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 71

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 71

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

of long ancestral lines. In her father's fam- ily were four children - Herman, \rs. Black, August, and Emma.

Mr, and Mrs. Black established a home of their own and maintained it always upon hos- pitable lines. They were hard-working peo- ple. frugal and provident, and as a result they were always able to obtain the necessities and many of the comforts enjoyed in the western homes of Custer county. Their family cir- cle widened with years, and to-day the family page records the following named children : Edward, the firstborn, is a farmer near Calla- way. He married Ella Klein and they have one daughter. They are members of the Church of God. Cora E. Black is a trained nurse, having graduated in the Douglas County Hospital, in Omaha. When not employed in her profession, she makes her home with her mother on the farm three miles east of Ar- nold. As she is a skilled nurse there is 'great demand for her services, and she is rarely at home for any considerable period. May F. graduated as a member of the first class in the Arnold high school. She married Clar- ence Gist, a conductor on the Burlington Rail- road, and they live at O'Neill, Nebraska. Iva Black lives at home with her mother. She is also a nurse who received her training in the Douglas County Hospital. Mark R. Black runs his mother's farm.

Mrs. Black has three children by a former marriage. They are Albert Vogel, who mar- ried Florence Hoffman and lives on a farm of his own, near Arnold. Theodore Vogel like- wise is a farmer near Arnold. He married Ida Ray, and they have five children - three sons and two daughters. They are members of the Baptist church. Bertha is the wife of Thomas Ryan, a farmer and plasterer living near Arnold, and they have three children - two sons and one daughter.

Three years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Black came from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Custer county, where they located on what is known as the East Table, on the Anselmo road. They had to haul water ten miles, and they kept this up for two years. Mrs. Black says that when her husband first came out to see this country and secure land, he told her that it was ten miles down to water and ten miles up and ten miles in any other direction. During their experience of the first two years, she became convinced that this was not an ex- aggeration. They lived on East Table about three or four years and then moved to the South Loup river, where she has lived ever since. Mr. Black died April 28, 1916. He was a member of the Masons, a charter mem- ber of Chapter No. 225. He was one of the

prominent pioneers of the county. He helped to develop the county's resources. He and his wife endured the hardships, crossed the rivers, climbed the hills, and outbattled their difficulties. At the time of his death they owned 670 acres of land, and this is still the home of Mrs. Black. For a time they lived in Arnold, where Mrs. Black was postmistress for five years, after which she conducted a shoe store for seven years, while Mr. Black and the children operated the farm. The farm home to-day is the rallying center for the chil- dren. Here they delight to gather and here Mrs. Black delights in the homecoming of the children and the grandchildren, to whom she recites the stories of the early days.

ALEXANDER DE LOSH. - Retired from active operations, the subject of this sketch lives in Arnold, where, in a modern home, he enjoys the comforts to which his years of toil entitle him.

Mr. De Losh was born on the 26th day of March, 1858, in St. Lawrence county, New York. In the same county were born his parents, Cornelius and Sophia (Myers) DeLosh, of whose children five are living - William, Julius, Mary A. Green, Alexander, Alma Ewald, and John. Cornelius DeLosh was a farmer by occupation and he moved to Delaware county, lowa, Iowa, when his son Alexander was seven years of age. In Delaware county the father purchased a farm, and there the youthful days of Alex- ander were spent. The parents were devoted members of the Methodist church. At the age of ten years Alexander DeLosh earned his first money, by helping a neighbor drive hogs six miles to market. For this service he was given twenty-five cents. During the sum- mers he was employed upon the farm and in the winter months he attended the country schools, where he received a fundamental edu- cation that has served him well in all the sub- sequent transactions of business. Since he was thirteen years of age he has practically made his own way in the world. His first wages were eleven dollars a month, and that was considered an unusual compensation in those times. These excessive wages were paid because Alexander had the reputation of being a "good hand." He did not have the easy time of the present-day farm hand. He did not expect to have the chores done before sundown and the use of an automobile after supper. In fact, the farms in those days were operated on the eight-hour plan - eight hours in the forenoon and eight in the afternoon. By the time he was eighteen years of age Mr.

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

DeLosh managed to equip himself for farm- ing in an independent way.

