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 116
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Mr. Libby was united in matrimony to Miss Sarah Wright, and they became the parents of the
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following children, namely: Martha, Wealthy, Clarence and Sylvia, the eldest is the wife of Jo- seph Wood, they having six children. Mr. Libby is a great-grandfather. Mrs. Libby died in June, 1878, deeply mourned by her husband and family and many relatives and friends.
On July 4, 1883, Mr. Libby again married, the bride being Miss Sarah Workman, who had a homestead in section five, township twenty-five, range eight, in Antelope county. They are the parents of two children, namely: Fred, who is married to Miss Laura Buffington, living in Clear- water township; and Lnla, wife of Walter Gra- ham, they having one child. A picture of the family home is presented on another page.
LEWIS BITNEY.
Lewis Bitney, proprietor of one of the most valuable estates in Antelope county, Nebraska, has been a resident of that locality since 1874. He is prominently known throughout the county as one of the foremost farmers and stock men in Nebraska, and after many years of hard labor in building up his business is now prepared to enjoy the remaining years of his life in peace and comfort, surrounded by a host of good friends and acquaintances. He still looks after his farm and business affairs.
Mr. Bitney is a native of Franklin county, New York, where he was born, March 16, 1840, and is the son of Charles and Ruth (Marsailes) Bitney ; the father was born in 1800, both parents being Canadians, the mother of French descent. The family migrated to Wisconsin in the fall of 1854, traveling by lake from Ogdensburg to Buffalo, thence by rail to Chicago, going from Chicako by lake to Milwaukee. He resided at Grafton for a year while recovering from the effects of a broken leg, the accident being the result of a runaway which occurred the day he was leaving New York; the horses were racing along the road when the buggy collided with another vehicle, throwing Mr. Bitney out and breaking his leg. A year later, the father bought forty acres of land in Sauk county, Wisconsin : this land was covered with heavy timber, and this the boy helped to clear, cutting some fifty thousand rails. At the outbreak of the civil war, Mr. Bitney was among the first to respond to his country's call, enlisting in Company B, Twelfth Wisconsin Volunteers, at Washington, Wisconsin, in September, 1861. Four brothers of Mr. Bit- ney also served in the civil war for different periods, all enlisting from the same state. Eli Bitney of Neligh, was a member of Company E. Eighth Wisconsin. This is the regiment that carried the famons eagle, "Old Abe," through the war. Moses, had his shoulder shattered at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, from the effects of which he died eight years later. Charles Bitney was taken prisoner at the battle of Richmond and was
confined in Andersonville prison. Alfred en- listed in the Eighth Wisconsin, when the term of Eli expired.
Lewis Bitney, after participating in the Siege of Vicksburg, the battle of Jackson and Balls Bluff and the campaign around Atlanta, followed Sherman in his famous march to the sea and took part in the grand review at Washington at the close of the war. Mr. Bitney veteranized at Vicksburg, January 5, 1864, and was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, July 16, 1865, and dis- charged at Madison, Wisconsin, in September. The pay for the regiment was delayed and while waiting to sign the pay roll and receive his dis- charge, he helped his brother through harvest.
Mr. Bitney was married February 20, 1866, to Miss Laura Phelps. She was born at Alden, McHenry county, Illinois, a daughter of Water- man and Mary (Marble) Phelps, who moved from New York to Illinois in 1841, then to Wis- consin about 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Bitney are the parents of five children : Wesley, who married Miss Nellie Stone, resides in Neligh and has one child ; Elbert, married to Miss Maggie Hart, now lives at Hageman, New Mexico; Anna, is the wife of John Goodell, resides at Rushville, Nebraska; Elton, married to Miss Lelia Hotaling; Frank, married to Miss Elizabeth Reutzel, has two children.
