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 128

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 128

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RICHARD L. MILLS.

Richard L. Mills, whose name is familiar to nearly all the residents of Merrick county, Ne- braska, is a worthy representative of the progres- sive farmers of eastern Nebraska. He was one of the very earliest settlers in this county, coming here in 1868, and has lived here on the original homestead continuously since that time.

Mr. Mills was born in Devonshire, England, September 22, 1833, and was seventh of eight children in the family of John and Elizabeth (Locke) Mills, who had three sons and five daugh- ters, and who were descendants of an old English family. Mr. Mills grew up on a farm and received a good common school education.

April 7, 1861, Mr. Mills was married to Miss Elizabeth E. Knight in the city of Bristol, Somer- setshire, England. Miss Knight was born in Eng- land, November 6, 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Mills left England in May, 1861, landing in New York City the latter part of that month, from which place they came by rail and steamboat to Florence, Ne- braska. From there they went overland to Salt Lake City, Utah. Mr. Mills drove a team of eight oxen across the plains in Captain Creighton's train which was loaded with telegraph material, landing in Utah in September, 1861. They lived in Utah about six and a half years, and in July,

1868, Mr. Mills, wife and three children came overland to Nebraska from Utah with team and wagon, taking up a homestead on section six, township thirteen, range five, Merrick county, in the fall of 1868. Mr. Mills is one of the few orig- inal homesteaders of Merrick county that still re- side on the old original land. In 1874 Mr. Mills lost the home buildings in the cyclone of that year. Mr. Mills now resides on the quarter of land taken as a timber claim, in the above named location and this property adjoins the original homestead. He has passed through many pioneer incidents, but most likely the cyclone is more vivid in his mind than anything else.

Mr. and Mrs. Mills have had twelve children, nine of whom are living: Lily, wife of Mike Mc- Mahon, has nine children and lives west of Cen- tral City, Nebraska; Richard E., married, has seven children, and resides in Wyoming; Emma, wife of O. P. Taylor, has five children and lives in Columbus, Nebraska; William E., married, has four children and resides in Omaha; George, who is married and lives in Central City ; Selina, wife of Harry Kidder, has four children and resides in South Omaha; Betty, who is married to Frank B. Daniels and resides in Lincoln, Nebraska ; Susie, wife of Albert Baird, has three children and resides in Central City, Nebraska; and An- nie, wife of David Baird, lives on the Baird farm north of Central City, and has two children. All the children were born in Merrick county, except the three eldest. Lucy, John and Frank all died in infancy, Frank being a twin of Selina.

Mr. Mills and family are recognized as one of the old pioneer families of Merrick county, the children all being raised here. Mr. and Mrs. Mills have thirty-four grandchildren and seven great- grandchildren. They are widely known and have the respect and esteem of all who know them. Mr. Mills has from time to time filled all the local pre- cinet offices and is a republican in politics. Mr. Mills was raised in the faith of the church of Eng- land and has always adhered to that faith.

CHARLES LANTIS.

As an old settler of Knox county, Nebraska, and an agriculturalist of untiring energy and perseverance, the gentleman above mentioned needs no introduction to the people of his locality. Mr. Lantis has spent the past twenty years in this section of the country, where he built up a good farm and is highly esteemed by all as a worthy citizen.

Mr. Lantis is a native of Missouri, his birth oc- curring in June, 1859, and he is the son of Martin and Elizabeth (Woods) Lantis, both natives of the Keystone state. When but a small child. our subject with his parents came to Iowa, where they remained for a number of years, and where our subject received his education, grew to his man- hood days and later married.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

In 1891, Mr. Lantis with his family drove from Iowa to Nebraska, which state has been his home ever since. He has had his good and his bad ex- periences since residing here, but in checking up an average, Mr. Lantis considers his settlement in Nebraska state a lucky move.

Mr. Lantis was united in holy matrimony in 1875 to Miss Annie Bradshaw, and Mr. and Mrs. Lantis are the parents of six children, whose names are as follows: Henry, James, William, Lottie, Blanche and Clyde. Mr. and Mrs. Lantis and family are well known throughout the local- ity in which they reside and hold the esteem and friendship of a wide circle of friends and ac- quaintances.

DENNIS ROBERTS.

Dennis Roberts, who lives in Platte Center, Nebraska, where he is known in an estimable way, occupies an enviable position among the old timers and successful ranchers of Platte county.

