History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 11

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

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Mr. Middaugh was born at Denver, Colo- rado, August 26, 1890, one of five children born to Asa F. and Amelia (Siever) Mid- daugh, who were married at Cimarron, Colfax county, New Mexico. The father of Mr. Mid- daugh was born at Erie, Pennsylvania, a son of William Middaugh, who was also born in Pennsylvania. In 1860 he came to Colorado and was elected the first sheriff of Denver county. The father of Mr. Middaugh accom- panied his father to Colorado but after his marriage and the birth of his children, estab- lished himself in the mercantile business at Del Norte, where he was a merchant and banker until he retired, when he returned to Denver, which remains the family home. The mother of Mr. Middaugh was born at St. Louis, Missouri. Of their three surviving children, A. F. is the youngest, the others be- ing: Nettie, the wife of A. M. Johnson, of Chicago, and Florence, who resides with her parents.

A. F. Middaugh was graduated from the Denver high school in 1909, after which he spent two years in the Colorado State Univer- city. He had two years of business experience with his father at Del Norte, following which he came to Scottsbluff and in October, 1913, in partnership with Ray Smith, opened a gar- age and handled the Ford automobiles. In 1916 he sold his Ford interest and organized the Scottsbluff Motor Company, which is cap- italized at $15,000. The business is in a high- ly prosperous condition, the company han- dling the Dodge and Cadillac cars.

On October 30, 1916, Mr. Middaugh was united in marriage to Miss Mable Maxon, who is a daughter of E. E. Maxon. Mrs. Mid- daugh is a member of the Presbyterian church.

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

Mr. Middaugh belongs to the Elks and retains his membership in his old college fraternity, Phi Delta Theta.

ALEXANDER MESTON, who owns and operates one of the best equipped and most modern laundry plants in the Platte valley, has been established at Scottsbluff since 1912, but has had many years of experience in this bus- iness at other points. Mr. Meston was born in April, 1870, in Black Hawk county, Iowa.

The parents of Mr. Meston were Alexander and Agnes (Hutchinson) Meston, both of whom were born in Scotland. They came to the United States in 1867 and before coming to Nebraska lived in Iowa and in Wisconsin, where the father worked as a blacksmith. For five years after coming to this state he was in the lumber business at Harvard, in Clay coun- ty, and then moved to Spring Ranch, where he was engaged in milling until his death, in 1890. Of his children, Alexander was the third in order of birth, the others being as follows: Sarah Ann, the wife of Dr. F. W. Dean, of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Agnes, a teacher in the public schools of Hastings, Nebraska; John James, in the hardware business at Bradford, Illinois, and Helen, who resides with her mother at Hastings. Miss Meston is a highly educated lady and for six years was dean of the Women's department at Doane College. The family attends the Congregational church.

Alexander Meston attended school at Spring Ranch and spent two years in Doane College, after which he assisted his father in the mill- ing business. In 1890 he first embarked in the laundry business and continued in that line at Hastings until 1900, removing then to North Platte, where he owned a laundry which he conducted until October, 1912, when he came to Scottsbluff. Up to that time laundry facil- ities here were indifferent, but Mr. Meston bought a plant that he could remodel and start- ed into business. By 1916 he found it neces- sary to enlarge his quarters and erected a suit- able building of brick construction in which he has continued ever since. He has intro- duced modern machinery and laundry equip- ments of the best class and his trade has con- tinued to expand until now he ships laundry all through the valley. While his success has been marked it was brought about entirely through his own efforts. He is a large en1- ployer of labor, keeping thirty regular laun- dry workers throughout the year.

In 1901 Mr. Meston was united in marriage to Miss Maude Mable Martin, who was born in Adams county, Nebraska. Her father, S. Lewis Martin, an old pioneer of Adams coun-

ty, was one of the first sheriffs and afterward was chief of police at Hastings. He arrested the famous Olive robber gang that operated in Custer county. Mr. and Mrs. Meston have three children, namely : Alexander, Margaret and Dorothy, their ages ranging from three to eight years. Following in the political foot- steps of his father, Mr. Meston is a Repub- lican. He belongs to no fraternal organiza- tion except the Elks.

NATHANIEL M. SNYDER, electrical en- gineer, is a member of the firm of C. D. Sny- der & Son, in the battery business at Scotts- bluff. He was born at Weeping Water, Ne- braska, April 4, 1880, and is a son of Cecil D. and Florence M. (Hizart) Snyder.

