USA > Nebraska > A Biographical and genealogical history of southeastern Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 33
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The Turneys on the maternal side are among the oldest American families. They were of French Huguenot origin, and after the terrible religious persecutions culminating in the St. Bartholomew massacre in August, 1572, they joined the thousands of other expatriated Protes- tants and took up their abode in England. Thence, along in the days of early colonization, four brothers of the name started to this country, one locating at Bridgeport, Connecticut, one in what is now West Vir- ginia, one in South Carolina, and one in Tennessee.
Asa Turney, the grandfather of Edward D. Gage, was born in Fairfield, Connecticut, October 15, 1759, and was married to Polly Downs, who was born at Reading, Connecticut, December 2, 1768. Asa Turney was a Revolutionary patriot, enlisting first in 1777. He was in the fight at Danbury, Connecticut, when that town was burned by the British; when each of the small force of two hundred Americans had but two bullets and two charges of powder with which to repel the enemy, and not till thirty patriots had fallen did they retreat. Asa Tur- ney voted twice for George Washington as president. During his resi- dence in Connecticut he served for a time as a sailor on merchant ves- sels trading with the West Indies, and in 1809 he started west to find a home in the Western Reserve in Ohio, which territory was originally claimed by Connecticut and was the seat of a prosperous colony from that state. He placed his wife and older children in two carts, one drawn by oxen and the other by a span of horses, and this journey to the then far west consumed fifty-three days. He bought a hundred acres of wild land in Madison township of Lake county, and after mak- ing a well improved farm from this, he purchased an additional hun-
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dred and sixty in Perry township of the same county, and later seventy more in Madison township, making three hundred and thirty acres alto- gether. His political principles were those of the Federalists and old- line Whig parties. He served as a trustee of Madison township. He and his wife were members of the Baptist church. His death occurred April 5, 1833.
Edward D. Gage remained at the old home in Lake county, Ohio, until his marriage, in 1851, and then continued his activities in that state for some twenty years, during which time he cleared, fenced and built a fine residence and buildings on a sixty-two acre farm on "Dock Road" not far from his early home. He also cleared and improved a farm he owned on the lake shore at the north end of Wheeler Creek road in Geneva township in Ashtabula county, Ohio. These he sold in 1868 and in 1870 removed with his family to Jefferson (then known as Jones) county, Nebraska. There was in that year no railroad in south- ern Nebraska west of Nebraska City, and after arriving there the re- mainder of the journey was made overland, with a company of others, in covered wagons. Among the household effects of the Gage family was a piano, the first musical instrument of the kind to find its way into Jefferson county, and for some time it was regarded as one of the novel- ties and attractions of the county. Fairbury was then an isolated town, with very few houses, and between this town and Mr. Gage's farm at Bower, there was visible one lone cottonwood tree. Mr. Gage bought fourteen hundred and forty acres of land near the present postoffice of Bower, and at the time of his death his estate still comprised twelve hundred and eighty acres in this county. In order to build his house he freighted lumber from Nebraska City and Waterville, Kansas. Neither grasshoppers, drought, nor high taxes during the first few years were sufficient to rout him from his secure position among the agriculturists
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of southeastern Nebraska, and he continued to follow, with much suc- cess, farming all his active life, and by his thrift and industry and indomitable perseverance, assisted so nobly by his wife, he accumulated more than a competency. Nothwithstanding his energy in business affairs, he was modest and retiring in disposition, and attracted men to him more by his personal worth and substantiality than by an aggres- sive friendship.
He was always faithful to the welfare of Jefferson county, and took an active interest in the educational affairs of the county. His sympathies always went out to the oppressed and weak, and his assist- ance, whether by political ballot or personal effort, was directed along that line. His first vote was cast for Tom Corwin, the candidate for governor of Ohio, and he was only a few months past his majority when he gave his vote to William Henry Harrison for president, and his presidential vote for Benjamin Harrison was cast only two years before his death. He was strongly opposed to slavery, later allied him- self with the temperance movement, and during the closing years of his life often assisted the Prohibition party, and, furthermore, his oppo- sition was always directed against the power of monopoly, at present the dominant issue before the country for settlement.
For over thirty years his influence went consistently and steadily for religious uplift and growth. He was baptized on October 3, 1858, and was a member of the Christian church until his death. He loved the Bible and studied it for knowledge and guidance. His Christian- ity was best exemplified in his home, which is recalled not alone by the children but by the many others who ever sojourned therein for its harmony, mutual helpfulness, self-sacrifice and interdependence. His patience was shown during his last days of suffering and his great
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faith in his final hour, when, in the words quoted by a friend, his end "was rather a happy departure from life than a mere death."
