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 63

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 63

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

known among the farming community of Boone county, but is now retired from active labor, occupying a handsome home in Albion, where himself and family are surrounded by a large circle of acquaintances who make his latter years a pleasant holiday.

Henry Clark was a son of W. C. and Sarah K. Clark, of County Kent, England. He was born on June 7, 1852, and came to America with his parents in 1865, locating in Delaware county, lowa, where the father engaged in farming, and there he grew up, assisting his father in carrying on the home farm. When he was twenty-five, he eame to Boone county, Nebraska. purchasing a timber claim of one hundred and sixty acres and the same amount of railroad land, after which he returned to lowa and spent two years, coming back to Nebraska in 1879 for permanent resi- dence. He filed on homestead rights on the land which he had before taken as a timber claim, the trees having failed to grow properly, and made the place his home for about fifteen years. In the meantime he purchased one hundred and sixty aeres on section twenty, township twenty, range six, near Albion, and farmed this land up to 1906, then settled on a farm situated one mile north- west of Albion. Here he remained for one year, then retired from active farm life, since then making his home in Albion. He has been pros- perons and successful, owning about four hun- dred and eighty acres of land, one hundred and sixty acres of which is well improved, also con- siderable city property in Albion, including his present home which he built in 1909 and now occupies with his wife.

During the eighties Mr. Clark served as mod- erator of school district number two.

Mr. Clark was united in marriage to Ella E. Fleming, of Iowa, on May 9, 1882, and to them was born one daughter, who died in infancy. They have also raised and educated two boys, one of whom, Charles Wallick, died leaving a wife and two children ; and E. B. Smith, now liv- ing with our subject and his wife.

Both the father and mother of Mr. Clark are dead. He has four brothers living, one of whom still resides in England, one in the state of Wash- ington, one in California. and another is a well- known resident of Albion. Mrs. Clark's father. . Philip P. Fleming, is dead. Her mother and one brother live in Albion, and a sister makes Garden county her home.

. JAY E. WILSON.

Jay E. Wilson owns a fine farm on section two, township twenty-five, range one, of Wayne county, Nebraska, and has been identified with the history and development of that county since 1885, during which time he was engaged in improving and cultivating this land. In 1910 he removed to Early, łowa, where he now resides. He is a native of Wisconsin and was born in 1860,

290

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

being a son of Hiram and Mary Wilson, both na- tives of the Keystone state. The parents of Hi- ram Wilson emigrated from Ireland in an early day and settled in Pennsylvania.

When Jay E. Wilson was seven years old his parents moved to lowa and it was in the public schools of that state he received his education and there reached manhood. In 1885 he came to Wayne county and purchased a farm. He always carried on a general line of farming, with special attention to the raising of stock. He had the reputation of honesty and uprightness in all his dealings and was regarded as a desirable and public-spirited citizen. He took an active interest in the welfare of the community and he and his wife had many warm friends in the county, where both were well known. In 1888 Mr. Wilson was united in marriage with Miss Nettie LaPort.

GOTLIEB SPRIECK.

Among the adopted sons of Nebraska, there are none who have done more towards the de- velopment of the state than the Germans, with their thrifty, sturdy characteristics. Of these, Gotlieb Sprieck has made his influence felt in three counties.

He was born April 26, 1844, in the village of Masbruch, Province of Lippe Ditwold, west Prus- sia, and is the son of William and Sophia (Brack- meyer) Sprieck. He was reared on a farm there, as his father owned forty acres-a large holding in that country.

In 1867, with his brothers, Fred and Andrew, Gotlieb Sprieck sailed from Bremen Haven on the "Baltimore," landing in New York on October 1, after a voyage of thirteen days. He came on to Tazewell county, Illinois, and worked three years on a farm near Hopedale, receiving two hunderd and fifty dollars per year, which was regarded as extra good wages in those days.

In March, 1870, Mr. Sprieck was married to Miss Matilda Ragoors. a native of the village of Sopil, west Prussia.

In the spring of 1873, Mr. Sprieck came to Saunders county, Nebraska, and filed on a

homestead miles

six north Mead. He put up a sod house

and "batched it" for a time, putting up a good house in preparation for his marriage. Later on, he traded this farm and went to Cass county, where he first bought two hundred and forty aeres, three miles east of Louisville, and a year or two later, bought one hundred and sixty acres more. He remained in Cass county until the spring of 1900, when he removed to Stanton, hav- ing bought a farm in this county for a son the year before. He bought a large two-story house in the east part of town, with enough ground surrounding for a large garden and fruit trees. He owns two farms in Stanton county, on each of which a son is located. He also owns four hun-

dred and forty acres of timber land in the state of Louisiana.

