History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time, Part 101

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > Nebraska > Custer County > History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time > Part 101

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L. NOLAN STEEL. - One of the active citizens upon whom rests heavily the respon- sibility of food production in these days of wars and armies and who is responding to the demands made upon him in a very creditable way is L. Nolan Steel. Mr. Steel is essen- tially a Nebraska product. It was in this best state of the central west that he made his debut into life and present-day activity.

He was born at Western, Saline county, Nebraska, May 26, 1879. His father, Samuel Steel, was then a substantial farmer of that vicinity and is to-day a resident of the same place. Samuel Steel was born in Pilot Grove. Iowa, and in 1872 he came to Saline county, Nebraska, and took a homestead near Wes- tern. There he was united in marriage to Abbie Chamberlain, a native of Illinois. They became the parents of six children. L. Nolan was the firstborn. His brothers and sisters are Edward O., Blanche H. Akins, Zola (a teacher, who makes her home with her par- ents ). Fred, and Everett.

Young Nolan Steel grew up under the fam- ily roof and had the advantages of the com- mon schools and the Western high school. It was on his father's farm that he learned the first principles of agriculture by practical ap- plication. In February. 1902, at Daykin, Jef- ferson county, he was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Marsh, an attractive young lady. who was born in Nebraska and who is a daughter of Henry and Catherine (Myers) Marsh. The story now turns to Mrs. Steel's family. Two children were born into the Marsh home. Mrs. Ellen Steel and Mrs. Jen- nie Backes. September 1, 1885, Mrs. Marsh died. and a few years later the father was again married, this time to Caroline Carl. Of this second marriage three children were born - Frank, George H., and Leola M. The last mentioned is living at home with her parents, at Callaway.

Mr. and Mrs. Steel were no sooner married than they began preparations to establish their

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home in Custer county, and in the fall of the same year they landed in Merna and moved on to land that Mr. Steel's father had bought the year before, and here they have resided continuously until the present time. As an indication of the thrift and prosperity that have attended their labors in Custer county, it might be stated that they own a half interest in 480 acres of land, which brings in a fine in- come, as it rarely fails to produce good crops. They have seventy-five head of cattle, forty head of horses, and a splendid complement of the high-prized porkers which in these days contribute so materially to profitable farming.

Nolan Steel tells us that when a boy he used to feed stock and grease a windmill once a week for an old gentleman and that for this service he received twenty-five cents a week. This was the initial money earned by Mr. Steel and was, perhaps, the foundation of his pres- ent accumulation.

Mr. and Mrs. Steel have but one child, Cecil F., a son, who is fifteen years of age, in 1918, and who is in his first year of the high- school course, while he is ambitiously looking forward to an agricultural course at Lincoln and also a business-college course.

Mr. and Mrs. Steel are fine people, highly respected in the community, and members of the Methodist church. Mr. Steel is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, and in connection with political affairs he generally votes the Democratic ticket.

CHARLES H. SANDERSON .- In the famous Powell canyon of Custer county there resides, near Arnold, a sterling and popular citizen who has the distinction of having been born in Sweden but who is not of Scandina- vian lineage, as a glance at the family record clearly indicates. On the contrary Mr. San- derson is a scion of a fine line of staunch New England ancestry. It may thus be conjectured that the shrewdness and thrift of the subject of this review come to him as a heritage from this worthy New England stock. When it is stated that Mr. Sanderson was born in Swe- den, the significance of the notation, from a pure American standpoint, is enforced by the fact that the Sweden which he thus claims as the place of his nativity is a thriving town of that name in the county of Oxford, Maine. At that place in the old Pine Tree state he was born on the 10th of May, 1857, and he is a son of Edwin and Betsey (Warren) Sander- son, both of whom were likewise born in Maine. The respective families were early founded in New England. that gracious cradle of much of our national history, and the pa-

ternal grandfather of Charles H. Sanderson was Stephen Sanderson, his maternal grand- father having been Daniel Warren. Edwin and Betsey ( Warren) Sanderson became the parents of six children - Marion (deceased), Mrs. Marilla Kneeland, Eugene E., Stephen F., Charles H., and John B. Edwin Sander- son was a sturdy New England farmer and was true and loyal in all of the relations of life. His political support was given to the Republican party, he was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, and he and his wife were earnest members of the Congregational church.

