USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 87
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 87
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Last year he did a business of $90,000. He keeps a $25,000 stock of goods on hand.
At Newton, Iowa, the Maytag Washing Machine Company, a nationally known concern, is doing a business in excess of $6,000,000 a year; at Charles City, Iowa, the Hart-Parr Company, manufacturing tractors, gas engines, and other farm machinery, does a business running into millions, at Kellogg, Iowa, merely a "tank" station, is the Gould Balance Valve Company doing business in all parts of the world and running into millions annually. At Clay Center, Nebraska, a country boy started an incubator company which has sold hundreds of thousands of hatching machines all over the world.
THE INCUBATOR FACTORY
So Clay Center has had one enterprising citizen, just mentioned, who has demonstrated this old, old fact that if a man produces an article or offers a ware or a service that is superior to its competitors on the market, no matter where located, it can be built into a nationally known enterprise. Situated in the town of Clay Center, on a branch line of railroad, with lack of metropolitan traffic or commercial facilities, such an enterprise has built up at Clay Center. The best, brief historical view of this project can be taken from the history of the same published at the time of M. M. Johnson's death.
HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
M. M. JOHNSON-WORLD FAMOUS INCUBATOR MAN
M. M. Johnson, of Clay Center, Nebraska, the world's greatest incubator man- ufacturer, died in January, 1912, at Idaho Springs, Colorado, where he had been sojourning for his healthi.
"Sixty-five cents was the sum of M. M. Johnson's fortune when he and his wife, son and daughter arrived in Clay Center. Ile was employed for some time as engineer in Orr Brothers' flour mill and while thus engaged invented the .Sure Ilatch Incubator.' which he afterwards manufactured on an extensive scale. He later invented the Old Trusty, for the making of which he erected a new factory. This second enterprise grew more rapidly than the first and each year since its beginning has brought a large increase in its output."
In his autobiography, entitled "The Ups and Downs of An Inventor," pub- lished in the Old Trusty catalogue. Mr. Johnson wrote that the refusal of his employers in his early days at Clay Center to grant him a ten (10) eent raise in pay was responsible for his engaging in the incubator business.
From his very meager beginning Mr. Johnson rose to a position of wealth and large influence. He made his name and his incubator known in every civilized nation, yet in his last catalogue sketch of his own career he wrote characteristically :
"My wife and I work just the same as always. We get our pleasure out of the growth of the business and the friends we are making. We could not appreciate and enjoy these things unless we did work."
The immense business done by the Old Trusty factory has caused the Clay Center postoffice to take rank as the greatest second class postoffice for a town of Clay Center's size in the country.
Although Clay Center has a population of only one thousand and sixty-five (1.065) according to the 1910 census, the receipts of the postoffice there last year (1910) was over $32.000, as compared with $37,500 for the Hastings postoffice.
The homely language used by Mr. Johnson in his autobiography gives an excellent idea of Mr. Johnson's rugged character.
"At the age of twenty-one went into partnership with a farmer's daughter and together we started out for better or worse," he wrote.
He tried farming, then coal mining and later became a Burlington Locomotive engineer. Ill luck overtook him and he settled in a farm in Missouri.
"One day after taking a basket of eggs and a crate of chickens to market for my wife it occurred to me that the chicken business was first cousin to gold and silver mining," is his account of his vision of the business which became his life work.
Hle tried chicken raising on a large scale, but gave it up to accept the place of engineer in the mill at Clay Center, established by men he had known at Sheridan, Missouri.
With his family Johnson started in a covered wagon for Clay Center. At Pleasanton. Kansas, one of his daughters died.
"We finally reached Clay Center with sixty-five cents. It is ups and downs that 1 am writing about. This time it was down. All told. we were worse off than nothing, inasmuch as we owed doctor's bills here and at Pleasanton.
"The $1.50 a day I received was slow recuperating. I tell you. One day I told
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, CLAY CENTER
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CHRISTIAN CHURCH, CLAY CENTER
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
the boss if he could stand a ten-cent raise in my wages I could stand it. Still more, I could make a double effort to earn it, but times were hard for millers and I had no sooner asked for the raise than I was ashamed for approaching him.
"If I was asked today what really instigated my incubator manufacturing my mind would revert to the ten cents per day advance in my wages. I feel sure now that had the ten cents' advance been granted that I would be an engineer now.
"I unloaded my ambition to the boss, and he thought well of it. Go ahead, Johnson, make inenbators in the boiler house, so long as we have steam to keep the wheels running we will be satisfied.' The Orr brothers have been my staunch friends to this day."
