History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 138

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

the nation's participation in the World War, and since the close of the war he has been en- gaged in the drug business at Grand Island ; and Earl, the youngest of the children, remains with his widowed mother on the home farm.

CHARLES M. EGGERS has been a resi- dent of the state since the year 1888, and came to what is now Garden county in 1896, where he reclaimed and improved a productve farm of a hundred and sixty acres, which he bought at a cost of twelve hundred dollars. He secured his homestead in Blue Creek pre- cinct in 1902, the valuable property being still in his possession. In 1911, Mr. Eggers remov- ed from his farm to the vallage of Lewellen, where he has since lived practically retired, as one of the substantial and highly esteemed pio- neer citizens of this section of the state.

Charles Matthew Eggers was born in Parke county, Indiana, December 23, 1867, and is a son of Enoch and Lydia (Brock) Eggers, the former of whom was born and reared in Indiana and the latter in Kentucky. Enoch Eggers continued his farm operations in In- diana until 1878, when he removed with his family to Kansas, and initiated the develop- ment of a pioneer farm. He passed the clos- ing period of his life in the state of Nebraska, where he died at the venerable age of eighty- five years, his wife having passed away at the age of eighty-one years. Both were earnest members of the Baptist church. They became the parents of eight children, all sons, and of the number four are living and all reside in Nebraska. Aside from the subject of this sketch the others are, Thomas, who likewise resides at Lewellen; Joseph E., who also is one of the well known citizens of the Lewellen neighborhood: and James M., who resides at North Platte, Lincoln county.

Charles M. Eggers obtained his youthful education in the public schools of Indiana and Kansas, to which latter state the family removed when he was ten years of age. In the Sunflower state he was actively associated with his father in the developing and other work of the pioneer farm and there he even- tually engaged in independent farm enterprise. About one year later, however, he returned to Indiana, where he was identified with farm- ing for the ensuing two years, at the expira- tion of which, in 1888, he came to Nebraska and turned his attention to general farming in Lincoln county. There he continued opera- tions eight years, at the expiration of which he came to that part of Deuel county which now comprises Garden county, and took up a homestead in Blue Creek precinct. Here he

continued his successful activities as an agri- culturist and stock-grower until 1911, when, as previously noted, he retired and established his residence in the village of Lewellen. He has had no ambition to enter the arena of practical politics, but has been at all times lib- eral and public-spirited as a citizen and he gives his support to the cause of the Democrat- ic party, both he and his wife being members of the Baptist church.

In Deuel (now Garden) county, this state, January 1, 1896, Mr. Eggers wedded Miss Mollie Boggs, a daughter of Hugh and Nancy (Woods) Boggs, who were natives of Ken- tucky and who settled in Adams county, Ne- braska, in 1885. Two years later Mr. Boggs came with his family to what is now Garden county, where he took a homestead and en- gaged in farming, as a pioneer. During the four years from 1891 to 1895, he served as mail carrier between Ogallala and Oshkosh, and he was one of the well known citizens of the county at the time of his death, at the age of sixty-nine years, his widow likewise passing away at the same age. Mr. and Mrs. Eggers had two children: Birdie, the wife of Ed. McCormick, of Lewellen, and Nannie remains at the parental home.

HENRY TILGNER, who has gained a competency through his able and earnest ac- tivities as an agriculturist and stock-grower in western Nebraska, is now living practically retired in the pleasant village of Lewellen, Garden county, having located in this county in 1895, when it was still a part of Deuel county. Mr. Tilgner was born in the province of Si- lesia, Germany, January 13, 1850, and there his parents passed their entire lives. He whose name introduces this paragraph gained his early education in the schools of his native province and, in 1869, as an ambitious and self-reliant young man who was determined to win prosperity through his own efforts, he emigrated to the United States. He settled near Watertown, Wisconsin, and there he eventually established himself as an indepen- dent farmer. There he continued his farm activities until 1885, when he came to Ne- braska and took up homestead and pre-emption claims in Frontier county, where he put his en- ergies and judgment to such effective use that he developed a valuable and productive farm property and gave his attention to both agricul- ture and the raising of live stock. In 1895, he sold his farm and came to that part of Deuel county that is now comprised in Garden county. Here he purchased a quarter-section of land, three and one-half miles east of Lewellen, and

