USA > Nebraska > Gage County > History of Gage County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religious, and civic development from the early days to the present time > Part 106
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In 1895 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Jurgens to Miss Elsabe Johnson, who was born and reared in this county, where her
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father, William Johnson, settled about 1872 and where he became a substantial farmer : he was born in Germany and upon coming to America settled in Illinois, where he remained until his removal to Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Jurgens have nine children, all of whom re- main at the parental home: Thee J., Anna, William, Henry, Marie, Grace, Tina, Theda, and Elsie.
Mr. Jurgens is a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party and has held various township offices, including that of treasurer. He and his family are active mem- bers of the German Lutheran church and the pleasant home is known for its gracious hospi- tality and good cheer.
WILLIAM R. ROOT was one of those strong and resourceful young men who did well his part in connection with civic and in- dustrial development and progress in Gage county in the pioneer period of its history, and he was one of the substantial landholders and farmers of the county at the time of his death, which occurred on the 29th of Septem- ber, 1915.
Mr. Root was born in the state of Pennsyl- vania, April 18, 1855, and was there reared and educated. At the age of eighteen years he turned his face to the west and made his way to Montgomery county, Iowa, where he found employment at farm work and where he later engaged in farming in an independent way. There he continued his residence until 1878, when he came to Nebraska and estab- lished his permanent home in Gage county. He purchased eighty acres of unimproved school land, in Section 36, Rockford township, and here he developed and improved a fine farm, the while he bore with fortitude the discour- agements and trials that faced him in his ad- vancing course, and with determined purpose continued his worthy endeavors until he had become the owner of a well improved farm estate of two hundred acres. After his re- tirement from the arduous labors that were so long his portion he passed the closing years of his life in the home of his son Elmer L., of whom individual mention is made on other pages.
Mr. Root was signally loyal and true in all the relations of life, and thus merited and com- manded the high regard of his fellow men. His first wife died when comparatively a young woman and left him with small chil- dren, and later he endured the bereavement of losing by death his second wife. His landed estate was devised to his surviving children. Frederick L. and Elmer L. are both represen- tative young farmers of this county and both of them are specifically represented elsewhere in this publication. In politics Mr. Root gave his allegiance to the Republican party.
As a young man Mr. Root married Miss Anna Wenrick, who likewise was born in Pennsylvania, and she is survived by three sons, Frederick L., Elmer L., and Charles L. For his second wife Mr. Root wedded Miss Mary Brubaker, who was born in the state of Tennessee and whose parents were pio- neers of Gage county. She passed to the life eternal in 1894, and the one child of this union, Grant L., died at the age of eleven years.
FRED KLAUS .- The subject of this sketch is a well-to-do farmer residing on Section 33, Paddock township, where he owns and oper- ates a valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres. This place has been the home of the Klaus family for the past twenty-six years. The parents, Henry and Elizabeth (Loemker) Klaus, were born in the province of Hanover, Germany and were married there. In 1880 they came to the United States and made their way to Washington county, Kansas, where some of their relatives had established homes on what had been an Indian reservation. After a short stay Henry Klaus decided to try other means to make a living for his family, and went to Cleveland, Ohio, where for three years he found employment as teamster for a large casket manufacturer. In 1883 he again came to Kansas and after renting land for a time he there purchased eighty acres. Erecting a little frame house of but one room, he set about to develop a farm. Six years later he crossed the line into Gage county, Nebraska, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres. This was an improved farm, though none of
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the old buildings remain at the present time, as they have been replaced by more modern and substantial structures.
Henry Klaus, who was born December 23, 1840, and thus is now in his seventy-eighth year, still makes his home on the farm. His wife, born August 3, 1833, passed away March 21, 1913. In this family were four children, all born in Germany. Three are still living, one having passed away in the old country. Mary is the widow of Fred Wasserman and resides with her son in Barneston township. Lizzie is the wife of Fred Schramm, residing in Washington county, Kansas; Fred, the youngest, was born June 18, 1871. He was reared on a farm and has always been with his father. Several years ago he bought the old home place and he has been operating it since that time.
