USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume II > Part 15
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume II > Part 15
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The doctor is a member of the State Medical Society, and of the Washington County Medical Society, which he has served as president. He is independent in politics, casting his vote for the best men and measures regardless of party restrictions, and has served for a term as member of the Blair City Council. Fraternally he is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, of the Knights of Pythias, and of other fraternal and social organizations. Mrs. Stewart and her children are members of the Congregational Church.
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JOHN H. WITT deserves a long and worthy memory in Dodge County for the part he played as a pioneer, developing and improving land that never before had borne the crops of civilization. He was a good citizen in every respect apart from his industry and success as a business man. He favored those institutions and improvements that raised the standard of living in the community.
His life record began in Holstein, Germany, in 1836, and after getting a common school education he served an apprenticeship as a carpenter and as a journeyman he traveled about and saw much of many European communities before he came to the United States in 1865. His first location was at Freeport, Illinois, but in 1868 he crossed the Missouri River and homesteaded eighty acres in Dodge County. He married about that time, but for a year kept his residence in Omaha where he worked at his trade. He moved out to his land in 1869, and he and his bride endured a rather lonely existence, since their little frame house had only one other residence between it and Fremont twenty-five miles away. He worked hard, proved thrifty and saw his affairs prosper, and at the time of his death in June, 1911, he was owner of 600 acres, constituting a highly valuable estate. He was also active in association with his fellow farmers and for twenty-five years served as treasurer of the Farmers Club. Politically he acted with the democratic party and as a member of the Lutheran Church.
His first wife, whom he married in 1868, was Sophie Meeves. She died the mother of four children: Mrs. Amelia Peters, of Scribner ; Henry, of Scribner; John Witt Miller, of Leigh, Nebraska; and one that died in infancy. For his second wife John H. Witt married Anna Paulsen, and to their union were born fourteen children, six of whom died in infancy, the others being: Mrs. Emma Diedrichsen, of Scribner ; Dr. Bernhard, a veterinary surgeon at Scribner ; Rudolph, who served as a soldier in the World war; Mrs. B. Diedrichsen, of Scribner; Arnold Reinhold in Ohio; Mrs. Erna Kellner, Scribner; and Ewald at home.
JOE S. COOK. One of the first names to appear in the pioneer annals of the Blair community in Washington County is that of Cook. Several of the family have lived here as honored residents and one of them is Joe S. Cook, now retired, who was a gallant Union soldier in the Civil war, came to Washington County, Nebraska, a few years later, and has lived here more than half a century. Mr. Cook has always sustained the I character of a substantial and successful business man and the honors and responsibilities accorded him as a citizen comprise nearly all the offices in the gift of his home township and county.
Mr. Cook was born in Pennsylvania September 8, 1841, and is now in the shadow of his eightieth birthday. His parents, John and Eliza (Shoup) Cook were also native Pennsylvanians and in 1868 came out to Nebraska and homesteaded in Washington County, where they lived out their years. The father was a republican and both parents were identified with the Presbyterian Church. Of their large family of eleven children, eight are still living: Mrs. T. F. Martin, whose late husband was a deputy county clerk of Washington County; Jane of Pender, Nebraska ; Rebecca, widow of James Hayes and now living in one of the western states; Sue, widow of Doctor Love, a resident of Carroll, Nebraska; Amelia, a widow living at Indiana, Pennsylvania; Joe S .; James, a painter and paper hanger at Pender, Nebraska; and Harriet, also of Pender.
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Joe S. Cook during his youthful days in Pennsylvania had only limited opportunities to acquire a public school education. He found tasks to busy himself on the farm and in a country district, and was not twenty years of age when the war broke out. He enlisted in April. 1861, at the very beginning of the struggle, joining Company F of the Eighth Pennsylvania Reserves. He fought for the flag of the Union three years, until honorably discharged May 30, 1864. Mr. Cook was in some of the greatest battles of the war in Virginia, including Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, the wilderness where he was on duty for twelve successive days, and also participated in the seven days fighting around Richmond. He was captured there, and for three or four months was confined in a Southern prison.
