USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume II > Part 38
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume II > Part 38
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
PHILIP S. RINE, president of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Fremont, and a heavy landowner of Dodge County, is one of the men who has been instrumental in advancing the interests of this part of the state, and establishing and maintaining the prestige of Fremont. He
-
H
Philip & Rine
719
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
was born in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, on April 7, 1852, a son of John M. and Mary Ann (Schnee) Rine, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they died, she in 1865 and he in 1901. Five of their thirteen chil- dren are living, namely: Kate, who married Adam Winstrel, a farmer and miller of Pennsylvania; Lydia, who is a widow, married Charles Collman, and lives near Dolphin, Nebraska ; Philip S., whose name heads this review; Sue, who married Addison Watts, a farmer of Elkhart, Indiana ; and George S., who is a farmer of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. The parents of this family were devout members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. A democrat in politics, John M. Rine was often elected on his party ticket to various township offices, for he was a reliable and trustworthy man, in whom his neighbors placed confidence. He operated a tannery and was a man of considerable means, and also owned and conducted a store and a farm. Boats owned by him carried lumber and merchandise on the Pennsylvania Canal, and his own outfit freighted these commodities to different points after they were landed from the canal. John M. Rine was a son of George Rine, also born in Pennsyl- vania, where his parents had located upon coming to this country from Germany at a very early day. The maternal grandfather, Philip Schnee, was born in Pennsylvania, his family being one of the old ones of the Keystone State.
Philip S. Rine received but a limited education in the public schools of Pennsylvania, which was terminated when he was thirteen years old, at which time he left school to go to work. A little later on he took a course of twenty-two weeks at Freeburg College in Pennsylvania. His opportunities for obtaining work were those offered by farm labor and in 1873 he went to Michigan and spent a winter in the lumber woods of that state, and then came to Dodge County, Nebraska, arriving at Fremont on April 14, 1874. During his first year he worked in a lumber yard, and then with his savings bought a team and broke up eighty acres of prairie. His father had acquired some land in the vicinity, and with this team Philip .S. Rine began farming it. Later he bought this land from his father on time, and still owns it. Like the majority of the pioneers of the '70s Mr. Rine suffered from the grasshoppers and lost his crops for two succeeding seasons. However, he was possessed of the sturdy determina- tion which is able to overcome obstacles no matter how unsurmountable they may appear, and so he remained and was amply rewarded for he not only succeeded in placing and keeping his original farm under cultiva- tion, but was able to buy other land until at one time he owned 1,400 acres of land, of which he still owns 560 acres, having sold some of it within recent years. He bought it for $10 per acre and sold it in the summer of 1919 for $260 per acre.
For many years Mr. Rine was heavily interested in stock, and con- tinued to carry on his stock business and oversee his farm after he moved to Fremont in 1889, at which time he erected a beautiful residence at 1450 North Beard Street, which is one of the real homes of Fre- mont. When the Farmers and Merchants Bank was organized Mr. Rine was one of the stockholders and he has been its president for about twelve years.
In 1875 Philip S. Rine was married to Laura Worminghouse, born in Michigan, a daughter of William Worminghouse, who came to Dodge County about 1868 and died here. Mr. and Mrs. Rine became the parents of three children, namely: John, an attorney, is counsel for the Lion Bonding Company of Omaha, Nebraska, and served that city as attorney for eight years ; Bertha, who married Dr. G. G. Baird, one of the lead-
720
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
ing dentists of Dodge County, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work; and Will, who was on his father's farm, has recently moved to Colorado. Mr. and Mrs. Rine belong to the Congregational Church. He is a democrat, but aside from serving as a director of school district No. 69, while on the farm, he has held no office. Fraternally Mr. Rine belongs to Fremont Lodge No. 513, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Always a progressive man he has reached an understanding of the public directly and surely and is regarded as one able to give advice it is safe to follow. Both he and his wife are convincing in their simplicity and sincerity and give bountifully of their friendships and confidence to those with whom they associate,
BYRON N. HEALY. There are many ways in which the sound men of the country are giving their encouragement to agricultural effort and expressing their recognition of the principle that it is and must remain our most important industry, but the one adopted by Byron N. Healy to render this service is of exceptional merit. For years he has been extensively engaged in calling the attention of the public to different sec- tions of the country, and making such arrangements as will result in the migration to them of denizens of the more congested centers. In this way he aids in the development of whole communities, places within the reach of persons of limited means homes of their own, and carries on a business that is congenial and remunerative.
