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 55

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 55

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Harvard Lomax was given excellent educa- tional advantages in his youth and completed his studies when he was graduated in Wesley College, Sheffield, England, in 1878. He then spent one year as a fruit farmer on the Isle of

Jersey, but in 1880 he immigrated to the United States and in March of that year located in Custer county. He pre-empted a tract in the South Loup valley and held it for three years, but subsequently he removed to Wood river, where he homesteaded and in addition bought railroad land. For a time he was associated with his brother, Henry H., but the latter went back to England. Mr. Lo- max eventually became one of the well-to-do men of his locality and won general public confidence by his straightforward handling of business matters. He interested himself in public matters and in 1890 was elected to the state legislature, in which body he served one term, making a good record for constructive work. For several years thereafter he served as county supervisor, and in 1895 he was elected county treasurer, an office which he retained four years. In 1901 Mr. Lomax assisted in the organization of the Custer Na- tional Bank, of which institution he was the first cashier, remaining as such until 1917. when he was made president. This institution, now the Custer State Bank, is sound and conservative, with an excellent. reputation in banking circles, and it has a capital of $35.000. with surplus and undivided profits of $5,000. and average deposits of $415,000. Mr. Lomax still retains his holdings in farm property and gives some attention to the operation of the same, but the major portion of his time is taken up with banking affairs. In politics Mr. Lomax is a Democrat, with independent inclinations. He is a Mason in high standing. a Knight Templar and a member of the Mystic Shrine and has served his Blue Lodge as master. He is a member also of the Wood- men and the Highlanders. With his family. he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church.

In February, 1884, Mr. Lomax was united in marriage to Miss Laura White, who was born at Clifton. Illinois, a daughter of Thomas and Mary White, early settlers of that state. The parents of Mrs. Lomax came to Nebraska in 1882, and Mr. White purchased a section of land near Lexington, where he followed farm- ing until his death. Mr. and Mrs. Lomax are the parents of six children : Edith is the wife of H. A. Stephenson, M. D., a graduate in medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Balti- more, Maryland, where Miss Lomax was a trained nurse, and Dr. Stephenson is now in the United States service as a surgeon at Fort Riley : James is cashier of the Custer State Bank at Broken Bow: Clifford, the manager of a cattle ranch in Cherry county, is a soldier in France at the time of this writing ; Marian

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is a graduate of the Broken Bow high school, class of 1918; and Leslie and Frances are at- tending school.

JOHN M. KIMBERLING. - Among the prominent citizens of Broken Bow, one who affords an encouraging example of success gained through the proper use of every-day abilities and opportunities, is John M. Kim- berling, president of the Broken Bow State Bank. His life work has been a response both to his early teaching and the needs of his en- vironment, and he has laboriously climbed every round in the financial ladder, having risen to the presidency from the humble posi- tion of bookkeeper. He was born in Marion county, lowa, March 25, 1859, and is a son of Rev. Lawrence and Elizabeth (Reynolds ) Kimberling.

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Kimber- ling was Elijah Kimberling, a native of West Virginia, who spent his entire career in that state, which was also the birthplace of the maternal grandfather, John Reynolds, who moved to Iowa in 1852 and passed the rest of his life there, engaged in farming. Rev. Law- rence Kimberling was born in West Virginia, and as a young man moved to Marion county, Iowa, in 1852, being there married to Miss Reynolds, who also was born in West Vir- ginia. They settled down to an agricultural life in their new community and there spent the remainder of their days. Mr. Kimberling was an ordained minister of the Baptist church and for many years labored faithfully in the service of his Master, filling numerous pulpits in the country surrounding his home. He was a self-made man in all that the term implies, and was greatly esteemed in his community. His political belief made him a Republican. There were five children in the family, of whom four are living: Frank, who is pro- prietor of a meat market at Franklin, Ne- braska ; John M., who is the subject of this review ; C. V., who is engaged in the laundry business at Des Moines, Iowa ; and Minnie, who is the wife of J. Dickey, a printer at Franklin.

