USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 44
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 44
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Mr. Berggren is a republican in politics and has taken lively interest in all things touching the civic and material welfare of his home county, in which, save for an interval of four years, he has served continuously since 1896 as county sur- veyor. He and his wife are earnest communicants of the Swedish Lutheran church. He had about six hundred dollars at the time of his arrival in Hamilton county and today has the independent status of a man of substantial prosperity.
In the year 1884 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Berggren to Miss Sophie Olson, who was born in Norway, and they have six children : Walter is a prosperous farmer in Chase county; Mary is the wife of Thomas Hatfield of Los Angeles, California; Ruth is the wife of Walter Elliott of Adams, Gage county, Nebraska ; John is associated in the work and management of the home farm; Victor; and Edith is the youngest member of the home circles.
PETER JACOBY
Peter Jacoby, who at one time was the owner of six hundred and forty acres of valuable land in Hamilton county, passed away in December, 1911, after two years spent in retirement from business, during which period he resided in Aurora, where his widow still makes her home. He was numbered among the native sons of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Marion county in 1835. His youthful days were spent in that county and in Indiana and during that period he acquired a good common school education. He was a lad of twelve years when he removed to the Hoosier state in company with his father and mother, John and Elizabeth (Brown) Jacoby, who cast in their lot with the pioneer residents of that state and con- tinued to make their home within its borders until death. The father was a farmer and weaver, following those pursuits in pioneer times in Indiana. John
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Jacoby secured an undeveloped tract of land which he transformed into, rich and productive fields and upon the old homestead farm there Peter Jacoby was reared, , his experiences being those of the farm bred boy upon the western frontier.
Having arrived at years of maturity Mr. Jacoby was married in 1873, in Indiana, to Miss Mary Caroline Travis, a sister of A. D. Travis, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Three children were born to this marriage: Dwight L., who is now a farmer living at Loup City, Nebraska; Arthur Henry, who carries on farming near Bayard, Nebraska; and Grace Irene, who is living with her mother.
It was five years after his marriage, or in 1878, that Mr. Jacoby left Indiana and came to Hamilton county. He purchased a farm of four hundred and eighty acres aud afterward added one hundred and sixty acres to his original holdings. For about two years after coming to this state he boarded with a neighbor but brought his family in 1880, after having made preparations for their reception. Following their arrival he built a frame house on his land and added modern im- provements from time to time, converting his place into one of the productive farms of the neighborhood. He had a good barn on his place that was carried away in a cyclone, but notwithstanding the hardships and trials that thus came to him from time to time he persevered and with the passing years made of his place a valuable property. while the fertile soil yielded to him golden harvests and he was thus able to add to his income year by year. In 1909 he removed to Aurora, where his remaining days were passed. He purchased a nice home in the city at 1103 Fifth street, where Mrs. Jacoby still makes her home. She is the owner of eighty acres of land near Stockham, Nebraska. Mr. Jacoby had but sixteen hundred dollars when he came to Hamilton county and at his death he left to his family a large and valuable estate, which was the tangible proof of his life of industry, perseverance and intelligently directed effort. His political endorsement was given to the republican party and he was much interested in its success because of his firm belief in its principles. He always sought to further any plan or measure for the general good and supported all interests of value to the state. He belonged to the Highlanders and from the age of twelve years he was a consistent member of the Reformed church, taking a very active part in the church work and serving for a number of years as superintendent of the Sunday school. In fact the church ever held a foremost place in his affection and in his interest and his cooperation could at all times be counted upon to further any plan or measure for the upbuilding of the cause and the extension of church influence.
PETER SCHWARZ
Peter Schwarz was numbered among the substantial citizens of Russian birth who came to Nebraska. He was born in Russia in 1847 and passed away in Clay county in 1915. He pursued his education in his native land and was reared to farm life. In 1874 he crossed the Atlantic and made his way westward, taking up his abode in Sutton. Here he purchased railroad land on which he located and then concentrated his efforts and attention upon the improvement of the property,
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successfully cultivating his farm until 1912, when he removed to Sutton and retired from active business.
