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 54

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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54

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Perry and Harvey. William Stewart passed his younger days in his native State, and at the break- ing out of the war shouldered his musket, donned his suit of blue and enlisted in Company E, Forty- fifth Ohio Infantry, under Maj. - Gen. Stanley. He participated in twenty-seven general engagements, the principal ones being Resaca, Ga .; Altoona Pass, Chattahoochie River, Atlanta, Ga .; Jonesboro, N. C .; siege of Rocksville, Franklin, Tenn .; Chatta- nooga, and was in a great many skirmishes. He was a private, and during his entire time of enlist- ment was never sick a day. He assisted in the cap- ture of Morgan in Ohio, and was one of the mounted scouts of the undertaking. He was captured in Tennessee in 1863, was confined in Libby prison six months, and experienced all the horrors of that place. When first taken he weighed 185 pounds, and when exchanged in the spring of 1864 his weight was 100 pounds. After this he was unfit for service for five months, but at the end of that period he returned to the same company in which he enlisted, and served until the elose of the war. He was one of three who came out of 400 taken in his regiment. After his discharge, in 1865, he re- turned to Ohio, and was married the same year to Miss Caroline L. Wright, daughter of William and Caroline (Broderick) Wright, natives of Virginia and Vermont, respectively. Her father died in 1862, and her mother in 1847. They were members of the Presbyterian Church. To Mr. and Mrs. Stew- art were born five children: Robert E., Emma, Walter G., Minnie A. and Edmund H. While liv- ing in Ohio Mr. Stewart followed contracting, and in 1877 emigrated to Nebraska and settled at Hast- ings, Adams County. He moved to his present location in 1879, and has 160 acres of land all well improved and well stocked. He is quite deeply in- terested in the raising of blooded stock, and has some fine Durham cattle. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, Stokes Lodge No. 40, Port Jef- ferson, Shelby County, Ohio, and is a member of the Chapter of the same county in Ohio. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. It was all a prairie when Mr. Stewart first settled in Nebraska, and he has experienced some of the severe storms of the State.

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Fred H. Stoelting is the proprietor of the Stoel- ting Hotel at Prosser, Neb. , which is one of the best conducted establishments of the kind in this part of the State. Although Mr. Stoelting began life with little means his career has been more than ordinarily successful, and for the past nine years his entire time has been given to his present calling, for which he seems to have a natural aptitude. His birth oc- curred in Indianapolis, Ind., in the year of 1845, he being the fifth of thirteen children born to Christian and Susanna (Frink) Stoelting, both of whom were born in Germany. They came with their parents to the United States when they were children, and in this country the father learned the cooper's trade, and for some time operated a large shop in Indianapolis. Later he established a shoe store there, which he successfully conducted a number of years, and dur- ing this time he became intimately acquainted with President Benjamin Harrison. After selling out his establishment in the city of Indianapolis, he removed with his family to Wisconsin, where he purchased a large farm, on which he began farming on an exten- sive scale, and at the end of a few years, after he had made many valuable improvements, he sold out for $16,000, and retired from active business life. He died in March, 1889, having spent a useful and active life, and is still survived by his widow. Fred H. Stoel- ting resided in Indianapolis until he reached the age of ten years, and up to that time had the advan- tages of the common schools. He afterward entered the Seminary at Sheboygan, Wis., which institution he attended three years, and after the war had been in progress one year, he, in 1862 enlisted in Com- pany K, Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry, it being called " The Flying Division," and was in thirteen severe battles, among which may be mentioned Prairie Grove, Vicksburg, Yazoo City, Atchafalaya, Fort Morgan, French Creek, Spanish Fort, and was in the entire siege in front of Vicksburg. He was dis- charged at Galveston, Tex., on July 14, 1865, and returned to Wisconsin. He soon started for Mex- ico, but as the war was formally closed when he reached New Orleans, he went to Indianapolis, Ind., and became foreman for a large establishment in that city. On August 3, 1868, he was married in Chicago, Ill., to Miss Emma Deats, and soon after

