History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 79

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 79

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).

In 1899 Charles H. Thornton was united in marriage to Grace Elliot, of Auburn, this state, and to this union two children have been born, sons both, Dale, born in 1905, and Leland, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Thornton are members of the Christian church and take a proper part in church work, as well as in other community good works and in the general social activities of their home town. Mr. Thornton is a Democrat, and, fraternally, is affili- ated with the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm interest.

DANIEL B. RATEKIN.

Daniel B. Ratekin, sheriff of Richardson county, former mayor of Rulo and who at the time of his election to the office of sheriff in 1914 was engaged in the automobile business at Falls City, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in the imme- diate vicinity of Rulo on October 2, 1881, a son of William L. and Mary Ann (Vaughn) Ratekin, natives of Ohio, who came to this county in 1864 and the latter of whom is still living at Rulo.

William L. Ratekin was born in 1834 and grew to manhood in Ohio, where he was married. During the early part of the Civil War he served as the driver of a commissary wagon in the Eastern Division and in 1864 came West and proceeded by steamer to Rulo, where he landed and where

DANIEL B. RATEKIN.

809

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

he made his permanent home, buying a tract of eighty acres of raw land a half mile west of that then bustling river town, establishing his home on the same and there he spent the remainder of his life, living to see the land for which he paid five dollars an acre increase many fold in value. A few years before his death he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Rulo, where he died in 1907 and where his widow is now living, she being now about seventy years of age. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being as follow: Marion, now living at McFarland, California; Jacob, who died of mountain fever in Colorado years ago; Julia, now de- ceased, who was the wife of J. F. Vaughn; John, who is now living near Delta, Colorado; Mary, wife of Frank Wilhoit, of Centralia, Kansas; Ida, wife of E. W. Coupe, of the precinct of Rulo, this county; James W., a farmer in that same precinct; William F., now a resident of California, and Minnie, wife of George Goodale, of Rulo.

Reared on the home farm in the vicinity of Rulo, Daniel B. Ratekin received his schooling in the schools of that place and remained on the farm until he was twenty-one years of age, when, in 1902, he engaged in the transfer and coal business at Rulo and after his marriage two years later established his home there. Not long after taking up his residence in Rulo Mr. Ratekin was elected assessor, a position he held for three years. He later was elected school treasurer and he also held that office for three years. In 1912 he was elected mayor of Rulo and it was during his admin- istration that the Rulo electric light plant. said to be one of the best plants for a town of that size in the state of Nebraska, was installed. Upon the completion of his term of service as mayor Mr. Ratekin moved to Falls City and there engaged in the automobile and general garage business, as a member of the Ratekin, Wolfley & Ball Company, and was thus engaged, as manager of that concern, when he was elected sheriff of Richardson county in 1914. So satisfactory did Sheriff Ratekin's services prove in this important public capacity that the Republicans of the county renominated him in 1916 and he was re-elected by the largest majority ever given a can- didate for public office in Richardson county and is now serving his second term in the sheriff's office, one of the most popular and painstaking officials in the court house.

It was on September 15, 1904, that Daniel B. Ratekin was united in marriage to Minna A. LaBlanc, who was born at Rulo, this county, October 27. 1885, daughter of M. J. and Mary F. (Perkins) LaBlanc, natives, re-

810

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASK.A.

spectively, of Canada and Missouri, and early settlers at Rulo, who were the parents of three children, one of whom died in infancy, Mrs. Ratekin having a sister. Mrs. Bessie Scott, living at Lexington, Missouri. Sheriff and Mrs. Ratekin have one child, a daughter, Mary H., born on October 27, 1905.

JOHN C. HELFENBEIN.

John C. Helfenbein, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and ten acres in section 22 of the precinct of Arago, this county, was born in that precinct and has lived there all his life, having thus been a continuous resident of Richardson county since territorial days. He was born on February 22, 1866, son of John and Lena (Buck) Helfenbein, natives of Germany, who were among the earliest settlers of this county and whose last days were spent here, the former living until June 10, 1912, he then being in the eighty-fourth year of his age. His wife had preceded him to the grave about four years, her death having occurred in 1908, she then being seventy-nine years of age. They were the parents of four children, namely: Mrs. Amelia Klink, of Missouri; August, deceased; John C., the subject of this sketch, and Ernest.

