USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 40
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 40
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JOHN BRENNEMAN
. John Brenneman, who has devoted practically all of his active life to farming, is now living'retired in Harvard, where he moved in 1917. A native of Ohio, he was born July 16, 1848, a son of Martin and Mary (Garman) Brenneman, both natives of Pennsylvania. His parents removed to Ohio at an early day where they met and were married, soon after that event going to Illinois where they arrived in 1856. The father engaged in farming there, owning some fine land and passed away at the advanced age of ninety-five years. Mrs. Brenneman died at the age of seventy- six. Mr. Brenneman was twice married and was the father of eight children, seven of whom are living: Mary, who is the wife of James Lewis, a retired farmer resid- ing in Kansas; John, whose name initiates this review; George, who is retired at the age of seventy years and is residing in Chillicothe, Missouri; Martin, sixty-six years of age, who is residing in Hastings; Margaret, who is the wife of L. H. Kauf- man, a retired farmer; Hattie, the widow of William Stockham, and a resident of Aurora; and Daniel, aged fifty-one years and a resident of Princeton, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Brenneman were consistent members of the Lutheran church and he was a stanch democrat. He was active in all movements for the development and improvement of the community and for some time was road overseer in Illinois.
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John Brenneman is indebted to the common schools of Illinois for his education and after putting his textbooks aside he began farming with his father. In June, 1884, however, he came to Nebraska, located in Clay county and purchased a quarter section of fine land. His family did not come out with him but he sent for them in October of that year. He brought the land to a highly cultivated state and was soon acknowledged a leading and successful farmer in the county. He resided on the farm until 1917 when he removed to Harvard and retired.
In 1874 occurred the marriage of Mr. Brenneman and Miss Emily Louise Rogers, who was born in Davenport, England, on the 7th of January, 1855. Her parents were John and Emma Louise (Collins) Rogers. After coming to the United States Mr. and Mrs. Rogers settled in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1856, where the father rented land on which he lived until his death. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, five of whom are living: Mrs. Brenneman; Robert, of Iowa City, Iowa ; Will, a farmer of Iowa ; Hattie Douglas, of Lyons, Colorado; and Mary Douglas, who lives in Iowa. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Brenneman nine chil- dren have been born: Harry P., who works for the Standard Oil Company at Harvard; Daniel Robert, who is working on the railroad at Deadwood, South Dakota; Bertha, who is the wife of Robert H. Hafeloh, a farmer of Clay county ; Charles W., who is engaged in farming northeast of Harvard; Florence Hafeloh, who is living on a farm in Clay county; Arthur, residing on his father's farm ; Roy, farming in Clay county; Myrtle, who is the wife of Ira D. Kershnier of Wyoming; and Irvin. Irvin entered the navy in 1917 and was in active service for two years. He made trips to Cuba and through the Panama Canal to California. He is now making his home with his parents and is an employe of the Lincoln Telephone Company. Ira Kershnier was also in active service, having been in France and Germany for a period of two years. Mr. Kershnier is the owner of a six hundred and forty acre homestead in Wyoming and is one of the leading ranchmen of his community.
Mr. Brenneman follows an independent course in politics and his wife is a consistent member of the Baptist church. Following for many years agricultural pursuits he labored hard and faithfully and is well entitled to the rest from hard work which he is now enjoying. He is widely known throughout the community and is greatly respected by all who are acquainted with him.
WILLIAM P. GRIESS
William P. Griess, a well known lumberman of Sutton, was born on a farm in Clay county, March 23, 1828. His education was completed in the high school of Sutton and he started out to provide for his own support as a clerk in the employ of L. H. Schaaf, with whom he continued for seven and a half years. In 1901 he embarked in business on his own account by establishing a general store, including a line of hardware. He continued in that business until July 1, 1913, when he disposed of his stock and went to Lewis, Iowa, where he conducted a store for his brother-in-law for eight months. In May, 1914, he returned to Sutton. Here on the 22d of January, 1915, he purchased the clothing store of Rath & Fleming, which
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he conducted from 1915 until 1920, when he disposed of the store to M. E. Fleming. Mr. Griess then took over his father's coal business, which he conducted for two years, and on the 1st of July, 1919, he and his brother Albert bought out the Sutton Lumber Company. He now conducts a general lumber-yard and also han- dles coal and has developed the business to gratifying proportions.
