History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 111

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).

Walter, who lives at Vergas, Minnesota; Al- bert, who lives on the home place; Rosa, the wife of Reverend Nau, of Holstein, Nebraska; and Fred, who is in the United States army.

Mr. Ruff owned and operated the first furni- ture store in Grand Island, which he opened in 1870. He made his own mattresses and sup- plied stores at other places. He and James Cleary rented a store room from a Mr. Arnold, who was the United States register in Grand Island at that time. Mr. Cleary occupied one side of the building, conducting his tin shop and selling stoves, while Mr. Ruff occupied the other. He did very well in this business venture, a natural sincere and courteous man- ner that yet distinguishes him, making both business and personal friends very easily. His political convictions have come from close ob- servation and wide reading. The only public office he ever consented to hold was that of school director. He was reared in the Lutheran faith and his religious duties have always been a part of his daily life.

ADIN DORRINGTON TILLEY. - One of the prominent early settlers in Hall County who had much to do with its substantial de- velpoment and educational progress, was the late Adin D. Tilley, whose long and useful life of seventy-eight years closed on June 8, 1914. He lived to see Grand Island emerge from a little sun-dried hamlet, with a grass-grown wagon track as its main thoroughfare, into one of the busy, modern cities of the state. In later years he walked along beautiful tree- lined streets and avenues that owed their shade to the work of himself and sons, who brought this condition about.

Adin Dorrington Tilley was born at New Lisbon, Osage County, New York, August 29, 1835, and was liberally educated in his native state. In March, 1873, he came to Hall County, Nebraska, and secured the homestead of eighty acres, on which his widow yet lives. He divided his time between farming and teaching school, his services being in demand both in Hall and Merrick counties, teaching fourteen terms in one district in Merrick and thirteen in one district in Hall County. To the younger generation this profession is one that possesses no danger and offers little ex- citement, but had they been with Mr. Tilley and fourteen of his pupils in the little un- sheltered schoolhouse on the prairie, when the sudden blizzard of 1888 so rapidly enveloped them with blinding snow that they could only leave at the peril of their lives, they might have changed their minds and like the others

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MR. AND MRS. A. D. TILLEY Fiftieth wedding anniversary

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remained during the entire night. Another severe storm that the Tilleys lived through after reaching Hall County, was the memor- able one of April, 1873. In their little cabin three families were domiciled at the time. With great good fortune Mr. Tilley reached home before the storm fell, with a load of corn, that was intended for fuel, because nothing else could be secured, hence they were much better off than the majority of their neighbors. When Mr. Tilley retired from the educational field, he went into the nursery business, and he and his sons subsequently set out almost all the trees in Grand Island and its vicinity. The two trees standing on his homestead when he came here, were the only ones for many miles. He was a lover of trees and they responded to his care.

On April 10, 1860, Mr. Tilley married Miss Maria A. Perkins. Her parents were Ransom and Elizabeth (Tenbroeck) Perkins, of Ed- meston, Ostego County, New York, both families being old and prominent in New York to the present day. Mrs. Tilley's father came later to Hall County, living here fourteen years. Of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Tilley, the following survive: Lydia, the wife of John Reaugh, of Savannah, Missouri ; George, a substantial farmer in Lake town- ship, Hall County ; William, who is a farmer in Lake township, married Floy Wilcox ; Sadie, the wife of Arthur Hanna, of Lake township; and John, who lives in Arthur, Nebraska, married Anna Brabander. In poli- tics, Mr. Tilley was a Republican. He was a man of firm convictions and ever courageous in carrying them out. He was a faithful mem- ber of the Baptist church, as is his widow. She still resides on the old homestead and is well known and affectionately regarded all through this neighborhood.

ARTHUR DAY HANNA. - Never before in the history of the world have farm products been in such demand as today. Among the capable farmers of Hall County who are con- tributing to the supply of life sustaining foods for the populations both at home and abroad, the gentleman whose name introduces this record is found in the front rank.

Arthur D. Hanna was born in LaSalle County, Illinois, August 12, 1877, a son of James E. and Etta M. (Day) Hanna, a record of whom will occupy other pages of this vol- ume.

On December 15, 1903, Arthur D. Hanna married Miss Sadie Tilley, a native of Hall County, a daughter of Adin D. and Maria A.

(Perkins) Tilley, of whom extended mention is made elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Hanna have one child, a daughter, Etta M.

