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 146

Author: Dobbs, Hugh Jackson, 1849-
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Publishing and Engraving Company
Number of Pages: 1120

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 146

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JOHN A. McMURRAY. - The home of Mr. and Mrs. John A. McMurray has been established in Section 15, Liberty township, for the past thirty-five years and while they have contributed of their best to the agricul- tural and social growth of the community, they have also grown in the esteem and friendship of their fellows. They have reared a family of six children, five of whom are living and honorably filling their places in life. The firstborn was William, who was called to his eternal home at the age of fif- teen years; Lawrence was the next in order of birth and he is a prosperous farmer of Lib-

erty township; Frances is the wife of J. R. Spicer, a merchant of Beatrice; George is a farmer of Liberty township; and Aruthr is farming one-half mile east of his father's home place.

John A. McMurray was born February 14, 1842, in Washington county, New York, the place of his birth being the old homestead of his parents, William and Maria (Taylor) Mc- Murray. The old homestead is now owned by William M. McMurray, the only other liv- ing son of the five children born to this couple. William McMurray was born in Washington county, New York, the son of Francis McMurray, a scion of Scotch-Irish ancestors who came to this country when General George Washington was president of the new republic and who established a home in Washington county, New York, where the family tree has been continuously represented to this day. William McMurray, the father of John A. McMurray, became a very suc- cessful farmer and left to his sons a heritage that helped them to their success in life. He married Maria Taylor, the daughter of John Taylor, who was born in Ireland and who came to Washington county, New York, where he farmed and where his death occured. John Taylor was only eighteen years of age at the time of his coming and here he married. His daughter, Maria (Taylor) McMurray, and her husband spent their lives on the home- stead in New York.

John A. McMurray was educated in the schools of Argyle, New York and in the Argyle Academy. In 1862 he was united in marriage to one who has been his loved com- panion for more than fifty-six years, - Mary J. McFadden, who was born in Argyle, New York, the only child of Isaiah and Margaret (McFadden) McFadden, who are long since deceased. In 1867, Mr. and Mrs. McMurray left their friends and relatives in the old Em- pire state and cast in their lot with the farm- ers of Jasper county, Iowa. There they con- tinued their farming operations until 1883, when they came to Gage county, Nebraska, and established their home on Section 15, Lib- erty township, where Mr. McMurray pur-

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

chased from the government three hundred and twenty acres of land. The scenes and condtions of that day were quite different from those which meet their gaze to-day. No more do the sod houses grace the soil, but well built, modern houses; no more the oxen, but the automobile : no more the wild prairie, but now the broad fields of waving grain.

Mr. and Mrs. McMurray are members of the Congregational church and for many years Mr. McMurray has been a stalwart of the Republican party, retaining the same political views as his father before him. He is a mem- ber of the district school board and with his good wife is enjoying the esteem and friend- ship of their associates of many years in Gage county.

BENJAMIN KROOS is a prosperous farmer of Riverside township, where he is the owner of four hundred and twenty acres of land. He was born in Westphalia, Ger- many, May S, 1859, and is a son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Leiwesmeier) Kroos, who passed their entire lives in their native land, where the father was a farmer. Stephen Kroose was born in 1810 and died in 1877; his wife was born in 1824 and died in 1902. 'They were devout members of the Catholic church. Of the six children born to them two have established their homes in the United States, - Benjamin, the subject of this sketch, and Henry, who lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Joseph, Anna, Stephen and Mary still live in their native country.

Benjamin Kroos was educated in his native land and at his father's side he learned the art of intensive farming. When he arrived in the United States, in 1881, he very easily procured work as a farm hand in Logan county, Illinois. In 1886 he came to Gage county, where he farmed on rented land until 1890, when he purchased the Moses farm, in Section 36, Riverside township. In 1893 he sold this land and purchased land in Thayer county, where he was engaged in farming until 1896, when he returned to Gage county. For four years he rented land in Lincoln town- ship. In 1900 he purchased his present farm,

of four hundred and twenty acres, and since then he has confined his efforts to the upbuild- ing of a large, well cultivated farm property.

May 6, 1889, Benjamin Kroos married Miss Lina Grabher, who was born in Illinois, Jan- uary 2, 1868. She is a daughter of Joseph and Lena (Simon) Grobher, the former of whom was born in 1834 and died January 3, 1918, at Charles Wible's home. The mother was born in 1834 and died June 12, 1871. Joseph Grabher was married the second time, to Barbara Stueber (See Charles Wible sketch for further history.) Mr. and Mrs. Kroos became the parents of five children: Amelia died at the age of four years; and George, Lewis, Joseph and Elizabeth are at the par- ental home. The children have received good educational advantages, and the three sons are helping their father with his extensive farming operations.

