Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties, Part 102

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 820

USA > Nebraska > Adams County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 102
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 102
USA > Nebraska > Hall County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 102
USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Hall and Hamilton counties, Nebraska, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a brief descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties > Part 102

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HALL COUNTY.

but as above stated has been ably performing his duties as county clerk since that time. He was married in April, 1877, to Miss Lillie M. Clark, a native of South Bend, Ind., born March 11, 1858, a daughter of E. V. and Catherine (Ault) Clark, the former born at West Liberty, Ohio, and the latter at Rochester, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman are the parents of four children: Mabel, David V., Julia M. and Nell M.

Charles L. Alford is very properly classed among the substantial, representative agriculturists and stockmen of Hall County, Neb. Now. just in the prime of life, he has become possessed of a desirable competence, the result entirely of his own management and will, and on his farm of 320 acres he has a comfortable residence, good barns of all kinds, an excellent bearing orchard and a grove of forest trees. He was born in Berk- shire County, Mass., August 19, 1835, and is a son of Nathaniel and Maria (Waters) Alford, natives, respectively, of Connecticut and Massachusetts. Their union took place in the latter State, and here the former followed the occupation of farming. They moved to Iowa in 1856, where the father was engaged in tilling the soil in Fayette County until his death, in October, 1886. His wife died in Massachusetts in 1852. Charles L. Alford re- mained in his native State until he was twenty one years of age, and received the advantages of the common schools of that State until he was fifteen. He removed to Iowa with his father, remaining with him for two years, then married and began tilling the soil for himself in that locality, continu- ing until he came west in the fall of 1873. He first took up a homestead claim, but located where he now resides in the spring of 1875, his land be ing all in one body and one of the finest farms in the county. He is devoting some attention to im- proving his stock and now has a herd of twenty- one Poled Angus cattle besides a good herd of graded cattle. He has always been a Republican politically, and has held a number of offices of hon- or and trust in his township and county. He was married in Fayette County, Iowa, October 12, 1859, to Miss Sarah Thorogood, a daughter of Thomas Thorogood. She was born in New York State,

but was reared and educated principally in Iowa. She and Mr. Alford have two children: Edward (who is married, he and his wife being teachers of the county, he a graduate of the State Normal), and Charles A. (who is at home). Mrs. Alford is a member of the Baptist Church, and he is a mem- ber of the Farmers' Alliance and is auditor of Cairo Lodge.

John Allan. The sons of Scotland are well represented in Hall County, Neb., and although with characteristic modesty they do not assume to brilliancy in the forum, yet they hold conspicnons places in many pursuits which make Hall County a substantial star in the galaxy of Nebraska's many interesting counties. The subject of this sketch was born in the Parish of Arbuthnot, Kincardine- shire, Scotland, May 30, 1850, and is a son of John and Margaret (Watson) Allan, worthy people of that locality, whose pursuit was that of the agri- culturist, which seems to have been the principal occupation in which both the Allan and Watson families were engaged, although branches on both sides have furnished professional men. Both fam- ilies were noted for their rugged constitutions and longevity, characteristics which have marked them through several generations. John Allan, the im- mediate subject of this memoir, received excellent training in the public schools of his native land, and at the age of eighteen years came to America to seek his fortune, his first five years here being spent in different States throughout the East, South and West. In 1873 he came to Nebraska and located at Wood River, where he followed teaching school for about eight years, and during this time became favorably known to the public as a painstaking and conscientions man at whatever business he had in charge. In 1881 he left the school room to accept a clericul position in the office of the county clerk, his duties also compris- ing the work of the district court. After complet ing an apprenticeship of five months in this office he was appointed a deputy, which position he filled reputably until the fall of 1883, when he received the nomination of district court clerk, and was elected to this place by a handsome majority. He discharged his duties to the satisfaction of all,

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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.

