read from the speeches of distinguished British states- men. Andrew, who was endowed with a mind of more than ordinary native ability, became much interested in these speeches ; his ambition was roused, and he was inspired with a strong desire to learn to read. He accordingly applied himself to tlie alpliabet, and with the assistance of some of his fellow-workmen, learned his letters. He then called upon the gentle- man to borrow the book of speeches. The owner, pleased with his zeal, not only gave him the book, but assisted him in learning to combine the letters into words. Under such difficulties he pressed on- ward laboriously, spending usually ten or twelve hours at work in the shop, and then robbing himself of rest and recreation to devote such time as he could to reading. He went to Tennessee in 1826, and located at Greenville, where he married a young lady who pos- sessed some education. Under her instructions he learned to write and cipher. He became prominent in the village debating society, and a favorite with the students of Greenville College. In 1828, he or- ganized a working man's party, which elected him alderman, and in 1830 elected him mayor, which position he held three years. He now began to take a lively interest in political affairs ; identifying himself with the working-classes, to which he belonged. In 1835, he was elected a member of the House of Representatives of Tennes- see. He was then just twenty-seven years of age. He became a very active member of the legislature, gave his adhesion to the Democratic party, and in 1840 "stumped the State," advocating Martin Van Buren's claims to the Presidency, in opposition to those of Gen. Harrison. In this campaign he acquired much readiness as a speaker, and extended and increased his reputation. In 1841, he was elected State Senator; in 1843, he was elected a member of Congress, and by successive elections, held that imix)rtant post for ten years. In 1853, he was elected Governor of Tennessee, and was re-elected in 1855. In all these resixsnsible posi- tions, he discharged his duties with distinguished abil- i~ u !i. 84 •«► ANDRE \V JOHNSON. ity, and proved himself the warm friend of the work- ing classes. In 1857, Mr. Johnson was elected United States Senator. Years before, in 1845, he had warmly advocated the annexation of Texas, stating however, as his reason, that he thought this annexation would prob- ably prove " to be the gateway out of which the sable sons of Africa are to pass from bondage to freedom, and become merged in a [xspulation congenial to themselves." In 1850, he also supix)rted the com- promise measures, the two essential features of which were, that the white people of the Territories should be permitted to decide for themselves whether they would enslave the colored people or not, and that the free States of the North should return to the South persons who attempted to escape from slavery. Mr. Johnson was neverashamedof his lowly origin: on the contrary, he often took pride in avowing that he owed his distinction to his own exertions. "Sir," said he on the floor of the Senate, " I do not forget that I am a mechanic ; neither do I forget that .\dam was a tailor and sewed fig-leaves, and that our Sav- ior was the son of a carpenter." In the Charleston- Baltimore convention of iSuj, ne was the choice of the Tennessee Democrats for the Presidency. In 1861, when the purpose of the South- ern Democracy became apparent, he took a decided stand in favor of the Union, and held that " slavery must be held subordinate to the Union at whatever cost." He returned to Tennessee, and repeatedly imperiled his own life to protect the Unionists of Tennesee. Tennessee having seceded from the Union, President Lincoln, on March 4th, 1862, ap- pointed him Military Governor of the State, and he established the most stringent military rule. His numerous proclamations attracted wide attention. In 1864, he was elected Vice-President of the United States, and upon the death of Mr. Lincoln, April 15, 1865, became President. In a speech two days later he said, " The .\merican people must be taught, if they do not already feel, that treason is a crime and must be punished ; that the Government will not always bear with its enemies ; that it is strong not only to protect, but to punish. * * The people must understand that it (treason) is the blackest of crimes, and will surely be punished." Yet his whole administration, the history of which is so well known, was in utter inconsistency with, and the most violent opjxjsition to, the principles laid down in that speech. In his loose policy of reconstruction and general amnesty, he was opposed by Congress ; and he char- acterized Congress as a new rebellion, and lawlessly defied it, in everything possible, to the utmost. In the beginniiig of 1868, on account of "high crimes and misdemeanors," the principal of which was the removal of Secretary Stanton, in violation of the Ten- ure of Office Act, articles of impeachment were pre- ferred against him, and the trial began March 23. It was very tedious, continuing for nearly three months. .\ test article of the impeachment was at length submitted to the court for its action. It was certain that as the court voted upon that article so would it vote upon all. Thirty-four voices pronounced the President guilty. As a two-thirds vote was neces- sary to his condemnation, he was pronounced ac- quitted, notwithstanding the great majority against him. The change of one vote from the not guilty side would have sustained the impeachment. The President, for the remainder of his temi, was but little regarded. He continued, though impotently, his conflict with Congress. His own party did not think it expedient to renominate him for the Presi- dency. The Nation rallied, with enthusiasm unpar- alleled since the days of Washington, around the name of Gen. Grant. Andrew Johnson was forgotten. The bullet of the assassin introduced him to the President's chair. Notwithstanding this, never was there presented to a man a better opportunity to im- mortalize his name, and to win the gratitude of a nation. He failed utterly. He retired to his home in Gree«ville, Tenn., taking no verj' active part in politics until 1875. On Jan. 26, after an exciting struggle, he was chosen by the Legislature of Ten- nessee, United States Senator in the forty-fourth Con- gress, and took his seat in that body, at the special session convened by President Grant, on the 5th of March. On the 27th of July, 1875, the ex-President made a visit to his daughter's home, near Carter Station, Tenn. When he started on his journey, he was apparently in his usual vigorous health, but on reach- ing the residence of his child the following day, was stricken with paralysis, rendering him unconscious. He rallied occasionally, but finally passed away at 2 A.M., July 31, aged sixty-seven years. His fun- eral was attended at Geenville, on the 3d of August, with every demonstration of respect. t (^^OtJ^^CT l~ EIGHTEENTH PRESIDENT. 87 LYSSES S. GRANT, the ■^ eighteenth President of the S>'United States, was born on the 29th of April, 1822, of Christian parents, in a humble home, at Point Pleasant, on the banks of the Ohio. Shortly after his father moved to George- town, Brown Co., O. In this re- mote frontier hamlet, Ulysses received a common-school edu- cation. At the age of seven- teen, in the year 1839, he entered the Military Academy at West Point. Here he was regarded as a solid, sensible young man of fair abilities, and of sturdy, honest character. He took respectable rank as a scholar. In June, 1843, he graduated, about the middle in his class, and was sent as lieutenant of in- fantry to one of the distant military posts in the Mis- souri Territory. Two years he past in these dreary solitudes, watching the vagabond and exasperating Indians. The war with Mexico came. Lieut. Grant was sent with his regiment to Corpus Christi. His first battle was at Palo Alto. There was no chance here for the exhibition of either skill or heroism, nor at Resaca de la Palma, his second battle. At the battle of Monterey, his third engagement, it is said that he performed a signal service of daring and skillful horsemanship. His brigade had exhausted its am- munition. A messenger must be sent for more, along a route exposed to the bullets of the foe. Lieut. Grant, adopting an expedient learned of the Indians, grasped the mane of his horse, and hanging upon one side of the aniro.al, ran the gauntlet in entire safety. From Monterey he was sent, with the fourth infantry, to aid Gen. Scott, at the siege of Vera Cruz. In preparation for the march to the city of Mexico, he was appointed quartermaster of his regiment. At the battle of Molino del Rey, he was promoted to a first lieutenancy, and was brevetted captain at Cha- pultepec. At the close of the Mexican War, Capt. Grant re- turned with his regiment to New York, and was again sent to one of the military posts on the frontier. The discovery of gold in California causing an immense tide of emigration to flow to the Pacific shores, Capt. Grant was sent with a battalion to Fort Dallas, in Oregon, for the protection of the interests of the im- migrants. Life was wearisome in those wilds. Capt. Grant resigned his commission and returned to the States; and having married, entered upon the cultiva- tion of a small farm near St. Louis, Mo. He had but little skill as a farmer. Finding his toil not re- munerative, he turned to mercantile life, entering into the leather business, with a younger brother, at Ga- lena, III. This was in the year i860. As the tidings of the rebels firing on Fort Sumpter reached the ears of Capt. Grant in his counting-room, he said, — "Uncle Sam has educated me for the army; though I have served him through one war, I do not feel that I have yet repaid the debt. I am still ready to discharge my obligations. I shall therefore buckle on my sword and see Uncle Sam through this war too." He went into the streets, raised a company of vol- unteers, and led them .as their captain to Springfield, the capital of the State, where their services were offered to Gov. Yates. The Governor, impressed by the zeal and straightforward executive ability of Capt. Grant, gave him a desk in his office, to assist in the volunteer organization that was being formed in the State in behalf of the Government. On the T5th of t « ► ■ Mm- 88 l/L VSSZiS S. GRA NT. June, 1861, Capt. Grant received a commission as Colonel of the Twenty-first Regiment of Illinois Vol- unteers. His merits as a West Point graduate, who had served for 15 years in the regular army, were such that he was soon promoted to the rank of Brigadier- General and was placed in command at Cairo. Tiie rebels raised their banner at Faducah, near the moutli of the Tennessee River. Scarcely had its folds ap- peared in the breeze ere Gen. Grant was there. Thc rebels fled. Their banner fell, and the star and stripes were unfurled in its stead. He entered the service with great determination and immediately began active duty. This was the be- ginning, and until the surrender of Lee at Richmond he was ever pushing the enemy with great vigor and effectiveness. At Hclinont, a few days later, he sur- prised and routed the rebels, then at Fort Henry won another victory. Then came the brilliant fight at Fort Donelson. The nation was electrified by the victory, and the brave leader of the boys in blue was immediately made a M.njor-General, and the military district of Tennessee was assigned to him. Like all great captains. Gen. Grant knew well how to secure the results of victory. He immediately pushed on to the enemies' lines. Then came the terrible battles of Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, and the siege of Vicksburg, where Gen. Pemberton made an unconditional surrender of the city with over thirty thousand men and one-hundred and seventy-two can- non. The fall of Vicksburg was by far the most severe blow which the rebels had thus far encountered, and opened up the Mississippi from Cairo to the Gulf. (ien. Grant was next ordered to co-operate with Gen. Banks in a movement upon Texas, and pro- ceeded to New Orleans, where he was thrown from his horse, and received severe injuries, from which he was laid up for months. He then rushed to the aid of Gens. Rosecrans and Thomas at Chattanooga, and by a wonderful series of strategic and technical meas- ures put the Union Army in fighting condition. Then followed the bloody battles at Chattanooga, Lookout' Mountain and Missionary Ridge, in which the rebels were routed with great loss. This won for him un- bounded praise in the North. On the 4th of Febru- ary, 1864, Congress revived the grade of lieutenant- general, and the rank was conferred on Gen. Grant. He repaired to Washington to receive his credentials and enter upon the duties of his new office. Gen. Grant decided as soon as he took charge of the army to concentrate the widely-dispersed National troops for an attack ujxjn Richmond, the nominal capital of the Rebellion, and endeavor there to de- stroy the rebel armies which would be promptly as- sembled from all quarters for its defence. The whole continent seemed to tremble under the tramp of these majesric armies, rushing to the decisive battle field. .Steamers were crowded with troops. Railway trains were burdened with closely packed thousands. His plans were comprehensive and involved a series of campaigns, which were e.xecuted with remarkable en- ergy and ability, and were consummated at the sur- render of Lee, April 9, 1865. The war was ended. The Union was saved. Tlie almost unanimous voice of the Nation declared Gen. Grant to lie the most prominent instrument in its sal- vation. The eminent services he had thus rendered the country Ijrought him conspicuously forward as the Repul)lican candidate for the Presidential chair. At the Republican Convention held at Chicago, May 21, 1 868, he was unanimously nominated for the Presidency, and at the autumn election received a majority of tlie ]X)pular vote, and 2 14 out of 294 electoral votes. The National Convention of the Republican party which met at Philadelphia on the 5th of June, 1872, placed Gen. Grant in nomination for a second tenii by a unanimous vote. The selection was emphati- cally indorsed by the people five months later, 292 electoral votes being cast for him. Soon after the close of his second term, Gen. Grant started upon his famous trip around the world. He visited almost every country of the civilized world, and was everywhere received with such ovations and demonstrations of respect and honor, private as well as public and official, as were never before bestowed ujxsn any citizen of the United .States. He was the most prominent candidate before the Republican National Convention in 1880 for a re- nomination for President. He went to New York and embarked in the brokerage business under the firm nameof Grant & Ward. The latter proved a villain, wrecked Grant's fortune, and for larceny was sent to the penitentiary. The General was attacked with cancer in the throat, but suffered in his stoic-like manner, never complaining. He was re-instated as General of the .\rmy and retired by Congress. The cancer soon finished its deadly work, and July 23, 1885, tlie nation went in mourning over the death of the illustrious General. •► =r ^'^'-v-^t-O-A? •>^1f^<^ i NINETEENTH TRESIDENT. 9» RUTHERi:ORD B. HJLTES. rli'^'^':^'^'§al'^^;^■^^^.^;^l■<;.•^^;a^;l^.;^v.;•^VlV^JU'■^;>u;.u^^ UTHERFORD B. HAYES, the nineteenth President of the United States, was born in Delaware, O., Oct. 4, 1822, al- most three months after the death of his father, Rutherford Hayes. His ancestry on both the paternal and maternal sides, was of the most honorable char- acter. It can be traced, it is said, as far back as 1280, when Hayes and Rutherford were two Scottish chief- tains, fighting side by side with Baliol, William Wallace and Robert Bruce. Both families belonged to the nobility, owned extensive estates, and had a large following. Misfor- tune overtaking the family, George Hayes left Scot- land in 1680, and settled in Windsor, Conn. His son George was born in Windsor, and remained there during his life. Daniel Hayes, son of the latter, mar- ried Sarah Lee, and lived from the time of his mar- riage until his death in Simsbury, Conn. Ezekiel, son of Daniel, was born in 1724, and was a manufac- turer of scythes at Bradford, Conn. Rutherford Hayes, son of Ezekiel and grandfather of President Hayes, was born in New Haven, in August, 1756. He was a farmer, blacksmith and tavern-keeper. He emigrated to Vermont at an unknown date, settling in Brattleboro, where he established a hotel. Here his son Ruth- erford Hayes the father of President Hayes, was born. He was married, in September, 1813, to Sophia Birchard, of Wilmington, Vt., whose ancestors emi- grated thither from Connecticut, they having been among the wealthiest and best famlies of Norwich. Her ancestr)' on the male side are traced back to 1635, to John Birchard, one of the principal founders of Norwich. Both of her grandfathers were soldiers in the Revolutionary War. The father of President Hayes was an industrious, frugal and opened-hearted man. He was of a me- chanical turn, and could mend a plow, knit a stock- ing, or do almost anything else that he choose to undertake. He was a member of the Church, active in all the benevolent enterprises of the town, and con- ducted his business on Christian principles. After the close of the war of 181 2, for reasons inexphcable to his neighbors, he resolved to emigrate to Ohio. The journey from Vermont to Ohio in that day, when there were no canals, steamers, nor railways, was a very serious affair. A tour of inspection was first made, occupying four months. Mr. Hayes deter- mined to move to Delaware, where the family arrived in 1817. He died July 22, 1822, a victim of malarial fever, less than three months before the birth of the son, of whom we now write. Mrs. Hayes, in her sore be- reavement, found the support she so much needed in her brother Sardis, who had been a member of the household from the day of its departure from Ver- mont, and in an orphan girl whom she had adopted some time before as an act of charity. Mrs. Hayes at this period was very weak, and the subject of this sketch was so feeble at birth that he was not expected to live beyond a month or two at most. As the months went by he grew weaker and weaker, so that the neighbors were in the habit of in- (luiringfrom time to lime " if Mrs. Hayes' baby died last night." On one occasion a neighbor, who was on familiar terms with the family, after alluding to the boy's big head, and the mother's assiduous care of him, said in a bantering way, " That's right! Stick to him. Vou have got him along so far, and I shouldn't wonder if he would really come to something yet." " You need not laugh," said Mrs. Hayes. " You wait and see. You can't tell but I shall make him Pre.sident of the United States yet." The boy lived, in spite of the universal predictions of his speedy death; and when, in 1825, his older brother was drowned, he became, if jxjssible, still dearer to his mother. The boy was seven years old before he went to school. His education, however, was not neglected. He probably learned as much from his mother and sister as he would have done at school. His sports were almost wholly within doors, his playmates being his sister and her associates. These circumstances tended, no doubt, to foster that gentleness of dispo- sition, and that delicate consideration for the feelings of others, which are marked traits of his character. His uncle Sardis Birchard took the deepest interest in his education ; and as the boy's health had im- proved, and he was making good progress in his studies, he proix)sed to send him to college. His pre- paration commenced with a tutor at home; bat he was afterwards sent for one year to a professor in the Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Conn. He en- tered kenyon College in 1838, ai the age of sixteen, and was graduated at the head of his class in 1842. Immediately after his graduation he began the study of law in the oflfice of Thomas Sparrow, Esq., in Columbus. Finding his opportunities for study in Columbus somewhat limited, he determined to enter the Law School at Cambridge, Mass., where he re- mained two years. In 1845, after graduatmg at the Law School, he was admitted to the bar at Marietta, Oliio, and shortly afterward went into practice as an attorney-at-law witli Ralph 1'. Buckland, of Fremont. Here he re- mained three years, acquiring but a limited practice, and apparently unambitious of distinction in his pro- fession. In 1849 he moved to Cincmnati, where his ambi- tion found a new stimulus. For several years, how- ever, his progress was slow. Two events, occurring at this period, had a jxiwerful influence ui)on his subse- quent life. One of these was his marrage with Miss Lucy Wnre Webb, daughter of Dr. James Webb, of Cliilicothe; the other was his introduction to the Cin- cinnati Literary Club, a body embracing among its members such men as'^hief Justice Salmon P. Chase, Gen. John Pope, Gov. Edward F. Noyes, and many others hardly less distinguished in after life. The marriage was a fortunate one in every respect, as everybody knows. Not one of all the wives of our Presidents was more universally admired, reverenced and beloved than was Mrs. Hayes, and no one did more than she to reflect honor upon American woman- hood. The Literary Cluu brought Mr. Hayes into constant association with young men of high char- acter and noble aims, and lured him to display the qualities so long hidden by his bashfulness and modesty. In 1856 he was nominated to the office of Judge of the Court of Common Pleas; but he declined to ac- cept the nomination. Two years later, the office of city solicitor becoming vacant, the City Council elected him for the unexpired term. In 1 86 1, when the Rebellion broke out, he was at the zeuitli of his professional life. His rank at the bar was among the the first. But the news of the attack on Fort Sumpter found him eager to take up arms for the defense of his country. I lis military record was bright and illustrious. In October, 186 1, he was made Lieutenant-Colonel, and in August, 1862, promoted Colonel of the 79th Ohio regiment, but he refused to leave his old comrades and go among strangers. Subsequently, however, he was made Colonel of his old regiment. At the battle of South Mountain he received a wound, and while faint and bleeding displayed courage and fortitude that won admiration from all. Col. Hayes was detached from liis regiment, after his recovery, to act as Brigadier-General, and jilaced in command of the celebrated Kanawha division, and for gallant and meritorious services in the battles of Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, he was promoted Brigadier-General. He was also brevetted Major-General, "for gallant and distinguished fervices during the campaigns of 1864, in West Virginia." In the course of his arduous services, four horses were shot from under him, and he was wounded four times. In 1864, Gen. Hayes was elected to Congress, from the Second Ohio District, whicli had long been Dem- ocratic. He was not present during the campaign, and after his election was imiwrtuned to resign his commission in the army ; but he finally declared, " I shall never come to Washington until I can come bv the way of Richmond." He was re-elected in 1S66. In 1867, Gen Hayes was elected Governor of Ohio, over Hon. .\llen G. Thurman, a jwpular Democrat. In 1869 was re-elected over George H. Pendleton. He was elected Governor for the third term in 1875. In 1876 he was the standard bearer of the Repub- lican Party in the Presidential contest, and after a hard long contest was chosen President, and was in aunurated Monday, March 5, 1875. He served his full term, not, h wever, with satisfaction to his |:g<»SK$*^K$»^;-g^'Si;!j«^:C$*$A$#$^ AMES A. GARFIELD, twen- tieth President of the United States, was born Nov. 19, 1 83 1, in the woods of Orange, Cuyahoga Co., O His par- ents were Abram and EUza (Ballou) Garfield, both of New England ancestry and from fami- j, lies well known in the early his- ^\ tory of that section of oar coun- try, but had moved to the Western Reserve, in Ohio, early in its settle- ment. The house in which James A. was born was not unlike the houses of poor Ohio farmers of that day. It ,,ds about 20x30 feet, built of logs, with the spaces be- tween the logs filled with clay. His father was a nard working farmer, and he soon had his fields :;leared, an orchard planted, and a log barn built. The household comprised the father and mother and iheir four children — Mehetabel, Thomas, Mary and james. In May, 1823, the father, from a cold con- tracted in helping to put out a forest fire, died. At ihis time James was about eighteen months old, and Thomas about ten years old. No one, ])erhaps, can tell how much James was indebted to his biother's toil and self-sacrifice during the twenty years suc- ceeding his father's death, but undoubtedly very much. He now lives in Michigan, and the two sis- ters live in Solon, O., near their birthplace. The early educational advantages young Garfield enjoyed were very limited, yet he made the most of ihem. He labored at farm work for others, did car- penter work, chopped wood, or did anything that would bring in a few dollars to aid his widowed mother in he' struggles to keep the little family to- gether. Nor was Gen. Garfield ever ashamed of his origin, and he never forgot the friends of his strug- gling childhood, youth and manhood, neither did they ever forget him. When in the highest seats of honor, the humblest fiiend of his boyhood was as kindly greeted as ever. The poorest laborer was sure of the sympathy of one who had known all the bitterness of want and the sweetness of bread earned by the sweat of the brow. He was ever the simple, plain, modest gentleman. The highest ambition of young Garfield until he was about sixteen years old was to be a captain of a vessel on Lake Erie. He was anxious to go aboard a vessel, which his mother strongly opposed. She finally consented to his going to Cleveland, with the understanding, however, that he should try to obtain some other kind of employment. He walked all the way to Cleveland. This was his first visit to the city. After making many applications for work, and trying to get aboard a lake vessel, and not meeting with success, he engaged as a driver for his cousin, Amos Letcher, on the Ohio & Pennsylvania Canal. He re- mained at this work but a short time when he went home, and attended the seminary at Chester for about three years, when he entered Hiram and the Eclectic Institute, teaching a few terms of school in the meantime, and doing other work. This school was started by the Disciples of Christ in 1850, of which church he was then a member. He became janitor and bell-ringer in order to help pay Iiis way. He then became both teacher and pupil. He soon " exhausted Hiram " and needed more ; hence, in the fall of 1S54, he entered Williams College, from which he graduated in 1856, taking one of the highest hon- ors of his class. He afterwards returned to Hiram College as its President. As above stated, he early united with the Christian or Diciples Church at Hiram, and was ever after a devoted, zealous mem- ber, often preaching in its pulpit and places where he happened to be. Dr. Noah Porter, President of Yale College, says of him in reference to his religion : t 4 4*- -^ .t 96 JAMES A. GARFIELD. " President Garfield was more than a man of strong moral and religious convictions. His whole history, from boyhood to the last, shows that duty to man and to God, and devotion to Christ and life and faith and spiritual commission were controlling springs of his being, and to a more than usual degree. In my judgment there is no more interesting feature of his character than his loyal allegiance to the body of Christians in which he was trained, and the fervent sympathy which he ever showed in their Christi.in communion. Not many of the few 'wise and mighty and noble who are called' show a similar loyalty to the less stately and cultured Christian comnmnions in which they have been reared. Too often it is true that as they step upward in social and jwlitical sig- nificance they step upward from one degree to another in some of the many types of fashionable Christianity. President Garfield adhered to the ciiurch of his mother, the church in which he was trained, and in which he served as a pillar and an evangelist, and yet with the largest and most unsec- larian charity for all 'who love our Lord in sincerity.'" Mr. Garfield was united in marriage with Miss Lucretia Rudolph, Nov. 1 1, 1858, who proved herself worthy as the wife of one whom all the world loved and mourned. To them were born seven children, five of whom are still living, four boys and one girl. Mr. Garfield made his first political speeches in 1856, in Hiram and the neighboring villages, and three years later he began to speak at county mass-meet- ings, and became the favorite speaker wherever he was. During this year he was elected to the Ohio Senate. He also began to study law at Cleveland, and in 1S61 was admitted to the bar. The great Rebellion broke out in the early part of this year, and Mr. Garfield at once resolved to fight as he had talked, and enlisted to defend the old flag. He re- ceived his commission as Lieut. -Colonel of the Forty- second Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Aug. 14, 1861. He was immediately ])ut into active ser- vice, and before he had ever seen a gun fired in action, was placed in command of four regiments of infantrj' and eight companies of cavalry, charged with the work of driving out of his native State the oflicer (Humphrey M^.rshall) reputed to be the ablest of those, not educated to war whom Kentucky had given to the Rebellion. This work was bravely and speed- ily accomplished, although against great odds. Pres- ident Lincoln, on his success connnissioned him Brigadier-Cieneral, Jan. 10, 1862; and as "he had been the youngest man in the Ohio Senate two years before, so now he was the youngest General in the army." He was with Gen. Buell's army at Shiloh, in its operations around Corinth and its march through .Alabama. He was tlien detailed as a member of the General Couit-Martial for the trial of Gen. Fitz-John Porter. He was then ordered to reixjrt to Gen. Rose- crans, and was assigned to the "Chief of Staff." The military l''story of Gen. Garfield closed with his brilliant services at Chickamauga, where he won the stars of the Major-General. Without an effort on his part Gen. Garfield was elected to Congress in the fall of 1862 from the Nineteenth District of Ohio. This section of Ohio had been represented in Congress for si.vty years mainly by two men — Elisha ^Vhittlesey and Joshua R. Giddings. It was not without a struggle that he resigned his place in the army. At the time he en- tered Congress he was the youngest member in that body. There he remained by successive re- elections until he was elected President in 1880. Of liis labors in Congress Senator Hoar says : " Since the year 1864 you cannot think of a question which has been debated in Congress, or discussed before a tribunel of the American people, in regard to which you will not find, if you wish mstruction, the argu- ment on one side stated, in almost every instance better than by anybody else, in some speech made in the House of Representatives or on the hustings by Mr. Garfield." Uixin Jan. 14, 1880, (ien. Garfield was elected to the U. S. Senate, and on the eighth of June, of the same year, was nominated as the candidate of his party for President at the great Chicago Convention. He was elected in the following November, and on March 4, 1881, was inaugurated. Probably no ad- ministration ever opened its existence under brighter auspices than that of President Garfield, and every day it grew in favor with the people, and by the first of July he had completed all the initiator)' and pre- liminary work of his administration and was prepar- ing to leave the city to meet his friends at Williams College. While on his way and at the deixjt, in com- pany with Secretary Blaine, a man stepped behind him, drew a revolver, and fired directly at his back. The President tottered and fell, and as he did so the assassin fired a second shot, the bullet cutting the left coat sleeve of his victim, but in.licting no further injury. It has been very truthfully said that this was " the shot that was heard round the world " Never before in the history of tlie Nation had anything oc- curred which so nearly froze the blood of the people for the moment, as this awful deed. He was smit- ten on the briglitest, gladdest day of all his life, and was at the summit of his power and ho|)e. For eighty days, all during the hot months of July and August, he lingered and suffered. He, however, remained master of himself till the last, and by his magnificent bearing was teaching the countrj' and the world the noblest of human lessons — how to live grandly in the very clutch of death. Great in life, he was surpass- ingly great in death. He passed serenely away Sept. 19, 1883, at Elberon, N. J., on the very bank of the ocean, where he had been taken shortly ])revious. The world wept at his death, as it never had done on the death of any other man who had ever lived upon it. The murderer was duly tried, found guiltv and exe- cuted, in one year after he committed the foul deed. 1\ ea. ■^•- TWENTY.FIRST PRESIDENT. ^i^l-40 99 HESTER A. ARTHUR, twenty-first Pres!':^iii of the United States, was born in Franklin Cour ty, Vermont, on thefifthof Oc'ober, 1830, and is the oldest of a family of two sons and five daughters. His father was the Rev. Dr. William Arthur, a Baptistd'.rgyman, who emigrated to tb.s counti^ from the county Antrim, Ireland, in his i8th year, and died in 1875, in Newton ville, neai .Mbany, after a long and successful ministry. Young Arthur was educated at Union College, S< henectady, where he excelled in all his studies. Af- ter his graduation he taught school in Vermont for two years, and at the expiration of that time came to New York, with $500 in his pocket, and entered the office of ex-Judge E. D. Culver as student. After being admitted to the bar he formed a partnership with his intimate friend and room-mate, Henry D. Gardiner, with the intention of practicing in the West, and for three months they roamed about in the Western States in search of an eligible site, but in the end returned to New York, where they hung out their shingle, and entered upon a success- ful career almost from the start. General Arthur soon afterward raaTr'^d the daughter of Lieutenant Herndon, of the United States Navy, who was lost at sea. Congress voted a gold medal to his widow in recognition of the bravery he displayed on that occa- sion. Mrs. Arthur died shortly before Mr. Arthur's nommation to the Vice Presidency, leaving two children. Gen. Arthur obtained considerable legal celebrity in his first great case, the famous Lemmon suit, brought to recover possession of eight slaves who had been declared free by Judge Paine, of the Superior Court of New York City. It was in 1852 that Jon, athan Lemmon, of Virginia, went to New York with his slaves, intending to ship them to Texas, when they were discovered and freed. The Judge decided that they could not be held by the owner under the Fugitive Slave Law. A howl of rage went up from the South, and the Virginia Legislature authorized the Attorney General of that State to assist in an appeal. Wm. M. Evarts and Chester A. Arthur were employed to represent the People, and they won their case, which then went to the Supreme Court of the United States. Charles O'Conor here esjxsused the cause of the slave-holders, but he too was beaten by Messrs. Evarts and Arthur, and a long step was taken toward the emancipation of the black race. Another great service was rendered by Gener.n! Arthur in the same cause in 1856. Lizzie Jennings, a respectable colored woman, was put off a Fourth Avenue car with violence after she had paid her fare. General Arthur sued on her behalf, and secured a verdict of $500 damages. The next day the compa- ny issued an order to admit colored persons to ride on their cars, and the other car companies quickly \9 ICK ■•► CHESTER A. ARTHUK. ■:\ i followed their example. Before that the Sixth Ave- nue Company ran a few special cars for colored per- sons and the other lines refused to let them ride at all. General Arthur was a delegate to the Convention at Saratoga that founded the Republican jjarty. Previous to the war he was Judge -Advocate of the Second Brigade of the State of New York, and Gov- ernor Morgan, of that State, apiwinted hnn Engineer- in-Chief of his staff. In 1861, he was made Inspec- tor General, and soon afterward became Quartermas- ter-General. In each of these offices he rendered great service to the Government during the war. At the end of Governor Morgan's term he resumed the practice of the law, forming a partnership with Mr. Ransom, and then Mr. Phelps, the District Attorney of New York, was added to tlic finn. The legal prac- tice of this well-known firm was very large and lucra- tive, e;ich of the gentlemen composing it were able lawyers, and possessed a splendid local reputation, if not indeed one of national extent. He always took a leading part in State and city politics. He was appointed Collector of the Port of New York by President Grant, Nov. 21 1872, to suc- ceed Thomas Murphy, and held the office until July, 20, 1878, when he was succeeded by Collector Merritt. Mr. Arthur was nominated on the Presidential ticket, with Gen. James S.. Garfield, at the famous National Republican Convention held at Chicago in June, 1880. This was perhaps the greatest jwlitical convention that ever assembled on the continent. It was composed of the leading politicians of the Re- publican party, all able men, and each stood firm and fought vigorously and with signal tenacity for tlieir resi^ective candidates that were before the conven- tion for the nomiruition. Finally Gen. Garfield re- ceived the nomination for President and Gen. Arthur for Vice-President. The campaign which followed was one of the most animated known in the history of our countr)'. Gen. Hancock, the standard-bearer of the Democratic party, was a iK)i)ular man, and his party made a valiant fight for his election. Finally the election came and the country's choice was Garfield and Arthur. They were inaugurated March 4, 1881, as President and Vice-President. A few months only had passed ere the newly chosen President was the victin\ of the assassin's bullet. Then came terrible weeks of suffering, — those moments of anxious susjjense, whei< the hearts of all civilized na- tions were throbbing in unison, longing for the re- covery of the noble, the good President. The remark- able patience that he manifested during those hours and weeks, and even months, of the most terrible suf- fering man has often been called upon to endure, was seemingly more than human. It was certainly (k)d- like. During all this period of deepest anxiety Mr. Arthur's every move was watched, and be it said to his credit that his every action displayed only an earnest desire that the suffering Garfield might recover, to serve the remainder of the term he had so auspi- ciously begun. Not a selfish feeling was manifested in deed or look of this man, even though the most honoied i)osition in the world was at any moment likely to fall to him. At last God in his mercy relieved President Gar- field from further suffering, and the world, as never before in its history over the death of any other man, wept at his bier. Then it became the duty of the Vice President to assume the resix)nsibilities of the high office, and he took the oath in New York, Sept. 20, 1881. The position was an embarrassing one to him, made doubly so from the facts that all eyes were on him, anxious to know what he would do, what jwlicy he would pursue, and who he would se- lect as advisers. The duties of the office had been greatly neglected during the President's long illness, and many important measures were to be immediately decided by him ; and still farther to embarrass him he did not fail to realize under what circumstances he became President, and knew the feelings of many on this point. Under these trying circumstances President Arthur took the reins of the Government in his own hands ; and, as embarrassing as were the condition of affairs, he happily surprised the nation, acting so wisely that but few criticised his administration. He served the nation well and faithfully, until tlie close of his administration, March 4, 1885, and was a popular candidate before his party for a second term. His name was ably presented before the con- vention at Chicago, and was received with great favor, and doubtless but for the personal popularity of one of the opjx)sing candidates, he would have been selected as the standard-bearer of his party for another campaign. He retired to private life car- rying with him the best wishes of the American peo- ple, whom he had served in a manner satisfactory to them and with credit to himself. n 'y^-t-t.^^ C/^t^cZfc^(yL£/ -4•- TWENTY-SECONL> PRESIDENT. •^;S^?-t&^'S;'$<^-SA$«*$SS#$;Kc''#^>)or$^ )r0iDier :;s<^;;;$^T::;ir'?'^;;:if'»i;:s#s::*#s::?>S's::r#S;g-#$;:;$*$;;:$«-g:;$^ o ' ocio TEPHEN GROVER CLEVE- LANDjthetwenty-second Pres- ident of the United States, was born in 1837, in the obscure town of Caldwell, Essex Co., N. J., and in a little two-and-a- half-story white house which is still standing, characteristically to mark the humble birth-place of one of America's great men in striking con- trast with the Old World, where all men high in office must be high in origin and born in the cradle of wealth. When the subject of this sketch was three years of age, his father, who was a Presbyterian min- ister, with a large family and a small salary, moved, by way of the Hudson River and Erie Canal, to Fayetteville, in search of an increased income and a larger field of work. Fayetteville was then the most straggling of country villages, about five miles from Pompey Hill, where Governor Seymour was born. At the last mentioned place young Grover com- menced going to school in the "good, old-fashioned way," and presumably distinguished himself after the manner of all village boys, in doing the things he ought not to do. Such is the distinguishing trait of all geniuses and independent thinkers. When he arrived at the age of 14 years, he had outgrown the rapacity of the village school and exi)ressed a most emphatic desire to be sent to an academy. To thia his father decidedly objected. Academies in those days cost money; besides, his father wanted him to become self-supporting by the quickest possible means, and this at that time in Fayetteville seemed to be a position in a country store, where his father and the large family on his hands had considerable influence. Grover was to be paid $5^D for his services the first year, and if he proved trustworthy he was to receive $ioo the second year. Here the lad com- menced his career as salesman, and in two years he had earned so good a reputation for trustworthiness that his employers desired to retain him for an in- definite length of time. Otherwise he did not ex- hibit as yet any particular " flashes of genius " or eccentricities of talent. He was simply a good boy. But instead of remaining with this firm in Fayette- ville, he went with the family in their removal to Clinton, where he had an opportunity of attending a high school. Here he industriously pursued his studies until the family removed with him to a point on Black River known as the " Holland Patent," a village of 500 or 600 people, 15 miles north of Utica, NT. Y. At this place his father died, after preaching but three Sundays. This event broke up the family, and Grover set out for New York City to accept, at a small salary, the position of " under-teacher " in an asylum for the blind. He taught faithfully for two years, and although he obtained a good reputation in this capacity, he concluded tiiat teaching was not his ' •► a -^^ 104 ■•► .t S. G ROVER CLEVELAND. calling for life, and, reversing the traditional order, ne left the city to seek his fortune, instead of going to a city. He first thought of Cleveland, Ohio, as there was some charm in that name for him ; but before proceeding to that place he went to Buffalo to ask the advice of liis uncle, Ixnvis F. Allan, a noted stock-breeder of that i)lace. The latter did not speak enthusiastically. " What is it you want to do, my boy?" he asked. "Well, sir, I want to study law," was the reply. "Good gracious!" remarked the old gentleman ; " do you, indeed ? What ever put that into your head? How much money have you got?" "Well, sir, to tell the truth, I haven't got n any. After a long consultation, his uncle offered him a place temporarily as assistant herd- keeper, at $50 a year, wriile he could "look around." One day soon afterward he boldly walked into the office of Rogers, IJowen & Rogers, of Buffalo, and told them wliat he wanted. A number of young men were already en- gaged in the office, but Grover's persistency won, and he was finally permitted to come as an office boy and have the use of the law library, for the nominal sum of $3 or $4 a week. Out of this he had to pay for his board and washing. The walk to and from his uncle's was a long and rugged one; and, although the first winter was a memoral)ly severe one, his shoes were out of repair and his overcoat — he had rione— yet he was nevertheless prompt and regular. On the first day of his service here, his senior em- ployer threw down a copy of Blackstone before him with a bang tliat made the dust fly, saying "Thai's where they all begin." A titter ran around the little circle of clerks and students, as they thought that was enough to scare young Grover out of his plans ; but indue time he mastered that cumbersome volume. Then, as ever afterward, however, Mr. Cleveland exhibited a talent for executiveness rather than for chasing principles through all tiieir metaphysical ixjssibilities. " Let us quit talking and go and do it," was practically his motto. The first public office to which Mr. Cleveland was elected was that of Sheriff of Erie Co., N. Y., in which Buffalo is situated; and in such capacity it fell to his duty to inflict capital punishment upon two criminals. In 1881 he was elected Mayor of the City of Buffalo, on the Democratic ticket, with es- pecial reference to the bringing about certain reforms in the administration of the municipal affairs of that city. In this office, as well as that of Sheriff, his performance of duty has generally been considered fair, with possibly a few e.xceptions which were fer- reted out and magnified during the last Presidential campaign. As a specimen of his plain language in a veto message, we ejuote from one vetoing an iniqui- tous street-cleaning contract: "This is a time for plain speech, and ray objection to your action shall be plainly stated. I regard it as the culmination of a mos bare-faced, impudent and shameless scheme to betray the interests of the people and to worse than squander the people's money." The New York Sun afterward very highly commended Mr. Cleve- land's administration as Mayor of Buffalo, and there- upon recommended him for Governor of the Emjiire State. To the latter office he was elected in 1882, and his administration of the affairs of State was generally satisfactory. The mistakes he made, if any, were made very public throughout the nation after he was nominated for President of the United States. For this high office he was nominated July II, 1884, by the National Democratic Convention at Chicago, when other competitors were Thomas F. Bayard, Roswell P. Flower, Thomas A. Hendricks, Benjamin F. Butler, Allen G. Thurman, etc.; and he was elected by the peoi)le, by a majority of about a thousand, over the brilliant and long-tried Repub- lican statesman, James G. Blaine. President Cleve- land resigned his office as Governor of New York in January, 1885, in order to prepare for his duties as the Chief Executive of the United States, in which capacity his term commenced at noon on the 4th of March, 1885. For his Cabinet officers he selected the following gentlemen: For Secretary of State, Thomas F. Bayard, of Delaware ; Secretary of the Treasury, Daniel Manning, of New York ; Secretar)' of War, William C. Endicott, of Massachusetts ; Secretary of the Navy, William C. Whitney, of New York; Secretary of the Interior, L. Q. C. Lamar, of Mississipi)i; Postmaster-General, William F. Vilas, of Wisconsin ; .Attorney-General, .\. H. Garland, of .Arkansas. The silver question precipitated a controversy be- tween those who were in favor of the continuance of silver coinage and those who were opposed, Mr. Cleveland answering for the latter, even before his inauguration. ■» f -U Hr V «<•■ j;»^ l i ^» u Iff -ilIE HON. DAVID BUTLER, the first Governor of the State of Nebraska, is to-day one of the well-known and active business men of the State. Ohio has furnished the country with some of s best leaders in military and Iplomatic circles and an innunier- jle number of its most valued ■ivate citizens. It was the pleas- re of the people of this State to jnor with their confidence one : Ohio's sons in the above- named gentleman, who was the first called by the citizens of the newl3- formed State to the Gov- Eleeted with enthusiasm in 1866, re-ilecled with eclat at the next election in 1868, and at the end of that terra once more returned to office bj' an intelligent and satisfied people. The town of Lenton, Greene Co., Ohio, claims the iionor of the birthplace of Gov. Butler, the date of ids nalivit}' being the 15th of December, 1829. He was tlie eldest of a family of ten children born to his parents, of whom only six now survive. He is the son of George Washington and Nancy (Christy) Butler. The family of which Mr. Butler is a representa- tive and member is not unknown to the annals of other States in political positions of honor, and the name is one that has been worn bj' his ancestors, and by their successful lives and patriotism they have made it a name respected and honored. Thomas Buller, the grandfather of our subject. wn,= a native er;ior's chair. of Virginia, and after serving his fellow-citizens in various capacities, was called upon to act as a mem- ber of the Constitutional Convention of that Stite in 1805. Becoming a pioneer of Ohio long liefore it was a State, he was soon ranked among ihe prom- inent citizens of the district in whicii he lived, and was not infrequently culled upon whenever niallers of importance had to be considered or decideil. Tiie maiden name of his wife, a noble woman, wiio shared jier husband's life most coniiiletcly, being at once his closest confidant and counselor, was Mary Robinson. She became the mother of a large fanuly, her son, George Washington, the father of our sub- ject, being the eldest of the family. The father of our sul)ject was born in 1 SOD, in Ohio, was reared upon the pioneer farm of his father, and grew np amid surroundings that would to-day be anything but congenial by reason of the primitive condition. He became an enterprising and prosperous farmer, and also dealt very extens- ively in cattle. He liecame the husband of Nancy Christy, the daughter of Joseph Christ}', Esq. Like her father, she was born in North Carolina, the year of her nativity being 1811. She became the mother of our subject, and her life, character and influence were such as to leave a bright and happy memory that will remain so long as the powers of recollection exist. The early life and boyhood of our subject were spent amid agricultural surroundings, and such education as he obtained was received first in a private school, where he was prepared for the pul)- lic institution, in both of which he made rapid prog- ress, and drank as deeply as was permitted at the fountain of knowledge. He remained upon the -4*- 112 DAVID BLTLKR. farm until he was twenty-one years of age, but long before attaining his majority was a thorough, prac- tical farmer, and umlerstood all that was necessary in regard to the management of stock. In his youth he had given promise of powers and intelli- gence, and though they lay dormant for many years, were bound to make themselves known and felt, as had been the case of the Virginian pioneer in Ohio, to whom reference was made above. Upon reaching man's estate Mr. Butler launched into liie serious business of life upon his own ac- count by taking as his chosen occupation that with which he was best acquainted and in which he felt most assured of succe.ss, viz., agriculture and the breeding of and traflic in stock. The latter depart- ment of his l)usiness frequently called liim away from home, and he has traveled far and wide thioughout the Great West while thus engaged. His previous experience, natural aliility. iniierent enter- prise and American push made him even more pros- perous in liis dealings and various undertakings than his most sanguine hojjes had conceived, but ho (lid not halt with the first tlii-ii nf his success, but continued U> go on to even greater. In 1852 Mr. Butler embarked in mercantile pur- suits, but did not sever his connection from what had hecomc a very extensive trade in cattle and hogs. Both branches were carried on with a grow- ing financial success until the crash of 1857, when, owing to the failure of the National Bank at Gos- ])ort, Ind., lie lost a very large sum, and was fur- tiicr crippled linancially liy the failine of a large number of his creditors to meet their obligations; but he was determined no one should be the loser upon his account. He settled up business satis- factorily, paid dollar for dollar of everything held against him and interest where it was due. In the fall of 1859 Mr. Butler removed to Paw- nee City, Neb., and there associated himself with the Hon. W. B. Raper, and with that gentleman embarked again in business; but even here he re- tained his interest in the cattle trade, and was very shortly gratified to see his earnest efforts rewarded and to be able to fill a larger place than had been possible before his trials in 1857. This partnership Lasted until 1801. when Mr. Butler was elected a member of ihe Territorial Legislature, and w.as after that nominated for Senator by the Repub- licans; but there being three candidates already in the field our subject withdrew in favor of Mr. Mack. In 1863 Mr. Butler was elected Suite Senator for a term of two years, representing the First District, which comprised the counties of Hicluudson, Paw- nee, Johnson, Gage, Clay, Jefferson and all the un- organized territory lying to the westward. Both in the House and Senate Mr. Butler made his mark, and did good service for his constituents and the State, and it was as a result of the ability then manifested and recognized, the personal worth and high character sustained by him, that he was nominated and by a large majority vote passed b^' the hand of the people to the highest chair of office within the gift of the people. Among the services rendered the State by Mr. Butler while in the Legislature may be mentioned the introduction of a bill for the reapportioning of Nebraska, the pass.age of which he worked very hard to procure, liut in Legislative halls as in every other the green e3'ed monster of jealousy is bound to find admittance. It was so in this case, and to this was due the failure of our subject in spite of his hard work; but upon renewing the figiit in the Senate he was successful and the bill went through intact. Upon retiring from public life Mr. Butler re- turned to his mercantile pursuits with renewed ardor and prosperit}-, and he lias continued to live in Pawnee City or its immediate vicinity since. Gov. Butler was, in- January, 18G0, united in marriage to Miss Lydia Storey, of Bloomington, Ind., and who is the daughter of Harrison Storey, Esq. Of this happy union there have been born four children, to whom were given the names: Violet E.. Selh D., Durias and Paul. Gov. Butler is a genial, affable gentleman of large intelligence, high character and undoubted popularity. Upon the 4th of September, 1888, he was nominated for Governor on the Union Labor ticket, and is now stumping the State in behalf of that movement. In the special order of Odd Fellow- ship Gov. Butler is prominent and also very highly esteemed. He is adiliated with Interior Lodge No. 9, at Pawnee Cit}'. i ^mM v\/m^cui -#^ -i^l-=*» .-^^ mm. <-3-^ -*f^OBERT W, FURNAS.K-- P» ROBERT WILKIN- SON FURNAS was the second gentleman to re- ceive from the people of the State the high honor of being elected Gover- nor. He was chosen to fill this po- sition in the year 1873, and retired at the close of his term, having earned the good-will, respect and admiration of tlie wliole people by reason of his excellent administra- tion. He was born in Tro}', Miami Co., Ohio, on llie T.th of May, 1 «24. Ills parents were natives of Sonth C.irulina, in wliich State also the grandfather had licen born. His great-grandfather was a member of a good old English family, and was born at Stand- ing Stone, in the county of Cumberland, England, lie was brought up and educated in his native place, and when a young man was there married, and then started with his wife for the New World. They landed in South Carolina about the year 1762. Thomas Furnas, the third child of John and Mary Furnas, was born in 17G8, six years after the settle- ment of his parents in America, as above noted. William Furnas was the fifth child and only son of * Thomas and Esther Furnas. The chosen occupa- tion of this interesting family for several genera- tions has been that of farming. The chief institu- tion, at that time, of the South, in connection with all labor, especially field work, was that of slavery, and the members of the early generations of this family were most conscientious members of the Quaker Cimrch, which looked upon it as an abomi- nation. This was tlie occasion finally of their re- moval to Ohio, which they did in 1804, settling in the Miami Valley. It was in tlichome there estab- lished that the subject of this sketch was born. He is the eldest of a family of three children, and the only one now living. His twin brother died in in- fancy, and his younger sister at the age of fifteen. In 18.32 the parents of our subject were stricken down by the ravages of that dreaded plague, the cholera, which swept over the country at that time, taking in its course, old and young, rich and poor, without distinction. In liiis trying time the natural guardians of the life of our sulijcct. the directors of liis footstei)s, the instructors of his life, were re- moved, and he was loft to struggle and battle in the conflict of life unaided by them. Then, when the clouds seemed darkest and thickest, his grand- father stepped forward in order to supply, at least in some measure, the place thus left vacant, and with him he remained until he reached his seven- teenth j'ear, working on the farm during the sum- mer, and during the winter attending school. He seized every opportunity' afforded for the increase of knowledge, and has ever continued to add to his store, and his reputation is that of a well-read, thoroughly educated gentleman. As soon as our subject attained the above-men- tioned age, he went to Covington, Kj'., and thei-e served an apprenticeship to the printing business, in the office of the Licking Valley liegister, published by Richard C. Langdon. It was at that time one JU 116 ROBERT WILKINSON FURNAS. of the most noted newspapers, and its editor, one of the first newspaper men in the West or South. Young Furnas remained in tills office until 1843, and awiuiifd a large store of practical knowledge of trade, general business, and life, as well as con- siderable information upon all ordinary topics, be- sides the specific attainment desired in the knowl- edge of the business. The benefit of this schooling is perhaps clearly traceable even in the present, and the immediate past. Leaving Covington he pro- ceeded to Cincinnati, opened a book and job oflice, and continued in the printing business at that place for two 3'ears with good success. Near the close of that time, and in the year 1845, our subject was united in marriage with Mary S. McComas, a native of Ohio, and a most excellent lady, one who has the power and ability to assist liim in life, and fitteil to grace any position in so- ciety, however high. There have been born of this union five children. One of the first public engagements entered into by our subject when he became a voter was when, in company with several other young men, he felt the necessity of education as the means necessary to power in this life in any of its relations. They bound themselves to advocate the building of the school-house in Troj', and a lot was reserved for Uial purpose. Older citizens, perhaps not so well alive to the progressive spirit of the age, thought it uimccessary, and threw in the way a thousand ob- jections. The 3'oung men were defeated at the poles the first year, but nothing daunted continued the contest, and the next year carried their point by a small majority-, with the result that a §17,000 school-house was erected, and has stood a monu- ment to the enterprise and foresight of these young men. Upon the success of the above undertaking, Mr. Furnas was elected one of the School Directors, which he continued to be until his removal to Ne- braska, when he resigned. Our subject was only twenty-three yeai-s of age when he became proprietor of the Troy Times, an organ of the Whig party, of which also he was the editor and [)ublisher, and bj* his trenchant articles did much service in the Taylor campaign. In 1852 he sold this paper, and was engaged first as Freight and Ticket Agent, afterward as conductor for the Dayton & Michigan Railroad, continuing until 1856. In March of that year he emigrated to this State, established himself at Brownvillc, and in July of the same year established the Brownvillc Advertiser, and entered the arena of political life. He became a very zealous advocate of the agricultural and edu- cational interests of the Stiite, and in the fall of that year was elected to the Territorial Legisl.aturo. Here the masterly qualities that have since distin- guished him before the State were made manifest. During his term of office, as noted in the foregoing paragraph, our subject originated the school system of the Terriior}', which was modeled in its general features after the system of Ohio. In the year 1858 he was re-elected and again took his se.at in the Legislature. In 18C1 he was elected Chief Clerk, and early in the spring was commissioned Colonel in the United States Regular Arm}', and received orders from the Sccretaiy of War to organize the loyal Indians and have them mustered into the serv- ice. He was successful in his mission and raised Lin-ee regiments. These were fully equipped, and Col. Furnas commanded them in the Southern ex- pedition under Gen. Blunt, which took in the bor- ders of Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and the Indian Territorj'. Resigning his commission after having done splendid work with his command, he returned and went to work to recruit, and established the 2d Nebraska Cavalry, and added fresh glories to the already brilliant record of military achieve- ment. With tills command he served under Gen. Sully in the now renowned "Sully expedition" against the Sioux Indians, wherein thev were pursued to British Columbia. The next four yeare our subject was employed as Indian Agent for the Omaha and AVinnebago Indians, which he resigned to t:ike his place at the helm of the State as already recorded. Among the many honors worn so gracefullj', and in such manly spirit, are: Regent of the State University, Presi- dent of the State Board of Agriculture, President of the State Agricultural .Society, President of the State Soldiers' Union, Vice President of the National Pomological Association, Past Grand M.aster of the I. O. O. F., P.nst Grand High Priest, and P.ost Grand Commander of the Masonic bodies of the State of Nebraska. ^f ..o*o.-@^'^^..o«o.~ LAS GARBEK. This dis- tiiigiiisheil and well-known cit- izen of Nebraska served tlie .State most acceptably as its Governor for the two terms, from 1874 to 1878. He was born in Logan Connty, Ohio, Sept. 21, 1833. There he passed his boyhood days, attending the common schools and developing into a sturdy and promising 30ung man. At the earl}' age of seven- teen years lie was determined to strike out for himself and see what he could do toward making his own living. He was ambitious, yet we very much doubt whether the beard- less young man who turned his face Westward in 1850 ever had the remotest idea that he would himself some da}' be at the head of a great com- monwealth, that would be created still further toward the setting sun. At that time he came into Iowa, which was receiving such floods of emigrants from the older settled States. He located in Clay- ton County and engaged in agricultural pursuits, the occupation which has done so much toward de- veloping some of the best men our Nation has produced. His life for some years was uneventful. yet he was being disciplined and prepared for the honorable and useful positions he was to fill in after years. He took an active interest in all pub- lic matters, and was a well-informed, hard-working young man. When the stars and stripes which had so long floated above Ft. Sumter were fired upon and the little garrison compelled to surrender, the patriot- ism of the North was aroused as never before in the history of the country. Thousands of the best men of the Nation immediatelj' volunteered their services to aid in suppressing the monstrous rebell- ion, which had replaced the American banner with the stars and bars. Among this vast tivmy of pa- triotic men might have been found Silas Garl)er. He was mustered into the 3d Missouri Infantry, which was known as the famous Lyon Regiment. He served with this regiment for one year, when he was mustered out and returned to Clayton Count3\ He, however, did not long remain in the quiet of that peaceful section, for we soon again find him at the front. Now he is First Lieutenant of Company D, 27th Iowa Infantry, which he raised. His valiant services soon received recogni- tion, and he was |)romoted to be Captain of the company, which position he faithfully and ably lilled until the close of the war. He participated in all the battles of the Red River campaign, and ■ ► i~ f h ^•i^Hh-* 120 SILAS GARBEH. Pleasant Hill.. La., the battles of Old Oaks, Miss., Nashville. Tenn., and others uner the command of Gen. A.J. Smith. Upon being mustered out of military service C'apt. Garber returned to Clayton County, but soon thereafter went to California, where he passed the next four years. He came to Nebraska in the early part of 1870, and found a suitable location in Web- ster County, where he still resides, being the oldest resident in Red Cloud. He was indeed a pioneer of the Great West, for when he located in Webster County there were but two settlers in the count}'. Upon locating in Red Cloud and ever since Mr. Garber has taken a most important part in both her business and political affairs. He engaged in farming and merchandising, and is to-day Presi- dent of the Farmers' (k Merchants' Banking Com- pany of that city, and also largely identified with its material interests. He was chosen the first Probate Judge of the count}', and also represented his district in the Legislature, and served for one year as Register of the United States Land Office at Lincoln. Capt. Garber became popular both with the peo- ple and the politicians, and was nominated for Governor by the Republican Convention, which assembled at Lincoln Sept. .3, 1874, and was elected by a handsome majoritj'. He served so acceptably that he was renominated by the convention which met Sept. 26. 1876. He was again endorsed at the polls in November, and served until the close of his term in 1878. He then retired to his home at Red Cloud, where he has since resided, a highly respected and useful citizen. ■► W :*^^i-^ ^^'^^^-^^^^^^<-t^:^ cyn^u^^e^ •^f^ ^•►Hh-* ? -A£jlC£/S-|3^(Dj^_55g^ ;;^ o ooo UN. ALBINUS NA^'CE, Fourth Governor of tlie Slate of Nclir.aska, and in that connection the recip- ient of the confidence, ad- miration and highest es- teem of the people, not simi)ly of Nebraska, but wherever his most ex- cellent administration is known. If, however, it be but borne in mind that Gov. Nance is a descendant of a long line of- noble representatives of a certain Huguenot family, whose members were of the stamp and stuff of wiiich martyrs and heroes are made, and therefore persons of thought, con- viction and strength of character, it is not surpris- ing tliat lie should possess the same, whicli under the more happy regime of present government and liberality of opinion, shouhl liring him into promi- nence and enable him in liis high station to sustain a reputation mostbrilliant. The ancestors of (;ov. Nance on his father's side were of tliat number driven from France by the religious intolerance and persecution that followed the revocation of the P2dict of Nantes. With many others similarly situated they came to the New World and formed wiiat liecanie a very jirosperous community in the State of Nortli Carolina, their descendants moving North and Westward, ever ■^« in the vanguard of progress, as section after sec- tion and district after district were located. The subject of our sketch was born on the 30th of March, 1848, at Lafayette, Stark Co., III., and he is the oldest son of Dr. Hiram Nance, for many years one of the most successful physicians and able surgeons in Central Illinois. His settlement in that State dates back to 1836. It was the Far "West of that period, and was filled with far more of danger, difficulty and hardship, aud demanded more spirit, bravery and self-denial than is con- ceivable in these days, when the bands of steel pass by the door of the Western pioneer, and thus bring him into almost immediate contact with the great world of civilization. The ancestry of Gov. Nance upon the maternal side of the family was English. Tlic maiden name of his mother was Sarah R. Smith, who was born in the State of Ohio. At the outbreak of the Civil War Albiuus was but a lad of thirteen, but his patriotic soul was fired with loyal enthusiasm, and he chafed severely at the restraint of years that prevented him taking a more able stand iu defense of the Union. At a later period of the struggle and when just sixteen years of age, he enlisted in the 9tli Illinois Cavalry. The youthful defender and intrepid young soldier was mustered in contrary to lioth the wishes and continued earnest protests of his parents and friends. But he could know no restraint in this matter, and was determined to follow the stars and stripes. t 124 ALBINUS NANCK. and to defend them if so needed until the death. He continued in the service until the close of the war, and participated as an active combatant in the battles of Guntown, Hurricane Creek, ?'ranklin, Nashville, Tupelo, Spring Hill and Columbia, Tenn. He was one in the line that made one of the most daring and gallant charges at the battle of Nash- ville, and was slightly wounded in the same. The necessity for war being passed, Cavabyman Nance returned his saber to its sheath, and when the regiment disbanded returned to his home and became a student at Knox College, Galesburg, III., where he took part of the classic course. Soon after leaving college he commenced the studj' of law, and in 1870 w:is admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Illinois, after passing in t!>e best possible manner a very rigid examination. Standing upon the threshold of life, the future stretching before him, animated by the grandeur of the prospect supi)lied by hope and ambition, the subject of our sketch was more fascinated and im- pressed by the opportunities and inducements held out b}' the newer countrj', and pursuant thereto he decided to come to Nebraska, as the most promis- ing of all the Stales and Territories of that mag- niBcent field. This was in 1871. He secured a homestea^.Ii«-^■^;;'■\SJ^- -^t j- rnd re-elected liy an apprecia- tive people. He continued to occupy his high position in the service of the State until the year 1887, and during the time gave every evidence that the confidence of those who had elected him in his honor, man- hood and ability, was indeed well founded. He was the fifth Governor of the State. Gov. Dawes w^as born at McConnelsville, Morgan Co., Ohio, on the 8th of January, 1845. He went with his parents when they removed to Wisconsin in 1856. The rudiments and foundation work of his education were received in Ohio, but in the Wiscon- sin schools the major part of the work was done, and from them our subject was graduated with a good practical English education, such as would serve in the daily affairs of life. As he advanced in years and was capable of doing more service upon the farm, he attended school only in the winters, devoting the summers to husbandry. In October, 1864, he was engaged in clerking for G. J. Hansen & Co., who were engaged as general merchants at Kilbourn City, Wis., where he continued until October, 1868, and in these four years gained invaluable experience of men and business, adding materially to his store of inform.ation, and, unknown to himself, but none the less really, preparing for days of larger oppor- tunity and more important engagements. The next employment taken up by our subject was that of the study of law, which he began and carried on with his cousin, Julius H. Dawes, Esq., of Fox Lake, Wis., a prominent and successful lawyer. Here our subject devoted every atten- tion, and became a careful, persevering and diligent student, so much so that his examination, which de- termined his admission to the bar, was unusually brilliant, and he was accordingly admitted with congratulations upon the 10th of January, 1871, and began the practice of his chosen profession, which, from its being eminently congenial and pe- culiarly well adapted to one of his ability and mental cast, was that in which success in life was more eomplctel3' assured him. Not long after the admission of our subject to the bar another, and if anything more important, event occurred. It was that of his marriage. In- stances are far too common where an error of judg- ment or a misplaced confidence at such time has been fraught with disastrous results to both con- tracting parties; results all the more serious because of the nature and faults of the contract. It was the :?M»^ t ■•► 128 JAMES W. DAWES. *» f ^j * . happiness of Mr. Dawes and the lady of his choice to be mutually compatible in disposition, tastes, desires, and in fact all the varied points where dif- ference of sentiment would in all probability le.id, sooner or later, to a breach of confidence or worse. This union, therefore, has brought a more complete happiness, a more perfect felicit\", Into both lives, and has made the home all that could be desired. This interesting event occurred at Fox Lake, and was celebrated on the 11th of May, 1871. Our subject located in Crete, of this State, on tiie r)lh of September, 1871, with the intention of engaging for a time in mercantile pursuits. For some years he continued in this line of business with an ever-growing success and enlarging patron- age. In March of 1877 he transferred his energies from commercial pursuits to the legal profession, opening a law office at Crete, and has since been one of the leading lights of the Nebraska bar. He became a member of the Nebraska Constitutional Convention of 1875, and the following 3'ear was elected State Senator. During liis terra of office he won from all golden opinions of his ability and power, and his sojourn in Senatorial halls was, if anything, more pleasant than usual, owing to his genial, affable and courteous manner, which won and retained manj' much valued friendships, and which was the means of affording him larger oppor- tunities than miglit have otherwise been possible. His record in this connection Is upon the books of the session, and is well known, and does not there- fore call for detailed mention in such a writing as the present; suffice it here to remark that it was such as to ultimately lead to his election to the highest official chair in the State.. From May, 1870, tti September, 1882, inclusive, tlie subject of this sketch continued to hold the po- sition as Chairman of the Republican State Central Committee of Nebraska. The h^ng continuance and tlic number of consecutive terms embraced within the above dates speak more clearly and emphatically his ability and ])ower than anything that might be said ill addition. Mr. Dawes was further honored by being elected delegate to the Uepubliean Na- tional Convention at Chicago, in June of 1880. Tills It will be remembered was the convention that nominated llie noble, but ill-fated, James A. Gar- field. The delegation of which he was a member at this time unanimously named him as a member of the National Republican Committee for Nebraska for a term of four j'ears, which it was his privilege to serve with ever}' satisfaction to all parties con- cerned for that period. Few men ever felt more the need of education for a people who governed themselves than G(n'. Dawes. The absolute necessity of universal educa- tion, wide in scope, complete in curriculum, ex- haustive in detail, practical in its aim and general utility, was evident to him, and he was therefore deeply interested in educational matters, and his sj'mpathies were alwa3's assured for matters con- nected therewith. He has served in several offices connected with this department, the most important, perhaps, being those of Trustee and Secretary of the Doane College, which is situated at Crete. The duties of these offices have engaged his attention since the year 1875. The crowning glory of the official life and public service of the subject of our sketch was that which identified him with the chief office of the State. In the ye.ar 1882 he was nominated by the Republican partj' for Governor. His life was well known, his character thoroughly understood, his past services remembered and appreciated, and accordingly he was received with much favor, and elected amid the plaudits of the whole people. He entered upon the duties of his high office in January, 1883, continu- ing to discharge the same throughout the usual pe- riod of two j'ears. At the expiration thereof he was again nominated by his party and re-elected by the people, and for a second term continued to discharge his duties as before. Is an}- further proof of his ability, honor, manhood and faithful- ness demanded.' Can any mere verl)ose compli- mentary eulogium express as much as this, especially when it is reinforced bj- all the accompanying marks of confidence and regard of the peoi)le .' Gov. Dawes will long be remembered, having won a warm place in the hearts and memories of the people, together with his most excellent administration of affairs, which from first to last m.ateriall}- assisted the onward march and devclo|)ment of Nebr.aska as a State, and aided in placing lier among tlie very first of all States of the greatest Republic the world lias ever known. t LS&r- X ; i ^OPIM M. "TM^YEIR rite -s^i^s- g^L gift of the J iiiitsijovver JOHN M. THAYER. This distinguished gentle- man, ^vhom Nebraska de- lighted to honor by the the highest offiee > power to bestow, was ?5(? elected thereto b}' an overwhelming majority in the autumn of 1 886, and b}' his wise administration of affairs, his excellent executive ability, has since fully justified this enthusiastic choice. The place of the nativity of our subject is Bellingham, Norfolk Co., Mass. ;he is the sou of Elias and Ruth (Staples) Thayer. The chosen occupation of the father was farming, and in the l)hysical and moral healthful environment of pasto- ral life our subject was brought up. The smallest part of man is the physical, that can be weighed avoirdupois and measured with a tape line; a far greater and nobler is that of stamp di- vine — the mind, which is the true "standard of the man.'' Having in mind the importance of proper instruction, in order to the proper use of this most wonderful instrument, our subject, after the usual preparatory instruction, attended the classes at [Jrowu University, from which institution he was graduated in 1 S47. The law was the chosen profession of our subject, and at It he worked assiduously un- til the year 1854, still continuing a resident of his native State, and at that time he removed to the Slate of Nebraska, Omaha, then a rising .young town, with a ne'vly opened and undeveloped tcrrritory all around it, afforded a good field for a young man of education, enterprise, enthusiasm and energy, to " rise up with the country." In the year 1 8o5 the political arena was entered. Mr. Thayer became one of four can- didates for Congressional honors; a splendid run for the office, however, resulted onl}- in defeat, the suc- cessful candidate being Fenner Ferguson. The fol- lowing year was remarkable as that in which the now "grand old party" was organized. The con- vention was held at Bellevue, and our subject was a candidate for the party nomination, but was de- feated by Mr. Daily. This experience was repeated in every particular in June of 1860. He was suc- cessful in receiving the nomination to the Territorial Legislature, and served the session of 1860-61. Our subject entered the service of the United States at the beginning of the Civil War, and re- ceived the commission of Colonel of the 1st Ne- braska Infantry. In the year 1855 he had been elected by the Territorial Legislature Brigadier General of the Territorial Militia, and afterward promoted to that of Major General of the militia. AVhile in these positions he was frequently led into engagements more or less serious on the frontier, the enemies being the aborigines of that section, who at that time had not entirely ceased their old habits of depredation. The intimate knowledge of our subject concerning the Indians, their surrounil- ings, their attitude, their feelings, and their chiefs, were all of immense value to him. As a case in A 132 JOHN M. THAYER. point, which we migiit nicntion, our subjuct was ap- pointed by Gov. Izard to act in conjunction with Gov. 0. D. Richardson, to inquire into certain out- rages by Pawnees, to meet them in council and ef- fect a treaty with them ; in this they were fairly successful. But later events proved the lesson was but poorly learned by tlie Indians. In 1«58, with a command of 194 volunteers, our subject went out after the same tribe, certain of their number having murdered, maltreated and robbed the settlers. He captured the entire tribe after a stubbornly con- tested battle, wiiich was fought on the grounds oc- cui)ied by the town of Battle Creek, which derives its name from that event. As Colonel of the 1st Nebraska Infantry, our subject did good work in behalf of the Union, and it was not long before his superior military powers attracted attention, and he was promoted to be Brigadier General and breveted Major General. At Ft. Donelson and Shiloh he commanded a brigade in such excellent manner as led to the above honor. Through the siege of Vicksburg and the capture of Jackson, Miss., he also commanded a brigade, and for a time a division. The confidence of tiie com- manders in him was such that at the assault at Chickasaw Bayou, one of the storming columns was conflded to his care. In this fight he had his horse shot under him, and again while leading a charge at Arkansas Post. All the essential features, charac- teristics and traits of the successful soldier were possessed by him, and tliis being recognized resulted in the Army of tlie Frcjuticr being given him to command. Throughout his service in miliUiry life he was a true soldier, a favorite with his men, wlio were confident that he would lead them to success and victory; respected by his oflicers, who well knew his sagacity and military genius, largely the result of his long experience on tlie frontier. lu political matters our subject was a Democrat until the repeal of llie Missouri Compromise, lie sympathized with the Free-Soil movement, but be- ing in the Territory he could not vote. In the year IBjG he supported Fremont, and since that time luis continued a sUuich Republican. Upon the admis- sion of Nebraska as a SUite, Mr. Thayer was elected United States Senator in the election of IHGd, and served faithfully until Ihe close of his term. Ai the expiration thereof he was appointed by Gen. Grant the Governor of Wyoming Territory. In this office the qualities that had made him successful in civil life, tliat had made him a military leader and com- mander, the ability that had been developed for the handling of large bodies of men, the harmonizing c>f heterogeneous elements, combined to make his Governorship one worthy of note, and, doubtless, was the cause of the confidence expressed by the peo- ple of Nebraska in after d.aj's. The home of our subject is one that bears in its ever3'-day life and happiness a brightness and com- pleteness that is more to be desired than the amass- ing of riches, the accumulation of power, or the right to sway the scepter of authoritJ^ He was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Mar}' T. Allen, a lady possessing a disposition, character and intelligence, most beautiful, admirable and clear, one who lias been trained to follow closely the Great Exemplar of the true life. She is the daughter of the Rev. John Allen, a clergyman of the Baptist Church, a native of Massachusetts. Gov. Thayer, though not a member of any spe- cial denomination, is a firm believer in the Christian religion, and always has been. His family adhere to the faith of the Baptist Church, of which also his parents were members. In that communion, also, he was trained and brought up, and he has al- ways retained a great desire to help forward every movement of religious nature; whenever it has been possible to elevate the moral standard of the people, his active sympathies were engaged. One feature of his Governorship has been his eviilent anxiety that a more general and heart}' acquiescence to a higher moral and religious standard should obtain, and whatever enterprises, projects, societies or .asso- ciations, looked to this .as their aim .»nd object, were at all times sure of his hearty sympathy and support. As noted above, our subject stood before the people of Nebraska in the year 188G as candidate for Governor. He was warmly received, actively and heartily sup|)orted, and enthusiastically elected by a majority of 25.000, in which he ran about 2,000 ahead of his ticket. His administration has revealed the wisdom of this choice, and it is not too mnch to say tiiat the citizens of Nebniska have at no time had occa.'^ion io if|X'nt of their choice. •► W J^ Z i fi wfrtSlli®*- *At*! *f i -•► )(c)j; ^^^ # H TY,# EBRASKA, I ■^^^l^ ft^ -^-^ »«*j INTi^RODUQTORY. [JM- |i^^HE time has arrived when it becomes the duty of the people of this county to per- petuate the names of their pioneers, to furnish a record of their early settlement, and relate the story of their progress. The civilization of our day, the enlightenment of the age and the duty that men of the pres- ent time owe to their ancestors, to themselves and to their posterity, demand that a record of their lives and deeds should be made. In bio- graphical history is found a power to instruct man by precedent, to enliven the mental faculties, and to waft down the river of time a safe vessel in which the names and actions of the people who contributed to raise this country from its primitive state may be preserved. Surely and rapidly the great and aged men, who in their prime entered the wilderness and claimed the virgin soil as their heritage, are passing to their graves. The number re- maining who can relate the incidents of the first days of settlement is becoming small indeed, so that an actual necessity exists for the collection and preser- vation of ev-ents without delay, before all the early settlers are cut down by the scythe of Time. To be forgotten has been the great dread of mankind from remotest ages. All will be forgotten soon enough, in spite of their best works and the most earnest efforts of their friends to perserve the memory of their lives. The means employed to prevent oblivion and to perpetuate their memory has been in propor- tion to the amount of intelligence they possessed. The pyramids of Egypt were built to perpetuate the names and deeds of their great rulers. The exhu- mations made by the archeologists of Egypt from buried Memphis indicate a desire of those people to perpetuate the memory of their achievements The erection of the great obelisks were for the same purpose. Coming down to a later period, we find the Greeks and Romans erecting mausoleums and monu- ments, and carving out statues to chronicle their great achievements and carry them down the ages. It is also evident that the Mound-builders, in piling up their great mounds of earth, had but this idea — to leave something to show that they had lived. All these works, though many of them costly in the ex- treme, give but a faint idea of the lives and charac- ters of those whose memory they were intended to perpetuate, and scarcely anything of the masses of the people that then lived. The great pyramids and some of the obelisks remain objects only of curiosity ; the mausoleums, monuments and statues are crum- bling into dust. It was left to modern ages to establish an intelli- gent, undecaying, immutable method of perpetuating a full history — immutable in that it is almost un- limited in extent and perpetual in its action ; and this is through the art of printing. To the present generation, however, we are in- debted for the introduction of the admirable system of local biography. By this system every man, though he has not achieved what the world calls greatness, has the means to perpetuate his life, his history, througli the coming ages. The scythe of Time cuts down all ; nothing of the physical man is left. The monument which his chil- dren or friends may erect to his memory in the ceme- tery will crumble into dust and pass away; but his life, his achievements, the work he has accomplished, which otherwise would be forgotten, is perpetuated by a record of this kind. To preserve the lineaments of our companions we engrave their portraits, for the same reason we col- lect the attainable facts of their history. Nor do we think it necessary, as we speak only truth of them, to wait until they are dead, or until those who know them are gone : to do this we are ashamed only to publish to the world the history of those whose lives are unworthy of public record. *■ ^ C-tyi^*^ ypLiZj^ 7 c7 1^ WicutCf'^^-.^^^(^ y/^^ -«r^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 14j ,i RNER M. MARQUETT, General Attorney for the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company in Nebraska, Las his resi- dence and business head- quarters in the city of Lin- coln, and is a ujan who thoroughly understands the details of his chosen profession, the law. A native of Clarke Count}-, Ohio, he was born in the city of Spring- field. July ;i, 18:31, and is the sec- ond sou of a family of nine. The parents were natives of Virginia, and removed from the Old Do- minion to Ohio during its pioneer da^'s. On the father's side the ancestors were French and German ; on the mother's side the ancestors were English and Scotch. His father was a farmer by occupation, and afterward removed to the Buck- eye State, and carried on agriculture successfully in Clarke County, and there spent the remainder of his life. Turner M. spent his days after the manner of the sous of pioneer farmers, acquiring a limited educa- tion in the primitive schools, which were carried on mostl}' in the winter seasons. At the age of twenty years, wishing to advance in the knowledge of the classics in the higher branches, he entered the Ohio University, at Athens, from which he was graduated in the scientific course, and in the spring of 185C he left his native State, wending his steps westward, and crossing the Mississippi, came into the Territory of Nebraska, stopping first at Platts- mouth, in Cass County, and occupied himself, first, during the winter of 1856-57, in the employ of William M. Slaughter, clerking in a store for his board. Li the spring of 1857 he lumg out his shingle as an attornej^-at-law, and i)racticed in that vicinity until the year 1874. During his stay there he was elected a member of the Territorial Legislature, in which he served three terms, and w.as four years in the council of the Territory. Mr. Marquett, in June, 18G6, was elected as the Rejiublican candidate for Congress from Ne- braska, the State having previous to that date re- ceived the enabling act, and at that time voted upon the question of its admission as a State into the Union, and also elected a full set of officers, in- cluding one Congressman. The State was admitted on the 2d of March, A. D., 1867, and Mr. Mar- quett's term of office as Congressman simply lasted two days and three nights, in which time he had the pleasure of voting on all of the reconstruction acts passed over the veto of Andrew Johnson. In relating this part of his history Mr. Marquett said that he might under the law have served two j-ears in Congress as well as two days; but under the cir- cumstances he preferred the two days to the two years. It happened in this wise : " I was elected to Congress in June; the State was not admitted until the next general election in our State, which was in October. At th.at time it was thought best to elect a delegate for the Fortieth Congress, and also a Congressman. I was elected for delegate, and -4^ ,t 146 LANCASTER COUNTY. John Tafft for Congress. I went on in December, and worked hard for the admission of the State, which was admitted on the 2d of March. It then became a question of whether myself and the two Senators, who liad been elected to represent the State, (iov. John M. Thayer and Thomas ^V. Tip- ton, should he sworn into the Thirty-ninth Congress or should wait until the 4th of March, and be sworn in on the Fortieth Congress. They both determined that they would wait for the Fortieth Congress. This would give them two years longer time. I could have waited and been Congressman for the Fortieth Congress, and .as there w.is no law in the enabling act to elect but one Congressman, I knew that under the law 1 could hold my seat, and vvas advised by my friends not to be sworn in until the Fortieth Congress, and I admit it was something of a temptation to do as the Senators proposed to do, and which would give me two years instead of two days in Congress; but, on the other hand, I re- flected that it would hardly be the right thing toward my friend John TatTt, and hence, as soon as the State was admitted, I ajipeared on the floor of the House and was sworn in. Politicians from Ne- liraska lookt'd at it as a foolish move; I deemed it but right. It was the right thing to do. but I never got credit for it. I believe there was no paper in Nebraska, that spoke of it at all. but wiial spoke of it as being foolish upon my part. I recollect one of the papers in commenting upon it said that the Senators were sharp enough not to be sworn in till the Fortieth Congress; I had no more sense than to go in and be sworn out of a two-years term of Congress. I looked upon it as the right thing to do, and would do it again." Mr. Marquett added, •' Vou sec I am a failure as a jiolitician." But we think this but illustrated Mr. Marquctt's character; he would rather do a square thing than be Congress- man for two years. Our subject now returned to Plattsnioulh, where he resumed the practice of law. lie changed his residence to Lincoln in 1874, and soon afterward formed a partnership with Amasa Cobb. They practiced law until 1878, under the firm name of Cobl) & Marquett, and sometimes under the firm name of Cobl), Marquett it Moore. Mr. Cobb w.is then appointed Judge of tiie Supreme Court, ^h^ and our subject continued the business mostly alone for some time. He is now at the head of the firm of Marquett, Deweese it Hall, and enjoying an e.Ytensive and lucrative practice of his profession. Mr. Marquett has been twice married ; first in November. 18C1, to Miss Harriet Border, a native of Illinois, who died at her home in Lincoln, in June, 1883, leaving four children : The eldest. Bell, is now the wife of Clifford Teft ; Harriet married George II. Fawcll; and Gertrude and John are at home. Jlr. Slarquett contr.acted a second marriage in 1885, with Mrs. Asenath Stetson. The family residence is pleasant!}' located on the corner of P and Eighteenth streets, in this city, and Mr. and Mrs. Marquett enjoy the acquaintance and friend- ship of the cultivated people of Lincoln. On in- quirj' Mr. Marquett told the writer that he was not a rich man as some thought he was, but what he had he thought fairly represented what he had made under our free contract system. He had never been able to make anything bj' speculation. Mr. Marquett added, " My religion largely consists of the belief that a man ought to be satisfied with what he can squarely earn under the free contract system, dealing justl\- with all. and that the sin of our times is in the great efforts of so many trying to get something for nothing." lie has always voted the Republican ticket, and has held his present position in connection with the Burlington A- Mis- souri River Railio.'id since 1869, a period of nearly twenty j-ears. He has been a close student and extensive reader, well balanced mentally, has made a good record in his particular field of labor, and we take pleasure in presenting his portrait in the most prominent place in this Ai.nfJi. Mr. Marquctt's success as a lawyer depends upon the thoroughness willi which he alwa3's understood his case, not only the general outline, but in detail. In the trial of a case he w.-is original, and the op- posite counsel might look for the case to take an unexpected turn at any time. I wjis told the follow- ing expedient of his to test the credibility of a wit- ness: He was defending a man for murder; the murder had been committed b}' sending a bottle of whisky through the express otlice drugged with poison ; the evidence of the prosecution depended t -M- LANCASTER COUNTY. 147 4 upon the express agent, wlio in tlie preliminary ex- amination identified Marquett's client as the man who delivered to him the bottle. AVhen this wit- ness came upon the stand to testify in the case, Mr. Marquett got a person that favored his client to sit by his side while the witness testified, to whisper in his ear as though he w.as the accused, while the accused was sitting with his back to the witness and was busy writing. The witness identified the man that sat by the side of Marquett as the guilty man, and as the man that had brought the bottle in and delivered it to him. Thus the credibility of the witness was destroyed, and the accused acquitted. In the conduct of a case he is not content with fol- lowing in the old beaten lines which are ordinarilj' followed in a trial, but goes outside and gathers up everything that bears upon the case or will aid his client; in short, his success has depended upon this thoroughness in all the details of a case, and the original manner in which he presented it. ..©♦o..(©JA,^t-^ -4^ 150 LANCASTER COUNTY. of England, born in Lancaster, Aug. 28, 1859, being a son of Josei)h and Keziah (Howe) Burgess, the latter of whom is deceased. His father still makes his home in Lancaster. He has been twice married, and is tlie father of several children, of whom five are living, namely: Ada, Lois, Peter, Silas and Joseph. The latter, who is the subject of this sketch, grew to a strong and vigorous manhood in iiis na- tive country, receiving a good education in tiie pub- lic schools, and from iiis worthy parents a wise training in habits of self-reliance and industry. He had liis own way to make in tlic world, and wishing to devote himself to agriculture, he felt tliat the rich farming lands of the Western States of Amer- ica offered greater inducements for :i man of small means than any other country, and in 1882 he left his native land, with its many ]>leasant associations, and his friends, and crossed the ocean to found for himself a home in the great State of Nebraska. He bought the farm on which he now i-esides, and al- though not man}' years have elapsed since then, he already has it under good cultivation. It comprises 1 (iO acres of arable and highly productive land, which under his skillful management yields abundant har- vests. After living here eighteen months he re- turned to Old England to claim the young Lady who had promised to share his fortunes in the New World and aid him in building up a home, and they were united in marriage Sept. 12. 1883. To her brave and cheerful assistance our subject is greatly in- debted for his present success. Her maiden name was Anne Beelcy Shilton, and she was born in Lon- don, England, Nov. 4, 1859, being a daughter of William and Anne (Beeley) Shilton. The marriage of our subject and his wife has been blessed to them b}- the birth of four children, as fol- lows: Joseph, born Aug. 22, 1884, died July 20, 1885; William, born Oct. 10, 1885; Anne, Nov. 12, 1886; and Harry, Nov. 12, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Burgess are much respected and liked in the community where they have made their home, and with whose interests they are so strongly identified. They are valued members of the Christian Church, and are ever zealous in aiding its good works. Mr. Burgess is public-spirited, and strongly favors all schemes for promoting the ma- <• terial prosperity of the county, or for elevating its social status. In politics he is a Prohibitionist, being himself a strict temperance man .ind stand- ing loyalh' by his colors. PPE T. CONRAD has, since the spring of 1885. been operating to good advantage on eighty acres of fine farming land, pleasantly located on section 15. This he has redeemed from its primitive condition, it being a wdd and unbroken tract at the time it came into his possession. The fields are now laid off and enclosed with neat and substantial fences, there are good buildings and a fair assortment of live stock, including cattle, horses and swine. A period of ten years h.is effected remarkable changes, and indicates with what per- severance and industry the proprietor of one of the neatest farms of Highland Precinct has labored. Mr. Conrad was born in the Prussian Province of Hanover, on the 8th of June, 1852, and is the son of Dirk and Emma (Peppengo) Conrad, who were also of German birth and parentage, and im- migrated to the United States with their family in 1857, when their son Ippe T. was a little lad five years of age. They began life in America upon a tract of land in Woodford County-, III., where the father followed farming. A few j'ears later they removed, first to Tazewell County, and then to Iroquois County, in the same Stjite, removing from the latter to Nebraska in 1879. The parents are now residents of Butler Count}', and retired from active labor, the father having arrived at the ad- vanced age of eighty-three years. The mother is seventy-seven years old. and both have retained their faculties to a remarkable degree. They have acquitted themselves in life honestlj' and uprightly, and still cling to the Lutheran religion in which they were reared. Politically. Dirk Conrad since becoming an American citizen has voted the Democratic ticket. The parental household of our subject included seven children, of whom he was the youngest but one. The three sous and four daughters are still living, married and settled in comfortable homes of their own. Our subject soon after rejiching t LANCASTER COUNTY. 151 -^1 his majority secured a wife and helpmate, Miss Lena He^'en, to whom he was married Jan. 211. 1875. Mrs. Conrad is a native of the same Prov- ince as her husband, and was born Dec. 4, 1856. She came to the United States with her parents when a little girl ten years of age, thej' also locating in Woodford Count}^ 111., where she grew to womanhood. Later they removed to Iroquois Countj', where her marriage with our subject took place. Of this union there have been born five children, one of whom, Fredricka E., died when three years old. Those living are Emma E., John F., Henry D. and Fredricka E. (M). Mr. and Mrs. Conrad after their marriage lo- cated on a farm in Illinois, where they continued four years, and until coming to this county. Mr. Con- rad, like his honored father, uniformly supports Democratic principles, and has officiated as Assessor in Highland Precinct. Both he and his excellent wife are members of the Congregational Church, and people who are universall}^ respected wher- ever known. •■^t^w-it^ <*P«f-»»^;la(-c in 1 883. when he was seventy- nine years old. The parental family consisted of t«"o children onl}', our subject and his younger brother, James S. The latter is a grocer by occu- pation, and a resident of Herry. Pike Co.. III. .luhu AVatson is a native of the same city as his parents, being born in Glasgow, Scotland, on tlic 8th of Mav. 18.33. lie was three years of ase at the time of his mother's death, and seven years old when he crossed the Atlantic with his father. He lived with the latter in Illinois, both in Quincy and in Adams County, until coming to Nebraska, and in the meantime, when nineteen j'cars old, began his apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, which he followed until coining to this State. His education was acquired in the common school, and. naturally of an industrious and quiet disposition, when start- ing out for himself he was amply fitted for the fu- ture duties of life. Mr. Watson, while a resident of Adams Count}-. 111., was united in marriage with Miss Nancy B. Mitchell. Oct. 19, 1865. Mrs. W. was born in Adams County, 111., Oct. 30, 1843. and is the daughter of James W. and Nancy Mitchell, who were natives of Virginia. The father is deceased; the mother resides in Adams County, III. Their family consisted of four children, who are all liv- ing and reside in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Watson began life together in Adams County. III., and while residing there became the parents of three children — Jeannette B., Thomas and Lethenia E. The second child. Thomas, who was their only son, died March 18, 1873, when two years old. Mr. Watson is a solid Republican, po- litically, and has served in his district as School Treasurer and also been Assessor of Grant Precinct. A man whose word is as good .as his bond, he stands well among his neighbors, is in the enjoyment of a comfortable home, and is contributing his quota toward the welfare and jirosperity of his adopted townshiii. At the time of the outbreak of the late Rebellion Mr. Watson was a resident of Adams County, III., and not long after the first call for troops enlisted, Aug. 12, 1861, in Company L, 2d Illinois Cavalry, in which he became Sergeant, and gave three years to the service of his adopted couutr}-. His regi- ment was a part of the Army of the Mississippi, serving under Gen. Grant, and their duties lay mostly in the Slates all along the line. Mr. Watson, in common with his comrades, saw nuich hard- shii) and privation, and engaged in many important battles. l)Ut fortunately escaped woundsand capture, and at the expiration of his term of service was mustered out at Baton Rouge, La., and returning n .s-.c-'f^. -c/-^ 1^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 159 to Illinois resumed work at the carpenter's bencli until coming to this State. About 1858 lie identi- fied himself with llie Masonic fraternity, and is a member of the Royal Arch Chapter No. 5, at Quincy, III. D~| ATHAN S. HARWOOD, the subject of this ij sketch, and whose portrait appears on the a opposite page, is senior member of the law firm of Harwood, Ames & Kelly, and President of the Lincoln National Banli. He is a native of St. Joseph County, Midi., and was born at Corey's Lake, near Constantine, June 18, 1843. The house- hold of his parents, Nathan, Sr.. and Nancy (Dor- rance) Harwood, included nine children, of whom five are now living, and Nathan was the youngest born. Aurelia is the wife of Thomas Fitch, of Waterloo. Iowa; Louisa, Mrs. John Speese, lives in Winthrop, Iowa; Jane, Mrs. N. S. Faircliild, re- sides iu Valparaiso, Ind.; Matilda is the widow of Frank Morton, and malies lier home iu Hastin"s Neb. "^ ' Nathan Harwood, Sr., was. born iu Konnington, Vt., Jan. 6, 1794, and was the youngest son in a family of twelve children, ten sons and two daugh- ters, the offspring of Zachariah and Lovina (Rice) Harwood. Zachariah Harwood, born in Hardwick, Mass., in 1742, was of English origin, being of the sixth generation from the first representative of the family in this country, namely, Peter Harwood, who, upon crossing the Atlantic, settled in Concord, Mass. Zachariah Harwood lived to the advanced age of eighty years. He served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. and si)ent his last days at Bennington, Vt. The following obituary is from the Vermont G^axeMe, of June 19, 1821, published by Darius Clark, at Bennington: "Died, in this town, on the Gth day of June, instant, Mr. Zacha- riah Harwood, in the eightieth year of his age. He w.as one of the earliest settlers and fathers of this town, and was an industrious and worthy man. He was one of the heroes of Bennington battle, and through life maintained in steady practice the prin- ciples which early led him to es|)ouse those jjoliti- cal interests, and to aid those manly efforts which resulted in the independence of his country. He has left many and respectable descendants, relatives and friends, to remember his usefulness and mourn their loss." Nathan Harwood, Sr., spent his early days near Bennington. He enlisted as a volunteer in the War of 1812, and before the battle of Plattsburg, during a night of storm, crossed Lake Champlabi in an open boat. A severe illness followed this ex- l)0sure, an illness from which he never fully recov- ered. He was an invalid for life, fighting against odds to support a large fa:mily in anew country. He married Nancy Dorrance in 1815, and they lived in Bennington ten years, when the first move in the grand march westward was made. In 1825 he emi- grated to Ontario County, N. Y., and settled near Lake Canandaigiia. where he bought a small fai'm. There he lived until 1832, when he moved to St Joseph County. JMich.. then upon the frontier.' The land he chose is now upon the liorders of the town of Three Rivers. Here twenty years passed by before the next change was made. In 1855 a com- pany of white-sailed prairie schooners, headed due west, crossed the Mississippi River and found safe harbor in Black Hawk County, Iowa. Nathan, Sr., was accompanied by his daughter Aurelia, Mrs. Thomas Fitch and her family, and by Matilda, afterward Mrs. Morton, and Nathan, Jr. He secured his land by a warrant received from the Govern- ment in payment of his services as a soldier in the War of 1812. Here he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring March 4, 1858. Nathan, Sr., was a Whig, politically, a member of the Con- gregational Church, and a man of sterling honesty. His wife, Nancy Harwood, was born in Bennington, Vt.. in 1798, the daughter of William and Anne (McCormit'k) Dorrance. William was of Scotch- Irish descent, and Anne was born in Scotland. Her life was beautiful, not only in its devotion to her husband and children, but also for a certain large kindliness of nature which was especially shown to the sick, for whose needs she had a fine intuition. She died in December, 1852, of an illness which followed her ministrations to a sick daughter. The early days of the subject of this biography weit; spent under the home roof until the death of his mother, when lie was but eight years of a"-e. r ICO u LA^'CASTER COUNTY. Tlie two following years he made his home with his sisters, then took up his abode with his father, in Hlack Ilnwk Coiintj', Iowa, where he assisted in the improvement of a new farm until the marriage of his sister Mat,ilda two years later, when he went with her to her home at Janesville, and until the sumnior of 18G0 spent his lime at farm work and attending school. In the fall of that year, having been a studious lad, making good progress with his books, he became a student at the Upper Iowa University at Faj-ette, and making his home with the family of Piof. McKenzie, worked for his board during the first term, and the next two terms em- ployed himself in diflferent capacities around the college for the purpose of earning money to pay his way. Tlie j'ear following occurred tlie out- break of the Rebellion, and young Harwood, in August, 1 86 1 , a youth of eighteen 5-ears. enlisted in L'omijany (1, Ulli Iowa Infantry, and soon after- ward went down the Mississippi with his comrades to .St. Louis, where, after sojourning a short time at Benton Barracks, they were detailed to guard the railroads in the vicinity of Franklin, Mo., and on the "ihtli of .Tanuary set outon the nieniorable march t»f the Bea Ridge campaign. The exposure and hardships to which our subject was subjected produced an illness, on account of which he wa" not long afterward forced to accept his honorable discharge. He had, however, seen the smoke of battle at Pea Ridge, and with his dis- charge in his pocket advanced to participate in the fight. After it was over he remained in the hos- jjital at Springfield. Mo., about six weeks, then tore up his discharge, and resumed his place in his regi- ment, going with it on the march to Helena, Ark., where he was again attacked by illness, which necessitated once more his abandonment of the militar}- service. He returned home broken down in liealtii. but in the winter of 1863 had recovered sudiciently to lake up his studies again, attending school at Fa3-ette, Iowa, until tlie winter of 1863-64, when he engaged as a te.acher. The war being yet in progress, Mr. Harwood could not content himself to remain at home while so many of the yonng men of his country were tigliling in the field, and he rallied his energies once more. and. iu the spring iif 1MJ4 raised i)art of a company of infantrj'. of which he w.as commissioned First Lieutenant. This w.is named Company D, and was assigned to the 46th Iowa Infantr3-, being mustered into service on the 17th of June, 1864, at Davenport. They went directly to Memphis, Tenn.. and were detailed to do guard dutj' on the Memphis f which he was one of the foundei-s and ■I t LANCASIER CdUNTT. lUl 4 the first President. He held tliat position until it was orcranized as the Lincoln Public Library, being one of tlie few who were instrumental in engineerinu- a bill through the Legislature for the purpose of levying a tax for the support of libraries. Upon retiring from the Presidency he was selected Chair- man of the Book Committee, and h.as always m.ain- tained a lively interest in this institution which forms so great a factor in the education of the people. Mr. Harwood was admitted to the bar of the .Supreme Court of the United States in December, 1 883. He was elected President of Lincoln Na- tional Bank on the 1st of December, 1887. He belongs to the G. A. R. and the Loyal Legion, also the A. F. & A. M., as a member of Lancaster Lodge No. 54, and Scottish Rite, 32(1 degree. Politically, he has always affiliated with the Republican party, but is in favor of tariff reform, and for this reason not in sympathy with his party in this contest of 1888. The first wife of our subject, to whom lie was married May 29, 1872, was Miss Mary E., daughter of Hon. John P. Cook, of Hillsdale, Mich. Of this union there was born one child, a daughter, Helen, Oct. 17, 1874, who is now attending school at Lin- coln. Mrs. Mary Harwood departed this life at Montague, Mich., in September, 1878. Mr. H. July 25, 1883, contracted a second marriage, with Miss Celia Harris, who was bora at South Bend, Lid., in April, 1846, and IS the daughter of George S.' and Sarah (Bacon) Harris, whose family consists of ten children, and of whom ' Celia was the eldest. Their second child, George, was born in Brookline," Mass., Dec. 20, 1848; Ellen in Boston, Fel). 3, 1851; Charles L. in Boston, Nov. 5, 1853; Fred- erick L. in West Roxbury, Mass., Oct. 11, 1857; Edward K. in Boston. April 21, 1859; Sarah But- ler, in Boston, July 18. 18G0; John F. in Boston Feb. 24, 1863, and Agnes, Feb. 20, 1866. George S. Harris, the father of Mrs. Harwood, was a native of Caldwell, N. Y., and was born March 22, 1815, to Michael and Sus.an (Allen) Harris, be- ing tiie third in a family of five sons. He was left fatherless at the age of five years, his care and early training devolving almost wholly upon his mother. For h.'r he cherished the strongest affection, as one who had made him what he was in after life. While still a youth he embraced the principles of Chris- tianity, professing them before men. and made them the governing rule of his life. In early manhood Mr. Harris engaged in mer- cantile pui-suits, but his .lesire was for a professional life, and in 1836 he entered Oberlin College with the intention of preparing for the ministry. Cir- cumstances, however, caused him to change his purpose and led him u, remove to Boston, where for many years he was actively engaged in business, most of the time in connection with railroad inter- ests, for the piomotion of which his energies and abilities were admirably ada|)ted. In 1859 he re- moved to the West and was variously engaged, first as Land Commissioner for the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad in Missouri, and subsequently acting in the same capacity for the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad in both Iowa and Nebraska. In the summer of 1872 Mr. Harris was a passen- ger on the ill-fated steamer "Metis," which was wrecked on her voyage from New York City to Providence, and w.as rescued after remaining sev- eral hours in the water, during which he clung to a plank. From this shock to his system he never fully recovered, and died two years later at Lincoln, June 12, 1874, at the age of fifty-nine years. Mr.' Harris was a man of large ideas and a benevolent heart, who took a kindly interest in every project calculated to benefit mankind and encourage by his means and influence, as far as he w.as able, the dis- semination of both moral and substantial good. He affiliated with the Republican part3% and was a member in gooil standing of the Congregational Church. Socially, he belonged to the I. 0. 0. F. The mother of Mrs. Harwood was born in South- bridge, Mass., July 24, 1821, iind is the daughter of Lement and Celia (Butler) Bacon, the latter of whom is a lineal descendant of Andrew and Mary (Gennaine) Sigourney, who were married at Hu- guenot Fort, in Oxford, Mass., about 1701. She. like her husband, is a devoted Christian and a member of the Congregational Church. She is still living, making her home in the city of Lincoln. The early life of Mrs. Celia Harwood w.as spent in B(»ston, where she attended its best schools, and developed into womanhood. She accompanied the ^ *^f^ ini-^* 102 LAN'CASTER COUNTY. family to Hnnnili.-il. Mo., and siibsequcntlj- to Bur- linilanti, Mich., until tiie death of her husband, when she was married in the year 1856 to Mr. Lusk, and went to Iowa, and there lived for fourteen years. The result of this union was a home circle comprising six children. During her widowhood Mrs. Lusk visited Lincoln and made the. acquaintance of our subject, to whom she was married in 1 882. Mrs. Buchanan has been a resident upon the boi i 104 LANCASTER COUNTY. der all lipr life, and is perfectlj- familiar with its every phase. Slie has been al\va3-s nsed to seeing Indians around her home, and had frequent deal- ings witli them, but was never in any wa}' molested, altliough upon several oeeasions her ready wit and inventiveness did her good service. Our subject and wife are both among the most prominent and at the same time devout members of the Ray- mond Presbyterian Church, and are among those who, by tiieir intelligence and elHcient labors, have caused Nebraska so quickly to have throughout the country so great a name for productiveness and fer- tility' in any and ever3- department of agriculture. Our subject has for several terms been a member of the local School Board, and the greater part of the lime of liis settlement being also School Treas- urer. He has also held the office of Supervisor. Politically, our subject has always been connected intimately with the Republican party, energetic in campaigns and loyal at the polls, but his careful study of the great question of temperance as it is before the nation led him to the decision that the giouiid of the Prohibition party was the true one. niu\ with the nianl}' honesty which has characterized his whole life, he made known the change in his views, and took his stand with the Prohibitionists, with whom he is to-daj', esteemed alike b3' men of both parties and bj^ those who differ from him, re- spected for having the courage of his convictions and acting upon them. , DWIN K. YOUNG is one of the foremost fe) of the 3'oung and enterprising farmers of the *' — -^ present generation, who are rapidlv pushing to the front to assist their elders in sustaining the great agricultural interests of Lancaster Count}', and what he lacks in experience is more than made up b}' his energy, courage, good judgment, and aljility to "Work. He is engaged in general farming on sec- tion 11, Lancaster Township, and his farm of 120 acres, admirablj' adapted to both grain and stock- raising, is one of the best in this localit}' where good fai'nis abound. Our subject is the son of the late John J. Young, who was born Aug. 25. 1 820. in Susquehanna County. Pa., and was there prosperously engaged in farming for many years. He married Urainia Kingsley. daughter of Jlr. and Mrs. Roswell Kingsley, of Connecticut, who was a native of the same county as himself, and who was born on the fifth anniver- sarj- of his own birth. Aug. 2o, 1825. They had a family of live children, four sons and one daughter, as follows: Hatlie E.. wife of Irviiig Snell, of Ne- braska Cit}-, Neb. ; Edwin K.. John R.. Elmer E. and Willie K., all of Lancaster. In 1878 Mr. Young settled up his affairs in his native .State and started westward to look for land, having been attracted to this State by the manj- glowing reports that had come to his ears concerning the marvelous fertility of the soil and the healthfulness of the climate. While looking for a suitable location he was killed, June 18, 1878, at Sutton, in Clay Countj-, Neb., by a railw.aj- accident, and thus closed the useful and honorable career of one who had ever been a faith- ful citizen and a good man. Edwin Y'6ung, of this sketch, was born in Sus- quehanna County, Pa., Sept. 19, 1854, and his early years were spent on a farm in his native State. In 1878, in the fall of the \-ear, he accompanied the other members of the faniil}' to this State, where he bought a farm. Jan. 25, 1887, the marriage of our subject with Jliss Ella Maddox was celebrated. She is a daughter of Job H. and Mary A. (Brown) Maddox, of Benton County, Ind., and was born March 28, 18G6. Her father was born in Ohio, Jan. 23, 1826, and her mother was born .Ian. G, 182G. The3' had a family of six children, of whom Mrs. Young was the youngest. Mr. Y'oung is paying much attention to stock- raising, and h.is his farm well stocked with cattle of good grades. He has also been quite successful in raising grain. The central location of his farm, within seven miles of the city of Lincoln, being thus near good markets and accessible to the great railways that cross the continent, makes it a very- valuable piece of property. Our subject is prompt and S3'stematic in the management of his affairs, and is careful and con- siderate in his dealings with others. He has the moral, religious and material welfare of his com- munity at heart, and earnestly uses his influence to LANCASTER COUNTY. -^ k; ^r promote it. He is a valued member of the Baptist Climcli at Lincoln, and bis wife is an equallj' valued member of tlie Metiiodist Episcopal Church at Lan- caster. In politics, Mr. Young is an enthusiastic Republican. -^ ^r^^ UILLIAM A. CADMAN is junior member of the firm of J. Cadman & .Son, dealers in \jr^ buggies, wagons, road-carts, hardware and agricultural implements, No. 23.3 North Tenth street. The}' carry a stock worth about $10,000, and have an extensive and flourishing trade. Our subject is a u.ative of Illinois, born in Jo Daviess Count}', May 1, llSoO. He is a son of John and Frances (Bennett) Cadman, natives of Pennsylvania. His father was engaged in business in his native State as a merchant, and in 1 840 he removed to Illinois, ■where he was prosperously engaged in the same vocation. In 1859 he came with his family to Nebraska, and located on a farm near Saltillo. This was when Nebraska was under Territorial govern- ment in the early days of its settlement, and he is, therefore, numbered among the pioneers of that first decade when the country was in a very wild state, still being considered a part of the great American Desert, so that to him and his contempor- aries belongs the honor of having shown to the out- side world the great possibilities that lay in the rich virgin soil of these vast prairies. He was one of the prime movers in establishing the overland wagon route. He afterward came with his family to Lincoln in early times, when it gave no indications of its present size and wealth, and he has contributed his share in promoting its growth. He is a shrewd, far-sighted man of business, and is highly respected in this community, where he is well known for his solid worth. In politics, he has long been a follower of the Republican pnrty, and is to-day one of its sturdiest supporters. He is a prominent member of the Blue Lodge, being a Master Mason. Our subject belongs to that large class who have been, so to speak, the architect of their own fort- unes, the so-called "self-made men" of our country. He was reared to farming pursuits and obtained a practical education that enabled him to enter suc- cessfully into business. In early life he had con- siderable experience of life in the wild West, On the 23d of June, 1887, our subject and his father bought out Messrs. Hovey & Peck, and established themselves in their present business, which they have already made an assured success, and from which they derive a good income. Mr. Cadman was married to Miss Katy A. Burks, Oct. 16, 1878, Elder H. T. Davis, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, performing the ceremony. She was born in Missouri in 1857. and is a daughter of John M. Burks. One daughter, Florence A., has been born of this marriage, her birth taking place in December, 1880. Our subject and his wife are pleasantly situated in their comfortable, commodious residence at No. 1 228 T street, and they enjoy in the highest degree the esteem and confidence of all who know them. Mr. Cadman is a young man of good personal habits, is prompt and systematic in his business methods, and has always been found trust- worthy and faithful. Religiously, he is identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is an honored member, and politically, he is allied with the Republicans of Lancaster County. ^ylAMES N. CLARK, Deputy Postmaster at Cheney, and dealer in drugs and groceries, a pleasant, afJable and intelligent gentleman, was born in AVest Union, Ohio, June 20, 1858. His parents, Samuel E. and Sarah A. (Kirker) Clark, were natives of the same town as their son, where the father was emplo3'ed at mer- chandising until the outbreak of the Civil War_ Then, enlisting as a LTnion soldier in Companj' E, 91st Ohio Infantry, he was given a Captain's com- mission, and while leading his men in the battle of Cloyd Mountain, W. Va., w.as killed on the 9th of Maj', 1864. The mother is still living, and is now a resident of Creston, Iowa. The parental family of our subject consisted of five children, namely : Mar}', AVilliam A., Esther A., James N. (our subject) and Samuel K. James was but a little lad six years of age at the time of his father's death, and continued a resident of his native village until reaching manhood. His studies ■» i~ i i(;ii LANCASTER COUNTY, were completed in the Normal University at Leba- non, Oliio. and lie engaged as a teacher for nine years following, after which he clerked at different places in Ohio. In March. 1«85. he started for the "West, and coming to this county took np his resi- dence in Grant Precinct, of which he has since been a resident. Our subject, while a resident of the Buckeye State, w.ns married in the town of Portsmouth. Scioto County. Sept. 3. 1879, to Miss Madge Tynes, who was born in Barbadoes Island, West Indies. July 11, 1861. Her parents. .Tohn B. and Margaret Tynes. were natives of Barbadoes. and are residents of Yankee Hill Precinct, this county. Our subject and his estimable wife arc the |)areiits of two sons, Arthur B. and Clarence K.. who are now eight and six j-ears old respcclivel}'. They have a neat and comfortable home, and enjoy the friendship and so- ciety of the best people of Cheney and vicinity. Mr. Clark is a member in good standing of the Methodif-t Episcopal Church, and in politics, sup- jiorts Hepublican principles. dl-i^ fJOEL NEWTON CONVERSE, M. D. The Hebrew classic hath it, that " Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." One of the most startling ])roofs. perhaps, of the above, was the result of the War of 1776. England at that time was in the full strength uf naval and military power: her arms were supreme throughout the whole of Europe; the Napoleonic power was broken at her feet, and her flag in every sea was saluted with the utmost deference and respect. The result to England was pride and haughtiness, and her counselors and king for the most part forgot that right is stronger than naval prowess and militaiy power. Then from the Western Colonies there sounded out the answer to oppression and wrong which had been heaped uixin them by the home Government — the Declaration of Independence, followed speedily by the noise of England's fall, the natural result of her ignorance and haughtiness. In spite of this it is a pleasure to renicinber that the common people were not with their ruleis in this action, and that the common 4* people were the true nobles, who. in early days, peopled this country, and have transmitted to their sons and daughters a like nobility, so much so that, under the improved conditions of our sublime, free government every man and woman, unless they give themselves over to wrong, is noble in the highest sense of the word. The subject of this sketch is the descendant of a family patriotic in the Colonial diiys. and there has been transmitted to him the nobility of character and indomitable energy characteristic of his ances- tors. His father, Lathrop Converse, was born in Bridport, Vt., and was the son of Jeremiah Con- verse, a native of Massachusetts. The latter, when a young man, was ordained to the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which profession was eminentl}' congenial to his upright character and devout spirit. Nevertheless, when the oppressor would come and devastate home and country, and the call went forth for defenders of the same, he was one of the first to respond with alacrity, and continued in the service with the full strength of patriotic manhood until disabled by a severe wound in the right shoulder. This marked him until he went to his Last rest, mustered out of the arm}' of mankind, and finished the battle of life. He breathed his last in Madison County, Ohio, iu the home which he had made his, in 1814. When he settled in Ohio Lathrop Converse was a young man. The long journe}' from Vermont was made in primitive fashion, with wagon and team, a method then full of labor and ditticulty. The family were among the earliest settlers of that sec- tion, and their home, erected upon a tract of un- cultivated laud, was by no means pretention.*. The walls of the dwelling were hewn logs, with the chinks and crevices plastered with clay; there was a stick and mud chimney, a puncheon floor, and o-reased paper for windowpanes. Could John How- ard Payne have been acquainted with the pio- neer's log cabin when he wrote "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.'" The tract of land upon which this house stood comprised 200 acres, situated in Darby Township, and w.is pur- chased at the rate of 81 per acre. Once after they had settled the journey was made by Mr. Converse to and from Vermont on horseback, the usual mode J'/ &. ^^'"t-c^^i^ (j'o u^^x^ > \, , WC7^^^V-en. 4^ /H- . AOT-^ I -<•■ LANCASTER COUNTY. 171 of travel in those d.ays. Life in tlie new iiorae w(is by no means eas3', ami the pioneers expeiienced all the rliffitulties incidcntnl to new settlers, in the sale of their [iroduce. being far from market; and, in spite of strusgle and toil, at the time of his death, in 1S22, Lathrop Converse was still in debt for his [tlace, and his widow was compelled to sell the farm. After that liability was settled there re- mained ^40. The doctor's bill of $100, consequent iip^)n the long sickness of her husb.and, was paid with twelve head of cows and one horse. Thus was she left without means to fight for herself and four little ones, whose ages ranged from six months to six years. The 3'ear following the death of her husband Mrs. Converse was married to Heman Wheeler, a native of ^'ermont, a farmer I13' occupation, and the owner of forty acres of land in the same township. Both Mr. Wheeler and wife were at this time devout members of the Methodist Churcli, and, although during the last six years of his life Mr. W. was not connected with any church, his Chris- tian life and character were the same. He departed hence in 1842, his widow continuing upon the homestead many years. She finally- took up her residence with her eldest son, with whom she re- mained until her death, in 1873. Incidents innumerable might be noted, full of interest, regarding pioneer life, but one must suf- fice. Of course it was the custom of tlie mother of our subject to do all her own work. Cooking was performed by the open fireplace, and instead of a journcj'^ to the dr}'-goods store, the spinning and weaving were performed by the mother's iiands, and the cloth or linen produced was the result of her own industry and ingenuity. Joel N., our sub- ject, was once sent to the settlement with a fleece of lamb's wool, which was to be manufactured into a hat, and in p.ayment carried twelve bushels of potatoes instead of our more convenient but then seldom used coin. What " store clothing " was used was paid for at a price which to us now would seem enormous. At the time of his father's death our subject, having been born Dec. 13, 1820, was two years of age, and was reared by his stepfather. Whatever oi)porlunities there were for giving him an educa- tion were seized and made the most of. The school- house was the usual (irimeval log cabin with its puncheon or rauil floor, rough benches and open fireplace, and j'et we question whether our more refined modern institutions have turned out noblir and better men than have graduated from some of these old-fashioned school-liouscs. As soon as large enough Joel began to assist in the farm work, and continued thus employed until he was nineteen years of age, comliining, however, with this during the winter, from his sixteenth birthda}', the pro- fession of teaching. lu his nineteenth year he com- menced the study of medicine, and was graduated, in 184.5, from the Starling Medical College, at Columbus, Ohio. He continued to follow his chosen profession in Union and Madison until the year 1852, when he turned his attention to farming and railroad construction, in Randoli)h County, Ind. Upon the organization of the Union & Logans- port Railroad Company he was first made Vice President, and shortly afterward President, and superintended the construction and operation of the road for a period of eight }^ears; then in 1869 he came to Neliraska, and built and operated the railroad extending from Nemaha to York, via Ne- braska City and Lincoln. In 1877 he leased the road and retired from active service. He had in the meantime made his headquarters at Nebraska Cit}^ and Lincoln. The first sojourn of Mr. Converse in this State was at Nebraska Cit}^ whence he removed to Lin- coln, which remained his home until 1884; thence he removed to his farm in Klk Precinct in the fall of 1886. This farm comprises 1,280 acres of land, splendidly situated and ver}^ fertile, where a large area is devoted to general agriculture, and where Dr. Converse has ample facilities for his extensive operations as a stock-raiser. He now stands in the front rank of this industry in the county, having accommodation for over 300 head of cattle, and sel- dom having less than this number there. He is also a lover of fine horses, and has over 100 clioice specimens of the equine race in his stables and pas- tures, including the Hambletonian and Norman breeds. In addition to this farm he owns large tracts of land in other parts of the State. The residence of Dr. Converse is fully in keeping *t :?^:^r^ t 17-2 ■•► LANCASTER COUNTY. with the extent and m.iguificent appointments of his farm in general. It is a very large and hand- some gray stone building, noble in stj'le of archi- tecture, and standing upon an elevati(in which commands a fine view of the surrounding country, including the greater part of his own property. Tiie attractiveness of the dwelling is increased by the stately forest trees in its vicinity, and the orna- mental shrubs around it. The interior shows in every apartment the work of the modern artist and decorator, as do also the furnishings and general appointments. It is a home worthj" of the man who has fought his way upward from the log cal)in and pioneer school-house, depending solely upon his own resolution, and undaunted through difficulties and discouragements. The chief enjoy- ments of his home are largely due to the exquisite taste of his estimable and cultured wife, who pos- sesses rare good judgment in the selection of those decorations suggestive of refinement and cultiva- tion, an^tr^ f -4^ 176 LANCASTER COUNTY. mention of whom is made in liie sketch of Russell Lownes, which will be founfl on another page in this work. She was born in McDonough Count}', near Table Grove, and remained under the pa- rental roof until her marriage. Of her union with our subject there have been born three cliildren : Mary E., who died in infancy; Harrj' L. and Ida T. Re- ligiously. Mrs. Martin inclines to tlie doctrines of the Society of Friends. Our subject, politically, is a solid Republican, but has ver}' little to do with public affairs, further than to keep himself posted upon matters of general interest. JOHN M. DENMAX. In the development of ' a new country- such as Nebraska, with its ever-giowing farming and stock interests' ' men who will give such study to the subjec* and bestow such labor as is demanded foi' the im- provement and advancement to the highest con- dition to wliicii they are capable the stock in use upon the farms and roads of sueli new country, are ever worth}' of recognition. Such an one is the subject of this biographical sketch. Although a young man, he is nevertheless a representative farmer, and as a stock-raiser stands in the front rank. Oct. 8, 18C0. in Erie County, Ohio, was born to Joht\ and Mary Denman their son John M. His father was a native of Erie County, Ohio. His paternal grandfatlicr, John Denman. was a native of Kent, England. "When he was four years of age his parents emigrated to America. The}' found a home in New York State. where their child was reared, and in the pure air of the New World breathed the spirit of the founders of the Republic, as is illus- trated by the perseverance, hardihood, independ- ence and manliness of his after life. He became a pioneer of the Western Reserve, Ohio, and upon two different occasions, whether from pleasure or neces- sity, he performed upon foot the whole journey to and from New York State. At the time he passed through it in these journeys, the present city of Cleveland was in the earliest formative peiiod of its existence, and contained not more than a dozen small cottages. On the second journe}' he carried from the New York home to Ohio a peck of apple seeds, which he planted upon his farm in Erie County, Ohio, the fruit of which he afterward en- joyed for many years. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-four years, and died there in 1879. At this homeste.ad was born the father of our subject, who was twice married, and became the par- ent of four children : Hattie, wife of Arthur Bentley, of Logan County, Kan.; John, the subject of this sketch; L3'da, wife of John Struble, of Pueblo, Col., and F. A., who remains at home assisting his father on the farm in Ohio. The father has always espoused the cause and principles of Repub- licanism, and is very wideh" and favorably known in this connection. His political influence is felt throughout the whole of Erie and adjoining coun- ties. He is at present engaged, in addition to his farming interests, in buying j'oung stock of choice breeds, wool and fruit. He is perliaps the largest individual buyer of apples in one j'ear in the whole of Northwestern Ohio, liaving purchased in that period over 13,000 barrels, shi|>ping them to all parts of the eoiuitr}-, and many even to England. John Denman, our subj'>ct. from his birth until manhood lived in his native county. He was edu- cated in its schools, and afterward attended the Lebanon Normal School, of Ohio. The good use to which he put the advantages of these institutions, and the avidity with which he embraced the oppor- tunities offered in them, have yielded to him rich educational results. On leaving Lebanon he en- gaged for a short time in teaching school, but the desire for a freer life, more outdoor occupation, and larger scope for his restless energies, led him to go West. The influence of our sul)ject's early farm life was now doubtless upon him, and when, upon entering Nebraska, the favorable outlook for a similar farm in the rich country contained in Lancaster Count}' offered itself, he immediately secured a tract of the same, and settled down to make a success of his chosen pursuit. This settlement was effected in the year 1881. The land purchased by him was rail- road land, .""or which he paid ^O.GO per .acre. The 160 acres then obtixined liave received such care^ •attention and thought, sticli intelligent labor has been bestowed upon them, as our subject, from his n -4•- LANCASTER COUNTY. previous training, wns fnlly aware must yield llie splendid results now attained. Mr. Dennian married, Aug. 1, 1 887, AliceE. Jones, a lady in every way fitted to be a true helper in iier liusband's life work, an ornament to society, and by her kindly disposition and culture a model housekeeper and true mother. Mrs. Denman is a daughter of George and Louisa Jones, and like her parents a native of England, but they iiave long lieen residents of Yankee Hill Precinct. Both Mr. and Mrs. Denman are members of the Metiiodist Episcopal Church, in wiiich communion by their unremitting labors, exemplary lives and strong Christian charit)-, the}' are held in very high esteem. Our subject is also a prominent advocate in behalf of the Y. M. C. A., of wliich organization he is also a member. He is ever found ready to answer a call for service, and to bear a hand to advance any of its multitudinous manly and Chris- tian enterprises. Politically, Mr. Denman, perhaps owing to his experience in church life and work, by reason of the close contact in which he is necessa- rily brought in his work among young men, with the disastrous effects attending them, and in fact society generallj', from the unrestrained and care- less indulgence in intoxicants, is a Prohibitionist. ■» >Z] ^5^~^ ^- i~ ^RANK R. DENTON, a son of D. M. Denton, ) of whom a sketch appears in this Album, al- . though but a j'oung man, is entitled by court- esy to the name of [lioneer, having come to this section in the year 1866. He resides on the north- east quarter of section 21, adjoining his father's estate. Before Mr. Denton came here he was a resident of Lake County, in Northern Ohio, the date of his birth being March 26, 1854. Although but a young lad aged about thirteen when with other members of the family he came here, he realized that he was not too 3'oung to put his hand to the plow, and with the energy of youth he assisted his father in the toilsome labors of the farm and the care of some of the j'oung cattle, in the raising of which his father was engaged. No doubt there were many times when he sighed for the comforts and tlie coni|)anions of his childhood d.ays in his old home, but with a stout heart, encouraged by his father's word and example, he followed the fortune that was his. determined, if possible, to make it a successful one. Deprived of the privilege of attending college, our suliject received but a common-school education, milking good use, however, of all the means that were afforded him to that end. Inlieriting from his re- spected fatlier a love for reading, he spent his leisure hours, when the cares of the day were ended, in that most delightful of entertainiiients. Thus he acquired a good general knowledge, and is conver- sant upon all topics of interest of the day. The children of the present generation, having about them all the means for acquiring good educations — the best of schools, numberless books, and the daily papers — can scarcely realize the position in which the children of the early pioneers were placed as regards the advantages just named; nor could they imagine with what avidilj' a new book or paper was seized upon and readily perused by those so far away from friends, who perhaps h.ad sent them these welcome tokens of their remembrance. On the 1 1th of November, 1880, Mr. Denton was married to Mary J. Robinson, formerly of Minne- sota, she being a daughter of David and Margaret Rol)inson, who afterward went to Illinois, where the daughter grew up to young womanhood. To this new household have been born three children : Roy, who might be considered the parents' Christ- mas gift, since he came to them on tlie 2-l:th of De- cember, 1881; Earl, who vvas born Oct. 29, 1885; and Mary, the little daughter, on the 5th of Febru- ary, 1888. To tiie e^-es of this little one what a very different scene is presentcil from that upon which her father gazed on his advent to this coun- trj- ! What was years ago unattractive and uncul- tivated land is now showing forth the plants and grains and fruits with wiiich Nature rewards the husbandmen who successfull}- woo and win her by tilling the soil. Having as a boy contributed liis share of lalior toward the securing of a fami)}' iiome, the subject of our sketch then turned his attention to the amass- ing of property for himself and his own fauiil}-. He is the owner of 220 acres of good land, and is meet- ing with success in its cultivation. By iiis manly •*^l-M^ ■► i r^ -•► 178 LANCASTER COUNTY. 1 and upright bearing anrl honest business transac- tions lie has won the esteem and confidence of tlie comnniniti' in wiiich he lives, and is ablj' qualified to fill the honoralile position in societj' which is granted him. He and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and their dailj- lives show to the world that religion is not onl}' a profession, but it is a tangible substance which we ma3' alwaj's carr3' with us to lighten our waj' and lend its beams to cheer the [laths of others. ^=!^EORGE H. EXLEY. In Yorkshire. England, the home of the Rev. IIenr>- and Mary ^^=!fiEOR( W ;il 'Hartley) Eixley, was born M.iy i). 1847, their son George H. In the pure, elevating atmos- phere of this Christian home he was reared, and its influences have been primary factors in the shaping of his life and charactei-. While he was still a child his parents emigrated to America and settled in Massachusetts, but after two years the failing health of his mother, whom the climate seriously affected, caused their return to England, where they remained a short time and then returned to America. They first located in Wisconsin, afterward proceeding to Iowa. Upon leaving school our subject, then thirteen years of age, commenced to learn the trade of wor- sted-making, and began to work in the factory. In this he conliinied until eighteen j-ears of age. He then learned harness-making at Dubuque, Iowa, and continued to work at the same with good success for two years. In 1871 he removed to thiscounty, and settled on his present farm in 1872. On Jan- uary 1 4 of that }-ear he was happily married to Esther l\lc(iinnis, daughter of William and Mary McGinnis. The former is deceased. This lady was born in Scott County, Iowa. Nov. 9, 1846. Her mother is still a resident of that county. As the name would impli', her father w.as a native of Ireland. l)Ut of Scotch de- scent, while her mother is a native of Penns^'I- vania. The McGinnis family circle was quite large, numbering twelve children, of which nuinlier, how- ever, but ciglit are living — John C, Esther M., JMariha .).. William II., Eliza L. (wife of Alexander Brownley), James B.. Isaphenia (wife of Seymour Carpenter) and Preston. For several 3'ears Mr. and Mrs. Exley have been members in good standing of the Christian Church, and have ever been found read}' to take upon them- selves anj' labor and activit)' which this relation would seem to demand of them, although a personal inconvenience and self-sacrifice. Their four children are being brought uii in tiie same faith. Their eld- est son, William H., was born Jan. 14, 1873. On Dec. 9, 1874, was born Charles A., then Mary E., born Oct. 10, 1876; George, born May 11, 1879. Mr. Exley has for some time past filled his present ofBce of School Director, the duties of which he has performed with great credit to himself and to the great satisfaction of the community. His conscientious convictio.is have led him, and have given him cour.age, to leave his former political connections and t.ake his place in what he deems to be the right; he now, therefore, stands in the ranks of the Prohibitionists, and has lent his influence to the advancement of their principles. His farm eom- ])rises 160 acres of good land on section 17. Yankee Hill Precinct. The financial aid which his fatlier could give him in a start in life was very small, and whatever he has become in education and stand- ing in the community, the increase of his wealth, the high state of cultivation and improvement of his farm, is all the result of heroic effort, hard labor, honesty and perseverance. #^ ^^ EORGE DESCHER. The quarter-section of j|| ^-, land on section 4, in Denton Precinct, which ^^ presents, perhajis, the most pleasing picture and most clearly- indicative of unremitting lal)or, intelligently directed and well performed, is that belonging to the subject of this sketch. Mr. Dcscher is a native of the land of the Blue Danube, and was born on the 29th of October. 1831. in the Empire of Austria. He is a son of Antone and AIney Descher, and is the youngest son in his family. His early years were spent in his native country, and lie received a somewhat complete education in the schools of the same land, but the dilllculty which forced itself upon him was that of utilizing tiie edu- GBri\'.^rfToA-- MALC^i M . _,l--J :,, ,/^i, ,-A6'/t^ /i'J:..i.''/ij,riy/?t -/oiCA-//, .. •,' ;, f/-f?MBRinGc: j/t': Eli-. L'fiss.-. M W .Ltvsjji«g ! ;ttJ^i^3a * ^^iWj^ fc^ai»ga;iSi^i;iStfai-.^.--..^..^-^x^ .. " Cottage Hi ululoxuiiviiwp.wi uannppniiBpm -^y jff iM J ft Mrg*^"- •■!»* ■*«».. .>|pn!,-3R> "-«^ 'fcf T. .l' ! .,.^ l l |i ' . 11 ' ,-!^ .■i>»y* .. .^» '- '- ' *- Views on Cottage Hill Farm . Residence o 1 ^.^.^.f^^^^J^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ i^i tf^«s»i »& ■'^""H-^aiR^t *4 V i-^m «i .oOKi'^h South from '•/r'l''-/ Bounds/^) .■' iii JUiO^j 'jJ J I - ^.>.u Liricoin >^' -^■ -je •^^_si<^' -J^:,. -«!«(«;: ;-v Birds- L-} E V/eiw , L^-^niN^ EacT. J. N.Converse, Sec. 27. Elk Township, Lancaster Co. -^i*" LANCASTER COUKTY. 