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 134

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 134

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

WILLIAM L. MILLER AND FAMILY

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

valley, and they have two children, Garnett and Garlyn. Mrs. Harper is a member of the Evangelical church. Ralph D. Miller, the only son, is a successful young farmer in Custer county and is the proud father of a fine little son. The maiden name of his wife was Elsie Myers and they hold membership in the Evan- gelical church.

Mr. and Mrs. Miller have the distinction and honor of being pioneers of Custer county, for in the year 1885 they established their home on an embryonic farm in Brown valley, five miles southwest of Callaway. Mr. Miller pur-

GRANDCHILDREN OF WILLIAM L. MILLER

chased of Robert Brown a relinquishment of this claim, upon which he filed a pre-emption. He secured the land by paying $200 in cash and transferring to Mr. Brown also a team of horses. After paying for his land he had just twenty-eight dollars as his financial re- inforcement in founding a home in the new county. He and his devoted wife encountered many hardships and weathered many storms. but they did not falter in courage, made the best of circumstances, without complaints, and manifested the faith that has been graciously rewarded in these later years. Industrious by nature. Mr. Miller in the early days obtained work wherever he could find it, and by means of such employment he provided for his fam-

ily and was able to retain his land and grad- ually carry forward the improvement of the property. This farm has been his home con- tinuously during the long intervening period, save for three years, during the time of the drouth in this section, when, like so many others, he found it expedient to return cast and "make his wife's folks an extended visit." Mr. Miller's admirable farm of 200 acres is now in a high state of cultivation. is well equipped for intensive farming and profitable stock-raising, with buildings of model type. and he has a fine orchard that adds much beauty to the home plat. Mr. Miller is pro- gressive in spirit and has taken a specially deep interest in school affairs, in which con- nection he has for many years served his home district in the capacity of director and treas- urer. Both he and his wife have been active members of the Evangelical church for many years, and they are numbered among the ster- ling and honored pioneer citizens of Custer county.

DAVID A. GOODRICH, who is widely known as a breeder of registered Percheron horses, Shorthorn cattle and the red type of hogs, is the owner of Cedar Crest. which ad- joins the thriving little city of Oconto, and which is well equipped as a stock farm. Mr. Goodrich is an important factor in the stock industry in this section of the state. He was born in the city of Brooklyn, New York, May 26, 1850. His parents were George P. and Hannah M. (Lent) Goodrich, the latter of whom was born at Hartford, Connecticut, a daughter of Stephen Lent. George P. Good- rich was a native of New York, from which state he entered the Union army as a soldier in the Civil war, and he met his death while on a scouting expedition, in August, 1863, near Harper's Ferry - falling a victim in an engagement with Colonel Mosby's guerillas. Before he entered the army he was a shoe manufacturer. He was a member of the Bap- tist church, was a Republican in politics, and fraternally was an Odd Fellow. He was a man of sterling character, true and loyal in every relation of life. He was the father of eight children, namely : Nathaniel, Mrs. Martha M. Whiting. David A., Harriet, Stephen H., Mrs. Fannie E. De LaFountain, George P., and Ada.

David A. Goodrich engaged in his first busi- ness transaction when he was not more than six years old, and from the way he managed it. under trying circumstances, a suggestion may be gained as to the business acumen he has shown in many undertakings since then.

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It was pretty much of an accomplishment for a lad of his age to catch a big eel in the Dela- ware river, and one can easily imagine how proud and heroic he felt as he dragged his prize home and exhibited it to his father. The latter viewed the catch with approbation and then ordered little David to dress the eel and carry it to the minister, his idea, probably, being that it should be in the nature of a gift. It was hard work to dress that eel, as any one who has ever tried such a job will agree, and by the time David had reached the minister's house the price had risen and risen until it had reached the dollar mark, which the good man paid without question. To get full en- joyment from this story one should hear Mr. Goodrich tell it.

Mr. Goodrich was afforded good educa- tional advantages and completed the high- school course, but otherwise he has made his way in the world.

