USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 10
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 10
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instituted its improvement in connection with the raising of cattle. He made this ranch the stage and center of a peculiarly vigorous and progressive enterprise in the raising and shipping of live stock and the growing of the best type of blooded shorthorn cattle, in the exploiting of which he did much to raise the standards in Nebraska, as he brought full blooded sires from Kentucky and bred entirely from this source. He developed his ranch into one of the best properties of Hamilton county and continued his active supervision of the same until his death, November 7, 1902, aged seventy-six years, eleven months and sixteen days.
In Illinois the month of November, 1846, recorded the marriage of Mr. Patterson to Miss Matilda Miller, who was born at Monroe, Michigan, May 2, 1828, a representative of one of the most prominent and influential families of that section of the Wolverine state and in 1896 they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Mrs. Patterson preceded her husband to eternal rest, her death having occurred January 28, 1900, and her memory was revered by all who came within the compass of her gentle and kindly influence. Of the four surviving children the eldest is Edward, who is engaged in the real estate business in the city of Los Angeles, California; Clara is the wife of Marcus H. Smith, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this work; Jennie is the wife of William A. Lee, a farmer near Galesburg, Illinois; and Frederick A. is manager and buyer for Patterson & Shannon in the live stock commission business in Sioux City, Iowa.
In politics, with well fortified opinions concerning matters of economic and governmental import, Mr. Patterson gave a fundamental support to the principles of the democratic party, but in local politics he was not constrained by partisan lines. He and his wife attended the Christian church.
FREDERICK WILLIAM SWANSON
For many years Frederick William Swanson was prominent in the agricultural circles of Clay county. He is now deceased, his death having occurred on the 6th of February, 1916.
Frederick W. Swanson was born in Sweden on the 10th of December, 1845, and in that country received his education. He learned the trade of shoemaker, being taught by his brother, and followed that trade for some time before coming to the United States. In 1869 he determined to come to this country and after landing here made his first home in Illinois. For some time he made shoes in Chicago and also followed that line of business in Grand Rapids and Muskegon, Michigan. In 1875, however, he came west and located in Clay county, Nebraska, where he purchased eighty acres of railroad land at six dollars per acre. He put np a frame house and barn on the place and immediately set about to cultivate it. He broke most of his land himself with the aid of a team of horses and also put out some shade trees and an orchard. His wife cooked in a hotel in Harvard and cooperated with her husband in every way. There were many Indians in the vicinity and one time Mrs. Swanson upon entering the kitchen found her freshly baked biscuits had been stolen by some Indian stragglers. For the most part, however, the Indians were friendly and harmless. Mr. and Mrs. Swanson suffered
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all the hardships of those pioneer days, being snowed under for three days in the Easter blizzard of 1873 and later the grasshoppers completely destroyed their crops. All they managed to save during those grasshopper storms were some potatoes. The grasshoppers were so thick that they shaded the sun. Mr. Swanson was a man of great force and determination and each misfortune seemed only to spur him on to greater effort. At the time of his death he owned one-half section of fine land, on which stood two sets of improvements. He had been for many years a leader in the agricultural circles of the county and was readily conceded the proud American title of self-made man.
In 1875 in Clay county occurred the marriage of Mr. Swanson and Miss Louise Carlson, who came to that county in 1872 and homesteaded eighty acres. To them three children were born: Ellen Elizabeth, who is the wife of Otto Huffman, a farmer of Clay county ; Joseph, whose death occurred in infancy; and J. W., who is farming the old place.
The political allegiance of Mr. Swanson was always given to the republican party and his religious faith was that of the Swedish Lutheran church. At an early day, before he helped organize the church at Saronville, the people in the vicinity of his home of that faith often held their meetings at the old homestead. Mr. Swanson was a supporter of every movement which he deemed of necessity to the improvement and development of the community and as a stanch advocate of education he was influential in organizing school district No. 69. Through- out the greater part of his life he followed farming and his demise left a void in the community which will be hard to fill.