Edward D. Gage was married on March 12, 1851, in Ohio, to Samantha M. Morse, and for nearly forty years their lives blended in mutual esteem, concord and happy fruitage of their efforts. She was a woman of great energy, interested in the affairs of the world, and the scope of her efforts made her influence felt not only in her happy domestic circle but in the community around her. She was born in Kingsville, Ashtabula county, Ohio, October II, 1826, and she died at her home in Fairbury, March II, 1901, when nearly seventy-five years of age.
Samantha M. Morse was a descendant of one of seven brothers who came to this country from Wales (the Morse of telegraph fame being of the same stock), and the name in this country has been inter- changeably spelled as Moss or Morse. Samantha Morse was the daughter of Amos and Annie (Abbott) Morse, and she was the third child and eldest daughter in a family of eleven children, nine of whom, five sons and four daughters, were reared.
The youngest of this family, now S. Adelle Bates, is the only liv- ing representative. She is a person of literary and artistic tastes, but having especial musical ability. She was for many years a teacher of music and at one time spent two years in Germany in the study of music and German, graduating in the former from the Musical Con- servatory at Leipsic. She, with her husband, now live at Madison, Ohio, where they have some little business interests in the furniture and musical as well as other lines.
Samantha Morse's grandfather, Squire Abbott, was originally from Massachusetts, but removed to New York at an early day. He was a Baptist minister, and in the pioneer times was sent out as a mis-
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sionary by the Baptist board, going from New York to Ohio on horse- back. In 1820 he located in Ashtabula county, and five years later moved to Henrietta township, Lorain county, where he died December 18, 1853, aged eighty-three years.
Samantha M. Morse spent her early life in her birthplace home until her marriage, and thereafter for half a century her life went on in simple usefulness and in working out the duties which came to her day by day. She felt her first obligations to be in her home, and in its ordering and in the rearing to true and successful manhood and womanhood those entrusted to her care, lies her greatest reward. But her expansive energy found many outlets into fields of usefulness. It was mainly due to her planning and work that a part of their Nebraska home-a large house for the time-was arranged for store purposes, in which was carried for a few years the usual stock of a country gro- cery. From about 1872 to 1886 the postoffice, earlier known as Bower- ville and later as Bower, was located in a part of the house and attended to by the family. In the early days a sign proclaimed this house to the public as the Pioneer House, and, while this signal did not long remain standing, wayfarers continued to find here a temporary home as long as the family remained.
The personal circle at this ideal home was seldom small, and within it at almost any time might have been found, besides the family, two or three orphan children, and preachers, teachers, relatives and others made this their abiding place for various lengths of time. Dur- ing her long lifetime Mrs. Gage was the blessed mother to eleven orphan children, and some of these have since grown to maturity and have children of their own. Mrs. Gage united with the Baptist church when a young woman, but later became impressed with the faith of the Disciples and remained a true adherent of the Church of Christ till
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the day of her death. Outside of her other engaging activities, she found time to devote herself with true Christian zeal and piety to the works of religion and charity, and the church and community owed much to her efforts continued to the last years of her life. She lies buried in the beautiful cemetery near the little country church at Bower, resting beside her husband and two daughters.
The own children of Mr. and Mrs. Gage were five in number : Annie C., James A., Lida H., who died in infancy, Nora E., and Miss Susie D. Miss Susie D. Gage, the youngest of the family and the only daughter now living, resides in her beautiful home at 911 Eighth street, Fairbury. Miss Gage is a lady of culture and true refinement. She was for several years engaged in teaching, and has always taken an active interest in educational affairs. She enjoys intellectual com- panionship and the beauties and depths of literature, and has found much opportunity in a quiet way to be useful and happy in her com- munity.
James A. Gage, the only son, is a person of genial manner thoughtful and conservative. On reaching his majority in 1876 he was presented by his father with a quarter section of land in section 13 of Richland precinct. This, together with other large property interests in the county, including three other quarter sections which are from the original family estate, he still holds. On finishing his school life he remained at home with his parents for several years, then going into the nursery business with a partner, under the firm name of Carpenter and Gage. This enterprise soon developed into a trade of from fifty to one hundred thousand dollars annually, doing busi- ness in all parts of the United States and often beyond its borders. In 1890 Mr. Gage sold out his interest in this firm, but soon was again in the same line, making a specialty of the apple-seedling trade. In
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the spring of 1899 he moved to Beatrice, Gage county, where he also has property interests and is engaged in the general nursery trade. He was married in November, 1887, to Miss Emma E. Lasch, of Lincoln, Nebraska. Their three boys are Albert Edward, Vernon Lasch and James Wendell.
