USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 55
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. II > Part 55
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66
T. B. JOHNSON
There were seasons when hardships came to the farmer and when conditions were most discouraging, but with the passing years success has rewarded the efforts of the persistent, energetic agriculturist, for the development of the soil has resulted in splendid crops and success has come to the farmer in such a measure
544
HAMILTON AND CLAY COUNTIES
that the representatives of this class are now enabled to live retired, enjoying in well earned rest the fruits of their former toil. Such is the record of T. B. Johnson of Aurora, who was born in Ripley county, Indiana, July 23, 1848.
T. B. Johnson spent the days of his boyhood and youth in Iowa, being but three years of age when the family home was established in that state. He was reared in the usual manner of the farm bred boy and after the outbreak of the Civil war he joined the Union army as a member of Company E, Eleventh Missouri Infantry, enlisting at St. Louis and serving for ten months, during which time he participated in the Siege of Spanish Fort, Louisiana. He received his discharge in January, 1866, and after the war returned to Appanoose county, Iowa, being but seventeen years of age when mustered out of the army. He later attended school at Moulton, Iowa, and then took up the profession of teaching which he followed for several terms in that state.
In 1872 Mr. Johnson removed to Nebraska and obtained a homestead nine and a half miles from Aurora, comprising one hundred and sixty acres of land. He afterward acquired more land and continued to cultivate his place until 1888, living in a sod house until 1881 and experiencing all the hardships and privations of pioneer life.
Mr. Johnson then returned to Iowa and was married to Elizabeth Jordon, who was born in Davis county, that state, in 1851, a daughter of Samuel and Jeretta (Bunten) Jordon, who were natives of Kentucky and Virginia, and removed to Indiana. They afterward came to Iowa and continued residents of that place until their death. In 1875 Mr. Johnson brought his wife to the little sod house on the western prairie and lived in that primitive dwelling during the winter while he taught school, a profession which he later followed for four terms. In the spring they moved into the barn on the place and he built a larger sod house with a shingle roof. In 1881 he took a trip to the Black Hills but returned in the fall and then built a three room frame dwelling. In the meantime he had purchased more land until he became the owner of four hundred and twenty acres which he carefully developed and improved, bringing the tract under a high state of cultiva- tion. In 1893 he sold a portion of his farm and later disposed of the remainder. At one time he bought land in Custer county, Nebraska, and this he also sold. He was likewise the owner of a farm in Harlan county which he afterward sold and bought eight hundred acres in Dundy county which he owned until 1918. While he had farms in these various localities he was living in Aurora, having established his home in this city in 1889. He and his wife have a comfortable and attractive residence standing in the midst of ten acres of ground. Mr. Johnson started in business in Nebraska with very little capital or possessions. He had two horses but lost one of them during the memorable Easter storm of 1873 and afterward traded the other horse in payment for having some of his land broken. There is no phase of pioneer life in Hamilton county with which Mr. Johnson is not thoroughly familiar and throughout all the intervening years he has borne his full part in the work of general progress and development. He and his wife are members of the Christian church and take an active and helpful interest in its work and he belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic of which he is now serving as commander in the local post and previously he occupied the same position. He cast his first presidential vote for General Grant in 1868 and has since been a
545
HAMILTON AND CLAY COUNTIES
stalwart advocate of. republican principles. He became the first representative from Hamilton county to the state legislature, serving in 1877 and 1878, and he has also been a member of the school board. In fact he has supported every interest and measure which he has believed to be of value to the community and the commonwealth and his aid and influence are always given on the side of right, progress, reform and improvement.
