USA > Kansas > Nemaha County > History of Nemaha County, Kansas > Part 67
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Mr. and Mrs. Ford are members of the Christian church and take an active part in the affairs of this denomination, of which Mr. Ford is a deacon. He is independent in his political views and casts his vote for the man best suited in his estimation to fill the office regardless of po- litical parties or creeds. He is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen
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RESIDENCE OF BENJAMIN F. FORD.
of America. The review of the life of Mr. and Mrs. Ford shows con- clusively that they have attained to their present state of affluence and comfort mainly through their own combined efforts and can truthfully say that hard work, economical living and self-denial in the early days of their wedded life have enabled them to accumulate a substantial holding of Kansas land. The Fords are well respected and popular among their neighbors and have many friends.
Frank Andrews, farmer and stockman of Washington township, was born October 4, 1860, in Summit county, Ohio, and is a son of Daniel and Fannie (Werster) Andrews, who were the parents of six children, of whom Frank was the third in order of age. Daniel Andrews was born in Northampton, Pa., and became a carpenter and immigrated to Ohio in 1847. After following his trade in Summit county, Ohio, for some years, he became the owner of a farm not far from the city of Akron. When old age came upon him he retired to a home in Akron, where he died in 1907, at the age of seventy-eight years. His wife, Fannie, was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1828, and immigrated to America when fourteen years old. She and Daniel Andrews were mar- ried in 1854. On the maternal side the ancestors of Frank Andrews
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were adherents of the German Lutheran faith ; on the paternal side they were of the German Reformed faith.
Frank Andrews attended the same district school which another Nemaha county man, J. O. Kimmel, attended in Ohio. When he at- tained the age of fifteen years he began working as farm hand at $10 per month. Under his father's instruction he learned the trade of car- penter and followed this trade for three years. Mr. Andrews came West in 1886, and was employed on the construction work of the Chicago & Rock Island railway, which was then heing built through Nemaha county. He was thus employed for two years and in the meantime be- came acquainted with the country, and was much impressed with the farming possibilities of the land in Berwick township. He accordingly rented a tract of land in this township for two years, and then, with his savings invested in eighty acres in section 20, of Berwick township. After improving this farm he sold it in 1902 and invested the proceeds in 173 acres in section 10, Washington township, which has thirty-eight acres of natural timber. Mr. Andrews keeps high grade live stock on his place and is a progressive and enterprising farmer with that go-ahead spirit of endeavor which makes for the successful individual.
He was married May 28, 1890, to Adelaide German, and this mar- riage has been blessed with children as follows: Mrs. Ada Stephens, Kansas City, Kans .; Mrs. Edith Slack, living on a farm near Bern ; Roy A., Paul and Daniel, farming in Nebraska; Lee, Ruth, Franklin, Clar- ence, Ivan and Esther, at home with their parents.
Mrs. Adelaide (German) Andrews was born in Fannin county, Georgia, April 26, 1869, and is a daughter of John and Lydia (Cox) Ger- man, natives of the Southland. John German, her father, was born in 1831, and came to a lamentable death from Indian savagery on the Kan- sas plains in 1874. He left his old home in Georgia with his family and all of his possessions in the spring of 1870, and set out for the Far West via the ox wagon route in search of a homestead. His family consisted of his wife and six daughters and a son. The destination of the family was some point in Colorado, where Mr. German expected to find a home- stead and locate permanently. When the outfit was passing through Logan county, Kansas, they were set upon by a band of nineteen Indians near Monument Station, on the Smoky Hill river, and Mr. German, his wife and two of the girls and a son were killed by the blood-thirsty savages, who, by some miracle of freakish impulse, spared the present Mrs. Andrews, at that time only five years of age, and three sisters, the oldest of whom was seventeen years of age. The mother of Mrs. An- drews was forty-four years old at the time of her lamentable death. The Indians took the children captives, and after keeping them with them for two weeks turned the two youngest adrift on the plains to sub- sist as they might. Soldiers came after the massacre and buried the bodies of the parents and murdered children. For six long and weary weeks the helpless children were left on the plains to subsist as they
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might. At the time of the massacre of her parents, Mrs. Andrews was crying and an Indian was ready to kill her also, but a squaw intervened and saved her life. This squaw protected her and her sisters during their captivity. During the six weeks in which the two German children were alone on the prairies they lived on hackberries and grapes, eked out by scraps picked up from the camps of soldiers. They even pulled up grass and ate the tender parts of the roots. At the end of six weeks they were again picked up and made captives by a band of roving In- dians, but were rescued by a company of soldiers. Mrs. Andrews and her sister, Julia, were sent to Fort Leavenworth and a home was given them by Patrick Corney until they were thirteen years of age. After- ward they made their home with older sisters. Two sisters older than Mrs. Andrews are now living in California, namely : Mrs. Amos Swerd- feger and Mrs. J. A. Brooks.
