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 225

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 225

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CHARLES KNULL.

Prominent among Madison county old settlers is Charles Knull, who since the fall of 1887 has made this region his home and done his share in the development of the agricultural resources of this section of the country. Mr. Knull lives in section two, township twenty-two, range two, where he has built up a valuable property through his industry and good management.

Mr. Knull is a native of Germany, born May 5, 1858, and is a son of John and Sofia (Schrader) Knull, natives of Pomerania, Germany. Our, sub- ject received his early education in his native country, and grew to a young lad of fourteen years

there. In 1872 he, with his parents, came to America, embarking on a steamship from Ilam- burg, Germany, and landing in New York.

After reaching the United States, the family at once proceeded to the west, locating in Wis- consin and living there seventeen years, then mov- ing to the state of Illinois, remaining there but a short time, as hearing of the splendid opportuni. ties to obtain land in Nebraska, they journeyed to the far west, settling in Madison county in 1887, where the father took up a homestead claim in sec- tion two, township twenty-two, range two, which, as before stated, is the home place of our subject at the present time. Mr. Knull is one of the few who are still living on the original homestead farm, and now has one of the hnest farms in the county ; he has seven hundred and twenty acres of good land, and on this has twelve acres of fine orchard and grove trees.

In the earliest days of settlement on the west- ern frontier, the family suffered many hardships and dangers; they were often compelled to burn hay and corn to keep warm in the winter, as fuel was scaree in this region, the distance to haul it being so great, and it eommanded such an ex- tremely high price it was out of the question to use it. As late as 1894 all the erops were de- stroved by the hot winds that burned to a erisp all manner of vegetation in that locality, owing to the terrible drouth of that season. But through all this, Mr. Knull has prospered and has a well- improved farm, and now lives in a beautiful home, where he is surrounded by'a host of good friends, and many kind neighbors and acquaintances.

In 1882 Mr. Kunll was united in marriage to Miss Lena Smith, a native of Germany, and a daughter of William and Sophia (Harder) Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Knull are the parets of five children, whose names are as follows : Edward, Alma, Frank, Burnham, and Mabel. They are a fine family, and enjoy the respect and esteem of all in their com- munity, where they are well known.

JOHN GARNISS.

John Garniss is one of the younger men among the early settlers of ; Custer county, Nebraska, and lives on the homestead which his father seeured in 1882. Mr. Garniss is a native of Canada, born September 10, 1867. third of the five children of Henry and Ellen (Drury) Garniss. He has two sisters in Custer county, Mrs. Hannah Scott, and Mrs. Harriet Scott, the latter living in Ansley, and hoth are mentioned further in connection with the sketches of her husbands, found elsewhere in this work. Others of the children are deceased. Both parents were born in England and they came to America in 1851, settling in Cheatham, IIuron county, Canada. In 1877 the family came to How- ard county, Nebraska, and in 1882 located in Cus- ter county, where the father died in 1899; the mother now resides in Ansley. The father who

RESIDENCE OF JOHN GARNISS.

FARM RESIDENCE OF PERRY PIERSON.

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built the first frame house on Dry Creek, secured a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres af land in sections two, and three, township ,seventeen, range eighteen, and lived there until his death.

Mr. Garniss was about ten years of age when his parents brought him to Nebraska, and he ac- companied them to Custer county in 1882. In 1888 he pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land on section eleven, township seventeen, range eighteen, on which he afterward secured a home- stead right, and lived there until 1902, when he purchased his father's homestead, and this has since been his home. He has been actively inter- ested in the welfare and development of the com- munity and is recognized as a public-spirited, use- ful citizen. He helped very materially in the or- ganization of school district number one hundred and four, and has for some time past served as moderator of the board.

On December 22, 1897, Mr. Garniss was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth, J. Collier, at the home of her parents in Custer county. She is the daughter of John and Jennie (Todd) Collier, an early and prominent family of the county. Mr. Garniss and wife have had four children: Jennie, who died in infancy; Henry J., Elizabeth E. and Margaret G. M., at home.

Mr. Garniss owns a four hundred and eighty acre stock and grain farm, well improved and equipped for successful operation, has a modern home and other new buildings, and his success is very gratifying from the fact that it has resulted from his own energetic and well-planned efforts. In politics he supports the democratic candidate in state and national elections.

