USA > Nebraska > Dodge County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume II > Part 64
USA > Nebraska > Washington County > History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, and their people, Volume II > Part 64
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In 1867 Mr. Swihart married Miss Sarah E. Allen, who was born in the State of Illinois and whose death occurred in 1901. Of their eight children six are living: Charles H. is a prosperous farmer in Knox
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County ; Pearl is the wife of Elmer Wild of Fremont, Dodge County; Jessie E. is the wife of Charles A. Olson of Los Angeles, California ; John A. is his father's successor as the village blacksmith at Kennard; Mark I. is engaged in farming in Wayne County ; and Grace is the wife of George A. Rathman, who conducts an automobile garage at Blair, Nebraska.
In 1904 Mr. Swihart was united in marriage to Mrs. Sarah E. French, widow of James R. French. She was born in Kentucky, a daughter of Taylor B. Meadows, who was killed in battle in the Union army in 1863. Four children by her first marriage are living : G. R. is a success- ful farmer in Washington County; Elizabeth is the wife of George Menken of Kennard; Thomas E. conducts a meat market in this village ; and Taylor is a farmer near Herman, Washington County.
MAGNUS JOHNSON is the son of one of the early pioneers of Wash- ington County, has lived in the county hinself for over half a century, has been successfully identified with farming, banking and public affairs, and is undoubtedly one of the best known and most highly esteemed residents of Blair.
He was born in Sweden February 25, 1856, only child of Mous and Anna Johnson. His parents immigrated to the United States in 1865, when he was nine years of age, and for two or three years lived in Omaha. It was in 1868 that the Johnson family homesteaded in Wash- ington County, and the parents spent the rest of their lives on their homestead, seeing their efforts rewarded with a comfortable home before their deaths. They were active members of the Lutheran Church, and the father after acquiring American citizenship voted as a republican.
Magnus Johnson from the age of twelve lived on a Nebraska farm and supplemented his education acquired at Omaha in country schools. He began his career as a practical farmer, and his enterprise was chiefly directed to agricultural lines and he lived on the farm until 1913, when he moved to Blair. A man of substantial property interests, well known for his integrity of character and good business judgment, Magnus Johnson has had many interests in his home community. He helped organize the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Kennard, and has been its president since its organization twenty-one years ago. At Blair he served a term as mayor, and for four years was a member of the County Board of Washington County and was on the school board about twenty-four years when on the farm.
In 1882 Mr. Johnson married Miss Anna Anderson, a native of Sweden. They have five children: Nellie C., who married Al Payne of Chelsea, Oklahoma; Ida, at home; Emma, who has been employed in railroad service for fourteen years and while the Government had charge of the railroads she was employed as one of the officers of the railroad administration at Washington, District of Columbia, and still has that position ; Alma, wife of Robert Foley, a Washington County farmer; and Lawrence William, the only son, who was the soldier repre- sentative of the family during the World war. He was in the field artil- lery with the One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Regiment, was in training and in service two years, went overseas but was not put on the front line of action prior to the signing of the armistice.
Mrs. Johnson is a member of the Lutheran Church while Mr. Johnson attends the Episcopal Church. In politics he is a stanch republican.
WILLIAM H. BUSS
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F. W. CHRISTENSEN. One of the live and enterprising farmers' and stockmen of Washington County is F. W. Christensen, whose thoroughly improved and systematized farm is in section 26 of Arlington Township, his home being just a half mile south of Dale Store.
Mr. Christensen was born in Washington County August 16, 1870, son of Lewis Christensen. Mr. Christensen grew up and acquired a public school education in Washington County and for a number of years was associated with his father on the farm. In 1900 he began doing for himself, purchasing 157 acres, all of which he has now devoted to the purposes of general farming. He is also a stockholder in the Farmers Livestock Exchange at Omaha. He is a member of the Metho- dist Church at Elk City and is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. For a number of years he served as school director and has been deeply interested in all matters of community progress.
November 7, 1900, Mr. Christensen married Emma Gaines, daughter of H. L. Gaines of Washington County, whose career has been described elsewhere. Mr. and Mrs. Christensen have three children, all at home : Mary Irene, Glen Leroy and Loren William.
