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 33

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 33
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 33
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 33
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 33

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).

In August, 1884, Rev. Mr. Borick moved to Cortland, Neb., and Mr. Black took charge of the Presbyterian work here.

Steps were taken in 1878 to erect a Catholic Church at Kenesaw. Father Glauber was at that time the priest of this large mission.

The Evangelical Church was organized in 1878 with Ernest Budy, Green Cullop, Charles Oliver, J. W. Bobbitt, Reuben Budy, Mrs: Mary Jones, Charles Schliehouf, O. A. Bentz and B. Young. The pas- tors in the order of service have been Paul Gressley, - Leibhart, - McSesslin, T. N. Serf and Rev. J. H. Peters, the present pastor. The society has not yet erected a house of worship, although the mem- bership numbers 137.

The Kenesaw Cemetery Association was organ- ized April 26, 1880, with G. W. Baldwin, W. Z. Parmenter and G. C. Giffin, trustees; D. D. Nor- ton, secretary, and J. G. Hayzlett, treasurer.

Kenesaw Lodge No. 144, A. F. and A. M., was organized June 24, 1885, and chartered July 28, that year, with twenty-one members. The first offi- cers were installed July 28: II. E. Norton, W. M .; J. G. Hayzlett, S. W .; G. W. Wolcott, J. W .; L. B. Partridge, S. D .; E. N. Crane, T .; R. B. Ground,

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S .; T. B. Booth, J. D .; F. H. Cole, E. L. Dutton, T. J. Fink, J. W. Bobbitt and- Milan Young were unofficial members. The office of master has been held by H. E. Norton, J. G. Hayzlett, L. B. Par- tridge, S. H. Smith and F. C. Brosius, the present master. The secretaries in order of service are named as follows: R. B. Ground, S. A. Sayre and J. H. Cooley, the present incumbent. There are forty-four members in good standing. Officers in 1884 were F. C. Brosius, E. P. Gillette, C. D. Courtright, Henry E. Norton, J. H. Cooley, E. E. Norton, Marshall Morse, John B. Cook, Benjamin F. Cook and T. P. Booth.

The Grand Army of the Republic is referred to in the military chapter.

The Woman's Suffrage Association was organ- ized June 2, 1882, by . Mrs. M. A. Brass. Madam D. D. Norton was chosen president; Mrs. Hayzlett, vice-president; Mrs. J. H. Cooley, secretary, and Mrs. J. H. Roberts, treasurer. Mesdames Wil- liams, Thompson and Cooley formed the executive committee.

In the general history mention is frequently made to this village. In an early chapter the storms of 1874 are described, and in the chapter on journalism a reference is made to the first newspaper established there-the Times. Years ago, when the argonauts sped over the prairies of Nebraska, the Kenesaw district was a favorite camping ground. Near the village is the Lone Grave, a sad reminder of the penalties attached to travel fifty years ago. The story of this grave and its tenant is told in the chapter on exploration and settlement, and in the same chapter is related the scant facts obtainable of Indian doings in that vicinity.

The village of Ayr was established in September, 1878, by the Southern Pacific Town Site Company. Within eighteen months it claimed three general stores, one hardware, one grocery, one drug store, one saloon, one agricultural implement warehouse, one livery, one lumber yard, two blacksmith shops, one boot and shoe shop, one land office, one millinery store, the Ayr and Commercial Hotels, two public halls, and two physicians' offices. Mrs. Richards was in charge of the school. The name was given in honor of Dr. Ayr, of Iowa, then one of the

directors of the Burlington & Missouri River Rail- road. The site was originally the property of John Radcliffe, owner of Section 33; Ayers Goble owned one quarter section on the east, and A. C. Moore, a quarter section on the south, while south of Goble's and west of Moore's, Prof. Meyers owned a half section. The railroad was built in 1878, and to in- sure the establishment of a depot at this point, the owners of the site were compelled to donate every other lot to the railroad company.

Ayr in 1879 pointed with pride to its large grain elevator, two dry-goods and grocery stores, a drug store, a livery stable, blacksmith shop, and lumber yard, together with Goble's agricultural implement and coal yard, and Laughlin & McMillan's lumber yard. The post office established that year was presided over by C. B. Scott. James Fleming (for- merly West & Fleming) kept the hotel; S. G. Clark presided over the school. In October, 1878, O. D. Barras built the first house-a small frame dwelling. In November, a two-story frame building was erected for hotel purposes by R. C. Fleming, and a house for general trade was opened by A. L. West and T. C. Fleming. R. C. Gregg established the first drug store at this time (later Kochler & Phar); John Rich- ards' grocery, Hull & McMillan's general store; Peck & Howe's saloon and the Edgerton hardware house were all opened in the fall of 1878.

