USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume II > Part 50
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume II > Part 50
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He enjoys practically a lifelong acquaintance with the agricultural community of Dodge County. His father is the well known early settler, Jacob Shaffer, mentioned on other pages. Harvey W. Shaffer was born in Dodge County, April 15, 1882, and had a thorough appren- ticeship at farming on his father's place. Besides the advantages of the country schools, he graduated in the commercial course of the Fremont Normal School in 1905. Then starting for himself he has made a specialty of stock raising, and has fed many carloads for the market. His progressiveness is not alone in evidence on his farm, but through his active affiliation with many organizations that have the welfare and prosperity of the farmer as their object.
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Mr. Shaffer is a director in the Farmers' Co-operative Association at Nickerson, a stockholder in the Farmers' Union at Hooper, stock- holder in the Farmers State Bank and Co-operative Store at Nickerson, in the Farmers Creamery at Fremont, and in the Farmers Union State Exchange of Omaha. The management of the 350-acre farm owned by his father makes his voice entitled to be heard in the organizations as a real factor in agricultural affairs.
In 1912 he married Miss May Tookey. She was born in Illinois, but grew up in Nebraska, being a daughter of Fred Tookey of Fremont. To their marriage was born one daughter, Wilmetta Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer are members of the Methodist Church at Hooper and in politics he is independent.
J. C. NELSON. Noteworthy among the active and prosperous agri- culturists of Dodge County is J. C. Nelson, a well-known resident of Elkhorn Township, where his fine and well improved farm gives sub- stantial evidence of the excellent care and skill with which it is managed, presenting to the passer-by a glimpse of country life as it now exists. Like many another of our more successful and esteemed citizens, he was born across the seas, his birth having occurred, in 1872, in Denmark, where his parents spent their entire lives.
J. C. Nelson, it is needless to say, received a good education in his native land, and there acquired some knowledge of agriculture. In 1890, having determined to seek his fortune in America, he secured passage on an ocean bound vessel, and immediately after landing in the United States made his way to Nebraska, locating in Holstein, Adams County, where he was employed as a farm laborer three years. Going then to Omaha, he was variously employed for a number of years, making and saving money. In 1904 Mr. Nelson located in Dodge County, and having purchased 240 acres of land has since been busily employed in general farming and dairying, in the latter industry keeping a fine line of Holstein cattle. He has made many and varied improvements on his home farm, and is cultivating his land with good results, the rich and fertile soil yielding abundant crops, well repaying him for his labors.
Mr. Nelson married, in Omaha, Matilda Kruger, who has ably assisted him in his undertakings. He is a republican in politics, and a Lutheran in religion.
SETH F. STILES. Distinguished not only for his active services in many of the more important battles of the Civil war, but as a man of sterling integrity and worth, Seth F. Stiles, late of Fremont, was held in high respect as a man and a citizen, and it is eminently fitting that a brief review of his life should be given in a work of this character. He was born, January 23, 1842, in Zanesville, Ohio, and being left fatherless when a boy fourteen years old, was taken by his mother to Iowa, where she settled on a farm in Dallas County, and where he completed his early education.
In 1862, inspired by patriotic enthusiasm, he enlisted in Company B, Fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and with his brave comrades partici- pated in fourteen regular battles, and several skirmishes, doing his duty willingly and faithfully. Discharged from the service after the sur- render at Appomattox, Mr. Stiles began work as a carpenter and builder, and was busily employed in Iowa for upwards of twenty years. Com- ing to Nebraska with his family in 1887, he continued at his trade a few years, was contractor, pension agent, chief of police, deputy sheriff.
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A stanch republican in politics, Mr. Stiles had been serving as city clerk for eight years at the time of his death, on September 20, 1911. Fraternally he was a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, in which he had taken several degrees; and was a member, and past commander of Fremont Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of which he was adjutant when the final summons came.
Mr. Stiles married, in September, 1865, three weeks after receiving his discharge from the army, Frances E. Peters, who was born in Lafayette, Indiana, a daughter of James and Mary (Simpson) Peters, both of whom were natives of Ohio, having been born in the vicinity of 'Cincinnati. Her father migrated from Ohio to Indiana, from there going to Illinois, and later to Perry, Iowa, where both he and his wife spent their later years. Mr. Peters was for many years engaged in mer- cantile pursuits, and as a general merchant acquired considerable wealth, including among other properties valuable farming lands.
