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 72

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 72

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

was born in Denmark, February 18, 1861. His parents were S. M. and Anna ( Jensen) Peder- son, who were people of some consequence in Denmark before coming to America. They were highly esteemed in their own community and were leading members of the I,utheran church.

S. M. Pederson came to the United States in 1869 and in New York he followed his trade of mason and contractor about one year. He then sent for his family and they established their home soon afterward in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. From that place Mr. Pederson was sent as one of the commissioners assigned to the service of effecting and arranging for a Danish colonization in the Oconomowoc dis- trict. From different sections of Denmark the new settlers came in a body, and they be- came fully assimilated in the civic and indus- trial life of the Badger state - the founders of families that are to-day numbered among the best and most prosperous in Wisconsin, the while representatives of these families have also become worthily identified with the citizenship of various other states of the Union. The year 1870 was that in which the wife and seven children of Mr. Pederson joined him in New York, and after the removal to Wisconsin he did a considerable amount of building, as a contracting mason, as did he later in Chicago, he having removed to that metropolis in the autumn of 1871. Later he became a resident of Howard county, Ne- braska. Concerning the surviving children of this sterling citizen the following brief record is consistently entered at this juncture : Lizzie is the widow of Quinn Kirkpatrick and resides in the city of Seattle, Washington ; Minnie is the wife of Jens Jenson, who is engaged in the lumber business at Bellingham. Washington ; Peter R. is the immediate subject of this sketch : Mary is the wife of Hans Jensen, a railroad engineer, and they reside at Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Yetta, who is the widow of George Raymond, resides at Everett, Wash- ington.

Peter R. Pederson obtained his educational training in the public schools of Grand Island, Nebraska, and remained in Howard county until 1883. He was a clerk in the postoffice at Grand Island for one year and then spent a wear at Carbon, Wyoming. From Wyoming he came to Custer county in 1885, and he has remained here ever since. Here he is to-day the owner of a section of well improved land. He bought a brother's ciaim and also filed on a claim for himself, and all this land, substan- tially improved. returns adequate income. His home place is in section 23, township 34.

In 1887 Peter R. Pederson was united in

marriage with Emily J. Cudmore, who was born February 12, 1876. Her parents were Edward W. and Sarah J. Cudmore, and they came to Nebraska from Canada, both being natives of Toronto. Concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Pederson the following data are available : Soren M., who was born Jan- uary 19, 1899, entered the United States ser- vice in connection with the nation's participa- tion in the great world war. As a member of Company H. Third Engineers Corps, he re- ceived training at Camp Humphrey, Virginia, and he was serving in Company C. One-Hun- dred and Twenty-second Regiment of Engi- neers, at the time when the war came to a close. Elsie, who was born September 27, 1900, is a student in the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney. John Clifton, who was born Sep- tember 7, 1902, died on the 11th of September, 1916 Marmion, who was born July 30, 1904. and Esther, who was born March 7. 1908, re- main at the parental home and are attending the public schools.

In politics Mr. Pederson gives his allegiance to the Democratic party, and his religious faith is that of the Lutheran church, his wife being a member of the Methodist Episcopal church

CHESTER SAMS, who is one of Custer county's excellent farmers and whose exper- ience in connection with farm enterprise covers many years, is the owner of well cultivated land in section 24, township 17. in the vicinity of Berwyn.

Chester Sams was born in Bremer county, Iowa, on the 1st of August, 1874, and is the younger of the two children of John L. and Cora R. (Terry) Sams. The death of the mother occurred February 25, 1879 and the elder of her two children is Charles A., who married Miss Irene Carl and who is a pros- perous farmer in Custer county. The sec- ond marriage of John L. Sams occurred in Polk county. Nebraska, where, on the 30th of December, 1883, he wedded Florence A. Hornback. Two sons were born of this union : Roy B., who married Goldie Samp- son, of Custer county, is engaged in farming in this county, and James L., who married Hattie M. Powell, is a farmer near Payette, Idaho. Mrs. Florence A. (Hornback) Sams died October 29, 1907.

In March, 1895, John L. Sams settled of a farm near Weissert, Custer county, and here he and his wife united with the Metho- (list Episcopal church, with which they con- tinued their identification until 1904, when they transferred their membership to the Church of God.

