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 56
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F. E. Mckenzie started out for himself at the age of fifteen, as most western youths do, filling a man's place, riding the range after cattle in the open country, both in Nebraska and on the Da- kota side. After marriage he engaged in farm- ing in Cedar county on a fine eighty acre tract which he still owns, three and one-half miles from St. James. Here he lived until the close of the year 1904. Coming to Spencer, January 1, 1905, Mr. Mckenzie opened a restaurant which he conducted until joining a large colony of Boyd county people in a settlement east of Rapid City, in Pennington county, South Dakota. There were over thirty families of them, some driving over- land in their wagons, while the others occupied a train of fifteen cars that pulled out of Spencer for the new Eldorado in April, 1907. When Mr. Mckenzie settled on his homestead, there was a school house within sight of his dwelling abont a mile away. He came out one morning, looked at the vacant place and learned that it had been placed on trucks one night and hauled four miles further away. The district was abont ten by
twenty miles, and having but one building it was carted around at the whim or desire of first one and then another faction. Not wishing his minor children to suffer sueh meager educational ad- vantages, Mr. Mckenzie commuted his homestead at the earliest possible moment and returned to Spencer. Here he has since been engaged in buy- ing and shipping stock.
Mr. Mckenzie was married at St. James, Sep- tember 25, 1889, to Miss Lucy Dickinson, of St. James, who was born at Elk Point, South Da- kota. Her parents, W. L. and Angeline (Zigler) Dickinson, came from Virginia and settled in Cedar county, South Dakota, in 1869. To Mr. and Mrs. Mckenzie four children were born: Olive, Angeline, Homer Edward, who is farming one hundred and sixty aeres of land southwest of town : Julia, and William Louis.
Mr. Mckenzie is politically a republican and fraternally an Odd Fellow, and Mrs. Mckenzie is'a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Mckenzie was on his father's farm in Cedar county at the time of the disastrous bliz- zard of January 12, 1888; he remembers well the electrical manifestation of the storm, something unusual in mid-winter. He was getting in his cattle at the time the storm struck, and in going to the farm gate, stumbled over something he discovered to be a man, who insisted that he must go on home and that he was on the right way-as a matter of fact, he was attempting to go in the opposite direction. The timely dis- covery of the prostrate form is all that saved the neighbor's life.
Mr. Mckenzie lived in a "soddy" while on his homestead near Rapid City. He well re- members the years when grasshoppers devas- tated the country, although he was only a small boy at the time.
PETER FRANCIS O'GARA.
Frank O'Gara, as he is popularly called, is one of the rising young attorneys of Cedar county. A portrait of him appears on another page. He is the second son of Roger T. O'Gara, who was for years the efficient eonnty superintendent of schools, and was born in Cedar county, Septem- ber 23, 1874. He attended the country schools and then took a business course in the Grand Is- land Commercial college; this was followed by a course in the Normal school at Wayne, and a year in the University of New Mexico, at Albu- querque, before he entered the law and literary department of the new state university at Lin- coln. He graduated from the law department in 1906, lacking but one year in completing the lit- erary course as well. After admission to the bar he went to Seattle, Washington, opened an office and for three years praetieed his profes- sion there. He returned to Hartington in Oe- toher, 1909, and at onee received a goodly amount of legal work in his old home county. In the fall
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of 1910 he was elected county attorney without any opposition by the other party, so great is the good feeling toward him and his family.
Mr. O'Gara has been a student all his life. From his ancestors he inherits a receptive mind and love for learning. As a child he was not allowed to waste his time in idle games; his father kept the children amused and occupied with good books, magazines, and papers when they had time to spare from their work. It seemed hard to them then to miss much of the sport other children enjoyed, but the benefits they have since derived from constant study is a great recompense for the loss of idle games in their earlier years. Mr. O'Gara is a member of the Catholic church, the Paladian literary society of the university; and of the "Barbarians," an anti-fraternal association of his college days. Mr. O'Gara was partly reared in a German com- munity, that of Lawn Ridge, and acquired a flu- ent use of the Teutonic tongue with an accent hardly to be distinguished from the native Ger- man.
