History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 103

Author: Buechler, A. F. (August F.), 1869- editor
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Pub. and Engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 1011

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Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Engineers, Sixth division; and Elmer S., who lives in Grand Island. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have an adopted daughter, Helene E., who was born February 23, 1917. Mrs. Baker is a member of the Baptist church. In politics Mr. Baker is a Republican and keeps well informed on public matters as he is justified in doing, but he has accepted no public office except membership on the city school board. He belongs to the Masonic fra- ternity and belongs also to the Elks and the Odd Fellows, in the latter organization having passed all the offices in the local lodge. Mr. Baker is held to be one of the sound, dependa- ble business men of Grand Island.

VIRGIL R. EVERHART .- To assemble together iron, copper, brass, aluminum, rubber and wood and make that necessity of modern life, the automobile, was a great achievement, and yet, without proper care and repair, this great triumph of mechanism would be prac- tically useless. To give this scientific care and to have at hand proper accessocies, many young men have entered this line of business, finding it exceedingly profitable. At Grand Island, Virgil R. Everhart has been financially interested in automibles, tires and accessories, throughout his entire business life. He is located in his own building, No. 110 East Sec- ond street.

Mr. Everhart was born in Grand Island, Nebraska, August 31, 1893, the son of Will- iam S. and Ida M. (Carr) Everhart, both of whom were born at Hayden, in Jennings County, Indiana. Until the last three years, when he became associated in business with his son, Virgil R., the father was a railroad man. The family home has been in Grand Island for thirty years. In politics he is a Democrat, is a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, and both his father and mother belong to the Baptist church. Three of their four children are living: Virgil R., of Grand Island; Verna, the wife of Frank Ludvik, of Hartwell, Nebraska; and John, who resides with his parents.

Virgil R. Everhart was educated in Grand Island. After spending three years in the high school he accepted a position in the . garage of the Harrison and Reed Automobile Company, Grand Island, in order to learn the business in which he has continued to the pres- ent. Since May, 1915, it has been operated as a private concern. He handles all the stan- dard tires, all first class accessories, and does expert repairing. His business standing and reliability are unquestioned. gitized by Google

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On July 5, 1916, Mr. Everhart married Miss Kizzie M. McGuirk. Her parents came to Hall County in 1906, where her father, An- drew McGuirk, was accidentally killed on the . make him continue in the grocery line. It was railroad two years later. Her mother, Mrs. then he embarked in an entirely new business, as fas as he was concerned, accepting the offer of a position as traveling salesman for lumber mills. In his case, as in many others, a touch of adversity seemed the key to open the lock of the door of success, for the new work not only proved congenial but his services were of such value to the Kansas companies which em- ployed him, that they were sensible of great loss when he accepted a similar offer from lumber companies for the mill interests of the state of Nebraska. Mr. Yund still con- tinues his activities in this line. Sarah (Davis) McGuirk, resides in Grand Is- land. Mr. and Mrs. McGuirk have five chil- dren : Kizzie and Katie, twins, the former of whom is the wife of Virgil R. Everhart, and the latter resides with her mother; Andrew, who is deceased; and Clara and Edna, both of whom live at home. Mr. and Mrs. Ever- hart have one daughter, Florence L. He has never taken any very active part in politics in party organizations, but is a very intelligent, thoughtful young man with decided opinions to which he testifies by an independent vote. As a citizen he is ready to help measures of a public nature when they seem to promise substantial benefit to Grand Island. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Elks.

JAMES H. YUND. - For almost a half century James H. Yund, one of Grand Island's substantial, representative citizens, has been a resident of Hall County. Although his busi- ness engagements have frequently called him to other sections, this has always been home. He owns valuable improved property in Grand Island.

Mr. Yund was born in Hillsdale County, Michigan, March 9, 1853, a son of George and Rachel (Stevens) Yund. His father was born in Pennsylvania, February 15, 1820, and died in Van Buren County, Michigan, November 15, 1867. His mother was born in the state of New York, August 3, 1818, and died April 26, 1911. They were the parents of seven children of whom the following are living: John S., Emma, James H., Isabelle and Ida. The greater part of George Yund's mature life was spent in Michigan, where he was a farmer. He was an active Republican politician and for several years was a county commissioner in Van Buren County.

