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 67

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 67

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F. W. LEHMANN.

F. W. Lehmann, a representative agricultural- ist of Stanton county, is a substantial and re- liable citizen and has won success through untir- ing energy and industry in following his chosen work. He is one of the class of men whose econ- omy and thrift have made possible the present prosperity of his state, as the basis of wealth there has been the farming population. It is important that the men who control farming interests should be men of sterling integrity and worth, and should work for their own advancement in a way that in- sures the welfare of their locality, and such men were the early settlers of Nebraska.

Mr. Lehmann was born in Wisconsin in 1850, and is a son of D. F. and Henrietta Lehmann, both natives of Brandenburg, Germany, who came to America in a sailing vessel and became early set- tlers of Wisconsin. In 1869, they left that state and came to Madison county, Nebraska, where they took up a homestead and the father pur- chased realty holdings from a fur trader. They made the journey to their new home with a team of oxen, the journey consuming seven weeks and four days. They spent several years in a log house which the father erected, and then built a com- fortable frame house. During the early seventies, they were greatly troubled by the depredations of the grasshoppers, and often had to fight prairie fires, enduring the trials and privations incident to pioneer life. They were obliged to go as far as Columbus or Omaha to market.

In 1880, F. W. Lehmann came to Stanton coun- ty and purchased his present home. He had been reared on a farm, and received the educational advantages that could be given him at that time in Madison county. He was married in 1887 to Miss Martha Biehle, and they are the parents of eight children : Eles, Alma, Mary, Adolph, Hilda, Otto, Henry and Martin.

Mrs. Lehmann's father was one of the very early settlers of Stanton county, coming there from Wisconsin in 1867. He was a native of Ger- many, and came to America at the age of twelve years, making the journey in a sailboat and land- ing at New Orleans, whence he journeyed up the Mississippi to St. Louis. He was a shoemaker by trade and served some time in the civil war, being discharged from service in 1863 and returning to Wisconsin. Mrs. Lehmann was born in 1860, and was three years of age when her father came home from the war. In 1867, Mr. Biehle was in- spired with enthusiasm for the opportunities of- fered in the "golden west," and started there with his family from Watertown, Wisconsin. making the journey with an ox team. They built a sod house and later a log house with a sod roof. At first they had but one cow, and soon after they

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were settled on their new home one ox died, leav- ing but one and Mr. Biehle went to a place north of Norfolk and purchased a mate for it, so that he could cultivate his land, paying one hundred dollars for the animal. His children picked plums and he hauled them to Omaha to sell, thus secur- ing the price of a plow. In the early days he had to go to Fort Calhoun to mill, and one time the trip consumed three weeks, when he went to mar- ket. While the father was away, their provisions gave out and Mrs. Biehle made cakes of bran and milk, which she baked for her family. While they were living on this sort of fare an Indian went by and asked for something to eat, and Mrs. Biehle gave him some of her bran cakes, crying because she had nothing better to offer. The good-na- tured Indian said the children could not live on such fare, and tried to help the family by bring- ing them some wild duck eggs. By the time the father arrived home, three days later, his family had abont given him up for lost. The trials of the early days were finally over and the family began to prosper and enjoy more of the comforts and conveniences of modern life.

Mr. Lehmann as a boy participated in the work and hardship usual to a farmer's boy of the times, and grew to robust manhood, a sturdy pioneer youth. His first purchase on his own account was of a right south of Norfolk Junction, and later he procured his present home, which is located on section eight, township twenty-three, range one, where he has brought his land to a high state of cultivation and made all possible improvements.

FRANK J. MICHAEL.

F. J. Michael, one of the old settlers of the re- gion where he chose his home in the early days, occupies a good home and valuable property in section twenty-two, township twenty-six, range eight, Antelope county, Nebraska. He has done his full share in improving his locality, and is well and favorably known throughout this part of the state.

Mr. Michael is a native of New York state, where he was born on May 16, 1867. His parents were German. His father, Ernest Michael, mar- ried in Germany, Miss Dora Broker.

Mr. Michael came with his parents to Antelope county, Nebraska, and located southeast of Oak- dale, for one year. Then they took up a home- stead southwest of Clearwater, built a dug ont in which they lived for a few years, and then built a log house. Here the family experienced many vicissitudes and dangers, coming at a time when the country was in its wildest state. Many dan- gers and hardships beset this handful of sturdy people who braved the unknown wilderness to seek their fortunes. Our subject's father went to Sioux City, and procured werk to earn enough money to support his family, as at first it was hard to get a start when one had no money. At that time Columbus, Wisner and Yankton were

the nearest market places, being seventy-five miles away.

