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 141

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 141

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To his sons Mr. Melville left the example of an honorable and useful life ; to his family. the memory of his loving care as a husband and father will remain forever as a blessed inheritance. And now in the beautiful city of the dead, he sleeps the sleep that knows no awakening, awaiting the Master's call.

GEORGE E. PORTER. - For more than twelve years identified with the office of reg- ister of deeds of Custer county, and for eight years of this time the incumbent of the regis- ter's position, to which office he was re-elected in 1918, George E. Porter has become well

known to the people of this community as a hard-working, efficient and conscientious pub- lic servant. He was born in Illinois, June 6, 1870, and is a son of Judson C. and Martha S. ( Holmes) Porter.

Judson C. Porter was born in Connecticut, where he was educated for the profession of law, but on locating in Illinois, in 1867, he became identified with newspaper work, and for some time he was connected with a Joliet publication, as a member of its editorial staff. In 1885 he removed with his family to Hast- ing, Nebraska, but after there remaining only one year, he located in Custer county, where he practiced his profession at Mason City and Ansley and built up a reputation for sound legal ability and broad knowledge of the fun- damentals of his calling. He was successful in the attaining of a practice which was large and lucrative, and business of the most de- sirable kind came into his hands, so that he was connected in the courts with some of the most important litigation that was tried. When he died, at Ansley,, in 1902, the profes- sion in Custer county lost one of its most brilliant, logical and forceful members. Mrs. Porter survives and makes her home with her son, George E., the survivor of her two chil- dren. She has been for many years a con- sistent member of the Presbyterian church, and while Mr. Porter never joined that or any other religious body, he was an earnest worker and generous supporter of the church move- ments. For years he was identified with Ma- sonry, belonging to both the blue lodge and the chapter, and of the latter he served as high priest. His political support was given unreservedly to the Republican party.

The education of George E. Porter was oh- tained in the common schools of Illinois and Nebraska, and in the latter state he entered upon his career in connection with business enterprises. His experience included mer- cantile operations at both Ansley and Litch - field, but while his commercial sense and abil- ity were well developed and he was making good progress in his affairs, he readily dis- posed of his interests when he was appointed deputy register of deeds of Custer county, in 1906. For four years he served under the administration of the register then in charge, but in 1910 he was chosen to succeed his su- perior, and since then has been re-elected three times. In the election of 1914 he was the only Republican to be returned a winner for county office. His terms of office have been characterized by expeditious, capable and earnest work, combined with a desire to ac- commodate those of his fellow citizens whose

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business brings them into touch with his office. and few men are more popular or have better personal support in the way of friendships.

In 1890 Mr. Porter was united in marriage to Miss May Immel, who was born in Iowa, and to this union there have been born five children, as follows: Estella is the wife of F. R. Lamphier, of Dallas, Texas, secretary in the office of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Rail- roads ; Dwight I., at the time of this writing, is with Battery C. 339 F. A., 88th Division, in France : Harvey, a pharmacist is a member of Company F, 355th Infantry, 89th Division, in France : Doris is engaged in teaching school at Antioch, Nebraska ; and Helen was graduated in the Broken Bow high school in 1918. The mother of these children died in 1901, in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in 1906 Mr. Porter was again married, being united with Miss Ida J. Foster, who was born in Hall county, Nebraska. To this union there have been born five children : Adelaide, Julia, and George J., who are attending school ; and Romona and Alfred, at home. Mr. and Porter are members of the Presbyterian church, in which he is an officer. Fraternally, he is connected with the Masons, in which he has attained Scottish Rite degrees ; the Knights of Pythias, in which he has passed through all the chairs : and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is popular in all of these fra- ternal orders.

WILLIAM M. DAVIS. - One of the con- genial spirits of the South Loup region is William M. Davis, commonly called "Bill" Davis by those who know him. He is a pros- perous, well-to-do farmer and stockman, prom- inent in local political circles, and is a man who charges himself to some extent with responsi- bility in connection with public affairs. He is one of the moving spirits in his community and when anything of a public nature is to be undertaken he is generally one of those se- lected to see that it is accomplished.

Mr. Davis was born in 1868, in Scioto county, Ohio. The maiden name of his wife was Lenora Harville, and she was born at Mellville, Wisconsin.

