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 237

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 237

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Mr. Bruns prospered in the main after com- ing to Nebraska, acquiring some three hundred acres of richest river bottom land, bordering on the Missouri river, and he owned about fifty of the lots in the old town of Niobrara. He came to Niobrara when there were but five or six families there, the Benners, Paxtons, Sturtdens, Hollings and La Monts. He lived in Niobrara to see most of them pass away.

Mr. Bruns was a democrat in politics, and was honored by his fellow citizens with a term as county commissioner, and a term as treasurer of the county. He was a member of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows.

December 26. 1869, Mr. Bruns was married at Frankfort, Nebraska, to Miss Anna Kunz. She is a native of the village of Waldorf, near Bres- lau, in Prussia, and was born March 4, 1850. Her parents, Anton and Helena (Henry) Kunz, lived their entire lives in their native land. Anna

Kunz came to America alone, to join a brother who had preceded her, sailing from Hamburg on the steamer "Tritonja" in June, landing in New York in time for the fair immigrant to join her brother. in Chicago on the fourth of July. They came on to Nebraska in the fall, settling at Frank- fort, and here Mr. Bruns, coming in the course of his trading, first saw and loved the girl who in the last ten days of the year became his wife.

Of their five children, four survive: Minnie, who married William Saunders, a prosperous hardware merchant of Winnetoon; Anna is the wife of Sidney Calkins, foreman in the Indian school at Bismarck, North Dakota; Adelia is a bookkeeper, holding a responsible position in an establishment at Vermont, South Dakota; and Helen, with her husband, Carl Henninger, lives at Wagner, South Dakota. The daughters are members of the Episcopal church, while the mother was reared, and still is, in the Catholic faith.

Mr. Bruns was a witness of the memorable flood of March, 1881, when all. of the village of Niobrara was under water. The rising waters covered but about six inches of their lower floor, their house being on the highest ground in town, and by elevating their piano on blocks, they saved it from the destruction that overtook instru- ments in other homes. Mr. Bruns remained on his place, but sent his wife and children to the hills for a period of eight days.

Indian scares were of frequent occurrence. At one time five hundred hostile Sioux, who had escaped from the reservation, were in camp but a few miles across the hills from Niobrara. These the friendly Poncas soon dispersed. A warrior of the latter tribe once paraded through the streets of Niobrara with a Sioux scalp dangling on a pole, but the grewsome sight did not attract the women as it did the men. One of Mrs. Bruns' most terrifying experiences happened to her when returning from a visit to the Fohrman ranch. some miles down the river. When about half way home, she found herself suddenly surrounded by mounted Indians, four of whom pressed their horses close up to her from all four sides, making escape impossible, and holding her almost im- movable. A wagon from the mission school, coming along about this time, frightened them off, but so terrifying were the few minutes in which he knew not whether it was life or death, that she was ill for several weeks following.

Blizzards played no little part in the lives of this worthy couple. A daughter was born during the last of a three days' blizzard in April, 1873. In the blizzard of April, 1880, Mr. Bruns lost forty head of fine cattle, a serious loss at the time. Hairstorms were occasional visitors, spreading dis- aster in their narrow path. Cyclones have occas- ionally visited the region, and on one occasion a storm of this kind unroofed the barn on Mr. Bruns' place, and demolished the iron tower, from

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which the telegraph wire spans the Great Muddy river.

But when all has been said, the disasters and privations recounted, all the early settlers agree that these were the happiest days of their lives. Social inequalities had not crept in, all were cordial and courteous, while hospitality was unbounded, and all seemed to be members of one great family.

G. W. SHORT.

Continuity of purpose-"stick-to-itiveness,". as it is expressed in more homely language-has led many a man with humble beginning on to success. Such has been the career of G. W. Short, now a wealthy land-owner of Butte, whose landed possessions are extended to two republics, and his interests varied from stock in the north- ern country to tropical fruits in the sister repub- lic to the south.

G. W. Short is a son of J. E. and Annie M. (Scott) Short, and was born in Knox, Indiana, and here learned the tinners' trade. Becoming dissatisfied, he ran away from home, and by the "blind-baggage" route reached Pullman, Illinois, in 1881. and the first day secured work as chain- man with the engineers who were laying out the town. This work he followed nearly a year, when he went to Bloomington, Wisconsin, and for a year worked at his trade. Seeing in a trade journ- al the need of a tinner at Stewart, Holt eounty, Nebraska, he came west, and secured the position about the first of September, 1883, and worked there until 1891.

