History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 95

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

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Doctor Waggener was reared in his native state and he received his early education in the public schools of Cumberland county, later attending the Louisville College of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky, from which institution he was graduated in 1876. In the fall of 1878 he came to Nebraska, locat- ing at Dawson, Richardson county, where he practiced for a period of twenty- five years, then located in Humboldt, where he has since resided. He has enjoyed a large and lucrative practice ever since coming to this county and has been very successful as a general physician. In October, 1915, he was appointed head physician of the Soldiers Home at Grand Island, which posi- tion he held for fifteen months, at the end of which time he returned to Him- boldt and resumed practice. He has found time to keep well informed on the progress that has been made in the various phases of his profession since he left college.

Doctor Waggener belongs to the American Medical Association, the Nebraska State Medical Society, the Missouri Valley Medical Society and the Richardson County Medical Society. Politically, he is a Democrat of the old school and has been active in public affairs, taking an interest in whatever tends to promote the general welfare of his county. He served as coroner of the same for two terms, from 1896 to 1900, inclusive, giving

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eminent satisfaction to all concerned. Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and Knights and Ladies of Security. He has filled all the chairs in the local lodges of the last two named.

Doctor Waggener was married on March 12, 1878, to Anna Grinsted, a native of Kentucky, and a daughter of G. R. Grinsted, now a resident of Falls City, Nebraska, having moved with his family to Richardson county in March, 1878. For many years he engaged in farming, but is now spending his old age in retirement. The following children have been born to Doctor Waggener and wife: Dr. Hewitt A., a practicing physician in Omaha, Neb- raska ; Dr. William R., practicing medicine at Humboldt, Richardson county, and is a graduate of Creighton University; Dr. John T., also a graduate in medicine from Creighton University, is engaged in practice at Adams, Neb- raska ; Lillith, who is a graduate of the State Normal school and the State University at Lincoln, Nebraska, is engaged in teaching at Hamburg, Iowa.

Personally, Doctor Waggener is a man of genial and companionable disposition, upright in all his dealings with the world and merits the high esteem in which he is universally held.

DENNIS MCCARTHY.

The late Dennis McCarthy, former street commissioner of Falls City, for more than thirty years proprietor of a successful transfer business in that city and the owner of considerable valuable real estate there, was a native of the Dominion of Canada, but had been a resident of this county since the days of his boyhood, having come here with his parents, after a brief resi- dence in Iowa, in 1870, the family first settling at Salem, later settling in Falls City and becoming substantially established there. Dennis McCarthy was born on March 22, 1859, and was but a child when his parents, Dennis and Mary (Delaney ) McCarthy, natives of Ireland, moved from Canada to Iowa, and was a little past eleven years of age when they came to Nebraska. arriving in Richardson county on May 6, 1870.

Upon coming to this county the elder Dennis McCarthy located at Salem, but presently moved thence to Falls City, where he ever since has made his home, one of the best-known men in that city, now .making his home with the widow of his son, in the eightieth year of his age. He and his wife, the latter of whom has been deceased for years, were the parents of

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five children, those besides the subject of this memorial sketch, the last-born being as follow : Mrs. Mary Kennedy, who is living on a farm in the Barada neighborhood; Margaret, who married William Murphy and is now deceased ; John, who is living at the McCarthy home in Falls City, and Patrick, deceased.

As noted above the younger Dennis McCarthy was just past eleven years of age when he came to this county with his parents in 1870 and he grew up at Falls City. He early began business there for himself, starting a transfer line, which business grew and developed until it became one of the estab- lished enterprises of the city. As he prospered in his affairs he invested in farm lands, which he later sold to advantage, investing the proceeds in city real estate, and eventually became quite well-to-do. When his health began to fail him in 1914 he sold his transfer business, after having been success- fully engaged in the same for more than thirty years, and, thereafter lived practically retired until his death, which occurred on April 1, 1916, he then being one week past fifty-seven years of age. Mr. McCarthy was a Demo- crat and for years took an active part in local political affairs. For several years he served as street commissioner and in other ways did his part as a good citizen toward promoting the best interests of his home town. He was a member of the Catholic church, as is his widow, and took an active part in parish affairs, a generous contributor to the support of the church. Fra- ternally, he was affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and with the Knights of Pythias and in the affairs of these two orders took a warm interest. He had hosts of friends in and about Falls City and there were many sincere mourners when he was called-from the scenes of worldly activity.