The blizzard of October 15 to 17, inclusive, of 1880, is well remembered by an incident of the storm. A neighbor fearing for the safety of his children, came for them at school, and took Frank O'Gara home as he passed that way; this was the winter of the deep snow ,and the elder O'Gara found it difficult to make his rounds vis- iting the schools of the county that winter. In the fearful blizzard of January 12, 1888, the boy remained all night in the school house, hungry, but safe. Mr. O'Gara has seen antelope running wild on the plains, though they disappeared be- fore he was a half-grown lad; and grey wolves, the big ones from the timber, occasionally strayed this far from the river and its big trees. His first recollections of home are of a sod house which was later replaced with a log dwelling before lumber was plentiful enough to make their later residence, a fine frame struc- ture.
Mr. O'Gara has a pleasing personality, is a "good mixer," and a most excellent conversa- tionalist; to sum him all up, one can do no bet- ter than quote the remark of one of his colleagues in court: "Mr. O'Gara is thoroughly a gentle- man in all that the word implies."
ROBERT E. CASE.
Robert E. Case, dealer in pumps and wind- mills. is a son of Samuel S. and Nancy (Poe Kepler) Case, was born in Defiance county, Ohio, March 7, 1863, and was sixth in a fam- ily of seven children. In infancy our subject moved with his parents to the state of Michigan, where they lived some years and then went to Indiana. In the fall of 1875 the family came to Boone county, Nebraska, and engaged in farming. The father died in 1903, and the mother in 1905.
About 1880 Mr. Case purchased two hundred
and forty acres of land in section one, township eighteen, range five, and later purchased a half interest in one hundred and seventy acres. While he has owned splendid farm interests, he has always lived in St. Edwards, engaged in the implement business until 1907, when he es- tablished himself in the pump and wind-mill business he is still conducting. He feeds a goodly number of cattle, and also buys and ships them.
On November 25, 1885, Mr. Case married Elizabeth Schucker, who was born in Pennsyl- vania.
They have had five children, whose names are as follows: Nannie E., Maggie M., Vern D., and Anna H., who reside under the parental roof; and one son who died in infancy.
Mr. Case has served several years on the St. Ed- wards city school board, and also three years on the city council, which record speaks for it- self to the effect that Mr. Case has been an efficient and worthy citizen of his community.
Mr. Case's parents have been dead a num- ber of years. He has one brother who resides in New Jersey, one sister in Michigan, one in Nevada, one in California, and two sisters de- ceased.
Mr. Case is one of the substantial men of his county, and is widely and favorably known. He is one of the foremost men in all matters which tend to advance the agricultural and public interests of his community, as stated be- fore, having held public office, and lends his influence for the betterment of conditions wher- ever needed. Mr. Case and his family are pleasantly situated in their comfortable home in St. Edwards, surrounded by friends and ac- quaintances.
OTTO MILLER.
Otto Miller, residing on section thirty-two, township twenty-five, range two, of Wayne county, Nebraska, is regarded as one of the leading citizens of his locality and has always taken a leading part in promoting its growth and welfare, since attaining his majority. He is a native of the county, born in 1876, and a son of Gustave and Minnie Miller. The parents were natives of Prussia, Germany, and came to the United States in 1872, on a sailing vessel, spend- ing over ten weeks on the voyage from Ham- burg to Baltimore. After remaining in St. Louis, Missouri, for about nine months, they came to Wayne county and took up a homestead on the southwest quarter of section thirty-two. Their son, Otto, now lives in the northwest quarter. They built a dugout, and this was their residence for several years. They then erected a mud house, and some time later the father made brick and erected a substantial house with them.
In the early days of their residence in the new home, their nearest markets were Columbus
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and Sioux City, and they were obliged to under- go many hardships and privations. In sharp contrast to their early struggles may be consid- ered the conditions that surround the farmer of the present day. They needed much faith to look forward and believe in the good things which the future has brought. For the first several years, the ravages of the grasshopper greatly inter- fered with raising erops, and they were many times obliged to fight prairie fires which threat- ened to devastate their homes and produce, as well as their stock. In the early days deer and antelope were fairly plentiful and helped supply meat for their larder, but gradually early con- ditions have given way to advancement of the state and the agricultural and commercial pros- perity of today.