December 12, 1878, Mr. DeLosh was united in marriage to Charlotte Whittaker, daughter of Samuel T. and Cynthia A. ( Mayne) Whit- taker. Mrs. DeLosh belonged to an Iowa family in which were ten children, eight of whom are living at the present time - So- crates, Marius, Jane S., Danford, Meroe Bruce, Mary A. DeLosh, Isabelle Morgan, Charlotte DeLosh, and Ulysses.

Early in the spring of 1885 Mr. and Mrs. DeLosh, urged by the lure of the west, came to Custer county, Nebraska, and located a homestead eleven miles south of Arnold, on the Tallin Table, where they have made their home for thirty consecutive years. Theirs were the experiences of the pioneer days. Dur- ing the first three years of their residence here, they hauled water eleven miles, then they put down a well to a depth of 306 feet, at a cost of one dollar a foot. After eight months they lost the use of this well and had to haul water for two years more before they were able to put down another well. This shows the real stuff of which the early 'settlers were made. It took pluck to persevere under such handi- caps, but Mr. and Mrs. DeLosh stayed. They put down another well, they "made good," and to-day the original homestead has been in- creased to 1,280 acres, upon which are two sets of good building improvements. Mr. DeLosh is now able to live retired, and ac- cordingly he has established himself at Ar- nold, in a comfortable, modern home. He credits farming and stock-raising for all of his accumulations and success. Concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. DeLosh the follow- ing brief data are available : Walter C. mar- ried Maud Purcell and became the father of one son and two daughters. He died October 27, 1913. At that time of his death Walter owned a full section of land on the Tallin Table and his widow still resides on the farm. He was a Mason, and was well and favorably known in the community. Isabelle F. is the wife of Martin Holt, a farmer who owns a half-section of land on the Tallin Table, and they have one daughter. George A. is the youngest of the family, and thus it falls to his lot to operate his father's farm. He married Esther Magunsen, and they have one daughter. Alexander DeLosh is a Mason in high stand- in, having received the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. He has been a member of the school board in district No. 133 for more than twenty-five years, and in many other ways has rendered a public service to the com-

munity in which he has lived during these years.

JAMES S. WALLACE. - Bearing a fam- ily name that has been one of eminence in the history of Scotland, this well known citizen of Custer county may well take pride in claiming the land of hills and heather as the place of his nativity. Appreciative of the subtle attrac- tions and undeniable opportunities offered in connection with practical journalism, Mr. Wallace has chosen the newspaper profession as his vocation, and the success which he has attained in this field of endeavor is shown forth in his well equipped establishment and the excellent business which he controls as editor and publisher of the Ansley Herald.

Mr. Wallace was born in Berwickshire. Scotland, on the 4th of November, 1884, and is a son of James and Isabelle ( McNeish) Wallace, the former of whom passed his entire life in Scotland, where his widow still resides. Of their children John. Henry, and William still maintain their home in Scotland, and thus the subject of this review is the only rep- resentative of the immediate family in the United States. William was a gallant young soldier in the English forces on the great battlefields of France during a goodly portion of the time while the great world war was raging. The father was an earnest communi- cant of the established Church of England, as is also his widow, and in this ancient faith they carefully reared their sons. James Wal- lace devoted the major part of his active ca- reer to the great basic industry of agriculture, and his life was ordered upon the highest plane of integrity and usefulness.

James S. Wallace was reared under the sturdy discipline of the old home farm, and in his youth he was given the best of educa- tional advantages - both in Edinburgh, Scot- land, and Northumberland, England. Moved by ambition and a desire to emancipate him- self from the life of a farmer, soon after at- taining to his legal majority Mr. Wallace de- cided to leave his native land and try his for- tunes in America. In 1906 he crossed the At- lantic and after remaining for a short time in Canada he made his way to Seattle, Washing- ton. Later, in 1911, he came to Nebraska, and at Alliance, Box Butte county, he gained his initial experience in the newspaper and general printing business, through his connection with the Alliance Semi-Weekly Times, with which he continued his association three years.

