USA > Nebraska > Richardson County > History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions > Part 139
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JOHN H. NOLTE.
John H. Noble, one of the well-known and substantial farmers of Arago precinct, this county, owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres in section 28 of that precinct and a farm of eighty acres in Morris county, Kansas, is a native of the old Hoosier state, but has been a resident of this county since the days of his infancy, his parents having settled here in 1877. He was born at Richmond, Indiana, March 16, 1874, son of Chris- topher H. and Anna M. (Cruvell) Nolte, both of whom were of European birth, who became pioneers of Richardson county and the former of whom is still living here, at a ripe old age.
Christopher H. Nolte was born in the kingdom of Hanover on May 23, 1841, son of Lecker Nolte and wife, who were the parents of three children. The mother had been previously married and was the mother of five children by her previous marriage. Reared in Hanover, Christopher H. Nolte there learned the carpenter's trade and worked at the same there for eleven years, at the end of which time he came to the United States, land- ing with forty-five dollars and two suits of clothes. His point of destination
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was Richmond, Indiana, and when he arrived there he had but thirteen dollars. He began working at his trade in that city and on February 10, 1870, married there Anna M. Cruvell, who also was born in Germany, Janu- uary 21, 1845, and who had come to this country in 1864, locating at Rich- mond, Indiana. After his marriage Christopher H. Nolte continued to make his home in Richmond until 1877, in which year he came to Nebraska with his family and bought a quarter of a section of land in section 28 of the precinct of Arago, in this county, and there established his home. Seventy acres of that tract was timber land and while clearing the same he hauled six hundred cords of wood to Falls City. As he prospered in his .farming operations Christopher H. Nolte added to his holdings until he became a considerable landowner in that section of the county and still owns two hundred and forty acres, although he has sold considerable of his land since retiring from the active labors of the farm in 1906. His wife died on September 12, 1911, and he is now making his home with his granddaughter, Mrs. Albert Hecht, of Arago precinct. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: George L., deceased ; Mrs. Elizabeth Scheitel, of Arago precinct; Charles A., of the precinct of Ohio; Martin, of that same precinct; Fred E., living on section 27 of Arago precinct, and Samuel, of section 20 of that same precinct.
As noted above, John H. Nolte was but a small child when his parents came to this county and he grew up on the home farm in the precinct of Arago, receiving his schooling in the district schools of that neighborhood. For five years he worked as a farm hand and then rented a tract of land and began farming on his own account, continuing thus engaged until 1908. when he bought one hundred and sixty acres of his father's home place. the original quarter section in section 28, and has since made his home there. In 1912 he bought an adjoining "forty" from Ernest Werner and now has a fine farm of two hundred acres, on which he has made many substantial improvements since taking possession of the same. In addition to his land in this county Mr. Nolte owns a farm of eighty acres in Morris county, Kansas, and is quite well circumstanced, his holdings having been earned by his own efforts. In addition to this general farming he ships annually a couple of carloads of cattle and about one hundred and twenty- five head of hogs and is doing well in his live-stock operations, making a specialty of Herefords and Duroc-Jerseys.
On March 12, 1902, John H. Nolte was united in marriage to Lena Zorn, who was born in the precinct of AArago, this county. December 31.
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1881, daughter of Christ and Bertha ( Schmechel) Zorn, natives of Germany and pioneers of Richardson county, the latter of whom is still living. now a resident of the precinct of Ohio. Christ Zorn was born on April 1, 1845. and when sixteen years of age, in 1861, came to the United States, locating in Illinois, where he remained until 1863. in which year he came to the then Territory of Nebraska and settled in this county, where he spent the remainder of his life, a prosperous and successful farmer and stockman, at the time of his death on August 22, 1902, the owner of nine "eighties" of land in this county. He was married after coming to this county and his widow, who were born on February 23, 1855, still survives him. They were the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters, all of whom are living save one of the sons, residents of Richardson county. Mr. and Mrs. Nolte have two children, Esther, born on January 4, 1903. and Chester. January 13, 1916. The Noltes have a very pleasant home and take a proper part in the general social activities of their home neighborhood. They are members of the Lutheran church and also take a proper part in church work and in general neighborhood good works.
LEONARD G. SHELLENBARGER.
