History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 134

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

gone to a place in Crawford and proceeded to levy on some hay, and was killed while per- forming his duty as an officer. The loss of a man like Addison Harris was a heavy one in Dawes county. He was universally esteemed and many old settlers yet remember his early kindness and good advice given them, for he had the right kind of public spirit, desired to see the county settled, contended and happy, and made it a part of his business to seek out newcomers and make the way as easy as possible for them.

After the death of her husband Mrs. Harris remained on the farm for some time, greatly assisted in getting her affairs adjusted by those of whom she speaks as "good neighbors." She had a hundred and sixty acres pre-emption of her own and was not altogther unused to business transactions, but the ready kindness of her neighbors made things better for her and she has never forgotten them. In the winter of 1890 occurred the Indian uprising and she had passed several nights of terror alone in her cabin, Mr. Harris being at Oma- ha, and says she had an arsenal of such weap- ons as knives, axes and pitchforks, with which to defend herself if necessary. In 1909, Mrs. Horris sold her farm land but still owns two valuable improved properties at Chadron and makes her home in this city. She can recall many events of true historical interest in which she and her family have taken part, and it is something of a privilege to listen first hand to these reminiscences. Mrs. Harris is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and of Ruben Pickett Lodge, D. A. R. of Chadron. She is respected and honored by all who know her.

ROBERT I. ELLIOTT, president of the State Normal School at Chadron, occupies a prominent position in the educational field, and has proved able and resourceful in the execu- tive office. The school over which he pre- sides was established by the legislature of Ne- braska in the session of 1909, for the Sixth Congressional District. Its first president was Joseph Sparks and the dean, as now, was Dr. W. F. Stockle. The nominal opening of the institution was in June, 1911, although the first session was necessarily held in the high school building, but since that time the origi- nal school buildings have been made to suffice, with some few improvements, including the erecting of a girls' dormitory. Under the present management, however, many plans are being formulated for the extension of facilities that Dr. Elliot deems absolutely necessary.

Robert I. Elliott was born at Worth, Cook county, Illinois. April 18, 1883. His parents are John and Marion (Tobey) Elliott, natives of Illinois, who now live comfortably retired at University Place, Nebraska. In earlier years the father of Professor Elliott was a farmer in Illinois, from which state he moved to Wayne county Nebraska, in 1884, and later engaged in banking at Winside, Nebraska. He is a member of the Episcopal church, and the mother was reared in the Methodist Episcopal body. They had the following children : Rob- ert I., who was an infant when brought to Ne- braska ; Jack, who is a resident of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; Alice, who is a teacher in the high school at Alliance, Nebraska; Olive, who is the wife of Oliver P. Fulton, of Gage county, Nebraska ; and Mamie, who met an accidental death.

After attending the public schools, Mr. El- liott entered the Wayne Normal School and subsequently the State University at Lincoln. He began teaching school in 1901, in Stanton county and four years later was appointed county superintendent of the schools of Wayne county, returning then to the university, and from there came to Chadron in 1909, as su- perintendent of the city schools. On August 1, 1916, he assumed the duties pertaining to the presidency of the Chadron Normal School.

At Cambridge, Nebraska, in November, 1913, Mr. Elliott was married to Miss Anna Babcock, and they have one son, who bears his father's name. They are members of the Congregational church.

President Elliott has devoted his entire life to the cause of education. He is deeply in- terested in his present work and the three hundred students enrolled from Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota, find in him an inspiring leader and helpful friend. It is his hope to have the legislature provide ade- quately for the erection of an additional school building, a gymnasium and a boys' dormitory, and also he has plans looking to the erection of a model rural schoolhouse on the eighty-acre campus. His ideas are practical in the ex- treme and doubtless will be carried out. His political opinions have always kept him within the fold of the Republican party but no pro- posal of political preferment has ever appealed to him, otherwise than educational. For three years he served as deputy superintendent of Public Instruction.

ALBERT A. VANNATTA .- There are numerous things in life in which people may take pleasure and pride, but it is doubtful if

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any offer more solid satisfaction than the reali- zation of work well done. There is justifiable pride when any goal has been reached through one's own efforts, and there are few of his fellow citizens at Chadron who will not agree that Albert A. Vannatta, proprietor of the Van Buren Hotel, deserves the good fortune that his own industry has brought about.