As an independent newspaper publisher Mr. Wallace made his first venture when he pur-

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

chased the plant and business of the Gilby Chronicle, at Gilby, North Dakota. He made a great success of this venture, and thus was led to seek a broader and more inviting field of journalistic exploitation. Accordingly, in June, 1918, he came to Ansley and purchased the Ansley Herald. He forthwith placed this paper on an upward climb, and the advance- ment has continued from that time to the present, with the result that the paper has be- come a potent influence in puble affairs in this part of the county, an effective exponent of local interests, and a vehicle through which communal progress and prosperity are furthered. The Herald now has a circulation of nearly 800 copies weekly and is to be found in the representatives homes throughout the Ansley district of the county. The Herald ably champions the principles and policies of the Republican party and is a local political organ of no insignificant influence. the while it expresses the well fortified political views of its publisher. However. Mr. Wallace en- deavors to give to his readers a fair, impartial, and unprejudiced view of all questions of in- 'terest, political and otherwise, and his paper merits classification among the model village publications of Nebraska, its columns giving effective summary of the latest news of gen- eral character, as well as a chronicle of local events and activities, and terse. well written editorials. The Herald has good support from the merchants and professional men of its community, and it is recognized as a good ad- vertising medium. In connection with the newspaper plant is a well equipped job-print- ing department, in which first-class job print- ing of all kinds is executed. Mr. Wallace is affiliated with the Independent Order of (dd Fellows and he and his wife are members of the Christian church in their home village.

In June, 1915, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Wallace to Miss Elda Fern Bacon, who was born at Crab Orchard, Johnson county, Nebraska, and whose father, Royal Bacon, is an extensive landhohler in Gage county, this state. Mrs. Wallace acquired her early edu- cation in the public schools at Cambridge, Furnas county, and supplemented this by at- tending Doan College, at Crete. Prior to her marriage she was a successful and popular teacher, as principal in the public schools of Alliance for several years. Russell, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, was born November 2, 1917.

FDWARD M. SENNETT. - The interests of the Mason City locality in regard to the in- dustries of farming and stock-raising are

worthily and well represented by Edward M. Sennett, who has a well improved property in section 10, township 13, range 18. Coming to Custer county a stranger. in 1904, he soon won the esteem and confidence of those with whom his business brought him into contact, and from that time until the present his popularity and prosperity have steadily increased. Mr. Sennett was born in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, August 21, 1857, and is a son of James B. and Ruth (Hall) Sennett.

The parents of Mr. Sennett, Pennsylvanians by birth and agriculturists by predilection and vocation, left their native state when Edward M. was still a small boy and took up their resi- dence in Illinois, where they passed the rest of their lives as industrious farming people, rounding out honorable careers and becoming moderately successful. They were the parents of these children: Edward M., whose name introduces this article ; John, who is engaged in farming near Mason City ; Frank, who resides in Illinois and is a farmer ; Harry and Charlie, who also are Illinois farmers; Mary, who is the wife of John Park, a farmer in Indiana ; Lizzie, who is the wife of Patrick O'Connor : and Addie, who is the widow of Del Hender- SON1.

Edward M. Sennett acquired his education in the public schools of Illinois, where he was reared on the home farm, and he remained under the parental roof until after he had at- tained his majority. He took up farming as a means of livelihood, having had all his train- ing along that line, and after some years spent in the central west he decided to try his for- tune in Nebraska, from which state he had re- ceived glowing reports. With excellent judg- ment, he chose Custer county as his stage of residence, and in 1904 he located upon his present property, not far from Mason City, in section 10, township 13, range 18. Since his arrival he has greatly enlarged his holdings and is now the owner of 320 acres. all in a good state of cultivation, with substantial buildings and modern equipment. Mr. Sen- nett is the fortunate possessor of just those qualities which are essential to success in the business of farming, and, having had much experience in his field of endeavor, he is ac- counted one of the able and progressive men of his vicinity. Mr. Sennett has not been active in public affairs, save as a good citizen. Ile and the members of his family belong to the Evangelical church.

In 1881 Mr. Sennett was united in marriage, in Illinois, to Miss Jane Whitman, and to this union there were born six children: George. a widower, who is engaged in farming in Illi- nois ; John, who is deceased : Ed, who is assist-

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

ing his father in the cultivation of the home acres ; James, who married Hazel Hollenbach and is engaged in farming in Custer county ; Ralph, who married Clara Jelinek, and also farms in this county; and Lida, who is the wife of Sid Hollenbach, owner of a Custer county farm.

