History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 112

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

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FRANK HOLLOWAY, deceased, who resired on his valuable irrigated farm of a hundred and sixty acres, which lies in Mor- rill county, spent thirty-three busy years here and was one of the county's well known and highly respected citizens, Mr. Hollo- way was born in California, August 18, 1858.

The parents of Mr. Holloway were Mar- cus and Eliza (Neal) Holloway, the former of whom was born at Dayton, Ohio, and the latter of Indiana. They lived for a while in Iowa and then concluded, in 1852, to cross the plains to California. It was a tiresome and even dangerous journey at that time on account of the Indians, many of whom were savage and revengeful. Before they started they provided themselves most fortunately with trinkets and other articles to be used as gifts in case they had need to seek friend- ly help on the way, and thus they had no misadventures but on the other hand lost fear of them because they reciprocated kind- ness. It was not so, however, with all the white travelers. One boastful man in the wagon train following that of Mr. and Mrs. Holloway, declared that he would kill the first Indian he met and followed out his threat. In a very short time his train was surrounded by a violent savage band of In- dians demanding the slayer be delivered to them, which had to be done and he was killed by the most inhuman torture the In- dians could conceive. The parents of Mr. Holloway reached California safely, the mother riding a pony almost half the dis- tance. Of their five children, Frank was the first born.

Frank Holloway was reared in California. In 1886, he came to Nebraska and home- steaded and owned his original farm till his death. It was entirely unimproved and for a long time he lived in a dugout as did the most of his neighbors. Like other settlers about that time, he saw much hardship in the way of unusual storms and loss of crops and stock from floods and drouths. In those early days there were no life-giving ditches with flowing water, the arid plains seemed entirely given over to the high wild grass that extended for miles like a swaying sea. No early settler can ever forget that sight. It is wonderful to note the contrast between then and now. Mr. Holloway was a very hard worker all his life but he had, in his

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beautiful farm something to show for his in- dustry. His place was well improved and he had a very attractive home.

In October, 1916, Mr. Holloway was mar- ried to Miss Minnie Eding, who was born in Hendricks county, Indiana. Her parents were William and Lora (Porter) Eding, both of whom were born in Hendricks coun- ty. While in Indiana Mr. Eding followed the carpenter trade, later was a farmer in Iowa, and in 1888, homesteaded in Morrill county, Nebraska. At the time of his death he was conducting a meat market at Bridge- port. The mother of Mrs. Holloway resides in that place, being now in her seventy-sev- enth year. Mr. Holloway has always taken a good citizen's interest in public matters but has never desired a political office. He has consistently voted the Republican ticket since reaching manhood; and takes pleasure in the realization that he has helped in the election of many men of sterling character in both national and local bodies.

ISAAC WILES, whose years have cov- ered some of the most remarkable events in the history of the United States, at times has borne an important part in this great period of development. Pioneer, cattleman, miner, soldier, statesman and farmer, all his life he has shown the sturdy qualities that are truly American. He is widely known in Scottsbluff and in other counties of Nebras- ka, and his name belongs on the list of men whose memory is worthy of perpetuation because of their usefulness in their day and generation. Mr. Wiles has been a resident of Scottsbluff county for thirty-three years, and there have been few substantial devel- opments in this section in which he has not taken interest.

Isaac Wiles was born October 25, 1830, in Henry county, Indiana. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth (Hobson) Wiles, both natives of North Carolina, in which state these family names are numerously found. Thomas Wiles was born in 1804, and died May 12, 1873. Elizabeth (Hobson) Wiles was born in 1797, and died March 26, 1878. Thomas Wiles was a carpenter by trade. In 1852, he removed with his family to Mills county, Iowa, took up land and en- gaged in farming until the close of his life. Of his family of children Isaac displayed un- usual mental ability and was given educa- tional advantages in a college at Savannah, Missouri. This was in the days when public excitement ran high on account of the dis- covery of gold in California, and young

Isaac partook of the unrest and instead of remaining to complete his college course, decided to try his luck with others who were flocking to the western land of promise. It was in 1852, after the family had become established in Iowa, that he started across the plains with the intention of driving cattle as far as possible, on the way to the coast. He passed through Nebraska and was so well pleased with the appearance of the state that he determined to locate here.

