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 170

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 170

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

On September 2, 1862, Mr. Raasch enlisted in Company B, Twenty-sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, to go out under General Siegel, and on September 17, the regiment was mustered in. The army experience of Mr. Raasch is a story taken from the heart of the great war-a story of great battles-the tale of a wounded prisoner -escape-recapture-and many long months in hospitals. May 2, 1863, his regiment participated in the great battle of Chancellorsville, a desper- ate battle of three days. After this battle, some minor engagements occurred; then came that great battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, where Mr. Raasch received a gunshot wound in his left side, and after extreme hardships in field hospit- als, both in rehel and union camps, he was taken to Baltimore, and after months in the hospital there, Mr. Raasch and others were taken to the hospital on David's Island, New York, and later on was transferred to the Harvey General Hospit- al at Madison, Wisconsin. In this hospital Mr. Raasch remained from June, 1864, to March 25, 1865, at which time he received his discharge, and returned to the Wisconsin farm.

In July, 1866, Mr. Raasch's parents, with

783

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

others at Ixonia, joined the German colony of about forty families that came to what was to be Norfolk, Madison county, Nebraska, and with this colony came August Raasch, driving a team, as this colony came overland by ox team. He had not intended to remain in Norfolk, but on account of the wounds received in war, he was almost com- pelled to remain in Norfolk to receive proper nursing, and today, after more than forty years has passed, he does not regret his continned resi- dence in Madison county.

When that Wisconsin colony came to Norfolk, the country had not even been surveyed into quarter sections. The regular survey was made in the fall of 1866; then those Madison county pioneers drew lots, and settled on their home- steads. Mr. Raasch's first land location was near his father's, but on account of considerable bluffs on this quarter, he gave his father the choice land on their half section, and himself took up the quarter where he resides today, one mile west of Norfolk, where he has a fine and well- equipped farm.

On June 19, 1868, Mr. Raasch was appointed postmaster of Norfolk, being the first appointee. He held the office nine months, when he turned it over to Postmaster Marsh. It was on July 3, 1868, at ten o'clock in the morning, when a mail carrier arrived for the first time in Norfolk.

Mr. Raasch was elected assessor in 1872, which office he held and creditably filled two years. Prior to 1870, Mr. Raasch assisted in organizing Madison county, and was one of the first county commissioners for the Norfolk dis- trict.

On June 6, 1872, Mr. Raasch was married to Miss Maria Rohrke, and from this union eleven children were born: Sarah L., wife of L. Dom- mer, has four children, and resides in Madison county; Obed, married, and living in Madison county, has three children; Agnes, who is hold- ing down a homestead in South Dakota; Ella, a teacher in the German Lutheran school; Martin, in the Lutheran ministry in the state of Wash- ington ; William, a farmer in Madison county ; Ernest, lives with his father on the home farm; and Leona, Hattie, Darius and Hugo, who reside under the parental roof.

August Raasch has done much in the church affairs of his community. For twenty-seven years he has been a director or deacon in the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran church, and for over twenty years has been the treasurer of this church. He has also held office in his school district. Ile is a self-made successful man, and his family is of high standing in their community along social, educational and church lines. Ile is an inde- pendent democrat.

HAMILTON B. GLAZIER.

Hamilton B. Glazier belongs to one of Custer county's best known families, and is himself an original homesteader there. He was born in Winona county, Minnesota, November 9, 1862, son of Isaac Glazier, one of the very early settlers of Custer county. Isaac Glazier was born in Warren county, New York, December 25, 1819, and was reared on his father's farm. On April 9, 1858, he married Emily M. Bollen in Illinois. She was born in the state of New York, May 12, 1831.

Before 1860, Mr. Glazier had removed to Olm- sted county, Minnesota, and later lived in Wabash county, that state, leaving the latter place May 12, 1879, and proceeding with a "prairie schoon- er" to Custer county, Nebraska. With him came his wife and their five children: Daniel, Lois Louisa, Hamilton B., Effie Inez and Albert. He took up a homestead on the southwest quarter of section four, township eighteen, range seven- teen, and also secured a timber claim. His wife died on the homestead, January 6, 1886, and he passed away there in May, 1890. Their daugh- ter, Effie Inez, died on the farm in August, 1887, and their son, Daniel, in 1895.

