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 117

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 117
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 117
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 117
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 117

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added in a great measure to its commercial repu- tation.

Henry Spohn, farmer and stock-raiser, Wood River, Neb. Mr. Spohn is a native of the Buckeye State, and so also was his father, Daniel Spohn, whose birth occurred in Perry County, and who now resides in Sandusky, of that State. The latter was married in Sandusky to Miss Catherine Bauch man, a native of Germany, and seven children were the result of this union. The mother is still living. The father was in the 100-days' service during the late war. Henry Spohn, the third child in order of birth in the above-mentioned family, received a fair education in the common district schools, and as he grew up upon the farm he be- came thoroughly conversant with that calling. He came west in 1878 and settled first on Wood River, where he worked for his brother for some time. He purchased his present farm in 1880, and now owns 160 acres of as good land as is to be found in the county. He was married in 1885 to Miss Bridget T. Haverty, a native of County Galway, Ireland. She came to America at the age of about fourteen years. To this happy union were born an interesting family of two children: Ella Theresa and Kate Belinda. He and wife are members of the Catholic Church, and he is a Republican in politics. The parents of Mrs. Spohn were John and Ellen (Killkenney) Haverty, natives of the Emerald Isle.

Robert Stephenson, farmer and stock- raiser, Underwood, Neb. Mr. Stephenson was originally from Yorkshire, England, where his birth occurred in 1851, and is the youngest of nine children born to Thomas and Charlotta (Mather) Stephenson, na- tives of the same place as their son. The father was a boot and shoe maker and now resides in Eng- land. The mother died in 1853. Robert Steph- enson was educated in the schools of England, and at the age of eighteen years took passage on a ves- sel sailing for the United States. He first settled in Canada, tilled the soil there for some time, and then came to New York, thence to Michigan, and in 1874 to Hall County, Neb., where he now owns eighty acres of excellent land. He was married in Hall County, Neb., in 1878, to Miss Ida Zeluf,

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a native of Michigan, and the daughter of George A. and Anna (Shay) Zelnf, natives of the Empire State. Mr. and Mrs. Zeluf removed to Nebraska in 1873 and there they now reside. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson were born four living children: George Henry, Robert E., Walter Will. iam and Francis Joseph. Hannah Charlotte died in 1879, at the age of eight years. Mr. Stephen- son is not very active in politics but votes for the best men and measures. Socially he is a member of the Farmers' Alliance, and is a man who has won a host of warm friends by his honest, upright con- duct and by his pleasant agreeable manners. He has made all his property by his own exertions, and takes a deep interest in all that relates to the good of the county.

Henry Herman Stratmann is a well known and influential citizen of Grand Island, Neb., and is a prominent wagon-maker and agricultural imple- ment dealer of that city. He was born July 9, 1850, in Hanover, Germany, and is a son of Henry and Dorothea (Sieling) Stratmann, the latter of whom died in Germany when the subject of this sketch was fourteen years of age. Henry Herman . Stratmann attended school until he was in his fif- teenth year, after which he began learning the wagon-maker's trade of his father, and at the age of sixteen years he went to the town of Hoja, where he worked at his trade for a year and a half with Ludwig Knaplauch. From Hoja he went to the village of Bucken, where he worked at his trade until 1869, at which time he emigrated to America, embarking at Bremen and landing at New York City. After spending nearly a year at Dwight, Livingston County, Ill., and a little more than a year at Monee, Will County, he, in 1871, came to Grand Island, Neb., which place has since contin- ued to be his home and of which he has proved to be a valuable citizen. During his entire residence here he has conducted a wagon factory, and has en- joyed a first-class patronage. His establishment is a handsome two-story brick block, erected in 1888, and is situated on the corner of Second and Spruce Streets. For the past five years he has also dealt quite extensively in agricultural implements, and he is now the heaviest dealer of that kind in

Grand Island. He was married November 20, 1877, to Miss Charlotte Spethman, who was born in Iowa, a daughter of John and Melvina Spethman, with whom she came to Grand Island in 1873. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Stratmann has resulted in the birth of five children: Herman L., John and Mary (twins, who died when about one month old), the next was an infant daughter that died un- named, and Effie. Mr. and Mrs. Stratmann are members of the German Lutheran Church, and he belongs to the A. O. U. W., the Liederkranz, and in politics is a Democrat.