The father of Mr. Snyder was born in the village of Tripps Corners, near Oshkosh, Wis- consin, in 1855. In 1872 he came to Weeping Water, Nebraska, and went into the milling business, removing to Alliance in 1896 and from there came to Scottsbluff in 1897. At one time he had an extensive milling business and his special brand of flour took the first prize at the state fair in Lincoln. For about fourteen years Mr. Snyder was a miller at Scottsbluff, using alfalfa for fuel during the time that Kimball was the nearest railroad shipping point. He then went into the feed business, and subsequently, with his son, em- barked in the battery business under the style of C. D. Snyder & Son. They have operated a Willard Storage Battery station for a num- ber of years.

Nathaniel Marion Snyder was graduated from the Alliance high school in 1898, then entered the state university and was graduated from the electrical mechanical course in 1901. He began the battery business with the Stude- baker firm at South Bend, Indiana, where he remained eight years and had entire charge of the electrical automobile department. He is identified with several professional bodies, in- cluding the Institute of Electric Engineers of London, the Institute of Radio Engineers and others.

In 1907 Mr. Snyder was united in marriage to Miss Mable Grace Earnest, who was born in Bureau county, Illinois, a daughter of Ham- ilton and Emma (Charlton) Earnest. Both parents died while she was young, her father in Illinois and her mother in South Dakota. She was adopted in her infancy by an uncle and aunt, Jolin R. and Anna Elizabeth (Charlton) Earnest, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter at Philadelphia in the same state. In his younger years Mr. Earnest was a mining operator in Missouri,

GUSTAV ADOLPH THOMAS GOTTFRIED THOMAS

CARL THOMAS CHRISTIAN HENRY THOMAS

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

later in the express business in Illinois, and now lives retired at Joplin, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder attend the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Knight Templar Mason and belongs to other organizations.

VALENTINE THOMAS, a resident of Sioux county, belongs to that class of men who have not only been eye witnesses of the won- derful changes that have taken place but have contributed in large measure to the develop- ment and upbuilding of this part of Nebraska. No finer body of land can be found in this sec- tion of the country than "Dutch Flats," a name given to this fertile valley by the subject of this record, who was the first settler to locate here.

Valentine Thomas was born in Rhine Prov- ince, Germany, June 5, 1856. He was reared and educated in his native land and was mar- ried there in 1885 to Miss Elizabeth Kamann, who was born in the same locality. In 1887 they bade adieu to home and friends and sailed for America, landing in Baltimore, Maryland, in June. From there they made their way to Nebraska, where Mr. Thomas had a half- brother living in Saunders county. A month later they came to what was then Cheyenne county and took a preemption of one hundred and sixty acres in what is now Scottsbluff county. Their first home was a very primitive one, a dug-out, and here the family lived until they were entitled to receive a deed to their land from the government. Mr. Thomas then took a tree claim one mile north, in what is now Sioux county, and established another home. After proving up on this he went five miles further north and took a homestead where he engaged in the sheep business for fif- teen years. Here they endured all the hard- ships and privations incident to the settling up of a new country, but they were filled with that determination characteristic of their race, meet- ing and overcoming all obstacles, played their part well and as the years have gone by they have prospered, and Mr. Thomas is one of the wealthy land owners of the Panhandle. He returned to the tree claim where he has erected modern improvements and where he now makes his home, being the owner of three hun- dred and thirty-nine acres of valuable land, due to the extensive irrigation system that has been inaugurated, of which Mr. Thomas has always been an enthusiastic advocate and to which he is a liberal contributor. Their first home, "a soddy." still stands, though it has been moved a mile from its original location. His judgment has been good, and seeing an opportunity to in- crease his fortune, he invested in three and one- half sections of land in Arkansas and Prairie

counties, Arkansas, devoted to rice culture, which is now under the management of two of his sons. As proof of the value of this invest- ment we may mention that in the year 1919 one hundred thousand dollars of rice was raised and marketed from this plantation.

Mr. Thomas has been public-spirited to a high degree. No movement for the good of his community ever seeks his aid in vain. He was instrumental in getting others to come to this country and all are loud in their praises of hav- ing been induced to cast their lot in a com- munity that is excelled by no other portion of Nebraska.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas has been blessed with the birth of five children : Anna Katrina, who was born in Germany, died in childhood; Christian Henry, the first white child born in Dutch Flats, who is now operat- ing a sheep ranch in Wyoming : Gottfried and Gustav Adolph, who are managing their father's rice plantation in Arkansas ; and Carl, who is a successful farmer near the home place.