James H. Yund had excellent educational advantages ; after his common school course, he attended the high school at Decatur, Michigan, following which he was a student in Kala- mazoo College, Kalamazoo, Michigan. A bus- iness life attracted him, and from 1876 until March, 1881, he was employed as a dry goods clerk in a large establishment in Hartford, Michigan. A change of climate at that time being decided on, Mr. Yund came to Hall County in April of that year, and in Grand Island he bought a small grocery from H. A. Bartling, which he operated until 1897, and

although that period was a season of hard times in this country, he came through without loss but not with sufficient encouragement to

At Lawrence, Michigan, December 9, 1880, Mr. Yund was united in marriage with Miss Addie Ridlon, who was born at Pa Pa, Michi- gan, September 28, 1861, a daughter of John N. and Sarah M. (Phelps) Ridlon, the former of whom was born at Hollis, Maine, May 16, 1822, and the latter at Parkham, Ohio, De- cember 4, 1831. The father of Mrs. Yund was a man of much importance in civil life and during the Civil War he was an officer in the Twenty-fifth Michigan volunteer infantry, taking part in the military campaign that re- sulted in the capture of the noted Confederate guerilla leader, Quantrell. For six years he was on the board of commissioners of Van Buren County, and after the close of the war removed to Lawrence, Michigan, where he engaged in the mercantile business. Following this he was for twenty years previous to his death engaged in insurance business. He passed away April 23, 1916. For fifty years he was a deacon in the Congregational church at Lawrence, which he had been instrumental in building, and he had served on church build- ing committees at other points. Mrs. Ridlon still lives at the hale old age of eighty-seven years. Of their three children, Mrs. Yund was the second born, the others being : Jennie, the wife of S. M. Hess, of Lawrence, Mich- igan, and Charles A., who lives at Roulette, Pennsylvania, married Sarah Cooper.

Mr. and Mrs. Yund have had four children: Sylvester G., who was born September 10, 1881, married Grace Ericson; Grace B., who was born September 15, 1883, is the widow of Henry D .; Kleinkauf; Harry C., who was born August 27, 1885, married Marguerite Goss ; and Henry R., born November 28, 1889. who sleeps in a soldiers' grave in the American cemetery, near Merignac-Bordeaux-Gironde, France. This youthful hero was a member of the American Expeditionary Force in France,

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J. H. YUND

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belonging to Company H, Three Hundred Fifty-fifth regiment, Eighty-ninth division. He received wounds that.proved fatal, October 24, 1918. Mr. and Mrs. Yund are members of the Presbyterian church, he being one of the trustees. Politically he is a Republican. In 1892 he broke prairie sod for the erection of his handsome residence at No. 222 West Eighth street, and in 1909 put up the brick store building on West Third street, which is a remunerative renting property.

IRA T. HOMAN, one of Grand Island's enterprising young business men, is the junior member of the firm of Teeter & Homan, formerly of Holbrook, Nebraska, but since November 21, 1916, doing business at No. 112 Second street, Grand Island.

Mr. Homan was born at Corning, Adams County, Iowa, November 25, 1890, the son of Joseph N. and Lena C. (Knodle) Homan, the former of whom was born in Adams County, Iowa, and the latter in Ogle County, Illinois. During his active years the father of Mr. Homan followed agricultural pursuits from which he retired in 1917 and now lives at Bethany, Nebraska. He has always been affili- ated with the Democratic party, frequently serving in township offices and has been county supervisor. In the Order of Odd Fel- lows he has been through all the local offices. Both parents of Mr. Homan are members of the Baptist church. Of their four children two reside in Hall County, Ira T. and Ollie L.

Ira T. Homan attended school at Ridgeway, Missouri, the high school at Bethany and spent one year in a business college at Grand Island. He remained with his parents until he was twenty years of age and then engaged in the mercantile business with his present partner, at Holbrook, Nebraska, under the firm name of Teeter & Homan. The firm carried on a general mercantile business there for six years before transferring their interests to Grand Island. As agents and dealers they carry on an extensive business in the Dodge automobiles and Republic trucks, their record being about 600 cars in two years, distributed over their territory of ten counties, with the same num- ber of dealers. In addition they carry a full line of Dodge parts.

On Christmas Day,1910, Mr. Homan mar- ried Miss Carrie C. Cooper, of Holbrook, Ne- braska. The parents of Mrs. Homan were Robert and Alice (Miller) Cooper, the former of whom was a merchant and died at Holbook. The latter resides with Mr. and Mrs. Homan, who have one child, Phyllis O., who was born

September 29, 1917. They are members of the Baptist church. Politically Mr. Homan is a Democrat and fraternally belongs to the Masons and the Elks.