Albert A. Vannatta was born at Danville, Illinois. December 15, 1882, and is a son of Samuel and Clementine (Knox) Vannatta. The father was born in Rantoul, Illinois, and the mother in La Salle county. She resides at Danville, Illinois, Albert A. being the only one of the five children of the family to live in Nebraska. The father died at Danville in 1908, where for twenty-five years he has been a carpenter and builder.

In his native city Albert A. Vannatta had excellent school training and completed the high school course. In July, 1909, he came to Nebraska and went to work on a farm in Dawes county, farm wages at that time being twenty-five dollars a month. He had his own way to make in the world and had accepted conditions cheerfully and hopefully, proved steady and reliable in his new surroundings and soon made friends. On June 22, 1910, he was married to Miss Lenora M. Spracklen, who is a daughter of John W. and Dora (Gilmore) Spracklen, who have been residents of Dawes county since 1884. Mr. Vannatta by this time was receiving forty dollars a month. He and young wife started housekeeping in a one- room log cabin, and through their combined in- dustry and frugality he soon found himself able to rent land and for two years he devoted himself to raising cattle. In the third year he bought a farm but found crop raising less profitable than the growing of cattle, there- fore sold his land one year later and re-entered the stock business and later purchased a ranch. He averaged four hundred and fifty head of fine cattle yearly. During all these years he has handled land to some extent and because of careful investments, has found the business quite profitable and still remains interested in land and cattle although not giving his person- al attention to the same since 1919. In that year he moved into Chadron and bought the Van Buren Hotel, which he operates as one of the leading hostelries of the city. Mr. Vannatta, in a comparatively short time has built up a comfortable fortune, and his exam- ple of industry, energy and enterprise, might properly be brought to the attention of other young men who lament lack of opportunity in Dawes county.

Mr. and Mrs. Vannatta have children as fol- lows : Blanche M., Lawrence, Lester and an unnamed infant, the older children already be- ing apt pupils in the Chadron public schools. In politics Mr. Vannatta is a sound Republican and deeply interested in all the leading ques- tions of the day, and undoubtedly as a citizen of Chadron his influence for law, order and economic city government will be beneficial.

BYRON L. SCOVEL, whose long connec- tion with the banking interests of Dawes coun- ty, universally trusted and highly esteemed here, has been one of the substantial upbuilders of Chadron. He came to the west from New York in 1888, and immediately found con- genial duties and promise of an honorable career, and Mr. Scovel has, perhaps, become as thoroughly Nebraskan as a native son. He was born at Burke, Franklin county, New York, October 24, 1856. His parents were george T. and Amy C. (Tower) Scovel, the former of whom was a native of Vermont and the latter of New York. His father, from the age of seven years until he retired and came to live with his son in Dawes county, Ne- braska, was a farmer and resident of Frank- lin county, New York. He died here in 1918. His mother died in New York in 1894. Mr. Scovel, senior, was largely interested in the manufacture of potatoe starch, an industry of great import before other starch bearing plants had been analyzed. He was a staunch busi- ness man, a Republican in his political opinions and a member of the Baptist church. Of his two children, Byron L. alone survives.

In the country school near his father's farm and later in Malone Academy, Byron L. Scovel was well instructed, and when seventeen years of age went to a commercial school in Boston. Afterwards he became interested for a time in a general store near Burlington, Vermont. In June, 1888, he came to Dawes county, and entered the employment of Bartlett Richards, who owned the controlling interest and was the financial backer of the First National Bank of Chadron. Mr. Scovel worked three years as bank clerk, then ten years as assistant cashier and sixteen years as cashier. When he first entered the employ of this bank it was the largest in Dawes county, had $75,000.00 de- posits and charged two per cent interest month- ly. During the hard years in the early history of Dawes county, the officers of the First Na- tional Bank worked through many discourag- ing seasons; as for Mr. Scovel, he kept at his desk without vacation or relief seven days and six nights in the week, and undoubtedly

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his fidelity and business sagacity did much to keep the bank on a safe and paying basis.

