History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 104

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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rine (Sierk) Sievers. Her father built the first school house in Howard County.

Mr. Hofmann has always been intelligently interested in public affairs. While he is a strong Republican in national politics, good judgment has led him to maintain an independ- ent attitude in regard to local matters, and the personal knowledge he has of local candidates assists him when casting his city vote. He formerly belonged to the A. O. U. W., of which he was recorder for thirteen years, and to the Liederkranz society, of which he has been secretary for two years.

He was president of the Hook and Ladder Fire Company No. 1 for five years, for two years he has been president of Landwehr Verein.

JOHN W. DENMAN is one of the pioneers of Hall County who for many years was a leading farmer and stockman and whose in- dustry and good judgment brought him suc- cess that makes it possible to put aside the activities of former years and is living in re- tirement in a beautiful home in Grand Island, surrounded by all the necessities and many of the luxuries of the present day.

Mr. Denman was born in McLean County, Illinois, November 15, 1854. His parents were William H. and Mary (Brown) Denman, the former a native of Licking County, Ohio, while the birthplace of the latter was in the state of Virginia. William H. Denman was a farmer all his life residing first in Ohio, later in Illinois and about 1856 became a resident of Nebraska and secured a homestead in Nemaha County, where he resided until 1871 when he came to Hall County and bought land, making this his home the remainder of his

John W. Denman was the youngest of eight children, six of whom are living: Henry C., J. H. and Joseph, all residents of Grand Island; Augusta is the wife of W. H. Demp- ster, of Oregon ; Martha, is the wife of Hiram England, of Hamilton County, Nebraska ; and John W.

The latter was a babe when brought to Ne- braska and was reared on the pioneer farm in Nemaha County, acquiring his education in the public schools, later attending the State Normal at Peru. On the 25th of January, 1880, he was united in marriage to Miss Ida Huhn, a daughter of Jacob and Martha (Magee) Huhn. Mr. and Mrs. Denman have become the parents of three children, two of whom are living, namely: Albert J., who is manager of the American Beet Sugar Com- Digitized by Sugar co

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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

pany's plant at Grand Island; and Minnie B., who is the wife of Walter C. Jessup of Grand Island.

John W. Denman has been a resident of Hall County since 1871 and successfully car- ried on agricultural pursuits until 1912 when he retired to Grand Island, although still re -; taining possession of a valuable farm property. Mrs. Denman is a member of the M. E. church and in politics Mr. Denman is a Republican. The family are held in the highest esteem by all who know them.

CLAUS EGGERS. - One of the represen- tative citizens of Hall County may be found in Claus Eggers, one of Grand Island's re- tired business men, who came here in early days and through his own industry soon be- came independent. He has assisted in the development of this section of Nebraska, from the days of savage Indians and herds of deer and buffalo, to present conditions that repre- sent comfortable living and even luxury.

Claus Eggers was born December 7, 1849, under the Danish flag, in Schleswig-Holstein. After the war between Austria-Germany and Denmark, Schleswig-Holstein was annexed to Germany, which the parents, like many other patriotic Danish people, bitterly resented. They were Hans and Margaret (Peters) Eggers. The father owned a little farm and lived con- tentedly until political conditions made him anxious to escape German rule, and in 1875 they left Schleswig, their old home, for that land of the free, the United States, to join their son Claus in Hall County. The father died December 14, 1885, and the mother, Jan- uary 20, 1901. They have five children and of the four who are living all are residents of the United States. They are Claus and Mrs. Anna Rethmann; Mrs. Charles Guenther and John Eggers, Loup City, Sherman County, Nebraska.

Mr. Eggers attended the common schools in his native land before coming to the United States in 1869. In the winter of that year, on his way to Nebraska, the ferry boat on which he was crossing the Missouri river, froze fast and he crossed on the ice. After reaching Hall County he went to work on a farm and then on railroad construction. He remembers seeing the first year so many antelopes on the land that the present site of St. Francis Hos- pital could not be seen. During 1870 and 1871 great herds of buffalo could be seen at many places coming from the river as the lack of rain had caused all their secret water holes to dry up. In 1870 a gang of railroad section

men were killed by the Indians, and after that the railroad men were allowed to carry weap- ons for their protection. All these things caused a different mode of living than the present, but it is well for our pioneers to recall them as interesting pages in the history of the county.

