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 90

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 90

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In 1897 Mr. Gronewold wedded Miss Anna Gerdes, who was born in Germany, where her parents, John and Freda Gerdes, passed their entire lives. Mrs. Gronewold was fourteen years of age when she came to the United States in company with an uncle and her sis- ter Tena. Mr. and Mrs. Gronewold have four children, all of whom remain at the parental home: Anna, Jennie, John, and Freda.

JAMES B. ZUVER, manager of the Farm- ers' Elevator Company at Adams, Gage coun- ty, is a native of this county, his birth having occurred in Hooker township, on March 11, 1871. His father, George W. Zuver, was born at Wooster, Ohio, December 6, 1846. When ten years of age George W. Zuver accompan- ied his parents, Solomon and Julia Zuver, to Iowa, and the home was established at Mason City, where Solomon Zuver conducted a hotel. George W. Zuver crossed the plains in 1864 and successfully engaged in mining in Idaho Territory. Returning to Iowa, Mr. Zuver was in business with his father until 1867, when he came to Nebraska and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, on Section 15, Hooker township, Gage county. He was

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HISTORY OF GAGE COUNTY, NEBRASKA

a successful farmer and one of the early set- tlers of Gage county, where he experienced the grasshopper scourge and other pioneer con- ditions. Mr. Zuver invested in land in Kan- sas and Missouri and for a time lived in each of these states. Returning to Gage county, he farmed until 1894, when he sold out and went to Louisiana. Ten months later he set- tled in Hall county, Nebraska. In 1909 Mr. Zuver moved to St. Paul, Nebraska, and after remaining there a short time he located at Geneva, Nebraska, where he now makes his home. In the year 1915 he lived at Beatrice.

The maiden name of the mother of James B. Zuver was Martha J. Hillman. She was born in Pennsylvania, January 5, 1850, a daughter of John and Eliza Jane Hillman, who came to Nebraska Territory in 1855 and established their home in Gage county. Here Mrs. Zuver was reared and educated under the condition of the early pioneer era. On June 5, 1870, in Hooker township, was solemnized her mar- riage to George W. Zuver and they now main- tain their home at Geneva, Fillmore county, this state.

James B. Zuver is the oldest in a family of five children: Julia Bryson lives at Grand Is- land, Nebraska; Mrs. L. Dye resides at Le- Mars, Missouri, and Sarah and Clarence are with their parents at Geneva, Nebraska.

The subject of this record was reared on a farm in Gage county. He attended district school and supplemented this with a course in the Beatrice Business College, and the Lin- coln Normal School. He graduated in the last named institution and taught school and farmed in Gage county until 1908, when he helped to organize the Farmers' Elevator Com- pany at Adams, becoming president of that institution, and later being made manager, which position he now holds.

On October 18, 1894, Mr. Zuver was united in marriage to Miss Laura E. Jewell, a native of monmouth, Illinois, and a daughter of Wil- liam and Emma (Wonderly) Jewell, who set- tled in Gage county, Nebraska, in 1877. The mother now makes her home at Adams. Mr. and Mrs. Zuver became the parents of nine children: Floyd S. is in the national army

and is now located at Camp Cody, New Mex- ico, in the spring of 1918; Fern is deceased; Violet, Daisy, George, Orvil, and Myrtle re- main at the parental home; and Pansy is de- ceased.

Mr. Zuver takes an active interest in the civic affairs of Adams, is chairman of the town council, and a member of the school board, and he is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica.

THOMAS R. CALLAN is a well known hardware and implement dealer of Odell, Ne- braska. Perhaps no other man coming to Odell in the early days has kept in such close per- sonal touch with the farmers and the farming development of his community as has Thomas R. Callan. He came to Odell in the early '80s, when farming implements were of a dif- ferent character and of less help to the farmer than the modern labor-saving machinery of to-day. The life story of a self-made man is always interesting, being ever an inspiration to the younger generation, who are by his example prompted to greater efforts and sacri- fice to make good in their chosen work. It is fitting we should have the life story of this pioneer merchant, who has conducted a thriv- ing and ever expanding hardware and imple- ment business at Odell for the past thirty-five years.

