History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 126

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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JOHN W. RATHBUN, one of Hall County's progressive agriculturists, is success- fully conducting farm industries on the old Rathbun homestead, on section fourteen, Center township. Believing that agriculture calls for a man's best thought and effort, Mr. Rathbun kept his chosen vocation in mind during school years both in Hall County and in Michigan, and has turned his education to good account. Mr. Rathbun was born De- cember 13, 1888, in Hall County.

The parents of John Wilbur Rathbun, Cyrus P. and Emma (Lyman) Rathbun, were born respectively in Ontario, Canada,

and the state of New York, the father in 1844 and the mother in 1848. Her death occurred July 28, 1918. The paternal grandparents, Daniel and Ruth (Ryder) Rathbun, were Canadians, the former born in 1812 and the latter in 1815. Of his parents' family of seven children, C. P. Rathbun was the fourth in order of birth, the others being: William, a farmer in Iowa ; Eliza, a resident of Michigan, is the widow of William Long, who was killed in the Civil War; Lyman, who died in Michi- gan ; Elizabeth, the wife of Major Conk- wright, formerly of Michigan; Rebecca, the wife of Wilbur McCombs, of Grand Island; and Gideon, a farmer in Michigan. In 1871 Cyrus P. Rathbun came to Hall County, where he took up a homestead of eighty acres, living in a primitive way at first but gradually making improvements which included the set- ting out of trees. Later he rented a sawmill and prepared the lumber for his subsequent building operations. For thirty-three years he served in the office of school moderator in Center township and yet serves as a school director of his district. He is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Grand Island.

John Wilbur Rathbun has always made his home with his father, and since the latter re- tired has had sole responsibility in carrying on the various farm industries. In this he has shown much enterprise. In connection with general crop raising, he has given con- siderable attention to his fine Duroc-Jersey hogs and Holstein herds and does some dairy- ing. His surroundings are just those one might expect on a well kept farm where modern methods prevail and intelligence and interest mark all undertakings.

Mr. Rathbun married Miss Georgiana Bailey, who was born in Cass County, Ne- braska, in 1891, and is a daughter of George Bailey, a farmer in Hall County. They have two sons: Donald L. and Ralph W. Having no desire for public office and being well able to do his own political thinking, Mr. Rathbun has never identified himself with any political party, although his father is a Democrat. As a good citizen he is interested in the public schools of his district and is serving as a school director. He belongs to no fraternal organization but carries insurance in the old line Bankers Life Company. Mr. Rathbun is looked upon as one of the solid, dependable men of Hall County.

JOHN L. McNAMARA, well known in Hall County, is a general farmer residing on his well improved land situated in section 12,

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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

South Platte township, has devoted the most of his life to agricultural pursuits. Through industry and good management he has made them profitable.

John L. McNamara was born in the great city of Montreal, Dominion of Canada, June 1, 1870. His parents were Daniel and Anna (Small) McNamara, the former of whom was a corporal in the Canadian army. John L. obtained his education in the public schools, first in Montreal and later Alma, Nebraska. While working on a farm he learned the black- smith trade and prior to coming to Hall County worked as a blacksmith in South Dakota, for the Homestead gold mine. He now operates one hundred and sixty acres of land that belong to Mrs. E. A. Filch, his mother in law. He has made the property very valuable by careful tillage and substantial improvements, carrying on a general farming line, diversifying his crops and raising excel- lent stock.

At Doniphan, Nebraska, in 1884, Mr. Mc- Namara married Miss Jennie Britt, a daughter of John Britt. When Mr. Britt came to the county he took a pre-emption claim and also a tree claim, subsequently making improve- ments on all his property. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Namara have three children: William, a member of the aero squadron with the Amer- ican Expeditionary Force in France, and Daniel and Millie, both of whom are attend- ing school. Mr. McNamara and family are members of the Roman Catholic church, and in church and neighborhood are held in high esteem. In his political views Mr. McNamara is a Republican.

WALTER F. AUGUSTIN, a representa- tive business man of Doniphan, became a resi- dent of this city in 1915. For a number of years he was exclusively interested in farm- ing, for others and himself, but since coming to Doniphan he has embarked in the farm im- plement business and is agent for leading manufacturers.

