History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 89

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 89

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 1872, in this county, Allen Franklin was united in marriage to Mary Ellen Spickler, who died in 1875, leaving one son, Jared D., who was acci- dentally drowned in this Missouri river when nineteen years of age. In 1877 Mr. Franklin married Alice Margaret Mitchell, who was born in Illi- nois on February 20, 1857, daughter of William and Mary Mitchell, and to this union six children have been born, namely: Leonora, who married John «Neimamm, living three and one-half miles northwest of Verdon, and has four children, Gladys, John Allen, Millicent and Vernell: Richard Rolla,

906

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

of the firm of Franklin Brothers, orchardists, who married Katie Crouch and has four children, Marian Alice, Mabel, Richard R., Jr., and Nancy Thelma: Benjamin George, a homesteader and ranchman of Montana, who married Vesta Lively, of Falls City, and has two children, Robert Benjamin and Vernell; Anna, who is at home; L. Lee, also at home, a member of the firm of Franklin Brothers, orchardists, and Myron C., of Stella. Mr. and Mrs. Franklin are members of the Church of Christ at Barada and take a warm interest in church work, as well as in the other good worky and general social activities of the community of which they have been residents since pioneer days. Mr. Franklin is a Republican, though reserving his right to vote independently on local issues, and has served as director of his local school district and has in other ways done his part in advancing the general interests of his community.

JOSEPH LOUIS VON BERGEN.

Joseph Louis Von Bergen, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers in the southwestern part of the county and the proprietor of a fine place and a beautiful home set in the timbered valley of the Rattlesnake in section 27 of the precinct of Nemaha, was born in that immediate vicinity, in a house just across the creek from his present residence, and has lived there all his life. He was born on February 12, 1871, son of Melchoir and Katie (Troxell) Von Bergen: both of whom were born in the republic of Switzerland and whose last days were spent in this county, of which they were honored pioneer residents, having settled here in 1869.

Melchoir Von Bergen was born in the canton of Bern on July 3, 1834, and remained in his native Switzerland until he was twenty-seven years of age, when, in 1861, he came to this country and settled in Illinois, where he farmed for a year, at the end of which time he went to Ohio, where he engaged in the manufacture of cheese and where he married Katie Troxell, who was born in Switzerland on June 11, 1842, and who was but an infant when her parents came to this country in 1843 and settled in Ohio. Melchoir Von Bergen did well in his cheese-making enterprise in Ohio and remained there until 1869, when he decided to come West and become a Nebraska farmer. Upon coming here he bought two hundred acres of land along Rattlesnake creek in the precinct of Nemaha, in this county, and there estab- lished his home, he and his wife spending the remainder of their lives there.

907

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Mr. Von Bergen was an excellent farmer and as he prospered in his under- taking he added to his holdings until he became the owner of six hundred and forty acres and was accounted one of the most substantial and influential farmers in that part of the county. He was a Republican and gave close attention to local civic affairs. He and his wife were active members of the Reformed church and ever took a proper part in local good works. Melchoir Von Bergen died on October 3, 1912, and his widow survived him less than a year, her death occurring on March 28, 1913. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being as follow: Emma, deceased; Katie, deceased; Mrs. Lizzie Feldman, of Sabetha, over the line in Kansas; Ella, deceased; Edward, deceased, and Frederick, deceased.

J. Louis Von Bergen was reared on the home farm on the timbered banks of the Rattlesnake and received his schooling in the pioneer schools in that neighborhood. From boyhood he was an able assistant to his father in the labors of the home farm and has always been a farmer there. Upon the division of the homestead he received his share and later purchased half of the estate. To this he has added until now he is the owner of six hun- dred and forty acres, the greater part of which land he rents out. The home farm in section 27, where he makes his home, has two sets of buildings on it and his two other farms are also well improved. His home place is one of the most picturesque spots in that part of the country. He has a fine resi- dence and he and his family are very pleasantly situated, indeed. In addi- tion to his general farming and stock raising, Mr. Von Bergen gives con- siderable attention to the general business affairs of the community and is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Humboldt. Politically, he is a Democrat and takes a warm interest in local political affairs, but is not a seeker after public office.