In 1872 Mr. Goodrich went to Cambridge, Illinois, where he erected a business building and was engaged in the meat-market business for a time. He then sold out and located in Davenport, Iowa, where he worked for three years for Robinson & Kirk, wholesale butch- ers, and learned every detail of the business. Mr. Goodrich then visited for a short time in Pennsylvania, where his people were living, but in 1876 he came west again, to Peabody, Kansas, and was accompanied by his brother Stephen. Two months later he bought a shop and a store in that city and went into the meat- market and grocery business, in which he continued for seventeen years. In 1915 Mr. Goodrich came to Custer county and estab-

Mr. Goodrich was married September 13, 1882, to Miss Mary C. Miller, who was born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of George M. and Margaret J. (Wyley) Miller, the former be- ing a native of Lancaster county and the latter of Perry county, that state. The father of Mrs. Goodrich is a Democrat, a Mason, and a member of the Evangelical church. Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich have six children : Llewellyn L., who is a mechanic with the Pierce-Arrow people at Omaha, is a Republican, a Wood- man and an Elk. He married Etta, daughter of John Smith, and they have four children. James E. is associated with his father in the Cedar Crest Stock farm. Anna M., who is the wife of Arley O. Homan, has a daughter, Margaret Brundage, by a former marriage. George M., who is a traction-engine expert, at Kimball, Nebraska, was in the selective draft for the national army. C. Edgar at the time of this writing is in the national army, in the balloon general - supply depot. Raymond R. is a mechanic with the F. H. Gilchrist

Lumber Company, at Oconto. In politics Mr. Goodrich is a strong Republican, as are his sons. He is an Odd Fellow, and for thirty- six years has been a member of the Modern Woodmen of America -one of the oldest in membership in Nebraska. He was reared in the Baptist faith and has never changed his church membership.

ARTHUR C. RUMERY, M. D. - Of the men who have contributed technical skill and personal dignity to the profession of medicine and surgery in Custer county, few are held in higher esteem than is Dr. Arthur C. Rum- ery, who has been engaged in practice at Ma- son City since 1905. He has steadily ad- vanced to a recognized place in his profession, and has attracted a practice that is as remu- nerative as it is important. Doctor Rumery was born in the southwestern part of Fremont county, Iowa, April 17, 1879, and is a son of Albert M. and Ellen (Cady) Rumery.

Sewell C. Rumery, the paternal grandfather of Dr. Rumery, was born in New Hampshire, whence he removed with his family to Iowa, and after some years spent there he came, about the year 1890, to Nebraska. Here he purchased farm land which he leased and here he remained until his death, at which time he was one of the well-to-do men of his com- munity. Albert M. Rumery was born in New Hampshire, in 1852, and was a small boy when he accompanied his parents to Iowa, in which state he was reared to manhood. There he married Ellen Cadv. who was born there. For several years they made their home on a farm, but in 1884 they came to Nebraska and settled on a property in Madi- son county, a homestead upon which they lived until in 1904. He then moved to one of his father's farms and was there engaged until about 1913, when he moved to his pres- ent home. in Litchfield, Sherman county. A man of ability, resource, and industry, Mr. Rumery was successful in his various ven- tures, and he now has a substantial compe- tency for his declining years. He is a Re- publican in politics and fraternally is affiliated with the Masons and Odd Fellows, while he and his wife are members of the Methodist

Episcopal church. They are the parents of seven children: Dr. Arthur C., whose name initiates this review : Henry, who is engaged in cultivating the homestead farm: Frances, who is the wife of Ira Runyon, residing on a farm near Mason City: Lura, who is unmar- ried and resides with her parents ; Nettie, who is the wife of Lester Ryman, residing near Halsey; Luther, who is engaged in farming

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near Mason City; and Violet, who is the wife of Ernest Ryman, living near Halsey.

After graduating in the high school at Madison, Nebraska, in 1888, Arthur C. Rum- ery took up the profession of teaching, and for three years he carried on educational work. In the meantime he had become inter- ested in medicine and had started to prepare himself for a career in that profession, even- tually entering the Omaha Medical College, which is now the medical department of the University of Nebraska. In this excellent in- stitution he was graduated, in 1905, with his degree of Doctor of Medicine. At that time he went to Centerville, South Dakota, where he practiced three months, and he then set - tled permanently at Mason City, where he has since been located, having won success in his profession, both as to standing and as to a large and lucrative practice. He has held the office of city health officer of Mason City and has done much to preserve the health and sanitation of the community. He is a valued member of the Custer County Medical So- ciety, the Nebraska State Medical Society. and the American Medical Association, and he keeps fully abreast of all the advancements being made in his profession. He maintains an independent stand upon political questions, while in civic affairs he endeavors to give his support to those things which he believes are for the greatest general good. Fraternally, Dr. Rumery is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, having been master of his lodge four years and being affiliated also with Scot- tish Rite bodies. He belongs to the Baptist church, as do the members of his family.

