USA > Nebraska > Sarpy County > Biographical record : this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Saunders and Sarpy Counties, Nebraska > Part 10
USA > Nebraska > Saunders County > Biographical record : this volume contains biographical sketches of leading citizens of Saunders and Sarpy Counties, Nebraska > Part 10
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
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a herd of 230 head of cattle (all high grade and thoroughbred Shorthorns), 250 hogs, and breeds superior draft horses.
Mr. Turney was united in marriage with Irene Gillaspey, a daughter of William Gillas- pey, of Henry county, Iowa, and they are the parents of two children : Charles Alvin, who is at home; and Josephine, the wife of Edward M. Sharrar, of Hooper, Nebraska, by whom she has one son, Karl Turney.
ILLIAM ROGERS, a retired farmer and capitalist of Ceresco, Richland county, Nebraska, is an ex- tensive land owner. He is a man of good busi- ness ability and sterling character, and may be termed in the truest sense of the word a self- made man.
Mr. Rogers was born in County Donegal, near Londonderry, Ireland, in 1843, and is a son of James and Eleanor (Mathias) Rogers. His father was also born there, and became a soldier at the age of eighteen years, serv- ing in the British army twenty-one years and three months. During that time he was in foreign service seven years, being in Turkey, Palestine, Island of Corfu, and other places. In 1849, with his family, he located at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, where he worked as gardener, and later as assistant to a retired captain. He died in 1855, at the age of forty-eight years, and his wife lived to reach the advanced age of eighty-five years. They were the parents of the following chil-
dren; James, Catherine, Elizabeth Ann, Wil- liam, and John T.
William Rogers finished his education in Toronto Academy, where he studied civil en- gineering, and then taught school for four years. On September 5, 1869, he went to Saunders county, Nebraska, and homesteaded 80 acres in section 34, Richland precinct. He built a sod house with his brother, John T., who took up an adjoining 80 acres, but later sold out and now lives in Lancaster county, Ne- braska. He lived in this sod house, one of the best of that day, having clay walls which were whitewashed, and a wood roof. In 1871 the roof was destroyed by fire and he erected a small frame house which was replaced by a large one some five years later. In 1871 times were very hard and money was scarce, so leav- ing his brother in charge of the farm he walked to Plattsmouth in search of work. He met an old friend who informed him of a position, and with good recommendations he walked to Lincoln and engaged with the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company as a civil engineer. He worked six months for that com- pany, then returned home for a few years. From 1876 to 1883 he served in the capacity of civil engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad Company.
When Mr. Rogers and his brother began farming in Nebraska, farming implements were to a great extent unheard of. They broke the ground with oxen, made a harrow with the crotch of a tree, and thus fitted the ground for the following season. The next year corn was put in by plowing a furrow, dropping the corn
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in it, and then covering by means of their rude harrow. They were the first men in this part of the country to plant corn in that manner, and their example was soon followed by others, this being the same method as pursued today except that machinery is used instead of hand. There were no weeds in the early days and the land had a wonderful yield of 75 bushels per acre. He furthermore set out many trees, and his farm is now one of the best improved in his part of the county. Thus the subject hereof got his start, and today owns 480 acres of good land, the principal crop being hay and corn. Since 1888 he has lived a retired life, practi- cally, looking after his land and other business interests. He owns a fine residence surrounded by handsome shade trees, overlooking Ceresco; he also has a fine orchard.
Mr. Rogers was united in marriage with Christina E., a daughter of James Stewart, of Perth, Ontario, Canada, and they became the parents of one son, James Stewart, who died at the age of twenty-one months. In political affiliations Mr. Rogers is a strong Republican, and has served as county surveyor. Religiously, he is an adherent of the Presbyterian faith.
RNEST HURST, who is engaged in farming in Stocking precinct, Saun- ders county, Nebraska, is young in years, but has displayed unusual energy and general business ability in the pursuance of his work. Ile was born in Ohio in 1875 and is a son of John Hurst.