The petition for a post office in this section was signed by William and Milton Scott, T. C. Fleming, V. C. Rogers, and others, and resulted in the estab- lishment at Gibson. The Gibson office was moved one and a half miles south to Ayr in 1879, and B. H. Scott continued as master. Early in 1881 he was succeeded by James E. Bovard, who served until April 1, 1884, when H. A. Howe was ap- pointed.

Dr. S. A. Bookwalter moved from Juniata to this point in February, 1880, and the Millington store building was moved thither by Kress and Moot. The Methodist class of Ayr was organized in 1879, by Elder Lemons, and Rev. John Holland was as- signed to the new circuit by the next Conference. During the ensuing few years the church was with- out a pastor, and the organization almost ceased.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized

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ADAMS COUNTY.

October 4. 1879, with Peter Rose, Ely Burton. Peter Griffith. MI. B. Foote, A. N. Hall, Hugh Knepper and J. A. Rice, members. The church has been served by Revs. Nathan Brown, Louis Barr, R. M. Hardman, - Harbert, A. Gore, E. L. Wolf and J. MI. Carroll. A. N. Hall has served as recording steward of this society since its organization. On September 1, 1885, the church building was dedi- cated under the name Mt. Pleasant M. E. Church.

In January, 1884, the United Presbyterians held services at the hotel in Ayr. A Hastings man who visited the village that day noticed a number of per- sons ascending the stairs, and through curiosity asked what was going on. The landlord responded that it was a U. P. meeting. The Hastings man went up to take part in a railroad meeting which in- terested him, but just as he entered the room, the United Presbyterians opened with the hymn, " There is a land of pure delight." The disappointment he suffered destroyed his sympathy for Christian forms and music.

The first child born on the town site was Harvey Fleming. The first death in the community was recorded in October, 1881, when Henry Harm's twin infants died.

The Mennonites located a cemetery five miles west of Ayr, in 1880. and in May the society took steps to build a meeting house.

Henry Gund & Co's. elevator was erected in June, 1879, and John Robinson's livery barns were built. Later that year, Isaac Vanderwert established his blacksmith shop; A. J. Pate built the Commercial House, and Rev. J. Fleming erected the old Church Hall at his own expense. The first school was taught late in 1878 by John Gainer, a fine scholar, and said to have been a good judge of whisky. At the close of the winter term he entered on a term of drunkenness, left the place and never returned.

In June, 1883, three companies of United States colored cavalry camped near Ayr, en route from Fort Riley to Fort McKinley. The population at this time was 260. about equal in number to the colored visitors.

Little Blue post office was discontinued in March. 1879.

"Presbyterianism in the Valley of the Little

Blue in Adams County." is the title of a short paper. prepared by Rev. John Fleming for this work. He states that the first sermon preached by a Pres- hyterian minister in the valley of the Little Blue in Adams County was by the Rev. James A. Griffes. on August 10, 1873. in a recently built frame school house called the Kingston school house. Mr. Griffes was the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Hastings, then a small village. Hle preached stat- edly in this school house once a month, until in February, 1876, when it was resolved to organize a church under the name of " The Presbyterian Church of Kingston. Neh." Entering into this organization were Adam Melville and wife, George Crafford and wife, Angeline Mitchel, Daniel II. Mitchel, Benja- min F. Nole, Manilla Scott, William M. Snodgrass and wife, Joseph Snodgrass and wife, Thomas E. Davis and wife, Norbert Dehut and wife, John Li .- londe and wife, A. C. Mather and wife, William I. Snodgrass and wife and Jane A. Vastine, Subse- quently the congregation moved one mile and a half south to a larger school house, retaining still their corporate name, supplied by Rev. James A. Griffes and occasionally by other ministers. In the sum- mer of 1878, a small house of worship was built in the immediate vicinity of Dyer's mill, when the con- gregation assumed the corporate name of South Adams," and was ministered to by the Rev. John Fleming. In the year 1879 another house of wor- ship was built in the village of Ayr, and the two churches came under the ministry of the Rev. Fred Johnston for some eighteen months. His successor was the Rev. Albinus Powers, for twelve months, and his successor was the Rev. W. W. Morton. In its first years the church was a flourishing church, but by deaths, and principally by removals, it is now reduced to a membership of sixteen and is without a pastor. The elders of this church under its different names and composing its session were Adam Melville, Oliver C. Rogers, Arthur C. Mather and George Crafford, all of whom are now removed without its bounds, except O. C. Rogers. Its secu- lar interests are managed by a board of trustees, holding office until their successors are elected.