Mr. Callan was born August 21, 1856, in Garrett county, Maryland, and is a son of John and Ellen (Hoffman) Callan. John Callan was born in Ireland, received the education which his time and country afforded, and upon coming to the United States he settled in Mary- land. He was employed as a collector and al- so became the editor of a local newspaper. When only thirty-two years of age he was taken away from his wife and family, his death having occurred in 1860. The maiden name of his wife was Ellen Hoffman. Five chil- dren came to bless their union. Ellen (Hoff- man) Callan was born in 1838, in Maryland; after her husband's death she, with her family of small children, removed to Illinois, where in 1867, she became the wife of Samuel Stan-

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ton. He was a farmer and was born in Mary- daughter of John and Rose Stitzel. both de- land. Four children were born to this union. ceased. Mrs. Ellen Stanton lived to a good old age, In Paddock township Thomas Callan has a well improved farm of eighty acres, which he purchased in 1901. He has made various im- provements on his farm setting out trees, etc. going to her reward in 1898. She was a faith- ful member of the Methodist church. Two sons, David Callan, living at Chicago, Illinois, and Thomas R., with whom this sketch di- rectly deals, are the only children of the first marriage who survive her.

Thomas Callan was eleven years old, when he went with his mother to Illinois and located on his step-father's farm. He attended the rural schools of his district. In 1878 he en- tered the Northwestern College at Fulton, Illi- nois, and afterward he taught school for one term. He then worked as a farm hand for William Uhl, a hardware merchant. Mr. Uhl soon realized the aptitude of his young farm employe and soon had him back of his coun- ter, selling hardware. This incident happened in 1880, in Dixon, Illinois, and was the turn- ing point in Mr. Callan's life. He grasped opportunity to so great an extent that in 1883 he came to Odell, Nebraska, and opened a hardware business for himself. For virtually thirty-five years he has remained in the present location and successfully conducted his bus- iness.

Mr. Callan was married January 1, 1884, to Lillian Stitzel. Two sons and two daughters have come to bless this happy marriage. They have given their two sons, in the present na- tional crisis, to aid in "making the world safe for democracy." The first born is John S., who was postmaster at Odell when he entered the nation's military service. He was located at Jackson, Florida, in the quartermaster's de- partment of the United States Army, until he went with his command to France. Ruth is the wife of Vern Benson, of Sioux City, Iowa, her husband being a railroad mail clerk. Madge is a teacher at Tobias. Nebraska. Richard was at the Jackson ( Florida) cantonment until he went with his regiment to France. These children all name Odell as their birthplace and have all received the advantages of the public schools of their native place. The mother of this interesting family. Lillian (Stitzel) Callan, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1858, and is a

In 1917 Mr. Callan erected at Odell a thor- oughly modern automobile garage, in which he is able to meet the needs of his patrons. This electric-lighted, steam-heated building is fifty by one hundred feet in dimensions, and in the same are all the conveniences which modern science can give for the efficiency of motor-car service. Mr. Callan is the local agent for the well known Ford automobile. He has taken a more or less active interest in Democratic politics, and has served in municipal offices at Odell, as well as a member of the school board. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and his wife is an active member of the Christian church.

MARTIN L. KORS first came to the state of Nebraska in 1883, and for more than twenty years he has been one of the leading merchants and representative citizens of the Gage county metropolis. He has built up a large and pros- perous grocery business, with an establishment of modern equipment and facilities, and the substantial and important business is now con- ducted under the firm title of M. L. Kors & Son.

Mr. Kors was born in Cass county, Illinois, November 11, 1848, and is a son of Henry F. and Margaret (Filiner) Kors, both natives of Germany. Henry F. Kors was born in the province of Hanover, Germany, Decem- ber 31, 1804, his death liaving occurred in 1869. In 1836 he came to America and estab- lished his home in Illinois, and he invested in property in the now prosperous and vital little city of Beardstown, where his marriage was solemnized. He was a skilled workman at the trade of plasterer and followed the same in Ill- inois until his death. His first wife became the mother of four children, all of whom are now deceased, and of the seven children of his second marriage only two are now living, Martin L., of this review, and George E., a

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prosperous agriculturist and stock-grower near Humboldt, Richardson county, Nebraska.

Henry F. Kors aligned himself as a loyal supporter of the cause of the Republican party, was a man of strong convictions and sterling character, and both he and his wife were earn- est communicants of the Lutheran church.