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

Chester Sams was young at the time of the family removal to Nebraska, and here he has continuously resided to the present time. He obtained his youthful education in the public schools of Polk county, this state, and throughout his entire active career he has been closely identified with farm enterprise. In his farm operations he is vigorous and progressive and he is one of the valued citi- zens of the Berwyn vicinity.

On the 29th of March, 1903, was recorded the marriage of Mr. Sams to Miss Sadie Franklin, who was born in Otoe county. Nebraska, May 5, 1882, and who is a daugh- ter of William and Ann ( Eve) Franklin. both natives of England. Mr. Franklin died in 1910, at Mason City, Custer county, where his widow still resides. The names and re- spective dates of birth of the children of Mr and Mrs. Sams are here entered . Thelma 1., February 3, 1904: Rosa M .. August 10. 1907; Edith O .. November 26, 1913: Esther Ann, February 22, 1915; and John. August 13. 1916. The older children are attending school.

HARVEY B. ANDREWS. - Few of the pioneer residents of Nebraska passed through more thrilling experiences, faced greater hardships, overcame more obstacles, and gained greater results than did the late Har- vey B. Andrews, whose death occurred at Anselmo, May 8. 1916. His life was typical of the courageous, persevering spirit which brought about the settlement, civilizing. and development of the West, and his career was one in which he rose from obscurity to prom- inence and wealth. In the early days, when Custer county was still on the frontier. he drove stage, fought Indians, and shot buffalo and other wild game ; later he became a large landholder and one of the most successful ranchment of the central part of Nebraska, and subsequently he applied his keen business acumen and foresight to the direction of fi- nancial and other institutions. to their great and lasting benefit - and in each capacity, in each community, and in each field of endeavor he steadfastly maintained a recognized repu- tation for integrity and honor of the strictest kind.

Mr. Andrews was a resident of Broken Bow at the time of his death, and a local paper gave the following statement of the passing of this honored pioneer: "In the midst of a cheerful conversation. and while seated at dinner in the home of W. S. Tupper. at An- selmo, Monday at 12:30 p. M., H. B. Andrews,

one of Custer county's best known citizens. suddenly ceased to breathe. llis death was a decided shock to the community, and though he had been ailing for a year or more. the past six months had shown such marked improve- ment in his condition that he was thought for the time to be out of danger."

Harvey B. Andrews was born in Alleghany county, Virginia, January 22. 1849, the sixth order of birth in a family of six sons and four daughters. His parents, William and Eliza- beth ( Oliver) Andrews, also were natives of the Old Dominion, where they were married, reared their children, and passed their entire lives. Of their children four sons and one daughter still live in that state.

Harvey B. Andrews was educated in the public schools and was reared a farmer. re- maining under the parental roof until 1874. in March of which year. in company with a party of about nine other youths of his neigh- borhood, he set out for the west, with the vicinity of New Helena, Nebraska, as his des- tination. The Union Pacific Railroad carried the little party as far as Kearney, where they hired a team and wagon and, with a driver. continued on their journey through Loup City. Sherman county, and on into the terri- tory of Custer -along the north side of Middle Loup river until reaching a point op- posite the mouth of Victoria creek. Blocked by the river, they set about the difficult task of fording the stream, in which the wagon was taken to pieces and floated across and the stronger men carried the weaker ones. It fell to Mr. Andrews' lot to carry across Charles Mathews, who in later years, as county judge of Custer county and one of the best known men in central Nebraska, frequently. related the interesting story. After fording the creek. the party continued to follow it along the east side until reaching Victoria Springs, where Messrs. Andrews and Mathews were the only ones of the nine to make a permanent settlement. Mr. Mathews took a pre-emp- tion where the springs gushed out of the creek, while Mr. Andrews selected his claim a little further up-stream, this later becoming the Bowley farm.

