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 132

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 132


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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA


for a number of years but has recently moved to the south; and George E., whose name initiates this review.


George E. Paine was born the month fol- lowing his parents' arrival in Wisconsin, and there his education was acquired in the pub- lic schools, while in his boyhood he was not unfamiliar with hard work, but early learned the value of industry, thrift and enterprise. He was about seventeen years of age when his parents came to Custer county, and much of the work of developing the new pioneer home- stead and of making it ready for the planting of crops fell upon his strong young shoulders. He remained at home until after he had at- tained his majority, but a few days before his twenty-second birthday, March 4, 1884, he secured a homestead. Previously to this, and for some time thereafter, he was engaged in freighting from Kearney to Grand Island, and to Broken Bow from both points. After he secured his homestead, he "batched it" for a time, living in a sod house and caring for his own wants, but February 24, 1886, he mar- ried Alice (Cheesebrough) Hodge, who was born in New York and who accompanied her parents to Wisconsin, where they died. Mr. and Mrs. Paine have eight children: Dr. J. Lee Paine, a graduate of the Cleveland Medi- cal College, is now a practicing physician and surgeon at Oconto, Nebraska ; Lynn is a clerk in the store of C. J. Stevens, of Ansley ; and Sam, Richard, Elsie, Clifford, Helen, and El- win are all at home and attending school. By a former marriage, to a Mr. Hodge, Mrs. Paine has one son, William Hodge, who is now engaged in farming near Westerville.


Mr. Paine has always made his home on the old homestead, where the sod house has long since given way to a pleasant modern resi- dence, surrounded by good barns and out- buildings and the other improvements of an up-to-date country property. His acreage has increased from time to time until he now has a half-section of land, gained through his industry and good management, and on this land he has applied himself to general farm- ing and the raising of stock, in both of which lines he has been distinctively successful. In politics Mr. Paine is a Democrat. He is one of his community's public-spirited men and one who has won confidence and esteem be- cause of his high ideals of integrity.


WILLIAM C. PIERCE, who is a well known resident of the Oconto district, where he is engaged in business as a farmer, has been a resident of this state for thitry-five years and during the greater part of this time has


been interested in agricultural development. Mr. Pierce, like many of the other substantial and dependable men of Custer county, is a native of the Hawkeye state. He was born near Valley Junction, Polk county, Iowa, Sep- tember 15, 1878. His parents were John M. and Mary E. (Middleswart ) Pierce, the for- mer a native of Ohio and the latter of Illi- nois. Of the family of five children three sons are living: Alfred R., James F., and William C. The father was a farmer all his life. He was an independent voter and was a member of the Knights of Pythias.


William C. Pierce was seven years old when he accompanied his parents to Nebraska, his father locating at Coffman Siding, fifteen miles north of Omaha, which place was named for Victor Coffman, who owned much land, including the Coffman ranch in Custer county, situated seven miles north of Oconto, which was operated for eighteen years by R. C. Chumbley. The boy attended school when opportunity was afforded, but Mr. Pierce never had the advantages that he has been able to give his own children. He was sturdy and industrious even in childhood, and when only eight years old was employed as driver of the horse that operated the derrick when the great business of stacking hay was in pro- gress. He remembers one occasion when he was about the most important member of the whole outfit. While driving the derrick horse a sudden electricial storm came up, making it necessary to get the hay stacked expeditiously, but when one of the haymakers facetiously assured the little driver that from the appear- ance of the cloud they would all be blown away, they immediately found themselves without a driver, Willie having known of for- mer storms of this kind and having promptly decided that the shelter of the house at such a time was only wise precaution. In 1890, when fourteen years old. Mr. Pierce came to Custer county and started to work on a salary basis on the Coffman ranch, where he re- mained eighteen years. After retiring from the ranch he came to Oconto, where he con- tinues to reside.


Mr. Pierce was married March 16, 1898, at Oconto, Nebraska, to Anna S. Helmuth, who was born in Germany, a daughter of William Helmuth, and they have five children - Rob- ert C., Sadie M., William C., Wilna E., and Juanita M. - all of whom live at home except Sadie M. Mr. Pierce and his family belong to the Christian church. Although never an office-seeker, Mr. Pierce has many times proved himself a useful and public-spirited citizen and he has always been faithful to the principles of the Democratic party.


