History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 86

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

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Having been but a child when his parents returned from Nebraska to New York, Doctor Greene received his early schooling in the schools of Medina, in the latter state, supplementing the same by a course in the prepara- tory academy in connection with Cornell University and in the normal school at Brockport, New York, and then entered the medical department of the University of New York, from which he was graduated in 1898. Thus admirably equipped for the practice of his profession, Doctor Greene opened an office at Medina. New York, and was there engaged in practice for a year. at the end of which time he returned to his native state of Nebraska and opened an office at Plattsmouth, where he remained for three years and dur- ing which time he took a post-graduate course in the medical department of the University of Louisville. He then moved to Manley. Nebraska, where he remained a couple of years, at the end of which time. in the spring of 1906, he moved to Salem, this county, where he remained until his removal to Falls City in 1908. In the meantime, in 1904, Doctor Greene had taken a second post-graduate course, specializing in surgery at the New York Poly- clinic. He also has on numerous occasions taken special study at Mayo Institute and has become widely recognized as one of the leading surgeons in this part of the state. The Doctor has handsomely appointed offices in the Richardson County Bank building and keeps constantly abreast of the won- derful modern advancement that is being made in his profession. In 1914 he was appointed city physician and served for two years.

On November 10, 1904, Dr. John M. Greene was united in marriage at Plattsmouth. this state, to Dorothy Wehrbein, of that city, daughter of Will-

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iam Wehrbein and wife, the former of whom died in 1896, and to this union had been born one child, a daughter, Eleanor, born in 1906. The Doctor and Mrs. Greene are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a proper interest in church work. They have a very pleasant home at Falls City and have ever taken an interested part in the general social and cultural activities of their home town, helpful in promoting all good causes. Doctor Greene is a Knight Templar and a Royal Arch Mason, generalissimo of the local commandery and high priest of the local chapter, has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for more than twenty-one years and in the affairs of these orders takes a warm interest.

VICTOR G. LYFORD.

Victor G. Lyford, one of the leading merchants and business men of Falls City and president of the board of. regents of the Nebraska State Uni- versity, is a native of the state of Illinois, but has been a resident of this state since 1891 and of Falls City since 1899, when he engaged in the mercantile business in that city and has ever since been thus engaged, now the pro- prietor of the largest store of its kind in Richardson county. He was born at Neponset, in Bureau county, Illinois, August 16, 1859, son of Joseph and Josephine (Hinman) Lyford, the former a native of the state of New Hamp- shire and the latter of Illinois, who were the parents of eight children, five of whom are still living. The mother of these children, who was born in Groveland, Illinois, in 1836, died in 1870 and the father afterward married again and to that union six children were born, five of whom are still living. Joseph Lyford was born at Canterbury, New Hampshire, November 31, 1828, son of Joseph and Caroline (Dow) Lyford, and was about eight years of age when his parents came West and settled in Illinois. There he was reared on a farm and later engaged in the mercantile business at Neponset, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1900, he then being seventy- two years of age. The Lyfords are an old Colonial family, the first of the name in this country having been an Episcopal clergyman, who came from England in 1627 and settled in New England, where the family is still widely represented.

Reared at Neponset, Victor G. Lyford was made familiar with the details of the mercantile business from his boyhood, the foundation for his success- ful career having been laid in his father's store when a boy. Upon com-

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pleting the course in the schools of his home town he entered the Methodist College at Abingdon, Illinois, and after his graduation from that institution studied law in Chicago and in 1883 was admitted to the bar. In that same year he came to Nebraska and for a few months thereafter was engaged in the practice of law with A. R. Talbot at Lincoln, but finding the law not to his liking presently returned to his old home town in Illinois, where he engaged in the mercantile business, operating a general store, and where he remained for six years, at the end of which time he disposed of his interests there and returned to Nebraska and started a store at Humphrey, up in Platte county, where he remained for eight years, or until 1899, when he sold out there and moved to Falls City, where he opened a general merchandise store with a ten-thousand-dollar stock of goods and where he ever since has been suc- cessfully engaged in business, now having the largest store in the dry goods, women's ready-to-wear line, carpets and groceries line in the county. Upon locating at Falls City Mr. Lyford rented a store room fifty by one hundred feet, on Stone street and there remained until 1901, when he moved into his present commodious quarters, where he carries well-stocked lines in the four departments represented in his store. In addition to his extensive mercan- tile interests Mr. Lyford has given close attention to the general business affairs of his home town and is president of the Leo Cider and Vinegar Com- pany of Falls City. He is a Republican and has given earnest attention to local political affairs, has served as a member of the local school board and is president of the board of regents of the Nebraska State University.

