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 113

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 113


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Mr. Alvord moved to his own one hundred and sixty acre farm, located in section eleven, township nineteen, range fourteen, in 1906. He has a fine, modern nine-room dwelling, erected in 1910, heated by furnace and lighted by acetylene gas, and a well equipped farm, with all necessary buildings. An engraving of the home and sur- roundings adorns another page of our work.


Mr. Alvord is one of the prominent young men of Valley eounty; he deals in and raises stock, making a specialty of horses, mules and


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swine. He has made a success of farming and stock raising, and is a young man who has a promising future. In politics he is a liberal re- publican, and is a member of the Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen. With Mrs. Alvord he has also joined the chapter of Royal Neighbors at Ord.


BENJAMIN H. ALVORD.


Benjamin H. Alvord, who resides in section eleven, township nineteen, range fourteen, Val- ley county, Nebraska, was born in Canaan, Columbia county, New York state, August 2, 1849, and was seeond of five children in the fam- ily of Henry Wells and Emily (Chapman) Alvord. who had two sons and three daughters.


The Alvord family came from England to America in 1634, in the person of William Alvord, who emigrated from London to the colonies that year, he being a member of the Skinner Company settling in Salem, Massachusetts. The forefath- ers of this William Alvord date baek in English history to 1060, supposedly of the family of Alford, then Alward, and later on to the name of Alvord, as it is known today.


Helaz Alvord, the father of Henry Wells Al- vord, was born in South Hadley, Massachusetts, March 28, 1791, and died at Bloody Brook, Massachusetts, December 12, 1829.


Henry Wells Alvord was born in Massachu- setts in 1821, and married Emily Chapman at New Lebanon, New York, in 1846. He moved to Pennsylvania in 1857, and there enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Pennsylvania Regiment; among other battles and engagements he participated in that of Fredericksburg, and died in the service, in 1863.


The Alvord family, known in English and American history, have had much to do with the revolutionary and eivil war history of the United States, and are prominently known in army cireles; the family have furnished soldiers and statesmen of renown and are known in state history ; and in educational fields the Alvord family have taken no small part for many years past. At the close of the war the family scat- tered, Mrs. Henry Wells Alvord . dying in Erie county, Pennsylvania, in 1872.


Benjamin H. Alvord, the principal subject of this sketch, went out for himself in his early boyhood days and lived in Pennsylvania until coming to Valley county, Nebraska, in November of 1880, the season known throughout the north- west as "the winter of the deep snow."


Mr. Alvord was united in marriage to Miss Alice Randall in May of 1873, in Erie county. Pennsylvania, and this union was blessed with three children, two sons and a daughter, namely : Walter, Howard and Belle, who is now Mrs. Ed Walker of North Loup. Mrs. Alvord died on the home farm, July 4, 1905, survived and deeply mourned by her husband and family.


Mr. Alvord was employed on the Erie and Pittsburg railroad some six or seven years be- fore coming west, and was in railroad employ from his eighteenth year until 1905; he was an employee of the Union Pacific railroad for twenty- four years, and station agent at North Loup, Valley county, for fifteen years. Mr. Alvord had purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land near Ord in 1879, and abont 1905 he and his family moved on this farm, where they now re- side, and have a fine new cement nine-room mod- ern home, with bath room and numerous closets. A large silo is built into a corner of the barn, making a great convenience in feeding. A view of the home looking across the beautiful North Loup valley is presented on another page of our work. This is a fine dairy and stock farm and Mr. Alvord makes a specialty of fine bred Hol- stein and other pedigreed stock. Howard Chester Alvord, the second son, lives on the farm and works it jointly with his father.


Mr. Alvord was again married, October 24, 1907, at Ord, the bride being Mrs. Lida Benson, daughter of Benjamin F. and Mary Ann (Hill) Kingsley, and a native of Pennsylvania. She first married George Benson, who died in the Keystone state.


Mr. Alvord and brother, Elias, are the only surviving members of the family. Elias now lives in Washburn, Wisconsin, whither he moved in 1860, and where he is creditably filling the office of district attorney.


In politics Mr. Alvord is republican ; he is a member of the Presbyterian church and affilates with the Modern Woodmen of America and the American Nobles, a fraternal order.


BART SAZAMA.


Bart Sazama, a resident of Pierce county, Ne- braska, is one of the earliest settlers of that re- gion. He has not only witnessed the wonderful transformation of this country from a wild and uncultivated state to one of prosperity and a region rich in agriculture, but he has assisted in its development and has acquired the highest es- teem of those with whom he has associated for many years. He has a home of comfort, and is one of the worthy citizens of his township.