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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA


LYMAN E. AMSBERRY is one of the citizens of Custer county who has devoted his entire energies to farming and stock-raising and who through his own efforts has worked his way from modest beginnings to prominence and prosperity. While not born here, he was a small lad when he began life within the county's borders, and his entire training, edu- cational and otherwise, has been given him in the locality in which he now makes his home.


Mr. Amsberry was born in Marion county, Iowa, June 1, 1873, and is a son of L. Norton Amsberry and Jane Ann ( Coffman) Ams- berry, natives of Virginia. He is a grandson of Zachariah Coffman, a Virginian. Soon after their marriage, in their native state, the parents removed to lowa, where the father purchased land and continued to be engaged in farming during the remainder of his life. He was a Democrat, but never an office- seeker. As a farmer, he was industrious and energetic, but he did not live long enough to acquire marked success, as his death occurred in 1876, when he was still in the prime of life. There were twelve children in the fam- ily, of whom six are living: Florentine, . a resident of Butler county, Kansas, is the widow of the late Thomas J. Mossman, who was a farmer ; William Zachariah, for years a farmer of Custer county, is now living in re- tirement at Mason City, this county : Nola, of Ansley, is the widow of Henry Zimmermann, who was a farmer ; Norton is the proprietor of a feed store at Ansley : Charles is engaged in farming near Broken Bow : and Lyman E. is the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Amsberry, in 1914, died at the home of her youngest son, and in the faith of the Baptist church, of which she had been a life-long member.


Lyman Edwin Amsberry was six years of age when brought to Custer county, where his mother, in 1879, bought the right on a farm. There he grew to manhood, assisting his mother and brothers, and when he attained to his legal majority he secured eighty acres of the home property, on which he began agricultural operations. He has gradually increased his acreage, and at present he owns and operates a quarter-section, which he de- votes to general farming and stock-raising. He has been decidedly successful in his work, in which he has used modern methods and the latest improved machinery and other equip- ment. He has a pleasant country home, with all modern conveniences, his barns are large and commodious, and his outbuildings suit- able for the shelter of his equipment, grain and stock. The property throughout evi-


dences the fact that he is a good manager and an energetic worker.


In 1897 Mr. Amsberry married Miss Mary Luella Wayne, who was born in Wisconsin, and to this union there have been born six children : Lyman Ray, who resides at home and is his father's chief assistant in the opera- tion of the farm: Rhoda Jane, who is em- ployed away from home : Lewis Norton, who died when he was between three and four months of age; and Alice, Charles, and Arthur, who remain at home and are attend- ing school. Mr. and Mrs. Amsberry and their children are members of the Baptist church at Ansley. He is a Democrat, with leanings toward Socialism, and has served as a member of the school board, of which body he is now treasurer. In his community he is known as a man of sound integrity and as a citizen of public spirit.


QUINTUS J. DADY. - When he first came to Custer county, in the fall of 1882. Quintus J. Dady was not far past his ma- jority -a young man of energy, spirit and ambition, but without other capital. Only the strong and persevering among the early set- tlers of this locality were able to stand the strain of the few years that directly followed, but Mr. Dady belonged to that class, and his industry and good management have since been exercised to such good effect that he is to-day one of the substantial men of the Ma- son City community.


Mr. Dady was born on his father's farm in Mason county, Illinois, February 25, 1861, his parents being Spencer and Adelaide (Wible) Dady, the former born in Pennsylvania in 1835, and the latter in Illinois, in 1840. They were married in Mason county, Illinois, where the father, a poor but industrious man, farmed for several years. Subsequently he went to lowa, which was the family home until 1884. In that year Spencer Dady followed the ex- ample of his sons and came to Custer county, where he took up a homestead and where he continued to be engaged in farming and stock- raising until his death, in 1890. He was suc- cessful in his operations and was known as a man of sterling integrity. He was first a Re- publican and later a Populist in politics, but never looked for public honors. Mrs. Dady. who survived him until 1904, was a member of the Baptist church. They were the parents of four sons: Perry M., who is engaged in farming in the vicinity of Mason City : Quin- tus J., who is the subject of this review : L. L., who is engaged in agriculture in Ringgold


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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA


county, Iowa ; and N. C., who was for some years engaged in the implement business at Mason City, where his death occurred Septem- ber 19, 1917.


