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 132

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 132

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FRANK G. LEHMANN.

Prominent among the leading old settlers of Madison county, Nebraska, is the gentleman whose name heads this personal history, and he is entitled to a foremost place. Mr. Lehmann is living on section one, township twenty-three, range one, where he and his family reside, and enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them; and their friends are many.

Mr. Lehmann is a native of Dodge, Wisconsin, in which state his birth occurred August 16, 1866, and he is a son of Frederick and Henrietta (Melcher) Lehmann both of whom were natives of the province of Prussia, Ger- many. The parents left their native land in 1848 coming to America, where there were better opportunities for a young man with a family to get a start in life. They embarked on a sailboat at Hamburg, Germany, and after being on the sea for sixteen weeks, they landed in New York. After landing in the United States, they proceeded westward as far as the state of Wisconsin, where they located, remaining there until 1868. They then migrated with covered wagon and ox team to Madison county, Nebraska, and were on the road seven weeks. Our subject's father had preceded him, had staked out a home- stead, and had gone back for his family. When he and his family arrived in Madison county they found another man had taken the homestead and on this land had built the first store in this sec- tion of the country, which became a trading post. Mr. Lehmann, our subject, bought this man out.

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Mr. Lehmann's father died in April, 1881, and the mother still kept the old homestead, and in 1884 built a good frame house, the lumber for its construction being shipped from Wisconsin.

In the pioneer days of some forty years ago, conditions were vastly different than now, as time has worked wonders in that number of years; instead of a thriving, well populated country and prosperity on every hand, in those early days there was scarcely anything to be seen for miles but the unbroken, rolling prairies, and the only living creatures outside of a very few settlers scattered here and there, were the deer and ante- lope that frequently could be seen grazing around. Many hardships and privations were endured in those early frontier days, and among other dan- gers to be encountered were the prairie fires that raged so fiercely at times, and which swept every- thing before them and left black desolation in their path ; many times our subject and his family were compelled to fight the walls of flame to save their lives and property. Another discourage- ment experienced by the family was the devasta- tion wrought by the hordes of grasshoppers that came each year for the first few years of settle- ment in this new country, and destroyed every blade of vegetation for miles, causing great pri- vation and hardship in this part of the country. But those trying times have long since passed, and prosperity and success attend the efforts of all who persevere.

Mr. Lehmann was married November 27, 1890, to Miss Anna Rieggert, and they are the parents of five children, whose names are as follows: Herbert, Reinhold, Elsie, Erven, and Clara. They are members of the Lutheran church, and Mr. Lehmann is a democrat.

WILLIAM A. KAUPP.

William A. Kaupp belongs to one of the old and distinguished families of Custer county who have had so much to do with its upbuilding and development. He has been notably successful as a farmer and stock man and owns one of the lar- gest farms in the county. He was born in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, February 26, 1870, son of Christian and Catherine (Hleindinger) Kaupp, and the eldest of their fourteen children. The family is mentioned at considerable length in connection with the sketch of the father, Chris- tian Kaupp, which appears elsewhere in these pages. The parents reared a large family to honorable man and womanhood and they were among the best known families in central Ne- braska.

Mr. Kaupp spent his early life on his father's farm in Illinois and there received his education. In 1887, when about seventeen years of age. he accompanied his parents and the rest of the fam- ily to Custer county, where the father took up a homestead. Ile remained with them on West Table several years, and in 1904 homesteaded

two hundred and forty acres of land in Pine canon, section thirty, township seventeen, range twenty-three, where he lived about six years. On December 17, 1896, he married Nettie Troyer, of Pine canon, a native of Nebraska, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Troyer, who are now living in Callaway Nebraska. Mrs. Kaupp has two brothers in Cus- ter county, George and Nicholas; two sisters there; one brother in Wyoming, and one sister and two brothers in the state of Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Troyer came to Clay county, Ne- braska, in the early seventies. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kaupp : Loren E. and Orvil R., at home; one child died in infancy ; Wilma and Zelma at home.

In the spring of 1910 Mr. Kaupp purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land on sec- tion ten, township seventeen, range twenty- three, which was a well improved and equipped grain and stock farm, and the family have since made their home there. He is known as an enterprising and progressive citizen and is one of the younger residents of Custer county who have achieved success and prosperity there by their own efforts. He passed through many pioneer experiences and is one of the best known men in the region. He is director of school board of distriet number one hundred and fifty-one, and actively interested in educa- tional and other beneficial movements in his com- munity. He owns twelve hundred and eighty acres of well improved land.