Mrs. Andrews is a graduate of Sabetha High School, class of 1887. She also spent two years at Kansas State University.
Mr. Andrews is a Democrat in politics and has generally taken an active and influential part in political and civic matters. He has served as justice of the peace in both Berwick and Washington townships, and has also filled the post of constable of Berwick township. He is a mem- ber of the Farmers Union and Ancient Order of United Workmen of Bern.
Earl C. Spring is one of the younger farmers of Washington town- ship, and was born on the farm which he is now managing. He is a son of Charles Frederick and Mary (Koester) Spring, to whom the follow- ing children were born: Earl C., the subject of this review; Gladys, born February 3, 1895: Elvin, born January 1, 1899, and died February 3, 1901; Glenn, born November 8, 1900, and Clyde, born January 22, 1902. Charles Frederick Spring was born on a farm near Bern, Kans., August 10, 1865, and is a son of Jacob and Susan (Wittmer) Spring, the former of whom was born in Switzerland in 1817, and died at Bern, Kans., in 1897; the latter of whom was born in Switzerland in 1824, and died in Portland, Ore., in 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Spring emigrated from Switzerland to America in 1854, and in 1858 they homesteaded a tract of land in Washington township, Nemaha county, Kansas. This was in the early pioneer days of the settlement of Kansas and Indians were numerous in the vicinity of their early home. No trouble was ever anticipated with the red men, however, as Mr. and Mrs. Spring treated their red neighbors kindly. To Jacob and Susan Spring were born the following children: John, living at Colorado Springs, Colo .; Mrs. Kate Lehmann, Portland, Ore .; Gottleib, Cheyenne, Wyo .; Jacob, Bern, Kans .; Charles Frederick, now living at Manhattan, Kans.
Charles F. Spring was reared on the old Spring homestead in Wash- ington township and cultivated his farm successfully until 1915. He then moved to a home at Manhattan, Kans., for the express purpose of educating his children at the splendid State university maintained by the
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State at Manhattan. He owns 249 acres of land, which are in splendid producing shape and are well improved. Mr. Spring is erecting a resi- dence at Manhattan Kans., and will make his future home in that city. His wife, Mary (Koester) Spring, was born on a farm near DuBois, in Pawnee county, Nebraska, March 15, 1872, and is a daughter of Fred- erick (born in llanover, Germany, January 29, 1819, immigrated to America and died at DuBois, Neb., June 4, 1899), and Mary (Stoke) Koester (born in Germany, November 8, 1832, and died at Bern, Kans., March 18, 1908). Their children were as follows: Mrs. Will Kauff- man, Seneca, Kans .; Mrs. Charles Spring, Manhattan, Kans .; Mrs. Henry Koester, Mrs. William Koester, Mrs. Minnie Meier, of DuBois, Neb. Charles F. Spring and Mary Koester were married at DuBois, Neb., October 5. 1892.
Charles F. Spring has generally voted the Republican ticket, and has filled various local offices in Washington township, such as clerk of Eagle Star district school board for twenty-nine years, and also served as justice of the peace. He became a member of the Presbyter- jan Church when thirty-four years old, and Mrs. Spring hecame a mem- ber of that denomination when sixteen years of age. Mr. Spring is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and has filled all offices in the Bern lodge of Pythians, and is a past chancellor commander.
Earl C. Spring was born September 28, 1893, and has always lived on the Spring homestead and, of late years, has had entire charge of his father's farm. He was married August 4, 1915, to Miss Esther Bearg at Sabetha, Kans. Mrs. Earl Spring was born in David City, Neb .. December 19. 1895, and was educated at the Sabetha High School. She prepared herself for the teaching profession by attending the Kan- sas State Normal at Emporia, and taught the school in district 32, the home district of the Spring family. Mr. Spring is an independent Re- publican, and is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen lodge of Bern, Kans. He and Mrs. Spring are members of the Presbyterian church.