Hamilton B., Lois Louisa and Albert Glazier still reside on their father's old homestead farm, and Daniel was also an original homesteader. Hamilton B. and his sister, Lois, now own the home place, and in early years were themselves original homesteaders. The old farm, which com- prises one of the choice half-section estates of the county, is well located, and has a fine grove of trees. There are several fine belts of timber, which were set out by members of the family during the early years of their residence there, and which add greatly to the appearance and value of the place. The members of the family who still live there derive a good income from the grain and stock farming they carry on, and have a pleasant home. They have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, and are well regarded by all as representative of the best interests of the community.

A. A. SMITH.

A. A. Smith is one of the older residents of Wayne county, Nebraska, where he has become a successful and prosperous grain and stock farmer. He represents the best interests of his com- munity, and is known throughout the county as one of the important factors in securing the pres- ent agricultural and commercial prosperity that is so beneficial to all its inhabitants. When he located in his present home, he had few neigh- bors, but he has witnessed a marvelous change in conditions during the past quarter of a century.

Mr. Smith is a native of the Keystone state. horn November 12, 1864, and is a son of Daniel

784

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

and Lucetta Smith, both born in Pennsylvania. They were the parents of eight children, of whom A. A. Smith is the first.

Mr. Smith spent his childhood and early youth in his native state. He came west in 1877 with his parents, spending about nine years in Kansas, where he assisted his father on the farm. In 1886, he came to Wayne county, and for five years rented land. In 1891, he purchased his present farm from the I. Davenport estate. The land at that time was in a raw state, no improve- ments having been made. Mr. Smith began to develop his land, and now has one of the valua- ble estates in the county. He has erected all the buildings, which add to the beauty and value of the place, and now has a beautiful home, with modern comforts and conveniences, and enjoys the fruits of hard work and careful management. He is an intelligent and progressive farmer, stands well with his neighbors, and has many friends throughout the county, where he is well known.

Mr. Smith was married in 1885 to Miss Sarah Clark, who was born in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, and is a daughter of S. M. and Elizabeth Clark, natives of Pennsylvania and Illinois, respectively. Four children have blessed this union, namely : Alma, Lucy, Ernest and Alfred Clark.

Mr. Smith's home is pleasantly situated on section eight, township twenty-seven, range three.

CHARLES A. SWEET.

Charles A. Sweet, the genial postmaster at Creighton, has long been one of the leading citi- zens of that thriving city. He is a descendant of colonial ancestors who settled in northern New York prior to the revolutionary war. A mater- nal ancestor was descended from the Scottish nobility. The great-great-grandmother, Cather- ine (Campbell) Hunter, who came to the colonies with her daughter, Polly, was a cousin of General Fraser, the British general, who was killed in battle near Saratoga during the French and Indian war. Both these ladies were with Miss Jane McRae but a short time before her massacre by the redskins, and were taken by their captors before General Fraser, who tried to persuade his kinswomen to return to Scotland. Mrs. Hunter's father, Archibald Campbell, emigrated to Amer- ica on account of having embraced the Episcopal faith, which made him unpopular with his rela- tives in the old country, thus leaving his brother, Lord Lovett, to inherit the title and estates, which his descendants enjoy to this day.

Charles A. Sweet was born at Glenn's Falls, Warren county, New York, on August 19, 1848. IIe was only thirteen years of age at the outbreak of the Civil war, and was eager to enlist, but too young to be taken into the army. However, after

two years, he became a member of Company K, Second New York Regiment of Veteran's Cavalry, acting as bugler, and remained with the company for two years, having been a prisoner of war for a few days less than nine months. His regiment embarked at New York, and was transported by sea to Greenesbury Point, going from there to New Orleans, where they joined General Wilson's command at Alma. During his service in the army, Mr. Sweet participated in twenty-seven engagements, fourteen of which amounted to severe battles, including those at Sabine Cross Roads, Pleasant Hill, Yellow Bayou, Cane River Crossing, Franklin, St. Francisville and Bayou Sara. His capture was effected at Fause River, Louisiana, on October 16, 1864, while on Bank's Red River expedition, and his place of imprison- ment was at Alexander and at Shreveport, Louis- iana. He was at Camp Ford, Texas, for a time, and from there was released, and allowed to join his regiment. Many of the prisoners were offered their freedom if they would swear allegiance to the confederacy and bear arms in that cause, but very few availed themselves of the opportunity.