Quintus J. Dady was still a lad when the family removed to Iowa, and in the public schools of that state his youthful education was acquired. Brought up to farming, he na- turally adopted that vocation when he reached years of discretion, and when he was twenty-one he decided that he would try his fortunes in Nebraska, reports having come from Custer county to the effect that oppor- tunities were splendid for young men of am- bitioin, energy and industry. Accordingly, in the fall of 1882, he came, as the first of the Dady family, to the locality of Mason City, and forthwith settled on a homestead, which formed the nucleus for his present splendid property of 520 acres. Like others who took up life here during that time, Mr. Dady was forced to face numerous hardships before he was well started upon his career, but he event- ually overcame all obstacles in his path, and set about to gain his present enviable position as one of the locality's successful self-made men. His property is now one of the well cultivated tracts of this part of Custer county, and Mr. Dady has enhanced its value by the erection of modern and substantial buildings, and the installation of up-to-date improve- ments of every kind. He devotes himself largely to general farming operations, but also has made a decided success in his specialty of raising thoroughbred Red Polled cattle.


In 1886 Mr. Dady was united in marriage to Miss Sadie Burns, who was born near Quincy, Illinois, a daughter of Thomas and Nancy (Fender) Burns, the former born in Ireland and the latter in Virginia. Mr. Burns, who was a farmer by vocation, died in Iowa, where he owned a property, and his widow, who survives him, is a resident of Kellerton, lowa. Mr. and Mrs. Dady have four children: Frank, who is farming eighty acres of his father's land, married Hazel King and has two children - Eunice and Irma May : Walter, single, is assisting his father in the operation of the home farm; Bert, of Kearney, who is engaged in farming, married Mabel Boker, and they have two children - Iola and Winland; and Flossie, the wife of Ralph Ming, a farmer of Custer county, has one child - Beulah May. Mr. Dady is inde- pendent in politics ; he is a member of the local Grange and is interested actively in all progressive and public-spirited enterprises.


LEWIS S. NEWCOMB. - An instance of the call of the country rising superior to the


attractions of the city, and of agriculture gain- ing a devotee at the expense of professional and business life, is found in the career of Lewis S. Newcomb, who gave up professional opportunities and financial chances, in 1909, to engage in farming. He has had no reason to regret his choice, for his work has proved not only congenial but also profitable, and he is rapidly becoming one of the substantial men of the Ansley community of Custer county.


Mr. Newcomb was born at Windham, New York, September 4, 1880, and is a son of M. L. and Hattie B. (Steele) Newcomb, both of English descent. Mr. Newcomb's paternal grandfather, Captain Elijah Newcomb, gained his title through service in the old New York state militia, and was a well known citi- zen and business man. The maternal grand- father, Addison Steele, was likewise well known and honored in New York. M. L. New- comb was born in the Empire state, March 24, 1836, and there married Miss Hattie B. Steele, who was born October 23, 1856. He was a merchant by vocation and gained some success in commercial life, in addition to which he was a man of prominence and influence and served as supervisor and school commissioner of Greene county, New York. He was a Ma- son and a Democrat and his religious affiliation was with the Methodist Episcopal church, in the faith of which he died, in 1900. Mrs. Newcomb, who was a Presbyterian, passed away September 15. 1913. Of their six chil- dren, two are living: Lewis S., whose name introduces this review ; and Bessie, who is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, and is connected in an official capacity with the New York public library. Another son, the late Walter E. Newcomb, was graduated with high honors in Brown University and became the first president of the Farmers State Bank of Ansley, Nebraska, an institution of which his brother Lewis S., of this sketch, is now vice- president.


