History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 120

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).

Eber Paulk was born June 20, 1849, in Athens County, Ohio, the son of Venus and Elizabeth (Balcom) Paulk, natives of Ohio who followed general farming all their lives in the Buckeye state. Eber Paulk received a public school education in Ohio and was reared on the home farm, where he assisted his father until the time of his marriage, when he located on another farm and established a home of his own. On October 30, 1879, he married Miss Lusy Ann Diff, who was born in Woods County, West Virginia, May 11, 1862. She was the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Ray) Diff, the father a land dealer of West Virginia. Following his marriage, Mr. Paulk continued to make his home in Virginia until 1885, in which year he came to Hall County, Nebraska, and bought one hun- dred and sixty acres of land seven miles north of Wood River, where he lived till seventeen years ago when he bought land in Wood River township, where the rest of his life was passed in the peaceful pursuits of tilling the soil and reaping the harvests. He was an industrious and persevering man, and through good man- agement and the use of intelligence in his work secured a good farm and gained himself a position of security in the confidence of the people among whom his days were passed. He was independent in his political views, and a member of the Masonic lodge.

Mrs. Paulk, who survives her husband, is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of the home place. She is the mother of seven children: Clifton, who is married and lives at Pleasanton ; Elizabeth and Jerome, who are married and live in Hall County ; Genevieve, who is married and lives in Grand Island; Robert, who is deceased; Mamie, who lives at home, and Edna, who is married and lives in Hall County.

LLOYD M. HOWE. - That prosperity has attended the efforts of many of Hall County's agriculturists is not due to any happy fortune or chance circumstances, but to a fortunate selection of location and persistent and intel- ligent working of the land. One of the sub-

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stantial farmers of this locality, whose pros- perity is in the Wood River Valley, where he is widely known for his progressiveness and industry, is Lloyd M. Howe. Mr. Howe has passed his entire life in this county, being born December 10, 1875, a son of Frank E. Howe, a sketch of whose career appears on another page of this book.

Mr. Howe was reared on the home farm in Hall County, where he was given the advan- tages of attendance at the district schools. Later he pursued a high school course at Wood River, and then entered the Nebraska State University, but after one year gave up his college work and became a railroad mail clerk, a position which he held for eight years. He purchased his first land with his earnings in 1904, when he bought a tract of eighty acres, which he has since increased to two hundred and eighty acres. In addition to this he is farming his father's land, a homestead. He devotes himself principally to general farming. He made a success of his operations as a breeder of pure-bred stock. The greater part of the improvements now on the land were installed by Mr. Howe, who not only believes in modern methods of procedure but also in improved appearances and whose pro- gressive ideas have served as a good example to others in his community. He has thereby contributed to the general welfare of the com- munity. His property is situated in section 17, Wood River township, a community in which Mr. Howe has become favorably known for his public spirit and good citizenship as well as for the honorable manner in which he con- ducts his transactions. He is a Republican in his political creed, and has served as a mem- ber of the school board of district No. 8 for three years.

Mr. Howe married Mary E. Behr, daughter of the late Henry and Marie (Bohn) Behr, natives of Germany, the latter of whom makes her home at Wood River. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Howe: Mary and Anna.

MRS. CATHERINE CURRY, who is well known in Hall County and is one of the most highly esteemed residents of Wood River, is the widow of the late Owen Curry, who, at the time of his death, January 12, 1914, was one of the most substantial men of Hall County. He left behind him a fine family for whom he had amply provided, a large circle of friends who valued him highly, and a record of faithful membership in the Roman Catholic church.

Mrs Curry was born at Haverty, April 26, 1849, in Ireland. Her parents were John and Ellen Haverty, of county Kilkenny, Ireland, where her father was a small farmer. Mrs. Curry was the fifth born in their family of eight children, the others being: James, John, Thomas, Mrs. Mary A. Quinn, Patrick, Mrs. Elizabeth Spohn, and Michael. In 1866 Mrs. Curry's two brothers, James and John, came to the United States and settled in Hall County. She had always lived in her home until that time but in 1867 her brothers in America sent for her and she came directly to their home in Hall County, afterward until her marriage, making her home with her brother James. The first money she ever earned was for work done in the family of F. C. Dodge, in Hall County.

