USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 48
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 48
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Mr. and Mrs. Adams became the parents of the following children: Mary Jane is the wife of A. G. Johnston and they reside in the state of Idaho;
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Elizabeth is the wife of W. F. Hixon, of Chase county, Nebraska; Thomas is a representative farmer in Merrick county; Frank is now a resident of Wash- ington, D. C .; Charles has the active management of the old home farm, of which he is the owner, and with him lives his widowed mother, who is the object of the utmost filial devotion on the part of her children.
Mr. Adams was a man of fine personality and marked ability, so that he was called upon to assume much of leadership in community sentiment and action and was influential in local affairs. He served with characteristic fidelity and ability as a member of the board of county commissioners and was a member of the board at the time when, on the 15th of December, 1877, it took definite action in establishing the precinct boundaries of the county. A good man and true, sincere and npright in all the relations of life, Mr. Adams commanded uni- form confidence and esteem and the home community manifested a sense of personal loss and bereavement when he was summoned from the stage of life's mortal endeavors. In politics Mr. Adams was a stanch populist, and his religious faith, a dominating force in his life, was that of the Christian church, of which his widow likewise is an earnest member.
W. F. HOLCOMB
W. F. Holcomb, of Clay Center, who has been prominently connected with chicken raising since 1903 and who is also successfully engaged in the raising of Jersey cattle, was born in Shelby county, Iowa, November 14, 1859, a son of Z. B. and Eunice (Hankins) Holcomb, the former a native of Ohio, while the latter was born in Missouri. They were married in Iowa and Mr. Holcomb, who was a farmer by occupation, spent much of his time in Iowa until 1894, when he came to Clay county. Here he is now living retired at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. He has held some local offices, the duties of which he has discharged with promptness and fidelity, and his political support has always been given to the republican party. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and both he and his wife are members of the Christian church. They reared a family of five children: W. F .; Mrs. G. W. Orr, living in California; Mrs. Mary Miller, who is the wife of Frank Miller and a resident of Clay Center; Mrs. E. W. Orr, also of Clay Center; and Mrs. Price Scott, who is a resident of California.
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After acquiring his education in the schools of Iowa, W. F. Holcomb took up the occupation of farming in that state and in 1894 removed to Nebraska, settling at Clay Center, although in the meantime he had spent a few years in Missouri. Here he established a business in the raising of full blooded poultry in 1903. He furnishes eggs and has people raise chickens for him, after which he makes ship- ments to all parts of the United States, handling all the best varieties of poultry. He owns considerable land and has eighty head of registered Jersey cattle, which he ships to all sections of the United States. Recently he held a sale, disposing of thirty-eight head of fine blooded stock, and is raising and developing young stock. He is particularly well known as a breeder of fine poultry and at the Nebraska
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state poultry show, held at Hastings in 1915, he won twenty-two first prizes, twenty-two second prizes, thirteen third prizes, one fourth prize, one fifth prize, three special prizes and five special medals. He also took four ribbons on poultry in the Pan American exposition at Los Angeles, California, sending four entries and winning the four ribbons. On his Jersey cattle he obtained two first medals, one second medal, two third medals and one fourth medal in the Nebraska State Fair of 1917. He has also received medals from the Clay County Fair during the last two years and his position is one of prominence in connection with poultry breeding and in the raising of fine Jersey cattle in this state.
In 1882 Mr. Holcomb was united in marriage to Miss Ella Swartz, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Samuel Swartz, a minister of the United Brethren church. They have become parents of four children, of whom three are living: Mrs. H. H. Johnson, whose husband is the owner of the Old Trusty incubator plant at Clay Center, Nebraska; D. Z., who was born October 5, 1885, and lives in Clay Center; and M. M., who was born in-April, 1899, and is the youngest of the family. Mr. Holcomb and his wife belong to the Congregational church, in the work of which they take active and helpful interest. He is also identified with the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America and is most loyal to the teachings and pur- poses of these different fraternal organizations. In politics he is a republican and has held some local offices, but the major part of his time and attention is given to his business affairs and his thoroughness and progressiveness are manifest in every- thing he undertakes, his business ability and enterprise having brought him to the front as a breeder of fine poultry and of Jersey cattle.
