History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 110

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

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

JAMES C. FOSTER, a pioneer ranchman and venerable and honored citizen of Garden county, where he is now living retired, in the city of Oshkosh, has been a resident of Ne- braska for more than forty years, and his memory and experience compass much of the stirring activities that marked the pioneer his- tory of this commonwealth.

Mr. Foster was born in Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, March 5, 1847, and though he has passed the psalmist's span of three score years and ten, he retains the vigor and optim- istic outlook that come as the heritage of right living and right thinking, during the course of an earnest and useful career. Mr. Foster is a son of Daniel and Elmira Antoinette (Wil- liams) Foster, both natives of the state of New York and representatives of families founded in America in the colonial era of our national history. Daniel Foster was reared and edu- cated in the old Empire state and as a young man he removed to Pennsylvania, where he secured a tract of heavily timbered land, in Jefferson county, and instituted the reclama- tion of a farm. He was captain in a cavalry command in Pennsylvania, when the state mil- itia was kept in training largely for the re- pelling of the Indians. His father and broth- ers were killed and scalped by the Indians, who took his mother prisoner at the same time. She was held in captivity fourteen years, and her release was effected by her son Daniel, father of the subject of this review. This re- markable woman, who endured with fortitude her experience as a captive, died about eight months prior to the time of her one hundredth birthday anniversary. James C. Foster was reared to manhood in the old Keystone state, where he received the advantages of the com- mon schools of the period, and whence he and his two brothers, Hiram T. and William M., went forth as valiant young soldiers of the Union when the Civil war was precipitated on the nation. Hiram T. was killed in battle, about one week prior to the surrender of Gen- eral Lee. William M. was captured by the enemy and was held for some time in the his- toric old Libby prison, whose name is odious in the record of the war between the north and the south. He finally made his escape from the prison, largely through the aid given him by a negro.

James C. Foster was twenty-four years of age when the dark cloud of civil war cast its pall over the national horizon, and he forth- with manifested his patriotism by enlisting as a private in a company of Pennsylvania Volun-

teer Infantry, with which he participated in many engagements and lived up to the full tension of the great conflict. In later years he has perpetuated the more gracious associations of his military career by retaining affiliation with the Grand Army of the Repubilc.

After the war Mr. Foster was for some time identified with the lumber business in Penn- sylvania, but in August, 1875, he left his na- tive state and set forth for the west. On the 11th of that month he arrived at Columbus, Platte county, this state, and for eight years was engaged in farming on the Pawnee Indian reservation.

After his marriage he continued to farm four years, and then came with his family to the western part of the state, in 1887, and took up a homestead thirty miles east of Alliance. He developed and improved a productive farm and to the active management of the place he continued to apply himself for twenty-eight years. He then sold the property, which had become valuable and to the area of which he had added, and it was at this juncture in his career that he retired and established his resi- dence at Oshkosh, where he and his wife de- light to extend the hospitality of their pleas- ant home to their wide circle of friends. In politics Mr. Foster is found arrayed as a staunch supporter of the principles of the Re- publican party.

The year 1882, recorded the marriage of Mr. Foster to Miss Carrie M. Douglass, who was born and reared in Wisconsin, and came to Nebraska when she was eighteen years of age. She shared with her husband in the pio- neer experiences in western Nebraska, and their ideal companionship continues as shad- ows of their lives begin to lengthen from the golden west. In conclusion is given brief record concerning their children: Mrs. Nettie Miller, died in 1917; Mrs. Rosella Ross, re- sides in Wyoming; Mrs. Mary Lindley is a resident of Lakeside, Sheridan county, Ne- braska, as is also Mrs. Maude Hyland; Wil- liam M., who is now living at Oshkosh, was one of the gallant young men who served with the American Expeditionary Forces in France during the progress of the World war, having been with his command in France for a period of one year; and James C., Jr. remains at home.

RICHARD CLARK, who has prestige as one of the pioneer farmers and stockmen of Garden county, is the owner of a fine farm property of 320 acres, three and one-half miles northwest of the village of Lewellen,

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

and is known and valued as one of the ster- ling citizens and successful agriculturists and stock-growers of Garden county. He was born in Butler county, Iowa, December 12, 1873, and on other pages of this work, in the sketch of the career of his brother, Walter Clark, is given ample review of the family history. Richard Clark was the fourth in order of birth in a family of five children, and concerning the others a brief record may consistently be entered : William P. is a resident of Lewellen, Garden county ; Mrs. Mary Cushman resides in the state of Mich- igan ; Walter is a resident of Oshkosh, judi- cial center of Garden county, Nebraska, and Mrs. Birdie Anderson resides at Ogallala, Keith county.