In 1900, Mr. Sprieck was again married, this time to Mrs. Augusta Miller Sprieck, the widow of his brother, Fred Sprieck.

Mr. Sprieck is a staunch adherent of the dem- ocratie party, a member of the Lutheran church, and is also a prominent member of the Germanias Singing society.

Mr. Sprieck is one of the old settlers of this part of Nebraska, and can tell many interesting tales of pioneer life. At that time, the nearest trading point was Wahoo, but a little earlier, there was no nearer market than Fremont. Soon after coming to the state, he had a hard fight with that scourge of the western states-prairie fire-and only a hastily constructed fireguard saved his buildings.

He and his family also had some experience with blizzards. In the blizzard of February, 1869, one of his sons made his way from school. a distance of three miles, part of it through the timber, a feat that would have been difficult for a grown man. Mr. Sprieck also remembers very well the historic year when corn was used as a fuel, being worth only eight and ten cents a bushel.

By thrift, economy and good judgment, Mr. Sprieck has acquired a competency and is now en- joying in ease the fruits of a well spent life. He is one of the well-known and respected citizens of this section of the state.

Of the six children born to Mr. Sprieck, five are living : Julius, Pauline (deceased), Lena, now Mrs. C. M. Seybert, of Louisville, Nebraska ; Otto, Eddie and Alma, now Mrs. Henry Keil, of Cass county.

JOHN AUMAN.

Prominent among Antelope county old set- tlers is John Auman, who, since the fall of 1887, has made this region his home, and' done his share in developing the agricultural resources of this section of Nebraska. Mr. Auman lives in section twenty, township twenty-eight, range eight, where he has built up a valuable property through his industry and good management.

Mr. Auman was born September 27, 1853, and is a native of Somersett county, Pennsylvania, as is also his father, Emanuel Auman, who was born in 1829, and who is a descendant from Ger- many. Our subject's father served in the civil war, enlisting in Company K, Two Hundred and Sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and during his service went all through the south.

In 1888 Mr. Auman took up a homestead in his present location, which as before stated is in section twenty, township twenty-eight, range eight, and on this land he built a house fourteen by twenty-two feet, and he now owns a fine home and five hundred and sixty acres of good land well improved, ten acres of which is set to trees,

FRANK HODGES (DECEASED).

291

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

making a fine grove. Mr. Auman has had his dis- appointments and drawbacks along with his suc- cess, and during the hail storms of 1893 and 1895 he lost all his crops, and the drouth of 1894 again ruined his entire crops.

Mr. Auman was united in marriage in Octo- ber, 1883, to Miss Maggie Shawlis. Mr. and Mrs. Auman are the parents of eight children, whose names are as follows: Lulu, wife of Charles Cline, they having two children; Etta, wife of Fred Maddox ; Elsie, John, Agnes, Jennings, Ro- land, and Orval. Mr. and Mrs. Anman and fam- ily enjoy the respect and good will of a host of friends and acquaintances, and are highly es- teemed by the entire community.

Mr. Auman is actively awake to the interests of his locality, and aids materially in its advance- ment along commercial and agricultural lines.

Mr. Auman served as postmaster of Barbour, on the old Star Route, from 1888 to 1892. He has been a member of the board of directors of school district number sixty-eight since 1889. He is a member of the United Brethren church and also holds membership in the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Politically he is a democrat.

He follows diversified farming, including stock raising, and at present he has a splendid herd of fifty-three head of high grade Durham cattle and a fine herd of Duroc Jersey hogs. His farm is well improved and he is one of the success- ful farmers and substantial citizens of Nebraska.

FRANK HODGES. (Deceased.)

The gentleman above named, who resided in Belgrade, at the time of his death, was widely known for the active interest he displayed in the development of the commercial and educational advancement of Nance county, where he spent many years, and enjoyed the reputation of doing more in the way of building up and improving his town than any other one man in the community. He also had the distinction of being among the very earliest pioneers of the county, and watched its growth and progress from the early days of its settlement by white men.

