USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 2
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 2
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66
JOSEPH R. ROGGY
Since 1886 Joseph R. Roggy has resided in Clay county and during that time has steadily advanced along his line of occupation until he is now recognized as one of the leading agriculturists of the county and a representative citizen. Mr. Roggy was born in Alsace-Lorraine, March 28, 1842, his parents being Joseph and Magdalena (Schirtz) Roggy. They came to America in 1848 aboard a sail- ing vessel of the early type, which caught on fire and so delayed the journey as to take thirty-six days to make the trip. Mr. and Mrs. Roggy made their home in Lake county, Illinois, where they engaged in farming, following that occupation the remainder of their lives. Joseph Roggy, Sr., became well known throughout the county as a farmer and stock raiser of ability.
Joseph R. Roggy received his education in the country schools of Illinois, attending school in primitive frame buildings with hard wooden benches for seats. He made his home with his parents until he enlisted for service in the Civil war. In 1864 he became a member of Company A, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth
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Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was mustered into service at Peoria, Illinois. He was on guard duty at Cairo, that state, and at various other points throughout Illinois and participated in several skirmishes when Price was raiding Missouri. After the war he returned to Illinois, where he started farming for himself, buying land in Livingston county. He owned one hundred and twenty acres of land there and engaged in general farming and stock raising. In 1886, after living for some time in Bureau county, he came west and located in Clay county. His father had purchased some railroad land there in 1880 and Mr. Roggy bought this land from his father. He put up a small frame house and shed stable and broke part of his land himself. He set out a good orchard and some forest trees. Mr. Roggy suffered loss of crops during the droughts of 1893 and 1894 but after that time achieved a great amount of success in his agricultural ventures. He is now in possession of one hundred and sixty acres of well improved land with fine improvements.
While residing in Illinois Mr. Roggy was united in marriage to Miss Lena Virkler, a native of that state, and she became the mother of two children: Ada, who is the widow of James Fish, at one time a prominent farmer in Minne- sota. A sou of Mrs. Fish's, Dale, was aboard the Tuscania when it sank. The second child born to this union was Lena, who died at the age of six months. Some time after the death of his first wife, Mr. Roggy was again wed, taking as his wife Miss Hattie Lee, a native of Connecticut, who came to Illinois with her parents when but five years of age. To the latter marriage two children have been born : C. H., who is engaged in the carpenter business at Trumbull ; and A. Le Roy, who is farming the old home place.
Mr. Roggy is an independent voter, giving his support to the man rather than to any particular party. . Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist church, of which he has been trustee for many years. Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and since 1873 has been a Modern Woodman of America. He is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, belonging to Harrison Post of Trumbull. While residing in Illinois he was for some time active in the office of constable. Mr. Roggy has many friends who appreciate his sterling characteristics and personal integrity and his success is the result of his own diligence and industry.
HENRY V. NELSON
On the roster of public officials in Hamilton county appears the name of Henry V. Nelson who is filling the position of county clerk in an acceptable manner: He is a native of this county, his birth having occurred in Otis precinct, January 10, 1888, his parents being C. P. and Anna (Swanson) Nelson, the former a native of Sweden, while the latter was born in the state of Wisconsin. They were married on this side of the Atlantic and in 1871 came to Hamilton county, Nebraska, where Mr. Nelson homesteaded. He built a sod house in which he lived with his family for a number of years and three of the children were there born. He afterward erected a frame dwelling and added modern equipments and improvements as his financial resources increased. Mrs. Nelson
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has now passed away but the father resides in Aurora with his son, having retired . from active business. In their family were four children, of whom three are living : Clarence, a real estate dealer of Chicago, Illinois ; Arthur S., superintendent of the Hamilton county schools; and Henry V. Mrs. Nelson, who passed away in 1901, was a member of the Swedish church and C. P. Nelson is also connected with the church, loyally supporting its teachings and principles. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he served on the village board at Hampton when a resident there.
