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 226

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 226

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

John Flynn remained on the home farm in Iowa until his twenty-sixth year, and was there married. November 27, 1876, to Sarah E., daughter of John and Emily (Eggleston) Omstead, and fifteenth in order of birth of their seventeen children. The Omstead family moved from Canada to Illinois, where Mrs. Flynn was born, in 1857, and ten years later came on into Iowa. Her parents are de- ceased, but she has three brothers and one sister surviving. In 1878 Mr. and Mrs. Flynn came with their small son, William, to Rush county, Kansas, where they remained one winter, then went on to the Pan Handle of Texas, on the south side of the Canadian river. In the fall of 1883 they eame to Custer county, Nebraska, with their three children. They settled on the southwest quarter of section thirty-five, township thirteen, range eighteen, on which Mr. Flynn filed an entry in the spring of 1884. Of the settlers who had lo- cated in the neighborhood prior to Mr. Flynn none now reside there. Mr. Flynn has been closely identified with the growth and development of his portion of Custer county and has been especially helpful along educational lines. In politics he is independent. He helped organize school district number nineteen, serving several years as a mem. ber of its board, and helped in building the school house. Ile has always done his part to advance the best interests of the community and he and the other members of his family are well and fa- vorably known and have many friends and ac- quaintances. Mr. Flynn and his wife now reside on the southwest quarter of seetion twenty-three, township thirteen, range eighteen, which has been their home since the fall of 1900.

Eleven children have been born to Mr. Flynn and wife: William W., born in Iowa, a pioneer of ('uster county, married and living on the home- stead farm, has one child; Albertis S., born in Kansas, married and living on a Kincaid home- stead in Logan county, has three children; Mary M., born in Texas, wife of Oliver Trumbull, living on a Kineaid homestead in Logan county, has three children; Ervin M., born in Custer county, still resides there, and is married; John R., mar- ried and living in Custer county ; Sadie R., wife of Carl Ilolster, of Custer county, has one child; Lawrence O., Nellie Belle, Sylvia Irene, and Cyril Leonard, born in Custer county, live at home; one child is deceased. -

HECTOR DOWNIE.

Hector Downer, who resides in seetion twenty- nine, township thirty-one, range two, where he has a good farm of four hundred aeres and a com- fortable home, has spent over nineteen years of his life in Knox county.

Mr. Downie was born in Scotland, that event taking place in Campbelltown village, Kentyree township, Argyle county, in 1869. He grew to his young manhood in his native land, and at the age

of twenty-two years, in 1890, left Scotland to come to America, embarking on the steamship "Gallia," eoming by way of Liverpool to New York City. After landing on American soil, Mr. Downie worked at whatever his hands found to do; later, in 1892,,coming to Knox county, Nebraska, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land from Mr. William Miller. He first lived in a dug- out two years, then 'built a good frame house, and has steadily improved the farm until it is now one of the best improved places in his section.

In 1899, Mr. Downie was united in marriage to Miss Alta Mackey, and Mr. and Mrs. Downie are the parents of five children, whose names are as follows : Aleck, Harold, Etta, Leslie, and Ellen.

Mr. and Mrs. Downie and family enjoy the high esteem and respeet of all who know them, and in their pleasant home are surrounded by a host of good friends and acquaintances.

S. A. STARK.

Among the many who took up their residence in Nebraska shortly after the memorable flood of 1881, we mention S. A. Stark, a prosperous stock breeder of Niobrara. He arrived in the following June and immediately filed on a homestead situ- ated seven miles southeast of the then small vil- lage, remaining about one year, at which time he sold the relinquishment and rented a place in the northwest part of Niobrara, known throughout the section for 'its fine grove. He purchased his pres- ent place in 1898, consisting of twenty-seven acres of fine land lying just north of town, also secured a lease on one hundred and seventy-five acres ad- joining, of which he has made a comfortable and pleasant suburban home. His attention is devoted principally to horsebreeding, and he owns some of the finest Percherons to be found in this part of Nebraska.

Mr. Stark first saw the light on the first day of January, 1859, his birthplace being near Erie, Pennsylvania. His parents were C. N. and Dora (Turner) Stark, both natives of New York state, the former dying in Pennsylvania in 1898. Our subject lived in his native county until he attained the age of twenty years, then came west to, Blaek Hawk county, Iowa, joining a brother who had settled in that state several years previous. After two years spent in that vicinity he went to Knox county, Nebraska, which has since been his home, his mother joining him here in 1901, and making that her home up to the time of her death, which occurred in May, 1909. Of her seven children, four died while the family lived in Pennsylvania. One daughter lives in Black Hawk county, Iowa, and the other son has gone to the extreme west, making his home in Washington state.

