History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 87

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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large measure been relieved, if not entirely eliminated, by the improvements and enlarge- ment of the Palmer House, the proprietor of which has shown his confidence in the city's development. To the traveling public which has had occasion to visit Grand Island, any introduction to the name of Henry Schuff would be entirely superfluous. As proprietor of the Palmer House he has proved himself a genial boniface, in business circles he is known as a man of good ability and of the strictest integrity. In public positions of promi- nence he has shown himself a citizen who en- tertains high ideals of public service and who has discharged the duties of citizenship accord- ingly. .

Mr. Schuff was born in Burlington, Iowa, August 7, 1861. He is a son of Anton and Barbara (Scholtz) Schuff, natives of Germany. They came to the United States in 1853, set- tling in Burlington, where Mr. Schuff followed the trade of cabinet maker, and there the parents passed the rest of their lives, dying in the faith of the Lutheran church. They were the parents of six children, of whom all were school teachers at one time in their lives, and five are living. Henry was the only one to come to Hall County. Ellen was for years a lecturer in the Lutheran church, and for eighteen years has been a missionary of that denomination in India; Mrs. Pauline Calla- han is the wife of a Nevada lawyer; Mrs. Caroline Hardy is a widow and resides in California ; Mrs. Bertha Sidel is the wife of a retired farmer of Fort Scott, Kansas; and Anna is deceased.

Henry Schuff received his education in the public schools of Burlington, Iowa, and after his graduation from the high school entered the woodworking department of the Chicago, Burlington and Qunincy Railroad. In 1882 he came to Nebraska and entered the train service of the Union Pacific, and during the six years that he was thus employed accumu- lated a small capital which, in 1888, he in- vested in the cafe business at North Platte. In 1894 he disposed of his interests there

chased the Palmer House, which he has since conducted with much success. He built his present cafe in 1910. His house has become very popular among those of the traveling public who appreciate real comfort, and ex- cellent cuisine and attentive service, and who know that their every requirement will be attended to gladly and intelligently. Mr. Schuff is a Republican in politics. In 1905 he was elected mayor of Grand Island, in which capacity he served until 1911. During

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his terms the greater part of the city's im- provement was inaugurated. The street pav- ing was started during his administration, under which also there was started the electric light plant. Many other improvements are directly traceable to his work and influence. Mr. Schuff is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is promi- nent in Masonry, having reached the Scot- tish Rite, and being a Knight Templar, in addition to which he belongs to the Shrine. He has been particularly active in York Rite Masonry, and has passed through all the chairs in the Chapter and Knights Templar.

Mr. Schuff married July 15, 1884, Miss Hannah Barbara Weil, who was born at Franklin, Iowa. To this union there have been born three children: Lester F., who is his father's manager in conducting the Palmer House ; Fred H., who attended the preparatory school in Mercerville, Pennsylvania, and en- tered the United States service at Camp Cody, New Mexico, in April, 1917. He was ordered before the board thirty days later, and secured his second lieutenantcy, was soon made first lieutenant and so commissioned in September, 1917, joining the 134th Infantry. His division arrived at Liverpool, England, October 24, 1918. It is now in Germany with Army of . able counsellor in other fields.

Occupation. Henry F., the other son, is a student in the Grand Island high school.

GLENN JONES, vice-president and general manager of the Nebraska Mercantile Com- pany in Grand Island, is a thoroughly experi- enced man in this line of business. He has been identified with the enterprise for thirty- six years. From schoolboy days he has been connected with grocery interests and few men have a wider knowledge or more just concep- tion of the many factors belonging to this im- portant field of trade.

Mr. Jones was born in Galesburg, Illinois. His parents were Aaron L. and Rebecca (Glenn) Jones, both of whom were natives of Ohio. His father was a soldier in an Ohio regiment in the Civil War and after his honorable discharge, removed to Illinois, where he engaged in farming until 1871. He came with his family to Nebraska in 1882. He homesteaded in York County and remained on the farm until his death which occurred in July, 1916. The mother of Mr. Jones died in York in December, 1893. They were estim- able people in every relation of life and were faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their five children the following are living: L. B., office manager of the Ne-

braska Mercantile Company in Grand Island; Glenn; and Myrtle, the wife of L. D. Scott, of Casper, Wyoming, a sheep raiser, owner of Hound Hurst Ranch, fifty-six miles north of Casper.