The oldest child and daughter, Annie C., died at Fairbury, Jan- uary 5. 1893. being the wife of Postmaster John M. Fitchpatrick of Hebron. Mrs. Fitchpatrick was born in Madison, Ohio, May 24, 1853, being seventeen years old when she came to this part of Nebraska with the rest of the family. Before her marriage she was one of the successful teachers of Jefferson county, and taught at Fairbury when the schools had but two departments. She possessed talent in music and painting, especially in the latter, but was best known for her pro- ficiency in both plain and ornamental penmanship, which in her case was one of the fine arts and which she sometimes taught. At one time she was a pupil of Platt R. Spencer. She also had literary inclina- tions and ability, occasionally letting her rich fancy run to poetical composition, but made no attempts in this direction other than in a modest way at local functions. She was quick at repartee and a gen- eral social favorite, and her life devoted to Christian ideals and do- mestic happiness remains as a bright memory to those she loved and worked for. October 11, 1880, she was married to John M. Fitch- patrick, of Hebron, which town remained her home till her death. She had two children, Neil Gage Fitchpatrick, who is now, after nearly three years of successful service in the employ of the Nebraska Tele- phone Company, a student in the State University of Nebraska; and J. Roy, who died in infancy.
Nora E. Gage, the other daughter, who passed away June 13, 1894, had a wide sphere of influence and work in this part of
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Nebraska, and her helpfulness and charm of manner and beauty of spirit gave to her life a range of usefulness unusually large. She was born in Ohio, February 26, 1859, and from the time of her removal to Nebraska in 1870 she regarded the homestead at Bower as her prin- cipal and best loved home. She united with the Christian church when she was thirteen years old, and conformed the subsequent acts of her life to its high ideals. From the district school at Bower she passed to the public school in Hebron, and then attended a seminary in Ohio for a time, after which she began teaching in Jefferson county. In the fall of 1882 she entered the University of Nebraska, where she spent four years. There her strength of Christian charac- ter was a source of inspiration to her fellow students, and while devel- oping her own powers her spirit flowed out in beneficence to those around her. She was devoted to her literary society, and was highly honored by being chosen for two successive years as essayist at the annual exhibition. Her class standing was always of the highest, and she completed five years' work in four, being chosen as one of the class speakers at commencement. After graduation she held the position for one year of assistant principal of the Hebron high school, and in 1887 she accepted the position of lady principal and head of the de- partment of Latin and Greek in the Christian College at Fairfield, Nebraska, this work especially appealing to her because of the rare opportunity for Christian service and influence, but also since she had given much attention to Latin and Greek while in the university. At the time of her graduation from the university she stood second in grading of all who had passed through the institution up to that time. During her work at Fairfield College she was regarded as an ideal not only as a teacher, but as a broad-minded woman. In addition to her other duties in the college she was president of the Nebraska C.
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W. B. M., and directed its work with earnestness and success. But after two years of these happy and fruitful labors she was attacked by disease, and thenceforth to the end it was a struggle for existence, in which as she gradually grew weaker she was compelled to lay aside one after another her cherished plans and duties, and after five years divided more and more unequally between work and bodily suffering her noble spirit found rest, leaving a lasting remembrance of her as "the dutiful daughter and sister, the faithful friend, the helpful teacher, the noble, unselfish, true-hearted Christian woman."
The various genealogical branches of the Gage family tree, as fully as could be compiled from the data immediately at hand, are indicated in the following paragraphs :
James Adams Gage, born May 31, 1766, and Eunice Watkins Gage, born August 13, 1768; grandparents of E. D. Gage. Children : Judah, born February 26, 1788; Moses, February 3, 1790; George, October 12, 1791 ; James, January 31, 1793; John, February 28, 1795; Lucy, February 6, 1798; Eunice, December 6, 1799; Gaylord Grizzle, May 4, 1804; Theodore Rodman, May 24, 1806; Timothy Munson, January 8, 1809.
Moses Gage, born February 3, 1790; uncle of E. D. Gage; wife, Lavina Judson Gage. Children : Ethan A., born April 28, 1822; Lucy Ann, born October 13, 1828, died November 24, 1871; Adaline, born September 18, 1831; Myron W., July 8, 1834.
Ethan A. Gage (cousin of E. D. Gage), born April 28, 1822, died -. Wife, Kate C. Herrick Gage, born January 18, 1830. Lived at Geneva, Ohio. Children : Ida Irene, born March 4, 1850, died March 7, 1872, married C. E. Green, born September 12, 1843, and had children, Minnie Green, born November 27, 1867, and Ida Maud Green, born Sep- tember, 1871. Myron E., born January 7, 1851. Kittie, born December
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29, 1854, married P. A. Cook, born 1856, and had children, Ida Delia Cook, born July 5, 1880, and Maud Cook, born January 16, 1883. Annes E., born June 3, 1863, married J. Wilbur Holt, born 1860.
