History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 124

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

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EMERSON L. BOWERS.

A leading farmer and stockman of Liberty precinct, this county, is Emerson L. Bowers, who was born in Stark county, Ohio, June 26, 1870, a son of Daniel and Emeline (Beckenhopt) Bowers. The father was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, May 13, 1833, and died on May 23, 1901. The mother was born in Stark county, Ohio, and her death occurred in 1881. Daniel Bowers lived in his native state during his earlier years. He came to Nebraska in 1872 and bought land in Liberty precinct, this county, on which members of his family still live. The land had been only partly broken and on it stood a small house. He worked hard and in time had the land well improved and under a fine state of cultivation. He built a comfortable home and here he spent the rest of his life, becoming one of the leading farmers of this section of the county, and an influential citizen. In connection with general farming he raised a great deal of stock. feeding most of the grain the place produced to his stock, in fact not much corn has been hauled away from the farm 'since 1877. A year or two previous to that date he sold two thousand bushels at twelve cents a bushel. As late as 1896 he bought three thousand bushels for thirteen cents a bushel, and in 1917, his son, Emerson L., bought twenty-two thou- sand bushels of corn, for which he paid from one dollar and ten cents to two dollars and twenty cents a bushel.

Six children were born to Daniel Bowers and wife, namely: Mrs. Ada L. Nulk, deceased; Lois,'wife of Fred Heineman, of Verdon. Liberty precinct, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Emerson L., the subject of this sketch; Impertous M., a farmer and stock buyer of Liberty precinct, a sketch of whom will be found on another page of this volume; Mrs. Myrtle Kiefer, who lives in Hot Springs, South Dakota, and H. Bowers, who lives at Falls City.

Emerson L. Bowers was reared on the home farm and attended the public schools in Verdon, from which he was graduated: later attending a business college in Burlington, lowa. In 1892 he turned his attention to the live-stock business, which he has followed ever since. He and his brother, Impertous M. Bowers, ship thousands of head of cattle and hogs from Richardson county to the markets annually. They have been in partner- ship for many years and are among the best-known buyers in southeastern Nebraska.

I11 1902 Emerson L. Bowers bought the home place, on which he has

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made extensive improvements, and has been very successful as a general farmer, stockman and apple dealer. The farm contains four hundred and fifty acres. He feeds from thirty to forty carloads of cattle and hogs annually. There is a large spring on the place, one of the best in the county, which will water twenty thousand head of stock. He has modern and substantial improvements, everything about his place denoting thrift and good man- agement He spent three thousand dollars in constructing cement water tanks. The place is fenced hog tight and a large portion has been seeded to alfalfa and blue grass. The place is admirably located for a stock farm, lying along what was known as the old Deer Creek branch, nine miles northwest of Falls City. In the early days a tender and nutritious grass grew along this stream and deer would come from long distances to crop it, and here the pioneers would hunt for their venison, which constituted the major portion of their meat for some time, until they could raise their own meat and get their farms started. In those days the Bowers farm was one of the favorite camping grounds of the Indians, who often amused the children of the settlers by their customs, and it was a constant source of wonder for the Bowers children to visit the Indian camps and watch the red men.

Mr. Bowers has a large and well-kept orchard of standard varieties . of fruit for this latitude. In 1913 he shipped twenty-five carloads of apples from his orchard to Minneapolis, Minnesota. At one time he received the highest price ever paid for apples in that market. During the past five years he has sold apples in July. He has sixty acres in orchard, which he set out in 1911. His feed lots cover eight acres. He is a shareholder in the Omaha State Bank.

On November 18, 1894, Mr. Bower was married to Myrtle Simmons, a daughter of Columbus and Sophia (Carr) Simmons, natives of Illinois, in which state they spent their earlier years, coming to Nebraska in 1871, locating on a farm two miles west of Verdon, in Richardson county. Mr. Simmons was born in Pike county, Illinois, February 3, 1849, and after devoting his active life to farming died on February 22, 1910. His wife was born in Ohio, July 24, 1849, and died on May 10, 1911. To these parents two children were born: Myrtle (wife of Mr. Bowers), who was born on .April 17, 1873, in Liberty precinct, this county, where she grew to womanhood and received a common-school education, graduating from the Verdon high school, and Cephas D. Simmons, who is now living in Manchester, Kansas.

Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bowers, namely: Her-

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schel, who was graduated from the schools of Verdon and Falls City and is now (1917), a student in the State University at Lincoln; Mildred, who atterded the local schools, and is now also a student in the State University ; Percy, at home. and Janice, also at home. Mr. Bowers belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at . Falls City. He is a member of the National Stock Growers Association. He holds membership in the Congregational church.

LOUIS FINCK.

Louis Finck, proprietor of a well-kept farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 18 of the precinct of Arago, this county, was born on that farm and has lived there or in that neighborhood all his life. He was born on January 17, 1874, a son of Fred and Sophia (Tilk) Finck, natives of Germany and pioneers of this county, further and fitting men- tion of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.

Fred Finck was a Mecklenburger, born on January 12, 1830, and grew to manhood in his native land. becoming a wagon-maker. Upon coming to this country he settled in Illinois, but in pioneer times came to Nebraska and settled in Arago precinct, this county, having been here at the time of the Indian uprising. He bought a tract of land in that precinct and there devel- oped a good piece of property, remaining there the rest of his life, his death occurring on July 14, 1893. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, of whom five are still living, those besides the. subject of this sketch being Wilhelmina, who married Fred Bahr and is now living at Barada : Fred P. Finck, a farmer of Arago precinct; John, of Barada precinct, and Mrs. Sophia Neimeyer, of the precinct of Ohio.

Reared on the home farm in Arago precinct, Louis Finck received his schooling in the little old log school house which did service in that neigh- borhood during the days of his boyhood, and from the days of his early youth was a valued aid in the labors of developing and improving the home place and has always been a farmer. He was married when twenty-one years of age and then rented a part of the home farm and began farming on his own account about three years later buying the farm on which he is now living and where he ever since has made his home, one hundred and sixty acres of the old home place. Since taking possession of that place Mr. Finck has made extensive improvements in the way of building new build-

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ings and remodeling old ones and now has a well-improved farm and a well- kept farm plant.

Mr. Finck has been twice married. In 1895 he was united in marriage to Alvine Litzke, a daughter of Henry and Adaline (Fromke). Litzke, natives of Germany and residents of Richardson county, further and fitting mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume, and to that union one child was born, a son, Henry, who is at home, a valued aid to his father in the work of the farm. Following the death of Mrs. Alvine Finck, Mr. Finck married, September 13, 1901, Emma Jordin, who was born in the neighbor- ing state of Missouri on May 19, 1874, daughter of Henry and Dora (Kol- man) Jordin, who are now living in the precinct of East Barada, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Finck have a pleasant home and take a proper part in the general social activities of the community in which they live and in which Mr. Finck has lived all his life.

HENRY GERDES.

In examining the life records of self-made men it will invariably be found that indefatigable industry has constituted the basis of their success. True, there are other elements which enter in and conserve the advance- ment of personal interests-such as perseverance, discrimination and mas- tering of expedients; but the foundation of all achievement is earnest, per- sistent labor. It seems that Henry Gerdes, a member of the board of con- missioners of state institutions, formerly a leading agriculturist of Rich- ardson county and a former representative from this county in the state Legislature, now a citizen of the city of Lincoln, realized this fact wlien a boy and it has had much to do with shaping his subsequent career.

Henry Gerdes was born on December 22, 1855, in McHenry county. Illinois, a son of William and Hannah (Fricke) Gerdes, natives of the kingdom of Holland, the former of whom was born on May 7, 1820. and died on December 20, 1904. When a young man William Gerdes immi- grated to America and located in Illinois, where he married. He lived in McHenry county, Illinois, for a number of years and later resided in Van- dalia, that state, where his wife died. Two of his daughters also died there." He married his second wife in 1862 and during the latter part of that year started for Nebraska, crossing the river at St. Stephens on Decem- ber 18. They were anxious to get across and into a new country on account