Charles H. Sanderson was but four years old at the time of his mother's death, and as a boy he began to learn the dignity and value of honest toil and endeavor. He duly availed himself of the advantages of the common schools and supplemented this discipline by attending Bridgeton Academy, at Bridgeton, Maine, and later Dover Academy, in the state of New Hampshire. In pursuing his studies in Dover Academy Mr. Sanderson defrayed his expenses through funds which he earned by working Saturdays and during vacation periods. In this connection it may be noted that he earned three dollars a week by caring for the horses of a local jeweler in the town where he was attending school.

After leaving school Mr. Sanderson was for several years in the employ of the Berlin Lum- ber Company, of Berlin, New Hampshire, and at intervals his services for this company were required in the Dominion of Canada. The major part of the money which he earned while he was thus engaged, was sent home to his father, to aid in the support of the family. Later Mr. Sanderson was employed three years in the drug store of his brother Stephen, at Rochester, New Hampshire, and finally he made his way to Chicago, Illinois, where he was for three years in the employ of the Deer- ing Harvester Company. At that time the late L. H. Jewett, who later became well known in Custer county, Nebraska, was cash- ier for the Deering Company, and a close friendship was formed by Mr. Jewett and Mr. Sanderson - a friendship severed only by the death of Mr. Jewett. In 1884 the two friends came to Nebraska and numbered themselves among the pioneer settlers of Custer county. Mr. Sanderson succeeded in acquiring a home- stead claim, a timber claim and a pre-emption claim in the Powell canyon, these claims being adjacent and being situated six miles northeast of the present village of Arnold. Mr. Sander- son vigorously set himself to the task of re- claiming and improving his land, and he con- tinued to reside on the pre-emption claim for thirty years, the while success attended his

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earnest and well directed efforts. At the present time he is giving special attention to the improving of his original timber claim, with the intention of developing the same as his model farm home. The Sanderson ranch comprises 560 acres, and Mr: Sanderson owns also a valuable tract, of forty acres, adjoining the town of Arnold. His accumulations and substantial prosperity represent the direct re- sults of his successful enterprise along the lines of farming and stock-raising, and while he has made a success of raising both cattle and hogs, he has given a greater preference to the latter branch of animal industry. He has contributed his quota to the civic and in- dustrial development of Custer county and is one of the well known and highly esteemed pioneer citizens of this favored section of the state. He has been definitely progressive and public-spirited and has been influential in com- munity affairs, as shown by the fact that he has been a member of the school board of his district for nearly thirty years. He gives his allegiance to the Republican party and he and his family are affiliated with the Christian church.

At Morganville, Clay county, Kansas, on the 5th day of April, 1889, was recorded the marriage of Mr. Sanderson and Miss Mary C. Conkright, of Jacksonville, Illinois. Her father, James C. Conkright, was a native of Kentucky, and was two years of age at the time of his parents' removal to New Salem, Illinois, where he remained until his early manhood. He married Miss Clarinda Mace, who was born at Bowdoinham, Maine, and their two children were Hannah and Mary C. For several years Mr. Conkright operated an iron foundry in Illinois, and thereafter he be- came one of the early pioneer settlers of Wil- son county, Kansas. In the Sunflower state he had his full share of the hardships entailed by the scourge of grasshoppers, for during those memorable years he was there engaged in farm enterprise. Finally he established his residence at Morganville. Kansas, where for many years he was a prominent figure in both private and public life. He served many years in offices of public trust, including those of judge, and assessor, and he was one of the honored and influential men of his commun- itv.

'The genealogy of Mrs. Sanderson, on both the paternal and maternal sides, traces back to sturdy New England origin. Edwin, the only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Sanderson, died at the age of fifteen months, but in their home they have reared an adopted son, Valen- tine P. Sanderson, who remains with them and accords to them true filial solicitude.

