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 152

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 152


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Mr. Zibell was joined in the holy bonds of matrimony at Iron Ridge, Wis., to Miss Amelia Bloedow. Mr. and Mrs. Zibell are the parents of four living children, a son and a daughter having died. Those living are: Rudolph, runs the home farm; Herman, a barber in Pierce; Martha, married Jacob Webber, living near En- gelville, North Dakota, and Frank is also on the home farm.


Mr. Zibell and family are members of the German Lutheran church. He is a democrat in political belief.


EDWARD D. HOOVER.


Edward D. Hoover, a prominent citizen of St. Paul, Nebraska, is one of the pioneer merchants of Howard county, having been engaged in the grocery business at that point for the past twenty years, during which time he has become widely known as a prosperous business man of the lo- cality.


Mr. Hoover was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, on the twenty-ninth of October, 1863. He was the sixth child in a family of seven, and with his parents and brothers and ยท sisters, settled in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, when he was seven years old. His boyhood was spent in that portion of the state. When he was twenty-one years of age, he started out for him- self, going to Piatt county, Illinois, where he en- gaged in farming, as, having been continually with his father on the home farm, he was thor- oughly versed in that work.


Our subject's father was a soldier in the civil war, serving for several years, and upon being mustered out, returned to his home farm in Penn- sylvania, where he died in 1904, his widow still residing in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.


Mr. Hoover farmed in Piatt county up to 1890, at that time coming into Howard county, and engaging in the grocery business at St. Paul, in partnership with a brother, P. A. Hoover, who had settled in Nebraska some years previous to our subject's advent here. He now lives in Chico, California. Mr. Iloover has continued in the grocery business since first coming here, and has built up a fine trade, becoming successful and prosperons in his chosen work. In addition to his business interests in St. Paul, Mr. Hoover owns a fine farm in Howard county, and is rec- ognized by his fellowmen as one of the prominent factors in the public life of his section.


Mr. Hoover was married in Piatt county, Illi- nois, on October 28, 1891, to Miss Florence Baker, who is a native of that county. They have one child, Adnelle, a charming miss of six years.


During his residence in Nebraska Mr. Hoover has taken an active part in county and state af- fairs, and has at various times served on the vil- lage board.


GEORGE WESLEY FINCH. (Deceased.)


Among the prominent early settlers of Valley county was George Wesley Finch, who at the time of his death was known as one of the largest land-holders in that section of the state. In his lifetime he was widely known and much re- spected because of the sterling virtues he pos- sessed.


Mr. Finch, the eldest of three children born to Steven and Mary (Harris) Finch, was born in La Salle county, Illinois, May 12, 1860. Of this family, only one member survives, a brother now living in Grand Island, Nebraska; the father died in 1870, and the mother in 1863, when George was an infant.


Mr. Finch spent his childhood and the years of his early manhood in that beautiful section of Illinois and received his education at the local distriet schools. In 1880, while still in his mi- nority, he came to Valley county, Nebraska, and took up a quarter section on Davis creek.


Two years later, on February 20, he was mar- ried to Miss Lucy Scott, a native of Grundy county, Illinois, (a county adjoining the one where his childhood's home is located) whose parents, George Henry and Elizabeth (Hardy) Scott, came to Nebraska with their family in 1880.


Mr. Finch was a most successful farmer and business man, and by his thrift and management he added to his land-holdings from time to time, until at the time of his death in 1903, he owned nearly one thousand acres of land, all in one body, which was known as the Finch ranch.


For a number of years, Mr. Finch served the community in various offices in his local school district, number twenty-four, which evinces the trust which the public resposed in him. During his lifetime, he was always interested in all per- taining to the welfare of the state and the county, and has materially assisted in every way to their development. His father before him had actively assisted his country, having been a veteran of two wars, the Mexican war, as well as the civil war.


In 1904, Mrs. Finch left her ranch and moved to the city of North Loup, where she built a good comfortable home. She is still living, surround- ed by a large circle of friends.


Nine children were born to Mr. . and Mrs Finch, all of whom were living at the time of the father's death, on August 20, 1903. One of them. Ida, died in 1906, survived by her husband. Clyde Sample. The other children are as follows: Wal- ter G., living in Valley county ; Allonra, now Mrs. John Clark, lives on Davis Creek; Iona, (Mrs. Hilliam Perry, lives in Kearney, Nebraska : Emma, Mrs. Elmer Adams, lives near Murphy, Idaho; Olen M. and Mildred, are both attending college, while the two youngest, Steven and Ma- rie are still at home.


