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 69

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 69

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Mr. Knapp was married November 4, 1901, at Wahoo, Nebraska, to Miss Edna C. Rob- inson, daughter of Charles T. and Flora ( Spurgeon ) Robinson. Mrs. Knapp's par- ents are well known and honored farming people of Saunders county and prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal church in their community. Mr. Robinson is a Democrat and is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. and Mrs. Knapp have a bright and interesting little daughter, Glayds M., who is five years old in 1918.

GEORGE W. Mc RAE. - After thirty years of continuous effort in the vocation of agriculture. George W. McRae retired from his activities in 1913, and since that year has been living quietly at Berwyn. During the time that he was applying himself to his vocation, he demonstrated the possession of marked abilities, and accumulated a compe- tency, while at the same time he won and held the respect of his fellow citizens. Mr. McRae was born in Harrison county, Indiana. January 12. 1852, a son of Daniel B. and Nancy (Wright ) McRae.

C. C. McRae, the paternal grandfather of George W., was born in Scotland and was a young man when he immigrated to the United States. He lived at various points, princi- pally in the south, and died in western Ten- nessee, where he had been engaged in farm- ing. The maternal grandfather was Joseph Wright, who for years carried on farming in Indiana and passed away there. Daniel B. McRae was born on his father's home planta-

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

tion in South Carolina, where he was edu- cated, and as a youth of twenty years he went to Indiana, where he pre-empted land. He soon showed his capacity for shrewd business dealings, added to his holdings from time to time, and when he died he left an estate which included 160 acres of land, in addition to which he had other valuable investments. Following his demise his widow came to Ne- braska, but she lived only a year after her ar- rival. They were the parents of five children, of whom there are two living: George W .; and J. W., the latter a farmer of Colorado. The parents were faithful members of the Presbyterian church. Politically Daniel B. McRae was a Republican, and during Civil war times he was a stanch Abolitionist and did much to assist the Union cause.

George W. McRae was educated in the dis- trict schools of Indiana, and while he was reared on the farm and trained in its pur- suits, he also learned in his youth the trade of plasterer, which he followed in connection with his farming activities. Leaving the Hoosier state in 1882, he came to Nebraska and located in York county, but after one vear he came to Custer county, where he took up a homestead. This continued to be his home for the next thirty years, or until 1913, when he retired from active labor and re- moved to his pleasant home at Berwyn. The success which came to Mr. McRae was the result entirely of his own efforts, for at no time in his career did he have to call upon other than his own abilities to attain his ob- jects. He is a Republican in his political views, but, while a good citizen, has not cared for public office. His reputation in business is beyond reproach, and there are many who have reason to thank him for his good ad- vice and counsel in matters of importance. As a fraternalist, Mr. McRae has been affili- ated with the Odd Fellows for many years.

In 1881, prior to coming to Nebraska, Mr. McRae was married, in Indiana, to Mrs. Mag- gie ( Walter) Hart, who was born in southern Indiana, a daughter of John Walter, a native of Germany who died in Indiana. To this union there were born three children: Coday married Hazel Norcutt, and has one child, Dorothea Maxine ; Flavious resides at home, but at the time of this writing he is in the government war service, as a member of a mechcal crops stationed at Dunkirk, New York: and Ora Lee is the wife of James Davidson. a farmer of Perwyn, and they have one child. Mary Margaret. By her former marriage, Mrs. McRae is the mother of three children : George H., John W .. and Katie ( Hart ) Davoll.

HENRY L. WILSON. - While he is one of the latest members to join the bar of Custer county, Henry L. Wilson has already obtained a recognized position and standing among the practitioners of this locality, and at Broken Bow, where he established his residence in December, 1916, he has built up a substantial and represenative professional business. Mr Wilson is a native son of Nebraska, and was born at Chadron, Dawes county, September 5, 1886, his parents being John M. and Clara F. ( Mitchell) Wilson.

John M. Wilson was born in Scotland and as a lad developed wanderlust that caused him to run away from home and work his passage across the Atlantic to Canada, where he ac- cepted such employment as he could find. His adventurous spirit later led him to Colorado. where, during the early pioneer days, he en- gaged in hunting and freighting, and he se- cured his start in this way - principally in what he was able to obtain by his prowess in hunting buffalo. In 1886 he settled down at Crawford, Nebraska, where he established himself in the clothing business, and there he has conducted the leading store of its kind ever since, he being known as one of the fore- most merchants of his community. He is a Republican in his political views. In Colo- rado was solemnized the marriage of John M. Wilson to Clara E. ( Mitchell) Williams, and they are the parents of three children : Henry L., Harry (a traveling man with head- quarters at Vancouver, Canada), and Ruby.