"The Sure Hatch" enterprise was sold, afterwards removed to Fremont and later abandoned. Mr. Johnson remained in Clay C'enter, invented the Old Trusty, and organized a new company.
"Although my margin of profit has been small, averaging less than $1.00 on each incubator, I have accumulated," wrote Mr. Johnson in his autobiography. "What I have made in the business has gone to improve the business. Have the largest incubator and brooder factory in the world, have my own working capital and the best commercial rating in the business."
In 1909 the factory turned out over 23,000 incubators and brooders. In 1910 the output was nearly 100,000.
NEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Monday noon, August 23, 1920, there gathered around the tables of the King hotel more than fifty of the representative citizens of this community and after discussing a splendid dinner served in a highly satisfactory manner they com- pleted the organization of a working and workable Chamber of Commerce.
As a result of the election held Mr. H. H. Johnson has the chairmanship of executive committee. Mr. Johnson is the head of the M. M. Johnson Incubator Company. Mr. F. T. Swanson, President of the Clay Center State Bank was made vice president ; A. S. Kyne, traffic manager for the M. M. Johnson Company was made treasurer, and Angust (. Krebs, attorney, was elected to the secretaryship. On the executive committee are Dr. J. O. Latta, one of our most progressive citizens and a practitioner of wide repute ; Charles H. Epperson, a university graduate and one of the rising young attorneys of the state: George S. Ward, head of one of the largest building material establishments in the country and a man always alive in public service. Loy Gilkeson, Clay County's most efficient Superintendent of Public Instruction and a man who is wrapped up in his hopes and plans for community betterment, and last on the list --- not because of his being least, but rather because of his being a secure foundation upon which to build-we find Judge J. E. Ray. wise in the things that may be done and the correct manner of procedure to obtain the very best results.
CHURCHES AND LODGES
The Methodist society started in 1884 and has been active ever since. The Congregational society began as early as 1882, and are still a flourishing congre-
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gation. The Christian Church was organized as early as 1875, and is the other active church in Clay Center. The Catholics have always had some services here.
The Masonie Lodge organized in 1885. The K. of P. started in at Clay Center in 1882. W. R. C .. D. of H., Eastern Star, Rebekahs all attest to the activity of the women. The M. W. A. have had a camp here.
Jordan Post, G. A. R., was organized during the winter of 1886-87, and the charter was granted March 11, 1887, to the following named comrades: Robert .J. Wilson, Twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry ; Joseph L. Myer, Twenty-sixth Pennsyl- vania Infantry: Jacob Hager, Company K, Thirty-sixth lowa Infantry : Joseph Burt, Company A. Eighth Iowa Cavalry : Charles Latour, Company (, Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry; Samuel Williams, Company K. Seventy-third New York In- fantry : J. J. Miller, Company D. Eleventh Iowa Infantry : J. W. Irish, Company A. Second United States Artillery: Nathaniel Graham, Company A. Twenty- seventh Ohio Infantry ; S. M. Elder, Company H. One Hundred and Forty-third Illinois Infantry ; Eli Golding, Company I, One Hundred and Eighteenth, and Company I, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Indiana Infantry; B. F. Graham, Company D. Third Illinois Cavalry ; Ephraim Sumner, Company (, Thirty-sixth lowa Infantry : L. F. Fryar, Company A, Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry : G. W. Marsh, Company (, Sixtieth New York Infantry ; Thomas Sumner, Company D. Sixth Iowa Infantry ; William Scelig, Company I, One Hundred and Thirtieth Indiana Infantry ; John M. Jones, Company F, Thirty-third Iowa Infantry.
THE NEW COURT HOUSE
The Clay Center Sun on August 22, 1918, placed the following in print :
"In order to keep history straight it is well to know at this time to whom really belongs the credit for ('lay County having a new court house. Some years ago the matter was put to a vote and lost and for the time became a dead issue. After a time in the dark grave of political oblivion the old stiff began to show signs of returning to life. This spark was fanned by local lovers of the county and by some few officials who appreciated the grave danger of continuing to keep our valuable records in the old building. Finally the matter of petitioning our super- visors to build us a suitable building was granted consideration and at a meeting of the Clay Center Commercial Club sufficient funds were subscribed to pay for the circulating of petitions in the various parts of the county. The work was finished with but little opposition, the petitions turned over to the supervisors and the new building was given the serious consideration of the county managers. The details of what followed this beginning are familiar to most of our readers, but to have the story right from beginning to end you need the link that is labeled 'The Clay Center Commercial Club,' and when the building shall have been completed and you stand looking at its beautiful facade, do not fail to place the eredit for our greatest move forward as a county where it belongs.