Eleven children blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Stiles, namely : Mary, wife of J. R. Gay, of Fremont: Mrs. Lois Koyen, living on a farm lying east of Fremont; J. E., a traveling man, with headquarters in Sacramento, California; William W., of San Francisco, California, who has charge of the carpet department of the Sloan establishment; Orville D., employed in the Fremont Canning Factory, lives with his mother ; Mrs. Ethel Zachan, of San Francisco, whose husband is city salesman for the Union Lithographing Company; and five children that have passed to the life beyond.
MOSES THEODORE ZELLERS, M. D. Some of the most capable and dependable physicians and surgeons have found that they could increase their usefulness by specializing on some branch of their profession, and one of them of Dodge County, who is making his name known in this region as an eye, ear, nose and throat specialist, is Dr. Moses Theodore Zellers, of Hooper.
Doctor Zellers was born at Oriental, Juniata County, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 1861, a son of George and Rebecca (Miller) Zellers, both natives of Pennsylvania, now deceased, the mother passing away in 1901, aged seventy-seven years, and the father in 1907, aged seventy- three years. By trade George Zellers was a shoemaker and he was also engaged in farming, all of his life being spent in the Keystone State. He and his wife had the following children: Jonas, who is a farmer of Pennsylvania; John, who is a farmer of Ohio; Moses T., whose name heads this review; and George, who is also a farmer of Pennsyl- vania. The family were Dunkards, and the men republicans.
Doctor Zellers attended the common and high schools of his native state, and took his medical course in the Western Reserve College at Cleveland, Ohio, from which he was graduated on March 6, 1889, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In November of that same year he came to Hooper, Nebraska, and until 1908 was in a general practice, but since then has confined himself to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat, having built up a wide connection. He has taken post-graduate work and in 1907 studied at the Chicago Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat College, and in 1908 went abroad to pursue his studies at Vienna, Austria, and is now recognized as an authority on these special subjects, being often called into consultation by others of his profession.
In 1880 Doctor Zellers was married to Alice Troutman, a native of Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of the following children : William M., who is manager of the Farmers' Co-operative Association,
Av M.v. Zeller
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at Hooper, served during the Spanish-American war in the Third Nebraska Volunteers under Capt. J. M. Vickers; J. Sherman, who was graduated from the Kansas Dental College, is a dental surgeon of Hooper, Nebraska; Henry C., who is a dental surgeon of Lincoln, Nebraska, was graduated from the Kansas City Dental College, and was for eleven months in France during the World war as a member of the Dental Reserve Corps; Monroe T., who was graduated from the Hooper High School, is now a resident of Hooper ; George G., who was graduated from the Hooper High School, was a navy cadet during the World war, was discharged and is now a student at Lincoln Business College, Lincoln, Nebraska; and Margaret R., who married Carl von Seggeon, owner of an elevator at Gregory, South Dakota.
Doctor Zellers is a Blue Lodge Mason. He belongs to the Dodge County Medical Association which he served at one time as president, the Nebraska State Medical Society and the American Medical Associa- tion. Mrs. Zellers is a member of the Lutheran Church. He is a repub- lican and during 1899 was the successful candidate of his party to the State Assembly. It would be difficult to find a more representative citizen or successful professional man than he and he deserves his present prestige for he has honorably earned it through his ability and personality.
GEORGE W. SHEPHARD. A man of scholarly attainments, energetic and far-sighted, the late George W. Shephard, for many years an esteemed and highly respected resident of Fremont, was distinguished not only as a pioneer school teacher of Saunders County, Nebraska, but as an able assistant in developing the agricultural prosperity of that part of the state. A native of Illinois, he was born, February 1, 1845, in Menard County, where he acquired his preliminary education.