went to Sheboygan, Wis., where he engaged in the saw mill business, and later ran a tug boat on the lake for three years, a part of the time being captain. In 1878 he came to the State of Nebraska, and set- tled in the southwest part of Adams County, where he took up a soldier's claim, and on this farm made his home for three years, in the meantime making some valuable improvements. He still owns the farm, but at the end of the above mentioned time, he moved to Hastings and established the Pennsyl- vania House and the Queen City Hotel, which es- tablishments he successfully conducted for seven years. In 1888 he came to Prosser, a portion of the town being laid out on land which he owned, and here he built the Stoelting Hotel, and also a livery stable, both of which he conducts in a highly suc- cessful manner. Besides his property here he owns some business lots in Hastings, and may be said to have prospered, notwithstanding the fact that he has met with numerous reverses. among which may be mentioned a fire which swept over his farm when he and his wife were residing thereon, it destroying all his farming implements, and would have undoubt- edly consumed himself and wife had they not been residing in a sod house at the time. He has been active in all enterprises which tend to promote the welfare of the county, and was at one time a mem- ber of the detective force of the county, and assisted in bringing to justice a number of criminals. He has always been an active politician, and is a mem- ber of the Laird Post, G. A. R., and belongs to Hastings Lodge No. 50, I. O. O. F.

Dr. M. W. Stone, the subject of this sketch, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, December 11, 1837. His father's name was Stephen W. Stone, who was a son of William Stone, and he was the youngest son of Thomas Stone, of Maryland, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence from that State. His mother's maiden name was Emily Moore. She was the only daughter of Gen. Sidney Moore, of Dela- ware, Ohio. He attended school at Delaware until he was twelve years old, then his father moved on a farm in the northern part of Delaware County, where he resided until the fall of 1853, when he removed with his father's family to Washington County, Iowa. In the year 1857 he began the study

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of medicine with Dr. David A. Kittle, of Washing- ton, Iowa, and continued his studies in medicine while pursuing his studies in the high school in that city, during the year of 1858. In 1859 he returned to Delaware, Ohio, and there attended the Ohio Wes- leyan University for one year. He took his first course of lectures in medicine during the year of 1860, and graduated at the Bellevue Medical Col- lege, New York City, in February, 1861. After completing his medical course he made quite an ex- tensive tour of the Southern States, going as far south as Texas, and while there came very near being caught by the secession acts of the Southern States. When it became evident that a war was to result from the treasonable acts and rebellious atti- tude of the South, he at once returned to his home at Washington, Iowa, and on the 15th day of July, 1861, enlisted as a private soldier, in Company H. Seventh Iowa Infantry, and at once marched to the front in the defense of his country. In November of that same year, 1861, he was promoted to the position of assistant surgeon of the regiment. In this capacity he was with the regiment in the battles

of Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and Shiloh and other minor engagements. In the latter part of this year, 1862, he was transferred to the United States Volunteer Staff, and was on duty at Corinth and St. Louis until May, 1863, when he was again promoted and transferred to the United States Medi- cal Staff, and ordered to report to Gen. Rosecrans, then in command of the Army of the Cumberland, for dnty. He arrived at the headquarters of the Army of the Cumberland about August 15, 1863, and was assigned for duty to the division com- manded by Gen. George H. Thomas, and was with them at the memorable battle of Chickamauga, Sep- tember 19 and 20, 1863, where Gen. Thomas won the title of "The Rock of Chickamanga." On Sep- tember 21, 1863, he arrived in Chattanooga, and assisted there in organizing the hospital forces of what afterwards became one of the most important military points in the West. He remained at Chat- tanooga until after the battles of Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge, when he accompanied Gen. Thomas' forces on the campaign to Atlanta, and then returned with him to Nashville, and was in the

