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 53

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 53
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 53
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 53
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 53

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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HISTORY OF NEBRASKA.

Church since they were children, and he, as well as his brother, is an active worker in the Sunday- school. He and wife have two sons and two daugh- ters: Ina, Ethel, Floyd and Leon. He also owns considerable town property and 160 acres of land three miles from Juniata, all of which is under cul- tivation. He is a Prohibitionist, and socially is a member of Juniata Lodge No. 79, I. O. O. F., of which he is secretary.

George W. Slay is a farmer and stock raiser of Cottonwood Township, Adams County, Neb., and his well established characteristics of energy, perse- verance and industry have brought him safe returns. He was born at McConnelsville, Ohio, November 26, 1854, and is a son of Henry and Catherine (Davis) Slay, who were also born in the " Buckeye State." The Slays are of German origin, and the grandfather, John Slay, was born in Pennsylvania and settled in Ohio at a very early period, his ancestors having come to this country, it is sup- posed, since the Revolutionary War. Catherine Davis was a daughter of George Davis, a native of Maryland, who settled in Ohio, at McConnelsville, during the early history of that region. George W. Slay was one of a family of eleven children, of whom five sons and two daughters are now living, and grew to manhood in the State of his birth. After reaching his nineteenth year he started out in life for himself, and after spending one year at farming in Grundy County, Mo., he went to Michi- gan and was employed in the lumber regions of that State for one year. The following six months were spent at general labor in West Virginia, after which he went to Pennsylvania, thence six months later to Indiana, and after spending a year here he went to Illinois, and spent a year there also. After a resi- · dence of six months in Wisconsin he returned to the lumber regions of Michigan, and eighteen months later went on a visit to his old home. He worked for three years at railroading in Perry County, after which he farmed until 1883, in Grundy County, Mo., and in September of that year came to Ne- braska and homesteaded his present property, which comprises 160 acres of fine farming land, nicely improved with good buildings, orchards, etc. While a resident of Grundy County, Mo., he was married

to Miss Martha Shilling, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Reuben and Hannah (Hopper) Shilling, natives of Wisconsin, and descendants of an old Scotch family. Mr. and Mrs. Slay have one son and two daughters: Herman A., Ettie Myrtle and Gracie May. The family worship in the Methodist Church, and Mr. Slay has held several local offices.

Edwin Smith, farmer and stock raiser, Hastings, Neb. Mr. Smith owes his nativity to the Empire State, where his birth occurred in 1842, and is the second of five children, three sons and two daugh- ters, born to the union of John and Keziah (Hal- lock) Smith, natives also of the State of New York. The father is a farmer, and has followed this occu- pation successfully all his life. He was born in 1820, and is now a resident of his native State. · He is Democratic in his political principles, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife was also a member. She was the daughter of Zebulous Hallock, of York State, and died in 1885. Their children were named as follows: Cyrus B., Edwin, Joseph P., Loduska M. and Ida B. Edwin Smith's school days were spent in New York State, and he was reared in Delaware County, al- though his native county was Greene. He started out for himself in 1863, by enlisting in Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Illinois Volunteers, he having moved to that State and settled in Mar- shall County in that year, and from that time he acted as scout and guard, taking prisoners back and forwards from different places. He was discharged on October 20, 1864, after which he returned to Illinois, and there tilled the soil until 1876. He then emigrated to Adams County, Neb., bought eighty acres of land, which he now has well im- proved and which is better stocked than almost any other farm in this part of the country. He is enter- prising, industrious, and cannot fail to be success- ful in whatever he undertakes. He was married, in 1882, to Isabelle Campbell, nee Herlinger, who had one child, Ira, the result of a former union. Mr. Smith is interested in all enterprises for the good of the county, is school treasurer in his district, a member of the Farmers' Alliance, and in his politi- cal views is Democratic. He and Mrs. Smith are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr.

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Smith likes the State, and expects to make it his permanent home.