183 cation which was received in his native town, and ai)|)lying it in the English hmguage. Our subject was eighteen years old when he be- gan to learn the trade of shoemaker, which, having learned, he continued tu follow for a few years. At the age of twenty-one he entered the Austrian arny, and served in the ranks for a period of ten years. He went through the war between France, Ital>' and Austria, w.as in the battle of Solferino, and continued until the close of the war. lu 1866 he emigrated to America, took passage from Bremen in a sailing-vessel, and after a voyage of thirty- nine da^'s, landed in New York City. From there he proceeded to Kentucky', and lived there several years, renting a farm. He was so far successful in his new occupation, and so generously' did liie earth return of her treasures, that in 1874 he came to Nebraska and located in Cass County, and after about twelve months came to this county, and set- tled in 1881. Besides the attractions which are found in the Gelds and pastures, in the shade and forest trees, or in the orchard of our subject, mention must be made of his house, which is a most comfortable and beautiful home, and in common with the other buildings upon his farm, is the result of his own handiwork. In addition to the farm referred to in our opening sentence, he is the owner of another of eighty acres situated on section 4 of Denton Pre- cinct, making in all 200 acres. Previous to his coming to this country our sub- ject was happily married, Feb. 28, 18G4, to Bridget Y. Jussell. who is a daughter of Christian and Mar3' Jussel!,and was born Oct. 8, 1837. Eleven children, of whom six are living, have come to their home, making it to them a very paradise with their inno- cent prattle, fun and laughter. Their names are here appended as in the familj^ record: Joseph, George, Henry, Mary, Louisa and .Sensa. Our subject and family are exceedingly devout in their attendance upon the services of the Roman Catholic Church, and the various religious duties connected tliere- with. The political opinions and S3'mpathies of our sub- ject are with the Democratic party, and although he is solid and steadfast as a partisan, his political acts are always backed by his best judgment and con- scientious opinion. He has fallen naturally into the ways and customs of his adopted country, and fully appreciates the nobility of her Government and the unrivaled grandeur of her institutions, and enjoys the hearty appreciation and regard of the entiie community. RS. SARAH A. JESSUP. This highly es- teemed lady, the relict of the late Henry Jessup, continues to conduct the farming enterprises established and so successfully' carried on 1)3' her husband for a number of years. Her residence and farm are on section 4 of Grant Precinct. She is an Eastern lad3-, and born of par- ents, the one a native ubject; with the true American grit and energy that have .ilways characterized him he courageously faced every trial, has wrested victory from defeat, so to speak, and has established in this part of what was once con- sidered the "Great American Desert," a pleasant and permanent home. The year following his arrival here Mr. Crist returned to Franklin, Warren Co., Ohio, to solemn- ize his marriage with Miss Jane Burns, daughter of Philip T. and Martha (Funk) Burns, of Franklin, Ohio. She was born Aug. 31, 1841. Her father was born in Harper's Ferry, Va., in 1810, went to Ohio when he w.as a young man, and made his home there until his death manj' years later, which took place Jan. 4, 1873. Her mother, who now makes her home with Mrs. Crist, vvas born in Frederick County, Md., Sept. 27, 1818. She had three daugh- ters, all of whom are living, namely : Ellen, wife of Benjamin Eberhart, a farmer of AVarren County, Ohio; Jane, wife of our subject, and Kllizabeth, wife of Henry Piper, a butcher of Warren County, Ohio. Mr. Crist is influential in public affairs, and as a l)ublic-spiritcd and wide-awake citizen has done all V u 188 LANCASTER COUNTY. that lay in Iiis power to promote the social and material welfare of the county in general, and of this connnunity in particular. lie has held the office of Assessor for three years, and has been a member of the School Board for twelve years, and it is needless to add that he has discharged the duties devolving upon him in public life with the utmost fidelity and greatlj' to the satisfaction of his fellow-citizens. In his political relations our subject has been a stanch supporter of the Demo- cratic party ever since he was old enough to cast a vote. — :>'^;^ii;H^^:5<^ 'fkM OSE.S BRINTON. who with his son owns 400 acres of the best land on section 33, Oak Precinct, occupies the same in the in- terest of general farming, the dair}' and the raising of blooded stock. His grandfather, after whom lie was named, was born in the year 1761, and died in 1844. He was a native of Pennsylva- nia, and from the time of his birth on through the years of manhood he continued to reside in the Piqua Valley, near the Gap in Lancaster County of that State. Our subject w.as born upon the same place in 1817, on the 25th of August. Caleb Brinton, the father of onrsubjeet, was born at the home of his parents, April 7, 1793, in the above county, and was also reared there, and ob- tained his education in its district schools. This completed to the extent of his opportunity, a school education, he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, in which calling he has continued all his life, and upon the home farm. He was united in mar- riage with Ann Fox, and they were the parents of two sons and five daughters. Bj' a second wife the family circle was still further enlarged by the addition of three sons and two daughters. In the great conflict, the late Civil War. Caleb Brinton lost two sons, the one fell iu battle in South Virginia, the other died in Andersonville. His wife also was taken from him at the early age of thirty-five years, dying on the 29th of August, 1829. Our subject is one of the prominent pioneers who labored for the development of Neliraska. and those who have followed him reap in many ways the result of his labors, and look with gratitude to him. He did not come to the connt3- until he was sixty-two 3'ears of age. He came with small means, effected a settlement, and can trul}' say he has never had occasion to regret his journey. His farm is well worked and in a high state of cultivation. He is quite extensively engaged as a dairyman, and is ])ro|)rietor of some of the finest cattle for quite a large distance around, and in addition h.as done much for the improvement of the stock. He has a large capital invested in this branch of the business, and to him is due, and is as readilj' accorded, the heart}' appreciation of those interested in the evo- lution to the more Improved and higher classed stock. A new country needs just such men and they are a source of great strength to it, and a benefit to every agricultural comnninitj-,and even thecities derive more advantage than would be perhaps at first supposed. March 9, 1843, our subject and Margaret A. M. HallowcU entered the partnership of life bj' mar- riage ; the lady is a native of Delaware, near Wilmington. Their union has been blessed and their home brightened by the birth of ten children, of whom, however, but five are living: Jesse H. ; AUie, now Mrs. Pennington, of Chicago; Caleb AV. ; Lizzie and Channing. Of these the youngest and Caleb W. are still residing at home. Margaret A. Hallowell was born in Chester County, Pa., March 7. 1824. She is the daughter of Jesse and Jane Hallowell, of the same place. Her father bj' occupation was all his life a farmer. Mr. Brinton is a member of the Society of Friends] in which society he b.as continued for many .years. He has been called upon in civil affairs to fill the office of .Supervisor, and has .also occupied the seat of Justice of the Peace with that dignity and im- partiality which was generally appreciated in the community. He has alw.a^-s been a pronounced Republican and a prominent supporter of that party. In the community at large our subject is held in the liighest possible regard, by reason of his manly, upright character, his social status, and his well-known efforts for the development of the county and the elevation of society. Caleb W.. the son of our subject, who is a part- ner with his father in the farm, is a man of fine jirin- ciples and considerable talents; straightforward in v^ > ► ll "^ ^h-^ LANCASTER COUNTY. IS.) •i^ business, and a most respected citizen. He was married, in May, 1886, to Lorcna Fox worthy, of Lincoln, daughter of Hezelviah Fox worthy, an attor- nej- of Lincoln. Thfsy have one child, Margaret. Jesse married Lydia Wood, of Doran, Chester Co., Pa.; their famil}' comprises four children; he re- sides near Philadelphia. The farm of our subject and his son, as above stated, contains some 400 acres of very fine land, eight acres of which are occupied by the apple orchard ; besides this a Large part is devoted to the culture of grapes and various fruits, and he lias also set out and brought to fair maturity over 2,000 forest trees. Such men are among the benefactors of the country, and may justly' rank as represent- ative. f^T'REDERICK KOEHLER. The characteris- Pi\ tics of the people of P^urope are too well known to need any remark: directly the Frenchman is spoken of, the figure is before the mind of a polite, communicative, vivacious and mercurial person, who can seize the airy nothings and give them definite shape, form and substance. On the other hand, his neighbor across the Rhine is alwaj-s represented as stolid, thoughtful, ever seek- ing by slow mental process to evolve from the inner consciousness of his being some new theory or ex- planation of some already accepted theory, truth or mysticism. In the department of actual labor there is seen the same slow but continuous, though ponderously persevering, effort; at the same time this is undoubtedly the great reason why, in our new Territories and States, settlers of this national- ity — we had almost said invari.ably — come to the front and are most successful. In the present biog- raphy is presented an outline of the life of a native of Prussia, one of the oldest settlers of Centerville Precinct, prosperous as a farmer, highly esteemed as a citizen. Our subject, whose property is situated on sec- tion 27 in the above precinct, was born on the 3d of February, 1829, in the town of Greston, Prussia. He is a son of Michael and Mary (Bron) Koehler, and was the third child of seven which comprised their family, wiiose names are here appended — Wilhemina, William, Frederick, Fredericka, Amelia and Frank; also one child who is deceased. Our sul)JL>ct is well educated in his ovvn language, having attended the schools of Germany continuously until he was of sufficient age to commence work. He emigrated to America when about twenty-two years of age, and took passage at Hamburg on a sailing- vessel, which occupied four full weeks in the Atlan- tic trip. He landed in New York in the year 1851, and proceeded direct to Milwaukee, and there re- mained for about twelve months. At the end of that time he removed to LaPorte, Porter Co., Ind., and for fifteen years this was his residence, and in this time he was engaged in farming with steadil}^ increasing prosperity. In the month of October, 1859, our subject was wedded to Henrietta Reatman, a lady of many natural and acquired virtues and graces, one capa- ble of making his home all that heart could wish, and by her wealth of affection become a practical exponent of the wealth of meaning residing in the words, '' faithful wife and true mother." The de- light of home has been greatly augmented by the birth of five children, of whom four are living. Their names are here given as in the family record : Frank, Julius, Philena, George, and Amelia (de- ceased). His first wife died in August, 1870. He was again married in Januar3^ 1883. to Mary Schraitskee, who has presented him with a .son, Alfred W. b^- name. It was in 1865 when Mr. Koehler came to Lancas- ter County. He then took a homestead claim of 1 60 acres, his present residence. The farm was at that time in all the beauty of its natural wildness; not a furrow was turned, not a fence erected, or a home built. Our subject began upon the bare ground, but by the exercise of his intelligence and experi- ence and the putting forth of manly efforts he very speedily made a great change. His comforta- ble and cheery home was built and furnished, and before long the golden grain stood in all its beauty, and the corn tassels hung glistening in the sunlight, out on the broad acres. He has watched with pride and gratification the development of the precinct and count}', hits seen the towns spring up and grow into cities, the iron liorse come bounding over the prairies, and innumerable other nineteenth ceutur}- I •«► 190 LANCASTER COUNTY. triumi)lis in nipchanics and art in dail_y use through- out the counUT. Wliat has been accomplished by our subject is the result almost entirely of his own effort. He is ft man who believes that honesty is the best policy, and is strictly so in all transactions, conscientious and painstaking to a degree. In polities he is an afliliate of the party founded b}' Jefferson, and en- deavors to discharge to the best of his ability every responsibility which comes to him as a citizen. He is at present serving as Moderator of District No. 77. an office he has continued to hold for some time. Religiously, he is an adherent and consistent mem- ber of the German Lutheran Church, the same communion in which he was reared in his native land. ^1*^, UDLEY W. BOWERS is a fine representa- tive of the stock-growing and farming interests of Lancaster County as embraced in the precinct of Yankee Hill, where, on section 31, he owns a good farm, the fertile soil of which is admirably adapted both to raising cereals and stock. Mr. Bowers is a native of Long Island, born Nov. 28. 1842, to Joseph and Maria (Ste- phens) Bowers, of whom further mention is made in the sketch of A. E. Bowers, of Yankee Hill Pre- cinct. Our subject was reared to manhooil on a farm, and then removed with his parents to Indiana. He received a rudimentary education in the district schools, which he has still further increased by reading standard works and bj- observation and experience, so that there are but few among his friends and associates who are better informed on all topics than he, or can more readily form an in- telligent opinion on any of the questions that are agitating the public to-day. On the 20th of Au- gust, 1862. being then but nineteen years of age, he laid aside the ambitions and hopes of 3^outh to join his noble comrades who had gone forth to fight their country's battles on the Southern battle- fields, and. if need be. die in her defense. He became a member of Companj- K. .5th Indiana Cav- alry, the same regiment to which his brother, Arthur E. Bowers, belonged. He was most of the time detailed as teamster in the Quartermaster's department, but he took an active part in several battles, being eng.iged in the one at Walker's Ford, and in many minor engagements. He was at Knox- ville when Burnside was besieged, and with tlie cavalry was kept outside to annoy the rebels. He was in Slierman's campaign from Daltou to Atl.iuta. and w.is under fire much of the time. He served bravely and faithfully until after the close fif the war. receiving his disdiargc June 15, I8G5. After retiring from the army our sul>ject re- turned to his old iiome in Jackson County, Ind., where he remained for about a year, when he went to Tennessee, where he h.ad taken stock to sell. He remained in Memphis some fourteen months, and at the expiration of that time proceeded to Ken- tuck}', where he w.«is engaged on a stock farm in Bourbon County the succeeding four ^-ears. He then returned to Tenjiessee. and after remaining there nearly a j'ear, .again went back to his Indiana home, and from there came to Lancaster Count}', Neb., in the spring of 1874. drawn hither by the many marvelous reporls that he had heard concern- ing the great fertility of the soil, its amazing pro- ductiveness and the healtlifuliiess of the climate. He located on the southwest quarter of section 31, Yankee Hill Precinct, where he has since resided. This part of the countrj' was then comparatively newlj' settled, and much of the land was unbroken, this being the condition of the tract purchased bj- our subject. In the years of toil that have fol- lowed since then he has developed from the raw prairie a beautiful farm, which, on account of the man}' improvements, is classed among the most valuable in the township, its ICO .acres being under excellent tillage. Mr. Bowers is in man}' senses of the word a self-made man, owing much of his suc- cess to his own persistent efforts. He also owes much to the good wife, who since their marriage on that Ai)ril day (the 27th) in 1875, has stood l)y him faithfully in storm or sunshine, and has shoul- dered her share of the burdens of their common life. Mrs. Bowers, formerly Lucy G. Miller, was born Jlay C, 1848. in Butler County. Ohio, being a daughter of Alfred aixl Emily (Guild) Miller, na- tives respectively of Virginia and Ohio. Her father -^^ LANCASTER COUNTY. l.)l 4 passed nwny from the scenes of earth in 1870. and the mother in I.ST.t. Six children had been Iwrn of their union, namely: Emily 1\I., wife of W. H. Snodgrass, of Clark County, lw\.; Lucy G.. wife of our snliject; Kdmund, of Jackson County, Ind.; Alpha, ;ing support as his strong character and manliness dictate. Frank K. Cropsej', son of our subject, is tiie owner of a splendid farm of 205 acres of land in this vicinity. He came to Lancaster Count3- in the fail of 1881, from which time on he has met with the success which rightly belongs to the earnest, true and faithful worker in any part in life. In politics lie is an Indepemlent, being svva3-ed by the principles of the undying right in preference to any party platform. If "" ENRY BOLDT. Among the most diring, enterinising, and most ancient of the Norse- men to push out into the great unknown seas of the Northern hemisphere in quest of adventure, plunder or conquest, were those from Denmark, and if their legends speak truly, they ■were among the first, whether by accident it matters not, to tread the shores of our great continent. Among those immigrants from other lands who throng our shores and overflow to our broad prai- ries, we question if there are any more appreciative of the institutions of their adopted country, more resolved to build up themselves and the countrj', than the descendants of those old Norse kings from the fiords of Denmark. In our subject we have one of these; he was born in Denmark, Dec. 27, 18.50, in which country he lived until nineteen years of age, and wherein he received the founda- tion and groundwork of his education and gen- eral adaptability for the multifarious duties and responsibilities of life. About the year 1869 or 1870. having left his old home and country', he landed in New York, and went direct to Brown Count}', 111., where he engaged in farming, and continued to live for about three years, when he came to Nebraska. After careful inspection of the surrounding country he finally settled in Nemaha Precinct, upon the farm which is still his home. The reward of former training and assiduous appli- cation is his, and to-day he is the owner of 120 acres of good laud in a high state of cultivation, and yielding more than the average crop. He has spent much time and thought, and not a little capital, upon various improvements from time to time deemed advisable or requisite. He has erected convenient and substantial barns, stables and other farm buildings, and, in addition, possesses a home in which the requirements of our modern civiliza- tion are b\' no means overlooked. March 17. 1876, at Lincoln, Neb., Mr. Boldt was united in marriage with Thenc Hanson, a native of Denmark, in which couutrj- she was born in 1852. There have been burn to them five children, in order of birth as follows: Thea Christina, Rosa, Laura, Clara and Emile. Mr. and Mrs. Boldt are stanch and consistent members of the Lutheran Church. In this com- munion they have been reared, and have continued from that time. Although taking no active or specially prominent part in politics, Mr. Boldt has formed his own intelligent opinions, affiliates with the Repul)lican party and votes its ticket. ^. : : g^J^^^^-^ (17 ENRY C. RELLER is a prominent citizen n'^V] of Buda Precinct, and one of the number y who can boast of an hon(jrable war record. He was born on the 5th of J\i\y. 1837, in Hanover, Germany, and is the son of John H and Elzebine (Sieck) Reller, who were both natives of the same country. He was the only son born to his parents, though they had several daughters. His father died when he was but three j'ears old, and in the year 1848, when he was eleven years old, in company with his mother and three sisters he came to America. Two of the sisters had preceded them in their journey across the water, and the five re- maining members of tlie family left Bremen and arrived in Baltimore, Md., after a tiresome voyage of seven weeks and one daj' on a sailing-vessel. Immediately upon their arrival in this country our subject and his famih' went to Scioto County. Ohio, which place they reached on the 26th of May, 1848. After awhile the mother of this family of children was also taken from them, and thej- were left alone to battle with the world as best they could. For five years our subject worked .as a 1 ' j ■<- LANCASTER COUNTY. 195 ii\ i farm hand, and then he went to the iron works of his hrothcr-in-law, Henry S])enman, in Harrison Township, of the same county. Tiie establishment was then known by the name of '-Harrison's Fur- nace," and in it our subject was employed for some six years, after which he engaged in farming for a short time until the beginning of the late war. In October, 1861, our subject enlisted as a pri- vate in Company B, 56lh Ohio Infantry, and on the 16th of February, 1862. he participated in the battle at Ft. Donelson, being attached to the divis- ion under command of Gen. Lew Wallace. When the never-to-be-forgotten battle of Pittsburg Land- ing occurred — well meriting the title of "Shiloh's dark and bloody ground" — the division to which our subject belonged had been held in reserve at Krumm's Lauding in order to take charge of the provisions, etc.. and he did not participate in the battle until on Monday morning, it having com- menced on the Sunday morning preceding. Sub- sequently he participated in the siege of Corinth, Miss., until it was evacuated by Beauregard, and was one among the number who occupied the city of Memphis after its capture. From Memphis, the regiment to which our sub- ject belonged was ordered to Wilson's Creek, Tenn., to assist in the building of a railroad bridge and protect the workmen, but on the day following their arrival a number of the men, including our subject, were captured and taken as prisoners to B}'halia, Miss. There were in all about seventy men confined for about two weeks, when our sub- ject was paroled, and permitted to return to Sher- man's headquarters in Tennessee. Thence he was sent to Columbus, Ohio, to camp parole, to await the proper exchange, after which, and while still at Columbus, he was taken ill, and being incap.-ici- tated for service, he was discharged b}- tlie hospital physician in April, 1863. After the honorable discharge of our subject from the service of his country, he returned to his home in Ohio, and was again employed in the iron works until the year 18C9. In that year he came to Lancaster County, and settled on his present farm, on section 5, Buda Precinct, in 1872. He is the owner of 320 acres of land on section 5, and 80 acies on section 16, so that altogether he has the entire control of 400 acres of land, which he has secured by hard work and economj". as he had pr.actically no means when he came here. Mr. Reller was married, in Oiiio, in April, 1858, to Catherine Ketter, and they had a family of eight children, four of whom are now living: Dr. Will- iam E. Reller is a physician and druggist, residing at West Point, this State, and the names of the other three surviving members of the family are: John F., Charles H. and Mary E. Mr. and Mrs. Reller are prominent members of society, and are among the leaders in all movements for reform and improvement, both also being members of tlie Methodist Episcopal Cliurch. Our subject is a Republican in politics, and has taken an active part in public affairs, having been first elected in the fall of 1881 as County Commis- sioner, and, having served one terra of three years, received the renomination by acclamation, and served a second term of the same duration, an indication of his popularity with the public. When the question of building the court-liouse was being agitated, our subject was really the prime mover in keeping it before the public, and it was finally car- ried to a successful issue. During his administra- tion the county bonds had been drawing 10 per cent interest, and after quite an important negotia- tion he succeeded in reducing the interest to half that amount, making them 5 per cent interest bear- ing bonds, thus securing the saving of a large amount to the county. He has filled this office faithfully and conscientiouslj', and with credit to himself and his constituents. He has also served in some of the important precinct offices, alwaj's favoring everything by which he thought the county could be improved and societ}' elevated. Vl/' OHN P. LANTZ, Esq., is one of the leading citizens of Lincoln and one of its early set- tlers, to whom she is greatl}' indebted for her J growth and material prosperity'. He came here in the spring of 1868, and in companj' with D. A. Sherwood, opened in a small frame building on the northwest corner of Eleventh and O streets the first real-estate office ever established in Lincoln, h * ► 1 1 ^^ I I'JG LANCASTER COUNTY. and iniich of the landed piopeit3- of Lancaster Coiintj- has passed through the hands of himself and his partner, and it is in part owing to their assiduous laliurs that it has become so well settled. When he first located here there were about 300 inhabitants in the city, which had been laid out the year before, and the surrounding country was wild, open prairie, with Government land in sight, awaiting the coming of the •' homesteaders," and deer, elk and antelopes were plenty. From this humble beginning he has with great pleasure witnessed the growth of the little prairie hamlet to one of the largest and most prosperous cities west of the Mississippi, with a population of nearly- 50,000 inhabitjints. with ma- jestic brick and stone blocks and elegant residences on the site of tlie unpretentious frame and log build- ings of twenty j'ears ago. Mr. Lantz was born March 20, 1823, in Sanduskj^ City, Ohio, being a son of George Lantz, one of the pioneers of Ohio, where he located in 1800, while it was under Territorial government. The latter was reared in Newton, Sussex Co., N. J., and his father, also named George, was a native of Germany, and was, it is thought, the first mem- ber of the family to come to this country. He set- tled in New Jersey, and there spent the last years of his life. The father of our subject w.as a young man when he went to Ohio to seek his fortunes, and lie married, in the town of Athens, Miss Mary Peikins, who greatly aided him in building up a home. Mr. Lantz subsequently' moved to Ross County, in the same State, and from there to San- (hi.>iky Citj'. In 1823 he made still another move, and located in Williams County as one of the early- settlers of Ft. Defiance, building there the first frame house, he being a carpenter b}' trade. lie followed his calling there until 1833, when he became a resi- dent of Beaver (now Pulaski) Precinct, where he bought a heavily timbered tract of land. lie had to cut a road through the wildnerncss to his land, and he then built a hewed log house, which was con- sidered quite a fine dwelling as compared with the humble cabins of his fellow-pioneers. In those days Indians were numerous, and deer, bears and wild turkeys were plenty; wild game furnished the prin- cipal dish at their meals. There was no railwiiy, and Ft. Defiance was the nearest market and de|)ot for 1-W supplies in all the country around for mauj' miles. Mr. Lantz was very industrious, and he. became quite prosperous, clearing a good farm from the forest-covered land, and residing on it until his death. He was a wise, far-seeing man, and took an active part in local affairs, serving as Justice of the Peace for twenl}' years. The worthy wife of this good man, who was a native of Maryland, died in Lincoln in 1875. at the age of eighty-three years. John P. Lantz was but a few weeks old when his parents took him to Williams County, where he grew to be a manl3'. vigorous man. His education was mostly conducted under the careful super- intendence of his father and mother, as the settle- ment of the county was so slow that schools were not established for several years. At the age of fifteen he did, however, attend school for three months. By careful attention to his books, at the age of eighteen he had amply qualified himself for the position of teacher, and he taught with success for eleven terms, but being naturally of a keen, bright intellect, the study of jurisprudence had a strong fascination for him, and he devoted all of his spare time to reading law, and was finally ad- mitted to the bar at F't. Defiance. He established himself in the practice of his profession at Brj-an, and by his careful attention to business and his good, practical knowledge of law, he gained a large and remunerative clientage. In March, 1868, he decided to take up his altodc in Lincoln, as he shrcwdl}' foresaw the future that laj- before the little town, transforming it into a thriving metropolis. He came b^- rail to Pacific Junction, from there was ferried across the Missouri to Plattsmouth. and there took the stage for Lincoln. His intentions had been to open a law office here, hut there seemed to be no clients, and he saw that there was a good open- ing for a live business man as a real-estate agent, be- ing convinced that with its marvelous advantages of soil, climate and location. Lancaster Couiit_v had within itself the possibilities of a great future if its resources could be developed by a thrifty, honest and energetic people. Accordingly he earnestly set himself to work, aided by his able partner, to induce emigration to this favored land, ami many settlers have been attracted hither bj' his practic.-d rei)re- scntation and intelligent descriptions of the country. ■^•- LANCASTER COUNTY. He has continued in the real-estate business iiere ever since, and has placed himself among the mon- eyed, substantial citizens of Lincoln. For the coziness and comfort of a very pleasant home our subject is under obligation to his esti- mable wife, to whom he was united in marriage Aug. 12, 1849. She was formerly Miss Ilannah Aubrey, and is a native of Ohio. Clara, the only child born of their marriage, became the wife of Oscar Parker, and died at her home in Colorado Springs, in June, 1888. Mr. Lantz takes much interest in politics, and has alwaj's been true to the Repulilican partj-. He has efficiently served the muncipality as Notary Public ever since his appointment a few months after his settlement here. 't^ HYLAN CUSHMAN is a general farmer^ fe] importer and raiser of Percheron horses, and /I' --- ^ ' as such holds a verj* important place in a new community which has not 3'et attained its growth. In all such communities men who will undertake the arduous work of bringing to the farmer and merchant improved cattle and horses, confer an inestimable benefit upon such a commu- nity. Our subject is the owner of fifteen acres of ground on section 30, Garfield Precinct, upon which he has simply his residence and home stables. He rents in addition a large farm for st(jck purposes. His home is situated three and one-half miles west of Lincoln, between O and A streets, now the Atchison & Nebraska division of the Burlington 205 U comfortable and convenient buildings, and every- thing about the place denotes the tiirift and able management of the owner, and that his reputation as a practical and skillful farmer is not undeserved. All his prosperity is due to the fact that he has not despised hard work as a means to an end, and, also, to the ready and cheerful assistance afforded to him by a good wife who has administered her affairs with frugalitj" and wise economy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bowers are earnest and sincere Christians and active workers in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is at present serving as Class-Leader. In politics Mr. Bowers favors the Prohibition party; he is always to be found on the side of the right, and is a [Dromoter and encourager of every scheme that will in any way enhance the material progress of the county or township where he resides, or that will serve to elevate their moral and social status. V JE. LONGSTREET. Our great Republic not ) only owes a debt of undying gratitude to the noble citizen soldier, who, during the I 1 late war, in the " times that tried men's souls," unhesitatingly went forth to do battle for her cause, but she is under obligations to them for what tho3' have since achieved in building up the country, and developing still further the magnifi- cent resources. Not a quarter of a century has elapsed since the last battle was fought, and the brave soldiers who had brought the war to a suc- cessful issue laid down their arms and resumed the quiet vocations which they had dropped at the first alarm of war to march forth to Southern battle- fields to defend the stars and stripes, which, but for their valor and i)atriotism, woulil not now wave over a free and undivided country'. Many of them then, or afterward, sought new homes on the great Western plains, and our country thus became a second time indebted to them, as they have been important factors in turning the greater part of what was known .as the " Great American Desert" into magnificent harvest fields, and in planting opulent cities and busy towns where before were wild, silent, untrodden wastes, thus showing, as the -^^ great and glorious Milton wrote, that "Peace hath her victories, no less renowned than war." As a fine representative of this cl.ass of citizens, one who h.as done his share of this great work, we are pleased to give a place in this volume to a sketch of the life of P. E. Longstreet. He is a prosperous member of the farming community of Lancaster County, and h.as for many j'ears been prominently identified with its growth. He owns on section 33, Lancaster Township, a valu.able farm, admirably located within easy access of the markets, being only four miles from Lincoln, and for culti- vation and productiveness it has uo superior in the vicinity. The father of our subject, Nelson Longstreet, was a lifelong citizen of Seneca County, N. Y., where he was born in 180C, and died in 1855, scarce!}' past the prime of life. lie earned his living as a d.ay laborer, and 03' his upright course in life as a man of steady habits, kindly n.ature, and sturdy integrity of character, he was justly esteemed by all who knew him. He married in earlj- life Clarinda Coon, the daughter of Mv. and Mrs. Francis Coon, of Seneca Count}-, N. Y., where she was born in 1811. She was a woman highlj' re- spected for her many good qualities, and her use- ful life of sixty-nme years' duration closed in October, 1880. Siie was the mother of six children, four of whom were sons, and the familj' record is as follows: Richard R., born March 17, 1K3G, lives in Cayuga County, N. Y. ; P. E., our subject, born June 26, 1838; Charles N., born Jan. 7, 1841, lives in Cayuga County, N. Y. ; Clarinda, born July 4, 1 844, married Lewis Bond, a commercial agent; Rachel, born Sept. 12, 1846, married Charles Gunn, and is now a widow ; Loren, born Sept. 7, 1856, lives in Seneca County, N. Y.. whore he owns a large vineyard and makes the culture of the grape his business. Our subject w.as early tr.ained to industrious and frugal habits in the home of his parents, and at the age of fifteen, being then an .active, manl}-, self- reliant Lad, he commenced life for himself by working out on a farm by the month. He contin- ued thus busily eniiiloycd until the breaking out of the war, and as soon as he could be spared from the duties that devolved upon him at home, he :^t^M^ u 206 LANCASTER COUNTY. V hastened to join his companions who were rlefend- ing the honor of the old flag on the bloody battle- fields of the South. He enlisted in Company G, 126tli New York Infantry, Aug. 'J. 1.SC2, and after drilling at Geneva, Seneca Co.. N. Y., for about a week, entered active service under Gen. Miles, and in the terrible j'ears that followed he suflfered all the horrors and privations of war in being wounded nigh unto death, imprisoned, nearly starved, etc. He was captured at Harper's Ferry, and was held a prisoner for three months before being paroled. He served at both battles of Bull Run, at Cedar Creek, was twice in action at Culpeper Court House, took an active part in the battle of the Wil- derness, was at the Whitehouse through three skir- mishes, did valiant service in the battle of Peters- burg, and then was engaged in the battle of H.atchies' Run. In this battle our subject was wounded by having his leg broken, and after that he lay on the field two days and nights, suffering cruelly from the torments of thirst and pain, and then was only taken up as a prisoner, destined for Libby Prison. He was forty-eight hours on the road without his leg receiving any attention, and when the rebel surgeon came to dress it he insisted that it must be amputated. Mr. Longstreet strongly objected to such a pioccdure, and bj- a little care h's strong constitution triumphed, and he recovered, although given over to die. He was held a prisoner for nearly three months, and finally became able to get about on crutches. He and his fellow-pris- oners had a starving time of it on corn bread, made from corn and cob meal, and soup made from beef and potatoes boiled together till all pulp and then stirred with cold water, each prisoner getting his rations twice a day. from one-fourth of a cup to a pint of soup and a piece of corn bread an inch square. Mr. Longstreet and his comrades were finally exchanged and taken to Annapolis, Md., and thence to Baltimore, where he remained about six weeks in the hospital. He was then sent with others to Y'ork River, where he remained until his discharge in 1865. Our subject won an honor- able record on some of the most hotlj' contested battle-fields of the war, displaying throughout his entire service the cool, courageous, self-sacrificing spirttof the true soldier, and his officers found in 4* him one who was prompt in obeying orders and one who couM be thoroughl3' trusted, one, in fact, whose ever3' act was inspired by patriotism and de- votion to his country. After leaving the army, Mr. Longstreet returned to iiis native State, and went to work on a farm b}' the month, being thus employed until his marriage, Jan. 27, 1870, with Miss Minerva, daughter of Aaron and Julia (Bennett) Wilson, of Ovid, Seneca Co., N. Y. Mrs. Longstreet can trace her gen- ealogy back several generations, to Ralph and Mar^- Wilson, who were the first of the family to leave their home across the waters to come to the United States. Their son David, from whom our subject's wife is lineallj- descended, was born April 29, 1732, the very day that the3' arrived in this countrj'. He married and reared a familj- of four children, of whom his son Joseph, born Feb. 8, 1764, was Mrs. Longstreet's grandfather. Of the twelve chil- dren that completed his family circle, his son Aaron, Mrs. Longstreet's father, was born Maj' 13, 1808, and is still living at an advanced age with his wife on the old homestead in Seneca County, where his ancestors made their home when they first came to America. Mrs. Wilson w.as born March 18, 1816. Their daughter, Mrs. Longstreet, is the fifth in order of birth of the ten children who have been born to them, she first seeing the light of (\ay in the old home Jan. 27, 1842. She and her husband are the parents of two children, namely: Estelle iM., born Nov. 26, 1873; Ira W., Jan. 18, 1875. Immediately' after marriage our subject and his wife left their native State to found for themselves a home on the rich prairies of Nehr.aska. Mr. Long- street purchased a tract of seventy-four acres of land, upon which he lived for sixteen years. He then sold that and bought his present farm, pajing therefor $40 an acre. Under his skillful manage- ment, and owing to the rapid growth of the country-, it has greatly increased in value, so that it is now worth 1120 an acre. It originallj' comprised 160 acres, but he disposed of fort\- acres of it for $100 an acre. Mr. Longstreet has taken an .active ])art in the .administration of public affairs in Lancaster; has served as Assessor of the township for seven j-ears and as School Director for four years, and no citizen ■♦- -•► LANCASTER COUNTY. ■20'i takes a deeper or more earnest interest in the wel- fare of his community. He and liis family are valued members of tiie Baptist Cliurcli, of Lincoln. In politics, Mr. Longstreet is a firm supporter of the principles advanced by the Republican party. Socially, he is prominently identified with the G. A. R., as represented by Farragut Post No. 25, at Lincoln. ~s ^^ ^ i~ ILAS M. CLARK. In this biographical compend are presented the prominent feat- ures of the life of one of the most respected, honorable and large-hearted farmers of Rock Creek Precinct, whose property is situated on section 34, and comprises 100 acres of excellent land in an irreproachable condition of agricultural efficiencj'. Our subject is the son of Hczekiah Clark, who was born about the year 1780, in Jefferson County, N. Y., and died in the same place in 1840. His wife was Lucy Watson, who was born in 1790 in Center, N. Y., and died in Jefferson County in 1883. Her husband was by trade a carpenter and builder, in which calling he was increasingly suc- cessful. Their home circle included twelve chil- dren, five of whom are now living: Julia, now Mrs. DeLong, whose husband is now a retired merchant ; they reside in Warren, III. William, a successful merchant in Boston, Mass., but now retired from active work ; Irene Mathews, relict of Mr. Mathews, whose home is also at Warren; Philena Bloomer is now living at Rock Creek, and Silas M. Clark, who was born Jan. 17, 1836, in Jefferson. Until he was twenty years of age our subject made his home with his parents. His education was received in the public school, afterward sup- plemented by a course in a private acadeni}'. About the year 185G he began farming, and continued in the same until 1862, when he enlisted, on the 19th of July, in Company A, 10th New York Heavy Artillery'. Until the spring of 1864 he was doing garrison duty at Washington, but at that time they were ordered to the front, and arrived at Cold Harbor almost immediately after the battle at that place. They were attached to the 18th Army Corps, and with them proceeded to Petersburg and were in the battle at that place. Thej' remained at the front until the 15th of August, when the}' were ordered back to Washington for about thirty days, and then went to the Shenandoah Valley for two months, but took part in no engagements. On the 2d of April following they entered into an engage- ment with the rebel forces, losing about eighty men, and were shortly afterward dispatched to Peters- burg for provost duty, where they remained until June 22, 1865, and were then discharged by general order. After leaving the armj' Mr. Clark remained at Ogdensburg, in St. Lawrence Count}-, and worked at merchandising. The following year, 1866, he began farming in Jefferson County, N. Y., and was fairly successful during his residence for about five years, when he removed to this county, and bought a farm of 160 acres for 817,000. This land he speedily made [quite fertile and raised large har- vests; he suffered in 1883 very considerably from hailstorms, losing nearly the whole of his crops. His specialty is stock-raising, but what part of his farm is not required to raise feed for his stock is used for grain. One of the most important steps in the life of any man, perhaps more than any other a farmer, is that wherein he unites himself '■ for better or worse, for richer or poorer." We say especially a farmer, because during the year, and especially the winter, the little household is largel}' shut into it- self, forming its own little world, and each is de- pendent upon the other so much for all that goes to make life worth living. In large centers of population this is not so, and if one has no com- panion at home there are opportunities within easy reach that will enable the sufferer to forget the same. Our subject in this important step happily made no mistake when he took to himself Margaret Weller. They were married April 2, 1859, at Ogdensburg. This lady is the daughter of John C. and Ann (Bemiett) Weller. Her father and mother were both natives of England. Her father was born in 1803, and landed in Quebec in the year 1840. After a short residence in that city he went to Ogdensburg, N. Y. Mrs. Weller was born in 1801, and is still living and in the enjoyment of r L. 208 LANCASTER COUNTY. ofood health. Their familj' Included twelve chil- dren, of whom seven are still living. The names are recorded as follows : John. Margaret (wife of our subject), Carrie, William, Anna. Eliza and Emma. After Mr. Clark took posscs.sion of his farm he began the improvement of the same at once, first, however, providing a home shelter for the family. This took the form of a dug-out, which a little care and labor made not onlj' habitable but comfort- able. The person who has lived alwaj's in some brown or white stone front mansion would be sur- prised at the amount of solid comfort and good cheer to be found in a claim shanty or dug-out. During the grassliopper plague his crops suffered severe!}", but he did not get disheartened ; he was made of better stuff, andmutuall}' encouraging each other, himself and wife worked together and soon re<;overed all that seemed to have been irretrievably lost. Their familj' has grown to include three chil- dren : M'illiam, born Jan. 12, 1860 ; Hattie E., born on the 11th of Februar}', 1863, is a resident at Rock Creek with her husband, Frank E. Rogers; and Lilian M., now Mrs. James Jlichacl, born Oct. 15, 1867. Mrs. Clark is one of the prominent and most de- voted members of the Congregational Church at Waverl}', and in that communion is very greatly esteemed, as she is, imleed. in common with her husband, by ail who know her. They are now reaping the golden harvest of a life of energetic toil, honor and loj'alty to themselves and neighbors. Our subject is in political matters associated with the Republican party, and Ud^es a deep interest in all matters, whether national or less far-reaching. He has been for over four years Justice of the Peace, in which position he has served to the great- est satisfaction of all concerned. Socially, he is a member of Mitchell Post No. 38, G. A. R., of Waverl}'. In visiting jcwehy stores one is often struck with the different stjMes of the larger pieces of silver- ware, as made for ornamental and useful purposes. Some are prettj', but without solidity; others fan- tastic but a|)parenll}- without any place to gel hold of them; and then there are those good, solid pieces of full weight and sterling vabic; not, perhaps, so 4* full of embellishment and trick of design, but when j'ou see and handle them you know exacll}' what they are and for what use. .So with men ; some are handsome but useless; others so full of angularities and tricks that you cannot touch them ; and then again there are those solid in worth, honest in pur- pose, large-souled, beneficent men whom it is al- w.iys a pleasure to meet and an honor to know. Such an one is the subject of this sketch. ^if^ DWARD YOUNG, the leading tobacconist ^ of Lincoln, has been established here since , ' — ^ 1886; he has a fine store and does an exten- sive business. He is a Pennsylvanian by birth, born in Lj'coming Count}', Oct. 9, 1 845. His father, Henry Young, was a native of Scotland, his birth occurring Oct. 11. 1810, and the grandfather of our subject, Jacob Young, likewise of Scottish birth, came to America with his family in 1828. He settled in Maryland, bought land, and engaged cxtensivel}' in farming and stock-raising. He spent his last years in Frederick Count}-, that SUite, dying at the advanced age of eighty-two years. The father of our subject was about eighteen years of age when he came to America. He mar- ried, in Maryland, Elizabeth Mich.ael, and after a few years of a happy wedded life she died in the home that they had established in that State, being only thirty -two years of .age. Mr. Young finally sold his farm in Maryland and moved to Lycoming County, Pa., where he eng.aged in the lumber business until 1859. He then returned to Maryland, and re- sumed farming until 1862, when he enlisted in the 6th Maryland Infantry, and served in the 6th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. He was wounded near AVinchester in 1864, and was discharged on account of disability caused by his wounds. He never fully recovered, but died in July, 1866, at the age of fifty-six. He inherited in a large degree those characteristics that make the sturdy, honest Scotch such desirable citizens, and he was a man of good repute, and was held in high esteem by his neighbors. The subject of this sketch received hi.s education in the public schools of Pennsylvania and Maryland. ■► ^ i <• ■■-^^-■----^.;a«^aasgsgga'sfey5fi^; jasas^jy^ia^-^-r^ -, Residence of Leon G.Andress.Sec.S. West Oak Precinct u LANCASTER COUNTY. 211 I. He was an active, self-reliant lad, and at the early age of thirteen began independently to make his own way in the world, commencing as a clerk in a general store. In 1862 and 1863 he was engaged in that capacity in a tobacco store. After the war he started ont as a traveling salesman, and was tims enii)loyed the greater part of the time for sixteen years. He was very popular and made many large sales for his employers, securing their confidence by his honest dealings and careful attention to their interests. He profited raucli personally bj' his travels; being a keen observer, his views of life were enlarged, and he gained a better knowledge of our wonderful country than is often granted to many of us, as ho visited twenty-seven States and three Territories. In 1 882 he retired from his busi- ness as a traveling salesman and located at Sterling, 111., where he engaged in the cigar and tobacco business until 1 886. In that year he came to Lin- coln and established himself in the same business, in wliich lie has been eminently successful. He is a man of good mental calibre and is more than or- dinarily well informed, being a student of good literature, and having a remarkable memory for whatever he has read, and he readily recognizes faces and names alter having once seen or heard them. He is alwaj's gentlemanly and courteous in his manners, and is respected and trusted by all with whom he has business or social relations. Mr. Young was married, Dec. 7, 1876, to Miss J. M. Walsh, a native of Grand Rapids, Mich. She presides with true tact and hospitality over their home, and- makes it attractive alike to her family and the numerous friends whom they have gathered around them since t.iking up their residence in this city. Two children, Stanley E. and Byron A., complete the household of our subject and his wife. The family attend the Presbyterian Churcli. ED UGENE HALLETT was quite an early set- tler in Lincoln; but few of the men who ^ were in business when he came are here at the present time. He was born in Nantucket, Mass.. his father, Allan Hallett, having been born in Yar- mouth, of the same State, and his father, the grand- father of our subject, as far as is known, spent his entire life in IMassachusetts. The father of our sulj- ject was reared in his native town, and learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. When quite a young man, he settled in Nantucket, where he carried on his trade of carpenter and builder, and also en- gaged in the hardware and lumber business. In the year 1854, or 1855, he sold his interests at Nan- tucket and moved to Milford, in the same State, where he engaged in the manufacture of sash doors and blinds, and also as contractor and builder. In the 3'ear 1858 the father of our subject moved from Milford to Leavenworth, Kan., going as far as latan. Mo., in the cars, and making the remain- der of the journey by steamer. In Leavenworth he followed the trade which he had learned when young, and was a resident in that cit^' until the time of his death, which occurred in 1866. He had married, in Nantucket, Miss Hepsabeth Rand, a daughter of Ebenezer Rand. She died at her home in Leavenworth in the year 1859. They were the parents of the following children: William A., de- ceased; Emeline, who is married to Thomas E. Kirkley ; Eugene, our subject, and Fannie B., also deceased. Our suliject is the third child of the family, and he lived in Nantucket until he was fifteen years old, when he moved with his parents to Milford. He had attended the public schools in the former place, and at tlie age of sixteen he commenced to learn the jewelry trade in Milford, where he worked at the business for one and a half 3'ears, and then went to Providence, R. I., where he followed the same business for two and a half years. In the year 1858 he went with his parents to Leavenworth, and there engaged in the jewelry business, which he continued until 1871, when he came to the young and flourisliing capital of Nelir.-iska, and established him- self in business. He was first situated in a small frame building on O street, between Tenth and Eleventh streets, and removed from there to his present fine location on North Eleventh street. He has been very successful in business, and having secured the entire confidence of the people, he is enjoying a very large trade. In the j'ear 1867 our subject was united in mar- riage with Martha J. Brown, a daughter of Hugh ■^•- 212 t LANCASTER COUNTY. ^1 Brown, of Ottumwa. Iowa. They have become the Ijarents of four chihh-en. whom we name as fol- lows: Fred A., Maggie E., Hugh B. and Flugene \V. S. Mrs. Hallett is a member of the First Cliris- tian Church, and is a lady in every respect to be admired. Mr. Hallett takes an Interest in the polit- ical questions of the day, and has united his fort- unes with those of the Republican part}'. He is a member of Lincoln Lodge No. 9, A. O. U. W., and is also a member of the Lincoln Union Club, He is carrying a ver}' fine stock of goods, and by his honorable business transactions has raised him- self to the first rank among business men. So- cially, he and his wife are pleasant and affable, and enjoy the esteem of a large circle of friends anf 6) R. HENRY C. DEMAREE, a very suc- cessful and rising physician and surgeon of Roca. has been identified with the various interests of Saitillo Precinct fur a period of thirteen years. Besides the income from his profession, he has a good farm, comprising eight}' acres of improved land on section 8. This is embel- lished with a iiaiidsome dwelling, which he put up in 1884, and whicli forms a most pleasant and invit- ing home. He is a gentleman public-spirited and progressive in his ideas, one who is willing to con- tribute of his time and means for the advancement of the interests of his eommuninit_v, and in connec- tion with iiis profession, has the laudable ambition of standing at tlie very head. Our subject springs from an excellent fami!}', iiis father being David S., and iiis mother, Catherine (Irving) Dciiiaree, the former a native of Ken- tucky, and the latter of Scotland, but tracing his an- cestry on his father's side to Holland. The matern.al great-great-grand fatiier of our subject emigrated to America in 1730, settling in New York State, and from him sprang the family of this country. It is hardly necessary to say that they represent some of the best people of this continent, and are promi- nent in the trades, the professions, and tiie more laborious walks of life. The parents of our subject, David S. and Cath- erine Demaree, had a famil}' of five sons and one daughter, and spent their last years in Switzerland County, Ind., the mother dying in 1857, at the age of forty-two or fortj'-three years, and the father in 1863, when fifty-three j'ears old. Henry C, our subject, was the j'oungest born, and first opened his eyes to the light at the old home in Switzerland County, Ind., on the 21st of Novem- ber, 1846. His early studies were conducted in the common school, while Le became familiar with the various employments of farm life, but when a had eight j'ears of age, had alreadj' decided upon the medical profession as his future calling. Dr. Demaree was a young man twenty years of age when he came to Nebraska. The boj's had raised a mortgage of $6,000 on the homestead, which the father left at his death, and our subject started out practical!}' without means and wiiolly dependent upon his own resources. He was ein- plo3'ed as a farm laborer the first season, and then made such arrangements as admitted him into the office of Dr. William Arnold, of Brownsville, this State, under whose instructions he pursued his medical studies a year, and then became a student in the medical department of Michigan State Uni- versit}', at Ann Arbor. A 3'ear later he emerged from that institution to enter the Kentuck}' School of Medicine, at Louisville, from which he was graduated in the class of '78. At this time he had already practiced about one }-ear, and after receiv- ing his diploma, made his way across the Missis- sippi once more, and began the regular practice of his profession in the town of Roca, where he has since been located. Dr. Demaree was at once recognized by the people of this section as one worth}' of their con- fidence and patronage, and his career has been onward from the start. He was united in marriage witli Miss Emma L., daughter of E. L. Warner, on the 9th of September, 1884, at the home of the bride in Roca. Mrs. Demaree was born Nov. 29, 1851, in Iowa, and continued under the home roof until her marriage, .acquiring a good education, and being carefully trained, as one destined to occupy a good position in society. A sketch of her parents will be found on another page in this volume. To the Doctor and his estimable wife there h.is been 4^ t u LANCASTER COUNTY. 213 born one child, a son. Merlin, April 28, 1886. This little one passed away wlien three months old. Our subject iins comparatively little time to give to matters outside of his profession, being a close student and an extensive reader, although, at the same time, he is ever willing to di) whatever lies in his power to advance the interests of his commu- nity. Politically, he is a solid Republican, and is prominently connected with the Lincoln Medical Society, besides holding a membership in the Ne- braska State Medical Society. His prompt atten- tion to the needs of his patrons, and his careful and conscientious methods, both as a busines man and professionall3% have secured him a large circle of friends. ^Y/AMES E. BLIZZARD, a journalist of rare literary ability, is editor and publisher of the Hickman Enterprise, and through the columns of his valuable paper he has done more than any other man to encourage and promote the growth of the village of Hickman, which is widel3' known to rank among the liveliest villages of Southeastern Nebraska. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Sharp) Blizzard, natives of Delaware, who settled in Georgetown, that State, after mar- riage. The father was a carpenter and joiner, and continued at that trade in Georgetown until 18.33, ■when he moved with his family to Summerfield, Ohio. Two 3'ears later he moved to Bellefontaine, Ohio, with his wife and children, and lived there until his death in 186i, at the age of seventy-two. His wife died in the same place in 1880, at the ad- vanced age of seventy-eight years. (For further parental history see sketch of Dr. Blizzard.) James Blizzard, of this sketch, was the eldest of the five children, three of whom are living, born to his parents, and he was born Sept. 25, 1828, in Georgetown, Del. He was partly educated at a se- lect school at Bellefontaine, Ohio, and at the age of eighteen he went to Philadelphia, and entered the Southworth High School at that place. He contin- ued there until 1848, and completed a thorough course at that institution, gaining a high rank for superior scholarship. After he left school he re- ceived the flattering offer of the principalshipof the academy at Georgetown, his native city. He de- voted his attention exclusively to teaching for eight years, with marked success. In 1851 he entered upon his career as a journalist by establishing the Sussex Neirs, a weekly paper, at the same time con- tinuing his duties as a teacher, and for three years longer he continued to instruct the youth of George- town at the academy, and the public, through the columns of an ably edited paper. He then gave up teaching for awhile, and went to Liberty, Ohio, where he bought out the West Liberty Banner, which he edited for two years. He then returned to Georgetown and resumed teaching for two years. After that he entered the ministry, and traveled under the Presiding Elder of the Philadelphia Con- ference until 1861, when he returned to Ohio. He did some ver^' effective work as a preacher, throw- ing his whole heail and soul into his labors, and his services were highly appreciated by the members of the conference and the people unto whom he ministered. In 1876 he again returned to the field of journalism, and going to Salida, Mercer Co., Ohio, he bought out the Salida Democrat and merged it into the Observer. This paper was com- mitted to the interests of the Republican party, and our subject was .actively engaged in editorial and political work until 1883, when he was induced to try the West. He removed with his family to this State, and engaged in the drug business in Firth for a year and a half. But his love for literary la- bors was still strong upon him, and wishing to enter the editorial arena again, he came to Hickman and started his present paper, the Hickman Enterprise, the first number of which was issued May 8, 1886. This paper ably advocates the policy of the Repub- lican party, and has met with well-merited success from the first, dealing, as it does, in a masterly manner with the various issues of the day, serving the highest purposes of journalism, to educate the people. Mr. Blizzard was married, in 1848, to Miss Mary, daughter of Peter and Harriet (Warrington) Rust. She is also a native of Georgetown, Del., born in 1828. She enjoyed good educational advantages in the city schools, and being a kady of true refine- ment, has deeply sympathized with her husband in ' -^^ri^ ,t 214 -► ■ < • LANCASTER COUNTY. his aims and aspirations. The following is the rec- ord of the five children born to them: Wiliard is a raihoad man in Kansas Cit\'; Vititia is in Cleve- land, Ohio; Geneva is the wife of William Hilp, of Kansas City, and they have two children — Bessie and Dee; Maggie is the wife of Dr. A. R. Touvelle, of Firth, and they have one child, Mortimer; Eliza- beth is the wife of William Clesen, of Lincoln, and tliey have two children — Clyde and an infant. Mr. Blizzard has alwa3's been too generous, open- handed and public-spirited to accumulate a fortune, and is now in moderate circumstances. He and his wife are held in high regard as honorable members of society and of church, they belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Hickman. As to the political views of our subject, one needs but to read' his vigorous editorials in his paper to be con- vinced tliat he is a thorough Republican. He is in frail health, and has never been inclined to seek office, although he was at one time nominated by tlie Republican party of Delaware, his native State, as a candiilate for the State Legislature, but de- clined to accept the nomination. ILLIAM CHARLTON. Among the far- mers of Ccnterville the name of our sub- ject is worthy of prominent mention, not simply on account of the size of his farm, but rather because of the high state of agricultural per- fection to which he has attained and the products obtained. His property is situated on sections 2G and 27, and includes 1,052 acres. Our subject is a native of Van Buren County, Iowa, and was there born on the 10th of August, 1845. He is the sou of Thomas and Ann (Meek) Charlton. His father died about the year 1878, aged j seventy-five years; his mother, who is still living, resides with our subject. Both his father and mother were natives of Pennsylvania, who settled in Van Buren Count}', Iowa, about the year 183G, and were among the first pioneers of that part. The family of which our subject is a member numbered nine children, only four, however, are now living. These are: Elizabeth, the wife of C. AV. Stevens, of Buffalo County, Neb.; Ella resides with our subject; Emma, now Mrs. James W. Wiley, also of Buffalo Count}-, and our subject. Mr. Charlton, Sr., died after a short illness, in 1878, eminenti}' respected by neighbors and citizens as a man and patriot. The subject of this sketch remained in the home of his parents until about eighteen years of age, and then went to California, where he made his home for about eight j'ears, working for the first five years on different farms, being engaged b}' the montii, the latter part of the time renting about 2,200 acres, which for three j'cars he operated most successfully. In 1873 he came to Lancaster County and took up his present farm and settled upon the same, continuing to make it his home ever since, with the experience .again repeated, that intelligent labor properl}' bestowed, other things being equal, will result in prosperity in husbandry, as in other pursuits. The felicity which ci)mes into the experience of every worker having the inspiration of seeking happiiress for others, became his when, in May, 1872, onr subject was united in the bonds of mar- riage to M.ary Lidolph. This lady is a native of Iowa and a daughter of Lewis Lidolph, of this precinct. They became the parents of three chil- dren, whose names are here appended: AVilliam H., I born Feb. 15, 1873; Byron, Sept. 25, 1874, and Mar}- A., Aug. 12, 1H76. March 3, 1877, our sub- ject had to face a trial which desolated his heart, life and home, and had to bid the last farewell to his wife, who in death left behind her an inexhaustible wealth of affection, and the realization among friends and neighbors that they had lost a friend of more than ordinary worth. The remembrance of her life and love are ineffaceable from the hearts and lives of her husband and family. The property which our subject has accumulated is expressive of the great go-aheaditiveness of our Western farmers, associated with well-directed in- dustry, continued perseverance, and intelligent, careful planning. Mr. Charlton has held the treas- urership of the schools of his district for several years, and doubtless has yet to be heard from in other and more important otfices. His thoughts upon political subjects lead him to associate himself I with the Republican party, of which he is a strong ■^•- -^•- LANCASTER COUNTY. 215 i ^ supporter and unwavering adherent. He Is as true to his manhood and conscience as is possible in all the affairs of life in whatsoever relation it may be, and is proportionatelj' admired and esteemed by all. R HARLES F. RETZLAFF, an extensive land- 111 „ holder of Stockton Precinct, is the owner ^^^J of 800 broad acres, and h.as one of the finest homesteads in Lancaster County, comprising the greater part of section 4. A handsome residence and substantial out-buildings, together with fruit, shade and ornamental trees, make up one of the most desirable homes in the county, and indicate on all sides the cultivated tastes and ample means of the proprietor. His family consists of a most amiable and intelligent wife, who presides in a graceful and dignified manner over his household, and six interesting children, who are named re- spectively': George W., Frederick W., Emma "W., Edith A., William T. and Albert L. The second son was married in 1887 to Miss Clara Faulhaber, and lives at the home farm. One child, a son, Charles, died at the age of two years, and another child died in infancy. The subject of this biography was born on the other side of the Atlantic in the Prussian Province of Pommern, Oct. 3, 1831, where he spent his early life as a shepherd boy, and in 1854 came to Amer- ica with his brother. After landing in New York Cit}' the}' at once proceeded westward to Milwaukee, Wis., whence soon afterward they went into AVal- worlh Count}', where Charles F. was employed as a farm laborer for a period of three years. He came to this county in August, 1858, secured a tract of land on section 4, in Stockton Precinct, and decid- ing to permanently locate, returned to Wisconsin for his bride, being there married, April 24, 1859, to Miss Dora Sophia Lemke, who was born in Brandenburg, Germany, Nov. 3, 1838. It thus appears that Mr. Retzlaff has been a resi- dent of this county for a period of nearly thirty years, coming to Nebraska while it was still a Ter- ritory. It is hardly necessary to say that he has watched the growth and development of the Great AVest with the interest manifested by every intelli- gent citizen, and he may be pardoned for the reflec- tion that by building up one of the finest farms in this portion of the State, he has been no unimpor- tant factor in placing Lancaster County in her pres- ent proud position. Mrs. Retzlaff came to America with her brother AVilliam and sister Minnie (the latter now the wife of John Kochler, of Wisconsin,) when a young lady eighteen years of age. They settled in Kenosha County, Wis., where she lived until her marriage. She, with her husband, belongs to the German Lutheran Church, and Mr. R., politically, is a solid Republican, one who is thoroughly alive to the im- portance of every man doing his duty in maintain- ing the principles of liberty and union. He has been prominent in local affairs, and after the organi- zation of Lancaster County was one of its first Commissioners. He has also held the office of Jus- tice of the Peace, and officiated as Road Supervisor. His course as a business man and a citizen has been such as to commend him to the favor of all with whom he has had dealings, and he bears the repu- tation of beinga leading representative of his town- ship and the county at large. JAMES M. MYERS is a son of William Myers, who was born in New Jersey, in 1814. When a young man the father went to Carroll County, Ohio, where he engaged in the occupation of farming until about the year 1843, when he engaged in the milling of flour and lumber. Having by diligent attention to business secured a fair competence, in 1876 he retired from business, and now lives at Pioneer, Williams Co., Ohio. His wife, Eleanor, was born in 1812, in Pennsylvania, but removed in early life with her people to Ohio, where she was married. She died at her home in the year 1863. The parents of Mr. Myers had a family of seven children, two of whom are sons, only three of the children now living, as follows: Joseph, a farmer living near Traverse City, Mich. ; Mary, the wife of E. P. Warner, a shoemaker of Pioneer, Ohio; and our subject. Mr. Jlyers was born on the loth of May, 1845, in Knox County, Ohio. He lived at home until f -4^ 216 LANCASTER COUNTY. the age of eighteen years, atteniling the jniblic schools in the time that was afforded him. In Jan- uary, 1864, when tlie call came for more men, he en- listed in Company H, 38th Ohio Infantry. He served with Sherman in the troops that made the memorable march to the sea. On their return they experienced much severe marching through South Carolina, and to Raleigh, not ceasing their march until they arrived in the cit3' of Washing- ton. Afterward he was sent to Louisville, Ky., where, about the 1st of July, they were mustered out, and discharged at Cleveland, Ohio, soon after. Returning to his home our subject followed the occupation of farming, and engaged in buying up stock. In 1 866 he and a brother bought a farm in Steuben County, Ind., and farmed together for a year. Coming to Lancaster County. Neb., in 1869, he made a selection of land in Ruck Creek Precinct, and homesteaded eighty acres of it. Having built a *• dug-out," he moved into it on the 22d of November, and on the 23d day he was married to Grace A. Griswold,a daughter of N. W. and Hester Griswold, of North Bluff Precinct. Mrs. Myers was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., on the 25th of February, 1846, and coming to Ne- braska with her parents she lived with them until her marriage. In 1879 our subject was able to buihl a nice house, and he left his " dug-out " for the newer and more commodious dwelling. He improved the farm, setting out on it a fine fruit orchard con- taining 100 bearing trees, ancl one acre of young fruit trees. In common with all the farmers of that time he suffered the losses incurred by the siege of the grasshoppers, severe wind and hail- storms. But summoning up new energj' each time be sustained a loss, he was enabled to recover from those misfortunes, and make a good start toward success. Few people deserve more credit for the property and wealth which thej' have gained than do these honest, enterprising farmers, wiio have had so much to contend with from the misfortunes in- cident to their location. Our subject stands high in the esteem of the peojile of the community in which he lives, by rea- son of the interest whicii lie takes in educational matters, and the good goveininent of the country. He is a Republican in politics, and has served as Assessor for four full terras. He has twice been a delegate to the County Conventions, and has served as a member of the School Board in his district. He and his family do not at present be- long to anj- religious denomination, but take their place as esteemed members of societ}'. There are four children in the family, all living at home, their names and the dates of their l)irth being as follows: Lona E., born Dec. 29, 1870; Etta M., Nov. 20, 1873: Gracie J., Jan. 23, 1880; and James H., April 30, 1 887. Mr. Myers is a mem- ber of the committee of the Republican Club, formed in Rock Creek in July, 1888. His hon- orable service in behalf of the country at the time she was enduring the horrors of a civil war, will alwaj-s be held in remembrance, and spoken of to his lasting honor. -^^- ^- -^ E WITT C. FELLOWS. New Engl.and is second to no other section of our country in the number it h.as furnished from the ranks of its best citizens who have gone out to face the struggles and dangers of pioneer life. The}' seem to have caught the spirit of their ancestors, and those pioneers of the New England States who landed in the cAjld surf at Pl3-mouth Rock. From such a family is the subject of this writing. Benjamin Fellows, the father of De Witt C. Fel- lows, was born in Kensington, N. H., in 1794. His education was obtained in the common schools of that place, after which he was apprenticed to a m.aster tailor to be initiated into the varieties of texture, their qualit}- and finish', the use of the tape- line and measure, the geometry' of the cutting- board, the freaks and fictions of fashion, as well as the more piercing experience of the needle. Not until he was thirty-five years of age did he leave the business and turn to farming, in which occu- pation he continued until his death. Mr. Fellows was united in marriage to Percy Bridgeman, the daughter of Rev. Isaac Bridgeman, a Ba|)list clergyman of the same State. She was a lady of education according to the idea of the times, of '^•■ ••► »► l l "^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 217 culture and pleasing address, and fully endowed with those virtues which are the chief fjlory of womanhood. Their family h.as iniinbered seven children, whose names are here given, but who, with the exception of our subject, are all de- ceased : Melvina, John, Antonette, Helen, De Witt C. (our subject), Napoleon and Ira. Their father continued to live some five years beyond the allotted threescore and ten, and enjoyed good health until near the end. He was a man highly respected as a citizen, and beloved in his domestic relations. His wife, the mother of our subject, died five years prior to the death of her husband. Our subject was born April 22, 1827, in Han- over, N. H. In due time he was sent to the common school to obtain an education, which should fit him for the duties and responsibilities of after days, and although this education did not contain the extensive list in use at the present time, and did not include the mass of learned lore which to-day might be numbered among its subjects and add to the weight of his text books, it was neverthe- less thorough and practical, and in after years he proved its value in many instances, and doubtless realized that had it been far more liberal he would have found opportunity to use it all. The business of schooling over, he entered upon the work of tiie farm, continuing at home in tiiese pursuits until he reached man's estate, then he struck out for himself. For several jears Mr. Fellows was working his way in the direction of the setting sun, engaged in various occupations at different places. He entered the arm^- in 18()2, enlisting in Company I, 43d Massa- chusetts Regiment, under Col. Holbrook. He saw active service, and took part in several engage- ments, and upon being mustered out in 18C3, he went to Boston and engaged in the carpenter trade, of which he had made himself m.aster before he left home. He continued in this business, making the above city his headquarters, until 1872, when he went AVest prospecting, going back in the fall. The following year he came to Lincoln to stay. One year from that time, ('. e. in 1874, our sub- ject was married to Julia Ann Collins, who was the daughter of King and Marj' Collins, and was born in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. They i)ave l)ecn made happy by the birth of three children: Paul C, Mary B. and Joseph, who were born in this county. Our subject had by this time secured property in Lincoln, and in 1877 he bought his present home, and then began immediately to improve the same. The house which has been so pleasant and conven- ient a home, was erected, together with a commo- dious barn, a large number of shade and fruit trees were set out and numberless other improvements made. Eleven years ago the property was only a cattle pasture. To-daj you can enjoy under the thick leafy foli.age which spreads itself before the face of the burning sun, the cooling shade which its generosity affords, or by taking a stroll over the velvety carpet of green, which spreads itself at our feet, to another part of the grounds, we .are en- abled to appreciate the shadow of the fine fruit trees, and partake of the luscious gifts they extend toward us. Mr. Fellows is Director of his school district, and in political affiliations an ardent friend and sup- porter of the Republican party, whose candidates receive his suffrage. The wife of our subject. Miss Collins, is the daughter of Mr. King Collins and wife, and was born at Chagrin Falls, Ohio, in 1849. Her edu- cation was received in the academy of that town, and after graduation she continued teaching several years. As an illustration of the increase in valuation in Lincoln in the past decade, and at the same time of the increased settlement, we may remark that land for which about ten years ago he paid 11 1 per acre, and which lies adjacent to the city limits, is now valued at from :t52.50 to §300 per acre. His prop- erty includes some sixty-six acres of land on section 11, and is chiefly devoted to the raising of stock and fruit culture. His orchards are among the finest and most extensive in the county. assing through long rows of hop poles with the vines at their most perfect stage, and thus on, until after about three hours our train rolls into the depot upon the white chalk cliffs of Dover. In the above beautiful county of Kent, England, was born on the 9th of Fel)ruary, 1834, the sub- ject of this sketch, who is the son of John and £;iiza Chapman, natives of the same place. He is the eldest son of four children, and received his edu- cation in the parish school, where he developed a large aptitude for scholarly exercises, and was not long in proving that he w.as a born student. Being early impressed with the truth of things religious, he offered himself lor the ministry and began a course of study to fit him for the same. Until he had arrived at man's estate he continued to make his home in Kent, but in 1 8,t>s he took passage on a sailing-vessel at Liverpool, and ujion the 3d daj' of July of that year he bade farewell to the shores of his native country, and landed just one month later in New Yolk. Me did not immediately re- sume ministerial labor, but secured employment .as salesman in the dry-goods house of A. T. Stewart & Co., and there remained for sixteen months. lie then went to Porter County, Ind., and engaged in farming, renting about 500 acres for a period of eight j'ears, and then, in 18G8, when he removed to Michi- gan, and made his home in that Stale until his ying the old homestead which the father purchased years ago. The latter also served three years in the late war, together witli two lirothers of our subject. Mr. Couser spent his bo3'hood and youth on the farm of his f.nther in the Buckeye State, where he attended the common schools and occupied himself at farming a number of years after reaching his majority. He had always been of a serious and thoughtful turn of mind, and in 1881 entered the Dunkard Theological School, at Mt. Morris, III., with the view of preparing himself for the ministry. Being fond of farming pursuits, however, he has not confined his attention entirely to his study, al- though laboring in the Master's vineyard when his services seem to be in demand. He was married, on the 30th of September, 1880, to Miss Josephine Yarger, who was horn in Stephenson County, 111., Feb. 29, 18r)2. Her parents, William and Mary Yarger, were natives of Pennsylvania, the father a farmer by occupation. He passed from earth April 2, 1880. The mother is still living, and a resident of Marshall County, Kan. Their famil}' consisted of eleven children, ten living, namely : Mary, Sarah, Phebe, John, Calvin, William, David, Josephine, George and Angle. The family is of German de- scent, and identified with the Dunkard Church. To our subject and his estimable wife there have -4•- -•► LANCASTER COUNTY. 2l>5 been born two chilrlren : Bessie P., Oct. 6, 1881, and Mary J., April 17, 1887. In the spring of 188G Mr. Couser came from Kansas to this countj', settling on his present farm. He has always taken a warm interest in the temperance movement, and votes with the Prohibition jiarty. ?RANK DAUWALTER. Few young men of .age parallel with our subject have achieved more under the same opportunities than he, and his farm, which is situated on section 7, Denton Precinct, would be exceedingly' creditable in every regard to men of riper years and larger experience. He was born in Freedom, LaSalle Co., 111., March 22, 1862, into the family of Christian and Chris- tiana Dauwalter, who were natives of German\'. It was at an earl3' day in the development of LaSalle County that the parents of our subject came to this countrj' and settled there. His father was suc- cessful as a pioneer for several years, but was re- moved from his family by death when our subject was three years of age. This is one of the many families that will alwa3's bear a scar left bj' the bullets of the late w.ar. The father of our subject took his place in the ranks when the call was made for men, and after an honorable service laid down bis life in defense of the Union. Until a few years ago the mother of our subject struggled on for herself and family in an endeavor to retain and improve the home farm. She was re- moved by death April 18, 1880. Her family con- sisted of five children, four of whom are living: Conrad, a farmer in Lancaster County; Lizzie, the wife of A. Jacobson, of LaSalle County, 111. ; Lou- isa, now Mrs. S. Rapp, of Denton Precinct, and Frank, our subject. Until the death of his mother our suljject remained with her upon the home farm, and was, therefore, reared to manhood in his native State. His education was very limited so far as the schools were concerned, and was confined to the more elementary branches as presented in the district schools of his native county. The most healthful and inspiriting government under which it is possible to live is that with which we are blessed in America, because it holds out to every citizen a possibility of doing and be- ing something worthy of free manhood. He is in- spired to be an honorable citizen, to make and own a home, and perpetuate the government, and the public under which such condition is a possibilitv- P^very true citizen, therefore, sooner or later, has serious thoughts to this end, and whenever, in order to the same two hearts are united in one and a new household formed, it is an event of more tlian mere private importance. The union may mean that vast national issues will meet their solution from some child born of the same. Our subject was not different to others in this regard, and has blessed his own life and others bj' taking as his wife a lady worthy in every way and most capable. He was married, on the 18th of August, 1883, to Anne Eieth, an Illinoisan. Two children have been born to them, who survive, Dolly and Cora, besides Wesley, who is deceased. Our subject left Illinois March 5, 1884, and took up his present farm in the fall of the same 3'ear and settled upon it. From that time he has continued his residence without intermission. His farm comprises a quarter-section of excellent land, and this his industry, experience and continued endeavor, have made one of the best and most profit- able farms in the vicinity. Mr. Dauwalter is now serving as Road Overseer with much satisfaction. Politicall}', he is a warm adherent of the Republican part}', and patriotically interested in the current questions of govern- mental and civic import. His opportunities in life, whether educationally or otherwise, have been ex- ceedingly limited, and all the more honor is due him because he has achieved so great success in the vari- ous departments of life which demand in the com- munity the most respectful regard. \I/ ESLIE G. ITERS. The homestead of the I (^ subject of this sketch, which is pleasantly JIL^^ located on section 32 in Mill Precinct, com- prises 320 acres of good land and a fine set of frame buildings, where he has carried on farming successfully since the spring of 1877. He possesses all the elements of a thorough agriculturist and a u -•► 2 -20 LANCASTER COUKTY. sioorl i-itizen. a tnan who is wirle awake, energetic nnd infliistrious. anrl wlio has surrounrlcd himself and his family witli all the comforts of life. Adja- cent to the dwelling is a fine orchard of apple trees, while a choice assortment of smaller fruits and sh.ide trees of choice varieties, add to the .attract- iveness of the premises. In passing through a section of country it is easy to determine who is tlie Intelligent and cultured citizen, and of this class the indications are that IMr. Ivers is one of the leading men in his comnuinity. Our subject is a native of .las])er County, Ind., his birth taking pl.ace .at the moilest homestead of his parents, July 25, I85.i. He is thus comi)ara- tively a young man, in the midst of his strength and usefulness. He became familiar with farming pursuits during Ills boyhood and acquired a prac- tical, common-school education. His parents left Indiana about 18G0, and crossing the Mississippi located in Mills County, Iowa, on a large tract of land near the now flourishing town of Glenwood, and Leslie G. remained with tiiera until nearlj' rcaciiing his majority. He was a bright and ambi- tious youth and now, desirous of starting out for himself, left home, and coming to this State pur- chased 320 acres of wild prairie land, which lie has since owned and occupied and transformed into one of the most valuable estates of this section. He makes a specialty of stock-raising, breeding and dealing largely In Hereford cattle, horses and mules. He was one of the first men to bring the Hereford cattle to this part of the country, and exhibits some of the finest animals to be found in Southeastern Nebraska. He keeps himself well posted upon the best metliods of modern agricult- ure, and takes genuine pride in iiroducing the finest results, both as regards liis cattle operations and the products of the soil. The amial)le and estimable wife of our subject, to whom he was married Feb. 13, 187.5, at her home in ISHUs County, Iowa, was formerly Miss Ilattie, daughter of Thom.ns W. and Adeline (Burgger) Homar. Her parents were natives of Kentucky and Missouri, and are residents of Mills County, Iowa, where the father is carrying on farming extensivel3' and Is a man of property'. Mrs. Ivers was born in Mills County, Iowa, Nov. 29, 18.i6, acquired a fair ^» — education In the common scliools. and w.as trained by an excellent mother in those liousewifely duties a knowleilge of which has such an Important bearing upon the happiness of a home. To ]\Ir. and Mrs. Ivers there have been born six interesting children, four sons and two daughters, namely: Charlie, .lessie, John, Chester, Bessie and an infant son, unnamed. Mr. .and Mrs. I. are mem- bers and attendants of the Christian Church at Waverly, and our subject, although mostly engrossed with his farming interests and having little time to devote to politics, is a stanch supporter of Repub- lican principles. ■)HOMAS M. MORPHET, one of the self- made men of Lancaster County, owns and occupies 320 acres of its choicest land, wliere he is carrj'Ing on agriculture successfullj', and has attained to an enviable position among his fellow- citizens. He commenced life dependent upon his own resources, and illustrates the result of industiy and perseverance in a marked degree. He came to this section of country in the spring of 1873, purchasing first 120 acres on section 4, in Grant Precinct, where he settled, and began the im- provements which reflect so much credit upon his resolute and determined tabors. He added by de- grees to his real estate, being uniformly successful in his business and farming operations, and has built up one of the finest homesteads in the eastern part of Lancaster Countj'. The subject of this biography, a native of York- shire, England, is of pure English ancestry, bis father, Richard Morphet. having been also a native of Yorkshire, and the mother a native of Westmore- land. England. The latter was, before her marri.ige. Miss .Sarah Gibson. The parents, after their union, settled in Yorkshire, where occurred the birth of their nine children, and where Ihcj' spent the re- mainder of their lives. Tiionias M. first oiiened his eyes to the light Feb. 24, 183(5, and continued upon his native soil until a young man twenty j-ears of age, then, crossing the Atlantic, lie made his w.ay >■- ftjbt of fji rn[ -"-o...».-...,..w«.wu.„,.,„„...-...,»,^^^ _, W 'A ,^ 1SI. ACRCS . \ Sec. 4./ f / -r-l / jy». Vj^"""'""' ' '" 'n"lMinimm,,|,H,i,„„iiimi(iiitifl'i""i"*'''» W^ ,- .,„,„, „iiil.nn.'ii>«."-"'Huiiiim,n.liiTii.»<'»M' ■i^^^0^S^Mi^M < S^S rf^' Residence OF Thos. M. MoRPHET , Sec. 4. Grant Precinct. ST*? Residence OF C.C. HoTCHKiss , Sec .5. Oak Precinct. LANCASTER COUNTY. 229 westward to Iiiclinna. settling first near Logansport, in Cass County. He- was variously empioyed for a minilier of years, in the meantime saving what he could of his earnings, and about 1862 purcliased a farm in Cass Count}', where ho carried on .agricult- ure until the spring of 1873, and then, crossing the Mississippi, cast his lot among the people of this county. Our .subject in the meantime, and while a resident of Cass County, Ind., was married to Miss Martha L. Dill, who was born in Tippecanoe County, that State, .June 30, 1842. and who is the daughter of AVilliani U. and Mary E. Dill, natives of Ohio, and who are now in Tha3'er County, Neb. Mr. Mor- jihet, upon coming to this count}', settled upon a tract of new land, and in common with the enter- prising men around him, set himself industriously to work to bring the sf)il to a productive condition, and with this end in view he labored incessantly a numlier of years, giving himself little recreation. He is now in circumstances wliich permit him to rest upon his oars and enjoy the fruit of his labors. ]n addition to the cereals he gives considerable at- tention to stock-raising, and is able to exhibit some of the choicest animals in this part of the county. His buildings are substantial and convenient, and everything about the i)romises indicates the solid •and well-to-do citizen. He jjossesses the requisite amount of self-respect, and stands well in the opin- ion of his neighbors. To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born seven children, all of whom are livino-, and with the exception of their eldest daughter, continue at home with their parents. This child, Margaret A., is now the wife of Clinton Currey, of Thayer County, this State. The others are named respectively: Mary E, Soph ronia A., Sarah D.. Hannah, Eda and Lena. Mr. and Mrs. Mor- phet and their two eldest daughters are members in good standing of the Christian Church, at Lin- coln. Mr. M., who keeps himself well posted upon current events, uniformly votes the Republican ticket. He has been School Director in his district for a period of nine years, and Road Supervisor two years. It is quite proper that his homestead should have a place among the illustrations in this vol- ume, and it gives us pleasure to present it herewith. 0~ ONSTANT C. HOTCHKISS. Among the , names of men in this county who stand ^_ ' prominently before the community as pros- perous farmers and stock-raisers, is that of our sub- ject, who is the owner of 240 acres of beautifully situated and most fertile land, and which comprises part of section 5, Oak Precinct. Williatn Hotchkiss, father of the above, was born in Washington County, N. Y., Dec. 13, 179.5, where he was reared and obtained his education at the common schools, after which he spent several years as a teacher. He was married to Hannah Maynard, of the same county. They were privileged to receive and bring to maturity four children — Malina, Elvina, Constant C. (our subject) and Hor.ace. After his marriage William Hotchkiss purchased a farm in his native count}-, and continued until 185G to work the same, being quite prosperous. His education and manly character were such as to commend him to his fellow-citizens, and he was, we might say, always in some ortice, as Supervisor or .Justice of the Peace, and what was called at that time Sub-Judge. In IHoG, with his family, he went to Grundy County, III., where he purchascl a farm, but took up his residence in town, living retired from active labor. He was one of the strong tem- perance men of early days, held very decided views on the subject, and expressed himself strongly. The religious home of the family was in the Methodist lipiscopal Church, and they were found among its strongest supporters. Mr. Hotchkiss died in Illinois, in 1875, at the ripe age of seventy-four years. Mrs. Hannah (Maynard) Hotchkiss, wife of the above, was the daughter of Rufus and Lola May- nard. She was born and brought up in Washing- ton County, N. Y., and continued to live with her parents until her marriage. She became the mother of four children, and died while still ayoung woman. Our subject. Constant, was born in Hampton, Wash- ington Co., N. Y., on the 9th of September, 1822, passed through the usual experiences of chihlhood and boyhood, received the education obtainable in the common schools, and afterward learned the trade of a molder, at which he worked for several years, only leaving it to take up what became the occu- pation of his later life — farming. The marri.age of our subject was celebrated on the •T 230 4 LANCASTER COUNTY. 14th of March, 1849, when he became the husband of Clarissa Frost, of tlie same county. The young coui)le began housekeeping in their native place. Eight children came to brighten their home, and were named respectively: Charles, Edgar, Constant. Jr., Frederick, Clarence, Clara, Hetta and Bernice, all of vvhom are living. In 1856 our subject re- moved with his family to Wauponseo, (irundy Co., 111. Here a farm was purchased and a home made, and with the exception of the two eldest children, all his little ones were born here. In 1881 anotiier removal was made, the family migrated farther west, and after one year of residence in At- lantic, Cass Co., Iowa, in order that his children migiit receive the great .advantages to be derived from the very excellent and unusually fine schools in that i)lace, he came on to this place. He moved into his present house as soon as it was erected, in the meanwhile making his home in Raymond. The farm of our subject is in an almost perfect state of cultivation, and tiic barns and other build- ings requisite for farm and stock-raising purposes are unusually good. We must not pass from this without special reference to his residence, which possesses considerable merit from an architectural and artistic standpoint. Whether viewed from the exterior or insi)ectcd within there is much to com- mend. It is an elegant, we had almost said ideal, country house, commodious, convenient and beauti- ful, designed, both as regards its architecture and its internal decoration, by professional artists. In arance will ever be dear to him. Mr. Lidolph has been active in educational matters and is now serving as School Moderator in his district. <■ . He gives his voice and the influence of his example in favor of the principles entertained by the Demo- cratic party in politics, and is an esteemed mem- ber in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has profited well by the example which his father set him, and that, united to his own moral worth and steadfastness of principles, enti- tles him to honorable mention among the leading citizens of his precinct. "if UDGE CHARLES M. PARKER. The sub- ject of this sketch, whose portrait is pre- sented on the opposite page, was born Aug. 28, 1840, in the village of Geneseo, in Liv- ingston County, N. Y. In the fall of 1844, his parents, William and Melinda Parker, with their three children — Bruce, Helen and Charles — moved to Tippecanoe County, Ind., where the father fol- lowed the avocation of a farmer, the boys working with him on the farm during the summer and at- tending the district school in winter; an uneventful life, with little to disturb the summer's work or winter's study until the stirring times of 18G1, when the Civil War broke out, when both boys were desirous of enlisting in response to President Lin- coln's first call for 7,'),000 men, but the father, being in poor health and somewhat in debt on the farm, persuaded the boys to defer enlisting until a further demand for a Larger army should be needed, at the same time promising them that in case a gen- eral call should be made and their services actually needed, that he would make no further objections to their both going into the service, assuring them that if his health would permit he, too, would go with them, though he was then fifty years of age. It was at such times as this and such conversa- tions th.at the father related his recollections of his grandfather, William Parker, who served seven full years in the Revolution, particiiiatiiig in all of the principal engagements of that war, from Lexing- ton, Monmouth, Bennington, Bunker Hill, elc, and finally at the siege and surrender of Yorktown, coming home with a bundle of wurthless Continental mone}', and his faithful musket which for years passed t ,t 240 LA^X'A.STER COUNTY. from generation to generation as an heirloom. Thus it will be seen that our subject came from good old Revolutionary stoel<. hence it is no wonder that during the first few nionliis of the war he chafed and fretted '-in tiie hnrness" on tlie farm, and that farm work no longer had anything liiie the usual charms for him. Tiie fires of 1776 had descended to him from his illustrious great-grandsire. and were burning in his veins. He longed to be at the front, to stand between his country and her enemies, and to sliow that he was worth}' the name lie bore. His coun- try, the sacred heritage received from the hands of his forefathers, he deemed too sacred to be assailed by any enemy, more especially l)y liis own country- men ; the fact that her assailants were tliose who should lie her defenders made her cause the dearer to liim. Wiien President Lincoln issued iiis call for 300,- 000 men he could be no longer restrained, especially as he had just attained his majority, but his father made no further objections to his enlisting, con- cluding that the time had come when he too must surrender a father's claim to his country's good. Sept. 5, 1861, our farmer's boy enlisted in Company A, 46th Indiana Volunteers, under Capt. John H. Gould, which was assigned to the 46th Indiana In- fantry, commanded by Col. Graham N. Fitch, after- ward by Col. T. H. Bringhurst. The new regiment went into camp for instruction and organization at Logaujjport, Ind., where it remained until Decem- ber 8, when it was ordered to the front. It pro- ceeded by rail to Indianapolis, where it was reviewed by Gov. Morton, then to Madison, Ind., by rail; by steamer to Louisville, Ky. From Louisville the regiment marched to Green River, in the same Stiite, where it went into winter quarters near Bards- town, K}'., where it remained until spring. When Gen. (Jrant was knocking at the doors of Fts. Henry and Donelson, the 46th Indiana was or- dereil forward in great haste to reinforce him, when the regiment reached the mouth of the Cum- berland, where the joyous news was received that Doiiilson had surrendered; the regiment was then transferred to Gen. Tope's army on the Mississippi, and !it once entered in earnest upon the rigorous duties of opening the Mississippi, first in reducing Island No. 10. The regiment participated in all of the engagements in that vigorous campaign, and was "'in at the death and capture." The regiment was then at Ru j m <• 246 LANCASTER COUNTY. Mamie, aiifl tlie fourtli miii;uiicd; A. Maiide, wlio murried E. L. Vicker. real-cslato ajjeiit residing in Lincoln; Alma E., who married H. F. Bair. resid- ing at Roea, engaged in grain buying, who have one child unnamed; Mary A., Sadie L.. William R., Claude L. and Nanie M. are living at home and at- tending school. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison favor the Methodist E|)isc()pal Church. Mr. Morrison is a great Democratic politician, one who does not swerve from the views and prin- ciples promulgated by that political organization. He keenly appreciates the demand of the countr}' for constant watchfulness. He has been a member of the Hoard of Education, and is at present a mem- ber of the village Board of Trustees. He has been the Assessor of South Pass, delegate to county con- ventions and to three State conventions, and in 1884 he was the unsuccessful candidate for the State Sen- ate. Our subject is a successful business man, hav- ing perhaps more warm friends than any other man in Southern Lancaster County; his wife is a splen- did lady, his daughters the ''belles of the burg" — all this combined makes iiim one of the happiest of fathers in his beautiful home. s^^^t^^ie- — * i|(_^ ON. LEVI SNELL was a pioneer of Lancas- ter C<)unl3% and for several years he was a prominent factor in developing its agricult- ^ ural resources. He was identified with the mercantile interests of Lincoln in its earlj- dn3's, and he has now returned to thiscit}' to pass the evening of a life that has been nobly si>ent, free from the cares and lal)ors that infested the daj', having by the quiet force of persistent effort, directed by sound discretion and constant devotion to duty, .accumulated a competency more than sufficient for all his-wants. Mr. Snell was born in Lewisberry, York Co., Pa., Oct. 23, 1828, and was a son of Michael Snell, a native of the same count3', .as was, it is supposed, Christian Snell, the grandfather of our subject. The latter was a farmer, and as far as known spent his entire life in York County'. The father of our sub- ject was reared in his native county, and there married Margaret Grissinger, who was born in Lewislierrj'. and was a daughter of .Tohn Grissin- ger, a native of Montgonierj' County, Pa. Her father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was with Washington at Valley Forge. He was a farmer by occupation, and was well-to-do for those (Lays. He w.os a consistent member of the Lutheran Ciiurch. and was of a joyous, genial disposition, and retained mucli of his yonthfuiness until the last, although he died at the advanced age of ninetj'- eight j-ears. At the time of his death he had 335 descendants living and dead. There were nearly 700 of his posterity", and it is a fact to be proud of that thej' are all honorable men and women, not one of wliom h.as ever been arrested for a crime. Mr. Michael Snell was an architect and bridge-builder, and followed that business for many 3-ears in Penn- sylvania and Maryland, always making his home in York County, however, where in middle life he was gathered to his fathers, bearing with him the respect and honor of manj- with whom he had been associated in the course of a busy life. He was reared a member of the Lutheran Church, and al- ways held to that faith. He was a Democrat in politics, and was (jften called upon to fill vaiious offices in the county, and he was Captain of the State Militi.a. His amiable wife, to whom he was married in earl}' manhood, died in her native county when quite young, our subject being the only child of that marriage. The father of our sub- ject was married a second lime, and reared a family of children. Levi Snell was but three years old when his mother died, and he fell to the care of an aunt for a time until his stepmother took charge of him. In his boyhood he attended school, and assisted in doing the farm work. Inheriting industrit>ns and honest habits, he grew to be a manly, reliable lad, and at the age of sixteen began to make his own way in the world, going at tliat age to Franklin County, Pa., where he was engaged to work for a man who owned a hotel and a general store, and did a large business. He had charge of the hotel, and did anything else that he was called upon to do. He remained there three years, and then went to Carlisle, Pa., where he entered the emplo}' of Dr. Norton as collector. At the expiration of a year and a half he left the doctor in order to establish -^*- ■•►■ Residenceof AuBETRT Egger , Sec . 3. Buda Precinct, ii Residence: OF Fred. Berryman , Sec. 10. Denton Precinct, ****'*>*^a^^?&SaB^ii^&*i^ Residence of H enry Albers^-Pec.cs'^. Budh i kciui.nl r u LANCASTER COUNTY. 4 249 , , himself in business at Mechanicsbiirg, Cumberlanrl County, opening there a iial and cap store. Two j-ears later he was doing so well that he was en- couraged to add clothing and gentlemen's furnish- ing goods to his stock. In 1859 he settled up his affairs in his native State and removed to Mt. Pleasant. Iowa, and engaged in the same bu'^iness. He soon after opened another store for the sale of ladies' goods, and later opened a branch store in Afton, placing in charge a young man to whom he had taught the business. In 1869 Mr. Snell sold out in Iowa, and came to Lincoln, and established liimself in the mercantile business as proprietor of a general store of gentlemen's furnishing goods And dry-goods. At the end of two years he was obliged to dispose of his business on account of ill- health, and he then bought prairie land in Lancas- ter Precinct, on section 1 6. He erected suitable buildings on the place, planted fruit and shade trees, improved all the land, and lived thereon nearly ten years. He then sold, and bought a tract comprising twenty acres of land of unsurpassed fertility, joining the State farm. He then devoted some of his time to raising stock, always taking l)ride in having stock of good grades. He had Jersey red hogs and high-grade Short-horns, buy- ing thoroughbreds of ex-Gov. Furnas. He also started a nursery, and propagated both fruit and shade trees, many of the trees now beautifying the streets and lawns of Lincoln having been furnished by him. He resided on his 20-acre farm until 1886, when he came to Lincoln, and has made his home ever since at No. 2800 R street. Mr. Snell was married. May 1, 1851, to Miss Martha E. Forrey, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of John Forrey. Mrs. Snell was a woman of rare character, and her death in 1859, after a tranquil and happy wedded life, was a sad blow to the husband and little children whose home she had made so pleasant. Three children were born of this union, namely: AVilliam H., Samuel F. and Marlett I. Mr. Snell was subsequently married to Miss Laura J. Housel, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. She was the sister of Hon. C. C. Housel, a jjrominent citizen of Omaha. She died of consumption about two years after their marriage. Wherever our subject has resided he has borne ■^•- an influential part in public affairs, and has in- terested himself much in educational matters, hav- ing been a member of the School Board in Mechan- icshurg. Pa., in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where he served as President and Vice-President and Secretary, and was re-elected from time to time, and as a member of the City Council of Mt. Pleasant. He also served on the School Board while a resident of Lan- caster Precinct, and he w.is elected to fill a vacancy' in the State Senate. He has been a faithful mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years, having joined it when young, and he has held all the offices in the church, has been Trustee, Steward and Class-Leader, and has been a dele- gate to the General Conference of the Method- ists. In his early years he w.as a Democrat in politics, but as soon as the Repuliliean party was formed he fell into the ranks, and has ever since been a stanch supporter of its policy, although he now votes with the Prohibition party. He has always been a total alistainer. and first differed •with the Democratic party on the temperance ques- tion and in his views concerning slavery; he was in fact a Republican before the party was formed. It will be seen from the perusal of this sketch that the most prominent trait of the character of our subject is his unswerving adherence to principle, and he is always strictly honest and upright in all his dealings. His nature is adjusted on a large and generous scale, and no one appeals to him in vain for aid or sympathy. ^ ^^ s~ St OHN W. PREY. In the present sketch it is our pleasure to present a biographical epitome of the oldest living pioneer of Cen- terville Precinct, and residing on section 24. Mr. Prey is a native of New York Citj'. The day of his nativity is the 1 1th of May, 1828. He is the third son of John D. and Margaret Prey. His father was one of the hardy race from Scotland, whose peo- ple had more just cause for national pride than any other, our own excepted. His mother was born on the island of eternal green, the land of the sham- rock, and suppressed liberty. Our subject then is of Scotch-Irish extraction, and is hj- no means the :?^rf-^ 4 250 u LANCASTER COUNTY. first, who, uniler similar conditions have made their way to the fron*; rank of prominent and prosperous men, for the national characteristics thus blended seera to form a most happ^- combination. His l)arents were married in Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1820, landing at St. Andrews, N. B., but shortly afterward came to the United States, believ- ing that its larger opportiinilios and freer Govern- ment afforded larger scope for their efforts, and was more likely to result favorably to their success. Accordingly thej' came into the States, and took np their residence at Boston. In the city of Boston the father of our subject speedily obtained emphn'ment. He had been a slater, and found a demand for such service, but before many months had p.ossed, larger induce- ments being presented from New York, he removed thither. While residents in the latter city, their home received a new inmate, our subject being born shortly after the removal. Four years subsequentl}' the family removed to Onondaga County, and re- sided there for several years, being occupied with farming. About the year 183!) they removed to Allegan}' Count}', which continued to be their residence until our subject was about fourteen years of a"e. This was followed bj' a removal to Illinois, and after a few months another change, this time to Milwaukee. The father of our subject while in the city followed his tr.ade, leaving his sons to exe- cute tlie work required upon the farm which he had purchased, and was situated not far from the citj'. By their combined efforts they were enabled to live comfortably, although not luxuriously. The fam- ily of whjch our subject was a member included twelve children, of whom eleven survive. The first-born in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Prey, Sr., was Gilbert G., at present a resident of Eao'le ^'illage, N. Y. ; then Jane, now Mrs. Buckland, whose home is in Micliigan, ujjon "the beautiful peninsula;" Thomas K., who makes his home in Lincoln; John AV., our subject; AVilliam L., who resiing her resources, no nationality is more cordially welcomed or makes better citizens than the Scandinavian, as represented by the intelligent, thrifty and enter- prising Danes. Our subject is one of these, and the beautiful, well-managed farm that he owns on sec- tions 23, Lancaster Precinct, proclaims that he is one of the most prosperous farmers in Lancaster County. Mr. Jensen was born July 12, 1849, in the King- dom of Denmark, on the Island of Falster, whose shores are washed by the waves of the Baltic Sea. His parents were likewise natives of Denmark, and his father, Jens Larsen, who was born March 23, 1802, carried on the occupation of a farmer during his life, and always lived on the same place. He also learned the trade of a weaver and worked at that twenty-five years. He married in middle life Karen Nielsen, who was born March 20, 1813, and is still living in Denmark. They had a family of nine children, four of whom were sons and five of them were daughters, and six of the family are now living. The}' were all of them given good educa- tions, attending school seven years, until fourteen j-ears of age, according to the wise law of their na- tive land, and then they had to learn a trade. The good father of our subject died in 1872, leaving to his descendants the precious legacy of a life well spent. Our subject lived in the island home which had been his birthplace until his restless ambition to seek his fortune in the wide world led him to America in 1872. He was then in the prime of j'oung manhood, was well endowed with mental and bodily vigor, and, fortified by good principles and industrious h.abits, his success was assured from the start. After hisarrival in this country he found his way to Toledo, Ohio, where he lived for ten months, working at his trade, that of a carpenter. He then went to the city of Cleveland, where he remained for a year, engaged in the same occupa- tion. After that he worked at his calling in Buf- falo, and while a resident of that city he sent for a brother and sister to join him from their native land in 1874. After their arrival he remained in Buffalo six months, and from there removed to Indianapolis, Ind. In the course of a year or two he had been so prospered that he had gathered to- gether a sufficient amount of money to marry and establish a home, and he sent for the young woman in his native land to whom he had plighted his troth, and she crossed the waters to join him in August, 1875, and they were united in marriage on the 5th of March, 1876. The maiden name of Mrs. Jensen was Karen Marie Johansen, and she was born in Denmark, Dec. 19, 1848. Her father, Johan Benedict, was a native of Denmark, and died there in 1859. Her mother, who was born Nov. 16, 1806, is still living in Denmark, where her hus- band worked as a farmer. The union of our sub- ject and his wife has been blessed to them by the birth of a son and daughter, as follows : John F. was born Dec. 14, 1877, and Carrie M. Sept. 17, 1879. Shortly after marriage Mr. Jensen came to Lin- coln, Neb., with his bride, having decided to try the life of a farmer on the fertile and p)-oductive prairie soil of Lancaster County. He soon bought a tract of eighty acres of land, five and one-half miles from the city, paying for the same |!19.60 an acre. Its nearness to the flourishing metropolis, the capital of the State, and to the great commer- cial highway's of the West, and the many fine im- provements that he has made, render his farm a very valuable piece of property. It is under good cultivation, and a beautiful grove of about 5.000 forest trees adorn the place. Mr. Jensen has a fine orchard, consisting of 100 choice fruit trees, which have already commenced to bear. He makes a specialty of stock-raising, however, and has been very successful in that line, as is attested by the sleek and well-fed appearance of his cattle and other stock, all of which are of good grades. Mr. and Mrs. Jensen are active workers in the J. ,t 254 LANCASTER COUNTY. Methodist Episcopal Ciiurch, of Sharon, of whicli they are esteemed members. They are not those who "liide their ligiit under a bushel," and in the selfish striving for gain forget their duty to others, but they are ever kind and thoughtful in their re- lations with those about them, and no one is more ready to extend sympathy or help to those in dis- tress than they. Mr. .lensen is a strong advocate of temperance and religion, and urges that the)' be taught in the public schools. In politics he is a standi and consistent Prohibitionist. itJJT^ <|? H. RAUCII, one of Saltillo's comparatively I late settlers, is a very enterprising man. He is one of the best of farmers, and takes a great pride in the preservation of his exten- teiisive family history and in his ancestry. His wife, who is a most estimable lady, comes of an il- lustrious family. Mr. Rauch endeavors to give his children all the advantages possible, and is, in con- sequence, greatly interested in educational and so- cial affairs, striving earnestly for the greatest good to the greatest number. Mr. Ranch's father, Jacob, was born in Soutli Hanover, Dauphin Co., Pa. His mother, Mary F. Felty, was also born in the same county. His great- grandfather came from a good old German stock, and emigrated to America in Colonial times. His grantlfather served in the War of 1812. His father settled in Dauphin County, Pa., where he engaged in agiicnltural pursuits and reared a family of six children, four of whom are still living. In the year 18G9 he moved to Putnam County, III., and. purchased a farm two miles from Hennepin. He was a gentleman in good circumstances, and served for some time as Assessor, as well .as occu- pying otiier offices of trust at various times. He died in 1876, at the age of seventy-four, respected by all who knew him. The mother died in 1874, aged sixty -eight years. Of the four children now living, the gentleman who forms the subject of our sketch is next to the youngest. His sisters are: Mrs. Dr. Rebecca Van Deislice. Mi-s. Mary A. Elllngeraiid Mrs. Maggie F. Coleman. The subject of our sketch was born Dec. 16, 1847, in South Hanover, Dauphin Co., Pa., twelve miles west of Harrisburg. He received that best of all preparations for success in life — a •■coin- mon-school" education. He continued at home until his marriage, in 1X7-2, to Miss Marion J., daughter of Ileniy N. and .Susan .Slouffer. nee Mull. Mrs. Rauch's parents were born in Cumberland County, Pa., whence thcj' removed to Putnam County, III. This lady's parents arc still living at IIeniiei)iii, 111., where the father, who is now sixt3--six years of age, is a professor, teacher and gardener. He is also an active Sundaj- -school worker. Her mother is now sixty-seven years of age. This worth)' couple had six children, of whom Mrs. Rauch, who was born Feb. 15, 18.51, at Siiiicnianstown, Cum- berland Co., Pa., is third. She enjoyed superior educational advantages. In March, 1886, Mr. Rauch moved with his fam- ily to Nebraska, where he puiclia-sed 160 acres of fine land. As a farmer, he has been very success- ful. He owns a fine orchard of apple, plum and cherry trees, all in fine bearing condition. He also set out a large number of apple and apricot trees last spring, and made a good sUirt in vine culture, strawberries and other small fruits. Besides the raising of fruit, Mr. Ranch carries on general farming with growing success. His house and out- buildings are of the most approved pattern, and but recently built. Mr. and Mrs. Rauch are the parents of eight children — Anna, Willie, Gertrude, Jennie M., Merle A., Robert, IMIna and Maggie. Of these, Willie and Gertrude, who were twins, are dead. The four oldest are at present attending school. Mr. Raucii is a member of the .'Methodist Epis- copal Church, of Roca. He is sound on the temper- ance question, favoring a strict enforcement of the law for the control of the liquor traffic. He has refused several important offices, but has served the public in the capacity of School Trustee for the long period of six years. Mr. Ranch is one of the most intelligent and industrious fanners in Sallillo Precinct. He owns a good farm, which his ingenu- ity, intelligence and good tasl'j will eventually con- vert into a farmer's paradise, lie believes in good homes, and his is one of tiie best, as will be seen upon reference to the illustration provided by the -^•- LANCASIER COUNTY". 255 'A artist, and presented upon another page of this vol- ume, which shows faithfully not only the beautiful residence and some of its picturesque surroundings, but also the commodious farm buildings near by. In political affairs our subject is- always deeply interested, as a good and true citizen, and usually votes witli the Republican party, of which he is an old and tried member. -^' ■i-5a)=^--«» 4 Ji^ AJ. CHARLES W. PIERCE, one of the prominent men of Waverly Precinct, has a fine estate on section 31, where he makes a specialty of Galloway cattle, being one of the first to introduce this breed of stock into Nebraska. His farm, with its appurtenances, is amply suggestive of the means and standing of the proprietor. He is the owner of (J60 acres, nearly all of which is in one body, and which, with its handsome and substantial buildings, is one of the leading points of interest in the northeastern part of Lancaster County. The town of Benton, Yates Co., N. Y.. was the early home of our subject, and where his birth took place Oct. 7, 1823. His father was Spooner R. and his mother, Mary (Wilson) Pierce, who were also natives of the Empire State. The family it is be- lieved was of Scotch ancestrj% and was represented on this side of the water, in New England, over 200 ye.irs ago. Elisha Pierce, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was a farmer by occupation, prob- ably a native of Massachusetts, where he grew to maidiood and was married. Later he started for New York State, and while on the journey there was born to him, near the present city of Albany, his son, Spooner R. This edition of the Pierce famil}' settled in Yates County, and Grandfather Pierce subsequently' car- ried a musket in the War of 1812, participating in the battle of Lundy's Lane and other engagements. When the British were once more driven from American soil he returned to the peaceful vocation of farming, later removing to Livingston County-, N. Y., where he spent the remainder of his life. His sou Spooner grew ui) familiar with farming pur- suits, and was married in his native State. In 1829 he emigrated to Ohio, settling in the vicinity of Sandusky, where he lived until 1846, then changed his residence, first to Huntsville, Logan County, subsequently to Seneca County, and in 1856 to Mason County, 111., where his death took place about 1880. He followed farming continuously and was fairly successful in life. The wife and mother had preceded her husband to the silent land six years, her death taking place at the home of her son, our subject, in Waverly Precinct, this county, June 11, 1874. The family of Spooner R. and Mary Pierce in- cluded seven children, all of whom grew to mature years. Charles W., our subject, was the eldest born ; John W. died in Havana, III.; J.ames F. during the late war served as a Union soldier in Companj' B, 85th Illinois Infantry, and is now a miller b^' oc- cupation, residing at Havana, III. ; Thornton S. was a member of Company B, 8oth Illinois Infantry, and was killed at the battle of Kennesaw Mountain; Julia, Mrs. Lewis, lives in Peoria, III.; Angeline is the wife of O. C. Easton, of Havana; and Emily, Mrs. Caldwell, lives in the city of Lincoln, this State. Maj. Pierce was a member of his father's house- hold until a 3'outh of seventeen, in the meantime acquiring a practical education in the common school and fitting himself for the future duties of life. He now started out on his own account, and making his way to Rochester, N. Y., engaged in a woolen factory, where he worked three years. Then returning to Ohio, he was employed in various fac- tories in different i)arts of the State until 1855, in the meantime also engaged in speculation and trade. He had been married in 1850, and now going to Illinois, located in advance of the family at Havana, Mason Count}'. He embarked in the real-estate busi- ness, and was thus occupied until a few months after the outbreak of the Rebellion. In August, 1862, he assisted in raising a company of which he was elected First Lieutenant, which was named Com- pany B. and became a part of the 85th Illinois In- fantry. Maj. Pierce received his commission from Gov. Richard Yates, and first met the enemy in battle at Pprr3'ville, Ky. He was next in the fight at Stone River and Mission Ridge, but not long afterward, on account of failing health, was sent to ! ^ ■^' -^*- 256 LANCASTER COUNTY. i *t Nashville and assigned to the Quartermaster's de- partment, and was suhsoquently stationed at Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio. The spring following Maj. Pierce was transferred to Washington, where he was made Acting Brigade Quartermaster, liarden's division, serving as such until peace was declared. He was also at the same time upon staff dut}'. In November, 186.^, he was ordered to Alabama, as a member of the staff of Gen. Swain, and later assigned to the command of a district of thirteen counties. In 1867 he was elected a Member of Congress from the Fourth Ala- bama District, and on the 1st of January, 1868, resigned his commission in the army to devote him- self to the duties of his new position. Maj. Pierce, after serving acceptably- his term as a member of the Fortieth Congress, declined a renomination because he did not desire to remain in the State of Alabama. In 1869 he was appointed Assessor of Internal Revenue for the First Alabama District, with headquarters at Mobile, and remained in the South until the close of 1872. On the 1st of January, 1873, we find him in the city of Lincoln, Neb., although he had previoush' visited the State with Gen. Cobb, in 1869. Not long afterward the Major selected his present location, and began mak- ing improvements, while at the s.ime time he was recognized as a valued addition to the comra\i- nit3', and soon became identified with local affairs. In 1875 he was elected a member of the Constitu- tional Convention, which drafted the present Con- stitution of Nebraska, ai.d two years later was elected .Senator to fill a vacancy and re-elected for the full term. He resigned this office in 1881, to accept that of Register of the United States Land Office, and changed his residence from his farm to the city of Lincoln, and was the incumbent of this office until .May, 1886. Then, disposing of his prop- erty in Lincoln, he returned to his farm, to which he has since given his undivided attention. In sympathy with Republican princii)lcs, Maj. Pierce has given his support to this party since its organi- zation, in the 3'ear 1854. He was formerly' a Whig but supported Millard Fillmore for the Presidency. Socially, he is a member of the G. A. R., the Loyal Legion, and a Knight Templar of the Masonic fra- ternit3'. The niarri.age of Charles W. Pierce and Miss Isabella Burton was celebrated at the home of the bride in Republic, Ohio, Nov. 5, 1 850. Mrs. Pierce is of New England birth and ancestry, having been born in Norwich, Vt., in 1825, and is the daughter of William S. and Nancy E. Burton, the former of whom spent his entire life in the Green Mountain State. After the death of the father the mother, with her children, removed to Ohio, where her death took place in 1887. The other members of the fam- ily are mosti}' in Illinois. To our subject and his wife there have been born five children, onlj- two of whom are living: Flor- ence B., at home with her parents, and Charles A., who is cashier of the Citizens' Bank, at Bennet, of which institution the Major is a stockholder. The Pierce estate is valuable, and is finely illustrative of the perseverance and energy of the man who has built it up. ^ .^3^ ^ St EREMIAII IIEILMAN. Of the older States that contributed toward the settlement of Nebraska, none, perhaps, furnished better pioneer material than the old Quaker State, and it is a noticeable fact that, wherever a native of that State locates, his enterprise and good judg- ment will make him distinguished in whatever call- ing in life he maj' engage. To this chiss belongs the subject of this biographical sketch, who was born in Northumberland County, Pa., on the 4th of March, 1 828. In 1 878 he took possession of his present propertj', consisting of 120 ,'kcres of land on section 27, Waverly Precinct, and has since been a continuous resident of this place, Nearly all his land is under cultivation, and he has alreadj- accom- plished much in the way of improvement. The parents of our subject, Daniel and Gertrude (Deal) Ileilman, were natives of Lehigh Countj', Pa., the former a carpenter by trade. They spent their entire lives in their native State, engaged in agricultural pursuits, which Mr. Heilman followed in connection with his trade, and passed awaj' in Northumberland County. Of his union with Ger- trude Deal there were born ten children — Julia, Lucy. Lydia, llaiiiiali, Gertrude, John, Jeremiah, t •^i^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 257 Daniel D., Maria and Esther. John is deceased. Daniel Heilman was a second time married, choos- inof for his wife Mrs. Margaret (Smelser) Umel, and of this union there were born two children — Diana and Isaiah. Jeremiah, after receiving a conimon- school education, learned the trade of a carpenter, and followed that occupation in connection with agricultural pursuits until he came to this State. Our subject was united in marriage, in February, 1854, with Mary A. Reitz, but she died in 1858, leaving two children — William L. and Jonathan R. In 18G0 Mr. Heilman married his present wife, who in her girlhood was Catherine Reitz, a sister of his first wife, and also of Jonathan Reitz, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. By this marriage there have been born three children — Newton D., Samuel E. and Lydia Rebecca, all at home. In politics our subject is a stanch Democrat, and is a man whose opinions are respected by those who are acquainted with his good judgment. In his native State he served as Justice of the Peace, and his dis- charge of the important duties of that office was such as to convince his constituents that they had put the right m.an in the right place. In early life Mr. Heilman joined the German Reformed Church, but since his marriage he has attended the Lutheran Church, of whicii his wife is a worthy member. She is a woman of kindly impulses, a devoted wife and affectionate mother, and has won the esteem of the best people of the precinct. ►4*1*^ \]U^. KNRY FREYE, residing on section 11, Cen- i^ terville Precinct, is a native of Jackson County, Ohio, the date of his birth being Feb. 7, 1855. He is a son of Henry and Eleanor Freye, of whom a sketch ajipears in this ■work. The former is deceased. When he was but a boy became with his parents to Lancaster County, where he h.as since lived. He has received a district- school education, and has followed the free and in- dependent life of a farmer, devoting himself to it exclusively. On the •22d of February, 1883, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Mary Krull, the chil- dren granted to their family being Franklin E., Elmer C. and Clara E. He has become the owner of eighty acres of well-improved land, whicli lie has been able to buy with the proceeds of his own hon- est labor and diligence, having had but very little outward assistance. Because of his integrity, and liis using of the strength and wisdom granted him for the making of his own way in life, our subject has met with good success and is now on the road to prosper- ity and affluence. He coincides with the opinions and principles advocated by the Republican political party, and takes an active interest in the general public movements of the day. He and his wife are .active and esteemed members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has served as Class- Leader and Sunday-school Superintendent, always taking an active part and interest in the general work of the churcli. He enjoys the confidence and esteem of the people of his community, and in re- turn for that he gives his influence and his aid as far as possible to the advancement and support of the institutions for the promotion of the general welfare. W;ILLIAM H. IIARTZ, a member of the firm of F. Schwake & Co., is interested in gen- eral merchandising at Roca, this house con- trolling the patronage of the best people of this section. He is also interested in agricultural pur- suits, is prominent in politics, and during the late Civil War acquitted himself as a valiant soldier in the Union army. He has been a resident of Ne- braska since 1868, and is considered one of the lead- ing men of his community, possessing more than ordinary intelligence, with a fine understanding of general' business, and is uniformly successful. The parents of our subject, Conrad and Eliza (McMillen) Hartz, were natives respectively of Bucks and Lancaster Counties, in the State of Penn- sylvania, and of substantial German ancestry. The paternal great-grnndfather emigrated from the Fa- therland during the Colonial days, and since that period the family has been quite largely represented in Cumberland and Lancaster Counties. Pa. Grand- father Hartz was largely interested in mill property, and the father of our subject also learned the busi- ^ •►Hl^ 258 LANCASTER COUNTY. ncss in all its details. The latter pursiiefl his calling until 1.S48 in his native State, then became inter- ested in agriculture, and migrating to "Wood Count}', Ohio, located there among the pioneers, where he carried on farming until 1.SG8. Thence he removed to Michigan, settling near Portland, where his death took place in 1873. The mother died in I8G0, in Ohio. The parental family included five sons and six daughters, of whom our subject was the second child. Ilis birth took place April 17, 1841, near the town of Middlesex, Cumberland Co., Pa. He was a lad twelve j'ears of age when his parents re- moved to Ohio, where he completed a common- school education and learned the general methods of farm life. He was a young man twenty years of age upon the outbreak of the Rebellion, and on the 3d of September. 18C1, a few months after the first call for troops, enlisted in Company H, 49th Ohio Infantry, and was mustered into service on the camping ground at Tiffin. Ohio. Soon after- ward the regiment was sent to the vicinity of Louis- ville, Ky.. and our subject later was in the smoke of battle at Shiloh, the siege of Corinth, the fight at Battle Creek. Tenn., and was compelled to retreat with his comrades to Louisville. Here the depleted ranks of the regiment were soon filled out, and their next engagements were at Stone River, Liberty Gap, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and Knoxville. At the expiration of his first term of enlistment, our subject re-entered the ranks Dec. 25, 1863, but was allowed a thirty-d.ays furlough. Upon rejoin- ing the re-organized regiment he went all through the Atlanta campaign. On the 27th of May, 1864, he was seriously wounded at Pickett's Mills, taken first to a field hospital, thence to Hospital 19, at Nashville, and from there to Jeffersonville, Ind. Next he proceeded to Camp Dcnnison and was per- mitted to again go home on a furlough of thirty days. For a time thereafter he was put on transient duty at Cincinnati, but in December following joined his regiment in Tennessee. Thence his regiment returned to Nashville to be present at the grand reunion, and subsequently the Ith Corps, to which our subject l)ek)nged, was ordered to Texas to dis- arm the rebels in the vicinity of San Antonio. Our subject remained with his comrades in the South- west until December, 186.5. and when it became ap- parent that their services would not be needed an}- longer thej- repaired to Columbus, Ohio, and were honorably discharged. Mr. Hartz shortlj- after- ward, on the 2d of January, 1866, fulfilled a pledge he had made to one of the most estimable young ladies of AVood Count}-, Ohio, being married to Miss Eliza Frankforter. Mrs. Hartz was born Feb. 24, 1846, in Mahoning County, Ohio, and is the daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Frankforter, who are natives of Maryland and Ohio, and are now residents of Saltillo Precinct, this county. She ac- quired her education in the common schools and received careful home training from her excellent parents, remaining with them until her marriage. Our subject and his wife commenced the journey of life together in Ohio, where Mr. H. engaged in farming. They came to Nebraska in 1868, and are the parents of one child, a son, Charles, who was born July 28, 1867. In making the journey to Southern Nebraska Mrs. Hartz went from Western Ohio to Sterling, 111., by rail, where she joined her husband, and they came the rest of the way to the embryo town of Lincoln, this county, in an emi- grant wagon. They arrived here on the 16th of June, 1868, and Mr. Hartz at once homesteaded eighty acres of land in S.altillo Precinct, on section 10. Their first dwelling was a dug-out, in which they lived until 1874. Mr. Hartz, upon coming to this county, had a cash capital of §3, not even enough to secure a homestead claim. The best he could do, therefore, was to pre-empt his land, and the year following he secured the rights of a homeste.ader. He worked with all the energy of desperation to cultivate a portion of the soil and raise enough to sustain his family, and Providence kindly smiled upon his efforts. In 1874 they moved from the dug-out into a comfortable frame house, and gradually there were added to the premises those improvements best cal- culated for their comfort and happiness. Mr. Hartz in 1876 added to his real estate by the purchase of eighty acres additional, and now has a quarter-sec- tion under a good state of cultivation and produc- ing in abundance the rich crops of this region. The residence is of a size sufficient for the comfort and convenience of the family; the barn occupies an area -►:ll-"^ -M- i LANCASTER COUNTY. 259 of 28x40 feet. Mr. Hartz planted 200 choice apple sprouts in 1873, and now ii.is a fine orcliard in good bearing condition, besides cherry and plum trees in abundance. The premises presents that neat and comfortable appearance denoting the thrift and enterprise of the proprietor and the success which has attended his labors. Mr. Ilartz cast his first Presidential vote for Lin- coln, and since that time has uniformly supported Republican principles. He is a member of Farragut Post No. 25, G. A. R.,at Lincoln, has been selected as a delegate to the County Republican Conven- tions, and in his district has served on the School Board as Moderator. He also for five ye.ars offici- ated as Assessor of Saltillo Precinct. In 1887 he became identified with the K. of P., at Hickman, in which order he still retains a worthy position. He has made for himself a good record in life, and is entirely' worthy of representation in a work which embraces some of the most valuable records of Lancaster County. -5-+l«^^=t^-^-- -v (j^^ IMON D. PARK. The farming and stock- ^^^^ breeding interests of Highland Precinct are '\\J__M '"^'^'y represented by the subject of this sketch, especially the latter, he being much interested in graded Durham cattle, Poland-China swine and Norman horses. Of his operations in this department of agriculture he has reason to be proud, as he exhibits some of the finest animals in this part of the county. Mr. Park has an interest in 220 acres of fine farming land, well improved, being the partner of his brother, F. G. Park, they having operated together since the siiring of 1!S83. Previous to this they were connected with the Insane Hospital Farm, which embraces 480 acres adjacent to the citj' of Lincoln. They came to Nebraska from the Green Mountain State, in the spring of 1881, our subject having been born there Dec. 30. 1853, and his brother nearly six years later, Oct. 22, 1859. The Park brothers are the sons of Abel and Sophia (Dow) Park, who were also natives of Ver- mont and of New England ancestry. The family was first represented on thi^ side of the Atlantic during the Colonial days, and the mother's people came also not very long after the Pilgrim fathers established themselves in Massachusetts. The par- ents of our subject spent all of their lives in Lyn- don, Vt., and passed away at their home there, the father at the age of fifty-four, and the mother when about fifty-eight years old. The latter was a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and Abel Park, politically, was a stanch supporter of the Democratic jjart}'. The early life of our subject (with his brother, Frank G.) was spent in his native township, where he acquired a common-school education, and upon reaching manhood was united in marriage vvith Miss Nellie Ward, who was also of New England stock, born and reared near the early home of her hus- band. The young wife died about two years after her wedding, leaving no family. Mr. Park, on the 30th of September, 1 882, contracted a second mar- ri.age, with Miss Annie Walker, who was born April 10, 1865, in Sterling, Whiteside Co.. III., where she lived until a maiden of sixteen years. She then came with her parents to this county. The latter were natives of Pennsylvania, and are now living in Albion, Boone County, this State. Of this union there have been born three children — Will- iam, Mary L. and Charles A. Frank G. Park was married in Nepeuskun Town- ship, Winnebago Co., Wis., Dec. 2, 1883, to Miss Lola J. Sawyer, who was born Jan. 28, 1858, and there also was educated and reared to womanhood. Her parents, George C. and Esther M. (Utter) Saw- yer, are natives of New York, and are now resi- dents of Wisconsin. The Park brothers are solid Democrats, politically, and men of standing in their community, where they are of material assistance in the maintenance of its agricultural interests. REDERICK A. HOVEY, one of the pro- |)rietors of the Valparaiso flouring-mills, is a man whose merit, education, and business talent, have gained him an assured position in the commercial circles of Lancaster County. He is a native of Warsaw, Wyoming Co., N. Y., born ()ct_ 28, 1849. The eaily history of that town and ••^ M ^' 260 LANCASTER COUNTY. countj' is indissolubl}' linked witli the name of Hovey, as Simonein Hovej', the grandfather of our subject, was one of the first settlers, and his son Ilarrj' was tlie first male child born in Wj'oming Count}-. Mr. Hovey was a carpenter and builder, and also managed his f.irin, which he had wrested from the primeval forests. Enoch Hovey, the father of our subject, was born on the homestead of his father, and was reared to manhood in his native count}'. He married Amelia Merrill, a native of Nuuda, N. Y., and they contin- ued to live in AVyoming County until 1852. In that year they removed to Allegany County, where Mr. Hovej' operated a sawmill. In 1855 they left their native State to make their home in Wisconsin, lo- cating in Jancsville on a farm that Mr. Hovey purchased, and resided thereuntil 1868. Mr. Ho- vey then sold his place there and came to Nebraska with his family. He spent the winter at Plattsmouth, and in March, 1869, came to Lincoln and engaged in farming, bu}'ing a quarter-section of land near the city. It was wild prairie land at that time, but he improved it into a good farm, and bought other land in Grant Precinct, whore he subsequently located, and resided some lime. He bought a farm of 480 acres in the same precinct, and engaged ex- tensiveh' in agricultural pursuits until 1888, when he disposed of his property and came to Valparaiso, and in company with his son bought the flouringmills which they are now managing with marked success. Fredcric'k A. Hovej-, the subject of this sketch, was six years of age when his parents went to Wisconsin, and he was educated in the city schools of Jancsville and in the State University, finishing his course at Lincoln, Neb. In 1871 our subject was appointed clerk in tl>e post-office at Lincoln, which position he held for six years. In 1877 be established himself in the hardware business, in Lincoln. He carried on his business very profital»ly for ten years, building up an extensive trade. He then had a fine opportunity to enter into the manu- facture of Hour with his father in Valparaiso, which he embraced after settling up his other business nfifairs. In 1886 he entered into the real-estate business. Our subject was married, Oct. 30, 187(;, to Miss ' Mary A. Peck, a daughter of Philetus and Nancy Peck, and a native of Polo. Ogle Co., Hi. They have four children living — Frank, Florence, Law- rence and Nanc}'. Ra\', the fourth child, died at the age of three j'ears. Mr. Hovey is a man of calm, clear intellect, and a cool, vigorous thinker, whose actions are alw.ays guided by high principles. He and his wife are devoted members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and are known by their good works. Politically, Mr. Hovey is a Repub- lican, and at the same time an earnest Prohibitionist. -*S3»- ^:'i>r^«*^•«?:^-<=s«^- ^ ANIEL H. HARHLS proprietor of the Al- tamaha Roller Mills at Bonnet, and a gen- tleman largely identified with the business interests of this county, was born in Mon- mouthshire, England, May 31, 1845. He continued upon his native soil until a j-outh of eighteen years, attending the common schools and learning the mil- ler's trade, at which he served a period of four j-ears, and until setting sail for America. Young Harris tarried for a time in New England (after p.assing through the Dominion of Can.ida), then made his way westward to Illinois, and in the course of time traced his steps to Southeastern Wis- consin. From there a short time later he migrated to St. Louis, Mo., about the year 1865 and at the close of the war. Early in life he exhibited those qualities of continuity which led him to adapt him- self to his chosen calling, in which he aimed at per- fection. From St. Louis he came to Nebraska City, but a few months later, desiring to see more of the western country, started across the plains with six yoke of cattle, and brought up in the mountains of Colorado. Twelve months later he made his way again to Nebraska, sojourning at difTereut times in the cities of Omaha, Beatrice, and at other points. After making a trip back to Illinois an LANCASTER COUNTY. 201 men, he put up a mill at. West Mills, in Seward County', which they operated three or four years. Mr. Harris now disposed of his interests there and leased a mill in Sarpy Count}', this State, which he operated three years, then coming to this county purchased and rebuilt the Altamalia Roller Mills, which he has since operated successfully, building up both their reputation and his own. The reader may obtain a good idea of the extensive mills and elevator of this gentleman from the illustration that will be found elsewhere in this volume. These have a capacity of 100 barrels of flour and meal perdaj, and Mr. Harris in connection with them conducts a merchant and exchange business. Not content with anj' narrow sphere of action Mr. Harris, in connection with his milling business, opened up and improved several farms in Seward Count}', besides operating a general store at Cam- den. While the employe of others he aimed to make himself a necessity to them, and proved him- self as he had intended, almost indispensable, build- ing up a reputation for faithfulness and skill which extended far be3'ond the confines of his own field of operations. In consequence of this he was called long distances "for the performance of skilled labor around mill machinery and mill buildings in general. He also at the same time proved himself equally valuable as a citizen, being possessed of those higli jirinciples of integrity and morality which gained him tlie esteem and confidence of his fellowmen, who at various times called upon him to officiate in the local offices and sought his judgment in important matters. Mr. Harris while a resident of Seward County was one of its Commissioners for a term of three 3'ears, served as Justice of the Peace, and was also a member of jthe School Board. Socially, he be- longs to the Masonic fraternity, being at present Master of Bennet Lodge No. 94. and has held va- rious offices in connection therewith. He is Past Master Workman of the A. O. U. W., and in relig- ious matters, a member in good standing of the Episcopal Church. The marriage of Daniel H. Harris and Miss Anna M. Bingaraan was celebrated at the home of the bride in Camden, Seward County, this State, Feb. 20, 1879. Mrs Harris was born in Centralia, 111., Feb. 21. 1846, and is the daughter of Henry II. and An- geline (Copple) Bingaman. natives respectively of Kentucky and Indiana. They came to Nebraska in 1801, and located among the pioneers of Seward County. The father died at Crete, in that county, in the summer of 1887. The mother is still living, and a resident of Crete. To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born four children — James R., John H., Ed- mund and Mary A. Mr. Harris, politically, affili- ates with the Republican party, and keeps himself well posted upon matters of general interest. He came to this county when it was in the early pro- cess of development, and has been no unimportant factor in assisting it to its present condition. Every worthy enterprise has found in him a stanch friend and supporter, and his name vvill be held in kindly remembrance j'ears hence as one of the public-spir- ited men of Lancaster County. The parents of our subject, James and Mary (Meredith) Harris, were also of English birth and parentage, the father a native of Hereford, and the mother born in Radnorshire. James Harris was a farmer and miller by occupation, and both parents spent their last days in Radnorshire, the father dy- ing about 1862 and the mother in 1879. Daniel H., in 1884, paid a visit to his native country, being gone about three months, and deriving much satis- faction from the reunion with his old friends and associates. The home of our subject is pleasantly located in the southeastern part of the town, and is the resort of its best people. ^- -mr- Vfl OHN P. LODER. One of the first settlers in Waverly Precinct w.as the subject of this sketch, who entered land in 1857, the only other settler in the precinct at that time be- ing John Dee, wliose settlement dates from the same period. Mr. Loder was born in Coshocti)n Count}', Ohio. Nov. 28, 1828. and is the son of William and ]\Iargaret (Maston) Loder, natives respectively of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The i)arenls of our subject were married in Co- shocton County. Ohio, and there resided until 1863, when they came to Nebraska, and settled in Cass -•► u ■•»- 2G2 LANCASTER COUNTY. County. The famllj' circle incliKled twelve chil- flren. ten of whom are still living. "When all harl attained their majority, the^' were photographed with tlie jjarents in one group, forming a pleasing and unique picture. The eldest son is John P., the subject of this writing; Martha, the wife of John R. .Shcffer, of Cass County, Neb.; Lewis J., of this county; Aaron,of Greenwood, Cass County; Rachel is tiie wife of Martin Kirker, and Nanc3'. of C. E. Coleman, and botli reside in Cass Count3' ; W. Alex, of Lanciister County : .Samuel; Mary, wife of Oscar Laughlain, and Kdith. each of Cass Countj'. 