The district schools of Marion county, lowa. furnished John M. Kimberling with his early education, and this he supplemented with a course in a commercial college at Des Moines. His first vocation was farming, but this did not prove congenial, and for a time he was occupied in teaching school. Two years as an instructor convinced him that such an oc- cupation was not his forte, and in 1887 he came to Broken Bow, Nebraska, where he

entered upon his real career, obtaining a posi- tion as bookkeeper in the Broken Bow State Bank. His advance with this institution was steady and continuous, for he rose consecu- tively to cashier and then to vice-president. and in 1917 was made president of this insti- tution, which is accounted one of the strong and stable banking houses of the county, with a capital of $30,000, surplus and profits of $10,900, and average deposits of $600,000. Mr. Kimberling is known as a man of rare sagacity and judgment, keen foresight, and inherent ability as a banker, with a proper blend of progressiveness and conservatism. He is held in the greatest confidence not only by his associates but also by the general pub- lic, and his fellow citizens have demonstrated their faith in him by making him city treasurer for nineteen years and a member of the city council for a like period. He is a Republican. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the blue lodge and chapter of York Rite Masonry and was formerly secretary of the lodge, and he and Mrs. Kimberling are members of the Baptist church.

In 1890 Mr. Kimberling married Miss Cora Reyner, who was born in Iowa, and who died in 1894, leaving one child: Florence, who is now the wife of Edward Scott, a farmer near Broken Bow. In 1898 Mr. Kimberling was again married, being united with Miss Rosa Hemphill, also a native of Iowa, and to this union there have been born two children : Thelma and Rodgers, both attending the Broken Bow public schools.

WILLIAM A. HOUSEL, D. M. D. - As in medicine and surgery, the science of den- tistry is constantly developing new phases of usefulness, and in order to insure success, the dentist of to-day must keep fully abreast of the achievements of his profession. He must add skill to thorough research and combine close application to his task with the ability gained through experience. Such a practi- tioner is William A. Housel, D. M. D., who has been engaged in the practice of his pro- fession at Ansley since 1905, with constantly increasing success.

Doctor Housel was born at Stockham, Hamilton county, Nebraska, July 15, 1875, a son of Gardner and Jennie (Cook) Housel. Ilis father, who was born in New Jersey, in 1848, was four years of age when he was taken by his parents to Madison, Wisconsin, where he grew to manhood and was educated in the public schools. In Wisconsin he was engaged in farming for a short time, but in

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

1870 he came to Nebraska and settled on a homestead in the vicinity of Stockham, Ham- ilton county, and in that community he mar- ried Miss Jennie Cook, who was born in New York city, in 1854, and who was brought to Nebraska as a child. They continued to live in that community until 1879, when they set- tled on a tree claim in Custer county. This claim Mr. Housel duly developed and im- proved, and to the same he has since added. by various purchases, until he now has 800 acres of valuable land. A man of splendid energy and business ability, he has been very prosperous in his undertaking, and is now justly accounted one of the well-to-do, as well as prominent, men of his locality. He is a Democrat in politics, a leader in civic move-

ments and enterprises and a consistent mem- ber of the Christian church, to which Mrs. Housel also belongs. They are the parents of four children, as follows: Frank, engaged in farming near Ansley; Dr. William A., of this notice ; Dr. C. L., a specialist in diseases of the eye, ear, nose, and throat, and now in the service of the United States Army, at Austin, Texas : and Margaret, the wife of Ben Shel- don, who is carrying on agricultural opera- tions on his father's farm.

Dr. William A. Housel attended the public schools of Ansley, and after his graduation in the high school he spent three years at Cotner University, in Lincoln. He then pursued his professional studies at the Lincoln Dental school, from which he was duly grduated with the class of 1905, and he at once began prac- tice at Ansley, where he has maintained his office ever since .. , courteous and genial manner, splendid skill in his vocation, and a natural love for his calling, have combined to attract to Doctor Housel a large and repre- sentative practice, and as the holder of the largest clientele in this part of the county he has been compelled to employ an assistant. He devotes his entire time to his professional business and has had little leisure for outside matters, but he is a stanch Democrat and gives his support to good civic movements.

In 1900 Dr. Housel married Miss Florence L. Ford, who was born at Blue Hill, Nebraska, and who is a daughter of Fred Ford, a success- ful carpenter contractor at Bethany, Nebraska. Of this union have been born five children, namely: Alice, Robert, Dorothy, Lucille, and Raymond F. Dr. and Mrs. Housel are mem- bers of the Christian church.

