USA > Nebraska > Dixon County > History of Dixon County, Nebraska > Part 14
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
178
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Asa W. Rose was born in Norwich, Connecticut, in 1847. His parents removed to Muscatine. Iowa, in 1854, where they resided for one year when they removed by team to what is now Rock Falls in Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, and two years later settled upon their farm near Plymouth in same county until 1866. The subjectof this sketch enlisted in Company M. Ist lowa cavalry and served two years and eight months and was discharged at St. Louis at the close of the war. when he returned home, and the next year with his par- ents removed to Union county. Dakota, where they settled upon homesteads in the western part of the county on the banks of the Missouri, opposite the town of lonia. In IS68. he was married to Almira J. Bishop, who died a few months later. In the winter of 1869 he removed to Ionia, where he with a Mr. Leaveus opened a general store. In December. 1870, he was married to Carrie L. Hill, daughter of L. T. Hill of lonia, where they resided until 1889, when they removed to Ponca township, where they have since resided. In Jan- uary. 1893. Mr. Rose was appointed county judge pro tem. by the board of county supervisors during the illness of Judge Reynolds, and in July of the same year upon the death of Judge Reynolds was appointed county judge. In the fall of the same year was elected to the same office and in Novem- ber. 1895. was again elected, breaking the record and receiv- ing the largest vote ever cast for any one man in Dixon county.
Carrie L. Rose. the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. T. Hill, was born in Boston, Mass .. in 1853. With her parents. came to Davenport. Iowa, in '56 and to lonia in '59, where in '70 she was married to Asa W. Rose. In the spring of 1892. Mrs. Rose with her children removed to Soquel. Cal .. in the hopes that the health of their eldest daughter Alice E. Rose might be benefitted. Their hopes were not realized. for in October of the same year she died at that place, aged 20 years. Mrs. Rose and children remained at Soquel until the fall of 1894 when they returned to Ponea.
M. F. Richards came here from MeHenry county. Mich .. in 1885. and is a most reliable resident. He has been city marshal, and for a year past deputy sheriff. and has been appointed deputy by Sheriff Hart for the term commencing Jan. 1, '96.
JUDGE A. W. ROSE. (See page 178.)
3
MRS. A. W. ROSE. (See page 178. )
183
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
W. W. Cooper was born in Sauk county, Wisconsin, July 8, 1860. His father owned a large farm on which he worked until the age of 21. He attended common school winters and worked on the farm the balance of the year, till 17 years old, when he finished the "Course of Study for Country Schools" and attended Spring Green high school one term. In the following spring he attended teachers' examination and secured third grade certificate and the following winter taught his first term of school. He continued to teach in winter and work on farm in summer until spring of 1882, when he, with two other brothers, went west and settled in Spink county. S. D., and took a claim and remained there two years, when, owing to complete failure of crops, he re- turned to his home in Wisconsin and again taught school in winter and worked at other work in summer. In 1886 he again came west and accepted a position with his brother in the office of county anditor at Canton, S. D., which he held two years, when he resigned to accept the position of deputy treasurer, which he held till spring of 1893, when he resigned the position and came to Ponca and opened a real estate and abstract office. August 1. 1892, he was married to Miss Eva A. Prince at Canton. S. D. Mr. Cooper was elected in the fall of 1895 to the office of clerk of the district court for Dixon county, commencing his duties in January, 1896.
W. P. Logan, a prominent young business man, now of New Castle, was born at Troy, Kansas. Nov. 29, 1868, and came to Nebraska at an early age with his parents and to Ponca a few years ago. Was employed in the Farmers and Merchants bank and First National of Ponca from 1885 to 1893. and was city treasurer in 1892. In March, '93, was elected cashier of the Farmers State bank at New Castle, of which he was one of the organizers and stockholders, and to which place he removed. Mr. Logan was largely instru- mental in the building of the new $4.000 school house there recently, while director of the district. He is now serving his second term as village treasurer of that place. Mr. Logan is a young man of fine attainments which are shown in his efforts for the up-building of New Castle. He was married, December 23. 1890, to Gail Conner, of Ponca, and now has two children.
184
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
S. P. Mikesell was born in Indiana county, Penn., June 14, 1839. Received a preparatory education for college, at Eldersridge Academy. and entered the Sophomore class. Pennsylvania College, in 1861. Left the junior class in 1863 and joined the 26th Regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers. commanded by Col. Jennings.
