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 75

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 75

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James Pierce was educated in the public schools of his native city, and at the age of four- teen years went to Illinois with his father. The father died there after a short illness and the boy was left to make his way home alone, which he did by going down the Mississippi river by boat to New Orleans, then taking a sailing vessel up the coast to Boston. After his return he worked for a time as a clerk, then shipped on board a whaler for a cruise of four years on the Pacific ocean. He followed the sea fourteen years, beginning as a boy and eventually becoming first mate. He thus visited the principal seaport towns of South America. After leaving the whal- ing service he shipped as first mate of the "Well- fleet," a large merchant vessel which sailed be- tween New Orleans and Liverpool.

In 1855, Mr. Pierce married Jane Hunt and they lived in Charlestown for a time, and moved to Mower county, Minnesota, in 1857. He secured a farm there and for several years hauled his crops to market on the Mississippi river, ninety miles distant. In 1864 he enlisted in the union army and served until the close of the war. He returned to Minnesota at the close of his term of service and carried on farming during the sum- mer and taught school winters. In the summer of 1880, he went via the prairie schooner route, to Custer county, Nebraska, and in August of that year took up a homestead on section thirty-one, township nineteen, range eighteen, which was his home until his death, March 11, 1910. This farm is located in the beautiful little valley of Somer- ford, and for twenty-six years Mr. Pierce served as postmaster of the office at Somerford. In the fall of 1881 he taught in one of the first schools of Dry Valley, and in the following summer helped organize school district number thirty-five, which has since been divided into six districts.

Mr. Pierce was survived by his widow and seven children, but the former did not survive him long and died March 22, 1910. She was re- vered by her children and held in high regard by her many friends, being a woman of high charac- ter and fine traits. Both she and her husband were well known among the early settlers and did all they could to aid in the development of the country along educational and all other pro- gressive lines. They passed through the trials of

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the dry years and the years of panic and came to enjoy the respect and esteem of all who knew them. Of their eight children, seven now survive: Frances W., Mrs. Orvel Story, deceased, she was the mother of three children and resided during her life in Somerford Valley; George G., on the home farm; Thomas L., of Custer county ; A. W., on section six, township eighteen, range eight- een ; William A., of Sargent; Elizabeth, wife of John Knight; Henry O., owner of the home farm ; Jesse, living north of the home farm. Several of these children are mentioned elsewhere in this work. Mr. Pierce was an honored member of Crittenden post, number two hundred and seven- ty-four, Department of Nebraska, Grand Army of the Republic, and at the time of his death the or- ganization passed resolutions of condolence to his sorrowing family.

AARON HARRIS.

Among the prosperous citizens of Cedar coun- ty may be mentioned the above, who is also one of the older settlers, having come to this locality in 1880. Mr. Harris is now the owner of a valuable farm in section sixteen, township thirty-one, range two, which has been his continuous resi- dence since coming to the county.

Mr. Harris is a native of Ohio, and was born in 1848, the son of William and Lidia Harris. His boyhood years were spent in Iowa and when the civil war broke out, he enlisted at the beginning under Captain Kettridge, Company F. Seventh Iowa Infantry. He was in many engagements during the war and also took part in the cele- brated march to the sea, under Sherman. His father was also in many battles, and died during the progress of the war. Mr. Harris was mus- tered out in 1865, but later on joined the regu- lar army again, this time going to Fort Sully, South Dakota.

While in South Dakota, Mr. Harris took up a homestead in Baum county. Here he built a log house and lived until 1873, when he moved to But- ler county, South Dakota. Mr. Harris and his little family lived at this place until 1880, when they came to Cedar county. Here Mr. Harris bought his farm, and it has been his home ever since.

During the early years of the settlement, both of Nebraska and South Dakota, Mr. Harris nobly played his part in the development of the country. The settler's life during those days was not all sunshine, either. For several years he lost almost everything because of the grasshoppers, the plague of that time, and many times was com- pelled to fight for hours against prairie fires, in order to save his home from destruction. At one time he lost over forty head of cattle in a blizzard. almost all he had, in fact. However, in spite of adversity, he persevered and is now regarded as one of the most prosperous stockmen of the vi- cinity.