Mr. Michacl was united in marriage in 1898 to Miss Minnie Shores. Mr. and Mrs. Michael have one child, John, a lad of thirteen years.

Mr. Michael has spent nearly all his lifetime in the county in which he now resides, having lived here some forty years, since 1870, and has seen every phase and change of Nebraska life. His present place, which comprises two hundred acres, he has lived on since 1902. His childhood days were passed on the rolling prairies of un- tilled ground, when dangers of which he scarcely realized, beset the family; when hardships and many privations stared them in the face. But those days have passed into history, and our sub- ject now enjoys a comfortable home and the per- iod .of modern civilization, and is happy in the possession of his home and family, and a wide circle of warm friends and acquaintances.

HERMAN REHFELD.

Herman Rehfeld, a successful and well known farmer of Pierce county, Nebraska, lives on sec- tion twenty-three, township twenty-seven, range four, where he has spent nearly all his life, hav- ing lived there thirty-one years. He has done his full share in the development of the agricultural interests of the community where he lives.

Mr. Rehfeld was born August 14, 1876, in Stanton county, Nebraska, and in 1879, with his parents, came to Pierce county, Nebraska. His parents first built a sod house and planted twelve acres of trees, and later took up a timber claim. Our subject's father, a native of the province of Pommerania, Germany, was born in 1847, and died in 1880; the mother was born in 1846. They were married in 1870.

Our subject, Herman Rehfeld, was married September 1, 1901, to Miss Anna Zeigfeld, born August 6, 1882. They have had two children born to them, whose names are Johanna and Al- bert.

Mrs. Rehfeld's father, also a native of the province of Pommerania, Germany, served in the Prussian army from 1871 to 1873. He learned har- ness-making in Germany and owned a shop of his own in Plainview. He sailed from Bremen, on the steamship "Wesar," and landed in Baltimore. He was married to Miss Mary Vosbeck, who was horn in 1850.

Our subject, Herman Rehfeld, is a member of the German Lutheran church, and votes the demo- cratic ticket for the state, but in the county elec- tions he votes for the man.

JOHN I. HAGGERSTROM.

John I. Haggerstrom, one of the prominent and successful farmers of Fairdale precinct, Howard county, comes of Swedish nativity, and is a wor- thy representative of the best traits of his race

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and blood. He is about the first settler in that portion of the county, and through strict attention to business, thrift and good management, has ac- cumulated a large property and is widely and favorably known throughout the entire region.

Mr. Haggerstrom is a native of Sweden, born August 25, 1855, and spent his boyhood in that country. He was married there in 1877, to Jo- hanna Fredericka Vickstrom, and with their child, Hulda, came to America, arriving in Howard county, Nebraska, in August, 1879. Mrs. Hagger- strom died while the family lived in Dannebrog, her death occurring April 13, 1880. Shortly after- wards Mr. Haggerstrom went to Wyoming, where he remained for eight months, then return- ed to Howard county, and in October, 1881, home- steaded on section six, township sixteen, range ten. May 20th of the following year he was married to Annie Marie Lindberg, at St. Paul, the ceremony being performed by Judge Anderson, who also gave a fine wedding dinner in their honor, the oc- casion being one of the well remembered social events of those days.

Our subject has been most successful in his dif- ferent enterprises, principally carrying on a stock and grain business, and he has added to his orig- inal homestead until he now owns eight hundred acres of fine land in this county, as well as a quar- ter seetion in Greeley county.

The father and mother of our subject both died in Sweden, and John I. was the second child in their family of four. He was early taught to do all sorts of hard work, and never had the advan- tages of education, as he was early obliged to go out to work, in order to help support the family, but by experience and observation he has become possessed of a good business education, is well- read and keeps abreast of the times in all current matters in the state and national affairs. Mrs. Haggerstrom's father, Matthew Lindberg, was born in Sweden, and came to America in 1884, after which time he made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Haggerstrom until his death, December 13, 1909, aged eighty-three years and six months. Mrs. Lindberg died in Sweden in 1858.