. Byron N. Healy was born at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 7, 1853, a son of James P. and Lucinda L. (Francisco) Healy, natives of Ireland and Syracuse, New York, respectively, and their marriage occurred in the latter city. For some time prior and following his marriage James P. Healy controlled practically all of the draying business of Syracuse, but, seeking other fields, he went west to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at a time when the present metropolis was in its infancy, and the commercial life of the community was carried on in one small log store, which was conducted by a half breed. For five years he had dealings only with Indians, during that period acquiring ownership of a tract of land two and one-half miles long and one and one-half miles wide, which was covered with timber. As the new settlers came in, he sold land to them, and developed into a man of large means, both he and his wife dying in Wisconsin. They had nine children born to them, of whom Byron N. Healy is the only survivor. All of their mature years they were firm in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, and were instrumental in having their denomination established in their home in the wilderness. He had been reared a Catholic, but his wife's persuasions led him to adopt her creed as his own. Generous to a fault, he gave lavishly to the support of churches, not only of his own denomination, but others, and schools. His political convictions, which were strong ones, led him to give his support to the principles of the democratic party.
The educational training of Byron N. Healy was received at Racine, Wisconsin, and he divided his early business life between railroad and farm work. Beginning his connection with the railroad as a newsboy, he worked his way up through the various stages until he was a con- ductor and still later, an engineer, and continued as such for twenty-two years on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. In the meanwhile he had been gaining a knowledge of men and localities, and, realizing that deep down in the heart of every sound man lies the longing of his nature for possession of a piece of land he can call his own, he decided to go into the land business, and did so, first at Huron, South Dakota, but in
721
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
1904 moved his office to Fremont, Nebraska, where he has since main- tained his headquarters. For some time he was interested in Texas land, but has now disposed of his holdings in that state, and is now operating in Florida, where he owns immense tracts of land. On one of his trips he sold $630,000 worth of land, and all of it was disposed of at a very rea- sonable figure.
On October 5, 1874, Mr. Healy was married to Mary J. Thomas, born at Yorkville, Racine County, Wisconsin, a daughter of Thomas Thomas, an old settler of Racine County. Mr. and Mrs. Healy became the parents of the following children: Golden Mabel, who married John P. Dick, cashier of a bank at Hot Springs, Arkansas; and R. Chesley, who married Mayme Johnson, of Fremont. This young man is in charge of the Omaha branch of the Healy Land Company, which maintains another branch at Kansas City, Missouri, and the head office at Fremont. This company runs its own car to the properties it has for sale, making the trip twice a month. Like his father, the son is a splendid land man, and has been eminently successful.
Byron N. Healy is a thirty-second degree and Shriner Mason, and both he and Mrs. Healy belong to the Eastern Star, of which Mrs. Healy is past matron. They belong to the Congregational Church, and are active in its religious work. In politics Mr. Healy is a republican, but has never had the time or inclination to come before the public for favors. He possesses great mental resourcefulness, and has been able to attain to surprising and big achievements. When his eyes were opened to the opportunities of his present business, he responded in wonderful measure, and took up its affairs in a vigorous and efficient manner, convincing those with whom he comes into contract by his flaming sincerity and genuine regard for their welfare.
HENRY H. LOOSCHEN. Perhaps no class of men render more con- structive service to their community than do those who are engaged in the handling of real estate, because without their public-spirited efforts there would be little movement in realty ; development work would not be inaugurated or carried out and outside capital interested. Of course there are some men in this line of business, as there are in all others, who do not measure up to the highest standards of business probity, but to their credit be it said that the majority of real estate men are reliable and dependable and they form a very important element in the life of the state. One of these energetic, alert and thoroughly honorable men who are devoting their talents to the handling of Hooper realty is Henry H. Looschen, a former merchant of the place, who is known all over Dodge and Washington counties.