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made many substantial improvements, and achieved success in diversified agriculture and the raising of live stock. He became one of the most extensive hog-raisers in the county and made this a prime feature of his farm enter- prise until his retirement, in 1918, when he es- tablished his residence at Lewellen, where he owns one of the attractive homes of the village, A man of broad views and progressive ideas, Mr. Tilgner has been liberal in the support of movements for the general good of the com- munity and he served four years - 1915-1919 - as regent of the Garden county high school. His political support is given to the Republi- can party, and he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. He still owns his farm, which has greatly appreciated in value in late years, and is a part owner of the Grafen ditch, which affords irrigation facilities for his land.

In February, 1871, Mr. Tilgner wedded Miss Minnie Schultz, who died in 1897 and was survived by eight children, all of who are still living. The second marriage of Mr. Tilgner was solemnized at North Platte, when Miss Betty Kirsch became his wife. She was born in Germany and was a young woman when she came to America. Mr. and Mrs. Tilgner have four children, two sons and two daugh- ters : Annie, married Norman Green and lives at Lewellen; Irving E., married Aria Hig- gins and lives at Lewellen; Roy C., and Alice M., live at home.

IRA COPLEY is one of comparatively few citizens in Garden county who can claim the fine old Bluegrass state as the place of their nativity. In Garden county he demonstrated in a marked way the possibilities in the domain of so-called dry farming, his experience having covered a period of twelve years, in none of which did he lose a crop. He has, however, full appreciation of the superior claims for irrigated farm lands, and he is now conducting operations on his well improved farm of six hundred and forty acres, which is irrigated from what is known as the West ditch. His farm, which is given over to diversified agri- culture and the raising of good types of live stock, is situated sixteen miles northwest of the village of Lewellen, which is his post- office address, and the community at large looks upon him as a sterling and progressive citizen of marked public spirit.

A scion of a family that was founded in the fair old commonwealth of Virginia in the colonial era of our national history, Ira Copley himself was born in Boyd county, Kentucky, February 1, 1875. His early education was

received in the schools of Kentucky and West Virginia, in which latter state his father was actively identified with lumbering operations for a term of years. Mr. Copley is a son of James S. and Martha A. (Hammonds) Cop- ley, the former of whom was born in West Virginia and the latter in Kentucky, where she was reared and educated and where her mar- riage was solemnized. James S. Copley con- tinued to be engaged in lumbering activities in the south until 1907, when he came to Nebraska and located in that part of Deuel county that now constitutes Garden county. Here he took up a homestead and by the time he had perfected his title to the property he had brought an appreciable part of the land under effective cultivation and made excellent improvements, including the erection of sub- stantial buildings. Here he continued his farm operations until 1918, when he and his wife returned to West Virginia, where they now maintain their home. Of their eight children, the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth. Another of the sons, James S., Jr., likewise is a representative farmer in Gar- den county.

Ira Copley early gained experience in con- nection with the lumbering business, through association with his father's operations in West Virginia, and in that state he was for a time engaged in farming. In 1907, he came to what is now Garden county, Nebraska, and took up a homestead claim of six hundred and for- ty acres, near Lewellen. He stocked the place well and eventually developed a productive farm that was marked by good buildings and other improvements. Here he continued suc- cessful operations as an agriculturist and stock- grower during a period of twelve years, at the expiration of which he removed to his present home farm, in order to secure the facilities of irrigation, whch insure to him still greater success in his farm enterprise.

In politics Mr. Copley is found aligned as a stalwart in the ranks of the Republican party, and he and his wife are active members of the United Baptist church.

