History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 107

Author: Shumway, Grant Lee, 1865-
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., The Western publishing & engraving co.
Number of Pages: 1056

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In the fall of 1906, Mr. Pedersen was united in marriage to Miss Marie Larsen, who was born in Denmark, and they have two children : Myrtle and Meyrna. The family belongs to the Lutheran Church. In politics Mr. Peder- sen is identified with the Democratic party, and fraternally he is a Mason and an Odd Fel- low.

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

JOSEPH L. REEL .- Two occupations, ranching and banking, have attracted the in- terests and energies of Joseph Reel, and in both fields of endeavor he has won standing and prosperity, being at this time the owner of about fifteen hundred acres of valuable land in Cheyenne county and is president and manager of the Farmers State Bank of Dal- ton. Also he has been a prominent figure in public life and in several positions of marked responsibility has demonstrated his worthiness for such honors and his capacity for discharg- ing the duties of his position.

Mr. Reel is a native of the Buckeye state, born in Pickaway county, June 21, 1881. the son of Aaron and Symantha (Lewis) Reel. His father was also a native of Ohio, was reared there and educated in the public schools. After his schooling was over he became an ap- prentice in a meat house and learned the prac- tical side of that business, and in due time when his term of service was over engaged in an independent business of his own as the owner and proprietor of a meat shop. He was a man of excellent habits and was just in the prime of life when called by death in his forty- fifth year. Mrs. Reel, like her husband, was an Ohioan, where she grew to womanhood. She met and married Aaron Reel and was left a widow when her son Joseph was a boy of eight years. She survived her husband and now resides at Vermillion, Illinois.

Joseph Reel was reared in Ohio and given excellent educational advantages in his youth in the public schools. He was an enterprising boy and early determined that he was going to help his mother and himself along in the world. He felt the call of the great west but at first did not go far from his native state as he es- tablished himself as a farmer in Illinois, where he remained for six years, becoming recog- nized as one of the well-to-do men of the lo- cality and won general public confidence by his straight forward manner of handling busi- ness affairs. Mlr. Reel came to Nebraska in 1915, locating in Cheyenne county. The first year he rented a farm to give him time to look around and opportunity to select just the tract that would be his idea of a permanent home, and then purchased his land where he at once took up the active management of farm indus- tries. Mr. Reel possesses the kind of energy, resource and initiative required of the young man who would succeed in any profession, and is a prominent factor in the development of new methods of farming and stock-raising in the Dalton locality. However, he was too broad guaged and had so active a mind that

all his abilities could not find expression in the country. so he branched out into financial circle as his capital had become considerable, and in 1918, just three years after becoming a resident of this great state, organized the Farmers State Bank of Dalton. From its in- ception this sound, progressive institution has won the confidence of the people, due to the policy inaugurated by Mr. Reel as president and manager. He is keen of vision, a natural financier and keeps abreast of all banking busi- ness of state and nation and under his skillful guidance it is but natural that the bank should have a most phenominal growth. Since locat- ing in Dalton and becoming a member of the financial circles of the Panhandle, Mr. Reel has invested heavily in other commercial and civic enterprises that are playing a great part in the development of this section of the state, as he is director and stock owner in the Farm- ers Elevator of Dalton and also of the Dalton Trading Company Elevator. A man of ex- cellent education, high character and marked ability, it is but natural that the people of the county had confidence in him; and when it became necessary to elect a county commis- sioner to manage the tremendous business of this growing district he was chosen and elected by an overwhelming majority, and today is filling that office. Since becoming a resident of this section Mr. Reel has established a repu- tation for carrying on all his operations, of whatever nature, in a progressive and capable manner, and as stockman, farmer, banker and county official stands high in the esteem of the people, his business associates and friends. In politics he is a Republican.

On September 4, 1907, Mr. Reel married Miss Mary Ernest, at Omaha, Nebraska, a na- tive daughter of this state, who was reared and educated here and is a member of the Roman Catholic Church. There are three girls in the Reel family : Minnie L., Myra, and Isabelle, all of whom are at home.

