USA > Nebraska > Hall County > History of Hall County, Nebraska > Part 124
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The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Mrs. Emma Jane Snarley, is a widow living in Doniphan; Orvil, a farmer in this county; Charles, also a farmer in Hall County; George, who is employed at Detroit, Michigan; Mary, who died at the age of two years; Lucy, who died when seven years old; Lora, a teacher in Garden County ; Albert, a farmer in Minnesota; Mrs. Clara Bond, whose husband is a farmer in Hall County on the old homestead of J. W. Smith, and John and an unnamed infant, both of whom died when babes. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Presbyterian church.
ALMOND WILLIAM BENTON, a rep- resentative citizen of Hall County, at one time a justice of the peace, and owner of highly improved farm land in Cameron township, came to Nebraska almost forty years ago and has been helpful in the various developing agencies that have changed a wilderness into one of the most productive and one of the most intelligent sections of this great common- wealth.
Mr. Benton was born in Lewis County, New York, December 13, 1850. His parents, Loren D. and Sarah (Seward) Benton, belonged to notable families of the Empire State. His father, born in Otsego County, July 14, 1798, was a farmer and also a carpenter, and lived to be eighty-five years old. His mother was also a native of Otsego County, born Novem- ber 10, 1804, and she survived to the same advanced age. They never came to Nebraska, the old settled ways of the east pleasing them best, and they lived and died in New York highly esteemed by all who knew them.
Almond William Benton grew up on the
home farm and obtained his education in the local schools. In 1880 he came. to Hall County, having a small amount of capital, which he invested in railroad land, and he now owns three hundred and twenty acres that he has very substantially improved. In addition to engaging in general farming he early became interested in the stock industry and until recently was an extensive raiser of hogs, but has been mainly concerned in rais- ing thoroughbred Percheron horses and has marketed fine animals. He has had his share of pioneer hardships but he never became discouraged as to the final outcome and in times ·of deep despondency, his attitude was often very helpful in encouraging others.
By his first wife Mr. Benton had two chil- dren: Lila, who is the wife of R. B. Ran- dolph, a farmer in Mayfield township, and Myron A., who is a farmer in South Loup township. In 1890 Mr. Benton married Miss Emogene Reed, a native of Iowa, who was reared in Hall County. Her father, Emerson Reed, was born in Vermont and her mother Mary E. Garrison, was born in Pennsylvania. They came to Iowa when children and mar- ried there, where the father was a farmer. They came to Hall County, Nebraska, in 1878, living here until fourteen years ago when they removed to Washington, both passing away in that state. Of this marriage there are three children: Ina, the wife of George D. Allen, a farmer in Cameron township; Hazel D., the wife of Rupert W. Sill, a farmer in Cameron township, and Almon W., attending school at Cairo. Mr. Benton has always been active in the Democratic party and has loyally sup- ported its fundamental policies. His sterling character has frequently been recognized by his fellow citizens by his election to office and his intelligent attitude in regard to the public schools in his township, with which he has been connected for twenty years, has had much to do with their notable excellence. He has acceptably filled many local positions in which good judgment and public spirit have been essential, and for twelve years he was a justice of the peace.
QUINTES D. OMEY, a prosperous farmer and stockman of Hall County, resides on his substantially improved farm situated in section 35, South Loup township. He is one of the solid, reliable citizens, a man of practical ideas and one who consistently at- tends to his own business, having spent the greater part of his life in Nebraska.
Quintes D. Omey was born April 21, 1881,
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in Ringgold County, Iowa. His parents were Edward and Isabell (Wibble) Omey, natives of New York, who were married in Illinois and from there came to Iowa and in 1884 to Hall County, Nebraska, settling on a farm in Cameron township. The father of Mr. Omey died at the age of seventy-seven years and the mother in her seventy-third year. Of the six children, Q. D. was the youngest, the others being: Edward, a farmer, died at the age of forty-seven years; Lewis, a farmer in Holt County, Nebraska; John, also a farmer in Holt County; Nora, the widow of R. M. Graves, lives in Pueblo, Colorado, and Lillie, the wife of Henry Waddington, lives on a farm in Buffalo County, Nebraska.
