USA > Nebraska > Buffalo County > Buffalo County, Nebraska, and its people : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 30
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MR. AND MRS. JOHN S. SALSBURY
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY
C., whose birth occurred on the 22d of March, 1876, and who is living in Ra- venna ; and Guy A., who was born on the Ist of February, 1878, and resides in Texas. The wife and mother passed away on the 29th of December, 1897, after a six months' illness. Her demise was mourned by many friends.
On the 26th of October, 1904, Mr. Salsbury was again married, Mrs. Mary J. Jamison becoming his wife. Her parents, Ephraim and Christina (Forney) McKinney, were natives respectively of Ohio and Pennsylvania. In 1855 her father removed to Butler county, Iowa, where he purchased land which he oper- ated until 1890. He then came to Buffalo county, Nebraska, and bought a farm in Cherry Creek precinct, to the cultivation of which he devoted the remainder of his life. He died in January, 1903, and his wife passed away in December, 1908. By her marriage to Samuel Jamison, Mrs. Salsbury became the mother of five children, namely : Clara A., who was born in August, 1863, and is now the wife of George Nichols, of Butler county, Iowa; Flora, whose birth occurred in April, 1865, and who died on the 30th of May, 1894; Mary I., who was born in July, 1867, and is now the wife of Theodore Clark, of Franklin county, Iowa ; Henrietta, who was born in December, 1873, and married A. L. Nowell, of But- ler county, Iowa; and Mabel I., whose birth occurred in April, 1875, and who gave her hand in marriage to E. E. Polk, of Butler county, Iowa. Mr. Jamison died on the 17th of January, 1898, after a long illness.
Mr. Salsbury casts an independent ballot, refusing to follow blindly the dictates of party leaders. He has been quite active in public affairs, served as the first supervisor of Garfield township, has been justice of the peace, road overseer, constable and deputy sheriff, and for twenty years was treasurer of his school district. Fraternally he is quite prominent, belonging to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Mystic Legion, and he is now filling the office of commander of Cedar Mountain Post, G. A. R. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church. During the many years of his residence in this county he has witnessed a great transfor- mation as pioneer conditions have given way to advancement and progress, and he takes justifiable pride in the fact that he has aided in bringing about this transformation.
LOUIS WEIDNER.
Louis Weidner, one of the pioneers of Buffalo county and one of its success- ful business men, is now living retired, his home being just outside the city limits of Ravenna. He is one of the worthy citizens that Germany has furnished to the new world, his birth having occurred in Saxony on the 27th of October, 1844, his parents having been Gottlieb and Christina (Lichtenstein) Weidner. The father died in Germany when his son Louis was twenty-two years of age. Two years later the latter wedded Miss Fredericka Habercrom and in 1874 they came to the United States accompanied by his mother, who otherwise would have been left alone in Germany. She remained with Mr. and Mrs. Weidner until her death, which occurred on the homestead farm in this county in 1880, six years after her arrival in the new world.
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On reaching the United States Louis Weidner made his way at once to Buf- falo county, influenced to this step by the fact that a friend, Louis White, had previously settled here. He had spent a short time in the lake region of Michigan and had finally come to Nebraska, after which he had written to Mr. Weidner concerning the resources and the opportunities of this country. On reaching his destination Mr. Weidner had about fifty dollars in cash. He says that there was no money in the county at that time, so that his capital vanished like snow on a sunshiny spring day. He arrived in Buffalo county on the 21st of September, 1874, and the following week filed on a preemption on section 2, Schneider town- ship. This he later changed to a homestead, which he proved up as such, con- verting it into a valuable and fertile farm, on which he resided until the 5th of March, 1910, when he removed to his present place of residence just outside the corporation limits of Ravenna, having here a small place of thirty acres. How- ever, he still owns the homestead property of one hundred and sixty acres in Schneider township together with eighty acres just across the road from that farm and another tract of two hundred acres on section 6, Schneider township, and a farm of two hundred acres on section 25, Garfield township. He likewise had another place of one hundred and sixty acres which he has given to his son Earnest. As the years passed he added to his holdings from time to time until he became one of the large landowners of the county, having a valuable, property from which he derived a most gratifying annual income. His possessions are such as now enable hin to live retired in the enjoyment of a well earned rest, having all of the comforts and some of the luxuries of life.
