USA > Nebraska > A Biographical and genealogical history of southeastern Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 6
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May 18, 1885, Mr. Rounds was married at Brownville, Nebraska, to the widow of Daniel McLean. She is a daughter of John and Sarah Jane (Roberts) Stampp, who came to Nebraska from Michigan in 1892 and are now living in Howe, the former having been born in the territory of Michigan in 1832 and the latter in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, in 1838. Daniel McLean was born in Argyleshire, Scotland, January 15, 1851, and died in Tecumseh, Nebraska. He married Mrs. Rounds, July 20, 1877, in Monroe county, Michigan, and their one daughter, Sarah Jane, born November 24, 1878, died when nearly three years old. Mr. and Mrs. Rounds lost their first child, Arthur Lorenzo, born in Michigan, February 28, 1889, and died aged about three years. They have a son, Cecil Thomas Rounds, born July 24, 1902.
Mr. Rounds came from Monroe county, Michigan, to Nebraska in 1890, and in April, 1891, they built the Cottage Hotel on their four lots, and they 'conducted this until May 1, 1903. Mrs. Rounds had about five thousand dollars which she and her former husband had made by hotel-keeping in Tecumseh, Nebraska, where they had the Depot Hotel for five years, and which Mrs. Rounds conducted for five months after her second marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Rounds have built their present comfortable residence, also two tenant houses, and a barn and other buildings. In 1900 they established their meat market and grocery in
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their brick block, and in all their enterprises have made unusual success. Mr. Rounds is a Republican voter, and he and his wife have been mem- bers of the Methodist church. Another member of their household is Mr. George Hinkle, a widower of seventy-six years and with two chil- dren in Auburn. He has been in the store and market for some time, where he has been the right-hand man of Mr. Rounds, and he is one of the favorites about the home, being especially so with the baby boy of Mr. and Mrs. Rounds.
EDWARD H. DORT.
Edward H. Dort, who has the leading drug and book store in Auburn, Nebraska, is one of the representative and highly respected citi- zens of the town. He was born in Harpursville, Broome county, New York, July 17, 1860, and is descended from New England and New York ancestors who were noted for their honesty and industry and some of whom figured prominently in the localities in which they lived. John Luke Dort, his father, also a native of Harpursville, was born March 24, 1823, and died at Rockport, Missouri, August 27, 1872. Grand- father Eli Dort was born and lived and died in Harpursville, the date of his birth being January 14, 1791, and his death August 25, 1857. February 16, 1815, he married Eleanor Farrar, who was born January 24, 1794, and died December 14, 1867. They reared a family of three children, one son and two daughters. The son, John Luke Dort, married Rhoda A. Smith, a native of Coventry, New York, born August 24, 1823, daughter of Clark and Louis (Kelsey) Smith, the former born in Brat- tleboro, Vermont, May 3, 1782, and the latter in Brainbridge, New York, September 20, 1789. Her parents were married at Brainbridge, Novem-
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ber 8, 1807; reared a family of twelve children, and passed their lives as farmers in Chenango county, New York. Grandmother Dort's father Seth Smith, was born August 21, 1736, and passed his life in Grandy, Massachusetts, where he died October 13, 1820. He was a colonel in the Revolutionary war. When the news of the invasion of the British first reached his town it was on Sunday morning and he was in church. Instantly he left the house, mounted his horse and rode all over the town, raising volunteers. The next morning, with his newly raised recruits, he marched about thirty miles, arriving at the scene of action in time to participate in the memorable battle of Bennington. The paternal great- grandfather of our subject was John Dort. He was born February 14, 1767, and died July 11, 1848. He and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Briggs, were the parents of thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters.
John Luke Dort learned the trade of wagon-maker of his father in Harpursville and worked at that trade there until he moved west with his family to Atchison county, Missouri, where they settled on a farm and devoted their time and attention to the improvement and cultivation of the same. Their seven children, all born in New York, were as fol- lows : Mary Elizabeth, wife of Albert F. Bush, was born July 27, 1847, and died in Litchfield, Nebraska, December 24, 1885, leaving four children ; Ella, born January 9, 1852, is the wife of Frank D. Chaffee, of California; James A., born January 22, 1855, is a fruit grower of California, and has a wife, one son and one daughter ; Clark Eli, born in 1858, died May 13, 1872; Edward H .; Louise D., born June 18, 1863, is the wife of Fred Dysart, of Nemaha county, Nebraska, and has one daughter living; and Frank O., born June 9, 1867, is a banker of Med- ford, Oklahoma, and has a wife, one son and four daughters. The widowed mother, now seventy-nine years of age, blind and feeble, resides
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with her daughter, Mrs. Dysart. She has long been a devoted member of the Presbyterian church, as also was her worthy husband.
