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 59

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 59

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

and in this connection he is interested in the work of the American Medical Association. the Nebraska State Medical Society, and the Custer County Medical Society. He is a Re- publican in politics, and is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, in which he is a Knight Templar. His religious faith is that of the Christian church.

In 1900 Doctor Landis married Miss Julia Elizabeth Jackley, who died, without issue, in 1907. He was again married in 1909, when he was united with Miss Lennis May Tanner, a native of Missouri. They have one daugh- ter, Helen Elizabeth, who is attending school.

ALFRED C. SLOGGETT. - Prominent among the retired agriculturists of Broken Bow is Alfred C. Sloggett, who came to Custer county in 1886 and whose career in this state has been marked by advancement from a hum- ble position to one of independence. Alfred Cole Sloggett was born in the village of Gran- by, Canada, March 13, 1853, a son of William and Bathania (Horner) Sloggett, the former a native of England and the latter of New York state.

William Sloggett was a cabinetmaker and wagonmaker by trade, and also conducted a store in Canada, which he did also after re- moving to Illinois, in 1856. Mrs. Sloggett died at Forreston, that state, about the close of the Civil war, having been the mother of twelve children, of whom four survive - Wil- liam, a farmer of Ogle county, Illinois ; Alfred C., of this sketch ; John, a farmer of White- side county, Illinois ; and James, formerly a farmer and merchant, and for the past twelve years engaged in the restaurant business at Broken Bow. William Sloggett was married a second time, at Forreston, Illinois, and four children were born of this union: Vivian, ; clerk in a store at Fremont, Nebraska ; Mour- teaville, a North Dakota farmer : Mrs. Anna Kerlin, a widow, of Fremont ; and Mrs. Peg- den, whose husband is a farmer in the vicinity of that city.

Alfred C. Slogett was but three years of age when brought by his parents to the United States, and his early boyhood was passed at Forreston, Illinois. His mother died when he was but eleven years of age and after that conditions at home were not pleasant for the lad, who ran away when he was fifteen, and who. for about a year and one-half. worked for John Kaline, at Woosung, Illinois, thirty- five miles from home. He saved his money and outfitted himself with clothes, made his way to Clinton, Iowa, and secured a position in a sawmill, but this did not prove congenial

429

HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

and after six months he resigned and found employment with a farmer named Church, with whom he remained four years, at twenty- five dollars a month - about ten dollars a month more than common wages at that time. In the meantime he attended the country school during the winter months. A longing to see some of his kinsfolk whom he had left behind. led him back to Illinois, where he had been given up for dead, but after a short visit he returned to Iowa, where he worked a year at gardening. Once more going to Illinois, he began working for his brother, Willian Slog- gett, with whom he remained three years, fol- lowing which he went to the home of Ed Bricknell, where he boarded, and during that year he farmed about forty acres of corn, on his own account. While he had been working for his brother Mr. Sloggett had become ac- quainted with Miss Emma Miller, a daughter of Manuel Miller, of Ogle county, and they were married September 15, 1877, at West Grove. They resided in Illinois about seven years, when, inspired by the stories heard of the west, Mr. Sloggett came to Custer county, Nebraska, where, about seven miles north of Broken Bow, he contested a farm of 160 acres. He returned to Illinois, where he re- mained about one year, and then came back and filed on the homestead. In 1886, with his wife and four children, Perry, Bessie, Charlie, and George, he came to make a home and accumulate a competency. At this time his possessions consisted chiefly of a few horses, which died the same year. and it was necessary that he find employment, in order to support his family while getting a start. Ac- cordingly he assisted in putting in the rail- road switches, and he also freighted oats about 100 miles up the line to where they were build- ing the railroad. Mr. Sloggett has numerous reminiscences of these days He tells of ford- ing the river and of shooting prairie chickens and once in a while a deer. The next year he took up farming, and everything went well until the dry year of 1894, which brought about hard times. The family home was a sod house, as were the schoolhouses, and MIr. Sloggett assisted in the building of two of the latter. On this pioneer homestead the remain- ing children of the family were born: Edith, Hattie, Harvey, Annie, Orville, and Everett, of whom Annie and Orville are deceased. Perry, who farms his father's homestead. seven miles west of Broken Bow, in the Union valley, married a daughter of Charles Jenkins ; Bessie A. is the wife of Joseph Loyd, an im- plement salesman of Broken Bow ; Mrs. Edith Rosler is the wife of a very prosperous farmer eight miles cast of Broken Bow ; Hattie is the

wife of Clyde Bates, a farmer nine miles northwest of Broken Bow; George A., a farmer three miles south and one mile west of Anselmo, married a Miss Rotton; Charles is single and a farmer; Harvey M. was taken into the United States service during the first draft, being first with Company D, 355th Regi- ment, at Camp Funston, later going to Virginia and being assigned to Company F. Fourth In- fantry, and finally being sent as a member of our heroic forces in France : and Everett is in the eleventh grade of the Broken Bow pub- lic school.