In 1891, Mr. Short came to Boyd county, and homesteaded a quarter section adjoining the town on the west, but abandoned it to a friend, that he might return to Stewart, where his old father was quite ill. He later paid two thousand dollars for the same quarter section, and the vendor, with the proceeds, went to Alaska, and secured mining claims valued at nearly half a million.

On coming to Butte in 1892, Mr. Short secured work as a tinner in a hardware and implement store, which later failed. The bankers of Butte, having confidence in the business ability of Mr. Short, loaned him the money to buy in the stock at the sale, and thus start him in a successful business career. So excellent was his manage- ment that when he retired, in 1905, and invested the proceeds in land, he was able to secure title to two ranches on the Niobrara river, of fourteen hundred, and ten hundred and forty acres, respec- tively, besides his original quarter section adjoin- ing the town of Butte, all well stocked with cattle and horses in thriving condition.

In January, Mr. Short took a trip to Old Mexico, and, while there, was so favorably im- pressed with the country that he purchased one hundred and fifty-five acres of fine meadow land,

only a mile and a half from the trolley line of Tampico. Ten acres of this he planted to im- proved orange trees in June, and is intending to increase the acreage until all is a blooming or- chard. Mr. Short is a democrat in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity at Butte.

Mr. Short was in Stewart at the time of the memorable blizzard of January 12, 1888, but was fortunate in not having to be out in the storm. The worst hailstorm he ever encountered was while at a picnic, west of town, on July 4, 1905, when the falling ice balls stampeded every horse in the crowd, and left the revellers to get home as best they could.

One of Mr. Short's early experienees might have proved to be his death warrant. When work was slack in the shop the first year, he secured work with a hay-baling outfit, and the owner, seeing his good marksmanship, took him along on a trip for cattle, north of the Niobrara. They secured four hundred head, drove them to the railroad, where Mr. Short was sent back to the hay outfit, and did not know until later that he had taken a hand in cattle stealing, for which two of the party were strung up, a fate that would have been meted out to him had his parti- cipation been known. The leader of the expedi- tion drove the cattle to the Platte country, sold them, and departed for Alaska. Mr. Short was promised his wages during the time he was gone, but received none until the hands confiscated the hay press an doutfit, which were sold to pay the wages due them. The well-developed country gives no idea of the wilderness of those early days.

Mr. Short was at Butte at the time of the Indian scare following the battle of Wounded Knee, but lost no sleep over it. He was a per- sonal friend of Yellow Horse, who was feared hy some, and was told by the old chief that should any trouble be brewing, he would warn his pale- face friend. Mr. Short has visited Yellow Horse in his tepee when on fishing trips up the Ponea river, at the old chief's invitation, and on such occasions has been shown where the largest, finest fish were to be caught.

On one occasion, when Butte desired to have a novel Independence Day celebration, Mr. Short asked Qellow Horse to bring a band of three hun- dred braves to town, and illustrate their cere- monial dances, promising them four heeves and all the crackers needed to accompany that amount of meat. Yellow Horse did better than he prom- ised; he brought twelve hundred hungry Indians to be fed. Here was a problem-there was not enough provision in the town to supply them, it was thought. However, a purse was made up. more cattle provided, and the Indians went home filled to satiety, but they left their ponies, blank- ets and much of their paraphernalia, lost in game- ly backing their horses against the white brothers' studs, which were provided for the occasion.

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However, the red man made no complaint. He is a cheerful loser, and, although there were barely enough ponies to get their wagons back to the reservation, they felt that they had had a good time.

OTTO R. EPPLER.

Otto R. Eppler is a resident of Pierce county, Nebraska. Ilis father was born in Germany in 1840, and died in 1905, and his mother was born in Waterloo, Wisconsin, about sixty-five years ago. The elder Eppler came to Pierce county some forty years ago from Milwaukee, Wiscon- sin, driving from Columbus to the claim with oxen. He homesteaded in section twenty-six, township twenty-five, range one, where our sub- ject now resides. The family lived for ten years in the log house which they built immediately upon their arrival, then built a frame house. Grasshoppers took their crops for two years, and in 1873, they lost some cattle in a blizzard. They have also suffered some loss from hail.

Otto R. Eppler was united in marriage in 1907 to Miss Dora Raasch, whose parents were early settlers in Nebraska, coming to America from Germany. Mr. Eppler is a member of the Ger- man Lutheran church, and votes the democratic ticket.

EDWARD SMITH.