In 1907, at Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Rumery married Miss Abbilene Deal, who was born in eastern Ohio, and to this union there have been born two children: Helen Louise, and Lucile.

LEWIS KULHANEK. - One of Custer county's sturdy farmers, just merging into middle life, belonging to the pioneers upon whom the burdens and responsibilities of the present day rest heavily, is Lewis Kulhanek, a son of John and Fannie Kulhanek, whose family history is traced elsewhere in these pages.

Lewis Kulhanek is a native of Moravia Austria, where he was born June 23, 1879. He came to this country with his parents as an infant and reached Custer county when but two years of age. He received his education in the county of the family's adoption, and credits the public schools for equipping him for business life and for activity in the way

of farm and stock transactions. He is a farmer by lifelong occupation, and the farm home in which he and his family are now liv- ing stands on the original tree claim entered by his father in the early days.

Lewis Kulhanek was married June 30, 1908, to Josephine Fortik, she being a daughter of Joseph and Anna Fortik, natives of Mora- via. Mrs. Kulhanek is a native of Custer county, and since she was born here and her husband has lived here since he was two years of age, and their children were born here, and they have of this world's goods was made here, all that they can be truthfully styled a Custer county family domiciled in a Custer county home.

In their pleasant home two boys have come to bring happiness and sunshine - Andrew Joseph, nine years old, and Anton Lloyd, six years of age, are sturdy young candidates for useful manhood and prominent citizenship in Custer county. They are at the present time wrestling with the curriculum of the public schools.

Mr. Kulhanek owns 160 acres of land, does a general farming and stock-raising business, enjoys the confidence and respect of neigh- bors and friends, and is rated as one of the best men of foreign birth now in Custer county. He is patriotic and loyal, and has been a liberal contributor to every national appeal for assistance in the recent period of the world war.

Religiously, the family are Catholics and faithful supporters of the church. In politics Mr. Kulhanek trains with the Republican party, yet the character of the local man must be above reproach or the candidate of some other ticket will receive his vote.

WILLIAM WALSH was one of the pio- neers of Custer county and endured the hard- ships and privations of the early days, but he became one of the substantial and well-to-do men of the county.

William Walsh was born in Ireland, in June, 1835. He was reared on a farm in his native land and came to America in 1868 and engaged in farming in Lee county, Iowa. In 1874 he returned to Ireland, and February 8, 1875, he was there united in marriage to Ann Nolan, also a native of the Emerald Isle. The month after their marriage they came to the United States, and again Mr. Walsh took up the occupation of farming in Iowa, where they remained until 1880, when they came to Custer county and secured a homestead and tree-claim in section 26, township 18, range 22. He helped organize school district No. 31

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

and served for a number of years as a school director. He made a success of his farming ventures and became one of the prosperous men of his community. He assessed his township for several years and also served as a member of the county board of supervisors. In 1909 he retired from active life and took up his abode at Merna. His death occurred in Omaha. His widow still survives and is a resident of that city. They were the parents of ten children.

WILL D. AMSBERRY, who has been a resident of Custer county since 1885, has passed his entire career in the pursuits of general farming and stock-raising, and through industry and good management has become the possessor of a handsome farm of 160 acres, located in the vicinity of Mason City. Mr. Amsberry is a native of West Virginia, born July 7, 1868, and is a son of Francis E. and Lucy C. (Beard) Amsberry, natives re- spectively of West Virginia and Virginia, a review of their lives being given in the sketch of John A. Amsberry, elsewhere in this work.