Mr. Hanna is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred sixty acres, in section twenty- one, Lake township, where he successfully carries on general farming and stockraising. His farm is provided with a substantial set of buildings and he is accounted one of the pro- gressive men of his community.

The family are members of the Baptist church, of which Mr. Hanna is a deacon. He exercises the right of franchise in support of men and measures of the Democratic party, and in every relation of life measures up to the full standard of citizenship .

CASPER HONGSERMEIER, a highly re- spected retired farmer of Lake township, has been a resident of Hall County since 1885. He was born in Westphalia, Germany, Febru- ary 28, 1854, one of a family of ten children born to Heinrich and Marie (Unferther) Hongsermeier. Both parents died in Germany. where the father had been a general farmer. Only two sons came to the United States. Casper and Henry. The latter settled in Kansas and recently died there.

During boyhood Mr. Hongsermeier attended the common school near his home and after- ward engaged in farming in the old country. In 1885 he came to the United States and set- tled in Hall County, where he bought land at $2 an acre, which is now worth over $150 an acre because of the excellent improvements he has made. He has always carried on farming. being most successful. Although now retired he still lives on his farm of one hundred and sixty acres, where he has every comfort of life and can oversee farming operations as he feels inclined.

On April 25, 1879, Mr. Hongsermeier mar- ried Miss Marie Mettenbrink, a daughter of Frederick and Anna M. (Schwendeniek) Mettenbrink, who spent their lives in Germany. Her father was a prosperous farmer there at one time. Mr. and Mrs. Hongsermeier have the following children: Henry and Charles, both of whom live in Buffalo County, Ne- braska; Mary who lives with her parents: Frederick who is a farmer in Hall County. married Louise Hamann ; Anna, who lives at home; Augusta, the wife of Ernest Hoerst, of Hamilton County, Nebraska; Lena. the wife of Fletcher Thurley, of Custer County: and Emma, William and Albert, all of whom reside at home. This is one of the fine "ons gte Digitized by

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families of the township, parents and children alike being highly respected and welcome in every circle. They all belong to the Lutheran church. Mr. Hongsermeier casts an independ- ent political vote. He is a member of the Farmers Union and the Non-Partisan League.

HENRY C. AHRENS, who owns one of the well improved farms of Lake township, where he carries on general agriculture and makes a specialty of raising Rhode Island Red chickens for the market, was born in this county July 8, 1885, and the same year his father was accidentally killed by a runaway team of horses owned by a neighbor.

The parents of Mr. Ahrens, Henry C. and Magdalena (Dierks) Ahrens, were born in Germany. On their way to America they were married in the city of Liverpool, England, November 19, 1868, before sailing for the United States. Their children were: Alida, the wife of Frank Niemoth of Merrick County, Nebraska; Alexander, a substantial farmer in Lake township, married Sophronia Lorenzen; and Henry C., who has spent his life in Hall County.

Under the care of an admirable mother, Henry C. Ahrens grew to manhood, attended school and worked on the home farm. When twenty-three years old he removed to his mother's second farm and operated it for her until 1917, when he bought it and today is the owner of one hundred and eighty acres of highly improved land where he engages in general agriculture.

In March, 1914, Mr. Ahrens married Miss Maria W. Hintz, who was born in Germany and came to Hall County May 5, 1911. She is the only one of her family to come to the United States. Her parents are Claus and Amelia (Anderson) Hintz, highly respected residents of their neighborhood in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Ahrens have no children. They are members of the Lutheran church. In poli- tics he has been a Republican for a number of years and now belongs to the Non-Partisan League.

DETLEF SASS. - The life record of the first settlers of Grand Island all have their values from the standpoint of being historical, and none are more interesting than that of the man whose name heads this biography.