George W. Meisner, farmer, Washington township, was born on a farm located on section 31, Berwick township, May 21, 1876, and is a son of Jacob and Susan (Blair) Meisner, whose biographies are written in the sketch of John Meisner, brother of George W. Mr. Meisner was reared on the home farm of the Meisner family in Berwick town- ship, and received his education in the district school of his home neigh- borhood. He remained at home and assisted his father in the cultiva- tion of the home farm until he became of age, then began to make his own way. He rented land from his father and farmed it for six years. He was then enabled to make a purchase of eighty acres in section 22, Washington township. For the past thirteen years, Mr. Meisner has owned his farm, and has spent several hundred dollars on improve- ments. His home cost him $1,000 to build, exclusive of his own labor. and he built an addition to the barn, erected a granary and an auto shed. Mr. Meisner raises wheat, oats and corn on his land, and keeps
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good graded live stock. He has increased his land holdings to a total of 180 acres, and also owns a half interest in a good farm of 157 acres in Rock Creek township, which his father deeded to him and his brother, Jacob, and which is located in section 6 of that township.
Mr. Meisner was married in 1897 to Miss Mattie Frye and two chil- dren have blessed this union, as follows: The first born died in in- fancy; Florence, a graduate of the district school and now a student in the Bern High School, born April 5, 1902. Mrs. Mattie (Frye) Meis- ner was born November 8, 1876, in Switzerland, and is a daughter of John and Matilda Frye, who were the parents of seven children. Mrs. Meisner left her native land, and immigrated to America in 1892. She made her home prior to her marriage in Nemaha county with her sis- ter, Mrs. Feldman.
The Republican party has always had the allegience of Mr. Meis- ner, and he has filled the post of road overseer in his township. He and Mrs. Meisner attend the Evangelical church. Mr. Meisner is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America.
. Frederick N. Bieri is one of the younger successful farmers of Washington township, who has made good in the oldest of avocations. It is good to see the young men of the present day take up the indus- tries followed by their parents, and Mr. Bieri believes that tilling of the soil holds out the best returns to the young men at the present time. Mr. Bieri was born on a farm near Middlebury, Neb., May 6, 1885, and is a son of Nicholas and Anna (Marthaler) Bieri. He is the eldest of nine children born to his parents, all of whom are living. Nicholas Bieri was born in Switzerland in 1848, and emigrated from his native land to America when eighteen years old. He made his first settlement in Tazewell county, Illinois, where he worked as farm lab- orer for .several years, prior to locating in Kansas in 1871. His first settlement was in Washington township, Nemaha county, where he bought forty acres in section 26, tilled this tract until 1882, and then moved to Richardson county, Nebraska. He remained on his farm in Nebraska until 1887, and then returned to Washington township, this county, and invested in 195 acres of land, which he has managed to improve considerably, and which is his present home in Nemaha county. The mother of Frederick Bieri was born in Switzerland, July 4, 1859, and left her native land and came to America in 1883. She first lived at Marysville, Kans., and was married to the senior Bieri shortly after her arrival in Kansas.
Frederick Bieri, the subject of this review, attended school in dis- trict 30, and when twenty-one years of age, was paid wages by his father for assisting him cultivate the home acreage. When he was twenty-three years old, he rented land in Gilman township in partner- ship with his brother, Peter. He rented land until 1913, and then in- vested his carefully hoarded savings in a tract of 120 acres in section 17, Washington township. The farm was formerly owned by his father,
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and had no improvements whatever upon it when Mr. Bieri became the owner. He erected a seven room modern farm residence, painted white, and built a barn 28x52 feet, painted red, and also erected a silo and an tp- to-date chicken house. In fact, this young farmer has one of the most attractive, neat and progressive appearing farms in his neighborhood. He specializes' in White Leghorn chickens and Hampshire hogs, and breeding of fine live stock. He has a nice, growing orchard on the place and shrubbery, which as the years pass, will beautify the sur- roundings.
Mr. Bieri was married to Lillian M. Stoldt, December 28, 1910. They have one child, namely : Florence, born July 6, 1914. Mrs. Bieri was born December 25, 1892, on a farm in Washington township, and is a daughter of Frank and Augustine Stoldt. Mr Bieri is a Repub- lican in politics, and is fraternally allied with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors.
