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 66

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 66

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Mr. Smith passed to the great beyond on Jan- uary 5, 1911, deeply mourned by his family and many friends.

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HENRY GEORGE STOKES.

Henry George Stokes came to Custer county in an early day and was one of the first home- steaders in his locality. He and his family are well known in social and educational circles and he is successful as a farmer and business man. Mr. Stokes was born in Jefferson county, New York, September 24, 1856, next to the youngest of the fifteen children of Robert and Sarah (Bow- ering) Stokes, natives of England. The parents were married in England, where all except the two youngest of their children were born, and came to the United States in 1855, settling in Jefferson county, New York. The father died in New York state in 1863 and the mother in 1860. Henry G. Stokes has five brothers and a sister who reside in New York state.

On December 24, 1879, Mr. Stokes was united in marriage with Nellie, daughter of Joseph and Minerva (McWayne) Hovey. She was the sec- ond in order of birth of their five children and has two brothers and one sister living in New York. Mr. Hovey died about 1869 and his wid- ow still resides in New York.

In July, 1883, Mr. Stokes left his native state and came to Custer county, taking up a home- stead on the southeast quarter of section twenty- two, township nineteen, range eighteen, which is still his home. He was joined by his wife and one child in October of the same year. He has con- tinned to improve and develop his land and add to its acreage until he is now the owner of a well equipped small grain and stock farın. He has twelve hundred acres of desirable land and is suc- cessful in his operations. He makes a specialty of feeding and shipping cattle and hogs and is progressive along all lines. He has aided much in the growth and development of his portion of the county and has been active in township affairs. He served for a number of years on the local school board. He is a stockholder and di- rector of the Farmers' State bank, of Sargent. He has a fine modern residence building on his farm, which is surrounded by trees, lawn and orchard, one of the most beautiful farm homes in the county.

Mr. and Mrs. Stokes have five children, all but one born on the home farm; Sarah, Ethel Mi- nerva, wife of Adolph Voss, of Lincoln, Nebras- ka, has two children; Georgia, Marie Nellie, and Anno Marguerita, at home.

LOUIS SCHAGER.

Persistent industry has placed this gentleman among the prosperous and prominent farmers of Cedar county. He is one of the older settlers, having been a resident of this county alone for about thirty years, and his present comfortable home in section twenty-eight has been gained only by the strictest economy and excellent man- agement. The hardships and discouragements

which have fallen to the lot of Mr. Schager would have heartily discouraged one of less persistent nature, but have only tended to make him more de- termined and spurred him to stronger action. With undaunted courage he has faced misfor- tunes and hardships innumerable, and he has re- mained to enjoy a fitting reward for his labors.

Mr. Schager is a native of Norway, having been born in the northern part of that country in 1854. His mother died when he was only a small boy, but he remained in his native village and secured a good common school education in the local schools.

In 1869, he left the old country, embarking in the steamship "Otter" for the new world. After putting into New York, he came by rail direct to Baxter, South Dakota, which place was his home for a number of years. Ten years later at this place, he was married to Miss Hannah Olson, one of his country-women, who had come to Nebraska in 1868.

In 1881, Mr. Schager and family came to Ce- dar county, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of state land and began the task of taming the wilderness-for even at that date, it was not very thickly settled. For a long time, misfortunes came thick and fast, even more than usually fell to the lot of the pioneer in those days. In that same year, they lost everything they possessed in the flood, including their house and barns and stock, barely escaping with their lives. Several crops were lost because of the voracious grasshoppers, the bane of the early settler. Many times they were compelled to fight prairie fires, and one time, memorable because of the loss it oc- casioned them, a prairie fire gained such a head- way that the grain which was being threshed, to- gether with the machinery, and the grain stand- ing shocked in the fields, were all burnt. How- ever, he persevered in his determination to make a home for himself and family, and today he is the owner of a fine property, and has the highest esteem of all with whom he has to do.

Mr. and Mrs. Schager are the parents of nine children : Barnard, Harold, Gusta, Arthur, Edna, Helen, Carl, Alice, and Clara. During their long residence in the county, they have made many friends, and the family is one of the most prom- inent in the community. Mr. Schager has always taken a deep interest in all pertaining to the pro- gress of his adopted land, and has in many ways materially assisted in the development of this section.