Concerning the family from which Mr. Davis springs, it may be briefly stated that he is a son of David D. and Louise Davis, very estimable people who reared their children, lived their lives, and have passed to their re- ward. Six children constituted the family cir- cle and all have been a credit to worthy par- entage. Hon Davis, one brother of this family,

lives near Broken Bow where he is an exten- sive farmer and stockman.

William M. Davis came directly from Ohio to Custer county, in 1885, a date early enough to insure him many pioneer experiences. He purchased his farm, however, which consists of 320 acres, well improved, and upon which is a very snug and comfortable farm home. His stock operations have been more or less extensive. He has been a feeder of some mag- nitude and a great many fat porkers and beef steers have been turned out of feed lots on his premises into the markets of the world. He has given some attention to horses and is known as a splendid judge of horseflesh. In the days before autos and tractors, when horses were in more demand, Davis always had in his possession some very good horses.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis have five children, in whom they take pardonable pride: Louise is a teacher, just entering upon young woman- hood, in her nineteenth year. At the time of this writing, in 1918, Doris, fifteen years of age, is taking a course at the Kearney Nor- mal School. Lenora, aged twelve, Darrell, ten, and Wilber Orel, a young master of nineteen months, are all at home and help to make the home lively and cheerful.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis enjoy the confidence of their neighbors, are highly respected in the community, and are part of the citizen assets of the county. In fraternal circles Mr. Davis belongs to the Masonic lodge, in which he is in good standing, and enjoys the social bene- fits of the order. He has been postmaster at Burr Oak for twelve years, and is serving as justice of the peace.

JOHN D. KNIGHT. - One of the sub- stantial farmers among the many of like kind living in the Sargent vicinity. is John D. Knight, whose name finds place in this title line. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, June 13, 1863, in what was then known as Brigham Young's winter quarters. He is a son of John G., and Lavina ( Streight) Knight, very excellent people, natives of Massachusetts and New York respectively. The father was a farmer except in early life, when he learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked for some time. He came to Benson, near Omaha, in November, 1856, pre-empting land, and living there until his death. He made a specialty in his day of thoroughbred Hol- stein cattle. In 1862 his patriotic spirit led him to enlist in the Second Nebraska Cavalry, which did frontier work in Dakota. The

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

WILLIAM M. DAVIS

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

command wintered at St. James, Dakota, and was mustered out in 1864. John G. Knight was a Republican in politics and was a mem- ber of the First Congregational church of Irvington, Nebraska. He and his good wife became the parents of five children: Ella E., a dressmaker, is living at Somerford ; Min- nie L., the wife of A. W. Pierce, also lives at Somerford; Margaret W. is the wife of Jesse Pierce; the third was John D., the subject of whom we are writing; George W., married Sopha Christoferson, and lives on a farm near Irvington, Nebraska.

John D. Knight received a liberal education in the common schools of Douglas county and the Congregational College at Tabor, lowa. He came to Custer county in the fall of 1883, and in the spring of 1884, he homesteaded the place where he now lives. He owns 280 acres, well improved, and raises fine cattle. his specialty being double standard polled Dur- hams. Mr. Knight is one of the men who has helped to make the history and the present status of the county. Well and favorably known throughout his community, and also throughout a large portion of the county, he well deserves the success he has attained.

JOHN J. DOWNEY. - The agricultural interests in Custer county, find a worthy rep- resentative in the subject of this record, and he has the honor of being one of the very carly settlers of the county.

John J. Downey is a native of the old Key- stone state, his birth having occurred in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, March 22. 1855. His parents. John and Ellen ( Sweeney ) Downey, were natives of County Tipperary. Ireland, where their marriage was solemnized. and in 1849 they came to America. The father was a coal-miner by vocation and followed that line of work - in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Iowa - until 1880, when he came to Custer county and secured the homestead on which both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives. They had a family of twelve chil- dren, five of whom reached maturity and four of whom are still living - Mrs. R. D. Mc- Carty, of Merna. this county: Mrs. Ellen Carey of Pennsylvania : Mrs. Mary English, of Wilmington, Delaware : John J. : and Mrs. William Couhig, who was the other who at- tained mature years, is now deceased.