Mr. Sazama was born in the village of Ra- donic, Bohemia, August 24, 1850, and is the son of Jacob and Katrine (Haus) Sazama; the former is still living in Bohemia at the advanced age of ninety years. Bart Sazama learned the black- smiths' trade and followed that occupation in his native country and in Germany two years. In emigrating to America he sailed from Bremen in May, 1867, for New York, on the steamer "Metropolis." During the fourteen-day voyage, they passed through a very bad storm which lasted four days and three nights.


On landing in America, Mr. Sazama went to


"VALLEY VIEW STOCK FARM," RESIDENCE OF BENJAMIN H. ALVORD.


300


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ORIGINAL


DWELL NL"


"ASII GROVE STOCK FARM," RESIDENCE OF WALTER M. ALVORD.


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the state of Wisconsin, where he worked in the pineries at various places, and in the upper peninsula of Michigan as well. He came to But- ler county, Nebraska, in 1878, and after remain- ing in David City for a time worked in Colorado, Wyoming and the two Dakotas. He came to Pierce county, Nebraska, in 1897. and purchased the farm he now owns, which is located in section twenty-seven, township twenty-eight, range three. This was raw prairie, and on it he planted groves and erected all the buildings that make it one of the finest farms in this part of the county.


Mr. Sazama was joined in wedlock September 11, 1884, to Miss Kathrina Halwek, a native of the village of Oulikov, Bohemia, born in Febru- ary, 1860. She came to America by way of Bre- men, reaching David City in 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Sazama are the parents of six children, two of whom are married. They are named as follows. Agnes, Barbara, Jerry, Charles, Tony and James. Agnes married Louis Pochop, and Barbara mar- ried Anton Pochop, both living near the old home.


Mr. Sazama is a mmeber of the Z. C. B. J. society, and was formerly a member also of the C. S. P. S., a similar organization. In polities he votes independently.


Mr. Sazama has experienced many hardships and discomforts in the early days, losing all his cattle and horses in the memorable blizzard of 1888. In 1897 he suffered loss of all his buildings by a cyclone which passed over his place the morning after his aged father had started to re- turn to his old country home. Had it occurred a day earlier, all might have been killed.


CHRISTIAN HANSEN.


Christian Hansen was born in Denmark, May 28, 1817. coming to America in 1871. During the years in his native country he followed black- smithing principally, and was married there in 1860 to Karen Petersen. Mr. Hansen's first loca- tion after coming to this country was in Wisconsin, where he spent one year, then came to Howard county, Nebraska, and filed on a elaim sitnated on the northeast quarter of section two, township fourteen, range twelve. After two years he was joined by his wife and two sons. Lars P., and Niels, who grew up in Howard county. Mr. Hansen built up a good home and farm, and died on the homestead May 1. 1886, his burial taking place on the farm. ITis widow still lives there at the advanced age of eighty-two years.


LARS P. HANSEN.


Lars P. Hansen was born in Denmark, Septem- ber 21. 1861, and as above stated, came to Amer- iea with his mother and brother, they joining the husband and father in Howard county in Angust, 1874. Ile lived at home, assisting his parents


until his eighteenth year, then began farming on his own account, purchasing eighty acres on sec- tion three, township fourteen, range twelve, which he has ocenpied ever since, and of which he has made a fine homestead. He was married in St. Paul, May 5, 1897, to Mary Juel, who comes of an old pioneer family of Howard county, being born and raised in this section.


Mrs. Hansen's parents were Hans Peter and Annie Juel, the former a native of Denmark and the latter of Bohemia. They met and were mar- ried in Howard county, to which place Mr. Juel came in 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Hansen have had five children : William W., Charlie P., Sophia Mag- deline, who died in 1908; Georgina Mary, and Edison Elmer, all bright and intelligent young people, the family being among the popular mem- bers of their community.


Mr. Hansen is director of school district num- ber seventy-eight, and has always taken an active interest in local and county affairs. He has a host of warm friends and is regarded as one of the leading and progressive farmers and stockmen of his locality.


ASAHEL WARD.


Asahel Ward, retired farmer, son of Phillip and Margaret (Brown) Ward, was born in Bel- mont connty, Ohio. December 13, 1819. He was ninth in a family of ten children, and is the only one now living. His parents died in Ohio, his father living to the advanced age of ninety-six years.


Mr. Ward is a self-educated man, having at- tended school but sixteen days, and that after his twenty-first year; he learned the shoe cobblers' trade and later taught school in both Ohio and Iowa. In 1850 he went to Jowa, where he lived for twenty-one years.