In the fall of 1877 Mr. Andrews made a homestead entry in Cedar canyon, this tract covering the principal part of the little cedar forest there. and being very valuable because of the timber. Some of the cabins erected from logs taken from this canyon still stand on Victoria creek. Mr. Andrews and Mr. Mathews, as the original settlers of that neighborhood, in later years exchanged rem- iniscences of the time when game was plenti-

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

HARVEY B. ANDREWS

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

ful and the Indians hostile. During his resi- dence there Mr. Andrews killed deer and an- telope by the hundreds, as well as one buffalo. and for ten years his family had no other kind of meat. while the family residence was first a log house and later a soddy. As early as 1874 Mr. Andrews worked at freighting from Grand Island to Fort Hartseff. the military post above Ord. thus demonstrating the fact that in the new country he was willing to ac- cept any kind of honorable employment that promised sufficient emolument so that he could better his condition. In 1877 he accepted the dangerous position of driving stage in the Black Hills, and he held that post from April Ist to September, at a time when the Indians. on the war-path. frequently followed him. Just before his run the driver of the stage was killed by hostile Indians, and on one oc- casion Mr. Andrews, with his stage, came upon the mutilated bodies of two men and women who had been massacred by the red- skins. It is to be imagined that for many years Mr. Andrews had anything but a friend- ly feeling toward the Indians. In the early days. in connection with frontier life, he had other experiences which taxed his strength and courage. At the time of the great blizzard of January 12. 1888, still well remembered by the "old-timers," he had been in Broken Bow. and left the train at Anselmo, where he en- deavored to get a liveryman to take him home. offering five dollars -a large sum in those days - for the six-mile trip to New Helena. However, no one would venture out in such a storm, and, purchasing a lantern, Mr. An- drews. in the face of remonstrances by the residents of Anselmo, started out along the wire fence. By the time he had reached the end of it. he had convinced himself that he was equal to the task of braving and defeating the storm, and about ten o'clock he reached his home. thoroughly frightening Mrs. An- drews, by his arrival at such an hour on such a night. . At the time of the blizzard of Oc- tober 15. 1880, which continued three days, he had just returned from Dismal river, where he had a large bunch of cattle, but with the early fontiersman's sagacity he had felt the coming of the great storm and had hurried home.

Mr. Andrews was a man who made the most of his opportunities - one whose splen- did judgment and foresight and fine business abilities won him success and prominence. He accumulated some 7,000 or 8.000 acres of val- nable land, on which he conducted large farm- ing. stock-raising, and ranching operations, and later he entered business and financial

circles. in which he gained like success. In the fall of 191I he and his family left their ranch home at Anselmo and retired to a farm adjoining the eastern suburbs of Broken Bow, and there Mr. Andrews lived quietly until his leath. He was originally a Democrat. but later took an independent stand regarding public questions and candidates, but was no office-seeker himself. However. he was al- ways ready to discharge his responsibilities, and for some time served on the county board as supervisor from the Victoria district. He was a leading Mason, being a member of Bro- ken Bow blue lodge. the chapter and com- mandery, and also being affiliated with Tan- gier Temple of the Mystic Shrine, at Omaha. With Mrs. Andrews and their daughter. Lilly. he held membership in the Order of the Eastern Star.

On September 29. 1878, Mr. Andrews was united in marriage with Miss Jennie Lough- ran, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth ( Mlor- row ) Loughran. of Loup City, to whose home Mr. Andrews had made a trip in 1876. Mrs. Andrews' parents were natives of Ireland, and her father immigrated to Canada when he was but fifteen years of age. There he married and there his first wife died. In 1874 he made a trip of inspection to Nebraska, and in 1876 he brought his family here for a permanent residence. He died here in his eighty-sixth year. Mrs. Loughran had been married first in Ireland, and was twenty years of age when she started for Canada with her husband and child, both of whom died soon after landing. of what was known as "ship fever," now sup- posed by many to be the deadly typhus fever. .Although her father sent her money to return to Ireland, she was independent, and was working for a wage of fifty cents per week. saving her money for her passage, when she met and married Mr. Loughran. Later they . came to Nebraska, where she passed away some time before the death of her husband. They were the parents of four children : James. who is a farmer of Gates, Nebraska : Mary. who is the widow of W. H. McCowin, of Curtis, Nebraska : Alice, who is the widow of J. L. Vinnedge, of Taylor, this state: and Jennie, who is the widow of the subject of this memoir. Mr. Loughran was a Catholic and Mrs. Loughran a member of the Presbyterian church.

