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 210

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 210

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).

Mr. Miek has passed through mueh exper- ience in his pioneer days, which would make good material for such chapters. His association with

966

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

the cattle ranches of the west was a school that instructed men in the fundamental principle of "Live and let live"-if proven worthy-and of swift justiee meted out to a culprit should he be found unworthy.

Ile was, for a period of years, foreman on the Blow Ridge raneh, which was owned by W. T. Blodgett, of New York, and while in this capacity he formed the acquaintance of the woman who is now his wife, and who also assisted in the raneh work, she in the domestic economy braneh of the service.

He also had to do with the Marshall Field ranch and the Wichert ranch.

On October 8, 1896, he was returning home from a trip, on which he had sold a load of hogs in the market, and while in the vicinity of the Wiehert ranch, he was attacked and beaten by two ruffians, and while in an unconscious condi- tion was robbed by them of his money and per- sonal belongings. Neighbors assisted him to his home, and while he was lying in a subconscious condition, he could see, as does a clairvoyant, the actions of the robbers as they sat in a room of a deserted building, and divided the booty, and hid it in the recess of a chimney corner. So vividly impressed was he, that upon gaining strength, he started for the county seat to notify the anthori- ties, and on the way met the sheriff, who returned with him, and, guided by the strange vision, he went direct to the hiding place, recovered the loot, and turned the robbers over to the officers of the law, and so positive was the evidence in the court trial, that the malefactors were given penitentiary sentences.

A pieture of the family, as well as the family residence, appears on another page of this vol- ume.

THEODORE SYNOVEC.

Among the prosperous young farmers of Pierce county, Nebraska, the gentleman whose name heads this personal review deserves much praise for his strict attention to duty and perse- veranee in establishing a comfortable home and valuable property. Mr. Synovec is still a young man, but has already gained an enviable reputa- tion as a worthy and substantial eitizen of his community, and commands the respect and esteem of all who know him.

Mr. Synovec is a native Nebraskan, born in Saline county, November 9, 1877, on the home- stead of his parents, Frank and Antonia (Kru- mueller) Synovec, who were farmers by oceupa- tion, and emigrated to Saline eounty, Nebraska, in the early seventies, driving from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Frank Synovec, our subject's father, was born in Bohemia in 1840, eoming to Ameriea in 1866, escaping service in the Austrian army. He learned the machinists' trade in his native country, and was employed in a large brewery

in Milwaukee to keep their machinery in order. He came to Pierce county in 1883, and died here in 1898. The mother, also a native of Bohemia. makes her home with her son. Our snhjeet's par- ents came to America in a sailboat from IIamburg, Germany, to New York, being nine weeks on the sea. When settling in Saline eounty, the father built a sod house on the homestead, and later erected a log house. After living on this claim for some time, he sold his farm, and came to Pierce county, Nebraska, in 1883, and bought school land, where our subject now lives. This is now a well-improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres, five acres being set to trees. Theo- dore Synovec owns a quarter-section eight miles northeast of Valentine, in Cherry county.

Mr. Synovee is a highly respected young man in his locality, and enjoy's the friendship and good wishes of a host of friends. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen lodge.

JOSEPH WICHMAN.

Joseph Wichman, for the past many years one of the leading farmers and stockmen of How- ard county, now retired from active labors, occu- pies, with his family, a comfortable home in the thriving little city of Farwell. Our subject and his good wife have the distinction of being the oldest married couple in the county, the former being ninety-five, while the latter is ten years his junior, and at this advanced age both are still enjoying good health, and take an active interest in the affairs of their community, numbering their friends by the hundreds, respected and loved by all.

Mr. Wichman was born in Hanover, Germany, on June 14, 1816. He grew up there, served in the army, as compelled to do by that country's laws, and was married in his home city on Octo- ber 28, 1850, to Miss Sophia Dalieon, who was horn there on April 13, 1826. Two years after their marriage, they came to America, arriving in New York City on February 21. They brought with them one son, Ernest, born in Germany, and seven children were born here, five of whom are now living, as follows: Ernest, William, Joseph, junior, Annie and August, all married and settled in comfortable homes. Mr. and Mrs. Wichman have twenty grandehildren and five great grand- children.

