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 95
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171
631
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
half of section 15, township 18, range 23. This is a well improved property and he is devoting his time to general farming and stock-raising.
Mr. Given was united in marriage to Miss Ottie I. Reed, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of S. H. Reed, an early settler of Custer county. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Given has been made happy by the birth of six children: Edith married A. R. Horton and resides at Langtry, South Dakota; May- plet is the wife of Roy Cramer, of Custer county ; Esther Beatrice married Ed. Fox and they reside in Custer county; Robert Thurs- ton is, at the time of this writing, in the national army and doing police duty on the Mexican border; Georgia, Mansel W., and Jay S. are still at home.
Mr. Given has been an eye-witness of the vast changes that have taken place, in Custer county and in the work of development has contributed his full share. Having resided within its borders for thirty-five years, he has a wide circle of acquaintances and is held in the highest of esteem by all who know him.
FRANK S. ACKERMAN is one of the early settlers of Custer county and has been identified with its agricultural interests for more than thirty years.
Mr. Ackerman was born in Stark county, Ohio, August 29, 1862. His parents, Andrew and Mary Ann (Lauver) Ackerman, were natives of Ohio, the former having been born in Stark county and the latter in Harrison county ; they were farming people and both passed the closing years of their lives in Stark county, Ohio. Concerning the name Acker- man, Frank S. remembers a story told about his grandfather, Christopher Ackerman. When the grandfather was a boy in school his teacher asked him his name and he answered Ackerman, giving the A the broad sound. The teacher told him if that was the way to pronounce the name it should be spelled with a "u", and the grandfather always spelled it that way.
The subject of this biography was reared in his native county and was a young man of twenty-four years when he came to Custer county. He walked from Kearney to Broken Bow and after paying for a night's lodging and a breakfast at the old Marble Top (Hull) hotel, his capital was twenty-five cents. Dur- ing a conversation in the hotel he heard the names of Mr. Deal and Mr. Weimer men- tioned, the former a minister, the latter a farmer, both of whom he had known in Ohio. Upon making inquiry and learning where Dan
Weimer lived, he made his way there, and for two years he worked for Mr. Weimer on the farm. He then took a pre-emption of 160 acres in section 2, township 18, range 23, prov- ing up on same and conducting farming op- erations there for several years. His first - home was a sod house and the hardships and trials of Custer county's carly settlers are quite familiar to him. He is now operating 400 acres of the Philip Johnson farm, having. sold his own land.
Mr. Ackerman was united in marriage to Miss Anna Johnson, who was born in Tus- carawas county, Ohio, a daughter of the late Philip Johnson, whose record is given else- where in this history.
Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman have three chil- dren : Harry married Addie Dutton and they have three children - Francis, Marquiss, and Orcheretta ; May is the wife of Fred Hussey. and they have two children - Lloyd, and Opal ; and Mary is the wife of Russell Rhodes, their daughter being named Inez Laurine. All of the children reside in Custer county.
GEORGE JACQUOT was born on the farm which is now his home, and the date of his nativity was October 30, 1884. He is a son of Nicholas Jacquot, one of the early homesteaders of Custer county, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this history.
George Jacquot was reared on the farm and attended the public schools. As soon as he was old enough, he assisted in the operation of the farm; and for several years before his father's death he had the management of the place, his father being interested in other business enterprises, which required his at- tention. George Jacquot to-day operates 400 acres of the estate. and the improvements are extensive and among the best in the county. the equipment being well adapted for general farming as well as stock-raising. Mr. Jac- quot is energetic and progressive, and meet- ing with good success.
Mr. Jacquot married Miss Mary Mohatt, a native of Harrison county, Iowa, and they have four children - Harold, Cecil, Geral- dine, and Hubert. Mr. and Mrs. Jacquot are members of the Catholic church and have a host of friends who value them for their genuine worth.
JOHN F. BAKER. - The agricultural in- terests of Custer county have a worthy repre- sentative in the person of John Finley Baker, who owns and operates a valuable tract of land.