Christ Lortscher, farmer and stockman, Washington township, was born in the canton of Berne, Switzerland, September 19, 1870, and is a son of Christ Lortscher, who, in his native mountain country, wa's a farmer and cabinet maker, following agricultural pursuits in the growing seasons, and in winter seasons, plying his trade of skilled cab- inet maker. The senior Lortscher was born in 1843, and died in March, 1890. He was twice married, his first wife being a Miss Lenher, who bore him three children. His second marriage was with Magdalene Zuber, who bore him six children, three of whom are living. She was born in 1849, and died in her native land in 1889.
Christ Lortscher, the subject of this review, was educated in the splendid schools of his native land, and left home in 1888 to make his way in the world. For the first two years he worked in a dairy at Neuvite, Germany, and in 1890, immigrated to America. He located at Sabetha, Kans., and worked as farm hand for five years on the neigh- borhood farms. He was careful with his savings and very economical, and was enabled to buy eighty acres in Berwick township which he im- proved and sold seven years later. He then bought his present farm of 240 acres in section 4, Washington township, and has added eighty acres to this, now owning a total of 320 acres of excellent land. Mr. Lortscher has good improvements on his place, and has about ten acres of natural timber. His specialty is the breeding of Shorthorn cattle. He is an expert in live stock and, in former years, bought and shipped live stock for the markets.
Mr. Lortscher was married in 1895 to Miss Emma Krusby, who has borne him children as follows: Louis, born January 6, 1899; the second child died in infancy ; Lorene, was born March 12, 1913. The mother of these children was born in Saxony, Germany, May 2, 1873, and immigrated to America in 1892, worked as a domestic at Rochester, N. Y., and later came to Sabetha, Kans., where her marriage with Mr. Lortscher took place. She is a daughter of Frederick and Anna
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(Pesieg) Krusby, natives of Germany. After the death of Mr. Krusby in Germany, the widow and two children came to the United States, where she died.
Mr. Lortscher is an independent in politics, and has served as a member of the school board of his district. He is a member of the Evan- gelical church, and Mrs. Lortscher is a Presbyterian. Few men have accomplished more during the past twenty-six years as a tiller of the soil than Mr. Lortscher has done. America has certainly been kind to him since he came to this country to find and make his fortune. The dreams in which he indulged about America when a youth in his far off native land have come true; and it is undoubtedly true that his success is due to his diligence, careful economy and ambition for which the people of his nationality are noted the world over.
Samuel C. Neff .- From farm hand to becoming owner of a fine farm of 180 acres is the summing up of the career of Samuel C. Neff, during his forty-one years of residence in Nemaha county. This bio- graphical chapter is filled with stories of self made men who came to Kansas from the older States in the East with no capital other than a knowledge of agriculture and a willingness to work hard and save their earnings for the purpose of securing a tract of the rich farm land with which this country abounded in the earlier years of its development, and could be bought cheaply by the homeseekers from all parts of the civilized world.
Samuel C. Neff was born on a farm in Fayette county, Illinois, January II, 1853, and is a son of Samuel and Nancy (Lape) Neff, who were the parents of a large family of ten children, six of whom are living. Samuel Neff, the elder, was born in Darke county, Ohio, in 1819, and became a carpenter in his younger days. After following the carpenter trade for some years, he engaged in farming in Fayette county, Illinois, not far from the city of St. Louis. In 1862, he en- listed for service in the Union army, and enrolled as a member of a company in the Eleventh Illinois infantry, and during one of the engagement in which his regiment participated, he had the misfor- tune to have four fingers of his right hand shot off. He died in 1875. The mother of Samuel C. Neff was born in Darke county, Ohio, and is living at Sandoval, Ill., at the great age of ninety-eight years. In early life, the parents of Mr. Neff were members of the Methodist church, but, in later years, they were affiliated with the United Breth- ren church.