ISAAC S. TYNDALE.

This gentleman is prominently known as a cit- izen of integrity and worth who has given much of his time and financial aid in the upbuilding of his community, and who has always been found standing on the side of right and doing his full share toward meeting and providing for the pub- lic welfare.

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Isaac S. Tyndale was born in Newpaisley, province of Quebec, Canada, January 18, 1855, and was sixth of eleven children in the family of Mathew and Eleanor Tyndale, who had five sons and six daughters. The Tyndale family date back to the Tyndales of England to the time of William Tyndale of the year 1500, and they have been especially known in church and educational work. Our subject was raised on a farm in Canada where his family were known as pioneers, and where his parents died at an advanced age in the city of Montreal. This immediate family were pioneers in church extension and local work.

Isaac Tyndale grew up to his younger man- hood days on the home farm and received a com- mon school education, and in his twentieth year left the home in Canada and came to Central City, Nebraska, engaging in the dry goods trade in the fall of 1879. He is one of the first of Central City's merchants, and at this time Mr. Tyndale is the oldest merchant in point of trade service in Central City, having been continuously in the mercantile business until this date.

Mr. Tyndale is a representative citizen, and has served the people of his community and county in different capacities. In 1886 he was elected commissioner of Merrick county, and in 1894 he was elected by his constituents to the office of mayor of Central City, Nebraska. In fact, he has been active along all political lines, being a staunch republican, and has always stood for purity in politics and for the upbuilding of his home town, county, and state. He was appointed postmaster at Central City in 1907, an unsought honor, and made an acceptable official. Mr. Tyn- dale is active in church and social circles, and is connected with numerous fraternal orders.

On May 11, 1889, in Central City, Mr. Tyndale was married to Miss Ada Simpson, a native of Wisconsin, who became a resident of Central City in 1882. Mr. Tyndale has been connected with farm and stock interests, and is also a land owner. He is still conducting a large mer- cantile business, and is prominent along all lines.

SYLVANUS L. WHITMORE.

It would be impossible to give a sketch of the history of northeastern Nebraska without includ- ing in the same a review of the career of Mr. S. L. Whitmore, who is numbered among the most prominent of the early settlers.

Mr. Whitmore is a native of Vermont, born at Ira, October 28, 1840, a son of Edmund and Ien- rietta (Welmarth) Whitmore. He grew up there, and when twenty-one years of age enlisted for three years in Berdan's First Regiment, United States sharpshooters. This was September 11, 1861. He was with his regiment all through the east and southeastern part of Virginia during his term of service. July 1, 1862, at Malvern Hill, Virginia, he was wounded during the seven

day fight, and was discharged September 11, 1862, at Philadelphia, because of disability. Other en- gagements in which he participated were: Big Bethel, Yorktown, Williamburg, Fair Oaks, Gaines Mill, and Cold Harbor.

After returning from the war Mr. Whitmore made his native county his home for about sev- enteen years, then struck out for the west to make a home for himself and become a land owner. His first stopping place was Columbus, Nebraska, where he only spent a short time, driving from there to a homestead which he selected in Knox county. There he erected a sod house and occu- pied that for some time before replacing it with a frame dwelling. He went through every form of frontier life, suffering at times loss of crops, destruction of his property by prairie fires, and from storms, etc., but stuck to his determination to win for himself a competence, and his present finally equipped farm is good evidence of his wisdom in remaining. At the present time he is the owner of a tract comprising six hundred and forty acres, well stocked, and much of it under cultivation. He has fifteen acres of fine trees, besides orchards and many beautiful shade trees on every part of the farm.

Mr. Whitmore was united in marriage to Miss Octavia Parks, January 1, 1863, and they became the parents of three children : Helen A., now the wife of Henry W. Wellman, of Knox county; Henrietta, who was the wife of C. T. Anson, but is now deceased; and S. Bertrand, who owns one hundred and sixty acres formerly owned and operated by his father. He married Nauna Car- son, of Pilger, Nebraska, and they have two chil- dren. January 25, 1911, Mr. Whitmore suffered the loss of his wife. They had been married forty-eight years.