John J. Downey, youngest member of the family, was only a child when he began work- ing in the mines, as a slate-picker. He was employed in coal mines until March, 1880. when he. in company with others, started for

Nebraska, Custer county being the destination of the party. He arrived here in the month of June, after having here filed entry on a homestead on the 7th of the preceding March.

Mr. Downey secured as a homestead the southeast quarter of section 15, township 18, range 22, and here he has continued to main- tain his home to the present time. His first house was a "soddy," twelve by fourteen feet in dimensions, and when the family outgrew this, he built the second sod house, which was the home of the family until sixteen years ago, when the present, large, frame house was erected. Mr. Downey, with a rather ingenuous turn of mind, devised a scheme of cutting the sod with a machine. This device was con- structed with knives which cut the sod, and then, when plowed six inches deep. the sod would turn up in rectangular chunks, like large bricks. All the experiences of those pioneer days were endured. obstacles were met and overcome, and with the passing years the gal- lant pioneers prospered. To obtain a little money with which to provide for the needs of his family, Mr. Downey hauled cedar posts as far as York, Nebraska. He also enclosed forty acres with sod fence. making it hog- tight, and when one wire was placed above. it would turn cattle. He has been successful in his undertakings and is to-day the owner of 480 acres of land in this township. The im- provements on the home farm are among the best in the county.

In 1879, in Iowa. Mr. Downey was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ann Jones, who was born in Wisconsin, March 14, 1862, a daughter of Hugh and Sarah ( Roberts) Jones. who were natives of Wales and both of whom passed away, in Iowa. several years ago. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Downey has been blessed with twelve children. a record of whom is given below :

Ellen May is the wife of J. E. Price, of St. Louis, Missouri : John A. is a member of Com- pany F. Twenty-third Regiment. Engineer Corps, of our national army. in France ; Thomas F. also is a member of the national army and at the time of this writing is located in camp in Minnesota: Joseph M. married Miss Lillie Andrews and is operating a ranch in Custer county: Mary Agnes has for six years been a clerk in the soldiers' home at Grand Island, Nebraska: Hugh Raymond is a member of Company D. Three Hundred and Fifty-fifth Infantry of our national army. in France: Bernice E., who attended college in St. Louis, having taught in the Custer county schools, is now employed in the postoffice at St. Louis : Harold P. and Paul A. are at home,

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MR. AND MRS. JOHN J. DOWNEY

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

assisting in the operation of the farm; Jo- hanna, Frances, and Lewis Arthur passed away in childhood.

The family are communicants of the Cath- olic church, and in politics Mr. Downey exer- cises the right of franchise in support of meas- ures and principles he deems best, regardless of party lines. He has rendered efficient serv- ice as assessor of his township two terms, and was a member of the county board of super- visors two terms. For three years he con- ducted a mercantile enterprise in the old town of Dale, and when the B. & M. Railroad came through, in 1886, he and his brother-in-law, Robert D. McCarty, had a contract for build- ing several miles of the road.

Mr. Downey was among the first settlers of Dale valley, has witnessed the remarkable changes that have taken place, and in the work of improvement and development he has taken commendable interest. Three of his sons are now in the service of the government, offering their lives, if need be, to bring about a world- wide condition where wars will be no more.

Through all the years of residence in Custer county, as a pioncer and a progressive citizen, with the years of sacrifice incidental to rearing a family, Mr. Downey's faithful wife has been his devoted companion and helpmeet, and in recording the life records of Custer county's citizens we would be remiss in our duty if we failed to give them a place which they justly deserve.

ROSS G. MOORE. - Well and favorably known in business and professional circles of Broken Bow, Ross G. Moore has been identi- fied with this locality since 1901, and during the period which has elapsed has won stand- ing and success, both as an attorney and as a real-estate, insurance and loan operator. Mr. Moore was born in Harrison county, Ohio, October 13, 1871, and is a son of John and Agnes E. (Duncan) Moore.

The Moore family originated in Ireland, from which country came Samuel Moore, the grandfather of Ross G. Moore. He was a young man, without any great amount of capital, when he arrived in the United States. but he became one of the successful men of his part of Ohio and at the time of his death was the owner of large tracts of valuable land. John Moore was born in 1818, on a farm in Harrison county. Ohio, and in the old Buck- eye state he married Agnes E. Duncan, who was born in York county, Pennsylvania, (laughter of James and Margaret Duncan.