REV. WILLIAM HENRY BUSS. The publishers welcome this opportunity to tell briefly something concerning the life and service of the supervising editor of this history, Rev. William Henry Buss, who has been a part of the community at Fremont for more than a quarter of a century.
He was born in Lamberhurst, Sussex County, England, February 6, 1852, and in the following year his parents, Rev. Henry and Char- lotte (Miles) Buss, came to the United States. His father, a Congre- gational minister, gave a pioneer service to his church in Wisconsin and Illinois, his pastorates covering a period of forty years. Both parents died in Aurora, Illinois, at a ripe old age.
William H. Buss acquired his early education in Wisconsin and Illinois, and his higher education in Wheaton College in Illinois and Oberlin College in Ohio. He took the four-year classical course at Oberlin, graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1879, and ranking fifty in his class of fifty members. In his junior year he was elected class poet, and his commencement composition was an "Ode to Oberlin." Mr. Buss was not supplied with liberal funds to attend col- . lege, and practically paid his way, serving as clerk, accountant and school . teacher. Immediately on leaving Oberlin he entered the Chicago Theo- logical Seminary, taking the three years' divinity course including Hebrew. The expenses of his senior year at the Theological Seminary were defrayed from his returns from missionary preaching in Chicago. He was graduated in 1882 with the degree Bachelor of Divinity.
Rev. Mr. Buss was ordained a minister of the Congregational Church at Burlington, Iowa, June 6, 1882, and for two years was the assistant pastor of the First Congregational Church of that city in association with Rev. Dr. William Salter. He then organized a new church and built a new house of worship at West Burlington, where he served until February, 1887, when he was called to the pastorate of the Deadwood Congregational Church, in which he continued until October, 1890.
It was in that month, just thirty years ago, that he accepted a call to the First Congregational Church of Fremont, Nebraska, where he served eleven consecutive years. In 1901 he was summoned to the pas- torate of a church at Aurora, Illinois, but was recalled to Fremont Janu- ary 1, 1906. Rev. Mr. Buss has served as a delegate to national and international councils of his denomination at Syracuse and Boston, also
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as a delegate to an international convention of Christian Endeavor at Baltimore, and has twice delivered the annual baccalaureate sermon at the University of Nebraska. He managed the fortieth and the fiftieth anniversaries of the Fremont church, which were elaborately celebrated and has been closely identified with the religious, civic and educational affairs of the city for twenty-six years.
During his pastoral work he has composed and published many poetical writings, not a few of which have attracted wide attention. In 1917 he contested with 400 competitors for the price of $100 offered by Hon. John D. Haskell, president of the Farmers' National Bank of Wakefield, Nebraska, for the best state hymn that should be written by a Nebraska author in honor of the semi-centennial of the commonwealth. Mr. Buss won the prize, which naturally brought him congratulations from all over the West. The "Hymn to Nebraska" was set to music by John Prindle Scott of New York City and has been sung not only dur- ing the anniversary celebration but also by great numbers of school chil- dren in various parts of the state ever since. His gifts as a poet were additionally inspired during the World war, when he composed many poems on various phases of the war situation and upon prominent Ameri- can persons and events. Many of these were published in the local press and by outside journals. Mr. Buss has a collected volume of poems now ready for publication.
October 29, 1885, at Burlington, Iowa, he married Miss Annie Rachel Woepking, who has been from the beginning a true helpmeet, comfort and inspiration in all his labors. Their family consists of one daughter and two sons. Edith Emily is a business accountant and a church choir soloist. Ralph Harold is master of the department of discounts and col- lateral in the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. William Kenneth, the other son, was with the United States Marines during the World war, is now local adjutant of the American Legion Post at Fremont, and a salesman and accountant in his native city.
In the spring of 1917 Rev. Mr. Buss, suffering with an affliction of his eyes and having served in the gospel ministry for thirty-six years, decided to resign from his pastorate and undergo special treatment. The First Congregational Church accepting the resignation expressed great love and appreciation of the extended pastorate and unanimously elected him pastor emeritus for life. He is now living in comparative retirement, much improved in health, and his memories of the past and the love of his people fill his heart with gratitude and joy, intangible assets that he regards as the truest wealth. But he is not allowed to be idle, is con- stantly called upon for special sermons and all varieties of pastoral work, and the early evening of a useful life he still finds richly fraught with the gladness of the service of mankind.
