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 58

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 58

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land, in 1838, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick McEntee, were pioneers of Brown county, Illinois, where they continued to re- side until their death. Mrs. McCann passed to the life eternal in 1879, and of the seven children John R., of this review, is the eldest ; Thomas M. is a resident of the city of Chi- cago; Rose is the wife of Henry Moss, of Mount Sterling, Illinois; Elizabeth is the wife of James W. Brady, of Mount Sterling ; Clara died at the age of eighteen years and George in infancy ; and Miss Anna remains with her venerable father on the old homestead farm.

John R. McCann was reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm and acquired his youth- ful education in the public schools of his native county. At the age of seventeen years he went to Jewell City, Kansas, where for a period of about two years he was employed in a whole- sale grocery establishment. He next went to Mankato, Kansas, and there he learned the tinner's trade. After about two years his health became impaired to such an extent that he sought a less sedentary occupation and en- tered the employ of the Carpenter & Gage Nursery Company, at Fairbury, Jefferson county, Nebraska, where he had previously worked at his trade for some time. In 1888 Carl Sonderegger, who was the proprietor of the German Nursery at Fairbury, had occa- sion to make a trip to Switzerland, and he en- gaged Mr. McCann to assist in the manage- ment of the nursery during his absence. Mr. McCann continued his alliance with the Son- deregger nursery and in the meanwhile lived in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Sonder- egger until the time of his marriage. He be- came a traveling representative of the concern and after his marriage he resided at Dewitt, Saline county, until 1893. Save for a brief interval he continued in the employ of Mr. Sonderegger for a period of fifteen years, during which he sold nursery stock to the value of thousands of dollars, the while his relations with his honored employer were ever of the most gracious and mutually apprecia- tive order. Mr. McCann established his resi- dence in Beatrice in 1893 and here he con- tinued his active connection with the Sonder-

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egger nurseries, as a salesman, until 1898, when he here engaged in the real-estate busi- ness. His operations in this field of enterprise extended into Texas, Florida, and Georgia, where his transactions involved the handling of much land and also the promotion of immi- gration to those states. He continued as a successful exponent of important real-estate operations until his appointment to the office of postmaster of Beatrice, a position of which he has been the valued incumbent since 1914, as previously noted in this context.

Mr. McCann is unwavering in his allegiance to the Democratic party, and he has been active and influential in its councils in Ne- braska, where he served three years as a mem- ber of the Democratic state central committee.

On the 17th of June, 1889, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. McCann to Miss Grace E. Gast, a daughter of William and Sarah (Moyer) Gast, who were pioneer settlers in Saline county, Nebraska. There Mr. Gast be- came the owner of an entire section of land and developed a large and valuable farm es- tate, his holdings including land also in Gage county. His widow now resides at Dewitt, Saline county. Mr. and Mrs. McCann became the parents of two children, Ethel G., who died the 28th of December, 1916, and Edith Grace, who is the wife of Walter C. Magee, of Beatrice, Nebraska.

JOHN E. MURPHY. - The history of Gage county tells what has been done during the fifty years of struggle, striving, and work- ing toward the creation of a great county. It must tell of the individual achievements of the men who have taken an active part in the work of development and progress. These men are the foundations of the social struc- ture of Gage county. One of the number is John E. Murphy, who is a son of Patrick and Catherine (McCaffrey) Murphy, early pio- neer settlers on the former Otoe Indian reser- vation in Gage county. Patrick Murphy was born in Ireland and when a youth he there wedded Miss Catherine McCaffrey. The young couple left their native land to seek their fortune in the United States, and they

landed in Brooklyn, New York, where Pat- rick worked as a laborer. By hard work and patient saving he was finally able to buy thirty- two acres of land near Tribes Hill, New York.

In 1878, when the eyes of the east were di- rected upon the new western lands being opened for settlement, Mr. Murphy decided to come to Nebraska and seek better oppor- tunities for acquiring a living and competence. This entailed a long and weary journey over rough roads that were not drained, while in many places there were virtually no roads at all. Finally, after weeks of travel, Mr. Mur- phy and his family arrived in Lincoln, Ne- braska. Here he heard of the Otoe Indian reservation land being opened up for settle- ment. He came to Gage county, and on the reservation purchased a squatter's right to one hundred and sixty acres of land, a few miles from the present village of Odell. Here the family was soon settled on the pioneer farm, and the father, with his only son, John, broke the virgin· land, wresting from the soil in due time its treasures of wheat and corn.