HENRY GIMPEL
Henry Gimpel is now living retired in Aurora although for many years he was actively engaged in agricultural interests in this section of the state. He was born in Germany, January 20, 1857, and in early life learned the harness-makers' trade in his native country. In 1882 he bade adieu to his friends and to his native land and came to the new world, settling first in Hamilton county, Nebraska. Here he began earning his living by working out as a farm hand at nineteen and twenty dollars per month, being thus employed until 1886. During this period he saved a sufficient sum to enable him to buy a team of horses. He continued to work as a farm hand until 1886 and then began renting land, which he cultivated for four years. He afterward bought eighty acres, for which he paid twenty dollars per acre. There were no buildings on the place but the land had been plowed. He erected a frame dwelling and barn and devoted his attntion to the further care and culti- vation of the place until 1898. He then removed to another eighty acre tract in the same section and now owns three hundred and twenty acres of land in Hamilton precinct and one hundred and sixty acres in Deepwell precinct. He has buildings on all three quarter sections and successfully carries on general farming, raising the various grains best adapted for the soil and climatic conditions. In 1919, however, he removed to Aurora and rented his farms to his sons, so that at the present time he is largely enjoying rest from further labor.
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In 1890 Mr. Gimpel was married to Miss Augusta Lange and they have become parents of eight children: William H., Henry, George, Arthur F., Clara, Emily, and John and Annie, twins. Two of the sons, George and Henry, served with the American army in the World war. Henry went across the water and saw service in France. - Mr. and Mrs. Gimpel are members of the United Brethren church and he has served as school director and as constable. He is interested in all matters which pertain to the welfare and progress of the community in which he has so long made his home and aids in many projects for the public good. More- over, his life serves to indicate what can be accomplished through individual effort and industry, for he started out in the world empty-handed and has steadily ad- vanced by reason of his perseverance and diligence, until he is today one of the substantial citizens of his adopted county.
JAMES BEAT, SR.
Not in vain were the labors and the trials of the pioneers of Nebraska, for all that they wrought and endured has found fruition in the prosperity of the present day. It is pleasing to pay tribute to such sturdy pioneer citizens as James Beat, whose varied experiences in the early days were similar to those of other settlers in Hamilton county, where he so ordered his course as to reap consistent returns from his labors as a farmer, with the result that he is fully justified in the semi-retire- ment that is now his in his attractive home at Stockham.
Mr. Beat was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, September 13, 1856, a date which indicates that his parents, John and Mary Ann (Edie) Beat, were num- bered among the pioneers of the Badger state, both having been born and reared in Scotland, though their marriage occurred after their immigration to the United States. John Beat made the voyage on an old-time sailing vessel known as the "Adam Carr," and six weeks elapsed ere the boat arrived in port in New York city. He became a pioneer farmer in Wisconsin and in that state both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, secure in the high esteem of all who knew them and both earnest members of the Presbyterian church.
James Beat, Sr., was reared on the home farm and acquired his early education in the district schools of his native county, which he attended principally during the winter terms when his services were not needed in connection with the work of the farm. In addition to his farm experience he gained also a practical knowl- edge of carpenter work, and he continued his residence in Wisconsin until March, 1877, when he came to Hamilton county, Nebraska. He here found em- ployment at farm work, but in the following year here obtained eighty acres of land, for which he paid four hundred dollars, this having been government land, as was also the timber claim of forty acres which he secured that same fall. He continued in the employ of others during the first eight years of his residence in the county and then established his home on his own land, in Farmers Valley precinct, his first house having been a frame building, twelve by eighteen feet and his first harn having been of the sod type. He planted many trees on his farm, including pine trees and also an orchard, but only a few of the orchard trees now
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remain. His vigorous activities and good management brought him increasing prosperity with the advancing years and he is now the owner of a well improved and valuable farm of two hundred and eighty acres.
Mr. Beat has been liberal and progressive as a citizen and has aided in many important enterprises, including the organization of the Farmers Elevator Com- pany at Stockham, of which he continued a director ten years. He was also one of the organizers and incorporators of the Stockham State Bank, in which he continues a substantial stockholder. He is a republican in politics, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his wife are active members of the Presbyterian church at Stockham.