Fred Klaus married Anna Riggert, who was born in Washington county, Kansas, and is a daughter of August and Minnie (Germer) Riggert, natives of Germany. The parents were among the early settlers of Washington county, Kansas, where the father still resides, but the mother has passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Klaus are the parents of eight chil- dren, all under the parental roof. Their names are: Martin, Minnie, Anna, Herbert, Ernst, Martha, Sophia and Olinda. The fam- ily are members of the Lutheran church and are among the highly esteemed people of the community. Mr. Klaus votes the Republican ticket and has been a member of the school board many years.
THOMAS WILLIAMS. - Coming with his parents to Nebraska in the year that marked the admission of the state to the Union, the late Thomas Williams was at the time a young man whose character, education and ambitions purpose well equipped him for assuming the duties and responsibilities of the pioneer. He reclaimed and developed one of the excellent farms of the county and since his death, which occurred April 29, 1913, his . widow has remained on the old homestead, in Section 6, Logan township, and has proved efficient and successful in its management.
Thomas Williams was born in England, August 13, 1841, a son of Thomas and Mary Williams, who came to America in 1850 and established their residence in the state of New York, whence they later re- moved to Walworth county, Wisconsin. The' family home was thereafter maintained in the Badger state until 1867, when removal was made to the new state of Nebraska. Thomas Williams, Sr., purchased three hundred acres of land in Gage county and, with the aid of his sons, began the reclaiming and improving of the proprety, both he and his wife having passed the remainder of their lives on this pioneer homestead. The subject of this memoir acquired his rudimentary education in his native land and was about nine years of age at the time of the family immigration to the United States. He thereafter attended school at Waterville, New York, and as he was a man of studious habits, reading wisely and well in later years, he rounded out a broad and symmentrical education. With charac- teristic vigor and ability he identified himself with progressive farm industry after coming to Gage county, and at the time of his death he was the owner of an admirably improved and productive farm of one hundred and sixty acres, - the homestead on which his widow still resides and one that is endeared to her by the gracious memories and associ- ations of the past. Mr. Williams was a man of the highest principles and exemplified the best in communal citizenship. His political allegiance was given to the Republican party and while he had no ambition for public of- fice his civil loyalty was shown in his efficient service as a member of the school board of his district. He was reared in the faith of the Church of England and in America continued his affiliation with the United States church of the same faith, the Protestant Episcopal, his widow being an active member of the Bap- tist church, with which she has been identi- fied since her girlhood.
On the 11th of January, 1870, was solemn- ized the marriage of Mr. Williams to Miss Elizabeth Horton, who was born at Burling- ton, Wisconsin, and whose education was re-
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ceived in the schools of Kenosha county, that state. She is a daughter of Richard and Jane (Lloyd) Horton, both natives of Wales, the father having been of English and the mother of Welsh ancestry. Upon coming to the United States Mr. and Mrs. Horton first es- tablished their home in Racine county, Wis- consin, but later they removed to Kenosha county, where he became the owner of a large landed estate and was a successful farmer, both he and his wife having continued their residence in Wisconsin until their death. Of their six children all are living except one : Frank resides at Union Grove, Wisconsin ; Harvey is a resident of Racine county, that state ; Miss Mary maintains her home at Union Grove; Nellie is married and resides in the city of Boston, Massachusetts ; and Mrs. Wil- liams, widow of the subject of this memoir, is the eldest of the number.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams became the parents of a fine family of three sons and five daugh- ters : Rose is the wife of John Day, a retired farmer residing in the village of Adams, this county ; Mary Jane is the wife of John Win- kle, of Midland township; Frank Eugene is a prosperous farmer in Logan township, as is also Richard; Nellie is the wife of Olin Ger- man, of Midland township; Rebecca is the wife of Clarence Taylor, of the same town- ship; Iva is the wife of Arthur Heaston, of Riverside township; and Thomas remains with his widowed mother, he having active charge of the old home farm.