His patriotic duty discharged, Mr. Cook returned to Pennsylvania and in 1868 came West to Washington County, Nebraska, where he improved a homestead, shared with other pioneers in the hardships and vicissitudes of the early years, and in all his varied relationships has shown a prompt readiness to discharge his duties to the best of his ability.
Mr. Cook has been a resident of Blair since 1879, and is now one of the oldest residents of that community. In November, 1865, when he had been out of the army about a year he married Miss Harriet C. Gates, also a native of Pennsylvania, where her parents, Peter and Nancy (Benner) Gates spent all their lives. Mrs. Cook is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church while Mr. Cook still gives his preference to the church in which he was reared, the Presbyterian. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has long been prominent in the Grand Army of the Republic and is Past Commander of the local post. In politics he has been stanchly aligned with the republican party since casting his first vote during the Civil war. Besides all the local offices of his community, Mr. Cook was for two terms a member of the board of county commissioners, was also county treasurer, county clerk two terms, and for a number of years served as clerk of the district court. He has been deeply interested in the welfare of local schools and for twenty-two consecutive years served as a member of the home school board. -
Mr. and Mrs. Cook had four children, three of whom are still living. The oldest is Mrs. T. F. Martin, now deputy county clerk. The second, Miss Mary, has for over twenty years been cashier of the banking house of E. Castetter, at Blair. The only son, William P. Cook, is cashier of a bank at Calhoun, Nebraska.
AARON W. MURPHY. A man of versatile talents, Aaron W. Murphy, of Fremont, has been variously employed since locating in Dodge County, and has contributed his full share in advancing its agricultural, industrial and material interests. Beginning life for himself poor in pocket, but rich in energy, he has met with well deserved success in his undertakings, and obtained a noteworthy position among the useful and esteemed citizens of his community. A son of Isaac Murphy, he was born May 23, 1864, in Grant County, West Virginia.
A native of West Virginia, Isaac Murphy succeeded to the occupa- tion of his ancestors, and carried on general farming for a number of years. During the latter part of the Civil war, he enlisted in the Union Army, and was killed very soon after his enlistment. He married Jemima C. Crites, who was born in West Virginia, and they became the parents of one child, Aaron W. Murphy, with whom this sketch is
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Henry Rebbe
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chiefly concerned. The mother subsequently married for her second husband T. Reel, and of that union had three children, all of whom live in West Virginia, where her death occurred in 1913. The father was a republican in politics, and both he and his wife belonged to the Lutheran Church.
Educated in the rural schools of his native state, Aaron W. Murphy remained on the farm until attaining his majority. Anxious to try the hazard of new fortunes, he started westward, and on February 7, 1885, made his first appearance in Fremont, Nebraska. He first found employment in a dairy, and later followed the carpenter's trade a while, after which he worked in a foundry for three months. Trying to better his fortunes, Mr. Murphy subsequently teamed for a time, and then took contracts for putting up hay, keeping busily employed at something all of the time. Resuming the occupation to which he was reared, he rented a tract of land, and when he had accumulated a suffi- cient sum to warrant him in so doing, he bought land, and though he has always lived in Fremont, engaged in farming. More recently, in associa- tion with his son, Mr. Murphy has been extensively and prosperously engaged in the sand business, which has proved a paying proposition, while as a farmer and stock raiser he is meeting with equally good success.
Mr. Murphy married, in 1884, Carrie E. Parks, a native of West Virginia, and of their union three children, triplets, were born, one of whom, a boy, died at the age of two years, and two are living, namely : Leander Smith Murphy, formerly in the Government employ at Fort Logan, is now in the sand business with his father; and Leona, in the employ of Cain & Johnson, lawyers.
Politically Mr. Murphy is identified with the republican party, and for five years served ably in the City Council, resigning therefrom to accept his present position as county supervisor, an office which he has filled satisfactorily for the past fourteen years, a record of service bespeaking his ability and fidelity. Religiously he is a member of the Christian Church, to which Mrs. Murphy likewise belongs; and fra- ternally he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America.