Mr. Haggerstrom's family consists of the fol- lowing children: Hulda, the only child of Mr. Haggerstrom's first marriage, wife of Gus Dahl- berg, living on a farm adjoining our subjeet ; Dag- ny, who is the wife of Arthur Larson, also living in Howard county ; Albin, married and living on a farm near his father, as does Oscar and his fam- ily, while Ellen and Gust, the youngest children, live at home. All are bright and intelligent young people, filling honorable places in the com- munity. Lillie, the last child born, died June 1, 1892, aged two months.

HANS L. CLEMENT, JUNIOR.

Ilans L. Clement, one of the successful young farmers of Valley county, Nebraska, is a son of an early pioneer in eastern Nebraska. Mr. Cle- ment resides on the old homestead in seetion

twelve, township twenty, range fourteen, with whom the venerable father, Hans Clement, senior, makes his home.

Hans Clement, senior, was born in Denmark, August 24, 1826, where he received his education and grew to manhood. On October 10, 1853, he was married to Serena Maria Christensen, to whom six children were born; Ludwig, Anna, wife of William Mellerup; Frederick, deceased ; Mary, now Mrs. Merzel Goodrick, of Ord; Laura, who married F. E. Thorn, and Hans. In 1879 Mr. Clement, the elder, came with his family to the United States. They first settled in Iowa, remaining until the spring of 1883, when they came to Valley county, Nebraska, by "prairie schooner," Anna alone of the family remaining at Iowa. The father homesteaded the northeast quarter of section twelve, township twenty, range fourteen, where he still resides with his son Hans. Mother Clement died on the home farm in 1898. All the children live in Nebraska, except Louis and Anna, who live in California. Mr. Clement and family are to be classed with the old settlers of Nebraska, and are one of the pioneer families that still hold the old homestead farm.

Hans L. Clement, junior, was born in the vil- lage of Lundsgord, province of Schleswig, Ger- many, May 11, 1868, and is the youngest of six children in the family of Hans and Serena (Chris- tensen) Clement. Mr. Clement came with his father and family to the United States in 1879. Coming to Valley county in the spring of 1883, the elder Clement rented two years and then filed on a homestead about 1885, on which the son now resides.

Mr. Clement was married in Ord, December 17, 1898, to Miss Elvene Fogt, a native of Wis- eonsin, a daughter of John Fogt, who was one of the pioneer settlers of Valley county. Mr. and Mrs. Clement are the parents of three children, namely : Olga, Othellie, and Lee.

Mr. Clement has always been active along all lines for the advancement of his home county and state, and has served as township elerk of Noble township for a number of years. He is a young man who has made a success of farming and stock-raising, having about eight hundred acres of Valley county land. He is an independ- ent in politics and a memeber of the Order of Ben Hur.

The Clement family. like most pioneers of Ne- braska, lived for a time in a sod house, their first frame dwelling being constructed about 1888. Deer were still to be seen on the open prairies. three of which Fred Clement brought down with his rifle to supply the family with fresh meat.

ANTON IIUEBNER.

Anton Huebner, formerly a citizen of Madison county, Nebraska, and one of the best and most

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substantial residents of the locality, is the owner of a valuable estate in section one, township twenty-four, range two, and until his removal to Hadar, Pierce county, was surrounded by a host of good friends and acquaintances, who greatly regret his removal from the country.

Mr. Huebner is a native Nebraskan, his birth occurring August 20, 1869, and he is a son of August J. and Louisa (Conrad) Huebner, both natives of Germany. The father came with his parents to America when he was but four years old, they embarking on a sailboat and were on the water seven weeks. After landing in the United States, the family went to Wisconsin, where they lived for three years.

In 1866 our subject's father, with a colony who had forty-seven wagons and ox teams to haul them, came to Nebraska and settled north of Hadar, Pierce county; they were the first white men to settle in that part of Nebraska. The col- ony was eight weeks on the road, having to stop on their journey and build bridges before. they could cross the rivers.

