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 107

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 107

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).

PETER MORTENSEN.

Some of our most loyal and valued citizens have been those born under other flags than the stars and stripes. This is especially true in the case of Peter Mortensen, one of the leading busi- ness men of Ord, Valley county, Nebraska. He is president of the First National bank of that city and for years has been a prominent figure in the life of that section, along both political and educational lines. He is reckoned among the pioneers, having come to Nebraska when set- tlements were so few and far between that he found it necessary to take his plow shears fifty- five miles to get them sharpened. He is essen- tially a self-made man, his start in life in this new country being a part interest in two yokes of oxen and two breaking plows, and his present success has come only as a result of the exercise of considerable energy, good judgment, and un- swerving integrity.

Peter Mortensen, the third of five children, was born in Randler, Denmark, October 8, 1844. He received his early education in his native land. coming to the United States in 1870, first settl- ing in Warrensburg, Missouri, engaging in rail- road work at that point.

He came to Valley county, Nebraska, in April. 1872, taking as a homestead the northeast quarter of sections eight, nineteen and four. With him were Niles Anderson, Christian L. Frey, Jeppe Smith, George M. and Falle Miller, the six taking adjoining homesteads. Out of the six, only Mr. Mortensen and the two first-named are now liv- ing, all residing in this county.

The first building put up in Valley county (with possibly one exception ) was a dugout claim shanty put up on the Peter Mortensen homestead. He engaged in farming and stock-raising and devoted his efforts to that end until 1878. In February of that year, he was married to Miss Jennie H. Williams, near Bedford, Iowa. The young couple remained on the farm for several years, but during that year, Mr. Mortensen be- came a partner in the hardware and implement business with John Case and Hans Sorenson, who were conducting a thriving business in Ord. In 1881, Mr. Mortensen and family removed to this city, which has been their home ever since.

In the fall of 1874, Mr. Mortensen was elect- ed county treasurer of Valley county, on the republican ticket, serving in this capacity for nine years, which in itself shows in what esteem he was held. This did not by any means end his political career, however, for in the fall of 1902, he was elected state treasurer of Nebraska, holding this office for two terms. In 1906, Mr. Mortensen was strongly urged to become a can- didate for governor, and he would have been the nominee of his party, but for a constitutional pro- vision which prevented an office-holder from be- coming a nominee for another office, prior to the expiration of his own term. Had this not been the case Mr. Mortensen would undoubtedly have received the nomination and would have been elected. At the expiration of his term as state treasurer, he returned to his home town of Ord, which is still his residence. He is still actively engaged in the management of his banking in- terests.

In January, 1884, Mr. Mortensen, together with H. A. Babcock and J. E. Hale, purchased the Ord City Bank, which in June of the follow- ing year, was merged into the First National Bank of Ord. Mr. Mortensen went into the bank as assistant cashier, but became president in 1888, and still holds that position. This bank now ocenpies a fine, new, well-equipped building, and is recognized as a strong financial institu- tion, with a capital of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars and surplus.

As may be imagined, Mr. and Mrs. Mortensen have played no small part in the social and edu- cational life of the city. Ord City boasts of the possession of one of the finest high school build- ings in the whole state of Nebraska and much of the credit for the erection of this fine build- ing must be given to Mr. Mortensen.

Mr. and Mrs. Mortensen have had four chil- dren, three of whom died in infancy. The one son now living, Crawford J., was born in 1891. and is now attending college at the Nebraska state university.

NIELS ANDERSEN.

Among the old settlers of eastern Nebraska whose names will figure prominently in the his-

LOG HOUSE 1873

"BOX ELDER GROVE," RESIDENCE OF NIELS ANDERSEN.

"CENTENNIEL GROVE FARM," PROPERTY OF PETER MORTENSEN.

493

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

tory of this section of the country, the above named gentleman holds a foremost place. He has done everything in his power to aid in the upbuilding of his community, where he resides in section twenty, township nineteen, range fourteen.

