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 51

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 51

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Mr. Raymer's first marriage occurred in 1857. when he was united with Catherine Koller, a na- tive of Germany, who came to America about 1854 or 1855. Six children were born to this union, namely: Israel J., went back to Pennsyl- vania and there married and engaged in business ; Mary, married Frank Boulls and lives near Jen- nings, Decatur county, Kansas; George W., re- siding in Atkinson; Henry. died in his fortieth year; Charles and Daniel, twins, the youngest,

the former working at Lincoln, Nebraska, and the latter residing at Houston, Texas.

Mr. Raymer's second marriage occurred Oc- tober 27, 1878, near Milford, Nebraska, when he was united with Sarah Brox, a native of Wool- wich, Canada, born October 13, 1860, a daughter of Phillip and Elizabeth (Neidig) Brox, both from the province of Baden, Germany. The Brox fam- ily emigrated to Canada about 1854 or 1855, mak- ing the voyage on a sailing vessel that took about forty days to make the crossing. In 1863 they moved to Freeport, Illinois, where they lived until coming west in the seventies. Three chil- dren were born to George and Sarah (Brox) Raymer, as follows: Gertrude, married Roy Smith, who is employed in a bank at Atkin- son ; Earl is a carpenter by trade, and Carroll is a clerk employed at Atkinson. Mr. Raymer is a republican in political belief and a member of the United Evangelical church.

At the time of the blizzard of January 12, 1888, so well remembered by the early settlers, he happened to be in the barn when the storm struck and had difficulty in finding his way to the house. When having occasion to go to the barn again he stretched a rope from the house to that building. When he came to Holt county there were but few antelope left, though he saw three there soon after coming. Although he never saw any of the large grey timber wolves there, they were occasionally seen along the edge of the dense timber in Stephenson county, Illinois, which near his home was twelve miles wide. He many times found it necessary to fight prairie fires, and in March, 1909, he helped fight a large one. On several occasions after coming west he burned corn as fuel, when coal was very high and corn brought but eight or ten cents a bushel after it was hauled about twenty miles to Lin- coln. During the blizzard of 1888, when their fuel was exhausted, they burned tallow. Al- though Mr. Raymer had many most unpleasant and trying experiences after he came west, he now looks back upon his pioneer days as happy ones, and can think of no part of his life with more pleasure. He has spent a long and useful life and is now enjoying the rest he has so well earned, in the ease and comfort afforded in his city home. He is held in high esteem by all who known him and is known as a public-spirited, re- liable citizen. Portraits of Mr. Raymer and his family will be found on another page of this volume.

EDWARD C. MUNN.

Edward C. Munn, who resides in section twen- ty-seven, township nineteen, range fourteen, Val- ley county. Nebraska, is an earnest and reliable citizen, and is widely known as an energetic and hustling farmer and stock man. He is a man who is to be relied upon and trusted in any and every circumstance. It is some twenty-five

GEORGE RAYMER AND FAMILY.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

years since Mr. Munn landed on Nebraska soil, and since his residence here he has gained many friends.

Edward Munn was born in Allegan county, Michigan, August 22, 1858, and was youngest in the family of George and Mary (Tarrant) Munn, who had five sons and two daughters; the pa- rents are deceased ; he has two brothers and two sisters living in Michigan. Our subjeet was born and raised on a farm, where he received the or- dinary school advantages, and up to his twenty- eighth year was a resident of Michigan, where he was a farmer and stock raiser.

In March, 1885, Mr. Munn came to Valley county, Nebraska, and shortly after coming here spent some eight or nine months in Colorado. In 1886 he returned to Valley county, and this county has been his permanent residing place to this date.

For some eight or nine years Mr. Munn en- gaged in the stock business, buying, selling and shipping. In 1895 he engaged in farming, and up to this time farming and stock raising has been his business. He makes a specialty of Jer- sey Red hogs, having a fine herd; he also has a fine lot of cattle.

Mr. Munn was united in marriage on Febru- ary 5, 1888, to Miss Annie Irene Aldridge, in Mis- souri. Mr. and Mrs. Munn have five children whose names are as follows: Ida, Mary, Ernest, Ada and Wilson, all of whom reside under the parental roof. Mrs. Munn's father is deceased. and her mother is living in Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Mun and family are well known, enjoying the respect and esteem of many friends.