Mr. Wiles was a resident of Nebraska during the Civil War period and from this state enlisted as a soldier, becoming first lieutenant of Company H, Second Nebraska Volunteer Infantry, and later was captain of Company B in the same regiment. When he returned to civil life he settled in Cass county, Nebraska, where he soon became prominent in Republican politics and was elected a member of the state legislature at a later date, in which body he made an im- pression through the efforts he made to bring about valuable legislation. It was in 1886, that Mr. Wiles came to Scottsbluff county and secured his homestead of a quar- ter section. Like his fellow settlers of that time, he passed through hardships in- numerable but never became discouraged as to the final value of land through this sec- tion. He was one of the first to accept the idea of irrigating the arid tracts; did all in his power as a citizen to advance the great government projects, and still owns his old homestead, which under irrigation is prov- ing how bountiful Nebraska soil may be. Although the weight of years has deprived him of the vigor of youth, he still takes an interest in his beautiful farm and feels well compensated for years of toil.

Mr. Wiles was married October 30, 1856, to Miss Nancy Elizabeth Lunville, who died October 10, 1918. Her parents were Hender son and Ursula (Day) Lunville, the for- mer of whom was born in Tennessee and the latter in Kentucky. They were farming people long ago in Mills county, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Wiles the following children were born: Mary Jane, who is the wife of D. B. Dean, of Mills county, Iowa ; Ursula, who is the wife of Davis Everett, of the state of Washington; Abraham Lincoln, who lives at Plattsmouth, Nebraska; Jessie, who is the wife of J. H. Hall, of Cass county, Ne- braska; Edward M., who resides at Mina- tare, Nebraska; Grace, who is the wife of M. A. Hall, of Mills county, Iowa; William, who is deceased; Thomas F., who is an at- torney at Omaha; Luke L., who resides at

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Plattsmouth, Nebraska, and Isaac R., who lives at St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Wiles is a member of the Christian church.

MARK R. HOOKER, who was one of Scottsbluff county's substantial men and good farmers, lived in this county many years and assisted in its agricultural devel- opment. Mr. Hooker was born in England, February 14, 1858. His parents were Rob- ert and Mary Hooker, both natives of Eng- land. They came to the United States and to Nebraska in 1879, and the father took up a tree claim in old Cheyenne, now Scotts bluff county. Later he sold his property here and moved to California where both he and his wife lived until they died.

Mark Hooker came to the United States first in 1876, later went back to England, but in 1879 returned to America with his par- ents. At first he did not engage in farming as he was master of a good trade and found profitable work at it in the city of Omaha, where he was one of the first practical plumbers. In 1883, he took up a tree claim in Scottsbluff county at about the same time that his father filed on more land. Mark Hooker's farm has never passed from the possession of the family and is now owned by his widow. Thomas Hooker took up a homestead about this same time which he later traded for one a mile north of the orig- inal farm and still owns this property. Mark Hooker had a large part of his land under cultivation and made many excellent im- provements on the place. For some years he was also interested in the plumbing and heat- ing business, but later failing health caused him to give up all active life and with his wife he went to California, where he lived until his death from cancer of the stomach. He passed away in 1919, at the age of sixty one years and was buried at San Bernadino, December 22d, with impressive services by the Masonic order to which he belonged.

At Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1881, Mr. Hooker was united in marriage to Miss Nellie A. Barnes, who is a daughter of Addison G. Barnes, and they have three daughters, name- ly : Mrs. Grace Pierce, who lives in California ; Mrs. Leonora Miller, who lives in Scottsbluff county, and Ethel, who resides with her par- ents. The family belongs to the Episcopal church. Mr. Hooker is an Elk and a Thirty- second degree Mason.

FRANK SYDNEY FADEN. - Credit this farmer of Irish extraction to the Kim- ball district, but give credit to the man him-

self for his thrift and enterprise, and let it be known that Kimball county, in common with most other sections of this great coun- try, is deeply indebted to Irish-American blood. It is said that the Irish-Americans always succeed, in whatever line of en- deavor they elect for a life work and Mr. Faden is no exception to this rule. He is a Badger, born at Salem, Wisconsin, Feb- ruary 19, 1876, the son of James and Eliza- beth Mary ( Armstrong) Faden, both natives of Ireland, the former born there in 1820 and the mother May 18, 1835. As young people they left their native land to seek fortune in the new world and were married in New York in 1852. Ten of their children are still living: Sarah, of Kimball, Nebras- ka ; John, of Lawrence, Kansas; Lizzie, who resides at the old home, Salen, Wisconsin ; Elmer and Charles, twins, also of Salem, Wisconsin; Henry, of Burlington, Wiscon- sin; Emerson, of Banner county, Nebraska; Elizabeth and Carrie of Silver Lake, Wis- consin, and Frank, of this review.