The parents of Mr. Omey brought him to Hall County when he was about three years old and he grew to the age of twenty-one years on his father's farm, attending school in the meanwhile as opportunity offered. His business life has been along agricultural lines. In addition to his farm of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he has placed excellent improvement, Mr. Omey has other land situated west of his home place. He has been very successful in his farm undertakings and attributes his prosperity mainly to the fact that he has given such a large measure of attention to the best of stock. He has on his farm a good grade of cattle and Plymouth Rock poultry and he is the owner of registered Duroc Jersey hogs, having thirty-five head of the same at the present time. His enterprise has paid him well and his efforts to raise stock standards in the county is very commendable.
On October 30, 1902, Mr. Omey married Miss Genevieve Paul, who was born in 1881, in Cameron township, Hall County, Nebraska. Both parents of Mrs. Omey, James and Flora (Green), are deceased, the father dying at the age of fifty-seven and the mother when thirty years of age. They had the following children, six in number, Mrs. Omey being the youngest : J. E., a dentist, lives at Santa Ana, California ; Frank, a farmer near Broadwater, Nebraska; Dora, the wife of Leslie Boodry, a farmer near Angora, Nebraska; Edith, the wife of Fred Goodrich, a merchant at Cairo, and Gladys, the wife of William Lee, a farmer near Bridgeport, Nebraska.
Mr. and Mrs. Omey have the following children: Virginia, who attends school at Cairo; Marcia, Maxwell and Mildred, all of whom are at home, the older two attending the neighborhood school. Mrs. Omey is a member of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. In politics Mr. Omey votes as his judgment dictates.
JAMES W. LONGSTRETH. - One of Hall County's pioneers and permanent settlers is found in J. W. Longstreth, who has lived on his farm in South Loup township since he bought it thirty-four years ago. He found little here except the unbroken prairie and for some years conditions were not as com- fortable as those enjoyed today. Mr. Long- streth always maintained that this section of the state would become exceedingly valuable and he has lived to see his judgment proved true.
James W. Longstreth was born February 5, 1856, in Muscatine County, Iowa. His father was born in Dayton, Ohio, and died in Iowa at the age of seventy years. The family name of his mother was Deweese and she was born in Ohio and died when aged seventy-two years. They had nine children: J. R., who lives in Iowa ; J. W., of South Loup township, Hall County, Nebraska; N. W., who lives in Canada; F. E., resides at Letts, Iowa; Ada, whose home is in Wyoming; Eleanora, who died in Iowa; Oliver J., who lives in Iowa ; D. Cochran, who lives at Letts, Iowa, and Cora, deceased.
Mr. Lengstreth attended school in Iowa and engaged in farming in that state until 1885, when he came to Hall County, with the in- tention of making this section his home and bought a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land that suited his purpose. He has greatly improved this property in the years he has lived here and now has one hundred and fifty acres under a high state of cultiva- tion. He has made the raising of good stock a feature of his work and has many fine cattle, horses and hogs. He has been a useful citizen also, taking an interest in all that has promised to be of permanent benefit, especially in the public schools, serving as school trustee for many years. He married Miss Mattie J. Reed, who was born in Muscatine County, Iowa, and was thirty-seven years old at time of death. They had three children : Marietta, the wife of F. G. Shoopman, a farmer near Litchfield; Dayton Oliver, who conducts the home farm, and James H., who entered Camp Grant for military training in an infantry reg- iment, September 5, 1918, recently returning home. The family is one held in high esteem throughout the county.
JAMES C. BULLOCK. - One of the well known and highly respected residents of South Loup township, Hall County, is J. C. Bullock, who came to Nebraska in early days and has assisted in the development of dif-
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ferent sections. Mr. Bullock has always been an observing man and his recollections of people and events connected with his long life in the state, give a very vivid idea of conditions here a half century ago.
Mr. Bullock was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee, October 1, 1842. His father was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, grew up there and acquired land which he sold and moved first to Jay County, Indiana, then to Randolph County, and from there, in 1856 to Polk County, Iowa. He was twice married and had three sons: J. C., who lives in Hall County; Isaac, who died in Hall County at the age of fifty years, and Moses, who was a carpenter, died in Kalawa County, Wash- ington, at the age of sixty years. In 1889 Mr. Bullock removed from Iowa to Nebraska and homesteaded near Antioch, in Sheridan County, where he remained five years before coming to Hall County in 1894.