Edward H. Dort, the fifth born in the above named family, received a common school education in Missouri and Nebraska, and at the age of fourteen years entered the employ of the pioneer druggist, W. H. McCreery, of Brownville, with whom he remained six and a half years, becoming familiar with every detail of the business. From Brownville he went, in the summer of 1880, to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he was a salesman four and a half years. This experience qualified him to engage in business on his own account, and in May, 1885, he came to Auburn and purchased the drug store of Dr. A. S. Holliday. Since that date he has conducted a successful business here. In the spring of 1890 lie suffered loss by fire, his store burning, but he was soon re-estab- lished and better equipped than before the fire. His present location is in a brick building which he erected, thirty by eighty feet in dimensions, two stories and basement, all of which is occupied by his fine line of drugs, books, etc. His residence he built in 1888. It is one of the most attractive homes on one of the well shaded streets of the pretty town of Auburn. Its large grounds, dotted over with shrubbery, and every detail of the surroundings, both exterior and interior, indicate the taste and refinement of the family.
Mr. Dort married, June 7, 1887, in Peru, Nebraska, Miss Florence M. Fisher, a native of Woodford county, Illinois, and a daughter of Lewis and Eliza (Peabody) Fisher, natives of Illinois. They came to Nebraska in 1868, where they lived for a number of years, and whence they went to California, where they are now living retired. Mrs. Dort is one of a family of eight children, two by her father's first marriage and six by the second. She was educated in the State Normal School and previous to her marriage taught school two years. Her union with
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Mr. Dort has been blessed in the birth of three children: Clark L., Edward Nelson and Edith Elizabeth.
Mrs. Dort is a member of the Christian church, while Mr. Dort is a Presbyterian. Politically he is a Republican. For seven years he was a school director in Auburn. Fraternally he is identified with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. Dort is president of the Auburn Mutual Lighting and Power Company, established in 1901, he being promoter and organizer. W. A. Gilmore is vice president, R. C. Boyd treasurer, and G. WV. Thomas secretary.
G. T. BELDING.
G. T. Belding, attorney-at-law at Pawnee City, Nebraska, and one of the prominent men of Pawnee City, settled in this locality in 1870. He was born at Richmond, Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1841, and is a son of Elijah Belding, Jr., who settled in Walworth county in 1836. Elijah Belding was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and was a son of Elijah Belding, Sr., of Massachusetts. The Belding family settled in Massachusetts and Connecticut in 1730. Elijah, Sr., died in Marquette county, Wisconsin, in 1852. His wife bore the maiden name of Miss Pease. Elijah, Jr., was reared and educated in the east and married Mary James, who was a native of Rhode Island and a daughter of Thomas and Dorcas (Perry) James, of Welsh ancestry. Both died in Walworth county, Wisconsin. In politics Elijah Belding, Jr., was first a Whig and later a Republican. Elijah, Jr., died in 1882 and his wife is still living and makes her home in Pawnee City with our subject. She lias attained the venerable age of eighty-one years. She is a member
G. T. BELDING
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of the Baptist church. Eleven children were born to herself and hus- band, namely : G. T .; Mary E., deceased; Emily D., of Delavan, Wis- consin : Eugene M., of Minnesota; Elvira, deceased; Mary E., of St. Paul; Frances H., deceased; Charles F., of St. Charles, Missouri ; Lulu Tumey, who lives at Camden, Arkansas; Bertha, died at the age of six- teen years ; and one who died in infancy.
Mr. G. T. Belding was reared in Walworth county on a farm, where he remained until 1862, and was a school teacher from 1858. He enlisted August 12, 1862, in the Twenty-second Regiment, Wiscon- sin Volunteer Infantry, Company D. serving three years, Colonel Utleys and Captain A. D. Kellam in command. Our subject was attached to the Twentieth Army Corps in General Ward's Third Division, participat- ing in the famous march to the sea. He was mustered out of service at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 29, 1865. Mr. Belding was taken prisoner at Spring Hill, Tennessee, and held twenty-five days in Libby prison. suffering many privations. When he returned to his old home at Del- avan, Wisconsin, he married Miss Cetta M. Jones, of the same place in October, 1865, and for several years remained in the county of his birth.