After a continuous service of twenty-nine years Mr. Scovel retired from the First Na- tional Bank in April, 1918, and in the January following was appointed State Bank Examiner, which office he held but a short time when he was elected president of the Chadron State Bank and after six months service, resigned his position on account of change in the manage- ment which made it uncongenial for him. In January, 1920, he in connection with other business men and ranchmen organized the Farmers & Merchants State Bank of Chadron, with a capital of $100,000.00 and suplus $10,000.00; in August, 1920, this bank bought the Chadron State Bank and con- solidated the two under the name of the Chad- ron State Bank with capital and surplus as above. Mr. Scovel is president, J. H. White, vice-president and W. P. Rooney, cashier.

At Chadron on January 8, 1891, Mr. Sco- vel was united in marriage to Anna G. Camp- bell, who was born in Pennsylvania, where her parents died. Mr. and Mrs. Scovel have two children, Elmira G., an accomplished mu- sician, who teaches the science in the Chadron State Normal School; George Kenneth, who completed a law course in Leland Stanford University in June, 1920, and was admitted to practice in the California courts and is asso- ciated with a leadng law firm at this time in Sant Ana, Calfornia. During the World War he served with credit as a soldier, was a mem- ber of the American Expeditionary Force sent to France and spent sixteen months in that country, immediately resuming his interrupted studies upon his return to his native land. Mr. Scovel is a Republican in his political opinions. He is also a York Rite and a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner, and has held all the offices in the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery in his home city. He is a member of the Elks Lodge at Norfolk, Nebraska. His wife, daughter and himself are members of the Eastern Star and the ladies are members of the Woman's Club. The family belongs to the Episcopal church, and there are few benevolent movements or enterprises for the public welfare that do not claim their interest and engage their assist- ance.

HARRY B. COFFEE, eldest son of Samuel B. and Elizabeth (Tisdale) Coffee was born in Sioux county, Nebraska, March 16, 1890. He attended the public school at Chadron and graduated in 1909, valedictorian of his class.

He then entered the University of Nebraska and graduated in 1913. While at the univer- sity Mr. Coffee was honored by being elected president of his class, and also business man- ager of the Cornhusker, the annual college publication. He was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

After leaving the University of Nebraska he engaged in the real estate business at Chadron where he has been actively engaged ever since with the exception of one year spent in tour- ing Canada and South America, and one year in the army, in which he holds a reserve com- mission in the air service as captain.

During 1919, following his discharge from the army, Mr. Coffee again took charge of his real estate office and sold almost a million dol- lars worth of real estate, specializing in large ranch sales. His sales for two years, 1917 and 1919, included over forty-three thousand acres of northwestern Nebraska land - a rec- ord few in Nebraska have equalled.

In addition to his real estate activities, Mr. Coffee is president of the Coffee Cattle Com- pany, a $100,000.00 corporation with holdings on the Niobrara River in Sioux county, Ne- braska. The company owns and leases ap- proximately twenty thousand acres.

Mr. Coffee is now president of the Chadron Chamber of Commerce, and a booster for city and county development. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is an Elk, a Rotarian, and Shriner Mason.

SAMUEL BUFFINGTON COFFEE, for many years was an extensive ranchman well and favorably known in Nebraska. He was born at Greenfield, Missouri, March 2, 1855, a son of Col. John T. and Harriet ( Wade) Coffee, and a brother of Charles F. Coffee, a prominent banker and stock raiser of Chad- ron, Nebraska.

In 1877, "Buff" Coffee, as he was familiar- ly known, in company with his brother, Charles F. Coffee came from Texas and settled in Wy- oming where together they engaged in the cat- tle business. In 1879, "Buff" Coffee moved to Sioux county and was one of the first home- steaders in that frontier region. He continued to acquire as much land as he could buy adjoin- ing, but, in 1898, he branched out, and bought a ranch on the Niobrara river south of Harrison. Practically every acre of this land acquired since 1879, is still held by the family.