Mr. Whitmore has always evinced an active interest in local affairs pertaining to the better- ment of conditions, aiding in every movement for promoting the growth and development of the natural resources, etc. During the years 1892 to 1895, he served as county commissioner, and for two years as chairman of the board. He has also held other offices in his township. He was the first postmaster at Venus, and served for thirteen years.

CHRISTOPHER C. RIDELL.

Christopher C. Ridell, deceased, was born in Saxony, Germany, August 8, 1835, and at the age of two years came to America with his parents. He was the eldest of five brothers and one sister, and the only child born in the old country. The family settled in Ohio, and on reaching young manhood, Christopher engaged in gardening and farming near Columbus, where he was married in February, 1856, to Lucretia Johnson, of that city. Four children were born to them : Mariette, Charles, Margie, and Charlotte F., all married and settled in different parts of the country.

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Mr. Ridell came to Hall county, Nebraska, in 1858, and started a saw mill which he ran for a number of years, furnishing lumber for the first houses erected in Grand Island, also in the sur- rounding towns in that region. He later home- steaded eighty acres near Dannebrog, Howard county, and after passing through the various phases of pioneer life succeeded in building up a fine farm and home.

Mr. Ridell was a soldier in the civil war, enlist- ing in the Second Nebraska Volunteer Cavalry, Company B, in 1863, and serving until the end of the war, being in Nebraska all of the time. He took part in many skirmishes and has a good rec- ord as a faithful soldier of his country.

In 1881 Mr. Ridell came to Nance county and resided there up to the time of his death, which occurred on November 30, 1898. He had married Miss Candace Cole, at Loup City, Nebraska, in December, 1876, and to them were born three children : Winnifred M., who married Herbert Huff, parents of three children, residing in Mon- tana; Edith I., wife of W. L. Rose, an attorney, they having two children, and living in Fuller- ton ; and Artemus F., of Fullerton. The Ridells also raised and educated a niece, Lenora Ridell. Since the death of our subject his widow has resided in the town residence in Fullerton, where she and the entire family have a large circle of friends.

Mr. Ridell was a man of sterling character, an earnest christian, and in his demise the entire community sympathized with the family.

DAVIS H. BRIGGS.

One of the earliest settlers of the present county of Boyd, and one who has lived within the boundaries of the county since coming into the state, is Davis H. Briggs, who is running the largest and best equipped livery establishment in Naper. He first came to Boyd county in June of 1883, when he filed on a pre-emption claim be- tween the Niobrara and Keya Paha rivers in the part of Boyd county that was at that time at- tached to Holt for administrative purposes, and on which he settled in March, 1884. In 1885, he bought a quarter section, and in 1886 filed on a timber claim. He lived on his farm until 1896. That year the late Indian lands in the west end of the county were being settled up more rap- idly, and Mr. Briggs came to where Naper now stands and filed under his homestead rights on a quarter section which now lies along the north border of the town. Here he has resided ever since, building a large comfortable frame dwell- ing.

He early began the livery business in a small way in the barn on his homestead, and, as busi- ness grew, he was compelled to build the large barn in which his business is now housed. He keeps a good grade of horses on hand at all times, 11

and a variety of vehicles suitable for any and all occasions.

Mr. Briggs is of down east Yankee stock, his birth having occurred in Brandon, Vermont, Feb- ruary 29, 1840, which gives him a birthday but once in four years. His parents, David and Ame- lia (Dinsmore) Briggs, migrated to Van Buren county, Michigan, in 1847, and settled on a farm seven miles from Decatur and nine miles from Hartford. Here Davis H. Briggs lived until com- ing to Nebraska, except the three years he served as a soldier in the civil war. Enlisting at Paw Paw, Michigan, in May, 1861, his company was united with others from several states into the Seventieth New York, known as Sickles' Brigade. After fighting through the seven days' desperate engagements in the wilderness, he was assigned to detached service most of the time in the wagon train. He was mustered out in June, 1864, at New York city, and returned to Van Buren county, Michigan.