John Hurst, the father of Ernest, went to Saunders county, Nebraska, in 1877, and first located one mile south and one and a fourth miles east of the present family home, on 80 acres of land which he purchased in section 23, and which is now occupied by "Pete" Robb. This property was practically unimproved at the time he acquired it, and he set about mak- ing improvements in many ways, greatly en- hancing its value. He resided with his family upon that tract until 1884. when he purchased the present family home from Mason Ells- worth ; it consisted of 160 acres, the northwest quarter of section 22. Mr. Ellsworth had home- steaded the first 80 acres of this, and after- ward purchased the other 80 of Mr. White, also a homesteader. 'At the time of its acqui- sition by Mr. Hurst, there were on the prop- erty some trees, shrubbery, an orchard, and a small frame house which is now used as a cob house. He greatly added to the general appear- ance of the place by putting out new trees and shrubbery, improving the orchard, and keeping the land in the best possible condition. In 1893 he built a new and substantial barn, and the first house on the place. built of sod by Mr. Ellsworth, on the southwest corner of his orig- inal 80 acres, was displaced, in 1899. by a large new house, comfortable in size and of fine appearance. Mr. Hurst died in 1893 at the age of forty-four years. and left surviving him his wife, whose maiden name was Walters, and five children, as follows: Eugene. a ma- chinist of Wahoo: Ernest, to whom this record pertains : Owen, who is married and lives in Wahoo; Louis, and Oliver. Mrs. Hurst now
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resides upon the old homestead with her son.
Ernest Hurst has conducted the farm since the demise of his father in a most successful manner. He raises thoroughbred stock exclu- sively, having Shorthorn and Polled Angus cattle and Poland-China hogs. He has met with unusual success in the cultivation of his fruit trees, particularly with apples. Politic- ally, he stanchly supports the principles advo- cated by the Populist party. Fraternally, he is a member of Lodge No. 99, Knights of Pythias, of Wahoo; and both of his brothers are members of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, of Wahoo. In religious attachments the family are Free Methodists.
NDREW E. STUART, M. D., enjoys the distinction of being the oldest phy- sician and surgeon in years of prac- tice in Cedar Bluffs, Saunders county, Ne- braska. Dr. Stuart was born in Sandwich, Canada, in 1862. He is a son of James A. Stuart, a native of Ireland.
James A. Stuart was a man of high intellect- ual attainments. He had the advantage of a university course in Dublin, Ireland, with a two years' course at Princeton, New Jersey. He went to London, Canada, in 1854, and fol- lowed the profession of teaching. Two years later his marriage with Margaret Farris was solemnized, and the following year the young folk settled in Sandwich. While residing there he served as principal of the Protestant school for twelve consecutive years. Later he was
appointed clerk of the division court, which position he filled in an eminently satisfactory manner for fifteen years, up to the time of his death. During that period he also issued marriage licenses. In politics he was a Re- former, and always took an active part in political contests.
Dr. Stuart grew to manhood in his native place. He entered the University of Trinity College, at Toronto, Canada, and passed through its medical department. He subse- quently entered the Detroit College of Medi- cine, from which he graduated, receiving his diploma in March, 1886. The same year he went west, to Nebraska, and settled in Cedar Bluffs, being the first physician to locate in that place, which was then comparatively small.
Soon after his arrival in Cedar Bluffs Dr. Stuart opened a drug store there, in partner- ship with the late ex-sheriff of Saunders coun- ty, W. D. Farris, his uncle. The partnership then formed lasted for three years, when the business was sold out, and Dr. Stuart devoted himself exclusively to the practice of his pro- fession, which has occupied his attention ever since.
In 1888 Dr. Stuart was united in marriage with Effie Thomas, of Sac City, Iowa. They have two children, Margaret, aged eleven years, and Augustus L., aged eight years. Politically our subject is a Democrat. In 1894 he was admitted to Masonry, and is now a valued member of Occidental Lodge, No. 215. F. & A. M. He also affiliates with the Modern Woodmen of American and the Woodmen of the World. Dr. Stuart takes a lively interest in
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the affairs of his community, where he has ac- quired a large and well paying practice. He was appointed postmaster of Cedar Bluffs in 1887, and served as such during the remainder of Cleveland's administration. He is devoted to his profession, and ranks high among the able physicians and surgeons of Nebraska. He is a prominent member of the Nebraska State Med- ical Society.
E. LILLIBRIDGE, ex-sheriff of Saun- ders county, Nebraska, is one of the best known and enterprising hard- ware merchants of Weston. He was born in Waterford, Erie County, Pa., in 1846. He is a son of Hosea and Henrietta (France) Lilli- bridge, of Scotch and German descent respect- ively. His father died in 1888, at the age of sixty-six years and eight months. His mother was born in New York and died in that state in 1896, at the age of seventy years.
In 1873 our subject's parents paid a visit to him in Saunders county. They reared a family of eight children-seven sons and one daughter-as follows: R. L., John; C. E .; Henry A .; Hosea; Clarissa ; James, and Wil- liam. All are still living, with the exception of John. One brother, R. L., went west, to Iowa, with the subject hereof, in 1866, and another brother followed two years later.
