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 203
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children have been born to Mr. Vannice and wife: Avalo P., married and living in Broken Bow, has one child; Ross W .. deceased; Ashbel W., a preacher of the United Brethren church, is un- married and lives at home; Chester, deceased, and Merlin C. The first two were born in Iowa and the other three on the homestead farm. Mr. Van- nice and his wife have been active along educa- tional and social lines and have done their share to advance the general progress and welfare of their county and state. He has held various town- ship offices.
The parents of Mr. Vannice are both deceased; his sister, Mrs. Leah Hukill, lives in Mediapolis, lowa, and his other sister, Mrs. Emily Zerber, lives at Grand Junction, Colorado.
JAMES BAXTER.
For over forty years the gentleman above named has been identified with the agricultural in- terests of Howard county, Nebraska, and has aided materially in transforming this locality from its wild natural state into a thriving farming dis- trict. Mr. Baxter is a gentleman of unusual perse- verance and energy, who has met with deserved success in his labors, now being classed among the leading citizens of his community.
James Baxter was born in the county of Cum- berland, England, on the first day of December, 1837, and was the second child in a family of four, he being the only boy. His parents died in Eng- land, and two sisters still live there, while the third also is dead. Our subject made England his home until his thirty-second year, then came to America, landing in New York in August, 1869. He went directly to Kalamazoo, Michigan, accom- panied by Mr. Alex Lamb, who came from Eng- land with him. There Mr. Baxter engaged in the stock business, as he had followed farming and stock buying for many years in England, and he remained in Michigan until March, 1871, at which time he went to Dubuque county, Iowa, spending a few weeks with old friends, James and George Irvine, sketches of both of whom will be found in this book.
Mr. Baxter's first sight of Howard county was in the latter part of March, 1871, when he arrived here in company with the Irvine boys and Alex Lamb. This party of men were among the first- if not actually the first resident settlers of the county, and Mr. Baxter still relates in a very in- teresting and amusing. manner their early experi- ences here, particularly of their crossing on the Loup river, as there was at that time no way of crossing the stream except by fording it and taking your chances of striking the best spot for so doing. They had an ox team and load of supplies, and in trying to get to the opposite side were forced into the deep channel of the river; when part way across they were obliged to turn the oxen loose, and, taking their load in small quantities, after anaking four or five trips, managed to get it all
safely over. They then floated the wagon box and front and hind wheels of the wagon over sepa- rately. So far as is known, this is the first fording of the river made in Howard county by white men.
In April, Mr. Baxter homesteaded on northwest quarter section twenty-five, township twelve, range fourteen, and this land is still in his pos- session. He has seen every change that has come to the locality, doing his full share in bringing about the prosperity now enjoyed there, and inci- dentally has built up for himself a comfortable for- tune, at the present time being proprietor of nine hundred acres of choice land which is divided into several fully equipped farms. Mr. Baxter has himself retired from active management of the farm, his sons relieving him of the burden, while he with his wife and three unmarried children, reside in a pleasant home in Farwell.
Mr. Baxter was married at Grand Island, Ne- braska, on December 26, 1873, to Christina Irvine. Mrs. Baxter is a native of Scotland, coming to the United States in 1872, in order to join her broth- ers George and James Irvine, mentioned above. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Baxter, named as follows: Jane, wife of Frank Dodd, they living in Alberta, Canada, and having a family of seven children; Thomas and James A .. both married and farming in Howard county, the latter working the original Baxter homestead ; Archie W., Albert H. and Mary Ethel, living at home. One son and a daughter died during baby- hood. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Baxter will be found on another page.
Mr. Baxter has always been prominent in local affairs, holding different precinct offices. In 1885 he was appointed county clerk to fill an unexpired term, and for thirty-five years served as justice of the peace in Kelso precinct.
GEORGE H. HECHT.
George Hecht, the eldest living son of venerable Chris Hecht, was born at Joliet, Illinois, Septem- ber 22, 1859, and was reared here and in Kan- kakee county, spending most of his youth on the farm.
When the family moved to Grant Park, Illi- nois, George learned the carpenters' trade, and during the two years prior to their migration to Nebraska, he was employed by the Pullman Car Company at Pullman, Illinois. His first work was roofing the water tower at an elevation of two hun- dred and thirty-five feet from the ground, from which Michigan City, Indiana, forty-five miles distant, was visible on clear days.
