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 53

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 53

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After having been a teacher for nearly twenty years, Mr. Hannibal engaged in the sale of var. ions educational books, and in the writing of several works himself. His first book, published and copyrighted in 1901, "Protect Our Schools," attracted considerable favorable comment, and the next, "Thrice a Pioneer," was also received with much interest. Mr. Hannibal has also con- tributed somewhat to current Danish literature, "Half a Century in America," "Brotherhood" and "Witnesses" being the titles of various works in that language, which have attracted much attention. A later book, "Uncle Sam's ('abin," the biggest and best of all, is especially widely commended and endorsed by prominent scholars and educators.

In the most of these works, Mr. Hannibal has set forth at some length his views concerning some of the most serious problems before the public to- day. He has given much time and study in var- ious places and under varying conditions, to the liquor traffic, and his views are, well worth read- ing. Others of his works treat of pioneer life in the west, and he is eminently qualified to speak on this subject also.

Mr. Hannibal was married on the 12th of November, 1883, to Miss Mary Hansen, also a native of Denmark, who had come to Nebraska from Sioux City, Iowa. Four sons, Amandus, Ol- iver, Hardy and Sankey, have been born to them.

JOHN W. SAWYER.

John W. Sawyer, now living in Arcadia, Ne- braska, spent thirty years on a Nebraska home- stated, and was one of the early pioneers of the state. He was born in Butler county, Pennsyl- vania, October 7, 1825, and is the only surviving member of an old family of that region. He is the third child of John and Mary Sawyer, who had six daughters and three sons. The father was born in Maryland, of German lineage, and the mother, a native of Pennsylvania, was of Scotch descent. John Sawyer was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was a blacksmith by trade. He brought his family to Jackson county, Iowa, in 1849, being a pioneer in that state. He fol- lowed his trade here many years, and died in his ninetieth year in Jackson county. The mother passed away in her seventy-sixth year, leaving the subject of this sketch the only living member of the family. His grandfather, Mathias Sawyer, died in old age, and his grandmother, Mary (Grossman) Sawyer, attained the age of one hun- dred and one years; her brother, Benedict Gross man, died at the age of one hundred and 'three.

John W. Sawyer accompained his parents to Jackson county, Iowa, as a young man, and worked with his father at the forge. He en- listed, July 17, 1861, in Company I. Fifth Iowa

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Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded in a battle at Hamburg, Tennessee, and later recived a gun- shot wound at the battle of Shiloh, after which he was discharged on account of total disability. Upon leaving the army, he returned to Jackson county, and there, on August 24, 1862, he mar- ried Caroline Ralston, a daughter of John and Nancy (McLean) Ralston, both of Scottish de- scent.

In the month of March, 1880, Mr. Sawyer brought his wife and their seven children from Jackson county to Knox county, Nebraska, mak- ing the trip with a team and wagon. He first took up a homestead in Knox county, ten miles from the Niobrara river. On this farm stands a giant cottonwood tree, twenty-one feet and four inches in circumference, said by the county sur- veyor to be the largest in the county, possibly the largest in the state. After occupying this farm thirty years to a day, Mr. Sawyer sold it in March, 1910, and he and his wife and their daughter, Nora, came to Arcadia, where they have a very pleasant and well-located home. Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer came to this place to be nearer their children in Valley county. All of their eight children, seven of whom survive, were born in Iowa, except their youngest son, who is a na- tive of Nebraska. Mary is the wife of Charles Parkis, of Osceola, Nebraska, and has two chil- dren; George is married, lives in Knox county, and has three children; Viola, wife of Thomas Hight, of Norfolk, Nebraska, has two children; Nora, now Mrs. Sigal Record, of Arcadia, has three children; Luella, wife of Ellsworth Ross, of Boyd county, has seven children; Lilly mar- ried Earl Holcomb, and lives near Arcadia; Clyde, formerly of Hot Springs, South Dakota, who moved to Arcadia in the spring of 1911, is married, and has two children.

Mr. Sawyer has been identified with the early history of two states, and, although now in his eighty-sixth year, is active and in rugged health. He is highly respected as a citizen, and has many close friends. He and his wife have reared a large family, and have their children's affection- ate regard and reverence. In politics he is a democrat. He was reared in the Lutheran church, and later became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is one of the last two comrades of Washington Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Dorsey, Knox county.

