History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 19

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

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Daniel D. Davis, on account of the early loss of his father, had fewer educational ad- vantages than otherwise, and when twelve years old spent one hard winter working in the northern woods. Following that season he assisted his brothers in their fishing industries, which they carried on at Willoughby and Wickliffe, Ohio, remaining with them about five years. In 1884 he came to Nebraska and went to work for a brick manufacturing com- pany near Lincoln, then opened a little store in the town, and struggled on as a youth does who' has but little capital and is entirely de- pendent upon his own resources. On March 1, 1886, Mr. Davis came to Scottsbluff county and immediately filed on a homestead claim, building his own little dugout on his land and making himself as comfortable as possible. In

the meanwhile he had impressed his neighbors so favorably that in 1889 they had him ap- pointed deputy county clerk when the county organized and he served in that office for a year, and having read law, he was admitted to the bar. Mr. Davis then returned to his homestead, which he had been improving and developing. In later years he became an im- portant factor in Republican politics in the county, forwarding by his influence many movements of importance and accepting re- sponsibilities when he believed such a course would be beneficial for the community. He served four years as county assessor.

In January, 1891, Mr. Davis married Miss Frances E. Brown, a lady of unusual intellect and educational prominence. Mrs. Davis was born at Sidney, Iowa, a daughter of James N. and Lois (Clark) Brown, the former born in Canada and the latter in Michigan. They had seven children and Mrs. Davis is the youngest of the five survivors. She attended school at Sidney and Hamburg, Iowa, and after being graduated from the high school at Tabor, in 1889 came to Nebraska and engaged in teach- ing school at Madison, returning then to Iowa. In 1890 she was elected the second superin- tendent of the schools of Scottsbluff county and served ably in this responsible position for two years. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have two children, Edwin P. and Alice E. Edwin P. Davis was born April 22, 1897, attended school at Minatare, Nebraska, and was graduated at Ames, Iowa. He volunteered June 5, 1917, in Company E, Fifth Nebraska National Guards, was in training at Camp Cody, was transferred to the One Hundred Thirty-fourth Infantry, and accompanied the American Expeditionary Forces to France in October, 1918, and re- mained in Europe in the Army of Occupation for twenty-five months. During this time Mr. Davis served in Company K, Forty- seventh Infantry, Fourth Division, during the World War, marched into Germany with the American Army of Occupation, and after the armistice was stationed at Addrian, Remogen and Coblenz, Germany until relieved and re- turned home, being honorably discharged at Camp Dodge, August 4, 1919. Alice E., the one daughter of the family, is a graduate of the Scottsbluff high school and is attending college at Ames, Iowa. Mrs. Davis is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church and is actively interested in social questions of the day and in various charities that appeal to her benev- olent impulses. Mr. and Mrs. Davis suffered a severe bereavement in the death of his sister, who was the wife of the late Edwin F. Moul- ton, a noted educator, superintendent of

JOHN A. JONES AND FAMILY

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

schools of Cleveland, Ohio, and at time of death was president of the board of trustees of the Kent State Normal School. Mrs. Moul- ton was very prominent in club life and at the time of her death, in 1911, was chairman of the civics department of the Federation of Women's Clubs.

From the earliest date of agitation looking toward the great irrigation project, Mr. Davis has been actively and intelligently interested and served as secretary of the first meeting called to consider ditch construction, and for some time was secretary of the Beard ditch, now the nine mile ditch. He was equally alert concerning other worthy enterprises, was a member of the North Platte Water-users As- sociation for seven years and was secretary of the first Beet Growers Association. In 1916 Mr. Davis sold his farm and bought a com- fortable and attractive residence in Scotts- bluff. He is identified with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, and serves on many committees looking to the public good. Men like Daniel D. Davis never find a retired life useless or lonesome.

There is an interesting historical record of the first Davis in this country. He was Capt. Dolor Davis, who came from England in 1634. He had land granted him in 1659, near Con- cord, was prominent in matters affecting the Plymouth colony, and followed the useful trades of carpenter and surveyor.

JOHN A. JONES, a native son of the Sun- flower state, while he is a comparative new- comer in Scottsbluff county, where he took up his residence in 1900, has succeeded in firmly establishing himself in a position of prominence in agricultural circles, as well as in the con- fidence of his many friends and associates. When he entered upon independent commer- cial life he was possessed of little save inherent ability and the determination to succeed, and these have been sufficient to enable him to gain a comfortable fortune and fine landed prop- erty.