Richard Clark acquired his early educa- tion in the schools of the Hawkeye state and was a lad of about eleven years when, in 1885, he came with his brother Walter to Nebraska. They made the trip in a box car and left their palatial quarters upon arriv- ing at Ogallala. In Keith county Richard found employment on a farm, and in a serv- ice of nine months he received a compensa- tion of seven dollars a month. Finally he came to what is now Garden county and joined his parents, who had taken a farm homestead on the table southwest of Lewel- len. He remained at the parental home un- til 1899, and in the meanwhile availed him- self of the advantages of the public schools of the locality, besides doing his share in connection with the development and other work of the home farm. In 1899 he pur- chased the half section of land which con- stitutes his present well improved farm es- tate, and here he has not only been success- ful in his operations as an agriculturist and as a breeder and grower of cattle and hogs, but has also erected modern buildings and made other improvements that mark his property as one of the model farms of Gar- den county. His farm is well irrigated and he is one of the substantial stockholders of the Blue Creek Irrigation Company. His political allegiance is given to the Demo- cratic party; his wife is an active com- municant of the Grace Lutheran church at Lewellen, and Mrs. Clark is an appreciative and popular member of the Woman's Club of Lewellen. The attractive home of Mr. and Mrs. Clark is known for its generous and gracious hospitality, and it is a favored resort for their wide circle of friends.

On the 20th of March, 1900, was solemn- ied the marriage of Mr. Clark to Miss Em- ma Paisley, of Concordia, Kansas. Mrs.

Clark was born in Nebraska and is a daugh- ter of John H. and Addie Paisley, both of whom were born and reared in Iowa, where their marriage was solemnied and whence they came to Nebraska, where the death of Mr. Paisley occurred. Mrs. Paisley later became the wife of John W. Wilson, who likewise was born in Iowa and who repre- sented that state as a valiant soldier. of the Union during the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson finally removed from Iowa to Kan- sas, and he became a successful farmer near Concordia, that state. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have one child, Ivor Cecil, who was born in the year 1901.

MARTIN BRISTOL, a well known real estate dealer of Mitchell who has been engaged in commercial life in the Panhandle for many years and is known here and at Ger- ing as a successful business man, was born near Peoria, Illinois, November 21, 1860, the son of John E. and Anna (Martin) Bristol. The former was a native of New York. The family originally came to America from England about 1860. The mother was born in Kentucky. John Bristol settled in Illinois in 1827, and was an officer in the company commanded by President Lincoln during the Black Hawk War. He received a land warrant for his services at that time.

Martin Bristol was reared on his father's farm, and attended the public schools until his sixteenth year when he was apprenticed to a carpenter to learn the trade. The ap- prenticeship lasted five years and when completed, he accepted a position with the Rock Island railroad as a carpenter. Dur- ing his services with that road, Mr. Bristol contracted asthma. In 1886, he came to North Platte, Nebraska, for his health and within ten days was able to get around and soon began to work at his trade. He took up a homestead in the Gering valley, four miles south of the present town of Gering and remained there until 1888. He built the first log house in Gering for Dr. Franklin and another for Frack Garlock in April, 1887. That was the beginning of the town. Mr. Bristol was busily engaged as a car- penter until 1890, when he took a trip through Utah, Colorado, and Kansas, work- ing in different towns as he went along. In 1893, he returned to Gering, where he built many of the buildings of the growing town. Coming to Mitchell in 1901, Mr. Bristol took charge of a lumber yard for Car & Neff; from 1902 to 1903, he clerked in a hardware store here then spent two years as

FRED CHEW AND FAMILY

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

deputy county clerk. In 1906, he became interested in a hardware and furniture store in Mitchell, having charge of the business until 1911, but sold to manage a hardware store in Lingle, Wyoming, running it until 1912. In the fall of that year he went to Henry, Nebraska, then took a vacation until 1914. Returning to Mitchell, Mr. Bristol opened a real estate office where he has since been in business. This enterprise has grown most satisfactorily. In 1916, he was elected county assessor and served until 1920. then resigned to take care of his real estate interests which were increasing continually and demanded his time. Mr. Bristol owns a hundred and twenty acres of land in the valley, eighty acres of which adjoin the town of Mitchell and is very valuable. Be- sides that he has other property in Mitchell as well as his home.