Otto Miller received his education in the 'early schools of the county, and was reared to farm work. He has had ample opportunity to study agricultural conditions in Wayne county and to appreciate the possibilities of the soil and cli- mate. He is engaged in a general line of farm- ing and pays considerable attention to dairying.
Mr. Miller was married in 1900 to Miss Anna Schultz, a native of Stanton county, Nebraska. and a daughter of John Schultz. She was reared in Stanton county. Four children have been born of this union, namely: Winfred, Pearl, Adelina and Lloyd.
DAVID JENKINS.
David Jenkins, retired. and a prominent and highly esteemed citizen of Schuyler, Nebraska, is a son of John and Hannah Jenkins, and is a native of Wales, his birth occurring in Mont- gomeryshire, February 4, 1828. He received his education in the local schools of his home place, and later learned painting, plumbing, and glaz- ing.
On May 22, 1852, Mr. Jenkins was married to Miss Margaret L. Owen, also of Welch birth. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins came to America in Au- gust of 1852, locating in Utica, New York; and seventeen years later moved to Chicago and after two years' residence there went to Water- town, Wisconsin, always working at his trade of painting.
In 1861 Mr. Jenkins enlisted in Company K, Third Wisconsin Cavalry, serving until the close of the war. He participated, among other en- gagements, in the battle of Prairie Grove, Ar- kansas. He received his honorable discharge at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and then returned to Wisconsin for six years, coming on into Butler county, Nebraska, in 1870, where he homestead- ed one hundred and sixty acres of land near Lin- wood, residing here until 1884, when he moved to Schuyler and built a good home where he now lives.
Mr. Jenkins, though much advanced in years, is remarkably active, and until the last few years has been engaged in painting. Mrs. Jenkins died September 1, 1903, at her home in Schuyler, survived by her husband and four children: David A., is married, has two chil- dren, and resides in Chicago; John E., also mar- ried, has four children and lives in 'Central City, Nebraska; Walter S., is married, lives in But- ler county, and has eight children; Isabella, de- ceased February 27, 1868; and Charles R., also married, and living in Schuyler.
Mr. Jenkins' sons, all like himself, are paint- crs by trade. Mr. Jenkins is one of the earliest settlers of this part of Nebraska. He is a pro- gressive man of affairs and prosperous, is a self- made, and one who is widely and favorably known. He has traveled extensively, and when a young man in Wales was a member of Mont- gomeryshire Yoeman Cavalry. Mr. Jenkins was born within twenty miles of Shakespeare's birth- place.
PETER JENSEN.
Peter Jensen, who resides on section twenty- two, township twenty-seven, range five, in Ante- lope county, Nebraska, is one of the leading'old- timers in this section who has always done his full'share in the bettering of conditions through- out the region in which he lives.
Mr. Jensen was born on Loland Island, Den- mark, September 28, 1840. His father, Jens Jen- sen, a farmer by occupation, was born in 1796, and died in 1880, having reared a family of eight children. Mr. Jensen's early life was spent at farm labor in his native country, and in 1877 he emigrated to America, crossing the North Sea from Copenhagen to Hull, whence he proceeded by rail to Liverpool, and from that port took passage to Portland, Maine. He at once came west to Detroit, Michigan, where he found farm work near the city for about six months, then migrated to Marshall county, Iowa, where he remained for three years and a half, engaged as before in farm labor.
Mr. Jensen moved to Antelope county, Ne- braska, in 1881, taking up a homestead on the section mentioned above, and early begun to im- prove the tract. For some time he boarded with a neighbor who lived in a sod house, and went through the usual hard experiences inci- dent to the life of the pioneer, though at the time these discouragements did not daunt them. Although during the first years he suffered loss of crops from hail, droughts, etc., he stuek to farming, at which he has made a very satisfac- tory success, at the present time being proprie- tor of a good home and estate consisting of one hundred and twenty acres of land, ornamented with fine groves of trees, also several small orchards containing nearly all varieties of fruit
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which supply a large part of their living, and fur- nishes no small part of the income from the farm.
Mr. Jensen was united in marriage April 6, 1891, to Miss Anna Jensen, who was born in Germany and came to America in 1888. Her father was a blacksmith by trade. He died in the "old country" in 1890.