Will D. Amsberry received his education in the public schools of West Virginia, and was seventeen years of age when he accom panied his parents to Custer county, whither they had been preceded some years before by his eldest brother, John A. Amsberry, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. He was reared to farm work and farm life, and when he attained his majority he began op- erations on his own account. He has con- tinued to follow general farming and stock- raising to the present time, with a full mea -- ure of success. Mr. Amsberry built his own house, barns and other farm buildings. and has an attractive and valuable property. Cul- tivated by modern methods, his farm is in a high state of productivness, giving him a po- sition among the successful farmers of his locality. He keeps fully abreast of the ad- vancements made in agricultural science and practice and is an interested member of the local Grange, in the meetings of which his voice is frequently heard in connection with the consideration of important farming and stock-raising questions. Politically he is a Republican, but is independent in his stand upon some subjects.

In 1897 Mr. Amsberry married Miss Jennie Myers, who was born in Indiana, a daughter of Philip Myers, who came to Custer county, Nebraska, in 1885, and homesteaded the land on which he farmed until his death. Mr. and Mrs. Amsberry are the parents of three chil- dren: Ruby, who is attending school at

Kearney, Nebraska ; and Lloyd C. and Hazel, who remain at the parental home.

ALBERT B. DOWNIN. - The state of Illinois has contributed its share of useful citi- zens to the middle west, and it would seem on first appearance that the best of her contri- bution has been given to Custer county. Al- bert B. Downin is part of this contribution. He was born September 28, 1881, in Fulton county of that famous state. His father was James Downin, who came of Maryland stock. His mother's maiden name was Het- tie Cattlet, and she, like her son, was born in the Illinois commonwealth. In the James Downin family were seven children - Emery L., Mrs. Mary J. Kitch, Joseph V., Mrs. Vina Ward, Carl J., and Tolliver K. The last named son is serving at the present time in the United States Navy, on the battleship "Georgia." The father of this family was a farmer of strong integrity and was highly es- teemed in circles where he was known. He moved with his family to Adams county in 1886, and ten years later, in 1896, he came to the Wood River valley, south of Lodi, Custer county,. where he rented and farmed land for three years. Later he bought a quarter-sec- tion in township 14, range 22, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died in May, 1902.

Albert B. Downin's early training was na- turally on the farm. Doing always a boy's work, and sometimes a man's work, he ac- quired the art of husbandry very early in life. His first money was earned by drown- ing ground-squirrels for a neighbor, and for this service he was paid one cent for each ani- mal thus destroyed. In this business he had a partner, who was a neighbor's boy. To- gether they did a thriving business, for squir- rels were found in abundance on the farm where they operated.

Albert Downin, who had always made his home with his parents, after his father's death assumed the responsibilities of home and farm and worked the place for his mother, who sur- vived his father only six years. By hard work and industrious and careful manage- ment, he has accumulated money and prop- erty, and is now owner of the home place, having bought the interests of his brothers and sisters. To the home place he has added by other purchases until he now owns and operates 595 acres. All this has been made by successful farming and stock-raising.

On November 25, 1908, the same year that his mother died, Mr. Downin married Miss Milly E. Jones, at Callaway. Mrs. Downin

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is a native of Nebraska and is one of the five children born to Melvin K. and Martha Ellen (Dickson) Jones.

In the Albert Downing home to-day are two fine sons, Ralph C., and Morris L., and the younger son, Master Morris, is said to be the king of the realm and the manager of the Downin establishment. Mr. Downin is . counted as a good neighbor, a thinking, active, progressive farmer. He is intelligent in poli- tics, voting always according to his convic- tions and for the man he believes will make the best officer. Interested in educational af- fairs, he is at the present time serving his school district as treasurer.

JOSHUA C. MOORE is one of the sub- stantial business men of Broken Bow, where he is engaged as abstractor and searcher of real-estate titles, and friends and neighbors who know him well and intimately cut the name short and refer to him as "J. C."

Mr. Moore was born in Moultrie county, Illinois, August 22, 1857, and is a son of Pey- ton and Maria (Roney) Moore, both of whom were natives of old Kentucky. The parents moved to Illinois, where their marriage oc- curred and where they continued their resi- dence until the time of their death. By trade the father was a saddler and harnessmaker, and he established at Shelbyville, Illinois, a harness shop which he operated a few years, but later he took up farming. There were thirteen children in the family, only five of whom are now living - William H. is a farmer in Illinois; John T. farms in Okla- homa ; the subject of this sketch was the next younger ; and Henry and Willis are farming in Illinois.