Peter Schwarz was married in Russia to Magdaline Ochsner and they became , the parents of the following children, all living, two of these being born in Russia and the others in Clay county: Mrs. Sophia Kauk, living on a farm in Clay county ; Elizabeth, the wife of W. F. Grosshans, a lumberman of Sutton ; Emelie, the wife of Fred Grosshans, a lumberman of York, Nebraska; Jacob; Lydia Wieland, now living retired in Sutton ; Charles, who is on the old homestead farm ; Christina, the wife of Henry Wieland, a merchant of Sutton; Bertha, the wife of William Hoffman, a farmer of York county; and Freda, the wife of Ed. J. Ochsner, connected with the Clothing Company of Sutton.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schwarz were members of the Reformed church and its teachings guided him in all of the relations of life, making him a mau whom to know was to esteem and honor. His political endorsement was given to the republican party.
JACOB SCHWARZ
Jacob Schwarz, of this family, was educated in the country schools and began life as a farm hand, continuing to devote his attention to agricultural pursuits until 1903, when he removed to Sutton. For a time he was not actively engaged in business on account of his health, but eventually purchased the business of the Sutton Clothing Store Company in 1916. Since that time he has carried a large stock of clothing and ladies' ready-to-wear goods and has developed a business of very gratifying proportions, this being due to the attractive line of goods which he handled and his thoroughly reliable and progressive business methods.
Mr. Schwarz was united in marriage to Miss Christina Wieland, who was born in Clay county, a daughter of Michael Wieland, one of the pioneers of this section of the state. They now have two children: Harvey and Kenneth, aged respec- tively eighteen and eleven years. The parents are loyal followers of the Reformed church and in politics Mr. Schwarz is a republican, but is not an aspirant for office, preferring to devote his entire time and attention to his business affairs. His father began life in the new world with a cash capital of about five hundred dollars and enterprise and diligence have brought him to the front. The same qualities are being displayed by Jacob Schwarz and success in gratifying measure is now rewarding his labors.
HENRY W. GORDON
Now venerable in years and a sterling citizen, Henry W. Gordon retains splendid mental and physical vigor and insistently refuses to assume any attitude that might express him as a "back number." He still retains a general and punctilious supervision of his farm, a well improved place in section 26, Phillips
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township, Hamilton county, where he has maintained his home for nearly thirty years.
Henry W. Gordon was born in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, October 1, 1840, his parents, Samuel and Sarah Jane (Piper) Gordon, having immigrated from the state of New York and become pioneer settlers in Wisconsin., There the father took up a tract of timbered land, for which he paid at the rate of $1.25 per acre and he cleared off much of the timber, developed a productive farm and proved an honored and valued citizen of Jefferson county, where he and his wife continued to reside until they passed away. A pioneer log house was the birth- place of Henry W. Gordon and his initial experience of pioneer order was in a district where settlers were compelled to undertake the arduous labor of clearing away heavy forest trees, a work in which he was not denied a share in the period of his sturdy youth. As a lad he walked a distance of one and one-half miles for the purpose of attending a pioneer school that was maintained on the sub- scription plan and here it was that he laid the solid foundation for the broad superstructure of practical knowledge which he has reared in later years of associa- tion with the affairs of life. He assisted in the various phases of work on the home farm and at the age of twenty-one years initiated his independent career.
On the 13th of November, 1861, about one month after he had celebrated his twenty-first birthday anniversary, Mr. Gordon was united in marriage to Miss Emily M. Coats, who was born and reared in the state of New York and who accompanied her parents to Wisconsin, where her marriage was solemnized. A somewhat unusual wedding tour and honeymoon were those of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, for soon after their marriage they set forth from Wisconsin with their little supply of household effects, their conveyance being a covered wagon drawn by a team of horses, in the wake of which followed their cow, this valued acquisi- tion being stolen from them near Dubuque, Iowa. They continued their journey to Iowa county, that state, now the seat of the great University of Iowa and there Mr. Gordon purchased eighty acres of wild land and entered upon his career as a pioneer farmer of the Hawkeye state. Within a few years he disposed of his land in Iowa county and removed to Cass county, where he became the owner of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, upon which he made good improvements and here he continued his residence many years, one of the successful farmers and representative citizens of that Iowa county. He finally sold this property and soon afterward, in the spring of 1890, came to Grand Island, Nebraska, where he remained two years. He then purchased his present fine homestead farm, which under his able and progressive management has been developed into one of the banner farms of Phillips township. He is the owner also of another farm of forty acres in the same township. He erected his present commodious and substantial frame house within a short time after here establishing his residence and has provided other buildings that go to make up the equipment of a modern farm. He knows every detail of farm enterprise and his experience and mature judgment have enabled him to gain the maximum returns from his Nebraska farm, which he has devoted primarily to the raising of the grain crops best suited to the soil and climate.
