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 204

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 204

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).

In 1881, Mr. Hafner, with his parents, left the fatherland to come to the new world, where there were better opportunities for a man to get a start in life. After landing in the United States, the

family proceeded directly westward, locating in Omaha, Nebraska, where they remained five years. Our subject then came to Knox county, Nebraska, in 1886, where he bought school land, which he greatly improved during the years, and has stead- ily added to his land holdings until now he owns six hundred and forty acres of fine land.

Mr. Hafner has experienced the many hard- ships and discouragements that the early settlers of the western frontier had to endure, and among other incidents, the memorable blizzard of Janu- ary 12, 1888, proved about as destructive as any, our subject losing nearly all his stock in the icy, biting blast, and whirlwind of ice dust.

In 1893, Mr. Hafner was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ellieason, and Mr. and Mrs. Hafner are the parents of four children, named as follows: Henry, Ernest George and Edna.

Mr. and Mrs. Hafner and family are highly esteemed and respected in their community, and live in their pleasant home, which is located in sec- tion sixteen, township thirty, range three, where they are surrounded by a host of good friends and acquaintances. In politics, Mr. Hafner is a repub- lican, and he and his family belong to the German Lutheran church.

J. OSMAN TRINE.

Prominent among the old settlers of Nebraska, is J. Osman Trine, who, since the fall of 1868, has made the northeastern part of the state his home, and has done his share in the developing of the ag- ricultural resources of this section of the country. Mr. Trine lives on section thirty-one, township twenty-two, range one, east, in Stanton county, where he built up a valuable property through his industry and good management.

Mr. Trine is a native of Iowa, his birth occur- ring in the year 1858; he is a son of William and Rachel (Stewart) Trine, both of whom claim Ohio as their native state, and of Welch and German de- scent respectively.

Mr. Trine's father came to lowa in the year 1852, coming by boat to near Brighton, Iowa, where he remained until 1868. In the same year the fam- ily came to Madison county, Nebraska, where the father took up a homestead. His brother, our subject's uncle, had preceded them, and was living on the ranch known at that time as the Walter Craig ranch, and E. Clark ranch, who owned town- ship twenty-one, range one, east.

Our subject's father and family first lived in a dugout, and later a "soddy" was built, which made a comfortable house both in summer and win- ter. In those early days of western frontier life, the family endured many hardships and dis- couragements, among some of them being the grass- hopper pests which infested this region during the years of 1871, 1872 and 1873 and destroyed every spear of vegetation, and many times our subject and his father fought prairie fires to save their lives and possessions. Their nearest market place in

939

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

those days was at Columbus, many miles distant. Deer and antelope were plentiful in those times, and were frequently seen.

In 1882, Mr. Trine, our subject, bought his present farm and has steadily improved same un- til now he has a beautiful home and five hundred acres of fine land, ten acres of which are given to trees.

Mr. Trine was united in marriage, in the year of 1882, to Miss Jessie Read, and Mr. and Mrs. Trine are the parents of six children, namely : Rettie, Floyd, Sterling, Ruth, now Mrs. Adam Young ; Ralph, and Sarah. They are a fine family and enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them.

WILLIAM SCHLECHT.

William Schlecht who resides in section twenty- three, township twenty-five, range eight, in Ante- lope 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. Schlecht is indeed an old settler of northeastern Nebraska, having lived in this part of the state for the past forty-eight years. Mr. Schlecht's home in the lo- cation above mentioned shows thrift and pros- perity. When coming to Antelope county in 1901, he bought the Ernest Michel homestead, and now owns eight hundred acres of good land and has forty acres of fine orchard and grove trees.

Mr. Schlecht is a native of Manitowoc, Wiscon- sin, where he was born January 20, 1860. His father Ernesch Schlecht was born in Saxony pro- vince, Germany, November 25, 1839. He served in the army of his native land for three years before coming to America. He arrived in New York with very little money, in fact after paying for lodging he had but twenty-five cents left. Fortunately, however, he succeeded in locating friends from the old country, and in this way secured employment and later went to Manitowoc. He died July 3. 1909 in Cuming county, Nebraska. The mother of our subject, Amelia Reffell, was born in Pommer province, Germany in 1844. Mr. Schlecht's par- ents came to America in a sailboat and were six months making the voyage. Troubleons times beset them almost from the start. While his mother was on the sea, an epidemic of cholera broke out and in this epidemie she lost her brother-in-law and her nephew. On arriving at New York, more trouble was in store and they were quarantined on account of small pox, for some time. After reaching New York they proceeded to Wisconsin where they bought land and resided until 1862, when the family, including our subject, moved to Cuming county, Nebraska, where they took up a homestead claim, on which they built a dugout. In coming here they drove an ox team from Wisconsin, and were six weeks on the way. When they came to Cuming county there were only fifteen settlers liv- ing there, and during the first winter there, three