On August 20, 1871, at Wood River, she was united in marriage to Owen Curry, who had procured the license in Buffalo County, his being one of the first two licenses issued, the other was secured by County Judge Welsh. The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. Father Ryan, who lived at Columbus, Nebraska, but had a small congregation at Wood River that he visited about once a month. Mr. Curry was also of Irish extrac- tion and was one of a family of five children : Hugh, James, Peter, Owen and Mrs. Mary A. Goodin. Mr. and Mrs. Curry had eight chil- dren born to them, as follows: James P., who is deceased; Mary E., who is the wife of Frank O'Brien, of Portland, Oregon ; Theresa, who was graduated as a trained nurse from a convent school at Council Bluffs, Iowa, re- sides with her mother when not professionally engaged; John, who owns a farm in Hall County, married Grace Supten, and they have one daughter; Fannie, the wife of Millard Wickersham, owns a farm near Wood River and they have a son and a daughter; Delia, married Arthur Mattoone, a merchant in Port- land, Oregon, and they have two sons; Anna is deceased, and Nellie, who is the wife of Joseph Knight, a farmer near Shelton, and they have two sons. Mr. Curry was a kind and generous father and it pleased him to be able to make his children comfortable and he provided them all with beautiful homes during his lifetime.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Curry moved to Willow Island and Mr. Curry went to work for the Union Pacific Railroad as section foreman, but two years later returned to the neighborhood of Wood River. He bought two hundred and eigthy acres of rail- road land and in addition took up a homestead .of eighty acres adjoining it, situated five miles

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west of Wood River, and it was there the family lived for many years. They did not have to bear many of the hardships that their neighbors had to endure because Mr. Curry had brought considerable capital with him when he came here, nevertheless he could not have accumulated nine hundred and sixty acres of rich Wood River bottom land, now worth $150 an acre, without industry and frugality in the huosehold. While he worked hard raising corn and stock and putting his surplus money into more land Mrs. Curry as a true helpmate, worked hard and the marketing of her butter, chickens and eggs provided necessities and many luxuries beside. Mrs. Curry owns a beautiful modern residence at Wood River and a large body of land, in addition having a gen- erous income, a part of which she expends in charity. She is a devoted member of the Roman Catholic church as are all her children,

WILLIAM J. BURGER .- Few of the old- er residents of Doniphan are better known or more highly valued as good and upright citi- zens, than William J. Burger, who came very early to Hall County and for years has been prominent in its business affairs. While Mr. Burger has been mainly interested in the stock business, he has been successfully connected with other lines, since 1880, when he assisted in laying out the town of Doniphan, he has resided here and has been identified with its remarkable development.

Mr. Burger was born in Cedar County, Missouri, February 12, 1844. His parents were James L. and Nancy (Goodwin) Burger, the former of whom was born in Tennessee, in 1812, and the latter in North Carolina, in 1811. Of their eight children, William J. was fifth in order of birth, the others being as follows: Tolbert, who died in Cedar County, Missouri ; Halbert H., who died at Glenwood, Iowa; Caroline, deceased, was the wife of Robert Craig; Mitchell, who died at Red Oak, Iowa; Margaret, the wife of Thomas Young, lives in Hastings, Iowa; George E., who died at Doniphan, Nebraska; and Diantha, the wife of Martin White, died near Glenwood, Iowa. James L. Burger moved from Tennessee to Missouri, and from there to Mills County, Iowa, where he secured one hundred and sixty acres of government land under the pre-emption law, to which he sub- sequently added until he owned over three hundred acres. He improved his land and be- came a substantial citizen of Mills County, serving acceptably in township offices on many

occasions. In 1862 he went to Colorado, where he spent one year, going then to Nebraska and buying a farm in Cass County, near Platts- mouth, where his death occurred in 1868. He was a Democrat in his political views, and both he and wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church.