LEWIS S. MOORE, D.D.S., engaged in the practice of dentistry in Grand Island for twenty-nine years, is one of the best known members of his profession in the state. Long before dentistry had received its present uni- versal recognition as a vital necessity in the preservation of health, Dr. Moore, with the intelligence that has made him a leader in many helpful movements, lost no occasion to call attention to his own beliefs on the subject. Supplementing his own careful studies with attendance on dental conventions, he did much to arouse interest and investigation that in time led to the formulating and passage of the present dental laws in Nebraska. He has seen wonderful advances made in dental surgery in its several branches since he entered into prac- tice, and has lived to see his own opinions as to dental therapy more than justified.

Lewis S. Moore was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, February 20, 1855. His par- ents were John and Sophia (Biddenger) Moore, the former of whom was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1816, and died in Iowa, October 1, 1905. The latter was born in Pennsylvania in September, 1822, and died in Iowa in July 1895. Of their nine children seven yet live; Lewis S. being the only one residing in Hall County. The father of Mr. Moore followed farming all his life, in a modest way and met with deserved success. He brought his family to Iowa, in 1855, driv- ing across country to the new home in a wagon ; Lewis S. being at that time an infant of eight months, his mother carrying him in her arms the entire distance of 700 miles. When she died, aged seventy-three, one of the best of women passed out of life. The father sur- vived long afterward and he, too, was held in high regard, being always an honest, upright man, and for over forty years was a deacon in the Baptist church near his home.

Dr. Moore was educated in the public schools and in Independence, Iowa, where he studied dentistry and engaged in practice dur- ing his apprenticeship of several years. On April 1, 1879, he opened an office at Fairmont, Nebraska, where he engaged in the pursuit of his profession until April 1, 1890, when he came to Grand Island, where he has continued ever since, having a professional reputation of high standing all over Hall County.

On June 5, 1883, Dr. Moore married Miss

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Lucie M. Wellman, a daughter of William and Clara (Schryver) Wellman. The father of Mrs. Moore was born in New York, May 25, 1819, and died in 1867. The mother was born also in New York, in 1825, and died January 6, 1882. Of their four living children, Mrs. Moore is the only one residing in Hall County. Dr. and Mrs. Moore have three chil- dren: L. Don, who lives at Grand Island, married Rose Erdburger; Ruby A., who lives at home; and J. Ross, who is relieving his father of many professional duties, resides in Grand Island, and married Rose Faerber. Dr. J. Ross Moore served three months in the dental department of the Walter Reed Hos- pital, United States army, at Washington, D. C., also three months at Camp Greenleaf, and two months at Camp Beauregard.

Dr. Lewis S. Moore belongs to the order of Maccabees and to the Odd Fellows and is quite active in the latter organization, having held all the offices in the local lodge, of which he is the present treasurer. In politics he has always been a Republican, and for six years has been a member of the school board. Both he and his wife are very active members of the First Baptist church in Grand Island.

DAVID M. GRAHAM. - In the death of David M. Graham, which occurred January 10, 1919, Grand Island lost a citizen of sterling worth, and a man who was held in high esteem both in business and social life. He had a wide acquaintance in both Hall and Merrick counties and everywhere left friends who remember his kindness, generosity and good fellowship.

David M. Graham was born in Merrick County, Nebraska, April 8, 1878, one of a family of ten children born to John W. and Mary (Gurley) Graham. Mr. Graham's par- ents were both natives of Scotland, from which land they emigrated at an early day, coming to the United States where the father became an early settler in Merrick County, Nebraska, a homesteader engaging in farming and also worked at the carpenter trade. His death occured in 1896, surviving his wife just one year. Three of their children became resi- dents of Hall County: David M., Mrs. Daisy Ewalt, and Mrs. Maud Ehlers.

Mr. Graham grew up in Merrick County, where he attended the public schools, but later took a course in the Baptist College in Grand Island. He was interested in farm pursuits al- most exclusively until 1915, in Merrick and Keya Paha counties, for three years, from 1902 to 1905, being manager of a ranch in

the latter county. In 1915 he came to Grand Island, where he immediately became im- mersed in business, becoming manager of the Kelly Well Company, and selling agent for the Buick, Maxwell and Oakland automobiles, with territory covering several counties. He was a hard worker and was actively engaged in business until his death.

