History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 99

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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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

vember 26, 1918. He has also patented an automobile tire that is as near puncture proof as can be manufactured, which will, never- theless ride free and easy. This invention was put on the market in the spring of 1919.

On October 26, 1871, Mr. Sampson mar- ried Miss Clarissa Denton, who was born in Illinois. They have three children : John W., of Seattle, Washington, who is a detective and a specialist in finger print investigation ; William E., who conducts a ranch near Den- ver, Colorado; and Goldie, the wife of Vin- cent Noble, a merchant in Grand Island. Mr. Sampson and his family belong to the Baptist church. He was made a Mason in 1870 and has taken many degrees. He belongs also to the Fraternal Aid Union. While never actu- ally active in politics and always voting inde- pendently, Mr. Sampson, with his wide, prac- tical experience, has ever been a good citizen in deed as well as in name.

CLAUS STOLLEY, who for many years was a highly respected citizen and successful farmer in Hall County, everywhere known as an honest man and good neighbor, came to the United States in 1863. He was born in Germany. August 2, 1845, and died on his farm near Cairo, Nebraska, July 19, 1910.

Claus Stolley was brought up according to the laws prevailing in his country when he was young, by which he had school training, and military experience would have followed had he remained there. He wanted, however, to live a peaceful life and be a farmer, hence he came to the United States when eighteen years of age. He had no money but he had habits of industry and good health so that when he reached Douglas County, Illinois, he found no difficulty in finding work on farms and by 1890, when he removed to Sherman County, Nebraska, he was able to buy a farm near Ashton, where he remained fifteen years im- proving the land and gaining a comfortable living. In 1905 he was able to sell this to advantage and then bought the farm that his widow still owns, situated near Cairo, in this County.

In 1881 Claus Stolley married Miss Theresa Peters, who was born in Germany, a daughter of John and Anna Peters, both of whom died in the old country. In company with his sister Mrs. Stolley came to the United States in 1878 and lived in Davenport, Iowa, until her marriage to Mr. Stolley. Five chil- dred were born to them: William, who oper- ates the farm near Cairo; Claus, who was a member of the American Expeditionary Force

that landed in France November 12, 1918; Anna, the wife of Claus Grave, a farmer in Illinois; Alvena, the wife of Frank Shoop- man, a farmer near Cairo; and Emma, the wife of Dorsey Coons, a farmer near St Paul, Nebraska.

In the fall of 1910, following the death of her husband, Mrs. Stolley removed to Grand Island, in which city she has many friends and is highly respected. She is a member of the Lutheran church as also was Mr. Stolley. He was a Democrat in politics but did not desire any political office. He was very industrious and saving and thus was able to leave his family in comfortable circumstances.

EMIL STOLLEY. - That no better oppor- tunities are offered for the successful per- formance of agriculture and other enterprises, than can be found in Hall County, is proved by the fact that many of her native sons have chosen to remain within her borders or have returned here after having been elsewhere.

Among this number may be mentioned Emil Stolley, who was born on the William Stolley homestead, September 17, 1865. Reared on the farm, educated in the public schools, he was well prepared under the lessons of enter- prise and thrift taught by his father, to take up the responsible duties devolving upon a young man. In 1884 he went to Texas and for fifteen years represented his father's inter- ests in a cement factory. Returning to the old home he associated himself with his father and brothers in agriculture and pork packing. The old packing establishment still stands on the farm, but after the death of his brother Richard, the duties falling upon the others were too numerous to further continue that phase of the business. Mr. Stolley is now giving his attention to farming and stockrais- ing on the old farm.

November 30, 1901, Mr. Stolley married Miss Sophia L. Lauber, a daughter of Chris- tian and Barbara (Lutz) Lauber, who came from Crete, Nebraska, in 1889, and are now both deceased. They were homesteaders in Filmore County, coming to Nebraska in 1873.

Mr. Stolley was formerly a Democrat in politics, but is now non-partisan. For the past eight or ten years he has been deputy precinct assessor.

.HERMAN WILKENS, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Trinity church in Grand Island, is a man of scholarly attainments, deep religious convictions and pleasing social gifts.

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He has practically devoted his entire life to the church, and he is not only highly regarded by the church authorities, but is esteemed and beloved by all who have come under his parochial care.