Detlef Sass was a native of Holsetin, Ger- many, the same country that furnished nearly all of those pioneers who laid the foundation of the present Hall County. The date of his

birth was June 16, 1831, the youngest of a large family. His father conducted a bakery establishment. It was intended that the son should take up this trade, but the life of a baker did not appeal to him, so he learned the trade of a weaver. He served an apprentice- ship, and as was the custom in that country, traveled three years as a journeyman weaver. When the province of Holstein arose against Danish misrule, young Sass enlisted in the ser- vice of his country, serving a term in the Ger- man army. Soon after his period of service ended he joined a party of his countrymen who were to leave for America. Their first home in the new country was at Davenport, Iowa. In 1857 Detlef Sass became a member of the little band who came to Nebraska and founded the city of Grand Island. The story of this settlement will be found on other pages of this history, and suffice to say that through the trials and hardships that met these early settlers, Mr. Sass always contributed his full share. In speaking of the pioneer days, Mr. Sass often told this story. "Joachim Doll was one of the first settlers, and once he was obliged to make a trip to Omaha. When the time came for him to go he came to me and told me that his wife was sick and asked me to go in his place. I told him if I had soles on my shoes I could go all right. He was a shoe- maker and put wooden soles on my shoes and I made the journey to Omaha for him." It was the promise of a home and land that induced these men to come to the then barren wilds of what was called the Great American Desert.

Mr. Sass, like many others, took a home- stead and his first home was a primitive log house. He carried on farming until the grass- hopper scourge came upon the country but he was one of those who thought that a better opportunity awaited them further west, and with a neighbor went to Fort Steele, Wyoming. Having taken a few cows with them the men went into the business of supplying milk to the soldiers of the fort. It was while residing here that he was joined in marriage to Miss Eliza Kuhl, whom he had met at Grand Is- land. Life in Wyoming became very lonesome for the young wife with her husband gone all day, and as the Indians were becoming trouble- some, they decided to return to Grand Island. He found employment conducting the saloon at Sand Krog for a short time when he moved into the city and erected the Wyoming House. This he and his wife conducted for a time and prospered, but misfortune came to them when the hotel took fire and burned to the ground. This left them with nothing but the thing but thee Digitized by

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DETLEF SASS

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MRS. DETLEF SASS

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clothes on their backs. With a large family of boys he decided that the city was no place to raise them so he moved to a farm. He later bought one hundred sixty acres, to which he added another tract of the same size. But he seemed to be possessed of a desire for a change and went to Oregon. Here he made invest- ments but was not long permitted to enjoy the new country for his death occurred there Sep- tember 4, 1894.

Mrs. Sass was also a native of Germany, her birth occurring July 20, 1844. By her marriage she became the mother of nine chil- dren: Dan, resides in Michigan; John, is a business man of Grand Island; Minnie, is the wife of William Keuscher, of Hall County; George, who owns and operates the old farm; Rudolph, a farmer of Alda township; Her- man, a farmer of Hall County ; Antonia, is the wife of Ernest Sankbeyer, of Merrick County ; Chris, who resides in Merrick County; and Freda, who passed away when a young lady of twenty-one

Mrs. Sass has capably managed the affairs since her husband's death, and though she has disposed of the property, makes her home on the old farm. Coming to a new country when a young woman, and having lived in so many different places in this country hers is an inter- esting story of pioneer days, as she is one of those who have witnessed the vast changes that have taken place during a half century. She and her husband were reared in the faith of the Lutheran church and their family were brought up to have the same religious belief. Mr. Sass belonged to the old German societies of Grand Island, and in politics was a Repub- lican, though he took no part in the affairs of government. He will long be remembered as one of the first stttlers and a man who in all the years he lived in Hall County, could always be counted upon to do his full share toward building up and developing the com- munity.

HENRY C. FRAUEN, numbered with the representative citizens and good farmers of Hall County, was born in Merrick County, Nebraska, December 13, 1879, and has lived on his present well improved farm in Lake township since February, 1907. He is one of a family of five children born to Paul and Catherine (Paustian) Frauen, whose record will be found elsewhere in this volume, the latter of whom died in 1898.

Henry C. Frauen attended school in Mer- rick County. He has always been a farmer and on his wedding day settled on his place

in Lake township, Hall County. He carries on general farming and raises fine stock, de- voting close attention to all his industries, fol- lowing modern methods and making use of the best farm machinery on the market, all his hauling and heavy work being done by a modern farm tractor.

On February 20, 1907, Mr. Frauen married Miss Lydia Spatholt, a daughter of Frederick and Charlotte (Scheel) Spatholt, residents of Hall County. Mrs. Frauen was born on the farm on which she yet lives. Of the three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Frauen only two are living: Paul, who bears the honored name of his grandfather, was born February 11, 1908, and Irene, who was born September 20, 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Frauen are members of the Lutheran church. In politics Mr. Frauen is a Republican, as is his father. He belongs to the Farmers Union and the Non- Partisan League.

