History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 94

Author: Buechler, A. F. (August F.), 1869- editor
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Pub. and Engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 1011

USA > Nebraska > Hall County > History of Hall County, Nebraska > Part 94

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Heidkamp attended school in his native land before coming to the United States. He reached Grand Island July 27, 1883, and at first worked on farms in Hall County by the month. He had already worked at the black- smith trade in Germany and in 1884 worked at the same for a short time in Minnesota but returned to farm work awhile; later resuming blacksmithing. In 1892 he started his shop in Grand Island, in partnership with Edward Krall, an association which has continued to the present time. They carried on blacksmith- ing and wagon repair work, having a reputa- tion for prompt service and excellent work- manship. Considering the fact that Mr. Heid- kamp started with nothing, it reflects credit on him that in competition with others he should have done so well. He owns con- siderable property, a part of which is a new modern apartment house.

Mr. Heidkamp married, November 15, 1889, Miss Lena Senkbeil, a native of Prussia, who died in Grand Island, October 1st, 1901. They hay four children : George F., who worked at the carpenter trade in Omaha for five years prior to entering the army training camp in Michigan; Alma, who lives at home ; Ella, who is employed in a Grand Island store, and Martha, a student in the high school. The family belongs to the Lutheran church. Mr. Heidkamp casts his vote with the Republican party.

HARLEY M. WATSON, an enterprising young business man of Grand Island, has entered the modern field of industry which in- cludes everthing pertaining to automobiles, making a specialty of tires and batteries. He was born in Hall County, Nebraska, July 31, 1888, the son of Levi O. and Elzora (Rickard) Watson. Mr. Watson's father was born in New York while his mother was a native of Illinois, where they were married. Coming to Nebraska in 1872, they passed the remainder of their days in this state. Mr. Watson died in 1904 and Mrs. Watson on March 4, 1918. Of their six children the following are living:

C. H. Gottlieb Heidkamp was born in West- ' Fred and Harley, twins, the former of whom phalia, Germany, January 15, 1865. His par- lives on a farm and the latter in Grand Island; Hugh, a resident of Seattle, Washington ; and Bertha, who is the wife of Floyd Sprague, a farmer in Merrick County, Nebraska. Levi ents were William and Louise (Franke) Heidkamp, natives of Germany, where the mother died in 1912. In earlier years the

Digitized by e

667

HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

Watson and his wife were members of the Baptist church. When he first settled in Illi- nois Mr. Watson engaged in teaming in Chicago, but upon coming west to Hall County he took up a claim, remaining on his farm of eighty acres until his death. He was a Repub- lican in his politictal views, and he belonged to the Odd Fellows and the order of United Workmen.

Harley M. Watson attended the country schools of Hall County while working on his father's farm until he was sixteen years of age. Coming to Grand Island while still a youth he began to work for the Union Pacific Railway Company as coach cleaner, an occupa- tion he followed three years. Following this he accepted a position with T. B. Jeffery Automobile Company being employed by that concern a year. Upon his return to Grand Island he started a business of his own, be- ginning in a small way in a barn, where he set up a plank for a work bench. Starting as a machinist and automoble repairer he has by thorough, honest business transactions and business judgment built up a fine business and now handles batteries and tires in a well equipped and convenient place at 114 East Second street, and in addition has another automibile tire and battery store at York, Ne- braska.

In 1915 Mr. Watson married Miss Annie Katzberg, who was born at Prosser, Nebraska. They have one son, James Watson. Mrs. Watson is a member of the Lutheran church. He has never been very active in politics but is a wide awake citizen and a Republican voter.

JOHN E. MCCUTCHEON, sheriff of Hall County, Nebraska, not only commands the confidence of his fellow citizens as is indi- cated by his election to this important public office, but he also enjoys their esteem. They have seen him pass from industrious boy- hood to useful manhood and during all these years he has been dependable in every rela- tion of life.