When Mr. Stark first settled in Knox county, it was a trackless plain, with no fenees to obstruet travel in any direction, and in going from one point to another a course was laid in a straight line, as one might do on the sea or lake. He has

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always been very fond of sports, riding to the hounds perhaps more than any other man in this part of the country, and many are the jack-rabbits or wolves his pack has brought down. At times when his hounds seemed to be getting the worst of a scrimmage, Mr. Stark had no hesitation in dis- mounting and helping finish a wolf with his bare hands. He also has killed quite a number of deer here, and as late as 1890 shot two in the locality, but sinee then few, if any, have been seen here.

Mr. Stark was married in Niobrara, in June, 1888, to Mrs. T. G. Hulliben, who was Henrietta Paxton. One son, Walter, was born of their union. Ile is a graduate of the high school elass of 1907, later taking a course in the business college at Waterloo, Iowa. During the early months of 1910 he spent considerable time in California, visiting most of the principal cities in the Golden State, and gaining in this manner a valuable lot of in- formation through travel and contact with people whom he met.

Mr. Stark has been a lifelong republiean and aetive in party politics. He is a total abstainer as regards liquors and tobacco, but like many of our broad-minded westerners, he uses very forcible expletives with ease when occasion demands, and his feelings need to be relieved.

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In 1909 he made a visit to his native state for the first time in thirty years, but found himself a stranger in a strange land, as is usual with those returning after many years to the home of their youth, and the names of many of his associates of his boyhood were found on the gravestones in the local eemetery.

MOSES WELCH. (Deceased.)

Moses Welch, deceased, was born in Dorset- shire, England, about 1814, and grew up to his manhood years in England, where he was married to Miss Harriet Rollins; and about 1847 Mr. Welch and family of wife and seven children crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel, landing in New Orleans, from whence they came by steamboat to St. Douis, where they resided about two and a half years; then going to Madison county, Illinois, residing there three years, and finally purchased a small farm in Mlacoupin county, Illinois; and in the spring of 1857, breaking up, and leaving home Mareh 3, eame by ox team to Florence, Douglas county, Nebraska.

Mr. Welch and son, Jonas, left the family at Florence, and came on the old Mormon trail road to what is now Nance county, and located near Jenoa, putting in a thirty or forty-acre crop of corn, buckwheat, potatoes, etc., breaking raw prairie with ox team; and in the fall of the same year Mr. Welch returned to Florence for his family. They farmed on this land until the fall of 1859 when they gave up the squatter's privilege on this land, as the government had made an In-

dian reservation of fifteen by thirty miles; and the Indians were moved from Saunders county to this reservation, young Jonas Welch being one of those assisting in the removal. The Welch family moved to a plat of land called "zig-zag" with other 'families who had also moved off the reserva- tion, the Welch family remaining there some three years. 'Moses Welch worked for the government as blacksmith for some seven or eight years, then moved into what was Platte county and is now Col- fax county, taking up a homestead in 1868, where he resided until the time of his death, July 12, 1890. Mr. Welch was one of the pioneer settlers of Nebraska, and passed through all experiences of those days, and was a factor in the upbuilding of this new part of United States domain. Mrs. Welch died several years prior to her hus- band's death, a woman of the pioneer days, known and esteemed through all those years by the original few and coming many. Three of the Welch family survive and all live in Nebraska : Jonas Welch, a hanker of Columbus, Nebraska, Henry Weleh, living on the old homestead; and Mrs. Ellen Fulton, living in Campbell, Franklin county, Nebraska.

Jonas Welch, now residing in Columbus, Ne- braska, is vice president of the Commercial Na- tional Bank. Mr. Welch remained with his father until about 1860, when in May of that year he took a trip to Pike's Peak, Colorado, during the gold excitement, but in the fall of same year re- turned to the home place, going to work for the government on the Pawnee Indian reservation, and was in government employ ten or twelve years.