Mr. Munn is one of the progressive citizens of Valley county, where he has made all that he posseses, and is fairly prosperous and success- ful. He has a fine three hundred and sixty acre farm northeast of Ord. In politics he is inde- pendent.

GULBRAND H. TEXLEY.

Gulbrand H. Texley, son of Hellick and Inge- borg Texley, was born in Norway, February 27. 1829, and was the eldest in a family of four chil- dren. He has two brothers in America, and one sister deceased. The parents are also deceased.

On June 19, 1856, Mr. Texley was joined in wedloek to Miss Gunnild Hellickson in Loing- dal church. Flesberg county, Norway.

In April, 1868, our subject came with his wife and four children to America, locating in Dane county, Wisconsin for two years, where he fol- lowed the occupation of carpentry, and in 1870 came to Nebraska, locating in Wisner, Cuming county, where he lived over two years. In 1872 came to Madison county and pre-empted eighty acres of land in section nineteen, township twen- ty-one. range four, west, and also timber-claimed eighty acres near the pre-emption which was his home place until 1903, when he retired from farm

life and moved to Newman Grove, where he has built a fine house in which he now resides.

Mr. and Mrs. Texley have had eight children born to them, all of whom are living: Hellick G., who is married and has five children, lives four miles northwest of Newman Grove; Emma G., who resides at home; Ole G., is married, has three children, and lives three miles northwest of Newman Grove; Gulliek, married and has three children, lives in Newman Grove, Nebraska; Bessie and Christian are twins, Bessie being mar- ried to C. L. Thompson, and has four children, lives in Albion, Nebraska, and Christian resides under the parental roof; Andrew, who is married and has two children, lives in Carroll, Nebraska; and Nellie A., who resides at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Texley are among the very first settlers of the county and have passed through all the trying experiences and discouragements of pioneer life. Mr. Texley in the early days hauled all his produce forty miles to Columbus, using an ox team. Mr. and Mrs. Texley have reached the advanced age of eighty and seventy seven years, respectively. They have raised a fine family, and are widely and favorably known.

JUDGE WALTER MOON.

Judge Walter Moon, one of the early settlers of Nebraska, and now a resident of Sherman county, in earlier days experienced the usual hardships and privations of the pioneer. He is honored as a veteran of the civil war and is highly esteemed as an upright, public-spirited citizen, who has served in various offices of pub- lie honor and trust. He was born in St. Law- rence county, New York, January 25, 1835, son of Orange B. and Margaret (Wing) Moon, being the third of their ten children in order of birth. The father who was of French-English extraction, was born in Vermont, and his death occurred at LaPorte, Iowa, in the spring of 1890. The mother, also a native of Vermont, was of English and Welsh descent, and her death occurred in La- Porte in 1897.

When about ten years old, Walter Moon ae- companied his parents to Illinois, where he re- ceived a liberal education and reached manhood, after which he engaged in farming. He was married December 20, 1855, in Kane county, Illinois, to Mary C. Harris, of Canadian birth. who died at Forestville, Iowa, in October, 1856, less than one year after marriage. In the spring of 1856 Mr. Moon removed to Iowa and engaged in farming there. October 29, 1859, he married Sarah A. Gilbert, of New York birth, then living in Iowa, and they continued to live there until the spring of 1873. They then eame to Sherman county and secured a homestead of one hundred and sixty aeres of land, three miles west of Loup City, where they lived until 1885, when Mr. Moore was elected county judge and moved to Loup City. Prior to that time he had been ap-

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

pointed to fill the unexpired term of his pre- decessor. Later he served several years as county surveyor, and in each capacity acquitted him- self with credit to himself and his office. In early days he was instrumental in organizing school district number fourteen, and served on the school board many years. He has always been actively interested in and closely identified with the upbuilding and development of Sherman county, and stands for progress along all lines of endeavor. He is one of the best known men in his part of the state and has the confidence and regard of a wide circle of friends and acquain- tances. His wife died January 18, 1893, at Loup City, survived by her husband and four daugh- ters. She and her husband had lost a son prior to her death.

The four daughters of Judge Moon are as follows: Mary C., wife of G. P. Callaham, lives in Sioux county, Nebraska, and they have two children ; Kate B., wife of Dr. A. S. Main, lives at Loup City ; Lydia A., wife of Edwin Angier, of Loup City, has two children; and Effie M., of Sioux county, Nebraska.

