USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 51
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 51
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returned home and worked on a farm for another year. Another twelve months was spent in the feed and flour business at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and he then removed to South Dakota, where he acquired a homestead but was unsuccessful in that venture. Subsequently he went to Iowa, where he worked one summer in order to get enough money to go to California and after removing to that state spent five years in the employ of the Cerro Gordo Freight Company and drove an eighteen mule team stage through the mountains for three years. For two years he was an employe of the San Bernardino Borax Company at San Bernardino and then left that state and removed to Lake Crystal, Minnesota, where he conducted a meat market for one year. On the 5th of January, 1881, Mr. Kissinger located at Glenville, Nebraska, and resided there for thirteen years. Two years of that time was spent in farming, two years in the conduct of a general store and the balance of the time was again turned to farming and stock raising. In 1884 he removed with his family to Fairfield, where he ran a meat market for two years, engaged in stock shipping for a period of eighteen years and for twelve years traveled for the St. Joseph Commission Company. Mr. Kissinger is now engaged in farming, own- ing two thousand acres of land in Clay county and five thousand acres in Mississippi, also considerable land in Pecos Valley, New Mexico.
On the fourth of October, 1862, occurred the marriage of Mr. Kissinger and Miss Margaret C. Fink, a daughter of G. Z. and Lucinda (Rupp) Fink. Her father was the oldest of six children born to the union of Jacob and Margaret (Zeh) Fink and his birth occurred in Baden, Germany, December 18, 1835. His parents were also natives of Baden, the father having been born there in 1808 and the mother in 1814. They removed to the United States in 1836 and settled in Phila- delphia, Pennsylvania. In 1839 her father removed with his parents to Evans- ville, Indiana, where his father engaged in the lumber business for some time and again removed his family, this time locating in St. Louis, Missouri. Subsequently the family went to Wheeling, West Virginia, and thence to Reading, Pennsylvania, where Jacob Fink passed away in 1867. G. Z. Fink received a liberal education in his native country and was graduated from the Pottsdam Academy. From the age of seventeen to twenty-one he worked as locomotive machinist on the Pennsylvania & Reading Railroad and was later locomotive engineer for a period of fourteen years. While acting as engineer his engine collided with another engine on the fourth of July, 1864, as he was hauling a passenger train loaded with excursionists and although no one was killed several were injured. Soon after that accident he gave up that line of work and in 1865 accepted a position as superintendent of the Blue Creek Oil Company of Charleston, West Virginia, in which connection he remained for two years. He then went into the furniture business at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, but after two years' time sold out and became foreman of the furniture factory of Lewis W. Robinson. He resigned that position in 1871, becoming fore- man of a lumber company in Perry county, with which he continued until 1873, when he engaged in the carriage and blacksmith business, starting up a factory at Pottstown, Montgomery county, on his own account and in that line achieved more than a substantial amount of success. He later sold his factory, on the sale of which he realized a good sum, and in 1887 located in Glenville township, Clay county, Nebraska, where he purchased a farm of eighty. acres from the railroad and engaged in building and contracting. He built the greater portion of the
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houses in the town of Glenville. In 1884 Mr. Fink retired from active business life and engaged in farming and also stock raising and trading. The wife of Mr. Fink was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, on the 14th of May, 1830, a daughter of Professor I. D. Rupp, a teacher of languages. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fink, three of whom are living: Daniel J .; Margaret, who is the wife of the subject of this review; and Addie. Mr. Fink was an exemplary member of the Masons and Odd Fellows and his religious faith was that of the Methodist Epis- copal church. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kissinger : Myrtle E., the wife of Fred L. Hill, a prominent and successful farmer of Fair- field; Ralph, who is engaged in farming and stock raising in Fairfield ; and Irene, the wife of Homer Garwin, a farmer south of Fairfield.
Mr. Kissinger gives his political allegiance to the republican party, in the interests of which he takes an active part. He is fraternally affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. His wife is a consistent member of the Baptist church and belongs to the different societies of that organization as well as to the many clubs of a social nature in Fairfield. During the World war there was no man more active in the support of the government than Mr. Kissinger. He was active in all war drives, assisted in the selling of bonds and bought twenty-five thousand dollars' worth of bonds, two thousand dollars' worth of stamps and gave three thousand dollars to different charity organizations. Mr. Kissinger is one of the wealthiest men in Clay county and certainly deserves credit for what he has achieved, for he had but little when he started out in life and by persistent effort and indefatigable energy has worked his way steadily upward. He has indeed been one of the leading factors in Clay county's growth and development, actuated by a public-spirited devotion to the general good, and while working toward high ideals has utilized the most practical methods in their achievement.