Early in the eighties Mr. Eggers went into the meat market business in partnership with his two brothers, a partnership which con- tinued until 1888. Mr. Eggers then engaged in the retail liquor business, which he fol- lowed for fourteen years, conducting a quiet, respectable place which had the approval of the community and the patronage of leading citizens. Mr. Eggers never countenanced the modern objectionable features that largely led to the adoption of the present prohibitory laws.

On April 24, 1886, Mr. Eggers married Miss Mary Nieburger, a daughter of Christ and Annie (Kramback) Nieburger, who were born in the same section of Denmark as the Eggers family. They came to the United States and settled in Clinton County, Iowa, in 1869. In the fall of 1870 Mrs. Eggers' father took a homestead in Hall County, on which they yet live. It lies four miles southeast of Grand Island. Mr. and Mrs. Eggers have two sons, Otto and Henry, both of whom are soldiers in the United States army.

Mr. Eggers took out his first naturaliza- tion papers in 1870, and his second papers in 1875, having come to the United States with the intention of becoming an American citi- zen. He has proved the sincerity of his pro- claimed intentions, and in every way is recog- nized as true and loyal to this country. He votes with the Demorcratic party in the large affairs of the nation, but in local elections uses . his own judgment. For two years he has been a member of the city council. While he attends the Lutheran church he has never formally united with it, but he has been liberal to all religious bodies, and has assumed it his duty to contribute to all worthy charities that have been brought to his attention. The com- fortable family residence was built in 1875 and in 1913 it was thoroughly remodeled and is now modern in every way.

STEPHEN S. HAYMAN, numbered with the 1883 pioneers of Hall County, is a promi- nent business man in Grand Island, where he has spent many years of a very busy life. He still owns his old homestead, secured thirty- six years ago, together with much valuable city realty, and since 1898 has been in the real estate and general insurance business.

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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

Mr. Hayman was born November 19, 1851, at Letart Falls, Ohio, one of a family of four children and the only survivor, born to Stephen T .and Letitia' (Caldwell) Hayman. The Hay- man family is of old English stock. Its found- ers in the United States were four brothers who landed in Maryland, one of whom, a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal faith, was the grandfather of Stephen S. Hayman. He located in Ohio and there Stephen T. Hay- man was born, and there he died when his son Stephen was six months old. Like his father he was of religious mind and was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, but his vocation was farming. The mother of Mr. Hayman was born at Wolf's Island, Kentucky, and died in Nebraska at the age of eighty-four years. Her father came to Kentucky from Ireland after the most of the family had died there of the black plague. He bought Wolf's Island and died there when his daughter was only four years old. The only relative was an aunt, who lived at Rut- land, Ohio. She took the orphan child to her home, abandoning the island, the child's birthright, which was subsequently sold for taxes and at the present time is worth millions. Mrs. Hayman was reared and married in Ohio, and after the death of Mr. Hayman, married again, being united to H. P. Lawrey, a lawyer at Letart Falls, Meigs County, Ohio. Of the four children of her second marriage, two are living in Hall County : H. P. Lawrey, and Mrs. W. H. Quillen, of Grand Island.

Stephen S. Hayman completed his high school course at Racine, Ohio, in time to teach his first school when sixteen years of age, after which he took a full course in the Lebanon Normal school and thus thoroughly fitted himself for teaching, which profession he afterward followed in Ohio for several years. Having thereby impaired his health, Mr. Hayman decided upon an entire change of both climate and business. In 1883 he came to Hall County and bought a half sec- tion of land. He lost his first crops, later suffered from the low prices obtainable for his products, and during the drought of 1890, his cattle died. In the meanwhile he had taught school during the winters and thus had managed to get along. He had been graduated in penmanship from a commercial college at Poughkeepsie, New York, and in 1890 he found an opportunity to teach this art, con- ducting classes in the Glover building in Grand Island.

