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 90

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 90

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Tripp county, South Dakota. He is an expert judge of horses, also a master of them, and se- cured first prize in a roping contest held in his vicinity in 1910.

Mr. Barker is a demoerat, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republie Post at Niobrara.

WILLIAM FOSTER.

It is now over thirty-eight years since William Foster became a resident of Merrick eounty, Ne- braska, and sinee that time he has been promi- nently associated with agricultural interests of this part of the state, and as an old settler and one of its worthy citizens he is prominently known.

William Foster is a son of Alexander P. and Mary (Crawford) Foster. He was born in Abbe- ville county, South Carolina, September 20, 1828, and was the eldest of nine children; he has one sister residing in Sparta, Illinois, and another in Denver, Colorado. His father died February 11. 1871, and the mother died in July, 1907, at the advanced age of ninety-eight years, eight months and six days, both having passed away in Sparta, Illinois. Mr. Foster went with his people to Illi- nois, where his father engaged in the mercantile business at Sparta, and here our subject received his education in the common sehools, and later engaged in farming.

On January 18, 1849, Mr. Foster was united in marriage to Miss Nancy L. MeDonald, also of South Carolina, who was born February 13, 1827. Mr. and Mrs. Foster have had five children, two of whom are living: John P., married, has two children and lives in Clarks, Nebraska ; James L., married, has ten children and lives in Oregon ; William T., deceased in 1873, at the age of eighteen years ; Alexander P., died September 24. 1858; and Alva S., died April 28, 1862.

On August 13, 1862, Mr. Foster enlisted in Com- pany G, Eightieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving until the elose of the war. He partici- pated in many of the most deeisive battles of the war, among them being the following : Perryville. Kentucky, October 8, 1862; Milton Heights, Gods- den, Alabama, May 2, 1863; Sand Mountain. Day's Gap, Alabama, April 30, 1863; Look Out Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, (in which tin, Knoxville, Roeky Flace, and Nash-

battle Mr. Foster was wounded) ; Galla- ville. Mr. Foster's regiment was surren- dered by Colonel Straight as prisoners of war to Brigadier General Forest at Cedar Bluffs. Alabama, May 3. 1863. They were prisoners of war for about eighteen days, then parolled and went home for a few days, when they were ex- changed and reported for duty at St. Louis, Mis- souri. Mr. Foster received an honorable dis- charge at Camp Harker, Tennessee, June 10. 1865.

After the war Mr. Foster returned to Illi-

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nois and again engaged in farming. In the fall of 1873, with his family, he came to Merrick county, Nebraska, homesteading one hundred and sixty acres of land in section twenty-eight, town- ship fifteen, range eight, which remained his place for eleven years; and then moved on to an- other farm which he had purchased in the meantime, just north of Palmer. In May of 1886, Mr. Foster retired from farm life and moved to Central City and purchased a home in the south- west part of town, where they lived until April, 1908, when they moved to their present home.

It seldom ocenrs that two people have traversed together the road of this earthly life so many years, live to enjoy their later days to- gether, and it is surely ideal to pass one's last years surrounded by one's helpmeet, children, grandchildren, and great-grandehildren. Mr. and Mrs. Foster have passed their sixty-second wed- ding anniversary, and they have seven great grandchildren. They are widely known and be- loved by all.

Mr. and Mrs. Foster are members of the Metli- odist Episcopal church. Mr. Foster is a member of Buford Post Grand Army of the Republic and his wife belongs to the Women's Relief Corps. Portraits of this worthy couple will be found on another page of this volume.

CHARLES H. DAVIS. (Deceased.)

Charles H. Davis, deceased, was one of Nance county's early settlers and worthy citizens who have done their full share in the building up of that region, using liberally his money and influ- enee to make of it a thriving agricultural sec- tion.

Mr. Davis was born in Albia, Iowa, July 20, 1853, and was a son of William and Ellen Davis who were pioneers in that state, and raised their family there. He received a good education, pursuing the study of law in his young manhood, and afterwards praetieing his profession in Iowa. In March, 1881, he married Elizabeth Allen, also a native of the state of Iowa, the event occurring at the home of the bride's mother, at Newton, Iowa, and they made that vicinity their home up to 1887. At that time, accompanied by his wife and two sons they came to Nance county, Ne- braska. They settled on a ranch and remained for five years, then located in Fullerton, where Mr. Davis purchased a residence. He at first ran a grocery store, and later opened a mereantile establishment, continuing up to 1902, when owing to ill health he was obliged to retire from active labor.