In Wisconsin, in 1884, Mr. Beat was married to Miss Sarah L. Housel, of whose family record adequate mention is made elsewhere in this work, in the personal sketch of her brother, P. C. Housel. Mr. and Mrs. Beat became parents of the following children: Jane is the wife of Roy Flickenger and they reside in the state of California ; James, Jr., resides at Stockham, in his native county ; Furman J. is a resident of South Dakota, as is also his sister Enos; Harvey lives at Stockham; Margaret is the wife of Martin Wellcock of this place; Sadie is the wife of Ray Gellatly, likewise of Stockham; and Ezra has the active management of his father's old home farm, the subject of this review having retired from the farm and established his residence at Stockham in the year 1910.
HENRY C. GRIESS
Henry C. Griess is prominent in banking circles of Sutton as vice president of the Sutton State Bank. A native of Nebraska, he was born in Clay county, January 19, 1875, a son of Peter H. and Sophia (Grosshans) Griess, both natives of Germany where they were married and resided until 1873. In that year they emigrated to America and settled in Sutton, Nebraska, where the father engaged in the grain and coal business. For a number of years he conducted this business successfully but in the panic of 1895 met with severe financial losses from which he never fully recovered. He was a liberal man and during the panic offered every aid to his many friends. His family was a large one and his sons speak of him as a comrade, for he was their constant companion in his later life. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Griess, nine of them boys, and all of the children are living but one daughter. They are: Theodore, a prominent banker and financier of Harvard; Henry C., whose name initiates this review; John G., in the bank at Sutton; William, who is engaged in the lumber and coal business in Sutton ; Edward P., postmaster at Sutton, Nebraska; Ferdinand, prominent in the dental profession of Sutton; Gustave, who is engaged with his brother in the dental practice at Sutton ; Edward P., who is now serving as postmaster of Sutton and of whom further mention is made on another page of this work; Albert, active in the lumber and coal business in Sutton : and Lydia, who is the wife of J. A. Dennis, a merchant of Eldorado. Throughout his life Mr. Griess was a stanch democrat and took an active part in all local campaigns and movements of that party.
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Henry C. Griess received his education in the Sutton schools and at the age of seventeen years began working in a hardware store for twenty dollars per month. For fifteen years he clerked in that store and then decided to enter the hardware business on his own account. He was very successful in this venture and remained in that connection until 1912, when he entered the bank of Sutton as assistant cashier. His rise in the bank was rapid and soon he was made vice president of that organization, in which office he is now serving.
On the 23d of November, 1899, Mr. Griess was united in marriage to Miss Rosana Griess, a daughter of H. P. Griess, an old settler of York county. As a business man her father had achieved a substantial amount of success and in agricultural circles he had taken an influential and leading part. Four children have been born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Griess: Alfred H., who is attending the State University at Lincoln ; Esther, a graduate of the Sutton high school with the class of 1921; Helen, in school; and Otto, who is bnt four and one-half years of age.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Griess the right of franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the democratic party. The religious faith of the family is that of the Free Reformed church, in the activities of which they take a prominent part. Mr. Griess maintains an interest in agriculture as the owner of farms in Fillmore, Clay and York counties and aside from his banking interests he devotes some time to writing insurance. Mr. Griess is a prominent and progressive man and readily acknowledged a leading citizen of Sutton.
MARTIN V. CLARK, M. B., M. D.
Dr. Martin V. Clark of Sutton is known as the pioneer doctor of Clay county, having been actively engaged in the practice of his profession here since 1871. There are few of the older residents of the county that do not remember him when he first came to Nebraska, a young doctor just starting out in his professional career. They have watched the rapid strides made by Dr. Clark, his achievement of success, and there is not one among them but sincerely admires him for his energy, determi- nation and his sterling personal worth.