The winter following his return from the war, Mr. Sweet spent in a lumber camp in the moun- tains in northern New York, employed as a cook, also familiarly called "cook's scorcher." After work was over in the spring, he boarded a boat on the Erie canal, and emigrated to Buffalo, com- ing to Milwaukee in the fall of that year. There he entered the employ of a firm dealing in oys- ters, fish, game and poultry, remaining with them for ten years. He quit his position with the com- pany to accept a position as policeman, and for two years walked a beat in the Cream City, then became a guard in a prison near the city. Later he was employed in a roundhouse at Chicago, in the employ of the Chicago and Northwestern railway company. In the spring of 1883, he came west, stopping at Egan, South Dakota, where he worked as a carpenter for two years.

Mr. Sweet came to Knox county, Nebraska, in May, 1885, following the carpenter's trade for two years, then associated himself with J. L. Packard as buyer in his stock and grain business. While in the employ of this gentleman, Mr. Sweet accomplished an unusual feat that not only proved his responsibility, but his fortitude and integrity as well, as follows: On the day of the destructive blizzard, January 12, 1888, with the aid of his dog, he made his way home at noon, and later returned to feed his stock, and see that everything was all right. On being ready to leave the house, he called the dog, but the animal re- fused to accompany him. It was only by feeling his way from building to building that he finally arrived at the yards, and there dug from a mound heaped up a drove of a dozen or more hogs that had been completely buried under the snow. He drove them to shelter, and then went on his way, having risked his very life in the interests of his

785

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

employer, as it was simply taking his life in his hands to venture out in that storm, as any of the old-timers who passed through it will testify.

In 1893, Mr. Sweet assumed the management of the first creamery in Creighton, putting in a separator and all modern machinery, and manu- factured a high grade of butter, for which he found ready sale. At different times he ran the business up to 1898, then accepted a position in the Horton lumber yard, continuing in that work until his appointment as postmaster in February, 1902. He filled the office with credit, and was re-appointed the following term, also in 1910, being now in his third term of office.

Mr. Sweet was married in Chicago on Septem- ber 21, 1870, to Sarah Hayes, who is a native of Montpelier, Vermont. They have had two chil- dren, both of whom died in infancy. An adopted daughter, Laura, is her father's chief assistant in the postoffice. She is a musican of fine abilty, and is possessed of a beautiful high soprano voice, which is well worthy of cultivation.

Mr. Sweet is a staunch republican, and his first vote was cast for Lincoln at the time when he was a boy of sixteen years in the army. When a boy of twelve, he remembers well marching with his father in a Lincoln rally in 1860. He is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and Mrs. Sweet has served as state president of the Women's Relief Corps. Mr. Sweet is also a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge and Royal Highlanders. The family all attend the Episcopal church, and are among the popuplar members of society in their community.

WILLIAM F. SASSE.

Prominent among the old setlers of Stanton county is the name of William F. Sasse, who has made this region his home for so many years, and done his share in developing the agricultural resources of this section of the country. He lives in his beautiful home on section seven, town- ship twenty-two, range three, where he has built up a most valuable estate through his habits of industry and good management.

Mr. Sasse is a native of Brandenburg, Ger- many, and was born in 1862, the son of August and Henrietta Sasse. The father was a fisherman by trade. In 1869, when our subscriber was a small child, the parents decided to come to Amer- ica, "the Promised Land," which they thought might be better suited to help along the poor man than the older countries of Europe. They came to Cuming county, Nebraska, in 1869, but a few months later removed to Stanton county. So it is in the latter county that the subscriber really attained his thinking years, and where he secured his education. He can tell most interesting stories concerning a settler's life on the plains. At that time, Fremont was the nearest market place, and this was many miles away from his 26

home. Grasshoppers and prairie fires together conspired to make the life of the settler a burden.

In 1898, Mr. Sasse was united in marriage to Miss Albertina Mantel, and three children have been born to them. They are named as follows: Francis Amelia, Hilda Irene and Albert Edward. All were born here on the old homestead.

