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 109

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 109

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On September 25, 1861, Mr. Becker enlisted in Company 1, Tenth Connecticut Volunteer In- fantry. He served three years and participated in engagements at Roanoke, Newburn and Kingston. North Carolina, and was at the Siege of Fort Sumpter, and at St. Augustine, Florida. His health failed and he was sent to Hampton hospital until the battle of Cold Harbor. where he served in the ambulance eorps, assisting in removing the wounded. Ile next was sent to Petersburg and then to Deep Bottom, Virginia, where he joined his regiment. In an engagement there he was taken prisoner and sent to Belle Isle for a short time and then to Libby hospital and was soon mustered out at Hartford, Connecticut. Mr. Becker, as a result of his prison experience re- ceived an injury which affected his right leg. Ile suffered very much from this diseased limb,

and January 12, 1906, the limb was amputated between the knee and thigli, and from that time his health became better.

In 1874, Mr. Becker and wife moved from Connecticut to Madison county, Nebraska, and started the first furniture store in Madison. He sold his business in 1888, but later on re-pur- chased one-half interest in business which he re- tained until 1901, when he retired from active business.

Mr. Becker retains his home in Madison, but spends part of the year in travel, and with his sister. Mrs. Charles Frederick, at Phillipsburg. Kansas.

Mr. Becker is a self-made man and has made a success in life in a financial way, and has always been active along all lines for the upbuilding of his adopted home county and state. In politics he is republican, and has served his county as commissioner ; and also has served on his school board. and in the city council. He is a wide gauge man, always taking active interest in educational, social, and church affairs, and holds the respect and esteem of many friends and the community at large.

CHRISTIAN KAUPP.

Christian Kanpp is a large landholder and prominent citizen of Custer county, and through his energy and industry has won success as a farmer and stockman. He owns nine hundred and sixty-five acres of land, most of it in Custer county, and it is largely devoted to well improved and equipped grain farms. He was able to retire from active life in March, 1910, when he moved to Merna and erected a modern residence, where the family have since lived. Mr. Kaupp is a na- tive of Germany, born February 10, 1836, young- est of the five children of August and Rosina (Wolf) Kaupp, and the only member of the fam- ily now surviving. In 1864 he came to America, spending a time in New York and other eastern points, and locating in Illinois in 1866. He worked on farms for a time, then purchased land and operated it, on his own account, and in March, 1867, was married at Loraine, Illinois, to Miss Katherine Heimindinger, a native of Germany. who came to America in 1852.

After marriage Mr. Kaupp lived in Illinois on a farm until the spring of 1887, when he brought his wife and children to Nebraska. He took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres on sec- tion fifteen, township eleven, range twenty-three. which was the home place for many years, and he secured a timber claim of the same size. He is widely and favorably known and is recognized as one of the successful and progressive men of the county. Fourteen children have been born to Mr. Kanpp and wife: William, married and liv- ing ten miles west of Merna, has four children ; Christina, wife of Benjamin Cox, of Custer county, has eight children ; Charles, married and

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living in the state of Washington, has three chil- dren; Rosina, wife of Frank Lilly, of Custer county, has one child; Julia, wife of Michael Brown, of Canada ; Florence, wife of Charles Dox- see, of Custer county, has two children; Sophia, wife of William Brown, of Lincoln, Nebraska, has one child; Mamie, wife of Adolph Gibhart, of Lin- coln ; Hardy, Albert, Walter and Nettie, at home; two sons are deceased. The family are well known in many circles and have many friends.

HERMAN A. MABEUS.

Among the early settlers of Cedar county, Ne- braska, Herman A. Mabeus deserves especial men- tion. He is a man of active public spirit, always ready to lend his influence in furthering any movement for the general welfare, and promi- nently identified with the best interests of his community. Mr. Mabeus was born in Henry county, Iowa, in 1866, a son of August and Henri- etta Mabeus. The father came to America from Germany, in a sailboat, when he was a young man, and made his home in Buffalo. The mother died when H. A. Mabeus was but five years old, and when he had reached the age of fif- teen years he left home, coming to Harding county, Iowa, in 1881. After spending one year there he went to northwestern lowa. and lived there four years. In 1887 he re- moved to Wayne county, Nebraska, and pur- chased the D. W. Barley quarter. He has im- proved his land and has planted a five acre or- chard and grove, which greatly improves his farm and adds to its value. During his first years in the state he suffered from the usual trials which beset the pioneer, and has won his present success through his untiring energy and enter- prise. During the first winter he went to the eastern part of the state and found work.