Reverend Wilkins was born in the northern part of Germany, August 27, 1871, the son of Frank P. and Magdeline (Beckedorf) Wilkens, also natives of Germany, who came to the United States and settled in Platte County, Nebraska, in 1880. The father bought a farm near Columbus, on which the family lived for ten years and then moved to Hamilton County, where both parents sub- sequently died. They were people of sterling worth and enjoyed the confidence and friend- ship of all who knew them. Of their four children, Herman was the second born, the others being: Henry, a farmer in Hamilton County; Peter, also a farmer in Hamilton County, and Magdeline, the wife of John Werth, a farmer in the above county.

Herman Wilkens was nine years old when his parents settled in Platte County, Nebraska. He attended the public schools, later a school at Concordia, Missouri, for three years, and spent three years more in study at Fort Wayne, Indiana. After that he took a course in theology in Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, graduating in 1895, being ordained in the same year. He remained in his first charge, the church in Minden, Nebraska, for eight years, and came from there to Grand Island in 1903. He has a large and intelligent congregation here of five hundred souls, two hundred and eighty communicants and seventy-three voting members. Through ex- ecutive ability he has brought the various branches of church work to a high degree of excellence, and has the satisfaction of know- ing that not only in his own congregation but with citizens generally, his teaching and in- fluence are considered indispensible as a moral influence, outside of consideration of religious bias.

In 1896 Mr. Wilkens was united in marriage with Miss Amelia Rhode, a daughter of the late Carl Rhode, a veteran of the Civil War, having served four years in the army thereby contracting disease which finally terminated his life. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkens have the following children : Erma, who with complete efficiency, fills a position in a department store at Grand Island; Alfreda, who was grad- uated from the high school in 1918, is a book- keeper in a Grand Island business house ; Walter, who is taking a course in college at Winfield, Kansas; Clara, who attends the parochial school, and Esther, who is also in

school. While Mr. Wilkens is no active par- tisan in political matters, he always votes with the Republican party. The family residence is No. 512 East Second street.

PETER CONWAY KELLEY, M. D., a man of wide reputation as a surgeon, has been eminent in his professin in Hall County for a number of years and prominent in public affairs. Dr. Kelley is the founder and pro- prietor of the Grand Island General Hospital. He was born in West Virginia, May 29, 1870. one of six sons born to Joseph and Mary C. (Creigh) Kelley, and the only one to settle in Nebraska.

Joseph T. Kelley was born at Beech Hill, Mason County, Virginia, (now West Vir- ginia), September 19, 1841, and is now an honored retired resident of Charleston, West Virginia. His parents were Peter C. and Mary (Woodside) Kelley, both being residents of an old Virginia section that suffered severe- ly during the progress of the Civil War. In June, 1861 Joseph T. Kelley enlisted in Co. E, twenty-second Virginia Infantry, for ser- vice in the Confederate Army. He took part in the battles of Cold Harbour, Winchester, Dry Creek, Minoxie Junction, Fayetteville and New Market. On September 19, 1864 at Winchester, he was struck in the foot by a shell from which he was disabled for six weeks. He was captured during the battle and held as a prisoner of war six months in the Federal prison at Point Lookout, Mary- land. A brave and gallant soldier, he served in the Confederate Army three years and six months. In 1865 he married Miss Mary C. Creigh, who was born at Lewisburg, Green- brier County, now West Virginia, May 9, 1839, who died in that state in 1880. Her parents were John and Delilah (McClung) Creigh, the latter of whom lived to the remakable age of ninety-eight years.

Peter C. Kelley had excellent school advan- tages in boyhood, subsequently attending the State Normal school at Huntington, West Vir- ginia, and the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, where he remained one term. He then concentrated on the study of medi- cine and on April 13, 1898, was graduated from the Barnes Medical College of St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Kelley began practice at Looney- ville, West Virginia, where he continued for two years and then spent some time in grad- uate work in the medical schools of Chicago. During the next four years he was in practice at Alda, Nebraska. The doctor then decided on a trip to Oregon and he and his wife made

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the long journey by mule team and during the next four years he practiced at Harrisburg, Oregon. Following his residence in the west Dr. Kelley visited New Orleans, Louisiana, and while there took an additional graduate course, subsequently engaging in practice for five months at Alexandria. He returned to Alda, Nebraska, to continue his practice there until 1912, when he came to Grand Island. Here he built his fine modern hospital, known as the Grand Island General Hospital, a sketch of which will be found elsewhere in this vol- ume. That same year Dr. Kelley was elected to the state legislature and served as speaker of the house during the session of 1913.