In 1902 Mr. Sloggett and his family moved to the Skelton place, about ten miles northeast of Broken Bow, where they lived more than two years, and in the spring of 1905 they moved again, this time to the Adams school section, four miles east of town. During the eight years that they resided there numerous fine crops were raised and Mr. Sloggett got a good start, but finally he tired of farming hill country, and this caused another change, the family moving to the old Rogers ranch, about one and one-half miles east of Broken Bow. After six years Mr. Sloggett retired from active pursuits and took up his residence in his modern and commodious home at Broken Bow, where he has every convenience. He is still the owner of 368 acres of valuable land and his other wise investments have made him one of his community's substantial men. Mr. Slog- gett is a Republican, and served as road over- seer for three years. He has been connected with the Modern Woodmen of America for twenty-five years. Mrs. Sloggett and all the children belong to the Methodist Episcopal church.

L. EMMETT COLE. - One of the old es- tablished and highly reputable undertaking es . tablishments of Custer county is that con- ducted by L. Emmett Cole, who, during a period of twenty-three years at Broken Bow. has placed himself firmly in the confidence of the people. He was born at Carlinville, Ma- coupin county, Illinois, October 8, 1857, and is a son of William D. and Aramanda ( Bailey ) Cole.

William D. Cole was born in 1829, in Ken- tucky, was there reared and educated, and there he married Miss Bailey, the daughter of a Kentucky farmer. They moved from their native state to Illinois not long after their mar- riage, Mr. Cole being engaged in farming there for a number of years, but after their retire- ment from the active pursuits of life they went to Boise, Idaho, where they passed away, their deaths being but three weeks apart. They

. 430

HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

were faithful members of the Methodist church, and Mr. Cole was a Mason and a Re- publican. Of their children, five are living : L. Emmett : Libbie, who is the wife of John Neal, a real-estate broker of San Francisco, California ; Susie. the wife of Ed House, a real-estate and insurance broker of Broken Bow : William D .. a druggist of Portland, Ore- gon, who married Madge Womsley, of West Union, Custer county ; and Fred B., who has charge of the North Wind Lumber Company, of Carson. Washington.

When L. Emmett Cole was still a lad his parents moved to Champaign county, Illinois, and there, in the public schools of Champaign. he received his education. He was an indus- trious youth, and his first money was earned in working on a broom-corn ranch, but subse- quently he learned the painter's trade, to which le devoted a number of years of his life. He remained in Illinois until the year 1887, when he came to Broken Bow, and while still carry- ing on his business as a painter he learned the undertaking and embalming business. In 1895 he went to work for W. J. Woods, of Broken Bow, and this association continued for ten years, when Mr. Cole engaged in the under- taking business in an independent way. He has since carried on the business alone. Mr. Cole has conducted his business in a manner that has won to him the respect and confidence of the people of his community, and for this reason he is widely called upon for his services during times of death, his duties having taken him as far west on the Burlington Railroad as Ashby, and as far east as Mason City. He has an up-to-date establishment in every par- ticular, with every convenience and all equip- ment for the proper care of the dead in a rev- erent manner, and features of his business are his chapel and his automobile service, includ- ing automobile hearse. Mr. Cole is a Modern Woodman, an Odd Fellow, and an Elk.

In 1886, at Champaign, Illinois, just before coming to Nebraska, Mr. Cole married Miss Emma Price, her father being a successful contractor and builder. To this union there were born four children: Mabel, who is the wife of Homer Desrocher, a stone contractor in Detroit, Michigan ; Roy, unmarried. a ser- geant in the engineering corps, United States Army in France: Grace, who is single and engaged in the millinery business at Detroit : and Harry, who is still attending school at Broken Bow.

H. K. ATKISSON. - The subject of this review is the efficient manager of the Milburn & Custer Telephone Company and has been a

resident of Custer county for thirty-one years.