John Jones was born in Kansas, January 15, 1860, the son of D. B. and Margaret (Cowen) Jones, the former a sturdy son of New Eng- land, who came west at an early day to take advantage of the opportunity of acquiring land in the new territory opened for settlement dur- ing slave days. The children in the family numbered fourteen, eleven of whom are still living : Laura, married Herman Gofferth and now lives in Emerson, Iowa; Ella, the wife of Roswell Crossett of Spokane, Washington ; Anna, married Henry Hawk, of Oregon; Ar- thur, a resident of Burns, Oregon ; Florrie and

William live in Scottsbluff county ; Fred lives in Buffalo county; Alice, the wife of George Veal, of Buffalo county; Addie, the wife of Thomas Wells, lives in Stapleton, Nebraska. Mary, Hettie and Frank are dead. The Jones family removed from Kansas to Illinois, then to Iowa, and from there to Buffalo county, Nebraska, and it was there that John received the education afforded by the public schools, leading the life of a boy on a frontier farm, gaining experience in agricultural life from direct association with it, and many a good lesson is thus learned in the hard but sure school of experience, lessons never to be for- gotten in later life. Mr. Jones was a mature man of forty when he determined to take ad- vantage of new country and located in Scotts- bluff county in 1900, buying eighty acres of land on which he has since made his home. He is a sincere advocate of intensive farming with irrigation and his marked success in this line may well be followed by those of less experi- ence. When he arrived in the western section of the state the only improvement on the land was a sod and log house of some early settler ; this was entirely inadequate to his use and for his family and within a short time he had a large comfortable residence erected, to which he may point with pride.

All of his land is under irrigation which in- sures crops no matter what the weather con- ditions. Mr. Jones is engaged in general farm- ing and dairying but devotes special time and attention to his bees, making such a success and specialty of this side-line that one year he shipped three tons of honey, which at present prices means a comfortable income. Because of his apiary. Mr. Jones has become known far and near as "Honey" Jones, a title in which he takes no small pride. He is a tireless worker and engages in any industry that promises a worthy recompense, as eleven years he has supplied Scottsbluff with ice and another year in addition to his regular farm undertakings, milked seventeen cows. He has a keen, shrewd brain, is far-sighted, and these qualities added to hard work are safe and sure landmarks along the highway to fortune. On June 1, 1887, Mr. Jones married Ida M. Tottersman, a native of Indiana, and to this union five chil- dren have been born: Mabel, married Earl Enes of Bayard, Nebraska ; Roy A .. who lives next to the home place ; Ima, the wife of James Chris Lynch, living at Lingle, Wyoming ; Hazel, the wife of J. H. Cassidy, also a resi- dent of Lingle, Wyoming ; and B. W., who is at home.

When the Jones family first came to Nebras- ka they made the trip in a prairie schooner to

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

Buffalo county, encountering all the dangers and sharing all the hardships incident to set- tlers in the new country, but they had been reared to some privations and soon were too busy establishing the new home to think of mere comforts that they knew soon would be theirs. When Mr. Jones removed to Scotts- bluff county he followed the same method his father had and drove overland in a covered wagon, though it was not a necessity, as at the time of the first trip. Since then he has seen all the wonderful progress and material devel- opments that have taken place in this great commonwealth in over a half century and to- day may sometimes be induced to recount some of the early experiences he and the family had when first arrived west of the great Muddy, as the Missouri river was known. Having a keen, preceptive, and retentive mind these stories of pioneer days are not only interesting but instructive. Mr. Jones is an independent thinker on all subjects pertaining to the civic and political life of his section and the nation and it but follows that he is an independent in politics ; is a public-spirited citizen and an all- American.

ROBERT HAXBY, who is a highly re- spected resident of Scottsbluff, a retired farm- er of ample means and possessed of the good judgment and experience that make him a wise and prudent advisor on many questions of civic importance, is a native of Iowa, born in Dubuque county, in 1852, came to Nebraska in 1871 and to this pleasant, healthful little city in 1916.

