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 112

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 112

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Mr. Sears was born in the village of Fritten- den, Kent county, England, August 31, 1840. His parents, Henry and Millicent (Marshall) Sears, spent their entire lives in England, the father's death occurring in 1848 at the age of forty-nine, while the mother's life was extended to the year 1879, when she was seventy-eight years of age.

When a youth, Mr. Sears was apprenticed to a butcher but was not indentured, so when, at sev- enteen years of age, he desired to come to America to join five of his brothers who had pre- ceded him here, this preceptor gave consent.

Embarking at London in an old sailing ves- sel, the "Palestine," April 11, 1857, he landed in New York the twelfth of May and went direct to Syracuse, where his brothers were established. Here he made his home, except during his service in the army, until coming west in the spring of 1869.

His mother had instilled in him a hatred for slavishness and slavery in any form, so when the war of the rebellion broke out, Mr. Sears was one of the first to answer the call of his adopted country. Enlisting April 15, 1861, the Monday after the attack on Fort Sumpter, Company E was assembled May 6, the day the captain re- ceived his commission, and was mustered into the Twenty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry the seventeenth of the month.

Mr. Sears participated in both battles of Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Antietam, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Fredericksburg, the Wilderness cam- paign, campaign at Petersburg, the engagements around Cold Harbor, the battle on the Weldon rail- road, the Shenandoah Valley expedition, includ- ing Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek, in all thirty-four engagements, great and small, including that of Saylor Creek, the last fight along the Potomac on April 6, 1865. His service was in the third batallion of what was known as the Iron Brigade, first division and first army corps. He was wounded in the second battle of Bull Run and convalesced in the hospital at Philadelphia. The artillery fire in which he was engaged was at and around Cattelett Station, a few days before the second battle of Bull Run. though little mention is made of this in general history, it was one of the deadliest of the war. Serving out his first enlistment, Mr. Sears vet- eranized December 29, 1863, and served until the close of the war in the First New York Inde- pendent Veteran Artillery.

On peace being declared, the army disbanded and Mr. Sears returned to Syracuse and his young wife, whom he had married during a furlough granted him prior to his re-enlistment. For a year or two he engaged in the meat business and later was employed in a silver factory making spoons, forks. and tableware, until his migration to the west in 1869. At Paxton, Illinois, he rented farm land until the fall of 1872, when he removed to Sherburne county, Minnesota, near Elk river, where he farmed for eight years on a homestead tract he entered there.

It was during his residence here that Mr, Sears endured the severest winter in his experi- ence. From November 9, 1880, to the latter part of May following, but one train passed through on the railroad in that country. Drifts in some places where trains were shoveled out, were twenty feet high. Between the cracks of an outer door, snow sometimes drifted into the house to a depth of three feet. Christmas morning in 1879 they awoke with the fires all out and the ther- mometer registering seventy-two degrees below zero, the coldest temperature they have known.

Leaving Sherburne county, Mr. Sears and fam- ily resided for a year in Jackson county and a like period in Martin county, and then in the spring of 1882, he was employed for the summer in the construction of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern railroad in Iowa. In September of that year, he located in Pierce county, Nebraska, and has made this state his home ever since.

Pre-empting one hundred and sixty acres of land four miles northeast of Plainview, he bought eighty acres out of a half section of school land which he had leased, and later sold his lease for the remainder. Here he built a comfortable house and for twenty years was engaged in farming, in which he has proven to be a notable success. He loves good stock and always keeps one of the

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best teams in the community. In the fall of 1903, he purchased some twenty acres in the College addition to Plainview, and built a commodious dwelling, which he has occupied since the follow- ing spring, having leased his farm. He has planted trees on both the farm and the town płace.

Mr. Sears was married in Syracuse, New York, in December, 1863, to Miss Laura Squier, a native of Joliet, Illinois. Her parents, George and Lydia J. (Hopkins) Squier, died in the east. Of their eight children, all are living. They are: Charles, residing in Council Bluffs; Hattie, wife of Frank Finney, of Plainview ; Ella, married C. W. David- son, and with her daughter, Edith, makes her home with her parents; Ina is the wife of Bert Southwick, of Norfolk; George, employed as con- ductor of the Northwestern railway, lives in Norfolk ; Oliver lives in Chicago, Illinois, engaged as a steel expert ; Minnie, married Albert Meeker, who lives near Phillips, South Dakota; and Leonard is a contractor and builder at Naper, Nebraska.

