History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 85

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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Judge Hanna married in 1888 Lora Chaffin, who was born at Richmond, Indiana, daughter of J. W. Chaffin, a native of Ohio, a soldier during the Civil War, and later a newspaper. man. To this union there were born two chil- dren : Helen, who attended Doane College at Crete, Nebraska, and State University at Lin- coln, who resides at home with her parents, and Donald C., who graduated from the Kearney Military Academy, and took two years of work in Grand Island College, and who before the signing of the peace armistice was at the officers' training school in Camp Dodge, entering in July, 1918. The family be- longs to the Presbyterian church.

Judge Hanna is a member of the Knights of Pythias and has served as chancellor com- mander in that body. He has always been a Republican. His standing in financial circles is one that compares favorably with his judic- ial record, and in addition to being president of the institutions enumerated at the opening of this review, is a director in the State Bank

Arthur L. Joseph was born at Polk, Ne- braska, September 26, 1885. He is a son of Fred J. and Minnie (Schoeder) Joseph, both natives of Germany. His parents, who came to the United States as children, were married in Iowa, and in 1879 came to Nebraska. His father purchased land in Polk County, where for a number of years he was engaged in suc- cessful agricultural operations. The parents are now retired from active labors and make their home in Grand Island, where they are highly respected residents and devout members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Joseph is a sup- porter of the Democratic party. Of the five children of this worthy couple, four are liv- ing: H. J., who is engaged in farming on the homestead in Polk County; Arthur L: Meta M., the wife of Henry Fraderking, a farmer of Merrick County, Nebraska; and Sophia, who makes her home with her parents.

After attending the public schools of Polk County, Arthur L. Joseph was sent to Con- cordia College, at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This was followed by a law course of three years in the University of Nebraska. He successfully passed his examination before the local board andi was admitted to the bar in 1909, at which time he commenced practice in Grand Island, which has since been his place of resi- dence and the scene of his advancement to a position of prominence among the younger lawyers of Hall County. In his capacity of city attorney of Grand Island he has evinced a broad knowledge of law and equity, a con- · scientious regard for the rights of all classes of litigants and fine executive capacity in the dispatch of business. Like other live and progressive men, he has some business con- nections, but his chief interests lie in his office and his practice and no other matters are allowed to distract his attention from them. tention from Digitized by

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He has also been actively interested in politics and is accounted one of the younger leaders of the Democratic party in his adopted city. Fra- ternally he is affiliated with the Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in the latter has passed through all the chairs and is a member of the Grand Lodge.

Mr. Joseph married September 26, 1912, in Grand Island, Miss Matilda G. Shilling, of Scotia, Nebraska. Mrs. Joseph is well known in social circles of Grand Island, and is an active member of Trinity Methodist Episco- pal church.

SAMUEL C. HUSTON, has been engaged in the real estate, loan and general insurance business in Grand Island for over thirty years. He has been a resident of Hall County since boyhood and has had much to do with the substantial development of this section of Ne- braska, being identified with many leading in- terests in Grand Island. Mr. Huston was born in Lake County, Ohio, October 11, 1861. He is one of a family of five and the only sur- viving child of his parents, Cyrus and Rhoda (Taylor) Huston. Both were natives of Ohio, where their parents had been pioneer settlers. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Huston was Samuel Huston, a native of England, and the maternal grandfather was Samuel Taylor, who was born in Ireland.

Mr. Huston was eleven years old when he accompanied his mother, after the death of his father in Ohio, to Nebraska. This was in 1872 and in 1874 she settled in the com- fortable house in Grand Island that Mr.Hus- ton still occupies as his residence. His father had been a farmer and a man of some importance in Lake County, a member of the Masonic fraternity, a supporter and member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a Democrat in politics. Before coming to Grand Island Mr. Huston had attended school at Leroy, Ohio, and after completing the public school course in Grand Island, he spent two years in an Episcopal college at Nebraska City, Nebraska. His earlier working years were spent on a farm but he had the commercial in- stinct that led him into trading in grain and afterward, for five years was a clerk in a store. About that time he became associated with his present partner, J. E. Dill and together they conducted a store for three and a half years. In 1887 the firm of Dill & Huston was formed to deal in real estate, loans and insurance. The business of this firm has steadily grown and is now the leading one of the kind in Hall County. Both members of the firm are known

to be sound, reliable business men who count as an asset their just reputation for business integrity.