Since he was a lad of only ten or eleven, he has made his own way, working for his board and clothing at first, and later, as he became lar- ger and stronger, securing places where fairly good wages were paid. On his return from the army, Mr. Briggs farmed on rented land in Michigan until coming west, on the date stated heretofore. In migrating west, Mr. Briggs came by rail to Stuart and overland from there to his destination. Here for a few years he lived in a sod house with a frame addition annexed, but, like all early-timers, found the sod house the most comfortable in winter. During their first winter they were better protected from the cold than that, having set up their bed in the cave cel- lar that had an entrance directly into the house. When the time came to build a frame house the lumber had to be hauled across country from Stuart, thirty-five miles distant, a long and weary journey, with but few houses of settlers along the way.

Mr. Briggs was first married in Keeler Cen- ter, Michigan, to Miss Lanra Osborn, to whom three children were born: Millie, now the wife of Fred Dryer of Dakota county, Nebraska : Frank, who is farming one mile east of Naper. where he owns a quarter section of fine land ; and Clara, who is now deceased. She was the wife of William Tomlinson. The first Mrs. Briggs died.

Mr. Briggs was married a second time, the bride being Rachel Blinkley, of Keeler Center, Michigan, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland.

Mr. Briggs is a republican in politics, a mem- ber of the Ancient Order United Workmen, and of the Butte post Grand Army of the Republic. He is well known to all the old timers, and all have a good word for him ; he is a general favor- ite with old and young. He has experienced all the various trials of the early settler-storms. prairie fires, wind and hail; so severe have some of the latter storms proved to be that at one time

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a hole was battered through the roof of his new barn.

After enduring the privations of these early days, Mr. Briggs can take life easy, assured that neither he nor any member of his family need ever come to want.

BENJAMIN PONT.

Old England, the birthplace of most of the first settlers of the United States, has been giving her sturdy sons year after year since the earliest Colonial settlers began peopling the eastern coast. Nebraska has received a goodly share of English and Canadian settlers, and among the colony of the former who settled in Stanton and Cuming counties, the Pont families were prominent mem- bers.

Benjamin Pont was born April 2, 1850, in Haddanham, Cambridgeshire, England, about seven miles from Cambridge, the seat of one of the oldest universities in existence. He lived here until he attained his sixteenth year, and then, with a brother, Martin, started for the states to join an uncle, Robert Pont, who had been living for a number of years at Anawan, Henry county, Illinois, and had accumulated quite a snug little fortune.

The boys sailed from Liverpool on October 20, 1866, on the "St. Marks" an American sail- ing ship, which, being a freighter, carried a cargo of chinaware. Its fifty passengers were carried at the rate of three pounds, ten shillings, or about $17.00 each. Rations were issued to them each week, which they were obliged to cook for them- selves. The voyage lasted until December 7, when they reached New York. Here the two boys were compelled to wait at Castle Garden eleven days, until their uncle could communicate with them and send their railroad fare. Their sole capital was eleven English shillings. They soon learned that their silver could be exchanged for "shinplasters" (paper money), at an advance of thirty-three and one-third per cent. They reached their nncle's home at Anawan about Christmas day, and remained there about five years.

In the spring of 1872, with Samuel Pont, an uncle who had come to America a few years be- fore, they chartered a car to Fremont, by way of Omaha, bringing their horses, cattle and farm- ing implements. From Fremont, they drove to Dodge county, where they spent a year "squat- ting" on school land, renting some farming land near.

In the spring of the following year, they sold their improvements on the school land and moved to Colfax county, settling on a homestead about twenty miles north of Schuyler. Mr. Pont filed on an eighty-acre homestead, and also took a claim on the adjoining eighty, under the Timber Act. After the death of his stepfather, who had filed on a homestead near, he added that to his

timber claim and took his aged mother to make a home for him, he being still a bachelor. The tim- ber claims were not proved up until some years after his homestead patent was issued. Presi- dent Cleveland signed the papers for the first eighty, and President Harrison for the second.

Mr. Pont was married at Anawan, Illinois, on January 11, 1877, to Miss Emma Bristol, a daugh- ter of David and Julia (Mumford) Bristol, and a native of Oneida county, New York. They have had seven children, as follows: Grace, (Mrs. E. C. Mechling, Chicago, Illinois) ; Homer, Myr- tle, (Mrs. E. A. Anderson) ; Carrie May, (de- ceased) ; Ervine, Mable, and Nathan B.