"Certainly the money of the taxpayers of the county will meet the expense bills for the building, but the real foundation rests on the $250 advanced by the Com- mercial ('lub of this city, that little bunch of community builders who have from the beginning been either ridiculed or damned, but who have always been the water bearers in every community project needing financial assistance or moral backing.
OLD CLAY COUNTY COURTHOUSE, CLAY CENTER
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NEW COURT HOUSE CLAY CENTER NEBE
W.F.GERNANDT ARCHITECT OMAHA NESE.
CLAY COUNTY COURTHOUSE, CLAY CENTER
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
THE BUILDING OF THE NEW COURTHOUSE
After having decided to build a $100,000 county building, the supervisors went at the matter of getting plans with all of the care that they would have exercised had they been building for themselves personally and together with Clerk Frisch they visited and carefully inspected a number of the best courthouse structures in the state, and at the end of their investigations held conferences with various archi- tects and finally gave the contract for the plans and construction to Architect Ger- nandt of Omaha. In passing we will say that never since having made this ward have the supervisors had occasion to regret their action for Mr. Gernandt has been everything that a councilor and advisor should be since he went on the job.
On April 15th the first dirt was turned and under the exceedingly competent active foremanship of Mr. George Reulling the work has been pushed forward with as much speed as could have been expected had there not been any of the absolutely unavoidable delays attendant upon an overworked transportation system and other labor and material features that are thrown out of tune by war work. So well has Mr. Reulling performed his part of the contract that he informs us that unless something more serious than has already happened occurs, he will turn the com- pleted structure over to the county some days ahead of the time stipulated in the contraet, viz., January 1, 1919.
As the time drew near for the formal laying of the cornerstone of the building, the supervisors invited the Masonic fraternity to take charge of the ceremonial. Grand Master Epperson accepted the invitation for the order and the 19th of August was set as the date for the function. Invitations were sent out by the local lodge A. F. & A. M. to the membership over the territory and by the supervisors to the boards of surrounding counties and to as many of the old-timers of Clay as could be located. Soon after noon of the appointed day our streets became animated with numerous delightful reunions, and one could not walk a block with- ont catching from a dozen groups fragments of conversations, all of which con- tained reference to "it was in "23-" "Yes, I came here before the old building was started-" "Why, I hardly know the old town," ete.
The hour set for the ceremony was three o'clock, and prior to that time the Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. convened in their lodge room with Grand Master A. C. Epperson of Clay Center "in the east." Not all of the grand officers were able to be present. However, those staunch old workers in the craft-Grand Mar- shal Edward M. Wellman, Grand Custodian Robert E. French and Grand Chaplain Allen A. Randall-were here, and they, with Grand Master Epperson, are a host in themselves. Carl C. Cartney of Edgar acted as grand secretary ; John (. Hedge of Hastings as grand treasurer; II. N. Webster of Hastings, grand senior warden ; and L. A. Higgins of Harvard, deputy grand master. Proceeding from the hall accompanied by the Order of Eastern Star and a handsome bevy of flower-laden misses, the parade was led to the scene of the ceremony by the municipal band.
The formal laying of the stone was accomplished without a hitch and the oration of the day was delivered by Grand Chaplain A. A. Randall of Auburn. Mr. Randall appeared to his best advantage in this speech, and it was declared by many to be the best thing they had ever heard on a similar occasion. His former residence in this county and the fact that he had at one time been county superin- tendent of instruction here, gave him a local view that made it easy for him to
Vol. 1-31
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bring to his audience familiar references, accurate early history and judicious com- ment on our past accomplishments and present needs. It was a notable speech and an already strong standing in this community was made more firm for Mr. Ran- dall whom we still claim with pride as a Clay County man.
Throughout the program an abundance of good music was supplied by the band and the local choirs, and at the close of the address a splendid affair was brought to close by a great festival of handshaking and kindly greeting by people from all over the state, who by word and deed placed the stamp of their approval on our undertaking and voiced praise of the manner in which it is being con- summated.