John E. Mccutcheon was born in Vander- burg County, Indiana, .May 3, 1867. His parents were Ruben P. and Amanda (Igle- hart) Mccutcheon, both of whom were born in Indiana. They came to Nebraska in 1874, spending some time in Hamilton County, but in 1875 took up a homestead in Hall County, where the father of Sheriff Mccutcheon died in 1917, at the age of seventy-nine years. He was a man of sterling character, of good judg- ment and public spirit. During his life he was a leading Republican in the county, serving

a number of years on the county board of supervisors. He was a veteran of the Civil War, having served three years in the Forty- second Indiana volunteer infantry and was wounded in the battle of Chickamauga. The mother of Sheriff Mccutcheon resides in Hamilton County. They had eight children seven of whom survive: Clara, the wife of John Kramer, lives at Oakland, California ; Belle, the wife of C. W. Willman, resides in Hamilton County ; John E. and George, both of whom live in Grand Island; Walter W., a farmer near Nelson, Nebraska ; Oliver E., a hardware and implement dealer in Deer Park, Washington, and Frank W., a clerk in a cloth- ing store in Grand Island.

As soon as his school days were over, Mr. Mccutcheon went to work for Robert Taylor, on the largest ranch in Hall County, remaining there for twenty-two years, having entire charge of the livestock. Ranching has been his chief occupation all through life. He has been an active factor in Republican politics ; was elected sheriff of Hall County on Novem- ber 5, 1918, on the Republican ticket.

Sheriff Mccutcheon married in 1890 Miss Nevada Sprinkle, who was born in Effingham County, Illinois, a member of one of the old pioneer families of that section. They have five children: Irma, who resides with her parents; Neva, employed in the offices of the Western Union Telegraph Company; Edna, the wife of Ray W. Sutton, lives at home while her husband is serving with the Ameri- can Expeditionary Force in France; Elva, who is employed in a local business house, and Margaret, who is pursuing her studies in the Grand Island High school. Sheriff Mc- Cutcheon was reared in the faith of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, of which the entire family are members.

LUTHER F. FARNSWORTH, who may claim the distinction of being the pioneer, in point of time engaged in the drug business in Nebraska, is a member of the oldest drug firm in Grand Island. Mr. Farnsworth learned his business in the old, thorough, practical New England way, and had many years of experi- ence in drugs back of him when he came to Grand Island. From the first he has been one of the city's most esteemed citizens.

Mr. Farnsworth was born at Norfolk, in St. Lawrence County, New York, March 27, 1852. His parents were Edwin and Mary (Stone) Farnsworth, the former of whom was born in New York and the latter at Middle- bury, Vermont, where they were married. Of

Digitized by

668

HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

their six children, Luther F. was the third born. The other survivors are: Allen, a resi- dent of Chicago, Illinois; Albert H., a retired farmer, resides at Kent, in the state of Wash- ington, and George Edwin, in the service of the government, lives at Farley, Massachusetts. The father of Mr. Farnsworth was engaged in agricultural pursuits all his active life. For a time he and his wife lived in Grand Island but later they went to Washington, both pass- ing away in that state. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Luther F. Farnsworth attended school in Vermont until he was graduated from the Middlebury high school, after which he taught school for two years. He was only thirteen years old when he had his first clerical experi- ence, but it was some years later that he entered a drug store as a clerk with the deter- mination of learning the business. He re- mained with the one firm for the next eighteen years, leaving it then to come west and soon after reaching Grand Island bought the drug store with which he has since been connected, being in partnership with H. P. Tucker for twenty-seven years. The firm of Tucker and Farnsworth is a synonym for honesty in busi- ness and reliability in drugs.

In 1874 Mr. Farsworth married Miss Delia Pearson, who was born at Lewis, New York. They have three sons: Albert H., a physician in Grand Island; T. L., a dental surgeon in practice in Broken Bow, and Earl E., a prac- ticing physician and surgeon at Grand Island.

Luther F. Farnsworth has always given en- couragement to civic enterprises regulated by law and order, and has been particularly con- cerned in educational advancement. For six years he has served as a member of the school board. He is a Republican in his political opinions. For many years he has been a Mason and from his youth has belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church.

ALBERT ETTING, for many years a progressive and useful citizen of Grand Island, came to Nebraska in 1887, and from then until his death on March 29, 1908, dem- onstrated his ability as a business man, winning the confidence and esteem of all who knew him.

Albert Etting was born in Jackson County, Iowa, October 9, 1857. His father was a farmer and after his short school period was over, he engaged in agricultural pursuits in Jackson County where he remained until 1887, when he came to Hall County, Nebraska.

for many years with Henry Glade in which concern his widow still retains an interest. He further showed business enterprise by erect- ing a candy factory which proved a profitable investment in Grand Island. Mr. Etting con- ducted the business successfully until his death and Mrs. Etting retained her interest in the property until the plant was destroyed by fire.