HENRY WOODS
Henry Woods, who for a long period has been in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company at Aurora, was born in Cass county, Indiana, July 6, 1846, and is a son of John and Susan (Buffington) Woods, the former a native of Kentucky, while the latter was born in Ohio, in which state their marriage was celebrated. At an early day they became residents of Indiana and there the father owned and cultivated a farm up to the time of his removal to Iowa, where he took up his abode in the early '50s. Again he purchased land and concentrated his efforts and attention upon the tilling of the soil. His wife died in Iowa and he later removed to southern Kansas. He and his wife were members of the Baptist church and his political support was given to the democratic party. In their family were eleven children of whom Henry Woods is the youngest.
It was in the district schools of Iowa that Henry Woods pursued his education and in 1862, when but sixteen years of age, he joined the army as a soldier of the Civil war. He enlisted in Company G, Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry. On account of disability, however, he was discharged in April, 1863. He participated in the battle of Arkansas Post and in the battle of Vicksburg. When the war was over
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Mr. Woods returned to Iowa and there continued to make his home for a number of years. It was on the 4th of February, 1871, that he wedded Miss Martha Rook, who was born in Iowa, a daughter of William and Sarah (Wilson) Rook, both of whom were natives of eastern Tennessee, but became pioneer settlers of Iowa. They held membership in the Baptist church and Mr. Rook was a democrat in his political belief. He devoted his life to farming and following the death of his wife, which occurred in the Hawkeye state, he removed to Hamilton county, Nebraska, in 1887, and here purchased a farm which he cultivated for a considerable period. Later he removed to Aurora and was living here at the time of his death. To Mr. and Mrs. Rook were born eight children but Mrs. Woods is the only one living.
For two years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Woods resided in Iowa and in 1873 came to this county where he homesteaded four miles southeast of Aurora. For about ten years they continued to reside on the farm. His labor wrought a marked transformation in the appearance of the place during that period. At the end of a decade, however, he sold his land and removed to another tract not far distant which he had purchased from the railroad company, occupying that farm for about two years. Still later he cultivated a rented farm for a year and then returned to his old neighborhood. In February, 1891, he became a resident of Aurora, where he has since made his home. Here he followed various pursuits for a time, but later devoted twenty years to teaming. He then began working for the Burlington Railroad Company as gateman and has continued in that posi- tion, serving altogether for six years. He likewise conducts a boarding and rooming house and this adds materially to his income. His first home in Nebraska was a sod house and later he built a frame dwelling. Today he owns a nice property in Aurora.
To Mr. and Mrs. Woods were born eight children, five of whom are living: Ida, who is the widow of Mat Hendrickson and lives with her parents; Edward, who follows farming in Garfield county, Nebraska; Fred, living in Fremont, this state, where he is employed by the Nye Schneider Fowler Company ; Viva, the wife of A. A. Harrison, a railroad man of Fremont ; and Ralph, who is a teamster of Aurora.
Mrs. Woods is a member of the Christian church and Mr. Woods belongs to the Brotherhood of Ways and Maintenance and he gives his political support to the republican party. His life has been characterized by diligence and industry and at all times he has enjoyed the respect and goodwill of those with whom he has been brought into contact.
JOSEPH KYNE
Joseph Kyne, prominent in the banking circles of Fairfield, Clay county, as vice president of the Farmers & Merchants Bank, was born in County Galway, Ireland, November 20, 1856, a son of Thomas and Kate (Kearns) Kyne.