Judge B. F. Smith, attorney at law, a member of the firm of Dilworth, Smith & Dilworth, of Hast- ings, Neb., was born in Wayne County, Ohio, in June, 1847, being the seventh in a family of eight children of Nathaniel and Mary (Cope) Smith, who were of German descent; the father was a Lutheran minister. Both his parents died in 1851. B. F. Smith soon after removed with his grandparents to Steuben County, Ind. , and at an early age entered a printing office, and also learned the manufacturing of candy, and at the age of sixteen, in 1863, en- listed in Company H, First Michigan Sharpshooters, being attached to the Ninth Army Corps, in the campaign of 1864, and participated in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Bethel Church, Ox Ford, North Anne, Cold Harbor and Petersburg, in which last engagement he received a wound in the right arm from the bursting of a shell, which caused the amputation of the arm at the elbow. He was discharged from the service in December, 1864, and returned to his home in Steuben County, Ind., and soon after engaged in running as express messenger between Cincinnati and St. Louis. In 1866, when the cholera was raging in St. Louis, he returned to Steuben Connty, Ind., and entered the graded school of Angola, remaining there teaching school and studying law until 1871, when he was admitted, and in April of 1872, he removed to Juniata, Neb., taking up a homestead four miles northeast of that place in Highland Township. He at once entered upon a career of distinction and success, and owing to his strong, good sense and knowledge of legal lore, he soon commanded a large patronage. He has made many improvements on his farm, which is a valuable piece of land, and after proving his title, in 1874, he moved to Juniata, where he bought prop- erty and erected a dwelling, but in 1882 caused his present commodious residence to be built. He has always been a politician, and in 1873 his ability was recognized by the people, and he was elected probate judge, which office he held eight years. He has al- ways been a stanch supporter of Republican princi- ples and has been a delegate to numerous conven- tions. In 1876 he formed a law partnership with

James Laird, which continued until 1883, when the latter's interest was purchased by Gen. Dilworth, and the next year W. A. Dilworth was admitted and the present firm formed. Judge Smith is a member of the I. O. O. F., Juniata Lodge No. 79, and is a member of Hastings Encampment No. 50, and of Geary Post No. 81, G. A. R .. Miss Sarah Biggs- bee, of Indiana, became his wife in 1868, and to them have been born the following family: Jesse and Eugene are deceased, and Benjamin F., Philip H. and Harrison Morton are living.

J. W. Smith, M. D., is well known to the many readers of this volume, and owes his nativity to Bakewell, England, where his birth occurred in 1852, he being the elder of two children born to Thomas and Mary Smith, the former of whom was a Wesleyan Methodist minister, and expounded the doctrines of his denomination for thirty-three years, dying in 1874. His wife's death occurred in 1880. Dr. J. W. Smith often accompanied his father to the different parishes in which he preached, and thus acquired much valuable information, which stood him in good stead in later years. His means of learning was not confined to this alone, however, for he attended the schools of Bakewell, excellent ones of their kind, and subsequently finished his educa- tion by graduating from the medical and theological departments of Wesley College, Sheffield. In 1873-74 he preached the Gospel in England, but in 1875 he came to the United States, and located at Franklin, N. Y., where he continued his work for the Master for two years, and was then at Hampden, of the same State, three years. At the expiration of this time he came to Nebraska, and for two years acted as principal of the schools of Orleans, being also pastor of a church there, after which he was transferred to Juniata, making this the scene of his ministerial labors for two years. Since that time he has practiced the profession of medicine in Adams County, his labors in this capacity being well pros- pered, and, besides, his own personal characteristics have drawn around him a wide spread popularity. Dr. Smith was married in New York, in 1876, to Miss Mary K. Muhlaehm, a native of Hampden, N. Y., and a graduate of the Albany Normal College, a refined and intellectual lady. Her grandfather was

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one of the earliest settlers in Delaware County, and her relatives are respected and prosperous citizens of that region. Dr. and Mrs. Smith have had five children: E. Russell (who died at the age of two years), Floyd, Edith Pearl, Robert Arthur (died in infancy), and Walter J.