CHARLES L. LEWIS
Charles L. Lewis, president of the Citizens Bank of Fairfield and thus promi- nently identified with the financial interests of that place, was born at Winchester, Scott county, Illinois, January 26, 1858, a son of Ephraim and Sarah J. (Martin) Lewis, both natives of Virginia. The paternal grandfather, Samuel Lewis was born in Virginia but later removed to Illinois, in which state his death occurred. The maternal grandfather, Samuel Martin, was of Irish descent, his father having come to the United States from that country. The marriage of Ephraim Lewis took place in Illinois, where both he and his wife had gone as children and there for many years he engaged in blacksmithing. In 1868 he removed to Iowa, where he bought a farm and in connection with its operation continued his blacksmith trade, having a shop on the land. Five children were born to that union: W. A., in the garage business at Fairfield; C. L., whose name initiates this review ; George S., whose death occurred in Denver, Colorado, in 1898. For years he had been a successful druggist ; E. H., a merchant at Fairfield; and Fannie, who is married and resides in Omaha, Nebraska. Throughout their lives Mr. and Mrs. Lewis were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he always gave his allegiance to the republican party.
Charles L. Lewis was reared on a farm and obtained his education in the schools
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of Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Until he was twenty-three years of age he engaged in farming with his father but in 1881 came to Nebraska and located in Fairfield. For five years he was in the employ of the Exchange Bank and in 1886, having thoroughly familiarized himself with all phases of the banking business, he organ- ized the Citizens Bank and became cashier. In 1904 he was made president of the bank, an office which he still holds, and concentrating his energies upon its further development, has given his attention to administrative direction and executive control, making the bank one of the strongest financial institutions of the county.
Mr. Lewis has been twice married. In 1884 he was wed to Miss Florence Hoskins, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Leonard Hoskins, one of Illinois' early pioneers. To that marriage five children were born, four of whom are living : Lela V., who is the wife of Merton L. Corey, an attorney of Omaha; Ruby C., a stenographer with a firm in Boston known as the Crafts Candy Company, and during the war she engaged in government work; Leslie, a graduate of the State University and now in the electrical business at Pocatella, Idaho; and Florence, who is the wife of D. H. Reinhardt. Martin R. passed away in 1907 at the age of fifteen months. In August, 1907, occurred the death of Mrs. Lewis and a deep feeling of bereavement swept the community in which she was so well known and in which she had so many friends who appreciated her true personal worth. In 1912 Mr. Lewis was again wed, choosing Anna J. Patton as his wife. She is a native of lowa.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Lewis the right of franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the republican party, having firm belief in the principles of that party as factors in good government. Mr. Lewis has been very active in local politics and has held the office of mayor in addition to all of the other town offices. He has served on the town and the school board and during the war was chairman of the bond committee of the county. He sold almost three million dollars' worth of bonds. The success which Mr. Lewis enjoys is well merited, for it was achieved only through his own determination and effort. He may rightly be called a self- made man, and his life, always active and useful, has been characterized by strong purpose and successful accomplishment.
GEORGE B. WILLIAMSON
For forty-six years George B. Williamson bore his part in the world's work, continuing for some time in the drug business in Aurora, being thus engaged to the time of his death on October 12, 1909. He was born in Richmond, Pennsyl- vania, in 1863, and was a son of Joseph and Martha Williamson, who on leaving Pennsylvania became residents of Illinois, and settled in Hamilton county, Nebraska, many years ago, the father securing a homestead. . He contributed to the early agricultural development of this section of the state and both he and his wife passed away in Aurora. They had a family of four children.