On coming to Knox county, Mr. Sawyer erect- ed a sod dugout on his place, which the family occupied eleven years. In the early nineties, they suffered four years' drought, and for two years hail destroyed their crops. An additional misfortune was the loss of their frame house by fire. But, in spite of all discouragements they prospered, and have no regret that they decided to make Nebraska their home.

FRANK DUEL.

Among the brave sons who came to Nebraska in the early seventies, is the subject of this sketch, Frank Duel, now residing on section fifteen, town- ship twenty-four, range two, Madison county. Mr. Duel has been a resident of Madison county for the past thirty-seven years, and during that time has encountered the many changes incident to the development of a new country into one of the most prosperous and thriving communities of the west.

Mr. Duel is a native of New York state, his birth taking place in Franklin county, December 31, 1848. He is a son of Benjamin and Lucinda (Steuben) Duel, and is of English descent. Mr. Duel remained in his native state until 1855, then went with his parents to Illinois, where he lived ten years, coming to Fayette county, Iowa, where he resided several years.

In 1873, Mr. Duel came to Madison county, Nebraska, and bought one hundred and sixty acres of railroad land, on which he built a frame house. He also took up a timber claim two miles northwest of his present home. The first five years of his residence here, Mr. Duel "batched it," and worked out at whatever his hands found to do, as the crops were a complete failure for the first few years, those of 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, which made it very hard for a young man just starting out for himself. Mr. Duel suffered many hardships through the various causes that were a constant anxiety and menace to the first settlers in this region. In the blizzard of 1888, he lost considerable stock in the blinding, swirl- ing mass of snow and ice dust that caused such a heavy loss of life, both human and brute. Another source of anxiety in those times were the prairie fires that often swept the prairies clear of everything for miles around, and had to be almost constantly fought for the first few years. As late as 1894, our subject suffered loss of crops in the terrible drouth of that year, the hot winds that were the result of this drouth, burning every spear of vegetation in the vicinity to a crisp. But those experiences have all passed to history, and better times and abundant crops prevail in the region where hardships and privation were once the lot of the inhabitant of the western frontier, and Mr. Duel now owns three hundred and twenty acres of fine land, on which is a fine grove of twenty acres, making this one of the finest places in the county.

Mr. Duel was united in marriage, September 13, 1878, to Miss Josephine Griffith, a native of lowa, and Mr. and Mrs. Duel are now the par- ents of five children, namely : Barnard C., Elsie Almita, Erwin W., Frank and Ray. They are a fine family, and enjoy the respect and esteem of all who know them. They are members of the Methodist church, and Mr. Duel is a republican.

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ISRAEL C. TOBIAS.

Israel C. Tobias, recognized as one of Cus- ter county's most prominent citizens, was one of the early settlers there, and passed through the various stages of Nebraska's history for more than thirty years past. He was born in Piequa county, Ohio, May 11, 1836, son of Henry and Dolly (Zinser) Tobias, being second in order of birth of their eight children. He has a brother in Denver, one in Sterling, Colorado, a sister in Chicago, two sisters in El Paso, Illinois, and others are deceased. The father was born in Pennsylvania, of German parentage, and died at El Paso, Illinois, in 1889. The mother, a na- tive of Germany, was brought to America at the age of four years, and died in El Paso in 1882.

In childhood, Mr. Tobias accompanied his par- ents to Illinois and there grew to manhood, be- ing reared to farm work, and receiving his edu- cation in local schools. In the fall of 1861, he enlisted in Company G, Eigthy-sixth Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry, serving until the close of the war, and receiving his discharge at Louisville, Kentucky, in June, 1865. The more important battles in which he participated were: Chicka- mauga, Mission Ridge and the Siege of Atlanta, and he also took part in many minor engagements and skirmishes.