Mr. Moore followed in the footsteps of his father, adopting agricultural pursuits as his life work, and his entire life was passed in Ohio, where he died in 1886, at the age of sixty-eight years. Mrs. Moore, who was born in 1829, passed away when seventy years of age, in 1899. They were members of the United Presbyterian church. Mr. Moore was a Republican, was interested in various movc- ments for civic betterment, and for some years served very acceptably in the office of school director. Of the eight children in the family, six are now surviving but only one, Ross G. Moore, lives in Nebraska.

Ross G. Moore received his early education in the public schools, following which he took a course in Franklin College, New Athens, Ohio, being graduated in that institution in 1891. He began to read law with John M. Garvin, a well known attorney of Cadiz. Ohio, "and later went to Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania, where he spent some time in the office of Murphy & Hosack. He then came to Grand Island, Nebraska, where, in 1892, at the age of only twenty-one years, he was ad- mitted to the bar. Returning to Ohio, he began practice, subsequently visited Pitts- burgh, where for a time he practiced in the of- fice of Murphy & Hosack, his former pre- ceptors, and in 1901 again came to Nebraska, this time to locate permanently at Broken Bow. His practice in law soon brought hin into direct association with the loan business and soon after his arrival at Broken Bow he engaged in that line himself. During the seventeen years that he has been identified therewith he has built up an exceptionally large farm loan business. Closely allied with this enterprise is the real-estate business, and it was but natural that he should begin opera- tions in this direction. At this time, while he still accepts cases as an attorney and gives advice and council in his professional capac- ity, he devotes the greater part of his atten- tion to his loans and real-estate operations. Mr. Moore is one of Custer county's self- made men, and has piloted his own craft into the harbor of success. He has established ? substantial position for himself in the con- fidence of the general public, and in business and professional circles his name is an hon- ored and respected one.

Mr. Moore was married at Broken Bow, in June, 1905, to Miss Elizabeth Bell. Mrs. Moore was born and reared in Custer county. Nebraska. and is a daughter of Isaac and Mary (Newman) Bell, who homesteaded in this region at a very early day. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have one son, Paul Gibson, who

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

was born January 5, 1915. Mrs. Moore is a member of the Christian church, of which . Mr. Moore is an attendant. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. He has taken an active part in Democratic poli- tics since coming to Nebraska, and has been a member of a number of committees and a delegate to numerous county and state con- ventions.

WILBER E. TOBIAS, who is a well known and highly respected citizen of Custer county and one of its substantial fariners and stock-raisers, belongs to the early settlers of the community and has passed thirty-eight years here. Wonderful changes have been wrought in that time and, in a way, they may be typified by a comparison between Mr. Tobias' first home, a little "dugout," on a lone- ly, wind-swept prairie, with his present hand- some rural residence of modern construction and convenience, situated within easy distance of centers of civilization and progress.

Wilber E. Tobias was born October 6, 1869, at El Paso, Woodford county, Illinois, and is a son of Israel C. and Cynthia (Ellis) To- bias, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. Israel C. Tobias lived on a farm until he was twenty-one years old and then went into a general mercantile business. He conducted stores at Washington, El Paso and Streator, Illinois, and also, for nine years, was a commercial traveler for a well known business house. He came to Custer county, Nebraska, in November, 1880, securing a homestead in section 35, township 20, one mile north of the present little city of Sargent. He remained on his farm until 1901, when he moved into Sargent, where he conducted an implement business until he retired. Of his ten children the following survive: Alvira, who is the wife of J. H. Hagerty, a retired resident of Lincoln, Nebraska; Sophia, who is the wife of S. L. Perrin, a retired resi- dent of Sargent : Flora, who is the wife of A. Z. Perrin, of Lincoln; Leota, who is the wife of Thomas Hartley, of Sargent ; Wilber E., who is the immediate subject of this review ; Blanche, who lives at Lincoln, Nebraska; Ava, who was married first to Frank Phillips, and after his death, to Thomas E. Sheldon, who is in the restaurant business at Sargent ; and LeRoy, who is in the clothing business at Chappell, Nebraska, and who married Mina Cole.