Joseph Kyne received his early education in Ireland and at the age of fifteen years came to the United States and here completed his education. He entered a private school at Allegany, New York, and took a commercial course at a commercial college in Dubuque, Iowa. Upon the completion of that course he started railroad
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work and for eleven years was station agent and telegraph operator at various places, five years of that time being located in Fairfield. In 1882 he purchased forty acres of school land to which he added from time to time until he had four hundred acres, which he still own, eighty acres being within the city limits. For six years Mr. Kyne farmed and then for fifteen months resumed his former work in connection with railroading. Mr. Kyne has ever been a leader in the develop- ment and improvement of Fairfield and for eighteen years successfully conducted a hotel bearing his name in conjunction with the supervision of his farms. Later he traded the hotel for the Brick block where the Farmers & Merchants Bank now stands, of which institution he was one of the organizers and is now vice president. He has a fine home in Fairfield, surrounded by an orchard and many shade trees and he is living practically retired.
In Crete, Nebraska, occurred the marriage of Mr. Kyne and Miss Marinda Hawes, a native of Iowa who came with her parents to Nebraska at the age of three years. Four children have been born to their union: Thomas, whose death occurred in infancy ; Thomas Joseph, whose demise occurred in infancy ; Arthur of Clay Center where he has been connected with the Johnson Incubator Factory for a period of eleven years; and Albert, who farms the old homestead.
Mr. Kyne passed through all the hardships of the early pioneer days and at the time of his location in Clay county there was not a shingled roof between Fairfield and Deweese. He overcame all obstacles as the result of grim courage and determined effort and is readily conceded to be a self-made man. He is a valued citizen of Fairfield, of which town he has been mayor five times and he is an outstanding figure in financial and business circles. In politics he follows an independent course, giving his support to the man he thinks best fitted for the office without regard to party and he is a Master Mason being an exemplary member of the craft. The religious faith of the family is that of the Christian church.
CARL KUEHNER
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Carl Kuehner was a resident of Hamilton county for nearly forty years and here he had his quota of pioneer vicissitudes during the earlier period of his vigorous activities as an exponent of farm industry. He was one of the substantial men and highly esteemed citizens of the county at the time of his death in 1916. He was a native of Germany and seventy-five years of age when he passed away. He gained his early education in his native land, where also he learned the trade of butcher. He established his home in Hamilton county, Nebraska, in the year 1881, and here purchased railroad land and instituted the development of a farm. On his land in Deepwell township he had a frame house, which in dimensions and general appearance well merited the designa- tion of shack, his original barn having been of the sod type. His purchase comprised two hundred and forty acres and of the tract about one hundred + acres had been broken, and the remainder received similar treatment at the hands of Mr. Kuehner, who utilized for this purpose an ox team which he pur- chased after his arrival in the county. In the early days he did most of his
RESIDENCE OF RICHARD KUEHNER
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trading at Grand Island and obtained the greater part of his fuel from trees along the river. He lost his crops in the memorable drought years of 1893 and 1894 and met with reverses and trials similar to those of other pioneers of this section of the state. He had persistence, courage and determination ; he realized that eventual prosperity could not fail to reward those who here showed their faith by continued work and unbaffled determination and his confidence was fully justified by the success that eventually crowned his own well ordered en- deavors and that marked him as one of the specially prosperous and progressive agriculturists and stock raisers of the county of his adoption. He was a man of unassuming worth of character and he and his wife bore well their part in the development and progress of Hamilton county, where their names are held in lasting honor, both having been earnest communicants of the Lutheran church.
In Germany was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Kuehner to Miss Wilhelmina Hiese, and she preceded him to the life eternal, her death having occurred in 1912, when she was seventy-two years of age. They became the parents of seven children : Richard; Robert, a prosperous farmer in Hamilton county ; Gottlieb, who met his death through an accident, when he was forty-eight years of age; Herman, who has active charge of the old home farm; Bertha, who is the wife of August Barty, a farmer in Hamilton county; Albertina, who is the wife of Frederick Koenig of Oakland, California; and Martha, who is the wife of William Schmidt of San Francisco, California.