Mr. Tobias was married (first), August 18, 1859, to Miss Cynthia Ellis, a native of Indiana, and they made their home in Illinois. After the war, they lived for a time in Washington, Illinois, later removing to El Paso, where Mr. Tobias engaged in mercantile business with his father. Five years later they removed to Streator, and in the fall of 1879 came to Custer county. He secured a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land on section thirty-five, township twenty, range nineteen, which for many years remained the home place. They also secured a tree claim of the same size. Mrs. Tobias died on this farm, April 17, 1892, survived by eight chil- dren : Alvira A., wife of James Haggerty, of Sargent, has two children; Sophia F. married Samuel Perrin, of Sargent, and they have three children; Flora, wife of A. Z. Perrin, of Custer county, has three children; Leota, widow of Al- bert Dye, lives in Iowa ; Wilbur, of Custer county, is married, and has three children; Alta Blanch, at home; Ava S., widow of Frank Phil- lips (who died in 1907), lives in Sargent; Leroy is married, and living in Sargent. One son and one daughter of this union died in childhood.

For the first ten years after locating in Cus- ter county, Mr. Tobias was a traveling salesman. He has lived in Sargent since 1900, and has a very pleasant home there. He has always been ready to lend his aid to any worthy cause, and has been active in local affairs. He married (second), August 8, 1895, in Chadron, Nebraska, Mrs. Malinda Tobias, widow of his youngest brotherr, whose maiden name was Diffenbaugh.

She has three children by her former marriage: William, married and living in Denver, has six children ; Ida, wife of Asa Ellis, lives in Deer Creek, Illinois, and they have four children; Lloyd, of Peoria, Illinois, is married, and has one child.

DANIEL P. SULLIVAN.

Daniel P. Sullivan, who resides on section thirty-six, township thirty, range three, in Cedar county, Nebraska, is one of the leading old-timers in this section. He has always done his allotted share in the betterment of conditions throughout the community in which he lives, and by earnest efforts and strict attention to his work, has been successful in building up a comfortable property and developing a fine farm.

Mr. Sullivan is a native of Nebraska. He was born in Cedar county, December 24, 1868, and is the second member in a family of six children born to James and Anna (Lacy) Sulli- van, both of whom were natives of Ireland, and came to America at a very early date, their first home being at Madison, Wisconsin. They settled in Cedar county in 1868, taking a homestead on section eleven, township thirty-one, range two, east, located on Main Bow creek, on which they built a log house and started life as pioneers.

At that time Sioux City and Yankton were their market places, both being a considerable distance from their claim, and in traveling to and from these points, Mr. Sullivan experienced more than one exciting adventure. For several years the family had hard work to raise enough to live on, as their crops were sometimes utterly de- stroyed by grasshoppers, and when they escaped this pest, unfavorable weather conditions made it impossible to secure anything from the seeds planted. A great deal of their living was had from the wild game which was plentiful in the region during the early days of their residence there. They also went through numerous Indian scares, but never had any serious trouble from this source.

Mr. Sullivan is now the owner of two hundred and forty-two acres in sections thirty-five and thirty-six, township thirty, range three, east, all of the land in good shape, and he is engaged ex- tensively in grain and stock raising, deriving a good income from these enterprises.

In 1888, Mr. Sullivan was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Koch, who is a native of Pennsyl- vania, of English and German stock. She came west at the age of three years, with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan are the parents of two children, Mary Ann and Minor R.

Mr. Sullivan, for eighteen years, was identi- fied with the school board organization, but now holds no public office. He and his family are members of the Roman Catholic church.

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DAVID LEAR.

Among the prominent business men of Central City, Nebraska, the gentleman above mentioned occupies a foremost place. Mr. Lear is well known all over this section of the country, and is highly esteemed as a citizen of true worth.

David Lear was born in Johnstown, Pennsyl- vania, January 25, 1844, and was second of twelve children in the family of Samuel and Phoebe Lear, who had six sons and six daughters. Our subject grew to manhood in his native city, where he learned the blacksmiths' trade. On August 6, 1863, Mr. Lear was married to Miss Rebecca J. Lewis, also a resident of Johnstown, Pennsyl- vania, at which place they were married. Mr. Lear enlisted in Company K, Two Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Au- gust 30, 1864, and participated in the battles of Fort Steadman, Petersburg, and numerous skirm- ishes and engagements, and was present at Lee's surrender. He received his honorable discharge at Braddock's Field, Pennsylvania, June 2, 1865, returning 'then to his home.

In 1868, Mr. Lear, with his wife and three children, moved to Iowa, another child being born in that state, and came into Butler county, Nebraska, in 1871. In the fall of 1872, they lo- cated in Hamilton county, Nebraska, and in 1873, Mr. Lear worked in the first blacksmith shop in Central City, then known as Lone Tree, and in 1874, he moved to Lone Tree, and opened up a blacksmith and wagon shop for himself. He has continued in the business until the present time, although Mr. Lear has practically retired from active work, enjoying the fruits of an active, in- dustrious life, and is well and favorably known.