Leonard G. Shellenbarger, of Porter township, this county, ranks with the foremost farmers and stockmen in the vicinity of Richardson county. In addition to his work on two hundred and forty acres of land which he rents, and on a portion of which he has been successfully growing wheat and corn, he is also engaged in the breeding of high-grade cattle and hogs. He was born on April 27, 1877, in Warren county, Illinois, and is the sou of David and Anna ( Ulmer) Shellenbarger, both natives of Pennsylvania. who came to this part of Nebraska in an early day.
David Shellenbarger was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1837 . and died on May 20, 1905. He was the son of George and Polly ( Smiley) Shellenbarger, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively, and to whom ten children were born, of whom David was the youngest. With the latter they made their home for some years and died on the farm now operated by their grandson, Leonard G. Shellenbarger. David Shellenbarger came out from his native state to the West for the benefit of his health and came later to Stella, Nebraska, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land. for which he paid twenty-five dollars per acre. Successful in his
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farming operations, he took up the breeding of stock, purchasing numbers of calves and feeding for the market, and in this branch of agricultural activity he was equally successful. At the time of his death in 1905 he was the owner of two hundred and forty acres of land, now worked by his son, Leonard G., the subject of this sketch. His wife, Anna ( Ulmer ) Shellenbarger, was born in 1855 in Pennsylvania, the daughter of Henry Ulmer and wife, natives of Pennsylvania, who went to Illinois in an early day and there spent the rest of their lives, farming people. David and Anna Shellenbarger were the parents of seven children, of whom Leonard G. was the fifth in the order of birth, the others being Morris, who lives at Stella ; Allie, who married J. Spivy and lives in Lincoln, this state; Alfred, living in Stella; Harry, who lives in Furnas county, this state; Artie, a farmer, living in Stella, and Mrs. Gertrude Swan, living in Bellwood, Nebraska.
Leonard G. Shellenbarger, the subject of this sketch, was reared in Richardson county and attended the district schools of his neighborhood. later going to the Stella high school, from which he was graduated in 1898. In the following year he started for himself as a farmer and rented land and has been ever since engaged in farming and stock raising, and has met with considerable success. In 1916 he began farming on his pres- ent holding, and in the pursuit of his agricultural interests he has brought the highest form of scientific methods to work, thus securing the largest results. He formerly set out seventy acres to wheat and corn, but in 1916 reduced the quantity to forty acres, from which he raised a yield of forty bushels to the acre. In addition to his labors on the farm he is also engaged in feeding cattle and hogs, also obtaining maximum results from these lines.
On February 18, 1902, Leonard G. Shellenbarger was united in mar- riage to Bessie Knapp, who was born in Richardson county, the daughter of Miles and Fannie (Proctor) Knapp, who settled early in this county and who were farming people. Mrs. Shellenbarger was born on March 2, 1880, attended the district schools and later was graduated from the Stella high school. To Mr. and Mrs. Shellenbarger four children have been born. namely : Raymond, Blanche, Vivian and Emery, all of whom are living with their parents and attending the local schools. All the family are men- bers of the Lutheran church, of which they are liberal supporters. In political affairs Mr. Shellenbarger is a supporter of the Democratic party. but has never been a seeker after public office, preferring to devote his time to his farming and stock raising. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Daughters of Rebekah. Mr. Shellen- barger began his working career herding cattle on the plains, doing his
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work in bare feet. Some time later his father gave him a colt to break and which he used for two years and then set fencing around the holding. He frequently made trips as far as Salem Mills with wheat to exchange for flour.
P. J. KELLY.
Among the well-known and prominent farmers and stockmen of Rich- ardson county is P. J. Kelly, the owner of one hundred and sixty-acres of prime farming land in the northeast quarter of section 13, Liberty pre- cinct. He was born in Manitowac, Wisconsin, and is the eldest son of Miles and Mary ( Hollarn ) Kelly.
Miles Kelly was born in County Clare, Ireland, on August 6, 1833. and came to the United States while yet a young man. On arriving in this country he went to Wisconsin and homesteaded a timber claim at Maple Grove. He devoted his labors to the task of clearing the tract and bringing it to tillable condition and effecting improvements calculated 10 bring satisfactory results. In time his efforts were rewarded and he con- tinned to reside on his homestead tract until 1874, when he came to Rich- ardson county.