In 1887 Mr. Huston married Miss Anna A. West, who was born in Maryland. She is the daughter of John W. West, who came to Grand Island in 1874 and is still active in the grain business here. Mr. and Mrs. Huston have four children, three sons and one daughter, as follows: Samuel E., an engineer, who is in the employ of the United States government at Portland, Oregon; Forrest L., engaged in farming three miles southwest of Grand Island; Ella, the wife of Theodore Rembolt, of Pendleton, Oregon, an employe of J. C. Penny, who conducts a chain of stores ; and Paul, a student in the Grand Island High school. Mr. Huston and his family are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. In his political views he is a Republican.

GEORGE D. HETZEL. - By reason of his long connection with the real estate business and because of the extent and importance of the transactions with which he has been iden- tified, George D. Hetzel is justly accounted one of the leading realty men of Hall County. Nearly forty years have passed since he came to Grand Island, and during this long period he has held a prominent and respected place in business circles, while he has been no less esteemed as a citizen, and as a man who has won his own way to success from modest be- ginnings.

Mr. Hetzel was born at Wheeling, West Virginia, October 7, 1844, a son of Charles F. and Regina (Bayha) Hetzel, the former a native of Baden, and the latter of Wurttem- burg, Germany. The parents were married in New York City and for a short time resided in Wheeling, where the father was a success- ful business man and from there made his way with his family to the vicinity of Daven- port, Iowa, where he purchased a farm upon which he resided until his death. Both he and his wife passed away on their old farm. They were respected members of their community. Mrs. Hetzel was a member of the Lutheran church. In politics the father was a Demo- crat. Of their eleven children, seven still sur- vive, George D. being the only resident of Nebraska.

George D. Hetzel was educated in the dis- trict schools and at Davenport, Iowa, and his career in business was started there as clerk in a dry goods store, about the close of the Civil War. He was only twenty-five years of age when he began to notice the field opening

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for success in the real estate business, and be- gan operations in realty in Davenport. In August, 1879, he came to Grand Island, Ne- braska, where he established himself in the hardware business, but in the meantime con- tinued to deal in real estate. After sixteen years he disposed of his hardware interests in order to give his entire time and attention to real estate and insurance matters. He has long been handling Canadian lands as a spec- ialty, and is the owner of much valuable prop- erty in Canada. His business standing is of the best, and this, like his fortune, has been built up through absolute integrity and straightforward dealing.

Mr. Hetzel married February 6, 1873, Miss Louise Keating, who was born at Cincinnati, Ohio. They are the parents of three children : Lulu, the wife of W. H. Baird, connected with the Larowe Construction Company, builders of sugar refineries and pulp driers, and has two children, - William Britton and George H .; Frank A., formerly with the Cudahy Packing Company, but now connected with the firm of Ferd-Haak Company, large manu- facturers of cigars, as a partner, married Theckla Haak; and George D., Jr., farming and sheep raising on a large scale in Manitoba, Canada, married Florence Harrison of Grand Island. Mrs. Baird is a graduate of the Grand Island High School and of Oberlin College, and Frank A. and George D. Hetzel Jr., are graduates of the Grand Island High School and of the Nebrska State University.

Mrs. Hetzel and her three children are mem- bers of the Episcopal church. Mr. Hetzel is a Democrat in his political views. His fra- ternal affiliation includes life membership in the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Knights Tem- plar of the Masonic order. He is also a mem- ber of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

REV. JAMES A. DUFFY, bishop of the Grand Island Diocese of the Roman Catholic church, ably and effectively fills a position of great responsibility. Bishop Duffy has reached this high office through thorough preparation, wide experience and natural qualifications. Aside from his executive achievements, his ministrations have not only benefitted, di- rected and comforted the large congregations in his charge, but have always been a recog- nized influence for law, order and humanity over the entire diocese outside the church.