Lewis S. Newcomb attended the public schools of New York state, where he was graduated in the Catskill high school as a member of the class of 1902. He had de- cided upon a professional career, and for two years he studied dentistry at Buffalo, New York, but in 1905 he came to the west and settled at Ansley, where he accepted a position with the Farmers State Bank, as assistant cashier. After two years in that capacity. he turned his attention to farming, and in 1909 he purchased his present property, a splendid farm of 240 acres, upon which he carries on operations in diversified agriculture and hog and cattle raising. In all departments of farm enterprise he has met with the most encour- aging success, and his prosperity is all the


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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA


more remarkable when it is recalled that his early training had been along entirely different lines. He is a student of his adopted voca- tion and keeps fully abreast of its various ad- vancing movements ; his methods are modern and progressive, his equipment is of the most up-to-date character, and his improvements and buildings are the best of order and in ex- cellent repair. In his work he has proved that the city man can achieve success on the farm if he applies himself industriously and intelli- gently and if he possesses a due amount of business ability.


In 1907 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Newcomb to Miss Abbie Geeseman, who was born at Ansley, and who is a daughter of Or- rin Martin Geeseman and Elizabeth (Talbott) Gecseman. The parents of Mrs. Newcomb were pioneers who came to Custer county in 1881 and settled on a homestead near Berwyn. In 1887 they changed their residence to Ans- ley, where Mr. Geeseman died ten years later, and where his widow still maintains her home. Mr. Geeseman, in addition to his agricultural operations, was a carpenter whose services were much in demand, and many specimens of his capable workmanship can still be found in the earlier buildings and residences of Ans- ley and vicinity. It is worthy of note in this connection that a part of the present residence of Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb was erected by the latter's father, the late Orrin M. Geeseman, who was one of the pioneer carpenters and builders of Custer county and who could have had no thought that the building would later become the home of his daughter. He was a Republican in politics and for a number of ycars served in the capacity of justice of the peace, his fellow citizens knowing him as a man of mature judgment and absolute in- tegrity. Fraternally he belonged to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Mod- ern Woodmen of America, and he was popu- Jar in both of these organizations. His relig- ious connection was with the Methodist Epis- copal church, of which his widow is an earn- est member. Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb are the parents of one son, Walter Martin, who was born in 1908, and who is now attending the public schools.


In politics Mr. Newcomb gives his al- legiance to the Republican party, and he is well fortified in his opinions concerning gov- ernmental policies. He is affilated with the Masonic fraternity and he and his wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Ansley, of which he is serving as treasurer, as well as superintendent of its Sun- day school. He has been specially influential in Sunday-school work and is at the present


time president of the Southeastern District Sunday School Association of Custer county. His deep interest in the communal welfare is ftirther indicated by the fact that he is secre- tary of the Ansley township library.


AUGUST H. MILLER. - A striking illus- tration of the value of determination, per- sistence, and industry in the achievement of success is found in the career of August H. Miller, who, starting life in Custer county without capital, has risen to a place of affluence and independence, so that in 1906 he was able to retire from active life and take up his resi- dence near Litchfield, Sherman county, where he is the owner of a comfortable home. Mr. Miller, who is one of the highly respected men of his community, was born near Hinckley, DeKalb county, Illinois, May 22, 1859, and is a son of John and Catherine (Krumm) Miller.


The parents of Mr. Miller, who were natives of Dillenberg, Saxe-Altenburg, Germany, were married at Bremen, and on immigrating to the United States, in 1852, settled near Plano, Illinois. Subsequently, the father purchased what was known as Squaw Grove Farm, near Hinckley, Illinois, and he continued to operate this for a number of years, his industry and native ability enabling him to rise from modest circumstances to the possession of a comfort- able competence. In the summer of 1884 he came to Nebraska, and later pre-empted land, but he died in 1896, before he had it proved up, and his widow subsequently homesteaded the property, residing thercon until her death, in 1901. They were members of the Evan- gelical church and Mr. Miller was a Repub- lican in his political adherence. Of the seven children in the family, four are living: Rev. John is a Methodist minister, with a charge at Kankakee, Illinois, and is the leading minister of his conference : Lizzie is the wife of George Davis, now living near Garden City. Missouri, although Mrs. Davis was formerly a pre-emp- tor in Custer county; August H. is the im- mediate subject of this sketch ; and E. C. lived in Custer county for a number of years but now is a resident of Oregon.