Mr. Murphy gave unstintingly of his time and talent to the community at large. As other settlers came in, there was need of civic and religious organizations. He was among the first to give aid in the organization of Paddock township and also to organize a school for the education of the children. Mr. Murphy gave liberally of his time and money to organize the Catholic church at Odell, and later he helped in the organization of the Catholic church at Wymiore. All during his life thereafter these institutions received lib- erally of his support. In all of his labors on the farm, in the church and community Mr. Murphy's devoted wife shared. She was born March 12, 1827, in Darlyn, County Fer- managh, Ireland, and she came to this coun- try with her young husband, settled with him in the Otoe Indian reservation, and shared with him all of the hardships and trials of pioneer life. They became the parents of six daughters and one son. Mrs. Murphy lived to the venerable age of ninety years and six months, and passed the declining period of her life in the home of her youngest daughter,

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

MR. AND MRS. JOHN E. MURPHY

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

Mrs. Rose Masek, where she died September 23, 1917. Of the children the following rec- ord is given: Mrs. Mary McCarthy resides at Wymore, this county ; Mrs. Katherine Hat- maker is deceased; Mrs. Julia Comer resides in Paddock township; John F. is the only son and is the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Susan McCaffrey is a widow and resides at Hast- ings, Nebraska; Mrs. Abbie Stanosheck lives at Odell, Gage county, Nebraska; and Mrs. Rose Masek, of Odell, is deceased.

John E. Murphy was the fourth child and only son born to his parents. He was born October 1, 1863, at Tribes Hill, New York. His education was received in New York prior to his coming to Nebraska with his par- ents. He was 15 years old when they arrived on the Otoe Indian reservation and he helped his father to build their cabin, break the land, and perform the various other duties that were to be done on a pioneer farm. He re- mained on this farm until he went to Odell, to serve as a clerk in a general merchandise store. He remained thus engaged until 1900, when he went into the general merchandise business for himself. He successfully con- ducted the enterprise until 1914, when he dis- posed of the business, and he has since de- voted his time to the real estate and insurance business.

In 1904 the Odell Independent Telephone Company was organized and Mr. Murphy was the leading spirit in the organizing of this company, of which he was elected secretary and treasurer. This substantial company has a modern building, erected at a cost of five thousand dollars, and in this the business is conducted. Mr. Murphy was interested also in a cider and vinegar manufacturing company that was organized in 1907, and in 1913 the factory at Odell, Gage county, was transferred to Atchison, Kansas, where it is now located. Mr. Murphy was secretary and treasurer of the company until March, 1917, when he sold his interest in the business.

The marriage of John Murphy and Katie A. Stanosheck was solemnized May 4, 1892. Mrs. Murphy was born in Iowa City, Iowa, and is a daughter of Albert and Pauline Stanosheck.

(See Thomas W. Stanosheck sketch for the family history). Mr. and Mrs. Murphy became the parents of nine children: Frank E. is an electrician for the Atchison Railroad Special- ty Company, at Atchison, Kansas; Ruth is a teacher in the high school at McCook, Ne- braska ; Rosa and Lillian are twins, Rosa be- ing a dressmaker and remaining at the par- ental home, and Lillian being a teacher at Culbertson, Nebraska; Adelaide died at the age of twelve years; Marie is attending the high school at Odell; Frances is attending the public schools ; and John and Catherine, twins, are at home. The children have received the advantages of the schools of Odell, and the family is popular in the social life of the com- munity.

Mr. Murphy votes the Democratic ticket and has held offices of trust in his commun- ity. He has served as a member of the city council of Odell and as township clerk. He affiliates himself with the Knights and Ladies of Security, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Royal Neighbors, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has real estate in Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, and Colorado. He is ever alert to the civic needs of Odell and is a citizen of utmost loy- alty and progressiveness.