Claus Stoltenberg is a farmer and stockman of Alda Township, Hall County, Neb., and like the great majority of German Americans he is indus- trious, thrifty and consequently successful. He was born in Holstein, Germany, September 2, 1832, and is a son of Henry and Katrina (Spett) Stoltenberg, who were also born in Holstein, both being now deceased. Claus Stoltenberg grew to manhood in his native land, and after serving one year in the regular army of his country he, in 1856, emigrated to the United States, and in the spring of that year landed in New York City. He went almost immediately to Wisconsin, and for about eighteen months worked in Winnebago County, after which he came to Nebraska, and spent one and one-half years in Omaha, and after following various employments he came to Hall County, in April, 1859, being one of its very earli- est settlers. Wild game of all kinds was very abundant, but buffalo, elk and deer were the most plentiful, and many pleasant hours were spent by Mr. Stoltenberg in hunting. In time a German settlement formed around him. He entered 160 acres of land, but by many hours of honest toil he has become the owner of 255 acres of fine bot- tom land situated about five miles from Grand Is- land, on which are an excellent residence and other buildings. and a good bearing orchard. He was married here December 6. 1862, to Miss Esther Paustean, a native of Holstein, Germany, a daughter of Hans Paustean, who died in his na- tive land, as did his wife. Mrs. Stoltenberg came to the United States after reaching womanhood, and she and her husband are now the parents of

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six children: Alwine (wife of Claus Tagge, of Grand Island), Edward, Ferdinand, Cicilie (wife of Bernhard Wise, of Rock County, Neb.), Wil- helmine (a young lady at home) and Carl. Mr. Stoltenberg is one of the leading farmers of Hall County, and is an intelligent and thoroughly posted man on all public matters.

Capt. Elza T. Stringer, grocer, of Grand Island, Neb. It will be seen by a perusal of this sketch that Mr. Stringer is one of the highly esteemed citizens of the county and that he possesses a more than ordinary degree of intellect and enterprise. He was born in Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio, May 11, 1839, and was the second of six children, four now living, born to the marriage of Thomas Stringer and Harriet Potts, both of whom are now deceased. The early education of Elza T Stringer was received in the public schools of Ashland, it being completed by an attendance of one term in a college at Hayesville, Ohio. In the meantime, at the very early age of nine years, he had bade his parents good-bye, and without a dollar in his pocket he had started out to seek his own fortune, and since that time has relied solely upon his own exertions as a means of livelihood. He first went to Hayesville, Ohio, where he clerked two years in a general mercantile store, after which he spent one year in a grocery store in Mansfield. He next returned to Ashland, his native place, and was in a dry goods establishment of that city for over seven years, during which time the Rebellion broke ont. He immediately enlisted as a private soldier, in Company G, Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was the second regiment to be formed for the three-years' service in Ohio, and was imme- diately sent to the front, crossing the Ohio River at Cincinnati. At Camp Nevin, Ky., he was ap- pointed quartermaster sergeant of his regiment, and after the battle of Wood River, the first in which his regiment was engaged, he was promoted to the first commissioned vacancy that occurred in the regiment, which was that of second lieutenant in Company A, the right flanking company of the battalion. This honor came to him unsolicited, and the first knowledge he had of his promotion was when he received his commission and was sum-