Edmond Roberts, father of the above named gentleman, was born in Ireland about 1823, where in the year of 1862 he was married to Honorah Riordan and came to America in 1866, self, wife and three children, James, Dennis and Patrick, lo- cating in Omaha, Nebraska, where they resided about three years and then came to Platte county, in 1869. Edmond, junior, was born in Omaha, so at the time the family came to Platte county there were Mr. and Mrs. Roberts and four sons. Mr. Roberts homesteaded in section eighteen, town- ship eighteen, range one, west, and Platte Center now stands on part of the original home farm. Mr. Roberts is one of the genuine old pioneer set- tlers and has resided on the home farm until this date, a fact which is rare in the progress and de- velopment of this portion of Nebraska. Mr. Rob- erts was always of quiet disposition and a man who has stood for the better educational and church lines, and is known and respected as a man of strict integrity and moral character.

Mr. Roberts now in his advanced years is en- joying the fruits of a prosperous and successful life and has built up extensive property interests, Mr. Roberts and family having about seven hun- dred and fifty acres of choice Platte county land. Mrs. Roberts died in Platte Center at her home in July, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts remained on the home farm just outside the corporation limits of Platte Center at the time of Mrs. Rob- erts' death. She was survived by her husband and eight children, five sons and three daughters.

Dennis Roberts, eldest of the living children, resides in Platte Center and is engaged in exten- sive stock interests, buying, shipping and feeding of live stock, and also has farm interests. He is well known in this portion of Nebraska. The other members of the family are as follows: P. H., who is married and living on his farm near Platte Center; Edward, who lives in New Mexico;

Catherine, wife of P. J. Scanlon, lives in Omaha ; Annie, residing at home; John, who lives in Omaha; Daniel, who is with his father on the home farm; and Sarah, wife of Thomas Corrigan, lives in South Dakota.

The Roberts family are of the true pioneer stock, and have had a large measure of success due to their thrift and energy.

J. T. WOODS.

Few men have the courage to face the prob- lems of life after disaster, fewer still a second time, but such is the stamina of J. T. Woods, of Spencer, that after twice seeing a small fortune swept away, he braved the financial storm and beat out for himself a competency on which to retire in comfort while yet his mental and physi- cal powers are unimpaired and while still able to shoulder the burden of life should necessity arise, and carry it to a successful termination.

Mr. Woods was born in Boone county, Mis- souri, on September 10, 1837, and attained his majority at the place of his nativity, familiar- izing himself during those years with agriculture. On coming of age, he started farming for himself in Jackson county, remaining there up to 1868, at which time he removed to Minnesota, there meet- ing with some reverses along with success. There were years when his crops were destroyed by the hordes of grasshoppers that covered the ground to the depths of several inches, and on departing left nothing but a blackened waste. He made that vicinity his home for about eleven years, then migrated west, settling in what is now Rock county, although at that time it was an unor- ganized section of Nebraska, attached to Holt county for administrative purposes. He filed on a homestead north of Newport, and also took a timber claim on Ash creek, in due time proving up on both these tracts, finally acquiring full title to three hundred and twenty acres from the fed- eral government, to which he later added a quar- ter section of deeded land. When the country be- came settled more thickly and the range became scarce, Mr. Woods disposed of his herd of cattle, numbering over one hundred head, divided the land into two tenant farms, and himself removed to Stuart, there opening a livery barn and hotel. Foreseeing the opening of the reservation in Boyd county, he disposed of his interests at Stuart in 1890, transferring his operations to Mankato, which then gave promise of being the chief town in the new county. However, Butte was chosen as the county seat, and the railroad ran into Spencer, so, divining that the latter would be the better business center, he settled there in 1891, establishing a hotel and livery business at that point. He erected what was then the largest hotel in the town, and built a barn in keeping with the size and style of his house, the lumber for both buildings being hauled across the coun-

MR. AND MRS. ALEX LAMB,

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

try from O'Neill, thirty-five miles away. In the fall of 1901, he sold his livery business, and the following spring gave up the hotel, since which time he has given his time to conserving his financial interests, consisting of a considerable amount of the stock of the First National Bank of Spencer and its subsidary institutions, besides being largely interested in choice real estate here and elsewhere in the county.