On January 30, 1890, Dennis McCarthy was united in marriage to Mary Murphy, who was born in the village of Rulo, this county, September 8, 1867, daughter of James and Mary (Burns) Murphy, natives of Ireland and early settlers in this county, whose last days were spent here. James Murphy was born in 1837 and Mary Burns was born in 1847. They grew up and were married in Ireland and then came to this country, locating at Chicago, whence, two years later, they moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, presently coming thence up the river to Rulo, where they established their home. James Murphy was a stone mason and for years was the leading contractor in that line in this county, having built most of the stone bridges in the county in an early day. He also became the owner of a good farm in the vicinity of Rulo and was accounted a well-to-do citizen ._ His death occurred in February, 1909. He was twice married, his first wife, Mary Burns, having died in 1875, after which he married Ella Sullivan, who died in 1897. By his first marriage Mr. Murphy was the father of five children, of whom Mrs. McCarthy is now

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the only survivor, the others having been Elizabeth, Frances, Michael and Anna. To the second union eight children were born, namely: Edward, who died on July 1, 1916; Elizabeth, who is at home on the old home farm in the neighborhood of Rulo; Lawrence, also at home; Josephine, wife of John Sells, of the precinct of Rulo; Helen, a teacher in the schools of Rulo; Mrs. Agnes York, of Liberty, this state; Julia, who died in infancy, and Patrick, at home. The first home of the Murphys in this county was a little log house constructed of logs cut by Mr. Murphy himself and for the first winter or two after the family settled down in that humble home they had to tack sheets and blankets up along the walls to keep the snow from sifting in. Despite the apparent discomfort of this way of living, the family were happy and contented and off the "forty" raised plenty to eat.

To Dennis and Mary (Murphy) McCarthy were born three children. Marie, born on November 21, 1891, who married A. J. Finn, a skilled photographer, of Jefferson, Iowa, and has one child, a son, Cyril; Cyril, March 22, 1893, who is now engaged in the Eldorado oil fields, and Helen, February 13, 1903, who is pursuing her studies in the convent in Falls City. Since the death of her husband Mrs. McCarthy has continued to make her home in Falls City, where she is very comfortably situated, having a delight- ful home at 922 Stone street. She is an earnest member of the Catholic church and has ever given her devoted attention to local parish affairs, help- ful in promoting good works. She is a member of the local branch of the Daughters of Isabel and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same.

WILLIAM H. SAILORS.

The late William H. Sailors, who died at his home in the precinct of Barada on December 5, 1909, and who for many years was one of the best- known farmers of that precinct, was a native of the old Hoosier state, but had been a resident of Richardson county since pioneer days, he and his wife and those of their children who were born in Indiana, having come here in the spring of 1870. He was born on a farm in Rush county, Indiana, April 9, 1837, son of Washington and Asenath (Scott) Sailors, natives of that same state, members of pioneer families in that part of Indiana, and who were the parents of eight children, of whom the subject of this memorial sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: John, deceased; James A., who was a soldier of the Union army during the Civil

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM H. SAILORS.

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War, having served for three years as a member of the Second Indiana . Cavalry; Scott, deceased; Mrs. Mahala Allison, deceased; Andrew, now a resident of Hitchcock county, this state; Lot G., a resident of Bancroft, this state, and George, of Hitchcock county.