JOSEPH CACEK, JR. - When a lad six- teen years of age the subject of this record kept bachelor hall in a shanty about the size of a chicken coop, and with oxen broke the land which his father had recently purchased in Paddock township. This was the year fol- lowing the opening of the Otoe Indian reserva- tion for settlement. When he was twenty- one years of age that shanty again served as his home while he was breaking the prairie land he had recently purchased for himself. Mr. Cacek is a member of one of the pio- neer families of Paddock township, being a son of Joseph Cacek, whose record appears elsewhere in this volume.
Mr. Cacek was born in Bohemia, Novem- ber 11, 1862. He was but five years old when the family home was made in America, his parents becoming early settlers in Gage county, Nebraska. His boyhood and youth were spent in this county. When twenty-one years of age Mr. Cacek became the owner and began the improvement of a new farm in Paddock township, and on this place he re- sided nine years. To-day he is the owner of one hundred and twenty-one acres, having given his eldest son a farm of eighty acres. The home of our subject is one of the best in the township. Cement walks around the house, good fences and splendid buildings are evidences of the thrift and enterprise of the owner.
Mr. Cacek completed arrangements for his home by marriage to Miss Pauline Synovec, also a native of Bohemia. They have four children, as follows: Joseph married Cather- ine Varuska and they have two children, Arthur and Agnes. Frank married Mary Dovrak and they have four children, Anna, Harry, Eugene and Rudolph. Victor and Anna remain at the parental home.
Mr. and Mrs. Cacek were reared in the faith of the Catholic church, but at the present time are members of none, though they now incline towards Protestanism. In politics he is a Democrat. For forty years Mr. Cecek has been a resident of Paddock township and he has contributed his full share to the march of progress from the days of the sod house and ox team to those of the beautiful homes and the automobiles of the present time.
HOWARD CARPENTER, who is now a progressive and successful farmer and stock- grower in Rockford township, has been a resi- dent of Gage county since childhood and is a scion of the third generation of the family in this section of Nebraska. Details concerning the family history appear on other pages, in the sketch of the career of his father, J. D. Carpenter.
Howard Carpenter was born in Butler county, Kansas, August 27, 1883, and was about five years old at the time of the family removal to Gage county, Nebraska, where he
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was reared on his father's farm and acquired his early education in the public schools. He has had no inclination to abate his fealty to the basic industries of agriculture and stock- raising and through the medium of the same has achieved in his independent operations definite success. His well improved farm comprises one hundred and twenty acres and is situated in Section 2 Rockford township, about seven and one-half miles distant from the city of Beatrice, which is his postoffice address, - rural mail route No. 5. In poli- tics Mr. Carpenter is found aligned in the ranks of the Democratic party and his pro- gressiveness touches not only his activities as a farmer but also as a citizen.
May 3, 1909, recorded the marriage of Mr. Carpenter to Miss Mabel Sallie Armstrong, who likewise is a native of Nebraska, her father, William Armstrong, having been a pioneer of Gage county and a prosperous farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter have four children, - Hazel, Roy, Merle and Ruth.
ANDREW I. LAYTON. - The subject of this record is operating a tract of eighty acres belonging to his father-in-law, in Section 12, Glenwood township.
Andrew I. Layton is a native of Mattoon, Illinois, a son of Henry and Martha Layton, who spent their last days at Odell, Nebraska. Mr. Layton married Alice Rathbun, a daughter of James Rathbun, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Layton are the parents of three children: Arthur, Ralph and Martha, all under the parental roof.
JOHN FOSSLER was one of the vener- able and honored pioneer citizens of Nebraska at the time of his death, which occurred Oc- tober 13, 1906, at his pleasant farm home, in Section 10, Logan township. He had the sterling attributes of character that make for usefulness in connection with the productive activities of life and in Gage county he de- veloped a fine farm property. He was born in Friesland, Province of Hanover, Germany, January 20, 1838, and thus he was nearly seventy years of age at the time of his death.