After his graduation from the high school, Mr. Shephard attended the University of Illinois for a year, and subsequently taught school in his native state for a number of terms. Coming as a young man to Nebraska, he bought land in Saunders County, and in addition to improv- ing a good farm continued his professional labors as a teacher for several years, teaching in all about a quarter of a century. He met with unquestioned success in all of his undertakings, and at his death, which occurred in Fremont, where he had lived for nearly twenty years, in 1907, he was considered quite wealthy. He was influential in public affairs, being a prominent member of the republican party, and for two terms represented his district in the State Legislature.
Mr. Shephard married, in 1889, Miss Grace Snyder, who was born in New York State, and in 1870, at the age of five years, came with her parents, F. G. and Mary (Smith) Snyder, to Saunders County, Nebraska, where her father, who died in 1903, was for many years prosperously engaged in tilling the soil. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder reared five children, as follows: Mrs. Shephard; E. G. Snyder, an extensive farmer at Cedar Rapids, Nebraska : Victor, Rudolph and James, all of whom are single, and living with their widowed mother in Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder both united with the Methodist Episcopal Church when young.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Shephard was blessed by the birth of two children, namely: James, now assistant city engineer, attended the State Agricultural School in Lincoln; and Grace, a student in the University of Nebraska, is a member of the Phi Phi Sorority. Mrs. Shephard, who owns valuable property both in Fremont and
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Saunders county, recently bought a lot, and erected a beautiful residence at 746 East Fifth Street, Fremont, where she welcomes her friends with a gracious hospitality.
JOHN EDELMAIER. There are many practical, sensible men who are prospering in a business way at Hooper, Nebraska, where they are quietly carrying on enterprises and producing standard commodities for which at all times there is demand and ready sale. An instance is the manufacture of brick, successfully carried on here by John Edel- maier, an experienced man in the business. While the manufacturing of brick is a very old employment, it being remembered that in Biblical days the requirement to "make bricks without straw" was one of the grievances of the chosen people, it has come on down to the present time as one of the basic industries and promises to continue so. Wood, marble, stone, cement and steel, all enter more or less into modern building, but brick still holds its own in all durable construction work.
John Edelmaier, who owns an extensive brick manufacturing plant at Hooper, where he is a substantial citizen in every way, was born at Miltonburg, Monroe County, Ohio, November 25, 1865. His parents were David and Caroline (Knaus) Edelmaier, both of whom were born in Germany. 'After coming to the United States they located on a farm in Monroe County, Ohio, and their eldest son, John, was born there in the same vear. They had other children as follows: Carrie, who is the wife of J. W. Sharp, a machinist, and they live in California : Henry, who is cashier of the Farmers State Bank at Scribner, Nebraska ; Albert, who is a Farmer and bricklayer near Dale, in Spencer County, Indiana ; Anna, who lives at Evansville, Indiana: and Edward, who is pastor of a Methodist Episcopal Church at Mount Vernon, Indiana. The parents were members of the above church after moving to Indiana in 1870. The mother died in July, 1914. The father lives retired.
John Edelmaier was five years old when his people moved to Indiana. He attended the public schools and also took a commercial course in the Gem City Business College at Quincy, Illinois, so that when he came to Washington County, Nebraska, in 1885, he was well prepared for any business opportunity that presented itself. He worked on a farm near Fontanelle, for a time, but later went to work in the Waterman brick- yard at Fontanelle, subsequently buying a half interest in the business. In 1889 the partners moved their plant to Scribner, Nebraska, Mr. Edel- maier continuing with Mr. Waterman in the business for five years, at Scribner. Both partners proved keen, far-sighted business men and when, in 1894, they had the opportunity to buy the brickyard of John Heimrick, at Hooper, they took advantage of it and have been established at this point ever since. Mr. Edelmaier is a man of progressive ideas and soon found it advisable to greatly enlarge the plant at Hooper, where, during the operating season, he employs from 35 to 40 first class men. It has become one of the important industries at Hooper.
Mr. Edelmaier was married in Indiana to Miss Louise F. Kreie, who was born at Mount Vernon, in that state, and they have one daughter, Susanna Ruth, who resides with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Edelmaier attend the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is a republican as is his father, and on many occasions has been urged to accept public office but has declined, his own business affairs sufficiently engaging his attention. He is a stockholder in the Hooper Light & Power Com- pany and has some valuable land interests in Texas. He is a member
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of the United Workmen and Knights of Pythias at Hooper. Mr. Edel- maier is numbered with the reliable business men and worthy citizens of Dodge County.