HENRY REBBE. While Henry Rebbe came to Dodge County in the early '70s and became one of the largest land and property owners, his life had a wide range of interest and activity outside the county. He had the spirit of a pioneer, willing to undergo labor and risk and hard- ship, and was a splendid example of the stalwart Americanism that sub- dued the western half of the continent.
He was born in Hanover, Germany, May 12, 1841. His parents were poor and small farmers in the old country. While Henry had the regular common school education of Germany, his life from early youth was one of regular toil. He was nineteen years old when in 1860 he crossed the ocean to New York and for about two years he was a fireman on steamships making several voyages from New York to European ports. Following that for about a year he clerked in a store in New York City.
At that time the Great West was a country largely unexplored and unknown and presented every variety of fascination for the youth of energy. Henry Rebbe responded to the call of the wild in 1863 and went to Montana, where gold had been recently discovered, and where a territorial organization was perfected by the first pioneers in that year. He staked out a gold mining claim in Stinking Creek District at
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what is now Virginia City. He remained there about six years, and when he sold his interests in 1869 he left with a modest fortune to his credit. Having spent nearly ten years engaged in strenuous work he took a well earned vacation, returned to Germany, and there met and on September 12, 1871, married Miss Wilmina Siever. She was born in Germany January 12, 1853.
In March, 1872, the bride and groom set sail for the United States and this time Mr. Rebbe came direct to Dodge County, Nebraska. He bought 320 acres of prairie land in Maple Township. Financially he was in a better situation than many of the early settlers, and his first home was a comfortable frame house and much above the average of the type found in Dodge County fifty years ago. In handling the resources of the soil he was as successful as he had been as a miner, and from year to year he saw his possessions broaden and expand, until at the time of his death he was said to be the heaviest tax payer in the county. He owned 2,440 acres of good land, most of it in Dodge County, and also financially interested in banks and had other properties. He was one of the hard working citizens of Dodge County for over thirty years. With the approach of his seventieth birthday, he began arrang- ing his affairs so as to turn the active management of his lands over to his sons, and he bought a pleasant home in the village of Hooper. He was denied the privilege of occupying it and enjoying a few years of leisure. He was stricken and after three days died on March 22, 1908. He was a faithful member of the Lutheran Church, and altogether one of the very constructive citizens of Dodge County.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Rebbe were: Henry C., the oldest, now makes his home with his mother and sister at Hooper and assists in looking after the large estate; Louis J., a prominent Dodge County farmer, concerning whom an article appears on other pages ; Oscar and Emma, both deceased; August, a Dodge County farmer, also mentioned elsewhere; and Katherine at home with her mother. Mrs. Rebbe, who was the faithful companion of her husband for thirty- seven years, since his death has lived in the pleasant home at Hooper, has shown much skill and good judgment in the management of her business affairs and she and her son and daughter are active in local societies and other events of the village community.
JOHN O. MILLIGAN, SR. A prominent family of Dodge County, Nebraska, bears the name of Milligan, and it has belonged to this state for over a half century. During this period of great development, it has been continuously identified with leading interests in Dodge and other counties. A well known member of this important family is John O. Milligan, Jr., who is one of the foremost business men of Scribner. He was born here in 1878, and is a son of John O. and Kate L. (Neff) Milligan.
John O. Milligan, Sr., was born in Stark County, Ohio, in 1840. His parents were Joseph and Rebecca S. (Winner) Milligan, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in Delaware. Joseph Milligan was a farmer in Ohio until 1850, when he moved to Illinois. John O. Milligan, Sr., was reared on the home farm but was afforded educa- tional advantages that included a course in Union College, Ohio. In 1862 he enlisted for service in the Civil war, entering Company C Ninety-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, was wounded in action near Memphis, Tennessee, and was honorably discharged in 1865. He returned to Illinois but in 1868 came to Nebraska and homesteaded in
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Dodge County, proved up, and mainly devoted his attention to raising stock until 1877. In that year he came to Scribner and opened a gen- eral mercantile store, in which he continued to be interested until 1890. He had many additional interests, being a man of unusual business enter- prise. He became interested in the grain business and in lumber, starting a lumber yard at Wayne, in Wayne County, and in 1884 built a flour mill at Wakefield. He was president of the Farmers & Merchants Bank, of Scribner, for a number of years, and was a director of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Fremont for thirty-eight years. For years he was prominent in republican politics in Dodge County and was a member of the State Legislature from 1905 until 1907. Failing eyesight caused his practical retirement from business but he remains one of the most highly esteemed residents of Scribner.