Edward Smith is highly regarded as an up- right and conscientious citizen of Custer county, and one who is representative of the best inter- ests of the county and state. He has the confi- dence and esteem of his fellows, and has a finc family, well known in various circles. He was born in Hazelgreen, Grant county, Wisconsin, June 10, 1857, next to the oldest child of David and Elizabeth (Wynn) Smith. His parents were natives of England, where they were married, soon afterward coming to the United States. They first located in Pennsylvania, but came to Wisconsin prior to 1855. In the latter state, five children were born to them: Eliza Jane, Edward, Martha, Henry and Mary. The father enlisted in Company H, Fiftieth Regiment, Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry, in the latter part of 1862, and was mustered out at the close of the war. He was sent west with his company to Fort Kearney at the time of the Indian uprising, so did not receive his final discharge until those troops were recalled from frontier service. While he was in service, his wife died, and one child, Eliza Jane, also died during the Civil war. After the war, Mr. Smith returned to Wisconsin, and resumed his trade of stone mason, also worked for a time at mining. He died in that state in the spring of 1908. He married a second time, and of that union, four daughters and one son were born to them. The

only survivors of his first wife's children are Edward, and his sister, Martha, Mrs. Philip Tre- vine, of Chili, Wisconsin.

Mr. Smith spent his boyhood and early youth on a Wisconsin farm, being educated in local schools, and receiving the usual advantages given farmers' sons of the day and region. On Decem- ber 26, 1882, he was married in Illinois to Vir- ginia Thompson, daughter of Johnston and Isa- bella Thompson. In November, 1884, he and his wife came with their one child, via Kearney, to Custer county, taking a homestead comprising the northwest quarter of section twenty-seven, township eighteen, range nineteen, still the home place, where they own at the present time five hundred and sixty acres of valuable land. Mr. Smith has improved and developed his farm in every possible way, and has one of the pleasant homes in his part of the county. He is a man of quiet manner and kindly disposition, devoted to home, family and friends.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Thomas Sylvester, of Dry Valley, Custer county, is married, and has one child ; Sarah Ellen, wife of Harry Govier, living on the home farm, has three children; Margaret Isabelle is the wife of Charles Secor, and they reside in Custer county.

CARL UECKER.

Carl Uecker, an agriculturist of prominence in Madison county, resides in Norfolk precinct, and is one of those substantial citizens whose integrity and industry, thrift and economy have added so much to the material wealth and growth of Nebraska.

Mr. Uecker is a native of Germany, being born in Prussia in 1830, a son of William and Adrieka Uecker. He received his education in Germany, and at the age of twenty-two years, left his native land for America, thinking the newer country would be a better place for a poor man to get a start, as he could get land cheaper. He made the voyage in a sailboat, and was on the water seven weeks. After landing in New York, he went to Wisconsin, where he remained until 1866. With two wagons and two yoke of oxen, he started for Madison county, Nebraska, arriving at West Point on the evening of July 4, 1866, and going from there to Madison county, where he took up the homestead in section four, township twenty- four, range one, which is still his home. The first residence was a log house, in which the family lived four years, at which time a good frame house was built, the lumber being hauled from West Point and Omaha. Mr. Uecker now owns two hundred and forty acres of well-improved land, twelve acres of which are in trees.

In the early days of our subject's residence in in Nebraska, Columbus, Omaha and West Point were the nearest market places. Grasshoppers

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took all the crops for about five years, which made it very hard for the early settler, and in 1894, the crops were a total failure in this part of the county. Deer and antelope were plentiful, and prairie fire had to be fought many times to save their crops and homes.

* In 1854, Mr. Uecker was married to Miss Mary Timmer.

HERMAN AHLMAN.

Among the old settlers of Pierce county, Ne- braska, may be mentioned Herman Ahlman, who came to Pieree county from Germany in 1871. Mr. Ahhman was born in Pomerania province, Germany, in 1848, the son of Adam Ahlman, who was born in 1824, and Wilmena ( Manske) Ahl- man who died eighteen years ago, at the age of seventy-one years.

Mr. Ahlman came to America from Bremen on the steamship "Ohio," and, after landing. came on to West Point, Nebraska, from there walking sixty miles to his claim, a pre-emption claim which he had purchased, and built a sod and log house. He suffered many discourage- ments during his first years of residence in Ne- braska, grasshoppers taking his crops for two years. He well remembers the blizzards of 1873 and 1888.

In 1881, Mr. Ahlman was united in marriage to E. Kollerman, and they are the parents of eight children : Clara, who married Oscar Lahman, and has three children ; Johona, Paul, Elma, Alma. Ella, Otto and Laurence.