Henry H. Looschen was born in Germany in 1854, a son of P. O. and Johanna (Voght) Looschen, who came to the United States in 1882, locating at Fremont, Nebraska. While living in Germany P. O. Looschen was a cabinetmaker and furniture dealer, but after coming here he lived in retirement, and both he and his excellent wife died at Fremont, he in 1890, aged eighty-five years, and she in 1898, aged eighty years. Their children were as follows: George, who died at Fremont in 1917, was in the abstract and insurance business and was registrar of deeds of Dodge County for twelve years; Henry H., who was second in order of birth ; John, who was formerly engaged in the banking business at Snyder, Nebraska, now lives in California ; Sigmond, who was a clerk in a cloth- ing store, died in 1878; Martha, who married L. C. Hahn, is deceased, as is her husband; Onoline Schurman, deceased, wife of Ernest Schur-
722
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
man, deceased, a former Fremont banker; Justine, who is deceased, mar- ried Fred Meyer, a wholesale grocer ; and Julia, who married August J. Albero, a retired business man of Fremont. The family all were Lutherans.
Henry H. Looschen came to Fremont in 1872 and attended a com- mercial college of Omaha, Nebraska, so as to gain a knowledge of American methods of doing business. For five years he was employed in a store at Fremont, owned by H. Fuhrman, and then came to Hooper and in 1878 founded the store known as Henry H. Looschen, general merchandise, and conducted it very profitably until 1892, when he sold it so as to devote all of his attention to handling real estate and making loans. In this undertaking he has built up a very valuable connection and is doing a. fine business.
In 1882 Mr. Looschen was united in marriage with Fredericke Heine, a daughter of Vincent Heine, a native of Germany, and his wife Fred- ericke (Floto) Heine, also a native of Germany. They settled in Penn- sylvania upon coming to the United States in 1837, and were farmers. She died at Hooper in 1892, aged seventy-nine years, but he passed away in Pennsylvania in 1870, when sixty-two years old. They were Catho- lics. He was a democrat, and a strong supporter of his party principles. Mr. and Mrs. Heine had the following children born to them: John E., who died at Hooper, was a hardware merchant; August J., who died at Hooper in 1895, was a farmer; George F., who was in the cattle busi- ness, also died at Hooper; Fred F., who is in the employ of the United States Government: Carrie, who is deceased; and Mrs. Looschen, who is the youngest.
Mr. and Mrs. Looschen became the parents of the following children : Julia, Delia, Henry and Howard, all of whom are deceased; Paul, who is assistant cashier of the Leshara State Bank of Saunders County, Nebraska ; and George H., who is assistant cashier of the Dodge County Bank of Hooper. Both Paul and George served in the United States army overseas during the World war. Mrs. Looschen is a Catholic. In his political belief Mr. Looschen is a democrat. He is a Blue Lodge Mason.
A. J. ALBERS. Dodge County, Nebraska, enjoys a high reputation because of the high order of her citizenship, and none of her citizens occupies a more enviable position in the esteem of his fellow citizens than the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch. A resi- dence here of many years has given them a full opportunity to observe him in the various lines of activity in which he has engaged and his present high standing is due solely to the honorable and upright course he has pursued. As a leading citizen of his community he is eminently entitled to representation in a work of this character.
A. J. Albers was born in Germany on November 24, 1860, and is the son of O. J. and Anna (Jansen) Albers, both of whom spent their entire lives in their native land and are now deceased. The father was a farmer by vocation, but also had other business interests. A. J. was the only child born of his first marriage. By a second union O. J. Albers also had a son, Albert H., who is now a captain in the Sanitary Corps, a branch of the medical department of the United States army, and is stationed at Camp Grant, Illinois. He has been in the military service for several years, having gone to France in June, 1917, and returning in November, 1919, during which period he was in Berlin four months. He was promoted to his present rank from private and it is his intention
-
723
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
to remain in the army. O. J. Albers and wife were members of the Lutheran Church.
