History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 76

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

USA > Nebraska > Richardson County > History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions > Part 76

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

782

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Templar Mason, ever taking a warm interest in political, church and lodge affairs.

John W. Holt was four times married. On September 11, 1855, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Caroline Atkins, of Andrew county, Mis- souri, who died, leaving one child, a daughter, Carrie H., who married Edward B. Loughridge, of Lincoln, this state, and who died on December 20, 1915, at Los Angeles, California, leaving two sons, Ernest F., of Lin- coln, and Donald H., who is living with his father at Los Angeles. On August 24, 1859, Mr. Holt married Alvina Spence, also of Andrew county, Missouri, who died not long afterward, without issue, and on May 8, 1863. · he married Ellen Oliver, of Salem, this county, who bore him two children, now deceased, and who died on January 15, 1869. On November 8, 1869, Mr. Holt married his deceased wife's sister, Amanda M. Oliver, also of Salem, who survives him, and to that union four children were born, namely : Amanda M., who was born at Salem on May 21, 1871, and who died at the age of fifteen years, August 20, 1886; Nellie, July 11, 1872, who died in 1893, at the age of twenty-one years; George Brooke Holt, November 3. 1874, who married Grace Gossett and died at his home in Falls City on May 19, 1912, leaving a widow and one son, John William, now eighteen years of age, and William Robinson Holt, December 7, 1876, now engaged in the mercantile business at Falls City, who married Eva Giannini, of Falls City, and has one child, a daughter, Nellie Lee, now (1917) aged sixteen years.

Mrs. Amanda. ( Oliver) Holt. who since the death of her husband has continued to make her home at Falls City, where she is very comfortably situated, is a native of the old Hoosier state, born in Miami county, Indiana. January 29, 1847, a daughter of Robert and Ellen (McCoy) Oliver, natives of Virginia, who had settled in Indiana, moving thence, in 1855, to Mis- souri, and thence, the following year, 1856, to the then Territory of Ne- braska, settling on a pioneer farm just west of the village of Salem, in this county, where they remained for a year, at the end of which time they moved into Salem, where Mr. Oliver spent his last days, his death occurring about a year later. July 20, 1858. He was born on February 28, 1806, and was thus fifty-two years of age at the time of his death. His widow sur- vived him for many years and her last days were spent at the home of her daughter. Mrs. Holt, at Falls City, where she died on April 23, 1884. She was born on September 28, 1807, and was thus in her seventy-fourth year at the time of her death. Robert Oliver and Ellen McCoy were married on May 18, 1826, and to that union were born eight children, of whom Mrs.

783

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Holt is now the only survivor, the others having been as follow : John, who died on April 4, 1847; Mrs. Sarah Ann Lyon, who died on April 14. 1848; Jared, who died on June 15, 1850; James, who died on April 19, 1858; Eleazer, who died on July 18, 1858; William R., who died on Novem- ber 24, 1860, and Mrs. Ellen Holt, who died in 1869, as set out above.

HENRY L. RUEGGE.

Henry L. Ruegge, one of Richardson county's best-known old settlers and pioneer farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the precinct of Arago, where he and his wife are living in quiet comfort in the pleasant "evening time" of their lives, is of European birth, but has been a resident of this country and of Richardson county since he was twenty-five years of age, having come here with his parents back in territorial days, and has thus been a witness to and a participant in the development of this section of Nebraska since the days of the pioneers. He was born in what is now the Prussian province of Hanover, Germany, November 9, 1838, Hanover at that time having been an independent king- dom, and grew to manhood in his native land, learning there the trade of a wagon-maker, and was engaged there working at that trade until the sum- mer of 1863, when he came to this country with his parents, Hans Henry and Wilhelmina (Starke) Ruegge. The Ruegges left their native land on August 31, 1863, and were seven weeks making the voyage across the water. Upon their arrival in the United States they came on out to the then Territory of Nebraska and Hans Ruegge bought the quarter section on which his son. Henry L. Ruegge, has ever since made his home, in the precinct of Arago. this county, the family settling there. Henry L. Ruegge broke the land with oxen and gradually got the place under cultivation. After his marriage in 1869 he established his home there and has ever since made that liis place of residence, one of the best-known pioneer farmers of that section of the county. Hans Ruegge and wife were the parents of nine children, six of whom grew to maturity.