John Helfenbein, who was an honored veteran of the Civil War, was born in Hessenstadt on September 22, 1828, and had come to this country in the days of his young manhood, settling in Illinois, where he remained until 1858, when he came over into the then Territory of Nebraska and located at the site of the old village of Arago, first county seat of Richardson county, helping in the construction of the first house that was erected at that historic point. He bought a tract of land in the immediate vicinity of Arago, broke the soil with an ox-team and there farmed for a good many years, later moving to the southern part of the precinct, where he and his wife spent their last days. During the Civil War John Helfenbein served valiantly as a member of Company B, Fourth Missouri Cavalry, with which command he enlisted on March 13, 1862, and with which he served until his final dis- charge of March 22, 1865. During this service he nearly lost his life, receiv- ing a serious wound when three horses fell on him during a desperate cavalry scrimmage. Some years before his death Mr. Helfenbein wrote an interest- ing narrative relating to his experiences as a pioneer of Richardson county and as a participant in the frontier warfare carried on out here during the Civil War period, which narrative has so much of historical interest that it is presented below :

811

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

"I came to the present site of Fargo, formerly Arago, Nebraska, in 1858. At that time there were no buildings of any kind at that place. Dur- ing the following three years twenty-three families arrived and proceeded to erect dwelling houses and such other structures as they needed in a wild country.

"When the Civil War broke out there was on the opposite side of Arago, across the Missouri river, a small village called Marietta, which had a post- office, school house and a horse-power saw-mill. The Rebels raised the rebel flag at Marietta. We at Arago raised the Union flag; the flags being but one mile apart. The Rebels and those who sympathized with them threat- ened to come to Arago and pull down the Union flag and burn every house, but they never did. On March 13, 1862, I, with twelve others, went to Forest City, Holt county, Missouri, where we enlisted in Company B, Fourthi Regi- ment, Missouri Cavalry. We remained three weeks in the vicinity of Forest City, scouting in Atchison, Holt and Nodaway counties; also pulling down rebel flags and taking them to headquarters and compelling them to swear allegiance to the Union.

"On April 1, 1862, our regiment met at St. Joseph, Missouri, where we entered on police duty, also scouting throughout Andrew, Buchanan and Platte counties. From there we moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and were camped there fourteen days, scouting in Lafayette, Johnson and Jackson counties. We lost two men of our company by Quantrell bushwhackers on Blue river, at Westport. From there we marched to Greenfield, thence to Springfield and then to Granby, Missouri, where we met the Rebels and fought them. We killed two and took seventeen prisoners. Then we went . to Neosho, Newtonia and Mt. Vernon; thence back to Springfield. From there we were ordered to Lone Jack to reinforce the First Iowa, which had had an engagement with the Rebels commanded by Coffee and Range. We were in the saddle for twenty-seven days, during which time we scarcely found any food, either for man or beast. The Rebels lost one barrel of sugar, which we were fortunate to get and which was doled ont to us one cupful a day as long as it lasted. On June 21, 1862, we espied some cabbage in a garden, to which we helped ourselves. We also found one barrel of molasses and three pieces of bacon, of which our dinner consisted. On June 27 we over- took the Rebels at Neosho and captured their cannons, after which they retreated.

"We participated in the battle of Newtonia, Missouri, September 13. 1862, and at Cassville, September 21, 1862. Before we went into the engagement at Newtonia. Kelly, our major, made something like the follow-

812

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASK.A.

ing speech : 'Soldiers : Again you are called upon to advance on the enemies of your country. The time and the occasion are deemed opportune by your commanding general to address to you a few words of confidence and caution. Your movement being in co-operation with others, it is of the utmost importance that no effort should be left unspared to make it success- ful. Soldiers, the eyes of the whole country are looking with anxious hope to the blow you are about to strike in the most sacred cause that ever called men to arms. Remember your homes, your wives and your children, and bear in mind that the sooner your enemies are overcome the sooner you will be returned to enjoy the benefits and blessings of peace. Bear with patience the hardships and sacrifices you will be called upon to endure. Have con- fidence in your officers and in each other. Keep your ranks on the march and on the battlefield, and let each man earnestly implore God's blessing and endeavor, both by his thoughts and his actions, to render himself worthy of the favor he seeks. With clear consciences and strong arms, actuated by a high sense of duty; fighting to preserve the government and the institutions handed down to us by our forefathers-if true to ourselves victory, under God's blessing, must and will attend our efforts.'