In 1874, Mr. Bitney packed a few of his be- longings in a wagon and started with his family for the west. It required twenty-seven days to make the trip, camping along the route. After arriving at this destination in Holt county. Ne- braska, he took up a homestead in section fifteen, township twenty-six, range five, on Willow creek, and here he lived until 1894. At that time he moved to a thirty-seven acre tract east of town, where he lived until 1903, when he bought his present home of one hundred and sixty acres in section nine, township twenty-five, range five. Soon after coming to Nebraska, Mr. Bitney took up a timber claim, also a pre-emption claim, sell- ing these two claims to his sons later. When Mr. Bitney settled on his homestead he lived with his family in their wagon until November 17, when they moved into a small frame house, which was later replaced with a more substantial dwelling. They had hard times in those early days; many were the hardships the early settlers had to con- tend with. The grasshoppers destroyed the crops of Mr. Bitney three seasons, and then hot winds and dronth were the cause of heavy losses at times. The settlers were scattered and neigh- bors were far apart. At one time, Mrs. Bitney remained three days and two nights alone. Often the family fought prairie fires to save their home . and property. One prairie fire that has not been forgotten was particularly severe. Wesley was compelled to lie down in a furrow that had just been made by his father, while the fire burned over him. Bert, then only nine years old, came along, being caught in the fire while going to his
RESIDENCE
RESIDENCE OF LEWIS BITNEY.
HOME OF E. R. LIBBY.
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father. The fire came within a few rods of the house before it burned out. Fierce storms were another source of worry and anxiety at times. At the time of the memorable blizzard, January 12, 1888, Mr. Bitney was a mile from the house when the storm came on, and had considerable difficulty in finding his way home. Two of the children were at school, but made no attempt to reach home, remaining with their Uncle Eli. In the blizzard of October, 1880, the threshers had reached Mr. Bitney's and were ready to open the stack. Mr. Bitney, however, objected as the weather was threatening. The events that fol- lowed proved the wisdom of postponing the threshing operations. Two families from Dakota who were looking for land in the neighborhood at that time were storm bound at the home of Mr. Bitney for three days, when the storm abated, per- mitting them to go on their way.
Deer and antelope were to be found in great numbers in those days, roaming the country at will. At one time, nine deer crossed Mr. Bit- ney's place and two deer wintered in a grove near his home. Frequently deer were to be seen graz- ing with the cattle.
The early settler who braved the dangers and hardships of pioneer life, has, however, been well paid, not only in a financial of mercenary way, but in the satisfaction he has in looking backwards and comparing the tremendous ad- vancement that has been made in the develop- ment of the country and knowing that it was through his efforts and that of his pioneer neigh- bors that this was brought about.
A view of Mr. Bitney's place will be found on another page in this work.
MANO FREY.
Mano Frey, the subject of this personal his- tory, has done his full share in helping the old settlers build up the farming interests in eastern Nebraska. He is a resident of Pierce county, where he owns two hundred acres of land with good improvements and a fine grove, in section twenty-nine, township twenty-five, range two.
Mr. Frey was born August 28, 1854, in Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania. He is a son of Edward Frey, born in 1822, and died in 1887. and Susanna (Reinhart) Frey, born in 1823, and died in April, 1880. Mr. Frey comes of old American stock, his ancestors having lived in Pennsylvania for several generations. Edward Frey, with his family, came to Cuming county. Nebraska, in 1868, driving from Omaha to West Point, where he filed on a homestead. Here they endured the dreadful blizzard of March 17, 18 and 19, 1869, one of the worst Nebraska has ever known ; they had to bring their chickens into the house and put the pigs in the cellar to save them. They experienced all the hardships and draw- backs of the early days ; produce was hauled from
West Point to Omaha, the nearest market place. The elder Frey kept a small store at West Point, freighting the few goods handled from Omaha. At many of the mudholes the loads in the wagons were carried piece by piece on the heads of the men and then the empty wagons drawn over by long chains. They suffered losses through the blizzard of 1873, a great number of their cattle having perished; and also through the grass- hopper raids of 1873, 1874 and 1875, as they took the entire crops during those seasons.
Illustrative of the hardships endured by the early comers, it is well to relate that one winter Mr. Frey and a brother hauled eighty-eight cords of wood from the Missouri river, thirty-five miles distant, making two trips a week. Often their feet were frozen to their boots, and frequently they slept in open barns, sometimes lacking even that meager protection. But their mother always had coffee and warm food waiting for them no matter at what hour of the night they might re- turn.
Mano Frey was married September 8, 1876, to Miss Ida Pribnow, whose parents, Christian and Wilhelmina (Krans) Pribnow, were born near the city of Brandenburg, Prussia. They were early settlers in Nebraska, having secured a homestead five miles southeast of West Point, hauling the lumber for their house from Fremont, thirty-five miles. They lived for the first four months in a sod house they found on the place. The father died in April, 1887, at the age of six- ty-nine years, and the mother in February, 1887, at the age of sixty-seven years.