Richard Kuehner, eldest of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kuehner, was born in Germany, in the year 1863, and in his native land received his early education, having learned to speak, read and write the English language through careful self-discipline after coming with his parents to America, where they established the family home in Nebraska. Richard Kuehner was eighteen years of age at the time of the family arrival in Hamilton county, and thus was able to prove an effective helper in the reclaiming and developing of the pioneer farm. He continued his association with the activities of his father's farm until he had attained to the age of thirty-one years, when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in Deepwell township and began his independent enterprise as a progressive agriculturist and stock raiser. He is now the owner of an excellent farm property of two hundred acres, on which he has erected good buildings, set out a nice grove of cedar trees and made other improvements that mark him as a vigorous and progressive farmer, his attractive homestead being situated in section 20, Deepwell township, and receiving service on rural mail route No. 1 from Doniphan, Hall county. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company in the village of Phillips and is one of the whole-souled and appre- ciative "boosters" of the county and state in which he has won a goodly measure of material prosperity and an enviable place in popular esteem. He is a repub- lican in politics, but public office has had no allurement for him, though he has given effective service as road supervisor. He is affiliated with the Royal High- landers and he and his family hold to the faith of the Lutheran church.
At the age of thirty years Richard Kuehner was united in marriage to Miss Rose Bosselman, and they have four children: Gottlieb, Herman, William and Marie. All of the children are now at home, but the two older sons gave loyal
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service as soldiers of their native land in connection with the great World war. Gottlieb had been a member of the Nebraska National Guard and in train- ing for active service in the late war he was stationed at Camp Cody, New Mexico. He accompanied his command to France and there served efficiently as dispatch-bearer and as a member of the military police. He received his hon- orable discharge at Camp Dodge, Iowa. Herman entered service in 1919 and 'was assigned to duty in the Philippine islands.
J. A. MOSES
The great, broad and rolling prairies of Nebraska have offered splendid oppor- tunities to the agriculturist and many a man who has concentrated his attention upon farming in this state has, as the result of his diligence and determination, won a gratifying measure of success. Such is the record of J. A. Moses, who is now living retired in Aurora. Pennsylvania numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Somerset county that state, on the 11th of March, 1851, his parents being Abraham and Julia (Rhodes) Moses, who were likewise natives of the Keystone state. The year 1856 witnessed their arrival in Illinois and in 1873 they became residents of Iowa. In the three different states Mr. Moses followed the occupation of farming and was thus engaged to the time of his death, which occurred in the Hawkeye state. His widow afterward returned to Illinois, where her last days were passed. They were members of the Evangelical church and Mr. Moses was a republican in his political views. Their family num- bered nine children, five of whom survive: T. J., who served through the Civil war and is now an occupant of the Soldiers' Home at Marshalltown, Iowa; Lewis, living at Cedarville, Illinois, where he has retired since putting aside the active work of the farm, in which he was so long engaged Mrs. Mary Cooper, of Belmont, Montana ; J. A., of this review ; and John, a resident farmer of Cedarville, Illinois.
At the usual age J. A. Moses became a pupil in the public schools of Illinois and afterward spent one winter as a student in a commercial school of Wisconsin. He spent his youthful days on the home farm, working in the fields during vacation periods and before leaving Iowa had become the owner of an excellent tract of land of eighty acres. There he tilled the soil until 1883, when he removed to Caldwell, Kansas, where he again owned and cultivated a tract of land. However, he sold his farm in the Sunflower state and returned to Iowa, where he remained from 1886 until February 24, 1887, when he came to Hamilton county, Nebraska. Two years later, or in 1889, he bought eighty acres of land. This he afterward sold and made investment in a quarter section near Marquette. Eventually he dis- posed of that property and became owner of ninety acres adjoining Aurora on the west. This, too, he sold and his next purchase was a quarter section northeast of Aurora. In time he disposed of that property and bought land in Deuel county, Nebraska, but afterward disposed of it and now owns land in Box Butte county. He dates his residence in Aurora from 1911 and through the intervening period has lived retired. Here he purchased a pleasant home at 1519 Eleventh street and is now most comfortably situated in life.
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In 1875 Mr. Moses was married to Miss Alice Briggs, a native of Illinois and a daughter of William and Marinda (Orm) Briggs, who were natives of Ohio, in which state they were reared and married, but in their early married life became residents of Illinois. In 1906 they established their home in Hamilton county, Nebraska, and both passed away in Aurora. They had a family of seven children, of whom six are living, but Mrs. Moses, the third in order of birth, is the only one residing in Hamilton county save Mrs. Hannah Thomas, of Aurora.