HUBERT LEONARD, who is well known among the representative people of Custer county. is a prosperous general farmer residing on -section 28, township 34. Mr. Leonard came to this county with his parents when he was a mere boy, and has lived here ever since. He was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, September 1, 1880, one of a family of ten children born to Hubert and Julia (Free- man) Leonard. Both parents were born in Ireland. They immigrated to the United States in 1888 and immediately came to Ne- braska, where the father secured a homestead claim in Custer county, near Anselmo. This he developed and improved. In the spring of 1913 he removed with his family to Anselmo, and there his death occurred in November of the same year. His widow still makes her home in Anselmo. Of the ten children of the family the following are living: Mary is the wife of Thomas Teahon, a farmer living southwest of Anselmo; John, who is a farmer in the same neighborhood, married Lizzie Jacquot ; Michael is engaged in the real-estate and insurance business at Anselmo : James G., who is in the abstract business in Broken Bow, married Nellie Reed; Patrick, who is postmaster of Anselmo, married Elsie Ross ; Hubert is the immediate subject of this sketch; Bryan, who is a chiropractor prac- titioner and resides in Kansas, married Libbie Schmitz; and Charles, who is also a chiro- practor, lives in Burke, South Dakota, and married Viola Reed. The father of the above family was a faithful member of the Roman Catholic church. In his political views he was a Democrat.

Hubert Leonard has been engaged in farm- ing ever since his period of school attendance ended, and he has the reputation of being very successful in his agricultural undertakings, be- cause of his practical and thorough methods and his sound judgment. Like his father be- fore him. he is a Democrat in politics. He has never accepted any political favors but has served as school director of his district since 1917.

Mr. Leonard was married February 27, 1906, to Eleanore Holliday, who was born in Missouri, August 3, 1885, a daughter of Thomas C. and Catherine (Ray) Holliday.

the former of whom was sheriff of Custer county two terms - 1894-1898. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard are members of the Catholic church. They have two children: Pearley. born February 23, 1907 ; and Violet, born No- vember 1, 1911.

ROLAND ROHDE. - There are not a few instances among the agriculturists of Custer county where the men who are engaged in farming and stock-raising are operating prop- erties upon which they were born and upon which they have passed their entire lives. This is particularly true, and naturally, among the members of the younger generation, many of whom have succeeded their fathers, who were homesteaders here but who have now turned over the responsibilities and labors to younger and stronger shoulders. In the class men- tioned is found Roland Rohde, who is a pro- gressive and enterprising young farmer and stock-raiser of township 71, in the Mason City community, and who has already achieved a remarkable success for one who has just passed his majority.

Roland Rohde belongs to a pioneer home- steading family of Custer county, and was born not far from Mason City, in 1897, a son of Albert Rohde, a sketch of whose career will be found elsewhere in this work. There were three sons in the family, and all have grown to be worthy, industrious, and honor- able men. Frank, who is, at the time of this writing, with the American Expeditionary Forces fighting in France, was well known in his home county before being called to the colors, was a general favorite among his as- sociates, and belonged to the local Grange and to the Evangelical church at Mason City. Her- man, the other brother, is associated with Ro- land in the cultivation of the farm, and is a young, progressive and energetic farmer, an enthusiastic member of the Grange, the meet- ings of which he attends regularly, and a stanch Republican.

Roland Rohde was reared on the home farm and received his education in the public schools. Having resided on the home place all his life, he is thoroughly familiar with every detail of its operation and management. and now has a full partnership in the prop- erty, which comprises 640 acres, of which 400 acres are devoted to farming. He and his brother have been greatly interested and markedly successful in stock-raising, and in addition to pure-bred horses are engaged in raising Red Polled cattle and pure blooded Poland-China hogs. The property is splen- didly equipped with modern buildings and

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other improvements, including an Overland automobile, a blacksmith shop with a complete set of tools, and a complete threshing machine outfit. Like his brother, Roland Rohde is a Re- publican. He is still numbered among the eligible bachelors of his native county.