BERNARD F. DAILEY has passed virtual- ly his entire life thus far within the borders of western Nebraska, and has become thor- oughly imbued with the progressive spirit which marks this section of the state. He is one of the successful agriculturists and stock- raisers of the younger generation in Garden county, and concerning the family history ade- quate mention is made on other pages, in the sketch dedicated to his father, Robert F. Dailey.

Bernard F. Dailey was born in the 12th of February, 1883, and his early education was obtained in the schools of Deuel, Garden

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM BARKHOFF AND FAMILY

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

and Cheyenne counties, all of which were originally included in Cheyenne county. Mr. Dailey initiated his active career by obtaining employment as a cowboy and cattle herder, and he was thus employed by Reuben Lisco about two years. He then began farm opera- tions on the homestead which he had secured, and to which he later added by taking a Kin- kaid claim, with the result that he now has eight hundred acres of the valuable land of Garden county, four hundred being devoted to general agricultural enterprise and the re- mainder of the land being used principally for pasturage and general forage purposes. Mr. Dailey is a vigorous worker in all departments of farm industry and his advancement shows that he has made the best possible use of the opportunities that have been afforded him in connection with farm development in the Ne- braska Panhandle. He is a stockholder in the farmers' grain elevator at Lisco, which vil- lage is his postoffice address, his political al- legiance is given to the Democratic party ; he is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, and both he and his wife are active communicants of the Catholic church.

At Sidney, Cheyenne county, February 22, 1911, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Dailey to Miss Anna Vacik, who was born and reared in Nebraska, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Vacik, having been pioneer settlers in Cheyenne county, where the father is now living virtually retired, at Sidney, both he and his wife being active members of the Catholic church. Mr. and Mrs. Dailey have two chil- dren - Mary Bernice, born August 24, 1912, and Robert James, born December 20, 1914.

WILLIAM BARKHOFF. - While indus- try undoubtedly is one of the fundamentals of material success, yet sound judgment is equal- ly important, and in considering the rapid progress of some men on their way to finan - cial independence, it will usually be found that their efforts have not been haphazard but directed by intelligent foresight and matured judgment. An example may be presented in William Barkhoff, a prominent and respected citizen of Kimball. With many other set- tlers he came to this county in 1912, an in- vestor in land. Seven years later this land has more than doubled in value and he has entered the ranks of large wheat growers and has made a record as a stockraiser in Kimball county.

William Barkhoff was born in Harrison county, Iowa, March 10, 1877. His parents were Henry and Christena Barkhoff, who were born in Germany. They were married in that

country from which they came to the United States in 1873, settling in Harrison county, Iowa, where they spent the rest of their es- timable lives. After coming here to make this land their permanent home, they became Americans in every sense of the word and dur- ing many years thereafter, Harrison county had no more worthy, useful or loyal citizen than Henry Barkhoff. They were members of the German Lutheran church. They had children as follows: Augusta and Frederick, both of whom live in Iowa; William, who be- longs to Kimball county; Emma, who mar- ried a Mr. Davis, of Seattle, Washington ; Bert and James, both of whom are farmers in Mon- tana; Edward, who is a farmer in Iowa, and Mary, who married a Mr. Wilkins, of Mis- souri Valley, Iowa. Both parents are de- ceased.

William Barkhoff grew up on his father's farm in Harrison county, Iowa, obtaining his education in the public schools. It was his father's wish that his children should learn the English language thoroughly, never per- mitting the use of the German tongue even in the family circle. On April 1, 1906, he was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Pehrs, of Harrison county, a daughter of Julius H. and Mary Pehrs, the former was a farmer and blacksmith near Denison, Craw- ford county, Iowa, the latter of whom survives and lives in Idaho. Mr. and Mrs. Barkhoff have two children : Wallace who was born October 25, 1908, is doing well at school; and Alice, who was born April 29, 1919.

In February, 1912, Mr. Barkhoff came to Kimball, buying a lot and comfortbale resi- dence. After some weeks of prospecting he purchased a section of land situated four miles east and three miles north of Kimball, for which he paid $17.75 per acre, later add- ing a half section, for which he paid $1,800, and had scarcely completed the transaction when he was offered $5,600 for this tract. He carries on general farming and stockraising and in the latter industry found exceeding profit during the current summer, having sold $1,195 worth. His seventy acres of wheat has returned so great a yield that the acreage will be largely increased in the future. Mr. Barkhoff has done exceedingly well since coming to Kimball county, and in spite of a season of ill health, has devoted himself closely to his business affairs. In 1918 he was prostrated by an acute attack of appendicitis, that called for operation, and on the very day of his mother's death, on the farm in Iowa, he was under the surgeon's knife in the Metho-

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dist Episcopal hospital at Omaha. Mr. and Mrs. Barkhoff are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Kimball.