Dr. Kelley married in West Virginia, June 19, 1898, Miss Virgie Taylor, who was born at Walton, West Virginia. They have four children : Kate, a graduate of a business col- lege at Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Daisy, a high school student; Helen, in school, and Robert Lee, who has passed his sixth birthday. Mrs. Kelley is a member of the Baptist church. Dr. Kelley belongs to the State Medical Society, Hall County Medical Society, and in 1907 was president of the latter. He is a Scottish Rite Mason. He is surgeon for the C. B. & Q. rail- road and at one time served in the same capa- city for the Union Pacific. He is first vice- president of the Farmer's Life Insurance Com- pany of America, of Denver, Colorado, and is president of the State Bank of Alda, which he helped to organize. Dr. Kelley's personality inspires confidence and the esteem in which he is held is continually being evinced.

JOSEPH M. SOPER, M. D., who has been established in the practice of his profession in Grand Island since 1918, has had no dif- ficulty in winning the confidence of the public. Dr. Soper has an honorable professional rep- utation behind him which justifies the high regard in which he is held in this city.

Joseph M. Soper was born at Forrest, Canada, March 27, 1880, the son of Seymour and Ellen (Cairns) Soper, the former of whom was born in Quebec, Canada, and the latter in Scotland. His father followed an agricultural life until 1914, when he retired and removed to Forrest. Of the family of five children, Dr. Soper is the only one living in the United States. After attending the public schools of Forrest, he entered the Uni- versity in London, Canada, from which insti- tution he was graduated with the A. B. degree in 1905, receiving the degree of M. D. a year later. In 1907 he came to Shelton, Nebraska, for the practice of his profession, where he

remained until 1918. He built up a large practice and still practically holds it, but he finally realized that his zone of work was too widely extended for his health, necessitating constant driving, hence he transferred his main office to Grand Island. Dr. Soper is a close student. Surgery is a preferred branch of his profession, and to perfect himself in this science he has taken graduate courses at Rochester, Minnesota.

In June, 1914, Dr. Soper was united in mar- riage with Miss Anna Hurley, a professional nurse, who is a graduate of St. Joseph's Hos- pital, Chicago.

Dr. Soper is independent in his political ·views. He belongs to the Elks, in Kearney, and to the Knights of Pythias. He is idetified with many professional organizations, among them the Nebraska State Medical Society, the American Medical Association, and the Buffalo County Medical Society, which he served as president. He was reared in the Presbyterian church.

OSCAR WELLS, a large property owner in Grand Island is now practically retired from active participation in business. For many years he was an important factor in the grain industry, operating a line of elevators in Hall and Buffalo counties. Mr. Wells is a self made man, building up his own fortune after coming to Hall County in 1878. He was born in West Virginia, June 29, 1856, one of four children born to Levy H. and Johannah E. (Wiseman) Wells, natives of Virginia. The maternal grandfather was Jephinneh Wiseman, who was of Dutch des- cent, his people having settled in Greenbrier County, now in West Virginia, when they came from Holland to the United States at an early day. The paternal grandfather, Levi Wells, was born in the city of Philadelphia and removed early to Virginia. The father of Mr. Wells worked at the blacksmith trade during the greater part of his life. He was a man as sturdy in character as he was in muscle, serving in many public offices in the gift of the Democratic party, being a county commissioner at times and also was county judge. His two surviving sons are Oscar and S. F. The latter never came to Nebraska, living in West Virginia where he is engaged as a land broker. The parents were members of the Baptist church.

Oscar Wells attended both private and public schools in youth, and before coming to Nebraska taught school for two years. He joined an uncle who lived in Grand Island,

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the late E. R. Wiseman, who was a pioneer lumber man here. For five years Mr. Wells was associated with his uncle in the lumber business before he became connected with Lewis Wasmer as a grain commission mer- chant. After the death of Mr. Wasmer, Mr. Wells took over the grain business of his former employer, expanded and developed it and in the course of years was considered a leader of this important business in this sec- tion of the state. From the time he first came to Grand Island and found his first job as a grocery boy, until in June, 1918, when he sold his last grain plant, Mr. Wells was one of the city's hardest workers. During the interven- ing years, as favorable opportunity came, he invested in real estate and has accumulated much valuable property at Grand Island. Much of this property has been improved and is a credit to the city.