Mr. Augustin was born January 16, 1887, in Adams County, Nebraska, a son of Henry and Mary (Ruater) Augustin, whose record will be found elsewhere in this volume in a sketch written for W. R. Augustin.

Walter F. Augustin attended the country schools in boyhood and with his brothers assisted on the home farm near Juniata. Later he engaged in farming for himself, then con- ducted an implement business for a short time at Hayland, Adams County, coming from there in 1915 to Doniphan. Here he bought

an implement business and has greatly en- larged its scope. In farm implements he repre- sents the John Deere Company, and the J. I. Case tractors and threshing machines. He also handles oils, and additionally does plumbing and well work. He has built up a solid repu- tation along the lines of reliability and effici- ency.

Mr. Augustin married Miss Sena Uden, who was born in Adams County, Nebraska, and they have one daughter, Irene, who attends school. Mr. and Mrs. Augustin are members of the Lutheran church. For some years while residing near Prosser, Nebraska, he served as a school director but otherwise has never accepted public office. He is not identi- fied with any political party but votes accord- in to his own judgment.

HENRY OLTHOFF, one of Doniphan's good citizens and honest business inen, cele- brated his forty-second birthday in 1919. He was born near Doniphan, Hall County, and has spent his life in the same neighborhood. He has been an industrious man all of his life and in younger years worked as a farmer. Through the exercise of prudence, he accumu- lated capital and this he invested in a stock of general merchandise and in 1915 opened his store at Doniphan. A feature of his business is the purchase and sale of produce. Believed to be trustworthy in every way, Mr. Olthoff has hearty patronage from his fellow citizens and is a prosperous merchant of the town.

Mr. Olthoff married Miss Edith Stevenson, now deceased. She was a faithful member of the Roman Catholic church. They had one daughter, Edith Henrietta, who died in 1918, at the age of seven years.

FREDERICK O. HARRELL. - Grain and stock represent great wealth in Nebraska. To be sufficiently interested in these necessary factors of food supply, with a thousand acres of rich land to utilize profitably, may well de- mand close attention and unusual business sagacity of any one so fortunately situated. These requisites for success are possessed by Frederick O. Harrell, a prominent and repre- sentative grain farmer and stockman of Hall County, who has made the foregoing propo- sition possible. Mr. Harrell has spent almost his entire life in Hall County and is devoted to its every worthy interest.

Mr. Harrell was born in Winterset, Madi- son County, Iowa, in 1867, the fourth in a family of six children born to E. L and Sarah

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HISTORY. OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

(James) Harrell. His father was born in 1838, near Indianapolis, Indiana, and died at Hansen, Nebraska, in 1912. His mother was also born in Indiana and now resides at Han- sen, having reached her seventy-eighth year. They had the following children: Wilbur and Laura, both of whom are deceased ; James, who lives at Hansen, Nebraska ; Frederick O., who resides near Doniphan; Ollie May, the wife of William Meyer, of Portland, Oregon ; and Georgie, the wife of Joseph Sleuman, who owns a fruit ranch in California. The father of the above family followed agricultural pur- suits throughout life. In 1877 he came to Hall County where he bought two hundred and eighty acres of railroad land, and to the cultivation and improvement of this land practically devoted his entire time as long as he was active. He was a man of industry, good judgment, of high moral character and a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Although never very active in politics, he had the best interests of his section at heart and in voting the Democratic ticket be- lieved he best protected them. He left a fine property which is yet owned by his heirs.

Frederick O. Harrell was brought to Hall County in boyhood and was educated in the public schools. He was long associated with his father in carrying on general farming. At the present time he owns, with partners, 1000 acres of Nebraska land, divided into farms. He feeds cattle and hogs for market, keeping only first class grades; is a large dealer in mules and horses for market purposes, and also is in the grain business, in connection with which he owns an elevator at Doniphan. Mr. Harrell has other property here, owning a half interest in buildings in the business section of the town.

Mr. Harrell first married Miss Etta May Sides, who was born in 1870, in Illinois, and the following children were born to them: Charlotte, the wife of Fred Adams, residing on one of Mr. Harrell's farms near Doniphan ; Edward, deceased; Georgia, the wife of John Bowden, a farmer near Doniphan; Minnie, the wife of Donald Brewer, of Doniphan ; Thomas, a farmer; and Floyd, who lives at Hansen. Mr. Harrell's second marriage was to Miss Rose Farabee, who was born in Illi- nois, in 1873. Mrs. Harrell is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Harrell does his own political thinking, hence is an independent voter.

