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 79

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 79

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

ties, but also for their acknowledged worth of character. He was a kindly, good man, sin- cerely and devoutly religious, a lifelong mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. Though unassuming, and unambitious of worldly fame and favor, he was a good busi- ness man, extremely useful to his community, highly honored, and exerted a wholesome influ- ence wherever he was known. He was well informed, a genial companion, a most kind husband and father, a charitable and helpful neighbor, a true, good friend. Mrs. Rachael Kilpatrick also came of religious stock. Her father, David Thompson, was a long-time member of the United Brethren church and was a minister of the Gospel. Her early life was spent in an atmosphere of piety and re- ligious enthusiasm, and there was probably never a conscious moment of her life when she was not dominated by the deep forces of the Christian religion. Her charities were large. She not only gave liberally to the church of which she was a member, but also stretched a helping hand to the poor and needy. She, with Mrs. Nathan Blakely, many years ago donated to Centenary Methodist Episcopal church of Beatrice the fine pipe organ now in use there, and in many other ways she demonstrated the natural benevolence of her heart. She died the object of the love and veneration of her stal- wart sons and of the affection and profound respect of a host of relatives and friends.

The firm known as Kilpatrick Brothers and the corporation described as Kilpatrick Bros. & Collins Contracting Company, originated with John David Kilpatrick, and may be said to date from his old freighting days along the Oregon Trail from Missouri river points west to the Rocky mountains. From his youth he was engaged in this adventurous business and was a well known figure amongst the traders, freighters, emigrants, gold-seekers, and over- land stage drivers who thronged that great highway in the early history of the west. When the Union Pacific Railway was under construction across the state in 1867-68-69, he, with a string of teams, engaged for two years in this work, which he continued until connec- tion was made between the Union Pacific and

Central Pacific Railway lines at Promontory Point, state of Utah, where he witnessed the driving of the golden spike, May 10, 1869, which signalled the completion of the first transcontinental railway line in North Amer- ica. That same year he moved his grading outfit to Kansas, then to Arkansas, then to Louisiana and Texas. In each of these states he engaged in railroad construction work, and in the city of Galveston he was employed by the municipal corporation in building docks and grading the streets. He built, under con- tract, for the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Rail- road Company, the first sixty-five miles of track north from Galveston, which included a bridge across Galveston Bay, and this was the only railroad bridge at Galveston that survived the great disaster of 1900. With his associates he built the Tremont House, a six-story, brick hotel covering a fourth of a block in the city of Galveston. Such, indeed, were his activities that by the time he was thirty years of age he was one of the best known contractors and business men of the south. In 1879 he re- turned to Nebraska and formed the co-partner- ship of Kilpatrick Brothers, at that time com- posed of himself, and his brothers William H .. Robert J., and Samuel D. Kilpatrick. As rail- road contractors the firm was immediately suc- cessful. That same year it obtained a contract for the grading of the Union Pacific Railway line from Oketo, Kansas, to Beatrice, and for building the bridges and laying the track on this line from Marysville to Beatrice.

In 1882 the Union Pacific Railway Company undertook the construction of what is known as the Oregon Short Line, extending from the town of Granger, Wyoming, to Portland, Ore- gon, and Kilpatrick Brothers obtained a con- tract covering the construction of two hundred sixty-four miles of this important line of rail- way. The work carried the railroad line across the lava beds of southern Idaho, through the Rocky, Sierra and Coast Range mountains, and was in those days a most difficult feat of railroad construction. But under the manage- ment of John David Kilpatrick the firm's con- tract was performed with such care, skill and ability as to lay the foundation of the Kilpat-

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

rick Brothers' fortunes. By 1886 the firm had graded approximately six hundred thirty-two miles of railroad lines, located in Texas, Ne- braska, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kansas, and Illi- nois.