Mr. Jensen is a democrat in politics, active in local affairs, and with his good wife enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know them.
G. HENRY KRUEGER.
Among the successful self-made men of Pierce county may be truly noted G. Henry Krueger. He came to the new world from his mother country in the year 1883, and since his residence here has displayed an enterprising spirit and the exercise of good judgment in a manner that commends him to all as a worthy citizen. He now resides in section twenty-six, township twenty-seven, range two, and is one of the prosperous farmers of his locality. He came to the region as a pioneer, has accumu- lated good property and applied himself closely to his calling.
Mr. Krueger was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, September 22, 1860, and is the son of John Krueger, who died in 1890 at the age of sixty-four years, and Mary Warnek, who died in 1907, at the age of seventy-five years. Our subject received his schooling in Germany, and later followed the occupation of farming.
In coming to America, Mr. Krueger crossed the Haven of Bremen, to England, and from there sailed to New York, whence he came to the west and settled in Pierce county in 1883. Here he bought land in section twenty-six, town- ship twenty-seven, range two, which is his present location, as before stated.
In the year 1890, Mr. Krueger was married to Miss Amelia Siedshlack, a native of the province of Pommerania, Germany, whose parents came to America in 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Krueger have had five children born to them, whose names are as follows: Ella, Arthur, Ida. Otto, and Lena.
Mr. Krueger is a member of the German Lutheran church, and votes the republican ticket.
He owns one hundred and sixty acres of good land. He is prominent among the old settlers, and is respected as a man who has done his part in adding to the material development of the community in which he lives.
LARS PETERSON.
Among the members of the farming commu- nity in Howard county, who own well improved estates, is the gentleman whose name appears at
the head of this review. For many years he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits, is thor- oughly versed in this line of work, and has met with pronounced success in his chosen career. He has a pleasant home in Posen precinct, and is one of the well known and highly respected men of his locality.
Lars Peterson was born in Denmark on Sep- tember 10, 1848, grew to manhood there, and came to the United States at the age of twenty-two. The entire Peterson family, with the exception of one sister, who died in Denmark, settled in Amer- ica, Mr. Peterson being the fifth child in a fam- ily of seven.
Our subject first located in Oshkosh, Wiscon- sin, spent about three years in that vicinity, then came to Howard county, where he took a pre- emption on section six, township fourteen, range eleven. This tract is now a part of Farwell's townsite, our subject selling it out when the city was first laid out. He later bought land ad- joining, and owns, altogether, about four hun- dred and twenty-two acres of fine land right near Farwell, his homestead being in the suburbs, and making one of the pleasantest homes imaginable. He has erected a modern residence, and the place is supplied with every improvement necessary for running a model farm.
Mr. Peterson was married on August 4, 1874, to Miss Lena Akren, the ceremony taking place in Grand Island, Nebraska. Mrs. Peterson is a native of Norway, coming to America in the fall of 1870, 'in company with two sisters. Her mother lived in the old country until January, 1911, when her death occurred. Mrs. Peterson's father died some years ago. Mr. Peterson's pa- rents are both dead. Seven children have blessed the union of our subject and his esteem- ed wife, named as follows: Olaffina P., Ralph L .. Otto A., Giftha M., Stephanus, Martha Octavia, and Clarence Leo. Martha Octavia and Otto A. are now deceased, while all the rest are married, and settled in comfortable homes of their own. with the exception of Clarence Leo, who re- mains with his parents.
NELS NYGREN.
Nels Nygren, a prominent Swedish-American citizen of Arcadia, Nebraska, now retired from active life. is well known for his integrity and reliability in all his dealings and for his gener- osity in furthering the cause of any movement for the development and upbuilding of his com- munity. He was born near Lund, Sweden, Feb- ruary 27, 1850, received his education in his na- tive country and there reached his majority, at which time he had served one summer in the Swedish army. In 1871 he came to America. sailing from Copenhagen to London, going by rail to Liverpool and sailing thence to New York in the "Minnesota," the entire trip occupying
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twenty-two days. Locati :: g at Omaha, he work- ed for the Union Pacific Railroad Company, be- ing a painter by profession.