In January, 1909, Mr. Sears attended a re- union of his family at the house of Henry Sears, a brother, over eighty years old, at Fabius, New York, whom he had not seen in forty-three years. His sister, who is seventy-one years of age, he had not met in fifty-two years. They are all that is left of a family of nineteen children, fourteen of whom lived to be grown.

Mr. Sears has endured the usual privations of the frontier, weathered the blizzard of 1888, and has fought prairie fires so severe that his eye- brows have been scorched off, part of them never growing in again. He has suffered years with rheumatism, especially during the early years of sod house life, and excepting a touch of that malady he is now as rugged as a much younger man, and bids fair to attain an extreme old age.

In politics, Mr. Sears affiliates with the repub- lican party.

HONORABLE LUCIUS C. LAWSON.

Prominent among the progressive ranchmen and citizens of Merrick county, Nebraska, is the gentleman whose name heads this personal his- tory. He has long been a resident of this county, and has done his share in the development of this section. He resides on section thirty, township fifteen, range five, being one of the few who still live on their old original homestead.

Lucius C. Lawson was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, December 9, 1850, and was the eldest of eight in the family of Harvey and Maria (Stewart) Lawson, who had three sons and five daughters. Mr. and Mrs. Lawson were of Quaker parentage. The Lawson family moved to Toledo, Tama county, lowa, in 1865, where on November 12, 1873, the father died. Mr. Lawson,

the subject of this sketch, practically became the head of the family at his father's death and went out for himself at the early age of fifteen or six- teen years.

Mr. Lawson came to Merrick county, Ne- braska, in October, 1873, and homesteaded land in section thirty, township fifteen, range five, and this homestead ranch and farm is still the resi- dence of Mr. Lawson, who, as stated before, is one of the few that still remain on the old orig- inal homestead. He now has three hundred and eighty-two acres in his farm, or rather stock ranch, where he deals in stock, making a spe- cialty of short-horn cattle, Berkshire swine, and standard bred horses. Mr. Lawson has always been an active figure in the upbuilding of this portion of Nebraska, being foremost in all mod- ern improvements for the rural districts, and for educational advancement. In fact, he is a booster for county and state prosperity. Mr. Lawson has traveled extensively, gaining ideas of pro- gress, which enables him to assist materially in the development of his community.

Mr. Lawson was married to Miss Marian J. Bander in Omaha, Nebraska, October, 1873, Miss Bander being a native of New York state. Six children were born of this union, four of whom are living: Harvey J., married, has two children and lives in Blaine county, Nebraska; Clarence E., a widower, has one child, and also lives in Blaine county ; William W., married and residing in Blaine county ; Harrison M., married, has one child, also a resident of Blaine county. All of the boys are on Kincaid homesteads.

Mr. Lawson since coming to Merrick county has made the homestead farm his continuous home, although he has resided temporarily in other states and other Nebraska localities, at one time living in Lincoln to school the children. Mother Lawson died in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Feb- ruary 19, 1908. Mr. Lawson and brothers William and Charles J .. are residents of Ne- braska, and the remainder of the family are in different states.

Mr. Lawson in past years was connected with the Farmers' Elevator and also other business propositions in his county. He has a pleasant home and possesses a fine library, of which he is justly proud.

Mr. Lawson is president of the Nebraska Farmers' Congress and a member of the execu- tive committee of the National Farmers' Con- gress, having been elected to both positions with- out any solicitation on his part. He has recently been appointed by the governor as a member of the commission of Nebraska, intended for edu- cational work, for giving the farmer a broader and higher education. Mr. Lawson bas for years advocated the draining and ditching of the Platte valley, and largely at his suggestion this is being done. He is president of the Merrick County Agricultural Society and a member of the State Board of Agriculture.

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GEORGE WILKISON CHAMBERS.

Among the native born Nebraskans whose en- tire lives have been spent within the borders of the state, we would be remiss should we fail to mention George Wilkison Chambers, cashier of the Niobrara Valley Bank. He is the namesake of one of his father's most intimate friends, George Wilkison, with whom the father kept up a weekly correspondence to the time of his death.