The family lived in New York state for two years after coming to Ameriea, making Dunkirk their home, where our subject was engaged in the buteher business, also following the mason's trade. In 1855, they went to Madison, Wiscon- sin, where he worked in different capacities for nineteen years, being one of the pioneer business men of that city. In the spring of 1873, Mr. Wiehman came to Omaha, and obtained work on the Fifteenth Street Federal Court building, afterwards doing other work, and then came on

967

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

to Howard county, arriving here in June of the same year. He immediately filed on homestead rights in section twenty-eight, township fourteen, range twelve, and then returned to Omaha to again do mason work, remaining about a year. In the spring of 1874, he came back to Howard county for permanent residence, occupying his original homestead up to October, 1905, when he and his wife moved into Farwell, where they own a comfortable home, and are surrounded by their children and many friends to cheer their declin- ing years.

Mr. and Mrs. Wichman have in their possess- ion a bible printed in the German language, which was made especially for Nurenberg, the home town of Martin Luther. This book was published in the year 1545, and is six by eleven by seventeen inches in size, being the most valued possession of both Mr. and Mrs. Wichman.

JOHN SCOTT.

John Scott has lived on his Custer county (Nebraska) homestead since 1880, and is one of the best known men in the region, where he was one of the earliest settlers. He is a successful and prosperous farmer, well known for his energy and enterprise in furthering the best interests of his community, and has many friends. He was born in Ancrum, Roxburghshire, Scotland. Janu- ary 30, 1856, eldest of the five children of George and Margaret (Purvis) Scott. He has a brother, David, living in Ansley, a sketch of whom also appears in this work; a brother, George, in Wis- consin; one brother, deceased; one sister, Mrs. Jennie Jones, of Wisconsin. Both parents were natives of Scotland, where the mother died in 1866. The father came to America in 1867, sail- ing from Glasgow to New York in the "Colum- bia," the voyage lasting fourteen days. He settled in Wisconsin, and was for many years engaged in the livery business at Janesville. He died in Columbiana county in 1904.

When about eleven years of age, Mr. Scott accompained his father and the other children to America, and he grew to manhood on a farm in Rock county, Wisconsin, where he lived with an uncle for eight years, and was educated in the local schools.

In the spring of 1879, he came to Howard county, Nebraska, and purchased eighty acres of land near St. Paul, living there one year, then in April, 1880, secured a homestead of one hun- dred and sixty acres of land on section ten, town- ship seventeen, range eighteen, of Custer county, which is still the home place. Mr. Scott is one of the prominent men of his part of the state, and, having purchased the northwest quarter of section ten in 1904, now has a fine stock farm of three hundred and twenty acres of well- equipped and desirable land, where, in 1906, he erected a handsome, modern residence.

Mr. Scott was married in Howard county, December 10, 1882, to Miss Hannah M. Garniss, a native of Canada and daughter of Henry and Ellen (Drury) Garniss, natives of England. The father died in Custer county in 1899, and the mother now lives in Ansley. One son, John Garniss, lives in Custer county, and a daughter, Harriet, wife of David Scott, lives in Ansley. The Garniss family have lived in Nebraska since they came to Howard county in 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Scott have had eight children, Scott, George H., William G., John D., Lee R., Margaret Ethel and Jewel T., at home, and one son, Elmer, who died in 1894. George H. married Addie Burham, and is farming northwest of his father: Lee is married to Marie Micheson and farms with his father. He has come into prominence of late as a professional wrestler, and under the tutelege of "Farmer" Burns gives promise of becoming a champion at the game.

Mr. and Mrs. Scott have passed through the trials and vicissitudes of early days, and are highly regarded by their many friends. Mr. Scott suffered, with other settlers, by the drouth of 1894, and in the fall of that year, in order to meet family expenses, secured work with the Gnion Water company of Denver, near Fort Logan. Hail ruined his crops in 1891, and again in 1895, making it a period of great hardship and discouragement. Mr. Scott came to the county before big game was exterminated and killed many deer and antelope; on October 25, 1883, he killed two deer within a short space of time. The family occupied a "soddy" until 1906, which he erected a comfortable frame dwell- ing. Mr. Scott well remembers the blizzard of October 15 to 17, 1880, but was not out in it, having a sufferer from typhoid fever at that time .. In the well known blizzard of 1888, along with most of the men of the county, he was at the Hickenbottom sale, and remained away until morning. Mrs. Scott went out to get water and fuel, and in returning drifted past the house. Mr. Scott stood in the door shouting to her, or she would have been lost in the storm.

In politics Mr. Scott is a republican, and serves his party as township central committee- man. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America.

JOSEPH FINKRAL.