MRS. MAGDALENE AHRENS, a very highly esteemed resident of Grand Island, liv- ing in her comfortable home at No. 108 West Tenth street, is the widow of Henry Ahrens, who homesteaded in Hall County in 1872. Left a widow with a family of small children, Mrs. Ahrens for many years had heavy re- sponsibilities to bear. She is a woman of great strength of character and safely guided her little family to mature years so husbanding the resources of the land Mr. Ahrens had left that she found ease and ample fortune await- ing them all.

Mrs. Ahrens was born in Holstein, Ger- many, November 1, 1847. Henry Ahrens was born in Hanover, Germany, December 5, 1839. Both started for America and they were united in marriage on November 19, 1868, in Liverpool, England, before sailing for the United States. Their first home was near Yorkville, Illinois, where they lived for three years, then started westward, travelling with horses, taking three weeks to reach Shelby County, Missouri, where they remained through the following winter. In the spring they came on to Hall County, Nebraska, Mr. Ahrens taking up a homestead in Lake town- ship, in February, 1872. Mrs. Ahrens re- members well the hardships of those early days. A good housekeeper, she had to do without many conveniences to which she had always been accustomed and at first longed for one of the big clean cellars that she had had in Germany. As soon as possible Mr. Ahrens set out trees to please her, which have now grown into a beautiful grove. Before

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coming to America he had been a valet for wealthy employers, but after settling in Ne- braska he accepted changed conditions and worked as hard and efficiently as if he had always been a farmer. During the winter time he earned a dollar a day digging cellars, work- ing the entire week in Grand Island, while Mrs. Ahrens directed affairs on the homestead. She remembers how fearful she was of prairie fires, as they had few neighbors to help them out in time of need and were seven miles away from Grand Island. During the grasshopper invasion her garden was completely eaten up, the insects crawling under a blanket she had spread over her young onion bed also devour- ing the tubers in the ground.

Mr. and Mrs. Ahrens continued to add to their first farm by hard work and frugality, until they had one hundred and eighty-five acres. They were well on their way to a much more comfortable manner of living, when the accident occured which cost Mr. Ahrens's life, on June 9, 1885. It was caused by a runaway team belonging to a neighbor. The children who survived him were as follows: Alida, the wife of Frank Niemoth, of Merrick County ; Hellene, who died when 17 months of age; Alexander, who resides on the old home- stead in Lake township, married Sofine Loren- zen; and Henry C., who bought his mother's second farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres and resides on it. Mr. Ahrens was a Republican in politics and a member of the Lutheran church.

After her husband's death, Mrs. Ahrens manged affairs until her health gave out. With her sons she later bought additional land and now each one has a fine farm. In 1907 she visited her old home in Germany and after her return she removed to Grand. Island, where she has a valued church connection. She has made warm friends because of her kind and helpful nieghborliness.

CHRISTOPHER BAUER. - In order to properly realize the phenomenal development within the space of a few decades not only in Hall but in other neighboring counties of Nebraska, one has but to turn back the pages of history a little way, and consider what the fathers and mothers faced in the way of liv- ing conditions when they came to Nebraska. Christopher Bauer, one of Hall County's rep- resentative men, can tell of pioneer days in York County, and of experiences that might just as well be applied to Hall County. Mr. Bauer was born at Theresa, Dodge County, Wisconsin, January 19, 1856.

The parents of Mr. Bauer, Christian and Dorothy Bauer, were natives of Germany. He was born near Stuttgart and she near Hiedel- berg. They came to the United States in 1855, locating on the land the father bought in Dodge County, Wisconsin, where the family made their home until February, 1880, when removal was made to York County, Nebraska. There were three children in the family: Freda, Christopher and Mary. Freda is the widow of William Kastner, and lives at James- town, North Dakota. Mary is the wife of Frederick Spoerl, they live at Marion, North Dakota. When the Bauers located in Wis- consin, the country was heavily wooded and the great trees had to be cut down in order to make clearing on which the primitive log cabin could be built of green logs. The roof of the cabin was of rough timbers covered with hand made shingles, while the earth was the only flooring. After locating in Nebraska the cows the family brought with them from Wisconsin, had, at first to be used as beasts of burden, for oxen were high priced and scarce. Wild animals were by no means ex- tinct, bears sometimes being seen, while a watch had to be kept in order that deer did not invade the newly cleared fields and trample the growing grain. There were many Indians, but they were never menacing to the Bauer family, who divided their food with the travel- ers as they came to their cabin door, even when they had but little themselves. In spite of hard work, toil with their hand and many pri- vations, Mr. Bauer's parents lived into com- parative old age, the mother dying in 1887 and the father in 1889. At that time he owned eighty acres of improved land.