George B. Williamson, the eldest of the household, was reared under the parental roof and completed his high school education in Illinois. He came with his parents to Nebraska, however, in 1872, and early took up the business of
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clerking in a general store in Aurora, being thus employed for three years. Desirous of engaging in business on his own account he embraced every opportunity that would ultimately bring about that result. He clerked in a drug store for some time and afterward purchased the business from his employer, thus conducting the East Side Drug Store until his demise. He owned the building in which his store was located and was very successful in the conduct of his trade for he carried a large and carefully selected line of goods and was thoroughly reliable in all his dealings and progressive in his methods.
Mr. Williamson was twice married. His first marriage was to Lottie Dean, on February 18, 1893. Her death occurred one year and nine months later. On December 24, 1898, he was married to Miss Maude Maddox, who was born in Arkansas, a daughter of Wilford F. and Lenora (Obear) Maddox, the former a native of Tennessee, while the latter was born in Mississippi. They came to Aurora in the early '80s and her father conducted a hotel and restaurant for several years, being thus closely associated with the business interests of the city. His wife was a member of the Catholic church and in politics he was an independent demo- crat. The mother is deceased and the father is in Colorado. Their family were four in number: Blanche, the wife of William Grace, who is living retired in Grand Island; Mrs. Williamson; Bernard, a resident of Limon, Colorado, where he conducts a hotel ; and Earle, who is a proprietor of a restaurant at Cheyenne Wells, Colorado.
To Mr. and Mrs. Williamson have been born three children: Florence, who is teaching school at Bruell, Nebraska; Arthur, who is employed in a drug store in Aurora; and Frances, who is now in the second year in high school. Mrs. Wil- liamson and her children occupy a nice home at No. 712 L street and she is the owner of a good business block in Aurora. She is widely known here, having the friendship and high regard of many and occupying a creditable position in the social circles of the city. Mr. Williamson was a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen lodges.
R. M. KIRCHNER
R. M. Kirchner, proprietor of a Ford garage at Clay Center, having established the business in 1913, was born at Liberty, Nebraska, December 1, 1880, a son of Samuel and Rebecca N. (Smith) Kirchner, who were natives of Germany and of Missouri, respectively. The father became a resident of Gage county, Nebraska, in an early day, settling upon a farm there. He continued to reside in that county for about forty years and both he and his wife passed away in that locality. The father gave his political allegiance to the republican party and was interested in its success, but his time and efforts were concentrated upon his business affairs without desire to participate in the fruits of public office. Mr. and Mrs. Kirchner had a family of seven children, five of whom are living: W. H., who is engaged in the oil business in Oklahoma; G. T., a farmer of Armour, Nebraska ; S. F., who also carries on agricultural pursuits at Armour ; R. M., of this review ; and Mrs. R. R. Cravens living at Omaha, Nebraska.
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In the schools of his native city R. M. Kirchner pursued his education and then started out to provide for his own support by giving his attention to farming. He was afterward engaged in barbering at Liberty and in 1906 came to Clay Center, where he opened a barber shop which he conducted for seven years. He then established a moving picture house and carried on that business for two years. Later he opened a Ford garage in Clay Center, beginning the business in 1913. To this he now devotes his entire time and his patronage has steadily increased. He maintains a large repair shop as well as garage and has erected a commodious brick building to house his business, which is now being most profitably conducted.
In 1910 Mr. Kirchner was married to Miss Frances Lynch, who was born in Kansas. She holds membership in the Congregational church and Mr. Kirchner is identified fraternally with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks at Hastings. His political endorsement is given to the republican party nor is he ever remiss in the duties of citizenship, for his cooperation and aid can be counted upon to further all well defined plans and measures for the general good.