moned to headquarters to take the oath of office. He filled this position with ability, participating in a number of engagements, until after the capture of Nashville and the battle of Murfreesboro, when he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, and was temporarily detailed as acting regimental quartermaster, in which capacity he acted until after the capture of Huntsville, Ala., when, in an engagement, the captain of Company A was wounded, losing a leg. Mr. Stringer, although a minor, succeeded in command, and on the second day's fight at Pittsburgh Landing he commanded the company, and during the siege and taking of Corinth, Miss., and Crab Orchard, and soon after the last-named battle he was promoted to the rank of captain and assistant quartermaster of volun- teers by President Lincoln, and was assigned to duty on Gen. Willich's staff, as quartermaster of the First Brigade, Second Division of the Fourteenth Army Corps, which was composed of five regiments of infantry, a squadron of cavalry and a battery of artillery. He continued in this capacity until after the battles of Chattanooga, Hall's Gapand Resaca, when, on account of ill health, he resigned and returned home. Finding the life of a civilian very . monotonous after the excitement of war, he soon re- turned South, and at Nashville, Tenn., he was made roll and disbursing clerk for Capt. J. D. Stubbs, depot quartermaster, and in charge of river trans- portation. After filling this position for about nine months he purchased a steamboat, and engaged in transporting soldiers and army supplies for the government, having his boat under charter party at $175 per day and the expenses of the crew fur- nished. Being subject to the direction of the gov- ernment, he was sent with his boat and twelve other steamers, loaded with supplies under convoy of three gunboats, to Carthage, Tenn., thence to Burksville, Ky., thence to Point Isabel, at the head of navigation on the Cumberland River, 450 miles above Nashville. At the time of their departure there was a high stage of water in the Cumberland, but owing to the fact that the water had receded five of the transports were unable to cross Faubush Shoals, and returned for protection to the garrison at Carthage, Tenn. Capt. Stringer's vessel, which

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was the "Nettie Hartupee," and the other seven proceeded toward destination, and reported to Col. Crook at Burksville. He ordered the vessels on to Point Isabel, but with the exception of the "Nettie Hartupee." they were unable to cross Goose Creek Shoals, and his boat proceeded with- out convoy or other protection, and discharged its supplies at Point Isabel, at which point Gen. Burn- side's troops were arriving, preparatory to besieg- ing and capturing Knoxville, Tenn., and as the rebels had burned all the bridges over the Cumber- land and its tributaries, Capt. Stringer's boat had to transport all of Gen. Burnside's army, inelnding infantry, cavalry and artillery, and about 1,500 cattle, across that river. Capt. Stringer then re- turned with his boat to transport the cargoes of the other vessels across the shoals, the whole time consuming four months and twenty-one days. It was the hourly experience of his vessel to be fired into by the guerrilla's mnsketry and monntain howitzers. Shortly after that expedition the Captain sold his vessel and returned to Ohio, and February 4, 1864, was married to Miss Ellen R. Jacobs, and for one year following was in the grocery business in Ashland, after which he removed to Decatur, Ill., where he was engaged in the banking business for several years, being assistant cashier and a heavy stockholder of the First National Bank. In the fall of 1872 he returned to Ashland, Ohio, and purchased a two-thirds' interest in the gas works of that city, which he operated until the fall of 1875, conducting a grocery store also. In 1875 he removed to Toledo, having entered the employ of the Arbuckle Bros., the mammoth coffee merchants, of New York City, as a traveling salesman, and January 1, 1876, removed to Fort Wayne, Ind., re- maining, however, in the employ of the above-named gentlemen until May, 1887, during the last year of which time he had the entire management of that firm in the State of Indiana. In the spring of 1887 he entered the employ of the Union Coffee Com- pany, of New York City, and had charge of the supply depots at St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha, selling goods exclusively to the jobbers of cities tributary to those points. He continned this work until January, 1889, when he resigned his position

and came to Grand Island, Neb., as the manager of the Grand Island Grocery Company, and this position he now holds. This house was established in April, 1889, on a strictly cash basis, with refer- ence to both sales and purchases, and some idea of the mammoth business done by this establishment may be had from the following: It has purchased during the past ten months twenty car- loads of flour (10,000 sacks), fourteen car-loads of salt (1,400 bar- rels), four car-loads of canned goods (2,800 dozens), and all other goods in like quantities. Capt. Stringer and his wife have five children, two daugh- ters and three sons. Two other children died in infancy. The Captain is a member of the Masonic order, and in his political views is a Democrat.

John T. Sturm, farmer and stock raiser, Doni- phan, Neb. Mr. Sturm's farm of 160 acres is one of the finest for successful agricultural purposes to be found in this part of the township, and the manner in which it is conducted is in full keeping with the personal characteristics of its owner, a man of great energy, determination, and of much perseverance. He was born in Shelby County, Ohio, in 1828, and his father, Ephraim Sturm, was a native also of the Buckeye State. The grand- father, Mathias Sturm, was a native of Pennsyl- vania and at a very early day settled in Ohio. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. Ephraim Sturm was married, in his native State, to Miss Anna Carver, a native also of Ohio, and they resided there until 1849 when they emigrated to Peoria Connty, Ill. There the father purchased land and tilled the soil for a number of years. The mother died in Illinois in 1852, but the father is still living and makes his home in Peoria County, Ill. Of the four children born to their marriage, John T. Sturm was the eldest. He assisted on his father's farm, received his education in the schools of Ohio, and at the age of twenty-one years went to Illinois, where he tilled the soil for himself in Peoria Coun- ty until 1852. He was married in that county, Jannary 20, 1852, to Miss Lucinda Vantassell, a native of Peoria County, Ill., and the daughter of Alonson and Harriet (Richmond) Vantassell, na- tives of Indiana. Mr. Vantassell settled in Peoria County, Ill., squatted on land, and when the land