John O. Milligan was married in 1865 to Kate L. Neff, who was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, and the following children were born to them: J. L., who is a railroad man in Oklahoma; Glenn J., who lives retired at Redlands, California: John O., who is a merchant at Scribner; Granville W., who died in Mexico, was treasurer of the Pan-American Railroad there; Emmett, who operates the old Milligan ranch in Dodge County; Rena, who resides at Scribner ; Dora M., who is the wife of August Jaiser, who is an insurance and real estate broker at Kansas City; Gertrude B., who is teaching school in Wyoming; and Emma, who is the wife of Emil Horseman, with the Rocky Mountain Fuel Company, at Denver, Colorado. The mother of the above family is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The father belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic post at Scribner.
John O. Milligan, Jr., was mainly educated in the public schools at Wakefield, and the normal school at Fremont. From 1890 until 1905 he was associated with his father in the milling, grain and livestock busi- ness at Wakefield. In 1910 he bought the Milligan mercantile interests at Scribner, since which time he has devoted himself mainly to the management of this enterprise, which has grown to large proportions through his progressive methods. He employs nine people in his store and implement department.
In 1910 Mr. Milligan was united in marriage to Miss Maggie Steiper, who was born in Dodge County and is a daughter of John Steiper. a prominent resident of Scribner, and they have four children, namely : John O., Harlan, Arline and Burdette. Mrs. Milligan is a member of the Congregational Church. In politics, Mr. Milligan has always been identified ·with the republican party. At times he has served in local offices and at present is a member of the town board. In addition to other business interests, Mr. Milligan is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Scribner, and also in the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Fremont. An honorable, upright business man and connected only with enterprises of worth, he stands as a representative citizen of his native county and state.
CHRISTOPHER CUSACK was a pioneer of Dodge County, coming to this section of Nebraska half a century ago, and during his lifetime achieving all the success and honor of business and good citizenship. For a great many years he was closely identified with the financial affairs of the county.
He was born May 10, 1848, at Moffat. Ontario, Canada, and prac- tically all his mature life was spent in Nebraska. When he came West in 1869 he performed among other duties those of section foreman on
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the line of the Union Pacific Railroad in Wyoming. From that modest station in life he rose through his own ability and efforts until he became one of the substantial capitalists and influential citizens of Dodge County. In the earlier period of his residence at North Bend he developed a prosperous business in the buying and shipping of hogs, and later became a dealer in lumber and agricultural implements.
In July, 1886, Christopher Cusack was elected cashier of the First National Bank of North Bend, after having served for some time previously as a member of its board of directors. He continued his efficient service as cashier until 1905, when he became president of the institution. Of that position he continued the incumbent until Novem- ber, 1912, when he resigned owing to his seriously impaired health, and his death occurred in the following month. The entire community united in an expression of its sense of loss in the passing of a citizen who had merited the fullest measure of confidence and esteem and who had contributed much to the civic and material advancement of his home town and county. His political allegiance was given to the republi- can party, and in a fraternal way he was affiliated with the Masonic Order and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
Christopher Cusack married Eliza J. Scott, who was born in the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 28, 1858, and still maintains her home at North Bend, where she is an earnest member of the United Presbyterian Church of the city. Mrs. Cusack's parents were pioneers of Dodge County, and some other facts regarding their early residence and activities are detailed on other pages of this publication.
Of the four children of Christopher Cusack the oldest is John S., identified with a leading commission firm at Denver, Colorado; Roy J., his father's successor as a banker and his career is sketched elsewhere; Harry C. is assistant cashier of the First National Bank of North Bend; and Marie 1. is the wife of Russell R. Goody, cashier of the Montrose National Bank of Montrose, Colorado.