William J. Burger attended the district schools in boyhood and grew up on his father's farm. In 1862 he accompanied his father to Colorado where they were associated in the cattle buisness for two years. In the fall of 1864 he came to Hall County and took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres and had a ranch on the freight road - the govern- ment trail - that ran form Nebraska City to Plattsmouth and thence to Denver, this ranch lying at an important junction. The Burgers suffered from Indian depredations as did other neighbors, who, at that time, were few and far between. On July 24, 1864, the Indians made a raid through this section, and condi- tions were so bad during the next few years that in the spring of 1868 Mr. Burger moved with his family to Plattsmouth, remaining there until 1870. Once more the family set- tled on the farm in Hall County and lived there until 1879, when, as noted above, re- moval was made to Doniphan. Mr. Burger immediately started a sale and livery stable, and in 1880 embarked in the mercantile busi- ness, this enterprise was continued under the firm name of W. J. Burger & Son until re- cently when they sold out. For a number of years Mr. Burger was active also in the grain business but stock has been his main interest and reliance, and his name still is a leading one in the industry. He is a large employer of labor, keeps only good, standard stock, feeds for market and aims to annually ship two cars of cattle and three cars of hogs. He owns five hundred and fifty acres of fine land, har- ing the greater port of it under cultivation.

November 24, Thanksgiving Day, 1864, Mr. Burger was united in marriage to Miss Martha Creason, who was born September 25, 1845. near Burlington, Iowa, a daughter of John and Abagail (Hillman) Creason, natives of Ohio. They were farming people and moved to Mills County, Iowa, later to Nemaha County, Ne- braska ; removing then to Hall County where their death occurred. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Burger: Charles A. and Rose B., both of whom are deceased ; Flora A., who is the wife of Benja- min F. Scudder, of Doniphan ; William, Frank J., and Emma, all of whom are deceased; Martha Jennette, the wife of Arnold Herrell, Digitized by Google

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MR. AND MRS. W. J. BURGER

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of University Place, Lancaster County, Ne- braska; Albert D., associated with his father in the mercantile business at Doniphan ; James F., deaceased ; and Mary M., the wife of H. S. Knapp, of Lincoln, Nebraska.

At present Mr. Burger is independent in his political sentiments, but he was interested in the early days of the Populist party in that organization. For years he has served as a justice of the peace and for two terms was on the board of county commissioners. Both he and his wife belong to the Methodist Episco- pal church. During the World War he was a willing and liberal contributor to the various movements and a hearty supporter of the government after war was declared.

JULIUS CAESAR STRASSER. - From a clerkship in a small general store in Alda to the ownership of four hundred and sixty acres of some of the best farming land in Hall County is the distance in position traveled by Julius Caesar Strasser since his arrival in Hall County thirty-three years ago. His exper- ience in the field of merchandising covered only three years or less, for in the spring of 1889 he added his name to the list of agricul- turists whose activities center in Hall County, and in that field of endeavor worked out a gratifying success.

Mr. Strasser was born on the banks of the Mississippi river, at Bellevue, Jackson County, Iowa, August 22, 1864, a son of Adam and Catherine Strasser. Adam Strasser was a lumber merchant at Bellevue, with large inter- ests in the industry being plied on the Mis- sissippi and never left that community for the West. J. C. Strasser was reared in his home community, where he attended the public schools, remaining at home until after attain- ing his majority, when he left the parental roof, feeling that a better future awaited him farther to the West. He arrived at Alda, in Hall County, May 1, 1886, and there secured employment as clerk in the store of William Mitchel. He had been fitted for the position by a high school course and a commercial course in Elliott's Business College at Burling- ton, Iowa. He remained with Mr. Mitchel until July 5th of the same year, when he trans- ferred his services to Hayden Brothers, a con- cern with which he was connected until the fall of 1888. In the meantime he had con- served his savings carefully, and, combining them with the small capital which he had brought with him from Iowa, he was able in the spring of 1889 to make the initial pay- ment on a farm of one hundred and sixty

acres, located in section 10, Wood River town- ship. That formed the nucleus for his present holdings of four hundred and sixty acres, while Mrs. Strasser is the owner of an ad- ditional two hundred and forty arce tract. For years Mr. Strasser was engaged in general farming and stockraising, but at this time is retired, and rents his land. During the years of his activity he was accounted one of the progressive and substantial agriculturists of the Wood River Valley, and, with their modern improvements, his farms were con- sidered by many as models.