Henry L. Wilson attended the public schools at Crawford, and after his graduation in the high school, in 1903, he began teaching school, a vocation which he followed for one year. Next he entered the University of Nebraska, and after there continuing his studies two years he was absent for one year, but later he was a student for another half-term. Finally he entered the law department, and in 1911, he was graduated, being immediately admit- ted to practice. He started his professional labors at Crawford, and in the same year he was appointed city attorney, but in 1914, he removed to Lincoln, where he remained until coming to Broken Bow, in December, 1916 Here he bought the practice and good will of Judge J. R. Dean, and since that time he has been in the enjoyment of a constantly increas- ing professional business. He has been active in public affairs, and is at present serving Broken Bow as city attorney. In the election of November, 1918, he was the Republican candidate for county attorney, but was de- feated. A man of broad learning and sound, practical knowledge of the law, he is rapidly making a name and reputation for himself

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

and has already taken long strides toward a leading place in the legal fraternity in Custer county. In politics he supports the cause of the Republican party. Mr. Wilson belongs to the various organizations of his profession and is fraternally affiliated with the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows.

On June 21, 1913, Mr. Wilson, was united in marriage, at Crawford, to Miss Lena Fafek, who was born at that place, and to this union there has been born one child : Twilla.

CARL SWENSON is a young man of thirty-six years and is a native of Custer county. He is one of the successful young farmers operating in the Burr Oak district of the South Loup river region. His life story for the most part is covered in the following biographical sketch of his father and father's family.

John Swenson, seventy-nine years of age in 1918, is a native of Sweden and forty-nine years ago brought to the United States those industrious and frugal habits common to the people of that north Scandinavian region. His wife, Mary ( Peterson) Swenson, is past sixty years of age and possesses all the qualities of the sturdy Swedish race to which she belongs. John Swenson landed in New York, where he remained until he came to Custer county and homesteaded a fine quarter-section of land. He located on his present place thirty- eight years ago. When he reached this coun- try he had practically nothing, and all his possessions of the present day are the direct results of his own toil and savings. Mr. and Mrs. Jolin Swenson became the parents of seven children : Mollie is deceased ; Samuel and Carl remain at the parental home : Tilda Amy lives in Custer county ; Eddie is at home ; Olga continues to reside in this county ; and Willie, the youngest, is at home. The father and mother belong to the Presbyterian church.

Carl Swenson, the subject of this sketch, is a farmer and partner on the home place, which to-day consists of the old homestead and three other quarter-sections, which have been pur- chased, making in all a full section of good land, on which are excellent improvements. The stock raised on this farm is of unusually high grade - the best kind of hogs that select breeding can produce, and red Durham short- horns and Percheron horses that make a fine show for live-stock production.

Carl Swenson is a social member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and is a con- stituent member of the Presbyterian church. He enjoys the confidence and respect of a large circle of friends and as a progressive

son of the west he also has exhibited the sterling characteristics of the hardy race from which he springs.

WILLIE C. SHOEMAKER. - The man whose life history these lines relate lives in the Cumro district, where the soil is produc- tive and where the inhabitants are among the best people of the county.

Mr. Shoemaker is fifty-six years of age ( 1918), and a native of Porter county, li- diana. His Hoosier blood has stood him in good stead and his industrious traits, inher- ited from good parentage and imbibed in early years, have borne splendid fruits in Nebraska.

His father, Albert Shoemaker, who was a native of the Buckeye state and who lived to the age of seventy-nine years was a retired farmer at the time of his death, which occured in Iowa. The mother of the subject of this sketch was Melvina (Maulsby) Shoemaker, who was born in Indiana and who died in that state, when but twenty-two years of age. Born to the union just mentioned were two children, the subject of the sketch and a little sister, Melvina, who died at the age of eighteen months. By the father's second marriage there are four children - Rila, who lives in Muscatine, Iowa; Mrs. Viola Dood. whose husband is an lowa farmer; Ever- ett, who is a Missouri farmer ; and Roy, who lives at Red Oak, lowa, where he is assistant cashier of the First National Bank.