After the battle of Gettysburg he was appointed clerk in the ordinance office, war department, Washington. Resigned this position in the fall of 1865, and came to Nebraska in March, 1866. Was a resident of Dakota City and Sioux City three years. In June. 1869. located in Ponca and entered the mercantile business with John Stough under the firm name of Stongh & Mikesell. On January 1, 1885. the firm was dissolved, and in September of the same year. Mr. Mike- sell opened the large store (38 x 100 feet) which he had pre- viously built and which he has occupied from that time to the present. Mr. Mikesell is one of the most successful and reliable merchants in the county, and in other pursuits as well as merchandise, has an immense business. In education and executive ability he probably has no superiors in the county. At New Castle, Mr. M. has another extensive mercantile establishment of which J. M. Hoskinson is mana- ger. Mr. Mikesell has a wife and three grown up sons. A view of his large residence, as well as his portrait, are seen on the following pages.
P. MeCabe has been an excellent and popular sheriff four years. his term ending JJanuary 1. 1896. He came to this country at an early day, and has a large and valuable farm on which as in other business he has been successful.
J. D. Harris, who has been the clerk of the dis- triet court for several years, resides a stone's throw outside the city limits, where he and his family have a pleasant home. Mr. Harris has also been deputy county clerk several terms. and in official business of that kind, it is not likely he can be excelled.
Dr. Stevenson, a reputable dentist. recently located in Ponca, taking the place of Dr. Wasson, who removed to Sioux City.
Dr. J. M. O'Connell has been a successful physician at this place for the past fifteen years, and has the confidence of the people and a large practice.
S. P. MIKESELL.
(See page 184. )
S. P. MIKESELL'S RESIDENCE, PONCA.
189
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Bion H. Culver was born in Granby township. Oswego county, N. Y., in 1857. In 1860, his parents removed to a farm near Dixon, Ill., where his father died in 1865. In 1870, he and his mother came to Nebraska and lived on a homestead near Pleasant Dale, in Seward county, till the fall of 1875. While living here he attended school in distriet No. 17 about eight months, the only public school he ever attended. In the spring of 1875, passed examination before the county su- perintendent of Lancaster county and received his first teach- er's certificate. In September, 1875. he entered the State University as a student. He worked his way through an eight-year course at the University by occasionally teaching, and graduated with the class of 1883, receiving the degree of B. S. After graduating he was elected principal of the pub- lic schools at Rulo. He served a short time, and was then called back to his alma mater, the State University, to take the responsible position of instructor in modern languages. He held this position for three years after which he went to Denver to take a position as teacher but failing health com- pelled him to abandon school entirely for some time. In ISSS. he went to Europe to complete his studies in the lan- guages. While there he attended a post-graduate course of lectures at the Bavarian Royal University at Munich, Ger- many. Since returning to America has been constantly en- gaged in school work and is now serving his fifth year as principal of the Ponca public schools. Prof. Culver was mar- ried Aug. 9. 1893. to Miss Cynthia J. Culp of Constantine, Mich .. who for several years has been the efficient assistant principal of the Ponca high school.
Dr. J. W. Porter was born in Chautauqua county. New York, and came to Ponca in 1858. He was elected county judge in October. '71, and held that office until January 1. 1876. Since then he has had a very successful practice as a physician. He has a wife and four children.
T. J. Welty came to Ponca in 1869. Was a farmer at first. then a merchant, and afterwards gave excellent satis- faction as county clerk for five years.
J. Hewett came to Dixon county at an early day. First settled in Silver Creek and afterwards removed to Ponca, where he now resides. Has had various city offices and is much respected by the citizens.
190
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
T. J. Sheibley, was born in Duncannon, Perry county. Pa .. July 12, 1845. Was raised on a farm and lived there till April 19, 1861, when he enlisted at Duncannon in Company B of the First Pennsylvania Rifles, (Bucktails,) and was dis- charged, November 19, 1864. at Harrisburg. Pa. During all the time he was in the army, he was in active service and in many engagements. He participated in the battles of Mechanicsville, Va., June 26, 1862: Gaines Mill. Va., June 27: Charles City Cross Roads, Va., June 30; the second battle of Bull Run. Va .. August 29 and 30; South Mountain. Md .. September 14: Antietam, Md., September 16 and 17: Fred- ericksburg, Va .. December 13; all the above being in 1862. In 1863 he was in the battle of Gettysburg. Pa., July 2 and 3. where he was slightly wounded. Was in the Mine Run campaign in December. 1863, and in the battle of Spottsyl- vania Court House May S and 9, 1864, where he lost a leg. That ended his military career. He was discharged in the November following. The "Bucktails." celebrated as among the bravest troops on the northern side, were skirmishing and scouting nearly all the time and at the end of the war over three-fourths of them had been killed or wounded. Mr. Sheibley on his discharge, returned to Duncannon. where. from June. 1865. he was postmaster until May 15. 1869. He was elected register and recorder of Perry county in October. '69, and held the office three years. In June '73. removed to Dixon county and settled on the southeast quarter, section 8. township 28. range 6. (Otter Creek township.) He now has 320 acres there. In October. 1885. on account of ill health of wife. removed to Florida and returned to Ponca in June. 1857. Was elected county clerk of Dixon county. November 5. 1889. and was re-elected in '91 and '93. during the six years, holding the office with ability and to the entire satisfaction of all. being. indeed, one of the most thorough officers the county has ever had. He was married July 6. 1872. to Sarah Wertz of Landesburg. Pa. They have one daughter, Miss Anna Sheibley. who has been deputy county clerk for four years, and who, in knowledge of the office and in business accomplishments, has few superiors.
