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 233

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 233

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JUDSON KAY.

Judson Kay is one of the oldest settlers of Custer county, Nebraska, and helped erect the first house in the city of Broken Bow. He is well known in various circles, and is one of the popular citizens of the region. He is a native of Owen county, Indiana, horn October 1, 1854, next to the youngest of six children in the family of William and Elizabeth (Barnes) Kay. Hle has a brother, Carey W., in Oklahoma, a sis- ter, Mrs. Ann Cosner, living in Indiana, and three of the children are deceased. The father and mother were natives of Pennsylvania, the lat- ter born in Beaver county, that state, and both died in Indiana, he in 1880 and she in 1878. The father was of German descent.

Mr. Kay reached manhood on his father's farm in Indiana and after receiving an excellent common school education, attended DePauw University, at Greencastle, for two years, after which he took a course in Green university, in Hendricks county, Indiana, in 1873, after which he spent six months studying medicine with Dr. J. A. Oshorn, at New Winchester, Indiana. How- ever, finding the profession unsuited to his tastes, he withdrew from its study and engaged in farm- ing, in which line he has been very successful. On November 1, 1874, at Stilesville, Indiana, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Lud- low, a native of the state, and they spent several years in Indiana.

In September, 1880, Mr. Kay came west in search of a suitable location and joined his brother, Carey W., at what is now Broken Bow, Nebraska, the latter having come to the state in 1879. They came to Custer county and each took up a homestead, Carey W. filing on one hundred and sixty acres of land in the geographi- cal center of the county, and Judson secured the southwest quarter of section eighteen, township sixteen, range nineteen. During the first two weeks the two brothers spent in the county they slept with a Cherokee Indian in a little dog tent, which was pitched on the spot where the Bur- lington railroad company has located its well in Broken Bow. Mrs. Kay and two daughters fol- lowed the husband and father and secured a timber claim of one hundred and sixty acres on section twelve, township sixteen, range twenty, and Mr. Kay has set eleven acres of land in various kinds of trees, which have flourished well. and there are now many large trees of splendid growth, some of them three feet in diameter. In 1886 they moved to the timber claim and Mr. Kay erected the first frame house in Muddy Val- ley. In 1881 he had helped organize what is now known as school district number twenty-four, being first teacher there, and he served eleven years as director.

In 1894 Mr. Kay and family came to Broken Bow, in order to secure better educational ad-

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vantages for their children, and purchased the comfortable home where they still live. Mr. Kay is engaged in the stock business and has also built up a good patronage as an auctioneer. He still owns his original homestead, being one of the few who have done so. Three children were born to him and his wife: Clara died in infancy ; Zoe married William Bruce, of Broken Bow, an:l they have one child; Madge is professor of ma- thematics in the state agricultural college at Manhattan, Kansas. Mr. Kay has been closely identified with the progress and growth of his county and has always had great faith in the state's future. He has had many interesting and unique experiences and is now a successful man of business. He owns four hundred and eighty acres of well improved and well equipped grain and stock farm land and also has city property. He helped erect the first house in Broken Bow, as before mentioned, this being put up on the spot now occupied by the Realty block. He was a member of the first grand jury of Custer county, under Judge Savage, and has been a member of every agricultural society ever organized in the county. For the past twenty years he has been affiliated with the Blue Lodge of the A. F. and A. M. of Broken Bow, and he is also a member of the M. B. A.

When a post-office was established in what is now the city, several suggestions had been sent to the government as to what name should be given it, but all had been rejected. Mr. Kay and his family stopped at Wilson Hewett's shop, where the latter was making a plow for Mr. Kay. They espied some wild geese on a creek near by, and Mr. Hewett took his gun and shot at them, killing one. While stopping to pick up the goose, Mr. Hewett found a broken Indian bow, which he carried back to the four men in his shop. suggesting to them that the name of the new postoffice be "Broken Bow." They all felt sure this name would be accepted, and so it was. The four men, to whom Mr. Hewett brought the bow, were as follows: C. D. Pelham and Jesse Garringer, both now deceased; C. W. and Judson Kay. The historic bow was preserved many years by the Hewett family, but one rainy morn- ing, when no dry kindling could be found with which to start the fire, Miss Hastings (at that time a member of the Hewett household) broke it up, and used it to start the fire.

