Compendium of history, reminiscence, and biography of Nebraska : containing a history of the state of Nebraska also a compendium of reminiscence and biography containing biographical sketches of hundreds of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of Nebraska, Part 104

Author: Alden Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : Alden Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1402


USA > Nebraska > Compendium of history, reminiscence, and biography of Nebraska : containing a history of the state of Nebraska also a compendium of reminiscence and biography containing biographical sketches of hundreds of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of Nebraska > Part 104


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Frank Lidmila, our subject, was married at West Point, July 24, 1893, to Miss Josephine Brazda, who was born in Racine, Wisconsin, March 18, 1871. Her parents came from Austria to Wisconsin. The mother died about 1879, and two years later the father moved to Nebraska and secured a fine farm.


Mr. and Mrs. Lidmila have been blessed with nine children, who are named as follows: Frank, George, Edwin, Clara, Charles, Rudolph, Mary, Cecelia and Helen.


Mr. Lidmila came to Pierce county in 1910, where he purchased seventeen hundred acres of land situated in section thirty-four, township twenty-five, range three, which makes him one of the largest land owners in this section.


Mr. Lidmila is of the Catholic faith, and is affiliated with the Royal Highlanders, and the Modern Woodmen of America. He votes the democratie ticket.


WALDO L. LITTLE.


W. L. Little, born in Meigs county, Ohio, on November 13, 1851, is a well-to-do farmer and prominent old settler of eastern Nebraska. His father, Levi Little, was a soldier in the civil war, serving in the seventh Ohio cavalry, and was killed in battle at Blue Springs, Tennessee. IIe was one of the thousands who in defense of his country sacrificed home and gave his life for the cause, leaving behind him his beloved wife and children.


Waldo L. Little grew up in Ohio, his mother keeping her little family together-there being a daughter and our subject as the only childern. At the age of twenty-one years, in company with N. J. and J. N. Paul, friends of the family, he came to Howard county, Nebraska. They ar- rived here in 1871, and were among the very first settlers in the county. Mr. Little began his pioneer life, passing through all the experiences of frontier existence, and has been one of the leading men in aiding the development of the region, doing all in his power to advance its interests commercially and socially. He came here full of youth, health and enthusiasm, cap- able of adapting himself to the rugged life of the pioneer settler, prepared to endure the trials and struggles incident to the carving out for himself of a name and fortune, which he has succeeded in accomplishing far beyond his ex- pectations. He at once filed on a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in section twelve, township fifteen, range ten, and still owns this place, making this his home. From time to time he has purchased land near by, and at present is proprietor of one whole section of well im- proved land, considerable of it under cultiva- tion, and equipped with all modern machinery and buildings for conducting a model farm. He is engaged in ยท diversified farming, also raises considerable stock.


At the time Mr. Little put up his first build- ings he was obliged to haul all the lumber needed for the same from Grand Island, using an ox team for the purpose, and fording the South and North Loup rivers, there being no bridge across the North Loup branch. He has seen every phase of life on the frontier, beginning with practically no capital, and from this small start has become one of the substantial men of his county.


Mr. Little was married in 1882 to Miss Edith A. Seeley, the ceremony taking place at the home of the former's sister, Mrs. I. D. McDaniel, who then resided on a farm adjoining our subject's homestead. Mrs. McDaniel now lives in Utah. Mrs. Little is a native of New York state, and came to Howard county in 1878, with her mother, sister and one brother-in-law, her father, Samuel R. Seeley, and two brothers having settled here during the preceding year. Both parents of Mrs. Little are now deceased. Mr. Little's mother departed this life on March 3, 1896. Our sub- ject has no children, but himself and wife have raised several, giving them the advantages of a comfortable home and good education, and be- sides this have always done a great deal of phil- anthropie work in an unostentatious way.


Mr. Little's home is located near the forks of the North and Sonth Loup river, and here they frequently entertain many friends in a most hospitable manner.


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JOSEPH H. CAPRON.


Joseph H. Capron, a leading citizen of Ord, Nebraska, is widely known as a gentleman of good business ability and true public spirit. Mr. Capron has been a resident of Nebraska many years, eoming to Valley eounty in 1874, and since his coming here has been an important factor in the development and progression of this part of the state.


Mr. Capron was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, September 4, 1856, and was fifth of six children in the family of Elias and Clara (Hurlbut) Cap- l'on who had three sons and three daughters. The Capron family moved to Illinois in 1860. Joseph H. Capron and his sister, Mrs. Emma T. Bryant, are the surviving members of the family; Mr. Capron resides in Ord, Nebraska, engaged in the real estate and insurance business, and Mrs. Bryant resides in Cleveland, Ohio.