Mark Brown, another worthy citizen. honorably served in the war four years, and was sheriff of the county two terms.
T. J. SHEIBLEY.
( See page 190. )
MISS HATTIE POMEROY, Deputy County Treasurer. (See page 172.)
MISS ANNA SHEIBLEY, Deputy County Clerk. (See page 190. )
195
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
There are a great many more citizens of Ponca who are deserving of special notices, but the extraordinary length of this chapter requires that the list be abridged.
Of those residents of Ponca not thus far mentioned but deserving of it and only lack of room preventing, are J. W. Armstrong, Wm. Austin. J. H. Cole, F. Conrad. E. B. Camp- bell. L. J Coyle, (the agent at the railroad depot,) Thomas Crew. Daniel and Michael Donlin who are further mentioned in the part relating to Ponca township. Win. Dallaghan the present efficient city marshal, A. J. Deal, Nate Heyden, O. L. Longmire. Fay and Selim Mattison, C. H. Marble. T. S. Myers, M. M. Myers, Albert Meyer, John McClary. P. J. Morris, A. J. Phillips, J. N. Peel, James Rush, Mr. Rogers. W. E. Pogue, Henry Sheffel, Jacob Sailor, Lee and Cy. Sincenbangh. J. Thompkins, J. P. Travis. etc .. etc.
Combined, the citizens of Ponca form a community which in intelligence, enterprise and morals is not surpassed by any town in the state.
Ponca has five churches. viz: The Lutheran, which has had the following pastors, Dr. W. Kuhns of Omaha came in 1865. followed in '67 by Prof. Samuel Aughey a short time and after him Rev. J. F. Kuhlman from '73 to '78, followed by Revs. G. H. Schnur. A. B. Schrader, Samuel Smith and W. C. MeCool. An elegant church. one of the finest in this part of the state, was erected in 1892.
The Presbyterian church, organized in 1871. has had the the following pastors in the order here given: Revs. W. H. Clark, Chapman. R. L. Wheeler, (12 years.) Smith, Graves and Young. The society has a fine church well fitted up and furnished.
The Methodist church. has had the following pastors: Revs. J. B. Leedom; W. J. Barger, '76; F. H. Calder: Joel A. Smith. '79. 'S0; J. Fowler. '80, '82: J. B. Priest. '82. 185; C. F. Haywood, '85: J. H. Keeley: J. L. St. Clair, 'S8: J. H. Frazer: W. P. Kingsbury: J. H. Johnson: W. H. Linn, 93: J. M. Both- well. 94: and F. G. Perry, '95. The Methodist society have a large and well arranged church, built in 1885 to take the place of the one blown down.
The Baptist church was organized in 1880, and has since had the following pastors: Revs. J. B. Ward. J. R. Wolf, F.
196
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
G. Bonghton and D. W. Bouck. The church building is like the others, tastily built and comfortably arranged.
A large and commodious Catholic church was built in 1890, and its pastors have been. Fathers Schmit, Hanley and Geary. This and the other churches named have large con- gregations, and are prominent in good works and in the promotion of morals.
As has been previously mentioned, Ponca's large school building was built and took the place of the old one, in 1878. It has since been doubled in size, and a smaller school build- ing erected on another street. For several years past, from six to eight teachers have been employed nine months in the year. The school is graded and the teachers are well skilled, and with the lagre number of scholars, improvement- is rapid and satisfactory.
The lodges and benevolent societies in Ponca are the following: A. F. & A. M., I. O. of O. F., Knights of Pythias. Woodmen, Workmen. Daughters of Rebekah. Knights of the Maccabees, Women's Relief Corps, G. A. R., W. R. C. and W. C. T. U.
All the above have large memberships. The Masons, Odd Fellows and G. A. R. have large halls appropriately fitted up and furnished.