CHARLES W. BIERBOWER, editor and proprietor of the Enterprise, at Doniphan,

has made it one of the best known and most valuable advertising mediums of the many well conducted newspapers in this section of the state. Mr. Bierbower is a practical print- er, having served his apprenticeship at the case and is familiar with every detail of newspaper work and printing house industry. .

Charles W. Bierbower was born in 1889, in Hamilton County, Nebraska, a son of Jona- than and Margaret (Cavett) Bierbower, the former of whom was born in Ohio in 1846, and the latter in Indiana in 1850. Of their twelve children, Charles W.was the ninth in order of birth, the others being as follows : Ja- cob, who is deceased ; John, connected with the Giltner Lumber Company, Giltner, Nebraska ; Martin, a farmer on the old homestead ; Leslie, also a farmer on the old homestead in Hamil- ton County ; William, a contractor at Giltner ; Frank, who conducts a fruit farm in Cali- fornia ; J. D., who lives in Giltner ; James C., editor of the Gazette, at Giltner; Mary, the wife of E. O. Mckibben, who operates an elevator at Geneva, Nebraska; Ruth, book- keeper in the Giltner State bank, and Mar- garet, the wife of Hubert Cox, a farmer near Giltner. The father of the above family, Jona- than Bierbower, removed from Ohio to Iowa when a boy, from there to McLean County, Illinois, where he worked on a farm until he enlisted for service in the Civil War. He was only seventeen years old at the time but was accepted in the Thirty-fourth Illinois Infan- try, in which he served under General Grant in Virginia. After the war was over he re- turned to Illinois and engaged in farming there until 1889, when he came to Nebraska and subsequently bought two hundred and forty acres of land in Hamilton County, which he still owns although he retired from active farm work in 1906 and moved to Giltner. He placed many substantial improvements on his land and made his farm industries profitable. He is a member of the Presbyterian church as was his wife. In politics he is a Republican and he. belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic.

Charles W. Bierbower attended the country school near his father's farm and later in the high school in Giltner. When seventeen years old he started to learn the printing business under C. H. Stall. Those who have followed Mr. Bierbower's career with interest will not be slow in asserting that his choice of a voca- tion was a wise one. In 1912 in association with his next older brother, James C. Bier- bower, he bought the Giltner Gazette, and retained his interest for six years, in the meanwhile making it a first class newspaper.

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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

He then came to Doniphan where he bought the Enterprise, and as before immediately brought to bear the business capacity that has resulted in the expansion of every department of the Enterprise plant, doubling the subscrip- tion list, increasing the advertising, and turn- ing out the finest kind of job work. From a small town paper he has made this journal influential all through this part of the state, not, however in the interest of any political party, for Mr. Bierbower is an independent voter.

Mr. Bierbower married Miss Llewellyn Talbert, who was born at Trumbull, Clay' County, Nebraska, and they have one child, Charlotte, who resides at home. Mr. Bier- bower belongs to the Masonic fraternity, also to the Modern Woodmen and Woodmen of the World orders. His father's honorable military record has always been a source of pride to him as also that of his eldest brother, Jacob Bierbower, now deceased, who served in the Spanish-American war and took part in the capture of Manilla.

WILLIAM RUDOLPH AUGUSTIN, mayor of Doniphan, is also an enterprising business man here as well as a substantial farmer and stockman of Hall County. Al though not a native of Nebraska, he has lived in the state since he was ten years old and since 1912 has been a resident of Hall County.