J. M. BATES. - Few families of Custer county are better or more favorably known than that which bears the name of Bates. Its members have been prominently identified with the various interests of central Nebraska ever since the general early settlement of this locality -as farmers, stock-raisers, large landholders, merchants, and public officials - and men bearing the name are listed among some of the wealthiest in the state. A worthy representative of the family is J. M. Bates, of Berwyn, for a long period identified with large affairs, particularly in the line of agriculture, but now living in retirement.

Mr. Bates was born in Windsor county, Vermont. August 19. 1850, and he is a son of James O. and Louisa Amanda (Martin ) Bates, natives of the same county, where the former was born September 4, 1825, and the latter August 24, 1831. The parents were married in Vermont, in 1849. James O. Bates in early life was a school-teacher. but he sub- sequently turned his attention to merchandis- ing, and finally became a farmer and stock- raiser. In 1866 he removed to New Hamp- shire, where he made his home until 1879, in which year he turned his face toward the west. with Omaha, Nebraska, as his destination. In the vicinity of that city he farmed for four years, but in 1883 he disposed of his interests there and came to Custer county, where his death occurred in 1895, his widow surviving until 1904. Three daughters also died on the homestead, and only the two sons now re- main : J. M., of this review, and Claude E .. of Lillian, Nebraska, a bachelor, who is re- puted to be the third wealthiest man in Custer county. The parents were originally members of the Baptist church, but in later years joined the Congregational church. A Republican in his political views. James O. Bates was post- master at Lillian for a number of years, and at his death he was succeeded by his widow, who served as postmistress until her death. The office was later held by a daughter of J. M1. Bates, and when she died it was taken over by her brother, who now acts in that official capacity.

J. M. Bates attended the public schools of Vermont and New Hampshire and went to college for two or three terms, graduating in bookkeeping and also studying commercial law. As a youth he was variously employed, principally on his father's farms, but after coming to Nebraska he became a collector for a wholesale house of Omaha, a position which he held for several years. Later he entered mercantile pursuits at Clarks, in Merrick county, where he was thus engaged for eight years, and he was engaged also in the grain-

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

buying business for four years. As his in- terests grew and succeeded, he began invest- ing his capital in land and gradually accumu- lated a good farm property in Custer county, on which he carried on operations both as farmer and breeder of stock for a number of years. This land, consisting of 800 acres, he now rents, his home being located at Berwyn, where he also has large, important and val- uable interests, including real estate to the value of $40,000. All that he owns to-day he has accumulated through the medium of his own efforts. He has been the pioneer in a number of movements that have demonstrated his progressive spirit, and has ever been one to foster and promote beneficial enterprises. When he rode a mule into the newly formed town of Broken Bow, this animal was the first that was ever "put up" as a transient in that community, where it was housed in an old sod blacksmith shop. Mr. Bates it was who hauled the first lumber to erect a house at Sargent. As a citizen he has been public- spirited and as a business man his reputation is of the best. He is a Republican in politics and he and his family belong to the Christian church.

In 1875 Mr. Bates married Miss Elizabeth Page, who was born at Orford, New Hamp- shire. She is a daughter of Albert Page, who was a resident of Nebraska for five years, but later went to New Jersey, where he died. Mrs. Bates died in 1884, having been the mother of two children: Fred, postmaster at Lillian, and a prominent business man, whose interests approximate $100,000; and Helen, former postmistress at that place, now de- ceased. Mlr. Bates was married again in 1884, to Miss Frances Simpson, who was born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of Jotham Simpson, whose death occurred in the state of California. Six children were born to this union: Clyde. who is engaged in farming on his father's property nine miles north of Broken Bow ; Clemens, who is engaged in farming and rais- ing stock in the vicinity of Lillian; Amy, who is the wife of George Howell, who carries on agricultural operations on one of her father's farms in Custer county ; Zelma, who is the wife of George Raymond, farming on a prop- erty six miles southwest of Broken Bow : Jes- sie, who is unmarried and resides with her parents at Berwyn ; and Verne, who is farm- ing five miles southwest of Broken Bow.