On December 10, 1907, J. Louis Von Bergen was united in marriage to Amanda Fankhauser, who was born in the precinct of Speiser, this county. daughter of John Fankhouser and wife, pioneers of that precinct, and to this union three children have been born, Ruth Laverne, born on October 18, 1908; Ralph Louis, October 24, 1912, and Doris Lorene, August 10. 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Von Bergen are members of the Reformed church and give their earnest attention to the various beneficences of the same, as well as to the general good works of the community and also take an interested part in the community's general social activities, helpful in promoting all agencies designed to advance the common welfare.

908

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

MARTIN D. ULMER.

Martin D. Ulmer, one of Richardson county's best-known and most progressive farmers and the proprietor of a fine place of a quarter section in the precinct of Grant, is a native of the old Keystone state, but has been a resident of this county since 1884 and has thus been a witness to and a participant in the development of this region during the past thirty years and more. He was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, September 13. 1861, son of Martin and Catherine (Shaefer) Ulmer, both natives of that same county and both of German descent, the latter of whom became a pioneer of Richardson county and here spent her last days, having come here as a widow in 1884.

Martin Ulmer was the son of Leonard Ulmer, a native of Germany, a son of Leonard Ulmer, Sr., who was a son of Thomas Ulmer. The junior Leonard, the first of his family to come to this country, married Marie Stump in his native land and in 1804 came to the United States, settling in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife established their home and where they reared their family. Their son, Martin Ulmer, grew to manhood on the home farm in that county and there married Catherine Shaefer, a daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth (Guinter) Shaefer, also natives of Germany, who had emigrated to the United States in 1804 and had settled in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, neighbors to the Ulmers. After his marriage Martin Ulmer established his home on a farm in his native county and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1870. In 1884 his widow disposed of her interests in Pennsylvania and with her children came to Nebraska and settled in this county. She bought a quarter of a section of land just across the highway from the farm owned by the subject of this sketch and which he bought at the same time, and there she lived until 1894, when she moved to Dawson, making her home with a son and daughter, her death occurring in 1903, she then being seventy- five years of age. She was the mother of five children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Henry (deceased), Israel, of Dawson, this county; Emannel. of Grant precinct, and Sarah E., of Dawson. Emanuel Ulmer married Sarah Heim and has six children, Mary. Norman, Edna, Walter, Reuben and Nelson. Mary Ulmer married Charles Wuster and has two children, Orville and Miriam. Norman Ulmer married Merdeth Miller. Reuben .Ulmer married True Stratton and has one child, a daughter, Evelyn.

As noted above, it was in 1884 that Martin D. Ulmer came to this

909

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

county, accompanying his widowed mother from Pennsylvania. He bought a quarter of a section of land in the precinct of Grant, the place he' ever since has occupied, right across the road from the quarter section his mother bought. When he bought the place it had but slight improvements on it, a little one-room house, a tumble-down barn and a decrepit corncrib, but he went to work with energy and it was not long until he began to get results, soon having one of the best-improved farms in that neighborhood and he ever has made a point of keeping his place up to standard. His fine resi- dence occupies a commanding site on a beautiful rise and the surrounding grove of evergreens and the adjacent vineyard lend picturesqueness to the spot. The large barn and well-ordered farm buildings are in keeping with the central establishment, the entire farm plant bearing the unmistakable im- print of its owner's progressive and up-to-date methods of doing business. Upon buying that place Mr. Ulmer found it necessary to incur a consid- erable indebtedness, but he soon got that paid off and has prospered in his operations. In addition to his general farming he has paid considerable attention to the raising of high-grade live stock, with particular attention to Black Angus cattle and Poland China hogs, and has done very well. He and his sister now own the farm their mother- formerly owned and rent the same to advantage. Mr. Ulmer is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.

On December 5, 1893, Martin D. Ulmer was united in marriage to Sophia Heim, who also was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, July 19, 1868, daughter of Jacob G. and Regina (Gross) Heim, natives of Penn- sylvania, who came to this county in 1874 and settled on a farm one mile north of Dawson, becoming early recognized as among the most substantial and influential pioneers of that neighborhood. Jacob G. Heim, further and fitting reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume, died in April, 1914, he then being eighty-two years of age, and his widow is still living in this county, now making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Emanuel Ulmer. Mr. and Mrs. Ulmer have had three children, Erma, born on May 22, 1896, who is a graduate of the Dawson high school class of 1913, and who is still at home; Wallace H., born in 1903, who died in 1904, and Mil- dred, born on February 15, 1909. The Ulmers have a very pleasant home and have ever taken an interested part in the general social and cultural activities of their home neighborhood and of the community at large, help- ful in many ways in promoting agencies having to do with the advancement of the common welfare. Mr. Ulmer was reared a Baptist and Mrs. Ulmer

910

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

is a member of the United Evangelical church, both taking a proper part in neighborhood good works. Every member of this family has contributed liberally to the Red Cross movement and Mr. Ulmer has shown his patriotism by buying Liberty Bonds.