About the time he settled on his farm, Mr. Strasser married, March 30, 1889, Miss Emma C. Wiese, daughter of Hans Wiese, of Wood River township. Three children have been born to this union: Matilda, a history and English student, class of 1919, at the Uni- versity of Nebraska, who will teach in Wood River school the coming year; Ethel A., wife of Doctor H. Burgess, of Lincoln, and Flor- ence, attending the Wood River high school. Mr. Strasser is independent in his political views. He has always been ready to assist with his abilities, his time and his means in any worthy movements having for its object the advancement of his locality. He is a par- ticular friend of education, having served as a member of the local school board for a period of twelve years.

MARTIN HARDERS. - The career of Martin Harders in its demonstration of the value of industry and persistent endeavor as a means of attaining success, furnishes a valuable lesson for the youth of today who are entering upon their careers feeling that they are handicapped by the lack of the aids represented by money and influence. Mr. Harders, at the time of his entering upon an independent career, had only his native ability and determination to assist him; today he is one of the substantial citizens of Harrison township, where he lives in comfortable re- tirement on his six hundred acre farm.

Martin Hardens was born in Holstein, Ger- many, October 21, 1868, a son of Johann and Anna Harders, natives of that country who emigrated to the United States in 1880 and passed the rest of their lives as farming people in Hall County. The son, Martin, had at- tended the public schools in Germany and re- ceived some small instruction after arriving in Hall County, but his youth in this new country was largely filled with hard work, and the greater part of his education came from the school of experience. The family was not

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affluent as to financial circumstances, and ac- cordingly when the young man started his in- dependent life he was forced to rely upon his own resources. These were sufficient to enable him to buy a quarter-section of school land located in section 16, Harrison township, and to this he has since added, from time to time, through purchase and investment, until he now has six hundred acres. While for some years he followed farming almost ex- clusively, more recently he turned his attention to the cattle business, a field in which he achieved such success that he eventually re- tired, and is now living in his comfortable home, surrounded by everything desirable, a condition of affairs far removed from those existing when he first began to make his own way. He is independent in his political belief. and action, and is highly regarded in his com- munity, as a dependable, useful and construc- tive citizen.

Mr. Harders was united in marriage in 1889 with Marguerite Kunk, a native of Germany, and to this union there have been born eleven children: Ella, now Mrs. Thompson, wife of a Cameron township farmer; John, carry- ing on farming in section 17, Harrison town- ship; Julius, operating on land situated just north of the home place in Harrison township; Emil, who enlisted in Company H, One Hun- dred Thirty-fourth Infantry, was sent to Camp Cody, New Mexico, for training, as- signed to the Thirty-second Division, with which he was sent to France, served in the ranks until the signing of the armistice and was subsequently sent back to the United States, arriving at New York City, May 20, 1919; Frieda, now Mrs. Hargins, of Abbott ; Miss Edith, who resides with her parents; Helga and Charley, who are attending school, and Hilda, Otto and Anna, who live at home.

EDMOND ADNARM KEARNEY. - A progressive representative of the farming and stockraising interests of Hall County, Edmond Adnarm Kearney has been the architect of his own fortunes and has advanced himself to substantial position through the exercise of his own native attainments. He is now the owner of a well-cultivated farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres, located in section 3, Harrison township, and is accounted one of the men who have done much in a constructive way for the betterment and advancement of their adopted community.

Mr. Kearney was born on a farm in Clay County, Illinois, March 19, 1874, a son of William Kearney. His father as a young man

enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil War, and at the close of that struggle went to Illinois, where he followed farming until 1885. In that year he migrated to Hall County, where he resided four years, and then removed to Keya Paha County, this state, set- tling on a homestead, where he resided three years. Returning to Hall County, he resumed farming, and at the time of his retirement went to the Old Soldiers' Home at Grand Island, where he now resides.

Edmond A. Kearney was eleven years of age when he accompanied his parents to Hall .County, and his education, which had been started in the public schools of Clay County, Illinois, was completed here and in Keya Paha County. He returned to Hall County with his father and began working out on various farms until he was able to accumulate enough to purchase a farm of his own. His present property, a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in Harrison township, was bought in 1904, the year of the Portland (Oregon) Exposition. When he came to this farm it was lacking in all save the crudest improve- ments, and the modern ones which at present add value to the farm are of Mr. Kearney's installation. He carries on general farming and raises some stock, and his success has been achieved through strictly honorable methods, so that his reputation is an excellent one. Politically, Mr. Kearney is independent.