In Polk County, Iowa, Mr. Bullock was united in marriage with Nancy Anna Cox, who died at Antioch, Nebraska, in 1890. They had five children: Newton Clark, who was born July 9, 1865, served four years in the United States navy, then returned home, but is now on the United States cruiser Cal- ifornia; Sarah, born January 30, 1868, in Jay County, Indiana, is the wife of Adam Stoeger ; Alice Louise, born Nevember 4, 1870, is the wife of Henry Stoeger, a substantial farmer and dairyman of Hall County; Maria Celesta, born January 5, 1875, lived but three years, and Otto M., born November 5, 1877, and died at the age of thirteen months.
LESLIE BOODRY, Jr., one of the enter- prising and industrious farmers of Hall County, conducts his agricultural operations very successfully. He is listed with the intel- ligent and progressive citizens of South Loup township.
Mr. Broody was born in Cameron township, Hall County, October 29, 1888, the son of Leslie and Dora (Paul) Boodry, the former of whom was born in the state of New York in 1866 and the latter in 1869. They now live near Aurora, Nebraska, where Mr. Broody conducts a ranch. Of their family of eleven children, Leslie Boodry, Jr., was the second born, the others being: James, who lives at Angora; David, a mechanic in a government aviation field in Texas; Frank, a ranchman near Angora; Warren, who served one year and five months in a training camp at Jackson- ville, Florida, during the World War; Theo- dore and Ila, both of whom reside at home;
Eunice, who is a teacher at Angora, and Phoebe, Dorothy and Edith, all of whom live at home.
Leslie Boodry, Jr., obtained his education in the public schools. He has made farming and stockraising his business ever since he reached manhood and has taken so much interest in the work that he has been unusually successful. In 1907 he located in Morrill County, Nebraska, where he continued to live until 1914 when he came to Hall County, locating one mile west of his present farm and then came to the one he is yet operating, which he rents from Phoebe A. Fuller. He keeps everything in good repair and an air of plenty and appearance of thrift, indicate Mr. Boodry's thoroughness and industry. On an average he keeps fifteen head of cattle, thirty head of hogs and six horses.
Mr. Boodry married Miss Rachel Clugy, who was born in 1891, in Iowa, and they have one son, Leslie William, who is now four years old, a bright engaging child. Mr. Boodry is an independent voter. While living in Morrill County he served one year on the school board, but has accepted no public office since coming to Hall County.
HENRY STOEGER, whose reputation for excellence in farming and success in dairying is so well founded that he is placed with the representative agriculturists of Hall County, is not a native of Nebraska but has spent the greater part of his life in this state. Mr. Stoeger entertains a high opinion of this great commonwealth, its business possibilities and its people, and says that he never encountered unusual hardships during his whole period of residence. He is a heavy landowner and a prominent factor in the dairy interests of South Loup township. Mr. Stoeger was born in Lawrence County, Illinois, September 25, 1865, the son of John Stoeger.
H. Stoeger attended the public schools in his native county and assisted his father on 1 the home farm until he was thirteen years old, when he accompanied his parents to Hall County, where his father homesteaded. He later went to Chase County and took a home- stead for himself and proved. up, but twenty- three years ago, after selling his Chase County land, he returned to the homestead in South Loup township, Hall County, and has lived here since. In 1890 he had a record corn crop, raising thirty bushels to the acre on his land one mile west of Cairo, when other farmers found their crop an entire failure. In his sub- sequent large agricultural operations he com-
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. MR. AND MRS. JOHN STOEGER
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bined farming and cattle raising and found it profitable. He now devotes the most of his attention to dairying, keeping a large herd of cows for the purpose, but he also raises horses and hogs. Mr. Stoeger owns five hundred and forty acres and has three hundred and twenty in pasture land.
Mr. Stoeger married Miss Alice Louise Bul- lock, who was born November 4, 1870, and is a daughter of J. C. and Nancy Anna (Cox) Bullock. They have three children: Edward Byran, who assists his father; Eugenia Maud, born Nevember 9, 1905; and Clifford Henry, born June 27, 1911. Mrs. Stoeger is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics Mr. Stoeger is a Democrat but he has never had any political ambition, being satis- fied with the quiet life of a farmer and the ample returns that his vocation brings him. The family is a large one in this section and its members are all men of property and of honorable standing in their communities.
WILLIAM LINDSAY, whose well im- proved farm and fine stock proclaim him one who takes an understanding interest in his agricultural operations, has been a resident of Hall County since 1903 and of Nebraska since 1884. He owns a valuable farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres which is situated in sec- tion eight, Harrison township.