Mr. Davis departed this life on March 31, 1904, leaving a competence for his family, and his demise was deeply mourned by a large circle of acquaintances. He was well known in public life both in Nebraska and Iowa, having held various

offices while living in the latter state, serving as mayor of Chariton, Iowa, for one term, also was city clerk and deputy county clerk.

Mr. Davis was survived by his wife and three children, named as follows: William A., Tom B., and Karl P., the first and last mentioned living with their mother in the old homestead at Fuller- ton, while Tom B., an attorney, is deputy county treasurer of Nance county. Mrs. Davis' father is dead, but her mother is still living at the ad- vanced age of eighty-three years. The Davis family located in Iowa in 1845, at which time that state was in the early stages of settlement, and they were among the prominent pioneers. Their family consisted of two girls and six boys, Mrs. Davis' sister now living in Iowa, four brothers in that state, one in Nebraska, and an- other at Atlanta, Georgia. The parents of our subject, were charter members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Chariton, Iowa, which church has been rebuilt three times since its organiza- tion. The mother of Mr. Davis, at the age of seventy years, wrote a complete history of the church, and this book was published and eagerly read by the old residents of the locality.

PETER H. ANDERSEN.

Peter H. Andersen, postmaster of Naper, is the eldest of a family of sturdy, energetic brothers who have been well and favorably known in Boyd county since prior to the organization of that political division of the state. John is a mer- chant of Naper, of whom a sketch appears on another page of this work; and William holds the contract for carrying the mail between Naper and the railroad at St. Charles, South Dakota.

Peter H. Andersen was born near the city of Schleswig, in the province of that name. now a part of the German Empire, on May 19, 1859, and np to the time of his emigration to the states, was almost continuously in school. Sailing from Hamburg in 1879, he landed, after a voyage of two weeks, in New York and came on to Benton county, Iowa. He came in advance of his parents, who followed with the remaining children in the spring of 1880. For several years Peter found work in Benton county, and about 1882 went to California, working in a number of cities through- out the state, but most of the time in San Fran- cisco, where he was employed for several years on the street railway.

In 1888 Mr. Andersen rejoined his home folks, who had in the meantime migrated to Holt county, Nebraska. Here for four years he farmed the abandoned fields of settlers who had become discouraged and left their farms to return to the prairies from which they had but recently been broken. In 1892 he crossed the Niobrara and filed on a homestead claim three miles south of Naper ; this proved to be sehool land and had to be abandoned, so he bought the relinquishment of a

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quarter section five miles west of town, and in two years commuted, securing a title to the land. During these years he worked at the blacksmith's trade and dealt in implements, driving into town in the morning and returning at night.

He lived in the country until 1901, when, hay- ing been elected sheriff of the county, he moved to Butte and lived there for four years. On March 8, 1907, he moved to Naper and opened a general store, which he sold in 1908. He had been ap- pointed postmaster while in the store, and since 1908 has given his entire attention to the duties of his official position.

Mr. Andersen was married in Belle Plaine, Iowa, December 25, 1884, to Miss Mary Schmidt, daughter of Clause Schmidt, who emigrated from Schleswig-Holstein with his family to America. Of nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Andersen, seven are living. They are: John, George, Ernest, Clarence, Alma, Gertrude, and Gladys.

Mr. Andersen has had a somewhat more varied experience than the usual settler in the west, for in addition to prairie fires, blizzards, hailstorms and tornadoes, he was living near the track of the cyclone that passed down Keya Paha Valley. Two of his brother's children, besides five others, were lost in the storm and many were injured. and the latter he helped rescue and attend until their recovery. Like most of the early settlers, Mr. Andersen has lived in a sod house, and later had a frame addition built to it, hauling the lum- ber from Stuart, thirty-five miles across the prairies.

Mr. Andersen has all the qualities that go to make the westerner a companionable, loveable man. Ile is generous, broad in his views, cordial and public-spirited ; the type of man of which the western country may be proud.

Mr. Andersen is a republican in politics, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

IRA WHIPPLE.

