History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 125

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. Curfman was born at Huntington, Mif- flin county, Pennsylvania, August 27, 1855, and is a son of Joseph D. and Eliza ( Van Zant) Curfman, both likewise natives of the old Keystone state. There the father was born in 1820, and, in 1857 he removed with his family to Illinois, where he became a suc-

cessful farmer and where he died in 1905, at the venerable age of eighty-five years, his wife having been seventy-five years of age at the time of her death, in 1903. Of their chil- dren, two sons and three daughters are living.

George O. Curfman was about two years old at the time of the family removal to Illi- nois, where he was reared and educated in Pike county. Upon attaining legal majority he engaged in independent farm enterprise in that county, and he thus continued operations nine years. He then, in 1885, came to Nebras- ka, and for the following eight years he made Clay county the stage of his agricultural ac- tivities. At the expiration of this period, in 1893, confident of the splendid future of west- ern Nebraska, he came to that part of Chey- enne county that now constitutes Garden coun- ty, and here he has since resided continuously on the homestead which he took up at that time and which he has developed into one of the model farms of the county. He has shown much discrimination and ability in his agricul- tural and live-stock enterprise, through the medium of which he has gained substantial success. In 1903, he added to his land hold- ings, under the provisions of the Kinkaid act, with the result that his estate now comprises a thousand, one hundred and sixty acres, of which three hundred are available for effec- tive cultivation, the remainder being used for pasturage and the raising of hay and other forage crops. Since 1914, Mr. Curfman has given special attention to the raising of hogs, in which department of his farm enterprise he now conducts an extensive business, besides which he keeps and average of about thirty head of cattle. He is one of the stockholders of the Farmers Elevator at Lisco, as well as of the farmers Mercantile Company in that village and the Garden Supply Company at Oshkosh.

In politics Mr. Curfam is found aligned in the ranks of the Democratic party, and fra- ternally he is affiliated with Oshkosh Lodge, No. 286, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons.

December 4, 1878, recorded the marriage of Mr. Curfman to Miss Hannah Askew, who was born and reared in Adams county, Illi- nois, and the supreme loss and bereavement in his life came when his devoted wife died in 1917, at the age of fifty-nine years. Of their five children brief record is here entered : William F., of Oshkosh, married Miss Maude McKonkey, and they have two children; Charles F., of Lewellen, Garden county, mar- ried Miss Mamie Westcott, and they have no children ; Laura is the wife of Chester Saun-

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ders, of Oshkosh; and Clarence and Pearl re- main at the parental home.

PATRICK DONNELLY .- The late Pat- rick Donnelly, whose death occurred at his farm home in Garden county, March 23, 1918, order his life on a high plane of integrity and honor, marked the passing years with worthy achievement and his kindly and genial nature gained and retained to him a host of loyal friends, so that his untimely death at the age of fifty-three years was deeply regretted in the county in which he had established his home and in which his widow still resides.

Mr. Donnelly was born in County Mona- han, Ireland, November 6, 1864, and was there reared and educated. At the age of sev- enteen years he severed the home ties and set forth to seek his fortune in America, where he felt assured of better opportunities for achieving independence and prosperity through his own efforts. Within a short time after his arrival he made his way, in 1881, to Ne- braska and settled in Saunders county, where for a few years he was identified with farm enterprise. He then yielded to the wander- lust, and traveled somewhat widely through Nebraska and Colorado, but eventually he returned to Saunders county, where he con- tinued to be engaged in farming, until 1907, when he came to Garden county, and took a section of land, under the provisions of the Kinkaid act. He began, with characteristic energy and judgment, the reclamation and improvement of his land, and prior to the close of his life the results of his labors were manifest in no uncertain way, for he made good improvements on his farm, brought much of the land under effective cultivation and also met with marked success in the raising of cat- tle, horses and hogs. The Donnelly farm, upon which Mrs. Donnelly still maintains her home, is known as one of the model places of Garden county, its improvements including a good orchard, an attractive house, equipped with individual electric-lighting system, and other farm buildings of modern type. The death of Mr. Donnelly was one of tragic order, as he was killed in an automobile accident, at North Platte, when in the very prime of his strong and useful manhood. He was a Demo- crat in his political allegiance, though he was affiliated with the Populist party at the time when that organization was in the zenith of its power. His religious faith was that of the Catholic church, and he exemplified the same in his righteous life and his sympathy and kindliness in his association with his fellow men. His widow and children likewise are

communicants of the Catholic church, the great mother church of Christendom.

