History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 2

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

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

office there. They continued in business un- til February, 1889, when Mr. Hampton re- signed from the firm to devote his time and energies to the organization of the American Bank of Alliance, as he believed that there was a great future for banking business in the newly developed country. Associated with him in this enterprise were O. M. Carter of Omaha, as president; A. S. Reed of Alli- ance, vice-president; and Mr. Hampton as- sumed office as cashier. The board of direct- ors consisted of these same officers, J. H. Danskin and I. E. Tash. The new bank was established with a capital stock of $25,000 and operated one year when it was merged into the First National Bank of Alliance, which had a capital stock of $50,000. It was con- ducted under the same board of directors and the same personnel as to officers. For thirty years Mr. Hampton has taken a leading part in the financial life of the county and the Panhandle. Three years ago he assumed the office of president of this sound, prosperous and progressive house. His high integrity, steady purpose and business foresight have begotten that popular confidence which is so essential in the furtherance of the important enterprise along which he had directed his at- tention and energies for a quarter of a cen- tury, and through which he has gained secure status as one of the representative figures in the financial circles of northwestern Nebraska. Mr. Hampton is also interested in the Lake Side State Bank, of which he is a stockholder and director. From 1900 to 1911, in addition to his financial affairs, Mr. Hampton operated a ten thousand acre ranch located southwest of Alliance which he sold to Hall and Graham.

Today the First National Bank is the lead- ing financial institution of Alliance and Box Butte county ; it has a capital stock of $50,- 000, surplus of $50,000 and deposits of $1,- 250,000. The personnel of the banking house in 1919 was as follows: R. M. Hampton, president ; C. E. Ford, vice-president ; F. Abegg, cashier. The board of directors con- sists of R. M. Hampton, M. Hampton, C. E. Ford, F. Abegg and J. M. Kimberling.

In October, 1888, Mr. Hampton was mar- ried at Logan, Ohio, to Miss Minnie Fickell, a native of that place, a daughter of Joseph and Hannah (O'Hara) Fickell. 3 They have but one child living, Dorothy who is attending the Alliance high school. The Hampton fam- ily are all members of the Methodist church of which they are liberal supporters. Both Mr. Hampton and his wife are broad gauged liberal minded people who keep abreast of the

trend of events and are interested in the de- velopment and progress of their commuity and are willing to support with time and money every laudable enterprise that tends to civic and communal welfare. Mr. Hamp- ton is a Republican in politics and though he takes an active interest in political affairs has ever been too busy to accept public office.

ADA M. HALDEMAN. - The fact that a woman can hold important public office and has the capacity to direct affairs with executive energy, can no longer be denied or be con- sidered a subject for criticism even by those who once were frankly incredulous. The truth, however, may be acknowledged, that there are comparatively few women in any community who are qualified for such service. In many fields the sex has undoubtedly won laurels, but men have, as a rule, been a little backward in assisting women to positions of great responsibility. Naturally then it may be assumed that unusual personal qualities and marked scholarship pertain to a woman who has three times been elected to the exacting of- fice of superintendent of schools, which testi- monial has been given and honor paid to Miss Ada M. Haldeman, in Scottsbluff county.

Superintendent Haldeman was born at Avo- ca, in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, one of a family of five children born to Francis Way- land and Martha E. (Lewis) Haldeman. The father of Miss Haldeman was born in 1846, at Marion, Ohio, and died in Iowa, in 1886. The mother was born at West Liberty, Iowa, and resides at Gering. Miss Haldman has one brother and one sister, namely: Henry, who gives attention to the homestead in Scottsbluff county, formerly traveled for the Remington Typewriter Company, but now occupies his leisure in writing for magazines, and Virginia, who is the wife of Nyle Jones, of New Or- leans, Louisiana.

Francis Wayland Haldeman accompanied his people to Iowa in boyhood and was reared and educated there. During the Civil War he served two years as a bugler. He came early to Nebraska, went through some pioneer ex- periences here and did some hunting while looking over land in different parts of the state. He was a nurseryman and understood horticulture and as such was able to treat and preserve many of the early orchards from Grand Island westward. His death occurred in his old home just after he had reserved his homestead in Nebraska. He was a Republican in his political views.