Henry V. Nelson completed a course in the Hampton high school by graduation with the class of 1905 and then attended the Nebraska State Normal School at Peru. He later taught school for two years, after which he managed the mill and elevator at Hampton for a period of eight years. He subsequently spent four years in the office of deputy county clerk and in 1918 was elected county clerk, in which position he is now serving for the second year.
In 1909 Mr. Nelson was married to Miss Ada M. Nichols, who was born in St. Paul, Howard county, Nebraska, a daughter of G. W. Nichols who was formerly engaged in the milling business but is now living retired in Aurora. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have two sons: Wayne, nine years of age; and Dwight, a youth of six. Mr. Nelson is a Mason, belonging to the lodge and chapter and he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. He is likewise identified with the Knights of Pythias fraternity and in his political views is a republican. He devotes his entire time to his office and is most prompt, systematic and capable in the discharge of his duties, his record reflecting credit upon himself and proving at all times highly satisfactory to his constitutents.
ARTHUR S. NELSON
Arthur S. Nelson, serving for the second term as county superintendent of schools of Hamilton county, was born in Otis township and is a son of C. P. Nelson, mentioned elsewhere in this work. In the acquirement of his education Arthur S. Nelson attended the high school at Hampton, from which he was graduated with the class of 1901. Desiring still further to promote his knowledge he entered the Fremont Normal College and afterward attended the Nebraska State Normal School at Peru and the Colorado State Teachers College at Greeley. His training has been thorough and comprehensive and at all times he keeps in touch with the trend of professional thought and progress.
Professor Nelson began teaching in the rural schools of Hamilton county in 1904 and was thus actively identified with the profession for eight years, acting as principal of the schools at Phillips for two years at two different times and also one year at Wauneta and Chapman. In 1916 he was elected county super- intendent of schools and made so creditable a record in the office that he was reelected in 1920 for a second term of four years.
Professor Nelson is a member of the Knights of Pythias. His political views are in accord with the principles of the republican party and upon its ticket he was elected to office. He devotes his entire time to the duties of his position and
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in this connection has control of over ninety-seven schools, each of which he visits semi-annually. There are also three consolidated schools in the county and each year he holds a large teachers' institute. He has ever devoted his time and attention to school work and has made a most excellent record, inspiring teachers and pupils under him with much of his own zeal and interest in the profession and at all times recognizing the fact that the only education worth while is that which prepares the individual to meet life's battles nobly and courageously.
J. O. LATTA, M. D.
Holding to high professional standards Dr. J. O. Latta is successfully engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in Clay Center and his ability is recognized by a large patronage. He was born in Plattsmouth, Cass county, Nebraska, August 9, 1877, and is a son of William E. and Sarah L. (Current) Latta. The former was a son of Robert Latta, who was one of the early homesteaders of Cass county and who was a carpenter by trade. The maternal grandfather, James A. Current, was born in Indiana, served as a soldier in defense of the Union during the Civil war and at an early period in the development of this state established his home in Cass county. William E. Latta was born in Ohio and came to Cass county before the railroad was built into this section of the state. He devoted his attention to farming in the early days but afterwards engaged in merchandising and for many years successfully carried on business until his acquired capital was sufficient to enable him to put aside the active duties and cares of life and he and his wife now reside in Kenesaw, Nebraska. Mrs. Latta is a native of Indiana and by their marriage they have become the parents of three children : Robert Bruce, who died at the age of twenty-two months; Letta, the wife of J. L. Templeton, a real estate dealer of Kenesaw, Nebraska; and J. O., of this review. The parents are consis- tent members of the Presbyterian church, having for years taken an active and helpful part in its work. In his political views William E. Latta has long been a stalwart republican and since taking up his abode in Kenesaw has filled the office of mayor, has also served as justice of the peace and has otherwise been active in shaping public thought and directing public interest there.
Dr. Latta, whose name introduces this record, obtained a high school educa- tion in Kenesaw, Nebraska, and afterward was graduated from Cotner University Medical College at Lincoln, Nebraska, with the class of 1902. Having qualified for the practice of medicine he began his professional work at Clay Center, where he has won a liberal patronage and is today the oldest practitioner of the town in years of continuous connection with professional work here. He reads broadly and thinks deeply along the line of his chosen profession, keeping in touch with modern methods of practice, and his ability is again and again demonstrated in the splendid results he achieves. He is the owner of the Hotel in Clay Center, but concentrates the greater part of his time and attention upon his professional duties.