A. J. Albers remained under the parental roof until he was eighteen years of age and received a good practical education in the public schools. At the age mentioned he came to the United States and also secured some education in this country. In 1882 he came to Fremont and has been identified with this locality ever since. For a time he had been employed in a general store at Wahoo, Nebraska, and then was employed in the Farmers and Merchants National Bank at Fremont. He later engaged in the general mercantile business at Scribner, Dodge County, for about four years, but at the end of that time he again located in Fre- mont and entered the insurance business, to which he has ever since devoted his attention. In this line he has been very successful and has placed a vast amount of insurance throughout this community. He is now district agent for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee.
In 1884, Mr. Albers was married to Julia Looschen, who also is a native of Germany, and they are the parents of one child, Jessie, who is the wife of Albert Van Anda, assistant cashier of the Commercial National Bank of Fremont, and has two daughters, Caroline and Frances.
Mr. and Mrs. Albers are attendants of the Congregational Church. Fraternally Mr. Albers is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in which he belongs to the Blue Lodge of Master Masons, the Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, the Council of Royal and Select Masters, the Commandery of Knights Templar, the Consistory of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (thirty-second degree) and the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and he has received distinctive rec- ognition by his brethren, having passed through the chairs of the Lodge, Chapter, Council and Commandery, and served one year as grand master of the grand council of the State of Nebraska. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks. Politically he is a republican, though he has not taken an active part in political affairs. During the World war Mr. Albers took a very active part in the war work in this community, serving as chairman of two Liberty Loan drives, as chairman of the Four-Minute Men and of the last Red Cross drive. In many other ways Mr. Albers has shown a public spirited attitude toward all movements or enterprises for the advancement of the community's best interests, and because of these things and his business ability he enjoys to a marked degree the respect and esteem of all who know him.
FRANK W. JOHNSON. A man of excellent business ability and intel- ligence, Frank W. Johnson of Fremont is actively identified with the expansion of the automobile interests of this section of Dodge County, his largely patronized salesroom being one of the busiest places in the city. A son of Wallace W. Johnson, he was born in 1884 in Fuller- ton, Nance County, Nebraska, and there grew to man's estate.
Born in Wisconsin, Wallace W. Johnson there received his prelim- inary education, which was completed in the public schools of Kansas. Moving from Kansas to Nebraska in the early '80s he took up a claim in Fullerton, where he lived several years. Later moving his family to Hitchcock County, Nebraska, he farmed there a number of years. He married in Kansas, Mary Perrot, who was born in Canada of French parents, and died in 1892 in Nebraska. Five of their seven children are living : Ida, wife of E. H. Niles of Marietta, Kansas: Frank W., with
.
724
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
whom this sketch is chiefly concerned ; John J., who is now an automobile salesman for his brother; Wallace B., who is a resident of Seattle, Washington; and Tryphena, wife of L. D. Longmiller of Marietta, Kansas.
Completing the course of study in the public schools of Fullerton, Frank W. Johnson entered the University of Nebraska, where he took up the course of electrical engineering and incidentally was very active in all athletics, being a member of the Nebraska football team of '07, '08 and '09. Upon graduating he became engaged in the electrical engi- neering business in Omaha until 1917, when he purchased a half inter- est in the Zapp Garage in Fremont. After its incorporation he became president of this concern. In 1918, disposing of his interest in this business, Mr. Johnson in April, 1919, opened up his present salesrooms on Sixth Street and has since built up a large and remunerative business in handling the Cadillac, Buick and Oakland automobiles and the G. M. C. truck. In fact, his business has outgrown his building and Mr. Johnson has recently purchased ground on which he is soon to erect a two-story sales and service station.
Mr. Johnson married on June 2, 1910, Nina Chase Hodges, who was born in Almy, Wyoming, a daughter of Frederick and Rose (Chase) Hodges, the former of whom was born in Vermont and the latter in Illinois. Mrs. Johnson also attended the University of Nebraska.