In the following fall Mr. Hayman secured the appointment as teacher in the first brick schoolhouse east of Grand Island, where he

continued his work for several years. A bus- iness opportunity then seemed to open in the Black Hills, in the wholesale fruit and vege- table line and it was while there that he first became particularly interested in fraternal in- surance, and the position of state manager of the Home Forum, with jurisdiction in Oregon and Washington was offered him. He de- clined the offer, however, and in 1898 came back to Grand Island. Subsequently he ac- cepted the position of state manager of the Modern Brotherhood of America, which still engages his attention. From this beginning Mr. Hayman gradually embarked in a general insurance business and the handling of real estate, much of the latter being his own prop- erty.

On November 4, 1875, Mr. Hayman married Miss Elizabeth Douglas, who was born near Ravenswood, West Virginia, a daughter of Reuben and Sarah (Stone) Douglas. The father of Mrs. Hayman was a wealthy farmer in West Virginia. He survived to the age of seventy-five years but the mother of Mrs. Hayman passed away at the age of forty-five. Mr. and Mrs. Hayman have had three chil- dren: Ora O., who resides on his father's farm; Stephen A., who owns and operates the beautiful Lyda Theater in Grand Island, and Sarah, who was accidentally killed by a gasoline explosion. Mr. Hayman is a Re- publican in politics and he says the nearest he ever came to political office was when he was defeated by only eleven votes for county superintendent. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally he is a Knight of Pythias and a Mason, his son having reached the Thirty-second degree in this order.

RICHARD A. ODUM, deputy county clerk of Hall County, Nebraska, has been a resident of Grand Island for over two decades. Al- though not entirely, yet in large measure, Mr. Odum has been identified with railroads throughout his business career, and he is well and favorably known in the offices of the different systems that operate through Ne- braska.

Richard A. Odum was born at Benton, Franklin County, Illinois, February 13, 1876, the only survivor of two children born to Adel- bert R. and Hannah (Moore) Odum, the former of whom died when the boy was only two years old. His business was farming and stockraising, for the most part in Illinois. where he owned fine land on which coal was subsequently discovered. After his death, which occurred in March, 1878, the mother left

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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

the farm and moved to Benton where she and her son resided until January, 1891, when re- moval was made to Colfax County, Nebraska. At that time Mrs. Odum was united in mar- riage with John A. Brown. Since June, 1918, Mr. and Mrs. Brown have lived retired in Grand Island.

Richard A. Odum attended the common schools in Benton and the high school in Schuyler, Nebraska. He began his business career as a clerk in the offices of the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad, at Schuyler, and after transfers to a number of other cities, came to Grand Island in 1898 remaining with the above system until 1905. From 1906 until 1910, he was associated with the Union Paci- fic Railroad, when he retired from railroad work, and for the following five years con- ducted a meat and grocery business in Grand Island. This business he sold in 1915 and for a few months afterward was again in rail- road work, which he gave up when he was appointed deputy county clerk, in January, 1917. He is serving in his second term and is a very popular official.

On June 14, 1899, Mr. Odum married Miss Jennie Brown, of Schuyler, Nebraska. Her parents were James T. and Ellen (Miller) Brown, both of whom are deceased, having been old and highly respected residents of Col- fax County. Mr. and Mrs. Odum have one son, Windsor A., who was born June 7, 1900, a well educated young man who still makes his home with his parents. Mrs. Odum is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which she is very active. She has been one of the leaders in the Y. W. C. A. in Grand Island and is on the board of directors of this organization. During the entire period of the World War she was indefatigable in her labors for the Red Cross. Mr. Odum also has been a leader in patriotic work and was secretary of the county council of defense. In politics he is a sturdy Republican, in church connec- tion he is a Baptist, and fraternally is identi- fied with the Elks.

FRANCIS CORKINS, one of the best known residents of Grand Island, came to Hall County when this present modern com- mercial city had but one store and three saloons to represent its business enterprises. He was a young man of twenty-five but had already seen much adventure, having just served three years in the Union Army during the Civil War. His settlement here was for permanency, not speculation, and throughout many succeeding years he was actively and

honorably engaged in business, a helpful citi- zen in every way. Today his friends are as numerous as his acquaintances.

The birth of Francis Corkins took place in County Cavin, Ireland, October 26, 1842. His parents were Patrick and Nancy (Carlin) Corkins, who came to the United States in 1847. They reached Illinois on their travels westward, spending one year in Chicago. The father had been a small farmer in Ireland and it was on a farm in McHenry County, Illinois, that they settled. permanently, and there the father died in 1863. The mother survived until 1904. Of their seven children four are living, but Francis Corkins is the only one of the family in Nebraska and the only one of the name, the other children of the family being girls.