In 1904 Dr. Latta was married to Miss Ada M. Bavinger, a native of Illinois and a daughter of George M. and Jennie (Pardun) Bavinger, who removed from
Vol. II-June-21-2
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Illinois to Colorado and afterward came to Clay county, where her father followed the occupation of farming for a number of years, but is now living in Clay Center. To Dr. and Mrs. Latta have been born two children: Inez, now in school; and William Mitchell, who is in his first year. The parents attend the Congregational church and Dr. Latta is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having taken the Scottish Rite degrees and become a member of the Mystic Shrine. He likewise belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorassan. He is a past chancellor commander of the Pythian Lodge. His political endorsement is given to the republican party and he served for nine years as a member of the city council of Clay .Center and for three years was mayor of the city. He is largely responsible for the paving of Clay Center and for the introduction of many other improvements which have been of great value here. Along strictly professional lines Dr. Latta is connected with the State and National Eclectic Medical Societies, the Nebraska State Medical and American Medical Association, and at one time was a member of the committee for the insane in this state and has been a member of the Insane Commission of Clay county for twelve years. His life has been strong and purposeful and his energy and ability have brought him prominently to the front not only in professional but in other connections which have been beneficial to the county at large.
FRANK WANEK, SR.
Frank Wanek, Sr., for many years a foremost agriculturist in Hamilton county, is now living retired in his fine home near Giltner, enjoying the fruits of a life spent in diligence and industry. A native of Bohemia he was born in that country April 1, 1847, a son of John and Catherine Wanek, both natives of that country. In 1865 John Wanek with his family and his brothers, Joe and Charles, came to the United States and settled in Wisconsin, where they bought land in Grant county. John Wanek became a prominent farmer of the community and both he and his wife passed away in Wisconsin.
Frank Wanek received his common school education in his native land and was eighteen years of age when he came with his parents to America. Settling with them in Grant county, Wisconsin, he worked out for board and later received the remuneration of three dollars per month for his labors. He bought forty acres of land in Grant county, which he cleared of stones and tree stumps and brought to a highly cultivated state, residing thereon until 1872, when he decided to come to Nebraska. He first went to North Bend, Nebraska, walked from there to Lincoln and then drove to Hamilton county by team with two other men, paying his share of the expenses. He did not long remain in the west, but returned to his home in Wisconsin in the fall of the same year. Subsequently, however, he again started west, driving overland in a covered wagon and bringing with him two cows. This journey took more than three weeks. He reached Hamilton county just after a big prairie fire, when the country for miles around looked exceedingly desolate. He took a preemption claim of one hundred and sixty acres, which he held for thirty-three months and then homesteaded eighty acres,
MR AND MRS FRANK WANEK
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buying soldier's rights and procuring the land for one hundred dollars. His first improvements on the land consisted of a house, half dugout and half sod, twelve by fourteen feet, and also dugout barns. He broke his own land, hauled his pro- visions from Grand Island and went to mill at Milford and Pleasant Hill. He set out shade trees, putting them all around the homestead and also planted a ten acre grove. In 1875 the grasshoppers destroyed all of his crops but this misfortune did not dampen his resolve to succeed. Willows on the bank of the Platteville river he cut for fuel and also burned corn and cornstalks. There is no phase of pioneer hardship with which Mr. Wanek is not familiar, but through it all he kept his courage, which together with his energy and grim determination made it possible for him to overcome the greatest obstacles. From time to time he bought more land and at one period of his career was in possession of forty- four eighty-acre tracts. In 1910 he decided to retire from active farm life and built a fine home near Giltner, where he is now residing.