Reared on the home farm in Indiana, William H. Sailors grew up there a practical farmer and after his marriage in the fall of 1860 estab- lished his home on a farm in Wabash county, Indiana, remaining there until the spring of 1870, when he came with his family to Nebraska, arriving in this county on March 8 of that year. Upon his arrival here he bought a tract of land in the precinct of Barada and there established his home, thus being a resident of this region at the time of the destructive visitation of grasshoppers some years later. Conditions of living were pretty hard for some time thereafter, but he presently began to prosper and as he. prospered he gradually. added to his land holdings until he became the owner of more than seven hundred acres of land in Barada precinct and was long accounted one of the most substantial farmers and stockmen in that part of the county. He also took an active part in local civic affairs and was for some time a member of the board of supervisors, giving to the public service his most thoughtful and intelligent attention. He was an active member of the Christian church and he and his wife were ever interested in local good works, helpful in promoting all agencies having to do with the advancement of the common welfare in the community in which they lived. William H. Sailors died on December 5, 1909, and on May 20, 1915, his widow left the old home farm and moved to the village of Barada, where she is now living. She is the owner of two hundred and forty acres of excellent land in sections 18 and 19 of Barada precinct.

On October 25, 1860, in Grant county, Indiana, William H. Sailors was united in nmarriage to Mary E. Miller, who was born in Fayette county, that same state, February 18, 1845, a daughter of George W. and Harriet ( Bloomheart ) Miller), the former a native of the state of Virginia and the latter of the state of New York, who had moved to Indiana with their re- spective parents in the days of their youth and had there grown up and married. George W. Miller was the son of Andrew and Elizabeth Miller, natives of Virginia, and his wife was the daughter of Daniel and Clarissa (Gilmore) Bloomheart, natives, respectively, of Holland and of the state of New York. George W. Miller was born on April 5, 1817, and died in 1903. His wife, also born in 1817, preceded him to the grave many years, her death having occurred in 1857.

To William H. and Mary E. (Miller) Sailors were born fourteen

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- children, namely: James T .. of Barada precinct : Melissa, who married R. Ankrom and is now deceased: Washington, a Barada precinct farmer and stockman and a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume: Harriet, deceased; John H., of Barada precinct; Benjamin, de- ceased; Clara, deceased; Omer, of Barada precinct; Ida, wife of William Percival, also of the precinct of Barada and a biographical sketch of whoni is presented elsewhere in this volume: Lot, deceased; Fred. of Cedar county. this state; William. deceased; Pearl,' deceased, and Otis B., of the precinct of Barada.

WILLIAM GOETZ.

William Goetz. a well-known farmer of the precinct of East Barada, was born on the farm on which he is now living and which he owns and has lived there all his life. He was born on August 6, 1869, son of Anton and Amelia (Yeager) Goetz, both of whom were of European birth, who be- came pioneers of Richardson county and here spent their last days, substantial pioneers of the Barada tract.

Anton Goetz was born in the grand duchy of Baden in 1831 and was but a lad when he came to this country with his parents, the family settling in the city of Buffalo, New York, where he grew to manhood and where he married Amelia Yeager, also a native of Baden, born on October 15, 1832, who had come to this country with her parents, her family also settling in Buffalo. Almost immediately after their marriage, about - 1858, Anton Goetz and his wife came to the then Territory of Nebraska and settled in the old precinct of St. Stephens, now known as Barada. in this county, where they established their home on a pioneer farmi. The first log cabin was destroyed by fire, but they erected another and proceeded with their development work and in time had a well-established home and a profitably cultivated farm. During the early days of their residence there the Indians still were numerous hereabout and the aboriginals frequently found hospitable shelter on their farm in their wanderings to and fro. Anton Goetz was a good farmer and at the time of his death was the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres. He died in 1888 and his widow survived him for many years, her death occurring on September 27, 1905, she then being nearly eighty-five years of age. They were members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith. There were five of these children, of whom the eldest died in infancy and of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in

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order of birth, the others being Cecelia, of Falls City; Mrs. Amelia Fred- erick, also of Falls City, and Bertha, a landowner in Barada precinct and a neighbor of her brother, William.

William Goetz has always lived on the farm on which he was born and on which he now makes his residence. Reared there, he received his school- ing in the neighborhood schools and from the days of his boyhood was a valued assistant in the labors of developing and improving the home place, forty acres of which he inherited after the death of his father. He later bought from his mother an adjoining "forty" and now has a well-kept and profitably cultivated place of eighty acres, on which he and his family are very comfortably situated. Mr. Goetz is a Democrat and is a member of the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America.