On February 4. 1869, Henry L. Ruegge was united in marriage to Sophia Hoose, who was born in Prussia on September 4, 1850, and who was but three years of age when her parents, George H. and Mary M. (Walder) Hoose, came to this country in 1853. Upon coming to this country George H. Hoose settled on a farm in St. Joseph county, Indiana, not far from the

782

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Templar Mason, ever taking a warm interest in political, church and lodge affairs.

John W. Holt was four times married. On September 11, 1855, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Caroline AAtkins, of Andrew county, Mis- souri, who died, leaving one child, a daughter, Carrie H., who married Edward B. Loughridge, of Lincoln, this state, and who died on December 20, 1915, at Los Angeles, California, leaving two sons, Ernest F., of Lin- coln, and Donald H., who is living with his father at Los Angeles. On August 24, 1859, Mr. Holt married Alvina Spence, also of Andrew county, Missouri, who died not long afterward, without issue, and on May 8, 1863. · he married Ellen Oliver, of Salem, this county, who bore him two children, now deceased, and who died on January 15, 1869. On November 8, 1869. Mr. Holt married his deceased wife's sister, Amanda M. Oliver, also of Salem, who survives him, and to that union four children were born, namely : Amanda M., who was born at Salem on May 21, 1871, and who died at the age of fifteen years, August 20, 1886; Nellie, July 11. 1872, who died in 1893, at the age of twenty-one years; George Brooke Holt, November 3. 1874, who married Grace Gossett and died at his home in Falls City on May 19, 1912, leaving a widow and one son, John William, now eighteen years of age, and William Robinson Holt, December 7, 1876, now engaged in the mercantile business at Falls City, who married Eva Giannini, of Falls City, and has one child, a daughter, Nellie Lee, now ( 1917) aged sixteen years. .

Mrs. Amanda. ( Oliver) Holt. who since the death of her husband has continued to make her home at Falls City, where she is very comfortably situated, is a native of the old Hoosier state, born in Miami county, Indiana. January 29, 1847, a daughter of Robert and Ellen (McCoy) Oliver, natives of Virginia, who had settled in Indiana. moving thence, in 1855, to Mis- souri, and thence, the following year, 1856, to the then Territory of Ne- braska, settling on a pioneer farm just west of the village of Salem, in this county, where they remained for a year, at the end of which time they moved into Salem, where Mr. Oliver spent his last days. his death occurring about a year later. July 20, 1858. He was born on February 28, 1806, and was thus fifty-two years of age at the time of his death. His widow sur- vived him for many years and her last days were spent at the home of her daughter. Mrs. Holt, at Falls City, where she died on April 23, 1884. She was born on September 28, 1807. and was thus in her seventy-fourth year at the time of her death. Robert Oliver and Ellen McCoy were married on May 18. 1826, and to that mion were born eight children, of whom Mrs.

783

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Holt is now the only survivor, the others having been as follow : John, who died on April 4, 1847; Mrs. Sarah Ann Lyon, who died on April 14. 1848; Jared, who died on June 15, 1850; James, who died on April 19. 1858: Eleazer, who died on July 18, 1858; William R., who died on Novem- ber 24. 1860, and Mrs. Ellen Holt, who died in 1869, as set out above.

HENRY L. RUEGGE.

Henry L. Ruegge, one of Richardson county's best-known old settlers and pioneer farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in the precinct of Arago, where he and his wife are living in quiet comfort in the pleasant "evening time" of their lives, is of European birth, but has been a resident of this country and of Richardson county since he was twenty-five years of age, having come here with his parents back in territorial days, and has thus been a witness to and a participant in the development of this section of Nebraska since the days of the pioneers. He was born in what is now the Prussian province of Hanover, Germany, November 9, 1838, Hanover at that time having been an independent king- dom, and grew to manhood in his native land, learning there the trade of a wagon-maker, and was engaged there working at that trade until the sun- mer of 1863, when he came to this country with his parents, Hans Henry and Wilhelmina (Starke) Ruegge. The Ruegges left their native land on August 31, 1863, and were seven weeks making the voyage across the water. Upon their arrival in the United States they came on out to the then Territory of Nebraska and Hans Ruegge bought the quarter section on which his son. Henry L. Ruegge, has ever since made his home, in the precinct of Arago, this county, the family settling there. Henry L. Ruegge broke the land with oxen and gradually got the place under cultivation. After his marriage in 1869 he established his home there and has ever since made that his place of residence, one of the best-known pioneer farmers of that section of the county. Hans Ruegge and wife were the parents of nine children, six of whom grew to maturity.