In 1886 Kilpatrick Brothers associated with themselves C. W. Collins, of Brooklyn, New York, in a copartnership known as Kilpatrick Bros. & Collins. Mr. Collins was then an active young man with considerable experience as a railroad contractor and a wide acquaint- ance with railroad officials. This new firm was successful from the first, and a period of great activity ensued in railroad construction. In 1891, after the death of John David Kilpatrick, Kilpatrick Bros. & Collins organized a corpor- ation known as Kilpatrick Bros. & Collins Con- tracting Company. These organizations and Kilpatrick Brothers, the partnership in which the brothers were the only members, continued in railroad construction for sixteen years, dur- ing which time they held construction con- tracts covering 3,339.07 miles of railroad, for which they received $31,363,947.08. In addi- tion to their railroad contracts they put in thir- ty-four miles of water pipe lines for the Union Pacific and the Colorado & Southern Rail- roads, for which they were paid $88,315.99; and constructed reservoirs for two privately owned irrigation and development companies, and a reservoir and tunnel for the United States government, for all which they received $326,970.56.

Amongst other activities these companies discovered and opened a great coal field in the state of Wyoming. They induced the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company to ex- tend its line of railroad from Alliance, Nebras- ka, to these coal fields, a distance of one hun- dred sixty-five miles, and in December, 1889, was loaded the first coal train at their mines. This industry resulted in the founding of the towns of Newcastle and Cambria, Wyoming. In 1910 the coal mines, with their equipment, were sold by Kilpatrick Brothers, who, by the retirement of Mr. Collins, in 1902, had suc- ceeded to all the rights of Kilpatrick Bros. & Collins and Kilpatrick Bros. & Collins Con-

tracting Company. These mines are to-day in successful operation and have been the source of a tremendous output of coal.

Mention has been made of the retirement of Mr. Collins from the copartnership and the corporation in which he was associated with the Kilpatrick Brothers. This association had lasted for sixteen years, all of which had been crowded with important business. On his re- tirement, in 1902, his interests were purchased by his associates, and the records of these con- cerns were in such perfect condition that this transfer was completed within an hour, to the satisfaction of all persons concerned.

The immense labors performed by the Kil- patrick Brothers and their associates in busi- ness, offer mute but most convincing evidence of their energy and courage. As railroad con- tractors of integrity and ability they are known over all the west, from the Missouri river to the Pacific coast.

In addition to their railroad construction work, the Kilpatrick Brothers have for many years been engaged in the business of farming and stock-raising. Since 1917 they have de- voted their attention exclusively to these inter- ests. They own farming and grazing lands in Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, Idaho, Ore- gon, and Texas. At present they are farming over six thousand acres of land, and the re- mainder of their extensive holdings is used for grazing purposes. William, Robert, and Davenport own beautiful homes in the city of Beatrice. The youngest brother, Josephus M., lives on the old family homestead, in a beautiful modern mansion. In addition to their homes in this city, they have for many years owned the old stone building at the cor- ner of Fifth and Court streets, erected in the early '70s by Blakely, Reynolds & Townsend, pioneer merchants of Beatrice, and to this they have built an extensive brick addition on the rear, to the alley. They own also a splen- did office building at the corner of Fifth and Ella streets, which, besides furnishing them with commodious offices, is occupied by the Elks Club and the Beatrice Commercial Club, and is one of the most used and necessary buildings in the city. Outside of the Beatrice

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property here mentioned, they own but little city or town propery anywhere.

In 1877, John David Kilpatrick married Miss Jennie Kane, at Galveston, Texas. Two children were born of this marriage, John David and Ray M. Kilpatrick. The son died in New York, many years ago. The daughter became the wife of John P. Cook and now re- sides with her husband in New York city.

Henry Clay Kilpatrick, on March 14, 1875, married Miss Charlotte Wands, and moved at once to the Thayer county farm, where he re- sided until his death, May 11, 1902. Twelve children were the fruit of this marriage. Ten, with their mother, still survive.

William Hamilton Kilpatrick, on the 4th day of June, 1890, at Roseville, Illinois, led to the marriage altar Miss Margaret E. Nisley. They are the parents of a son, William H. Kilpatrick, Jr., and a daughter, Rachael E., now the wife of Leonard Purdy, a promising young business man of Beatrice. The son is serving his coun- try in France as a sergeant in the quartermas- ters department of the expeditionary army of the United States.

Robert Jackson Kilpatrick, on the 28th day of December, 1881, at Beatrice, married Ma- rian D. Jones, who for several years had been a teacher in the city schools of Beatrice. They are the parents of two daughters, Adelaide D., now the wife of Irving C. Hancock, of Chi- cago, Illinois, and Katherine R., the wife of C. L. Sherwood, an employe of the Beatrice National Bank.