Mr. Fossler was reared and educated in his native land and upon coming to America, in 1876, he found employment at farm work near Brownville, Missouri, in which state he continued his residence a number of years and in which he was twice married, the one surviving child of the first marriage being John, who is now a prosperous farmer in Logan township, Gage county, there having been no children of the second marriage. In 1871 Mr. Fossler came to Nebraska and es- tablished his residence in Nemaha county, where he engaged in farm enterprise and where he encountered, as did the average pio- neer, much loss and hardship incidental to droughts and grasshopper scourges. In 1883 he came with his family to Gage county and his financial resources at the time were such that he was able to make nearly full payment upon purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of land in Logan township. Later he bought another farm of equal area, in Section 11, and he was the owner of both of these properties at the time of his death. His original Gage county farm was unbroken prairie, with a little shanty and log stable, when it came into his possession. With the passing years he re- claimed the place to effective cultivation and made excellent improvements in the way of buildings, the attractive house which he built being still the home of his widow. He gave his attention principally to the raising of grain and his energy and good management brought to him independence and prosperity, while he at all times commanded the unquali- fied respect and confidence of his fellow men.
Taking loyal interest in communal affairs, Mr. Fossler was well fortified in his political convictions and was aligned in the ranks of the Republican party. He served in 1900 and 1901 as road supervisor but he had no am- ·bition for public office or political preferment. He was an earnest communicant of the Lu- theran church, as is also his widow, the latter having shared with him in the trials and hard- ships of pioneer life in Nebraska.
The third marriage of Mr. Fossler was sol- emnized in 1875, when Miss Anna Luppen became his wife. She likewise was born in
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JOHN FOSSLER
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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA
MRS. ANNA FOSSLER
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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Friesland, Germany, the date of her nativity having been September 25, 1850. Her par- ents passed their entire lives in their native province and her mother attained to the re- markably venerable age of ninety-five years. In conclusion of this memoir is given brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Fossler: George remains with his mother on the old homestead and has the active management of the same; Jerry died September 1, 1917, at the age of thirty-three years; Anna is the wife of George Folkerts, of Logan township; Ella remains with her widowed mother; Sarah is the wife of Wil- liam Jurgens, of Logan township; Emma is the wife of John Leners, of the same town- ship ; and Annie died at the age of seventeen years.
JOHN C. MEINTS was a member of one of the representative German pioneer families of Gage county, and he here won for himself a high place in popular esteem and as a citizen of ability and loyalty, his productive activities having been varied and having in- cluded close association with farm enterprise. He retired from the office of deputy clerk of Gage county within a short time prior to his death, which occurred October 9, 1914, and he was engaged in the general merchandise business in the village of Pickrell during the last two years of his life, he having been act- ively assisting in the store only a few days prior to his death, though he had not estab- lished his home in that village. Concerning the Meints family adequate record is given on other pages of this history.
John C. Meints was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, September 6, 1862, and he died about one month after he had celebrated the fifty-second anniversary of his birth, he having been a son of Christian J. and Grace (Dorn) Meints, who came to America when he was a child and established their home in Adams county, Illinois, where he was reared and educated. He was sixteen years of age when he came with his parents to Gage county, Nebraska, and his father lo- cated on a pioneer farm in Hanover township.
About one year later he found employment as clerk in a mercantile establishment at Be- atrice, and in 1888 he established his residence at Filley, this county, where for two years he conducted a general store. Shortage of crops brought financial depression in that lo- cality and resulted in the failure of his busi- ness. Under these conditions Mr. Meints re- turned to Beatrice, and there he continued as a salesman in the store of Emil Lang until 1895, when he rented land in Hanover town- ship and engaged in farming in an independent way. There he continued his activities until 1900, when he removed to his father's farm, in Holt township. There he gave his atten- tion to diversified agriculture and stock- growing until 1912, when he was appointed deputy county clerk, under the administration of J. C. Penrod. In the same year he pur- chased a half interest in a general merchan- dise store at Pickrell, but he continued a resi- dent on the farm until his death. He was a man of strong mentality and well fortified convictions, was a Republican in politics, was a member of the Sons of Hermann, and was an earnest communicant of the German Lu- theran church, as is also his widow, who main- tains her home in the village of Pickrell. After the death of the subject of this memoir, his widow continued the mercantile business at Pickrell for three years, at the expiration of which she sold the same.