Mr. Welch was married December 25, 1861, by the Rev. II. J. Hudson, to Miss Margaret Shaek- elton, in Genoa, Platte county, the home place of her father and mother. In the spring of 1870 Mr. Welch and family moved to Colfax county, and in partnership with J. P. Becker, built the second water-power grist mill in Nebraska, and Mr. Welch for seventeen years lived in Colfax county, where he followed farming, stock-raising, etc., and was a member of the firm of Becker & Welch in the grist mill. Mr. Welch disposed of his Colfax county in- terests in 1887 and moved to Columbus, where he purchased an interest in an elevator and was in the grain business a few years. He has had nu- merous business interests in Columbus, and has large land interests, owning about one thousand five hundred acres located in Platte, Merrick, and HIolt counties. Mir. Weleh assisted in organizing the Commercial State Bank, which became a Na- tional Bank later, of which Mr. Welch is now vice president. Mr. Welch in past years served as county supervisor in Platte county; in the city council of Columbus; and also on the school board of that city. He is active along all business, po- litical, educational, and social lines.

Mr. and Mrs. Welch have had nine children, seven of whom are living: Theresa Ellen, wife of W. S. Fox, residing in Spaulding, Nebraska; Wil-

C. S. ELISON.

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liam J., married, has six children and lives on the original pre-emption claim of his father; Henri- etta, wife of Harry C. Newman, has two children, and resides in Columbus; Caroline Elizabeth, wife of George Galley, has four children, and lives on a farm near Columbus: Charles A., teacher in the public schools at Columbus, is married and has two children; Mrs. Martha A. Watts, teacher in the public schools, resides at home; and Robert Moses, married, has two children, and lives on a farm.

Mr. Welch and family enjoy the respect and esteem of a large cirele of friends, and have a pleasant home. Mr. Welch is a member of the Masonie order, and in polities is a democrat. He is now the eldest living resident of the original pioneer settlers of Platte county, and has had a varied and busy life since going out for himself. and now over seventy-five years old, is still active in business circles, a man widely known who has had a wonderful frontier and pioneer experience.

CHARLES II. ZACHRY.

Charles H. Zaehry, a pioneer rancher, farmer and stoekman of Custer county, who has made his own way in the world, has experienced the ups and downs of western life since his sixteenth year, and has reachel his prevent success through energy and economy, in connection with upright dealing in all transactions. He has accumulated land from time to time as he was able to do so and now owns over eight hundred acres in Custer county, besides other land interests. He has many friends and has aided very materially in the development of his part of the state, passing through the well- remembered years of drouth and panic, and meet- ing all conditions in such a way as to make the best of his opportunities, and is now classed among the notably successful men of his county. He was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, July 14, 1859, the eldest of the three children of Henry and Mar- tha (Robinson) Zachry, and their only son. His mother died when he was but six years of age and he had to look out for his own interests at an early age. Later his father re-married in Illinois, and now he and his wife reside in Merna, having come to Custer county, in 1908. One daughter, Lulu, wife of Frank Sharp, also lives in Custer county.

At the age of sixteen years Mr. Zaehry left home and worked on a farm in St. Clair county, three years at a wage of nine dollars per month. October 25, 1879, he left Illinois, and moved to Ashland, Saunders county, Nebraska. Ile found employment in that county feeding cattle for a stockman, remaining there until August, 1884, when he came to Custer county, and secured a homestead on the southwest quarter of section six, township seventeen, range twenty-two, which has remained his home since. Ile is one of the con- paratively few who retain possession of their original homesteads, and he now ' has a well- 34

aquipped faim and gives much attention to the breeding of thorough-bred Shire and Percheron draft horses. He is a self-made man, starting west with no capital and winning a high degree of prosperity and success. He had only ordinary educational advantages as a hoy, but has always kept abreast of the times in so far as was possible. and is now a well-real and intelligent eitizen. He has a high standing in the community and his judgment in many matters is highly regarded.

Mr. Zaehry was married in Saunders county, January 1, 1884, to Miss Lilly Bachelor, daughter of Relander and Adeline Bachelor, and eight chil- dien have been born of this union, of whom seven survive : Lulu, wife of Ashton C. McGuire, living on the old Klump farm in Custer county, has two (i.ildren, a son and a daughter; William and Ed- ward, at home; Nidgal works in Merna; Evans, deceased; Louis, Bertha andl Myrtle, at home. All were born on the homestead except Lulu, who was born in Saunders county

CHARLES S. ELISON.