In Saunders county, September 26, 1888, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Donnelly to Miss Bridget McCarty, who was born and reared in this state, and who is sustained and comforted by the hallowed memories of their ideal wedded life, as well as by the love and devotion of their children. In conclusion is entered brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly : Mrs. Geneva Laude- schlager, of Wahoo, Saunder county, has three children ; Francis William and his wife reside at Lincoln, this state, and they have one child ; Edward A., who has the active management of the old home farm, is married but has no children ; Mrs. Ida M. Richards, of Oshkosh, has four children; Mrs. Agnes Proper, of Grand Junction, Colorado, has one child ; Mrs. Anna McConnell, of Oshkosh, has one child; Mrs. Theresa Hassenter, of Oshkosh, has no children ; Norah and Julia D. remain with their widowed mother; and Mabel is deceased.

FREDERICK D. JAMES, who during a long and successful career, has followed vari- ous occupations in several parts of Nebraska, is now a well known resident of Potter and Cheyenne county, although his operations are by no means confined to these boundaries. Dur- ing his residence in this state, he has in turn been newspaper man, postmaster, carpenter, lumberman, salesman, cashier and manager of a large commercial enterprise, and in these various fields his versatility has assisted him to well deserved prosperity.

Mr. James is a native of Iowa, born at Den- mark, Lee county, August 19, 1878, the son of E. B. and Ada (Mills) James, the former also a native of Lee county, born there in 1849, and was reared on his father's farm. Mr. James grew up in the healthy environ- ment of the country, attended the public schools and thereby gained a good practical education which was of much value to him in later life. After attaining manhood's estate he engaged in farming pursuits, as it was the business with which he was most familiar and in which he at- tained marked success, due to perseverity, hard work and good judgment. He was progressive in his methods, and always took an active part in all civic and communal affairs serving for many years as county commissioner, as a mem- ber of the school board and other public of- fices of the locality. Today he is a hale, hearty old man who is enjoying his sunset years in a quiet manner knowing that he has played his part in the development of his country as a good citizen should, and now resides with

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

his daughter in Alberta, Kansas. Mrs. James was born in Lee county, Iowa, was reared, educated and met her husband there. After elementary school days were over she matricu- lated in the Denmark Academy and upon the completion of her course graduated. She pass- ed away in 1888.

Frederick James was reared in Franklin, Nebraska, where he received his educational advantages in the Franklin Academy, gradu- ating with the class of 1899, and soon after completing his education accepted a position in the office of the Franklin Free Press, where he remained about a year before taking up similar work for a paper in Nelson, Nebras- ka, but resigned upon being appointed deputy postmaster of Nelson. After his term of of- fice was over, Mr. James was employed as a carpenter for three years, learning the prac- tical side of the contracting business, but his business ability soon was demonstrated and he was called to Sioux City, Iowa, to operate a lumber yard for an Iowa concern, leaving at the end of a year to go on the road as sales- man for a sash and door factory and for five years made his home in Hastings, while on the road. Then the Yost Lumber Company made him an attractive offer to come to them as cashier of their head office at Lincoln, Nebras- ka, which he accepted, remaining with them until March. 1917, when he became established independently in business, buying the Peter- son and Sons lumber yard at Potter and since then has been secretary, treasurer and man- ager of the F. D. James Lumber Company of that city. Mr. James is a man well and fa- vorably known in Cheyenne county, of which he has been a resident for three years. He leads an exceedingly active business life, con- tinually coming in contact with other staple, reliable men, and at the present time he is numbered with the county's best and most dependable citizens. Since locating in Potter he has taken an interested and aggressive part in all the movements for civic improvement, being a director of schools and a member of the board. For some time he has been a stockholder and director of the Liberty Oil and Refining Company of Cheyenne county and has had an important influence in shaping the policies of this flourishing concern. In politics Mr. James is an adherent of the Re- publican party, while his fraternal affiliations are with the Masonic order, the Modern Wood- men of America and the United Commercial Travelers.