On December 13, 1862, Mr. Ward was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Hagan, who was born in Pennsylvania. In 1871 he came with his wife and five children to Howard county, Nebraska. where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres ahout eight miles northwest of St. Paul. living on same for four years. Mrs. Ward died June 6. 1875, on the home farm, survived by her husband and six children: Harriet A., widow of Richard Todhunter, who died in 1904, resides in ('alifornia and has six children: Ella. wife of Joseph McCraeken, has eight children. and re- sides in California; Margaret, died May 22, 1876. her husband. Woodford Evans, dying June 8. 1911, leaving one son. Chester: Mary E., died in Iowa in 1885. and her husband. George Blat- tenherg, died December 25. 1892. leaving four children ; William W., died March 7. 1890. and his wife some time later, leaving two children; and Abigal, who died.


In 1876, at Grand Island, Nebraska, Mr. Ward was married to Miss Amanda J. Honnold. of Belmont county. Ohio, one of a family of twelve


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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.


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children, ten sons and two daughters. In 1876 Mr. and Mrs. Ward came to Valley county, Ne- braska, living on one hundred and sixty acres of land in section twenty-eight, township eighteen, range fourteen, which was homesteaded by Mrs. Ward before her marriage. This remained the home place until November, 1909, when Mr. Ward retired from the farming and moved to Ord, purehasing a good home, where they now live. The homestead he retained 'until 1910, when he sold it and purchased one hundred and sixty acres, fourteen miles north of Ord.


Mr. Ward served as commissioner of Howard county during his residence there; and while re- siding in Warren county, Iowa, he filled the of- fice of county treasurer; he has been justice of peace in Nebraska for many years ; postmaster at Cotesfield for four years, and also filled a like office at Mira Valley for twenty-two years ; he has also done some United States government survey work. Mr. Ward was instrumental in organizing school district number ten, and served on the board of directors for a number of years; indeed, since his majority, Mr. Ward has always been direetly identified with school interests.


Mr. and Mrs. Ward have three children : Flora A., wife of Charles J. Nelson, lives in Ord, and has three children ; Jessie M., who is married to S. W. Roe, lives in Howard county, Nebraska, and they have three children; and John L., who is given a more extended notice on another page of our work.


Mr. and Mrs. Ward are numbered among the earliest settlers in this part of the state, and have passed through the usual hard experiences of pioneer life. They are well and favorably known. Although very advanced in years, Mr. Ward is still a progressive man of affairs, interested in all effecting state and county. He has been a member of the Odd Fellows lodge since 1857; and with his wife is a member of the Rebekah degree. He is also a member of the Grand Army of Republie, Foot Post number forty. Mr. and Mrs. Ward both are members of Ord Circle number six, Ladies' Grand Army of Republic.


While living in Iowa, in May of 1862, Mr. Ward enlisted in Company K, Seventeenth Iowa Infantry ; he raising thirty-six men for the eom- pany; shortly after enlistment Mr. Ward was discharged on account of illness. In 1864 he raised one hundred and fourteen men for the one hundred day service, and two hundred and three men for three-year service. On February 22, 1864, Mr. Ward again enlisted in Company A, Forty-eight Iowa Infantry as first lieutenant, and received his discharge October 20, 1864, in Davenport, Iowa.


PAUL BRUMMUND.


Located very pleasantly in section twenty- four, township twenty-four, range one, Madison


eounty, Nebraska, is to be found the highly es- teemed gentleman whose name introduces this biographical writing. He and his father before him have been identified with the history of Madi- son county from a very early date, and his con- tribution to the making of northeastern Nebraska has been considerable.


Paul Brummund is a native-born Nebraskan, having been born in Madison county, February 5, 1871; he is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Gottlieb Brummund, natives of Germany, and early set- tlers of Nebraska, coming here from Wisconsin in 1868 by ox team, which was the usual mode of traveling in those times. After arriving in the state, they settled in Madison county, where the father took up a homestead in section twenty- four, township twenty-four, range one, first put- ting up a sod house, which was later replaced by a dwelling built of logs.


During the family's first years of residence in Madison county, some forty-two years ago, the country was but an unbroken, open prairie, with searcely any habitation, the soil had not been cultivated to any extent, and deer and antelope and wild game roamed the country. Dangers and hardships were encountered by the first few brave settlers who came to this region to seek their fortunes on the western frontier, and many discouragements and failures were met, not the least of these being eansed by the grass- hoppers which infested the region the first seven years that the family settled here, the crops all being destroyed just as they were grown to a promising size and the harvest seemed plenti- ful and sure.