EDWARD R. HAYS, M. D.

Dr. Edward R. Hays, of Falls City, one of the best-known physicians in Richardson county, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born in the village of Humboldt on June 15, 1885, son of Dr. Peter William and Phoebe (Unland) Hays, the former a native of Penn- sylvania and the latter of Illinois and the latter of whom is still living, now a resident of Falls City.

Dr. William Peter Hays, a pioneer physician of this county, was born in Pennsylvania on January 13, 1848, a son of Peter Hays, a native of Ger- many, whose last days were spent at Kittaning, Pennsylvania. He received his medical education in Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia and in 1877 came to Nebraska and located at Humboldt, where he married about three years later and where he was engaged in practice for fifteen years, at the end of which time, in 1892, he moved to Falls City, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring there on November 2, 1897. He was a successful practitioner and had a wide acquaintance throughout this and neighboring counties. It was in 1880, at Humboldt, that Dr. P. W. Hays was united in marriage to Phoebe Unland, of that place, who was born at Beardstown, Illinois, November 28, 1862, daughter of the Rev. Fritz and Nancy (Wagel) Unland, pioneers of Richardson county, who had settled in Humboldt in the early seventies. The Rev. Fratz Unland was a Hanover- ian, born at Osenbrick, near Hanover, in the kingdom of that name, August 16, 1829, who emigrated to this country in the days of his young manhood and settled in Illinois, where he presently married Nancy Wagel, who was born at Lexington, Kentucky, in 1834, and whose mother, Phoebe (Todd) Wagel, was a first cousin of Mary (Todd) Lincoln, wife of President Lin- coln. In the early seventies he came with his family to this county and located at Humboldt, where he spent the remainder of his life, an earnest minister of the German Methodist church, his death occurring on May 12, 1906. His widow survived him a little less than a year, her death occurring on April 1, 1907. The Rev. Fritz Unland was the pioneer minister of his

911

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

faith in this county and for a long time the only one. Upon coming out here there was no formal place of worship for the people of his faith and until he presently was able to secure the erection of a German Methodist church at Humboldt he was compelled to hold services in the private homes of his parishioners. To Dr. P. W. and Phoebe ( Unland) Hays three children were born, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Emma, wife of Julius Ruegge, manager of the Towle Lumber Company at Falls City, and Grace, who is now a student in the State University. In 1901 the mother of these children married Amos Gantt, of Falls City, who died in January, 1914, leav- ing one child, a son, Ray Gantt. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Gantt has continued to make her home at Falls City, where she is very comfortably situated.

Edward R. Hays was about seven years of age when his parents moved from Humboldt to Falls City and in the latter place he grew to manhood. Upon completing the course in the high school there in 1902 he entered Kan- sas City College and after a two-years course there, preparatory to completing his medical studies, he entered Ensworth Medical College at St. Joseph, Mis- souri, and was graduated from that institution in 1906. Upon receiving his degree Doctor Hays returned to his home county and opened an office for the practice of his profession at Dawson, where he was engaged in prac- tice for four years, at the end of which time he moved to Omaha and was there engaged in practice for two years or more, or until 1913, when he returned to Falls City and opened an office in his home town and has ever since been successfully engaged in practice there. The Doctor has a well- appointed office at Sixteenth and Stone streets and has built up an extensive practice. He is a member of the Richardson County Medical Society, the Nebraska State Medical Association and the American Medical Association and keeps fully abreast of the wonderful advancement being made in his pro- fession these days. In 1911 he took a post-graduate course at the Chicago Polyclinic and in the Post-Graduate School at Chicago and in 1912 took a further and valuable course in the Mayo clinics at Rochester, Minnesota. Doctor Hays is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, an ardent advocate of good government.