JAMES K. HEWETT. - The proprietor and editor of a newspaper occupies a vantage ground from which he may make or mar a

reputation, or build up or tear down a cause worthy of public support. Not only the city of Broken Bow but Custer county at large has reason for congratulation that the Custer County Republican is in such safe, sagacious and thoroughly clean hands. It is considered one of the best general newspapers published in the county, as well as an outspoken, fair- play exponent of the best element of the Re- publican party ; in fact it is in all respects well worthy of the care and sound judgment dis- played in its columns, and reflects credit on both the editor and publisher, James K. Hew- ett.

Mr. Hewett was born at Bloomington, Franklin county, Nebraska. January 9. 1890, a son of James H. H. Hewett and Maude (Kelly) Hewett. His paternal grandfather. Obediah B. Hewett, a prominent and leading attorney, came to Nebraska in 1857 and assist- ed in laying out the city of Beatrice. In 1859 he married Miss Mary Turner. He fought as captain of Company M, Second Nebraska Cavalry, during the Civil war. At the close of the war he settled in Brownville, where he remained until 1876, when he moved on to a farm near that city. In 1880 he went to Hast- ings, and he practiced law there until 1892. when he went to California and practiced law at Riverside, California, later moving to Chino, California, where he died in 1898. The maternal grandfather, of Mr. Hewett was James E. Kelly, who was born at Latrobe, Pennsylvania. At the age of nineteen years he enlisted in the Thirty-fourth Regiment of Indiana Volunteers and rose to the rank of captain. Returning to Indiana. he was mar- ried, December 31, 1863, to Margaret J. Law- rence, who accompanied him to Texas, where he saw six months' service on the border, dur- ing the days immediately following the strug- gle between the north and south. When hon- orably discharged he and his wife went to Roanoke. Indiana, where Mr. Kelly engaged in the mercantile business. Later they moved to South Carolina, engaging in cotton rais- ing. They then moved to Fond du Lac. where again Mr. Kelly engaged in the mercan- tile business. In 1879 he came to Nebraska as a pioneer. taking a homestead in Harlan county. In 1880 he moved to Bloomington. engaging in the mercantile business until ap- pointed receiver of the United States land office at Bloomington, under President Har- rison.

James H. H. Hewett was born in Brown- ville, Nebraska, and received excellent educa- tional advantages, being graduated from the Peru State Normal, class of 1883, and having the distinction of being the first graduate of

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Hastings College, class of 1885. He studied law "with his father and, after being admitted to the bar, entered the land office at Blooming- ton, Nebraska, and later at McCook, Nebraska. He was married to Miss Maude L. Kelly, in 1888, at Bloomington, Nebraska. They then moved to Box Butte county, Nebraska, where Mr. Hewett engaged in the practice of law, at Hemingford and Alliance, for a number of years.

Mr. Hewett has always been prominent in Republican politics and for two terms was county judge of Box Butte county. He is now connected with the United States land office at Alliance, Nebraska. Mr. Hewett is prom- inent in Masonic circles, having been master of the Alliance blue lodge for seven years and eminent commander of the Knights Templars. Mr. and Mrs. Hewett have been the parents of three children, two of whom are living - James K. Hewett and Helen Bernice Hewett. who is a senior at the University of Nebraska.

James K. Hewett was graduated from the Alliance high school in 1908, following which he entered the Nebraska State University, and, after pursuing an extended course in electrical engineering, was graudated with his degree of Bachelor of Science, in 1913. Going to Pitts- burgh, Pennsylvania, he took a special course of two years with the Westinghouse Company, and in 1914 returned to Nebraska. As a young man he had learned the trade of printing, more as a recreation than with the thought of using it as a business. However, there is the saying that once a man's blood be tainted with print- er's ink he is never able to disassociate himself from it. This may have been true in Mr. Hewett's case, for when he came back to Ne- braska in 1914 he joined the force of the Al- liance Times. Two years of experience there bound him firmly to newspaper work, and in 1916 he came to Broken Bow and purchased the Custer County Republican, of which he has since been the editor and publisher. At the present time he has a circulation extending through Custer county and is producing a well printed, well edited sheet, with clean, live, authentic news, timely editorials and inter- esting locals. His efforts to give the people a good, readable newspaper have evidently been appreciated, and he is well supported in an ad- vertising way by the merchants and profes- sional men of Broken Bow. In connection with his newspaper, Mr. Hewett has a well equipped job department, and turns out all manner of high-class job printing.