Mr. Ahlman now owns four hundred and eighty acres of land in section seven, township twenty-five, range one, twenty-two acres being in trees. He is a member of the German Lutheran church, and votes the democratic ticket.

CHARLES B. SPEICE. (Deceased.)

Charles Bordman Specie, deceased, was born in Columbus, Nebraska, January 8, 1869, a son of Charles A. and Katherine (Becher) Specie. He was fourth in a family of seven children. Two brothers and one sister reside in Columbus, Ne- braska; one brother in Chicago, one brother in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, and two sisters in Guthrie, Oklahoma. The parents died in Columbus, the father in July, 1909, and the mother in January, 1909.

Mr. Speice received his education in the local schools, and later engaged in railroading, shortly afterwards going to Oklahoma, and taking up a homestead in January of 1894. He remained there for two years, when he returned to Colum- bus, Nebraska, and entered the train serviee of the Union Pacific railroad. On January 1, 1908, he resigned his position as conductor to take

charge of the eoal business established by his father in the earlier years of Platte county.

Mr. Speice was married, October 19, 1898, in Columbus, Nebraska, to Miss Alice M. Elias, who was born in South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Speice had four children, three of whom are living: Letitia A .; Charles A., who died in infancy, in 1902; Bordman Elias, and Gustavis Becher.

Mr. Speice died February 9, 1909, in Colum- bus, survived by his wife and three children. He was one of the younger native pioneers, and was widely and favorably known, enjoying the esteem of all who knew him. He was a member of several fraternal organizations: the Eagles, the Brotherhood of Railroad Conduetors, the Mannerchoir, and the Sons of Herman.

The parents of Mrs. Speice, Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Elias, live in Columbus, and also two brothers and three sisters. One sister resides in Los Angeles, California. Mrs. Speice, with her three children, still lives in her Columbus home, surrounded by a large cirele of friends.

J. MITTELSTAEDT.

The subject of this sketch. J. Mittelstaedt, was born in 1849, the son of Martin Mittelstaedt, who was born in 1796, and Dora Pasa Mittel- staedt, natives of Prussia. The father served in the Prussian army during the war with France in 1815.

In 1869, Mr. Mittelstaedt left Germany, and came to America. He spent one year in Wiscon- sin, being engaged in the fur business in Milwau- kee. In 1870, he came to Nebraska, and took up a homestead, and his first home was a dugout, which was replaced by a frame house in 1885. The nearest market was Fremont, one hundred and twenty miles distant. He had no team at first, being obliged to wait until two calves, which he had purchased, became large enough to drive. He bought his first horses in 1876. Mr. Mittel- staedt went through many hardships, grasshop- pers taking his erops for three successive years. He went through the blizzards of 1873 and 1888, but they did him no damage, as he had at that time nothing to lose. At one time he suffered the loss of his dugout by prairie fire, but within three hours had made another. Deer and elk were plentiful in those early days, and he made his living trapping in the winter, and making up the furs for sale.

In 1887, Mr. Mittelstaedt was married to Ma- tilda Spreeman, and they are the parents of nine children: Otto, Wildes, Hugo, Clara, Ernest, Helma, Eria, Lillie and Martin. The family re- side on the farm in section twenty-five, township twenty-five, range two, Mr. Mittelstaedt having built a fine, modern home in 1900.

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Mr. Mittelstaedt is a member of the German Lutheran church, and of the Sons of Herman lodge.

H. D. REYNOLDS.

H. D. Reynolds, son of Amos and Louisa (Thatcher) Reynolds, was born in Pine Grove, Warren county, Pennsylvania, July 17, 1838. He was the eldest of nine children, of whom one brother resides in Iowa, one in New York state, two in Nebraska, one sister in Oregon, and one sister, Mrs. Addison Parker, in Nebraska. The father died in New York state in 1860, and the mother May 9, 1909, in Nance county, Nebraska, aged eighty-two years.

When a child, Mr. Reynolds went with his parents to New York state, where he received his education, and later engaged in farming. On August 8, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth New York Volunteer Infantry, and, after enduring severe exposures, suffered an attack of typhoid fever, and was dis- charged in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in February, 1863. In August, 1863, he re-enlisted in Company G, First New York Veteran Cavalry, serving until the close of the war, receiving his honorable discharge in Rochester, New York, in July, 1865. He was engaged in several decisive battles, being with Hunter on the raid to Lynch- burg, Pennsylvania, Cedar Creek, New Market, Piedmont, Winchester, Harper's Ferry, and was in many minor skirmishes and battles.