On February 4, 1869, Henry L. Ruegge was united in marriage to Sophia Hoose, who was born in Prussia on September 4, 1850, and who was but three years of age when her parents, George H. and Mary M. ( Walder) Hoose, came to this country in 1853. Upon coming to this country George H. Hoose settled on a farm in St. Joseph county, Indiana, not far from the

784

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

city of South Bend, and there remained until in August, 1864, when he came with his family to the then Territory of Nebraska and settled on a farm in the precinct of Arago, in this county, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. George H. Hoose was born on May 2, 1802, and died in April, 1892, and his wife was born on March 6, 1809, and died in 1882. They were the parents of eleven children.

To Henry L. and Sophia (Hoose) Ruegge nine children have been born, namely : Theodore, deceased; August, deceased; Mary, wife of D. Ramsey, living near Nims city, this county ; Henry, a farmer, of the precinct of Arago; Minnie, wife of Edward Schuler, of Ohio precinct; Dorothea, deceased ; Julia, wife of J. Hartman; Augusta, who is the housekeeper at the old home place, and Sophia, also at home. The Ruegges attend the Lutheran church and have ever taken a proper part in the general good works and social activities of the community of which they have been residents since pioneer days.

JOSEPH KELLEY CORNELIUS.

It is a fine thing to see a man who has come down to the autumn of his years, after life's trying vicissitudes, and find that his nature has not been embittered but still retains its sunshine and serenity, as has been the case with Joseph Kelley Cornelius, one of the venerable and honored pioneer cit- izens of Richardson county, who is residing at Humboldt. He was born in Henry county, Kentucky, June 20, 1830, and is therefore eighty-seven years old at this writing (1917). He is a son of Isaiah Cornelius, who was born in England, August 26, 1795, and died May 6, 1866. The latter's father, Matthew Cornelius, immigrated from England to America in 1796, locating at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his son Isaiah was reared .. He was bound out until he was twenty-one years of age as an apprentice. After his marriage he bought a farm, but not being a man of robust health he engaged in the lighter occupation of school teaching, also he was a minister of the gospel. He came West in an early day and his death occurred in the state of Missouri. His family consisted of ten children, of which number Joseph K., of this sketch, was fifth in order of birth, and the only one now living. His wife was Elizabeth Holmes before her marriage.

Joseph K. Cornelius received a common school education in Kentucky. When twenty-one years old he went to Illinois, where he engaged in farm- ing about nine years. In the spring of 1860 he came to Richardson county

JOSEPH K. CORNELIUS.

785

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Nebraska, locating in Porter precinct, five miles east of Humboldt, when settlers were few and the vast plains were the domain of red men and wild beasts. He got a tract of three hundred and twenty acres direct from the government, for which he paid as low as ninety cents per acre. He pur- chased land warrants. He began life in typical pioneer fashion, put up a small log cabin, and broke the virgin sod. However, his health being frail he drove oxen on the plains for some time in 1862, southwest of Denver, Colorado. His health improving he worked a while as a driver and freighter between Denver and Laramie, Wyoming, during the summers of 1863 and 1864. There were twenty teams in his outfit, and once, while on his last return trip from Leavenworth to Fort Union, New Mexico, while encamped near the Arkansas river he encountered a band of hostile Indians, a fight ensued, and although soldiers were only a half mile away they did not help. Mr. Cornelius was at the rear of the wagon train when the savages fired at hin, but missed, killing an ox. Before the fight was over it was found that ten white men and two negroes had been killed and several wounded. All they had of value was stolen and carried away by the raiders. The Indians finally went away, fearing the soldiers. Bert Edwards, a young man in the party of teamsters, was killed. Al Edwards was also scalped, as was a boy named Magee, and a man named Waddell, who was lying sick in one of the wagons, was killed and scalped. It seems that Captain Davenport, with forty soldiers, well armed, was nearby, but for some reason, possibly fear- ing the Indians; the captain left the wagon train to its fate. Mr. Cornelius had a number of narrow escapes from death. Just after his last trip he was sick at Fort Leavenworth for two weeks.

