History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 104

Author: Edwards, Lewis C
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1742

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Mr. and Mrs. Bucher have two sons, Frederick and John Alfred, and a daughter, Louisa, the latter of whom is at home. The brothers own a quarter of a section of land in this county and a ranch of fourteen hundred acres over in Phelps county and are doing very well in their operations. Frederick Bucher married Lucy Hunzeker and has six children, Gertrude, Leo, Erold, Margaret, Frederick and Marie. John A. Bucher married Sophia Eis and has one child, a son, Raymond. The Buchers are members of the Reformed church and take a proper part in church work, as well as in the general good works and social activities of the community, helpful in all proper ways in advancing the common welfare of the neighborhood in which they live. Mr. Bucher is a Republican, but votes independently in local politics, and ever since becoming a citizen of this country has given his earnest attention to political affairs.

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WILLIAM M. WEDDLE.

William M. Weddle, one of the best-known farmers and stockmen of the precinct of East Muddy in this county, is a native of the old Hoosier state, but has been a resident of Nebraska since he was nine years of age, having come here in 1872 with his parents from Illinois, to which state they had moved from Indiana some years previously. He was born on a farm in the vicinity of Nashville, in Brown county, one of the most picturesque regions in all Hoosierdom, November 19, 1863, son of Lewis M. and Martha A. (Fleener) Weddle, both of whom were born in that same county, who became pioneers of Richardson county and here spent their last days, the former dying at the home of his son, the subject of this sketch, in the fall of 1915.

Lewis M. Weddle, an honored veteran of the Civil War, who became one of the most substantial pioneers of Richardson county, was born in Brown county, Indiana, October 6, 1842, and spent his boyhood on a farm. On February 5. 1863, at Nashville, the county seat of his home county, he mar- ried Martha A. Fleener and established his home on a farm in Brown county. The next year, in August, 1864, he enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil War and was honorably discharged in 1865. The next year, in 1866, he moved with his family to Vermillion county, Illinois, and remained there until 1872, when he moved to Nebraska and located near Nebraska City. After the drought of 1874 he came down into Richardson county and located near Shubert, in which section of the county he spent the remainder of his life. At first he lived northeast of Shubert, but about a quarter of a century ago he moved to the farm cast of Stella, where his son, the subject of this sketch, now resides, and six years later moved to Shubert. In that village his wife died in 1908 and he afterward made his home with his son, William M. Weddle, in whose home he died on November 24, 1915. His body was interred in Prairie Union cemetery with Masonic ceremonies. Mr. Weddle had been a Mason since 1875. He also was a member of Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Woodmen of the World and was a member of the Christian church. " Mr. Weddle took much pride in his family and each child received a substantial inheritance. He was especially proud of the little people of the family, the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and made himself one of them, taking them about with him and spending long hours in visiting with them; during the later years of his life, for their enjoyment, ever having about him a liberal supply of candy and other "goodies." During the grasshopper invasion of 1875 Mr. Weddle gladly

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would have abandoned his land prospects here and would have moved back to Illinois if he had had money enough to pay the freight on his small belong- ings, but he was compelled to "stick it out" and it is well that he did, for he presently began to prosper and he prospered largely, between 1876 and 1900 being regarded as one of the most extensive shippers of live stock hereabout, many times shipping train loads of cattle at a time. During his later years he turned the management of his farms over to his sons, but continued to the last to give considerable personal attention to the large mule-breeding industry he had built up and which his son, William M. Weddle, is still carrying on with much success. Mr. Weddle gave his earnest attention to local civic affairs and for some time served as county supervisor from his district. To Lewis M. Weddle and wife were born eleven children, all of whom are still living and of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being as follow: Selman, of Quincy, Illinois; Sarah, wife of George Brisby, of near Verdon, this county; Mrs. Almeda Lewis, north of Shubert; James .A., southeast of Stella : Lenora, wife of Fred Colglazier, of Falls City ; John F., of Stella : Walter J. and Oscar E., of western Nebraska; L. Walkup, residing southeast of Stella and Gertrude, wife of Samuel Harris, also living southeast of Stella. all of whom were with their father during the last week of his illness and were all present at his funeral.

