USA > Nebraska > Douglas County > Omaha > History of the city of Omaha, Nebraska > Part 85
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Jolin's early training fell into the hands of his grandmother and elder sisters. In
1838, the family moved to western Illinois, near Pittsfield, Pike County. The boy received the best common school education the place offered, and he subsequently grad- nated at the Griggsville Academy, attend- ing, afterward, the State University, at Jacksonville. He commenced the study of law in the office of James Ward, a particular friend of Stephen A. Douglas. Many per- sons, who afterward became noted, were often in the office; and there was much dis- cussion of the slavery question, by Lincoln, Douglas, Trumbull, Richardson, and others.
The young man (he was then twenty-four years of age) was appointed United States deputy marshal and assisted as census-taker in Pike County in 1860. In the spring of the next year, he emigrated to Kansas, where he was employed to teach the first school in Hiawatha.
In the year 1864, Mr. Lytle was engaged by Capt. James Fisk to assist in trying to open a wagon road between St. Paul and Minneapolis and Montana. There were about one hundred and fifteen persons in the party. They passed through the country about where Bismarck is now located. Just before reaching the Yellowstone Valley they came upon immense herds of buffaloes-trav- eling whole days without being out of sight of them. Besides these, there were numer- ous herds of antelope. On the 3d of Oeto- ber, they were attacked by a band of Unc- papa Sioux, under command of their chief Porcupine. The savages, in less time than it takes to write it, killed nine of the party.
The remainder of the white men soon placed themselves on the defense, and tanght the Indians a severe lesson, whereupon the latter withdrew. Ilowever, the next day they came back in large numbers, having with them a white woman-a Mrs. Kelley- whom they had captured at Plum Creek, Nebraska. They opened negotiations with the party, offering to deliver up their prisoner upon being paid for so doing. Mr. Lytle and his associates offered the Indians two horses and harness, a wagon loaded with flour, sugar and other provisions; but the savages wanted guns and ammunition, which were refused, and the negotiations ended. Mrs. Kelley was soon after surrendered to the government.
Mr. Lytle subsequently returned to Omaha, where, on the 3d of October, 1866, he was married to Miss Anna B. La Follette. They
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have two children living - Edward and Emma. The former is engaged in the pro- duce commission business, the latter is attending school at Brownell Hall, Omaha.
Mr. Lytle went with a small party to the Black ITills in the winter of 1874-75, among the very first of the gold-hunters, and built the first house in Custer City, having rived the shingles out of frozen pine timber.
Mr. Lytle was admitted to practice law in Nebraska, in 1869. Ile has a first-class business from a clientage of corporations and syndicates eastward of New York, in all the higher courts-State and Federal. Ile owns in Omaha a considerable amount of improved real estate.
Mr. Lytle has held a number of minor offices in this city, among thiem being that of justice of the peace and police judge. Ile has also been member of the board of educa- tion. He has traveled considerably, not only in his own country, but in British America and Mexico. Hle is looked upon as one of Omaha's substantial and reputable citizens.
WILLIAM WALLACE MARSH .- The early ancestors of the subject of this sketch were English. The first of the name to come to America was William Marsh and a brother, whose first name is unknown. These brothers settled in Connecticut. The fourth in the line of descent is William Wallace Marsb, who was born in Cuttings- ville, Rutland County, Vermont, on the 14th of October, 1832. Ilis father-his grand- father and his great grandfather, all had the given name of William-was a merchant.
The early education of William Wallace was obtained in the common schools of his native town and at Black River Acad- emy in Ludlow, Vermont, of which institu- tion he is one of the alumni, and is also one of its trustees. While in the state last men- tioned, Mr. Marsh was a clerk in a store first in Cuttingsville, then in Ludlow. This was before he had reached his majority. He then spent two years in settling up his father's estate as assistant of one of his sis- ters, who was administratrix.
Mr. Marsh then went West, spending the fall and winter of 1855-56 in Galena, Illi- nois, and in Dubuque, Iowa. In February, 1856, he journeyed by coach from the last named place to Sioux City. Soon after his
arrival there, lie purchased a claim in Da- kota County, Nebraska, and settled there and made a pre-emption. On the 30th of April following he left Sioux City and returned to Vermont. IIe closed up his business in that state and again went West, settling on his claim in Nebraska. The fol- lowing year he followed the occupation of farmer, raising a fine crop of corn.