Miss Haldeman completed the high school course before leaving Avoca, Iowa, later se-

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

curing her B.A. degree in the University of Colorado, and was quite young when she en- tered the educational field, teaching in the schools of Iowa, Wyoming, and Nebraska. After coming to Nebraska she taught one year in the city of Lincoln and later for one year in the Scottsbluff high school. In 1914 she was elected county superintendent of Scotts- bluff county, and after a faithful service was reelected in 1916 and 1918. She is devoted in her work, conscientiously giving the best that is in her to maintain the high standards she has set for the county's educational progress. She resides with her mother at Gering, the latter of whom still owns the old homestead, on which a feature was made last year of growing sugar beets. The venture proved very satisfactory and the 100 acres in beets yielded a large income. Miss Haldeman owns a home- stead in Scottsbluff county, situated one mile north of Toohey. Both she and her mother belong to the Congregational church.

WILLIAM HENRY HARDING .- The stable character of Gering's commercial life is shown in the many solid, well-financed indus- tries that are prospering here. There are many industrial concerns that have a wide market for their products and thus carry the name and fame of Gering to other sections, while, at the same time, they promote local prosperity by paying high wage scales to ex- pert workmen. One of these to which atten- tion may be called is the large blacksmithing and wagonmaking business that was founded and is carried on here by William H. Harding.

William Henry Harding was born in De- catur county, Kansas, August 5, 1884, the eld- est of a family of eight children born to William T. and Mary ( Nehls) Harding. The father of Mr. Harding was born in Wiscon- sin, and the mother was a native of Iowa. They were married in Kansas, and her death occurred in 1900. William T. Harding went to Kansas in early manhood and well remem- bers seeing great herds of buffalo in the sec- tion of the state where he settled. He bought a relinquishment claim in Decatur county and lived on his farm there until 1889, when he came to Nebraska and bought another farm, near Gering, and also secured a Kinkaid claim that he has recently sold. He now lives re- tired at Morrill, in Scottsbluff county.

William H. Harding had public school ad- vantages and was graduated from the Gering high school in 1899. After that he went to work on a ranch and in 1905 took a Kinkaid claim, proved up on it and resided there for five years and then sold. In 1912 he came to

Gering and started his present plant and has developed a large business. In addition to manufacturing, he handles farm machinery. As a business man he is held in high esteem, his methods being fair and honorable.

In 1911 Mr. Harding was united in mar- riage to Miss Bessie Cole, who was born at Miller, Nebraska, and they have four children, namely : Henry, James, Daniel, and Ella. Mr. Harding has never been very active in politics but nevertheless is an intensely active citizen where Gering interests are at stake. He be- longs to the Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen, Woodmen of the World, and B. P. O. E.

JAMES P. WESTERVELT, whose nu- merous business interests have made him well acquainted with different sections of the west- ern country, has been a resident of Gering since May 15, 1887, when this was Cheyenne county, before Scottsbluff was organized, and is the able manager of the Farmers Mercantile Company of this city. Despite the handicap of meager educational advantages in youth, Mr. Westervelt has not only been a successful man in several business lines, but in at least two counties in Nebraska has served for years in public offices of trust and responsibility with extreme efficiency.

James P. Westervelt was born in Ionia county, Michigan, March 12, 1869. His par- ents were James H. and Lorena A. (Day) Westervelt, the former of whom was born in New Jersey in 1840 and died in 1908, and the latter in Vermont in 1848, and died in 1912. They married in Vermont and five children were born to them, James P. being the second of the four surviving, all of whom live in this county. Eugene, the eldest, conducts the Scottsbluff Republican ; Claude, who carries on a blacksmith business, and Goldie, the wife of P. Gilbert, a commercial traveler. The par- ents were members of the Baptist church. They moved from Vermont to Michigan in 1868, where James H. Westervelt carried on work as a blacksmith until 1879, when they left Ionia county for Custer county, Nebraska The family lived on the homestead until 1887 and then moved to Gering, where Mr. Wester- velt started a general store which he conducted until 1900, when he returned to work at his trade. He voted with the Republican party.