Martin L. Kors acquired his early educa- tion in the graded schools of Illinois, and as a youth he there served a thorough apprentice- ship to the trade of tinsmith. As a skilled artisan he continued to follow his trade until 1877, and 1883 engaged in the tinner's business at Beatrice, in which city he had established his home that year. He has shown marked discrimination and progressiveness as a mer- chant. Efficiency of service and personal pop- ularity having been the principal factors in insuring his success. His first store in Be- atrice was established on the west side of the city, but he soon removed to the central retail district and since February 10, 1898, he has conducted his business at the present location, on Thirteenth and Court streets. In 1909 he admitted to partnership his son, Walter H., and since that time the enterprise has been conducted under the firm name of M. L. Kors & Son.

November 28, 1883, recorded the marriage of Mr. Kors to Miss Sophia M. Hackman, who was born and reared in Cass county, Illi- nois, a daughter of John F. Hackman, who was a native of Germany and became an early settler and prosperous farmer in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Kors have two children: Ethel M., who was graduated in the Beatrice high school in 1904, remains at the parental home and is a popular factor in the representative social ac- tivities of her home city, and Walter H., who is associated with his father in business, is more specifically mentioned in the following paragraph :

Walter H. Kors, junior member of the firm of M. L. Kors & Son, was born at Beatrice, February 14, 1887, and here received his early education in the public schools. As a youth he began to assist in the work of his father's store, in which he continued his activities as an efficient and popular salesman until he was

admitted to partnership in the business, in 1909, since which time he has continued as his father's valued coadjutor in the management of the large and prosperous business. He is one of the progressive and public-spirited business men of the younger generation in Beatrice, has been a member of the city's volunteer fire department for fully fifteen years, is a Repub- lican in politics, is affiliated with the Tribe of Ben Hur and he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1911 Mr. Kors wedded Miss Mamie Wolf, who was born in Blakely township, this county, where her parents, Ma- rion F. and Lydia V. (Graves) Wolf, settled in the pioneer days. Mr. and Mrs. Kors have two children - Robert Walter, born Decem- ber 12, 1912, and Lois Ethel, born November 7, 1913.

Martin L. Kors has not confined his senti- ment and action to mere personal advancement but has at all times stood sponsor for civic loy- alty and progressiveness. He has served three terms as a member of the county board of supervisors and for a long period of years as a valued member of the Beatrice board of edu- cation, of which he was president three terms. His political allegiance is given to the Repub- lican party, he is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and he and his family hold member- ship in the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1905 Mr. Kors erected his beautiful and mod- ern residence, on East Court street, and the same is a home known for its gracious hospital- ity and good cheer. The son, Walter H., like- wise erected an attractive home, in 1911, and upon his marriage he and his wife there estab- iished their residence.

FRANK R. SHELLEY, who is now presi- dent and general manager of the Northwestern Business College, in the city of Beatrice, and whose vigorous and well ordered policies are greatly enhancing the usefulness of this ex- cedent institution, is a scion, in the third gen- eration, of one of the honored pioneer families of Gage county, where the paternal grand- father settled about five years prior to the ad- mission of Nebraska to statehood. On other pages adequate review of the family history is

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given in the sketch dedicated to the late James W. Shelley, father of the subject of this arti- cle, and thus a repetition of the data is not here demanded.

Frank R. Shelley was born in Rockford township, this county, March 7, 1891, and is a son of James W. and Mary (Bailey) Shelley. His preliminary education was acquired in the district schools and thereafter, depending largely on himself to provide the necessary incidental expenses, he completed a course in the Beatrice high school, in which he was grad- uated as a member of the class of 1912. Am- bitious and indefatigable as a student, Mr. Shelley later applied himself with characteristic diligence to regular courses of study in a leading correspondence school and he has car- ried his studies forward to the point where he is entitled to the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In this connection he studied both law and salesmanship, besides taking specific efficiency courses that have tended to mature his powers along constructive and executive lines. Mr. Shelley devoted one year to teaching district. school and then became clerk in a grocery store. Finally he was made manager of a mercantile establishment at Tecumseh, Johnson county, and after his retirement from this position he became a salesman of memberships in the Northwestern Business College. After eigh- teen months of successful work in this capacity he purchased, in February, 1916, an interest in this excellent institution, which is incorporat- ed under the laws of Nebraska and of which he has been president and general manager since April 1, 1917. The school had fallen somewhat below standard in its work and man- agement when he assumed the management of its affairs and he has successfully applied his energies in bringing maximum efficiency into all departments of the school work, in making the institution a valuable adjunct to practical and effective educational work in this section of the state and in so exploiting the school as to gain to it a substantial and appreciative supporting patronage. In the college is re- tained a corps of well qualified instructors, the material facilities and general accessories are of the best standard, and Mr. Shelley has