Ar. and Mrs. Kroos and family are mem- bers of the Catholic church at Beatrice, and his political views are in harmony with the principles of the Republican party.

RENKEN LENERS was a lad of seven years at the time when his father immigrated to America from the picturesque province of Friesland, in the extreme northeastern part of the Province of Hanover, Germany, where he was born July 12, 1851. Little could the wide-eyed boy have anticipated that destiny had it in store for him not only to become a pioneer of Gage county, Nebraska, but also to achieve here secure vantage-ground as one of the substantial farmers and valued citi- zens of Logan township, where his admirably improved farm, of one hundred and sixty acres, is situated in Section 10. Mr. Leners is a son of Renken and Etta (Schwers) ) Len- ers, the latter of whom died in Germany. Renken Leners, Sr., came to America in 1858 and settled in Adams county, Illinois, where he acquired land and eventually became a suc- cessful farmer. There he continued his resi- dence until his death.

He whose name initiates this article ac- quired his early education in the schools of Illinois, where also he became familiar with the

HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

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MR. AND MRS. RENKEN LENERS

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

various details of farm work. In 1878, in company with his younger brother, John, he came to Gage county, and in shipping their household goods the two received an aggre- gate rebate of cost in the sum of thirty dol- lars. The brothers divided this sum, and the amount received by Renken represented at the time his sole cash capital, though his posses- sions included three mules, some hogs, a few chickens and a small assortment of tools and implements, all brought from Illinois. He had rented before coming to Gage county a tract of land in Hanover township, the same having been owned by a man residing at Galesburg, Illinois. In a primitive pioneer home he installed his household goods and with his wife and their three children to spur his efforts, he vigorously prosecuted his activi- ties as a pioneer farmer, with determination to win independence and definite prosperity. When he finally purchased his present farm the land was raw prairie, and he has developed the place into one of the fine farm properties of the county. His first plow was purchased of John Wagner, at Beatrice, and before tak- ing it home he made a trial of the implement by plowing along the road by the site of the present Beatrice National Bank on the one side and the Paddock hotel on the other. At that time there were no buildings there, and Court street was like a country road. He had his share of hardships and reverses in- cidental to pioneer life, with losses by drought and grasshopper scourge, but he was not to be dismayed and pressed forward earnestly to the goal of prosperity. He has aided in the general progress of the county along civic and industrial lines and has been at all times firmly entrenched in popular confidence and good will in his home community. His politi- cal support is given to the Republican party, he served twenty-five years as school director of his district, and both he and his wife be- came earnest communicants of the Lutheran church while still in youth. He has been a trustee and treasurer of the church for twenty-five years.

In Adams county, Illinois, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Leners to Miss Amanda

Schuster, who was born in Germany, January 21, 1849, and the supreme loss and bereave- ment in his life camne when his devoted wife was summoned to eternal rest, on the 26th of January, 1915. They became the parents of nine children: Renken, Jr., remains at the paternal home; Maggie is the wife of John Fossler, of Logan township; Menne died at the age of five years; John R., the maiden name of whose wife was Emma Fossler, is a farmer in Logan township; Etta is the widow of Martin Kaspers and is housekeeper for her father - she has a daughter, Amanda, born January 19, 1905; Menne, who is a far- mer in Logan township, married Miss Sarah Cramer ; and three died in childhood.

JOHN L. GERDES. - In East Friesland, Germany, the family home of Gerd and Trin- tae (Janssen) Gerdes was established, and there Gerd Gerdes plied his trade of shoe- maker, bending over his bench day by day. Many of his friends and acquaintances were leaving the homeland for the shores of Amer- ica, where it was said there were vast fertile lands to be tilled and won to cultivation if one were willing to work hard and long. Mr .. Gerdes decided that, with his sons' help, he, too could win a better living in the New World. Consequently, in 1869, they had settled on a farm in Missouri, and until his death he there tilled the soil. His wife, Trintae (Janssen) Gerdes, bore him seven children, four of whom are living: Teta is a widow and makes her home with her brother Gerd, who is a farmer of Barneston township; Tena is the widow of John Helmrics and lives in Barneston town- ship; and John L. is the subject of this sketch.