A few weeks after the return of the father from purchasing the Nebraska 'farm, in August, 1894, George came to Pierce county, Nebraska, to look after it until the coming of the family the follow- ing spring, and he has since been a resident of Ne- braska. During the years of his residence on the farm, he was employed at the carpenters' trade
JAMES BAXTER.
MRS. JAMES BAXTER.
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.
from time to time when farm work was not press- ing. In 1903, the family moved to own and Mr. Hecht, with his brother Charles, engaged in farm implement business, dealing in buggies and auto- mobiles in addition to the usual stock; in the spring of 1911 Mr. Hecht bought his brother's in- terest and is sole owner and proprietor of the business.
Mr. Hecht was married at Pullman, Illinois, April 10, 1882, to Miss Ada A. Russell, a native of Utiea, Oneida county, New York, a daughter of Si- mon and Eliza A. (Blake) Russell. Mr. and Mrs. Hecht have had six children born to them, five of whom are living: Clarence C., engaged with his father in business, was married to Miss Cora Hoops, of Seward, Nebraska; their daughter, Mar- jory L., was the first great-grandchild, and formed one of a group of four generations of the family. George F., is an auto expert mechanician in charge of his father's auto department; Alice, who gradu- ated in the Plainview high school, married Ed- ward Hadik, who is now farming in Knox county ; Leseter, and Russell, who are attending the Plain- view schools.
Mr. Hecht has, like his father, been a republi- can since attaining the franchise, and cast his first vote for McKinley, who, like his father's first can- didate, suffered the assassin's ball. Mr. Hecht, with his family is a member of the Congregational church, and he is also a member of the Masonic order, of which he served as Worshipful Master ten years, and is now treasurer of the Chapter of the Eastern Star. He is affiliated also with the Independent Order Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen of America lodges.
Mr. Hecht has seen the development of Ne- braska from the open, unsettled country to the highly developed, prosperous community it now is. In the early days, feathered game was plenti- ful, and once in the spring of 1885, he came in sight of four deer when on a hunting trip east of his home, but none of the party came close enough to get a shot at the large game. Prairie wolves were plentiful and at times made depredations on the settlers' young stock. The dangers of blizzards and prairie fires kept the settlers on the alert, hut withal they enjoyed life as much as do the young folks now; every one was helpful, hopeful, and considerate.
JAMES FRANKLIN IRVINE.
James Franklin Irvine, one of the well-to-do younger members of the farming community of Howard county, is a gentleman of energetic habits, who has been most successful and prosperous in his chosen work. He was born in the county in which he now resides, first seeing the light on March 23, 1878.
James F. Irvine is the eldest son of George Ir- vine, who was one of the first settlers and whose home was the first building erected in the settle- ment of Howard county, He now resides in Kelso
precinct on Oak creek, where he owns a valuable estate. Our subject grew up on the home farm, receiving his early education in the local district schools, later attending the Grand Island Busi . ness College, from which he was graduated in 1898. After leaving school he engaged in farming on his own account, purchasing the old Oak creek farm, containing about three hundred and twenty acres. This land was owned by his uncle, James Irvine, and was a well improved tract. He worked this place up to 1906, adding to its value in many ways, and disposed of it at a very good profit. He then purchased one hundred acres situated on the North Loup river, lying about miles northwest of St. Paul, in section seventeen, township fifteen, range eleven, and has made of this a fine property; having the place equipped with every convenience for conducting a model farm, and all the land is under cultivation. He is progressive in his methods and a thoroughly practical farmer.
Mr. Irvine was married on March 28, 1900, at Nysted, Nebraska, to Sophia Caroline Mortensen, the Rev. Peterson officiating. Mrs. Irvine comes of a prominent pioneer family in Howard county, her father, Rasmus Mortensen, having settled in this part of the state in 1873. Mr. Mortensen was born at Odense, Finland, and there married Jose- phine Magdeline Larson, who was born in Salken- berg, Swenden. They came to America in 1873, and immediately emigrated to Howard county, Ne- braska, where Mr. Mortensen bought the Paul An- derson homestead of one hundred and sixty acres. This was their home place until Mr. Mortensen's death, November 20, 1897. Mrs. Mortensen con- tinued to live on the farm in Warsaw precinct un- til 1900, when she moved to Dannebrog, which has since been her home.