Kingston Lodge No. 54, I. O. G. T., was organ- ized February 23, 1877. with A. C. Mather, May

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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.

Jones, S. M. Bird, E. D. Jones, Mrs. Willoughby, J. E. Davis, I. M. Dean, I. B. White, A. Sinclair, Lizzie Carter, Emma Carter, E. J. Jones and Elva Edgerton, officials in the order of rank.

In December, 1879, the first post office was established at Hansen, with James McGregor, mas- ter. He appointed Mrs. Maurey (wife of the rail- road agent), deputy, while he carried the mail to and from Hastings on his own back. In April, 1881, J. L. Evans was appointed, and in 1882 he was succeeded by Jacob Smith. The village was surveyed in 1879 for A. B. Ideson and J. J. Wemple, on the entry of Charles and William Haines. In the fall of 1879 a railroad depot was erected. S. L. Loucks built his hotel. The gen- eral stores of J. L. Evans and B. F. Ford were opened, and James McGregor, as agent of the Paine Bros., opened a lumber yard. B. F. Fisher's black- smith shop was opened in April, 1880, but Jacob Countryman succeeded him in 1881. In October of that year J. G. Honeywell purchased the hotel building. His father opened a grocery store and his brother a shoe store. Jacob Smith came also at this time, and purchasing Evans' interests, became postmaster.

The Presbyterian Society was organized on the 7th day of September, 1879, Rev. G. L. Little act- ing as moderator and Rev. D. S. Schaff as clerk of the meeting for organizing. The names of the original members are: Alanson Baker and his wife Alice C. Baker, J. L. Brockover and his wife Jane E. Brockover, Mrs. Isabella Carpenter, Ryneas Covert and Rebecca Covert his wife, Lafayette Dominy and his wife Sarah A. Dominy, Mrs. Eliza- beth Gregg, Philopoena Huf, Mrs. Nancy Mowers, Laura Mowers, Ella Mowers, Jonathan Oldfield and his wife Priscilla Oldfield, John H. Powers and his wife E. E. Powers, Nancy R. Powers, Lucy A. Powers, Mrs. Jane B. Powers, Charles A. Powers and his wife Ellen M. Powers, Lifee F. Powers, Aaron F. Powers and his wife Ann Powers, Robert W. Powers, William Palmerton and his wife Carrie Palmerton, William H. Reese and his wife Jane C. Reese, James W. Smith and his wife Nancy Smith, Emma J. Smith, Augustus A. Stone and his wife Luella J. Stone, Letas W. Stone and his wife L.

Stone, Henry E. Ware and his wife Harriet A. Ware, Lnella A. Defenbaugh. The first elders were Aaron F. Powers, John H. Powers and William Palmerton. The names of pastors are D. S. Schaff, Peter Wessels, E. A. McCullum, H. K. Bushnell, F. M. Hickok. Clerks of session have been J. H. Powers and A. F. Powers.

The church house was erected in 1884, at a cost of $2,116, under the superintendence of A. A. Stone, L. Dominy, George B. Loucks and William Bishop, trustees and members of the building com- mittee. This house was dedicated November 9, 1884, by Mrs. Schaff.

The Oliver grain house was established in 1880, when W. L. Baker took charge. Prior to 1882 two elevators existed here, with a capacity of 23,000 bushels, the Baker coal yard and hardware store were established, and the little prairie village as- snmed the proportions of a town in the volume of its trade.

Congress Lodge No. 173, I. O. O. F., was organ- ized at Hansen, December 13, 1889, with S. M. Funk, N. G., and H. Stire, secretary.

The Heptasoples were recently organized by the Supreme Ruler of Nebraska, D. M. Morris.

A school house was completed in the summer of 1880, and opened in the fall of that year. Miss Sperry, of Hastings, was employed to preside over this primitive educational institution.