Mr. Andersen was born in the village of Rand- ler, province of Jutland, Denmark, August 12, 1841, and was third of four children in the family of Andrew and Johanah (Nelson) Rasmusen, and following the custom of the Scandanavians, Mr. Andersen takes his last name from the father's given name. Our subject grew to early manhood in his native land, and then came alone to Ameri- ca, erossing from Hamburg to Hartlepool, Eng- land, and embarked at Liverpool for Quebec. He came west to Galesburg, Illinois, in June of 1867, the trip from Quebec to the prairie state occupying seven days; a wreek two hours ont of Quebec delayed them for some time, and in- cidentally gave Mr. Andersen a black eye. So slow was the schedule and so many were the delays that the immigrants often played ball at stations where they were on sidings. One man left in a town walked on to the next and over- took the train. Mr. Andersen remained in Illi- nois. until the spring of 1869, employed at farm labor, and then went to Missouri, where he re- mained in Randolph and Johnson counties until coming to Valley county, Nebraska.

Mr. Peter Mortensen, an old school friend of Mr. Andersen, joined him at Warrensburg, Missouri, in 1870; Christian Frey and Jeppe Smith came to Warrensburg in 1871, becoming acquainted with Andersen and Mortensen; Mr. Andersen also had the acquaintance of George Moller. The five men decided to go to some other locality in partnership; Andersen and Mor- tensen wanted to settle in southern Missouri, and Frey, Smith and Moller voted to come to the North Loup Valley in Nebraska. So in April, 1872, Niels Andersen, Peter Mortensen and Jeppe Smith left Missouri and came to Grand Island, Nebraska, where they purchased an outfit of two ox teams, one wagon, two breaking plows, and other necessary camp utensils. They came to the North Loup Valley by the way of Dannebrog and St. Paul in Howard county, making their first homestead location near the town of North Loup, but later on came to the locality north- west of Ord, where they made homestead loca- tion on seetion eight, township nineteen, range fourteen: Niels Andersen on the southwest quarter, Peter Mortensen on the northeast quarter and Jeppe Smith on the northwest quarter. George Moller, who had joined the party at North Loup was with them at the time they made homestead loeations, and filed on the southeast quarter. Christian Frey, the fifth man of this original party, joined the others several weeks later on, and took a homestead on the southeast quarter of section six. This made the party complete as originally organized in Warrensburg, Missouri;

the oxen, plows, etc., had been purchased jointly and a joint dugout cabin was first put up on the Mortensen claim ; these five men were known as the Danish colony. In the fall of 1872 they began to erect buildings on their separate claims, and the joint partnership heretofore existing was dissolved, and the men began life in their new home each for himself. They were loyal friends to each other, giving and receiving as- sistance as needed. These men were the foun- dation builders of this part of Valley county, being joined by other venturesome homeseekers as the months rolled by. They came in here to a raw country, filled with many unknown dan- gers, and endured many privations. They also experienced some trouble from the Indians ; every time one of them went to Grand Island they heard of their massaere by the redskins. They suffered through the following years of grass- hoppers, drouth, wind, hail and prairie fires, but all lived to see Valley county become a pros- perous country.

Of these five men, Niels Andersen, Peter Mor- tensen, and Christian Frey remain, honored citi- zens of Valley county. To go back a little in history, it might be said that Falle Miller made the sixth man of this party, as he came along in June of the same year and joined this little Danish colony.

Niels Andersen was married to Hannah Mor- tensen, sister of Peter Mortensen, by Elder Bah- coek, in Valley eounty, July 8, 1873. Miss Mor- tensen came to America in 1872 from Denmark. Mr. and Mrs. Andersen have had eight children, six of whom are living: Hannah, wife of Elbert Hollister, lives in Oregon; Morton, who resides in Idaho; Christina, who is the wife of Albert Oleson, has one child and lives at Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska ; Peter, Jennie, who is married to Chris Hansen, and Annie, wife of Charles Lickly, who has one child and resides in Valley county. Mr. Andersen and family are one of the pioneer families of Valley county, enjoying the respeet and esteem of a large eirele of friends.

Mr. Andersen's first residence in Nebraska was a log house built of the trunks of small wil- lows; to this he later built an addition and re- sided there until 1883, when he moved to his present home on his timber claim a mile south. in seetion twenty, where he has one hundred and sixty-two acres, part of which is more like a park than a farm. He owns a fractional half seetion on Ilaskell creek, part of which is used as a farm and part as a stock ranch. A view of Mr. Andersen's home place, together with a sketeh of his original log cabin will be found on another page.