He of whom this review is written learned the carpenter's trade under his father's tutelage, and also became a farmer, a combination of trades which are a decided advantage to man, enabling him to suc- ceed in an agricultural community. He came to Nemaha county, Kansas, in 1875, and worked out as farm hand on farms northeast of Seneca at a wage of $20 per month. He saved his earnings very care- fully, and in 1881 he was enabled to buy an eighty acre tract of raw
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land, which forms the nucleus of his present holdings of 181 acres. At that time there were but few neighbors in his vicinity, and very few set- tlers had built homes near his location. When Mr. Neff wished to go to town and do his trading, he would drive in a bee line across the intervening country to Sabetha. He erected a small house 12 x16 feet in size and kept bachelor's hall for a short time, until he wedded the ยท lady of his choice. The Neff homestead is a well improved place, nicely located in section 16, one half mile from the thriving town of Bern, Kans., and is noted for its graded Durham and Shorthorn cattle and Chester White and Poland China swine.
Mr. Neff was married in April, 1881, to Talitha Tripp, who was born December 29, 1864, in Nemaha county, Nebraska, and is a daugh- ter of Benjamin and Rhoda (DeWitt) Tripp of Ohio. Not long after locating in the West and the birth of Talitha, the parents died, and she then came to the Newton home, located six miles east of Seneca. She became an inmate of this home when eleven years old, and was reared and educated by Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Newton. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Neff: Pruella, wife of J. F. Baum- gartner, Washington township: Mrs. Blanche Gensler, Frankfort, Kans .; Virgil, Republican City, Neb .; Willard, Bern, Kans .; Ralph, at home; Roy, at Bern, Kans .; Mrs. Pearl Emmert, Bern, Kans .; Monta, Ossie, and Teddy, at home; Earl, twin brother of Pearl, dead.
The Republican party has always had the unswerving allegience of Mr. Neff, and he has been a steadfast supporter of Republican prin- ciples and candidates. He filled the office of justice of the peace in his township for eight years, and has been a member of the school board for a similar length of time. Mrs. Neff is a member of the Presbyter- ian church.
Jacob Meisner .- The Meisner family is one of the best and most favorably known families in Nemaha county, and the sons of Jacob and Susan (Blair) Meisner, who were early settlers in this county, have made names and homes for themselves and occupy high places in their respective communities.
One of the younger members of this well known family is Jacob Meisner, Jr., owner of a fine farm in Washington township, and who was born in Berwick township, July 27, 1878. The reader is referred to the biography of John Meisner, his brother, for a record of his parents, given at length. When Jacob, Jr., was nineteen years old he began farm- ing on his own account by renting land from his parents. He rented until 1899, and then bought the quarter section in section 24, which com- prises his home place. He has rebuilt and remodeled practically all of the buildings on the place, and is constantly making improvements, which he deems necessary, to create an attractive and convenient agri- cultural plant such as is his ambition to own.
Mr. Meisner was married in 1898 to Miss Margaret Warren, who was born November 26, 1865, in Switzerland, and left her native land
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with her parents when three years old. The Warren family first located in Missouri and came from that State to Nemaha county, Kansas, where many of their fellow countrymen had located in the vicinity of Bern.
Mr. Meisner is inclined to independence in political matters and does his own thinking and makes up his mind regarding the issues of the day by extensive reading and observation on his own account. He filled the office of treasurer of Washington township, and takes a general and . influential interest in civic matters as affecting his home township and county.
Jacob Wittmer .- The late Jacob Wittmer, of Washington township, was a man of good parts, an industrious citizen and an excellent farmer, who provided well for his family and departed this life to the bourne from which no man returneth, endowed with the respect and good will of his neighbors and friends. His life was spent in accomplishments of material things and he was sincerely mourned as a kind husband and father by those near and dear to him.
Jacob Wittmer, late of Washington township, was born at Berne, Switzerland, December 10, 1850, and was a son of Jacob and Mary (Reisen) Wittmer, who immigrated from their native country in 1850 and located near Elgin, Iowa. The family lived in Illinois until 1886, and then came to Nemaha county, Kansas, and the elder Wittmer bought land near Bern, Nemaha county. Jacob Wittmer became one of the large land owners of this county and departed this life in 1900. His wife died in 1913, aged eighty-six years. The large estate left by Jacob Wittmer was divided among his children.
Jacob Wittmer, the younger, was reared to young manhood in Clayton county, Iowa, and was married in that county in 1876. He left Iowa in 1892 and located on a rented farm near Bern for two years. He then bought the farm in section 17, which his widow now owns. He cultivated his farm very successfully until 1906. Mr. Wittmer was an independent in politics and served as township treasurer and a member of the school board of his district.
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