On September 24, 1885, during his residence in Illinois, Victor G. Lyford was united in marriage to Florence N. Willits, who was born at New Boston. Illinois, a daughter of William and Mary (Alyea) Willits, natives of Indiana and both of whom are now deceased, and to this union six children have been born. namely: Mabel, who married Fred M. Brown, of Lewiston, Montana, and has two sons, Lyford and Philip: Grace, who married F. M. Graham, of Buffalo, Wyoming, and has two sons, Robert and Frederick: Gertrude. who married Lloyd Shaffer, of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Helen, wife of Richard P. Dittmar, of Hannibal, Missouri, and Constance and Florence, who are now students of the Nebraska State University. The Lyfords have a very pleas- ant home in Falls City, Mr. Lyford having bought and remodeled along mod- ern lines his present handsome residence at a cost of eight thousand dollars, and have ever taken an interested part in the general social activities of their home town. Mr. and Mrs. Lyford are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church and Mr. Lyford is president of the board of trustees of the

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same. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a warm interest.

REUBEN HARSHBARGER.

Reuben Harshbarger, well-known breeder of thoroughbred, registered Shorthorn cattle, owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 5 and one hundred and twenty acres in section 6, all in Porter precinct, this county, was born on November 26, 1858, in Stephenson county, Illinois. He is the son of William and Sarah (Cauble) Harshbarger, natives of Pennsyl- vania, descended from Pennsylvania-German stock, and who were early set- tlers in the state of Illinois. They came to Nebraska-in 1871 and located on section 7, Porter precinct, Richardson county, and established themselves on a farm, which they improved and developed, and here they engaged in farm- ing for the rest of their lives. William Harshbarger died on his farm in 1891, at the age of seventy-eight ; his wife died in 1892, at the age of eighty- three. William Harshbarger and wife were the parents of nine children, namely: Samuel, John, Simon, Frank and Margaret, all deceased; Henry, who lives in Porter precinct ; Ira, living in Humboldt; Reuben, the subject of this sketch, and Mrs. Lizzie ( Ray) Sites, of Humboldt.

Reuhen Harshbarger began doing for himself at the age of nineteen. He commenced by renting land at the low figure of fifty cents an acre on the land known as the John Rausch farm, in 1876. He also rented land for one-fifth of the crop; he was renting in all for a period of four years. In 1880 he made his first purchase of land in Porter precinct, at sixteen dollars an acre, working the tract for four years. He then sold out and spent the next four years in Kansas. In 1889 he bought one hundred acres in section 6, Porter precinct, at thirty-five dollars an acre. His next pur- chase of one hundred acres was also in section 6. for which he paid sixty dollars an acre, and his final purchase consisted of eighty acres, part of the present home place, paying eighty dollars an acre for the tract. This land is now held to be worth one hundred and seventy-five dollars an acre, at least. Following his settlement in 1889 on section 6, Mr. Harshbarger, with commendable enterprise, carried out substantial improvements on the hold- ing. He has lived on the farm in section 5 since 1910, and on this farm also he has incurred considerable expense in laying out improvements. In

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addition to his labors on the farm, Mr. Harshbarger has, since 1905, been engaged in breeding thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle, holding private and annual sales, the desire to obtain some of his choice strains being keen amongst buyers and top prices are usually paid him. At the present time he has fifty registered cattle of highest quality and since the beginning he has been successful along that line.