Albert Shoemaker was a veteran of the Civil war, in which he rendered to the gov- ernment very valuable service as a valiant soldier of the Union. He was a farmer by occupation and both he and his wife were faithful members of the United Brethren church.

In 1888 Willie C. Shoemaker married Miss Nettie H. Martin, and to bless this union and make happy the parental home have come six children : Bliss is a young man of twenty- eight years (1918) of age and is already em- barked upon his successful career as a farmer in Custer county ; Ray, aged seventeen, is still on the home farm and is rendering his father valuable assistance ; Ross, aged nine years, is a school boy who is still home and who is a candidate for usefulness in future years . Ethel Cherry is married and lives on a farmi in custer county ; and Lula and Albro are deceased.

In the Shoemaker holdings are 700 acres, well adapted to farming and stock-raising. One quarter-section of this ranch was home- steaded by Mr. Shoemaker. When he was but two years of age his parents removed from

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

Indiana to Iowa, where he grew to young manhood and received his early education. It was there that the foundation of his life and character were laid, in the formative years when human destinies are plastic. He came directly from lowa to Custer county in 1887, ten years after the organization of the county, when everything connected with the country was young and primitive.

Mr. Shoemaker's stock-raising operations have followed all lines - horses, hogs, and cattle - and in each of these he has been a successful producer. His farm improvements are ample to meet all requirements and make stock-raising profitable. He and his wife now take their ease as compared with the experi- ences of early days. The slow vehicle of 1887 has been transformed into a modern automobile and this has brought the home farm comparatively close to community cen- ters and larger towns. Mr. Shoemaker is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica and the family is connected with the Pres- byterian church.

PETER STRIEDER. - From the time of his arrival in Custer county, in 1898, to the present, Peter Strieder has been demonstrat- ing the possession of qualities of persever- ance, industry, and good citizenship, which have combined to win him personal success as an agriculturist and the esteem and friend- ship of those among whom he has lived and with whom he has been associated. This en- terprising and energetic farmer and stock- raiser of section 21, township 71, was born in Germany, lune 19, 1860, a son of Andreas and Gertrude (Dhein) Strieder.

The parents of Mr. Strieder passed their entire lives in their native land, where the father was a successful agriculturist and also followed the vocation of milling, being an in- dustrious man and one possessed of un- bounded energy and marked ability. He and his wife were faithful members of the Cath- olic church, and were the parents of four children : Peter, who is the subject of this sketch ; Henry, who is a resident of Germany ; Gertrude, who married Anton Fier and lives in Germany; and Anna, who is married and likewise lives in Germany. Peter Strieder grew up on the home farm in Germany, where he assisted his father in the daily tasks about the home place and also secured a knowledge of the milling business. He continued to re- side under the parental roof until he was twenty-seven years of age. In the time that elapsed between that age and the year of his majority he had harbored longings to try his

fortunes across the Atlantic, his imagination having been fired by the tales of opportunities at hand in America. Accordingly, in 1887, he came to the United States and took up his abode in Jackson county, Illinois, where, in order to get a start and to familiarize himself with conditions and the language and customs of the country, he worked about the country among the farmers. Gradually he accumu- lated a competence, and in 1898 he realized his ambition to become a property owner on his own account, when he came to Custer county and purchased his present home place, a property consisting of 160 acres. This land at that time was not in the best of condition, but Mr. Strieder set about remedying this de- fect, and he now has one of the fertile, pro- ductive and valuable tracts of his locality. He does general farming, being equally at home in all the various branches of agriculture, and has made what is to be considered a very satis - fying success. Mr. Strieder has not been active in politics, and upon political questions of the day maintains an independent stand, reserving his right of franchise to vote for the man he considers best qualified for the office. He served as postmaster of Pilot for more than four years. He and the members of his family are faithful and consistent attendants of the Catholic church.

In 1895 Mr. Strieder was united in mar- riage to Miss Louise Zimmer, and two chil- dren have been born to this union: Bruno P., who at the time of this writing is with the American Expeditionary Forces in France : and Gertrude, who remains with her parents.

ORVILLE M. MOUREY. - Among the younger element in the agricultural industry in Custer county, Orville M. Mourey has been numbered since 1912. In that year he came to his present farm, in section 30, in the Mason City community, and here his success has been marked and continued. He is typical of the class of young farmers who are expected to maintain the prestige of this locality during the years to come, and his progress thus far would seem to be indicative of his ability to do his full share in carrying on the work of development and the raising of standards.

