History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 122

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

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On February 7, 1881, Matthias Schulenberg was united in marriage to

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Caroline Portrey, who was born in this county in 1860, a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Stepich) Portrey, natives of Ohio and early settlers of Nebraska, the former of whom is still living, a resident of Falls City, and to that union five children were born, namely: John, who is farming in the precinct of Arago; Joseph, who is farming in the precinct of Ohio; Mrs. Catherine McNulty, of Falls City; Gustave, the fourth in order of birth, and Adam, who is helping his father.

IMPERTOUS M. BOWERS.

One of the most enterprising young farmers of Liberty precinct is Impertous M. Bowers, who is also known throughout Richardson county as a buyer of live stock. He was born on the old homestead in the above named township, August 29, 1873, a son of Daniel and Emeline (Becken- hopt ) Bowers. The father was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1833, and died on May 23, 1901. In 1872 he came to Richardson county, Nebraska, and purchased a tract of partly improved land in Liberty precinct, where the family still resides. There he spent the rest of his life engaged in general farming and stock raising, feeding large numbers of cattle and hogs, becoming one of the leading farmers of the county and a man of influence. His wife was born in Stark county, Ohio, and her death occurred in 1881. To these parents six children were born, namely : Mrs. Ada L. Nulk, deceased: Lois, wife of Fred Heineman, of Verdon, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work: Emerson L., a farmer and stockman of Liberty precinct, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this volume ; Impertous M., the subject of this sketch ; Mrs. Myrtle Kiefer, who lives at Hot Springs, South Dakota, and Oliver H., who lives at Falls City.

Impertous M. Bowers grew up on the home farm and attended the dis- trict schools. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age and then began working out as a farm hand. Five years later he began farming for himself and presently bought his present farm in Liberty pre- cinct, the same consisting of one hundred and three acres. He does not farm on a very large scale, preferring to devote much of his time to buying and shipping live stock, in partnership with his brother, Emerson L. Bowers, and has been feeding cattle for a period of thirteen years-about three car- loads a year. He and his brother also buy and ship apples in large quantities each autumn.

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Mr. Bowers was married on February 24, 1901, to Minnie Cooper, who was born in Atchison county, Missouri, a daughter of Hicks and Sophia (Scheele) Cooper, the former a native of Missouri and the latter a native of Germany, from which country she came to America when young, and to this union three children have been born, Ralph, Fern and Charline. Mr. Bowers is an independent voter. Fraternally, he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America.

WILLIAM ROBERT BATES.

William Robert Bates, a successful cement contractor and coal dealer at Falls City and one of the most active and progressive business men in that city, is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of this country since the days of his infancy. He was born on February 13, 1882, son of William Robert and Etta (Kessler) Bates, also natives of Germany, who left their native land in 1884 and came to the United States, proceeding from the port of New York to Illinois, where they presently settled on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Bloomington, where they spent the rest of their lives, the subject of this sketch being left orphaned at the age of thirteen years by the death of his parents.

Thus seriously handicapped in the race of life William Robert Bates faced the tasks before him with resolute courage and from the days of his boyhood began doing for himself, working as a farm hand, as a teamster, as a plumber, as a bricklayer or at any work his hand found to do, meantime pursuing his studies by private reading as best he could, with an earnest desire to gain more of an education than his limited opportunities for school- . ing in the days of his boyhood had permitted. After he was twenty years of age he bought a set of books, being advised and instructed by a student friend, and set himself so diligently to the task of mastering the contents of the same that he presently acquired a pretty good general education. Dur- ing this time he was traveling quite a bit, securing employment at one place and another and this further broadened his knowledge. In January, 1907, Mr. Bates arrived at Falls City and for two months thereafter was engaged in work as a farm hand in that vicinity. He then, in 1908, took up cement contracting in a small way and has since been thus engaged on his own account, having been successful from the very beginning of his endeavors in that line and has come to be regarded as one of the leading cement con-

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tractors in this part of the state. During this time he has on various occa- sions worked in partnership, but is now carrying on his extensive business alone. In 1915 he added a coal yard to his cement works and in this latter line also has been successful. Mr. Bates has made a specialty of the con- struction of hollow tile silos and has erected many of these substantial struc- tures throughout this section of Nebraska and over the line in Kansas.