Mayor Augustin was born in 1873, at Red Wing, Minnesota. His parents were Henry and Mary (Ruhter) Augustin, natives of Ger- many, who came to the United States when about twenty years of age. The mother died in 1916, aged sixty-seven years. They had the following children : William Rudolph, Mayor of Doniphan; Henry a farmer near Kenesaw, Nebraska; Peter, a farmer in Adams County Nebraska; George, a farmer near Kenesaw ; Jacob, a farmer northeast of Kenesaw ; Fred, a farmer near Juniata, Nebraska ; Walter, who deals in agricultural implements at Doniphan ; Herbert, who resides on a farm with his father near Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska ; Mata, the wife of John Saurmann, a farmer west of Juniata; Anna, the wife of John Uhden, a farmer near Prosser, Nebraska; and Emma and I,ena, both of whom reside with their father, now in his seventy-first year. He is a well educated man who taught school in the country near Red Wing, Minnesota, for some time after coming to the United States. In 1883 he located in Nebraska and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land situated north- west of Kenesaw, in Adams County, where

he made improvements and set out three or- chards. He lost one of them by storm but for many years the others yielded fine fruit. During his active years he carried on general farming and raised stock. He is not identified with any political party, casting his vote ac- cording to his own judgment. He is a mem- ber of the German Lutheran church.

W. Rudolph Augustin had public school advantages and gave his father assistance in the earlier years but later engaged in farming for himself in Adams County, where he had five hundred and sixty acres. Subsequently he sold all his land near Kenesaw, Adams County, buying two hundred and ninety acres in Hall County. Here he has carried on general farm- ing and makes a specialty of feeding cattle for market. Since 1912 he has been a resi- dent of Doniphan. Here he embarked first in the implement business which he, continued until 1916, since which time he has been in the garage and general automobile repair busi- ness, and is agent for the Overland cars, hold- ing the sales privilege over all of Hall County south of the Platte river, and two miles across Adams County, taking in several townships. He carries a complete line of accessories for the Overland and the Ford cars, and has ex- pert mechanicians to attend to the repair work.

Mayor Augustin married Miss Minnie Winter, who was born in 1875, near Rose- land, Nebraska, and they have three sons: A. H. and Irwin, both of whom assist their father in the work pertaining to the garage; and La- Verne, who attends school. The family be- longs to the Lutheran church. In politics, although a Democrat, Mayor Augustine in the administration of his office is not partisan. He has brought about many reforms in public matters and has given encouragement to many worthy enterprises that promise to be of great benefit to the city. He was a liberal contri- butor to the various causes presented to the country during the continuance of the World War.

WALLACE D. BEERS, one of the honored pioneer settlers of Hall County who has ex- erted benignant influence during more than a quarter of century of residence in this section is a man of high ideals and keen interest in civic and ecomomic questions regarding the welfare and uplifting of his community which is attested by the fact of his having held public offices in his district for over twenty years. His energies have been entirely de- voted to agricultural pursuits ; for as a boy he broke the prairie sod to make it available for

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cultivation. Mr. Beers was born in Logan County, Illinois, January 10, 1869, the son of Hendrick and Lucinda (Foley) Beers; the former a New Englander, born in Connecticut, while the mother was a native of Illinois. There were seven children in the family : Sarah, who became the wife of a man named McDowell: Wallace D .; William H., who entered the ministry ; Charles F .; Mary, who married Mr. Cleal; Florence, now Mrs. Kesel, and Nellie, deceased. Wallace acquired the rudimentary education afforded in the public schools of Illinois in the winter time, and as all farm boys of that period did, worked on the home farm. When he was seventeen years of age the family came to Nebraska, locat- ing in Hall County in 1886, eight miles north of Doniphan. Having already completed the elementary schools Wallace entered the Grand Island Business College to prepare himself for business life. Coming here at a day when settlement was still being made in this locality the boy shared to an extent the hardships of earlier settlers and in recounting the early days remembers when he earned the first money that was not given him, by hauling hay shocks with a horse and rope, for his aunt ; obtaining the magnificent sum of tweny-five cents a day for the work.

February 12, 1896, Mr. Beers married Miss Nellie Denman at the home of her parents south of Schimmer's Lake in Hall County. She was born in Nemaha County.

Mr. Beers is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land bought by his father in Hall County in 1886 and an additional eighty acre tract lies across the line in Hamilton County, all under a high state of cultivation and there is no more valuable farm in Hall County for today Mr. Beers would not be willing to part with an acre for $200.