George Chambers is a son of Benjamin F. and Sarah A. (Hull) Chambers, both natives of West- moreland county, Pennsylvania. They came to Nebraska in 1856, and settled in Dakota City, where the father plied his trade of blacksmith, an occupation that gave him a giant's strength in his massive, sinewy frame. He served as sheriff of Dakota county prior to his removal to Niobrara in 1877, when he was appointed regis- ter of the land office, a position he filled for eight years; while James Stott and others served as receivers. He was elected county judge and held his place on the bench for six years before retir- ing from active life. He died at Niobrara, Ne- braska, March 11, 1906, at the age of seventy-five years. The mother lives in Niobrara, having at- tained full four score years of life. Of their children, five are living : Belle, wife of John W. Wood, of Hawarden, Iowa; Edwin H., in business at Columbus, Nebraska ; George W., of whom we write in this article; Alice B., wife of John W. Turner, of Springfield, South Dakota; and Sarah A., who was married to William C. Mason of Chicago.

George Chambers was born in Dakota City, Nebraska, November 6, 1867, and lived there the first twelve years of his life, arriving in Niobrara, May 29, 1879. The family continued to reside in Dakota City some two years after the elder Chambers' appointment to the land office. The first man the boy met on arriving in Knox county was Mr. Frank Nelson, with whom he was later to become associated in business; and the first man he met in town was Judge Solomon Draper, one of Nebraska's grandest pioneers.

The boy had begun his schooling in Dakota City and continued in Niobrara, but did not finish the course, being eager to get to work. He hegan work in the bank even before his school days were over, sweeping out mornings, running er- rands and making himself generally nseful. On completing his schooling, Mr. Chambers became bookkeeper in the bank, later assistant cashier, and since 1895 has served as cashier of the insti- tution of which his old friend, Frank Nelson, is the head. He is also vice president of the Farm- ers' State Bank of Verdel, and of the Bank of Lynch, in Boyd county. His whole business life has been spent in banking, which he understands thoroughly in all its departments, including lands and insurance.

Mr. Chambers was married in Niobrara. De- cember 20, 1889, to Miss May Thompson, a native

of Wisconsin, and daughter of Robert and Mar- garet (Casey) Thompson. Three children have been born to them : Helen, Stewart and Margaret.

Mr. Chambers is a staunch republican, and at- tained his majority on election day, 1888, when he voted for Harrison and the entire republican ticket. He has joined a number of the branches of the Masonic order, being enrolled in the blue lodge at Niobrara, and in the chapter and com- mandery of the Knights Templar at Bloomfield.

Mr. Chambers has vivid recollections of the great flood of March, 1881, when their dwelling, which stood on the highest ground in the old town, had water on the lower floor to the depth of about two inches. With his mother and the younger children, he was cared for the first night at Judge Draper's, and spent a week or ten days following on the Jackson ranch near Bazile Mills, which to a boy was one continuous picnic, he regretting that, with the receding waters, it became necessary to go home. He re -. members well the moving of the town across the prairie to its present site, and had a boy's share of playing around the big hotel and other build- ings on wheels. Their wood-house was above the flood crest, and in consequence contained the only supply of dry fuel in town. Neighbors bor- rowing a small supply had it skidded over to them on the glare ice that formed on the pools left after the water receded.

At the time of the blizzard of January 12, 1888, Mr. Chambers was in the bank, but found no difficulty in making his way home, though many lost their bearings in going but a few rods in the storm. He was instrumental in playing a joke on the druggist next door: After clearing the snow away from in front of the bank, he and a friend made a bargain to clear it away from in front of the drug store for "a good cigar apiece," and had twenty helpers before the last of it was shoveled off. The victim of the joke paid each his hire, but found it an expensive piece of work.

Mr. Chambers has always been fond of hunt- ing, fishing and camping, and well remembers when a hunter could go out into the hills around Niobrara and get forty to fifty prairie chickens after four o'clock in the afternoon. He makes frequent trips to Lake Andes. South Dakota, during the open season, and brings in his share of game and fish. He is known among his friends as a jolly, good fellow, one who can play a good joke, and with an equally good grace take one when played upon himself. As a business man he has no superior, and in knowledge of land values and insurance ranks with the best.

GEORGE F. GALYEAN.

George F. Galyean, known throughout Boone county, Nebraska, as a man of good citizenship and untiring energy, is a resident of Albion, where he

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is held in the highest esteem. Mr. Galyean is a genuine "old-timer," and in the years he has resided in this region he has had much to do with the development of the county, both in a financial and social way. He is one of the foremost men of his locality, and in Jannary, 1908, was appointed deputy sheriff of Boone county, which office he has filled creditably to himself and constituents. Mr. Galyean is a popular officer and is widely known in this section of Nebraska.