On July 7, 1912, Dr. Edward R. Hays was united in marriage to Nellie M. Cain, of Falls City, daughter of J. R. Cain and wife, the former of whom, an old settler of this county, who came here in 1856, was for thirty years in charge of the bank at Stella and who is now living retired at Falls City. Doctor and Mrs. Hays are members of the Episcopal church and take a proper interest in church work and in the general social and cultural activities of

912

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

their home town. The Doctor is a Mason and is also affiliated with the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, with the Knights and Ladies of Security and with the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a warm interest.

JULIUS SMITH.

The record of a man like the late Julius Smith, a successful agricul- turist and widely-known public official and honored citizen of Richardson county, is well worth preserving on the pages of local history, for it con- tains many lessons of value to the youth just starting out on life's serious activities. Mr. Smith was born, March 5. 1837, in Germany, a son of Carl Smith, where his parents lived and died, his father having taught school there for a period of fifty years in his home town. When fourteen years old Julius Smith immigrated to America, landing in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the spring of 1852, and soon thereafter, in April, he started north in search of employment, ascending the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, land- ing at St. Joseph, Missouri. He worked out as a farm hand in that locality during the summer months and in the winter time attended school. In 1856 he came to Richardson county and was a partner with his brother, Charles Smith, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. In the spring of 1868 he moved to a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Nemaha town- ship, only fifty acres of which had been broke and there stood a small, rude house on the land, but little other improvements. He went to work indus- triously and in due course of time had developed a productive and well improved farm, building a comfortable stone house, which was destroyed in the tornado of October 15, 1877, which swept the valley of Rock creek in which lay the Smith farm, which was almost completely devastated, all buildings, fences, trees being demolished and killing a horse, cattle and hogs and sweeping the chickens away, the Smith place being in the direct part of the great hurricane. Charles Smith, the ten-year-old son of the subject of this memoir was killed, and in fact, all of the family, with the exception of Rosa Smith, were injured. But Julius Smith was a man of indomitable courage and energy and, nothing daunted, he set to work at once to replace the buildings and restock his farm, building another good home, by the help of his neighbors. It was the first, and in fact, has been the only storm of cyclonic proportions, to visit southeastern Nebraska. Mr. Smith

MR. AND MRS. JULIU'S SMITHI.

913

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

was a man of sound judgment and wise foresight, as well as a man of industry and progressive ideas, and he prospered with advancing years, be- ' coming one of the leading general farmers and stock raisers of his precinct. He added one hundred and sixty acres on the southeast of his home place, making a total of three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land. It is one of the most desirable farms in the county and the home is an attractive and commodious one in the midst of beautiful surroundings.

Julius Smith was married on November 16, 1862, to Rosa Lee Oakes, who was born, November 28, 1845, in St. Louis, Missouri. She is a daughter of Nicholas and Margaret (Schmitt) Oakes, both natives of Ger- many, from which country they came to America while single and were married in St. Louis. Mr. Oakes died in 1845, after which his widow married John Schmitt, who moved with the family to Illinois and in the spring of 1854 removed to Brown county, Kansas, where his death occurred.

To Julius Smith and wife the following children were born: Lizzie, born on February 5, 1864, married Daniel Kelly, lives in Omaha and they have three children, Charles, Earl and Ellen; Maggie, born on September 15, 1865, is the wife of Charnock Williamson, a farmer of Nemaha precinct, and they have three children living, Floyd, Robert and Loring; Charles, born on November 3, 1867, was killed in the storm mentioned in a pre- ceding paragraph; Rosa L., born August 10, 1869, is the wife of Lambert Whitney, a farmer of Nemaha precinct, and they have two children, Ralph and Edith; Ellen, born on March 30, 1871, is the wife of George Cade, who lives near Ottawa, Kansas, and they have five children, Charles, Lila, Cecil, Harold and Margaret; Laura, October 27, 1872, is the wife of Frank Mor- ton, a farmer of near Bern, Kansas, and they have one child, Pearl; Julius E., December 17, 1878, died when four years old; William E., May 29, 1883, lives near Fairbury, Nebraska, married Ethel Emmert, and they have three children, Caryl, Opal and Monte; Mabel C., November 30, 1886, is the wife of Elmer Sowder, a farmer of Nemaha precinct, and they have one child, John Julius; Isaac F., March 20, 1889, married Ora Crook, and they live on the Smith homestead, and they have one child, Beulah Lee. Mrs. Rosa Lee (Oakes) Smith still lives on the home place .. She is a member of the Reformed church.