In 1908 Judge Moon removed to Sioux county, where he homesteaded four hundred and eighty acres of land, under the Kincaid act, on which he now lives. He has a vivid recollection of the trying experiences of early frontier life, but does not regret identifying himself with the region in which he has witnessed so remarkable a chance and period of development during the past forty years. His service in the civil war began July 28, 1862, when he enlisted as a member of Com- pany H, of the Twenty-first Iowa Infantry. He served until the close of the war and was dis- charged at Clinton, Iowa, reaching home July 28, 1865. The important engagements in which he participated were: Fort Gibson, Champion Hill, Big Black River, Siege of Vicksburg, campaign · of Spanish Fort and Mobile, and numerous skir- mishes. He acquitted himself worthily and is en- titled to look back with pride on his record.

Mr. Moon lived but a short time in the pioneer soddy, but occupied a log house two winters in Sherman county, as well as living in that kind of a dwelling in Iowa and Illinois.

He is a republican in politics and a member of the Methodist church and of the Grand Army of the Republic.

STEPHEN C. LYNDE.

A son of the west, Stephen C. Lynde, grain and coal dealer of Hartington, has known little of life except in the west since his advent to this breathing world in Geneva, Freeborn county, Minnesota, October 12, 1857, a period known as "Johnny-cake times" by the early settlers be- cause corn meal formed almost their only food for a time. He was one of the first white children born in that country. His parents, Isaac and Parthena (Clark) Lynde, were natives of Jeffer- son county, New York, and his paternal grand-

father was a soldier in the war of 1812. The pa- rents came west in 1851 or 1852, and lived almost two years at Warren, Illinois; at Dubuque, Iowa, a year, and settled in Freeborn county, Minne- sota, in 1855. They lived in Freeborn county until the fall of 1863, when they again removed to Warren, Jo Daviess county, Illinois, where the father died in 1883, and the mother in 1901.

Here our subject lived until attaining his ma- jority, when he again turned his face to the set- ting sun. He returned to Freeborn county where he found work for a year and then moved on to the farther west and sojourned for a time in Yankton, prior to his becoming a citizen of Ne- braska in 1879. He filed on a timber claim three and a half miles west of where Coleridge is now, to which he perfected title. He boarded with a family near and found work on neighboring farms. After proving up on his land he came to Yankton and became driver for one of the early liverymen of the town. On one of these drives out into Douglas county, South Dakota, he had occasion to visit Fort Randall, and while here met the famous chief Sitting Bull, smoking with him in his tepee a pipe of peace.

In 1882 he filed on a homestead in Douglas county, eleven miles northwest of Grand View, at a time before the railroad had reached the town, He broke prairie for settlers to sustain himself, but remained on the homestead but a short time. Returning to Cedar county, he carried mail be- tween Ponca, St. James, and Yankton until mak- ing his permanent residence in Hartington early in September of 1883. He ran a dray line for six or eight months and then went into the liv- ery business, in which he was engaged for up- wards of twenty years, during which time, in 1888, his farm with some of his stock was burned making almost a total loss; the fire was, no doubt, of incendiary origin, but who his enemy could have been he never positively knew. Dis- posing of his farm in 1905 he took a trip to Texas and, seeing nothing in that section that seemed as promising as Nebraska, returned to Hartington, entered the grain and coal business, and has pros- pered in a comfortable way in his new career.

Mr. Lynde was married at Janes' Mill near Jones,' February 23, 1887, to Miss Lizzie Griffiths, a native of Wales, a point near the bor- der not far from the English manufacturing city of Manchester. Her parents, Richard and Mary (Williams) Griffiths, died in their native county, and the orphan girl started to join an uncle in the new world. Coming with friends as far as Ohio, she came alone to South Dakota, where she joined her uncle, John Richards, known to the Indians as "Honest John," then post-trader at the Boule agency. Four children were born to Mr. Lynde and wife, namely: Lloyd, employed in a bank at Wynott; Alice, attending the state agri- cultural college at Ames, Iowa ; Margaret, clerk in the Hartington postoffice; and Edward, a pupil in the Hartington schools.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

Mr. Lynde escaped one of the severe blizzards that have swept the west since his first coming in 1879; at the time of the storm in October, 1880, he was buying grain at Warren, Illinois, where he had returned for a time. In the blizzard of January 12, 1888, he luckily had none of his teams out ; one, however, was hitched to the ve- hicle ready to start, but the storm broke before they left the baru. When he first came there were many herds of antelope in the open country between Hartington and Creighton. He saw many deer on his homestead claim in South Da- kota, and wolves, too, were numerous, howling on the hill tops around his ranch house waiting a chance to get to his poultry.

