History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 106

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

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John Ogle was born in Cumberland, Ohio, and in 1873 came to this state and bought land in Franklin precinct, five miles north of Humboldt, where he was engaged in farming up to the time of his death in 1878 at the age of fifty-seven years. His wife, Keziah ( Burgess) Ogle, was born in the state of Pennsylvania. She died in 1870 at the early age of thirty-six years. They were members of the United Brethren church. To John Ogle and wife ten children were born, two of whom are deceased, the others being Mrs. Hattie Davenport, a widow, living at Augusta, Hancock county, Illinois; Noah and Mrs. Anna Marble, also living at Augusta, Hancock county, Illinois; Jolin M., who resides near Harwood, Missouri; William O., in Colorado; James, who lives near Humboldt, this county, on the old home place, and Mrs. Mary Brown, a widow, living at south Sioux City, this state.

Joseph Ogle, the subject of this sketch, was twenty-three years old

MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH OGLE.

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when he came to the state of Nebraska, where he farmed with his brother- in-law for one year, at the end of which period he returned to Illinois and was first married in that state in 1874. He returned to Richardson county in the spring of 1874 and purchased the farm on which he now resides, paying for the same six dollars and fifty cents per acre. The land was all raw prairie and wholly unimproved. Many friends of Mr. Ogle declared that he was "crazy," and informed him that failure would follow his venture. Nothing daunted, however, he set to work to clear the land and plant crops, and success attended his efforts from the very beginning, his indus- try enabling him to pay outright for the land in the short space of three years and then had a profit from his labors. Since becoming the owner of his present holdings, Mr. Ogle has made many extensive improvements and is generally regarded as one of the most substantial farmers in Grant precinct. In addition to his work on the farm he is also engaged in breeding high-grade Hereford cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs, and has been equally successful in these lines. He also owns ten acres of valuable land near Titus, Florida.

Joseph Ogle has been twice married. In January, 1874, he was united in marriage to Luretta Swisegood, who was born in Hancock county, Illi- nois, and died in 1906 at the age of forty-nine years. To this union seven children were born, namely: John, who lives south of Dawson, this county; Mrs. Anna Cross, who lives in Healy, Lane county, Kansas; Marcellus, deceased; Mrs. Lena Roscoe, of Clay Center, Kansas; Susan, deceased; Ray, who lives in Kimball county, this state, owner of an entire section of land, and Pearl, who died when three years old. On May 5, 1908, Mr. Ogle was married to Hattie May Grady, who was born in Beardstown, Cass county, Illinois, a daughter of William Alonzo and Harriette (Hickle) Grady, natives of Ohio. Mrs. Grady is deceased and is buried at Hum- boldt. She was born near Chillicothe, Ross county, Ohio. Mr, Grady was born near Zanesville, Ohio, and now resides at Vermont, Fulton county, Iilinois.

Mr. Ogle is a Republican and throughout his long residence in Richard- son county has always taken an active interest in all matters appertaining to the public welfare. In all that concerns educational affairs he has been especially active. In that connection he has served on school district board No. 34 for fifteen years and in other ways has given of his time and ener- gies for the advancement of all movements designed to advance the public good. His wife is a member of the Methodist church at Humboldt, becom- ing affiliated with this denomination when thirteen years old. Mr. and Mrs. Ogle are members of the Humboldt Chapter of the Red Cross.

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THOMAS H. LYNCH.

Thomas H. Lynch, automobile salesman, of Humboldt, where he is also owner of eighty acres of good land, which he formerly operated, was born on January 4, 1871, on the farm which he now owns, and he has spent his life in Richardson county. He is a son of John M. and Harriet (Brandow) Lynch. To these parents nine children were born, named as follows: Free- man lives in Sioux City, Iowa ; Thomas H. of this sketch : Burton is deceased; Mrs. Daisy Smith lives in Custer county, Nebraska; Samuel lives at Yellow- stone, Montana; Carl is deceased; Claude is living in Oregon; he is a twin of Carl; Clyde lives in Nemaha county, Kansas ; and Edward lives in Du Bois, Nebraska.

