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 27

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 27

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In 1890 Mr. Vorhes built a home in Grand Island, and moved to that city, where he engaged in the wagon-making business. In 1891 he re- turned to the farm and remained two years, and then went back to Grand Island, which remained his home until his death. He was known as a prosperous and progressive farmer, his success due entirely to his thrift and industry.

JOHN WAGNER.

Among the worthy citizens given to America by the fatherland, none stand higher in his own community than the Wagner brothers, John and Matthew. John Wagner was born near the town of Bittburg, in the village of Meserich, Rhine Province, Prussia, September 2, 1842. He was employed at farm labor the years he lived in the fatherland, and naturally found farming a con- genial occupation on reaching the new world.

According to the custom of the old country, he served something over three years in the Prussian army, from 1863 to 1866, during which time he participated in the wars with Schleswig, Holsteine and Austria, in 1864 and 1866, respec- tively, in the artillery service. He began his military career in Berlin, and was honorably dis- charged there at the end of his enlistment.

In 1868 the brothers emigrated to America, sailing from Antwerp to Liverpool, and on April 15, thence on the "Erin," landing in New York the 9th of May. Proceding direct to Chicago,

John Wagner worked there ten days to secure funds for transportation to Monmouth, Illinois. In July he went to Milwaukee, and soon after to a farm three miles from Waukegan, Illinois. About the first of September he found employ- ment on a railroad, then being constructed through Iowa, and first set foot on Nebraska soil at Omaha some time in November. Omaha was then a comparatively small town, and the gate- way to the west. In the spring Mr. Wagner se- cured employment as driver in the government service, and was stationed at Cottonwood Springs, near the junction of the North and South Plattes. During the six months he worked here, he had many hard experiences. One day, while working on the bridge across the North Platte river his revolver fell into the river; in grabbing for it, he jerked his watch from his pocket, and so far as known both are there in the river to this day. Lice, "chinches" and sand fleas were numerous in every camp. For safety from the Indians, men dug short tunnels into the hills for sleeping quarters. In these they spread grass, and rolled up in their blankets with their rifles and revolvers at their sides. One time, in swimming the Platte, the current carried him a mile and a half down the stream before he could make a landing on the other side.

While at Cottonwood Springs, Mr. Wagner became acquainted with Mr. Zeph and Mr. Hengstler, now for years neighbors in Knox county. Returning to Omaha, Mr. Wagner se- cured work with Louis Crow, who established the first packing house in the city, it being located at Fifteenth and Douglas streets, and remained in his employ three years. For a short time the brothers worked in Plattsmouth, and then re- turned in the spring of 1871, to Omaha, to pur- chase oxen, a wagon and supplies for their trip to Knox county, which was recommended to them as being a desirable place to locate. Travel was slow as they had no feed, and were compelled to stop after a few hours' travel to allow the oxen to graze. In coming, they followed up the Little Elk- horn to near where Osmond now stands, and then turned to the northwest, over the watershed, into the valley of Bazile creek. At that time in Creighton there was but one sod shanty on the east side of the creek. George Quimby had laid out a townsite called Mansfield, about a mile south of the present site of Bazile Mills. Here Mr. Wagner, with his brother, arrived on Good Friday, which fell in April that year, a few hours before the "Bruce Colony," which had wandered out on the Elkhorn, crossed back to Niobrara, and finally reached their destination from the north, instead of from the south, as they had at first intended. Henry Mecke and Sebastian Zeph had preceded them a short time, and secured claims in the neighborhood. Mr. Wagner located a homestead claim a mile north and west from Creighton, and in the fall returned to Omaha, where he worked until spring.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN WAGNER.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

While here, he married, and in the spring started for his new home with his young wife. The railroad extended to West Point or Wisner, and here Mr. Wagner engaged a settler, living eight miles from West Point, to bring him to Creighton. Here he purchased a cow, some chickens, and secured some wheat. There being no way to take the cow with him at the time, Mr. Wagner returned some months later, walking nearly all the way to West Point-a little less than sixty miles-and on foot led the cow back to his Knox county home, purchasing a milk bucket at Norfolk on the way. How many young men these days would walk a hundred miles to supply the source of milk and butter for their family ?

There was a log house on Mr. Wagner's homestead, built by an early pioneer who had become discouraged and abandoned his claim. Here the family lived some years, until a more commodious frame house could be erected. Here Mr. Wagner lived until October, 1903, when he came to town, that his children might attend parochial school.