Mr. Gordon has taken loyal interest in community affairs and has served as an officer of his school district during virtually the entire period of his restdence
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in Hamilton county. He is a stalwart advocate of the cause of the republican party and his wife is an earnest member of the Baptist church. Their only child, William H., died at the age of three and one-half years, but they did not permit their home to lack for child life, as they reared from the age of one year, Etta Maude Coats, a niece of Mrs. Gordon, and she has well repaid them in filial love and solicitude. She married Charles Devore, a resident of Phillips.
GEORGE W. SCHWAB
Since 1902 George W. Schwab has been residing on Pleasant View farm, located in section 4, Marshall township, where he engages in the live stock busi- ness. He was born in Bureau county, Illinois, on the 27th of June, 1876, a son of George P., further mention of whom is made in the sketch of Phil Schwab to be found on another page of this work.
At the age of four years George Schwab came to Clay county with his parents and received his education in the country schools of the county. The school- house which he attended is still standing and is a part of his present farm. George W. Schwab remained under the parental roof until he became of age, when he started farming for himself, taking over his father's land. His father did general farming and stock raising and brought the first pure blood Percheron horse into this part of the state, in 1886. For some time Mr. Schwab continued farming and then removed to Clay Center, where he accepted a clerkship in a grocery store and later resigning that position engaged in the horse business, specializing in Percheron stallions. He followed that business in Clay Center until 1902 and during that time shipped two carloads of stallions to Alliance, where he sold them, realizing a substantial amount from the sales. In August, 1902, he returned to the farm on which he now resides and with his father engaged in stock raising, their business being conducted under the name of George P. & George W. Schwab. Their specialty has been Percheron horses and for some time they handled imported stallions, red polled cattle, Jacks stock and Duroc Jersey hogs. They generally average about twenty-five head of Percheron stallions and mares on the farm. Mr. Schwab has the distinction of shipping hogs over a larger radius than any other breeder in the corn belt. The cattle are shipped to all parts of the United States. For seven years Mr. Schwab has been well represented at the Nebraska State Fair and has carried away many premiums. The farm on which he is now living has been named Pleasant View and it is one of the beautiful places of the surrounding country. It consists of four hundred acres, all highly improved and cultivated. In addi- tion to this land Mr. Schwab owns timber and grazing and mineral land in Arkansas. He has held fifteen annual auction sales in addition to many private sales, they being well attended and the cattle selling at more than satisfactory prices.
In 1897 Mr. Schwab was united in marriage to Miss May Seelig, a daughter of William Seelig, a pioneer of Clay county. He was one of the first merchants in Clay Center and financed the project for the manufacture of incubators. He
GEORGE W. SCHWAB
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was at one time manager of the Sure Hatch Incubator and later had charge of the distributing district in Indianapolis, owning one-third interest in the com- pany. After selling his interests in 1907 he retired and moved to his land in Oklahoma, where he has extensive oil interests. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schwab: Reuben L., Herschel W., Helen B., Herbert H., and Luella F., all at home.