Francis Corkins attended the country school in his boyhood, that was situated two and a half miles from his father's farm in McHenry County, and as soon as old enough assisted on the farm. On August 4, 1862, he en- listed for service in the Union Army for service during the Civil War, and as proof of being a worthy soldier, was promoted to be corporal of his company. He was hon- orably discharged August 18, 1865, having escaped all serious injuries and even capture by the enemy, although close to it in the en- gagement at Guntown, Mississippi. Mr. Cork_ ins then returned to his father's farm but was not satisfied to remain there, having by that time ambitions to own land for himself, hence, in the fall of 1867 he came to Nebraska. He worked for farmers in Hall County and then homesteaded near Wood River, remaining on his farm eleven years, then sold and moved into Grand Island, where he purchased a livery stable. For twenty-four years he operated that establishment, through his business capac- ity making it a profitable enterprise and the leading one here for many years. On March 1, 1913, Mr. Corkins retired.

On November 5, 1876, Mr. Corkins married Miss Harriet E. Smith, a daughter of George P. and Harriet N. (McGregor) Smith, her mother being a first cousin of Ralph W. Emerson. Mrs. Corkins' parents were early settlers of Hall County. Her father's death was the result of one of those unfortunate accidents that pioneer history so often records. Although seventy years old he was both physi- cally and mentally active and enjoyed taking part in some of the farm industries. In May, 1875, he attempted alone to burn off a field of prairie grass, and when the wind suddenly veered to the opposite direction, he was caught in the flames and his death followed six

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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

weeks later. Not having any children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Corkins adopted a nine year old girl named Anna Bliss, who was care- fully reared and subsequently married Douglas Woodman, of Denver, who is now a soldier in the United States army in France. They have one son, Wilbur Woodman, who resides with Mr. and Mrs. Corkins. The latter is a member of the Christian Science church. In politics Mr. Corkins is a Democrat. His fellow citizens have often desired him to accept public office and he served as county super- visor for two years, but otherwise he has always declined. The legislation that has abolished alcohol from the country as a bev- erage may have disturbed some of Mr. Cork- ins' fellow citizens but not himself, for never, in his entire life, has he tasted liquor, and what is still further somewhat unusual, he has never used tobacco.

CARRIE L. FRASER. - There are many well satisfied residents of Grand Island who, consider the development of the public schools during the past twenty-nine years, one of' the city's most notable evidences of progress. In this connection not a few will accord much credit to Miss Carrie Fraser, whose devotion to the cause of education has been the leading motive of her life since early girlhood. In 1894 Miss Fraser was made principal of the Platt school, Grand Island.

Carrie L. Fraser was born at Chatham, in the province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, . the only child born to William and Sarah E. (Huson) Fraser. Miss Fraser's father was born in Canada in 1846, and died at Chatham, where he had been in business for five years, September 8, 1872. He was identified with the order of Odd Fellows. The mother of Miss Fraser was born at Buffalo, New York. In 1877 her second marriage took place, she being united to Daniel Ferguson, a merchant in Chatham. In September, 1878, Mr. Fergu- son, with his brother, came to Grand Island to take charge of the Hooper foundry, which he managed for several years, and this city has been the family home ever since. Mr. Fergu- son died here in August, 1907, his widow and two daughters surviving; Grace L., who is a teacher in the public schools of Grand Island, and Flora E., who is the wife of Glenn G. Reeder, of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

In recalling educational conditions at the time of her own graduation from the high school in Grand Island, Miss Fraser pays tribute to the scholarship of Superintendent Henry Garm and his assisants, one of whom

was Mrs. T. O. C. Harrison. At that time four frame store buildings (there were no brick ones then) were used as schoolrooms, the high school being held in the German Luth- eran church, but the Dodge school building was in course of erection. Miss Fraser soon took up school work and has been identified with this profession continuously for twenty- nine years, at the present time having in her classes children of her earliest pupils. When she took charge as principal of the Platt school in 1894, she had but two teachers, while now seven are employed. Miss Fraser is much beloved in Grand Island where she has always been an uplifting influence, very active as a member of the First Methodist Episcopal church, and prominent in the high school alumnæ.