Our subject's father lived in Pierce county three years before its organization, when it was in its wildest and most unsettled state. When he took up his homestead, he first built a log house. which remained the family residence for thirty- nine years. The first winter he lived in this coun- try, thirty-one head of buffalo wintered north of his homestead, and deer and antelope were.also plentiful in those days. Our subject, with his father, helped many times to fight prairie fires on the western frontier, and on many occasions they barely escaped with their lives. The grass- hoppers were a great source of anxiety in the early seventies, destroying the entire crops of their locality for several seasons, leaving nothing but bare ground where a short time before were growing fine and promising crops. In the mem- orable blizzard of 1888, our subject's father lost considerable stock. All these losses and dangers made it very hard for the new settler on the west- ern frontier, but were braved by those sturdy sons, who were later enabled to enjoy in peace and comfort the success they so richly deserved.

In 1893, Mr. Huebner, our subject, came to Madison county, Nebraska, taking up a home- stead of one hundred and sixty acres of land in section one, township twenty-four, range two: on this land Mr. Huebner has a fine residence and five thousand trees. He is well liked in this community, as a man always ready to do all in his power to further the best interests of his county and state.

Mr. Huebner was united in marriage Decem- ber 11, 1893, to Miss Annie Sanne, a native of Germany, and Mr. and Mrs. Huebner are the pa- rents of nine children. a fine family : Hattie, Etta. Tillie, Emma, Mabel, Rosa, Henry, Reuben, and

Royal. Mr. and Mrs. Huebner and family enjoy the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. They are members of the Lutheran church, and Mr. Huebner is a democrat.

HENRY SCHILLING.

Henry Schilling is one of the leading citizens of Greeley county, and there he is respected alike for his industry, ability and native force of char- acter. Never afraid of hard work, he has en- dured the toil of the early days, and now in his old age has retired from active management of his large estate and is enjoying life in his beauti- ful and comfortable home just outside the limits of the city of Scotia.

Mr. Schilling was born near Oswego, Kendall county, Illinois, on the 17th of March, 1848. He was the third of seven children born to John and Hannah (Heiser) Schilling. The parents were of German birth, but both had come to this country in their early years and lived to enjoy the fruits of their early toil. The father died in 1895, having nearly attained the allotted span of life, seventy years, but the mother remained hale and vigorous until February 23, 1904, when she passed away at the advanced age of eighty-four years. Out of their large family, only three re- main, the subject of our sketch, and two brothers who reside in Indiana.

Mr. Schilling grew to manhood in Illinois, and received his education in the common schools of that state. After attaining his majority he engaged in farming.

On May 5, 1870, Mr. Schilling was united in marriage to Miss Sophia J. D. Meyer, a native of Hanover, Germany. Ten years later, Mr. Schil- ling and his little family went to Lake county, Indiana, and he farmed there for two years. At the expiration of this time, he decided that the chances of ultimate success were better in a newer country, where his children might have the op- portunity of growing up with the country. Ac- cordingly, in the spring of 1882, he, with his wife and three children, came to Greeley county, Ne- braska, where he purchased a quarter-section of land in section thirty-one, township eighteen, range eleven, from the B. & M. railroad.

This place was the home of the family for a number of years, during which they all labored for the good of all. One improvement after an- other was put on the farm or its buildings, until everything was made as comfortable as possible. Then in 1900 Mr. Schilling purchased seventy- two acres joining the city limits of Scotia and built a fine house, where he now lives.

Mr. and Mrs. Schilling have had five children born to them, four of whom are still living. They are named as follows: Edward F., who died in infancy; Sarah A. L., now the wife of Luther

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Pope, of Scotia; John H., now married and liv- ing on the old homestead; Louie F., married and living in Greeley county, across the road from the old home place ; and Matilda G., still at home.

Mr. Schilling takes his place with the repub- lican party in polities, and can be depended upon to take an intelligent part in the affairs of the community, in the development of which he has taken so prominent a part. At the present time he owns four hundred acres of land or more, all of the land being well improved. It is in every way an up-to-date stock and grain farm.

During the dry year, 1894, nothing matured on the place and two or three times hail destroyed all his crops. He barely escaped the furious bliz- zard of January 12, 1888, having just returned home and was unharnessing his horses in the barn when the storm struck. By means of trees along the way to the school house he made his way there and brought his children safely home. This was the worst storm he ever en- countered.

EDWARD B. HIRSCHMAN.

Edward B. Hirschman, the genial treasurer of Cedar county, Nebraska, has been a resident of that political division since October 22, 1872. He is a son of Franz and Thekla (Dawat) Hirschman, natives of Austria, of whom we speak more at length elsewhere in this work.