April 5, 1876, Mr. Nygren married Caroline Nelson, also a native of Sweden, who was brought to America in early childhood. The first home of this young couple was in Saunders county, Nebraska, where they purchased eighty acres of railroad land, and in 1880 they removed to Valley county, where they secured a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of land, and a tim- ber claim of the same size adjoining, on section thirty, township eighteen, range fifteen, which was their home for twenty-three or four years. They subsequently lived on various farms for short periods, and eventually purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land a mile and a half north of Arcadia, which was their home for some time. IIe has owned and sold several other tracts of good Nebraska land. In March, 1909, Mr. Nygren re- tired from more active work and purchased four and one-half acres of land within the city limits of Arcadia, where he has a comfortable dwelling and enjoys the fruits of his former hard work and industry.
While living on a farm, Mr. Nygren was in- strumental in organizing the Yale school dis- triet, of which he served many years as treas- ured and director. He was also the first post- master in Yale township and prominent in all local affairs. He also helped organize the first church in the township and for years was su- perintendent of its Sunday school, giving one and one-half acres of his farm land for the build- ing site of the Brethern church. He is regarded as a publie-spirited and useful citizen and has a large number of warm friends. He now owns one hundred and sixty aeres of land which he has developed into a fine stock farm, besides good city property. He has passed through all the trying experiences and privations of pioneer life and is better able to enjoy his present comforts and freedom from care for having lived through those strenuons years. He is one of the early set- lers of the state and one of the best known men of his part of it.
Nine children were born to Mr. Nygren and wife: Lily E., wife of F. C. Williams, of Val- ley county, has two children; Minnie C., wife of Victor Rosenquist, of Valley county, has two children; Rose Nellie, wife of Henry Cremeen, of Valley county, has two children; Annie N., wife of Oliver Terhune, of Valley county, has two children; Daisy M., died at the age of two years, March 5, 1887; Hattie E., married Leo Lindley, and they live in Ord; Charlie Will- iam, Mabel Ruth, and Monna Z., at home. In politics he is a republican and is a member of the Congregational church.
Mr. Nygren's first residence was a dugont with a sod front. against which he later built a
frame addition which was the family residence until he was able to build a more pretentious residence some ten years later.
CHARLES F. WINTER.
A typical pioneer of northeastern Nebraska is represented by the gentleman above named, Charles F. Winter. He has lived many years in this section of the country and has been a part of the growth and development of this region, building up for himself a substantial home and fortune by his perseverance and thrift, becoming one of the foremost citizens of Madison county.
Mr. Winter is a native of Jefferson county, Wisconsin, in which state he was born April 24, 1865, a son of William and Minnie (Stark) Win- ter, both natives of Prussia, Germany. The father served his native land in the war of 1848, and in 1856 left Germany and came to America, setting sail on a sailboat and spending eleven weeks on the water. Upon arriving in New York, they immediately proceeded westward, set- tling in Wisconsin, where they lived nine years. It was while residing here that the father served in the civil war, enlisting in the Twenty-seventh Wisconsin Infantry.
In 1866 our subject's father and family came to Madison county, Nebraska, making the jour- ney in the usual manner of those days-by ox team and covered wagon-the trip consuming about six weeks. The object in coming to this far western country, as it was then known, was to ob- tain the cheap lands that were then offered to the public. Upon arriving at their destination, the father took up a homestead claim on section ten, township twenty-four, range one, which is the present home of our subject's brother, Frank Winter, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. The first house erected on this land was built of logs, and was later replaced by a substantial frame residence.
Deer and antelope were plentiful in those early days on the western frontier; many hard- ships and privations were suffered at that time, and among other dangers that of the prairie fires that swept the open prairies were not the least, as many times they had to be fought to save their lives and property. In 1874. our subject then but a lad of about nine years, and his cousin, who was near the same age, wanted to cook some eggs, and fuel not being convenient, they took down the barn door which they used for wood to feed the fire, and the barn became ignited and burned down. Among other losses our subject's father endured was that of some stock in the memorable blizzard of January 12. 1888. But those times have passed to history, and remain but a faint recollection, and happier and more prosperous times are now here.
In 1890 Mr. Winter was united in marriage to
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