Charles S. Elison, a retired farmer of Ansley, Nebraska, is honored as a veteran of the Civil war. and has been prominent in promoting the progress and advancement of Custer county, for many years. A portrait of him will be found on another page. He was born in Luzerne county, Pennsyl- vania, Angust 3, 1832. a son of Samuel and Cath- erine (Stout) Elison, the father of English ex- traction ,and a native of New Jersey, and the mother born in Pennsylvania. He died in Sum- mit county, Ohio, September 7, 1866, and she died in Pennsylvania, September 20, 1841.

Mr. Elison was reared in his native state, re- ceived his education in the local schools and worked for a time on the home farm. When about eighteen years of age he went to Philadelphia and learned the trade of painter. In 1855 he enlisted in the United States regular army, and served five years on the frontier. In the summer of 1861 he enlisted in the Federal service of the Civil war, in battery K, Fifth United States Artillery, serving until October, 1863, and receiving his discharge at Frederick City, Maryland. He participated in the battles of Antietam, second Bull Run, and Gettys burg, losing a thumb in the last-named. Ile also took part in various minor engagements. After the war he returned to Pennsylvania, and on March 19, 1864, married Charlotte J. Wolverton, also a native of that state.

In 1872 Mr. Elison brought his wife and three children to Hall county, Nebraska, and home- steaded on one hundred and sixty acres of land near Grand Island, where they remained about eight years. They then came on to Custer county and he pre-empted one hundred and sixty aeres of land on seetion twenty-three, township fifteen, range eighteen, which was the home place many years. In 1880 he laid out forty acres of his farm

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land into village lots, erected store buildings and started the town of Algernon, of which he served some time as postmaster, and which grew to be a prosperous and thriving village. However, when the Burlington & Missouri railway was built through the county the inhabitants of that place removed to Ansley or Mason City, and the life of the village was gone.

Mrs. Elison died on the home farm February , 1888, survived by her husband and the follow- ing seven children : Emma, wife of W. A. Beard, of California, has nine children; Agnes, wife of John Daily, of Custer county, has, three children ; O. Howard, married and living near Mason, has three children ; Florence is a teacher in Colorado schools; as also is Alice; Laura and Bertha, at home.

In 1889 Mr. Elison was appointed postmaster of Ansley, in which office he served four years. He has filled various public offices besides, such as justice of the peace, was for three terms county supervisor, was also constable, and helped very materially in organizing school district number thirty. About four years ago he sold his farming interests and retired from business life. He is well known as a successful man of affairs and is recognized as a public spirited, useful citizen who has been closely identified with the best in- terests of his community. He has many friends and is highly esteemed. He has been a member of the Odd Fellows, fraternally, for the past forty- six years, and also is one of the early members of Steadman Post, number one hundred and eighty, Department of Nebraska, Grand Army of the Republic.

RUDOLF BOETGER.

Some of American's best citizens claim their nativity in far-off lands across the sea, and their immigration to the home of the stars and stripes has added many strong and sturdy characters to our poulation. Such a one is Rudolf Boetger, who since 1888 has been closely associated with the agricultural interests of Pierce county, Nebraska. lIe is regarded as a man of sterling qualities by all who know him intimately.

Mr. Boctger was born in the village of Wach- endorf, near Hamburg, Germany, Mareh 30, 1864, a son of Claus and Mary ( Westfall) Boetger, both natives of Holstein, then a province of Denmark, the father being born August 9, 1818, and follow- ing the occupation of farming in his manhood. The mother was born in 1828. Our subject re- ceived his schooling in the old country, and en- gaged in farm labor until emigrating to America.

In 1888 he left the fatherland, sailing Novem- her 3, from Hamburg to England, and thence to New York in a vessel of the White Star line. After landing, he came to Nebraska, reaching Nor- folk the twentieth of November, and found work in the vicinity until spring. For two years he worked by the month, and then rented until the

spring of 1902, when he bought three hundred and twenty acres in section thirty-six, township twenty- eight, range two, which he owned until the spring of 1911, selling at that time for over a hundred dollars an acre.

Mr. Boetger was married May 6, 1889, to Miss Bertha Fedder, to which union seven children have been born, whose names are as follows: Ileinrich, Julius, William, Richard, Emil, George, and Meta.