Edward B. Hirschman was born in Juneau county, Wisconsin, August 5, 1866. He was a lad of six years when the family moved from the Badger state to the trans-Missouri country, and fully enjoyed with a boy's eagerness the novel ex- periences incident to camp life on a long trail. He grew up on the Nebraska farm in the beau- tiful valley of East Bow, attending the early pub- lic schools, which at that time were conceded to be the best organized in the state. After attain- ing his majority he attended, in 1888, the Omaha Commercial college and graduated in the business course.

In 1892 Mr. Hirschman, with his brother as a partner, opened his first store in Hartington and in 1896 sold his interests to his brother. In the same year he opened a general merchandise store in Osmond which he disposed of four years later ; he continued in business with a hardware line in HIartington until January 1, 1909, when he retired. In the spring of that year his party nominated him for treasurer of Cedar county, to which office he was elected in November, taking charge of the office January 6, 1910. Mr. Hirschman is a capable, efficient business man and conducts his office with the same economy and attention that he gave to his private enterprise. Sterling hon- esty, that is his by birth and training, is the safe-guard between the people's money and the public, preventing its unwarranted dissipation.

Mr. Hirschman was married in Hartington, February 17, 1903, to Miss Catharine Lorang, a native of Cedar county; her parents, John and Margaret Lorang, are natives of Luxemburg, who came to America with the early settlers of Nebraska, and to Cedar county about 1872. There were four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hirsch- man, namely : Franz E., Clara L., Leone C., and Laura.

Mr. Hirschman has lived in Nebraska through three of its most notable blizzards: those of April, 1873, October of 1880, and January of 1888; dur- ing the latter of which he was in Omaha attend- ing business college. Prairie fires wrought dis- asters to the early settlers before much of the land had been plowed, and swept down across the prairies at greater speed than the fleetest horse; to divert disasters by these fires, Mr. Hirschman with his brothers often fought the progress of the flames sometimes for days at a time. Deer were still to be seen on the prairies when the Hirschman family settled in East Bow, and Edward Hirschman when a boy has chased them on horseback.

Mr. Hirschman has witnessed the development of the country from open, rolling prairies covered with waving grasses, to a highly cultivated, thick- ly settled, prosperous community covered with groves and thiekly studded with finely built and elegantly furnished farm houses, granaries and barns.

Mr. Hirschman is a democrat from boyhood; he is a member of the Catholic church, and of the two church societies, the Catholic Knights of America and the Knights of Columbus.

ABRAM P. BEMAN.

In compiling a list of the pioneers of eastern Nebraska who have aided materially in making of that region a thriving agricultural district, a prominent place must be accorded the vener- able gentleman whose name heads this personal history. For fifty-four years Mr. Beman has been closely identified with the history and de- velopment of eastern Nebraska, and for the past forty-two years with that of Merrick county, and his labors to this end are well known to all who reside in that community.

Abram P. Beman, son of George W. and Jane (Greer) Beman, was born in Franklin county, New York, May 7, 1834, and was third of six children; one brother of whom resides in New York state, one in Cripple Creek. Colorado. one sister in Maywood, Illinois, one in Leadville, Colo- rado, and another in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. His parents are deceased, having died in New York state. Our subject received his edueation in his home schools, and later elerked two years in

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Chateaugay, New York, and in 1852 went into Wisconsin where he followed railroading.

On September 30, 1855, Mr. Beman was joined in matrimony to Miss Esther A. Lamb, a native of New York state and later of Wisconsin. Mrs. Beman's parents, Squire S. and Caroline (Starks) Lamb, were pioneers in Hall county, Nebraska, living there until the time of their death. Mr. and Mrs. Beman have had ten children born to them, eight of whom are living: Carrie E., de- eeased in infancy ; Florenee, wife of John O. Jackson, has three children and lives in Mason City, Nebraska; Nathan, married, has four chil- dren and lives in Merrick county; Cora, wife of Oscar Smith, has four children and lives in Ord, Nebraska; John, married, has seven children and lives in Merrick county ; Carrie, wife of William Kuhlmann, has four children, lives in Merrick county ; Lily, wife of Frank Buell, has five chil- dren and resides in Chapman; Albert, deceased ; Mary, wife of Fred Miller, lives in Aurora, Illi- nois ; and Maud, wife of Hugh McAlister, has two children and resides near Mason City, Nebraska.

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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 67

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