Mr. Capron came from Freeport, Illinois, to Valley county, Nebraska, in September, 1874, beeoming clerk in quartermaster's department of United States of America, at Fort Hartsuff, situated in the northern part of Valley county ; his brother, T. H. Capron, was quartermaster at the fort at this time. Fort Hartsuff was estab- lished in 1874, to protect settlers from the Indians, and also to prevent different tribes of Indians from warring with each other. The fort was abandoned in 1881.


Mr. Capron remained at Fort Hartsuff until December of 1875, at which time he was trans- ferred from there to Camp Sheridan in the quartermaster's department on the Spotted Tail agency, remaining here about seven weeks. Mr. Capron then returned to Wiseonsin, becoming managing editor of the "Manitowoc Pilot," and although only in his twentieth year he was a successful newspaper man. In the spring of 1878 he went to Cheyenne, Wyoming, again be- coming connected with the quartermaster's de- partment of the United States of America, going on a military expedition into Montana returning some months later on, and baek to Fort Hartsuff where he closed up his work in December.


In January, 1879, Mr. Capron purchased the "Valley County Courier" at Ord, changing its name to "Valley County Journal," and edited same until July 1, 1887. He then went into the real estate and insurance business in which he has remained until this date. Mr. Capron is a successful man and has had mueh to do with the development of this portion of Nebraska.


Mr. Capron was married to Miss Mary F. Ramsey, daughter of William and Sarah L. Ram- sey at the Ramsey farm home in Valley county, February 15, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Capron have three children, two of whom are living: Hazel. who is the wife of Fred W. Coe, lives in Grand Junction, Colorado; and Arthur B., who is a student at school.


Mr. Capron is a progressive man, always tak-


ing a keen interest in all matters pertaining to the progress of his home state and county, and is regarded as a leading eitizen of his locality.


JOHN H. HARDING.


John H. Harding, one of the prosperous ag- riculturists of township twenty-four, range three, Madison county, Nebraska, owns a fine farm of five hundred and seventy acres on seetion thirty, and is a progressive and industrious member of his community. For many years past he has been a part of the growth of the agricultural and best interests of his home eounty and state, and has been largely instrumental in the success of the region in which he resides.


Mr. Harding is a native of Missouri, his birth occurring in Holt eounty, May 23, 1862; he is a son of John and Margaret Harding who were natives of Germany, where they lived until 1869, when they sailed for America.


Our subjeet reached the age of seven years in his native land, and in the year 1869, with his parents, emigrated to Madison county, Nebraska, where the father took up a homestead near Battle Creek; the family's first residence was a log house in which they lived some few years, later erecting a frame house.


Columbus was the nearest market place in those first days of settlement on the western fron- tier, and deer and antelope could be seen in large herds on the open prairie. Many hardships and dangers were encountered and braved by the sturdy pioneer sons who came to this wild, un- broken country to make a fortune for themselves. About the greatest source of anxiety was the hordes of grasshoppers that devastated the re- gion, destroying every spear of vegetation to be seen for miles around, thus making it very hard for the new settler to make a living, as he was al- most entirely dependent upon his crops for a live- lihood. Prairie fires were another danger en- countered, our subject and family often having to fight the treacherous flames of burning tall prairie grasses to save their homes, and sometimes even their lives.


In 1886 Mr. Harding was united in marriage to Miss Flora Palmer, a native of Indiana, and three children were born of this marriage: Wil- liam, Clyde and Bessie.


In 1894 Mr. Harding suffered the loss of his entire season's crops by the hot winds that pre- vailed during the severe drouth, but still he pros- pered and now owns five hundred and seventy acres of fine land, as before stated, and has ten acres of trees, making it one of the best farms and homes in this region. Mr. Harding is highly esteemed in his community, and in 1904 served his constituents as county commissioner.


Mr. Harding was united in marriage Decem- ber 22, 1898, to Miss Nellie Losey, a native of lowa. and daughter of George W. and Elisa A.


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(Van Buskirk) Losey. They are the parents of three children, George, John and Albert.


Mr. and Mrs. Harding and family are highly respected and esteemed by all who know them and in their pleasant home are surrounded by many friends and acquaintances.


WILLIAM H. REEDER.