HERMAN WACHTER.

Herman Wachter, a prominent farmer and stock man living on section four, township twenty-four, range one, is well known through-

494

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

out Madison county as a progressive and success- ful agriculturist, and is highly esteemed by all with whom he has had to do.

Herman Wachter is a native of Germany, his birth occurring in the province of Prussia, in the year 1838, and is a son of August and Christine Wachter. Our subject with his parents left their native land for America in 1854, of which country they had heard very good accounts, and came here to acquire cheap land; they left Ham- burg on a sail boat and were eight weeks on the sea, and after landing in New York, they im- mediately started for the west, locating in Wis- consin, where they remained twelve years.

In 1866, Mr. Wachter started for the far west, as Nebraska was called in those days, coming by ox team, and was on the road six weeks. They came to Madison county, Nebraska, where our subject took up a homestead claim, and on this land built a log house, in which the family lived four years. In those very earliest days of set- tlement on the western frontier, many hardships and privations were endured, and during the first few years of cultivation, the grasshoppers devastated that region, destroying all the crops for miles around, which made it very hard for the new settler of that section of the country ; prairie fires were almost continuously fought, many times our subject and family having to fight them to save their lives and property ; and deer and antelope were plentiful in those days, and could frequently be seen in large herds.

Mr. Wachter was united in marriage in 1861 to Miss Henrietta Kratke and Mr. and Mrs. Wachter are the parents of the following named children : Louise, Minnie, Amelia, Mary, Martha, Herman, Fred Ferdinand and Emil.

Mr. and Mrs. Wachter and family live in their pleasant home, and afe surrounded by a host of kind and loving neighbors, and have the respect and esteem of all who know them, and their friends are many.

CHARLES A. SORENSEN.

Charles A. Sorensen, numbered among the well known pioneers of Howard county, Ne- braska, has built up a fine farm in Dannebrog precinct, where, until his removal to Billingham, Washington, he was comfortably situated and surrounded by a host of friends and all the com- forts of life.

Mr. Sorensen was born in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, May 5, 1848, and is a son of Christian and Anna Sorensen, who raised a family of seven children, of whom Charles was the eldest. A sketch of Louis II. Sorensen, a brother of our subject, appears in this book on another page.

When Charles was eighteen years of age, he left home and started in business for himself. In the spring of 1872, he came to Howard county, and settled on a farm, and has made this region

his home since that time. For the past number of years he occupied his father's original homestead, located on section eight, township thirteen, range eleven. The father, with another son, and one daughter, are now deceased, while the balance of the family reside in Howard county, excepting one brother, who makes his home in Minnesota,. and another in the eastern part of Nebraska.

At different times since locating here, also prior to that time, Mr. Sorensen has traveled ex- tensively, visiting a great many states in the Union, and while he has been favorably impressed with some parts, has found that Nebraska can hold her own in every instance. He has been very successful in his farming and business operations, and was recognized as a leading citizen and active, public-spirited gentleman.

Mr. Sorensen was married at Dannebrog on February 9, 1898, to Miss Elinor Bailey, and they have one child, Edna.

WILLIAM A. PRENTICE.

Among the public officials of Valley county, none are more prominent or hold the confidence of the people to a greater extent than William A. Prentice, who is serving at present as county as- sessor. His faithful discharge of all duties, his per- fect sense of justice, and his upright character and public spirit have placed him among the most highly esteemed men of this section. He has been a resident of the county for many years and pos- sesses a large circle of acquaintances. His home is in North Loup and he is devoted to the interests of the community.

Mr. Prentice was born in Waushara county, Wisconsin, on July 6, 1851, the youngest of nine children born to Allen and Elizabeth (Babcock) Prentice, and is the only one of the family now living. The father died in Wisconsin on January 9, 1872, while the mother died in New York state on the 20th of April, 1892.

Mr. Prentice grew up on the farm in Wiscon- sin and attended the local district schools, obtain- ing his education there. Later on he taught for several terms.

On January 18, 1872, Mr. Prentice was mar- ried to Miss Callie Babcock, a native of New York state, and also a teacher. She is a daughter of Henry and Angeline (Langworthy) Babcock. In the spring following, Mr. Prentice, with his wife and child, came to Valley county, Nebraska, where he filed on a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in section four, township seventeen, range thirteen. The family lived here for five years and then moved into North Loup, where a comfortable, cozy home was built. Since that time this has been the family home, and Mr. Pren- tice has been engaged in his trade, that of car- pentry.