On April 28, 1915, William Robert Bates was united in marriage to Ann O. McCool, who was born at Salem, this county, daughter of Albert A. and Roseatte (Clark) McCool, the former of whom was born in Guthrie county, Iowa, and the latter in this county, daughter of pioneer parents. Albert A. McCool came to this county from Iowa forty-five years ago and engaged in the hardware business at Salem, where he married and established his home. Mr. and Mrs. Bates have a pleasant home at Falls City and take a proper part in the general social activities of their home town.

WILLIAM F. KENTOPP.

William F. Kentopp, of Falls City, one of Richardson county's best- known' and most substantial retired farmers and landowners and a United States game warden, attached to the department of agriculture, with parti- cular reference to the preservation of migratory birds, is of European birth, but has been a resident of this country since he was sixteen years of age and of Richardson county since 1881. He was born in the vicinity of the city of Berlin on February 15, 1860, son of John and Catherine (Rater) Ken- topp, both natives of West Prussia, the former born on May 9, 1828, and the · latter, September 26, 1826, who came to this county in 1882 and the latter of whom is still living here, making her home with her son, the subject of this sketch, at Falls City. The year after establishing himself in Richardson county, William F. Kentopp sent back money to his parents with which to pay their passage to this country and he provided a home for them in this county, John Kentopp spending his last days here, his death occurring on January 10, 1910. His widow still survives him and is living with her son at Falls City, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. She has four chil- dren, the subject of this sketch having a brother, August Kentopp, a farmer, living near Verdon, this county, and two sisters, Mrs. Amelia Edlinger, a widow, living in Berlin, Germany, and Mrs. Augusta Shup, of Chicago, Illinois.

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Upon completing the course in the common schools of his native land, William F. Kentopp, in 1876, he then being sixteen years of age, came to the United States, and for three years thereafter was engaged in working in the coal mines at Milesdale, in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and later, for a season, as a farm hand in that vicinity, in the meantime acquiring a prac- tical working knowledge of the English language and saving the neat sum of six hundred dollars. With the determination to invest this sum in West- ern land he started West in 1881, his objective point being Falls City. Be- tween St. Louis and Atchison the train on which he was traveling was held up by train robbers and he was relieved of his "roll," the bandits leaving him in possession of but a meager supply of small change, enough to pay his carfare from Atchison to Falls City and fifty cents over. He offered to give this remaining half dollar for transportation up to the home of a friend in Ohio precinct, where the village of Straussville now stands, but was taken out without charge and thus had a half dollar with which to begin opera- tions in a new land.

Nothing deterred by this appearance of adversity, Mr. Kentopp set- tled down to begin all over again and through the kindness of friends was enabled to rent a tract of land and set up in farming in the precinct of Ohio. The next year he sent for his parents and the year following, in the spring of 1883, returned to Pennsylvania and was there married. In 1888 he bought a quarter of a section of land in Ohio precinct, this county, built a new house and other farm buildings, including one of the finest dairy houses in the state of Nebraska, the same surrounding a remarkable fine spring, and it was 'not long until he began to be counted among the leading farmers and stockmen of that part of the county. As he prospered in his agricultural operations Mr. Kentopp added to his holdings until he now is the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of fine and well-improved land in Richard- son county, a quarter section in section 30 of Ohio precinct and an adjoining quarter section in section 25 of the precinct of Liberty, his eldest son, John Kentopp, now farming the latter tract. Mr. Kentopp remained on the farm, actively engaged in farming and stock raising, until 1912, when he retired and moved to Falls City, where he bought a comfortable modern residence on Stone street and has since made his home there. His wife died there in 1915 and his eldest daughter is now his housekeeper. Mr. Kentopp has for years given particular attention to the preservation and conservation of the game resources of Nebraska and of this section of the Middle West and in 1909 was appointed a special game warden for this state. In 1913 he was appointed traveling game warden for Nebraska and in 1915 received the

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appointment of United States game warden, under the direction of the de- partment of agriculture, with special jurisdiction in the matter of the preser- vation of migratory birds and still occupies that position, giving his close personal attention to the duties of that important office. Mr. Kentopp is a member of the Lutheran church and has ever given proper attention to church work and other neighborhood good works. Fraternally he is affili- iated with the Falls City lodge of the Knights and Ladies of Security, having transferred his membership in that order from the lodge at Verdon to that at Falls City upon his removal to the latter place, and is the oldest surviving member of the Verdon lodge. Politically, he is a Democrat.