On December 27, 1905, Mr. Graham mar- ried Miss Emma Frauen, a daughter of Mar- cus and Rebecca (Niehus) Frauen, who were born in Germany, but left their native land to settle in the United States many years ago and are highly respected citizens of Ainsworth, Brown County, Nebraska. All of their family of nine children are living: Mrs. Graham has one sister, Mrs. Tillie Stanley, as a neighbor in Grand Island. Mr. and Mrs. Graham had two children, Marion and Madeline, the latter of whom passed away February 20, 1919. Mr. Graham belonged to the Odd Fellows, the Elks and the Moose orders, was a faithful member of the Lutheran church, and in politics was a Republican and an occasional township official.

JENS RASMUSSEN, who came from far off Denmark to the United States in 1880, has been practically a resident of Hall County since that date. He is now one of Grand Is- land's substantial and respected citizens, and has had much to do with the material develop- ment of this handsome city.

Jens Rasmussen was born in Denmark, Sep- tember 3, 1854, a son of Rasmus and Andrey- ette (Sorenson) Rasmussen. The father was a small farmer in Denmark and both passed their life there. Jens is the only member of their family living at present in the United States. He had both common and high school advantages in his native land and there also learned the trades of brickmason and plasterer before leaving his native country. This was fortunate, as after reaching the United States he came to Nebraska and found work at these trades during the summer of 1880, in Grand Island, and for two and a half months of the following winter found an opportunity to at- tend a school in the country by working for a farmer for board and lodging. In the fall of 1883 he returned to Denmark on a visit and for business purposes ; upon his return to the United States he was accompanied by a sister and another young lady, Miss Margrethe Eric- son whom he married December 8, 1885. Her parents, Jens and Anna (Christensen) Eric- son, came to Grand Island in 1887, where they live retired. Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen have seven children : George R., his father's

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partner in business, is a soldier in the United States army in France, a member of a hospital ambulance corps ; Anna A., the wife of Floyd White, of Grand Island; Mable A., who re- sides with her parents; Roy W., in business at Casper, Wyoming; and Marie, Evelyn and Lorraine, all of whom are at home.

When Mr. Rasmussen settled permanently in Grand Island, he went into the contracting business for himself, in which line he has con- tinued to the present time. His son and pres- ent partner, George R., grew up in the busi- ness under his direction and they have been associated as a firm since 1915. Among the fine buildings they have constructed in Grand Island may be mentioned the H. P. Hansen store, the Emil Rickert store and several large buildings for Mr. Wolbach. Mr. Rasmussen has always taken interest in educational progress and he has served six years as a member of the city school board.

JEREMIAH A. WINGERT, the founder of one of Grand Island's most important manufacturing concerns, in which he continued to be interested until the close of his busy life, was a member of a large family that has been more or less distinguished in Hall County for over forty years. While other members of the family followed agricultural pursuits to some extent, Jeremiah A. Wingert's predilec- tions were in the line of mechanics, in which branch of industry he was eminently success- ful. Mr. Wingert established the Grand Is- land Culvert and Metal Works.

Jeremiah A. Wingert was born in Warren County, Illinois, in 1868, and died in Grand Island, Nebraska, September 13, 1914. His parents were Peter S. and Maria (Rynard) Wingert, both of whom were born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, where they were reared, married and lived until Peter S. Wingert was thirty-five years old. He was a tailor by trade. A rapidly increasing family led to thoughts of providing for the future in a more certain way than remuneration from his trade prom- ised. That led to removal to a farm in Werren County, Illinois, and later to Nebraska. In 1873 Peter S. Wingert homesteaded in Hall County and the family resided for some years in Prairie Creek township. Some changes of residence were made between 1877 and 1886, when Mr. Wingert came to the rapidly de- veloping town of Cairo, where he, as a man of high character and sound judgment, was a valued citizen. His death occurred in Grand Island in 1902, having survived his wife since

1891. Of their ten children the following sur- vive: Mary E., the widow of Samuel Schlisler, of Denver, Colorado; Anna M., the widow of James T. Allen, lives at Los Angeles, Cali- fornia; Ida V., the wife of David Millhollen, lives in Oregon ; Alice C., the widow of George Adwers, lives in the city of Chicago; George W., cashier of the Cairo State Bank ; Milton C., who married Robert Calhoun, lives at Wood River, Nebraska; and Emma J., who lives in Canada, is the wife of John H. Squires. Those deceased are : Salmon M., William C., and Jeremiah A.