Mr. Sasse has always taken a commendable interest in the politics of his adopted country, and especially is interested in all local affairs of a public nature. He is a man of industrious habits, and enjoys the confidence and respect of all with whom he comes in contact.

W. A. SHEPHERD.

W. A. Shepherd, of Antelope county, Nebras- ka, is numbered among the oldest settlers and leading "old-timers" of northeastern Nebraska, having landed here July 3, 1871. Mr. Shepherd is a prominent citizen of this locality, respected and esteemed by his fellow men.

Mr. Shepherd is a native of England, and was born in Yorkshire county, May 20, 1844. His father, Thomas Shepherd, was a farmer in Eng- land, and his uncle, William Hall, had the distinc- tion of being a body guard for Lord Wellington. Mr. Shepherd left his native land for America by way of Liverpool to New York, embarking on the sailboat "Old Gike," and was seven weeks on the water, when, after landing in New York in 1850, he started for the west, locating in Grant county, Wisconsin.

In 1871, Mr. Shepherd started for the far west in a covered wagon to make a fortune for him- self, and to procure cheap land. The trip was a memorable one, and many difficulties were encountered. In coming across Iowa at a place near Pomeroy, Calhoun county, they encountered two sloughs, one called "Purgatory" and the other called "Hell," where they bad great diffi- culty in crossing, and several times they had to fasten log chains to the wagon to pull them out of the mud. On arriving in Antelope county, Nebraska, he took up a pre-emption claim on section four, township twenty-three, range six, which has remained the home place until the present time, and where our subject still lives. Here Mr. Shepherd has gone through many vicis- situdes and hardships of the early days, suffer- ing losses through storms of every description, drouths, grasshoppers and prairie fires. The

nearest market in those days was Columbus, which was seventy miles distant. For three years the grasshoppers ate all the crops. In the memor- able blizzard of 1873, called the Easter storm, the snow drifted in the house to such an extent that it had to be shoveled out, so that our sub- ject and his family could move about, and some of his neighbors came to find a place to stay through the storm, and snow had to be taken out to make the house fit to sleep in. Many

786

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

prairie fires were fought in that period, from which the family had narrow escapes. In 1894, the year of the great drouth, the crops were a failure, being destroyed by the hot winds.

Mr. Shepherd was united in marriage, October 21, 1879, to Miss Elizabeth Lory, and Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd are the parents of three children, named as the following : Garnet, Grace and Ruby. Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd and family are enjoying the respect and esteem of their com- munity, and are surrounded by a host of acquaint- ances and warm friends.

HALSEY A. DOANE.

One of the most prominent, successful and influential farmers and stockmen of central Nebraska is the above named gentleman, who can truly claim to be one of its pioneers. Since coming into the state, when but three years old, he has resided in many different counties, and is familiar with the resources of each.

Mr. Doane was born on March 28, 1863, and was the second of five sons born to George W. and Lucinda (Wheeler) Doane. They moved from Madison county, Wisconsin, (the subscrib- er's birthplace) to Otoe county, Nebraska, in 1866, so that most of his life has been spent in the state. Nebraska was then but a territory, and there were few settlers in this county. The father took up a homestead here, but soon after moved to the northeastern part of the state, making his home in Knox and Cedar counties until his death in 1909. The mother died in Cedar county, December 5, 1906.

The principal subject of this sketch grew up to his younger manhood years in Otoe county, living on the old homestead farm until he was twenty-one years of age. He then went to Knox county, later, in the fall of 1907, coming to Cus- ter county, where he purchased land in section eight, township fifteen, range seventeen. He at present controls about six hundred acres, having leased one hundred and sixty acres in section sixteen. He has made many improvements, and now is the proprietor of a well-equipped grain and stock farm, and is an extensive feeder and shipper, having usually more than one hundred and eighty head of cattle to feed.

Mr. Doane was married to Miss Sylvia M. Jones, danghter of George and Hannah (Maple) Jones, in Knox county, September 8, 1886. The Jones family, consisting of father and nine chil- dren, came to Knox county two years previous to the above date. The father was one of the original homesteaders of Knox county. The mother had died in Iowa a number of years before they moved to Nebraska, but the father lived until December 12, 1908. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Doane: Hope, Anna, Ivan G. and H. Irwin, all of whom are living, and at home.