After his career on the plains, Mr. Cornelius returned to his farm in Richardson county, which he developed and improved, operating it success- fully from 1865 to 1911. Prospering through good management and close application he added to his original holdings until he had a total of eight hundred and eighty acres, all of which he still owns. He farmed on an extensive scale and raised large herds of live stock annually for the markets. in fact, he ranked among the most progressive agriculturists in the south- eastern part of the state for a period of over a quarter of a century. Having accumulated a handsome competency and on account of advancing age he retired from active work in 1911 and moved to Humboldt, where he owns an attractive modern home, and here he is living comfortably, surrounded by all that goes to make life easy and pleasant, enjoying a well-earned respite after a long life of industry.

(50)

786

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Mr. Cornelius was married on December 5, 1866. to Maria Tighe, who was born in Ireland in 1840. She is a daughter of Murtaugh Tighe, who brought his family to America from Ireland; he first lived in Illinois and later located in Richardson county, Nebraska, in the spring of 1865.

The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius : Alpheus B., who lives on the homestead in Porter precinct; John M. is a ranchman in Canada; Nellie is at home; Kittie is also a member of the family circle; Logan is farming a part of the home place in Porter .precinct, and Bessie is at home. There are seven grandchildren.

Politically, Mr. Cornelius is a Republican, but he supported Woodrow Wilson in the general election of 1916. He is a member of the Christian church. He has always assisted in any movement having for its object the general upbuilding of his precinct and county, and his personal reputation has never been assailed. He owns several hundred acres of land in Canada.

WILLIAM H. WHEELER.

William H. Wheeler, one of the well-known farmers of the precinct of East Barada, this county, living on the old homestead of one hundred and twenty acres in section 33 of that precinct, was born on the farm on which lie now lives and has lived there all his life. He was born on November II, 1859, a son of Henry Duke and Malinda (Buchanan) Wheeler, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Missouri, who became pioneers of Richardson county and here spent their last days.

Henry Duke Wheeler was born in Mason county, Kentucky, January 24, 1830, son of Levi and Mary Wheeler, the former a native of Germany, born on February 14, 1787, and the latter, of Ireland. Levi Wheeler was a soldier of the War of 1812 and was a well-to-do-farmer in Mason county, Kentucky, where Henry D. Wheeler grew to manhood. When the Mexican. War broke out, Henry D. Wheeler, though then little more than a boy. enlisted for service as a member of Company E, Third Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command until mustered out at Louisville at the close of the war. He later came West and on August 2, 1855, was mar- ried, in Holt county, Missouri, to Malinda Buchanan, who was born in that county on April 24, 1838, her parents having been among the very earliest settlers of that region. Immediately following his marriage he came across the river and bought a half section in the Barada half-breed strip in this

787

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

county, paying for the same nineteen hundred dollars to Huse Knuckles. There was a log cabin on the place at that time, but no other improvements of any consequence, and the white neighbors were few and far between. Indians still being in dominant numbers thereabout at that time. Mr. Wheeler set about clearing his land and getting the place ready for cultivation and had done considerable development work before 1861, in which year he returned to his old home in Kentucky to take care of his aged and invalid mother. After her death, about 1863, he returned to his home in this county and here he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on July 21, 1870, he then being about six months past forty years of age. He was one of the most active and progressive pioneers of that section and was the organizer of school district No. 25. His widow survived him many years, her death occurring on April 19, 1915. she then lacking but a few days of being seventy- seven years of age. They were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being Dora. who died when seven years of age; Lawrence, who is engaged in the insur- ance business at Falls City ; Mrs. Mary E. Riley, of Dawson, a biographical sketch of whose husband is presented elsewhere in this volume, and James, deceased.

William H. Wheeler was not yet eleven years of age when his father died and as the eldest son of the family the responsibilities of the home farm early fell upon his young shoulders and he always has made his home on that pioneer place, having thus participated in the development of the same since territorial days, one of the best-known of the native sons of Richardson county of the first generation on the plains. On the tract of one hundred and twenty acres of the old home that he· inherited he made extensive and substantial improvements and he and his family are very comfortably and very pleasantly situated there. Mr. Wheeler is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, but he has not been par- ticularly active as a political worker.