Of the children born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, seven survive: Mary is the wife of R. F. Aldrich, living on a farm near Broken Bow: Charles H. is connected with the large real-estate firm of Wood Bro- thers, at Lincoln. Nebraska: Jennie is the wife

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

of John A. Mack, of New Helena, a farmer ; Lilly B. is the wife of Joe MI. Downey, a stockman near Anselmo; Alice is the wife of C. Ernest Crouch, a farmer and stock-raiser. and they live with Mrs. Andrews; Fannie is attending school at York: and Stella Minerva is attending school at Broken Bow. Mrs. An- drews still survives her husband and resides at the pleasant and comfortable modern home in the suburbs of Broken Bow, where she al- ways extends a hospitable welcome to her many friends, whether they be of the modern times or of the days of the frontier, when she assisted her husband so ably in his struggle to obtain a foothold in the new country where in later years he was destined to become such an important figure.

FRED H. ARTHUR. - A pronounced study in contrast among the upbuilders of Custer county is presented in the career of Fred H. Arthur. His twentieth century status is represented by the ownership of large tracts of land, and between the labor- enslaving and poverty-clouded days of the past and those of the prosperous present, he has encountered many varied and developing experiences, the very existence of which stamps him as a man of courage, initiative, and purpose. Mr. Arthur was born at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, May 14, 1859, and is a son of Horace and Mary (Green) Arthur.

Homer Arthur, the paternal grandfather of Fred H. Arthur, was born in the state of New York, where he spent the greater part of his life, but finally he moved to Wisconsin, and thereafter to Iowa, where he died at the age of ninety years. He married Miss Fannie Higby, who was related to ex-Governor Brad - ford of New York and was descended from Revolutionary stock. Horace Arthur was born in Lewis county, New York, in 1828. and there he married Miss Mary Green, who was born in 1830, in that same county, and who was a daughter of James and Hannah Green, the former of whom died in Wisconsin, in 1858, and the latter in 1869, both being na- tives of the Empire state. Shortly after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Horace Arthur went to Wisconsin, making the voyage via the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to Chicago and thence proceeding by stage coach to Wiscon- sin. There Mr. Arthur took up government land and engaged in farming. He was making a success of his operations when the Civil war interrupted his peaceful career. As a loyal and patriotic citizen he enlisted as a member of a Wisconsin regiment of volunteer infantry, and he was with his command in camp in Indiana

when he was suddenly taken sick with typhoid fever, his death occurring soon after his re- turn to Wisconsin, in 1863. He was a Demo- crat in politics, and his religious faith was that of the Congregational church, as was also that of Mrs. Arthur, who survived until 1915, and died in Iowa. They were the par- ents of six children, of whom three are living : Charles M., who is a retired resident of Web- ster City, Iowa ; Fred H., whose name intro- duces this sketch; and Minnie, who is the widow of Frank Wilson, and is a resident of Webster City, Iowa.

The district schools of Iowa, to which state he was taken after the death of his father, furnished Fred H. Arthur with his early edu- cation, this being supplemented by one year's attendance in a business college at Webster City. His life work was then commenced as a farmer in the Hawkeye state. He remained in that state until 1887, when he and his brother went to South Dakota and took up land, remaining there seven years. Follow- ing this, Mr. Arthur came to Custer county, where, in 1894, he bought land. He has since added to his holdings until he now has 520 acres in his own property, all well improved, said improvement having been made by him- self. In addition to his own land, he is the owner of the property which formerly be- longed to his wife's father, and both farms have splendid buildings and other improve- ments. When he started upon his career he had absolutely nothing to assist him save his own initiative, determination, and resolute purpose, and with these fortifying character- istics and good management he won success. His judgment led him to make a specialty of live-stock for a number of years. This ven- ture turned out prosperously, and a good grade of stock is still raised upon his farms, although alfalfa is the principal product at this time. Mr. Arthur retired from the farm in January, 1917, and since then has been liv- ing quietly in his modern residence at Broken Bow.