Mr. and Mrs. Lear have had eleven children, of whom six sons and two daughters are living, three children being born in Pennsylvania, one in Iowa and seven in Nebraska: William H., married, and lives in Omaha; Phoebe Jane, wife of William Perryman, has nine children, and lives in Iowa; Orrin O., of St. Joseph, Missouri, married, and has one son; Clara Estelle, wife of Charles Soth, has six children, and resides in Belgrade, Nebraska; Albert D., married, and re- siding in Central City; Robert L., married, has four children, and resides in Central City; Har- vey G. and James Ellsworth, who live at home.

Mr. Lear has always taken an active interest in all things pertaining to the welfare of his home county and state. He served in the Nebraska state militia for six years, and is well and favor- ably known. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and a republican in poli- tics.

JAMES GARVIE.

In recounting the deeds of men of the west, who have made that country what it is today, it is most fitting to mention those distinguished sons of the soil-men whose ancestors have for cen-

turies dwelt on the prairies and along the streams of the great plains. Of these, none deserves a more prominent place than James Garvie, the genial real estate and insurance agent of Nio- brara.

Mr. Garvie was born in Minnesota on August 10, 1862, his birthplace being, as near as can be determined, about three miles east of Granite Falls, and the date just eight days before the terrible massacre occurred at New Ulm. This event had tragic bearing on his own life, in that his father was lost on that sad day. The latter was a Scotchman, and was a trader among the Sisseton Indians, falling in love with an Indian maiden named Mary, and our subject is the youngest of three sons, born of their marriage. After the death of her husband, his'mother mar- ried a member of the Sioux tribe, he having fled with her to Canada, where the ceremony was performed, and where they remained until quiet had been restored. One of the three sons died in early infancy. The eldest was adopted by a Canadian family and reared as their son, but all trace of him has been lost by his family.

After three years in Canada, Mr. Garvie's mother returned to the states, and lived for some time on the Santee reservation, later going to the Sisseton agency, where James began his edu- cation in the Sisseton Mission School. Two years later the government opened a school in Sisseton, which he attended for over two years. He after- wards attended school in St. Paul, and also en- tered the Beloit College, having as a classmate Dr. Eastman, the well known physician of St. Paul and author of several delightful books on Indian life. Mr. Garvie intended to finish his education there, but on account of failing health, was compelled to quit, after two and a half years at the institution. During this time, Mr. Garvie made quite a name for himself in the literary world, collaborating with Dr. Riggs in compil- .

ing a dictionary of the Sioux language, also a volume of Indian myths and legends. Besides these works, he translated many useful books into his own tongue for use in missionary work among the Great Sioux nation. After recovering his health in some degree, Mr. Garvie accepted a position as teacher in the Congregational Miss- ion School at Santee. and remained for sixteen years, resigning the charge in 1902, since that time having been engaged in the business above mentioned, until 1905, at Center, Nebraska, and from then on at Niobrara, meeting with gratify- ing success during this time.

Mr. Garvie was first married in Santee, to Miss Anna Red Wing, a descendant of the noted chief of that name, and three children survive from this union, as follows: George, who took an in- dustrial course at Haskell Institute at Lawrence, Kansas; James, junior. a graduate in the class of 1910. Genoa. Nebraska: and Josepli Roy, now in the Mission School at Santee.

Mr. Garvie married again, his second wife

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being Miss Winona Keith, who is of Irish descent. They have four children: Evelyn. Kenneth, Stanley Stuart and Velina .. A close tie of kin- ship has been kept up between our subjeet and his father's family, and each has cause to be proud of the other. One uncle, James Garvie, is a resident of Hot Springs, South Dakota, and a veteran of the civil war, while two others, John and Robert Garvie, reside in Hartford, Connecti- cut, and they are the last of the family of that name in his father's generation. His mother died in'1881, and the great grandmother in 1884, hav- ing reached the venerable age of nearly a cen- tury.

Politically. Mr. Garvie has always been a strong republican, and has had great influence among those of his race. they having received allotment of lands and being full-fledged citizens of the republic.