"At Huntsville, Arkansas, three hundred of our men made battle on twenty-five sheep in a forty-acre pasture. The sheep were all killed, of course ; no prisoners taken. At Fayetteville we captured a goose, which, after being equally divided, we prepared for dinner by immersing in a pot of hot water ; each his portion according to command. We participated in the battle of White River, then we spent two days on Osage Mountain. On December 2, 1862, we surprised the Rebels on Horse creek, between Ft. Scott, Kansas. and Greenfield, Missouri, capturing ninety-three horses and saddles and all their firearms. On April 7, 1863, we marched to Sedalia, Missouri, and were compelled to swim the Grand river, which was then bank full and about a half mile in width. From 1863 to 1865 we were pursuing Quantrell and Jesse James, spending many nights in the forest trying to capture Jesse when he would be going courting his sweetheart at Dover, Lafayette county. On Angust 21, 1863, we captured a man of Quantrell's command who confessed to having killed a woman and throwing her and her baby into a burning build- ing at Lawrence, Kansas. He was court-martialed and shot. On October 13. 1863, we fought Joe Shelby at Arrow Rock. On October 23, 1864. we fought General Price at Jefferson City, Missouri, and pursued him to Blue river, near Kansas City. In this engagement we lost our captain, Alvin Blair. My fastest riding was between the Blue river and Lexington, where I was · commissioned to carry a dispatch through the enemy's lines. I was pursued

. 813

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

by them, but succeeded in getting away. We participated in numerous other bushwhacker skirmishes not necessary here to mention."

John C. Helfenbein was reared on the pioneer farm on which he was born, in the precinct of Arago, and grew up there thoroughly familiar with pioneer conditions of living. He received his schooling in the district schools of that neighborhood and from the days of his boyhood was a valuable factor in the labors of developing and improving the home place. He later began working as a farm hand, at a wage of fifteen dollars a month, and in 1884 he and his brother August began farming together, an arrangement that con- tinued until his marriage in 1892, after which he bought an eighty-acre farm in the precinct of Ohio and there established his home, remaining there until 1896, when he sold that place and bought his present farm of one hundred and ten acres in section 22 of Arago precinct, where he has since made his home and where he and his family are very comfortably and very pleasantly situated. Since taking possession of that 'place Mr. Helfenbein has built a new house and barn, planted an orchard and made other substantial improve- ments, now having one of the best farm plants in that part of the county. In addition to his general farming he has devoted considerable attention to the raising of high-grade stock and has done very well. Mr. Helfenbein is a Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been included in the office-seeking class.

On April 21, 1892, John C. Helfenbein was united in marriage to Mary Miller, who also was born in Arago precinct, December 30, 1870, daughter of Jacob and Lena (Gebhard) Miller, the former an Alsatian and the latter a native of the city of New York, who became pioneers of Richardson county and here spent their last days. Jacob Miller was born in the then French province of Alsace on September 25, 1834, and was ten years of age when he came to this country with his parents in 1844, the family settling in Erie county, New York, moving thence in 1855 to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where he remained until 1859, when he located in St. Charles county, Missouri. . \ year later, in the spring of 1860, he came over into the then Territory of Nebraska and settled in this county, becoming engaged in farm labor in the neighborhood of Williamsville. In the fall of that same year lie leased a half section of land from a Mr. Pickard, in Arago precinct, seven miles north- east of the present city of Falls City, and that winter split rails and built a log cabin, which is still standing. Mr. Miller was thus engaged in develop- ing his pioneer farm when the Civil War broke out and on June 13, 1861. enlisted at Omaha for service in the Union army and went to the front as a member of Company B, First Regiment. Nebraska Volunteer Infantry, with

814

RICHARDSON COUNTY. NEBRASK.A.