Glenn Jones attended the common schools and began his business career as a clerk in a grocery store in 1882, applying himself so faithfully to detail work that he gained rapid promotion and some years later became mana- ger of a large grocery department in one of the business houses of Lincoln. In 1899, in asso- ciation with G. M. Southmayd, he embarked in the grocery business in Omaha, Nebraska, under the firm nam of the Jones-Southmayd Company, which enterprise prospered and was incorporated. About nine years later, these partners sold their interests in the jobbing grocery company and Mr. Jones became man- ager of one of the largest Sioux City jobbing grocery houses, where he continued until Feb- ruary 1911. He then acquired Mr. Waldo's holdings in the Nebraska Mercantile Company in Grand Island and became vice-president and general manager. His sound knowledge of business conditions and business participation for so many years make him not only a safe guide in his own particular line, but a depend-

Mr. Jones married in February, 1895, Miss Mary Houston, who was born in Iowa and is a grand-niece of Gen. Sam Houston, a noted statesman of another generation. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have onej daughter, Genevieve, who is a graduate of the National Kindergar- ten College, Chicago, Illinois, and a kinder- garten teacher in Grand Island. Mr. Jones and family belong to the Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Jones is president of the board of trustees ; he is also president of the local Young Men's Christian Association and a member of the board of directors of the state association. In his political views he is a Republican and fraternally is identified with the Elks.

THOMAS P. MATTHEWS. - That the important business enterprises of Grand Island are in the hands of competent men is very generally conceded, and perhaps it is no secret that along some lines and in some cases, un- usual ability is shown. Without depreciating any other prominent business man here, atten- tion may be called to Thomas P. Matthews, now a large dealer in city real estate, whose mercantile success through many years has given proof of the business acumen he pos- sesses. More than that he is a self-made man,

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from boyhood having that pride of personal independence that made him self reliant.

Thomas P. Matthews was born at Brooklyn, New York, August 1, 1868, a son of John A. Matthews, a biography of whom is found in this work. His educational advantages were those afforded by the common schools until he was thirteen years of age when he became a wage-earner. His first employer was S. N. Wolbach. He soon learned business details and applied himself closely and faithfully to the interests of those for whom he worked, thereby gaining their confidence and good will. These are assets not to be overlooked when a young man of twenty-one embarks in business for himself. Mr. Matthews at that age be- came a general merchant and in the interval of twenty-one years from then until he retired from that line in 1910, he had owned and con- ducted sixty-eight stores. At the time he sold his interests he had a store in Falls City, one in Harvard, one in Giltner, Nebraska, and for five years he was in the book and stationery business in Grand Island. Mr. Mathews then turned his attention to dealing in real estate, first in association with others, but since 1913 he has been alone. He has been exceedingly: successful, giving attention mainly to local lands and business property.

Mr. Matthews married in 1896, at Oska- loosa, Iowa, Miss Eva Mason, who is a daughter of Isaac Mason, an early settler there and later a coal dealer. Mr. and Mrs. Mat- thews have three daughters, Mary, Eva and Rose, all of whom are attending school. The family belongs to the Roman Catholic church. Mrs. Matthews died December 2, 1918. In the political field Mr. Matthews has been more or less active as circumstances seemed to war- rant, for a number of years, zealously support- ing the candidates of the Democratic party. He has not often accepted political honors for himself although for one year he served as deputy revenue collector of the Fifth District. He is a man of generous habit and of broad sympathy and these qualities were recently illustrated when, during the influenza epidemic, he turned over his property, the Brewster Hotel, at Grand Island, for the city to use free as a hospital for the unfortunate victims of what has proven in private homes in many cases an almost uncontrollable malady. Mr. Matthews does not pose as a philanthropist but his fellow citizens honor him for this hu- manitarian action.

RUFUS M. GEER, secretary of the Geer Company, dealers in lumber and operators of

a planing mill in Grand Island, has been identi- fied with this business ever since his schocl days ended. He is thoroughly informed in the lumber and affiliated industries. Mr. Geer was born in Grand Island, Nebraska, February 13, 1884. His parents are Lewis T. and Anna (Merton) Geer, mentioned elsewhere in this volume.