people froze to death. In those early days of the first pioneers words are almost inadequate to ex- press the experiences and hardships endured by the handful of people who braved the unknown dangers and struggles that were before them. Among some of the dangers and disappointments endured were scares caused by the Indians who in- fested the unpopulated western country at that time, loss of crops by grasshopper raids and hot winds and they also fought prairie fires to save their property and lives.

August 20, 1885, Mr. Schlecht was united in holy matrimony to Miss Tillie Loeue, and Mr. and Mrs. Schlecht are the parents of five children, whose names are as follows : Ernest, who is married to Miss Vera Johnson ; William; Matie, who is the wife of Mr. Ferdinand Rankie; Henry and Laura.

In 1901 Mr. Schlecht came to Antelope county, Nebraska, and bought land, and now resides on the Ernest Michel homestead, and as before stated, owns eight hundred acres of land, and forty acres of fine trees. His home is known as the Clearwater Stock Farm, stock-raising being Mr. Schlecht's principal business, and in which he takes a great interest, and he is particularly interested in rais- ing Duroc Jersey hogs of which he has a nice herd.

FRANK L. BEALS.

Frank L. Beals is one of the younger men of Custer county who are prominent in financial and business circles, and he is recognized as a man of sterling qualities and business ability and integri- ty. He is now manager of the Farmers' Bank of Merna, one of the leading institutions of Custer county, with a paid up capital of fifteen thousand dollars, and whose charter was granted January 19, 1909. The president of the company is B. F. Cox, the vice president E. B. Daley and the cashier Frank L. Beals, who is also the active manager. The bank was organized by pioneer settlers of the county and its officers have lived in the county for many years. The company owns a modern bank building and has a well equipped room for the transactions which are carried on there. This is considered one of the solid financial institutions of central Nebraska and has already won a wide repu- tation for modern methods and sound business principles.

Mr. Beals was born in Wayne county, Iowa, March 4, 1873, and came to Custer county with his parents in 1887. He was the third born of the five children in the family of Isaac and Mary (Kellen- berger) Beals, the father a native of Vermillion county, Illinois, and the mother of Kentucky. The parents, with their four children, came to Nebras- ka in the spring of 1887 and Isaac Beals was one of the early settlers of Custer county, securing a title to the southwest quarter of section twelve, township eighteen, range twenty-three, which was his home until the time of his death in December, 1894. Ile was survived by his widow and the fol- lowing children: Frank L., of this sketch; Anna,

940

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

Mrs. A. D. Hunt, of Custer county, and Nellie, Mrs. Edwin Hewett ,of Spokane, Washington.

Frank L. Beals lived on the farm in Custer county until 1906, when he located in Anselmo, and in January, 1909, he came to Merna and assumed his present business connection. He was married in Anselmo December 20 1908, to Jessie Parkison, and one child has been born of this union, Ruth Helen. Mr. Beals and his wife are prominent in social circles and he is a member of the Masonic order. Both are highly regarded by their many friends and are always ready to do their share to promote the general welfare and prosperity of their county and state.

JAMES L. PETET.

James L. Petet stands at the head of a family that has long been held in high respect in Custer county, and has passed through various stages of the development of the region. He was born in Knox county, Illinois, September 30, 1839, the eldest child of Lewis and Nancy Petet, and their only son. His parents died when he was about seven years of age and he and his sisters were taken to the home of their grandparents in Iowa. He lived on his grandfather's farm, until his thir- teenth year, then went out to work for others.