On January 14, 1879, Reuben Harshbarger was united in marriage to Clara Metz, who was born in Stephenson county, Illinois, on July 10, 1858, a daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Andrews) Metz, natives of North- ampton county, Pennsylvania, of Pennsylvania-German stock. They were early settlers in Illinois and .came to Nebraska in the spring of 1876 and settled on the farm which Mr. Harshbarger now owns. Thomas Metz died in 1886 at the age of seventy-six years and his wife, who survived him for several years, died in 1901, at the age of eighty-one years. To Mr. and Mrs. Harshbarger two children have been born, namely: Verna, who mar- ried Roy Trimmer, of Porter precinct, and they are the parents of three children, Herbert, who died at the age of three years; Cecil and Dale; and Jesse L., living on the old home place, who married Ethel Williams and has two children living, Gladys Evelyn and Forrest, and one, Joseph Reuben, who died at the age of two years.

Mr. Harshbarger is a supporter of the Democratic party, but has never been a seeker after public office, preferring to devote his time to his agri- cultural interests. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and of the Woodmen of the World.

JOHN AHERN.

One of the progressive agriculturists and honored citizens of Richard- son county of a past generation, was the late John Ahern, whose sterling Celtic blood made him a man of many commendable personal traits. He was born on August 17, 1836, in Limerick, Ireland, and when eight years old his mother brought him to the United States, the voyage across the Atlantic in an old-fashioned sailing vessel requiring many weeks. They first located in Albany, New York, where he grew to manhood and attended school. Leaving there he came to Galesburg, Illinois, where he was married in 1858 to Ellen Donovan, who was born on November 25, 1835, and her death occurred at Shubert, Nebraska, June 13, 1912.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN AHERN.

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During the Civil War Mr. Ahern was employed in a hay press at Gales- burg, later removing to Elmwood, Illinois, where he remained until 1866, when he came to Richardson county, Nebraska, buying a farm in East Muddy precinct, one mile south of Shubert, and, by close application and persistent effort he developed a good farm and established a comfortable home. By good management he prospered with advancing years and added several other good farms to his holdings, at one time owning seven hundred and ten acres of valuable land in this county, also fifteen hundred acres in North Dakota. He engaged in general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale, becom -. ing one of the leading general agriculturists in Richardson county. He was a man of rare executive ability and foresight, and, being a close observer and a wide miscellaneous reader he kept fully abreast of the times in scien- tific farming and stock raising. Before his death he deeded his lands to his children, giving each an excellent start in life. He was a splendid example of a successful self-made man, for he came to Nebraska a poor man, and by his own honest and industrious efforts forged to the front, accumulating a handsome competency, in fact, was one of the wealthiest men of his county. , He endured the usual hardships and privations of pioneer life on the fron- tier and after the first year here would have sold his home farm for two . dollars and fifty cents per acre and moved to a new country, but Mrs. Ahern discouraged such a course, prevailing upon him to remain here, believing in the future development of the country. It was her desire to rear her sons in the country, far removed from the disagreeable influences of cities and towns.

To John Ahern and wife the following children were born: Charles, deceased; John, living in Barada precinct; Alfred, Thomas, Mary Ellen and Bessie, all on the home place; William, farming near Shubert, Nebraska; Edward and Walter, both on the home place. They all own valuable farms in Richardson county. Alfred is a fruit grower, owning a fine eighty-acre orchard of well-selected fruit. He is owner of the well-known A. G. Shubert fruit farm. These children were all given good educational advantages.

Politically, Mr. Ahern was a Democrat, but was never especially active in public affairs, nor a seeker after political office. He belonged to the (Catholic church and assisted in building St. Ann's church. His death occurred on November 6, 1913, at the age of seventy-seven years, after a long, useful and honorable life of which his descendants may well be proud. All of the Ahern children were liberal contributors to the Red Cross fund, and Alfred Ahern invested in Liberty bonds, thus showing their love of country.

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JASON TIMERMAN.