James P. Westervelt was so circumstanced in boyhood that work on the farm was consid- ered more necessary than that he should gain a good education. He remained in the country until 1888 and then went to Banner county, Nebraska, and started a general store in the village of Freeport, where he remained until

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

1891, during which time he was postmaster. From there he removed to Sheridan, Wy- oming, where he followed ranching until 1905, the year he came to Gering. In the mean- while, for twenty-five years he had engaged in the practice of dentistry, not continuously, but as occasion seemed to demand, having a nat- ural skill in the use of delicate tools and a fair knowledge of the profession through reading and experience. In 1913 Mr. Westervelt as- sisted in the organization of the Farmers Mer- cantile Company at Gering, incorporated and capitalized at $20,000, since which time he has been general manager, dividing his time between the store and a valuable farm he owns in the environs of Gering.

In 1908 Mr. Westervelt was united in mar- riage to Miss Edith W. Sayer, who was born in Iowa. Her father, Reverend E,. H. Sayer, came to Gering in 1897 as pastor of the Pres- byterian church. He now lives retired. Mr. and Mrs. Westervelt have one son, Leon, who assists in his father's store. Mr. and Mrs. Westervelt are church members and active in many benevolent organizations. He is a Scot- tish Rite Mason, has held all the offices in the Blue lodge and for four years was master of his lodge. In politics he has always been a Republican and has served in public office in this county, for some years being on the school and town boards and for four years, from 1904 to 1909, was sheriff of Scottsbluff county.

Mr. Westervelt's brother, Claude, drove into Scottsbluff county, May 15, 1887, in true pio- neer style with a yoke of oxen, coming across the prairies from Custer county, where he had been living. The next year the father came and opened a small store about the time Mr. Westervelt opened his first mercantile estab- lishment at Freeport, Banner county, so the family has a true pioneer history and has be- come well and favorably known in the upper Platte valley.

MATTHEW H. McHENRY, clerk of the District Court and for many years a resident of Gering, was born in Harrison county, Iowa, November 4. 1869. His parents were Oliver O. and Mary Jane ( Hall) McHenry. His father was born in Missouri, near the Iowa line, in 1844, and died in Scottsbluff county, Nebraska, in 1917. His mother was born in 1849, near London, England, and died in Ne- braska, December 29, 1915.

The parents of Mr. McHenry came to Scottsbluff county in February, 1889, home- steaded and spent the rest of their lives here. During life he was a merchant and farmer and also operated an elevator. During the Civil

war he belonged to an organization of state guards. In politics he was a Republican. The mother of Mr. McHenry was a member of the Baptist church, but the father belonged to the Latter Day Saints. Of their five children Matthew H. was the second in order of birth, the others being as follows: Elizabeth Ann, who is the wife of John A. Burton, a retired citizen of Upland, California; Lucy Jane, who is the wife of John Springer, a farmer in Cali- fornia ; Harry H., who lives on his ranch near Torrington, Wyoming ; and Lewellyn O., who is a druggist at Morrill, Nebraska.

Matthew H. McHenry was educated in the public schools and a business college at Wood- bine, Iowa, after which he worked on a ranch, still later operating a ranch of his own. He still owns a fine ranch in Sioux county, Ne- braska, and a valuable farm situated south of Morrill, Nebraska. Mr. McHenry has always deemed an interest in politics a necessary part of good citizenship. In November, 1911, he was made clerk of the District Court, but had served for four years already as county clerk, attending to the duties ex-officio of the district clerk before the latter office was established. Mr. McHenry has been continued in office ever since. He is one of the county's best informed and most courteous officials.

In December, 1895. Mr. McHenry was united in marriage to Miss Mary Belle Weeks, who was born in Missouri and died in Ne- braska, January 18, 1910. She was a member of the Baptist church. She was the mother of three children: Winifred, Wesley O., and Coral, the two younger children being in school. Winifred is the wife of Marvin Dow- nar, who entered military service in the United States on September 22, 1917, accompanied the American Expeditionary Force to Europe and at the time of this writing was with the Army of Occupation in Germany. As a mem- ber of company D in ammunition train 314 he went to the front in September, 1918, and was under fire for forty-two days. Mrs. Downar is a deputy clerk under her father. On No- vember 11, 1911, Mr. McHenry was married to Miss Amanda Sappington, who was born in Keith county, Nebraska, and they have one son, John Roger McHenry, who was born in November, 1916. Mrs. McHenry is a member of the Episcopal church. Mr. McHenry is identified with the Elks at Alliance, and the Odd Fellows at Mitchell, Nebraska.