JOHN PALMER
Fairfield numbers among her old pioneers John Palmer, who is there living retired, enjoying the fruits of his former industry. He was born in Berwickshire, Scotland, August 8, 1846, a son of Alex B. and Mary (Younger) Palmer, also natives of Scotland who came to the United States, landing in this country on the 20th of July, 1853. For three years they made their home in Columbiana county, Ohio, and then removed to Tuscarawas county, where they remained for six years. For over ten years the father engaged in farming in Piatt county, Illinois and in 1871 came to Clay county and acquired a homestead of eighty acres. In 1872 Alex Palmer and his daughter started out in a wagon and were followed by the mother and the remainder of the family in the Fall of that year. Thirty-one days were . required in making the trip and many were the hardships they experienced. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, three of whom are living: John, whose name initiates this review; Margaret Van Meter, a widow residing in Fair- field; and Mrs. Catherine Broderick, also a resident of Fairfield. The father was a charter member of the Congregational church and always gave his political allegiance to the republican party. The success Mr. Palmer attained was the result of his own determined effort and industry and he was one of the honored residents of Clay county. The paternal grandfather of John Palmer was John Palmer, who came to the United States in 1854, engaged in farming in Iowa and there passed away. The maternal grandfather, John Younger, never came to the United States and his demise occurred in Scotland.
John Palmer received some of his education in Scotland and after coming to this country with his parents entered the schools of Illinois. His first occupation on putting his textbooks aside was farming and that line of work he followed until his retirement. He removed to Clay county with his parents and seenred a homestead, on which he resided for forty-two years. He passed through all the hardships of those early times bnt allowed no obstacle to long remain in his path and as the result of that force and determination became one of the leading agriculturists of the county. In 1914 Mr. Palmer removed to Fairfield and with the exception of writing some insurance is living retired.
On the 20th of December, 1883, occurred the marriage of Mr. Palmer and Miss Margaret Black, a native of Ohio and a daughter of James and Margaret Black. Iler parents were both natives of Scotland and on coming to this country first located in Ohio and later settled in Iowa, where they resided until death. Six children, five of whom are living, have been born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Palmer; I. R., a graduate of the State University and now teaching school in
546
HAMILTON AND CLAY COUNTIES
Tacoma, Washington ; V. O., farmer of Fairfield ; Bertha, at home; J. E., engaged in the dray business at Fairfield ; and Lula, in her third year in the State University.
Mr. Palmer has always given his allegiance to the republican party, in the interests of which he has taken an active part. For five or six years while residing on his homestead he was county assessor and is now assessor of Fairfield. Mr. Palmer likewise held the office of police judge for some time. The religious faith of the family-with the exception of J. E., who is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church-is that of the Congregational church and Mr. Palmer is the oldest living charter member of that institution, having been a member for forty- eight years. His fraternal affiliations are with the Knights of Pythias and he is a charter member of Fairfield Lodge, No. 156. For two terms he was chancellor commander. When Mr. Palmer first came to Fairfield the town had a population of about twelve people and the houses were sod. He has seen that town and the surrounding vicinity develop into a thickly populated and prosperous community and has been one of the foremost in that development. Since starting out into the world on his own account Mr. Palmer has ever concentrated his efforts and atten- tion upon a single line and this combined with his resolution and energy, accounts for the thoroughness of his work and his steady progress in the agricultural world.
JOSEPH E. SPATZ, M. D.
Since 1885 Dr. Joseph E. Spatz has engaged in the general practice of his pro- fession in Fairfield and has won well merited success and distinction. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1859, a son of William and Phoebe Ann (Bohner) Spatz, both natives of that state. The family is of German descent coming from that country to the United States in 1684 and becoming members of the William Penn colony. The parents of Joseph E. Spatz moved to Illinois in 1869 and resided there until 1886, when they removed to Kansas. The father was a farmer and owned consid- erable land in both Illinois and Kansas. Eight children were born to that union, seven of whom are living, the subject of this review being the only one residing in Clay county. Throughout their lives Mr. and Mrs. Spatz were consistent members of the Evangelical church and his fraternal affiliation was with the Odd Fellows. He was a stanch supporter of the republican party and for years held various town offices. He was a member of the Home Guard during the Civil war, having been rejected by the regular army. In 1913 the death of Mr. Spatz occurred in Kansas and his widow survived him but three years, passing away in the same state in 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Spatz were honored and respected citizens in the communities in which they resided and in their passing Kansas lost two representative citizens.