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was opened up for market at Danville he pur- chased his claim. There they both passed their last days, the mother dying in 1854 and the father in 1872. After his marriage Mr. Sturm settled on a farm in Peoria County, and June 2, 1862, he en- listed in Company G, Sixty-seventh Illinois In- fantry for three months. He was mustered into service at Chicago, June 4, and was assigned to de- tached and garrison duty, guarding prisons as far south as Vicksburg. He was honorably discharged at Camp Douglas, November 7, 1862, and returned to Peoria County, where he engaged in agricult- ural pursuits. In 1871 he came to Hall County, Neb., and engaged in improving and developing his farm. Aside from his farming interests he raises considerable stock, and is one of the substan- tial men of the county. He is deeply interested in politics and his vote is cast with the Republican party. He is among the foremost in educational matters, and has been a member of the school board; is active in the organization of school dis- tricts, and in the organization of townships from precincts. He was assessor in South Platte Town- ship in 1885, has also been enumerator, and has held other local offices. During his service in the army he received a sunstroke, has felt the effects of it from that time to the present, and for the past ten or twelve years has been incapable of manual labor. Socially he is a member of the G. A. R., A. J. Smith Post No. 65, Doniphan, Neb., and has held offices of trust in the organization. To his marriage have been born fourteen children, eleven now living: William Oscar (married, and resides in Kansas City, Mo.), Perry (died in 1855), Alice E. (now Mrs. Lewis, resides in South Platte Town- ship), Odns F. (died in Illinois), Alonzo O. (mar- ried, and resides in Doniphan, Neb.), Minnie M. (now Mrs. Dennon, resides in Fairbury, Neb.), Bertha A. (now Mrs. Johnson, resides in Marshall County, Iowa), Stephen (resides in Hall County, Neb.), Hattie, Ella, Archie F., Ida, John R. and one died in infancy. Mr. Sturm has seen a great many changes since coming to this State, and is one of the five left of the original settlers of South Platte Township. He was there during the grass- hopper raids of 1874, 1875 and 1876, and endured

the many hardships common to frontier life. He has seen the complete growth of the country, and has aided in all enterprises for the good of the same. His house was made a stopping-place by emigrants moving westward and, with his large family, Mr. Sturm often found it hard to keep the wolf from the door. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Doniphan, and are much respected by all acquainted with them. Mr. Sturm has and is now acting as correspondent for both religious and literary papers, for which he writes a great many articles, mostly signed "Independent," or "X." Some incidents con- nected with frontier life in Nebraska's early days might prove interesting to some. But, suffice it to say, the Indians were quite numerous here, and as their custom was to make two trips a year to their hunting ground, they passed by the door of Mr. Sturm's residence. He says he has seen a caravan four miles long. They had to be watched as they were very treacherous, often taking prop- erty that did not belong to them, and seeming to relish what white people loathe.

J. Lue Sutherland, M. D. The medical pro- fession of Hall County, Neb., is ably represented by the above-named gentleman, who was born in Shelbyville, Ind., on September 23, 1854, being the fourth of a family of ten children born to the union of John Wesley and Elizabeth (McIlraith) Sutherland, the former of whom was born in Indi- ana in 1825, and the latter in Pennsylvania in 1828, and are now residents of Marion County, Iowa, where they settled in 1855. Dr. Suther- land was reared on a farm in Central Iowa, until seventeen years of age, then entered the Central Iowa University, where he remained four years, and in the meantime began the study of medicine. He spent one year in the office of Dr. J. A. Roberts, two years with W. E. Wright, and during these years of study he taught an occasional term of school to defray his expenses. After attending lectures for one term he located in Buena Vista County, where he practiced his profession for about one year, then entered Rush Medical College of Chicago, and from this institution was graduated February 2, 1882, removing the same year to