William H. Reeder, now living retired from active life at Merna, Nebraska, is an early settler there and when he came to the county found con- ditions very different from what they are today. For the first few years his nearest trading point was Kearney, a distance of ninety miles from his home. Mr. Reeder is a native of Lancaster, Wis- consin, born June 13, 1858, and next to the oldest of four children born to Henry J. and Wilhel- mina (DeMour) Reeder, the father a native of Chautauqua county, New York, and the mother of Switzerland. Henry J. Reeder came to Ne- braska in the 'eighties and died at Merna in Sep- tember, 1905. His wife came to America in 1847 and her death occurred in Merna in 1909. They had two sons and two daughters, namely: Wil- liam H. and Mrs. Frances J. Eddy in Custer county, the latter a resident of Broken Bow ; one son in Sheridan, Wyoming, and one daughter in Colorado.


When he was eleven years of age William H. Reeder accompanied his parents to Clarke county, Iowa, and there reached manhood on his father's farm, being educated in the local schools and the normal school at Osceola. Later he taught in the sehools of that state for three years, after which he engaged in farming. In the fall of 1881 he came to Custer county and took a timber claim of one hundred and sixty acres six miles north- west of Merna. In the following May he took a homestead, the first quarter west of Merna, on seetion thirty-one, township eighteen, range twenty-one.


Mr. Reeder was married in Wisconsin, Janu- ary 24, 1883, to Margaret L. Bidgood, a native of that state, and they located on the Nebraska homestead, their home for many years. She is a daughter of Benjamin and Ann (Hutchinson) Bidgood, the former a native of New York and the latter, a native of England, came to America in infancy. The father served in the civil war and is now living at Plattville, Wisconsin, at the age of eighty-three years. The mother died in Wisconsin in 1890. One son, J. B. Bidgood, lives at Halsey, Nebraska ; another son, W. G. Bid- good, lives at Wood Lake, Nebraska, a daughter lives in North Dakota, another in Wisconsin, and two in Montana; one son lives in North Dakota. and Mrs. Reeder.


Mr. Reeder was instrumental in the organiza- tion of school distriet number fifteen, in 1881, and for nine years he served as a member of its board. He was one of the very early settlers of his neigh- borhood and has passed through the varied exper-


iences of the pioneer. IIe is well and favorably known as a public-spirited citizen who is actively interested in everything pertaining to the public welfare and is a successful business manager, be- ing possessed of four hundred and fifty acres of fine farm and pasture land, besides good city property. In February, 1906, he retired from farm life and located in Merna, where he erected the fine modern residence now occupied by the family. He has won his prosperity as a result of business enterprise and energy and stands well with his fellows. He and his wife have one son, Clarence A., married to Maud Hall, of Nelson, Ne- braska. They reside at Fairfield, Nebraska, and have one son.


CHRISTIAN A. REIMERS.


Few lives read more like a romance than that of a little Danish boy whose father died when he was an infant, leaving his wife with a family too large to support-one who with but a few months of sehooling acquired a knowledge wide and deep enough to enable him to conduct large mercantile enterprises, a banking business, and fill public offiees of honor and trust, in an efficient and cred- itable manner, such as many college bred men are unable to do.


Chris Reimers was born January 14, 1846, in the village of Ellendorf, Holstein, and was left an orphan at the age of four years. A brother, Jacob, had come to America about 1864, and after earning enough money to pay their passage, Christian and John decided to follow. The latter was a weaver by trade, and our subject had been apprenticed to a blacksmith. On landing in the United States, they traveled west, locating in Lyons, Iowa, and both worked at odd jobs to sup- port themselves, often suffering greatly for even the necessaries of life, without shelter, and no permanent home or work.


They soon obtained . regular employment, Chris receiving three and a half dollars per week, which seemed an immense wage to him, shortly afterwards getting a raise. After a time he went to Sabula, Iowa, where he obtained work in the shops and remained for one year. His next move was to Thompson, Illinois, and as there were no German speaking people there, he was obliged to learn English, exchanging German lessons for those in English, with a lady teaching in the pub- lie sehools.


After spending eight or nine months in Illi- nois, he went back to Iowa, working in Van Buren, Jackson county, during the season known to old timers as "the hot summer." He again returned to Sabula, and after a time there rented a shop and went into business for himself, as- sisted by friends, who bought his equipment, as he had no eapital, but whom he soon repaid. He prospered and soon bought the shop.