John M. Lynch, the father, was born in 1844 near Indianapolis, Indi- ana. He was a son of Thomas S. and Lavina (Frazier) Lynch, natives of Ohio and Tennessee, respectively, the former born on November 26, 1818, and the latter, December 14, 1817. They spent their lives on a farm and came to Richardson county, Nebraska, in 1868, settling on the farm now owned by B. Frank Revelle in Humboldt precinct, where they endured the hardships incident to life on the western plains at that period. Thomas S. Lynch donated an acre of land for the purpose of establishing a cemetery, in which he and his children and relatives have been buried. The postoffice in this part of the county was also conducted on the Lynch farm for about five years or more, the place being known as Lynchburg. The stage that made the long trips into the West stopped there four times a week. Thomas S. Lynch was one of the first county commissioners in Richardson county. He was active and influential in early-day affairs here and did much toward the general upbuilding of the locality. He was not only a man of industry, but of sound judgment, public spirit and intelligence. His death occurred on July 24, 1902. His wife died on December 10, 1905. His family consisted of seven children, named as follows: John M., father of the subject of this sketch, was the eldest, and was born on September 24, 1839, and died on April 7, 1895; Mrs. Sarah Allen is deceased ; Joseph is deceased ; Mrs. Minnie Unkefer is deceased; William lives in Oregon; Alice, wife of Chester Powers, lives in Humboldt precinct, Richardson county, and Mrs. Emma Grinsted lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.

John M. Lynch, father of the subject of this sketch, was a soldier in the Civil War, having enlisted in Company H, Seventy-sixth Indiana Volun- teer Infantry, at Indianapolis ,and served three and one-half years, seeing

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much hard service in the South. He was an excellent soldier and received an honorable discharge. His wife, Harriet Brandow, was born in Rock- ford, Illinois, May 6, 1848, and she died on November 1, 1891. She was a daughter of Moses and Phoebe (Woods) Brandow. Further mention of her family may be found in the sketch of William Brandow, appearing on another page of this work.

Thomas H. Lynch of this sketch, was born and reared on the home farm where he worked when a boy, and he received his education in the public schools at Lynchburg, where his father taught seven years. When eighteen years old Thomas H. Lynch began farming by renting land. He finally bought out the other heirs to the home place and became owner of the old homestead which he kept well improved and farmed for six years, then, in 1905 moved to Canada and took up a homestead, remaining there until 1913, when he returned to Humboldt, Nebraska, and has since been engaged in the automobile business. By his industry and honest dealings he has built up a large and growing business, handling standard makes of machines. .

Mr. Lynch was married on June 22, 1892, to Gertrude McCormick, who was born in' Whiteside county, Illinois. She is a daughter of George McCormick and wife, natives. of Illinois, where they grew up, married and established their home. Mrs. Lynch came to Humboldt, Nebraska, about 1890, her sister, Mrs. Nettie Schlotterback, having located here 'previously. To Thomas H. Lynch and wife one child has been born, Mrs. Fay Carsch, whose birth occurred in 1896.

Politically, Mr. Lynch is an independent voter. Fraternally, he belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Knights of" Pythia's at Humboldt.

J. EDWARD GILBERT. ...!.

J. Edward Gilbert, one of the well-to-do retired farmers of Porter. prc- cinct and the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in that precinct, now living at Stella, is a native of the state of Illinois, but has been a resident of Nebraska since he was twenty years of age. He was born in Henry county. Illinois, January 1, 1858, son of Osborn and Elizabeth ( Bart- lett ) Gilbert, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter, of Illinois, whose last days were spent in the latter state.

Osborn Gilbert was born in 1827 and was, but a boy when his parents, Joseph and Nancy Gilbert, left New York and settled in Henry county, Illi-

.: .

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nois, thus having been among the pioneers of that county. There he grew to manhood and married Elizabeth Bartlett, who was born in that state in 1830, daughter of pioneer parents, and who died in 1864. To that union were born five children, one of whom died in infancy, the others besides the sub- ject of this sketch being as follow: Mrs. Marian Stafford, now deceased; Mortimer, a well-known farmer of Porter precinct, this county, and Mrs .. Addie Allen, of Iowa. Following the death of the mother of these children Osborn Gilbert married Fannie Grant, who was born in Henry county, Illi- nois, and who died in that county in 1902, she then being past fifty-one years of age. To that union were born five children, namely : Bert, of Oklahoma ; Mrs. Mary Wickwire, of Colorado; Mrs. Lizzie Moore, of Missouri; Charles, of Oklahoma, and Claude, whose present address is unknown to his kinsmen in this county. Osborn Gilbert died at his home in Illinois in 1897, at the age of seventy years.