Fraternally Mr. Johnson is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in which he has taken the Knight Templar and Shrine degrees, and of Fremont Lodge No. 514, Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks and of the Kiwanis Club. Both he and his wife belong to the Order of the Eastern Star and Country Club and Mr. John- son is actively connected with the Young Men's Christian Association, being secretary of the special campaign fund committee. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have no children.
JOSEPH C. COOK has made an excellent record in the office of county attorney of Dodge County, a position of which he has been continuously the incumbent since 1916, and in which he has materially advanced his reputation as a resourceful and versatile trial lawyer. He has secure vantage place as one of the vital and successful members of the bar of his native state and his private practice has been one of representative order.
Mr. Cook was born on his father's farm in Washington County, Nebraska, September 1, 1875, and is a son of William S. and Jennie A. (Unthank) Cook, whose marriage was solemnized in that county, where they had both established residence in the pioneer days-soon after the close of the Civil war. The father was born in Vermont, of sterling colonial ancestry in New England, and the mother was born in the State of Indiana. In connection with the development of his farm property William S. Cook continued in the practice of his profession for a number of years after coming to Nebraska, and became one of the representative members of the bar of Washington County, his political allegiance hav- ing been given to the republican party and he having been influential in its local councils in Washington County, where he and his wife still maintain their home. Of the six children, Joseph C. is the eldest of the four now living; Cortez W. is a prosperous farmer near Arlington, Washington County ; Roy resides in the City of Los Angeles, California, and is a salesman by occupation ; and Hazel is the wife of Otto Ludwig, a successful contractor in the City of Los Angeles.
725
DODGE AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
Reared to the sturdy discipline of the home farm, Joseph C. Cook profited fully by the advantages afforded in the public schools of his native county, and in preparation for his chosen vocation he ambitiously completed the prescribed curriculum of the law department of the Uni- versity of Nebraska, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1895, his reception of the degree of Bachelor of Laws being virtually coincident with his admission to the bar of his native state. Since 1897 Mr. Cook has been continuously established in the practice of his profession at Fremont, the judicial center and metropolis of Dodge County, and in addition to building up a substantial and important pri- vate practice he has been called upon to serve in various official positions in line with the direct work of his profession. Thus it is to be noted that for six years he served on the bench of the Police Court of Fremont, and that his initial election to the office of county attorney occurred in 1908. He held the office for the prescribed term of four years, and after an interval of equal duration he was again elected to this position, in 1916, while the year 1918 recorded his re-election for a term of four years.
His political views mark him as one of the stalwart and effective advocates of the principles and policies of the republican party ; he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Improved Order of Red Men, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and his wife is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Fremont.
June 15, 1897, recorded the marriage of Mr. Cook to Miss Myrtle Wilson, who was born in the State of Kansas, and of this union were born two children, the one surviving being Jennie, who is the wife of Carl Nelson, of San Francisco, California. Mrs. Cook was summoned to the life eternal May 2, 1901, and on August 2, 1905, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Cook to Miss Mande D. Clark, who was born near Fullerton, Nance County, this state. The one child of this union is a son, Morris, who is attending the public schools.
HON. WILLIAM M. CAIN has been engaged in the practice of law in Nebraska for a quarter of a century and is now one of the representative members of the bar of Dodge County, with residence and professional headquarters in the City of Fremont, the judicial center of the county.
Judge Cain was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, November 15, 1868, and is a son of Dr. James B. and Mary E. (Jenkinson) Cain, the former of whom was born in the Province of Quebec and the latter in the vicinity of the City of London, Ontario, where their marriage was solemnized. Doctor Cain received his professional education in Rush Medical College and in 1871 he removed with his family to Illinois, where he continued in active general practice until 1880, when he came to Nebraska and established the family home at Leigh, Colfax County, where he continued as one of the leading physicians and surgeons of that section of the state for many years, and moving from there to Omaha in 1905, where he passed the remainder of his life, as did also his wife. Of their three children William M. of this review is the elder of the two surviving; Wilmot is a successful contractor at Springfield, Illinois ; and John died in childhood. Doctor Cain was a stalwart repub- lican in politics, was long affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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.