Mr. and Mrs. Frey are the parents of eight children, named as follows: Wellington, Ellen, Minnie, John, Leo, Lillian, Ida and Vern, four of whom are married. Wellington, married Annie Albrieht ; Minnie, married Wilton Hayne and has three children ; Ellen, married Charles Russell. and has three children, and John, married Jose- phine Ottmann.
Mr. Frey, with his family, came to Pierce county in 1902, where he rented one year near Osmond and then settled on his present farm of two hundred acres of well improved land. He is highly respected by all who know him. He votes the republican ticket, and was reared in the Evangelical church.
CARL O. SCHLYTERN. (Deceased.)
Carl O. Sehlytern, now deceased, was a man prominent in all affairs of his county during his lifetime, and who had always taken a firm stand for prohibition. He served as chairman of the Dannebrog city council, also was treasurer of the school board for many years, was known far and wide for his upright character and integrity.
Mr. Sehlytern was born in Sweden on April 2, 1823, and grew up in that country. He made
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his home in northern Sweden during his younger years, engaged in the lumber business, and was prominently known as an extensive lum- ber exporter for a number of years. He was mar- ried there to Anna S. Sjoding, in 1844, and they remained in Sweden up to 1871, then our subject came to America accompanied by his eldest son, the latter locating in Chicago, while his father came on west and settled in Howard county, Ne- braska, where he purchased a tract of three thousand acres of land in the locality of Danne- brog and Nysted. After a short time spent in getting his affairs started, he returned to Sweden and settled up his business interests there, then came back to America, bringing with him two daughters, all coming to Howard county with him. The homestead was situated about two miles southwest of Dannebrog, and here all went to work to develop a farm. In August, 1873, Mr. Schlytern sent for the balance of his family to join them, consisting of his wife, a daughter and son. They immediately came on from their home in Sweden, and on arrival all were delighted with their new location. They lived on the farm for over ten years, when the father retired from active work and removed with his wife into Dan- nebrog, where he engaged in the banking busi- ness, conducting the same up to the time of his death, which occurred on September 16, 1894. His widow, now eighty-eight years of age, still resides at the family residence in Dannebrog, and enjoys the companionship of a large circle of devoted friends.
Mr. Schlytern's family consisted of eleven children, as follows: Caroline, still living in Sweden, and employed as government telegraph operator; Hilda, married, also living in Sweden; Anna, with her mother; Agnes, wife of John Mark; they are the parents of four children, and reside in Wyoming; Charles E., of Chicago, pres- ident of the Union Bank of that city; John G., married and living in Howard county with his family, a sketch of whose career follows this. Five children of our subject died while the fam- ily lived in Sweden.
JOHN G. SCHLYTERN.
John G. Schlytern, residing in Howard county, and counted among the leading citizens of his locality, is the youngest son of our subject. He was born in Sweden on October 7, 1863, and came to America with his mother and sister, join- ing the rest of the family who had come over some little time before. Ile was quite a young boy on arriving here, and received his early educa- tion in the public schools of Howard county, later attending the Luther Academy, which is a Swedish school located at Wahoo, Nebraska, spending about four years at this academy. From 1893 to 1898, he held the position of post- master of Dannebrog, and has served as village
clerk for over twenty years. He has been on the school board for the past number of years, and is a prominent member of the community in every capacity. Politically he is a democrat.
In March, 1891, Mr. Schlytern was married to Mary Erickson, who is a native of this county, born of Danish parents, the latter early settlers here, and well known pioneers. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schlytern, namely : Edith M., Christian O., Helen S. C., Charles E., and Leonard G., all at home.
Mr. Schlytern is engaged in the real estate and insurance business and has a large clientage throughout the county and vicinity.
JOHN H. HOGUE.
One of the finest residences in Valley county is owned and occupied by John H. Hogue, now living retired from active farm work, in Arcadia, Nebraska. Mr. Hogue, has well earned the rest he now enjoys by many years of hard work and is respected as an upright, reliable citizen. He is a native of DeKalb county, Indiana, born No- vember I, 1850, the fourth of seven children born to John and Cornelia (Pray) Hogue, both parents being natives of the state of New York. The father, who was of Irish and English extraction, was born in 1814 and died in Indiana in 1896, and the mother, of New England parentage and English descent, was born January 26, 1817, and died in Indiana in January, 1899. John H. Hogue has two brothers and one sister in Indiana, and others of the children are deceased.