On November 16, 1899 .. William Goetz was united in marriage to Louisa Faller, also a native of this county, born in the precinct of Ohio on September 10, 1877, daughter of William and Caroline (Hartbauer ) Faller, now living at Falls City, and to this union has been born one child, a son, William A. Goetz.

PROF. DAVID DENNIS.

The life of an educator is, of necessity, one of self-sacrificing devotion to the upbuilding of character and the preparing of future citizens to make their lives an era of usefulness and to be of some benefit to their respective communities. Many successful individuals can conscientiously attribute the surmounting of difficulties which beset their_paths in the upward. climb. to the teachings and precepts of their former instructors. Prof. David Dennis, deceased, principal of the Falls City schools, during the years 1888 and 1889, was a zealous teacher who left his impress upon the life of the community where he taught the young. Although a resident of Falls City for but a few years, he is well remembered for his good works. Later, he espoused in wedlock a daughter of a distinguished citizen of Falls City and his children reside in Falls City at the present day.

David Dennis was born in Beaver Run, Sussex county, New Jersey, March 16, 1859. He was self-made and self-educated, perforce, on account of circumstances, working his way through Oberlin College, Ohio, becoming a student of the college in 1883 and graduating therefrom in 1888 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, later receiving the degree of Master of Arts. He began teaching at the early age of sixteen years and followed this useful

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profession for a number of years, mounting successively to higher positions as he gained experience. During 1888 and 1889 he served as principal of the Falls City schools. From this city he was called to take charge of the academy at Park City, Utah, an institution established by the Gentiles of Utah and supported in their interest as against Mormonism. After three years of service at Park City he advised the abandonment of the academy and suggested that Mormonism could best be fought in its great stronghold, Salt Lake City. From 1892 to 1894 he taught successfully in the seven- teenth ward and Bryant schools, Salt Lake City. At the time of his death . of pneumonia at Salt Lake City on June 25, 1894, he was principal of the Bryant school. He had planned to give up his educational work and return to Falls City and engage in business, but death intervened.

Professor Dennis was married at Falls City, Nebraska, on July 9, 1891, to Miss Ruth M. Weaver, a daughter of the late Judge Archibald J. and Martha A. Weaver, an extended review of whom is given elsewhere in this volume. To this union were born the following children : David, born May 17. 1802. married Miss Alma Barton, and is a farmer and fruit grower near Falls City, and Ruth M., wife of Walter J. Lewis, of Pasadena, California. mother of one child, Evelyn Louise. The mother of these children resides in the old Weaver home at Falls City with her mother.

Professor Dennis was a deeply religious man and was a member of the Congregational church. His crowning virtue was his religious character. concerning which his pastor, Rev. Clarence T. Brown, of the First Congre- gational church at Salt Lake City said at the time of his death: "He had a profound veneration for the truth and he was ever on the alert to find it. He represented a very high type of Christianity. The firmness of his faith, combined with the generous hospitality of his thought. put him among the leaders of the church today. * But his work as a Christian was not confined to the church. He believed profoundly in applied Christianity ; and as a teacher, citizen and man, he did apply his Christianity to such good pur- pose that no one could mistake it." Professor Dennis lived to make others happy and as much as possible to do good to all men. Just before he left Park City, Utah, to take up his work in Salt Lake City, he ascended one of the mountains with his pastor. Rev. Mr. Hunt, and looking down upon the city, remarked, "I wonder if any life has been sweetened or made better by my having lived here." In his home especially did the goodness of his heart and sterling qualities shine. He was in every sense the true husband and the tender, loving father.

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Concerning Professor Dennis's work as an educator the following tribute appears in the superintendent's report of the work done in the Salt Lake City schools during 1894: "On the day before the close of the schools, after his work for the year was practically completed, David Dennis, principal of the Bryant school, was attacked with illness and in ten days from that time his earthly career was ended. Thus for the second time within two years we have been called upon to mourn the loss of one who had earned a high place in the ranks of the profession and in the esteem of his co-laborers and the public. David Dennis was in every sense a man possessed of marked natural ability. He had, under difficulties which tested his worth, given to himself the benefit of a broad, liberal culture. His opinions always commanded respect and his words, wherever spoken, carried with them persuasiveness and force. He was a man of fine convictions, unswerving fidelity to truth as he saw it, of noble aspirations, of pure life. Though so early called to lay down his life's work, he did not live in vain; all whom his influence touched are better and nobler because he lived."