In 1896 Mr. Mabeus was united in marriage with Miss C. Hiebenthal, who was born in Benton county, Iowa, and is a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Beck) Hiebenthal. Six children have blessed this union, namely: Lester J., Victor R., Frank G., Paul A., Harvey A. and Marvel. Mr. Mabens has a pleasant home, well located on sec- tion five, township twenty-eight, range one, east, in Cedar county.

WILLIAM F. SINSEL.

William F. Sinsel, farmer, son of John aud Sarah (Curry) Sinsel, was born in Taylor county, West Virginia, December 13, 1841. He was fourth in a family of fourteen children, and has one brother residing in Merrick county, Nebraska, and one sister residing in Grafton, West Virginia. His mother died in March, 1895, in Nebraska, and the father in 1864, in West Virginia.

Mr. Sinsel received his education in local sub- scription schools, and in the fall of 1862 entered

the United States railroad bridge service and served all during the war. While at work on a bridge at Bridgeport, West Virginia, he was taken prisoner in the famous Jones raid, and held six months and one day at Richmond, Virginia, in Libby prison and Castle Thunder. After the war, Mr. Sinsel returned to West Virginia and continued on bridge service for the Louisville & Nashville railroad, through Kentucky and Tenn- essee, until 1866.

On September 6, 1866, Mr. Sinsel was mar- ried to Miss Fanny Holden of West Virginia. After farming nine years in West Virginia, Mr. and Mrs. Sinsel came to Merrick county, Ne- braska, in 1875, and homesteaded eighty acres of land in section thirty-two, township fourteen, range seven ; also timber-claimed eighty acres ad- joining and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of railroad land. They have lived on the homestead all through the years, since that time.

Mr. Sinsel served as county commissioner a number of years, and also has been director of his school district, number forty-six, for many years.

Mr. and Mrs. Sinsel have had seven children born to them, four of whom are living: Charles J., who is married, has three children and lives in Boise City, Idaho; Guy R., married, has two chil- dren and lives in Parkersburg, West Virginia ; Thayer A., lives in Boise City, Idaho, and Carl W., who is married and resides at Parkersburg, West Virginia. The others died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Sinsel's lives are particularly rich in pioneer experiences. They have been active Baptist church workers since the early days, and have both been instrumental in build- ing up this section of the state both in a business and a social way. Mr. Sinsel's old home in West Virginia was within twelve miles of Phillippi, where the first battle occurred after the fall of Fort Sumpter.

The Sinsels are among the best known fam- ilies of Merrick county, Nebraska, and enjoy the respect and high esteem of all who know them.

JOHN MEIKLE.

An agriculturist of prominence in Knox county, Nebraska, resides in Cleveland township, and is one of those substantial citizens whose in- tegrity and industry, thrift and economy have added so much to the material wealth and devel- opment of that region. John Meikle was born in Dumfrieshire, Scotland, December 17, 1840, and was the third child born to John and Margaret (Edgar) Meikle. The father died when his son, John, was only six months old. John received a common school education, and lived with his mother until he was about ten years old. At that time he started out for himself, following farm- ing until he was fifteen, and then commenced learning the blacksmith trade, which he followed

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for six years, after which he worked in Glasgow at various occupations, until 1874. In the spring of the latter year he left his native soil and struck out for the new world, coming to New York on a steamship.

Immediately after landing he started for Ne- braska to make his fortune, having heard glow- ing accounts of the opportunities to be found in that state. His first location was in Colfax county, where he rented land and started farm- ing, being joined by his wife and four children during the fall of 1874. During the first three years he tried in every way to raise crops, but the grasshoppers were through the locality in such numbers that he was unable to get any- thing, hardly raising enough to keep him from starving to death. In 1878 a prairie fire swept the vicinity and burned everything on his farm, leaving him without even a roof over his head, and he became discouraged, gave up the place, and came into Knox county. In 1880 Mr. Meikle settled on a homestead with his family, filing on a quarter section in section nineteen, township twenty-nine, range four. He put up a sod house, which remained their dwelling for some years After a time lie also took up a pre-emption near his original tract, and while his wife remained on the home place he returned to Colfax county and secured employment on a ranch to help make a living and save a little money. He finally suc- ceeded in adding many improvements to his farm, and made it his home from that time on, now owning about eight hundred and eighty acres, all equipped with good buildings, having fine groves, etc., making it one of the valuable properties in that part of the county.