Mr. Woods is a son of James and Mary (Englehart) Woods, the former one of the fa- mous forty-niners, who went with the thousands to seek gold, and from which trip he never re- turned, his death occurring in California. The mother remarried, and passed away in Texas, where she and her husband had settled about the beginning of the civil war. Mr. Woods was married in Minnesota, in 1868, to Mrs. Lizzie G. Parker, and they had for children: Willie James, Luther T., and Frank W., of Spencer, and Ethie, who married Edwin John Barnes and lives at Parsons, Kansas. Mrs. Woods died at Stuart in 1889. Our subject was united in marriage the second time, at Madelia, Minnesota, to Miss Elida Farnsworth, one son being born of this union, Lynn Woods, now cashier of the branch bank at Gross, Nebraska.

Mr. Woods is a republican in politics, and a leading members of his party. He is a member of the Congregational church, and fraternizes with the Masonic order at Spencer.

WILBUR M. SPEER.

Wilbur M. Speer is an old resident of Custer county, where he is well known and has various interests. He owns a large farm, some town property, and is interested in the creamery in- dustry in Comstock. He is one of the few who never lost faith in Nebraska's future during the hard years of drouth and poor crops, and has prospered well in his various enterprises. He was born in Rutland, Dane county, Wisconsin, De- cember 20, 1861, the only child of John D. and Sarah (Lockwood) Speer. The father was a na- tive of Michigan, moved to Wisconsin and from the latter state enlisted in the union army, dying while in the service, January 16, 1863. The mother was born in Vermont and died in Dane county in 1884.

Mr. Speer reached young manhood on the Wisconsin farm and learned the trade of black- smith. He was married at Paoli, Wisconsin, on February 22, 1879, to Miss Edna C. Warner, a native of Wisconsin, and one child was born of their union, Joseph A., married and living in Minneapolis. After marriage Mr. Speer con- tinned work at his trade for a few years and served as constable of Rutland for a time.

Mr. Speer was there married (second), May 25, 1884, to Caroline M. Owens, who was born at Brooklyn, Wisconsin, and they made their first

home at Albany, Wisconsin. In the spring of 1888 they came to Custer county and pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land on section twenty-nine, township eighteen, range seventeen, Douglas Grove township. They proved their title to this land and sold it, later living in Dry Valley for a number of years. In the spring of 1900 they purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land on the south half of section two, township eighteen, range eighteen, which is now the home place. It

is well equipped as a stock and grain farm, and in 1905 Mr. Speer erected a modern residence, barns and other suitable buildings. He has held varions local offices and for the past eleven years has been moderator, director and treasurer of school district number fifty-two. He is a pros- perous and successful farmer and business man, owning six hundred acres of land, and has for many years specialized in breeding horses, having raised some of the best trotters in the state. For many years he has taken a threshing outfit over the region and is one of the best known men in his part of Nebraska.

Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Speer : Cora E., wife of Clifford Roth, lives in Comstock and has two children; Percy W., married and liv- ing in Westcott, has two children ; Elza A., John E., Frank E., and Zella L., at home. Mrs. Speer's father, Ephraim Owens, was born in northern Wales and came to America in 1866, locating in Albany, Wisconsin. He died in that state in 1910. His wife, whose maiden name was Eleanor Meredith, was also born in northern Wales, and now resides in Albany. Mrs. Speer has a sister, Mrs. Jennie Hattel, and a brother, George H. Owens, living in York county, Nebraska; one brother, Thomas P., in Comstock; and two sisters, Mrs. Emeline Shaffer and Mrs. Cora Williams, in New York and Wisconsin, respectively.

ALEX LAMB.

Alex Lamb; an influential and wealthy agri- culturalist of Howard county, Nebraska, resides on his elegant farm in Kelso precinct, his dwell- ing place being on section twenty-three. He has accumulated his snug fortune by push and energy, and his high station as a farmer and citizen is richly deserved. He was born in Roxburghe- Shire, Scotland, May 25, 1845.

Mr. Lamb was the fourth member in a family of five children born to Alexander and Mary Lamb, and grew up in his native country. In 1869, he struck out for himself, coming to Amer- ica, and stopping in Kalamazoo, Michigan, during that summer.