Dr. Joseph E. Spatz is indebted to the schools of Illinois for his education and after graduating from the Lanark high school, attended the State University of Iowa. In preparation for a medical career-for he had decided to make the practice of medicine his life work-he entered the Hahnemann Medical College of Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1885. He located in Fairfield, Nebraska, the same year, opened an office and has continued to practice there. He has an
547
HAMILTON AND CLAY COUNTIES
extensive practice and is recognized throughout the county by other members of his profession as a leading and successful physician. When Dr. Spatz first moved to Fairfield he lectured and taught physiology for several years in the college which was then located in that town.
In 1886, in Fairfield, occurred the marriage of Dr. Spatz and Miss Julia Sherwood, a native of Wisconsin and a daughter of Alden G. Sherwood, a home- steader near Sutton. To this union two children have been born: Ward B. and Maurice. Ward B. is now living in Medford, Oregon. Before the war he was in a bank at Fairfield but resigned his position to enlist in the army. He joined the Thirty-sixth United States Regulars as first lieutenant, having received his train- ing at Fort Snelling. He is now engaged in the orchard business, in which line he is achieving more than a substantial amount of success. The youngest son, Maurice, is still in school.
Dr. Spatz is independent in politics and is now president of the State Board of Medical Examiners, holding that office under both republican and democratic administrations for a period of five years. His religious faith is that of the Chris- tian church and he is fraternally identified with the Masons, being a Knight Tem- plar, Shriner and past master. In the civic affairs of Fairfield Dr. Spatz has always taken an active part and for some time has been vice president of the school board. For years he held the position of city physician and in this connection endeared himself to many people throughout the community. In the line of his profession he is identified with the two state medical societies and in order to keep abreast with the trend of modern professional thought and experience and in touch with the latest scientific researches and discoveries, he has taken post-graduate work in Chicago, St. Louis, New York, and Omaha.
WILLIAM A. NALL
William A. Nall is a prominent representative of the agricultural interests of Clay county, his farm being located in section 22, Marshall township. He was born on his father's homestead, his present place of residence, on the 21st of June, 1876, a son of B. F. Nall, Sr., further mention of whom is made on another page of this work.
W. A. Nall received his education in the district schools of Clay county, attended the Normal school in Bushnell, Illinois, and took a law course at Valparaiso, Indi- ana, receiving his LL. B. degree. He was admitted to the Indiana bar in June, 1903, and the following year to the Nebraska bar. He has never followed his profession, however, but went to farming instead and is recognized as one of the most successful agriculturists in the county.
On the 15th of February, 1905, occurred the marriage of Mr. Nall to Anna L. Shane, a native of Illinois, her birth having occurred near Peoria. She was the daughter of Thomas Shane, who was reared in Illinois and in later life removed to Kansas. He is now residing in Clay Center. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Nall four children have been born, two of whom are living: Russell and Opal, both attending school in Clay ('enter. One died in infancy and Harold later.
518
HAMILTON AND CLAY COUNTIES
In politics Mr. Nall maintains an independent course, voting for the man with- out regard for party principles. His religious faith is that of the Evangelical church and fraternally he is a Highlander and an Odd Fellow. For several terms he served as township clerk and ran for county judge and for the legislature, but was defeated. He now devotes his entire time to farming and raises considerable stock. In addition to the land on which he resides, he operates the estate of his father, a three hundred and sixty acre tract. Living in Clay county for the greater part of his life Mr. Nall has seen the work of progress and development carried steadily forward and at all times has borne his part, especially along the line of agricultural development.
DANIEL M. NETTLETON
Since 1904 Danicl M. Nettleton has been living retired in Fairfield. He is well known throughout Clay county as an able agriculturist and has been a member of the state legislature numerous times. He was born in County Antrim, Ireland, November 3, 1840, a son of Benjamin and Maria J. (English ) Nettleton. His parents were also natives of County Antrim, but left there in 1844 and came to the United States. They located near Paw Paw, Illinois, and there the father followed the carpenter's trade for a short time, having learned that trade in his native land, where for seven years he served an apprenticeship without remuneration. In his family were eight children, but Daniel M. is the only one now living. Both parents passed away in Illinois, the father in 1854 and the mother in 1895. The father was a very successful man and at the time of his death was financially independent. In Ireland they had attended the Presbyterian church, but as there was no church of that denomination in their community they became consistent members of the Congregational church.
