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 86

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 86

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Mrs. Ayers before her marriage was Miss Almie Thornton, born at Saranac, New York, a daughter of Marshall and Susan (Lyon) Thorn- ton. The father was killed in the battle of Gaines Mills, during the civil war. Nathaniel Lyon, the famous general of the civil war, was a cousin of Mrs. Ayers' mother, and was descended from Sir Thomas Lyon of Scotland, who was knighted in the sixteenth century. Mrs. Ayers' father was born at Royalton, Vermont, and when a young man settled in Saranac at the foot of Lyon Moun- tain which was named for his wife's father. Mrs. Ayers taught school for a few terms in New York and Vermont, and then in 1864 came to Wisconsin to join a married sister who had written her to come to the west, where teachers' salaries were much more generous. In September, 1865, she was married to George Ayers, who died in August of the following year, some six months before the birth of a daughter who followed her father to the great beyond.

On February 1, 1870, Mrs. Ayers was married to Mr. John Ayers, a brother of her former spouse, and became the mother of two children: Nellie is the wife of Alva A. Baker, living on the original homestead, their three children are: Miles J., Nellie B., and Helen ; and Niles Fred, who ocenpies a part of the family estate on the old homestead, is growing one of the finest Lom- bardy poplars in the west, which Mrs. Ayers brought as a seedling from Wisconsin. Fred graduated from the Creighton high school and afterward attended Boyles' Business College, and was employed for a number of years by a lumber firm in Creighton. So well pleased were his employers that they offered him an interest in a new yard further west.

During the first three years of Mr. Ayers' ranching in Nebraska, Mrs. Ayers remained at Necedah, Wisconsin, where. she conducted a mil- linery establishment ; she owned several pieces of property there that could not be sold to advantage at the time Mr. Ayers left for the west. These she sold in 1879, packed their furniture in a car, filled the balance of it with lumber and shipped the cargo to Running Water, South Dakota, then the nearest railroad point to their Knox county home. The railroad was finished to Running Water by the time the car reached Scotland, South Dakota, so they had it re-shipped to the

new town, it being part of the first freight train to come down the new line; and it had been thirty days on the way. Mrs. Ayers invested part of her ready money in a quarter section of land at one dollar and a half per acre; it is now worth over forty times that price.

During the early days times were hard for the settlers. Grasshoppers devoured their crops several years, and they had nothing to market for even a scanty income. One year when Mr. Ayers raised a small crop of corn he could get but ten cents a bushel for it. The next year he had to pay a dollar a bushel for a seant amount to feed his working team, hauling it from Yankton, South Dakota, fifty miles. Twisted hay was their only fuel at times and often they burned corn when the price of that commodity was so low that three loads of it could not pay for one load of coal, and the supply of the latter many miles away.

Mr. Ayers has been for many years a member of the Masonic fraternity, having been raised to his master's degree in Wisconsin, 1865; he de- mitted to the Creighton lodge in 1883, and with Mrs. Ayers became a member of the Order of the Eastern Star when a chapter was instituted here. Mrs. Ayers is now serving as treasurer for the tenth year, besides having filled the matron's and associate's chair from time to time. She is also a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, and is now beginning her second year as president.

Fortune has smiled on this worthy couple since they came to the west, and they deserve all that has come their way. The hardships they en- dured merits them a generous reward.

MARTIN H. HUFF.

Martin H. Huff, a popular resident of Fuller- ton, Nebraska, and one of its most substantial business men is engaged in the real estate busi- ness at that point, and enjoys the esteem and con- fidence of all with whom he has to do.

Mr. Huff is a native of the state of Iowa, born in Tipton, on July 11, 1856, and is the first in a family of two children resulting from the union of John B. and Lavina Huff. This was the second marriage of John Huff, there having been ten children by the first marriage. Of this large fam- ily only himself and one half-brother are now alive, the latter being a resident of Central City, Nebraska. The mother died in Iowa in 1860, and the father in 1869. After the death of his parents he went to live with an uncle, W. J. Henry, at Shelbyville, Illinois, and there received his edu- cation. He later went back to Iowa and became interested in farming in Cedar county, remaining there up to 1878, in the spring of that year com- ing to Merrick county, Nebraska, where he spent one year, and then came on to Nance county. Here he purchased three hundred and twenty acres in sections thirty-one and thirty-two, town- ship seventeen, range six, and farmed the land for