Mr. Brummund, our subject, was nnited in marriage May 15, 1894, to Miss Mary Benning, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of John and Annie Benedict. Mr. and Mrs. Brummund are the parents of six children : Emma, Anna, Mary, Martin, Hulda and Helen. They are a fine family, and enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them, and their friends are many.


Mr. Brummund owns eighty acres of choice land, ten acres of which are given to trees; the land is well improved, and there is a comfortable home, and here our subject and family reside surrounded by a host of friends and acquaintances. They are members of the German Lutheran church and Mr. Brummund is a democrat.


JOHN CONWAY.


John Conway is one of the most prominent business men and largest landholders in central Nebraska, where he has been identified with various interests for about twenty-five years past. He was born at Janesville, Wisconsin, next to the oldest child of Malachi and Bridget (Bowen) Conway. The father was a native of Ireland and came to Ameriea when sixteen years of age, loeating first at Hoboken, New Jersey. He became one of the "forty-niners" who sought


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gold in California, and his death occurred at Edgerton, Wisconsin, in 1884. The mother, also a native of Ireland, was brought to America when nine years of age, and she died at Edgerton in 1888. They had nine children, of whom those now surviving are: Mrs. Delia Tobin, of Burt county, Nebraska; three sons and two daughters living in Edgerton; John, subject of this article.


Mr. Conway grew to manhood on his father's farm in Wisconsin, acquiring his education in the public schools. Later he engaged in mercantile business in Janesville, Wisconsin, which he con- tinued four years. He was married in Janes- ville in August, 1885, to Kate Kemmitt, a native of Wisconsin, who died in 1886, leaving one daughter, Stella, also now deceased. In the fall of 1887, in company with Thomas Tobin, Mr. Conway came to Nebraska looking for a loca- tion and was very favorably impressed with the land in Custer county. They returned to Wis- consin, where Mr. Conway sold his business in- terests, and soon afterward the two young men shipped one hundred and sixty-eight head of cattle to Omaha, whenee they drove them to Custer county, where they began ranching. Mr. Conway pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land on section ten, township twenty, range twenty-four, and Mr. Tobin secured one hundred and sixty aeres of land adjoining. Mr. Conway also secured one hundred and sixty acres on section nine township twenty, range twenty- ยท four, and still retains ownership of his half- section of land there.


On September 2, 1903, Mr. Conway was mar- ried in Dale, Custer county, to Miss Josephine M. Dority, daughter of John N. and Martha (Jor- dan) Dority, the former a native of Toronto, Canada. and the latter born near Cleveland, Ohio. The father has been connected with the Burlington railroad, and he and his wife now live in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mrs. Conway has a sister in California, and her brother, Matthew, lives at Comstock, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Con- way have three children: Dorothy M., John D. and Helen, all at home.


Mr. Conway is recognized as one of the sub- stantial and public-spirited citizens in his county, where he is well known for his upright methods and has a reputation for honest dealing and pro- hity. He is one of the early settlers of the cen- tral part of the state and during his residence there has accumulated four thousand, three hundred and twenty acres of land in Custer and Thomas counties. During his five years of resi- dence on his homestead he was engaged in mer- eantile business at Dunning. and since coming to the county he has always been extensively en- gaged in buying and shipping horses and cattle. At the same time he has retained his ranch in- terests, spent some time in the live stock com- mission business in Omaha and had large feed- ing places at Sargent, Nebraska. In 1908 he


erected one of the finest modern residences in Merna, where the family now reside.


THOMAS SCHUTT.


Among the prominent and progressive farmers of Wayne county, may be mentioned Thomas Schutt, who is the owner of a good farm and comfortable home, very pleasantly located in section one, township twenty-seven, range one. He is a gentleman of unusual perseverance and energy, and is classed among the leading citizens of this community.


Mr. Schutt was born in the province of Hol- stein. Germany, October 1, 1850, and is the son of Hans Henry and Catherine Schutt. He grew up in the little German home, received his educa- tion in the excellent school of the village, and as he became old enough, learned the carpenters' trade.


During the Franco-Prussian war, Mr. Schutt served his country from 1871 to 1873, and can tell many interesting stories of the engagements in which he took part. After the war was over, he returned to his home, where he remained some years.


In 1883, just after his marriage to Miss Mach Dalena Barnholdt, Mr. Schutt and his bride came to America, going first to Fort Calhoun, Wash- ington county, Nebraska. They lived here for about ten years, and Mr. Schutt worked at his trade of carpenter. They then removed to Wayne county, Nebraska, where the subscriber bought the farm of one hundred and sixty acres which has been his home since that date. He has since purchased eighty acres more and now owns two hundred and forty acres.