Mr. Wagner was first married October 25, 1872, to Miss Lydia Horst, a native of the prov- ince of Hanover, Germany, who came to America in 1867. Her people died in Germany, and she came to the United States when twelve years old, with neighbors, and lived first in Illinois, later in Iowa, and finally moved to Omaha. Nine chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wagner. The eldest, Helen, is the wife of A. R. Johnson of Plattsmouth; Margaret is married to Frank Abbenhaus, a farmer living near Bloomfield; Katie, with her husband, John H. Abbenhaus, is now living on a claim in Tripp county, South Dakota; Mary Theresa died at the age of eight years ; Mathew J., is part owner of an elevator in Creighton ; Ann, the wife of Wm. Young, lives in Antelope county; Frank H., is in business with Mathew; Leonard J., cultivates the home farm ; and Mary, the youngest is housekeeper for her brother, Leonard J. The wife and mother died August 19, 1890.

On January 22, 1894, Mr. Wagner was mar- ried to Mrs. Franceska M. Haak, a native of Washington county, Wisconsin, born March 19, 1854. Her parents, Franz and Catherine (Gersing) Schneider, were natives of Germany, and came to America in 1847. They moved to Nebraska in 1873, settling in Knox county. Here they endured many hardships, the girls having to work in the fields with the men in order to make a living for the family. At times their only food was corn bread and water for breakfast and supper, and the same with a small piece of bacon for the noon meal-not a very nutritious ration for young women pitching wheat in the fields all day. Franceska Schneider was married to Peter Haak, September 12, 1878. He was a German, but born in Poland, June 22, 1848, and died on his farm north of Creighton, March 21, 1893. During

the early years of his residence in Knox county, he freighted across the country to Yankton for the merchants at Bazile Mills. He worked for a time in the reconstruction of a railroad through the country, and at times during his absence, Indians came to the house to ask for food. Mrs. Haak always gave them what she had, having no fear of them, and never had any of their stock molested. Their children are: Leo, who farms on the homestead claim near Winnetoon; Luke Z., residing on the timber claim secured by his father; and Mary C., who keeps house for her younger brother.

Of their second marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Wag- ner are the parents of one daughter, Adelia C., a student in the parochial school in Creighton.

During the first years of the settlement of northern Nebraska, great herds of Texas cattle were driven across the country to the Niobrara to issue as beef to the Indians. They were al- lowed to cross the farms of the settlers, tramp- ling the crops and where they had passed, the ground was pressed so hard it required a re-plow- ing. No satisfaction was given the settlers for this destruction of their crops, and little com- plaint was made; the cattlemen carried arms, and were too ready to use them. Blizzards caused great suffering. Mr. Wagner had his face, nose and cheeks frozen in such a storm. He allowed the oxen to flounder their own way through the open prairies, he not daring to lose his hold on the wagon, as he might never have found it again, nor his home. Crossing the Little Elkhorn at through. Mr. Wagner had to walk several miles in his wet clothes before he found a cabin in which to spend the night, and did not get his clothing dried until along in the next day. In the blizzard of 1888 he lost thirteen cattle, a good share of all he had. After "the winter of the deep snow," 1880 and 1881, snow lasted until into the summer. Enough was found in the canyons near Bazile Mills to freeze ice cream at the Fourth of July picnic.

Money and work were so scarce that Mr. Wagner walked to West Point-sixty miles -several seasons to labor in the harvest fields, and then walked home with the proceeds and a few provisions. To save matches, they were carefully split into four pieces, and each piece being made to do the service of a whole match. Groceries for a year or two were hauled from Yankton, fifty miles away. And for coffee, queer substitutes were found. They used parched corn at Dry Creek, dried peas at West Point, wheat at Pierce, and burnt bread at Bazile Mills.

Mr. Wagner leans toward the populist princi- ples in political matters. The family all worship at the altar of the Catholic church, and the three youngest children have been educated in paroch- ial schools, which were established at Creighton in 1903.

After years of struggle and hardship, Mr. Wagner has secured a competency, and is enjoy-

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ing his ease in his comfortable village home. On another page will be found portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Wagner.

NEILS JORGENSEN.

Neils Jorgenson, one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Valley county, Nebraska, has been a resident of central Nebraska for the past twenty-six years. He has acquired a valuable property through his industry and thrift, supplemented by good management and honest dealings, and well merits the success he has attained.