In 1881 Mr. Wells was united in marriage to Miss Mollie Morgan, who was born in Missouri, and died in her home in Grand Island, in 1915. She was a woman of beau- tiful character, and was a member of the Presbyterian church. She is survived by one daughter, Florence, the wife of William Kelso, who is a clerk in the Grand Island post office. They have one daughter, Ruth. For a number of years Mr. Wells has been secretary of the Masonic lodge in Grand Island. In his po- litical views he is independent of party ties, but has always been active in the cause of prohibition and therefore belongs to the great · majority who rejoice over the suppression of the liquor traffic. Few men in the grain trade in this section are so well or favorably known as Oscar Wells.

Mr. Wells has been identified with church work for over forty years. He has been superintendent of Sunday schools and teacher for several years; is holding the highest elec- tive office in the Presbyterian church at pres- ent. He believes that the Bible is the only rule and guide for individual as well as national life; that the church is the only great factor in making the world a safe place to live in.

WILLIAM T. DETWEILER, cashier of the German Bank, at Millard, Nebraska, has important interests in the line of agricultural implements in Grand Island and other points in Nebraska. Practically from the bottom of the ladder Mr. Detweiler has built his fortune, and the foundation stone of his success has been business integrity.

Mr. Detweiler was born in Cumberland

County, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1867, the son of John W. and Susan (Timmons) Det- weiler, both of whom were natives of the Keystone state. The mother of Mr. Detweiler resides in Osceola, Nebraska. His father served more than three years as a soldier in the Civil War, participating in many impor- tant battles. He removed to Nebraska in 1878 and bought railroad land in Polk County and later took up a homestead in Custer County. In politics he was a Republican. While his wife was a member of the Methodist Episco- pal church, he remained steadfast to the United Brethren faith, in which he had been reared. His death occurred in 1896, at the age of seventy-three years. Of his children, the following are living: J. O., in practice as an attorney at Omaha since 1888; A. B., pres- ident of the German Bank in Millard, Ne- braska ; Charles E., associated with his brother William T. in Ord and North Loup, Ne- braska; Mrs. Jennie Hartzell, a resident of Pennsylvania; Mrs. David Kunkle, lives in Osceola, Nebraska ; Mrs. O. E. Mickey, whose father-in-law was ex-Governor Mickey, and whose husband is president of the Osceola Bank, and William T., who has established his home in Grand Island.

William T. Detweiler obtained his schooling in Polk County, Nebraska, and through boy- hood worked on a farm. At a later time he became associated with his brothers, A. B. and J. O. Detweiler, in a banking business in Millard, Nebraska, where he remained eight years and is still cashier of the institution. Close confinement made it necessary for him to seek a more active life and this led to his becoming a traveling salesman for the Deer- ing Harvester Company. He continued with that concern until the formation of the Inter- national Harvester Company, traveling in the southeastern part of the state out of Lincoln. In 1903 he entered into business relations with the John Deere Plow Company, which were not interrupted until July 1st, 1913, when he gave up traveling in order to give closer attention to his many personal interests which had increased in volume. Mr. Det- weiler is a member of the firm of Bailey & Detweiler at Ord; Bailey & Detweiler of North Loup; of Detweiler & Petersen of Burwell; of Hisen & Detweiler, in Ansley. Nebraska, and additionally, operating under his own name, has a large implement store in Grand Island which he proposes to still fur- ther enlarge.

In 1896 Mr. Detweiler married Miss Anna Peters, of Millard, Nebraska, who died No- vember 21, 1913, survived by two children:

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Wallace, a traveling salesman for the Inter- national Harvester Company, and Merwyn, completing his high school course. On June 4, 1915, Mr. Detweiler married Miss Anna Doshrn, who was born in Grand Island. They have two children, Ardith and Donald. Mr. and Mrs. Detweiler are members of the Eng- lish Lutheran church. He is not very active in politics but votes with the Republican party and takes a good citizen's interest in public affairs. He has an unimpeachable business reputation and is known more or less all over the state.