August H. Miller received his education in the country schools of Illinois, and began work on his own account when still young, always having been a man of great energy and in- dustry. He farmed for himself one year in Illinois, in which state he married. In Fcb- ruary, 1883, he came to Custer county and filed on a homestead, and in that year he built his first house, which was made of sod, and


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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA


MRS. AUGUST. H. MILLER


AUGUST H. MILLER


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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA


1


which cost seven dollars. There were but one or two other families in the neighborhood, and as Mr. Miller was in very poor financial cir- cumstances when he started his career, he had numerous hardships and privations to face and many obstacles to overcome, but he was sturdy, persevering, and self-reliant. and gradually made progress where many others failed. Dur- ing the threshing seasons he would leave his worthy and industrious wife in charge of the home place and join the threshing crews. and in this way would add to his income, as he did also in accepting various other forms of hon- orable employment which helped him to carry on his operations of development through the dark days. He had his share of disappoint- ments and discouragements, as well as of successes, and gradually the latter began to become more numerous than the former and he saw himself slowly but surely advancing to success. Through his intelligent and well managed general farming and stock-raising operations, he began to make money, and this he invested in more land, until he became rec- ognized as one of the well-to-do citizens of his community. He now is the owner of 1,015 acres. all of which land has been secured through his own efforts and in an honorable and strictly legitimate manner. In 1906 Mr. Miller decided that he had done his share of the hard work of development, and according- ly retired from active agricultural life and moved near Litchfield, buying a tract of eighty acres not far from that town and another of seventeen acres in the corporation limits. He still owns much of the property on which he made his initial success and this is improved with good buildings. Mr. Miller is a Repub- liean and has served as a member of the school board. He has also served in church offices, having always been active in the work and movements of the United Brethren church. while Mrs. Miller, who died in the faith of the Free Methodist church, April 17. 1917, was likewise a church worker.


Mr. Miller was united in marriage February 5, 1883, to Miss Lizzie J. Hennies, who was born near Steinfeldt, Germany, and came with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig II. Hennies, to the United States about 1857. the family first settling in Illinois. They came to Ne- braska in 1887, and settled in Custer county. where the father died in 1903 and the mother in 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Miller became the parents of six children, as follows: William HI. resides with his father, and is his associate in his farming operations: George A., who is a traveling salesman for Rumely & Company, with headquarters at Sidney, Nebraska, en-


listed in the United States service; Laurel B. is the wife of Fred Gier, who is employed in a railroad roundhouse at Ravenna, Nebraska ; Ellen B. is the wife of Arthur Betts, the own- er of a farm near Wolcott. New York ; Fred C., a railway man at Casper, Wyoming. enlisted and entered service as a soldier in connection with the world war; and Frank A. likewise enlisted in the United States service.


JOHN BACKES. SR. - The record of Custer county's retired farmers will not be complete unless the name in this title line is located somewhere close to the top. The name is one familiarly known in the Arnold locality. It comes down from pioneer days and is connected always with honorable tra- ditions.


Mr. Backes was born September 21, 1852, across the water in the frugal land of Ger- many, where habits of thrift and industry are inherited as well as cultivated. He is a son of Peter and Mary C. (Will) Backes, native Germans of staunch characteristics, in whose family were eight children - Elizabeth Pries- ter, Peter, John, Catherine Keisel, Henry. Louisa Goosman, Mary (deceased), and Charles. All were members of the Lutheran church. The parents immigated to America in 1853 and located in Clayton county, Iowa, where they bought government land for one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre. It was here that the father died, in 1889. When John Backes was a mere lad he helped to earn the living for the family and found consider- able profit and amusement in trapping rabbits and quail. He worked for the neighbors oft- times, but his money always went into the family pocket-book. He remembers no money which he had to spend.upon himself prior to the time when he became of age. But his father was a good provider and the wants of the family were well supplied. even if money were scarce. After reaching his majority, by the practice of rigid economy John Backes managed to earn and save about $225 a year. As he was doing pretty well himself. he im- agined he could do better if he had someone to help him. Accordingly on March 18, 1880, at the home of the bride's parents, in Delaware county, Iowa, he claimed in marriage the hand of Lydia Clendennen, an excellent young lady who was born in Dubuque, Iowa, and who is a daughter of William Clendennen, said to be a second cousin of Robert Fulton, of steam- boat fame. Her mother was Ann J. (Boone) Clendennen, a second cousin of Daniel Boone, the Indian fighter and pioneer spirit of Ken- tucky. The Clendennen family was composed




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