MRS. DORA LUSE, whose home is in section 9 of Blair Township, two miles west of the Town of Blair, is the widow of the late George Luse, and was herself born in Dodge County and represents one of the earliest families to settle in this section of Nebraska.
Her father, H. J. Raner, was a native of Ohio, and on going west first settled in Lynn County, Iowa. For a time he lived in St. Louis and in 1859, with his wife, whom he married in Iowa, came in a covered wagon to Washington County, Nebraska. He homesteaded eighty acres, and began life there practically without capital. He and his wife made their first home in a dugout. Experiencing low markets, drought, grass-
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hoppers and other plagues that beset the early settlers, he went steadily ahead and achieved notable success. He early began to acquire more land, trading a threshing machine for some and paying $8 an acre for other tracts and at the time of his death had 400 acres. Despite the hard work he did and the hardships he passed through he lived to a good old age and passed away April 27, 1917, at the age of eighty-two. H. J. Raner married Sarah Mann, who died January 2, 1917, at the age of seventy-seven. They were the parents of seven children: Stephen, a farmer in Brown County, Nebraska ; Mrs. Mary Heath, wife of a Wash- ington County farmer ; Delbert, a broom-maker by trade, living at Her- man; Mrs. Dora Luse; Charles, deceased; Mrs. Lora Steed, of Blair ; and Theodore, deceased.
At Blair in 1894 Miss Dora Raner became the wife of George Luse. Mr. Luse grew up in Pennsylvania, and at the age of fifteen went out to northwestern Nebraska, locating in Cherry County. He came to Wash- ington County about twenty-five years ago, and during his married life successfully and profitably managed the farm where Mrs. Luse and her family now reside. They had four children: Gladys Peterson, of Wash- ington County ; Harry, of Washington County ; Adelbert, deceased; and Georgia, at home with her mother.
WILLIAM R. GOLL. Prominent among the reliable business citizens who have maintained the prestige and business integrity of Fort Calhoun during a long period of years is William R. Goll, the proprietor of a modern pharmacy. Mr. Goll has not alone been prominent in business affairs, but in public life as well, having been formerly postmaster here for nearly a quarter of a century and at present acting efficiently in the capacity of city treasurer.
Mr. Goll was born on a farm in Washington County, Nebraska, in 1864, a son of Jacob J. and Margaret (Frees) Goll, natives of Holstein, Germany. His father on first coming to the United States in 1827 set- tled in Pennsylvania, but later moved to Cal Junction, Iowa, and in 1847 or 1848 came to Washington County, Nebraska. He located or pre- empted a claim near Blair, when Nebraska was still a territory. He being one of the first to locate in this section and continued to live on the same farm and received title from the Government. He was married in 1862. Later in life they were numbered among the sub- stantial agricultural people of their region, owning 100 acres of land and carrying on farming and stock raising on a large scale. It happened that father Goll had located his claim before this region had been sur- veyed by the Government, and had erected his log house on a site which proved to be immediately upon the corners of four sections, making it necessary for the surveyors to plant their stake in the middle of his home. In later years this historic old log house was replaced by a more modern one, and finally Mr. and Mrs. Goll retired entirely from active pursuits and moved to Blair, where the father passed away at the age of eighty years and the mother when she was seventy-two years of age. They were faithful members of the Lutheran Church, and in poli- tics Mr. Goll was a republican. He held office on several occasions, hav- ing been school moderator and director of Goll School, District No. 12 in Washington County, the school having been erected in his honor. There were seven children in the family, of whom four are living at this time: Amelia and Mary, who are unmarried and reside at Blair ; Matilda, the wife of Mr. Linstrom, of that place; and William R.