William Lindsay was born in Sandusky County, Ohio, December 24, 1860. His par- ents were E. C. and Julia Ann Lindsay, who spent their entire lives in that state. The father was a retired farmer at the time of his death. Of their family of twelve children, William Lindsay was the third in order of birth, the others being: Charles, a farmer near Vickery, Ohio; Byron, a farmer near his brother in Ohio; Herman, a merchant at Vick: ery; Clara Jeanette, the wife of W. J. Barr, a farmer near Vickery ; Frank, a farmer near Fremont, Ohio; Ida the wife of William Grave, a farmer near Vickery ; Jessie, with her brother Herman in his store at Vickery; Florence, the wife of Roy Story, a mail car- rier; Elmer, who died at the age of ten years ; and two who died in infancy.
Mr. Lindsay obtained his education in the public schools of his native state and after- ward taught school for three years at Reily Center, in Buffalo County. In 1884 he came to Nebraska and bought land in Howard County, near Alba, and while operating his farm found time to teach school at a small place called Coachfield, which he conducted there for three years. When hc eame to his
present farm in Hall County he found it prac- tically unimproved. Mr. Lindsay has put time and money into making this one of the fine farms of Harrison township. He is interested in producing good stock and turns off twenty head of cattle and at least fifty head of Poland China hogs a year. His farm operations are unusually successful because he directs his work carefully and systematically.
At Coachfield, Nebraska, Mr. Lindsay mar- ried Miss Nora B. Lindsay, who was born in Illinois, in 1870. They have two children: Claude, who is employed in a garage and lives at Cairo, Nebraska, and Lenora, the widow of J. W. Zook, who was in the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad as an electrician at the time of his death which resulted from an attack of influenza in December, 1918. Mr. Lindsay and family are members of the Evan- gelical church. Like his father before him he is a strong Republican in his political opinions. He has served in public office both in Howard and in Hall County, being county assessor for one year in the former and school treasurer here for three years. He is highly respected by his neighbors and is looked upon as one of the township's representative men.
ORION BRYAN, who owns one of the best regulated farms in South Loup township, Hall County, has made a success of his agri- cultural operations in this as well as in other sections. He was brought up on his father's farm in Fulton County, Indiana, where he was born November 6, 1868, being the son of Henry Bryan, who died many years ago. His wife survived him many years passing away in 1910.
Mr. Bryan obtained his education in the public schools in Indiana. He came to Ne- braska in March, 1882 to engage in farming in Buffalo County, where he rented land for a time. Later he bought land near Bluff Center, in Hall County, situated one and a half miles east of Cairo, where he lived for two years. In 1890 he moved three miles further east, buying eighty acres from a Mr. Hooper, but later sold that property to Ed- ward Wilcox and bought another eighty, two miles to the south and one mile to the east, paying a fair price to Michael Dunlap. When he sold that place he removed to Cameron township on a farm owned by Mr. Dodd and when he left Hall County in the fall of 1888. he had sufficient capital to establish himself well in Box Elder County, Utah, where he fol- lowed farming for seven years, and then re- moved to a location near Gridley, California,
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where he carried on fruit growing for three years. In the meanwhile a favorite sister had married John T. Coons, a prominent farmer and stockman of Hall County, and that, per- haps, had something to do with Mr. Bryan once more turning his steps to this section.
In 1910 Mr. Bryan came back to Hall County and lived three years on a farm lo- cated one mile east and two south of Cairo and subsequently purchased this valuable property from Patrick Swan and has one hun- dred and seventeen of his two hundred and seventeen acres under cultivation. He has greatly improved his surroundings, his barns and outbuildings are substantial, his residence comfortable and he has one of the most up- to-date silos in the county. He keeps high grade stock and raises cattle, horses and hogs.
Mr. Bryan married Miss Lillie Porter, who was born in Illinois. They have the following children, their ages ranging from twenty-four to six years : Lena, Belle, Gertrude, Gilford, Ruth, Lawrence M., and Helen, all of whom live at home, and the older children have been given good educational opportunities. Mr. Bryan and his family are members of the Baptist church, and one of his brothers is a Baptist minister. He has never been very ac- tive in politics but his fellow citizens know that he has sound judgment and on important questions has decided opinions. He is a mem- ber of the M. W. A. lodge in Cairo.