Congress Lodge No. 173, I. O. O. F., was in- stituted December 6, 1889, at Hansen. The charter members were D. M. Morris, S. M. Frink, John Wilson, B. F. Barr, J. H. Allen, Winthrop Jones, Howard Stire, W. B. Brown, F. J. Taylor, H. E. Ashley, Fred Albright. The election of officers re- sulted: S. M. Frink, N. G .; J. H. Allen, V. G .; D. M. Warden, W .; B. F. Barr, Con .; Howard Stire, R. S .; Winthrop Jones, P. S .; John Wilson, Treas .; W. B. Brown, R. S. N. G .; H. E. Ashley, L. S. V. G .; F. J. Taylor, I. G. This lodge was instituted by W. H. Barger, G. M. of Grand Lodge of the State. At the time of institution six brothers were elected and initiated-W. E. Lucas, Frank Lamphear, R. E. Williams, Aleck Kanester, Will- iam Wilhite, James H. Elliot. Installation of offi- cers took place December 6, 1889.

ADAMS COUNTY.

205

A reference to the transactions of the county commissioners will show the steps taken toward the establishment of a grist-mill at Millington on the Little Blue. In 1872 work on this manufacturing industry was commenced by John Dyer; but before the completion of the mill in 1875, Elbridge and True Dyer became partners in the project. Power was obtained from the waters of the Litttle Blue. The Dyers located lands in Denver Township in 1872. Some few years after the mills were com- pleted a building for mereantile purposes was ereeted. Within a short time (in 1880) this house was moved to Ayr by Mortimer Kress and W. S. Moot, or by Kress and Keith.

Roseland Township raised 57,702 bushels of wheat, 147, 775 of corn, 14,747 of barley and 30,311 of oats, in 1884. Personal property was valued at $31,086, and real estate at $56,995. There were 349 horses, 945 cattle, 96 mules and 2,388 hogs re- ported. Silas Caton was credited with the best im- proved farm; John Winter with the largest stoek farm, and Peter Griffith with the largest wheat field, 48 acres yielding 877 bushels. Matt Sheffering planted the greatest number of forest treees, while S. Caton and R. M. Boyd set out 600 fruit trees each. The greatest apple producers were C. A. Cole and R. M. Boyd, each of whose orchards yielded 40 bushels.

W. S. Hall presided over the school in 1879. In February, 1879, Rev. Shifler, of the Mennonite Church, established himself on the southeast quarter of Section 15, Township 6, Range 11, near Roseland. The school there was then in charge of Mrs. Hartman, who also taught the preceding year.

Mayflower was established as a post office in 1877. A. Burling, the present master, writing un- der date December 3, 1889, states:

" I would say, in answer to your request for a list of postmasters for Mayflower, Mr. D. M. Gris- wold was the only one before me. He served eleven years and I took it a year ago the 6th of December. The oldest resident now living in this neighborhood is J. M. Strahl. He came about fifteen years ago."

Holstein is one of the modern villages of the county. A newspaper office, a school house, a few stores and a number of dwellings point out the pro-

gress made in a few years. There is a Lyceum in existence here, among the active members being A. S. Thompson, A. L. Boyd, J. S. Fernow, Jennie Larson, Versa Larson, Mecham Bros., Holstein band, Mrs. F. J. Hurst, Joe MeCowan, Dr. W. T. Carson, Ruby and Lottie Mecham, Fred Hurst, Anna Larson, A. E. Troyer and Eva MePeak.

The Dramatic Club claims Dr. W. T. Carson as manager and A. L. Boyd, secretary. Among the members are C. A. Sipple, A. E. Troyer, T. L. Am- bler, J. M. Heekler, E. L. Hannaford, Jennie Lar- son and Eva MePeak. The Holstein brass band is another organization which caters to the entertain- ment of the people. With all this local talent for music, literature and the drama, there are workers in and around the village who made and continue to make the little town a synonym for industry. The Record and Nonpareil are the newspapers of the village.

The Holstein board of trade was organized in January, 1890, with the following named members: W. T. Carson, Pres .; C. A. Sipple, V. P .; John Hargleroad, Sec .; William Shellheimer, Treas. C. F. Keutzer, Frank Fernow and F. C. Van Veghten were appointed a committee to draw up the consti- tution and by-laws.