Mr. Lynde has seen the country develop from a wilderness, and has had his share in the win- ning of the west. Of such men, sturdy, indus- trious, and thrifty, is the greatness of the great prairie commonwealths due.

Mr. Lynde is a life-long democrat; he is a member of the Episcopal church, and of the Ma- sonic fraternity at Hartington.

EBENEZER HARDS. (Deceased.)

The gentleman whose name heads this per- sonal history was identified with the agricultural, civic, and business interests of eastern Nebraska, a great many years, and was well known as a prosperous and successful citizen.

Ebenezer Hards was born in Rushville, Schuy- ler county, Illinois, October 24, 1844, and when ten years of age went with his parents to Anna- wan, Illinois, where he grew to manhood. In May of 1864, Mr. Hards enlisted in Company K, One Hundred thirty-ninth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and was honorably discharged on expi- ration of his term of service at the close of the war. Before his discharge, however, he was transferred to hospital service, and then became provost marshal.

On July 27, 1869, at Annawan, Illinois, Mr. Hards was married to Miss Melvine C. Morris, who was born in New York state, but later moved to Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Hards made their first home near Des Moines, Iowa, where they lived until 1871, when they came to Merrick county, Nebraska, and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land near Chapman, Nebraska. After spending four years on the farm they moved to Central City, where he engaged in mercantile business. For many years he was one of the leading business men of the city, and was known as an honorable and conservative business man who gained and retained the confidence of all. He was prosperous and successful and re- tired from business in 1899.

After long months of suffering, Mr. Hards died Angust 17, 1902, survived by his wife who lives in her pleasant home in Central City sur- rounded by a large circle of friends.

Mr. Hards was a member of Buford Post number twenty-three Grand Army of the Repub- lic, of Central City, also a member of the Knights of Pythias. He was a public spirited man, one whom the community could ill afford to lose. He held a high place in the estimation of all.

PATRICK O'MALLEY.

Prominent among Knox county's old settlers is patrick O'Malley, who, since 1878, has made this region his home and done his share in the developing of the agricultural resources of this part of the conntry.

Mr. O'Malley is a native of Ireland, being born in Carn village, January 15, 1829. He fol- lowed farming there during his young manhood, and was married in his home vicinity in 1860, to Mary Roach. Mr. and Mrs. O'Malley have four children, Peter, Pat, Lawrence and James. They remained in Ireland up to 1870, at that time leav- ing for the United States, embarking at Liverpool on a steamship. Upon landing in New York little time was spent in that city, they going directly to Pennsylvania, where for eight years Mr. O'Mal- ley worked as shipping clerk in a glassware and crockery store. They then came west to Ne- braska, as above stated. His first location was in section twenty-one, township twenty-nine, range six, west, filing on a homestead, on which he proved up in due time. He barely made a liv- ing for his family during the early years in the west, often being without the actual necessaries of life, and finding it hard to make any improve- ments on his claim, but as times grew better they erected good buildings and eventually developed a fine farm.

During the blizzard of 1888, Mr. O'Malley lost about thirty head of cattle, which was a severe setback to him. Then, in 1894, when his crops were well under way and prospects were fairly good for a bumper crop, along came those famous hot wind storms, which burned up all that he had growing. When they first came into Knox county their nearest trading point and supply station was at Yankton, where also they were obliged to haul their produce in wagons drawn with ox teams. Prairie fires often threatened them, and with other settlers he was obliged to fight for days to save their homes and property from the destroying flames.

Mr. O'Malley now has two hundred and eighty acres of good land, a comfortable resi- dence, fine groves, and everything that goes to make up a model rural home. He has consider- able stock, raises splendid crops of grain, etc., each year, having the reputation of being a thor- oughly successful agriculturalist and stockman.

Mr. O'Malley has made two trips back to his old home in Ireland, and enjoyed to the fullest extent his visits with old friends there.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

EUGENE L. THOMAS, M. D.

Dr. Eugene L. Thomas, one of the well chosen former public officials of Nance county, Nebraska, who has served as county treasurer, and by his faithful and effi- cient labor in this capacity gained the complete confidence of his fellowmen, resides in Fullerton, and has large business and profes- sional interests in the city where he has lived for a considerable number of years.