In 1870 he located at Pawnee City, Nebraska ; was elected county judge in 1879 and for twenty years served as county judge of Pawnee county, since which time he has been engaged in the practice of the law. During his practice he has been the attorney for several estates and served as attorney for various parties outside the state; in all demon- strating his ability and shrewdness as a lawyer. Ever since locating in Pawnee county Mr. Belding has made many friends, and he is justly regarded as one of the leading representatives of the bar of this locality.
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ABRAHAM LINCOLN LAWRENCE.
Abraham Lincoln Lawrence, sheriff of Nemaha county, Nebraska, was born at Brownville, then the county seat of Nemaha county, Decem- ber 25, 1863. Mr. Lawrence's parents were pioneers of Nemaha county, Nebraska, and his grandparents were pioneers of the localities in which they lived. Samuel Lawrence, his grandfather, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, from whence he moved when a young man to Ohio, settling there when that state was nearly all covered with timber. There he cleared and improved several farms. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He mar- ried his own cousin, and they reared three children, namely: John, who died in Marion county, Ohio, leaving two sons and three daughters; Samuel S .; and Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Jacob Easterly, died leaving two children.
Samuel S. Lawrence was born in Adams county, Ohio, October 25, 1826, and in the winter of 1849 or '50 was married in Marion county, that state, to Rosena Moyer, a native of the county in which he was born, the date of her birth being September II, 1827. Her father, Philip Moyer, an Ohio farmer, was thrown from one of his horses and sustained an injury from the effects of which he died, at about the age of forty years. His wife was a Miss Cramer, and they were the parents of five children : Philip, Daniel, Samuel, Sarah and Rosena. They reared their family in Ohio and afterward moved to Iowa, where they spent the rest of their lives and died, Mrs. Moyer reaching the advanced age of ninety-one years. Samuel S. and Rosena Lawrence had a family of children as follows : the first born, a daughter, died in infancy; William, a farmer in Nemaha county, has a wife and one daughter and one son; Philip, the next born, was accidentally scalded to death, at the age of two and a half years; Daniel, who died at the age of eighteen years;
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John A., a farmer in Nemaha county, is married and has three children; Samuel C., also a farmer of Nemaha county, has a wife and three chil- dren: Abraham Lincoln; Valentine, who resides at the home farm in Nemaha county, has a wife and three children; and Rosena, who died at the age of seven years. The parents of this family moved from Ohio to Iowa in 1852 and settled in Jones county on a farm which they purchased and where they lived for a number of years. This farm they traded for a tract of land in Nemaha county, Nebraska, in 1863, and that year moved to this land from Brownville, this county, where they had located the pervious year. Their first two children were born in Ohio, the next four in Iowa, and the rest in Nebraska. And while they reared a large family and reared them well, they at the same time by careful economy and good management accumulated a competency, and to each child they gave eighty acres of land. Here Samuel S. Lawrence died, December 9, 1901, and his wife died March 27, 1903. They were in early life members of the Lutheran church, but later identified themselves with the Cumberland Presbyterian church, of which they were consistent members at time of death.
Abraham Lincoln Lawrence spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, receiving a fair education in the common schools and attending the Brownville school two years. For a short time he taught school for his brother, Samuel C., who was a teacher for a number of years, teaching one school six years. Their father also was at one time a teacher. After his marriage, which event occurred about the time he reached his majority, Mr Lawrence settled on one hundred and sixty acres of his father's land, eighty acres of which he now owns. He owns other land, amounting in all to two hundred and forty-two acres, located three miles west of Brownville. Until he was elected county sheriff in 1901, Mr. Law- rence gave his whole attention to farming, with the exception of one year,
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when he was engaged in merchandising in Brownville. He has made most of the improvements on the farm on which he lives. He built the residence and barn and he planted his fine orchard, which is twelve acres in extent and comprises an excellent variety of fruits.
February 1, 1885, Mr. Lawrence married Miss Kate Agnes Penny, a native of Missouri, and a daughter of William E. Penny. The children born of this union are as follows, and range in age from sixteen to two years : Mabel Grace, Don A., Abraham L., Jr., William McKinley, Samuel Clinton, a son that died in infancy, and Daniel.