About that time he was married and built a comfortable home, and by hard and constant toil,


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got along well and managed to save a little money. He was finally compelled to give up on account of failing health, and went to Chicago, where he sought medical advice, the head of Rush medical college telling him that he must quit work or order his coffin to be delivered within six months. He went home and traded his shop for eight hundred and eighty acres of land lying ten miles southwest of Pierce. His intention was to open a hardware store in Pierce, and meeting with D. W. Elliott, whose intention was the same, they formed a partnership and bought a lot and built a substantial store, establishing a business which they carried on for ten years.


In company with W. A. Spencer, he started the Pierce County State Bank, erected a fine building and after carrying it on for ten years, retired from the banking business. He is now in the brokerage and loan business, and is widely known as one of the pioneer business men of the state.


Mr. Reimers' first marriage was at Van Buren, Iowa, in May, 1869, to Anna Mohr, a native of that state. She died on October 14, 1891, sur- vived by her husband and four of their seven children who are named as follows: Frederick and John, who died of diphtheria at the ages of ten and twelve years respectively; Edward, who died in 1904; Chris, junior, was appointed to the Annapolis naval academy, and after a short time there was compelled to resign on account of an ob- scure eye disease. This was a severe disappoint- ment to him, but he immediately entered the Ne- braska state university, taking an engineering course and graduating with high honors ; he is now filling a good position as one of the head engineers in the employ of the Homestake Mining company, with a promise of brilliant success in his chosen work; Nettie, wife of F. A. Courtney, resides at Great Falls, Montana; Rosabel, who for seven years was a popular teacher at Plainview, grad- uated in 1909, from the Deaconesses' training school at Chicago, and has since entered Cornell for a two years' course of study in Greek, Latin and Hebrew; Lily, another daughter, who was a teacher in the Pierce schools for a time, married B. F. Lyle of Pierce.


In 1891 Mr. Reimers returned to Germany, where he met and became engaged to Miss Anna Tiedje, suggesting that she come to America and if she liked the country, they would be married. She came the following year, and after a year's visit, concluded to remain, they being married on October 22, 1892. One son was born of this union, Walter, now a student in the Pierce high school.


Mr. Reimers is a republican, active in party affairs. He is a member of the Masonic lodge in Pierce, and has filled all the various chairs. Also is a prominent Pythian. He served four years on the town and school boards, and was also county commissioner for a number of years, during which time the new court house, which some op-


posed on account of the cost, was built, but time has justified his judgment. He has also helped build the town up in every way, always advoeat- ing progress and expansion, and giving liberally of his time, influence and money to carry out his views.


GEORGE HERBERT GRAY.


George Herbert Gray, whose upright and hon- orable career should be an encouragement to the young men of the present generation, as in it they can see what thrift and industry, honesty and integrity can always accomplish, was born in the state of Indiana, February 27, 1868, and was second of four children in the family of George H. and Louisa M. Gray, personal sketches of whom we herewith give:


George H. Gray, senior, father of our sub- ject, was horn in Bridgeport, Connecticut. in 1839, and moved from Connecticut Indi- ana about 1857; and on November 4. 1861, was married to Miss Louisa M. Caswell. In October, 1872, Mr. and Mrs. Gray and two ehil- dren moved from Noble county, Indiana. locating on a homestead about six miles northeast of Cen- tral City, Merrick county, Nebraska. Mr. Gray died on the homestead farm February 12, 1874, and Mrs. Gray and family remained on the home farm until 1877, sufficient length of time to prove up on the land. Then Mrs. Gray and family moved to Prairie Island, east of Central City, so as to be in closer touch with the family of her brother, George H. Caswell, and her sister, Mrs. S. J. Boies, both families being pioneer settlers of Merrick county. These were the days of fron- tier experiences, Indians still being numerous on the island.


Mrs. Gray taught precinct school for one term, and after a residence of two years on the island, moved to Central City, then but a small village. Mrs. Gray became connected with the publie schools of Central City as teacher of the primary department, where she remained for twenty-four years, or until about 1903: Central City growing from a small town to a model little city during this time. Mrs. Gray was a success- ful teacher and most of the youth of Central ('ity received their first school training under her ef- ficient eareful teaching. She has seen her pupils go from the first grade to higher grades: grow up to their young manhood and womanhood days : marry and have homes and children of their own, and many of these children received their first schooling under Mrs. Gray, the same teacher that had taught their father and mother the A. B. C.'s, and had laid the foundation for their edu- cational life. Mrs. Gray was also active in teach- ing the little ones in the Sunday school. as she was in charge of the primary department of the Methodist church Sunday school. She was a typieal pioneer teacher, giving to the youth of


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Central City the best foundation a child could have to build on, an educational and religious training. Mrs. Gray now resides in Grand Island, Nebraska, with her daughter, Mrs. John Donald, but much of her time is spent in Central City with her son, George H. Gray, and where she has many close friends.