Mr. Copley was twenty-three years of age when in Wayne county, West Virginia, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Wooten, who was reared and educated in that state and who is a daughter of S. P. Wooten, a native of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Copley have a fine family of ten children: Grace is the wife of John Williams, of Lemoyn, Keith coun- ty; Ethel is the wife of John Goodron, of Lewellen; and all of the other children are still at home at the time of this writing, in

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the winter of 1919-20. - Luther M., Martha A., May, Alice, Winifred, Pearl, Mabel and Hazel. With this interesting family, the home of Mr. and Mrs Copley is known for its cheer and happiness, as well as for its gracious hos- pitality.

WILLIAM T. JACKSON, who is num- bered among the successful and popular ex- ponents of farm enterprise in Garden county, has been a resident of Nebraska since he was. a lad of about twelve years ; is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of the state and in his independent career he has exemplified most fully the self-reliant and pro- pressive spirit of the fine commonwealth in which he was reared and in which he has found ample opportunity for productive achievement as an agriculturist and stock- grower.

William Thomas Jackson was born in De- Witt county, Illinois, July 21, 1861, and is a son of John A. and Rhoda Ann (Harp) Jack- son, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Illinois. The father was identified with agricultural pursuits from his youth until he became one of the California argonauts of the historic year 1849, when he joined the great host of adventurous spirits who were making their way to the New Eldorado, in search of gold. He was measurably successful as one of the celebrated Forty-niners in Cali- fornia and on his return to the east he made the trip by way of the Isthmus of Panama. In 1859, he again set forth for the west, at the time of the gold excitement in Colorado, and he remained for a time in the vicinity of Pike's Peak, that state. He then returned to Illinois, where he continued to be engaged in farming until 1873, when he came with his family to Nebraska and settled in Thayer county. There he developed a good farm and became a successful and influential citi- zen of his community. He was one of the honored pioneer citizens of Thayer county at the time of his death, which occurred when he was eighty-two years of age, his wife hav- ing passed away in 1895, at the age of sixty- two years.

William T. Jackson acquired his rudimen- tary education in the public schools of Illinois and after the removal of the family to Ne- braska he continued his studies in the schools of Thayer county, where he was reared to manhood and where he early began to con- tribute his quota to the work of the home farm, so that he was well fortified in practical experience when he initiated his independent operations as a farmer. He continued his

farm activities in Thayer county until 1907, when he came to that part of Deuel county that now comprises Garden county. Here he entered claim to a homestead and has devel- oped and improved one of the fine farm prop- erties of the county, his well directed enter- prise including both diversified agriculture and the raising of live stock. Mr. Jackson has been earnest in the support of the various measures and enterprises that have conserved communal advancement and is essentially lib- eral and public-spirited. He has had no am- bition for public office but has served nearly a decade as school director, an office of which he is the incumbent at the time of this writ- ing. He is well fortified in his convictions concerning governmental policies and is aligned in the local ranks of the Democratic party.

At Hebron, Thayer county, August 10, 1897, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Jackson to Miss Annie M. Bell, daughter of David and Betsey (Gooding) Bell, both of whom were born in England. Mrs. Bell was thirty-four years of age at the time of her death and Mr. Bell attained to the age of sixty-one years, he having been a representative citizen of Thayer county at the time of his death. Mrs. Jackson was born in Lancastershire, England, and was an infant at the time of the family immigration to the United States, her par- ents settling in Iowa, where they remained about twelve years, at the expiration of which, in 1882, they came to Nebraska and settled in Thayer county, where the father became a successful agriculturist and stock-grower. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have three children : Rhoda, is the wife of William B. Cate, of Elizabeth, Cherry county, and they have three children ; Eva G. is the wife of Edward M. Bredesell, of Hebron, Thayer county, and they have one child; George A., who has returned home af- ter service in the army during the World War, was a member of Ambulance Company No. 75, and was stationed at Camp Dodge, Iowa, at the time when the war closed.

RALPH W. EMERSON came to Garden county in 1897, prior to its segregation from Deuel county, and here he has shown his en- ergy and enterprise in the developing of one of the fine farm properties of the county, and has gained precedence as one of the success- ful exponents of agricultural and live-stock industry in his native state. His farm, com- prising a hundred and sixty acres, is situated six miles northwest of the village of Lewellen, where he has made good improvements, so that the place gives unmistakable evidence of thrift and prosperity.