and in 1887 his party (the Republican) honored him with a second nomination and election. He has not been inactive as a citizen outside of his official duties, as he has always extended the right hand of fellowship to all worthy interests which have come up before this young and enterprising city. Upon the organization of the Grand Island Improvement Company he became a stockholder and bas contributed of his means to the support of it as well as kindred interests. He formed a very happy union at Grand Island, June 18, 1885, with Miss Fannie L. Garrett, a lady of many attain- ments and a daughter of James and Margaret A. (Gaskin) Garrett, who were born in the Isle of Man and Lincolnshire, England, respectively. Mrs. Allan has borne her husband three interesting little children: Margaret K., Leo G. and Ralph H. Mr. Allen is a member of the I. O. O. F., Lieder- kranz, A. O. U. W. and St. Andrew's societies. He and Mrs. Allan hold memberships in the Re- becca Lodge of the Odd Fellows, and they worship in the Episcopal Church, although Mr. Allan was reared a Presbyterian. In this matter he holds very liberal views, and in his contributions donates to all religious as well as all moral institutions, and is respected as an honest and reliable official and citizen.

Zelotes Avery, a member of the firm of Avery & Son, contractors and builders of Grand Island, Neb., was born in what was then Genesee County, N. Y. (now Wyoming County), February 23, 1824, being a son of Horace and Susan (Joslen) Avery, the former a native of Connecticut, a farmer by occupation, and a son of Moses Avery, a soldier in the Revolutionary War from the "Nutmeg State." The latter was born in Connecticut, and married there, and was a son of an Englishman. The his- tory of the Avery family in America is traced back to three brothers who came to the New World in that good old ship- the Mayflower. Susan (Jos len) Avery was a daughter of Nehemiah Joslen, who was a native of York State, a farmer by occu- pation, and a man of sterling worth and integrity. Horace Avery moved with his family to Canada, and was a resident of Oxford County until 1836, when he moved to Clinton County, Mich., and

settled in St. Johns, in which place Zelotes Avery grew to manhood and was educated. In the year 1862 he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-third Michigan Volunteer Infantry, which company he helped to organize, but after a short service he was honorably discharged on account of disability on February 1, 1863, and for ten years there. after he was an invalid and unable to do but very little work. In 1876 he and his father came to Nebraska and located upon a large tract of land in Hall County, and here the father died in 1878 of cancer of the stomach. Zelotes was married in Michigan to Miss Phoebe Ferdon, a native of Rochester, N. Y., and a daughter of John Ferdon, but he was called upon to mourn her untimely death in 1869, she leaving him with three sons and a daughter to care for: Horace W. (who was killed in 1880 in a railroad disaster on the Fort Worth & Santa Fe Railroad), John H. (is a sailor), Alton M. (is associated with his father in business), and Alta M. (who is the wife of Frank Voorhees, of St. Johns, Mich.). In 1876 Mr. Avery married Mrs. Henrietta Haynes, of St. Johns, Mich., she having been pre- viously married to a Mr. Sampson. Mr. Avery has served as supervisor of the county for four years, two years from Martin Township and two years from Grand Island. He also served in this capacity in Clinton County, Mich., and was also sheriff of that county, and is now a member of the Lyon Post of the G. A. R. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His son, Alton M., who is associated with him in business, was born in St. Johns, Mich., in 1855, and in his early youth learned the mason's trade of his father, which occupation has since received his attention. He and his father constitute an enter- prising and successful firm, and their work is always of the best. Alton M. Avery was married to Miss Frankie Sampson, a daughter of his father's second wife, and to their union a family of two sons and a daughter have been born.

Hon. Alexander Hall Baker, agent in the United States land office at Grand Island, Neb., and re- ceiver of public lands, is a native of York State, his birth occurring at Springwater, Livingston County, January 29, 1823, his parents being Samnel and