Mr. Boetger has been in the main successful sinee coming here, although he has met with loss and disappointments on account of the failure of crops by drought in 1894, and in 1905 had the mis- fortune to lose a large portion of his crops by hailstorms which swept the locality.

Mr. Boetger is a member of the Modern Wood- men of America, and Sons of Herman lodges, and worships in the German Lutheran church.

Mr. Boetger has not only watched the develop- ment of his county from the early days of its set- tlement, but has aided to his utmost the advance- ment of the resources of his locality.

JAMES C. CORNFIELD. (Deceased.)

The name of James C. Cornfield is a familiar one among the residents of Howard county, Ne- braska. Prior to his demise he was recognized as one of the representatives farmers and an old set- tler of this section, where he had resided for the past thirty years.

Mr. Cornfield was born in Monahan county, Ireland, in August, 1841, and moved into Scotland with his parents when he was four years old.

He was married to Miss Bridget MeMahan in Scotland, in February 7, 1861, and came to America by himself in May, 1865. He was joined by his wife and two young sons in August, 1866, at Massillon, Ohio. After a residence of two months in Ohio, the family removed to Illinois, remaining there ten years, coming to Howard ounty, Nebraska, in May of 1876; the family then consisted of himself, wife, and six children.

Upon coming to Howard county, Mr. Cornfield homesteaded on northwest quarter section ten, township thirteen, range nine, in St. Libory dis- trict, being among the first settlers in this portion of Howard county. Mr. Cornfield made this home- stead his continual residence until the time of his death, April 25, 1906.

Mr. Cornfield was always prominent in his lo- cality, was a good citizen and had many friends. Ele is survived by his widow and seven children : James, Patrick HI., Annie, who is now Mrs. John O'Hallern; Nellie, John, Lucy, and Bessie, being married. Mary, who was the wife of Charles Curtis, is now deceased, and a son, Frank, died in infancy. Mrs. Cornfield lives on the old home farm, her son John and wife, being with her.

John Cornfield, son of James C. Cornfield, was born January 2, 1875, and with the exception of

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about ten years, Howard county, has been his home. In April, 1898, he enlisted in the Second Oregon Regiment in Portland, Oregon, served over a year in the Philippines, and was discharged in August, 1899.

On January 12, 1909, at St. Libory, Mr. Corn- field, was married to Miss Annie Rock, who was born in Howard county, her father and family be- ing old Howard county pioneers.

Mr. Cornfield is a young man of good qualities and has many friends. He is now farming the Cornfield land in St. Libory district.

FREDERICK G. HATHER.

Frederick G. Hather is a native of Dubuque connty, Iowa, his birth occurring the twenty- seventh day of May, 1858, and he was second of the ten children in the family of George T. and Sarah Jane (Carter) Hather, who had four sons and six daughters, Fred being the eldest son. Mr. Hather grew up in Dubuque county until his nineteenth year, then going into Montgomery county, Iowa, where his sister Elizabeth, Mrs. W. A. Anderson, lived.

Mr. Hather, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, drove through from Red Oak, Iowa, to Valley county, Nebraska, in March of 1879, where Mr. Anderson took up a homestead. The next spring Mr. Hather also took up a homestead in Valley county, living there until 1894, following farming and stock raising.

On March 3, 1882, Mr. Hather was united in marriage to Miss Delia Holman, in Ord, Nebraska. Mrs. Hather is a native of Canada, her parents, William and Mary (Buel) Holman, coming to Val- ley county, Nebraska, in 1881; her father and mother are both deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Hather have six children namely: Lillian, wife of John Summers, they having one child and residing in Valley county; Ernest, who is the eldest child; Myrtle, wife of Frank Kenmont has one child and resides in Los Angeles, California; Mamie, who is the wife of Charles Kear, lives in Grand Island, Nebraska, has one daughter; Melvin, and Irene who reside at home. The children were all born in Valley county, and the family are known along social and other lines, and have the respect of many friends.

In 1894 Mr. ITather and family left the farm and moved into Ord, where Mr. Hather engaged at his trade of blacksmith and woodworker, and has remained in this business until this date, having one of the best known shops in Valley county, equipped with all the latest modern labor-saving machinery. Mr. ITather before leaving the farm, served his township as member of Noble township school board, he having organized the first school held in Noble township, and serving on its board until coming into the county seat to reside. Mr. IIather has been active along all progressive lines for the betterment of his county and state, always

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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 226

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