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 129

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 129

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Mr. Terry is a native of Jefferson county, Wisconsin, born March 13, 1843, a son of John and Elizabeth (Nichols) Terry. The father was born in Connecticut of English descent, his peo- ple coming from England in 1650; the mother was a native of Massachusetts, of Scotch-Irish descent.

Our subject grew to manhood in his native state, receiving the usual schooling, and in 1862 enlisted in the army during the civil war, serv- ing until August 15, 1865, when he received his honorable discharge. He saw service in Com- pany G, Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry, under

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Captain E. G. Miller and command of General F. J. Harren. The battles participated in were at Prairie Grove, Vicksburg, Fort Morgan and Spanish Fort.

In 1869 Mr. Terry came to Madison county, Nebraska, where he took up a homestead, also a pre-emption claim. He first built a log house in which the family lived for three and a half years, when a better and more commodious dwelling of the same construction was erected, this latter house serving the family for fifteen years, when a good frame residence was built.

In those first years of pioneer life, the family suffered many hardships and privations through crop failures, prairie fires, elements of the weather, etc .; not the least of these were the grasshopper pests that came for three successive years and destroyed every spear of vegetation to be found for miles around; they would come in great dark clouds and swoop down on the fields of verdant crops that were nearly ready for har- vest, and after their flight nothing but stubble and bare ground was to be seen. Another danger was from treacherous prairie fires that would come upon the settlers almost unaware, and often the family were compelled to fight the flames to save their home and property, and even their lives. Mr. Terry remembers that deer and antelope were numerous in those days and often could be seen in large herds grazing in the open. Mr. Terry was married November 25, 1866, to Miss Josie Mckenzie, and Mr. and Mrs. Terry have been blessed with nine children, namely : Elizabeth, Frederick, Sherman, Frank, Richard, Mildred, Ruby, Elsworth and Clyde.

Mr. Terry is a prosperous and successful agri- culturalist, and now owns four hundred and eighty acres of choice land, and has fifty acres of fine orchard and forest trees. IIe has one of the finest places in this portion of the county, and his home and family are widely and prominently known. He is a member of the United Brethren church, and an independent voter.

WILLIAM J. RICE.

William J. Rice is well known as a public- spirited citizen, ready to do his part to advance the interests of Custer county and the state of Nebraska, and is prominent as a member of the republican central committee. Ile is one of the early settlers of the county, where he was achieved notable success as a stock and grain farmer, and is honored as a veteran of the civil war. He was born in Adair county, Missouri, March 20, 1844, eldest of the seven children of Erastus and Amanda (Mason) Rice, the father a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and the mother of Missouri. The father was a soldier in the Mexican war and both parents died in Missouri, he April 23, 1888, at the age of sev- enty-one years, and the mother January 26, 1874,

at the age of fifty-three years. One son lives in Idaho, one son in British Columbia, two daugh- ters live in Missouri, one daughter lives in Okla- homa, one son is deceased, and William J., is the subject of this article.

Mr. Rice was reared to farm work and re- ceived his education in the public schools of his native place, where he later engaged in farming on his own account. In August, 1863, he enlisted in Centerville, Iowa, in Company L, Eighth Iowa Cavalry, in which he served to the close of the war, receiving his discharge at Clinton, Iowa, in the fall of 1865. He passed through the Atlanta campaign and was with Wilson on his raid through Georgia, taking part in the important battles of Franklin and Nashville, besides many minor engagements. At the close of the war, hav- ing won a very creditable record, he returned to Missouri, and on November 18, 1866, in Put- nam county, married Miss Sarah A. Mullins, a native of that state. They spent several years in that state, then came to Nebraska, making the trip in 1887, with their seven children.

Mr. Rice secured a homestead on the north- east quarter of section seven, township seventeen, range twenty-three, and pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres adjoining. This has since been the family home and has been brought to a high state of productiveness, being equipped with modern machinery and appliances. In 1909, Mr. Rice erected a handsome modern residence. For the past fifteen years he has served as justice of the peace and filled various township offices at different times since coming to Custer county. He helped organize school district number sixty- one and is now treasurer of same. He is actively interested in all local affairs and has a good standing in the community.

Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rice: William E., at home; Mary L., wife of Daniel Maupin, of Sterling, Colorado, has eight children ; Martha F., wife of William Ward- robe, of Custer county, has five children; Amanda, wife of Douglas D. Shaw, of Custer county, has eight children ; James Riley. married and living on West Table, has two children; Charles Elmer, at home; John C., married and living in West Table, has one child. Mrs. Rice's father, Matthew Mullins, was born in North Caro- lina and died in Missouri in 1871. The mother, whose maiden name was Nancy Guinn, was born in Tennessee and died in Missouri about 1879. Two of their sons, Thomas B. and John W., served in the Eight Iowa Cavalry in the civil war, and the former was for three months confined in Andersonville prison. Mrs. Rice has two brothers in Missouri and two in Kansas.

RICHARD HANSON.

Another one of the adopted sons of Nebraska who has, by dint of hard work, industry and

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thrift, succeeded in becoming one of the most successful farmers in Wayne county, is Mr. Rich- ard Hanson of Wayne. Although living in town, he is still actively engaged in farming, even to the extent of often driving into the country and remaining a week at a time in order to give his personal attention to the work in hand.

Richard H. Hanson was born in the village of Lugum, District of Tondern, Schlesswig-Holstein, on November 30, 1845. The province at that time was under Danish rule, the sovereignty not pass- ing to Prussia until the close of the war of 1865. As was customary, Mr. Hanson served his three years in the army and had returned home, when a few months later, he was recalled to take up arms in the Franco-Prussian war. During the fourteen months that this war was in progress, he was in the battles of Wirth, Vionville, Grave- lotte, Beaumont, Sedan, Strausberg and Metz. A younger brother, Fred, fell in the battle of Gravelotte, but Richard and an older brother, William, passed safely through the war.

Richard Hanson came to America in the spring of 1872, taking passage on the "Cymbria" on March 6, and landing at Castle Garden twelve days later. He proceeded westward to Daven- port, and thence to Muscatine, Iowa, where he found work on the farm of Oliver Silverton. His brother, Hans, wrote him for money in order that he too might come to the much-dreamed new world without delay. Richard's employer ac- cordingly paid him the balance of his five months' wages in advance, thus enabling Haus to start at once. He arrived in Iowa in August of that year. He prospered and later owned a farm in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, where he died.

In December, 1881, Mr. Hanson was married to Miss Anna Mueller, a native of the village of Ditmarchen, Holstein. Her parents, by a strange coincidence embarked on the same vessel which had taken Mr. Hanson to this country four years before they emigrated. The family settled on a farm near Davenport. In the spring of 1882 they moved to Omaha, where the father lived the re- mainder of his life and died October 29, 1890, at the age of fifty-nine years. The mother lived there until her death, which occurred January 20, 1911, at the age of eighty-five years, three months and twenty-nine days.

After his marriage Mr. Hanson moved to Shelby county, and farmed rented land for three years, but March 5, 1885, found him and his wife installed on their own farm about five miles south of La Port, the old county seat, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres at twelve dollars and fifty cents per acre. He began at once to im- prove this open prairie land, first building a small house, then adding sheds and barns as occasion demanded. An orchard and groves were started and soon he had a very thrifty look- ing farm. In 1895, a large addition was erected, making the farm house very roomy and comfort-

able. The original farm has since been increased by the purchase of an adjoining quarter section. He has also purchased a quarter section of fine land about seven miles southeast of Wayne. In 1907, after living twenty-two years on the farm, he moved to Wayne and is now taking life more easily than heretofore.

Mr. Hanson's parents followed their children to the new world in 1882, making their home with one or another of their children. The father died at Minden, Towa, on February 20, 1896, at the age of eighty-two, and the mother died at the age of seventy years, two months and sixteen days.

Mr. and Mrs. Hanson have had six children born to them, all of whom are living: Hans J., occupies the old homestead; Regina, now Mrs. Alfred Hass, is in Iowa county, Iowa; Catherine, Anna, Richard H., junior, and Harry are still at home.

In politics, Mr. Hanson is a democrat and he is also a member of the Lutheran church. He is an associate of the German army societies and attends their meetings in Omaha, talking over with old comrades the days of trial in the trenches and in the open fields. He has several medals made from the bronze of captured French cannon, which commemorates deeds of valor done in the heavy battles of the Franco-Prussian war.