On March 1, 1889, Mr. Coffee was married to Elizabeth Tisdale of Georgetown, Texas, and of their five children the following sur- vive : Harry B., an active young business man of Chadron; Rex T., who owns and operates

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the original ranch of his father ; Guy H., who is vice-president and general manager of the Coffee Cattle Company which owns and op- erates the ranch purchased by his father in 1898, together with extensive holdings since acquired by the company ; and Edna, who is the wife of John B. Cook, a prominent busi- ness man of Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

Mr. Coffee died at Harrison, Nebraska, Os- tober 1, 1900. He was a man of sterling per- sonal character, and great business capacity. He was a member of the Methodist Episco- pal church and the Masonic fraternity.

WILLIAM A. DANLEY .- To watch a seed develop into a plant is an interesting ex- perience that has come within the attention of almost everyone, but to watch modern cities develop from the bare prairie into power and opulence, comfort. beauty and culture, all within the short space of but little more than thirty years, has not been the privilege of ev- eryone. This proof of virility and enterprise in western Nebraska, has come under the personal observation of William A. Danley, who is one of Chadron's best known and highly esteemed residents. In all this marvelous development Mr. Danley has borne such part as opportunity afforded.

William A. Danley was born September 2, 1860, at Danvers, McLean county, Illinois. His parents were Samuel T. and Mary E. (Blair) Danley, natives of Illinois, the fath- er born December 2. 1833, and the mother December 14, 1838. Mr. Danley and his fath- er were both born in the house on the old Danley homestead, which the Danleys occu- pied until 1875. The father carried on farm- ing in McLean county until 1879, when he moved to Niobrara, Knox county, Nebraska. In 1889, he moved to Dawes county, home- steading near the old site of Chadron, re- moving from there in 1899, to Colorado, where his death occurred in 1900. The mother re- turned then to Chadron, where she died in 1904. There were but two children: William A. and Margaret. The latter married John Setter and her death occurred in 1898. She was the first young woman to be married in Dawes county. The father was a man of political importance and active in the Repub- lican party, and he was the first county com- missioner elected in Cherry county, Nebraska. Both parents were members of the Congrega- tional church.

William A. Danley obtained his schooling in his native state and was nineteen years old when he accompanied his parents to Nebraska.

In 1880, both father and son worked at rail- road grading on what was then called the Fre- mont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley line, later the Chicago and Northwestern, from O'Neill to Buffalo Gap, and they also hauled wood from the hills and sold it for five dollars a load. As a summer occupation they started the first and only general merchandise store at Bordeaux, returning then to railroad labor. During 1887 and 1888, Mr. Danley and his fa- ther operated a dairy, and during the time they were so engaged, William A. drove the milk wagon to even the most distant points and in the severest winter weather missed only three deliveries in all that time. Knox county was not very closely settled at that time but great friendliness existed between the pioneers and they were willing to travel long distances to any social gathering. There was a lack of public entertainment, hence, when a few pub- lic spirited men arranged to have a Fourth of July celebration in 1884, it is quite possible that every family in the county was represented. The immortal Declaration of Independence was reverently listened to as it was read aloud by Mrs. O'Linn, there being no doubt at that time, of the pride these lonely settlers took in their American citizenship.

After leaving Princeton (Illinois) College, Mr. Danley accepted the first position offered him, that of bookkeeper for the Milwaukee Beer Company, at Running Water, Nebras- ka, although he was no advertiser for the con- cern as he has never tasted liquor in his life. In addition to the activities already mentioned, Mr. Danley then engaged in farming for a time, and after coming to Chadron was in the hardware business for several years, and for six years was in the bakery business. From 1907. to 1916, he was postmaster at Chadron, and in 1917. he embarked in the book and mu- sic business in this city.

At Chadron, on December 19, 1888, Mr. Danley was married to Miss Jennie Hollen- beck, a daughter of John Hollenbeck, a former well known resident of Dawes county. Mr. and Mrs. Danley have one son, Neal, who re- sides with his parents. They are members of the Congergational church, Mr. Danley being the oldest member in point of time, of this congregation, and for ten years he serv- ed as superintendent of the Sunday School. He has long been identified with the Masonic fraternity and is serving as secretary of the lodge at Chadron.