Four children have come to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Irvine: Earl Clayton, Ethel Viola, George Lee, and Ray Franklin.
Mr. Irvine takes a commendable interest in local affairs, and in 1902 was elected county assessor.
ALONZO SHEPARD.
Among the early settlers of the state may be mentioned the above gentleman, who has, since 1890, lived in the city of North Loup, although still superintending his large estates, situated in Greeley and Valley counties. He is regarded as one of the leading citizens in this part of the state.
Mr. Shepard was born at Canton, in the Old Bay state, February 22, 1836, the fourth in a family of five children born to George and Almira (Bailey) Shepard, natives of Canton and Seitu- ate, Massachusetts, respectively. Of these five children, only two besides the subscriber still sur- vive. One brother lives in Illinois and one sister is a resident of Nebraska.
When Mr. Shepard was only six years old, the
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.
family moved to Warren township, Lake county, Illinois, and here near Littleport, now Waukegan, he grew to manhood and received his education in the common schools.
On August 14, 1866, he was married to Miss Cordelia Raydure, a native of Meadville, Crawford county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of John Staf- ford and Desolate (Quigley) Raydure. An inter- esting bit of family history may be told in connec- tion with the mother's peculiar name. The grand- mother, Rosa Mushrush, came with her brother Michael from Germany, and settled near Mead- ville, where each secured seven hundred acres of land. Here she married, soon after which her husband, Mr. Quigley, disappeared. During this period in her grief she so frequently exclaimed, "I am so lonely and desolate!" and when twins were horn, she named them Mary Lonely and Nancy Desolate. When of school age she took them on horseback through the trackless wilderness a hun- dred miles, to Pittsburg, while she and their Unele Michael walked, and left them at a convent until they were fifteen years of age, not seeing them dur- ing these years. On their return home, Desolate taught sehool eleven years, until her marriage at the age of twenty-six, on her birthday, April 1. She died in April, 1890, at the age of eighty-five.
In the year following his marriage, Mr. Shep- ard removed to Omaha, Nebraska, and for a time followed the carpenter's trade. However, in less than a year they again moved, this time going to Platte county, where Mr. Shepard pre-empted a quarter-section at Duncan, part of their old farm now being within the limits of the town. They remained here for five years. While in this county Mr. Shepard held his first public office, being ap- pointed postmaster of Jackson, now Duncan, un- der the Grant administration, and serving one term.
In 1872, Mr. Shepard and family moved to Greeley county, and took up another quarter- section, under the homestead act, near North Loup. This homestead remained the family home until 1890, when Mr. Shepard retired from aetive labor and moved into the city of North Loup, where he has since built a comfortable home. He owns now considerably more than two hundred acres of well- improved land as well as his home, comprising four acres, in North Loup. For years he has given considerable attention to stock raising and has met with great success.
Mr. Shepard has lived in the state for forty- five years and has become familiar to many in that section and takes a foremost place among them as an energetic farmer and public spirited citizen. He has experienced all the trials and hardships of a pioneer's life in the west. He has always taken a hearty interest in the development of the com- munity and has aided materially in the advance- ment of public enterprises. While living in Greeley county, Mr. Shepard served the public as county commissioner, elected on the republican
ticket, his term of office lasting two years, he hav- ing resigned on removal from this county.
Mr. and Mrs. Shepard have two daughters, one of them, Maud Amber, is a teacher and the other, Marion, is still at home. In social and educational lines, the family have attained considerable promi- nence. Mrs. Shepard is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church.
Like most of the pioneers of the west the Shep- ard family lived in a dug-out, this one having a log front and a sod roof. A year later he built a two-story log house with a basement, a most pre- tentious house in those days. The logs from which it was built were hauled from Cedar Canyon, near Burwell, some thirty miles distant, covered with siding and plastered inside, it is still in use, a very comfortable dwelling.
OTTO F. LINSTADT.
Otto F. Linstadt, one of the old settlers of the region where he now resides, occupies a good home and valuable property in section thirty-three, township twenty-two, range two; he has always done his full share in the developing of his region and is well-known as a progressive and energetic citizen. He and his family live in their comforta- ble home, where they are surrounded by a large. circle of friends and good neighbors.