For a few years he drifted around in different localities, and in 1871, in company with James aud George Irvine and James Baxter, came to Howard county from Iowa, arriving here in March. The party made locations of homesteads

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

on Oak creek, April 6, and were the first actual permanent settlers in the county. Their first dwelling was a shanty which they erected on George Irvine's claim, and there the four men "batched" together in true pioneer style. Each went to work with a will to improve his farm, Mr. Lamb remaining on his original homestead from that time to this. He has purchased land at different times, and now owns three hundred acres, all of which is in the finest possible condi- tion, and he has successfully engaged in grain and stock raising business.

Mr. Lamb has passed through the actual pioneering days of Nebraska, and was one of the first party of white men to cross the Loup river and locate a fording place. During those early days their nearest trading place was Grand Island, and he has many a time carried plow shares to that point to be sharpened, also well remembers grub packing Grand Island days.

On October 9, 1891, Mr. Lamb was married here to Sopha Miller, who is a native of Iowa, and one of the early teachers in Howard county. They have reared two children, Alexander W., and Walter M., and have lost two little ones. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Lamb appear on an- other page.

FRANK PETER.

Frank Peter, one of the enterprising agri- culturalists and worthy citizens of section twen- ty-six, township twenty-five, range two, Pierce county, Nebraska, is a man of industrious habits, progressive in his chosen work, and the owner of a good farm. Mr. Peter has become successful through his strict integrity and honest dealings, building up a comfortable home and gaining the respect of his fellow-men and is known as one of the solid citizens of Pierce county, where he has resided for the past twenty years.

Mr. Peter was born in Stoeckow, province of Pommerania, Germany, December 7, 1862. His father, Carl Peter, born in 1834, was superintend- ent on a large estate in Germany. When a young man he served his time in the army, and was called to arms in the war between Austria and Germany, in 1866. He died in 1909. Our sub- ject's mother; Henrietta Luedke, was born in the same province as her husband and about the same year, and died in 1892.

Mr. Peter received all his schooling in Ger- many, and learned the trade of harness making in the city of Frizow. In the spring of 1881 he sailed from Bremen to Baltimore in the "Leib- sig," making the passage in eighteen days. He depended upon common labor, drifting from one place to another; five years were spent on the range in Wyoming and Utah, riding horseback from Larimy to Ogden, thence to Salt Lake.

He finally settled in Madison county, Ne- braska, where he lived nine years, farming the

last season on rented land; coming thence to Pierce county in 1890, where after renting five years, he bought the land he now owns in 1894, and took possession the following year.

Mr. Peter was married October 6, 1887, to Miss Amelia Heckmann, who was born in Wisconsin, but whose parents, Godleib and Caorlina (Hils- berg) Heckmann, were natives of Germany, born near the Oder river some twenty miles from Ber- lin. They moved from Wisconsin to Nebraska in 1873. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Peter, named as follows: Minnie, wife of Alfred Bauman, a farmer of Pierce county ; Sadie, Otto and Frank.

Mr. Peters is numbered among the leading old-timers of this region and has gained the respect and esteem of his fellow-men, all of whom admire him for his strict integrity. Politically he is a democrat, and he and his family are of the Lutheran religion.

N. J. PAUL.

The gentleman above mentioned has for the: past forty-four years been closely identified witlı the development and growth of Nebraska, and particularly Howard county, where he has passed through all the various phases of pioneer life, and is known as a leading educator and man of affairs in his county and state.

N. J. Paul is a native of Meigs county, Ohio, born July 27, 1841. He grew up in that vicinity, remaining there until his twenty-first year, then came to Kansas where he engaged in school teach- ing. He spent the years of 1863 and 1864 in Kansas, and then returned to Ohio, but after one year went back to Kansas, locating in Leaven- worth county, and coming to Omaha, Nebraska, in 1867. There he became connected with the office of the surveyor general of Nebraska, and fol- lowed the work of a surveyor. He was United States deputy surveyor and contractor the

for government surveys, and filled

position during the first

survey of many

of the Nebraska counties. In this work he became thoroughly familiar with the early history of Nebraska, and no man here has a better knowledge of those times and the pro- gress made than he.

During this time he was also connected at times with the land department of the Union Pacific Railway Company.

In 1871, Mr. Paul located in Howard county, homesteaded on section thirty-four, township fifteen, range ten, and still owns this place, which is situated just outside of the corporation limits of St. Paul, and on which he has a commodious residence and every improvement.