ELMER V. WILKERSON. - One of the substantial men who are conducting success- ful operations in the Callaway vicinity is Elmer V. Wilkerson, who was born March 31, 1878, in Lynn county, Missouri. He is a

son of Aaron J. and Mary (Gooch) Wilker- son, the former a native of Missouri and the latter a native of the Blue Grass state, famous for good horses and beautiful women. In the family of Aaron J. Wilkerson were five child- ren, all of whom grew to maturity, namely : John F., Florence Fore, Katherine Salee. Harvey (deceased), and the subject of this sketch. The parents by religious faith were Presbyterians and were counted as substan- tial people in the community of their resi- dence.

Young Elmer V. Wilkerson worked at home, attended school, improved his oppor- tunities and by being unusually studious, be- came so far advanced in his studies that he was able to teach school during the winter time from the time he was sixteen years old. Farming became the order of the day, work during the summer, teaching school during the winter. He recalls that one summer he pitched hay for fifty cents a day, but he has always believed that the work was worth more money. By this means he secured enough money to attend the Missouri Normal School at Chillicothe, for a year and one-half. He continued to reside at home, working and teaching, until he reached his majority.

October 22, 1899, at Meadville, Missouri, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Wilker- son to Miss Esther W. Sidebottom, who was born and reared in that town and who is a daughter of William W. and Mary (Ogan) Sidebottom. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkerson then established a home of their own, and they have maintained it in comfort and plenty dur- ing the years that have followed. They have three sons: Lawrence Wayne is a graduate of the high school at Wheeling, Missouri; Dayton W., eleven years of age ; and Ray- mond Earl, six years of age, are both in school and are candidates for higher education.

During the first part of his independent career, Mr. Wilkerson made his home on a farm. He farmed during the summer, handled some stock and taught school in the winter time. This was the program until the winter of 1917, when he gave up the last part of an unexpired term of school and came to Custer county and purchased part of the old Penn ranch, on Spring creek. This he has recently sold, making a splendid profit on his invest- ment. He is well pleased with the county and expects to reinvest his money in other land in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkerson are fine people, and the citizens of Custer county will be glad to have them remain and here make their future home. They are members of the Methodist church and Mr. Wilkerson is af- filiated with the Knights of the Maccabees.

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His political allegiance is given to the Repub- lican party.

WESLEY MILLER, who is numbered among the prominent representatives of the farming and stock-raising interests of Custer county, and who is now the owner of the homestead secured by his father in 1885, has made his entire career within the borders of the county. He is a native of Linn county, Iowa, and was born August 10, 1869, being ? son of William and Loretta (Hagey) Miller, both natives of Westmoreland county, Penn- sylvania. His paternal grandfather was Michael Miller, a blacksmith by trade, who died in Linn county, Iowa, while his maternal grandfather was Adam Hagey, who was born in Pennsylvania and who moved to Iowa and spent his last years in farming.

William Miller was born in 1830 and was educated in the public schools of the Key- stone state, where. in Westmoreland county, he learned the trade of blacksmith. About the year 1861 he moved to Iowa, where he fol- lowed his trade, as he did also after coming to Nebraska, in connection with carrying on farming on his homestead. in Custer county, on which he settled in 1885. Later he turned his entire attention to farming and the raising of live stock, and he was so engaged at the time of his death, in 1902, although at that time he was a resident of Oklahoma. Origin- ally a Republican, in his later years he trans- ferred his allegiance to the Populist party, and he held several local public offices. Mrs. Miller, who was born in 1833, died in Greene county, Iowa. September 10, 1887. They were members of the old line Presbyterian church, and had eight children, of whom seven are now living, Wesley having been the seventh in order of birth. Only one other child lives in Nebraska: John C., who is engaged in farming in the vicinity of Ansley.

Wesley Miller was educated in the public schools of Greene county, Iowa, and Custer county, Nebraska, and from his youth has been engaged in farming. He remained on the homestead, which he secured by purchase from the heirs of the estate after his father's death, in 1902, and at the present time he is the owner of 440 acers of good land, all ac- cumulated through his own efforts. From time to time he has made modern improve- ments on his property, which now has a set of good buildings, including his pleasant home, erected by him in 1909, and a large barn, built in 1911, as well as substantial outbuildings. In addition to general farming, he has always carried on stock-raising, and in each direction

he has met with well deserved success. Fra- ternally Mr. Miller is well known, being a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica, and he is now serving his third term as master of the local Grange. He is an inde- pendent Democrat in politics. As a citizen he has been a staunch and generous supporter of public-spirited movements, and has fulfilled his responsibilities in an efficient manner in the offices of constable for several years and justice of the peace one term.