In December. 1866, Mr. Meikle was married to Miss Elizabeth Tennant, a native of Scotland. They have had a family of seven children, all now comfortably settled in homes of their own, and worthy citizens of their respective locali- ties. The children's names are: Anna, now de- ceased, wife of Charles Desenfanto; Edgar, Mag- gie, wife of Marion Bently; William, Christina, deceased ; Mary and Samuel.

Mr. Meikle has always taken an active part in local affairs, having held the office of town- ship assessor for the past twenty-five years. He is independent in polities, voting for the men he considers best qualified for office. He is a mein- ber of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

HENRY H. GILLETT. (Deceased.)

The gentleman above mentioned, whose death occurred on June 11, 1897, was one of the earliest settlers in Boone county, locating in the region in 1878. and during the earlier stages of devel- ment of the county took an active part in its up- building and progress. He became widely known

as one of the leading citizens of Boone county, and enjoyed the respect and good will of all with whom he came in contact iu a business or social way.

Henry H. Gillett was born on June 13, 1840, in Mercer county, Illinois, and was the younger of two sons born to Joel and Susan Gillett. His brother, Thomas J. Gillett, died in Iowa in 1908, both parents having passed away a number of years ago. Our subject was married in Illinois on May 19, 1863, to Emeline Wallis, a native of Ohio. They came to Boone county in the spring of 1878, taking a homestead on section four, township nineteen, range six, also timber- claimed one hundred and sixty acres. This homestead remained the home place up to 1893, when the family left and went to Oregon, expect- ing to make their home in that state, but after spending some little time there did not like the place so well as they expected, and returned to Boone county, purchasing three hundred and twenty acres of fine farm land near Albion, and resided there at the time of Mr. Gillett's death.

Mr. Gillett was one of the leading men in his community during his entire residence there, doing all in his power to promote the general welfare. He helped establish the schools, and for a number of years served as a member of the board in district number twenty-five.

Mrs. Gillett, a daughter and two sons sur- vived our subject, the latter, Harry F., and Jus- tice, engaged in the stock raising and farming business under the firm name of Gillett Brothers. They are joint owners of eight hundred and forty acres of choice land, all lying within six miles of Albion, and are numbered among the wealthy and progressive citizens of Boone county. The family residence is in Albion, where they moved during 1909, occupying a pleasant home, and are popular members of the business and social life of that city.

While holding membership in no church Henry H. Gillett, was, with his wife, active in the organization of the Sunday school in district number twenty-five.

Mr. Gillett was for many years a member of the Masonic fraternity, being a Master Mason. In politics he was a democrat.

Mr. and Mrs. Gillett, with their three chil- dren, came to Boone county, Nebraska. before there were any railroads in the county, driving all the way from Pottawattamie county. Towa. where they owned a farm and had lived ten years. There were few settlers in the county when they came, and Albion at that time had no more than three business houses. The Gillett's first built a sod house in which they lived for several years before it was replaced with a frame dwelling.

Mr. Gillett was so unfortunate as to lose one

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of his horses the year of his arrival and another died the second year. This necessitated the hiring of others to break the land, which took the money they had saved for a frame house. These misfor- tunes combined with grasshoppers and poor crops made the first years of the family in Ne- braska ones long to be remembered. They often went fifteen miles for wood, there being no coal in the county until the railroad came and many of the pioneers used hay for fuel.

GEORGE H. CROOKS.

A typical plainsman of the early days, when open ranges were to be found throughout all the west, is George H. Crooks, of Spencer. He was horn in Boone county, Iowa, April 26, 1860. In 1874 the family migrated to Nebraska.