Dr. Thomas is a native born westerner, open- ing his eyes on the world at Whitesville, Mo., April 7, 1877. He is a son of Dillard J. and Phoebe Thomas, the third in order of birth in their family of five children, three of whom still make Missouri their home, while a son resides in New York state. Both parents live at Tarkio, Missouri. Eugene received his elementary education in his home vicinity, and as a young man attended the Stanberry Normal col- lege in Missouri, graduating from that school in July, 1894, from the literary and musical de- partments. He held the position of professor of music in Gainesville college, Missouri, for about a year, then took up the study of dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania, remaining for three years, and was graduated in the class of '98. His first location was at Tarkio, Missouri, where he practiced for three years, and in June, 1901, came to Fullerton and opened an office which he car- ried on for three years, building up a good pat- ronage and being well liked by all with whom he had any dealings.

In November, 1905, Dr .Thomas was elected county treasurer on the republican ticket, and two years later re-elected, and filled the office to the satisfaction of all, his last term expiring in January, 1910. When he first came into Nance county, Dr. Thomas purchased three hun- dred and twenty acres of land on sec- tion twenty-five, township sixteen, range seven, and this he has now in the finest possible condition as a stock and grain farm. He also owns considerable town property, and his resi- dence is one of the finest in the county. Since the expiration of his term of service as county treas- urer Dr. Thomas has been engaged in the real estate business at Fullerton in partnership with Jolm A. Weems, under the firm name of Thomas & Weems.

Dr. Thomas was married on June 6, 1900, to Miss Elsie O. Campbell, of Langdon, Missouri, where her mother still resides, her father being dead. She has one brother living in Fullerton, and another in Langdon, Missouri. Dr. and Mrs. Thomas have three daughters: Helen M., Eugenia J., and Elsie L., all charming little misses, and they form a beautiful home circle.

Dr. Thomas was a member of the city council elected in 1901, for two years.

CONRAD G. BOEHME.

One of the best known men of Atkinson, Ne- braska, is Conrad G. Boehme, a veteran of the civil war and now retired from active life. He has been a resident of Nebraska since about 1877, and has been an active influence in the develop- ment and progress of every community where he lived. His early life was eventful, and he has traveled through many parts of the country in the way of pleasure and business. He is a na- tive of Amsterdam, Holland, born September 21, 1842, a son of George and Elizabeth ( Fossbeck) Boehme, the father being a German and the mother of French and Holland parentage. George Boehme was quite a traveler in his youth and in company with a brother visited all parts of Europe and made several trips to America, dur- ing one of which he visited Milwaukee, then a mere trading post. He was financially well off and brought a snug fortune with him when he came to the United States. He and his wife lo- cated on a farm twelve miles west of Springfield, Sangamon county, Illinois, and at one time he had sixty thousand dollars in gold in a Springfield bank.

At the time of the beginning of the Civil war Conrad Boehme was living with his parents in Sangamon county, Illinois, where he was reared and educated, and August 11, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-sixth illinois Volunteer Infantry. After spending a short time at Hanni- bal, Missouri, the regiment proceeded to St. Louis by way of Macon, went by boat from St. Louis to Commerce, Missouri, and soon afterward par- ticipated in an action at Tipton, Kentucky, in which six thousand confederates were captured. They were in the forefront at the battles of Iuka and Corinth and the Siege of Vicksburg, and also participated in the fight at Jackson, Mississippi. For four months afterwards Mr. Boehme was de- tailed under John A. Logan, and after rejoining his regiment participated in the engagement at Pearl River. Following further maneuvers they were in the thick of the fight at Missionary Ridge, in which the regiment lost one hundred and twen- ty-seven men. they also took part in the fights at Lookout Mountain and Atlanta, resulting in the fall of the city. They wintered at Scottsville, Alabama, proceeding thence to Atlanta with skirmishing all the way on one or more of the three roads along which the army proceeded on its way to the great southern stronghold, and this condition lasted from May 1 until August 27, 1864, when the city fell. Having completed the term for which he had enlisted, Mr. Boehme was discharged shortly before General Sherman be- gan his famous march to the sea, and at the time of Lee's surrender was in a hospital at Memphis. He had reached Springfield at the time of Lincoln's assassination and viewed the body of the martyred president in that city, where it lay in state, prior to interment at Vine-

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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 51

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