JOHN H. MENTER. - The great basic industries of agriculture and stock-growing yield substantial and worthy rewards to the man of enterprise and good judgment, and this is definitely signified in the prosperity that has attended the efforts of Mr. Menter as one of the vigorous and resourceful farmers of Grant township, where he is the owner of a valuable landed estate of two hundred acres, besides which he is the owner of three hun- dred and twenty acres in Deuel county, this state.

Mr. Menter claims the old Buckeye state as the place of his nativity, but the year 1918 records for him thirty years of continuous residence in Nebraska, where he has achieved substantial success and independence entirely through his own ability and well ordered ef-

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forts. Mr. Menter was born in Wood county, Ohio, October 21, 1868, and is a son of Fred- erick and Mary (Schuerman) Menter, the lat- ter of whom, a native of Prussia, Germany, died in 1874, at the age of thirty-six years, after having become the mother of four chil- dren, of whom three are living: Henry is a resident of Toledo, Ohio, and Louis of Pem- berville, that state. The father ultimately con- tracted a second marriage and of the children of this union five are living, all being residents of the state of Michigan - Edward, William, Carrie, Katherine, and Ida.

Frederick Menter was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, May 20, 1840, and was six years of age at the time of the family im- migration to America, his parents having set- tled in Wood county, Ohio, where they passed the remainder of their lives, his father having there become a prosperous farmer. Frederick Menter was reared and educated in Ohio and there he continued his alliance with farm in- dustry until 1907, when he removed with his family to Huron county, Michigan, where, at a venerable age, he still resides on his well improved farm, the religious faith of the fam- ily having been for generations that of the Lutheran church.

John H. Menter grew to maturity under the invigorating discipline of the old home farm in Ohio and in the meanwhile profited by the advantages afforded in the district schools of the locality. In 1888, shortly before attain- ing to his legal majority, he came to Nebraska, where for the ensuing nine years he worked as a farm hand, principally in Gage and Saline counties. His compensation during a consid- erable part of this period was only fourteen dollars a month, but he carefully saved his earnings and kept fully in view the goal of his ambition - that of becoming an independent exponent of farm enterprise. In 1896 he rented land in Webster county, and later he farmed on rented land in Adams and Saline counties. In 1911 Mr. Menter purchased his present Gage county farm, on which he has since made many excellent improvements of permanent order, including the erection of a barn and other farm buildings. His energy

and progressiveness have enabled him to make his place stand forth as one of the best im- proved and effectively operated farms in Grant township, his attractive homestead be- ing situated three miles southeast of the vil- lage of Dewitt, Saline county, from which he receives service on rural mail route No. 3. He gives his attention to diversified agricul- ture and stock-growing, and is making a spe- cialty of raising graded swine. He gives loyal support to measures and enterprises tending to advance the civic and material wel- fare of the community, has served as road supervisor, and he and his family hold mem- bership in the Lutheran church.

February 22, 1896, recorded the marriage of Mr. Menter to Miss Mary Ulrich, daughter of Charles G. and Johanna (Graff) Ulrich, concerning whom further mention is made on other pages, in the sketch of their son Edward W. A. In conclusion is given brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Men- ter : Carl has the management of his father's farm property in Deuel county; Alfred is associated in the work and management of the home farm in Gage county; Gertrude is deceased; and Arthur, John, Alice, and Paul remain members of the gracious home circle.

CHARLES B. MUMFORD .- From the early pioneer period in its history to the pres- ent time Gage county has claimed members of the Mumford family as sterling and valued citizens, John B. Mumford, father of the sub- ject of this review, having been one of three brothers who came from Wisconsin to this county in the '60s, and each of these brothers, John B., Ismay, and Jacob, having taken vigorous part in the furtherance of the initial development and upbuilding of the county, where the family name has always stood forth for civic loyalty and progressiveness and for the intelligent and productive industry which makes for individual success and communal advancement.