. CARL V. WILLARD occupies a prominent place in the business world in Grand Island as secretary and treasurer of the Donald Com- pany. He is also an active and popular cit- izen, serving most satisfactorily as council- man from the second ward.

Mr. Willard is a native of Missouri, born in Shelby County, August 17, 1877, the second in a family of three children born to W. L. and Maggie (Vance) Willard. The father was born in 1845, at Auburn, New York, was married at Oquawka, Illinois, came to Grand Island and went into the insurance business. He died here in 1895. He was a Democrat in politics and was a member of the Presby- terian church. The mother of Mr. Willard was born in 1847, at Terre Haute, Indiana. She now resides at Los Angeles, California, with her daughter Abigail, the wife of F. B. Reynard, secretary of the California Vegetable Union. Her eldest daughter, Frederika, the wife of Dr. E. O. Weber, lives at Wahoo, Nebraska.

Carl V. Willard remained in school at Grand Island until he completed his high school course, when he accepted a position with the Bank of Commerce as a bookkeeper, although he was only fourteen years old. Afterward he became connected with the Minton- Wood- ward Company, wholesale grocers and fruit- iers, where he continued four years. On May 19, 1899, he became associated with the Don- ald Company, to which he has devoted his best business efforts ever since.

On May 16, 1905, Mr. Willard was united in marriage to Miss Meta Schourup, who was born at Grand Island, daughter of Edward Schourup, who was in the lumber and coal business in this city. Mr. and Mrs. Willard have two children: Vance, who was born May 20, 1907, and Carl Edward, who was born May 8, 1910. Mrs. Willard is a member of the Lutheran church and Mr. Willard of the Presbyterian church. He is vice president

of the Liederkranz society, and a member of B. P. O. E. No. 604, being the youngest past exalted ruler of this order to be so honored in the United States. In politics he is a Dem- ocrat but in his official position is non-partisan.

GEORGE WASHINGTON WINGERT, cashier of the Cairo State Bank, came to Hall County in the days now denominated "pioneer times," and his life here has been fairly rep- resentative of the class that has taken an im- portant part in the development of this sec- tion of Nebraska. In the quiet, comfortable, orderly procedure of life and business at thé present time in settled communities, there is little on the surface to suggest the old days of hardship, privation and constant watchful- ness, but Mr. Wingert and his contemporaries remember and in an interesting way, for his- torical purposes, recall them.

George Washington Wingert was born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, November 1, 1857. His parents were Peter S. and Maria (Rynard) Wingert, both of whom were born in Perry County. Peter S. Wingert was a tailor by trade and followed the same in Perry County until he was thirty-five years of age when he turned his attention to farming for a time. With the intention of securing better agricultural opportunities, perhaps, for he had a family of ten children, in 1867 he moved to Warren County, Illinois, but later recognized the . better advantages offered in Nebraska. Hence, in 1873 Mr. Wingert brought his family to Hall County and homesteaded, se- curing the east half of the northeast quarter section 20-12-10 Prairie Creek township. He resided on that place until 1877 when he re- moved to a cultivated tract of land near Kansas City, on which he engaged in garden- ing until 1881 and then returned to Nebraska. The following four years he lived one mile south of Abbott, but when Cairo began to show signs of rapid development, in 1886, he came to the new town and was an important factor here but had removed to Grand Island before his death, which occurred in 1902. For years he was active in Republican politics, had served many times on the county board and had been a justice of the peace until he was eighty years old. His wife died in 1891 and of their ten children the following are living : Mary E., the widow of Samuel Schlisler, lives at Denver, Colorado; Anna M., the widow of James T. Allen, lives at Los Angeles, Cali- fornia ; Ida V., the wife of David Millhollen, lives in Oregon; Alice C., the widow of George Adwers, lives in Chicago; George W.

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a resident of Cairo, Nebraska; Milton C., the Republican candidate for county treasurer married Roberta Calhoun, lives in Wood and lacked but nineteen votes of election in the primary. River, Nebraska ; and Emma J., the wife of John H. Squires, lives in Canada. Those deceased are: Salmon M., who served as a soldier throughout the entire period of the Civil War; William C., who died July 6, 1907, and Jeremiah A., deceased, was the founder of the Grand Island Metal & Culvert Works. The mother of this family was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 99

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