Mr. Etting married in August, 1881, Miss Rose Felderman, who was born in Dubuque County, Iowa, a daughter of John and Rebecca (Glade) Felderman, both of whom were born in Germany. Mr. Felderman was a successful farmer in Iowa, where he lived until his death in 1909, the death of his widow occurred September 14, 1912. They had seven children and of the five survivors two reside in Ne- braska, Mrs. Etting and a sister, Mrs. Eliza- beth Kraker, whose home is in Clatonia, Gage County, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Etting be- came the parents of six children : Amanda, the wife of Clayton Flower, who is in the insur- ance business in Grand Island; Alma, the wife of Lester Schuff, who conducts the Palmer House in Grand Island; Lee E., who entered the National army for service in the World War, June 15, 1918; Norval E., with the American Expeditionary Force in France, in the supply division, left the United States, January 10, 1918; Florence, who resides at home, and Irma, who is a student in Kemper Hall, Kenosha, Wisconsin. Mrs. Etting is a member of the Lutheran church as was Mr. Etting. Mr. Etting found his chief recrea- tion in hunting. He was a good shot with a gun and for years maintained a camp on an island which he owned in the Platte River, spending several weeks there every spring for many years. He was a Republican in politics and was prominent in civic affairs, serving two years as a member of the city council, in which body he always labored for the best interests of Grand Island.

EARL E. FARNSWORTH, M. D., a rep- resentative physician and surgeon of Grand Island, is held in high regard in his profes- sional capacity and in universal esteem person- ally. He belongs to that rapidly increasing body of close-thinking medical men who are strong advocates of physical training and regu- lated athletics for the preservation of health. Dr. Farnsworth may be said to have exempli- fied in his own person the value of his theory. He has been in active practice in this city for a decade.

Dr. Farnsworth was born at Middlebury, Here he was associated in the milling business Vermont, May 24, 1881, a son of Luther F.

Digitized by Google

Albert- Etting. C

Digitized by Google

Digitized by

Google

671

HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

and Delia (Pearson) Farnsworth, whose biography will be found elsewhere in this volume.

Earl E. Farnsworth had educational train- ing in a private school before his parents re- moved to Grand Island, where he was grad- uated from the high school in 1899, when he entered the Nebraska State University in Lincoln where he continued a student until 1902. The following year he attended Cornell University, receiving the degree of A. B. in 1903. He then went to Denver where he was interested for a time in newspaper work. Al- ways fond of out-door life he enjoyed "rough- ing it" in the mountains for about twelve months, in the meanwhile working in a supply store in a high altitude region. Upon his re- turn to more civilized life he was associated with the International Mercantile Company, an auditing company; in the interest of this concern he was located in New York City for eight months. Returning then to Nebraska he studied pharmacy at Creighton College, Omaha, Highland Park, and Des Moines, Iowa, where upon completing his course in pharmacy he was graduated with first honors in a class of seventy-nine in an examination before the state pharmacy board of Nebraska. Later he took up the study of medicine at Har- vard College, from which institution he re- ceived his medical degree in 1912, having for four years passed all his vacation time in hospital work. During his last collegiate year he lived at the Massachusetts General Hos- pital. On his return to Grand Island the doctor became associated with his brother Dr. Albert H. Farnsworth, a partnership which still con- tinues. They control a very heavy practice, Dr. Earl Farnsworth specializing in diagnosis and diseases of women and children.

Dr. Farnsworth married in 1912 Miss Jessie Kistle, who was born at Le Mars, Plymouth County, Iowa. They have one son, William Kistle, who was born July 6, 1914. Mrs. Farnsworth excels as a musician and from 1909 until 1911 attended the New England Conservatory of Music at Boston. They are members of the Presbyterian church. In his views Dr. Farnsworth is a Democrat. He is a Knight Templar Mason and belongs to the Shrine, and is also identified with Lodge 604, Elks, in Grand Island. He yet maintains his valued membership in his old Greek letter fraternities of Nebraska and Cornell Univer- sities, the Phi Delta Theta and Phi Rho Sigma, in 1911 being a delegate to the National Fra- ternal convention held at Omaha. While Dr. Farnsworth has always been, as mentioned above, a lover of athletics, and wholesome

sports, it was on the tennis courts that he made a national reputation. For several years he held the state championship in Nebraska, and has been champion in nine different states and owns many trophies testifying to his skill.