formulated and carried forward an advertising campaign that is resulting in greatly increasing the enrollment of students - of which depart- ment of the executive service he has had per- sonal charge. An enthusiast in his work and in making his school a medium for practical education, the development of efficiency and the upbuilding of character, he has been in- strumental in making the Northwestern Bus- iness College a prosperous and worthy institu- tion. He is president also of Fairbury Busi- ness College, at Fairbury, Nebraska. A young man of vital energy and ambition, he recog- nizes no such word as failure, and in his pres- ent field of endeavor he has found ample scope for achievement of high value. In politics he is aligned in the ranks of the Republican party, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Shelley is now (spring of 1918) in the government employ at Waco, Texas, where he is serving as a clerk in the aviation corps.

January 31, 1917, recorded the marriage of Mr. Shelley to Miss Eva L. Knox, daughter of C. D. Knox, of this county, and they are popular figures in the representative social life of the Gage county metropolis.

PETER E. BENSON. - In Greek mythol- ogy the Fates are three goddesses who are supposed to influence the destinies of men. One goddess draws out the threads of life, the second weaves the dark and light threads, and the third takes her shears and clips off the ends. There would seem to be a grain of truth in this superstitution as we look at the warp and woof in the lives of men. It looks as though fate rather than self had made us the individuals we are. But, nevertheless, we are confronted by the fact that we are the creatures of chance, in that other individual lives have influenced our own. Their actions have had much to do with ours and Mr. Peter F. Benson is con- fronted with the fact that his living in this land of opportunity is an attendant result of his brother, Fred Benson, having immigrated to this country some years previously. To speak in a chronological manner, Peter E. Ben- son was born in Denmark, April 10, 1848,

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and is the son of Neils and Mary Benson. Neils Benson was born January 21, 1804, and taught school in his native land ; his death oc- curred in March, 1888. His wife was born February 24, 1819, and died in 1904. They were the parents of twelve children, four of whom make their home in their native land, the others are deceased with the exception of Peter E. Benson, of this sketch.

In 1868 Fred Benson, the brother of Peter, left his native land and came to the United States. He worked as a laborer for some time and in 1878 he came to Gage county, Ne- braska, and purchased land. Here he re- mained until his death, in 1892. As stated above, the coming of Mr. Benson's brother to the United States had much to do with his de- cision to come also. When he came, in 1872, he landed in New Jersey, where he was em- ployed in a brickyard; from 1874 to 1875 he worked in the South Manchester silk mills, in Connecticut, and he then went to Ohio, where he worked as a farm hand.

September 25, 1875, in Cleveland, Ohio, Pe- ter Benson married Anna Peterson. This mar- riage was the culmination of a romance start- ed while Mr. Benson was working in New Jer- sey. His wife is a native of Denmark, born November 3, 1852, and upon coming to this country she settled in New Jersey, her mother joining her after a few years.

After the marriage of these young people they moved to Clinton county, Iowa, where Mr. Benson was employed in a saw mill. Af- ter ten years of residence there he came to Gage county and rented the present farm from his brother Fred. After his brother's death, the property became his own and he has con- tinned to do a general farming business. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ben- son, five of whom are living: Anna M., is a school teacher at Columbus, Nebraska ; she was educated in the high school of Odell and the Peru Normal. Charles E., sociological exam- iner in the service of United States, is located at Camp Greenleaf, Georgia. He was at one time professor of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, schools and of the high school of Kearney, Ne- braska. His education was received at the Ne-

braska State University and the Nebraska State Normal School at Peru. He is married to Miss Lulu Linder, of Upland, Nebraska. The next child is Rosa C., wife of John E. Hay- worth, living at Omaha, Nebraska. Amelia is the wife of Fisher Musser, living at Fairbury, Nebraska. Fred C., a teacher, remains at the parental home. Mr. Benson has given his children the best of educational advantages and they are taking their places in the world's work in a highly satisfactory manner.

Mr. Benson in politics is an independent Republican. He has never sought any politi- cal honors, being content to devote his time to his home and family.