Mr. Mourey was born near Miller, Buffalo county, Nebraska, not far from the banks of the South Loup river, March 13, 1891, and is a son of W. R. and Sarah (Dougherty) Mourey. His father, who was a native of the east, migrated to Nebraska in 1883. At that time he was a man of no means, his main capital in fact being found in his ambition and determination, along with a willing industry

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

and an inherent capacity for persistent and continued labor. He took up a homestead in Buffalo county, near the site of what after- ward became the town of Miller, and since that time has continued to be engaged in agri- cultural pursuits, adding to his acreage and to his standing as a business man each year. He is now the owner of 900 acres of good land, all accumulated through legitimate chan- nels of business, and has the greater part of this land under cultivation. He and his wife became the parents of seven children: Or- ville M., of this notice; Ada, who married Ervin Simmons, a farmer of Buffalo county ; Herbert, who lives in Custer county ; his twin, who died in infancy, unnamed; and Blanche, Esther, and Melvin, who live with their par- ents.

Orville M. Mourey received his education in the schools of Buffalo county and grew up on the home farm, his boyhood being passed in much the same manner as other farmers' sons of his day and locality. He commenced farming operations on his own account in Buffalo county, where he met with a measure of success, but in 1912 came to Custer county; where he purchased his present farm of 160 acres. Since then he has been busily engaged in erecting substantial buildings and improv- ing his land with the installation of modern improvements of every character, and the fer- tility of his land can be testified to by his large crops. He is one of the progressive and con- structive men of his community and is always ready to give a trial to any method or experi- ment that promises to aid in progress and ad- vancement. He has found no time to enter actively into politics, his farming operations having to this writing demanded all of his attention.

Mr. Mourey was married September IS. 1911. to Miss Minnie Esherman, daughter of Wilham and Mary (Shucker) Esherman farming people of Buffalo county, and to this union there have been born two children: Earl and Mildred, both of whom reside with their parents, and the former of whom is at- tending school.

ELLIS W. KNIGHT. - Custer county gained a good citizen in 1913, when Ellis W. Knight settled in the Anselmo region.

Mr. Knight began his earthly career June 18, 1889, which makes him still a young man just entering the prime of manhood. He is a son of William and Zelma ( Brown ) Knight. His father was a native of England and his mother a Wisconsin lady of splendid and homelike qualities. The father came to Amer-

ica with his parents in the days of his youth. They settled near Topeka. Kansas, and later moved to Gage county, Nebraska, where they established a farm home near the town of Adams.

Ellis W. Knight qualified himself for life and all its activities in the public schools and in the University of Nebraska. Five years ago, in 1913, he came to Custer county and became manager and part owner of the Smith & Knight ranch, containing 1,120 acres, and in this partnership arrangement he is an extensive cattle and hog raiser. At present they have 200 head of cattle and 250 hogs.

February 15, 1908, Mr. Knight married Miss Ethel Shrepf, daughter of Emil and Nel- lie Shrepf, of Lincoln, Nebraska. The father was a native of France and the mother came of English lineage. Mr. and Mrs. Knight are the parents of five children, who are bright. full of life and all candidates for energetic manhood and womanhood. They are: Don- ald, George, Dorothy, Irene, and Leonard.

Mr. Knight has three brothers: Henry, who is a Custer county farmer : William, who is employed on the Smith & Knight ranch : and Fred, who is at present away from home. On the Smith & Knight ranch managed by the subject of this sketch are good buildings of all kinds, a farm home and every farm and stock accessory, building or shed that could be required. The ranch contains also the pres- ent-day accessory of a good garage, and every- where one sees the evidence of thrift and good management.

The Knights are splendid people, good neighbors, reliable and substantial citizens. In politics the Democratic principles have the preference of Mr. Knight, but independence is not abandoned. He is a member of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons.