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

about five years, then sold the traet and purchased a quarter seetion in Cedar Valley, near Fullerton. This he made his home for two years, at that time returning to Iowa and spent one year, coming back to Nanee eounty in 1885. He bought a half seetion in the same loeality as his first farm, and after working it for four years again pulled up stakes and removed to Oregon, where he settled on a one hundred and seventy acre traet and fol- lowed farming and stock raising for three years, then again eame into Nebraska and established himself in the mereantile business at Central City, continuing it up to 1892, at that time moving his stoek of goods to Belgrade and carried on the same business for one year. He went baek to his farm and remained there until 1908, when he re- tired from active farming and settled in Fuller- ton, where he now resides with his family.

Mr. Huff is a man of wide experience and has been prosperous and successful in his different business ventures, at the present time being elassed among the large landowners of Nanee county. Politieally he is a republican, in the fall of 1907 having been elected county assessor, which office he is filling at the present time to the satisfaction of his eounty. He has also served for a member of years on the school board.

Mr. Huff was married in October, 1876, in Iowa, to Miss Mina Riee, and they are the parents of six children, namely : James H. ; Belle, now the wife of H. F. Pardey ; Frank H., William P., John J., and Robert F., two sons are married, and the others live at home.

HENRY TIENKEN.

Henry Tienken enjoys the distinetion of being the first white settler in what is now Boyd county, Nebraska, having located on the Niobrara river, eight miles southwest of Naper in 1877. He eame to Niobrara in 1874, and his brother Charles, eame to Nebraska in 1877, where they located on some of the land they now own. At that time, Wisner was the nearest railroad point in Nebraska, the road being built on to Neligh in 1880, and later to Long Pine, which was the western terminus for several years. The brothers engaged in raising cattle and horses until 1903, when they moved to town, Charles settling in Bonesteel, and later re- moving to Gregory and Tripp counties, South Da- kota, where he engaged in the mereantile business. Henry came to Naper and opened a lumber yard, carrying besides a well selected stock of imple- ments, farm machinery, and both light and heavy vehicles. Ile has built up a most excellent busi- ness by his fair dealing, and having always been of a genial, cheerful disposition, he could not fail of sueeess.

Mr. Tienken was born near the city of Bremer- haven, in Hanover province, Germany, April 28, 1851. His parents, Jurgen and Margaret (Berje) Tienken, spent their entire life on their farm in

their native land. Charles and Henry Tienken came to Ameriea in 1870, sailing from Bremer- haven in the steamer "America." They landed after a voyage of two weeks, in New York, from which place Henry came direet to Door county, Wiseonsin, working on farms in this county un- til coming to Knox county, Nebraska.

Mr. Tienken was married-in Boyd county, December 13, 1887, to Miss Aliee Zimmerman, a native of Iowa and daughter of Jaeob Zimmer- man. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Tienken, namely: Charles L., who has a po- sition in the Anoka Bank; William B., and Ger- trude.

Mr. Tienken holds no politieal affiliation, vot- ing for the candidate of either party whom he feels will best serve the publie good. He was reared in the Lutheran faith, and is a member of the Odd Fellows, the Workmen, and the Modern Woodmen lodges.

No one appreciates more the advancement of the country than Mr. Tienken. When he first set- tled here, the nearest neighbors were twelve miles away; provisions were proenred in Niobrara; and the nearest mills were at Norfolk and Bon Homme, South Dakota, a distance of a hundred miles or more, the time required to complete the round trip being six or seven days.

Blizzards have had their share in making life uneomfortable to the western settlers, and Mr. Tienken has suffered losses, as others did. The winter of 1880 and 1881, known as "the winter of the deep snow," was unusually disastrous to him, as they lost over half of their cattle, a severe blow to beginners in the eattle business. The most notable blizzard, that of January 12, 1888, while severe, did not work havoe with their stoek as did the storms of earlier seasons. They did not loose a hoof, as the storm did not last long and their eattle had fine shelter in the timber along the Niobrara river. In one of the severe hail- storms that swept the western country, Mr. Tien- ken was caught out in the open. To save his life, he crawled under his pony, making it stand still through the icy bombardment. Of the many prairie fires he witnessed, one was started by trappers on Oak creek, March 31, 1880. All their buildings, hay and grass were consumed, leaving only 'smouldering ruins, they having barely es- caped with their lives and saving only the eat- tle. During the spring of 1878 he encountered a band of Spotted Tail's Sioux Indians, who were following a band of rustlers who had stolen a herd of their ponies. 1Ie did not know for a time that they would not be hostile to him, but eon- vineed them that he was innocent of the depre- dation.