Mountain Ash Camp No. 1,035, M. W. A., organ- ized last year, elected the following named officers in January, 1890: A. E. Troyer, V. C .; W. S. Mc- Auley, W. A .; A. L. Boyd, E. B .; J. M. Heckler, C .; F. C. Van Veghten, E .; Dr. W. T. Carson, C. P .; C. McCall, W., and F. Y. Hurst, S. F. C. Van Veghten was appointed manager in the place left vacant by George A. Bentley. W. T. Carson was elected manager for the ensuing three years.

The Holstein mill was established early in 1890 by Shellheimer & Clark.

The Van Allen I. O. G. T. was organized in No- vember, 1878, with S. P. Hlowland, S. Morrison, S. Nicholas, W. Van Allen, James Slote, John Plank, G. H. Howland, D. H. Hill, O. Hudson, Fred Browning, G. W. Hill, F. Van Allen, R. Ranefortlı and L. F. Gould officials in the order of rank. Many of the above named were connected with the old lodge at Hastings.

At Pauline, S. V. Bechtelheimer was appointed

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IHISTORY OF NEBRASKA.

postmaster January 2, 1890, to succeed W. E. Duncan.

The Lutheran Church Society of Section 12, Township 6, Range 12, was organized at Fred Wag- ner's house, February 11, 1873, with Herman D. Einspahr, Robert Hohlfeldt and Fred Wagner, trus- tees.

Pleasantville Cemetery Association was organ- ized in February, 1877, with E. M. Beach, Robert Wetson, C. W. Wilson, M. V. Hatfield and R. M. Rateliff, members.

The Missouri Pacific was opened to Prosser in 1888. J. H. Korner was the first agent there. S. G. Harrow was the pioneer of the district, and S. W. Smith, a farmer, took the first steps to have an office established at that point.

The Methodist Church at Prosser was organized in 1887 by Rev. R. M. Hardman. The Union Pa- eifie Railroad official kindly gave the use of their depot for church and Sunday-school until a very neat church was built in 1889. The present trustees are J. F. Morgan, L. J. Ware and Don Steadman, and the present pastor, Rev. McK. DeMotte. There is at present a membership of fifteen.

There are prosperous societies at Pearson, Ash and Liberty school houses, and a total membership of 140.

The First German Presbyterian Church of Hanover Township was organized by Rev. Jacob Brinkema, July 3, 1883, with a membership of twenty-seven. The first elders of the church were Mr. D. G. Lay and J. W. Baxter. The deacons were M. Falrieks and Henry Bradair, and the trustees Simon Van Boening, H. Meester and George Lay. The church was completed in 1884, and dedicated July 6, that year. Within the last few years the membership has enlarged itself to about fifty members. The present pastor, Rev. Jacob Brinkema, has officiated from the first organization of the church. The church and parsonage were built at a cost of $2,000 or $3,000. They are located on the northeast corner of Section 21, on land owned by Mr. Lay.

Inland was surveyed in the central portion of Section 12, Township 7, Range 9, in March, 1872, for Charles F. Morse. Tulip, Chestnut and South

Railroad Streets run east and west, sonth of rail- road, and North Railroad Street, Oak, Maple, Beech and Alder, north of railroad. The streets running north and south, beginning on the west line, are Dry- den, Burns, Moore, Pope, Byron, Milton and Syd- ney. The corner stone of the first school honse at Inland was placed July 1, 1873, by Millard and Vandemark. As related in the transactions of the board of the commissioners, this plat was vacated in 1878, and the name and interests of the first town in Adams County transferred to Clay County. At that time there were three small stores, six or seven dwellings and a large frame school building there; but within a few years very few traces of ancient Inland existed.

Ludlow postoffice was established in January, 1880, with .J. L. Huff in charge, on petition of H. B. Talbert and others. When Trumbull post office in Clay County was established, that at Ludlow was discontinued. S. M. Walker is the present master at Trumbull.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Samuel Alexander, well and favorably known to a host of acquaintances in Hastings, was born January 16, 1842, and like many other residents of Adams County is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred in Butler County. His parents, William and Agnes (Black) Alexander, were born in Ireland in 1801 and 1809, and died in Pawnee City, Neb. , and Prospect, Penn. , in 1879 and 1844, respec- tively. They came to the United States in 1837. and settled in Pennsylvania; but in 1855 Mr. Alex- ander and his son Samuel moved to Jackson County, Iowa, and three years later to Missouri. In 1861 they returned to Iowa, taking up their abode in Page County, and here Mr. Alexander enlisted in Company F, First Nebraska Volunteer Infantry, joining the regiment at Sedalia, Mo. He gave faith- ful service to his country until February, 1863, when he was honorably discharged on account of physical disability at Memphis, Tenn. By August, 1864, he had sufficiently recovered to again enter the service, and he rejoined his old company and regiment, and served until he received his final dis-