The city council for this year are G. L. Wood, mayor; W. W. Cooper, clerk: and M. M. Sencenbaugh, A. J. Phillips, M. 1. Mellon. E. E. Halstead. E. J. Berry and Julius Drager, conneilmen.
Ponca has a fine system of waterworks at present under the superintendeney of O. P. Sullenberger.
John Austin and sons at Ponca landing have a ferry so that those who so desire. can withont much expense escape into South Dakota.
--
.
PROF. B. H. CULVER. (See page 18g. )
W. W. COOPER.
i See page IS3. )
199
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
CHAPTER XVI.
IONIA AND PONCA TOWNSHIPS --- THEIR CITIZENS, ETC., ETC. IONIA TOWNSHIP.
The region comprising the township of lonia is bounded on the north and east by the Missouri river, south by the townships of New Castle and Ponca. and west by Hooker. Except the bottom land along the river, the country is rough and hilly, but all. whether hill or valley, has excellent soil, good water, and, especially on the bottoms, large tracts of valuable timber. The township has now about 550 inhabitants. It has had no village since the town site of lonia was swept away by the river. The only reminders of that unfortunate place now remaining, are the lonia ferryboat which. as near as may be, still traverses its ancient path across the river, and the lonia post office a mile or two east of where old Ionia stood. To this part of the county the notice of settlers was attracted at an early day. and at one time, as we have seen in the preceding pages, Ionia was a place of much importance and business. Among those who have been in the past or are at present prominent in Ionia, are the following:
L. T. Hill was born in West Concord, Vt., in 1823. Was married to Sarah J. Smith in Boston, Mass .. in 1852, and in 1857 they removed from Boston to Davenport, lowa, where he was engaged in business until the spring of 1859 when he came to lonia, that town site having been purchased for him the year before by the Messrs. Pierce. To the building up of Ionia, Mr. Hill, with energy and success devoted several years, and saw it advance from a naked town site to a pros- perous place of business. with a population of several hundred. A more extended account of its growth has been given elsewhere. During the Indian scare of 1863. Mr. Hill was away from home and his wife refused to leave the place.
200
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
herself and family being the only ones in that part of the county that were not frightened away. In 1861. with the assistance of John Taffe, then delegate in congress from Nebraska, Mr. Hill succeeded in establishing a post office at Ionia, and at the same time apost office at Vermillion, Da- kota the latter being the first post office established in that territory. In 1881. Mr. Hill, with his family removed to Canton, Dakota, where he built a large grist mill, and where he resided until 1892. In that year he went to California where some of his children had preceded him and where he now resides. During all the years that he lived in lonia, his doors were always open to any and all who chanced to come that way, and his hospitality knew no bounds. Mr. Hill was a prominent citizen of Dixon county during his residence here. He was probate judge for several years.
Henry M. Pierce and his father. J. J. Pierce, were fitted out by L. T. Hill in Davenport in 1858 and employed by him to come west and locate a town site somewhere in the wilds of Nebraska, and the same year they secured the town site of lonia which had been previously located. Mr. Hill join- ing them the following year. J. J. Pierce died in North Bend in this county about twenty years ago. Henry M. Pierce is now living in Sionx City, lowa.
Nelson Feauto and Isaac Feauto, brothers, settled upon the farm now owned by J. F. Gibbs, northwest of Ionia in 1861. Isaac Feauto died upon the place he located in 1872. The wife of Nelson Feauto died and was buried upon their farm in 1870, and he died at St. Helena. Cedar county in 1890. Both brothers left large families. Nelson Feanto, Jr .. of Emerson, is the only descendant of the two families living in the county.
Charles H. Smith, came with L. T. Hill to Ionia in 1859. was married in 1862 to Clarissa Pierce, and now resides on his farm of over 200 acres near the original town site of lonia. He has for several years past been postmaster at the lonia post office. He has the finest farm and the finest buildings in all that part of of the county and has raised a family of eight children, seven of whom are living, and three are married and settled near him.
Almond Smith and wife. the father and mother of Mrs. L. T. Hill and C. H. Smith. came to lonia in 1860 where they
201
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
lived with their son, C. H. Smith, and where Grandma Smith died in 1878 and Grandpa Smith in 1880 at the ages of 78 and 86 years respectively. Both were buried in the Ionia cemetery. They enjoyed the distinction of being the oldest couple in the county for several years.