JAMES G. BUSH
James G. Bush and his wife were married in the year 1872 in Christian county, Illinois, on the 20th of August, and the 3d of the following month witnessed their departure from that state with a team and covered wagon, which afforded them transportation to the new home on the prairie wilds of Hamilton county, Nebraska, where they arrived on the 30th of September of that year and where they continued to use their wagon as a habitation until the pioneer sod house could be constructed on the homestead of one hundred sixty acres to which Mr. Bush promptly filed claim, in section 24, Hord precinct, in the present township of Bluff. The country hereabouts was at that time almost entirely an unbroken prairie, Indians were still in evidence, antelopes and deer were abundant and one herd of buffaloes passed through the county after Mr. and Mrs. Bush had established themselves on the pioneer farm. York and Seward were the nearest trading points and the young couple had little available funds with which to supply themselves with the commodities offered for sale even at these places. Returns from the cultivation of the prairie land were uncertain and none too ample in those early years, when droughts and grasshoppers worked havoc with all growing crops, and Mr. and Mrs. Bush had much of struggle and hardship as they persistently followed their course and bore their burdens and trials in order to reap later rewards. They remained on the homestead ten years and its appearance radically changed, as it was brought under effective cultivation and given numerous improvements of a substantial order. After selling this original claim Mr. Bush purchased eighty acres of other land in the same township and eventually became the owner of a well improved and valuable farm property, and abundant success rewarded him for his earlier adversities and arduous labors.
Mr. Bush was born in the state of Ohio in the year 1844 and received in his youth a good common school education, which was later amplified by the fortify-
MRS. AND MRS. JAMES G. BUSH
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ing experiences of a busy and useful life. He was a resident of Indiana at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war and was one of the gallant young patriots who promptly tendered his services in defense of the Union. He enlisted in the Fifteenth Indiana Battery of Light Artillery, and lived up to the full tension of the great conflict between the north and the south, his active service covering three years and two months and involving participation in numerous major battles, as well as many skirmishes and minor engagements. In later years he vitalized his interest in his old comrades through his affiliation with the Grand Army of the Republic.
After the close of the war Mr. Bush was associated with farm enterprise in Illinois until his removal to Nebraska, and it was in that state that, on the 20th of August, 1872, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Baughman, who was there born and reared. Their gracious companionship continued forty-five years and was severed only when Mr. Bush passed away in September, 1917, one of the venerable and honored pioneer citizens of Hamilton county, Nebraska.
Mr. and Mrs. Bush became the parents of the following children: Dwight, who resides with his mother at Hordville, as does also the second son, Arthur; Ida, who died at the age of seven years; Solomon, who resides at Fremont ; Earl, who remains at home; John, who is a prosperous farmer of Hamilton county ; Ethel, who resides at Waterloo, Douglas county; James, who died at the age of eight years; and two children who died in infancy.
In politics Mr. Bush was a stalwart republican, and his religious views were in harmony with the tenets of the United Brethren church, of which his widow is a zealous member, she being now a resident of Hordville, where she owns and occupies an attractive home, and where she is one of the loved pioneer women of this section of Hamilton county. Many and interesting are the reminiscences which Mrs. Bush gives of the pioneer days in this county. For some time after they located on their pioneer farm their little house was the only dwelling between the North Blue river and Lincoln creek, and several years passed before a school was established in the district. Mrs. Bush states that when she came to Nebraska there were only three houses in the present thriving little city of York, and Lincoln was then little more than a country village.
CHARLES S. BROWN
Charles S. Brown, vice president of the Fidelity State Bank of Aurora, was born in Agency City, Iowa, February 3, 1879, a son of Samuel M. and Marilla N. (Derby) Brown, the former a native of Greencastle, Indiana, while the latter was born in Greene county, Ohio.
Charles S. Brown started out to provide for his own support as an employe in the Lincoln post office, which he entered in 1900, after completing a course in the Wesleyan University at Lincoln, Nebraska. There he remained for seven years or until the 1st of January, 1907, when he became identified with banking by entering the Aurora National Bank as assistant cashier. He was there employed until October 15, 1910, when he became connected with the Fidelity State Bank as its
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cashier and has since been officially identified with the institution, becoming its vice president on the 1st of January, 1920. His associate officers are: A. E. Siekmann, president; and B. W. Woodford, cashier. Mr. Brown is also the vice president of the Farmers State Bank of Hampton, Nebraska, and president of the Giltner State Bank of Giltuer, Nebraska.