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charge at Omaha, Neb., on July 1, 1866. After returning and remaining in Iowa one year he took a contract of grading on the main line of the Union Pacific Railway in Western Nebraska, and in 1869 took up his ahode in Lincoln. The first years were spent in digging wells and cellars, and the next two years he acted as janitor of the State house. In 1872 he came to Adams County, Neb., and located on the northeast half of Section 12 of Denver Town- ship, which is now a part of the city of Hastings, and the finest residence portion of the place is on this tract. Mr. Alexander erected the first business house in Hastings in July, 1872, on what is now Block 27 of the original tract, it being a frame building 16x20 feet. In this building was kept a general stock of goods, and although he went to Juniata for some time for his mail, a post office was established at Hastings in October, 1872, of which he was put in possession, receiving his appointment from U. S. Grant, a position he held for nine and one-half years. His salary the first year amounted to $12, and at the time of his removal brought in $2,000 annually. He has been a director of the First National Bank since its organization, also of the Nebraska Loan and Trust Company; and in poli- ties has always been a Republican. In 1885 he was elected mayor of Hastings on the " no license" issue, and it was openly declared he made the best mayor the city ever had. In the administration of affairs he was wholly independent in the perform- ance of his dnties, and having the interests of the town at heart, he exercised his ingenuity and intelli- gence to the utmost. In every public emergency he has been a patriot, and selfish and personal con- siderations have been laid aside when the question of duty has been presented. In 1871 he was mar- ried at Brownsville, Neb., to Miss Hattie R. Phillips, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1952, and a danghter of Dr. A. R. and Harriet Phillips. Mr. and Mrs. Alexander are members of the Presby- terian Church, and he was one of the original mem- bers of the church organized at Lincoln in 1870, also of the church at Hastings in 1873. Mr. Alex- ander and his wife have five children: Agnes E., Rachel M., Esther N. , Frances P. and Samuel R. H. C. Armstrong, farmer and stock raiser, Hast-

ings, Neh. Mr. Armstrong is one of those sterling men of Ohio nativity, so many of whom are mnet with 'in this portion of the State, who possess such qualities of character as make them successful and prominent almost without exception wherever their lots are east. lle was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1845, and was the seventh of a family of children born to John and Frances (Moore) Armstrong, natives of Ireland, where they were married. In 1839 the parents immigrated to America, settled in Columbiana County, Ohio, and there the father followed farming. In 1853 they moved to Knox County. Ill., settled near Abing- don, Ill., and thence to Warren County of the same State, where the father opened up a farm. He died there in 1860. Ifis excellent wife followed him to the grave on December 24, 1879. H. C. Armstrong was early instructed in the duties of farm life, and received his education in the schools of Warren County, Ill. After growing up he went west to Page County, Iowa, worked by the month as a farm laborer for three years and then rented land. Ile was married in that county on December 31, 1872, to Miss Sarah J. Reed, a native of Harrison County, Ohio, and the daughter of M. and S. (Foster) Reed, natives of Ohio. Her father was a wagon maker by trade, and in about 1854 he moved to Wapello County, Iowa, and in 1859 to Page County, Iowa, where he and wife are both living at the present time. After his marriage Mr. Armstrong remained in Iowa until 1874, when he moved to Adams County, Neb., settled in Denver precinct, now Blaine Township, and bought 160 acres of railroad land, which he immediately began improving, and on which he first erected a small cabin, 14x16 feet. In 1885 he moved to West Blue Township, selling his farm in Blaine Township, and bought the 160 acres where he now lives. He was one of the first settlers of the county, and the first night camped on what is now the main square of the city of Hastings. He assisted in the organization of the township, and yet takes a prominent part in the upbuilding of the county. He is also active in politics, votes with the Republican party, and was elected county com- missioner by the Anti-Monopoly vote in 1881, to fill a vacancy, serving from January, 1882, to Novem-

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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