Frank Hodges, son of John and Eliza Hodges, was born in New York state, on June 24, 1839, and lived in that state until he was sixteen years of age, receiving a common school education, and growing up on his father's farm. The family set- tled in Indiana about 1855.

He enlisted in the First Indiana Battery of Heavy Artillery, and served until the close of the war. Receiving his discharge in September, 1865, he returned to his home in Indiana. During a fur- lough, in June, 1865, he was married to Mrs. Jane Caswell Taylor, a widow, who was a native of Ohio, and to them were born three children: Her- bert H., and Hattie J., both married and living in Nance county at the present time ; the third child,

Francis E., who was the wife of Edward Oleson, and mother of one child, died in 1900.

Mr. Hodges came with his family to Nebraska, in the fall of 1874, their first location being in Merrick county, where he filed on a homestead and after farming it for six years, pioneering, and having the usual experiences of the early settler in that region, left the place and came into Nance county. Here he purchased a tract of land after the reservation was opened for settlement, and built up a fine farm and home. He became one of the foremost agriculturists and stockmen of the county, accumulating a valuable property by his industry and good business judgment ; at the time of his death being owner of four hundred and eighty acres of fine farm land, which is fitted up with every improvement in the way of buildings, and machinery, etc. Besides his farm he owns what is known as Hodges' Addition in the city of Belgrade, and had the reputation of having done more in the way of improving the town than any other one man in the community. In 1888, Mr. Hodges left the old farm and moved to another, which he owned, one mile west of Belgrade. He continued to reside on the latter place until July, 1893, and then moved to the village of Belgrade, which continued to be his home until his death, January 1, 1910.

Mr. Hodges' first wife died in April, 1893, and about one year later he was nnited in marriage to Mrs. Anna J. Hoyt, who was a widow with one daughter, now Mrs. Clara G. Hutchison, of Nance county, Nebraska, they came from Michigan to Nebraska in 1889.

Mr. and Mrs. Hodges had one daughter, Helen May. The family is popular and well known. The Hodges' home is a beautiful one, situated on a hill which overlooks the entire surrounding country, and is one of the prettiest spots to be found. Mrs. Hodges, since her husband's death, continues to reside in Belgrade. A portrait of Mr. Hodges will be found on another page of this volume.

ROBERT KORTH.

In reviewing the history of Pieree eounty, Ne- braska, the citizens who have contributed to her welfare must be given special mention, and a prominent place among the number is given the gentleman above named.

Mr. Korth is a native-born Nebraskan, having first seen the light of day in Pierce county, June 21, 1872, and is the son of William and Wilhel- mina (Paul) Korth. Our subject's father was born in Germany, in the year 1837, and came to America in 1870, followed one year later by his wife. He settled in Pierce county, Nebraska, east of Pierce City, where he and a brother took up claims adjoining, and together built a log house. Here the father endured many hardships and dis- conragements ; the nearest market place was Wis- ner, and during the grasshopper raids of 1873 and 1874, they lost their entire erops; in the blizzard

292

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

of 1873 they lost considerable stock. In the hail- storm of 1906, Robert Korth, our subjeet, lost his crops. In the blizzard of January 12, 1888, he was at school when the storm came up, and had great difficulty in getting to a place of safety. He dragged his sister by the hand the half-mile that lay between the school and home, their father meeting them half way.

Mr. Korth was married February 25, 1897, to Miss Katherina Herboldssheimer, who was born in Iowa. To this union four children have been born, whose names are as follows: Herman, Lena, Willie, and Zelda.

Mr. and Mrs. Korth are members of the Ger- man Lutheran church, and are bringing up a fine family. Mr. Korth votes the democratic ticket.

Mr. Korth gives his entire time to the work on his farm, and takes a keen interest in all affairs of the county and seetion in which he lives. He is one of the leading citizens of his locality, and has added materially in the upbuilding of his com- munity, where he owns two hundred and forty acres of good land, one hundred and sixty acres in seetion thirty- two and eighty acres in section twenty-nine, township twenty-eight, range one. This he bought in the fall of 1890 and moved on Mareh 7, 1901. Most of the buildings he has erected, and otherwise very much improved his farm. Not a fence post had been set, nor a tree planted when he took possession.

ELIAS L. HEDGLIN.