H. K. Atkisson was born in Wayne county, Iowa, January 25, 1858. llis father, I. N. Atkisson, who was a native of Kentucky, was a lawyer by profession and came to Nebraska in an early day, residing first at Ashland, later at Lincoln. In 1887 he came to Custer county, where he made his home until his death, in 1891, at Broken Bow. The mother of our subject is Mrs. Minerva (Clark) Atkisson, who is a native of Pennsylvania, and who is now making her home in California.

H. K. Atkisson, one of a family of four children, accompanied his parents to Nebraska and came to Custer county with them in 1887. He was engaged in mercantile business at Merna for several years and for several years past he has been manager of the Milburn & Custer Telephone Company. He has been a notary public for eighteen years and also deals in real estate. When a young man he ac- quired considerable knowledge of law and legal procedure, while working with his father, and this knowledge he finds valuable in exam- ining abstracts and investigating titles to prop- ertv.

In Webster county, Nebraska, Mr. Atkisson married Miss B. L. Wells, a native of Mich- igan. Mrs. Atkisson has acquired a splendid education, is possessed of considerable literary talent and is serving at the present time as librarian for the public library of Merna. Mr. and Mrs. Atkisson have three children : Roy N., who is sales manager for Deere & Company of Omaha : Blanche, who is the wife of J. R. Judge, of Lushton, Nebraska ; and Veva, who is the wife of F. E. Peterson, of Lincoln, Nebraska.

The family are members of the United Brethren church and Mr. Atkisson is a Repub- lican in politics. Fraternally he is connected with the Merna organizations of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen of America, and Ancient Order of United Workmen, and he is one of the progressive citizens of Custer county.

SAMUEL M. LUCE, who is now living retired in Merna, after many years of activity as an agriculturist in Custer county, was among the very early settlers of this county and has witnessed the changes that have been brought about, while in the work of development he has aided in many ways.

Mr. Luce was born near Bangor, Maine, March 24. 1850, and is a descendant from Puritan stock, his ancestors having been num- bered among the first settlers of the Pine Tree state. His father, William S. Luce, was a

431

HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

native of Maine and followed the life of a sailor until he received injuries that compelled him to abandon this vocation. In 1854 he came west, and after remaining a short time in Chicago he established his residence in Stark county, Illinois, where he continued to be en- gaged in farming enterprise until after the close of the Civil war. In 1866 he became one of the pioneers of Clarke county, Iowa, where he passed the remainder of his life, his death having occurred in 1871. His wife, whose death there occurred in the preceding year, was a native of Massachusetts and her maiden name was Hulda Rogers. Four of their sons were soldiers in the Civil war, all serving from! Illinois, but in different regiments - William S. in the Ninth Cavalry; Alonzo in the Nine- teenth Infantry; Richard in the Ninety-third Infantry ; and Isaac in the One Hundred and Twelfth Infantry.

Samuel M. Luce was a little lad of four years when he accompanied his parents to Chi- cago and he was with them when the home was established in Clarke county, Iowa, in 1866. There he completed his education and there he eventually engaged in farming on his own ac- count.

February 28, 1872, at the home of the bride's parents, near Lacelle, Clarke county, Iowa, was solemnized the marriage of Samuel M. Luce to Miss Mary V. Perry, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of Zachariah and Sarah (Keedy) Perry, natives respectively of Ken- tucky and Illinois. In 1882 the parents of Mrs. Luce became pioneer settlers of Custer county, and here they passed the remainder of their lives, the death of the mother having oc- curred in 1892 and that of the father in 1893.

Mr. and Mrs. Luce continued to reside in Iowa until 1882, when they came to Nebraska. They lived one year in Nuckolls county and in 1883 became residents of Custer county, al- though Mr. Luce had come to the county the year before and located and filed on his home- stead of 160 acres, in section 6, township 17, range 21. Here he erected a sod house, which was the home of the family for twelve years. They were among the very early settlers in this part of Custer county. There was no town of Merna then, not a frame house in Broken Bow and only nine families in Dale valley. Mr. Luce helped organize the school district, helped erect the little sod schoolhouse and was identified with all movements for the upbuilding and development of the community. He made a success of his ventures in agricul- ture, brought his land to a high state of culti- vation and was actively engaged in farming until 1906, when he retired to Merna, where

he has resided since in a comfortable home erected at that time.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Luce has been blessed with seven children: Sarah is the wife of B. C. Browning, residing at Merna ; Elijah is a resident of Merna: Nancy is the wife of Dell Jones, of Merna ; LeRoy is living at Stratton, Nebraska; John is a resident of Fort Collins, Colorado : Charles W .. likewise is a resident of Colorado ; and Bessie is the wife of Orville Burton, of Grover, Colorado.

