USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 49
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 49
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LOUIS E. WILLIAMSON
Louis E. Williamson, owning and controlling large land interests in Nebraska, was born in Piatt county, Illinois, September 5, 1883, and now makes his home in Clay Center, Nebraska. He is a grandson of Louis Clarke Davis, who removed with his family to Nebraska during the boyhood of Louis E. Williamson and the latter completed his public school education as a student in the Clay Center high school. He afterward pursued a commercial course in Atchison, Kansas, and later learned the printer's trade, which he followed for a period of eight years. He also filled the position of deputy county clerk for more than two years and then went to Marion, Nebraska, where he engaged in merchandising for three years. At the end of that time he returned to Clay Center, following the death of his grandfather, and assisted his grandmother in the management of the estate, which was left by Louis
Vol. II-31
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Clarke Davis, his grandfather, who was one of the early settlers and prominent citizens of this section, where he acquired large property holdings.
On the 28th of June, 1910, Mr. Williamson was married to Miss Agnes L. McFadden, who was born in Atwood, Kansas, a daughter of John M. and Laura H. (Elder) McFadden, the former a native of Kittanning, Pennsylvania, and now a merchant of Clay Center. To Mr. and Mrs. Williamson have been born two chil- dren: Lois, five years of age; and Helen, who is in her second year. Mr. and Mrs. Williamson occupy a very prominent social position, the hospitality of the best homes of Clay Center and the county being freely accorded them. Mr. William- son is a recognized leader in the Knights of Pythias, is a past chancellor and now grand representative to the Grand lodge. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party, but he does not seek nor desire office as a reward for party fealty, preferring to con- centrate his efforts and attention upon the business affairs under his control. He is recognized as a man of sterling business qualities, of marked enterprise and sound judgment, and his careful management of the estate left by his grandfather has greatly enhanced its value.
O. H. DARLING
O. H. Darling, now living retired in Aurora, was born in Massena, New York, February 15, 1850, his parents being Abiel and Rebecca (Waterbury) Darling, both of whom were natives of Vermont. They were married, however, in the Empire state and there the father followed the occupation of farming until 1851, when he removed with his family to Wisconsin, which was then a frontier state. He purchased land from the government and engaged in farming there for more than three decades, or until 1882, when he came to Hamilton county and here again invested in farm land. For a considerable period he devoted his attention to the work of further developing and improving his property and prior to his demise went to Aurora, where both he and his wife passed away. They had a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters, three of whom are living: Orlando H. of this review; Sarah Ella, the wife of D. S. Smith, cashier of the bank at Belleville, Wisconsin; and Henry N., who is engaged in the grocery busi- ness at Fullerton, Nebraska. The parents were members of the Second Day Adven- tist church and Mr. Darling voted for the republican party. The ancestral line can be traced farther back, for the grandfather of O. H. Darling was John Darling, a native of Vermont and of English descent. He spent his entire life in the Green Mountain state. The maternal grandfather, James Waterbury, was also born in Vermont.
O. H. Darling was but a year old when the family home was established in Wisconsin and there he was reared to manhood on the home farm. On attaining his majority he entered a bank and thus initiated his business career. He was there employed for three years, after which he came to Aurora and engaged in the shoe business in this city, remaining active in mercantile circles in that connection for two decades. It was on first coming to Nebraska in 1870 that he homesteaded
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in York county and there built a small frame side-boarded house. Afterward he purchased an additional tract of eighty acres of railroad land and then improved his quarter section. He had a team and wagon when he arrived here, having driven through from Wisconsin, thirty-one days being required for completing the trip. He passed through all the hardships and privations of frontier life, including the dry years in which the drought destroyed all crops. He was living in York county on his homestead during the memorable Easter storm-and also through the period when the grasshoppers took every living green thing. Notwithstanding all these things which came to discourage the settlers he persevered and is still the owner of his land that has never had a mortgage upon it. It is situated near Lushton in York county and through his labors has been transformed into a rich and valuable farm which annually returns to him a substantial income. It was in 1889 that he left the farm and took up his abode in Aurora, where he has since made his home and recently he built a nice bungalow in which he is now living retired. Through the years of his connection with commercial interests he won an unassailable reputation for the integrity, as well as the enterprise of his business methods. He ever endeavored to please his customers and his progressive- ness and thorough reliability brought substantial returns.