'i'iie early days of our subject were spent upon the farm amid scenes of beauty and innocent de- liglits, and when of proper age he entered the com- mon schools of the district, where he soon made his mark. What is often called the drudgeri" of school life did not seem to effect him; the school was his pleasure, so much so that when the time came for him to leave as a scholar, he elected and was found competent to return to it as teacher. There is, perhaps, no profession in which repose such large re- sponsibilities, such unbounded opportunities. The teacher is the potter whose hands day bj' daj-, if directed by the intelligence, integrity and charity of the Christian gentleman, mold the pliant minds and hearts of the men and women who, presently, will rule in State and home. 'J'hcse men and women will be largely what their teacher has made them, and will hear the marlcs of his training all through their life's journej'. In this profession our subject continued for seven years, when failing health ■warned him that some change must be made. He therefore took a journey" westward, and arrived in Nebraska June 13, 1857. Having carefully ex- amined the district, he selected a |)iece of land near the mouth of Camp Creek. This he' chose for his brother, who proi)Osed to follow him West in the fall of 1857. The conditions of life in the new country are not strange to man}^ still living, and j'et to those whose lives have been spent in the great cities it Would be more than strange to live where eight or ten miles must be covered in order to reach the nearest neighbor. This was the condition of things when our subject settled in Lancaster County, and even until so late a date as 1863 every man in Lancaster County was known personally by our 4» subject. Since that time the countj' has been more rapidly developed and thickly settled. In 1858 Mr. Loder |ire-emptcd the land on which he now resides. He speedily began to improve it and brought it to a high state of cultivation, erecting his pleasant residence and the necessary farm build- ings for greater convenience in the prosecution of his chosen pursuits. With the release from con- finement and the return to the farm, with its change of occupations, out-door work, his health was speed- ily restored. About this time the Homestead Law- was passed, and Mr. Loder homesteadcd eighty acres of land in Lancaster Countj'. He lived upon this claim during the time required by law, fulfilling the remaining legal requirements, and in due time received his patent. He then returned to his old home. His landed estate includes 320 acres of land, IGO of which is situated close to the town site of Waver)}-, where 1^ maintains in a high state of efficiency one of the finest stock farms of the county. In 18Ci) Mr. Loder was united in marriage with Enieline, daughter of William and Catherine (Hum- mer) Tiger, both natives of New Jersey, where also their daughter Emeline was born, Sept. 8, 1848. This famil}' moved West in 1855, and settled in Du- Page County, 111. Here, until 1867, they were very successful in farming. At that time thej' removed to Nebraska and settled in Lancaster Countj'. After some years in this new home the father was taken to his last resting-place, leaving in sadness and mourn- ing the mother, who is still living. Of this union there were born six children : Sarah E., wife of George W. Dunham; Emeline, John N., William S.. Isaac J. and Lambert. The family circle of our subject comprised nine children, onl\' six of whom survive — William J., Earl, Lee, Elsie, Maud and John. Mr. Loder, al- though affiliating with the Democratic party, is a man who cannot be confined to the narrow limits of a partj-. Whenever occasion requires and the issues at stake seem to demand it, he acts inde- pendently of party restraints. The high esteem in which he is held by his fellow-citizens and the confidence they repose in his fitness and integrity is expressed in that thej' elected him to be the first County Clerk of Lancaster Count}'. School matters and everything which pertains to the in- r i •4^ LANCASTER COUNTY. terest of the people of the future generations through the present education, training and development of youth, ahvays receives his cordial interest and sup- port. While destitute of adventure and dramatic scenes, his life presents in many regards a highly gratifying picture and worthy example. As a child, teachable and engaging; as a scholar, studious; as a teacher, earnest, painstaking and untiring; as a father and citizen, a true, courteous Christian gentleman. RS. SOPHIA KOLLOSTER. It has been the unqualified testimony of everj' thought- ful writer, unwarped by cynicism, that the world owes more to woman than can ever be estimated. But for a Miriam with watchful eye and ready wit, there would have been no Moses, and, humanly speaking, no Jewish nation. We are reminded, also, that at the greatest tragedj' of the ages the women disciples were the only ones who did not desert their Lord in the trying hour of the Roman Crucifixion, The tribute of the "Greatest Emperor," Napoleon the First, is too well known to need repetition. We are reminded, moreover, that the ruler of that Empire upon which the sun never sets, the sunrise gun of whose garrisons is world- encircling, is a woman ; and, whatever may be our opinion concerning monarchy, we are constrained to admit her womanly qualities and graces, whi(^h are as widely known and admired as there are minds to appreciate them. Incidents innumerable come to mind in the course of our own history, as a i)eople, in the same connection; such of our heroes as George Washington and James A. Gar- field were what thej' were because their mothers were grandly great and true women. The field of pioneer and Far West life has abundantly developed the fact that the opportunity only is needed to re- veal and bring out the true greatness of woman- hood. This is not necessarily public in all cases, but it always exists. Our subject was born in Germany, on the 10th of July, 1840. Her education was received in the schools of the Fatherland, where, also, she was reared and spent the early 3'ears of her woman- hood. In Germany she was married to George Medking, and there was born to them one child, Frederick, now a resident of York County, Neb. Their married life was brief, her husband being re- moved by death in the year 1864. In 1870 our subject left her native land for America, and upon landing [)roceeded at once to York County, Neb., where she took up her resi- dence for about one year, at which time she re- moved to Nebraska City, continued her home there until Nov. 14, 1871, when her many virtues won for her the respect and admiration of Herman T. Kolloster, and they were accordingly married. By this second marriage she became the mother of five children, whose names are recorded as follows : Lena, Louis, Mary, George and Dora. Mrs. Kolloster was called upon to sustain a sec- ond bereavement on the 20th of October, 1885, when her husband was removed from her side by death, which occurred at Salt Creek, Waverly Pre- cinct, Neb. Although left alone to continue the struggle, to bring up her children, to carry on the farm, she has been equal to the contest. Our subject possesses 160 acres of land, which she maintains in a condition and state of cultivation which would be gratifying to many a farmer who has made agri- cultural pursuits and husbandry his life study and work. Mrs. Kolloster is the owner also of a sub- stantially built, conveniently arranged, pleasantly situated residence, in addition to the usual farm buildings. She is accorded the full confidence and high regard of the community at large. It is with pleasure that the attention of the reader is called to tiie view of the beautiful home of this lad\\ which will be found in this volume. -4-e- ' NDREW J. STEELE was born on the 27th of October, 1832, in Monroe County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Mary Steele, the former of Pennsylvania, the latter of Mary- land. They were among the early settlers of Mon- roe Count}', Ohio, where our subject spent his childhood days, and as he grew older he helped to bear the burdens of the family, lightening the 2r,i •^ ■•► work incident to the life of early settlers until he reacheil the age of twenty-four years. He received his education in the early su Inscription schools, and they were quite different from the advantages of- fered to young men of to-day. Our subject was married in Ohio, on the 18th of December, 18jG, to Mary Heck, a daughter of Jacob and Sarah Ileck, (;f the same State. To Mr. and Mrs. .Steele there have been born nine chil- dren, the names of whom we mention as follows: Kelson, Phoba Jane, Lydia (wife of William War- nock, of Thayer County, Keb.), Sarah C, Alfred, Laura, David, Oscar and Milton. Early in the sixties the family moved to Illinois, and resided in Tazewell County until the last j-ear of that decade, in which year the}- came to Lancaster Count}'. In KSG'J our subject homesteaded eighty acres of land, and settled on it before there had been any improvements made, and out of it he has made one of the best improved and finest farms in Buda Per- cinct. lie has erected good farm buildings, and planted one of the best t>rchards in the precinct. His possessions having become sullicieutly remunera- tive, he has been enabled to purchase another eightj- acres, and now owns ICO acres of splendid farming land on sections 34 Jind 33, besides a timber claim consisting of IGO acres in Chase County. Our subject is sutticientl}- public-spirited to de- vote a fair share of his time to the public service, h.'iving served as School Director for three j^ears and Judge of the elections in his present precinct for several terms. Where matters of [jolitics are con- cerned, our subject takes a broad, honest view, not caring so much for the upholding of a certain party as for the best government of the country, conse- quently he generally votes and lends his influence in behalf of the men whom he thinks best fitted to hold public oflBces. AVhen Mr. Steele came here tiie nearest house was situated four miles nortli of him, and we can imagine the seclusion of the family, having no neighbors nearer Ih.nn that distance. But it is not so to-da}-; instead of walking or driving across the bare prairie, the residents now p.-jss to and fro on well-constructed roads, bordered on the sides by fields of growing grain or pastures containing herds of cattle and live stock. Public spirit and enter- ■^ prise, combined with perseverance and industry, have wrought a wonderful change, and an unlimited amount of honor is due to those who bore the first and heaviest burdens of colonization. LIJAH B. GLOA'ER. One of the most pleas- antly situated and inviting homes in this J^r -^ county is found in that of the subject of this sketch, which is located on section 2, Nemaha Precinct. The dwelling is a very solidly built structure of brick, and tastefull}- decorated, both externally and internally. The arrangement of the interior is such as to meet a|)proval, whether one be seeking rest, convenience, or opportunity' for social enjoj'mcnt. The house is surrounded by scenery, which, although not so massive in its grandeur as that in the neighborhood of some Colorado homes, or found in certain parts of the course of the Hudson, is nevertheless pleasing in the extreme. The whole comprises a scene indicating a thrifty, energetic people, and a prosperous agricultural com- munit}'. Our subject was born and lived until his tenth 3'ear in Scioto Count}', Ohio, and dates the coni- mencement of his life to March 19, 1845. His parents removed from Ohio to Council Bluffs, Iowa, about the year 185.5, our subject, of course accompanying them. After a residence of one year in the Hawkeye State another removal was made, this time to Nebraska. The family settled in Wash- ington Count}', the name of the farm being Lin wood, and there our subject continued to reside with his parents until he was almost eighteen years of age. In the year 18G3 young Glover returned to Ohio, and engaged in mercantile pursuits at Zanesfield, Logan County. This employment was at the time quite congenial, and good success was the result. He continued thus occupied for a i)criod of three years, and then returned to Nebraska. The two years following were spent at the work incidental to agricultunil pursuits, when again, in 1867, Mr. Glover returned to Ohio, and engaged in farming in Champaign County. For nine years our sub- ject was tlius engaged, when for the last time he came, in 1878, to Nemaha Precinct. His farm .^iWSHIWlSiasoBSW*'**''^'' Residcn^e of E. B- Glover, Sec. 2. Nemaha Precinct. — =.fe^^ LAN' CASTER COUNTY. 267 4 comprises 120 acres on section 2, eighty acres of which were bought when he first settled here. The remaining portion having heen since purchased, is one evidence of the prosperity which has smiled upon him since that time. While residing in his native State our subject be- came acquainted with Miss Mary A. Sidders. who is the daugliter of James and Sarah (Robins) Sidders. and who was born in Hunterdon County, N. .1., May 18, 18,54. Yielding to the dictates of the noblest and deepest p,assion of humanit3', the two united their lives and fortunes at Zanesfield, Aug. 15, 1873. This devoted attachment and happy alliance has lieen crowned by the blessing and brightness of a family circle comprising six children, who are named: Alice M., Katie, Anna Coe, Jennie B., John E. and Laura E. The second child, Katie, died whon eighteen months old, in Ohio. Mr. Glover is a man of considerable intel- lectual power, fc(]ucation and experience, and by his consistent character and life commands the highest regard of the community at large, and more es- pecially of those who know him more intimately in official or home life. He has served several times as a member of the School Board, discharging his duties with dignity and efficiency. The ability and fitness displaj'ed generally by Mr. Glover resulted some time since in his being unani- mously electee, Laura A., and Elijah B., our subject. The father of Mrs. Glover, James Sidders, was born June 7, 1829, in Hunterdon Count}', N. J. ; her mother, Sarah (Robins) Sidders, was born Nov. 27, 1833. They had twelve children — George, Mary A., John W., Sylvester R., Sarah E., Anna M., Charity, Jersey B., James R., Jonathan, Mahala and Levi. The interesting family we have here briefly sketched is one of a class vvhich it is alw.ays a pleasure to be connected with, or to write about. In such homes our country has its strongest bul- warks, and from such family circles draws its best and noblest citizens — those who have grown up in the atmosphere of Christian manhood and wom.au- hood, fitted for the diverse and intricate opportuni- ties and emergencies which sooner or later come into every life. A view of tlie dwelling which shelters the Glover family is shown in this con- nection. EORGE W. DEAHL, one of the leading dairymen and farmers of Saltillo, is a young man of sterling qualities, thoughtful, intelli- gent and industrious, is a credit to the community where he lives, and is held in universal respect by all who know him, whether in social or in business life. The gentleman whose life record we herein notice is a son of the late well-known Andrew Deahl, of whose honoral)le career his children are justly proud. The father was a native of Gerraanj', who came to this country' in 1834, and settled in Somer- set Count}', Pa., where he operated a farm. He met and married Miss Matilda Schultz, in Somerset Countv, Pa., which was the place of her birth, and there they spent the first five years of their wedded life. They then took up their abode in Mar3'land, ■^^^V-^ .t 268 LANCASTER COUNTY, where tliey lived twenty-five j'ears. The}' subse- quently removed to Macoupin County. III., where Mr. Deahl purchased a farm, and conducted general farming on quite an extensive scale until 1879, when he came with his family to Nebraska, and .settled in Lancaster County, making his home here until his death, in September, 1886, at the age of seventj'-seven years. During tlie seven j'ears' residence of the fatlier of our suljject iu tliis county his rare slal)iiity of character and trustworthiness as a man and a citi- zen did not fail to ini|)ress those about him, who accorded him due honor and res|)ect. His estima- ble wife, who had been to him a true friend, helper and counselor, survived him only a fortnight, dy- ing in the same month, at the age of sixty-six years. Thus thej- who li.ad been so faithful and devoted to each other in life were scarcely- divided in death. They were the parents of seventeen children, nine of whom are living, namely : Eliza- beth, Mrs. Martin; Adam; Catherine, Mrs. RLarlin; Henry; Sarah, Mrs. Call; Moliie, Mrs. Hillier; .lohn ; George and Chauncey. The subject of this sketch was born Aug. 3, 1861, iu Alleghau}- County, Md., and he was four years old when his parents removed to Illinois, where the remaining j'cars of his boyhood and youth were i)assed. He received a substantial edu- cation in the public schools of .Shipman, and a prac- tical training on his father's farm. He w.as eighteen years old when his father's family came to Nebraska, and he remained an inmate of the parental home until the death of his father and mother. In 1886 he bought land of his father, intending to establish a home for himself and his young wife. In 1887 he sold sixty acres of it, clearing quite a sum of money. His farm now comprises 100 acres of very productive land, and he is fast bringing it to a highly cultivated condition, and with the valuable improvements that he is continually making it bids fair to become one of the finest farms in the vicinit}'. Mr. Deahl makes a specially of dairying, and has already won an enviable reputation in that line, sup- plj'ing a good class of customers in Lincoln. To the charming joung wife who presi farm in Henderson County, where he lived three years, then purchased a, farm in Hancoci< County. Of the latter he remained a resident until October, 1881, then coming to Southern Nebrasiva purchased the farm of 160 acres which he now owns and oc- cupies. The property of our subject includes the south- west quarter of section 14, which he lias brought to a good state of cultivation. He has good build- ings and machinery, with live stock, fruit and shade trees, and all the other appurtenances to complete the comfort of the rural citizen. A little over twenty years ago, April 11, 1868, he was united in marriage with Miss Melissa A. Jackson, who was born in Benton Township, Des Moines Co., Iowa, Sept. 21, 1838. The parents of Mrs. Howard were Nehemiah and Lucy (Pond) Jackson, natives of Vermont, and now deceased. Her brother, E. F. Jaclvson, is represented elsewhere in this work. She is a lady attentive to all her duties as a mother and housewife, and of her union with our subject there have been born five children, namely : Ira D., Lucy A., Hattie M.. Luther W. and Russell P. The eldest of these is seventeen years of age and the youngest eight. Mr. and Mrs. Howard were mem- bers of the Baptist Church, in Illinois, politically, is a stanch Democrat. -,^ •o*o-@^^V^..o*o.. Mr. H., 1 ft^^^^^^^ FROHN, whose farm is situated wS *^'" ®''^'^'"" 22, Centerville Precinct, is a na- W^ tive of the Kingdom of Prussia, and was born in that country in the town of Mugo-en- hausen, in the vicinity of Cullen, Nov. 29, 1839. His father was Gotfried Frohn, a native of North Germany, who was by occupation a blacksmith. His wife, the mother (jf our subject, to whom he was married in the year 1838, was Cecelia Klank, of the town of Muggenhausen. The family in- cluded five children. In about 1849 our subject's parents emigrated to America and were accompanied, of course, by Will- iam. Passage w.as taken in a sailing-vessel from Bremen, and after an ocean voy.age of fortv-six days they landed in New York City, thankful that the ceaseless motion, the sickness, the discomf(jrt, the cramped cabin, and the monotony of the voyage, were over. Almost immediately upon landing the family started for Iowa and took land in Clayton County, where they were among the first settlers. Here our subject was reared to manhood and re- ceived the finishing of his education, whicli had been begun about four years before in Germany. Our subject has two brothers and one sister livino- Gotfried, Henry and Mary. The chosen occupation of our subject, and the one which he has followed since his Clayton school- days, is that of husbandry, and his life has mostly been spent in pioneer districts of Iowa and Ne- braska. He was married, on the 1 4th of June, 1 860, to Amelia Kreuger, a lady who has brought into his daily experience the refining inspirations which were in the original design of the Great Creator to exist under those circumstances, and doubtless, to these are due, to more or less extent, the success which has crowned the effort and labor of oui- sub- ject. Ten children have come to grace the home and augment the felicity of the life of our subject and wife. Of these seven are living, and exhibit those qualities and traits of character that promise an honorable and prosperous life. Their names .arc recorded .as follows: William, Mary, Ernestine, Cecelia. Henry, Hubert and Amelia. Mrs. Froiin is the daughter of Frederick Krcugei-, and was born in the town of Westfarland, on the 27th of March, 1841. Her parents were natives of West- farland, and were enabled to give to their daughter such education and home training as to fit her for her present sphere. Our subject is the owner of 400 acres of excellent land, which he has brought to its present state of cultivation from its natural condition; has erected thereon the pleasant and comfortable farm dwelling which is his home, and the usual other buildings. He is a man of restless energy, ambition and large general information, and has acquired much specific knowledge in the line of his chosen calling. He is just one of those German-American citizens who seek to understand and fully appreciate the institu- tions and government of the country, and devotes much careful thought to the questions of current interest, and regulates his voting, not so much by !?Ml^ u 282 LANCASTER COUNTY. f the qiief-lion of party, ns that of principle and re- qiiiremeiit. BoUi our subject and family are deeply attached to the Roman Catholic Church, and are among its best members. The reputation of our subject for honor, candor and integrity, is of the very highest throughout the community. He is ac- cordingly esteemed and respected. ,^^ILBERT B. GARLOCK. The home sur- 11 j__, roundiugs and tlie daily life of the subject ^^K of this biography illustrate the pleasing feat- ures of a career which has been more than ordi- narily interesting and prosperous, and among the prominent features of which is his uniform charac- ter, comprising all the better elements of manhood, both as a citizen and the f.ither of a family. Among the other good things which have fallen to his lot, he was particularly fortunate in the selection of a life c<)mi)anioii. the lady who now bears his name having been the eflicient heli)mate of her husband in all his worthy undertakings, looking well to the ways of her household, and adding to the immediate precincts of home tiiose embellishments which have so much to do with its comfort and happiness. Both are genial, enterprising and public-spirited, taking a warm interest in whatever is calculated to advance the welfare of their neighbors and the community at large. As representatives of the pio- neer element of Southern Nebraska. Mr. .and Mrs. Oarlock staml in the front rank, and enjoy the es- teem and confidence of a large number of its people. The Garlock family was represented in the Em- pire State several generations ago, and the father of our subject, Andrew by name, was born there in Seward County, where he was reared to manhood and married one of the maiden associates of his j'outh, Miss Mary France. The mother, also a na- tive of Seward County, there spent her entire life, and pa.5- #■•#► ,Tr^ EV. CONRAD H. HICKMAN. Among the IL;sif names whicii will ever be recorded in the t4Cje/©-i@«-^^^»^.SWW!r»>~ "j^^ELSON STEELE is a son of A. J. Steele, of I ))] whom a sketch appears in this volume, and lil/xa he resides on section 3.'), Buda Precinct. He was born ^St^S^ ENRY MEYER is one of the pioneer far- mers of Buda Precinct, residing on section 34. He is a son of G. L. W. and Anne (^) C. Meyer, the former of whom is deceased, and was born on the 27th of October, 1848, in Germany, the native country of his parents. He is the eldest son of his father's family, and enjoyed the advantages by which he was able to secure a fair edu- cation in his native tongue. In the fall of the year 1868, accompanied by his brother John, he started to America, making the voyage from Bremen to New York City on a steamer in seventeen daj's. He at once went out to the Great West, and remained for a time in Clayton County, Iowa. In order to gain a knowledge of the tongue of his adopted country he attended school for one winter in Clayton County', and with the knowledge thus acquired and that sub- sequently obtained in business life among the peo- ple, he has secured a fair knowledge of the English language also. Our subject came to this count}' in the year 1868 and has since resided here, having taken note of the vast improvements as they were made since the first 3'ear of his arrival. In 1875 the father of our sub- ject died, and there remain six of the family of chil- dren which he reared: Henry, our subject; John, in California; Maggie, wife of G. Rippen; Kate, wife of Detriek Rippen ; Peter and Mary, all resi- dents of Buda Precinct. On the 17th of November, 1882, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Lena Warneke, by whom he has three children, viz: Anne D. was born on the 30th of July, 1883; William, on the 21st of March, 1885; and John on the 20th of March, 1887. Mr. Meyer is the owner of 160 acres of land, which he purchased with the price of his own industry and self-reliance. He has worked hard to improve it, and is now comfortably situ.ated. While he is interested in the political government of the country and is a Republican in politics, he is not sufficiently partisan to always adhere to that party, generally making use of his privilege to vote for the men whom he thinks the best qualified to conduct public affairs, no matter to which party they belong. For twenty years has our subject lived in this county, and no doubt if he were to tell of all the changes that have taken place in that time, and de- scribe the surroundings as the}' were when his eyes first looked upon them, the younger members of the community who have not passed through an experi- ence like his, could scarcely be made to believe that the scenes so familiar to tiieireyes have been created within a few decades. But rapidly as the country has been developed, and wonderful as are the achieve- ments of her inhabitants, the end is not yet, and she will go on continuing to improve, the land be- coming fairer and more fruitful, until perhaps there will have been made as great changes in the coming decades as have been made in those of the past. Many of these important changes have been brought about by the active industry of just such men as our subject, .and to them is due the honor arising from so great accomplishments. Mr. Meyer is a member of the Lutheran Church, and merits the confidence and esteem in which he is held by his fellowmen. p - I-J> ^"-"^ f "jf ULIUS H. AYETTSTRUCK. As the tiny coral builders begin working far down un- der the water, and bit by bit contribute a mite to the structure which they have begun, until at last their goal is reached, and they appear above the surface, so must there be a commence- ment of the building which every man does, adding here and there a mite to the structure until at last it comes forth finished from the hands of the work- man. But let not the tiny coral worker th.at has reached the surface scorn the way by which he h.as i ■^*' 302 LANCASTER COUNTY. risen, for if his foiiiiflation were withrlrawn, be would be cist as low as any; and let not tliat man who prides himself on his achievements and suc- cess, scorn the waj' by wiiich he has risen, for he had to mount the ladder step by step, there was no taking the rounds out of it anri making one great leap to the top. and to each step he owes a certain amount of the strength and solidity of the founda- tion which upholds him. By successive steps has tlie subject of our sketch climbed from a condition in which he was virtually without means, to his pres- ent condition of luxury and wealth. The geutleninn of whom we si>eak is the only son of .John and Frederica Wittstrnck, and was born on the Glh of January. 1812. in I'russia. He received a very good education in his native tongue, and also has a fair English education. When about six or seven ye^irs old the first great sorrow of his life fell upon him, in the death of his mother, and a few years after that sad event, in llic year 1857. he emigrateil to America in company with an uncle, Frank AVettstruck. The^- took passage at Hamburg, on a sailing-vessel, and after an ocean voyage of five weeks and three days, they landed in New York City. Our subject at once went to Wisconsin, where he worked as a farm hand for two years, and then going to Woodford County. 111., for a time he worked there by the month as a farm hand, and for a short time rented a farm. In the year 18C5 our subject was married to Mar}- A. Debolt, and to them four children were given: Charlotte, wife of J. II. Ames; Arthur, de- ceased ; Caroline and Carl, lie was a second time married, on the 24th of May, 1876, to Ilalldora Ilall- dorson, a native of Iceland. In the year 1865 he came to Lancaster Count}', Neb., and here home- steaded 160 .acres of land, which is his present farm. Since then he has purchased eighty acres in South Pass Precinct, making in all 240 acres. He settled on his farm when there was not a furrow turned, and to him it must have seemed like an enormous undertaking to bring that large tract of virgin soil into a fertile state of cultivation. However, he knew there was no way of accomplishing the task but by beginning and then keeping at it. This he ON. The remarkable ad- vantages for not only making a comfortable living in this country, but for securing a, competency, and also the political advantages af- forded every American citizen, and the opportunity given for educating the young, have attr.acted from every country the world around, many of their most valued and enterprising citizens. We find on the streets of our great cities people from all nations, but perhaps the most seldom met are those born in the far-otf northern island of Iceland. We have in this brief sketch to give a record of the life of a native of Iceland, a gentleman who is to-d.iy an influential and enterprising farmer of Buda Pre- cinct, residing on section 36, and although a young man — for be w.as born on the 26th of December, 1855 — he w.as a pioneer of the precinct in which he now owns a good farm, and is a well-to-do and respected citizen. Mr. Barnason is the son of Barney and Emma Barnason, both of whom were also natives of Ice- land. When Larus was a youth of fourteen years of age he had the great misfortune to lose by death both father and mother. Thus left to shift for him- self «e find him three years later in company with his brother Thomas on his way to America. He came on a steamer via England, the voyage requir- R ESIDENCC OF RoBERT M ^Devitt, Sec:^6j North Bluff"Prec»n.ct. RESIDrNCEOrWALTER J. HaRRIS, S EC.1 0^ L ANCA5TER FreCINGT. ■,,-A^ -'•-:- '-^-.'fi.' :^---.^^/*^-*'-^'r^i« Residence of W.H.Ames, Sec.35 YankeeHillPrecinct. -II--4*- LANCASTER COUNTY. 305 , , ing some fourteen flays. They landed in New York City and ininiedinteiy proceeded West, coinina to- getlier to Lancaster County. They arrived in Ma}', and in the antunin Tiiomas returned to Iceland. Larus jjreferred to remain here, and for the follow- ing eight years was engaged at work among the far- mers in the ordinary labor of a farm hand, in the meantime making his home with Hon. T. R. Bur- ling, of Firth. Larus had labored diligently, had been economical, and in the j^ear 1884 was enabled to settle upon his present farm. Here he owns eightj' acres of good land, which has been devel- oped by his own labor. After coming to this county, on the 25th of A|)ril. 18.S4, Mr. Barnason was united in marriage with Victoria Carter. This ladj' is a native of Kentucky, and has become the mother of one child, Marj-, who was born Feb. 19, 1885. Mr. Barna- son is an enterprising and public-spirited citizen, and considering the limited advantages which he has enjoj-ed has wielded considerable influence to- ward the improvement and betterment of the pre- cinct, and the j'ears of his greater usefulness are yet to be enjoj'ed, for, as above mentioned, Mr. Barnason is yet a j'oung man. -^-t^^^^^^^^-i- ■ i= I OSEPH Z. BRISCOE, one of the leading business men and merchants of Lincoln, has been an important factor in developing its material, soei.al and religious interests, hav- ing with great generosity and liberality devoted a large share of the wealth that he has accumulated here by patient toil and characteristic energy and enterprise, to the moral and educational elevation of the community. He is of Pennsylvanian origin and ancestry, first opening his eyes to the light of the world March 1, 1838, In the Keystone State, in the home of his parents, Frisby W. and Eva (Lo- gan) Briscoe, in the beautiful county of Somerset. His father was born of French origin in 1809, and the mother in Westmoreland County, Pa., in 1816. Frisb}- Briscoe was a pioneer of Nebraska, com- ing here in the fall of 1863, in Territorial days, and locating in Omaha, finally dying in 1881, in Sarpy County, full of years and honors. He was, in every sense of the word, a noble man. self-made and self-educated. He was left an orphan when quite young, and had to struggle hard for the edu- cation that made him one of the most prominent literary men and educators of his time and State of Pennsylvania, and he taught for many years in the academies at Berlin and Somerset. The latter part of his life was spent on a farm in Nebraska. His good wife is still living, and although seventy-tvvo years of age, retains much of her youthful mental and physical vigor, owing, perhaps, to the fact that she comes of a long-lived family, her father having attained the remarkable age of one hundred and three 3'ears. Her husband was a member of the Christian Church, and she has likewise belonged to it for many years, having joined when she was a small girl. She is very much interested in theolog}% in which she is vvell versed, and can discuss with zeal and animation the doctrines of the different churches. The marriage of herself and husband was blessed by the birth of the following children: Mary, wife of Prof. Manoah Eberhardt, of Iowa; Joseph Z. ; Sarah, wife of Samuel Cotner, of Omaha, Neb.; William AV., a farmer of Sarpy County; John L. and Fred E. Our subject early became a student in the com- mon schools of his native State, and he was later sent to Duff's Merchant's College, at Pittsburgh, Pa., where he received a fine and complete business education. At the age of sixteen he began his career as a teacher in a common school at Oakland, Md., and afterw.ard taught a select school at West- ville, Ind. The family moved from Pennsylvania to Indiana, and remained about six years. He then came to Nebraska, and locating in Sarpy County, was for some time actively and profitably engaged in farming. While a resident of that county he took a somewhat active part in public affairs, and at one time was County Commissioner, which office he has also held for one term in this county. In the winter seasons our subject resumed his profession as teacher, and was for several sea- sons pleasantly engaged in the occupation of teach- ing the youth of Sarpy County. In 1880 Mr. Briscoe removed to Lincoln and established him- self in the boot and shoe business. He afterward sold out, but subsequently formed a partnership -•► 306 t LANCASTER COUNTY. ^\ with Mr. Webster in the same line, an'l the}' are now carrying on a flourishing trade, under the firm name of Wei)ster & Briscoe, in a nicely fitted up store at No. 1043 O street, carrying a stock of i30,000, and by their courteous manners and thor- oughly honest and honorable dealings thej- have secured a large amount of custom, and are patron- ized by some of the best people in the city. In the year 1887 Mr. Briscoe erected an elegant and com- modious dwelling on the corner of Seventeenth and Locust streets, at a cost of $5,000. Mr. Briscoe w.is one of the members of the Citj' Council who disobeyed the restraining order of Judge Brewer, of the United States District Court, in regard to ousting from olRce the Police Judge of Lincoln, for dereliction of duty. Judge Brewer regarded their action as contempt of court, and im- posed a fine on the council of iJo.OOO, which the coun- cil refused to pay. The Judge then commanded the United States Marshal to place them in custody until the fine be paid. The case was taken before the Supreme Court at Washington, and the decision of that court was that the action of Judge Brewer was that of judicial usurpation, and the council w.'is therefore released. September 16, 1858, the marriage of our subject with Miss Eleanora Brandt was solemnized, the cere- mony being |)erformed b}' the Rev. 1). O. Stewart, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Briscoe was born in Bloomingtoii, Va., April 9, 1840, and is a daughter of Elijah P. and Sarah (Kite) Brandt, natives of Maryl.and. Her father died in his native State at Oakland, the mother is still living, and she is a faithful member of the Christian Church. Mr. Brandt was a farmer by occupation, and was a prominent citizen of the community where he resided, his great integritj' and sterling worth commanding the confidence of his fellowmen. He was in hisdailj' life a true and con- scientious Christian, and was a pillar of the Luth- eran Church. To him and his wife six children were born, namely: Ilettie M., Ptolma, Eleanora, Martin, Thomas and John. The happy married life of our subject and his wife has been blessed to them by the birth of a daughter, Florence A'., who is now an accuniplished young lady. She is a student in the art dcpart- ment of the Christian Universit}', where her fine natural talent as an artist is receiving careful culti- vation, and also her musical talents. Her pictures in oil and her crayon work are said to be unsur- passed by any amateur in the city. Our subject and his familj' are active and prominent members of the Christian Church, and the daughter is a teacher in the Sunda^'-school. Mr. Briscoe has been an ordained Elder of the church for twenty j'ears, and, in fact, is one of the leading members; has been President of the Missionary Society for eight years; has taught in the Sunday-school for many years, and was greatly instrumental in build- ing the first Christian Church of this cit_v. To his exertions it is due in great part that the Chris- tian University was locateil in this city, as he was Chairman of the committee appointed to look up a suitable site for the pro[)osed literary institution, and he has nobly endowed the Bible chair of the university' with the munificent sum of $25,000. In politics, our subject proudly claims to be a member of the Democratic partv, which has no more vigor- ous supporter of its principles than he. AVID JACKSON. While there is .an American history' the name of Jackson will hold one of the most honored places in its pages, both as connected with the Presi- dential chair and its militarj' achievements, for al- though the leader in the latter was mistaken in his opinions, he was a most .able General, honorable man and Christian. He was the originator of the first colored Sunday-school, and the largest south of the Mason and Dixon line, and until the l.ast was held in most affectionate regard by tiie colored people of his native city, and the name " Stonewall Jackson " should be associated rather with this incident and that at Fredericksburg as indicative of the man, than with any position his mistaken opinion led him to take. In the historj- of Nebraska the name as connected with our subject will be also held in affec- tionate remembrance as one who did much for the development and success of the State. Our subject is a direct descendant of President Jackson, and Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson was bis h LANCASTER COUNTY. 307 nephew. Fie was the son of .John and I'^va (New- man) Jackson. His parents settled in Loudoun County, Va., where his father farmed a hirge tract of land for several years, and afterward removed to Ilardin C(nint}% Ohio, and continued in the same occupation, and in this latter home died, in 1832, aged fifty-four years. His death was the re- sult of a ferocious attack by a mad dog, in whicli he sustained several severe wounds from the teeth of the animal. His widow continued to make her home upon the Ohio farm until her death, in 1«59, aged eighty-three. They were the parents of ten children, of whom four were Iioys. Our subject was the youngest, his natal day being Feb. 2, 1819, and the place of his birth Hillsboro, Va. At the time of tlie removal to Ohio he was five years of age, and about two years later he entered the com- mon school, continuing in the same until he had gone the round of its classes. As a boy Mr. Jackson was unusually industrious, and had his full share of the high spirit and inde- pendence of the true American boy, and like the illustrious Garfield and others, he early began to labor. The work he undertook was that of wood cutting in the forests near his home, and farm work. He was fifteen jears of age when the acci- dent which removed his father occurred ; he then the more manfully labored on, with the view of helping his mother, which he was enabled to do to no inconsiderable extent. The great step of our subject's life was taken in 1840, when he became the husband of Miss Mary McAllister, a lady of character, culture, refinement and womanly grace. She was the daughter of John and Mary (Graton) McAllister. Her father was a native of L'eland ; her mother, of New England. They had made their home in Ohio among the earliest of its pioneers, and their experience and life was in common with their neighbors. Shortly after his marriage our subject removed to Henry County, and settled there. He purchased a piece of wood- land, and was busily occupied in clearing and im- proving the same. He very shortly had a comfort- able, if not elegant, home, and was enabled to reap large harvests, and prospered well. There were eight children born to our subject, whom it was his pleasure to see develoi) those qualities which point to a successful life. Their names are recorded as follows: William, Martha, John, Mary, Isaac, Ella, Williert and Rebecca. Beside these a son was adopted into the family, and bears the name David Howard Jackson. About the year 18.50 our subject made the ac- quaintance of James A. Garfield, who was a mem- ber of the same church, and had also met him on several public occasions. A firm and ardent friend- ship sprang up between them, which continued un- til the raart3Tdom of the beloved Garfield. Thus he continued with his family during tlie formative period of Ohio's history, working, suffering hard- ship, enduring reverses, and yet, withal prosperous and happy. In the midst of this beautiful, although perhaps somewhat quiet life, the family was sud- denly disturbed and the quiet dispelled by the echo and reverberation of the guns which sent forth the shells to the walls of Sumter. This aroused all his patriotism, and stirred every instinct of man- hood; immediately, although past forty-four years of age, being unable to restrain himself and satisfy his feelings with the excuse that there were younner men, he left his home and farm, and took his place in the first regiment of Ohio Sharpshooters, enlist- ing in Company A. He was a man always fond of his gun, and was an excellent marksman ; at the target trial, which was given each man before enlisting in this regiment, he was the second upon the record of the entire regiment, and accounted a most perfect shot. From the report of the trial is given the fol- lowing: "Three shots, averaging one and a half inches; five shots, five and a quarter inches." The record of our subject would have been the best of all, had not Lieut. Pickard, after Mr. Jackson's third shot, requested to be allowed to shoot the re- mainder for him, which was done in order to save his own record, as at first. Our subject in connection with his corap.any engaged the rebels at Ft. Donelson, Nashville, Stone River, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridore and Chattanooga. At the latter pl.ace he was seriously injured by the falling of a timber, disabled, and sent back to Nashville. He was also severely wounded in the same battle Iiy a ball which took effect in his loft arm. Finding that it would be impossible for him to serve again he was honorably ■*► -4«- .t 308 LANCASTER COUNTY. discharged at Nashville. After coming home to Ohio he remained upon the farm about two j'ears, when he sold his property, put his belongings in his wiigon, hitched up the team and started West. Their journey was continued until they arrived at Plattsmouth. The first winter was spent in Ne- braska City, but early in the following year (1869) he came to Lincoln, purchasing his present prop- erty on section 4, Saltillo, which comprised eighty acres of what w:is then virgin prairie. He now be- gan the second chapter of his pioneer experience, diverse in man}' wa3's from that obtained iu Ohio. There he had the forest trees to remove before anything could be done. Heie he had nothing but the level prairie to tame, but several times did he nearly lose everj-thing, including life, by experience harder and more terrible than anything in his former homo. The danger which threatened here was that whicii came from that element which, the proverb informs us, is a good servant, but a terrible master. A fire is bad enough when it is found in a city, even though it be surrounded by the darkness of the mid- night hour, and mingled with the roaring flames is the shriek of some heavy sleeper just wakened to his or her hour of peril; but, linked with the miti- gating circumstances of the powerful engines, the hook and ladder companies, the ready help of stal- wart and heroic firemen, it is as nothing compared with the awfulness of the prairie fire, as, roaring,^ leaijiug, flashing, burning, .is far as the eye can re.ach on either hand, it travels rapidly toward the home- stead with the grain ripening in the field and the stock in stall or pasture. Onl^- one other experience can be named with it — that of the fires at sea. .Several times our subject »vas roused from sleep or labor to fight such a fire. There was also another element of bitterness in the Nebraska pioneer experience, in the sliape of the plague of flies, or grasshoppers. There were, however, diver- sions and pleasures as well as hardships, and our subject enjoyed many thrilling and exciting houi-s while hunting the various game found upon the prairie, and often the resultjs added materially to the comforts and welfare of those who were left at home on such occasions, and enjoyed the pleasures of the hunt by way of the larder and kitchen fire. Not far from the house which our subject erected, a comfortable and convenient dwelling, beautiful for situation and not inelegant in its in- terior, was set out an extensive orchard, which con- tained besides a large number of cherry, plum and other fruit trees, 150 choice apple trees of dififerent kinds. Abundant provision was also made for a liberal suppl}- of various small fruits, as berries and currants, while the l)etter qualities of grapes were^lso provided in profusion. The various farm and out houses are full}^ in keeping with the other appoint- ments, both in regard to the solidity of their struc- ture, convenient arrangements and general details, and are doubtless an element in the large measure of success which attended the operations of this pioneer settler. The family of our subject demands some further reference in these pages. The eldest son, William, and David Howard enlisted together in the 100th Ohio Regiment, and the vacancies in the family circle to-day testify to a scar iu the family- which will never be efifaceil. At the battle of Atlanta William fell, shot through the heart, and his adopted brother was taken prisoner, sent to Libby Prison, the " black hole " of the South, and there succumbed to the terrible privations heaped upon the unfort- unate occupants. The second child, Martha, be- came the wife of Thomas Peters, a prosperous farmer, and has become the happ}' mother of seven children; John, who resided at Mitchell and after- ward at Lincoln, was married, and died in 1 881 , leav- ing three children; his wife is now Mrs. Obrion, of Lincoln. Mary was married to James Antill, resided at Lincoln, and died in the year 1882, leaving four children; Isaac is a successful con- tractor aud builder at Lincoln, he is married, and is the parent of four children. Ella is the wife of John Swartz, one of Lincoln's prominent and pros- perous merchants; they have one son, named Clar- ence; and lastly, Wilbert, who h.as charge of the homestead and farm, and is the husband of Miss Jane Dove. Mr. Jackson was a piominont member of the Christian Church, and among the number who adorn their profession by an every-day life of most per- fect consistency. His widow is also a consistent member, and their membership extended over a t -4«- LANCASTER COUNTY. 309 ])erio(l of forty years, and until the weight of j'ears began to be feit few surpassed them in the activi- ties of Christian worli. In tlie various offices con- nected with the church Mr. Jackson held important positions, was dee|)ly interested in the establishment and prosperity of Sunday-schools, and for many years taught a Bible class, and acted as Snnday-school Superintendent. He died Aug. 28, 1 888. He h.ad, however, given the data from which this sketch is prepared. The first vote of our subject was cast for W. H. Harrison, of National, political and military renown. He always continued to be one of the warmest friends and supporters of the Republican partj', actively engaging whenever advisable or necessary in the interests of the same. Without any attempt at fulsome eulogy it is onh' right and safe to say that no more honored, loyal or patriotic citizen, no truer or braver man, nobler or devout Christian, can be found, and that what he w.as as a man the com- jjanion of his life is as a woman, possessing all those qualities which make the words wife and mother the nol)lest in our language. 'RANK S. SPELLMAN, a farmer and stock- )! raiser of Centerville Precinct, residing on section 22, is a son of Hon. Henry and Elea- noreSpellman. His parents are natives of Hanover, Germany, having emigrated to America perhaps a half-centur3' ago, and now residing in Cortland, Gage Co., Neb. They had a family of eleven chil- dren, of whom the following are now living: Har- mon, in Centerville Precinct; John, in Gage County, Neb.; Sarah, wife of Nicholas Bohl, in Highland Precinct; Lena, wife of William Stutheit. of Center- ville Precinct; Henrj', in Highland Precinct; Frank S., our subject; and Elizabeth, wife of William Schramm, of Gage County, Neb. The parents of this family of children came to Nebraska some twenty-one years ago, and were among the early settlers of Centerville Precinct, residing here until the j-ear 1885, when they moved to Gage County, Neb., their present home. Hon. Henry Spellman, the father of our subject, has served as a member of the Legislature for one -4•- term, and as County Commissioner of Lancaster County. He is a man who is highly respected by all who know him, and enjoys the good-will of all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance. He keeps abreast of the times in all matters of general infor- mation, and heartily approves of any methods by which the future welfare of his community can be secured. For several years he was a land agent for the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company, and he has been successful in whatever business he has been engaged. He is an ardent Republican, and being now in his declining years he spends his days among his friends and relatives, enjoj'ing the fruits of a life spent in usefulness and well-doing. When our subject was quite young he came with his parents to Lancaster Count3', where he has since lived, having seen the country improved from its primitive condition to the fine and well-kept farms of to-day. He has received a good education and has served as Assessor of Centerville Precinct for one year, and has united his fortunes with those of the Republican party. On the 25th of December, 1880, he led to the altar Miss Lena Krull, a daugh- ter of Frank and Adaline Krull, of the same pre- cinct in which our subject resides. Three children have been granted to them: John was born on the 24th of July, 1883; Emma, on the 10th of January, 1885, and William, on the 24th of August, 1887. Mr. Spellman is the owner of a good farm con- taining 120 acres of well-improved land, which has resulted from his own labor and close attention to his business. Few men who have arrived at suc- cess and distinction have wrought with more than one thought in mind. It is better to know one business or profession, and know it thorouglil3', than to be partlallj- acquainted with several different kinds of business and j-et unable to make a success of any of them, l/'oncentration of purpose on one thing is the great key to success in business life. When a man has carefully chosen a profession or a business in which he prefers to engage, he should direct all his energies and attention in that one channel to secure a success. This does not mean that he shall he narrow-minded and be entirely oblivious to all other affairs than those that imme- diately concern his business, but that he shall have a certain goal in view and that goal shall be pros- f • ► 11 ^^ -•> m < • 310 LANCASTER COUNTY. perit3-, :ui(l it is easily to be seen that it can be reached b^- a straight path much sooner than by a deviating course which leads off to this side or that side, and perhaps finally loses the way. Such con- centration of purpose, united with tiie admirable manly qualities of our subject, have won for him his successful career. ]lL^ARL LEMKE, the proprietor of 520 broad acres of valuable laud, comprising the .. greater yiavt of section 8, in Stockton Pre- '^K-inct, has by his thrift and industr3' risen to no unimportant position among tlie enterprising men of Lancaster County. A man of more than ordi- nar}Mntelligence and excellent business capacity, he has proved himself one of those most needed in the development and settlement of a new tract of coun- try. The most of his life lias been spent in agri- cultural pursuits, and coming to this county during the period of its earliest settlement, there was ample room for the exercise of his natural industry' and perseverance. He has been generousl}' rewarded for his labors, being now in possession of a prop- erty which yields him a fine income, and by means of which he has been enabled to surround himself and ills family with all the comforts of life. The enterprising German citizen has been largely instrumental in the building up and development of tlie Great West. Mr. Lemke was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, April 8, 1844, and when a lad of fourteen years, filled with ambition and plans for the future, crossed the Atlantic with his uncle, Frederick Pritzman, joining his two brothers and two sisters, who had preceded him to the land of promise. From New York City he at once made his way westward to Racine Couutj', Wis., living there with his brothers for one year, and then, in 1859, coming to Nebraska and settling in Stockton Precinct, where he has since made his home. The f.ace of the countri' at that time presented a widely different appearance from that of the present, and Mr. Lemke can have tlie satisfaction of knowing that he has effected in no small degree the transfor- mation of the county. During the years 18C0 and 1801 joung Lemke worked in Otoe Count}' on a farm, and in the sum- mer of 18G2 souglit the Platte River region, where he remained a year. The summer of 18G3 found him at Omaha, Neb., where he remained three years engaged in teaming, and in tiie summer of 1866 returned to Stockton, this county, and was em- ployed by his brother-in-law until the fall of that year. At this time, being ready to establish a home of his own, he was married, in December, 1867, to Mrs. Marie (Shultz) Lemke, who was the widow of Jolm Lemke, who died in Stncktun Pre- cinct in 1865. The birthplace of Mrs. L. was not far from that of her husband, in Prussia, and the dale thereof Feb. 20. 1830. Of her first marriage, which took place in Germanj', there were born five children, the eldest of whom, a daughter Minnie, died when fifteen years old. The others, John. Agnes, AVillie and Emma, are living in Lancaster County. Of her marriage with our subject there are no children. Mr. Lemke is a strong adherent of the Repub- lican party, and, with his estimable wife, promi- nently connected with the German Lutheran Church. ^ OHN F. HAYDEN, who for four years was engaged in the hardware trade in the city of Lincoln, is a native of Iowa County. Iowa, / wasljornNov. 30, 1856, and is a son of Joseph and Sarah T. (Tufts) Hayden, natives of Ohio and Maine respectively, the fattier born in Warren County, Ohio, in 1818. Joseph Ilayden was reared to farm life, which he still follows, having now a fine estate of 560 acres in Kearney County, Neb. A part of this he secured from the Government and added to it by degrees, bringing the whole to a good state of cultivation, and which is now princi- pally devoted to the raising of cattle and sheep. The parental household consisted of eight children, and John F., at the age of fourteen years, com- menced learning the tinner's trade and hardware business, at which he was occupied mostly until reaching his majority ; then, desirous of a change, he went into Western Nebraska and operated a sheep ranch three years, meeting with fine success. At the expiration of that lime, in 1885, he came to the •►^^::^ r M^ i LANCASTER COUNTY. 311 f\ city of Linculn and established himself in the hard- ware business, operating alone the first year, and then associated himself with Mr. Flanigan. Tliey sold out in August, 1888. Our subject has a pleasant home in the Driving Park Addition, presided over by a verj' pleasant and intelligent lady, who became his wife on the 20tli of August, 1882. She was formerly Miss Ma- linda Dowe, and was born in the State of Indiana, in March, 1859. She received more than an ordin- ary education, being the child of intelligent and estimable parents. Her father's name was C. H. Dowe, who was a native of Indiana, as was also her mother. The little household of our subject com- prises two bright children, a son and daughter — Homer G. and Mary E. Mr. Hayden, aside from giving due attention to the details of an extensive business, takes a lively interest in political affairs and is a stanch supporter of Republican principles. While a resident of Kear- ney County he was Chairman of the Board of Count}' Commissioners and was elected for a second term, but resigned on account of the pressure of business. He identified himself with the Masonic fraternity in 1883, joining at that time Robert Mor- ris Lodge No. .54, at Kearney, and was subsequently transferred to Lincoln Lodge No. 1 y. He became a K. of P. in 1885, and since that time has been Master of the Exchequer. The home of our subject is a tasteful frame resi- dence, pleasantly located at the corner of Twentieth and V streets, and is the resort of hosts of friends. For a young man who commenced without a cent in his pocket, his record is eminently praiseworthy. iiHOMAS G. HAWKINS, proprietor of a fine tract of land, 320 acres in extent, embrac- ing the east half of section 35, in Grant Precinct, came to Nebraska in 1879. During the late Reljellion he served as a Union soldier, en- listing the first j'ear of the war, Dec. 12, 1861, in Compan}' I. 78th Ohio Infantr}-, the regular service, after luiving been three months with Company E, in the 19th Regiment. After entering the three- years service he particpatcd in man}' of the im- portant battles of the war, including the siege of Atlanta, where he was wounded in the left arm. July 22,1864. He was mustered out at the expira- tion of his term of service. After the war Mr. Hawkins returned to his native township, Elk Run, in Columbiana County, Ohio, where he remained until coming to Nebraska. He was born Aug. 24, 1841, and lived with his father on the farm until a youth of nineteen years, at which time he enlisted in the army. In 1872 he was married, in Mahoning County, Ohio, on the 9th of February, to Miss Kate O. Ogle vie, who was a native of his own county, and born Sept. 5, 1851. After his marriage ISIr. Hawkins engaged in mer- cantile business at Elklon, Ohio, and was thus occupied until coming to the West. This move was made chiefly on account of his health. Before leaving the Buckeye State he was stationed at Wellsville for a period of six months, engaged in the drug trade. To our subject and his wife tliere were born six children, namely: Howard, Halsey L., Blanche 0., Eva B., Frank O. and John B. Howard died when eight months old. The mother departed this life at her home in Grant Precinct, Feb. 18, 1884. She was a most estimable lady and a member in good standing of the Methodist Church. Mr. Hawkins is a stanch supporter of Republican principles, and has held the various local offices, officiating as Clerk of Grant Precinct for a number of j'ears. He has effected many improvements upon his farm since taking possession, having good buildings, a fair assortment of live stock, and everything about him conducive to the comfort of himself and his family. He is considered one of the solid men of his neighborhood, and in the building up of one of the best farms of Grant Precinct has been no unimportant factor in maintaining its rep- utation and standing as a desirable place of resi- dence. The parents of our subject, John and Almira C. (Kemble) Hawkins, were also natives of Columbi- ana County, Ohio, where they still reside. Their family consisted of six sons and three daughters, who are residents of Ohio and Nebraska. The family is of English ancestry, and has been repre- sented in this country for man}' generations. The ^ 312 ■•► .f LANCASTER COUNTY. first to come to this country was Sir Joiin Haw- kins with his fauiilj', in 1065, and settled in Vir- ginia, and from hira has descended this branch of the Hawkins family in America. The^^ were patriots in the Kevolutionar}- AVar and contributed large sums to the support of the cause. They mostly pursued agriculture, and although making no great stir in the world, perhaps, have been com- posed of that solid and reliable class of the community without which society' can have no permanent or reliable foundation. -S- • ci< * -5— ON. CHARLES H. GERE, editor of the Nebraska State Journal, is an honored resi- dent of Lincoln, and a man highly esteemed throughout the State for his ability, integ- rity-, keen perce|)tive f.aculties and business enter- prise. He is a native of New York, and was born in Wyoming County, Feb. 18, 1838, being the eldest living child of Horatio N. and Julia D. (Grant) Gere. The early life of our subject was passed in Wyoming and Chenango Counties, N. Y., where he attended the district schools, receiving a substan- tial foundation for his future education. He after- ward became a student at Oxford Academy, and from there went to Dickinson College, from which lie was graduated with honor in 1861. Mr. Gere then made practical use of his educational attain- ments by becoming an instructor in an academic school of Pennsylvania, and subsequenti}' teaching for a period of one j-ear in Baltimore, Md., achiev- ing much success in that profession. Being a h)yal and true-hearted citizen of this grand Republic, the patriotism of our subject no longer allowed him to remain a spectator of the carn.ige and bloodshed being carried on around him, and he accordinglj- enlisted in the lOtb JLiryland Infiuitry, and after- ward in the 11th Regiment, serving for several months on detached duty. At the close of the war he received an honorable discharge, and was mus- tered out of service in June, 1865. In the same year Mr. Gere was admitted to the bar in the city of Baltimore, and immediatelj' after his admission st:iiled West, having decided to locate in Nebraska, which Was then under Territorial "ovcrnment. Pawnee City was the objective point of his desti- nation, and there he commenced the practice of law. He was energetic, progressive and public-spirited, and soon became prominently identified with the various interests of the city, and was a potential factor in advancing the prosperity of the county and State as well as of the city. In 18G6 Mr. Gere was elected to the State Legislature, and the follow- ing year, when Nebraska wasa m < • fl A.t O-^ CrX A-^^^-T'S.ry. •^f^ 4- LANCASIER COUNTY. 315 4 i the full term of six j-ears. For tiie past five 3'ears he has served as Presifleiit of the Board of Regents. The marriage of Mr. Gere to Jliss Mariel E., (huighter of Capt. John Claphan, of Washington, D. C, was solemnized in 1871. Of their union four children have been born, of whom three are livi ig, namelj': Mariel, Ellon Bladen and Frances. In politics, the subject of tliis sketch is an ardent Rci>ublican, firmly and sincerely upholding the principles promulgated by that party. He has been Chairman of three State Conventions of the Repub- lican party, and in 1873 was a member of the .State Constitution Convention, and assisted in framing the present State Constitution. As a man of intelli- gence and energ3', a citizen of influence and high moral principle, and a journalist of broad culture, versatility and good i)ractieal sense, Mr. Gere has won a prominent position in the legal, political and business circles of his State, where his career has been a distinguished one, justifying the expecta- tions of his many warm personal friends. =4l'« Ij^s^ OLOX P. BINGHAM. Many of the most ^^^^ atrocious crimes that have ever been per- ]j\/ll) petrated in the history of the world have been committed in the name of, and osten- sibly in behalf of religion, and not infrequently the mistake is made of charging to religion whatshould rightly be put to the account of the wickedness, bigotry, ignorance, selfishness and arrogant pride of men. At the same time, in many instances the repression, persecution and cruelty have fallen out for the advancement and benefit not onl}- of those immediately concerned, but also for that of genera- tions following them. An illustration and case in point, perhaps, would be the crime by English dig- nitaries that was the immediate cause of the vo}'- age of the "Mayflower," which has brought a blessing to countless millions upon this grand continent. New England will always be connected in our minds with this thought. Courtney Bingham, the f.ather of the suliject of this sketch, was a New Enijlander, and was born in 1789 in Lempstcr. N. H. His scimol days were passed in the institution of his native town. and in that pl.ace he continued to live and la- bor until he reached the years of his majority. He was united in marriage with Rachel Howard, and there were born to them three children — Sam- uel Dexter, Mary W. and our subject. His wife died at tlie early age of thirty -six years, and some time after he contracted a second alliance, becom- ing the husband of Lovey Lebourveau. By this marriage he became the father of a son, George W. Mr. Bingham carried on an extensive busi- ness as a clothier, and was quite prosperous in the same. His religious associations and those of his family were within the p.ale of the Methodist ^Epis- copal Church, of which he w.asalwaj-s a warm friend and consistent member. At the time of his demise in 1863, he had reached the ripe age of seventy- three years. Our subject was born in Charleston, N. II., upon the banks of the beautiful Connecticut River. While in his childiiood the family removed to Lempster, Sullivan Count}'. In this new place our subject was enabled to obtain the rudiments of an education. Upon the removal of the family to Stoddard, he made some addition to this store, but the greater part of his mental training and devel- opment was obtained after the removal of the famil}- to Keene, where he attended the common school for a considerable time. Qiir subject realized, however that his education was fai- from being complete when he passed into the school of experience, and began life in earnest, and he has, therefore, never ceased to make the most of everything wliicli prom- ised to aid him in this regard. His home was with his father and family only during his earlier years, for, upon the death of his mother, his father broke up housekeeping, and he went to work upon a farm and earned his own living; and, although he was allowed the privilege of attending school some- times, this was the real dilHculty in the wa}' of his obtaining a complete and regular course of studj'. He had to be content with two oi' three months during the winter. As soon as our subject was in a position to change the loneliness which came as the result of the above deserilied circumstances, he was united in marriage to Miss Harriet E. Adams, a lady who was emi- nently fitted to bring into his life those elements ^ -4^ 316 " ^ B <• LA^'CASTER COUNTY. which wouhl lerleem it from the emptiness of youth and manhood, and in whom he has not been dis- appointed. ISIiss Ailanis is a native of Ilillsboro County. N. H., and was born in Mason on the 5th of December, 1818. She is the daughter of Deacon Jonas and Sallie (Wrigiit) Adams, and lived at home with her parents until her marriage. Her education was begun in the coninion schools of Mason, and completed in the Ladies' Seminary, of Keene, in which institution she was occupied, from the time of iier graduation until her marriage, as a teacher. Her father, who lived to the green old age of seventy-four, was during life a very pros- perous and successful farmer. After his marriage Mr. Bingham went West, in the spring of 1842. settling in Bureau County, 111., al)ont 100 miles from Chicago, on the Chicago, Burlington -< H_^ON. HERMAN .T. LIESVELD. Andrew |j Jackson Davis' idea of life, as represented in the vision at Poughkee|)sie, recited in his biography, frequentiv referred to in his "Harmony," and other works, is, after all, not with- out a semblance of truth. It ni.iy be remembered that his vision takes the form of seven mountains, each rising higher than the other, and that, begin- ning at the foot of the lowest in childhood, one, through life, progresses in direct ratio to the perti- nacity and continued effort put forth in mounting the steep ascents, which are marked all the way by rocks, boulders, ravines, precipices, and other dan- gers and difficulties. Looking back from the highest summit of all, where, by the way, he finds himself almost alone, he sees the whole path occupied b}- struggling humanity, some advancing, others retro- gressing, stopping or falling. In the biography here presented it is our [jlcasure to offer that of one who has almost attained the summit of the seventh mountain, which includes not siniplj^ the success of tinance and position, but manlu)od, in all that may be included in the term. 'I'he i)arents of our subject, Derk and Martina (Van Der Teems) Liesvcld, were born in Arnhem, an ancient and fortified town situated upon the Rhine, about fifty miles from Amsterdam, with a po|)ula- tion of about 3.5,000 persons. By trade Mr. Leis- veld, Sr., was a shoemaker, and worked at the same until he came to this country, where he conceived that a better home could be made and his family better started in life than in the more crowded cities and Provinces of the old countries. He ac- cordingly sailed for the United States, landing in New York with his wife and child in the month of May, IS 17, and began work almost immediately in a lumber-yard and sawmill upon the Hudson, near the city. He worked very little at his own trade, until be removed to Grand Rapids, Mich., where he combined his old calling with the new. His next removal was to Zealand, Mich., where he opened a shop, and for nine months continued with success as a boot and shoe maker. Thence he removed to Fulton, 111., where he eng.iged in the dair3' busi- ness for aliout nine months. The family then resided in Rockville, Wis., and again there is a re- veision to the original business, cou|)led, however, with that of farming, which was sufficiently re- munerative and prosperous to continue its .ittrac- tions and hold the f.amily for a period of ten years. Thence a removal was made to Chenoa, 111., an^^*dW*W«;;i'<>*W»^«'lSSi^^?-' '.^ii;M^^ : !L^iV^:^jf^ . \ ', yi': U" '^A^ij ia^efe:!5s!teL^2y— :Si^ Residence of .S.P Bimgham, Stc.33 , Garfield Precinct. i LANCASTER COUNTY. 325 All honor and arlmiration. therefore, to men who, like our subject, faeerl the fliftienlties, braved the rlanojers, and succeeded in fitting themselves for the happenings of life. We must not forget, however, to pay, as is justly due, some triliute of respect to the truly noble woman who shared with him tlu'ough all these years the often hazardous and certainly checkered life. How often might he have given up but for her words of enccniragement and cheer; how often might he have made mistakes of grave, and even disastrous, import, but for her wise and cautious counsel; how often the results which were ascribed, and justl3' so, to his enei-gies and enterprise, would never have been entered upon but for her thought and advisement. For three years Mr. Hay has served conscien- tiously and with much ability as Justice of the Peace, which service has been justly commended and generally recognized by the entire community. He is an acknowledged friend and liberal sujiporter of every enterprise which looks toward the eleva- tion of society and the improvement of the county. In the Methodist P^piscopal Church our subject and his wife find their religious home, and if in the communitj' generally they are respected, in the church they are beloved. He has officiated in the Steward's office for about one year. To Mr. and Mrs. Hay have been born three chil- dren: Sarah A., born May 28, 1880, and died June 5, 181^2; Frederick G., born Nov. 26, 1882, and died Feb. 27, 1883; and Mark I., born Sept. 6, 1885, who is the only surviving child. It only remains to be stated what has doubtless already been surmised, that in his relation toward the State and Government, Mr. Hay espouses, u[)- holds and advocates Republican principles, and that his influence, eloquence and activities are never commanded in their behalf, but they meet with the heartiest response. A view of Mr. Hay's home- stead is presented in this connection. ¥-'ir' ylLLIAM CLAY is entitled to be recorded as one of Panama's earliest pioneers, and his f.amily is the only one of the sixteen who came here together in the early days of the settle- ment of the town who is still residing here. His pioneer experience was a rich one. and would form an interesting chapter in the histor3^ of Lancaster County. He says that this was a beautiful prairie country, with scarcely a habitation, when he first settled here, without trees, and abounding with antelope, deer, wild geese, ducks, etc. He has watched the wonderful development of the county, and its grailual settling up as the tide of emigra- tion came this way from the Eastern States. He always gave a cordial and hosi)itable welcome to the weary and sometimes disheartened emigrants, and sent them on their way refreshed and encour- aged ; sometimes as many as fifteen teams laden with people seeking new homes on the broad prai- ries of Nebraska would stop in front of his house, and he would cordially invite them to pass the night with him. Mr. Clay luas done very well, notwith- standing those disastrous years when he had to fight prairie fires, grasshoppers, drouths and blizzards, with the dread possibility of utter ruin staring him in the face, and he is well satisfied with his fxrm, and is contented in his comfortable home, wherein he enjoys the comforts of life procured by a suffi- cient competency. Our subject is a native of England, a son of George and Catherine (Gracard) Clay, who were born in Lincolnshire, England. His father was a farmer, and was in prosperous circumstances in his early years, but later in life he failed, and died at the age of fifty, a comparatively poor man. The mother of our subject died in England in 1881, aged seventy-five years. Both she and her husband were people of sterling integrity and industrious habits, and were considered valuable members of the community in which they were residents. They were the parents of fifteen children, ten of wdiom grew to maturity. William C'la}' was the third child of his parents, and he was born July 10, 1826, in the parish of Gedne}% Lincolnshire. He grew up in the home of his parents, but being one of the eldest in a large family of children, his education was necessa- rily limited, as his services were required on the farm. In December, 1847, at the age of twenty- one, he took unto himself a wife, in the person of Miss Maria Huson. He continued farming in his -r^::^^-^ -f 326 LANCASTER COUNTY. native Englaiul until after he was tlie father of tlirec children, wiien lie sold his possessions there, and sought this new world with his family-, hoping to be alile to build up a more commodious home here than he could in the old country-. He sailed with his family' from Liverpool in December, 1852, and landed in JS^ew York the following Janu- ary-. He went to Albion, Orleans Count}', where he worked for three years steadilj'. l)eing emplo3'ed by the day, and having carefully' saved up some of his earnings that were not needed to supply- the wants of his growing family, he left New Y'ork for Michigan, and bought a farm in Shiawassee Countj'. He lived there for nine years, but he wished to go still further West, and we next hear of him in Mitchell County, Iowa, where he remained onl}- a few j-ears. He had the sad misfortune to lose his good wife there, she who since his early manhood had been his sla}- and help, and hart cheerfully aban- doned her old home and friends to accompany him across the waters to a strange land, and had ever proved the kindest of wives and the most tender of mothers. In 1SG8. after her death, Mr. Claj' broke up his home in Iowa, and with his children came to this State in a wagon, being four weeks on the road, and camping in the company of sixteen other families, known as the Iowa Colony. They settled in Panama, and now our subject is the only representative of that colony still living here. He pre-empted his land the first year, not having sufficient means to get a homestead right. From the wild prairie he has evolved a good farm comprising eighty acres, under an admirable state of cultivation. Honest}' and industry have char- acterized the life of our subject, and, with his kind- ness and consideration toward others, have won him the respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens. In his political views he is a strong Democrat. He is the father of nine children, of whom three are dead — Catherine, Samuel and William. The others are settled in life, and are in prosperous circum- stances, and the following is their record: Henry, who is married and has a family, is in business in Kansas Cit}-; George is a successful farmer in Panama; Clara, the wife of Robert Dickson, of Panama, has three children — Agnes, Thomas and Ethel Ma}' ; Ann, the wife of Amos Kennedy, of Nebraska, has two children — Cora and George; Mary is the wife of Mr. McDonald, of Montana, and they have one child. Fay ; William is a pros- perous farmer in Johnson County. "SIAMESE. DAVEY'. A community is very I much like a large piece of intricate machin- ery, with its many wheels, cogs and bands, all working together for the production of a given work. The men who first tilled the soil of Ohio and Indiana were compelled to dispose of their products at a ruinous figure, because of the difficulty of bringing them to the market, and they would have valued greatly the modern system; and so with every department of trade and com- merce ; one cannot do without the other. The figure of speech, '"the body," social, political or otherwise, is most hapj)}', because every member of the body, however strangely diverse in fashion, shape or use. is absolutely necessary for the well- being of the perfect man. Hence the grocer and farmer, or grain b\iyer and shipper, are but compo- nent parts of the whole. To the farmer, as above noted, the grain buyer is an intimate and, perhaps, especial need, and in this biography we present a. sketch of one of these important factors in an agri- cultural community. Our subject is the well-connected and popular grain buyer of Malcolm, and was born in St. Law- rence County, N. Y'., in 1844. His father was Will- iam Davey, a native of County Sligo, Ireland, where he was born in 1800, and where he was reared and married. Some years after this latter event he came to America, accompanied by his wife and seven children. He purchased a farm and set- tled in St. Lawrence, where he continued for some years, and was sufficiently prosperous that when he desired to change he was able to start well in mer- cantile life, in 1832, in Edwardsville, Canada West. He was in this associated with his eldest son, the other sons being left in charge of the farm at St. Lawrence, where he continued to reside and super- intend. This he continued until the year 1857, when he died, aged fifty-seven years. Mr. Davey, Sr., was twice married. By the first i 1 LANCASTER COUNTY. ■ii^Hh-* 327 niarringe there were seven children — Francis, Pat- rick. Mary. William, Kate. John anrl Thomas. The mairlen name of his second wife, the mother of our subject, was Hannah McGovern, and of this union there were four children — Anna, Martin R.. .lames E. and Elizabeth. Our subject at the time of his mother's death vv.as four years of age, and was left fatherless when thirteen, and has, therefore, been left to fight alone the battle of life from the age wl)en he most needed and would have appreciated [larcntal care and aid. After the death of his father our subject con- tinued to reside at the homestead, which was now the propert}- of an elder brother, who did what lay in his power to help our subject to an education in the common school, after which he assisted upon the farm until the year 1 863, when he went to Ashley, AVashington Co., 111., and learned the trade of a carpenter and builder. Here he continued for three j-ears and then went on to Kansas City, fol- lowing the same calling for another season, and still vvith success. In 18G8 he first visited Lincoln, then Init an insignificant town, we had almost said village, without any promise of its ever becoming the grand city of to-day, and the surrounding country was Ijing in all the rugged wildness of its virgin state. Our subject made only a short stay, then returned to Kansas City and remained until July, 1870, when he returned, and continued work- ing at his trade for about eight or nine years. Then, in 1879, having prospered sufficientli' to en- gage in farming, he purchased 240 acres of good ground in P^lk Precinct and continued to work the same for six years, greatly improving his property and bringing it into super-excellent condition. The change from farming to that of grain buyer and shipper was made in 1885, at which time our subject rented his farm and removed to Malcolm, where he has continued to the present time. The same energy and attention to business which made him prosperous as a carpenter and buihler, which converted his acres of wild prairie into a ver^' garden, have made him likewise continuously pros- perous in his new avocation. Mr. Davey is fortu- nate in having for his life companion and helpmate a lady whose affectionate solicitude has ever been in the interests and welfare of her husband and family. Mrs. Rosaltha (Hornung) Davey was born in Welkershausen, Germanj', Sept. 11, 1854, and came to this country with her parents when over thirteen j'ears of age. Her family settled in Ne- braska, where she made the acquaintance of her husband, to whom she was married at Lincoln, April 25, 1876, when twenty-two years of age. Of this happy union there are five children — James, Frank, Clara, Mabel and Lena. Mrs. Davey was earl^' instructed in the teachings of the church which bears the name of the father of German religious liberty and morning star of the Reformation in the Fatherland. She continues loyal to its creed and usnges, and is affiliated with the congregation of the German Lutheran Church, in Elk Precinct, where also her children receive in- struction in things religious. Our subject is not connected with any church, but is at the same time liberal toward those who are, .although they may differ from him in l>elief. Politicall3', he is a stanch advocate, firm adherent and friend of the part^' which was created by the genius of Jefferson, con- solidated liy Jackson, and so alily and well repre- sented by President Cleveland and his charmingly f.ascinating lady. Mr. Davey enjoys the political confidence of his Jiartj', in behalf of which he is quite energetic, and as a man he is exceedingly well received in the community, by reason of his honorable, upright character. ^ ^^ s~ ^RA F. RICKARD. On section 26, Nemaha I Precinct, lies one of the most pleasantly situ- |ii ated and well-cultivated farms of the entire district. It is the property of Ira F. Riekard, the subject of this sketch. He is the son of Frederick and INIartha (Fanshaw) Riekard. His father was born in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., and his mother in England. The family fireside of Mr. and Jlrs. Riekard, Sr., was brightened by the birth of ten little ones, of whom our subject w.as the second born. This important event occ\irred in Dodge Countj', Wis., on the 24th of January, 1854. His f.ather, after a short illness, departed this life Sept. 15, 1886, in Nemaha Precinct. In the boyhood and 3'oulh of our subject there 328 LANCASTER COUNTY. occurred nothing of especial interest or adventure. In due time lie coninienced tiie duties and studies of school life iu the cumnion schools of thecountj-, and when not thus eng.ngcd there was alwaj'S some- thing for him to do at home or on tlie farm. He quickly developed an aptitude for such tasks as were given him, and was careful and diligent in his school work. After he had progressed sufficiently to leave scliool he gave his whole time and sole atten- tion to agricultural pursuits. In the fall of 1878 our subject accompanied his father to Nebraska, and after examination a site was selected in Lancaster County, where the farail}' set- tled and have continued to reside. Our subject now owns about eigiity acres of good land, in fine condi- tion for his purpose. Me has .also given considerable attention to the improvement of his stock. His farm buildings are substantially built, warm, and arranged with a view to convenience. His residence is i)le.asantl.y situated and inspires one with the thought that it is a true home. Mr. Rickard may well be proud and highly gratified with tiie success that has crowned the labor expended and the efforts made since he fir.st took the land, for although not so extensive as some farms that might be named he has given much careful tliought, bestowed much steady labor, h.is been provident and heedful, so th.at to-day it presents a fair picture and will com- pare favorably with the best in the district. Our subject was married, in Bcnnet, Neb., Dec. 20, 1 882, to Miss Laura Lohr ; this lady is the daugh- ter of Solomon and .Sarah (Sidells) Lohr. Her father died in Stephenson County, 111. ; her motlier survives. The home circle of Mr. and Mrs. Lohr formed the iiappy circle of eleven children, of which the wife of our subject was the tenth. She was born in Ste- phenson County', 111., on the 1st of August, 18G4. The home life of Mr. and Mrs. Rickard h.is been no less happy than their farm has been successful. It is the abode of the peace and quiet joy of a true home; though being far removed from the distrac- tions and noises of the city it is marked with a simplicity which some might find uncongenial. They have one son, Freddie S., who was born March 20. 1884, at their homestead. Both our subject and wife are, religiously, associated with the Methodist Kpisco|)ai Church, in which assembly 11103- are held in high regard, and are ever found active in its inter- ests. Mr. Rickard thinks strongly on the question of temperance, and is an uncompromising, sincere advocate of prohibition, and his votes are and will be cast in favor of legislation upon these lines. Mr. Rickard has shown much ability in the school of- fices to which he has been called at different times, and it is safe to s.a}- that this gentleman has j-et to be heard from iu offices of larger opportunity, if not directly of more importance. Highly respected as a citizen; conscientious, exemplarj-, nianl}' as a friend and church member; outspoken and sincere in politics; pleasant and cheerful, with a kind word for all in the ordinary happenings of daily life, our subject Ikos won a high place in the regard of all who know him. E^^ '|fj. ENRY KRAMER might be called the patri- arch of Nebraska, and is so well known as to onl}' require an introduction to those who are perfectly unacquainted with the history of the count\'. His residence is now upon section 9 of Olive Branch Precinct, and includes .320 acres. He is one who gave largely to the Missouri Pacific Railroad Companj'. in order that a station might be established, which the citizens have named after him. His efforts have been directed from the first to the developing of the country, and his liberal policy and ceaseless endeavor have done, perhaps, more than an^' other one individual for this district. His residence dates from the begin- ning of the year 1 865, and he h.is personally assisted in the settlement of everj' citizen in the precinct since, and has been a father, .as it were, to the people. He was the first actual settler in the dis- trict, and was here when Nebraska was yet a Terri- tory, and very few thought of coming so far West. His home is substantial, and exceedingly pleasant in situation ; his farm has been brought to the highest possible state of cultivatit)n, and is well stocked. The location of the farm of our subject is upon the Salt Creek, which is a living stream, and there- fore an exceedingly valuable addition to his prop- erty. When he selected this spot, Nebraska City, seventy miles distant, was the nearest town, the "i^ ■♦- LANCASTER COUNTY. 3-20 Western metropolis of Omaha was an insignificant hamlet, and Lincoln was nnknown. The years have rushed rapidly by and brought man3' changes to the world around, but he has gone on quietly, build- ing up, extending and developing, not simply his own property, but as far as possible, the entire sur- rounding district. How many thrilling stories he must have stored away concerning the noble red- skin, who, at the time of our subject's coming to this country, was the only inhabitant of the vast country. Previous to taking up his residence in this State he resided in Clayton County, Iowa, and removed hither by the then usual but primitive mode of transit. During the time occupied in the removal his horses lived entirely' upon the wild grass over which they were traveling. Iowa had been his home for thirteen years, eleven of them being spent ui)on one farm. Previous to this he had lived at St. Louis, and for a period of six years he had been very prosperous as a farmer on the outskirts of that city. He had journeyed from Prussia, his native country, to the United States, in the beginning of tiie year 1846, landing in St. Louis in the month of Februarj'. He was born in AVest- fall, Prussia, April 12, 1820, of pure German an- ceslrj\ His father, Charles Kramer, was a farmer, and owned his land in his native country, and con- tinued to make it his home until his death at a very advanced age. His wife, Elizabeth, also lived in German}' all her life, and died at the age of fifty years. Their family consisted of ten children, of whom our subject is the eldest. Our subject spent the 3'ears of youth and man- hood on the home farm, and received his education in the district school. In the year above mentioned he started with his brother William for the New World, and both settled together in Missouri, where his brother died a few years later. The cause of his death was consumption, which was believed to be induced by the confinement and cramped posi- tion necessaril}' incident to his calling, as vvas sup- posed, which was that of a tailor. After our subject had located in St. Louis, an- other brother. Stephen H., came to the States and joined Henry in Missouri, but after a few weeks he was taken suddenly ill with cholera and died. This occurred in the year 1851; he was the j'oungest brother of our subject. Three years of life upon the farm in the neighborhood of St. Louis were fol- lowed by a residence in the city itself, where he learned the trade of a stonemason, and continued at that occupation until he came to this State. Our subject was mariied, in Prussia, to Miss Margaret Shaffer, who was born in the year 1819, not very far from the home of our subject. She is the mother of seven children, of whom four are now dead, viz: Sophia and Mary died in St. Louis of cholera, and an infant and Harmon died in very early life. The living children are named: Eliza, who is now the wife of H. Hollmann, who owns a farm in this precinct; Henry and Soi)hia are twins. Henry is now the husband of Ereka Weaver, and they reside at Weller, Neb. ; Sophia is Mrs. John Brannstadt, and lives in Cherry Count}'. Mr. Kramer and wife are both consistent mem- bers of the German Methodist Church. Our sub- ject is the leader of a large class, to the continued satisfaction of every member thereof. He has at different times, and for longer or shorter periods, held almost all the offices of the precinct. Ever since the war he has been a stanch Republican of the strongest type, and is one of the recognized leaders of the same. Concerning his character there can be no question; his whole life has been passed in the interest of others, with the large- hearted disinterestedness characteristic of the man. He is the recipient of that peculiar reverential admiration and esteem which are usually given to one whose experience reaches so far back, and who has done so much for the community and State. -^ ^c^ <^ \f?OSEPH T. WARD. The Hudson River has always been compared with the Rhine, and we advise persons coming for the first time (^^^ to America not to fail to see the Hudson. It is indeed a glorious river, as viewed from the deck of some such steamer as the "Albany," with its noble palisades and towering Catski lis, and crowded as it is with memories historic and literary, but we doubt if one other trij) which might be mentioned ought not to be linked with that above referred to. Approaching the Virginian coast from the sea, the f \f 330 LANCASTKR COUNTY. t I i opposite capes of Heniy and Charles, with their lights and liglithouses, form a picture whicli can only be appreciated by tiie voyager of days, or per- haps weeks, upon the ocean. Having made the en- trance between these capes into the inexpressibly beautiful Chesapeake B.ay.there is conveyed to such a one an impression whicli shall be indelible while memory lasts. As the steamer glides past the quar- antine station, and the more perfect picture of the matcliless scenery comes to view, it is one ever-in- creasing delight through the livelong d.iy. On past its cities, crowded with memories of Colonial d.ays, l)ast grand old Norfolk and Annapolis, past its myr- iad islands, in a glowing .and intensely realistic panorama, until at Last, as the shades of evening gather round, we pass the Mcmumental citj' and ar- rive at the head of tlie bay, and set foot in Harford County, Md., near where the beautiful .Susque- hainiu falls into the Chesapeake. Of all Mary- land, this country might, perhaps, well be called the Garden of tiie State. In this county was born the subject of this sketch, and also his father before him. Joseph Ward, the father of our subject, was born about the year ISOO, and as he grew up he was taught the occupation of farming, and soon after attaining his majority became the husband of Miss Jane ThonLis. Their family circle afterward comprised tive children — John, William, Eliza, Jane and Josephine. Mr. Ward always continued to live in his native .State, which was named after the beautiful consort of Charles the First, the charm- in"' queen Henrietta Maria. His death occurred in the year 1853, after he had completed eighty years of life. His father, John Ward, was one of the pioneers of the State in Colonial days, and was a native of England; from the time of his entrance into the State he followed the calling of husbandry. Joseph Ward, our subject, was born Feb. 8, 1820. He received his education in the schools of his native town, afterward working upon his father's farm until he attained his majority. He then struck out lor himself, with the bold, intrepid spirit which was undoubtedly his by heredity. Notsimply in the matter of farming and such occui)ation did our subject thus begin life, but having found his occupation and started upon the work of cstjiblish- ing a home, the need of some one to be a helpmeet in the same forced itself more and more upon him, and, believing that in Miss Keziah Barton he had found the only one who could satisfy and comi)lete his life, arrangements were consummated in their union in matrimonial bonds. March 16, 184.5. Their happiness was completed in being the recipi- ents of thirteen children, of whom five sons and five daughters are living. The uames are here ap- pended — Jane (deceiised),Levi, Elzenia (dece.nsed), Albert, Susanna, James, Ella J., Anna, William, Marj' H., an infant sou who died unnamed, Thomas and Edith I. Our subject left his native .State in the j'ear 1850, and went to Ohio, and after a short stay there, on to Howard County, Ind., where for eleven years he continued increasingly prosperous. Finding a pur- chaser for his farm at a figure financially advan- tageous to him, he sold that property, and on the 4th of March, 1865, he landed in Cass County, Neb. Here he purchased a farm and built hims'lf a home and lived for three j'ears, and then he pur- chased and homesteaded his present property. The lumber for his house he was compelled to haul from Nebraska City, a distance of sixty miles. Lincoln at th.at time numbered about 100 houses and shan- ties, certainly not more, and between the city and' his own house were just three other farms. Our subject has done much for the improvement of the general stock used in thisState, and has given the greater part of his attention to that specialt}', at the same time devoting considerable time to general farming and grain-buying. The farm pre- sents an appearance of peace, happiness and pros- perity, coupled with that of thrift and a high state of cultivation, although latterly, and more especially since the death of his wife, Feb. 11, 1887, Mr. Ward has lived a retired life. Our subject's daughter, Ella, has become the wife of Mr. E. Hermance, of this count}-; her sister Su- sanna is now Mrs. E. Reems. and is a resident at Portland, Ore.; Edith is still going to school at Woodlawn; Levi is living upon his farm in Otoe County; Albert is upon his property three miles west, and is the husband of Miss Mar}' Lans- ing, and is the parent of three children, named Ethel, Elbert and Cleveland; James is in Cheyenne I I LANCASTER COUNTY. 3ai -^1 County, also a farmer, and the husband of Florence Keil; tiiey have one daughter, Jennie; William is at Portland, Ore. ; and Mary H. and Thomas at home. Mr. AV^ard is held in that peculiar reverential re- gard which attaches to all who have spent their days and best energies in the upbuilding of a county or State as he has done. Ilis life has been marked bj' enterprise and industry, integrity and honor. In political matters our subject has always been earnest and hearty in his advocacy of De- mocracy'. "WW (OSEPII H. COPPER.STONE is a promi- nent stock-raiser and farmer, whose propert}' is situated on sec. 8, Little Salt Precinct, and comprises 160 acres of super-excellent farm- ing land. He is one of the many instances where "grit and grace" have in due course been joined by their fellow, "greenbacks." Not infrequently is it found that the men of grit to cope with the difficul- ties of frontier life, and the grace to bear the hard- ships of the same, and before long reap their reward and ride upon greenbacks to a prolonged bank ac- count, hail from the Quaker State, as in the present instance. The father of our subject was .John Copperstone, who was born in Pennsjivania, where he resided at the time of the birth of our subject, who was, how- ever, never [irivileged to know his father, receive his instructions, or know the power of his strong arm in beginning life's battle, for while Joseph H. was an infant his father died. He had been by oc- cupation a freighter, and although not rich, was enabled to sustain a comfortable home. He was united in marriage svith Miss Caroline Witt, in Som- erset County, Pa. There were four children born to them, all of whom are living. His widow is still in the old home, and although she has arrived at the ripe age of sixty-four years, cnjoi'sa fair meas- ure of health and strength. Joseph H. Copperstone, our subject, was born in Somerset County, Pa., Sept. 23, 1842. His educa- tion, b}' no means extended, was received in the public school t)f his native place. When the Union was imperiled, anil the "graj- cloud" fiom the South loomed threateningly upon the horizon, he enlisted for his country's defense, in Company K, 18tlj Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was ordered to the front, taking part in the battles of Gettysburg and Brandy Station, at which place he was taken prisoner, and sent to Richmond, afterward forwarded to Belle Isle, and subsequently incarcerated at Anderson- ville. At the latter place, for six long, weary months he endured the terrible privations and hardships, bearing with heroic spirit all the horrible suflferings so well known to us by the oft-told tale, and fre- quent writing, but never realized in all Its keen poignancy, as did our subject and his companions. From Andersonville he was sent to Charleston, and thence to Florence, at which place he was liberated on parole. He now spent some time re- cruiting, and upon recovering health and strength, went back into the service, and served as Sergeant until July, 1865. After leaving the arm}-, our subject turned his attention to farming, and made his home at Dixon, Lee Co.. 111., where he continued for a period of two years, and then returned and spent six months in his native place, when he again started West, and did not stop until reaching Nebraska, and took up the land which is his in-esent farm. His entr}' dates from the year 1870, which shows him to be one of the early pioneers of the county. Here he found much scope for all the grit and grace he had brought with him from his t^astern home. But the .spirit that had sustained him when he fought, marched or bivouacked, or when ho languished in Southern prisons, did not fail him now. In spite of ail the adverse circumstances which go to make up the en- viroinuent of pioneer settlers, and compose the sur- roundings of those who make the first home in a new country, he has succeeded abundantly. The wild prairie has, under his care, and as the result of his assiduit}', become one of the finest and must pro- ductive tracts of land in the count}-. ^ When our subject effected his settlement, he was intelligently careful in his man.ageraent, as is shown by the site then selected for his residence, barns, granaries and farm buildings. Upon an eminence which gives a very extended and beautiful view of the countrj' surrounding, and ^-et is of easy ascent, stands the farm resilience, a substantial but com-* i~ Hr •>-ll^^ 332 LANCASTER COUNTY. fortal)le structure, and furnisherl in keeping witli the requirements of a briglit and happy home. Near by is the orchard, where flourish in rich pro- fusion apple, plum, clierry and other trees, l)esi(les quite an extent devoted to the culture of small fruit, many kinds being indigenous to the country. A short distance from the house stands the barn, a large and commodious structure, 46x46 feet,and so apportioned as to yield him the greatest service. Until the 3-ear 1873 the life of our subject was incomplete, and none recognized tills fact more clearly than himself. His pleasure and happiness were, however, insured from tlie 3d of Jul}', 1873, ujjon which daj^ Miss Eliza A. (irever became his friend and life companion, and he l)ecame her hus- band and |)rotector. Then there came into liis life the highest inspiration and noblest stimulus to live, and live a success. Of this most happy union there have been born six children — William John, Min- nie M., Caroline R., Charles II., Catherine C. and Joseph F. The most estimable wife of our subject was born in Virginia, Feb. 10, 1848. When her parents re- moved to Illinois, she of course accompanied them, and continued to reside at home until 1866, when they removed to Iowa, and she remained with them throughout their resi(]ence in that State, and also after their removal to their settlement in Saun- ders Count}', until her marriage. The father of Mrs. Copperstone, Phillip Grever, was born in Shenandoah Valley, Augusta Co.. Va., in July, 1810. After the usual occupation of youth- ful years, his attention was given to husbandry. As the years of manhood began to be numbered, he united his life with that of Miss Eliza T. Palmer, in a relationship which was brighter and better as the years rolled by. Their home circle incieased its diameter from time to time to admit new faces and forms, until eleven children had been born to them. It w.as their privilege to bring nine of this number to years of maturity. Mr. (Jrever at present makes bis home with his daughter, and has done so since the death of his wife, which mournful event took place Oct. 1 , 1 884. He is still a hale and hearty old gentleman, and looks forward with keen interest and hope to cast his vote for Gen. Harrison in the coming election, as he did on a [irevious occasion for his illustrious progenitor, "Old Tip[)ecanoe." The late uniiieasantness did not pass without leav- ing its dread mark in the empty pl.ace in the farail}' circle, and the void in the hearts of the family, caused by the loss of a beloveil son and brother in that war. Ever since our suliject has been in this count}', he has shown an admiral)le fitness for the duties of office, and on the organization of his school district he became .School Treasurer, and has continued to hold the oflice ever since. He has also been several times Supervisor. By much care, observation and reading, our subject has educated himself, and is to- day in this regard second to none of his neighbors. Like a true citizen, he takes the greatest interest in everything that has to do with Governmental and political affairs. His political S3mi)athics are with the Republican part}'. He is a stanch friend and supporter of the [larty, which ever receives his best eflforts in its behalf. io« . i' . « 3 ( |f i ; « l' i» »o« /A,/i SA STEWART. Among the good citi- 'i^ILM zens of the Quaker State who have left their Pennsylvauian homes to carve for themselves a fortune and a name in the West, are the parents of the subject of the present writing, who was born in Robbstown, that State on the 2Gth of April, 1830. His Lather, John Stew- art, was born in October, 1789, was prosperous in his chosen calling of husbandry, but removed Nov. 9, 1834, and settled in Wayne County, Ohio, which became his home for the remainder of his life. The marriage of John and Leticia Stewart occurred April 23, 1812; his demise occurred Jan. 17. 1846. The mother of our subject, Leticia (Teal) Stewart, died Jan. 30, 1852. The years of childhood and youth of our subject were spent in t^e above State. He removed, how- ever, as soon as he had grown to years of man- hood, to Illinois, and located in S|)ringrield and learned the trade of a shoemaker. From there he went to Chicago, where he remained a short time. Subsequently he removed to Keokuk, Iowa, and resided there until 1868, which is tlfe date of his removal to this county and his settlement in Lin- n ,..,^Ba.^-A,»8».r^£agsr?::^^^«.6i.aHfe^g^^§i^^ Residence of C. E. Blanchard , Sec. 21 . Grant Precinct. '' '%A ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^"^fr^^?! RcsiDfiNCE OF Geo. King ^SecI. Panama Pricinct. 55it**«te:. Residence OF John Kettelhut, Sec 11. Stockton Precinct. •►Hih^ LANCASTER COUNTY. :^. 333 coin, then a, very small village, connected with Nebraska City, the nearest railroarl point, only by stage. The surrounding country was a wild, un- tamed but fertile tract, teeming with deer, antelope, and other wild game, and not infrequently roamed over by large packs of wolves. In beginning life at Lincoln, our subject pur- chased a lot on Tenth between R and S streets, at that time on the outskirts of the village. Having provided himself with a home, and a small one at that, he found his means exceedingly limited, but nevertheless started in business as a boot and shoe maker. In 1 8G9 he took a homestead claim of eighty acres in Middle Creek Precinct, erected a small but comfortable farmhouse, and removed to the same and gave his attention to farming; and, being a man of sound judgment, some experience and un- tiring energy, he rapidly became very successful in this undertaking: so much so, that in a few ye."rs he was enabled to purchase 160 acres in Oak Creek Precinct, whither he removed and made his home until 1885, and there carried on farming suc- cessfully'. On account of ill-health, our subject re- tired from his farm and returned to Lincoln, and made his home on Washington and Tenth streets, one of the most pleasant situations in the city. Mr. Stewart was united in marriage with Susana Schofield, on the 18th of .July, 18Gl,at Keokuk. This lady was born in Ohio, Nov. 14, 1838, and died April 24, 1863, aged twent^'-four years and six months. The}' had one child who lived. .Jesse, now in California. A second alliance was formed, on the 7th of November, 1865, with Annie R. Mclntyre. By this marriage our subject became the father of four children, whose names are here recorded in the order of birth: George Franklin, Blanch, Grace and Asa T. Mrs. Stewart was born in New Bedford, Mass., Aug. 10, 1846. Her father was James Mclntyre, of Scottish i)arenlage, a cooper by trade. Li the j'ear 185.0 he went to California by the w.ay of the Isthmus for the purpose of engaging in mining, and when his famil}' last heard from him he was doing well and preparing shortly to return home, but it is supposed thai he was murdered by Indians, as nothing has been known of him since that time. His wife, the mother of Mrs. Stewart, was Annie Ward, a native of New Bedford, who resided in that i)lace her whole life of eighty-two years, and died there in the j-ear 188'2. Six children were born as a result of this union: John, Helen, Mary, David, Susan, and Mrs. Stewart, the wife of our subject. Mr. Stewart is one of that class of citizens who are always on the lookout for. what shall be of bene- fit to the community, and through them, to the country at large. He therefore hails with pleasure every enterprise and project that looks forw.ard to such an end and promises benefit upon that line. He is a man of solid worth, and is proportionately esteemed by his fellow- citizens. ^ I^ILLIAM R. HORN. This prominent resi- \/\//i '^'^"'' •'^"'' capitalist of the city of Lincoln, \y^ is at present engaged as a real-estate dealer, and may usuallj' be found at his business office or residence, at the corner of Randolpli and Thirtieth streets. He has been a resident of Nebraska since 1854, coming within its borders with his parents while it was still a Territory. The familj' first set- tled near the embryo town of Peru, and subse- quently moved to this county, of which our subject has since been a resident, and prominently idenli- fied with its business and agricultural interests. The first few 3'ears of the life of our subject were spent in Beardstown, III., where his birth took place on the 4th of February, 1837. His father. Rev. William S. and his mother, Sylvia (Hall) Horn, were natives respectively of Kentucky and Virginia. The father was born May 9, 1814. and when a lad twelve years of age went to Illinois vvith his par- ents^ where he lived until coming to Nebraska, in 1854. Upon reaching manhood he was married, on the 5th of May, 1833. The wife and mother in her girlhood, and while living with her parents in Illinois, was, with her younger sister, captured b\' the Indians during the Black Hawk War, but rescued twelve days afterward by United States troops. It was upon her return from savage cap- tivity' to civilization that she u)et her future hus- band, whom she still survives after fifty-five years of congenial married life. They were the parents n •^1^^ ^^»^a -^^ 331 LANCASTER COUNTY. of eleven childi-en, two of whom passed away be- fore the death of the father, and eight were present to follow his remains to his final resting-place. William S. Horn became identified with the Methodist ProtesUint Chnrch at an early age, and soon afterward entered the ministry, in which he labored faithfully and earnestly the balance of the time he was permitted on earth. He was seven j-ears President of the Nebraska Conference and once represented it in the General Conference. As a preacher, he was plain, practical and forcible, and in both his public and private life illustrated the pure principles of the Christian religion. Elder H(»rn vvas ever found at his post of duty, and if he believed a thing were right he would ad- vocate it thongh he stood alone. A man of positive temperament, he could not pass through the world without enemies, but he was sincere and earnest in his convictions, anil in his family was a most kind and loving parent and husband. At the end of life he passed quietly awajs the machinery giving out by degrees, and he watching with patient hap- piness the change which translated him from earth to a better world. The |)arents of our subject were married in Bureau County, 111., and subsequently lived four j'ears in Missouri before coming to Nebraska. The mother was born Feb. '/i. 1813, in Virginia, and at the time of the Indian trouble spoken of, suffered the loss of her parents and two brothers, who were murdered by the savage foe of the Black Hawk tribe. Three other brothers only escaped the same fate by being in a field out of sight. The sisters were finally restored to their friends through the instrumcntixlity of Sbabbona, a civilized Indian, and friendly to the whites, and who gave blankets and ponies for a ransom. Upon their return journey tliey stopped overnight at the house of the father of William S. Horn, where the latter was captured by the maidenly charms of Miss Sylvia, and two years later they became man and wife. Mrs. Horn was a ladj' of culture and refinement and great amiability of character. She is still living, and makes her home with her youngest son at the old homestead at Auburn, Nemaha County, this State. To William S. and Sylvia Horn there were born eleven children, nine sons and two .laughters, seven of whom are still living. Three sons are in Harlan County, this State, and two sons and a daughter are in this county. All are married with the ex- ception of the 3'oungest son, who remains with his mother. The eldest child. John W., was born April 15, 1835; AVilliara K.. the subject of this biography, Feb. 4, 1837; Thomas S., March 10, 1839; Nancy E., Mrs. R. T. McAdams, Jan. 20, 1841 ; Washing- ton M., June 25, 1843; James S., Jan. 3, 184C; Henry M., Dec. 26, 1848; George W., Nov. 3, 1 850 ; Mary M., Mrs. T. J. Charles, of Lincoln, Jan. 29, 1854; Theodore M., Jan. 4, 1856, and Ns. F.. March 26, 1860. Our subject remained a member of the parental household until his marriage, which took place Sept. 30, 1866, bis bride being Miss Helen Miller, who was born in Kentucky' and who became the mother of four children : Arthur G., now deceased ; Mabel. Harry M. and Thomas G., the latter of whom is also deceased. Mrs. Helen Horn departed this life at her home in Lancaster Count}', Jan. 4, 1877. William R. Horn, on the 25th of November, 1880, entered into a second m.itrimonial alliance, with Miss .Sarah Augdin, who w.asboni in Wood Count}-, Va., June 26, 1846, and came to the West with her father in 1875. She is the daughter of Granville H. and Eleanor (Keller) Augdin. Her parents were both natives of Virginia. Her people were for many generations residents of the Old Dominion, and became residents of Lincoln in 1875. Of this union there are two children — .S3ivia E. and William A. Mr. Horn came to Nebraska with his parents in 1854, locating first in Nemaha County, and removing to the citj' of Lincoln on the 4th of January, 1870. He has a ple.asant suburban home on the corner of Rundoli)h and Thirtieth streets. where he owns twenty acres of valuable land and represents propertj' to the amount of $50,000. His intention is to subdivide this land into city lots, which will realize a ready sale as the bordere of this wealthy and progressive metropolis are steadil}- en- larging. The residence of Mr. Horn is finely located, and in point of architectural beauty is an ornament to this part of the city. Without mixing very much in political afifnirs, he still gives efficient support to n LANCASTER COUNTY. 335 Republican principles, and is a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Cbuicli. So- cially, he belongs to the Masonic fraternity. Mrs. Horn was reareil in the doctrines of the Baptist Church, to which she still inclines, and belongs to the society in this cit}'. (^VT/LRICH SCHVVART. The subject of this ill I sketch occupies a good position among the ^5^^ substantial farmers of Stockton Precinct, where he owns and opeiates 230 acres of prime land on section 10. He is a man quiet and unob- trusive in his manner, and one who attends strictly to his own concerns, having little to do bejond the precincts of his home and family. The latter, be- sides his estimable wife, comprises eleven children, who bear the names respectively of Gracka, Hipp, Jasper, Hiram, Ulrich, Jr., Mary, John, Fanny, Sophia and Willie. One child died when one year old. The eldest of the survivors is twenty-two years of age, married Wilhelm Deueke,and is a resi- dent of Colorado. The others are mostly at home. Our subject first opened his e3'es to the light in the Province of Hanover, Germany, about sixty- two years ago, probably in 182G. His parents, Hipp and Gracka (Stels) Schwart, were of pure Ger- man ancestry and spent their entire lives upon their native soil. The parental family included five chil- dren, two of whom are living in Stark County, 111. Mr. Schwart acquired the practical education commonly accorded the youth of his native country, and when old enough to make himself useful, was employed at farming until setting out for the United States. At the end of his ocean voyage he landed in the city of New Orleans, whence he made his way to Ogle County, 111., in 1856, and was employed for a time at general work in a foundry. Then, return- ing toward tlie Gulf, he sojourned in the city of St. Louis for a time, where he continued working in a foundry, and his next removal was to Ma- coupin County, in Illinois. He remained in that locality about three years, working most of the time HI a distillery, and we next find him in Stark County, that .Stale, where he employed himself .as a tiller of the soil and where he lived luilil llie spring of 1884. Our subject now decided to cast his lot with the people of Southern Nebraska, and crossing the Mississippi came to this county. He was en- gaged at farming until the purchase of his land in 1883. lie was accompanied to this place by his wife and ten children, h.aving been married in Stark County, III., Aug. 4, 18C5,to Miss Sophia Schloting, one of his own countrywomen, and who w.as born in the Province of Mecklenburg, in 1846. Our subject and his wife commenced the journey of life together in a manner suitable to their means, making it a point to live within their income, and practicing the economy necessary to kee[) their heads above water and preserve their little prop- er!}'. Their labors were finally rewarded in the en- joyment of a comfortable income, and Mr. Schwart h.as a reasonable prospect of being surrounded in his old age with all the comforts of life. He has become thoroughly identified with the interests of his adopted country, keeping himself posted in re- gard to matters of general interest, and uniformly votes the Republican ticket. He and his famil}- are attendants at the German Lutheran Church at Stock- ton. His children have been fairly well educated in those principles which will make them good citi- zens, and an honor to their parents. ^>^Vt^^?:7<'<=-^ \t AMES VAN CAMPEN. The property of this well-to-do farmer and stock-raiser of Little Salt Precinct embraces eighty acres of land on section 3, which he purchased in June, 1881, to which he came himself in January, 1882, and after putting up a dwelling moved in with his family on the 8tli of INLarch following. For J the last six years he has been giving his close atten- tion to the cultivation of the soil and the beautifj'- ing of his homestead, and has now a very desirable place of residence. He has planted largely of fruit and shade trees, and gathered about him those em- bellishments which stamp him as a man of culti- vated tastes and the intelligent forethought to discern what will conduce in the largest degree to his happiness and profit, and while adding to the value of his own properts' will increase lliat which lies adjacent to it. Our subject is the son of Moses B. Van Cam pen, who was born in Warren County, N. J., Oct. 24, 1816, and was there reared to manhood, acquiring a common-school education. He then served an apprenticeship at shoemaking, which he followed winters, and in summer carried on agriculture upon his own land. While still a j'oungman he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Ann Winters, and a few years later removed with his family to Luzerne County, Pa., where he devoted his attention princi- pally to farming. In 1854 he migrated to Lee County, III., investing his capital in a tract of land in Viola Township, which he improved into a good farm and retained ownership of until the fall of 1880. The father of our subject now sold out, but pur- chased another farm in Lee County. 111., where he lived for a period of six years, then came to this State. Here he located on section 1, in Little Salt Precinct, where, with his estimable wife, he is now spending his later da^'s in comfortable circum- stances. He has been quite prominent in local affairs, serving twelve or fifteen jears as Road Com- missioner in Illinois and also as School Director. Politically, he has always voted the Democratic ticket. Both the parents attend the Presbyterian Church as opportunity affords. The mother of our subject is also a native of New Jersey, and was born and reared not far from the early home of her husband. Her father, Jacob Winters, was a native of New York State, and the parental household consisted of ten children. The}- removed to New Jersey in an early d.a}'. and spent their last years in Illinois. To Moses B. and Eliza Ann Van Campen there were born seven children, of whom James, our subject, was the second in ^ I ^^ -•► nns LANCASTER COUNTY. order of birth. He first opened his eyes to the light Oct. 1;"), 1847, in Luzerne Count}'. Pn.. and p.assed liis hoyhood and youth after the manner of most farmers' sons. He was a little lad of seven years when thej' migrated to Illinois, where he developed into manhood and met his future wife. Miss Ellen Gray, sister of Dennie Gr.iy, a sketch of whose parents appears elsewhere in this volume. Jlr. and Mrs. Van Campen were married Jul}' 4. 1878, and are now the parents of three interesting children — Lewis E., Nellie M. and .lames, .Ir. Our subject after his marriage carried on farm- ing until coming to Little Salt Precinct. He cora- menceur years old. Ikith she and her husband are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. |i/_^ ERMAN BRUS.S, of Stockton Precinct, came ~ to the eastern part of this connt}^ from Manitowoc County, Wis., about 1 872, chang- 5) ing his occupation from a clerk to a far- mer, and settling down contentedly upon eight}' acres of land on section 21. lie brought with him his wife and four children, having been married, April 8, 1864, in Manitowoc County, to Miss Eliza Oeist, who, like himself, is a native of the German Empire. Rlr. Bruss was born in Prussia. April 27, 1842, and left his native country when a lad of ten years, crossing the Atlantic with his jiarents in the spring of 18;')2. His father, Michael Bruss, was a farmer by occupation, and after setting foot upon Ameri- can soil, i)roceeded at once to near Milwaukee, Wis., where he acquired ownership of a tract of land and carried on farming until his death. He ji.assed away in 1878. The mother died in Ger- man}'. The parents of our subject had a faniil}- of six children, live of whom are living and residents of Wisconsin. The family is of pure German ances- tr}', coining from an upright and honorable race. To our subject and his wife there have been born five sons and three daughters, namely : William. George, .John, Herman, Henry, Amelia, Mary and Eliza. Emma died in 1878 when eight years of •age, and one son, Lenard, died in infancy. Mr. Bruss ui)0ii becoming a nalnialized citizen identified himself with the Democratic party, but has had very little to do with politics. He is ac- countendaga Co., N. Y. His education was received in the institution at that place, and from the scholar's desk and the implements of school work he gradu- ated to the field and those of the farm. In this work he continued with his father until he reached his majorit}'. In 1850. toward the middle of the fall, Mr. Outt celebrated his marriage, the ladj' of his choice being Miss Ketura Fellows, a native of the town of Otisco, of the same county. After two years spent work- ing for his father he went to Jlichigan. where he bought a tract of wild land in Fair Plain, and pro- ceeded to improve the same. The first work was the erection of a house that should be their home, and as that was completed, the needed farm build- ings. After that he turned to the untamed .acres which stretcheil themselves around on every hand, and proceeded to the task of bringing them into subjection. For eight years he continued to operate with success upon this farm, then determined to go East. We next find liim selling his Michigan home and property, and proceeding to the old home county. He bought a farm at Otisco, and continued to reside in its neigliborhood for eighteen years. During this time he bought and occupied severHJ different farms, and at one time engaged in busi- V^^r^^^^j^^^'i^^^^^^^^r •^^f. .• .re.".- M _A«^ ^'i*» r^, v<»^ ■*^-VS5»~-=!" Residence or T F. Canon, S ec. 16. Elk Precinct. <%. !'V?V- -^^rvhi. t?!,^ C^'C^-y"-^ ^•If*.-,**-^}* ^srs;:^;;»gto^3«r.v-s^'A«siia3^j^&^^ Residence 'OF D-W-Bowers, S ec, 31 .Yankee -ill Precinct. THIS PLACE FOM SALE Res. or Edward Healey , 5ec. 12. Little Salt Precinct. LANCASTER COUNTY. 343 4^ ness; lie also bid off a number of stnge routes, usually, however, selling tliem to some other oper- ator. In the spring of 1883 our subject found himself comparatively well-to-do, as a result of the above efforts, and determined with his family to see some- what of Western life. They proceeded to Nebraska, where our subject purchased a farm near Lincoln, which was in all its native wildness, and proceeded immediately to tame it by those arts which his ex- perience in his native State .and the Michig.an home had furnished him. The house which he began to erect almost at first is situated in the most con- venient part of his farm that could be found for such a purpose, and has a very pleasant outlook. Its internal arrangements and decorations are in keeping with the position which our subject is ena- bled to take in the social world. The various out- buildings needed upon a farm are also provided upon a similar scale, large, commodious and substantial. During the building and furnishing of the residence the family resided at Lincoln. To our subject and wife has been born a daughter, now Mrs. O. J. King, of Lincoln, who has become the mother of two beautiful children. The wife of our subject was born on the 22d of October, 1827, at Otisco, and is the daughter of Hiram and Edith Fellows, of the same city. Her days of childhood, youth and womanhood, until her marriage, were spent in the home of her i)arents. Her father and mother both lived to enjoy a good old age, and had reached at the time of decease the ages of seventy-six and seventy-seven respectively. The father of our subject, John Outt, was born in Onondaga County, April 5, 1805. He passed the usual studies of the common school, and until manhood was his father's assistant on the farm. Upon reaching his majority he purchased a farm and began life for himself, and realized more and more the truth which Longfellow published to the world, when he wrote " Life is leal, life is earnest." His first property was in his native county, and comprised 200 acres. He was quite prosperous, and after a few years added an .additional 100 acres, and thus he proceeded from time to time until, before he retired from the activities of farm life, he was one of the largest farmers in his district. He continued to reside in his native county all his days, and, as the infirmities of age made themselves more and more felt, he added to his help upon the farm, and restricted his labor to superintending the same. Mr. John Outt was most happily married to a lady like himself a native of Otisco, and their home was gladdened by the advent of a family of three sons and three daughters, all of whom they were privileged to rear. The family record their names as follows: The eldest, William H., our subject; Marcia A., James F.. Nelson, Cordelia and Fran- celia. His wife was the daughter of Benjamin and Rachael Carter, of Tully. Mr. Outt lived to reach the very ripe age of seventy-sis years, and departed this life on the 30th of September, 1881. His life from the earliest days to its last hour was one of the strongest proofs that could be given of a higher life. Those who knew him in early days cannot remember the time when he was not striving to follow the teachings and mold his life according to that of the Great Exemplar. He was deeply in- terested in Sunday-school work, and was for many years Superintendent of the Sunday-school of the Baptist Church, of which communion he was a prominent member and active supporter. For more than fifty years he filled the important office of Deacon of the Tully Church, in all that period reflect- ing the highest honor and dignity upon his sacred office. He was always chosen as the church rep- resentative to any meeting, council or association to which it was necessary to send a delegate. He was one of a class — alas that it should be so limited — who follow the much-to-be-commeuded example of the Syrian prince Naaman, who, recognizing the value of the health miraculously restored to him upon his obedience to the divine direction given to the prophet of Jehovah, immediately pressed upon the prophet for his reception and use in the divine service, the wealth of gold, silver and other precious gifts which he had brought in a train of chariots from the Syrian capital. Mr. Outt was one whose pocket-book was as much Christian as himself, and they helped each other in the advance- ment of ever}' noble, philanthropic, beneficent and Christian endeavor. Our subject has not been to an^' great extent prominent in political or official circles, but has ■^*^y^ «► 1 1^^ t 344 LANCASTER COUNTY. alwaj's been a very stanch adhorent of the Repub- lican party, which received in its support his active efforts and influence. Both in Otisco, and likewise in Michigan, he filled in a most commendable man- ner the office of Highway Commissioner. Both in Otisco and in liis Nebraska home our subject's high order of manl^' character and honor have won for him in the community the highest respect and regard, and it is due to him to say that he appre- ciates to the fullest extent the esteem of his fellow- citizens. ^4 #-# ;- nSAAC DLTLING. One of the great and im- portant uses of our large, undeveloped West is /£ that it .allows scope for growth. A nation may be cramped and confined in such a manner that growth is a practical ini|)o.'*sil)ilily, just as the foot of the Chinese girl is cr.amped and confined until growth is imjiei'iled if not paralyzed. The same would applj' to the physical or mental development of a child, or to tiie expansion and increase of vegetation. Here we have the secret cause of the principles of colonization, followed b}' some of the governments of the Old World. They realize their need of some outlet to the over-crowded popu- lation. It is at once the good fortune and strength of " the greatest nation on earth," that she does not liave to go hunting from pole to pole for some little island to attach or protect and colonize, that within her own borders she has range and scope enough for the onward inarch of centuries. Nothing is more clearly shown in biographies similar to that of this writing, than the fact that citizens like our subject who pass out into the Far West in order to the development of the counUy, themselves expand in all th.atgoes to make the noblest manhood, and amplify in intellect and character as well as that which is of less importance, perhaps, namely, the enlargement of Wesi Oak Precinct, actual possessions. Our subject, whose farm com- prises 320 .acres, being one-half of section 34, is the son of .lohn Duling, who was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, about the year 1835, and there spent bis early days, but removed with his parents to Tuscarawas County, where he received his earl3' education and began farming with his father. •«*■ Striking out for himself, however, as a young man, he moved to Indiana and went to farming. While there he became enamored with the many virtues and womanly graces of Miss Sarah Germain, of the same State. Their union has been blessed b3' the birth of four children, who still live: Our subject, and his sisters Fanny, Eva and Clara. About the year 1860 John Duling removed with his family to Edgar County, 111., where he bought a farm and continued to reside for fourteen years, being withal successful and prosperous. In 1874 he came here, and purchasc-ll^^ ,t 348 LANCA.STKR COUNTY. was born in Randolph County, 111., and is the daugh- ter of John W. Coulter, who wns born in Washing- ton County, in the same State, while his father. .Stew- art Coulter, was, it is thought, a native of Kentucky. The great-grandparents of Mrs. Ensign settled in Illinois before it was a State, and her grandparents spent their last years on a farm in Washington Countj', 111., which they had cleared from the wil- derness, and upon which they had erected the first brick residence in the county. The father of Mrs. Ensign removed from Washington County. 111., and traveling westward finally reached Nebraska, and purchased a homestead three miles from the present site of Hastings, aiKl has resided there since. Hast- ings was not j'et started. The maiden name of the mother of Mrs. Ensign was Margaret McDill. She was born in Randolph County, III., and was the daughter of John and Harriet (Armour) McDill. Harriet Armour JIcDIll was born in South Carolina, and accompanied her parents to Illinois in 1818, the removal being effected by means of teams. They settled in Randolph County on a tract of timber land which the great-grandfather of Mrs. Ensign purchased, and they improved their purchase to a fine farm. John Armour was a Presbyterian in be- lief, and being opposed to slavery was obliged to leave South Carolina. Mr. Ensign came of an an- cient and honorable family, it is believed is ulti- mately descended from three brothers who came from England and settled in New England during the period of its earliest history. Mrs. Ensign is a member in good standing of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and is a woman greatly respected for her many sterling virtues by all who know her. Lieut. Ensign alKliates with the Republican party, and besides being well informed on the current topics of the day, is thoroughly acquainted with the earl}' history' of this countj', of which he is one of the most worth}' pioneers. ,EV. CARLTON L. BELT. By a happy dispensation of Providence, there are ''many , men of manj- minds," and in looking over the world at large it would seem to the con- tem[)lative mind that it is really admirably balanced. [ Some must necessarilj- be expert in the marts of trade, while at the same time it is important that others interest themselves in upholding those moral principles which lie at the basis of law and order. To the latter class the subject of this sketch has since a j'outh been inclined, and has built up for himself a good record as a man and a citizen. He has labored long and faithfully in the church, and in both his public and private life has exhibited I the kindly disposition and generous mind, together with charit}', the noblest of all traits, which have gained him the esteem and confi^^;%j^ jj LONZO GOSS is the owner of a beautiful WfUl farm of 150 acres situated on section 7, Oak Precinct, and favorably known as a general farmer and stock-raiser. In the East, especially in New York State, the family name has been known and honored in other daj-s. His grandfather, Simon Goss, was born in about the year 1793, in New York Slate, and when quite small 4« he suffered the irre|):uMble loss of both parents. He. however, managed to procure an education, and began to read law. and after passing a ver}" satis- factory examination he was admitted to the bar, and continued prosperously- for some time in this profession. Feeling called upon to take up the woik of preaching the Gospel, he gave up his prac- tice and law oflice. and entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in due time was ordained and given the charge of a large circuit. Being oppressed with the number of sick and af- flicted, and not aware of any way to help them, he began the study of medicine with that end, and. following the example of his great Master, he went about doing good, preaching the Gospel and teach- ing the people, and healing large numbers of those who came to him. Constantly engaged in this work, he became quite a skillful physician, and finally settled down in the town of Camburg, Can- ada, to the practice of medicine, and so continued until the end of his y all the comforts of life, and with a competency' for his declining years. By the aid of the accompanying illustration, we are assisted in presenting to the readers a much more accurate and complete picture of this home and its surround- ings, which bespeak prosperity and comfort. Washington Reynolds, llie father of our subject, was also born in Virginia, where he w.-is reared to manhood and married a Maryland lady, their union resulting in the birth of nine children. Thomas M. 8. was the sixth son, and continued a resident of his native State until a youth of nineteen years. His father died when he was a little lad six years of age, and he was reared in the family of Zachary Billingsly, with whom he removed to Southern Ken- tuck}-, where he lived nearly a year, then returned to his old home with his brother, Philip S., and em- barked at farming at Louisville, K}'., where he re- mained until 18G0. Then, migrating westward, he was occupied for a time at farming in Saline Count}', Mo., whence he came to this county in 1874. Mr. Reynolds, .as it has been seen, was early in life practically thrown upon his own resources, an(J the necessity for industry and economy bred within him those self-reliant qualities which have proved the secret of his success in life, thus being one of the best schools in which a youth can be educated. While in Kentucky he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Seaton, who was born in that State, and whose parents were natives of Kentucky and spent their last years there. This union h.as re- sulted in the birth of thirteen children, most of them born in Kentucky, and twelve of whom are still living. The eldest, Simpson S., is farming in Gove County, Kan.; Theodore F. lives in Holt County, this State; Louisa A., Mrs. Allen Price, is a resident of Seward; Mary E., Mrs. Jerome Cam- eron, lives in Saline County, Mo. ; Virginia, the wife of John Cameron, and George, in Butler County, this State; William died in Missouri, Dec. 27, 1872, when about sixteen years old; Charles is occupied at keeping a meat-market in the city of Lincoln; Emma is the wife of Charles C.idwallader, of Ray- "^^ » ► i M» "^Sw5Ks:s^^KT^5?^^^f^?f^;^^vSS5J?i^^''35j;^^s^^;;«^5;4^~"'™^r"~~TrT^^~''!^^ '^"-wijw, wiM^.-^' •—.■sKrtt-:^*- ' -':f^' ■ni'i^'Wt 'f-v •firya-r'^ ~ ReSI DENC E r J OHN MiNGES. S EC.27. YANKEE H I LU Pr EC IN CT. ResidekjceofThos.M.5.Reynolds^ Sec.26., Yankee HruL Precinct. ^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 363 4- 4 mond, Ihis county; -T. Efhvarrl remains at home with his parents; Matlie is the wife of Henr_y Ilammoml, < f Hamilton County, while Effie and Ida are at home with their parents. Mr. Reynolds cast his first vote for William H. Harrison, and since the organization of the Repub- lican party has been its devoted adherent. Mrs. Reynolds died April 22, 1880, aged fifty-six years, nine months and nine days, in this county. OHN MINGES, of Yankee Hill Precinct, and who devotes the greater portion of his time to farming and stock-raising, has a good property on section 27. He settled here in 187G, and operates 100 acres of good land, which he has brought to its present condition mostly bj' tlie labor of his own hands. His accumulations are the result of his own industry, a.s he started out in life without means, and with nothing to depend ujnm, liavii g to tiiitt lo the liinllli and strength that Providence had kindly' bestowed uiion him. He is now in the enjoyment of a good home, with the pros- pect of spending his old age in the ease and comfort to which he is justly entitled. Our subject was born over fifty-six j'ears ago, on the 19th of July, 1832, in Lj'coming County, Pa., of which State his parents, Christopher and Hannah (Shobbell) Minges, were both natives. His pater- nal ancestors were of Scotch descent, while his mother's people were of French. In the family of the latter, one Shobbell is accredited with having been a General in the War of 1812. Our subject is one of a family of nine children born to his par- ents, seven of whom still survive. The eldest, Eliza. is the wife of Elijah Lester, of Calhoun County, ]\Iich.; Abraham is also a resident of that county, likewise Phebe, Mrs. Alexander Rothrock; Cather- ine lives with our subject in this county; Hannah lives in Calhoun County, Mich.; Margaret, Mrs. Joseph Lester, resides in Kansas. The father of our subject, who was a farmer by occupation, died when the latter was an infant of five months. He was reared b}- his mother until a lad of fifteen years, then began to work for him- self, as the employe of his brother-in-law, Alexan- ■4*- der Rothrock, with whom he lived for a j^eriod of six years. In 18G6, after spending some time in the lumber regions of Northern Michigan, he went to Fillmore County, Minn., where he carried on farming ten years. Thence, in 1876, he came to this county, locating on his present farm, where he has since resided. The faithful portrayal in the illustration which accomijanies this sketch, will, we are sure, help greatly to give a comparatively clear conception of the comfortable home and fine farm buildings of our subject. Our subject, after taking up his residence in this county, was married, Aug. 4, 1880, to Miss IMary E. Loomis, who was born in Racine County. Wis., June 5, 1850. Her i)arents, Theron and Elizabeth (Ballard) Loomis, were natives of New Y3' fruit and shade trees, and has also erected a good residence, with commodious out- buildings. The gentleman of whom we write w.as born in Stephenson County, 111., Nov. 30, 1852, while his father, Samuel Pickel, was born in Union County, Pa., Dec. 3, 1821. His father, Simon Pickel, was born in New Jersej', and was the son of a German who emigrated to the United States and settled and died in New Jersey. Simon Pickel purchased a small farm in Union Count}', Pa., and resided there until 1850, when he removed to Illinois, and spent his declining years with a son in Stephenson County. The father of our subject was reared to manhood in his native State, and after receiving a •i^ n "^•- LANC ASTER COUNTY. 3G5 ( i fair common-school education, learned tlie trade of a carpenter and continued in its pursuit until 1850. He then removed to Illinois and settled near Free- port, Stephenson County, where he operated rented land and remained until 18(51. Ills next removal was to Iowa, and accompanied by his wife and seven children the\' made the entire journey with one pair of horses and a wagon, cooiiinghy the roadside and sleeping in their wagon on the way. Mr. Pickel rented land in Boone County, but not yet satisfied with his Western wanderings, in 18G6 he severed his connection with Iowa, and once more harnessing his team to the wagon, the family came to Lancaster County and homesteaded a tract of land on section 30, Middle Creek Precinct. There was then no railroad west of Omaha, and Lincoln w.as not even thought of. Nebraska City, sixty- five miles distant, was the nearest depot for sup- plies and mai'ket. Elk, deer and antelope were still plentiful, while tlie Indians had not yet disap- peared before the rapidly rolling waves of civiliza- tion. Samuel Pickel built a dug-out, which the family was fain to use as a residence for three years, until he could provide more commodious quarters. For several months they had no floor to this struc- ture, and as the nearest mill was at Nebraska City, Mrs. Pickel, who was in every way the worth}' helpmate of her husband, ground the corn in the coffee-mill as it was needed for six months. This lady, who in her maidenhood was Nancy P. Sharap, was united in marriage with Samuel Pickel in Feb- ruary, 1847, and died Sept. 20, 1881. She was born in Union County, Pa., Feb. 9, 1824, and was the daughter of Nicholas Shamp, who was born in New Jersey, while his father, Jerome Shamp, was also, it is believed, a native of New Jersey, and spent his entire life in that State. Nicholas vShamp was a weaver by trade, and followed that occupa- tion many years. He was married in Union County, Pa., to Charity Van Horn, and subsequently re- moved to Illinois, and afterward to Iowa, where Mrs. Sharap died at the home which they had made for themselves in that State. Mrs. Pickel was a girl of fourteen when her mother died, and she lived with her father until her marri.age. She now occupies the homestead which she and her husband obtained from the Government, and has lived to see this section develojjed from a wild prarie to a well settled part of the country, with a city of sev- eral thousand nine miles distant. The subject of our sketch was the second in order of birth in the family of six children — Mar- garet, Robert, Harriet, Samuel. Albert and Jane, all of vvhom still survive — and he accompanied his l)arents to this State when fourteen 3'ears of age. He resided with his parents until the death of the father, and at the time of his marriage he settled on part of the old homestead, which he now owns and occupies. Mr. Pickel was united in marri.age, in August, 188.5, with Miss Louisa Rench. and their home has been brightened by the advent of a baby boy, whom they call Charlie. 