On the pre-emption claim, Mr. Garniss, and family lived in a "soddy" until 1900, when he huilt a comfortable frame house, to which additions have been made. We show a view of the home and its outbuildings, with the broad outlook across the beautiful valley, elsewhere on another page.

Mr. Garniss was at home at the time of that worst of late blizzards, January 12, 1888, but his father and brother were at a sale and were com- pelled to remain over night. During the dry year, 1894, nothing but fodder was raised on the place, and hail destroyed the crops in 1895, but since that time prosperity has crowned his efforts. Deer and antelope were plentiful in the country when the family first came, but soon passed on to the west, where settlers were not so thick as in the region here. -

PERRY PIERSON.

Among the oldest settlers of eastern Nebraska who have taken an active part in the development of that region and have gone through many bitter experiences in building up a home and compe- tence, the gentleman above named deserves promi- nent mention.

Perry Pierson was born near Liberty, Sullivan

county, New York, December 13, 1857, and was fifth of thirteen children in the family of E. San- ford and Harriet (Griswold) Pierson, who had eight,sons and five daughters. Mr. Pierson was a farm boy reeciving the ordinary school ad- tages, and in his twentieth year left the old home farm in the month of March, 1878.

Coming to Howard county, Nebraska, he made this his headquarters for several years. Ile also came into Valley county in 1878, but not until 1880 did he make Valley county his home, having filed on a timber claim in the winter of 1879. Mr. Pierson farmed and raised stock in the western part of Valley county from 1881 until the pur- chase of his present farm in section twenty, town- ship nineteen, range thirteen, where he owns eighty acres of fine farm land well improved. A view of his substantial home and buildings is to be found on another page of this work.

Mr. Pierson was married to Miss Rosa B. Smith in Geranium township, Valley county, April 17, 1887. Miss Smith is a native of Indiana, a daugh- ter of Adam and Catherine Smith; the family came into Valley county ahout 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Pierson have two children: Bessie, wife of Lewis Halloway, lives in Riverdale, Buffalo county, Nebraska ; and Clarence, who resides at home with his parents

Mr. Pierson has had much to do with the de- velopment of Valley county, it being a raw, un- developed county when he first came to this lo- cality ; he has passed through the adverse years of the county but now enjoys its prosperity. In political views he is a supporter of the republican party.

Several brothers of Mr. Pierson came into Ne- braska in the early years, but Mr. Pierson is now the only member of his family living in the state.

During his bachelorhood, Mr. Pierson lived for two or three years in a sod house on his timber claim, but built a better residence before his mar- riage. Of the many blizzards of the earlier years he has the best recollection of the sudden storm of January 12, 1888; he had hitched the team to a wagon to go to a neighbor's, and returned to the house for a few minutes ; on coming out'again his team was not visible at arm's length-nothing could be seen for the gray mist of fine snow.

MORGAN DIBBLE.

Among the New Yorkers who have given the best years of their lives to the west, may be men- tioned Morgan Dibble, now retired 'from active labors and residing in the eastern suburbs of Plain- view.

He was born at Summit, Schoharrie county, New York, on February 12, 1841. His parents, Ambrose and Armena (Crapser) Dibble, were both natives of the Empire state and spent their entire lives there, the mother dying when our subject was but six years old. He remained in his native state

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during childhood, and as a youth spent some years in Waterbury, Connecticut, where he learned the blacksmith's trade. Ile later worked for two years in a carriage factory at Plainville, Connecticut, making parts of the "fifth wheel" for carriages and buggies in a factory there.

Mr. Dibble started for the west in 1869, stop- ping at Galesburg, Illinois for a time, then crossed the Mississippi to Davenport, Iowa, where he worked at his trade some months, beginning farm- ing in Scott county along in the latter part of the vear. He was married there, and with his wife, joined a party of several families who were migrat- ing to Sioux county in 1871.

On reaching their destination, he filed on a homestead of eighty acres, and for eleven years cultivated it, improving the place with substantial buildings. In 1882, together with two of his neigh- bors, he again loaded his goods into a covered wag- on, and set his face toward the west. On March 11, 1882, he reached Clearwater, Antelope county, Nebraka, where he pre-empted a quarter section two and a half miles from the village, and farmed for eighteen months, then locating a more desirable tract near the'town, he sold his original farm and purchased the relinquishment of a tree claim of eighty acres on the edge of the village, planted the required number of trees, and made that his home up to 1891. He then rented his farm and removed to Randolph, where he remained for two years, finally returning to Clearwater, and from there came to Plainview in 1894. Here he rented the Johnson farm situated about four miles north of the town, cultivated it for one year, and then took the Charles Mullikan farm, remaining on it for a year.