Jason Timerman, a former member of the board of county commission- ers for Richardson county and one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of the precinct of Porter, now living retired.in the pleasant village of Stella, is a native of the great Empire state, but has long been a "West- erner" since he was three years of age and a resident of Nebraska since he was twenty, having come to this county with his parents in 1869, the family becoming pioneers of the precinct of West Muddy. He was born in Jefferson county, New York, March 7, 1849, son of Jacob and Rosina (Flanders) Timerman, who emigrated with their family from that state to Illinois in 1852 and who remained in the latter state until 1869, when they came out to Nebraska and settled on a quarter-section farm in the precinct of West Muddy, in this county, where they spent the remainder of their lives, Mrs. Timerman dying seven years later, her death occurring on May 12, 1876, and Mr. Timerman surviving until January 4, 1900, he being seventy-nine years of age at the time of his death. Jacob Timerman and wife were the parents of thirteen children, of whom the subject of this sketch was sixth in order of birth, the others being as follow: John, a veteran of the Civil War, . who is now living at Neodesha, Kansas; Mrs. Amy Bartlett, deceased, who was the wife of a Civil War veteran; Amos, who enlisted for service as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War and was killed in the battle of Atlanta, Georgia; Romaine, who also was a soldier of the Union during the Civil War, now deceased; Sydney, another veteran of the Civil War, now a resident of North Platte, this state; Nelson, who is engaged in the hardware business at Verdon, this county; Mrs. Ellen Shuck, deceased; Mrs. Emma Shuck, of Guide Rock, this state; Frank W., who is living on the old home place in the precinct of West Muddy; Mrs. Hattie West, who died at Guide Rock; Lydia, who died in infancy, and Carrie, wife of J. E. Gilbert, of Stella.

As noted above, Jonas Timerman was but little more than a babe when his parents moved from New York state to Illinois and in the latter state he grew to manhood. During the progress of the Civil War he attempted several times to enlist and get to the front to join his four elder brothers and his brother-in-law, and in this patriotic endeavor had the sanction of his father, who was glad to have sons to serve in so noble a cause, but his youth was against him, he having been but sixteen years of age when the war closed and his pleas to enter the service were invariably rejected by the recruiting officers. When the family came to this county in 1869 Jason Timerman

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entered upon the task of helping to improve and develop the home place, his father having bought an unimproved farm in West Muddy, and presently bought an "eighty" in the neighboring precinct of Porter, going in debt for the same, and after his marriage in the following summer (1880), estab- lished his home on that eighty, he and his wife beginning their housekeeping in very humble style in a little house fourteen by twenty feet in dimensions. He gradually paid off the debt on that place and ten years later bought an adjoining "eighty", which he also improved and developed in fine shape and it was not long until he had there a splendid farm, well improved and highly cultivated and one of the most comfortable homes in that part of the county, his quarter section long having been recognized as one of the best farms in that neighborhood. There Mr. Timerman continued to live, actively engaged in farming and stock raising, until 1905, when he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Stella, where he has since made his home and where he and his wife are very comfortably situated. Mr. Timer- man is a Republican and has held township and county offices, having for some time served as assessor of his home precinct, for one term as a member of the board of county commissioners from his district and for twelve years as a member of the school board. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church and he is a member of the local lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, to which he has belonged for more than thirty-two years and which for seven years he served as financier.

On August 15, 1880, Jason Timerman was united in marriage to Frances Otto, who was born in Germany on January 23, 1855, and who was but a babe in arms when her parents, Henry and Anna (Lambert) Otto, in that same year, came to this country and settled in Outagamie county, Wisconsin, where they remained until the spring of 1866, when they came to Nebraska and settled in. the precinct of Muddy, in this county. There Mrs. Otto died in the fall of 1876. In 1880 Mr. Otto went to Kansas, where he spent his last days, his death occurring there in 1884. To Mr. and Mrs. Timerman one child has been born, a son, Ona H., who was born on October 8, 1881, and who died on May 8, 1906, at Los Angeles, leaving a widow, who is now living at Orange, California. Ona H. Timerman was a graduate of the University of Nebraska and was for some time an instructor in the university, the youngest instructor on the staff of three hundred in that institution. He later was elected county surveyor of Richardson county, the youngest person ever elected to that office in this county. Declining health forced him to seek a change in the climate of Los Angeles and he died in that city, mourned by hosts of warm friends in this county and in other parts of Nebraska.

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MICHAEL RILEY.