Daniel M. Nettleton received his education in the district schools of Illinois and for a time attended the LaClaire Academy at Paw Paw. After putting his textbooks aside he engaged in farming and followed that occupation until 1861, when he entered the Civil war as a member of Company I, Fourth Illinois Cav- alry. He was in active service three years and two months, being discharged after receiving a wound in the hip at the battle of Jordan's Lane, Mississippi. He served on the staff of T. Lyle Dickey and was a non-commissioned officer at the close of the war. He then returned to his home in Illinois, where he remained until he came to Clay county, Nebraska, in March, 1872, and took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres. He resided on that land until 1904, when he dis- posed of it for a substantial amount and removed to Fairfield.
In 1868 occurred the marriage of Mr. Nettleton and Miss Henrietta M. Dav- enport, a native of Illinois and a daughter of William Davenport. Her father was well known in the community, where he made his home, being a success- ful and progressive farmer. In later years he retired from active life and traveled extensively throughout the United States. Mr. and Mrs. Nettleton adopted a daughter, Pearl M., who still lives with Mr. Nettleton. The death of Mrs. Nettleton occurred in 1901 and came as a severe blow to her many friends in the community.
DANIEL M. NETTLETON
Vol. II-35
551
HAMILTON AND CLAY COUNTIES
Mr. Nettleton has always given his political allegiance to the republican party, having cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln before he was twenty-one years of age. He has ever taken an active part in politics; has served as assessor and at three different times he represented the county in the state legislature. He was first elected in 1883, again in 1907, when he became speaker of the house, and again in 1909. In the latter year he was elected by a small majority, a time when nearly every republican candidate for any office was defeated. Dur- ing his service in the legislature he fought the railroads and was much elated when in 1907 the issuance of all passes was stopped. As a veteran of the Civil war Mr. Nettleton is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and active in the affairs of the local post.
By his own determination and effort he has reached his present day pros- perity and passed through all the hardships of early days, allowing no obstacle, however great, to dampen his spirits and his purpose. He passed through the memorable Easter blizzard of 1873 and the grasshopper plague of 1874, but in the latter year saved his wheat, as he had gotten it stacked just before the grass- hoppers came. His homestead consisted of a quarter of a section to which he added by purchase three hundred and twenty acres adjoining and brought the whole tract to a highly cultivated state. Mr. Nettleton is one of Clay county's most honored and respected pioneers and is now enjoying the rest with which his early days of labor have rewarded him.
AUGUST KISSINGER
Years of arduous labor along agricultural and commercial lines have brought August Kissinger a handsome competence. For many years he has been a resident of Hastings and a leading factor in the agricultural and commercial development of the surrounding community. He was born in Washington county, Wisconsin, July 27, 1850, and extended mention of his parents is made in the sketch of P. L. Kissinger, to be found on another page of this work.