Mr. Doane may truly be called a self-made young man, and has the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens. He is one of the true pio- neers, and has had much to do with the growth and development of agricultural interests in central and eastern Nebraska. In politics Mr. Doane is republican, and is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Mason City, having trans- ferred his membership from Knox county.

Mr. Doane lived in a log house in Otoe county, and in a "soddy" for some years in Knox. Deer and antelope were plentiful in those days, com- ing into the fields to feed on the settlers' corn.

Mr. Doane was in Cedar county during 1894, the year of drouth, raising but two bushels of corn to the acre, but was fortunate in harvesting a crop of wheat that ran fifteen bushels to the acre in that favored locality.

ERWIN DODGE.

Through exceptionally good management and persistent efforts, the gentleman here named has succeeded in building np a well-developed farm and comfortable home, and is enabled to enjoy the comforts of life. Erwin Dodge, retired farmer, son of Amos and Sarah (Ritubusch) Dodge, was born in Lamoille county, Vermont, two miles from Johnson village, September 30, 1846. He is the eldest of five children, and has one brother residing in McHenry county, Illinois, one sister in Park Ridge, Illinois, and one sister living in Clay county, Nebraska. One sister is deceased, as are the father and mother, both of whom were born in Vermont, and died in Illinois.

Mr. Dodge lived in Vermont until he was twenty-one years of age, when he came west to McHenry county, Illinois, engaging in farm labor there three years. Then, after living for two years in the old home state, he came with a brother again to McHenry county in 1872, and they were followed by the parents a year later. The father had made a previous trip to this part of the country in the early fifties, and determined to settle there, having sold his farm for that pur- pose, but on returning home for his family, the vessel he was in experienced so severe a storm on the lakes that he vowed that if he ever got to land, he would never risk his life on the water again. And he did not; his next trip was by rail.

In 1884, Mr. Dodge came to what is now Loup county, Nebraska, and with his brother, William Dodge, pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land on Gracie creek, and also timber-claimed one hundred and sixty acres, starting a ranch there at the time. In 1886, he purchased three hundred and eighty-two acres of good land, half a mile northeast of Elyria, running down to the banks of the North Loup, one of the best situated farms in the county. In the spring of 1910, Mr. Dodge rented his farm for two years, and moved to Elyria, building a

€.

JOWN RESIDENCES

FARM RESIDENCE OF ERWIN DODGE.

787

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

good home there. In 1912, together with his sons, he again engaged in farming and cattle- raising, still maintaining his house in town. A view of his large farm residence, with its barns and sheds, together with a sketch of the town house, is to be found on another page of our work.

Mr. Dodge has enjoyed genuine pioneer life in a "soddy," living for two years in a house of that construction on the ranch in Loup county. Deer were plentiful in those times. Mr. Dodge killed one while living there, and his brother one winter killed seven in one week. Mr. Dodge suffered the loss of his entire crop during the drouth of 1894, and lost all of his hay and about half of his corn in the severe hailstorm of 1893.

On December 23, 1886, Mr. Dodge was mar- ried to Mrs. Alice Adamson, of Iowa, and Mr. and Mrs. Dodge have had five children born to them : Perry A., died in 1907; Jackson O .; William E .; Angie A., died in 1898, and Lotta A., all the surviving children residing at home.

Mr. Dodge is a successful man of affairs, owning three hundred and eighty-two acres of stock and farm land, as well as good town prop- erty. He has passed through much of Valley county history, and during his residence here, has become one of the most popular and substan- tial citizens of his community. He has served as treasurer of school districts numbers two and sixty-three for several years.

LEONARD SCHMITZ. (Deceased.)

Leonard Schmitz, during his lifetime a prom- inent land-owner of Pierce county, Nebraska, was a native of Prussia, and was born December 15, 1847, a son of Nicholas Schmitz, who came to America in 1860. He first settled in Dubuque county, Iowa, where he was a prosperous farmer. Here Leonard grew to manhood, and was married at Sherrill's Mound, that county, Jannary 19, 1875, to Miss Louisa Link. Mrs. Schmitz was a native of the village of Balltown, Dubuque coun- ty, Iowa, born June 16, 1855, a daughter of An- drew and Regina (Laite) Link, natives of Witten- berg and Baden, Germany, respectively.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 170

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