Mr. Thomas is independent in politics and has served his district as school director and road overseer. The family are members of the Presbyterian church.

While he has been sticcessful and acquired a large amount of this world's goods, he has not been remiss in any duty of citizenship and wherever known has a host of friends.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas relate many interest- ing experiences of the early days. The second year they had twenty-five acres of wheat and the market price was forty cents a bushel at Alliance, sixty-five miles away. They brought a supply of money with them from Germany and it looked odd to them to see people pick up bones on the prairie and haul them to Alliance and sell them for $6 to $10 per ton. But Mr. Thomas was glad to do that when his money had been invested and he needed cash. Mrs. Thomas has pillows made from feathers picked from wild geese more than thirty years ago. They ground wheat in a coffee mill and made bread. Once when vieing with a neighbor to see who could make a pound of coffee last the longer, Mrs. Thomas made a pound last six weeks, but it was not very good coffee.

CHARLES H. IRION. - Among the pros- pering citizens of Scottsbluff are many men of high personal standing and wide business ex- perience and one of these, whose life story is very interesting to follow, is Charles H. Irion, who for a number of years has been extensive- ly engaged in handling choice real estate here and all over the country. Mr. Irion was born in McLean county, Illinois, May 8, 1860, the

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

son of John and Susan (Osborn) Irion, who still survive ad live at Miles City, Montana. The father was born in Germany and the mother in Kentucky. They were married at Jacksonville, Illinois, and eleven children were born to them, Charles H. being the eldest of the family. The others were: Edward, a stockman in Montana; William, in the horse business in Montana; John, operates a ranch in Montana; Lewis, in the stock business in the same state; Sadie, the wife of Jack Mett- lin, a retired farmer at Alliance, Nebraska ; Maggie, the wife of Mr. Kelley, a sheepman in Montana ; Albert J., who has been a govern- ment horse buyer, has a ranch in Montana ; Ray and Farber, both of whom are in the stock business in Montana, and one child deceased. The parents are members of the Christian church. In politics the father is a Republican. He is a man of education and is particularly well posted in history. In 1877 he moved from Illinois to Arkansas, where he remained but a short time, returning then to Illinois but shortly afterward he moved to Iowa and then to Missouri and Nebraska from there to Mon- tana in 1899. He has been a farmer and stockman all his life.

Although Charles H. Irion was an unusual- ly intelligent boy, he had very little encourage- ment in the way of education after the family moved to Iowa. His first work away from home was a season spent as a harvest hand in Missouri. He then found an employer in Minnesota, who consented that he could at- tend school and work for his board and clothes, and it was in this way that Mr. Irion secured a teacher's certificate and taught his first school at New Richland, Minnesota, in In 1893 Mr. Irion married Miss Ada M. Lane, who was born at Hale, Iowa, a daughter of L. F. Lane. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Irion : Lettie R., the wife of J. Newton Hughes, of Scottsbluff ; Archie R., born April 25, 1897 ; and Charles and Donald, both of whom are in school. The eldest son, Archie R. Irion, brought the dreaded yet preci- ous "gold star" into the family, for he met a tered the service of his country in April, 1917, left home in June for Omaha, on June 16, went to Deming, New Mexico, where he com- pleted his military training and by July 17 had reached France as a member of the American Expeditionary Force. He belonged to Battery B One Hundred and nineteenth artillery, in which he was a sergeant. He was wounded September 29, 1918, and his brave spirit pass- ed away November 11, 1918. His name be- longs on Nebraska's Roll of Honor. the meantime he put in a crop, on some rented land, that turned out well financially. He was able to take some money back home with him when he joined his parents at Oregon, Mis- souri, to which place the family had moved in 1883. He bought an interest in his father's team, put in a crop with his father and after it matured and he had paid his debt, he yet had $180 in cash. On March 16, 1885, the . soldier's death on the soil of France. He en- entire family started westward, with three teams but all of the horses were old and worn out animals, however they managed to haul the wagons into Nebraska, and on April 15, 1885, the family camped near running water and Mr. Irion took a claim on land in Box Butte county, three of his brothers and his father also taking claims. They had nothing, how- ever with which to carry on either farm or domestic life. Mr. Irion tells of how he started for Camp Clark in order to get flour

having about $80 by that time to buy neces- sities with. A blizzard set in, through which he drove all one day and had to pay $2 to cross the river on the bridge. On the home trip, when within a half mile of the cabin, the horses gave out and he turned them loose and walked the rest of the way, having been ab- sent two days.