J. Edward Gilbert was reared on the home farm in Henry county, Illi- nois, and received his schooling in the neighborhood schools. He early began working for himself and when twenty years of age, in 1878, started out with a party of government surveyors and was engaged for some time in helping to run the lines in western Nebraska. During this experience he became so greatly taken with the possibilities of development in this state that in 1880 he bought a quarter of a section of land in section 14 of the precinct of Porter, in this county, and after his marriage in 1882 established his home there, having previously boarded with the family of Francis Withee. Between the time of taking -possession of the place and his marriage Mr. Gilbert had done much to develop his place, had built a comfortable home, planted trees and broke the ground and it was not long after becoming established there until he had one of the best-improved farms in that section and was doing right well in his operations. Some years ago Mr. Gilbert retired from the active labors of the farm and he and his wife are now living at Stella, where they are very comfortably situated. Mr. Gilbert is a Republican and for some time served his local district as a member of the school board.

.!!! . On December 25, 1882, about two years after settling in this county, J. Edward Gilbert was united in marriage to Carrie M. Timerman, who was born on January 7. 1865, daughter of Jacob and Rozina (Helligus) Timer- man, pioneers of Richardson county and further and fitting mention of which family is made elsewhere in this volume, and to this union four children have been born, namely: Earl, a farmer in the precinct of Porter, who married Sarah West and has one child, a daughter, Erma, born on May 16, 1916; Bertha, who married Jake Hinkle, of Stella, and has two children, Zelma

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and Darrel: Ray, who married Mona Ankrom, and Dorothy, who married Herbert Morris, of the precinct of Porter. Mr. Gilbert is a member of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America and Mrs. Gilbert is a mein- ber of the Royal Neighbors. They have a pleasant home at Stella and take a proper interest in the general social activities of their home community.

GEORGE F. FUNK.

George F. Funk, a substantial and well-known farmer of Grant town- ship, where he owns two hundred and forty acres of prime land in sections 28, 29, 32 and 33, was born.on February 17, 1862, in Hancock county, Illi- nois. He is the son of Isaac and Mary (Fuhrer) Funk, the former of whom was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1831, the son of Isaac and Anna (Schrauger) Funk, natives of Pennsylvania, who were of the farming class; they settled in the state of Illinois in an early day and continued to reside there up to the time of their deaths.

Isaac Funk, father of the subject of this sketch, came to Richardson county in 1888 and bought the farm now owned by his son, George F., effect- ing many valuable improvements and setting out a grove of trees. Here he carried on general farming with considerable success up to the time of his death in 1892. His wife, Mary (Fuhrer) Funk, was born in Hessenstradt, Germany; she is the daughter of John and Margaret Fuhrer, also natives of Germany, who immigrated to the United States and settled in Hancock county, Illinois, where they lived and died. Mrs. Mary Funk was born about the year 1839; she is now living with a daughter. To Isaac Funk and wife the following children were born: Mrs. Ella Strunk, who lives at Humboldt, this county; Mrs. Emma Strunk, living at Hiawatha, Kansas; George F., the subject of this sketch; Henry, who lives in Clyde, Kansas; Mrs. Mary Com- stock, of Ft. Scott, Kansas; Joseph, living in New Mexico; Mrs. Katherine Triggs, who resides in Grant township and is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land, and Montgomery, of Enid, Oklahoma.

George F. Funk was reared on the farm and attended the district schools in Illinois. Some time following his arrival in Richardson county, he started for himself, working as a farm hand and continued so engaged up to the time of his father's death, when he acquired his present holding of two hun- dred and forty acres, buying out the interests of the other heirs. He is now engaged in general farming and has met with considerable success.

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On October 20, 1898, George F. Funk was united in marriage to Nellie Smith, daughter of Charles and Lucinda (Lockwood) Smith, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Funk are parents of two children namely : George and Charlie, who are living at home with their parents. Mrs. Funk, who was born in Nemaha township, is the mother of two children by a former marriage to Jacob Triggs. These children are Joseph and Lee, the former in Lincoln, this state, and the latter with Mr. Funk.