Mr. Faden was reared in the invigorating climate and environment of his native town, received an excellent practical education, and while still a young man determined to come west to take advantage of the fine land of- fered at low cost west of the Mississippi river. Coming to Nebraska he located in Banner county, August 3, 1898, taking up a homestead which he still owns. Mr. Faden endured many of the hardships of the late 90's but was determined to stick to his land, as he had faith in this section of the coun- try and his belief has been justified. He managed to live through the lean years, prospered in his agricultural business as he is one of the good practical men of the Pan- handle who has not been afraid of hard work. He adopted modern methods of farm- ing as he saw that they increased produc- tion, and from time to time bought more land until today his holdings consist of two and a half sections.

For the first ten years he was in the Pan- handle, Mr. Faden specialized in sheep rais- ing, then took up the cattle business in which he has met with gratifying success and now runs a hundred and twenty head.

March 25, 1908, Mr. Faden married Miss Nellie Gertrude Dunn, a history of whose family will be found elsewhere in this vol- ume. One child has been born to this union, Frances Elizabeth, a little over a year old.

Mr. Faden is a self-made man, having won his present fortune through his own unaided efforts; he and his wife are good neighbors

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and enjoy the confidence of their many friends socially and in business as well.

WILLIAM CHRISTIAN EBER. - Still rated among the younger generation of agri- culturists of Banner county, William Eber is one of the progressive business men and energetic tillers of the soil upon whom much depends for the future prosperity of the Pan- handle. His varied business career and in- timate knowledge of conditions prevailing here - a knowledge gained through experi- ence while running a threshing outfit - is knowledge which is assisting him materially in his own business and material advance- ment.

William Eber was born in Macoupin coun- ty, Illinois, the son of Jacob and Eliza Eber. The former was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming when old enough. There were four children in the Eber family : Frederick, who died at the age of nine years; William, of this sketch; Ane- da and Elsie, both at home with the parents. William Eber's birth occurred December 7, 1889, so he is still one of the young men engaged in agricultural industry in his dis- trict. He spent his boyhood on the home farm in Illinois, attended the public school and worked on the place during the vaca- tions, thus gaining a first hand, practical knowledge of farm business which has proved of value to him since locating in Ban-

ner county. Soon after his twenty-first birthday Mr. Eber went to the Dakotas where he remained two years before return- ing to Illinois and within a short time went to Detroit, Michigan, where he entered the leading automobile school of the country and spent four months in the institution learning the construction and technique of motors. Returning to Illinois, he became the manager of a steam threshing crew which covered a large section of the wheat country threshing grain. It was on May 5, 1917, that Mr. Eber reached Potter, Nebras- ka, and within a short time put his training in the automobile school to practical use running a tractor for Lee J. Peterson, break- ing new land. For a year or two he again managed a threshing crew in the Panhandle before actively engaging in farming on rent- ed land. Two years later Mr. Eber, in part- nership with Leo Young, bought eight hun- dred acres of land in Banner county, as they believed in the future of this rich section of the state. They have been actively engaged in general farming and stock raising until

recently, meeting with well deserved suc- cess in their chosen line of endeavor, and today are rated as two of the progressive and prominent men in agricultural business who are important factors in the development of the section. Mr. Eber and Mr. Young turned their land back and now Mr. Eber rents a half section.

On October 20, 1919, Mr. Eber was united in marriage with Miss Bertha A. Johnson, the daughter of Magnes and Carrie Johnson, both natives of Sweden. They were early settlers of Kimball county where Mr. John- son died in June, 1916. His widow still lives on the home place. Mr. Eber is a member of the Modern Woodmen.

CONRAD A. JOHNSON, who is well known at Pine Bluff, Wyoming, and throughout Kimball county, Nebraska, has long been numbered with the substantial farmers and stock-raisers of this section of country. He has been particularly success- ful in the stock business and since dispos- ing of some of his land in Kimball county, is making preparations to enter into very extensive stock-raising when he secures a large enough range.