June 23, 1904, Mr. James married Miss Inez Van Valin, a native of Nuchols county, who

was reared and educated there and after gradu- ation became a school teacher, but was engaged professionally but two years before her mar- riage. There are two children in the family: Edwin and Frederick D., Jr.

W. O. WIELAND, of Mitchell, Scotts Bluff county, is assuredly a man who well merits representation in this history, for he is not only a pioneer of this section of the state but has also had a full share of the experiences marking the change of the Nebraska Pan- handle from a sparsely settled cattle country into a section notable for progressive citizen- ship, for well developed farm properties and for thriving and attractive cities and villages. He is the owner of an extensive and valuable landed estate in Scotts Bluff county and is one of its substantial citizens. He knows western Nebraska thoroughly and is one of its loyal and enthusiastic "boosters," as he may well be, for here he has achieved large and worthy suc- cess through his well directed enterprise, which needed for its consummation only such oppor- tunities as are here presented. Mr. Wieland owns one quarter section of land, and most of this large tract is provided with irrigation. He has made good improvements on the property, and is one of the men who are doing big things on a big scale in the furtherance of agricultural and live-stock industry. He is also vice-president of the State Bank of Mitch- ell, one of the substantial financial institutions of Scotts Bluff county.

Mr. Wieland takes a due amount of satis- faction in reverting to the old Keystone state as the place of his nativity. He was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, August 4, 1860, a son of Daniel T. and Polly (Keller) Wie- land. Mr. Wieland acquired his early educa- tion in the public schools of his native state and was twenty-eight years of age when he came to Nebraska and initiated his experience as a cowboy in the great western section that was then known principally as a cattle coun- try. His rise to prosperity and high standing in the community has been won entirely through his own efforts ; and he has the great- est confidence in the splendid future of the section that has already become known as one of the most progressive and opulent divisions of our great state. In national politics he is a Democrat, but in local matters he is not bound by partisanship and votes for men and measures meeting the approval of his judg- ment. In the time-honored Masonic fratern- ity he has received the Thirty-second degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, his wife

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and daughter hold membership in the Eastern Star.

The year 1897 recorded the marriage of Mr. Wieland to Miss Mary Shull, and they have two sons: Leonard and William Arthur.

CHARLES HIGH .- Though he has not yet reached the psalmist's span of three score years and ten and still posseses a full amount of physical and mental vigor, Mr. High has the distinction of being one of the pioneer set- tlers of western Nebraska. The memory of this man compasses almost the entire gamut that has been run in the development of this section of Nebraska from a prairie wilderness to a populous and opulent district of a great commonwealth ; and it is gratifying to him that he has been able to play a part in the civic and industrial progress and upbuilding of the state and Panhandle. .

Charles High was born in Illinois, July 30 1852, the son of Lemuel G. and Sabina (Reed) High. The father was a native of the Buck- eye state where he spent his boyhood and early youth receiving his excellent practical educa- tion in the public schools of his home district and after attaining manhood's estate engaged in an independent business career as a farm- er in Illinois, but died while in the prime of his life, at the age of thirty-two years, in 1860. Mrs. High was a Hoosier by birth, but her family removed to Illinois when she was a small child and it was there that she was reared and educated, met and married Lemuel High. She was a devoted wife and mother and when left a widow with small children shouldered the responsibilities of both father and mother to them. She lived to have the satisfaction of seeing her son Charles de- velop into a fine man, as she lived to be eighty- seven years old, passing away in 1914.

Charles remained at home with his mother on the farm after his father's death and while still a young boy began to assume what farm duties he could for his age and strength, and thus at an early age was a good practical farm- er. He attended the district school, thus gain- ing a good foundation for an education which he has steadily continued through wide read- ing of the best and most practical literature and the varied periodicals that bear on all subjects of life and commercial interests. As soon as his years permitted he assumed man- agement of the home place which he conducted for fifteen years for his mother. Mr. High read much of the west and determined to take of the advantages offered by cheap land in the newer country beyond the Mississippi.