CARL N. RALPH, D. D. S. It is stated that one of the first things noticed about the American troops when they landed on foreign shores was their well-cared for teeth, and a leader of the English forces is reported as having declared that there was no doubt but that the "Yanks" would outfight the "Tommies" because of the superiority of their teeth which would enable them to properly digest army rations. Back of these magnificent young men of ours were the efficient and conscientious members of the dental profession, who, through their care and ability, preserved the teeth in a manner not to be equalled in any other country in the world. Although the majority realized the debt owned this profession, the truth was brought home through con- tact with those of other nations where this same care is not given to the teeth with disastrous results. There probably is not a community in the whole United States of any appreciable size which has not its com- petent, regularly qualified dental surgeon, and one of this profession at Hooper who has fully gained the confidence of the people of Dodge County is Dr. Carl N. Ralph.
Doctor Ralph was born in Germany in 1893, a son of Nicholas and Dorothea (Tiegens) Ralph, natives of Germany, who came to the United States in the early '90s and located in the vicinity of West Point, Nebraska, where they were engaged in farming until 1905, when they left their farm, moved to West Point and are now living there in. retire- ment. They became the parents of the following children: Henry, who is engaged in conducting the old homestead; Katie, who is the wife of Gus E. Grunke, a farmer of West Point, Nebraska; Marie, who is the wife of Joseph Zich, a street car conductor of Omaha, Nebraska ; Doctor Ralph, who was the fourth in order of birth; Ellen, who is in the nurses training school connected with the Nicholas Senn Hospital of Omaha, Nebraska. The parents are consistent members of the Lutheran Church. In politics the father is a republican.
Doctor Ralph remained with his parents until he was twenty years of age, and attended the schools of Cuming County. In 1909 he was graduated from Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, and located at Hooper, where he has built up a large practice to which he devotes all of his time, being now recognized as one of the best dentists in Dodge County.
On December 24, 1912, Doctor Ralph was united in marriage with Byrdee E. Zuhlke, born in Dodge County. Doctor and Mrs. Ralph have one child, Sheridan, who is a bright little one. Like his father, Doctor Ralph is a republican, but he has never been willing to enter public life. He and his wife belong to the Lutheran Church.
P. HARRY LARSON. Possessing excellent business ability and judg- ment, P. Harry Larson holds a place of importance in the public affairs of Fremont, as acting commissioner of the local Water, Light and Power Company, having full charge of the plant, and in that capacity rendering the city very satisfactory service. A son of John Larson, he was born, December 6, 1882, in Fremont, which has always been his home.
Born in Sweden, John Larson immigrated to this country when very young, and a short time after his arrival in the United States
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located in Dodge County. He was engaged in the grocery business in Fremont for a while, and later, in company with his brother, L. P. Larson, was employed in the wholesale liquor business until 1892. Retiring from active pursuits in that year, he continued his residence in Fremont until his death, in 1894. Beginning life even with the world, he met with good success in his undertakings, accumulating a good property. He married, in Fremont, Louisa Larson, who is still living in this city, and of their five children, P. Harry, is the only survivor. The father was independent in politics, and both he and his wife united with the Swedish Lutheran Church when young.
Brought up in Fremont, P. Harry Larson was educated in the graded and normal schools, and began life as a wage earner in the office of the brewery with which his father and uncle were connected. He was afterwards in the employ of the Nye, Schneider & Fowler Company until 1916, when he was made acting commissioner of the Fremont Water, Light & Power Company, a position that he is filling ably and acceptably.
Mr. Larson married, in 1906, Hedwig Holinberg, who was born in Wahoo, Saunders County, Nebraska, where her parents were early settlers. Mr. and Mrs. Larson have no children. They are both mem- bers of the Swedish Lutheran Church, having remained faithful to the religious beliefs of their parents. A sound democrat in politics, Mr. Larson represented the Fourth Ward in the city countil for six years. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias; of the independent Order of Odd Fellows; and of the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks.