Among the successful self-made men of How- ard eounty, may be truly noted the gentleman above mentioned. Mr. Hedglin and his wife are among the earliest pioneer settlers of that seetion and have passed through every phase of Nebraska history. They are widely and favorbaly known, and have an enviable reputation as worthy citi- zens and good neighbors.

Elias L. Hedglin was born in Sussex county, New Jersey, on April 5, 1848, and is a son of George and Mary Hedglin, who were the parents of fourteen children, of whom our subject was the twelfth in order of birth. When he was three years of age the family emigrated west, settling in Boone county, Illinois, where Elias grew to manhood, following farming during most of that time. He is a veteran of the war of 1861, having enlisted May 27, 1864, in Company C, One Hun- dred and Forty-second Illinois Infantry, and serv- ing for about six months with that regiment, then received his honorable discharge on account of sickness. He returned to Illinois after leaving the service, and in the spring of 1872, went to lowa, locating on a farm near LaPorte City. On March 10th of the following year he was marired to Miss Cecelia Cleveland, and they made that place their home for a little over one year, then came to Nebraska, and settled in Howard county. where Mr. Hedglin filed on a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in section twenty-one,

township thirteen, range twelve. Mr. and Mrs. Hedglin ocenpied this place up to 1901, then retired from farming, removed to Boelus, where they have since resided in a very comfortable home.

During his career as a farmer, Mr. Hedglin was very successful financially. increasing his land holdings from time to time until he was owner of two hundred and seventy-five acres, all well improved, with about one hundred and forty acres under cultivation.

Mr. and Mrs. Hedglin have an interesting fam- ily of nine children, eight of whom are living, named as follows: Henry, married Norma. De Conner, and is the father of three children. He is in the ministry, at present serving as pastor of a Congregational church in Jameson, Oregon. Bert R., cashier of the Eddyville State Bank, at Eddyville, Nebraska; he married Miss Minnie Avers, and they have a family of two children. Enlalie, lives at Oconto, Nebraska ; Levie L., married Gertrude Ryan, of this county and they have four children, and now own and live on the original Hedglin homestead. Francis E., a barber, resides in Grand Island with his wife and three children. She was formerly Emma O'Neil, of Howard county. Willis, married Martha Von Krosigk, they living in Boelus, where he is clerk in a stroe; they are the parents of three chil- dren ; George L., a railroad man, living in Lincoln, traveling through Nebraska, who married Eva Anlstrom, and Clarice G., formerly a teacher in the public schools and now the wife of H. D. Mor- ris, a railroad man also, and they live at Grand Island. All are bright and industrious young peo- ple, comfortably settled in life, and esteemed by all who know them.

Mr. Hedglin is a prohibitionist politieally. In the years 1875-'76, he held the office of postmaster at Loup Fork, and during his early residence in this locality, served for a number of years as road overseer. He has also taken an active interest in the establishing of schools, and during the late seventies, held the position of director of district number twenty-eight.

Mr. and Mrs. Hedglin are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

GEORGE THORNGATE. (Deceased.)

For about fourteen years the above named gentleman, now deceased, was one of the most in- finential and prosperous farmers in Valley county. Ile was a man of sterling character, with a heart filled with sympathy and kindness, and his gener- osity and good deeds are still remembered by those among whom he worked and lived. He was a prominent member of the Seventh Day Baptist church, and his loss was sorely felt by that or- ganization.

Mr. Thorngate was born in Cattarangus conn- tv, New York, on Angust 6, 1834, and was the

293

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

youngest of the six children born to George and Matilda (Blanchard) Thorngate. Only one broth- er, Henry, and a sister, Mrs. Marianne Rood, both of whom live in North Loup, remain of all that large family.

In the childhood of our subject, the family went to Wisconsin, and here he grew up on a farm in Waushara county, securing the foundation of his education in the local schools. Later on he attended Milton College, at Milton, Wisconsin. While he was a student here, the civil war started, and on the 9th of May, 1861, Mr. Thorngate, like many another enthusiastic, patriotic student, threw down his books and shouldered a musket in the ranks, a private in Company E, Fifth Wis- consin Infantry. After about two years' service, he was discharged owing to a disability, but he could not remain out of the struggle very long and soon re-enlisted in the Light Artillery of Wisconsin, and served until the close of the war. During his service, Mr. Thorngate took part in the bloody battle of Antietam, was wounded in the battle of. Williamsburg, and participated in many minor engagements.