Mr. Jorgensen was born in the village of Horseus, Linerip district, province of Jutland, Denmark, February 4, 1847, a son of Jurgen and Mina (Janssen) Neilson. He received his educa- tion in the schools of his bome country, and later engaged in farming. In the summer of 1884 he came to America, sailing from Hamburg to New York, the voyage lasting two weeks. Locating in Cedar county, Nebraska, he engaged in farm labor for nearly two years, and in 1885 moved to Holt county, where he homesteaded one hun- dred and sixty acres of land, six miles north of Amelia, and this remained the home place until 1893, when he came to Valley county, and pur- chased four hundred and eighty acres in section ten, township twenty, range fourteen, which is now the home place. He owns one hundred and sixty acres in Elyria township, and a quarter section in Garfield county. The family lived in a sod house for a time, and in 1901 built a sub- stantial frame dwelling, and good barns and other farm buildings from time to time. He also lived in a sod house for seven years in Holt county.

On August 11, 1884, Mr. Jorgensen was mar- ried to Miss Hannah Worm, who also was born in Denmark, and came to America in 1884. She is a daughter of Wilhelm and Carin (Jensen) Worm. Mr. and Mrs. Jorgensen have had five children, namely: William, who resides at home; Henry, married, and residing on the Garfield county farm; and Walter, Mena and Nora, who are residing under the parental roof.

Mr. Jorgensen is a prosperous and successful man of affairs, owning eight hundred acres of good land, all in Nebraska. He is a man inter- ested in all pertaining to the welfare of his home state and county, and is widely and favorably known. Mr. Jorgensen has served twelve years as moderator of his school districts, numbers forty-five and fifty-four, which record demon- strates his interest along educational lines.

JOHN E. BLOMQUAST.

John E. Blomquast, son of Ole and Margaret Blomquast, was born in Sweden, April 21, 1843, second in a family of three children, and is now the only survivor of the family, a brother and

sister being deceased, and his father died in February, 1871, and the mother in August, 1868.

On July 25, 1869, Mr. Blomquast was joined in wedlock to Miss Augusta Eklund, also a native of Sweden, who came to America in 1869, a daughter of Alex and Breta Eklund. Her father died in 1887 and the mother in 1900, both in Platte county, Nebraska. She has a brother re- siding in New Zealand, Australia.

In 1877 Mr. Blomquast located in Platte coun- ty, homesteading one hundred and sixty acres, which remained the home place about twenty-two years, during which time he purchased eight hun- dred acres more.

In 1900 Mr. Blomquast retired from farm life, and moved to Newman Grove, Madison county, where he built a fine home, which is his present residence, and in 1905 sold his Platte county in- terests.

In 1894 Mr. Blomquast became interested in banking, and was vice president of Newman Grove State Bank until 1905, and has also been vice president of the Citizen's Bank in Newman Grove for several years. He served Platte county as supervisor for one year, and was on the school board about twenty years.

Mr. and Mrs. Blomquast have had three chil- dren : John A., who is married, lives in Boise City, Idaho; Albertina E., died March 21, 1908, she had been married to Eric Hollgrin, and lived in Newman Grove, two children being born to them ; and Alfred E., who resides in Walla Walla, Washington.

Mr. Blomquast is well known, having been prominent in business circles, and is a progressive man, alive to all the interests of his state and country.

WILLIAM HANCOCK.

The Hancocks were the fourteenth family to locate in Sherman county, and have always stood for the best interests and welfare .of their com- munity. William Hancock, who has spent most of his life in the county, well remembers pioneer conditions and experiences. He was born August 14, 1861, in Sullivan county, Indiana, and is a son of Samuel and Rachel (Davis) Hancock, the father a native of Georgia and of Irish extraction, and the mother a native of Ohio, of German descent. Samuel Hancock, who was an orderly sergeant in the union army during the civil war, brought his family to Sherman county in 1873, and secured a homestead, where he spent his remaining days. His wife died in 1887 and he in 1900. William is the fifth of eight children, and he has one brother in Colorado, a brother and two sisters in Nebraska, two sisters in California, and a sister in Oregon.