The parents of Mr. Haxby were William and Dorothy (Bradley) Haxby, both of whom were born in the same neighborhood in York- shire, England. Shortly after their marriage they came to the United States, settled in Iowa and there he followed his trade of wag- onmaker and wheelwright until the end of his life. After his death, the mother of Mr. Hax- by came to Nebraska and died in this state. Of their seven children Robert is one of the three survivors, the others being: John, a re- tired farmer living at Fremont, Nebraska, and Mary, the wife of Joseph Smith, who is a re- tired farmer living at Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska. The parents were most worthy people in every relation of life, and they were faithful mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Robert Haxby began life on a farm and con- tinued to be interested in agricultural pursuits during his entire active life. In 1871 he came to Saunders county, Nebraska, bought land that he has never parted with, and at the pres- ent time has 154 acres, which command $300

an acre. Mr. Haxby has been unusually suc- cessful in all his undertakings and has been numbered with the solid men of the Platte valley. In 1916 he moved to Scottsbluff with the hope that this city's even climate might be beneficial to Mrs. Haxby, a hope that has been realized.

In 1886 Mr. Haxby was united in marriage to Miss Amelia Rasch, who was born in Saun- ders county, Nebraska, and is a daughter of William and Philopena (Tillman) Rasch, both of whom were born in Germany. They came to the United States in 1858, lived for a time in New York, came then to Omaha, Nebraska, and subsequently homesteaded in Saunders county. The first home that Mrs. Haxby re- members in Saunders county, was a sod house, with outbuildings also of sod construction, this kind of house prevailing over wide areas in early days here when the transportation of humber was difficult. To Mr. and Mrs. Haxby the following children were born : William C., who lives on his wheat ranch in Cheyenne county, Nebraska; Benjamin Robert, who manages his father's property in Saunders county ; Esther Fay, who is an independent young business woman at Scottsbluff ; Myrtle Ruth, who is the wife of Frank Anderson, for- merly in the plumbing business at Scottsbluff, returned June, 1919, an overseas soldier in the American army in France ; and Everett Lyle, who is attending school. Mr. Haxby and his family are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church. In politics he is a Republican as was his father before him.

JAMES BAXTER, who came to what is now Scottsbluff county, Nebraska, in 1888, has lived in this county ever since and is one of its substantial and well thought of citizens. Mr. Baxter has been a good farmer, an honorable and useful citizen, and on his own land and underneath his own care has reared a worthy and creditable family. Since 1917 he has lived retired at Scottsbluff.

James Baxter was born in Fermanaugh county, Ireland, September 16, 1854. His parents were James and Margaret (Mont- gomery) Baxter, both of whom died in Ire- land, both Scotch. Of their eight children four came to America, namely: Alexander, Mrs. Martha Kennedy, Mrs. Maria Beatty, and James. Alexander came to the United States and engaged in the draying business at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, from 1864 until his death in 1905. Maria is the wife of George Beatty, a farmer in Madison county, Nebras- ka. The parents were members of the Pres- byterian church.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

James Baxter attended school in his native land and made himself useful to his father, who was a farmer, until 1874, when he came to the United States. During one year he re- mained with his brother Alexander at Pitts- burg, then went to Delaware county, Iowa, where he worked for five years on different farms, for about $200 a year, then rented a farm in Iowa for four years. In 1888 he came to Nebraska and pre-empted his present farm in what was then Cheyenne but is now Scotts- bluff county, and for years afterward devoted himself closely to its improvement. Mr. Bax- ter now owns 120 acres of well improved, ir- rigated land, as a just reward for his perse- verance and industry. In 1917, he decided the time had come when he could take a rest, therefore he bought a nice property on a pleas- ant avenue in Scottsbluff, having turned his farm over to the management of his eldest son-in-law.

Mr. Baxter was married while living in Iowa, to Miss Anna Crothers, who was born October 15, 1853, in Ireland, and came to the United States with her parents in 1864, who settled in Delaware county. She was a daugh- ter of William and Margaret (Ramsey) Croth- ers, both natives of Ireland. He died July 4, 1865, one year after coming to the United States, leaving a large family of children. The mother died in Iowa at the age of sixty- seven, they were both members of the Metho- dist church and of Scotch descent. They have had children as follows: Mary E., who is the wife of Howard H. Elsabach, a lumber man at Henry, Nebraska ; James, who operates his own farm near Scottsbluff ; Sarah, who is the wife of W. O. Powell, a railroad man in Mon- tana; Mattie, who is the wife of Mike J. Helen, a farmer on Mr. Baxter's old home- stead; Etta, who is the wife of C. G. Nicholas, a farmer near Mr. Baxter; John Alexander, who was in military service at Camp Funston, during the great war for seventeen months ; and Alma Lillian, who was a victim of influ- enza, in November, 1918. Mr. Baxter and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal. church. In politics he is a Republican.