632
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
John F. Baker was born in Appanoose county Iowa, December 19, 1870. His father James Richard Baker, was born in Davis county, Iowa, and as a young man he engaged in railroad work and coal-mining. ·He resided in Iowa until 1885, when he came to Custer county and homesteaded in town- ship 18, range 25. After proving up on this place, he removed to township 18, range 23, where he purchased land. On this tract he made splendid improvements, and here he re- sided until his death, at the age of fifty-nine years. In Iowa he was united in marriage to Miss Frances Elizabeth Powell, a native of Kentucky, and she passed away on the old farm in Custer county, at the age of sixty- two years. James R. Baker was widely known in Custer and adjoining counties as a live- stock auctioneer.
John F. Baker was one of a family of five children. His early boyhood days were spent in his native county, in Iowa, and he accom- panied his parents to Custer county when a lad of fifteen years. On reaching manhood he engaged in farming, and he is to-day the owner of 400 acres. Here he carries on gen- eral agriculture and stock-raising. His is a well improved farm and the present condition is the result of the indefatigable labor of its owner.
Mr. Baker was united in marriage to Miss Callie Bell Winston, who was born in Mis- souri, a daughter of William and Fannie ( Maupin) Winston, who are now residents of Custer county.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Baker has been made happy by the birth of three children: Lillian Florence, Etta May, and John Rich- ard. The parents are members of the United Brethren church and in politics Mr. Baker is a Democrat. The family are held in un- qualified esteem by all who know them.
NATHAN T. GADD, who has been a leading members of the legal fraternity of Broken Bow for nearly thirty years, has not confined his activities to the practice of his profession, but is popular in fraternal circles and has been prominent in public life. He is a native of Blakesburg, Iowa, and was born December 7, 1856, being a son of Dr. Joseph and Susanna ( Rush) Gadd.
Joseph Gadd, the paternal grandfather of Nathan T. Gadd, was born in New Jersey, whence at an early date he moved to Ohio, settled on a new farm and continued to be engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, which was caused by the fall of a tree. On the Ohio farm Dr. Joseph Gadd was born
in 1822, and in his native community he met and married Susanna Rush, also born in the Buckeye state, a daughter of Ezekiel Rush, who was a pioneer to Ohio from Pennsyl- vania. Dr. Joseph Gadd attended the Eclectic Medical College at Cincinnati and completed his professional preparation at Rush Medical College, Chicago. Sometime during the '40s he migrated to Iowa, where he practiced for a number of years at Blakesburg, became a leading member of the medical fraternity in his state, and assisted in the organization of Keokuk Medical College, with which he was connected for some years. As a religious man, he belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church, and his fraternal connections were with the Masons and Odd Fellows, while his political inclinations made him a Republican. In his later years he moved to Davenport, Iowa, near which city his death occurred, in 1887. Mrs. Gadd, born in 1824, survived until 1899. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom four are living: Anna. the wife of A. J. Rastenbach, a shoe merchant of Davenport ; Nathan T .; J. P., principal of the Dipsomaniac Hospital at Knoxville, Iowa; and Kate, the wife of James Myers, a mine owner of Buffalo. Iowa.
Nathan T. Gadd attended the public schools of Iowa, and prosecuted his law studies in the offices and 'under the preceptorship of Francis Murphy, Judge Benson, and W. A. Foster, all of Davenport, in which city he was admitted to the bar in 1879. He at once began practice there, but in the following ycar he came to Nebraska and first established himself in practice at Beatrice, where he re- mained until 1889 -the year of his removal to Broken Bow. Since the year mentioned Mr. Gadd has continued in the general prac- tice of law, in which he has attained a full measure of success, being accounted one of the leaders of his profession in Custer county. His practice has been interrupted on several occasions when he has been called to fill pub- lic office, he having been city attorney of Bro- ken Bow for six years, and having been elec- ted prosecuting attorney in 1908 - an office in which he served two years. Various enter- prises for the civic and general welfare have attracted his attention and had the benefit of his valued talents : at the present time lic is president of the Public Service Club (1918).
Mr. Gadd was married in August, 1880. to Miss Sarah Miller, who was born in Madison county. Iowa, daughter of Joseph and Mary Miller, the former a successful farmer and blacksmith. Three children have been born to this union : Ray is a farmer near Dedham,
633
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
634
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Wisconsin ; Charles is with the One Hundred and Ninth Engineers, a volunteer in the United States service. and is stationed at Camp Cody, New Mexico, at the time of this writ- ing: and Eva is the wife of D. C. Wilson, chief electrical engineer of the Union Pacific Railway, at Omaha, Nebraska. Mr. Gadd and the members of his family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. and is chan- cellor commander of General Custer Lodge, No. 23, at Broken Bow. His political allegi- ance is given to the Republican party.