John B. Mumford was born in the state of Maryland, where his parents established their home upon coming from England to this coun- try, and he became one of the pioneer settlers

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in Wisconsin, where he engaged in agricul- tural pursuits and became one of the substan- tial citizens of Lafayette county. His initial visit to the Territory of Nebraska was made in the year 1860, when he accompanied his older brother, Ismay, to what is now the opu- lent and beautiful county of Gage, and of the conditions that then obtained in this locality some idea is conveyed by the statement that Dawson Mumford, son of Ismay, was the first white child born within the limits of this county. The general historical department of this publication shows also that Ismay Mum- ford was the first treasurer of Gage county. After this pioneer visit to Gage county John B. Mumford returned to Wisconsin, but in 1865 he brought his family to Gage county and here established a permanent home. He purchased four hundred acres of land, re- claimed and developed one of the excellent farms of the county, and he continued to re- side on his well improved homestead farm, in Logan township, until his death, when seventy- three years of age, his venerable widow still surviving him and being one of the loved pio- neer women of Gage county : her maiden name was Mary A. Roush and she was born in Ohio, the original American progenitors of the Roush family having come from Holland in the early period of our national history. John B. and Mary A. (Roush) Mumford became the parents of nine children, and of the six now living Charles B., of this review, is the second eldest ; Sarah, the eldest, is the wife of William A. Foreman, of Beatrice; Eugene P. is individually mentioned within the pages of this publication ; Ida and Frank remain on the old homestead farm of their father, the for- mer being the wife of L. W. Eppert. who is associated in the work and management of the place; and Luther A., formerly principal of the Beatrice high school, is now engaged in the school-textbook business in the city of Lincoln, capital of Nebraska. John B. Mum- ford was a leader in the local councils of the Democratic party, though never consenting to accept public office, and his religious faith was that of the Methodist Episcopal church, his

venerable widow being a devout adherent of the Christian church.

Charles B. Mumford was born in Lafayette county, Wisconsin, and was a small boy at the time the family home was established on the pioneer farm in Gage county, Nebraska, where he was reared to manhood and received the advantages of the common schools of the period. It can well be understood that in his boyhood and youth he acquired full fellow- ship with the sturdy work of the farm, and in initiating his independent career he naturally continued his allegiance to the great basic in- dustry of agriculture. For a period of years he was numbered among the progressive and successful farmers of Logan township, and in 1894 he removed to Beatrice, the county seat, where he engaged in the livery business. A number of years later he sold this business and turned his attention to the buying of horses, which he sold for local use, besides develop- ing a substantial enterprise in the shipping of horses to various central markets. A thorough judge of values, he made a definite success of the business and was one of the prominent shippers of horses from this state. In the spring of 1915 Mr. Mumford gave evidence of his appreciation of the modern trend of pro- gress by identifying himself with the automo- bile business. He erected a large garage building on Seventh street and there installed the best of equipment, including a general re- pair shop and a line of automobile supplies and accessories, his broad experience and ag- gressive policies having been potent in the up- building of a very prosperous business and his active control of the same having continued until September, 1917, when he sold both the building and the business to the present owner, Austin Krous. Since that time he has renewed his allegiance to his former line of business and gives his attention to handling horses, both in placing them on the market and in fit- ting them for service. He is at the time of this writing the owner of two fine standard bred horses which are making good account of themselves in turf events. Mr. Mumford is well known throughout this part of Ne- braska, and his genial personality, as com-

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bined with his sturdy integrity in all of the relations of life, has gained to him a wide circle of friends. He is a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party, though he has manifested naught of ambition for pub- lic office, and his wife is an active member of the Christian church.

As a young man Mr. Mumford wedded Miss Martha Dearborn, and she is now de- ceased. She is survived by three children : Charles D., who is associated with his uncle, E. P. Mumford, in the furniture business in Beatrice, where he was formerly employed fourteen years in the furniture store of Wal- ter Scott; Leslie is now a resident of San Francisco, California; and Mabel is the wife of N. Townsend, a prosperous farmer in the vicinity of Taco, in the Canadian northwest.

In September, 1904, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Mumford to Miss Mae Van Boskirk, who was born in Linn county, Iowa, a daughter of Lincoln and Celia (Freer) Van Boskirk, whose marriage was solemnized in Wisconsin, whence they eventually removed to Iowa, from which state they came to Gage county, Nebraska, in 1885, establishing their residence in Beatrice, where Mr. Van Bos- kirk erected a large and attractive residence at the corner of Seventh and Summit street - this being the present home of Mr. and Mrs. Mumford. Mr. Van Boskirk was a second cousin of Abraham Lincoln, and in the early territorial days he acquired a large tract of land in Nebraska, the patent to the same hav- ing been signed by President Johnson, and this property still continues in the possession of the family. More detailed mention of the Van Boskirk family is made on other pages, in the review of the career of Frederick Van Bos- kirk, a brother of Mrs. Mumford. Mr. and Mrs. Mumford have one daughter, Clara Belle, who was born February 28, 1912.