Michael Riley is one of four brothers extensively engaged in farming and cattle raising in Richardson county. He is the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of choice land in sections II, 14 and 22, Grant precinct, where he farms on a large scale and raises an excellent strain of the well- known Polled Angus cattle. He is the son of pioneer parents, Michael and Mary (O'Brien) Riley, and was born on September 14, 1863, in West Muddy precinct, this county.

His parents, Michael and Mary Riley, came from New Jersey, where they were married in 1853, to Nebraska, coming on to Rulo, this county, in 1859. They made the trip by ox-team from Rulo to a point within three miles of Verdon and there Michael Riley secured one hundred and sixty acres of land. He bought a small house which he moved on to his claim and here he and his family and his brother-in-law, Thomas Farrell, and the family of the latter made their home together. At the end of a couple of weeks his little house was uprooted by a tornado and they immediately set to work to reconstruct it, getting additional lumber for the purpose. With two yoke of oxen Michael Riley commenced the task of breaking his land and soon had it in a state of cultivation. He sold this holding in 1864 and. bought one hundred and twenty acres near Dawson, where he lived until 1884, at which time he bought a tract of land northeast of Dawson, where Michael Riley now lives, and there spent the rest of his life. Michael and Mary Riley were the parents of seven children, namely: Daniel, of Grant precinct; James, who died in Omaha in 1907; William, living on the old home place in Grant precinct; Bernard, the first of the family born in this county, lives in Dawson; Michael, the subject of this sketch; Mary, who married M. J. Clancy, of Dawson, and Annie, who died in 1871. The elder Michael Riley was born in 1826 and came to this country in 1847; his wife was born in 1830 and came to America in 1851. They were natives of County Tipperary, Ireland, and were married in this country. They were members of the Catholic church.

Michael Riley was educated in the district schools of his neighborhood, after which he helped his father on the farm. He was twenty years old when his father died and he then took charge of the home place. Ten years later his mother died and he then bought out the other heirs to the one hundred and sixty acres of the home place, and here he has since been en- gaged in general farming and cattle raising, now being the owner of four

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hundred and eighty acres of land. In 1914 he built a modern house, equipped with steam heat, gas lights and hot water, at a cost of six thousand dollars, and here he and his family are comfortably situated. In 1907 he built a cattle barn and carried out other valuable improvements. In 1905 he commenced breeding Aberdeen Polled Angus cattle and in this line, as in his farming, he has met with much success, his Aberdeen cattle fetching good prices on the market. Hard work and thrift have been large factors in his success.

On November 29, 1899, Michael Riley was married to Ellen Fenton, who was born on March 25, 1870, at Norwich, Connecticut, the daughter of Jeremiah and Katherine (Calnan) Fenton. To Mr. and Mrs. Riley four children have been born, as follow: Mary, born on August 10, 1902, who is at home; Joseph and Paul, who are deceased, and Michael J., born on October 20, 1908. Mr. Riley and his family are members of the Catholic church and he is a member of the Knights of Columbus.

JOSEPH C. YUTZY, D. D. S.

The Hon. Joseph C. Yutzy, of Falls City, doctor of dental surgery, now retired from active practice of his profession, a pioneer of his profes- sion in southeastern Nebraska, an honored veteran of the Civil War, former representative in the Legislature from this district, former mayor of Falls City, formerly and for twenty years a member of the school board in that city and in other ways identified with the civic and general affairs of this community since his arrival here back in the seventies, is a native of the old Keystone state, but has been a resident of Nebraska for the past forty years and has therefore been a witness to and a participant in the development of this region since pioneer days. He was born on a farm in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, March 24, 1843, son of Daniel and Magdalena (Brennaman) Yutzy, natives of Germany, whose last days were spent in that county.

Daniel Yutzy was born in 1802 and was reared in his native land, and remained there until he was twenty-one years of age, when, in 1823, he came to the United States, working his way over as a sailor, the passage requiring eleven weeks, and settled in Pennsylvania, where he began work helping to dig the old Pennsylvania canal at a wage of fifty cents a day. He eventually settled in Somerset county, where he married and established his home on a farm, becoming a substantial and well-to-do farmer and a

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History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 86

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