In 1869 Mr. Darling was married to Miss Irene P. Smith, a native of Vermont and a daughter of David W. and Anna (Cox) Smith, who were also residents of the Green Mountain state. Removing westward they lived for a short time in Nebraska and then went to Iowa, where their remaining days were passed. In 1881 Mr. Darling was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife. The following year he married Mary E. Rudd, born in the state of New York, a daughter of Charles Rudd, also a native of the Empire state. He came to Aurora in 1889 and continued a resident of this city until called to his final rest.
In his political views Mr. Darling is a republican, having supported the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He and his wife belong to the Congregational church and are highly esteemed in the community in which they make their home. He has long figured prominently not only in business affairs, but in connection with all those interests which feature in the upbuilding of the community and in the support of those measures which are a matter of civic virtue and civic pride.
AUGUST BARTZ, JR.
Improved with two distinct sets of farm buildings is the excellent estate of August Bartz, Jr., in Hamilton county, and he has gained for himself a gratifying success and prestige as a progressive exponent of the agricultural and live stock industry in the county which has been his place of residence since he was sixteen years of age and he is a member of a well known and highly honored family.
Mr. Bartz was born in Henry county, Illinois, May 10, 1870, and is a son of August and Ernestine (Schultz) Bartz, both natives of Germany. August Bartz, Sr., was reared and educated in his native land and was a young man when in 1861 he came to the United States and established his residence in Illinois. His
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loyalty to the land of his adoption was significantly shown when he enlisted in 1864 for service as a soldier in the Civil war. He became a member of Company H, One Hundred and Forty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and continued in service until the close of the war. After the war he farmed on rented land for one year and then purchased a farm in Henry county, Illinois, where he continued his vigorous and successful career as an agriculturist until 1886, when he came with his family to Nebraska and purchased two hundred and forty acres of partially improved land in Deepwell precinct, Hamilton county. He developed this property most effectively and became a prominent and influential representative of farm enterprise in this section of the state. In 1897 he removed from his farm to the village of Phillips, this county, and one year later transferred his residence to Grand Island, Hall county, where his wife died in the year 1909. Within a short time thereafter he removed to Long Beach, California, where he has since lived retired. His religious faith is that of the Lutheran church, of which his wife likewise was a zealous communicant and he maintains affiliation with the Grand Army of the Republic. Of the nine children, August, Jr., of this sketch is the eldest; Frank is a resident of Kewanee, Illinois; Albert lives at Mitchell, Scotts Bluff county, Nebraska; Edward W. is a farmer near Giltner, Hamilton county ; Minnie is the wife of Herman Kuehner, a farmer of Deepwell precinct, this county; Martha is the widow of Victor Waltman; Walter now maintains his residence in the state of Utah; Emma is the wife of Henry H. Keller of Madrid, Perkins county, Nebraska; and Bertha is the wife of Clyde Chisholm of Giltner, Hamilton county.
August Bartz, Jr., gained his early education in the public schools of Illinois and was sixteen years of age at the time of the family removal to Hamilton county, Nebraska, where he was reared to manhood and where he gained experience in connection with the manifold activities of his father's large farm. On the 1st of October, 1891, he wedded Miss Bertha Kuehner, and the young couple estab- lished their residence on one of the farms belonging to August Bartz, Sr., in Deepwell precinct. There the subject of this review continued his productive ac- tivities as an agriculturist and stock raiser for seven years. He then purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the same precinct and three years later he purchased, in 1901, the fine homestead farm on which he now resides, in section 28, Phillips precinct. Here his original purchase comprised two hundred and forty acres, but he has since added to his holdings until he is now the owner of a valuable property of four hundred and eighty acres of the excellent land of Phillips precinct, the property being improved with two sets of buildings. All of these buildings have been erected by the present owner and other permanent improve- ments installed by him denote him as a progressive and successful farmer and a man of discrimination and mature judgment. In connection with diversified agri- culture he gives special attention to the raising of the best of live stock, including shorthorn cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs. His wife merits a goodly share of the credit for developing and caring for a fine flock of Rhode Island red chickens.