Samuel Davenport Kilpatrick, on the 28th day of September, 1898, at Beatrice, married Miss Mary Bradt, a member of a pioneer fam- ily of Gage county.

Josephus M. Kilpatrick, on the 20th day of September, 1892, at Brownville, Nebraska, married Miss Augusta Meitz. To them have been born a daughter, Augusta, wife of Clar- ence W. Graff, and two sons, John J. and Clarence Kilpatrick, both now in the service of their country. - John as a first-class truck driver, Company D, Eighth Train, while Clar- ence is in the United States navy, Fourth Divi- sion, on board the ship North Carolina.

It will be readily conceded by all who are

familiar with their history that Kilpatrick Brothers have made for themselves a large place in the world of work as well as in the world of finance. No other family or organi- zation of Gage county, or perhaps in the state of Nebraska, has a more enviable record of usefulness and of things achieved. They have performed vast labors and acquired large pos- sessions by methods which will bear the closest scrutiny. Beginning with the career of the oldest brother, the generous and courtly John D. Kilpatrick, and continuing through the long years, they have maintained a high standard of integrity and efficiency. Their phenomenal success has been due in part to careful, sys- tematic business methods; in part to a keen, discriminating knowledge of men; but more than all else, perhaps, to an unbounded loyalty and confidence in each other, enabling them to act, in the gravest affairs of life, as one man. This brotherhood has never palled or weak- ened ; it is not subject to fluctuation or change. Singly any one of its members might have carved out for himself a conspicuous place in the world; collectively they have proved in- vincible.

JOSEPH H. RAMSEY. - There is no dearth of interesting data in the personal and ancestral record of this sterling pioneer citi- zen, who has been a resident of Gage county for nearly forty years and who, after having been long and successfully identified with productive agricultural and live-stock indus- try in Filley township, is now living retired in his attractive home at 1220 Elk street in tlie city of Beatrice. Enduring distinction must ever attach to the name of Mr. Ramsey for the gallant service which he gave as a youth- ful soldier of the Union in the Civil war, for few lived up more fully to the tension of that great conflict, or endured a greater quota of hardships and perils. Again, few have had more varied and intimate experience in con- nection with pioneer life, for he was but a child at the time when his parents became pioneer settlers in Iowa, about the time of the admission of that state to the Union, so that he was literally reared under the conditions

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and influences of the frontier. Adverting to the genealogy of Mr. Ramsey, it may be said that he is a scion of families that were founded in Virginia in the colonial period of our national history, his mother having been a member of one of the patrician and influ- ential families of the Old Dominion and her father having offered her as her marriage dowery either a certain number of slaves or a stipulated sum of money. Though she had been 'reared under the influences of the insti- tution of slavery she was averse to the same as a young woman, long before the historic abolition movement culminated in the Civil war. Thus it was but natural that her son Joseph should prove in no uncertain way his loyalty to the Union when was precipitated the war between the states of the north and the south.

Joseph H. Ramsey was born in Washing- ton county, Missouri, on the 31st of January, 1843, and is a son of Joseph and Jane ( Berry ) Ramsey, both natives of Washington county, Virginia, where they were reared to adult age, their marriage having been solemnized at Abingdon, that county. Within a short time after their marriage the parents of Mr. Ramsey established their residence in Wash- ington county, Missouri, but in the late '40s they removed to Iowa and became early set- tlers of Appanoose county, where the father obtained government land and developed a productive farm, besides which it is supposed that he there found more or less demand for his services as a skilled millwright. He was one of the substantial and popular citizens of Appanoose county and there he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, her death occurring in 1868 and he having passed away in 1878. They became the parents of three sons and seven daughters, the subject of this sketch being the youngest of the number, and of the others one daughter is living in 1918.