In 1870, Mr. Harris was married to Miss Mary Goodman, and to them have been born four chil- dren, named as follows : Lydia, Luella, Minnie and Henry.

EUGENE HILTON.

Among the progressive and energetic pioneers of Merrick county, Nebraska, who have contrib- uted largely to the prosperity enjoyed in that vi- cinity, a high station is accorded this gentleman.

Eugene Hilton was born in Augusta, Maine, February 8, 1844, and was the fourth of seven children in the family of John and Mary (Ing- ham) Hilton, who had two sons and four daugh- ters born to them. The parents, John and Mary Hilton, two sons, Charles and Eugene, and daugh- ters Fannie and Annie, came to Nebraska in 1858, having left Maine in the spring of 1857, go- ing to Iowa, and in April, 1858, came on to Ne- braska. One daughter, Nellie, remained in Au- gusta, Maine. The other two daughters, Mary Helena and Emily, died in Maine before the fam- ily started west.

The Hilton family came overland by team the entire distance to Nebraska, locating on the Elk- horn river in the eastern part of the state, where the father, John Hilton, took up a pre-emption claim, proving up on same in 1859. Here the family lived until 1862.

John Hilton, head of the family, died in the fall of 1859, and in December of the same year, Mrs. John Hilton, with her son Eugene and daugh- ters Fannie and Annie, came to the Lone Tree station on the Northwestern stage and mail route, located on the Platte river, about three miles southwest of what is now Central City. This sta- tion had been established a year or so prior to this time. The Hilton family came here to take charge of this station for the stage company. Lone Tree station, got its name from a large cot- tonwood tree which stood on the banks of the Platte river; a lone tree standing by itself with no timber closer than forty rods, notable for its size and almost perfect proportions.

The Hilton ranch was located one mile east of Lone tree station, and earlier had been taken up by Henry Rowell, who had married a half-sister of the Hiltons. The Hiltons took up their resi- dence on this ranch in 1863. Mrs. Mary Hilton died June, 1886. Charles Hilton, the son, who came to Nebraska with the family, later went to New Mexico and became a cattle ranch owner. He died in New Mexico.

Eugene Hilton, the principal subject of this sketch, grew up on the western ranch and in his sixteenth year was a mail carrier for the North- western stage company between Wood river and Eagle Island, for about a year. Before his twen- ty-first year Mr. Hilton purchased the Rowell ranch of his brother-in-law, and about 1868, he took up a homestead for himself on his present residing place. There are now about three hun-

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dred acres in the Eugene Hilton farm, which is one of the choicest in Merrick county, finely lo- eated and well equipped.

Mr. Hilton from his boyhood days has seen the marvelous changes from a barren country, peo- pled by Indians and venturesome pioneers, to the present highly civilized and cultivated country. Merriek county, which was no exception to the rule, is now a great farming and stock county, but Mr. Hilton knew it when it was in its sand- hill days, and in the days of the Pawnee, Sioux, and Cheyenne Indians.

Mr. Hilton was married to Miss Helen Groves. March. 31, 1869, in Ashland, Nebraska. The Groves family came to Sarpy county,. Nebras- ka, in 1859. Mr. and Mrs. Hilton have had six children born to them, five of whom are living: John, who resides at home; Minnie, married to Mr. Frank Moore, has three children and lives five miles northwest of Central City on the old farm; Guy, who lives under the parental roof : Raymond, deceased ; and Fay and Verne, who re- șide at home.

The Hilton family are well and favorably known, enjoying the respect and esteem of a very large circle of friends. Mr. Hilton is å self-made man who has had responsibilities since his twelfth year, and is known for his sterling qualities.

FRED OPOCENSKY.

The west offers opportunity to the ambitious who have the desire to make fortune and place for themselves, and of these, none can be more fitly termed "self-made" than the genial gentleman above mentioned.