Mr. Bartz is a thoroughgoing business man and is liberal and loyal as a citizen. He is a director of the Bank of Phillips, is president of the Farmers Lumber Com- pany of Phillips and is secretary of the Phillips Grain Company. His political allegiance is given to the republican party, he is affiliated with the Masonic frater-
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. nity and he and his wife are earnest communicants of the Lutheran church, as are also their children, of whom the eldest is Carl, who lives in Phillips; Arthur is a progressive young farmer of Phillips precinct; Rosalie is the wife of George Cornelius of Deepwell precinct; Minnie is the wife of Herbert Rathje; and Ernest, Maria and Edgar, remain at home.
JOHN F. REDIGER
John F. Rediger is now making his home in Aurora, where he is living retired from business, but in former years was closely associated with agricultural interests in Hamilton county and by reason of his perseverance and capable management won the success that now enables him to rest from further labor. He was born Septem- ber 27, 1879, near Gridley, in Livingston county, Illinois, his grandfather being Christian Rediger, who was born in Ottweiler, Germany, on the 5th of June, 1805. His entire life was spent in that land. His son, Christian Rediger, was also born in Germany and about 1856 came to the new world, taking up his abode in Illinois, where he worked for an uncle for a number of years. He later rented a place, his sister keeping house for him until he was married. It was on the 25th of March, 1875, that he wedded Catherine Risser, who was born in Illinois. They began their domestic life in that state and there remained until 1885, when they came to Nebraska. The father's birth occurred in Gutenbrunner Hof, Germany, August 26, 1847, while the mother was born in Tazewell county, Illinois, February 5, 1857. Mrs. Rediger departed this life in November, 1919, and the father is now spending the winter in California. In the intervening years he was closely asso- ciated with farming interests in Hamilton county. When he arrived here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and from time to time added to his holdings until he owned three hundred and twenty acres. He also sold eighty acres to his son John, this being an improved tract. In his business affairs he met with substantial success as the result of his determination and business capability. His political endorsement has always been given to the democratic party and his religious faith is that of the Mennonite church. To him and his wife were born ten children, four sons and six daughters: Edward Albert, who was born in Livingston county, Illinois, April 14, 1876, is living retired from business in his native state; Emil W., born in Livingston county, Illinois, October 27, 1877, is retired from business and resides in Washington, Illinois ; John F. is the third of the family; Anna Marie, born in Livingston county, September 8, 1881, is the wife of J. C. Stauffer, a resident of Seward county, Nebraska; Elizabeth Emma, born in Livingston county, September 29, 1883, is the wife of David Bender, also of Seward county; Mattie A., born in Hamilton county, Nebraska, March 22, 1886, is the wife of Ben Kremer, a well known farmer of Hamilton county ; Joseph Arthur, born in Hamilton county, September 24, 1889, is now living on a farm in Keith county, Nebraska ; Ella Susanna, born in Hamilton county, January 2, 1890, is the wife of Joseph Rocke, a resident farmer of Illinois; Freda J., born in Hamilton county, March 6, 1893, is the wife of John Rosehart, who follows farm-
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ing in Illinois; Ada K., born in Hamilton county, March 2, 1897, is the wife of Ray Schertz, also of Illinois.
John F. Rediger pursued his education in the country schools of Hamilton county, taking up his studies at the usual age and remaining a student through the winter months, while in the summer seasons he worked on the farm. After his textbooks were put aside altogether he concentrated his attention upon farming and devoted his time to general agriculture until January, 1920, when he disposed of his live stock and farm implements and removed to Aurora. He is still the owner, however, of eighty acres of well improved land and the rental thereof supplies him with a goodly income. He is to day a well-to-do citizen and has made most of his possessions through his own efforts. He purchased a nice property at No. 1119 Sixth street in Aurora, where he is now pleasantly and comfortably situated.