On the 6th of December, 1900, Mr. Griess was married to Miss Wilhelmina Nuss, a native of Russia and a daughter of Fred Nuss, who came to Clay county in 1875. Here he purchased land, which he cultivated throughout his remaining days, his death occurring on the home farm. Mr. and Mrs. Griess have become parents of three children : Rudolph K., Hubert W. and Talitha Sophia, all now in school. The parents are members of the First Reformed church and in politics Mr. Griess is a democrat but has never been an aspirant for office, devoting his entire attention to the lumber business, which he has carefully and wisely managed and which is bringing to him a substantial return.
JOHN H. ALLBEE
John H. Allbee, an honored veteran of the Civil war and for many years promi- nent in the agricultural circles of Clay and Nuckolls county, is now living retired in Harvard, enjoying the rewards of a life spent in diligence and industry. A native of Maine, he was born in Somerset county on the 13th of April, 1845, a son of Henry P. and Louisa (Hutchins) Allbee, both natives of that state. The grand- parents of John H. Allbee were John and Betsy (Rhines) Allbee, natives of Maine, where they lived all their lives and his grandfather was a veteran of the War of 1812. Henry P. Allbee went to Illinois in 1848, where he rented land and engaged in farming until his death. His widow then came to Nebraska and made her home with a son at Fairfield until her demise. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Allbee, John H. being the third in order of birth and the only one living. Both were consistent members of the Free Will Baptist church and the father gave his political allegiance to the republican party.
John H. Allbee received his education in Livingston county, Illinois, and entered the Union army from the eighth grade. He joined Company M, First Illinois Light Artillery in 1864 and participated in many of the great battles of that conflict. He was in active service from the battle of Kenesaw Mountain to the Atlanta campaign, after which his battery was sent to Cleveland, Tennessee. Mr. Allbee has a complete history of his company in book form that is very interesting. After the close of the conflict he returned to Ilinois and engaged in farming there until 1874, when he came to Clay county. He purchased a quarter section of railroad land and later bought a homestead right. He improved the land, bought a tree claim, later selling both and in 1891 moved to Nuckolls county. For four years he farmed there and then returned to Clay county, where he resided on rented land until he removed to Harvard in 1900. For some time Mr. Allbee followed the carpenter's trade, also painting, but he is now retired from any kind of business life.
On the 6th of March, 1869, occurred the marriage of Mr. Allbee and Miss Celia
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Thatcher, a native of La Salle county, Illinois, where her birth occurred in August, 1846. Her parents were Enos and Charlotte (Torrey) Thatcher, both natives of Pennsylvania, who removed to Illinois in the early '30s. The death of the father occurred in Illinois but the mother passed away in Nebraska. Two children were born to that union : George W., who is in the employ of the Grand Army of the Republic at Great Bend, Kansas; and Mrs. Allbee. Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher were consistent members of the Congregational church and active in the interests of the community. Mr. and Mrs. Allbee have become parents of six children, five of whom are living: George Ray, who is janitor of the schoolhouse at Harvard, is married and has a son, Ernest, who was in active service in the World war for nineteen months; Marcia May, who is the wife of Willis Jones, a carpenter of Bethany, Nebraska; Emma Ruth, who taught school for twelve years in Clay county and is now the wife of Oscar Warp, who was county superintendent of Kearney county for some time but is now residing at Menden ; Lena Gertrude, who is the wife of Harry Strine, a farmer of Clay county; and Verdie Agnes, the wife of Leighton C. Newcomb who is the owner of a large fruit ranch at Santa Cruz.
Mr. Allbee is a strong prohibitionist, was one of the first in the state and is a consistent member of the Christian church. He has been elder of that church for years and for fifty years has been a teacher in the Sunday school. He is one of the valued citizens of the town and is popular in all circles in which he moves.
THOMAS D. SHAW
Since 1870 Thomas D. Shaw has been identified with the farming interests of Clay county. He was born in Hancock county, Ohio, February 22, 1845, a son of Lewis and Marguerite (Downing) Shaw, the former a well known and successful farmer.