Mr. Prentice has served as justice of the peace for several years, and as stated before, is now the county assessor. He was admitted to the bar in

495

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

1891. He has also served as director of school district number three.

Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Prentice: Angeline, now Mrs. John J. Abbey, is now living in North Loup; Asa L. is now mar- ried and resides in Elba, Nebraska ; Henry L., also married, is a resident of North Loup; and Elaine, the youngest, now Mrs. G. G. Boehler, is also a resident of North Loup.

One of Mr. Prentice's brothers, Asa B., was pastor of the Seventh Day Baptist church in Center, New York, for over thirty-three years. and in April, 1902, was called to the pastorate of the North Loup church of that denomination. He died on the 24th of May, 1904, at this place. Another brother, Nathan B., who served through the civil war as quartermaster of the Thirty-sev- enth Wisconsin Infantry and afterwards served for thirty years in the United States pension bureau at Washington, died in 1906 and was bur- ied in Arlington.

Mr. and Mrs. Prentice have passed through all the trying years of pioneer settlement and have played an important part in the development of . the community. They have been faithful church workers ever since coming to the state.

AUSTIN L. CARTER.

A history of that portion of the state of Ne- braska in which Madison county is located, would be incomplete without including a sketch of the above named gentleman, Austin L. Carter, who is one of the most prominent of the old settlers, and has always done his full share toward the growth and development of his state and county. Mr. Carter resides on section twenty-six, town- ship twenty-four, range one, in his pleasant home, where he and his family are surrounded by a host of good neighbors and friends.

Mr. Carter is a native of Coles county, Illinois, his birth occurring September 1, 1847 ; he is a son of Benjamin and Susie (Keiger) Carter, the father being born in 1809 in Ohio, but of English descent. The Carter family settled in Kentucky at a very early date, Carter county of that state taking its name from this family. Our subject's mother was a native of Virginia, born in 1812; her grandfather served in the revolutionary war. and her father in the war of 1812.

In 1869 our subject moved to Cherokee county, Kansas, where he remained twelve years, until 1881, then came to Indiana, living there two years.

While a resident of Kansas, Mr. Carter was married, and upon moving to Indiana his wife and family came with him. In 1883 they came to Madison county, Nebraska, where they bought their present home of one hundred and sixty acres of land, known as the Brosh homestead. Mr. Carter has greatly improved the land. and now has four beautiful houses on his place. Mr.

Carter is interested in the raising of thorough- bred Poland China hogs, of which he has quite a number.

Mr. Carter was united in marriage February 21, 1875, to Miss Nina Giger, a native of Michi- gan, and a. daughter of John and Sarah Giger. Mr. and Mrs. Carter are the parents of two chil- dren, Roy and Susie.

Mr. and Mrs. Carter and family are highly es- teemed by all who know them, enjoying the good will of a host of friends and acquaintances. Mr. Carter is counted one of the substantial citizens of his community, and has been a resident of Madison county for twenty-eight years or more. He is a republican, and a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

JOHN J. JOYNER.

John J. Joyner is one of Custer county's ear- liest settlers and has passed through many per- iods of Nebraska history. He has always been in- terested in everything pertaining to public wel- fare and prosperity and is one of the best known men in the county. Mr. Joyner was born in Solon, New York, November 15, 1835, next to the eldest child of James and Henrietta (Tanner) Joyner, natives of New England. The father served in the civil war in the One Hundred Fifty-seventh New York Infantry and died in New York. The mother also died in that state, in 1847. They were parents of six children and besides John J., there is but one member of the family now sur- viving, Mrs. Hannah Polson, of Cheboygan, Michigan.

Mr. Joyner grew to manhood's estate on the farm in New York, receiving his education in the local schools, and as a young man engaged in farming. Later he learned the trade of wagon maker, and on May 26. 1857, was married in Whitney's Point, New York, to Miss Dorcas D. Cole, also a native of that state, and they made their first home at Cortland, New York, where he worked at his trade of wagon maker. Her father, Newell Cole, was a native of Rhode Island, and died in Cortland county, New York, in the six- ties. Her mother, whose maiden name was Susan Potter, was born in New York and died in Cort- land county, about the same time as the father. Mrs. Joyner has two sisters living in New York.