which he served until mustered out at Omaha on August 25, 1864, and dur- ing which service he participated in numerous important engagements, includ- ing the battles of Shiloh, Cape Girardeau and Clarington. Upon the com- pletion of his military service Mr. Miller returned to this county and in 1865 bought the quarter section he had leased and after his marriage in 1870 estab- lished his home there, remaining there until 1886, when he moved to Sheridan county, this state, but a year later he returned to his home farm and remained there until the fall of 1903, when he retired from the farm and he and his wife moved to Falls City, where both spent their last days, the latter dying on September 9, 1906, and the former on January 3, 1917. It was at Barada, this county, March 17, 1870, that Jacob Miller was united in marriage to Magdalena Gebhard and to this union nine children were born, those besides Mrs. Helfenbein, the fourth in order of birth, being Henry F., of Happy, Texas; Fred" W., who is operating the old home farm; Mrs. Anna Zorn, of this county ; Mrs. Ida Bertram, of Minnesota; Mrs. Ella Gerlt, of this coun- ty; Mrs. Lizzie Hunker, also of this county; Mrs. Minnie Bertram, of this county, and Mrs. Louisa Zorn, who died on February 12, 1912.

To John C. and Mary (Miller) Helfenbein four children have been born, Lena, August, Edna and Ernest. The family are members of the Evangelical Lutheran church and take a proper part in church work, as well as in the general good works and social activities of the community in which they live. helpful in promoting all movements having to do with the advancement of the common welfare thereabout.

LEANDER C. PRICHARD.

Leander C. Prichard, one of the best-known farmers and stockmen of the precinct of Arago, this county, and the owner of a fine farm of one hun- dred and fifty acres in sections 4 and 5 of that precinct, is a native of the old Blue Grass state, but has been a resident of this county since 1880 and has consequently been a witness to and a participant in the wonderful develop- ment made in this section of Nebraska during the past thirty-five or forty years. He was born in Boyd county, Kentucky, January 15, 1854, son of William and Caroline (Newman) Prichard, both natives of that same state and members of prominent families in the northeastern part of Kentucky, the former born on June 9, 1827, and the latter, about 1830. The Prichards are an okl family in the United States, the first of the name to come to this

815

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

country having been William Prichard, who came over from Wales in 1744 and established his home on this side, the family becoming plantation owners and persons of substance. William Prichard, father of the subject of this sketch, was of the same family as Dr. Lewis Prichard, the Charleston (West Virginia) capitalist and philanthropist, whose various beneficences have made his one of the best-known names in the field of philanthropy in this country. Both William Prichard and his wife spent their last days in Kentucky. They were married on March 15, 1853, and were the parents of six children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being Columbus, deceased ; James, deceased; Laura, deceased; Virginia, who married H. M. Bloss and is now deceased, and Robert, who is still living in Kentucky. The mother of these children died on January 10, 1881, and the father survived until February 12, 1906.

Reared on the home farm in northeastern Kentucky, Leander C. Prich- ard received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and finished his edu- cation at Marshall College, Huntington, West Virginia, and early learned at his father's forge the blacksmith's trade. In 1880 he came to Nebraska and bought his present farm of one hundred and fifty acres in sections 4 and 5 of the precinct of Arago, where, after his marriage in the following spring, he established his home and has ever since made that his place of residence, he and his wife having one of the pleasantest homes in that part of the county. Mr. Prichard not only has a comfortable home, but an excellent farm plant and ranks among the progressive farmers of Richardson county. He has given considerable attention to the breeding of hogs, a former breeder of Poland China stock, but for the past year or two giving his attention to Duroc-Jersey stock, and has done very well. Politically, he is a Democrat. and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.

On February 21, 1881, Leander C. Prichard was united in marriage to Laura L. Vaughan, who was born in Lawrence county, Ohio, January 24. 1864, daughter of Abraham and Sarah (Prichard) Vaughan, who came to Nebraska in 1865 and the former of whom died in May of that same year. two months after having established his family on a farm in this county. Abraham Vaughan was a native of the old Dominion, born in Wayne county, Virginia, now included in West Virginia, May 12, 1822, and his wife was born in Lawrence county, Kentucky, May 4, 1823. After their marriage they made their home in Lawrence county, Ohio, and in 1864 Mr. Vanghan came to the then Territory of Nebraska and entered a tract of land in this county, returning then to Ohio for his family and bringing them here in

816

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASK.A.

the early spring of 1865. Two months later, in May, he died, leaving his widow with six young children and the pioneer farm to look after. She bravely faced many hardships in getting things going and rearing her chil- dren, but she kept the family together and lived to see them well established, her death occurring on July 27, 1898. Mrs. Prichard was the youngest of the children born to her parents and was but a babe in arms when she was brought to this county back in territorial days. She thus has seen the gradual development of this region since pioneer days and has ever taken a hearty interest in the same, contributing well her part to the general social and cultural activities of the community in which she has lived since the days of her infancy.