When a small boy Thomas D. Shaw removed to Illinois with his parents and received his education in the country schools of that state, walking a dis; tance of four miles to school. He attended school only three months out of the year, spending the remainder of the time assisting his father on the home place. When he was twenty-four years of age he left the parental roof and for one year worked out on farms for wages of twenty-five dollars per month. In 1870 he came to Clay connty, driving through in a covered wagon, and took up a homestead. It took one month to make the trip from Illinois to Nebraska, and Mr. Shaw endured many hardships on the way. He crossed both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers on ferry boats. His homestead consisted of one hundred and sixty acres, on which stood only the most primitive of struc- tures. Obtaining logs from the Blue river he set abont to build a home and had the first shingle roof and board floor in Clay county. He dug a well thirteen feet deep, but secured the greater part of his water from the river. Provisions had to be brought from Beatrice, at which place most of the trading for that section of the country was done, and those trips necessitated several days' absence from the homestead. He planted au orchard in 1872, which was killed in the blizzard of the following year and he also lost eight head of cattle in that
MR. AND MRS. THOMAS D. SHAW
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storm. This latter misfortune was the result of having no place to house his cattle, the barn having been burnt to the ground a few days previous. The grasshopper storm of 1874 destroyed forty acres of his corn. There were many friendly Indians in the vicinity of the homestead who often stopped at the ranch while on their hunting trips, and elk and antelopes were numerous. Mr. Shaw recalls having seen over one thousand antelopes near his home at one time.
In 1869 occurred the marriage of Mr. Shaw and Miss Margaret Johnston, a native of Pennsylvania, who removed with her parents to Iowa, later to Illinois and subsequently to Nebraska with her husband. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Shaw : Lewis, a farmer of Clay county; Jennie, the wife of Peter Kneu, a retired farmer of Edgar; and James H., at home.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Shaw the right of franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the democratic party, in the principles of which he has firm belief. The religious faith of the family is that of the Christian church. Mr. Shaw has always been a stanch advocate of education, helped organize district schools and served on the board of directors for many years. For some time he likewise served on the county board, being a member of that board when the county seat was moved from Sutton to Clay Center. Mr. Shaw has resided on his homestead since 1870, with the exception of three years which he spent in Nuckolls county. He now owns four hundred and thiry-four acres of val- uable farm property with two sets of fine improvements. He has followed farm- ing along scientific lines and is recognized as a successful and progressive agri- culturist. He is one of the old pioneers of Clay county, having resided there for fifty-one years, a representative citizen and one of whom any community would be proud.
EDWIN P. FIELD
Edwin P. Field, who passed away on the 26th of June, 1908, was a veteran of the Civil war and throughout his entire life was thoroughly loyal to his country, displaying the same fidelity to public interests in times of peace as he did in days of war when he marched with the "boys in blue" on the battle fields of the south. He was born in Ontario county, New York, May 7, 1840, and had therefore reached the age of sixty-eight years when called to his final rest. He spent his youthful days in his native county and pursued his education in the public schools there. In young manhood he went to Wisconsin on a visit and at Madison enlisted for service in the Union army when twenty-one years of age, remaining for three years as a member of Company H, Sixth Wisconsin Infantry. He was wounded in battle in Virginia and participated in many of the hotly contested battles of the war.
When the country no longer needed his military aid Mr. Field returned to Wisconsin and on leaving that state removed to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, while in 1872 he arrived in Hamilton county, Nebraska, to make his future home here. He first entered a claim and while developing and improving his property occupied a sod ·house for eight years, after which he replaced this primitive dwelling by a frame house. He continued on the homestead until 1880, when he removed to
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Aurora where his remaining days were spent, and where Mrs. Field still makes her home. He sold the homestead before locating in the city and in Aurora gave his attention to carpenter work and was also foreman on the railroad for a time, always leading a busy and useful life. To Mr. and Mrs. Field were born three children, two of whom are living, the elder being Professor P. A. Field who was born in 1876 and was graduated from the Aurora high school and the Union Theological College, after which he preached for eight years and is now principal of an Indian school at Allen, South Dakota. He is married and has two children, the daughter, Rose Field, became the wife of A. G. Anderson, owner of a large ranch in Carbon county, Wyoming, and they now make their home in Love- land, Colorado, in order to educate their children who are four in number. Mrs. · Field in 1918, notwithstanding her advanced age, took up a homestead of three hundred and twenty acres in Wyoming and she proved up on the property to which she secured title in the spring of 1921. This land is situated in Carbon county.