Mr. Galyean was born in Delaware county, Iowa, November 6, 1869, and was fifth in the family of Jesse B. and Catherine Galyean, who had eight children, our subject being the only son.

The Galyean family came into Boone county, Nebraska, in June, 1880, coming overland from Delaware county, Iowa, in regular pioneer style, with stock, etc. Jesse B. Galyean homesteaded eight miles northwest of Albion, and his son, George F. Galyean grew up on the homestead farm, purchasing same in later years, about 1896.

Mr. Galyean grew up to his young manhood years on the farm, and went out for himself in about his twenty-first year, farming and stock- raising. He made a success of his business, and some years later sold the farm and purchased four hundred acres of fine land in Custer county.

Mr. Galyean was married to Miss Nannie Sutton, December 17, 1890, and to this union three children were born: Elva Viola, Marie Josephine, and George Lee, all of whom reside at home. Mrs. Galyean died in April, 1905.

On November 26, 1908, Mr. Galyean was mar- ried to Prudence Longnecker, who was a native of Iowa, the family coming to Boone county in 1907.

Mr. Galyean has practically grown up in Boone county, and is a successful self-made man. Connected with his farm experience he has been identified with the stock interests in this locality as a breeder, shipper and general salesman in horses.

Mr. and Mrs. Galyean and family reside in Albion and have a pleasant town residence.

TURNER GARDNER.

A typical pioneer of western Nebraska is rep- resented by the gentleman above named. He has lived many years in this section of the country and has been a part of the growth and develop- ment of this region, building up for himself a substantial home and fortune by his persever- ence and thrift, and has come to be one of the foremost citizens of Antelope county.

Mr. Gardner was born in Cayuga county, New York, April 13, 1835, and is a descendant of Wales, his grandfather having come from that country when he was a small boy.

Our subject has served his country well dur- ing the agitating times of the civil war, when he

enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Thirty- eighth New York Volunteers, and later in the Ninth New York Heavy Artillery, and received his honorable discharge April 24, 1864. He par- ticipated in a number of battles, including Cold Harbor; Monockesy Station, Maryland; Cedar Creek. During the war our subject served under Captain Alden, General Lew Wallace and Major General George Wright.

In the year 1864, Mr. Gardner went to the state of Michigan from whence he moved in 1875 to Saunders county, Nebraska, where he rented a farm, and in 1878 drove from there to his claim in Antelope county, where he experienced all the inconveniences and hardships relative to those days of the early pioneer. The market place was at Columbus, some sixty miles away. During the grasshopper raids our subject lost everything. During these early days Mr. Gardner at times worked for neighbors and was paid one bushel of wheat per day, which was worth thirty-five cents per bushel when hauled to Fremont.

In 1876, Mr. Gardner came to Antelope county, near Tilden. There were but a few set- tlers here and they had a great many frights from the red skins, but never had any trouble with them worth mentioning, only one time when they were on the war path and set fire to buildings and murdered some people, but were captured at O'Niell by soldiers before they reached our sub- ject's neighborhood. Antelope, deer and elk were plentiful in those days. Our subject built two sod houses in the early days. While in Saunders county when wood was required it had to be hauled by ox team from the Platte river, which journey consumed two days to get a small load of wood. At one time in 1879, Mr. Gardner was caught in a prairie fire and nearly lost his life. His wife only saved their hay and stable by the most strenuous efforts.

Mr. Gardner was married July 5, 1858, to Miss Susan Hyde, and two children were born to them, named as follows: Corwin, who married Miss Jennie Sherman, they have four children; and Anna L., who married Charles Tatro, who have five children. In 1871 our subject's wife died.

On December 10, 1872, our subject again mar- ried, Miss A. Stanton, to whom seven children were born, whose names follow : Addie, who mar- ried R. S. Gibson, who have eight children; Olive; Emma J., who married Paul Dewitt; Ada, who married Albert Irwin, and has four chil- dren : Stella, married to J. Jenkins, and has one child; Ray; and Susie, who is married to Frank Adamson.

Thus ends the personal history of one of Ne- braska's early pioneers who is reaching a good ripe age and whose years have been well spent in the advancement and industry of life.

