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 78

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 78

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

E., of this review. Josiah W. Spencer served three years as a soldier in the Civil war, and at one time was captured by the enemy and incarcerated for three weeks in the prison pen at Andersonville, Georgia. His seven chil- dren all survive, namely: Almer E. is the immediate subject of this sketch; Addalaska G., who was born February 14, 1873, and who is a farmer near Broken Bow, married Sarah Story ; Josiah L., who was born May 8, 1875, and who is a retired farmer living in Broken Bow, married Dora Mottinger ; Alta, who was- born November 14, 1877, is the wife of Rev. John W. Pirnie, pastor of the Church of God at Broken Bow ; Katie F., who was born Sep- tember 25, 1880, is the wife of John Holland, a farmer near Westerville; Lula D., who was born October 30, 1885, is the wife of Aaron Story, a farmer near Farley, Iowa; and Thomas L., who was born December 6, 1887, resides at home. Mr. Spencer brought his family to Valley county, Nebraska, in 1879, and in the following year homesteaded in Custer county. In order to secure provisions Mr. Spencer had to make a trip to Grand Island, leaving the family alone, and, with Indians still in the neighborhood and wild animals not entirely eliminated, Mrs. Spencer found many causes for anxiety. She relates that on one occasion when he was away, the children went out to gather wood and one of the sudden blizzards of snow came on and they were snowbound the entire night in the schoolhouse. Josiah W. Spencer was one of the venerable and honored pioneer citizens of Custer county at the time of his death, which occurred in February, 1908.

Almer E. Spencer accompanied his parents to Custer county in 1880 and still lives on his father's old homestead, where he carries on mixed farming and stock-raising, the former disadvantages of this section having been largely overcome by improved methods. July 1, 1894, he married Miss Carrie Bishop, who is a daughter of George and Emily (Hipsher) Bishop. Mrs. Spencer was the fourth in order of birth of her parents' family of children, the others being : Addie is the wife of Alfred Crowther, a fruit farmer in Tulare county, California : Charles, who also is a fruit farmer in Tulare county, married Mary Govier : David, who owns a fruit ranch in the above county, married Belle Sidwell ; Nel- lie is the wife of Oscar Lindgren, a farmer in Hamilton county, Nebraska ; and Nettie. Mr. and Mrs. Spencer have five children : Ralph, who was born August 8, 1895, and who is a farmer in Custer county, married Elsie Pir- nie; Lela, who was born August 8, 1897, is the wife of John Piper, a farmer in Custer

county ; Almer was born July 30, 1903 ; George was born September 10, 1907; and Alvin was born January 18, 1910. The three youngest children are all at home. Ar Spencer is affiliated with the Berwyn camp of the Modern Woodmen of America.

AXEL E. ANDERSON, who is a farmer and stockman in Custer county, is also a pub- lic official and is well and favorably known. Mr. Anderson was born in the city of Stock- holm, Sweden, March 29, 1870, one of a fam- ily of three children born to Augustus and Tilda ( Larson) Anderson. The parents of Mr. Anderson came to the United States and in the spring of 1880 settled in Polk county, Nebraska, where the mother died thirty days afterward and the father some years later. Two of their three children are living - Axel E. and John E., the latter of whom married Alma Almberg, , their home being at Stroms- berg, Nebraska.

Axel E. Anderson obtained his early educa- tion in the public schools of Polk county, Ne- braska, and supplemented this discipline by a course in a business college at Bushnell, Illi- nois. He then spent a year in Minnesota and from there went to Decatur, Illinois. Froni that place he came, in 1906, to Custer county, Nebraska, and this has been his home ever since. He owns a half-section of land, which is well improved and favorably located, and his industries include general farming and stock-raising.

Mr. Anderson was united in marriage, in December, 1898, to Jessie M. Hart, the eldest daughter of Sunderland and Mary ( Briscoe) Hart, of Decatur, Illinois, where Mr. Hart was a retired farmer. Mrs. Anderson has two sisters and one brother - Lucy, who is the wife of Charles P. Maxwell, a musician, at Decatur, Illinois ; Edith, who lives with her sister ; and Edward C., who is a business man of Jennings, Louisiana. Mr. and Mrs. An- derson have two children: Earl H., born De- cember 15, 1899; and Horace W., born June 13, 1901. Both sons are at home and attend- ing the Broken Bow high school. Mr. Ander- son is somewhat prominent in Republican politics and for the past two years has been treasurer of Garfield township. He belongs to the Odd Fellows and the Modern Wood- men of America. still holding membership in Illinois.