ROY ALLEN BABCOCK, banker, finan- cier and large land holder is one of the young- er and rising generation which today holds the responsible positions that formerly were filled only by men of middle age and many years of experience. The short life record of Roy Bab- cock is an illustration of what may be accom- plished by a laudable ambition and a determin- ation to succeed. From the modest circum- stances in which he found himself when he arrived in Cheyenne county, twelve years ago, Mr. Babcock is today the owner of three thous- and acres of fine land in the vicinity of Potter, in the Pole creek valley, has large interests in many of the prosperous commercial enterprises of this section and is a heavy stockholder in several banks and the vice-president of the Citizens State Bank of Potter. Little more than a decade's connection with the banking in- terests of Potter, during which time he has risen from a clerkship to his present position in banking circles, has made Roy Babcock one of the best known figures in the financial circles of western Nebraska and eastern Colo- rado.

Mr. Babcock is a native son of the west, born in Fillmore county. Nebraska, December 23, 1893, the son of Elmer and Ann (Corbin) Babcock, the former native of Indiana, where he was reared and educated and after attain- ing manhood's estate engaged in business there as a farmer. In 1880, he came to Nebraska, becoming one of the later pioneer settlers of our great state. He was a comfortably suc- cessful farmer until he retired from active participation in business and now lives quiet- ly in Atkinson, Nebraska, enjoying his sunset years in ease and comfort. Mrs. Babcock was born in Iowa, where she was reared, receiving a good practical education in the public schools and after her marriage became a sturdy help- mate and devoted mother.

Roy Babcock was reared and educated in Sherman county, Nebraska, where his parents were living during his childhood and early youth. He attended the common schools of his district and after graduating from the high school desired to widen his educational facil- ities and attended a business college in Grand Island for two years, devoting particular at- tention to commercial subjects. His first posi- tion was in Potter, as he entered the Potter State Bank as bookkeeper February 28, 1912. At the start, Mr. Babcock received the muni- ficent salary of twenty-five dollars a month

and paid out practically all of it for his mere living expenses, but he had faith in himself and felt that it would be only a question of time until the financial outlook would bright- en. He applied himself to the business, learning practical banking from actual exper- ience and as time passed his income increased, until at the close of his third year he drew fifty dollars a month, but he had greater am- bitions than to remain a bank clerk and after looking the financial field over decided that just then one of the best propositions on which a quick return could be made was land, so he bought a four hundred and eighty acre tract on time. Mr. Babcock believed that the best way to get a thing done was to do it himself and went out on the farm to see that the im- provements he made were of the right char- acter, and evidently they were for after nine months he disposed of the property, making a profit of four thousand dollars, rather good returns for less than a year's time and for so young a man. His business ability had al- ready become well known in Potter and as soon as he was foot loose was engaged to take charge of the Farmers Elevator, holding the position two years, during which time its busi- ness was handled in an able and efficient man- ner. Mr. Babcock had not, however, given up his idea of becoming a banker and having by 1917 accumulated considerable capital by his various business ventures he became the prime mover in the organization of the Citizens State Bank; was one of the original stockholders, and from its inauguration as a banking house has been the efficient cashier of the prosper- ous, sound and progressive institution. The bank was opened in 1917. That the men who have shaped the policy and methods have been successful need not be said when we learn that today the Citizens Bank is the third larg- est in Cheyenne county and has deposits of over a quarter of a million dollars. This rapid growth and progress has been largely due to the initiative and executive ability of the men who are devoting their time and energies to its management and Mr. Babcock has played an important part in furthering the precedence which it has gained, not only in the county but in the Panhandle. As one of the representa- tive business men and public-spirited citizens of Potter, he merits special recognition in a history of the county.