Mr. Field was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and his political belief was that of the republican party. Mrs. Field calls Aurora her home al- though she has spent some time on her Wyoming claim in order to secure title thereto. She is a woman of many splendid qualities and of excellent business ability and she enjoys in notable measure the warm regard and esteem of all who know her.
MRS. CHRISTINA HOEGREN
In section 9 of Monroe township, Hamilton county, is found the attractive farm home of Mrs. Hoegren, who, with her husband, gained pioneer experience by es- tablishing their home in this county in the year 1879. Thereafter they were absent from the county a number of years, but eventually resumed their residence in Hamilton county, where they now own a well improved and valuable farm property of three hundred and eighty acres, the house and other buildings on the homestead being of modern and attractive order. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hoegren claim Sweden as the place of their nativity, the former having been twenty-one years of age when he came to the United States and Mrs. Hoegren having crossed the Atlantic to this country when thirty-two years of age, in 1871, that year having recorded her marriage, which occurred in the city of Chicago, shortly after the historic fire that devastated much of the great western metropolis of the present day. In Chicago Mr. Hoegren was engaged in the manufacture of glove-fasteners and there he and his wife remained until 1879, when they came to Hamilton county, Nebraska, where Aurora, the county seat, was represented by one store and a few other buildings. After remaining a few months on a pioneer farm Mr. and Mrs. Hoegren established their residence at Aurora, where they remained thirteen years. Thereafter they resided for some time in the city of Chicago, but Mrs. Hoegren has had much satisfaction in finally resuming her residence on one of the farms of Hamilton county, where fine improvements and modern facilities are in distinct contrast to the little frame shanty in which she lived during the initial period of her residence in the county, when settlers were few and far separated from each
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other. Mrs. Hoegren is an earnest communicant of the Lutheran church and she has made her pleasant farm home a center of generous hospitality, her sons Oscar and Victor being with her on the farm and having the active management of the same, while the eldest of the three children is Albert, who resides in the city of Chicago.
CHARLES T. TORGERSON
Charles T. Torgerson dates his residence in Hamilton county since 1878. He arrived here practically empty handed but he had heard the call of the west and had resolved to embrace the opportunities here offered. As the years have passed on he has not only overcome the difficulties and obstacles incident to pioneer life but also those which feature in business, and by reason of his close application, his unfaltering purpose and his honorable dealings lie has become one of the prosperous farmers in this section of the state and is now living retired in Aurora. He was born in Wisconsin, June 5, 1853, his parents being Ole and Sarah (Stromme) Torgerson, both of whom were natives of Norway and became residents of Wis- consin in early life. There was but one log cabin in Madison, Wisconsin, when Mr. Torgerson arrived in that state and he was without funds but possessed a stout heart and willing hand and these stood him in stead of capital. As the years passed he prospered and became the owner of four hundred acres of valuable land in the Badger state. Both he and his wife spent their last days in Madison and all who knew them bore testimony to their sterling worth of character. They were consistent members of the Presbyterian church, guiding their lives at all times by its teachings and by the highest moral standard. In politics Mr. Torgerson was a republican and his fellow townsmen, appreciative of his worth and ability, called him to represent them in the state legislature. He also served at one time as warden of the state penitentiary of Wisconsin. To him and his wife were born eleven children seven of whom are living: Salina, the widow of Abraham Tweten, and a resident of Seattle, Washington ; Charles T .; Callie, the wife of Mr. Stench- land, of Madison, Wisconsin. Louise, also living in Madison ; Willie, a retired farmer living in Minnesota; Mrs. Tillie Wold, of Madison, Wisconsin; and Mrs. Martha Minor, whose home is in California. They are consistent members of the Presby- terian church.