This gentleman was for many years an agri- culturalist of prominence in' Boone county, own- ing a fine farm in Oakland precinct, but is now retired from active labor and lives with his charming family in Petersburg, where he enjoys a pleasant home and is surrounded by every com- fort and convenience of modern life. He has always been a man of untiring energy, and through industry and economy has built up a valuable property, now being classed among the eminently successful men of that part of Ne- braska.

Ira Whipple is the sixth child in the family of Philip and Sally Whipple, to whom eight were born. He first saw the light on September 6, 1833. The mother died in 1852, and her husband sur- vived her by eleven years. His early childhood was spent in New York state, the place of his

birth being Cattaraugus county, and in 1842 the entire family settled in Indiana, where he re- ceived a common school education, later engaging in farming there. When he was about twenty-one years of age he returned to New York state, fol- lowed farming there for two years, then went to Wisconsin and started to farm. He was married there, in Monroe county, on August 28, 1859, to Lucy Hazen, who was reared in that state, and the young pair made that their home for several years, moving into Minnesota in 1864, in April of that year Mr. Whipple enlisting in Company 1. First Minnesota Regiment of Infantry, and serv- ing until the close of the war. He took part in many famous battles and minor skirmishes, saw hard service, and was discharged from the army in July, 1865, at Jeffersonville, Indiana.

After leaving the army, Mr. Whipple returned to Minnesota and followed farming up to 1868. then returned to Wisconsin with his family, re- maining up to 1872, when he came to Boone county, Nebraska. He made the trip with a team and wagon, driving across the plains the entire distance, the journey consuming five weeks, and while on the road their fourth son, Claude, was born.

Mr. Whipple homesteaded on section thirty, township twenty-two, range seven, which tract remained the home place for twenty years. He also took up a timber claim of one hundred and sixty acres and proved up on it. In 1892 he sold the homestead and purchased a quarter section of railroad land situated five miles west of Peters- burg, this being their home for the following ten years, at which time our subject retired from active farm life and moved to Petersburg, pur- chasing a good home in which he now lives.

Mr. and Mrs. Whipple had ten children, nine of whom are now living: Francis M., Casper W., Laura E., Charles H., Curtis C., Claude E., Fred H., Ethel M., Erwin R., and Ida C. Laura E. died in 1900; the others all live in Nebraska ex- cept Casper W., who is in Colorado. Mrs. Whip- ple died January 7, 1910.

Our subject is classed among the very earliest settlers of his county, well remembering when antelope and deer ranged at will on the Nebraska plains. He helped in a large measure to produce the prosperity enjoyed in that region at the pres- ent time, and well merits the success and esteem which is accorded him. In the early years Mr. Whipple served as director of school district num- ber eighteen for a good many years.

JAMES STEPHENS.

A representative citizen of northeastern Ne- braska is James Stephens, who has occupied his present farm on section eighteen, township twenty-seven, range two, since 1885. Mr. Stephens may reasonably be counted as one of the pio- neers of the county, and he has always borne his

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part in advancing the general welfare and pros- perity of his community. He has a substantial and comfortable home, and his land is in a high state of cultivation and productiveness.

Mr. Stephens was born in Indiana in 1856. and is a son of Spencer and Nancy Stephens, both natives of Indiana. The parents had five children, who were all natives of the same state. Spencer Stephens died on his farm in Indiana in 1871, and Nancy Stephens died at Sheffield, Illinois, in 1880.

In 1875 James Stephens removed to Sheffield, Illinois, and he moved six years later to Carroll county, northwestern Iowa, where he rented land until coming to Nebraska.

In 1885, he purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Wayne county, which was then partly improved, and since then he has been employed in adding to its value and productiveness. He has a five-acre grove, includ- ing shade and fruit trees. Mr. Stephens now owns two hundred and forty acres, but formerly had more. He has built all the buildings on his place, and improved it in many ways.

In 1878, Mr. Stephens was united in mar- riage with Miss Maria Fisher, daughter of John and Margaret Fisher, natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Stephens are the parents of ten chil- dren, namely : Orie, Edgar, Laura, Oscar, Archie, James, Stella, Viola, Irvin, and Spencer, all living.

Mr. Stephens is well known throughout the county and has a reputation for uprightness and fair dealing in matters of business. He and his wife are prominent in social circles and have a wide circle of friends. They are interested in educational matters and other public move- ments, and represent the highest interests of the locality in which they live.

GEORGE E. WILLARD.