Mr. Hogue attended the country schools of Indiana, engaging in farming when he reached young manhood. November 14, 1871, he was mar- ried in DeKalb county, Indiana, to Miss Olive R. Grimm, also a native of that state. Her mother died when she was six weeks old, and she was at once adopted by Mr. John J. Grimm and wife, who had recently lost a child of her age. She was reared as one of their own children and would never have known she was not their own child had not a school girl told her, as her foster parents never spoke of her own kin. In the spring of 1884 Mr. Hogue came with his wife and three children to Valley county, Nebraska, secur- ing a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land comprising the northeast quarter of sec- tion twenty-two, township seventeen, range fif- teen, which continued to be the home place for a period of twenty-four years, and which he still owns. He was closely identified with the in- terests of his part of the county, served in all the various township offices and also held all the offices on the board of school district number thirty-seven.
Four children were born to Mr. Hogue and wife: Lodema, married N. M. Cruikshank, of Arcadia, and they have three children; Phoebe, married J. C. Bridges and died in 1904; Clyde
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N., is at home; Harry, died in 1889. Mr. Hogue is an excellent business manager and is now owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land, which he has developed into a fine grain and stock farm, and has accomplished good results in spite of the many discouragements and hardships that beset his path in his early years in the state. He came through his many trying experiences with honor and credit and never lost courage and faith in the future of the region where he had settled. In the spring of 1908 he erected the present hand- some dwelling occupied by the family. The Hogues are well known socially and have a wide circle of friends. They have witnessed a remark- able change in their part of Nebraska since lo- eating there and have contributed their share in bringing about improved conditions. Mr. Hogue is a worker in the people's party, support- ing the candidates and principles of that organ- ization with his vote and influence.
While not living in the primitive dwellings after coming west, Mrs. Hogue grew up in a well made hewn log honse in Indiana in which her foster mother died. It was originally built before the war and later removed to another farm where it stands today after sixty years, still in use as a comfortable dwelling.
GEORGE HAIGHT.
In compiling a list of the representative farm- ers of Madison county, Nebraska, a prominent place is accorded the name of George Haight, who resides on section eight, township twenty-three, range three, known as Valley View Farm. For many years past he has been engaged in agri- cultural pursuits, and has always done his full share towards the development of the better in- terests of his community, and enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him. He has a good farm and comfortable home in the location above mentioned, and in his many years of residence here has proven himself a creditable citizen, one of whom the county may well feel proud.
Mr. Ilaight is a native of Canada, born Oeto- ber 17, 1851, a son of David and Hulda (Doan) Haight, who were also natives of Canada, but being of English deseent. Our subject lived in the land of his nativity until he reached his young manhood, receiving the usual school advantages.
In 1877 Mr. Haight left Canada, coming to the United States, proceeding westward and set- tling in Madison county, Nebraska, where he took up a homestead on section eight, township twenty-three, range three, which remains the homestead to the present time. On coming to Nebraska, Mr. Haight came by railway to Wisner. from where he walked to the homestead, and after reaching his destination had but seventy-five cents in his possession. Ile first built a sod house and lived in this and "batched it" for two years, working at whatever he could find to do. 18 1%
In the first few years of residence here, our subject found it very hard to make a living, as owing to grasshopper pests, prairie fires, lack of fuel, ete., the condition seemed to be utterly against progress of any kind. In the years of 1878 and 1879. the grasshoppers came in swarms and partially destroyed everything in the form of pasturage and erops, and this made it very dis- couraging to the new settler. Many times Mr. Haight had to fight prairie fires to save his home and grain. For fuel they burned hay, cornstalks, or anything they could find, as wood was to be had only at a great distance and our subject had no team with which to hanl it. As late as 1894, Mr. Haight lost his entire season's erops by the hot winds that burned out the ground owing to the severe drouth of that year. Deer and ante- lope were plentiful in the early years, and were often seen in herds grazing on the open prairies. On January 12, 1888, Mr. Haight suffered severely while gathering his stock in the memor- able blizzard of that day, nearly loosing his life from the exposure.