James A. Duffy was born in the United States, in the beautiful city of St. Paul, Min- nesota, September 13, 1873. His parents were James and Nora (Shiely) Duffy. The father

was a native of Ireland and the mother was born in New York, and both died at St. Paul. Of their family of eight children there are five survivors. The father was a stonemason by trade and became a contractor in stone construction.

First in the parochial schools and later at St. Thomas Seminary in St. Paul, which is now the College of St. Thomas, the future bishop pursued his studies along the lines laid out for Catholic clergy. After his graduation in 1899 and ordination to the Priesthood, Rever- end Mr. Duffy was appointed assistant at the Immaculate Conception church in Minneapolis, and continued as such for three years, then for two years had charge of a church in Le Sueur, Minnesota. During the next eight and a half years he was assistant under his friend Bishop Keane, in the Cathedral in Cheyenne, Wyom- ing. In 1913 he was appointed the first bishop of the diocese of Kearney, with resi- dence in Kearney, from which city he came to Grand Island in 1916, when the diocesan see was changed on account of a difference in railroad facilities.

Bishop Duffy has forty-two parishes under his charge, his diocese extending over thirty- four counties. He has always been greatly in- terested in the work of the Knights of Colum- bus and feels proud of their wonderful human- itarian achievements during the World War.

THEODORE P. BOEHM, a prominent citizen of Hall County, Nebraska, was born in Grand Island, March 17, 1875. While united public effort is doubtless the greatest force in the development of a community, a most essen- tial factor is the solid, well informed, depend- able business man who labors not only in his own interest but with the wider vision of a good, reliable citizen. Grand Island has such men and some of these are native sons. A representative example is found in Theodore P. Boehm, who for a number of years was an efficient and trustworthy public official of the county.

The parents of Mr. Boehm, George and Catherine Boehm, were natives of Germany who came to the United States in childhood. They were married in the city of St. Louis. Missouri, and they became the parents of six children ; one died in infancy ; Mrs. Buechler, of Grand Island ; Mrs. C. H. Menck, deceased; Theodore P .; Fred J., cashier of a bank at Columbus, Nebraska; and Adolph T. The father learned the brewing business and after leaving St. Louis went to Omaha, where he was foreman and manager for Fred Krug's

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brewery. The father came to Grand Island in 1870 and operated his own brewery here dur- ing the remainder of his life. He died here at the early age of thirty-six years. He was a Democrat in politics and belonged to the Luth- eran church. His widow, the mother of Theo- dore P. Boehm, subsequently was married to Andrew Ott and three children were born to that union, two of whom survive: Otto O., head salesman at the Wolbach & Sons Cloth- ing department; and Walter, who is employed in the Union Pacific shops at Grand Island.

Theodore P. Boehm had excellent educa- tional training, attending the public schools, Grand Island College and Lincoln Normal University. His first business experience was as a clerk in a grocery store in Grand Island. He was ambitious and this led to his taking a civil service examination which enabled him to take a position in the Grand Island post office, and for the next four years he was a clerk in the general delivery division. At that time he was appointed a clerk in the office of the county clerk of Hall County. He served in this capacity for four years, during this time winning the confidence of his associates and officials generally and making many warm per- sonal friends. He was then elected county treasurer and served two terms, having been elected the second time without opposition. Public approval was still further evidenced by his election later to the office of county com- missioner where he served two years on that board. In the meanwhile, when he retired from the office of county treasurer, he em- barked in the real estate and insurance busi- ness. In these lines he has become one of the leading men of the county. During the past year he has done also a large land busi- ness in northeastern Colorado. He still takes a hearty interest in politics, believing this to be the duty of citizenship. He was manager for Hon. Silas R. Barton, Republican, in his cam- paign for Congress. Mr. Boehm has done his part in forwarding war work and is well qualified to do so as he was a soldier himself in the Spanish-American war. At present he is serving as a member of the Grand Island school board.

Mr. Boehm married, June 20, 1901, Miss Evelyn Scott, who was born at Hardy, Ne- braska, a daughter of Edward Scott, an old settler and farmer of Nuckols County. They have three children : Kenneth S., Kieth S. and Theodore P. The famly belongs to the Metho- dist Episcopal church and Mr. Boehm is a member of the Modern Woodmen, of the Elks and of other local organizations.