notable battles of Franklin and Nashville, where Hood's army met so signal a defeat that it was al- most annihilation. In February, 1865, he was ordered to Clarksville, Tenn., to take charge of the general hospitals at that place, relieving Dr. Cooper, of the Eighty-third Illinois Infantry. Here he re- mained until November, 1865, when the medical and hospital depot at that point was discontinued and broken up. Then he reported to the medical director at Nashville, where he remained until Sep- tember, 1865, when he was granted a six months' leave of absence, with orders from the War Depart- ment to report to the commanding officer of the De- partment of the Platte, at Omaha, Neb., at the expira- ation of that time. In accordance with those orders, on April 7, 1867, he reported to Gen. C. C. Auger, at Omaha, Neb., and was ordered on to the Western frontiers, with the Fourth United States Infantry. While on the frontiers he also served with the Thir- tieth and Twenty-seventh United States Infantry, and the Fifth and Twenty-second United States Cavalry, and traveled over Western Dakota, Yellowstone Park, Montana, Washington Territory, eastern part of Oregon, through Nevada to Reno, and from thence by rail to Sacramento, Cal. From Sacramento he went to Fort Yuma, from there to Tucson, Santa Fe, Fort Hayes, Kan., Denver, Cheyenne and to North Platte, Neb. On returning to North Platte he was assigned to duty with troops stationed there, and along the line of the Union Pacific Railroad. In September, 1869, he was appointed surgeon of the Union Pacific Railroad, and resigned from the regn- lar army in November, 1870. In March, 1871, he removed with his family to Polk Connty, Neb., where he resided until 1877. when he moved to Sannders County, Neb., where he engaged in the practice of his profession, and soon built up a large and lucrative business. He continued his residence at Wahoo from the date of his removal there to the present time, and his family still resides there. In 1878 he was appointed surgeon-general of the State by Gov. Albinns Nance, with rank of colonel on the Governor's staff. This position he has held con- tinuously since, having been re-appointed by Gov. James W. Dawes, and also by Governor John M. Thayer. On May 1. 1889. Gov. Thayer paid him

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the very handsome compliment of appointing him, without solicitation, superintendent of the Asylum for the Chronic Insane, at Hastings, Neb.

Fredrick Stulken, farmer and stock raiser, Hast- ings, Neb. Another citizen of foreign birth who has become prominently identified with the farming and stock raising interests of the county is Mr. Stulken, who was born in Holenbaugh, Germany, in 1844. His father, Halard Stulken, was a shoe- maker by trade, and married Lena Barker, who bore him seven children. The father died in 1851, and the mother in 1878. Fredrick Stulken passed his boyhood days in his native country, and in 1871 he emigrated to the United States, settling in Ogle County, Ill. , where he remained five years. He then moved to Nebraska, settled in Blaine Township, Adams County, and bought 200 acres of land, all of which he has improved. To the original tract he has added enough to make 360 acres, and now has a fine place. He was married in Illinois, in 1876, to Miss Lena Lambus, a native of Germany, and the daughter of Orr Lambus, and the fruits of this union have been seven children: Lena, Henry, Anna, Au- gust, Mary, Minnie and Lizzie, all living and at home. Mr. Stulken is Independent in his political views, and always votes for the best man regardless of party. He and wife are members of the German Lutheran Church at Hastings, and he is active in religious and educational matters. He was living in Nebraska during the ravages of the grasshoppers, and being one of the pioneers, has witnessed the many improvements made in the last ten or twelve years.

H. B. Talbert, farmer and stock raiser, Trum- bull, Neb. Mr. Talbert owes his nativity to Shelby County, Ind. , where his birth occurred in 1842, and was the sixth in a family of ten children, the result of the union of Jesse and Hannah (Engle) Talbert, natives of North Carolina and Ohio, respectively. When a young man the father went to Indiana, was married there, and there followed agricultural pur- suits until the latter part of his life, when he en- gaged in trapping. His death occurred in 1878. He was a strong Abolitionist. His wife died in the same year. H. B. Talbert divided his time in early youth between assisting on the farm and in attending

the subscription schools of Shelby County, Ind. At Indianapolis, in August, 1861, he enlisted for three years in the Third Indiana Battery, and was mus- tered into service at the above mentioned place. He was assigned to the Western Department and sent to St. Louis under John C. Fremont. During 1864 he was in Mississippi on garrison duty, and later was under A. J. Smith, and joined the Red River expedition. He was honorably discharged at In- dianapolis in August, 1864, having remained until the expiration of his term of enlistment. He re- turned to Shelby County, Ind. , and was married in that county, in 1866, to Miss Matilda Rittenhouse, a native of Shelby County, Ind., and a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Young) Rittenhouse, the father a native of Ohio, and the mother of Indiana. Mr. Rittenhouse was reared in Shelby County, Ind., and followed agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in August, 1846. His wife is still living, and makes her home near our subject. Mr. Talbert introduced tile making in Shelby County, and followed that business for three years. In 1879 he came to Adams County, Neb., homesteaded 160 acres, and first lived in a dugout, to which he added a sod addition. In 1887 he erected a two-story frame house, twenty-eight feet square, and has as fine a residence as any in the county. He takes a great interest in raising stock, and has good barns and outbuildings. In fact, his residence, barns, outbuildings, etc., all indicate the quality of farmer that he is, and the same systematic condition of affairs about his home is apparent in his course as a man. Although not active in politics he is still a Republican in his views. He is a member of the school board of his district, and is a member of W. H. Harrison Post No. 183, G. A. R. Mr. and Mrs. Talbert are members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. They are the parents of seven children: Minnie F., Edward Morton, Jesse H., Elias F., Cora Alice, Myrtie E. and Charles W.