In September, 1892, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Anna L. Littler, who was born at Lincoln, Nebraska, a daughter of Oliver Littler, who conducted a transfer busi- ness in Lincoln for a number of years and who died in that city. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller - Myron W., who is, at the time of this writing, with the American Expeditionary Forces in France ; and Elnora, who is residing with her parents and is one of Custer county's successful school-teachers.

CHRIST HELMUTH, who is a prosper- ous and well contented farmer living in Cus- ter county, Nebraska, where he owns several valuable properties and has a fine home, has lived here for thirty-four years and is highly respected in his neighborhood. Mr. Helmuth was born in Germany, February 10. 1860, a son of John and Mary Helmuth, whose child- ren were: William, John, Christ, and Carrie.

Christ Helmuth was fourteen years old when he accompanied his mother, his sister Carrie, and August Wirshing, who was a half - brother, to the United States. His people be- longed to the working class and, as the law provided, he was given three hours of school- ing in the forenoon of each day. Thus, al- though not acquainted with any language ex- cept that of his native land, he was a well in . formed youth when he came to America. Agricultural conditions, however, were not encouraging at that time in Germany, and thus the family sought a new home in a land where their industry would be certain to be rewarded by a chance to secure farm land. When Mr. Helmuth and his mother, sister and half-brother reached Illinois, they stopped in Jo Daviess county, and all went to work on farms. In February, 1884, the Helmuths came to Lexington. Dawson county. Nebraska, and immediately afterward located claims on the Buffalo Table, eight miles west of Oconto, Custer county. At that time it was a some- what arid region and there was considerable hardship endured for a period, because of

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lack of water. John Helmuth secured the first well on the Buffalo Table, in 1890, and in the same year Ernest Snyder also found water. Other settlers also sunk wells, and the critical situation of those early years passed away. Mr. Helmuth remembers haul- ing water for drinking purposes a distance of about five miles during a period of six years, securing water for other purposes from Buf- falo wallows and lagoons. This lack of water interfered with farming and stock-raising in- dustries for a time, but the Helmuths were not discouraged. They held on to their land and the old homestead now belongs to Christ Hel- muth, who still lives on the place, and is prosperous and satisfied. He has always been a hard and steady worker, and through his industry has secured a second farm, of 160 acres, besides which he has everything com- fortable around him. He earned his first money when he was ten years old, by working on a farm in Germany, his wages being five cents for a half-day.

Mr. Helmuth was married May 4, 1889, to Miss Barbara Snyder, a daughter of Ernest and Johanna (Kape) Snyder, natives of Ger- many, who had the following children: Ern- est, Mrs. Lillie Helmuth, Mrs. Barbara Hel- muth, George, John, Lawrence, Mrs. Maggie German, Mrs. Susie Helmuth, Mrs. Anna Helsel, and Mrs. Louisa Lewis. Mr. and Mrs. Helmuth have five children, as follows: Mary L. is the wife of Robert Robison, of Mathers- ville, Illinois, and they have one daughter ; George C., who has been his father's helper. was looking forward to service in the national army, in the world war at the time when the great conflict came to a close ; Matilda D. is the wife of Raymond Badgley, a farmer living three miles west of Oconto, and they have one son ; and Carrie G. and Daisy R. are attending school. Mr. Helmuth and his family belong to the Lutheran church. He is an independent voter and is affiliated with the Modern Wood- men of America.

CHARLES L. MOUGEY, a retired farmer of Custer county, now residing at Kearney, is a well known and much esteemed citizen and is a worthy representative of that sturdy band of settlers and homeseekers that came into the county in 1883. He was born in Scioto county, Ohio, August 30, 1855. His parents were Charles C. and Eugenia (Magnet) Mougey, the father a native of France and the mother of Ohio, born of French parents. Charles C. Mougey and wife had the follow- ing children : John, Peter, Mary, Joseph W., Mrs. Catherine Powell, Charles L., Mrs. Ma-

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History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time, Part 101

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company
Number of Pages: 1180