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of the border ruffians and bushwhackers, who were active in that section of the country during the Civil War. The family was delayed on account of floating ice in the river. After getting safely across they started for the home of August Fricke, who had preceded them a week for the purpose of looking up a location for the two families. William Gerdes was bring- ing his family and household goods, together with some of the belongings of Mr. Fricke, in five covered wagons. Mr. Fricke had found a hut for himself. and he, Mr. Gerdes and his father-in-law cut logs that winter with which to build log houses the following spring, before time to put out crops for the following season. These families located in Arago precinct, Rich- ardson county, William Gerdes thus having been among the earliest pioneers of this county. He and his family endured the usual privations and hard- ships incident to life on the western plains at that early day, when settlers were few and trading posts were far remote. He developed a good farm and established a comfortable home by hard work and perseverance and became one of the substantial and influential citizens of the eastern part of the county in that early period of the county's history, and here he spent the rest of his life and was buried a short distance from his home. Three children were born to his first marriage, namely: Martha, deceased; the next child, a daughter, died in infancy, and Henry, the subject of this sketch. To his second marriage ten children were born, as follow: Mrs. Caroline J. Koso, a widow living in Barada precinct; Mrs. Minnie J. Bolinger, a widow, who makes her home at Grand Island, Nebraska; William, who lives at Morrill, Kansas: Mrs. Mary Parchen, who lives in Falls City, where her husband is engaged in the clothing business; Julia, wife of Edward Frauenfelder, of Verdon, this county; Emma, who lives in Falls City, the widow of Charles Scoby; ... Mrs. Anna. Egner, who lives -in-Brown-county, Kansas; Fred. deceased : John, who is engaged in farming in Arago precinct, this county. and Sophia, wife of H. Vogle, of Arago precinct.

Henry Gerdes was seven years old when he made the overland trip in prairie schooners from Illinois to Richardson county, and he grew to man- hood on the homestead in Arago precinct, where, like all pioneer boys, he worked hard when he became of proper age. He helped develop the farm from the wild prairie sod and in the winter time he attended the primitive country schools in that vicinity. As a young man he began farming for him- self in that precinct and then rented land in Ohio precinct, and bought eighty acre of land with but two hundred dollars for his first payment. In 1888 he sold this farm and bought land one-half mile north of Barada and improved

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it, and by close application and perseverance became very successful as a gen- eral farmer and stock raiser, continuing with gratifying results until 1907, when he moved to Falls City, residing there until 1913, when he moved to Lincoln, where he has since made his home. He is owner of two hundred acres of valuable and well-improved farming land in Barada precinct and also considerable well-located city property in Falls City. He was one of the organizers of the Barada State Bank of Barada, has been a heavy stock- holder in the same ever since and is now vice-president and a member of the board of directors of the same. The pronounced success of this sound and popular institution has been due in no small measure to his counsel and influence.

On February 17, 1880, at Falls City, Henry Gerdes was married to Mary Buchholz, who was born in St. Joseph county, Indiana, a daughter of August and Johanna (Rife) Buchholz. The father was born in Baden, Ger- many, April 20, 1834, and his death occurred on October 7. 1911. He left his native land when seventeen years old came to America and worked as a farm hand until 1853, when he went to Indiana, in which state he was mar- ried in 1858. He had learned the cooper's trade when young and this he followed in Indiana, in which state he continued to make his home until -1865, when he came to Nebraska, being among the early pioneers of Richardson county, and here he became a leading farmer, owning seven hundred acres of excellent land in Barada precinct. He carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale there until 1895, when he retired from active life and moved to Falls City, where his death occurred. The mother of Mrs. Gerdes, who was known in her maidenhood as Johanna Rife, was born on August 15, 1838, in Wurtemburg, Germany and she died on May 11, 1917. She was nine years old when she left her native land with her parents, the family crossing the Atlantic for America. They located in Indiana.

Mrs. Gerdes was born on January 20, 1859, and is the eldest of a family of thirteen children, nine of whom are living at this writing. She was edu- cated in the public schools of her community and was reared on the home farm, where she worked hard when a girl, both in the home and in the fields. To Mr. and Mrs. Gerdes two children were born, namely: Ada, born on December 1, 1880, who married Cleon Peck on February 11, 1906, and who died on June 11 of that year, just four months to the day after she became a bride, and Conrad Gerdes, who was born on August 10, 1884, and who now lives on his father's farm in Barada precinct. These children were reared on the farm in Ohio precinct and both received good, practical educations.