October 19, 1884, Mr. Meints wedded Miss Elizabeth R. Zimmerman, who was born in Hanover, Germany, October 11, 1863, a daughter of R. R. and Johanna E. (Bless) Zimmerman, and she was fourteen years of age when she came with her parents to America, further mention of the family be- ing made on other pages, in the sketch of the career of her brother, George E. Zimmerman. Of the nine children of Mr. and Mrs. Meints two died in infancy ; Christian J. is a farmer in Nemaha county ; Richard is similarly en- gaged near Virginia, Gage county; Henry and George J. likewise are exponents of farm enterprise in Gage county, the former in Hanover township, and the latter near the village of Adams; Johanna is the wife of
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P. Heist, whose farm is west of Pickrell; John was killed in an automobile accident, in 1916, at the age of nineteen years ; and Grace F. is the wife of William J. Parde, a farmer in Hanover township.
FRANK LISEC. - The province of Bo- hemia, in the dual monarchy of Austria- Hungary, has furnished large numbers of in- dustrious citizens who have in a large measure aided in transforming Nebraska from a pio- neer region to the high state of development of the present day. One of these is Frank Lisec, an industrious farmer of Section 33. Sicily township. He is a native of Bohemia, his natal day having been August 22, 1869, and is a son of Albert and Maria (Moravec) Lisec, who came to America when their son Frank was but fifteen months old. They set- tled in Washington county, Iowa, where they resided two years. They then came to Sa- line county, Nebraska, and numbered them- selves among the early settlers of that section of the state. Pioneer conditions were in evi- dence on every hand and their first home was a sod house with sod roof and with no floor except the earth. They were honest and in- dustrious folk and they spent the remainder of their lives in that county.
Frank Lisec was reared on the farm in Sa- line county, where he remained with his father and gave him the benefit of his services until he was twenty-five years of age. He then began his independent career as a farmer, on an improved tract of eighty acres which he purchased from his father and on which he made his home for nine years. Sixteen years ago he came to Gage county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of his present farm. By industry and good management he has extended its area until he is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres, the place being equipped with a good set of buildings, all of which have been put there by Mr. Lisec. Here he is engaged in general farming under most favorable conditions and his success has been excellent.
For a companion and helpmeet Mr. Lisec married Miss Annie Hlavac, who was born
at Fort Dodge, Iowa, a daughter of Frank and Maria (Hlatky) Hlavac. The parents were natives of Bohemia and after coming to America the father worked in the iron mines of Missouri, later living in Wisconsin and Iowa and still later settling in Saline county, Nebraska, where he is still living, at the age of seventy-six, his wife having passed away about one year ago. . The home of Mr. and Mrs. Lisec has been made happy by the birth of six children: Robert, Joseph, Stephen, Alice, Natalia, and Frankie, all of whom are still under the parental roof.
Mr. Lisec is one of the progressive, indus- trious, and public-spirited citizens of Gage county, and is contributing his full quota to- ward all measures for the upbuilding of the community in which he lives.
FRANK J. TRUXAW. - The gentleman whose name introduces this record was one of the pioneer merchants of Odell, and by good management and close application he achieved a success which enabled him to retire with a competence.
Frank J. Truxaw is a native of Austria- Hungary - born in the province of Bohemia, December 5, 1856. His parents, Frank and Maria (Folda) Truxaw, were natives of the same province, and in 1861 came with their family to the United States, settling in Wash- ington county, Iowa, where they were farm- ing people and where they spent the remain- der of their lives.
Frank J. was one of a family of four chil- dren, all of whom are still living. He was reared on a farm and when a young man he learned the butcher business, at Washington, Iowa. In 1881 he came to Gage county and erected the fifth new building in the new town of Wymiore, where he opened a butcher shop. In the fall of 1883, he established himself in the same line of business at Odell, and for many years he was one of the leading business men of the town. He early realized the value of farm lands and invested in land whenever the opportunity offered. He has owned and improved several tracts in Gage county, as well as in other parts of the country. He is
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