Although they did not come to Nebraska until 1885, still Mr. and Mrs. Hanson have many stories to tell of their trials here, which includes reminiscences of the days when they had to burn twisted hay and corn for fuel. Mrs. Hanson has had the experience of learning English since coming to this state, and can now read, write and speak that language as fluently as her chil- dren.

FREDERICK LAUB.

The above named gentleman is one of the old settlers of Nebraska, who came to this state when it was practically in its infancy and has remained to see it grow from a wild prairie to the fertile and productive country it has now become.

Frederick Laub, son of John Phillip and Anna Maria (Groff) Laub, was born in Germany, No- vember 30, 1841, and was third of thirteen chil- dren, of whom one sister resides in Kansas, one in Omaha, one brother in Clarks, Nebraska, and another in Chapman. The parents are deceased. In 1848 our subject came with his father and fam- ily to America, locating in Illinois, where Mr. Laub received his education and later engaged in farming.

On February 1, 1869, Mr. Laub was married to Katherine Nordeen, of Illinois. She died March 31, 1870, survived by her husband and one son, Leonard, who died a few months later.

In the spring of 1871, Mr. Laub came to Mer- rick county, Nebraska, and homesteaded one hun-

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dred and sixty acres in section thirty-two, town- ship thirteen, range seven, where he resided about fifteen years, and in 1886 retired from farm- ing and moved to Chapman where he built a good home and where he now resides.

On November 22, 1874, Mr. Laub was married to Mrs. Mary McCatheron of Wisconsin. Two children were born of this union: Gertrude, who is married to Harry Easter, has four children and lives on the father's homestead; and Edna, who resides at home. Mrs. Laub died January 31, 1901, at her home in Chapman.

Mr. Laub has been prosperous and successful, owning two hundred and forty acres of fine farm land, as well as good city property. He is one of the earliest settlers in this portion of Nebraska, and has passed through all the trying experiences and discouragements of frontier life; and is widely and favorably known.

In November, 1864, Mr. Laub enlisted in Com- pany I, One Hundred and Forty-eighth illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war, when he received his honorable discharge September 18, 1865, at Springfield, Illinois, hav- ing been mustered out at Nashville, Tennessee, September 5, 1865. While in service he was on guard duty mostly in Tennessee.

Mr. Laub served on the school board of Chap- man schools four years, and is widely and favor- ably known as a citizen who is always interested in the welfare of his home county and state.

Jacob Laub, deceased, brother of the subject of this biographical writing, was born in Ger- many, April 29, 1846, and his personal history is identical to that of his brother's above mentioned until the spring of 1872, when he came to Merrick county, Nebraska, and homesteaded eighty acres of land in section twenty-eight, township thir- teen, range seven. On October 31, 1875, Mr. Laub was married to Loa Fishburn, of Iowa, and from this union six children were born: Jennie, who is married to Roy Dunn, lives in Hamilton county, Nebraska; Vida, wife of Frank Clark, has four children and resides in Merriek county ; Eva, who is married to Anson Holmes, has four children and lives in Perkins county, Nebraska ; Anna, wife of Clyde Clemens, lives in Longhurst, Colorado; Nina, who resides at home; and Fred N., who is married and lives in Merriek county.

Mrs. Laub has four brothers residing in Ne- braska, two in Colorado, another in the state of Washington, where one sister also lives, and one sister in Colorado, and a brother in Merriek eounty. IIer father died September 30, 1907. Mrs. Laub now resides with her mother, Mrs. David Fishburn, near Chapman, surrounded by a large circles of friends.

Mr. and Mrs. Laub were among the early set- tlers of the county, and passed through all the trying experiences and hardships ineidental to pioneer life. Mr. Laub was prosperous and sue- cessful and owned one hundred sixty aeres of good farm land. In the early days he served as

precinet constable, and also was one of the organi- zers of his school district and served as director of the same a number of years. He retired from the farm in 1884 and moved to Chapman, where he lived until the time of his death, which occur- red March 9, 1885. He was survived by his wife and six children.