Lucy Ann Gage Peck (cousin of E. D Gage), October 13, 1828, November 24, 1871, married Francis Henry Peck ; lived at Geneva, Ohio. Children : Alice Peck, born April 26, 1852, married Hiram Breakman, born 1848, and had children, Carrie Breakman, September 29, 1875, Frank Breakman, 1878, and Roy Breakman, 1881. Elliott H. Peck, born April 16, 1855, died August 9, 1872. Charles W. Peck, born Jan- uary 15, 1862. Edgar E. Peck, born September 12, 1863, died June 29, 1871.
Adaline Gage Amidon (cousin of E. D. Gage), born September 18, 1831, married John E. S. Amidon, born March 12, 1827. Children : Adda Lucy Amidon, born December 4, 1855, married, January 31, 1883, Julius Morgan Brydle, born August 4, 1855, and lived in Perry, Ohio. Kittie A. Amidon, born March 29, 1859, married, March 16, 1880, Charles Luce, born December 28, 1852, and lived in Painsville, Ohio.
Myron W. Gage (cousin of E. D. Gage), born July 8, 1834, married Jennie McClintock, born April 4, 1843, died -. Address, Geneva, Ohio. Children : Mary L. Gage, March 28, 1867; Alma Lucy Gage, February 13, 1869; Elliott Judson Gage, September 26, 1873; Bertie Rae Gage, April 16, 1877.
George Gage (uncle of E. D. Gage), born October 12, 1793, died September 24, 1870; wife, Phebe Hatch Gage, born November 17, 1799, died November 24, 1863. Children : Albert Gage, born April 28, 1825, lives at Centerton, Huron county, Ohio. Adelia, born 1829, lives at Toledo, Ohio. Sarah Louisa, born December 16, 1834, lives in Geneva township, Ohio.
Albert Gage (son of George Gage and cousin of E. D. Gage), born
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April 28, 1825; wife, Elizabeth Van Horn Gage, born May 17, 1836. Children : Henry T. Gage, born September 29, 1856, married Libbie Reams, born December, 1857, lives at Detroit, Michigan. Eugene Gage, born October 13, 1858, lives at Toledo, Ohio. Stanley Gage, born July 29, 1860, married Carrie Niver, born July, 1863 Fred Gage, born Nov- ember 22, 1870. Bertie Gage, born October 11, 1872.
Adelia Gage Moore (daughter of George Gage), born 1829, married William Moore, born 1829. Child : Inez Moore, born 1865, married - White.
Sarah Louisa Gage Joiner (daughter of George Gage), born Decem- ber 16, 1834, married W. Augustus Joiner, born June 22, 1823, died- Children : Frank Joiner, June 27, 1859. Elmer, September 7, 1863. Eugene, July 1, 1865. Willis, March 18, 1869.
James Gage, January 31, 1793, February 9, 1859, and Charlana Turney Gage, August 20, 1799, July 10, 1827, married February 26, 1818,-parents of E. D. Gage. Children : Edward Downs Gage, June 7, 1819, March 22, 1890. James Alfred Gage, July 19, 1822, March 2, 1823. David Watkins Gage, September 26, 1825. living (1904) at Oberlin, Ohio.
James Gage (second marriage) to Lucina Wright, born April 10, 1805, died June 12, 1876, married June 29, 1829. Children : Helen Charlana Gage, November 29, 1831. Ann Eliza Gage, April 4, 1833, died 1900. Charlotte Melissa Gage, September 24, 1836. Ardelissa Victoria Gage, February 24, 1840. Henry Warren Gage, March 28, 1842, February 26, 1883. Alta Lucina Gage, April 10, 1850.
Edward Downs Gage, June 7, 1819, March 22, 1890. Samantha M. Morse, October 11, 1826, March 11, 1901 ; married March 12, 1851. Children : Annie Charlana Gage, May 24, 1853, January 5, 1893. James Amos Gage, February 11, 1855. Lida Helen Gage, August 30, 1857,
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May 5, 1858. Nora Eliza Gage, February 26, 1859, June 13, 1894. Susie Dell Gage.
Annie C. Gage Fitchpatrick, May 24, 1853, January 5, 1893 (lived at Hebron, Nebraska), married, October 11, 1880. John M. Fitchpatrick. Children : Neil Gage Fitchpatrick, September 2, 1881. John Roy Fitch- patrick, April 10, 1887, February 1, 1888.