H. N. Spencer, farmer and stock raiser, Ne- gunda, Neb. This successful and enterprising citi- zen, like the majority of people who claim the Buckeye State as their birth place, is enterprising, intelligent and thrifty. His birth occurred in Ge- auga County, in 1825, and he was the only child born to his parents, Orrin and Mehitabel (Hall) Spencer, natives of Connecticut. The father was a farmer by occupation, and when fifteen years of age he moved with his parents to Geauga County, Ohio, they being among the first white settlers to locate in Claridon Township. He was married in Ohio in 1821, and afterwards tilled the soil. His death occurred in Ohio in 1874, and his wife's death occurred previous to this, in 1866. He was quite a prominent man and served the county in many posi- tions of trust. He was justice and director of the infirmary. Grandfather Spencer was in the War of 1812, and went to Cleveland at the time of Hull's surrender. H. N. Spencer began farming at an early age, and secured a fair education in both the subscription and free schools of Geauga County. He was married in that county, in 1846, to Miss Rosett Utley, a native of Geauga County, and the daughter of Hamilton and Polly (Squires) Utley, natives of Massachusetts. Her father was a farmer and about 1816 moved to Geauga County, Ohio, where he remained during life. He was in the fac- tory business for many years in Massachusetts. He engaged in teaching in Ohio, and followed this pro- fession with success for about twenty years. He was justice of the peace for many years. His wife died in May, 1853, and he in December of the same year. After his marriage Mr. Spencer settled in Ohio, and remained there until the fall of 1880, when he moved to Adams County, Neb. In 1862 he enlisted for three years in Company F, Seventh Ohio Infantry, and was commissioned second lieu- tenant, and assigned to the Army of the Potomac. He was in several battles, among them being Chan-

cellorsville and Gettysburg. In 1863 he was taken sick at Gettysburg, and during his sickness his wife made him a visit. In consequence of the battle of Chickamauga, Mr. Spencer was transferred to the Army of the Cumberland, and was in the battle of Lookout Mountain and Ringgold, where he received a gun-shot wound in the hip. He received a fur- lough and was at home for sixty days, and he now has the bullet. After returning he was in the battle of Resaca and Dallas, where he received a shell wound which put out one eye, and this ended his field service with the Seventh. He remained at Nashville, Tenn., for some time, and was mustered out at Cleveland, Ohio, in July, 1864. In August of the same year he received an appointment and recruited Company K, One Hundred and Seventy- seventh Ohio Infantry, and was appointed captain. He was assigned to the defense of the Nashville Railroad. He was in Murfreesboro, and was be- sieged by Gen. Forrest,. and was in many skir- mishes. His regiment was later assigned to the Twenty-third Army Corps, and he joined in Febru- ary. He was at Fort Fisher, was at Wilmington, Goldsboro, and was in the battle of Town Creek. Mr. Spencer was honorably discharged in 1865, at Greensboro, N. C., after which he returned imme- diately to Geauga County, Ohio, but later went to North Carolina, where he remained six months. Subsequently he returned to Ohio and followed farm- ing there until 1881, when, as before stated, he moved to Adams County, Neb. He purchased a prairie tract of land of 400 acres, and on this he has made many improvements. He has a fine stock ranch, well watered and with plenty of shade, and he raises considerable stock. He is not active in politics, and votes with the Republican party. He held the position of treasurer of Geauga County from 1858 to 1862, and was one of the prominent men of the same, taking quite an active part in politics. He is a member of C. A. Arthur Post No. 242, G. A. R., at Lawrence, Neb. Socially he is a member of the A. F. & A. M., is a Chapter member, and is also a member of the Council. He has been a Knight Templar for thirty-five years, and has been High Priest and served in other capacities. To this union have been born two children: Flora S.

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(now Mrs. Hawley, of Eureka Springs, Ark.), and Lawrence U., residing on the farm. Mrs. Hawley is a music teacher and has a store in Eureka Springs.

John H. Spicer, clerk of the district court of Adams County, Neb., is a native of La Salle County Ill. , born September 26, 1857, and is the eldest of five children of E. H. and Eunice (Wood) Spieer, who were born in Pennsylvania, in 1828 and 1830, respectively, and are residing in La Salle County, Ill., where they settled in the year of 1854. Roger Spicer, the paternal grandfather, was born in the "Nutmeg State" in 1796, and died in New York in 1884. John H. Spicer commenced life as a farmer's boy, but received fair advantages for ac- quiring an education in the schools of La Salle County. In 1876 he concluded to take Horace Greeley's advice and "go West," not particularly to grow up with the country, but to obtain the "almighty dollar," and for this purpose settled on a farm in Adams County, Neb., which he continued to till successfully until 1888. In the fall of 1887, he was elected clerk of the district court, and his present term will expire in 1892. He has always been an earnest supporter of Republican principles. In the year of 1883 he was united in marriage to Miss A. B. Scott, a native of Cedar County, Iowa, born in 1857, and by her has a family of three chil- dren, one son and two daughters-Erwin H., Minnie R. and Erma E.