Mr. Wanek has been twice married. His first marriage occurred in Wisconsin, where he was wed to Catherine Talich, and to them six children were born: Charles, who is farming in Hamilton county; John, also a farmer of Hamilton county ; Frank, engaged in farming in Hamilton county; George, who is cashier of the Farmers State Bank at Aurora; Thomas, deceased; and William, who is residing in Giltner. Mr. Wanek was later wed to Anna Kulhanek, and they are the parents of one child, Katie, at home. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church, of which they are consistent members.
Mr. Wanek is rightly entitled to the proud American title of self-made man, for he has risen to his present prosperity solely through his own efforts. Since the time when he helped to build the first sod schoolhouse in this country he has been interested in all movements for the development and improvement of the community.
WORTH L. MINOR
Since 1901 Worth L. Minor has engaged in the practice of law at Fairfield, Clay county, and has won a well merited reputation for success at the bar. He was born in Tiskilwa, Illinois, in 1878, a son of William and Mary Ella (Barnhard) Minor, both natives of West Virginia. They were married at Orion, Illinois, and are still residing in that state. The father was a druggist for a number of years but for the past ten or twelve years has been living retired. Three children have been born to them : Georgia, who is the wife of William Crouse and lives in Texas ; Marcia, the wife of a Mr. Donaldson and a resident of Rock Island; and W. L., whose name initiates this review. Both Mr. and Mrs. Minor are consistent members of the Catholic church. His political allegiance is given to the republican party in the interests of which he takes an active part. On the paternal side W. L. Minor is descended from Scotch ancestors and on the maternal side from English ancestors.
In the acquirement of an education W. L. Minor attended the schools of his native county and later entered the Geneseo, Illinois, Collegiate Normal School, from which he was graduated in 1897. In that same year he came to Nebraska and
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located in Fairfield. For two years he engaged in the real estate business and then entered the State University of Nebraska, taking a law course, and was graduated from that institution iu 1901, with the degree of LL. B. He began the practice of his profession in that year and is one of the most successful attorneys in Fairfield.
In 1901 Mr. Minor was united in marriage to Miss Sadie V. Ward, a native of Ulysses, Nebraska, and a daughter of John Ward, a pioneer homesteader of Butler county. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Minor, one child, Ward, has been born. He is now fourteen years of age.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Minor the right of franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the republican party, in the interests of which he takes a prominent and active part. His religious faith is that of the Catholic church and fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Columbus. Mr. Minor is a self-made man. He worked in order to obtain enough money to enter a law school. He is a man of well balanced intellect, thoroughly familiar with the law and practice, possesses comprehensive general information and an analytical mind, and these qualities have won him a substantial success in practice.
W. J. PERRY
In the passing of W. J. Perry Clay county lost a representative citizen and agriculturist. His death occurred on the 24th of November, 1905, and came as a severe shock to his family and many friends. He was born in Knoxville, Illinois, on the 1st of August, 1844, and in that state received his early education. He remained under the parental roof until the last year of the Civil war when he enlisted and was in active service for the remainder of the conflict. After his discharge from the army he returned to Illinois and in 1869 was married. He was farming rented land there prior to his marriage and soon after decided to come west. In the latter part of 1879 he arrived in Adams county, Nebraska, rented a farm there and continned in that occupation until 1881, when he removed to Clay county. He then purchased one hundred and sixty acres on which he put up a frame house, modern in every respect for that period, and also erected a frame barn. This barn was struck by lightning and burned to the ground soon after it was built. Mr. Perry set out a fine orchard and some shade trees but the orchard mostly died out during the droughts of 1893 and 1894. While resid- ing in Adams county he suffered the loss of his crops during the grasshopper plague and at various other times he suffered severe loss as a result of hailstorms. He was, however, a man of grim determination and energy and every misfortune seemed but to spur him on to greater effort. At the time of his death he was widely known throughout the community as a successful and progressive agriculturist, representa- tive citizen and a man of true personal worth.