ANTON BUSHELMAN.

Anton Bushelman, a prominent farmer and old settler of Knox county, Nebraska, resides on his fine farm in section fifteen, township thirty- one, range two. He is the owner of four hundred and forty acres of land, which he has aeeumulated through dint of his honest industry and persis- tent labor, supplemented by good management and strict integrity. Mr. Bushelman is a man of

successful endeavor, and is one of the substantial citizens and favorably known residents of his locality.

Mr. Bushelman is a native of Germany, where his birth occurred in Oldenburg province in 1848. He is a son of Fredlian and Catherine (Cherlreng) Bushelman, who are both natives of Germany. Our subject grew to his young manhood in his native country receiving a good education, and later learning the carpenter's trade. He also was a sailor, and cruised along the coasts of both the East and West Indies, and along the coast of China.

In 1866, Mr. Bushelman left the fatherland to come to the new world, of which he had heard such flattering accounts. He embarked on the steamship "Idaho,' sailing by way of Hull and Liverpool to New York. After landing in the United States, Mr. Bushelman set his face west- ward, landing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he worked at his trade of carpentry for six years. He then, in 1872, started for the far west, as Nebraska and surrounding territory was called in those days, going to Yankton, South Dakota, where he bought an ox team, and drove to his homestead in Cedar county, Nebraska. On this land he built a sod house, but did not prove up on his claim, and, after abandoning it, Mr. Bush- elman proceeded to Knox county, Nebraska, in 1884. and bought the land where he now lives. Here, in the first days of settlement, our subject went through the many vicissitudes and hard- ships incident to the pioneer days of the western frontier. The grasshoppers were the greatest source of discouragement to the new settler in that region, and the first two years of Mr. Bush- elman's residence on his farm were years of fail- ure, as the grasshoppers destroyed every spear of vegetation to be seen anywhere around, and these pests were only one of the many sources of discomfort to contend with in those days. At that period, coffee and sugar were luxuries. But those days have passed to history, and Mr. Bushehnan now owns four hundred and forty acres of fine land, well improved, ten acres of which is given to trees, and he and his family en- joy all the comforts of modern farm life.

Mr. Bushelman was married in 1891 to Miss Gusta Olson, and they are the parents of six chil- dren, namely: Anna, Lizzie, Elmer, Margaret, Elsie and Alfred. They are a fine family, and enjoy the good will and esteem of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. Mr. Bushelman is a democrat in politics, and a member of the Cath- olic church, while his family hold membership in the Lutheran church.

May.3, 1911, Mr. Bushelman had the misfor- tune to have his sleeve catch in the corn sheller, with the result that his left hand and arm were drawn into the machine, necessitating amputa- tion four inehes below the elbow.

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J. P. HAMMERBACK.

J. P. Hammerback, one of the old settlers of the region where he chose his home in' the early days, occupies a good home and valuable prop- erty in section nineteen, township thirty-two, range two, Knox county, Nebraska. He has done his full share in the upbuilding of his locality, and is well and favorably known throughout this part of the state.

Mr. Hammerback is a native of Sweden, where he was born in the year 1842, a son of P. E. and Stena Hammerback, both of whom are natives of Sweden .. Our subject grew to man- hood years in his native land, and in 1870 came to America. Upon his arrival in the new world, he remained in New York City, where he first landed, living there some time, then coming on to Moline, Illinois, where he was employed in the plow factory.

In 1887, Mr. Hammerback came to Knox county, Nebraska, and bought the land where he now lives, which, as before stated, is located in section nineteen, township thirty-two, range two, and which, and through Mr. Hammerback's efforts and industry, has reached a high state of improvement and cultivation.

Mr. Hammerback was united in marriage in 1868 to Miss Johanna Larson, and Mr. and Mrs. Hammerback have been the parents of five chil- dren, three of whom are living: Gust, John and Matilda.

Mr. and Mrs. Hammerback are highly respected and esteemed by all who know them, and are surrounded in their pleasant home by a host of warm and admiring friends and acquaint- ances.

JOSEPH SCHLIPF.

Joseph Schlipf, one of the early settlers and prosperous farmers of Boone county, Nebraska, is now retired from active labor, and makes his home in Petersburg, where he enjoys a com- fortable home and pleasant surroundings.