During the days of "Doe." Middleton and "Kid" Wade and others of their elass, Mr. Tien- ken suffered losses through the depredations of these notorious characters. He knew these out- law characters well, Wade having lived here be-

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fore Mr. Tienken's arrival, and Middleton having eome afterwards.

Mr. Tienken after years of hardship and de- privation, years of toil and unremitting effort, has attained a competency, and is possessed of a large tract of land, placing him in the independ- ent class of citizens who ean look the whole world in the face and know that so long as he lives he need not owe any man.

HENRY GUILES. (Deeeased.)

Henry Guiles was a highly respected citizen of St. Edward, Nebraska. He was for many years prominent in the agricultural regions of Boone county, having improved a large traet of land, and operated the same successfully, being at the time of his death, classed among the wealthy re- tired residents of that region.

Mr. Guiles was born in Columbus, New York, on June 20, 1834, and was the youngest of thir- teen children born to William and Phila Guiles, but two brothers of whom are now living, one in Platte county, Nebraska, and the other at Farley, Iowa. When Henry Guiles was about six years of age, he moved with his parents to Erie county, Pennsylvania, remaining there until he was twen- ty-two years old, then settled in Illinois on a farm. In 1858 he went to Iowa, and started farm- ing, returning to Illinois in the fall of the year and was married to Miss Mary Dufoe, on Thanks- giving Day, their first home being in Delaware county, Iowa, where they farmed up to 1873. From there they came to Nebraska, locating in Platte county and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres, also filed on a timber claim of the same size. Later he purchased one hundred and eighty acres adjoining these tracts, and made a fine farm of the entire lot.

Mr. Guiles made his first settlement in Boone county in 1875, coming here from Platte county on account of the better educational ad- vantages for his children, and the same year or- ganized his sehool district, number forty-two, in Platte county, which was six miles wide and four- teen miles long, moving his family on the home- stead, where they lived until 1893, and in the lat- ter year Mrs. Guiles died there, survived by her husband and five children. She was a woman of beautiful christian character, greatly beloved by all who knew her, and her death was a severe blow to her sorrowing family. Her three daugh- ters and two sons are all married and settled in comfortable homes in different parts of Nebraska, lowa and South Dakota.

After the death of his wife, Mr. Guiles set- tled in St. Edwards, building a good home, and carried on a prosperous real estate business, which he established fifteen years ago. He was one of the first settlers in the county, passing through all the experiences and hardships of pio-

neer life, and coming out victorious from the struggle, in the possession of a good property and the highest esteem of his fellowmen. When he first settled in this locality, himself and wife were instrumental in organizing not only the first school district but also the first Methodist Episeo- pal church in their community. Their first ser- vices were held in sod buildings, oceupying three as churches until they had each in turn rotted down, and they then erected a frame building, which served as a house of worship for many years. Our subjeet and his family were active christian workers, Mr. Guiles having been a pil- lar in his church for over fifty years.

On Mareh 6, 1894, Mr. Guiles was united in marriage to Mrs. Lueretia Reeder, who was born and raised in Iowa, the ceremony taking place at Columbus, Nebraska.

Mr. Guiles was a prominent Grand Army of the Republie man, having enlisted in Company K, Twenty-first lowa Volunteer Regiment of In- fantry, and took aetive part in the following fa- mous engagements: Battles of Hartsville, Mis- souri, Port Gibson, Jaekson, Mississippi, Ray- mond, Champion Hill, Black River Bridge, Siege of Vicksburg, Spanish Fort, Fort Blakely, and Mobile, also minor skirmishes.

W. H. ROOT.

W. H. Root is an agriculturalist of prominence and a well known and popular citizen of Wayne county, Nebraska, residing on section six, town- ship twenty-seven, range two, east, where he has a very comfortable home.