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Nebraska. He located first in Wayne, Wayne County, but about a year later settled in Wisner, and on September 23, 1887, came to Grand Island, where he has since held forth and has built up a splendid practice. He is a close student and in the practice of medicine keeps fully apace with the times. Having acquired the German language from books, the Doctor now is able to read, speak and write that language much to his own satisfac- tion and the satisfaction of a large portion of his patrons, who are German. He is a stanch Repub- lican, and is a member of the A. O. U. W. and K. of P. He is examining surgeon for the several social organizations of Grand Island, also several old line insurance companies, and is surgeon-in- chief of this district for the Pacific Mutual Life and Accident Insurance Company of California. The Doctor is of Scotch-Irish descent, and is a descendant of the Duke of Sutherland, of Suther- land County, Scotland. June 26, 1882, he was married to Mrs. Emily Kleeberger, of Buena Vista County, Iowa.

B. Z. Taylor has been located in the State of Nebraska for the past eighteen years, and has proved to be a valuable citizen to Hall County, especially as far as farming is concerned. His farm, an exceptionally fine one, comprises 160 acres, every acre of which is tillable, under fence, and well improved by good buildings. He comes of old Virginia stock, and was born in the "Old Dominion " in 1847, being a son of B. F. and Catherine (McDonald) Taylor, who were born, reared and married in that State. In 1852 they emigrated to Illinois, and after a short residence in Edgar County moved to Moultrie County, where they remained until 1881, then coming to Hall Conn- ty. B. Z. Taylor was reared and received a good common-school education in Moultrie County, and was one of two children who grew to manhood there. He enlisted in Company I, One Hun- dred and Thirty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, United States Army, and served until the time of his enlistment had expired, and September 28, 1864, received an honorable discharge. He followed farming in Illinois until 1872, then came to Nebraska and took up a claim where he still 44

resides, but his first efforts in farming were n failure, as the grasshoppers destroyed his crops as fast as they came up. Somewhat discouraged he concluded to abandon his farm for a time, and removed to Iowa and teamed during the winter of 1874. In the spring of that year he came back to his farm, and his efforts have since continued to prosper. During his early settlement game was very abundant, and many enjoyable hours were spent by Mr. Taylor in hunting buffalo and deer. In 1883 he was united in marriage to Miss C. Bow- den, who was born in Illinois in 1866, and by her he is the father of five children: Gertrude, Benny, Lettie, Leslie and Roy. Mrs. Taylor is a daughter of George and Mary (King) Bowden, the former of whom was born in England and came to the United States at the age of fourteen, locating in Grundy County, Ill. George Bowden left Illi- nois in 1877 for Texas, and came from there to Hall County, Neb., in 1879, where he lived until 1884, then moving to Custer County, Neb., his present residence. His people reside in Illinois, and his wife's people in Hall County, Neb.

Francis N. Taylor, farmer, Wood River, Neb. Prominent among the many enterprising and suc- cessful agriculturists of Hall County stands the name of Mr. Taylor, who was born in Moultrie County, Ill., in 1857, and who received his educa- tion in the district schools of that county. He was the youngest and only son in a family of four children born to his parents, and was left mother- less at the age of four years. The father after- ward married again. He was a millwright by trade, and followed that occupation during his latter years, although during the first part of his life he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was a Whig in politics, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of the four children born to his marriage, Francis N. is the only one now living. The latter attained his growth in Illinois, secured a fair education in that State, and was there married to Miss Mary Pugh, a native of Illinois, born in 1859. Five children are the result of this nnion: Mabel, Della, Francis E., Lulu and Clifford. Mr. Taylor fol- lowed farming in Illinois until 1880, then sold out

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and emigrated to Nebraska, where he purchased 130 acres of land in Hall County. He is now the owner of 180 acres, and has a fine river running through his land, which affords abundant water for his stock. He keeps a good breed of stock, and in the management of everything connected with his farm he displays excellent judgment and thor- oughness, qualities which can not fail of success. In his political preferences he is a Republican, though no political aspirant, and throughout the county he has many friends, by whom he is well and favorably known.

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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