The stone contains the usual amount of historical data and bears on its face the following inscription : Laid by the M. W. Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M., A. D. 1918, A. L. 5918, A. C. Epperson, Grand Master. Board of Supervisors of ('lay County : F. A. Westering, chairman ; Geo. England, O. W. Challburg, G. (. Fish- back, J. H. Itzen, Phillip J. Schwab, James Ziggafoos.
Thus another step forward has been taken by Clay County, and it is pleasing to know that in the face of most unusual conditions we are going steadily forward to what now seems assured an early and satisfactory conelnsion. That this is true is due in a great measure to the faet that our greatest building enterprise is in the hands of men who feel their responsibility and are trying their best to "make good."
CHAPTER XI
OTHER TOWNS
OTHER TOWNS OF THE COUNTY-GLENVILLE ( BY L. L. BRANDT )-ONG ( BY CARL SAND- BURG )-SARONVILLE-SPRING RANCH-INLAND.
THE OTHER TOWNS OF TIIE COUNTY
Clay County has another group of very splendid small towns, which if space permitted could furnish a very elaborate history. Glenville, Ong, Deweese, Trum- bull, Spring Ranche and Inland especially.
Illustrative of this point, we might cite that in 1921, outside of the five larger towns of Clay County, there are situated the numerous business institutions named and especially the following banks, officered as follows, with deposits given to show the commercial importance of their respectively extensive if small business com- munities :
GLENVILLE. Bank of Glenville, L. L. Brandt, president ; A. B. Newell, vice president : John J. Mohlman, cashier; loans $300,000 and deposits $315,000. Farmers State Bank, G. W. Flesner, president; R. C. Peters, cashier; and S. C. Itzen, assistant cashier. Loans $265,000 and deposits $300,000.
ONG. Bank of Commerce, started in 1910, Wm. Westering, president ; Chris- tian Peterson, vice presidents; Joseph Anderson, cashier ; Mande E. Nelson, assistant cashier. Deposits $320,000.
Exchange Bank of Ong, started in 1889, M. Bolton, president; A. Luers and R. (. Peters; vice president ; C. V. Glenn, cashier. Deposits $310,000.
DEWEESE. State Bank of Deweese, started in 1905, C. L. Lewis, president ; R. A. Briggs, cashier; T. P. Shively, vice president. Deposits $130,000. The current business houses of this community are: The bank, Chicago Lumber Com- pany, Deweese Cafe, Deweese Grain Co., Joseph Dobesh, Store, East Elevator, Farmers Elevator, Economy Store, Frank Forst, Garage, Hotel, Implement Co., H. D. Jackson, Store, John Souchek, Hardware, West Elevator, S. L. True.
TRUMBULL. Farmers Exchange Bank, started in 1905, G. G. Lane, president ; W. A. Martin and J. H. Haggard, vice presidents; Ernest Ormsby, cashier. Deposits $145,000. Trumbull State Bank, started in 1902, A. L. Clarke, presi- dent ; W. A. Taylor, vice president ; A. A. Held, cashier. Deposits $35,000. Trum- bull's only general store was burned in March, 1921, and left the community tem- porarily crippled from trading viewpoint, with only elevators, garage and such usual business institutions.
INLAND. Farmers State Bank, started in 1911, II. G. Wellensiek, president; J. D. Lamp, vice president, Carl II. Worley, cashier. Deposits $120,000. This town also has Yost Lumber Yard, Farmers Union Elevator and stores.
SARONVILLE. Farmers State Bank, started in 1891, Adolph Aspegren, presi-
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
dent ; John Benson, vice president ; and Marie L. Klintberg, eashier. Deposits $110,000. There is also the Aspegren & Strand, hardware; Basket Store No. 65, Farmers Grain & Lumber Co., and John Heinz, store.
VERONA. Farmers State Bank, since 1912, Nels Nelson, president: W. F. Mack, vice president; A. B. Turner, cashier. Deposits $55,000. There are also here Farmers Cooperative & Elevator Association and garage and store.
SPRING RANCHE. Blue Valley State Bank, started in 1912, which formerly was officered by M. L. Corey, president, and G. L. and W. T. Voss; now has W. A. Stewart, president : E. Stewart, vice president : and W. E. Stewart, cashier. Deposits $110,000.