March 1, 1905, Mr. Bristol married Miss Mary Bowman, of Schuyler county, Illinois. He is a staunch Democrat and has taken an active part in politics. For more than thir- ty-five years Mr. Bristol has been a Mason, has taken his 32d degree, is a Knight Tem- plar and a Shriner. He is one of the con- structive men of Mitchell who is ably help- ing in the development of the valley.

FREDERICK C. CHEW, who is one of the large wheat growers of Kimball county, has built up his ample fortune by his own efforts and is recognized as one of the substantial men of the county.

Frederick C. Chew was born in Warren county, Iowa, August 1, 1876, a son of Wil- liam F. and Mary (Purvis) Chew, the latter of whom was born in Pennsylvania and died in Iowa, in 1897. She was the mother of three children, of whom Frederick C. was the eldest. He has a sister, Cora, who is the wife of Frank Thorp, a farmer in Iowa; and a brother Haymond, who is in the street car ser- vice at Omaha. William F. Chew maried Pa- tience Lawrence for his second wife, who died November 25, 1908, leaving one son, John, who is a traveling agent for a stock food concern. William F. Chew is in the land bus- iness and resides at Anita, Iowa. For about fifteen years he served as a justice of the peace at Adair, Iowa, where he was prominent also in the Masonic fraternity.

Frederick C. Chew attended school in boy- hood and found himself generally usefully em- ployed and recalls the first money he earned was when he was paid fifteen cents a day for digging potatoes. He remained in Iowa as a farmer unt'1 1909, when he came to Kimball

county and homesteaded sixteen miles south- west of Kimball, under the Kinkaid law, se- curing a section of land. When the transaction of this business, including removal of his fam- ily and settlement in the county, was complet- ed, he found his cash capital reduced to $30. With A. B. Beard he discovered that his credit was not impaired and through him he bought cows, rented a tract of land from Mr. Beard and engaged in farming and cattle raising for several years, when he located for a time on his homestead, since which time he has car- ried on dry farming, finding that some land, under proper conditions, will yield amazing crops of wheat. He sold his land for $17.50 an acre, then bought another farm for $12 an acre, selling one-half of that land for $45 an acre, and balance at $55 per acre, later buying 400 acres for $20 an acre and 640 acres at $33 per acre, and 80 acres at $26 per acre, and on this land he is growing, by dry farming, wheat, the yield from which brought him $8,000 last season. At the present time Mr. Chew has 900 acres in wheat, with prospects fair for a large yield.

On January 4, 1899, Mr. Chew was married to Miss Ruth Evans, one of a family of eleven children born to Morgan L. and Jane (Lewis) Evans. The parents of Mrs. Chew were born in Wales and came to the United States in 1865, with their five older children, the six younger being born in America. The parents reside at Adair, Iowa, aged respectively, eighty-three and eighty years. Mr. and Mrs. Chew have had four children, two of whom died in infancy, the survivors being: Merle, who is farming for his father with a traction engine, and Marie, who is attending school at Kimball. Mr. Chew has purchased a fine res- idence which is beautifully located on an ele- vation overlooking Kimball and the surround- ing country. Mr. and Mrs. Chew are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which they united while living at Adair, Iowa. He belongs to Beulah lodge, A. F. & A. M., at Adair. While not active politically, Mr. Chew is very much interested in everything pertain- ing to farm and community welfare and ad- vancement and is a member of the Kimball County Fair Asociation.

Mr. Chew bought a fine residence just south of the city of Kimball on a fine elevation over- looking the city, which he later sold at an ad- vance in price and has since bought of A. B. Beard a residence in the southeast part of Kimball. He now owns eleven hundred acres of farm land, all of which has doubled in value since he purchased it.

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

WILLIAM QUIVEY, one of the well known members of the Mitchell bar, is a lawyer of ability who has been in active practice in the Panhandle for more than a decade and during that time has taken a leading part in legal affairs of the Platte valley. He is also a business man who stands high in this section as he is naturally constructive and has assisted in the devel- opment of this section since making Mitchell his home.