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Saloma (Eldred) Baker, also natives of that State, and sturdy, honest and thrifty tillers of the soil. Both belong to prominent old New England fam- ilies, the paternal grandfather being George Baker, and the maternal grandfather Capt. James Eldred, who was the commander of a United States mer- chantman. Hon. Alexander H. Baker was reared to manhood in Genesee County (now Wyoming County), and his earliest recollections are of as- sisting his father on the home farm and attending the common schools near his home. The husband and father died when just in the meridian of his manhood, and left his wife in somewhat strait- ened circumstances and with quite a large family to support, and Alexander was obliged to do his share in making a living. Upon attaining man's estate he engaged in farming for himself and be- came very successful, but the people of the East were too slow and plodding to suit one of his am- bitious and enterprising disposition, and he longed for more room and better opportunities to try his strength, and these desires were soon gratified for the fertile prairies of Nebraska were about this time opened to the settler, and the young farmer and ex postmaster of Westerfield, N. Y., directed his footsteps thither in the spring of 1857. He pre-empted a homestead in Douglas County, which is now' within the city limits of Omaha, and for many years was very successfully engaged in tilling the soil there. He was active in promoting the farming interests of that locality, and soon became well and favorably known, and during 1874-76 represented Douglas County in the General As- sembly of Nebraska, which was a very fitting com- pliment to his citizenship, as the district was strongly Republican. During the years 1864-66 he was interested in freight transportation between Omaha and Salt Lake City, and this business was the means of his becoming thoroughly familiar with the country throughout the West. In 1881 he went to Rock Creek, W. T., and kept the Union Pacific Depot Hotel for two years, then returning to Grand Island, where he expects to make his permanent home. Upon the incoming of the Democratic administration in 1884, Mr. Baker received a general indorsement, both Democratic and

Republican, for his present incumbency, and has filled the position very satisfactorily up to the present time. He is a liberal supporter of all good . measures for the advancement and growth of his locality, and he is one of the directors of the Grand Island Improvement Company, and one of the original stockholders. He is also a director of the Citizens' National Bank, the United States Invest ment Company, was one of the chief promoters of the Grand Island Street Car Company, and has served as its president since its organization. He is also a liberal contributor to churches, schools, etc., and is a man whose residence in any locality is to be desired. He buried a wife and two chil- dren, the only issue of the marriage in his native State, and formed a second union with Miss Mary J. Berlin, a lady of many attaiments, a danghter of Jonathan Berlin of Pittsburgh, Pa., and by her is the father of a son, Alex Nelson, who is an in- telligent young man, and is now taking a regular collegiate course at Stamford, Conn.

Daniel Baker, one of the pioneers of Hall Coun- ty, located here in 1860 in what is now Wood River Township. He was born in Switzerland in 1829 and was the son of Jacob and Barbara (Walker) Baker, natives also of that country, where they spent their entire lives. The father was a rope. maker by trade. Daniel Baker remained in his native country until eighteen years of age, and there received his education. He then took pas- sage for the United States, and after arriving here was in the livery business for a number of years. He then traveled for some time, and later was en. gaged in freighting through Nebraska, thus becom- ing thoroughly acquainted with the country. In 1863 Mr. Baker took up a claim which was partly improved, and in 1874 he homesteaded eighty acres, which he began improving. He was mar- ried in Hall County, in 1864 to Mrs. Ellen Fry, the widow of Charles Fry,(who was killed in serv- ice during the late war), and the daughter of Joseph and Ellen Smith, natives of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Smith came to Hall County in 1861, and in February, 1862, he and two sons were killed by the Indians. The mother lived here for a num- ber of years, and now resides in Beloit, Wis. Mr.

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Baker has always taken a deep interest in political affairs and is independent in his views, although he generally votes with the Democratic party. He has been a member of the school board for years, and is a man who has the respect and esteem of his neighbors. Mrs. Baker is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. To their marriage have been born three children: Anna (now Mrs. Judy, of Hall County), Matilda (attending school at Doniphan) and John. Mrs. Baker had three children by her first marriage, two living: Esther (married, and in Hall County) and Maria (now Mrs. Lord, also of Hall County). Mr. Baker has seen the complete growth of the county, having been a resident of Hall County since 1860, a period of thirty years, and has always taken a decided inter- est in all that relates to the good of the county.

C. A. Baldwin, the present surveyor of Hall County, Neb., is a native of York State, born in 1835, being a son of Anson and Elizabeth (Cad- well) Baldwin, who were also natives of that State, the former's birth occurring in 1809, and the lat. ter's in 1814. They died in 1840 and 1835, re- spectively, Mr. Baldwin having been a captain in the New York State militia. But little is known of his family, except that his father was Curtis Baldwin, who was married on April 15, 1779, to Polly Chitenden, whose ancestry can be traced back to William Chitenden, originally from the parish of Marden, County of Kent, England, where he was born in 1594. He was one of a com- pany of twenty-five from the Counties of Kent, Surry and Sussex, who forsook their native land and immigrated to the wilderness of North Amer- ica, for the sake of religions liberty. He was one of the signers of the covenant on ship board to live on one plantation, and on May 20, 1639, they sailed for American shores and arrived at New Haven on the 10th of the following July, and settled at Guilford, Conn. William Chitenden be- came prominent among the leaders of the colony, and was one of a committee of six, who were ap- pointed to purchase the site on which the town of Guilford now stands, from the Indians. He was also a member of a board that had charge of the civil government and spiritual affairs of the colony