John L. Gerdes was born March 10, 1848, in East Friesland, Germany, and was a young man of twenty-one years when his parents es- tablished their home in Missouri. He helped with the farming of his father's land and later purchased land for himself. This he farmed until his coming to Gage county, in 1883. In 1882 he had purchased one hundred and twenty acres in Barneston township, and in 1883 came to improve it and make it yield its treasures of wheat and corn.

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

In 1886 Mr. Gerdes chose as his wife Miss Grace Boschen, who is a native of Germany and who came to this country in 1886. They are the parents of ten children: Gerd L., the firstborn, is at the parental home, as is also John O .; Lubbe operates one of his father's farms; Henry, Fred, Tena, William, Carl, Ida, and Marie are all under the parental roof and taking their share of the burden of tilling the soil and at the various other responsi- bilities of the farm and the home.

Mr. Gerdes and his family are members of the Lutheran church and the local edifice, dedicated to the worship of God, is on five acres of land donated by Mr. Gerdes. In politics Mr. Gerdes follows the lead of the Democratic party and he has served as a mem- ber of the school board of his district for twenty years.

Mr. Gerdes, exemplifies the fact that a man can become more than ordinarily well-to-do if he is made of the right stuff and is willing to sacrifice present pleasure for future good. From time to time Mr. Gerdes has added to his original purchase of one hundred and twenty acres and he is now the sole owner of four hundred and thirty-five acres in Gage county and two hundred acres in Kansas. The days when he established his home in Gage county were the days of hard struggles against the whims and caprices of nature and the loneliness of the pioneer days. He is now enjoying the fruits of those early days of labor, and his posterity will not only enjoy them also but will be able to carry on his work with newer methods and greater oppor- tunities for service to mankind.

WIENS BROTHERS. - Jacob and Frank Wiens are two energetic young farmers, joint- ly operating three hundred and twenty acres of land in Sections 24 and 25, Lincoln town- ship. They are specializing in dairying and the feeding of beef cattle for the market, and are the rising dairy farmers of their township. They are the sons of Peter and Anna (Jan- sen) Wiens. Peter Wiens is a native of Ger- many, where he was born October 16, 1850, and his wife was born June 9, 1860. In 1888

Mr. Wiens with his young wife and their two children came across the Atlantic and cast in their lot with the many other immigrants of German extraction in Gage county, Nebraska. Upon his arrival in the county. he was em- ployed by his brother-in-law, Jacob Claassen, as a laborer on the farm. Later he rented land until he was able to purchase one hun- dred and seventy-eight acres, in Blakely town- ship, where he is now doing a general farming business. Since the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Wiens in this country nine more children have been born to them, and all of the eleven chil- dren are living: John is a farmer in Midland township; Mary is the housekeeper for her brothers Jacob and Frank; Jacob is one of the two subjects of this sketch; Peter is living in Hubbell, Thayer county ; Herman resides at Bayard, Morrill county ; Frank is the associate subject of this review; and Henry, Agatha, Ernest, Gerhard, and Anna are at home with their parents.

Jacob Wiens was born September 25, 1887, in Riverside township, and his brother Frank was born September 24, 1893, in Saline county, Nebraska. The brothers received the educa- tional advantages of the rural schools and German parochial schools, and they became experienced farmers by helping their father in his farming operations. The farmer is the most necessary individual in our social organi- zation, as we are constantly in need of food and clothing and the farmer is growing the food for the men who are turning his raw ma- terials into the manufactured articles. These two young men are doing the share of the work most necessary, "behind the lines," for the conduct of the great world war in which we are engaged. They are Republicans in poli- tics and are members of the Mennonite church.

JOHN R. SIBLE. - As one of the many thrifty Bohemian farmers who have settled in Elm township, Gage county, John R. Sible merits representation in this history. Mr. Sible was born March 6, 1874, in Johnson county, Iowa, and came to Gage county with his parents when he was a child of four years, so it can well be said that he is essentially a

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Gage county man. His parents, Frank and Anna (Sible) Sible, are natives of Bohemia and are farming land in Section 27, Elm town- ship. Frank Sible was born in Bohemia, May 28, 1843, and is a son of Joseph and Katie Sible, who left their native home, among the Slavonic peoples of central Europe, and cast in their fortunes with the farming people of Johnson county, lowa. When they retired from active farming their home was made in Iowa City, Iowa, from which place they were called to the life eternal.