In the year 1889, at Broken Bow, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Arthur to Miss Alta B. King, a daughter of George W. and Emily (Green) King, natives of the state of New York. Mr. King came with his fam- ily to Custer county, Nebraska, in 1886. Here he entered claim to a homestead and set him- self vigorously to the developing of a pro- ductive farm. Sterling citizens of the county. he and his wife here passed the remainder of their lives. Mr. King died in January, 1908. his wife having passed away July 17, 1890. They became the parents of four children, concerning whom the following brief data

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' may consistently be entered at this juncture : Emma, who was born in the state of New York, July 13, 1849, became the wife of Rob- ert Ledwith, a farmer in Custer county, and her death occurred May 25, 1917. Edgar Howard, who was born January 29, 1852, in Wisconsin, died March 6, 1897. He married Ida Burnham and they had one child, Horace B. Frank E., who was born September 13, 1854, became a locomotive engineer in the ser- vice of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, died on the 19th of January, 1895. Alta Bell, wife of the subject of this sketch, was born September 28, 1859. Captain George W. King, father of Mrs. Arthur, was one of the gallant sons of the nation who went forth in defense of the Union when the Civil war was precipitated. At the inception of the war he enlisted as a private in Company H. Thirty- second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and through valiant and efficient service he won consecutive promotion and was captain of his company when the war came to its close. He participated in many engagements, includ- ing a number of the important battles marking the progress of the great conflict, and was with the forces of General Sherman on the historic march from Atlanta to the sea.

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur have one son, George E., who now has active charge of the father's fine farm property in Custer county. The maiden name of his wife was Frances Shir- key, and they have one child - Louise.

Fred H. Arthur is a Republican in politics, and on his party ticket he was elected town- ship assessor, an office of which he was the efficient incumbent during a period of seven consecutive years. He is affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

JACOB M. CASE, who has spent the greater part of his life as a farmer in Custer county, Nebraska, is a representative of a well known and highly respected pioneer fam- ily of this section and is a substantial farmer living on section 11, township 17, not far dis- tant from Berwyn. Jacob M. Case was born in Ringgold county, Iowa, August 25, 1874. He is the eldest of four children born to Peter M. and Ellen ( Wray) Case. They were natives of Indiana, from which state they moved to Iowa. From the latter state they came to Nebraska and they reached Cus- ter county in October, 1888. They came over- land, in pioneer style, and the father bought a relinquishment and developed the property into a fine farm. He now lives retired at Weissert. The mother died in December. 1893, her children all surviving, namely :

Jacob MI. is the subject of this review ; Luther S. conducts a Salvation Army store in Peoria, Illinois ; Arthur G., who is a farmer near Monte Vista, Colorado, married Ida Leck; Guy W. is connected with the Salvation Army unit that has been doing noble work in war- ravaged France.

Jacob M. Case was fourteen years old when he accompanied his parents to Custer county. He had already received a district-school edu- cation in his native state. The settlers of thirty years ago in Custer county found many hardships to contend with, but Mr. Case and his father had not expected anything other- wise for a time, and gradually, through their industry and good management, the home property became productive and increasingly valuable. As years passed Mr. Case's younger brothers left the farm for other ave- nues of usefulness, but he has always re- mained a farmer and has the reputation of being a very competent one.

Mr. Case was married March 4, 1899, to Hattie W. Perkins, and of their seven chil- dren five are living : Daisy B., born February 18, 1900; Everett A., born March 6, 1903 : Gladys M., born March 2, 1906; Glenn B. born October 9. 1909; and Donald M., born January 16, 1917. All of the children re- main at the parental home. Mr. and Mrs. Case are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican.

ROY B. SAMS, who is a general farmer living on section 14, township 17. Custer county, belongs to a well known pioncer fam- ily of the state and one of agricultural im- portance in Custer county. He was born in Polk county, Nebraska, October 5, 1885, and is a son of John L. and Florence A. (Horn- back) Sams. His mother died October 29, 1907. He has one brother, James L., who is a farmer near Payette, Idaho, and two half- brothers by his father's first marriage, these being Charles A. and Chester, both of whom are good farmers and substantial citizens of Custer county. John L. Sams came to Ne- braska from Iowa. and eventually he estab- lished his residence in Custer county, where, in March, 1895, he settled on a farm near Weissert. There he and his wife united with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which they continued members until 1904, when they transferred their membership to the Church of God.

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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 72

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