Rufus M. Geer obtained his education in the public schools of Grand Island and ever since has been associated with his father in the lumber business. He married, February 22, 1908, Miss Marian Anyan, a daughter of William and Mary Anyan, well known resi- dents of Grand Island. Mr. and Mrs. Geer have three children, Nathaniel, Thaddeus, and Donald, aged respectively, six, four and two years. Mr. and Mrs. Geer are members of the Congregational church and take a sympa- thetic interest in its activities. In politics he is a Republican but is liberal-minded as a citizen when public movements for the bene- fit of the entire country call for loyal effort. For many years he has been identified with Masonry and is a member of Askelon Lodge No. 133 A. F. & A. M., Grand Island.

FRED H. JASPER, whose attention for some years has been devoted to manufactur- ing, came to Nebraska in early manhood and has been so well satisfied with this state that the most of his business ventures have been within its borders. His handsome residence in Grand Island is one of the most com- fortable and attractive in the city. Mr. Jasper has thus proved his belief that for both busi- ness and home Nebraska is thoroughly satis- factory.

Fred H. Jasper was born in Germany, Oc- tober 11, 1879. He is the son of Fred and Louise (Biene) Jasper, natives of Germany where their parents died. They came to the United States in 1885 and settled at Avoca, a barber by trade, is also in the insurance of burning brick. They are members of the Lutheran church. There were five children in the family: Fred H .; Margaret, the wife of John Reimer, of Walnut, Iowa, a painter and decorator by trade and at present the operator of a motion picture theatre ; Henry, a barber by trade, is also in the insurance business in Minden, Iowa; Anna, the wife of Roy Powers, a printer by trade, lives at Oak- land, Iowa; and Otto, who is a traveling sales- man, lives in Grand Island.

Mr. Jasper received his educational training in the schools of Avoca, Iowa; and after leaving the high school he worked at the bar-

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ber's trade, then was a clerk in a local store for some time. He was ambitious for a wider field of business, however, and found an open- ing with the Kregg-Elliott wholesale shoe house of Omaha, serving four years as a traveling salesman for that concern. He then became salesman for the next three years for the John Gund Brewing Company. Follow- ing this Mr. Jasper accepted an offer from the P. J. Bowlin Company, wholesale liquors, of St. Paul, Minnesota, two years later going with the Krugg Brewing Company and continuing until Nebraska became dry territory. In 1913 he came to Grand Island for this company as manager and agent. Since then he has been engaged in the manufacturing of beverages for the wholesale trade, sales being made through- out the country.

Mr. Jasper married, in June, 1907, Miss Emma Shilling of Avoca, Iowa. They have two children, Pauline and Frederick, aged re- spectively, ten and three years. Mr. Jasper has never entertained any political aspirations, business engaging his time and attention, but he is identified with the Republican party and is always ready to co-operate in general public- spirited movements. He is a member of a number of fraternal and social organizations, these including the B. P. O. E., the F. O. E. and the L. O. M.

ALBERT J. DENMAN, who occupies the very responsible position of manager for the American Beet Sugar Company, at Grand Is- land, is a representative of one of the old pio- neer families of Hall County. The Denman name was established in this county as early as 1869, when his gradfather, William Harri- son Denman, a native of Ohio, secured a home- stead claim, on which he lived until the time of his death, and this old homestead is still in the family.

Albert J. Denman was born January 11, 1881, on a farm in Hall County, five miles south of Grand Island, and is a son of John W. and Ida M. (Huhn) Denman, whose record appears elsewhere in this volume.

Albert J. Denman remained in school until he was graduated from the Grand Island Busi- ness College at the age of twenty years. His first business position was with the Granger Fruit Company through one season, when he went to Norfolk, Nebraska, where he was em- ployed in a beet sugar factory one year and was then transferred to the Grand Island fac- tory of the American Beet Sugar Company at Grand Island, first as timekeeper, then as book- keeper and on January 1, 1913, he became

manager of the plant and since then has de- voted the greater part of his time and attention to affairs pretaining thereto. He has a large force under his supervision in the various lines, while outside business has, in the past few years, more than doubled in volume.