HERMAN H. MOHR.

The gentleman above named was one of the leading business men of Pierce, Nebraska, and his career is a striking example of what ambi- tion and enterprise will do when backed by per- severance and determination, as from a humble beginning he grew to be one of the prosperous business men of his part of the county, success attending his every effort, and today his name is synonymous for prosperity and vietory.

Herman HI. Mohr is a native of Clinton county, Iowa, born August 3, 1862, a son of Henry and Maggie (Koch) Mohr, who were married in Dav- enport, lowa. The father was born in the prov- ince of Schleswig, Germany, and was a pioneer in both Iowa and Nebraska. They had eleven children, seven of whom are living, Herman H. Mohr being the eldest. Mrs. Mohr's parents were natives of Schleswig, Germany, her grand- mother dying there in 1906 at the age of one hundred and five years.

When Herman was thirteen years of age, the family settled in Sae county, Iowa, where the father opened a general store at Wall Lake, and he worked as a clerk in the store for seven years, then started in the same business for himself at Early, Iowa, continuing for six years.

In June, 1888, he came to Pierce and opened a

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lumber yard, the first in the city, dealing in grain, coal and lumber, and became very successful. In November, 1910, he sold his business in Pierce and became identified with the International and Southern Mausoleum Company of Chicago, of which he is one of the officers. To this he brings the same energy and capability that have made all his business ventures successful; prosperity is sure to follow him.

Our subject was married at Early, Iowa, to Miss Suza Lee, who is a native of New York state, her parents, John and Suza (Smith) Lee, were early pioneers in Iowa; the father emigrat- ing from London, the place of his nativity. Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mohr: Lloyd, now a student at the Wisconsin State University, and Lee, attending the Pierce high school.

Mr. Mohr is a republican, and for about six- teen years was alderman in his town. He has been interested in the real estate business for many years, and has platted three different ad- ditions to Pierce, also owns several fine farms near the county seat.

ANDREW RICE.

Andrew Rice, one of the prominent early set- tlers of eastern Nebraska, is proprietor of an ex- tensive farm of four hundred acres known as the "Home Ranch," improved with splendid buildings and well equipped, and which is lo- cated in section two, township thirteen, range eight, and is a fine stock farm. Mr. Rice is a man of excellent qualifications and in whatever enterprise he has embarked he has met with success. He has also been an important factor in the development of the agricultural and com- mercial resources of Merrick county, and is wide- ly and favorably known throughont this and ad- joining counties.

Andrew Rice, farmer, son of John and Eliza- beth (Eckert) Rice, was born in Ohio, April 27, 1862, and is second in the family of four children ; he has one sister residing in Canton, Ohio, one brother in Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, and another in South Dakota. Our subject's parents died in Ohio. Mr. Rice received his education in the home schools and later was interested in farming.

In February, 1885, Mr. Rice was united in wedlock to Miss Elizabeth Hahn, also of Ohio, and in the same month came west to Nebraska, locating in Lancaster county for one year, then going into Otoe county, purchasing one hundred and sixty acres, living on this farm for eleven years. In the spring of 1897 he sold this farm and came to Merrick county, purchasing four hundred and eighty acres of land southeast of Archer, where he lived until Jannary, 1909, when he sold this and bonght his present home, which is a fine stock farm, known as "Home Ranch." This place contains four hundred acres. It is im-

proved with splendid buildings and is well equipped, and here he is still living. Mr. Rice has been moderator of his school district, number twenty-four, for some years. He is a successful man of affairs, and is interested in the welfare of his home state and county, and is widely and favorably known.

Mr. and Mrs. Rice have had eight children : Clyde, who resides in Archer, Nebraska; Dexter, living at home; Lilly, wife of Glenn Rice, has two children and lives in Merrick county ; and Mel- ven, Andy, Vira, Ernest and Flossy, all. of whom reside at home.

JOHN STAHLECKER.

Most of the immigrants from Europe prove to be thrifty, and in time prosperous, and such may be said of the venerable John Stahlecker, now living, retired from active labor, in the village of Naper, Boyd county, Nebraska.