In 1879 Frank Sible came with his family to Gage county, Nebraska and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of wild land in Elm township. He built a board shanty and con- structed a sod barn for his cattle and beasts of burden. He and his wife were willing to deprive themselves of comforts and luxuries for the present, that the future might bring greater ease and prosperity. They are to- day enjoying the fruits of their frugality and labors of those early years. Their marriage was solemnized in 1870, in Iowa. Mrs. Sible is a daughter of James and Josephine Sible, who were natives of Bohemia and had tilled the soil in Iowa prior to coming to Gage county, where they passed the remainder of their lives. They have three sons, - Frank, living at Odell; John, the subject of this re- view ; and George, likewise a resident of Gage county. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sible have re- tired from active farming and now reside in the village of Odell. They have, as the years have passed, added to their land holdings until now they own four hundred acres of land. Both are members of the Catholic church.

John R. Sible spent his boyhood and young manhood in the home of his parents and helped in the winning of of the wilderness to produc- tivity. He is now operating one hundred and twenty acres of his father's landed estate. He has made extensive improvements on his farm and each year is feeding great numbers of cattle for the market.

November 22, 1899, recorded the marriage of John R. Sible and Miss Bessie Kunc and they became the parents of four children, of whom the second child is deceased. The

others - Mabel, Irma, and Sylvia - are re- ceiving all of the educational advantages of the public schools. Mrs. Sible was born in Bohemia, June 28, 1876. Her parents are re- tired farmers living at Wilber, Nebraska. She is a daughter of Frank and Anna (Broz) Kunc, who came from Bohemia and who set- tled in Johnson county, Nebraska, about 1893. They continued their farming operations until their retirement to Wilber.

The political views of Mr. Sible are inde- pendent, that is to say that the character of the man that is put up by either party has more weight in gaining Mr. Sible's vote than the party that is vouching for his eligibility to the office. With the members of his family he holds to the faith of the Catholic church.

MATTHEW W. RYAN, superintendent of schools at Barneston, Nebraska, was born in Port Henry, New York, April 23, 1880. He is the son of Patrick B. Ryan and Margaret (Cleary) Ryan.

Both Patrick B. Ryan and Margaret Cleary came from Ireland with their parents in 1835 and settled in New York state, where they received their early education and where they were married. Patrick B. Ryan moved with his family to Gage county, Nebraska, in the year 1883 and settled on a farm two miles west of Liberty, where he resided until the. time of his death, in 1915. Margaret Ryan is still living and makes her home with her son Matthew. Of their children five are liv- ing: Mrs. P. Carver, of Burchard, Nebraska ; Mrs. M. J. Carver, of Bassett, Nebraska, Mrs. Tim Rawley, of Barneston ; Mrs. George Humphrey, of Fairbury, Nebraska; and Matthew W. Ryan, of Barneston, Nebraska.

In 1911 Matthew W. Ryan was married to Jessie Irwin, of Hubbell, Nebraska. They have one boy, Irwin, now three years of age (1918). Mr. Ryan is the owner of his father's old homestead, but devotes his entire time to his profession.

Matthew Ryan was educated in school dis- trict No. 126, Gage county, was graduated from the Liberty high school, and in 1907 was graduated from the Peru State Normal. He-

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was then superintendent of schools at Greeley, Nebraska, for three years. Later he attended two years at the Nebraska State University.

CLARENCE L. SHAFER. - That Gage county offers splendid inducements to those who wish to engage in agricultural pursuits is attested by the fact that many of her native sons have chosen to remain within her bor- ders and by improving their opportunities have been rewarded with success. Among this number mention should be made of the gentleman whose name introduces this record.

Clarence L. Shafer was born on the farm which is now his home, his natal day being September 17, 1871. His parents were D. W. and Mary (Spitznale) Shafer, the former of whom was born in Ohio, and the latter in Virginia.