Myles Kelly was married in Maple Grove, Wisconsin, to Mary Hollarn and to them were born the following children: P. J., Margaret, who mar- ried T. J. Colfer, Atchison, Kansas; Daniel, who lives one mile south of Shubert, this state ; Mary, who married S. M. Regen, of Atchison; Katherine, who married William Ryan, and lives in Barada precinct; Martin, who lives on the old homestead in Barada precinct; Daniel, who lives in Barada pre- cinct, and Francis, a graduate of Peru Normal School, Peru, this state, and now teaching at 'Stella, Nebraska.
Mary Hollarn Kelly was born in Ireland on September 6, 1884, and came with her parents to America. On arriving in this country they went to Wisconsin and settled there on a farm. Mrs. Kelly died on October 5. 1900, aged fifty-six years. Both she and her husband were exemplary mem- bers of the Catholic church, in the faith of which their children were also reared.
On coming to Richardson county in 1874. Miles Kelly bought two hundred and twenty acres of land from Ed Towle in Barada township, for which he paid fifteen dollars an acre. This tract was raw prairie and he expended considerable effort and toil to bring it to a state fit for cultivation.
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As time went on he made extensive improvements and developed the land profitably, continuing to farm there until his death.
P. J. Kelly, the subject of this sketch, was educated at the Barada precinct district school No. 88. He helped his father on the farm which the latter had bought in Barada precinct, and thus continued for some years, finally buying out the place his father had acquired in 1874. He is now actively engaged in farming and stock raising and is regarded as one of the most substantial farmers in the community.
Mr. Kelly is affiliated with the Democratic party, but has never been an office seeker, his attention being directed to his farming operations. He is a member of the Catholic church and of the Knights of Columbus, in the affairs of which he takes considerable interest. Mr. Kelly is not mar- ried.
GEORGE GUTZMER.
It is a fine thing to be permitted to spend our lives on the old home place, under the "roof that heard our earliest cry," for there are associa- tions about the hearthstone of our fathers that are not to be found else- where; but fate or chance or fortune-call it what you will-shoves most of us out from under our native rooftree to unfamiliar climes. George Gutzmer, farmer of Humboldt precinct, Richardson county, has been more fortunate and is still living on the farm where he was born, in section 34, on May 22, 1874. He is a son of Daniel and Minnie (Korber) Gutzmer. The father was born in Germany in 1825 and there he spent his boyhood and attended school. He immigrated to the United States when a young man, and he proved his loyalty to his adopted country by serving in the U'nion army during the Civil War. He came to Richardson county, Nebraska, in the early days and by hard work and close application developed a good farm from the wild prairie, taking up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres. The mother of the subject of this sketch was born in Germany in 1837, and her death occurred in 1893. The father died also in 1893.
To Daniel and Minnie Gutzmer three children were born, namely: Mrs. Bertha Schuetz, who lives in Humboldt, Nebraska; Mrs. Minnie Seiler, who makes her home in Franklin precinct, Richardson county, and George. of this sketch.
George Gutzmer grew to manhood on the home farm, where he worked
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hard when a boy, as did all boys who happened to live in the West on a farm in the pioneer days, especially if there was but one boy in the family as was the case in the Gutzmer family. Upon the death of his parents in 1893 he bought the shares of his two sisters in the estate and has continued to reside on the homestead, which he has kept under a high state of improve- ment and cultivation. The farm consists of one hundred and sixty acres and there he carries on general farming and stock raising. He has remained unmarried. Politically, he is a Republican.
MAX MEZ.
One of the enterprising farmers of Ohio township, Richardson county, is Max Mez, who was born in Baden, Germany, July 5, 1864. He is a son of Fred and Margaret (Grim) Mez, natives of Germany, where they grew up, married and established their home. The father was born in 1803 and died in 1879, spending his entire life in his native land. He was in the government service during the major portion of his active life, as a game and timber warden. Fred Mez was twice married, Margaret Grim being his second wife. Two children were born to them, namely: Fred, who is still living in Germany, and Max, the subject of this sketch. The mother of these children was born about 1823 and died about 1881.