Mr. Hewett was married at Lincoln, on No- vember 20, 1916, to Miss Anna Margaret Veith, who was born at Lincoln, Nebraska, September 8, 1890. Mrs. Hewett is the young-

est daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Veith, of Lincoln, Nebraska. Mr. Veith was born at Ober-Ramstadt, Germany, in 1846. His father. Conrad Veith, was librarian of the court documents at Schloss Lichtenberg while preparing himself for office in the probate courts of that city. Henry Veith left Ger- many when a young man, going first to Lon- don, where he lived a year before coming to the United States. In the '60s he decided to make Lincoln, Nebraska, his home and soon after took out his naturalization papers. He was married to Catherine Goetz, of Darm- stadt, Germany, on February 24, 1872, at Lin- coln, Nebraska. During all these years he has been successfully engaged in the mercantile business.

Mrs. Hewett graduated from the Lincoln high school in 1909. In 1913 she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the Arts and Science College of the University of Nebraska, and her diploma from the Teacher's College of that institution. She taught in the Grand Island high school for three years, spending the summers taking post-graduate work at the Universities of Wisconsin and Nebraska. She is now engaged as the social editor of the Cus- ter County Republican. She is a member of the Woman's Public Service Club, The Wom- an's Club, and the Browning Club. Mrs. Hewett is a member of the Presbyterian church of Broken Bow.

Mr. Hewett is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Public Service Club, of Broken Bow.

Mr. and Mrs. Hewett are the parents of one daughter, Helen Easley, born December 28, 1917.

REV. JAMES H. HERMES, the esteemed pastor of the Broken Bow Catholic church, is filling his second pastorate, having come to this city from Douglas, Wyoming, in 1917. While he is thus, more or less comparatively, a new- comer, he has already found a place in the affection and confidence of the people here, into whose lives and daily activities he has brought a moral influence that is contributing to their spiritual and material welfare. Father Hermes was born at Louisville, Kentucky, April 14. 1887, and is a son of Frederick Aug- ust and Regina (Lubbers) Hermes.

The parents of Father Hermes, natives of the dukedom of Oldenburg, immigrated to the United States in 1882 and were married at Louisville, Kentucky, where they still reside and where the father is engaged successfully in the grocery business and in farming. There were thirteen children in the family, of whom

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nine are still living. but Father James H. Hermes is the only one located in the west.

Rev. James H. Hermes received his early education in the parochial schools of Louis- ville, and completed a collegiate course at St. Francis College, Trenton, New Jersey. He then went to Rome, Italy, to pursue his theo- logical studies and he was ordained September 19. 1909, immediately following which he re- turned to the United States. His first charge was at Douglas, Wyoming, where he remained from 1910 until 1916, and in October, 1917, he came to Broken Bow, where he now has thirty-eight families in his congregation. Both in a material and spiritual sense the work of Father Hermes has been very successful. Since he commenced his ministerial labors at Broken Bow he has done much to improve the church and add to the welfare of the parish. He is a genial and warm-hearted man and not only commands the respect and confidence of his own parishioners but also enjoys the cordial esteem of a large circle of Protestant friends He extends hearty hospitality to all guests who visit his church or home, and greets all with a pleasant word and a cheery smile. He invari- ably exerts his great influence on the side of right, and lends liberal aid to all movements tending to promote the public welfare. All who listen to his pulpit utterances are im- pressed by his strong intellectual resources and the energy which characterizes his work. The life of Father Hermes has been a beneficent one, and its results have been abundantly mani- fest wherever he has labored.

Father Hermes joined Casper Council, Knights of Columbus, at Casper, Wyoming, and has now reached the fourth degree in that well known fraternal order, having the distinction of being the only man in the state who has taken the four degrees within the period of as many months.

MILO F. YOUNG, pioneer, frontiersman. miner, scout, Indian fighter, freighter and early settler, is probably the oldest man now living within the confines of Custer county, having passed his ninety-second year. His career has been one in which he has had varied and interesting experiences, from hunting buffalo on the western plains to the civilized existence of modern days, and few men, even of twenty less years, bear so few of the scars of life. Mr. Young was born June 18, 1826, at St. Johnsbury, Caledonia county, Vermont, a son of Benjamin and Mary (Jackson) Young. His paternal grandfather, Rev. Winthrop Young, was a minister of the Baptist church, and his maternal grandfather, Samuel Jackson, was a

Revolutionary soldier who fought in the bat- tle of Bunker Hill. Benjamin Young, who was born in New Hampshire, moved in young manhood to Vermont, where he passed the rest of his life in farming. He and his wife had thirteen children, of whom Milo F. is the only survivor, the others being: Deborah, Loren, Obediah, Elijah and Abigail (twins), Mary, Benjamin, Harrison, Winthrop, Jackson, John and Maria.