Mr. Schwab gives his political allegiance to the republican party, in the interests of which he takes an active part, although he has neither sought nor desired public office as a reward for party fealty. His religious faith, as well as that of the family, is that of the Evangelical church, and his fraternal affilia- tion is with the Modern Woodmen of America. In the line of his work he is a member of the Percheron Society of America, the Red Poll Cattle Club of America, the Standard Jack and Jeanette Registry of America, of which latter association he is honorary president, the National Duroc Jersey Record Association, the F. E. & C. U. of A. and the Farm Bureau. Mr. Schwab devotes his entire time to his stock raising interests, in the conduct of which he displays those qualities which show him to be thoroughly conversant with mod- ern-day business and enterprise. His life has ever been actuated by a spirit of enterprise and progressiveness that accomplishes results and success is attending his well defined efforts.
ALEXANDER SALMON
More than a quarter of a century has passed away since Alexander Salmon (who was familiarly known as Sandy Salmon) departed this life, but he is yet remembered by those who knew him as a substantial citizen and representative business man who deserved and received the high regard of all who knew him. He was born in Dundee, Scotland, in 1840, and died in 1893. His parents were Thomas and Christina (Fettus) Salmon, both of whom spent their entire lives in Scotland. The son was educated in that land and came to the United States with an uncle who reared him, for he was a youth of sixteen years when he crossed the Atlantic. For a number of years he lived in Dane county, Wisconsin, and in that state hired out to work as a farm hand and was also employed in the pinery during the winter months.
In February, 1870, Mr. Salmon was united in marriage to Miss Jean Ruther- ford, who was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, a daughter of John and Jean (Allison) Rutherford. They, too, were natives of Scotland and became residents of Wisconsin in pioneer times. There the father cleared away the forest and developed a tract of land, spending his remaining days upon the old home farm. They had a family of six children, three of whom are living, Mrs. Salmon being the eldest of the family. By her marriage she has become the mother of seven children : Thomas, who is located on a farm near Giltner; William, who follows farming in Hamilton county; John R., also engaged in agricultural pursuits in Hamilton county ; James A., living on the old homestead farm; Jesse, who lives with his mother; Jane, the wife of J. Ed Cameron, living on a farm near Stockham,
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Nebraska ; and Annie, the wife of Robert E. Williams, whose home is a farm near Burwell, Nebraska.
It was in May, 1869, that Alexander Salmon came to Hamilton county, which was then a wild and undeveloped regiou. Few, indeed, were the settlements that had been made within its borders. He took up a preemption claim of one hundred and sixty acres and afterward homesteaded eighty acres. Upon his land he built a log house and the necessary buildings for the shelter of grain and stock and then brought his wife to the home that he had prepared, her arrival being in March, 1870. They were among the pioneer families of Hamilton county and on the farm which he developed Mr. Salmon lived to the time of his death. He had previously purchased property in Aurora and Mrs. Salmon took up her abode in the city in April, 1903. He was the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land at the time of his demise and this property still belongs to his widow and chil- dren. After arriving in Nebraska he bought a yoke of oxen and one cow and had very little money. Success came to him as the outcome of his earnest labor and unremitting toil. He worked hard and his persistency of purpose brought the success which ultimately crowned his labors. In politics he was a republican and his religious faith was that of the Presbyterian church. He was widely known throughout the county and well liked wherever known, for he possessed attractive qualities that gained him the friendship, confidence and goodwill of all. He lived to witness much of the county's development and his widow is still a resident of Hamilton county, where she has now made her home for fifty-one years, spending the last eighteen years of this period in Aurora.
JOHN D. MAY
In Adams county, Ohio, on the 21st of February, 1846, was born John D. May, who was destined to become a youthful soldier of the Union in the Civil war, who later gained pioneer experience in the state of Iowa, and who, in September, 1883, established his home in Hamilton county, Nebraska, where he is now living retired in the village of Marquette.
Mr. May is a son of John and Elizabeth (Swanger) May, both of whom were born in the state of Pennsylvania, where their marriage was solemnized and whence they removed to Ohio in 1845, settling in a timbered district on the Ohio river. In the old Buckeye state John May continued to follow his trade, that of carpenter and builder, until 1866, when he removed with his family to Iowa and became a pioneer of Wayne county. He found definite demand for his services as a car- penter and contractor in connection with the rapid development of the country and both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives in that state.