For many years, Mr. and Mrs. Finch were ac-


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tive members of the Friends church at Pleasant Hill. Since her removal to North Loup, Mrs. Finch has been actively identified with the same church at that place. Mr. Finch was a republi- can in politics.


SAMUEL HORROCKS.


Prominent among the enterprising and pro- gressive citizens of Madison county, Nebraska, and among the number who have been associ- ated with the very early history of this part of the state, their connection with it running back to frontier times and days, is Samuel Horrocks, who resides on section thirty-five, township twenty-three, range four. While not old in years and still in the maturity of his manly powers, he has seen Madison county as a dry and thinly set- tled wilderness, and witnessed the progressive steps of its conversion into the prosperous com- munity now the delight of the west.


Mr. Horrocks claims Canada as his native do- minion, being born in that country in the year 1852, a son of John and Elizabeth (Taylor) Hor- rocks, the father a native of England, and the mother of Scotland. The parents came to Can- ada in the early days, where the father followed his occupation of miller, which trade he had learned in his native country.


They remained in Canada until 1879, then coming to Madison county, Nebraska. The fam- ily came by rail to Columbus, from where they drove into Madison county. Mr. Horrocks bought railroad land in Madison county, hauling lumber from Columbus with which to erect his new residence. In the first days of residence on the western frontier, like other early settlers, he endured many discouraging experiences and suf- fered hardships and losses. Many times the fam- ily fought the prairie fires that were a source of great anxiety, to save their homes and property. Hay and eorn were used for fuel in those pioneer times, as wood was a scarce article in this sec- tion of the state, and when it could be had the price was too high to permit of purchase. But those days have passed to history, and when re- counted by the old settler seem almost incredible to the farmer of today who lives in plenty and comfort, and has all modern conveniences and methods at his command.


On March 3, 1887, Mr. Horrocks was united in marriage in Madison county, to Miss Minnie Bo !- sen, a native of Germany, and a daughter of George and Abbie (Weerts) Bolsen. Mr. and Mrs. Horrocks are the parents of two children, John and Abbie. They are a fine family, and in their pleasant home are surrounded by a host of good friends and acquaintances.


ORVILLE H. MAZE.


Orville H. Maze is one of the early settlers of Custer county, where he has long been identified


with ranch and stock interests, and has been an active factor in forwarding the growth and de- velopment of his community. He was one of the first homesteaders of his part of the county and in years long past endured the hardships inci- dent to the drouth, financial depression and other trials of the pioneer. He is now serving as sec- retary of the Old Settlers' Association of the southwestern part of the county, being one of the best known men in the region. He has vivid recollections of his early days in establishing a home in a new country, and has the sympathy and esteem of those who encountered like exper- ienees.


He is a member of the Odd Fellows.


Mr. Maze was born ou a farm in Rush county, Indiana, August 30, 1860, next to the eldest of three sons and two daughters of Wesley and Sarah (Pratt) Maze. The father and mother were born in Maryland and married in Indiana. She died in Sharpsville, Indiana, in 1908, and he is now a resident of Nebraska. The family re- moved to Tipton county, Indiana, in 1862, and there Orville reached manhood, receiving an edu- cation in the public schools and being reared to farm work. His father enlisted from Rush county for service in the union army, and was discharged on account of disability, but re- enlisted upon the recovery of his health, and served to the close of the war.


Mr. Maze was married in Tipton county, January 13, 1883, to Ida M. Thomas, a native of Tipton county. His brother, Matthew, was also married there in 1881, and on April 1, 1883, the two young men left for Nebraska, shipping an emigrant car of household goods and stock, with some machinery, to Kearney, making the remain- der of the journey to Custer county by wagon. Both took homesteads near Lodi, Orville taking the east half of the southeast quarter of section thirty-two, and the west half of the southwest quarter of section thirty-three, township fifteen, range twenty-two, his entry being made on April 21. His brother, Wesley B., also became a resi- dent of Custer county, taking a homestead about 1855, and he is now a resident of Canada. One sister, Mrs. Ettie Bolton. resides in Custer county. Mr. Maze lived on his homestead until 1905. then purchased a ranch six miles southeast of Callaway, and in the spring of 1909 came to live in Callaway, although he still operates his ranch. He does general farming and stock raising, and his place is known as the Evergreen Ranch. Since the spring of 1910, he has been manager of the Callaway Shipping Association, which re- ceives, handles and sells live stock.


Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Maze : Flossie, wife of E. H. Kolbo, living west of Lodi, has four children ; Blanche, married Silas B. Hoff- man, and they live on the Maze ranch, and have two children ; Wesley E., is married, and living in Callaway : Matthew H. and Ruth B .. at home. The eldest child, Cecil E., is deceased. Mr. Maze


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and family are prominent in social circles, and have a large number of friends in the community. All the children were born in Custer county, where they have been reared and educated, and are patriotie sons and daughters of their native county and state.


W. A. K. NEELY.


Prominent among the leading old settlers of Wayne county, Nebraska, is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He is one of the pioneers of this locality, and is known throughout the county as a prosperous and energetic farmer. Ile has been identified with the agricultural interests of the community for many years, and has been a potent factor in its development.


W. A. K. Neely was born, October 20, 1853, in Juanita county, Pennsylvania, and was the son of John and Margaret (Ewing) Neely, both of Scotch-Irish descent. and natives of Juanita county. Mr. Neely received his education in the local schools of Pennsylvania, and the Tuscarora Academy at Academia, Juanita county, Pennsyl- vania. He remained with his parents until 1877, when he came to Dakota county, Nebraska, and remained one year. He then went home and re- mained one year, and then returned to Nebraska for eight months, during which time he bought his present farm. He then remained at home until February, 1882, when he and Mrs. Neely came to Wakefield, Nebraska, Mr. Neely drove from Shenandoah, Iowa, and Mrs. Neely made the trip with him from Emerson, Nebraska, the latter place being as far as the cars came. For the first seven years they lived on a rented farm in Dixon county, near Wakefield.


In 1889, Mr. and Mrs. Neely and their one son , came to Wayne county, to the farm which he had purchased in 1881. This place consisted of one hundred and sixty acres, and was raw prairie. He has put all the land under cultivation, and built a good house, barn and other outbuildings. One of the improvements, which has greatly en- hanced the value of his estate, is a fine grove, com- prising about four acres, the trees all having been planted by Mr. Neely.


In 1881, Mr. Neely was united in marriage to Miss Azile M. Burchfield. Mrs. Neely's parents were Lewis and Jane (McKennan) Burch- field. Mr. and Mrs. Burchfield were natives of Juniata county, Pennsylvania, where Mrs. Neely was also born. Two children, John B. and William Harvey, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Neely.


Mr. Neely is a wide-awake and active citizen. taking an especial interest in all educational af- fairs. For several years he was county com- missioner of Dixon county. He is a democrat in polities. and a member of the Woodmen and Ben Hur lodges. Mr. and Mrs. Neely and their sons are members of the Presbyterian church, Mr. Neely being an elder.


HENRY F. WALLIS.


Another one of the prominent old-timers of Nebraska, and a well-known farmer and ranch- man, who has passed through all the experiences of the pioneer of that region, is found in the per- son of the gentleman above named. He now re- sides on section twenty-nine, township fifteen, range seven, Merriek county, where he owns a vaulable estate and is held in the highest esteem and respect by his fellowmen.


Mr. Wallis was born in the state of Vermont, December 31, 1844, and was second in a family of four children; one brother was killed in the army; another resides in Massachusetts; one sis- ter in Vermont; the parents are both deceased, the father having died in 1892, in Vermont, where the mother also died in the forties. In 1856, Mr. Wallis went to Worchester, Massachusetts, to learn the machinist's trade.


In April, 1861, Mr. Wallis enlisted in Com- pany B, Sixth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and served three months, during which time he passed through the mob at Baltimore, Maryland. He re-enlisted in the fall of 1862, in Company B, Seventh Vermont Volunteer Infantry, serving un. til the close of the war, receiving his discharge at Governor's Island, New York harbor. The bat- tles participated in were at New Orleans, Mobile, Baton Rouge, and many minor engagements and skirmishes. After his discharge from service in the Civil war, Mr. Wallis re-enlisted for western service through Nebraska and Wyoming fighting Indians three years, making way for building the Union Pacific railroad. He was in fights with Indians at Fort Philip Kearney massacre, in De- cember, 1866, in Wyoming; in August, 1867, par- ticipated in the wagon-box fight in Wyoming, and had many other exciting times with the Sioux Indians.