Joseph H. Ramsey was a child of two years at the time of the family removal to Iowa Territory, and there he was reared under the influences of the pioneer farm, the while he made good use of the advantages of the common schools of the locality. He was

eighteen years old at the inception of the Civil war and promptly manifested his youth- ful patriotism by enlisting, on the 30th of August, 1861, as a member of Company I, Third Iowa Cavalry. He was stationed with his command at Benton Barracks, Missouri, until the following January, and his first active field service was in the. southwestern part of that state, where his command came in spirited contact, at Pea Ridge, with In- dians who were under Confederate influence and direction. Within a short time there- after his regiment joined the forces under General Curtis and became involved in almost constant skirmishing while proceeding down the White river to its mouth. Thereafter the Third Iowa Cavalry took part in the first at- tack on Vicksburg and the battle at Jackson, Mississippi, whence they continued to Can- ton and then marched thirteen consecutive days and nights, with Memphis, Tennessee, as the objective point. In the fall of 1862 Mr. Ramsey was with the force that repelled the Confederate forces and cut them off from Holly Springs, at the time when General Grant was pressing against the enemy at Helena, Arkansas, in the same campaign, and. in this connection he rode on his horse a dis- tance of seventy-five miles in a single night. He was present during the entire siege of Vicksburg and thereafter took part in im- portant conflicts with the enemy at Memphis and Little Rock. Near the latter place he thereafter was assigned with his regiment to the guarding of army supplies and outposts extending for a distance of twenty-five miles, until the spring of 1864, when he and his comrades of Company I received a furlough of thirty days. Within this period, and at the time of his visit to his home in Iowa, Mr. Ramsey further fortified himself for re- sponsibility, as, on the 4th of March, 1864, he wedded Miss Sarah J. Evans, a daughter of Jesse and Mary (Ferguson) Evans, who were natives of Pennsylvania and who settled in Appanoose county, Iowa, in 1858, the death of the loved wife and mother having occurred the same year and the father having passed the closing period of his life in Ham-

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ilton county, Nebraska. Though his term of enlistment had expired, Mr. Ramsey and a number of his comrades from Appanoose county promptly re-enlisted as veterans, and ten days after his marriage he set forth to rejoin his regiment, which was then encamped . at Memphis, Tennessee. On the 1st of the following June the command received march- ing orders and after arriving at Ripley, Mississippi, Mr. Ramsey's company, with one other, was sent forth to collect forage for the horses, and in pursuance of this duty they en- countered a Confederate battery. This pre- cipitated activities on the part of the general command, which took up the line of march about noon on the 10th of June. In the meanwhile General Forrest had brought his Confederate forces into a desperate battle at Brice's Crossroads, Mississippi, where he had gained a decisive victory. While with his company engaged in protecting supplies on retreat Mr. Ramsey and his comrades were captured by the enemy, and incidental to this experience the following interesting record has been given: "While surrounded by the enemy Mr. Ramsey and his comrades made a dash for liberty, putting spurs to their horses and breaking for the woods. Being unable to cross the streams with their horses, they turned the animals loose and, after throwing away their heavy carbines, they traveled four nights, secreting themselves and resting dur- ing the days. When near White Station, Tennessee, Mr. Ramsey, with twenty-four of his comrades, was captured by the enemy, and he was then taken to Andersonville, where he remained incarcerated in the historic and odious Andersonville Prison until the fall of Atlanta. Here he endured all the horrors and sufferings which gave to that Confederate prison its infamous place in history, and after the capture of Atlanta he was transferred with other prisoners of war to Florence, in the northern part of South Carolina, where he encountered hardships no less strenuous than those of Andersonville. On the 31st of Janu -. ary, 1865, the twenty-second anniversary of his birth, Mr. Ramsey was delirious from the suffering of hunger and thirst, and he con-

tinued in this deplorable state for fifteen days, at the expiration of which he, with others, was taken to Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he was kept under guard until Febru- ary 26th, when he and his equally unfortunate comrades were released, through exchange. Such was his physical emaciation and debility that he was carried by one of his comrades to the hospital at Wilmington, South Carolina, and he still had strength to realize the bliss of freedom, feeling that he had escaped, as it were, from the inferno to paradise."