In the spring of 1861 Mr. Petet enlisted in Com- pany B, Third Iowa Volunteer Infantry, remaining in the service until the spring of 1864. He partici- pated in many engagements, among them the fol- lowing: Kirksville, Missouri, August 20, 1861; Shelbyville, September 2, 1861; Blue Mills, Septem- ber 17, 1861; Shiloh, Tennessee; Metamora, Mis- sissippi; Greenville, Vicksburg, Jackson and Can- ton, Mississippi; Atlanta and Ezra Chapel, Geor- gia; Corinth, and the siege of Atlanta. He re- ceived honorable discharge as a veteran and was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa. At the siege of Jackson, Mississippi, the Third Iowa was practi- cally annihilated and the remnant of the regiment was attached to the second. His father had fought in the Mexican war and his death occurred on the Gulf of Mexico, while returning from service.

After his discharge Mr. Petet returned to Mar- ion county, Iowa, where he engaged in farming. On June 26, 1864, he married Martha L., daugh- ter of Elias and Sarah M. Fuller. Her family were the first white settlers in Marion county, Iowa. They located on the Des Moines river and for some time their nearest neighbors were Indians. Mr. and Mrs. Petet spent the first few years of their married life on a rented farm, then purchased land in Marion county, on which they lived until the fall of 1880, when they came to Custer county, Nebraska, with a bunch of cattle for Mr. E. P. Savage.

Mr. Petet took up a homestead in Custer county in the fall of 1883 returned to Douglas county, and the following spring came to live on it, driving through from Douglas county with teams and wag- cns. After proving his title to the homestead he

took a pre-emption and lived upon it about six years. He continued to cary on farming and rais- ing stock in the county until the spring of 1906, when he removed with his family to the town of Comstock.

Mr. Petet and wife have been residents of Cus- ter county since the fall of 1883, and they have the respect and esteem of a large number of friends. He is a public-spirited, enterprising citizen and in- terested in all that pertains to the general welfare and prosperity. As he says himself, he has at times been "at the top," and at other times, "down and out at the heel." He was left on or- phan at a tender age and early learned the lesson of self-dependence. He is the only one of his fam- ily now surviving. Mrs. Petet's mother made her home for several years with the family and died at the Petet home June 22, 1911, being in her eighty-ninth year. Mr. Petet and wife are active and vigorous and greatly enjoy the happiness of being surrounded by their descendants and friends in the eventide of their lives. Ten children have blessed their union, of whom nine now survive: Lewis A., of New Mexico, is married and has four children ; James C., of Missouri, is married and has four children; Alice, wife of John Hiveley, of Hooper, Nebraska, has five children ; Belle, wife of William Brown, of Comstock, has eight children : Bert, of Custer county, has four children ; George, also of Custer county, has three children; Benja- min, of West Comstock, has four children ; Gussie, wife of Henry Eggers, of Chase county, Nebraska, has two children; Nancy, now Mrs. James Adams, lives in Comstock, and Amie, who is deceased. There are thirty-four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren in the family, and at a family reunion recently held in Comstock (1911) five gen- erations were represented. An interesting picture of the Petet family will be found on another page of this work.

CLAUS HINRICHSEN.

In listing the self-made men of Pierce county, Nebraska, who have become well-to-do agricultur- alists and have aided materially in the development of the farming interests of this region, a promi- nent place is accorded Claus Hinrichsen. For many years this gentleman has followed this line of work, in the northeast quarter of section nine, township twenty-eight, rauge three, and has met with pronounced success, is now known as one of the substantial citizens and well merits his high standing.

Mr. Hinrichsen was born in the province of Schleswig, Holstein, Germany, October 8, 1860,four years before it was ceded to that country by Den- mark at the end of a war, and spent his boyhood days in his native province, receiving a common school education. He is a son of Henry and Mary (Mauderer) Hinrichsen. The father died in 1869, and in 1874, Mr. Hinrichsen, with his mother, came to America, sailing from Hamburg, to New York.

MR. AND MRS. J. L. PETTET.

FIVE GENERATIONS OF THE PETTET FAMILY.

RESIDENCE OF CLAUS HINRICHSEN.

941

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

on the steamship "Simbria." Later the mother married Claus Hinrichsen, a brother of Henry.

Our subject spent the first five years in Daven- port, Iowa, and then moved to Ida county, Iowa, in 1880, and from there in 1882 to Crawford county, two years later he came to Pierce county, Nebras- ka, where he bought the land he now occupied. He first came to the farm in 1885, driving through from Iowa; he broke the prairie during his sojourn here and returned to Iowa to bring his family the next year. He planted four acres of trees on this land.