In 1871, Mr. Wallis returned to Vermont, fol- lowing his occupation as machinist, and on Oeto- ber 20, 1874, and was united in marriage to Miss Emma Miller, of New Hampshire. In the spring of 1875, our subject and wife came to Merrick county, Nebraska, where he purchased two hun- dred and forty acres of railroad land in section twenty-nine, township fifteen, range seven, which is still the home place. Mir. Wallis has served as moderator of his school district, number thirty- four, for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Wallis Irave had two children: Letty, married Emil Hart. has two children, and lives in South Dakota ; and Lily, a teacher in the Archer schools.


Mr. and Mrs. Wallis are among the earliest settlers of the county. They are held in high es- teem by all who know them.


BYRON H. DANA.


The state of New York is well represented in the upbuilding of the west. and none from the Empire state holds a higher position in the re- spect of his fellowmen than Byron H. Dana. He


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is a native of Franklin county, New York, born December 26, 1847. Ilis parents emigrated to Illi- nois, residing in Cook county for about thirteen years, then going to Bremer county, Iowa, where his mother died in 1880. His father's death oc- curred at the same place in 1887.


Byron made his home on his father's farm until attaining his majority, then started farming for himself and continued in that work for several years. For a time he was engaged in the livery business at Nashua, then removed to New Hamp- ton and ran a livery barn there for eight years. On June 18, 1884, he came to Nebraska, and set- tled on a homestead situated twelve miles west of Creighton occupying a dugout for a number of years. Here he raised large crops of grain, mostly oats and corn, and fed and shipped stoek profitably and corn, and fed and shipped stock profitably for many years. He succeeded in building up a fine ranch, erecting a comfortable dwelling in in 1894, and this was their residence until 1905, when he built a fine house, which compares favor- ably with any in his county.


When Mr. Dana first came into Nebraska there were no fences to enclose pastures, and cattle that were not kept in herds were tethered on the prairie with a lariat. After getting into the stock business more extensively, he managed to build some fence and finally got his place in such shape that he could pasture his stock on his own land, if he so desired. During this time also, they were obliged to use corn more or less for fuel, which was found to be very expensive, so he gathered brush and driftwood which was found along Verdigris creek, and in this work he was assisted by his daughters, who proved to be a great help to him in all the work on the ranch, as he had no sons. At one time the girls cared for and milked sixteen cows.


At the beginning of the blizzard of 1888, Mr. Dana was a mile from home in the valley of the Verdigris creek, and, although the storm was ter- rific, he easily found his way to his residence, tak- ing with him some cattle which had been brows- ing along the creek. He also went to the school house and took his children home, while the teacher and other pupils spent the entire night in the building.


Mr. Dana was married in Iowa, on January 1, 1868, to Miss Sarah Silsbee, who was born in the same county as himself, in New York state, and came to Iowa with her parents when she was a young girl. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dana, Viola May, who is the wife of Jerome Sharp, of Creighton. and Ada Belle. wife of HIal- sey Stocking, also of Creighton. Mrs. Dana died September 13, 1908, on the old homestead. Mr. Dana makes his home with his daughter, Mrs. Stocking.


Politically, Mr. Dana is an independent voter. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and belongs to the Creighton clan of Royal High- landers.


PETER PETERSEN.


Among the progressive and energetic farmers of Stanton county, Nebraska, who have contrib- uted to the wealth of this section, by their farm- ing operations, a high station is accorded the gentleman whose name is given above. He has made his home here for a number of years, and has acquired a valuable estate located in section three. He is a man of active public spirit, and has made friends wherever he has come in contact with others.


Mr. Petersen is another one of the adopted sons of the state, as he first saw the light of day in the province of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, in 1878. His parents, D. and Margaret Petersen, had a small farm from which they obtained their living. The early years of our subscriber were spent in Germany; but when he was eleven years old, his parents determined to move to the new country of America, thinking that there they would be able to better provide for their family. In 1889, they came to Washington county, Ne- braska, where they remained here until 1896, when they again moved, this time coming to Stan- ton county, where they bought a farm, which has been their home ever since. They have made ex- tensive improvements on the land, and the prop- ertv is now very valuable.