HANS ADAM DIBBERN, called one of Hall County's best farmers, is operating four hundred and twenty acres of land in South Loup township and gives much attention to stockraising. He is an industrious, frugal man, always paying close attention to his own business, and has such sound, practical ideas of what farmers need in order to make their industries profitable, this his advice is often asked by his neighbors.
Hans Adam Dibbern was born in Schleswig- Holstein, Germany, one of a family of fifteen children born to Joachim and Margaret Dib- bern. They were born in Germany and came with their children to the United States in 1871. The father homesteaded five miles east and one mile south of Wood River, Hall County, and that farm remained the family home as long as he and his wife lived. They died when aged about seventy-four years and were interred in the Wood River cemetery, Three of their children died in infancy, the others being: Mrs. K. Weise, who died at the age of forty-eight years ; Mrs. J. Hermann, who died when aged fifty years; Henry D., a
clerk, lives in Grand Island; Mrs. L. Schmidt, who lives on a farm in Hooker County; Peter D. and Hans A., twins, who live in Hall County ; Mrs. P. Hermann, who lives on a farm south of Grand Island; Mrs. John Schlieker, who lives on a farm in Garden County ; Ernest D., a farmer south of Wood River; Mrs. Richard Runge, who lives in Custer County ; Otto D., who works in the sugar factory at Grand Island; and August O., who lives on the old homestead near Wood River.
Hans A. Dibbern was but six months old when brought to America, he obtained his edu- cation after coming to the United States. He assisted his father on the homestead as long as he was needed there and then farmed for him- self. At present he is renting the Hans Siek's farm and follows careful methods that result profitably. He believes it good policy to raise a good grade of stock.
Mr. Dibbern married Miss Maggie Engel, who was born in Germany, where her parents were also born. Her mother died in Germany but her father came to the United States. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dibbern: Herman H., a farmer in Hall County ; Mrs. Peter Siek, whose husband is a farmer in Hall County; Harry J., Celia M., Lulu K., all of whom are at home; a babe that died unnamed; and Walter J., Miles F., and Bessie A., all of whom are at home and all attending school. Mr. Dibbern and his family are well known and highly respected.
JOHN TAYLOR COONS, a prosperous farmer and stockman of Hall County, is also one of South Loup township's active and use- ful citizens. He came to Nebraska in 1885 and bought his first land in Valley County, on which he lived for four years then sold and bought his present fine farm in South Loup township, Hall County.
Mr. Coons was born in 1856, in Fulton County, Indiana. His father died many years ago but his mother survived until 1918, al- though she had been an invalid for the last twelve years. Of the family of eight children, J. T. Coons was the second born, the others being: Mary Jane, who was born in 1854, married a Baptist minister; Martha Jane, the wife of George Carter, a retired farmer of Indianapolis, Indiana; Emma, the wife of Schuyler Keyes, connected with the Standard Oil Company at Albion, Indiana; Dora, who died at the age of thirty years; an infant that died unnamed; Myra, who was the wife of Ed Tracy, a teacher at Eden, Idaho, died at
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the age of forty-six; and Carrie, the wife of Ed Studebaker, who is in the wholesale pro- duce business at Logansport, Indiana.
In boyhood Mr. Coons had common school advantages. He grew up on a farm and agri- cultural industries have mainly engaged his attention since he reached man's estate. For ten years he was in the employ of George Win- gate in the butchering business. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in South Loup township and has eighty acres under a high state of cultivation. He feeds the bulk of his own grain and each year has twelve head of cattle and the same of horses to sell. He has found the raising of high grade poultry profit- able and annually markets a flock of Rhode Island Reds. Mr. Coons is very systematic in carrying on his farm operations. He is well informed on all subjects pertaining to his business but is too sensible a man to be led into making any great changes in methods that have proved satisfactory in his past experi- ence, and in his own neighborhood his judg- ment is accepted as valuable.
Mr. Coons married Miss Amy Bryan, of Fulton County, Indiana. Her father died at the age of fifty-nine years while her mother passed away in 1910, aged eighty-three years. Mrs. Coons was the seventh born of eight children, the others being: Mrs. Samantha King, who lives in Rochester, Indiana; Lafay- ette, who died at the age of sixty-three years ; Malinda, who died in infancy; Mrs. Ella Powers, who lives on a farm in Hall County ; J. L., a minister of the Baptist church, in Franklin, Indiana ; J. N., who was a farmer in Hall County, died at the age of thirty-three; and Orion, a resident of Hall County.
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