HENRY CLAY DAVIS.

Henry Clay Davis, editor and publisher of the Falls City News and one of the "wheel-horses" of the Democratic party in this part of Nebraska, was born at Glasgow, over in the neighboring state of Missouri, April 5. 1850, son of James and Euphemia (Wilson) Davis, the former of whom was born at Georgetown, D. C., in 1804 and the latter in Kentucky, in 1810. James Davis, who was a blacksmith, was married in Kentucky and later moved to Missouri, locating at Glasgow, where he remained until 1877, when he came to Nebraska and settled at Falls City, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, his death occurring in 1884, he then being eighty years of age, and hers in 1887. They were the parents of three children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being Mrs. Lena Ware, now residing near Kewannee, Illinois, and Mrs. Ella Buckham, deceased.

Reared at Glasgow, Henry Clay Davis received his schooling in the high school and in Pritchard Institute there and at the age of seventeen, in 1867, began his newspaper career in the office of the Glasgow Times, then under the ownership and editorial direction of Col. Clark H. Green, where he learned

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the elementals of the newspaper business. Two years later he went to St. Louis and there continued his newspaper experience in the office of the St. Louis Republic, presently going thence to Hamburg, Iowa, where for six months he was employed in his brother's store; at the end of that time becoming connected with the Hamburg Times, which newspaper, after his marriage there in the summer of 1870, he leased and continued to operate the same until the close of 1871, when he moved to-Falls City-and on January I, 1872, entered the office of the Falls City Journal. Mr. Davis remained con- nected with the Journal until 1875, in which year he became identified, in association with George P. Marvin, with the Falls City Press, an association that continued for eighteen weeks, at the end of which time they sold the paper to Col. G. B. Miles, but for a year thereafter continued to get the paper out for Colonel Miles. The paper then was sold to J. R. Reed, who con- ducted it until his death in 1879. Mr. Davis meanwhile retaining his con- nection with the paper, and in 1880 Mr. Davis bought the Reed interest and has ever since been actively identified with the paper, the name of which Mr. Reed had changed from the Press to the News, under which latter caption it ever since has been published, under Mr. Davis's capable direction, long having been recognized as one of the leading newspapers in eastern Nebraska. Mr. Davis is a Democrat and the editorial columns of his paper reflect his opinions on local political questions in a no uncertain manner, the veteran editor for many years having been regarded as one of the leaders of his party in the state of Nebraska. The Falls City News is a semi-weekly paper of wide circulation throughout the territory it covers and is a power for good in the community.

On June 27, 1870, Henry C. Davis was united in marriage, at Hamburg, Iowa, to Frances L. Dalby, who was born at Montezuma, that state, May 2, 1854. and who died at Falls City on November 20, 1910, leaving four chil- dren, namely : Charles C. Davis, postmaster of Falls City and part owner of the Vows; Clyde W. Davis, who is associated with his father in the publi- cation of the Newes: Mrs. Bessie Lee Schmelzel, of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Mrs. Maude Hutchins, of St. Paul, Minnesota. . Mrs. Davis was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was ever eager in good works. Mr. Davis is affiliated with the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Improved Order of Red Men, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Royal Highlanders and some other fraternal associations and in the affairs of all takes a warm interest.

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GEORGE B. HOLT.

The late George B. Holt, who died at his home in Falls City on May 19. 1912, and who had, previous to his retirement from business in 1909, been one of the best-known merchants in that city, was a native son of Richardson county and had lived here all his life. He was born at the village of Salem on November 3, 1874, son of the Hon. John White Holt, a pioneer of this county, former president of the First National Bank of Falls City, former state senator, former county treasurer and for many years one of the leading citizens of Richardson county, further and fitting mention of whom is made in a memorial sketch presented elsewhere in this volume.

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History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 95

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