Mr. Pont is giving his children the advantages of the best schools, knowing how he longed for such opportunities when he was a boy.

At the time when he came to Nebraska, the prairies were open, and one might ride in any direction without meeting an obstructing fence. His first house was of upright boards and cost but one hundred and fifty dollars, but at one time he would have taken that amount for house, lands and all, just to get away. In common with other settlers, he suffered many hardships and misfortunes at first. Prairie fires and blizzards became mere incidents. For a long time, the only coffee they used was parched wheat and toasted bread grounds. "Indian flour," the whole un- bolted wheat, was in general use in those days, being cheaper and more nourishing than the white flour.

One of the first tasks Mr. Pont undertook on his land was to plant trees and orchards. He sometimes gathers now in a single season, three hundred and fifty bushels of apples, besides a great amount of plums, apricots, pears and small fruit.

Mr. Pont is an independent democrat in poli- tics, and was formerly a Knight of Pythias. For seven years he was postmaster of a station estab- lished at his house, known as Midland. He is one of the most respected citizens in Stanton county, and now, after the years of hardship and priva- tion incident to a pioneer's life he is enjoying his well-earned ease with the satisfaction of seeing his children all well established or preparing themselves for the higher walks of life. On an- other page will be found portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Pont together with a view of their home.

HON. JAMES T. BRADY.

For over the past quarter of a century, the gentleman whose name heads this personal his- tory has been a resident of Boone county, Ne- braska, has aided materially in the development and growth of the agricultural section of the county, and is prominent in business, politics, and in a social way.

James T. Brady was born in Heyworth, Mc- Lean county, Illinois, August 21, 1864, the third

RESIDENCE OF BENJAMIN PONT, BUILT IN 1892 TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL HOMESTEAD.

MR. AND MRS. BENJAMIN PONT.

ORIGINAL HOMESTEAD OF BENJAMIN PONT, 1873.

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child of James and Catherine Brady, who had three sons and four daughters.

Mr. Brady came to Boone county, Nebraska, with his parents, on March 4, 1884, settling on the farm they had purchased northeast of Albion, and was actively connected with farm and stock interests in Boone county until 1899, when he came into Albion from the farm and embarked in his various business enterprises, being engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business in Albion, and having large and extensive business interests in Boone and adjoining counties in Ne- braska. He is the owner of several fine farms in Boone county, and has other land interests in Nebraska. He is a successful man, enjoying the confidence of his business associates, as well as his many friends throughout the state.

Mr. Brady is prominent in politics, being chairman of the democratic county committee. In the fall of 1902, he was the nominee of the democratic party for the state senate, and was elected by a handsome vote, serving one term, be- ing the leader of the minority in the upper house. He is a progressive man along all lines that look to the upbuilding of his home town, county, or state.

On June 20, 1902, Mr. Brady was married to Miss Teressa Brown of Albion, Nebraska, who was one of the old settlers. Mr. and Mrs. Brady have a family of six children: Catherine, Thomas F .; Alice; Agnes and Albert, who are twins; and James T., junior.

They are an excellent family and enjoy the respect and esteem of many friends, and reside in their modern residence in town.

WILLIAM JACOBSEN.

William Jacobsen is entitled to a foremost place among the farmers of Wayne county whose biographies are given in this work. He is a man of stability and integrity and has always taken an active part in promoting the general welfare of his community. He is a native of Holstein, Germany, born in 1878, and a son of August and Anna Jacobsen. Mr. Jacobsen received a some- what meager education in the public schools of his native land and left home when about twelve years of age, sailing from Hamburg to New York on the steamship "Columbus." The Jacobsen family started west and located in Omaha, where they spent several years, coming to Wayne county in 1892 and purchasing the farm now occupied by William on section twelve, township twenty-seven, range three. This place was formerly owned by F. Bishop and was partially improved.

Mr. Jacobsen has made many more improve- ments on the place and is engaged in general farming and stock raising. William Jacobsen is one of the younger farmers in the county and is progressive in his ideas and enterprising in his methods of carrying on his work. The place shows

the result of hard work and thrifty management and is one of the pleasant homes of Wayne county.

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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 66

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