C. E. Lillibridge learned the carpenter's trade in early manhood, and after going west spent two years in working at that occupation in Delaware county, Iowa. Two years after- ward he went still further west, to Nebraska,
crossing the Missouri River April 6. He first went to Raymond, and took charge of a port- able saw mill, that summer. The capacity of this mill was about 4,000 feet per day. In the fall Mr. Lillibridge moved his mill to Green- wood, in Cass county, Nebraska, where he ran it for one year and a half. He then moved the mill upon the Platte River below Yutan, at the mouth of Otter Creek.
Subsequently the subject hereof took up a homestead claim of 80 acres one mile south of Yutan. Upon this land he built a house, barn and outbuildings, and otherwise improved his place. In 1884 he sold this property to John Schulz, the present owner, who now has a fine bearing orchard covering three-quarters of an acre. Some of the trees set out by Mr. Lilli- bridge in 1872 are 16 and 18 inches in diameter, and plenty of wood is being chopped from the groves for firewood.
After selling his farm, Mr. Lillibridge located on a farm about two miles west and one mile south of Weston. He purchased at that time from John Thomas 280 acres of land in section 19, which farm he still owns. At that times James Kees operated a general store in Weston, and Dick Thomas conducted a sim- ilar store, while March & Chapman had a hard- ware store. The farm purchased from Mr. Thomas was improved considerably, in regard to house and barn, and 40 acres was fenced hog-tight. The south branch of Wahoo Creek affords a fine water supply for the land.
Mr. Lillibridge lived upon the farm for seven of eight years. He cultivated 120 acres and also raised considerable stock. The pas-
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ture lands are well sodded with clover and blue grass. Mr. Thomas had set out a large number of fruit trees, the greater part of which died. In 1890 the old orchard was replaced by 50 cherry trees and over 100 apple trees, besides a large number of plum trees, etc. The farm is now rented by Mr. Johnson, who has 150 acres under cultivation.
In the spring of 1893 Mr. Lillibridge com- menced building county bridges. He continned at that business for three years, and then bought and sold hogs and cattle for some time. In 1897, in partnership with Charles Ficenec, he reopened a hardware store in Weston, which they still conduct. They carry from $5,- 000 to $7,000 worth of stock and enjoy a large patronage. Mr. Lillibridge has a fine resi- dence in Weston, where he purchased land one block square. This tract is known as Block II in Mock's Second Addition to Weston. He has beautiful grounds and stables and not least among his possessions is a full-blooded Ken- tucky stallion which is a noted runner.
Mr. Lillibridge married Clysta Harrison, a native of Iowa but reared in Wisconsin. Four children bless this union, namely : H. W .; Wil- liam; Gladys and Chauncey, all of whom at- tend school. In the fall of 1867, when twen- ty-one years old, Mr. Lillibridge joined the Masonic fraternity at Greeley, Iowa. He now affiliates with the Masonic Blue Lodge, of Wahoo. In 1882 he also joined the A. O. U. W., of the same city (Wahoo). Later his membership was transferred to Yutan and Lin- coln. He was instrumental in organizing the A .O. U. W. lodge at Weston in 1893, of
which he is a charter member. In 1890 Mr. Lillibridge joined Star Lodge No. 9, K. of P., of Ashland, Nebraska. In 1882 he was elected sheriff of Saunders county on the Inde- pendent ticket, and served two years. He has also served about six years on the school board in Chapman precinct, from 1893 to 1899. Mrs. Lillibridge is a member of the Methodist church, but her husband has broad and liberal ideas on the subject of religion and is a mem- ber of no church; he contributes, however, to the support of several.
TTO OSTENBERG, one of the leading business men of Wahoo, Nebraska, was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, in 1843. He came to the United States with his father, Charles Ostenberg, when but seven years old. They settled in Wisconsin, about 26 miles from Madison, where Otto spent the early part of his life.
On January 21, 1864, Mr. Ostenberg entered the ranks of the Union army, enlisting in Com- pany A, IIth Regiment, Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry, and served until September 4, 1865, when he was honorably discharged from the service at Mobile, Alabama. He moved west in 1874, and bought a farm in Stocking precinct, Saunders county, Nebraska. Rural pursuits occupied his time for four years, when he sold his farm and moved to Fremont and engaged in the grain business. When the Union Pacific Railroad was built through, Mr. Ostenberg returned to Saunders county and
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engaged in the grain business in Wahoo. He has since been established in that city, and is now conducting his business under the firm name of Ostenberg & Company, grain dealers and handlers of all kinds of coal.