Henry Gerdes is a Democrat and he has long been an active and influ-

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ential worker in his party. He was a leader in this county in the old Farm- ers' Alliance party. In 1890 he was elected representative to the Legislature from Richardson county, being the only successful candidate of that year on the local Democratic ticket. This would indicate that he was popular in his locality and had the confidence of the people. While in the Legislature he did much for the good of his county and the state, his selection to that respon- sible post proving the wisdom of his constituents, to whom his record was highly pleasing in every respect. He introduced the famous farmers' mutual insurance bill, which became a law in 1891. He made such a splendid and commendable record during his first term that he was re-elected in 1892 and served with equal fidelity and ability in the session of 1893. He was returned in 1896 and served in the session of 1897 and again in 1905, 1909 and in 1911, serving in all but six terms in the Legislature. He helped elect W. V. Allen United States senator. He has held numerous local offices, such as that of chairman of the township board. and served as a member of the city council of Falls City in 1908. He is at this writing a member of the board of commissioners of state institutions, and was one of the first to be appointed to a long term (six years) on this board, his appointment having been made in 1913. He was nominated by Governor Morehead and was elected by the state Senate. He has discharged his duties in this connection in a prompt, able and painstaking manner. He is an obliging, well-informed and compan- ionable gentleman, whom it is a pleasure to meet.

GEORGE WATKINS.

George Watkins, retired farmer, now living at the village of Verdon, is one of the pioneers from the Buckeye state who found excellent oppor- tunities in Richardson county, and accordingly took advantage of them. He was born in Lorain county, Ohio, June 10, 1841. He is a son of Jared and Lura ( Wood) Watkins, both natives of Vermont, where they spent their earlier years, but came to Ohio in an early day, locating their future home in Lorain county, where they engaged in general farming. Their family con- sisted of eleven children, three of whom died in infancy and only three of whom survive at this writing. George Watkins is the youngest of the family.

George Watkins was reared partly on the home farm in Ohio and he attended school only twenty months. In the spring of 1852 he moved with

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his parents to Clayton county, Iowa, where he engaged in farming until 1871, in which year he came to Nebraska and bought two hundred acres of land in sections 25 and 26, in East Muddy precinct, Richardson county, which land he still owns. He moved to the farm in April, 1872. There he carried on general farming and stock raising, specializing as a breeder of Shorthorn cattle, finally retiring from active life in 1909 and moving to Verdon, where he has since. resided. He made extensive improvements on the land. When he came here he had but little capital, but he managed well and eventually became one of the substantial farmers of his precinct, not- withstanding the fact that he was handicapped by being crippled from his eightlı year.

On February 1, 1865, Mr. Watkins was married to Sarah Jones, who was born on March 28, 1844, in Iowa, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Francis) Jones, natives of Virginia and New York, respectively. They came to Richardson county in 1874, and spent the rest of their lives on a farm in Barada precinct and in Verdon. To Mr. and Mrs. Watkins five children were born, named as follow: Carl A., who is mentioned at length. in the following paragraphs: Mabel, the wife of Sherman Colglazier, who lives on a farm in. Liberty precinct, this county, and who is mentioned else- where in this work; Winnie, the wife of L. Watkins, of Auburn, Nebraska ; Homer, who is farming in East Muddy precinct, this precinct, this county ; and Roy, who is farming in Barada precinct and lives in Barada. Politically, Mr. Watkins is an independent voter. Fraternally, he belongs to the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

Carl A. Watkins, who was born on January 2, 1867, in Iowa, grew up on the home farm in Richardson county, and attended district school No. 80, in Barada precinct. When first starting out in life for himself he taught one term of school. He worked out as a farm hand for two years and later rented land in Barada precinct and in East . Muddy precinct. In 1900 he bought eighty acres in the latter precinct, which place he improved and later sold, in 1906. and bought his present farm of one hundred and forty acres in section 29, of Liberty precinct. He also owns eighty acres in section 31 of Barada precinct. He has kept the place well improved and under a fine state of cultivation. He built an attractive home and a great deal of fencing. In connection with general farming he has engaged in live-stock raising. breeding Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs, having secured the excel- lent herds his father owned when he retired from active farming.