For a number of years Mr. Irion broke prairie for other settlers for a living, also did freighting and has seen great herds of deer, antelope and buffalo on the then, open prairies. His father made the necessary im- provements on the different claims while his son was away. On his pre-emption land he had to pay $1.25 an acre, then borrowed $500 on the place and with a small capital he had, bought cattle and afterward started a little store at Lawn, Nebraska, which he conducted until 1895, in the meanwhile securing a post- office under the name of Belle, of which he was postmaster for four years. He then sold his interests there and moved to Marsland, Nebraska, where he bought a store building for $100 and a residence for $150 and went into business. He prospered there and re- mained until 1902 whon he sold his property, bought three hundred head of steers and a ranch in Sioux county, later purchased more cattle and the whole investment has proved very profitable. In 1903 he came to Scotts- bluff and rented the Emery hotel, which he operated advantageously for three years. In 1911 he embarked in the real estate business and today has an extensive business all over the country, making a specialty of ranch prop- erties.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

Mr. Irion and his family are members of the Presbyterian church. He has always been a Republican and has known many of the party leaders who have maintained its prin- ciples through stormy times, but has been un- willing to accept political office, believing he could be more effective as a loyal, law-abid- ing private citizen.

JAMES D. SHAW, who is a reputable business man of Scottsbluff, whose experience has been gained in several lines of effort, has made his home at Scottsbluff for a number of years and since April, 1915, has been in the automobile and garage business. He has a wide acquaintance and a host of business as well as personal friends.

James D. Shaw was born at Baresville, Ohio, January 18, 1882, and is a son of Rich- ard and Elizabeth Shaw. He has one sister and one brother, namely: Delilah Ann, who is the wife of A. F. Petersen, a farmer and rancher of Buffalo Gap, South Dakota; and William M., who is a farmer and feeder near Seward, Nebraska. The father of Mr. Shaw served four years in an Ohio regiment in the Civil War, during which time he was thrice captured by the enemy, made two escapes and once was exchanged. He died in Ohio in 1882. In 1889 the mother of Mr. Shaw re- moved with her children to Omaha, Nebraska, and still lives there. She is a member of the First Christian church of that city.

In the graded schools of Omaha, James D. Shaw received educational training. The first money he earned was by working on a farm near Omaha. Afterward he entered the em- ploy of M. C. Peters Mill Company, for whom he traveled for seven years selling al- falfa feeds, visiting Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Idaho and Wyoming. He then lo- cated at Scottsbluff and went into the hay business, buying hay all through the Platte valley. In the meanwhile he became inter- ested in the automobile business and embarked in the same with Mr. McCain, in April, 1915. The firm handles the Overland and Willys- Knight cars and the Republic trucks and does a large business.

On June 24, 1908, Mr. Shaw was united in marriage to Miss Cynthia Ellen Raymond, who was born at Florence, Nebraska, and is a daughter of H. S. Raymond, who is a fruit- grower near Omaha. Mrs. Shaw is a member of the Episcopal church at Scottsbluff, while Mr. Shaw belongs to the First Christian church at Omaha. Like his father before him, Mr. Shaw is a Republican in politics. As a

citizen and as a business man he stands high in public regard.

CLARENCE E. BOGGS, who has led an active business life ever since completing his education, is a young man of business de- pendability, social standing and personal up- rightness. He is one of the younger circle of business men of Scottsbluff, and is president and general manager of the Scottsbluff Mill- ing Company.

Mr. Boggs is a native of Illinois, born at Havana, in Mason county, August 8, 1877, a son of James W. and Elizabeth C. (Caldwell) Boggs, who had three other children, namely : James W., who was in the first draft for serv- ice in the great war, was with an engineering corps in the American Expeditionary Force that went to France in October, 1917, now re- sides at Lincoln, Nebraska ; Charlotte Rose, who resides with her father at Lincoln; and Allen M., who is now at home, was in a soldiers' training camp at Fort Worth, when the great war closed. The father was born in Ohio and the mother in Illinois, and they were married at Crete, Nebraska. Her death occur- red at Lincoln in 1909. In politics the father is a Republican and for thirty-four years was deputy county treasurer of Lancaster county He came to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1879 and for a number of years was in the insurance business. He is a member of the Unitarian church, and belongs to the Odd Fellows.