In politics, Mr. Funk is^a Democrat, but has never been a seeker after public office. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Knights and Ladies of Security, and in the affairs of these two organizations he takes a warm inter- est. Mrs. Funk is a member of the United Brethren church.

SAMUEL WAHL.

Samuel Wahl, one of the best-known and most energetic business men in Falls City and the proprietor of a well-stocked department store there, dealer in general merchandise, dry goods and clothing, is a native of the old Keystone state, but has been a resident of Nebraska since 1870 and has consequently seen this county develop from pioneer days. He was born at Salisbury, in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, June 25, 1848, son of Chris- topher and Barbara (Smith) Wahl, well-known residents of that community. who were the parents of six children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being as follow: Casper, who is still living at Salisbury; Mrs. Margaret Rumiser, who is also living in her old home county; Henry, who served for three years as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War, a private in the Fifty-fourth Regiment, Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry; John, deceased, and Franklin, deceased. Chris- topher Wahl, the father, was born in Germany. He came to this country about 1830 and settled in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the milling business and where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in the eighty-third year of his age. He was twice married. After the death of the mother of the children above mentioned he married Mary Horne, also a native of Germany, and to that union were born four sons, Alhert, of Myersdale, Pennsylvania; Harvey, who is engaged in the cloth-

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ing business at Falls City, and Rufus and Martin, of Myersdale, Pennsyl- vania.

Reared at Salisbury, Samuel Wahl received his schooling in the little red school house there, going to school about four months a year during his boyhood, and early began working on his own account, working at farm labor, cutting wood and the like and presently learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked for about three years, or until December, 1868, when he came West and stopped in Lee county, Illinois, where he began working as a farm laborer and where he remained until in January, 1870, when he came to Nebraska and stopped at Falls City. During the first years of his residence in this county Mr. Wahl worked as a farm hand and in the second year he took a contract to break prairie sod, receiving for that strenuous task three dollars and twenty-five cents an acre. He spent the year 1873 with a government surveyor's outfit in western Nebraska and in 1874 returned to Falls City, where he began clerking in the shoe store of D. H. Ballard. The next year that store was bought by Miller & Moore and its business was extended to include clothing and men's furnishings. Mr. Wahl continued as a clerk in that store until 1882, when he formed a part- nership with F. J. Allen and bought out the store of Crook & Towle, which was operated under the firm name of Samuel .Wahl & Company until the death of Mr. Allen in 1886, since which time Mr. Wahl has conducted the business alone, the oldest merchant in continuous business in the city of Falls City. He has a well-stocked store and has an extensive and con- stantly growing business, long having been regarded as one of the leading business men of southeastern Nebraska. In 1902 he moved his store to its present location, having built the splendid store building there the year before, and has since occupied that building, three stories and a basement, fifty-two by one hundred and fourteen feet in dimensions, where he carried a well-selected stock of groceries, clothing, women's ready-to-wear garments and dry goods, arranged on the departmental plan, the best-equipped store in this part of the state. In addition to his store Mr. Wahl is the owner of a fine brick residence in Falls City and is very well circumstanced. He is a member of the local lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and has for years taken an active interest in the affairs of that order.

On June 23. 1886, Samuel Wahl was united in marriage at Falls City to Emma Murray, who was born at Wittenburg, Pennsylvania, in 1859. and who had located at Falls City in 1884, and who died in May, 1903, leaving four children, George, an electrician, now residing at Kansas City;

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Clifford, who was farming near Ovala, Colorado, and is now a member of Troop C, First Colorado Cavalry, United States Army; Roy, at home with his father, and Lloyd, also at home.

George Wahl married Celia Quiet, of Kansas City, and has two children .. Samuel and Julian. Clifford Wahl married Fern Kessler, of Hiawatha, Kansas, and has one son, Keith Rodney.

ALFRED G. BACON.

