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 143

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 143

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In 1873, Mr. Glass came to Plattsmouth, Cass county, Nebraska, where he engaged in the drug business, and there, on February 3, 1876, he married Miss Margaret Lonise Mitchell, who was born in Iowa and came to Cass county in 1874. She is the daughter of Francis P. and Mar- garet (Wright) Mitchell, the former a native of Greene county, Ohio, and the latter of South Carolina. The father, a physician by profession, died in New Orleans in the 'fifties, and the mother died in Iowa in 1845.

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In 1878, Mr. and Mrs. Glass moved to Kearney, Nebraska, where they spent two years, but on account of failing health he was obliged to give up his business, and in March, 1880, they came to Custer county and he took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres on South Loup, where they remained ten years. He also pre- empted one hundred and sixty acres of land, and in 1897 or 1898 purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on section nineteen, township sev- enteen, range twenty, although he never lived on the latter place, which Mrs. Glass now owns. In December, 1891, Mr. Glass retired from farm life and purchased a comfortable residence in Broken Bow, which continued his home until his death, October 11, 1905. He was survived by his widow, who still lives in the home, where she has every comfort and is surrounded by a large circle of sincere friends. Mr. Glass was a staunch Presby- terian in religious views and stood ready to help any religious or beneficial movement in his county or state. He died in the prime of life, and his death came as a shock to his many friends and acquaintances, by whom his loss was deeply deplored. He was regarded as a public-spirited citizen and highly esteemed by all.

ALONZO A. FOWLER.

The Fowler family, of Valley county, Ne- braska, is well and favorably known in that re- gion. The children were all born on the old home farm, which has been the continuous home of Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Fowler since their marriage. Mr. Fowler is a native of Town of Edwards, St. Lawrence county, New York, born May 12, 1851,

PRESENT RESIDE NOÉ

SEC 25 TI7 R IC

TENANT FARM SEC 30 T 17 R 15

"OLD HOME FARM," OF ALONZO A. FOWLER.

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the fifth child of Amos and Polly (Walker) Fow- ler, who had five sons and two daughters. The father was a farmer and Alonzo Fowler was reared to farmn work, receiving a rather meager education. He lived in his native county until he came to Nebraska in 1878. He was married in St. Lawrence county, September 30, 1871, to Amelia Durham, a daughter of William and Diana (Jones) Durham. They had three chil- dren born there, of whom two survive: One son, Ephraim, lives in Valley county, Nebraska, and Charles, in Idaho. Mrs. Fowler died in Hall county, in 1881, survived by her husband and three children.

In October, 1878, Mr. Fowler brought his wife and their three children to Hall county, Nebraska, took up a homestead and lived there until March, 1884, when he came to Valley county. He purchased the southwest quarter of section twenty-five, township sixteen, range seventeen, which has since remained the family home. He has added about one hundred and sixty acres of land for every five years spent in the county and now owns eleven hundred and twenty acres in one body, lying along the northeast bank of the Middle Loup river near Arcadia, one thousand acres being in Valley and one hundred and twenty acres in Sherman county. It is one of the finest estates in central Nebraska and Mr. Fowler is an extensive stock and grain farmer, being one of the most successful men of his part of the state. At the time he first came to the county he had a total cash capital of about four hundred dollars, and he now handles a large num- ber of cattle and hogs, making a specialty of feed- ing and shipping. He hauled the lumber used in erecting his first building from Grand Island, sixty-five miles distant, the trip taking five days. When he first came to the Valley the present site of Arcadia was not yet laid out as a town.

Mr. Fowler's second marriage occurred at St. Paul, Howard county, October 17, 1883, when he was united with Mary Parker, a native of Ohio, daughter of Jeremiah and Orphie (Finlaw) Parker, born in Ohio and Pennsylvania, respect- ively. Nine children have been born of the sec- ond marriage, namely: Daisy, wife of John Tucker, now occupying the original home farm, has four children; Arthur F., Thurman G., Leota V., and Glowie M .; J. A., is married and lives on his own farm, and has one daughter, Opal Evelyn; Frank, Orrie, Nellie, Mabel, Geln- ford, Ralph, and Arnold, all at home.

