History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 98

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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Albert Tharp was born in Marion, Marion County, Ohio, April, 22 1843. His parents were John and Margery (Mckeever) Tharp, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively.

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EDWARD WILLIAMS AND FAMILY

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The father was born February 9, 1808, and died August 27, 1897, in the home of a daughter, at Enid, Oklahoma. The mother passed away October 13,. 1874, in Decatur County, Iowa. Of their six children, Albert Tharp is the second of the three survivors, the others being: Martha S., the wife of John Hendrickson, a retired farmer of Denver, Colorado; and Joseph, who conducts a real estate business in Davis City, Iowa. The parents were members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. In 1846 John Tharp removed with his family from Ohio to Jasper County, Indiana, where he engaged in farming until 1853, when he removed to Leon, Decatur County, Iowa, taking up government land, securing eight hundred acres for $1.25 an acre.

In the district schools in Iowa near his father's farm, Albert Tharp pursued his studies through boyhood. He gave his father assistance on the farm until 1862, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, enter- ing Company I, Thirty-fourth Iowa Volun- teer Infantry. During his three years and one month of military life, he participated in many of the great engagements of the war under leadership of many of the noted commanders. Judge Tharp can yet recall Vicksburg, Ar- kansas Post, Mobile, Pensecola, Fort Blakely, Matagora Island and the Red River expedi- tion under General Banks. He served at first as a private but later was promoted to drum major. All of his company in the army died, or were killed except twenty-one. Only that number returned.

At the close of the war Albert Tharp with his brave comrades returned to their homes in Iowa, where he resumed farming in Decatur County. With a quickened perception of public affairs that the war had brought, he realized clearly the duty of public-spirited men to enter intto the field of local politics, because politics everywhere was influencing public opinion and government. Having the con- fidence of his fellow citizens to a marked degree he was elected constable of Decatur County. During the next twelve years he served continuously and efficiently as deputy sheriff, deputy treasurer or chief of police, be- ing elected to all offices on the Republican ticket. Since coming to Grand Island. he has been tendered many public offices and has served as police judge and justice of the peace. In 1887 he went to Thomas County, Nebraska, where he found excellent land and took up a homestead, acquiring two one-quar- ter sections. He lived on his farm there until 1894, when he removed to Grand Island, and

afterward embarked in the real estate business, which, with little interruption, he has carried on ever since.

On July 4, 1867, Mr. Tharp married Miss Ella K. Jenree, who was born in the state of New York. To them seven children have been born: Arthur S., who is engaged in farming near Overton, Nebraska; Izora, the wife of B. I. Mewhirter, who operates a tele- phone system at Tacoma, Washington ; Zella, the wife of M. E. Johnson, for the last-twenty- five years a passenger conductor between Edgemont, South Dakota and Alliance, Ne- braska ; Fred, who is an engineer on the North- ern Pacific Railroad; Lou; Ella, the wife of Michael O'Brien, a farmer near Blunt, South Dakota; Floyd, who owns a ranch in Wyom- ing, has but recently returned from his duties in the navy at Hampton Roads, Virginia; and Hazel J., the wife of Ebert R. Potts, who lives near Wheatland, Wyoming. Mrs. Tharp is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. During 1918 Judge and Mrs. Tharp enjoyed a period of travel. They visited all their children and several states. They found all sections possess advantages but none su- perior to those belonging to Nebraska. Judge Tharp is one of the older members of the lodge of Odd Fellows in Grand Island.

EDWARD WILLIAMS, the leading florist at Grand Island, has been interested in this vo- cation throughout his entire life. His taste for flowers, and his skill in producing them are natural abilities, and, as far as he knows, not inherited. His success has been remark- able and many neighboring cities and all ad- jacent territory largely depend upon him for flowers and plants. Mr. Williams is located at No. 122 North Elm street, Grand Island.