On August 31, 1861, at McGraw, New York, Mr. Joyner enlisted as a member of Company A, Tenth New York Cavalry, of which he was made corporal, and he served until the end of the war. receiving his discharge in Syracuse, New York, in July, 1865. The important engagements in which he participated were Gettysburg and Ap- pomattox, and he also took part in various other battles and skirmishes-in all. twenty engage- ments. He was promoted through various grades to the rank of first sergeant, and the state of New York brevetted him with the honorary rank of

496

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY. REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

second lieutenant for his gallant service. His father and two brothers, James E. and Robert E., also served in the Union army. At the close of the war John J. Joyner returned to his home in Cort- land county, and there resumed work at his trade, in the town of Cincinnatus.

In the spring of 1880 Mr. Joyner came to Cus- ter county, looking for a location for a homestead, and filed a claim on the northeast quarter of sec- tion thirty-two, township eighteen, range twenty- two, and a timber claim adjoining of the same size. He returned to New York and returned with his family as far as St. Paul, Nebraska, in the fall of 1880, moving to the homestead with them the following spring. They made this place their home, improving and developing it, until Febru- ary, 1906, when they sold their interests there and moved to the town of Merna, erecting a fine modern residence where they now live. In an early day Mr. Joyner was instrumental in or- ganizing school district number fifty-four, and served as treasurer of same for several years, his son Grove, being its first teacher. He also served six years as justice of the peace. He and his wife have had two children, Denton V., married and living in Broken Bow, has two children, and a sketch of him appears in this work, and Grove O., married and living in Broken Bow, has two chil- dren. The family are prominent in social and edu- cational, as well as various other circles, and have a high standing in the community, enjoying the esteem and regard of a large circle of friends.

AUGUST STARK.

One of the leading old settlers of Pierce county, Nebraska, who has aided materially in the development and growth of this section, is the gentleman whose name heads this review. He has experienced all the hards times that fell to the lot of the pioneers in Nebraska, suffering much loss and deprivation, and is glad that the time has come when these things are changed and the people of this section can live in peace and plenty and enjoy the fruits of their hard labors.

Mr. Stark was born in the village of Altsch- lage, province of Pommerania, Germany, No- vember 24. 1839, and is the son of Fred Stark; who was born in 1799, and Christina (Doege) Stark, who was born in 1799.

He sailed for America at Bremen, October 3. 1867, on the sailship "Johanna Maria." the voy- age lasting two months. Ile landed in New York. and settled in Rock county, Wisconsin, in Febru- ary, 1863, where he worked at farm labor four years, and from there moved to Dodge county, Nebraska, where he took up a homestead near Crowell, and lived eight years-six years in a sod house, building a frame house in 1878. In 1880 he settled in Pierce county, and took up a pre-emption claim, upon which he first built a sod house, and ten years later a frame house.

Our subject came from Wisconsin to Dodge county, Nebraska, by team, and traded horses for oxen when times were hard. In those very early days he experienced his worst hardships and in- conveniences. The grasshoppers took all his crops for the three years of 1873, 1874, and 1875, inclusive; and like many of the first settlers, our subject burned hay for fuel; in those times, ante- lope, deer and elk were plentiful. The nearest market place was at Fremont, twenty-five miles away.

Hail destroyed all crops one year, and after the drouth of 1894, Mr. Stark got but eight bushels of wheat off the whole farm.

In 1872, Mr. Stark was married to Miss Alvina Zemke, a native of the village of Lan- genhagen, province of Pommerania, Germany, and to this union have been born eight children, whose names are as follows: August, Ida, Augusta, Amelia, William, Anna, Frank and Em- ma. Augusta, died in 1881, August in 1901, and William within the last few years.

Our subject has always done his share as an old settler, and is held in high esteem in his com- munity as a worthy citizen. He is a democrat in his political views, and in religious faith is a member of the German Lutheran church.

JOHN B. BRANAMAN.

John B. Branaman was born in Virginia. February 13, 1851, and was fifth of nine children in the family of David C. and Cynthia (Brady) Branaman, there being two sons and seven

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 107

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

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