To Mr. and Mrs. Weidner were born four children, of whom three are yet living, namely: Louisa, the wife of Moritz Muelbach, a farmer of Schneider township; Earnest, who is a carpenter by trade and resides in Ravenna; and Selma, the wife of Herman Kappler, a farmer of Sharon township.
In politics Mr. Weidner has always followed an independent course. He served for some years as township clerk and as township treasurer and has ever been loyal to the best interests of the community, seeking at all times the public good. He has exerted considerable influence in community affairs and has ever been regarded as one of the highly esteemed residents of his part of the state, in which he has now lived for forty-two years, witnessing its progress from pioneer times, while his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present.
J. D. HAYES.
In this country where opportunity has been more evenly distributed than in the older countries of Europe the qualities of energy, foresight, self-reliance and sound judgment have always been held in the highest esteem and the man who, possessing these qualities, has been able to work his way up from poverty to affluence is highly honored. Such a man is J. D. Hayes, of Elm Creek township, who began his career empty-handed and now owns four hundred acres of fine land in Buffalo county and three hundred and twenty acres in Kansas.
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He was born in Ireland in 1859, a son of Patrick and Catherine (Carmody) Hayes, likewise natives of that country. When he was six years of age his father came to America and after working in a dye factory at Lowell, Massa- chusetts, for a year went to Lewistown, Pennsylvania, where he learned the ax-making trade, which he followed for three years. At the end of that time he provided a comfortable home there for his wife and children, who joined him. Three years later a removal was made to Onarga, Illinois, where the father worked on a railroad for six years, after which he engaged in farming for a similar period. In 1880 he removed to Cass county, Nebraska, where he became the owner of two hundred acres of good land. He devoted his time and attention to the cultivation of his place until 1901, when he retired from active life. He resided among his children from that time until his demise, which occurred in March, 1915, when he was eighty-four years of age. His wife passed away in 1899. To them were born thirteen children, of whom five are still living, namely : J. D .; Mrs. Catherine Murphy, a resident of Greeley, Nebraska ; Louisa, the widow of Thomas Bourk; Ellen Augusta, who married John Murphy, of Cass county ; and William, of Plainville, Kansas.
J. D. Hayes spent his boyhood largely in Pennsylvania and Illinois and received a common school education. When eighteen years of age he left home and began working as a farm hand. He was so engaged for several years and the low scale of wages which then prevailed is indicated by the fact that he never received more than sixteen dollars per month for his work. In February, 1886, he went to Cheyenne county, Kansas, having determined to engage in farming on his own account. He homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres and also took up a similar tract as a tree claim. He lived there for seven years, during which time he made many improvements upon the place but at the expiration of that period he removed to Cass county, Nebraska. Later he spent five years in Cum- ing county, this state, and in 1905 he came to Buffalo county and purchased an improved farm of two hundred and forty acres in Elm Creek township. After living there for five years he removed to an unimproved farm of eighty acres in the same township, where he has since lived. He has erected a good residence and barns and made other improvements upon the place, which is now in a high state of development. He owns in all four hundred acres of excellent land in Elm Creek township and devotes his attention chiefly to stock raising, finding that more profitable than the raising of grain. He has worked hard and untir- ingly since boyhood, and the financial independence which he has gained is due to his industry and good management rather than to fortunate circumstances. He still holds title to the three hundred and twenty acres in Kansas and is one of the men of wealth of his community.
Mr. Hayes was married in 1882 to Margaret J. Kennedy, a native of Canada and a daughter of Michael and Jane (Tighe) Kennedy. Her father is deceased but her mother is still living and resides with her son, W. J. Kennedy. To Mr. and Mrs. Hayes eleven children have been born, of whom four died in infancy. Those living are: Joseph, who is married and is living in Elm Creek; James P., who is attending a veterinary college at Kansas City; John E., who is operating one of his father's farms; Jane, the wife of Judson Lloyd, of Elm Creek; Margaret Ellen, a senior in the Elm Creek high school; and Martin and William, both at home.