Wilber E. Tobias was eleven years old when the family came to Custer county, beginning life here at an inopportune time, as the win-

ter of 1880-81 was especially severe. The settlers of that period went through great hardships because of the unusually rigorous winter and the difficulty in securing food- stuffs. A great majority had come from milder climates and were in no way prepared for the cold and storms that ensued, the result being that in many cases there was great suf- fering. Of that first winter Mr. Tobias has a very vivid memory. It was the first time he had ever lived in a house under ground, and probably that was accepted with boyish en- thusiasm, as a part of the great adventure of pioneering. However, it was also the first time that he found himself completely snowed under, for when the only door to the dugout was opened, the great volume of packed snow filled the aperature entirely. No provision had yet been made within for the not un- usual business of digging out, and the family had to submit to a wait for kind neighbors to look them up (a very usual pioneer cus- tom) and give help. Mr. Tobias is of the opinion that the presence of his attractive sis- ters had something to do with their speedy release, as several of their swains in the neigh- borhood accomplished it.

Mr. Tobias attended school and helped his father, and he has a very enviable reputation for practical good sense and untiring indus- try. He has been very enterprising, not only in regard to his farm industries, but also in the matter of farm improvement, and there are few places in Custer county that can compare with his in appearance, all his build- ings being modern in every particular.

On October 6, 1896, Mr. Tobias was united in marriage to Miss Gertrude McCormick, a daughter of Thomas and Julia (Smith) Mc- Cormick, both of whom were born in Ohio, whence they moved to the vicinity of Blakes- burg, Jowa, and later they came to Nebraska. Mr. McCormick was a farmer all his active life and his death occurred in 1900. The mother of Mrs. Tobias resides at Grand Is- land, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Tobias have four children - Clarice, aged eighteen ; Clive, sixteen years ; Gladys, thirteen years; and Helen, six years.

Mr. and Mrs. Tobias are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican, but he has never had any desire to serve in public office, his close attention to his own affairs showing where his main inter- est lies. He is greatly interested in develop- ing high-grade stock and he has pure-bred Jersey cattle and registered Duroc-Jersey hogs.

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MRS. JOHN DRESEL

JOHN DRESEL

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progressive farmers. He was born May 8, 1861, in Monroe county, Ohio. His father, Christian Dresel, was born on the French bor- der near the Switzerland frontier. His mother. Elizabeth ( Seabaugh) Dresel, is a native of Germany. Christian Dresel was a tailor by trade and after he came to the United States, his marriage to Elizabeth Seabaugh was sol- emnized in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. John Dresel had one brother and one sister - Lewis Dresel and Louise ( Dresel) Shoemaker.

John Dresel earned his first money by carry- ing water to a threshing crew. When he was a small boy his mother died. When four years of age he had a miraculous escape from being killed by lightning. During a thunderstorm he and his father took refuge under a large oak tree. The lightning struck the tree, threw both of them several feet and prostrated them upon the ground, leaving young John in a dazed and senseless condition for several hours. One freak of the lightning was to tear one of the father's shoes entirely from his foot. At the age of seventeen years John secured a po- sition on a street-car line. where he worked about ten months, driving horses.

Mr. Dresel came to Custer county in the fall of 1885 and filed a contest on the 160 acres now owned by John Cameron, adjoining the old Olive Ranch.

August 27, 1911, at Broken Bow, Mr. Dresel married Mrs. Maggie (Vance ) Lewis. Mrs. Dresel has two sons by a former marriage. The elder son, Edwin P. Lewis, married Mattie Riles and is now living in La Center, Kentucky, where he owns a large garage. He and his wife are the parents of two bright children. a boy and a girl. Mr. Lewis is a member of the Methodist church, is a Mason and a Wood- man, and he gives his political support to the Democratic party. The younger son, Herbert H. Lewis, is, at the time of this writing, a mem- ber of Company B. One Hundred and Ninth Supply Trains motor-storage depot, at Camp Haliford. Baltimore, Maryland. In 1913 he went to Kansas City and took a three months' course in an automobile school. prior to his en- listment in Company L. Fourth Regiment, Ne- braska National Guard. March 29, 1917, un- der Captain L. J. Butcher, he was stationed at Ashland, Nebraska, for guard duty at the railroad bridge. Later he was sent to Camp Cody, where he was transferred to the Motor Department.

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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 141

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