A native of Cuyahoga county, Ohio, Dr. Clark was born at Parma, April 28, 1840, and is a son of David and Ximena (Roberts) Clark. The father was born in Burlington, Connecticut, August 2, 1806, and the mother was a native of Hartford, that state. Their marriage was celebrated in Ohio, however, where both had come as young people, Mr. Clark having made the trip in 1838 with an ox team. Four chil- dren were born to this union, two of whom are living: Isaac N., of whom further mention is made on another page of this work; and Martin V., whose name initiates this review. Both Mr. and Mrs. Clark were active patrons of the Methodist Episco- pal church and he was for many years a democrat, later becoming a republican. He served as justice of the peace of his county for some time and was chairman for war work in the county in 1861.
Following his preliminary education, on the outbreak of the Civil war, Dr. Martin V. Clark enlisted in the Union service, June 20, 1861, going to Camp
DR. MARTIN V. CLARK
Vol. II -:
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Denniston near Cincinnati, Ohio. He became a member of Company C, Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry and later served with the rank of sergeant in the Eighth Battery Ohio Artillery for fourteen months. He reenlisted and was in both national and state service for a period of five years. Dr. Clark heard a speech made by Abraham Lincoln at Champaign, Illinois, in 1856, and he was one of the escort who fired the salute when they brought the body of that great man through Cleve- land, Ohio, following his assassination. After the war Dr. Clark again resumed his studies, entering Baldwin University in Ohio, from which he was graduated in 1867. He decided to enter the medical profession with the result that he became a student in the Western Reserve University at Cleveland, Ohio, obtaining his degree in 1869. After graduation he was professor of pharmacy at Berea, Ohio, and was on the committee to revise the United States pharmacopoeia at Washington, D. C., in 1870. He practiced medicine in Ohio until 1871 when he came to Clay county, Nebraska, and entered the drug business and medical profession, building up a large trade and lucrative practice. In addition to his professional interests Dr. Clark has been identified with some of the representative business enterprises of the county, having at one time been editor and proprietor of the Sutton Adver- tiser. For many years he has been a newspaper correspondent and is now cor- respondent for the Daily Bee of Omaha. During the Harrison administration he also served as postmaster of Sutton. When he first came to Clay county, Dr. Clark, in connection with his brother, Isaac N. Clark, purchased the townsite of Sutton from its original homesteader and the Doctor still owns about fonr and one-half acres there. Further mention of this land deal is made in the sketch of his brother Isaac N. Clark.
On the 4th of July, 1865, Dr. Clark was united in marriage to Miss Mary D. Henry, a native of Parma, Ohio, Her death occurred January 17, 1917, and came as a severe shock to her family and many friends in the community. Four children had been born to this union, three of whom are living: Alice, who is the wife of Dr. J. W. Thompson, a physician of Lincoln, Nebraska; Edith, who is the wife of O. W. Challburg, a real estate man and county commissioner ; and Ruth, who _ married Elmer G. Briard, a farmer of Madison, Nebraska. Mamie, the second child born to Dr. and Mrs. Clark, died at the age of eleven years.
Politically Dr. Clark gives his support to the republican party, in the interests of which he takes a prominent part although he has neither sought nor desired public office. He was, however, a member of the first town council of Sutton and was the second coroner of Clay county. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Epis- copal church and his wife took a prominent part in the affairs of that organization. Fraternally Dr. Clark is a blue lodge and a Royal Arch Mason. In 1876 he compiled a history of Clay county, called the Centennial History. It gives a complete history of the county up to 1876 and is authentic in every detail. A committee had been appointed to gather the data but when the time came for active work it failed and the entire responsibility for the work devolved upon Dr. Clark. Among the many respected citizens of Sutton and Clay county are few if any who are entitled to more credit for an active and useful life than Dr. Clark. He has an extensive aquaintance throughout the county and is regarded as one of its most representative citizens.