John D. May is indebted to the common schools of Ohio for his youthful educa- tion and was eighteen years of age when, in May, 1864, he enlisted for service as a soldier in the Civil war. He became a private in Company I, One Hundred and Forty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was mustered into service at Gallipolis, judicial center of Gallia county, Ohio, and with his command was assigned to guard duty, in which he continued service until he received his honorable discharge in Septem-
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ber, 1864. In 1866 he accompanied his parents on their removal to Iowa, where he became associated with his father's activities as a contractor and builder, having learned the carpenters' trade under the effective direction of his father. Mr. May continued in the work of his trade in the Hawkeye state until September, 1883, when he came to Hamilton county, Nebraska, and purchased a farm of forty acres, in South Platte township. This place had only meager improvements at the time, including a small frame house and a straw baru. After selling this farm he rented land in this county and here continued his productive activities as an agriculturist and stock raiser until 1913, since which year he has lived retired at Marquette, where he personally supervised in 1909 the erection of the attractive house which is his present place of abode.
Mr. May cast his first presidential vote for General Ulysses S. Grant and during the intervening years has never faltered in his allegiance to the republican party. He and his wife hold membership in the Presbyterian church at Aurora, the county seat, and in his home village he is affiliated with Post No. 42 of the Grand Army of the Republic and with Marquette Lodge, No. 288, Independent Order of Odd " Fellows.
In Iowa on the 26th of December, 1867, Mr. May wedded Miss Sarah I. Sharp, who was born in Ohio and whose parents became pioneer settlers in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. May became the parents of nine children, six of whom are living: Mary Etta is the wife of Charles F. Cunningham of Buhl, Idaho; Sarah E., who became the wife of Thomas B. Herbert, is deceased; Jessie is the wife of Silas J. Hill, of Manhattan, Kansas; Wilbert died at the age of about fourteen years; Nellie Z. is the wife of Charles Kee, of Loup City, Sherman county ; Rena, deceased, was the wife of Albert Carlson of Chicago; Alice is the wife Ora Ryan, who is salesman for an automobile garage at Central City, Merrick county; Irma is the wife of Joseph L. Shanefelt, of Dalton, Cheyenne county ; and Samuel L. is a progressive farmer of Hamilton county.
S. L. BURT
S. L. Burt has lived an active and useful life, but has now retired from business save the supervision which he gives to his invested interests. He makes his home in Aurora, where he owns valuable property, deriving therefrom a substantial annual income. He was born in Bristol, England, April 2, 1861, and is a son of Daniel and Sarah (Popplestone) Burt, the former a native of Yorkshire and the latter of Devonshire, England. They came to the United States in 1866 settling in the state of New York and for a considerable period the father engaged in business as a stone and brick mason and contractor in Steuben county, following his trade in that section of the country for fifteen years. In 1881 he arrived in Aurora, Nebraska, where he continued to engage in brick and masonry work until his death about 1910. The mother is still living at the age of eighty-two years, making her home with her son, S. L. She is a member of the United Brethren church while Mr. Burt was a member of the Freewill Baptist church. Fraternally he was a Mason and politically was a prohibitionist, being a stalwart champion
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of the cause of temperance. In their family were six children four of whom are living, S. L. being the eldest. The others are: Phillip, a piano tuner residing in Aurora; James D., an architect in the employ of New York state, residing in Peekskill, New York; and Rose, the widow of Professor F. A. Wood, who passed away in Long Beach, California. She is now residing in Chicago. Frank died September 13, 1920.
S. L. Burt pursued his education in the schools of Bath, Steuben county, New York, and in the Hoverling Union Academy. He then took up mason work with his father and followed that pursuit for thirty years, developing a high degree of efficiency and skill and winning a substantial place in the business circles of the community in which he operated. He also spent fifteen years on a farm in Hamilton county, becoming the owner of a valuable property as the result of the care and cultivation which he bestowed upon his fields. He likewise conducted a nursery in this county fifteen years and sold both the farm and nursery in 1918. He owns five pieces of property in Aurora and a good farm in Colorado and is today one of the men of affluence in his section of the state. He started out 'in life with but fifty dollars capital and as the years have passed has won very substantial and gratifying success.
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