On the 24th of December, 1908, Mr. Rediger was married to Miss Emma Rocke, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Peter and Anna (Zehr) Rocke, the former a native of Alsace-Lorraine, France, while the latter was born in Illinois, in which state their marriage was celebrated and they always continued residents of Illinois. They had four children : Katie, the wife of Emanuel Oyer, of Illinois; Jacob E., also a resident of that state; Joseph, who follows farming in Illinois; and Mrs. Rediger, who by her marriage has become the mother of a daughter, Gladys, born April 26, 1910.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Rediger are members of the Mennonite church and he gives his political allegiance usually to the democratic party but is still independent, voting according to the dictates of his judgment rather than according to party ties. He has never aspired to office, preferring that his public service shall be done as a private citizen. His business affairs have claimed the major part of his time and attention and thoroughness and energy in all that he has undertaken have constituted the salient factors in the attainment of the place which he now occupies as one of the men of affluence in Aurora.
JOHN M. HEFTY, SR.
Jobn M. Hefty, Sr., and others of the remaining citizens who were pioneers of Hamilton county, and who endured all the trials and hardships of the early days, find that the years have rewarded them for all they endured and for which they labored so earnestly at a time when this section of the state was little more than an unbroken prairie. Mr. Hefty is now living retired in the village of Stockham, Hamilton county, is one of the strong and resourceful pioneers who here carried forward the initial stages of development and progress and is always to be counted as one of the founders and builders of modern prosperity in this county. He was born in Switzerland, February 24, 1842, a son of Peter and Barbara (Shindler) Hefty, the former passing away when the subject of this review was a child of five years. Mr. Hefty was reared and educated in his native canton, and in realizing his achievement in later years it may well be believed that he absorbed much of the vital spirit of the fair little republic in which he was born. In 1865, at the age of twenty-three years, Mr. Hefty came
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MR. AND MRS. JOHN M. HEFTY
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to the United States and established his residence in Pennsylvania, where, as a competent workman at the carpenter's trade, he assisted in the erection of gov- ernment hospital buildings at Chestnut Hill. Later he made his way to Wis- consin and there he continued in the work of his trade the greater part of the time until 1872, when he cast in his lot with the pioneers of Hamilton county, Nebraska. He came by railroad to Lincoln, thence proceeded to Crete, Saline county, and from this latter point made his way on foot to Hamilton county, where, on the 13th of May of that year, he entered claim to a homestead. He found employment at railroad work, at Sterling, Johnson county, and thus sup- plemented his limited financial resources. He employed others to do a portion of the breaking of his land, but personally had his share of practical experience in this preliminary work. His first house was a dugout, but this gave way to a log house, which he purchased and removed to his homestead, in Farmers Valley township. He planted an orchard and other trees, but hailstorms worked havoc with them and set his efforts at naught. His little stable or barn of poles and straw was replaced, by a frame barn, and gradually still better buildings marked the increasing prosperity attending the owner of the property. Mr. Hefty still owns his original homestead, now one of the fine' farms of the county, and his aggregate holdings of farm land in the county comprise three quarter- sections with two sets of excellent farm buildings. Like other pioneers Mr. Hefty hauled provisions overland from Sutton, took his pioneer grists to a mill at Beaver Crossing-involving a two days' absence from home-and viewed with as much calmness as possible the destruction of his crops by the grasshoppers. He was fortunate in having all of his live stock protected at the time of the memorable Easter blizzard, which worked havoc in this section of the state. Mr. Hefty's vigorous and well directed activities as an agriculturalist and stock raiser brought to him generous returns, and since 1907 he has lived retired at Stockham, though he still maintains a general supervision of his farm properties.
In 1874 Mr. Hefty married Miss Catherine Bumgarter, who likewise is a native of Switzerland, and of their union were born five children: Martin is a progressive farmer of Hamilton county; Barbara is the wife of Tobias Spink of Stockham; Peter died at the age of thirty-six years; John M., Jr., has active management of his father's old homestead farm; Catherine is the wife of Heinrich Nicholas, a farmer in Hamilton county.