Leaving Illinois, the family came to Nebras- ka, locating in Dodge county, about forty miles west of the Missouri river. There they estab- lished a new home and Mr. High again engag- ed in farming. He devoted much time to the study of farin conditions in this section, the best crops for the climate and soil and this study was rewarded by bountiful crops. He worked hard, was thrifty and before many years became a man of means with capital to invest. As the western part of the state was becoming well known as one of the most fertile sections Mr. High disposed of his hold- ings in Dodge county and came to the Pan- handle in 1913, having great faith in the future of this part of the country. Locating in Pot- ter Mr. High purchased a half section of land, where he again engaged in business as an agri- culturist, raised the land to a high state of fer- tility, made many excellent improvements and at the end of five years sold the farm at a good advance on the original investment, hav- ing earned it all with his own hands guided by foresight, initiative and by following modern methods in his management. He had special- ized in alfalfa for feeding, wheat, potatoes, hogs and cattle, all of which seemed to thrive in the Lodgepole valley under his skillful guidance. Having been a land holder, Mr. High was not contented to be without some landed interest and, in 1917, he bought a full section of land north of Dix, where he farmed two years. During this time he greatly im- proved the estate, so that when he disposed of it in 1919, he did so with a handsome profit. After retiring from active participation in ac- tive agricultural life he became interested in the Citizens Bank of Potter and purchased a small block of stock in that flourishing insti- tution. He has branched out into commercial life as his interests include holdings in the Farmers Elevators of Potter and Dix. For many years Mr. High has taken an active part in communal and civic affairs, doing his part as a prominent and progressive citizen should, as he was county supervisor of Dodge county for six years and after locating in Cheyenne county was chairman of the Potter town board for two years. In politics he is an adherent of the Democratic party while his fraternal affilia- tions are with the Masonic order and the Mod- ern Woodmen of America.

July 2, 1885, Mr. High married Miss Susan Edwards, at Abington, Illinois. She was a native of the Old Dominion, but her family removed from Virginia to Illinois when she was a small child so that she was reared and educated in the latter state and there met and

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married her husband. She was a loving wife and mother and played a gallant part in estab- lishing the new home in the west. Mrs. High passed away in 1912, at the age of fifty-three years, leaving a sorrowing husband and tam- ily. Mr. and Mrs. High had three children : Mrs. Sabina Catherwood, lives at North Bend, Nebraska; Mrs. Bertha McChihan, is a resi- dent of Potter ; and Robert, who also lives in Potter, has four children of his own.

JOSEPH HERBERT FOSTER, one of the prominent business men of Dalton, who has taken an able part in the development of the town and its varied enterprises, is today re- garded as one of the rising men of this section in commercial affairs.

He was born near Charleston, Coles county, Illinois, April 9, 1873, the son of Josiah H. and Susan F. Foster. The father was one of the pioneer settlers of this region as he came to Nebraska in 1888, and took up a homestead nine miles northwest of Potter. He had been a soldier of the Union Army during the Civil War and made proof of his land under soldier's rights ; but later moved to eastern Nebraska and after a few years there returned to the old home at Villagrove, Illinois, where he now lives at the age of eighty-five years.

Herbert Foster accompanied the family when they came to Nebraska in the early days and was educated in the common schools of Illinois and Nebraska after coming to this lo- cality. Later he attended the high school at Sidney. When his schooling was over Mr. Foster worked for about two years on ranches in the western part of the state, spent one more winter in school and then began teaching in Cheyenne county under Miss Mattie McGee, then county superintendent. He followed this profession for eight years, doing ranch work and breaking horses in between times ; then for eight years devoted all his time to ranch and range work before owning and managing a ranch of his own. Mr. Foster was well versed in the business and was successful in his enter- prise, made money and entering commercial life became one of the organizers of the local corporation known as the "Dalton Co-operative Society," at Dalton, in 1909. The company started with a paid up capital of fourteen hun- dred dollar ; it was well managed and at once began to make money and today has a capital of fifty thousand dollars, and in 1920 did a business of nine hundred and seventeen thou- sand dollars. The company is an indepen- dent corporation doing business in lumber, grain, coal, hardware and livestock, a general business that is of great benefit to the sur-

rounding country. Mr. Foster also helped to organize the Great Divide Telephone Company (incorporated), the only incorporated farmers telephone company in western Nebraska, with a paid up capital of ten thousand dollars. From this it will be gathered that he has been a man who has materially assisted in the development of his community. At the time of the organiza- tion of the co-operative company, Mr. Foster bought a large block of its stock and later pur- chased more, being today one of the heaviest holders. He also invested in the stock of the telephone company and in the Farmers State Bank, of Dalton, one of the promising finan- cial institutions of the Panhandle.