Mr. Schlipf was born in Germany on January 14, 1842. He grew up in that country, and came to America in 1866, locating first in Columbus, Ohio. He remained there for about two years, then moved to near Circleville, Ohio, and later went to Illinois, where he followed farming for several years.

In 1882, he came to Nebraska, purchased a quarter section of land from the railroad, situ- ated two miles northwest of where Petersburg now stands, and began to develop a farm. Dur- ing the first years here, he saw hard times, but gradually became prosperous, and is now propri- etor of a fine-improved half section of farm land, also some good town property. In 1900, he retired from active farm life, and settled in Pet- ersburg.

Mr. Schlipf was united in marriage on Febru-

ary 16, 1873, to Miss Katherine Diemer, who is also a native of Germany. The ceremony took place in El Paso, Illinois, where they lived for several years prior to coming to Nebraska. To them have been born the ' following children: George, Mary, Katherine, Josephine and John, all well known in their home vicinity.

JOHN G. FICHTER.

John G. Fichter, who died Jannary 19, 191'1, deeply mourned by friends and family. was one of the leading agriculturists of Madison county, Nebraska, a resident of section twenty-nine, township twenty-two, range three, where he had improved a large farm, and enjoyed the comforts of rural life. Ile was a man of industrious hab- its, and was held in the highest esteem by his associates. He was widely known in his locality as a worthy citizen and progressive farmer, and occupied a pleasant home in School Craft pre- cinct.

Mr. Fichter was a native of New Jersey, in which state he was born on August 21, 1845, a son of Gabriel and Elizabeth (Ward) Fichter, who also claimed New Jersey for their native state. Our subject's grandfather on the father's side came from Germany in 1700, making the voyage hy sailboat, and, after landing on Ameri- can shores, settled in New Jersey. He was an iron worker by occupation when he lived in Ger- many, and after coming to the United States, followed blacksmithing.

In 1890, Mr. Fichter, our subject, came to Madison county, Nebraska, where he bought the Jud Fichter homestead, and steadily improved same until he had a good farm and fine home, where, at the time of his death, he and his family were surrounded by a host of good friends and acquaintances.

Mr. Fichter experienced many discourage- ments and suffered severe losses during his resi- dence on the western frontier, and, among other disappoinments, suffered the loss of the entire season's crops in 1894 by the hot winds that destroyed every spear of vegetation of all kinds. This was due to the terrible drouth that came upon this part of the country during that year.

On December 19, 1866, Mr. Fichter was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Gordon, a native of New Jersey, and daughter of Charles and Emma (Case) Gordon, who are natives of New Jersey. To Mr. and Mrs. Fichter were born six fine children: Irene, Joseph, James, John H., Fred and Charles G. The family is well and fav- orably known, and enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know them, and their friends are many.

RANCH BUILDINGS OF C. T. ANSON.

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GEORGE W. SIMMS.

George W. Simms is one of the most promin- ent farmers in Custer county among the younger generation. He is a patriotic son of Nebraska, who has, since early youth, been interested in the welfare and prosperity of the state. He has lived in Custer county for more than a quarter of a century, and as an educator won a very credita- ble reputation. He belongs to one of the oldest families of his region, and is a representative of an old southern family that has had a high stand- ing in North Carolina for many generations back. He is one of the two children born to Isaac New- ton and Clarinda (Chilson) Simms, the father a native of Knox county, Illinois, and the mother of Warren county, Iowa. The family came to Custer county in 1883, and have since resided there. Their ancestors are given mention in con- nection with the sketch of the father, which ap- pears in this work. They are well known throughout their part of the county as being representative of the best interests of their com- munity. Their son, George W., was born in Shaw- nee county, Kansas, January 5, 1875, and at the time his parents came to Custer county, he was nine years of age. He received his primary edu- cation in Custer county, and attended the agri- cultural college of Kansas five terms, also took a course in the Grand Island Business Collage, graduating therefrom in 1893, and starting out in life on his own account when he reached his ma- jority. He taught school in 1894 and 1895, and carried on farming a few years. During the year 1897 and 1898, he taught the Dunning school in Blaine county, then until 1902 gave his attention to farming and stock raising. In 1902, he took a position as principal of the Anselmo schools, but at the end of the year, returned to the farm.