After completing the high school course at Lincoln and being graduated in 1898, Clarence E. Boggs spent two years in the state uni- versity. Immediately afterward he went into the towel supply business at Lincoln, in which he continued for eighteen years and then en- gaged in the milling business. In October, 1917, Mr. Boggs came to Scottsbluff and or- ganized the Scottsbluff Milling Company, which is an incorporated concern, capitalized at $25,000, and since then has given his main attention to the development of his business. The selling territory is all through the Platte Valley and the business is very prosperous.

In 1902 Mr. Boggs was united in marriage to Miss Cora M. McGrew, who was born at Lincoln, and they have three children: Alice, Barbara and Robert. Mr. and Mrs. Boggs are members of the Presbyterian church. Po- litically he is a Republican, but in no sense is he a politician, just a good, reliable, earnest and law supporting citizen.

GEORGE W. STOCKWELL, who has charge of the battery and electrical business

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

for himself at Scottsbluff, has had considerable electrical experience and is considered an ex- pert in his line of work. Mr. Stockwell was born in Dawson county, Nebraska, November 22, 1889.

The parents of Mr. Stockwell are Frank E. and Emily Kate (Adams) Stockwell, who now are esteemed residents of Wilder, Idaho. The father was born in Iowa and the mother in Missouri. They were married at Loup City, Nebraska, and their children are: Edna, the wife of Leo Rengler, a merchant at Overton, Nebraska ; George W., resides at Scottsbluff ; Ray, foreman of the H. Gilchrist ranch in Montana ; James, lives at Bayard, Nebraska, where he is assistant cashier of a bank ; and Herman, lives at Wilder, Idaho. Frank E. Stockwell came to Sweetwater, Nebraska, in 1876, where he followed farming for a time, then homesteaded in Dawson county and re- mained for twenty-three years. He has always been a foresighted business man and that took him to Grand Island, where he profitably en- gaged in the horse business for four years and then returned to Dawson county, but soon af- terward bought a store at Paxton, in Keith county, which he operated for four years. Mr. Stockwell also conducted a store at Beard for a while, then moved to Wheatland, Wyoming, and from there to Wilder, Idaho, where he owns a productive fruit farm. He belongs to the Odd Fellows and the United Workmen.

George W. Stockwell was educated at Over- ton, Nebraska, where he was graduated from the high school, then learned the telephone business and followed that for ten years, be- ing engaged at different points. In 1916 he came to Scottsbluff to work in the battery department of the automobile business of Mc- Cain & Shaw, and now has full charge as mentioned above.

In January, 1915, Mr. Stockwell was united in marriage to Miss Pauline Dilla, who was born in Missouri, and they have two children, Elaine and Wayne. Mrs. Stockwell is a mem- ber of the Catholic church, but Mr. Stock- well was reared in the Methodist Episcopal church by his mother. In party politics he maintains an independent attitude.

JAMES M. CARR, who has been identified with the lumber industry at Scottsbluff for almost twenty years, is a native of Nebraska, born in 1875 at Lexington, in Dawson county, and has practically spent his entire life in the state. Mr. Carr bears a name that has long been held in high repute in business circles, his father having been active and successful

in this section for many years. Mr. Carr is secretary and outside manager of the Carr & Neff Lumber Company of Scottsbluff.

The parents of Mr. Carr are James P. and Ada M. (Martin) Carr, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Ohio. They were married at Lexington, Ne- braska, where they now reside. They have had two children: James M. and J. C. The latter is in the stock business at Lexington. James P. Carr came to Nebraska in 1872 and homesteaded in Dawson county and still owns the old place. Later he engaged in the mer- cantile business, in which he continued until 1893, when he sold out and since then has de- voted himself to looking after numerous busi- ness interests in which he has investments, one of these being the Carr & Neff Lumber Com- pany of Scottsbluff, of which he is president. Since coming to Nebraska he has built up his entire fortune, natural business capacity com- bining with generous opportunity, and he now is one of the substantial men of this section.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 11

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