JIM BAKER may well be cited as one of Custer county's old settlers, as forty years have rolled by since he came into the county in which he now owns 200 acres of fine land situated in section 25, within easy distance of Broken Bow. Mr. Baker was born in Iowa, September 5, 1869, and his parents were Thompson and Sarah (Huffman) Baker, who removed from lowa to York county, Ne- braska. in 1872. There were thirteen children in their family, a strong and sturdy stock, and of these the following are living: Frank, who is a farmer near Westerville, Nebraska, mar- ried Margaret Gardner; Tina, who is the widow of Charles Hare, lives at Ansley, Ne- braska; Walter, who is a farmer in Custer county, married Lulu Nelms; Alice, who is the wife of Frank Hays, a farmer near Wes- terville ; Kate, who is the widow of Austin Daniels, lives near Westerville : Hattie mar- ried William Gardner, a farmer, and they live near Morecroft Wyoming: Ralph, who is a traveling salesman, married Veila Lewis, and they reside at Alliance, Nebraska : Wesley N .. who is a farmer in Custer county, married Amy Copsey ; May is the wife of John Dates. a farmer in Custer county : and Mand is the wife of Herbert Hollenbeck, a farmer near Westerville.

Jim Baker was three years old when his parents brought him to York county. Ne- braska, and he was about nine years old when he came to Custer county, in the fall of 1878. He obtained his education in the Custer county schools and then learned the blacksmith trade, which he followed in conjunction with farming until 1903, since which time he has devoted himself to agricultural pursuits exclusively, carrying on mixed farming and cattle-raising. He has a valuable, well improved estate.

In May, 1899, Mr. Baker married Miss Lil- lie Ross, who was born in Illinois, and they have three children : Alice, who was born December 12, 1900 : Verla, who was born Ang- ust 5. 1902; and Roy, who was born June 22. 1904. All of the children remain at the pa- rental home.

Mr. Baker is a Republican in his political views and is a loyal and public-spirited citizen. Wonderful changes have taken place since Mr. Baker came to Custer county, and he has done his part in developing the country.

PAUL J. HAUMONT, justice of the peace and representative citizen of Custer county, has been engaged in agricultural activities here ever since he completed his course of study in the State Agricultural College, at Lincoln. Mr. Hautmont was born in Custer county, June 18, 1880. His parents were Edmund and Mary ( Severyns) Haumont, both natives of now historic villages of Belgium, where his father was born in 1856 and his mother, April 27. 1848. It chanced that both came to the United States, the mother reaching this country in July, 1875, and the father two years later. To their subsequent marriage three children were born : Paul J., Eddie ( deceased ), and Sylvia, the one daughter being now the wife of Al- bert Kleeb, a farmer. Edmund Haumont was an intelligent man and in addition to being a capable farmer in Custer county he also be- came a citizen of the United States, one loy- ally interested in political sentiment. He voted first with the temporary Greenback party but afterward, until his death, January 7, 1917, with the Republican party. Both he and his wife were faithful members of the Roman Catholic church.

Paul J. Haumont grew up on his father's farm and attended the country schools. Later he took a course in the Nebraska Agricultural College. at Lincoln, the benefit of which disci- pline has been amply proved by the success that has attended the intelligent management of his farm, which he devotes to mixed farm- ing and stock-raising. Although he is counted one of the best farmers in this section, he has not given all his time to personal undertakings but. through a hearty interest in the general welfare of his county, has informed himself concerning a good citizen's responsibilities, and has so gained the confidence of his fellow citizens thereby that, although independent in politics, he has been county clerk for four years and a justice of the peace for the same length of time.

Mr. Haumont was married in 1906 to Eva Polkingharn, who is a daughter of Douglas and Eliza (Gerrett) Polkingharn. and they have the following children: Violet, born April 10, 1907: Thomas, born May 4, 1908: Lee. born February 8. 1910; Arthur, born October 25, 1912: Grace, born January 25. 1916.

PETER R. PEDERSON. who has been a resident of Custer county for thirty-three years and is well and favorably known in every di- rection, is an extensive raiser of fine stock, to which industry he mainly devotes his many acres of well improved land. Mr. Pederson

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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 71

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