Christopher Bauer attended school in Wis- consin and remained with his parents until he was twenty-one years old. In 1877 he came to York County with a team and covered wagon, spending over three weeks on the way. He invested in land and worked for other settlers up to 1880, when he married. The ceremony uniting Miss Lydia Wissmann with him took place February 21, 1880, at Long Hope, York County. Her parents were George and Catherine (Gesberg) Wissman, natives of Germany who at an early day came to Iowa and later to York where the father died in 1883, The mother died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Bauer, in July, 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Bauer became the parents of six children : Frank, who lives in Western Ne- braska ; Laura, the wife of Frederick Ehlers, of Prairie Creek township, Hall County ; Rena, the wife of William Hardekopf, near Palmer, Nebraska ; Edna, the wife of Reverend Goef-

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fert, of Culbertson, Nebraska; and Paul and Myrtle, both of whom are at home. Mr. Bauer and his family belong to the Metho- dist Episcopal church, as did his parents.

Mr. Bauer continued to live in York County until 1890, when he came to Hall County and bought one hundred and sixty acres in section two, Lake township. Here he has carried on general farming and stockraising ever since. While living in York County he was quite active in public affairs, serving frequently as school director, road overseer and treasurer, but he has confined his energies entirely to business since coming to Lake township. In his political convictions he is a Republican. On many occasions he has demonstrated his good citizenship and neighborly feeling, and with his family is held in much esteem in Lake township. As he looks over his well culti- vated fields and notes his fine stock, his im- proved machinery and commodious buildings, his thoughts often turn to the little log cabin in the woods, and the courageous, resourceful people who made it an endearing home, so many years ago.

EDITH SAUNDERS SPENCE, M. D., ac- tive and successful in her practice, is one of the leading members of the medical profes- sion in Grand Island and Hall County. She has a large private practice, and has, also, capably filled positions of great public responsi- bility, commanding the confidence and enjoy- ing the esteem of all who know her either pro- fessionally or personally. As a woman of en- lightened mind and intellectual vigor, she has always been interested in cultural activities, and her ideas frequently find expression in her poems and short stories, Dr. Spence was born at Bellaire, Ohio, a daughter of Dr. Alcinon Jackson and Mary Caroline (Hayman) Saunders.

Dr. Alcinon Saunders was born at Williams- burg, Pennsylvania, September 16, 1837, and died September 12, 1900. He provided by his own efforts for his college education at Richmond, Ohio. He studied chemistry and during the years 1861, 1862 and 1863, was pharmacist in the Central Ohio Insane Asylum. From there he entered Starling Medical Col- lege, at Columbus, and was graduated in medi- cine and surgery from that institution. Sub- sequently he was graduated from the Long Island College hospital, and for five years re- mained there taking graduate work. He entered into practice in Ohio and became very successful. In 1880 he came to Grand Island, where his professional skill won immediate

recognition and his personal character shed distinction on everything with which he was identified. For many years he was a member of the school board; a member of the United States Pension Bureau ; physician at the Sol- diers and Sailors Home, and surgeon at St. Francis Hospital. In 1889 he went to Europe to attend lectures and clinics at Vienna, Austria, and on his return became a specialist in chronic troubles of the ear, nose and throat. In 1896 he opened an office at Leavenworth, Kansas. He was there stricken with paralysis, from which he never recovered. He was a Knight Templar Mason. A leader in his pro- fession, he was called as a consultant all over the state. On November 13, 1866, Dr. Saunders was united in marriage to Mary Caroline Hay- man, who was born at Letart Falls, Ohio, and died in August, 1900. Of their surviving chil- dren Dr. Spence is the youngest, the others being: Lucy, the wife of J. P. Bruchert, of Portland, Oregon; Bertha, the wife of Robert Fontaine, of Grand Island; Florence, who re- sides in Grand Island; Austin, a resident of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Alanous, who lives at Chicago, Illinois.

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 111

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