From that time until 1862, Mr. Marsh was engaged in the United States mail and stage business, quitting it in the fall of the last mentioned year. He had several routes all above Sioux City and Dakota City. The first contract ever let in the Territory of Dakota by the general government was to Mr. Marsh, and the route ran from Sioux City to Fort Randall. Ile made his head- quarters at that time in Sioux City.
In the fall of 1862, Mr. Marslı became in- terested in the ferry franchise in Omaha, and was chief manager for the Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Company. In the win- ter of 1867, he took charge, in connection with the Ferry Company, also of the Missouri River Transfer Company, oversee- ing its affairs. It was finally merged into the Union Pacific Transfer Company, which continued operations until the completion of the Union Pacific Railroad bridge across the Missouri, in the spring of 1871. From that date until July 1, 1873, Mr. Marsh was out of business. Ile then purchased an in- terest in the Omaha Horse Railway Com- pany, and has ever since, through all its changes, been actively engaged in its man- agement.
In later years the subject of this sketcli has been interested in the Wyoming Stage Company, Glencoe Mills, Godman Packing Company, Gedney Piekle Company, and is now president of the Union National Bank of Omaha, and has been connected with it in that capacity ever since its organization in July, 1886.
Mr. Marslı was a member of the Omaha city council for one term (1872-73): and a member of the city school board for five years, serving as president during the last year of his membership. He was married in January, 1863, at Ida Grove, Ida County, Iowa, to Miss Flora M. Atwood, who was born in Livermore, Maine. The family consists of four sons-Charles, Frank, Wil- liam and Allan.
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HON. JOIIN A. McSHANE was born August 25, 1850, in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio. Ilis father, Thomas MeShane, was a native of County Armagh, Ireland, and his mother was a native of Philadelphia. Un- til the age of twenty-one, the subject of this sketch passed his time at work on his father's farm, and in attending the distriet sehool where he acquired his education.
Ile went to Wyoming in 1871, and became an employe on a cattle ranch where he obtained a thorough knowledge of the stoek business, and two years later invested his savings in eattle, and went into the business on his own account and made money at it, continuing to be an independent stock raiser till 1883, when he merged his interests with the Bay State Live Stock Company, one of the largest companies of Wyoming, in which he became a stockholder.
Ile removed to Omaha in 1874 and engaged in mereantile pursuits, which proved to be profitable, and in the year following became actively identified with many prom- inent enterprises both in and out of the city. For several years he was general manager of the Bay State Live Stock Com- pany, and a stockholder in the Omaha Nail Company, sinee removed from this eity. lle is now president of the Union Stock Yards Company of South Omaha, also presi- dent of the Union Stock Yards National Bank of South Omaha, a director in the South Omaha Land Company and of the First National Bank of Omaha.
Mr. MeShane's financial success, genial disposition and generosity, naturally made him popular among his fellow citizens, and a political career was opened to him upon which he entered in 1880, when he was elected to the lower house of the state legislature from Omaha. He was elected to the State senate for two years, in 1882, and re-elected in 1884. During these years he was a powerful advocate of those changes in the charter of this city which inereased the power of the city eouneil, revolutionized the eity government, and resulted in the publie improvements which distinguish the Omaha of to-day. In 1886 he was made the nominee of the Democratie party, for congress for the first distriet of Nebraska, which was then overwhelmingly Republi- ean, and his eleetion was regarded as impos- sible; but he made the eanvass with the
same judgment, skill and vigor that had previously characterized him in politics and in business, and when the ballots were eounted it was discovered that he had been eleeted by a majority of nearly 7,000; Mr. McShane thus became the first Democratic representative Nebraska ever sent to con- gress. Ilis record in the national legisla -. ture was excellent and satisfactory to his constitueney. In 1888 he was nominated for governor, but the Republican strength of the State in the year of a national elec- tion was too great to be overcome, and his opponent, Governor Thayer, was elected.
John A. MeShane married Miss Mary M. Lee, daughter of John G. Lee, of Omaha, on the 25th day of April, 1876. She died April 16, 1884, leaving two children, Edward Lee and Mary Lee.
Mr. MeShane was married again on the 11th of October, 1892, to Miss Kathryn A. Lonergan, a most estimable and aecom- plished lady of Chicago.