The parents were George and Jane (Harlan) Crooks. George H. Crooks and a brother drove through from Iowa to Yankton, where they crossed the river and came to Knox county, arriv- ing on April 20, and the mother drove through with a colony from Boone county. George H. Crooks' mother and stepfather, Vincent Ross, settled near Paddock, in Holt county, where they resided many years.

George H. Crooks when a youth of sixteen found work with the big ranch outfits, and for fifteen years rode the ranges throughout the en- tire west, becoming familiar with the whole range country from Canada south through Wash- ington, Montana, the Dakotas, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. So well did he know the Nio- brara country that he was chosen when a guide was needed to pilot a preliminary surveying party to the western part of the state, and so accurate was his knowledge that in a forty mile trip through the table lands north of the river, he brought them back to a signal flag they had left northeast of Valentine where they followed the stream to the western part of the Cherry county country. In 1892, he came back to Holt county and has made this region his home ever since, having resided in Spencer since 1906.

Mr. Crooks was married March 9, 1892, at Paddock, to Miss Edith Miller, a native of Boone, Iowa, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Hull) Miller, now living near Paddock. Ten children bless the home of Mr. Crooks, as follows: Jane, Eva, James Howard, Ira, Homer, Ora, George, junior, Kenneth, and Leah. Arlie died when two months old.

Mr. Crooks has anything but a pleasant recol- lection of the blizzard of January 12, 1888. He and a companion, Billie Hudson, were in Wyom- ing, and found shelter in an abandoned dugout where they were compelled to remain for a pe- riod of two weeks; they ran out of provisions towards the last, of course, and were reduced to a diet of beans without salt. For years after the

sight of a bean at table gave him nausea and until recently he could not endure the taste of them.

He has known the Indians from childhood and learned their language; he has been on the plains before the buffalo became extinct, and has seen them in herds of four or five hundred. In Wyoming the cowboys would sometimes rope an old bull buffalo, shear him of his long mane and use the hair to plait saddle girths, they being soft, strong and light in weight.

The roving spirit still sometimes possesses Mr. Crooks, and he feels the impulse to hit the trail-once a rover, the roving spirit will not down.

Mr. Crooks is independent in politics with democratic leanings. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World.

SEVERT K. LEE.

Severt K. Lee, a representative and substan- tial citizen of Broken Bow, Nebraska, is a na- tive of Columbia county, Wisconsin, sixth of the eight children born to Knudt Iverson and Doro- thy Knudtson Iverson, and first saw the light of day on February 8, 1858. Of the other children of his parents the following information is avail- able: One son lives in the state of Washington, one daughter resides in Wisconsin, and one daughter in Minnesota. Others of the children are deceased. Knudt Iverson and wife were born in Norway, and in 1856 came with their five chil- dren to America, locating in Wisconsin. The father served in the Fifteenth Wisconsin Infantry during the civil war, and died in December, 1861, from a wound received in the battle of Stone River. The mother died in Wisconsin in 1905.

At the age of fourteen years Severt K. Lee left his native state for Minnesota, where he worked at farming. He was married in Dodge county, Minnesota, March 28, 1879, to Josephine Johnson, a native of Christiana, Norway, who came to America in 1874. In June of the same year Mr. Lee and four of his brothers drove from Minnesota to Custer county, Nebraska, and all of them, with the exception of one who was under age, filed on homesteads there. However, but two of them, Nels K. and Severt K., remained in Nebraska, and the former died on his homestead about 1907. Severt K., filed on land in Grand Island, after which he returned to Minnesota for his wife, and soon afterwards they started on the return trip, making the journey with an ox team and bringing with them five cows and some house- hold goods. There was a severe drouth in Iowa, at this time, so that while passing through that state they found it difficult to obtain water and food for their stock, and were obliged to remain in the state several months, finally reaching their new home in June, 1880. They had a homestead and timber claim, both on section four, township

D. W. COMSTOCK.

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eighteen, range nineteen, which has been the home place throughout the succeeding years. Mr. Lee at once set out to improve and develop the land, and has one of the best stock and grain farms in the neighborhood. He has always been closely identified with the growth and welfare of Custer county and is accounted one of the prosperous and successful farmers of the region, being widely and favorably known for his untir- ing energy and public spirit. In 1906 he retired from farm life and moved to Broken Bow, where he erected a modern residence. He was in- strumental in organizing school district num- ber sixty-six and served as first moderator of same. He served as the second postmaster of Ronnd Valley, holding office for a period of fif- teen years, and he established the first store in the valley, handling a large line of general mer- chandise. He also served for some time as jus- tice of the peace.