Mr. Lawrence's own name and the names of two of his children indicate the political party with which this family have harmonized. As a Republican, Mr. Lawrence was elected to the sheriff's office in 1901, for a term of two years and re-elected in 1903, which term expires January 1, 1905. For years he has been affiliated with numerous fraternal organizations, among them being the Free and Accepted Masons, both lodge and chapter, he being a past master of his lodge; Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Ancient Order United Workmen, Modern Woodmen and the Highlanders.
JAMES A. STEPHENSON.
James A. Stephenson, one of the premier farmers of Nemalia county, with a fine farm in Nemaha precinct, Nemaha city postoffice, has the hustling qualities which bring success in any vocation, and give him a leading place among the men of his calling in this county. He owns one hundred and twenty acres of land, on which is located his nice home, and on this and one hundred and seventy-five acres of rented land he does general farming. He keeps ten or twelve horses, some high-grade
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cattle and hogs, and each year grows about seven thousand bushels of corn, fourteen hundred bushels of wheat and thirteen hundred bushels of oats, and last year sold two hundred and fifty dollars' worth of fruit. He is thoroughly devoted to his pursuit, and his enterprise is gaining its reward.
Mr. Stephenson was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, Jan- uary 16, 1862, and had a fair education in the district schools and was reared on the old farm where his parents settled in 1840, on two hun- dred and five acres, now owned by W. G. Stephenson, his brother. His grandparents were Robert Stephenson and a Miss Hutchison, and the former was a cousin of the great engineer, Robert Stephenson, son of the inventor of the locomotive, all of whom came from the north of Ireland. Granfather Robert was a weaver of Irish linen in the old coun- try, and came to this country, with his wife and children, on money sent back by his son William, who had preceded the rest of the family to America. He had the following children : William, the father of James A. Stephenson; Robert, in North Dakota; Joseph, who was in the gov- ernment employ in Washington, and died there leaving sons and daugh- ters; Ann, who was the wife of Milo Boutwell and who died in St. Lawrence, New York, at the age of seventy, leaving two daughters and a deaceased son ; Miss Mary was a veteran school teacher in New York, and on the completion of her fifty-sixth term, because of the introduction of drawing into the curriculum, lost her place, and in brooding over this lost her mind and is now in the insane hospital at Ogdensburg, New York. The mother of these children died in 1865. in Russell, St. Law- rence county, New York, at the age of seventy-five. Her husband died one month later, at the age of seventy-six, and within the same month their son Robert, who was in the army, died of disease, and is buried in the government cemetery at Wilmington, North Carolina.
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William Stephenson, the father of James A. Stephenson, who is an octogenarian living in Edwards, St. Lawrence county, New York, was born near Belfast, county Antrim, Ireland, in 1816. In 1831, a lad of fifteen, he ventured alone across the Atlantic, and during the voyage of eight weeks thirty-two of the passengers and crew died of the cholera. In 1839 he married Helen Watson, who was born in Ballston Springs, New York, August 21, 1825, a daughter of Robert and Helen (Kerr) Watson, and of this union there were born twelve children. The eldest, a son, died in infancy; Robert, born June 1, 1842, died May 16, 1865, as mentioned above ; Ammire, born March 25, 1844, is the widow of Les- ter Winslow and the wife of J. C. Curtis, of Embarrass, Wisconsin ; Rachael, born September 3, 1846, is the wife of Edgar Reed, in Russell, New York, and has one son; William G., born June 9, 1849, is a farmer in St. Lawrence county, and has a wife and two daughters living, having lost two; Charles W., born July 16, 1851, is a commercial traveler at Pottsdam, New York, and has a daughter living and lost one; Helen, bern August 23, 1853, is the wife of Frank O'Neil, in Herman, New Verk, and has two sons; Theodore P., born December 16, 1855, in Edwards, New York, a miller, lost his only child; a child born July 8, 1857, is deceased; Lucina E. is the widow of William Webb, in Water- town, New York, and has one daughter; James A is the eleventh child; ยท and Roberta, born June 5, 1866, is the wife of Frank Raymond, owner and proprietor of the largest hotel in Adams, New York. The mother of these children died March 28, 1896. Their father is still living with his children, and has made three visits here to his son in Nebraska, making the last one alone and when he was eighty-four years old. He is a man of self-acquired education, and is still a great reader and bright corre- spondent. He stands erect and is agile for his age, and with powers of body and mind still intact would pass for twenty years younger than he
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is. He had charge of the recruits at Malone, New York, during the Civil war, having the rank of colonel.