Joshua C. Moore is a very faithful member of the Christian church, in which he has been a leader and heavy contributor for many years. He is a man well qualified for any position in church, society or business. He ran the gamut of the public schools in Illinois, en- tered college at Lincoln, Illinois, where he studied for one year, and he then took a course in the business college at Jackson, Illinois. He thus received a liberal education. and this his riper years have developed by wide reading. He was brought up on a farm, but later engaged in clerical work, at which he is accounted as an adept.

Mr. Moore came to Custer county in 1886 and for the first few years he was auditor of the county books. He also served as deputy treasurer and clerk of the county, and in 1896 he turned is attention to farm enterprise. In 1901 he retired to Broken Bow and engaged

in the abstract business, to which he now de- votes his entire tinie.

Domestic life in a home of Mr. Moore's own! establishing dates from 1877, in which year he married Emma T. Roll, a very excellent lady of fine Christian culture. Mrs. Moore was a native of the state of Iowa. To them the passing of time brought three children, who are still living and well established in the confidence and esteem of a wide circle of friends : The firstborn, Walter S., lives in Mason City ; Sylva D. is the wife of John Turner, who lives in Thedford, Nebraska, and who is well known in Custer county as a re- liable young business man : Mr. Turner oper- ates a lumber yard in his resident town and is also owner of the yard in Dunning ; Kate is at home and finds steady employment in the of - fice of the register of deeds of Custer county, she being a very competent young business woman and having been the incumbent of her present position four years. The children are all members of the Christian church and are valuable assets to that organization.

Mr. Moore is a member of the Modern Brotherhood of America and is independent in politics. The great sorrow of his life came about three years ago, when Mrs. Moore de- parted this life, October 9, 1915, leaving an unusually large circle of warm friends.

Custer county is deeply indebted to her citizens, and families like the one just des- cribed are heavy contributors to that high and commendable personnel.

JACOB KULHANEK. - There are few better farmers in Custer county than the sub- ject whom this narrative concerns. An Aus- trian by birth and ancestry, he has contrib- uted to Custer county the sterling character- istics of thrift and frugality.

Jacob Kulhanek was born in Moravia, June 23, 1869, and comes of a prominent Austrian family. His father, John J. Kulhanek, has extended mention in this volume. The edu- cation of young Jacob was commenced in his native province of Moravia, and later supple- mented in Custer county. Educationally he is well equipped to transact all business gener- ally arising from farm or stock transactions. and to keep himself abreast with the times, as well as thoroughly enlightened on every topic of current-day history. He began active labor on his father's farm, and, being industrious and frugal by nature, he has made a success of his life vocation. He stayed at home with his father until he was thirty-six years of age, and during this time he was the stay and sup- port of the father's home.

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J. H. BRAND

MRS. J. H. BRAND

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In 1906 Mr. Kulhanek married Miss Flos- sie Jones, a daughter of James B. Jones, a popular Custer county citizen, who is indi- vidually mentioned on other pages of this volume. Mr. Kulhanek and his father-in law, James B. Jones, with their families, have re- cently made an extended trip over a large portion of the United States, and feel well repaid for the time expended. In the Kul- hanek home are two sons, boys who give much promise of following in the footsteps of their father and grandfathers.

If you went to visit the Kulhanek home of to-day you would find a splendid farm of 200 acres, highly improved, with all kinds of buildings incident to stock-raising and grain farming, shelters for hogs and cattle, and all necessary equipment to make farming render the maximum profits. There is a good farm house, in which the family are happily domi- ciled and prepared to live much easier than in the pioneer days, when such homes as the Kulhaneks have to-day were at least a hun- dred miles remote from the confines of Custer county. Mr. Kulhanek was reared in the faith of the Catholic church and his wife is a member of the Baptist church. He is inde- pendent in politics and cares little for partisan names or affiliation. With him the character of the candidate is the great and prominent thing, and the man who in his judgment is best fitted to fill the office will secure his vote. Custer county would be better off with more such men and such families.

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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 134

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