John Stahlecker was born in the village of Fredersdahl, Prussia, December 17, 1843. His parents, Josias and Katrina (Koch) Stahlecker, soon after his birth, moved to Russia, where that government gave immigrants a tract of free land. Here he followed the life of a farmer until emi- grating to America in 1873. Sailing from Ham- burg, he landed in New York after a voyage of fifteen days, and came directly to Columbus, Ne- braska. He rented farm land there for five years, thence moving to South Dakota, and filing on a homestead in Hutchinson county, where he lived for fourteen years. Selling his land here, he removed to Nebraska, in 1892, and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Boyd county, two and a half miles west of Naper. Here he re- sided until 1905, when he bought a comfortable cottage home in town and has since refrained from active labor. He is, with two sons-in-law, interested in two hardware and implement houses, one in Naper and one in Herrick, South Dakota.

Mr. Stahlecker was married in the old coun- try, in the year 1863, to Miss Barbara Reuter, who is the mother of eleven living children, named as follows: Conrad, who lives on his farm north of Naper; Fredrika, wife of Fernand Klandt, Gottlieb, who resides at Delmont, South Dakota; Josias, who rents a farm one mile west of Naper; Katrina, wife of Samnel Statsmann. who is one of the partners in the hardware busi- ness and runs the store in Naper; John has a farm two miles west of town: Barbara, who lives in Naper, where her husband, Claus Vogt, is en- gaged in the furniture business; Elizabeth is the wife of Charles Reichel, the third member of the hardware firm, and who runs the Herrick branch of the business; Marie is married to John Blakkolb, who owns a grocery store in Naper: Dora and her husband. John Houf, live on their homestead claim in Gregory, South Dakota; and Jacob clerks in the Naper store of his father's firm.

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Mr. Stahlecker is republican in political faith. and is a lifelong member of the Lutheran church.

He has endured the many winter storms that prevail in this region and has weathered a num- ber of the fierce blizzards that sweep the plains, including that of January 12, 1888. Prairie fires have devastated his farm from time to time, car- rying up in smoke many tons of hay and en- dangering his buildings. His earliest home was the typical sod house of the pioneer, but later he built frame dwellings and has had good houses on all the tracts of land that have been his home.

ALFRED W. DYAR AND JOHN WALTER DYAR.

John Walter Dyar, one of the leading farmers and early pioneers of Boone county, occupies a fine estate in Boone precinct, where for the past many years he has manifested true public spirit, and gained, incidentally, the esteem of his asso- ciates by his honesty and persistent labors for the good of the people of that region.

John W. Dyar was born in Webster county, Iowa, on April 28, 1867, and is a son of Alfred W. Dyar, who is one of the old-timers of Boone county, Nebraska. John came here with his parents when a child of four years, the mother, a brother and one sister joining the husband and father, who came here in the spring of 1871, and the others following in August. Mr. Dyar had filed on a homestead and prepared a home for his family, and John Walter grew up on the original farm, which has been his home during his entire career. He was married to Miss Grace Swart at Sharon, Wisconsin, on August 7, 1895. Mrs. Dyar is a native of Boone county, Illinois. They have one daughter, Shirley Hazel.

Alfred W. Dyar was born in Middlebury, Vermont, on July 31, 1822. On July 30, 1857, he married Catherine J. Campbell at Lyons, Wis- consin, she being a native of New York state. Their first home was established at Mineral Point, Wisconsin, where they remained for about nine years then moved into lowa, following farming in Webster county up to 1871, at which time they came to Boone county, Nebraska. Here Mr. Dyar homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres on section six, township nineteen, range five, which was used as the home place up to the time of his death, in June, 1893.

Mr. Dyar was survived by his wife and three children : Herbert G., who is married and lives in University Place, Lincoln, Nebraska, is the father of six bright children, and the family are popular members of social life in their community. The second son, John Walter, is mentioned in the first part of this sketch, and one daughter. Mona, is the wife of Calude Mariele, mother of three children, the family well known in Boone county.

Mrs. Dyar remained on the farm for about three years after her husband's death, then moved to Boone, where she has purchased a good

home and enjoys a large circle of friends. Mrs. Dyar's mother died June 7, 1883, in Wisconsin, having reached the ripe old age of eighty-one years. She had survived her husband by many years, and had made her home in Lyons. Mrs. Dyar's father, Peter Campbell, also died at the same place.