Mr. Kearney married Miss Nielson, daugh- ter of John and Josephine Nielson, of Salt Lake City, Utah, and they have one child : Ruth A., born in 1918. Mrs. Kearney is a member of the Mormon church.

WILLIAM L. HALDEMAN, who owns a valuable farm in Harrison township, Hall County, that has been developed and highly improved through his own efforts, came to this county thirty-five years ago and has always been considered one of the solid, de- pendable men of this section.

William L. Haldeman was born at Mil- waukee, Wisconsin, April 9, 1854. His par- ents were James F. and Anna (Short) Halder- man, who were born in Ohio. In 1875 they moved from Muscatine, Iowa, to Hall County, settling near Alda, where both parents died, the father when aged seventy-four years, and the mother, seventy-one years. The latter was a member of the Episcopal church. William L. Halderman grew to manhood in Iowa, where he had common school advantages and practical training in business. In 1884 he joined his father in Hall County immediately

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F. M. WILES AND FAMILY

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investing in railroad lands situated in Harri- son township, and from then until the present has been closely engaged in agricultural ac- tivities. For many years he has been ex- ceedingly successful as a general farmer and has grown some stock and cattle. At present he is giving attention to a beautiful herd of Aberdeen Polled Angus cattle, that give evi- dence of being very profitable.

On Thanksgiving day, 1877, Mr. Halderman married Miss Isabel Harris, a daughter of Abraham and Isabel Harris, formerly of Avoca, Iowa, but now (deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Halderman have three children, namely : Russell, E. K. and Anna, all of whom live in Grand Island. Mr. Halderman has never been active politically, but he takes much interest in his connection with the Masonic and Elk lodges, in Grand Island.

FRANCIS MERVIN WILES is one of the substantial and up-to-date farmers of Hall County, owning and operating a well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres in sec- tions eleven and twelve, Wood River township.

Mr. Wiles is a native of the neighboring state of Kansas, having been born at Alton, Osborne County, November 9, 1879. His father, Alverdo Wiles, is a native of New York state and now a resident of Doyle, Cal- ifornia. The mother of our subject was Emily Vernon, a native of Iowa, who died in Kansas when Francis was eleven years old.

Young Wiles was early thrown upon his own resources and was reared on farms. He was seventeen years old when he came to Hall County where he found employment at farm labor. He carefully saved his earnings and was able to purchase eighty acres of land to which he later added a tract of similar size, this being improved and here he has made his home for the last seventeen years, being en- gaged in diversified farming with good success. He uses modern machinery in his farm opera- tions and was the first to make use of the small tractor in the cultivation of his land.

December 19, 1900, occurred the marriage of Francis M. Wiles and Miss Mabel Clair Rickard. She was born in Hall County, a daughter of Lewis and Marie Antoinette (Fellows) Richard, the former of whom was born in New York and the latter was born at Flowerfield, Michigan. They were among the early settlers of Hall County where the father took a homestead and became one of the well-to-do men of the county. Both are now deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Wiles are the parents of six

living children: Pearl Gertrude, Earl Fran- cis, Clyde Edwin, Milton Seth, Ralph Willard and Delmar Glenn. They lost two children: Arthur L. and Floyd Clarence.

The family are members of the Friends church at Alda, in which Mr. Wiles holds an official position. In politics he is a Republican and is an efficient member of the school board and a director in the Farmers State Bank of Alda.

JOHN SYLVESTER HAYSE, whose res- idence in Hall County dates from 1880, found few settlers earlier than himself in Harrison township, where he is one of the leading ag- riculturists. He came here in early manhood from Ohio, where, even then, neighborhoods were becoming crowded and the tocsin was being sounded of "Go west, young man, go west." He has never felt that he made any mistake in coming to Hall County, with its invigorating climate that gives urge to in- dustry, and with soil that readily responds to proper cultivation.

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 120

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