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ALFRED O'BRIEN.

Alfred O'Brien, who is an early settler of Nebraska, is a prosperous and successful mer- chant of Mason City, where he is well established in his line of business. He is one of the sub- stantial and highly respected citizens of the town, interested in everything affecting the progress and development of county and state, and is widely and favorably known. Mr. O'Brien was born at St. Ormonds, province of Quebec, Feb- ruary 11, 1855, the eldest of the seven children born to Thomas and Ann (Corcoran) O'Brien. The father was born in Ireland and at the age of two years was brought by his parents to America, growing to manhood in the state of Vermont. He served in the civil war as a private in Com- pany I, Foster's Division, First New York en- gineer corp. He resides in Cheruhuser, Clinton county, New York. and is now (1911) eighty- seven years of age. His wife, a native of Port- land, Maine, is of Irish parentage and is now seventy-seven years of age. But one of their children, Alfred, resides in Nebraska; one son lives in Concord, New Hampshire, and one in Boston, Massachusetts; two daughters in Mon- treal, Canada, and a son and daughter in New York.

In early childhood Alfred O'Brien accom- panied his parents to Clinton county, New York, where he grew to manhood on his father's farm, receiving his education in local schools. He started out in life on his own account when six- teen years of age, being employed by a railroad company. In 1874 he located in Nebraska and for the next eight years made his headquarters at Grand Island. Nebraska, being for this length of time in the employ of the Union Pacific company. He was united in marriage at Grand Island, November 23, 1881, with Ellen McAllister, who was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, daughter of William and Ellen (MeTwiggen) McAllister.

In the spring of 1882 Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien came to Custer county and homesteaded one hun- dred and sixty aeres of land on section thirty- five, township fifteen, range seventeen, where they lived some dozen years. He also took up a timber claim of one hundred and sixty acres. While living on his farm he served several years as a member of the school board of district number nine. In 1895 he sold part of his farming inter- ests and came to Mason City, where he erected his present comfortable modern residence. He still owns a six hundred and forty acre, well equipped stock and grain farm. After coming to Mason City, Mr. O'Brien engaged in hardware and grocery business, in which he met with pleasing success. In 1905 he lost his building by fire and soon afterward erected a fine concrete business block. Ilis business is well established and he enjoys the confidence and esteem of a large number of patrons.

Three children were born to Mr. O'Brien and

wife: Evelyn, wife of C. M. Anderson, lives in Broken Bow; George, deceased, aged nine years ; and Frank L., lives at home, attending the pub- lie schools.

Having spent so many years in Nebraska, Mr. O'Brien has passed through many periods of the history of the state and is well known in his community, where he has a large circle of friends.

Mr. O'Brien has been a Mason ever since he reached his majority, member of one hundred and seventy Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Duel chapter number eleven, of Grand Island, Nebraska; also a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

WALTER M. ALVORD.

Walter M. Alvord, who resides on section eleven, township nineteen, range fourteen, Val- ley county, Nebraska, was born in Foxburg, Pennsylvania, February 8, 1880, and is second of three children in the family of Benjamin and Alice (Randall) Alvord, who had two sons and one daughter.

Mr. Alvord was only a few months old at the time his father and family came to Valley county, Nebraska, and practically all his years have been spent here. Mr. Alvord, senior, had purchased land in Valley county in 1879, and Walter, as he grew up to young manhood years, had the man- agement of the farm near Ord while his father attended to his duties as station agent of the Union Pacific railroad at North Loup.

On September 16, 1901, Mr. Alvord was mar- ried to Miss Ruby Evelyn Bowen, at Ord, Ne- braska. Mrs. Alvord is a native of Valley county. Her parents, James C. and Eva (Hall) Bowen, were natives of Illinois and Missouri, respectively. They moved from Wisconsin to Valley county, Nebraska, in 1879, settling on land twelve miles northwest of Ord. They moved to North Loup in 1890, and eight years later to Ord, where they resided until 1907, removing that year to Powers county, Colorado, and now reside on a farm twelve miles from Le Mars. Of their four children, three are living: Ben F., who represents the Standard Oil Company at Ord; Ruby Evelyn-Mrs. Alvord of this sketch ; and Ruth Esther. Mr. and Mrs. Alvord have one child, a daughter, Ruby Evelyn.

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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 112

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