In 1867, the year that Nebraska became a state, D. W. Shafer came west, making the trip in true pioneer style, in a covered wagon, and he established a home in Gage county. He took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, eighty of which lay in Gage county and eighty in Pawnee county. As we hear the few early settlers recount the story of pioneer times, marked by hardships and privations, it is only just to such men that a record be made of their achievements and success. From a wild and unbroken prairie D. W. Shafer developed a good farm. He reared a family of eight children, and made his home on the old farm as long as he lived, his death occurring here June 24, 1911, at the age of sixty-eight years. He was born July 8, 1843. His wife, who was born December 22, 1849, passed away October 24, 1912. Both were members of the Christian church and were people of real, genuine worth. Of their eight children seven are living: Auta is the wife of Leon Doty, and they reside in Pawnee county ; Cora is the wife of Rev. Sherman McClure, who is a minister of the Christian church, now located at Deming, New Mexico, and who for two years was state evangelist for Nebraska; Clarence L., the subject of this review, was next in order of birth ; O. D. is a farmer near Belgrade, Nance county, Nebraska ; John is a

professor in the schools of Grand River, Iowa; Estella is the wife of Thomas Thomas, a farmer at Litchfield, Nebraska; and Lois is the wife of Orva Ripley, of Beatrice, Ne- braska.

Clarence I .. Shafer was reared on the farm, attended the public schools in the acquire- ment of an education, this being supplemented by his attending Cotner University, of Beth- any, Nebraska, for one year. He chose for a life work the calling to which he had been reared and as a boy under the instructions of his father began learning the best methods of tilling the soil, planting, cultivating, and har- vesting crops, so that as he reached man's estate he was well fortified for becoming a farmer on his own account. He is the owner of a valuable tract of three hundred and sixty acres, eighty of which are in Gage county, the balance lying across the line in Pawnee county. Aside from raising the cereals best adapted to soil and climate, he deals in regis- tered Hereford cattle, and both branches of his business yield him substantial income. He is progressive and practical in his methods and on his place are to be found three sets of farm buildings.

As a companion and helpmeet Mr. Shafer chose Miss Lora Freel, a native of Missouri, who passed away in 1901, leaving two chil- dren : Opal, the wife of Russell Welsh, on one of Mr. Shafer's farms in Pawnee county ; and Hubert, still at home engaged in farm- ing for himself. Mr. Shafer's second mar- riage was with Miss Alma Paulsen, a native of Davenport, Iowa, and they have four chil- dren : Dale, Glenn, Evelyn, and John.

The family are members of the Christian church and in politics Mr. Shafer is inde- pendent.

FREDERICK D. KRITER, a successful farmer and one of the old-time residents of Paddock township, is a sterling citizen who well merits recognition in this history. Mr. Kriter was born in Lake county, Illinois, No- vember 14, 1860, a son of George Kriter, who was a native of Alsace-Lorraine. When a young man of thirty-two years of age George

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

MR AND MRS. FREDERICK D. KRITER

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Kriter came to America and settled in Lake county, Illinois, where he worked at his trade - that of carpenter. He was employed in Chicago when the population of that city was numbered by thousands instead of the millions of to-day. From Illinois Mr. Kriter moved to Minnesota, and in that state enlisted in a regiment of Minnesota volunteer infantry, with which he served three years in the Union army during the Civil war. He was in sev- eral battles and received injuries which com- pelled him to enter a hospital at Washington, D. C., where his family joined him later. Among the earliest recollections of the sub- ject of this sketch are those of the two win- dows in the room where they stayed in Wash- ington and from which they could hear the roar of cannon. One daughter was born dur- ing the family's stay in the capital city. After the war Mr. Kriter returned to Minnesota, where he joined his brother-in-law on a farm near Fairbault. During the last three years of their residence in Minnesota the grass- hoppers destroyed their crops, and Mr. Kriter moved with his family to Marshall county, Kansas. They were very poor and Mr. Kriter and family worked at anything to be found. On the anniversary of Mrs. Kriter's birthday they came to Gage county, Nebraska, June 14, 1880, and here he took squatter's claim to forty acres of land in Section 10, Paddock township. On the day of their ar- rival the family planted some tomatoes and other garden truck and prepared to make their home. Their first abode was a tent, which was later blown away in a wind storm. They then built a dug-out, on the south slope of a hill where the present house stands. Too poor to buy the land, they held squatter's sover- eignty for two years. Then they were able to enter the land and make a payment on the same. A better house was later erected and as soon as circumstances justified such action Mr. Kriter bought an additional forty acres, adjoining his original farm. Here he made his home until his death, which occurred when he was fifty-five years of age. He had, in the meanwhile, taken a homestead in Kansas, but he died before he had proved up on the prop-

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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 146

Author: Dobbs, Hugh Jackson, 1849- Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Publishing and Engraving Company Number of Pages: 1120

Author: Dobbs, Hugh Jackson, 1849-
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Publishing and Engraving Company
Number of Pages: 1120