ROY J. CUSACK, who is cashier of the First National Bank of North Bend, Dodge County, succeeded his honored father as executive head of this substantial financial institution, of which he had previously been cashier, and his own life has contributed to the civic and business prestige of a family name long one of prominence and influence in Dodge County. The part played by his father, the late Christopher Cusack, in Dodge County, is found on the preceding page.
Roy J. Cusack was born at North Bend May 24, 1882, and in the public schools of his native town continued his studies until he had profited by the advantages of the high school. He also attended the United Presbyterian College at Tarkio, Missouri, and after completing his education began a business career as assistant cashier of the First National Bank of North Bend. Subsequently he was promoted to cashier and that office he filled until the retirement of his father in 1912, when he was elected president. This representative bank of Dodge County has a capital of $50,000, with surplus and profits aggregating $30,000, and its deposits are now in excess of $400,000.
Mr. Cusack takes a lively interest in all things touching the welfare of his home village and county and is a liberal and progressive citizen and enterprising young business man. His political faith is that of the republican party. He is affiliated with the Masonic Order and the Mystic Shrine, also with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He was reared in the faith of the
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United Presbyterian Church and his wife is an earnest communicant of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
September 18, 1919, he married Miss Adys Huberle, who was born at Nebraska City. She has become a popular factor in the representa- tive social activities of North Bend. They have one son, David.
JAMES R. SMITH. Washington County offers many instances of remarkable business expansion, but in every case upon investigation it is found that the men who have achieved such prosperity have been those who have been willing to work hard for it, and have not sought to get something for nothing. James R. Smith, senior member of the depend- able firm of Smith Brothers, implement dealers of Blair, is one of the men of Nebraska who belongs to the above-mentioned class, and his success is not confined to commercial circles for he has been honored by election to public office at the hands of his appreciative fellow citizens.
James R. Smith was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, October 10. 1852, a son of Richard and Florence A. (Fife) Smith, both of whom were born in the same county as their son. They left Ireland in 1882, and coming to the United States, located at Burlington, Iowa, where they spent the remainder of their lives. In his native land Richard Smith was a gun and lockmaker, but lived practically retired after reaching this country. He and his wife had nine children, of whom the following four survive: James R., whose name heads this review ; Edward Robert, born January 4, 1858, came to the United States with his parents, having been educated in Ireland and taught the gunmaking trade, located at Blair in 1883, at first working for his brother, but is now a partner in the firm of Smith Brothers, and is unmarried; Emily, who married Dan Ryder, is now a widow residing at Burlington, Iowa ; and Florence, who married Bert Hood, a mechanic of Burlington, Iowa. The family all belonged to the Wesleyan Methodist Church. In politics Richard Smith was a conservative before leaving Ireland, but while he took an intelligent interest in public affairs in the United States, did not affiliate with any party here. He and his family came to this country under much better conditions than many of their fellow country- men, for he was a man of ample means, as he has been very successful as a business man, and so had been able to give his children excellent opportunities.
James R. Smith attended the schools of his own country before the family's immigration, but learned the blacksmithing trade after his arrival in the United States. Going to Greensburg, Ohio, he spent seven years in a blacksmith shop there, and in 1878 came to Blair, and followed blacksmithing for ten years, then, in 1888, he established himself in an implement business, and now he and his brother, in point of service, are the oldest implement dealers at Blair. They carry a full and varied line of goods, and have built up a very wide connection, their trade showing a steady and healthy increase.
In 1882 Mr. Smith was married to Nellie H. Stewart, who was born in Guelph, Canada, a daughter of Peter Stewart, who came to Wash- ington County, Nebraska, at an early day, and here homesteaded. His death, however, occurred in California, but his widow survives him and makes her home at Blair. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two children, namely : Florence Maude, who is at home; and Grover Irwin, now a traveling salesman, is a veteran of the great war. He came to Nebraska from Pennsylvania in order to volunteer from his native state, and enlisted in the Sixth Infantry, but was transferred to the quartermaster's
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