Mr. Hinrichsen has experienced the drawbacks incidental to the early settlement, burning hay and cornstalks for a time. Drouths killed his corn in 1894 and most of his small grain; he lost his en- tire crops by the hail of 1900, there being a storm in June that killed his small grain and another in August that ruined his corn.

Mr. Hinrichsen was married in Denison, Iowa, December 11, 1885, to Miss Christina Boyens, a native of Germany. Her parents, Henry and Mona (Johansen) Boyens, emigrated to America in 1880 and settled at Denison, Crawford county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Hinrichsen are the parents of nine living children, who are named as follows: Henry, Mary, Alfred, Lewis, Alvina, Carl, Claus, Hans, and Hilda. John, Edward and Herman died.

Mr. Hinrichsen is of the German-Lutheran faith. and in politics he is a republican.

We take pleasure in calling attention to a view of Mr. Hinrichsen's fine farm residence and other buildings on a page in this work.

ROLAND R. HETRICK.

Roland Hetrick is a prominent farmer and stockman living on section thirty-two, township twenty-six, range three, and is well-known through- out Pierce county, Nebraska, as a progressive and successful agriculturist, highly esteemed by all with whom he has to do.

Mr. Hetrick is a native of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, born January 28, 1865, and is a son of Eli and Mary (Schoffner) Hetrick. His father was crippled when a boy by a log rolling over him. His mother was of German descent, her parents emigrating to Pennsylvania. Our subject grew up in Pennsylvania on a farm, and came to Washing- ton county, Nebraska, with his parents, in 1872. where they lived two years, moving to Madison county, Nebraska, in 1874, driving across the coun- try with oxen. In Madison county they took up a homestead, and also a tree claim.

Here the family experienced all the vicissitudes - of the early pioneer, and their nearest market place was at Columbus, forty miles away. They lost all their crops during the grasshopper raids of 1873, 1874, and 1875, and the blizzard of 1873 was very hard on them, as they were starting up in a new country, and were not prepared for hard times. For fuel they burned hay, corn, cornstalks, and even the stems of sunflowers several years.

Mr. Hetrick performed an act of mercy the night of the fearful blizzard of January 12, 1888. The children in school some hundred rods distant were, of course, without food. Mr. Hetrick car- ried a lot of biscuit his mother made for them, through the storm, to appease their hunger, and then safely returned to his home.

On May 13, 1891, Mr. Hetrick was married to Miss Lena Witzel, a native of Wisconsin, Mr. and Mrs. Hetrick are the parents of four children, George, Maggie, Myra, and Minnie.

Our subject came to Pierce county, Nebraska, in 1902, and bought three hundred and twenty acres of fine land, one hundred and sixty acres of which lies in section thirty. This he has improved until now he has a beautiful place with twelve acres of good orchard and eleven acres of grove.

Mr. Hetrick is independent in politics.

LEWIS C. MADSEN.

Lewis C. Madsen, who owns a fine estate in sec- tion twenty-two, township thirteen, range twelve, of Howard county, was born in Denmark, on De- cember 15, 1840.

Mr. Madsen is a son of Hans and Annie Madsen, the twelfth in a family of fourteen chil- dren, six of whom are now living, all having set- tled in the United States, but the mother and father spent their entire lives in their native country. Lewis was the first of his family to come to America, and was instrumental in bringing the balance of the children over, three brothers and three sisters becoming identified with different lo- calities here.

Our subject landed in New York City front Denmark in May, 1865. He first went to Wis- consin, where he followed farming, factory work, and lumbering, up to 1872, at that time coming into Nebraska, and settling in Howard county. Upon landing in this section, he immediately took up a homestead on section twelve, township thir- teen, range eleven, situated just half a mile from Dannebrog, built up a good home, and still owns the original farm, although his residence is now on section twenty-two. He is proprietor of five hundred and forty acres of land, eighty acres of which is in Cleveland, three hundred acres in Dannebrog, one hundred and sixty acres in Loup Fork precincts. He has been very successful in his enterprises, for many years being closely iden- tified with the growth and progress of his locality. Since settling in America, he has made three visits to Denmark.