FRANK CRAMER. - Farming. combined with stock-raising, is a profitable industry in Custer county, if good business ability is shown in its management, and this has been conclusively shown by Frank Cramer, who has been exceptionally successful for the time he has been in this line of enterprise and who has extensive farm and stock interests in this section. Frank Cramer was born at New Helena, Custer county, Nebraska, in 1888, a son of Levier and Louisa (Hartman) Cra- mer.
During the first thirteen years of his life, Frank Cramer lived at the parental home, and afterward he made himself useful to the farm- ers in the neighborhood until his school days were over and he was eighteen years of age. Then. with his brother Henry, he began farmi- ing on three-quarters of a section of land be- longing to J. D. Ream, situated five and one- half miles northwest of Broken Bow. The brothers soon added stock to their other in- terests and during the three years they con- tinued in partnership they had wonderful suc- cess ; later they bought a half-section of land together. Both Mr. Cramer and his brother seem to have remarkable foresight as to pros- pects and land values, and they soon sold their half-section at a substantial advance over the price they paid. Frank Cramer then bought the A. J. Routh farm, of 320 acres, situated northeast of Broken Bow, and four years afterward he sold it at a good profit. He then bought 440 acres adjoining the J. D. Ream property on the north, paying the sum of $20,000, in 1917, just before the sharp advance in real estate in Custer county. Mr. Cramer takes much pride in this beautiful property and has continued to improve it. the while he has added modern conveniences to the residence until it ranks with the most de- sirable in the county.
Mr. Cramer was married December 25, 1908, to Miss Mable C. Routh, who is a daugh-
ter of Douglas I. and Jennie (McDonald) Routh, tthe latter of whom died when Mrs. Cramer was very young. Mr. and Mrs. Cra- mer have two children: Marjorie G. and Cloyd. Mr. and Mrs. Cramer are members of the United Brethren church. Mr. Cramer is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and in politics he is a Republican.
BENJAMIN F. SOMMER, who is one of the enterprising farmers of the younger gen- eration in Custer county, is showing excellent judgment and discretion in the management of his land and the handling of live stock. Mr. Sommer was born near Merna, this county, February 16, 1892. His parents are Andrew and Melissa (Keedy) Sommer, who live on the place they homesteaded near Merna. The father is a native of France and the mother was born in Illinois. They have five children : Perry, Almore, Mrs. Eva Cole, Benjamin F., and Elizabeth. Andrew Sommer came to Cus- ter county early in its settlement. He in- vested wisely and he retained is land-holdings when some of his neighbors grew discouraged, with the result that now he owns numerous valuable farms.
Benjamin F. Sommer remained with his parents until he reached manhood, assisting his father in the meanwhile and attending school. He has been well trained in agricultural in- dustry and at present is very successfully con- ducting one of his father's farms near Merna. Mr. Sommer was married March 13, 1915, at Broken Bow, to Miss Nora Sharp, who is a daughter of Benjamin and Louisa (Zachary) Sharp.
ERNEST N. EMBREE is a native son of Custer county, where he was born January 21. 1892, in the township where he now makes his home. He is a son of Frederick C. Em- bree, whose record as a homesteader and suc- cessful farmer appears elsewhere in this vol- ume.
Ernest N. Embree was reared on the home farm and after duly attending the district schools he completed his education in the Merna high school. His first business ven- ture was the purchase of a quarter-section of land on West Table, but after holding this less than one year he sold the property at a profit of $4,800. He then purchased a tract of eighty acres, which, with land he rents from his father, is devoted to general farming. Though a young man, he has demonstrated his business ability and there is no doubt but that the future holds bright prospects for him.
635
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Mr. Embree married Miss Fern Cantrell, who was born in Hamilton county, Nebraska, a daughter of Jesse Cantrell, now a resident of Custer county. Mr. and Mrs. Embree have one child, Bernard Charles. They are mem- bers of the United Brethren church and in politics Mr. Embree reserves the right to vote independently, casting his ballot for men and measures, regardless of party ties.