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William R. Goll attended the country schools and resided on the home farm until he was seventeen years of age, at which time he decided to make his own way in the world. For seven and one-half years he was employed by Dr. S. B. Taylor, of Blair, in his drug store, and during this time took a business and pharmacy course at Elliott's Business Col- lege, Burlington, Iowa, graduating in the latter study in 1887. Later he went to Pueblo, Colorado, where he worked in a wholesale drug house, and then went to Pilger, where he was employed for one year by C. W. Howe. Coming to Fort Calhoun in 1891, he became postmaster here and held that position for twenty-four years. In March, 1891, he brought in a drug stock which he had purchased and established himself in the drug business. He now conducts a general pharmacy, compiling prescrip- tions and handling A. D. S. drugs, and has built up an excellent patronage through his thorough knowledge of his calling, his business perspicacity and a courteous and obliging personality that readily makes friends. Mr. Goll has long been a prominent figure in the ranks of the republican party in this section, and after serving fifteen years in the capacity of city treasurer resigned in January, 1921. He belongs to the Masons and the Modern Woodmen of America, and Mrs. Goll is an Adventist.
On December 31, 1890, Mr. Goll was united in marriage with Miss Sadie M. Conger, a native of Illinois, and three children have been born to them: Harold, in the United States postoffice at Omaha; Walter Creighton, attending the Omaha Medical College; and Willard, at home.
FRANK C. ADAMS. Like the majority of his contemporaries in the field of journalism in the smaller cities of Nebraska Frank C. Adams began his connection with newspaper work at the case. Throughout a somewhat extended career he has been identified with the printing busi- ness, largely in association with newspapers, and the varied experience which he gained in numerous communities has been of no little value to him in his work of producing the Fort Calhoun Chronicle, of which he has been the editor and publisher since his arrival in this city in 1915.
Mr. Adams was born on a farm in Sherman Township, Washington County, Nebraska, in 1876, a son of J. K. and Elizabeth (Love) Adams; the former born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Scotland. From Pennsylvania, where they were married, the parents removed first to Wisconsin and then to Iowa, where the father engaged in farming and stock raising until 1869, when he took up a homestead in Sherman Town- ship, Washington County, Nebraska. He continued his farming opera- tions there for fourteen years, but his wife died in 1881, at the age of forty years, and two years later he went to Tekamah and embarked in the drug business, being associated therein with his brother, Robert L. After eight years of this association it was mutually terminated and Mr. Adams removed to Lyons, this state, where he is still engaged in business as the proprietor of a pharmacy known as Adams Drug Store. He is eighty-three years of age, but still active in attending to the daily routine of his duties. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics is a republican. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Adams: A. C., engaged in the drug business at Omaha; R. W., an insurance man of Boise, Idaho ; Maria, the widow of William Scott, of Tekamah; and Frank C.
Frank C. Adams received his education in the public schools of Lyons, Nebraska, and at Bellevue College, which he attended two years, and then began to learn the printing business of M. W. Warner, of Lyons. After he had been employed by Mr. Warner for two years he went to
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Bentley, Iowa, where he conducted The Argus, and later went to Atlanta and was the proprietor of the Atlanta Record. Subsequently he worked on the Fremont Tribune and following this the Tekamah Herald and the Pender Times, and then spent four years in job shops of Omaha. Next he went to Bloomfield, where he was proprietor of the Journal for one year, and in 1915 came to Fort Calhoun and founded the Chronicle, which he has conducted to the present time. This is a well-printed, well- edited weekly publication, which by reason of its reliability, cleanness and interesting character has attained a large circulation at Fort Calhoun and in the country surrounding, while as an advertising medium it is accounted to be valuable. In connection with his newspaper Mr. Adams operates an up-to-date and well-equipped job printing department, where high-class work of all kinds is done. He is likewise interested in han- dling local real estate, being associated in this business with W. P. Cook.
Mr. Adams was married in 1899 to Miss Tessie Cleveland, who was born in Burt County, Nebraska, and to this union there have been born five children: DeLena, residing at Lyons; Robert and Julia, residing with their parents; Ruth, who lives at Omaha; and Giles, at home. The family holds membership in the Presbyterian Church at Fort Calhoun. Fraternally Mr. Adams is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America, while his political adherence is given to the republican party. Since coming to Fort Calhoun he has served efficiently as postmaster two years.
J. F. JAPP. Since earliest pioneer times in Washington County one of the very prominent families has been that of Japp. A prominent representative of that name today in the argicultural enterprise of Rich- land township is J. F. Japp, whose home is in section 22, a mile and a half east and two and a half miles north of the Town of Washington.