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Mr. Hayes gives his political allegiance to the democratic party but has been too much occupied with his farm work to take an active part in politics. In early life he determined that if enterprise and sound judgment could win success that he would gain prosperity and he never lost sight of his goal. His persistency and energy have been rewarded and he has gained a most gratifying measure of wealth. All who know him recognize his ability and the force of his per- sonality.
WILLIAM F. CROSSLEY.
William F. Crossley is one of the oldest and most prominent contractors of Kearney and the excellence of his workmanship and the reliability of his busi- ness methods have resulted in securing for him an extensive patronage so that he has handled a large amount of business, and there today stand many monu- ments to his skill and ability in the fine homes and substantial structures of the city. He justly deserves to- be called a self-made man, for he started out in life empty handed and as the architect of his own fortunes has builded wisely and well. He was born in Hancock county, Indiana, on the 7th of April, 1857, and was there reared and educated. His father was a carpenter and during his youth William F. Crossley assisted him and gained a practical working knowledge of the trade. He also devoted a portion of his time to farming and was equally thorough in his work along that line. On the 23d of December, 1879, he arrived in Kearney and took up a homestead in Odessa township. He rented his land during the first year and remained in Kearney, where he worked at carpenter- ing in order to secure the money that would enable him to continue his farm work. He proved up on the homestead in 1885 and after about five years' resi- dence in the county he took up contract work. When he first came to Nebraska he was employed for about five years by Aaron Scott. At the end of that time his tool chest was destroyed by fire and he said that he would never buy another. He therefore began contracting and during the period of the boom he did an extensive business and has always been accorded a liberal share of the public patronage. Thoroughness and reliability have ever characterized the work which he has done personally and that which he has supervised. He has believed that satisfied patrons are the best advertisement and it has been in that way that he has increased his business. In the years in which he has been identified with con- tracting in Kearney he has erected many buildings and the improvement and adornment of the city along architectural lines is largely due to him. During the first year he built twenty-two thousand dollars worth of residences, also the Methodist Episcopal and the Episcopal churches and two wings of the State Normal School. He has also erected the high school building, the Ten Cent Store building and the Masonic Temple, is completing Keens block and also building an auditorium for the State Normal School, which when completed in September, 1916, will seat fifteen hundred people. He has also done work at Grand Island and at Holdridge but now devotes his time chiefly to home build- ing. As the years have passed he has utilized his opportunities for judicious investment and has become the owner of considerable valuable property in
WILLIAM F. CROSSLEY
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HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY
Kearney. His property includes a good business block in Kearney which he rents and desirable residence property.
On the 23d of March, 1885, Mr. Crossley was married to Miss Mary Calhoun, a native of Ohio, who in 1872 came to Buffalo county with her parents, her father securing a homestead near Riverdale. He was Peter Calhoun, one of the veterans of the Civil war, and he became one of the worthy pioneer settlers of the west. Mrs. Crossley was reared in this county and by her marriage became the mother of two daughters, one of whom died at the age of three years. Wilma R. is attending the Chicago University. She is a graduate of the high school of Kearney and also of the State University of Nebraska, and for three years was a teacher of German in the city schools of Kearney. While in the State Uni- versity she went to Germany as a student. Mr. and Mrs. Crossley are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which they are actively and helpfully interested, and for several years Mr. Crossley has been one of the church trustees. In Masonry he has passed up through the various branches until he has become a Knight Templar, and he has filled all of the chairs of the lodge. He deserves great credit for what he has accomplished as the years have gone by, for his enterprise and indefatigable energy have brought to him his prosperity. He has ever enjoyed an unassailable reputation for fair dealing and the reliability of his methods has featured as a strong element in his growing prosperity.
A. L. RANDALL, M. D.
Dr. A. L. Randall, who since his graduation from the Northwestern Uni- versity at Chicago in the class of 1903 has been engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery, located at Pleasanton in 1904, where he has since remained, and during this period his practice has grown steadily, as the public has recognized his ability and his devotion to the highest ethical standards of the profession. He was born in Shelby county, Iowa, November 20, 1878, a son of A. J. and Elizabeth (Springstead) Randall, who were natives of New York and Canada respectively. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, removed to Shelby county, Iowa, at an early period in the development of that district, there pur- chased land and operated his farm throughout his remaining days, his death occurring in 1895. His widow survives and now makes her home with a son in Kansas.