Max Mez grew to manhood in Germany and there attended the common schools, and when a young man learned the cabinet-maker's trade, which he followed there for a period of eight years. He left his native land in 1838, immigrating to America, and settled in Richardson county, Nebraska. He worked as a farm hand for the Peck boys two years, then bought eighty acres in Ohio precinct, known as the old Sloan farm, which he improved. building a new barn and doing considerable fencing. After operating that place five years he sold out and bought his present excellent farm from B. F. Morgan, and has since been successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising, making many important improvements in the place, and has been very successful in his career as a farmer. He landed in Richard- son county with only twenty dollars in his pocket and is now owner of one of the choice farms of his locality, consisting of three hundred and twenty acres in section 18, Ohio precinct, also one hundred and sixty acres in Liberty precinct. Mr. Mez has followed a most commendable custom of setting out a large number of fruit and shade trees every year since
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coming to this county and now has a fine orchard of about seven acres of an excellent variety of fruit. He raises a large quantity of grain, most of which he feeds to his graded live stock, preparing large numbers for the market annually. He has an attractive home, and numerous substantial and convenient outbuildings; in fact, everything about the place denotes thrift and good management.
Mr. Mez was married on January 3, 1890, to Katherine Werner, a native of Baden. Germany, where she grew to womanhood and attended the public schools. She is a daughter of Jacob and Katherine (Suess) Werner. natives of Germany, where they lived and died. She came to the United States in 1881 and made her home with the family of Henry Weick until her marriage. Eight children have been born to Max Mez and wife, as follow: Fred, who is engaged in farming in Arago precinct. Richardson county : Katherine, the wife of C. Brawn, a farmer in Ohio precinct, and Herman. Henry, Charlie, Anna, Max A. and Benjamin, who are all at home with their parents.
Mr. Mez votes independently. He is a member of the Modern Wood- men of America and of the Lutheran church. He takes a good citizen's interest in local public affairs and is a man of excellent standing in his community.
CHESTER A. FISHER.
Chester A. Fisher, one of the leading merchants of Falls City and head of the firm of Fisher & Sandrock, dealers in groceries, dry goods and women's ready-to-wear goods, is a native of Illinois, but has been a resi- dent of this county ever since he was eleven years of age, with the excep- tion of three years spent in Colorado. He was born on a farm in Edgar county, Illinois, July 5. 1883, son of George W. and Cynthia ( Ross) Fisher. both also natives of the state of Illinois, the former born in Vermillion county and the latter in Edgar county, who came to this county in 1893 and are now living retired at Falls City, where they are very comfortably and very pleasantly situated.
George W. Fisher was born in March, 1846, and grew up in Vermillion county, Illinois, and was married and became a well-to-do farmer and land- owner in Edgar county, that state, where he remained until 1893, when he came to Nebraska and bought a tract of two thousand acres of land in
(89)
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the precinct of Falls City, this county, the land reaching to within one mile of the city, and there he established his home and continued to reside until his retirement from the active duties of the farm in 1910 and removal to Falls City, where he and his wife are now living. Besides his extensive land interests in this county, Mr. Fisher is the owner of a fine farm of six hundred acres in Illinois. He and his wife are the parents of nine children, all of whom are living and of whom the subject of this sketch is the fifth in order of birth, the others being as follow: Ethel, wife of Doctor Hahn. of Falls City; May, wife of George Braninum, of Oswego, Kansas; Nora, wife of Joseph Davison, a farmer living southwest of Falls City; Mrs. Grace Strong, of Strausville, this county; Lester, a retired farmer, who lives east of Falls City; Goldia, wife of George Sandrock, partner of Chester .1. Fisher in the mercantile business at Falls City; Ota, wife of George Prich- ard, of Abilene, Kansas, and Lula, at home with her parents.
As noted above, Chester A. Fisher was eleven years of age when he came to this county with his parents from Illinois in 1893 and he completed his schooling in the public schools of this county and supplemented the same by a course in the Falls City Business College. Upon attaining his majority he received from his father a tract of four hundred and eighty acres of land in southeastern Kansas and after his marriage a short time later he made his home on that place, but two years later, in 1907, returned to Falls City and there engaged in the mercantile business and was this engaged until 1909, in which year he disposed of his business and went to Colorado. where he bought two hundred and ten acres of land and was there engaged in farming for about three years, at the end of which time, in 1912, he again returned to Falls City and resumed his mercantile business there and has ever since been thus engaged, having built up a quite extensive business. On December 1, 1916, he admitted to partnership with him in that business his brother-in-law, George Sandrock, and since then the busi- ness has been conducted under the firm name of Fisher & Sandrock. This firm has a well-stocked store and does a fine business in the general gro- ceries, dry goods and women's ready-to-wear line, the establishment being regarded as one of the best-appointed establishments of its kind in this part of the state. In addition to his extensive commercial interests Mr. Fisher is the owner of six hundred and ten acres of land in Kansas and Colorado and is quite well circumstanced.