Mr. Fowler, who is a self-made man, begin- ning with little education, has forged to the front through sheer force of will and energy, achieving financial success and winning the respect and esteem of all with whom he has had dealings. He has reared a large family and still actively looks after his various interests. He and his wife have made several extensive trips east and west, enjoying the diversion offered in several of the larger cities and the change of

scene. Their travels have extended from Mon- trose, Colorado, to Buffalo, Syracuse and St. Law- rence county, New York, as well as parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. In the early years in Hall county, the family occupied a sod house for five years, and for six months on the pre-emption claim in Sherman county, lived in a dugout. Mr. Fowler was more fortunate than his neighbors in 1894, the year of drouth, har- vesting about one thousand bushels of corn; his land, lying along the river, was underlaid with sufficient moisture to produce a fine crop. In 1898 an eighty-acre field of wheat was destroyed by hail, but the next year that eighty, with twenty acres additional, planted to corn, produced three thousand six hundred bushels, which sold at ninety cents. His corn made twenty dollars an acre, his wheat twenty-three and his alfalfa thirty, which goes to show what sort of a farmer Mr. Fowler has been. He has always given much attention to stock, and the large herds grazing in his river pastures make a picture to gladden the eyes of an artist as well as a stock man. We present on another page a view of the old home- stead farm of Mr. Fowler, together with the other dwellings on his large estate.

HENRY G. HOFFART.

Prominent among the leading old settlers of Pierce county, Nebraska, is the gentleman whose name heads this personal history, wino resides in section six, township twenty-eight, range three.

Mr. Hoffart was born in the village of Kirch Brombach, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, May 4, 1863. He came to the United States in 1880, sailing from the Haven of Bremen on the steam- ship "Mosel," and landing in New York after a very stormy voyage of two weeks.

He stayed in New York but four days, and then started for the west, arriving in Cass county, Nebraska, where he secured work on a farm and for four years followed this vocation, saving bis earnings to make a start in life. In 1892 he came to Pierce county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres, the southwest quarter of section six, township twenty-eight, range three, to which he later added an adjoining quarter. He built a good frame house, and planted two acres of trees, besides making other improvements. He has one hundred and sixty acres in section seven and eighty acres in section thirty-one, of the same township, the two latter tracts being farming and grazing lands.

Mr. Hoffart has had adversities along with his success, having lost his entire crop in the two hailstorms of 1900. On January 12, 1888, while hunting, he was lost in the memorable blizzard of that date, and was exposed to the blinding. freezing storm for nearly an hour. He found his way by coming to a frozen creek, whose course he followed until he reached his home. In the earlier years of settlement, Mr. Hoffart

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burned corn when it was as low as seven eents per bushel and coal was high.

Henry G. Hoffart was educated in Germany, where as a young man he learned the butchers' trade and later secured a clerkship in a banking and financial institution for one and one-half years.

His father, Henry Hoffart, was a native of Germany, who sailed from Hamburg in 1882 for America, his son, our subject, having earned money to send for the old folks. The father plied his trade as baker for two years, then turned to farming. He came to Pierce county in 1893, and has a farm adjoining that of his son.

Mr. Hoffart was married January 31, 1889, to Miss Barbara Horn, who is a native of the vil- lage of Zell, province of Hesse-Darmstadt. Ger- many. Her parents, Michael and Katherine (Heisel) Horn, were born in Germany in 1845 and 1848, respectively, and came to Ameriea with their family in 1886. The father served in the German army from 1869 to 1870, closing his mil- itary career after the Franco-Prussian war. The parents live with their daughter, who married Michael Hoffart, brother of Henry, who has a farm near him across the line in Knox county.

Mr. and Mrs. Hoffart are the parents of six children, named as follows: John. Elizabeth, Henry, Mary, William and Fred. The family are of the German Lutheran faith.

In politics Mr. Hoffart is a republican. He is a firm believer in sound financial institutions. and earries policies in the Bankers' Life and the New York Mutual companies, while his sons are equally prudent in the same way.

NELS NELSON.

Nels Nelson, for the past many years devoted to an agricultural career in Howard county, has a fine farm on section twenty-four, of Elba pre- cinet, where he has made his name and influence felt as a eapable and reliable citizen of his see- tion.