Dr. Randall was reared and educated in Denison, Iowa, and was graduated from the high school with the class of 1895. He also attended the normal school there for two years and afterward entered the Northwestern University at Chicago, where he pursued the medical course, winning his professional degree with the class of 1903. It was his desire to qualify himself most thoroughly and he gave close attention to the branches of study which constitute the medical curriculum. He then returned to Denison, where he remained in active practice for a year but in 1904 removed to Pleasanton, where he has since remained, con- tinuously engaging in practice during this time. His ability has brought him prominently to the front and his practice is now extensive, covering a wide territory. He is also the owner of a half section of land in Beaver township
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and is engaged extensively in the cattle business, handling thoroughbred Aber- deen Angus cattle, having at the present time ninety head upon his place. He also owns a quarter section of land near Sartoria, Nebraska.
On the 25th of August, 1908, Mr. Randall was united in marriage to Miss Edith West, by whom he has a son, Reginald C., whose birth occurred July 30, 1915. In his political views Dr. Randall is a republican and keeps thoroughly informed concerning the questions and issues of the day. For four years he lias served on the town board, taking an active interest in furthering the welfare of the community in which he resides. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons and in his life exemplifies the beneficent spirit of the craft, which is based upon a recognition of the brotherhood of man. Those who know him, and he has a wide acquaintance, esteem him highly because of his professional skill, his devotion to duty and his sterling personal worth. He is always courteous and obliging and his efforts have been attended with substantial success.
THEODORE W. OLSON.
Theodore W: Olson has been established in business in Sweetwater longer than any other merchant of the town and also has the largest patronage, having kept in touch with the advancement in merchandising methods and retained the prestige which he gained at the start. His birth occurred in Chicago, Illinois, on the 28th of March, 1872, and his parents were Annon and Mary Olson, natives of Norway. The father emigrated to America in young manhood and located in Chicago when that city gave little promise of becoming the great trade center that it is today and for twenty-six years he was a sailor on the great lakes. In 1881 he removed westward to Sherman county, Nebraska, where he purchased land, to the operation of which he devoted the remainder of his life. He passed away in 1911, when eighty-one years of age, and his wife died in 1877.
Theodore W. Olson was reared and educated in Chicago and in Sherman county, Nebraska, and remained with his parents until he reached the age of twenty-six years. He began farming on his own account but after a year decided to devote his energies to merchandising and, coming to Sweetwater, Buffalo county, purchased a stock of general merchandise and also bought the building in which his store is located. He has since conducted that establishment and has been in business here longer than any other merchant of the town. His patronage has grown steadily and he has anticipated the demands of his cus- tomers, adding to the line of goods carried from time to time with the result that he has the most complete stock in Sweetwater. He also owns eighty acres of fine land on section 9, Beaver township, from which he derives a gratifying addition to his income.
On the 11th of September, 1912, Mr. Olson was united in marriage to Miss Frances E. Hetrick. Her parents, Amos and Sarah Hetrick, were natives of Buffalo county but after farming here for some time removed to Sherman county, whence they went to Valley county, where the father is still engaged
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in agricultural pursuits. Mr. and Mrs. Olson have two children, namely : Helen, whose birth occurred on the 16th of July, 1913; and Ida, born March 17, 1915.
Mr. Olson supports the republican party and was for five years postmaster of Sweetwater, making an excellent record in that connection. He is identi- tied with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and his religious faith is indi- cated by the fact that he holds membership in the Lutheran church. His life has been characterized by enterprise and also by sound judgment-a combination of qualities which never fails to win success.
W. R. SCRIBNER.
W. R. Scribner, the efficient vice president of the Pleasanton State Bank, has been identified with this institution since 1912 and has contributed in sub- stantial measure to its upbuilding and success. He was born in Seward county, Nebraska, September 21, 1881, a son of C. L. and Emma (White) Scribner, the former a native of Maine and the latter of Illinois. Removing to the west, the father conducted a hotel at Staplehurst, in Seward county, from 1884 until 1910. He had previously come to Nebraska in 1871 and has since here resided with the exception of two years spent in California. He is now living retired at David City, in Butler county, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves. His wife also survives.