Mr. and Mrs. Gray had four children, two of whom are living: Clarence, born in Rome, In- diana, died in infancy; George Herbert, married and living in Central City ; Nellie, wife of John Donald, has one child and resides in Grand Island, Nebraska; and Clarence, born in Merrick county, who died in infancy. Mr. Gray, senior, was a veteran of the civil war, and a man of high character, honored and revered by all.


George Herbert Gray, son of the above men- tioned subjects, when but a boy four years of age, came with his parents to Merrick county, Ne- braska, and received such schooling as was af- forded by the local schools; but at an early age of nine years Mr. Gray began to make his own way in life, and in the fall of 1883, secured a po- sition on the Oregon Short Line railroad, and was located at Pocatello, Idaho, where he remained two years. Then he spent two years in school after which he was baggageman for the Union Pacific railroad at Central City.


In 1888 Mr. Gray and Mr. Stableton pur- chased the N. D. Keyes grocery store of Central City, and in 1892, Mr. Gray bought his partner out and continued the business until June, 1902, at which time he became connected with the Cen- tral City Bank, which became a National bank in 1906, of which Mr. Gray is now president. This bank was first organized as a private bank in 1877; as a state bank in 1887; and a National bank in 1906, with a capital and surplus of sev- enty-five thousand dollars, and the following of- ficials: G. H. Gray, president ; George P. Bissell, and Heber Hord, vice presidents; Ives A. Hord, assistant cashier. This bank is a solid financial institution, and was the first bank to be organized in Central City.


Mr. Gray is a practical self-made man with an enviable business record, a man of high char- acter, active in business, educational, and relig- ious circles. He is president of the Central City commercial club, and is otherwise prominently connected.


On June 1, 1892, Mr. Gray was married to Miss Mary Rodgers, in Central City, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Gray have one child, Nellie Naomi. They have many friends, and a pleasant home, and are very estimable people.


J. V. HOLECEK.


To such sturdy pioneers as the Holecek family the great inland empire of the middle west owes its present commanding influence in the commer- cial and agricultural affairs of this nation. The


Holecek family came to Nebraska when herds of buffalo and deer roamed the prairies, and Indians were still in control of a vast area of the terri- tory, which was wild and undeveloped to such an extent that it was known as part of the Great American Desert.


J. V. Holecek, formerly postmaster of Sparta, and one of the leading merchants of Knox county, is a member of this family. He is a son of John and Elizabeth Holeeek, and was born in Bohemia in 1856. He came to America with his parents when eleven years of age, the family going direct to Chicago after landing in the new world. They remained in Chicago two years, when a Bohemian homestead colony was formed, and John Holecek cast his lot with his fellow countrymen and joined the colony, coming direct to Knox county, where they have taken an important part in the upbuilding and develop- ment of the country.


The story of the life of J. V. Holecek can best be told in his own words :


"In 1867, or when I was eleven years old, my parents came to America and stopped in Chicago for two years. In 1868, while we were living in Chicago, my father became interested in a Bo- hemian homestead colony that was being organ- ized, and in October, 1869, we started for Ne- braska, then known as the Great Western Desert, our destination being L'eau Qui Cost county, which in 1879 was organized and christened Knox county. The railroad ended at Sioux City, where we secured ox teams and drove the re- mainder of the distance overland. The trip was a tedious one, requiring six days. We were warned by settlers of the dangers of the region we were going into, but we arrived safely at our destination with an escort of about a half dozen Ponca Indians. The village of Niobrara was made up of a few houses only ; T. M. Paxton had a frame house; Frank Janowsek one of like con- struction ; and Bruns & Westermann, who con- ducted a general store in a log house. These, to- gether with Ponca Indians, their squaws and papooses, dressed in buffalo skins or red blankets, made up the town of Niobrara, (pronounced Neeobrare, from the Ponca Indian dialect, and meaning running water). The town was made up largely of Indians, there being something like a dozen tepees. The nearest town was Yankton, then the capitol of Dakota Territory, which com- prised all of what is now North and South Da- kota. Norfolk was about sixty miles southeast. Aside from the settlements of Niobrara, Yank- ton and Norfolk, the country was a vast wilder- ness of Indians, antelope and coyotes.




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