Mr. Quivey was born at Charleston, Coles county, Illinois, July 19, 1842. When he was six years old the family moved to Wis- consin and, in 1850, to West Union, Iowa, where the boy was reared and educated. He attended the public schools, then gradu- ated from the high school about the time of the outbreak of the Civil War. August 24, 1861, Mr. Quivey was attending the univer- sity but gave up his college course and with more than eighty other young men enlisted in the Union army as a private, being a member of Company C, Twelfth Iowa In- fantry. He participated in the battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donaldson, where he was wounded and sent to the hospital for four months. He then returned to his com- pany for further service and in 1864 enlisted in Battery K, First Missouri Light Artillery to serve until the close of the war. During that time he was in armies that took part in the battles of Donaldson, Shiloh, Corinth, Helena, Arkansas, and many other skir- mishes and light engagements. He was mustered out of the service at St. Louis, August 4, 1865, and returned home to take up his interrupted education. For two years he was a student in the academy, then began to teach, a vocation he followed for ten years. During that time he was prin- cipal of the school and at the same time be- gan to read law, being admitted to practice at West Union, Iowa, in 1880. Having served as county superintendent of schools three terms, Mr. Quivey was well acquaint- ed with the people and had gained their confidence. He went to Humbolt, Iowa, and opened an office to practice law, being engaged in professional work there five years before moving to Pierce, Nebraska, and was soon elected prosecuting attorney of Pierce county ; was re-elected two terms and remained in practice there until 1910. Mr. Quivey then came to this county and took up a homestead two and a half miles north of Mitchell, where he lived a year to get his patent to the land. Later he sold some of the property. After this year on

the farm he came into Mitchell, opened an office and has been practicing here ever since. Today Mr. Quivey is recognized as one of the able and prominent men of the legal profession in the Panhandle, a place which he has won by his hard work, high standards and ability.

November 1, 1868, Mr. Quivey married Miss Jennie C. Babcock, a native of Ohio, who was reared in Iowa. She was a teacher before her marriage. Mrs. Quivey died in 1913, leaving three children: L. A., pro- fessor of literature at the University of Utah; Grace, the widow of C. F. Montrose, now makes her home in Scottsbluff, where she has taught the past year, having taught in Pierce previously; Zoe Marie, the wife of J. R. Ummell, of Mitchell. There was one child that died in infancy.

Mr. Quivey is a Mason, is a member of the Methodist church, and four years ago entered the Federated church here. He is a Republican. From first coming to Mitchell he has taken an active and interested part in civic affairs and supports the movements for the improvement of the county and town.

ISAAC CATRON, one of the energetic farmers of the Panhandle, who came to western Nebraska more than thirty years ago, is today a substantial business man who has made good in Morrill county and stands high in his community.

Mr. Catron was born in Kentucky in 1866, the son of M. and Susan (Roberts) Catron, the former born and reared in Kentucky, while the mother was a native of West Vir- ginia. They are both living at the age of eighty-three years. Five children made up the Catron family. Henry L., a farmer in Missouri; Martha, the wife of Thomas Brown, in the mercantile business in Okla- homa; Isaac, of this review ; J. S., a farmer in Missouri, and Eliabeth, the widow of Smith Graham, lives in Jefferson City, Mis- souri. The father left Kentucky and settled in Missouri where he became a farmer, though a Baptist minister by education. He later bought a bank in Brumley, Missouri, which he ran for some time, but returned to general farming. Mr. Catron is a Repub- lican and while living in Kentucky during the Civil War, the Confederates burned a mill that he owned there. When the Con- federate soldiers were in his vicinity he hid out as he did not wish to be captured.

Isaac Catron was reared in Kentucky and Missouri and received his education in the

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

public schools of the latter state and learned farming under his father at home. In 1888, he came to Nebraska and homesteaded a quarter section of land in old Cheyenne county, that part which is now Morrill county. Later he Kincaided three quarter sections which gives him six hundred and forty acres. He has placed good and per- manent improvements on his farm, and to- day has a good grade of live stock. Mr. Catron has carried on general farming with success, is one of the early men here who finds that Panhandle land pays.

In 1886, Mr. Catron married Miss Anne Tolle, a native of Missouri, the daughter of Fidelia Tolle, and nine children have been born to their union: Ethel, the wife of Fred Homan, of Springfield, Missouri; Bes- sie, the wife of Clint Park, who works at the sugar factory in Gering; Gertrude, the wife of Elmer Harness, of Oshkosh, Ne- braska; Roy, of Sterling, Colorado, who is a railroad man; Fay, Frank, Florence, Grace, Charles and Margery, all at home.

Mr. Catron takes an active part in the civic affairs of his home community and has served as director of his school district dur- ing the past fifteen years. He is a Repub- lican in politics but does not care for polit- ical life for himself. Mrs. Catron is a mem- ber of the Baptist church.