The' opportunities for a young man were never better in Custer county than at the pres- ent time, and while we are giving credit to the early settlers who blazed the trail and endured the pioneer hardships, and whose persistent labors made possible our present-day con- ditions, we must not be unmindful of the part being played by the younger generation, who have the courage and foresight to attempt greater things than the older settlers of Cus- ter county ever dreamed of. Among the young men of the county who have proven themselves possessed of a large amount of good judgment and business acumen, none is more deserving than Ernest N. Embree.
JERRY HICKEY, JR. - Write the name of Jerry Hickey in prominent characters on the roll of successful young farmers who are making a reputation for Custer county. Jerry has made good, and he is entitled to all the emoluments incidental to the success he has achieved.
Jerry Hickey, Jr., is a native born Custerite and is now thirty-one years of age; here he has spent his entire life; here he received his education in the common schools ; and here he learned the rudiments of practical farming and stock-raising. He is a son of Jerry and Lena (Michel) Hickey, very estimable peo- ple, who still reside in this county. There were seven children in the father's family, and all were taught the principles of thrift and in- dustry. The father. Jerry Hickey, Sr., be- longs to the Catholic church.
In 1908 was recorded the marriage of Jerry Hickey, Jr., to Mary Ellen Powers, a daugh- ter of William Powers, of whom a life sketch is given on another page. In the comfortable home of Mr. and Mrs. Hickev are three bright and promising children. Cecil, aged nine years. and Leona, aged seven, are both pursu- ing the course of the country school; while William, aged two years, is the sole dictator and manager of the home.
Mr. Hickey owns 280 good acres of land, upon which are maintained good improve- ments that have been provided by Jerry him- self, and on which a fine grade of live stock is kept the year round. Mr. Hickey depends
largely upon stock, and believes that there are few places where stock farming is more profit- able than in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Hickey have been on this farm for ten years and if they maintain the same rate of progress for the next ten years they will have secured an ample competency, upon the basis of which they can retire from hard work. Socially, they are prominent in the community. They are communicants of the Catholic church and Mr. Hickey is affiliated politically with the Demo- cratic contingent. They are rated as splendid people and obliging neighbors.
JAMES V. MILLIGAN. - The subject of this record is one of the progressive citizens of Custer county and since the early days he has been an influential factor in the affairs of his adopted county.
James V. Milligan was born at Port Huron, Michigan, January 13, 1862. His father, Will . iam Milligan was born in Ireland and was left an orphan when quite young. When sixteen or seventeen years of age William Milligan ran away and sailed for America. He located in Canada, and there later he married Eliza- beth Burton, a native of Canada. Upon com- ing over into the United States they located in Michigan. In Macomb county, that state, William Milligan opened up a new farm, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their days, he passing away at the age of seventy-six years, in 1893, and his wife hav- ing been called to eternal rest in the year 1890.
James Milligan was one of eight children and was reared on a farm in his native state. He remained under the parental roof until he had attained the age of seventeen years, when he found employment at farm labor, working by the month. At the age of nineteen he came to Nebraska, and he and a partner purchased 160 acres of land in Lancaster county. In the fall of 1883 he came to Custer county and took a homestead in section 30, township 18. range 22, his first home being a dugout. He wit- nessed and shared in the hardships and priva- tions of those pioneer days, proved up on his homestead, purchased a tree claim and devoted himself to developing and improving the new farm. Some years ago he sought a change of location and moved to Kansas, where he re- mained five years, but it is sixteen years since he returned to the old place.
Mr. Milligan has followed progressive meth- ods in his agricultural pursuits, has brought his land to a high state of cultivation, and the place is improved with one of the finest sets of buildings to be found in this part of the county.
636
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
In 1886, in Custer county, was solemnized the marriage of James Milligan to Miss Mar- garet McDermott, who was born in Canada, a daughter of the late Bernard McDermott, who was one of the pioneers of Custer county and a record of whom appears eleswhere in this history of Custer county. Mr. and Mrs. Milli- gan became the parents of three children - Blanche and Joseph, who are still under the parental roof, and Lyle, who died in infancy. The family are members of the Catholic church and are people who have the unquali- fied respect and esteem of all who know them.