ALDEN C. BRADLEY. - In the city of Beatrice, the attractive metropolis and judicial center of Gage county, a portion of which municipality occupies land once owned by his father, Mr. Bradley is giving efficient service as a mail carrier, and he is one of the well known and distinctly popular citizens of the county that has represented his home since he was a lad of twelve years.

Mr. Bradley was born in LaPorte county, Indiana, on the 6th of January, 1860, and is a son of Taylor and Emily C. Bradley, the for- mer of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Indiana, where her parents settled in the pioneer period of the history of the fine old Hoosier commonwealth. In Indiana, Tay- lor Bradley continued to be associated with agricultural industry until 1864, when he came with his family to the west and became one of the early pioneer settlers of Nebraska Terri- tory. He established his home in the village of Fort Calhoun, Washington county, where he continued his activities as a miller until 1873. He then removed to Gage county, where he obtained a tract of land and instituted the reclamation and development of a farm. He was successful in his activities during the pass- ing years and a portion of the land once owned by him is now included within the corporate limits of the city of Beatrice, as previously stated in this context. Both he and his wife continued their residence in Gage county until their death, and their names merit place on the

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enduring roster of the honored pioneers of the county.

Alden C. Bradley was but four years of age at the time of the family removal to Nebraska Territory, and thus he early gained experience in connection with the conditions and influ- ences of the pioneer days. His youthful edu- cation was acquired in the schools of Wash- ington and Gage counties, and he continued his allegiance to the great fundamental in- dustry of agriculture until 1895, when he as- sumed a clerical position in the postoffice at Beatrice. His service in connection with the local postoffice administration has continued during the long intervening period of nearly a quarter of a century and since 1895 he has been one of the most popular members of the force of city mail carriers, his circle of friends in Gage county being coincident with that of his acquaintances.

Mr. Bradley gives his political allegiance to the Republican party, he and his wife hold membership in the Congregational church, and he maintains active affiliation with the Royal Highlanders, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Fraternal Aid Union. Mr. Bradley has seen Beatrice develop from a mere frontier village into a progressive and attractive city with metropolitan facilities and beautiful homes. He and his wife have no children but their pleasant home is known for its gracious hospitality, which is generously extended to friends both old and young.

In the year 1887 Mr. Bradley wedded Miss Alice Herron, who was born in Iowa, and who was a girl when she came with her parents to Gage county, where her marriage was solemn- ized and where she is popular in the social cir- cles of her home city.

CHARLES O. GUDTNER. - The vigor- ous and productive industry that is the normal forerunner of worthy success has been sig- nificantly exemplified in the career of this sterling citizen of Beatrice, where he conducts the largest and most effectively equipped black- smith and repair shop in the city and where he has brought its efficiency of service up to such a high standard that he receives a most

substantial and representative supporting pat- ronage, his establishment having the best of facilities for the handling of general repair work on wagons, carriages, and automobiles, as well as those requisite to the other phases of expert blacksmith work.

Mr. Gudtner was born at Elmwood, Peoria county, Illinois, on the 6th of July, 1863, and is a son of David and Sarah (Robey) Gudtner, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter at Hagerstown, Wayne county, Indiana, in which state their marriage was solemnized. David Gudtner, a skilled black- smith and wagonmaker by trade, came with his family to Nebraska in 1870 and became one of the pioneer exponents of his sturdy voca- tion at Beatrice, which was then a small vil- lage. On his arrival in the future metropo- lis of Gage county he made provision for the temporary domiciling of the family by estab- lishing a camp on the present site of the Union Pacific Railroad station, and this continued to be the family abiding place until he could provide a house. For a time Mr. Gudtner was here employed at his trade in the shop of a man named Snow, and as soon as it became expedient he established a shop of his own. He developed a substantial business as a pio- neer blacksmith and wagonmaker in this sec- tion of the state, his skill insuring at all times the best type of workmanship and his policies being such as to gain to him unquali- fied popular confidence and esteem. He was earnest and liberal as a citizen and his abiding human sympathy caused him to aid in chari- table and benevolent movements, as well as to assist in an individual way those who were less fortunate in life. He was a stalwart ad- vocate of the principles of the Republican par- ty, was long and actively affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and both he and his wife were zealous members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. He was a member of a fam- ily that was founded in America many gener- ations ago and was a scion of sturdy Holland Dutch stock. He and his devoted wife con- tinued their residence in Beatrice until their death, he having passed away about the year 1905 and she in 1908, their names meriting

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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 90

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