Conrad A. Johnson was born in western Nebraska, Novebmer 2, 1885. His parents were Peter and Sophia Johnson, both of whom were born in Sweden, the father on January 27, 1845, and the mother on De- cember 10, 1843. They spent their child- hood and youth near Linkoping, were married ried there about 1869, and shortly afterward came to America, landing in the harbor of New York City. From there they came to Nebraska and the father rented land in the eastern part of the state until about 1886, when he decided to homestead in Wyoming. Taking his oldest son, Charles, with him, he drove across the country in a prairie schooner and homesteaded about two miles south of Pine Bluff. His family came by railroad and joined him at that place and there they all remained until 1900, when the father sold his homestead and retired to Pine Bluff for the rest of his life. The mother died there December 5, 1901, and the father February 10, 1913. Of their seven children Conrad A. was the seventh born, the others being as follows : Anna, who died in infancy in Sweden; John and Betty, both of whom died in eastern Nebraska ; Charles, who is in the hardware business at Pine Bluff: Elmer, who is a farmer and stockraiser in Kimball county; Erich, wlio

JOHN NEWELL AND FAMILY

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is also a farmer in Kimball county, and with his brother, Conrad A., owns a large part of section 14-13-58 in Kimball county.

Conrad A. Johnson assisted his father and went to school until about fifteen years of age, since which time he has largely en- gineered his own affairs and has done well. He began with a small bunch of stock and herd- ed it on the free range as a beginning. After the Kincaid act became a law, he homesteaded section 22-13-58, improved his property with fine buildings, expanded his stock business and now has a hundred and fifty head, mostly cattle, and about a hun- dred and seventy acres under farm cultiva- tion.

On May 10, 1911, Mr. Johnson was mar- ried to Miss Esther Ekstrom, a daughter of Mathias and Josephine Ekstrom, residents of Pine Bluff. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have two children: Maxine, who was born June 9, 1913, and Conrad W., who was born Feb- ruary 12, 1917. Mr. Johnson belongs to Kimball lodge No. 294, A. F. & A. M., Kim- ball, Nebraska, and also to the order of Royal Highlanders at Pine Bluff.

JOHN NEWELL. - An indomitable en- ergy that has triumphed over seemingly great obstacles, as well as varied fortunes, is that which has dominated John Newell during the varied stages of a remarkably earnest and pro- ductive busines career in which he has rallied to his cause splendid initiative ability and has spurred fortune until she has smiled upon him. Depending entirely upon his own resources he has pressed forward along the line of worthy ambition and that he has arrived at the goal of substantial success and influence in connection with business operations needs no further voucher than the fact that he is now the owner of many thousand dollars worth of fine arable land in Scottsbluff county. Energy, progressiveness, and correct busi- ness policies have enabled Mr. Newell to achieve unqualified success in the different lines of farm industry, which he early chose as life vocation. John Newell was born in Louisa county, Iowa, April 8 1856, the son of Robert F. and Christiana Newell, both natives of the Buckeye state. Matured and invigorated by hard labor, Rob- ert Newell had a fine physical constitution, was sturdy and lived his full "three score years and ten," passing away in his seventy-fifth year, while his beloved wife who had been his devoted companion and helpmate for nearly a half century -a woman whose strength has been as the number of her days and who had

many pioneer experiences in the great west, lived to the mature age of ninety-three. Rob- ert F. Newell was for a long term of years recognized as one of the most progressive and substantial farmers, stock-feeders, and stock- shippers in his state, owning four hundred acres of land which was highly improved, hav- ing an ample supply of the farm implements of his day which greatly facilitated his opera- tions. They lived in a day of great piety, large families and plain living were much more common than in the twentieth century day of hustle and progress ; the olive branches around their table numbered eight : Elizabeth, the wife of Henry Cushman, a physician in Tacoma, Washington; Thomas, who died in Iowa; Caroline, the wife of Lewis E. Riley, who also died in Iowa; Mary, the wife of E. S. Curtis, living retired in Iowa; John, the subject of this review; William, living in Mitchell, Nebraska; Robert, a resident of Iowa; Hattie, the wife of Frank Sidman, has a happy home in Kansas.