As noted above, William M. Weddle was nine years of age when his parents came to Nebraska and he completed his schooling in the Walnut Grove school in the precinct of Barada. From the days of his boyhood he was an able assistant to his father in the labors of improving and developing the home place and when twenty-one years of age began farming on his own account on one of his father's farms up in Nemaha county, but in 1897 moved to the farm of two hundred acres, a part of his father's estate, where he is now living and where he ever since has made his home. He has made many substantial improvements on that place and has one of the best farm plants in the neighborhood. For years Mr. Weddle has given special attention to the breeding of mules and has done much to improve the strain of that valu- able and hardy stock hereabout. Mr. Weddle is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office. He is a member of the local lodges of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a warm interest.

On September 1. 1884, William M. Weddle was united in marriage to Lydia A. Doman, who was born in Louisa county, Iowa, third in order of

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birth of the eleven children born to John H. and Martha E. (Matthews) Doman, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Illinois, who came to this county in the spring of 1877 and continued to make their home here until their retirement from the farm and removal to Bonesteel, South Dakota, where they are now living, Mr. Doman being now ( 1917) seventy- six years of age and his wife, seventy-two. Mr. and Mrs. Weddle have three children, Lillie M., wife of Charles Hall, of the neighboring county of Nemaha; Charles S., of the precinct of Barada, and Anna L., who was born in 1907. The Weddles have a very pleasant home in East Muddy precinct and take an interested part in the general social activities of their home com- munity.

WILLIAM RILEY.

William Riley, extensive landowner and cattle breeder, may be classed among the pioneers in this part of the state of Nebraska, having lived here since the year after his birth, and by his industry has raised himself to be one of the substantial farmers of Richardson county. He was born near Salem, New Jersey, on September 27, 1858, the son of Michael and Mary (O'Brien) Riley, who landed at Rulo, this county, in 1859 and who were pioneers here for eight years before Nebraska was admitted to the Union.

Michael and Mary (O'Brien) Riley were married in 1853 in New Jersey and came to Nebraska Territory in 1859, coming on to Rulo, this county. They travelled by ox-team from the latter place to within three miles of Verdon, in Liberty precinct, and there Michael Riley secured a quarter section of land, having previously obtained a warrant from an old Mexican soldier, giving the right to enter the land. He bought a small house which he moved to his claim and here he and his wife and three sons and his brother-in-law, Thomas Farrell, and his wife and son made their home together. This house was destroyed a couple of weeks later by a tornado, but the scattered boards were gathered and with the addition of some new lumber they rebuilt the house. Michael Riley had two yoke of oxen and proceeded to break the land, soon having the same under cultivation. He sold out in 1864 and bought one hundred and twenty acres near Dawson, where he lived until 1884, when he became the owner of a tract of land northeast of Dawson and there spent the rest of his life. Michael and Mary Riley were the parents of seven children, namely: Daniel, who lives in Grant precinct ; James, who died in Omaha in 1907; William; Bernard, the

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM RILEY.

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first of the family born in this county; Michael, who is farming the place on which his father died; Mary, who married M. J. Clancy, of Dawson, and Annie, who died in 1871. The parents of these children were born in County Tipperary, Ireland, the former in 1826 and the latter in 1830 and were married in this country, where Michael Riley came in 1847 and Mary O'Brien in 1851.

William Riley came to Richardson county with his parents when an infant of six months. He attended the district schools of his neighborhood and after finishing school, worked as a railroad section hand at Dawson for about one year. At the end of this period he helped his father on the' farm. He and his brother worked together until the estate was settled, when he became heir to one hundred and sixty acres of prime land, on which there was only a small house. In 1911 he built a modern house of nine rooms, neatly painted white, and finished throughout with all conveniences necessary to domestic comfort. He also built a cattle, horse and hog barn, and every- thing around his farm is in excellent condition. Mr. Riley carried out the erection of all these buildings and effected the improvements at considerable cost ; he set out a large grove of trees and planted evergreens on the north side of the buildings, which add much to the beauty of the farm. He is now the owner of five hundred acres of land, forming the home place, in section 13, Grant precinct ; he has eighty acres in Liberty precinct and one hundred and twenty acres in Nemaha precinct. In addition to his farming activities he is engaged in raising Aberdeen Polled Angus cattle and has some choice strains of that breed.