In 1897, Mr. Dibble located permanently iu Plainview, and 'with his wife had charge of the commissary department of the Plainview Normal Institute, occupying the lower floor of the build- ing. He later purchased a dwelling of George W. Box which was located in the central part of the town, making that his home up to 1907, when he bought his present residence, in the extreme east- ern suburbs, which he has made a most comfort- able and pleasant home.

During their residence in the west, Mr. Dibble and his wife have witnessed many severe storms that have visited the country. The worst winter they ever experienced was that of 1880-1881, while living in Sioux county, when the ground was cov ered with snow practically from October to the following May. Fuel was so scarce that corn was used for fires, and the snow came so early that they were obliged to wander over the cornfields and gather the corn that was protruding above the snow, and the last of it was not gathered until the snow had'melted away in the early summer. One other winter, while Mr. Dibble was twenty miles from home getting a supply of wood, a severe bliz- zard came on, and while he made his way home, though warned by friends not to attempt to brave

the weather-he suffered intensely and had about all he could do to find his way there. Ile also suf- fered at different times from the grasshopper pests, and while living in Iowa, lost an entire crop by their voracity, and at other times had hard work to keep them from destroying his grain. At times they were so plentiful that they were heaped up in mounds two or three feet deep, but when a favor- able wind came they vanished in a few moments, leaving a barren waste behind them. Most of the big game had left the country before Mr. Dibble came to Nebraska but he enjoyed an occasional elk hunt, running the game on horses, and divid- ing the prize with his friends who participated in the capture.

Mr. Dibble was married at Lyons, Iowa, May 5, 1870, to Miss Flora V. Johnson, a native of Thomp- kins county, New York. They are the parents of seven children, named as follows: Ernest J., in Kansas; June Adelbert, in Plainview; Maude Myrtle; Etta Edna, wife of George Bresler, of Prosser, Nebraska ; Helen J., wife of H. L. Buck- ingham, postmaster of Plainview; Firman M., on his father's farm; and Ina N., married Joseph Oswald, of Keystone, Nebraska. They are all well settled in life.

Mr. Dibble bas always affiliated with the re- publican party, and with Mrs. Dibble, is a member of the Baptist church.

EDWARD L. VOGT.

Amog the younger professional men of How- ard county, Nebraska, who has risen rapidly in his chosen vocation, the name of Edward L. Vogt takes high rank as an educator and prominent resi- dent of the locality. He is at present filling the of- fce of county superintendent of public instruc- tion, and his work is highly apreciated by the en- tire population of the section over which he has ecntrol.

Mr. Vogt was born in Howard county, Febru- ary 26, 1874, and comes of a pioneer Nebraska family. He received his early education in the country schools, later attending the Elha high school, from which he was graduated in 1896. The following year he spent as a student at the Hills- dale College, Hillsdale, Michigan, then returned to Howard county and taught school for one year. During 1899-1900 he attended the Nebraska State Normal School at Peru, after which he spent an- other year teaching in his home district. In 1901 he received the appointment as principal of the Elba high school which he held for one year, going from there to Nysted where he filled the same posi- tion the following year. In 1903 he was appointed principal of the Dannebrog public school, remain- ing there for five years. In each and every in- stane his work has been of the highest order, and he is known as one of the most brilliant instructors in this part of the state. His entire time is given to the work, and the county has never had so cap-

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able a man in charge of its schools as he has proven.

Mr. Vogt was elected county superintedent of public instruction in 1907, taking charge of the offiee January 1, 1908, and was re-elected in No- vember, 1909, and is, now filling the position with great satisfaction to all.

Politically Mr. Vogt is a demoerat.

WILLIAM G. FORWOOD.

William G. Forwood, a prosperous and success- ful farmer of Custer county, is well and favorably known as a progressive and enterprising citizen, who is interested in the welfare and devlopment of his community. He has a well equipped stock and grain farm, and in 1908 erected a modern resi- dence. He has good substantial barns and other buildings and is progressive in his ideas and methods. He was born in Macoupin county, Illi- nois, January 20, 1874. fourth of six children born to Gideon and Melissa (Armour) Forwood, the father a native of Delaware and the mother of Ken- tucky and both now living in Maeoupin county. Several of the children are deeeased, one daughter, Mrs. Anna Ilaycroft lives near Mason, and two sons live in Illinois.