Joseph Finkral, a prominent farmer and stock- man of Madison county, Nebraska, is well known for his progressive and advanced methods of carrying on his work, and is highly successful. Ile is a native of Bohemia, born December 7, 1835, a son of John and Mary Finkral, farmers of that country, the former dying in 1867, and the latter in 1888. Mr. Finkral was one of four children, and was educated in his native country.

968

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

In 1866 he left there and came to America in search of wider opportunities. After living seventeen years in Iowa, where he spent six years working on the railroad, in 1883 he came to Ne- braska. He purehased improved land in Madison county, where he has since resided. He passed through the usual vicissitudes and hardships' of the early settlers there, and has brought his place to a high state of productiveness. In 1894 he lost his erops through hot winds and in 1902 lost them through hailstorms.

On January 12, 1888, the day of the big bliz- zard, Mr. Finkral lost several head of cows that were frozen to death.

June 13, 1866, Mr. Finkral was united in mar- riage with Mary Witt, their marriage taking place in Baltimore, Maryland. They had come to America in the same ship. Three children have been born of this union: Anna, Joe and James.

Mr. Finkral's home is on section twenty-eight, township twenty-two, range three, and he is known throughout Madison county as a public- spirited citizen, being highly estcemed by all. He is interested in all that affects the welfare of his community and county and has made many friends in his adopted country.

MARK E. SCHNERINGER.

Mark E. Schneringer, a prominent and well known citizen of Callaway, is an early Nebraskan, and in 1883 became the first teacher of district number three, near Callaway. He was born in Lockridge, lowa, November 5, 1858, youngest of the four children of Frederick and Rachel (Van Horne) Schneringer. In March, 1875, when six- teen years of age, he came with his brother Frederick to York county, Nebraska, and together they purchased three hundred and twenty aeres of railrad land, where they carried on farming five years. Then Mark sold his interest in the farm in York county, coming to Callaway, secur- ing a homestead west of where the village now stands, in seetion nine, township fifteen, range twenty-three.

Mr. Schneringer was married in Callaway June 6, 1888, to Gertie Frazier, a native of West Virginia, who came with her parents to Custer county in 1887. In the spring of 1888, Mr. Sehneringer moved to Callaway and for ten years was engaged in livery business there. In 1899 he was elected county treasurer, serving two years in office, and for the two years succeeding held the position of cashier of the Callaway State bank. He again entered mercantile life, and still conducts his business in that line, carrying hard- ware, furniture and undertaking supplies. In 1905 he erected a substantial business block, and he is one of the representatives and highly respected business men of the town. He has been closely identified with public affairs and is popular with

his fellow citizens. He served five years as county supervisor and fifteen years as a member of the city board. He was instrumental in or- ganizing the Callaway sehool district number one hundred and eighty, a suh-division of district number three, of which he was the first teacher.

Mr. and Mrs. Schneringer have seven children : Elmer E. and Walter S., of Cozad, the former married; Herman, serving in the United States navy ; Raymond, Earl. Warren and Eva, at home.

JOHN MILLNITZ.

Among the prosperous citizens of Pierce couty, Nebraska, is Mr. John Millnitz, who has spent many years in this locality. Mr. Millnitz was born in Stettin province, Germany in 1874, but although Germany is his birthplace he spent only one year of his life there, his parents coming to this country in 1875.

When they came to America, Mr. Millnitz's parents settle in the state of Wisconsin and from there, in 1876, came to Pierce county, Nebraska, where they settled between Pierce and Hadar, Nebraska, and lived there about three years. In 1879, the father took up a homestead in the north- cast quarter, section twenty-nine, township twenty-eight, range four, Pierce county, Ne- braska, and here our subject spent most of his childhood. Later, Mr. Millnitz' father took up a trec claim, which is located in the northwest (marter of section twenty-one, township twenty- eight, range four, Pierce county, Nebraska, where onr subject now resides and which he now owns.

Mr. Millnitz' father was August Millnitz, who was born in Germany and served his time in that country's army in the wars between Germany and France and between Germany and Austria.

Our subject's parents and their family ex- perienced almost more than their share of the losses and hardships encountered by the pioneers of Nebraska. Their nearest market place was Norfolk, Nebraska, and they hauled lumber from Yankton, South Dakota, to build their first house, and went to Columbus, Nebraska, to mill. They got along fairly well until 1890 when ten acres of their trees were damaged by prairie fire, which fire also destroyed their hay. In the year 1896, they suffered the most serious loss when their entire crop was beaten to the ground and des- troyed by the memorable hail storm of that year. They also went through the blizzard of 1888. In the early days deer and antelope were plenty.