George W. Spicknall, Hastings, Neb. Promi- nent among the very early settlers of Adams County stands the name of Mr. Spicknall, who settled here on August 10, 1870, on Section 30, Township 5, Range 11, now Silver Lake Township, and at a time when there were but nine persons in the county. He was born in Dearborn County, Ind., on March 19, 1839, and is the son of Leonard and Emily (Horum) Spicknall, the latter of whom was born in Vermont, and died in Indiana in 1871, at the age of sixty-five years. The father was born in Maryland, and died in Indiana in 1850, They were early set- tlers of Dearborn County, Ind. George W. Spick- nall was the eighth of thirteen children, six of whom are now living. He assisted his father on the farm in his boyhood days, and in August, 1861, he donned his suit of blue, and enlisted in Company K, Twen-

ty-sixth Indiana Infantry, serving nineteen monthis in that regiment. Ile was discharged for disability in the month of March, 1863. Recovering from his disability, he again re-enlisted in Company D, Sev- enth Indiana Cavalry, serving with said regiment until February, 1866, when he was discharged as sergeant-major. Ile then returned home and en- gaged in farming in Indiana until 1870, when he emigrated to Adams County, Neb., and here carried on farming until 1883. In politics Mr. Spieknall is a Republican, and in the fall of the last mentioned year he was elected county clerk of Adams County, being re-elected in the fall of 1885. He and M. N. Kress, of Ayr, are the only two men here now who were here in 1870. In 1886 Mr. Spicknall was united in marriage to Miss Susan M. Angevine, who was born in Dearborn County, Ind., in 1845. He has made his own way in life and has been success- ful in all his business ventures, and is now able to enjoy the fruits of his industry. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of Mount Nebo Com- mandery No. 11, K. T., also a member of the Hast- ings Lodge of K. P.

J. Turner Steele, M. D., was born in Boston, Mass., November 10, 1857, being one of six chil- dren born to Joseph H. and Mary (Powers) Steele; the former a native of England, born in 1817, and now resides in Hastings, Neb. He came to the United States at the age of sixteen, and in 1859 re- moved with his family to Iowa, settling at Man- chester, where the mother, who was born in Ireland in 1818 and came to America at the age of twenty, died in 1867. In the high school of Manchester the early scholastic advantages of Joseph Steele were enjoyed, and later he became a student of the State University of Iowa, at Iowa City. His medical studies commenced in the office of Dr. B. II. Rey- nolds, of Manchester, and were continued there until 1879, when he went to Iowa City and completed his reading in the office of O. T. Gil- lett, secretary of the State University, and for a short period he was engaged in the practice of medi- cine. Dr. Steele graduated from the State Univer- sity of Iowa, after which he entered Rush Medical College, and graduated from there February 19, 1884, and the following April came to Hastings,

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which place has since been his home. On Decem- ber 28, 1887, he married Louella, daughter of S. C. and Harriett Hughes, of Lexington, Ky., and to them was born one child, J. Hughes. Born in a city noted for the culture and intelligence of its in- habitants, he is one of the true type of New Eng- landers, and is a careful, consistent and thoroughly educated physician, and enjoys a high reputation not only in his adopted city, but throughout the State. The Doctor is one of the few professional men that have been successful in financial affairs, and ranks among the first men in the city in busi- ness circles. By the purchase and sale of the Tay- lor farm adjoining the city limits, he inaugurated the memorable boom of 1887, and was one of the heaviest operators in real estate, of which he is still a liberal holder. He is publie spirited and enter- prising, and always to be relied upon in carrying forward any public or benevolent enterprise. He

still enjoys a lucrative business, which is principally confined to a city and consultation practice. Like most men of spirit, the Doctor is a great admirer of good horses, and in the fall of 1887 established the stock farm known as Wile-Wood, situated two miles east and two south of Hastings. It is as pictur- esque and romantic a spot as the name it bears sug- gests, and with its towering bluffs, winding streams, beautiful meadows and abundant groves of wile wood it is destined to become one of the most at- tractive resorts for lovers of fine horses. Of those horses now on the farm, Revenue heads the list. He is a beautiful mahogany bay, full sixteen hands high, with slight star in forehead; he was purchased of Col. Bruce, at Lexington, Ky .; he is a son of the great sire and race horse, Renown, first dam by im- ported Bonnie Scotland. He is without question the finest thoroughbred stallion in the State, and with the many fine brood mares and youngsters will undoubtedly make Wile-Wood respected. Dr. Steele is a Republican, his first presidential vote be- ing cast for James A. Garfield. He is genial, well read, and popular with all classes.