Dr. Clark's biography would not be complete without recording his active and
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extensive career as a legal chemist. After resigning his professorship of pharmacy, applied chemistry and toxicology in Baldwin University, Ohio, he came west, as before stated. Soon after, his training as an analytical chemist becoming known, he was employed by the courts of Clay and the adjoining counties and made toxicological analyses in the following cases of criminal poisonings, State vs. Ander- son, Clay county, arsenic; State vs. Lee, Saline county, strychnia ; State vs. Rath, Clay county, strychnia ; State vs. Stevenson, Nuckolls county, corrosive sublimate, this being the first prosecution under the pharmacy act; State vs. Morse, Gage county, strychnia. A remarkable episode occurred during the trial of the latter case. After the case was given the jury Dr. Clark, having testified that a certain solu- tion submitted in evidence contained strychnia in chloroform, General L. W. Colby, attorney for Morse-himself an expert chemist-poured out some of the alleged solu- tion into a narrow, tall glass and filled it with water. Going on with his plea the contents of the glass had time to settle, the chloroorm being colorless like water and heavier than it, carried all the poison to the bottom. Raising the glass before the astonished court and jury the attorney exclaimed "See me drink the poison," being careful, however, to leave all of the poisonous solution in the bottom of the glass. It was a clever ruse. The jury brought in a verdict of murder in first degree. On a technical error a new trial was had. Next trial jury disagreed. Morse died later, effects of bloodpoison. The Doctor has extensive and valuable interests in mines in Mexico and California, also oil interests in California, Mon- tana and Wyoming. He with his brother Isaac N. gave a half interest in twelve acres to the city of Sutton, now covered with beautiful elms-"Clark Square" for a perpetual pleasure ground.
A. G. COREY
Among the valued and substantial citizens of Fairfield, Clay county, is A. G. Corey, who for many years was prominent in the agricultural development of York county. On removing to Fairfield he engaged in the implement business for some time and then received an appointment as postmaster. He received another appointment to the same position by Woodrow Wilson and is still active in that connection.
A. G. Corey was born near Janesville, Rock county, Wisconsin, in 1847, a son of Enos and Electo (Wilcox) Corey, both born near Meadville, Pennsylvania, the former in 1800 and the latter in 1803. They were married there and removed to Wisconsin at an early day, where the father bought land and engaged in farming. Mrs. Corey passed away on the farm in 1866 and the death of her husband occurred in 1898 in San Diego, California, where he had gone for a trip and rest. Nine children were born to that union, five of whom are living: Lucy, the wife of A. A. Titus of California; Alnora, the widow of a Mr. Tidman, and a resident of Wis- consin; A. G., the subject of this review; and Ira, a fruit farmer of Arkansas. The fraternal affiliation of Mr. Corey was with the Masons, of which order he was a Knight Templar, and his political allegiance was given to the democratic party. Four of his sons fought in the Civil war.
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In the acquirement of an education A. G. Corey attended the schools of Kekoskee, Dodge county, Wisconsin, and after putting his schoolbooks aside engaged in farm- ing with his father. At the age of seventeen years he offered his services to the Union army and enlisted in 1865 in the Two Hundred and Forty-fourth Wisconsin Infantry. He was in active service for nine months. At the close of the war he returned to his home in Wisconsin but soon afterward came to Nebraska and in 1868 located in York county, where he took up a homestead, whereon he resided for nearly twenty years. He then sold his homestead and removed to Fairfield, where for six months he engaged in the implement business. During Cleveland's second ad- ministration he was appointed postmaster and was again appointed to that office by Woodrow Wilson.
In 1871 occurred the marriage of Mr. Corey and Miss Mary Gilmore, further mention of whose family is made in the sketch of her brother, Sebastian Gilmore, to be found in another part of this work. Five children have been born to this union : Clarence, who owns a job printing plant in Omaha; Ethel, the wife of Ed. Lewis, a traveling man; Vernie, at home; M. L., in Omaha, where he is attorney for the Bank of Omaha; and A. B., roadmaster at Vancouver, Washington.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Corey the right of franchise he has been a stanch ยท supporter of the democratic party, having firm belief in the principles of that party as factors in good government. He was supervisor for five terms in York county and was holding that position at the time the courthouse was built. His religious faith is that of the Christian church and he is a member of the Modern Woodmen. Mr. Corey devotes his entire time and attention to his duties as postmaster and his many admirable traits of character, combined with his public-spirited citizen- ship, make him a highly esteemed and representative resident of Fairfield.
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