On July 30, 1882, William H. Wheeler was united in marriage to Amanda Brinegar, who was born across the river in Holt county, Missouri, February 20, 1867, daughter of Andrew J. and Emily ( Rusk) Brinegar. natives of Kentucky, who died when she was a child and she was reared by an uncle, David Brinegar, one of the pioneers of Richardson county, who came over here in the fifties and who is still living here, now a resident of Salem. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler have six children, namely: Ralph, who mar- ried Jennie Marsh, of Des Moines, and has three children, Tillie, Virgia and Phyllis A. ; Ruth, who married William McGowan, of Halley, Idaho, and has

788

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

one child, a daughter, Helen Ruth: Susan M., who is a telephone operator in the exchange at Falls.City, and Bryan. Hiram and Lila, at home with their parents. The Wheelers have a very pleasant home and have ever taken an interested part in the general social activities of their home community, helpful in many ways in promoting movements having to do with the advance- ment of the general welfare thereabout.

HUGH E. BOYD.

A public-spirited and successful man of affairs of Humboldt is Hugh E. Boyd, well known throughout Richardson county. He was born in Knox county, Ohio, .August 8, 1862, and is a son of John S. and Phoebe ( Mc Williams ) Boyd. John S. Boyd was born in Greene county, l'ennsyl- vania, in 1825. and there spent his childhood, being twelve years old when his parents, John and Anna Boyd, brought him to Knox county, Ohio, the family locating on a farm near Martinsburg, and there by hard work and perseverance they developed a good farm of one hundred and sixty aeres from the wilderness and there continued to reside until 1888, when the father of the subject of this sketch came West and located at Salem, Ne- braska, buying eighty acres on which he engaged in farming until he re- tired from active life. His death occurred in Salem in 1912 at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. His parents were natives of Greene county. Pennsylvania, where they grew up, married and established their home. They were both of Irish descent. There were three brothers of the Boyd · family to emigrate from the "auld sod" in colonial days, one of them locat- ing in New York, one in Pennsylvania and one in Virginia. The mother of the subject of this sketch was born near Martinsburg, Ohio, about 1826. and her death occurred in 1911. She also reached a ripe okl age. To John S. Boyd and wife five children were born, namely: Mrs. Lydia Huston. who lives in Salem, Nebraska: John W. makes his home at Mt. Vernon. Ohio: Robert is deceased : William B. lives at Salem, this state, and Hugh E. of this sketch, who was fourth in order of birth.

John S. Boyd, father of Hugh E. Boyd, was a soklier during the Civil War. having enlisted on September 10, 1864, in Company I, One Hundred and Forty-Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted to the rank of corporal. After serving one hundred days he was honorably discharged. December 15. 1864. Although the term of his enlistment was short he saw

789

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

considerable service in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, on the Peninsula and in the operations of the federal troops on the James river and around Petersburg and Richmond. His company especially distinguished itself at . the battle of Monocacy Junction, Maryland, July 30, 1864. in which his company was entitled to national thanks.

Hugh F. Boyd was reared on a farm and he attended the district schools and the high school at Martinsburg, Ohio, also an academy. Hle . came West in 1882 and was employed in the flour mills at Salem, Nebraska, having charge of the mill in 1883 and 1884. He then took a position as assistant cashier in the Bank of Salem, where he remained until 1897, when he came to Falls City, Richardson county, and was connected with the store of Gist, Greenwald & Company until 1902, when he took up his residence at Humboldt, and was assistant cashier of the State Bank of Humboldt until 19044, when he returned to Salem and engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1906, then formed a partnership with V. G. Lyford at Humboldt. In 1912 he again turned his attention to banking and was assistant cashier of the National Bank at Humboldt for one year. Since 1913 he has de- voted his entire time to the Building and Loan Association and the City Mutual Telephone Company, being manager of each, also secretary of the former. The pronounced success of these companies has been due very largely to his excellent management and close application. He also has other affairs and is owner of valuable city property at Humboldt, and owns a half section of land in the Kiowa valley, Colorado, within thirty-five miles of Denver. Two hundred acres of this land is planted to beans: Fred Boyd is now in charge of this farm.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 76

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