Mr. Watkins was married on June 21, 1900, to Abbie Bennett, who

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was born in Ohio, a daughter of George and Lucinda (Chapin) Bennett, both natives of Massachusetts. Mr. Bennett is now making his home at Verdon with his daughter, Mrs. Loren Corn. Mrs. Abbie Watkins died on October II, 1901, and on January 21, 1907, Mr. Watkins married Mrs. Jennie ( Horstman ) Mayfield, a native of Iowa and a daughter of William Horstman and widow of S. M. Mayfield, by whom she had four children, namely : Clarence, who lives in Hot Springs, Arkansas; Lester, who is farm- ing in Barada precinct, this county; Vivian, who lives in Falls City, and Alma, deceased. By his first wife Mr. Watkins had two children (twins), a son and a daughter, Ernest and Edith, born on October 4, 1901. Politically, Mr. Watkins is a Democrat. He is a member of the Christian church.

ELVA J. DURYEA. .

Elva J. Duryea, a well-known automobile salesman of Dawson, this county, also engaged in merchandising at Nims City, this county, was born on a farm in Speiser precinct, this county, September 5, 1865, a son of Sylvanus N. and Celestia (Claus) Duryea. Sylvanus Duryea was born in 1831 in Brooklyn, New York, and died in 1877. He was a soldier in the Civil War. He came to Nebraska, in 1854, making the trip from Penn- sylvania in a covered wagon, drawn by oxen, bringing his wife and household goods. He reached his goal on the wild western plains with only three dollars in money, and he had little of this world's goods. Besides his wagon and oxen he had only a few pieces of furnishings for his home, a shotgun, a cow and a dog. The cow had traveled so far that its feet got sore before it reached Nebraska and Mr. Duryea cut the tops off his boots and bound them about the cow's feet to protect them. He settled on a claim on Easley creek, Speiser precinct, this county. Their neighbors were few and far between and they endured many hardships and privations. The mother sent back East for some money which she had earned teaching school, and applied it on their claim. They built a rude log cabin and began improving and breaking up the raw land, by perseverance and very hard work they developed a good farm. At the second call for volunteers for service in the Civil War, Mr. Duryea enlisted at Falls City, but he was not long in the service, being sent home on account of sickness. He was found lying on the prairie and some of his company started to make preparations to bury him, believing that he was dying, but he revived in a few hours. Upon his re-

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covery he rejoined his company and remained at the front until the close of the war, becoming a brave and efficient soldier. He was promoted for bravery and became first sergeant in his company. During his absence in the army he left his wife with neighbors on the south fork of the Nemaha river. She lived in a log cabin with her two eldest daughters. After the close of hostilities Sylvanus Duryea returned to his claim and farmed there until his death. He also was a contractor and bridge builder, building several bridges in this county. Politically, he was a Republican and took an active interest in public affairs. He was a member of the Wesleyan Methodist church. His wife was born in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and hier death occurred in 1886. Six children were born to Sylvanus N. Duryea and wife, namely: Mrs. Nellie Macumber, of Falls City; Mrs. Desdemona Jenkins, who lives in California; Elva J., the subject of this sketch; Walter E., who lives in Nemaha county, Kansas; Mrs. Grace Nuttle, deceased, and Alice, also deceased.

Elva J. Duryea, who is probably the oldest living native-born citizen in Richardson county, was reared on the old homestead in Nemaha precinct. He worked hard when a boy, as did all sons of pioneers, and helped break up the sod and develop the home farm. When a boy he herded cattle on the plains a great deal. He received a good education in the early-day district schools, and in Campbell University at Holton, Kansas, working his way through college, working all day for his board, and has supported him- self since he was twelve years old. For some time he worked as a farm hand, and finally bought out the heirs to the home place, which he operated until 1892, in which year he engaged in the blacksmith business at Dawson, fol- lowing that vocation until 1901, when he returned to farming in Nemaha precinct ; but in 1903, he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits at Nims City, starting a general store there, which he still operates, enjoying a large and growing trade. Mr. Duryea was a patron of the automobile from the first and owned one of the first four machines in Richardson county. He was one of the first machinists of the county to do repair work on auto- mobiles. In 1913 he moved his tools to Dawson and began repairing and selling automobiles, in partnership with Edward Uhri, which partnership continued successfully until 1915, since which time Mr. Duryea has been engaged in the business alone. He handles the Overland car and has built up a very satisfactory business in this line.

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History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 124

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