On April 4, 1904, Mr. Denman was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Giese, a daughter of Henry Giese, a pioneer of this state, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Denman have two daughters: Gertrude M. and Florence, both of whom are attending school. Mr. Denman and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In fraternal circles he is active in the order of Elks and also in the Eagles, being trustee of the latter lodge at Grand Island, and an esteemed lecturing and esteemed loyal knight in the former organiza- tion. In politics he is identified with the Re- publican party.

A. C. MENCK. - One of the well known business men of Grand Island is A. C. Menck, general merchant, who has been identified with this city all his life. His every effort, under all circumstances, has been to add to the pres- tige of Grand Island. This he has done by encouraging progress along business, social and educational lines.

Mr. Menck was born in Grand Island, Ne- braska, April 19, 1866, and is a son of Chris- tian Menck, a sketch of whom appears in this work. He obtained his education in the schools of Hall County and began his business career in the capacity of clerk in a Grand Island dry goods store. He had thorough and practical training and in 1902 embarked in the mercan- tile business here on his own account. Mr. Menck has demonstrated his business ability in the upbuilding of an extensive trade. His customers come from different parts of the county. Experience has proved that here their wants in carefully selected dry goods, notions, boots and shoes, may be supplied very satis- factorily. Mr. Menck has made merchandis- ing his life work and his judgment may be depended upon as to quality of his goods, while his business integrity is above question. He is the owner of his commodious store and has other property.

Mr. Menck married in 1890 Miss Linnie Elliott, a daughter of Martin Elliott, a sub- stantial farmer of York County, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Menck have three sons, namely : Roy, in business with his father; Ray in the radio department on a transport, in European waters; and Arthur, an electrician now de- tailed on the U. S. battleship Lousiana-g In

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politics Mr. Menck has always been identified with the Democratic party. At present he is a member of the city council of Grand Island, in which body his excellent business judgment and public spirit make him exceedingly valu- able. He belongs to the A. O. U. W. and the Liederkranz, a German society.

LEWIS T. GEER .- Those who lead in business circles in Grand Island are not as a rule men who have gained their positions of independent fortune and public confidence in any other way than by steady, persevering in- dustry and in recognition of citizenship re- sponsibility. An example easily cited is Lewis T. Geer, founder of the Geer Company, wide- ly known in the lumber industry, who came to Grand Island in 1880, with his fortune yet to make. The important enterprise that he has built up testifies to the study qualities he possesses. Mr. Geer is an all round useful citizen, able in business and active and earnest in public affairs.

Lewis T. Geer was born in Washington County, New York, February 12, 1856. His parents were 'Nathaniel and Eliza (Clark) Geer, of Connecticut, his father a grandson of Welcome Geer, also born in Connecticut, who in 1826 was a captain of artillery in the state militia. The Geer family came very early to the New England colonies and owned lands from the crown. The parents of Mr. Geer moved from New York to Ottawa, Illi- nois, where Nathaniel Geer was engaged in farming pursuits. Of his ten children there are six yet living. He was a Democrat in politics. He and his wife belonged to the Episcopal church.

Mr. Geer received his educational training in the Illinois schools and then went to Prairie City, Iowa, where he learned the carpenter trade under his uncle, David Geer, and he con- tinued to work as a carpenter in Iowa from 1873 until 1876, when he returned to Illinois. In the meanwhile, however, he had accom- panied his uncle to Boulder, Colorado, passing through Grand Island, and after returning to work at his trade in Illinois he pleasantly re- called the people and surroundings of the Ne- braska village and this resulted in his decid- ing to come to Grand Island and establish his permanent home. He reached here March 3, 1880 and began at the bottom of the indus- trial ladder that he has so successfully climbed. He continued work at his trade during a num- ber of years and then, in March, 1894, estab- lished a contracting business which he oper- ated until 1908 under the firm name of Geer

& Harrison. In that year the business was incorporated as the Geer-Harrison Company. On August 17, 1913, the firm suffered an almost complete loss by fire. In the spring of 1914 business was resumed, under incorpor- ation as the Geer Company, Lewis T. Geer being president. The business has grown to wide proportions. The company handles lum- ber, owns and operates a planing mill and sells coal, lime and builders' hardware and other commodities of the trade.