Six children have been born to Mr. Lee and wife: Carl J., married and living in Round Valley, has one child; Alhert O., of Custer county ; Edward M., died at the age of fourteen years ; Dorothy M., is the wife of Earl Foss, and they reside in Ord, Nebraska; Henry E., lives at home.

DEWITT COMSTOCK.

De Witt Comstock, of whom a portrait appears on another page, is one of the early settlers of Custer county and has passed through the va- rious stages of its history. He met all the dis- couraging and trying experiences incidental to pioneer life and has always taken his part in forwarding the progress and development of county and state, being widely and favorably known. He was born in Yates county, New York. November 15, 1834, seventh child of Jonathan and Phoebe (Christian) Comstock. The father, of English descent, born in Plattsburg, New York, served in the war of 1812, and died in Wiscon- sin. The mother was born in Hoosac, New York, and died in Wisconsin. They were parents of nine children.

Mr. Comstock grew to manhood on a New York farm, receiving his primary education in local schools and later attending Canandaigua academy. Later he learned the trade of harness maker. He was married at Sandy Creek, New York, March 18, 1856, to Miss Martha Bennett, also a native of that state. In 1861 Mr. Comstock enlisted in Company G, Seventh New York Cavalry, spending sixteen months in the service. In March, 1882, he came with his wife and chil- dren to Custer county, Nebraska, where he pre- empted one hundred and sixty acres of land and later homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres on section thirty-three, township nineteen, range seventeen, which was the home place until 1898, when he retired from the farm and located in Ansley, where he started a harness making 17 12

shop. Three years later he removed to Com- stock, where he has since resided.

Mr. and Mrs. Comstock have had six children : Edward, married and living in North Loup, has seven children ; J. W., of Ansley, is married and has seven children; Mattie, wife of M. E. Van- denberg, of Sargent, has four children; W. R., of Comstock, is married and has two children, and two children are deceased.

MICKEL PETER.

Among the German settlers of Cedar county, Nebraska, who hail from the German fatherland, none holds a higher place in the hearts of his fellow citizens than Mickel Peter, now retired, of Hartington.

Mr. Peter was born in the village of Thele, Prussia, August 24, 1833. Though nearing the age of four score years, his faculties are unim- paired, and he is still capable of business and he need to again enter the struggle of life. He is a son of Mike and Barbara (Reuter) Peter, and is the youngest of their four children.

In 1847, the father left the old country, where the mother had died a short time before, bring- ing his children to the new world. They made their way to Antwerp, where they waited a fort- night for a vessel coming to America. Embark- ing in the "Echo," they landed after a voyage of eight weeks in Baltimore, where the father died. Here the son, Mickel, learned the shoe- makers' trade, and worked at the bench in that city for eleven years, during which time he mar- ried.

In 1858 he moved to Dubuque and plied his trade here for six years, saving his earnings to establish himself in the west, as he intended to do. Six families formed a colony to come to Ne- braska, including two of Mrs. Peter's sisters; they reached Cedar county in May of 1864, after an overland journey of four weeks, camping along the roadside at night. Mr. Peter's outfit consisted of three yoke of oxen, owned in com- mon with his brother-in-law, Mr. H. Koch. Mr. Strathman was one of the party and was for years one of Cedar county's substantial citizens. Sioux City, where they crossed the Missouri river, was at that time but a small town. In crossing, their oxen fell into the river and were with difficulty rescued; later they strayed away and several days were lost in finding them.

Mr. Peter settled on the "Second Bow" creek, three and a half miles south of St. Helena ; his nearest neighbor to the west was Mr. Weigand living twenty miles distant in Knox county. For two years Mr. Peter squatted on land before de- ciding where to buy. He homesteaded one hun- dred and sixty acres and a few years after bought eighty acres at one dollar and twenty- five cents, but at even this low figure it took him several years to pay for it; times were so hard

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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 109

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