Robert F. Newell received his elementary education in Ohio, his native state, but being an ambitious youth determined to broaden his education and opportunities and became an expert bookkeeper. He stood high in Masonic circles and in politics was a recognized stal- wart in the ranks of the Democratic party. Because of integrity and superior attainments he stood high in the esteem of his fellow citi- zens, which was shown by them in selecting him to serve as county supervisor, an office he filled with marked capacity. John Newell was reared on his father's farm in Iowa, where he early gained experience in herding cattle and recalls some of the pioneer experiences of that locality. He was afforded the advantages of the public schools and for some years contin- ued to be associated with his father in farm industry. His father having been a cattleman, it was but natural that the son should find that ranch life appealed to him and believing that greater opportunities were offered in the west he went to Wyoming in 1885, where for eleven years he was engaged in stock raising on a large ranch before coming to Scottsbluff county in 1896. Upon reaching Nebraska Mr. Newell purchased one hundred and sixty acres of fine land in section 4, towship 9, where he soon established a home. Ten dollars an acre was the purchase price and we may well ap- preciate the success that has crowned the work of this man who today is the exponent of agri- cultural and live stock enterprise in this sec- tion, when we learn that recently he refused three hundred dollars an acre for his holdings. Not only is Mr. Newell a farmer, he is a man

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of the world, having found or taken time to study political and economic affairs that not only affect his own business but that of the whole country. He has never had time to de- vote to public office but gives earnest and active support to the Democratic party. Mr. Newell has been a devoted father to his family of six children, to whom he has given every advantage. They are Elizabeth, the wife of J. Fadney, a farmer of Saginaw, Oregon ; Car- oline, the wife of William Howard, lives on a ranch near Mitchell; Hattie May, the wife of Robert Newell, whose death in the officers' training camp at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, was a heavy blow to the entire family; who, however, have the satisfaction and comfort that he cheerfully and bravely gave his life for his country ; Mary, the wife of Walter Nunn, on a ranch in Wyoming; Robert, now living on the home place south of Mitchell; and Maud, the wife of Novrel Laberten, a ranch- man of Wyoming.

Mr. J. Newell passed away on the 22nd of April, 1920, at Eugene, Oregon, but was buried in Scottsbluff county.

JENS JENSEN, who has been a resident of the Panhandle for more than a decade and is well and favorably known in Kimball county as a farmer and in Dix as an exten- sive dealer in real estate, is one of the younger business men of southwestern Ne- braska who has nobly taken part in the de- velopment of this section and who respond- ed to the call of his adopted country when was was declared against Germany. Mr. Jensen is a native of Denmark, that country which has supplied the United States with so many of her sturdy and worthy citizens, who are known for their industry and ability.

Jens Jensen was born in the Danish penin- sula, July 27, 1886, the son of Chris and Annie Jensen, the father having devoted his life to agricultural pursuits in his native land. There were eight children in the fam- ily, five boys and three girls ; along with the other children Mr. Jensen attended the ex- cellent public schools maintained by the government in Denmark and thus laid the foundation for a good practical education which has been of great value to him in bus- iness. He remained at home with his par- ents, working on the farm summers until his education was completed and then de- voted all his time to farming until 1911, when he broke all the home ties to sail for America, as he had determined to come to this land of promise to seek his fortune, for

here, free land could be obtained at a low cost. Landing in New York Mr. Jensen soon started west, came to Nebraska City, Nebraska, where he remained four weeks looking the country over and to learn of the different sections. His brother, Ollie, had already located in Kimball county on land situated twelve miles south of Dix and there Mr. Jensen began his career in the new country. He first worked on the farm to learn the American way of doing things, but in 1914, rented a place of his own four miles east of Dix where he remained a year. Realizing the advantages of a commercial training, Mr. Jensen then entered a business college at Grand Island for a special course which he believed would assist him. Some time later he returned to Kimball county and bought a quarter section of land south of Dix which he farmed until October, 1917, when he enlisted in the army at the Presi- dent's call for volunteers. Mr. Jensen was sent to Fort Riley for his preliminary train- ing, having been assigned to the Three Hundred and Eleventh Cavalry. £ Six months later he was transferred to the Field Artillery. He remained in that branch of the service until honorably dis- charged December 22, 1919, at Camp Stet- son, Kentucky. Returning to Kimball county, Mr. Jensen again engaged in the active management of his land and began to carry on a successful real estate business, a vocation in which he is meeting with well earned and deserved success. He is today one of the leading members of his commun- ity and well demonstrates that a young, ambitious man with no other equipment than his long head, two capable hands and the determination to succeed can accom- plish in the Panhandle. Mr. Jensen has a brother, Christian, who is a successful farmer near Gridley, California, which shows that the training the young men re- ceived in their native land has been well applied in the land of their adoption. Mr. Jensen is a member of the Woodmen of the World and will join the Masonic fraternity at Potter in the near future. He is pro- gressive in his ideas, believes in adopting modern farming methods and finds they pay; he supports and contributes to all movements for the development of his town and Kimball county.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 112

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