William Hancock received most of his educa- tion before coming to Nebraska, and there learned to help with improving and operating the land. As a young man, he spent some time in construc-

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tion work for the B. & M. and the Union Pacific railroads, and later engaged in farming on his own account. His first purchase of land was one hundred and sixty acres, which he secured in 1895, later owning and operating various farms, and in 1905 he bought his present estate of one hundred and sixty acres of land in section twenty-nine, township fourteen, range fifteen, where he has erected a very comfortable residence and other buildings, and made many needed im- provements. His land is now in a high state of cultivation, and he is accounted one of the most successful farmers of the vicinity, being widely and favorably known, as he is one of the oldest settlers in the county. He has always been much interested in the cause of education and other movements for the public welfare, and for the past ten years has served school district number thirteen as school treasurer.

Mr. Hancock was married at Loup City, May 11, 1892, to Miss Cora Castner, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of Elijah and Eliza (Kitchen) Castner, both of German descent, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Ohio. Her father died in Pennsylvania in 1899, and her mother in Ohio in 1877. She has two brothers in Pennsylvania, a brother in Ohio, and a sister in Sherman county, Nebraska. Nine children have blessed the union of Mr. Hancock and wife, all at home, namely : Harold L., Earl S., Arthur L., Cecil J., Sadie G., Hemple M., Fern H., Ernest W. and Russell.

For two years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Hancock lived in a sod house before building a frame dwelling.

In politics Mr. Hancock is a democrat. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. and the Degree of Honor.

FRANK C. HIRSCHMAN.

In selecting land on which to build a perman- ent home, much is to be considered. The task is less difficult in a country where civilization has marked the causes and effects of the elements on human work, but in a pioneer country, where little except the boundless prairie is in evidence, the task becomes one of more difficulty. To decide unwisely means many years of futile toil before one is convinced of the waste of time and endeav- ors. while a wise judgment brings reward beyond the expectations of all.

Among the early settlers of Cedar county, who have been intimately identified with its growth and development, may be mentioned Mr. Hirsch- man, who is a native of the state of Wisconsin, having been born there in 1855, the son of Fred- land and Anna Myra Hirschman. As may be sup- posed, both parents were foreign born, the father being an Austrian and the mother a Prussian. The father came to this country on a sailing vessel, and was forty-two days on the sea. He took a lively interest in the affairs of his adopted coun-

try, and when the civil war broke out, he enlisted, and served for some time under Sherman.

Mr. Hirschman lived with his parents in Wis- consin until 1871, when the whole family decided to join the westward migration. They took the overland route, and drove from Wisconsin to Cedar county, Nebraska, where they purchased what was known as the "Joseph Knox home- stead." There was nothing but a small "shanty" on the place at that time, which has long since been replaced by a comfortable and commodious home. The farm itself has been improved in many ways, and is now very valuable.

Following the usual experience of the early settlers, Mr. Hirschman and his people suffered many hardships. For the first four years they were unlucky enough to have the grasshoppers take all the crops. Then during the second win- ter after their arrival in Nebraska, they suffered much by reason of an unusually heavy snowstorm. They also lost all of the crops in 1894 by the hot, dry winds prevalent during the greater part of that summer.

However, Mr. Hirschman persevered in his efforts, and by the exercise of unending thrift and economy, was able to add, little by little, adjoin- ing lands, until he is now the possessor of about seven hundred acres of highly-improved land, an estate quite as valuable as any to be found in that section of the state.

In 1879, just eight years after coming to Ce- dar county, Mr. Hirschman married Miss Bertha Dreason. They are the parents of four children.

Mr. and Mrs. Hirschman have always been thoroughly interested in the growth and develop- ment of the state, and they enjoy a more than local prominence.

ROBERT G. BAIRD.

Robert G. Baird, retired farmer, son of Hugh and Martha (Brown) Baird, was born in Ran- dolph county, Illinois, October 31, 1839. He was the fifth of ten children, of which only three are living, Mr. Baird and a brother and sister who reside in Illinois. His parents were natives of South Carolina, but died in Randolph county, Illinois, his mother in November, 1880, and his father in 1856.

Robert G. Baird was educated in his home schools, and later engaged in farming in Ran- dolph county. On May 11, 1861, Mr. Baird en- listed in the service of his country from the state of Illinois for state service, subject to call of the United States, and on June 11, one month later, was assigned to company H, Twenty-second Illinois infantry, serving something over three years, receiving his discharge July 8, 1864, in Spring- field, Illinois. He enlisted in the first company organized in Randolph county. While in the service, he participated in the battle at Belmont, serving mostly on detached duty. After he re- turned to Illinois, Mr. Baird engaged in farming.