Mr. Haight was united in marriage in No- vember, 1880, to Miss Flora Lewis, and Mr. and Mrs. Haight are the parents of four children, namely : Frances, who is the wife of L. R. Baker, and resides in Battle Creek ; Elera, who is married to Miss Emma Muller; Eva, who lives at home; and Ora, wife of John Huddell, they residing in Meadow Grove.
Mr. Haight is a member of the Baptist church, and is an independent party voter.
THOMAS F. KELLY.
Thomas F. Kelly, of Merna, Nebraska, is well known as a public-spirited citizen, interested in the progress and welfare of his county and state. He is a son of Thomas and Anna (His- shon) Kelly, born in LaSalle county, Illinois, December 16, 1864, the fifth of seven children. The parents were both natives of Ireland and died in America, the father in Illinois in 1898, and the mother in Merna in 1911. The father came to America as a young man and was an early set- tler of LaSalle county. Those of the children now surviving are: Robert J., Joseph and William H., of Merna; Stephen, a half mile west of Merna; a danghter in Kansas, and Thomas F.
Mr. Kelly reached manhood on the farm where he was born and was educated in local schools. In the spring of 1886 he came to Custer county, joining his brother, Robert, who had located there the pre- vions year. Thomas F. Kelly, soon after his arrival, took a pre-emption on one hundred and sixty acres of land on section twenty-six, town- ship nineteen, range twenty-three, then returned to Illinois for a few months, after which he re- turned and took up his residence on his Custer county land (in 1887,) securing a tree claim ad-
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joining. He was married at Dale, Custer county, May 16, 1893, to Miss Kathryn Phillips, also a native of Illinois, and born in Iroquois county. She is a daughter of Thomas and Catherine (McGlone) Phillips, natives of Ireland, both of whom died in Iroquois county, the father in 1896, and the mother in 1905. Mrs. Kelly has two sis- ters living in Nebraska and three in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have one daughter, Cath- ine Lenore, at home.
Mr. Kelly is a self-made man and has attained a high degree of prosperity and success. He has passed through various important periods of Ne- braska's history and in early days endured the usual hardships and privations of pioneer life. He has a well improved and equipped stock and grain farm of six hundred acres of land and is well known in his community. He stands ready to advance the cause of various movements for the good of his county and state and he and his wife are known in various circles.
In 1889 Mr. Kelly purchased the hardware stock of T. W. Fountain, of Merna, conducting this business until 1904, when he retired from business life. He has served as a member of both city and township boards. In 1904 he erected a modern residence in Merna, where the family still make their home.
T. F. KELLY.
Popularly known as Frank, a nephew of the subject of the preceding sketch, is a practicing at- torney of Merna; is a native of Illinois, born in Iroquois county, in September, 1881, a son of Robert J. and Elizabeth (Carey) Kelly. He came to Nebraska with his parents in 1885, and has lived continuously in the state since that time. He was educated in the public schools of his home vicinity. He studied law in the office of Carey & Saum, at Watseka, Illinois, for two years and then (1904) attended Creighton college in Omaha, graduating in the class of 1906, with the degree of LL. B. He then entered upon the prac- tice of his profession at Merna. He was married at Chatsworth, Illinois, to Miss Ella Snyder, and has two daughters: Mary Frances and Helen Louise.
ARNOLD HENRY HELMSY.
Arnold H. Helmsy, who resides on his well improved farm on section thirty-six, township twenty-nine, range one, east, Cedar county, Ne- braska, is one of the early settlers of that region and is well known and highly respected. Ile is recognized as a public-spirited, progressive cit- izen, who has the welfare of his community at heart and is ready to advance any worthy cause. Mr. Helmsy was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1855, and received his education in his native land, where he reached maturity.
In 1875 he left Bremen on a sailing vessel and landed in New York. He decided to go west, where he could procure land cheap and in this way meet larger opportunities than were offered in the east. He spent five years in Ohio and in 1880 came to Iowa, where he remained twelve years. He has been a resident of Cedar county since 1892 and has developed and improved an excellent farm there, which he devotes to general farming and stock raising. He has contributed his full share to the betterment of conditions in his adopted state and has won a large circle of friends.
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