One of the most progressive farmers and upright citizens of a past generation in Nemaha precinct, Richardson county, was the late Alfred G. Bacon, a man whose name is worthy of perpetuation on the pages of local history. He was born on December 23, 1844, at Dayton, Cattaraugus county, New York. He was a son of Leander and Sarah Ann (Hilibert) Bacon, also natives of the last named county and state, each a representative of old colonial families, members of which were active in the pioneer affairs of their locality. Alfred G. Bacon grew to manhood in his native state and there attended the public schools. He was married in his native state on June 12, 1866, at Clear Creek, Cattaraugus county, to Ann Augusta Frisbie, who was born on September 30, 1847, in the above named county and there she grew up and attended the common schools. She was a daughter of Charles and Mandana (Bailey) Frisbie, both of whom were born and reared in the state of New York. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Bacon moved to Wis- consin and in partnership with his brother, Frank, operated a grist-mill during the year 1867; he then moved to Pennsylvania, where he was employed in the oil fields. In 1871 he came West, locating on a farm in Nemaha town- ship, Richardson county, Nebraska, purchasing three hundred and sixty acres of land. He started here in a small way, living for some time in a small two-roomed house, which was destroyed by fire on August 11, 1881. He then built the substantial Bacon homestead, a large and attractive dwell- ing. He added to his original holdings from time to time and became one of the prosperous farmers and stockmen of the county. He devoted his atten- tion exclusively to his large agricultural interests until his death, which occur- red on August 12, 1896.

Constant Bacon settled in the same neighborhood as did the subject of this memoir, but later moved back to his old neighborhood. Mrs. Betsy Nims and Mrs. Calista Blakely, sisters of Mr. Bacon, also came to Richard- son county at the same time as did the Bacons.

MR. AND MRS. ALFRED G. BACON.

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The following children were born to Alfred G. Bacon and wife: Etta Belle, now deceased, was the wife of William Clark, and she left five chil- dren, Dora, Jessie, Percy, Roy and Dorothy ; Roy has enlisted in the United States regular army at Corrallis, Oregon; Estella is the wife of Charles Eaton, a farmer of Nemaha precinct; Sadie M. is the wife of Austin Ewer and they live in Summit, Idaho; they have two children, Floyd M. and Glen. Mrs. Ina M. Sims, deceased wife of Otis Sims; Uno G., deceased; Archie B., at home; Grace A., the widow of Robert Butler, deceased, and she has three children, Ina, Wenneth, and Harry, deceased.

Politically, Mr. Bacon, of this sketch, was a Republican, and fraternally, he belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Humboldt. He took an active interest in the affairs of his community and was regarded as a good citizen in every respect.

WILLIAM M. RIFE.

A careful and energetic farmer of Franklin precinct, Richardson county. is William M. Rife. who was born in Madison county, Iowa, September 18, 1877. He is a son of Jackson and Mary C. (Rosenberger) Rife, natives of Ohio and Illinois, respectively. The mother was born in 1851 and died in 1886. She was twice married. Her second husband was J. S. Mann, of Stella, Nebraska, who was a harness maker by trade. To their union one child was born, Sibyl, who lives at home. To the union of Jackson and Mary C. Rife two children were born, namely: Charles, who died when seven years old, and William M., the subject of this sketch. Jackson Rife was also twice married. The mother of the subject of this sketch came to Nebraska in 1884.

William M. Rife was seven years old when his mother died. His guardian was John H. Coons, who lived near Auburn and now resides in Porter precinct, and with whom he made his home until he was twenty-one years old. He had received a common-school education. Upon attaining his majority Mr. Rife went to Kansas City, Missouri, where he worked for three months in a brass foundry, then came to Richardson county, Nebraska, and engaged in farm work for two years. He then traveled by buggy and horse to Iowa where his uncle, L. D. Miller, resided, and there he engaged in farming two years, and during that period was married. A year later he returned to Richardson county and bought a farm of one hundred and ten

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acres in Franklin precinct which he still owns. He has carried on general farming successfully and kept his place well improved. He has a pleasant home and everything about his place denotes thrift and good management. Mr. Rife erected an attractive modern home in 1908. He is at this writing running a transportation route, an auto truck for the purpose of taking the children in his district to the consolidated schools of his precinct, which was one of the first to organize consolidated schools in Nebraska.

Mr. Rife was married on September 3. 1902, in Iowa, to May Frances McDonald, who was born in Ohio. She is a daughter of Frank McDonald. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rife, namely: Enid, now (1917) thirteen years old; Lois, nine years old; and Hazel, six years old.

Politically, Mr. Rife is a Democrat, but is inclined to vote independently. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church. He is always on the right side of movements having for their object the betterment of conditions in his locality.

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History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 106

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