William Riley has been twice married. In 1885 he was united in mar- riage to Johanna Fenton, a daughter of Jerry Fenton, and who was born in Virginia and died on July 22, 1889, aged twenty-three years. To this union two children were born, who died in infancy. On March 8, 1907, Mr. Riley was married to Katherine Kelly, daughter of Martin and Nora (O'Neil) Kelly, natives of Ireland, where her father was born in 1828 and died in 1902. His wife was born in 1858 and died on May 30, 1900. They were married in Wisconsin and came to Richardson county in 1879, set- tling in Ohio precinct, where they spent their last days. They were the parents of nine children, as follow: Martin J., living in Liberty precinct; Mary Ellen, who married J. J. Tangney and lives in Kansas City, Kansas; James, of Liberty precinct; Katherine, who is the wife of the subject of this sketch; Bridget, living on the old home place; Anna Nora, living in Ohio precinct and keeping house for her brothers; Elizabeth, who married W. T. Cully

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and lives near Friend, this state, and John and Miles, living on the old home- stead in Ohio precinct. No children have been born to Mr. Riley's second marriage, but he and his wife have adopted two children, John and Mary Donnelly, who are cousins. Mr. Riley and his wife are members of the Catholic church and are active in all church affairs. Mr. Riley is a supporter of the Democratic party, but has never been a seeker after public office. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and of the Farmers Union, and in the affairs of these organizations takes a warm interest. Mr. Riley has given evidence of his love of country by purchasing liberally of Liberty Bonds and contributing to the Red Cross.

FRANCIS WITHEE.

In the historical section of this work there is set out in most interesting fashion Francis Withee's own story of "Life on the Plains in Early Days,' and there is therefore no necessity at this point for an enlargement of the details of that adventurous period in the life of the "old-timer" whose name forms the caption for this biographical sketch. Suffice it to say that Mr. Withee, who is one of the real pioneers of Richardson county, as well as one. of the best-known men in the county, for three years after coming here acted as a freighter and "bull-whacker" on the plains, his last trip from Neb- raska City to Denver being made in 1866. During that period he had many stirring adventures and came to be as familiar with conditions on the plains as any one of that courageous band whose activities in this region in the early days of the settlement of the plains and the mountain country, created one of the most interesting and picturesque incidents in the history of the United States. Mr. Withee is a well-read man of keen intellect and the diary he has kept for many years is a veritable epitome of the history of Richardson county and this adjacent region and a most valuable contribution to the annals of the great state of Nebraska, whose development he has watched from the very beginning and in which development he has done well his part.

Francis Withee, former justice of the peace in and for the precinct of Porter, former assessor of that precinct, the proprietor of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the vicinity of Stella and one of the real "old settlers" of Richardson county, is a native of the old Buckeye state, but has been a "Westerner" since he was three or four years of age and a resident of Nebraska since 1858, he having come across the river from Iowa with his.

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father in that year, the family settling on this side in the then Territory of Nebraska, which at that time comprised all that wonderful stretch of country from the Territory of Kansas north to the Dominion line and west to the Rockies. He was born on a farm in Aurelius township, Washington county, Ohio, November 16, 1844, son of Ephraim and Deborah E. (Grant) Withee, natives of the state of Maine, and the former of whom later came into Neb- raska by way of Iowa and here spent his last days.