Mr. Forwood reached manhood in his native state and was edueated in the public schools and Shurtleff' College. In 1892 he came to Custer county, Nebraska, where his father had come a short time prior, and purchased a half-section of land, which is now the home place of Milliam G.

On May 1, 1895, Mr. Forwood was married at the Copsey home in Custer county, to Miss Clara E. Copsey, a native of Wisconsin, who came to Ne- braska in 1882 and beeame a teacher in the publie schools. She is a daughter of Alonzo H. and Anna (Wallin) Copsey, early settlers of Custer county, and the latter a native of New York City. The father came near losing his life in the blizzard of January 12, 1888, an Indian pony he was riding bringing him to the house through the blinding storm. The parents now live in Lincoln and of their children besides Mrs. Forwood, three daughters live in Nebraska, one son, Vernon R., is in the United States Navy, and four sons-Herbert A., Milton F., Harvey and Robert-live in Nebraska. Seven children have been born to Mr. Forwood and wife, six of whom survive, namely : Gideon A., died in April, 1902; Esther M., Anna, Richard, HJarry, Mabel M. and Ehmer L., at home.

In 1902 Mr. and Mrs. Forwood purchased his father's farm, comprising three hundred and twenty acres in section twenty-two township sev- enteen, range eighteen, and he has since devoted his attention to its improvement and eultivation. Mr .. Forwood is one of the younger men among the early settlers of Custer county, and he and his wife have a large number of warm friends. He is independent of party lines in local politics, voting for the man he considers best fitted for the office.

He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America. In Illinois Mr. Forwood was a member of the Bap- tist church, but in Nebraska he became identified with the Methodist Episcopal church of Wester- ville.

J. W. REIGLE.

Prominent among Madison county old settlers is J. W. Reigle who has, sinee the fall of 1870, made this region his home and done his full share in developing the agricultural resources of this section of the country.

Mr. Reigle is a native of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, where he was born February 3, 1849 ; he is a son of Amos T. and Mary (Wingerd) Reigle, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Germany; the mother came to America on a sailboat when she was but a small girl.

In 1870, our subject, with his father, came to Madison county, Nebraska, where they could get land cheap, coming to what was known at that time as Bell creek, on the railroad; from here they drove to where they took their homesteads. Mr. Reigle's father took up a homestead in section eighteen, township twenty-two, range two; and our subject took a homestead joining on the south. The father first built a frame house sixteen by twenty feet, and the son a house of like material twelve by sixteen feet, they hauling the lumber from Col- umbns. The father also took up a timber claim.

In 1870 Mr. Reigle was united in marriage to Miss Lavinia Wensel, and Mr. and Mrs. Reigle are the parents of six ehildren, whose names are as fol- lows: Rose, Thomas, Mary, John, Ellen, and Henry.

Forty years ago, when our subjeet first came to the western country, Nebraska was an open prairie with scarcely anything to be seen for miles exeept the waving grasses and wide stretch of plains. Deer and antelope were plentiful in those early days, and could be seen in large herds grazing around the country ; prairie fires were'a sonree of great danger to the first settlers of this region, and many times had to be fought to save their homes and lives. In 1894 our subject lost every vestage of crops by the hot winds that burned all vegeta- tion for miles in extent, and during the very first years of residence here, lost all his crops for five seasons by the grasshopper pests that devasted the western country at that time, which was very dis- couraging to a stranger just settling in an unculti- vated and unsettled country. But those days have passed to history, and Mr. Reigle can now look back to these ineidents as experiences that have helped to build his eharaeter and qualities as a worthy citizen and good neighbor.

Mr. Reigle was united in marriage a second time, the ceremony taking place in the year 1901. The bride was Miss Christina Larson, a native of

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

Sweden, and a daughter of Andrew and Ellen (Anderson) Larson, natives of Sweden.

Mr. Reigle lives in his comfortable home sur- rounded by a host of good friends and neighbors, and is highly respected hy all.

ALONZO FREEL INGRAHAM.