While spending his youthful days under the parental roof Charles T. Torgerson attended the district schools near his father's home. He worked in the fields through vacation periods and after his textbooks were put aside began farming in Wisconsin, where he resided until 1878 and then came to Hamilton county, Nebraska. Here he purchased railroad land and school land and began life in this state in a little sod house such as was typical of the frontier at that period. He had a wife and two children when he reached Hamilton county and his cash capital consisted of but twenty dollars.
It was while residing in Wisconsin that Mr. Torgerson was married in 1875 to Miss Jane Gullekson, who was born in Wisconsin, June 16, 1853, a daughter of Gullek and Julia (Peterson) Gullekson, both of whom were natives of Norway. Her father was but fourteen years of age when he crossed the Atlantic and took
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up his abode in the Badger state, while Mrs. Gullekson was a little maiden of eleven summers when making the long voyage across the briny deep. He devoted his life to farming and both he and his wife passed away in Wisconsin. Their family numbered eleven children eight of whom are living, Mrs. Torgerson being the eldest. Both the father and mother were consistent members of the Lutheran church and through the long years of their residence in Wisconsin they gained the warm regard and high esteem of all who knew them.
To Mr. and Mrs. Torgerson were born eight children, five of whom survive: Mrs. Mary Boyd, who is living on a farm in Hamilton county and who by her marriage has become the mother of seven children: O. Gilman, a farmer residing near Giltner, who is married and has five children ; George, who also follows farming near Giltner and has a wife and four children; Elliott, who is living on the old home place and is married and has three children; and Clarence, who is in New Mexico. He was drafted for service while attending college in Missouri during the World war and was stationed at Camp Funston. Following the war he was graduated from Parksville College in Missouri.
Mr. Torgerson, in 1920, purchased a nice home in Aurora and retired from active business. He had become the owner of a half section of valuable and pro- ductive land and before retiring sold a portion of this but still owns a quarter section. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and of the Degree of Honor, while his political endorsement is given to the republican party and in religious faith he and his wife are Presbyterians. They are widely known, enjoying the con- fidence and goodwill of many friends and Nebraska has found in them valued citizens during their long residence in Hamilton county.
E. C. PURDY
Since 1883 E. C. Purdy has been a citizen of Hamilton county and in this time has risen to the foremost ranks in the agricultural and business circles of the county. A native of Connecticut his birth occurred in North Greenwich county, June 15, 1854, a son of Elias and Esther A. (Clowes) Purdy, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of New York. Elias Purdy was a successful farmer and a well known and respected citizen of the community in which he made his home.
E. C. Purdy received his education in the common schools of Illinois, where he came in 1867 and he worked on farms in the summer, engaging in teaching school during the winter months. He then engaged in farming for himself, rent- ing land in that state on which he resided for a period of five years, at the termina- tion of which time he came to Nebraska, settling in Hamilton county in 1883. In 1875 he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, at that time being but nineteen years of age, for which he paid four dollars an acre and on which he built a small frame house, a board stable and otherwise improved. He made his journey to this country by railroad as far as Aurora, bringing with him two horses and four cows. His land which was then but a prairie he broke himself, with the exception of a number of acres, He cultivated this land for some time
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and then entered the grain elevator business when the Farmers Alliance was organized. He then had charge of the grain elevator, engaged for some time in the coal business and for seven years was manager of the T. B. Hoard Elevator Company at Phillips. In 1911 he retired from active business life and returned to the farm. He has planted many shade trees, evergreens and a fine orchard. Not only has he been prominent in agricultural and business circles but he served his fellow citizens in the capacity of justice of the peace for several years.
Mr. Purdy has been twice married, his first marriage occurring at Brooklyn, New York, when he was wedded to Clara A. Purdy. To this union five children were born: Lillian, who died in October, 1918; Rolla, who is residing in Giltner, Nebraska; Frank, of Phillips; Hattie, who is the wife of T. J. Baker of Grand Island, Nebraska; and Clarence, who is residing in Greeley county, Nebraska. Some time after the death of his first wife Mr. Purdy was again wed, this time taking as his wife Sadie A. Border and to this union seven children have been born : Charles, who is living in Geneva, Nebraska; Everett, attending college at York ; Howard, at home; Myrtle, who is teaching school in the Pleasant Hill district; and Raymond and Alvin, at home. Eva England died in October, 1918.
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