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On January 18, 1866, he married Mary J. Mc- Donald, who was born in Randolph county, Illinois. Her parents were William and Jane (McClelland) McDonald, both of Scotch-Irish descent, who came from South Carolina to Randolph county, Illinois, at an early date. Mrs. Baird was the eighth in a family of twelve chil- dren, five of whom are now living.

In the fall of 1871, our subject came with his family, in company with his brother, James Baird, and family, to Merrick county, Nebraska, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in section twelve, township fourteen, range six, which has since that time remained the home place, with the exception of eight years spent in Illinois, between 1877 and 1884.

Mr. Baird was instrumental in organizing his school district, number twenty-one, and served in the various offices of its boards for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Baird are charter members of the First Presbyterian church in Merrick county, which was organized at Central City in 1872. They have had ten children: Wm. H., deceased in infancy ; Prudence A., deceased in 1902; Hugh A., who is married, and has three children, and lives in Central City ; Lucinda E., married to W. S. Desh, who have four children, and reside in Central City ; Mary J., married to M. G. Scudder, who have four children, and reside in Central City; Martha A., who was married to C. H. Crites, has four children, and lives in Central City (Mr. Crites, a Union Pacific brakeman, was killed while on duty, in 1906) ; Elizabeth, who re- sides at home; Robert B., who is married, and re- sides in Merrick county; Cora A., married to George E. Bockes, Central City ; and David M., married, who lives on the original homestead, and has one child.

In the spring of 1910, Mr. Baird retired from the farm, and moved to Central City, where he purchased a good home, their present residence. He is an active man of affairs, interested in all pertaining to the welfare of his home state and county, and is widely and favorably known.

REV. JOHN G. MeNAMARA.

Few men in the priesthood have won higher favor in their community than John G. McNamara, pastor of St. Andrews Catholic church of Bloom- field. "Father Mack," as he is familiarly called, is a favorite with both Protestants and Catholics, and has been a power for good in his parish.

John G. McNamara was born in Wisner, Ne- braska, March 1, 1872, a son of James and Mar- garet (Carpenter) McNamara, both natives of old Ireland, the father from County Mayo, the moth- er from Queen's county. James McNamara came to America in 1863, sailing from Queenstown in a full-rigged ship, and landed in New York, whence he came west to Kankakee county, Illinois. Here he farmed for eight years, and after his marriage, March 7, 1871, came west with his bride and set-

tled in Cuming county. The mother emigrated to the States in 1868, the voyage lasting six weeks. After living for a time in Cincinnati, she came to Kankakee, where her marriage took place. Mr. MeNamara bought a farm, six miles from Wisner, Nebraska, and resided here until 1903, when he retired from active life, and moved to Wisner to make his home.

"Father Mack" was reared on his father's farm near Wisner, attending the country schools for five years, and for three years the Guardian Angels' parochial school at West Point. For five years he was a student of St. Francis' College at Quincy, Illinois, graduating in the classical course, and finished in theology and philosophy in Mt. St. Mary's Seminary at Cincinnati, grad- uating March 4, 1897, the day of McKinley's inauguration. His first appointment was as assistant to the priest in Norfolk, Nebraska, where he officiated about eighteen months, and was next sent to the Church of the Sacred Heart at Omaha for one year. Jackson, Nebraska, was his next field of labor, and after a year of services there, he was assigned to the Bloomfield church, November 4, 1900.

When "Father Mack" came to the parish here, the church, a small one, was in the low ground near the creek. He soon formed plans for some- thing better. He purchased several acres of land on the high ground in the southeast part of town, and built a substantial rectory in 1901. In 1903 a commodious church building was erected on the lot adjoining. This was entirely paid for within four years, though the effort necessary to accom- plish this was great, especially when it is con- sidered that the parish is small and many of the parishioners poor. When this was all accom- plished,"Father Mack" thought to let building en- terprises rest the remainder of his pastorate here, but the needs of a school, where the young of his parish might receive better education under the supervision of teachers of their faith, began to stir himself again, with the result that in the summer of 1910 a three-story modern school build- ing was erected opposite the pastoral residence-a building modern in all its details, which, with all equipments, will cost in the neighborhood of twelve thousand dollars.

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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 27

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