JOHN GOVIER. - A practical representa- tive of the agricultural interests of the Broken Bow community of Custer county is found in

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

the person of John Govier, who has an excep- tionally well developed property, located in section 20, township 18, which has been his home since 1885. Mr. Govier, during the thirty-three and more years that he has carried on operations here has accomplished several objects, in that he has established a good home, contributed a prosperous farm to the develop- ment of the county, and established himself in a firm position as a substantial and esteemed citizen, thereby reaching a goal that many men might well envy.

John Govier was born near Wolverhampton, England, August 7, 1850, a son of James and Ann ( Osborn) Govier. His parents came to the United States in 1864 and settled in the vicinity of Boscobel, Wisconsin, where James Govier was engaged in farming during a pe- riod of many years. He was a man of indus- try, held the good will and respect of his neighbors and the confidence of his associates. and was a stanch Republican in his political views. He and his wife were faithful mem- bers of the Church of God and died in Custer county, Nebraska, in that faith. They were the parents of thirteen children, of whom seven are living: John, who is the subject of this notice; Thomas, who is single and lives in Canada, where he follows farming : Charles, who married Addie Atkins, and is a farmer of the vicinity of Weissert, Nebraska ; James, who is single and resides at Ansley, Ne- braska : Annie, who is a resident of the local- ity of Knob, California ; Albert, who married Margaret Mitcheson, and lives at Ansley ; and Mary, who is the wife of Charles Bishop and makes her home in California.

John Govier was a lad when he accompanied his parents to the United States, and when he reached manhood he adopted the vocation of farming, in which he has been engaged ever since. After some years of operation in Wis- consin. during which he achieved only a measure of success, in 1885 he came to Ne- braska, and on March 31st of that year he secured a homestead in section 20, township 18, Custer county. He has since resided on the same property, engaged in general farnı- ing and the raising of live stock, and has met with marked success in his efforts, being the owner of fine buildings, up-to-date equipment and a fine grade of stock. He maintains a high standing in the community, and while he has not been particularly active in local affairs, he has always shown his public spirit when measures of an important character have called for the support of progressive citizens.

Mr. Govier was married March 1, 1877, to Miss Rebecca M. Beamer. a daughter of John and Nancy M. ( McKee) . Beamer. To. Mr.

and Mrs. Beamer there were born seven chil- dren, of whom five are living: Nancy J., of Broken Bow, is the widow of the late John Truitt ; Angeline C. married Thomas Cook and lives on a farm near Cromwell, Iowa ; Clark, who married Sadie Allen, is engaged in farming in Missouri; Hannah is the wife of James Derickson, a carpenter of Broken Bow ; Rebecca M. is the wife of John Govier, of this sketch; and Ira Hopkins, a son of a later marriage of Mrs. Beamer, is a half- brother of Mrs. Govier. To Mr. and Mrs. Govier have been born eight children, and of these six survive: Harry E., who married Sadie Smith, is a farmer in the Round valley community of Custer county; Clarence E., who also farms in Round valley, married Coralee Govert ; Mabel L. is the wife of Miller Peterson, a farmer near Weissert; Lulu P. is the wife of Alfred Larson, a farmer near Broken Bow; Thomas W. W., who married Emma Johnson, is a farmer of Round valley : and Nellie E. B. is single and resides with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Govier also have an adopted son. Joseph T. Govier, who was born May 30, 1915.

WILLIAM T. S. LINE. - One of the best stock farms to be found in the southern part of Custer county figures as the home and the stage of the activities of Mr. Line, who is one of the progressive and representative citizens of the county. He claims Indiana as the place of his nativity and he celebrated his fifty- third birth anniversary in 1918. His wife, whose maiden name was Carrie Irene Spell- meyer, was born in the state of Illinois and is fifty-four years of age at the time of this writ- ing. Mr. Line is a member of a family of eight children. Four of his brothers are liv- ing, and one of the number is a Nebraskan - Marshall Line, who resides near Burwell, Garfield county. Two brothers and one sister are deceased.

Concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Line brief record may consistently be entered at this juncture : Arthur and Ren S. are both associated with the work and management of their father's North ranch : Ivan J. remains at home and contributes his quota to the ranch operations ; Claude represents the family and his native county as one of the gallant young men who became members of the national military forces when the country became in- volved in the great European war, and he was stationed at Camp Funston. Kansas, at the time when the war came to a close: Laura Lomas is living at home: Eva and Dennis B. are students in the high school at Eddyville.

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Dawson county, a place not far distant from the home ranch ; and Blanche also is attending the public schools of that village.

The Line landed estate comprises 1,600 broad acres, and 400 acres are maintained in a splendid state of cultivation. Mr. Line came into possession of this fine property by pur- chase. The permanent improvements are of excellent order and the property constitutes one of the best and most profitable stock farms in Custer county. The farm machinery is of the most modern and approved type and in itself constitutes a splendid asset. the while its utilization, as well as the general appearance of the farm, clearly indicates the progressive- ness and good judgment of the owner of this valuable landed estate.

In the past years Mr. Line has bought cattle and fattened them for the market, and he has made the enterprise profitable, as has he also that of raising and handling hogs. However, in later years Mr. Line has given special attention to the dairy department of his farm activities, and at the present time he maintains a fine herd of thirty-five milch cows. The prevailing high prices for dairy products have made dairying very profitable to Mr. Line, especially during the period of the great world war, and he has been progres- sive in the handling of all details of this line of enterprise.

Mr. Line was reared and educated princi- pally in Illinois, to which state his parents removed when he was about twelve years of age, and there he continued to maintain his home until 1884, when he became a pioneer settler in Dawson county, Nebraska, whence he later came to Custer county. He remained in this county about five years and then re- turned to Dawson county, but he has owned and resided upon his present Custer county farm since 1896, this being one of the best properties in the fertile region in the southern part of Custer county. The Line family is one of prominence and influence in this com- munity and its members enjoy unqualified popular confidence and esteem.

ALBERT BAYNE. - "The responsibilities of present-day activities rest heavily upon the men and women living. Albert Bayne, who lives down in the Georgetown section of the South Loup, belongs to this class, and is a man who is well able to share the responsi- bility and discharge individually all obliga- tions, public and private, resting upon him. He was one of the homesteaders of 1886, and has been since that time one of the improvers,

contributing to county development in his modest yet appreciable way.

He is a son of Lee George Bayne and Lyza (Richmond) Bayne, both of whom were na- tives of Ohio, in which state both of them passed from the activities of this world. The subject whom these lines concern passed his early days in the Buckeye state, where public- school opportunities were afforded, and there he qualified himself for good citizenship and for business transactions as they arise to-day in general country life.

In the home established by Mr. and Mrs. Bayne six children have been born: Hattie Johnson, who lives on a farm in Dawson county ; Mattie, who died in Iowa, several years ago: Charlie, who is a Dawson county farmer ; Jennie Line, who lives near Burwell, on a farm; Harry, who is the youngest, and who is married and living on a farm near O'Neill, Nebraska, his one child being but twenty months old at the time of this writing. in the autumn of 1918.

On the homestead where the Baynes live are to be found fairly good improvements, which meet the requirements of the operations as Mr. Bayne conducts them. He has been, withal, a successful farmer and stockman, and merits the good reputation he sustains in the immediate circle of his acquaintance.

LINCOLN G. SELL. - This title line in- troduces a man with a history, a man who has gone through various and varied experiences in the western country, and who to-day is one of the constituents of community enterprise and country prosperity. Mr. Sell was born in the state of Michigan, December 24, 1869. and is a son of John G. and Sylvia ( Smith) Sell. In his father's family were three chil- dren, the other two being Mrs. Anna Robert- son and Mrs. Minnie Hudson.

Lincoln G. Sell received his early education in his native state, where he attended the pub- lic schools and supported himself in the mean- time by cutting cordwood. It was probably here that he learned to "saw wood," a char- acteristic which has stood him in good stead during all his life.

On the 10th day of December, 1901, the matrimonial career of Mr. Sell began, when he led to the marriage altar Miss Annie Mutchie, a splendid young lady of Lexing- ton, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Sell became the parents of five children, all of whom are living and doing honor to their parents - Maggie, Mabel, Francis, Peter, and Charles. All of the children are still at home and are engaged

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in useful service in connection with the house- hold and the farm.