W. R. Scribner was largely reared and educated in Staplehurst and was a member of the second graduating class completing the course in the high school there, the date of his graduation being 1897. He then began his independent career and was employed as a farm hand for two years. Subsequently he worked in a lumberyard for two years and in 1904 he came to Pleasanton, Buffalo county, where he accepted the position of manager for the Gilcrest Lumber Company, with which he continued until August 23, 1912. He then became assistant cashier of the Pleasanton State Bank and held that position until Decem- ber, 1915, when he purchased the interest of E. W. Noyes in the bank and became its vice president, which executive position he now fills with A. H. Grammer as the president and F. L. Grammer as cashier.
On the 10th of April, 1907, Mr. Scribner was united in marriage to Miss Anna Thiessen, a daughter of Henry and Alvina Thiessen, who are natives of Germany and on emigrating to the new world took up their abode in Hall county, Nebraska. The father was long and actively identified with general agricultural pursuits but is now living retired with his wife in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Scribner. Our subject and his wife have three children, namely : A. Lucille, who was born February 12, 1908; Blanche B., whose birth occurred October 31, 1910; and Florence E., whose natal day was February 2, 1913.
Mr. Scribner has been called to several local offices by the vote of his fellow townsmen, who recognize his fidelity to the best interests of the community. He has served as township clerk here for six years and as village clerk for six years and has also been a member of the town board. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party, for he is a firm believer in its principles. He is interested in the cause of education and has served as school director of Pleasan-
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ton for three years. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, the Modern Woodmen of America and to the United Brethren church and in these associations are found the rules which govern his conduct and shape his course in his relations with his fellowmen. Those who know him esteem him most highly and he has a large circle of warm friends in Pleasanton and throughout the county. He possesses the enterprising spirit which has characterized and dominated the west with its development and upbuilding, for he is a native son of Nebraska, having spent his entire life within its borders.
J. D. McCARTNEY.
J. D. McCartney, a well-to-do retired farmer residing at Elm Creek, is entitled to honor as a veteran of the Civil war, having served for a considerable period in an Iowa regiment. At the time the war broke out he was in the south and was compelled to serve in the Confederate army but at length escaped and made his way to the Union lines. He was born in Lawrence county, Ohio, on the 26th of September, 1839, of the marriage of William and Elizabeth (Davidson) McCartney, natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, eventually removed from Ohio to Wisconsin and there his demise occurred but our subject took the body back to Ohio for burial. The mother died in Ohio in 1862.
J. D. McCartney was reared in the Buckeye state and received a limited education there. As his parents were poor he had to begin earning his living at an early age and when nineteen began his independent career. After work- ing for a time as a farm hand he was employed on a steamboat on the Ohio river running to Cincinnati. He gained a thorough knowledge of steamboating but in the fall of 1859 decided to try his hand at other work and went to Arkansas, spending the winter chopping wood on the White river in Monroe county. He was still there when the Civil war broke out and when the Confederates began scouting for recruits he was noticed and would have been compelled to join the Confederate army then had not a man from Mississippi who was at that time living in Arkansas befriended him. This man had a son whom he did not wish to see enter the army and, having persuaded our subject to go home with him, he told his son and Mr. McCartney to hide in the swamps, saying that he would smuggle food to them until the war was over if it lasted a thousand years. During the daytime they hid in the swamps and at night they erept into the house. One night as there was company at the house they were late in getting in and at daylight were awakened by the barking of dogs. They found them- selves in the hands of Confederates, who compelled them to join the army although, as there was no one to administer the oath, they did not formally enlist. Their division marched against an expected attack from gunboats that were supposed to come up the river in an attempt to join General Curtis' troops from the north. On reaching the White river, however, the gunboats had re- turned down the stream. On learning this the Confederates started for Little Rock but on the way our subject and his friend invented an excuse for falling behind and finally dropped out of the march. They intended to hide their horses
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