Mr. Linstadt is a native of Pomerania, Ger- many, where his birth occurred November 2, 1871; he is a son of Carl and Caroline (Langish) Lin- stadt, who were also natives of Germany. In 1875, when but a small child, our subject left Ger- many with his parents, embarking on a steamship at Bremen, which was bound for New York.
After landing in the United States the family came to Nebraska, coming by way of Columbus to Madison county, where they took up a homestead in Kalamazoo township. The family much pre- ferred the sod house for a dwelling, and lived in three different "'soddys" during their residence on the homestead; this style of house was comfortable all the year round, being cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Columbus was the nearest market place in the pioneer days, a distance of thirty-five miles having to be traveled by ox team to haul grain to market, the journey there and back consuming three days.
Many hardships and discouragements had to he met and overcome in the early days on the west- ern frontier; the first few years the grasshopper pests that infested this region were the greatest source of anxiety they destroying every spear of crops, which made it very hard for the new settler just starting life in the west; prairie fires played their part in the havoc wrought, and at one time one of these treacherous fires burned everything. including the season's hay and grain, but the sod house in which the family lived was not destroyed. In 1894 the hot winds of that year destroyed all that season's crops, burning ont the ground, this condition being a result of the terrible drouth that
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.
prevailed then throughout that section of the country.
Mr. Linstadt was united in marriage in 1902 to Miss Anna Huber, a native of Fairview, Ne- braska, and Mr. and Mrs. Linstadt are the parents of four children, namely: Walter, Lenora, Wil- lard, and Harold. They are a fine family and en- joy the respect and esteem of all who know them.
In 1906 Mr. Linstadt bought his present farm, which is known as the Joe Wangel homestead. He has steadily improved the place since his purchase, and now has a fine farm and good home on same, where he and his family are surrounded by a host of good friends and neighbors.
Mr. Linstadt owns "Rock," one of the finest Percheron stallions in that part of the country.
CHARLES C. COOPER.
Charles C. Cooper is recognized as one of the substantial business men of Ansley, Nebraska, and . is one of the younger men among the early set- tlers of Custer county. He is a native of Putnam county, Illinois, born March 19, 1876, one of a family of six children and third in the order of birth. His father was of English descent, born in Pennsylvania, and died in Burt, Iowa, in 1907. The mother, of Scotch descent, was born in Michi- gan, and now lives at Algona, Iowa. Of their children, besides Charles C., there is a son living in Chicago, a daughter in Los Angeles, a son in Sioux City, a daughter in Neligh, Nebraska, and one son is deceased.
In childhood Charles C. Cooper was brought by his parents to Iowa, receiving his education in the country schools. About 1890 he came to Custer county and afterward attended Omaha business college, graduating in 1904. He worked in a bank two years after leaving school and then took up dealing in real estate, which has since been his oc- cupation. He is a wide-awake, enterprising busi- ness man, and has won a good standing in the com- munity.
Mr. Cooper was married on June 28, 1905, at the home of the bride's parents in Ansley, to Miss Mary Sharpless, a native of Illinois, who had been a teacher in Nebraska, to which state she came with her family in 1885. She is a daughter of James F. and Martha (Fyffe) Sharpless, and a sketch of her father, who is now deceased, may be found in this work. 'One child was born of this union, Emma Laura. In 1907 Mr. Cooper erected a fine modern residence, where he and his family have since resided. He and his wife are well known socially and have a large number of friends.
WILLIAM DAMME.
William Damme, a prominent farmer of Wayne county, resides in his comfortable home on section five, township twenty-five, range two. Ile is well-known throughout this portion of the country.
and is one of those substantial citizens whose in- tegrity, industry, thrift, and other sterling vir- tues have added so much to the material wealth of the state. Agriculture forms the basis of wealth in most sections of the western United States, and it is therefore of great importance that the people who inhabit the great farming regions should dis- play these elements of sterling worth which are so noticeable in the character of our subscriber.