Mr. Ostenberg married Rosa Jones. Three children have blessed this union : William, who is cashier and a stockholder of the Malmo Bank of Malmo, Saunders county; Harvey, who is bookkeeper for the J. W. Perry Commission Company, of Omaha, Nebraska; and Della, a student of the Wahoo High School. The sub- ject of this sketch is a member of the A. O. U. W. He is a Democrat of the true type, has served many years as a member of the school board and is at present serving his first term as president of that body. He has officiated also in the capacity of secretary and treasurer of the board. He was city treasurer two years.
RANK REHAK is one of the most conscientious and up-to-date farmers in Saunders county, Nebraska, where he is the owner of a highly tilled farm in Elk pre- cinct and is known throughout the district as a good neighbor and citizen. He was born in Jackson county, Iowa, in 1863, and is a son of Joseph and Katie (Kabuska) Rehak, who lo- cated in Saunders county, in 1870, with their family of four children. They are as follows : James, who lives near Weston, Nebraska ; John, who is a carpenter, residing at Prague, Ne- braska; Mary (Fujan), a widow, and Frank, to whom this sketch is devoted. Joseph Rehak
died in 1888, and his widow lives with her son, Frank.
Joseph Rehak homesteaded the south half of the southeast quarter of section 10, township 15, range 5, and his first house was a dug-out, 12 by 16 feet, his first barn being also a dug- out. He at once began to make improvements upon his purchase by setting out a row of cot- tonwood trees along the line of the property, and, in 1880, he built a frame house 14 by 16 feet.
Frank Rehak, who now owns the farm, added, in 1896, the main part of the house, which is 14 by 32. At first he erected a frame barn, 16 by 28 feet, and later a corn-crib, 28 feet square, but in the fall of 1899 he put up his present fine barn, which is 40 by 28 by 18 feet. He has a fine farm and is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He raises Polled Angus cattle and Norman horses. His farm is well supplied with good water and he has a good windmill. He formerly ran a threshing outfit, which he found to be quite profitable.
Mr. Rehak was joined in marriage with Mary Sedlacak, a daughter of Anton Sedlacak, who was one of the early settlers of Saunders county. Mrs. Rehak is one of a family of six children, namely: James, who is a farmer in Butler county, Nebraska, and is the father of six children; Anton J., who is farming in Saunders county; Mary, wife of Frank Re- hak; Annie, who lives at home; Joseph, who is married, and lives at home; and Fannie, who is also at home. The subject of this sketch and his wife have two children, James and Willie.
WARREN E. ACKER.
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In politics Mr. Rehak is a Populist, while in religious worship he and his family belong to the Catholic church.
ARREN E. ACKER, a promi- nent retail implement dealer of Wahoo, Nebraska, whose portrait accompanies this sketch of his life, was born in Cayuga county, New York, June 27, 1854. He is the son of William Acker, a native of the same county.
William Acker followed farming all his life. In the fall of 1860 he moved to Whiteside county, Illinois, and in 1876 to Shelby county, Iowa, where he died at the age of fifty-seven years. He married Nancy Roberts, who now lives in Garfield county, Nebraska. They were the parents of thirteen children, the oldest of whom died in infancy and the others being named: Silas R .; Andrew B .; Frances J .; Warren E .; Catherine (deceased) ; Calista (deceased) ; Helen; Eva (deceased) ; Nancy; George (deceased), and James. William Acker was a Democrat during the early part of his life, but later joined the Republicans.
Warren E. Acker began his business career in Ida county, Iowa, as an implement salesman, and in 1885 conducted a stock ranch in Stan- ton county, Nebraska. He remained on the ranch three years, then moved to Platte county, Nebraska, where lie engaged in the implement business. After a short time lie moved to Boone county, Nebraska, and engaged in the same business for a short time. The business
and location there did not suit him, and he went on the road as traveling salesman for the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company for nearly three years, when he engaged with the Milwaukee Harvesting Machine Company and remained with them one year. He then accepted a position with the McCormick Harvesting Ma- chine Company, with whom he has been since engaged. His first work for the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company was in the ca- pacity of traveling salesman, but for the past few years he has been their general agent for the territory of York, Polk, Seward, Butler, Saunders and Cass counties. He moved to Wahoo in 1897, and since 1898 has conducted a retail implement store in Ithaca, the firm name of which is Acker & Son. In 1899 they established a store in Wahoo, under the firm name of W. E. Acker & Co.