After the war, Mr. Reynolds returned to New York state, and on December 15, 1868, was mar- ried to Charlotte C. Loop, who was born in Penn- sylvania, and later moved to New York state.

On April 8, 1871, our subject came to Merrick county, Nebraska, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, seven miles northeast of what was then known as Lone Tree station, living on same for two years. He then moved to Central City, engaging in the stock and general merchandise business. In 1875, he shipped the first carload of fat hogs ever sent out of Mer- rick county. He also ran a meat market for thir- teen years. During these years, Mr. Reynolds was prosperous and succesful, owning one thous- and acres of land in Merrick county. In 1904, he sold his business interests, and invested in Colora- do timber property, and also in mining proper- ties. On October 9, 1909, he filed on a homestead of four hundred and eighty acres, in Garfield county, Nebraska, and will now make that his home.

Mr. Reynolds has been a prominent pioneer business man of Merrick county, and is widely and favorably known.

FRED PRAHL.

The subject of this sketch, Fred Prahl, was born in Latholf, Germany, in 1842, a son of Fritz Prahl, who was born in 1806, and K. Fettem Prahl.

Mr. Prahl came to Pierce county, Nebraska, in 1884, from Germany, and bought land, which he has built np and improved, now owning three quarter-sections in section thirty, township twenty-seven, range two, on which is one acre of fine trees.

In 1869, Mr. Prahl was married, and he now has three children: William, Ernest and Fred. He is a member of the Lutheran church.

JOHN W. BOVEE.

John W. Bovee, son of John and Sarah (Har- lan) Bovee, was born in Wayne county, Illinois, August 16, 1843, the third in a family of six chil- dren, four of whom survive: Our subject, one brother in Washington county, Nebraska, and one brother and one sister in Wisconsin. The mother died in October, 1887, in Iowa, and the father, April 2, 1902, in Blair, Nebraska.

In August, 1862, Mr. Bovee enlisted in Com- pany E, Seventh Illinois Infantry, for three years, but after nine months' service, was discharged on account of disability. He participated in the battle at Corinth, October 3 and 4, 1862.

After the war, Mr. Bovee returned to Illinois, and attended the Illinois Wesleyan University at Bloomington for several years, afterwards engag- ing in teaching.

Mr. Bovee was married on January 1, 1867, to Margery Critchfield, who was born in Ohio, but later came to Illinois. In the spring of 1867, they went to Missouri, where Bovee entered the minis- try of the Methodist Episcopal church. In Octo- ber of 1873, they came to West Point, Nebraska, where he was pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church for one year, when he was transferred to the church at St. Paul, Nebraska.

In June of 1874, Mr. Bovee purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Madison county, Nebraska, adjoining Norfolk on the northwest, and in the spring of 1876, moved on this farm, living there until 1907, when he retired and moved to Norfolk, where he purchased a good home.

Mr. and Mrs. Bovee have had nine children, six of whom are living: Addie, married to Ellis Bradford, lives in Shenandoah, lowa, and has one child ; Henry H., lives in California ; William J., lives in Los Angeles, California ; Anna J., married to Lonie Rantenberg, lives in Madison county : and Roy A. and Carl, living on the farm near Norfolk.

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Mr. and Mrs. Bovee are among the early set- tlers of Nebraska, and have passed through all of the experiences and hardships of pioneer life. They are widely and favorably known.

JACOB SMITH, AND JOHN SMITH. (Deceased.)

Jacob Smith and family of wife and eight children came to Colfax county, Nebraska, in Mareh, 1868, from Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were natives of Germany, and were married in Pennsylvania. Previous to coming to Colfax county, Mr. Smith had purchased land iu Colfax county, four and one-half miles southeast of Riell- land post-office, and upon coming to the county, the family settled upon their three-hundred-aere ranch. Mr. Smith was one of the early pioneer seettlers of Colfax county, and lived on the orig- inal (purchased) homestead farm until the time of his death in the fall of 1880. The death of his wife occurred in the old farm in June, 1907. All of the children are living. Of the sons, John and Charles Smith reside in Colfax county, Jacob Smith lives in Colorado, and William Smith in another state. Of the daughters, Mrs. Catherine Kohler and Mrs. Polly Abort reside in Richland township, Mrs. Jacob Kifer in Schuyler, Mrs. John Mitchell northeast of Schuyler nine miles, and Mrs. Able Freeline lives in Nevada. The Smith family was weil known in Colfax county.

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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 237

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