Charles H. Tanner is a man who began life for himself poor in purse, but who possessed a suffi- ciently determined spirit to bend the force of cir- cumstances to his will, and is now among the lead- ing members of the Adams County bar. He was born in the "Empire State" August 14, 1853, and

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is the elder of two children born to the marriage of William H. Tanner and Nancy F. Jones, also natives of York State, the former's birth occurring in 1822 and the latter's in 1834. The career of Mr. Tanner, after his arrival upon the stage of human action, was rather uneventful, and like that of the majority of boys, was spent in the school room, graduating from the Academic Department of the State Nor- mal School, at Cortland, N. Y. Being ambitious to make a name for himself, and thinking Horaee Greeley's advice excellent, he, at the age of twenty- one years, came to Nebraska, and during four years' residence at Lincoln was in the United States land office. In 1875 he began the study of law in the office of Green & Ricketts, and in the year 1877, was admitted to the Lancaster County bar. In the spring of 1879 he settled in Hastings, where he at once entered upon a career of distinction and suc- cess, and took an active part in some of the leading criminal cases of the county. He was the leading counsel for the defense in the case of the State vs. Lizzie Aldridge, charged in the indictment with poisoning her husband. The case was tried at the June term of 1889, and resulted in her acquittal. Mr. Tanner has always been a Republican, and in 1886 was elected on that ticket to the office of county attorney of Adams County, for a term of two years. For ten years he has held the position of United States Commissioner. He is a Mason, belonging to Lancaster Lodge No. 54, Lincoln, Neb. His marriage to Miss Flora V. Trippe was celebrated in August, 1874, she being a native of Cortland County, N. Y., but he was called upon to mourn her death September 22, 1884. November 19, of the following year, he espoused Miss Hattie Fay, of Hastings, born in 1864, a daughter of William Fay.

Frank J. Taylor is a farmer and stockman of Adams County, Neb., who has met with good suc- cess in following his chosen calling, being now en- gaged in tilling a farm of 160 acres, which he pur- chased in 1879. He was born in Lake County, Ind. , in 1859, being the third of five children reared by De Witt C. and Louisa (Palmer) Taylor, and a grandson of Adanijah and Lucy Taylor, and James and Almira Palmer. De Witt C. Taylor was born in New York in 1826, and was married in Indiana

about 1850, and died there in 1888. His widow survives him and makes her home in Lake County. Their children are: Helen, Charles A., Frank J., Emma and William. Frank J. Taylor received ex- cellent educational advantages in early life, and be- sides attending the common schools, was an attend. ant at Valparaiso. In 1880 he began farming and raising stock on his own responsibility, and the same year was married to Miss Mary Fuller, a daughter of Robert and Delia Fuller, and emigrated to Nebraska, where he had previously purchased his farm. He lived with his wife on his farm until 1883, when, while on a visit to Indiana, his wife was taken ill and died in December, and was buried in the Lowell cemetery. He has made many improvements sinee locating here, and his farm is considered one of the best tilled and most fertile in the county. In addi- tion to this he has engaged quite extensively in buy- ing and selling stock, and has taught school since coming to the county, being a warm patron of edu- cation. He is a member of the Farmers' Alliance, is a Republican in politics, and in 1890 was elected assessor of Denver Township, and treasurer in 1887. He and wife are the parents of one child, Jesse Clinton.