MILLARD F. CLUCK. - Perhaps no Am- erican story writers have a wider audience than those who write understandingly, or otherwise, of western ranch life. Their unconventional tales are usually most interesting, for a spirit of freedom and adventure lies dormant in every one, and more emphasis is laid on this fea- ture than on the sordid details that are neces- sary in the practical conduct of a great ranch,

in which thousands of dollars are pretty sure to have been invested. In many ways life on a ranch in Nebraska undoubtedly pleases and satisfies, but it must also profit or such experienced business men as Millard F. Cluck, a well-known resident of Scottsbluff, would not devote his valuable time to operating a a ranch. Mr. Cluck owns four thousand acres of land in Banner county.

Millard F. Cluck was born at Newport, Perry county, Pennsylvania, September 25, 1878, the son of William and Barbara (Creek) Cluck, both born in Perry county. In 1879 they moved to Iowa, where the father fol- lowed the blacksmith trade for ten years, then came to Nebraska and homesteaded in Banner county. The family lived on the ranch until 1899, then moved to Scottsbluff, in which place Mr. Cluck died some years later. He was a man of sturdy character, upright in every act, and a leading member of the Ev- angelical Lutheran church. Of his children the following survive in addition to Millard F .: Curtis M., a farmer in Morrill county, Nebraska; Catherine, the wife of Allen Chamberlain, who is pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Ord, Nebraska; Alice, who married Timothy M. Granshaw, of Council Bluff, Iowa, she died September 10, 1919; and Anna L., the wife of Dee England, a farmer near Orient, Iowa. The paternal grandfather of this family was Jacob Cluck, who spent his life in Pennsylvania.

Millard F. Cluck was well educated in the public schools of Gering, and his first busi- ness experience was in the Irrigators Bank, an association which continued for seven years and when he retired in order to give attention to his own affairs, had become cashier of the institution. In 1907 he moved to Scottsbluff, purchased a desirable property and has since maintained his home here, and taking much interest in the town's progress. His large ranch in Banner county he uses for feeding cattle and is one of the big shippers of this section.

November 28, 1906, Mr. Cluck was united in marriage with Miss Tina Barrett, who was born in Cass county, Nebraska, not far from Weeping Water. She is a daughter of George W. and Ollie ( Wolcott) Barrett, the former a native of New York and the latter of Illi- nois. After their marriage near Elizabeth, Illinois, the parents of Mrs. Cluck came to Cass county, Nebraska, where the father home- steaded. During their first years they lived in a barn, but prosperity came to them and Mr. Barrett is retired from business life and

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resides on his estate in Florida. Mrs. Barrett died in 1913, all her life a faithful member of the Christian church. Mrs. Cluck has three brothers and one sister: Lynn, a farmer and rancher in Canada; Tillie, the wife of John Todd, a rancher in Canada ; Loren, a farmer in Kansas; and Ray, a farmer near Burling- ton, Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Cluck have two daughters, Velma and Mildred, aged respec- tively, eleven and five years. Mrs. Cluck was educated in the high school at Elmwood and in 1901 was graduated from the training de- partment of the Peru normal school. She is a member of the Christian church. In his po- litical views Mr. Cluck is a Republican.

WILLIAM H. GABLE, has for many years been identified with important business inter- ests, both in Nebraska and Wyoming, was born in the southern part of Germany, Febru- ary 5, 1864, the youngest son of Henry Gable. Both parents spent their lives in Germany, where the father kept a hotel. They were members of the Lutheran church.