David V. Stephens, the efficient postmaster of Juniata, Neb., was born in Preble County, Ohio, in 1844, being the eldest of the children born to James H. and Mary L. (Cleveland) Stephens, who were born

in Ohio and Virginia, respectively, the former a worthy tiller of the soil. In 1851 the family moved to Iowa, and in 1860 returned east, as far as In- diana, in which State the mother died. The father continued to make his home here until 1882, when he removed to Adams County, Neb., and settled on an exceptionally fine farm of forty acres, one and a half miles east of Juniata. His present wife, whom he married in 1885, was a Mrs. Carrie Von Riper, a native of New Jersey. David V. Stephens was reared on farms in Iowa and Indiana, and was an attendant of the common schools until the opening of the Civil War, when he dropped all pursuits to take up arms for his country. In 1863 he enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Eighteenth In- diana Infantry, and was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, under Gen. Burnside, and was in the battles of Cumberland Gap, Walker's Ford, Monroe Gap, after which he went to Knoxville, which place he reached shortly after the siege. From there he went to West Virginia, thence to Indianapolis, where he was honorably discharged and returned home. He soon after entered the high school at Wabash, Ind., and this institution he attended during the summers of 1865-66, being engaged in teaching dur- ing the winter months. December 24, 1867, he was married to Miss Nancy A. Thompson, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of the Rev. David Thomp- son, who was an old settler of Wabash County, and treasurer of the same two terms. After his marriage Mr. Stephens bought a farm of fifty-six acres, and continued to reside on and till this farm for three years, after which he moved to Wabash, and clerked in the store of D. Thompson, a grocer, then for the general merchants, Thompson & Snavelly, remaining in the town until 1878, when he concluded to seek Dame Fortune a little farther west, and accordingly settled in Greeley, Colo., being engaged in tilling a farm of forty acres near the town. He continued to reside here three years, making many improve- ments in the meantime, but in 1881 sold his farm and came to Adams County, Neb., and purchased a farm of eighty acres, three miles southeast of Juni- ata, which he sold in 1884, and moved to Hastings. After remaining here one winter he made a trip through the Southern States, with a view to locat-

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ing, but returned to Adams County, well contented to settle down here. After farming for a short time he elerked for E. F. Gettle for over two years, and on December 7, 1889, was appointed postmaster of the town, and is now discharging the duties of this position. He has always been quite an active politician, a Republican by precept and example, and has held a number of minor offices in Adams County. He is actively engaged in church work, as is his wife, who is also a charter member of the W. C. T. U. Both are members of the Congrega- tional Church, and are the parents of four children: Frank M. (who is deputy postmaster), Clement V., Eva May (who died at the age of twenty months), and an infant daughter, Nellie.

William Stewart, farmer and stockman, Hast- ings, Neb. Perhaps the most exciting and thrilling period of Mr. Stewart's life was during his career as a soldier, and the brief account here given of his service in the army will convey something of an idea of what was undergone by him. He is a native of Shelby County, Ohio, where his birth occurred in 1842, being the fourth in a family of eleven children born to the union of Preston B. and Patsey (Ash- paugh) Stewart. The father was born in Kentucky in 1813, was married in his native State, and in 1832 moved to Ohio, becoming one of the earliest settlers of Shelby County. He was a blacksmith by trade, and during his early settlement in that county, did considerable work for the Indians. He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity, Stoke Lodge No. 43, was Senior Warden of the same, and was deeply interested in all matters relating to his lodge, hav- ing aided in organizing several different ones. He died in Ohio in 1886. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as is also his wife. who is living at the present day. She resides in Ohio, is seventy-four years of age, and is still quite active. She was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Ashpaugh, the latter of whom lived to be one hundred and one years of age, her birth occur- ring in 1749, and her death in 1850. Our subject's paternal grandfather lived to he eighty-five years of age. The children born to Preston B. Stewart and wife are named as follows: Sarah, Joseph, Elizabeth, William, Maria, Williby, Martha A., Rhoda, Charles,

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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