The first bank established in the Loup river country, which was know as the Howard County Bank, was started by Wright and Carter in 1879. This was succeeded in 1884 by the St. Paul Na-

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

tional Bank, Mr. Paul being one of the original organizers, and has been continuously engaged in the banking business up to the present time. He is now president of the St. Paul State Bank, which succeeded the St. Paul National Bank in 1897, and is among the solid institutions of its kind in the state of Nebraska.

Our subject was one of the first county com- missioners of Howard county, and also was the first probate judge, receiving the election in 1871. During 1880-1884 he served as county treasurer. He was a member of the Nebraska legislature, elected in 1876, and a well known man in politics throughout the state.

N. J. Paul was the second child in a family of seven, both parents being natives of Pennsyl- vania, the father dying in Meigs county, Ohio, in 1881, and the mother there also, in 1890. On coming to Nebraska, Mr. Paul was accompanied by his brother, James N. Paul, who is equally known throughout the section.

Mr. Paul was married on February 19, 1876, at St. Paul, to Miss Lucile Holman. To them were born two children, both now deceased. Mrs. Paul died September 8, 1887.

In 1893, Mr. Paul was married to Abigal E. Boswell, and she died two years later, leaving one daughter, Pauline, now a charming young girl.

Mr. Paul has been prominently identified with every movement started for the advancement of the commercial and educational interests of his city, and for thirty-five years has been secre- tary of the St. Paul school board.

JAMES B. HUGHES.

James B. Hughes is one of the early settlers of Valley county, Nebraska, who have been able to acquire a competency and retire from active life. Mr. Hughes was born in Sullivan county, Indiana, August 13, 1850, seventh of eight chil- dren born to Hampton and Nancy (Patton) Hughes. The father, of Irish descent, was born in Kentucky, and died in Indiana in 1888, and the mother, also of Irish descent and a native of Ken- tucky, died in Indiana about 1855. They have a daughter in Lincoln, Nebraska, two sons in In- diana, besides our subject; others of their chil- dren are deceased.

The education of James B. Hughes was ac- quired in his native state, where he grew to ma- turity and engaged in agricultural pursuits. On January 20, 1880, he married Miss Katherine Smith, a native of Knox county, Indiana, and in the fall of 1888, brought his wife and two chil- dren to Valley county, securing a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land near Arcadia, the home place for a number of years. He was successful in his operations and developed an excellent farm, adding to his possessions and be- coming a prominent citizen of the community. 20

He now owns four hundred acres of land, con- taining substantial buildings, the house being located on section fifteen, township eighteen, range sixteen. In March, 1910, Mr. Hughes pur- chased fifteen acres of land within the city limits of Arcadia, where he has since resided, retired from more active life.

Eight children were born to Mr. Hughes and wife, namely: Ralph, whose wife died in May, 1910, lives at Sheridan, Wyoming, and has two children; Belle, wife of Daniel Thompson, of Valley county, has three children; Roy, of Valley county; Harley, married and lives four miles north of Arcadia; Curtis, of Valley county ; Nellie, married Claud Dalby and they live in Valley county ; Philip and Earl, at home, attend- ing the Arcadia schools.

Mr. Hughes passed through the usual hard- ships of pioneer life, and by his perseverance and success won a good standing in his community, and the respect of all. The first seven years he lived in a sod house on his homestead claim. The times being hard in western Nebraska, Mn. Hughes removed with his family to a farm he rented three-fourths of a mile from Lincoln, and was in town when the memorable blizzard of Jan- uary 12, 1888, broke over that part of the state. Facing the suffocating blast, he made his way safely home, more fortunate than many exposed to the icy wind. Deer were plentiful in the early days, and of these Mr. Hughes killed five.

Mr. Hughes served several years as director and treasurer of school districts numbers sixteen and nineteen. He is a republican in politics.

TIMOTHY N. TERRY.

Timothy N. Terry, an old settler in the north- eastern part of Nebraska, has done his full share in the upbuilding of this region, and his name will go down in history as one of those who spent the best years of their lives in assisting to develop the agricultural and commercial resources of the section in which they reside. He lives on section ten, township twenty-four, range four, Madison county, where he has a good farm of four hundred and eighty acres and a fine home, where he and his family are surrounded by a host of good friends and many acquaintances, and are es- teemed by all in the community.

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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 128

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