A Republican through training and convic- tion, Mr. Danley has always vigorously up- held the principles of his party. On numer-

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ous occasions he has been chosen to serve in public office, the city council benefiting by his sound judgment for two terms, and, in 1911, he was appointed official register of births and deaths, an office he has faithfully filled ever since. Mr. Danley in turning his thoughts backward, can remember when Chadron was but a small town and when only the long red prairie grass waved over the present sites of Atkinson, Stuart, Long Pine and Ainsworth.

FRED W. PATTERSON, one of the enter- prising young business men of Chadron, is junior member of the firm of Houghton & Patterson, real estate and general insurance. He has spent the greater part of his life in Nebraska, his native state, and yields to no one in loyal devotion to her best interests.

Fred W. Patterson was born August 24, 1885, at Syracuse, Otoe county, Nebraska, the eldest of three children born to Eugene A. and Elizabeth (Neu) Patterson, the former of whom was a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. They now reside in the Kenwood addition to Chadron, the father still retaining his ranch that is situated between Chadron and Crawford, in Dawes county. For five years, from 1879 to 1884, the father of Mr. Patter- son served as a soldier in the United States army and during those dangerous times in the Indian country, assisted in making three sur- veys for government road from Pine Ridge to Buffalo Gap.

Mr. Patterson was two years old when his parents came to Dawes county and for seven years lived on the homestead. In the spring of 1895, he went to Dunbar in order to enjoy better educational advantages, and there com- pleted the public school course. In 1906, he entered the university at Lincoln, where he pursued his studies for the next two years, from there going to Texas, in which state he remained three years and upon his return to Nebraska, engaged to work for the Burling- ton Railroad, in May, 1909, and continued until April, 1919, when he came to Chadron and here entered into his present business part- nership, Mr. Houghton being one of the earli- est real estate and insurance men of this city.

At Unadilla, Nebraska, on September 24, 1910, Mr. Patterson was united in marriage to Miss Bessie M. Mortimore, a daughter of George and Clara (Copes) Mortimore, who reside at Chadron. Mr. and Mrs. Patterson have a daughter, Lillis. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take part in the city's pleasant social life, Mr. Patterson being secretary of the New Community Club

of Chadron. He was reared in the Democratic party but personally prefers to be independent in his political life, at all times being an in- terested, honest citizen and upright business man.

MRS. MARY E. HAYWARD. - Praise- worthy have been the efforts of innumerable young men in western Nebraska whereby they have built up their fortunes, and admiration and approval cannot be withheld by the honest historian. Unusual, however, is the equally successful example offered in Dawes county, by a member of the other sex, and even through a brief recital of the dominant facts in the life of Mrs. Mary E. Hayward, a prom- inent business woman of Chadron and a suf- frage leader in the state, is revealed surpass- ing business ability, mental vigor and person- al courage. Mrs. Hayward has been a resi- dent of Dawes county for thirty-five years and is one of the most interesting person- alities of Chadron.

Mary E. (Smith) Hayward was born at Liberty, in Susquehanna county, Pennsyl- vania, the eldest of four children born to Andrew L. and Phoebe E. (Law) Smith. Mrs. Hayward has two sisters: Mrs. Nellie Woodard, who resides at Chadron; and Mrs. Sarah Ross Jacobus, who lives in Pennyl- vania The father followed agricultural pur- suits in Pennsylvania during his entire life. The parents were members of the Presbyteran church and the children were reared in this religious body, good influences surrounding them from infancy.

Educational advantages were afforded Mary E. Smith and she completed the high school course at Great Bend, Pennsylvania. While books were not as plentiful or as easily dis- tributed in those days as at present, there were well patronized public libraries and long before Mrs. Hayward came to Nebraska, she had read stories of the west and was particu- larly interested in a volume called "Western Life." Circumstances so adjusted themselves that there came a time when she found herself on a railroad train bound for that great west- ern country of which she had read and thought so much, but of which she later discovered, she knew very little. Her objective point when she left home, was the Pacific coast, her in- tention being to locate either in Tacoma or Spokane, Washington. Of attractive personality and pleasant manner, it was not difficult for her to find agreeable traveling acquaintances and after submitting them to the test of her judg- ment, she found railroad travel very inter-

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esting as far west as the line then went. It ended, however, at Valentine in Cherry coun- ty, Nebraska.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 134

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