Mr. Sell arrived in Nebraska November 10. 1887, about one month prior to his eighteenth birthday anniversary. Like most of the set- tlers, his parents came with little of this world's goods and some of the hardest ex- periences of the pioneer days fell to their lot. the father having taken up a homestead. The father froze to death, fifteen years ago, in a canyon north of the Sells home place, and this tragedy shocked and grieved the entire com- munity. Lincoln G. then took a homestead and to-day he has a half-section of well im- proved land.

Concerning his early life, Mr. Sells says that in 1890 he went into McPherson county, where he stayed a short time, and later he en- gaged in railroading. From there he went to Omaha, where he was employed for a time in the Union Stockyards, which yards he helped to build. While working there he contracted typhoid fever, and he came home. After re- covering he returned to Omaha and went into the army, with which he participated in one of the engagements during the Indian trouble. His company took an active part in the battle of Wounded Knee, on December 27th. After leaving the army he returned to MePherson county, where he ran wild horses for a time. In this enterprise he had the misfortune to have his left hand badly crippled. While in McPherson county at that time he took hay contracts and put up a large amount of prairie hay. He then moved back to his home, where he has since resided and where he enjoys the comforts of farm life under most favorable circumstances. He belongs to the Republican party, to whose principles he has long given a faithful adherence.

ROBERT B. WALKER. - More than a quarter of a century's connection with the banking interests of Mason City, during which time he has risen from a clerkship to the presidency of the Mason City Banking Company, has made Robert B. Walker one of the best known figures in financial circles of central Nebraska He is a native of Canada, and was born January 29, 1867, a son of Ro- bert and Margaret ( Baird) Walker.

Robert Walker, the paternal grandfather of Robert B. Walker, was born in Ireland, and was a young man when he immigrated to Canada with his wife and infant children, the rest of his life being passed in farming in that dominion. John Baird, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Walker, was likewise a native of the Emerald Isle and was an early

settler and farmer of Canada. Robert Walker, father of Robert B. Walker, was born in Ire- land, and was a child when taken by his parents to Canada, where he was reared and educated. Following his marriage to Mar- garet Baird, a native of Canada. he continued farming in that country until 1884, when he came to Custer county, Nebraska, and secured a homestead. He was an agriculturist on that property for some years, then moving to Gib- bon, Buffalo county, where he established him- self in the hardware business, with his son. He is now retired. at the age of eighty years. He has been a Mason for many years and he and Mrs. Walker are members of the Presby- terian church. They have had ten children, of whom two reside in Custer county: John. who is a supervisor of Custer county and en- gaged in farming near Mason City; and Robert B., who is the subject of this review.

Robert B. Walker was educated in the public schools of Canada and was seventeen years of age when he accompanied his parents to Custer county. For two years he lived and farmed on the family homestead, but in 1886 he came to Mason City, where he clerked for two years, and then was variously employed until entering the Bank of Mason City, in the capacity of bookkeeper. From that time to the present he has been identified with bank- ing matters, always advancing, and to-day he is president of the Mason City Banking Com- pany, one of the strong institutions of this part of the state, with a capital of $25,000. surplus of $5,000, and average deposits of $275,000. Mr. Walker is considered one of the capable, careful, and conservative bankers of Custer county, and is a man whose personal integrity and probity have done much to con- serve the interests of his institution and to gain and hold the confidence of the public. He is a Republican in his political views, and is well known in Masonry, having attained Scottish Rite degrees, having been master of his lodge at Mason City, and holding member- ship as a noble of the Mystic Shrine. As a citizen he has been public-spirited and con- structive in his assistance of worthy move- ments for the general welfare.

October 22. 1891, recorded the marriage of Mr. Walker to Miss Maude Hill, who was born in Wisconsin, daughter of L. B. Hill, who came to Mason City in 1888 and for a time was the incumbent of the postmastership. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Walker: Harold, twenty-six years of age, is a graduate of the medical department of the University of Nebraska, at Omaha, and en- listed in the United States Medical Reserve. in which connection he has been assigned to

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the general hospital at Kansas City, as a medi- cal interne; Mildred, a graduate of Kearney Normal school, is now a teacher in the public schools of Mason City; Marion resides at home and is a high-school student ; and Paul, aged seven years, is attending school. The family belongs to the Baptist church.