Mr. John Millnitz, our subject, was nnited in marriage to Miss Mary Rehfeld in 1900, and they are the parents of five bright ehildren, named as follows: Richard, John, Martin, Fred and Helen, all of whom attend the district school. Our subject was educated in public schools and also spent two years in the Plainview normal college. He is a member of the German Lutheran church, and in politics votes the democratic tieket.

969

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

HENRY C. NEWMAN .:

Among the prominent and successful farmers and stockmen of Custer county may be named Henry C. Newman, who has been closely identi- fied with the growth and development of his com- munity along various lines. He is a native of Brown county, Wisconsin, born May 15, 1852, elder of the two children of Darius and Sybil (Childs) Newman, the other being a daughter, who died at the age of nine years. The father left his Wisconsin home in 1856 for Minnesota, and it is supposed his death occurred on this journey. The mother died in Wisconsin, Febru- ary 25, 1901, in her seventy-sixth year, and Henry C. Newman is the only surviving member of the family. A half-brother, William Gear, came to Custer county in 1880, took up a pre-emption, but left the state five years later. A cousin of Mr. Newman, John W. Childs, came with him to Custer county, where he secured a homestead and lived on it until 1892, when he removed to Oregon.

Mr. Newman's parents moved to Winnebago county, Wisconsin, when he was but two years of age, and there he received his education, liv- ing on a farm in that county until leaving for Custer county, April 12, 1879. On April 22 of that year he filed an entry on a homestead on the southwest quarter of section twenty-three, township eighteen, range thirteen. He and his cousin hired horses at Kearney and rode into Custer county, being located on Elk creek by Captain Aker.

On March 17, 1887, Mr. Newman married Barlara Illingworth, a native of England, born in Southport, two miles from Liverpool whose place of residence was then Chicago, their union taking place in Kearney. Mrs. Newman is a daughter of Rhodes and Ann (Minnikin) Illing- worth, who sailed from Liverpool for New York on the "Old Virginia" in the spring of 1871, landing after a voyage of fourteen days. They went direct to Chicago, and lost all their be- longings in the great fire in October of that year. Mr. and Mrs. Newman have had five children, of whom the following four now survive: Rhodes Ollie, Darius, John, Hugh Charles and Ada Ann, all at home with their parents, and all educated in local schools. Ada, after studying two years at the Grand Island Baptist college, entered the Weslyan University at Lincoln in the class of 1913.

Mr. and Mrs. Newman lived on the homestead until 1899, when they moved to their new farm home on section twenty-six, township fourteen, l'ange eighteen. There are three hundred and twenty acres in this farm, all well improved and developed, forty acres in section twenty-three, forty acres in section twenty-four, one hundred and twenty acres in section twenty-five, and one hundred and twenty acres in section twenty-six. It is well stocked and equipped, and shows evi-

dence of the thrift and progressive spirit of the owner. The sons have eighty acres additional in section thirty-five. Mr. and Mrs. Newman and family are among the best known and oldest pioneers of their part of the state, where they are well known and highly esteemed. Mr. New- man well remembers the early ranch days of the central part of the state, and passed through the various years of drouths, hard times and the plagues of grasshoppers. He suffered from the drouths of 1890 and 1894. In the spring of 1891, the wife of a neighbor, a long time friends, of- fered Mr. Newman a bushel of seed potatoes if he would let her shave off his mustache, and was called to make good. As seed potatoes that year were worth five dollars per bushel, it was de- cidedly the cheapest shave Mr. Newman can re- call.

Mr. Newman came to the state thinking it would remain a cattle country, and still handles considerable stock, although devoting much at- ention also to raising grain. He served as a member of the county board in 1886 and 1887, was supervisor two years and for nineteen years director of the school board. He is much interested in the cause of education and progress, and is an enterprising citizen. He has a fine herd of Durham cows, and also keeps thoroughbred Duroc hogs.

MELL LAWRENCE.

Though but lately joining the editorial army that is waging war on corruption in our civic and political life, Mr. Mell Lawrence, editor and pub- lisher of the "Crofton Progress," is making his influence felt. His father, the venerable Roswell Lawrence, living retire on his farm near Harting- ton, was born about 1834, a native of the state of New York; he came to Nebraska in 1870, settling in the open country a mile northwest of where Harington is now located, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of good land. His mother, Parmelia Countryman in maidenhood. died in 1898 at the age of fifty-seven years.