Mr. Simms was married, December 20, 1905, to Edith B. Ross, daughter of Robert D. and Ida Belle (Merchant) Ross, a native of Custer county. Mr. Ross, who was born in Iowa, came to Custer county with his parents in 1874. Mrs. Ross is a native of Ohio, a daughter of Isaac and Nancy (Kaylor) Merchant, who came to Custer county in 1874.

George W. Simins is one of Custer county's most enterprising and progressive young men, and has, since his majority, been closely identified with the development and improvement of his county and state. In his ninth year he herded stock on the plains of Custer county, and early. demonstrated his ability as a business man and farmer. He has always been much interested in educational affairs, and has been the friend of progress in all forms. He now resides on the northeast quarter of section nine, township nine- teen, range twenty-one, where he has a well-im- proved stock and grain farm, and he owns five hundred acres of choice land in Custer county, besides having other land interests. He and his wife have one child, Paul Delmar. 35

C. T. ANSON.

In compiling a list of the representative farm- ers and ranchmen of Antelope county, Nebraska, a prominent place is accorded the name of C. T. Anson. For many years he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits in Sherman precinct, and has done his full share as an old settler towards the development of the better interests of the community, and enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him. Mr. Anson has a comforta- ble home on section one, township twenty-eight, range eight, and is the owner of eleven hundred and eighty acres of good land in sections three and four, and also rents twenty-one hundred acres of Mr. B. C. Buxton.

Mr. Anson was born in Union county, Oregon, February 8, 1864. His father, William George Anson, was born in England, coming to America when he was twelve years of age. Our subject's mother, Harriett (Blair) Anson, was born in Ohio, and her father was a native of New Foundland. Mr. Anson came to Antelope county, March 4, 1883, from Buchanan, Iowa. When he landed in this region he had but a few dollars, and as soon as possible, Mr. Anson taught school for twenty dollars per month, saving enough from his salary to purchase land, this land being a pre-emption claim, which had been taken up by Mr. Ben Wade, from whom Mr. Anson purchased his land.

March 7, 1886, Mr. Anson was united in mar- riage to Miss Henrietta Whitmore, and two chil- dren were born of this union: William S., who married Gladys Carson, and Octavia. Mrs. Anson died in the year of 1895, deeply mourned by her husband and family, and many kind neighbors and friends. In 1896, Mr. Anson was again mar- ried, his bride being Miss Ervie Strope. This union has been blessed with four children, named as follows: Charles, deceased ; Hilda, Adeline, and George.

In the year of 1888, during the memorable blizzard, Mr. Anson's present wife's grandfather, Mr. Gearey, was lost and frozen to death in the storm.

Mr. Anson has always taken an active interest in public affairs, and was elected by his constitu- ents to the office of postmaster at Glenalpin, which he held and satisfactorily filled for eight years. Mr. Anson has a beautiful home, and the farm is known as Glenalpin Ranch. This is one of the finest ranches in Nebraska. It is fully equipped with all modern improvements, several new concrete barns having just been completed, all the material for the work having been taken from his own place, with the exception of the cement. He has at present about six hundred head of cattle, sixty horses and colts, and about three hundred head of Duroc Jersey hogs. A picture of the ranch buildings will be found on another page.

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Mr. Anson is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Politically he is an inde- pendent republican.

JOHN N. BRANDENBURG.

John N. Brandenburg, of Broken Bow, is one of the earlier settlers of Custer county, and is well regarded as an enterprising and public- spirited citizen, who is actively interested in every measure for the betterment and development of his community. Mr. Brandenburg is a native of Darke county, Ohio, born July 18, 1834, a son of Jacob and Jane (Freel) Brandenburg. He was one of a large family, but he and his brother, William, of Indiana, are now the only survivors. The father was born in Berks county, Pennsyl- vania, of German parentage, and the mother, a native of Greene county, Ohio, was of Scotch- Irish extraction. He died in Ohio about 1854, and the mother died in Indiana in 1861.

Mr. Brandenburg grew to manhood on a farm in his native state, received his education princi- pally in subscription schools, and when about twenty years of age, went to Indiana and worked at farming. Later he purchased land for him- self, and engaged in farming on his own account. On August 26, 1858, he was united in marriage, in Grant county, Indiana, with Miss Frances Allen, a native of that state, and after living more than thirty years of their wedded life in Indi- ana, they came, in January, 1893, to Custer county. He secured a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land near Merna, and also purchased eighty acres of land adjoining. This was the home place until September, 1909, when Mr. Brandenburg sold his farming interests, and came to Broken Bow, where he erected his pres- ent modern residence. While living on the farm, he served some time as moderator of the school board of district number seventy-seven, and was actively interested in education and other meas- ures for the improvement of the community.