CARL HOLCOMB, who is favorably known in business circles of Broken Bow as one of the proprietors of Holcomb Brothers' garage, has resided in Custer county prac- tically all of his life, and in his career he has demonstrated the possession of abilities of a superior order. This enterprising business man was born November 20, 1882, in Gibson county, Indiana, a son of Monroe C. and Amanda (Vickers) Holcomb. His father migrated from Indiana, to Grand Island in 1883, and about 1885 homesteaded northeast of Broken Bow, in what is known as the Holcomb neighborhood, there passing the re- maining years of his active life. His death occurred at Broken Bow, January 13, 1900, and Mrs. Holcomb survived until February 11, 1912. They were faithful members of the Baptist church, and parents of three sons : Carl, Floyd, and Ray.

At the time of the death of their father, the Holcomb brothers inherited the old home- stead, which is now being operated by the youngest of the three, Ray, a skilled and thorough agriculturist who is securing excel- lent results. In addition the brothers own 640 acres of land adjoining, and have the best of equipment and buildings - three complete sets of improvements. Ray Holcomb is a Democrat, affiliates with the Woodmen, and has numerous warm and appreciative friends. Floyd Holcomb, who is now a member of the firm of Holcomb Brothers, proprietors of the garage at Broken Bow, was brought up as a farmer and that was his vocation until enter- ing business life, in 1918. He is a member of the Baptist church and votes the Democratic ticket, while his fraternal relations are with the Masons, the Odd Fellows, and the Wood- men. He is accounted an alert and hustling business man whose standing has been gained through marked ability and individual effort. Mr. Holcomb married Ruby Baker, and they have four children : Margaret, Monroe, Don- ald, and Gifford.

Carl Holcomb was brought up on the home farm, assisting his father during the summer months and attending the district schools in the country in the winter terms, and his first money was earned by plowing corn with an old "walking" cultivator, for Mr. John

Smalley. After his father's death, he re- mained on the homestead and continued his activities as a farmer until 1918, in which year he and his brother Floyd bought the garage at Broken Bow, from Martin & Son, located the first block east of the Farmers' co-operative store. An excellent business has been developed, and in addition to conducting a general agency for Dodge Brothers cars, a general line of repair work is done and all manner of tires and accessories are handled. Mr. Holcomb has firmly established himself as a reputable man of business, of much abil- ity, and of strict integrity. While residing in the country he was called upon to fill public offices, being school director for six years and township clerk two years, and he discharged his duties in an entirely satisfactory and effi- cient manner. He belongs to the Odd Fellows and the Woodmen, and he and Mrs. Holcomb are members of the Baptist church.

Mr. Holcomb was married March 22, 1906, near Broken Bow, to Miss Rose Triplett, a daughter of Clark S. and Ruth (Holman) Triplett, farming people of Custer county. Mr. Triplett was a Democrat and he and his wife belonged to the United Brethren church. They had the following children : Inman, John, Jesse, Earl, Rose, Ida, Ada, Maud, and Goldie. Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb have one son : Carl, Jr.

SAMUEL T. KEARNEY. - Down in the south part of the county, so far that Sumner is the nearest town, on a farm of 240 acres, is the home domicile of Samuel Tilden Kearney, who was born in Greene county, Illinois, in 1873. His wife, Lizzie (Boyer) Kearney, was born in the same year, in the Buckeye state. The father of Mr. Kearney was Henry C. Kearney, who was born on the high seas, and who departed this life in the sixty-eighth year of his age. The mother was Mary Ann (Jones) Kearney, a native of Greene county, Illinois, and she was sixty-one years of age at the time of her death. In the family of the senior Kearney were five chil- dren : W. T., who lives near Lomax ; Frances Orr, who is living at Sigourney, Iowa : Sam- uel T., who is the subject of this sketch ; Mrs. Anna Wellett, of Sheridan, Wyoming; and Nettie Boyer, of Aitkin, Minnesota.

In the family of Samuel T. Kearney are four bright children, who do credit to him- self and his wife and make happy and en- joyable their farm home: Esther Viola and Adah Hazel are both attending the high school at Overton, Nebraska ; and Mary and Merle are attending school at Sumner.

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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 78

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