REV. AUGUST W. HEIMES, pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral in Grand Island, has been a resident of this city for only four years but in that time he has made a deep impres- sion on his church and on the community which ought not to be overlooked. Father Heimes was born in Westphalia, Germany, September 3, 1877. His parents were Frank and Theresa (Deutenberg) Heimes. They came with their children from Germany to the United States in 1880, settled in the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, where the father was en- gaged in the grocery business until his death. He was an educated man and for twenty-four years had taught school in his native land. Of his seven children four are living.

Father Heimes was the youngest of his parents' family being but three years old when he was brought to America. He early evinced a desire for religious life and with this in view his educational training began in boy- hood to prepare him for the priesthood. His preparation for the office was completed in Josephinum Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, fol- lowing which he was ordained June 10, 1904. His first assignment was as assistant priest in the Catholic church at O'Neill, in Holt County, Nebraska. Six months later he took charge of the church at Ewing, Nebraska. Father Heimes made a fine record there and re- mained two and one half years, going then to the church at Saint Libory, Nebraska. From there he was called to St. Mary's cathedral, Grand Island. Father Heimes has always shown religious zeal together with a large measure of executive ability. His labors in Grand Island are warmly appreciated. In ad- dition to looking after the affairs of his large parish, Father Heimes directs the church school and each one of the one hundred and sixty-five students strives for his approval, realizing that he has a worthy example in the faithful priest. He takes deep interest in the activities of the Knights of Columbus.

CHARLES B. FREEMAN, whose widely extended operations in real estate have made him a somewhat conspicuous figure in this field, has been a resident of Grand Island since 1911 and of the state of Nebraska since he was seven years old. He has not always been in his present line of business although he has made it remarkably successful, farming, hand- ling grain and dealing in agricultural imple- ments having engaged his attention for many years.

Mr. Freeman was born in Potter County,

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Pennsylvania, September 29, 1865. His Eng- lish ancestors came to America more than 200 years ago and the name is yet well repre- sented through New England and its border states. His great-great-grandfather served in the Revolutionary war and three of his uncles served in the Union army in the Civil War. His parents were J. W. and Eliza (Rodgers) Freeman, both of whom were born in the state of New York and from there removed to Potter County, Pennsylvania, where the father carried on farming for many years. In 1872 he came with his family to Nebraska settling in Howard County and was a farmer there un- til his life closed. He was a man of sturdy character, honest in his convictions and up- right in his life. He was a Republican in his political views and both he and Mr. Freeman's mother were members of the United Brethren church. They had three children: Henry B., who resides on his fruit farm near Los An- geles, California; Sarah, deceased, was the wife of T. N. Bennett; and Charles B.

He attended the country schools in Howard County and later the city schools in St. Paul, Nebraska. Thus Mr. Freeman had good educational opportunities. He assisted his father on the home farm and remembers when he would haul a load of wheat from Howard County to Grand Island, unload and accept a place to sleep in the livery barn where his horses were stabled and return next day. This was quite an undertaking and a responsible business transaction for a boy to carry through satisfactory. For about twenty years Mr. Freeman followed farming, always being interested in grain, and afterward went into the agricultural implement business in Howard County. When he came to Grand Island in 1911 he embarked in the real estate business and now has a branch office at Brule. He operates mainly with personal capital and does business on a large scale. During the past two years he has made a specialty of dealing in western lands, but is also profitably interested in farming in western Nebraska.

Mr. Freeman married, in 1891, Miss Eva Matheney, who was born in western Pennsyl- vania. Her father came to Howard County, Nebraska, in the 'eighties. Mr. and Mrs. Free- man have three children: Harry B., who re- sides in Adams County, Nebraska ; Myrtle B., the wife of L. A. Miller, who is a farmer near Bruner, Nebraska ; and Cora May, who resides with her parents. Mr. Freeman and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. While he is an earnest Republican in his polit- ical views, first of all Mr.Freeman is a good citizen, and every movement looking toward

the preservation of law and order in his city, county, state, finds in him a hearty supporter.