Mr. Babcock has become a stockholder and vice-president of the Peets State Bank, at Peets, Colorado, and also a stockholder and director of the Gurley State Bank so that he is widely known not only throughout western

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Nebraska but in Colorado for his able execu- tive control of the varied banking institutions with which he is associated. He is no. narrow guage man as he is the owner of the elevator at Egbert, Wyoming ; owns a half interest in the Bennet Grain Company of Potter and a half interest in the elevator at Dix, Nebraska. Mr. Babcock has ever had great faith in the future of this section of Nebraska and to demonstrate this has from time to time in- vested largely in land of Cheyenne county, and is today the owner of three thousand acres on which he has had excellent improvements in the way of a fine country home, numerous and substantial farm buildings, while the cultivated land has been brought to a high state of fertil- ity. For some time he has been a heavy investor in the Coulter Live Stock Company, owning a third interest in that concern which runs over a thousand head of sheep and five hun- dred head of cattle annually.

Having carved an independent career for himself, it is but natural that Mr. Babcock has developed into an independent thinker as he is a widely read man and directs his inter- est to the election of the best man who will serve the people honestly and well. His fra- ternal relations are with the Masonic order, while with his wife he is a supporter of the church which they attend in Potter.

November 3, 1913, was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Babcock and Miss Olga Cords, at Omaha, Nebraska. She was a native of Grand Island, reared and educated in that city, the daughter of Emil Cords, who now resides in Rockville, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Bab- cock have one little girl.

CHARLES S. ANDERSON. - Cheyenne county has no resident more widely known in either private or public life than the prosper- ous and progressive farmer and public spirited citizen whose name initiates this paragraph. He is a native son of Nebraska and this coun- ty, having the distinction of being the second white child born in this region. He first saw the light of day down in the Lodge Pole vailey near Bronson, on September 15, 1874, the son of John and Mary (Johnson) Anderson. Ilis father was a native of Denmark who came to America when a young man with his wife, and brought with him many of the admirable qualities and traits of the people of that sturdy little country, and success came to him through honorable participation in legitimate business enterprises. Mrs. Anderson also was a native of Denmark where she was reared, educated, met and married her husband. They were courageous souls who desired to make head-

way in the world and to this end broke all the dear home ties and sailed away for the United States, the "Land of Promise" to so many European emigrants. Soon after landing on our shores Mr. and Mrs. Anderson came west, locating in Cheyenne county. Nearly a haif century has passed since these sturdy, confi- dent young Danes came into this section and settled on a homestead in the Lodge Pole val- ley on a homestead in pioneer style amidst a veritable wilderness. In addition to the home- stead the father took up a tree claim and in due time proved up on all his land. For fifteen years he labored slowly and arduously develop- ing the farm and establishing a home for his family, and watching and assisting in the ad- vancement and progress which were making the countryside flourish and thrive. As soon as his capital admitted Mr. Anderson gave up his work on the railroad and devoted his en- tire energies to his farm business and stock- raising, becoming recognized as one of the leading and most prosperous exponents of agricultural industry. He was ever active in all civic improvement and lived to see this country most wonderfully transformed from the prairie to a veritable farm paradise, as he lived to be an old man, passing away in No- vember, 1917. Mrs. Anderson survived her husband and now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Sherwin, of Sterling. Colorado.

Charles Anderson was reared on his father's farm near Bronson and received his education in the public schools provided at that early day, growing up as most farmers' sons on the frontier. When old enough he assisted in the development of the homestead and thus in a practical way learned farming and stock-rais- ing as conducted in this section and at that period. After completing his course in school he helped his father for a time and then em- barked for himself as a farmer to raise cattle and horses. He carried on some general farm- ing for ten years, then went west to Utah where he remained five years, but the Pan- handle seemed to him a far better country than that west of the mountains and he return- ed to the state and county of his brith. He now manages the original homestead of his father where he specializes in high bred cattle and hogs, being one of the largest shippers of meat animals to the packing centers of Ne- braska and Kansas, as he prepared at least two car load lots each year.