When Mr. Schutt purchased his present farm. it was raw prairie. It is all under cultivation now and he has built a good house, barns and out-buildings, and has planted a grove and orchard.


Mr. Schutt has encountered the usual trials and reverses which the early settlers had to con- tend with, but they have only served to incite him to greater effort and he is now regarded as one of the solid and substantial citizens of the locality.


Mr. and Mrs. Schutt are the parents of six children : Christine, Franc. Ella, Thomas, Wilibert. Rudolph and Alfreda.


Both Mr. and Mrs. Schutt are well-known and enjoy the respect of a wide circle of acquaint- ances. They and their children are members of the German Lutheran church.


WILLIAM PHELPS.


A resident of Merrick county. Nebraska, for the past twenty-six years. the gentleman herein named has gained the esteem and confidence of


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all with whom he has come in contact by his in- dustrious habits and honesty of dealing with his fellowmen.


William Phelps was born in Henry county, Illinois, May 8, 1851, and was second of four children in the family of Bela and Henrietta (Cherry) Phelps who had two sons and two daughters. Both of Mr. Phelps, parents had been married previous to their marriage-the father to Henrietta Sivley, who died and who was the mother of four children. Our subject's mother at the time of her marriage to Bela Phelps was the widow of William Maxwell by whom she had one child.


Mr. Phelps was born on the farm where he grew up to his young manhood and received such advantages in schooling, etc., as Henry county afforded ; and December 12, 1872, Mr. Phelps was married to Miss Mary A. Sidebottom, a native of Illinois, the Sidebottom family being of the pioneers of Henry county, and at their home the daughter was married.


In 1873 Mr. Phelps purchased a farm in Fre- mont county, Iowa, where he lived until eoming to Merrick county, Nebraska, with his wife and four children. He purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres two miles west of Central City which is well equipped, and where he still resides. Mr. Phelps has a good orchard on this farm and raises a fine variety of apples.


Joseph Phelps, a half-brother, had come to Merrick county in 1869, and Father Phelps and wife came to visit him in 1883; and after the son William and family eame to Merrick county, Father and Mother Phelps made their home on the farm of their son James and family. James Phelps came to Merrick county in 1884 and moved to Seward county, Nebraska, in 1888. Father Phelps died February 20, 1899, in his ninety-first year. Mother Phelps died Septem- ber 7. 1907, in her eighty-fourth year.


Our subject and wife have had five children born to them, four born in Iowa, and one in Merrick eounty, Nebraska : Lily, Samuel, Claudie, who reside under the parental roof ; Walter, who died in Merriek county in 1884; and Effie, who lives at home.


Mr. and Mrs. Phelps, whilst not of the very first settlers in Merriek county, have assisted in making this portion of Nebraska a prosperous and successful community, using their best ef- forts for the betterment of their home and county, and they have the respeet and esteem of many friends.


JOSEPH F. TICHY.


Residing on section ten, township thirty-one. range six, Knox county, Nebraska, is Joseph F. Tichy, who is regarded as one of the leading eitizens of his loeality. He, and his father before him, have always been important factors in the upbuilding of this region, aiding materially in


its development and growth from the time of its early settlement.


Mr. Tichy is a native born Nebraskan, his birth having occurred in 1878, in Knox county, which has been his dwelling place through all the years. He is the son of Albert and Mary Tichy, both natives of Bohemia, from which country they emigrated in 1870, coming from Bohemia to the United States. After landing in the United States, they went directly to Chicago, Illinois, remaining there about a year, when, hearing of the golden opportunities offered to those who would brave the dangers and hard- ships of the western country to gain free land, they started for the west, locating in Knox county, Nebraska, where the father took up a homestead in section ten, township thirty-one. range six, which remains the old original home- stead to the present day, and which is now owned by our subject On this land a log house was built; and here the family endured hard- ships and dangers almost beyond belief in those very first days of settlement of the wild western country which as yet had scarcely known the presence of the white man. Indians roamed at will and did not take the white man's advent to this territory in a very friendly manner, and were a source of anxiety and danger to the peace and comfort of those who first set foot on the unbroken prairie lands of the west. The family suffered many privations through the losses and failures of crops from various causes, such as the grasshopper raids, hot winds of the years of drouth, etc. The grasshoppers were the greatest source of hardship, they having de- stroyed all the crops for three consecutive years.




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