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Dyar were among the earliest pioneers of Boone county, and passed through the discouragements and hardships of frontier life, becoming widely and favorably known for their many acts of neighborly helpful- ness and good citizenship.

Mr. Dyar enlisted in Company F, of the Sec- ond Wisconsin Regiment of Cavalry in the early part of the civil war, and served for three years and three months. He saw every phase of a sol- dier's life and endured much suffering and hard- ship, receiving his honorable discharge in Janu- ary, 1865.

S. R. BARTON.

For over thirty-three years the gentleman above named has been identified with the history of the growth and development of northeastern Nebraska, and is known as one of the prominent citizens of Antelope county, Nebraska, where he resides on section twenty-five, township twenty- eight, range seven. He has lived on his present homestead for over thirty years, and during that time by good management and industry has be- come one of the substantial agriculturists of his locality. He is also a man of active public spirit, always lending his aid and influence for the bet- terment of conditions in his community.

Mr. Barton is a native of Allegheney county, New York, born July 21, 1844, and was eighth in a family of nine chlidren born to Silas R. and Har- riett (Woleott) Barton, the father being a native of Massachusetts, born in 1804, and the mother of our subject being born in the same year and state as the father. The family moved-to Pennsylva- nia when our subject was three years old, where they remained until 1852, when they went to Clinton, Iowa, remaining there until 1862, when they came to Fulton, Whiteside county, Illinois. While residing in Illinois, our subject left to serve in the civil war, enlisting in Company K, One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Illinois Volunteers, un- der Captain Clark. Mr. Barton enlisted Febru- ary 22, 1865, being put on garrison duty, and re- ceived an honorable discharge in May, 1865. Af- ter his discharge Mr. Barton resided in Kent county, Michigan, until 1871, then moving to St. Louis, Missouri, remaining there until 1875, then going back to Fulton county, Illinois, and re- maining there three years.

In 1878 Mr. Barton came to Madison county, Nebraska, driving in a covered wagon from Illi- mois, and after his arrival here worked at what- ever his hands found to do, remaining there one year and a half. In 1880 he came to Antelope

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county, taking up a pre-emption and tree claim of one hundred and sixty acres in section twenty- three, township twenty-eight, range seven, on which he built a sod house. In the early days of his residence here, Wisner, Nebraska, and Yank- ton, South Dakota, were the nearest market places. Since his residence in Antelope county, our subject has built three sod houses. His frame honse was one of the first frame houses erected in this part of the county.

On July 21, 1877, Mr. Barton was· united in marriage to Miss Lydia Peasley, to whom seven children have been born: Henry, married to Miss Edith LaBranch, has six children; William, mar- ried to Mary Thurston, has one child; Alfred married Agnes Croghan; Leonard, married to Miss Nora Geers, has one child; Ed., who is mar- ried to Miss Lula Troutman, and has one child; George, married to Miss Lula Totten, has one child; and Carrie. Mr. and Mrs. Barton and family enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them, and they have a host of friends, and acquaintances.

GEORGE W. McINTOSH.

George W. McIntosh is one of the early set- tlers of Custer county who have passed through the discouragements and trials incident to pio- neer life and have won success through untiring industry and energy. He is well known in his community as representative of the best interests of his county and state and has a large number of friends. Mr. McIntosh was born in Monroe county, Iowa, February 22, 1851, fourth in order of birth of the eight children of Daniel and Emily (Land) McIntosh. He has a brother, W. A., in Custer county ; a brother, H. H., in Lincoln; two sisters in Iowa and a brother in Missouri. His father was a native of Virginia and his mother of Indiana, and both died in Iowa, the former in 1890.

Mr. McIntosh grew to young manhood on an Iowa farm, receiving the educational advantages usually given farmers' sons in his native state, and after leaving school engaged in farming. On August 12, 1880, at Hopeville, Iowa, he was united in marriage with Josephine DeBout, a native of Fulton county, Illinois, and they made their first home in Iowa. In 1884 they removed to York county, Nebraska, and in December, 1885 they came to Custer county to live. Mr. McIntosh hav- ing filed on a homestead on section thirty, town- ship eighteen, range eighteen, on March 16, of that year. They lived on this place, improving and de- veloping the land, until 1895, when they sold out and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section twenty of the same township, which has since been the home place. They have a well equipped stock and grain farm and a pleasant farm residence. Four children were born to them, all of whom died in infancy. They have an adopted son, Arthur J., who lives at home. Mr.