James A. Stephenson was married February 3, 1884, at Corning, Missouri, to Miss Louise Watson, who was born in Edwards, New York, February, 14, 1859, and was the daughter by adoption of John and Sarah (Flack) Watson, her father being a brother of Mr. Stephenson's mother. Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson first met in New York, while she was on a visit there in 1882. She came at an early day to Nebraska. She was educated in the Brownville high school and at the Peru normal, and began teaching at the age of eighteen, which she continued for five years in Nemaha and Lancaster counties. Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson have four children. Robert W., born on Christmas day of 1885, also the birthday of his grandfather and great-grandfather, graduated in 1901 from the Nemaha high school at the head of his class, and is still a student ; John M., born April 23, 1888, is in the district school; Floyd J., born January 8, 1897, and Warren W., born June 13, 1899.
Mr. Stephenson affiliates with the Independent Order of Odd Fellow " in which he has passed the chairs and is noble grand. Mrs. Stephenson is vice grand and past noble grand in the Rebekahs. He is also a mem- ber of the board of managers and a trustee in the Odd Fellows. He affiliates with the Woodmen of the World, and in politics is a Republican, having served as school director. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he has been steward.
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MRS. HARRIET HOOVER.
Mrs. Harriet Hoover, of Aspinwall precinct, Nemaha city postoffice, is the widow of the late well known physician and surgeon, Jerome Hoover, who was born in Miami county, Ohio, August 9, 1809, and died in this county, May 27, 1876. Nemaha city owes much to this public-spirited man and citizen, who was one of the founders and first settlers of the town. He is still cherished in affectionate memory for his generosity and beauty of character, and his name and deeds are not likely to be soon forgotten. He had settled, shortly after his marriage in 1849, on a ranch in Indiana, which he soon afterward bought and on which he remained two years, and then came to Nebraska and pre-empted the townsite of this town. The fine park which adorns the town was donated by him. He had inherited property, and made money in his undertakings. He was liberal to a fault, and while this made him an ideal citizen it prevented the accumulation of means which otherwise his ability would have accomplished. As a Republican he was elected to the legislature. but declined to be a candidate after that. He was foremost in everything affecting the welfare of the town and its citizens, and his high ideals and enterprising spirit were responsible for much good that was accom- plished there.
Mr. Hoover was a son of William Henry Hoover, a miller of Indiana, and his wife Sarah Curtis, a native of Bath, North Carolina. The latter died in Indiana past middle life, and he died in Nebraska at the age of seventy-five. They had come here from Indiana in 1855 and settled at Nemaha city. They reared four sons and five daughters.
Mr. Hoover was first married to Miss Ann Prill, on August 28, 1829, and they had nine children, eight sons and one daughter, and the three who grew up were as follows: William H., who was born in
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Ohio, January 14, 1833 : Burl. J., born December 27, 1835, died January 17, 1904; and Johnson P., born August 27, 1837, and died in Nemaha county in 1900, leaving one son,
Mrs. Hoover, who married Mr. Hoover, July 4, 1849, soon after her eighteenth birthday, was in maidenhood Harriet Tann, and was born in Monroe county, New York, December 20, 1830, and was reared on the home farm and received but limited education. Her parents were John and Rachael (Doud) Tann, the former of whom was born and married in England, and of his seven children six were born in England and one in New York. His first wife died, and he was married in 1826 to Mrs. Hoover's mother, by whom there were six children. Mary Ann. the wife of. Moses Ward, died in Indiana, and her five children died soon after ; Frederick Tann, a farmer at Rockport, Missouri, died leaving three children and had lost five: Mrs. Hoover is the third of these chil- dren; Elizabeth is the widow of Burl. J. Hoover, mentioned above; Lorenzo died of a wound received in the Civil war, leaving two daugh- ters; and Arthur died at the age of eight months. The father of these children died in 1839, leaving his widow without property, and she was afterward married to Alexander Jamieson, a southerner, and she died in 1843, at the age of forty-eight.
Mrs. Hoover now resides with her son F. E. Hoover on the farm of one hundred and fifty-six acres in Aspinwall precinct, which was pre- empted by Johnson P. Hoover, and which was rented for several years before Mrs. Hoover took up her residence on it as her favored spot for passing the remaining years of her long and useful life. She has been the mother of nine children, and three of them are still spared to her, and she is also the grandmother of some bright children. Her eldest child, a daughter, born in 1850, died in infancy. Mary Jane, born Feb- ruary 2, 1852, died January 18, 1854. Lawson, born February 7,
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