Edward Williams is a native of North Wales, born at Colwyn Bay, June 16, 1877. His parents were Hugh and Catherine (Elias) Williams, the latter of whom was born in Wales in 1848 and died there in 1885. Hugh Williams was born in Wales in 1848, came to the United States in 1888, and died at the home of his son in Grand Island in 1917. This son is the only survivor of his family of five children. When Hugh Williams came to the United States he located at Utica, New York, as a contractor and builder. For three years he was superintendent for a contracting firm in that city, then removed to Denver, Colo- rado, where he became superintendent of the Argo Smelter Company, continuing with that organization for eighteen years. While a resi- dent of Denver he took an important part in

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civic affairs and served in the city council from a Republican ward, for some years. When he definitely retired from active life he came to Grand Island and became well known in his last years in this city.

Edward Williams attended the public schools in Utica, New York, and later the high school in Denver. In that city, with the firm of Brown & Miller, he learned the florist business, later having further training with ' the Wilcox firm in Council Bluffs, where he remained for five years. In January, 1899, in partnership with S. H. Brewster, he bought the Jones greenhouse in Grand Island. Five . years later he purchased Mr. Brewster's inter- est, since which time he has been sole owner. Mr. Williams has an investment here of $45,- 000. His plant covers a half block and he has 28,000 square feet of glass. Aside from it being a creditable business enterprise, it is an exceedingly pleasant place for the people of Grand Island to visit at any time of the year.

In 1898 Mr. Williams married Miss Mina Rutledge, who was born in Missouri. They have two children : Irvin and Eleanor, aged respectively eleven and seven years, both of whom are attending school. Their eldest son, Lamont, was accidentally drowned in Lake Manawa, Council Bluffs, in August, 1918, at the age of fifteen years. Mr. Williams and his family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. He is prominent in Masonry, having received both the York and Scottish Rites, and he belongs also to the Elks. Like his father, Mr. Williams has always taken an intelligent interest in public matters, accepting at vari- ous times the responsibilities of active citizen- ship. He served as chairman of the Central Republican committee for one year and one year was its treasurer. For two terms he was a member of the county board, chairman one term, and under the administration of Gover- nor Aldrich was a member of the State Fire Insurance Board.

JOHN V. REILLY, M. D .- In the wide field covered by the medical profession, there must be special lines of the vast whole that call more directly to one scientific investiga- tion than another. Its problems seem either more difficult, more interesting or more appeal- ing than others, and hence we find doctors of eminent learning becoming more or less spec- ialists. Attention may be called to one of . and state.

Grand Island's able medical practitioners, Dr. John V. Reilly, who, while engaging in a general practice, makes a specialty of chil- dren's diseases.

John V. Reilly was born at Auburn, New York, August 10, 1881. His parents were William H. and Ellen J. (O'Neill) Reilly, the former of whom was born in Bombay, India, and the latter in New York. Both parents and one sister and two brothers of Dr. Reilly died in 1918, the latter being: William, a Catholic priest, residing at Riverhead, Long Island; Gertrude, a resident of Rochester, New York; and Frederick J., in business at Rochester, New York, and who had charge also of his father's real estate. Of the sur- vivors of his father's family, Dr. Reilly has two brothers and one sister, namely : Edward J., manager of the Parisian Cloak House, at Rochester; Frank, assistant corporation coun- sel of the city of New York; and Helen, the wife of Edward Kammer, in the house fur- nishing business at Rochester.

During boyhood and youth Dr. Reilly had both social and educational advantages and was thoroughly prepared when he entered Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massachusetts, where he was graduated in 1902. This was followed by his graduation in 1906 from Georgetown University, Washington, D. C. His subsequent graduate work brought grad- uation from Bellevue Hospital, the New York Post Graduate School, Creighton Medical College, Omaha, and King's Park Hospital, Long Island. He has done much study in other lines. He was on the staff of St. Mary's Hospital at Rochester, New York, and assis- tant superintendent, Amilyville Hospital, Long Island, New York. Dr. Reilly has devoted much study and investigation to mental and nervous diseases.