Fred Opocensky was born in the village of Valterice, Bohemia, on February 18, 1862, and was but a small lad when his parents, Joseph and Franeiska Opoeensky, emigrated to America, sailing from Bremen on the steamer Albio, and landing in New York after a voyage of twelve days. The father was a linen weaver in his native land, but on arriving at Chieago, their first stop- ping place, he was unable to find work at his trade, so was employed in various lines there un- til his death, which oceurred in 1883, in that city. When Fred was only about nine years of age, he came to Nebraska in company with a brother-in- law, who settled on a homestead near where Ver- degris now stands. There they went through hard times, often being actually without the nec- essaries of life and suffering from insufficient food. Our subject experienced the pangs of home- sickness, knowing that with his parents he at least would have plenty to eat, and after holding out for two years, he finally got his courage up and ran away, intending to go back to Chicago, but after getting as far as Niobrara, his condi- tion was such that it aroused the sympathy of kindhearted people. He had no shoes, and his flesh was visible through many rents in his scanty attire. He found work, which he gladly accepted,

and remained for a year in the vicinity, herding cattle and saving up his money to buy proper clothing to wear on his journey home. He reached home in due time, and some time later went into business for himself, running a grocery store, which he disposed of in 1885. In 1885 he returned to Niobrara and engaged in the general merchan- dise trade, being very successful in this venture. Later on he established an implement house, hand- ling, in addition, wagons, buggies, etc., to which he has also added a good line of harness and fur- niture. He has one of the most complete under- taking establishments in this part of Nebraska. His entire business enterprises are established on a sound foundation, and conducted along strict business lines, he devoting his personal attention to the details of his business, and richly deserves the success which has come to him.

Mr. Opocensky was married at Verdegris, on September 19, 1886, to Miss Anna Tonek, who was horn and reared in that place, and is a daughter of Bohemian parents. Their marriage was one of the most notable celebrations ever held in the county, being unique in that all the children of the Tonek family, three in number, left their parents' roof on the same day, the only son being married, also the two daughters, making a triple wedding. All the old country customs were prac- ticed at the happy event, the festivities extending through three days.

Mr. and Mrs. Opocensky are the parents of four children: Martha, who assists her father in his stores; Othelia, graduate of the high school here, and later completing a course in Burrows Business College in Omaha, and is now also in the store; Frederick, the eldest son, graduated from Niobrara high school in 1909, and from the Went- worth military academy at Lexington, Missouri, in May, 1910. and is now assisting has father in the store; and Edward, who is still a student in the city sehools.

Politically Mr. Opocensky affiliates with the republican party. He is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, the Woodmen of the World, and Bohemian Benevolent Order Z. C. B. J.

RANDALL FULLER. (Deceased.)

Randall Fuller, who was one of the very ear- liest settlers in Fullerton. Nebraska, died in that city on February 26, 1901. Mr. Fuller was a na- tive of Vermont, born in Shaftsbury, in 1823, he- ing at the time of his death seventy-eight years of age.

Mr. Fuller comes of a prominent family, his ancestors having been among those to land in America in the famous Mayflower. His grand- father Fuller was a soldier in the revolutionary war, and all the male members of his family have taken an important part in the history of the United States. There is at the present time an

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interesting family relie on exhibition in the mu- seum at Plymouth Hall, in the shape of an old- fashioned cradle used for generations in the Ful- ler family and finally bequeathed to that insti- tution by them. Also, the names of different members of the family will be found engraved on the monument at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts.

When Randall was but three years of age, his parents moved to Ohio, and two years later set- tled in Michigan, remaining there until he was about fourteen years of age, then they went to Wisconsin, that territory not having as yet reached its statehood. There our subject was ed- ucated and followed farming during his time away from school.

In 1849. at the time of the rush to California, during the gold excitement, Mr. Fuller in com- pany with two men, drove the entire distance from Wisconsin across the plains to the Pacific coast ; traveling by wagon train. They were joined along the way by others in the same mad hunt for wealth, and by the time they reached their destination, there were one hundred and fifty men in their party. After three years of hard work, hope and discouragement alternating, our subject gave up the struggle and returned home, full of exciting stories of adventure, but not very much richer for his experience. Still. he was not satisfied, and the following spring headed another wagon train bound for the same goal, and later was the chief moving spirit in starting other parties across the plains in their search for gold.

In 1877. Mr. Fuller came to Nebraska, having passed through the state several times in his travels, and made settlement in Fullerton, being practically the original founder of that city. He was prominent in every movement made for the advancement of the place, and has always been a leader in all affairs of his county and state. Per- sonally he was a man of fine character, straight- forward and honorable in all his dealings, and was greatly loved by all who knew him.