Mr. Hefty has always done his part in the supporting of measures and enter- prises tending to advance the general welfare of his home community and county, is independent in politics and he and his wife hold membership in the German Reformed church.
J. M. McFADDEN
J. M. McFadden, who is today the oldest merchant in years of continuous con- nection with the trade interests of Clay Center, where he conducts a general store, was born in Venango, Pennsylvania, January 29, 1843, and is a son of Henry S. and Mary Ann (Mechling) McFadden, both of whom were also natives of the Keystone
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state. The ancestry in the McFadden line can be traced back to Scotland, but the family has long been represented on this side of the Atlantic, his grandfather, Michael McFadden, having been a native of Pennsylvania. The maternal grandfather, John Mechling, was also born in the Keystone state and the Mechling family was represented in the Revolutionary war. In the maternal line of Mr. McFadden he is also descended from the Haines family of German lineage, three brothers of the name having come to the new world at an early period in the colonization of America. The Broadhead family represented another ancestral line and was also of German origin and was planted on American soil in colonial days. General Broad- head served with that title under Washington and was known as "Washington big captain." He participated in a number of engagements and was cited for bravery. The parents of J. M. McFadden removed from Pennsylvania to Illinois in the year 1858 and there the father purchased land, spending his remaining days in that state. He had a family of ten children, eight of whom are living: J. M., of this review; Mrs. Fannie Boyer, of Illinois; Mrs. Sarah Blanchard, living in Texas; Emma, of Illinois; Mrs. Louisa Bean, a resident of Chicago; Etta Francis, who is a widow and lives in Knoxville, Illinois; Harry, occupying the old home farm in Illinois; and Frank, a merchant at Marion, Nebraska. The father departed this life at the age of eighty-six and is still survived by the mother who is making her home in Piatt county, Illinois, at the age of more than ninety-seven years. Mr. McFadden was a republican in his political views and his religious faith was that of the Methodist Episcopal church in which Mrs. McFadden still holds membership.
J. M. McFadden of this review pursued his education in the common schools of Pennsylvania and of Illinois and started ont in life as a farmer, continuing to devote his attention to agricultural pursuits in that state until 1879, when he removed to western Kansas. There he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits and conducted business in that state for fifteen years, on the expiration of which period he came to Clay Center, arriving here in 1895. He here opened a general merchandise store and is today the oldest merchant of Clay Center. He closely applies himself to the interests of his trade and his thoroughly reliable dealing and progressive methods have brought to him a liberal patronage, so that success has attended his labors.
In 1882, in northwestern Kansas, Mr. McFadden was married to Miss Laura H. Elder, a native of Kentucky and a daughter of John M. Elder, who removed from Kentucky to Illinois and in 1872 came to Clay county, Nebraska, where he home- steaded, casting in his lot with the pioneer settlers who laid broad and deep the foundation upon which has been built the present progress and prosperity of the county. To Mr. and Mrs. McFadden have been born six children: Mary, the wife of C. C. Campbell, who is engaged in the railway mail service and resides in Lin- coln; Mrs. Agnes Williamson, mentioned elsewhere in this work; Karl, a farmer of Clay county ; Ruth, the wife of W. R. Frye, a clothing man of Clay Center ; H. W., a practicing physician of Greenwood, Nebraska; and Gladys, the wife of Evan Brown, who is a hardware merchant of Greenwood.
Mr. McFadden and his wife attend the Congregational church. In matters of citizenship he has always manifested a most progressive spirit and displays the same. quality of patriotism that prompted his enlistment for service in the Civil war in
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1861, in which year he joined the Second Illinois Cavalry, serving for three years and three months. He was on duty at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and in all the battles to the gulf and was with General Banks in the Red River campaign. He has always given his political support to the republican party, which was the defense of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war and has always been the party of reform and progress. Mr. McFadden, however, has never been an office seeker but gives his entire time to his mercantile interests and to the super- vision of his property, for he is the owner of a good farm in Clay county. He has always enjoyed a substantial trade as the result of thoroughly reliable business methods and all who know him speak of him in terms of warm regard.
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