Ephraim Withee was born at Norridgewock, in Somerset county, Maine, March 6, 1810, a son of Nathaniel and Lydia (Fairbrother) Withee, both of old New England stock, the former of English descent and the latter a daugh- ter of a Scotsman who came to this country and married a girl of the old French-Acadian stock, a member of one of those unhappy families of Acadians who were driven from their pleasant homes in Acadia (Nova Scotia) down onto the inhospitable coast of New England; an incident so feelingly narrated in Longfellow's "Evangeline." Reared in Maine, Ephraim Withee there grew to manhood and married Deborah E. Grant, who also was born in Maine, in 1816, daughter of Samuel Daniel and Abigail (Bickford) Grant, both natives of that same state, members of old New England fam- ilies, of Scottish descent. After his marriage Ephraim Withee moved to Ohio, in 1838, and settled in Washington county, that state, where he settled on a pioneer farm and where he remained until 1848, when he disposed of his holdings there and came West, via steamboat route, settling in Lee county, Iowa, where he followed saw-mill work and teaming. Two years later, in 1850, he moved with his family to Van Buren county, same state, but not finding conditions on the farm there to his liking, presently moved to Bona- parte, in that county, and thence to Croton and later to Keosauqua, same county, where he presently found himself "getting ahead" in the way of cat- tle and other possessions. There he remained until 1858, in which year he moved across the state of Iowa and on across the river into the then Terri- tory of Nebraska, settling on a Missouri river "bottoms" farm in Nemaha county between Nemaha county and Brownville, and where he established his home, one of the early settlers of that section. He remained there until the spring of 1864, when he traded what the river's encroachments had left of his "bottoms" farm for the north half of section 12, town 314, later organ- ized as Porter precinct, this county, assuming a considerable obligation of debt as "boot," and moved down here, arriving on May 2, 1864, and estab- lishing his home on the northwest quarter of the above section; he and his sons proceeding to improve and develop the same and at the same time tak-

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ing contracts to "break" other land thereabout in exchange for acreage, receiv- ing an acre of land for each acre broken up for cultivation. There Ephraim Withee remained until in the early spring of 1871, when he left the farm and moved up into Nemaha City, where his death occurred six weeks later, May 16, 1871. Ephraim Withee was thrice married and was the father of six children, of whom but two grew to maturity, the subject of this sketch and his brother, George Withee, the latter of whom years ago left this county for the coast and died and is buried at Portland, Oregon. The mother of these children died in Iowa in 1852 and Ephraim Withee later married Elizabeth Williams, after whose death he married Ann Hillyard, who survived him and who later remarried.

, As noted above, Francis Withee was but four years of age when his parents moved from Ohio to Iowa and he was thirteen when he came over into Nebraska with his father in 1858. Inured to pioneering from the days of his childhood, he grew up hardy and competent, accustomed to the wild, free life of the plains, and on October 1, 1862, he then being a month or more under eighteen years of age, began the life of a freighter, "bull-whacking" across the plains, and followed that hazardous and adventurous occupation for three years, making his last trip from Nebraska City to Denver in 1866; interesting incidents in which period of his life are entertainingly set out in his own story of "Life on the Plains in Early Days," presented elsewhere in this work. Upon abandoning the life of a plainsman Mr. Withee settled down on the home farm in the precinct of Porter and was a valuable aid to his father and brother in the development of the same. After his marriage in the spring of 1871 he settled down on the old home place and has con- tinued to make that his home to this day, one of the best established farmers in the northern part of the county. Upon their father's death George Withee took the east half of the Withee half section and Francis later became owner of the home quarter section, which he improved in admirable shape and on which now, in the pleasant "evening time" of his life, he is very comfortably situated. During his boyhood Mr. Withee was an ardent "Know-Nothing." his father having been one of the most active supporters of that "American" party ; but upon the formation of the Republican party became affiliated with that party and has ever since been an ardent Republican, for many years one of the leaders of his party in this county. For one term Mr. Withee served as justice of the peace in and for the precinct of Porter and was for many years assessor of that precinct, assessing the same fourteen times, a record of incumbency in that office there. He also has served as school director and

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during the taking of the thirteenth census was the census enumerator for his home precinct.