DAVID HENRY MERCER .- On New Year's day, 1833, in Western Pennsylvania John J. Mereer first saw the light of day. lle was not born in the lap of luxury, but he came of a good family,-Seoteh blood predominating in his veins. As he grew towards man's estate, an innate desire to do something for himself prompted him to leave the old homestead. With all his be- longings tied in a poeket handkerchief and buoyed up by a mother's blessing, he set out for Pittsburgh, then as now, the metropolis of Western Pennsylvania. Chance and necessity anchored this boy in a blacksmith shop, where he remained until he mastered the trade. "Westward the star of empire takes its way," and westward went this young man, not stopping until Benton City, Benton County, Iowa, was reached. Ilere he formed the acquaintance of John Flora, another Pennsylvanian; a partnership was formed and the battle of life commeneed in earnest. Miss Elizabeth Flora was keeping house for her brother John when Mereer arrived, but this arrangement was changed September 16, 1856, by a marriage between .John J. Mercer and Elizabeth Flora. On July 9, 1857, there was born to them a son, the subject of this sketeh, David Henry Mereer.
Twelve months thereafter, this little family
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decided upon a change of location, and with a team of horses, wagon and few household goods, set out for Adams County, Illinois, arriving there in the midst of winter. Good fortune smiled upon them and the future seemed secure, But as life is made up of surprises and disappointments, there was no exception in this case. Fort Sumpter was bombarded. American honor and patriotism were assaulted, and President Lincoln issued his proclamation for troops. Belonging to a family rich in military heroism, John J. Mercer knew his duty and was one of the first to answer his country's eall. Ile vol- unteered as a private in Company E of the 78th Regiment, Illinois Volunteers, and left for the seat of war, leaving behind a brave mother and two children, David and sister Clara. For over three years, he bat- tled for his country's honor, during which time he marched with Sherman to the sea, and participated in many, of the most im- portant engagements of the greatest war known in history, doing his duty so well that he soon became captain of the company in which he enlisted as a private. When the war was over he returned to his Illinois home with an undermined constitution and no plans for the future. At the earnest solicitation of his friends he was nominated for treasurer of Adams County upon the Democratic ticket, but was defeated by less than one hundred votes.
In 1866, he moved to Nebraska, then a Territory, settling at Brownville. His family soon followed. During his residence in Brownville, Captain Mercer accumulated a little property, educated his children, repre- sented Nemaha County in the legislature, and was elected Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of Nebraska. In 1887, Captain Mer- cer, wife and daughters followed David to Omaha, whither he had gone some months before. The daughters are now married -- Clara, the elder, to Mr. C. H. Fowler, of the Fowler Elevator Company, now of Chicago, and Minnie to C. D. Bell, St. Joseph, Mis- souri. David remains in Omaha, a bachelor, residing with his parents, whom he supports in their old age.
The subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools of Brownville where he assumed a leadership among his fellows while yet a boy. He loved his books, in- terested himself in society work, and joined
his fellows in all athletic sports. The Brown ville school at this time was the best in the State, and many of its pupils are now prominent citizens of the West. During summer vacations he clerked in a clothing store, and at the age of sixteen years he taught a district school. IIe also corres- ponded for several newspapers, one of which was the Omaha Herald, edited at the time by Dr. George L. Miller.
In the spring of 1877, he entered the last term of the freshman class of the Nebraska State University, graduating therefrom June 9th, 1880, under the chancellorship of IIon. E. B. Fairfield. During his university career, he developed a strong aptitude for politics. He held every office within the gift of the students, and was invariably one of the leaders in all college enterprises.
Young Mercer's candidacy for editor-in- chief of Hesperian Student, the college paper, is part of the history of Nebraska. For six months the contest lasted. Twice was he elected, and so bitter waged the war that the faculty became involved, dividing itself equally for and against him. The plans and stratagem of this contest attracted the at- tention of the outside world and was charac- terized by the late Hon. James Laird as "a battle royal with giants on each side."
After graduation, Mercer returned to Brownville and commenced the study of law. At this time he held his first political office, that of city clerk, receiving therefor the unanimous vote of the electors, while for the other positions a most bitter contest was waged. In the fall of 1881, he entered the law department of Michigan State Univer- sity, having been admitted to the bar a few weeks previous. Upon examination by Hon. Thomas M. Cooley, he was admitted to the senior class, graduating in March, 1882, with the degree LL.B.