GLENVILLE
(ilenville is located on the contiguous corners of the original pre-emption claims of R. S. Winters, Daniel Fitch and Robert Thompson. In July. 1822. the railroad was completed to this point and the depot and seetion house erected, the sod houses of the claimants being the only signs of habitation here prior to that date, although some distance away I. D. Newell settled in 1822. Early in 1823 a storehouse was constructed by J. W. Sturgis, who offered a stock of goods for sale. In July he was joined by Charles Chutz. The village was surveyed in the fall : Bennett C'ox ereeted a store and dwelling house, the same which became the prop- erty of David Stein and P. H. Cone. Edward Davis opened a blacksmith shop in 1878: Luke Goldenstein built a house for mercantile purposes: II. M. Oliver a grain elevator, and established the coal and lumber yards. The Keystone Hotel was built in 1879 by G. Z. Fink, who sold to Warwick in 1880. He rented the building to Richard Harris and moved away. Dr. Mark A. Perkins settled here in May, 1881. The first death in the place was that of Elizabeth Carroll, the wife of George Carroll, a section boss on the railroad, and the first child born was Thomas, the son of these people.
In later '80s the village claimed a population of 300, and the business interests were represented by B. Johnson and L. Goldenstein, general merchants; Evans and Jordan, druggists; G. Z. Fink, justice of the peace : E. D. Davis, blacksmith : J. W. Sturgis, wagon-maker ; and E. Uden, agricultural implement dealer. Doctor Perkins was the physician of the district for a number of years.
The Baptist Church building was the first house of worship erected. Work on this building was eommeneed late in 1881 and completed April 23, 1882, at a cost of $1,000. Ten years before this, in the winter of 1871-22, the school district was organized, with R. Thompson, D. Fitch and . R. S. Winters trustees. The schoolhouse was built in 1872, and by the close of 1843 the village laid some claims to the name of town. In 1882 there were twenty-five houses, one general store, one drug store, one hardware store, and elevator and a lumber and a coal yard.
The earliest religions services were held at Glenville in July, 1823. when a number of the young men of the town held a sort of Sunday school in the railroad depot. But a few persons were present on this first day, and it was announced that a similar meeting would be held on the next Sunday. When the day came wagon load after wagon load might be seen gathering in from all parts of the country to this rude teaching of the gospel. On this day the house was filled and numbers turned away for want of room. A regular union Sunday school was
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY
organized, and J. W. Small was elected superintendent. The first sermon preached in the town was by Rev. Charles Clutz in the depot. Several congregations were organized in the surrounding district prior to 1882, who held services in the schoolhouse and Baptist Church in the village.
These denominations were the Presbyterian, Rev. R. J. Smith, pastor: the American Baptists, Rev. M. Wilson, pastor; German Baptists, Rev. Mr. Crane, pastor ; Methodist, Rev. F. Campbell, pastor : the Evangelical Association, Doctor Oyler of Harvard, pastor; and the Catholics, who were attended by the priest in charge of Ilastings Parish.
A contract to build the schoolhouse was given to W. D. Young, at that time a partner of Thompson, one of the board, for which he was to receive the bonds of the district to the amount of $3,350, at ten per cent interest. The contract was then sub-let by Young to Ramsey, who was to complete the house and furnish all the material for $1,200. The bonds turned over to Young were sold to New York parties, and have since been nearly all paid off, amounting with the interest to something like $5,000, making that virtually the cost of the house.
A postoffice was established at Glenville in June, 1873, and was kept by Joseph Kentner in Sturgis' store. Kentner held the position only a few months, and in the winter following his appointment, Bennett Cox received the commission and the office was taken to his store. Cox continued postmaster up to the end of 1880, and was succeeded by Luke Goldenstein, whose office was kept in his storeroom.
The following sketch of Glenville was prepared in 1918 by L. L. Brandt :
Glenville is a village of about four hundred population, located on the St. Joseph and Grand Island Railway near the western border of Clay County. The first settlers came in the year 1871, possibly a few as early as 1870. The postoffice was established in 1871, and the following men have served as postmasters in the order named: Joseph Kentner, Bennett Cox. Luke Goldenstein, Frank Fleshner, Charles Brandt, Albert B. Newell and William D. McGaffey, the present incumbent. It is reported that in the early days very small mail would be thrown from the train attached to a stone for the pioneers along the traek, but that practice has long since been abandoned.
Thomas Carrol was the first white child born in Glenville. and Mrs. Ed Carrol, his mother, the wife of the section foreman, was the first person who died here.
The first store was started by J. W. Sturgis, the second store by Bennett Cox, and the third one, in 1877, by Luke Goldenstein, who is still in the business. Mr. Luke Goldenstein has thus been in business here over forty-one years and is said to be the oldest merchant in Clay County.
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