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It is but natural that Mr. Emerson should exemplify the progressive spirit so character- istic of western Nebraska, for he claims Cus- ter county, this state, as the place of his na- tivity and there breathed in his boyhood and youth the vital air, productive industry, be- sides gaining the practical experience that equipped him effectively for independent farm enterprise after he had attained to maturity. Ralph Warren Emerson was born in Custer county, Nebraska, November 22, 1883, and is a son of Edward W. and Louise Emerson, the former of whom was born at Alton, Illi- nois, while the latter was a native of York- shire, England, having been a girl when her parents came to America and settled in Mis- souri. Mrs. Emerson came to Nebraska as a young woman and she became a successful teacher in the public schools at St. Paul, this state, her school work having continued until the time of her marriage. She was a woman of talent and gracious personality, and was only thirty-seven years of age at the time of her death, in 1894. Edward W. Emerson was reared and educated in Illinois, when he came to Nebraska in the early eighties and settled in Custer county, where he took a home- stead and became a pioneer farmer of the county. He improved a valuable farm and still lives on the old home place, as one of the representative agriculturists and stock- growers of Custer county.

Ralph W. Emerson passed the period of his childhood and early youth on the pioneer farm homestead in Custer county, and availed him- self of the advantages of the public schools. He continued his association with farm enter- prise until 1897, when he came to what is now Garden county, and was employed on ranches and farms until he found the desired oppor- tunity to engage independently in agricultural activities. In 1908, he entered claim to a home- stead upon which he proved up in due course of time. He finally sold this property and pur- chased the quarter-section which constitutes his present attractive farm home, the place having good irrigation facilities and having been developed by him into a model farm, his attention being given to diversified agri- culture and the raising of excellent grades of live stock. Mr. Emerson is a stockholder and director of the Paisley irrigation ditch, is a Republican in politics, is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America, and he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal and Lutheran churches.

April 5, 1907, was recorded the marriage of Mr. Emerson to Miss Emma H. Johnson, who

was born and reared in what is now Garden county, a daughter of Frederick Johnson, of Lewellen. Mr. and Mrs. Emerson have three children: Glen L., born September 25, 1911; William A., born January 9, 1916; and Jessie Mae, born May I, 1918.

ALBERT R. TAYLOR .- In the fine farm district of which the village of Lewellen is the normal trade center are to be found many vigorous and progressive agriculturists and stock-raisers, whose comparative youth vital- izes their activities and makes them specially successful. A well known and popular mem- ber of this valued class of citizens is Albert Robert Taylor, who was born in Clay county, Nebraska, January 1, 1880, and is a son of Robert and Minerva (Reynolds) Taylor, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the lat- ter of Ohio, where she was reared and edu- cated. Robert Taylor became one of the pio- neers of Clay county, Nebraska, where he es- tablished his residence in 1872. He there took up and perfected title to a homestead, and there he continued his farm enterprise until 1885, when he initiated further pioneer ex- perience by removing to that part of Cheyenne county that now constitutes Garden county. Here he secured a tree claim and a pre-emp- tion claim, but eventually he sold these proper- ties and purchased a farm on the south side of the North Platte river, where he success- fully continued his activities as an agricul- turist and stock-grower, with secure standing as one of the honored pioneer citizens of this section of the state. Albert R. Taylor was reared to manhood in what is now Garden county, where his early educational advantages were those offered by the excellent public schools. He assisted in the work of the home farm until he began independent operations by taking up a homestead on the south side of the river. He proved up on this claim and after disposing of the property he purchased his present farm, which comprises a hundred and sixty acres situated five miles northwest of Lewellen. The farm has good irrigation, is improved with excellent buildings and is the stage of very successful enterprise in the do- main of agriculture and stock-raising. Mr. Taylor is loyal and progressive as a citizen, is a Republican in politics, and is a stockholder in the Overland Ditch Company, through the medium of which his farm gains its irrigation facilities.