Mr. and Mrs. Luce are members of the United Brethren church and in politics Mr. Luce casts an independent ballot. He affili- ates with several fraternal orders, being active in the Modern Woodmen of America, Modern Brotherhood, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Daughters of Rebekah.

Samuel M. Luce is one of the venerable pioneers of Custer county, where he has been an interested witness of the changes that have made the county one of the leading agricul- tural and stock-raising districts of Nebraska, and in every relation of life he has measured up to the full standard of manhood and loyal citizenship.

HARMER E. MYERS. - Although var- iously identified with affairs in Custer county since his arrival here more than a quarter of a century ago, it is probably as a moral and religious teacher that llarmer E. Myers will be longest and most gratefully remembered. More and more is it demonstrated that a cul- tivated mind and fine instincts reach their highest development oftentimes amid agricul- tural surroundings, diffusing around them that refinement and peace which are the hall-marks of the born gentleman toiler. To such a class belongs Mr. Myers, who is now one of the large land-owners of Custer county, but who for years was one of the most successful and most affectionately appreciated laborers in the United Brethren church, the numerous churches which he founded standing as monu- ments to his zeal and ministerial capacity.

Harmer E. Myers was born in Clarke county, Iowa, March 24, 1865, a son of Lambert P. and Rebecca (Rilea) Myers. His paternal grandfather, Jonathan Myers, was a native of Virginia, and moved to the Western Reserve of Ohio at an early day. In that historic part of the Buckeye state he passed the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits, and there he reared a family of ten children. William Rilea, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Myers, was a native of Ohio and eventually moved to lowa. In the early days he was a freighter

432

HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

on the Mississippi river, taking flatboats down to New Orleans, and was also widely known as a famous hunter and trapper of his day.

Lambert Packer Myers was born in Ma- honing county, Ohio, in 1834, and as a young man learned the cabinetmaker's trade, which he followed in his home state. He was there educated and subsequently went to Indiana. In the '50s he removed to Iowa, where he se- cured employment in a mill. Through indus- trious work and careful saving he accumu- lated enough capital with which to purchase a farm in the neighborhood of Hopeville, where he rounded out his career and where he died in 1896. He was a Republican in politics and he served on school boards in several com- munities. He belonged to the United Brethren in Christ. Mr. Myers was married at Funk's Mills, Iowa, to Miss Rebecca Rilea, who was born in Brown county, Ohio, and who sur- vives her husband, she being a resident of Bed- ford, Iowa. They became the parents of ninc children, of whom eight are living: Leonard V., a furniture dealer, undertaker and em- balmer at Red Oak, Iowa, is very prominent in his business in his state and was formerly vice-president of the National Undertakers Association ; Marion U. is a carpenter at Bea- consfield, Iowa ; Harmer E. is the immediate subject of this review; Anna is the wife of H. T. Chew, a farmer of Grand River, Iowa ; Mrs. Elizabeth Besco, a widow, resides at Bedford. Iowa, where she has been success- fully engaged in business as a dry-goods mer- chant for the past sixteen years; Armanella. prominent in the affairs of the Methodist Episcopal church, is the wife of Frank Allen. who was formerly a leading churchman and merchant of Bedford, Iowa, but is now a prominent real-estate man of Greeley, Colo- rado: Adna E. is a contractor and builder at Los Angeles, California ; and Almond Ray, a graduate of the Gem City Business College, Quincy, Illinois, was in the banking business for a number of years at McAlester, Okla- homa, but later was a resident of Rosalia, Washington, and he is now engaged in farm enterprise near Colville, that state.