SAMUEL HEXTER. - One of the men who came in the early days to Grand Island. and through good citizenship greatly assisted in the remarkable development of the city, is found in Samuel Hexter, a highly esteemed retired citizen, whose comfortable home is at No. 708 West First street. For many years Mr. Hexter was active in business circles and became well and favorably known over the county.

Samuel Hexter was born in Germany, February 4, 1845. His parents were Judah and Miriam (Strauss) Hexter, natives of Germany, his mother being a sister of Johann Strauss, the great musical composer. The father of Mr. Hexter was in the grain bus- iness, a man of high character and prominent in the Orthodox Jewish church. There were seven children in the family, four of whom at one time lived in Hall County. Mrs. Sophia Rothschild and Mrs. Rosa Boehm are de- ceased, but Samuel and David Hexter still reside here.

In June, 1860, well educated in the schools and trained for business, Samuel Hexter came to the United States. For a short time he lived in New York City, then went to North Carolina and from there proceeded to Petersburg, Virginia, where he was practically a prisoner because the siege of the city by the Federal troops followed and he was forced to remain there until the close of the Civil War. Mr. Hexter then joined his brother-in- law, J. Rothschild, in Baltimore, Maryland. subsequently becoming his manager of stores at Aurora, Illinois, and Columbus, Kansas. From the latter place, in 1883, he came to Hall County and entered the employ of the Wolbach Bros. Company, a firm that did much

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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

to develop Grand Island, remaining in the employ of that concern for seventeen years .. Mr. Hexter then embarked in business for himself, in 1899, continuing in the commercial field for twelve years, during which time he added to the excellent reputation he already had made for honesty and good citizenship. Because of the sale of the building for other purposes, Mr. Hexter found himself obliged to close out his store in 1911, and as he had been in business for so many years he decided to retire rather than build up a new connection.

On March 5, 1884, Mr. Hexter married Miss Bertha Yost, who was born in the city of New York, a daughter of Abraham and Clara (Freund) Yost. Her father was born in Baden and her mother in Bavaria, Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Hexter have four children : Miriam, the wife of Oscar Veit, of Grand Island; Florence, the wife of Solomon Hirsch, of St. Joseph, Missouri; Maud, a teacher in the public schools, and one who is deceased. Mr. Hexter and family are prominent in the membership of the Orthodox Jewish church. In his early political life in the United States, Mr. Hexter was a Democrat, but the issues that came up during the first administration of President Mckinley, caused him to change his opinions and he has been identified with the Republican party since then. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and has had the honor of twice being master of his lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Hexter remember when Grand Island was nothing but a country village, with no permanent sidewalks, no lights, no water or sewer system. Mr. Hexter has been one of the enterprising and progressive men who have helped to bring about present modern conditions.

JENS ERICKSEN, a well known and highly respected resident of Hall County, came to Grand Island thirty-two years ago and has lived here ever since. Master of several trades he has been a hard worker as well as a useful citizen. No one has had a higher reputation for business integrity.

Jens Ericksen was born at Veborg, Den- mark, January 5, 1844, the son of Jens and Anna (Brundom) Ericksen, who spent their lives in Denmark, where the father was a farmer and stockman. They were faithful members of the Danish Lutheran church. Their family consisted of three children, two daughters who died in Copenhagen, and one son, who came to America, landing in the United States in 1887. Jens Ericksen attended school and helped his father on the farm

until he was eighteen years old, when he entered the army and for his reward in serv- ing during the war with Germany in 1864, he receives a pension from the Danish govern- ment of one hundred kronen annually. He learned the cvabinet-making trade in the old country and after coming to the United States, the carpenter trade, but prior to leaving Den- mark he owned and conducted a general store for sixteen years. In the meanwhile Mr. Ericksen had learned much concerning the business opportunities that the great country across the Atlantic offered to men of industry, especially in its western states, and as many of his countrymen were prospering in Grand Island, it was to this place he came with his family. A ready welcome awaited men of his class, honest, sturdy, dependable, hard- working, and it is not remarkable that Mr. Ericksen prospered. In 1904 he began con- tracting, and as a private venture he built ten houses in the city, on which he performed practically all the work himself. These houses he owned and since then has sold all but three.

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 104

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