Nine children were born to Mr. Brandenburg and wife, namely: Henry A., is married, and lives eight miles northwest of Broken Bow ; William C., of Custer county, whose wife died in 1895, has one child; Thomas E., of Indiana, has six children : Elizabeth, wife of O. J. Life, of Bridgeport, has three children; Charles M., living near Merna, has five children ; Franklin W., lives east of Merna, and he and his wife have two chil- dren; Emma M., wife of Jesse Small, of Okła- homa, has one child; Lucy E., wife of Merritt Gordon, living near Merna, has two children; Clayton P., of Iowa, has two children. Mr. Bran- denburg is well and favorably known in the county, and, besides good city property, owns some farming land in Oklahoma.

Mrs. Brandenburg's father, John Allen, was a native of Tennessee, and died in Iowa, and her mother, whose maiden name was Rachel Newby,

was a native of Jackson county, Indiana, and died in Iowa. Mrs. Brandenburg has a sister in Iowa, one in Indiana, and one, Mrs. Esther Mc- Cracken, in Broken Bow.

FRANK L. SIREK.

It is often said that the romance of real life exceeds that of fiction, and this saying is fitly illustrated in the life of the gentleman above mentioned, who makes his home in Plainview, Nebraska.

Frank L. Sirek is a native of Ceska Trebova, province of Bohemia, born April 1, 1857. His father was the owner of a number of large bak- eries and tenement buildings in the heart of that city. He gave his son every advantage wealth could furnish, educating him in music, science and the liberal arts. He was graduated from the University of Prague, took a long theological course, and was ordained a priest in the Catholic church at Prague, filling a pulpit for two years in the old country.

In 1875, Mr. Sirek came to America, remaining for a time in Chicago and Milwaukee, and was assigned by Bishop Hennesy to the church in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. After fulfilling his pastor- al duties for a time, he felt the call of the world too strongly, so gave up his charge, abandoned the ministry, and entered secular life. Returning to the old country, he felt it his mission to preach against the established government and church, for which he had to flee the country.

He came to Omaha in 1885, became editor of a Bohemian paper in partnership with two other men, who attempted to control the policies of the paper, while Mr. Sirek was expected to bear all the responsibilities for its success, so 'he resigned, and went to Schuyler. After a short stay in the latter place, he came to Pierce, was married there, and removed with his young wife to Wilber, Saline county, clerking in a drug store there for four years. Friends persuaded him to return to Pierce and accept the office of deputy under County Treasurer Carl Kurth, and in three months he had lost all his savings and his salary in the defalcation of his principal. He left the town, and came to Plainview, securing employment with the Chicago Lumber Company, and from 1888 to 1908, continued in the work, losing scarcely a day from duty. In the latter year he retired from active work, and has gathered to- gether sufficient of this world's goods to enable him to pass his remaining years in comfort.

Mr. Sirek's wife was Miss Anna Synovec, a native of Gage county, Nebraska, and daughter of Frank Synovec, of Bohemia. He came to America in 1866, embarking at Hamburg in a sailing vessel, enduring a voyage filled with hard- ships, lasting nineteen days. His first location was in Milwaukee, where he was an expert ma- chinist in a brewery. Later he removed to Ne-

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braska, where he engaged in farming for fifteen years. He became a large land owner here, and died on his estate, near Pierce, on May 2, 1898.

Mr. and Mrs. Sirek are the parents of seven children, who are named as follows: Jennie, is the wife of Frank Tepner, who served as city marshal of Plainview for several years; Libbie, wife of Tony Dominice; Lumer, the eldest son, lived on a farm west of the town one year, and then resumed his old place in the track depart- ment of the Northwestern railroad; he was a foreman of the section while in his eighteenth year, and, so far as known, was the youngest section foreman in the United States; he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. The four younger children, Alice, who graduated from the Plainview high school in 1911; Ladimer, Gerald, and Helen, who is still a baby. Alto- gether they form a most interesting family.

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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 233

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