5Irs. Pickel was born in Keokuk, Lee Co., Iowa, while her parents, Conrad and Louisa Rench, were natives of Germany_ In politics, Mr. Pickel is a Republican. Mr. and Jlrs. Pickel attend the Methodist Episcopal Church. EV. HENRY SIMMONS, one of the honored pioneers of Lancaster County, is the suliject of an interesting history, the main points of ^whieh are as follows: His father, Lorenzo Simmons, an iron mauuf.acturer by trade, was born in New York, and was a cousin of the well-known Daniel Simmons, late of Cohoes, that State. His mother, Anna (Gale) Simmons, was a native of Pennsylvania, and the parents after marriage set- tled in Licking County, Ohio, whence they removed to Cass Count}-, Mich. In this latter place the mother died about 1846. The father subsequently took up his abode in Berrien County, where his earthly labors ended in 1854. The children of Lorenzo and Anna Simmons, eight in number, included five sons and three daugh- ters, all of whom, with the exception of our subject, are deceased, he being the only living representa- tive of the family. He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, May 3, 1818, and spent his child- hood and j'outh amid the quiet scenes of country life, mostly on his father's farm, while he also was engaged in the Marion Iron Works, Ohio. When -^^ ^ 366 LANCASTER COUNTY. twenty years of age he started out in life for him- self, engaging first as a teacher, and later took up the cooper trade, which he followed for a period of five years. After this he engaged for a time in farming, which, with carpentering, has been his chief occu- pation. Our subject left the Buckeye State in 18.54, and crossing the Mississippi took up his residence in Stor3' County. Iowa, where he resided until 1862, engaged in farming. In the fall of that year he came to this count}', when there were only twelve voting citizens within its limits. Its natural re- sources, however, and the possibilities which even at that time presented themselves to his practical eye, comuiended it to him as a place where it would be wise to locate, and here he accordingly pitched his tent and has since remained. He worked bis waj- upward from a modest beginning, purchasing first 160 acres of land, and is now the owner of 53U acres in Grant and Yankee Hill Precincts. One admirable feature of the labors of Mr. Sim- mons in this locality is his setting out of a large number of shade and ornamental trees, which attract the admiring atlention of ever}' traveler passing through this region, and have added thousands of dollars to the value of his property. In the midst of tliese he erected a substantial stone house, and in time there sprung up about it the out-buildings and other conveniences which have contributed to the comfort of the family and facilitated his farming operations. The matter of tree planting is one which has engaged the attention of a large class of intelligent |)eoplc of this countr}', and tiie man who has thus beautified a prairie landscape is worthy of more than mere mention. One of the most interesting and important events in tlie life of our subject was his marriage in Lick- ing County, Ohio, Sept. 16, 1838, with one of the most estimable j'oung ladies of that region. Miss Catherine Walker, who was born in Muskingum County, that State, and whose i)arents, .James and Uachacl Walker, were natives of Pennsylvania, who spent their last years in Ohio. Of this union there were born twelve children, namel}': Mary A., who is now tlie wife of .1. M. Bracken, of Lincoln; John D. and Rachel, deceased; Amos is on the home farm; Emily and James C, deceased ; Caroline, who •►-^fr^: is the wife of William Wilderdink; Anis R. ; Lorenzo A., Postmaster at Cortland; Levi. Warren and Laura. It is hardly necessary to saj' that Mr. .Simmons was soon recognized as a man fitted both by nature .and .acquirements to be a leader in his community, and he was soon elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, which he has held now for a period of probabl}' over twenty years. He takes a lively interest in educational affairs and has served on the School Board in his district since the time of com- ing here. Politically, he supports the principles of the Democratic party, and has been a lifelong mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the pul- pit of wiiich he labored as a minister before leaving Ohio and after settling in Story County, Iowa. He h.as also filled vacancies in the pulpit since coming to this county, but on account of ill-health h.as been able to preach but ver^' little. After a most congenial union of forty-nine years. Rev. Henry Simmons and his estimable wife were parted by the fell destroyer, this most amiable lady passing away at her home in Grant Precinct on the 15th of September, 1887. She was a lady possess- ing all the womanly virtues, and fulfilled in a most admirable manner her duties as a pioneer wife and mother, standing bravely by the side of her hus- band as he battled with the elements of a new soil and sought to build up a comfortable home in a new country and among strange people. ALMON W. BEARDSLEY. "The occa- sion makes the man," and, we would add, the country. When the religio-political fugitives, after escaping the dangers and ravages of the great deep, set foot for the firet time upon the soil of the North American continent, it was one of the "greatest occasions" in the universal history, a fact abundantlj' proved by subsequent events. This was "the occasion" of the United States of America in all its grandeur, magnificence and wellnigh btnndless extent. It was "the occa- sion" of the unparalleled sublimity of its gov- ernmental principles, and the eslablishraent of the "divine right" of citizenship, and not of "kings." This in turn became "the occasion" to man}' noble t *► ll"^ LANCASIER COUNT r. 3G7 men and fearless spirits, and it is beyond question, from the record of our countrj- and the biography of our pioneers, that the generations following are not destitute of the same nobility which character- ized their forefathers. The maternal great-grandfather of our subject was one of tiie heroes of the Revolutionary War, and stood by the side of men no less heroic. The paternal grandfather served in the War of 1812 with the rank of Captain, and the paternal great- grandfather also served in the Revolutionary War, in which he was taken prisoner, and suffered all the hardships of confinement in tiie prison ship. Peter Beardsley, the father of our subject, was born in Harpersfield, Delaware Co., N. Y. Arriving at man's estate, he was united in marriage with Maria (Boardman) Miller, who was early married to Joseph Miller, but was left a widow at the age of twenty years, vvith the care of her little daughter, Elizabeth, who is now the wife of W. H. Congdon, and resident of Napoli. At the time of his mar- riage Mr. Beardsley was a resident of the same town (Napoli), and there continued to reside for the greater part of the time until his death. For four years, beginning in the spring of 1838, he re- sided upon a farm in Whiteside, 111., returning at the end of that period to his old home in New York .State. The household circle of Peter Beards- ley comprised four children : Our subject, the eld- est; the second son. Philander E. ; Abigail P. and Joseph M. Upon the staff of stenographers of the Southeastern Court District of Nebraska is found Philander; his sister is now the wife of M. D. Tiffany, of Lincoln, Neb., and for several years has held the appointment of Principal of the Capi- tol School of that citj'. The j-oungest, Joseph, is a resident of Weeping Water, Cass Co., Neb., and from his service during the years 1862 to 1865 at the front has a verj' fine war record. Our subject opened his eyes upon things mun- dane for the first time Sept. 13, 1828, at Napoli, which city was the scene of his early life; in the institutions of learning of his native town be ob- tained his education. When he was fourteen years of age his father went to Illinois in the endeavor to work a farm he had purchased, and from that time until he w.as almost twent^'-one our subject as- sumed much of the responsibility of caring for the familj', which position naturally fi'Il to him as the eldest son. From the attainment of his majority until his twent3'-third year, he was engaged in dif- ferent occupations, but at that time was desirous of settling in life, for the reason that he was then united in marriage with Miss Ann Casten. After this important event he was engaged for a period often years in farming in Napoli and adjacent townships. In 1862 the old spirit which flashed and burned in the hearts of his forefathers took possession of our subject also, and when the tocsin of war was sounded he enlisted upon August 11, in Company G, 154th New York Infantry. UntilJanuary, 1803, our subject served as a private, and as such saw much service. His bearing in the different engage- ments was such as to attract especial notice, and at the above time he was commissioned as Second Lieutenant, and assigned to Company K of the same regiment. On the 11th day of the following June, as the reward of merit, he was created First Lieutenant, and given command of Company E, of his regiment, which commission he j^eld until March 19, 1864, when he was discharged incapaci- tated for service. In the previous August, while upon a forced night march, he fell down a steep embankment which .severely injured him, and was the immediate occasion of a painfully severe rup- ture, which finally disabled him. After that acci- dent, however, he was still in the field, and served under "Fighting Joe Hooker" and Gen. Sherman, was in the battle at Missionary Ridge and Won- hotchie, Gettysburg and Willianisport. In the early part of 1863, at the battle of Chancellorsville, he was taken prisoner, and for the space of forty days the privations and terrors of this hard lot were added to the bitterness of war's experience. Thus, "vith health broken but with spirit unsubdued, he returned to his home, bearing the marks of honor- able service, and the distinction of double promo- tion, the recognition by his country of faithful and loyal sacrifice on his behalf. From the lime of leaving the armj' until the spring of 1874 our subject was upon his farm at Napoli, in which he was exceedingly prosperous. Leaving the home State in the above year, he set- tled in Cass County, Neb., and with tlie proceeds h i ' ■» ^ll <• 3G8 LANCASTER COUNTY. from bis late propei-t}' purchased a tract of land, continuing to operate it for five years, then came to this county. In the spring of 1883 he took 320 acres in Stockton Precinct, being one-half of sec- tion 29. Upon this he speedily erected a comfort- able farm dwelling, and the usual barn and out- buildings, and started to improve the land and bring it under cultivation, and afterward greatly added to the pleasantness of his home by judicious but extensive planting of fine shade and forest trees in its vicinity. From that time until the pres- ent he has c mtinued general farming, though lat- terly considerable thought, care and capital have been devoted to the dairy. He has taken a great interest in milk churning, and was for a long time Secretary and general manager of the Bennet Creamery Company, and is still a heavy stock- holder in the same. At Leon, Cattaraugus Co.,N. Y., our subject was married to Ann E. Casten, Jan. 1, 1852. This lady is the daughter of .lames and Amanda (Wheeler) Casten, uf English ancestry. Iler parents first set- tied in wjial is now a part of Buffalo, removing afterward to Collins, Erie County, and thence to Leon, where they died, the wife Jan. 13, 1887, the husband March 2, 1888. Their family included nine children, the wife of our subject being the eld- est. The names of her brothers and sisters are as follows: James W., John G., Ira L., Emily A., Jlary J., William IL. Eunice L. and Stephen W. Ann was born in Pleasant Valley, Dutchess Co., N. Y., Aug. 30, 1829. Tlie union of Mr. and Mrs. Beardsley has been most happy. Their family circle includes five chil- (Iren — Flora A., Alice M., Abbie E., J. William and Mauley J. Flora has become the wife of George Ashman, a resident of Cass Count3-, Neb. Our subject and family are members of the Pres- byterian Church at Bennet, and were for many j-ears connected with the church at Napoli. Mr. Beardsley has hehi with much honor and dignity tiie office of Justice of the Peace, in a manner th.at has won the hearty ap[)reciation of the community. Our subject is one of the strong members of the Uepublican party, ever rcad^- to give his heartiest support, and lend iiis best energies for the advance- menl uf R('i)ulilic:ui principles. As a boy, Mr. Beardsley was noble and earnest in taking as far as possible the responsibilities of head of the family during his father's absence; as a sol- dier, his career was marked by the spirit of patriotic self-abnegation and martial honor; as a citizen, a pattern to those who are following after him; as a man, husband and father, most praiseworthy and honorable. If^ KS. ELIZA STATES. The Emerald Isle has given to us manj- statesmen, poets, orators, and lesser lights in the social and political arena, and has also supplied many of our best and most respected citizens, most self- denying and hardy pioneers, intelligent and pros- perous farmers and stock-raisers. In presenting the present sketch, we siiall have before us a native of the above country, who at present resides on section 12, West Oak Precinct. Our subject, with her hus- band, the late George L. States, was among the very early pioneer settlers of the district, hav- ing settled in 1870 upon the then wild prairie, which, under their diligent and united efforts, has become one of the best farms in the county'. Our subject was born Dec. 25. 1824, in the North of Irelan}i'^n.^i^ku^.^iK'^Hiy'^mh*' M#f?^!^^*?#fr;|iyy^^Il&^ Residenceof J. H. BiERSTEDT ,Sec.12. Buda Precinct. ;;^». Residence OF John IVIartin ,5ec.21. Saltillo Precinct. T^^f-SW^pi-SB^C -AftJWW?! ^? •iJ*i^^at5^^"'y'>'^*=-s^***^^'VPi^'-' Residence OF H .J. Buhmann ,Seg. 1 . Buda Precinct. -*r^ 4 LANCAvSTER COUNTY. 371 stock. The farm land of Mr. Herdman's farm is very valuable, worth at least $G00 per acre. The Methodist Episcopal Church has in our sub- ject and his family, all of whom are members of the church, very strong supporters and warm friends. The}' are among its most earnest and consistent members, and are accorded its most entire confi- dence. As a family, and also as individuals, their ])lace is in the front rank of our citizens. Polit- ically Iheir sentiments lead them to affiliate with the Democratic party, to the principles of which they are attached. The candidates of that party always find in this family warm friends and earnest advocates. _, -#-t# ^— P. BENADOM. Our subject is a descend- ant of the Rev. John Benadom, the revered founder of the United Brethren Church. He was a native of Germany, was quite a learned man, and took pains to educate all of his children. He came to the United States and set- tled in Ohio, and there, it is supposed, his son George, the father of our subject, was born. He was reared and educated in that State, and became prominentlj' identified with the educational inter- ests of his native State, being one of the best mathematicians of his day, and at the time of his death was Professor of Mathematics in Mt. Vernon College, Lancaster, Ohio. He was also an active business man, and at the time of his death in 1834, was a contractor on the Ohio Canal. His partner made way with the funds and left his family in im- poverished circumstances. His wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Myers, was a native of Ohio, and spent her last years in Fairfield, that State, dying in 1 838. She was a woman who filled in every re- spect the perfect measure of wife, mother, friend. Of her marriage ten children were born, nine of whom grew to maturity. He of whom we write was born near Lancaster, Fairfield Co., Ohio, Nov. 13,1826, and was only eight years old when his father died, and twelve years old when his mother's death made him an orphan, and from that time he has made his own w:iy in tlie world. If his father had lived our sub- ject would doubtless have received the education that he craved, but the bright, manly lad was forced instead to earn his own bread by working on a farm. He married in his eighteenth year, and in 1846, accompanied by his wife, he started for the West, taking all his effects in a wagon drawn by a blind horse, having in his pocket but $52, all the cash that he owned. He located in Jones County, Iowa, and was one of the pioneers there, from that time taking an active p.lsand lived at home until her marriage with our subject. After marriage Mr. Pierson continued in the sawmill for one year, and then went into the manuf.acture of woolen goods, which business he continued until the failure of his health. Then he moved to Logansport, Ind., where he remained on a farm for three 3'ears, after- ward going to Lagrange County, where he also remained three years, and then to Ford County, 111. When at Logansport he sold his farm and loaned his money to a merchant, but having mis- placed his confidence, he lost the whole amount. He remained in Ford County, 111., for fifteen 3'ears, at which place he rented a farm. In the fall of 1871 he came to Nebraska, his eldest child being then twent3'-one 3-ears old. Our subject then bought his present farm from the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Com- pany, on which his labors have been mainl3' at- tended with success and prosperity, but he has felt LANCASTER COUNTY. the loss of his money in Logansport to be a con- siderable detiimont. There are five children in this family, whom we name as follows: Mary E., Ama- zella R., Thomas J., Alpha and Joshua. Mary E., who resides in Panama Precinct, is the wife of Moses Mittien, and the mother of two children — Edna and Kent; Araazella married Frank Bropliey, and resides in Panama Precinct, the mother of three children — Roy, Lucy and Lina Grace; Thomas J. resides in Lincoln, and is the Deputy County Treasurer; Alpha resides in Cheyenne County, Kan., the wife of Julius Northrop, a farmer; she has two children — Kirk and Isaac William. Joshua is at home with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Pierson have won the esteem of the community in which they live, and have prospered well, despite the many discouragements through which they had to labor — the siege of the grass- hoppers, and the drouth of 1875 and 1876. On tlteir farm they have built a fine frame house and barns. They have a fine fruit orchard, and, in fact, all the necessaries and many conveniences pertain- ing to rural comfort and welfare. Our subject was Assessor of Panama Precinct in the year 1872, and has several times been elected Justice of the Peace, but declined to serve in that office. He advocates the policy of the Republican party, but both our subject and his wife are strongly imbued with tem- perance principles. ?RANK E. HAIGHT is a fine representative of the young men of the present generation, who, by sheer force of energy and ability, have already made themselves prominent factors in developing and sustaining the enormous agricultural interests of Nebraska, and he is well worthy of a place in this record of the lives of those who have had the making of Lancaster County. He owns a good farm on section 28, Nemaha Precinct, and is managing it with much success. Our subject is the son of Andrew P. and Susan M. (Hickox) Haight, natives respectively of Buf- falo, N. Y., and Pittsburgh, Pa. His father was a man of considerable enterprise and business talent, and for several years i)rior to his death he was the i~ proprietor and manager of an extensive cheese fac- tory in Medina County, Ohio. His useful and busy career was cut short by his premature death, in 1874, at the age of forty-eight years. The mother of our subject, who still resides in Medina County, Ohio, and is now fifty-seven years old, is a woman of great capability and marked force of character, and after her husband's death she energetically undertook to continue his business as a cheese manufacturer, and made a great success of her venture. She is the mother of six children, namely: William, Ransom, Mary, Andrew, Martha and Frank Eugene. The latter, of whom we write, was born March 12, 1864, in Granger, Medina Co., Ohio, and en- joyed good educational advantages in the district school of his native town. He was a boy of ten years when he was bereft of his father. He con- tinued to live with his mother until he was sixteen, and gave her much assistance in the factory, and thus acquired a thorough practical knowledge of the best methods of making cheese. After leavinff his mother he went to work in another cheese fac- tory, and was there employed until he was nine- teen. He then went West to see something of the country, and traveled extensively through Ne- braska, Dakota and Kentucky. After his return to his old home Mr. Haight was united in marriage with Miss Minnie Woodward, July 3, 188.5. She was born Aug. 10, 1869, in Sharon, Medina Co., Ohio, being the youngest of the three living chil- dren of William C. and Elizabeth (Ileid) Wood- ward. Her education was conducted in the graded schools of her native town. In the spring following his marriage, our subject, accompanied by his young wife, set out for Ne- braska, he having determined to locate here, as he had been so plejised with the appearance of the country in his visit to it in 188.3, and the brilliant prospects it held forth in its varied resources for a j'oung man to make more than a comfortable liv- ing. He bought a farm of eighty acres, on which he still resides, and on which he has already made many fair improvements. Besides being a good grain-growing farm it is especially well adapted to stock-raising and the dairy business; he has started a cheese factory on his own farm, and it is predicted ■*► -U 378 LANCASTER COUNTY. that, with his experience and well-known skill as a cheese manufacturer, he cannot but be more than ordinarily- successful in the enterprise. In hi^ wife our subject finds a ready helper, and one who heartily enters into his plans and sympa- thizes with hira in his endeavors to make life a suc- cess. .She is a loveli' lady, whose beautiful character is the embodiment of all true womanly qualities, and their home, which is blessed by the presence of their one little baby daughter, Ethel, is probably one of the happiest in the county. Mr. Haight is too deeply absorbed in his wcjrk to give more than passing attention to public affairs, 5'et he takes an intelligent interest in politics, and takes his stand with the Republican party as to the Ijest policy to be pursued in National and State affairs. -^^- 'il'ACOBS. UNANGST. The subject of this sketch maintains a leading position among the intelligent men of the community of i^Jl/ Grant Precinct, and takes a warm interest in everything pertaining to its intellectual and social progress. He realizes the imiwrtance of education, and accordingly gives his influence toward the es- tablishment and maintenance of schools, setting first a good example in his own family by giving to his children tlie best advantages in his power. The stimulus of his influence has not only been felt in his own neighborhood, but throughout his town- .sliip, wiiere he ranks among the men who have been the leading spirits in bringing it to its present position. The ancestors of the subject of this sketch, it is supposed, were of German extr.iction, and the later representatives settled in Peimsylvania, where were born in Northampton County the parents of our subject, J.acob and Dorothy (Sible) Unangst. Af- ter marriage they settled in Williams Township, that county, where were born their thirteen chil- dren, of whom Jacob S. was the ninth. Of these four are living, and residents mostly of Pennsyl- vania. The parents are deceased. Mr. Unangst w.as born Nov. 18, 1835, and con- tinued on tlic farm with his father until a 3'outh of seventeen years. Then, leaving home ho served an apprenticeship at the shoemaker's trade, and after a time migrated to Warren Count}', N. J., where he was employed at his trade until the outbreak of the late Rebellion. Not long after the first call for troops he enlisted as a Union soldier in Company H, 8th New Jersey Infantr}', and i)articip!ited in many of the important bjittles which followed, being in the fight at Williamsburg, the seven-daj's siege of Richmond, and in the battle of the Wilderness, besides various other engagements and skirmishes. In front of Petersburg he was wounded in the right foot, by which he was seriously disabled and obliged to use crutches for two j'ears. For this he now draws a pension. He was .also slightly' wounded at the battle of the Wilderness. After receiving his honorable discharge, in 1865, he resumed his trade in New Jersej' about one year, and then pur- chased a farm, and followed agriculture in that region until the spring of 1872. Our subject now determined upon a change of location, and making his way westward to this State, purchased first a tract of eighty acres of vir- gin prairie in Grant Precinct, this countj% from which he has made his present fine home, and sub- sequently .added to his possessions until he is now the owner of 400 acres in the State, 320 acres of which lie in Logan Precinct, Logan County. He has been content to confine his attention to the development of his land, and has availed himself of modern machinery and the most approved methods of carrying on agriculture, with results which should prove to him a source of deep s.atisfaction. He began in life dependent upon his own resources, and has acquired his property solely by the exer- cise of industry and perseverance. His career is a fine illustration of the self-m.ade man, and the pos- sibilities to be obtained by those who are willing to labor and to wait for the result. The l.ad}' who has been the faithful and efficient helpmate of our subject for a (leriod of thirty-two years was in her girlhood Miss Sarali Hartzell, and became his wife on the 29th of August, 1856. The wedding took place at her home near Easton, in Northampton County, P.a. Mrs. U. is the daugh- ter of Peter and Margaret (Lambert) Hartzell, who were also natives of the Keystone State, and who died near Easton, Pa., the mother in 1854, and the •> J f <• . ..-<,i-e^J&..-j,T. -^^. it^iS* i>Ajtei:^ec»«Oir.k^^ Altamaha Roller Mills &. Elevator, :p pa cur too barrells pr Day, D.H.Harf?is. Benwett, :0%feti:y.v«aaiflS)6aSfl6«3S^*^ ►■ Residenceand Farm of John H .Rauch, Sec 4. Saltillo Precinct. Res. OF Mrs.Sophia Koloster. Sec.10. Stockton Precinct i ■i^^-M* LANCASTER COUNTY. 381 father in 1874. Their family consisted of eight cliildren, and the wife of our subject was the sec- ond. She was born tiear JIaston, April 23, 1835, and received that careful home training which ad- mirably fitted her for the future duties of life. Of her union with our subject there have been born seven children, two of whom, Millard and Ella, died at the ages of a year and eight months and five months respectively. The eldest living, Edwin P., who is a graduate of the State University at Lincoln and the Law College at San Francisco, Cal., is now a practicing attornej' of San Luis Obispo, Cal.; Will E. married Miss Minnie Walker, and is occupied at farming in the eastern part of this county; Mary E., George F. and Elsie M. are at home with their parents. George is completing his education in tlie State University at Lincoln; Will E. attended this institution for a period of three years, and the daughter, Mar}"^ E., was a stu- dent there two years, when she was obliged to abandon her studies there on account of ill-liealth. All the family are members and regular attendants of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Unangst, politically, affiliates with the Republican part3'. He is deservedly placed among the leading men of his community, where he has exerted a decided influence in the building up of its educa- tional elements, and elevating its standard of morality. Ify^ ICAGAH S. OXLEY, a progressive farmer and representative citizen of Lancaster County, is pleasantly located in Middle Creek Precinct, where he owns the north- west quarter of section 31. Although his residence on this farm dates only from 1880, he has already brought it to a good state of cultivation, and has erected a good frame house, while he has ornamented anil enhanced the value of his farm by planting shade and fruit trees. The subject of this biographical sketch was born in Fayette County, Ky., Nov. 24, 1817, while his father, Everet Oxle^', was a native of Virginia, and the grandfather of our subject was born in England, and coming to this country settled first in Virginia. He subsequently removed to Kentucky, and buying land near Lexington, Fayette County, was among its earliest settlers. Fie wasactivelj' engaged in the improvement of his farm until 1834, when he aban- doned the active duties of life and lived a retired life with a son and daughter in that place until his death, in the one hundredth year of his age. The father of our subject was reared in Virginia, and accompanj-ing his parents to Kentucky, contracted a matrimonial alliance with Miss C'elia Scott, and resided there until his death, which occurred in 1824. During the same year his widow with her six children set out for Indiana with a team, and accomplisliing the journey in safety, located in Montgomery County among its early settlers. The mother purchased a tract of land and kept the fam- ily together, giving them the benefit of a good common-school education, together with her careful training, until they were able to go out for them- selves and take their places in society as good men and women. In 1844 Mrs. Oxley removed to the Territory' of Iowa, settling in Linn County, where she resided with her children until her decease. She was an exemplary woman and nobly performed her part in caring for her family, while her many Christian virtues endeared her to all who made her acquaintance. Micagah S. Oxley was the fifth in order of birth in the parental family, and was a little lad of seven years when he removed with his parents to Indiana, wiiere he grew to manhood, assisting his mother on the farm and securing an education in the [jioneer schools. In 1844 he set out for the Far West to seek a home, traveling with a team of horses, and arriving in Iowa while it was a Territory, found himself among the early settlers of Linn County. Deer and other kinds of wild game were plentiful at that time, and afforded a means of stocking tlie larder with good meat, which was sometimes the only kind of food that was at all plentiful. Mr. Oxley purchased a tract of Government land near Marion, upon which he erected the primitive log cabin, and industriously engaging in improving his farm, resided there until 1853. He then disposed of his property, and removing to Black Hawk County, purchased a tract of land near Waterloo, which he improved into a farm tliat became bis :*^i-^ 382 ,t LANCASTER COUNTY. home until 1804. He then sold out his interests in that county, and letiiining to Marion. Linn County, purchased a farm, upon which he resided until 1880. when he again sold out and started West, this time coming to Nebraska and settling in Mid- dle Creek Precinct, this county-, upon the farm which he has since owned and occupied. Our subject h.is been married twice, the first marriage taking place in 1842, with Miss Margaret B. Porter. She died in 1850, after becoming the mother of four children, one of whom, William, is still living. The second marriage took place in 1851. with Nancy Poiner, and she died in 1879, after bearing to her husband nine children, five of whom are still living — Nancj' A., Nathan S., Thomas P., Henry E. and Charles H. Celia J., the eldest child, became the wife of Edward Champlin, but he died in Benton, Iowa, in 1869, and she passed awaj' in Henry County', in the same State, in the nest year. John P., the eldest son, was born in 1844, and died in Henr}' County, Iowa, in I 879. Mr. Oxiey is a valued and consistent member of the Methodist Church, with which he has been con- nected in fellowship and good works for nearly thirty years, and is honored and respected by all ■who know him. In politics, he cast his first vote for President Harrison, and is a stanch member of the Kepublicar^ party. QTTO R. BOESEWETTEK. It is sometimes j said by the sneering cynic, or some un- wise, though doubtless honest, temperance advocate, that Gcrm.any has given to us of the United Stiitcs nothing but lager beer. Nothing could be more untrue. No one can traverse the district occupied by Lancaster County, Neb., and innumerable other and similar sections without be- ing impressed with the fact that numberless of our most respected, hard-working, wealthy and honored citizens are of that nationality, and bring to us all the well-being and prosperity with which such citi- zens must endow a countrj'. The family of which our subject is a member are of this class, and were natives of Germany. His father was Antone E. Boesewetter, who was born in .Saxony, Germany. His mother's maiden name was Martha Race, and the place of her birth Ba- varia. It w.as not until thej' h.ad taken up their residence in Ozaukee County, Wis., that they were united in marri.age, which w.as celebrated in the j'ear 1841. The}' continued to make their home in that place until 1876, when they came to Lancaster County, Neb. An available trsict of land on section 1 2 of Stockton Precinct, attracted the attention of the f.ather of our subject, who immediately took the necessar\- steps to secure the same. This land the}' ciirefull}' improved, and upon it erected their home and farm buildings, and continued to make it their abode. The wife and mother was called to enter the rest beyond Sept. 2, 1868, her husband surviv- ing her some thirteen years, when, April 25, 1881, hs, too, was called to his long home. In the course of their man-ied life their family included six chil- dren, whose names are here appended in order of birth: Sophia, Bertha. Louisa, Paulina, Otto R. and Ernest. The eldest daughter, .Sophia, has become the wife of Joseph Spahule; her sister Bertha was married to John Bether; she died in Nebraska City, in the year 1870. The third daughter is now Mrs. Johim Ellenburg, and the youngest daughter has married Mr. Charles Coppe. The \'oungest child, Ernest, is a resident of Perkins County, Neb. Upon the death of the parents of this deeplj' in- teresting and much respected family, the home f.arm passed into the possession of our subject, the eldest son. This comprises about 120 .acres of most availa- ble land required for stock-raising or farm purposes, and, although a young man, our subject lacks none of those admirable qualities which mark the lives of his progenitors, qualities which, perhaps, at least in many instances, are well-nigh national character- istics. Our subject is, socially, connected with the Garfield Aid and Protective Association of Avon- dale, Neb. In political matters he is thoroughl}' American, deeply' interested in all those topics which are before the nation, and have to do with its Government. With patriotic spirit he strives to make himself m.oster of these questions that he may intelligently support those persons seeking office who will trulj' represent the i)eople. He is associ- ated with the Republican party. Our subject has >► fj^. *!■ LANCASTER COUNTY. 383 =^ severnl times been called upon to fill local offices witiiin the gift of his fellow-citizens, by whom he is held in high esteem, and who fully appreciate the conscientious manner in which he has performed every function and duty of office. For five con- secutive terms he has held the office of Precinct Assessor. (^^ AMUEL C. DICE. The subject of this ^^^ biography, who is a young man little past (H/Jl) twenty-five years of age, is evidently in " possession of all those qualities requisite for the career of a useful and prosperous citizen. lie has already a fine start in life in the shape of eighty acres of land in Middle Creek Precinct, on section 3, which he secured in the fall of 1887. Then but ten acres were in a productive condition, and there were no buildings upon the place. He now has twenty-five acres in crops, with a good house and barn, and has planted a generous quantity of fruit and shade trees. In looking over his premises one cannot fail to be struck with the spirit of enterprise and perseverance which has brought about in so short a time this pleasing transfoi'nia- tion. Rlr. Dice deserves ample credit for the manner in which he has begun, and it is predicted of him that ere long he will rank among the inde- pendent citizens of this part of Lancaster County. The boyhood home of our subject was in Powe- shiek Count}', Iowa, where his birth took place under the modest roof of his parents on the 11th of May, 1864. His father, Jacob, Jr., and his paternal grandfather, Jacob Dice, Sr., were natives of Penn- sylvania, where it is supposed the latter spent his en- tire life. Jacob, Jr., was reared in his native State, whence he removed to Iowa in 18Cl,and purchased a tract of wild prairie and timber land in Poweshiek County. He effected considerable improvement, but finally sold out and removed to Union County, whence a few j'ears later he changed his residence to Montgomery County, purchasing property in Red Oak, engaging in butchering, residing there until his death, which occurred in 1876. Jacob Dice, Jr., was married in earl}' manhood to Miss Mary Light, who was also a native of Pennsylvania, and who is still living, making her M^ home with one of her sons in Preston, Iowa. She is the mother of ten children, who were named re- spectively: Jacob, Maggie, Lizzie, Lilly. John H., William, Angeline, Samuel, Isabelle and George. Samuel, like his brothers and sisters, spent his childhood in his native county, and was fifteen years of age when the family took up their residence in Union County. His eduation was acquired in the district school, and early in life he was taught to make himself useful around the home. He con- tinued under the parental roof until the death of his father, then commenced in Union County an apprenticeship at the nursery business, with which he became thoroughly acquainted, and remained there until 1886. In the spring of this yeav our subject made his way to this county, and purchased first eight acres of land, which he traded eighteen months later for his present farm. He had been married, Oct. 12, 1884, to Miss Minnie E. Snell, who is also a native of the Hawkeye State, born in Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Oct. 31, 1864. The parents of Mrs. Dice, Levi and Eliva (Allen) Snell, are natives of Penn- sylvania, and are now living in Lincoln, this county. Their family included six children. To Mr. and Mrs. Dice there was born, Feb. 1 2, 1886, a daughter, whom they named Elva, and who is now a bright little girl and the light of the house- hold. Our subject is a strong temjieranee man, and forcibly illustrates his principles by vigorous sup- port of the Prohibition party. ARWOOD M. PENN. The farm of this gentleman, located on section 13 in Waverly Precinct, comprises one of the finest bodies of land in this county, being 200 acres in extent and under an excellent state of cultivation. A handsome and substantial residence attracts the admiring eye of the traveler, and, with its surround- ings, forms one of the most comfortable and at- tractive homes in Waverly Precinct. Mr. Penn is a young man, having been born Dec. 26, 1865, in Montgomery County, Iowa. His fa- ther, William H. H., was born in Jlissouri, and his mother, Hannah (Osborn) Penn, was a native of T -4^ 384 LANCASTER COUNTY. l\ Pennsylvania. Our subject vvas the eldest of their ten children, the others bein;? named respectively: Marj-, Millard, Ta3'lor, Belle, Frances, Allie, Will- iam, John and Lucj". Of these all are livino^ and residents mostly of Iowa. The father died at his home in Iowa, in 1882; he was a farmer and dealer in stock by occupation, and an honest, straight- forward man, who provided well for his family, and is kindly remembered by all who knew him. The mother is still living, and a resident of Iowa. Mr. Penn became familiar with farming pursuits during his boyhood, and after leaving the district schools completed a practical education at Tabor, Iowa. His life has been comparatively uneventful, being spent mostly in the rural regions, and the first most interesting event connected therewith was his marriage, which took place March 18. 1887, at the home of the bride. Miss Lulu Wright, in Iowa. Mrs. P. is the daughter of Albert and Louisa (Bcem) Wright, of Montgomery County, Iowa, where she was born, and of which State her parents were natives, and where they now reside. Their family consisted of four. Mr. Penn came to Nebraska in 1887. He car- ries on general farming and has a fair .issortment of live stock, and quietly pursues the even tenor of his waj", living within his income and with a pros- pect of a comi>etence in his old age. JOllN WARNKE. Mr. Warnke, who is one of the representative men of this part of the county, is one of the oldest settlers, and most successful farmers and stock-raisers now liv- ing on section 1 8, in this county. His farm com- prises some eight}' acres of most highly cultivated land, while his stock and farm buildings are of the best. In addition to this very desirable property, he also owns 120 acres on section 17 of this pre- cinct. This land also is highly improved, and has a fine set of farm buildings upon it. Mr. Warnke has been a resident of this precinct since 1 870. He came here from St. Louis, of which pl.ice he had been a resident for some sixteen years. He w.Ts born in Mecklenburg, Germany, on the 2d of January, 1828. His father. Christian Warnke. was born in the same State, and was a farmer of good old German stock. There he was reared and educated, and there also he married Dora Beliebe, who was likewise of German parentage, and was reared and educated in the Fatherland. Mr. and Mrs. Christian Warnke's married life was spent upon a farm in their native Province. There, too, they both died, I'ipe in years, and esteemed by all who knew them. During a long and prosperous life they were both .active members of the Lutheran Church. The subject of our sketch was the 3'ounger son and second child, of two sons and one daughter, who lived to manhood and womanhood. Of these Mr. W.arnke was the onlj* one who ever ventured abroad. After spending twenty-five years in the Province of his nativity, he emigrated to the United States. lie took passage on a sailing-ship, and after a prolonged passage of eight weeks, landed at the city of New Orleans. He soon afterward went to St. Louis, Mo., where he earned a living as a day laborer. When the Rebellion broke out, on the same day that Ft. Sumter was fired upon, he, with a number of other Germans, enlisted for three months' service. Mr. Warnke served in the 1st Missouri Regiment, and saw active service in that State only. Later he re-enlisted in the Government service for a period of three years, retaining the same regimental number, but was assigned to Company D, Capt. Shuman. Col. Ramnbouer was commander of this regiment, and he, together with his men, w.as as- signed to the Army of the West. This regiment was in the engagement at Camp Jackson, and at a later da^' saw active service at Cairo and Pea Ridge. Although always to be found at his post, Mr. Warnke escaped unhurt. At the expiration of his term of service he w.as honorably discharged at St. Louis, Mo. For some time after this he worked as a teamster, but eventually came to the place where he now resides, and began operations as a farmer. After a four-years residence in St. Louis, Mo., Mr. W. returned to his native land, and married Miss Sophia Kuchenmcister. This lady w.as born in Mecklenburg, Germany, April 20, 1835. She was a daughter of Christian and Fredrica (Restdorf) Kuchenmeistcr, natives of Mecklenburg, Germany, and prosperous farmers. The parents of Mrs. ^ a LANCASTER COUNTY. 385 iM Warnke came to this country in the year 1866. Four weeks after his arrival in St. Louis the fatiier died. The mother came on to Nebraska, and here died in 1872. This wortliy couple were German Lutherans, and lived to a good old age. Mrs. Warnke, wife of the subject of this sketch, was the youngest but one of a family of five sons and one daughter. Her girlhood was passed in her native land, and there too she received her education. Three of her brothers in time followed her, to seek their fortunes in the United States. Of these, Christaf Henry now lives in St. Louis, where he fol- lows the trade of blacksmithing. Christian went to California, and has not since been heard of. The third brother died in St. Louis. Mrs. Warnke is the happy mother of nine chil- dren. Of these two, Henry and Lizzie, died young. Those living are: Carrie, wife of Otto Lindekugel; they live on a farm in Saline County, Neb. ; John H. took to wife Kittie Menke,and follows farming in Saline County ; Fred is at home with his parents, and helps to work the farm; William J. is also at home; he is a teacher, and received his education at Crete. Ida, a most intelligent young woman, and the two youngest, Henry and Alvina, still gladden the old homestead with their presence. In religion, Mr. and Mrs. Warnke and family are Lutherans, while in politics, Mr. Warnke is a Re- publican. --f-t-i>=^<^=f-'-J- (^^HEODORE S. GANTER, a prominent and wealthy resident of the cil^' of Lincoln, has been an important factor in the promotion of its growth and prosperity. As one of its most enterprising and intelligent pioneers, he has risen from poverty to wealth by the sheer force of his indomitable will and business tact, being a self- made man, having inherited brains instead of money. He is a German by birth, the Grand Duchy of Baden being his native place, and March 22, 1835, the date of that event. Our subject'obtained asound education in the ex- cellent schools of his native land, which he attended quite steadily during his boyhood. When seven- teen years of ago he commenced an .npprenticeship at the trade of machinist, giving to this two and one-half years. He then traveled for a year, work- ing in different places in Germany, Italy and Swit- zerland. When twenty-one years of age he entered the German army, in accordance with the laws of his nativeland, and served three years. At the expiration of that time, as a reward for good con- duct, he was granted a furlough, a passport and permission to travel in foreign countries. He there- upon came directly to America, landing at New Orleans with less than a dollar in his jwcket, but with plenty 'of courage and a steady determination to make of his life a success. He found work in the Crescent City at his trade, and at the end of two months had earned money enough to pay his fare to Monroe in the same State, and there he was lo- cated at the time that the war broke out. His fine drill in the German army then enabled him to give lessons to the soldiers and officers in the art of fencing, and he went with the army to Richmond, Va.. In that citj', in January 1863, he was united in marriage with Miss Anna R., daughter of John Jones, and a native of Virginia. Of this union seven children were born, all of whom are deceased. After his marri.age Mr. Ganter took his bride to the North, and locating in Reading, Pa., he once more resumed his trade, and remained in that city until after the war. He subsequently went to Petersburg, Va., spending, however, only a short time there, when he proceeded to Memphis, Tenn., where he engaged in the grocery business until 1868. In the month of May, that year, Mr. Gan- ter made one of the most fortunate moves of his life, as it was then that he came to Lincoln, where he has built up the greater part of his fortune. This city was then but a hamlet, without organiza- tion, and Omaha was the nearest railwa}' and tele- graph station. Mr. Ganter bought a lot, 50x1 42 feet, on the corner of Tenth and O streets, paying there- for the sum of $1,200. He first erected a large, two-story frame building, which he leased, and engaged in the real-estate business, dealing exten- sively in wild lands and city propert3' to excellent advantage. Later he erected two buildings on Eleventh street, between O and N streets, which he still owns, besides several dwellings. In 1870 he purchased a tract of land which is now included f •► ll ^'^ 38G LANCASTER COUNTY. within the citi" limits, which, after iniproviiig, he disposed of at a great advance on the original cost. In 1882 Mr. Gaiiter, however, was obliged to abandon active business on account of failing health. Since then he has traveled extensively in the United States, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, from tlie Gulf to the British possessions, and finally crossed the Atlantic to the Old World. He is at this writing (October, 1888.) in Rome, Italy. Mr. Ganter is a well-educated man, of quick in- tellect, and through his traveling and reading has gained a vast fund of information. Both he and his wife are important elements of the social life of Lincoln. Mrs. Ganter is an influential member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Ganter be- longs to Lincoln Lodge No. 19, A. F. & A. M. ; Lincoln Chapter No. 6, R. A. M., and to Mt. Mo- riaii Conimandery No. 4. J|OSEPII TIMMERMEIER, an enterprising I German citizen of Stockton Precinct, enjoys a good position among the agriculturists of ' this part of the county, and gives his close attention to general farming and stock-raising, at the same time enjoying the comforts of a desirable home. lie was born forty-seven years ago, Aug. 8, 1841, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, and when a youth of seventeen years left the Father- land and emigrated to America. Our subject had been placed in school at an early age, where be acquired a good practical education in his native tongue, and on the farm of his father had become thoroughly familiar with agricultural pursuits. The latter, John Timmermcier, was of pure German ancestry, and also a native of Prus- sia. He was married in early manhood, and, with his wife, spent his entire life in his native country. Their family consisted of eight children. Young Timmermcier set foot upon American soil first in the chy of New Orleans, whence he migrated to St. Louis, Mo., occupying himself at farming. Later be changed his residence to St. Charles County', where he lived for a period of eleven years, and with the exception of the time spent in the army, was engageil as a farm laborer. On the 1st of March, 1863. he enlisted in the 1st Battalion, Mis- souri State Militia, in which he served one year, then returned to his old haunts in St. Charles County, where he sojourned until coming to the j'oung State of Nebraska, in M.a}', 18G'J. Our subject at that date was unmarried, and homesteaded eighty acres of land on section 24, Stockton Precinct. Later he purchased cightj' acres additional on the same section, ami the two together comprise his present finely cultivated and valuable farm. He has a good dwelling, and the other build- ings necessary to his comfort and convenience, and these are flanked by a variety of fruit and shade trees, which give the premises a homelike appear- ance, and yield to the family the delicacies of the seasons. Our subject look for his wife one of the most sen- sible and estimable j'oung ladies of Stockton Pre- cinct, Miss Anna Kemper, like himself a native of Germany, who was born Feb. 9, 1846. Their mar- riage took place at the home of the bride on the 9th of September, 1869. Mrs. Tiinmermeier came to America with her parents when a maiden of seven- teen 3'ears, they locating at once in Belleville, III. Her father was a farmer bj' occupation, and, with his estimable wife, spent his last years in Nebraska, To Mr. and Mrs. Tinimcrmeier there were born six children, two of whom, George and Norah, died at the ages of nine and three years respectively. Those surviving are Mary, Louisa, Lena and John, all living at home with their parents. Our subject votes the straight Democratic ticket, and is a mem- ber of the German Catholic Church, at Palmyra. -^ • ^ ■■ 4: * '^ /^lEORGE J. LAMBORN is a prosperous far- III g— , mer, living on section 9, Nemaha Precinct. ^^i) He is a son of Ephraim and Sarah (Fleegal) Lainborn. The father comes from an illustrious English family, the first records in possession of the family dating b.ack to Sir Robert Lamborn, who lived on his estate in the Lamborn Parish, England, and who was born in 1199. The history of the family in America dates back to the great-grand- father of our subject, Robert Lamborn, who came from Berkshire, England, in the year 1714, settling -4•- LANCASTER COUxNTY. 387 f with the Penn Colony, on the ground where now stands the Kennett Meeting-House. They belonged to the Society of Friends, conimonly called Qunkors. The grandfather of our subject was Josiah Laniborn, whose youngest son, Ephraim, was the father of our subject. The father lived and died in Center County, Pa., and was buried in the old Friends' burying-ground. The maternal ancestors of our subject resided in Maryland, having come from Germany. The mother of our subject was born at Hagerstown, Md., and went to Pennsylvania when she was nine years old, where she grew up to young womanhood and met our subject's father in Center County, Pa., he hav- ing gone there when be was five years old. They were married in Center County, there spent their lives, and died there. The father was well known in county and township affairs, and was a very prominent politician. He died in 1852, aged sixty-six years, and his wife died in the year 1885, at the age of ninety years. The husband was a very kin.d and generous man, perhaps too much so for his own good, if that could be. Longevity is characteristic of their family. They had five children — George J., Adeline, Isaac, Eliza and Har- riet. Our subject was born at Walkersville, Center Co., Pa., on the 15th of October, 1819, where he grew up on his father's farm full of life and vigor. As is often the case with children, it was necessary to use the rod in chastening him, his father preferring to use the rod and save the child, but he became steady as soon as he grew up to young manhood, having a great deal of pride of character. While a j'oung boy he was full of mischievous pranks, and fre- quently indulged in being truant from school. He would go off and .«pend the day by himself, and no doubt at the time he enjoyed it much better than he would have liked being in the School-room. One day on which he was truant he bent down a sapling, to which he tied his dinner-pail, and fast- ened it to the ground, but the fastening broke loose, and the tree swinging up to its full height carried the dinner-pail with it, where it swung cut in full view of the passers-by. His father saw it, and on the airival of our subject at his home in the even- ing, his vagrancy' and the way in which it was de- 4» tected was the subject of much hilarity and ridicule. Being thus laughed out of it he never played truant again, though lie confesses that it was not the rod that cured him. At the age of fifteen our subject began to learn the plasterer's trade, at which he worked in Pitts- burgh, where he met his wife, then Miss Jane Jordan, who was born in Mifflin County, Pa. Being a stranger in' the place, alone and without friends, the acquaintance which he made was doubly appreciated so that it led to friendship, and from friendship to love, which resulted in their marriage on the 6th of May, 1 839, at Pittsburgh. Settling in that city, they led a very happy and congenial married life. Our subject's taste and love for the beautiful led him to devote his attention to decorating and frescoing. This love of the beautiful has been a characteristic trait which has been indulged in whenever possible, so that wherever he went our subject improved and adorned his surroundings with exquisite taste, .as far as he was able. The children from this happ3' marriage were Lo- retta, Adella, Eleanor, Ephraim and Sarah, the last named of whom died when she was thirt^'-six years old. Loretta resides in Cedar County, Iowa, the wife of George Ward, a son of Capt. William Ward, of Pittsburgh ; Adella resides in Bennet, the wife of Joel Montgomery, formerly of Cedar County, Iowa, but now Assistant County Recorder of Lancaster County; Eleanor married John Simpson, and their children are Charles, Lillian, Blanche and John, Lillian being an accomplished pianist and a teacher of instrumental music; Ephraim is a business man residing at San Angelo, Tom Green Co., Tex.; he married 'Miss Mary Violet, of Bennet, and is the father of two children — George J. and Helen. After thirteen years of happy domestic felicity, the wife of'our subject died on the 13th of May, 1852, leaving her husband in a bereaved condition in charge of a large family of small cliildren. He strove to do his duty toward them as a father, and remained unmarried for nine years, at the end of which time he was united to Miss Jane Ball, a daugh- ter of Joseph Ball, of Salem, Ohio, at which place he made her acquaintance. They were married in Salem, but made their home at Pittsburgh, Pa. The children of this second marriage are Isaac B. and •*^V^ 388 LANCASTER COUNTY. ■?; Mabel. Isaac resides at home with our subject, having charge of the farm under the direction of his father; he was married to Sopiironia Hemming- way, of Cedar Count}-, Iowa, and has two children — Paul and Pearl. Mabel resides at home. Mr. and Mrs. Lamborn continued living in Pitts- burgh until the year 1863, when they moved to Cedar County, Iowa. Here our subject devoted himself principally to farming, but worked some at the plasterer's trade also. He became the owner of eighty acres of land, and improved it so much that he had one of the nicest and best improved farms on the whole road from Burlington to Cedar Rapids. There his wife died on the 13th of October, 1875, aged forty-eight years. While in Cedar County he prospered very well, but he sold his farm for $7,000, and for some reason best known to himself he re- moved to Nebraska in 1884, stopping for awhile at Lincoln. For the next two or three years our subject trav- eled very extensively' througliout Nebraska, Kan- sas, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and Iowa. At one time he thought he would locate at Ft. Worth, Tex., but after living there for six months his cousin was accidentally killed, and a severe drouth set in so that he came back to Nebraska. In March, 1887, he purchased his present farm of 120 acres in Nemaha Precinct, near Bennet. With its nat- urally fine location, this piece of property bids fair to become a paradise under the direction and man- agement of its owner, who is an admirer of the beautiful in nature as well ;is in architecture. A commodious house, erected in 1887, adds greatly to the attractiveness of the farm, while an excellent well furnishes an inexhaustible suppl}' of water, which is conducted underground to each barn. The location, fertility of the soil, and improve- ments, make the farm of our subject one of the most valuable in Lancaster Count}'. Groves of catalpas and Colorado blue spruce trees add much to the beauty of the place, while the young orchard, vine- yard and slirubl)ery, yield an abundant supply of delicious fruits for the table. Where Nature is beautiful she h.is befcn left undisturbed, but where art can add to the attractiveness of the place it has been brought into requisition. Mr. Laml)orn takes a great interest in educational matters, and although almost seventy years old, he has lost none of the interest which he manifested 3'ears ago in acquiring a good fund of Information, and his storehouse of knowledge is constantly be- ing, filled with new and entertaining facts, through general reading and a habit of careful observation. The interest which he takes in educational matters justifies the citizens of Bennet in electing him President of the Boai'd of Education of that cit}'. He is a thorough temperance man, though not fanat- ical. In politics, he is a Republican, and was formerly a strong Whig, when he voted for William H. Harrison in 1840. He will undoubtedly live to cast his vote for that gentleman's grandson. JAMES C. MAHAN. In the present sketch is offered an outline of the life of one who is a member of a vocation and branch of trade most important in any agricultural district, more especially in a comparatively new and unde- veloped district. Mr. M. is the principal of a large hardware firm, dealing also extensively In lumber. His business largely represents the supplj-ingof the multifarious and innumerable appliances and Im- plements in hardware which are in daily demand upon a farm, from the lock upon the stable door or the pin in the wagon-wheel, to the cultivator, plow or hay-rake. Our subject was born in Sullivan County, Ind., Jan. 14,1840. Ilis grandfather, John M.ahan, was,, it is believed, by birth a German, who settled in this country with his parents while still a child. He was a resident of Kentuck}' for a number of 3'ears, and was one of the early pioneers of Indiana, where he settled in 1837. The father of our sub- ject, Asa Mahan, was born in the Kentucky home near Maysville. Upon the removal to Indiana he entered a tract of timber laud, which was duly cleared and a farm redeemed from the wilderness of forest. This home continued to be his place of residence until his death. In his younger days Mr. Mahan learned the Ir.ade of cooper, and continued in tiio same until 187(3, when he removed to Sullivan County and took up a trad of Govei iimcnt laud, which lie immediately •►^H^ i -tM, AlcMuider. Kerlha. Christian. Harmon, John, Arnold and Otto. With the excep- tion of Henry and Frank, the children are at pres- ent all at home. Our subject with his family came to Lancaster County in the year 18C9, and homesteaded eighty acres and pre-empted eighty acres, making him the owner of 160 acres of land, on which he has made substantial improvements. There has been a great deal of hard work necessary to bring this amount of uncultivated land to a state of usefulness, and it was only by ])orseverancc and untiring energy that its present cultivated t'ondition was secured. Mr. Severin can well afford to gaze upon his fine fields and indulge in a feeling of gratification, knowing that by his own labors he has brought about their fine appearance and utility. Mrs. Severin was born on the 1st of April, 1848, in Prussia, and is a daughter of Herman and Au- gusta Siedschlag, with whom she came to America when she was fifteen years old. For a time she lived in Chicago, 111., and then moved to Ft. Wayne, Ind., at which place she was married. Her father died in 1864, and her mother now lives in Ashland, Neb., with Prof. A. S. Mansfield, of Omaha College, he being her son by a former marriage. Mr. Sev- erin finds time aside from his duties on the farm which he can devote to the interests of his com- munity, having served as School Treasurer for sev- eral terms, and as Road Supervisor for a number of years. He takes an active interest in public affairs, and is glad to see the improvements which have been brought about in the past few years. In poli- tics he has joined himself to the Republican cu'gani- zation, and enjoys the esteem of those whom he is socially called to meet. I^OSWELL D. COOLEY, engaged in agrieult- H*if ural pursuits, resides on section 22, Waverly /r\Vi 'J < lb \Vi Precinct, where he settled in 1867, home- '^^steading the west half of the southwest quar- ter. In 1879 he sold this property and settled on the northeast quai'ter of the same section, while he also owns eighty acres of land on section 36. Here he pursues the even tenor of his wa}-. making a comfort- able living and comparatively free from cares. Mr. -4•- LANCASTER COUNTY. 397 Cooley first saw the light in Trumbull County, Ohio, Feb. 21, 1838, and is the son of Sherman and Diana (Day) Cooley, natives respectively of Massachusetts and Vermont. After their union, which took place in Connecticut, the parents removed to Ohio, and, in 1857, to Grant County. Wis., where they located near Platteville. The father died in February, 1888, at the ripe old ago of eighty-two j'ears, and his was the first death in the family; the mother and their eight children still survive. Roswell D. Cooley is the fourth in order of birth in the parental famil}', and was reared to farm pur- suits, at the same time receiving a common-school education. He accompanied the family- to Wiscon- sin, and continued a resident of the Badger State until he came to this State in 18G7. He was united ill marriage, in 1874, with Miss Mary, daughter of Leonard and Susan (Thompson) Kile, natives of New York. The parents of Mrs. Cooley were re- siding in Canada at the time of her birth, which oc- curred Fob. 18, 1843, and they removed from that country to the State of Ohio in 1847 .and settled in Ashtabula Couutj^ where they resided until their decease, and left a family of eleven children, of whom eight .are still living, and the wife of our sub- ject is next to the youngest. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Cooley has been blessed by the biith of two children — Carrie and P^dward L. Carrie was born Dec. 17, 1876, and the son was born June 11, 1880. In politics, our subject is found in the ranks of the Republican party, and is ever ready to promote its interests. ^^»)ILBERT D. ROBERTSON is a son of John (l| (=, and Jane (Watson) Robertson, who were *^^/|i born in Hamilton, Scotland. His father was a butler, and in that capacity he served the Duke of Hamilton from the time he was a boy until he became a j'oung man. Then, until old age was ap- proaching, he served as butler to Sir James Stewart, Baronet of Coldness. He died at the age of sev- enty-five years, and his wife died at the age of sov- entj'-nine years. There were seven children of this family, all of whom lived to enjo}' a good age, but one by one they have passed awa}' in the order -t in which they were born into the world, excepting one, our subject, who is the youngest child, none having attained less than seventy years. Our subject, an honorable, elderly gentleman, was born on the 19th of May, 1813, .it Douglass Park, Bothwoll Parish, Lennoxshire, Scotland. He enjoyed a good common-school education, and at the age of fifteen he left home to serve an apprentice- ship as stone-cutter and builder. He served in that capacity for three years, and then continued to work at the tr.ade in Scotland, .and there he was married to Miss Elizabeth Davidson, a daugh- ter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Calhoun) Davidson. The parents of Mrs. Robertson were natives of Lennoxshire, Scotland, the father being engaged in agricultural pursuits. He died at the age of sev- enty-live ye.ars, and the mother at the age of sev- enty-nine years. There were seven children in this family, one boy and six girls, the wife of our sub- ject being the youngest, her birth occurring on the 17th of June, 1817, at Wusha, Lennoxshire, Scot- land. She also enjoyed the advantages of the com- mon schools in the place in which she was brouo-ht up, until the time of her marriage. After his marriage Mr. Robertson continued to work at stone-cutting and building until January of the year 1849, when he decided to come to America. Together they sailed from Glasgow, ar- riving at the harbor of New York in safety, after which he worked at his trade in the navy yard for one year; then he moved to Lidiana and assisted in the building of a factory at Cannelton, at which place he continued for three years, and then o-o- ing to Iowa, he purchased some land in Clayton County. Then our subject took leave of his wife and went to N.asliville,Tenn., where he was engaged in stone- cutting for the State capitol. There he worked for one season, and in the following spring he went to Alcade, where he resided for three j-ears, hiring men to carry on the farm work during his absence. The farm continued to prosper, and our subject worked abroad at his trade most of his time. In May of 1872 Mr. Robertson and his family came to Ne- braska, where they bought a great deal of land. He now owns 120 acres of well-improved land in Panama Precinct.which lie has beautified and utilized ■» u 398 LANCASTER COUNTY. by setting out with his own hands gi-oves and fruit orchards. In eomnion with the othtr older settlers of the community lie has experienced the different phases of pioneer life. To Mr. and Mrs. Robertson have been born seven children — Elizabeth, Jcanie, John, Margeret, Bar- bara, Agnes and Isabella. Elizabeth marrried Brooks Flannigan, residing at Elkhorn, Neb., .and is the mother of seven children, as follows: John Gilbert, Alice M., Bruce, A'alina, Ralph, Frank and Maggie J. ; Jeanie is the wife of O. S. llazleton ; John resides in I'anama I'recinet, having been mar- ried to Miss Isabella Dickson, and having one child, Gilbert I). ; Margaret married David McPher- son, a prosperous farmer living in Otoe County. They have three children — John G., Elizabeth and I.sabella J.; Barbara died in Iowa at the age of sev- enteen years; Agnes, the wife of Thomas Dickson, is the mother of three children — Lizzie M., Edward and Clinton D. Isabella, the wife of Thomas Hedges, also has three children — Ira, Gilbert D. and Elizabeth. Our subject and his wife arc devoted Christian pet)ple, but they have not joined any religious de- nomination. While it is often an advantage to a Christian to be identified with one of the religious denominations it is not absolutely necessary to the living of an exemplar}' life, and sometimes, as is the case at present, we find those who make the least profession to be the busiest workers in the Master's cause, proving by their every-day lives that '"actions speak louder than words," and that the real merit lies not in words but in deeds. -v\/v-\t*^,S>OT7r»>^ ylLLARD RULIFFSON has for nearly a dec- ade been proinincntlj' identified with the agricultural interests of Lancaster County, and as the result of his toil and superior manage- ment he is now the owner of one of the most pro- ductive of the many valuable farms for which Eastern Nebraska is so noted. It is very finely located on section 15, L.ancaster Precinct, is well tilled, and is amply supplied with substantial farm buildings, and with machinery of the most ap- proved m.anufacture. and evervthingabout the place indicates that tbe possessor is a man of more than average .abilitj- and practical knowledge as a farmer. Our subject is a son of Harmon Ruliffson, and was born in Schoharie County, N. Y., in 1798. and there made his home until he was sisty-llve years old, when he moved to Chenango Count}', from whence he afterward removed to Monroe County, where his death occurred in 1886. He was reared to the life of a farmer, and always prosper(.)us!y en- gaged in that calling. At an early age he married Susanna Wellnian, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ariali W'ellnian. Slu' was born in Cliautau(pia County, where she now lives. Her parents reared their family in Schoharie County, and her father died about 1S41. Jlr. and Mrs. Ruliffson had eleven children, five sons and six daughters, of whom the following is recorded : Hannah is the wife of Ste- phen Clark, a farmer of .Schoharie County ; Phile- tus is a farmer, living in Jlonroe County, N. Y. ; AVillard ; Mariette is the wife of .Seth Wells, a farmer of Monroe County, N. Y. ; Eugene is a lumber and oil dealer, of Portville, N. Y. ; Harmon ^V. is a farmer of .Steele County. Minn. ; John M.. who served in the late war as a member of the 13th New York Cavalry, was promoted to the rank of Captain, and transferred to the ir)th New York Cavalry: he is now a nurseryra.an in Mobile, Ala. Our subject spent his early life in Schoharie County, N. Y.. where he was born June 17, 182!>. He obtained a sound education in the public schools, and remained under the parental roof, assisting in the farm labors until he was twenty-one. At that .age he commenced to work on a farm by the mouth, and after a few years' steady employment in that line he had accumulated cuougli property to war- rant his marrying and establishing himself in life, and on the 16th of January, 1855. his wedding with Miss Ellen M. .Alorgan was celebrated. She is a daughter of the late Joseph and Talatha (Dc- l.ano) Morgan. Her father w.ns born Oct. 28, 1791, in Monroe County, N. Y..and her mother w.as born April 5, 1795. Mr. Joseph Morgan was the first male white child born west of the Genesee River. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan died in Monroe County, where their entire lives had been p-assed, he dying Dec. 31. 1869, and she M.arch 7, 1876. They had a family of twelve children, five of whom wer ■<^ u LANCASTER COUNTY. 399 {- sons and the remaining seven were daughters ; five of tlie children are now living, as follows: Bradford is a farmer in Smith County, Kan.; Marj' A. mar- ried Jeremiah Knapp, a mason, of Centreville, Mich.; llan-iet mairied James K. Tunisou, a farmer, of Monroe County, N. Y. ; Klien !M. is tiic wife of our subject; Lucy lives at Scottsville, Monroe Co., N. Y. Mrs. Ruliffson was born Sept. 4, 1830, and remained at home with her parents until she was married, receivinga careful training from her good mother in the management of a househohl. After marriage Mr. Ruliffson carried on a farm in New York for a number of years, and he subse- (pientl^' bought a farm in Monroe County, which he managed very successfully for some time. In 1870 he sold his property in New York, and in April, 1870, removed with his family to Lincoln. Neb., having been ver3' favorably impressed with the glowing accounts that he had heard concerning the wonderful agricultural resources of the State, and wishing to take advantage of its rich soil and fine climate. He brought all of his household goods and farm machinery with him, having char- tered a car for that purpose. He purchased a farm of 100 acres in Lancaster Precinct, paying 112.50 an acre for it, and at once commenced its improve- ment, doing his first daj's work upon it June 17, 1879. He immediately erected suitable build- ings, and has in man}' other ways greatly increased the value of the place, until now he has one of the pleasantest homes in Lancaster Precinct, replete with all that is cheerful, attractive and pleasing, and the lawns are beautifull}' laid out and orna- mented with an abundance of forest and fruit trees. The wedded life of our subject and his amiable wife has been blessed to them by the birth of six children, three sons and three daughters, only four of whom are living, and the following is their record: NKtta, born Dec. 13, 1855, is the wife of Charles F. Adams, of Riga, Monroe Co., N. Y. ; Emily E.. who married George W. McKinnon, of Lincoln, Neb., died Aug. 10, 1887; Willie M., born June 7, 1859, died July 28, 1882; Joseph H. was born Aug. 11. 1806; Hattie V. was born Sept. 18, 1 868 ; Selden J. was born April 9, 1 870. The three j'oungest children make their home with their par- ents. The members of this happy household are people of true refinement, and their cosj' home is the center of a warm and generous hospitality, which is extended not only to those of theii' large circle of friends who may chance to cross the threshold, but alscj to the stranger witliin their gates, their cor- dial welcome making him feel tiiat he has indeed found friends. All of the family are members of the IMethodist Episcopal Church, of Lincoln. In all the relations of life in which he has been placed our subject has shown himself to be a manly, trustworlh_y, strictly honoralile man. In his family he is a devoted husband and affectionate father; toward his neiglibors he is .always geni.al and help- ful. He is a clear-headed thinker, is firm in his re- ligious views, and in his political opinions is a strong advocate of the Prohibition party. W y^ORNELHTS H. STUTHEIT is .an admira- ■ ( ^^ l)le young farmer and stock-raiser of Cen- ^^i^J terville Precinct, residing on section 33. He is a native of Clayton County, Iowa, the date of his birth being June 29, 1857. He is a son of Henrj' and Caroline Stutheit, who were earl}- set- tlers of this county, and of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this Album. When he was quite young our subject came with his parents to Nebraska, living for perhaps two years in Johnson County before coming to Lancaster County. He has been reared to manhood in this county, having received the advantages of education that were afforded by the district schools in his younger days. The young men of a generation or two ago in a newly settled country, enjoyed so few of the educational privileges and advantages which are now offered to the young of their communities, that it becomes a matter of wonder how they can so successfully compete with younger men in their business. AVe have but one answer to give to such an inquirer, and that is, the school of experience in which the earlier settlers were taught might have been a vei-y hard one but it was a thorough one, and from its walls were sent out men not alwaj's proficient in the sciences and languages of our modern colleges, but thoroughly well acquainted with the laws of social, moral and mental develop- T 400 LANCASTER COUNTY. inoiit, and with a good fund of sound common sense, which enabled them to meet the requirements of a business life. Our subject was engaged in farming from his boyhood daj-s, and thus he became thoroughly well accjuainted with the art of tilling the soil, so that when he became the owner of 160 acres of land, he knew just what was required for its improvement, as is (juite evident to an observer who visits his place. On the 26th of Ai)ril, 1885, he was united in marriage witii Mary Duehining. a native of Wis- consin, her jiaronts now living in Seward County, Neb. Mrs. .Stutheit is a (hiughter of Ferdinand and Henrietta Duchining, the date of her birth be- ing the l.'Jtliof August, lS6i. When she was nine years old she came with her parents to Nebraska, remaining with them in Seward County, where her parents were early settlers, until she became a young woman. Her parents have had a large family of children, of whom the following seven .survive: Otelia, Amelia, Anne, Theresa, Frank, William, and Mary, the wife of our subject. Our .suliji'ct and his wife are the parents of two ciiildren : Walter C, who was born on the 27th of January, 1886 ; and Alma, who was born on the 21st of May, 1887. Mr. Stutheit is a member of tiie Jlethodist Episcopal Church, and leads a con- sistent. Christian life, while in matters of political interest he is identified with the Republican party, advocating and supporting the institutions by which the general good and welfare of the countrj- and the community in which he lives are secured. -*-:?-^^^Vt^t7<- /j^^ AJH'EL WALKER, dealer in grain and live ^^^ stock, in the village of Waverly, settled in lit/ )j) Lancaster County near the above-men- tioned vill.age in 1805. Mr. Walker is a native of Albion, where he first saw the light Nov. 2, 1844, in Lancashire. He is a son of Samuel and Christian (Hayes) Walker, of Pviiglish birth and ancestry. The parents of our suliject were people of am- bition and eiiterpri.se. and feeling circumscribed in their sea-girt home, concluded to try their fortune in a foreign land, and their choice fell upon this countrj'. Putting their design into execution, they embarked for the United States about 1852, and first settled in the State of Rhode Island. In his native land the father had been engaged in the mercantile business, and had also followed dj'eing cotton goods, and upon his arrival in this countiy he found emploj'ment in the bleaching department of a muslin factorj', and remained thus employed until 1857. He then removed to Manitowoc County, AVis., wiilcii became his home for eight years, after which he joined tiie procession moving toward tiie setting sun, and liually reaching this State, settled in Lancaster County. Here the par- ents found scope for their best energies, and they remained diligently emploj'ed in making a com- fortable home for their familj' until their decease. Their children, seven in number, were born in En- gland, and their record is as follows: .Solomon resides in Lewiston, Me.; James, in California; Thom.as, in Janesville, AVis. ; Alfred, in California; Peter II., in Waverly, while Alice is' the wife of Lewis Loder, and Samuel is the youngest of the family'. In carlj' life the services of yftid to any citizen. ETER TALBOT. The homestead of this well-to-do resident of Grant Precinct is finely located on a gentle rise of ground on section 26, and commands a fine view of the surrounding country. The farm embraces 173 acres of fertile land, with good improvements, and of which he took possession in 1880. He is reckoned among the responsible citizens of Lancaster County, one who without making any great stir in the world has gained for himself a good position sociall}- and financiall}'. Our subject is of i)ure English ancestry, his par- ents, Nathan and Harriet (Mann) Talbot, having been born in Manchester, England, where the}" were reared and married. The}' came to America while still young people, settling first in Baltimore, Md., whence thej' removed later to Pennsylvania, and from there to Marshall County, III. Here the death of the mother took place, and Nathan Talbot subsequently became a resident of Livingston County, III., where his death took place about 1873. Their f.araily comprised ten children, six sons and four daughters, who lived to mature years. Of these six arc now living and residents of Nebraska. Peter Talbot was born in Baltimore, Md., Jan. 17, 1831, and was a lad of thirteen 3-ears when his parents became residents of Illinois. From Putnam County, that State, he removed to Marshall County, 402 LANCASTER COUNTY. .1 llience to Woodfonl and finally to Livingston, where he made bis home until July, 1880, when he came with his family to this county. He was reared to farming pursuits and followed these all his life. While a resident of Jlarshall County, 111., he was united in marriage with Miss Mary A., daughter of James and Eunice (Morris) Allen, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride, Sept. 27, 18.53. Mrs. Talbot was the second of the five chil- dren born to hei- jwrents, and a native of Schuyler County, 111., her birth taking place June .'iO, 1831. Her father died in Livingston County about 1872. The mother subsequently renmved to Iowa, and spent her last days at her home in that Slate, her death occurring in 1874. To Mr. and Mrs. Talbot have been bom eight children: William died when twenty-eight years old; Kniery and Nettie died in childhood ; Amanda S. is the wife of Isaac Hoge, of Grant Precinct; Emma A. married Thomas Sturdy, of C4rant Pre- cinct; Ellen v.. Mrs. John Morton, lives in Cali- fornia; Ira M. and Ida 15. are at home with their parents. !Mr. Talbot uniformly votes the straight Kepublican ticket, and with his estimable wife is a member in good standing of the United Brethren Church. They are highly respected among their neighbors, and in their well-ordered home are sur- rounded with all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. ERMAN yi. REEVES, one of the early set- Y tiers of Elk Precinct, was born in Lansing, Tompkins Co., N. Y.,Aug. 18, 1828, .and is the son of Elias Reeves, a native of New Jcrsej-, whose father, Moses Reeves, was a native of the same State, where he was reared and married, and about the year 1S07 removed with his family to York State, which was then in the condition of some of our Western Territories to-day, and pre- sented all the dillicullies and hardships of an unde- veloped pioneer country. However strange it m.a^' seem to ns, who to-d.ay have traveled over the same ground easily and speedily b^- uu-ans of the locomotive and Pullman ear, this journey was per- formed in the truly primitive fashion by means of team and wagon, along a road which for the most part w.as but a track through the wilderness. Mr. Reeves settled in Lansing, and was among the earliest to do so. He took up a tract of land, and began to clear aw.ay the giants of the forest, and in their places to raise the various grains of the farm. He made this his home until his death, when his son took charge of the property ; and even so late as this period, deer, bears, and such wild game were found in abundance in York State, and not a few Indians also, in larger or smaller bands, making their home by the streams, following their usual nomadic life. The father of our subject removed from this i>lacc to Ohio in the j'car 183(!. going by team to the Erie Canal, thence by it to Erie, Pa., and from there around the lake to Cleveland. Journeying from that cit3-. he finally settled in Hinckley Town- ship, Medina County, where he bought a tract of land, and gave himself to the clearing and opening up of the same. He continued to make this his home for several }"e.ars, and then removed to Huron County", where he bought a small farm, which he continued to make his home until his iloatli. The life of Elias Reeves was made more com- plete and felicitous by his life companion, Mabel Mclntire, who followed her husband to the last resting-place, and, like him, |)assing to the same while on the Huron homestead. Our subject was eight j'ears of age when his parents removed to Ohio, and is consequently able to remember well the incidents of their early settle- ment, and pioneer life in that State. His school life was spent in the little old-f.ashioned log school- house, situated some distance from his home, and the journey to and fro was not alw.ays unattended with difHculty, or even danger. Erom the school, he went to the farm, and became his father's assist- ant, first in the clearing, and afteiward in the more direct agricultural labor. Our subject saw Hinckley Township develoi) from a wilderness to a well-set- tled ancl wealthy district. At the age of twenty- one he had left his parents and home to start for himself, working ujion the farm during the sununer, and cluring the winter in clearing and wood chopping. In \i>b'2 Mr. Reeves became the husband of Sarah f ■<^ 4 LANCASTER COUNTY. 403 ' i B. Stuart, a native of Vermont, a daughter of P. C. and Ametia (Severance) Stuart. Their union was a very happy one, and the home circle inchides four children — Burton E., Mary J., Marion and Mehitabel. Directlj' after his marriage Mr. Reeves purchased a house in Hinckley Village, and made his home there. Shortl}^ after this the air was filled with the clarion note of the Civil War, and he enlisted in 18G2 in Company H, 1st Battalion Ohio Sharpshooters, and served with them nine months, when he received an honorable discharge through disability, and returned to his home. Owing to the condition of his health, his phj'sician advised him to remove to Iowa, and accordingly he went thither, and took charge of a large stock farm a little east of Waterloo, and continued his residence there for about three years, when he removed to Missouri and rented land, and followed agricultural pursuits until the j'ear 1870. Nebraska was then the new home of our subject, who settled in this county, and took up a homestead claim in tiie northwestern part, in what is now Elk rrecinct. During the first summer he did a good business in teaming, and was enabled thereby to support his family and prepare for the work of improving his farm, which important work he pro- ceeded with, putting up a comfortable dwelling, with the needed barn, etc., surrounding his home with orchard and gardens, and not omitting the more important work of sowing and cultivating. In ills youth he became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and afterward a local preacher. His wife died July 30, 1888, at their homestead. hA ARTIN V. BLANCHARD is pleasantly lo- cated on 160 acres of land on section 14, AVaverly Precinct, which has been his home since April', 1873. He is a native of Ohio, and was born in Ashtabula County, March 31, 1837. His father, John F. Blanchard, was a native of the Empire State, and was a farmer by occupation. He married Orpha Root, also a native of New York. The marriage of the parents of our subject was consummated in Ohio, where they had removed witii their respective families, and tiioy continued to make that State their home until the death of Mrs. Blanchard, which occurred in 1848. Of this union there were born four children, of whom the other three are recorded as follows : John A. resided in Ashtabula County, Ohio, and died June 23, 1888; Alfred L. was a member of Company K, 7th Kan- sas Regiment, and was killed at the engagement near Columbus, Mo., Jan. 8, 18G2; Lucy L. is the wife of Stephen Rennison, of Olmsted Falls, Ohio. The father was subsequently married, choosing for his second wife Miss Maria Richards, and of this union there were born three children, all of whom grew to maturitj- — Clara, Milo and Hattie. The father continued to reside in Ohio until his death, which occurred in 1885, while his second wife is still living at the old homestead. Our subject was reared at the home of his father, and while engaged in the acquisition of knowledge as it was presented in the public schools of his na- tive place, he assisted his father on the farm and in a cheese-box factory that he also owned. At the age of twentj' years he started out in life for himself, and was engaged in Oakland and Wayne Counties, Mich., working as a farm hand. At the end of one year he returned to his native State, and spent a year engaged in farm work, after which he secured employment in a sawmill, and remained until 1861. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted with John Brown, Jr., and upon going to Kansas was mustered in with Company K, 7tli Kansas Cavalry. He saw much active service, participating in thir- teen engagements, among which was that of Cor- inth, Miss., but he came out unscathed by the bullet of the foe, the only injury' sustained being- occasioned by a fall from his horse. He served until Nov. 17, 1864, and was then mustered out at St. Louis, Mo., and honorably discharged. Returning to Ohio, Mr. Blanchard resumed work at the sawmill, of wiiich he finally became proprie- tor, and retained the propert}' until his removal to this State. Our subject was united in marriage, March 5, 1865, with Miss Elizal^eth, daughter of Leonard and Susan Kile, natives of the State of New York, though the}^ subsequently removed to Canada, where they were residing at the time of the birth of Mrs. Blanchard. Of the five children born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Blanchard, four still f • ► ll "^ 404 LANCASTER COUNTY. survive, as follows: Edith was born Dec. 13. 1867; Alice. May 25, 1872; Lola. Nov. 22,1873, and Ma- bel. April 14. 1885. In politics our subject is:i stanch Republican, and takes an active interest in the deliberations of his party. He is also foremost in educational matters, and in order to help on the good work in his vicin- ity he frequently serves as School Director. He is a member of the Mitchell Post No. 38, G. A. R.,at Waverlv. ve a farm. The hardshi()s and priv.ations were many, and dangers not few, hut the cheering presence of the wife, and the strong, pro- tecting arm of the husband, sndiced them. For tiiirteen years they continued to live at tiiis home- stead, and here five of their children were born. In 1830 the family removed to Tuscarawas Count}-, where Mr. Duling purchased 120 acres of timber land, which he immediately began to clear, and again repeated the experience of pioneer life. Not only did he improve his own farm and work for his own interests, but did ninch for the development of the county and the ultimate welfare of the State. While residing in this county three more children were added to the famil}' circle. Mr. Duling con- tinned to make this his home until his death, in 1853. His widow, the mother of our subject, con- tinued to enjo\- fair health and strength until the ill- ness in 1872 which resulted in her demise. After the death of her husband she lived the greater part of the time with her son, our subject. Both parents belonged to the Methodist Episcop.il Church, and were among its most respected members. Edmund Duling is now one of the most jiromi- nent citizens and stock-raisers in West Oak Pre- cinct, of which he was a Acry earlj' pioneer. He was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, April 17. 1822. His education was simply that which could be obtained in the common school, practical rather than extended. When he was nine years old the removal to Tuscarawas County was made, and having finished school Edmund continued to work with his father until his twenty-second year. Then he went to A'irginia, worked upon a farm for a period of three years, and thence migrated to Spen- cer, Owen Co., Ind., a removal which he never after regretted, for it was there that he met a lady of most lovable character and womanly gi-ace, Rachel Hayes; to her he united his life and interest in October, 1846. Their union, although perfect in its happiness, was, aliis, onl_y too limited in dura- tion, for after seven j'ears the bonds were severed by deatli. in the year 1853. Upon his removal to Owen Count}' our sulijecl bought a piece of land on the White River. It speedily began to show that it was under the domi- nation of a m.aster hand, although at the time of purchase it was in all its native wildness. The heavy timber was felled, and Mr. Duling in very truth hewed for himself and wife a farm and home out of the primeval forest. When our subject left this farm, after a residence of thirteen years, lie left one of which any man might be proud. From Illinois he came west to this State. In the year 1858 he was married to Miss Amy P.a^-ne, of Owen County. Their union was blessed and their home made hai)py by the birth of a son and a daughter, Jennie; the latter is still living. The son preceded the mother to the better laud. After going to Illinois in 18G1 our subject prospected, and finalty bought h -4•- LANCASTER COUNT T. 405 " a farm of 240 acres in Edgar County. He had had sufficient for the time of clearing wild land and bringing it to a i)oinl of cultivation; his next pur- chase, therefore, was of improved land, having a very comfortable farmhouse and commodious barn ahead}' erected. Here our subject continued to reside for thirteen years, during which time he was elected Assessor, and also to several school offices. An unnsuall}' advantageous offer being now pre- sented, Mr. Duling again sold out and came to Nebraska. He was at this time comparatively wealthy, although he started in life with virtuallj' nothing but health, strength, intelligence and man- hood. In this State he purchased the section of land upon which he now lives, and with the money at his command was enabled to immediately pro- ceed with its improvement, an advantage which everjone who has watched the struggles of the earl}' Western farmer to create something out of practically nothing, will appreciate. He erected first his handsome residence, and finished it within and without in a most substantial and artistic man- ner. He afterward proceeded to the building of the other structures which his experience taught him would be needed. Nebraska has not only reciprocated the coming of our subject by making that coming a success, but, as we shall have occasion to notice, has also re- ceived from him much that has gone to hasten her development. In addition to the original section, the home farm, our subject is now the owner of an extensive farm in Seward County, ten well-placed business lots in Raj'mond, beside considerable real estate in the cit}' of Lincoln. He has, since his first purchase of the farm, lived in three different houses, the first a dug-out, but a very comfortable one. This was occupied until his frame house was built and finished, in which he continued to live until 1880. He then erected the present stately stone mansion, which stands surrounded b}' magnificent shade trees, and not far from the extensive orchard, wherein may be found a large variety of the choic- est fruit trees, which yield abundantl}' in their sea- son. At the time our subject came from the East he brought with him ten horses and two or three cows, wliicii formed the nucleus of his present stock- farm. He purchased his farm March 16, 1874, paying for it at the rate of $12.50 per acre, then considered a very high price. The first year he was not able to do very much, being too late in the sea- son. He would usually leave his family in Lincoln, and on Monday morning go over to the farm, returning on Saturday. The first year he employed four assistants; since then he has had regularly from eight to ten hands upon his farm. The intel- ligent selection of land is shown in the fact that the greater part of his property is upon Oak Creek, which gives, in the dryest seasons, more or less moisture, and consequently good pasture. A large part of the Duling land, including sev- eral hundred acres, is devoted to wheat and general farming, in which the proprietor has been thor- oughly successful. There are required 200 or 300 acres more to supi)ly the fodder for his stock. The herd of specially selected Short-horn Durhams, numbering over 100, includes a very fine, full- blooded registered Durham bull, and so far back as 1878 Mr. Duling has given attention to the produc- tion of high-grade draft and road horses and mules. Our subject is greatly beloved by all his neigh- bors and fellow-citizens, and has made for himself a name that will ever be green in the memory of the community. Although frequently pressed, he usually declines accepting the various offices within the gift of the people. Once only was he jjer- suaded to accept office, that of Assessor. The oc- casion which is the cause of his being so affection- ately remembered by the community was that of the grasshopper plague. When the dreaded pests had gone through the country, and left in their train nothing but despair, threatened ruin and famine, it was our subject who put out the hand that saved, and from his own purse supplied suffi- cient to import from other States wheat, grain and corn enough, not only for seed purposes, but for the people and their teams. Mrs. Amy (Payne) Duling was the daughter of Leonard Payne, and was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, April 9, 1841. When a child nine years of age, her parents removed to Owen County, Ind. She continued her residence with them until her marriage, April 11, 1858, at which time she was seventeen years old. The 15th of November, 1887, f <^ 406 LANCASTER COUNTY. *t Mr. Diiling and his wife started on a visit to Illinois and Indiana, where the}' spent nearly two months among their old friends and neighbors. On New Year's I)a}\ while at the residence of her brother. James Payne, Mrs. Duling received a fall, bruising her arm, and in consequence of which she suflfered considerably two da3's and nights. The third d.iy she went to the house of her sister Eliza. That night she awoke her husband and told him that the l)ain in her arm was gone, and that she had seen a wonderful vision. The beautiful Star of Bethlehem had appeared, and she had received a Divine mes- sage for L. W. Bolen. which she delivered the fol- lowing morning. On Sabbath morning she said to her husband, "Edmund, I am going to die. 1 wish 1 could last untilJimm}" comes." "Edith, why are you weeping.' lam perfectly happy. Denny and Edith meet me in heaven." Her husband asked, "If tliis be the case, shall I lake you to our house, or to the church." She answered, "Just as you and Jennie wish. My clothes Jennie can arrange to suit herself. I have no will to make. Tell Jennie not to pine for me; not to look .at things of mine or tiiink of places I iiavo been and grieve for me. Now, Eliza, meet me in heaven. Tell sister May to take Jennie in her arms, and be a mother to her; tell all the friends to meet me in heaven." She requested all the children to kiss her, and admonished her hus- liand to pious labor in bringing souls into tlie fold. She adverted to their kindness, then made a cross with her hands, and wilii a smile pointed upward. After a few more expressions indicative of her peace with her Savior, and her tender love for her fam- ily, she passed beyond the pain of death. By her decease the church at Raymond lost one of its most devoted members, the husband, a faithful wife, anil the daughter a loving mother. Her name is held in kindly remembrance by all who knew her. Much might be said descriptive of the various sections of property of oiu- subject, of the produce of his farms and the various appliances used thereon, or to extol the excellencies of the beautiful creat- ures in his stables and pasture, and still more about our subject himself; but perhaps sudicient has al- road}' been said. The aborigine did not need thai a tree should lie blown over a whole village, or wig- wams ra/.eil to the ground, in order U> indicate to him from what point of the compass the breeze came; a feather was sufficient for his purposes. So we would leave the success of our subject to indicate his manhood and his life. AVe have onl}' to add that he is a most devout and consistent member of the ilethodist Episcopal Church, and that in the "grand old party." Republican, he finds that which is most congenial to his political opinions. •j^t^;- ENIIY IIENKEL. Prominent among the j-oungand thrifty farmers of Buda Precinct may be classed the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He resides on section 18, where lie has a good farm, and is known throughout the precinct as a hard-working, industrious farmer, and enjo\'s the esteem of the entire community, both for his integrity of character, his good common sense .and habits of industry. Mr. Ilenkel was born in Germany, Jan. 17, 18.'>7, and his parents, Hcnr^' and Amalie Henkel. were also Germans. In 1874, accompanied by their son. they came to this counlrv, taking ji.assage at Bremen on a steamer which made the voyage in eleven da^ys. The famil}' stopped in New Jersey for about two years, when they went to Mason County, 111., where the father and motiior both died. They had be- come the |)arenls of the following si.x children: diaries, Frederick, Henry, August, Sophia and Et- tie. In lS7il Mr. Henkel came to Nebraska, slop- ping in Gage Count}' for about nine 3'ears, working at farm labor for dilTereul parties. He then came to Lancaster County and is now the owner of 200 acres of well-improved land. This property he has made bj- the savings of his own hard labor, .and since becoming the man.iger of a farm has demon- strated his own practical knowledge of the business which he has chosen for a life occupation. He is fairly well educated in his native tongue, and hav- ing picked up quite a good deal of English since he h.as been in this country, he is able to transact all his business in that tongue. Our subject was united in marriage, April 21, ISSJ, with Catherine Ilanenkanip, sister of Ileniy Hanenkanip, of Centerville Precinct, of whom a sketch ai)peai*s elsewhere in Miis work. To them '4 ?tj^ ■ y^'^^-^^L.c^^cc- ■^r*- LANCASTER COUNTY. 409 have been born two children — Anaalia and Edwin. The birth of the former occurred July 31, 1885. and that of the latter Sept. 19, 1887. Mrs. Henkel is a native of Germany, her birth occurring at Damme Oldenburg, May 21, 1861. She came to America with her parents, John G. and Catherine M. Hanenkamp. They settled in Mason County, 111., where she was reared and educated in both the English and German languages. She came to Lancas- ter County in the spring of 1884, and has since been a highly respected and intelligent member of society. Mr. Henkel is a member of the German Lutheran Church, being Clerk of his congregation, and in politics is a Republican, and always favors every- thing which has for its object the elevation and im- provement of society. eAPT. JOHN H. WESTCOTT. The AVest has not only developed some of the most brilliant men of the age, but it has attracted from the older settled States many of its most en- terprising and valued citizens. The natural result accruing to communities so largely' m.ade up of the best element of American manhood, is a remarka- ble progress in all the avenues and walks of life. No section of even our own remarkable country has witnessed such rapid strides in the development of her natural resources and the establishment of the various industries of an advanced civilization, as bna been witnessed in the Great West. This may justly be accounted for, partly because of the great fertility of her soil and the natur.al advantages enjoyed, but these alone will not account for it all; to the men of genius and enterprise, who have de- veloped and utilized these gifts of nature, is due the immeasurable credit, and of them it may truly be said that they have developed the Great West. A representative of the class who have been drawn here by the natural advantages, and wlio have done so much in the development of this wide-spreading country, is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch. Capt. John H. Westcott was born in Brownville, Jefferson Co.. N. Y., on the Uth of October, 1839. His father, Willard Westcott, was a native of the beautiful valley of the Mohawk, and his father, Daniel Westcott, the grandfather of our subject, was also a native of the same State; as far as is known he spent his entire life in that State, and died in Jefferson County in 1832. The father of our subject was reared and married in New Y'ork, where he bought a tract of timbered land near Brownville, on Pillar Point, which extends into Lake Ontario. He cleared a farm from this land, on which he continued to reside until his death, in 1867. He was originally a member of the Whig party, and subsequently joined with the Repub- licans on their organization. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Helen Putnam. vShe was a n.ative of Pennsyl- vania, her father, John Putnam, being a New En- glander and a descendant of the celebrated Gen. Israel Putnam. After her birth her parents moved to New Y^ork and settled in Jefferson County, where they lived for several years, then removed to Illi- nois, where they both died. . To Willard and Helen Westcott there were given three children: John H. (our subject), ftLartin IL, and Minerva J., now deceased. Capt. Westcott received his early education in the common schools of Brownville, remaining there until he had completed the common-school course, when he attended the academj- at Fulton, Oswego Co., N. Y., and subsequently the High School at Watertown. In the winter of 1861-62 our subject taught school, but there being a call for men in be- half of the country, he left his peaceful mission to engage in the perilous encounters on the battle- field. How proud our country should be that there were then and are now within her borders so many lo3'al hearts, ready to respond to her call when in danger, and so deeply imbued with patriotism that they forgot for the time being their own personal identity and interests, and taking leave of those whom they held most dear, went forth bravel}' to the battle front, heartily resolved on victory or death. Can such brave men ever be forgotten ? Will they not rather be remembered and their fame handed down from generation to generation, their brave deeds and daring exploits justly celebrated in song and verse ? With a heart full of sympathy for his struggling ■^ t •^f^ 410 LANCASTER COUNTY. 4 country, and resolved to follow ber fortunes, our subject enlisted as- a private on the 2Cth of Jul}', 1862. in Company II. 10th New York Heavy Ar- tillery, lie was mustered iri as Sergeant, and one year later was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant, soon after to First Lieutenant, and in August of 1804 lie was made Captain, in which capacity he served until April. 18G5, when he re- signed on account of ill healtli. His regiment formed a part of the Army of the Potomac, and made the first attack on Petersburg, being at the front of tlie cor[)s for several weeks. His command was then transferred to "Washington, where he re- mained for two months, thence to the Shenandoah Valley. At Washington lie was stricken with fever and ague, and was obliged to remain in the hospital for about two months. Upon his recover^' our subject was placed on de- tached duty and sent to Ilariier's Ferry, where he was the Officer of Ordnance for two months. He was again taken ill, and as soon as able w.as trans- ferred on detached duty to Carlisle, Pa., where he remained until he was discharged. During the summer following his return home he visited the West, but returned to Jefferson County and bought a farm which he retained until 1867, and in 1868 ho moved to Bureau County, III., buying a farm ten miles northeast of Princeton. lie lived on his farm until 1878, wlien he sold it and moved into Princeton, where on .account of ill-health he lived a quiet .and retired life until 1880. Then he came to Lancaster County, having previously bought 480 .acres of land on section 20, Klk Precinct, on which he has since made substantial improvements. His mother died at his home in 1886. The beautiful farm belonging to our subject ranks among the finest and liest in the county, he having planted a varietj' of fruit and shade trees, including an apple orchard of 600 trees, besides much small fruit. Capt. Westcott also takes rank among the prominent raisers of fine stock in the county, .and gives his attention largely to the breed- ing of Galloway cattle, and Percheron and road horses. He is a conspicuous member of the .agri- cultural organization of the county, being Chair- man of the Board of Directors of the society. Our subject iiaving loft his regiment and gone home on a furlough, was married, on the 5th of November, 1803. to Miss Augusta H. Middleton. Robert Middleton, the grandfather of Mrs. West- cott, was a native of Ireland and came to America when he was j'oung, settling in Jefferson County, N. Y.. where he bought a farm and spent his last years. Samuel IMiddlelon, her father, w.as born in Rutland, reared and married in his native count}', in which he bought a farm. Ho lived on tiiis farm until 1848, then sold it and moved to near Browii- ville, purchasing a farm on which he lived until 1867. Then he again sold and moved to tlie vil- lage, where he resided until 1873, thence to Prince- ton, 111., where he remained for one and one-half years, and while on a visit to Los Angeles, Cal.. he died, on the 27lh of Janu.ary, 1887. The mother of Mrs. Westcott was Phebe Ingerson, who was born in Jcfiferson County, and was the daughter of Is.aac .and Iluldah (Weed) Ingerson. She died in Princeton, III. on the 4th of M.aj-, 1874. Mrs. Westcott was born in Rutland. Jefferson Co., N. Y., in August. 1841, and she is the mother of four children — Carlton IL, Harry M., Mabel and Florence E. In politics. Capt. Westcott is a stanch Republican, and is quite influential in the ranks of his part}'. He is a member of the Malcolm Repub- lican Club, and also of the county Republican or- ganization, as well as Lincoln Lodge No. 19, A. F. & A. M. Without doubt the portrait of this pa- triotic gentleman will be received with jilcasuro by all who know mm, and m.ay be found in this vol- ume. ■ : > : @ : < t ' WjILLIAM QUICK. The subject of this sketch came to this State in the fall of 1877, and selected his location in Middle Creek Precinct, near the western line of this county, whore, in company with his brother, T. P., he pur- chased 1,000 acres of land, of which he had the management seven years, and then disposed of his interest in the same to his brother, and purchased a quarter of section 13, upon whicii w:xs a frame house and barn and where his son now resides. About that time Mr. (Juick commenced buving grain at Emerald Station, wliich he is now eng.aged in. Our ubject was born near Riegclsville, in Ilun- i -M- LANCASTER COUNTY. 411 lei'flon County, N. J., on the 18tli of June, 1825, and is the son of John P. Quick, who was born in Somer- set County, that State. The paternal grandfather, Theophilus Quick, spent his hist years in Somerset County, N. J. The place of iiis birth is unknown to our subject, but lie is supposed to have been of Holland-Dutch ancestry. lie married Miss Riioda Prall, and the}' l)ecame the parents of nine children. Their son John, the father of our subject, was reared to manhood in his native Slate, and was there married, nearly sixty-five years ago, to Miss Eliza- beth Belles, also a native of New Jersey. They are still living, having a good home in Riegelsville, and have now arrived at the advanced ages of eighty-six .and eighty-eight }'ears respectively'. John Quick during his youth entered a woolen f.actory and learned the art of fulling cloth, which he followed many 3'ears, finally renting a factory and carrying on business for himself. The p.arental famil}' inchidod ten children, nine of whom grew to mature years, U'illiam being the flrst-born. AVhen a youth of eighteen years he began to learn the trade of his father, with whom he worked five j'ears, becoming master of all its details, beiug able to take the wool and carr^' it through the various processes until it was ready for the tailor's shears. At the age of twenty-one our subject resolved to change his occupation, and commenced an appren- ticeship at the carpenter's trade, at which he served three years and worked .as a "jour" fully that length of time or more, finally operating as a contractor and builder. In the meantime he purchasetl a farm in his native count}% which he managed for a num- ber of years in connection with his other business, then selling out removed to Frenehtown, in New Jersey. There he purch.ased an interest in a spoke and wheel f.actory, which he operated until setting out for the West. Mr. Quick was married. May 26, 1849, thirt}'- nine years .ago, to Miss Lettie Sinclair, who is also a native of Hunterdon County, N. J , and born ]\Iarch 21, 1S22. Her father, Samuel Sinclair, was also born in that county, and was the son of John Sinclair, a native of Germany, who crossed the At- lantic when a 3'oung man and located near tiie site of his future home, purch.asing land and carr3-ing on farming until liis death, which occurred about 1873, after he had reached the advanced age of eightj'-two j'e.ars. He had married, when a young- man, Miss Permelia Van Camp, who also died in Hunterdon County, about 1836. Of this union there were born two sons onlj' — John M. and Stew- art. The former married Miss Sallie E. Strieker, of New Jerse}', and is now a resident of Middle Creek Precinct, this county; Stewart married Miss Mary Nicholas, of Pennsylvania, and is occupied as a teleg- rapher in the city of Lincoln. Mr. and Mrs. CJuick are members in good standing of tiie Presbyterian Church, with which they be- came identified nearly thirty years ago. Mr. Q. cast his first Presidential vote for Ilenr}' Clay, being a member of the old Whig part}', but upon its abandonment cordially endorsed Republican principles, which he h.as subsequently supported. He has served in his district three j'ears as School Director, and assessed Middle Creek Precinct two years. He and his estim.able wife feel proud in the possession of six grandchildren, their son John having two children, Minnie A. and Charles S., and Stewart having four, viz: Willie T., Gertie, Russell and Edith M. (i^^HOMAS JEFFERSON HUDSON. Among the names that will be handed down in the history of this Slate .as one connected with its earliest history, establishment and progress, is that of Thomas Jefferson Hudson, of Lincoln, who w.as born nine miles west of Madison, Jefferson Co., Ind., Feb. 10, 1826. His father w.as Peter V. Hudson, who was born in Georgia in 1800, and his father, Thomas Hudson, so far as is known, was born, reared and married in the same State, but in the year 1815 he emigrated with his family to In- diana, which was then a Territory, and still in all tlie primeval glory of towering forest and rolling prairie. The journey, which was long, difficult .and dangerous, was made by the aid of teams, and was, by far, longer, more ditticult and dangerous than an emigration to-daj' from Europe to the Far West. On arriving in Jefferson County, he entered a tract of timber land, and went to work to cut out of the solid forest acre after acre for farming purposes. His house was the usual structure, fashioned from *f . ► i r^ 412 LANCASTER COUNTY. •t the logs whicli had just been liewii from the trunks of the trees which h:ul grown upon the same site. The father of our subject was, it will be noted, at that time about fifteen years of age, and this con- tinued to be iiis home until he had come to j'ears of manhood and liud married. In 1834 the father of our subject, like his father before him, strucic out into a new countr_v and began life for himself. He entered land in Greene County, 111., close to the present site of Berdan. and he was one of the earliest pioneers. There were no railways at all in the Far West at that time, and Alton and St. Louis were the nearest markets. His land was similar to that of his father's in that it was heavily timbered, and before any farming could be done the original occupants of the ground had to be cleared. His home also was of logs, with its open fireplace .and puncheon floor, and like the rest of the pioneer community, Mr. Hudson and his family were clothed with the material woven by the loving hands of the wife and mother. He cleared and improved a farm, and lived on it for several j'ears, and then sold it and removed to String Prairie, in the same county, where he bought land, improved a farm, and continued to reside for many j'ears, when the same story was repeated. The farm was sold, and witli the proceeds new prop- erty in the same county was bought and stocked, and there he continued to reside until his death. The name of Mrs. Hudson previous to her m.ar- riage was Mary Settles, a n.ative of Indiana, and daughter of John Settles, a native of England, who had emigrated to this country, and was one of the early pioneers of Indiana. This lady presented to her husband twelve children, all of whom grew to maturity. The eldest w.as but eight years old when the family moved to Illinois. Mrs! Hudson died while the family resided upon the homestead in Greene County, in 1875. The father survived until February, 1888, when he died .at the advanced age of seventy -eight j^ears. Our subject continued to reside with his parents until 1852, when he bought a farm of eighty acres in Greene County, and after living there a few years sold the proiierty and rented land in the vi- cinity until 185'J, when he started for Kansas. In this journey ho was accompanied by his family. which consisted of his wife and three children. The journey was performed bj- w.agon and team, the usual method of traveling at that time; slow, and not without its dangei-s. After a journey which occupied three entire weeks they reached Ilninboldt. on the Neosho River, in Allen County. Here lie took what was called a squatter's claim, for the Homestead Law had not then been passed, two miles from the town. At this time the whole border was in the midst of what is known as the •■Border War," which was the occasion of much suffering, and made the times very hard in tliat district. The country, of course, was new. sparsely settled, .and not xcvy much had yet been raised. Buf- falo, antelope and deer roamed in herds through the whole Territorj', and could be shot almost any daj^ within sight of the house. There was one saw- mill at Humboldt, and sometimes Mr. Hudson would work there, receiving a peck of meal for each d.ay's Labor; he relates that on one occa- sion he worked for three days, plowing corn, and received in p.ayment a hog's jowel. In the year ISdd tlie crops in Kansas were a fail- ure; from this the Humboldt vicinity was not ex- empt, and the settlers were many times in danger of starvation. Mr. Hudson was fortunate in being in a position to make provision for his family, and continued to live there until the fall of 1861, whcni owing to the rebel raids, wliich were unceasing and ruinous, he took his portable propert3- and with an ox-team and wjigon started West, leaving the re- mainder of his heavy furniture and goods for the raiders, and after about four weeks of steady- travel in this w.ay arrived in Otoe Count}', Neb., rented a farm, and continued there until the fall of 18G3, when he again removed, this time to Lancaster Countj'. Lancaster County was almost in its formative period in 18C3, and the settlers very few and far between. Our subject homesteaded a tr.act of land, which is now included in the city of Lincoln, wiiich city at that time had not even been thought of. Two dug-outs, besides that of our subject, were all thivt stood on the site of the capital. The house of Mr. Hudson was constructed as before, of logs, but there was one innovation, which was the roof, for whii'li he had procured shingles wlien at McKisick's ^ i -4^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 413 Island, which is below Nebraska City. When com- pleted this was the largest and grandest house, and the only shingled roof, upon the whole of the site of Lincoln. This house is still standing, wliere originally erected. The logs were drawn a distance of twenty-one miles, and the lumber for doors and floor from the nearest mill, a distance of sixty miles. His nearest marlvet was Nebraslva City, and if, perchance, a trip should be desired to be talven East, tlie nearest railroad depot was Des Moines, Iowa. The subject of our sketch now began to be more prosperous than had been at all possible in Kansas. He soon brought his farm to a state of cultivation, where it would yield him a large in- crease, and in spite of the difhculties connected with being so far from a market, liis grain and otlier farm produce began to yield him quite a revenue. As soon .as the growth of Lincoln Village and town demanded, he entered the dairy business, and was the first to regularly supply tlie towns- folk with dairy produce. He has for some time been living the life of a retired farmer, and enjoy- ing the brightness and comfort which is his, as the result of his early struggles and hardships. On the '60th of June, 1852, Mr. Hudson was united in marriage with Mrs. Lucinda Dailey, nee Bright, who was born in Belmont County, Ohio, on the 4th of November, 1823, and was the daugh- ter of John and Louisa Bright, likewise natives of the Buckeye State. The death of Mrs. Hudson occurred on the 12th of October, 1885. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in every social and domestic relation was a true woman. She was the mother of three children, viz. : Nannie, who was born on the 21st of March, 1853, in Greene County, 111., and is now the vvife of M. R. Davey, an architect and builder at Lincoln. This gentleman is now employed as foreman of the work in constructing the State caiiitol buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Davey have two children. Jolui B. was born on the 2d of July, 1854, is unmarried and still resides with his father; Samuel T., born on tlie 10th of June, 185G, is married to Miss Mary Burks; he is one of the prosperous farmers of Seward County, Neb., and also h.is two children. Mr. Hudson in his early days was an allili;ite of ^ the Whig party, but upon the formation of the Re- publican became a member of the same, and has so continued, at all times a loyal and true citizen of his country and State. He is the recipient of the highest esteem and confidence of his fellows, the oldest of whom do not fail to remember that but for him the cajjital of Nebraska might even now be hunting through the length and breadth of the State for a suitable location. Our subject was prom- inently connected with the movement that resulted in it being placed where it is, and donated forty acres of his homestead to the State for that purpose, and Nebraska has a capital most admirably situated for all purposes. -H-|=e>£SS5f-M— ■117 EWIS W( I (^ cinct, is j'LAv coming 1 ■ji? EWIS WONG, a resident of Waverly Pre- vanked among its earliest pioneers, to this region in 1866, and home- steading a quarter of section 14. He has now 120 acres of this under a good state of cultivation, and has erected substantial and convenient buildings, while gathering together the other appliances essen- tial to the complete modern rural home. He is ranked among his neighbors as an honest man and a good citizen, one who gives his attention chiefly' to his own affairs, votes the straight Republican ticket, and believes in everything tending to the best interests of the community. A Scandinavian by birth, our subject first opened his eyes to the light April 20, 1813. He is thus well advanced in years, although he is still hale and iiearty, asjthe result of temperance and otherwise correct habits. He was reared to farm pursuits in his native country, and at the age of twenty -seven years was married, Dec. 6, 1840, to a maiden of his own neighborhood. Miss Martha Esgon, who was born Nov. 10, 1818. He h.ad become proprietor of a small farm, the soil of whicli he tilled until 1852, and then, believing that he could do better for him- self and his family, set out, accompanied by the lat- ter, for the United States. Our subject after gathering together his house- hold goods, embarked with his wife and children on board a sailing-vessel, and after a voyage of eight weeks, interspersed with some rough weather, -U^ 414 LAKCASTKH COUNTY. landed safely in New York City. Thence he made his way atouce westward into Grant Count}', Wis., where he purchased a few acres of land, and rent- ing an additional tract, operated in the Hadger State as an .agriculturist for a period of fourteen j'ears. In 1866 he crossed the Mississippi, and coming into this county, located upon the land which he now owns and occupies. To our subject and his cstiniiilile wife there have been born eleven children, two of whom died in in- fancy : Mary became tiie wife of Richard Hazel, and died in Jo Daviess County, III., about 1865; Sarah married John U. Carpenter, of Jo Daviess County, 111., and died about 1865; Lewis is en- gaged in farming near Salem, in Smith County, Kan. ; Joseph, Samuel and Oscar are living at home ; Elizabeth, Mrs. George AV. Morris, lives in Cass County. Neb.; Katie is the wife of Harry Hale, of Lincoln, and Ida remains at home with her parents. Josei)h Wong, the second son of our subject, and a very |)rouiising and intelligent 3'oung man, was born in Grant County, Wis., Jan. 13, 1856. He was a lad of ten j'eai-s when the famih' came to this county, and completed his education in the schools of Waverly Township. He alw.-iys took an interest in farm pursuits, which he follows. In 1884 he started out for himself, taking up a homestead in Keya Paha County, which he sold two years later at a good profit. He is now occupj'ing himself at farming on the homestead. Mr. Wong is unmar- ried. _? f 1. CIIUISTEN.SEN. In 1879 our subject came to Lincoln, a stranger in a strange land, seeking the boon of health in this salu- brious climate, and wishing to identify him- self with the mercantile interests of the city. The success that has attended his efforts h.as been such as to more than repa}' him for his hard labors. The first five years of his stay here he w.as em- liloyed as a clerk in a large wholesale grocery store, and during that time he gained a thorough mastery of the Ijusincss in all of its details, and the faithful performance of his duties won for him the full con- fidence of his employers. In 1884 he throw up his clerkship, designing to go into business for himself, his experience by that time en.abling him to profit by the money that he had wisely laid by for that purpose. Bj' his unceasing industry and strictly honest dealings he h.as built up a large tr.ade, and is looked upon as one of the substantial and reli- able merchants in the city. Jlr. Christeuseu was born in .Sleswick-Ilolstein, German}', Feb. 22, 1850, and is a son of Niels and Mary Christcnsen. The father was a native of Den- mark, and the mother of Sleswick-Ilolstein, (ier- many. They are both deceased. Our sul)ject was reared in his native land, receiv- ing a sound education in its schools, which he at- tended until he was sixteen years of age. He then commenced life as a sailor in the merchant service, and had a fine opportunity to visit the most noted ports in the world, and being an intelligent, wide- awake youth, endowed with good powers of obser- vation, he laid up during his travels a vast store of information that makes his conversation exceedingly interesting. After following the sea for five years he .again entered school, for the purpose of slu1^- 'f¥]OHN B. MAGEE, a gentleman in the prime of life, and a Well-to-do citizen of Grant ^_^ I Precinct, lives amid pleasant surroundings (^^j// on a fine farm of eighty acres, located on section 23, where he has operated since the spring of 1874. The improvements on his farm have been effected mainly through his own industr_y, as there had been little attempt at cultivation when he took possession. He is thoroughly in accord with his vo- cation, and having been blessed by Providence with good sense and judgment, has the faculty of laboring to the best advantage, and bringing about corresponding results. Mr. Magee, the youngest son of his father's family, was born in Washington County, Ohio, Jan. 24, 1849, which was also tlie birthplace of bis parents, Abner and Elizabeth (Riley) Magee. Af- ter marriage the latter continued residents of their native county until 187.5, then turning their steps toward the farther West came to this county, and settled at once in Grant Precinct, where the father carried on farming successfully for a period of seven years, and departed this life on the 20th of June, 1882. The mother is still living, making her home with her son on the old homestead. To Abner and Elizabeth M.agee there were born four sons and four daughters, seven of whom are now living, six being residents of Nebraska, and one son remains in Washington County, Ohio. They were all reared upon the farm, John B. in common with his brothers and sisters becoming duly familiar with agricultural pursuits. He si)ent the first twenty-five years of his life in his native county, and accompanied his parents to the AVest. His education was begun and completed in the common schools, and he possessed the laudable ambition to become thoroughly acquainted with the best methods of farming in all its branches. This am- bition resulted in his becoming master of the situa- tion, and is the secret of his success by which he has been enabled to surround himself and his fam- ily with the comforts of life. Two years after becoming a resident of this county our subject, on the 9th of April, 1876, was united in marriage with one of its most estimable young ladies. Miss Florence, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Hammond) Stewart, who were na- tives of Virginia. From the Old Dominion they removed first to Washington County, Ohio, and thence to this county, settling in Grant Precinct, where they still reside. Their family includes eight daughters and five sons, and Mrs. Magee was the fourth child. She was born in Washington County, Ohio, July 26, 1853, and is thus four years younger than her husband. Of their union there are three bright children — Norma D., Ida M. and Alvin L. With the exception of about eighteen months which were spent in Kansas, Mr. Magee has been a resident of this county since coming here. Politi- cally, he is now identified with the Prohibitionists, and both he and his wife are members in good standing of the Baptist Ciiurch. Their home is a pleasant place of resort for a large circle of warm friends, who meet intelligence and good cheer, and know how to appreciate the companionship of a family occupying a position among the best elements of the county. ■"■■•I*^!*^^*!**^"^ 415 4 ^^EORGE W. PREY is a representative pio- (|| (=-- neer of Centerville Precinct, residing on sec- ^JM t'on 24, and one of the oldest settlers of Lancaster County. He is a native of Wisconsin, his birthplace being twenty miles north of Milwau- kee. He is a son of John D. and Margaret Prey, and a brother of J. W. Prey. In the year 1856 he came to Lancaster County with his parents, where he has since resided. On the 9th of April, 1873, he was united in marriage to Estella Davis, and they became the parents of two children : John C, who was born on the 25th of Maj', 1874, and Estella, on the 19th of August, 1875. Being called to mourn the loss of his wife, our subject was .again married, on the 1st of November, ■^^t^ ••► LANCASTER COUNTY. 1882, to Belle M. Wells, a daughter of Thomas and Marj' J. Wells, of Lancaster County. They have a family of two children : Pha'ba J., born on the 30th of Octol)er. 1883. and Cieorge T.. on the 29th of May, 1887. Mr. Prey has become the owner of 160 acres of good and well-improved land, and has made most of the improvements by his own hard labor and good management. He has had good success in his work owing to the industrious manner in which he en- gaged in it and the thought and care which he spent in managing it. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and favors the success of the Re- publican party. He takes an active interest in the welfare of the communit}%is alw.ays pleased to hear of improvements and advancements, and grieved to know of any loss or hindrance sustained b3' the members of his communitj*. To our subject, as to the other early pioneers of this county, are its present residents indebted for a share of the advantages and privileges which they now enjoy, the earliest settlers paving the way for those who came after, that they might enjoj' fewer trials and hardships and more of convenience and elegance; that they might have books and the aids and incentives to culture and refinement, and pleasant society in lien of the ever3-day hard toils of the earlier settlers and llicir families. J"|ONATHAN REITZ, who is numbered among the prominent, substantial and representa- I tive citizens of this county, is pleasantly ' located on section 29, Waverly Precinct, of which he has been a residentsince 1874. Coming to Nebraska at that time, he purcliascil the east half of section 29, which was then unbroken prairie, and as soon as he could erect a shanty he settled on his property, and engaged in earnest in its improve- ment. His industr3- and good judgment have been rewarded, and he has now a well-improved farm, containing suitable frame buildings, conveniently arranged. A view of these premises ma3' be seen in this connection. The subject of this i)iographical notice was born in Northumbcrlanil County, P:i.. Oct. 29, 1S24. ■^ and is the son of Samuel and Rebecca (Burrell) Reitz, of German extraction, though two genera- tions of the family have spent their lives in the Keystone State. Jonathan Reitz is the eldest in the parental family of five children, of whom the others are: Soloma (deceased); Moses, who resides in Pennsylvania; Mary (also deceased); and Katy, the wufe of Jerie Heilman. Jonathan was reared on a farm, and received but a limited education in the common schools of his native township, as his services were required on the farm as soon jis lie became able to assist. In 1845 Mr. Reitz was united in marriage with Esther Rceser, who was born in Northumberland County, Pa., Feb. 17, 1817. After marriage our subject remained a resident of his native State, en- gaged in the cultivation of a farm, which he owned, but from early life he had a desire to go West, and in 1874 he resolved to make the change of resi- dence. He has never hail any cause to regret his removal, and is now in the enjoyment of a compe- tenc\' that will free his declining years from an}' anxietj' respecting pecuniary matters. Just as tiiey had begun to reap tlie reward of their decade of toil on a prairie farm, ftlrs. Reitz was removed by death, April IG, 188r>, leaving three children — Samuel, Uavid and Jonathan. Our subject was a second time married, choosing Kate L. Wolverton, and the ceremon}- took place in August, 1887. Mrs. Reitz is a native of Pennsylvania, and re- ceived her education in the public schools, residing in her native State until her marriage. In 1856 our subject eng.aged in a general merchandise busi- ness at Fisher's Ferry, Pa., and was thus successfully employed during the next ten j-ears. He next op- erated a ferry across the Susquehanna River, at Selin's Grt>vc, for two 3'ears. and then ran a steam- boat for a short time, after which he resumed farming. Samuel Reitz, the eldest son of our subject, was born in Northumberland Country, Pa., Feb. 19, 1846, and w.os reared to farm life while receiv- ing his education in the common schools. He re- sided at home until his marriage, which took pl.ace in 1872, with Mary J. Malick, who was born in the same county, Sept. 11, 1850, and is the daughter of Peter auil Mar}- Malick, natives of Penns3'lvania, Residenceof F. Charles Severin ,5ec. 26. Buda. Precinct. RE5IDENCE0F JON ATH AN REITZ .5eC. 29. WaVERLY PRECINCT, -IH^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 419 4- and iKiw deceased. The father died when Mrs. Reitz was quite young, and her mother passed away soon after her marriage with IMr. Keitz. In March, 1S78, Mr. Reitz came to Nebraska, and in the antuniu of that j-ear settled on section 27, Waverly Precinct, which has been his home ever since, lie owns a well-improved farm of 120 acres of good land, and though onl}- a young man is al- ready prominent among the agriculturists of Lan- caster Count}'. He is in love with his vocation, pre- ferring it to an}' other, and his farm, which is in manj' respects a model one, is a silent but forcilile wit- ness of the fact. When a young man he taught school for some time, while he has also followed railroading, and just previous to coming to Ne- braska he operated a grocery store at Fisher's Ferry, and was also Postmaster at that place. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Reitz has been blessed by the birth of three children, two of whom, Clinton B. and Rollin E., still survive. In poli- tics Mr. Reitz is a Republican, but does not con- fine himself strictly to party lines, but votes as his judgment dictates. David Reitz, the second son of our subject, was born in Northumberland County, Pa., June 11, 1848, and was reared to farm pursuits, at the same time receiving a common-school education. He was united in marriage, in 1872, with Lydia Bailey, who was born in Potter County, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Reitz came to Nebraska in 1874, and finally settled on section 33, Waverly Precinct, where the}' purchased a tract of eightj' acres of unim- proved land. They have no children of their own, but are rearing an adopted daughter, Orlie Dicker. In politics, David Reitz atHliates with the Repub- lican party, and supports it on all vital questions. Mr. Reitz, our subject, has always voted the straight Democratic ticket, and was Postmaster four years at Fisher's Ferr}', Pa. EWIS WILLMAN. The Queen City is situ- ated in one of the prettiest and most pro- iluctive counties of Oliio. Hamilton County may well be proud of the enterprise, commercial importance, wealth and distinguished citizenship of i= Cincinnati, and the city proud of the surpassingly beautiful county in which it is situated, containing as it does the greater part of the magnificent Miami Valley, being composed of some of the most fertile and liighly productive soil in the country, and com- prising that particularly happ}' variety of scenery, where hill and dale, hillock and glen, interspersed by velvety glade and shadj' park-land, are con- stantly blending. Upon one of the beautiful farms of the above county was born, Feb. 5, 1852, he whose biogra[)h3' is here presented in succinct form, and whoso flue property upon section 17, CcnterviUe Precinct, and his well-kuown prosperity, character, and public spirit, demand mention in these pages. Our sub- ject is the son of Charles and Henrietta WiUman. After his father's death his mother became the wife of Mr. Rudolph Fishwood, a resident of Indiana, now residing at Swanton, in this State. Until about fifteen years of age our subject con- tinued at home with the rest of the family and his step-father, and then removed to Ripley Count}', Ind., and engaged with a farmer. Here he received some education in the district school. From Rip- ley he came to this county in the spring of 1874, and took up a tract of eighty acres, upon which he still resides, and has improved it from its original prairie state until it is to-day one of the best cultivated farms of the entire district. Four years after his settlement upon his farm, Mr. Willman was married to Catherine Freye, daugh- ter of Henry and Eleanor Freye, of whom a sketch appears upon another page. The former is de- ceased. Their children numbered five, and arc re- corded as here appended : Agnes, I-lilwin, Irvin, Alma and Alice. The wife of our subject has proved in every relation and happening of wedded life, faithful, true and competent, and has nobly stood by the side of her husband during every time of trial, adversitj' or success, sharing them with him in every point, cheering, encouraging and inspiring him. She is one whose children will rise up in the day of their maturity of experience, and call blessed. Remembering the Latin proverb, VincH qui pi i- f.itur, "He conquers who endures," our subject is most praiseworthy, because the success which marks his life is solely the result of his own effort and f -4•- 420 i 4 LANCASTER COUNTY. ambition, excepting only the foundation work, which was provided by the schooling given him by his mother, and the constant assistance rendered by his faithful wife. Mr. and Mrs. Willmanare mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in good standing, and our subject has been School Treasurer for a period of two years, also Clerk of the Election Board. He is widely known in the county as worthy of the esteem and regard which are freel}' accorded to him, and also to his family. His politi- cal syni[)athics, loyalty, and study of governmental questions, have led him to give his support and in- lluence to the Kepublican party. (EV. S. II. 1). VAUGHAN. There is, perhaps, no profession that has more affected the world than that of the ministry, instilling ^ as it does thoughts of the highest moral and spiritual import, and presenting as the object of life the most perfect human, yet Godlike, char- acter, linked with a hope that reaches bej-ond the confines of the terrestrial, and brings into the otherwise faulty, cheerless and incomplete life the hope of larger and better things in the life that is to be, without which hope the question of the mor- alist and sage, "Is life worth living.'" would neces- sarily be answered in the negative. In |)resenting this sketch it is the endeavor to set before the reader in succinct form the leading inci- dents in the life of one who needs no introduction to the citizens of Lincoln, being well known by reason of his high Christian character and effective- ness as a worker in the profession he has chosen. Mr. Vaughan is a native of Cato, Cayuga Co., N. Y.. born on the 12th of May, 1824. His father, Isaac Vaugiian, was a faimer bj' occupation, and a native of Washington County, N. Y., where he was al.so reared to manhood, removing to CJ.ay uga County in the days of its early settlement. There he took a tract of tindier land, and clearing for himself a farm, erected his log cabin, and so on, after the order of the pioneer. Here he died in 1843. The maiden name of the wife of Isaac Vaughan, and the mother of our subject, was Betsey Ann J'erris, a native of the same State as her husband. She became the mother of six children, of whom two were daughters, both of whom died in early life. It was her privilege to bring to 3'ears of maturity her four sons, and to see them enter honorable positions in life. The death of this lady occurred in Michigan, at the home of her son, the subject of this biograply, in the month of Ma)', 1851. Our subject was the youngest of the family, and was reared upon the farm. His education was obtained in the usual institutions, where he devel- oped an aptitude for study and a quickness of in- tellect above the average. The religious experience of our subject dates from his twelfth year. At that time he was brought under conviction regarding the truth of those things, and was received into the communion of the Baptist Church. AVhen he had reached about twenty' 3'ears of age he came west to Michigan, via the Eric Canal and the l.ikes to Mon- roe, thence by rail to Hillsdale, where he com- menced teaching in Reading Township, continuing there for a period of three 3'ears. He then became a student of theology in tlie seminary at Kalamazoo. Mr. Vaughan was ordained as preacher of the Baptist Church, at Dowagiac, Cass Co.. Mich., upon his graduation in Jul)', 18.")1. His pastorate in that place extended over a period of twelve j'ears, when he resigned and took charge of the church at Lacon, 111., for which he preached three 3ears, and then returned to Michigan, and, after a like period, was in pastoral charge at Plymouth. From there he went to .Minnesota, and became the pastor of a church at Hastings. In this place he built a resi- dence and continued his ministrations for another three 3ears. Tiic next period of the same duration was spent with the church at DeWitt, Iowa, whence he removed to Prairie City, McDonough Co., III., where he remained the same length of time, remov- ing in 1878 to Lincoln, where, on account of ill- health, he has latterly lived a retired life. In Eebruar)', 1853, Mr. Vaughan was united in marriage with Mar)' B. Dodsley, who departed this life on the 25th of Ma)', 18()!), leaving our sul)ject with three children, viz: Carrie, who afterwar-^?»ta?> '^;<^»<^ aud imi>roved, giving his attention lo agricultural pursuits. In 1878 he pur- chased another farm at North Mound, and subse- qucntl}' was engaged in his vocation on different farms until 1882. During this time he owned and operated for two years a store in Saline Count}', this State, whence he finall}' removed to Waverlj' Village aud engaged in his present business. Besides his line residence, he also owns the store property in whicli his business is conducted. Mr. Armstrong was united in marriage, in 1807, with Miss Clara J., daughter of John and Sarah Parker, and born in Ohio. Their union h.is re- sulted in the birth of five children — William Lee. Gilbert Parker, Mar}' Ellen, Robert P. and Minnie Alice, \\hile in Colorado our subject owned and operated some gold mines, and was successful in his enteri)rise. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, strong in his advocacy of the principles of the parly. ellARLKS BITRKE. Among the institutions of this county, and one which is offered to every citizen, but for various reasons almost an impossibility to natives of the Old AVorld. is that of a home of their own, erected upon ground to whicli they hold the title. This possibilit}' attracts countless nundiers of the best citizens of European countries, where, despite a lifetime of toil, compara- tively few can own such a projierty. Buda Pre- cinct has received a large numl)er t)f such, and to-da}' they are the possessors of cosy, comfort- able farm l)nildings and homes in the midst of their own broad acres. Among those who have estab- lished themselves in the above precinct, whose home is one of the pleasantest, and whose farm is one of the most nourishing, is the subject of the present sketch, who resides upon section 22. Mr. Burke was born in .Seralow, Prussia, on the 4th of August, l.s3o, and is the son of John and Mary Burke, both natives of the same country. He was reared to the estate of manhood there, receiv- ing a good education in his native tongue, and has since acquired (piitc a good understanding of En- glish. From the time of leaving school he gave his attention to farming, in order that in latcryears he might have the means of supporting himself and those who might be dependent upon him. Our subject, in October, 18y our subject. The father died the following year, 1869. He was a man kind to his family, provident and in- dustrious, a good neighbor, and an upright citizen, Republican in politics, and Methodist in religion. The mother is still living, and makes her home in Lincoln. The six children of the parental farailj' were: Sarah, now the wife of George Denham, of Lincoln; Emma, Mrs. John P. Loder, of Waverly Precinct; John N., our subject; William 8., Isaac J. and Lambert 0. The latter three are residents of Lancaster County. Our subject was a little lad three years of age when his parents removed from New Jersey to Illinois, and he acquired his early education in the common schools of Kane Count}'. Later he assisted in the various employments of the farm, and after coming to Nebraska, worked upon the new home- stead until reaching his majoritj'. Upon becoming his own man, Mr. Tiger traveled over a goodly portion of the western country a few- years, and in the meantime took up a liomestead claim in Furnas Count}', this State, and subsequently pre-empted what is now the site of Beaver City, where he remained two years, then made the mistake of selling out. After deciding upon his permanent location and the establishment of a home of his own, Mr. Tiger, Dec. 25, 1882, was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Melick, who was born in Pennsyl- vania, and is the daughter of Henry H. and Lydia (Heilman) Melick, who were natives of Pennsyl- vania. The father is now deceased, but the mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Tiger after their marriage settled upon the farm where they now live, but which, how- ever, at that time was but an uncultivated tract of land. It is 160 acres in extent, and our subject has brought the soil to a good state of cultivation, grad- ually adding the improvements which the enterpris- ing and progressive farmer finds essential to his calling. In 1886 he established, in company with his brother-in-law, a lumber-yard at Waverly, but soon disposed of his interests, finding agriculture more congenial and profitable. Mr. Tiger cast his first Presidential vote for Grant, while a resident of Nebraska, and is a strict Republican. He has held the various local offices, and in religious matters conforms to the doctrines of the Lutheran Church. -, ^^ ^ V|,f OHN MORRISON, a well-to-do and highly respected citizen of Lincoln, where he is en- gaged in business as a merchant tailor, has been prominently identified with the indus- trial and social interests of this city for many years. Thu.s he has witnessed its marvelous growth from a small town to a large and thriving metrop- olis, and has in no small degree aided in its de- velopment. Our subject was born on a farm amid the wild scenery of Northern Scotland, Dec. 17, 1824. being the date of his birth. His parents. William and Margaret (McKay) Morrison, were likewise of Scotch birth and ancestry. In 1841 they crossed the Atlantic Ocean to take up their abode in Canada, and located near London, in the Province of Ontario, and there the remainder of their days were passed in pe.acc and prosperity. ■r ■<^ 424 LANCASTER COUNTY. They possessed in a full measure those tj-pical char- acteristics of the .Scotch which make them such de- sirable citizens, and they were alike esteemed and honored bj- all in their ncigliborhood. Tliey were the parents of nine children, six boys and three girls, of whom John, our subject, was the second. lie entered school at the age of five, and continued his attendance in that institution of learning until he had attained his twelfth year, when he went to learn the trade of tailor. Having completed his trade, being then eighteen years old, our subject left the heaths and hills of his native Scotland to aecompanj' his parents to their future home in America, and for some years thereafter w.as a resident of Canada. For two 3'ears he traveled as a journej'm.'ui tiiilor, and two j-ears later, when he was twenty-four years of age, he married Miss Ilughina Monroe, a native of Scot- land, born in the same neighborhood as himself. After marriage Mr. Morrison worked at his trade in Canada until 1858. In the fall of that year he crossed the line and came to the "States," proceed- ing to Chicago, 111., wliere he was employed for two years as a cutter in the tailoring establishment of George McKean, with whom he remained until Jul}-, 18(;0. He then visited some friends in Iowa, and from there started on a trip on his own ac- count, and brought up at a place called Lansing, where he made his home until 18G9. Mr. Morrison then came to Nebraska and established himself as a merchant tailor in Lincoln, where he has since biiill n|) an extensive business and secured a fine class of custom. Our subject is a good example of the self-made men of this countrj^ who have raised themselves from poverty' to affluence by their own unaided exertions; commencing life without me.ans, by industry and devotion to his business he has acccumulated a good propertj'. Shortly after coming here our subject had the misfortune to lose the devoted wife who had been his companion from the early days to his manhood, and by her calm counsels and read}' assistance had greatly aided liini in his struggles for inilepcndence. Hers was the first body laid at rest in the cemetery at Lincoln. Of that marriage four children were born, all of whom arc married and comfortably settled in life. Mr. Morrison was united iiiniarriago to Mrs. Frances Wagner, nee Raney, Nov. 3, 1871. She is a native of Knox, III., and by this marriage one son, John D., aged thirteen, has been born. Mr. Morrison and his estimable wife are justly held in high regard for their substantial worth by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, and their cosy home is the center of that true hospitality' which knows well how to "welcome the coming, speed the parting guest." Mr. Morrison is one of the leading members of the K. of P. of this State, having been Grand Chancellor of the Stale of Nebraska, and is now P.ast Grand Chancellor; lie is also prominently identified with the I. O. O. F., having joined that organization when a young man residing in the Province of Ontario, and he luas held the position of Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge. In politics, he is a straight Republican in both State and Na- tional matters. Mr. Morrison is widely and favor- ably known through his many j'ears' residence here, and his strictly honorable course and his just and honest dealings have insiiired the cf>nfidencc of his fellow-citizens. .^I-^If. ^^ EORG E PETER. The Postmaster of Prince- Ill (^— town. Neb., is a son of Jacob and Savilla ^^^1! Peter. A sketch of his parents is given on another page in this volume. He was born at the homestead in Pike County, Ohio, on the 2d of Sep- tember, 1845. He received his education and was reared to manhood in his native county, and after- ward initiate Delaware when a young man. In the War of 1812 he served as a Sergeant at the storming of Georgetown. Elizabeth, his wife, nee Sharp, was a native of Delaware. They settled in Bellefontaine, Logan Co., Ohio, in 1824, being early pioneers of that count3^ The husband was a carpenter and ship builder, and ho worked at his trade after coming to Bellefontaine. He died in the year 1868, at the ripe age of eighty-two years and three months. His wife survived him for half a score of years, and she too, having by that much passed her "threescore and ten" years, died at the age of eighty in the year 1878. The subject of our sketch was the youngest of seven children, two girls and five boys, three of whom are living. Bellefontaine was his birthplace, and the date thereof, the 25th of January, 1841. He attended the village school and afterward took the completed course at High School. At an earl}' age he decided to prepare himself for the practice of medicine, and with that end in view he began to study with his brother. Dr. S. R. Blizzard. Mean- while the war broke out, and he enlisted on the 13th of April, 18(il, for three months' service. He was mustered in at Columbus, Ohio, and participated in the campaign of Virginia, .serving in the Eastern Division of the army in detached service. He w.as mustered out on the 1st of September, and imme- diately upon his release from the duties of a soldier he entered the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati. Fiom this college he was graduated with much honor in the class of '64. Immediately after his graduation, with laudable magnanimity he offered his services in behalf of the wounded soldiers of the Union. This generous offer being duly appreciated and accepted, he was appointed Assistant Surgeon,, serving with the Army of the East in the field hos- pitals of Virginia. Subsequently our subject began the practice of his profession at Macedon, Ohio, during which time he led to the altar Miss Jennie Wallingford. a daughter of Lieut. Absalom and Martha Ann (Mc- Donald) Wallingford. Mrs. Blizzard was the sec- ond of three children born to Lieut, and ]Mrs. Wallingford, the date of her birth being April 2, 1849. Taking advantage of the verj' good educa- tional facilities offered her she cultivated her mind, and at the time of her mairiage vvas eminently H « ► i r^ ■•► 432 LANCASTER COUNTY. 