H. J. KIMBALL.

Few men have been privileged to enjoy so wide a range of travel, to participate in as many varied phases of life, and be personally acquainted with so many well known men as Mr. H. J. Kim- ball of Creighton. He has mingled in political life in the east; ridden the range as a cowboy in the west; stood in the marts of the new world's great cities, and sailed the seas to foreign lands with an elderly friend of his father's who was like an uncle to him.

H. J. Kimball was born in Bangor, Maine. February 8, 1847, the son of Captain Asa and Mary A. (Piper) Kimball of Bangor, Maine. Captain Asa Kimball was a ship builder in the old Pine state at a time when American clippers invaded every sea and outsailed the ships of all other nations. At the outbreak of the civil war he raised a company of the Twelfth Maine Infan- try and was elected captain; for his services on the staff and on detached duty he was brevetted colonel. His career was ended in one of the bat- tles just a week before the surrender at Appo- mattox, and he lies buried at Atlanta, Georgia. He was an intimate acquaintance of James G. Blaine, Hannibal Hamlin and other notable men of New England, and had not the accident of battle cut him off in the prime of life would no doubt have won distinction in the councils of the nation.

The son, H. J. Kimball, later enlisted at the age of sixteen in the First Maine Heavy Artillery, under Colonel Daniel C. Chaplin and Major Charles Hamlin, son of the vice president, and participated in some of the hottest battles of the civil war. In the three day's siege of Petersburg his regiment lost sixty-six per cent of its men in an action of but twenty minutes' duration; the greatest death loss of any engagement in the history of the world. Among the general en- gagements in which Mr. Kimball participated were Spottsylvania, North Anna, Topopotomy, Petersburg, Jerusalem Road, Deep Bottom, Wel- don R. R., Boydon Road, Hatchee's Run and Saylor's Creek.

Mr. Kimball when a boy was frail, and was sent on a sea voyage that was to be his cure or his end, the doctors could not tell which. Em- barking in a sailing vessel, the six months at sea put new blood into his veins and new thoughts and ideas into his brain. Coasting along the northern shores of the Mediterranean, he visited inany of the smaller ports out of beaten tracks, and came home with a mind stored with bits of

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travel that could never have been gleaned from years of reading in books. When a young man he was employed by the well known capitalist and manufacturer, Robert B. Seaman, to promote the use and sales of the "iron clad" can in the dairy country tributary to New York. For twelve years he held a desk in the treasury department, at times taking part in political campaigns, being in close touch with old comrades of the tented field and wielding a strong influence with them. In the same office where he sat, Julius Rathbone, who later wrote the ritual of the Pythian order, and he conferred upon Mr. Kimball the degrees as they were given when the order was in its infancy.

Coming west in the spring of 1884, he became the first industrial teacher of the Yankton Indian school at Greenwood, South Dakota, near Fort Randall, and while here became intimately ac- quainted with Charles Conger, son of the senator and minister to China. Coming to Creighton in April, 1885, Mr. Kimball for a time did with his might what his hand found to do, and later be- came foreman in Holbrook & Freeze's lumber yard. In 1895, he spent several months riding the range on the Smith ranch at Cottonwood, South Dakota, and later on the "Bar T" and "Cross Anchor" ranches.

Mr. Kimball was married in Washington, D. C., July 16, 1873, to Miss Avadela Lewis, born in Remson, New York, daughter of Lafayette and Hannah (Herron) Lewis. Her father died when she was quite young and the mother removed to New Jersey, where Mrs. Kimball was reared. They have a well kept cottage home which com- pares favorably with any of its class in town. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kimball: Hattie E., is the wife of William Raf- ferty, of Chicago; Harry J., of Portland, Oregon, married Mrs. Margaret Zimmer, whom he met while settling the estate of her late husband, and they have property in many of the larger cities throughout the western states; Gertrude A., lives . in Creighton, her husband, Frank Hufsmith, be- ing one of the business men of the town. They have two children : Ava A., and Janice K.

Mr. Kimball has experienced many of the vicissitudes of western life, and one that came nearest being tragedy occurred in the blizzard of January 12, 1888. Going to the school for his children, he started home a short distance north and found himself with his little ones several blocks to the east on the banks of the creek; he finally made his way home with the young folk, but all were chilled through and nearly ex- hausted and smothered by the ice dust that was driven through their clothing, and into their eyes, nose and mouth.