For two terms Mr. Foster was assessor in Davison precinct, Cheyenne county, but takes no active part in politics, though he votes as a Republican. At the present time he is secretary-treasurer of the Dalton Co-operative Society ; secretary of the Great Divide Tele- phone company ; treasurer of the board of education of Dalton ; a member of the village council and is president of the Farmers State Bank. As its executive head he has initiated policies that have placed the bank on a sound financial basis, won the confidence of the peo- ple and is regarded as one of the sound and re- liable bankers of the western part of the state.

December 4, 1905, Mr. Foster married at Sidney, Nebraska, Miss Edith M. Davison, the daughter of James and Mary Davison, who set- tled in Cheyenne county in 1885. One daugh- ter has been born to this union, Frances, at home.

Mr. Foster is a member of the Knights of Pythias, at Dalton; of the Odd Fellows, of which he is secretary ; belongs to the Dalton Country Club, and attends the Presbyterian church. His entire time is devoted to his various interests, and today Mr. Foster is con- sidered one of the leading financiers and bank- ers in this part of the Panhandle and state.

HUMPHREY SMITH was born at Waver- ley, Canada, at the lower end of Georgian Bay, in 1847. He was the son of Charles and Mary (Le Brash) Smith. He was the oldest of a family of thirteen children, only four of whom are now living. The others being: Jesse, who lives on the old family homestead at Waverley ; Frank, living at Bakersfield, California, a car- penter by trade; and Anna, the widow of William Hagerty, living at South River, Can- ada.

At the age of ten years Mr. Smith went to Lake Superior and was reared there by differ- ent people. When he was twenty-one he took out citizenship papers in the United States and

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came west to Scandinavia, Kansas, where he remained two years. When the Black Hills country was opened he was back at Lake Su- perior again, and at that time he came to Anselmo, Nebraska. The railroad was then being built, and he opened a store and hotel at that place and remained there until the drouth of the early nineties. He then went to the Black Hills, and, in 1907 came to Bayard and bought a lumber yard. He has now prac- tically retired from active business.

While on Lake Superior he was married to Emily Hart, and to them five children were born, all of them now living. They are: Eugene, who farms and conducts a barber business at Portland, Oregon; Charles, living at Paulson, Montana; Harvey, who was a captain in the United States army and served in the Philippines in the Spanish War and was a training captain at Portland, Oregon, during the late war, and is now in the insurance busi- ness ; Daisy, now Mrs. Fred Fleming, of Gree- ley, Colorado, and Silas, a civil engineer of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Mr. Smith was married a second time in 1901, to Ida Reed, a native of South Dakota, and they have two children, Sidney and Her- bert, both of whom are at home.

Mr. Smith is a member of the Methodist church and a Republican in politics. He has had a varied life of pioneering and adventure. He has been successful and is now able to retire from the active struggle and enjoy a well earned rest in the evening of life. He is respected by his neighbors and friends as a man of honorable character and good judg- ment.

ROBERT OSBORNE, who is now living practically retired at Gering, judicial center of Scotts Bluff county, is consistently to be desig- nated as one of the representative pioneers of this section of Nebraska to which this history is devoted. As a Scotchman he possesses the admirable traits of character for which the sons of bonnie old Scotland are famous, and his energy and ability have been conclusively proved by the worthy success and prosperity he has achieved through his association with farm enterprise in western Nebraska. He has accumulated and still owns one of the exten- sive and valuable landed estates of Banner county, and remained on this fine ranch until 1914, when he established his residence at Ger- ing ; his retirement having been prompted alike by his somewhat impaired health and specially by his desire to give to his children the excel- lent advantages of the Gering schools.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 125

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