CHARLES LOREE.

Charles Loree, clerk of the district court and old settler of Richardson county, is probably the most widely known official of Richardson county and it is probable that he is personally acquainted with more people in southeast- ern Nebraska than any other living citizen. This wide acquaintance is favor- able and Mr. Loree is distinctly popular with the rank and file of Richardson county citizens. His geniality, obliging and kind disposition, wide knowledge of county affairs, have for years made of him a marked figure in the official and political life of his home county. He has been a resident of Richardson county for the past fifty-two years, over forty years of which have been spent in some official capacity. Charles Loree commenced his career in Nebraska as a farmer boy in 1866, and has filled many positions of trust in the service of the people since that year. He has witnessed the transforma- tion of a boundless prairie into a great state and taken an active part in the upbuilding of a great county. He was born at Lebanon, Warren county, Ohio, March 19, 1852, and was a son of Dr. John and Elizabeth Loree, natives of the old Buckeye state.

Dr. John Loree was born in Monroe, Butler county, Ohio, in 1818 and died at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1902. He was a son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth ( Boggs) Loree, the former of whom was a native of Cape May, New Jersey, and the latter was a native of Virginia. Hezekiah Loree was a son of Jasper Loree, who was descended from Colonial ancestry, of French origin. The mother of Charles Loree was of German descent and was born at Miamis- burg, Ohio, in 1832 and died in 1911. The grandmother of Charles Loree died at Falls City in 1875 at the advanced age of eighty-four years. The

₹

CHIARLES LOREE.

817

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Boggs family on his father's side are of Irish descent. It will thus be seen that Charles Loree is a scion of amalgamated American stock, the best of which is a result of the melting pot of the nations of the world which is con- stantly taking place in America. Dr. John Loree was a medical practitioner, who was proprietor of the Loree Ohio Liniment Company, which had its headquarters at Cincinnati, Ohio. During the Civil War he served in the capacity of Indian agent for the United States government and had charge of the Cheyenne and Arrapahoe Indians. He was commissioned a major under Gen. James Craig. In 1865 Major Loree purchased a farm located two miles from St. Joseph, Missouri. He traded this farm in the following autumn for one thousand acres of land within two miles of Falls City, Neb- raska. Following his entrance into Nebraskashe promoted the Nemaha Valley, Lincoln & Loop Fork Railway Company, now the Burlington and Missouri, or a division of the Burlington railway system, and served as presi- dent of the new railroad, making his headquarters at Lincoln, Nebraska, in the meantime. He later returned to Cincinnati and died there. The children of John Loree were as follow: Marie Frances, who resides in Falls City; Charles, subject of this review; Warren, living at Long Beach, California, and Harry, of Lincoln, Nebraska.

Charles Loree received his education in the schools of Liberty, Indiana, Richmond, Indiana, and St. Joseph, Missouri, later attending the district school of Falls City. He also pursued a commercial and bookkeeping course in the Normal school at Peru, Nebraska. He first came to Richardson county in September of 1865, and then came here to remain permanently in 1866. For several years he followed farming and then became a clerk in a dry- goods store for four years. Following this he established a real-estate busi- ness and founded the first bonded abstract company in Falls City, which he is conducting successfully at the present time, in addition to his duties as clerk of the district court. He was appointed to the post of deputy county clerk in 1875 and served for two years; served as precinct and city assessor of Falls City for five terms; filled the office of clerk of the district court; served four years as county clerk : followed this position by six years service as register of deeds; was then elected county clerk for two years, following which he conducted his abstract business for two years, and is now serving his fourteenth term as clerk of the district court. The continuity in which Mr. Loree has held office in Richardson county is the best evidence of his efficiency, ability and popularity with the people of the county. In addition

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 79

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