ADDISON E. CADY, banker and a repre- sentative business man of Grand Island, bears an old and honored name in Nebraska, one that has been identified with important and far-reaching business enterprises for many years and with political affairs for more than a quarter of a century.

Addison E. Cady was born in Nebraska, a son of Addison E. and Nellie E. (Hessler) Cady, natives of Wisconsin. The father was born at Watertown, December 7, 1853, and died at St. Paul, Nebraska, October 14, 1918. In 1880 he came to Colfax County, Nebraska and for the next five years conducted a news- paper at Schuyler. In 1885 he removed to St. Paul, Nebraska, where he organized the First National Bank of St. Paul, becoming the first president of the institution. He was an able man, well informed in the banking field. Both Elba and Dannebrog, Nebraska, are indebted to him for the institutions that supplied much needed financial assistance in the early struggle for development. As long as he deemed it advisable he retained his interest in these in- stitutions but had sold them before he died. He was a man of wide vision and versatile tal- ents, a power in politics in the state for many years and was put forward by the Republican party as its candidate for Congress and even for governor after long and statesmanlike ser- vice in both houses of the Nebraska state legislature. While a resident of St. Paul he organized a wholesale grocery company and later organized a branch at Grand Island, the entire concern being operated as the Nebraska Mercantile Company of which he was the first president. Later he assisted in the founding of the Nebraska State Bank at Grand Island and was serving as first president of the in- stitution at the time of his death. His two children survive: Adnelle, who is the wife of George Pyne, a merchant at St. Paul, Ne- braska, and Addison E., who is vice president of the Nebraska State Bank at Grand Island.

Addison E. Cady received his early educa- tional training in the public schools and then entered the Shattuck Military Academy, at Faribault, Minnesota, from which institution he was graduated in 1901, when he returned to St. Paul and entered high school, from which he was graduated in 1903. He then inter- ested himself in the wholesale grocery busi- ness at St. Paul and continued until 1910, when he came to Grand Island in the same business and remained with the Nebraska Mercantile Nebraska M Digitized by

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Company until 1915. In 1916 he became vice- president of the Nebraska State Bank and since that time has devoted himself closely to its interests. July 15, 1919, the Nebraska Loan and Trust Company was organized with J. R. Hanna, president, A. E. Cady, vice- president and secretary, A. J. Guendel, vice- president, E. R. Guendel, treasurer, and B. T. Cunningham, attorney, with a capital of $50,- 000. Mr. A. E. Cady has the active manage- ment of this new concern.

In 1908 Mr. Cady was married to Miss Lucile Kotick, who was born at St. Paul, Ne- braska, a daughter of Joseph Kotick, a general merchant and a pioneer of Howard County. Mr. and Mrs. Cady have one son, Addison E. (III), a bright school boy of seven years. Mr. Cady was more or less active in the Republican party but has never accepted any political honors beyond service on the state central committee. He belongs to lodge No. 80, B. P. O. E.

CLAUS THEO. JESSEN, proprietor of the leading drug store in Grand Island, is one of the city's representative business men. More than that, he is probably the best lin- guist in the state for he has a thorough knowl- edge of eight languages and converses in each with great facility. His educational training along other lines has been effective and the choice he made of pharmacy as a profession was because of a natural leaning toward the field of chemistry.

Mr. Jessen was born in Denmark, April 25, 1860. His parents were Claus T. and Anna . (Petersen) Jensen. The former was born in Schleswig and was educated in the university of Copenhagen and until 1863 remained in that city as a teacher in the royal household. In the war of 1863-4 he served as an officer in the Danish army and then went to Kiel, Germany, and took a course in theology, enter- ing the ministry of the Lutheran church, in which communion he continued until his death. Of his six children five survive, but Claus T. Jessen is the only member in the United' States.

On account of his father being so erudite a man, Mr. Jessen had encouragement and stimulation in his effort to equal his father's scholarship. He proved an apt pupil along many lines and became especially proficient in languages and dialects and has found this knowledge of great advantage to him. He was graduated from the School of Languages at Hardersleben in 1881, and from the uni- versity of Magdeburg, Saxony, Germany, in

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 85

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