January 21, 1907, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage to Miss Addie Luark. who was born in Clay county, Nebraska, and is a daughter of Edward and Margaret (Barkman) Luark,

GEORGE C. SNOW

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

now residents of Boulder, Colorado, to which place they removed in 1917. The parents of Mrs. Taylor were born and reared in Iowa and her father became a pioneer settler in Clay county, Nebraska, where he established his home in the seventies and where he remained until his removal to Colorado, as previously noted. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have two chil- dren. - Mina Hope and Wanda Lorraine.

GEORGE C. SNOW, editor and proprie- tor of the Chadron Journal, and a member of the Nebraska State Legislature, worthily oc- cupies a position of great prominence in the state. He has been the recipient of many honors, both political and personal, in his long career, and his fellow citizens have frequently testified to their sincere esteem. Many have known him longest and best in the field of journalism, for Mr. Snow is the oldest editor, in point of service, in this part of the country.

George C. Snow was born in De Kalb coun- ty, Illinois, March 5, 1874. His parents are Rev. Beecher O. and Stella (Lyon) Snow, na- tives of New York, born in 1853 and 1854 re- spectively. They now reside at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the father being a retired minister of the Congregational church, for twenty years having served as Home Missionary Pastor for Nebraska. Of his four children, George C. is the only one living at Chadron. At Frank- lin Academy and Doane College in Nebraska, Mr. Snow pursued his studies until early man- hood, then accepted the superintendency of a Congregational academy at Snohomish, Wash- ington ; going from there to Eureka, Kansas, and then came to Chadron, Nebraska. Mr. Snow then bought the Chadron Journal, which is the oldest newspaper west of Valentine. It was established by Edward Egan, the press and cases being set up in a wagon before any railroads had been constructed through this section. It has always been Republican in political policy, and it subscription list since Mr. Snow took charge has extended all through Dawes, Sioux and Box Butte coun- ties, where not only are his editorial talents greatly appreciated but confidence is inspired as to his safe and sane leadership in questions touching upon the treasured basic principle of American independence.

Mr. Snow has been publishing the Journal for the past fifteen years. He now has his own building and one of the best fitted offices and finest equipped printing plants in the state and in connection with the newspaper, operates a large and profitable job office, his printing

force including a number of competent em- ployes.

Mr. Snow was married at Farnam, Dawson county, Nebraska, July 24, 1901, to Miss Mary Batty, who is a daughter of Rev. George and Celestine (Greswold) Batty, and they have four children, namely : Clayton B., Mildred A., George B., and Mary M. Mr. Snow and his family are members of the Congregational church.

Mr. Snow has always been a consistent Re- publican and his work for the party has been loyally and unselfishly performed, has been called to many party councils and given yeo- man service in senatorial and gubernational campaigns. In the late legislative election of the Seventy-fourth District, that includes Dawes and Sioux counties, Mr. Snow was sent to the House of Representatives for the sec- ond time, his election being widely welcomed by those who appreciate his ability and honor his sterling character. In local affairs Mr. Snow has never been negligent since becoming a citizen of Chadron, at all times assuming his share of citizenship responsibilities and helping bear the burden of taxation or inconvenience, with better conditions always in hopeful sight. For six years he served as a member of the board of education and during three years was president of this body. He now is presi- dent of the Nebraska State Press Association, being elected in February 1921, and is one of five newspaper editors appointed by the gov- ernor to attend the World Newspaper Con- gress in Honolula in October, 1921.

LAFAYETTE O. ROBLEE first came to Nebraska more than thirty years ago, and his original stage of operations was in Custer county, where he brought into effective play the practical knowledge he had gained in con- nection with farm enterprise in the old Empire state, which figures as the place of his na- tivity. From Custer county he came to the present Garden county in 1909, and here he not only reclaimed and developed a produc- tive farm but also gained place as one of the representative business men of the village of Lewellen. He finally renewed his allegiance to the basic industries of agriculture and stock- growing and is now giving his attention to the supervision of his well improved farm of a hundred and sixty acres, situated three and one-half miles northeast of Lewellen.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 138

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