As they did not come during the very earliest years of the settlement of the state, they escaped many of the hardships which beset the earlier pion- eers. However, they have had to exercise consider- abe economy and thrift in order to build up their property as rapidly as they have.


In 1908, the subscriber was united in marriage to Miss Fannie Bowman, of Stanton. They have two children, William and Arthur.


Mr. Petersen is a man of public spirit and has aided materially in the upbuilding of the comuni- ty, and for the past six years has served his school district as a director.


NICK OBERLE.


Nick Oberle, an agriculturist of prominence in Knox county, Nebraska, is one of those substan- tial citizens whose integrity and industry, thrift and economy have added so much to the material wealth and growth of Nebraska. Mr. Oberle's neat and attractive home is situated in section thir- ty-five, township thirty-one, range six, and here he and his wife and family reside, surrounded by a host of friends and acquaintances.


Mr. Oberle is a native of Iowa, being born in that state in the year 1868, and is a son of Angust and Augusta (Schimmelpfennig) Oberle, both natives of Germany ; the father was nine years old when he came to America, embarking on a sail boat, and was seven weeks on the sea.


Mr. Oberle came to Holt county, Nebraska, in 1880, remaining ten years; later, in 1891, coming to Knox county, Nebraska, where he took a pre-


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emption claim on which he built a honse; from which beginning he has made fast improvements until now he has a good farm and residence. He has been very fortunate since coming here About the only loss he has experienced was dur- ing the drouth of 1894 when he suffered a slight failure of crops through the hot winds that pre- vailed in that season.


In 1891, Mr. Oberle was united in marriage to Miss Lavina Titus, and Mr. and Mrs. Oberle are the parents of five children, whose names are as follows: Myrtle, Florence, Claud, Eva and George. They are a fine family and enjoy the respect and esteem of all, and have a wide circle of kind friends and acquaintances, as before stated.


Mr. Oberle is a man of high repute in his community and his sterling qualities have made for him an enviable reputation in his thirty odd years of residence in northeastern Nebraska. In polities Mr. Oberle is a democrat, and he is now serving his fourth year as assessor of Sparta pre- einet.


GEORGE LAUGHLIN.


George Laughlin is a successful farmer who passed through the pioneer years of Custer county, and thereby earned his present position and prosperity. He was born in Scotland, February 21, 1862, the youngest child of George and Marian (Brown) Laughlin. Four sons and one daugh- ter now survive and George Laughlin has one brother, Robert, in Washington; two brothers, William and John, live in Colorado; his sister, Mrs. Robert Taylor, lives in Virginia. The mother died in Scotland when George was but eleven months old and the father died when he was but two years of age. When he was about four years old he was brought by his brothers and sister to Cape Breton, and there the brother James married and held the little family together until about 1869, when they came to the United States and settled in Pennsylvania. In 1870 the oldest brother went to Colorado and two years later James, John, Robert and George, joined him there, the sister remaining in Pennsylvania, where she had married.


For about seven years George Laughlin lived with his oldest brother in Colorado, and in 1879, on his seventeenth birthday, he went to work for the L-F cattle outfit in that state, remaining with them until 1882, on October 2nd of which year he came to Custer county. He took up a home- stead on section six, township sixteen, range nine- teen, and still lives on his original homestead. He was married in township sixteen, February 4. 1884, to Amanda Hastings, daughter of Julius and Isabella Hastings, pioneers of the county, the Hastings homestead being the first entry in that immediate neighborhood and taken out in 1879. Mr. Hastings died there January 9, 1890, and his widow died at the home of her daughter, Mrs.


J. E. Wood, in Broken Bow, in August, 1905. She was survived by three sons and five daughters.


Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin had two children, Ger- tie, born on the homestead in September, 1884, died October 8, 1892, and Ella, who lives at home, whose birth occurred there in 1887. Mr. Laugh- lin owns, besides this homestead, one hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining it on the west. His farm is well improved and equipped and there is little to remind him of its state when he came to it. In early years he spent some time freighting out of Kearney, Lexington and Plum Creek, but in later years has devoted his time and attention exclusively to farming and stock rais- ing. He is known as one of the most progressive and enterprising citizens of the county and is highly respected.




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