Roswell Hotchkiss settled above Ionia upon the place now owned by T. J. Ryan. in 1856. Removed to Colorado in 1868 where he still remains
Joseph Stefani settled in Ionia township in 1859 upon the place now owned by J. F. Gibbs and was married to Betsey Sutherland in 1869. He conducted a general store in lonia in 1872 and 1873 and removed to Burbank, Dakota. in '73, near which place he now resides.
In 1870 William B., Allen H. and John W. Ellyson, brothers, settled in Ionia, and together built the first steam ferry in operation in the county. They are now all prosper- ous farmers in fonia township. A. H. Ellyson was county commissioner and supervisor several terms.
Edward Newton and family settled in lonia in 1869. He with Bosley and Landon leased and run the lonia steam saw and grist mills of L. T. Hill for five years. Bosley re- tiring. O. P. Sullenberger took his place in the firm the second year. Mr. Newton is now a successful farmer, living upon one of his farms in Ponca township.
Dexter Rice settled with his family upon the place now owned by A. H. Ellyson in lonia township in 1866, removing from there in 1876 to a valuable farm in Hooker township where he now lives.
Benjamin, James P. and Sylvester Cook, brothers, settled near lonia in 1864. Benjamin removed, went to lowa in '86 and remained there. James P. removed to Ponca in 1880 and has since lived there, and Sylvester still resides, a well to do farmer. upon bis farm in lonia township.
T. J. Ryan, the supervisor of lonia at this time (1895). came to that township in ISSI from Dakota and devoted him- self to farming and stock raising with great success. He now owns 1.120 acres, a large share of it being rich Missouri river bottom land. 450 acres of which are under cultivation. 300 acres of timber and the balance meadow and pasture. His farm has two good houses, several large farm barns, one of them being 85x100 feet, two flowing wells, respectively
202
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
407 and 265 feet deep, the first wells of the kind in the coun- ty. a steam saw mill, and in connection a steam syrup fac- tory. all with the best machinery and latest improvements, in which he made 5,000 gallons of sorghum syrup in '94 and the same in '95. He is one of the most progressive and inde- pendent of Dixon county farmers and cannot be worth less than $35.000. His family consists of a wife, one son and six daughters. See his portrait elsewhere.
Amasa Pettit, supervisor in '92 and '93, came from Dako- ta about 1885. He has 200 acres of bottom land and is a good farmer in good circumstances. He has a large family.
John F. Gibbs is one of Dixon county's best citizens, re- sides in lonia, where he and his sons own 600 acres of excel- lent valley land. Mr. Gibbs was a member of the board of supervisors in 1887-8.
Among the other prosperous farmers of lonia at this time, may be mentioned Eli Heald and B. Pearson.
Rev. W. S. Bates, a much esteemed former resident of Ionia, died at Nevada, Iowa, October 28. 1879. He was sup- erintendent of schools for Dixon County during 72-73-74 and 75.
As a matter of course there are many more farmers in the township, thickly settled as it is, than those we have mentioned above. Among them are Elias Warner, quite an old settler and who. in addition to farming, has had a mill since 1869: M. L. Smathers, Andrew Spellacy, etc .. etc. The names of others have not been furnished us.
Ionia township has good school houses and the schools are generally well attended and have efficient teachers. lonia used to be celebrated for its valuable timber, its volcano, its town and its hospitable citizens. Of the timber there is yet. much remaining, although the best hasbeen cut off and made into lumber. The volcano and the townsite are now both buried in mnd at the bottom of the Missonri river and the hos- pitality and good society of an excellent class of citizens alone remain.
The portraits of Mr. and Mrs. L. T. Hill. will by their many former friends and neighbors in lonia, be seen with pleasure. and they will be found on the next pages. They will bring back the remembrance of old times and the hard- ships and pleasures of frontier life.
L. T. HILL.
MRS. L. T. HILL.
207
HISTORY OF DIXON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
PONCA TOWNSHIP.
The good citizens of Ponca township have been and are now numerous, and the names of a few of them will here be found.
Charles F. Putnam, one of the most respected of the pioneers, was born in Cavendish, Vt .. in 1835. Went to Massa- chusetts in '46, came to Ponca in '56, and made his home there or in Ponca township ever since. Roughed it in early times with the rest of the settlers. Lived in Ponca one year. then took as a homestead a place now owned by J. G. Crowell. a mile west of Jeff. Wilbur's farm. The farm he now owns and has lived on for the past twelve years contains 180 acres, and is well located and cultivated. Mr. Putnam was the first sheriff of the county, and has since usefully filled sev- eral offices. He is in every respect a worthy citizen and highly esteemed throughout the county. His excellent memory of past events has greatly assisted in the prepara- tion of this history. Mr. Putnam is married and has two sons and one daughter.
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.