August Kissinger was reared on a farm in Wisconsin and received his education in the country schools of the vicinity. He attended school for about three months in the year and the remainder of the time assisted his father on the home place. He left the parental roof at the age of twenty-three years and started farming on his own account, purchasing forty acres which he cultivated for two years. At the end of that time, or in 1878, he came to Nebraska and located near Glenville, Clay county, buying one hundred and sixty acres of railroad land at six dollars per acre. He built a small frame house on the land, hauling the lumber from Glenville, and breaking the land himself soon had it under cultivation. He put up a stable for his stock and set out some orchard and shade trees. The first year forty acres yielded him six hundred and forty bushels of grain, the following year he got only one hundred and forty bushels from one hundred and sixty acres and twelve bushels of corn from forty acres, and in 1893 and 1894 he was completely burned out. During the hailstorms of 1882 he also lost his crops. Some time later he sold that land to his brother Pete and went to Glenville, where he entered the
552
HAMILTON AND CLAY COUNTIES
mercantile business. He bought out an establishment there and with his son, Louis, conducted the A. & L. Kissinger Mercantile Company, general store, for eight years, realizing more than a substantial amount of success in that connection. At the end of that time he sold his business to A. Veith and for two years was in his employ, later resigning that position to accept a like one with Charles Furer at Bruning. For fourteen months he managed the store and then returned to Glen- ville, where for three years he worked for Dick Heye in a hardware store. The next fifteen months he worked for Charles Furer in a general store at Deweese and then again returned to Glenville, where he engaged in the conduct of a garage. Later he located in Hastings and there was employed in the implement business.
While residing in Wisconsin Mr. Kissinger was united in marriage to Miss Estella E. Cisco, a native of Wisconsin, and her death occurred on the 11th of December, 1912, at the age of sixty-six years. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kissinger : Louis, who conducts a garage in Hastings; Mattie L., the widow of Jacob Hinrichs of Hastings; William Earl, a mail carrier of Glenville; and Helma, residing in Hastings.
Throughout his life Mr. Kissinger has given his support to the republican party, in the interests of which he has taken an active part. He was for many years a member of the school board and also served his fellow citizens as road overseer. His religious faith is that of the Baptist church and fraternally he is a Modern Wood- man of America. Mr. Kissinger has been a valuable factor in the development of his section of the country and has ever cooperated in promoting valuable civic measures. He has won the respect of his fellowmen and is numbered among the worthy residents of Hastings.
WILBUR A. LEWIS
Wilbur A. Lewis is proprietor of a garage handling Dodge and Reo cars and an automobile repair shop in Fairfield and is one of the successful and representative business men of that place. He was born in Winchester, Scott county, Illinois, September 28, 1855, a son of Ephraim and Sarah J. (Martin) Lewis, further mention of whom may be found in the sketch of C. L. Lewis appearing on another page of this work.
Wilbur A. Lewis was reared on a farm and received his education in the schools of Scott county. After putting his textbooks aside he engaged in farming with his father and continued in that conection for some time after the removal of the family to Iowa. In 1882, however, he left the parental roof and came to Nebraska, settling in Nuckolls county, where he purchased an eighty acre tract of fine land. For some time he lived on a farm near his land, making his home in a dugout. In 1884 he built his first home on the land and there resided until 1911, when he moved into Fairfield and for some time engaged in the operation of a general store in connection with his brother E. H. At the end of seven years, in 1918, he took over the agency for the Dodge and Reo cars, buying out the business of G. H. Moore, and he has since been active in this line. He has built up a splendid trade and in connection with the garage runs a large repair shop.
553
HAMILTON AND CLAY COUNTIES
In 1879 occurred the marriage of Mr. Lewis and Livonia E. Crawford, a native of Winterset, Iowa, whose parents were among the early pioneers of that state. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis: George L., who is in business with his father; Milton Oliver, who entered service in the World war in 1917 at Kansas City, was at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for the greater part of the time until he was sent abroad in March, 1918, and his death occurred on the 6th of August that year in Alsace-Lorraine; Alta F., who is the wife of John W. McReynolds, insur- ance agent at Long Pine; Sarah Anne, who is the wife of Clarence Wilson, a rail- road man of Fairfield; Wilbur A., Jr., engaged in business with his father; and Howard C., attending school in Fairfield.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Lewis the right of franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the democratic party and served on the Clay county board for a period of eight years. He was likewise a member of the city council one term. The religious faith of the family is that of the Congregational church and fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, which he has served as chancellor com- mander. He has also taken the grand lodge degree. Through a pleasing per- sonality Mr. Lewis has gained a wide circle of friends, has built up a fine business and at the same time has always proven a most loyal and progressive citizen, who can always be counted upon for cooperation in public affairs of moment.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.