Mr. Root was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, October 22, 1860, and is a son of Marvin and Jane (O'Connell) Root. The father was born in 1840, and was a native of Schoharie county, New York, but prior to the civil war moved to Cattaraugus county, where he lived until 1880. He served in the civil war as a mem- ber of Company G, One Hundred and Fifty- fourth New York Volunteer Infantry, enlisting in 1862, and receiving his discharge in 1865. At the close of the war, he returned to New York and resumed his occupation of farming. His wife was born in Ireland, and at the age of nine years was brought by her mother to America, the father having died previously. The voyage was made in a sailboat which was six weeks on the way. They were parents of seven children, of whom two sons and two daughters are now living.

The education of W. H. Root was acquired in a log school house in his native state, and he accompanied his parents to Nebraska in 1880. The father secured a homestead and timber claim and W. H., a timber claim ,where he now

lives. The patent for this claim is signed by ex-President Benjamin F. Harrison. They imme- diately set out to make improvements, and have beeome sueeessful as farmers and stock-raisers. The father died in 1890 and the mother in 1904.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY, REMINISCENCE AND BIOGRAPHY.

W. H. Root is an enterprising and progressive farmer and much interested in the question of modern scientific farming. He owns four hun- dred acres of land in Wayne and Cedar counties, Nebraska, which all joins, and one hundred and sixty acres in South Dakota. He is ready to sup- port the cause of education and is a substantial and influential citizen.

December 26, 1882, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Lydia Marsh, daughter of Allen and Mary (Derry) Marsh, natives of New York state. Four children have been born of this union, namely: Marvin, born October 9, 1883, who married Bell Martin and resides on one of his father's farms in Cedar county; Guy, born September 19, 1886, who married Florence Cross, and resides on part of the homestead; Alice and Iva, twins, at home. The twins were born Sep- tember 8, 1894, and both graduated from the Sholes high school in May, 1911.

NATHANIEL CRABTREE.

In compiling a list of the pioneers of Nance eounty, Nebraska, who have aided materially in making of that region a thriving agricultural dis- triet, the gentleman above named deserves prom- inent mention. For over thirty years Mr. Crab- tree has been identified with the history and de- velopment of Nance county, and his labors to this end are well known by all who reside in that community.

Mr. Crabtree is a native of England, born in London in 1842, and was the eldest of three chil- dren in the family of Aaron and Mary Crabtree. When our subject was two years old the parents came to America, locating in Pennsylvania, where two daughters were born. They remained in that state for about four years, then removed to Illinois, settling on a farm in Mercer county, and there the father died in 1850, his widow sur- viving him for four years. Both danghters are deceased, leaving our subjeet the only living mem- ber of the family.

When Mr. Crabtree was a lad of fourteen he was thrown upon his own resources, and he began as a farm hand in Knox county, Illinois, remain- ing in that vicinity up to 1862, then enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Infantry. Ile was in numerous engagements, and on the eighteenth day of November, 1863, was in the thick of the Siege of Knoxville, there re- ceiving a gunshot wound which required the amputation of his left leg on the same date. He was under General Burnside's eommand at that time, and saw every side of a soldier's life, suffer- ing hardship and privation of all sorts. After his leg had been amputated and Mr. Crabtree had sufficiently recovered he was given a furlough and sent home in March, 1864. After thirty days he started for Dayton, Ohio, but on account of a severe attack of illness was taken from the

train at Chicago, and sent to the Marine hospital at that place. This was at that time a govern- ment institution. Here Mr. Crabtree remained until he was honorably discharged in August, 1864, when he returned to Knox county, Illinois. He spent about two years there and in Bloom- ington, and in the fall of 1867 moved to Fulton, Illinois, there attending the soldier's college for about three years. After his college course he went to Mercer county and remained for two years, then came to Nebraska, taking up a home- stead in Platte county. This was his home for six or seven years and all of that time was devoted to farming and stock raising, of which he made a success. He next came into Nance county, arriv- ing here in April, 1881, purchased a quarter sec- tion of land on the Loup river bottom situated five miles southwest of Genoa, and lived on the place for several years, then moved to Fullerton, which at that time was a small village. From 1903 to November, 1910, he was engaged in the flour, feed and coal business. In November, 1910, Mr. Crabtree disposed of his business in Fuller- ton and is now living retired.