Mr. Damme is a native of Missouri, where he was born September 18, 1855. His parents, Wil- liam and Lottie Damme, were both natives of West- phalia, Germany. They emigrated to America wlien young-William Damme, senior, coming with his parents, and Mrs. Damme, with some cousins. They were married in Missouri. Their sailing vessel was six months on the way. The father owned and operated a farm in Franklin county, Missouri, on which he lived at the time of his death. He is survived by his widow, who still lives on the old place. She made a trip back to Germany in 1910, after having lived in America sixty years.
The childhood of Mr. Damme was spent in Mis- souri, where he obtained his education. He helped his parents about their farm during his spare time, thus early being accustomed to the life of a farmer.
In 1881, he started for himself, coming to Otoe county, Nebraska, and settling on a rented farm. Five years later, he came to Wayne county, and bought the old Merriman homestead of one hun- dred and sixty acres, which has been his home ever since. He has improved the farm considerably from time to time, as his means permitted, and now has a comfortable home, and one of the finest farms in the community. One noticeable improve- ment is the fine orchard and grove which form a striking feature in the landscape. He now owns two hundred and forty acres of land.
In 1883, Mr. Damme was married to Miss Al- bertena Schutt, of Missouri. They are the par- ents of fifteen children, named as follows : Ed, Min- nie, William, Mertha, deceased, Fred, Mary, John, Herman, Clara, H. Henry, deceased, Lottie, Jo- hanna, deceased. Carl, Benjamin, Albert.
Mr. and Mrs. Damme are members of the Ger- man Lutheran church, and Mr. Damme is a repub- lican in politics.
WARREN BURKMAN.
Prominent among the residents of Palmer, Ne- braska, is the gentleman above named who has lived in Merrick county for over thirty-two . years or more, and in this section of Nebraska since 1877, and has been closely identified with the de- velopment and civilization of this part of the state.
Warren Burkman, retired farmer, son of Elias and Amelia (Aldrich) Burkman was born in Me- dina, Ohio, August 1, 1847, and was eldest in a family of six children; he has one sister residing in Cedar Rapids, Nebraska, one in Omaha, an-
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.
other in Idaho, one brother in Idaho, and another in Palmer; the father died in 1882, at Palmner, and the mother in 1879, at Cedar Rapids, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Elias Burkman came to Boone county, Nebraska, from northern Iowa, in 1872, where Mr. Burkman took up a claim of one hun- dred and sixty acres near the town of Cedar Rapids. This continued to be his home until Mrs. Burkman's death, when he sold and afterward made his home with his son, Warren. When a small child, our subject went with his parents to Scott county, Iowa, remaining but two years, then returning to Ohio for a year; and in 1859 the family went again to Iowa, and in 1860 moved to Illinois. On March 6, 1867, Mr. Burkman was married to Miss Elma Folsom, of Wisconsin, and made their first home in Hancock county, Iowa.
In July of 1877, Mr. Burkman came with his wife and three children to Boone county, Ne. braska, one year later going to Nance county ; com- ing on into Merrick county, in 1879, where he pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in sec- tion twenty-two, township fifteen, range eight, which remained the home for twenty-eight acres. In 1909 Mr. Burkman retired from the farm and moved to Palmer, Nebraska, where he purchased a fine home where they now live. He has been a prosperous man of affairs. and at one time owned two hundred and forty acres in Merrick and Nance counties. This he sold and bought one hundred and sixty acres, which he still owns. He served as director of his school district number thirty-one for six years.
Mr. and Mrs. Burkman have had five children : Genevieve, wife of David Baird, resides in Clarks, Nebraska; Frank, who is married, has eight daugh- ters, and one son, and lives in Merrick county ; Bert, also married and residing in Merrick county ; Clifford, married, has one son, and lives in Merrick county ; and Pearl, who is the wife of Charlie Yar- mon, of Palmer. Mr. and Mrs. Burkman are among the earlier settlers of the county, have passed through much of the early history of their locality, and are widely and favorably known.
DETLEF HAFNER.
Detlef Hafner, an agriculturist of prominence in Knox county, resides in Morton township, and is one of those substantial citizens whose integrity and industry, thrift and economy, have added so much to the material wealth and growth of Ne- braska.
Mr. Hafner is a native of Germany, his birth occurring in the province of Holstein, in the year 1856. He is a son of John and Mary (Lange) Ilafner, who were both natives of Germany. The father served his native country in the war between Germany and Denmark.
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