He came to Omaha, in 1912, and after fur- ther graduate work he removed to Greeley, Nebraska. From there he came to Grand Island in May 1917. His coming added one more to the professional men of which the city may be proud. Dr. Reilly married in 1912, Miss Helen Lennon. Mrs. Reilly was born in Rochester, New York. They have two children: John V. and Helen G. Dr. Reilly and his family belong to the Roman Catholic church as did, also, his parents. He is a member of the Kinghts of Columbus and, also, of the Elks. A busy physician, feeling his responsibility, he finds little time to devote to politics. Nevertheless he takes an interest in all local and public affairs. He uses his influence for the welfare of the city, county

GUS VALONIS, successfully conducting a first class confectionery store, at No. 314 Digitized by

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West Third street, Grand Island, is an enter- prising business man of this city. He was born in September, 1880, in Greece, where his mother yet lives. He is a son of Peter and Catherine (Kostopulos) Valonis. His father, who was a small farmer, is deceased, but on the maternal side the family is unusually long- lived, the maternal grandmother of Mr. Val- onis having exceeded the century mark by some years, and her proud descendants assert that she still possesses her natural comple- ment of teeth.

Gus Valonis is one of a family of eight children, the eldest three living in the United States, the other two being: Dick, who works for his brother Gus, and William, who is employed in the Union Pacific car shops. The father was in poor financial circumstances when his sons were young and all had to do something to help the family. Even while attending school, Gus Valonis displayed com- mendable anxiety to give assistance, working first as a newsboy and later as a jewelry sales- man. In 1895 he came to the United States and joined an uncle in Chicago, where he worked in his uncle's store and saloon for a time, after which he worked in a fruit store in Omaha, for four years. In 1904 Mr. Val- onis came to Grand Island. He soon estab- lished himself in the confectionery business, in which he has greatly prospered. His busi- ness methods are honorable, his products attractive and wholesome, and Mr. Valonis stands well both as a business man and as a citizen. He gives his political support to the Democratic party. He belongs to the Ortho- dox Greek church.

BENJAMIN R. McGRATH, M. D. - Scarcely enough time has yet elapsed since the tragedies of Beauvais, Chantilly, Courcy, Chateau Theirry and Argonne Forest, France, to enable the world to learn, much less suffici- ently appreciate, the marvelous accomplish- ments of surgical science that followed. Still less does the world know as it should, of the high courage and professional devotion that led trained men of medical science into the same danger as their helpless patients, nor how often, with resolution but almost in despair, they pitted their skill against the forces of death. Seemingly impossible opera- tions were performed whereby scores of valu- able lives were saved and, through wonderful surgical work, thousands of apparently shat- tered men will, in time, be able to return to normal life. As yet the story is too big to tell, but who can question that it is more noble

to restore than to destroy? In the wide citi- zenship of Grand Island can be found eminent professional men. The one to whom most respectful attention is called at the present time, is Benjamin R. McGrath, physician and surgeon, but recently returned from medical service in the hospitals behind the battle lines in France.

Dr. McGrath was born in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, May 17, 1873. His parents were Robert and Esther (Weir) McGrath, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania, the father in 1829 and the mother in 1834. They were reared and later married in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, to which section their parents had removed in 1836. The father of Dr. Mc- Grath was a farmer all his life and at the time of his death, in 1903, owned a farm in Carroll County, Illinois. In early political life he was a Republican but later identified himself with the Prohibition party. Both he and the mother of Dr. McGrath, were members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. She survived until 1906. Of the four surviving children of the family of five, Dr. McGrath is. the youngest, the others being: James E., who is a farmer near Savanna, Illinois; Charles M., who re- sides on his ranch near Wauneta, Nebraska, and Wilmer W., who is a practicing physician at Savanna, Illinois.

Benjamin R. McGrath obtained his educa- tion in the public and a normal training school and for seven years afterward taught school in Illinois, and for three years at Grant, Ne- braska. In the meanwhile he pursued the study of medicine which he had determined to make his life work, and in 1902 was grad- uated from the University of Illinois. He located first in Perkins County, Nebraska, coming from there to Grand Island in 1904. Surgery from the first has always been the favorite branch of his profession, but not until 1915, when he associated himself with Dr. Woodruff, did he decide to make it his specialty, and in preparation for the same he attended clinics at Rochester, Minnesota, Chicago and New York City.