Politically, Julius Smith was a Democrat and was active and influential in local party affairs. He was elected representative from Richardson county to the Nebraska Legislature in 1892 and again in 1896, thus serving (58)

914

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

two terms in a manner that reflected much credit upon his ability and in- tegrity and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned, irrespective of party alignment. He made an excellent record and accomplished much for his home locality and the state in general, making his influence felt for the good of the masses. He introduced a number of important bills. He kept well posted on current topics of the day and could discuss intelligently any theme of importance before the people, being a miscellaneous reader and a close observer. He was a man of high ideals, upright in all his dealings with his fellow men, a good neighbor and citizen in the best sense of the terms, and when he was called to his eternal rest on June 20, 1907, at the age of seventy years, deep and lasting regret was felt throughout his locality.

J. ROCK WILLIAMSON.

J. Rock Williamson, an honored veteran of the Civil War, former sheriff of Richardson county and a substantial retired farmer now living at Hum- boldt, is a native of the old Keystone state, but has been a resident of this county since 1882 and is one of the best-known men in the county. He was born at Duncansville, a village adjacent to Hollidaysburg, the county seat of Huntington (afterward Blair) county, Pennsylvania, January 11, 1841, son of Joshua and Mary (Neff) Williamson, the former a native of that same county, of Welsh descent, and the latter, of Hagerstown, Maryland, a daugh- ter of the Rev. Jonathan Neff, a Dunker preacher, of German descent. Joshua Williamson was a smith and wagon-maker and was thus engaged at Duncansville for twenty-five years, at the end of which time, in 1852, he moved to Illinois, bought a farm in Boone county, that state, and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there in 1876.

Having been but eleven years of age when his parents moved from Penn- sylvania to Illinois, J. Rock Williamson completed his schooling in the latter state and there grew to manhood on the home farm and was living there when the Civil War broke out. On August 7, 1862, he enlisted for service as a member of Company G, One Hundred and Fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, of which company his brother, Capt. Samuel Williamson, was com- mander, and served with that command until the close of the war, being dis- charged on June 7, 1865, after a service of two years and ten months. This company was known as the Nash Guards, the first commander being Capt. John B. Nash, a brother-in-law, who went into camp at Dixon, Illinois.

915

RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

Another brother, Thomas F. Williamson, was a member of the company. In the fall of 1862, shortly after he was mustered in, Mr. Williamson was sent from Camp Douglas, at Chicago, to Kentucky, his command being aligned there on the Frankfort pike to oppose the advance of Confederate forces north. Thence he was transferred to Ft. Negley, where he was engaged in garrison duty for a year and during which time he was compelled to spend some time in a hospital at Louisville on account of a serious attack of dysentery brought on by drinking unwholesome water and suffered so severely from the effects of that attack that his system never wholly recovered from the same. Upon leaving the convalescent camp he was detailed as a sergeant of the secret police and was thus detailed until July 4, 1864, when he rejoined his regi- ment. He participated in the battle of Peach Tree Creek, took further part in the Atlanta campaign and marched with Sherman from Atlanta to the sea. Once while on this march he was detailed with two others to forage duty and was returning through the woods from a nearby smokehouse laden with hams and other provender, when he encountered a party of ten rebels. With prompt presence of mind he told his two companions to join him in such a yell as they never had uttered before and the three thus set up such a commotion that the astonished "Rebs" evidently thought an entire regiment of "Yanks" was bear- ing down upon them and incontinently took to their heels, leaving the foragers a clear way back to camp with their much-needed plunder. Mr. Williamson was present at the fall of Savannah and also proved himself an able forager there. After Savannah he marched with the army up through the Carolinas, took part in the fight with Johnston's army at Goldsboro and was wounded in the left shoulder at the battle of Averysborough; thence on to Richmond and from there to Alexandria and thence into the City of Washington, where he participated in the Grand Review at the close of the war, and after a week in camp at Bladensburg was sent back with his regiment to Chicago, where he was mustered out.

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 89

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