PATRICK TEAHON was one of the early settlers of and lived to see vast changes take place in Custer county. He was born in Ire- land and when a boy accompanied his par- ents to .America. His mother died when he was quite small and his father was killed while serving in the Union army in the Civil war. Thrown upon his own resources, young Tea- hon worked at whatever would give him a living, and in the early '80s he came to Cus- ter county and secured a homestead. There he built a sod house, in which he kept bach- elor's hall until his marriage to Mrs. Thomas Griffiths, who was a native of Wales and whose maiden name was Mary Price. She was a girl of eighteen when she came to AAmerica to make her home with an aunt. By

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

her marriage to Thomas Griffiths she became the mother of seven children. By her mar- riage to Thomas Tealion she became the mother of two children - Mary, who married Frank J. McCarty, and Joseph, who operates the home place and makes his home with his mother. It was on this farm that Thomas Teahon was called to his final rest ; he passed away January 11, 1918, and in his death the community lost one of its sterling pioneers and substantial citizens.

JAMES D. MCCARTY, who owns and op- erates a fine farm of 160 acres, in section 22. township 18, range 22, is a representative of one of the families of Custer county that has been prominent since pioneer days. He was born in Webster county, Iowa. October 31. 1871, a son of Robert D. and Anna (Dow- ney) McCarty, and he was a lad of nine years when the family came to Custer county and settled on a homestead in this township.

The incidents pertaining to those days and the labor involved in opening up a new farm are quite familiar to him. He remained at home, assisting in the work of the old home- stead, until he reached his majority, when he began an independent career as an agricultur- ist. He operated land as a tenant for a few years, and met with the success that made it possible for him to become the owner of a farm. His present place is equipped with substantial buildings, and general farming is carried on successfully.

In 1899 was solemnized the marriage of James D. McCarty to Miss Anna Sweeney, a daughter of Henry Sweeney, deceased, and Bridget (Harvey) Sweeney, who came to Custer county in 1886 and of whom further mention is made on other pages of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. McCarty are the par- ents of four daughters, all of whom are still under the parental roof - Lily K., Ruth V., Ferne MI., and Estelle A. The family are communicants of the Catholic church and in politics Mr. McCarty is a Democrat. Aside from the duties of presiding over the house- hold Mrs. McCarty has found time to serve two terms as a member of the school board. Mr. and Mrs. McCarty are people of real. genuine worth and are held in high esteem by all who know them.

FLORIAN JACOBS. - The two vocations of agriculture and merchandising are so close- ly allied that it is not unusual to find an indi- vidual person engaged in both lines of en- deavor. Such has been the experience of

Florian Jacobs, who, after many years of suc- cessful effort in farming, turned his attention to merchandising. At the present time he is president of the Co-operative Company, one of the leading business enterprises of Broken Bow.

Mr. Jacobs was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, October 22, 1869, a son of Francis M. and Laura A. (Teal) Jacobs. His grand- father. Sanford Jacobs, was a South Caro- linian who became a pioneer in Ohio and later in Indiana, at a very early day, and he died in the latter state. Francis MI. Jacobs was born in Adams county, Ohio, in 1842, and as a youth was taken by his parents to Indiana. where he was living at the outbreak of the Civil war. He enlisted in Company B, Thirty- ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which regiment he served during the greater part of the war and with which he made an honor- able record, while taking part in a number of hard-fought engagements. While with Gen- eral Sherman on the famous "march to the sea," he was wounded, at Marietta, Georgia, but he recovered. Later he was captured by the enemy, in South Carolina, and for three months was confined in Libby Prison. After being mustered out of the service, at the close of the war, he returned to Indiana, where he married Laura A. Teal, who was born in Sweden, in 1849, and was three years of age when brought by her parents to the United States. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs settled down to an agricultural career in Indiana, where they remained until 1874, in which year they came west and located in Dawson county, Nebraska, where Mr. Jacobs bought land. In 1875 hc moved to the vicinity of Callaway, Custer county, where he remained two years. In 1877 he took up a homestead at New Helena, where he duly perfected his title and where he continued to carry on operations until his death, in 1900. His widow still remains on this old homestead. Mr. Jacobs was a Demo- crat and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He and his wife were the parents of the following children: Florian; Miss Cora, a professional nurse, of Ansley. Ne- braska ; Jessie L., a well known educator and lecturer, of Tulsa, Oklahoma ; Charles S .. en- gaged in the lumber business at Craig. Colo- rado : Miss May V., a teacher in the schools of Ranchester, Wyoming : Maude V .. the wife of S. M. Blue, an accountant and expert in penmanship, of Portland, Oregon: Edna, the wife of H. R. Cutler, a carpenter at New Helena. Nebraska ; and Beatrice, the wife of David Williams, a farmer of the same com- munity.

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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 69

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