There is a beautiful home on the place. modern in every manner; good barns and numerous outbuildings for the stock. Having been energetic and having used proper methods in his business Mr. Beers and his family are today enjoying the fruits of un- qualified success in the various departments of farm industry and he is today regarded as one of the substantial and influential citi- zens of his community. Mrs. Beers has also contributed to the raising and welfare of the family as she has done her full part, raising poultry, making butter and selling eggs and cream to augment the family bank account, while Mr. Beers and the two sons are en- gaged in the heavy work of the farm. Dur- ing the terrible years of drought Mr. Beers obtained work for small wages on the belt

railroad when a track was being laid to the sugar factory, and did not, as other men, re- turn east to his wife and family but in the parlance of that day "stuck it out." For over twenty years he has served on the school board of his district and it is not necessary to say that the position has been well filled as the service speaks for itself. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Doniphan; they are well and favor- ably known throughout the community in which they have spent so many years and whenever duty calls are ready to help others with time or money or for any laudable enter- prise in the upbuilding of the community.

DAVID CLARK GIDEON. - In 1877, when the Gideon family came to Hall County and settled as permanent residents near what is now the flourishing town of Doniphan, the country roundabout was but sparsely settled and comparatively few farms had yet been much improved. Like their neighbors, the Gideons lived for a time in a' sod house. A well known representative of this family is David Clark Gideon, who owns one hundred and sixty acres of excellent land, carrying on general farming and stock raising.

Mr. Gideon was born in 1859, at Winter- set, Iowa. His parents were Jacob M. and Orelia A. (Stump) Gideon, the former of whom was born in Champaign County, Ohio, May 26, 1824, and the latter near Circleville, Ohio, May 12, 1822. She died April 8, 1916, when nearly ninety-four years old. They had four children, two of whom are still living: Charles L. and David C. The eldest, William H. Gideon, died at Doniphan, in 1915, hav- ing been born January 12, 1850. He was prominent in township affairs, for many years being an officeholder and postmaster, and was a very religious man. He was known all over the state as a poultry fancier, having exhibited and won prizes at many exhibitions, special- izing as a breeder of dark Cornish chickens, a beautiful variety. James S. passed away March 7, 1919. Jacob M. Gideon, father of this family, was a farmer and a blacksmith. He removed from Ohio to Illinois and from there to Madison County, Iowa, where he lived for more than twenty years. In 1877 he came to Nebraska, making a trade for his land near Doniphan, which later was made more valuable because of the improvements made on it, including the setting out of an orchard. Although the Indians gave the Gideons little trouble, there were many pioneer hardships to face. Mr. Gideon remembers

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JAcon M. GIDION AND FAMILY

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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

when his father killed a deer on his farm, and when it was necessary to drive wild geese off the fields in order to be sure of a yield of grain.

David C. Gideon was eighteen years old when the family came to Hall County. He attended school in Iowa and always assisted his father on the home farm. He remembers the first house the family lived in and recalls that when the railroad was being put through here, the family in some way managed to board a part of the gang of workers. All these little details are interesting in a history of the county, showing as they do, the sensible, re- sourceful character of the early settlers, from whom; have come the intelligent, practical, sturdy men of today. They also did some construction work on the railroad themselves as contractors. Mr. Gideon, like his father, has always voted with the Democratic party, although the latter at one time might have been somewhat influenced in favor of the Republican party because of his acquaintance and friendship of Abrham Lincoln. In old days, back in Illinois, he bought his groceries from Mr. Lincoln in his little store not far from Springfield.

Mr. Gideon married Miss Mary A. Smith, who was born in 1873 in Delaware County, Iowa. The only child in the Gideon family, A. C. Gideon, a nephew, is a sailor in the United States service, who was trained at Great Lakes, Chicago. Mrs. Gideon is a mem- ber of the Christian church and Mr. Gideon was reared by a good mother in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church. He belongs to the Masonic lodge at Doniphan.

FREDERICK E. MIETH, whose fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres is situated in section thirty-three, South Loup township Hall County, is an industrious and successful farmer and respected citizen. He was born in the city of Chicago, May 5, 1866, the third in a family of six children born to his parents, August and Mary (Pingel) Mieth, the father of which family was among the early settlers of Hall County and of whom a complete record is found elsewhere in this volume.

Frederick E. obtained his education in the public schools and assisted his father on the farm, until the death of the latter, when the son came into possession of the old home place, and here he carries on a general farming in- dustry.

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 126

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