This gentleman was born in Sweden, Oetober 18, 1859, and was the eldest in a family of ten children born to Nels and Annie Nelson. H grew up there, and was married at the age of twenty-five years, to Annie Ilokeson, also born and reared in that country. In the month of January following their marriage, the young couple took passage for the United States. leaving there on January 10, 1886, and landing in New York City in the latter part of February, 1886. and from the time consumed in making the journey, it is plainly seen that crossing the ocean in those days was a more serious matter than it is today, when the trip can be made in five or six days.

Mr. Nelson's first location was in Riley county, Kansas, where he secured farm work for a time. afterwards going on the railroad, and fol- lowing that occupation for two years. In 1889

he came into Howard county, Nebraska, worked as a farm hand for a time, then rented a piece of land and began farming on his own account. This place was located on the North Loup river and owned by George C. Lothrop, and he lived on the farm for sixteen years, the same traet at the present time being farmed by Mr. Nelson's eldest son. Our subjeet purchased his present farm on seetion twenty-four, township fifteen. range eleven, in 1903, and this farm is a fine piece of land situated on the table land, improved with good buildings, etc. He has it well stocked np, and is recognized as an up-to-date farmer and progressive stockman.

About two years after our subject eame to America he was joined by one brother and a sister, and later two other brothers also settled in Howard county. In the spring of 1892 his father, mother, and two sisters also came over, all now living in Nebraska exeept one sister who makes her home in Illinois. Mr. Nelson's father resides in Greeley county, and his mother died there in February, 1910, aged seventy-six years. The father is now (in 1911) of the same age.

Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nelson, as follows: Gusta, married and liv- ing on the Lothrop farm; Martin, who rents a farm in Valley county ; Mary, John, Louie, Harry, Willie, Effie and Archie, all living at home. They comprise a fine family, and all are popular with their associates.

During the early years of his residence in Howard county Mr. Nelson was a member of the school board of district number two, and has also held minor offices in his precinct, always taking an active part in advancing the best in- terests of his locality. In 1902 he was appointed road overseer of his district, and filled the office to the satisfaction of all.

HENRY A. CHASE.

Among the most prominent and prosperous farmers in Valley county, may be mentioned the above gentleman, at present residing in North I.oup. He has been a resident of this connty for more than thirty years and is one of the weil known and highly esteemed citizens of this lo- cality.

Mr. Chase was born in Jefferson county, New York, on the twelfth day of February, 1837. He was the youngest of ten children in the family of Jacob and Asenath (Howland) Chase. Of this large family, only the subseriber and one brother (now living in Wisconsin) are surviving. The father died in Wisconsin in 1867. The mother died in New York state in 1853.

Mr. Chase received his education in the local sehools of New York state, and in 1855 went with his father and the other children to Wisconsin, and for a time was a student at Albion Academy, near Madison.

On September 28, 1859, he was married to Miss

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Delia Babcock, a native of Cataraugus county, New York. She had been for some years prior to her marriage, a teacher in the Wisconsin schools.

Mr. Chase is a civil war veteran, having en- listed in Company G, Thirty-seventh Wisconsin Infantry as third sergeant, and serving until the close of the war. He was a participant in several severe engagements, besides many minor skirm- ishes. At the time when the mine was blown up inside the fortifications of Petersburg, Mr. Chase was wounded. He was in the hospital about four months, but returned and was with his company all through the siege of Petersburg. He was also in the battle at Fort Steadman on the twenty- fifth of March, 1865, and just a few months before the close of the war, he was made commissary ser- geant.

After the war, Mr. Chase returned to Wis- consin, but shortly afterwards went to Minnesota. He remained there only about six months, and then sought the milder climate of Missouri where he farmed for thirteen years in Linn county. In the fall of 1879. Mr. Chase, with his wife and daughter, and his father-in-law, Mr. George C. Babcock, came to Valley county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section twenty-six, township eighteen, range thirteen, which was the home of the family for about twenty years. In 1899, he retired from active work and moved to North Loup, where he is still living in the comfortable home he had built. Their first dwelling was a cedar log house built for Elder Babcock. This Mr. Chase pur- chased and removed it to his own premises.

Mr. Chase has fulfilled all the duties of a good citizen and is at present serving the people as township treasurer. For more than twenty years he has been a member of the school board in his district, and has also served as county com- missioner and county supervisor, for a consider- able number of years. IIe is one of the earliest settlers of the county and has passed through much of its varied vicissitudes. When he pur- chased his first Nebraska land in 1878, he paid three dollars per acre: the same land is now val- ued at one hundred dollars. He is a successful man of affairs and is interested in all pertaining to the welfare of his state and county. In poli- tics he is a republican and a member of the North: I oup Post. Grand Army of the Republic.