At the end of a week's vacation he re- turned to Brownville and swung this shingle to the breeze: "D. H. Mercer, Attorney at Law." For three years he practiced his pro- fession, part of the time serving as police judge and justice of the peace. He was very severe in criminal matters, and gained for himself a good reputation for enforcing the law. The last two years of his residence in Brownville, he served the Missouri Pacific Railway as local attorney.
During the Blaine campaign, having been
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elected secretary of the Republican State Central Committee, a position he held two years, and refused a third, he laid aside busi- ness and devoted his time and talents to Republicanism. While occupying this posi- tion he was often called to Omaha to attend meetings of the committee, and in a short time became so infatuated with the people and prospects that he determined upon a residence there. During the spring of this year he was offered the mayoralty of Brown- ville, but refused it. In this connection the Nemaha Granger, an Independent paper, said: " We have heard D. H. Mercer men- tioned as the right man for Mayor of Brown- ville. Mr. Mercer is just the man to elect. Ile is a young man, full of life and energy, of excellent executive ability, and prompt in the discharge of every duty. Hle would represent Brownville creditably at home and abroad, and moreover it is time to push the young men of this community to the front. The Granger heartily seconds the nomination of Mr. Mercer, and trusts that he will not hesitate to accept the position to which our citizens would be pleased to elect him."
Mercer's acquaintance with the prominent politicians of Omaha gave him an immedi- ate prestige in Douglas County politics, and he attended as a delegate the first Republi- can city convention which met after his citizenship in Omaha was established. This convention elected him chairman of the Republican City Central Committee. He conducted this and other campaigns so suc- cessfully that he was retained in this posi- tion until he refused to have it longer.
In 1891, at the urgent request of Douglas County Republicans, he accepted the posi- tion of chairman of the Republican County Committee, and managed a campaign which completely reversed the political situation in the county, electing the Republican ticket. Ilis first year in Omaha, Mereer was nomi- nated by the Republican party for county judge, but with several other candidates on the ticket was defeated. Upon Ilarrison's succession to the presidency, Mr. Mercer oc- cupied the position of assistant United States marshal for Nebraska, but only for a short time, as he resigned to perform the
duties of special master in chancery of the United States Court. In the fall of 1892, he announced himself as a candidate for congress from the second district of Neb- raska, composed of the counties of Douglas, Sarpy and Washington, subject to the action of the Republican convention. Under ad- verse circumstances and after a bitter con- test, the Republican convention of Douglas County by a large majority expressed its preference for him, and sent a delegation to the congressional convention favorable to his interests. The latter convention nominated him by an almost unanimous vote for this important position and the people ratified the choice at the polls on election day by the following vote: D. H. Mercer, Republican, 11,488; Judge George W. Doane, Democrat, 10,388; Robert I .. Wheeler, Independent, 3,152; and R. W. Richardson, Prohibitionist, 362.
Mercer waged a most remarkable cam- paign and by the help of the young men of the district, to whose untiring efforts is due in a great measure the credit of the victory, he defeated for congress the strongest can- didate in the ranks of the democracy. The battle cry of the campaign was a quotation from Abraham Lincoln: "Give the boys a chance," and it met with a hearty re- sponse.
Mr. Mercer is a young man of genial disposition, indomitable pluck and nnflag- ging energy. He has a remarkable memory for names and faces, and can call more people in his district by their given names than most people know by sight. His friends are legion, and loyal to the core, and for them he will always fight. There is not a drop of aristocracy in his blood; he knows his friends after election as well as before, and he believes that an American citizen "is the noblest work of God."
In June, 1893, President Cleveland issned his proclamation, convening in extraordi- nary session the Fifty-third Congress, and this sketch is written while Mr. Mercer is at Washington, attending to his duties as a member of this, the most important congress in years. That he is meeting the expecta- tions of his constituency is already fully demonstrated.
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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.