The subject hereof was twice married. His first wife was Letitia A. Anderson. They had one son, John LeRoy Acker. In 1877 Mr. Acker formed a second matrimonial alliance, wedding Lucy D. Nichols, and they have one child, Zula Acker. Mr. Acker is a member of the A. O. U. W. and also of the K. of P. He is a strong Republican, and before moving to Wahoo served in various county and township offices.
AMES HANDLIR is an industrious and prosperous young farmer residing in Newman precinct, Saunders county, Ne- braska, where he owns 280 acres of good farm- ing land. His success in life has been due to his
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own untiring energy and perseverance. He was born in Bohemia, in 1866, and is a son of Frank and Fannie (Sanrad) Handlir, who came to this country with a family of four children, namely: Annie, who is the wife of Mr. Do Bruske, a miller and farmer, of Brainard, But- ler county, Nebraska, and is the mother of five children; Fannie, who is the wife of Mr. Mudra, foreman of a wholesale harness-maker's establishment at Lincoln, Nebraska ; John, who lives in California; and James, whose life is herein portrayed.
Frank Handlir came directly to Saunders county, Nebraska, from Bohemia, in 1873, and homesteaded 80 acres, comprising the west half of the northeast quarter of section 8, town- ship 14, range 5, upon which he has most of his buildings. In 1875 he purchased 40 acres of railroad land in section 5, and later bought 40 acres of railroad land in section 7, for which he paid $4 per acre. In 1876 he bought 40 acres in section 5. Frank Handlir is prac- tically a self-made man, as he had but $270 when he came to this country, which he earned himself, and today he is the owner of consider- able farming land in Saunders county.
In 1889 James Handlir bought 80 acres west of the homestead from his half-brother, for a consideration of $1,500. He has since purchased considerable property in Saunders county, all of which he has put into good condition, and he successfully carries on general farming and stock raising. He is a Republican in politics, while in religious views he is in accord with the Catholic church.
Mr. Handlir wedded Fannie Walach, a
daughter of Jake Walach, and they have five children : Fannie, Mary, Emma, Joseph, and William. His brother-in-law, Frank Kubalek, is the owner of one of the finest farms in Saun- ders county, consisting of 400 acres. Mr. Kubalek has a large brick barn, 28 by 60 feet in dimensions, a cattle shed 11 by 60 feet, and he also has many outbuildings. His father located in Saunders county in 1867 or 1868 and has three children: Kate, who is the wife of J. Mack, a prominent farmer ; Annie, the wife of F. Novak; and Frank, who married Miss Walach, a sister of James Hand- lir's wife. Mr. Handlir lends his influence to all worthy enterprises, and is especially inter- ested in educational matters. For many years he served on the school board in his district.
RNEST J. TOMES, a successful young farmer of Saunders county, Nebraska, was born in Moravia, November 10, 1867, and is a son of Joseph and Barbara Tomes, who were engaged in farming in the old country. Joseph Tomes came to this country in 1871, with his wife and six children, at which time Ernest J. was but four years of age. His children were named Joe, Mary, Frank, Andrew, Ernest J., and Barbara. In 1871 he homesteaded the east half of the northwest quarter of section 12, township 14, range 5, and built a small frame house thereon, which he covered with slough-grass, but it burned down the following year. In 1880 he bought 80 acres north of his homesteaded prop-
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erty, from Florin Tomes, for a consideration of $2,000.
Ernest J. Tomes worked at home un- til he was twenty-one years old, when the homestead was given to him, and, as his efforts met with success, in 1895 he pur- chased a quarter of section 2, Oak Creek pre- cinct, buying it from Frank Hruby. In the fall of that year he put up a fine house. He has all his property under enclosure, being the owner of 320 acres, on which he has made many im- provements. He carries on general farming and stock raising, and the stock are supplied with good water from a well 175 feet deep.
The subject of this sketch was joined in mar- riage with Eleanor Codek, a daughter of Thomas Codek, and they have five children- Mary, Louie, George, Agnes, and Ernest, Jr. Mr. Tomes is a member of the Catholic Church.
TTO F. PETERS, prominent among the leading business men of Saunders county, Nebraska, is vice-president of the Bank of Yutan, and has long been a well known public character of that place. He was born in Joliet, Illinois, and is a son of John Peters, who is now living a retired life in Cal- ifornia, but still holds large financial interests in Saunders county.
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