LEO PHELAN, M. D. - Perhaps the care- fully protected citizens of Grand Island some- times ask each other, if not well informed, to what benign influence during the past ten years have they been indebted for improved sanitation, rigid methods of inspection, thor- ough isolation of contagious cases and use of preventive and protective measures in times of epidemic, without remembering that they have, in Dr. Leo Phelan, an able, experienced, scien- tific physician as city health officer. Dr. Phelan has been publicly, privately and profession- ally, a useful citizen since he came here.

Dr. Phelan was born at Ottawa, Canada, October 7, 1863, the twelfth child in a family of thirteen children born to John and Margaret (McCarthy) Phelan. The mother of Dr. Phelan was born at Richmond, Canada, in 1823, and died in 1899. The father was born in Queens County, Ireland, in 1814, and died in Canada in 1879. Besides Dr. Phelan, three of their surviving children live in Nebraska : Mary, the wife of John Goodall, a retired farmer of Omaha; Edward, a wealthy con- tractor and real estate dealer in Omaha, and Alice, the wife of Michael Shirley, a con- tractor and real estate dealer in Omaha. The parents were members of the Roman Catholic church.

Leo Phelan attended the public schools and Ottawa University, from which he was grad- uated in 1886 as honor man of the class in philosophy. Subsequently he entered Queens University at Kingston, Ontario, and again was honor man of his class in anatomy. From this institution he received his medical degree in 1890. For a few months after graduation he was associated with his brother, Dr. Daniel Phelan, at Kingston, then became a member of the faculty of the Sioux City Medical Col- lege, Sioux City, Iowa, where he lectured for seven years, conducting a private practice at the same time. He then went to Ackley, Iowa, which meant a country practice. During the six years he remained there he frequently visited Chicago for graduate work in the Chi- cago Post Graduate School. A new field of usefulness opening up led him to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for graduate work in preparation to assume charge of a hospital which interested parties proposed to build for him. Re- verses came to them before this project was

---

672

HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

carried out, and Dr. Phelan remained in Ann Arbor for two and a half years. On Janu- ary 8, 1907, he came to Grand Island where he has a lucrative practice, standing high in his profession, as specialist of surgery.

Dr. Phelan was united in marriage in 1898 to Miss Theresa Kidd, who was born at Tor- onto, Canada. Mrs. Phelan is a daughter of the late Joseph Kidd, who was in the salt and lumber business. He removed to Sioux City, Iowa, in 1898 and died there. Dr. and Mrs. Phelan have four sons: Gerald, a member of a medical corps in the United States navy ; Redmond, employed in Grand Island; Edward J., who is in school, and John F., a school- boy. Dr. Phelan and his family are members of the Roman Catholic church. He has long been active in the Knights of Columbus, in which he is a grand knight. Politically he is a Democrat. In addition to being the watch- ful health officer of the city, for a number of years he has been school physician. As far as he deems wise Dr. Phelan advocates all moderate forms of out-door sports. During his university days he was a leader in both base ball and foot ball and often carried off the honors. He is an active member of both state and county medical societies.

VIRDEN E. EVANS. - The automobile business has received its full share of recog- nition from the progressive people of Hall County, an astonishing number of the latest models being owned and enjoyed. Perhaps the favorite make for all purposes is the Ford automobile, which has been ably exploited here for several years by Virden E. Evans, who is president and general manager of the Glass- Evans Auto Company of Grand Island.

Virden E. Evans was born near Red Oak, Iowa, April 21, 1883, and is the only child of his parents, John W. and Maggie (McMullen) Evans, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in Illinois. They are members of the Presbyterian church. The family re- sided in Iowa, where the father was a farmer for a number of years. In 1914 they came to Grand Island and since then Mr. Evans has been employed in the plant of the Glass-Evans Auto Company. In politics he is a Democrat and fraternally is identified with the Modern Woodmen.