Mr. and Mrs. Chase have one daughter. Nellie. now Mrs. E. W. Black, who also resides in North Ioup. The family have been for many years members of the Seventh Day Baptist church.

WILLIAM MACHIMULLER.

William Machmuller, who resides on section eleven, township twenty-three, range one, in Madison county, Nebraska, is one of the leading old-timers in this section who has always done

his full share in the betterment of conditions throughout the community in which he lives.

Mr. Machmuller is a native of Germany, his birth occurring on a farm ten miles east of Ber- lin, April 26, 1848; he is a son of Martin and Sofia Machmuller, both of whom were natives of Germany. When our subject was but a small boy, the family left their native country for America, sailing from Hamburg, Germany, to New York, on a sailboat, and were twelve weeks on the sea. Immediately upon arriving in the new world, they proceeded westward, going to the state of Wisconsin, living there thirteen years.

In 1866, our subject's father and family started for the far west, as Nebraska was known in those days; they had two ox teams and one horse team, and were one family of a colony that comprised forty-eight families bound for the west to take advantage of the homestead act that had been passed in 1862. The trip was quite an event- ful one, and lasted seven weeks; the colonists had to stop and build a bridge at Humboldt before they could cross the river, which caused a delay in their progress. After arriving at their destina- tion, our subject's father took up a homestead east of Norfolk.

In 1869 Mr. Machmuller, our subject, took up a homestead in section eleven, township twenty- three, range one, which still remains his residing place. He first built a log house and lived in this about two years.

In the first years of residence on the western frontier, deer and antelope were plentiful, and herds of them could frequently be seen. Omaha and Columbus were the nearest market places then, both places being many miles away and the journey to and fro consuming many days. Many hardships and discouragements beset the family in pioneer days, but they passed through this trying period bravely. and those times have now passed to history. Mr. Machmuller lost consid- erable stock in the blizzard of January 12, 1888.

Mr. Machmuller was united in marriage Jan- uary 28, 1875, to Miss May Bernhart, and Mr. and Mrs. Machmuller are the parents of six children. whose names are as follows: Emma. Charles, Albert, Frank, Lizzie, and Tilda. They are a fine family. highly esteemed in their community, and have a host of good friends and neighbors. They are members of the German Lutheran church, and Mr. Machmuller is a democrat.

JOHN D. KNIGHT.

The Knights are among the older families of C'uster county and have been prominently identi- fied with the best interests of their part of the state. John D. Knight is a native of the state. born in Florence, Douglas county, January 13. 1863, third child and eldest son of John G. and Lovinia (Straight ) Knight, and their first child born in Nebraska. John Gardner Knight. the father, was born in North Brookfield, Massa-

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chusetts, July 5, 1828, and grew to manhood's estate in his native state. He was married in Vermont on May 1, 1851, to Lovinia Straight, and they began housekeeping in North Brookfield. He was a shoemaker by trade and went to Wis- consin in the summer of 1856, later in the same year going on to Florence, Nebraska, where for years he carried on farming in the large fields adjacent to the village which are now part of the city of Omaha. He enlisted in Company A, Sec- ond Nebraska Cavalry for frontier service in the fall of 1862, and was mustered out late in the following spring.

John Gardner Knight was a successful stock farmer and was an honored resident of Douglas county until his death, May 19, 1907, in his seventy-ninth year, his death occurring on the home place. He was one of the best known men in the county, an early settler and a soldier of the early frontier days. His wife died on the home farm March 20, 1881. They had five children, all of whom now reside in Custer county: E. E. Knight; Minnie L., wife of A. W. Pierce, a sketch of whom appears in this work; John D., whose name heads this sketch; George William, married and living in Round Valley; Margaret W., Mrs. Jesse Pierce.

At the time of John D. Knight's birth Ne- braska was still a territory and was generally known as a part of the great American desert. He has seen the development of the region from the frontier to a state noted for its well tilled farms and prosperity. He came to Custer county in September, 1883, made a selection of land in the same fall and the following spring filed on a homestead on section thirteen, town- ship eighteen, range nineteen, building his sod shanty on the north half of the northeast quarter of the section. His sister, Minnie L., accom- panied him upon his first trip.