In Illinois on the 15th of December, 1869, Mr. Perry was united in marriage to Miss Martha Henry, a native of Belfast, Ireland. Her death occurred on the 4th of March, 1897, and came as a blow to her family and many friends through-
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out the community where she had long made her home. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Perry six children were born: S. R., who is engaged in the automobile busi- ness at Sidney ; W. J., also engaged in the automobile service at Sidney ; Ellen, who is the wife of A. S. Wilson, now farming the old homestead of Mr. Perry; Anna, the wife of C. M. Turner, who is engaged in farming in Clay county ; Martha M., the wife of C. D. Rader of Clay county, a farmer on a part of her father's old farm; and Frank H., who is an elevator inspector in Calgary, Canada.
Throughout his life Mr. Perry was a stanch supporter of the republican party, in the interests of which he took an active part. Fraternally he was a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and in the civic affairs of the community he served as a director of the school board for many years. He was one of the organizers of school district No. 71. As a veteran of the Civil war he had member- ship in the Grand Army of the Republic and was prominently connected with the activities of the local post at Trumbull. Mrs. Perry was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. During the many years that Mr. and Mrs. Perry resided in Clay county they made many and true friends-friends who appreciated their true personal worth and sterling characteristics. Their death was a severe blow to the community for in their passing Clay county lost two beloved pioneer citizens.
ELBERT M. RADER
Since 1918 Elbert M. Rader, who for many years has been prominent in the agricultural circles of Hamilton county, has lived retired in Trumbull. He was born in Greene county, Tennessee, on the 14th of March, 1855, a son of Andrew and Emily (Brittain) Rader, both of whom passed away when their son was but a small boy. He was bound out at the age of eleven years and later went to live with a man who owned and ran an implement store. He remained with this man in Greene county until he was seventeen years of age when he was given thirty-five dollars which enabled him to go to Pike county, Illinois. He had but two dollars left when he arrived there. He secured work on farms by the month receiving twenty dollars a month for his labors and continued in that connection until he was twenty-one years of age. In 1876 Mr. Rader was married and then engaged in farming on his own account, renting land in Adams county, Illinois. He went in debt in order to buy his first team and his first taxes amounted to fifty cents. In 1884, the same year he came to Nebraska, he purchased sixty acres in Knox county, Missouri, which he farmed with a gratifying amount of success until he disposed of that land and removed to Nebraska, locating in Hamilton county. He then bought one hundred and twenty acres of railroad land, for which he paid fifteen dollars per acre, built a small frame house and shed stable and broke part of his own land. He put out an orchard and also some forest trees and brought the place to a highly cultivated state. He suffered the early pioneer hardships, however, and lost practically everything in the drought of 1894 and also in various hailstorms. However, the greater the obstacle the more determined Mr. Rader was to succeed, with the result that he is now in possession of two
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hundred acres of the best land in Hamilton county. In 1918 he decided to retire from active farm life and removed to Trumbull where he erected a fine home, in which he is now residing.
On the 28th of September, 1876, occurred the marriage of Mr. Rader and Miss Lucinda Pine, further mention of whom may be found in the sketch of Mrs. Mary Pine on another page of this work. Ten children have been born to this union : Charles D., who is farming in Clay county ; Frank, engaged in farming in Hamilton county ; Nellie, who first married Elvan Hart of Adams county and who is now the wife of H. W. Cope, Methodist Episcopal minister at Red Cloud ; Florence, now deceased, who was the wife of Nelson Lebaron, a lumberman of Giltner; Elbert, died in infancy; Lula, the wife of Guy Gayman, a farmer of Adams county ; Lida, who is the wife of Chester Munn, who is engaged in farming in Hamilton county; Edith, whose death occurred in 1918 and who was the wife of Tilton Snider of Trumbull; Myron, farming the home place; and Erma, who is living at home.
Mr. Rader is an independent voter along political lines, giving his support to the man he considers best fitted for the office. The entire family are consistent members of the Methodist church and he is a charter member of the church at Trumbull. Fraternally he is known as a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He has always taken an active part in the civic affairs of the county and for twenty years has served his fellowmen as a school director of district No. 84. Throughout his life of diligence and industry his efforts have been intelligently directed and as a result he is now enjoying a life of retirement and is a greatly respected and representative citizen of Trumbull. As an agriculturist he is widely known throughout the community, being among the foremost general farmers and stock raisers of his section of the state.
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