On April 5, 1871, Francis Withee was united in marriage to Mary Eliza- beth Elmore, who was born in Morgan county, Illinois, October 13, 1848, and was reared in Cass county, same state, daughter of Darius and Mary (Young) Elmore, who settled in Nebraska in 1868. To this union four children have been born, namely: Jessie, who is at home; Luella F:, who married E. W. Clift, of Humboldt, this county, and has three children, Ethel Doris Lee, Warren and Harold Eugene; Ephraim, born on January 4, 1880, who died on July 2, 1915, and Joe Henry, born on March 8, 1882, who is operating the home farm. The Withees have a very pleasant home and have ever taken a proper part in the general social activities of their home com- munity, ever helpful in promoting such agencies as have been designed to advance the general welfare. Mr. Withee has been a Freemason since June 19, 1880, on which date he became a member of Oak Lodge No. 29, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Nemaha City, and is a charter member of the lodge (No. 105) of that ancient order at Stella, in the affairs of which he ever has taken a warm interest. He also is a member of the local lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen at that place.

ISRAEL L. HEIM. -

Israel L. Heim figures among the best and most enterprising meinbers of the farming community in Richardson county. As a breeder of thorough- bred registered cattle his name is known outside the limits of his home county, many breeders of Aberdeen Polled Angus cattle attending his private sales to obtain some of that choice strain for breeding purposes. He was born on October 26, 1873, in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, a son of John J. and Rosina (Heim) Heim, also natives of the Keystone state, the former born on July 2, 1839, and now living with his son, Israel, on the old homestead, and the latter born on August 8. 1838, who came to Richardson county in 1882.

John J. Heim settled on a farm in this county now owned by his son, Israel, and continued actively engaged in farming up to the time of his retire- ment. He is the son of Jacob and Regina (Steiger) Heim. Jacob Heim came to this country from Germany when eleven years old, in 1817, with his father, also named Jacob, a native of Germany. Regina Steiger was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Leonard Steiger, who was

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born in Germany. Rosina Heim, mother of the subject of this sketch, was a daughter of Christian Heim, who married Rosina Wagner. He came to America when eighteen years old, in 1817. John J. and Rosina Heim were the parents of seven . children, namely: Elizabeth, who married Samuel Heim, of Grant precinct; Jacob, who lives one mile north and one and a half miles. west of his brother, Israel L .; Mrs. Anna Stoltz, who lives near Hum- boldt; Mrs. Mary Stratton, living in Brownville; Israel L., who lives on the home place; William, who lives in Arizona, and Mrs. Lucy Draper, living in Manilla, Iowa.

Israel L. Heim was educated in the schools of Dawson and after com- pleting his schooling he remained on his father's farm, a valuable aid to him in the work of cultivating the land. He subsequently bought the farm from his father and had the house, which was built in 1899, remodeled in 1913 and is now modern in every respect, amply surrounded by shade trees and evergreens. His farm of one hundred and sixty acres is located in section 10, Grant township, and is well improved and in excellent condition. In 1912 Mr. Heim began breeding Aberdeen Polled Angus cattle and has some splendid specimens of thoroughbred registered stock. He has a herd of ten cows, headed by the thoroughbred, "Dinsmore Lad," bought from L. H. Howe, of Humboldt. He sells much of this stock to cattle breeders at private sales. He also raises thoroughbred Duroc-Jersey hogs, of which he ships about a carload annually.

On October 4, 1899, Israel L. Heim was united in marriage to Gertrude Draper, who was born in Iowa, on January 16, 1878, a daughter of William I. and Isabelle (Talboys) Draper, who came to Nebraska in 1879, settling in Richardson county. In a sketch appearing in another part of this work relating to William I. Draper (Mrs. Heim's father), more extended and fitting reference is made to the Draper family, who were originally of Eng- lish descent. To Israel L. and Gertrude (Draper) Heim the following chil- dren have been born : Theodore, born on July 1, 1901, now attending Daw- son high school; Rosina, March 14, 1903, and Lucy, March 23, 191I.

Mr. Heim is a supporter of the Republican party, but reserves the right to vote independently as occasion demands and has never been a seeker after public office. The Heim family are members of the United Evangelical church and warm supporters of the same. Mrs. Heim is a graduate of the Dawson high school and taught school for some years. She was assistant principal of the Dawson high school for one year and also taught in the dis- trict schools of Humboldt. Mr. and Mrs. Heim are cultured and refined

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History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 104

Author: Edwards, Lewis C Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1742

Author: Edwards, Lewis C
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1742