After attending the grade schools in Howard County, Nebraska, Virden E. Evans spent four years in the Normal college at St. Paul, Nebraska, and then accepted the re> sponsible position of cashier of a bank at Cushing, Nebraska. In large measure he had

his own way to make in the world and his success has come about because of his high character and sense of responsibility. Young as he was, he satisfactorily filled the office of bank cashier for five years. Possibly his pur- chase of a comfortable Ford car in 1908 served to turn his attention to the great possibilities for an enterprising young man in the auto- mobile industry and he began his venture in 1909, continuing as cashier of the bank, how- ever, for one year longer. He was then in- duced to accept the favorable proposition of the Ford people to take charge of an agency in Grand Island. Since that time he has been one of its prosperous business men. The Glass-Evans Auto Company was organized in 1915 being incorporated, for $100,000, Mr. Evans as indicated above, is president and general manager. In April, 1918, the com- pany erected what is undoubtedly the finest garage in this part of the state - a three-story building with every modern equipment and appliance known in the industry. The company has prospered from the first and at present is doing business estimated at $500,000 annually.

Mr. Evans married in 1905 Miss Lida Paul- sen, who was born at Dannebrog, Howard County, Nebraska. They have two sons: Gordon and Clayton, both of whom are attend- ing school. The family belongs to the Presby- terian church. Mr. Evans is a Democrat in politics and a loyal party man but cherishes no political ambitions. A progressive, enter- prising, reliable business man, he has found a hearty welcome in Grand Island and has proved his worth.

JOHN B. GLASS, secretary and treasurer of the Glass-Evans Auto Company, is identi- fied with one of the most prosperous of Grand Island's modern business enterprises. He is a native of Nebraska, born in Howard County. August 14, 1883, the son of John and Lizzie (Lutz) Glass, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania.

The name of Glass is an honored one in Howard County, where John Glass settled and homesteaded after his honorable discharge from the Union Army, where he served through the Civil War. During the greater part of his life he engaged in agricultural pur- suits but in 1888 he took charge of a hotel at Cushing, Nebraska, which he conducted un- til his death in 1890. His wife died in the same year. They had eight children, John B. being the fourth in order of birth. He has three surviving brothers and one sister : Louis, who conducts a hardware business at Wol-

673

HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

bach, Nebraska; Joseph, who follows the car- penter trade at Grand Island; W. J., who is in the automoblie business at Grand Island, and Catherine, the wife of A. J. Shrack, who is in an electrical business at Aberdeen, Idaho. The parents of this family were faithful mem. bers of the Roman Catholic church.

John B. Glass obtained his educational train- ing in the public schools of Howard County. He assisted his father on the home farm for a time and afterward was employed for three years in the Bank of Cushing, Nebraska, from there coming to Grand Island in 1911. In the same year he became interested in a general automobile business here in partner- ship with V. E. Evans, under the firm name of the Glass-Evans Auto Company, which has developed into a large enterprise with a prom'- ising future.

In 1914 Mr. Glass was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Anderson, who was born in Howard County, Nebraska, a daughter of Mads Anderson, who homesteaded there. Mr. and Mrs. Glass have two sons, Edsel and Donald, aged respectively four and two years. Mrs. Glass is a member of the Lutheran church. Mr. Glass was reared in the Catholic faith. He has never been very active in poli- tics but votes with the Republican party on every public question.

EDWIN C. BURGER, one of Grand Is- land's progressive young business men, belongs to one of the oldest pioneer families of Hall County, his family having founded the thriv- ing town of Doniphan where Edwin was born, April 26, 1885. His father, George A. Burger, was born in Pennsylvania, in August, 1850, and died at Doniphan, Nebraska, in 1914. The mother of Mr. Burger, Mrs. Rosa A. (Peabody) Burger, was a native of the state of New York; she was married at Doniphan and still lives there. Of their three children two survive; Edwin C. and Mable, the latter being the wife of A. C. Pentico, a ranchman near New Castle, Wyoming. The late George A. Burger was well and favorably known in Hall County, having been a resident for fifty years, coming here in 1864, at which time he operated a pack train. He secured a valu- able homestead near the town of Doniphan, to which place he removed in 1872. He was a Democrat in politics and served on the county board of supervisors for nine years.

After his graduation from the Doniphan High school in 1902, Edwin C. Burger spent one year as a clerk in the store of his uncle, Wm. J. Burger. He next took a commercial

course at Creighton College, and a course in pharmacy at Creighton College, where he was graduated in 1904. He had other business experiences before coming to Grand Island, having been employed one year by the Ne- braska Clothing Company in Omaha, and had live stock and automobile interests for a time at Doniphan. In 1914 he located in Grand Island as sales manager for the Class-Evans Auto Company. This company was incor- porated in 1915, at which time he became sales manager and vice-president. At the present it is one of the growing concerns of Grand Island and Mr. Burger devotes all his time to its affairs.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 94

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