At the time Mr. Fuller first located in the vi- cinity of Fullerton, he had stopped only tempor- arily, being at the time on his way to Colorado with a herd of cattle, where he intended locating a ranch. At this time he was following the old Mormon trail, which was familiar to him, as he had frequently been over it in conducting parties to California. While here he heard that Nance county, which was then the Pawnee Indian reser- vation, was to be put on the market and sold for the benefit of the Indians. So Mr. Fuller decided to remain in the locality, which he did, and when in 1880, the land was thrown on the market. Mr. Fuller purchased two thousand and two hundred acres, mostly water front, and thought to establish a ranch, not realizing the value of the land for agricultural purposes. The county began to settle so rapidly that Mr. Fuller realizing the necessity of a trading point and post office, and later a county seat, platted eighty

acres of his farm in town lots; at first gave away a business and residence lot to those who would build. When the location of the county seat was made at Fullerton on a vote, Mr. Fuller gave sixty acres, which were sold and the money used to build the court house and he also furnished the site for the building. He also furnished all the sites for the churches.

On the land which Mr. Fuller purchased at first was located a forty acre tract of oak under- growth. He watched this tract very carefully, keeping out the prairie fires, which were numer- ous in the early days, until the underbrush has grown into a forest of fine oak trees. The bluff, with a drop of two hundred and eighty-three feet, is located in this grove, being in the early days known as Buffalo Leap and later as Loon's Leap. the latter name coming from an Indian legend concerning a Pawnee chief and his sweetheart, who jumped to death at that point. In 1897, Mr. Fuller gave the use of these grounds for the pur- pose of holding chautauquas, and this has grown to be one of the most popular and largely attend- ed of any in the state, lasting from ten days to two weeks and known as the Fullerton Chantau- qua. The bluffs on the south keep out the pre- vailing hot winds of August, and this is one of the coolest and most comfortable places to be found in the state during the hot months. Most of those from abroad who attend the chantan- (mas camp on the grounds.

C. A. KIBBY.

Boyd county has been largely settled by citi- zens from Holt county, who crossed over the Nio- brara after the opening of the reservation in 1891, and of this exodus of sturdy citizens, C. A. Kibby. of Naper, is one.

Mr. Kibby is an Illinoisan by birth, that event having taken place at Dundee, Kane county, January 14, 1847. His parents, Abraham and Olive (Tracy) Kibby, came from New York to Illinois in 1835 and settled in Kane county, where the mother died in January, 1878. After her de- mise the father continued to live in Kane county, until 1883, after which he made his home with a daughter at Georgetown, Colorado, where he died in 1885. and whence his body was borne to rest beside that of his life's helpmate.

Mr. Kibby commenced to learn the moulder's trade at the age of fourteen, and was employed in the founderies of Dundee until he came west in 1883. His advent to Nebraska was not propitions. as, owing to the high wind, the car ferry on which they were crossing the river at Missouri Valley, had to return to the Iowa side and wait the abate- ment of the storm. Arriving at Stuart, Mr. Kibby started out afoot, and to one from the thickly settled east, the long, lonely stretehes of rolling prairie were enough to make him heart- sick and homesick. Some time after noon, hun- gry and footsore, he reached the ranch of Andy

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Robinson, where he was given a hearty welcome and a good meal, and never in his life did a dinner taste better than in this hospitable house in the wilderness. The friendship formed that day was never broken, and often afterward did he sit a welcome guest at the Robinson's well-laden board.

Mr. Kibby settled on the strip of land between the Niobrara and Keya Paha rivers, about ten miles west of their confluence and moved onto the land the 29th day of June. Mrs. Kibby's brother-in-law living here had oxen but no horses, so he employed his neighbors who were better equipped to go to Stuart to bring the family and their belongings to the new home. Mr. Kibby bought a mule team in the fall and broke seven or eight acres, from which he secured a good crop of spring wheat the following year, running nine- teen bushels to the acre. Some of this he traded at Eagle Mills for rye flour, giving them an abun- dance of bread for the coming year. But a series of dry seasons followed in which little was raised, and many of the settlers abandoned their claims, and left their fields to return to the prairies or grow up in sunflowers. There were only scant crops from 1885 until 1891, since which time, bountiful seasons have prevailed, to the present day, excepting the excessively dry year of 1894.