George E. Willard, son of Paul and Nancy (Follett) Willard, was born in Winchester, New Hampshire, February 11, 1839. He was the fourth son of nine children, and has one sister residing in the state of Connecticut, one sister in the state of Massachusetts, and one in the state of New Hamp- shire; he also has two brothers, one resides in Genoa, Nebraska, and the other in Oklahoma. The father died April 25, 1852, and the mother in April, 1882.

In the spring of 1857, our subject went to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he remained about six months, and from thence'going to Two Rivers, Wisconsin where he worked in a woodenware fac- tory. In 1862, he went to Grand Haven Michigan, where he engaged in the manufacture of wooden- ware, and was burned out in the spring of 1869; and in October of the same year Mr. Willard came west to Nebraska where he located at Genoa, where his brother, D. A. Willard, had located a year or two previously and was engaged in trading with Indians. Our subject took up a pre-emption

claim of eighty acres, three miles east of Genoa, Nance county, Nebraska, and also purchased five hundred and seventy-five acres adjoining the town of Genoa, where he engaged in the stock business. In 1872 he came to Columbus, retaining his farm interests and continuing in the stock business.

On February 21, 1882, Mr. Willard was mar- ried in St. Edwards, Nebraska, to Miss Catherine Coyle, who was born October 11, 1852, in Utica, New York state and who came to Nebraska with her parents Patrick and Margaret (Ely) Coyle, in 1872. Mrs. Willard's father died in June, 1904, and her mother in April, 1892. She has one brother, John T. Coyle, residing in St. Edwards, Nebraska, and one sister, Mrs. David Spencer, who resides in St. Edwards, Nebraska.

Miss Coyle, now Mrs. Willard, was the first school teacher of St. Edwards, Nebraska, where she taught for several years. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Willard resided in Columbus, and in the spring of 1896 moved to St. Edwards, Ne- braska, where they purchased land and engaged in farming, having four hundred acres under culti- vation and some stock land. In 1905, Mr. Willard retired and moved to Columbus, Nebraska, where he bought a fine home, where they now reside.

Mr. and Mrs. Willard have had three children. whose names are as follows: George P .. who lives in Pierre, South Dakota; William C., and Margaret L., both of whom are under the parental roof.

Mr. Willard has been prosperous and success- ful. owing one thousand and eighty acres of land in Nebraska and Kansas. He has lived the pioneer life in Michigan, where he homesteaded; in Wis- consin, and also in Nebraska, where he is widely and favorably known.

Mr. Willard has been a member of the city council of Columbus since 1907, and enjoys the friendship and popularity of a host of people.

HUGH MCKAY.

In compiling a list of the representative farm- ers of Antelope county. Nebraska. a prominent place is accorded the name of Hugh Mckay. For many years he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits in section twenty-six. township twenty- four. range seven, and has done a large part in developing the resources of that part of the coun- try, and enjovs the respect and esteem of all who know him. He has a comfortable home and valu- able estate. and is classed among the prosperous citizens of Antelope county.

Mr. MeKay is a native of Antrim county. Ire- land being born Mav 15, 1836. in Ulster village. in the north of Ireland. He is the son of Hugh and Jennie (Kenny) MeKay, who were natives of Ulster village. County Antrim, Ireland. In 1868. our subject left his native land and came to America. sailing from Belfast to Tivernool. from where he embarked on the steamship "Levecho" for New York, and after landing June 7, 1868, in

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that city, he immediately started for the west, settling in LaSalle county. Illinois, where he lived ten years. In the fall of 1878 Mr. MeKay came to Antelope county, Nebraska, by way of Des Moines, Iowa, driving the entire distance from Illinois, and after arriving here he took up a homestead, making the usual crude improvements possible in those days. such as building a sod house, etc., and experienced the many incon- veniences and hardships incident to those times. Lumber was a very scarce commodity in those days, the railroad termination was then Fremont, Columbus being the nearest market place, seventy- five miles distant. Deer and antelope were plenti- ful in those days. Mr. Mckay coming in the very earliest days of Nebraska's settlement, built and lived in two different sod houses before lumber could be had.