for some time, and was the principal military man of the settlement, bearing the title of lieutenant. He had fought with the English army in the Neth- erlands, also the Thirty - Years' War, and had reached the rank of major. He was magistrate of the col ony and deputy to the general court until his death. His old homestead has been in possession of some members of the family ever since, and at last ac- counts was owned by Hon. S. B. Chitenden, of New York. William Chitenden was married in England to Joanna Sheaffe, of Wanbrook, County of Kent, and by her became the father of eleven children. His son, Sergt. John Chitenden, was married to Hannah Fletcher, and died in April, 1716, at the age of seventy-three years, having be- come the father of six children, of whom Joseph was the third child. The latter wedded Mary Kimberly, of New Haven, and he also became the father of six children, and resided in Guilford until his death, September 11, 1827, when fifty-five years of age. His fourth child, Daniel W., mar- ried Abigail Downs, and five children were the result of their union. He was born in 1700, and died May 18, 1781, at Guilford, having become the father of five children. Jairus was his fifth child, and was married to Rebecca Hall, removing with her to New Durham, N. Y., in 1788, where he died March 9, 1828, at the age of eighty-two years. He was the father of nine children, of whom Polly, the eldest, became the wife of Curtis Baldwin, the grandfather of C. A. Baldwin, the immediate subject of this sketch. The latter was reared to manhood in the State of New York, and received a thorough education in one of the best academies of that State, giving especial attention to his mathe- matical studies, for which he had a natural aptitude and in which he became proficient. After reach- ing a proper age to engage in business, he became a hatter and built up a very large trade through- out the South, which bid fair to bring him in a for- tune; but the breaking out of the Civil War ruined his prospects. At the early age of eighteen years he was elected by the town of Durham to repre- sent it in the county convention, and served as a delegate in some capacity up to the date of his removal from that State. Finding himself out of

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business, Mr. Baldwin went to Iowa in the spring of 1861, but the inducements to engage in business in that State were very discouraging, so he went to work by the day for a contractor and builder, and by the next spring had become so proficient that he was made foreman, and at the end of another year was contracting and building for himself. He continued to reside in Iowa during the war, and at the close went to Illinois, and for seventeen years worked as contractor and builder, also in the plow and machine shops at Bushnell. In 1884 he re- moved to Nebraska, and began contracting and building grain elevators, of which he has about twenty three in the State, and as many more in Iowa and Illinois, exclusive of the work done in Kansas. Mr. Baldwin is a man of decidedly su- perior intelligence and takes an active interest in questions connected with his county and State; and owing to his especial fitness for his present posi- tion he was nominated by the Republican county convention for the office of surveyor, and was elected without opposition. He is looked upon by all as a man who will receive many honors in the future, and to say that he will deserve them would be to express the opinion of the public at large very mildly indeed. Socially he is a member of the A. O. U. W. and the I. O. O. F. He was married in New York State to Miss Frances Ham, a native of that State, and by her became the father of three children: Elba, Ord and Lillie. The mother of these children was born in 1837, and died in Independence, Ia., in 1865. Two years later Mr. Baldwin wedded Mrs. Lucy McNeal, and by her he also has three children: Frank, Fred and Myrtle.