Mr. Japp, whose life of earnest effort and successful enterprise has been entirely spent in Washington County, was born on the site of his present home September 24, 1869, oldest of the twelve children of John and Catherine Japp. His mother is still living. John Japp, a native of Germany, came to the United States with all his capital comprising only $70. As a pioneer in Nebraska he homesteaded eighty acres of prairie land, and a very modest frame structure furnished the first habitation for him and his family. The nearest town to his place of settlement was old Fort Calhoun, and he took his grain to be ground at the grist mill in that village. While he always remained a farmer his life's industry was well rewarded and at one time he owned 960 acres. He and his family were active members of the Lutheran Church. John Japp died at the age of seventy-nine years.
J. F. Japp has always lived close to the home environment, and after being educated in the local schools he assisted in the work of the farm and at the age of twenty-six established a home of his own, buying land from his father. He has 160 well-cultivated acres and handles a considerable amount of live stock every year. Mr. Japp is an independent in politics.
In December, 1898, he married Bertha Schroeder, who was born in Germany and at the age of two years was brought to the United States by her parents. Her father, Peter Schroeder, is a retired farmer at Brunswick, Antelope County, Nebraska. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Japp, and they are all in the home circle. Their names are Dorothy, Minnetta, Meta, John, Pauline, Olga, Sylvia and Leonard.
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CHRIS WRICH. In section 16 of Richland Township, a mile east and two and a half miles north of Washington, is a farm and home which shows the evidence of the thrifty labors of two generations of the Wrich family. The present owner and occupant is Chris Wrich, who has lived there practically all his life and whose years have borne every token of industry and good citizenship.
Mr. Wrich was born in Washington County in 1874, son of Carsten and Marie Wrich. His father came from Germany to the United States in 1869, and made his first settlement at old Fort Calhoun. He possessed less than $50 when he reached Nebraska, and for the first five years he lived at Calhoun Village and found varied employment in the life and affairs of this district. He then bought eighty acres of state school land, and with that as a foundation he developed his land holdings until at the time of his death his estate comprised 800 acres, including several very high-grade farms. He died at the age of eighty-three and his wife is also deceased. They were the parents of four sons and one daughter. Carsten Wrich put up on his first farm a rude board barn and house, but eventually erected a very substantial home, with all the comforts of good living.
Chris Wrich had all the experiences of the average farm boy, attended district school, and helped his father in the fields, and since the age of twenty-seven has been doing for himself as a successful general farmer and stock raiser. He has also served on the school board as clerk for a number of years, is a democratic voter, and he and his wife are affiliated with the Lutheran Church.
In 1899 Mr. Wrich married Miss Emma Kuhr. The four children born into their home are Mary, Margaret, Dora and Alma.
HANS WRICH has spent nearly all his life in the community where he still lives and since early infancy has been associated with the rural environment of Dodge and Washington counties. His life has been one of strenuous effort, particularly in the years when he had to combat those vicissitudes so well known to the Nebraska farmer, but in more recent times has seen his affairs grow and prosper and is now the con- tented owner of a fine farm property in Richland Township of Wash- ington County, located in section 22.
Mr. Wrich was born in Germany February 27, 1869, son of Carsten and Marie Wrich. A few months after his birth his parents started for America. They completed their journey at Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, and the father had only $75 when he reached there. For three years he worked out by day and month wages, then rented land two years, after which he secured eighty acres of school land in township 17, and put up for the accommodation of his family an old country style house of plain boards. As he improved his land he bought more and at one time owned 840 acres. He was always busy as a farmer and stockman, never held any public offices, and was one of the prosperous citizens of the county when he died in 1914 at the age of eighty-three. His wife died at the age of eighty-four.
Hans Wrich grew up on his father's homestead, learned the lessons taught in the common schools, and assisted his father in proportion to his growing strength on the farm. At the age of twenty-six he started for himself, buying a tract of 170 acres of improved land and gradually increasing his holdings until he now has 410 acres, all in Washington County and devoted to general farming and stock raising. Mr. Wrich, like his father, has never dabbled in politics, and gives his vote to the
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