JOSEPH L. GRIMM, county attorney, has justified the confidence that his fellow citizens of Scottsbluff county reposed in him, when they elected him to this important office in

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

November, 1918. A native of Nebraska, all her interests are dear to him, and from the beginning of his professional career until the present, it has been his aim to defend her cit- izens and maintain their rights in the face of the world.

Joseph L. Grimm was born in Saline coun- ty, Nebraska, December 23, 1883, one of a family of eight children born to Joseph H. and Esther E. (Hess) Grimm. The late Joseph H. Grimm was a man of both profes- sional and political distinction. He was born in Licking county, Ohio, in 1848, and died January 15, 1911. In 1875 he came to Ne- braska and located first at Pleasant Hill, later becoming prominent in public affairs in Saline county and serving two terms in the state leg- islature from that county. He was an able member of the bar and twice was elected coun- ty attorney on the Republican ticket. He mar- ried Esther E. Hess, at Mount Vernon, Iowa, who was born in Linn county, Iowa, in 1854, and died June 25, 1907. Of their six surviv- ing children, Joseph L. is the fourth in order of birth, the others being: Mabel, who is a teacher in the schools of Wilber, Nebraska; James J., who is county judge in Saline coun- ty ; May A., who is the wife of Ralph Woods, a lawyer, of Tacoma, Washington ; Clarence, who has been in military service since Septem- ber, 1917, is a first lieutenant in a regiment of American troops sent to keep order in Siberia, and Hazel, who is the wife of E. H. Shary, of Chester, Pennsylvania. The mother of the above family was a member of the Lutheran church.

Joseph L. Grimm completed the public school course at Wilber, after which he en- tered the law department of the University of Nebraska, from which he was graduated in 1908. In June of that year he entered into practice at Wilber and continued there until May, 1918, when he came to Gering and opened an office in the Gering National Bank building. His legal talent soon became known and on September 2, 1918, he was made dep- uty county attorney ; on October 8 following, was appointed county attorney and his elec- tion followed in November. Mr. Grimm has charge of the bond issue for the proposed new courthouse.

On May 12, 1909, Mr. Grimm was united in marriage to Miss Sady E. Kimport, who was born at Garrison, Iowa, and they have two children : Benjamin Hayes, born May 6, 1910, and Esther Rosalee, born June 10, 1915. Mrs. Grimm is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church. It has been some years since Mr. Grimm became a Mason and he has con-

tinued in good standing ever since and has reached the Royal Arch degree. He is past master of Blue Valley lodge No. 64, F. & A. M., at Wilber, which he served three years and during that entire period missed but two meet- ings. Politically he has always been affiliated with the Republican party.

LEWIS L. RAYMOND, whose name car- ries with it the high regard that comes of hon- orable achievement, is a leader of the bar at Scottsbluff, and a citizen of the county who has served in numerous important official capacities with marked efficiency and great public spirit. A native son of Nebraska, he is a representa- tive of an old pioneer family that settled within its borders almost a half century ago. Mr. Raymond was born October 19, 1871, in Butler county, the son of Seth and Elizabeth ( Love- lace) Raymond.

Seth Raymond was born at Millersburg, Ohio, September 9, 1835, but was a resident of Wisconsin when the Civil War came on. He enlisted April 3, 1861, in Company G, Third Wisconsin volunteer infantry and served faith- fully as a soldier until he was honorably dis- charged at Beaufort, North Carolina, in Feb- ruary, 1865. Until the day of his death, June 10, 1910, he bore the marks of the wounds he received at the battle of Winchester, Virginia. On January 16, 1864, he was united in mar- riage, at Janesville, Wisconsin, to Elizabeth Lovelace, who was born October 4, 1843, at Erie, Pennsylvania. She resides at Scottsbluff, where she is active in the Methodist Episcopal church, to which her husband also belonged. Of their family of nine children, Lewis L. was the fifth in order of birth. In October, 1870, Seth Raymond and his family came to Ne- braska and he homesteaded in Butler county, remaining on his land there until August, 1884, when he moved to Dawson county, from there coming to Scottsbluff county in March, 1887. He took up land five miles southwest of Gering and remained on that farm until March, 1892, when he moved into Gering. where he lived a somewhat retired life until 1905. In the spring of that year he came to Scottsbluff, where his remaining years were passed. He was a man of sterling character, was somewhat active in the Republican party and a Mason in good standing in his lodge.