Lewis T. Geer married November 23, 1881, Miss Anna Merton, who was born at Merton's Landing, Wisconsin. She is a daughter of Andrew Merton, who came to the United States in 1847 settling in Wisconsin, taking up land and giving his name to Merton's Land- ing. At the time of his death at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, he was register of deeds of Winne- bago County. Mr. and Mrs. Geer have had four children, three surviving : Effie E., Rufus M. and Russell L. Mrs. Geer and the chil- dren are members of the Congregational church. In politics Mr. Geer is a sturdy Re- publican. At present he is serving as super- visor on the county board and in Grand Is- land he has served on the school board and also in the city council from the First Ward. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity.

For twenty-five years he has been an active worker in the building and loan association. Mr. Geer has a document showing a trans- fer of a piece of land in Connecticut to one of his ancestors, Nathaniel Geer, dated Janu- ary 2, 1776. Miss Effie is a member of the Colonial Dames and the D. A. R. A man named Howland, a passenger on the May- flower is among the ancestors of the Geer family.

EDWARD L. BALLENGER, who is one of the best known men in the Union Pacific yards at Grand Island, was born near Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois, July 7, 1862. His par- ents were James and Mary (Thompson) Bal- lenger. His father was a native of Illinois and the mother was born in Indiana.

In 1871 the parents of Mr. Ballenger came to Seward County, Nebraska, where the father took a homestead, living on the claim ten years. They now live at College Place, near Walla Walla, Washington. They were the parents of five children, namely : Edward L .: Lillie, who is the wife of R. C. Dunham, of Portland, Oregon; Charles, who died at the age of twenty-two; Flora, who is the wife of Austin Salesberry, of Portland, Oregon; and Harry, a railroad man of Grand Island.

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Edward L. Ballenger accompanied his par- ents to Nebraska and was reared on a farm until the age of eighteen. In 1889 he entered the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad as a switchman and for thirty years has continued to fill this responsible position. Mr. Ballenger is accounted one of the substantial men of Grand Island, and capably served two years as a member of the city council.

Mr. Ballenger was united in marriage to Miss Myra Wilkinson, who was born at Athens, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Henry and Clara (Toles) Wilkinson. The father was a native of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and the mother was born in Green County, that state.

Mr. and Mrs. Ballenger have a son, Earl, who is also in the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad. He married Miss Sina Hansen and they have a son, David Earl, a bright little lad of seven summers.

In politics Mr. Ballenger is a Republican. He is a Royal Arch Mason and belongs to the Royal Highlanders and the Order of Railway Trainmen. Mrs. Ballenger is a member of and an active worker in the Episcopal church.

HARVEY B. ROUSEY. - However ad- mirable the objects of fraternal organizations, in the sense of the voluntary association of men promoting their common interest, busi- ness or pleasure, and however ample their finances, those that make a most promising beginning could not long exist without able business management. This is a practical age and the most worthy benevolences have to be as carefully adjusted as have the accounts of the honest banker. Therefore, a position that involves responsibility as does that of grand recorder of such a nation-wide fraternal order as the A. O. U. W., is no sinecure although one of great distinction. This office in Ne- braska is filled by Harvey B. Rousey, one of Grand Island's most highly respected citizens.

Harvey B. Rousey was born in Morgan County, Illinois, March 9, 1863. His parents were William and Jane (Gunn) Rousey, both born in Morgan County, to which section their parents had come in 1832. On the maternal side, Rev. Alexander S. Gunn was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal faith being the father of one preacher and the grandfather of three. William Rousey removed to Clay County, Nebraska, in 1879 and purchased land near Edgar for $10 per acre. It is now held at $200 per acre. For many years he was engaged in farming but at the time of his death was conducting an agricultural imple-

ment business at Edgar. He was a man of sturdy character and fine principles, serving as a county commissioner of Clay County for a number of years; liberally supporting educa- tional and religious institutions, particularly being interested in the work of the Methodist Episcopal church. He had six children as follows: Harvey B .; Eli M., a farmer near Hamlet, Nebraska; Benjamin F., connected with a hardware store at Kearney; James, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church in Omaha; W. E., in the hardware business at Alliance, Nebraska, and is mayor of that city ; and Bertha, the wife of Harry Caldwell, who. resides on the old Rousey homestead.

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 87

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