PATRICK J. DUNN, a pioneer settler of Morrill county, who came here when this was old Cheyenne county, is today one of the successful farmers of the Bridgeport district, where he has by his own efforts made a comfortable fortune. Mr. Dunn is one of the men who has seen the great changes that have taken place in the Pan- handle and has shared in the work of devel- oping and opening up this locality to settle- ment. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, September 4, 1863, the son of Michael and Mary (McBride)) Dunn, both natives of Ireland. They were the parents of eleven children : Thomas, of Omaha ; Samuel, lives in Morrill county ; Patrick, of this review ; John C., and Mary J., are on the home place near Omaha; Ignatius J. lives in Omaha ; Michael, deceased ; Clement, deceased ; Cle- tius, lives in Montana, and Ita is the wife of Edward Keating. The parents came to the United States in 1850. Mr. Dunn was a hard worker and soon found employment in Illinois on the Burlington railroad, which was being built at that time. He recalled for his children the fact that men used wheel barrows and ox teams in the work of

filling and excavation, quite different from today. Later he came west to Omaha, to work with a government surveying party in Douglas and nearby counties. He was a member of the Catholic church and during his early life a Democrat, but later became a Republican. He died in November, 1900, being survived by his wife who lives on the home place near Omaha, a woman eighty- five years old.

Patrick Dunn was reared near Omaha and received his education in the public schools of that locality. When he was old enough the young man started out in life as a farmer, coming to Alliance in April, 1888, when there were only a few tents to make up the town. Mr. Dunn believed there was a future here for a young, energetic man and within a short time took up land in Cheyenne, now Morrill county. The old sod house he built.on his claim was the third school in all the wide reaches of old Chey- enne county, which has since been cut into seven counties, each large. Mr. Dunn suf- fered all the vicissitudes and hardships of the early days, but kept his land and was not discouraged. He began to make money when the country settled up a little by farming and stock raising and when irriga- tion was established his success as a farmer was assured. Today he owns five hundred and four acres of land all under water rights, which produce large crops. Mr. Dunn is one of the settlers to whom pioneer honors are due; he stands high in his community where he has lived so long, as a business man and one of the old timers who has played an important part in developing the country.

November 9, 1897, Mr. Dunn married Miss Gertrude A. Wood, a native of Illinois, and to them have been born eight children : Mary Helen, is cashier in a store in Bridge- port ; Daniel F., lives in Bridgeport ; Patrick J., is at home ; William C.,, Kathleen, Igna- tius and Josephine are also at home. and James who died in infancy.

Mr. Dunn is a member of the Caholic church and an independent Republican in politics.

HENRY WALSH. - The vigorous and progressive population of Cheyenne county is made up largely of successful exponents of the agricultural and live-stock industries. In every part of the county, farmers seem to thrive, and an able and honorable repre- sentative farmer, as well as one of the pro- gressive and prosperous citizens, is the man whose name heads this review. Mr. Walsh

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is one of the native sons of Cheyenne coun- ty, being born on his father's farm down near Potter in the Lodge Pole valley, Octo- ber 26, 1885, the son of Stephen and Francis (Bartel) Walsh. The father was born in England and came to the United States when a young man to take advantage of the greater opportunities afforded here than in the tight little island of his birth, where a man with little or no capital had no chance of getting ahead in the world. Stephen Walsh came west after reaching America and in 1870 took up a homestead and tree claim in Cheyenne county on which he proved up and soon engaged in agricultural business. He put many permanent improve- ments on his place and though he suffered many of the hardships and privations of this new country during the eighties and nine- ties, was determined to stick and believed that the future of this section would in the end make him a fortune and his judgment was correct. Mr. Walsh raised cattle and horses in addition to his general farming, and when money was scarce worked at his trade of carpenter and as such skilled arti- sans were scarce on the plains at that early day found all that he could do and more. He had the honor of taking an efficient part in the erection of many of the buildings of Sidney and Potter, and they in a way may be regarded as a monument to his memory. He became a well-to-do farmer and stock- man of this section, standing high in the esteem of his business associates and many friends. About twenty-eight years ago he was killed in a runaway, leaving a sorrowful family. Mrs. Walsh was born in Bohemia but came to America when young with her parents who settled in the locality of Schy- ler, Nebraska, where she was reared and ed- ucated, passing away while a young woman at the age of thirty-five.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 110

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