To Mr. and Mrs. Moses have been born seven children: Nellie, the wife of E. R. Garrett, residing on a farm in Hamilton county; Harry, who carries on farming in Guernsey, Wyoming; William, who is engaged in merchandising in Guernsey, Wyoming; David, a clerk in a grocery store in Aurora and also identified with farming interests; George, who likewise lives in Guernsey, Wyoming, and is in the railroad service; Cecil, who is clerking in a grocery store in Aurora; and Cyril, who is a clerk in a dry goods and clothing store in Aurora.
Mr. and Mrs. Moses are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the work of which they take an active and helpful interest, doing all 'in their power to promote its growth and extend its influence. Mr. Moses belongs to the Modern Woodmen and to the Royal Highlanders and hoth he and his wife are identified with the Degree of Honor. His political endorsement is given to the republican party, but political honors and emoluments have no attraction for him, yet in all matters of citizenship he stands for that which is progressive and that which is resultant in bringing about the best interests of community, commonwealth and country.
W. F. MACK
W. F. Mack is a retired farmer residing at Clay Center. He was born in Germany, March 19, 1859, and is a son of Jacob and Mary (Wanger) Mack, both of whom were natives of Germany, where they were reared, educated and married. In 1879 they arrived in Nebraska and the father purchased a farm from Herman Trepto, who had bought the land from a railroad company. The place comprised one hundred and sixty acres and Mr. Mack afterward added an eighty acre tract, about three miles south of his original farm. He and his wife continued to spend their remaining days in Clay county and his activities were an element in the further agricultural development of the district. They were consistent members of the Evangelical church and Mr. Mack gave his political endorsement to the repub- lican party. To him and his wife were born five children, four of who are living: Mary, the wife of John Fisher, a merchant of Holstein, Nebraska; W. F .; Christ, who is living in Alberta, Canada; and Rosa, the wife of P. J. Schwab of Clay Center.
W. F. Mack obtained his education in the schools of his native country and worked on his father's farm during his youthful days. He later purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land with money which he had saved from his earn- ings, his industry and his economy constituting the foundation upon which he has built his success as the years have passed by. At length he traded his original one hundred and twenty acre tract to his father for one hundred and sixty acres, but
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later again purchased eighty acres of his first farm and today he owns both prop- erties. Year after year he carefully tilled the soil and cultivated the crops and the annual sale of his farm products added to his income until he felt the sum to be sufficient to provide for all of his needs in his later years and he retired from active business, removing to Clay Center, where he purchased a nice home, while his son now occupies and operates the home farm,
In 1886 Mr. Mack was married to Miss Margaret Steitz, a daughter of Jacob Steitz, who passed away in Germany. The daughter came to the United States with a cousin and was here married to Mr. Mack. To them were born seven chil- dren : Eugene, who is now living on his father's farm; Bertha, the wife of Albin Sunilling, a farmer residing in Clay county ; Laura, the wife of Aaron Fry, also a farmer of this county; Della, the wife of John Rich, who gives his attention to agricultural pursuits in Clay county ; Victor, a resident farmer of the same county ; Ruby, in school ; and Viretta, who is also attending school. The wife and mother passed away in 1917 and Mr. Mack was again married, in March, 1919, to Louise Einert, the widow of August Einert. By her former marriage she had five chil- dren : Helen, the wife of Emil Brauer, an electrician of California; Louisa, the wife of Floyd Bilderback, who is engaged in the butchering business in California; August, a brakeman on a railroad in California; Bertha, the wife of William Weiss, a bookkeeper of Illinois; and William A., who is a machinist, living in Davenport, Iowa. In her maidenhood Mrs. Mack bore the name of Louise Derwald. She lost her first husband in Streator, Illinois, in 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Mack occupy an attractive and commodious modern residence in Clay Center and the hospitality of their home is greatly enjoyed by their many friends. They are mem- bers of the Evangelical church and in politics Mr. Mack is a republican. He has served as road supervisor, but has never been active as an office seeker. His entire attention has always been given to his business affairs and he is now president of the Farmers' State Bank of Verona and directs the policy of the institution. How- ever, he makes his home in Clay Center and having put aside the active work of the farm has many hours of leisure in which to follow his inclinations as to pleasure and recreation. His success is well deserved as it has come to him as a result of unfaltering diligence and industry in former years.
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