William H. Gable was left an orphan when yet young. He attended school and followed such pursuits in his native land as were open to him, and June 1, 1878 came to the United States by himself . After landing in the United States Mr. Gable located first in St. Louis, where many of his countrymen lived. As he was learning the English language he accepted any honest employment for a living during the first two years. In 1880 he went to Denver, Colorado, but a year later moved to Wyom- ing where he became a cowboy on a ranch, an occupation he followed for five years. Not such a very long time elapsed however, before his industry had brought him some capital, and for some years he kept working on farms, but later secured land of his own and went in- to the sheep business, in which he prospered. He continued to operate his Wyoming ranch until 1906, when he sold and came to Nebras- ka. He bought land within two miles of Scottsbluff and now has three hundred acres of irrigated land under rental. He has im- portant interests at Scottsbluff, being concern- ed in an independent lumber yard and also in the Scottsbluff creamery.

In 1900 Mr. Gable married Miss Lina Danulat, who was born September 28, 1876 in Alsace-Lorraine, and they have three children : Theodore, who is on the home farm; Martin, employed in the Scottsbluff creamery during vacations ; and Lilly, who is attending school. Mr. Gable reared two nephews, Arnold and Fred Pistorius, both in military service dur-

ing the World War, the latter being a wireless operator. Mr. Gable and his family are mem- bers of the Christian Science church. In poli- tics he has been identified continuously with the Republican party. He is valued highly as a citizen of Scottsbluff, where he has served on the school board and has furthered many worthy enterprises of different kinds.

JOHN W. BLY, who is a member of the Weller Company, at Scottsbluff, is a practical hardware man, having been identified with this line of work ever since leaving his school books. He has been a resident of Scottsbluff since 1912, and in April, 1918, was elected city clerk.

John W. Bly was born at Big Bend, Kan- sas, December 27, 1887, and is a son of Lu- cian G. and Catherine (McDonald) Bly, the former of who was born in Illinois and the latter in Indiana. In 1893 the father located in Colorado, being a traveling representative of a wholesale hardware house, and ever since then the family home has been at Greeley. Of the family of five children, John W. was the second in order of birth, the others being: Winnie, the wife of H. J. Guise, in charge of the poultry department work in connection with the agricultural college at Davis, Cali- fornia; Hazel, the wife of Allen Straight, a farmer near Loveland, Colorado; Lucian, who conducts a tin shop at Scottsbluff ; and Helen, attending school. The parents of the above family are members of the Presbyterian church. In politics the father is a Republi- can, and for many years he has been identi- fied with the Masonic fraternity.

John W. Bly enjoyed excellent educational advantages and in 1906 was graduated from the Teachers College, at Greeley. With the intention of thoroughly learning the hardware business, he started in at the bottom, begin- ning as a stove polisher. Mr. Bly has ad- vanced to his present position through indus- try and close attention and now owns a block of stock in the Weller Company in addition to being its credit manager.

On June 1, 1913, Mr. Bly was united in mar- riage to Miss Sarah E. Lowery, who was born in Iowa, and they have one son, Robert Walter, who has not yet reached his second birthday. Mr. and Mrs. Bly are members of the Presby- terian church. He is a Scottish Rite Mason and has always lived up to the moral stan- dards such a connection makes necessary. His political affiliation has always been with the Republican party. He has been an earnest and active citizen ever since coming here and

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individually and in business is held depend- able and trustworthy.

EDWIN A. CURRIE, who is now num- bered among the substantial agriculturists of Scottsbluff county, has been the architect of his own fortune, and having based his life's struc- ture on substantial foundations, has builded soundly and well. When he entered upon his career he was possessed of little save inherent ability and a determination to succeed, and these have proved ample, through their devel- opment, to enable him to become a well-to-do farmer, stockman, and banker in a community which does not lack for able men.

Edwin A. Currie is of staunch Scotch an- cestry on both the paternal and maternal sides as the respective names fully indicate. He was born in northeastern Ohio, March 6, 1858, the son of James and Marion ( Hamilton) Currie. both natives of the vicinity of the famous Scotch city of Glasgow. To them were born four children : Lucille M., who married Jason Beach, is deceased; Edwin; James R., who lives in Ohio, and Maggie H., the wife of Fred Simpson, also lives in Ohio.

The parents were some of the fine Scotch settlers who came to the United States during the nineteenth century, as they emigrated from their native land about 1849 and soon after reaching America located in Ohio where the father followed farming as a life work, being eminently successful in this chosen vocation. The family were members of the Methodist Episcopal church in Ohio, where the father died in 1898, being survived by his wife who lived to a hearty old age, passing away in 1903.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 19

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