While a good and progressive citizen and the supporter of all worthwhile movements, he has been contented to remain a farmer, though he has filled his civic duty as a member of the

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community by filling the office of county asses- sor for eight years, has been a member of the school board for fifteen years and road over- seer about that same period, and today can feel that he has done his best for the community which he has served faithfully and well. In . politics Mr. Anderson is an adherent of the Democratic party and has been proud of the record it made during the recent war. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Anderson has not confined his entire energies to his land alone but has engag- ed in extensive financial affairs of the locality as a stockholder in the Liberty Oil Company of Potter, owns a large block of stock in the Farmers Elevator of Bronson and stock in the Liberty State Bank of Sidney.

On June 10, 1903, Mr. Anderson married Miss F. E. Yoakhim, at Kimball, Nebraska. She was born in Johnson county, Iowa, but her parents came to Kimball county, Nebraska, where she grew to womanhood and was edu- cated in the public schools. After complet- ing her studies she became a teacher, a pro- fession she was engaged in for seven years be- fore her marriage, and today she is a worthy descendent of her pioneer parents who played their part in the development and upbuilding of this great commonwealth. There are six chil- dren in the Anderson family: Susie Lucille, Russell R., Ella, Bernadine, Max and Jack, all of, whom are still under the happy family roof-tree.

MRS. LYDIA WALLACE, one of the best known and most popular pioneer women of Garden county, has marked her residence in this section of Nebraska with large and note- worthy achievement in connection with agri- cultural and live-stock industry, and her gra- cious personality, her fine intellectual attain- ments and her distinctive business acumen have given her no slight degree of leadership in community affairs. She was one of the early school teachers in what is now Garden county, and in many ways she has contributed to the civic and material development and pro- gress of the county in which she is the owner of a large and valuable landed estate and to which her loyalty is marked by deep apprecia- tion.

Mrs. Lydia (Morgan) Wallace was born in Shropshire, England, and was twelve years of age when she came with her widowed mother to America, her rudimentary education having thus been received in her native land. She is a daughter of Thomas and Emma ( Timmis) Morgan, the former of whom passed his entire life in England, where he was a farmer by

vocation, having been only thirty-seven years of age at the time of his death. After the death of her young husband Mrs. Morgan finally came with her eight children to the United States and settled in Rock Island, Il- linois, where later she became the wife of Francis Bailey, one of the sterling pioneer citi- zens of that county. There she passed her life, and was about seventy-two years of age when she died, secure in the affectionate re- gard of all who had come within the compass of her gentle and kindly influence. In Illi- nois Miss Lydia Morgan was afforded not only the advantages of the public schools, the high school at Moline, but also those of Knox College, from which she graduated. After leaving college she took a course in stenog- raphy and typewriting, in a leading business college in the city of Chicago. A young woman of spirit and ambition Miss Morgan had abundant confidence and self-reliance when, in 1889, she came to western Nebraska and numbered herself among the pioneer set- tlers in that part of Deuel county that is now comprised in Garden county. Here she filed entry on a homestead. a pre-emption and a tree claim, to all of which she perfected title in due time. In the meantime she was instru- mental in the establishment of the Orlando postoffice and was made its first postmistress. While developing her land and engaging in the raising of live-stock, Miss Morgan had the distinction of teaching the first term in the pio- neer school of her district. With increasing prosperity she purchased an additional tract of eight hundred acres, but this she later sold to Charles Avery. In 1900, she purchased the Spohn Creek ranch, and here, for the ensuing five years, she ran an average of three hun- dred head of cattle. She then decreased the stock to one hundred and fifty head and af- ter disposing of the ranch she purchased her present well improved place, which comprises six hundred and forty acres, which is given over to successful agricul- ture and stock-raising. Mrs. Wallace has taken very deep interest in everything per- taining to the social, moral and industrial de- velopment of the community, and is essential- ly liberal and public-spirited. Under the woman-suffrage law of Nebraska she is duly registered and takes advantage of the fran- chise, and is a Republican in her political al- legiance, her religious faith being that of the Presbyterian Church. She still maintains af- filiation with the sorority with which she iden- tified herself while a student in Knox college.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 107

Author: Shumway, Grant Lee, 1865- Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., The Western publishing & engraving co. Number of Pages: 1056

Author: Shumway, Grant Lee, 1865-
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., The Western publishing & engraving co.
Number of Pages: 1056