After his final discharge at the close of the war, he returned to Wiseonsin and at once began teaching. On November 15, 1865, he was married to Miss Arlorena Crandall of Dakota, Waushara county, Wisconsin, a native of Cattaraugus coun- ty, New York.

In the following March, Mr. Thorngate and his bride went to Missouri, where he became princi- pal of the schools in St. Catherine. They remained here for about thirteen years.

In 1877, Mr. Thorngate and his family came to Valley county, Nebraska, where they took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty aeres near North Loup. Ten years later, the family moved into the city of North Loup, where he lived at the time of his death, which occurred on December 13. 1891. Ile was survived by his wife and two sons, Ray G., and Charles W., both of whom are engaged in farming near North Loup.

Mrs. Thorngate is still living in North Loup, surrounded by a large circle of friends and rela- tives. One brother, William P. Crandall living near is given more extended notice elsewhere in this work. One sister lives in North Loup with Mrs. Thorngate, and another in Denver. Another brother lives in Kansas.

W. F. F. WINTER.

W. F. F. Winter, residing on section three, township twenty-four, range one, Madison county, Nebraska, is regarded as one of the leading citi- zens of his locality. He has always been one of the important factors in the upbuilding of his region, aiding materially in its development and growth from its early settlement.

Mr. Winter is a native of Jefferson county, Wiseonsin, his birth occurring October 31, 1864; he is a son of Carl and Caroline Winter, both of

whom claim Germany for their native home. Our subject's father came to Wisconsin in 1864, from Germany ; they embarked in a sail boat at Ham- burg and were nine weeks on the sea, and after landing in America came direet to Wisconsin state, as before stated.

In 1866, with a colony, they left Wisconsin for Nebraska to take advantage of the homestead law that had been passed in 1865. Upon their arrival in the far west, as it was then known, the father took up a homestead claim in section three, town- ship twenty-four, range one, which is the present abiding place of our subject ; on this land a good log house was built which served as the family residence for ten years, when it was replaced by a substantial frame dwelling.

To turn baek in memory for the space of forty- four years and picture Nebraska as it was at that time, would seem quite a task to some, but our subjeet has heard his father relate many inci- dents and experiences, as well as conditions of that date and period. When Carl Winter, father of the subject of this sketch, first came to this lo- cality, forty-four years ago, the country was nothing but a raw, unbroken prairie, with a vista of waving prairie grass for miles in any direction ; the virgin soil had scarcely felt the ent of a farm implement, nor rarely felt the pressure of a white man's foot. When vegetation and crops had been planted and cared for and gave such splendid promise of a bountiful harvest, the grasshopper pest swooped down upon them and destroyed ev- ery blade of green to be seen in the country round; this was repeated three or four seasons, and our little family suffered many hardships and privations for the lack of harvest. But those early days of the western frontier have passed into history, and the great prosperous country with its wide fields of plentiful crops would scarcely be recognized as the wild, unsettled, un- cultivated country of forty years ago.

Mr. Winter, our subject, now owns two hun- dred and twelve acres of choice land, ten acres of which are given to a fine orehard and grove. This land is finely improved, and will compare fa- vorably with any in that loeality.

Mr. Winter was united in marriage June II. 1895, to Miss Ida Tiegs, a native of Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Winter had one child, a fine hoy, Ernest by name. Mrs. Winter died in the year of 1900, deeply mourned by her husband and family and a host of loving friends and acquaintances.

Mr. Winter was again married June 18, 1911. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and is a democrat.

GEORGE W. BROWN.

George W. Brown, retired from active life and occupying his present home in Sargent, Nebraska, is an early settler of Custer county, and well re- members the trying conditions to be met in his first years there. He is now a prosperous and suc-

294

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

cessful man and the owner of twelve hundred acres of fine farm and stock land, which is well improved and equipped. He has been an exten- sive stock dealer and made a specialty of Here- ford cattle. He was born in Clark county, Illi- nois, August 8, 1842, third of the eight children born to Samuel and Mary (Howell) Brown. Of the other children in the family, two sons, F. Marion and R. G., live in Clay county, Nebraska ; one son in California, one daughter in Denver and one daughter in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The father, a native of Virginia and of Scotch de- scent, died in Illinois about 1855, and the mother, a native of Kentucky, died in South Dakota, May 14, 1897.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 63

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