The last few years Mr. Kimball has been en- gaged in house painting and has won success in his business by square dealing and efficiency. He is a republican in politics ; one of the early mem- bers of the Pythian order, and a comrade of the

Grand Army of the Republic. He attained some skill as a drummer, and is called upon on gala occasions to rattle the snares for the Grand Army of the Republic.

ELIHU T. LONG.

Eliliu T. Long, owner of a valuable farm on section twenty-one, of Beaver precinct, Boone county, is a pioneer agriculturalist and stock- man of that region.

Mr. Long was born in Iowa county, Iowa, on May 8, 1855, the youngest of five children in the family of James B. and Francis Long. He re- ceived his early education there, and in May, 1871, in company with his father and brother, Windfield S., came to Boone county, the father and brother each taking up homesteads. In July of that year they went to Iowa and brought the family back with them, landing in Boone county in October. Here they went through the usual pioneer experiences, our subject remembering well the early days when they suffered priva- tion and hardship by reason of the inability to get many of the necessities of life, being obliged to haul all supplies from Columbus, etc.

Our subject filed on a homestead for himself as soon as he became of age, settling on section twenty-one, township nineteen, range five, which is still his home farm, comprising three hundred and sixty acres, having good buildings of all kinds, groves and orchards, and is one of the valuable estates in that part of the county.

Mr. Long was married on March 14, 1894, at the home of her parents in St. Edward, to Miss Anna Warner. To them have been born three children : Forrest B., Asher D., and Elihu T., junior, all now at home and attending the local schools.

Mr. Long's first poll tax was worked out on the public highway joining his father's home- stead, and in his fiftieth year he worked his last poll tax on the same highway. He is a wide-awake man of affairs in his locality, and has made a decided success of farming and stock raising. He is familiarly known to his friends as "Hoot" Long, and is one of the old landmarks and lead- ing citizens of his county.

H. FULTON.

A typical old settler of the state of Nebraska is represented in the gentleman above named. H. Fulton, who has lived many years in this section of the country and has been a part of the growth and development of this region.

Our subject's parents came to Dodge county, Nebraska, in 1870, from Wisconsin, which state had been their home for many years, driving the entire distance of the journey. Our subject was the eldest child of John and Addie (Phillips) Fulton, the father, John Fulton, was born April

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3, 1842, and descended from Irish and English stock, and served America in the civil war from 1861 to 1864, enlisting in Company C, Seventh Wisconsin, and Battery B, Number Four, United States Light Artillery, and participated in the following battles : First battle of Bull Run, Gettysburg, Antietem, Cold Harbor, Battle of the Wilderness, Siege of Petersburg and battle of the Potomac. His brother was killed in the Battle of the Wilderness. Our subject's father helped to build the railroad from Fremont to Norfolk, Nebraska. The mother of the subject of this sketch, Addie Phillips Fulton, was of English descent, a native of Wisconsin, and Ifer father had come from the state of New York. Her grandfather took part in the war with Indians, which in his and his forefather's time was an additional hardship the later pioneers did not experience. When the grandfather was one year old, the Indians picked him up to carry him away, but he was rescued.

Our subject and his parents began life in a modest way, and endured the many hardships incident to those early days in Nebraska. They took up eighty acres of land and built a shanty of rough boards, and their nearest market place was twenty-five miles distant. They faced star- vation in those days on account of the grasshop- per raids which took nearly all they had raised to sustain themselves with. The mother also had a hard time to protect the children from the Indians who had attempted to carry them away. The family also fought the prairie fires which devastated the prairies in those days.

Mr. Fulton was married February 20, 1891, to Miss Bertha Dow, and they are the parents of four children, whose names are: John H., Blanche H., Muriel H., and Charles H. Our subjeet's wife came to Dodge county, Nebraska, from Germany when she was fourteen years old.

In 1896, Mr. Fulton and family came to Ante- lope county and bought one hundred and sixty acres of good land from Mr. W. T. Kirk, who had homesteaded the land and proved up. Before buying his land, our subject rented it for twenty dollars per year, and in the early days expe- rienced many hardships common to that period, losing crops in the hail storms; and he only re- ceived six cents per bushel for corn which he raised. Mr. Fulton now owns three hundred and twenty acres of good land, seven acres of which are cultivated to trees.

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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 129

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