Alonzo Freel Ingraham, now living retired from more active life, at Broken Bow, Nebraska, is a prosperous and successful man of affairs, owning considerable well improved land and fine stock and being interested in various business enterprises. He is one of the early settlers of his region and has been an interested witness of the great changes wrought by settlement and progress in central Ne- braska since locating there in 1883. Mr. Ingraham was born in Wood county, West Virginia, October 5, 1857, and is a son of Rufus P. and Eliza { Rals- ton) Ingraham being second of their eight oliil- dren. He has two sisters in West Virginia; one sister in Cincinnati, another in Pittsburg; two brothers in Washington county, Ohio, and one in West Virginia. Rufus P. Ingraham, also born in Wood county, was of German and English extra- cation and died in West Virginia in April, 1897. The mother, also born in West Virginia, is of Irish extraeation and still lives in the old home in her native state.

After being educated in the schools of his na- tive state, Alonzo F. Ingraham engaged in farming there. In the 'spring of 1882 he made a trip west in search of a desirable location, made a short stay in Lancaster county, Nebraska, coming on to Cus- ter county in the following spring. He secured a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land near Broken Bow, and this place, which was the southeast quarter of section twenty-two, township seventeen, range twenty-one, was the home of the family for many years. He was married in Thomas county, Nebraska, December 5, 1888, to Miss Susan M. Cowles, who was born in Massachusetts, and for sometime taught school in Illinois. She also home- steaded in Custer county. Her father, William W. Cowles, was born in Belchertown, Massachusetts, served in the civl war as a member of Company M, Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry for four years, and now lives in Peoria, Illinois. The mother, whose maiden name was Lucy C. Wood, was a native of the same place as her husband and still survives, living in Illinois, and two daughters are living in that state. Two children were born to Mr. Ingra- ham and wife: Cordelia E. and Alonzo Fred, both at home.

In 1901 Mr. Ingraham left the farm and brought his family to Broken Bow, where he owns seven acres of land and a nice home, their house being modern and fitted with many convenienees and comforts. The family stand well in social circles and have a wide eirele of friends. They are interested in various public measures and have the welfare of their county and state at heart. Mr.

Ingraham is a member of the Royal Highlanders and of the Tribe of Ben Hur. !

ANDREW PARKER MCDONALD.

Andrew P. McDonald, popularly known as "Park" McDonald who has a fine estate on section twenty, township twenty-eight, range two, east, of Cedar county, is one the leading

citizens of the county and has since

its early settlement been one of the lead- ing factors in the upbuilding and advancement of the region. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1843, son of Joseph and Nancy McDonald, his grandfath- er being a native of Scotland. Mr. McDonald re- ceived a common school education and as a young man enlisted for service in the union army, serv- ing from 1861 to 1865, under Captain Patterson. He participated in many important engagements and was with Sherman in the march to the sea.

In 1881 Mr. MeDonald came to Dakota county, Nebraska, and the following year to Cedar county, where he secured the homestead which has sinee been his home. He erected a frame house twelve by sixteen feet, and also took up a tree claim, im- proving and developing his land until he has a well equipped farm and substantial buildings. He car- ries on general farming and stock raising and ha; met with gratifying success. In the early days he had to contend with the usual hardships and dis- couragements of pioneers and often burned hay and weeds to keep warm, as coal was scarce and ex- pensive.

In 1869 Mr. McDonald was united in marriage with Miss Mary Foltz, and they are parents of the following twelve children: Joseph, Thomas, John, James, William, Lizzie, now Mrs. Thomas Wilcox ; Charles, Nannie, now Mrs. Clyde Hoar, of Ard- more, Dakota; Leona, Edward, Etta and George.

JOHN FLYNN.

John Flynn, who owns a comfortable home and well-equipped farm on Elk creek, is the only one of the early settlers of his part of Custer county who have held continuous residence there since coming to the county. At the time he came the nearest trading point was Kearney, and he has passed through the various trials and privations incident to pioneer life. His earliest days in the neighborhood were the times of the sod shanty and the grinding of corn in a coffee mill. Mr. Flynn was born in Red Mills, Putnam county, New York, August 6, 1851, the eldest child of the seven sons and two daughters born to Michael and Catherine (Leary) Flynn. The parents are deceased but all the children survive, one being a resident of Cali- fornia, one of Nebraska, and the remainder of Iowa. When John Flynn was a small child his parents removed to Scott county, Iowa, near Dixon, and his father entered a homestead, which he developed and improved into a good fac :.

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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 225

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