Mell Lawrence was sixth in a family of twelve children born to his parents; his advent to this world dates from December 10, 1868, at West Branch, near Rome, New York state. He was reared near Hartington, and graduated from the city schools in 1886. He entered the teachers' profession, and for twenty-two years was one of the progressive educators of Cedar, Knox, and Wayne counties.

In 1892, when a stock company was organized at Creighton to establish the "Peoples News." an organ of the populist party, Mr. Lawrence, who has all his life been an advocate of the prin- ciples of that party, was selected as editor and manager, and for two years was at the helin, until the paper was sold to Mr. Hugh McCoy in 1894. After four years as principal of the Crof-

970

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

ton schools, Mr. Lawrence decided to enter journalism again, established the "Crofton Progress," and issued the first number April 15. 1909. Since that time the journal has had a phenominal success, the advertising increasing to such an extent that, without enlargement, the reading matter will be severely crowded. Mr. Lawrence, still a believer in the reform princi- ples of the populist party, advocates the cause of the candidates who seem most nearly to coin- cide with those views. In connection with jour- nalism, he has engaged successfully in the land business since establishing his paper in 1909.

Mr. Lawrence was married in Niobrara, May 4, 1892, to Miss Clara Weigand, a member of one of the oldest families of the county, her father, Leonard Weigand, having settled in the north part of Knox county in 1858; a more extended aceount will be found in the sketch of his son, Frank Weigand, of Bloomfield. One daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence, Myrtle, a graduate of the Crofton schools, class of 1908, and now a successful teacher of Knox county.

Mr. Lawrence is noble grand of the local Odd Fellows' Lodge, secretary of the Woodmen of the World, venerable counsel of the Modern Wood- men of America, great sachem of the I. O. R. M., a member of the Royal Arcanum of America, and of the Bankers' Union of the World. With Mrs. Lawrence, he has been initiated into the mysteries of the Rebekah degree.

Mr. Lawrence was teaching at the time of the disasterous blizzard of January 12, 1888, with twenty-seven children under his charge; these he kept at schol, district number thirty-eight, Cedar county, and thereby saved their lives. Their supply of coal lasted until nine o'clock next day, when all dispersed and safely made their way home. After two days school was resumed, when the supply of fuel was replem- ished. To this day the appearance of a severe storm causes his nerves to annoy him, and should any of his family be out, he cannot rest until lie knows them to be in shetler. Seven years be- fore, in the blizzard of October, 1880, the father drove fifteen miles through the blizzard and made his way home.

At the time Mr. Lawrence's parents settled in Nebraska, the country was all open, and deer and antelope grazed over the hills, and even an oe- casional timber wolf was to be seen. The wonder- ful development of the country from a wilder- ness to a highly developed farms has occurred within the short space of one life, and Mr. Lawrence has been a witness of it all.

JUDGE JOHN W. RILEY.

John W. Riley, now retired, was for over thirty-five years a leading agriculturist and stoek- man of Boone county, Nebraska, and is probably one of the best known pioneers in that part of

Nebraska. He was also a pioneer hardware and implement merchant of Albion, carrying on a successful business in that line for a number of years. With his family he now enjoys a fine residence, where he is surrounded by all the com- forts and many of the luxuries of modern life.

Mr. Riley was born in Farnley, near Leeds, Yorkshire, England, on February 16, 1830, and is a son of Samuel and Jane Riley. He came to Ameriea when but sixteen years of age, his first location being in Norwich, Connectieut, where he was engaged in the woolen mills for about two years, then went to Rockville, and there followed there followed the same work. Ile was married there in 1853, to Miss Jane Wardel, who was also a native of England and came to the United States in 1841 with her parents. One son was born to them in the east, and the family then came to Iowa, where Mr. Riley engaged in farming, remaining there up to 1872, when the entire family drove overland with ox teams and wagons to Boone county, Nebraska, being five weeks on the road. The father homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres on section thirty-five, township twenty, range six, situated two and a half miles south- east of Albion,, and he still owns this place, although he retired from active management of it in 1905, the farm now being operated by his sons. During the late seventies and early eighties Mr. Riley served as County Judge of Boone county. Ilis father died in 1872, and the mother in 1884. He still has two brothers and three sisters in England.

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 210

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