Mr. Madsen was married April 13, 1871, to Christina Jensen, the event taking place in Wis- consin. Mrs. Madsen was also born and raised ill Denmark. They have four living children: Hans P. L. Lillian, Christopher M. E., and Bernhardt F. The first two are married, and Christopher and Bernhardt live on the homestead. All were born

942

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY ..

and reared in Howard county, and the entire fam- ily is well known and numbered among the pros- perous and highly esteemed residents of the region.

CHARLES F. BEUSHAUSEN.

The Beushausen family is one of the best known in Sherman county, where they were among the early pioneers, and they have done their full share in promoting the general welfare and prosperity of their section. Charles F. Beushausen was reared in the county, spending his boyhood and youth on his father's homestead. He was born in New York City, August 24, 1876, and is a son of Angust and Matilda (Beck) Benshausen, both natives of Germany, the father born March 5, 1840, and the mother January 19, 1832. The father came to the United States in 1868, remaining in New York un- til 1879, and there was married October 6, 1869, Mrs. Beek having come to New York in 1854. Oi this union four children were born, all in New York City, namely : August, now living in Colo- rado; Julius living seven miles southeast of Loup City, in Sherman couty; Emil, of Utah, and Charles of this writing. Mr. and Mrs. Benshausen brought their children to Nebraska in 1879, he coming in March and securing a homestead on sec- tion eight, township fifteen, range fourteen, Sher- man county, and preparing the place for their re- ception the middle of August. The parents lived on this and other farms until 1907, then moved into their comfortable residence in Loup City, which they have since occupied. The father was an industrious and ambitious farmer and stockman, winning a very fair degree of success, and he and his wife, who did her share in improving their home and bore her share of hardships in the early days, are now enjoying the fruits of their toil. They reared their family amid pioneer conditions and were active in furthering the development of their county. Mr. Beushausen has always enjoyed the highest respect and regard of his neighbors from his uprightness and integrity in all his dealings, and is one of the well known men of the county.

Charles F. Benshausen was about three years of age when he was brought to Sherman county, where he received his education, enjoying the ad- vantages of the usual training to be obtained in the district school He had a natural taste for study, made the most of his opportunities, and taught four winters after leaving school. Ile remained at home until his twenty-fourth year and then eon- nected himself with a hardware store at Ord, and one year later engaged in conducting the E. G. Taylor grain elevator at Ashton, which he contin- ned until the fall of 1905, when he was elected on the Independent democratic ticket to the office of clerk of Sherman county, being re-elected two years later. Upon his retirement from office he en- tered upon his work as editor and proprietor of the Sherman County Times-Independent which he had purchased in 1909 and had for a few months con- ducted. This is the first paper published within

the limits of the county, being established at Loup City in 1875, under the name of the Loup City News.

Mr. Beushausen is one of the most prominent among the younger men of Sherman county and has been a leader in political circles. He has been active and enthusiastic in furthering the interests of his party and since attaining his majority has shown great ability in promoting educational meas- ures and other movements that have tended to the general welfare and prosperity. ' September 21, 1904, he married Miss Nellie Hawk, and they have one child, Maynard Ray.

FRED TEATKE.

Fred Teatke, residing on section two, township twenty-three, range two, Madison county, Nebras- ka, is one of the leading citizens and old- timers of northeastern Nebraska, coming here many years ago when this portion of the state was not very fully developed as an agricultural and commercial region. Mr. Teatke has done his full share in furth- ering the best interests, along all lines, of his home state and county, and is now, in his later years, en- joying the rich reward of high esteem and respect of all his fellow citizens, and also the prosperity and comfort which he justly deserves after a long and useful life well spent.

Mr. Teatke is a native of Germany, born Octo- ber 20, 1835, a son of Martis and Hattie Teatke, hoth notives of West Prussia province, Germany. Our subject received his schooling in his native land where he remained at home and helped his parents until 1878, in that year coming to America. He embarked at Bremen on the sailboat "Neagora," and was on the sea seven weeks.

After arriving in the United States, Mr. Teatke located in New Jersey where he remained almost one year; from there he went to Detroit, Michigan, where he lived four years, working at whatever his hands found to do.

In 1883 Mr. Teatke came to Nebraska, locating in Wisner, and there, as in Detroit, worked at day labor, living there for four years. In 1887, he came to Madison county, Nebraska, and bought the Shafer homestead, which has remained the home- stead farm to the present time; on this land Mr. Teatke built a good frame house and has steadily improved the farm, now owning one hundred and sixty acres of fine land.

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 204

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