On May 1, 1883, in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, William F. Kentopp was united in marriage to Pauline Strauss, who was born in Germany in 1858, a daughter of John Strauss and wife, and who died, as noted above, in Falls City in 1915. To that union were born eight children, the first two of whom were born in Pennsylvania, the others in Richardson county, namely : Mrs. Anna Boatman, a widow, who is keeping house for her father at Falls City; Mrs. Catherine Harkendorf, of the precinct of Ohio; John, a well-known and progressive young farmer of that same precinct : Charles, who is an automobile salesman at Falls City; Fred, a farmer of Ohio precinct; Emil, who is engaged with his brother Charles in the auto- mobile business at Falls City: William, a farmer of Ohio precinct, and Edward, who is a machinist in the Kentopp garage at Falls City.

JOHN MOSIMAN, JR.

John Mosiman, Jr., member of the firm of Werner, Mosiman & Com- pany, dealers in farm implements and automobiles at Falls City, a member of the city council and chief of the volunteer fire department of that city. is a native son of Richardson county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in the precinct of Arago, nine miles northeast of Falls City, December 28, 1874. a son of John and Catherine (Mertz) Mosiman, both of whom are of European birth, the former a Swiss and the latter a Swabian, who are now living comfortably retired in Falls City, which has been their place of residence since 1898.

The elder John Mosiman was born in 1835 and he remained in his native Switzerland until he was twenty-one years of age, when, in 1856, he came to this country and proceeded on out to Indiana, locating in the

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JOHN MOSIMAN, JR.

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vicinity of Bluffton, in that state, where he married Catherine Mertz, who was born in Swabia in 1839 and who had come to this country in 1855. After his marriage John Mosiman established his home on a farm in the vicinity of Bluffton and there remained until 1867, when he came to Nebraska with his family and settled on a farm in Arago, which he proceeded to. improve and develop, and on which he made his home until in April, 1898. when he traded that tract of one hundred and sixty acres for a farm in Brown county, Kansas, and then retired from the active labors of the farm and moved into Falls City, where he and his wife have since made their home. To them ten children have been born, of whom the subject of this. sketch was the fifth in order of birth, the others being as follow: Mrs. Christina Kammerer, of Morgantown, West Virginia; Fred, of Falls City ; Mrs. Mary Reynolds, of Falls City; William, a farmer, living five miles. northeast of Falls City; Louisa, who died at the age of seventeen years; Mrs. Katie Bauman, of Scio, Oregon; Mrs. Anna Heiser, who is living on her father's farm across the line in Kansas; Mrs. Ida Johnston, of Superior, this state, and Henry, of Falls City.

The junior John Mosiman was reared on the home farm in the precinct of Arago, receiving his schooling in the schools of district No. 28, at old Arago Center, and from boyhood was a valued aid to his father in the labors of improving and developing the home farm, remaining at home until after his marriage in 1898, when he began farming on his own account and was thus engaged for three years, at the end of which time he left the farm and moved to Falls City, where he entered the employ of G. D. Bici, grocer, who a year later sold his store to Johnson brothers. Mr. Mosiman continued with the latter firm for six months and then engaged in the sale of agricultural implements, wagons and carriages, later adding to this line the sale of automobiles, and has done very well. The present firm of Werner, Mosiman & Company is made up of Ernest Werner, father-in-law of Mr. Mosiman, John Mosiman, Jr., and Edward Yoesel. The business was estab- lished in 1904 on a modest scale, but by fair methods of dealing has grad- ually expanded until now it carries an investment of thirty-five thousand dollars and is doing an annual business exceeding that sum. The firm carries the goods of the Moline Plow Company, the Canton Plow Company, or the "P. & O." line, and the International Harvester Company's line, besides automobiles and accessories, and is one of the best-known dealers in these lines of goods in this part of the state. Mr. Mosiman is an "independent" Republican and during his residence in Arago precinct served for two years as assessor and was for one year census enumerator. He has been chief

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of the volunteer fire department of Falls City for the past six or seven years and for the past two years has been councilman from his ward in the city council.