On the 7th of June, 1905, at Clatonia, Nebraska, Mr. Brown was married to Miss Nettie A. Steinmeyer, a daughter of J. H. Steinmeyer, and they have become parents of a son and two daughters: Henry Kenneth, Eleanor Gertrude and Bessie Bell. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Brown is identified with the Rotary Club and with the Masonic fraternity. In these associations are indicated the nature of his interests and the rules which govern his activity in all the relations of life. He has long been classed with the representative business men and loyal citizens of his community and during the World war was county chairman of the Liberty loan committee for Hamilton county.
JAMES E. BRODRICK
Although now a resident of Fairfield, Nebraska, James E. Brodrick is still actively connected with the agricultural circles of Clay county, as manager of his half section of land two miles east of Fairfield. He is a native of New York, where his birth occurred in Yates county on the 22d of June, 1857, a son of Arthur and Ann Eliza (Hall) Brodrick, also natives of New York state where they both lived until death. The paternal grandfather of James E. Brodrick was Bryce Brodrick, and he was a descendant of Dutch ancestors, the family having come originally from Holland. A great-grandfather served under Colonel Spencer in the Revolutionary war and was given a land grant in Ohio as reward for his services. While on the way to take possession of the land his death occurred. The maternal great- grandfather, Robert Hall, was a native of New York state.
In the acquirement of an education James E. Brodrick attended the district schools of New York and his first occupation upon putting his textbooks aside was that of farming. He later learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed for a period of thirty-five years in New York and Nebraska. On the 24th of March, 1876, he located in Fairfield and built the first blacksmith shop of that place, erecting it under a cottonwood tree. His success in that line was rapid and he became known throughout the county as a blacksmith of much ability. Some time later he gave up his trade and purchased a farm, in the management of which he was active for a number of years and then went into the implement business. For six years he traveled on the road for a concern and then located west of Fairfield on two hun- dred and forty acres of land, on which there were few improvements at the time of purchase. He paid forty dollars per acre for that land and after bringing it to a highly cultivated state sold it for one hundred and forty dollars per acre. He is now residing in Fairfield, but is active in the management of his half section located two mlies east of that place. He has a man on the farm but does con- siderable work on it himself. In every line of work Mr. Brodrick undertook he
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won success and from his blacksmithing alone he derived a fortune of twenty thousand dollars.
On the 10th of October, 1877, occurred the marriage of Mr. Brodrick and Miss Clara Biddle, a native of Birmingham, England, and a daughter of Edward and Sarah Biddle. Her parents came to the United States in 1868, resided in Woodburn, Iowa, for two years, where her father engaged in farming and in 1876 came to Clay county and bought four hundred and eighty acres of land. Later he removed to Kansas, where he secured a homestead and some years before his death lived retired, financially independent. Six children were born to that union, four of whom are living: Mrs. Brodrick ; George Biddle, a fruit farmer of Olympia, Washington; Arthur Biddle, foreman of the Cudahy Packing Company at Los Angeles ; and Mary, the widow of Fred Evans who makes her home in Hastings. Both Mr. and Mrs. Biddle were consistent members of the Congregational church and he gave his political allegiance to the republican party. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Brodrick, three of whom are living: Blanche, principal of the Howard school at Grand Island, who received her education in Fairfield and Peru Normal; Lucile, the wife of J. H. Bissell, an undertaker of New York; and Frances, who married R. G. Briggs and is now a widow, holding the position of librarian at Fairfield. Mrs. Briggs has one child, Elbert Allen.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Brodrick the right of franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the democratic party, having firm belief in the principles of that party as factors in good government. The political faith of both himself and wife is that of the democratic party and fraternally he is identified with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is past master. Mr. Brodrick has been mayor of Fairfield and in 1912 was a member of the state legislature and was partly responsible for the passing of the Guarantee Bank Law. He was a member of the finance committee and chairman of the asylum committee. For some years he was chairman of the township board and was for six years justice of the peace. After residing on the farm ten years Mr. Brodrick removed to Fairfield, where he is now residing, a respected and representative citizen. His life has been an active and useful one and his success is due to his own determined effort, intelligently directed.
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