JOHN B. RENARD is a successful far- mer and stock-raiser who owns a valuable and well improved farm in Section 1, Glenwood township. As a representative citizen of that township he is entitled to recognition in this history of Gage county.

Mr. Renard was born at Keokuk, Lee county, Iowa, May 5, 1862. His parents, Adam and Catherine (Wofe) Renard, were natives of Germany, and both passed the clos- ing period of their lives at Keokuk, Iowa; where they had resided for many years and where the father was a cabinet maker by trade and vocation. John B. Renard was one of seven children, four of whom are living, he being the only one in Nebraska. When a young man he made his way to Page county. Iowa, where he remained two years, and he then came to Gage county, Nebraska. Here he farmed in Rockford township for one year, and for the ensuing five years he was engaged in farming in Logan township. For the past twenty-eight years he has conducted successful operations on four hundred and twenty acres of land in Sections 1 and 12 Glenwood township. Here he has erected a splendid set of buildings, among the finest in the county, and is here engaged in general agricultural and stock-raising enterprise. He has the cooperation of Herman Lenger, who is a bachelor brother of Mrs. Renard, and who makes his home with the Renard family.

Mr. Renard chose as his wife Miss Lottie Lenger, who was born in Warren county, Missouri, her parents having been early set- tlers of Gage county, Nebraska, and a record of the family being given elsewhere in this volume, in sketch dedicated to Lewis D. Len- ger, of Beatrice. Mr. and Mrs. Renard are members of the Christian church at Odell. Mr. Renard takes an active interest in the affairs of his community and was one of the organizers of the Odell Telephone Company, of which he has been president for many years. He assisted also in organizing the State Bank of Odell. Fraternally he is a mem- ber of Odell Lodge, No. 97, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a Republican in politics and has given years of service in the office of justice of the peace. Mr. and Mrs. Renard indulge themselves in travel and have recently made an extended trip on the Pacific coast. They are folk of sterling worth and have a host of friends.

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MR. AND MRS. JOHN B. RENARD

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REV. VICTOR F. CLARK. - The hon- ored pastor of the First Congregational church of Beatrice is a man of high intellectual at- tainments and has labored with all of conse- crated zeal and devotion in the work of the ministry, besides having wielded much influ- ence in the field of educational service. He was reared to manhood in Nebraska, where the family home was established prior to the admission of the state to the Union and when he was a lad of about ten years. His high sense of stewardship has been shown in every pastoral charge which he has held and also in all other relations of life, the while his be- nignant influence has touched most helpfully the general communal life in, every place that has figured as the stage of his earnest and prolific endeavors. There are many points of surpassing interest in both his personal and ancestral history and he takes pride in being a scion of one of the sterling old colonial fam- ilies of New England, that gracious cradle of much of our national history. Mr. Clark plays a large part in the community life of Beatrice, aside from his ecclesiastical func- tions, and for this reason, as well as on ac- count of his being the spiritual and executive head of one of the important church organi- zations of the city, he is specially entitled to the tribute which is perpetuated through the medium of this publication.

Rev. Victor Fremont Clark was born at West Haven, Rutland county, Vermont, on the 20th of August, 1856, and is a son of Rev. Elipha Lyman Clark and Nancy (Mun- ger) Clark, both natives of Whiting, Addison county, Vermont, where the former was born February 27, 1813, and the latter on the 6th of March, 1815. The father died in April, 1873, and the gracious and devoted wife and mother passed to the life eternal in the following year, both having been representatives of honored and influential pioneer families of the old Green Mountain state. Rev. Elipha L. Clark, a man of fine intellectuality and exalted char- acter, as a youth prepared himself for the legal profession and was admitted to the bar of his native state. After having been for a time engaged in the practice of law he fol-

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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 58

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