SAMUEL DAVID MERCER was born in Marion County, Illinois, June 13, 1842. His father, Wiley Green Mercer, was born in Mullenburg County, Kentucky, and married Miss Cynthia Huff, in Marion County, Illi- nois, who was the daughter of Samuel Huff, formerly of Tennessee. His grandfather's name was David Mercer, whose wife was Elizabeth Cearcy, of Madison County, Ken- tucky. His great-grandfather was Shad- rack Mercer, who married Rhoda Price, of North Carolina; and his great-great-grand- father was Thomas Mercer, of Pitt County, North Carolina. The last mentioned emi- grated from Virginia, and was the son of Edward Mercer, who was the son of Gideon Mercer, of New York and New Jersey. The family were English, but originally of Scotch extraction.
Samuel was born on a farm; there were no railroads and his home was sixty miles from the Mississippi, which was the chief artery of commerce. The home was not only a farm, but a veritable manufacturing institu- tion as well, producing not only food for the family, but manufacturing the same by can- ning, drying and preserving vegetables and meats, and manufacturing the clothing of the entire family almost exclusively from the products of the farm. The wool was shorn from the sheep, washed, carded, spun, woven and manufactured into clothing on the farm, supplied with buttons of home manufacture, and colored with roots and herbs of the vicinity. Ilides were tanned and manufactured into shoes, harness, etc., for domestic use; and the farm implements were often forged in the blacksmith shop, framed and made ready for use, without the expense of a dollar except labor and the pur- chase of the iron. This was the custom of the entire country until railroads came and made an innovation on the established prac- tices of the farmer.
Samuel's early education was commenced by private tutors, employed on a salary, by his father with other farmers, and schools were kept in out tenement houses. After- wards, when free schools came into vogue, he attended them until the age of sixteen, when he went, for a short time, to a select school in the village of Walnut Hill; subse- quently to McKendry College, at Lebanon, Illinois.
The boy's life, when on the farm, was work- ing with men, as all hoys had to do in those
days and under such circumstances. He lived with his parents in the home log house until he was old enough to aid in hewing and framing the timbers for additional house- room.
Samuel's first business venture was that of trapping quail, mink, and other fur ani- mals, and gathering the crude drugs of the country for sale, from which he obtained all his spending money, and accumulated enough to buy a one-third interest in a threshing machine, which, with two uncles as partners, he operated one autumn. He also planted out a large crop of fall wheat, and then taught a country school during the following winter months. The next spring, in company with Frank M. Meeker, he put in ten acres of tobacco, which yielded several thousand dollars, owing to high war prices.
During the following autumn the young man again began threshing, but, by an acci- dent, was severely wounded in the left hand while feeding the machine; thereupon he immediately stepped from the platfom, went to the village of Salem and, under the direc- tion of Dr. William IIill, went thence to the University of Michigan to study medicine. After two years, during which he graduated from the chemical laboratory of that insti- tution, he made an application to the board of examiners at Chicago for recommenda- tion as assistant surgeon in the army, which was successful, and he was assigned to the 149th Regiment Illinois Volunteers. After the war, Dr. Mercer returned to the North and took a third course of lectures in tlie Chicago Medical College, and went thence to Berkshire Medical College, Massachusetts, where he finished his medical course and received a diploma in October, 1866. On graduation he was awarded the first pre- mium-a case of surgical instruments-for the best thesis ; subject-" Healthy Nutri- tion."
After this, Dr. Mercer came direct to Omaha, and has remained here ever since, never having been absent more than five weeks at any one time, continuing the prac- tice of medicine up to 1886, during which time his labors were arduous and his prac- tice extensive, especially in surgery.
In the winter of 1867-68 he established the first hospital in Omaha, located at the corner of what is now Cass and Twenty-sixth Streets. It was afterwards turned into a
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small-pox hospital purchased by the city and subsequently burned. Later on he started a private surgical hospital known as the "Omaha Medical and Surgical Institute," which he managed successfully for many years. Ile finally abandoned it on account of arduous duties and practice, and accepted the position of chief surgeon of the Union Pacific Railroad, establishing the system which is still in vogue, and founded, as well, the Ogden and Denver hospitals in connec- tion with that road. He was also surgeon to the Omaha Grant Smelting and Refining . Works, assistant surgeon of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad for many years, and for ten years United States pension ex- aminer at Omaha. During this period he was the prime mover in establishing the Omaha Medical College, in which he filled the clinical chair of surgery for four years, and delivered the following address to the first graduating class:
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