On November 26, 1891, Mr. Knight married Elizabeth J. Pierce, and six children have blessed their union, all born on the homestead: Margaret Elizabeth, Clara Lovinia, Jessie Jane, Florence Frances, John Gardner, and James Pierce. The family are well known among the early settlers and are prominent in various circles. Mr. Knight passed through years of drouth and hard times in the early day in Custer county, but has never lost faith in the future of the region. He is a repre- sentative farmer and stockman and held in high esteem by all.

S. E. STROM.

S. E. Strom, who owns and occupies a valu- able estate on section thirty-six, township twen- ty-nine, range one, west, Cedar county, Nebraska, is one of the early settlers of the region where he makes his home and has performed his share in the upbuilding and advancement of the public welfare. He is well and favorably known through- out his part of the county and has many friends.

Mr. Strom is a native of Sweden, born August 31, 1853, a son of Esprong and Hedrick (Larson) Strom. The father served in the army and re- ceived an injury during drill when he was thirty years old; he was partially disabled all his life.

S. E. Strom was educated in his native land and after leaving school remained at home and helped his parents until 1882, when he emigrated to America. He landed in New York and at once started for the west, locating first in Burt county, Nebraska, where he lived four years. In 1886 he came to Pender and in 1890 purchased school land, which he has developed and improved to make a comfortable home and productive farm. He has a three-acre orchard and grove, a source of pleasure and profit to the family. He devotes his place to general farming and stock raising and is one of the most successful men in the community. He is recognized as a public-spirited citizen and is representative of the better class of agriculturalists, who win success as the re- sult of intelligence and business ability.

In 1880, Mr. Strom was united in marriage with Miss Enger Anderson, a native of the same locality in Sweden, and they are the parents of nine children : Nels, Albert and Helma, twins, Amil, Selma, Ellen, Nellie, Arthur, and Alice.

DANIEL M'CLURE.

Daniel MeClure, the subject of this personal history, resides on section twenty-two, township fifteen, range seven, in Merrick county, Nebraska, where he has built up a home and farm through luis industry and good business management. Mr. McClure is held in the highest esteem by his fel- lowmen.

Daniel MeClure is a son of Alfred and Mary (Wintrode) MeClure, was born in Indiana, June 23, 1846, and was youngest of three children, and the only one now living, his parents also being deceased. He received his education in the home schools and later engaged in farming.

In January of 1865, Mr. McClure enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Fifty-third In- diana Infantry, serving until the close of the war, and receiving his discharge in September, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky, the time having been spent on guard duty at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, near the Cumberland river. After the war, Mr. McClure returned to Indiana, and in 1868 went into Tama county, Iowa, and engaged in farming; and on March 30, 1870, was married to Miss Viona Dowell of Indiana.

In the spring of 1873 our subject with his wife and one son came to Merrick county, Ne- hraska, and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section twenty-two, township fifteen, range seven, which is still the home place. The family mnade the trip from Iowa in a covered wagon, being thirty-three days on the road, and it rained most of the time. They waited for seven days for the water to go down so they

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could cross the Elkhorn river and they camped out nights during the entire trip. Mr. McClure has about one hundred acres under cultivation, all of which he "broke out" himself. He first built a one-room log house in which the family lived until 1879 and then built a sod house near the site of the present home, and lived there until 1886, when the present house was erected.

Mr. McClure has served on the school board of his district number fifty-one nearly all of his Nebraska years; also has been road supervisor, and has been serving as precinct assessor since 1905.

Mr. and Mrs. McClure have had twelve chil- dren born to them, seven of whom are living: Esther, deceased; Samuel, married, has seven children, and lives in Merrick county, Nebraska ; Pearley, wife of Peter Sorgenfrei, has five chil- dren, and lives in Nance county, Nebraska ; William, who resides at home; Elizabeth, milliner ; Charles, deceased; Walter, married, and residing in Merrick county; Willis, a twin to Walter, married, has one child, and lives in Mer- rick county; Maggie, deceased; Emma, wife of Bert Bliss, has one child, and resides in Merrick county ; Franklin, deceased; and Carrie, who re- sides at home.

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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 143

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