The year 1917 was a vital one to Dr. Mc- Grath as it was to thousands of other loyal American men. Like others he put aside his immediate personal affairs and entered the active service of his country on August 27, 1917, first as a medical officer in the Medical Offcers' Training camp at Fort Riley, from there entering surgical service in Bellevue Hospital, being subsequently transferred to Camp Dodge. He was then assigned to Base Hospital No. 116, which mobilized in Decem- ber, 1917, and he accompanied this hospital

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to France in March, 1918. He was tempo- rarily detached from this base hospital to serve as surgeon, in an operating team to assist in the evacuation hospitals at Beauvais, Chan- tilly and Coincy, but returned to Base Hos- pital No. 116 after four months of service with the operating team. During this term he took care of patients from all the battle fronts in France, receiving wounded men from Chateau Thierry at Chantilly, and following behind the army to Coincy but returning to the base hos- pital just in time to receive his fellow country- men who had suffered in Argonne Forest, where he had charge of the fracture service. He left France, January 22, 1919 and was dis- charged from service at Camp Dix, February 3, 1919, reaching his home February 11. Here- after Dr. McGrath will devote himself entire- ly to surgery, the general practice of the firm being attended to by Dr. Woodruff and Dr. Wilmer D. McGrath.

In 1905 Dr. McGrath married Miss Susan E. Williams, who was born in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. They have three children : William, Esther and Robert, all of whom are in school. Mrs. McGrath is a member of the Presbyterian church. In his political views, Dr. McGrath is a Republican. He has served both as county and city physician, and for nine years was a member of the board of education, a part of the time being president. Fraternally he is a Royal Arch Mason and also a Knight of Pythias.

RICHARD GOEHRING, a substantial and highly respected citizen of Grand Island, own- er of valuable property here and president of the Central Storage Company, was born in Saxony, Germany, March 23, 1850. His par- ents were William Ernst and Ernestine (Steinbach) Goehring. They were both born in Saxony and in that country his mother died. After a time his father married, for his second wife, Miss Caroline Oeser. They came to the United States in 1874, settling in Buffalo County, where the father secured a land claim on which he lived until his death in 1892. Twelve children were born to the first family of which Richard is the only sur- vivor. Four members of the second marriage survive. His father was a weaver in his na- tive land but after coming to this country he devoted his life to farming. He was a mem- ber of the Lutheran church.

Richard Goehring obtained his education in Germany. Coming to America in 1873, he shortly afterward reached Nebraska, where he homesteaded in Buffalo County, living on

his land several years. He removed to Grand Island and for nine years worked for Fred Hedde, who operated a store, lumber yard and elevator. During this period he made rapid progress in this business and became so thoroughly qualified in the lumber industry that he was engaged as manager of a large lumber concern, a position he filled with the greatest efficiency for many years. As a solid, dependable business man, Mr. Goehring has always been very careful concerning the soundness of the enterprise with which he has permitted his name to become associated, and his acceptance of the presidency of the Central Storage Company definitely proves the stability of this large business house.

Mr. Goehring married, in 1881, Miss Paulina Wagner, who was born in Saxony, Germany. They have had five children: Theckla, a very capable young lady employed in the office of the Central Storage Co .; Hettie, the wife of Miller Bevier, of Salem, Oregon; Richard, manager of Hoagland's lumber yards at Grand Island, and Carl and Minnie, the last named being a graduate of the University of Michigan, now a teacher of mathematics in the high school of Salem, Oregon. Carl Goehring, a graduate of the medical depart- ment of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, for two years had charge of a large hospital at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and for the past year has been a captain in the medi- cal corps of the Fourth Battery, Twenty-sec- ond Engineers. Mr. Goehring has great reason to be proud of a family that reflects so much credit on their home training and on the com- munity. He belongs to several well known fraternal and social organizations, including the American Order of United Workmen, the Royal Highlanders and the Liederkranz, hav- ing been connected with the last named for forty years and many times has served as its president.

ROBERT TEVIOTDALE, sole owner of one of the large and important business enter- prises of Grand Island, may be cited as an example of what may be accomplished through industry and thrift. Within fourteen years Mr. Teviotdale has built up a comfortable for- tune. Eight of these years have been spent in Grand Island to the great advantage of the city. He is proprietor of the Monogram Bakery, and through his first class goods, his name has become well known all over the state of Nebraska.

Mr. Teviotdale was born at Abroath, in Scotland, of old Scotch Presbyterian stock.

HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

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RICHARD GOEHRING, SR.

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His natal day was September 21, 1877. His parents are Adam and Isa (Burnett) Teviot- dale, who still live in Scotland. His grand- parents were Adam and Julia (Rail) Teviot- dale and William Burnett, old Scottish names that have been honorably known in their country for many generations.

Robert Teviotdale is the only one of his parents' family of seven shildren who came to the United States. He had as fair educa- tional advantages as his father, a bookkeeper, could afford him in Scotland, and subsequently learned the bakery trade in a most thorough manner. On March 9, 1905, he reached the shores of the United States, well equiped in the way of good habits, trade and health but with little visible capital. He made his way to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he opened a bakery which he conducted for three years. During the next three years he operated a bakery at Onawa, Iowa, for an employer. But he was ambitious, decided to work out his own career and with this end in view came to Grand Island in 1911. He shortly afterward pur- chased a residence property and at the same time founded what is now the Monarch Bak- ery. Within a short period he bought a lot and erected his present modern building which is two stories in height, with dimensions of one hundred thirty-two by forty-two feet. This was completed in 1917. In its construction, space, air, light and sanitation were considered and without doubt, it is the most up-to-date and complete building of its kind in the state. Mr. Teviotdale is a systematic business man and has not only called to his establishment the most skillful assistants possible to secure, but he has made innovations that in a way, have radically changed many of the old methods of the industry. He was the first baker in Ne- braska to introduce the wrapping of bread loaves in waxed paper. In a comparatively short time his business has grown to astonish- ing proportions. The bakery turns out 7,000 loaves of bread a day and the excellence and wholesomeness of his product may be indi- cated by the fact that it is shipped to various parts of the state. Mr. Teviotdale revolution- ized the baking business in Grand Island. The old methods and processes in use before he came are no longer tolerated by the awakened community. He is president of the Nebraska Bakers' association.

Mr. Teviotdale married, in 1895, Miss Mary Smart, who was born in the northern part of Scotland. Three of their six children survive: William, recently honorably discharged from the army training camp at Humphreys, Vir- ginia, who has resumed his old place in his

father's business house, and Stanley and Ruby, both of whom are in school. Mr. Teviotdale and his family belong to the Presbyterian church. In politics he is a Democrat and fra- ternally is a Mason and an Elk.

WILLIAM H. SAMPSON. - The ordi- nary, everyday man with no inventive talent, goes about his business unconsciously profit- ing in a hudred ways by the inventions of others who may have more quickness of brain and magic of hand. Possibly many of the inventions that have been perfected have not been beneficial in every way to mankind, but without a large number of them, modern life would lose much in safety and general com- fort. In William H. Sampson, a widely known citizen, Grand Island has an inventor who has secured patents on several appliances of great merit.

William H. Sampson was born in Menard County, Illinois, December 26, 1847, the son of John W. and Susanna (Bale) Sampson both of whom spent their entire lives in Illi- nois. His grandparents were natives of Ken- tucky and his maternal grandfather was a Bap- tist minister. Of his parent's family of four children, William H. was the eldest, the others being: Stephen D., associated in business with his eldest brother; Joseph Marion, a resident of Casper, Wyoming; and Mary, the wife of William Clark, of Spingfield, Illinois.

William H. Sampson attended the country schools in boyhood and made the most of his opportunities, thereby fitting himself for teach- ing school. He assisted his father on the home farm until he was fifteen years old, taught school in Illinois for ten years and then came to Hall County, Nebraska. In 1873 he home- steaded in Hamilton County and in the spring of the following year brought his family to the new home, on which they lived for several years. He retained this farm until 1918, when he sold it to advantage. After retiring from the farm Mr. Sampson lived one year at Mc- Cook where he engaged in a mercantile busi- ness. In 1889 he came to Grand Island and for more than a quarter of a century engaged here in a general real estate business, doing much to develop Hall County and other sec- tions of the state. Mr. Sampson has handled a large amount of valuable property and has been the means of bringing much capital to this section. He is now giving particular attention to the patent business, several of his own inventions giving promise of large future returns. He invented a feeding machine for rivets, the patent for which he received No- "Digitized by

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 98

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