Mr. Kibby lived on his homestead for thirteen years, except a short time out of the state. In December, 1891, he migrated to Missouri, settling in the central part of the state, but finding it un- congenial, he returned to Nebraska the following March. In 1896, Mr. Kibby raised three hundred and fifty dollars on his land and removed to Wayne county, four and one-half miles northwest of Wayne, and in the spring of 1907, returned to Boyd county again and became a resident of Naper, which has since been his home. He has engaged in freighting between Spencer and the railroad, at first to Anoka and since October, 1907, from St. Charles, making from four to six trips a week.

Mr. Kibby was married August 15, 1871, to Miss Elizabeth Wolf, the daughter of Jacob and Mary (Bonnell) Wolf. Her mother died in Iowa, and her father in Kansas some years after the de- mise of his good wife. Four of the children born to our subject and his wife are living. They are : May, wife of William F. Green, a prosperous pho- tographer in Naper; Rollen J., who has a ranch on the Keya Paha river, nine miles from town; LeRoy; who is ranching south of his brother; and Jennie, one of the successful teachers of the Naper schools.

Mr. Kibby had been a democrat until the year free silver became an issue, then he voted for Me- Kinley, and he has since supported the repub- lican party. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. The daughters are members of the Rebekah degree.

Mr. Kibby, for part of the time he was on the ranch, lived in the comfortable "soddy" of the west ; later he lived in a more modern frame house.

Prairie fires often threatened devastation, but by vigorous fighting he warded off the fiery danger. He once started a prairie fire unintentionally, it getting away from him through the corner of the breaking which he was intending to burn. Con- siderable damage was done by the accidental con- flagration, but he escaped any serious conse- quences.

Mr. Kibby occupies a comfortable cottage in the southwest part of town, and finds the strength to carry on his strenuous occupation, fearing nei- ther heat nor cold when business calls him to take the road. He has a good team and fine equipment for his work, and gives promise of many years' useful labor before the infirmities of old age cause him to retire.

ALFRED CLARK.

Among the many sons from England's soil who came to America in the early days of western pioneer pilgrimage, and who have given of their strength and fortitude, is Alfred Clark, the above named gentleman.

Alfred Clark, son of William C. and Sarah (Wanstall) Clark, was born in England, county Kent, June 29, 1858, and was the youngest in a family of nine children. In 1867, he came, with his father, mother, three brothers, and the moth- er's sister, to America, locating in eastern Iowa, where he received his education and later en- gaged in farming.

On December 1, 1880, Mr. Clark was married to Miss Josephine Galyean, a native of Delaware county, Iowa, and in the spring of 1884, came to Boone county, Nebraska, and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in the southwest quarter of section four, township twenty, range seven, which remained the home farm until 1901, when he retired from active farm life and moved to Albion, where he bought a good home in which he now lives.

Mr. Clark has been prosperous and successful, and in 1903 purchased another farm in Boone county. He served for several years on the school board of district number forty, in his home county.

Mr. Clark's father died in March, 1903, and his mother on December 25, 1894. He has one brother in England, one in the state of Washing- ton, one in California, and another in Albion, Ne- braska, a sketch of the latter appears in another part of this biographical history.

Mrs. Clark's father died in May, 1910, and her mother is making her home with her children. Two sisters and one brother reside in Albion, and another sister resides in Loretta, Nebraska.

Mr. and Mrs. Clark have had one son born to them, and he died in infancy. An adopted son. George A., married Maude Cook, and they live on the original homestead. Mr. and Mrs. George A. Clark have been the parents of three children,

EDEN VALLEY SCHOOL

RESIDENCE OF HENRY NICHOLAS SIEM.

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Hazel and Cecil living, and Willis, who died in in- fancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Clark have been active in church circles for the past twenty-five years, and were among the organizers of the first Sun- day school in their district about 1887; later Mr. Clark was superintendent of the same school for several years. They have passed through all the discouragements and hardships incident to pio- neer life and are widely and favorably known.

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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 75

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