Jeremiah A. Wingert was five years old when his parents came first to Hall County and it was mainly in the Hall County schools that he secured an elementary education. He learned the tinner's trade and followed the same for a time after coming to Grand Island. He had business ambition beyond many of those with whom he associated and hence came about the establishing of the Grand Island Culvert and Metal Works. Beginning in a small way the concern rapidly grew to large proportions under his management and became a great factor in the city's industrial enter- prises. He retained management of the com- pany and was virtually its head for many years. In 1909 he consented to sell some of his interest in the plant and reorganized it under the name of the Grand Island Culvert Works with Mr. Wingert as president. After his death Mrs. Wingert disposed of her inter- ests to the other stockholders.

On September 15, 1901, Jeremiah A. Win- gert married Miss Stella Heath, who was born in Putnam County, Indiana. Her parents were H. C. and Isabel (Adair) Heath, natives of Kentucky and Ohio respectively. Both were brought to Michigan in infancy, were married in Indiana, and now reside with their daughter. Mrs. Wingert, who occupies the attractive resi- dence that Mr. Wingert built on East Seventh street, Grand Island. Mrs. Wingert has one brother, Frank Heath, who is a civil engineer. and has one sister, Cora, the wife of Arthur Snell, employed in a bank in Denver, Colo- rade. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wingert, Mildred and Helen, both of whom are attending school. Mrs. Wingert and her daughters are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically he was identified with the Republican party, and fraternally he was a Mason, belonging to the Commandery, and also a Shriner. Also, he was a member of the Odd Fellows and the Highlanders. He is recalled by his fellow citizens as an up- right, honorable man in business and thor- oughly dependable in all friendly relationships.

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CHILDREN OF MR. AND MRS. JEREMIAH A. WINGERT

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CHARLES A. HOFMANN, well known in Grand Island in both business and political circles, has been a resident o" this city for more than a quarter of a century. During almost all of this period he has been in business for himself as a blacksmith, starting necessarily in a small way as he had little capital, but through hard work and prudent investments gradually accumulating until at the present time he is the owner of valuable property.

Charles A. Hofmann was born January 19, 1859, near Coblentz, Germany, the only sur- vivor of eleven children born to Anton and Henrietta (Lotz) Hofmann, who spent their lives in their native land. The father was a blacksmith by trade and evidently was a man of responsibility, as for many years he was assistant mayor of the village of Obernhof, a place noted for its fine scenery on the river Lahn. He was a politician and belonged to what was then known as the Liberal party. Until he was fourteen years old, Charles A. Hofmann attended school, then he was appren- ticed to the blacksmith trade and made such good progress that when only eighteen years old he had completed his trade and went to work in a shop. A year later he was a finished workman and though only a lad of nineteen was engaged as a bridge builder in constructing bridges over the Rhine and other rivers of Germany. Subsequently he worked in the mines of his native country. From 1879 until 1882, he served in the German army, and in 1883 he came to the United States.

When Mr. Hofmann reached Nebraska he found many of his countrymen comfortably settled here and the greater number were pros- perous and respected business men. He stop- ped for one week in Kearney before coming on to Grand Island, where he entered the em- ploy of Henry Stratman, for whom he worked . days. three and one-half years. Mr. Hofmann then embarked in business for himself, as mentioned above, and being an expert at his trade and honest in his business methods, soon made friends, many of whom were his patrons up to 1918, when he retired.

Mr. Hofmann married first in 1886, Miss Ella Trinke, who was born in Hall County, Nebraska. On a return voyage from Germany, January 30, 1895, the ship Elbe was wrecked in the North sea, and Mrs. Hofmann and in- fant son were lost. Only four of the passen- gers and sixteen of the crew of the ill-fated ship were saved. In 1897 Mr. Hofmann mar- ried Miss Minnie Sievers, who was the first white female child in Howard County, Ne- braska, taken there by her parents when an infant. Her parents were Theodor and Cathe-

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 103

Author: Buechler, A. F. (August F.), 1869- editor Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Pub. and Engraving Co. Number of Pages: 1011

Author: Buechler, A. F. (August F.), 1869- editor
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Pub. and Engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 1011