James Amos Gage, February 11, 1855; married, November 19, 1887, Emma E. Lasch; live at Beatrice, Nebraska. Children : Albert Edward, July 16, 1887. Vernon Lasch, September 30, 1892. James Wendell, May 26, 1894.
David Watkins Gage (brother of E. D. Gage), born September 26, 1825 ; wife, Mary Jane Cole Gage, born -, died ------. Children : Cora B., October 3, 1858. Mattie, March 11, 1860, lives at Oberlin, Ohio. Julia, 1863, lives at Oberlin, Ohio.
Cora B. Gage (daughter of D. WV. Gage), born October 3, 1858, lives at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Married, first, -- Newton, born ----- , died --- , had child, Mame L. Newton, born February 26, 1883. Mar- ried, second, Frank Treat ; a little daughter.
Mattie Gage Street (daughter of D. W. Gage), born March II, 1860; married John W. Street, born February 24, 1837, died ---. Child- ren : George T. Street, married and living in Salt Lake City. Julia Gage Street, married ---- Johnson, has a little daughter. Jessie Street.
Julia Gage Gerrish (daughter of D. WV. Gage), born 1863, mar- ried-Gerrish. Children: Martha Gerrish, 1891. Dorothy, 1893. Mary, 1897.
Helen Charlana Gage Viall (half-sister of E. D. Gage), born Nov- ember 29, 1831, married ----- Viall, lives at Preston, Minnesota. Child- ren : James Gage Viall, July 13, 1859. Bard Ellsworth Viall, April 25,
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1861. Harry Lyman Viall, June 29, 1862. Ralsy Edward Viall, April 5, 1870.
James Gage Viall, born July 13, 1859. married, August 2, 1885, Clara L. Baker. Children : Louis Viall, September 20, 1886. Calla Viall, September 25, 1888. Baby, -.
Bard Ellsworth Viall, born April 25, 1861, married, November 30, 1887, Susie Copple.
Charlotte Melissa Gage ( half-sister of E. D. Gage), born Septem- ber 24, 1836, lives ( 1904) at Spring Valley, Minnesota; no children. Married, April 12, 1882, Stephen Rossman, born -- , died 1887.
Ardelissa Victoria Gage Turney ( half-sister of E. D. Gage), born February 24. 1840: married, April 5, 1859. Lafayette M. Turney (cousin of E. D. Gage on mother's side ), born April 6, 1838. Lives at Grand Rapids, Ohio. Children : Jennie E., married-Browning, no children, lives at Toledo, Ohio. Edith, married-Parks, one daugh- ter, lives in Ohio. Ernest lives in Toledo, Ohio.
Henry Warren Gage (half-brother of E. D. Gage), born March 28, 1848, died February 26, 1883. lived in Geneva township, Ashtabula county, Ohio. Married, February 22, 1864, Kate James, born April 7, 1843. Children : Harry Hoburn Gage, born September 21, 1866, mar- ried April 18. 1886, no children, and lives in Collinwood, Ohio. Thomas Hugh Gage, born August 8, 1870, married and has one daughter, lives in Collinwood, Ohio.
Alta L. Gage (half-sister of E. D. Gage), born April 10, 1850, married, December 5, 1866, Peier Laughlin. Children : Leon Lee Laugh- lin, born February 15, 1870, is married. Eva Lucina, born December 1, 1871, is married. Archie Adair, born July 5, 1877. Lottie Maud, July 11, 1879. Rollo Rolf, April 29, 1882. Jennie June, June 6, 1884.
Lucy Gage Bingham (aunt of E. D. Gage), born February 6, 1798,
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died -, her home in Rochester, New York; married - Bingham, a hatter of Rochester. Children: Harry Bingham. George Bingham, a major in the Civil war; went west. One daughter married -- Parker, lives in Boston. One daughter married-, lives in Boston.
Eunice Gage Geitner (aunt of E. D. Gage), born December 6, 1799, died ---. Lived at Parkman, Geauga county, Ohio. Married- Geitner. Children: Frank, went to California. Orphana, went to Cali- fornia. Sarah, married and settled in Kansas, her husband a sutler in the Civil war. Margaret.
Gaylord Grizzle Gage (uncle of E. D. Gage), born May 4, 1804, married -. Went to Indiana. A carpenter and joiner.
Theodore Rodman Gage (uncle of E. D. Gage), born May 24, 1806; married -, a carpenter and farmer ; Son : T. M. Gage, Sand Lake, Michigan.
Timothy Munson Gage (uncle of E. D. Gage), born January 8, 1809, married Polly Burns; lived at Painsville, Ohio.
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