McIntosh is one of the men who have justified their faith in the future of Nebraska by their own success and the family are held in high respect in the neighborhood, where they were among the pioneers.

CHARLES D. FRASER.

Charles D. Fraser, now owning a fine farm in section twenty-nine, township seventeen, range seventeen, Custer county, was one of the earliest settlers in his part of the county and when he first came there the pioneers were mostly occupy- ing sod shanties. Their nearest trading point for supplies of all kinds was Grand Island, seventy- five miles distant, and they were obliged to spend six days on the round trip. Mr. Fraser is one of the few men who have remained on their original homestead and he and his family passed through years of drouth and panic and fought against the usual trials and adversities of frontier life. He and his family have been influential in the upbuilding and advancement of that part of the state and are among the most highly respected families there.

Mr. Fraser was born in North Adams, Massa- chusetts, February 23, 1838, the eldest of five children born to Freegrace and Lyda (Wilcox) Fraser, who had two sons and three daughters. When he was about seven years old his parents brought him to Fort Edward, Washington county, New York, and after spending three years there, in 1848 moved to Warren county, in the same state. The father was a carpenter by trade but bad a small farm in Washington county and when he went to Warren county moved on a larger farm, for which he traded in his former place. At that time Warren county was unsettled and the family were pioneers there. The father died there in the fall of 1849 and the mother's death occurred in the same place about 1868. Two of their children were born in Massachusetts and three in the state of New York, and the only two now surviving are Charles G. and his sister, Mrs. Sarah Jane Fuller, living in Warren county, New York.

Mr. Fraser was reared to manhood on the farmn in Warren county, and there married in the latter part of November. 1865, Lorinda Hayes, daughter of George and Emeline (Combs) Hayes. The young couple settled in Warren county and Mr. Fraser engaged in lumbering. In March, 1878, he brought his wife and their four children by rail to Grand Island, Nebraska, and they lived there until May 14. 1881, when they came to Cus- ter county. Mr. Fraser took up a homestead there in the fall of 1880, and traveled with a horse to get a sod house ready for occupancy by his family. He returned for the others and, with his wife and their five children, came on to their new home. In this they lived for a time and then built a second "soddy," which was their resi- dence for twenty years. Recently, a neat frame

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cottage was built, of which we give a view in our illustrated pages, together with barns and other buildings comprising the place.

Six children were born to Mr. Fraser and wife, of whom three now survive : Hudson J., born in New York, lives two miles west of the home farm of his father; Clara, also born in New York, lives with her brother Hudson; Nellie, born in Grand Island, married Reuben P. Moore, and they live on their farm on section twenty-nine, township seventeen, range seventeen, Custer coun- ty, and have four children. Those deceased are: Lewis M. and Jennie, born in New York, and Ida, who was born in Custer county.

Mr. Fraser is a member of the M. E. church and in politics is a democrat.

Mr. Fraser had a notable experience on Janu- ary 12, 1888, returning from a sale with a neigh- bor through the fearful blizzard of that date. It was the worst he ever saw and in it many hu- man beings perished and thousands of head of stock.

WILLIS R. WAITE.

Willis R. Waite, owner and operator of an excellent grain and stock farm near Arcadia, Ne- braska, has spent most of his life in that state. He was born July 22, 1870, at Palmyra, Warren eounty, Iowa, he and his twin brother, Wilbur S., being the youngest of the five sons of John D. and Juliette (Roseberry) Waite. The father, of Eng- lish and Dutch descent, and a native of Pitts- town, New York, served during the civil war as a member of Company F, Thirty-first New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, and died in Valley county, Nebraska, October 20, 1891. Mrs. Juliette Waite, a native of New Jersey, now lives at Loup City, Nebraska. She has a son, Wm. H., in southern Mexico, interested in rubber and eattle, near Vera Cruz; a son, Elmer E., at Vancouver, Washing- ton; Wilbur S., is at Loup City, representing the distriet in the legislature; Willis R., of Valley county, and one son is deeeased.

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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 132

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