On May 22, 1905, Chester A. Fisher was united in marriage, at Falls City, to Hattie Pearl Cleveland, of that city, who was born in the Dominion of Canada, daughter of George S. and Amelia (Cotzere) Cleveland. also
RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASK.A.
natives of Canada, who came to this state years ago and settled at Falls City, where George S. Cleveland was engaged in the mercantile business until :910 when he went West to farm and is now living at Olathe, Colorado. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have a very pleasant home at Falls City and take a proper interest in the general social affairs of their home town. They have four children, George S., born in 1906; Suzaine, 1908; Elinne, 1910, and Mil- dred, 1914. Mr. Fisher is a member of the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and takes an active interest in the affairs of the same.
MARTIN B. ATKINS.
Among the successful self-made men who have honored Richardson county with their residence, is Martin B. Atkins, a pioneer agriculturist and stockman, who is now a wholesale gasoline and oil merchant of Lincoln. Being ambitious from the first, but surrounded with none too favorable environment, his early youth was not especially promising, but resolutely facing the future, he gradually surmounted the difficulties in his way and has risen to a prominent position in industrial circles in eastern Nebraska.
Mr. Atkins was born in Bureau county, Illinois, April 27, 1850. He is a son of Jesse and Amelia ( Watson) Atkins, natives of Indiana and Kentucky, respectively, the father's birth' having occurred near the city of Terre Haute in 1812. He devoted his active life to farming and died in Bureau county, Illinois, in 1861. The mother of the subject of this sketch was born in 1811 on the northern border of the old Blue Grass state, and she died in 1863. To these parents thirteen children were born, of whom Martin B. was the eleventh in order of birth. Only three others are living at this writing, namely: Francis M., who makes his home at Princeton, Illinois : Mrs. Laura McConnell, who lives in Humboldt, this county, and Adolphus W., who lives in Marion, Iowa.
Martin B. Atkins and all his brothers and sisters were born on the home farm in Bureau county, Illinois, and there he was reared. He had little opportunity to obtain an education, spending only sixteen weeks at a select school taught by Professor Bangs, but nevertheless he attributes his success in life to the inspiration he received from this early-day schoolmaster. Mr. Atkins has made his own way in the world since he was eleven years old. As a hoy he learned the cabinet-maker's trade and worked at the same
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at Peru and Dover, Illinois, until 1873, when, having been attracted to the possibilities of ranching in the new state of Nebraska he took up his journey "toward the setting sun," arriving at the village of Humboldt, in Richardson county, on April 11 of that year. He turned his attention to farming and bought land in Franklin precinct, when settlers were few and trading centers far remote. He endured the usual hardships and priva- tions incident to life on the western frontier at that period. He went through the famine of the famous grasshopper years. He developed his land from the raw state, breaking up the prairie sod and gradually bringing his land under a good state of cultivation and improvement. He eut grain . for his neighbors the first year there, using an old-fashioned header, with which he cut sixteen hundred acres. There was not a dwelling in sight when he built his first house on the wild prairie. After farming his land three years he moved to Humboldt and engaged in the restaurant business two years; then, in 1878, he took up the furniture business, in connection with which he did an undertaking business. He attended the first state convention of undertakers, being now the only survivor of that convention in Nebraska. It was held in Lincoln in 1880. He moved from Humboldt to York, this state, where he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business for a period of twenty-five years. He then bought and sold live stock for eleven years, becoming one of the most extensive feeders and shippers in the state. During that period he shipped forty thousand head of. cattle to the market, buying the stock in Montana, in which state le spent five months out of each year. He became well known to the ranch- men and stockmen of that state. He is an excellent judge of live stock, especially cattle, and was very successful in this field of endeavor. About 1800 he became interested in the Farmers' Mutual Association, which he helped to build up to a state of efficiency, and in 1908 he was elected secre- tary of the same. About this time he moved to the city of Lincoln. Hc was interested in the automobile business a short time. He has sold out his former business interests.
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