On February 24, 1898, Jolın Mosiman, Jr., was united in marriage to Sophia Werner, who also was born in the precinct of Arago, a daughter of Ernest and Carolina (Miller) Werner, who are now living in Falls City, where Mr. Werner is engaged in the business above set out, head of the firm of Werner, Mosiman & Company. Mr. Werner is of European birth, a native of the grand duchy of Baden, but has been a resident of this country since the days of his young manhood. His wife was born in the city of Buffalo, New York. They came to Nebraska in 1860 and settled in Arago township, where they lived until their removal to Falls City. Mr. and Mrs. Mosiman have five children, Elizabeth, Theodore, George, Elmer and Naomi. The Mosimans are members of the' Evangelical church and take a proper interest in church work. Mr. Mosiman is an Odd Fellow and a member of the Modern Woodmen and in the affairs of these organizations takes a warm interest. He is a public-spirited, energetic business man and is prompt to help along any movement having to do with the advancement of the common good in his home town and throughout the county at large.

HARRY H. SCHRADER.

Harry H. Schrader, a well-known stockman and farmer of Liberty precinct, Richardson county, owner of one hundred and fifty acres of land in section 23, was born on February 28, 1874, in Cook county, Illinois. He is the son of John J. and Mary ( Rammin) Schrader, natives of Germany and for many years residents of this part of Nebraska. To their marriage the following children, all of whom are living, were born: Mrs. Emma L. Jorn, of Verdon; Harry H., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Anna M. Hoffman, who lives in Council Grove, Kansas; Amelia, who married J. W. Dow, and is living west of Salem, this county, and John B., of West Muddy precinct, this county.

John J. Schrader was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, on December 15, 1842, and is now living at Verdon, this state. He left his native land when about nine years old with his mother. He went to Cook county, Illinois, in 1875. He had previously married Mary Rammin on March 2, 1871. When John J. Schrader settled in Richardson county he bought a

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farm for which he paid twenty dollars an acre. He built a small shack to live in and ą slough-grass shed for a barn. Later, and as his farming operations prospered, he built a better house. In addition to his work on the farm, he raised high-grade hogs, in which he traded extensively. In 1903 he sold the farm to his son, Harry, and moved to Verdon, where he now lives.

John J. Schrader's wife, Mary (Rammin) Schrader, was also a native of Germany, born in Berzerec, March 1, 1842. She left her native land when about fifteen years old and on coming to this country lived in Chicago, Illinois, with her. sister, Mrs. Zorn. Mrs. Mary Schrader died on January 5. 1907. She shared with her husband the hardships of pioneer days in this part of the state, when crops and every green thing suffered from the depredations of the grasshopper plague. John Schrader paid a dollar a bushel for corn, hauling the same from Falls City. He and his wife were members of the Evangelical church, which they helped to organize at Verdon. John Schrader enlisted for service in the Civil War, in an Illinois regi- ment, at Chicago and served for about twenty months.

Harry H. Schrader was reared on a farm and attended the district schools and later the high school at Verdon. When twenty-one years of age he rented land from his father and two years later, with the help of his father, he bought the rented land lying about three miles west of Verdon. He farmed this land for about four years and then brought his present farm. In 1911 he erected a thirteen-room house, equipped with all modern accommodations, including electric lights, steam heat, hot and cold run- ning water in all the bedrooms, the entire cost amounting to seven thou- sand dollars. The bank barn built by his father in 1895 is in use. Mr. Schrader is a thoroughly practical farmer and stock breeder, the stock being of the highest grade.

On December 20, 1900, Harry H. Schrader was united in marriage to Bertha E. Shildneck, who was born at Polo, Illinois, daughter of Hiram and Mary (Hammond) Shildneck, natives of Maryland and Virginia, respec- tively, early settlers of Richardson county, who came here from Illinois about 1867, are now living at Salem. Mrs. Schrader's father was a soldier of the Civil War, for which service he enlisted in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Schrader are the parents of one child, Mary Pauline, born on May 5, 1902.