Thomas A. Templeton, farmer and postmaster, Kenesaw, Neb. Mr. Templeton owes his nativity to Armstrong County, Pa., where his birth occurred on October 6, 1837, and is now following a calling that has for ages received undivided efforts from many worthy individuals, and one that always fur- nishes sustenance to the ready worker. His father, Thomas Templeton, was a native of Armstrong County, Pa., and was a farmer and miller by occu- pation. He married Miss Isabella Templeton, a na- tive of Huntington County, Pa., and to them were born ten children, of whom Thomas A. was next to the youngest. In his younger days the latter re- ceived the advantages of a good education, and when he was twenty years of age he began teaching in the public schools of the State. After that he entered the employ of the American Furnace Company as en- gineer. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry, and the first duty of the company was to bury the dead after the second

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battle of Bull Run. He served as a member of the color guard, and was honorably discharged in June, 1865. He participated in the battle of Antietam, and was at both engagements at Fredericksburg un- der Gens. Burnside and Hooker. He was with his company when they made the famous thirty-six mile march at Gettysburg, and after a brief rest of but two hours participated in the terrible assault upon Little Round Top. At the battle of the Wilderness, on the morning of May 12, 1864, he received a gun- shot wound in his right limb and had his shoulder blade broken. From these injuries he has never re- covered, but has been a cripple ever since. He is one of those old veterans whose maimed bodies and shattered health partly tell the tale of emancipation. After having received his wounds he was taken to the hospital, and when convalescent was appointed a member of the veteran reserve corps, where he re- mained until discharged. Returning to his home at the close of the war, he engaged at steamboating. and while thus employed his wife, Selicia (Crow) Templeton, whom he had married in 1858, died on board the boat. In 1870 Mr. Templeton turned his attention to merchandising, which he followed at Boydstown, St. Joe and Bryam Center, Pa., until 1880, when he removed to Topeka, Kan., and there resided until 1883, at which time he came to Kene- saw, Neb., purchasing a farm on Section 14. In 1868 he married Miss Annie M. Hutchison, a na- tive of Butler County, Pa., and their union has been blessed by the birth of one son and three daughters. In May, 1889, Mr. Templeton was appointed post- master at Kenesaw, and at once entered upon the duties of this office. He is a member of Capital Lodge No. 3, A. O. U. W., at Topeka, Kan., and is also a member of the G. A. R. The family wor- ship at the Presbyterian Church, and are universally respected and esteemed.

L. S. Terhune. The career of this gentleman as a farmer and stock raiser has been a successful one, and although he has resided in Nebraska only about four years, he has already made many acquaintances and friends. He was born in Fleming County, Ky., in 1819, being the sixth of twelve children born to Barnett and Ruth (Carter) Terhune, who were born in New Jersey and Virginia, respectively, the

former's birth occurring in 1780. He removed to Kentucky during the early history of that State, where he was married about 1805, and reared his family, whose names are as follows: Albert, Henry, Daniel, Thomas, Mary A., James, Luke S., John and Elisha. Three children died in infancy. James and Luke S. are the only ones now living, the former being a resident of Jasper County, III., where he and wife have reared a large family of children. The father and mother of these children died in In- diana in 1849 and 1848, respectively, worthy mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Luke S. Terhune, the immediate subject of this memoir, re- moved to Brown County, Ohio, from his native State, where he made his home until he was twenty- one years of age, after which he took up his abode in Dearborn County, Ind. , and started to farming on his own account. In 1848 he wedded Almeda Cox, a daughter of Elisha and Lucinda Cox, of Dearborn County, Ind., Almeda being the eldest of the follow- ing children: Margaret (Mrs. Blasdel), Lafayette, Malinda, John and Elisha. The mother died in 1886, at the age of eighty-six years, but the father still resides in Indiana. Mr. Terhune and his wife have four children: Thomas (who died in 1881), Mary M., Cora B. and Elisha. In 1858 Mr. Ter- hune removed to Richland County, Ill., and later to Peoria County, but since 1887 has been a resident of Adams County, Neb. The greater part of his life has been devoted to contracting and building, but he is now giving his attention to farming. He is a Republican, a member of the I. O. O. F., and he and family worship in the Methodist Episcopal Church. His farm is tilled by his son Elisha, who is married to Susie Furry, a native of Nebraska, by whom he has a daughter, Susan Almeda.

Fred G. Test, M. D., is one of the skillful and experienced physicians of the State of Nebraska, and is the assistant physician of the Asylum for the Incurable Insane at Hastings. He was born in Cler- mont County, Ohio, December 28, 1859, and is a son of Israel F. and Amanda M. (Moyer) Test, who were also born in the Buckeye State, and are there still residing, the former aged about sixty-three years and the lattter fifty-seven. After attending the common schools, Dr. Test entered the Ohio Wes-

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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