After sufficiently recuperating his wasted energies to make this possible. Mr. Ramsey proceeded to Annapolis, Maryland. Later he was located at St. Louis for thirty days and he was at Atlanta, Georgia, at the time when he received his honorable discharge, on the 22d of August, 1865. He then returned to his home and his young bride, in Appanoose county, Iowa. There he finally rented land and engaged in farm enterprise, but about two years later he removed to Taylor county, that state, where he continued his zealous activities as an agriculturist for the ensuing twelve years. In March. 1880, after having disposed of his property in Iowa, Mr. Ramsey came to Gage county, Nebraska, where, in the follow- ing June, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Section 34, Filley township. He and his family used their wagon as an abiding place until he could erect on his wild prairie farm a temporary house, the same hav- ing been a mere shanty, twelve by twenty feet in dimensions. In the following autumn he erected a good frame house on the place, and he then turned his attention vigorously to re- claiming and developing his land, which he eventually transformed into one of the val- uable and well improved farms of this section of the state. He became a most progressive and successful exponent of agricultural and live-stock industry and with increasing pros- perity he showed his excellent judgment by adding materially to the area of his landed estate. He purchased an entire half section of land-one hundred and sixty acres in Holt township and the adjoining tract of equal area in Midland township. He thus found

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ample scope for the concrete expression of his vital energy and progressiveness, and he de- veloped his large property into one of the best of the landed estates of Gage county. In his activities Mr. Ramsey proved a veritable incarnation of energy and progressiveness, and not until about 1905 did he consent to leave the farm and abate his strenuous labors. At that time he removed to Beatrice, but soon the life of inactivity palled upon him and he returned to the farm. There he applied him- self with characteristic vigor until 1912, when he came to a realization that both consistency and expediency justified his retirement from the responsibilities and labors that had long been his portion, and at this juncture he was fortunate in being able to purchase a hand- some and recently erected house of modern design and facilities - his present attractive residence in the city of Beatrice, where his wife proves a most gracious and popular chatelaine of a home that is at all times ready to extend hospitable welcome to their host of friends. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1914 and the occasion was made one notable in the so- cial annals of Gage county. In the summer of 1917 they made a most pleasing visit to the old home in Appanoose county, Iowa, where Mr. Ramsey attended a reunion of his old comrades of the Civil war and renewed the more gracious memories and associations of his military career as a youthful soldier of the Civil war. He further vitalizes these associa- tions through his affiliation with Rawlins Post, No. 36, Grand Army of the Republic, at Beatrice. He holds membership also in the Masonic fraternity and he and his wife have been for many years active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1903 Mr. Ramsey was a member of the Nebraska legis- lature, and in this connection it is specially worthy of note that he introduced and ably championed what was known as the farmers' elevator bill, a most valuable measure that came to successful enactment.

Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey became the parents of eight children, two of whom died, in early childhood, while the family home was main-

tained in Taylor county, Iowa, besides which Charles, a lad of fourteen years, was killed by lightning, in 1883, about two years after the family removal to Gage county. Frank K. is now a resident of Riverside, California ; Min- nie is the wife of B. P. Wood, a successful farmer of Holt township; Merrill is a resident of Petersburg, Texas; and Ralph and Roy maintain their home in the city of Beatrice. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey enjoy the best of health and find the gracious twilight of their long and devoted companionship to be com- passed by most cheering environment and the filial solicitude of their sons and daughters, the company of friends who are tried and true, the while they count themselves favored indeed in that they have seventeen grand- children.

ANDREW J. JAMISON .- One of the representative farmers of Elm township who has by strict attendance to his farming inter- ests become one of the progressive citizens of Gage county is Andrew J. Jamison, whose life review follows.

Andrew Jackson Jamison was born May 23, 1867, in Greene county, Indiana, the county which saw the birth of his parents, Isaac and Caroline (Burcham) Jamison ; the former was born in 1842 and died in 1882; the latter was born in 1848 and in her natal state she married Isaac Jamison, to which marriage seven children were born. The eldest is Andrew Jackson, the subject of this review; Jane is the widow of W. Heaton; Isaac is a farmer of Elm township; Roxy Ann is the wife of A. Bland, living at Terre Haute, Indiana; John is farming in Elm township ; the address of Seymour is un- known ; William is living at Bicknell, Indiana. Mrs. Isaac Jamison, after her husband's death, married John Turley and by this mar- riage two children were born, George, of Lin- coln, Nebraska, and Otis, of Bicknell, In- diana. John Turley was a native of Indiana ' and is now deceased. Mrs. Jamison-Turley makes her home in Linton, Indiana.

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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 79

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