Milo F. Young was educated in the public schools and as a youth worked for his father, his first twenty-five cents being earned by spreading hay for a neighbor, Captain Miles. He remained at home until his marriage, at the age of twenty-five years, and then pur- chased his father's farm, which he conducted for one year. The quiet pursuits of agricul- ture, however, did not appeal to Mr. Young's nature, and he accordingly went to the city of Calais, Maine, where for four years he was engaged in the butcher business and for three years conducted a livery. Selling his interests in New England, he went to St. Anthony, Minnesota, where he farmed for three years, and then, after a visit to his old home, he came to St. Louis, Missouri, and up the Missouri river, arriving at Omaha in 1858. At that time he took a claim twenty-four miles north- west of Omaha, in Washington county, but after three years he sold out and went to Pike's Peak, where he was engaged in min- ing one year. Mr. Young next became a freighter from Omaha to Cherry Creek and Denver, the latter then known as Aurora, and from Denver he carried the first printing press, for John Gibson, forty miles northwest to Blackhawk, better known as Central City. About twenty-four days were required to make his trips in the winter months, when, at night, he would scrape the snow off the ground under his wagon in order to make his bed. His fam- ily at this time were living at Central City, but in 1860 they went out to join Mr. Young, with whom they remained two years, then going to Elkhorn City, in Douglas county. During this period Mr. Young frequently killed buffalo and freighted the meat and robes to Omaha, where he found a ready market. His ex- periences with the Indians were numerous, and when the red men went out on the Platte river to hunt, he would pass through their villages. One of the incidents of his life at this time, which is illustrative of the early days, had to do with the desire of Colonel Bent, government agent and Indian trader, to trade with a large party of Sioux, Chevennes and Arapahoes. The Colonel had seven large loads of Indian goods and sent out a call for the Indians to come and trade, but the latter encountered a band of

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wild horses and forgot all about the errand upon which they were despatched. Mr. Young was camping on the river, when he was approached by one of the big chiefs of the Sioux, who rode up on a fat little Indian pony with its tail dragging the ground and motioned Mr. Young and his three companions, Henry Benjamin, Rube Hyatt and George Benjamin, to come to the Indian camp, where there were about 2,000 redskins. The plainsmen were in- formed by the chief : "Much buzz-buzz," evi- dently meaning that where they were camped were too many mosquitoes. Producing a long- stemmed pipe and some killikinick from a mink-skin pouch, the chief lined the men up on a wagon-tongue, lighted the pipe, took a few whiffs, and then passed it to the others, who followed suit, the chief then finishing the cere- mony by gravely puffing once or twice. He then said: "White man safe, no steal here," and true to his word the chief would not al- low his tribesmen to disturb them.

Not so peaceable were Mr. Young's later ex- periences with the Indians. When the Second Nebraska Cavalry was called out, in 1862, to put down the uprising at New Ulm, Minnesota, and Spirit Lake, Iowa, Mr. Young served eleven months, helping to chase the Indians up to Sioux City, under General Sully and Colonel R. Furnis. At Sioux City the soldiers were joined by the Sixth Iowa Cavalry, and at White Stone Hill the command surprised a large party of the hostiles, gave them battle, routed them completely, and burned their tepees. In 1873 Mr. Young loaded twenty- two hogs, which he took to Denver for Christ- mas and sold at a good profit. Leaving, with his four magnificent horses, on the day before New Year's, the coldest day on record in the United States, he traveled back to Elkhorn City, bringing with him a family, and he him- self walked the entire distance, to keep from freezing.

In 1876 Mr. Young came to Custer county and located at the mouth of Spring creek, and the property, on which his son, Frank H. Young, carried on operations for many years, is still known as the Young ranch. Mr. Young built the old log house depicted on another page of this work, and the same is of much historical interest, as it was used as the first court house of Custer county. The Young ranch is still operated by the heirs of Ben- jamin Young, to whom it was sold. There. for several years, Milo F. Young served in the capacity of postmaster of Custer, and later he acted as deputy under his son, Frank H., who was county clerk. He is a Repub- lican, and a member of the Masons. That his intellect is still unclouded, even at his ad-

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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 55

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