GEORGE W. MOYER, SR., who was born in 1843, went to Illinois with his mother when young. He was a resourceful pioneer citizen, who was well fortified in energy and ambition when he came to Dodge County and began the work of reclaiming and improving a farm, having pur- chased 160 acres in section 12, Cotterell Township, and among his first activities was the building of a modest house to serve as habitation for his family. With the passing years, his energy and good management brought to him abundant success in his farm enterprise and he con- tinued as one of the substantial farmers and highly esteemed citizens of Dodge County until his death, January 23, 1904, at the venerable age of sixty-one years. He was a democrat in politics and was earnest in his Christian faith, as is also his widow, a member of the Christian Church. She stills remains on the old homestead. Mrs. Moyer, whose maiden name was Sabra Mark, was born in Kentucky April 1, 1862, and reared in Indiana. They were married September 25, 1889, and became the parents of seven children: John, who is now a resident of Lodgepole, Cheyenne County; Mrs. Margaret Matthews resides in the City of Fremont, judicial center of Dodge County ; Mrs. Iva Johnson and her husband reside on one of the excellent farms of Dodge County : Mrs. Myrtle Bishop is a resident of Beatrice, Gage County; Theodore, George W. Jr., and Harry, remain on the old homestead with their mother and have active management of the farm, which is devoted to diversified agriculture and to the raising and feeding of a due comple- ment of live stock, including Duroc-Jersey hogs. George W. Moyer, Jr., is well upholding the prestige of the family name and is one of the vigorous and popular exponents of farm industry in Dodge County, where he was born in the year 1898 and where his educational advan- tages were those offered in the excellent public schools.
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GROVE H. RATHBUN, M. D. Among the prominent and esteemed citizens whom Fremont has been called upon to mourn within the past few years none are more genuinely missed than Grove H. Rathbun, M. D., an able and skilful physician and surgeon, whose professional services are entitled to honorable recognition and praise. A native of Iowa, he was born, December 3, 1881, in Bedford, Taylor County, and died in Clarkson Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska, September 5, 1919, while yet in manhood's prime, his death being a loss not only to his immediate family and friends, but to the entire community and the medical profession.
Brought up in Iowa, Grove H. Rathbun was graduated from the Exira High School, and at the age of fifteen years was ambitious to enter a medical college. Being altogether too young to do so, he began the study of medicine under private tutorship, and in 1902 was graduated from the Omaha Medical College with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Doctor Rathbun began the practice of his profession in South Dakota, connected with a hospital at Lead and had charge of the hospital at Roubiax, and also being physician for the mining com- panies of those places. He subsequently located at Bellefourche, South Dakota, where associated with Dr. L. J. Townsend, of Sioux City, Iowa, where he remained seven years, having a large private practice, and doing much surgical work in the local hospital.
Coming to Fremont in 1912, the doctor confined his practice exclu- sively to surgery and consultation, in both of which he had a fine reputation, his skill as a surgeon being widely known, and his diagnosis of the different diseases to which human flesh is heir being unexcelled. Some time prior to his death, Doctor Rathbun purchased a large and conveniently arranged building on Nye Avenue, and after having it equipped with all the modern appliances used in surgery, performed there all of his operations, which were many, and ofttimes very serious. A man of brilliant intellect, he was considered an authority on medical and surgical matters, and at the time of his death was enjoying a large and lucrative practice. In August, 1918, he entered the service, and as the armistice was signed just after he had received orders to go across the sea he was discharged in December, 1918.
In February, 1903, he married, in Lead, South Dakota, Mollie McArthur, who was born in that city, and completed her early educa- tion in the State Normal School, at Spearfish, South Dakota. Her father, John McArthur, was born in Nova Scotia, and as a young man came to the United States. He located in Lead, South Dakota, where he was engaged as a mining engineer and in later life, mining con- tractor in South Africa. His wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Johnston, was born and reared in Scotland, and is now living with Mrs. Rathbun. Three children blessed the union of Doctor and Mrs. Rathbun, namely: Grove A., born February 13, 1904; Jeanne, born April 13, 1906; and Sanford, born February 24, 1911. Mrs. Rath- bun is a member of the Episcopal Church. The doctor, who had taken several post-graduate courses, belonged to all of the medical societies and associations, and was a member of Fremont Lodge No. 514, Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks.
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