Harry H. Schrader is a Republican and is a warm supporter of that party's principles. He has served on the school board for twelve years and has been superintendent of roads in his district and in other ways has

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served the public, always working for the best in the general interest. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church at Salem and he acts as trustee of the church, rendering valuable assistance in that capacity.

MATTHEW McMAHON.

One of the well-remembered and highly esteemed citizens of Richard- son county of a past generation was the late Matthew McMahon, who was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, September 15, 1842. He was a son of Morris and Catherine (Grady) McMahon, both natives of Canada. where they spent their lives on a farm, in Ontario. They were parents of seven children.

Matthew McMahon grew to manhood in Ontario and there attended the public schools and was married. He left there in 1873 and located in Clark county, Wisconsin, where he spent a few years. In 1880 he came to Nebraska, locating in Jefferson precinct, Richardson county, where he bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, where his widow still resides, and there he spent the rest of his life, engaged successfully in general farm- ing. He built a house, which he later remodeled and added to, also made other important improvements. Politically, he was a Democrat. He belonged to the Catholic church.

Mr. McMahon was married on April 22, 1873, to Ellen Condon, who was born on December 23, 1851, on a farm in Canada, where she grew to womanhood and attended school. She is a daughter of Joseph and Mary ( Sheehan) Condon, who were parents of six children, Mrs. McMahon being the second in order of birth. She is a woman of rare business ability and is managing her farms in a very satisfactory manner. She owns one hun- dred and sixty-eight acres in Jefferson precinct, eight acres of which is in natural timber, and also owns one hundred and sixty acres of good land in Hand county, South Dakota.

Nine children were born to Matthew McMahon and wife, as follow : Maurice, who is unmarried and is farming on the home place; Mary, who also lives at home: Catherine, who is teaching school at Buffalo, Wyoming ; Ellen N., who married Fred Oswald and lives at Buffalo, Wyoming; Joseph J., who was born on July 25, 1884, and who died on December 4, 1910; Elizabeth, who is teaching school in Hawkins, Nebraska; Ann, the wife of William Murphy, a farmer of Dawson, this county ; Helen, who was gradu-

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uated from the Falls City high school and is now engaged in teaching in this county, and Cecil, who lives at home. These children were all born in Jefferson precinct, Richardson county, except the three eldest, who were born in Clark county, Wisconsin. Mrs. McMahon and children are all members of the Catholic church.

The death of Matthew McMahon occurred on July 6, 1913. He was a man of progressive ideas, public spirited and of exemplary character.

HON. WILLIAM F. RIESCHICK.

Hon. William F. Rieschick, representative from this district to the Nebraska state Legislature and one of the best-known and most substan- tial farmers of the precinct of Falls City, owner of a quarter of a section of fine land in section 2 of that precinct and one of the leading breeders of live stock in that part of the county, is a native son of Richardson county and has lived here all his life, thus literally having "grown up" with the county, a participant in its development since pioneer days. He was born on a pioneer farm in the precinct of Arago on September 10, 1872, son of William F. and Verena (Hunzeker) Rieschick, pioneers of this county, who are now living retired at Falls City and further and fitting mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.

The elder William F. Rieschick is of European birth, born in the city of Wittenburg, in Prussian Saxony, June 2, 1831. He grew to man- hood in his native town and remained there until he was twenty-five years of age, when, in 1856, he came to the United States and began to work at his trade as a cabinet-maker at Buffalo, New York. There were three others of the Rieschick brothers in this country and one of these. Adolph Rieschick, was sent West into the then Territory of Nebraska to pick out a location for a farm, the brothers deciding that their best course in the new land would be to settle on a farm in the then new West. Adolph Rieschick came to Richardson county and located a tract in the precinct of Arago and when his brothers joined him here in 1858 they found him ill. He presently recovered, however, and when the Civil War broke out he enlisted for service and served as a soldier of his adopted country. He is now living at Red Willow county, this state. When the elder William F. Rieschick arrived in Richardson county in 1858 his slender stock of funds was reduced to the almost irreducible minimum of seven dollars, but he had

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History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 122

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