Mr. Garvie is a Congregationalist, while his wife is an Episcopalian, but they purpose select- ing some faith where they may both worship at the same altar. They are a very interesting and congenial family, and their home one of the most hospitable and thecry it is the lot of the traveler to visit.

EUGENE A. SMITH.

The gentleman above named is a worthy rep- resentative of the commercial life of Nance coun- ty. While still a young man, his success has been phenomenal in his business enterprises, although it is due strictly to his own individual efforts, and by dint of perseverance and energy he has been able to accumulate a nice property. He has a rapidly growing mercantile establishment in Belgrade, and, with his family, occupies one of the finest residences in that thriving little city.

Eugene A. Smith. is a native of Hennepin county, Illinois, born April 10, 1874, and he was the eldest child in a family of six, born to James A. and Irene Smith. The entire family came to Boone county, Nebraska, during the spring of 1876, where they were among the earliest settlers, and the father, mother and five children still make that vieinity their home. They located on a farm, where our subject grew up, and received his education in the country schools, in the mean- time assisting in the farm work. Then Eugene came on to Nance county, at once engaging in the butcher business in Belgrade, opening a meat market, which he operated for four years. On August 13, 1901, he went into the firm of Smith & Smith, establishing a general merchandise trade, and have built up a successful patronage, now carrying on a splendid business. They are located in a fine modern brick building. on the main street of the town, and have a first class, up-to-date stoek, which occupies the entire floor of the commodious structure, while the Belgrade opera house has the second floor.

Mr. Smith was married in Belgrade on June

18, 1901, to Mary L. Kliese, who is a daugther of County Judge Kliese, the latter one of the prom- inent pioneers in this section. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have three children, Carson R., Millard and Doris, who form a most charming family. The Smiths occupy one of the fine residences of Bel- grade, and are popular members of the social set of the city, having many friends, and highly esteemed by all.

Mr. Smith is active in local affairs, having served as township treasurer in years gone by, and is at present central committeeman of the republican party here.

WILLIAM DICKERSON.

No doubt the earliest settler of Atkinson, still a resident of the town, is William Dickerson, the veteran drayman, said to be the oldest in point of continuous business of any man in this line between Omaha and the Hills. He first came to the state in 1872, reaching O'Neill July 13 of that year, and his was one of the first families to Jocate in the open prairie, where the town of At- kinson now stands. Among the others who came about the same time were the Proutys, the Caver- nys, the Thompsons and the Bittneys, Mr. Bitt- ney being a brother-in-law of Mr. Dickerson. Mr. Dickerson's birth occurred at Sandusky, Ohio, July 6, 1852, and he is a son of Henry and Phoebe (Young) Dickerson. During the fall of the year in which he was born, his parents moved to Sauk'county, Wisconsin, and there he grew to manhood. and resided until coming west. His brother, Thomas, came to Nebraska at the same time, and lived at Atkinson many years.

Upon coming to the state of Nebraska, Mr. Dickerson filed on a homestead one mile east of O'Neill. and lived there most of the time for six years. Preston Schultz, a brother-in-law of Mrs. Prouty, had made arrangements to open a store in Atkinson, but on account of his wife's illness at O'Neill. was unable to attend to it, so Mr. Dickerson took charge. and in this way sold the first goods to pass across a counter in the new town, and opened un and distributed the first sack of mail received there. Later he and Mr. Bittney bought the store, and for three years were the pioneer merchants of the place, Mr. Dickerson at the same time serving as postmas- ter.

In 1879. Mr. Dickerson went to California, and found employment in a livery barn in San Francisco. thus earning enough money to tide him over until he procured an outfit for pros- pecting. Forming a partnership with a friend. he started out, and they purchased a half inter- est in a shaft that had already been sunk to a depth of ninety-two feet, and this enterprise was fairly sueeessful, as they obtained a good show- ing of mineral. About this time the original owners sold their half interest for three thous- and five hundred dollars, and Mr. Dickerson and

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his partner could have done likewise had they so desired. Later, while blasting in the shaft, the partner lost his eyes, and had both arms and both legs, as well as five ribs, broken. After this sad event, Mr. Dickerson, who had mean- time returned to Nebraska, ordered his quarter interest to be sold, and the proceeds devoted to the needs of his unfortunate friend and partner.

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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 53

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