Eli Allen Barnes, receiver's clerk in the United States land office at Grand Island, Neb., is a mem- ber of the State board of agriculture, and is one of the managers of that institution. He was born in Caynta, Chemung County, N. Y., September 14, 1836, and is a son of Maj. Jesse and Rachel (Swartwood) Barnes, the former of whom was a farmer by occupation and a son of Abram Barnes, who was a native of Sullivan County, N. Y., and a soldier in the War of 1812, his father being a Revolutionary soldier from Connecticut. Rachel

Swartwood was a daughter of Gen. Peter Swart- wood, an 1812 soldier. On both sides of the gene alogical tree the ancestors were pioneers of the "Nutmeg State " from the Old World. Eli Allen Barnes obtained a good knowledge of the "world of books " in the common schools near his home and in Ithaca Academy, of Ithaca, N. Y., and after completing his course was engaged in wielding the fernle for some time, although his early occupation had been that of farming. October 1, 1856, found him in the State of Illinois, located on a farm in De Kalb County, and there he remained until the breaking out of the Civil War, and in 1862 joined Company G, Ninth Iowa Cavalry, and did active and honorable service for Uncle Sam until the lat- ter part of 1864, when he was honorably dis- charged and returned to De Kalb County, Ill. He was married there February 22. 1865, to Miss Nancy E. Crego, a native of Chenango County, N. Y., and a danghter of Daniel and Ann (Kelley) Crego, who were also born in the " Empire State." In February, 1871, Mr. Barnes located upon a sol- dier's homestead in Hall County, Neb., and after making this his home for twelve years moved to Grand Island, and has since been engaged in cleri- cal work in different retail houses, and has been postal and railway mail agent. He has always been interested in the agricultural affairs of the county, and was active in the early establishment of the Hall County Agricultural Society, and has con- tributed liberally to its maintenance. He served in the capacity of president four years, secretary four years, and has been a member of its executive board ever since its organization, with the excep- tion of about three years. He was elected a mem- ber of the State board of agriculture in 1876, and has been re-elected each continuous term since. He has been superintendent of agricultural halls for eight years, was elected one of the board of managers in 1889, and is re-elected for 1890. He is one of the original members of the Grand Island Improvement Company. He is a Royal Arch Ma- son, having become a member of that order in 1860, is a Sir Knight of Mount Lebanon Com- mandery, and is the present generalissimo; also a member of Lodge of Perfection No. 1, A. & A. S.

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R., and a member of Ashlar Lodge No. 33, A. F. & A. M. He has served two years as councilman from the Second Ward, and the last year was pres- ident of the council.

Prof. Robert J. Barr, who for the past eight years has been superintendent of the city schools of Grand Island, Neb., was born in Grand Rapids, Mich., October 31, 1849, being the eldest of four children, three now living, born to the marriage of Jackson B. Barr and Lamantha Brink, both na- tives of New York. About 1852 they removed with their family to the vicinity of Greenville, Mich., and here the father followed the occupation of farming throughout the summer months, and that of lumbering during the winter season. Prof. Robert J. Barr remained on the farm near Green- ville until he was eighteen years of age; but at the age of twelve years he had entered the high school of Greenville, and being studious, industrious and intelligent, he made rapid progress in his studies and received a thorough intellectual training. Not being entirely satisfied with his knowledge of books, he, after teaching school near Greenville, in the spring of 1869, entered the State Normal School of Michigan, at Ypsilanti, in the spring of the latter year, and this institution he attended four years, completing the full classical course, and graduating in June, 1873. During the fall of 1873 he was engaged for two months as a teacher in a district school in Washtenaw County, Mich. In January, 1874, he took charge of the graded schools of Algonac, St. Clair County, Mich., and held this position until the spring of 1875. In the fall of the latter year he became principal of the high school in Big Rapids, Mich., a position he held until March, 1876; then returned to Algonac and again took charge of the schools there, contin- uing until June, 1878. In September of the latter year he was married at Ypsilanti, Mich., to Miss Eva A. Bellows, a daughter of C. F. R. Bellows, professor of mathematics in the Michigan State Normal. In the fall of 1878 Prof. Barr took charge of the schools of Oscoda, Mich., where he remained for two years, and for the two following years he had the management of the schools of An Sable, Mich. In the fall of 1882 he entered

upon his duties as superintendent of the public schools of Grand Island, Neb., and has filled this position with characteristic ability and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. He and wife have an only son, whose name is Albert S. They are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church, and Prof. Barr is a member of the Masonic lodge, in which order he has advanced to the Chapter degrees and the Four- teenth degree in the Scottish rite. He is also a Knight of Pythias and a member of the A. O. U. W. He has become well known as a successful educator, and as a citizen his standing is of the best.

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Author: Goodspeed Brothers Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co. Number of Pages: 820

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 820