4 fitted to adorn the home of the rising yoinig physi- cian whom she honored with her hand. After tlieir marriage the young couple removed to Ft. Recov- ery, Ohio, where the luisband entered into the prac- tice of his profession, meeting with great success. He then attended the Bellevue Medical College for six months, during the winter of 1877-78. He also took a course of private instruction under Edward G. Janeway, M. D., at the Bellevue Hospi- tal. As a testimony of his appreciation of tiie good work of the young student, and as a prize for cor- rectly diagnosing a complicated case of heart dis- ease, this eminent ph^'sician presented Mr. Blizzard with a stethoscope. From all the scliools which lie attended he graduated with honors, having in his possession three diplomas from as many celebrated medical colleges. These bits of vellum are of vastly more worth to the owner than would appear to a casual observer, representing as they do long terms of diligence and unceasing application. At Ft. Recovery our subject continued to prac- tice for over twenty 3'ears, a granil compliment to his abilit}' and success. By the urgent request of friends he was induced to leave that place, and re- moved to Hickman, Neb., at which place he arrived on the 22d of Februarj', 1887. Having since tlicn continued his practice in that place, he lias risen rapidly in esteem and favor, and enjoys the best patronage of any phj'sician in the southern part of Lancaster County', and his practice is constantlj' in- creasing. He has a son, William E., a graduate from the Omaha School of Telegraphy in the class of '88, and a daughter. Miss Carrie, a teaelier in the primary department of the Iliekman Union School. Mrs. Blizzard is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, of Ft. Recovery-, Ohio. While our subject is entitled to honoralile men- tion with the gallant soldiers of the Civil War, and in the first rank of the medical (irofession, he has also dislinguislied himself as a member of tlie Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. He retains his membership in the Ft. Recoveiy Lodge No. 458, and has successively borne all the honors conferred by the various degrees, h.aving been a delegate to the Orand Lodge in Ohio. He is a Republican in politics, and is a mem))er of the Nortlnvestern Ohio Medic.'il Association, of Mercer Comitv. nhn of tlic Indiana District and Jaj' Countj' Medical Societies. Such a mind as his. stored as it is with knowledge, and the genial disposition and temperament which it is his good fortune to possess, can yield only suc- cessful fruits. ENRY SCHAAL, of the firm of Esser ifc I) Schaal, editors and proprietors of the Xe- braska Slaats Anzeiger. and successors to (^) Peter Karberg, deceased, is an enterprising, energetic J'oung man, of much native ability and fine business talent. He is a native of Illinois, born in Belleville, tlie count}' seat of St. Clair' Counly. Nov. 2.5. 1857, being the eldest son of Philip and Elizabeth (Roth) Schaal. His father was a butcher and followed that trade in that cit}-. The subject of this sketch passed his early life in his native town, receiving a good education in its public schools. He was an industrious lad, earnest in his endeavors to establish himself in some work which should be, not only lucrative, but congenial to his tastes. After trying his hand at various kinds of business he determined to become a printer, and at the age of seventeen 3'ears entered the emploj'- ment of a publishing house in Belleville, where he learned the printer's trade, acquiring a full knowl- edge of the details of ever}' department during the four j'cars he was connected with that estal)lish- ment. After attaining his majorit}' Mr. Schaal left Illinois, and going to Dubuque. Iowa, commenced work for Peter Karberg, editor of the Xonl Iowa Post, with whom he remained until tlie following year, wlien he was sent by Mr. Karberg to Lincoln, Neb., to establish the present SlaaU Anzeii/er, work- ing as a compositor on the pa[)er eighteen months. He tlicu pushed farther west, and in Denver, Col., secured work as foreman on the Colorado Courier. While there the death of Mr. Karberg occurred, and our subject, returning to Lincoln, took charge of the Slaats Aiizeiijer. Subsequently forming a partnership with August Esser, he purchased the paper from the administrator of the Karberg estate, and has since continued its publication. It is a thirty-six column quarto sheet, 28x44 inclies, andis a no:it, well-conducted p:i|K'r, devoteil t(j the interests ^^ *► ll "^ ^ii*^h-^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 433 i of the locality, and gives all the important domestic and foreign intelligence. It is Republican in poli- tics, and has a large circulation in tiie city and county. Mr. Schaal is a practical printer, and his partner attends to the editorial department. Mr. Esser was born in Germany, at Gladbach on the Rhine, where he received a fine education. In 1882, desiring to improve his financi.il condition, he emigrated to America, and made his way to Iowa, coming thence to Lincoln in 1 883. He secured a position as associate editor and traveling agent for the Nebraska Slaats Anzeiijer, subsequently forming his present partnership with Mr. .Schaal. Under their joint management the paper has taken a leading place among the sheets published in this section of the country, and exerts a good influence throughout the State. ^/UDGE STEPHEN B. POUND, ex-Judge of I the Probate Court, first President of the j Lancaster County Bar Association, and a (i^/' successful practicing attorney of the city of Lincoln, became identified with the people of South- ern Nebraska soon after the Territory was trans- formed into a State, and when the present city of Lincoln was the village of Lancaster. He was for a time engaged in mercantile business, but havino- already a good knowledge of law, and the professiun being in consonance with his tastes, he sold out and associated himself in partnership with the able at- torney, Seth Robinson, with whom he continued until his election in the fall of 1869 to Judge of the Probate Court. The Empire State, which has so generously con- tributed of her sons to the settlement of the Great West, contained the early home of our subject, he having been born in Ontario County, Jan. 14, 1835. When quite young, his parents changed their resi- dence to Wayne County, that State, where his father, Nathan K. Pound, looked his last upon the scenes of earth. Stephen B. remained there with his mother until reaching manhood, and assisted in the various labors of the farm, upon which the father had died, and where the mother also spent the remainder of her life. She passed away about 1882. They were natives respectively of Massa- chusetts and Connecticut, the mother being in her girlhood Miss Hannah G. Lane, and the families of both were of English descent. Upon leaving the district school young Pound be- came a student of Walworth Academy, and subse- quently of Macedon Academy, and thus prepared himself for a college course. This latter he entered upon in Union College, in Schenectady, from which he was graduated with honors in the year 1859. Immediately afterward, at Lyons, Wayne Co., N. Y., he entered the law office of Judge Sherwood, who was County Judge Surrogate, and for whom he officiated as clerk, copying legal documents and attending to court business until 1863. By this time he had gained a knowledge of common law, and after a creditable examination was admitted to practice. In 1864, at the expiration of Judge Sher- wood's term of office, he was admitted to partner- ship with his tutor, which lasted until the death of the latter in 1866. In the fall of that year Judge Pound came to the West, spending one winter in Platteville, Wis., and during the following year taking up his residence in this State. In the fall of 1869 Judge Pound returned to the Empire State, and was there married, in Wayne County, to Miss Laura B., daughter of J. S. and Olivia Biddlecome. She was born in 1841, in Ontario County, N. Y. The newly married pair returned at once to Lincoln, which has since been their home. On the expii-ation of his term of ofDce as Probate Judge, he, in January, 1872, formed a law partnership with C. C. Burr, which continued three years, until his election to be District Judge. In 1872 he was elected State Senator for the distHct composed of Lancaster and several adjoining coun- ties. He was elected a member of the Constitu- tional Convention which convened in the spring of 1 875, for the purpose of foi'ming a new Constitution, which also established a new judicial system. In the fall of 1875 he was elected Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit, composed of the counties of Lan- caster, Cass, Otoe and Nemaha, of which office he was the incumbent for three successive terms, and until the fall of 1887. At this time Judge Pound resigned, and associated himself in a law partnership with C.jC. Burr, the firm of Pound & Burr still u -•► 434 LANCASTER COUNTY. cxistin;):. They command an extensive practice tlirouglioiit this and adjoining counties, and are both men of standing, possessing ripe judgment apd a large experience. Being free from scheming or triolcer}' they enjoj" the patronage of the most in- telligent class of people within their jurisdiction. The home of Judge I'ound embraces a fhie resi- dence, with ample grounds, where, in the compan- ionship of an intelligent wife and hosts of friends, he is in the enjoyment of sufiicient of this world's goods, being surrounded by all the comforts of life. His property embraces this homo and other real estate in Lincoln. His family includes a son and two daughters, the first mentioned of whom is Roscoe. a bright and promising young man, and a graduate of the State I'niversity, where the daugh- ters. Emma L. and Olivia, are now both students. Judge Pound has been prominently identified with the legal profession at large in Southern Nebraska, taking a lively interest in maintaining its standing and reputation, and is insepiirably connected with its history. JACOB LAllM, whose extensive farm is situ- ated upon section 28, Buda Precinct, is a native of Bavaria, and one of whom it is a pleasure to speak, because he has sought to understand the institutions of his adopted country, gather its ideas and make them his own, with the happy result that there are few who better under- stand or more appreciate them. He was born in the Kingdom of Bavaria, on the 7th of July, 1842, and is the son of Phillip and Catherine Lahni. He is their only son, and has received every advantage in their power to give. His education in his native tongue was extensive and thorough, and since com- ing to this country he has made considerable prog- ress in his study of English. At fifteen years of a^e he was apprenticed to learn the trade of bl.ack- smith and iron worker, and continued to follow it until he was about twenty-two years of age, when he joined the Bavarian army and served five and one-half years in the heavy cavalry, and was the blacksmith of his company. He was in the Austro- Prussian War in 1866, fighting on the side of Austria. 4* In the second battle in wliich he participated he was wounded in the right ankle by a grenade; this left iiiin unfit for service, and he was iKjnorabl}- dis- charged, and subsequently received a pension of *."» per month. In 1868 our subject emigrated to America, Uik- ing passage at Havre, and after a voyage of seven- teen da3s landed from the steamer that had been his rtontiiig home for that period, in the city of New York. Having recovered somewhat from the effects of the voyage he made his wa\' to St. Louis, which was his home for about a year. He then went to Shelbyville, 111., and for tiiree years worked by the month upon a farm ; subse([uently rented a propert^y and went to work upon his own account, and was very successful in this veniure, and before ver}' long w^is in a position to purchase a farm. The Western World had sent forth its invitation for settlers, and our subject was one to accept, and in February of 1883 he came to this county, and has resided here ever since. His farm comprises eight}' acres of excellent land for agricultural pur- suits, and he has gone to work heartil}' to make every possible improvement upon it. He is quite a student in rogaid to husbandr}-, aTid is one of the founders of the Buda Agricultural Society, which has for its object the improvement of the stock and produce of the farm. He has held the oflice of President of the society. In political affairs our subject is deeply interested though not an otlice-seeker, and decides uiwn the question of who shall receive his votes rather by the character of the candidate than the question of his i)arty. Although not a member of any church our subject is a most respected citizen because of his regard for a high state of morals, personally and in the coniuuuiily. He was one of the founders of the German Family Club, of Cortland, and has been President of the club from the commencement, with the exception of two years. One of the most important steps in the life of our subject was taken upon the 25th of December, 1867, when he became the husband of Miss An- gelica Kime, a lady of culture, refinement and womanly grace, who has since stood with him. at once the brightness and inspiration of his life. Our LANCASTER COUNTS. 435 ^ subject represents the ideal German-American citi- zen. Since coming to this country he has carcfiiliy studied its institutions and is deeplj' imbued with its ideas, with the result that he is most cordially in sympatiiy witli the same and lieartil}' attached to the land of his adoption. (| IftlLLIAM MAXAVELL REED, who has been \jjj/i a resident of this county since April, 1875, ]y^ belongs to that large class of rugged far- mers who have come from the Buckeye State and assisted so materially in the development of this section of countrj*. Mr. Reed was born in Licking- County, Ohio, March 13, 1827, and is the son of Nelson and Jane (Maxwell) Reed. The motlier of our subject died in her native State, leaving six children, of whom WiUiam Maxwell is the only son. The father subsequently married Mary Cockrell, and in 18.32 the family migrated to Illinois and settled in Fulton County, which ten years later they exchanged for Knox County. Tlie father finally removed to Southeastern Illinois, and con- tinued to reside there until his decease, which oc- curred in 18G5. The subject of this biographical notice was reared to farm life and received a common-school ei' "'^^^^^'^'^^^^^'^''^^^'''^sra^ Residemce of H.C. Fuson , Sec. 3, Waverly Precinct. Farm amdCity ResidenceofA.S. Eager, Sec.34. Roch.Creek P b ecinct. i •4^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 439 -t Gainesville. In the last battle he was severely' wouiuled. being shot through the wrist and ankle, and from the effects of these wounds he was honor- ably' discharged April 18, 18G4. Upon returning home our subject attended fur one ycav the seminary at Evansville, Wis., and at the end of that time left the State and made his home in Iowa for the subsequent three \'ears, occu- pied during that period in farming. In 1868 he came to Omaha of this State, and leniained one year, then went to Sadnders County and preempted eighty acres of land and remained upon it one j-ear, and then came to Lancaster County. After some prospecting he homesteaded eighty' acres of land in Rock Creek, which has since been extended, until to-day he possesses there quite a large estate. In 1873 a new farm of 160 acres of land was purchased from the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company, at SG per acre, situated on section 27. Seven j'ears after another quarter-section was pur- chased, situated upon section 33, for which he paid §1,200. In 1882, for the same amount, an ad- ditional eight}' acres was bought. Five years after, i. e. in 1887, another eighty acres changed hands and became the property of our subject, for which §1,7J0 was paid, so that he owns altogether about .t60 acres in Rock Creek Precinct. Our subject was married, in the year 1871, to Ellen Saffer, a daughter of George W. and Mary (Riderman) Saffer. Her father was born in the Hoosier State, in the year 1824, and made it his home for about forty-two years, and then went to Fulton County. 111. This he made his home until the year 1870, and then came to Saunders County, Neb., where he still resides. Mrs. Saffer was born in Indiana in 1832, and departed this life in 1865. Their family circle included five daughters, of whom the wife of our subject was the third-born. This important event occurred April 23, 1865. Our subject and his wife are happy in having four chil- dren, three of whom are sons. Their names are Frank, Carl, Earl and Pearl. Mr. Eager continued with undiminished vigor and assiduity to carry on his farms until the close of the season of 1887, when he removed to the city of Lincoln, retired from active labor, in order to enjoy the fruit of previous years of toil. Never-the- less he has not entirely severed his connection with the farm, but still superintends with keen interest, more especiall}' giving attention to his stock and cattle breeding. He is the owner of an exception- ally fine herd of high-grade cattle of the best varieties, devoting special care to this department. The family of our subject are members of the Free Methodist Episcopal Church, in good standing, and receive the cordial esteem of their fellow-mem- bers. The political sympathies of Mr. Eager are with the Rei)ublican party, of which he is an old friend and sujiporter. His standing in the com- munity IS of the very highest. -^0^ 'W^i ^F„,^ENRY C. FUSON, of Waverly Precinct. '"^ came to this section of country in 1875, and began his career in Nebraska upon rented land. He labored industriously five 3'ears, and by this time had accumulated sufficient capital to purchase his present farm, of which only forty acres were under the plow. There was upon it only one small building, which served as a shelter to the famil}' until the erection of the present handsome and substantial dwelling, in 1888. This residence is one of the finest in this part of the count}", and Mr. Fuson has bj' degrees added the other farm buildings essential to the convenience and comfort of the modern agriculturist. A view of the place is shown in this connection. His accumulations are the result of his own industry, as he is essen- tially a self-made man, one who was thrown upon his own resources early in life, and understood that if he was to get on in the world he must put his shoulder to the wheel. That he has done this, and with most admirable results, is at once apparent in the fine property which now affords him a handsome income, and which will amplj- provide for him in his old age. Our subject was born in C'hami)aign County, Ohio, March 18, 1845, and is the son of William S. and Sarah (Harboar) Fuson, who were natives re- spectively of the Old Dominion and the Buckeye State. William Fuson was but an infant when his parents emigrated to Champaign County, Ohio, where they spent the remainder of their lives. He f liO ,t LANCASTER COUNTY. grew to inauhood assisting in tlie building up of the lionicstead, and was married to tlic niotlicr of our suliject in Ciianipaign County-, of wliieli her parents were also earl}' pioneers. Tiie parents of our subject, in 1840, left Ohio and settled on a farm in Fulton County, Ind., where the father followed agriculture until his death, in 18G2. The mother later joined her youngest son, Millard F., in Kansas, and is now residing there, in Trego Count}'. The parental household included eleven children, eight of whom were living at the time of the father's death, and seven still survive: Thomas ,1. follows the profession of a teacher at Havana, III. : Ira J. is mining in the vicinity of Georgetown, Col.; Simeon J. pursues farming and carpentering combined, near Marbletown, 111. ; Willis II. died in Trego County, Kan., about 1885; Henry C. our subject, was the fifth child ; Noah E. died in Fulton County, 111., when about twenty-two 3'ears old; Mary C, Mrs. John Jackson, lives in New Mexico, and Jlillard F. is a mail carrier of Trego County, Kan. Mr. Fuson, our subject, was only eighteen months old when his father removed with his family to Ful- ton County, 111., where the bo}' developed into man- hood, acquired a common-school education, and became familiar with the various emplo^'ments of the farm. The second ycav of the war he enlisted as a Union soldier, in Company E, .53d Illinois In- fantry-, liut was onlj' permitted to serve about ten months, being compelled to accept his discbarge on account of ill-health. He, however, participated in the siege of Corinth, and saw much of the hard- ships and privations of war. Upon retiring from the service he resumed farming in Illinois, and in due time, May 7, 1867, w.as united in marriage with one of the most estimable young ladies of Fulton County, Miss Zilla Atwater, who w;is born there Oct. 17, 1844. Her parents, Lyman and Jane (Lockwood) Atwater, were natives of Ohio, and spent their Lost j'ears in Fulton County, where the father followed farming, and died about 1862. The mother passed away in 1873. Mr. Fuson when starting out for himself pur- chased eighty acres of his father's estate in Fulton County, and lived there until coming to Nebraska, To our siiliject and his estimable wife there have been born six children, of whom five are living, namely: Willis H., U. (■ rant. Flora Isabelle, Dora May and Charles H. One son, John R., died Dec. 28, 1885, in Nebraska, when a promising j'outh of fifteen ^-ears. Mr. Fuson while in Illinois was con- nected with the United Brethren Church, but now, with his estimable wife, belongs to the Christian Church, in Waverly. Politically, Mr. F. votes the straight Republican ticket, but has never aspired to oflice. As an ex-soldier he is identified with the G. A. R., belonging to Mitcliell Post No. 38, at AVaverly. ON. JOHN W. DICKINSON. One of the leading and substantial citizens of Lancas- ^ ter County is John AV. Dickinson, the sub- i^ ject of this biographical sketch, who resides near "Waverly, upon his farm. He is a son of En- sign P. and Fanny S. (Whitcher) Dickinson, natives of Ohio and Massachusetts respectively. E. P. Dickinson learned and for manj' ye.ars fol- lowed the trade of carpenter, in his native State, where he was reared to manhood and continued to reside until after his marriage. In 1842 or 1843 he removed with his family to Wisconsin. When he came to Grant County there were ver}' few set- tlers, and neighbors could only be visited after a comparatively long journe}'. He took up his resi- dence near Platteville, where his services were speedil}' in demand, and for a considerable time he continued to follow his trade. Here. Sept. 22, 1845, our subject, John W., was born. His father, who is still living, has been a successful man. When he settled in Grant County the total amount in the family exchequer was exceedingly small, in popular parlance he was without a dollar, but by in- defatigalile Industry and undaunted enterprise he has become one of its we:ilthy and most respected citizens. The "grand old party" has idwa^'s found in .Mr. I). a stanch advocate, an intelligent and energetic worker. He is not a member of any church denomi- nation, but his iiHiate large-heartedness and liber- ality are such that he deals with lil>eral hand with every worthy and charitable enterprise, whether it i u LANCASTER COUNTY. 4> 441 l)e the individual who has been overeome by the misfortunes and adversities of life, or more exten- sive demands from the community at large. His wife, the mother of our suliject, is still living, and has borne seven children, of whom John W. is the second. The eldest was Elizabeth, now the wife of E. T. McKee, of Stockton, Cal.; after John W. was Lorain, wife of H. W. Cowell, also of Stockton; Phebe, now Mrs. "Warren Johnson, of Grant County, Wis.; William, resident in Arizona, and P]verett^ of Ripon, Cal.; Ina I;, who married A. Grindell, but afterward died in California, and Charles, now a resident of Platteville, Wis. Until our subject w.as eighteen years of age his life was spent between attending school and render- ing such services as he was enabled to upon the farm. Then (in 18G4) he enlisted .and went into service with Company B, 43d Wisconsin Regiment, which was commanded by Col. Allison Cobb, now of the Nebr.aska Supreme Bench. Mr. Dickinson partici- pated in the battle of Johnsonville, Tenn., and a number of minor engagements, and was discharged by general order, in July, 1865, at the close of the war, when he returned home to Wisconsin. Two years after he turned his face westward, and finally located on section 14, town 11, range 8, Waverly Precinct. Here he entered a homestead claim, took up his residence upon it, and set to work to fulfil the other legal requirements. In due time he proved up, and has since continued to occupy it. He owns 180 acres of land, which is in a good state of cultivation, and upon it is found, besides his pleasant residence, substantially built farm buildings, in which attention has been given in the detail of arrangement, to such provision .as shall in- sure the greatest comfort and convenience. In ad- dition to his farm Mr. Dickinson has engaged ex- tensively for the last three years in the sale of live stock and grain. In the year 1871 Mr. Dickinson was mariioil to Carrie A. Hulling, daughter of Samuel and Johana Hulling. This lady was born in Grant County, Wis., where she resided until lier marriage. Their home h.as been brightened by the presence of four children — Ensign, Fanny, Ina and Clyde. Our subject follows the admirable example of his father in politics, and has been a careful stu- dent, strong adherent, and eloquent advocate of the principles of the Republican party; frequently has he been called upon to fill local oflices. He was a candidate for election to the State Legislature in 1886, at which time, remembering his conscientious and careful work in the other otiices, respecting his manly character and integrity, judging him a worthy and true man, one fitted in an eminent degree to represent them, the people elected him. In the G. A. R., of Waverly, of which society Mr. Dickinson is a member, he has been found to be a consistent, reliable and active member, courteous gentleman, and bi-ave comrade, especially in tlie post with which he is immediately connected. "JOSEPH ROCKE is one of the prominent I farmers residing in Buda Precinct, being the owner of eighty acres of land on section 1, also of 320 acres in Rawlins County, K.an. He was born on the 15th of November, 1854, in McLean County, 111., and is a son of Joseph and Mary Rocke, both n.atives of Germany. His par- ents emigrated to America, and after reaching this country went to Illinois, and among other places in which they made their home w.is the county of Tazewell. They came to Lancaster County aljout the year 1868, and the father homesteaded eighty acres of land, it now being the home of his son, our subject. The father died in January, 1883, and the mother in June, 1886, they having been the parents of seven children, six now living, namely: Christian is proprietor of the Washington House ; Jacob, the present County Treasurer of this county; Mary, the wife of Prof. Riciiard Stockfeld, who is the Principal of the schools at Cortland, Gage County; Melinda, the wife of Henry Weidaman, in Gage County; Elizabeth, the wife of John Fisher, residing in Lincoln, and Jose|)h, our subject. The gentleman in whose honor this sketch is written has been a resident of this county since the year 1868, consequently he has h.ad considerable experience as an early settler, and li!is watched with pride and interest the improvements that are yearly being made. On the 3d of April, 1887, he was united in marriage with Mary Rocke, a native of t 442 LANCASTER COUNTY. iUinois, by whom he has one daughter, Clara, who was born on the IGth of January, 1888. He is a member of the Ucpublican party, and is interested in all general public improvements. | The later residents of a country whose resources have been well developed can hardly appreciate the advantages of ethication and religion which they j enjoy as fully as can those early settlers who have kept pace with tlie improvements, as they were made, ; and have watched with admiration tlie rapid prog- j ress toward perfection. Parents bravely' and un- complainingly endured the hardships and privations incident to the life of an early settler, stimulated I by the thought tliat their children and their chil- dren's children would enjoy the fruits of their industry, and that in the history of a country none j receive more iionoraljle mention than do those ' noble men and women who made the first start to- ward colonization. The subject of our sketch will be remembered as one who has done his sliare in the great work of improving this vast Western eountrj', and as he is 3'et but a young man will have ample opportunity' to watch the further growth and development of his section, lie enjoys the confi- dence and esteem of the people of his neighbor- hood, and has lieen fairl}- successful in life. »->^^M:fStfH -* >► ■ ^ ^MK UOUST LUCKE. As a whole, it is open i @/Ll [| to discussion whether there is a more de- ll* sirable class of immigrants in the New (gjf "World, taking ui) land or making their liomes in the Western countr}', than those who are from the country of the Rhine. It lias been noticed frequently that quite a large number of friends, relatives and acquaintances will leave tlieir native valley together and journey to this country-, and take up their claims so as to form quite a colony. Something of that kind took place in the settlement of certain parts of Lancaster County, and our sub- ject is one whustiinds prominently' before the people of Hilda Precinct as a representative American citi- zen, man and farmer. His propertv is on section 2Cp of the above precinct, and comprises 480 acres of very excellent farming land. Our subject was born in Germany, on the 18th of October, 1839, and is the son of Louis and Char- lotte Lucke, the former of whom is deceased. His mother now resides in the same precinct. Our sub- ject was reared to manhood in his native country', and there received a good practical education. He determined to emigrate to America in the spring of 1861, and crossed from Bremen to New York in a sailing-vessel, occupj'ing upon the vo3'age six weeks and five days. For about four years he continued to work steadil\' in Chicago, where he was em- ployed driving teams, etc. As soon as he had saved sullicient to warrant the venture, he removed to Benton County, Iowa, and began to farm upon his own account, and continued with increasing pi'osperity for three and a half years. In the fall of 1872 our subject came to this county and home- steaded eighty acres of land, and it was not long before he had a thoroughl}' improved farm. Subsequently our subject added to his farm, piece by i)iece, until to-day it comprises 480 acres, mostlj' of fine bottom land, all in good condition and yielding very fine harvests. In 18G1, when men were called for, he enlisted in the defense of the old tl.ag, and on the 1st of October became a member of Companj' H, olst Illinois Infantr3', 2d Division, 3d Brigade, Commander. Col. BriiUair, of Chicago. Among the battles in which he partici- pated may be mentioned those of Spring Hill and Franklin, and in the fight at Nashville and a second battle at Decatur. He finall}' became a member of the "Thomas Corps" and was sent to Texas, and afterward returned to Camp Butler. III., and was at that place when discharged in December, 18G2. The marriage of our subject was celebrated on the 4th of March, 1870, at Vinton, Benton Co., Iowa, the lady of his choice being Minnie Strank- man, and their family includes five children, who have been nanu'd as follows: Anne. Willie, Matilda, Rosa and lluldali. His home is very pleasantly situated, and is designed to aflford much comfort and convenience; during the warm summer days, the shade and orcliarsion at Moravia, C.a3'uga Co.,N. Y. Mr. Brown continued his law practice at Mo- ravia until 1870, then, turning his face westward, took up his residence in the rising city of Lincoln, where he followed his chosen calling successfully until 1 882, when failing health obliged him to with- draw from duties which were consuming too much of his time and strength. He Ijccame identified with the State National Bank as its President in 1885, and still holds this position, discharging the various duties and responsibilities therewith in a manner which has placed it upon a substantial foot- ing and gained for its leading offici.al the esteem and confidence of the communit}'. The marriage of Erastus E. Brown and Miss Jennie Churchill, of Onondaga County, N. Y., was celebrated at the home of the bride in Borodino, N. Y., Dec. 12, 186G. Mrs. Brown was born in Onondaga County, and is the daughter of Ansen and Izabenda Churchill. The father died when his daughter Jennie was five years old. The motlier died in 1875. They occupy a handsome home on L and Thirteenth streets. Mr. Brown was elected Mayor of Lincoln in 1872, and was the united choice of the people of this district for the State Senate in 1877 and 1881. He was largely instru- mental in securing tlie appropriation for tlie build- ing of the State Capitol at Lincoln, which gave to this city its substantial growth and which has main- tained it upon a solid l)asis. He is a man liberal- minded and public-spirited, and came to this sec- tion of country at a time when such men were most needed. In politics, he is a stanch Republican. ^ RUSSELL LOWNES, one of the enterpris- ing and public-spirited men of Grant Pre- cinct, owns a fine farm 320 acres in extent, J which is located on section 10, and upon which he h.as erected a neat and substantial dwelling, a commodious barn, and the other buildings required for the successful prosecution of agriculture after modern methods. The estate is also sui)plied with the other appurtenances required b}' the progressive ag- riculturist, nameh". first-class farm machinery, excel- lent grades of livestock, including horses, cattle and swine, a fine orchard of apple trees and the smaller fruits, which go to make up the comforts and enjoy- ments of the rural home. Sharing in the prosperity of the subject of this sketch are an excellent and sensible wife and two bright children. The latter have l>een carefully reared, and given those advantages in keeping with their position as the representatives of a f.amily which is widely and favorably known throughout this part of the county, and with whose history they are closely identified, and who have contributed their full quota in bringing it to its i)rescnt position. -^^Jh^ -4*- 444 LANCASTER COUNTY. Hr The communities of the West have grown rapiillj-, anfl. (luring tiie six years' residence of our subject in this portion of Lancaster County, his example and iiis labors have had due wcigiit with the people around liim and have i)roved an impetus to their own efforts, illustrating the oft repeated maxim, that much of life is due to its surroundings and associa- tions. The Lownes family is suijposed to have origi- nated in Wales, and the father of our subject, Joseph bj' name, w.as born in IJelmont County, Ohio. Upon reaching manhood he was married, in Fulton County. 111., to Miss Susannah J. Russell, who was born in Alexandria, Vt.. and who emigrated with her par- ents to Tcrre Haute, Ind., where they remained two years, then moved to Fulton County, 111., where they lived about four years, then changed their residence to McDonough County, of which they re- mained residents until December, 1882. Then, com- ing to Nebraska, they settled in Grant Precinct, where the mother died on the 4th of May, 1883, and the father two years later, Sept. 15, 1885. Their family included four children, the eldest of whom, Evel^'u, is the wife of Charles A. Cook, of Oak Tre- cinct, this county; J. Russell, our subject, was the second child and only son ; Susannah. Mrs. Charles M. Martin, resides on a farm in (irant Precinct; Ida married Fielding Martin, and died in Grant Pre- cinct, March 23, 1885. The subject of this sketch was bui'u in xMcDon- ough County, 111., April 8, 1847, was reared to farm pursuits, and comiileted his education in the Normal School in Macomb, in his native county. He came to this county in the latter part of 1 882. He had been married in Prairie City, 111., Nov. 9. 1870, to Miss Frances V. Cadvvallader, who was born in EUis- ville, Fulton County, that State, Jan. 27, 1850, and is the daughter of Ezra and Mary M. (Lancaster) Cadwallader, the former of whom died in Prairie City. April 14, 1872. The mother is .still living, and makes her home in Lewisburg, Kan. To our subject and his wife there were born three children, the youngest of whom, a son, Marcus, died when about one year old, in 1879. Mrs. Lownes is a very capable and intelligent lady, of good family, and occupies a fine social position as the wife of inw of the leading men of this county, and repre- senting the best phase of its agricultural and busi- ness interests. She is a member in good standing of the Free-Will Baptist Church, while Mr. Lownes was reared in the religious faith of the Society of Friends, and is still in sympathy with the i)rinciples taught him b}" his honored parents. The maternal grandmother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Susan Janev, wlu)se ancestors crossed the Atlantic from England on the same ves- sel with William Penn, and were in full syrapathj' with the great peacemaker in his labors to implant the i)rinciples of truth and justice upon the soil of the new continent. Politically. Mr. Lownes is a pronounced Republican, and a man who keeps him- self well posted upon matters of general interest to the intelligent and responsible citizen. ^iri ^ir^ ON. WILLIAM W. CARDER. A well- jj known oflicer of the I'nitcd States Arm3', in a recently written magazine article, has for- cibly stated the fact of the wonderful de- velopment of the great Western plains in the following words : " The rapid and thorough re- clamation of our Western possessions from the con- trol and domination of savages, and the magical transformation of this vast expanse of wilderness from a theater of barbarous warfare into thriving cities, villages and farms, the occupants of which are provided with peaceful and happy homes, are doubtless without a parallel in the annals of civili- zation." As one who has been a witness of this magical transformation from wilderness to civili- zation, it gives us great pleasure to present in the pages of this work a biograi)hical sketch of William W. Carder. He is a fine representative of the hardy, courageous pioneers who laid the foundations of Nebraska's present prosi)erity, and he has also assisted in building the noble superstructure that has since arisen, making it a great and power- ful State. When he came to Nebraska in 1857 it was under Territorial Government, and there were but few settlements aw.ay from the ;\Iissouri River. It was then that he saw for the first time the broad and almost illimital)le plains, stretching foi- hun- dreds of miles aw.aj- lo the base of the Ro<^ky ••> m 4» -4•- LANCASTER COUNTY. 445 1M Mountains, wliieli form a portion of what was then called tiie " Great American Desert," with which in the years that followed he became so familiar. It was a vfi\dy desolate country, where deer, antelope and buffalo roamed at will, anil the Indians were still numerous .and often hostile. In 1867 Mr. Carder settled in Lincoln, and to him belongs the distinction of having edited and published the first newspaper ever issued in this city or, indeed, in the interior of Nebraska, and through its columns he was instrumental in attract- ing people hither and thus building up the city, which had been previously organized, although the sale of lots had not taken place. Assisted by his wife in setting the type, he sent forth to the public the first number of his paper, called the N^ebraska Coiiundnicealth, on the 22d of October, 18G7. The name was afterward changeil to J^ebraska State Journal, and in 18G8 it changed hands. The subject of this sketch was born in Harrison Count}', W. Va.. Aug. 2, 1838, being a son of Ab- bott Carder, a native of the same State, and a grandson of Henry Carder, who was born in the city of Dublin, Ireland. The latter emigrated to America with his famil}' and settled in Virginia, where he and his brother had previously bought a large tract of land. He became extensively en- gaged in farming, and resided there until his death. The father of our subject was reared and married in Virginia, Susanna Staulnaker, likewise a Virginian by birth, becoming his wife, and he resided in his native State until 1839. In that year he moved to Ohio with his famil}', and in the town of Lebanon, Warren County, started a carriage and wagon fac- tory, which he conducted very successfully for many j'ears. He is still living, full of years, and honored for the upright life that he has led, mak- ing his home with his children, and a part of the time dwelling with our subject. His faithful wife departed this life in Dayton, Ohio. AVilliam W. Carder was reared in Lebanon, and in the cit}' schools received a liberal education. At sixteen years of age he engaged in the office of the Lebanon Citizen to learn the '"art preservative," and in the three years that he spent there he gained a thorough master}' of his calling. After he left that office he went to Cincinnati, and for a shoit time 4« set type on the Enquirer and on the Times. He then went to Peoria, 111., and was employed in the same manner in the office of the Peoria Transcript, until 1857, when he came to the Territory of Ne- braska, and the following seven years was engaged in freighting across the plains as far west as Salt Lake City. These long and tedious journeys were not devoid of excitement, and were sometimes fraught with danger, as after the breaking out of the late Civil War the Indians were quite hostile, and the only safe way to travel was in large companies. Even then the trains were occasionally attacked and cattle were killed or stolen. It was while on one of these journeys that our subject met the Hon. John Cadman, one of the first settlers of Lancaster County. He was at that time (18G3) in the employ of Coe & Carter, and while preparing to make a trip across the plains he was detained in Nebraska City three days after the rest of the train had started. He was provided with two pairs of oxen and a two-wheeled vehicle, and was entrusted with ^4,000 in cash and two dozen i)istols, which were concealed in a dry-goods box. His employers then instructed him to make Ft. Kearney as quickly as possible by the shortest and most expeditious route, that he might overtake the train there. On the second day out he arrived at the cabin of Mr. Cad- man, and asked to be allowed to stay over night. Cattle thieves then infested the country and every stranger was looked upon with suspicion, and it is thought that Mr. Cadman took Mr. Carder for a member of that fraternity, for in answer to his query, Mr. Cadman replied that he might if he would consent to be watched by a man with a re- volver. Mr. Carder readily consented, and on the Hoor of the cabin he slept the sleci) of the just until the morning hours. He then pursued his journey, and arrived at Ft. Kearney six days ahead of the train. In 1864 he resumed his old employ- ment as a printer, and was engaged in the office of the Xebraskci City Press, the leading |)aper of Nebraska, serving as foreman three years, and the latter part of the time as local editor. In 1867 he came to Lincoln to engage in the newspaper busi- ness on his own account, and in 18G8 he disposed of his paper to J. Q. Brownlee, and engage LANCASTER COUNTY. 1r Thej- left Pennsjlvatiia for Ohio about 1808, locat- ing first in Stark Count}-. The mother died in Stark County about 1828, and the father in Summit County, in 1868. The subject of this sketch was born in Union- town, Stark Co., Ohio, Feb. 9, 1833, and spent the most of his time upon a farm until reaching his majority. He followed farming for a time after- ward, and then for a period of nearly twentj' 3-ears engaged in the manufacture of stoneware in Sum- mit County. In connection with this he also oper- ated a meat-market at Akron, the county seat, and there first engaged as a stock-dealer, buj-ing and shipping in a limited manner. Mr. Myers came to Nebraska in April, 1882, lo- cating at once iu Grant Precinct and purchasing a farm on section 8. which he operated about six years. In the spring of 1888, coining to Cheney, he established himself in his present business as a general merchant and stock-dealer. Me still ret'iins possession of his farm, which affords him ample facilities for carrying on his other interests after the most approved methods. He is sj'stematic in his manner of doing business, prompt to meet his obligations, and thus has a substantial foothold among the prosperous and honored men of his com- munit}'. While a resident of Summit Count}', Ohio, Mr. Mj-ers was united in marri.ige with Miss Fannie Breckenridge. the wedding taking place at the home of the bride in Springfield, Feb. 10, 1855. Mrs. Myers is the daughter of Lemuel Breckenridge, a near relative of the well-known Gen. Breckenridge, of the Buckeye State. The parents both died in Stark County, Ohio, the father when about seventj'- two years old and the mother when sevent3'-six. In that county Mrs. Myers was born May 5, 1842. Her father was a shoemaker by occupation, and she continued under the parental roof until her mar- riage, acquiring a fair education in the common school and being taught by an excellent mother those household employments a knowledge of which has so nuicli influence in the hai)piness of a home. To our subject and his wife there have been born five children, two of whom, Alice and John, died in .SuTumit County, in infancy. William. Estella and Joan are at home with their jmrcnls, the eldest be- 4 » ing seventeen years of age and the youngest three. Mr. Myers is independent in politics, availing him- self of the right of the free-born American citizen to support the men whom he considers best qualified to serve the interests of the people. Both he .and his excellent wife attend the United Brethren Church. « IfclLLIAM WALVOOUD, a well-to-do and \/yJ// popular merchant of Holland, and senior \yW partner of the firm, Walvoord --'*%X^'|'^^-^l Store and Residence of W^^.Walvoord, Holland Village. ResidenceofHenry Burcham,5ec.4..5outh Pas. Ppelinct -U LANCASTER COUNTY. 459 age of fourteen he was confirmed in the church of Lichtenvoorrle. He remained at home witli his parents, giving his father valuable assistance on the farm until 1868, when, having heard mueli of America through relatives who had come here to locate, he desired to try life in this Western world, feeling assured that a young man with plenty of courage, brain and muscle could not fail in time to win his wa3' to success where labor nas so encour- aged and protected. Accordingly he embarked July 1 on a steamer at Rotterdam, bound for Quebec. After landing on this continent, Mr. Walvoord made his way from that Canadian city to Chicago, and tlience went by lake to Sheboygan, Wis., vvhere his uncle owned a farm. His relative gave him a warm greeting and put him to work on his place. Our subject liked it so well in this country that he sent back word to the old country urging his |)arents to come here with the remaining members (if the family. Consequently they all joined him the second year of his stay here, and after a short visit to their friends in "Wisconsin, they all came to Nebraska, and, as before related, all who were old enough took up land in South Pass in the spring of 1870, and have since been very much prospered. Our subject established himself in his present mercantile business in Holland over sixteen j-ears ago, and by strict attention to business he has met with unbounded success, and has built up a good trade. He commands the respect of his many patrons, whom he has served strictly on a fair business basis for more than sixteen }'ears. In March, 1886, his health being poor, and feeling the need of a capable^ partner who could assist him in the management of his extensive business, he admitted Mr. T. Liesvelt into partnershij), and they have since continued together at the old stand. Our subject has accumulated much valuable property since becoming a resident of Holland. He owns his store building, some fine village property, has erected a handsome and commodious house, and he also owns the following farms: One of 160 acres, one of eighty acres, one c>f forty acres, another of twenty acres, and some village property comprising fifteen acres of land, all his real estate amounting to 315 acres. Although all are worthy being pre- M* sented to the reader by the artist, the view which accompanies this sketch, showing the homo of Mr. Walvoord, will be of, perhaps, greatest interest. Mr. Walvoord has been twice married. His first wife, whose maiden name was Hendrikka Wubbles, died six weeks after the wedding, thus ending what had promised to be an exceedingly happ}' marriage. The present Mrs. Walvoord was formerly Miss Jane Kolstee. She was born in Hol- land, came to America when seventeen years old, and was married at the age of twenty- two. The pleas- ant married life of our subject ann of esteem and confidence among honest men. AVe present the portraits of INIr. Fischer and his wife in this connection. /^& IIARLES AVESSEL has been for several (l[ years a prominent factor in developing and ^^^' sustaining the great agricultural interests of I/mcaster Cimnty, and the (iue farm that he has im- proved from the wild prairies, beautifull3' located on section 30, South Pass Precinct, comjirising 230 acres of the richest and most arable land in this re- gion shows him to he a skillful and competent f.armer. and the income that he derives therefrom places him among the most substantial and well-to-do citizens of the place. Jlr. AVessel is a Prussian by birth and breeding, as were also his parents, Charles and Mary (Cut- meyer) AVessel, they having been born near the vil- lage of Tang.an, in AA'^estphalia. Ilis mother died in the Fatherland when he was thirteen j-ears of age, in 1852, when she wasfortj' j-ears old. A true wife and a loving and devoted mother was thus taken away from her husband and the five children who were growing up around them, some of them at the age when they most needed a mother's tender care. The names of her offspring were Christian, Mary. Charles F., Fred (deceased) and Henry. All the familj', with the exception of our subject, re- side in AA'oodford County, 111. His father belonged to the middle classes in his native country, and was there eng.aged in farming, which occupation he h.as carried on in Illinois since coining to the United States, and by his industrious, honest and upright life, he has won respect and esteem from all about him. The subject of this sketch began to attend the Prussian schools at an early age, and as a l)right scholar made rapid progress in his studies in the scientific course that he pursued. He also received religious as well as secular instruction, and was con- firmed at the age of fourteen. After leaving school he began to le.arn the tailor's traile, but, not liking it, he preferred to work out on a farm. When our subject was eighteen years old, in company with his brother Christian and sister Mary, he set sail from Bremen on the American-bound ship "Asclelius," and after a long voyage of nine weeks and two days, landed in New Orleans in the latter part of October, 1857. From that city they pro- ceeded on a steamer up the Mississippi River to Burlington. Iowa. Our subject soon found work in ihnt city as an employe of AV^illiam Brickman, with whom he remained one j'ear. He continued to work out. MS dill his brother and sister, and they faithfully saved their earnings to liquidate a small t •►4H-ii<»- LANCASTER COUNTY. =4 debt that tlioir father hail contracted, and to pay bis and his remaining sons passage to this country, sending $300 across the water to their father and brothers, who joined them in the fall of 1859 in Woodford County, 111., whither our subject, his brother and sister liad moved. They all rented a farm together, and our subject remained with his people until his marriage, in 1864, willi Miss Hen- rietta Wittstruck, when he established a coz}' liome of his own. Mrs. Wessel was born in Germany, and was but a child when she came to America with her parents. She has proved an invaluable assist- ant to her husband in his woriv, and has made a comfortable home for her family. After marriage Mr. Wessel rented a farm for him- self, doing very well thereon for four j'ears. At the expiration of that t'me, in 18C8, he bought a farm of eighty acres, which he sold in tiie fall of 1869, as he had been allured by the brilliant in- ducements lield out to farmers by the wonderful agricultural resources of the then young State of Nebraska, and had determined to take advantage of them. He started with three wagons, three spans of/ horses and a stallion, with his wife and two small children, and their household goods. They arrived at Nebraska City on the 15th of November, having been exactly one month on the way. Mr. Wessel immediately looked up a suitable location, and being pleased with the country around South Pass, he pre-empted a tract of 172 acres on section 30, and two years afterward added the eighty acres on which his house now stands, which he took up under the i)rovisions of the Homestead Act, and by further purchase he has further increased the acre- age of his farm to 280 acres, all of which is in a fine state of cidlure, and provided with a substan- tial set of farm buildings. To our subject and his wife have been born eleven children, namely: Laura, Adolph, Mary. Clara, Anna, Charles, Kate, Fred, Lena, Louis and Eddie. Laura is the wife of Louis liambow, of South Pass, and they have two children, Louis and Fred; Adolph assists his father in the management of the farm; Mary is the wife of C. Clursman, of Lincoln, and they have one child, Edward ; Clara works in Lincoln. The remaining children live at home with their parents. Mr. Wessel is an active, wide-awake man, of resolute character, and undoubted integrity. Al- though of foreign birth, the years of his manhood have been passed in the United States, and as an intelligent citizen, familiar with her institutions and laws, our subject takes a hearty interest in the wel- fare of his adopted country. He sincerely believes the Democratic party can be most .safely trusted with the guidance of National affairs, and earnestly advocates its principles. In matters pertaining to township and county affairs, he is, however, inde- pendent, voting for the man whom he thinks best adapted to the position. He has himself held public office very acceptably, serving the township as School Director, and as Road Master. He is a man of firm religious convictions, and he and his faniil^' are valued members of the Presbyterian Church, at Princeton. -+|'=&^#+^ AMUEL McCLAY, ex-Sheriff of Lancaster County, is a native of the Bucke^-e Slate and born near the well-known town of Findlay, July 28. 1834. When a little lad seven years of age, his i)arents removed to Cham- paign County, in tiiat State, and from there later to Illinois, living for the first few years both in Tazewell and Fulton Counties. John McClay, the father of our subject, was born in Franklin County, Pa., and married Miss Jane Thompson, also a native of the Keystone State. He was a farmer bv occupation, and after remov- ing to Fulton County, III., established himself per- manently and built up a good home, where his death took place in 1862. The mother later went to live with her children in Woodford County, and died there in 1868. The family circle included six sons and five daughters, and ten of the children lived to mature years; five are now living. The subject of this sketch was the sixth child of the parental family, and spent his (thildhood and j'outh under the home roof, becoming familiar with rural occupations and attending the district school Later, in Illinois, he took a year's course at Brim- field Academy. He then began an apprenticeship at the carjienter's trade, which he fcjilowed four years ■•► •^1^=^ i^ 472 LANCASTER COUNTY. and until tbe outbreak of the Civil War. He was then one of the first to respond to the call for troops, enlisting in Company H, 17tb Illinois In- fantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, and operated considerably in Mississippi. The 17th Regiment was a part of the 17th Army Corps, under command of Gen. McPherson. Our subject was first under fire at Fredericktown, Mo., and later partici])ated in the battles of Ft. Donel- son, yhiloh and Vicksburg, besides meeting the enemy in various minor engagements and skir- mishes. At Fredericktown he was shot through the arm, which disabled him for six months, but after rejoining his regiment he suffered no further injury, although experiencing many hairbreadth es- capes. At the expiration of his term of enlistment he received his honorable discharge, in June, 1864, at Springfield, 111., and rctuined to his old haunts in Illinois. Mr. McClay, after being transformed from a sol- dier to a civilian, resumed carpentering, which he continued in the Prairie State until the spring of 18C7. Then, determined to seek the farther West, he made his way to the newly admitted State of Nebraska, stopping for a time at Omaha, and com- ing in October following to Lincoln. He soon embarked as a contractor and builder, meantime being recognized by the citizens of this county as a valued accession to the communitjs being wide-awake, intelligent and energetic, with excel- lent business capacities and a good fund of in- formation concerning matters in general. He was accordingly pushed to the front, and in the fall of 1869, after acquitting himself creditably in other positions of trust and responsibility, was elected Sheriff of Lancaster County on the Republican ticket. This office he held for a period of eight years, and upon retiring sought the quiet of the country and engaged in farming and stock-raising, iiaving. however, his residence in the city. Mr. McClaj- was five years employed as a farmer, then turned his attention to real estate, and began handling boih farm and city property, and since that time has been mostly thus occupied. The lady who has presided over his home for the last sixteen years was in her girlhood Miss Sarah J. Lamb, with f whom he was united in marriage Feb. 8, 1872. Mrs. McClay was born at Mt. Vernon, Ohio. May 21, 184.5, and is the daughter of John and Sarah E. (Cassell) Lamb, who were natives of Pennsyl- vania and Maryland respectively' ; the father is dead, and the mother is still living in Lincoln. Of this union there have been born two children, both daughters — Minnie J. and Hattie L. Mr. McClay has always been strongly identified with the Repub- lican party. fi^ANIEL A. GILBERT. It has been eus- jlj tomary to speak of men who have raised ifij^^ themselves to honorable stations in life ^"'^ without the aid of wealth or influential friends, as self-made men. There is much less sig- nificance in this expression than people suppose who use it. It would seem to implj' that there are some men who are not self-made, that they were made by others, and that the qualities necessary to render a man successful in life need not be ac- quired, but maj' be conferred. That is not alto- gether true, though true to some extent, for all men must be self-made, if made at all. Every man must be the architect of his own fortune. There are many advant.iges, however, to be gaineil from hav- ing friends and means. A man starting out in life without either of these may finally .achieve eminent success; and on the other hand, a man starting out in full possession of these advantages may make a signal failure unless he brings to bear some innate worth or virtue whereby to shape his course. Such efforts have been put forth and such suc- cess attained by the subject of this sketch, that he may well take rank among those who have molded for themselves successful careers. Mr. Gilbert is a native of Saratoga County, N. Y., the date of his birth being Jlay 23, 1830. He is a son of Pl.att C. and Susan Gilbert, who were reared in the State in which he was born. He spent the jears of his youth and early manliood in close proximit.y to the land through which flows the ever beautiful and pic- turesque Hudson River, his father living on a farm, of which there are none more romantically situated than are those in Eastern New York. Having received a fair common-school cduca- •Mh^ u LANCASTER COUNTY. ■•» 473 -Hl-^a tion, Mr. Gilbert then decided to follow the advice given by Horace Greeley, ''Young man, go "West and grow up with the countrj'," so in tiie year 1873 he came to Nebraska, and located in Lincoln. For some six years he engaged in the dairy business, in which he was successful, and afterward he engaged in the grocery business in the same place, which he conducted for some five years. Subsequent!}' he farmed for two j'ears in Denton Precinct, again re- turning to the mercantile business at Denton in 188.5, since which time he has been here. He is the general merchant of this place, and besides his store business, he is engaged in buying and selling grain and coal, and anything in the line of farmers' prod- uce. His storeroom is 24x40 feet in dimensions, the storeroom and village post-office occupying the front part of the building. Mr. Gilbert was appointed Postmaster in the spring of 1886. He enjoys the esteem and confidence of those with whom he is associated in business, and his integrity and uprightness of chai-acter are un- questioned. He not only enjoys a reputation as a successful merchant, but in ills duties as a servant of the Government he has given general satisfac- tion. He is a Republican in politics, and readily approves of an}' measure by which the good of the communit}' in which he lives can be secured or ad- vanced. Li New York State Mr. Gilbert was married to Sarah F. Coon; they have had seven children, five of whom are living, as follows: James C. diaries A., Carrie B., Martin T. and Mattie F. In the en- joyment of these domestic ties, and with the esteem and friendship of his fellownien, may he continue his prosperous career, serving his country in the position which it has bestowed upon him with the strict integrity and uprightness which have hereto- fore been his characteristic virtues. ^P ICHAEL PETER. While every man is to I \V a great extent responsible for the reputa- V 111 tion which he bears among his fellowmen, ' there ma}- be some circumstances bearing upon him to augment or depreciate in some degree } r what he might otherwise liave become as an inde- pendent factor. It is true that to some extent heredity makes a man what lie is; if his ancestry is illustrious, some beams of luster will fall on him; if it is degrading, some stain from the degradation will mar his otherwise spotless name. We are pleased to state that the subject of our sketch need mention only with feelings of pride the ancestry from which he is sprung. William Penn is one of the most estimab'e char- acters in English biography; he embraced the tenets of the Society of Friends, and svhen religious intolerance became unbearable to liira he obtained a patent from Charles II to found a settlement in North America, where the Friends might live un- molested. The settlement was organized on prin- ciples of perfect toleration^ on tiie land which Penn purchased from the Indians, and on the 24th of August, 1682, he founded the eitj' of Philadelphia (brotherly love), as the capital of his colony in Pennsylvania. The name of the city embodies the principle which he had at heart, his object in plant- ing the colon}' "to afford an asylum to the good and oppressed of all nations, to frame a govern- ment which might be an example to show men how free and happy they could be." Among the peo- ple who composed this celebrated colony were the ancestors of the gentleman in whose honor we write this sketch. Mr. Peter was born on the 1 6th of November, 1818, in York County, Pa., and is a son of George and Catherine M. Peter, both natives of the same State. They had born to them a family of ten children, of whom but four now survive. Abra- ham is in Noble County, Ohio; Leo, now Mrs. Kline, and George, are also both in Noble County; and Michael, our subject, is one of the pioneers of Buda Precinct, residing on section 12. When Michael was about eight years old his parents mi- gated to Ohio and settled in what is now known as Noble County, where the family were pioneers of the year 1826. There our subject was reared to manhood, and received what education he could from the early schools of his time. On the 10th of March, 1842, Mr. Peter was mar- ried, in Ohio, to Elizabeth Schell, a native of Bucks County, Pa., and thoy became the parents of twelve children, of whom the following survive: Andrew n- f u •^> ^ ll ♦ 474 LANCASTER COUNTY. lives in Colorado; Jac-ob in South Pass Precinct; Daniel in Noble County, Ohio; John in Sherman Count}', Kan. ; Catherine, wife of Henry Oldemeyer, in Lincoln, this county; JLargaret. wife of Hein Olflemeyer, in Colorado; Lydia, wife of S. B. Bundy, in Sherman County, Kan. ; Mary, wife of George Sowers, in Gage County. In 1871 our subject .ind his farailj' came to Lancaster County, and iiave since resided here. Mr. Peter honiesteaded eighty acres of land, and improved it until it presents the fine appearance of to-day, having also seen the development of the surrounding country in a like manner as was his own farm, lie is interested in progress and im- l>rovenient, and active in supporting any measures by which the good of the country can be secured. He is a member of the Congregational Church, at Princeton, in which he has served as Elder for a iiuml)cr of years. Ue is a Dcniocrat in politics, and is now past seventy years of age but still able to do a great deal of labor, being in the enjoyment of good health. He possesses the entire confidence of his neighbors, and is one of the living pioneers who have done much to make this county what it is. No one is more worthy of a place in this work tiiau the gentleman of whom we write, as is mani- fested by the respect and esteem in which he is held by the people of his community. J^ ETER GLEE is one of the old settlers of I) Centerville Precinct, residing on section 32. He is the youngest child of a family of nine children born to his parents, the names of his brothers and sisters being John, Hans. Inca, Anna, Henry, Katie, Dedlif and Telcia. This family were all born in their parents' native coun- trv of Prussia, Germany, and our subject was born on the 1st of January', 1834. He was enabled to acquire a very good education in his native tongue, and the education thus gained has been of countless worth to him. In the year 1864 our subject concluded that he would like to see the "America" of which so much had been said, and the name of which had long been ringing in his ears. It is not always pure 4» curiosit}' that prompts those worthy people of for- eign countries to visit this couutrj-, but it is oftener because she holds out inducements for the bettering of their condition, the trulli of which they canuot help but believe and appreciate. Thus it is that so many industrious people have left their native homes to which they were then and still are very much at- tached, to seek in America that freedom, protection and encouragement which they did not before en- jOj'. Taking passage on an ocean steamer, our sub- ject left Hamburg, and after a voj'age of seventeen d.ays he landed in New York City, from which place he went to Clay Count}', 111. There he resided for two j'ears, and in tiie 3'ear 18GG he came to Lancas- ter County, where he settled on the land which con- stitutes his present farm. In the year 1866 our subject was married to Eliza- beth KruU, and they became the parents of eleven children, six of whom are living. The children who have been spared to brighten their days are AVilliam, Charles, Peter, Otto, Addie and Agnes. Those who were taken from them were Oscar, Hina and John, and two who died in infancy unnamed. When Mr. Glee came to this county he took up a homestead of 160 acres, and by careful manage- ment and industry he has subsequently been able to purchase at different times, until now he is the owner of 520 acres of good, well-improved land. He came without means other than a strong, vigor- ous bod}', a good education, and above all, a deter- mination and will to succeed, which are really worth much more to a young man starting out in life than any amount of mere dollars and cents. When par- ents can bestow upon their children a certain amount of wordly goods, it may enable them to se- cure for themselves a fortune without really great labor, but if they canuot do this, they can yet send them out into the world fully equipi)ed to lead suc- cessful and honorable careers, if they have but en- dowed them with strong bodies, good, sound minds and educational advantages, and taught thera that self-reliance will accomplish great things. Our subject has been a worker all his life, and thut, coupled with the fact that he is a good manager, has made him successful in what he has under- taken. He is a respected member of the German Lutheran Church, and in politics he votes with the r u LANCASTER COUNTY. 475 Republican party. Wlien the Lutheran Church was being built in Centerville Precinct, he served as a member of the building committee, and is other- wise interested in the promulgation of religious principles. He is iu favor of all the institutions that will lead to the advancement of the people and the improvement of the country, and as far as he is able he gives them his support. In connection with his regular farm work our subject has made a specialty of breeding fine stock and cattle, and he has a fine stallion of the Clydes- dale breed whicli is novv fourteen months old, and promises to be a fine horse. By giving attention to the improvement of the grade of those domestic animals and ver^' useful servants, a farmer not only secures better results from their work, but exempli- fies one of the truths of political economy which teaches that the best that can be done should be done for the general improvement of labor and the country. It is to the live, active, industrious and go-ahead principles which characterize our subject, that this county is indebted foi' its rise from a state of un- cultivated, natural prairie land, dotted here and there with log houses and perhaps a school or two, to a state of the highest improvement in the con- dition of the farms, and the many beautiful and commodious dwellings and school buildings for which this county is particularly noted. As one of the men who has done ranch for the advance- ment of his adopted country, Mr. Glee is entitled to the respect, admiration and remembrance of the people in his community. --|*^»f^ ON. HIRAM D. HATHAWAY, business manager of the State Journal Company, at Lincoln, a gentleman of education and i^ ability, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, Oct. 20, 1835, and is the third son and child of Artemas D. and Rachel (Hampton) Hathaway. The Hamptons were early settlers of New England, whence they removed later to Pennsj'lvania. Arte- mas Hathaway was one of the pioneer settlers of Ohio, locating in Trumbull County about 1826. Hiram D. remained on the farm during his boyhood. and acquired a district school education. His father died when he was only seven years of age. When sixteen years of age he migrated to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he commenced the printer's trade, in the office of the Frontier Guard- ian, in 1852. This sheet was run off through an old-fashioned hand-press, and the first duty of young Hathaway w.as to act as roller-boy. Pining, how- ever, for a more active life, he the following year set out on the long and hazardous trip across the plains to California, and remained five years upon the Pacific Slope, engaged in mining, lumbering, cattle-raising and farming. Our subject, in 1858, returned eastward as far as this State, which was then a Territory, stopping for a time at Wyoming, and resuming the printer's trade in the office of the Wyoming Telescope, of which, in due time, he became the business man- ager. From this point a year later Mr. Hathaway pitched his tent in Nebraska City, where he was emplo3'ed as a "jour'' on a paper called the Spirit of the West, and with which he continued until it col- lapsed. We next find him in the office of the .^e- braska City Neivs, of which he assumed charge of the mechanical and business department, remaining with it until 1865. In April of that year Mr. Hathaway established the Ifebraska Herald, at Plattsmouth, which he con- ducted successfully for a period of seven years. Then withdrawing, he purchased a half-interest in the State Journal, at Lincoln, becoming the partner of Charles H. Gere. In December of the following year they added another member to the firm, and established a general printing, book-binding and stationery department, which from the start received an extensive patronage, and now gives employment in some seasons of the year to as many as 200 men. They carry a complete stock of job and printing material, besides fine stationer3'. They have added electrotyping, stereotyping and lithographing to their line of work, and have now one of the largest and cleanest establishments in the Northwest. Mr. Hathaway, when twentj'-five years of age, and while a resident of Nebraska City, was united in marri.age with Miss Anna Lauer, the wedding tak- ing place at the home of the bride, Aug. 1, 1860, in Nebraska City. Mrs. H. was born in New York i~ u 476 LANCASTER COUNTY. City, in March, 1838. Of this ra.arriage there have been five children, tlireo living and two deceased, in order of birth: Cliarles C. died at the age of twenty-one; Fred II. died at the age of twenty: Frank L. is connected with the stationery depart- ment of the Staff Journal; Lillie E., a student of the State University; and Ralph IL, attending the common school. In politics Mr. II. is an uncompromising Repub- lican, and has done good service for his partj' in Nebraska. He was elected a member of the Lower House of the Legislature in 1807, and two years later was elected State Senator at the first session held at Lincoln. In whatever station he has been called to fill he has acquitted himself conscientiously and intelligentl3', thus earning the esteem and con- fidence of the people at large. His comfortable and well-appointed home is located in the central part of the city, at the corner of Sixteenth and M streets, among whose people his face and form have been familiar for many years, and who have learned to estimate him at his true worth. ^*^df^ 1^ )>;ILLIAM J. FOWLIE has one of the finest \/sJ// 'seated farms in Lancaster Count3', situated ^sff on section IS in the beautiful precinct of Nemaha, and its carefully cultivated acres, under his skillful management, are made to j'ield to the ut- most the abundant harvests gleaned therefrom, fur- nishing evidence of the extreme richness and depth of the soil. Our subject is the son of William and .Jennie (Chalmers) Fowlie, natives of Scotland, the father born in Aberdeenshire. The latter w.as a young man when he came to this country-, and the mother was but a girl of fourteen or fifteen j'ears. Mr. Fowlie was a miller and millwrigiit bj' trade, and after settling in Smith's Falls, Province of Ontario, Canada, he built and ran a mill. He was very prosperous until his premature death, while still a young man, the result of having contracted a se- vere cold when in the water repairing the water- wheel. He was gifted with energy, enterprise and a sound mind, all of which attributes made him a desir- able citizen, whose death was a loss to the commu- nity in which he resided. The mother of our subject married a second time, John .Scott becoming her husband, and the}' now reside in Ames, Story Co., Iowa. Mrs. Scott has no children by her second marriage. The four by her first union are: Gabriel C, William J., Margaret and .Jennie. William I'\>wlie was born Sept. 13, 1840, at Smith's Falls, Ontario, Canada. He was a boy of nine when his father died. When he was ten 3-ears old he met with a serious accident while at phy, breaking his leg, anil it lieing improperly' set, he did not recover its use until he was twenty years of age. This, while being a great misfortune, and at the time a great disadvantage to him, depriving him of the pleasures of boyhood, darkening his youth, the pain unfitting him for stud^-, ma}' in a manner have helped to strengthen his mind and mold his character, making him more thoughtful and observant, and turning him to books for com- panionship when he was able to read. As soon as regaining his vigor, he took up the business of photograph}', and did very well at it, considering his inexperience and lack of capital. Mr. Fowlie subsequentl}' was offered a position as overseer or man.ager on a stock farm owned by a friend in Ottie County, near Nebraska Cit}', this State, at which point he arrived in 1SG6. He took charge of the ranch for a j'ear and a half, and then worked at carpentering for a year. He then took up the homestead where he now resides, on section 18, and after settling on his land he commenced to team lumber from Nebraska City to defraj' the ex- pense of living and improving his land. The countrj' round about was newly settled at that time, and there were no capitalists among the pio- neers, our subject having but three cents after he airived in Nebraska City. Since the trials and privations of those earl}' years he has been pros- pered, and ma}' be numbered among the substan- tial citizens of Lancaster County. He owns eighty acres of lan:^: *''f;\ ^-^ *,^^^^ '1^^ ^ ^^''15?%?? R ESIDEMCE OF ABRAHAM H E RTE-R , S EC. 9.8.10. S TOC K TON PpEClNCT ■^•- LANCASTER COUNTY. ■i^HK-^ 479 4 200 apple trees, tliirty clierry trees, and a great niimlier of plum trees. Mr. Fowlie was married, Sept. 13, 1874, to Miss Viola, daughter of the Rev. Jerome and Melinda (.lorden) Blackraan, of Illinois, in which State Mrs. F. was born Nov. 14, 1856. Her parents moved to Nebrasiva when she was young. Mr. Fowlie owes to her excellent management the pleasant and comfortable home that he enjo^'s with her and their children, four of whom complete the family circle, as follows: Ernest, Charles, Pearly and Blanche. Mr. Fowlie is a vvell-informed man, with broad and liberal views concerning the practical questions that form the topics of the hour. He does not stay to query vvhether life is worth living or no, but does what he can to make it so. Through his lib- erality and pulilic-spiritedness this comnuinity has been benefited in more w.ays than one. Especially is this true concerning the excellent school advan- tages that the 3'outh of the rising generation now enjoy in the district of which he is Director, as he has distinguished himself by his labors in bringing the school to its present high standard, procuring one of the best teachers to be had, and providing in every way for the convenience and advancement of the pupils. In his political views, Mr. Fowlie is a stalwart Republican, firmly advocating the policy of his party. The view of the Fowlie homestead, which will be found on an adjoining page, sufficiently indicates the taste and industry of the proprietor. ^ BRAIIAM HERTER. The subject of this ^/ I' sketch, who has a valuable farm finely lo- cated on section 10, is one of the most extensive agriculturists of Stockton Pre- cinct, and has contributed largely to its farming interests, being a man energetic, enterprising and industrious, and one who takes pride in his farm, his family, and the growth and development of his adopted country. In the view of his premises which a[)pears in this connection, is illustrated par- <• tially the results of his labors, which have been attended with prosperity. A native of the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, oursuliject was born Aug. 21, 1831, and for the first eleven years of his life lived among the beauti- ful scenes of his native country. His parents were in moderate circumstances, and he was at an early age imbued with those habits of industry which have been the secret of his later success. When quite young he was employed in a dyeing estab- lishment, and in April, 18.5.5, when a man grown, re- solved to seek his fortunes on another continent. Accordingly, embarking on a sailing-vessel at Havre de Grace, he arrived, after a safe voyage of seven weeks, in the city of New Orleans, whence he made his way directly to St. Clair County, 111., taking in the city of St. Louis on his way. He was there- after variously emploj'ed, in the meantime saving what he could of his earnings, which he later invested in a farm in St. Clair County, III., which he oper- ated until the spring of 1876. Then, selling out, he came with his family to this count}', and pur- chased 240 acres, eight}' of which comprised a part of section 10, in Stockton Precinct, and the balance is on section 35, in Stevens Creek Precinct. Here he has since made his home, erecting a fine set of frame buildings, and bringing about the other im- provements which invariably arrest the attention of the passing traveler. His hcrses and cattle give ample evidence of the care extended them, and the shipments are chiefly made to Omaha and other cities. His land has yielded generously under care- ful and judicious cultivation the richest crops of this section of the State. While a resident of St. Clair County, 111., our subject was married, Dec. 1, 1861, in Mascoutali, to Miss Catherine Oberle, who was born in Ottenheim, the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, Jan. 21, 1835, and came to America alone in 1859, when twenty-four years old. Her parents were of pure German ancestrj', and spent their last years in the Fatherland. Their household included eight chil- dren, four sons and four daughters. Two are in Germany, and the others in America. To Mr. and Mrs. Ilerter there have been born nine children, three only of whom are living, namely: Jacob W. ; Katie C, the wife of Phillip P'aulhaber, and Freder- :^^^i-^ t -^*- 480 LANCASTER COUNTY. ick C. The deceased were named respectiveli' : Abraham. Catheriiia, Abraham (2d). Ida, Anna M. and P^dward. Jlr. Ilerter on becoming a natural- ized American citizen east his lot with the Demo- cratic partj', and in religious matters the famil3' is in sjmpathy with tlie doctrines taught bj- Zwingle, the bosom friend yf Martin Luther. ■ -J^^J- lEORGE L. ANDERTON. The subject of this notice represents a man of excellent education, cultivated tastes and good busi- ness capacities, and who until the year 1887 fol- lowed mostly the profession of a teacher. He is now pleasantly located on a good farm of eighty acres, embracing the northwest quarter of section 15, Waverly Precinct, with good buildings and the machinery required for the prosecution of agricult- ure after modern methods. lie also owns eighty acres on section 10. The residence of our subject in this countj' dates from May, 1878. His early home was on the other side of the Atlantic, in Lancashire, England, where his birth tojk place .June 6. 1849. His parents, James and Hannah (Lemming) Anderton, were natives of the same shire, and George L. was but six months old when thej' emigrated from their native land and located on Staten Island, where they resided for a period of nine 3'ears, and the father pursued his trade of printing. From Staten Island tlie Anderton family removed first to Rhode Island and next to Taunton, Mass., where the father, who had followed the trade of printer, found that block printing was superceding the old methods and his occupation was practically gone. He for a short time worked in a bleaching Louse, but finally resolved to take up farming in the "West, and made his way to Manitowoc Count}', Wis., where he tilled the soil and resided until 1877. In the meantime the mother died there, about 1873. The father later returned to Massa- chusetts, but in a short time joined his son, our subject, in this county, and now makes his home witli him. The parentid famil}' included eleven children, three of whom died in infancj'. Alice became the wife of James Walker, and died in Waverly Pre- cinct about 1884; Diana. Mrs. Oswold Rogerson, lives in Massachusetts: Grace married George Chatterton. and is now a resident of Wisconsin; Marj- A. is the wife of Henry Berry, of Connecticut ; Jennie, Mrs. Calvin P. Green, lives in Connecticut, and John in Rhode Island. The subject of this sketch attended school quite regularly until a youth of sixteen 3'ears. then com- menced his career as a teacher. The j'ear following he went with the family to Wisconsin, where he supplemented his education b}' attendance at the Normal .School in Oshkosh, and thereafter taught school and farmed alternatel}- until coming to Ne- braska in 1878. For a period of nine years he oc- cupied himself as a grocer at Waverl}', and in 1887 settled upon the farm where he now resides. He had purch.ased the land some time previously. He put up a fine two-story residence in the spring of 1 888, which is one of the best structures of the kind in this part of the count}'. His land, with the ex- ception of sixtj' acres, is under a good stiitc of cul- tivation, and everj'thing about the premises is sug- gestive of comfort and plentj', the whole place presenting a most attractive picture of prosperous rural life. The wife of our subject, to whom he was mar- ried Sept. 28, 187',>, was in her girlhood Miss Norah, daughter of W. M. and Snare Reed, a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in this volume. They are now the parents of four interesting chil- dren, three sons and a daughter — Arthur, Edgar, Grace and Bennie. Mr. Anderton is a Republican, politically, and has served as Town Treasurer and School Director. EDWARD LAUTERBACII is one of the ris- ing young men of Nebraska, the owner of a good farm of eight)' acres on section 21, with a good house and ever}' necessary and con- venient arrangement in the line of farm buildings, one who seems anxious to be in the advance. He was born upon the 2')th of May, 1862, to Adam .and Frederica Lauterb.ach, at their home in Jefferson County, Iowa. He came to this county with his ■» ■ <■ i u i LANCASTER COUJSTY. 481 ;^ parents in 1879, and has continued his residence here ever since. Upon his farm he is giving evi- dence of much intelligence and thorough knowledge of his chosen occupation, and it goes without say- ing that there is a future before him worthy of his enterprise. At present our subject is filling the position of appraiser of the Olive Branch Aid Society. He also holds office in the Methodist P^piscopal Church Sunday-school, he being Superintendent of the same. He was united in m.arriage on the 26th of August, 1885, when he took as his wife Miss Louisa Elfeldt, daughter of Charles and Sophia El- feldt, who w-ere among the first settlers of the pre- cinct. They are parents of one daughter, Cora, who was born Sept. 16, 1887. *f^4 I'MEk'^HA'^'Jii ^^DAU LAUTERBACH. The discussion >/ 1 t^oi'cerning the naturalization laws, arising /// IM from their abuse, is always rife, and in some ^!^ cases would seem to favor extreme meas- ures being devised, but whenever one meets a citizen who has so thoroughly caught the spirit of the country and Government as has our suliject, one cannot but be glad for the opportunity which enaljles the country to derive the advantage of such intelligence and earnest manhood. Mr. Lauter- bach, whose home is on section 21, Buda Precinct, is worthy the name of representative as a man and citizen. He is a native of Germany, and was born on the 2d of April, 1838. He is the son of Henry and Catherine E. Lauterbach. In June of 1857 our subject took passage at Bremen on a sailing-vessel, and after a most inter- esting voyage of six weeks landed at Baltimore. He came to Franklin County, Ohio, and for six months following worked as a farm hand, and then removed to Jefferson County, Iowa, working in the same capacity for about three years. At the close of that period he bought a farm of forty acres, and farmed that until he removed to Lancaster County in the spring of 1879. Here he purchased 160 acres in this precinct from the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Compan3' for $7 per .acre. At the time he took the farm thei'e were no improvements made thereon, but fifty acres were broken; to-day it will stand favorable comparison with any of its neighbors, for by personal labor and perseverance he has brought it to a condition of development seldom surpassed. In Iowa our subject worked hard every day from morning until night to obtain what is now his, and has maiic his own way entirely from the start. The 3d of September, 1861, Mr. Lauterbach was united in marriage with Frederica Pfeiffer, wdiose parents were from Wurtemberg; she was born May 10, 1840, on the Atlantic Ocean, and their family circle included eight children, of whom five are liv- ing, whose names are here given: Edward; Julia, wife of William Miller; P^liza, wife of H. Oliver Hoffman; Mary, who is at home; Clara, wife of Christian Shafer. Three are deceased — Lydia,John H. and Martha E. Our subject and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he has served the same in various official positions at different times. He is very active and earnest in Christian work, and as a leader of prayer and other meetings has few equals, and upon occasions he has filled the pulpit with much acceptance. He has upon two different occasions served upon the Grand Jury, and by his intelligent grasp of the situation has done good work. He is quite well educated in his native language, and by his acquirement of the English tongue is largely enabled to aiipl^' the same. Po- litically, his sympathies are with the Republican party, which claims him as one of its stanchest friends. In every department he is a success, whether upon the farm or other matters, and enjoj's the entire confidence and esteem of his neighbors and fellow-citizens. ^__^.! NDREW J. YOUNG, a prosperous farmer ■^^1 of South Pass, residing on section 28, may 11 (4) well be classed among the pioneers of Ne- '/ braska, although not among the first settlers of the State, as he had to endure all the hardships and privations that befell the early comers, before he could bring the 160-acre tract of wild prairie land, that he took up under the provisions of the •► II ■^" 4- 482 LANCASTER COUNTY. Homestead Act, into its present highl}' cultivated condition, where it ranks among the most fertile and iiroductive farms in this localit3-. Mr. Young is a son of Jackson and Louisa (Van) Young, natives of South Cai-olina, the father of a sturdy Scotch ancestry, and the mother of thrift}' Dutch descent. When his father was a J'oung man he went to Tennessee, and taking up a tract of unoul- tiv;ited land in a newly settled part of Monroe County, led tlie life of a pioneer farmer there for many years. He is still a citizen of that county, living in the comforts sujiplied by his own hard-won earn- ings, and enjoying the respect of his fellowmcn for the honesty and uprightness of a life that has now reached the seventieth milestone that marks man's journey' from the cradle to the grave. His good wife, whose sterling qualities made her an object of esteem by all about her, p.assed away from the scenes of earth in 1883, at the age of sixty-six years. Eleven children were born of their union, eight boys and three girls. The subject of this sketch, the seventh child of his parents, was born Jan. 8, 1848, in Monroe Count}', Teun., and there, amid the |)leasant sur- roundings of the home of his birth, he grew to be a manly, strong, self-reliant lad. His educational advantages were limited, but he made the best of those offered, and supplemented them b}- his native intelligence and powers of observation, so that he became well informed. When the war broke out it found him a bo}' of twelve years, iutensel}' inter- ested in the struggle, and as soon as opportunity offered, when he was sixteen years of age, in 1864, he showed his patriotism and loyalty to the Union by joining the brave Tennesseans who had been true to the old flag, and a soldier of the Union army, under Capt. John C. Wright, of the 9th Tennessee Cavalry, he went forth to help fight his country's battles. Although so young, he showed the courage and ettlciency of a veteran, but his honor- able career was cut short for awhile by the capture of the battalion of which he was a member, and he and his<;omr:ides were taken prisioners and sent to Belle Isle, and thence to Libb}', where they were finally paroled. In February. 1865, our subject joined his regiment again, and was mustered into service a second time at Knoxville, Tenn. After the close of the war he was discharged, having won a praiseworthy and honorable record for bravery on the battle-field, and for his devotion to the Union when it cost much in a Southern State to be true to the stars and stripes. When he left the army Mr. Young returned to his father's farm, and resumed the work that he had dropped to become a soldier. He remained at home with his parents until 1868, when he removed to Missouri, whence he came in the following year to Lancaster Count}'. He took up the Government laud that now forms his farm, and immediately commenced its improve- ment. In the years of toil and trial that followed Mr. Young was not wholly without encouragement and assistance, as he was married, in 1872, to Miss Sarah Jane Ycigli, daughter of Frederick and Jane (Fry) Yeigh, who came to Nebraska in 1870. Ten chil- dren have been horn to Mr. and Mrs. Young, six of whom are now living, namely : George, Frank, Martin, Louisa Van, James and Calvin. Our subject and his wife are open-hearteii, hos- pitable people, whose undoubted integrity of char- acter commends them to the confidence of the community, of which they arc respected members. Mr. Young is independent in his views, and though he is a true Republican in politics, yet he reserves the right to vote for any man whom he deems wor- thy to uphold the principles of government sanc- tioned by the Constitntion. -'vv^ «\*ji£j2'ts^l@^' k©J®iOT7>»i~ ylLLIAM H. SNELLING, attorney -at -law. Justice of the Peace for the city of Lincoln and Lancaster County, generally, is one of the most noted members of the legal profession in the State of Nebraska. He is a native of Kentucky, born in Mercer County, Nov. 21, 1835, but when he was a small child his parents removed to Morgan County, III., where he grew to manhood. His father, Aquilla Snelliug, was a native of Wood- ford County, Ky., Elizabeth, his wife, a daughter of Bartlett McAlister, and she was born in Frank- lin County, Ky. Her father was born in the Shen- andoah ^■alley, Va., being a descendant of an old Scotch family. The Suellings were of German LANCASTER COUNTY. 483 1M origin. After their removal to Morgan County, 111., they settled on a farm, and Mr. Snelling was ex- tensively eng.agefl in agricultural pursuits there un- til his death, in 1852. His amiable wife survived him several years, dying in November, 1863. They were people of sterling integrity of char.acter, which made them influential and respected in the com- munity where they made their home. Their mar- ried life was blessed to them by the birth of four children, of whom William H. was the eldest. Our subject passed his school da3's in Morgan County, assisting on the farm, when not engaged in his studies, until he was eighteen years old. He then began his career as a teacher, a profession for which he was well equipped both by temperament and education. He diligently pursued his chosen calling until the breaking out of the Civil War, when he abandoned his peaceful vocation to aid his country' in her exciting struggle on Southern battle- fields; he enlisted as a private in the 10th Illinois Cavalry, Company I, of which his brother George was Captain. He served in the ranks until 1862, when his efficiency as a soldier in camp and field ■was duly recognized by his promotion to the posi- tion of Commissary Sergeant of Davidson's cav- alry, which operated in the Southwest, and combined all the cavalry in that region. On account of sick- ness, Mr. Snelling was placed on detached duty, and consequently was not with his regiment in all its engagements. He was mustered out with his regi- ment in February, 1865, having won an honorable record as a faithful and patriotic soldier. After leaving the army our subject returned to Jackson- ville, 111., where he was offered, and accepted, the position in the Provost Marshal's office. In 1866 he was appointed bj' Secretary McCullough, Assistant Assessor of the United States, an office which he held up to September, 1868, when, for personal reasons, he resigned his position, having discharged its oner- ous duties with marked ability, and to the entire satisfaction of those concerned. He removed to Macoupin County, 111., six miles east of Carlinville, where he engaged in agricultural i)ursuits for some eighteen months. But his health was such that he had to abandon farming. He then resumed his early vocation, and while teaching sciiool studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Carlinville, III. In the fall of 1872 he was a nominee on the Re- publican ticket for the office of Prosecuting Attor- ney for the county, but the count}' being strongly Democratic, he was defeated with the other candi- dates of the party. Mr. Snelling remained in Illi- nois, being .actively engaged in the practice of his profession until 1878, when he removed to Lincoln, Neb. Soon after coming here he formed a co- partnership with a leading lawyer, and this part- nership continued for about one year. Mr. Snell- ing has built up a large practice, and stands high in the profession in the State. In 1887 Mr. Snelling was elected Justice of the Peace for the city of Lincoln and for Lancaster County, a posi- tion for which his legal acquirements and other qualifications amply fit him. He is a gentleman of calm and dignified presence, in whose judgment and honor his clients justly repose the utmost confidence, feeling assured tliat their interests will not suffer in his hands. Mr. Snelling was married. May 19, 1868, to Miss Lizzie Lewis, whose acquaintance he made while at- tending college at Jacksonville, 111., she being a daughter of John Lewis, a prominent citizen of Macoupin County. 111. Her gracious presence m.akes their cozy home the center of true hospitality, whose bounties she dispenses with a free hand, as all know who have crossed its threshold. Three children complete the family circle— Grace, Katie and War- ren L. Mr. Snelling is a leading member of the following organizations: The Masonic Lodge, theG. A. R., and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In politics he is a stanch Republican. -. .#H# ^ R. ALBERT R. TOU VELLE, the popular and able j'onng phj'sician and sui'geoii of (qJ^^ Firth, occupies a distinguished position among the members of the medical pro- fession of Lancaster Count}'. He is descended, as his name indicates, from a renowned French ances- trj-, and the first representative of the family to leave the old ancestral home in France to become a citizen of this country was Robert Ton Velle, the great-gi'eat-grandfather of our subject, who crossed the ocean in 1760 and settled at Baltimore, Md.; f -4^ 4«4 LANX'ASTER COUNTY. -4* -t further tlian that we are tokl nothing more concern- ing his history. The [Kiternal grandmother of our suhject was, prior to her marriage, a Miss Mary Hall, who was of mingled Scotch and English blood, and was born in Virginia. T. G. Tou Velle, the father of our subject, is one of the leading citizens of Mercer County, Ohio, has been piominently identified with tiie political affairs of that county' for many years, and has held public office longer than any other citizen in the county, having faithfully served the public in various oHi- cial capacities for twenty-seven years. He has served as Recorder, Auditor, and Clerit of the Com- mon Pleas Court, and is at present County Auditor of Mercer County, lie has a clean and honorable record as a public man, and his genial, social quali- ties, combined with the dignity and reserve of a gentleman, render him popular as well as respected. He is a native of Bloomfield, Ohio, and at an early aii'e he became identified with the educational pro- fession as a teacher, in which vocation he engaged for several j-ears. He next turned his attention to the mercantile business, which he carried on in Maccdon, Ohio, for six years. He then entered upon his long career as a public official. Mr. Tou Velle h;is been twice married. Ilis first wife, mother of our subject, was Paulina Langel, a native of Macedon, Ohio. She was a lady of lovely charac- ter and refined tastes, and her premature death in 1863, at the age of twenty-four, was a source of sorrow to man^' friends. She left two children — Albert Ross and William Ellsworth. To his present amiable wife, formerly Miss Mary L. Phelps, Mr. Tou Velle was united in marriage in 1865. One chihl has blessed their union, Louisa Belle. Dr. Tou Velle was born Aug. 10, 1857, at Mace- don, Ohio, and he was four j'ears old when his par- ents removed to Salina, at the time his father began his political life. He attended the public schools in that city, and at the age of thirteen became a mes- senger boy in the House of Representatives, at Columbus, holding that position during the sessions of Legislature from 1870 to 1872, though not strictly in accordance with his father's wishes, as he desired that he siiould complete his education. At the age of fifteen he entered Mt. LTnion College, and continued a student there one year. He then began to work in the County Clerk's office, and in 1876 he w;\s apjjointed Deput\' Clerk. He retaineil that position until he began the study of medicine under Drs. Rush and Tou Velle, both ph3'sicians of Salina, and he studied under their direction for two 3'ears, thus receiving a fine equiijment for entering college. In 1880 he became a student at the Ohio College of Medicine, at Cincinnati, and was gradu- ated therefrom in the class of '82. Dr. Tou Velle then entered upon the |)ractice of his profes- sion in Salina, in connection with his former pre- ceptors. But in the great and growing West he foresaw a broader field of usefulness and a better chance of rising in his beloved profession, and selecting ^'ebraska as a desirable location, he came here with his family' in August, 1882, and estab- lished himself in Firth, and has si ice built up a good practice in this and surrounding towns. He is a skillful and conscientious physician, and his success is well deserved, as he is enthusiastically devoted to his profession. Dr. Tou Velle was married, in 1 880, to Miss Mar- garet, daughter of J. E. Blizzard, editor of the Hickman Enterprise, of whom see sketch. Mrs. Tou Velle was born in 1862, in Bellefontaine. Ohio. She attended school both in Ohio and Delaware, and finished her education by pursuing a general course at the seminary in Toledo, Ohio. She is well en- dowed mentally and physically, and is in full s^'m- patliy with her liusband in his work, and takes pride in his advancement. This pleasant household is completed by tlie one son that has been born to the Doctor and his wife, Mortimer Leslie, a bright boy of seven years. The Doctor is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, and is at present holding the olHce of Senior Deacon. He takes a deep interest in politics, and is a firm supporter of the policy pur- sued l>v the Democratic i)arty; he is also a member of the Knights of P^-thias. ' ^ ^^ ^ WILLIAM II. AMES, in the spring of 1880, made his way from A'l'uango County, Pa., to Nebraska, settling on his present farm in Yankee Hill Precinct, where he cultivated 160 acres in that tlmrough and sj'stemalic n)anuor which -4•- LANCASTER COUNTY. 485 t^\ seldom fails to be pi-ofluctive of good results. "With the assistance of an Intelligent and efficient wife, he has accumulated a good propertj' and attained to a desirable position among his neighbors. Upon turn- ing to the view of the home and part of the farm of our subject, not only the general outline thereof, but some details of arrangement, construction, ex- tent, etc., will be at once obtained, and it would be well if referred to in this connection as making plain what must otherwise be but imperfectly conceived in the mind of the reader. He is a man of decided ideas, being, with Mrs. Ames, a zealous member of the Metiiodist Episcopal Church, and a Prohibition- ist in politics. Our subject was born in the northwestern part of New York State, in Orleans County, Feb. 14, 1849, and is the son of Thomas J. and Iillizabeth (Watson) Ames, wlio were natives of England, and emi- grated to America after their marriage, about 1831. The father was a carpenter and joiner by occupa- tion, and the household circle numbered eleven chil- dren, nine of whom survive, namely : George, James and Robert, residents of Michigan; AVilliam H.,our subject; Charles, who lives near Philadelpbi.a, Pa.; Oscar, of Venango County, that St.ate; Elizabeth, of Allegany County, N. Y. ; Mary, of Jamestown, and Nellie, of Minda, N. Y. The parents of our subject, in 1859, when the latter was a lad ten years of age, removed from Orleans to Allegany County, N. V., almost directly south and not far from the State line, where Will- iam H. resided with them upon a farm until a youth of nineteen years. Then, ambitious to start out for himself, he made his way to Kalamazoo, Mich., and from there, in 1 869, turned his steps eastward to Venango Count}', Pa., where he lived until 1880, and which place was the residence of one of his brothers. There he formed the acquaintance of Miss Mary Babcock, which ripened into a mutual attachment, and they united their lives and fortunes on the 9th of April, 1872, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride in Delaware Township, Mercer Co., Pa. Mrs. Mary Ames was born in Mercer County on the western line of Pennsylvania, April 28, 1849, and is the daughter of Oran and Cornelia (Cheas- man) Babcock, who were natives of New York State and took up their residence in Pennsylvania before their marri.age. She wis reared in herr ative county and was one of a family of eleven children, the offspring of three marriages of her father. Of these the following survive: Sylvanus R., of Mer- cer County, Pa.; S.irah E., Mrs. John Reiuley, of Delaware; Oran, of SaLamanca, N. Y. ; Marcy, the wife of Alexis Ewing, of Crawford County, Pa.; Hester, of Cattaraugus Count}', N. Y. ; Gilbert B., of Mercer County, Pa., and Mrs. Ames, the wife of our subject. Our subject and his wife embarked in life together with little of this world's goods, but with strong hands and willing hearts, making their first home in Pennsylvania, where our subject was engaged as an engineer until 1880. Their union has been blessed by the birth of four children: Arthur T., born Aug. 3, 1873, and died March 14, 1875, in Pennsylvania; Albert A. was born April 24,1876; William II., Jr., Sept. 14, 1877, and Rial E., July 31, 1881, the lat- ter onl}' being a native of Nebraska. "^/OHN J. MEYER is a son of John II. an ► i r ^ i^ 4- 486 LANCASTER COUNTY. for a number of j-cars engaged in running a thresh- iug-ni;ieiiine during the harvesting season. He has had to pass througli many struggles in worlving his way upward, and in common with all the early set- tlers he had to undergo manj' hardships and priva- tions and be content with such things as he could get. With the perseverance that has chai-acterized his whole life he still kept on his way, and after he secured a firm footing on the road to success, the remainder of the journey was made with more ease, and he accumulated his present wealth. Mr. Mej-er was married, on the 13th of March, 1873, to Louisa Ileideelier, who is also a native of Iowa, and a daughter of Christian and Barbara Heidccker. The parents of Mrs. Meyer came from Iowa to Buda Precinct in the year 1 869, and are numbered among the early pioneers of this county. The experience of our subject has been similar to that of all who have taken possession of new land in this county at an early day, his labors consisting in breaking the before untilled soil, dividing the farm into fields of convenient size for planting and tending, building a house, barn and fences, and in various ways adding improvements to make a beau- tiful landscape from a tract of barren land. Our subject is not so deeply engrossed with his occupation that he does not have time to look to the welfare of the public, but on the other hand he takes an active interest in the educational, political and religious movements of the -day. For a num- ber of years he has been the School Moderator of his district, and for a time he has acted in the capac- ity* of Hoad Supervisor. He is an advocate of the policy of the Republican party, and one of the lead- ing German citizens of his precinct, well worthy an honorable mention in this collection of biographies. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church, of which he has served in official capacity, and is esteemed because of his own moral worth. •i- #- i3^ C"^^ BURCK. Among the different institutions of this county, and one which is offered to ' ever}" citizen, but for various reasons almost an impossibility to natives of the Old World, is that of a home of their own, erected upon ground •^(r-ir to which they hold the title. This possibilitj' attracts countless numbers of the best citizens of Kuro|)ean countries, where, despite a lifetime of toil, compara- tively few can own such a property. Buda Pre- cinct has received a large number of such, and to-diiy they are the possessors of cozy, comfort- able farm buildings and homes in the midst of their own broad acres. Among those who have estab- lished themselves in the above precinct, whose home is one of the pleasantest, and whose farm is one of the most flourishing, is the subject of the present sketch, who resides upon section 22. Mr. Burck was born in Semlow, Prussia, on the 4th of August, 183.5, and is the son of John and Mary Burck, both natives of the same country. He was reared to the estate of manhood there, receiv- ing a good education in his native tongue, and has since acquired quite a good understanding of En- glish. From the time of leaving school he gavfe his attention to farming, in order that in later j'ears he might have the means of supporting himself and those who might be dependent upon him. Our subject, in October, 1862, was united in mar- riage with Mary Knuck. To them have been born four children, whose names are recorded as follows: Reaca, born on the 20th of November, 1865; Lizzie, June 1, 1867; Bessie, Nov. 10, 1869; and Frank, Dec. 7, 1871. The two elder children of our sub- ject were born in Germany, and accompanied their parents to America in the summer of 1868. The Atlantic passage was made in one of the Hamburg steamers, and occupied seventeen days, landing them in the city of New York. Life in the New World began in Cook County, III., whither the family proceeded immediately upon their arrival, and remained for two J'ears, during which time our subject was occupied in day labor. At the end of the two years a removal was made to McHenry Count}', which wjis their home until the spring of 1883, when they removed to Lancaster Count}', and settled upon their present farm. The change from McHenry brought with it a change of occupation. At McHenry our subject had been em- ployed by the Northwestern Railw.iy Company, .as switchman, and was placed in charge of the engine water tank. Now he is fully occupied with his farm, and h.as seen a ver}' large measure of success Valley View Stock Tarm-J . S.TEMPLE.SiclFGRANT Precin CT. Residence OF Carl Bergmaun ."s^rTTs^TKT^N PrTcT^"^^ ~ ^" ""^' Residence OF L.B.KiNG.SEC.ar. Nemaha Precinct LANCASTER COUNTY. 487 resulting from his efforts. The eigiity acres which comprise the farm of our subject have been brought to the very perfection of liusbandry, and are well provided with all necessary stock and farming im- plements. Whatever Mr. Burck h.is acquired has been solely the reward of his indefatigable persever- ance, and the ambition resulting from the exuber- ance of pleasure and delight in tiie prospect of being the sole possessor of a home wherein he may bring happiness to those wiio form an integral part of his life. Mr. Burck is a member of the Congregational Church, where also his wife finds that which is con- genial to her religious sentiment. Our sul)ject has been too busily occupied with home matters to give much attention to political matters, but has sought to understand the institutions of his adopted coun- try, and usually votes with the Republican party. ON. THOMAS R. BURLING is one of the leading citizens of Nebraska, of which he was an earl}' pioneer, and with whose inter- ests he has long been identified as an .agri- culturist, as a statesman, and as a merchant, and in all that relates to her commercial, social and polit- ical life, he is pre-eminent. He is now carrying on an extensive business in the town of Firth, .as a dealer in drj'-goods, h.ardware, clothing, boots, shoes, groceries, and other merchandise. He is a n.ative of f]ngland,but coming to this country when a child, he has become thoroughly Americanized, reared, as he was, under our institutions and educated in our schools. Our subject is a son of John and Mary (ILarry) Burling, natives respectively of Cambridgeshire, England, and Wales. Mr. Burling was a farmei', and prior to coming to this country with liis family he was actively engaged in agricultural pur- suits about five miles south of Cambridge, in his native shire. The mother of our subject was a woman of superior refinement and education, and for twenty-one years taught a school in England. In 1854 Mr. and Mrs. Burling decided to leave the old home on English soil, and with the other mem- bers of their family, begin life anew in the United States of America, whither their two eldest chil- dren, Sarah and John, had preceded them. Our subject was then but eight years old, but he re- members well how they sang as they stepped on board the sailing-vessel "Emerald," bound for this country : C4ood-by, church, Good-by, steeple, Good-by, Englishmen, And all good Iiish people. Singing with a mingled feelingof mirth and sorrow, as they left their native isle forever, with all its tender and hallowed associations, to seek a new home among strangers in a far-away country. Mr. Burling and his family finally arrived safely in port at New York City, after a voyage of twenty-eight days, about the middle of December, 18.54. They remained in that city about eighteen months, Mr. Burling re.adilj' finding employment in the building of the Singer Sewing M.achine Company. After that he removed with his wife and children to Bureau Count}', 111., and took up his residence in Wyanet, where he remained for three years, engag- ing in various occupations. He then purchased a farm near Buda, 111., and from Its UJO acres derived a comfortable income. In 1862 his household was deeply bereft by the death of the noble woman who h.ad so patiently aided and encouraged him in his work since the early d.a3-s of their wedded life, and who had tenderly and wisely reared their children to become good and useful members of society. Thomas R. Burling, of this sketcii, was born March 15, 1846, In Cambridgeshire, England, and tiiere spent the first eight years of his life, gaining in the school of which his mother was teacher his first knowledge of letters. He received his first instructions in America in the excellent public schools of New York City, where, by reason of his quickness and fine scholarship, he Itecame the ban- ner scholar of his classes, as is proved bj' the rec- ords that he has preserved of his rank. When his l)arents removed to Illinois he attended the public, district and vill.age schools very regnlarl}' for some years, and maintained tlie same high standing that had characterized his scholarship in the scliools of New York. After he was fifteen j-ears old ills edu- cation was conducted more irregularly tlian l)efore, ^ ■•► 4?»8 LANCASTER COUNTY. .IS lie was often kept at home to work on the farm, a common experience of farmers' Infl;;. About that time iiis brothers John and Peter enlisted to help fight the battles of their adopted country, becoming members of the 5»3d Illinois Infantry, and our sub- ject and a younger brother were detained at home to manage the farm, which they flid very succcss- full}', their father continuing to realize good profits therefrom. Our subject continued at home until he was tweiitj'-one, and, as he was then no longer needed, he went to work on a farm until 1 863 ; his mother having died the year jMevious to that time, his old liome had lost all its charms for him. When he went forth into the world to work among stran- gers he was poorly and insufficiently clad, and with a light purse, but he lacked not courage, manliness, nor the true si)irit of independence, and was firm in his resolution to make the best of liis situation and to make a success of life. At tlie age of nineteen he met and became enamored with the grace and ])leasing manners of Miss Mary A. Streetor, but on account of changes in his father's home, their mar- riage was postponed for three years, finally taking place Oct. ii, 1868, in Lincoln. Neb., their mar- riage being among the first recorded in the State. Mrs. Burling was born near Galesburg. 111., Jan. 21, 18.il. being the senior in a family of three ciiildren horn to A. J. and Deborah (Boom) Streetor. Her father was the nominee of the Union Labor party for the office of President of the United States. Tlie most of her girlhood was passerl at Gales- burg, until the removal of her parents to Bureau County, III., where she met our subject. She after- ward went to Lincoln, Neb., to live, and had been residing there about a j'ear when she was married, Mr. Burling arriving here a week before that event to claim the hand of his promised bride. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Burling pre-empted eighty acres of land in Buda Precinct, on section 24, and bravely and cheerfully faced the trials and privations of the pioneer life that la}' before them, beginning their housekeeping in the mt)st primitive manner in the little sod house, the characteristic liabitation of the early settlers of this region. This was afterward replaced by a small log house, still standing on the old homestead. 'l"he years that followed were fraught with nian\ hardships anject of this sketch, was born in Prussia in 1847, and was two years old when his parents brought him to America. He was but three years of .age when he was left an orphan, and when he was seven j'ears of age his grandfather, Henry Winch, and his grandmother, came to this country, an, he sometimes makes an irretrievable error; by his influence he may mislead others. The gentleman in whose honor this sketch is written seeks to avoid that error by upholding and approving only that which is good in a party and as illustrated by its representative — the man. allRISTELRAUSCn, alarge land-owner of , South P.ass Precinct, residing on section 19, I' CT ' occupies a leading position among the pro- gressive and well-to-do farmers of Lancaster Count}'. He is a line example of a self-made man, as he began at the foot of the ladder. as a carpenter, at which trade he has worked in various places in the Northwest: By his industry, skill, and good business habits, he worked his way up to the posi- tion of a contractor, and earned quite a fortune in that business. He then turned his attention to agriculture, and has been equally successful in this. Mr. Itausch is a, native of the town of Minden, Province of Hanover. (Jermany, his birth taking place there M.ay 14, 1S39. This w.as also the birth- pl.-ice of his i>arents. Frederic and Henrietta (Lotze) Rausch. His father was a carpenter by trade, and in 1855 emigrated with his family to America. He first went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he lived six months, and then he removed with his wife and children to Clayton County, Iowa, where he bought a farm. He .accumulated quite a fortune before his death in 1877, at the age of seventy-one years. His devoted wife did not long survive the severe blow of his death, as she died six weeks later, at the age of seventy-six 3'ears. They were heartily re- spected by all who knew them, as people whose daily lives exemplified the honcstj' and uprightness of their characters. They were the parents of four children — Fred, Louis, Christel and Fredreke. Christel Rausch, of this sketch, received a fine education in the excellent schools of his native land, and at the age of fourteen was confirmed in the church. He learn«l the carpenter's trade and worked at it for one year before coming to America with his parents, when he was a boy of fifteen. He was employed at his trade in Cincin- nati the first summer that he lived in this country, and then went to Clayton Count}-, Iowa, with his father and mother, and worke 1 at his trade there in the summers and on his father's farm in winters until he was twenty-one. He then went with his two brothers, Frederick and Louis, to St. Paul, Minn., where they set up a shop and became con- tractor and builders. He continued in St. Paul five j'ears, and made a small fortune at his business. He then went back to Cl.iyton County, Iowa, pur- chased a farm of eight}- acres, and was there mar- ried, in 1865, to Miss Wilhelmina, daughter of Christian and Elizabeth (Lindekul) Severin, natives of Saxony, Prussia, who came to America with their family in 1856. Mr. Severin was a w.Tgon- inaker by trade, but when he settled in Guttenberg, Ckiyton Co., Iowa, he bought a farm and worked it. •^ J f ^' ,;-, ■■** %."S:?;>t--v'W^-K-r v.' w^^^^.:^.>-^:^^£d^ga^3^i^im:!i::!£ Residence of OS. Lamb, Secig. Stevens Creek Precinct. Residence ofChristel Rausch , Sec^ 13. South Pass Precinct I -<•■ LANCASTER COUNTY. 497 He lirought considerable monoj' with liim from Germany, ;ui(l is now very well off, and at tlie age of seventy-three is enjoying tlie comforts of a good liome in the pleasant companionship of his estimable wife, who is sixty-six years old. Seven children blessed their union, namely: Christian, Henry, AVilhelmina, Charles, Mar^', August anil Amelia, all in Nebraska. Mrs. Kaiisch was born July 2G, 184(j, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Gernian3', and re- ceived the preliminaries of her education in the famous Saxon schools. She was ten ^-ears old when she came to America with her parents, and made her home with them in Clayton County, Iowa, where she first attended an English school. She be- came very proficient in the language, and also re- tains her knowledge of German, and is well versed in the literature of both languages, being an intelli- gent and accomplished lady. The chief sorrow of the happy wedded life of our subject and his wife has been in the death of their only child, at the age of one year and four months. But life's lesson may have taught them that it is better, Far better to smile with a deep content. O'er a baby quietly sleeping. O'er a little one safe from all that can harm. Safe and quietly sleeping. The sun comes up, and the sun goes down, On sorrow, and sin, and aching, And to all the evil that's in the world. Their darling will know no waking. Mr. Rausch continued to farm in Iowa for ten years after his marriage, finally leaving that State and coming to Nebraska in 1875. He lived in Buda Precinct for two years, and then purchased his present homestead in 1877, comprising IGO acres of land. The man who had owned the land having left it, it was sold a second time, to our subject, only four acres of it having been broken, he paying for it $1,000. He has since bought 160 acres more land on section 33, the northeast quarter, and eighty acres on section 20. Mr. Rausch built a sub- stantial and commodious barn in 1877, doing the work with his own hands. The next year he erected his present fine residence, living in the meantime in the first house that he had built for a granary' until the next spring. Our subject has l)aid much attention to fruit culture, has an orchard of forty trees of choice varieties of cherries, and he set out two acres of grape vines, and now has a fine vineyard, his vintage of 1887 yielding 420gal- lons of a wine of superior quality. Mr. Rausch also owns some valuable village property in Roca and Firth, and may be cl.assed among the wealthy men of Lancaster County. He and his wife are widely respected, and occupy an important social position in the comuiunity. In their religious views they adhere to the creed of the Lutheran Chuich, in which they were reared. In his political affiliations Mr. Rausch is a Democrat. The Rausch homestead is amply worthy of a place among the other illustrations of the enter- prise and industry of the men of Lancaster County, and it gives us pleasure to assign it among such good company, as fulfilling the modern idea of the well- regulated country estate. ^SCAR S. LAMB. The suliject of this sketch located on the northeast quarter of section 16, in Stevens Creek Precinct, in the spring of 1877. He has now 160 acres of land under cul- tivation, with a good residence, a substantial barn, and the other out-buildings necessary for his con- venience. Although perhaps not the hero of any very thrilling event, he has pursued the course of an honest man and a good citizen, and contributed his quota toward the building up of his count}', in the establishment of one of its valuable homesteads, a view of which will be noticed on an accompany- ing page. The childhood home of our subject was in the vicinity of Ft. Ann, Washington Co., N. Y., where his birth took place April 211, 1849. His parents, Samuel and Emma (Lilley) Lamb, were among the earliest settlers of that region. The father alsa was a native of the Empire State, but the mother was born in Vermont. Samuel Lamb in early man- hood became an expert in the manufacture of woolen goods, and for a number of years was part owner of a factory at Ft. Ann. Later he kept hotel, and died at Ft. Ann, Oct. 14, 1886, when well .advanced in years. The mother is still living. f -4«- 408 LANCASTER COUNTY. and makes lier home with her daughtei' at Wliite- hall, N. Y. To Saraiiel and Emraa Lamb there were born nine children, one of whom, a son, Charles M.,died at the age of three j-ears. .Seven daughters and one son are still surviving. Harriet, the eldest, is the wife of William B. Nelson, of Toulon, III.; Adeline, Mrs. William Bilson, lives in Green Island, N. Y. ; Cariie married Mr. II. E. Griswold. who is now deceased, and she, still remaining a widow, resides at Ft. Ann, N. Y.; Emma, Mrs. Alphonso Brown, and Cornelia, the wife of Roduc^' Van Wormer, continue residents of their native place; Eva is the wife of James P. Gillette, of Whitehall, N. Y. ; Ger- trude married Edw.ard W. Clark, and the}' live in Nebraska City, this Sbxte; Oscar S., our subject, is the onl}' son living. Mr. Lamb remained under the parental roof until twenty-three years of age, occupj'ing himself mostly in a woolen factory. AVhen twentj-three j'ears old he was married, March 13, 1872, at the home of the bride in Ft. Ann, to Miss Frances L., daughter of .Sylvester and .Sarah A. (Colton) Skinner, who was a native also of Ft. Ann, N. Y., and was born Oct. 16, 1853. Her f.ather was a native of Ft. Ann, and her mother of Middletown, Vt. Sylvester Skinner was a farmer by oecup.ation, and spent his last days in Ft. Ann, passing aw.ay on the 17th of January, 188-1. The mother is still living there. The parental honsehold included three children only, a daughter and two sons, Mrs. Lamb being the onl}- girl in the family. Her brother, Charles H., died at the age of twenty-five years, leaving a widow and one son, Freddie ; the other brother, Calvin C, died when a lad of nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Lamb after their marriage settled near Ft. Ann, N. Y., where qur subject occupied himself .at farming until coming to this State, in 1877. The little household embraces two children only, a son and a daughter, Herman .S. and Millie E. Mr. Lamb cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. (irant, and uniformly supports Republican principles. He occupies a good position among his fellow-citizens, and has served in the various local offices. .Souiallj-, he is a Royal Arch Mason, becoming identified with the fraternity while a resi- f dent of his native Stale, antl now belongs to the lodge at Lincoln. About 1 880, desirous of a change of location and- occupation, he went into the gold and silver mines of Colorado, where he spent about three years. With the exception of that time, he has been a continuous resident for the last eleven j-ears of Lancaster County. OLLIN E. BAKER is one of the prosperous ^ farmers of Centerville Precinct. He is the /fc\\\ owner of an exceptionally well-cultivated ^ farm, comprising 240 acres, situated upon section 2. The da}' of his nativity was the 2d of .September, 18.56. and the pLace of his birth Kane County, 111.; he was the second child born to .Samuel and Mary A. Baker, who at present reside in Henry County, 111. The father of our subject is a native of Washington County, N. Y., and his mother of the Province of Quebec. Their familj' comprised five children, only two of whom, how- ever, are living, our subject and Emerit E., who is living in Henr}- County, III. Mr. and Mrs. Baker, .Sr., arc devout members of the Christian or Disciple Church; Mr. Baker has held for several years official connection in the church. He is now about sixtj'-seven years of .ige, and his wife about fift\'-six. They are now enjoying in retired life the results of former years of toil and trouble. The family can be clearly traced, and alwa}-s with honorable record, b.ack to the colonj' formed by the vo^-agers of the "M.iyflower." Tlie grandfather of our subject, Nestor Baker, served throughout the War of 1812, and received commendation and pro- motion. The various phases of the conflict for freedom through which our beloved country has passed have not been without beneficial effect to the citizens, but also through them to the world at large. The storms which have beaten upon the tree of independence planted at Philadelphia in 1776, have but made it strike its roots deeper into the soil, tiike firmer hold, drink more deeply of the hidden springs of loj-alty, patriotism, libert}' and humanity, and flourish until the peoples of the earth, from every clime, nation and tongue, come to her for refuge, home and welcome. Our subject was reared to manhood in his native ;- LANCASTER COUNTY, 499 State, received a thorough groundwork of educa- tion in the common and High schools, and afterward tooiia full course in and graduated from the North- western Business College, of Naperville, 111. When sixteen years of age he engaged in the grocery trade as clerk, continuing for three years. From tliat until he was about tvventy-two he was engaged in attending school. About the year 1878, with his parents, our subject removed to Lancaster County', vvhich has continued to be his place of residence ever since. He was united in marriage, on the 20th of July, 1882, with Eliza Reugnitz, a daughter of Charles and Mar}' Reugnitz, both of whom are deceased. From a local paper, which gives a very full and exhaustive account of the last hours and funeral services of Charles Reugnitz, we cull the following: •• The gentleman was horn in Waren, Mecklenburg, Germany, on the 27th of January, 1822. He re- ceived his early education in the Fatherland, and there learned the cooper's trade, which he con- tinued to follow through life. He was married, Nov. 22, 1846, to Miss Mary Meder, of the same place. She had been the companion of his childhood and youth, and had grown up to maturity by his side, and through the long years had been faithful and loving as wife and mother. They became the par- ents of eleven children, nine of whom are still liv- ing, and grown to man and womanhood. His first wife died Dec. 12, 1879, and a few months before his death he was married a second time, the lady being Mrs. Elsie Scapper. Mr. Reugnitz had been sick for some weeks, but about the 10th of August, 1882, his illness assumed a more serious form, and he died at 2 o'clock, on Monday, Aug. 14, 1882, leaving a widow and nine ciiildren." The article above referred to is largely occupied with the very feeling, appropriate and impressive address, deliv- ered at the obsequies, by Mr. J. F. Thompson, at the request of the family, which sketches the life, development and success of Mr. Reugnitz, and his success in life, linked with remarks of a more gen- eral but no less opportune and happy nature. Mrs. Baker was born in Germany, Dec. 7, 1859, and five years later accompanied her parents to this countr}'. Shortly after arrival thej' settled in y ' Cl.ayton County, Iowa, and there made their home 4» until death. Her brothers and sisters numbered ten, of whom eight besides herself are living. Their names arc as follows: Charles, George, August and Max reside in Iowa; Albert is in Wisconsin; Mary is the wife of O. D. Outhout, and is a resident of Iowa; Herman and Lewis live in Colorado. Our subject is the owner of 240 acres of well- improved land, the improvements comprising not simply the perfection of cultivation of broad acres in grain, but also horticulture, forestry and orchard trees, with the houses for storing and preparing the fruitful harvest of the same; barns, stabling and other buildings; and not excepting the pleasant, comfortable and convenient farm dwelling, which is his home, and of which an excellent view is given in this volume. Mr. Baker is in every regard a Self-made man; that is to say, his start in life was the result of his own effort and energy, after the foundation had been laid for success by the educa- tion his parents were enabled to give him. He is highly respecteil as a citizen and as a man. whether in social or domestic relations. He is not an office- holder, but at the same time realizes the privileges and duties of citizenship, and is loyal to the same. His political sentiments are in accord with those of the Republican party, and this receives his vote and support. Religiously, he is, with his wife, associ- ated in the membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and they are accounted among the most consistent and devout, and are held in highest es- teem. y ALTER J. HARRIS. To the energetic la- bors, enterprise and business tact of this gentleman and his associates, is Lancaster County indebted for her high position as one of the leading stock-growing and grain-raising sections of Nebr.aska. He is an extensive farmer and breeder of fine stock, and owns one of the largest and best managed farms to be found within a radius of many miles of the State capital. It is admirably located in Lancaster Precinct, town 10, range 7, southeast quarter of section 10, six miles from Lincoln, and em- braces 160 acres of very fertile and highly cultivated soil. Mr. Harris also owns two farms in Stevens iiOO LANCASTER COUNTY. Creek Precinct, tliree miles from liis homestead, comprising altogether 4G0 acres. His favorite breed of cattle is the Hereford grades, also Poland-China hogs, and poultry of the best breeds. Our subject is of mingled Scotch-Irish ancestry, his grandfather, Walter Harris, being a native of Scotland, who came to this countr3' and settled near Martinsburg, Va., prior to the llevolution.ary War. He subsequentl}' migrated to Cincinnati. Ohio, in the very early daj's of its settlement, and actively engaged in the Indian War that followed the Revo- lution during Washington's administration. He married Klizabeth Reed, a widow, and they had three children, two sons and one daughter. His wife had four children by her first marriage, and the seven children were brought up harmoniously in the same family. One of these, Thomas, the father of our subject, w^as born April 23, 1803, in Butler County, Ohio. His father died when he was but three years old, and he lived with his mother until he was twenl^'- tliree years ol Beimiula Hundred. Chester Station and manj' oth- ers, besides mimerous skirmishes. After his retirement from the service Mr. Harris made his home in Indiana for awhile, and was there a second time married. Feb. 23, 1865, Miss Emily J. Hocker, daughter of Uriaii and Frances E. Hocker, of Parke County, Ind., becoming his wife, a woman of much nbility, who has greatl3' helped hira in building up their pleasant and cozy home on tlie prairies of Nebraska. Four children, two sons and two daughters, complete the household, of whom the following is the record : Thomas U., born Jan. 4, 1866; Charlotte E., born June 14, 1867, is now the wife of George J, Johnson, and they reside in Lincoln; John R., born Feb. 8. 1871 ; Hannah Augusta J., Feb. 2.5, 1874. Three are liv- ing at home with their parents. Soon after marriage our subject and his wife came to Nebraska, June 5, 1865, and he took up 160 .acres of land under the provisions of the Home- stead Act, located on the corner of Tiiirty-third street, and now near tiie heart of the city of Lin- coln. In the same year he bought the northwest quarter of section 17, township 10, range 7 e.ast, which he owned until November, 1886, when it had so increased in value that he sold it for $110 per acre. His home farm he sold for §30,000. On the 25th of the same month he bought the southwest quarter of section 10, township 10. range 7, paying therefor S44 per acre, and has since made his home here. A view of the residence and its surround- ings, which the artist enables us to present to the reader, will bring these within the mental grasp bet- ter than any verbal description, though ever so complete and graphic. Mr. Harris is a shrewd, far-seeing man, of a keen and resolute nuture, and of more than ordinary capacitj% which places him among the leading citi- zens in public and social affairs. In 1867 he was elected Assessor for one 3-ear for Lancaster Pre- cinct, which office he held altogether .sixteen years, discharging its duties efficiently and with due re- gard to the interests of his fellow-citizens. He is a charter member of the F. & A. M.. No. 1 9. and is also the oldest initiated member of Capitol Lodge No. 11, LO. O. F. ; he is likewise a member of the En- campment of Odd Fellows, and of Farragnt Post No. 25, G. A. R.. Lincoln. In politics Mr. Harris has emphatically placed himself on record as a Pro- tectionist, and he firnilj' supports the principles of the Republican part)' as applied to national affairs, but in local matters he is independent, voting for whom he considers the best man, irrespective of party. NDREW McDIVITT. The homestead of this gentleman forms one of the most ii .attractive spots in the landscape of Grant Precinct, and embraces 240 acres of finely cultivated land on section 1. The hand of thrift and industrj- is everywhere apparent, from the neat and substantial buildings to the fertile fields, which are neatlj' laid off with well-kept fences, while the farm stock is of excellent grades and the machinery for carrying on agriculture after the most approved pattern. It is evident that tlie owner of this prop- erty has the true conception of what rural life should be, and presents in the result of his labors a phase of it in its most attractive form. Andrew McDivitt. Sr., the father of our subject, was. it is supposed, of English ancestry, and was born near Steubenville, Ohio. He married Miss Eliza Corkhill, who was born on the Isle of Man, and came to the United States in her youth. After marriage they turned their faces to the farther West, and crossing the Mississippi settled in Henry County. Iowa, among its earliest pioneers. The father Iniilt up a good homestead from fin unculti- vated tract of land, and there spent the remainder of his days, his death taking place in 1872. The mother still survives, and is living with her children at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. The parental household uf our subject included five children, all of whom are living, and residents of Iowa, Nebr.aska, Kansas and Colorado. Andrew was the fourth in order of birth, and first opened his eyes to the light in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Feb. 23, 1853. His early life was spent in his native county of Henry, mostly- on a farm, while he studied first in the common sciiool, and completed his edu- cation in the Iowa Wesleyan University, at Mt. Pleasant, where he was a student two j'ears. Upon hi3'ing .Tsiile his books, like the sensible youth that ■^•■ ■•► -4^ 502 -► ^ B M* LANCASTER COUNTY. lie was, having no foolish city longings, he returned to the farm pursuits in which he harother William T., an attorney-at-law, resident at Lincoln. The parents of our subject are both ffevout mem- bers of the Baptist Church, and find their chief de- light and prime enjoyment in a life which might be characterized by the words '-doing good," for this seems to be their ever}- desire, and their happiness is that of making others happy. The environment of the early d.ivs and young manhood of our subject was that of his native State, and there he received the somewhat meager, though |)ractical. education furnished by the common school. He was niairied. Sept. 10, 1879, to Josephine Par- riott, in Henry County, Iowa, and found in his wife the one who could bring into his life and home those elements without which it would have been incomplete. This lady was born Oct. 1, 18.59, in Des Moines County, Iowa, and is the daugliU'r of Turner and Adeline Parriott, who were among the earliest pioneers of Des Moines County. To Mr. and Mrs. Stevens has lieen given the happiness of a complete home. We are often met upon entering the house by the legend, beautifully- engraved, artistically mounted, and suitably framed. -~ ^!«) FORGE LONGTON. This name, which is i| (== familiar to a large proportion of the resi- '^^S dents of this county, is that of one of its earliest settlers and most worthy men. He came to this county during the process of its early develop- ment, and endured in common with the people about him hardship and privation, and now, sitting under his own vine and fig-tree, is enjoying liie reward of his early toil and sacrifices in the possession of one of the productive farms of Southeastern Ne- braska. The property of our subject embraces 320 acres of land, a [)art of which, however, has only been subjected to the process of cultivation. Mr. L. hav- ing made a spceialt}' of stock-raising and grazing numbers of cattle for the last fifteen years. In this industry he has been quite successful, realizing a comfortable income. He came to Nebraska in 1 860, while it was still a Territory, but at that time passed through into Color.ado, where for two years he em- ployed himself in the mines. In 1862 he took up his abode in Nel)raska City, Otoe County, then came to Highland Precinct, this county, and pur- chased the land which he now owns. He at once established a ranch, and at the same time made it the headquarters for one of the stage lines from Omaha and Lincoln to Denver, boarding and sta- bling the horses, keeping on hand a good store of provisions, and giving shelter and entertainment generally' to both man and beast. During that period Mr. Longton operated as " mine host " to thousands of Western travelers, many of whom still live to recollect his geni.al coun- tenance and his kindl}' oflJices. His house was the headquarters for travel through this region for a number of ye.irs, including the period when Indians were numerous and his farm bordered on one of their principal trails. The path is still faintly in- dicated by a furrow in the ground, along which the red man made his way. It was known as the " Pole Trail," as the Indians were in the habit of dragging their poles with them while mounted on their ponies in migrating from one camping-ground to another, thus being enabled to set up their wigwams in short order. The Indian troubles after the war occurred while Mr. Longton was a resident of this section, but so wise had been his conduct in his intercourse with them that while all the settlers around him were driven out in fear of their lives, he remained, not- withstanding the threats of srjme of them to annihi- late himself and family. For the most part, however, the Indians were friendly to Mr. Longton, ami his firm but kindly methods of dealing with them were the means of securing their wholesome respect, and they indeed finally exerted themselves to befriend him. He has been the witness of many thrilling events, similar to those connected with the names of Kit Carson and Daniel Boone, and liis brave de- meanor in times of danger has l)ecome a matter of history in these parts. In the mountains of Colorado, likewise, he met with many Jidventures calculated to try the courage of an}' Ordinary man, but out of f a 522 LANCASTER COUNTY. which he came unharmecl, &n<\ found friends wher- ever iiis lot was cast. Mr. Longton began his operations as a cattle dealer after the building of the railroad, and subse- quently' carried on general farming until about 1882, when he practically retired from active labor. He is now quite well advanced in years, having more than reached his threescore and ten. He was born on the other side of the Atlantic, in Lancashire, England, Jan. 5, 1818, and is of pure English stock as far back as he can trace his ancestr3'. His father, George Longton. was a well-to-do farmer who spent his entire life in his native shire, and died at the age of sixty-two years. He married, in early man- hood. Miss Mary Burton, a highly educated and in- telligent lady who <-ame of a wealth3' family. .She passed away previous to the decease of her husband, at the age of fifty-two. To George and Mary Longton there were born nine children, five sous and four daughters, of whom George, Jr., our subject, was the third. Two sons and two daughters are yet living in England. Our subject is the only member of the family who came to the United States. He was carefully reared and well educated, and crossed the Atlantic when about thirty years old, in November, 1849. He was un- married and for three years following was employed in a barrel factory in Pennsylvania. Upon leaving that State he repaired to Kalamazoo, Mich., and next to Mendota, 111., where he opened a butcher shop, which lie operated successful!}' for a period of seven years. At the expiration of this time he crossed the Mississippi, and spent a year in this State ; then, gathering together four teams, he started out with a large load of provisions for the Far West, distributing them among the mountains of Colorado. This venture, however, did not result in any financial benefit. Upon deciding to locate permanent!}- in this county, Mr. Longton had in his house a Mr. John Gill and his wife, who remained with him about five years. Then Mr. Gill died, and Mr. Longton mar- ried his widow. Mrs. .Sarah Gill, Dec. 1. 1879. Mrs. Longton was born on the Isle of Man, in 1824, of which place her first husband, Mr. Gill, was also a na- tive. Mr. (iill made his waj- to Liverpool when a young man, Icirning the trarle of ship car|)enter, and becoming an expert at his trade. After marri.ige Mr. and Mrs. G. returned for awhile to their native isle, whence thej' emigrated to America in 1852. They lived for a time in Cleveland. Ohio, then in Quiney, III., whence the}' removed later to Missouri, and in 1860 to Colorado. Mr. Gill followed his trade successful!}', making coiisideral)le money and also losing it. Upon coming to Highland Precinct he pre-empted a homestead of 240 acres, which prop- erty he retained until his death, about 1878. Our subject is a stanch supporter of Republican principles. He is a good man in the broadest sense of the term, and h.as held various positions of trust and responsibility in the county where he has lived so long and built up such a good record. He was reared in the Episcopal Church, to the faith of which lie still religiously adheres. •►HH^*- ;« l&ILLIAM WILTERDINK. The hand of \rJ// industry is everywhere apparent among VW the home surroundings of the subject of this sketch, who came to this county in the spring of 1870, and homesteaded eighty acres of land on section 25, in Yankee Hill Precinct. From the primitive soil he has eliminated a good farm, and provided himself with those comforts and con- veniences which are in.^eparahle in the life of a well-ordered citizen. In addition to generjil agri- culture, he makes a specialty of stock-raising, hand- ling good grades of cattle, horses and swine, and besides being a thorough and judicious tiller of the soil, holds a good position, socially and financially, among his neighbors. Onondaga County, N. Y., contained the early home of our subject, whore his birth took place under the modest roof of his parents on the 15th of March, 1849. His father, John H. Wilterdink, a native of Holland, emigrated to America in 1831, bringing with him all the substantial elements of a most excellent ancestry. The mother, a native of the same country as her husband, and now de- ceased, was by name Christina, and the parents set- tled in Onondaga County, N. Y., where they lived until about 1850. That year they changed their residence to Sheboygan County. Wis., where their ."f V r ^ -^r*- ■•►HI-^«» LANCASTER COUNTY. 525 i son, William B., was reared to iiianliood, and where the father is now living, iiaving arrived at the ad- vanced age of seventy years. The mother died _ about 1860. John H. Wilterdink, after the death of his first wife, contracted a second marriage, and his last wife is still living in Wisconsin. He was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church, honest and con- scientious in his beliefs, and was a strict tutor of his large family of children, eleven in number, and nine of whom survive. These were named respect- ively : William B., our subject, who is the eldest of the family; John G., a resident of Buda Pre- cinct, on the southwestern line of this county; Henry, who is a farmer in Colorado; Garrett; Al- bert; Cena, the wife of D. Foss; Kate, Mrs. Russ- ing, a widow; Annie, Mrs. Samuel Dinawold; Mary and Gertrude, all live in Wisconsin. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in the Badger State, receiving a limited education, but being fond of reading, kept himself well posted in regard to matters of general interest, and has since kept up his early habit of perusing the reliable journals of the da}'. When starting out for himself in the spring of 1 870, having reached his majority, he made his way to this county and homesteaded eighty acres of land in Yankee Hill Precinct. In 1877 he sold this, and removed to his present farm. This is also eightj' .acres in extent, where he has erected good buildings and gathered together the appliances indispensable to the well-regulated coun- try estate. His father had no propert}- to give him, and his possessions are solely the result of his own industry and perseverance. Our subject, when assured that he' could com- fortably maintain a family, secured for himself a wife and helpmate, being married, July 4, 1874, to Miss Caroline, the daughter of Henry and Kate (Walker) Simmons, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride, in Grant Precinct. Henry Sim- mons was a native of Ohio, and one of the pioneers of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Wilterdink com- menced life together in a manner suitable to their means and station, making it a point to live within their income, and each year has seen something .added to the comfort of their home, which has been blessed also by the birth of seven children. These were named respectively : James H., Kate, Edna, Ernest, Walter, Annis .and Levi. Mr. Wilterdink is a decided Republican, i)oliti- cally, .ind has been Moderator in his school district for several years in succession. Although not a member of any religious organization, he makes it a rule of his life to follow the Christian precept of doing unto others as he would be done by. No man has been more warmly interested in the growth and development of Southern Nebraska, and by bringing a portion of its soil to a state of culti- vation, he has materially assisted in bringing about this condition of affairs. The men who have la- bored quietly and conscientiously each in his sepa- rate place, althongh making very little noise in the world, really form the bone and sinew of a commu- nity, without which the fabric would soon, meta- phorically, fall to pieces. jfj' UKE HALL. One of the most important ll (p; victories gained by Richard the King-maker, /ii=^ as the Earl of Warwick was called, over the Lancastrians in the War of the Roses, was that at Northampton, the chief city of Northamptonshire, one of the central counties of England, about 985 miles in extent. It is a beautiful county, and of inter- national renown by reason of its gently sloping hills covered with a green carpet of velvety grass, noble trees, broad valleys and shady glens, inviting and enticing by their bewitching beauty. In this county was born. March IG, 1818, to William and Ann Hall, the subject of this writing, now a pros- perous farmer in Denton Precinct, residing on sec- tion 7. Mr. Hall was reared to manhood among the hills and dales upon which his infant eyes first gazed. His education was limited and his advantages few, as compared with the opportunity and the helps pro- vided the present generation; nevertheless, by giv- ing his close attention to reading, he has advanced so that very few a'-e better informed upon cuirent topics and items of general knowledge. ■.•26 LANCASTER COUNTY. JL In 1 853 the rteterminntion to see the New World caused our subject to l>ilne. with the lowing of cat- tle and the singing of birds. In 1884 he severed his connection with Mr. Mulligan, and purchased a farm in Howard County, Ind. After a period of about three years he determined to follow Horace Greeley's advice, and "go West," and having been so successful in Indiana, argued that, with the larger facilities and the fine climate of Nebraska, he could be even more so, and in 1884 settled upon his present farm, having fourteen years previously spent some time in Nebr.aska, prospecting and in- vesting in land, situated about twelve miles north of Lincoln, near the site of Davey Station, which has since grown vip in that neighborhood. Here he had purchased 160 acres from the Burlington & Mis- souri River Railroad, for which lie paid $640. This property' he afterward traded for his present farm, giving in addition ^1,000 in cash. Until the year 18.59 our subject had been con- tent to bear the loneliness resultant from the » iS < S '' n '' ^ * (,s"' *^ of whom this work would be incomplete. He is a native of Lancashire, England, one of the northwestern counties, its coast line washed by the Irish Sea, and as well known throughout the world as the land of the Lancashire clog, whence came the "clog dancers," as from any point of its historical, geographical or commercial importance. Tlie clog will remain identified with Lancashire as the sabot is with France and French peasants. The birth of our subject occurred on the 11th day of November, 1855. His parents were George and Elizabeth Huddleston, also natives of the same county. There were seven children included in their family circle, six of whom are still living: Mary, now Mrs. T. A. Corvin; Isabella, wife of Daniel Jeffrey; Sarah, who is married to William Hartley; Jane, who is united to T. J. Wilkinson, all residing in Lancashire. Besides these there are our subject and his brother John, who divides his time and residence between the old country and the new. No man can be successful in life whose mind is not developed by some educational process. This may be received in the hard school of experience, as in the case of our street arabs, and some others who, although belonging to a higher plane of life. Lave no opportunities for becoming any better ac- quainted with institutions of learning than may be obtained from the exterior. One of the greatest institutions and blessings of our beloved country is the fact that, whether in the busy city with its teeming thousands of people, or in the country set- tlements, even in the far-off and newly settled districts, the children find more or less complete in- struction in necessary' branches under a regime., and by the assistance of school paraiihernalia of all kinds, that even a few years ago would have been considered a prodigalit}'. Our subject received his education in the com- mon school and continued until he was fourteen years of age. From that time he worked upon the farm until he reached his nineteenth year, when he turned his efforts in the direction of mining iron and coal in different mines in England. This he continued to follow until his emigration to America in 1879. His journey to this country was under- taken without any definite knowledge of future un- dertaking, but with large hope of prosperity, at le.ast to the extent of becoming his own master and proprietor of his own home. The voyage was long and tedious from Liver- pool to Quebec, as compared with the rapid cours- ing of the "Atlantic Greyhounds," for every year witnesses some new invention, some stride for- ward in the perfecting of the bridge of boats which unites the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Our subject proceeded immediately to Nebraska, and was not long in deciding that Denton Precinct was the place for him, and accordingly he took up his residence on a farm on section 10 for a time, remov- ing in the spring of 1886 to his present property', which is situated upon the second section. His hopes have been realized, for he is to-day the owner of 160 acres, cultivated to the highest efficiency, and yielding him, other things being equal, excep- tionally good crops. His home and farm buildings are well buHt, substantial, comfortable and pleas- ant. All of this he has acquired by his own indus- try, with the exception of a small sum given him by his father in order to start. The success which has attended our subject has been shared in by his wife, Lois Harley, who is a sister of John Harley, of Denton Precinct. (See sketch.) She has proved to him a most faithful friend and companion through all the varied phases of their life, and now, having been his helpmate in the rush, is his associate in the more quiet but substantial elements of the hush of life. They are upon the high road to solid success, for he is in every way worthy', and if honesty, industry, intelli- f -U ••»> 532 LANCASTER COUNTY. -1= gence and the attributes of manliness count for any- tliinjj — and they do — he will go on prospering. The home of Mr. Huddleston has been rendered more conii)letely happy, and tiie delectable charm with which his wife has endowed it greatly increased, b}' the presence of their five children, whose names are here given: George E., Harriet E., Herbert E., Flossie I), and Edith. In the communion of the Methoilist Eiiiscopal Church there are very few if anj' members more highly esteemed for their per- sonal worth and higher life and devotion than our subject and wife, and what is true of tl;eir religious relationship is equally- so in every circle outside its pale. Among friends, neighbors and fellow-citizens Mr. Huddleston and his farail}' are accorded the honest admiration and regard which are offered to every honorable man and loyal citizen. \ti~^ ENRY HAACK is one of the solid and .sub- )jl stantial citizens of Yankee Hill Precinct, t-i^ where he is actively engaged in farming on (^) section 7. He is a native of Mecklenburg, Germany, born Dec. 31,1842. His parents, John and Dora (Miller) Haack, were natives and lifelong residents of German}'. They were justly esteemed by all about them for the uprightness of their lives and industrious habits. Six children blessed their marriage, namely: Lotta, Mary, Charles, Louis, William and Henry. The latter, who is the subject of this biography, received a fair education in the German schools, and remained a citizen of the Fatherland until 18G9, when he decided to come to America, as a land of- fering more inducements for a man to make his way to prosperity than his native country. Accord- ingly he embarked on a small steamerat Copenhagen, and went to Hull, England, where he took an ex- press train, and was whirled across the island to Liverpool. He there boarded an American-bound steamer, and sifter a passage of sixteen days on the ocean, found himself in New York City. He worked there about six weeks, and then went to Mauch t'liuiik, (,'arl)on Co., Pa., where he established him- self as a carpenter, soon foiining a partnership with one F^red Miller as a contractor, which business they successfully conducted for ten years with good financial results. AVhile residing in Pennsylvania our subject took upon himself domestic cares, being there married, Sept. 12, 1872, to Miss Mary Oalman, daughter of George and Dora (.Schuldts) Oalman, natives of Germany. She was born Sept. 2G, 1848. Eight children have been born of this marriage, namelj': Emma, William, Louie, Minnie, Henry, Adolph, anme>5e "^'SSfi"" Residence OF J.A.Deahl, Sec.16,Salti llo Precinct. Residence of C.FD eahl. Sec. 16. Saltillo PFfECiNcr. -^•■ LANCASTER COUNTY. r)4i ( i Iioyhoo<1. beinfj ten years of age when his parents removed to Illinois. His first attendance at school was one term in his native Maryland, and he com- pleted his education in M.acoupin County, 111. He remained under the parental roof until establishing a home of his own, and in the meantime gained a thorough knowledge of farming under his father's instructions. 1(1 early manhood, before he had attained liis majority, Mr. Deahl assumed domestic ties in his marriage, April 30, 1876. to Miss Susan Boger, a j'oung lady of rare excellence and capacit}', and they may well be proud of the cozy home which is the joint product of tiieir labors. Mrs. Deahl is a daughter of Peter and Sally (Peck) Boger. natives of Germany, who settled in Preston County, W. Va., where they still make their home. They are the parents of six children, three daughters and three sons. Mrs. Deahl is tlie oldest daughter and the fourth child in order of birth. She w.as born Oct. 3, 1854, in Preston County, W. Va., grew to womanhood with her uncle, and enjoyed the ad- v.antages of a good education in the common schools. When a young lady she went to Illinois to visit some friends, and there met her future husband. They were mutually pleased with each other, and the warm friendship that sprang up be- tween them soon ripened into the deeper and stronger attachment that resulted in their uniting their lives for better or for worse, to travel the thorny path of life together. After marriage Mr. Deaiil still continued to live in Illinois a few 3-ears, but in 1879 he settled u[) his affairs in that State, and with his wife accom- panied his father's family to Nebraska. Our sub- ject soon bought fortj' acres of school land and fort}' acres of railroad land, which he has since im- proved into a valuable farm, having com])leted the payment on it in a short time after purchase. He has many good improvements, in the way of a sub- stantial house, commodious barns and other farm buildings. He has also a beautiful young grove of shade and ornamental trees, as well as a thrifty or- chard. F^verything about the place evidences a ' tasty and dexterous owner. The happy household circle of our subject and his amiable wife is completed by the four children who have blessed their marriage: Edwin and Laura, who were born in Illinois, and Cora and Jessie, born in Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Deahl are prominently connected with the Lutheran Church, of Roca, of which he is a charter member, has been a Trustee, and was also active in helping to build the church. H(,' is a true Christian gentleman, as all who have the honor of knowing him testify, and he is zealous in promoting every good work with heart and hand. In his political views he is an earnest Democrat. The homestead of Mr. John A. Deahl stands the best monument to his industry and enterprise, and we know of no better method of illustrating these qualities of his char.acter than by placing the pic- tured result of his industry before our readers in the view which will be found on an accompany- ing page. H. SUDDUTH came to Waverly Precinct, ij, this countj", in June, 1 866, and homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 20, where he has since operated with excellent re- sults, and has full}' established himself in the es- teem and confidence of his community. His land is in a highly productive condition, and the build- ings, put up by himself, ai'e all thatare required for the comfort and convenience of the modern agri- culturist. As a man and a citizen. Mr. Sudduth is straightforward and upright in his transactions, prompt to meet his obligations, and in all respects a leading representative of the respectable portion of this county. The early tramping ground of our subject was in Harrison County, Ohio, where his birth took place Nov. 14, 1837. His parents, Elias and Mar- garet (Garrett) Sudduth, were natives of Virginia, but emigrated to Ohio early in life, where it is probable their marriage took place. Isaac Sudduth. the Internal grandfather of our subject, was one of the earliest settlers of Harrison County, Ohio, re- moving thither after he had done good service as a soldier of the Revolutionary War. The father of our subject, after bis first marriage, settled on a farm in Harrison County, Ohio, and of this union tiiere were born four children — Dorcas, -t <•- i ■^^ 542 4, LANCASTER COUNTY. Baslibe, Nancy and Ellen. The first wife died while a j'oung woman, and he was then married to the mother of our subject, of which union there were Ijorn ten children: Susan is the wife of John Carpenter, of Indiana; Hiram died when about ten years old; Patrick H., of our sketch, was the second son and third child; Tacey Jane married Lafayette Murphy, and is living in Ohio; William H. is in Indiana; Amanda is the wife of Isaac Suddulh, of Lancaster Count}'; Debora J. married Daniel Min- nie, and lives in Nebraska; Emma I., Mrs. Marian Fowler, is a resident of Lincoln, Neb. Our subject spent his early j-ears on the farm, and attended the district school, but when a lad of fourteen liegan an apprenticeship at the shoemaker's trade, which he followed until 1862. The Civil War being then in progress, he enlisted as a Union soldier in Company' K, G9tli Ohio Infantrj', of which he became Second Lieutenant and served one year, then resigned and returned home. The year following, however, he re-enlisled as a private, in the 98tli Ohio Infantry', and participated in man}- of the important battles of the war, going through the Atlanta campaign and marching with Sherman to the sea. Later, he went with the troops to Wash- ington, and was present at the grand review. While in W.ashinglon he had been transferred to the 74lh Regiment, and was mustered out at Louis- ville, Ky., in July, 1865. Mr. Suddnth now returned to his old haunts in the Buckeye State, and resumed his work at the shoemaker's bench, following his trade until Octo- ber of that year, when he sold out and started for Nebraska Territor}-. On his way hither, however, his wife was taken ill, and he was obliged to spend the winter in Knox County, 111., resuming his jour- ney across the Mississip])! in the spring. Not long thereafter he horaesteaded the land which he now occupies, and to which he has given his undivided attention. The wife of our subject, who w.hs formerly Miss Mary A. Haines, and whom he married Feb. 11, 1858, was a native of his own county, and the daughter of Hiram and Mar}' A. (Maston) Haines, who were natives of Pennsylvania, and are now dead. This union resulted in tiie l)irth of six chil- dren, of whom one. a boy named Garfield, died in childhood. The five surviving are Leaora, Hattie, Lewis S., JIamie and Maggie. Two of these are married, Lenora and Hattie. Mr. Sudduth cast his first Presidential vote for Lincoln, and h.as always supported the principles of the Republican party. He has served as Justice of the Peace and County Commissioner, and socially, belongs to Mitchell Post No. 38, G. A. R., at Waverly. In religious matters he is a member in good standing of the Methodist P^piscopal Church. JOHN .SCHMIDT. Early in 1 847 there arrived in New York a family from Germany' Frederick Schmidt, his wife and four chil- dren. Of these the youngest was born Feb. 9, 1846, and is the subject of this writing. Fred- erick Schmidt was by trade a shoemaker, having served his apprenticeship and followed this business in Germany. On arrival in this country the family proceeded to Ohio, and settled in D.ayton, where Mr. Schmidt worked at his trade. After about one year Mr. Schmidt left Dayton and settled in Clayton County, Iowa, where he wjis one of the earliest settlers. Then began a new life; subdu- ing nature, clearing the giant forest, taming the wild ground, making it to do his bidding and yield the rich harvest of its hidden wealth. In common with all ])ioneers of similar districts his home was now a log house, the result of his own Ingenuity and toil. Though always plain, often inconvenient, these pio- neer homes were made elegant and bright by the charm of true domesticity of life, lived in harmony with the environment of nature. Clayton, on the Mississippi River, w.as the nearest market to this farm, which was Mr. Schmidt's home until 1869, when he sold it and went still farther west until he came to Middle Creek, Neb., where he bought land and remained until the spring of 1875, when he removed to Lincoln. Soon after a cloud gathered over this new home; the wifean72, .nnd worked for one year be- fore investing his mone}-. but being abundantly satisfied that mistake in that line was impossible, he purchased a quarter-section of land from the Bur- lington & Missouri River Railroad Comp.any, at ^8 per acre, which figure, however, w.as discounted, payment being made the same 3-ear. For two years after this our subject lived on an adjoining farm, and then commenced breaking upon his own place. His house was built in 1874, and is a pleasantly situated building, of very cheerful out- look and convenient arrangement internallj-. He continued to live alone until the j'ear 1878, when the brightness and solitary joys of single blessed- ness paled like the waning moon before the rising sun, and he joined the ranks of the benedicts. The name of the lady who came to the heart and home of our subject in the closest of all earth's relation- ships was Mahala Ellen Thom.as, a daughter of Phiiieas F. and Malvina (Gr.a3-) Thomas. The father of this lady was born in Wayne County, Ind., and her mother in Parke County, Ind.. where they lived for ten j-ears, and in 1877 removed to Lan- caster County, Neb., where he has a very good farm. Their home circle includes six children, of whom two are sons. Their names arc here recorded in the order of birth: Mahala, the first-born, is the wife of our subject; her brother, William R., is a farmer in Oak Precinct; Frank is also a farmer in the same precinct; May Ivy, now Mrs. William Jones, resifles upon their farm in Little Salt Pre- cinct, near her sisters; Antha J., the wife of Charles J. Crow; also Ida G. Mrs. King was born on the 17th of June, 1857, and made her home with her parents until her marriage. The subsequent years have abundantl3- shown that thd life of our subject has been a success so far as it affects his business and financial interests. But this is even more true of his domestic relations, and as the months have passed into years, so the tide of domestic felicity and current of home joy has broadened, deepened and strengthened. Five chil- dren have appeared at different times 1)3' the fire- side, making the home bright with their presence, and its rooms to ring with their mcrry,gleerul hilar- ity. Their names are recorded in the famil3' gen- ealog3' .as subjoined: William E. was born Oct. 23, 1878; Bernard E.. Aug. 17, 18H0; Doscy G., -S SHANE. Of tlie inventions and im- Eprovements by the hand of man in the 3'ears gone by, we can think of none that has required so much self-sacrittce, enduring of hardships and unmitigated labor, none that affords so great a source of pride and gratification to the American heart, as the uni)aralleled achievements accomplished by the men who were the early set- tlers, the pioneers, of this new. vast and fertile Ter- ritory. To pave the way for those who followed them, to secure advantages to the coming genera- tion, they willingly deprived themselves of (jleasant surroundings, left home and kindred, willing to sow that others might reap. Among the foremost in rank of the early settlers of Denton Precinct stands Elles Shane, the subject of this sketch. He is a native of Pennsylvania, the date of his birth being the IGth of November, 1833. He is a son of Michael and Sarah Shane, also natives of the same State, the latter still living. Mr. Siiane's great-grandfather on his father's side was a German who early conceived a love for the new country, and came to America before the Revo- lutionary War, before she had attained her freedom •4* -^— — ^— — — ^^_^^— and independence. The maternal ancestors were also Germans, wlu) left the Fatherland for the in- ducements offered by their adopted country. For the companions and playmates of his youth- ful days Mr. Shane had ten brothers and sisters, four of whom are now deceased. Those of the family who survive are Elles, our subject; Mathias, Thomas and John, in Iowa; William, who is re- siding in Nebraska; Clark, who is also in Iowa, and Mary, residing in Chamberlain, Dak. In the early days of 1848, when the previously undisputed monarchs of the Territory, the American red men, were losing their hold on these possessions, the sub- ject of this sketch removed with his parents to Stephenson County, 111., where they were early set- tlers. In this undeveloped country he was reared to manhood, lending his time and strength to the improvement of this western wild, consequently he received but a rudimentary education in the early schools of his time, the greater part of which was acquired during the winter months, the only time in which the sons of the soil were permitted to at- tend school. His father then engaging in the lumber and saw- mill business, for a number of years our subject assisted him in the mill. At the age of nineteen he began the blacksmith trade in Illinois, which occupation he continued until the year 1862. Then came the cry for men in defense of the country- — not puny, weak, irresolute men, but those strong, stout of heart, willing to face shot and shell — for to such an extremity had this fair land come! With self-sacrificing devotion thousands and tens of thousands answered the call, and enlisted in the service. Among these brave men was Mr. Shane, who first entered Company B, 38th Iowa Infantr3-. He was stationed at New Madrid, Mo., for a time, thence going to Vicksburg, where he assisted in the siege of that city until the surrender to Grant. July 4, 1863. after a siege of forty-one days. While the loss of human life at this encounter was estimated to be 60.000 men, our subject escaped iminjured, and from there he went with his company to Port Hudson for a short time. After this he was in camp at New Orleans for a time, then he went to Brownsville, Tex., where he remained for several months. Returning afterward to Alabama, he as- -f -4^ o48 LANCASTER COUNTY. sisted in tlie siege of Ft. Movgnn in that State until its surrender, and thence to Donelsonville, La., for a short time. lie was transferred to various jiolnts after this, and was mustered out at Houston, Tex., receiving a final discharge at Davenport, lona, in September, 1865. After the war he came to Lancaster County, Neb., and homesteaded 160 acres of land on section "20 of Denton Precinct. In the spring of 1866 Mr. Shane settled on his land, and he is one among those who have seen with interest their country developed from a primitive condition to the cultivated fields and farms which present sucli a fine appearance to-d.ay. He now owns 280 acres of land, having added to his original homestead, and by the labor of his own hands, and his own careful management, he has attained to emi- n> lit success. On the 3d of September, 1862, our subject was united in marriage with Angeline Cummings, a resident of Ohio, and about them grew up a f.amiiy of six children, being deprived of but one other child by its death. The members of his family are: Ulysses G., Sadie, James, May, Adelbert and Leonard, the little daughter Angle being deceased. On the lOtli of December. 1885, the mother of these children was taken from them by the providence of God, leaving a wealth of affection and love in the hearts of her husband and children. \n politics Mr. Shane is a Republican, and hav- ing seen and enjoyed the i)rogress and develop- ment of his country, he still wishes to see it go on to higher things and greater perfection. He is now serving as School Director, and hns creditably' filled that position since the year 1872. Among the portraits of representative men of L.incaster County, given in this volume, m.ij' be found Mr. Shane's, which the publishers present in connection with this brief sketch of his life. 38^ *t EN.TAMIN F. MUNDORFF. The solid and eliable element of the community of Yan- kee Hill Frecinct finds a most worthj- rejire- ^^' sentative in the subject of this biography, who operates a productive farm of eighty acres on section ."53. Wlu'ii lie took possession of this land it was in a wild and uncultivated state, and he generously acknowledges that his own industiious efforts were abl3' seconded by his excellent and amiable wife and helpmate, who has stood by him in storm and sun.as at limes been called upon to fill some position, and is at present School Director of District No. 114. He is, in every sense of the word, a self-made man, and the success that has crowned his efforts in life is the result of his continued efforts intelli- gently directed, and inspired bj' laudable ambition. Both he and his wife are .active members of the Congregational Church at Cortland, and are verj' highly esteemed, not simply within the church circle, but throughout the entire community, as those whose faith and practice are every d.ay con- sistent. ' i :r :@: < ! ' JfOSKPH E. STOCKWELL. The manuf.actur- ing interests of Lanciister County have in the I person of the gentleman whose biography is here briefly recited, a most admirable and worthy representative. This gentleman, like the greater number of the best American citizens, has made his own w.ay in life, beginning in compara- tively humble fashion, gradually accumulating anil progressing as the result of undeviating recti- tude and intelligent industry. He is one of the leading manufacturers of brick, tiling and terra colta in the State of Nebrsiska, and is the proprietor of very extensive works and brickyards, which are situated in Yankee Hill Precinct. The artist has very faithfully portrayed in tlie illustration accom- -. Residence and Brickworks of J. E. Stockwell,Stockw L Village. Yankee Hill Precinct, Lancaster County, Neb. h ^^ii^h-^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 559 -t panyiiigthis sketch tliese works, and has also given a peep of the interior of some of the workrooms, besides a few samples of the tiling, but it is impos- sible to give any idea of the delicate tracery and beaiitifid finish that lend their charm to these arti- cles as sent from tlie works. The subject of tliis history is a native of Lake County, Ohio, and was born on tlie 29tli of August, 1848. He is a son of Nathaniel C. and Lulhera A. (Ricardson) Stockwell. botii of wiiom are natives of Massachusetts, but for many 3'ears they have been residents of Lake County, Ohio, and were found among the ver3' early settlers there. They have always wielded an influence for good in the community where they have made tiieir iiome, and as the 3'ears have added number after number, this influence has only extended, broadened and deep- ened ; tiiey have been honored and esteemed by all for their strict integrity, firmness in the interests of right and trutli, and beautiful character. The parents of Mr. Stockwell gave him every op- portunity in their power to attend the district schools of his native place until he obtained a good, prac- tical, English education, and he hail by constant and careful reading kept himself posted upon all general to|)ics and is worthy to compare with the most in- telligent citizens. lie grew to manhood upon his father's farm, taking his whole share of the various duties and responsibilities thereof. Shortly af- ter he attained his majority, with his characteristic energy and good judgment, he had accumulated sufficient to enable him to establish a Iiome of his own, and on the loth of December, 1869, he w.as united in marriage to the lady of his choice, Miss Lavilla J. Henderson. She is a native of Lake County, 111., and is a daughter of Gideon and Alice (Law) Henderson. Their union has been blessed by the birth of two children, Nathan and Lela A., whom it lias been their pleasure to watch, as they have developed and manifested personal traits and dispositions that promise much for their future happiness and prosperitj-. In the matter of enterprise and decision of char- acter the subject of our sketch has few equals. He is a man of wonderful resource and large mental grasp, just such a one who can both think, attempt and execute great things wlien occasion requires. 4« To such a one the unprecedented development of the AVestern States held out many attractions, and in the year 1881 he removed with liis family to Doniphan County, Kan., and there cast in his lo.t with the men whose ability to promote the advance- ment of the agricultural, commercial and manufact- uring interests of that and the surrounding States has been fully verified, anrge, being capt- ured b}' the rebels, met death by starvation in one of the Southern prisons. Jacob lost part of a hand ; he is now a resident of Phil.adelphia, Pa., living upon a competence, retired from active labor. His sister Mary became the wife of Frederick Pound, a wealthy citizen of Philailelpliia. who followed the business of a butcher and is now deceased; Chris- tian Muller is a successful farmer of Johnson County, Iowa, residing near Iowa City; a sister Katie died in Germany two years after her niarri.age. Our subject was reared and educated in his iia- -•»• LANCASTER COUNTY. -u r,r,5 4 tive town, anrl upon coming to America loeate(i with liis brotlier George in Pliiladelpliia, Pa. Not long afterward he began woiking as a farm hand in Bucks County, where he was employed for a period of five 3'ears. Tiien lie turned his steps westward, and for eighteen months lived in the vicinity of Iowa City, employing himself at whatever he could find to do. With genuine German thrift and pru- dence, he managed not only to keep his head above water but always to have a little something in his pocket-book, and, being desirous of establishing a home of his own. he was united in marriage with Miss Minnie Herzer, the wedding taking place in Iowa City, on the 16th of November, 1861. Mrs. Miiller is a native of the town of Bretten, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, which place had been honored by the birth of Melancthon, the Ger- man reformer and the close friend of Martin Luther. She was born May 16, 1839, and is the daugh- ter of Frank and Sophie (Kesler) Herzer, the for- mer of whom was of French parentage and closely allied to royalty. The Herzer family prior to the seventh centuiy owned large estates, but during the troubles incident to the Reformation were driven from their possessions and fled to Germany, where they might enjoy freedom of religious thought. The Keslers also were people of high standing in Germany, and likewise sympathized with the reformed faith, on account of which they sacrificed much propeity and met practically with the same misfortunes which the Herzers encoun- tered. The father of Mrs. Muller was prominent in pub- lic affairs and acquired a good property. At one time he was closely connected with the Govern- ment, and a representative of one of the Dukes of his native Province. Both parents spent their en- tire lives in the Grand Duchy of Baden, the father passing away in the prime of life, when forty-seven years of age, and the mother dying at the age of fifty-seven. Religiously, they were connected with the Evangelical Church, in the success of which they took an active interest. Their family con- sisted of eleven children, who were carefully trained and educated, and of whom Mrs. Muller was one of the younger members. Only four survive. The wife of our subject came to the United States with her sister Sophie, when a young lady twenty years of age, and they lived for the first nine months in Macoupin County, III, then changed their residence to Iowa City, where Mrs. Muller met her future husband. She is a very intelligent lady, and recalls many of the incidents of her early life in her native Empire, and the matters connected with the history of her parents. She has been the efficient helpmate of her husband, and his chief assistant in the building up of the homestead. Of their union there have been born eleven children, and they reared another child besides. -^ ^^ ^ CHARLES A. PIERCE, Cashier of the Citi- ^ zens' Bank at Bennet, a young man capable, ' business-like and energetic, is the son of one of the leading citizens of Waverly Precinct, Hon. Charles W. Pierce, a sketch of whom appears else- where in this volume. He was born at Havana 111.. Dec. 8, 1860, pursued his early studies in the common schools, and was graduated from the Uni- versity of Nebraska in the class of '83. Mr. Pierce commenced his business career as an Assistant Division Engineer on construction in the employ of the Burlington & Missouri River Rail- road Company in Kansas, but a year later was obliged to return home on account of failing health. When recovered he was made an attache of the County Clerk's otHce at Lincoln. In April, 1886, he was appointed Cashier of the Citizens' Bank of Bennet, in which institution he is also a Director. In 1883 he was appointed Notary Public, and is also a member of the Village Board of Bennet. Cool- headed and conscientious, the friends who are watching him with kindly interest predict that he has before him a ci-editable and prosperous career. Our subject was married in Shepardsville. Clin- ton Co., Mich., Aug. 25, 188C. to Miss Ida Shepard, who was born in Waterford, Pa. Mis. Pierce is the daughter of B. M. Shepard. now living in Shepards- ville, Mich. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce are now the proud parents of twins, a boy and girl, Charles S. and Olive, who were born Scjit. 17, 1887. Mrs. Pierce is a member of the Episcopal Church, and Mr. P.. politically, affiliates with the Republican ■ ► 1 1^^ 5G6 LANCASTER COUNTY. party. He identified himself with the Masonic fratei'nity in 1882, being now a member of Blue Lodge No. y4, at Bcnnet, and also of Delta Lodge, A. A. S. R,, at Lincoln. He aisj belongs to the Loyal Legion of the United States. it^"^^ J, HILLIP ROHMAN. Among the Provinces 1/ which have gone to make up the consoli- dated German Empire there were probably I \ none that could surpass that over which ruled that passionate lover of music, Ludwig, of Bavaria ; just, honorable and well-balanced as a man and ruler, the peasantry of his domain were bright, happy and prosperous. The subject of this sketch is a native of Bavaria, as was also his father and immediate ancestry. To-day he is the owner of a magnificent farm on section 15, West Oak Precinct, his propcrtj' comprising 320 acres, chiefly devoted to the raising of stock. Peter Rohman, the father of our subject, was born in the above section of the German Empire, in the year 1813. He was bj' occupation a farmer, and owned his own farm in hisn.itive land. He w.as the husband f)f Miss Anna Arnold. The home circle comprised nine children, all of whom accompanied him to this country. This event transpired in the j"e:u- 1 840, shortly after the death of his wife. With his children he proceeded to Peoria, 111., where he followed his usual avocation and continued in the same until his death, at the age of seventy-seven years. Our subject was born Oct. 24, 1825. His edu- cation w.as received in a private acadcmj' in his na- tive country, and upon its completion he was ap- prenticed to learn the trade of blacksmith, which he continued until the journey- to America. Then he gave his time and attention to farm work, assisting his father at Peoria, but shortly' after lie took up a farm of IGO acres for himself and began the im- provement of the same. It was situated in Wood- ford Countj' and was covered with a timber growth of manj' years, he had, therefore, literally to hew out a farm, which he graduallj' did, and w.as very prl)^pcr^ IIS for a period of eighteen years, when he purchased a farm near Peoria, which he set to work upon immediately, erecting a good, substantial and comfortable farm dwelling, besides other necessary buildings, set out fruit and shade trees in abun- dance, and continued to make it his residence until he came here in the year 1881, where he immedi- ately took up his present property, which has been transformed from wild prairie land to one of the best preserved and cultivated farms in this district, which is saving a great deal, for as a whole the com- munity is much above the average. For a period of three years past our subject has lived in Lincoln, and this in order that his children might have tlie benefit of the excellent cit}' school. During that time his new residence has been built on the faim and he has just moved into it. The new dwelling shows most clearly- that the owners possess much of the refinement of life, taste and culture, whether we gaze at the exterior, its archi- tecture and decoration, or examine the interior with its modern adornments and artistic tinting; its furn- ishing also is entirely in keeping, the whole forming a home dwelling worthy of such a successful life. Upon the 2;)lh of June, 1847, our subject took to his heart and home Miss Barbara Egstine, of Woodford Counly, 111. This lady was born Nov. 13, 1832, in German}', and in 1837 came to America with her father, Michael Egstine, who took up land in Woodford County in that 3'ear, and continued to work the same until his death in November, 1869. The marriage of our subject has lieen consolidated ami rendered more felicitous b}' the additions wliicli have been made from time to time to the home cir- cle. Ten children have been born, of whom eight are living, whose names are here appended in the order of birth: Mary, Peter, Frank, Charles, Ellie, Maggie, Emma and Fred. Charles the fourth child of our subject, is now the husband of Ivlie .Steincr, and resides in Lincoln ; his sister Ellie was united in marriage to JohnCostello. and residesin Illinois; the three younger children are still at home with their parents. Mary, the oldest child, is now Mrs. William Stark, and lives at Colorado Springs; she has be- come the mother of three children. Peter is mar- ried to Josephine McGoogan; Frank is the husband of Elizabeth Lyon, and resides on section 1 5, and has become the parent of three cliiidren; his next •►HH^ ■-;■;,-'■;■*; '- i * ^yZ- (^^^ « ► 11 ^^ M^H<<« LANCASTER COUNTY. 569 door iieigbbor is his brother Peter, whose family comprises a like number. The political sympathies of our subjett are with the Republican party, which finds an ever ready supporter in him. Both he and his family are the recipients of the entire confidence and high regard of their neighbors. ^v HILIP FINK, Ju., a well-known and pros- JJ pei'ous farmer of Buda Precinct, is a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, German}'. He was i \ born to Philip and Gertrude Fink upon the 23(1 of January, 1850. His parents emigrated to this country in the j'ear 18G8, journej'ing from their home to Antwerp, and thence to Liverpool, England, wliere passage was taken upon one of the trans-Atlantic steamers, which, after a voyage of fourteen daj's, landed them in New York City. The mother is now deceased. Our subject came on to Lancaster County in the fall of 1878, and purchased eight}' acres of land, where he still resides, and which he has brought to a very perfect state of agricultural efficiency. While a resident of New York State, Mr. Fink became the husband of Sarah E. Priest. They are the par- ents of four children, whose names we record as follows: Fayett, Mattie, Gertrude and William. Mr. Fink has accorded to himself and family the esteem and confidence of the community. He is now serving iiis second term as School Moderator with much satisfaction to all parties concerned. In tlie United Brethren Church, of which they are old and active members, they find that which is con- genial to their religious principles, and are held in high esteem. iDWARD R. SIZER, Clerk of the District ^ Court of the Second Judicial District, in and ^^ for Lancaster County, Neb., came to Lin- coln in 1874, and soon afterward was employed as Deputy District Clerk under R. M. Vedder, now deceased. Filling that position acceptably- until 1 879, he. in 1883, was nominated by acclamation by the Republican party for his present office, and elected by a majority of over 3,000. In 1887 he was re- nominated by acclamation, elected by an increased majority, and has discharged the responsible duties of his office in a manner highly creditable to him- self and satisfactory to his constituents. His pres- ent term expires Jan. 1, 1891. The city of Ottawa, 111., was the early home of our subject, where his birth took place thirty-eight years ago, on the 25th of August, 1850. The eldest son of a family of four children, he is the offspring of Randolph and Marinda (Root) Sizer, who were natives of Massachusetts, and who emi- grated to Illinois in 1833, being thus among its pioneer settlers. His father carried on an exten- sive business as a lumber merchant of Ottawa, and for many years operated as a contractor and builder, continuing there actively in business until his death, which occurred Se|)t. 28, 1856. The mother con- tinued a resident of Ottawa, surviving her husband until Dec. 16, 1869, when she too passed to the land of the hereafter. Young Sizer spent his boyhood and school days in Ottawa. 111., and was graduated from the High School of that city, lie commenced his business career at Princeton. Bureau County, in a mercan- tile house, where he continued fifteen months. His next removal was to this State. He was accom- panied hither by his wife and one child, having been married in Ottawa, 111., May 10, 1871, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of David and Mary H. (Armstrong) Atkinson, who were natives of West Virginia. The father died in 1858; the mother is now living in Lincoln. To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born five children, three sons and two daughters : Maud V. (now de- ceased), Edward R., Jr., Bessie L., William A. and John A. The tasteful home of our subject is plensantl}' located at No. 1740 D street, and, presided over by a pleasing and intelligent wife, is the resort of a large circle of friends and acquaiutances. Mr. Sizer has taken a genuine interest in the development of his adopted city, and socially, belongs to Lincoln Lodge No. 138, I. 0. O. F. He is also a Knight of Pyth- ias, a member of A. D, Marshall Lodge No. 141, and Marshall Division No. 10, U. R. K. P., also n ■ » i r ^ r^B <• 570 4 LANCASTER COUNTY. Colonel anrl Aifle-de-Camp on the staff of Maj. Gen. Cainaiian, of the U. R. K. P., and Colonel on the staff of Hon. John M. Thayer, Governor of Nebraska. It is eminently proper that the portrait of Mr. Sizer be given among those of other prominent men of Lancaster Count}-, and as that of a man having in charge interests of importance to a large number of individuals, it will be looked upon with corresponding interest. <» »;1LLIAM F. STUTHEIT is one of the old \/\jf settlers of Centervilic Precinct, residing on W^ section 29. lie is a native of Clayton County, Iowa, and was born on the 16lh of August, in the year 18.55. lie is a son of Henry and Caro- line Stutheit, his parents both natives of Germany. When they were quite young both ihe father and mother of our subject were brought to America by their parents, who were among tlie number of emigrants at that time. The father lived in Ohio until he reached the years of manhood, when he removed to Iowa. To the parents of our subject there were born eleven children, of whom the fol- lowing survive: Maggie, wife of Herman Spellman, residing in Sprague, Neb. ; Lucy, the wife of George Beckman, residing in Kansas; August, in Lincoln, Nel). ; William F., Cornelius and Louis, in Center- vilic Precinct. Mary, Edward, John, Matilda .and Louisa are deceased. When our subject was but a boj' he came with his ))arents to Lancaster County, the family settling in the southern part of Centerville Precinct, at which place he resided a number of j'ears. His father is among the German reprcsentatire pioneers of the precinct in wiiich the family reside, and was able to give his children a fair district-school education. On the SCth of September, 1878, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Magdalena Spellman, a daughter of Hon. Henry Spellman, now residing in Cortland, Neb. Bj' this union there have been six children: Arthur, Earl; Clara and William, deceased ; and Mabel. In the year 1878 our subject settled on his pres- ent farm, being now the owner of IGO acres of good land, having been able to purchase it and free it from indebtedness by his own perseverance, indus- try, and the labor of his own hands. He has taken an impoi taut part in political, educational and relig- ious matters, having served as School Moderator in his district for two j-ears, and being a prominent member of the Methodist Episcoi)al Church. In the church he has honorably served as Steward, and by his consistent Chri.«tian life he was eminently qualified to assume the responsible jiosition of Class-Leader, joining in sympathy with the aged who had nearly run their Christian race, in con- gratulations to the middle-aged that the religious advantages were so gre.at, and in earnest advice to the young, that they might continue their religious experience, and grow up to be e.xemplai^' men and women. AVhen we speak of a man as being "public- spirited," we do not mean that he is willing and ready to participate in i)ublic matters only when solicited, but that he is a man of sufficient energy and thouglilfuhiess to devise new means by which the ])ublic in general m.ay be benefited, taking upon himself the responsibility of introducing a new theoiy or reform. A man is public-spirited when he is awake to the necessities of the times, who looks abroad and sees what the great world is doing, and then, with ever laudal)le emuhition, he strives to imitate, and perhaps to surpass, in his own community the improvements and progress which he has noted abroad. Such a man is our subject, to whom the above term is appropriately applied, and whose educational and religious zeal is much to be admired. E.LDER JAISIES H. RING, who has recently purchased a farm in Grant Township, and i expects soon to take up his residence here, is a son of George Ring, and has ofMciated as a min- ister of the Baptist Church for a period of over thirty years, and has labored to good advantjige in the Master's vineyard. A native of Fairfield County, Ohio, he was born July 27, 1840, where he was reared to manhood, and was marrii d in 1861, in Gratiot, Muskingum County, to Miss Mary J. 1 ' ■^i*- LANCASTER COUNTY. 571 Simpson, vvlio wns born there Nov. 30, 1838. Soon after they settled in Logan County, III., which lias l)een tlieir residence now for a period of nearly' twenty-five years. There their ten children were born, all but two of whom, Susie and Bessie, are living. These two died, one when one year and a half old, and one in infanc}'. The eight living children of our subject and his wife are named respectively: Charles SI., George S.. William F., Thomas E., Frances M., Samuel C, Emma G. and Penelope P. Thej' are living with their parents. Mr. Ring began his ministerial labors in Fairfield County, Ohio, and later preached in dififerent places in Illinois. His labors have been attended with success, he being a clear and forcible speaker, an:l having labored with that conscientious industry which has alwaj's been a guarantee of his warm interest in his pious work, and his endeavor to so present the truths of the Christian religion as should convince the skeptical, and result in the prosperitj' of the cause. Politicall}', he has been a supporter of the Republican party for manj' years, and his removal to this county will be wel- comed as an accession to the numlier of its capa- ble men. -^- ■ : D l' o ; ■ -■-- WP^ EUBEN W. HYERS. Life has its two sides; llyif the one light and the other dark, and ever ened his eyes to the light in Upper Canada, where he was reared on a farm and completed his education in the High .Schools. His parents, Robert and Caro- line (Beebe) Vanderlip, were natives respectively of New York .State and Canada. They came to Kent Count}-, this State, about 1852. locating on a tract of land, where the father carried on farming, and was called from his earthly labors in 1888. The mother is still living at the old homestead. The parental household included ten children, of whom nine are living and residents mostly of Michigan and Nebraska. Of these, .hxlson E. was the second bom. Our subject continued with his parents until twenty-five years of age, then resided in Ionia County, and engage*! in farming and teaching until May. 1869, when he changed his residence to Stock- ton Precinct, this county. Homesteading eighty a<;ros of land, he operated as a tiller of the soil for a period of five years, then coming to Ben- net engaged in general merchandising, and thus be still follows in connection with his other in- terests. He has the largest establishment in the place, and keeps a full stock of everything required in the village or country household. For two yeai-s he has been Presitlent of the Village Board, and takes a lively interest in every enterprise cal- culated to advance the interests of his community. V -4^ -U LANCASTER COUNTY. 579 Politically, he is independent, aiming to support the men whom he considers best qualified for office. He became identified with the Masonic fraternity in 1869, and is the Secretary of Rennet Lodge No. 94. The marriage of our subject with Miss Marietta Robinson was celebr.ited at the home of the bride, in Ionia County, this State, Feb. 17, 1870. Of this union there is but one cliild, Edwin A., who was born in April, 1873. in Stockton Precinct. They occupy a handsome and comfortable home, and enjoy the esteem and confidence of hosts of friends. The Citizens' Bank occupies offices in the handsomest block in tiie vill.nge, and has become one of the indispensable institutions of this part of the count}'. The name of its President carries with it a guaran- tee which establishes it firmly among the other business interests in this region, and is ample secur- ity that its affairs will be conducted u|)on a safe basis. Mr. Vnuderlip has assisted materially in the building up of the town of Bennet, has here in- vested a large proportion of his capital, and here centered his most valued interests. He esteems no effort too great that shall result in the general good of the people around him in advancing their social and financial welfare, and in giving to the rising generation the advantages which shall make of them a race of honest men and good citizens, prepared to take up the mantle of those who shall have gone before. It is eminently proper that the portrait of this representative citizen should grace the Album of Lancaster County, and we accordingly place it herein with pleasure. \^j^ AVID E. PREY. Among the ohl settlers of Lancaster County, and its worthy citi- zens, must be mentioned the gentleman whose biography is here briefly sketched. He is a native of New York State, where he was born on the oth of June, 1842. He is the son of John B. and Margaret Prey, of wh(^m further men- tion is made in the sketch of J. W. Prey, whose biographical sketch will be found upon another page of this volume. Our subject came to Lan- caster County in 18.56, and has since resided here continuously. The educational possibilities of his early surroundings were exceedingly limited, such, however, as were offered he took every advantage of, and has since by general reading greatly improved his education. The chosen occupation of our subject has been that of farming, into which he was initiated when he was quite small, receiving, as he grew in strength and intelligence, more complete instruction, and performing more perfectly the duties assigned. At the time of his coming to Nebraska it was practi- cally an unknown territory, and had not had the first roughness of its original condition removed; Indians and wild game of different kinds were far more plentiful than settlers, and the land ft)r mile after mile stietched away without a sign of civili- zation. From this primitive condition he has watched with pride its phenomenal development. In I 8G3 our subject entered a homestead claim for IGO acres of land, which lie has brought to a well-nigh perfect state of cultivation. Since that time he has purchased other sixty acres, giving him a total of 220, which inchides the farm as at present operated. The chief productions are those which would be included by the phrase general farming, and our subject has always been successful in his harvests, excepting where, as at the time of the grasshopper plague, circumstances be\'ond his con- trol absolutely prevented. On the 25th of February, 1872, Mr. Prey was united in marriage with Sarah X. Davis, a native of Ohio, vvho has presented him with three children, who bear the following names: Nina, Daisy and David. Mrs. Prey w.as born on the 14tli of March, 1852, in Morgan County of the above State, and is a daughter of Reuben and Elizabeth Davis, the former of whom is deceased. Her father was born in New England and later removed to Ohio, where he met and married his wife, a native of that State and of English ancestry. This lady is still living, and resides in Whiteside County, 111., where her husband died in October, 1887. Our subject has served the important office of School Director for several terms, and also that of Road Overseer. He has been prosperous in the various business undertakings of his life, and has r 4 ^t 580 LANCASTER COUNTY. been enabled to lay aside a fair competence against the proverbial rainy tlay. As a man and a citizen be is simple in his habits, industrious and energetic, honorable in every transaction, and consequently much esteemed. In politics he has always been a supporter of the Republican part}-. ^g^ ^ i ; . o . «°< A. STOCKING. It being generally be- lieved that heredity and environment have much to do with the formation of character, and that our lives are stimulated by the immediate or indirect influence of our ancestors, a short resume of the lives of Mr. Stocking's parents ra.ay serve as the index to the liberal impulses which mark his daily life, and which have won for hira the esteem of those who know him. He is descended from those Puritan Fathers of our Republic who ex- erted in so signal a manner their wisdom and energy in planting the seeds of freedom, piety and learn- ing, the fruits of vviiicli are so richly enjoyed from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It is a trite remark, be- cause so obvious and just, that no people on earth owe more to their ancestors than the descendants of the early New England families. The courage and devotion manifested bj' these zealous and freedom seeking people generally throughout all the American colonies during the opening scenes of the Revolution and the long-con- tinued tri.alsof the war, are entitled to the profound respect and admiration of all. Against pressure of social influence in the large Colonial town where bribes and offers were freely made by the emis- saries of the Crown, and where predictions of an- archy and ruin were constantly poured forth by the timid and mercenary; against the temptations held out by the wealthy and ruling classes and threats hurled at them by the most powerful of the Royal- ists, those New England men and those noble women were proof. To such noble ancestry do our subject and his wife trace their birth, the forefathers of Mrs. Stocking having been numbered among the crew of the always-to-be-remembered " Mayflower," and those of Mr. Stocking having come to America in Colonial times. The parents of our subject, Abner and Gratia (Porter) Stocking, were born in Massa- chusetts, and afterward settled in Cuyahoga Countj', Ohio, where the husband carried on the occupation of farming. He died in the ye.ir 1854, at the age of forty-five, and his wife died in the year 188,i, at the age of sixty-five years. The}' were the parents of four children — William R., David A., Josei)h and Mar}- JI. David, our subject, was born on the 31st of March, 1846, in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and was eight years old when his father died. lie had the advantages to be obtained from attending the public schools, and at the age of fifteen he entered a semi- nary at Dover, Ohio, and attended there in the winter time. He continued living with his mother until he went to Illinois, where he worked out by the month for the first two years oi his residence in that State. In 1869, our subject, in company with E. Hoisington, came to Nebraska and took up a homestead of eight}' acres. , In the year 1874 Mr. Stocking w.as married to Miss Polly Giddings, a daughter of Alfred and Fannie (Van Orden) Giddings. The father of Mrs. Stock- ing was born in New York, and the mother was born in Greene County of the same State, and after their marriage they resided in their native State for five years, after which they went to Stephenson County, III., where they lived a number of years. Then, coining West with their children in 1869, they settled in South Pass Precinct, in Lancaster County. The father died in 1871, aged fifty-eight years, and the mother took up a homestead in 1873, now, how- ever, residing with her daughter, Mrs. Stocking. She is seventy-three years old, and is the mother of ten children, seven of whom are living — Francis, Wal- lace, William. Nancy, Patti, Polly and Van Orden. Mrs. Stocking, wife of our subject, was born July 2, 1852, in Kent Township, Stephenson Co.. III. She received the educational advantages of the common schools, and was eighteen years old when she came to Nebr.aska. She is the mother of five children — Wallace, Burd, Abner, John W. and Almond Burrell. The latter is deceased. She is a member of the United Brethren Church, and is dis- tinguished for her w-omanly qualities and zealous industry. Our subject is the owner of 120 acres of land, having made all the improvements by his own •►Hh-^: u LANCASTER COUNTY. 581 liard labor and careful managetneiit. He was for- merh' a member of the Kepublican part}', but lie- lieving that the good of the countiy would be enhanced by advocating the policy of the Prohibition part\% he now takes an active inte?-ost in promoting its views, his wife being also strongly in favor of temperance. For two years our subject was Asses- sor, and for six years he has been School Director, at present filling that honorable position in Panama Precinct. He is a good, honest, upriglit man, and as such he and his family iiave the esteem of the entire community in which they live. AURICE E. JONES, M. D.. a prominent capitalist, of Lincoln, has gained a wide reputation as a successful and skillful phy- sician and surgeon, aud to-day occupies a leading position in the medical profession of Ne- braska, and he has also shown himself to be a financier of no mean ability. He was born in Alontgomeryshire, England, Aug. 3, 1.S36, a son of John M. and Elizabeth (Edwards) Jones. His parents came to America in 1845, and settled in Great Barrington, Mass. In 1852 his father estab- lished himself in the mercantile business in Pitts- field, Mass., and continued to reside there with his family until his death in 1887, when a valued and respected citizen was lost to that community. His amiable wife did not long survive the shock occa- sioned by his death, as her own occurred a month later. Six of the children born of their marriage grew to raaturitj', namel}': Maurice; Thomas, now in the mercantile business in Taunton, Mass. ; Jona- than was a merchant in Providence, R. L, where he died in 1887; Elizabeth C. ; Emma A.; A. May married James Hosburg, and they live in Dalton, Mass. The subject of this sketch was nine years of age when he came to America with his parents, and amid the beautiful scenery of that part of the old Bay State where his parents made their home he grew to vigorous manhood. He received substan- tial education in the excellent academy at Great Barrington, and in a private school in Lanesboro. He was strongly attracted to the medical profession, and determined to become a doctor, and he ac- cordingly commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Cady, of Pittsfield, and later was graduated from the Berkshire Medical College in 1860. He com- menced to practice his profession in Chesterfield, and thence went to Westford, Mass. In 1862 he was called to Chelsea, Mass., to take the position of Assistant Superintendent of the Chelsea Marine Hospital. He was there but a short time when he resigned to accept the office of Assistant Surgeon in a Rhode Island regiment, and in that capacity he did good service at the battles of Chancellors- ville and Fredericksburg. He was in the army for a year, when he resigned, and settled at Meredith Village, and practiced there for a time. From there he went to Mt. Vernon, N. II., remaining there in active practice until 1867. He then es- tablished himself in Port Jervis, N. Y., and was there appointed surgeon of the Delaware Division of the Erie Railway. In 1871 he visited his birth- place in England, and after traveling in Europe for three months, returned to America, and settled in his old home in Pittsfield, Mass., vvhere he formed a partnership with Dr. 0. S. Roberts. While resid- ing there he invested in real estate in Lincoln without ever having seen it. In 1876 he again visited Europe, and spent six months in traveling over the Old World. On his return to this country he concluded to come to Lincoln to look after his real estate here. At that time Lincoln was a small and quiet place, with but little prospect of ever reaching its present size and importance as a great Western metropolis. The Doctor opened an office here, but after practicing his profession here for two years, he sold out and returned to the East. In 1882 he was selected to take charge of the medical department of the Insane Asylum at Amityville, N. Y. He remained there one j'ear, discharging the duties of his position with satisfaction to those in charge of the institution. He then opened an olfice in New York City, and was successfully engaged there until 1886. But he had not forgotten Lin- coln, and he decided to locate here once again, and he has ever since been an honored resident, and has contributed very materially to its growth. Soon after his return he erected the handsome brick block which he now owns on the corner of r (1 582 i LANCASTER COUNTY. Twelfth and P streets. While a practicing phjsi- cian in Massachusetts the Doctor was prominently identilied with the Fittsfield, Berkshire and Massa- chusetts State Medical Societies. He joined tlie Masonic fraternity at Milford, N. H. The Doc- tor's travels and wide experience have made him a polished and cultured man of the world, and his strong personality, genial manners and entertaining conversation, have drawn to him manj- warm friends from among tiie intelligent and educated people whom he has met at home and abroad. JOHN J. TROMPEN. Among the biographies which grace this voluuic will be found that of J. J. Trompen, one of Hickman's most popular citizens, influential politicians and prosperous business men. He is one who stands high in tlie community in stature, as also in the foregoing qualities. He is a man of unusually fine physique, standing sis feet six inches, and large in proportion. He is possessed of almost unbounded resources and reserve force, and in spite of a num- ber of reverses h;is made his wa^- to a ver^' advanced position in life, and if ever pride is a virtue it is so imder such circumstances. How much, however, of this prosperity has been the result of his alliance with his talented, cultured and most estimable wife Would be hard to 833-. The father of our subject was John Trompen, who was born in North Holland, and came to the United States with liis father, brothers and sis- ters wiiile yet a j'oung man, and with them located in Ottawa County, Mich, where also he beg.in farm- ing, continuing his residence at home until 1874, when he came to Nebraska, accompanied b}- his f.ither, and located in South Pass Precinct. Here he became the owner of 320 acres of farming laud, and died upon the homestead at the age of sixty-five years, in 1883. His mother, Mary (Raak) Trompen, was also l)orn in Holland, and still lives upon the homestead, aged sixty-eight years. She has been twice married, her first husband being II. Wiefrich. by whom she became the parent of one child, Frederick. Her second marriage has been fruitful in the birth of two children — our sub- ject and his sister Martha. Our subject was born April 8, 18.54, at Vriesland, Mich. His early days were spent and his education was received in the schools of the same place. His school life was marked by the same attention to de- tails and [lerseverance that have made him so success- ful in later 3'ears. His unusually large proportions were early noticeable and rapidly developed. In this regard he took somewhat after his great-grand- father, who was a cavalrj-man in the favorite regi- ment of Napoleon 1, renowned wherever the history of that military' genius is re.ad. He was also a man of large brain power, which seems to have been transmitted by some psychic law of generation to our subject, who also bears the same name. Mr. Trompen's felicity has been largely enhanced by his union with Miss Jennie Hu^'ser, daughter of Quirinius and Gessie Huyser. This lady was born in Zealand, Ottiwa Co., Mich., June 23, 18r)3. The education in the common school was sup|ilemented b}' that of a full course in the Ladies' Seminarj-, at Holland, of the same State, the curriculum of which included a complete course in music, living languages, artistic work and other accomplishments, and occupied a period of between four and five j'ears. Immediately after her marriage with our subject, which was solomnized at Zealand, she came to Lincoln, arriving Sept. 22, 1874. The father of our subject had purch.ised a half-section of land, and upon this occasion presented one-half of it to his son, who began farming at once upon it. For three 3'ears they lived in a sod house, as may be surmised of not ver3- extensive proportions. The first three or four j-ears our subject met with trials and adverse circumstances which would have crushed manv, and possibly but for the high inspiration that had now come into his life, and lifted him above mere selfish consideration, would have conquered him also, but he labored on and was victor over fill. In the 3'ear 1887 our subject began the breeding of hogs and cattle for the market, the former most extensivcl3%and in this new business was rcmarkahl3' successful. Single-handed he ran his farm of 120 acres, his team consisting of three mules; besides the ordinar3- draft work they became also the mo- •T n -^•- LANCASTER COUNTY. 583 ^ 4 live power of his threshing-ninchinc. He began business in Holland in 1882, in farm inaeliinery, implements and general requirements, and in this his prosperity continued with him. In the fall of the same year he came to Hickman, where, continu- ing his other business, he went into partnership with Mr. McKimmon in grain and live stock. This, however, was a reverse, for he lost during this part- nership about $1,500. Soon after this he entered into partnership with Mr. Liesveld, and persuaded him to erect a steam grain elevator. The first year the Brm ran under the name of Liesveld, Van- burg & Co., but Mr. Vanburg was bought out, and the firm took its present name. Their shipments amount to over 1 25,000 bushels per year. Besides this business they keep alwa3's on hand a large sup- ply of agricultural hardware, and the best makes of buggies and wagons. Mr. Trompen has an especial affinity for mechanism of all kinds, and is entirely in his element in this department of his business, which is the largest of its kind in the county. The home of our subjecthas received at different times seven children, who have made it bright with their presence and happy with their mirth. Their names are recorded as below: Nicholas. Sena, Sarah, John, Martha, Fritz and Fredericka, all of whom are at home, the four older ones being in attendance upon the schools of the district. The history of our subject in connection with all movements and enterprise for the benefit of the community reveals the fact that he is a large-hearted, public-spirited man, intensely interested in the ad- vancement of all classes of the community in which he resides. Politically, his record indorses the same opinion, and moreover has proved the opportunity for advancement of some of the above enterprises. He affiliates with the party of '-The Plumed Knight." He has been a candidate nine times in the Repub- lican Count}' Convention, was sent as a delegate to the State Conventions in the years 1880, 1886 and 1887. In the year 1886 he seconded the nomi- nation speech which presented Gov. Thayer to the convention, also Gen. Laws, the present Secretary of State, and Church Howe, now President of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, to the office of Congress. In an exceptionally efficient manner our subjecthas filled tiie office of Notary Public for one term, of Director of Schools for many years, and Justice of the Peace for a period of nine years. In the Northwest there is a large society of wheat producers and grain buyers, who hold an important position in regard to the business in that commod- ity in the Northwest, with the object of mutual protection, help and support, known as the North- west Grain Association. Our subject is one of the prominent members of this association, and one of its most earnest supporters. His high political sta- tion and large influence, his popularity and massive intellect, all combine to make him one of its leading members. •mi i-rs. y ALTER HOGE is Secretary of the News Printing Company, of Lincoln, which pub- lishes the. Weekly And Daily yens, and also does a flourishing business in job printing. The subject of this sketch was born in Greene County, Pa., Oct. 27, 1847, being a son of Abner and Maria (Wise) Hoge. In 1856 his parents removed to LaSalle County, 111., and the father bought a farm in the southwestern part of the count}-, and has been prosperously engaged in agricultural pur- suits there ever since. He and his wife are benevo- lent, upright people, whose conduct has always marked them as well worthy of the confidence that they have inspired in their neighbors. Our subject received his early education in the district school, and by a four-years attendance at that excellent institution of learning, Knox College, Galesburg, III, was still further fitted for the liter- ar}^ vocation that he has since adopted. He com- menced teaching during his collegiate career, and for several years taught in LaSalle County. He abandoned the profession of teaching for that of a journalist in 1873, buying at that time a third in- terest in the Streator Monitor. In 1 875 he sold that paper, and bought an interest in the Streator Free Press, then a weekly publication. In 1878 he made it a daily, and continued to publish it with good financial success until 1884, when he sold out, and started West to seek a location. He visited Lincoln, and being pleased with the cit}', its sur- roundings, ami business prospects, he decided that he would make his home here. He bought an inter- 58 1 LANCASTER COUNTY. est in the Lincoln Daily News, and lias been con- nected with that paper since that time as managing editor, and he has been Secretary of the company that publishes it since its formation as a stock com- l)any. He is a man of good literary ability, has a decided talent for business, and is well thought of in this oomniunity. Mr. Hoge was married, in 1874, to Miss Belle Tullis, and to lier sympathy and encouragement he is greatly indebted for his success in life. They have three children — Mabel, Ciiarles and .Tessie. While a resident of Strcator, 111., our subject took a prominent part in local and county affairs, was a member of the City Council for several terms, and reiM-esented Streator on the County Board of Sui)er- visors for fcnir years, iilling the ofHce with great acceptance to his constituents, resigning it in 1884. HOLLMANN is a well-known general farmer Ij'i and stock-raiser on section 9, Olive Branch Precinct. In this business he has been very successful. He owns 240 acres, nearly all of whidi is tlie best imi>roved land. His farm is a fine one, having on it a capital house and substan- tial out-buildings. Mr. HoUmann developed it from tiie raw prairie, and its present prosperous condition furnishes abundant proof of its owner's business tact and energy. Mr. Hollmann came to this State with Henry Kramer, in the year 18G5, since which d.ate he has continued to live where he now resides. He for- merly resided in Clayton County, Iowa. He and Mr. Kramer were among the first to settle this far west in Nebraska, and endured all the manifold hardsiiips of pioneer life. His account of things as they then were is one of thrilling interest. The sub- ject of our sketcli was born in what is now Prussia, Germany, in 1831. When only twenty years old he came to this country alone and unmarried. His father. Frederick Hollmann. was a Hanoverian, and served as a soldier. After spenarents to Miclii- ^ -4*- 58 1 A LANCASTER COUNTY. est in ttie Lincoln Daily jVei's, and has been con- nected with tiiat paper since that time as managing editor, and he has been Secretarj' of the company that publishes it since its formation as a stoclt com- l)an}'. He is a man of good literary al)ility. has a decided talent for business, and is well tiiought of in this community. Mr. Hoge was married, in 1874, to Miss Belle Tullis, and to lier sympathy and encouragement he is greatly indebted for his success in life. Thej' have three children — Mabel, Charles ind .Jessie. While a resident of .Sirealor, 111., our suljjeet took a prominent part in local and county affairs, was a member of the City Council for several terms, and represented Slreator on the Count}' Board of Super- visors for four j-ears, filling the ofHce with great acceptance to iiis constituents, resigning it in 1884. HOLLMANN is a well-known general farmer \ and stock-raiser on section 9, Olive Branch Precinct. In this business he has been very successful. He owns 240 acres, nearly all of which is the best improved land. His farm is a fine one, having on it a capital house and subst;tn- tial out-buildings. Mr. Ilollmann developed it from the raw prairie, and its present prosperous condition furnishes abundant proof of its owner's business tact and energy. Mr. Hollmann came to this State with Henrj- Kranier, in the year 186.i, since which d.ate he has continued to live where he now resides. He for- merlj' resided in Claj'ton Count}', Iowa. He and Mr. Kramer were among the first to settle this far west in Nebraska, and endured all the manifold hardships of pioneer life. His .account of things as thev then were is one of thrilling interest. The sub- ject of our sketch was born in what is now Prussia, German}', in 1831. When only twenty years old he came to this country alone and unmarried. His father, Frederick Hollmann, was a Hanoverian, and served as a soldier. After spending twelve years in the army as a private, he was pensioned, and spent the latter years of his life in the seclusion of his native vill.age. where he died at tlie age of eighty-three. He appears to have been a smart, educated German. Early in life he had married Fredricka AVilka, a most intelligent woman, who died in Hanover at the .age of seventy -six. Our subject was one of the younger of a family of seven stalwart sons and two daughtei-s. He grew to manhood in his native land, and was edu- cated in the German language. On his arrival in the United States he located at Cincinnati. Ohio, for one year, after which he removed to Clayton County, Iowa, where he wjis married to Eliza Kramer, daughter of the above-mentioned Henry Kramer. This lady w.as born in Prussia, Germany, in the year 1841. While yet young she came to the United States with her parents, with whom she continued to reside until her m.arriage to Mr. Holl- mann. She is the happy mother of eleven children. Of these the eldest is Magarata, wife of John Fix; they live on a flourishing farm on section IC of Olive Branch Precinct. Henry, the ehlest son, took to wife a Miss Emma Brahnsted, and is a pros- perous farmer in this precinct. The second daugh- ter, Amelia, is the wife of George L. Fisher, who lives on and owns a fine farm in the same precinct. The other children are: Fred, Sophia, William, Louisa, Emma, Bernliard, Lany and Edwin, all of whom live at home with their parents. In religion, Mr. and Mrs. Hollmann are German Methodists. Mr. Ilollmann is one of the Church Trustees of the town in which he resides, and also occupies the position of .S.ibbaLh-school Superin- tendent. Mr. Hollmann, who has held most of the offices of his precinct, is a Republican. C-t^ ^ \||j_^ENRY JOHN.SON. who resides upon his farm on section 34, Nemaha Precinct, was born in Denmark. Oct. S'i, 184.5. The news of the broad American prairies, its liberal and liberty-loving institutions, w.as sounded in the val- leys of the land of the Norsemen, and in common with others of his countrymen he determined to visit the New World. Accordingly, in the spring of 1800 he came to this country, and soon after found his w.ay to Nebraska, where he took eighty acres of land on the above section, under the Home- stead Law. It is well [)roved that his confidence in •<»• «► ll "^ ^i » ^ ll f our subject, John Grady, was born in Prussia, in the year 1782. He w.as united in marriage with Catherine Taske, and to tiiis union were born seven children, all of whom it was their privilege to see grow up to manhood and womanhood. The family comprised five boys and two girls, our subject being the youngest child. John Grady was by occupation a farmer, and in this he was as successful as was possible in his time. He died in the year 1845, and was survived by his wife several years. Our subject was ushered into life in Prussia, Nov. 26, 1825. He spent the years of boyhood in the common schools of his native country, and after- ward continued with his father, occupied in agri- cultur.al work until he was about sixteen years of age. In 1848, while enjoying the full strength and- vigor of life he emigrated to this country and set- tled in New Jersey. While in Prussia he had taken time to make himself acquainted with the tr.ade of a carpenter, and for twenty years continued tosup- <^ ■4•■ LANCASTER COUNTY. 593 4 port himself by working at tiie same, continuing for that period in tlie same State. About the year 1865 he removed to Fond du Lac County, Wis., wliere he took land and began tiie life of a pioneer. Year after year saw his farm more improved, and brought to a higlier state of cultivation, until after the Lapse of afewyears he realized that the neighbors were getting too thick around, and owing to the high state of efficiency to which he had brought his farm and stock, he was enabled to sell .it a good price, then, freed from all impediments, he pushed out into the Far West, settling finally in this State. Mr. Grady now began for a second time pioneer life, and took upaqu.arter-section of land on section 25, West Oak Precinct. This was in the year 1874. He went to work with vigor, and now found his New Jersej- experience serve him well, for he was enabled to put up a superior residence with less labor than many of his fellows. To this he added as demands were made upon him the various barns, stables and other farm buildings. The land w.is no longer left in its native untamed condition, Ijut w.as raade subject to his intelligence and labor. In a very short time he had an improved farm, and as the seasons succeeded each other in r.apid succession, the land was brought to a high state of cultivation, until it became one of the best in the whole district. Great attention has been given to the production and culture of ornamental and fruit trees. These, however, can only be truly appreciated by those who have made a near acquaintance with them, who have enjoyed their fruit, beautiful, ripe and lus- cious, or have reclined in the heat of the day under their refreshing shadows, and been kissed by the breezes made by the continual fanning of their leaves. In this delightful home our subject con- tinued to reside until Nov. 27, 1883, when he re- moved to his present residence at Raymond, which is also the work of his own hands. In Raymond our subject enjoys the quiet ease and rest which he h.as earned so well through the long years of toil, danger and difficulties of his pioneer life, and it is gratifying, doubtless, to him to realize as he looks around, that the property accumulated, and the beautiful home now enjoyed, are the reward of those 3-ears of toil. Our subject was united in the bonds of wedded life, in the year 1852, with Ann Kennedy, who was born iu Belfast. To them were given two sons and one daughter: Charles, now residing in West Oak Precinct; John, who occupies the old homestead; and Anna, now Mrs. ,Iohn W. Leckliter, of Lincoln. His wife was removed from his side by death in 1 864. Between two and three years after a second alliance was entered into, with Mrs. Harriet Harmer. They were married M.iy 12, 1866. They have one child, Katie Alice, who resides at home with her parents. Mrs. Harriet Grady was born Oct. '.), 1828, in the State of Vermont. She is the daughter of Abi.al and Dianthia Stickney. When she was about one year old her parents removed to New York, and she continued to reside with them until she was eighteen. In that city she received her education and training for after life, and about 1846 removed with her parents to Illinois, where she met the gentleman to whom she was first mar- ried, which event transpired in the same State. It was her misfortune to lose her first husband, who died in Wisconsin. She afterward met and was united to oui- subject, as noted above. The father of Mrs. Grady was an intelligent and prosperous farmer, and after the removal to Illi- nois continued his residence there until his death in 1854. Mr. and Mrs. Gr.ady are not only united in the bonds of marriage, but are also one in their re- ligious sentiments, and find their religious home in the communion of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Raymond, and are justly the recipients of the highest esteem and regard, which are commanded by their social position and noble Christian char- acters. Charles, the eldest son of our subject, was united in marriage with Isabel Elliot, daughter of Charley Elliott, in 1 876. Their home has been gl.addened by the birth of one child, named Frank Elsworth. We have only to add one word by way of con- trast, of the condition of things in the district at the time our subject first settled, and that upon which he looks to-day. Whore are now large cities, filled with busy, bustling people, with elegant homes, extensive business blocks, fine school-houses, and comfortable churches, or where are pros|)erous, bustling towns, villages and hamlets, farmhouses with their liroad acres of fields, and pasture Ian rJh^ L ■•► 594 LANCASTER COUNTY. then was wild, untamed prairie, upon which the eye could see nothing but the wild-cats, wolves, deer and other game, or the wigwam of the then numer- ous and even more untamed Indian. Our subject has always given his undivided at- tention to the working of his land and its culti- vation and the improvement of his stock, and li.as never been prominent in the community in its political affairs. He is, however, a warm supporter of the Republican party. In the community our subject and his family are regarded among its most honored and representative citizens, and are ac- corded by all, as is justly due, the fullest confidence and highest regard. ILLIAM D. GULICK, an enterprising busi- ness man, is projirietor of one of the oldest established bakeries in Lincoln. His f.ither was an early settler of this city, coming here when it was in its infancy. Our subject, being then a youth of fifteen, has witnessed the wonderful growth of this enterprising metropolis from a small town to a wealthy and populous city of 50,000 inhabit- ants. He is a native of New Jersey, born in the city of Newark, Feb. 17, 1857, to Peter J. and Mary Ann (Outcalt) Gulick. The father of our subject was likewise a native of New Jersey, as, it is supposed, was his father, Voorhees Gulick. He married in his native .State, his wife being a native of that State too, and they spent the first years of their wedded life there. In 1857 he moved with his family and his father to Illinois, and engaged in agricultural pursuits for some years in that State. The grandfather of our subject settled near Bushnell, 111., and there carried on farming until his death. In 1865 Mr. Gulick (the father of our subject) moved to Galesburg, 111., where he established himself in a bakery, which he managed in that city for eight years. In 1872 he came to Lincoln and opened a bakery, thus being one of the pioneers in this line of business in this city, and he conducted it with good financial suc- cess until his death, in July, 1881. He w.is well known in this city, and the honestj' and rectitude of his life caused him to be universally respected, <■ and at his death, a valuable citizen who had always worked for the advancement of the community was taken away. The noble wife, who had faithfully aided him to prosperity, preceded him to the gravci dying in Lincoln in 1 879. Eight children were born of the iniion of those worthy people, of whom our subject was the second child in order of birth. He was an infant when his parents left the home of his birth and went to re- side in Illinois, where most of his boyhood was passed. His education was obtained in the city schools of Galesburg and Lincoln, and as soon as he was old enough he had to assist his father in the baker}', and gained a thorough knowledge of the trade. He continued with his f.ither until 1878, when he started out to see something more of the world. We next hear of him in Texas, where he had established himself .at his trade in the town of Terrell. He remained there two 3-ears, and then retraced his steps to this city in 1880, and entered into partnership with his father in his present busi- ness, and continued the same until his father's death the following year. He has a well-appointed es- tablishment, that is first-ckss in every particular, and by close attention to business and square deal- ing he has built up a large trade. To the wife who makes his home bright and at- tractive, Mr. Gulick was united in marriage March 4, 1878. She was formerly Miss Ida Alexander, a native of New Castle, Ind., and a daughter of D. B. and Martha Alexander. Of this marriage five children have been born : Ray A., Pearl and Inez (twins), Eula May and Claude. Mr. Gulick is a prominent member of the I. O. 0. F., Lincoln Lodge No. 1 28, and he is also identified with the Modern Woodmen, belonging to Capital City Lodge No. 190. In politics he is a stanch Republican. SAAC WORRALL is the owner of eighty acres of very fine farming land on section 12, West Oak Precinct, which is devoted to stock-raising and general farming. Our subject is the son of Thomas Worr.all, who was born in 1801, in Clark Count}-, Ind. His early education was received in the home, and by that best of all educators, mother. f u LANCASTER COUNTY. 595 -t When of proper age he was sent to gather more learning in the common school. From that until he became of age lie was at work upon his father's farm. Upon attaining his majoritj- he purchased a farm in the same county, which he continued to oper- ate with much prosperity until the year 1851, when be removed to Coles County, now Douglas County, 111. There he entered Government land, which he improved and cultivated with success until the death of his wife. Mr. Worrall was the husband of Hannah (Can- field) Worrall, who was born in 1800, and after re- siding at home until her twentieth year, was married. Five sons and four daughters were born to this union, who lived to attain their majority, and one child who died in childhood. The names of the living children are as follows: Nathan, Rachel, Elizabeth, James, Isaac (our subject), John, Mar3% Thomas M. and Hannah Naomi, all of whom went to Illinois when their father removed thither. Mrs. Thomas Worrall died upon the Coles County home- stead, as above noted, in April, 1863. The great- grandfather of our subject, James Worrall, was by occupation a farmer, a native of Kentucky, but for many years a resident of Clark County, Ind., where he enjoyed, during the latter years of life, the fruit of his early labor, and at last lay down and quietly closed his eyes in the last sleep. Our subject was born on the 20th of November, 1832, in Monroe Township, Clark Co., Ind. His education was received in the schools of that dis- trict, and by a natural process he passed from school to farm, to labor upon the same until his parents removed to Illinois, and continued to live with them until the day of his marriage to Miss Rebecca Jane Landers, on the 3d of January, 1856. To our subject, by this union, have been born twelve chil- dren, of whom nine are still living: Thomas D., Hannah O., Nellie 8., Mack Oliver, John C, William L., Viola, Edmund B. and Lulu Mabel. Mary T. died at the age of eight years; Dolly, aged two years and five months, and Maud, aged two years. After his marriage our subject farmed for nine years in Illinois, near Camargo, where the three eld- est children were born. In 1865 he removed to Otoe County', Neb., and after continuing prosper- ously until 1867, removed to this county-. He took up the northeast quarter of section 2, West Oak Precinct; went to work to make all needed im- provements, including the erection of house, barn, granary and farm buildings, setting out the hedges, planted the orchard, and bringing the remainder to a high state of cultivation. This continued to be his home until 1882, and here the residue of his famil3' were born. In March of the above year our subject sold this property with tlie idea of going West, but finally purchased his present home, which was slightly improved and had the house already erected upon it. What other improvements there are have been made by our subject, including the exceptionally fine orchard, grove and hedges, which go far to make the home surroundings picturesque and pleasant. Rebecca J. Landers, the wife of our subject, was born Aug. 24, 1836, in Coles County, 111., and is the daughter of Daniel and Eliza Landers. Her father was born April 12, 1812, in Putnam County, Ind., which was always his home, and where he fol- lowed the occupation of a farmer. He became the husband of Eliza Montgomery', and to them were born four children, of whom Mrs. Worrall is the only one living. Her father died Oct. 6, 1830, upon his farm. "Her mother, who afterward married again, lived until Dec. 28, 1855. Of the children of our subject, Thomas D. has become the husband of Mary Olassburn, and they are the parents of a son, named Byron K. ; Nellie S. is now Mrs. Will- iam Clift, and lives with her husband and two chil- dren, Jessie J. and Hubert E., in .Saunders Count}'. Hannah O. was married to C. H. Hoover; they reside in California, and have four children — Will- iam, Nora, Hubert and Maud. Our subject and wife are members of the United Brethren Church, and in that communion are among the most earnest and faithful members. They have seen this county through all the changes of its evolu- tion. When they first settled its original owners, the Indians, had not yet vacated, and the wild game was all around them. Thej' have not been spared the difficulties and toils of pioneerism, but have al- ways met and bravely battled, side by side, with every difficulty, and now it is their happiness to- gether to enjoy the golden fruit success, which has ripened within their reach. Our subject has i » I "<•- 596 LANCASTER COUNTY. with honor and dignity filled well the office of School Director for oversix 3'ears, and has also been Supervisor and Justice of the Peace, in which office every transaction was marked by care, intelligence and impartialitj'. When upon the seat of justice the stern goddess was always slricllj^ blindfolded to anything of favoritism or an3' other means by which the right and the just might be prostituted. Whether in office or private life his conduct has been marked by those traits and qualities which have earned for him, as they must for all honorable men, the unwavering regard and esteem of all whose friendship and appreciation are worth pos- sessing. R. ABRAHAM L. HOOVER, proprietor of the Lindell Hotel, which is located at the intersection of Thiiteenth and M streets in the city of Lincoln, is the subject of a most interesting caieer, during which he has fought with the circumstances common to the lot of man. By a course of economy, frugality, .and j-ears of in- dustrious labor, be is now in the enjoyment of a competence; but in the midst of his prosperit}' he generously gives prominence to the fact that he has been materiall}^ assisted by his most excellent wife and her mother, and later on their sou. Many wives, mothers and sons have done well, but how few receive the reward of recognition. The subject of this sketch, a man still in the prime of life, was born in Wayne County, Ind., fortj'- seven years ago, Sept. 15, 1841. He is the son of John and Esther (Zook) Hoover, who were born and partially reared in Pennsylvania, their parents moving from there to Indiana at an early d.aj-. The grandparents on both sides were born in Germany. Jonas Hoover, the paternal grandfather, entered a quarter-section of land in Wayne Count\', Ind., near what is now Hagerstown, and there, with his estimable wife, spent the remainder of his daj-s, la- boring industriouslj' and opening up a farm from the wilderness of heavy limber. The wife and mother rested from her labors at about the oge of 4' seventy years, while the grandfather lived to be eighty-five. John Hoover, the father of our subject, grew to manhood amid the wild scenes of Wayne Countj', Ind., during its early settlement, receiving a very limited education. When reaching manh(K)d he contracted matrimonial ties with Jliss Esther Zook, and they settled in the same neighborhood, follow- ing agricultural pursuits. Of this marriage four children were born, the first dying in infancy. The second. Dr. Jonas Hoover, is a practicing physician of Bennet, Neb. ; Abraham L., our subject, was the third, and Esther, Mrs. West, who is the mother of a large family, is now living on a farm in Green- wood County, Kan. The mother p.assed aw.ay when her son Abraham L. was but two years old. He, with the other children, was Chen given to the care of Grandmother Zook, where they remained for two or three years, until their father married for his second wife Miss S.arah Knotts. They settled on his father's farm, taking the two boys and leaving the daughter with her grandmother, who had cared for her from the time of her birth. Dr. Hoover s.nys this is about the earliest recol- lection he has of himself or his family. A little later on, about 1846, John Hoover with his family changed his residence to Liberty Township, Dela- ware Co., Ind., five miles east of Muncie, the county seat. Two children were born of his second mar- riage: Jerusha, now the wife of Henry Schneider and the mother of a large family, their home being on a farm northwest of Muncie, and James C, who married Miss Clara Whitney, but still resides at the old homestead. To them were born two children, the elder of whom is deceased. The early life of Dr. Hoover was spent after the manner of most farmers' boys, during which time he attended the district school three months in the winter, and the balance of the year employed him- self around the homestead. This comprised only eighty acres of land. In the autumn of 1858, at the age of seventeen, feelii.g that his assistance w.is no longer necessary, he gathered together his earthly possessions, and without his father's consent one dark night slid out of his bedroom window and left the paternal roof. He Siiys, however, that he would not recommend this method of procedure. o o z b_^ N-l «fl. b LlJ ft: o (- i- 1/5 bJ s DC a. oS o CO a. y ■ - z □C o LU to z <»i fV o cc O > * o ^ o LU X f- _J O < ^ ^J UJ a s u ^i^^t-M» LANCASTER COUNTY. 599 Full of hope and determination young Hoover made his way through the dark and the (Irizzling rain tliree miles to the house of John Waldens, with whom he spent the next few days. In the mean- time his father found him, but did not insist on his returning home, however admonishing him to he a good boy and keep in good company. Our sub- ject, hearing of a widow lady in the neighborhood who wanted some one to chop her winter's wood, called upon her, and soon contracted to cut twenty cords at fifty cents per cord. lie had in his posses- sion a gold dollar, which he had received as a pre- mium from the countj- fair for being the swiftest runner of his age. he making a run of a quarter of a mile in twentj'-six seconds, and distancing thirty competitors. AVith this money he purchased an ax anil went to fulfill bis part of the contract. Our hero was set to work in an old sugar camp. If an}' of the readers of this sketch know anything of the nature of well-matured hard maple, they can imagine something of the task set before him. Be- ing anxious to complete his contract and get started to school, he would often reach the scene of his labors before it was fairly light. He would then chop until it was too dark to guide his ax, and then split (as this had to be done with maul and wedge), and cc>rd it up after dark, usually reaching home as late as 8 o'clock. Dr. Hoover in r-ecalling those daj-s says: "I wish that I could sit down now and enjoj' a meal as I did then. Those happy boyhood days are gone, and each milestone as I have passed it has been marked, some with cares, some with sorrows, some with joys, but best of all a happ}' Christian home. No labor unions and strikes for shorter time with me then, my motto was and has been thus far through life, 'more hours and more money.' " After completing his contract, Mrs. Patience Moore, his employer, offered to board him for his help nights and mornings, and allow him to continue his attend- ance at school. This was just what he wished, so he took a portion of his hard-earned cash, and go- ing to Muncie purchased the needful clothing and books. Though late in the session the teacher. Mr. William Dragoo, having known him for sever.al j'ears, took especial interest in him, and l)y his as- sistance young Hoover was soon [ilaced in the ad- vanced class. The school-house was on one side of White River, and the farmhouse where he lived on the other. The bridge having been swept away by a freshet, he was obliged to ride the family horse, a venerable old claybank with a bald face, who had arrived at the advanced age of tvventj'- six years. When the river became too deep for fording, our hero would resort to a boat some dis- tance down the river, which was kept by William Truitt for convej'ing his children to school. One day old Bol) got loose and hied himself away home. The boat above mentioned happened that da}' to be on the opi)Osite side, and Mr. Hoover was left to wade or swim. As the river was too high for the former and too cold for the latter, he walked up one and one-half miles to Keiger's Mill, where he knew there were several boats. Borrovving one of these he started across, and when a little more than half way on his journey he broke one of the oars. Being a short distance above the dam which roared in a threatening manner, he was very much frightened, but finally succeeded in piloting himself across in safety. He says the reflections of this are not as pleasant as some of the strolls on the banks of the river in company with the widow's daughter. The following springoursubject engaged to work for Mr. Parker Moore on his farm at$I3 per month and board. He entered upon his duties on the 1st of March, and at the end of throe months, after working early and late, found himself broken down in health to such an extent that he has never fully recovei'ed. Notwithstanding his broken constitu- tion, his resolution was still undaunted, and he none the less determined to make of life a success. He spent the year foUovving at home, in the winter oc- cupying himself mostly in study. In the following summer of 1860, hoping that a change of climate might prove beneficial, he bade adieu to his par- ents, and with 125 in his pocket started for Appa- noose Count}', Iowa, where he had relatives. The Burlington & Missouri River Railroad had alre.idy been built as far west as Otturawa, and from there he went thirty miles by st.age to his destination. He had already entertained serious thoughts of entering the medical profession, and the desire increased upon liim as the time passed on. He finally called at the ollice of Drs. Sawyer & Russell, -^K-^ 600 -•► LANCASTER COUNTY. of Uuionville, and stated to them bis circumstances and bis ambitions. They at once proffered him the use of their library-, and all the instruction he might require for the sum of $50, he to avail him- self of these as long as he desired. Dr. Russell secured him a boarding-place with A. M. Harris, a blacksmith by trade, who was indebted to the Doctor. Mr. Hoover was to pay $2 per week when the time arrived that he could do so. Four weeks later it occurred to him that he might thus contract a bill which would embarrass him in the future, so taking with him his anatomy and skeleton he went into the country to the home of his uncle, Daniel Zook, where be was received with open arms, and where he pursued his studies, going to and from the village for instruction as necessity required. As time passed on he found it necessary to be more convenient to his preceptors. Thej' very kindly proffered him a room adjacent to their ofiSce, which he fitted up for keeping bachelor's hall. In order to do this he engaged to husk corn, for which he received three bushels per day; this he exchanged for furniture and bedding. He was soon engaged in "light housekeeping" and stud}^ occasionally^ receiving a basket filled with substantial eatables from the larder of his uncle or his grandmother Zook. The embryo Doctor at this period of his life spent no idle hours. He was up at 4 o'clock in the morn- ing and read until 10 o'clock at night by the light of an improvised lamp, consisting of a medicine mug filled with hud, in which he placed a piece of caudle wicking, this being in keeping with his whole system of economy. The time notwithstanding passeil very pleasantly and rapidly, and in Ma3' 1862, he returned to his home in Indiana. There be borrowed books of Dr. Black, of Selma. and spent the summer in reading medicine, and assist- ing his father on the farm, receiving for the latter service 81 per daj', by which he was enabled to re- plenish his wardrobe. On the 1st of October following j'oung Hoover received the sum of ^400 from the estate of his m.aternal grandmother. He now entered the medi- cal department of Michigan University, where he took a course of lectures for six months, and at the expiration of this time swung his shingle to the -^« breeze at New Baltimore. Macomb Co., Mich., on the 18th of March, 1863. Ten years later Dr. Hoover was graduated from the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa. Although but twentj'-one j'ears of age when en- tering upon the practice of his profession, Dr. Hoover met with success from the start, and made many warm friends during his 3"ear's residence at New Baltimore. During the holidjij's, while attend- ing lectures, he went to the countrj' to spend his vacation, and there met Miss Knotts, a charming girl of sixteen j'ears, but womanl}' in all her deport- ment. The j'oung Doctor set himself to work to win the maiden, and succeeded so well that the marriage of himself and Miss Delia J. Knotts w.as celebrated at the home of the bride in Lenox, Mich., on the 2Hth of May, 1863. To say this marriage has been a happy one would hardly ex- press it, for the Doctor avers that "death only can break their hone3'moon." Mr. Knotts was in delicate health at the time of his daughter's marriage, and she being the only child, the little family was not separated. The father and mother went with their daughter and son-in-law to New Baltimore, and subsequentl}' made their home with them. Mr. Knotts piissed peacefullj' awa.y on the loth of November, 1878, at the age of sixt}"-five, having lived the life of a devoted Christian. He was never known to have an enemy, and in all the years that he made his home with his children, never bj' word or .action gave cause for a ripple of trouble in the family circle. Stephen C. Hoover, the eldest child of our sub- ject, was born in Granville, Delaware Co.. Ind., March 6, 1866, and is now consequently nearing the twenty-third year of his age. He is a J'oung man of promise, and already Steward and general manager of the hotel. He is industrious and energetic, shrewd in business and an .admirable financier. Miss Helen F. Hoover, the second child of our sub- ject, is an interesting maiden of sixteen years and a daughter of whom her parents may justly be proud. The third child, Louise Adell, who was two ye.ars old Oct. 12, 1888, is a bright little girl and the pet of the household. After residing at New Baltimore one year and n .1- LANCASTER COUNTY. 601 having caught his bird, Dr. Hoover changed his residence to Granville, Ind., remaining at that point and Eton adjacent, a period of five years. Not be- ing satisfied with the outlook, accompanied by his wife and son Stephen, then four years old, lie started, Nov, 8, 1870. for Vermont, Fulton Co., 111., and after encountering storms of rain and snow, arrived there on the 18th of the same month. A branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad had just been completed through that pl.ace to Rushville, and the quiet old town had sprung up to new life, the inhabitants being full of enthusiasm in the anticipation of its future. Dr. Hoover opened an office in Gardner's drug-store, and was soon in the enjoj'raent of a sjilendid prac- tice. Business of all kinds was lively, and our subject for a time counted himself fully contented. But alas for poor old Vermont; she secured the Chicago, Rock Island & St. Louis Railroad, which built up other trading points, while at the same time business received a quietus and real-estate invest- ments became profitless. In consideration of this state of affairs Dr. Hoover began looking westward with longing eyes, and ac- cordingly in the latter part of March, 1880, packed his household effects into a car, and accompanied by his son Stephen pulled out of the town. Thej' reached Lincoln, Neb., March 29, stopping at the house of Dr. E. P. Hamer, who had preceded them to this point two years. Soon aftervvard our subject and his family moved into a house belonging to Dr. Turner on M street, between Tenth and P^leventh. Dr. Hoover made his office with A. Roberts, an architect on Eleventh street, and with what practice he could get in connec- tion with a few boarders, paid expenses after the first month. His first investment in real estate was forty acres of railroad land on the six years' plan. Later he purchased forty acres adjoining, then eighty acres. Mrs. Hoover and her mother, feeling that tliey would like more room in which to keep boarders, purchased the furniture and fixtures of the Townley House, and took possession Jan. 1, 1882. The management of this devolved princi- p.ally upon Mrs. Hoover and her mother, under the firm name of Hoover & Knotts. The Doctor in the meanwhile devoted himself exclusively to his pro- 4» fession, and in the course of two years purchased the property, agreeing to pay for it the sum of $10,000. As a part of this he turned over his last purchase, eighty acres of land, and $400 in money. Subsequently he sold the remainder of his land at a handsome profit. Soon after purchasing the Townley House Dr. Hoover was seized with inflammatory rheumatism, and was obliged to abandon his practice for nearly a j'ear. Stephen C, then a youth of seventeen, having graduated from the High School, assumed charge of the hotel business, and his father remarks with pardonable pride that during his protracted illness he never had the least anxiety in regard to the man.agemenl of the finances. In the spring of 1880 Dr. Hoover erected a fine three-story brick building, 48x88 feet in dimensions, and to which he is now building an addition 48x56 feet. This when completed and equipped will con- stitute the finest hotel in the city of Lincoln. The rooms are well ventilated and conveniently ar- ranged, the finishing and furnishing being in mod- ern style. It is a house to which, after a man has once been there, he will always return when in the city. We presenta view of this admirable hotel in this connection. Mr. and Mrs. Hoover are devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which our sub- ject has been a Steward for many years, and to which he has given a cheerful and liber.il support. In political matters he uniformly votes the Repub- lican ticket. His abilities and his enterprise are duly appreciated by the people of Lincoln, with whose interests lie is now so intimately associated. U ALTER G. BOHANAN, proprietor of the Peoria livery stables, at No. 323 North W^ Ninth street, between O and R streets, is a prominent and wealthy business man of Lincoln. He was born in Peoria, III., May 25, 1847, being a son of Edward and Mahala T. (Wilber) Bohanan. For further details of parental history see sketch of W. G. Bohanan. Our subject was reared in his native citj', receiv- ing the educational advantages afforded by its ex- ■*► r 602 ,t LANCASTER COUNTY. cellent public school system. He grew up to be energetic, strong and able, and early in life learned the trade of a butcher. In March, 1869, he ambi- tiously xletermined to try his fortunes bej"ond the Mississippi in the young and rapidly growing city of Lincoln, and on his arrival here he established himself in his trade, and for eight years drove a thriving business as a butcher. He then turned his attention to the management of a hotel, and opened the Peoria House, on the corner of Ninth and O streets, wliieh building was erected in 1879. In this he was quite successful, but he has now leased the hotel for five years, and is confining his atten- tion mostly to his livery business, which is quite extensive, and is carried on at a great pecuniary profit. In connection with this, he says that when he first commenced to run a liverj- stable he was but a butcher, and consequently had had little or no experience with horses, or with the business in any waj-, and when he started in 18.S1 his whole outfit consisted of a horse and spring wagon, and a small stable, 16x18 feet, in a back alley. From this small beginning his business has grown so rapidly and to such large dimensions that he has con- stantly had to add to his building, and to his equip- ment, first erecting an addition 20x30 feet, then another 70x100, a one-stor}' building, and later a two-story building, 55x100 feet, and he now has forty head of horses, among which are four fine, thoroughbred ro.adsters, which can be driven single or double, and are valued at $1,000 each. Pie runs two hacks and a baggage wagon, and emploj'S a force of eight men continuously. Our subject has acquired all his property since becoming a resident of Lincoln b}- sheer force of encrgj^ and fine busi- ness talents. When he came here he was $35 in debt. His property is now valued at $65,000, comprising his hotel, which occui)ies one-fourth of a block, two fine farms, his livery stable and stock, and valuable citj' lots, both here and in Cali- fornia. Mr. Bohanan was united in marriage to Miss M.aggie A. McCord, July 1, 1875. iShe has been a true helpmate to her husband, and makes their home pleasant and attractive to her family and their friends. .She was born in Iowa, Jan. 3, 1859, and is a daughter of Samuel T. and Elizabeth (Down- ing) McCord. Her father is a prosperous carpen- ter, and built the hotel and barn of our subject. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bohanan has been productive of four children, namely: Maliala; Wal- ter, who died in infancy; Elizabeth, deceased; and Willis. Mrs. Bohanan is a valued member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church. Mr. Bohanan was brought up within the pale of the Baptist Church, but is rather liberal in his views, and does not identify himself with anj' religious denomination. He is a prominent member of the I. O. O. F.,and has taken all the degrees of the order. He is popular with his associates, being of a frank, open-hearted, genial disposition, and this brief record of his life will show that he is a shrewd, far-seeing man, quick to take advantage of the many op|)ortunities offered to a wide-awake, stirring man to make money in this great and glorious Western .State. JEREMIAH J. JONES. In the pretty little city of AValiingford, Conn., which is about twelve miles distant from New Haven, noted for its superior manufacture of brittania- ware, and perhaps more because of its charming situation, was born Nov. 8, 1783, Jeremiah Jones, who afterward became, while an Ohio pioneer, the father of Jeremiah J. Jones, a ijropert^'-holdor of this county', whose estate lies on section 6, West Lincoln Precinct, and comprises eighty acres of good farming land. Of this [)recinct Mr. Jones is one of the most respected citizens. Jeremiah Jones, Sr., was born Nov. 8, 1783. He was educated in the school institution of his native town, and from that went to farming. Asa young man he became enamored of a maiden. Miss Betse}' Nattoon, a native of the same Stale, who possessed all those varied charms, graces and virtues which later made the names of wife and mother eloquent with meaning. Realizing this in part, it w;xs his happiness to unite his life with hers Ma\' 12, 1807. This lady was born Dec. 27. 1781. The home which was then established was blessed as face after face was added to the nuu)ber which gathered around the famil}' board, by the birth of eight children, of f U^'-tcA^ Q^^_ '/f'^T^jtJ LANCASTER COUNTY. i- G05 whom three are still living. We here nppend their names as tliej- appear in the faniilj' recorfl : Eliza, Harmon, Oscar anr] Orville (twins), Sarah, Jeremiah J. (our subject), Bezalcel II. and Susan. In 1807 the father of our subject moved to Ohio and settled in Portage Count}'. There he purchased a tract of land and set to work to improve it. lie removed the timber from the whole of it, put it under tiie plow, erected his house, and in fact did everjthing to make it pleasant and profitable as a home and farm. He continued his residence there until his death, which occurred about 18(51. His wife, the mother of Jeremiah J., died July 27, 1878. Our subject was born in a little pioneer log house in Atwater, Ohio, on the 24th of Januarj', 1818. His life began to Le a busy one while he was quite small, for pioneers were busy people, and there was work for all excei)t the veritable occupant of the cradle. What education was obtainable was given to him by the teacher of the common school, after which he spent one 3-ear in Cuyahoga Institute. After comi)leling iiis studies in the latter place he beg.Tn teaching in a brick school-house in Randoli)h Township, Portage County, and was thus employed four months. The laudable ambition which was his as a young man refused to be satisfied with such a position, and he was careful to make himself ready for something better in this profession. He rose step by step, and when he retired from active duty was the Principal of the Jefferson Seminary at AVellsburg, W. Va., of which institution he had be- come owner. After about twenty-five years spent in instructing the men and women of the future Mr. Jones retired in 1849 from the profession of the pedagogue, and then became a daguerreotypist, be- ing the third of this craft in the United States. He continued for three years, extending his business and making a good deal of money. At the end of that period he turned iiis attention to the more toothsome practice of dentistry, which he continued to follow for twenty-two years. From West Virginia Mr. Jones removed to Wis- consin in tlic spring of 1845. His residence in that State extended over a period of twent^'-five 3ears, during which he was engaged in professional and oflicial life, being Clerk of the Court of Wau|)aca 4* County. Deputy Sheriflf, Marshal, Constable, and Town Superintendent of Schools, also Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. He also owned and con- ducted the Exchange Hotel. While connected with the latter he was called to IMadison, where he insti- tuted the proceedings that finally unseated Gov. Barstow and gave Gov. Bashford his rightful seat. In the fall of the year 1868 our subject sold out his business and personal property and came to the city of Lincoln. On the day of his arrival efforts were made to ascertain the ex.act popula- tion of Lincoln, and the total number, includ- ing visitors, prospectors and residents of all .iges, numbered 720 persons, so that our subject must be reckoned among the early settlers of this city. He set to work to build a store, working at it largely himself, he ])utting up a frame building, and al- though the month was January the weather was so remarkably warm, that, in common with others like- wise engaged, Mr. Jones was compelled to remove his coat. As soon as the store was finished he put in the first stock of clear groceries ever brought to Lincoln. In this business he continued with much prosperity for ten years, and occupied the ground where the southwest corner of the First National Bank now stands. Ashland was the next place of residence, and thither our subject removed in 1 875, in order to take charge of the County Treasurer's office, with which he was connected thirteen months. He then returned to Lincoln, and engaged in the provision and feed business about twelve months, when he bought his present farm, but found after a residence of one year that the condition of the health of his wife rendered it absolutel}' necessaiy that they return to town. Accordirgly he repaired to Lincoln, built a house, into which, as so )n as it was completed, he removed, and from that time until her death devoted himself to his invalid partner and lived very quietly and retired. Mrs. Jones was the daughter of James J. Saxton, and a sister of Col. A. M. Saxton, of St. Joseph, Mo. She was born at Elyria, Ohio, Oct. 31, 1826. Her education was acquired in her native town and she afterward removed with her parents to Roches- ter, Wis., where she lived at the time she became acquainted with our subject. This lady w.is the true -^^ ■•► 606 LANCASTER COUNTY. and faithful companion of bor iiusband in all the ciianges of his life, a thorough heli)raate, and through the weariness of her last illness, which extended over a period of seven years, she bore with Christian for- titude her trials and suffering. She passed to her last rest Sept. 5, 1 887, the cause being general disintegra- tion of the nervous system, owing to excessive nerv- ous prostration. Both Mr. and Mrs. Jones were for thirty years devoted members of the Episcopal Churcli, and largely' instrumental in the establish- ment of the present church at Lincoln. By per- son.il effort and using their influence with others for the advancement of the city in matters religious and Christian, they were marked in the community as among its most efllcient members. The father of Mrs. Jones was by trade a brick- m.iker, and was pro.sperous in his business. He also worked his own farm most successfully. He was a prominent member and energetic worker with the Masonic fraternit}'. in wiiich he hold a high office. Mr. Jones makes his residence in Lincoln on the corner of Band Ninth streets, which valuable prop- erty he owns. In politics he is a stanch Republican. As a prominent and useful citizen of Lancaster County, it is eminentlj- proper that the portrait of Mr. Jones should be added to the list of those the originals of which this region delights to honor, and we herewith present it to our readers. ' OSEPH RAWSON WEBSTER, .ittorney-at- law, and a resident of Lanca-ster County since October, 1869, was born at Bombay. India, under American passport, ISIay ,0, 1839, and is a native of Victor, N. Y. His parents became residents of Indiana in 1 848, settling iu Lagrange County during its pioneer days and soon after it began to be the resort of the white element. The common schools of the backwoods afforded him all the advantages for education which he received un- til he was fifteen years old. A short time previously to this there had been es- tablished the Lagrange Collegiate Institute, of which young Webster now became a stu. R., of Lincoln, this State, and Charles Arnold, President of tlie Frost Manu- facturing Company,- at Galesburg, 111. ^ACHARIAH WELLS. The gentleman whose history is herein sketched has the honor of being the oldest actual settler now living in Olive Branch Precinct, and has watched with plcasur- al)lc pride the vast waste of prairie land trans- formed to a veritable garden. His residence is upon the homestead originally taken by him upon sections 11 and 12, and consists of 280 acres, less what was given to the Nebraska & Pacific Rail- road, which has recently laid its bands of steel through that section of the country. At the time of settlement upon this farm the town of Beatrice =1- •^ 60S LANCASTER COUNTY. n was harcll3' worthy the dignified name of a hamlet, and there he had quarters for marketing, and in order to reach the same must perform a journe}' of tiiirtj miles or more. The chief trading point was Nebraska City, distant seventy miles. Omaha was in its early infancj', and Lincoln was not thought of. Upon taking his land he had everything to do; if he had a home, he must be the architect and builder; breaking, sowing, cultivating, harvesting and threshing, he must perform them all. Mr. Wells is a native of Tennessee, and was born near the city of Knoxville, in that State, on the 16th of March, 1808. When he was quite a small child his parents removed to Knox County, Ky., and there he was reared and received such education as was obtainable, and began to work upon the farm. The grandfather of our subject, after whom he was named, served as a private in the Revolutionary War, and obtained therein a very honorable record. His son William, the father of our subject, fol- lowed the occupation of farming, and in his chosen occupation was more than usually successful. He was married in the State of Georgia, in 1806, to Miss Juda Murray, a lady of Southern parentage. Upon his marriage Mr. William Wells purchased a farm in Tennessee, upon which he continued until he removed to Kentucky, and this was his home until his death, in the year 1881, at the advanced age of sixty years, having survived his wife about eight years. Their family' comprised nine children. Mr. Wells was married in Mercer Count}-, Mo., in 1848, to Miss Mar}* Wilson, a native of Ken- tucky, a lady whom it is only possible to remember with most perfect esteem .and affection for her many virtues. She died in the j-ear 1861, leaving two children, Mary and William, both of whom are living. Our subject was married a second time, in Mercer County, Mo., to Klva Ilobbs, a native of Indiana, who came to Missouri when a young woman. Their family was increased by the birth of four children — J.ames B., Jane, Jlary and George. Mary, Mrs. Edward Parson, is deceased. Mrs. Wells died at the age of forty years, in July, 1863. Mr. Wells was married a third time, and again in Mercer County, Mo., to Miss Sarah Hobbs, a sister of his former wife, both daughters of Job and Amanda "<*■ (Clue) Flobbs. Mr. and Mrs. Ilobbs lived for man}' j-ears in Missouri, afterward came to Ne- braska, and died in this State at a very advanced age. Mr. and Mrs. Wells are the parents of eight chil- dren, whose names are here subjoined. The eldest child of our subject is Nancj". now the wife of John S. Burl well, and their home is in Gage County ; Matilda is the wife of H. P. Poland ; tliej- make their residence upon the homestead of Mr. Wells; Ann married Samuel Auguer, a prosperous farmer near Princeton, this county; Rachel is happily mar- ried to Mr. Stephen George, a carpenter and builder at Spriggs .Station ; Margaret is united to Andrew Polston, a successful farmer at the same pltice; Gen- eral is the husband of Delia Rader, and is resident upon the home farm ; John and Norman, the young- est, are still at home. Our subject and family, b}- reason of their long experience in Nebraska and many j'cars of settle- ment, are accorded most heartil^^ that peculiar ven- eration and respect which are universallj'^ voted due to those who have helped to bring the new country to its present state of development; who have as- sisted in the framing of its farms, the buibling of its houses, the improvement of its stock, and the establishment of its enterprises. Mr. Wells has for manj' years been a solid Republican, and is looked up to as one of the old veterans of the part}'. E ver}'- thing that he is or h.as, is, humani}' speaking, due to his own energies, thrift, ambition and labor. ^^.SERHSSSS&Os ■^daiiMBii^l^M6i4 ,t^*^-J-:. eARL BERG.M beautiful farn Precinct, is ar ARL BERG.MANN, who resides upon his farm on section 12, in .Stockton uiolher of those thrifty, diligent, hard-working natives of the Fatlierland, who may be found in the fertile valleys and on the broad prairies all over this continent. These have gath- ered of this world's goods slowly but surely, year b}' year, until they have at last arrived at th.at time when there is no longer need to fear either the pro- verbial '• rainy day" or that other time, when the weight of j'ears prevents the usual activities of 3'oungei days. Our subject was born in Germanj-, on the Hth of May, 1835, which was his home until he was about thirl3'-three years of age. His Hbcu)/j^'r- /t^W X^>-7 '/• -ss, realizin>» Q <( » ji!wegip;j»?^>y^ Re5idcnce of E.O. Wait,5ec.9. Stevens Creek Precinct u^±g ■•► LANCASTER COUNTY. 621 position three j-ears. abandoning it to assume the Superinteiidency of the Atlantic & Pacific Tele- graph Lines at Chicago, where he continued until 1872. In the spring of 1873 he visited California for his health, and upon his return located in Clin- ton, Iowa, coming to this county in 1875. Here Mr. Wait resolved to experiment with agri- culture, a move which has resulted ver3- success- fully, both in' point of health and finances. His farm comprises 160 acres of land, which is the source of a liberal income. He was first married, in 1860, to Miss Carrie Barker, of New York, and there were boi'n to them two children: Annie Lau- rie, now the wife of William H. Malick, City Mar- shal of Plattsmouth, and Edgar B. who is occu|)ied at farming in this count}'. Mr. Wait, Nov. 4, 1875, contracted a second mar- riage, with Miss Loniira .Simonds, who was born in Essex County, N. Y., Nov. 5, 1 839, and who by her union with our subject has become the mother of three children — Florella, Leland and Harry. Mr. AVait is a Republican, politically, and has held the various local offices, including that of Justice of the Peace, in which he is still serving. Socially, he be- longs to Belle City Lodge No. 92, A. F. & A. M., at Racine, Wis. W G. LEAVITT, a farmer and stock-raiser on I (©, section 27, Lancaster Precinct, is also a (|1^^ fine representative of the fruit growing in- terests of this part of Nebraska, as he makes a spe. cialty of that profitable branch of agriculture, having a fine assortment of strawberries, blackberries, grapes, apples, etc., with which he supplies tlie markets of Lincoln. He was born in Trumbull County. Ohio. Aug. 8, 1838, and is a son of L. L. and Maria A. (Hall) Leavitt. His father, born in the same county as himself, in 1810, was a farmer and mill-owner. In 1862 he went to Minnesota and engaged in farm- ing there until 1874, when he came to Nebraska. He and his wife, who was a native of Pennsylvania, was married in 1836, and eleven children were born of their union, five sons and six daughters, of whom five are living, as follows: Luzern G., the subject of this sketch; Lorenzo, of Lancaster; Helen, wife •f of W. J. Featherston, of Red Wing. Minn.; Maz- zini, of Dakota; and Lucius, also of Dakota. The parents of our subject are both deceased. The mother died in Minnesota, and the father in this county. Our subject remained at home with his parents until twenty-two years of age, receiving a sound education in the public schools, and assisting his father on the farm, whereby he gained a thorough, practical knowledge of .agriculture. At the age just mentioned he started out in the world to seek his fortunes, and we next hear of him at Grand Rapids, Jlich., where he was employed on a farm one sum- mer. He then went to Minnesota to invest in land, and at Red Wing bought a farm, on which he lived until 1862. In that j'ear he returned to his native State, and resided there the two succeeding years, and at the end of tliat time he again went to Min- nesota, where he was prosperousl}' engaged in farm- ing until 1873, when he was tempted to come to Nebraska by the many favorable reports that he had heard concerning its fine climate and many and varied resources, making it especially the para- dise of the farmer. Accordingly he took up a claim in Hall County, under the provisions of the Home- stead Act, and was busily engaged in agricultural pursuits there for six years. He then came to Lan- caster County, and bought a farm of eighty acres, finel}' located five miles from Lincoln, and two years later sold his Hall Counly farm. His present farm comprises seventy-five acres of land, whose rich, loamy soil is especially adapted to the cultiva- tion of fruit, of which, we have before mentioned, he makes a specialty, and in which he has met Avith marked success. He does not, however, neglect other branches of agriculture, but has his farm well supplied with stock of good gr.ades, and he also raises considerable grain. He has a beautiful home, and the fine lawn surrounding it is adorned with trees planted by his own hand, as will be seen on reference to the view the lithographic art- ist enables us to supply, and which so clearly brings to the mental retina the scene as it is. Merely ver- bal description is helplessly fault_v. Our subject was married, in 1868, to Miss Clara J. Watson, daughter of John Watson, Jr., and his wife, Fanny Pcttinger, botli natives of P^ngland. «^ ^lU 622 LANCASTER COUNTY. He was born in 1821, and his wife in 1823. They were married in their native country and started for America on their wedding day. They reared a family of eleven children, six sons and five daugh- ters, nine of whom are now living, as follows: Eli- jah P. is a harness-maker, of IMorris, Minn. ; Charles Herbert lives at Northville, Minn. ; Clara J., the wife of our subject; Am}^ wife of Charles Featber- ston, of Red Wing, Minn.; David "W., a harness- maker of Red Wing:Pha;be, wife of Frank Sherpy, of Northfield, Minn. ; Fred J., of Marshall, Minn., is a liveryman; Froom T. is a book-keeper for a lum- berman in River Falls, Wis.; Clemmie, wife of David Richardson, of Northfield, Minn., who is a furniture dealer. Mr. Watson was a second time married, and has reared a family by his last wife. Mrs. Leavitt was born Nov. 27, 1847, in Sarnia, Canada, near Lake St. Clair, and was married in Red Wing, Nov. 2G, 1868. She and her husband, having no children of their own, have taken to their home and hearts two children, whom they are providing for as if they were their verj' own; the girl, Emmeline A., born Nov. 30. 1872, has been under their loving care for twelve years. The bo^', Albert, they took in infancy ; he was born Dec. 10, 1885. Our subject and his wife are noble-minded, whole-souled people, whose generosity and kind- ness are unexceeded, and they are powers for much good in this community. Tliej- are both active, working members of the Christian Church at Lin- coln, of which he has been a Deacon for some time, and, both while living in Hall County and here, Sunday-school Superintendent. Mr. Leavitt is a stanch temperance man, and is prominently identi- fied with the Prohibition part}- of Lancaster County. -5- -*J 3-e<^ ilj N. LEONARD, who is prominent!}' identified with the farming and stock-growing interests of Lanc.ister County, is proprietor of one of the finest estates in the county, which is pleasantly located on section 20, Oak Precinct. A native of Delaware County, Ohio, he was born Nov. 15, 1838, to Joseph and Nancy (Longwell) Leonard, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Kentucky. The paternal ancestors were from Holland, but the mother was of Scotch descent. Both branches of the family settled in America prior to the Revolu- tionary War. The father of our subject was extensively en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, being one of the prominent stock-growers of Delaware County, Ohio. He was a man of solid worth, possessing the true Christian character, and a member of the Presby- terian Church. He died in September, 1867, aged sixty 3-ears, lamented in the community where for so many years he had been an honored citizen. His wife, the mother of our subject, had died in October, 1848. The early life of I. N. Leonard was p.assed in the manner usual to farmers' sons, attending school as opportunity afforded, and assisting his father in the farm work and cattle business. He had scarcely attained manhood when the war broke out. He had been watching with intense and intelligent interest the course of public events, that culminated in that terrible struggle, and soon enrolled his name with the other brave defenders of his country. In the tragic years which followed he eng.aged in many a hard-fought battle and gained an honorable record for heroism .and valor. Enlisting in Company B, 9th Indiana Infantry, as a private, Aug. 14. 1861, he served faithfully until after the close of the war, receiving his discharge from the army Sept. 28, 1865. His efHciency in field and camp soon brought him to the notice of his superior officers, and he re- ceived deserved promotion to the rank of First Lieutenant. On the 4th of July, 1864, he was severely wounded by a musket ball, while taking an active part in the eng.agement near Marietta, in Georgia. Mr. Leonard was mustered into service at Camp Colfax, August 27, and was rushed to the front in West Virginia, where he took part in the battle of Greenbrier, Octobers. On January 13 following he was at Buffalo Mountain; Later he was transferred with his regiment to the Army of the Ohio, under Buell. At Nashville they marched across Tennessee, and on the second day took part in the battle of Shiloh. Mr. Leonard was at Corinth and in the famous retreat to Louisville, Ky.. taking part in the battles of Perry ville and Danville. He fought h LANCASTER COUNTY. 623 valiantly at Stone River and Cliickamauga, and at the battle of Chattanooga was in command of a com- pany at the storming of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, also at Ringgold, Ga. He was an ofBcer in the Atlanta campaign until July 4, 1864, when he was disabled by a gunshot wound and was sent home for a furlough of 100 days. At the end of his leave of absence he was scarcely able to return, but his indomitable spirit would not brook the thought of being away from his duty, and he returned to the array on crutches. He was then assigned aid-de-camp on the staff of Brevet Major General Charles Cruff, which |)osition lie held until the close of the war. Upon his final discharge from the service, Sept. 28, 1865, at Camp Stanley, Tex., Lieut. Leonard proceeded to Indianapolis, where the regiment was dislKinded. He readied home in the earl}' part of October, at 2 A. M., slept until 6 A. M., then re- sumed citizens' clothes and went vigorously to work. He has doife a good day's work each d.ay since, and b}' industry, self-denial and economy has at- tained success. He came to Nebraska in 1870 with Si ,500 in his pocket, which b}- judicious investments and wise management of his business affairs, he has increased to a property worth $25,000, being now numbered among the wealthy and substantial citi- zens of the county, which has been developed by his aid. Mr. Leonard upon coming to this section of country, first took up a homestead claim and erected a tiny shelter, ten feet six inches square, in which he lived eight montlis. Then selling his land he bought another tract within six miles of Lincoln. Here he improved a farm from the wild pnurie, having it now under fine culture. He has erected a comfortable and commodious residence at a cost of 82,500, and two fine barns, one for cattle and the other for horses, each worth $600. He has a large corn-crib with a capacity of 3,000 bushels, and his small grain is stored in a structure which will con- tain 1,000. The premises are not only among the finest in the precinct, but also in the county. Half of the farm is enclosed with a lioney-locust fence and the balance with wire fencing. There is a fine grove of ash, box-elder, walnut, coltonwood, etc., planted by the hand of the proprietor, and so rapid has been the growth of these trees that they would make logs from which might be chopped wood by the hundred cord. Mr. Leonard commenced to raise high-grade stock in 1876, and has so greatly extended his business, that of horses he owns some of the finest trottei's in this region. His thoroughbred stallion, H. Z. Leonard, is famous throughout the county, and has a trotting record of 2 :35i. This animal is a beauti- ful dark bay with dark points, is sixteen and one- half hands high, and weighs at his best 1,260 lbs. He is of the Duboise Hambletouian Prince strain, by Administrator, son of Rysdyck's Hambletouian, that great sire of trotters, son of Abdallah, who was in turn grandson of the famous Messenger, an En- glish thoroughbred, imported into this country about 1790. The dam of H. Z. Leonard was Leonard Maid, bred in this county, sired by New York Boy, the latter bred near Greenwich, Wash- ington Co., N. Y. Tlie cattle of Mr. Leonard em- braces a herd of high-bred Jerseys and Sliort-horns, about forty head in all. Notable among these is Leonard's Duke of Ashbrook and the Jersey Romeo, No. 2. To the amiable and cultured woman who makes his home pleasant and attractive to her family and their host of friends, our subject was united in mar- riage April 3, 1873. Her maiden name was Ange- line James. She is the daughter of John W. and Sarah J. (Sutton) James, who were both natives of Indiana. Thence they removed with their parents to Poweshiek County, Iowa, at the ages of thirteen and nine respectively. There they were reared, educated, and married in 1855, afterward settling upon a farm. In 1870 they sold their possessions in Iowa, came to Nebraska, and finally settled near Syracuse, Otoe County. Mr. James purchased a farm and there they still reside. The James famil}^ from whom Mrs. Leonard is descended is included in a long line of English ancestry. The progenitor of the American branch was a son of wealthy and prominent parents. When about sixteen years old he became a student at Ox- ford, that celebrated seat of English learning, and while taking a morning walk on the banks of the River Thames, he was surprised b^' seamen, a cloak thrown over his head, and he was carried to a ship ^»^^ -I .t 621 LANCASTER COUNTY. in waiting. He was thus impressed as a sailor, an occurrence frequent in those times. He subse- quently made his escape at an earlj' period in the settlement of this country' from the sailing-vessel at Philadelphia, Pa. He finally settled in Penns^-l- vania, and some of his descendants were i)ioneers of Kenluck3-. One Barney James, the great-uncle of Mrs. Leonard, was killed by an Indian who wanted his long black hair, he wearing it then in the fashion of a "queue." The Indian fortunately did not scalp him, as he became frightened by the approach of the whites. Thomas James, the paternal grand- father of Mrs. Leonard, is still living, a resident of Poweshiek County, Iowa, and a minister of the United Brethren Church. Although having arrived at the advanced age of cighl^'-thrce j-ears, yet his hair is plentiful and black as a raven. In early manhood he married Melvina Moore, and they had a family of eight children. Grandmother James died in 1868. Mrs. Leonard was born near Montezuma, Iowa, Dec. 21, 18.57. Of her marriage with our subject four children have been born — Ella, Eva, Sherman and John. Mr. Leonard intends giving his children the benefits of a thorough classical education. There are few men more widely known and re- spected in business and social circles throughout Lancaster County than I. N. Leon.ard. He is the soul of honor, just and kindl3' in his relations with all. A man of vigorous thought and action, his broad and liberal mind keeps pace with the progres- sive spirit animating the nineteenth century. In politics he is a Prohibitionist, and he is also a strong Woman Suffragist. The M.asonic fraternity holds him as one of its leading members, and he has offici- ated .as Secretary of his lodge for some years. -►^-•-f=^<^=#+- I^ILLIAM C. OLNEY. /// ington is borne by bi The name Wash- \ A,* ingion IS oorne by between 300 and 400 townships, counties, cities, villages, etc., in the United States, but far from the least worthy of mention of this large number is Washington County, Ohio, which is situated in the southeastern part of the State, on the Virginian border, and which has for its couiityse.it Marietta, the beautiful •^f city of Marietta, of national renown as a seat of learning. The landscape of this county is hardl}' to be equaled and never surpassed by any other in the same State. Its hills, covered with verdure of deepest green, its deep, shady glens, broad, fertile valleys, and noble forests, where the ash, hickor}-, oak and maple flourish in all their strength and be.auty. In the above county w.is born the suliject of this sketch, Nov. 9, 1821, and is the son of Washing- ton and Appbia (Cable) Olney, and the position to which our subject has attained by his persistency and perseverance in answer to the inspiring voice of his ambition, while it could not have been fore- seen, is, nevertheless, verified and worthy the owner of so honored a patronymic. Our subject is now a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Denton Pre- cinct, where he has raised in the appreciation and esteem of his fellow-citizens a monument in his character and life more Lasting than iron, more glit- tering than polished marble. * Mrs. Olney, the mother of our subject, is a near relative of President Cable, of the Rock Island Railroad sj'stera, and w.as born on July 20, 1797, at North Adams, Mass. Her husband, Washington Olney, was a native of Washington County, Ohio. His paternal ancestry' were members of the English aristocratic family of the same name, one which is inscribed indelibly on the p.age of her national his- tory. The branch of the family to which he be- longed emigrated to America about tlie close of the seventeenth century', probabl}' about the year 1635, and settled in Rhode Island. The grandfather of our subject was M.aj. Coggesh,all Olney, a soldier in the Revolutionary War, where he made his mark as a miliUiry man. lie was one of the early mem- bers of the Society of Cincinnati, his certificate of membership being in the hands of our subject. One of the principal points of interest of this document is that it has the signature of Gen. W;ishington, then President of the society, also that of the renowned John Knox. Secretarj- of the societ}' at the same time, besides several other contemporary officers of Revolutionary fame. W.ashington Olnej', the father of our subject, was a soldier in the War of 1812, wiR'rc, by his gallantry, he added fresh laurels to the familj' name. Our subject is the possessor of t ■<- LANCASTER COUNTY. 625 , , three commissions granted him, the first creating him Sergeant, the second promoting hira First Lieu- tenant, the third advancing him to the rank of Cap- tain, with charge of his company. The grandfather of our subject was one of the primitive settlers of Ohio, where he was deeply in- terested as a pioneer and citizen in its development. He was one of the chief members of the Renown Ohio Companj', a corporation whicli iielrt large sums of continental money for the purpose of purchasing and improving land in that .State. Our subject was reared in his native county and received his educa- tion in its common schools, then in the earliest day of their formation and establishment. The dark shadow of death beclouded the life of our subject at a very early age. When he was four j^ears old his father was removed from him by death ; his mother's death occurred in the year 1852. His brother, George W., older than he, a student at Lane Seminary, where he had gone to prepare for ministerial labor, died before completing his course. The mother took up the burdens of the family with womanly spirit and heroism, and, nothing daunted by her loneliness and widowhood, proceeded to carry out the plans which with her husband she had formed in the interest of their sons. Our subject learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, and followed the same until about the time of his mother's death, and had then for a considerable period been fore- man of the shop of Putnam, Sons & Co., of Mari- etta, Ohio, manufacturers of woodenware. From the 3'ear 1852 until his entrance into Nebraska he was engaged in mechanical pursuits in different parts, being unusually skilled as a mechanic and exceed- ingly facile in the use of tools of every description. It is not alwaj's those who are in the front of the line in the various engagements and undertakings of life, and whose names are the best known, who are the real operators and deserving of honorable mention. The wives and mothers are rarely noticed, and, until recent years, were never thought of as important factors in the histor3' building of the na- tion, although this is now an accepted fact, and in- disputable. The never-to-be-forgotten utterance of the great Napoleon is .true in its every letter, and we doubt if the American Republic would stand with its crown of glory to-day, the desire of the n.a- f 4^ tions of the earth, but for the wise mothers and sis- ters of the brave New Englanders of 1776. We say, therefore, with the most wise king, " He that desireth a wife, desireth a good thing." Our sub- ject proved himself to be of similar mind to Solo- mon, when, on the 22d of September, 1852, he be- came the husband of Hattie Morris, a union most happy. This lady is a native of Washington County, Ohio, where she was born Dec. 3, 1828. Her parents were .Joseph and Mary Morris, natives of New Jersey and New York respectivel}'. Her parents in both instances were of Scotch-English origin, and among the earliest pioneers of Washing- ton County, having settled there in the seventh year of this century. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-two, and the mother sixty-six years. He was born March 9, 1771, and died May 3,1861; his wife, born Feb. 17, 1792, died March 29, 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Olne^' are the parents of one son, Joseph W., who has already shown himself worthy the family cognomen. He received a good educa- tion, and upon graduation began to read law, and was admitted to the bar in AVashington County, April 17, 1879, and was appointed Notary Public by Gov. R. B. Ilaj'es, of Ohio, in February, 1877. The father of Jlrs. Olney has been twice married, and had a family of seven children, only three of whom are living — Mrs. Olney and her two brothers, Joseph and William P. The mother of Mrs. Olney was born in Utica, N. Y., and was the daughter of John and Betsy Sweet. There .are many physicians who object to surgical work, chiefly because they have no inclination for it, and in spite of their training are not experts, even in the matter of re- setting a fractured limb or reducing a dislocation. There are on the other hand many outside the med- ical profession who seem to possess a special faculty or knack for such work without any professional training, although we would not say without being somewhat proficient in their knowledge of super- ficial anatomy. The Sweet family have been for several generations noted as members of this class of surgeons, although many have supplemented their natural aptitude by college education, and graduated as physicians and surgeons. In the summer of 1885 our subject removed from Ohio with his family to this county and took up his ■•► f -^^ 626 LANCASTER COUNTY. residence for a time at Lincoln, working at his ti'ade, and in the spring of the following j'ear he settled upon his farm, which is supplemented by 240 acres of land owned by Mrs. Olnej'. Both our subject and his wife are identified with the Congregational Church, and are among its liberal supporters. Dur- ing the war our subject was in a branch of the serv- ice -which is little thought of and usuallj' under- valued. Very often the movements of the armed men would be gigantic blunders and disastrous mist.ikes but for the information received over the telegra|)h wire. We claim then for the telegraphic department, in which our subject served, as honor- able mention as that given to the actual fighting men. While serving in this department, under Capt. Fuller, our subject was taken prisoner by John Morgan, and was one of the first taken from the men of Washington County. He was lodged in Nashville jail, and there remained until the Union forces took the city, when he returned to his old duty. Mr. Olney is loy.ally interested as a citizen in questions concerning the Republic and its Govern- ment, although not an office-holder. He is a rec- ognized friend of the '"grand old part}" and an enthusiastic supporter of the same. In every rela- tion of life he has proved himself honorable, con- scientious, and true to the dictates of highest man- hood, and both in Ohio and at his present home enjoys that confidence and regard which are accorded to good and true citizens throughout our land. ylLLIAM STOCKING, a very enterprising farmer, has one of the most valuable 80-acre farms in Nemaha, located on sec- tion 28, one of the most beautiful sites in Lan- caster County. He comes of fine old Massachu- setts stock, his parents, Abner and Gratia (Porter) Stocking, being of an ancestry that settled in the town of Ashfield, among the beautiful hills of Franklin County, that State. Tlie^' each removed from that pretty New England town in their 3-outii, and were married in Ohio, where Mr. Stocking en- gaged in farming until his death at the age of forty-five, in the midst of aprosi)erous career. He was an active, wide-awake man, of sound principles. and his death was considered a public calamity, as there!)