The country schools of lowa furnished Harmer R. Myers his early educational train- ing, and after he had taught school for one year he entered the Western Normal College at Shenandoah, Iowa, where he was graduated in 1888, with the degree of Bachelor of Didac- ties. Thereafter he taught for one year in Fremont county, Iowa, and one year in Gage county, Nebraska. For two years he was prin . cipal of schools at Crab Orchard, Nebraska and for a like period at Unadilla, Otoc county. He then taught one term of country school

and one term in his home school in Nebraska. Prior to this time he had begun his labors as a minister of the faith of the United Brethren in Christ. He joined the annual conference, at Shelby, Nebraska, in March. 1892, although he had preached one year prior to this, hav- ing been granted a conference license. As- signed to Unadilla, he held some splendid pro- tracted meetings and made a success of his first church. He then went to Seward, where he was pastor for three year, during which he more than doubled the membership there, tak- ing in 12I new members. Subsequently he was pastor of the First United Brethren church at Lincoln, where he was instrumental in transferring the church from the suburbs into the city proper, and after eighteen months in that pastorate he went to Pawnee City, Ne- braska, and remained as pastor of a country church for two years. In the meanwhile he had been formally ordained to the ministry. the ceremony of ordination having been per- formed at Blue Springs, Gage county, by Bishop Castle. In 1900 he came to Broken Bow, where he was minister for two and one- half years, at that time resigning from the regular ministry, his last sermon being deliv- cred in a sod church at Custer Center, Iowa. However, from time to time he continued to preach, accepting different country appoint- ments, and he still fills a pulpit occasionally, in addition to doing some work in the lecture field. During his long experience in the work of the church, Mr. Myers met varying con- ditions. During one period, for three years, he preached three times each Sunday. One of his biggest successes was a revival held at the O. K. schoolhouse, where he organized a large class. For one year he accomplished some gratifying work at the Ortello church, to reach which he had to travel forty miles from Broken Bow, it being his custom to leave this city at three o'clock Saturday afternoon, sleep in a hay-mow that night, and eat lunch- eon in his buggy, at Merna.

As an agriculturist Mr. Myers has made an excellent success. He purchased his first quarter-section in 1900, at five dollars on acre. and in 1902 he secured a like amount at the same price, but in 1903 was forced to pay six dollars and twenty-five cents an acre for a quarter-section, and later, when he bought a half-section, the price had again advanced. He has sold some of his land, but still owns 600 acres of valuable farming property, in two farms -one, his home place, consisting of 480 acres, while the other, eighteen miles from Broken Bow, comprises 120 acres. Mr. Myers does much in the way of stock-raising and dairying, a field of enterprise in which he

433

HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

educated himself, and he has a splendid herd of Durhams. He has milked as high as forty- seven cows, although the average is twenty- five, and in 1917 he sold six hundred dollars' worth of cream, it having been his expectation in 1918 to advance that figure to over $1.000. He usually sells and ships a car-load of cattle and a like amount of hogs each year, and he has made a success also in the raising of reg- istered Percheron stallions.

In 1889 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Myers to Miss Ella I. Talley, who was born in Ringgold county, Iowa, a daughter of Isaac A. and Nancy ( Keller) Talley, who were born in Ohio, and came to Iowa in 1856, being among the earliest pioneers of Ringgold county, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Myers there have been born the following children: Evan- geline B. is the wife of William Hein, a farm- er near Westerville, Custer county; Joy U. is engaged in teaching at Hastings, Nebraska ; Paul S. resides at home and assists his father : Vivian is the wife of Frank Thornton, a far- mer near Westerville; Jessie is engaged in teaching ; and Royal, Hallie, and Beulah re- main at the parental home. Mr. Myers is in- dependent in his political views, and his only public office was that of a member of the town council at Crab Orchard, Johnson county, Ne- braska.

FRED J. BAHR. - A comparatively recent addition to the grain and coal merchants of Broken Bow. F. J. Bahr established his in- terests here in 1909, bringing with him a com- mendable ambition to succeed, and that his aims have been realized is shown in the fact that he is to-day numbered among the leading business citizens of his adopted community. Mr. Bahr was born August 16, 1868, at Fay- ette, Iowa, a son of John J. and Lucy (Tim- merman) Bahr.

John J. Bahr was born April 1, 1830, in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, France, and was a young man when he came to the United States with his father. William Bahr, and lo- cated in New York. There he married and for a few years was engaged in farming, but about the year 1860 he came to the west and bought 400 acres of land in Fayette county. Iowa, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a Republican in politics, was a blue lodge Mason for fifty-five years, and in religious faith was a Congregationalist, while Mrs. Bahr was a Methodist. They were the parents of the following children: Eva is the wife of J. M. Alexander, a farmer and real- estate broker of Gothenburg, Nebraska, he being an Odd Fellow and a Republican ; Will-

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 59

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