In 1855 Mr. Mckay was married to Miss Jane Patton of Ireland, this marriage taking place in Ireland. Four children were born to this union, whose names are as follows: Hugh, who is married to Miss Margaret Panl; William, married to Miss McIntyre: James, who is married to Miss Ada Meyers; and Alexandra, married to Miss Mattie McIntyre. In 1866 Mrs. McKay died deeply mourned by her husband and family and kind neighbors and friends. Mr. McKay remained eighteen months in Ireland after his wife's death, when leaving his four small children with his father, Hugh MeKay, who came to America one year later than our subject, he sailed for the United States.

On December 23. 1875. Mr. MeKay again was married, the bride being Miss Jane Paul, and Mr. and Mrs. McKay are the parents of two children : Jennie. wife of Mr. Charles Green; and Lizzie, wife of Claude Green. Mr. and Mrs. McKay and family have a wide circle of good true friends and neighbors.

JUDGE DOUGLAS CONES.

Judge Douglas Cones is one of the best known residents of Pierce county, and has been a leading attorney in that vicinity for many years. He is prominent in business and political circles, has served two terms as county attorney, having been appointed district judge in 1899 to fill the va- caney created by the resignation of William V. Allen, on his appointment to the United States senate to fill a vacancy arising by the death of United States Senator Hayward.

Douglas Cones was born on April 26, 1865, in Scott county, Iowa, and is a son of W. W. Cones who is a pioneer of northeastern Nebraska. The family settled in West Point in 1875; two years later moved to Wisner, and there our subject re- ceived his early education. afterwards attending Oberlin college for two years.

In the fall of 1885, he entered the railway mail service, running from Missouri Valley to Chad-

ron. After two years' service with the North- western, he was transferred to the Union Pacific, his work occupying the early morning and late evening hours, and during the day his time was spent studying law in the office of Sullivan & Reeder, at Columbus, Mr. Sullivan being judge of the state supreme court. Mr. Cones was ad- mitted to the bar April 31, 1889, and established an office at Pierce, practicing in the state and federal courts.

Mr. Cones was married at Pierce, July 15, 1899, to Grace Lee, who is a native of Sac county, lowa, her parents being born in England. To our subject and his wife two children were born: Melba, who died at the age of thirteen months. and Dorothy, now a charming and accomplished young woman.

W. W. Cones, the father of our subject, was one of the best known pioneers in the west, having been engaged in numerous extensive enterprises at various times, including banking and real estate, speculation, and handled large tracts of Nebraska land, he being instrumental in influenc- ing many to settle in this state. He owned and operated the first bank opened in Wisner. He was living, retired, at Council Bluffs, Iowa, at the time of his death, Jannary 17, 1910. His wife was Miss Lorinda Woods, a native of Tennessee, daughter of Reverend William H. Woods, who served as chaplain in an Iowa regiment during the war ,his wife being a cousin of Sam Houston, of Texas fame.

Judge Cones is a staunch democrat, and has been honored by his party with two terms as county attorney, also has held other official posi- tions.

MARTIN C. MORTENSEN.

Martin C. Mortensen, although. a native of Denmark, has spent practically his entire life in Howard county, Nebraska, coming here with his parents when a very small child. and is now proprietor of a fine farm in Warsaw precinct. Since reaching manhood he has been constantly identified with the agricultural interests of that locality, until a history of its development would be incomplete without mention of his labors and the pioneer experiences through which he has passed.

Mr. Mortensen was born in Denmark, Feb- ruary 18. 1873, and came to America when little more that a babe. The family located in Howard county immediately on arriving in Nebraska, the father purchasing the homestead privilege and improvements of the Paul Anderson claim. and they carried on that place for many years. Mar- tin received his early education in the country schools, putting in all his spare time on the home farm, and in 1893 attended the Western Normal school at Lincoln, for one term, afterwards at- tending college in Fremont for two years. In 1897 he started farming on his own account, and

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is now owner of two hundred and forty acres of choice land purchased from the Mortensen estate, his home residence being located on section twenty-one, township fourteen, range eleven. He has the entire place improved in good shape with substantial buildings, and every kind of ma- chinery for running a model farm, also has planted many shade and ornamental trees and has a fine orchard.

On April 11, 1900, Mr. Mortensen was united in marriage to Anna M. Obermiller, the ceremony taking place at Nysted. Miss Obermiller was the daughter of an old pioneer family in Howard county, and is a young woman of charming per- sonality. They have five children, as follows: Myra, Lillian, Edward C., Mildred, Evelyn, and Elvera, who form a most interesting family circle.

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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 90

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