}' a good and useful citizen was lost to the community where he had made his home. His wife, a most estimable and very capable lady, came to Nebraska in 1874, and died in her new home in Panama in 1885, at the age of sixty-three years, leaving four children — William R., David A., Jo- seph Wilson and Mariam A. William Stocking was born in Cu^-ahoga County, Ohio, Sept. 4, 1844. on his father's homestead, and he was there reared to the life of a farmer. He was but nine years of age when his father died, and he continued in the old home with his mother until he was twenty or twenty-one years old, in the mean- time obtaining a good education at a select school. He then removed to Illinois with his famll}', and settled in Ogle County, where he rented a farm for fourteen or fifteen ye.ars, and engaged in agriculture with much success. March 28, 1872, he was mar- ried there to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Albinus and Mehitable (Vincent) Lilly, of English and Welsh ancestry, respective!}', but both natives of Franklin County, Mass. Her father owned and managed a farm there, while at the same time active!}' engaged at his trade of carpenter. In 1828 he and his wife migr.ated from their pleasant New England liome with their family to Ohio. Jlr. Lilly purchased a farm in Cuyahoga County, and was prospering very well when his premature death was occasioned by drowning iu 1839. His widow was thus left to care for nine children, and nobly did she perform her part, carefully educating them and training them to become useful members of society. The names of lier children are as fol- lows: Acsah, Albinus, Ililkiah, Jessie, Lewis, Ma- tilda, David, Rosina and Elizal)eth. The latter, the wife of our suliject, was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Jan. 18, 1838, and was fourteen months old when her father died, therefore she has no recol- lection of him. At seventeen she entered Baldwin University, remaining a student there for some time, and gaining a superior education by herstudi- ousness and love of books. In 1870 she went to Illinois, and in Ogle County obtained a situation to work, having br.avely resolved to become self-sup- porting, and tliere slie was married to our sul)ject, will) wlioni she had attended tlic same school and -•*■ •►Hl^^ ^ii^H* LANCASTER COUNTY. 627 ■ } church in her native State. Two cinklren have been horn to their union — Vera Z. and Layton R. Mr. istociiing remained in Illinois seven j'ears after marriage, and then in 1879 came with his family to Nebraska, allured hither by the almost certain prospect of becoming more than successful in his chosen calling on this rich and fertile soil. He purchased his present farm on section 28, Ne- maha, and in the few j'cars that he has been here he has already put everything into good shape, and has one of the best managed farms in the neigh- borhood. He has built and tastilj' fitted up a two- story frame house of modern design, has built a fine barn and fences, a commodious corn crib, and has a fine orchard of sixty-four trees. In all the rela- tions of life our subject has proved himself to be an upright, noble-minded man. As a son, he was dutiful and affectionate; as a husband, he is thought- ful and devoted, and as a father, he is firm, but kind. He is exceedingly temperate, and his habits are above reproach. He is an earnest supporter of the Prohibition movement in politics. -V- #-4 ^ YfOHN GILLESPIE, Secretary of the Ne- braska Stock^'ard'S Company, has had a lib- eral experience in this Western country, becoming a resident of this State as early as 1859, during its Territorial days. A native of Jefferson Countj', Ohio, he was born near what was then the embyro town of Springfield, on the 23d of July, 1832. While he was still an infant his parents removed from Jefferson to Carroll County. There the boyhood and youth of John were spent, and there he developed into manhood. William Gillespie, the father of our subject, was born and reared in Washington County, Pa., his childhood home being near that of the Hon. James G. Blaine. The Gillespie family is of Scotch-Irish descent. The mother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Mary Engle, whose birthplace and early home was near that of her husband. After their marriage they settled in Noble Count}', Ohio, whence they removed, in 1853, to Van Buren County, Iowa, and subsequently went to Scotland Count}', Mo., where the death of the father occurred •>-Hh:^ in 1866. The mother died at Grafton, Neb., in 1884, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Maggie Burt. To William and Mary Gillespie there were born eight children, the eldest of whom was John, the subject of this sketch. He pursued his early studies in the country school, near his home in Carroll County, Ohio, and afterward attended school in Noble County. He was studiously inclined, and for a time was engaged in teaching; subsequently he learned the trade of a carpenter, which he fol- lowed until 1859. That year he came to Nebraska, and settled in Peru, Nemaha County. Mr. Gilles- pie then abandoned carpentering and engaged in general merchandising until the outbreak of the Civil War. Upon the 15th of June, after the first call for troops, Mr. Gillespie enlisted in Company C, of the 1st Nebraska Infantry, at Omaha. The regi- ment was commanded by Col. (now Governor), John M. Thayer, and was shortly after sent to St. Louis, Mo., and assigned to the command of Gen. John C. Fremont, who was operating against the rebel Generals Price, Marmaduke and others. Later the 1st Neliraska was transferred to the command of Gen. Grant, and our subject was present at the capture of Fts. Henry and Donelson, and also at Shiloh. He was also at the siege of Corinth, and crossed with Gen. Lew Wallace the State of Ten- nessee, and was afterward transferred to the depart- ment of Gen. Curtis, under whom the troops moved to Cape Girardeau, Mo. Here the 1st Ne- biaska went into camp, and did picket duty until April 26, when the enemy, under Gen. Marma- duke, made an attack that but for the activity and heroic bravery of the "boys in blue" would have been successful. The 1st Nebraska Regiment was actively engaged throughout the entire battle, and after many brilliant deeds of daring repulsed the enemy. After this the}' were detailed to St. Louis and assigned provost duty forseveral months. Next they were ordered to the department of Arkansas, under the command of Gen. Steele, and took part in a number of important battles and skirmishes. Mr. Gillespie, on account of his bravery and fidelity to duly, was now considered worthy of pro- motion, and received the position of Regimental •^^f^4i- .t 4 628 LANCASTER COUNTY. Commissary, and was commissioned First Lieuten- ant, having charge of the infantiyand cavalry. At the expiration of his term of enlistment he returned to Omaha on a veteran's furlough of forty d.i3's. In the meantime occurred the Indian outbreak and murder of the people on the Republican River and Upper Platte. Lieut. Gillespie was among the first to report and proffer his assistance in repelling the Indians. He was at once given the post of Quarter- master and Commissary at Pum Creek, a point some thirtj'-five miles west of Ft. Kearney, on the old stage line. Here he was busily emplo^'ed in piloting stages and fighting the Indians for some eighteen months. On the 10th of August, 186;j, Lieut. Gillespie was relieved and mustered out at Ft. Kearney, whence he returned to Brownsville, and shortly after was elected Territorial Auditor, a position which he held most creditably for a terra of two 3'cars, and was then re-elected for four years. He was appointed by the Legislature one of three Com- missioners to lay out the town of Lincoln, where it was determined to locate the State capitol, and under their immediate supervision were erected the first Capitol buildings, the State University, the Agricultural College and the Insane Asylum. In order the better to attend to the duties connected with this, he removed his office from Omaha to Lincoln, on the 1st of Januar}', 18G9. Retiring from office in 1873, Mr. Gillespie was principally instrumental in the organization of the Nebraska stockyards, in 1884. of which he was made Secretary, and which office he still holds. There have been few important enterprises in which he h.as not been interested, while his wide experience and mature judgment have constituted him an im- portant factor in developing the best interests of the city and countj-. He cast his first Presidential ballot in favor of James G. Birne}', and now gives his entire support to the Republican partj'. The subject of our sketch w.as married, in Novem- ber, 18.54, at the home of the bride, in Noble County, Ohio, to Miss Julia Bj'ers, who was a na- tive of that State, and who died in Iowa in 1857. B}' this marriage Mr. Gilles|)ie became the parent of two children, the elder, Miss M. M. Gillespie, and Willie C, who died in Iowa when an infant. -^•■ His present wife, to whom he was married in Sep- tember, 1860, was Mrs. S.arah D. Proctor, a native of AVorcester Countj', Mass. She was born on the 6th of April. 1834, and is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wright Rugg. By this second alliance there have been five children added to the family circle, viz: Emma B., Harry T., Edward E., Lil3' M. and Grace L., all of whom are at present unmarried. The home of the Gillespies is well known in the society circles of Lincoln, and forms for the cult- ured and refined people of the city one of its at- tractive features. -^ "^i-^ ^^ IIARLES O. STRICKLAND was born in Piatt County, 111., at Ccnterville, Jan. 1, S^l' 1865, and is the son of John W. and Anna M. (Hevel) Strickland, the former born in Logan County, Ohio, and his father, George Strickland, grandfather of our subject, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, who, early in life removed to Log.an County, Ohio, where he was one of the first settlers, and con- tinued to make liis home there until his death in 1887. That homestead was the scene of the earl3' days of his son, and until he had finished the ordinary round of school studies, upon which he went to Washington, D. C, matriculated as a student of medicine, and in due time was initiated into the m3-steries of sutures and their osseous connections; the origin, rise and progress of disease, and the methods of combating the same. He finally was graduated at the medical college .at Washington. Immediatel3' after his graduation Dr. Strickland was united in marriage with Miss Anna M. Hevel, .and settled in Ccnterville, Piatt Co., 111., which con- tinued to be his home until 1869, when the family removed to Lincoln, which was in its infanc3- and more country than town, surrouixled 1)3- the billowy prairie, upon which the elk, deer, antelope, wolf and other animals roamed at will. The Doctor opened an office immediateh' and continued prac- ticing until the 3-ear 1877, when he purchased a flouring-millat R.aymond.and gave all his attention to the same, in which he continued prosperousU' until his death, the result of a deplorable acciflent, and occasioned by his being overcome 1)3' the ■•► t -*i^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 631 i i strength of tlie current of the mill stream and (Irownei, in liie sprint of 1 .S!S4. He wns a member of the Metiiiiilist pjpiscopal Church, honored and beloved, and an earnest advocate of the Republican party. His wife was a native of Illinois, being born in Coles County', and still resides in Lincoln with her children. Onr snliject was four j'ears old when the family removed from. Centervilie, 111., to Lincoln. Indue time his attention was directed to the study of those subjects which lie at the foundation of jjrogress and advancement in ever3- department of life. Having completed the course of stud3' i)reseribed in the common school he entered the classes of the Stale LTniversitj'. At the age of twenty yeais, upon his graduation, he took charge of his father's business, which included the mill and the large wholesale business. In these engagements he has been con- tinuously successful. Our sidiject began to realize, as the cares of busi- ness and general life gathered around him, demand- ing attention, that in something his life was incomplete, and that a l)rightness, cheer and inspir- ation to meet and overcome the opposing forces of life and ambition to reach out after the large attainments was nccesbary. Accordingly, believ- ing he had solved this problem, he in April, 1886, became the husband of Artha M. Klock. Subse- quent events have i)roved that his judgment in this matter was correct. His wife is a native of Iowa, the daughter of G. S. Klock. Our subject has not yet made his mark with any special prominence in political circles, but nndoubtedly if he so desires will do so. He is earnest in his prin- ciples of the advocacy of prohibition, and an ener- getic worker, the recipient of the highest esteem of his fellow-citizens. I S^^JCHOLA.S E. MELICK. America has rap- I jjj idly become the pork-raising country of the l[J^ world, and Nebraska, with her rolling prai- ries and unexceptional climate, offering as she docs unusual fiicilities for the production of this important article of consumption, is rapidlj- taking the lead of the States in tliis industry. The subject of the pres- ent sketch is making a specialty of the same at his farm on section 22, Rock Creek Precinct, where be owns 120 acres of choice land. The grandparents of Mr. Melick, upon both the paternal and maternal sides of the house, were born in New .Terse3^ Nicholas E. Melick, Sr., after whom our subject is named, vv.as married April I, 1812. His family comprised six children — Peter, Chris- topher B., James William, Catherine, Edwin and Elizabeth, four of whom are now livini'. The date of the death of the grandparents is unfortunately lost. The eMest son, P^jter, was the father of our subject, and was born near the close of the year 1812, .and lived to be fifty ye.ars of ago. In the ye.ar 1862 he removed from Hunterdon, N. J., to Marshall County, III., making of farming his life occupation. His wife was Maria Miller, to whom he w.as married on the 1st of April, 1837. This lady w.as the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Field) Mil- ler, also natives of New Jersey. Her father was born in 181.5, and followed the trade of saddler, al- though he spent some years upon a farm. His daughter, the wife of Mr. Peter Melick, was born in the year 1815, and continued to make her home with her parents in New Jersej' until her marriage, as above recorded. To Peter and Maria Melick theie were born seven children at the homestead in Hunterdon County, N. J., prior to the removal to Illinois, in 18G1. Mary E. is the relict of Mr. Adiim Ilar- riman, of Rock Creek; Emma J., who is the wife of Warren Ilallott; Nicholas E., onr subject; Cath- erine, who dicil in childhood; Samuel M., who is now Sheriff of this county, and owner of a farm in Rock Creek Precinct. The gentleman whose biogra|»hy is herein pre- sented was born Aug. 2;), 1817. His early life was spent with his father upon the farm, and largely' oc- cupied in such duties as could be safely assigned to him. His carlv' educational advantag(!s were ex- ceedingly limited, although he attended the public school for a time. At the age of eighteen years he went to Chicago and attended a private school taught by W. G. Hatha vv.ay, at No. 172 Clark street. He then returned home for one jear, and at that period his father removed to llenr}- County, 111., *f r;32 ^ a <• LANCASTER COUNTY. where he lived for about two yenrs. In 1867 our suliject entererl the Northern Illinois University, and began iiis stufHes in tiie fresiiman class, but his l)revious studies enabled him to take an advanced standing, and complete the course in six months. In the year 1869 Mr. Melick came to this county and located a claim of eighty acres. He then went to Washington Connty, Iowa, and taught school during the winter. The following spring he and his brother commenced working the claim, and our subject was enabled (inailj' to establish his owner- ship. He continued to teach in the pul>lic schools in Lancaster County for six ye.ars. In several cases the school-house was simply' a dug-out tiiat had been deserted by its former occupants for a larger and more substantial dwelling. The fuel was usually corn. The experience of the '41oosier Schoolmas- ter" was his, so far as tiie "boarding around" was concerned. Our subject was married on the 28th of March, 1872. The lady of his choice. Miss Priscilla Scott, is the daughter of Rev. James M. and Eliza A. (Gardner) Scott, who were natives of Can.ada. Mr. Scott is a minister of the Free Methodist Church. He removed to Illinois in 1864. fin- ARVEY WESLEY HARDY' is one of the I descendants of the Eastern heroes of the LV^ thrilling days of the Americo-Britannic (to; Wars, and was born in Peny, Wyoming Co., N.Y'., on the 29th of October, 1825. His father, Sam- uel Hard}-, was a native of Hardwick, Mass. His f.ather, Francis Hardy, grandfather of our subject, was by trade a tanner and currier, a native of the same State, and went through a greater part of the War of Independence, taking part in the memo- rable battle of Bunker Hill. Samuel Hardy was reared to manhood in Massa- chusetts, and from there removed to Vermont, and settled at Rutland, which was his residence for about ten years. In 1805 he started with his wife and two children for what was then called the Far West. All their movable propert}' w.ns put into a two- wheeled cart, and a yoke of oxen sufficed to draw tlie same. For forty-two days they traveled on in primitive style, camping and traveling alter- nately as day and night succeeded each other, in their course, until they arrived in what is now Wyo- ming County, and took a tract of limber land in what has since become the town of Perry. Here he built a log house, which was to be their home, and where afterward our subject was born. After clearing quite a large tract, and being suc- cessful in husbandry until the year 1830, Mr. Hardy removed to Gainesville Township in the same county, and bought 180 acres of laud. For several •►HI--4*- ^rt^Hh-* LANCASTER COUNTY. G37 years after this settleuieut, Albaiij-, nearly 200 miles distant, was tiie nearest market. It was so far removed from the farm that it did not pay to take grain there, although he used to take large quantities of pork. After the Erie Canal was oiJcned, Rochester and Buffalo became the markets. The wife of Mr. Hard}^ was a native of Massa- chusetts, and a daughter of Steplien Parker; tlie bonds were severed by his death while residing upon tiie Gainesville farm, in February, 1855. The father of our subject went through the War of 1812, and among other battles participated in those of Lundy's Lane, Chippewa and Black Rock. Our subject was reared upon tlie farm at Gaines- ville, and continued to make it his home until the year 18G8, at which time he moved westward with the star of empire. His education was somewhat more extensive than that provided by the common school, being supplemented by a course at the Wes- leyan Seminary at Lima, and later at Genesee Col- lege. From his graduation he devoted himself until marriage to teaching, in which he was very successful. In 1808 he left his home at Gainesville, having found a good purchaser, and removed to Aurora, 111., and engaged in the furniture busi- ness for two years; then, in 1871, he came to Lincoln and put in a large stock of goods, and commenced business. The city at tliat time was estimated to contain 1,000 persons, although it was probably' less, and it stood surrounded by prairie land in all its native wildness, but lie has lived to see the city grow until its population is numbered at 40,000 to 50,000. Our subject was married, June C, 1835, to Char- lotte Abbott. This lady was born in Churchill, Monroe Co., N. Y. Her father, Calvin Abbott, removed from V^ermont to New York in 1815, the removal being made in tiic usual manner of the time. It was not long before he was busily at work upon his new property. He located at Ogden, Monroe County, bought a tract of timber land, and put up his log cabin. He brought a year's stock of provisions with him, at the end of that time expecting that his crops would be sufficient to go on with. As soon as his farm was cleared he erected a stone house according to the most perfect plans r to which he had access, and upon its completion resided there until his death. The maiden name of Mrs. Abbott was Charlotte Clement, who was born at Danville, Caledonia Co., Vt. She died in their home in Monroe County, in December, 1854. Our subject is a man of public spirit and enter- prise, with all the business energy, clear-sighteduess and wise, thrifty push. He is also a man whose life is guided by the Golden Rule, and because of this he is, with liis family, the recipient of tlie cor- dial support and highest regard of those by whom he is surrounded. He has been twice elected Mayor of the city of Lincoln, first in 1877, and agaiu the year following. It was during the first year of his administration that the famous high license liquor law became an ordinance. The provisions of the ordinance were afterward copied b}' the Legislature, and became the law of the State, known as the high license liquor law of Nebraska. G38 LANCASTER COUNTY. In tliatollieehe coutiiuifd uiililllic year 1878, when, having a tliorough undcrstanfUng of the business, ami a knowledge of editorial refjiiirements, he started a y>b |)rinting oltice, and has been ardently engaged in that business ever since. In the year 1884 our subject formed a partner- ship in the Journal business, the name of the Drra being Hyde, Hays & Hyde, and in 1887 the Lincoln News Company' was formed, of which our subject was appointed Treasurer. Since that time he has occupied that honorable olHce, with much credit to himself and with the approval of the company. On tiie 10th of May, 1878, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Ida Cooper, a daugliter of P. A. and Sarah Cooper, of riatteville, Wis. They are the parents of three children — Fred C, Nela and Robert. As the profession in which be is engaged requires, our subject is well informed on ail the important topics of the da3', taliing an active interest in the advancement and improvement of the public in general and of his own community in particular. He possesses line social qualifications and is an es- teemed member of society. He is a member of the Lincoln Lodge No. 108, I. O. O. V., Salme Kn- campment No. 4, Canton No. "2, and is also a mem- ber of Lodge No. 9, A. O. U. W. He is a niem- l)er of the Republican political organization, and has tirm failh in the i)c)licy of its administration. kOUlS DITTMliR, one of the most enter- l)rising j'oung citizens of Buda Precinct, is a son of Henry and Louisa Dittmcr, both of whom were natives of Germany. He was born on the 9th of April. 1862, in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg, and with his parents emigrated at an early age to America, taking passage on a steamer at Hamburg which landed tliem in New York City- after an ocean voyage of about two weeks. They came directly' to Lancaster County, and the father of our subject homestcaded eight}' acres of land in IJuda Prejinct, on which they made their home until the death of the father, which occurred on the loth of July, 1883. The mother, only surviving her husband the brief period of less than four years, died on the 28Ui of May, 1887. They were the parents of four children who grew to manhood and womanhood, namely: Elizabeth, who became the wife of Bernhard Steflfen, of Buda Precinct; Henr\'; Louis, our sid>ject, and Louisa, who became the wife of Hcni-y Mink, of Lincoln. The father of our subject was one of the rejire- sentative German pioneers of this precinct, and en- jo^'eil the confidence and esteem of his frienils and neighbors in a marked degree. He was a member of the J^utheran Church, in which he served in an oflicial capacity, having been among the first in organizing the society and buihling the church edifice in his localitj'. He was a pul)lic-spirited man, and in his death the count}' lost one of her best German citizens. His word was considered as good as his bonil, and having been industrious and man.aged well he w.is able to leave his famil}' a One property, including 360 acres of laud, the result of a life of industry and economy. Politically, he was a stanch defender of the principles of the Republican parly. Louis Dittmer received a good education, both in the English and German languages, and has had consis. This, however, has simpl}' contributed to the manliness of his character, and incited within him the desire for a home of his own and tiie position of a substantial citizen. With this end in view, on the 29th of Februar}', 1888, he was married to Miss Ellen, a daughter of Carl and Mary Ivrause. The father is now deceased, and the mother resides in this county. While our subject inherited a share of the land which his father owned he has been active and in- dustrious, and has added to that amount until he is now the possessor of 240 acres of well-improved land on section 2. Ho did not join the political organization of which his father was a member, but chooses rather to vote independently and support the man whom he considers best qualified to serve the interests of the .^eople. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, in the establishment of which his father played an important part, and is regarded as one of the promising young men of the community, one who will with credit assist in peri)eluating the name and estate of his honored sire. Henry Dittmer, Sr., the only brother of our sub ject, is half owner of the farm. He h;is traveled f ^S?^3^S^^i55^ Residence OF J 05. L. Payne. SecA. Denton Precinct. ^^! ^'^^.^:>^'::'^.---:-^'r':-r^.-- Residenceof DiTTMER Bros ,Sec.2. Bu D A Precinct. i LANCASTER COUNTY. 641 extensively over the AVesteni country and spent two years in Utah and Coh)rado. Like iiis brother Louis, he is highly respected by all who know him, is social, genial, and is still single, lie has a good education in botii German and Lnglishis, and a man who may be called one of the foremost of his pre- cinct. A view of tiie liomestead owned by Dittraer Bros, is given on the adjoining p:ige, and from its appearance may be gathered even more fully than fi om a written sketch the character of the proprie- tors. ^ VfOSEPH L. PAYNE. The old Norse kings were rulers of a hard}' race, if their legend history be true, for we are informed that "the survival of tiie fittest" was a |)rimary and terrible fact in ever}- maternal creed and practice: that the children were taken and caused to suffer ex[)osure in their rigorous northern climate, with the result that the weakly and imperfect succumbed, and only the most robust constitutions survived the ordeal. Thus every warrior (anni the above age until he was twenty he was working u|)on the farm by the month, but when within a year of his majority he decided to go to Perry County, 111., and for eighteen months worked as a farm hand. Lancaster County was visited by our subject in the fall of 1.S79, and a farm of 120 acres was leased for twenty-one years, and he has since then continued u\)vn it. Mis lease provided that the ground might be purchased from the School Com- missioners at any time prior to the expiration thereof. This he accordingly did a few years since, adding at different times until his proijerty to-d.ay comprises 205 acres of land, all of this being in an excellent state of cultivation. The accom- panying view of the property will assist to a cor- rect understanding of its beauty, extent, character and consequent value. Our subject was married, Nov. 13, 188j, and be- came the husliand of Harriet E. Giles, a daughter of James and Harriet Giles, of this precinct. Three children have been given to them, and are growing up amid surroundings and under iiiBuences incom- parably in advance of anything in the early sur- roundings of our subject. Adjoined are the names of this interesting family : The eldest child. Alice IL, was born Sept. '6, 1884; in October, two years sub- sequently, their second child, Edwin J., opened his eyes to the light; the baby, Walter, was born on the 1st of March of the [jresent year, 18S8. Our subject has come up to his present position from a vei'y unpromising beginning; when it is considered how early in life first his mother and then his father were removed from him, the ex- ceedingly small opiiortnnily he had to procure an education, that he was compelled by force of cir- cumstances to begin work at an age when most boys are still poring over their lessons, and that he had to make his own start as well as progress,' it is an acknowledged fact that the .advancement seen to-day is most honorable to him and the result of his continued persevering labor. Mr. and Mrs. Payne find their religious home in the fellowship of the Baptist Church, and he is Clerk of the church. He is also Treasurer for his school district. He unifoiinly and conscientiously de- fi42 t LANCASTER COUNTY. posits liis ballot in favor of the -grand old part^'," which was born amid the throus of the country by its civil war. He is a gentleman of enterprise and indiistrj', strongly in favor of every movement cal- culated to benefit the people, a friend of good morals, and in every way a highly respected citizen. ^>^<5«-^«ic- ^ILLIAM P. NORCROSS, President of the * Firth Bank, is widely known throughout this and adjoining States as an able finan- cier, a prominent and enterprising business man, and a large land-owner. He is a man of unbounded ambition, remarkable judgment and rare business tact. Begining life as a farmer's boy, he has met with more, than ordinary success in the various VfK'ations that he has pursued, of farmer, stock- raiser, prospector, merchant and banker, and lie is now numbered among the moneyed men of Ne- braska. Mr. Norcross comes of good old Pennsylvania families, on both his father and mother's side who were descendants of English people who were among the early settlers of that State in Colonial times. His grandfather Norcross was a citizen of Penusi'l- vania, and served as a private during the Revolu- tionary War. The parents of our subject, AYilliani F. and Maria L. (Dickson) Norcross, were natives respective!}- of Erie County, Pa., and of Westfield, N. Y. They were married in the latter State, and subsequently settled in Eric County, Pa., where Mr. Norcross was quite prosperously engaged in farming from 1826 to 18-10. He then removed with his family to Warren County, 111., and he there became an extensive farmer ancl land-owner. He now lives a retired life at Monmouth, at the age of seventy-six years, having gained by his own ex- ertions and shrewd business policy an ample income. He has been a very energetic, capable man in his da3', and the esteem and confidence in which he is held by his fellow-citizens show that his life has been honorable as well as useful. The amiable wife, who was to him a true helper and wise counselor, was early Uiken fmm him. her death occurring in 1857, when she was but forty years old. The fol- lowing are the names of the five children born to -<*■ them: John (deceased). Marietta, William P., Hobart and Henry. William Norcross, of this sketch, was born Nov. 12, 1843, at Monmouth, III., where he grew toman- hood, having a common experience with other l)03-s reared on Illinois farms. He was early put to work at the plow, and performed other farm laboi-s on his father's homestead until he was twenty-one, receiv- ing his education in the meantime in the common school. After attaining his majority, in 18G5, he was seized with the gold fever and went to Pike's Peak and prospected in the gold mines. He maile quite a little sum of money, enough to give him a fair start in life, and at the end of a year returned home, and again resumed agricultural pursuits. At the age of twenty-six, in 1870, our subject was married to Miss Susan E., the accomplished ilaugh- ter of George and Sarah S. (Gettie) Sickmon, natives of Buffalo, N. Y. Her father was a pros- perous farmer of Monmouth, 111., where she was born in 1840, being the second child and second daughter of the five children, two boj's and three girls, born to her parents. Her education, begun in the public schools of her native town, was there completed in Monmouth College, where she dis- played superior scholarship, and ranked high in her classes. After raarri.age Mr. Norcross continued farming for six years, and he then moved into the town of Monm(juth, and engaged in the mercantile business for two 3'ears. He afterward went back to farm- ing for the next four 3'ears. He bought a 240-acre stock farm, and was extensivel3' engaged in breed- ing, raising, feeding and shipping stock until 1882, when he came with his family to Nebraska and settled in Firth, where he has since resided. He engaged in the stock business here for one3'ear, and then, in 1883, became a partner in the bank, and has ever since been connected with it, becoming the sole owner and proprietor of the institution iu 1886. In the fall of that year he sold a part interest in the bank to E. R. Spencer, and the}' are now conduct- ing the business together. The present bank build- ing, of a modern st3'le of architecture well adapted to its purpose, was erected in 1885. Besides at- tending to his banking business, Mr. Norcross deals largely in real estate in Lancaster and Gage Couu- i u LANCASTER COUNTY. 643 ties, where he owns 1,500 acres of land. He also owns valuable lanrled property in tiie States of Missouri and Iowa. He and his wife .ire very com- fortabl}' located in their beautiful home in Firth. Their only son and child, Frank, is soon to enter the University of Nebraska as a member of the class of '92. Mr. Norcross is very public spirited, and gener- ouslj' contributes to all schemes for promoting the material interests of the village. He has always in- terested liirasolf greatly in the education of the youth of Firth, and as a member of the Board of Education has done incalculable service by the as- sistance that he has rendered in perfecting the present school S3'stem, procuring suitable teachers, proper accommodations for tlie pupils, and in many other waj's. Politically, our subject is a Republican, fully believing in the policy of that party, and giving it his cordial support whenever occasion offers. £NRY SCHMUTTE is one of those gentle- men who have come to the broad prairies of our country with the experience, educa- tion and ability obtained elsewhere, who are attracted by the institutions of the free Repub- lic, and realize that upon its shores are found opportunities surpassing anything to be found un- der any other Government, and an outlook more promising than in any other land. Our subject, at present one of Centerville's successful farmers, whose property is situated on section 36, was born Jan. 9, 185-t. in the city of Hanover, Prussia. He is the son of Henry and Christina Schmutte, both natives of the same country. It was his misfortune to lose his mother by death about the j'ear 1866. Our subject emigrated to America in 1871, when about seventeen years of age. His early life was without special incident, and was simpl}' marked by the usual phases of the process of education, and subsequent introduction to the sterner duties, tasks and lessons of life. His first introduction to the business world occurred about the year 1868, when he learned the occupation of farming. The voyage from Bremen occupied sixteen days of strange and various new experiences, not always of the most gentle nature. He landed at Baltimore, proceeded immediately to Lancaster County, and began to work by the month on different farms, among the number being tliose of H. Ilousen and David E. Prey. In the year 1876 our subject took up 160 acres of land and began the improvement of the same, turning to good account the experience obtained in his native land, and also since coming to this countr}', and putting into it all the strength of his manhood, indefatigable and exhaustive lahor. Hav- ing now a ffirm and a home built, he must needs have someone to share the same with him, and in Anne Mayer, a native of his own country, he found one in every way fitted for that station. They were accordingly married in the month of May, 1877, and for about eight 3'ears lived a life of un- alloyed brightness and happiness. Their marriage was consummated by the birth of four children : William, who was born Aug. 3. 1879; Henry, Feb. 6, 1881 ; Eddie, Aug. 15, 1882, and Herman, May 5, 1885. After the death of his first wife, which occurred in October, 1885, he was a second time married, BLiy 17, 1887, to Minnie Me^'er, who was born on the 23d of June, 1860. She is every day proving herself to be a true and faithful wife, and bestowes a wealth of affection upon the children of her husband. Our subject and family are members of the Ger- man Lutheran Church, and are among its most hearty supporters and devout members. For some time past he has been holding the office of School Trustee in connection therewith. He is one of the large class of citizens who, appreciating the institu- tions and privileges of America and its citizenship, endeavor to understand them and govern them- selves accordingly. In political matters he is unob- trusive, simply seeking to do his duty as a true and loyal citizen, governing his suffrage by what he believes to be for the best interest of all, although, being associated with the Republican party, he usually votes its ticket. Mr. Schmutte, Sr., became the parent of three children by his first wife: August, who is residing in Colorado; Dora, now Mrs. C. Hanson, of Lincoln, and our subject. The mother died when our sub- ject was .about twelve years of age, leaving him at -t ■^ :*^i^ .t C44 LANCASTER COUNTY. a tender age iniiuis ihe dearest friend and perhaps the most important relation of his life, for however true and eonseientiuiis ma^' be the father, under such circumstances it is impossible in tlie nature of things that he or an^'one else can fill the mother's place. The loss of his mother was perhaps the greatest trial tiiat came into his j'oiing life. He was further handicapped in the genesis of his ex- perience by a very limited opportunitj' for obtain- ing an education, and also a not over-abundant supply of funds, for upon his arrival at Omaha he found himself compelled to borrow 85, with which to make his way to Lincoln, so that he is in every sense a self-made man, his prosperity, public spirit and exceptionally high character reflecting the high- est honor upon the efforts of his life. ^3e ^ JtelLLIAM ROWERDINK. In contrasting \&Jl/ '^'"' "'^''^s and surroundings of some per- V7 \y sons with the circumstances in which, at a similar age, their parents wern placed, we cannot refrain from the exclamation: '-What a vast differ- ence! AVhat forces have brought it about.'" Here is one enjoying every advantage of business and societj' and culture, while his parents had to endure privations and discomforts, their situations alto- gether dissimilar, and although thej' exerted the most strenuous efforts, their attainments fell far short of what, under other circumstances, they might have been. We can only offer in explana- tion of this obvious state, beyond that for which reason may account, that the ways of Providence are inscrutable and past finding out. By toilsome step and with slow and wear}^ feet are some des- tined to pass through the world, never enjoying to the fullest extent the things which they anticipate, while others mount by rapid and springing step to the very zenith of their ambitions. It is an undeniable fact that circumstances have much to do with the formation of character, and it is just as evident a truth that self-develvements essential to the comfort and contentment of the progressive farmer. He takes a livol}' interest in the matters pertaining to the welfare of his community, being the friend and encour.ager of education, and all the other enterprises which tend to elevate societj' and result in general good to the peo|)le. In politics he is a solid Republican, although never caring to take upon himself the responsibilities of office, an► l l "^ G48 LANCASTER COUNTY. { 4 was twcntj'-thrce years old. At the age of sixteen he took up the lilncksmilh's trade, and worked at it for twelve 3-ears at dififerent points in Brown County. In 1858 he went to Dcs ftloines County, Iowa, where he worked a short time at blacksniilh- iiig, but eventually purchased sonic twenty acres of land and commenced farming. Mere he lived until 18G9, when he removed to Lancaster County, Neb. 1 1 is brother had made a selection of land for hiin before he came. Soon after he arrived he home- steaded eighty acres of land and built a dug-out, in which he lived for five years. He brouglit a horse team with him from Iowa, and commenced breaking his land the same year. He was at this time poor, and used to secure what meat he required with his shot- gun, sliooting wild game, which was very abundant at that time. Tlie first pigs he owned after he came here he bought for 85 apiece and l)rouglit them home in a flour sack. Four years after he came to this place Mr. Shotn-ell brougiit 160 acres more of land from the railway company. After five years in the homely shelter of the dug-out he built a frame house, the first dwelling of the kind onGarr Creek. Mr. Shotwell has been a heavy dealer in cattle. He continued his farm operations until 188G, when he sold his stock, and with his wife took a trip "West, into Colorado and the western part of Ne- braska. He returned in the spring of 1888, and is now located on his farm again. In liecember, 18G0. Mr. Shotwell married Eliza Mintling, daughter of William L. and Lizzie (Welt}-) ]\Iintling. Mr. Mintling was bom in Pennsylvania, March 29, 1812. In his boyhood he went to Carroll Countj', Ohio, where he lived about eighteen years. While there he married, in 1839, and died Oct. 16, 1887, in Ila^-es County. Neb. During his life he fol- lowed the vocation of farming. Mrs. Mintling was born March 20, 1 820, in Carroll County. Ohio, where she lived until she was m.arricd. They had a fam- ily' of eleven children, four sons and seven daugh- ters, eight of whom are now living. These are: P^liza, wife of Mr. .Shotwell, of Rock Creek, Neb.; Marj', wife of Samuel Cocayne, of Yarmouth County, Iowa, a section foreman on the railwaj'; Rebecca, wife of William Roe, of Ha^-es Center. Haj'es Co., Neb., farmer; Sar.ah, wife of Alonzo Cocayne, of Minneapolis, Des Moines Co., Iowa; •#•■ Emma, wife of Sylvester Franklin, a farmer of Hayes County. Nell.; James, who is farming in Layton, Lancaster Co., Neb. ; Jesse, who is a farmer of H.ayes County, Neb., and Rufus of the s.ame county, also a farmer. Mrs. Shotwell was born in Carroll County, Ohio, July .3, 1840, where she lived until her third year. She then moved with her father to Burlington, Iowa, where she lived until 18G9. Her mother, Mi-s. Mintling, now lives in Hayes County with her children. Mr. and Mrs. Shotwell have two children, a son and a daughter. Of these the elder is Kate, born at Burlington, Iowa, Sept. 13, 1861, and mar- ried, April 23, 1881, to J. H. Wilcox, of Rock Creek. The son, William M., was born Dec. 23, 1863, at Burlington, Iowa; he lives at home with his parents. Mr. Shotwell, who has a farm of eighty* acres in Lancaster Countj', and another of 320 acres in H.ayes County, Neb., makes grain a specialty in farming. His son William also has 320 acres in Hayes County, Neb. Mr. Shotwell, who is now a Republican, has been Assessor for three j-ears, and a member of the School and Elective Boards for about eight years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shotwell are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Shotwell is a prominent mem- ber of the Rock Creek Church and an active Sab- bath-school worker. He ranks as one of the pioneere of the count}'. He has now retired from active life, and his oidj' son, who is unmarried, works the farm. On settling in Lancaster County. Mr. Shot- well found no church of his denomination with which to unite, and so hel|)ed the Congregational body to build and support a church, although still maintaining his connection with the Baptist denom- in.ation. During his whole life his pride h.as been in his church and in Sunday-school work. OSEPH C. McBRIDE. The Board of Trade of Lincoln has in the person of our subject I a President who is no ordinary man. one. in fact, who has come to his present position in life b}' the force of unusual application and ability. He is prominently identified with the various busi- ness interests of this progressive city, and holds a C^yl^ ■^i*- LANCASTER COUNTY. fi.il -t very high place in the esteem of his fellow-citizens. He is .an Ohio man, and was l)orn in Champaign County on the 2(1 of M.ay, 1854. He spent his boy- hood and j'outh among the healthful hills of the Buckeye State, then about 1859 removed with his parents to South Bend, Ind., where he became a student of Notre Dame University, from which institution he was graduated in time to enter the army when seventeen years old as fifer of Company B, 48lh Indiana Infantry. \oung McBride continued in the service, and owing to his force of character and general effi- ciency he received the commission of First Lieuten- ant, and the ye.ar following was promoted Captain for gallantry in the field. In the meantime his par- ents had removed across the Mississippi into Iowa, and in August, 1865, he joined them there upon receiving a furlough of eighteen months. Later \fe was commissioned a First Lieutenant in the regu- lar army, and was presented with a Captain's com- mission by President Johnson ''for gallant and meritorious service during the war." In 1870, by Act of Congress reducing the army, those officers who were willing to surrender their commission re- ceived one year's pay in advance. Among those who accepted these terms was Capt. McBride. Upon retiring from the service our suljject came to Nebraska, locating in Schuyler, the county seat of Colfax County, where he founded the Schuyler Beg ister, which soon became a leading weekly. The paper is still published, but under the new name of the Schuyler Sun, and lightens the path of its readers in things political, besides shining clearly in all matters of general interest. Capt. McBride, in 1873, was elected Clerk of Colfax County, and about the same time was ap- pointed by Gov. Furnas, Adjutant General of the State of Nebraska, with the rank of Brigadier Gen- eral, and a year Later was elected State Treasurer, serving the two years for which he w.as then chosen jn an eminently satisfactory manner. He was re- elected in 1876, filling this responsible and impor- tant office in all four years. In 1881 he was appointed Postmaster at Lincoln by President Gar- field, and re-appointed by President Arthur after the death of the martyred Garfield.. This office he' continued to hold until 1885, retiring upon the in- coming of the Democratic administration, after which he became interested in real estate, in which he has since operated with most gratifying and profitable results. While a resident of Iowa the subject of this writing was united in marriage with Miss Dorcns M., daughter of Judge Miller, of Marengo. To them there have been born two children, who bear the names of Alberta and John A., respectivelj'. The former is at home, and the latter a student of the military school at Fairibault, Minn. Capt. Mc- Bride has always been a stanch Republican, and received the nomination for Representative to the Legislature from the Republican Convention which assembled in August, 1888. WILLIAM H. FOSTER. The name of Fos- ter is not unknown in the East in connec- tion with the first settlement of the States and the earlier wars of American history. It is that of an old familj' of Scotch-Irish extraction, who in the early records uniformly appear upon the side of right, liberty and justice. Our subject is a lineal descendant of tiie Vermont branch of the Foster family, and the son of Wilder and Mary Foster, the father a native of the Green Mountain State, and the mother of New \ ork Slate. The paternal an- cestry is traced to Ireland, the maternal to Scotland. Thomas Foster, an uncle of the subject of this sketch, served through the War of 1812, and was somewhat distinguished. His parents were among tlie pioneer settlers of Erie County, Ohio. The representative of the Foster family whose farm property is situated upon section 2, in Center- ville Precinct, was the eldest living son and fifth child of his parents, his natal day being Dec. 12, 1834, and the place of his birth Erie County-, Ohio. There were thirteen children in the family of Mr. Wilder Foster, his father, of whom five are living: Harriet, now Mrs. B.all, of Jamaica Station, Neb.; William H. ; Frederick L., of Roca, Neb. ; Eunice, the wife of Van Buren Mills, of Muscatine County, Iowa, and George, of the same place. At the age of twelve 3'ears our subject was left motherless, and five yeais later went to Johnson i 652 •• > m • 4 » LANCASTER COUNTY. County, Iowa, nw\ made his home. His opportiin- it3' of education, bej-ond wliat could be picked up in the intercourse of daily life, was exceedingly meager, and after the death of his mother he began to woriv for liis living. In the Hawkej'e State our subject for twelve j-ears followed the trade of car- penter and joiner, and was faii-ly fortunate in this business. During tlie progress of the Rebellion he enlisted, in August, 18C-2, in Com[>any B, 'iid Iowa Infantry, and after the usual preparatory drills his regiment w.as ordered to the front, and there took part in the siege of Vicksburg, the liattles of Ft. Gib- son, Champion Hills and Black River, besides sev- eral other engagements of less importance. On ac- count of disability he w.as compelled to accept his honorable discharge on the 1st of February, 1864, at New Orleans. Returning from the war our subject resumed his residence in Johnson County, Iowa, for a period of two j-ears. Then he removed to Washington County, continuing there until 1878. He then came to Ne- braska, and for five years thereafter farmed as a renter in Centerville Precinct, this count3\ He was not long in saving sufficient to become the owner of 1 60 acres in his own right, and this he continued to cultiv.ate, in spite of some reverses, with steadilj- growing success. The wedded life of William H. Foster and Isa- bella D. Cambridge began in September, 1 854. With the exception of an adopted son, who has been named Willie, they have no family'. The position held b3' our subject and his estimable wife in the comnuinity at large is eminently' indicative of their sterling qualities, which have secured them the most cordial and hoart^' esteem. In political matters our subject is not prominent, iillluinL;li fulfilling his duty fully as a citizen. He is an olent in the pur- suit of husbandry, and at his death, in 1861, he had numbered ten years beyond the allotted time of man. His family included three children — William J., Samuel and George. Thomas Martin, subject of this sketch, was born in County Antrim, Irelaud, on the 17th of March, 1853, and received a practical education, although possibly somewhat limited, in the extent of its sub- jects, in the parish school, and when his jxarents came to America accompanied them to the Illinois home, and completed his education in the common school. After that he began to learn the mysteries of farming and agriculture, assisting his father upon the home farm. How far he was successful in this is plainly told by the fact that, upon the removal to Lincoln, in 1877, he was almost immediately ap- pointed foreman of the Agricultural College Farm. At the time of his ai)i)ointment he was twenty-five years of age, and he continued to hold it until he -•► LANCASTER COUNTY. 657 ••^ ^ was in his tliirt_y-first year. Comment upon this is liardl}' necessaiy, and j'et we would remind tiie reader that this position meant not simply the ph^'si- cal effort required in farming, hut that much mental effort was required also, with the addition of an aptitude to eommuniuate instruction. Upon leaving the Agricultural College in 1882, our subject purchased liis present farm of 160 acres, and began to lay the foundation for his future. The property was but slightly improved when he took possession. His first work was the erection of his present home, a substantially built two-story frame house, making a very comfortable and pleas- ant farm dwelling. At the same time he was at work upon his orchard, of which two full acres are devoted to carefully selected apple trees of various assortment, besides quite an extensive cherry or- chard, and in addition to plum and other fruit trees there is also found a very richly productive vinery and abundance of small fruits. In the vicinity of the bouse our subject has well-placed shade trees, forming a splendid grove, while close b^' is a col- lection of forest trees, covering between two and three acres. Not solely for his own benefit is this attention given to tree culture, but also for that of the State, it being a recognized fact that our sub- ject and those like him in this regard are making the climate of Nebraska more desirable as an agri- cultural belt. Mr. Martin has devoted much study to the im- provement of stock, and is well posted on the sub- ject of Durhams, Herefords and other varieties; Percheron, Normandy or Flemish, in the line of horseflesh, their adaptability or otherwise to the uses of the Nebraska farmer, with the multitudi- nous technical intricacies, which sound to the unini- tiated as intelligible as ancient Sanscrit. He is the owner of a super-excellent herd of Short-horns, and also a splendid registered animal of full blood, besides other stock, large and small, too numerous to particularize. In the year 1883, our subject having come to the conclusion that "It is not vvell for man to be alone," undertook to remedy that matter, and having made the acquaintance of a most womanly woman, in every way fitted to m.ake his life the complete and bright existence his most happj' thoughts had pict- ured, they proceeded after the necessary prelimi- naries had been arranged, to plight their faith and seal their vows in the usual form, on January 1 of that year, 1883. The Lady of his choice was Miss Emma Dishoug, of Lincoln, Neb., daughter of Jacob Dishong, and w.as born on the 6th of April, 1862, in Cass .C()unty, Pa., where she was reared and received her education in rudimentary branches, completing the same in Cass County, Neb., upon the removal of her father to that place in 1869, when he took a homestead and continued to reside thereon until 1879, when he removed to Lincoln. He is now the owner of a farm at Valparaiso, but resides about five miles northeast of Lincoln, and is operating the farm at Christian University. His wife was Miss Nancy Crawford, a native of Penn- sylvania, whom he married in I860. The marriage of our subject has been blessed, and its bonds more firmly united, by the birth of a son, whom they have named Edgar. Thomas Martin has been for several terms School Director of his district, and is .also Supervisor. His political sentiments accord with those of the Re- publican party, and the weight of his influence, with his more active efforts, is at all times at the command of his political friends. Although a young man he occupies a prominent place in the community, and, .all things being equal, has doubt- Jess a future before him brighter than an3'thing here recorded, excepting only that of the establishment of his home in the early dawn of 1883. His char- acter and manliness command and receive Wie re- gard of his fellow-citizens, his intelligence and success enjoin their sincerest respect. REDERICK HAASE, as his name would indicate, is a native of Germany, and was born upon the 2d of January, 1828, to Fred- erick and Louisa Haase, of whom the latter is de- ceased. He received his earl^^ education in his na- tive place and language, and continued to make his home in his native place until the year 1854, when he emigrated to this countr3^ t.aking passage at Ham- burg. After seven weeks upon the Atlantic he landed in New York, and weivt at once to Carbon ; ■» .;- C.-xS LANCASTER COUNTY. Cdiinty, Pa., .ind there resided until the fall of 1877, when he came to tliis county, taking up land ui)on section 7 of Yankee Hill Precinct, where he has continued to reside since that time. Our subject was married while. in Pennsylvania, the lady of his choice being Dora Leist; nine chil- dren have come to brighten their home, who bear the following names, viz: John, Henry, Frederick, Aaron, Frank, William, Louisa, Minnie and Dora, all of whom it is their pleasure to see growing up, and one by one taking their [jlaces in honorable positions in life. Mr. Haase is owner of IGO acres of fine farming land, well improved and very fertile. He has al- ways continued his membership in the church of his youth, the Lutheran. From his first settlement in the country he has been a warm friend and supporter of the •• grand old party." JOSEPH J. IMHOFF, Vice President of the State National Bank at Lincoln, first looked upon Nebraska Tcriitory in 1856, but at that ) time was not readj' to locate here. Two years later he took up his residence in Nebr.aska City, where he engaged in general merchandising, which he carried on successfully until 1872. Sell- ing out in May of that year he came to Lincoln and establisiied himself as "mine host" of the Com- mercial Hotel, which he conducted thirteen years successtfilly. In 1873 ho purchaseil the Douglas House, changed the name to Commercial, and in due time added to its proportions until it assumed a frontage of 108x1.50 feet, and was three stories in height. It is now called the Capitol. As the city grew in size this house attained a corresiX)nd- ing popularity, and was .acknowledged as the princi- pal hotel. With this property Mr. Imhoff parted after a period of thirteen years for the snug sura of $H0,000, and since then has been variously en- gaged among the enterprises in which the leading men of Southern Nebraska have been interested. The Keystone State owns the subject of this sketch as one of her sons, he having been born in Somerset County, May 8, 183.5. In this section of country also his |)arents, Joseph and Catherine (Heffley) Imhoff, were born and s])ent their entire lives. 'J'he former was also a holel-kee|>er, with which he combined agriculture, and w.as a solid, up- right and reliable citizen, who stood well in his community'. The family is of Oerman ancestry-, possessing all the enterprising and industrious char- acteristics of that nationality. The subject of this sketch was the sixth in a family of eight children born to his parents, and passed bisbojiiood andj'outh among the hills of his native county, becoming familiar with agriculture and acquiring a common-school education. When a youth of seventeen he began his mercantile ex- peiience .as clerk in a store of general merchanilise, but tvvo years later took up the carpenter trade, which lie followed five years. At the expiration of this time, desirous of seeing something of the world, he set out from his native county, and a few days later found himself in Urbaua, 111., where he sojourned two years and eng.aged as .a carpenter and builder. Thence he migrated to Nebr.aska, and en- tered upon the career which we have already indi- cated. Mr. Imhoff was one of the originators and movers in the organization of the Union Savings Bank of Lincoln, and a principal stockholder and Director. The Nebraska Stockyards also owe largely' their existence to his enterprise and encouragement. Of this company he was at once m.ade Vice President, which position he still holds. Later, in the organi- zation of the Lincoln Driving Park Association, he was a moving spirit, acting as President until dis- posing of his interests in it. He then purchased the park, and fitting it up at a cost of $7,500, sold it less than three years later for the sum of $75,000. He was one of the incorporators of the Lincoln Street Kailw.ay Compan}', being also made President of this, and remained its executive olHcer until thd time of its sale to the city corporation. In the or- ganization of the Lincoln Rapid Transit Street Railwaj' Company, he also held a like prominent post. He was one of the organizers of the Electric Light Company, with a capital of $100,000, ami h.as always been its President. He h.as been called to innumerable positions of trust and responsibility among the various interests inse])arable from the growth and development of one of the most rapidly !?^r+-^ N'T V> c^,A -.«''--m A&-i!h!fiiax^!N>^ixs^^ii:a,S^^ck,,Jt.^iiJ^^ ^ Residence OF J. J. Imhoff.CorJ fc IS!"- Sts, Lincoln, Neb. Residlncl Aij.j r'ROPeRii Or ulo.Garla^c. ,5e:c,4 ,5TEVEt4i ^t^llk Prlciuci 4- LANCASTER COUNTY. GGl growing cities of tiie West. His energy and in- dustry and his unimpeachable integrity have con- stituted him one of the most useful citizens of Lincoln, and one whose name will go down to pos- terity when his labors shall have ended. The marriage of Josepli J. Imhoff and Miss Mary E., daughter of Sanford 8. Rector, of Ne- braska City, was celebrated at the home of the bride Nov. 5, 18(i2. !Mrs. Imhoff was born in Piclvawa}' Count}-. Ohio; her parents now live in Nebraska (Jity. Of her union with our subject there are four children living, namely: Charles H., Cashier of tlie Union Savings Bank; Joseph B., Superintend- ent of the Line )ln Electric Light Company ; Ono May and Ilattie J.,at home with their parents. The palatial residence of the Imhutf famiij', erected in 188G, is a fine brick structure situated at the inter- section of J and Twelfth streets, finely finished and furnished, and with its surroundings forms one of the most attractive homes in the citJ^ In the view of this, which appears on the adjoining page, it will be seen that it forms not onlj' a monument to the taste and means of its projector, but ar or- nament to the city. Mr. Imiioff began in life with- out lather resources than his own indomitable energy, and his career has been one of phenomenal success. ^^EORGE GARLAND, of Stevens Creek Pre- jll {— , cinct, is very pleasantl}' located on section ^^^ 4, where he has a beautiful set of farm buildings, as will be acknowledged by a glance at the copj' of thern in miniature observable on another page in this volume. Here he settled in 1869, homesteading eighty' acres of land, and here has put forth the crowning efforts of a well-spent life, building up not only one of the most valuable home- steads in Lancaster County, but also the record of an honest man and a good citizen. The subject of this naralive was born on the other side of the At- lantic in Dorchestersliire, England, Jan. 24, 1838, r and is the son of Thomas and Jane (Marsh) Gar- land, who were also of English birth and parentage. Thomas Garland followed dairying, having charge of a large number of cows until 1846, when tlie family emigrated to the United States and settled in Kenosha County, Wis. George was a little lad eight years of age when his parents emigrated to America. The father only lived two years after- ward, his death taking place in Kenosha Count}-, Wis., in 1848. By iiis decease eight children were left fatherless, namely : Charles, Mar}-, Ann, George, William, Thomas, Harriet and Frank. They are all living, three of them being residents of this county. The mother contracted a second marriage, with James Cronk. of Wisconsin, and resided there until her death, which occurred at her home Sept. 1, 1880. Young Garland .acquired a district-school educa- tion, ver}' limited, his scliool d.ays being over upon the (loath of his father, which left the family in straightened circumstances. He became familiar with farming pursuits and remained unmarried until a man of twenty-si.K years. He then, Feb. 22, 1864, took unto himself a wife and helpmate. Miss Kate Healey, the wedding being celebrated at the home of the bride, in Kenoslia County, Wis. Mrs. Garland was born there July 4, 1847, and is the daughter of John and Jane (Bishop) Healey, who were natives of Canada; the mother spent her last days in Kenosha County, Wis.; the father died in California. Mr. and Mrs. Garland, after their marriage, set- tled on a farm in Kenosha County, where they lived until coming to Nebraska. Here our subject has been very successful, owning now 400 acres of good land, where he carries on mixed agriculture, and has surrounded himself and his family with all the comforts of life. The latter included two chil- dren until a few months since, when Charles E., the elder son. a bright and promising young man and the idol of the family, was seized with fatal illness, and died at the age of twenty-three years and twenty-three d.ays. Ralph W., who was born April 21, 1875, continues with his parents. Mr. Garland is a Republican, politically, although mixing very little with public affairs, preferring to give his time and attention to his farming interests. The parents of Mrs. Garland had a family of five l-^t^ f -•► .t GC2 LANCASTER COUNTY. chil'lren — Edward, Thomas, Mary, Harriet and Kate — the wife of our suhject being the youngest. Iler brothers and sisters are resiilents mostly of Nebraska. ^., LEXANDER G. WILSON, who is promi- LM iient among the well-to-do residents of Mid|k^ JOHN C. KETTELHUT. In the view found elsewhere of the homestead built up by the subject of the following notice, and which is eligibly situated in Stockton Precinct, is most nearly illustrated the perseverance and industiy which have been the distinguishing traits of his character through life. It is a favorite remark of the pseudo philosopher, and the man who, at every turn of life, flings at you some such threadbare proverb or saying of old and forgotten sage, that "Imitation is the sincerest form of flatterv." This ma3' or ma3' not be true, but the fact is before the whole world, viz: that thousands in other lands turn with hopeful hearts toward our beloved Amer- ica. She not only receives countless emigrants from older countries, but under her banner the manly and energetic worker may speedily become^ if not rich, at least comfortably settled in life, and this we must proudly accept as the highest compli- ment and flattery, using this word in its purest sense. The subject of this writing is one of the many who have paid this tribute to the great Republic, and h.as not been dis:ipi)ointed. He is a native of German3', and was born Dec. 18, 1836. Having ob- f Cr~t^-z^^2y<2^ --^^^^^-Z-^iX^^ t:z^z^^i-'TjZ^/ry ^ ■^•- -•► LANCASTER COUNTY. G67 t i i~ taiiied some education in the schools of the Father- land, he began tiie lierdinn; of sheep, in whicli occu- pation he continued until his thirty-second 3'ear. Often when away from the busy haunts of men, in some quiet pasture, with no conipanionsiu'p save tliat of his flocit, had he meditated and planned re- garding the country beyond the great sea, of which he had heard so much, but knew so little. He finally concluded that there was more room for him in that New World, more opportunity, more scope for the effort he knew he was cnpable of making. There- fore, in 1808, he left his herds, home and country, and, after weeks upon the ocean wave, landed upon American soil in New York City. B}' the counsel of friends, Mr. Kettelhut proceeded westward to Lancaster County, Neb., ami home- steaded eighty acres of Governmcnt'land on section 12, Stockton Precinct. Since that time he has been a resident here, and has received the highest respect of the community. He owns 320 acres of some of the finest land in the county, the quality of which has been largely improved by his assiduous labor. His residence is situated on section 11; his farm buildings, although not elegant, are substantial, ex- tensive, and arranged with a view to the various requirements of the progressive agriculturist. Mr. Kettelhut has been careful to accumulate the diverse implements and machines needed upon his farm, and which enable him to .achieve success from his labors. In .addition to general agriculture he takes great pride in stock-raising, and devotes much care and attention to this industry. While yet in his native land our subject was married to Miss Johanna Hapke. This lady was the daughter of John and Charlotte Hapke, and was born Aug. 6, 1844, in Pommcrn, Germany. She was united to our subject in marriage on the lOlh of February, 1865, and their home has been bright- ened by the advent of eight children, who are named respectively : Augusta, Robert, Bertha, Chris- topher, Amelia, Otto, Kda and Otto (2d). Of these we have to record the decease of the two boys. Otto (1st) and Otto (2d). The eldest daughter is mar- ried to Gotlieb Ruckenb.ach, and is a resident in Cass County, this State. The remaining children live at home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Ket- telhut are consistent members of the German Luth- ■^^ eran Church; their family have been reared in the same communion. Our subject is not a man prom- inent in politics, but has made himself master of the main questions of the political situation and affili- ates with the Republican party. J^ ICHAEL KILROY. The present sketch /// \\\ presents briefly the salient points of the biography of one of the representative far- mers and stock-raisers of West Oak Precinct, where, on section 16, liesa beautiful farm comprising 320 acres, in as fine condition and as fully supplied with the multitudinous details indispensable to efficiency in farming and stock-raising as any of its neighbors. This property is owned by our subject. The father of Michael Kilroy, whose given name was Peter, was born in County Sligo, Ireland, upon Easter Sunday of 1814. In the schools of that count}' he received his education, and afterward gave his time to the mastery of the mysteries of milling, .as restricted in that county to the manufacture of flour. In the year 1836 he left his home and the green Isle of Erin, emigrated to America, and settled in Oswego, N. Y., where he followed his old occu- pation of miller. He was a resident of tiiat place at the time of the great fire, shortly after which he entered into the wholesale grocery business in the same city, and continued until 1857. In that 3'ear, accompanied by his family, he went to St. Paul, Minn., purch.asing an extensive farm, which he con- i tinned to work with much prosperity until 1872, when he retired and took up his residence in the city, and left his youngest son and daughter to carry on the farm. Peter Kilroy, while a resident .at Oswego, and at the age of twenty-three years, was united with Bridget McGinty, who w.as born in County Ma3'o. Their family included nine children, seven of whom it was their privilege to bring to maturity. Both the father and mother of our subjectare still living, and considering their age are enjoying good health. They have always been earnest, consistent members of the Catholic Church. Miss Bridget McGinty came to this country from Ireland in 1816, when she was eighteen years of age, took up hei' residence ;nce A i _t 008 LANCASTER COUNTY. at Oswego, and it was daring tliis period that slie met and was united to lier husband. Her fatiier, Jolin McGinty, followed the occupation of farming in his native country. Our subject was born March 28, 1847, at Oswego, N. Y., and the third child born to Mr. and Mrs. Kilro3'. His education was received in the Oswego schools, where he was enabled to lay a firm found- ation on which to rear the various undertakings of his future life. After passing through the classes of thes'J institutions he spent some time at Council Bluffs, where he attended and was graduated from the Business College. The next eighteen years were spent upon the road as salesman for the firm of the Chicago Company. His duties in this relation took him all through, and made him per- fectly familiar with Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Msssouri ami Kansas. Seeing so much of the conditions of life in these States, he was enabled to more intelligently select his farm when he deter- mined to follow that occupation. The result was his location upon the property where he now re- sides, which he purchased in the year 1880. It was not until the year 1880 that our subject entirel}' severed his connection with the firm for which he had been traveling, and left the road for the more quiet and restful life at the farm. Our subject has devoted himself with enthusiasm and energy to the work of improving his property, and the various works and buildings thereon are the result of his own efforts, and in the main the work of his own hands. He is devoting much attention to the raising and culture of all kinds of trees, both useful and ornamental. He has already over 1.000 apple trees of excellent grade and variety", and about 500 others, including plum and cherry trees. This j'ear he has added to the already' ex- tensive and finely selected collection of forest trees over 2,000 new ones, all of them thrifty and in ex- cellent condition. From the time of his purchasing this jjroperty our subject has been unremitting in his efforts for the improvement of his farm, ann the others the full vigor of his thought and benefit of his experience. When sixteen years of age our subject enlisted, but his father entered strong objections to his con- tinuing in the service, and after seven months he was withdrawn. During this time he was con- nected with Company H of Hatches' Battalion, under Gen. .Sibley, and the greater part of it was on duty at Ft. Snelling, but saw considerable of active service in other districts. The political sj-mpathies of .Mr. Kilro\- are with the Democratic party, and although he has not been hitherto prom- inent before the State in the political arena, his well- known character, ability' and intellectual force would seem to indicate that he h.as j'et to be heard from in this regard. He continues his allegiance to the faith in which he was reared, and is a mem- ber of the Catholic Church and in good standing. Whether we consider Mr. Kilroy as a businessman, farmer or stock-raiser, whether we view him in his domestic relations or as a man and citizen, it is only just to him and to his fellow-citizens tosa}' that he is the recipient of the highest possible regard of the entire community. 'S? EONARD B. KING is a practical, sagacious 11 (^ farmer of Nemaha Precinct, who. discour- Jfc^^ aged by ill success in his old home, brought about b}' his sickness, came to this State with his family in 1870, and here began life anew with but $40 in his pocket. Soon, under the revivifying influ- ence of the splejidid climate of Ncbr.aska, he began to regain his lost health, and with it his old courage, confidence and animation. With much of his old energy he set about repairing his shattered fortunes, with what success maj' be judged bj' the appearance of his farm on section 27, with its well-tilled acres, and its many improvements in the shape of a com- fortable house, barns, sheds, etc. Thus in the I space of the twelve years that he has been a resident f >► 11 ^^ u LANCASTER COUNTY. CC9 of this place his industry has accomplished much, and he has raised himself from poverty to pros- perity. Mr. King comes from an ancestry that dates ])ack to Colonial times, and of which he has reason to be proud, some of his forefathers being of pio- neer fame in the early days of the settlement of Kentuck3-. His grandfather, Arnistcad King, a citi- zen of Kentucky', bore an honorable part in the War of 1812. The parents of our subject, Isaac and Amanda (Seigcster) King, were born in Kentucky, the father on the banks of the Licking River, being children of earl3' settlers of that State. They were married in Rush ("ounty, Ind., where the father engaged in farming for a short time, and then re- moved to Cass County, in the same State, where they are still living on their farm in the enjoyment of .a competency gained by their united labors. The father is sevent^'-one years old, and the mother sixty-eight, and they are both justly esteemed for the many good qualities of mind and heart that have made them valued members of the commu- nity where they have so long made their home. They are the parents of six children, namely: Mary, Leonard B., Armstead, Edward, Richard and Isaac M., Jr. Leonard B. King, the subject of this biographical sketch, was born May 21, 18-41, in Rush County, Ind., near the town of Milroy. He was six years of age when his parents removed to Cass County, and there the remainder of his boyhood and youth was passed in the performance of the duties that early devolved on the farmer's boys. When scarcely' more than a child he learned to swing an ax with skill and precision. He continued an in- mate of his father's home, assisting him in the management of the farm until his marriage, in 1862, to Miss Hannah, daughter of G. W. and Elizabeth (Birch) Hendy, natives respectively of New York and Canada. Her i)arents were married in the latter country, and came to Indiana in 1849, where her father cng.aged in his trade of millwright, and also managed a farm that he owned. He prospered well, and is now, at the age of seventy-one years, living a lifeof retirement at Royal Center. Mrs. Elizabeth Ilendy died at the age of sixty- thiee years. Twelve children, seven sons and five daughters, completed this household, of whom Mrs. King was the eldest. She was born Dec. 19, 1844, near Niagara Falls, in Canada. She was four or five years old when her parents went to live in Indiana, and there she was educated in the common schools. Of the twelve children born to her and her husband, eight were natives of Indiana, and four of Nebraska, and all are living and enjoy fine health. They were named M.ary E., George E., Manson L., Melissa E., Thomas H., Amanda H., Martha J., Alice A., Isaac M., Alfred R., Grover C. and Armstead C. Mary is the wife of W. B. McClun,a prosperous farmer of Colorado, and they are the parents of three children — Jessie L., George LeRoy and Hannah E. George E. lives in Ne- maha Precinct; Manson is a farmer in Colorado; Melissa married Daniel J. Grim, and they have one child, Anna Pearl. Mr. and Mrs. King's other children reside with them. Mr. King carried on farming in Indiana for sev- eral years, but met with many losses and discour- agements through sickness in his family, etc. At last he decided to settle up his affairs in that State, and try his fortunes in Nebraska, hoping not only to better his pecuniary condition on its remarkably rich and fertile soil, but at the same time, with his family, derive benefit from its pure and health- giving air. Accordingly became hither in 187U, with a team and wagon, accompanied by his wife and children, and soon purchased eighty acres of railroad laud on time, which, with the eighty acres presented to him and his wife by her father, now constitutes his farm. We have alieady spoken of the success that has followed his efforts, and the able assistance afforded him by the best of wives. Since coming here he has enjoyed good health, and is contented and hap|)j- in the companionship of his wife and children in the cosiest of homes, whose bountiful hospitality, extended by the noble- hearted and generous host and hostess, often makes glad the hearts of the friend or stranger who hap- pens within their gates. Mr. King is public spirited, and heart!!}' seconds any scheme to advance the welfare of the township or count}'. He has served as Road Su|)ervisor, and gave good satisfaction to his fellow-townsmen while holding that office. In his political views he is a solid Democrat, earnestly i~ ^ M^ 670 ^> »^ ll <• LANCASTER COUNTY. believing that the principles of tliat party are the best suited for the government of tlie country. Tiie success with which Mr. King has l.ibored is indicated in the building of one of the most com- fortable homes in Nemaha Precinct, a fine litho- graphic view of which api)ears on another page in this work. -^^-^■■ f~|OLNEY A. MARKLE. The greatest debt '/ this eountr3- of magnificent distances, mar- velous natural wonders, and home of free- dom, can ever contract will not be so much with the millionaire monopolist or its gazetted elite as it will with the noble, self-denying men and women who have launched out into the trackless wilds beyond the frontier. Men may sjieak of Columbus, and sneer at his discoverj', call him a restless, shiftless rover, without resource and execu- tive ability, and cynically speak of the "accidental stumble" against the West India Islands by that world-renowned navigator, but such tongues should be silent before the grand army of pioneers who went out from their Eastern homes, and pushed be- j-ond the confines of civilization in order to develop and open up to the world the boundless resources of this glorious countr3% which but a few decades ago was the home of the Indian and the wild beast. One of the most prominent .as well as earliest pioneers of the Far West is Volnej' A. Markle, the subject of this sketch, who resides on section 29, AV^est Oak Precinct, This gentleman is the son of Elijah Cody Markle, born near Cleveland, Ohio. He was educated in the common schools, and as a young man iiroceoded to Canada, where he was em- ploj'ed working on ship timber. In .lanuary, 1846, during his residence in Canada, he met Deborah M. Rightmyer, !i lady capable of making life com- plete for him, and to whom he could give the strongest affection ami highest regard of his man- hood, and the3- were accordingly married in the same 3'ear. The family continued to live in Canada after their niarri.age for a period of two years, when a removal was effected ; they settled in Hancock County, Ohio, and the father of oursubject followed the business of pump maker, and although he has given considerable attention to farming, and is the owner of a very nice farm of sixty acres in Findla^-, Ohio, upon which he lives, he has alw,a3's continued to follow his trade. Phj-sically, he is still hale and heart}", buth.as discontinued doing any heavy work. Mr. Markle, Sr., w:is born Jan. 6, 1820, and al- though he has almost completed the allotted term of human life, he journej-ed, accompanied by his wife, from his home at Findlay to Nebraska on a visit to his son. When the Ohio National Guard was organized, one of the first men to offer him- self for enlistment W!is the father of our subject, and afterward, although he w.as rapidly approaching the time of life when he might be trulj' called old, with a spirit patriotic and heroic, he was again one of the first to offer himself in defense of his countrj' and its flag. When from the capitol at Washing- ton the bugle note, the call to arms, was sounded, he was mustered in the loth Corps, 47th Ohio Vol- unteers. His wife was born in Canada, about Nov. 10, 1820. The subject of this sketch was born in Canada, Nov. 10, 1846, where he remained witii his parents until he was five years of .age, when he accompanied them to the home near Cleveland, Ohio, and after- ward to Findla3^ In the common schools of that cit3' our subject received his education, which was afterward completed in the High School, and in these institutions he made the preparation which has enabled him successfull}' to fight the battle of life. When the thin lines of gray, and the solid columns of brigades of armed men, g.athered around the stars and bars, and began to march northward, our subject promptly answered the call for men to oppose themselves to these forces, and in defense of the Union and the only flag of the Republic, he en- listed in the 21st Ohio Volunteers. This occurred in the year 1863, from which time until the close of the war he continued in the service. He was one of the men who, although unraeutioned by name, are alwa3S tiiought of as the companions of the great Sherman in that famous march which has be- come a household word, and has furnished the theme for the song of the patriot. Besides a num- ber of minor engagements, oursubject w.as an active participant in the battles of Atlanta. Buzzard's Roost, Ucsaca, Peachtree Creek, Altoona Pass, Kennesaw ■^►Hh-^ a^ ^p^^-^^pt ^^ri*-r^ -^^ LANCASTER COUNTY. 673 Mountain, Chattahoochee River, Joiiesboro. Love- joy Station ami JSentonville, and continued to fill his place in the ranks nntildischarged by general cider. Returning from the hivouac, the trench and the battle-field, ho returned once more to his school books, and studies in the High School. Having completed the course he removed to Amherst, Ohio, where lie began his business career as clerk in a grocery store until 1867. when he returned home and worked with his father until 1868. Twenty years ago, when our subject first came to Lincoln, it was far from being a city, and hardly worthy the name of a village. It was the 17th of November, 18G8, when for the first time be sighted the town; it consisted of tvvent3-eight houses, one of which stood upon the site of the present Journal Building, and was used as a hotel, and also carried the town clock. He now began to work for dif- ferent persons, and took up a homestead on section 32, West Oak Precinct, which he speedily improved and built on, and where he continued to rpside un- til 1880, when he sold it and purchased property where he now resides. In this second acquisition the old process had to be repeated, and he set to work to till and cultivate his land. He has with his own hands built and supplied all the buildings and improvements to be seen upon his farm. Thus in two instances has he taken the wild prairie, tamed and subdued it, brought it to a high state of cultiva- tion, and made it obedient to his labor. Our sub- ject is justlj^ proud of the splendid result which has crowned his efforts in tree culture. The beautiful grove near the house can onl}' be trul3' niipreciated by those who have enjoj'ed its secluded retreat and cooling shade. Mention must also be made, al- though but incidentally, of the remarkably fine orchard, which is not one of the least attractions and beauties of his farm. Our subject has been called upon at various times to fill different school offices, for which his earlier work and education have rendered him eminently fitted. The office also of Assessor has been filled by him to the general satisfaction of those concerned. Our subject and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal communion, are among its most earnest workers, supporters and advocates, and arc held in deservedly high esteem. M.ay 14. 1871, our subject vvas united in marriage with Phebe Ann Sutton, who was born in Appa- noose County, Iowa. Aug. 21,1 8,52, and is the daugh- ter of Schuyler Sutton. There have been born to them eight children, and it has been their joy and privilege to rear all but one of them. Until the year 1870 the father of Mrs. Markle continued to reside in Iowa, when he came to Nebraska, stopping for a time near Lincoln. He afterward made his home near Swan Citj', where he continued for sev- eral years engaged in the occujMtion of farming. He then went to Kansas, but returned to this vicinity, where he continued to reside until his death, in 1882. AVhile in the army he by some means contracted a bone trouble, which continued fro work upon his sj'stem and ultimately caused his death. His widow, who still enjoys good health, makes her home with her daughters. Mrs. Carr and Mrs. Markle. ON. JACOB V. WOLFE. After some years spent in a professional life, when he was also a prominent factor of the Denio- (^J cratic party of his Slate, our subject retired to the quiet pursuits of agriculture in the fall of 1872, having purchased a tract of land in Grant Precinct, this county. He has since been one of the moving si)irlls in this locality, especiall}' in mat- ters closely' allied to the elevation of the [jeople, morally, socially and intellectually. He is a liberal- minded and progressive man, warmly interested in educational matters, always earnestly advocating the establishment and maintenance of such institu- tions as shall give to the rising generation those advantages which will constitute them intelligent and praiseworthy citizens of a great Republic. To such men as the suljject of this sketch is the great West indebted for its phenomenal growth and development. He is the offspring of a hard}' and energetic race of peoi>le, noted for their culture and intelligence, his father having been Hon. Ben- jamin Wolfe, a native of the Old Dominion, and belonging essenliall}' to the F. F. Vs. His mother, formerly Miss Isabella Shepherd, was a native of •►HH*- »► ir^ ■•► 074 LANCASTER COUNTY, Kentuck3', and of French ancestry'. The AVolfe famil3' trace their descent to German}-. The parents of our subject after marriage located in Sullivan Counlj-. Ind., where the father carried on agriculture, raid interested himself in the devel- opment of the new State, taking an active part in its political aflfairs. He represented the people of his count}' six or seven terms in the State Legisla- ture, and in 1850 was a member of the convention called to revise tlie Constitution. For a period of fourteen yeai-s he was the Clerk of Sullivan Count}", being among the first to servo in that office. After the children of the family liad become old enough to leave the primar}- school the parents of our suliject removed to Monroe County, Ind., the seat of the Slate Univeisity, tor the purpose of giving their children better educational advantages. They lived thcie ten years, when they returned to the farm in Sullivan County, where they spent their last days, the father dying about 18t)8, and the mother in 1884. Their daughter Juliette, the eldest of their nine children, is now the widow of William Hastings, who was killed by the Indians in Kansas, about 185.5: Thomas J., a practicing attorney in Sullivan, Ind., and William B., a stockman, also of Sullivan County; Jacob V., our subject, was the second son; Ann is the wife of Dr. S. A. Tilford, of Martinsville, Ind.; Benjamin .S. is carrying on an extensive real-estate business in Sullivan; Clater C. died there in the winter of 1885; Albert P. is a practicing physician, of Russellville, III.; Solomon T. is engaged as an abstract clerk in Sullivan, Ind. Jacob V. Wolfe was born at Merom, Sullivan Co.. Ind.. Oct. 7, 1833, where he lived until a lad nine years of .age, then removed with his parents to their farm in the southwestern part of that count}'. At the age of seventeen and when leav- ing the common school, he entered the Stale Univer- sity at Bloom ington, from which he was graduated in 1857, receiving the 678 LANCASTER COUNTY. the (lentil of the mother. Aug. 7, 1878. Mr. But- ler subsequently came to this countj-, and died at his home in Grant Precinct, March 29, 1885. They were the parents of four sons and two daughters, of whom Mrs. Wooils w.as the fourth child. She was born in Saxon, Henry Co., 111., Dec. 3, 1849, was carefully reared by an excellent mother, and remained a member of the parental household until her marriage. She is a verj' pleasant and intelligent lady, and is a member in good standing of the Eipiscopal Church. Mr. Woods, politically, is a solid Republican, and sociall}', a member of the Masonic fraternity. He takes genuine interest In the enterprises calculated for the progress and wel- fare of his community, keeps himself well posted upon current events by the perusal of the leading journals of the day, and illustrates the career of a worthy and upright citizen, who is contributing his full quota in elevating the public morals and en- couraging the march of civilization. ^^EORGE H. POEHLER, who is so well known 'll J-—, in Lincoln in connection with his popular ^^^^1 and ever-increasing business as baker and confectioner, was born at Beardstown, Cass Co., III., in the year 1850. His father. Jacob Poehler, was a native of Germany, and was born in that country about the year 1821. His education was not exten- sive, but such as served him frequently in after 3'ears. The exercises of the institution of learning being completed, he was apprenticed to learn the trade of a tailor, which he continued to follow even after coming to the United States. He was married in his native country to Earnestine Treilieb, and they became the parents of six children, whose names are recorded as here appended : George H., the sub- ject of this sketch; Ernest J., Emelia E., Caroline, Charles A. and Edward. It was not long after marriage when the father of our subject determined to eniigr.ate to America. This he did in the year 1848, and located at St. Louis, working at his trade for a time, and then removing to Beardstown, 111., he opened a shop and carried ou business for himself until the year 1858, when he removed to the Territory of Kansas, and located in the town of Sumner, near Atchison. Here he opened a general store and continued until I8C4, bj' which lime he had quite a large business, but in that 3"ear he removeil his business to Atchison, grad- ually working into the dry-goods business exclus- ively. The last two or three years of his life he lived quiet and retired at his home in that city, whore he died in the year 1884. When his father removed to Kansas our subjec^t was just eight years old. He had attended the Beardstown schools for about a 3^ear an i C a * ,t 686 LANCASTER COUNTY. school district, He belongs to the Uiiiterl Brethren Church, ami uniformly votes the Republican ticket. The wife of our subject is a sister of Mrs. V. A. Markel, a sketch of whom ai)pears elsewhere in this Ai.iiU.M. She was born in Poweshiek County, Iowa, IMay 12, 18G4, and is the rlaughttr of Schuyler and Sarah (Warehimc) Sutton, who were natives of New York and Ohio, and came to "Nebraska in 1870. The father w.as a farmer by occupation, and departed this life at his home in West Oak Precinct, in 1882. Mr. Carr, in addition to general farming, keeps a herd usually comprising about forty head of good breeds of cattle, and also raises general purpose horses, and the swine requisite for home consump- tion. •^^^ J tows F. EGGER, a farmer on section 31, I Salliilo Precinct, belongs to that class of ji energetic young men whose business capaci- l) tics have exiianded and blossomed into suc- cess under the mellowing influences of life in Amer- ica, while the blood of .Swiss patriotism and romance courses warmly through their veins. Our subject distinguished himself as a pupil in the schools of Switzerland, and would, no doubt, have become a grtat scholar had his father's means permitted him to pursue his loved studies further. As It is, he is a broad and liberal-minded man, well informed on all topics of interest to intelligent and studious peo- jile, and fully appreciates the value of an education. He is a man whose personal habits arc irreproacha- ble; he is honest,*upright and industrious, and is a tli()rt)ugiily practical and successful man, in good circumstances, and enjoys a comfortable and happy home. Mr. Egger is the son of John and Mollic (Gygly) Egger, natives of the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, now residing in Buda Precinct, Lancaster County, where the former is a prosperous and well-to-do farmer. The fatiier was one of the peasant patriots of his native land during the time of the Swiss Revolution, when he served as one of the supply men. lie continued to reside in the place of his birth until 1806, when he came with his family to America, sailing from Havre, France, on board the shi|) "Mercury," arriving in portatNew York Citj', Dec. 1!), 1866, having been tossed about on the ocean twent3'-nine days. Cholera breaking out on board the vessel, it was quarantined, and the passengers were not allowed to land for thirty-one days. Our subject and his familj' arriveil in Pekin, 111., their destination, about Christmas time, and were kindl}' received under the roof of their uncle. Albert Egger. The father at once went to farming, and managed a large farm at Pekin for some time, cutting cord- wood in the winter, and prospered from the start. He remained in Illinois two years, and then, accom- panied by his wife and children, started still further west, having decided to make his home in Ne- braska. He came to Cass Countj' and rented a farm, which, with the assistance of his sons, he man- aged for two j-ears, making a fair thing out of it. In 1870 he went with our subject to Lincoln County, and after exploring the Platte River Valley quite extensively, he bought 100 acres of land in Buda Precinct, Lancaster Count}', and took a homestead claim, and moved there the following spring of 1871. Our subject rented a farm there, and, with two teams, they put in fortj' acres of corn, a little wheat, and oats enough to supply their own wants, besides breaking seventy .acres of land. The father still resides on the old homestead with his good wife, he being now sixty-six years old, and she sixty-four. Nine childreri have been born to them, eight in .Switzerland and one, the youngest, a daughter, in Cass Count}-, this State. Our subject, the eldest son and third child of these worthy people, was born Oct. 18, 1850, in the Canton of Berne, Switzerland. His educational ad- vantages were excellent in the fine public schools of his native land. He was sixteen years old when he came with his parents to America, and he re- mained an inmate of the parental household until his marriage, in 1880, to Miss Matilda Grossman, when he set up a separate establishment of his own. Mrs. Egger wjis born in Ponicrania. Germany, in 1861, to Henry and Amelia (Rickert) Grossman. When she was six years old her parents came to America and settled in Woodford County, 111., whence they removed to Saline Count}', Neb., in 1876. Thej' afterward came to Lancaster County, t »► ll"^ ^i^K-* LANCASTER COUNTY. 687 wliere the}' are now living in prosperous circum- stances on tiicir fine farm in Stevens Creek Pre- cinct, he at the age of fifty-two and siie at the age of fiflj'-three. Thev are tl>e i)arcnts of five girls and three boys, Mrs. Egger being the eldest of the family. She is the mother of four children — Fred- eric A., F^mma, Anna and John I{ndo!|)h. Mr. Egger bought his present farm in 1878. It comprises 160 acres of rich, remarkably productive soil, fifty acres of which, b'ing in Centcrville Pre- cinct, are pasture land. It is admirably adapted to raising cattle and horses, and is well stocked. It is nmpi}- supplied with running water and good wells. The buildings are first-class, comprising a commodi- ous frame house, good horse and cattle barns, corn crib with a capacitj- of 3.500 bushels, granary-, etc. Mr. Egger has a promising orchard of 120 choice fruit trees, and various other improvements on his farm too numerous to mention. Mr. and Mrs. Egger are highly esteemed as neigh- bors and friends in this community, and no one looks to them in vain for succor and .assistance in times of trouble or sorrow. They are church members, attending worship at Hickman. Mr. Eg- ger, coming from our sister Republic across the sea, early imbibed a love and respect for Republican insti- tutions in the free, pure air that blew from the glori- ous mountains of his native land, and. now a citizen of this country-, is firm in his support of the Repub- lican party, believing that its princii)les are the safest by which to conduct National affairs. =^Sf W EWIS GRIEFIN. The young men of the I (^ West hohl the key to the future; they form /I'—^V^ the larger part of the communities, and arc shaping the history of the developing countries. Among those worthy of mention in a production of this nature is Lewis Griflin, a prosixirous and rising farmer of Centcrville Precinct, whose farm includes eight}' acres of excellent agricultural land, and is situated upon section IG. The subject of this sketch is a native of Dela- ware County, Iowa, and was born at or near Coles- burg, Dec. 29, 1855. He is the son of Edward and Harriet Grifiin, who were natives of New York and Vermont. His father was born about the year 1828, and was a farmer by occupation. The maiden name of his wife, the mother of our subject, w.as Harriet Lewis, and after her marriage she exi)er- ienced the happiness of the wedded state for a pe- riod of eight years, and departed this life about 1857, leaving a memory of affection, faithfulness and true womanhood seldom, if ever, surpassed. In the year 1865 our subject's parents removed to Nodaway County, Mo., he of course accom- panying them. In that county our subject received his education, began to work at the calling he had chosen, and was subsequently married. This im- portant and happy event took place in Worth County, Mo., u()ou the 30th of Januar}', 1876. The maiden of his choice was Laura E. Crenshaw, a daughter of W. T. and Sarah E. Crenshaw, who were natives of Ohio and Tennessee. Their daughter was born at Terre Haute, 111., Jan. 8, 1861. They aie the happy parents of four children, whose names are recorded as follows: Cora B., who was born on the 6th of January, 1877 ; William T., May 6, 1878; Samuel F., Jan. 4, 1880; and Laura A., July 7, 1884. In the spring of 1884 Mr. Grillln, with his family, removed to this countj% and after prospecting, pur- ch.ased the farm upon which he now resides, which was at the time of purchase in its original untamed cony the bir'ili of three sons and three daughters, whose names are here appended : William H., George C, Tillie, Emma Elizabeth, Carrie Sophia and Henry Elmer, all of whom are still living. The wife of our subject, who has proved to him a true help- mate, was born in Butler County, Ohio, Jan. 5, 1849, was educated in the public schools, and con- tinued to live with her parents until her marriage. Her father is a native of Germany, who emigrated to this country', and is now working his farm in Peoria County, 111., and is in the cnjoj'ment of ex- cellent health, considering his advanced age. Mr. Stein has not put himself forward as an office- seeker, but has rather refrained himself and re- strained his friends in that particular. He has, however, been School Director for a period of six 3'ears, and Supervisor for two. Among his fellow- citizens he holds a place of highest appreciation and respect on account of his social position and high moral character, also by reason of his well-known efforts for the advancement of the community and the county. In political affairs he is prominent in Democratic circles, and is quite a loyal student of the questions which are before the country, and read}', not only to give a reason for his position, but stands firmly in defense of the principles of his party. ^^t'SDREW SIPP. Baden-Baden is by far '^/-J|i the most beautiful of German watering- places, and is situated in the surpassingly grand and romantic valley of Schwarzwald, about six miles from the Rhine. During the mouths of July and August, which constitute the season, it is at its best. Besides possessing the medicinal waters so far famed, there are to be seen the ruins of its ancient castle dating from the tenth century, which are most magnificent and vast, the extensive tombs of its margraves, and the modern library and art gallery, to s.ij- nothing of its beautiful groves and gardens, and the bewitching music which en- trancingly captivates every lover of harmony. The subject of this writing, who is one of the old and most respected of the residents of Oak Precinct, and is the owner of a farm and residence on sections i> and C, is a native of Gcrm.Tny and was born in the above town, as was also his father before him. His paternal parent was born the latter pait of the last century, and resided in Baden-Baden until 184G. He was by trade a weaver, by which he su()ported his family, which besides his wife included ten chil- dren, of whom seven are living. In the year 184G, accompanied by his seven children, William Ileury Sipp left the Fatherland and came to this country-, settling in Butler County, Ohio, where, with his sons, he farmed until his death, in 18C0. at the age of sevent3'-six j-ears. Our subject, Andrew, was born on the 2d of October, 1834, and was twelve years of age, therefore, when the family removed to Ohio. There he finished his education in the common school and afterward did his full share of the farm work. W^hen about eighteen years of age he went to Mar- shall County, 111., and still continued farming until the j-ear 1879, when he sold his property and re- moved to Lancaster County, and after prospecting for some time purchased his present exceptionally fine proi)ert3', which, however, at that time was in all the glory of the untamed wildness of its vir- gin state. All the improvements to be seen are due to him. In a new country as this then was, a good, com- modious and convenient house was a first essential. This, therefore, he proceeded to construct, which was followed soon by banrand stables, granary and corn crib, and such buildings. The next thing was the ground, and he set to work with a right liearty good will and with the smile of hope bright upon hiiu, so that the work undertaken was speedily and well per- formed, and it is difficult to find a better farm to- day than his. The marriage of our subject occurred in the city of Peoria, in May, 1860, the lady of his choice being Miss Nancy Essex, of Peoria County, III., who is the daughter of Thomas and Ellen Essex, born in the year 1830, in Virginia, and continued to make her home with her parents until her marriage. Her father was by occupation a farmer, and removed from Virginia to Illinois, and five j^ears ago went to Kansas, and took up a farm, upon which he lived until his death, which occurred March 20, 1887. Our subject has been privileged in being able to give his children, of whom there are six, a gooil education. William, the eldest son, is a resite,. '^v W^^ ^M/^/iAm^ ■^*- LANCASTER COUNTY. C'J3 ik county. He w.is calleil to join tlie silent majoiit^y in about I 8G.5, having lived a little over sixty-two years. Mr. anil Mis. Tilman find in the comii)\inion of the Baptist Church, of wiiich they are meniliers, that which is in .accord with their religious senti- ments, and endeavor to make their lives eloquent with their consistent devotion. This fact, coupled with that of their deep interest in the affairs of their neighborhooil and county, and their readiness at all times to sustain any well-directed effort for the well-being of the community, has given them a warm place in the hearts of the community at large, b^' which they are most highly esteemed. EDVVAUIJ folk. En^ ! ject of tl] lif^jDWARD WARNES. The county of Nor- gland, was the birthplace of the sub- this sketch, who has the distinguished honor of being the first settler of Lincoln. He lo- cated, in the latter part of JLarch, 1862, on the present site of the citj', and has continued his resi- dence within its limits since that time. A Mr. Lev- ender and Jacob Dawson had previously' selected land in that vicinity, but did not settle upon it un- til the following j'ear, residing in the meantime in Kebraska City. Eiich was assisted b^' Mr. Warnes in the building of his house. Our subject began life April 20, 1822, and is the son of William ami Mary (Dawlman) Warnes, being the third of their nine children and the onl}' one emigrating to the United .States. Of this coin|)ara- tivel3' large famil3' there are onl}' three living: A brother, John, resides in London, and the sister, Miss Mary Ann Warnes, at Kings Lynn, Norfolk County. Mr. Warnes was reared ami educated in his na- tive count}', and afterward was employed in team- ing there. Not infrequently while thus eng.aged he drove four, sis, eight, ten, and sometimes even thirty-six horses, as his hjad demanded, frequently transporting railway engines from one point to an- other. These journoyings often encompassed long distances, the trips frequently involving several days and nights upon the road. The largest num- ber of horses driven by Mr. Warnes at one time was probably when he assisted in the transportation of the first locomotive which ran from the city of Lynn to London at the liea^ was born May 27, 1830. He continued to '^) do battle most manfully in his native coun- try, but the conditions were such th.at while his heart remained closely knit to the old .associations, he finally determined to launch out to where the possibilities of success to well-directed energies were greater than they could ever be in his native land. Hence, in the j'ear 1 870 he came to America, landing in New York, and went at once to Minonk. "Woodford Co., 111., engaging at different times in various occupations for some five years in the en- deavor to m.ake a start. At this time he was enabled to rent a farm in Woodford Couutj', and so contin- ued for four years. In January, 1879, he gave up his farm and went west to Lancaster County, Neb., where he rented a farm in Nemaha Precinct, and continued to reside there until the year 1885. Our subject now began to realize that •' nothing succeeds like success." He had purchased some four years previous 160 acres in the neighborhood, but now he was enabled to cease renting and pur- chase the same farm he had been working under rcnUil, and has since continued to make it his home. He to-day owns over 880 acres of good land, and is engaged in stock-raising. In this he is very suc- cessful and takes great pride. He seldom has less than 100 head of cattle, besides teams and from 200 to 300 hogs. Mr. May w.is married while inGermanj' to Minnie Ricketts, wlio w.as born Oct. 20, 1834. Their fam- ily comprises six children, living: Frank, Henry, Gustave, Lena, Otto and Emma. They have buried in all five children, three boys an<1 two girls. Both Mr. and Mrs. Jlay are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics our subject afflli.ates with the Republican party. Although not prominently be- _ •► -#*■ ■•► LANCASTER COUNTY. 695 fore the public in tliis connection, or an office- holder, he is stanchly acUierent to the principles of and votes tiie Repulilicaii ticket. Our subject lias found that the struggles of the first thirty-five or forty years of life were not with- out their use in giving him the ambition and the experience for the advancement which has been his under the new condition of tilings. Until his emi- gration he was not his own master, and probably never could have been. To-day, as he looks over his broad acres, fine stock, home and farm buildings, he may be justly proud of his efforts and work, as he is eminently grateful to the countiy and the in- stitutions which made it possible for him to attain them. JOHN H. BIERSTKDT. Perhaps a greater amount of happiness is obtained from the pursuit of success than from any other object, but there must Ije a goal in view, a summit toward which to rise, or labor is unfruitful. It is necessary in order to insure success to con- centrate every purpose and effort in a single direction, tonard one end to be accomplished, or else the forces being scattered will fly hither and 3'on and fail to hit an3- mark. It is evident that the residents of countries aside from our own have some settled purpose, some well-defined course of action which the}- mean to follow, or they would not be persuaded to leave the homes of tlicir birth and embark in the fortunes of this countiy. That there are inducements offered for their coming, and that the}' are aware of no hindrance (except such as may arise from their own inability) to prevent them from accepting the offers of a generous Govern- ment, may in part account for the uniform success of those who have emigrated to these United States. Our subject is one of those self-reliant, intelligent men who has given ample illustration of what m.ay be accomplished b}- having a settled purpose in life, and makes ail his efforts tend to that one purpose. He is a farmer of Buda Precinct, in which he was one of the early settlers, and is the owner of 160 acres of good land on section 1 2. He was born on the 1st of May, 1838, in Germany, and is a son of John H. and Anna Bierstedt, who are residents of the countiy in which he was born. He remained with his parents until he reached an age when he felt that he must assume greater responsibilities than he had ever before done, and take into his own hands the shaping of his future course through life. While in his native count}" our subject received a good education as a necessary foundation for suc- cess, and then decided to come to America, for which purpose he embarked on a steamer at Ham- burg, and was brought safely to his destination in the harbor of New York after ten d.ays. He at once came to Neliraska, and located a homestead consisting of eighty acres of land in Lancaster Count}', having to begin working on prairie land on which tliere had not been a single furrow turned. With the determined purpose of making a valuable farm of what ap|)eared somewhat uninviting, he labored with much perseverance and patience, and he li.as not only brought that piece of land to a good state of cultivation l)ut has been enabled to purchase another tract of eighty acres, which he de- votes to the uses of general farm produce, and it is with pleasure that we call attention to the view of this valualjle and fertile property which will be found upon another page. Mr. Bierstedt is well known in his community, and is now serving as School Treasurer of District No. 36, having been connected with the School Board for a number of years. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and fully merits the esteem accorded to him, having done much to aid in the building up of his precinct. ^^ENIO MADISON LAMBERTSON.a promi- III (— , nent attorney of Lincoln, is one of the ^^Jj most able and lirilliant members of the legal profession in Nebraska. He is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth Jane (Morgan) Lambertson. His father was born in the year 1815, in the State of Pennsylvania, where his early years were passed. He now resides at Southport. Ind. He received but little schooling; but being naturally very bright and intelligent he gained from ol)serva,lion and careful reading, as he grew older, much valiia- n G9G =L. LANCASTER COUNTY, ble in formation, such as many a more learned man lias acquired onlj- after years of hard and patient study. He was early apprenticed to a mer- chant tailor and served several years, and sub- sequentl3' established himself in Franklin, Ind., as a merchant tailor, which has been his principal busi- ness for fifty years, and by his indnsti'y and wise management he has secured a comfortable fortune, so that now, when the shadows of life are darkening around him, he can spend his remaining j-ears in the well-deserved enjjyment of every comfort and luxury that his heart can desire. Mr. Lambertson has never held ixuy public office, and has had no connection with any organization except the Ma- sonic fraternity, of which he was at one time Knight Templar. He was also a member and a Deacon of the First Baptist Church for thirty years. He will, however, be best remembered by his fellow-citizens for his noble and patriotic course during the late Civil War, when he was among the most active in raising and equipping troops for service, and lay- ing aside all considerations of the demands of his business and other personal claims, went forth him- self to fight his country's battles. At the com- mencement of the war he raised a company known as Company F. of the 7th Indiana Infantry, of which he was appointed Captain. He took part in some eighteen important battles, including the battles of Antictam and second Bull Run. At the expiration of two years he resigned his commission in order to return home and drum up more recruits. He or- ganized a regiment of thirteen companies, known as the -'Home Guards," which he uniformed and armed, and of which he was elected Colonel. His regiment was immediately dispatched by Gov. Morton in pursuit of the guerrilla John Morgan, when he made his famous raid through Indiana. Tlie brief limits of tiiis sketch forbid us to make further mention of his fine war record. Samuel Lambertson w.is first a Whig, then an Aliolitionist, and finall3' joinerl the ranks of the grand old Republican party, of which he is to this day an ardent member. He is now a beloved inmate of tlic pleasant household of his daughter, Mrs. G. H. Elgin, at Soutiiport, Ind., and is calmly awaiting life's great end. strengthened and upheld hy his strong religions faith. His wife died in 1 .s77. in the sixtieth \ ear of her age. She was born in the State of Kentucky, in the year 1818, and was a daughter of Lewis Morgan, a noted Baptist preacher in the early days of Kentucky and Indiana. Mrs. Lam- bertson was a woman of strong character, who exercised a marked influence on those around her, and her public work in the church and in all charit- able enterprises was potent and lasting. The fol- lowing is a record of the five children l)orn to her and her husband : The eldest is the subject of this sketch; Mrs. G. II. Elgin, aged thirt3'-six. lives in Southport, In4~^f^^ ^•■ I - ^[i DAM R. SMITH. This worthy and intelli- gent citizen of Yankee Hill Precinct, is, 14' with his amiable and excellent partner, comfortably located at a good home on section 26, they having around them the conven- iences of modern rural life, an► n ^^ •¥ J f <• ^ -^ ^ -*- 700 LANCASTKU COUNTY. liood. Her parents. Joseph nml Harriet (Stickncy) llanner. were natives respectively of England and New York. The father was born Feb. 20, 1825, and t-anie to America when a youth of eighteen years, locating in Ogle County, 111., where lie be- came acquainted with and married his wife. Their family originally inchieen his |)rivilege to watch its growth from the very earliest days of its settlement, and to aid in its development from a wild condition to one populous and wealthy. When he arrived here, which was on the 29lh of May, 1859, the wide-roll- ing i)rairie laj- before him vvith scarce a sod turned, fresh as from the hands of nature in ages gone. There were but few families throughout the length and bre.adth of the county, and the land now occu- pied by the city of Lincoln was then owned b^- the Government, and for sale at §1.25 .an acre, the nearest settlement at the time being two miles from the capital, and Nebraska City was the nearest depot of supplies. 'Deer, prairie wolves and other wild animals were abundant, and Indians used to frequently pass his dwelling on their way to and from their hunting-grounds. Our subject w.is born in Clarke Countj-, Ohio, Jan. 20, 181'.). IIis father, Benjamin Wallingford, was a native of Kentucky, but the birthplace of his father, likewise named Benjamin, is unknown. Benjamin Wallingford, Sr., moved from Kentucky to Ohio and became an early settler of Clarke Count.y, where he cleared a farm from the wilderness, on which he resideil until his death. The father of our subject was a young iiuiii when he movetl to Ohio with his parents, and there he married. His first wife was a Miss Hancock, by whom he had three children, who grew to maturity; after her death he was united in marriage with Margaret Jliller, like himself a native of Kentuck}'. He bought a tract of land in Clarke Count}-, Ohio, and assiduously devoted his time to clearing the trees from it and tilling the soil, until about 1830. when he moved to .Shelby County, Ohio, and bought a tract of land, where he lived until about 1856. He then sold all his pn^perty in Ohio and went to De- catur County, Iowa, to make his home with his children, and there closed a useful and honorable life. His estimable wife survived him about three years, her death occurring at the home of her son, A. J. Wallingford (whose farm adjoined that of our subject), in Lancaster Countj-, in 1801. Richard Wallingford was reared on his father's farm in Ohio, and assisted his father in the pioneer labors of felling trees and clearing the land for culture. He married in his native State, Jan. 11, 1844, Miss Eliza Allen, who was born in Medina County, Ohio, Jan. 17, 1824. Her father, John Allen, was born in the .State of New York, and his father wtis, it is thought, a native of Vermont, and w.as a cousin of the famous Revolutionary hero Ethan Allen. He spent his last years in New York State. Mrs. Wallingford's father was left an orpbaa at an early age, and when a young man he went to Ohio and there married, and settled in Jledina County, becoming a pioneer of that county. He bought a tract of limber land and built a log house. His thrifty wife used to cook the meals of the family over a fireplace, and she used to spin, weave and make all the clothes worn by the family. INIr. Allen cleared quite a farm and lived in Medina County several jears, but he subsequently disposed of his farm and other property and move► 11^ ,t 704 LANCASTER COUNTY. after becoming assured that he coukl support a fani- il}' corafortal)!^', he was united in marriage witii Miss Lucinda Sterns, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride, in Seward Count3', Nov. 23, 1887. .Tolin Thompson, tlie fatlier of our subject, and a native of Yorksiiire, England, was born about 1830, and continued upon his native soil until thirty years of age. In early manhood he served an apprentice- ship at the blacksmith trade, and in 1863 was united in marriage witli Miss Jane Hammond, a maiden of his own county', and who became the mother of three children, all of whom are living, and all in Amer- ica. With his little family. .lohn Thompson crossed the Atlantic, locating in Canada, where he carried on blaeksmithing until coming to Nebraska. He is now Postmaster of Crounse; a further sketch of him will be found elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Jane (Hammond) Thompson, the mother of our subject, was born about 1840, and was the daughter of Thom.as Hammond, who was of pure English an- cestr3% and who died when his daughter Jane was a young girl of twelve years. She afterward, until her marri.age, made her h.ome with her m.aternal grandfather. She died at the home of the family in AVest O.ik Precinct, July 20, 1881. Mrs. Lucinda (Sterns) Thompson, the wife of our subject, was born Sept. 12, 18G5, in Ogle County, III., and is the daughter of William Sterns, who emigrated across the Mississippi into Black Hawk County, Iowa, a few years later. She acquired her education in the common schools of Iowa, living there with her parents until 1 884, when they ehauged their residence to this county. A year later, how- ever, they removed to Butler County, where they now reside. Mr. Sterns was born in Canada, in •1 840, where he spent his younger years, and where he w.as married. To him and his estimable wife Elizabeth (Youker) Sterns, there were born six chil- dren, one of whom died when an infant. Lucinda, the wife of our subject, was next to the joungest. The Sterns family made the journey from Illinois to Black Hawk County, Iowa, in a wagon, and in com- mon with tlie pioneers around them, endured many hardships and privations. The father became owner of a tract of land which he brought toa good state of cultivation. The parents are both living, and with their daughter Lucinda. and most of their fam- il3'. are members in good standing of the Methodist P^piseopal Church. Mr. Sterns is an intelligent and public-spirited man, and while a resioliti- c.ally, is identified with the Republican party. „J UGUSTUS C. RUDOLF is one of the pio- P'*Oi neers and earl3' settlers of Lincoln. His father, Michael Rudolf, was born in Lunen- burg, Lunenliuig Countv', Nova Scotia. The grandfather of our subject was a native of Austria, and w.as at one time Secretar3- to Queen Katherine of Russia, and later was a Commander in the Aus- trian arm3'. He came to Nova Scotia, where he founded a colon3' under the Austrian auspices, and named it Lunenburg, in which place he spent his last years. The father of our subject was engaged in mercantile business in Lunenburg, and then re- moved from there to New Y'ork Cit3', where he spent a few years, afterwai'd going to Illinois, and residing in Jacksonville and Chicago until the 3-ear 18G7. At that time he came to Lincoln, where he spent his last d.ays, bis death occurring in March, 1S8C. His wife, with whom he had si)ent over fifty 3'ears of happy married life, died on the same hour of the same day, and both were buried in the same grave. It seemed a fitting close that the3- who had spent half a century or more in congenial associations, should together depart from the world, the husband at the advanced .age of eight3--eight years, and the wife aged sevent3'-eight. Her maiden name was Isabella Jacobs, and she was a native of Halifax. There were five children given to this famil\-: Emma Pope (now deceased); Louisa Morrison, Helen Geiger. and James, who died at fifteen years 1 ■ t -•► LANCASTER COUNTY. 705 •f of age. Our subject, Augustus, was the third child born at Lunenburg, where he attended the public and select schools until the age of thirteen years and six months, at which time he left home and went to the West Indies on one of his father's vessels. On his return trip from the West Indies our sub- ject stopped at New York City, and there a friend secured him a position as clerk in a retail store, where he remained for one year. Then he engaged with a ship-chandler, and clerked for six mouths with him, afterward going to Augusta, Ga., where his brother-in-law, Thomas Pope, was Professor of Languages in the University of Georgia. For a short time he secured employment in a grocery store, and then engaged as an accountant in tlie office of the Georgia rompt busi- ness habits, have given our subject a place among the leading citizens of the precinct, where he is popular and influential. He is a strong temperance man, and both in public and in private, his life is irreproachable. He is true to the principles of the Republican party, believing in ArBcrican govern- ment for American citizens, and he has the educa- tional, social, religious and financial interests of the community at heart. He has held some important offices, and discharged their duties with cliaracter- istic fidelity, much to the satisfaction of his con- stituents. He was ai)pointed Census Enumerator ■^»' ■^f^ -•►41— ♦• LANCASTER COUNTY. 715 for Panama in 1885; in 188G lie was elected Asses- sor of Panama, and was re-elected to that olHce in 1887. He is at present Clerk of the elections of Panama, and is also School Director of his district. Religiously, he is identified with the Presbyterians, was a charter member of the First Presbyterian Church of Firth, and is at present Ruling Elder. He is also an active Sunda^'-school worker, and has been Superintendent of the Sunday-school for sev- eral years. Mr. Hoffstradt was married to his present wife Aug. 2, 1887. She w.as formerly' of Wilber, Neb., although she was born and reared in GermanJ^ Her maiden name was Diana Smith, and the date of her birth w.as Feb. 14, 1861. She received , an excellent education in the far-famed schools of bur native land. She came to America when she was twenty years old, coming to Nebraska in 1881. .She is a good housewife, aud makes home cozy, attractive, and a pleasant abiding-place. UGENE H. ANDRUS, an extensive dealer ill real estate in the city of Lincoln, is looked upon as one of the most enterprising and prominent business men of Nebraska. A na- tive of New York State, he was born near the town of Castile, in Wyoming Count}', Sept. 10, 184G, and was the elder of the two children of Martin and Clarissa (Huntington) Andrus. His father was a native of Vermont, and at one time extensively en- gaged as a railwaj' contractor, and dealer in grain and jiroduce in Baltimore, Md. The mother, a native also of the Green Mountain State, was the onl}' daughter of Daniel Huntington. She died when her son Eugene H. vvas a lad ten years of age. Martin Andrus is still living, retired from active business, aud makes his home in Perr}', N. Y. The subject of this sketch acquired his rudi- mentary education in the common schools, and at the early age of twelve j'ears began his -business career as clerk in a store, where he remained three years. Being ambitious to complete his education, he went to Rochester, N. Y., and became a student in the college there, diligently [jursuing the i)re- scribed course of study until the outbreak of the Civil War. Although then but fifteen years old his patriotism overcame ever}- other consideration, and throwing aside his books he enlisted in the defense of his countrj', becoming a member of the 24th New York Batterr}-. His services, however, were required only a short time when his regiment was mustered out, and young Andrus received his honorable discharge and returned home. Our subject now assumed charge of his father's business in Baltimore, and was thus occupied for two years. Thence be went to Perry, N. Y., and engaged in merchandising on his own account, carrying on business at that point three years. Then taking up his residence in Warsaw he became proprietor of the Andrus Regulator, and in connec- tion with this carried on a very extensive business, selling on an average :iil50,000 worth annually'. Finally, owing to unavoidable business com|)lica- tions, he was compelled to close out, and after settling honorably with his creditors, had but ^.50 left. Undismayed, however, by his ill fortune, he set to work with characteristic energj' to retrieve his position in the business world, and devoted that small sum of money to the purchase of thirteen acres of land adjoining the town of Warsaw, and laid it out in town lots, from the sale of which he realized over $3,000. In 1872 Mr. Andrus entered into a contract to go to Corning, Iowa, and take charge of the landed interests of A. & G. W. Frank, whose property' lay mostly in Iowa and Missouri. In the performance of his duties he found it necessary to make surve^-s, and operated under the experienced eye of A. B. Smith, the well-known Burlington & Missouri River Railroad surveyor. Later Mr. Andrus assisted in the platting of Creston, and other important towns along the line of tliis railroad. This accomplished, he entered the employ of the Burlington & .Mis- souri River Railroad Company, as land .agent, taking charge of its land in Southwestern Iowa, vvhich ex- tended over several counties. After the grass- hopper scourge he w.is sent to Nebraska to make things satisfactory with the settlers, and to arrange other contracts. He at this time had his heail- quarters at Harvard, Neb. Two 3'ears later, in 1878, Mr. Andrus was ap- pointed general land agent of the Burlington >k •►HH^ t •^fMi- ■16 LANCASTER COUNTY. Jlissouri River Railroad Compaiij. having his head- quarters at Keaniej', and while there he estalilished otfices at different points in the Republican Yalle}', one being at Loup City, wliich was then fortj-scven miles from any railway. Flora the year 1878 to 1 8«0 he sold 1 ,400,000 acres of land for this com- pany. In 1882 Mr. Andrus moved to Lincoln and opened an office for the purpose of engaging in a general laud business, handling State and school land, and also Lincoln city property. The town then included about 8,000 inhabitants; the atten- tion of Eastern capitalists had already been at- tracted to it, and their efforts were being put forth to promote its growtii. Mr. A., with that keen foresight and business sagacity for which he is noted, discovering in the little city the great me- tropolis of the future, invested largely in city prop- erty, which he held for a time, then sold, disposing of the most of it during the year 1887. Upon this he realized handsome profits, thus placing himself among the substantial men of this locality. One of the most important purchases of Mr. Andrus was 800 acres of land near the city, and a part of which is now designated as Cnshman Park. This he fitted up as a pleasure resort for the people of Lincoln, and it has become the most important institution of its kind in the West, having been visited by over 60,000 people during the short sea- son of 1888. A railroad runs from the city into the grounds. It has a mile and a quarter of boating, with an average depth of thirteen feet of water, and a beautiful spot of ground known as Mascott Island, covered with a dense growth of trees. The park contains ninet}' acres of solid timber, compris- ing elm, hackberry, ash. black-walnut and maple. The i)rincipal features, however, of Cnshman Park are its springs, which include the Giant Iron, and the White Sulphur, the wonderful Magnesia .Springs, and the thirteen fresh water springs. These are yet to be developed, and a beautiful and commodious hotel will be erected in the near future. The Traveling Men's Association of Ne- braska and Colorado will hold their grand caunp- meeting of the Knights of the Grip the last week in June of the season fndcd in imjjrovements. People visiting the West should not fail to take in this great resort. Cushraan Park lies three miles west of the cit^' of Lincoln, and has an altitude of fifty-six feet above tiie eitj'. It is the monopoly of all the resorts in this section of the West, and is one of the fairest monuments to the zeal and enter- prise of its founder that could be named. Mr. Andrus w.as niarrie, Shorthand and Typewriting, which is now the largest in the West. This institu- tion has become a recognized factor in the educa- tional world of the State, and our subject is very popular with his students, who recognize in him a thorough business man, perfectly competent, pos- sessing an a|)titude for imparting instruction, and one who is a true friend to the diligent and perse- vering student. The above institution is quite largel}' jtatron- ized, but by no means exclusivelj' bj' the people of Lincoln. The students come from all parts of the State, and the surrounding .States. Our subject is also the author of one of the most popular prac- tical and widely used works on book-keeping that has ever been published. It is issued under the title of "Modern Book-keeping," and is used by the National Union of Business Colleges, of whicli asso- ciation ^Ir. Lilliliridge is the honored President. The above work is also in use b}' a very large num- ber of public and private schools throughout the laud. Our subject is a resident of the city of Lincoln, and is the possessor of an elegant and beautifuUj' situated himie, his faniil}' circle comprising him- self and wife with their three daughters, wiio have doubtless done much to make it the abode of cult- ure, refinement and true :esthetic beaut}'. Mr. Lillibridge was fortunate in being an admitted ac- quaintance of Marie D. Walters, the youngest daughter of the Hon. William Walters, for manj' years proprietor of the Stale Register, at Spring- field, III. Their union was consummated upon the '24th of December, 1867, at Springfield, III. t -I LANCASTER COUKTY. ••► 7iy The Trinity Episcopal Cluiich, of Lincoln, is fortunate in being able to command the services of Mr. Lilliliridge as one of its vestr^-men, and clerk of the vestry, vvliich office he has continued to hold for the past three years. Our subject ami family are members of this church, and among its most ardent supporters, and receive the highest respect and esteem of those associated with them in this community. Without overstepping in the slightest degree the limits of exactitude, we would add that this is true also to an unusual extent outside the church societj', extending to the entire com- munity. Mr. Lillibridge's military experience and patriotic loyalty make him an enthusiastic member of the Appomattox Post No. 214, G. A. R., of which he is the Junior Vice Commander. He has also passed by a series of regular steps from the Masonic Altar and the right hand of the Worshipful Master, through the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Commanderj^ and Consistory, and in each body is held in the high- est fraternal regard. lie is very active in the vari- ous bodies of which he is a member, although, perhaps, giving special attention to the work of the As3'luni and Consistory. From the latter he has re- ceived the high Masonic distinction of S. P. R. S. of the 32d degree of A. A. 8. R. lie is attached in fraternal bonds to the Mt. Moriah Coramaud- ery ^20 LANCASTER COUNTY. .a tlie lianclsonie ami commodious brick block which he now occuiiic'S on N street, between Twelfth anrl Thirteenth streets. Here lie has one of the finest grocer}- stores in the city in its appointments, and the amount and quality of stock. On the 30th of April. 1873, Mr. King married Emma Outt, who was born in Tully, Onondaga Co., N. Y., a daughter of William II. and Catura (Fellows) Outt. They have two sons — Dewitt C. and William H. Mr. and Mrs. King are members of the Congregational Church. KRBERT S. BOWERS was born in Fishkill, Dutchess Co., N. Y. His father, .Joseph Bowers, was born in Billeriea, Middlesex Co., Mass., where his father, the grandfather of our subject, had spent his entire life, and had been engaged in farming. The father of our sub- ject grew up to manhood, and was married in that place. He commenced working in a cotton factory when he was quite j'ouug, and by close attention to the details of the work, he was advanced in position until he became the foreman in the factory. He moved from Massachusetts to New York, thence to Virginia, about the year 1856, and located a tract of land in Prince William County. There he en- •'aired in agricultural pursuits until the year I860, when, on account of the possibilities of a war, he sold his land and moved to Indiana, where he bought a farm near Seymour. In that city he lived until 1874, when he came to Nebraska, and settled in Yankee Hill Precinct, Lancaster Count}'. He bought some uncultivated land, but his health be- jiitT very poor, he was unable to do the hard work required, and his sons attended to the management and improvement of the farm for him. The father of our subject was married to Maria .Stevens, a native of Chelmsford. Mass. By a former marriage Mr. B. had three children, and there were in all eleven children, ten of whom grew up to the years of manhood and womanhood. The father died on the homestead in 1881, and the mother died in February, 1887, at the same place. When his parents moved to Virginia our subject was quite young, and the first school which he at- tended was in Brownstown, Ind., afterward at Sey- mour. He received college instruction from the Wcsleyan College at Bloomington, II!.. and in 1874 he commenced teaching in Lancaster County, where he taught several country and village schools. In 1879 he was elected County Superintendent of Schools, re-elected in 1881, and again in 1883. In 188.') he went to Pawnee City, and served two years as Superintendent of Schools, then in 1887 he re- turned to Lincolu to act as Superintendent of the city schools during the leave of absence which was granted the Superintendent. In 1888 he was elected Assistant Superintendent of the Lincoln schools. In December, 1881, our subject was united in marriage with Nannie Lehmen, who was a daugh- ter of Derrick and Isabella Lehmen, living in Som- erset, Ind. They have one child, named Jessie L. Mr. and Mrs. Bovvers are members of the Meth- odist Church, taking an active interest in the relig- ous welfare of their city, as well as the educational improvements. There is certainly no more useful or noble profession than that in which our subject is engaged, "teaching the young idea," and there is no profession which requires a more upright and honest walk than that which brings one in close re- lation with the young, who are so eager to criticise and to imitate. J'^OHN MARTIN is a very energetic man and a skillful farmer, who has established for his wife and children a good home, and is the owner of a valuable farm on section 21, Sal- tillo Precinct. His life is that of an honest, industri- ous man, whose geniality and friendliness make him popular in this community, and his family is en- titled to be classed among the best families of the precinct. He is a son of Lewis and Anna Elizabeth (Warner) Martin. (For parental history see sketch of Casper Martin, brother of our subject.) John Martin was born Feb. 4, 1842, in Pru.ssia. the fifth child in a family of seven. He w.as but four years old when his parents came to America, yet he has a slight recollection of his native land and the vo^'age across the ocean. They landed in Baltimore, his parents intending to make their home f u LANCASTER COUNTr. -•► r>l in Maryland. He had never attended scliool before coming to America, and his chances of obtaining an education were ver^' poor in the Alle- ghany Mountain region, where he grew to manhood on a farm, hut being an intelligent, wide-awake lad, with good powers of observation, he scarcely needed the aid of books to give him knowledge, and he has become a very well-informed man. He started out in life to make his own way in the world when a mere boy of ten summers, being then put out among strangers, and working for his board and clothes for a year; then he began to receive wages, and continued to earn his living as a farm laborer until he was twenty-four years old. Our subject was married, in October, 18G3, to Miss Catherine Deahl, daughter of Andrew Deahl. (For parental history see sketch of her brother, George Deahl, on another page of this work.) She wiis born in Alleghan}' County, Md., .July 23, 1842, and was reared amid the pleasant mountain scenery of her native place; her education was conducted iu the common schools, and in the home where she grew to womanhood she was trained to habits of usefulness and industry, and under the instruction of her motlicr she became a good housewife, and was fully equal to the duties that devolved upon her when she married. The happ3' wedded life of herself and husband has been blessed to them by the birth of eleven children, namely: Laura (deceased), Matilda E., Sarah A., Rose Ella (deceased), John E., Clara M., George E. (deceased), Mary E., Charles E., Nellie V. and Katie M. Matilda is the wife of George Emerick, a farmer of Saltillo. The remaining children are at home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Martin spent the first j'ear or two of their married life in their native State, but in the spring of 1865 they removed to Macoupin County, 111., where her parents, with their family, also went to live at the same time. At first Mr. Martin began farming in that State on rented land, but in the following year (1866) he bought a farm in that county with his brother Casper, and they were soon comfortably located in their new home, although at times they had scant living. Our sub- ject and his brother by much hard labor succeeded in bringing their farm in good shape, and were quite successful in their venture; however, in <■ 1880 tiiey decided to give up their Illinois farm and try the pursuit of agriculture on the rich alluvial soil of Nebraska. Our subject on coming here purchased 120 acres of land, which is now in- cluded in his farm, and built a comfortable house the first summer. He has since bought more land, and now owns a very flue farm of 180 acres, on which is a beautiful grove, a good house and comfortable barns; these, even as seen in the artist's picture as presented on another page, are most appreciable, and bespeak the prosperity, enterprise and position of the owner. Mr. and Mrs. Martin and their two eldest daugh- tei-s are among the leading members of the Luth- eran Church. Mr. Martin belongs to the Masonic fraternity, and also to the Knights of Honor, being a member of a lodge at Shipraan, III. In his polit- ical opinions he is a sound Democrat. —5— -#-# J— W EONARD BEESON, one of the honored I (f§) pioneers of Lancaster County, began his jl'— ^. career in Elk Precinct upon a tract of wild land, his farm stock comprising two horses, a cow and a pig. He has now a valuable farm eight}' acres in extent, the land in a highly productive condition and stocked with a choice assortment of cattle, horses and swine. He made his way overland from Indiana to this count}', starting on the 16th of September, 1867, with a team of horses and a wagon, bringing with him his wife and all his personal effects. They crossed the Missouri River at Omaha, on the 16th of October, and located upon a tract of rented land in .Sarpy County. He met with the misfortune of losing one of his horses the following Juue, and was obliged to trade his wagon for another horse, and was thus left without a wheeled vehicle. The pioneers, however, were fertile and expe- dient, and in lieu of a wagon Mr. Beeson found other means of transportation until he could obtain one. In the spring of 1869 he settled in Elk Township, building a dug-out, in which he and his family were obliged to live until they could do better. In order to raise a crop that year he was obliged to rent a tract of cultivated land three and — >♦- u 722 LANCASTER COUNTY. onc-hulf miles dLstiiiit. He lahoied with iinflngging iiiiliistiy for the betleniient of his conrlition, and each year fouixl him raaiiing some licadway, his hind assuming a fertile condition, and the family exchanging their first [jrimitive dwelling for a more modern residence. The farm of eight\' acres is now under a fine slate of cultivation, and the farm buildings will comijare favorably with anything of the kind in this part of the county. Mr. Beeson deserves great credit for the planting of a variety of shade and fruit trees about his homesteail, which .1(1(1 greatly to its coinfortand beauty, and the many other features of the attractive rural home which he lias from time to time gathered about him. The birth of our subject took place about forty- seven years ago, Oct. 12, 1841, in Wayne County, Ind., to which his parents removed from North Carolina. His father, Zachariah Beeson, was born in Guilford County, the latter State, near the town of Greensboro, and was the son of Is.a.ac Beeson, a native of the same locality. Both father and grand- fatlier were farmers by occupation, and the latter left his native State about 1S20, to settle in the woo'ls of Dalton Township, Wayne Co., Ind., where he purchased a tract of timber land, and where he lived and labored until his death. Isaac Beeson left North Carolina in 1825, and entered a tr.act of Government land in Wayne County, Ind. His first dwelling was the primitive log cabin, and he and his young wife commenced housekeeping in a region where bear and wolves were plenty, where Indians still lingered, and where deer and other wild game furnished them niany a choice repast. He cleared a farm and erected good frame buildings, which he sold out in 1854 in order to take posses- sion of an improved farm in Jasper County, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death taking place in 1858. Mrs. Hannah (Thornburg) Beeson, the mother of our subject, was also a native of North Carolina, and spent her last years at the homestead in Jasper County, Ind. The parental household included fourteen children, ten of whom grew to mature years and of whom Leonard, our subject, was the youngest. He attended the district school until large enough to be of service on the farm, and wus a yiiuth of sixteen 3'ears at the time of his father's 4* death. He continued on the farm until his mar- riage, and in 18G7 came with his familj' to Ne- braska, si)ending the first 3-ear in Sarpy Count}'. In the spring of 18GD he b')mestcadeil the land which he now occupies and where he has since re- sided. He was reared in the doctrines of the Quaker faith, of which his honored i>arents wore warm adherents. His father was a strong Abolition- ist, and his house w.os one of the depots of the ''underground railroad," by means of which many a fugitive was assistol to liberty. In his journey from North Carolina to Indiana Zaciiariah Beeson was accompanied b\' his cousin, Isaac Beeson, who owned a cart and he a horse; they hitched the horse to the cart, and put their effects in the latter, and came through in good sha|>e. Mr. Leonard Beeson cast his first vote for Schuyler Colfax as Member of Congress, and Ihe first President for whom he voted was Abraham Lincoln, The marriage of our subject with Miss Mary A. Leflor w.as celebrated at the home of the bride in Jasper County, Ind., Dec. 15, 1861. Mi-s. Beeson is the daughter of Michael Leller. and w.as horn in Jasper County, Ind., Jan. 4, 1841. Her father wasa native of Pennsylvania, and her paternal grand- father, John Lefler, also a native of the Keystone State, emigrated thence to Indiana during the pioneer days of Rush County, where he lived for a number of years, then sohl out au'l removed to Jasper County. In 1863 he left the IIoosiv>r State and, accompanied by his family, made bis way overland with a team to the Territory of Nebraska. Settling in Sarpy County, he purchased a tract of land, where he si)ent the remainder of his days, dying at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. The father of Mrs. Beeson grew to manhood in Indiana, and going into Jasper County, entered a tract of Government land, where he settled with his wife, their first dwelling being a temi)orary pole shanty, in which Mrs. Beeson was born Jan. 4, 1841. He soon erected a double log house and later put up a good set of frame buildings. He im- proved a farm from the wilderness and there spent his last days, passing away in 1875. The mother of Mrs. Beeson w.as in Iter girlhood Miss Jane Ann Overton, of Kentucky. She stood bravely by the side of her husband during the vicissitudes of ■<- LANCASTER COUNTY. pioneer life, and is now living with her youngest daughtei- on the old homestead. Tlieir experiences in those early times were similar to that of tiie Becson family, they having for many years Indians for neighbors and wild beasts all around them. Mr. and Mrs. Becson are the parents of liirce children: William, born Sept. 22, 18G2; Gertrude, Feb. 21, ISGT. and Jennie, July 20, 1873. The two eldest are married and iiave homes of their own with one child each, while the youngest is living with her parents. The family is among the most highly respected in this section of the count}*. ENRY ALBERS, Jr., of Buda Precinct, was one of the first of its early settlers, and has a good property situated upon section 32. He was born in the Grand Duchy of Olden- burg, Germany, July 17, 1855, to Henry and Mar- tha All)ers. In the year 1856 his parents emigrated to the United States and proceeded direct to Clay- ton Count}', Iowa. This continued to be their home until 1865, and during that time the father had established quite a large and prosperous busi- ness at blacksmithing. Thence the family removed to this county, and Henr}- Albers, Sr., homesteaded 1 GO acres of land on section 32 of what is now known as CenterviUe Precinct. It was not long before this laud was brought to a good state of cultiva- tion, and undergoing constant improvement. At this home the mother of our subject died, in May, 1870. Henry and Martha Albers became the parents of six children, of whom three survive, namely: John; Lizzie, the wife of Martin Mattison,and Henry, our subject. The father, who is now about seventy years of age, recentl}' removed to Lincoln, leaving to j-ounger hands the activities of life. He is one of the representative German i)ioneers of the county, an ardent member of the Lutheran Church, and in political matters a stanch Republican. He is by all accorded sincere and hearty esteem. Our subject, having been a resident of this county since 1865. has witnessed the grand transformation scene of a Territory to a state of advanceil civiliza- tion. Not only has he I)een an interested witness. but having wrought through the j-eai-s of his young manhood as intelligently and diligently as any of his fellows, has erected a homestead that will stand as the mi)nument of his imlustry and thrift for years to come. His education was such as to give him many advantages, for although there were no schools until al)out five years after the famil}' set- tled in the district, upon their establishment he attended them tImMigh the full course, and after- ward was admitted to the State University. The present site of the city of Lincoln was at the time of his settlement in the county marked by a single log cabin, occupied by a pioneer family. Nebr.aska Cit\' was the nearest trading-point, and hither the farmeis transpoited their maiketable commodities, and purchased all their su|)plies. In political matters Mr. Albers has always been a stanch .adherent of the Republican party, and is uniformly found in the front rank of its friends and supporters. He is the constant and consistent advocate of good morals, and always ready to exert his influence in every enterprise that promises to advance the best interests of the community. Rec- ognizing this and the manliness of his character, his fellow-citizens accord him a large measure of esteem. The view of the Albers home and surroundings, carefully penciled by our lithographic artist, pre- sents a pleasing picture of rural life, where plenty abounds and the hand of thrift and industry is on all sides apparent. It should prove a source of encouragement to others who maybe entering upon a struggle similar to that experienced by Mr. Al- bers, and illustrates the results of persistent labor and a resolute will. ~~"*^*^*'1*^^S****" ^H^ J~ N. MAIN is the owner of a most excellent farm of 1 GO acres on section 30, West Oak Precinct, where he settled in tlie early history of Lancaster County, when there were only three or four families within a radius of five miles from his dwelling. He is the son of Delos Main, who was a native of Burlington, Otsego Co., N. Y. In that county he received his education in the usual institutions, .and afterward w.as put to the work of the farm, which he made his life avocation. — ■» f -4*- r24 LANCASTER COUifTY. He liecurae the husband of Miss Jane Ilollenljcck, and to them were borii three children, of whom two are living; the other sacrificed his life in defense of the Union, at the age of seventeen. In 1846 Jlr. Main removed to Brown County, 111., took up a tract of land and improved a farm, upon which he liveil about five years. Iowa became the next place of residence for about the same length of time, which was spent in bringing from a state of nature to tliat of high agricultural perfec- tion another farm. From Iowa the family removed to this State about twentj'-five years ago, and set- tled on Stevens Creek, about ten miles west of the present cit^- of Lincoln, where he was one of the earliest settlers. From there he removed to Seward Count}', where he died in 1874, aged sixtj'-two years, having been born in the year 1 822. lie sur- vived his wife about twenty-six years. Our sulgect was born in Burlington, N. Y., Dec. 12, 1844, and was onlj- a little boj' when his parents removed to Illinois, and later to Iowa. His educa- tion was received while residing in the two latter States, and was continued until the death of his mollicr, in Iowa, which was the immediate occasion of the family being broken up, and of our subject being removed from school and sent upon the farm to work. In this he remained until he was seventeen years of age, when he enlisted in defense of the stars and stripes. After being sent to the front he was present at and partici[iated in the battle of Vicksburg, and a large number of minor engage- ments. The total length of his mililarv service was five years and four and a half months. He was mustered out at Ft. Benton, Mont. The army experiences of our subject being over, he returned to Iowa, where he was united in mar- riage with Dimerous L. Scott, in March, 1868; they have one child, Maud A. Not long after his mar- riage he removed to this State, and early in the following j'ear entered a tract of land. Our subject has given considerable attention to stock-raising in addition to his general farm- ing, but is rapidl}- working toward making a spe- cialty of breeding high-grade and blooded horses. He has quite a number of superior animals, and is the owner of an exceptionally fine, large and vigorous Percheron horse. To these he is addin" from time to time such as will best serve his inter- ests and advance the reputation of his farm in this department. Mr. Main has not figured largely in civic affairs, although he has for some time held tiie olflce of Supervisor of Roads, but he has no special inclination to office, although a good, earnest and energetic Republican, and the recipient, by his part}' in the community general!