In February, 1878, Mr. Crabtree married Marie Minsterman, at Columbus, Nebraska. Mrs. Crabtree is a native of Germany, coming to Amer- ica about 1876. To our subject and wife have been born seven children, namely: Aaron, Ceaser, John, Kate, Annie, Noah and William, all now grown and making their way honorably in life, all single except Ceaser. The Crabtree family are all well known and highly esteemed throughout their section of the country, and are actively interested in the advancement of their respective localities. A family group picture of the family appears on another page.

It has now, in 1911, been forty-one years since Mr. Crabtree came to Nebraska. When he set- tled in Platte county his nearest neighbor was seven miles away. The town of Humphrey is now on a part of Mr. Crabtree's first claim.

When he settled in Nance county there was no one living between his place and Genoa, a dis- tance of five miles. All of that country is thickly populated now. At the time he settled in Nance county the nearest postoffice was at Columbus, over twenty-five miles away. There were no fences in the county then.

CHARLES SPENCE.

Charles Spence, a prominent farmer and stock- man living on section thirty-six, township twenty- four, is well known throughout Stanton county as a progressive, energetic and successful citizen, and has won the respect and esteem of all with whom he has had dealings. Although a young man, Mr. Spence is counted among the early set- tlers, as he came to this county in 1874, and has practically grown up with the country.

Mr. Spence is a native of Canada, and was

NATHANIEL CRABTREE AND FAMILY.

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born in 1872. When he was only two years old his parents, Anna and Hamilton Spence, took their little family to Stanton county, Nebraska, making the journey from West Point on a stage. Having arrived in Stanton county, the father bought some land, which has later been much improved, and is now the home of the subscriber. Mr. Spence himself received his education almost entirely in the schools of Nebraska, and can tell many interesting stories of a settler's life as he remembers it when he was a child.

At this time, Wisner was the nearest post- office and market place, and their neighbors were few and far between. What with grasshoppers, prairie fires and blizzards, the life of the early settler was certainly made a burden. However, they remained, trusting to their efforts to produce a change.

Charles Spence later started to farming for himself, and has succeeded in developing a fine farm and is engaged in diversified farming and stock raising. He has a good supply of water from deep bored wells, and his place is well equipped for stock raising. He has all buildings necessary for a well improved farm, and, more- over, a comfortable residence with many of the modern improvements.

In 1901, Mr. Spence was united in marriage to Miss Alice Murphy. Three children have come to bless their home, and they are named as fol- lows: Ada, Lynn and Orval.

HENRY MENEBROKER.

A history of the northeastern part of the state of Nebraska would be incomplete without including a sketch of the life of Henry Mene- broker, who is one of the most prominent of the old settlers. Mr. Menebroker is one of those sturdy sons of the German Empire who, with his parents, came to the golden west in the days of the early pioneer to seek their fortunes and build up for themselves foundations for a more free and substantial life than could be had in any other country.

Mr. Menebroker is a native of Germany, being born in Lotte village, Westphalen province, September 29, 1870, and was the eldest of six children in the family of Henry and Welhimena (Roower) Menebroker, both natives of the old fatherland. His father served his native country in three wars, the first in 1864, in the strife be- tween Denmark and Germany; the second, in 1866, between Austria and Germany; and the third, in 1870, between France and Germany. Our subject's wife, who before her marriage to Mr. Menebroker, was Miss Carrie Reutzel, was born April 7, 1879, in Fillmore county, Nebraska, her parents being old settlers of this state.

In 1887 Mr. Menebroker came to America with his parents where they could get cheap land and a place to make a fortune; they left Bremen,

Germany, on the steamship "Wesser," sailing to Baltimore, August 14, and after landing here, proceeded westward where they settled in Clear- water, Nebraska. One sister preceded the family to America by four years and one brother, who arrived one year later. In 1904, Mr. Menebroker bought his present farm from O. A. Briton, which farm was originally the "McGowen Homestead." Mr. Menebroker now owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land, and has four acres of good forest trees and orchard.

Mr. Menebroker was united in matrimony May 7, 1902, to Miss Carrie Reutzel, and Mr. and Mrs. Menebroker have one child, Paul, who is a fine lad, born February 14, 1903.

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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 86

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