JOHN H. MCDERMOTT. - The Irish- Americans always succeed. Whether on the public rostrum, where they seem possessed of golden speech ; behind the counter, where busi- ness acumen counts for capital ; or on the farm or ranch, where energy and thrift are in de- mand, the Irish-American always succeeds. Mr. McDermott is an Irish-American ; his father and mother, estimable people, were na- tives respectively of Ireland, and Canada, but he himself first saw the light of day in Cal- houn county, Iowa, where he was born on the 22d of August, 1875. In the family of his father, Thomas McDermott, were four chil- dren, of whom John H. is the eldest ; Frank is a street-car conductor in Omaha : Catherine is deceased ; and Benjamin J. is a locomotive en- gineer, living in Omaha. The father, Thomas McDermott, came to Custer county in 1888. Here he homesteaded a quarter-section and made timber entry on another 160 acres.
His wife, Mary A. McDermott, was born in Canada, as before stated, and their mar- riage was solemnized in 1872, in Pocahontas county, Iowa. From that time they have maintained a creditable home, for which hard work has provided all comforts and necessities. The cutivated land on their Custer county farm consists of 115 acres, while the rest is in pasture land and is really a very profitable portion of the ranch. John McDermott put on all the improvements and owns a full con- tingent of farm machinery. The live stock is of a good grade and constitutes a very profit- able department of the ranch operation.
Locally Mr. McDermott is rated as one of the leading factors in his community, and is counted an obliging neighbor and dependable citizen. For twelve years he has been treas- urer of his school district and in all the war activities in Custer county after our nation be- came involved in the great world conflict he was one of the active promoters ; he has been a contributor to all war appeals and in every possible way has displayed a loyal and pa-
triotic spirit. His political affiliations are with the Democratic party. He is a staunch sup- porter and respected member of the Catholic church. Meet Mr. McDermott, talk to him in his home, note the home premises, take counsel of his neighbors - and the truth of the decla- ration at the beginning of these paragraphs, "Irish-Americans always make good," be- comes apparent.
DAVID McGUGIN. - In noting the rep- resentative men of Custer county who qualify as earliest settlers, there are few who came here with more determined purpose to secure a permanent home in a section which seem- ingly offered rich opportunities. Undoubtedly a number of the early settlers came to the county in search of adventure, and later many. passed on to other fields, but after a man has served for three years in battling for his coun- try he scarcely looks for the excitements and adventures of life, even if he subsequently meets with many. In this way respectful at- tention is called to David McGugin, who now lives in comfortable retirement at Sargent, Nc- braska, a pioneer of 1879.
David McGugin was born August 31, 1839, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, one of a family of twelve children born to James and Matilda (Campbell) McGugin. Both parents were born in Washington county, The father was a farmer and died on his farm in Pennsylvania, in 1865. He was a man of sterling worth, and both he and wife were members of the Presbyterian church, in which he was a trustee for many years. Five of their children are living, namely: David, whose name introduces this sketch ; Lee, who is the wife of John Clark, a farmer near Cam- bridge, Ohio; William Milton and Margaret C., both of whom live at Burgettstown, Penn- sylvania ; and Angelina, who is living at Hick- ory, Pennsylvania, and is the wife of John Carlisle.
In boyhood David McGugin had district- school advantages, mainly in the winter sea- sons, and during the summers he assisted on the home farm. He thus continued until the outbreak of the Civil war, when he enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment. The long period of peace secured for the country by the soldiers of 1861-5 was not won without danger, strug- gle, and suffering, and during his service of three years and one month, Mr. McGugin bravely bore his part, besides which he carried a wound from one of the big battlefields. He was honorably discharged, returned to his home and, after full recovery, resumed his old vocation. It was in 1879 that he came to Ne-
637
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
braska, and in September of that year he ac- quired his homestead in Custer county. It was a lonely section in which it was located, there being but one house north of the river and Comstock at that time, so his nearest neighbor was far away, but he had not ex- pected the comforts of civilization, and imme- diately set about developing his land, in Lil- lian township, accepting the inevitable hard- ships that pertain to pioneering, with the for- titude of a sensible, hopeful, practical man. As years passed, his condition constantly improved, and the time came when his was numbered with the valuable farms of the county and his farming and stock-raising were prosperous industries. Mr. McGugin continued on his farm until 1912, when he retired from active labor and moved to a comfortable home in Sargent.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.