}', of the highest esteem and regard, not so much on account of what he possesses as what he is. ^#^ alMOTHY J. CHARLES. In Erie County, N. Y., was born, on Feb. 5, 1841, in the home of David J. and Ann Charles, one who has since become worthy of a place in this Album as being one of the early pioneers of Yankee Hill Precinct. He is the owner of an elegant farm, situated on section 16. The family of which our subject is a member are of Welsh extraction, and seemed to have in their characters an indoraitability partaking somewhat of the characteristics of their native mountain ranges, which through the centuries have resisted every element and force, and would not remove, but still stand with heads towering to the clouds in calm but stern defiance, as proudly as the day when they first sheltered the fleeing hordes of Briton's Aborigines and Druids, in the days of Roman assault. Our subject was reared to manhood in his native State, and received in its schools the foundation for his future work and experience. Early in life he began to work upon the farm, and from his father received his introduction to that department of labor, and learned the many diverse and con- fusing details connected with that occupation. He went to Illinois in ISCo, and between five and six years followed with a fair measure of good fortune his chosen calling. In 1871 he left his Illinois home, came to this county, and took up 160 acres of land. The ground was having its own way, and following the bent of its own sweet will; if it wanted to produce wild grass it grew; if flowers or thistles, they found root and sustenance, but now they are under the domination of a master intel- lect, a will overpowering, an industry determined f u ^•^HK-* LANCASTER COUNTY. 725 to succeeii. The result was soon apparent to the most casual observer; av.ie. after acre was brought iuto subjection, and was taught to produce what was required, and not what chanced or happened to be there, and our subject was not long in bringing his whole farm into a high state of ])erfection in husbandry. In the year 1873 Jlr. Charles led to the altar of matrimony Mary M. Horn, the daughter of Rev. W. S. Horn, late of Lancaster County. This ladj' has ever since the da}' of her nupitals stood b}- her husband in the most noble and disinterested man- ner, through cloud and sunshine, prosperity and ad- versity, storm and calm, anil his success is perhaps largely due to the elevating influences and inspira- tion she has brought into his life. She has presented him with four children — Artimo J., Herbert H., Ernest H. and Edward. Our subject is now in the third term of office .as Road Supervisor, and has for manj' years been School Treasurer of his district. He is by no means an otBce-seeker, however, and what distinc- tion has come to him along that line has been thrust upon him than otherwise. He is a conscientious worker in any office filled b}' him, and even at some self-sacrifice will worthily attend to the due performance of such duties as fall to him. He is a Republican of many years standing, an .acknowl- edged friend and supporter of the party, and at all times to be depended upon to do all in his power to advance the interests of his party by any legiti- mate measure. %ri TRTSTCHSHS V^ V'^-a'/.'aVx>.V .■ >?Vi» <*p!)ARL B. SLAWSON. The easiest thing in iM ^^'^ world to do is to float with the tide; the li^^ difficulty begins when the effort is made to breast the waves and to comb.at the strength of the tide, overcome its force and make prog- ress against it. This is true, metaphorically, as applied to a country, as well as, literallj', to the in- dividual. This metaphor is well illustrated in the history of our own beloved land, and also in the life of the subject of this sketch, who has from a compiiratively humble beginning labored on until he occupies a position such as is not only worthy 4* of but demands mention in any history which treats of Denton Precinct or Lancaster County. Harl B. Slawson, whose farm is situated on sec- tion 3 of the above precinct, was born Oct. 2G, 1841, in Whiteside County, III., and is a son of .Jesse and Rachel M. Slawson, both of whom were natives of Nevv York State, and the latter of whom is now deceased. His family is of English extraction, and his ancestors were among the number who made their w.ay to America in Colonial d.ays, and after participating in the struggles of the Revolutionary Wav had the satisfaction of seeing the ship of State progress upon its vo^'.age with her sails all set to the fair breeze, and the new-formed flag, which has grown so dear to every American heart, nailed to the mast never to Ije stiuck down. The grandfather of our subject was a soldier in the War of 181 "2, and received his death wound in the battle of .Sackett's Harbor, from which he died shortly after in the hospital at Utica, N. Y. His father, David Slawson, was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary War, and took part in nearly every cam- paign. The family have for several generations been residents of New York State, but about fifty j'ears since the father of our subject removed to AVhiteside County, 111., where he was among the earliest settlers. Seven children of the eight born to them are still living, our subject being the fourth. Their names are here subjoined .according to their birth: Andrew E. H. and Jesse D., both of Sherman County, this State; Charles H., a far- mer of Crawford County, Kan.; Earl, our subject; Howard, a prosperous farmer in Utica, N. Y.; Al- bert R., dece.ased ; Seth H., of Sherman County, and Mary L., the beloved wife of Merritt Clifton, of Cook County, 111. In 1856 the parents of our subject came to Ne- braska, and the family settled in Otoe County at a time when their nearest neighbors were five miles distant. Mrs. Slawson, Sr., died April 12, 1884, and the father shortly after removed to Kansas, where he still resides with his son Charles, whom, we might here take occasion to remark, had .an ex- tensive militar}' experience during the recent strug- gle, and served .as Captain of Company D, 8th Kansas Infantry. His education was very meager, but has been supplemented by a course of reading f •► i r^ ^ 726 LANCAS TER COUNTY. that has left him well posted upon all general topics. Our subject returned to Illinois for the ex- press purpose of enlisting, which he did in Com- pany B, 34th Illinois Infantrj-, in March, 1863. This company became part of the army of Gen. Sherman in the 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 14th Army Corps. His corapanj' was engaged at the battle of Lookout Mountain, the siege of Atlanta, Buz- zard's Roost and Crab Orchard, and he was in his place with them in that march to the sea, which has become a household word, and lastly, at the grand review at Washington, on the 24th of May, 1865, after which he received an honorable discharge on the 16th of July following. He then returned to Otoe County, Neb., and took up a homestead claim and made it his residence about fifteen years, then went to Palmyra, Neb., and engaged in the grocery business for about twelve months, subsequently en- gaging in mercantile pursuits at Utica, Neb., for three years. After this he returned to Palmyra, and for two 3'ears renewed his old life and occupa- tion. At the close of that period he sold out and returned to his Otoe farm, and in 1884 came to Lancaster County anneer3 of that region, but five years later removed to Morgan County, and about 1830 to McLean County. There the father died in 1851. The mother subsequently crossed the Mississippi, an- lic-spirited, and has built up one of the pleasantest homes within its borders. He is of excellent New England ancestry, his father having been Willijim H. C. Temple, who was born in Claremont, N. H., and his mother, in her girlhood Miss Elmira Ten- uey, a native of the same place. There they set- tled after their marriage, remaining in the Old Granite State until about 1 835, when the^- emigrated to Ohio and located among the pioneers of Hamil- ton Count}'. After a residence there of ten years thej' removed to Cincinnati, where the death of the father took place in 1857. The mother later be- came a resident of Delhi, and passed away at the home of her niece, on the 9th of Januar}-, 1887. The parental household of our subject included nine children, of whom two b}' the name of Will- iam, and one, a daughter, Frances, died in child- hood. The survivors were named respectively: Charles W., Henry C, Amelia, John S. [(our sub- ject), Sarah L. and Albert G. F'ive of these now survive. One lives in Dakota, two in Ohio, and one in Iowa. Our subject was born while his parents were residents of Oxford, Ohio, Oct. 17, 1837, and was six 3'ears of age when the family removed to Cin- cinnati. He was there reared and educated, and re- mained a resident of that city until a youth of nineteen j-cars. He commenced his business ca- reer at the age of sixteen, being employed as a clerk in a wholesale paper store, and upon leaving the Buckeye State made his way to Mercer Count}-, 111., where he was in the employ of his uncle on a farm about four j'cars. Thence he migrated east- ward to Vincennes, Ind.. and for two j'eare was a "iT^ ■•►HI- LANCASTER COUNTY. 731 -t clerk in the emploj- of the O. & M. R. R. Lnter lie purchased an eating-house at the depot in that e'liy. and in connection witii it operated a puhlic house and restaurant (the latter known as tlie Depot Hotel) three j^ears. While a resident of Vincennes, Ind., Mr. Temple formed the acquaintance of one of the most estima- ble j'oung ladies of that city. Miss Cassandra, daugh- ter of Thomas and Catherine (Ileizer) Goudy. to whom he was married Nov. 27, 1866. The father of Mrs. Temple was born in Ashland County, Ohio, and the mother was a native of Pennsylvania. After marriage they settled in Jeromeviile, in Ash- land County, where they lived until their removal to Vincennes, Ind. The father was a miller by occupation, and died in the latter place about 1857- The mother is still living, being now well advanced in years, and makes her home with her daughter in Vincennes, Ind. The parents of Mrs. Temi)le had a family of eight children, three of whom — Thomas, William and Mary E. — died in childhood. Those surviving are Susannah, Martha J., John F., Elijah, and Cassan- dra, Mrs. Temple. The latter, the youngest of the family, was, like her father, born in Ashland County. Ohio, May 4, 1848. She received careful home training from an excellent mother, and a fair edu- cation in the common school, and remained a mem- ber of the parental household until her marriage. Mr. Temple in 1868, with his wife and one child, left Vincennes for Knox County. 111., locating on a farm in Knox Township, where he carried on agri- culture until the spring of 1883. Then setting his face still further westward, he crossed the Missis- sippi, and coming to this county located at once in Grant Precinct, purchasing 160 acres of good land on section 13. He has now a neat and substantial residence, and good improvements generall}', the farm buildings and machiner}' being fully in keep- ing with the requirements of the modern and pro- givssive agriculturist. He is a man who takes pride in his farm and his family, and has an equal interest in the growth and prosperity of his com- munity, giving Iiberall3' to worthy enterprises, and contriluiting his quota to those pi'ojccts having for their object the general welfare of the people. The home is a model one in all its appointments, and its inmates are surrounded by all the comforts of life and man}' of its luxuries, onjoviug also the friend- ship and esteem of the peoiile about them. To Mr. and Mrs. Temple there have been born three childien — William J., Catherine N. and Frank. The latter died in Knox Count3', 111., when an inter- esting child of seven years. Mr. Temple is a strong temperance man, and in 1887 identified himself with the Prohibition part3\ Both he and his ex- cellent wife are members in good standing of the Presbyterian Church. An idea of their home sur- roundings m.aj- be obtained by a glance at the view of the well-ordered homestead which will be found on another page. ON. GEORGE BYRON LANE, Super- '^ intendent of Public Instruction of the State of Nebraska, a distinguished citizen of Lin- coln, is one of the leading educators of the day in the West. A graduate of one of the colleges in the East, where he attained high rank in scholarship, his rare talents, profound learning and great ex- ecutive ability, amply qualify him for the im- portant otHcc that he is filling with credit to himself and satisfaction to the public, and he has made a marked improvement in the educational system of this State since he entered upon the dis- charge of the duties of this position. Mr. Lane is a native of New Hampshire, born April 2, 1843, in the town of Epping, Rockingham County, to Winthrop M. and Frances (Morrison) Lane, being the [thinl child in order of birth of a family of ten children. He is a lineal descendant of Ralph Lane, one of three brothers who came to America from England in early Colonial times, and were among the jH-ominent men of the day, taking an active [jartin political and public matters. The father of our subject vvas a native of New Ilamjishire, and the mother of Maine, both being of English ancestr}'. The boyhood and early youth of our subject were passed amid the pleasant scenes of his birth- place, where he ol)tanied the foundation of his edu- cation in the district school. lie learned the car- penter's trade of his father, and worked ;it it until ^ .^ Jt= ■32 u LANCASTER COUNTY. the breaking out of the Rebellion. At th.it time lie had scarcelj' attained manhood, and, with the ardor and p.atriotism of youth, he was among the first to respond to the call of his countrj' for aid in sus- taining the honor of the old flag. In the spring of 1861, in company with two younger brothers, Joshua and Jlarcena, he enlisted in Company E, lltli New Hampshire Infantr}-, but was afterward transferred to the 5th New Hampshire Regiment, and ■was assigned to the Department of the Gulf under Gen. Banks. His brother Joshua was killed in the. battle of Fredericksburg. His youngest brother, Marcena, was rejected on account of his youthful- ness, but he managed to enlist, however, and was mustered into the same regiment with our subject, becoming a member of Company I, and did valiant service in many a hardly' contested field, having part of his hand shot off in the second battle of the Wilderness. The rendezvous of the regiment was at Long Island, where it remained for about four weeks. The men were then placed on board of a transport and sailed for New Oleans. but encounter- ing rough and stormy weather, the fleet was driven out to sea for manj' days; finally it touched at Key West, Fla., and later landed at New Orleans late in the fall. The regiment subsequently spent the winter in camp at Carrollton, La. It was then ordered up the Mississippi River to Port Hudson, and took an active part in that siege until the fall of the fort. July 5, 18G3. After that the command was disp.atched to Vicksburg, and thence to Cairo, 111., where they were honorably discharged, their term of service having expired. While bravely fighting the battles of his countr^^ Mr. Lane was twice wounded ; once in the neck when his regi- ment was gallantly leading the charge on Ft. Hudson, another time in the foot by a spent can- non ball. After returning to his old home from his excit- ing experiences on Southern battle-fields Mr. Lane entered Dartmouth College to complete his edu- cation, and was graduated from that institution in the class of '07, receiving the degree of B. A. After graduation he went to Wisconsin, and entered upon his career as an educator by accepting the principal- ship of the schools at Burlington. A j-ear and a half Later he went to \'an Wert, Ohio, to assume the duties of Superintendent of Schools in that place, and retained that position until 1872. In that j-ear he was invited to St. Louis, Mo., to be- come Principal of the city schools. There, as else- where, his services were very highly appreciated, and he left the lasting impress of his work and genius on the jjublic school system of that city, by his introduction of superior methods of instruction. His fame .as an educator had spread throughout the AVest, and in 1880 he w.as called to Omaha, Neb., as Superintendent of the citj' schools, which posi- tion he filled with marked ability until 1882. In 188.i he was appointed Superintendent of the State Census. He finished the duties devolving upon him while in that office in about a year, and in the fall of 1S8G he was elected to his present position as State Superintendent of Public Instruction. He has proved a faithful and efficient public officer, devoting all the energies of the best years of his life to the accomplishment of the work that lies before him, and bringing a wide experience and careful and thoughtful study to bear upon the im- portant educational problems of the day. Mr. Lane was married, Aug. 24, 1882, to Miss Nellie P. Wood, of Omaha, Neb., the daughter of E. B. and Nellie (Parmenter) Wood. She w.as edu- cated in the public schools of her native city, and her culture and rare intelligence enable her to sym- pathize with her husband in his work. She is a member of the Congregational Church, and is highlj' esteemed by a large circle of friends. To this union have been born two children — Fr.ances and Gene. Religiously, our subject is a member of the Congregational Church; politically, he is a sound Republican. -^^+#=^>::^4^-4-" €~ APT. THOMAS SEWELL, formerly en- g.aged in the mercantile business in Lincoln, where he still resides, is a man universally respected, not only for his fine military record, but as an honest man and a faithful citizen. He is of English origin, his grandfather, Thomas Sewell, having emigrated from England with his family to America, and settled at Niagara-on-the-Lako. where his last years were spent. He had served many ■•► -^^ -•►Hh-^ LANCASTER COUNTY. J■.];^ j-fars as an officer in the English arni3-. His son Thomas, the fallier of our siiliject, was a young man when lie came to America from his hii'lliplace in Lancaster, England. lie had learned the "art preservative" in England, and after he came to this country he pubiislied the Niagara Reporter, a weekly ija|)er. and in addition [Hiblished numerous books and did general job printing, and continued that business until his deatii. At the time of the JLackenzie's rebellion, he volunteered his services and received an officer's commission, and while crossing Queenston Heights he received severe injuries, and erysipelas setting in, he died soon afterward, and his remains lie buried in the village churcliyard at Niagara-on-the-Lake. The maiden name of his wife, the mother of our subject, was Caroline Mastin, a native of Lincolnshire, England. She died at her home in Canada, and her remains now repose by tlie side of her husband's. To them had been born four children, three of whom grew to maturity', namely : Charles H., Tiiomas and Jane Bisiiop. Tlie subject of our sketch was the second child born to liis parents. He was six j'ears old when the deatii of his father occurred, and three years later lie went to Ulica, N. Y.. where he served an ap- preiiticeshi|) to learn the trade of printer. He re- mained tliere until lSo4, when he removed to Cincinnati, and worked at liis trade on \\ie Enquirer until the following year. He tiien proceeded west- ward as far as Cliicago, where lie procured work on tlie Democrat, which was then owned Ijy the Hon. John VVentworth, and he continued to work on tiiat paper most of the time until the breaking out of the Rebellion. Being filled with the same patri- otic zeal that inspired all lo3al hearts, he enlisted in 1861, in Company- A, lyth Illinois Infantry, for a term of three months, and went with his regiment to Springfield. Returning to Chicago he re-enlisted for the tliree-years service, but was taken sick, and the regiment was mustered in during the time of his illness and left for the seat of war. Tlie patri- otic ardor of our subject was not lessened, however, and in I.SG2 he again re-enlisted, in Company G, 127lh Illinois Infantiy. and w.as commissioned Sec- ond Lieutenant. He went South w^ith his regiment, and took an active part in the battles in and near Vicksburg and Arkansas Post, until Maj' 19, 1863, when he was severel}' wounded. As soon .as he was able to travel he was sent home on a furlough, but again joined his regiment near Vicksburg, August 1 b of the same year, and accompanied his comrades to Chattanooga, going via Memphis, and taking part in various engagements and skirniislies, and then pro- ceeding to Kuoxville to raise the siege. Going from the latter place to Larkinsville, Ala., his regi- ment went into winter quarters, remaining there until the spring of 18G4. In tlie month of May they started on the Atlanta campaign, forming a part of the loth Arm}- Corps, and participated in the battle of Resaca and all the other battles from there to Atlanta, and in the siege and capture of that city. Meantime he had been acting as Captain of his company for some time; lie received his pro- motion to that rank, and proved a wise and judi- cious otficer. From Atlanta he marched to the sea, and then went by way of the Carolinas to Rich- mond and on to Washington, reaching there the night before the grand review, in which he was a participant. Capt. Sewell was discharged with his regiment at Washington, and returned to Chi- cago, where he resumed his former employment, remaining there until 1870. At that time much was being said of the unusual advantages offered to energetic men of good business ability in the rapidly growing towns of the far Western prairies, and Capt. Sewell decided to avail himself of the opportunity to increase his finances. He fixed upon Lincoln as a desirable ])lace for location, and started for this city, coming bj' rail to within eight miles of the place and the remaining distance by stage. He entered into the mercantile business, opening a grocery store on the south side of O street, be- tween Ninth and Tenth streets. Subsequently he removed to the southeast corner of O and Eleventh streets, where he remained until his retirement from business in April, 1887. At that time he had been in the grocer}' trade seventeen consecutive years, and was one of the four or five merchants who went into business when he did, or were already estab- lished when he settled here. During his residence here Capt. Sewell has taken pride as well as pleas- ure in seeing tlie city develo|i from a village con- taining about 2,uOO people to a [)ti|iulous cit}' of ■•► t ^ ■♦■ 731 LANCASTER COUNTY. 50.000 inhabitants, with handsome buildings, fine churches and schools, and one whose literaiy, social and religious advantages compare most favorabh' with anj- other city of like size in the Union. The surroiMidinj; country, where deer and antelope then sported, and only occasionally' was a solitary dwell- ing to be found, is now converted into a beautiful farming region, whose well-tilled fields and com- modious farmhouses i)lcase the ej'e and are a source of enjoyment to the owners. Cai)t. Sewell w.as married, in 1865, to Florence A. Brewster, a native of Pittsburgh. Pa., and the^- are the parents of one child, Agnes C. Mrs. Sewell is a valuable member of St. Paul's Methodist Epis- copal Church. Our subject is prominently identified with the following social organizations: He belongs to Appomattox Post No. 214, G. A. R. ; is a mem- ber of the Loyal Legion; he is Past Grand Com- mander of K. T. ; a member of Delta Lodge of Perfection No. 4, A. & A. Scottish Rite, and is Venerable Master of the same, and Knight of the Court of Honor. In politics the Republican part}' has always found in him one of its most earnest champions. -^^ x^ HARLES D. JEWETT is the son of Thom.as [if^L J. .Tewett. who was born in December, 1807, ^^' in Utica, Oneida Co., N. Y.. in which State he alwa3's made his home until his death, which oc- curred in .Tune, 1880. His wife was Caroline Rus- sell, who entered into that relation in the j'ear 1832, and became the mother of eight children, four of whom were sous. Only three children of this family are now living: Our subject; his sister Pau- lina, the wife of John Putnam, a farmer in .Toffer- son County, N. Y., and AVilliam M.. a farmer at Sanford's Corner, Jefferson Co., N. Y. Our subject was born Oct. 20, 1 840, in Jefferson County, N. Y., and continued with his parents until be was about twenty-six 3'ears of age. largely owing to the fact that his father, a Captain in the State Militia, was compelled to make frequent and long absences from Ixjine. and at such times our subject took his place upon the farm aning wood b}- the cord as a means of supjiort. At one time he was called upon to prepare the wood for the land-office; this was the means of an introduc- tion, as soon as the spring opened, to a position in that office, which remunerated him some $0 per week. In this he continued about twelve months. From that time until the present his skies have brightened, and in his professional life, official and social career, he has made an exceptionally splendid record. He has always been a man of activity. He was elected Councilman of the First Ward of Lin- coln, being the first to occupy- that seat under city government. lu August, 1874, he was elected to the Senate from the Eleventh District, and returned to the Chamber a second time in the year 1884. Largely through his influence what is known as the Saline Land Bill was passed. This measure pro- vided for the development of certain salt springs of the cit}'. Again, when the question relative to the removal of the capital was under discussion, the weight of his influence materially aiiled in its being retained as at present. Also, at various times, by weight of argument and appeal, he h.as been the means of olitaining needed appropriations for the erection and maintenance of the State buildings in Lincoln. In the year 1885 our subject was elected Mayor of the cit}' of Lincoln. In adilition to the block which bears bis name, situated on the corner of O and Twelfth streets, erected at a cost of over $125,- 000, he h.as built and still owns twelve other business blocks. His own residence is one of the ornaments of the city. He, with others, induced the proprietors to extend the Missouri Pacific Railroad to this city. There are in the famil}- of our subject four chil- dren — Frank .*>., Bertie 0., Grace and Helen I. Frank is now a promising student at the military \J -U LANCASTER COUNTY. 737 t scliool at Faribault, Minn. His sister Bertie is also at school in Minnesota. Mr. Burr affiliates with the Republican party. He believes firu)ly in the prin- ciples of protection. ||^_^^IRAM DULING. It is a pleasure at all times to present a biographical compendium of one who has been a success morally as l^) well as Gnanciall}', and whose influence, both at home and abroad, is for the highest good. Such is our subject, Hiram Duling, whose standing in the communit}' is above question, whose fine stock farm is situated on section 21), AVest Oak Precinct, and comprises 160 acres of first-class land. Edmund H. Duling, father of oursubject, was born Dec. 17, 1825, in Ohio, and in due time was pro- moted to take his place on the benches of the com- mon sciiool of his native place, there to lay the foundation of his more advanced 3'cars. When a young man he went to Indiana, during the summer was active upon his farm, and during the winter engaged in teaching school. He became the hus- band of Miss Sabina Cole, and thej' became the parents of eleven children, of whom nine attained their majority. Mr. and Mrs. Duling, Sr., are still living in Owen County, Ind., where they settled on removal from Ohio. Both are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Duling is a daughter of Hiram Cole, and was born in the j'ear 1831, in Ohio, and lived upon her father's farm until her marriage. Hiram Duling, the subject of this sketch, was born Oct. 11, 18.34, in Owen Couuty, Ind., and re- ceived such practical education as w,as obtainable in that which might well be called a peculiarly national institution, a common school. From that he took his place upon the farm, and under his father's instruction began to understand and dis- criminate the multifarious details of farm work, and continued to work for his father until he was about twent3'-one years of age, with the exception of the j'ears from nine to sixteen, when he herded cattle. In the month of February, 1880, our sub- ject landed in Nebraska. In beginning his life in this county Mr. Duling was assisted somewhat by his uncle, who provided him with stabling room for his cattle, and storage for his other belongings, until the following summer^ when the buildings ui)on his farm were ready for their reception. All the improvements, trees, or- chard, grove, stock barn, extensive stabling, grana- ries and dwelling are the execution of his own thought and labor, and it is difficult to know where to begin in speaking of points more especially worthy of mention. If we turn to the house, which is most pleasant and comfortable, [jcrvaded b}' an atmosphere of cheery brightness, which of itself makes life worth living; if we pass out among the sh.ade trees and forest giants, or visit our friends in the orchard, we are equally assured of proseprity and thrift. The same is true of the stock in the stables and pastures, while everj- field speaks of thought and labor bestowed upon it, the whole comprising one of the best situated and most pleas- ant farms in the entire district. Our subject has given special attention to the raising of stock, and is the owner of some super-excellent animals. The 3-ear 1876 saw in its latter months the begin- ning of a new era of things as regards the life of our subject. Largely the old things have passed awa}' and life is seen with rosier tints and in more glowing colors, and the future is all perfumed with the sweetness of affection and thrilled with the harmonies of childish voices. On the 5th of No- vember, that year, the marriage of our subject with Miss Laura A. Bush, of Owen County, Ind., was celebrated. This union was made more com- pletely happy by the birth of five children, who are all living. Miss Bush is a daughter of Thomas Bush, and was born Nov. 4, 1857, and continued to reside at home until her marriage. Her father was by occupation a farmer, but died when his daughter was three years old. After some time her mother married again. Mr. and Mrs. Duling are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are held in high Christian regard by their fellow-members, because of their works of faith and labors of love. Our subject is one of the members of the School Board, and has held the position for a long time, performing all the duties of his office in a most conscientious manner. His political principles are ■» f r38 LANCASTER COUNTY. those wliicli form the Imsis of the Repiiblicnu part}', nnd his infliieiice niiil suffrage are given in their support. Whether we shall consirler our subject as a j-outhful stu(]cnt or citizen, or inspect his career in the domestic relations, it would onlj' be with pleasure that we siiould arise from the inspection, and with the testimony that in everj" relation and department he lias been successful, and will leave the world better because he has lived in it. ►^»S!>-»S jfLA ILTON JIcKINNON, overseer of the Roca Stone Quarry, owned b}' Messrs. Keys t marriage : Maria (de- ceased), Edward, Alexander, Martha, Michael A., Elizabeth, Althea, Melissa, and an infant who died. Michael A. De Peel, of this sketch, was born in Bayham Township, Middlesex Count3', Oiitaria, Can- ada, Nov. 8, 1840, and he still hasaf.aint recollection of his earl3' home in tiiat town, although he was but five 3'ears old when his parents took him to Yar- mouth to live. He received a common-school edu- cation in the latter town, and when not attending school, assisted his father in the labors of tlic farm as he grew to manhood. He began to make his own wa3- in the world bv working out 1)3- the month, Mr. Is.aac Mills, b3- whom he was einplo3'ed seven years, being his last emplo3'er. During that time he met and became acquainted with Miss Catherine Pound, to whom he was afterward united iu mar- riage, the date of their wedding being the 2Gth of October, 1868. She is the daughter of James and Rebecca (Zavitz) Pound, natives of Canada, her father born in Humberstone, AVelland Count3', and her mother in Bertie. Her fatlier was a farmer in comfortable circumstances. Mrs. De Peel traces her ancesUy back to Germany on her mother's side, and to England on her fatlier's side. The ancestr3' of Mrs. De Peel on the paternal side were named Ha3-cock. and were of pure English stock. Her forefathers were Presb3-terians, and her grand- father was an officer in the War of 1812. Subse- quentl3' he joined the Quakers and came to believe war to be wrong. For this reason, when he and likewise each of his children would have been given a large donation from the English Government, he would not accept it or allow them to do so. Mrs. De Peel was born at Yarmouth, Canada, March 1, 1846, being the second in a famil3- of seven chil- dren, all of whom were brought up together and at- tendeil the same school a part of the time. She was twenty-two at the time of her marriage. To her and her husband have been born six children, namel3-: Rebecca, James (died in infancy), James A., Irena M., Belva A. and Mabel E., all living at home with their parents. The first four children were born in Canada. r LANCASTER COUNTY. 741 After mnninge Mr. De Peel renter! a farm in Canada, and also had chnrge.of a clieese factory for one year. He continued to reside in his native country until the fall of 1881, when, in the month of November, he came with his family to the States to make his home here in the future. He now owns a valuable farm of 320 acres in Nemaha Precinct, and has been more than successful in his under- takings since becoming a resident of this State. He has paid much attention to stock-raising with good results, as he h.as thirty-three cattle, of good breed, 100 hogs, and some fine horses, among which is a fine stallion. It is three-quarter Norman-Per- cheron, and took the first premium at the Nebraska State Fair, and also at the Lancaster County Fair in 1887. Mr. and Mrs. De Peel occupy a warm place in the hearts of the people in this community, to whom they have endeared tiiemselves by their never-fail- ing kindness and geniality, and their carefulness and consideration where others are concerned. The quiet beauty and peacefulness of their daily lives seem to be a true exemplification of the doctrines of the Quaker sect, to whicii they belong. Mr. De Peel is a man of large, clear thought, and is always prompt in coming to the support of any good work; he is especially interested in the temperance move- ment, and is a radical Prohibitionist. ^f'OHN HARLEY. Among the farmers of Denton Precinct who are entirely worthy of remark, as a pioneer and representative (^^1/ American citizen, is the subject of this sketch, one most favorably known as a man and farmer, whose beautiful farm is situated on section 3. He is a native of England, and was there born Oct. 10, 1841, in the county of Leicester. Mr. Harley is a son of Christopher and Epsibbe}' Harley, both of English parentage. He was the second son born to his parents. His father is de- ceased; his mother still survives. The education of our subject was received in the parish schools of his native count}', and fairly complete in the more common branches of knowledge. From school, with its books and lessons, he went to the 4* farm and became his father's iiel|)er. Always deeply interested in stock of all kinds he would get away to the stables, stalls and pastures where the}' were, and get thoroughly acquiiinted with them, studying their ailments and difficulties until he became quite proficient as a veterinary surgeon, although he had no opportunity of becoming so excepting the above. In the year 1869 our subject determined to leave Leicester, and to launch out in the great world of opportunitv on this side of the Atlantic. Accord- ingly, he proceeded to Liverpool and made arrange- ments for a passage in a sailing-vessel, which was preparing to leave for the United States. Those who have traveled across the Atlantic in one of the floating palaces of the Cunard or White Star Line would hai'dl}' care, unless passionately fond of the liquid Emiiiro of King Neptune, for the vo^-age undertaken by our subject. When sung by a chorus of well-trained voices, there is a fascination about the song, •■ Sailing away, o'er the deep blue sea," but the actual experience is quite another tune, especially when tlie storm clouds lash the billows in their fury; rolling, pitching, tumbling, tossing; never ceasing for a single instant, waking or sleep- ing, to say nothing of the horrors of the mal-de- mer. It is an experience which, lengthened as was this voyage to a period extending over three months, is sufficient to last a lifetime. But all things have an end, and this moving experience of our subject had its end when he landed in New York City. He remained for several weeks in the city, and then proceeded to Lake County, 111., where he resided until 1877, and followed his old occupation of farming, each j'ear growing more and more prosperous. In the fall of 1877 our subject came to this county and purchased his present farm, then in all the beauty of its original condition; but he has always been au inveterate worker and careful to labor intelligentl}-, being attentive to understand the why and the wherefore of the task undertaken. His eighty acres of land, therefore, speedily began to take on a different appearance, and were brought rapidly under the plovv. The house which he has erected has been designed rather to give the great- est comfort and pleasure to the occupants than to make a show for outsiders, although the ex- t- ■^•- ,t 142 LANCASTER COUNTY. tcrior is not without its jittnictiuus. Natiirall\' Mv. Hailcy is giving niucli attention to llie raising of stoci<, for, as we have noticeil,lie has nia-ll^^ ">»» ^ll <• 46 LANCASTER COUNTY. Castor sold out and moved to his other eighty acres, wiiich, after improving, he also sold, then retired from active labor, taking up his residence in Kenton, where he [)assed to his final rest in July, 188G. The parents of our subject were married in Ohio, Dec. 27, 1836, the mother being Miss Elea- nor, daughter of Reading and Nancy (Bergen) Hin- line. Ilcr father's family consisted of ten children. To Paul and Eleanor Castor there were born ten children, four of whom are living, namely: John W., our subject; George B., Wdliam P., and Mary J., the wife of II. L. Holmes. The father was a good man in the broadest sense of the term, a de- vout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a Democrat in politics. He was a Director of tiie County Infirmar3' three j'ears, and held various other oflices of tru.stand responsibilit3'. The mother w!is in all respects the suitable companion and help- mate of such a man, and is still living at the ad- vanced age of seventy-two years, in Kenton, Ohio. The earl3' education of our subject was carried on in the jjrimitive log school -house, with the slab benches and puncheon floor, its huge old-fashioued fireplace, and its chimney built outside of earth and sticks. He assisted in the development of the new farm, and upon reaching his majority pur- chased fort3' acres of land from his father, and which was a part of the grandfather's old homestead, lie did not settle there then, but worked his father's farm two years after his marriage. He then pur- chased a farm in Montgomery Township, Marion Count}', where he took up his abode with his family, residing there until 1 868. In the spring of that year he sold out his possessions in the Buckeye Slate, and removing to Dodge Count}-, Minn., settled upcjn a tract of prairie land near the little town of Mantorville. Fiftj' acres of his purchase bad been cleared, and he continued there, making some improvements, until 1873. In the spring of that year he came to Southern Nebraska and pur- chased 160 acres of land on section 16, in Middle Creek Precinct, this countj', and which is included in his present farni. Fort}' acres of this were in a productive condition, and after bringing the bal- ance to the same state, he purchased eighty acres arinciples of the Democratic part}'. ^'OHN W. IVERS. In the suliject of this sketch we find a worthj' citizen. Mr. Ivers was born in the neighborhood of LaFay- ettc. Ind., Nov. 8, 1829, and was the sec- ond child of eight born to Samuel and Sarah (McJimpsey) Ivers. The former was born July 15, 1802, at Columbus, Ohio, and was the third in the famil3' of nine wiiich comprised the home circle of Richard and Deborah (Leslie) Ivers. The fam- ily record inscribes their names in the order of birth MS follows: Lottie. William, Richard, Samuel, Maria, Mahala, Elizal)etli, Elzy and Sarah. Samuel Ivers spent the days of his boyhood and youtli in Miami County, Ohio, dividing his attention be- tween his school duties and the occupations of the farm, which, as the j'ears went bj", succeeded those of the school. This continued until after he had attained his majority. Shortly after his marriage he removed to the neighborhood of LaFayette, Ind., and settled on a farm, where he remained for about two 3'ears, when he returned to Ohio, which State became his residence for the next three years, when the attractions of the Hoosier State again de- termined him to return. Accordiuglj- he took up his residence in Elkhart, Ind., for a period of three years. The next four j-ears were spent m Mont- gomery Countj% Ind. At the end of that period another removal was effected, this time to Thorn- town, Boone Count}'. From there he went to Clin- town County, and after one j-ear in that district made his home in Jasper County, near Rensselaer. This was in the year 1844, and was his home for eight years. The broad prairies of the Hawkeye State pressed their claims in a manner not to be resisted; accord- ingly, in the j'ear 18;J2, Mr. Ivers removed from Indiana to Jones Count}', near Rome, in that State, but after a residence of one year another removal took the famil}- to Princeton, Mo. After a period of about twelve months this home was vacated in favor of one in Nebraska City. At th.at time (1855) there w.as onlj' one brick house in that city. At the close of his first year's residence he bought some Government land in Otoe County, and for the subsequent nine or ten j'ears continued with success the occupation of farming. This was followed b}' a return to Iowa and residence, first in Bartlctt and latteily in Glenwood. From there the family passed to Baxter Springs, Kan., where be purchased a farm and met with considerable success. Thence, in December, 1881, he removed to Nebraska, and died on December 11, a few days after his arrival. His remains were laid aw.ay by his family and friends in Lincoln Cemetery. The man}' removals and constant change of home •ire accounted for by the fact that Mr. Ivers was a trader and, .-is rapidly as possible, after purchasing a property he would improve it, pl.ace it upon the market, and, as soon .as it was profitably disposed of, would move on to a new home. In this way •> j m M» 4 LANCASTER COUNTY. he acciimulatecl a large comiietency, by which he was enabled to assist his cliihlren to make a good start in life. He was a true pioneer of the Far West, and took part in many- stirring scenes inci- dent to border and new country life. He was a most exemplary man and honorable citizen. Dur- ing his residence in Nebraska he assisted materially in the settlement of the troubles originating in the passage of the Kansas and Nebraska Bill. At the time of the Indian outbreak, when Nebraska City was threatened with annihilation, Mr. Ivers, then Lieutenant in a militia regiment, by prompt meas- ures, bold and decisive action, assisted in avert- ing the danger. The mother of our subject was born in Miami County, Ohio, near the city of Troy, on the bth of July-, 1 805, and was the j'oungest child of Robert and Marj' (Waugh) McJimsey. Her parents were originally from Philadelphia, went West when Ohio was a Territory, and settled in the above county, upon a section of Government land, which was rapidly improved. Upon this farm was born the child who grew up, also amid these surroundings, until she reached the jears of womanhood, then, Aug. 13, 1824. was married to Mr. Ivers, the father of our subject. Among the great needs of a newly opened and undeveloped country, perhaps the chiefest would be men and women capable, mentally, ph3'sically and financially, to take things as they found them, in all their crudeness, and so shape events that the wilderness may become a garden, its hidden re- sources brought into the light and developed, and institutions worthy of our great Republic, homes, schools and churches, might be set up and estab- lished. The father and mother of Mrs. Ivers were in this sense pioneers. After the death of his wife at Troy, which occurred the same day as was fought the battle of Tippecanoe, the father went on a visit to Pleasant Hill, Ind., where he, too, lay down to his last rest. Bearing in mind the family from which Mrs. Ivers came, the environment of her youth and young womanhood, the influence of those parents, such as hers were, must have upon a developing life and character, we are fully prepared to expect to see reproduced in her a like nolnlity of purpose and com[)leteness of life, throughout the long years of journeying hither and thither, wandering from State to State, passing from home to home, in all of which she accompanied her husband, excepting the time when he discharged the duties of Indian trader in Kansas City. Until the year 1853 our subject resided with his parents in different locations in the Hoosier State, but at that time he was married and commenced life iu his own home. In 1860, from Jasper County, Ind., he removed to Otoe County, Neb., purchasing 350 acres of wild land ; for some of this he paid §10 per acre, for others ^25, and others so much as $37. Here he remained some eight years, when he re- moved to Glenwood, Iowa, purchased 420 acres of land, and was very successful for eight years, when he again sold out and removed to Lancaster County, Neb., purchased 410 acres in Waverly Precinct, and after a residence of three years was enabled to sell to advantage. He did so, and bought 100 acres near University Place. Here he continued to reside for a period of three j-ears, and again sold his propcrt3', repaired to Lincoln, and erected the houses still owned by him in that city, upon V street. He has always been a devoted admirer and strong adherent of the Republican party, and an energetic worker for his party when occasion de- manded. In the Christian Church, of wiiich both himself and wife are members, he is held in the highest esteem. He has frequently been called upon to fill local offices, and in everj* instance where he has done so has received the commendation and approval of his fellow-citizens. In 18G1 he was enrolled in the Home Guards at Nebraska City, and in the social organization of Odd Fellows has for man3^ j'ears been a member. On the 3d of February, 1853, our subject was joined in matrimony to SophroniaH. Grant, daugh- ter of Smith and Ivy (Dillon) Grant; she was the fifth cliild of the family, which included ten chil- dren. The father was a native of Virginia, and resided in Fleming Count\' until his parents re- moved to Lexington, Fayette Co., K}'., which event transpired while he was yet in his teens. Here he was married in after yeais, and continued to reside until after the birth of his two eldest children, when he proceeded to make his home in Wabash County, •► •^1^^^ ■•► 750 LANCASTER COUNTY. *t Ind., upon a homestead farm of 120 acres. In this occupation lie was very successful, and before ni.an^' j'ears owned several other farms in the vicinity. This continued to be his residence until his family had grown up. Jasper County, Ind., was the place decided upon for the new home. Mr. Grant effected a profitable sale of his farm property, and purchased 4G0 acres in the above county, and engaged in stock-raising until his death, in the year 1)S55. In this occupa- tion, as in that of agriculture, previousl}' folk>wed, his vigilance, large outlook and cfficiencj-, made him successful. He was for many years a member in good standing and Elder in the Christian Church, an organization whicli aims to restore the original simplicity and purity of tiie Church of Christ, as in the age of the Apostles. He was a true and ardent supporter of the Whig party, although thinking most strongly on the temperance question, and ab- solutely opposed to the liquor traffic. Mrs. Grant, mother of Mrs. Ivors, was born in Lexington, Ky., where also slie was reared, and continued to reside until she arrived at womanhood and was married. She was a devoted Christian woman, alwaj'S interested in the work of the church, actively engaged in efforts for the alleviation of distress, and meeting theneedsof tiie destitute; her pleasure seemed to be to live for others, and in making oUkms happy she herself drank at the same stream. She was for many years a member of the Christian Church. Until her marriage with our subject Mrs. Ivers made her home with her parents. Althougii unac- customed, to any great extent, to work at house- hold duties, she bravely began the battle of life, entering wilii spirit into his plans and projects, and has since, willi him, been enabled to rejoice in what has been nceomplishcd, for to-day the}' are sur- rounded with all that is needed for their comfort anil happiness in life. Like her mother and father, she is a consistent and active member of the Chris- tian Church, in which communion her children have been brought up. To this highly respected famil}' have been given eleven children, who were Ixirn as follows: Leslie, Jul}' 25, 1855; Willis, Aug. 10, 1858; Ella M., Dec. 28, 18C0; Amelia and Delia (twins), Jan. 11, 1862; Aurelius, Dee. 31, 1864; Arabella B., born Dec. 10, 1866, died July 27, 1888; Ivy M., born Aug. 18, 1869; .Sadie M.. Oct. 10, 1870; Lottie A.. Oct. 11, 1873, and Sam- uel, Aug. 13, 1876. With the exception of the twins and Arabella B.. all are living. Amelia died Feb. 15, 1862, and Delia Sept. 27, 1863. Ella has become the wife of Cramer Beyette; Belle is now the wife of George Keefer, and Ivy M. is now Mrs. Frank Kauffman. J~ , W. GRISWOLD. The grandfather of our / subject. Daniel Griswold, was born about _, 1 the year 1740 in England, and came to America, where he settled and lived in Herkimer County, N. Y., until the time of his death, about the year 1835. He was a farmer and came to America before he was married, his wife being a native of New York, who died about the 3'ear 1820. The father of our subject was John Griswold, who was born in Herkimer County, N. Y., about the year 1794, where he lived until he was twenty-five years old, when he went to Jefferson County, and thence to St. Lawrence County of the same State, remaining there until tlie time of his death in 1827. The mother of our subject was Lucy (Watson) Griswold, a daughter of William Watson, formerly of .Scotland, and she died in the year 1885. There was a famil)' of six children, five sons and one daughter, three of whom are now living. They are: N. W. Griswohl, the subject of this sketch; William, a carpenter living at Lincoln, and Rosaloo, of North Bluff, Lancaster County. Our subject was born on the 17th of September, 1817, in Fairfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y. At the age of three years he was taken to Jcflferson County, thence to St. Lawrence County, where he remained five years with his parents, and at the end of that time he returned to Jeflferson County, where he staid until 1855 in the town of Black River. In th.at place he learned the trade of wool-carding and cloth-dressing, and in 1855 he went to Angola, Steuben Co., Ind., where he worked for a time at his trade and also at carpenter work. In the fall of 1868 he removed from ludiriua to Ashland, Saunders Co., Neb., at which place he remained t i -4^ LANCASTER COUNTY. -■► 751 from October until the following Ma}'. He drove all the distance from Indiana witli a double team and a horse and l)uggy, being thirtj'-one da3',s on the road, and taking the first buggy that had ever been seen in Ashland. In the year 1868 he re- moved to Lancaster County, where he remained but a few days until he built a dug-out, in which his family lived for five or six years, when he built a sod house in which he lived for six j^ears, and in 1881 he built the residence in which he now lives. On the 8th of December, 1839, our subject mar- ried Hester Ann Whaley, of Jefferson County, N. Y. Mrs. Griswold is a daughter of James and Sarah (Gordonier) Whaley, the former of English, and the latter of Holland descent. Mr. AVhaley died in Oneida County, N. Y., in 1827, and Mrs. Whale^' made her home with her daughter in Angola, Steuben Co., Ind., until the time of her death in 1867. Thej' had a family of eleven children, five of whom were sons and six daughters; but five of the children are now living. Mrs. Griswold was the eighth child, and was born onthellthof Au- gust, 1819, in Oneida County, N. Y. Our subject and his wife are the parents of seven children, five of whom are sons and two are daugh- ters, as follows : Martha A., wife of J. C. Wolfe, of Red Cloud, Neb.; Grace A., wife of James M. Myers, a farmer of Rock Creek Precinct, of whom a sketch appears in this Albu.ii; James W.,a farmer of Rock Creek: Charles M., a fireman on the rail- road, living at Hudson, Col. ; Eri H. and Caseins M., both living at home; George Clinton, a grocer of Wallace, Neb. While living near Ashland, Mr. Griswold had to go to that place for supplies, and on one occasion on his return home he had to cross Salt Creek on a low water bridge of logs over which the water was running at that time to the depth of two feet, and in the morning it had risen to the depth of twenty feet. Our subject has suffered, in common with all the early settlers of this country, from the devastation of grasshoppers, hailstorms and prairie fires, and in common with the early settlers of this country he has had to apply himself diligently in order to re- cover from the effects of such losses, and gain for himself a competence for his older age. Mr. Gris- wold has long been a member of the Republican party, and he voted for Gen. Harrison on the second election. He is a member of no societ3', eithersecret or social, but he has been Justice of the Peace since the year 1872 with .the exception of one year. For eleven years he has been Assessor, and for seven years he has been a member of the School Board. In 1 869 he was thrown from a horse, receiving an injury from which he has never recovered and which has been a great detriment to his success. He is the only original settler on his section in the precinct. As a man well advanced in years who has traveled over much of the country and seen many changes, who has striven t9 keep up with the times and to aid in the advancement of education and govern- ment, he is entitled to the respect and esteem of the community and an honorable mention in this Albcm. Vi^'RANKLIN H. BOH AN AN is one of the firm |— /gj) of Bohanan Bros., who have very large busi- ^ ness interests in the city of Lincoln. Among these enterprises are a meat-market, which is sup- plied with nearl}- every known variety of animal food ; a livery and sale stable, and a packing and provision department. They also represent a large amount of real estate. Like his brother he is a native of Peoria, 111. He is in the prime of life, having been born Oct. 14, 1844, and is the son of Edward and Mahala (Wilber) Bohanan, who were natives respectively of Schenectady County, N. Y., and Taunton, Mass. His father was reared on a farm in the Empire State, and emigrated to Illinois in 1834, where he carried on agriculture and butch- ering successfullj', and finally took up his residence in the city of Peoria, abandoning farming, and giv- ing his attention exclusively to butchering and the ice business for many years. In 1866 he retired from active life, and is now living at his ease. He owns valuable real estate in Peoria, and is looked upon as one of its solid and reliable citizens. The parents of our subject were married about 1840, and the mother, born in 1816, died at her home in Peoria in 186,5. The seven children of the household were: M.ajor G., Franklin IL, Walter G., Edward G., Lavina M., and two who died in in- fancy. The two elder brothers, our subject and • :^ > jk <• ^ -•► 152 LANCASTER COUNTY. lii.< partner, after leaving the primarj' school were given a course in the Commercial College at Peoria, and eml)arke(l together in the butchering business in 18C6. in Peoria, 111. Two years later they sold out. and started for Nebr.iska overland with a team, arriving in the embryo city of Lincoln on the 21st of April, 1868. Bohanan Bros., upon their arrival In Lincoln, began at once to make arrangements for the estab- lishment of their present business, and in building their first shop were obliged to have the lumber hauled from Plattsmouth and Nebraska City. On the 9th of Jurie, that year, thej' spread their coun- ters with a choice assortment of meats, and began to take in money, which business they have continued uniformly until the present time. Their methods of transacting business obtained high favor among the people of this section of country, and ere long they found themselves on the highway to prosper- ity. Thej' have been wise in their investments, securing the propertj' from time to time, which naturally increased in value, and have occupied no unimportant position in the progress and growth of the cit}' of Lincoln. The subject of this sketch was united in marriage with Miss Brudencia A. Mosher. Aug. 27, 1867. at the home of the bride in Peoria. Mrs. Bohanan, like her husband, is a native of Illinois. She was born in Peoria on the 14th of July. 1848. Her father, Philip J. Mosher, was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., Oct. 18. 1814, and when a joung man became a l)lacksmith by trade. He spent the most of the years of his life in Peoria, 111., but now resides in Lincoln. Her mother, Mrs. Sarah L. (Bristol) Mosher, after long happy 3-ears of married life, died March 1, 1885. To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born two sons, William F. and Phillip E., who are now promising young men, twenty and eighteen j'ears of age. The largest livery stable in the State of Nebraska was established by Bohanan Bros., at Lincoln, in 1876; thej^ have the largest .assortment of hand- some vehicles and fine horses of anj- institution of the kind in the city, and obtain a corresponding patronage from the people of this part of the county. They have put up several fine buildings in the city, including the business blocks which are occupied in the carrying on of their various business inter- ests, besides dwelliug-houses and other valuable real estate. Connected with their livery ouBt are several very fine carriage teams and all the para- phernalia required either at a first-class wedding or funeral. Their stables shelter seventy horses, in- cluding some of the best roadsters and trotting stock in Lancaster County. The two hearses which the}- now employ are costly vehicles, while they contemplate in the near future the purchase of an- other which cannot be built under §2.000. In addition to their city property they own quite an extent of farming land in the county. Their career has really been phenomenal in its success, ever}'- thing which thej' touch seeming to become at once a source of pi'ofit and an est;iblished success. The residence of Franklin H. Bohanan is finely located at No. 1029 M street, and in its surround- ings indicates in a marked manner the cultivated tastes and ample means of the proprietor. Mr. B., politically', uniformly casts his vole with the Demo- cratic party, and socially, belongs to the I. O. O. F. and the K. of P., being a member of the Grand Lodges of the same. Mrs. Bohanan is a member of the Williard Woman's Christian Association; the Woman's Relief Corps, and a Daughter of Re- bekah, and, as would naturally be supposed, in conuection therewith, is one who finds greatest de- light in all works of mercy and deeds of kindness, especially toward the sick and helpless. ) OBERT H. MOFFETT, a representative far- mer and stock-raiser of Denton Precinct, ^^\ w-as born in PocahonLis Count}', AY. Va., ^^April 27, 1849. His parents were George B. and Margaret E. Moffett, the father a physician and surgeon in the Confederate army for a period of nearlj' four 3'ears. His paternal ancestors were of Scotch- Irish descent. Our subject was reared to manhood in his native State, where he engaged in farming and stock-rais- ing. He was given a good education, and during the absence of his father in the army assumed the man.ngeraent of the homestead. In 1879 became to Nebraska, settling upon the land which he now r LANCASTER COUNTY. 753 owns aud occui>ies, and to which he has added until his real estate now includes 480 acres, which he has brought to a good state of cultivation. In addition to general agriculture, he is largely occupied in tlie breeding of fine horses and mules, which is the source of a handsome income. He began life largely dependent upon his own resources, and may prop- erly be numbered among the self-made men who by their own efforts have achieved success. Mr. Mofifett, politicallj', is one of the most reli- able members of the Democratic party. In the fall of 1884 he was the nominee of his party for Sheriff of Lancaster County. "if, AMES A. WALLINGFORD is well known throughout Lincoln and surrounding coun- try in connection with his business in farm- ing and other implements and machinery. He is the senior member of the firm of Messrs. Wallingford & Shamp, of Lincoln, and an intro- duction to those at all acquainted with that sec- tion of the countr}' would be superfluous. Mr. Wallingford was horn in Shelby County, Ohio. His parents came West and located in Decatur County, Iowa, while he was yet a child. After re- maining about a year aud a half, they migrated to the new State of Nebraska, and made their home in Lancaster County, and were numbered among its earl3' pioneers, for there were only five or six families in the county, and these were scattered along the Salt Creek. For several ye.ars Nebraska City was their nearest market, and for ten years continued to be the nearest post-office. The father of our subject bought a claim, and homeste.aded 160 acres of land on section 25 in what is now Yankee Hill Precinct. This he im- proved and continued to make his home until 1836. Our subject was reared upon the farm, and at- tended the first schools that were started. These •were maintained by private subscription, and con- tinued to be well attended until the public schools were established. Our subject continued his at- tendance until this important advance was made, and was then transferred to the latter institution. Having completed his studies there, he attended the classes at Tabor College, Iowa. After this he re- turned to Lincoln, and took a partial course in the State University, and prepared himself for teaching. For seven years our subject was engaged during the winters in the above noble profession, and dur- ing the summer spent his efforts upon the farm in the endeavor to teach something of a more mate- rial form than "ideas" how to shoot. In 1873 he went to Washington Territory, and was eng.aged in teaching school for about ten years. By 1879 Lin- coln had become quite a business center, and Mr. Wallingford was convinced that a great future was before it. In company witli Messrs. Davidson, Shamp & Co., he formed a partnership, and put in quite a large stock of implements. From that time our subject has devoted his constant attention and bent every energy to make the firm the best business house in its line in the citj', and has been abun- dantl}' successful. The reputation of the house is a credit to the city as well as the gentleman at its head, for it is one of undeviating honor and "square dealing," and doubtless has much to do with the constantly increasing sales. Mr. Wallingford was united in marriage with Miss Celia Miller in 1875. Mrs. W.allingford is the daughter of H. B. Miller, for many years a resident of Ohio. He located in Nebraska in 1873, first in Hamilton and afterward in Boone County, and there spent his last days. To our subject and wife have been born five children, who are named: Vere O., Mabel R., Eunice E., Richard J. and Grace I. Our subject has naturally always taken the great- est interest in educational matters, and is a member of the Board of Education. He is by no means an office-seeker, rather avoiding than courting such distinction, but is ever mindful of the duty which is his as a citizen of the Rei)ublic. WILLIAM E. HARDY, senior member of the firm of Hardy & Pitcher, furniture dealers in Lincoln, and prominent among the busi- ness interests of the cit}', was born in Wyoming County, N. Y., Aug. 5, 1863. His father, Har- vey W. Hardy, also a native of the Empire State, 754 LANCASTER COUNTY. was reared to maiihood in liis native county, and tliere married to Miss Ciuiriutte Al)l)ott, a lady of excelleut famil}'. Tiiej' began life together upon a farm in Wyoming County, where they lived until 18G7, and during tliat year Mr. Hardj* disposed of his interests in New York Slate, and removing westward to Illinois, engaged in the furniture business at Aurora until 1870. In the spring of the year above mentioned the father of our subject crossed the Mississippi, and coining to Lincoln, purciiased a half-interest in a furniture firm, wiiich w.as the only institution of the kind tlien in the place. Two years later he pur- chased the interest of his partner, and operated alone until 1878. That year he sold a half-interest in the business to A. A. Hartley, and the firm of Hard}' (k Hartley continued two years, when he purchased the whole business, which, in 1886, he disposed of to tiie present firm. The subject of this sketch was a little lad seven years of age when his father came to the city, which was then a mere village, with perhaps a pop- ulation of 1, .■)()(). Most of the surrounding country was a tract of wild prairie, where deer, antelope and other wild animals roamed in freedom. Mr. Hardy has been the privileged witness of the re- markable growth of this city to its i)opulation of 40,000 people, and has contributed his quota to- ward its advancement and prosperity. He received a practical education, attending first the city schools, and later the Nebraska State University at Lincoln. The career of our subject as a merchant com- menced in his fatiier's store in 1880. After an ex- perience of seven years, during wiiich he improved his opportunities to become acquainted with the proper methods of doing business, he, in 1887, associated himself willi Charles I). Pitcher, and they are fast becuming one of tiie popular firms of the cit}-. Both are wide-awake and energetic business men. They carry a full stock of furniture, and everything [jertaiiiing to this line of merchan- dise, and enjo}' a patronage which is steadily in- creasing. Mr. Hardy, mainly engrossed in his business affairs, has little time to give to political matters, but is warmly interested in the success of the temperance movement, and h.as arrayed himself ■<• on the side of the Prohibitionists. He still retains an interest in the universitj", and is a member of the Society Sigma Chi. The parental family of our subject included four children — Clement A., Cora B., William E. and Emerj' C. William E. makes his home with his parents in Lincoln. =f> ENRY H. FAULKNER, a representative fanner and stock-raiser of Yankee Hill Pre- 'j^ cinct, lias been operating in a profitable ■1^/ manner on a good farm on section 32 since the spring of 1883. During his five years' residence here he has effected great improvements, increasing the value of his property, repairing the old build- ings, and adding the appliances necessary for the successful prosecution of his calling, in which he has had a lifelong experience. Our subject is a Western New Yorker by birth, having begun life in Allegany County, Jan. 7, 1844. His parents, Russell and Nancy Faulkner, were also natives of that State, where his paternal grandfather settled after doing good service as a soldier in the War of 1812. The latter spent his last days at Sackett's Harbor, dying at a ripe old age. Russell Faulkner, by his two marriages, was the father of four children: Charles F., now a resident of Indiana; Nancy Z., the wife of C. G. Johnson, of Independence, Iowa; Daniel W., of Burlington, Iowa, and Henry, our subject. The mother departed this life at her home, in May, 1861. The father subsequcnti}- removed to Michigan, and is now a resident of Newaygo Count}'. Our subject was a lad of fourteen years when his parents left the Emi)ire State and settled in Michi- gan. For four years they were residents of Eaton County, and then removed to Calhoun Couuty, where, at the age of twenty-two, young Faulkner was married, Dec. 20, 1866, to Miss Mary F. Van Ness, a sister of Mrs. John F. Hay, of Yankee Hill Precinct, this county, and a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in this work. Our subject, after his marriage, was employed at farm work in Miciiigan for several years, and *► i ^« I LANCASTER COUNTY. -•► 756 being strong of nuisole and faithful in the perform- ance of his duties, received, during his last sum- mer's work, the unusually high wages of $29 per month and board. In the spring of 1870 he crossed the Father of Waters and located in Webster County, Iowa, where he emploi'ed himself for one year. At the expiration of this time he changed his residence to Buena Vista, where he resided until 1883, then de- termined to east his lot among the people of South- ern Nebraska. Coming to this county he purchased 160 acres of land, which constitutes his present farm. He has been successful in his operations here and full}- established himself in the esteem and confidence of his community. He is a man of de- cided ideas and votes with the Prohibition party. No man can point to a dishonest deed of which he has been guilty, and he is one of the few whose word is considered as good as his bond. \f OIIN E. HAAS. The subject of this biog- raphy occupies a leading position in the community of Grant Precinct, to which he came in 1871, and is the owner of 480 acres of land on section 12, nearly all of which is in a jiroductive condition and affords to the proprietor a handsome income. The principle that intelligence in every calling is requisite to carrying it on in a proper and profitable manner, is illustrated in the career of Mr. Haas in agricultural pursuits, who in his earlier life was oc- cupied for a period of ten years as a teacher and writer. He has been for several years an occa- sional correspondent of the Nebraska State Journal, and also takes an active part in political affairs. This experience led him to a fuller appreciation of the genuine comfort to be derived from rural life, where nature had provided the many facilities for man's comfort and happiness. Accordingly, after many years otherwise employed, he finds much satisfaction in rural occupations, of which he is mak- ing a fine success, and is numbered among the lead- ing representatives of the farming interests of Lancaster County. Our subject was born in Mifflinburg, Pa., Feb. 27, 1835, and is the son of John and Margaret (Roush) Haas, natives of the same State as their son. They spent their entire lives in the Keystone State, with the exception that the father passed the two last years of his life in Stephenson County, 111., where he died in 18G'J. Their household consisted of eight children, two sons and six daughters, three of whom are living. Mr. Haas continued a resident of his native State until over thirty years of age. At the call of Gov. Curtin to repel the rebel invasion in 1863, he en- tered the temporary Union service. In 1867 he changed his residence to Freeport, 111., of which he was a resident until the spring of 1870. Then com- ing to this county he sojourned for a brief period in the city of Lincoln until having time to look about him for a pei-manent settlement, and finally chose his present location and changed his employ- ment from that of a teacher to a farmer. No man has taken a warmer interest in the growth and development of Southeastern Nebraska than the subject of this sketch, and he has responded liberally whenever help was needed for furtherance of those enterprises calculated to build up his com- munity, and add to its attractions as a place of resi- dence for an intelligent and enterprising class of people. To such men as Mr. Haas is due the pres- ent prosperity of Lancaster Count}', to which may many more such as he lie added, and long may they flourish. EV. CYRUS CARTER was one of the first settlers of Lincoln, of which he is still an honored resident. When it is stated that in (^1865 our subject came here and took" up land from the Government, which he improved into a farm that is now included within the citj' limits, and is the site of many costl}' buildings, it gives one something of an idea of the rapid growth of this enterprising and wealth}' metropolis, with its population of nearly 50,000 souls. Our subject is in the best sense of the term a "self-made man," as he began life without other capital than willing hands and a stout heart, and is now a mm of wealth and con.sideration. Our subject was born near Mechanicsburg, L. 756 LA^' CASTER COUNTY. Cliarai)aigi) Co., Ohio, June 2, 1824. His father, Benjamin Carter, was a native of Tennessee, and iiis grandfather, Caleb Carter, was, it is tiiought, a native of Connecticut. He was there reared and married, and moved from his New England home to Tennessee soon after the Revolutionary War, in the ver^- early days of the settlement of that State. He took up a tract of land there, but never secured a title to it, .is he lived there only a short time when he removed to Kentucky, and was an early settler there. He subsequently took up his abode in Ohio in tlie latter part of the eighteenth centurj^ in Territorial days, and was numbered among its pioneers. He located near Mechanicsburg, taking up a tract of Government land there, and residing thereon until his death. The father of our subject was 3'oung when his parents removed to Ohio, and he there grew to maturitj'. He was reared amid pioneer scenes to a vigorous and self-reliant manhood, and early took upon liimsolf the hard work of a pioneer by buying a tract of timber land, on which he erected a log house which became the birthplace of our subject. Hi* wife was a stirring, active woman, and a notable housewife, and having no stove she used to cook all their meals before the open fireplace, and she spun and wove and made the most of the clothes worn by the family. Mr. Carter fiiiallv sold the place in wiiich he and his wife had started on the journey of life together, and in 1828 moved to Union County, where he bought a tract of timber land, and began anew the weary task of clearing away the forest trees, that he might prepare the soil for culture, having first erected a log cabin to shelter his family. His death occurred in that place, and the community in which he settled was thus deprived of a useful and industrious citizen. His wife, a native of Virginia, whose maiden name was Mary Owen, also died on. the homestead in Ohio. There were nine children born to this most worthy couple, and eight of them grew to maturitj'. The subject of this sketch was the fourth child of that famil}', and was quite young when his parents went to Union County to reside. He was reared in that county, and received his education iu the typical log school-house of those times, with home- made furniture, the benches being made of punch- eon. He resided with bis parents until nineteen years of age, working on the farm and attending school. At the age of twenty he commenced teaching, and taught several terms of winter school. He was converted when eighteen j'ears of age, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church on proba- tion, but he found himself more in sympathy with the Methodist Protestants, and united himself with their church. At twentj^-one years of age he com- menced to preach for that denomination as a local preacher, and at twenty-three \'ears of age he be- came a member of the Ohio Conference. He trav- eled on circuit for nearly ten years, and by his earnestness and enthusiasm did much good work for his church, and he w.is considered a bright and shin- ing light by those in authority. In 1862 he gave up his beloved calling, as it seemed to him his sacred duty to take up arms in the defense of his country. He enlisted in Company 1, 99th Ohio Infautr3', and bravely and faithfull3' served in the ranks until 1803, when he was taken sick, and in the month of July was honorably discharged on account of ill-health. He tlien returned to his old liome in Ohio, and remained a resident of that State until 1865, when he started for the Territory of Nebraska with his famil}', traveling via rail to St. Joseph, and tlience on the Missouri River to Ne- braska City, where he was met by Elder Young, an old friend. They then started for their destination in the vehicles that the Elder had provided, Mr. Carter accompanying Mr. Youug in a wagon drawn by a 3'oke of oxen, and Mrs. Carter driving with Mrs. Young in the buggy, drawn by a pair of horses. A little adventure befell the occupants of the buggy, which very fortunately did not prove to be very serious. Mrs. Young was not as well ac- quainted with the road as she thought, and lost the w.a}'. To make matters worse, the ponies became unman.ageable, ran away, and left both ladies on the prairie seven miles from any house. Fortunately a man who was seeking work came along and capt- ured the ponies, and then drove them to their destination. Mr. Carter took up a claim of Govern- ment land, now included within the cit_v limits, Lincoln not having then been laid out, and thus it has been his privilege to watch its growth, and to aid other pioneei"s in its upbuilding. He built a f i -4«- ^•^K-* LANCASTER COUNTY. 757 log house covered with dirt to shelter his famil}', and then activel3' set to work to improve a farm from the virgin prairie. He had three yoiies of oxen, but no horses, with which to do all hismaritet- ing and farm work. Lancaster County was then very sparsely settled, and the nearest market and depot for supplies forsonie time was Nebraska City, and Ashland, twenty-five miles distant, was the nearest milling point. Deer, anteloiie and other wild anim.als were plentiful, and roamed over the site of Lincoln, and Indians used to pass bj' the cabin of our subject to and from their hunting-grounds. At the present day, looking over the grand city that has arisen on these broad Nebraska prairies, with its magnificent buildings and other evidences of a iiigh civilization on every hand, one can scarcely realize that little more than a quarter of a century ago the ver}' land on which it stands was in an almost complete state of nature, with no indica- tions that a great metropolis was to be built up thereon by the persistent energy and enterprise of man. Mr. Carter, with characteristic foresight and sound judgment, took advantage of the great changes that have been going on, and sold all the land that once comprised his farm, and then made judicious investments of his money in other city property, so that he is now a wealthy man. Mr. Carter was married, in January-, 1845, to Miss Elizabeth Chapman, who was born in West Virginia, twelve miles from the city of Clarksburg, in 182(5. Her father, Thomas Chapman, moved to Ohio in 1833, the removal being made with horses and wagons. He settled in Sandusky County, and be- came identified with its pioneers. Three years later he moved to Champaign County, Ohio, and lived there two or three years. After that he went to Union County, in the same State, and spent the remainder of his life there, buying a tract of timber land near the town of Essex. The maiden name of his wife, mother of Mrs. Carter, was Hannah White. She was a native of Virginia, and spent her last years in Union County, Ohio. Mrs. Carter is an admirable housewife, as she resided with her par- ents until her marriage, and was carefully instructed by her mother in all household duties, including a knowledge of spinning, weaving and knitting. Her happy wedded life with our subject has been blessed 4* by the birth of ten children, as follows: Alice James, Thomas, Jane, John, Jesse, Mary, Nora, Lulu and Rosa. Thomas and Mary died 3'oung. James bravely sacrificed his life for his country, being a soldier in an Ohio regiment in tlie late war, and dying while in the service. John met his death by a railway accident. Mr. and Mrs. Carter are true Christians, none are before them in good works and charitable deeds, and they devote much of their time to enhance the good of others. Thus they have inspired true respect in the hearts of those about them. Mr. Carter has always taken a strong interest in politics ; was a Democrat in his early j'ears, then became a Free-Soiler, but he was afterward one of the first to join the Republican parly when it was organized, and he was identified with that party for years, but is now identified with tlie Prohibition party, of which he has been a member since the day of his conversion. RS. ESTHER L. WARNER came to Ne- braska in 18G4, while it was still a Terri- tory and an unliroken prairie. There are few phases of pioneer life with which she is not entirely familiar, having enduied hardship, priva- tion, and the toils and sacrifices which those must undergo who take upon themselves the task of building up a homestead from the wilderness. After the lapse of twenty-four years she sees around lier a well-developed country, the once wild prairie being now transformed into valuable home- steads, and the possessors in the enjoyment of those comforts and pleasures which are the attendants of modern life. The changes which have been effected were brought about by those who came here armed simply with their strong hands and brave hearts, most of them without other resources, and to whose perseverance and industry are due the happiness and ease of the later generation. Too much credit cannot be given to those who thus labored for themselves and their children, an;TY. Ix'autiful (leer and graceful antelope come down, gratefully to ili-ink of its cooling waters, after wliicii it escapes though the quiet anil sedate town of Bake- well, and passes on its wa\-. The father of the subject of this sketch was born in the beautiful district al)0ve referred to. on tiie 27th of Januarj'. 1808. In the schools of his native dis- trict he received his education. That most impor- tant work completed he went to work on a farm and .•dso engaged in mining, until he reached the age of twenty-two, when he came to the United States. lie first settled in Pottsville, Pa. In this place both he and his father went to work at the mines, and silently became overseers, and continued for three years. Then they removed to (ialena. III. The journey was undertaken with some knowledge of the dilHculties to lie encountered. A wagon and two horses were procured, and into this their belong- ings were i)Iaced and the journey commenced. D.ay after <\n\ they continueil with their faces toward the setting sun, meeting trials, bearing hardshlpsi and 3'et withal bearing a light heart and brave spirit; at night they had tlieir choice of shelter, and could take their rest in the basement of their traveling house, <)r sleep under the wagon ; or they could retire to the u|)per storj- and repose in the wagon bed itself, or. lastl}', slumber under the canop3' of the starrj- heavens. After several weeks spent in this way the}' reached their destination. When it is remembered that the events above described occurred in the year 1833, it will |)lainly be seen that the famil}' had entered upon the life of advanced pioneers. After prospecting, a tract of land was taken up but one mile from Galena, and this continued to be tlieir home until the year 1 877, when the removal was made to Nebraska. While at Ga- lena. Mr. Marsden was engaged in snpplj-ing the city with milk. He was the owner of over 100 very fine cows, which enaliled him to carry on suc- ci'ssfiilly quite an extensive dairy, as the population of the eit}' increased, lie was also the owner of a one-third interest in the lead mines, situated about four miles from the cit}". After managing that priiperty for about twenty years, he bought an in- terest ill seven lead mines, in what was at tliat time called New California, of which he wis Superin- tendent, lie was one of the few who were uiiques- tionabh' successful in operating mines, and did more, perhaps, than any one man for the development of the mines in his district. In the year 1887 Mr. Marsden put his city prop- erty, farm, mines, and 800 acres of land in Ifiwa in the market, and having sold thero to advantage, came to Nebraska, jjurchased 800 acres of land in Red Cloud, and the section of land owned b}' his son in this township. Mr. Marsden makes his home in Red Cloud, where he has a very pleasantly situated home. He is one of the most prominent stock-raisers, and although well advanced in years still enjoj's re- markably good health, and is receiving the benefit of his fortune, ever}- dollar of which has come to him as the result of his own efforts, enterprise and intelligence. He was married in England, about the year 1829, to Miss .Sarah Gregory, and to them were born nine children, of whom three are still living: Mary Ann, who is the wife of John Bercs- ford, and resides at Red Cloud; Priscilla Marsden, who is still unmarried ; and George W., our subject. His wife w.as removed by death about 1870. George W. Marsden was born at Galena. Jo Daviess Co., 111., Jan. 11, 1853, and is a graduate of the Galena High School. After school days were over, he, with his brother, worked the father's farm, after which they removed to their present home. The house on section 1 is the property of our sub- ject; it is by far the finest residence for many miles around, and might stand beside some of the city houses without a blush. It isan ideal country resi- dence, 32x40 feet, and if wanting in some modern tricks of architecture, it is not without its excellen- cies, even from a professional staii M ^* ■•► LANCAJ>TKR COUNTY. 707 resilience so exceedingly |)le!isant. Words are in- adequate to do justice to the matter, but the artist in the acconiijani'injj illustintion does much to bring before the mind some of the beauties of this ele- gant home, and it will, we are assured, i:)e welcomed in proportion as it does so. Our subject is still unmarried ; his sister Priscilla has the care of their home, which lies within a half mile of the city lira- its. Mr. Marsden, Sr., is the only member of the family who has filled civic office. When a resident in Galena, he was Assessor for a considerable pe- riod. The farail}' is worthily placed in the front rank of citizens of this county, and commands the highest respect and esteem. Mr. Marsden has a herd of thoroughbred Short-horns, and high-grades. The farm is most elegantly situated in tliC county. Twelve years ago it was purchased for $12 per acre, and now the entire tract could be sold for I? 100 per acre, or $64,000. This illustrates the rapid im- provement of the county. In politics Mr. Marsden is a stanch Republican. --wA>T, *\4fi£j2;©^^^ .^|^3/ZrzrEr»i/.i JOSHUA PERRIN. Among those who came at an early day to the southern part of this count}-, the subject of this biography has occupied no unimportant position. He has carried on farming and milling combined, and by his industry and prudence has accumulated a good proiierty, which he is now permitted to enjoy, sit- ting under his own vine and fig tree, and having about him all the comforts and many of the luxu- ries of life. He ranks among the honored pioneers of Southern Nebraska, and has built up one of its most desirable homesteads, working up from first principles and struggling with the soil in its earliest stages of cultivation. As President of the Roca Roller Milling Com- pany, the name of Mr. Perrin is widely and favor- ably known throughout Saltillo Precinct and the vicinity, these mills gathering in the bulk of the patronage from the people in the southern part of the county. The farm proi)erty of our subject is located on section 9, with good buildings, improved farm machinery, and all the appurtenances for the prosecution of agriculture after the most approved methods. As a homestead it is all that could be desired in point of health, comfort and convenience, with its pure air, and fertile fields yielding for the sustenance of man those products which conduce to health of body and of mind alike. The history of Mr. Perrin is one of more than ordinary interest, he being the offspring of an ex- cellent oldfarail}' who have been represented in the Keystone State for three generations, and who trace their ancestry to Germanj'. Amos and Elizabeth (Bennett) Perrin, the parents of our subject, were natives respectively of Alleghany County, Md., and Bedford County, Pa. The paternal great-grand- father was Thomas Perrin, who, upon emigrating from the Fatherland, settled near Oldtown, Md., and subsequently served in the French and Indian Wars, being in the Federal service under Gen. Washington and witnessing Braddock's defeat. Later, his son Thomas, the grandfather of our sub- ject, carried a musket in the Revolutionary War. After their marriage the parents of our subject located on a farm in Bedford County, Pa., where the father carried on agriculture successfull}', and accumulate*! a fine property, which, however, he lost, being the victim of misplaced confidence in becoming a bondsman for some of his friends. In 1847, hoping to mend his broken fortune, he left Pennsj'lvania, with his wife and three children, our subject being the youngest, and crossed the Alle- chanies into AVest Virginia, settling about bwelve miles from the city of Wheeling. There he re- mained about one year, then removed to Wood Count}', and commenced farming near Parkersburg. On the 15th of Jul}', 1850, he was seized with chol- era, and in the space of nine hours had breathed his last, at the age of fifty-three years. The mother succeeded in keeping her children together, and our subject remained with her until his marriage. Joshua Perrin was born June 4, 1835, in South- ampton Township, Bedford Co., Pa. At the time of his father's greatest prosperity he was a mere child, too young to ct)mmencc his education in school, and when he might have done this the family was in straightened circumstances, and he consequently was required to make himself useful about the home. In addition to this, upon the re- moval of the family to AVest Virginia the schools -^iW ■► ir^ ^ ^ ■1 "^^ 708 LANCASTER COUNTY. were few and far Ijetweeii, our subject attending one of these institutions onl3- about six months during his entire life. At the time of iiis father's death he was a boj' of fifteen years, and was otiliged to exert himself in assisting to keep the wolf from the door. He rented a farm which he operated for a period of eight j-ears, and then, in 1 858, went into the woods of West Virginia, and l)egan the cslab- lishment of a home of liis own. He put up a log house into ivhich he moved his mother and sisters. and they kept house for him until the time of his marriage. On Christmas Day, 18iJG, Mr. Perrin celebrated the occasion by taking unto himself a wife and lielpmate, Miss Lucinda Deem, who was liorn in that region, and whose parents si)ent their last years there. The young people commenced life together under the roof which our subject had provided, but after the birth of two children Mrs. Peirin died, in 18G1, at the age of twenty-two years. Their eldest daughter, Clarissa, died at the age of seven years; Clarinda grew up and continued with her father until her marriage, being now the wife of Ira P. Mells, of Custer County, this State; she is also the mother of two children — AVilliam .J. and Bernard. Our subject was married the second time in West Virginia, Dec. 29, 1863. to Miss Sarah M., the daughter of Edward R. and Rel)ecca Leach. Mrs. I'errin was the seventh of a family of nine children, and was born March 3, 1839, in Marsiiall County, W. Va., where she received a common-school educa- tion, and continued with her parents until her mar- riage. In 180.5 Mr. Perrin, with his mother, his wife and his children, removed to Jiickson County. Ohio, where he purchased 112 acres of land, and carried on farming for a period of ten years. In 1875 he disposed of his property, and gathering together his family and his personal eflfeots, started for the farther West. He determined to visit South- ern Nebraska, and if he did not like the place, to move on to Oregon. He contemplated, if every- thing was favorable, settling in Lincoln, and being pleased with the looks of the country upon arriving in this county, he purchased 320 acres of land on section 9, in .Saltillo Precinct, from the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company. There being no buildings upon it, he bought a little house and moved it to his premises. This sheltered the fam- ily, they making themselves .is comfortable as pos- sible until they could do better. Our subject now commenced in earnest his strug- gle with the uncultivated soil, and his experience was thiit of many of the other pioneers whose earl}- career in Nebraska h.as received ample recognition in this work. While carrying on the cultivation of his land, he |ilanted an orchard of 100 trees, besides the smaller fruits, and added those other embellish- ments to the homestead upon which the comfort and happiness of their family to such a great extent depended. He put ui)a barn and other out-buildings, as his means justified, enclosed his fields with good fences, and in 1870 erected a very fine frame dwell- ing with a stone basement, and two stories in height. Gr.adually he g.athered a goodly assortmeiit of live stock on his place, cattle, horses and swine, and keeps of the first mentioned usually a herd of about forty head. Mr. Perrin became interested in milling in 1887. In 1887 the mill at Roca was destroyed by fire, and he then purchased a half-interest in the ground upon which it stood, where he erected a fineflouiing-mill, 30x40 feet, and four stories in height, supplying it with a full set of the Short roller system, with a capacity of fifty barrels per day. This machinery was calculated to manufacture the best flour in the world, and approaches verj' nearl}' to what is claimed. The mill when fully completed will prove a valuable addition to the business interests of S.al- tillo Precinct, and due credit is given Mr. Perrin for his enterprise. To our subject and his cstimiable wife there have been born five children, namely: William, Amo.", Frank, Winfield and Charles. T'he eldest son is a young man of more than ordinary' capacities, studi- ous and fond of literature, and is now the editor of the Alliance Argus, in Box Butte County. He acquired an excellent education, lieing graduated from the University of Nebraska with honors in the cl.ass of '87. Amos and Frank are also attend- ing this institution, the former being in the class of '92, and the latter in the class of '93t; he younger sons are at home with their parents. Mr. Perrin is a stanch Rcpulilican, wiili leanings toward Prohibition, and both he and liis wife arc •►Ht?!!r h ^^►Hl--* LANCASTER COUNTY. 7G9 members in goorl standing of the Methorlist Epis- copal Cliurcli at Roca. He has been quite promi- nent in local affairs, liberal and public-spirited, and while on the building committee of the Methodist Episcopal Church, also donated $500 for the erec- tion of the building. "iflAMES B. HALE. The property of this well-to-do farmer of Saltillo Precinct is finely located on section .30, and embraces 280 ,^^^ acres of land which was horaesteaded by his father, in 1 866, while Nebraska was a Territory. The latter, Amos Hale, was a native of St. Lawrence County, N. Y., and the scion of an excellent old family who traced their origin back to Sir Robert, a brother of Sir Matthew Hale, who in years gone by was the Chief Justice of England. The latter was noted for his erudition, gentleness of disposi- tion, and his higii sense of justice, which enabled him to render his decisions in a manner which re- flected honor upon a long and prosperous career. The first representatives of the famil}' in this coun- try crossed the Atlantic about the year 1650. Some of them returned to England in the reign of Charles II. Amos Hale in early manhood was united in mar- riage with a very estimable lady. Miss Mary J. Major, a native of Davis County, Ind., and they settled in Lawrence Countj', where the father fol- lowed his profession of civil engineer and also operated as master mechanic. He was a man of more than ordinary capabilities, and arose to the position of Superintendent of tlie Indianapolis & Madison Railroad, which he held until resolving to seek his fortunes west of the Mississippi. The father of our subject upon securing the land which we have already spoken of commenced at once to make improvements, and at the time of his death five years later, had laid the foundation of a valuable homestead. He rested from his earthly labors .June 6, 1871, at the age of fifty-one j'ears. The mother is still living, and now a resident of Koca, being sixty-eight years old. Their household included nine children, three sons and six daughters, of whom James B., our subject, was the second born. He first opened his eyes to the liglit Oct. 25, 1847, in the town of Springville, Lawrence Co.. Ind. The educational facilities of that time and place were extremely limited, and the boy chiefly learned to ])low and sow and gather in the harvest. He was a young man twenty-four years of age at the time of his father's death, but had already for a j'ear or more been manager of the homestead. On the 25th of January, 1870, he brought a bride beneath its roof, having been married to Miss Lucy A. Sanford, the daughter of an excellent family, whose parents moved from Virginia to Indiana at an early day, and whose father, John C. Sanford, traced his ancestry directly to Gen. George R. Clark, of Virginia. John C. Sanford, the father of Mrs. Ilale, was a farmer by occupation, and was married to Miss Hannah Eads, an own cousin of the celebrated civil engineer, Capt. James B. Eads, of St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Sanford spent his last j'ears in Indiana, dying at the homestead in Davis County, Dec. 1, 1877, at the age of fifty years. The mother is still living there. Mrs. Hale was the eldest of a family of five sons and four daughters, and was born Dec. 19, 1849, in Davis County. Ind. Of her union with our subject there are eight interest- ing children, namely: Robert M., John C, Emma Josephine, Amos IIIx, Eric Edgar, Edith S., Bessie and Stuart Grant. They all continue under the home roof, and will be educated in accordance with the means and position of their parents. The property' of Mr. Hale includes 560 acres of land, with handsome and substantial farm buildings, a tasteful dwelling, good barns, sheds and other outhouses, an orchard of 600 apple trees, the smaller fruits, and all the other appurtenances which go to make up the complete rural home. He is a man liberal and public-spirited, and while a boy became very much interested in political matters. By the reading of Uncle Tom's Cabin he became thor- oughly imbued with anti-slavery doctrines, and from the first was a Lincoln man. At an earlier period he had hurrahed for Gen. John C. Fremont, and since the organization of the Republican part}-, in 1856, has remained one of its stanchest ad- ^ ■► ^ ■1 M » u LANCASTER COUNTY. i licrents. Alllioiigli it is true, having something to begin upon at the outset of his eareer, it has re- quired good jtidgnientand foretliought to loolc after liis propert}' anropertj', and also some of its immediate and i)ictnresque surroundings. Our subject is the offspring of an excellent fam- ily of German extraction, his father being .Solomon (ireenamyre, a native of Mahoning County, Ohio. The mother, who in her girlhood was Miss Marv Best, was a native of the same count}' as her hus- band, where she spent her entire life, and died about 1847. The father later removed to Princeton, Bu- reau Co., 111., wiiere lie was a resident for a period of thirty years. In March, 1887, he came to Lin- coln, this .State, where his death took place about six months afterward, on the Gtli of August. Theparentsof our subject had a family of two sons and six daughters, of whom Amos was the eldest, lie was born in iNIilton, Mahoning Co., Ohio, March 17, 1840, received a good pr.actical education in the common schools, and became familiar with farm pursuits. He lived at home with his parents until twenty-four years old, in the meantime removing with them to Bureau County, III., and from there, in 1880, made his way to this county and rented a tr.act of land on section 34 in Grant Precinct, a jiart of which he subsequently became owner of. While in Illinois be formed the acquaintance of Miss Mar- garet Sisler, and tliej- were married in Princeton, Aug. 25, 1864. The wife of our subject is the daughter of George and Nancy (Perkins) Sisler, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter born near Saratoga Springs, N. Y. After marriage they settled in Bu- reau County, 111., among its earliest pioneers, and there the mother died in 1853. The father is still living in Bureau Count}', residing near Princeton. Their famil}' consisted of four daughters and one son, and Margaret was the second child. She was born near Princeton, June 11, 1845, and continued a member of the i)aiental household until her mar- riage, acquiring a fair education in the common schools, and becoming familiar with all useful do- mestic employments. After the model mother of Scripture, she looks well to the w.".ys of her house- hold and the comfort of her family, and thus fills the adiniralile position of a faithful and praisewor- thy wife and mother. To Mr. and Mrs. Greenam3're there have been born twelve children, one of whom. Maiy, died when three months old, in August, 1869. The eleven surviving are George W., Maggie, Myrtle, Howard, Daisy. Lilly, Solomon, Kittle, Rose, Susie and Harold. The eldest of these is twenty-three 3'ears of age and the youngest one. On the twen- tieth .'inniversar}' of their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Greenamyre received at their beautiful home num- bers of their friends and relatives, and the occasion was made one of general rCjOiciug, during which they received man}' substantial testimonials of the estimation in which the}' are held by the conimunit}'. The extensive business and farming interests of our subject prevent him from mixing ver}' much in political affairs, but he keeps himself posted upon matters of general interest and is a strong sup- porter of Republican principles. Both he and his estimable wife are regular attendants of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. an... g . ; .I. ; .2-^ THOMAS JENKINS. The Buckeye State has produced many remarkable men who have helped to make the history of their country, and in some instances possibly change the course of the ''Stream of time," in regard to some points of local, and even National history-. Among these will doubtless come to mind the name of Chief Jus- tice Wuite, in the judiciary world; Hancock, of military fame, and the beloved James A. Garfield, the dutiful son, earnest scholar, enthusiastic teacher, eloquent preacher, intrepid soldier, able law^-erand martyred President. • It were an honor, indeed, to an}' man to be born in a State where such men have been reared. The subject of this biography is a native of Ohio, and has done his part to the retaining of an honorable name for his State by his life, character and success. Thom.as Jenkins, whose life is here sketched, was born in Miami County, Ohio, Oct. 14, 1829, and is one of the ver}' earl}' settlers of West Oak Precinct, where he owns upon section 21 a beautiful and well-cultivated farm, comprising 160 acres. Our subject is the son of Eli Jenkins, likewise a native of Ohio, where he was born in 1785. The usual institution provided the material for his early in- struction, and after he had finished school he was sent to learn the trade of millwright, which, with n -4«- LANCASTER COUNTY. 779 ir milling, became his principal occupation. Among the worli done by him that may be noterl is the mill at Vermilion River, 111., which was the first mill in that district; another one built by him is that situ- ated between Danville and Eugene. The last mill that he owned and operated, also the work of his own hand, is that between Georgetown, 111., and Perr^-sville, Ind., which continued to be his home until his death, at the age of fiftj'-six, in the 5'ear 1841. He was married to Rutii Mendenhall, and their happiness was greatly enhanced by ten chil- dren, all of whom it was their privilege to see grow up to years of man and womanhood, and of whom three are still living. The wife, mother of our sub- ject, died in the 3'ear 1859, at the home of our subject. Thomas Jenkin-s, the subject of this writing, while still an infant in his mother's arms, accompanied his parents upon their removal to Vermilion County, 111., where they were among the first settlers. Their method of locomotion was somewhat primitive, but at that time quite usual. All their goods were put into two wagons, which the team pulled as best they were able over road and prairie, now smooth and now rough, and thus the journey proceeded, and with its difficulties and dangers, sunshine and shower, brightness and shadow, somewhat suggest- ive of the longer journey, in which we are all par- ticipants, across the level prairie of time, toward that undiscovered country, the other side the River, where, as Dante suggests, there waits a boatman to carry us o'er. In education our subject was somewhat more fortunate than many of liis contemporaries, for he received a practical and somewhat liberal academic education at Georgetown, after he had completed the curriculum in the little log school-house, with its large open fireplace, oiled paper window, slab seats and mud floor. Schooling finished, our sub- ject took up the profession of teaching, and from his recent experience was abtuidantly capable of teaching the young ideas the true method of vege- tating. From this he turned his attention to the trade of wagon-inaker, in company with his brother, and continued at the same until his marriage, in 1855. Our subject was united in marriage on the 12th of July, 1855. Their family circle comprised three children, of whom two grew to years of discretion, Charles and John C; neither of them is married. The maiden name of the wife of our subject was IMartha Caraway, who was born Nov. 17, 1824. in Greenbrier County, W. Va., and was the daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth Caraway. The family removed to Illinois in 1833, their daugh- ter residing with them until her marriage. Mrs. Jenkins was called to leave her husband and family by death on the 6th of August, 1885. For about two years after marriage our subject continued the manufacture of wagons with his brother, then removed to Mattoon, 111., and for a time went on with the same business, but in 18G2 gave his attention to the manufacture of woolen goods at Mattoon, and also at Palestine. In this business he was very successful for a time, but the War of the Rebellion proved quite a blow to his business, and shortly before its close he had to sell out at a loss. In the j'ear 1874 our subject moved West, and came to this farm, which he had purchased two years previously at $6 per acre. This was an en- tirely new departure from the never-ceasing clatter of machinery, and the rush of commercial life; out amid the eternal silence of the wild, unbroken prairie he began his labor; first, in the erection of a sod house, which must suffice the bold pioneer until a more substantial building can be erected. In after days, when the farm had been somewhat improved, when he had reaped the golden reward of the harvest-home, he erected the substantial and withal pretty frame building which is now his home, adding from time to time the other out-build- ings of the farm. Our subject is giving consider- able attention to the department of stock-raising, and is the owner of a very fine herd of Short-horns, and other stock in keeping. Recognizing the worth of our subject as a man and citizen, the people elected him Alderman while a resident of Jlattoon. He has also for nine years been School Director in this place. Mr. Jenkins was recently a candidate for the Legislature upon the Prohibition ticket, and the higli regard in which he is held by the communit3' is most eloquentl}' told in the recorded fact that at the time of the f o»>-l=*: ,t J HO LANCASTER COUNTY. election he reccivefl eveiy vote in his precinct, excepting five. lie lias been the leader of the Pro- hibition party in his .listrict for a long time, and is very energetic in behalf of what he believes to be the right. He and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist Ei)iseopal Church, and Mr. Jen- kins has for several years been the JSundaj'-school Superintendent. ^'AMP:s PENNOCK AVALTON was born in Chester, Meigs Co., Ohio, Dec. 3, 1847, and is the eldest chihl of five born to James 8. (^/' and Clarissa Warner (Cutter) Walton. Mis brother, Ephraim Cutter, was born March 8, 18.51, but died in September of the following j'ear. Will- iam Cutter, the next child, was born April 24, 1854. Another son, Edward Pa3-son, was born Oct. 14, 1855, and died April 18, 18G4. The last child. Luc\' Margaret, was born April 21, 1857, and died June 18, 18C1. James Shoemaker Walton, the father of our sub- ject, was born at Kennett Square, near Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 13, 1817, and was the third of a family of nine children. Plia-be, the eldest, was born Nov. 15, 1812, and has been twice married. Her first husbanent his boyhood days at home. About 1825-30 he re- moved with his father to Ohio and took up his resi- dence in the city of Cincinnati. After learning the carpenter's trade, in which he serveil an apprentice- ship of seven years in Cincinnati, his desire to complete his education and prepare himself to preach the Gospel led him to enter Marietta Col- lege, at Marietta. Ohio. Here it was necessaiy for him to support himself and provide /or the expenses of his education, b^- working at his trade during va- cations, and at sucli times as he could spare from his studies. After completing the classical course in this college he was graduated in the class of '43, receiving the degree of A. M. In order to thoroughlj- [irepare himself for his chosen profession, he entered Lane Theological Seminary at Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he w.as graduated about the 3"ear 1845. Having completed the preparation for his life work, Mr. Walton immediately entered the ministry of the Gospel, and devoted his entire energies to the service of the Master whom beloved, and whose injunction to "preach the Gospel to every creature" he accepted as the guiding motive of his life. He w.as ordained the pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Chester, Meigs Co., Ohio, where he remained several years. From here he removed to Barlow, Washington Co., Ohio, and was the pastor of the Presbyterian Church at that place for some years. From there he moved to Warren, Washington Co., Ohio, and after a pastorate of about five years with the Presbyterian Church there, he removed to Pana, Christian Co.. 111., in the fall of 1858. As pastor of the Presln'terian Church at that place he con- tinued in the ministry until about 1805, when fail- ing health and a partial failure of his hearing made it necessaiy for him to retire from the active service as a minister, in which he had been constantly en- gaged for about twenty years. He then moved onto a farm about two miles from Pana, where he re- sided until his death. Here he devoted himself to farming and fruit culture, but still gave as much time !is his health would |)ermit to the service of churches in the vicinity that were too weak to sup- port a pastor, or to preaching in neighborhoods where there were no churches. While in charge of the church at Pan:i Hev. Wal- ton found many young men and women anxious to secure a better education than could be obtained in the public schools at that time. To meet this de- mand he opened a private .academy, which was conducted most succcssfullv until the failure of ■<*■ »► mMi' ^i^h-*l LANCASTER COUNTY. 7Sl liealtb which caused his letiremeiit from the min- istiy ra.ide it necessaiy to rehnquish this work also. In this enterprise he vvas greatly assisted by his wife, who was a higlily educated lady, and had heen a very successful teacher previous to her marriage. Mis political associations and sympathies were with the Republican party. He admired the keen argu- ments of Abraham Lincoln in favor of equal rights and equal justice for all men, North and South, white and black, and during the Presi(?ential cam- l)aign of 18G0 he drove fiftj' miles to hear Lincoln speak. He was a consistent advocate of anti-slav- ery principles, and his views and utterances on this question were based on a deep-rooted conviction that human slaver}' was wrong and ought to be abolished. Although of Quaker parentage and brought up under Quaker influences, he favoied the vigorous prosecution of the war, and his sympathies and his prayers were always with the armies of the Union and with the men who were striving to save the Nation's life. He was a devoted Christian, a faith- ful jiaslor and a sympathetic friend. In his social and domestic relations he exhibited the spirit of the Great Master whom he served. His death occurred Oct. 1, 1874, at Pana, and his remains were laid to rest in the cemetery near his home, among the friends whom he had served so faithfully and well, and who had learned to love him through the years of his ministrations in the Gospel in their midst. The wife of Rev. J. S. Walton was Miss Clarissa AVarner Cutter, to whom he was married Sept. 8, 1846. She was the youngest child in a family of eleven children. The eldest, Polly, was born in Killingl}', Windham Co., Conn., May 11, 1788, and died while on the journey to the State of Ohio, on the 12th of September, 1795. The second child, Nancy, was born atKillingl}-, Feb. 25, 1790; Charles was also born at Killingly, March 30, 1792, and died of cholera, Maj" 24, 1849, while en route to California; the fourth child, Hesekiah, was born at Killingly, March I'd, 1794, and died while on the journey to Ohio, Aug. 20, 1795. The next two children were born at Waterford, Mary, July 30, 179G, and Daniel Converse, Feb. 20, 1799. The remaining children were born at Warren. Ohio. Sarah, April 17, 1809, and was married, Jan. 20, 1829, to Henry Dawes, wh(jm she still survives; JLinasseh was born July 25, 1810, and died Oct. 2, 1822; AVilliam Barker was born July 12, 1812; Julia Perkins, the tenth child, June 24, 1815. The two last are still living. The youngest child, Cla- rissa Warner, the mother of our subject, was born Oct. 28, 181G, was married, Sept. 8, 1846, to Rev. James S. Walton, and died at Pana, 111., July 8, 1874, followed by her husband within three months. Her father. Judge Ephriam Cutter, was born in Massachusetts, April 13, 1767. He married Leah Atwood, who was the mother of the first six chil- dren in his family. After her decease he mar- ried Sally Parker. In September, 1795, he removed to the new settlement at Marietta, Ohio, where he was prominentl}' connected with public affairs until hisdeath, Jul}' 8, 1853. His father, the great-grand- father of our subject, was the Rev. Manasseh Cut- ter, LL. D., a native of Connecticut, born May 13, 1742, at Thompson, near Killingi}'. This gen- tleman was a lineal descendant of James Cutter, a native of Norfolksliire, England, who came to the Colony of Massachusetts Bay about 1634. Dr. Manasseh Cutter was a Chaplain in the Fed- eral army during the Revolutionary War. After the close of the war, as agent for the Ohio Company, he negotiated the purchase from Congress of the lands northwest of the Ohio River, known as "The Ohio Company's Purchase," ancf "The Scioto Com- pan}''s Purchase," comprising the eastern half of what is now the State of Ohio. In the interest of his associates and their descendants he prepared the sections in the celebrated ordinances of 1787, which forever prohibited slavery in the Northwest Terri. tory. It provided that no person in said Territory should ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments, and also for the setting aside of land in each township for the sup- port 6f public schools, and for a grant of lands for the establishment of a university, and secured their insertion in the ordinance before its passage. From the provision mentioned above has grown our magniBcent public school system, and our flourish- ing State universities. The mother of our subject was educated at the Young Ladies' Seminar}', at Marietta, Ohio. After graduating from this institution she spent some years prior to her marriage in teaching, a portion of ■ ► l l"^ ,t r,s2 LANCASTER COUNTY. tlif time in a Young Ladies' Seniiiiaiy. at Bowling Gieen, Ky. After her inairiage she entered heart- ily into the cliosen life work of her luisbaml. She aided iiiin greatlj' in his duties as a pastor, and by her devoted Christian character and example added much to the efficiencj' of his work as a minister of the Gospel. She was untiring in her efforts to do good through the agency of the various benevolent societies connected witli her church. During the War of the Rebellion her enthusiasm in the work of the Sohliers' Aid Society, at Pana, 111., of which she was the President, caused her to give to it all the time and energ}' she could possibl3- spare from her nian^' other duties, often at a great sacrifice of her own health and strength. But she felt amply repaid for the sacrifice l>y the reports that came back from hosjjital and field, of the suffering alle- viated, the comfort given to the sick and wounded by the supplies and delicacies collected and for- warded through her efforts. She was a woman who made many and strong friends, and her death was mourned by a large circle of friends outside her own family, who felt that they had suffered a personal loss. Her liody was laid away in the cemetery near her home at Pana, where two of her children were already buried, and where her husband was soon after laid beside her. From such a famd}', where noble. Christian princi- ples and [Hirposes controlled both thought and action, our subject came. His early life was spent under the inlluences and in the presence of an exam- ple calculated to inspire in his mind the love of knowledge, the appreciation of a practical Christian life ins|)ired by the spirit of the Great Master, and a patriotic devotion to the princii)les of freedom and equality that lie at the foundation of our Gov- ernment. His earlj' education and preparation for college were under the teaching of his parents. At sixteen years of age he entered college at Marietta, Ohio, and took up the classical course, but OA'ing to poor health and a difliculty with his eyes, which developed rapidly toward the close of bis junior 3'ear, ho was compelled to abandon the remainder of his course. Having spent several of his vacations with engi- neer corps on lailroad work, our subject now se- cureil a position as a roadman in the engineering •4«- " department of the iSLirietta & Cincinnati Railroa'l, when he was sliortl}' after promoted to the position of transitraan. He remained with this compan3' about one year, when he became connected with the Springfield & Illinois .Southeastern Railroad as a division engineer. After serving iu this capacity for about one year in Southern Illinois, he was appointed Chief Engineer of the Northern Division, and in the next year completed the location and most of the construction of that division. He then resigned tliis position and entered the employ of a construction company, and for several j-ears was engaged in the location, construction and operation of railroads for this companj'. In January-. 1875, Mr. Walton came to Lincoln, Neb., on business, and was so well pleased with the country that he decided to give up railroading and locate here, which he did early in the follow- ing spring. Shortl3- after he was appointed Deput}- County Surveyor, and in the fall of 1875 he was elected to the office of Count}' Survej-or, to which position he has been re-elected continuously for fourteen years. This fact speaks more plainly- than words could do his fitness for the position, and the high place he has won in the esteem of his fellow- citizens. In 1 876 he was elected Cit}' Engineer of the city of Lincoln, Neb., and filled this position until 1881, and again from 1882 to 1885. In addi- tion to these duties he has done consiy his community, as being incapable of a mean action, and who is contributing his quota to the moral and financial welfare of his adopted precinct. Tlie marriage of our suliject with Miss Sarah Funkhouser was celebrated at the hume of the bride, in April, 1877, in Rockingham County, Va. Mrs. .S. was a native of the same county as her husband, and the daughter of Joseph and Christina Funk- houser, who were also natives of the Old Dominion and of German ancestry. She is a most estimable lady, and a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while our subject finds religious consolation in the doctrines of the Lutiierans. Her grandfather. Abraham Neff, married Barbara Keagey, both of German ancestry, and na- tives of Shenandoali County, where they died ; he was a physician. AMES KILBURN, a retired farmer and now a resident of the city of Lincoln, has one of the pluasantest homes within its limits, occu- pying No. GIG Sixteenth street. Not being al)ie at once to break off from his lifelong habit of industry, he employs a portion of his time as a dealer in real estate. A New Englander by birth, he be- gan life in the town of Princeton, Mass., Jan. 8, 1819, and is consequently nearing his three score and ten years. He is a lineal descendent of George Kilburn, a renowned personage of the Bay State, who flourished about 1640. Our subject was reared a farmer's boy and re- ceived his education in the common schools. He made good use of his opportunity for learning, and began teaching at the early age of seventeen years. Later, wishing to add to his store of knowledge, he became a student of Phillips' Academy, at Andover, from which he was graduated in 1841. Two j-ears later he engaged .as a traveling salesman for specta- cle lenses and in the pursuance of his duties jour- neyed over a great part of the United Slates, estab- iishiui; agencies. In the raointinic hv kept iumself well posted upon current events, and possessing considerable literary talent, became correspondent of the Boston Emanci/iator. an Abolition paper, with the sentiments of which he was in sympathy. In 1847 young Kilburn left the road and estab- lished himself in business as a manufacturer of all kinds of woodenware, including chairs, balls, etc. The plant and machinery was destroyed by fire in \Hiy2. involving the total loss of bis capital and necessitating his beginning in life again at the foot of the ladder. He now cmigated first to Western Pennsylvania, and then to New York .State in the Interests of a lumber company, with which he was connected four years. The next five ^-ears were spent In farming. He finally crossed the Missis- sippi as agent for the " JJfe of Horace Greely," and canvassed in the interests of this publication four years. Mr. Kilburn. in 18G7, came to this .Stiite as agent for a Wisconsin nursery, and the year following took up a homestead claim in the northern part of Saun- ders County, besides purchasing land adjoining. In this maimer he became the owner of 320 acres, upon which he lived and labored until 18S5, then selling it at the snug sum of $9,500. .Soon afterward he took up his residence in Lincoln, where he embarked in real estate business, purchasing first an entire block, and in less than three months made the hand- some profit of §4,000. He subsequently added to his property, having now 320 acres between the fair ground and O street, in addition to an interast in the Riverside addition of a like amount. Besides this he has some inside lots and one of the finest residences in the city. In 1871 the friends of Mr. Kilburn in the sena- torial district, comprising the counties of Dodge, •Saunders, Washington and Sarpy, elected him to the Constitutional Convention held at Lincoln. In his public life he has steadily kept in view the rights of the common people, and at every oppor- tunitj- cast the weight of his influence in favor of having these rights recognized by law. One of the most important events in the life of our subject w;is his marriage, in 1880, vvith Mrs. Harriet (Burr) Martin, who was born in Norfolk, Conn., in 1838, and was educated in Poughkeepsie, X. Y. Mr. K. is a prominent member of the Con- -U LANCASTER COUNTY. gregational Church, and popular in the social anrl business circles of the city. lie has accumulated a fine property and lives in a manner befitting his means and station. He is a Director of the Ne- braska Savings Bank, which was established in 1886, and in his political preferences an earnest supporter of the Prohibition part}'. ■^OHN FITZGERALD, who is regarded as one of the best financiers of the State of Ne- braska, and in fact of the West, became a resident of the city of Lincoln in 1878, and there is no question that to him is this part of the State greatly indebted for its rapid growth and prosperity. A self-made man in the closest sense of the word, he earl}' in life became practically acquainted with railroad and canal building, having been at an early period in his career engaged in the construction of the Erie Canal in New York State. In this important field of labor which is always con- nected with the growth of any State or Nation, he appears to have been especially adapted. He was naturallj' Civil Engineer enough to know when a bridge or a culvert was properly constructed, and while yet a young man migrated to the West and put into practical application his valuable knowl- edge, which was so easily and thoroughl}' acquired as to have been almost phenominal. Mr. Fitzgerald from the first brought his admira- ble qualities as a financier into requisition, and this formed one of the secrets of his success. Upon crossing the Mississii)pi the project of the Far West- ern railroad found in him a most vigorous and use- ful exponent. He commenced laying his plans upon an extended and progressive scale, and almost invariably conducted them to successful fulfilment. He at once, as rapidly as he was able, formed con- tracts and l)egan his operations. The Lincoln & Northwestern, Brownville & Ft. Kearnej', Atchison & Nebraska and parts of the Burlington & Missouri were projected and carried out by Mr. Fitzgerald, and later he projected and built the line from Ne- meha City to Tecumseh, and another in Iowa from Humeston to Shenandoah, in the southwestern part of the State, jointly for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and the AVabash Companies. He built the Burlington & Missouri into Plattsmouth, and also carried on the western extension of that road. It is impossible within the brief details of a biography to mention half the labor involved and half the de- tails connected with the successful completion of these lines, which now afford a thoroughfare for vast quantities of the produce of Southern Nebraska, and transportation for hundreds of thousands of the traveling public. As a pul)lic benefactor the name of John Fitz- gerald had attained a fame that is little short of National. His temperate judgment and his wise foresight have guided him successfully where other men would have declared the scheme iuqiossible of execution. It is scarcely necessary to say that upon crossing the Mississippi he was welcomed by the people of the Great West, as a most valued accession to this portion of the continent. In Lin- coln he succeeded Amasa Cobb as President of the First National Bank, and was also given this hon- ored and responsible position in connection with the same institution at Plattsmouth. A man of his genius and large ideas could not otherwise than be- come interested in agriculture, and he is identified in both Lancaster and Cass Counties largely with farming operation, is an extensive dealer in cattle, and interested iu stock-raising generally. Con- sidering the labors which he has undergone and the results which he has effected, one would naturally' suppose them the fruits of a long lifetime, but John Fitzgerald is still an individual in his prime. It IS hoped that he may long continue a resident of the great State of Nebraska, both to witness her continued prosperity and add still further to her importance. -wv, -At4Ci2/®-S@"-| |■>*^^5!/^f^f^'»^~ -i/v~~ ^^^EORGE E. BIG FLOW. The real-estate in- Ill <^w) forests of Lancaster County find a lively ^^51 representative in the subject of this sketch, who was quick to discern the o|)portunities opening up for the man of energy and means. If the air which one first breathes has any influence in deter- mining his course in life, Mr. Bigelow was fort- unate from the beginning, as he was born in the * ► i <•• ■► j k ' <• t. ^ii^K^» 792 LANCASTER COUNTY. northeastern part of Ohio, in Portage Count}', June 20, 1851. The offspring of an excellent famii}-, his parents were James H. and Sarali A. (AV'ebb) Bige- low, tlie former a native of Connecticut, and born Feb. 28, 1820. Tlie father of our subject came to Nebraska in March, 1873, and located first in Geneva, Fillmore County, when there was not a house upon the pres- ent site of that now flourishing town. He invested his capital in railroad lands, carried on farming and general mercliandising, and also ofliciated as Post- master. He is still living, hale and heartj', and takes a deep interest in all things of public interest. His wife, the mother of our subject, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1834, and w.as a fit- ting companion for her husliand in all his labors and undertakings, and to-day her hair shows scarcely a silver thread, and her energy is as unabated as when more than fort}' years ago she took up her share of the burdens and responsibilities of a then new coun- trj*. Her mother, the grandmother of our subject, was born in Columbiana Countv, Ohio, and is still living, having now anived at the advanced age of nearly ninety-two j'ears. She is still a smart and intelligent old lady, with hearing and memoiy ver}' good. Her people were what was called Pennsyl- vania Dutch, and she was reared in the Quaker faith, to which she still loyally adheres. Mr. Bigelow's parental family consisted of two children only, our sul)ject and his sister Arlie, who died at the age of two and one-half years. Mr. Bigelow, after leaving the primary school, entered the higher schools at Alliance and Mt. Union, Ohio, attending the college at the latter place. When little past eighteen j-ears of age he was united in marriage with Miss Belle G. Greene, tlie wedding taking i)lace in Gilead, Mich., Sept. 22, I 8G'J. Mrs. Bigelow was born in Branch County, Mich.. Feb. 16, 1S51, and is the daughter of E. C. S. and Maria (Kees) Greene, who were natives of New York State; the father was born near the city of Dunkirk, .Sept. 16, 1825, and is still living, m.ak- ing his home on a farm in Gilead Township, Branch Count\% where he carries on agriculture e.\tensively and takes a lively interest in political affairs, being a stanch Republican. The mother, who was born Feb. 15, 1831, rlied when a young woman, at the age of twenty-nine j-ears, leaving two children — - Belle and her sister Anna; the latter died in Gilead at the age of twelve years. Mr. Greene contracted a second marriage, with Miss Lydia Thurston, some three years after the decease of his first wife. Mr. and Jlrs. Bigelow began the jouruev of life together in Ohio. They became the parents of six children, two of whom, Garfield and Blanche, died in infanc}'. Three years ago they were called to mourn the less of their eldest child, Maude, a beau- tiful girl just entering her fourteenth j'ear, she hav- ing died of typhoid fever. She possessed artistic talent to a wonderful degree in cme so young and was an advanced student and thinker. Venice, a bright miss of thirteen j'ears, seems to have been rarely gifted as an clecutionist, her power of ora- tion being really wonderful in one so j'oung. The others living are Errett and George C. Mr. Bige- low h.as been quite iHominent in politics, and in 1884 was made the candidate of the Prohibition party for Secretary of State. In 1886 he was again placed upon the ticket of this party as candidate for Congress from the First District, and although de- feated as he expected, made a lively canvass and secured man}' additional .adherents to his part}'. Both he and his estimable wife are members in good standing of the Christian Church, with which they have been identified for many years. The property of Mr. Bigelow includes 480 acres of land, three and one-half miles southwest of the city, and a half-section on what is called Lincoln Heights besides his residence and property within the corporate limits. It is hardly necessary to say that in politics he is a Prohibitionist. Mrs. B. is in sympathy with her husband on the question of temperance, and in October, 1887^ was elected Superintendent of the State Department of Foreign Missions for the W. C. T. U., of which she is also Corresponding Secretary. She has canvassed the State in the interest of Woman Suffrage and Pro- hibition combined. She attended the National Prohibition Convention at Indianapolis, Ind., in May, 1888, and for some time has been State Super- intendent of the Sunday-school of the Christian Church. Mr. Bigelow proposes to build a fine resi- dence on Lincoln Heights in the near future, and being a man with ample means at command, it is •► LANCASTER COUNTY. 793 probable tliat the iiroposerl structure will be fully in keeping with the reputation of that part of the city which is destined to form one of its finest resi- dence jiortions. In the fall of 1888 (the present year) he has received the nomination for Governor on the Prohibition ticket, and is making an active canvass of the State in the interests of his party. ANIEL DERIEG. a well-known farmer of Mills Precinct, is comfortably located on section 17. He came to this county in 1877, purchased 160 acres of land at S8 per acre, and moved upon it the following 3'ear. There was groat room for improvement, and Mr. D. has taken full advantage of the situation to build up a com- fortable homestead, having now a substantial roof- tree over his head, and adjacent the structures required for the storing of grain and the shelter of stock. Of the latter he makes a specialty', raising each 3'ear numbers of cattle and swine, which mostly consume the grain raised upon the farm. In noting the successful career of the well-to- do citizen the mind naturally reverts to his anteced- ants. Our subject was boen May 1, 1836, and is the son of James Derieg, a native of County Sligo, Ireland, who was born in 1808. The latter emi- grated first to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and thence in 1865, to Kane County, 111.; he followed farming all his life. In early manhood he married Miss Ilannuh McDow, the wedding taking place in New Brunswick. The mother was born in 1824, and died June 20, 1884, at the age of sixt^' years. James Derieg survived his wife four years, his death taking place Maj' 18, 1888. The parental household included fourteen children, ten sons a,nd four daughters, thirteen of whom are living, and all in the United States. Michael is farming in the vicinity of Kearnej', this State: Daniel, our subject, is next to the eldest living; James is in the lumber bn. ► m"^ ,t 7!) 6 LANCASTER COUNTY. Mr. Hyde opened a real estate office, and in .June, when the sale of lots took place, he had charge of it. Tiie land was owned by the State and the set- tlers who had taken homesteads or made claims donated a part of their po.-ses>ions and exchanged for other lan''~ cjiise liy. as an inducement to the Commissionci.- to locate there. The sale was a great success, the lots going at what seemed a very high price. Some of those residence lots have since sold at $3,000. This sale was attended by repre- sentative men from difterent .States in tiie East. Building at once commenced, and emigrants |K)uring in settled on the Government land in the surrounding country. In 1 873, however, appeared the Uocky Mountain Locust, or grasshopper, and during that j'ear and the next almost totally de- stroyed ever3- evidence of vegetation. Even worm- wood, tansy and onions were devoured by them, and cornstalks were strip])ed as clean as a contribu- tion box. Their sta)', Ixjwever. was short, although the devastation was complete, and the city of Lin- coln suffered in common with the country around, the farmers having nothing to sell. Emigration stopped for a time and real-estate business was sus- pended. Mr. Hyde, in the meantime, had spent the greater part of his time at Sterling, 111., but in 1878 he again took up his residence in Lincoln. He first started the iJfiihj Eceninrj Neirs, and soon after the Lancaster Neirs, a weekly paper. In 1887 a .stock company was formed and given tin; name of the News Printing Company, of which Mr. Hyde was chosen President. He also, in 1878, established the Real Estate Journal, wiiich was devoted to the interests of State and railroad lands, as well as land owned by private individuals. The marriage of Thomas II. Hyde ami Miss Rachel L. Billiard was celebrated Oct. 24, 1850. Mrs. Hyde was born in Bethel, Vt..and is the daugh- ter of Rev. A. T. and Lj'dia BuUard. Of her union witli C)ur suliject there are three children living — Edward, Jennie and Nellie. Mr. Hyde in earh- life belonged to the old Whig l)arty, and east his first Presidential vote for Gen. Winfleld .Scott. I'pon the abandonment of the old part^- he allied himself with the Republicans, with whom he has »inec laluired ami voted. O^ELSON WESTOVER, well known to many ' of thejesidents of the city of Lincoln, es- , . talilished himself within its limits when it was but a village, in 1 870. He was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada. July 22. 1853, and is the son of Amasa H. and Ann Westover, who came to the States ami settled In Dubuque, Iowa, when their son Nelson was but three years old. From Dubuque two months later they removed to iJela- ware, where the educ:itiou of our subject l)egnn in the district school. At the same time he assisted his mother in her housework, learning to do all kinds of this, including spinning and weaving. He later attended the High School at Monticello. Young Westover later in life learned the trade of brickmaking in .Monlicello, and soon after his ar- rival in Lincoln was employeS74 Mr. Westover resumed his residence in Nebraska, and during the winter fol- lowing attended and taught school in Lancaster County, and for a year thereafter had the manage- ment of his father's farm. He then purchased a lot on N street, between Ninth and Tenth streets, upon which stood a small frame building with a forge in it. Mr. W. formed a partnership with a Mr. Fisher, a practical blacksniilli, and under his instruction commenced to learn the trade. The business of the firm increased rapidly, and in order to accomuiodate their steadily growing patronage, they erected a commodious brick buihling, wjiercin thev have since operated to excellent advantage. Mr. Westover, in April, lf<.sJ, purchased a lieau- tiful home three and one-half miles west of the city, where lie now resi*^f^^ ^ ^»~^ l l M* INDEX. Gray, Dennis H 617 Greenamyre, A 772 Griffin, Lewis 687 GrifFin, Samuel S azi Griggsby, Thomas 794 Griswold, N. W 750 Oiilick, William D 594 Gumaer, Charles L 537 H Haack, Henry 532 Haas, John E 755 Haase, Frederick. . . 657 Haggerty, Judson 762 Haight.F. E 377 Hale, J. B 769 Hall, Luke 525 Hallett, E 211 Halter, A 395 Hanenkamp, Henry 203 Hardy, H. \V 636 Hardy, W. E 753 Harley, John 741 Harines , J J 464 Harris. U. H 260 Harris, Walter J 499 Harrison, William Henry 51 Hartz, J - C 223 Hartz, W. li ..257 Haitzell. Edwin 592 Harwoo'l, Nathan S 159 Hathaway, Hon. H. D 475 Hawkins, Thomas G .311 Hay, John F 322 Hayden.John F 310 Hayes, Rutherford 13 91 Hayes, W. D 563 Headrick, G. W 395 Healy, Edward •. .. .492 Hcddleson, W. C 675 Hedges, William 355 Heideckcr, August .676 Hcidenreich, Charles A 297 Heilman, Jeremiah 256 Hflmcr, Louis 234 HcnkeL Henry 406 Herd man, Charles E 369 Hermancc, John L. ... 573 Hcrpolsheimer, Charles 296 Herpolshcimer, Frederick... 512 Hcrtcr, Abraham 479 Hickman, Rev. C. H 287 Hi! Her, T 727 Hitchcock, Prof. Henry £....201 Hoagland, H. V 452 Hoclihcim, Henry 490 Hoffstradt, F. N 711 Hogc, Walter 583 Hoi 1 man n, H- 584 Holmes, L. K 612 Homer, Peter 765 Hoover, Ur. A. L 596 Horn, Theodore 514 Horn. W. R 333 Hornung,Mrs- Louisa 6it Hotchkiss, C. C 229 H o V e y , F . A 259 •^•^ Howard, Douglas 280 Huddleston, Thomas 531 Hudson. E. T 726 Hudson, T . J 411 Huizenga, Rev. John 454 Hyde, E. B 637 Hyde, T. H 795 Hycrs, R. W 571 Imhoff, J. J 658 Ivers, J. W 748 I vers, L. G 225 Jackson, Andrew 43 Jackson, David 306 Jackson, Elliott K 663 Jacoby, S. R 728 Jefferson, Ihomas 27 JeflTery, John 241 Jenkins, Thomas 778 Jensen, N. P 253 Jessup, Mrs. S. A 183 Jewett, CD 731 Johnson, Andrew 83 Johnson, Henrj- 584 Johnson, Isaac 274 Jones, J. J 602 Jones, M. E., M. D 581 Jones, W.W.W 744 K Kelly, Daniel 518 Kemper, H. K 389 Kettelhut. John C ....664 Keys, W. E 234 Kilburn, James 790 Ktlroy, M .. 667 King, A. D 543 King, George.. 652 King, L. B 668 King, Or man J 7:9 Kling, (jcorge 270 Koebler, Frederick 189 Kcllostcr, Mrs. Sophia 263 Korsmcyer, F. A 762 Kramer. Henry 328 Krcugcr, Lewis 705 Krusc, John 517 Kuhlman, J . F 759 Lahm, Jacob 434 Lahmeicr, John H 27a Lamb. O . S. . 497 Lambertson, G. M 695 Lamborn , d J 386 Lane, Hon. George B 731 Laniz, J. P 195 Larsh, W. P ,5, La It u re, David 535 Lauterbach, Adam 481 Lauterbach, Edward 480 Lcavitt, L. G 621 Lee, G. W 279 Lemke, Karl 310 Leonard, I.N 622 Lidolph, Charles 1 236 Liesveld, Hon. H.J 320 Lillibridge, I>. R 717 Lincoln, Abraham 79 Loder, John P 261 Longstreet, P. E 205 Long ton, George 521 Loos, (ieorge P 517 Lownes, J - Russell 443 Lucke, August 442 Lucke, Frederick 683 M Madison, James 31 Magec, J. B 415 Mahan,J.C 385 Main, J . N 723 Markle, V. A 670 Marquett, T. M 145 Marsden, G. W 765 Marshall, Edward 527 Martin, Casper. 230 Martin, Charles M 175 Martin, John 720 Martin, I'homas 656 May, Herman ... C94 McBride, J. C 648 McCargar, J . C 231 McCartney, Robert 242 McClay, Samuel 471 McConncll. J. L 453 McDeviit, Robert 510 McDivitt, A 501 McEachran. Angus 469 McKinnon, Milton 738 McNabb. James A 553 Mclick, N. E 631 MeIick,S.M 233 Menlovc, John W 528 Meyer, August 339 Meyer, Henry 301 Meyer, John J 485 Meyer, Louie .446 Meyer, Louis C 503 Miller. Theodore C 550 Mingcs, John 363 Mitchell, H. F 680 Moffett. R. H 752 Monroe. James 35 Montgomery, D '. . . . 465 Morphet, Thomas M 226 Morrison, John 423 Morrison, W. B 244 Molt, E. E 777 Muller, J. G 564 Mulvane, J. D 374 Miindorff, Benjamin F 548 Mundi, Fritz yijj Musseiter, J. W 3,8 Myers, James M 215 Myers, Jonathan 455 N Nance, Albinus 123 Norcross, William P 642 o Olney, William C 654 Osborn. Medad 291 Osiran, Peter 317 Outt, William H 340 Oxley, M. S 381 Park, Simon D 259 Parker, C. M 239 Payne, Joseph L 641 Peart, James 515 Penn, H. M 383 Perrin. J .767 Peter, George 424 Peter, Jacob 426 Peter, Michael 473 Philpott, James E 465 PickeU Robert 364 Pierce, Charles A 565 Pierce, Franklin 71 Pierce, Maj. C. VV 255 Picrson, Isaac 376 Pitcher, Charles D 383 Plank, Jacob 561 Poehler, G. H 678 Polk, James K 59 Policy, Hiram 349 Porter, J. L 429 Pottinger, Charles 425 Pound, S. B 433 Prey, D. E 579 Prey, George W 415 Prey, John W 249 Q Quick, William 410 R Raucb, John H 254 Ransch, Christel 494 Reddish, Adelbert W 513 Reed, W. M 435 Reeves, H. M 402 Reitz. Jonathan 416 Rcller, Henry C 194 - ► U ^> 4 •^- INDEX. ^i^h-* Retzlaflf, C. F Z15 Reynolds, Thomas M . S 360 Rhykert, E. W 273 Rickard, I. F 327 Ring. J. H 570 Rippen, Gerhard 293 Robertson, G. D 397 Rocke, Jacob 614 Rocke, Joseph 441 Rohman. Phillip 56f> Roose, F. P 742 Rowerdink, William 644 Rudolf, A. C 704 Ruliffson, VV 398 Rump, Anthony 336 s Schaal, Henry 432 Schamp, Peter S 268 Schmale, W. H 356 Schmidt, John 542 Schmutie, Henry -643 Schwab, S. S 463 Schwart, Ulrich 335 Severjn, August F 532 Sever in, F. Charles 294 Severin, J. H 698 Severin, JohnC.,Jr 396 Sewell, Capt. Thomas 73a Shane, Elles 547 Sheldon, H 426 Shot well, J. E 647 Sieck, Henry 520 Simmons, Rev. Henry 365 Sipp, Andrew 689 Sizer, E. R 569 Skinner, George B 785 Slawson, Earl B 725 Smith, Adam R -697 Smith, Benjamin F 519 Smith, H. C 188 Snell, Hon- Levi 246 Snelling, W. H 482 Snyder, Simeon 787 South wick, J. G 298 Spellman, Frank S 309 Spellman, H. C 508 Spencer, J. A 294 States, Mrs. Eliza 368 Steele, Andrew J 263 Steele, Nelson 300 Steffens, J. B 744 Stein, Henry 688 Stein, J. J 775 Stephen, G. B 744 Sterns, Calvin 699 Stevens, Charles D 50* Stewart, Asa 332 Stocking, D. A.. 580 Stocking, William 626 Stockwell, Joseph E 554 St re low, Frederick 526 Strickland, C O, 628 Strockey, Frederick A 435 Stuart, A. P. S 353 Stubblefield, W. H 393 Stutheit, Cornelius H 399 Stutheit, H. W ■ 338 Stutheit, William F 570 Sudduth, P. H 5JI Sullivan, Eugene F 493 Sutton, William H 585 Swisher, J. H 789 Temple, John S 730 Te Selle, Herman J 560 Thayer, JohnM 131 Thompson. John . 710 Thompson, John C 703 Tiger, J.N 423 Tilman, J. W 645 Tilman,S. W 690 Timmermeier, Joseph 3S6 Tou Velle, Dr. A. R 483 Tower, Myron 589 Trompen, J.J 582 Tyler, John 55 u Unangst, J. S. Uphoff, E. M. ■378 ■747 Talbot, Peter... . Taylor, Zachary. .401 ..63 Van Ruren, Martin 47 Van Campen, James 337 Vanderlip, J. E 576 Vaughan. S. H . D . . . 420 w Wait, E. O 618 Walker, Samuel 400 Wallingford, J. A .753 Wailingford, Richard 700 Walsh, H.J Walton, J. P 7S0 Wal voord, W 456 Ward, J. T 329 Warner, Mrs. F, . L 757 Warnes, Edward . ...693 Warnke, John 384 Washington, George 19 Watkins, Albert 1172 Watson, John 156 Waugh, Joseph W 530 Webster, J. R... 606 Wells, Zachariah 607 Welsh, James H 363 Wessel,C 470 Westcott, J. H 400 Westover, Nelson 796 Wettstruck, Julius H ...30I Whilock, S. W 655 Widdifield, A. W 174 Willard, Hon. C. H 277 Willi.Tms, Anson S 509 Will man, Lewis 419 Wilson. A.G 662 Wilson, H. H 449 Wilterd ink, William 522 Wismer, Cornelius 372 Wolfe, Hon. J. V 673 Wong, Lewis 413 W'oods, Jerry D 677 Woodward, William H 391 Worrall, Isaac 594 Young, A. J.... 481 Young, Edward 208 Young, E. K 164 -. A, n^?' A^^^ ^■®H!lB>-$^^ Adams, John 22 Adams, John Q 38 Arthur, C. A 98 Babcock, H. A 506 Bingham, S. P 314 B rai ne rd , H . A 665 Buchanan. James 74 Butler, David no Cleveland, S. G rover 102 Converse. J. N 168 Converse, Mrs. J. N 169 Dawes, J. W 126 Fillmore. Millard 66 Fischer, Barbara K 468 Fischer, George L 468 -<• Foster, William H 650 Furnas. Robert W 114 Garber, Silas 118 Garfield, James A 94 Grant, Ulysses S .86 Hall. Luke 524 Harrison, William Henry 50 Harwood, N. S 158 Hayes, Rutherford R 90 H itch cock , H . E 200 Hornung, Casper ...610 Jackson, Andrew 42 Jefferson, Thomas .. ..26 Johnson, Andrew 82 Jones, J- J 603 Lincoln, Abraham 78 Madison, James 50 Marquelt, T. M 144 Melick, N. E 630 Monroe, James 34 Nance, Albmus 122 Parker, C. M 238 Pierce, Franklin 70 Polk. James K 58 Porter, J. L 428 Shane, Elles 546 Sizer, E. R 568 Skinner, G. B 784 Stuart, A. P. S 352 Taylor. Zachary 62 Thayer, J. M 130 Tower, Myron 588 Tyler, John 54 Van Buren, Martin 46 Vanderlip, J. E 577 Wallingford. R 701 Warnes, Edward 692 Wash ington , George 18 Westcott. J. H 408 Willard, Hon.C. H 276 Wilson, H.H 448 Wolfe. J. V 672 Woodward, W. H 390 -4^ ■•► INDEX. Abljoit, James B ... 707 Albcrs. Henry, Jr 247 Ames, W. H 303 Andrcss, Leon G 209 Andrus, E. H 714 Uainbridge, George 285 Baker, R. E 209 Ilarrett, Thomas 285 Bergmann, Carl 487 Bciryman, Fied 247 Hicrsicdt.J. H 371 Bingham, S. P 323 Blanchard, C. E 3^3 Bowers. 1). W 341 Ktihmann, H. J 371 Burcham, H 457 Cnnnn, T. K 341 Converse. J. N 180-181 Deahl, C. F 539 Dcahl. George W 265 Deahl, J. A 539 Dittmer Bros 639 Eager, A 437 Egger, Albert 247 Fowlie, W. J 477 Freye, Elnorah 707 Fuson, H . C 437 Garland, George 659 Glover, E. B 265 Grccnamyre, Amos 773 Hale, James B 714 Harris, D . H 379 Harris, Walter J 303 Hay. J. F 323 Healy, Edward 341 Hertcr, Abraham 477 Homer, Peter 764 Hoover, A. L 597 Holchkiss, Constant C 227 Imhoff, J. J 659 Kcttelhut, John 333 King, A. D 209 King, George 333 King, L. B 487 Kotloster, Mrs. Sophia 379 Lamb. O, S 49S Leavitt, L. G 619 Lindell Hotel 597 Lucke, Frederick 681 Marsden, G.W 764 Martin, John 371 McDevitt, Robert 303 Minges, John 361 Mitchell. H. F 681 Morphec, Thomas M 227 Payne, Joseph L 639 Ra uch , Joh n H 379 Rausch, Christet 495 Reiiz, Jonathan 417 Reynolds, Thomas M. S 361 Severin,A- F ••••533 Severin, F. Charles 417 Stein, J.J 773 Stockwell, J • E 556-557 Temple, J. S 487 Wait, E.O 619 Walvoord, W 457 *^i:^ 4 <*■ ii