Lewis L. Raymond had public school ad- vantages in early youth and later spent four years in study in the normal school at Fremont. Like many another intellectual young man, he began business life in the schoolroom and more or less continuously taught school for the fol- lowing fourteen years in Scottsbluff county,

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

during a part of this time devoting himself to the study of law, F. A. Wright being his pre- ceptor. Mr. Raymond was admitted to the bar, November 17, 1902, and soon afterward started practice in this county, where since then he has been identified with many of the most important cases that have come before the courts. He has not, however, been able to de- vote his entire time to his profession for his fellow citizens have often called him into public life. He served one term as deputy county clerk, two terms as county superintendent, two terms as county attorney, and one term as county judge, while in 1909 he was elected to the state senate. Since retiring from the polit- ical field his law practice has absorbed his attention to a great extent and his high stand- ing at the bar is unquestioned.

On September 1, 1897, Mr. Raymond was united in marriage to Miss Mable Shumway, a member of the prominent Shumway family of this section of the state, and they have three children, two sons and one daughter: Charles R., Jack L., and Evelyn. The daughter is still in school. Both sons entered military service as volunteers in 1918, neither of them being of military age, but loyal and patriotic American youths to the core. Charles R. is a sergeant in the Four Hundred Forty-seventh Labor bat- talion, at Camp Humphrey, Virginia, and Jack L. is a member of the United States Marines. Mr. Raymond and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In his polit- ical convictions he is a Republican.

WILLIAM H. LYMAN. - The banking interests that go so far to substantiate the im- portance of Gering, are fortunately in the hands of able financiers and trustworthy busi- ness men. With sound, reliable banking in- stitutions in the background, a community is helped in many ways, this possession giving confidence to investing capitalists who largely base their opinion on the showing of the banks. One of these substantial banks at Gering that has been doing a large and safe business here for many years, is the State Bank of Gering, of which William H. Lyman is vice president and active in its management.

William H. Lyman was born at Kearney, Nebraska, August 12, 1886, the youngest of a family of nine children born to William H. and Maria J. (Van Cleek) Lyman, the latter a native of Canada, who now lives at Weep- ing Water, in Cass county, Nebraska. Mr. Lyman's father was born at Spencer, Massa- chusetts, came to Nebraska as a pioneer and died here in November, 1917, having conduct- ed an insurance and real estate business at

Weeping Water for a number of years. In politics he was a Republican, belonged fra- ternally to the A. O. U. W., and was a faith- ful member of the Congregational church.

William Henry Lyman was educated at Weeping Water. After his graduation from the high school in 1906 his studies were continued in the academy. When prepared to enter bus- iness he chose the jewelry line and Holyoke, Colorado, as his business field. He remained at Holyoke for ten years and during that time became prominent in public affairs of the town, serving on the town board and also as mayor. In 1917 he came to Gering and has been iden- tified with the State Bank of Gering ever since, first as assistant cashier. In August, 1918, Mr. Lyman, together with Mr. Denslow, bought the controlling interest in the bank at the same time becoming vice president, with Lloyd Denslow as president. The latest bank statement of 1919, gives the following: Cap- ital stock, $25,000; undivided profits and sur- plus, $23,000 ; deposits, $400,000. Mr. Lyman is interested in Scottsbluff county irrigated and ranch lands and is a persistent booster for what he says is the best county on earth.

In 1908 Mr. Lyman was united in marriage to Miss Grace Mowry, who was born_on a farm near Marysville, Missouri. Her father, the late Charles M. Mowry, was in the hard- ware business at Holyoke, Colorado, for twen- ty-five years preceding his death. Mr. and Mrs. Lyman have one daughter, Anna Mae, an attractive little maiden of ten years. They are members of the Baptist church and willingly helpful in its many avenues of benevolence. Mr. Lyman is somewhat prominent in the or- der of Knights of Pythias, serving for a time as chancellor commander.

Mr. Lyman has been an independent voter and has at all times felt free to give his polit- ical support to those whose measures his own judgment approved.

ROBERT G. SIMMONS, an able member of the Scottsbluff county bar and formerly county attorney, is widely and favorably known, not only as a young man of brilliant promise in his profession, but as a patriotic soldier when his country needed defenders. Mr. Simmons was in the aviation service.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 2

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