History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 22

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

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rank of captain in the Civil War, under the command of General Grant. Afterward he became a physician at Gering, Nebraska and continued in practice there until his death.

The parents of Mr. Neighbors are Joseph G. and Carrie A. (Franklin) Neighbors, who were born, reared and married in the state of Missouri. They came to Nebraska in 1885, settling first in Custer county, but in 1887 the father homesteaded in Scottsbluff county and the family home has been near McGrew ever since. The father has always been affiliated with the Democratic party but has never accepted public office. He is a member of the Baptist church and was one of the founders of the lodge of Odd Fellows at Bayard. The mother was reared in the Methodist Episcopal faith. Of their five chil- dren three survive: Grace, the wife of Sam- uel Shove, a merchant at Glenrock, Wyoming ; Thomas F., of Bridgeport ; and Melvin, who resides on a farm near McGrew.

Thomas F. Neighbors attended the country schools in early boyhood, in 1908 was gradu- ated from the high school at Bayard, from the Wesleyan Academy at Lincoln, in 1912, and in 1915 completed his course in law at the University of Nebraska. He immediately entered into practice with F. E. Williams, the partnership being dissolved when both answer- ed the call to arms, Mr. Neighbors entering service May 12, 1917. For three months af- terward he was in the training camp at Fort Snelling, Minnesota and afterward until his discharge in February, 1919, was at Camp Dodge. Upon his return to private life Mr. Neighbors immediately picked up the broken threads of his personal business and re-estab- lished his law practice at Bridgeport where he has found his professional efforts appreciated. He has served as city attorney both at Bayard and Bridgeport.

On Spetember 4, 1918, Mr. Neighbors was united in marriage to Miss Irene Welsher, who was born at Knoxville, Iowa, a daughter of B. R. Welsher. Mrs. Neighbors grew up in the Methodist Episcopal church, but Mr. Neighbors is an Episcopalian. In politics he is active in his support of Republican doc- trine, and fraternally is identified with the Knights of Pythias. He is a young man of stable, well poised character, able in his pro- fession and earnest and public spirited as a citizen.

ROBERT E. BARRETT. - The purchaser of land who is careless about securing a clear title to the same, often finds himself involved in serious legal difficulties as to real owner-

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ship. Hence the careful, patient abstractor is best called in, his accurate and attested docu- ments making investments sound and safe. In Robert E. Barrett, city clerk of Bridgeport, Morrill county has one who has had long ex- perience in the abstract business. Mr. Bar- ret is a native of Nebraska, born at North Platte, October 23, 1872.

His parents were Harry and Jane (Bar- chard) Barrett, the former born in Ireland and the latter in England. Both came to the United States as young people and were mar- ried in the state of Missouri. Of their twelve children Robert E. was the seventh born and six still survive. The father was connected with railroad construction work all his life, a vigorous, hardy, dependable man. While yet young, in Missouri, he was foreman of section gangs and after coming to Nebraska in 1867, was continued in the same position and for years was employed in construction work in the vicinity of Lodgepole, where both he. and wife died. They were faithful members of the Roman Catholic church. In his earlier years the father was a Democrat but the issues brought forward in the, campaign of 1884 when Hon. James G. Blaine was a candidate, caused him to change his party allegiance and ever afterward was a Republican.

Robert E. Barrett attended school at Lodge- pole and Chappell, Nebraska, and the first work he ever did was as a laborer on the railroad. In the course of years he was in- terested along other lines, and in 1904 he was elected county clerk in old Cheyenne coun- ty, serving four years. It was while acting in this public capacity that he did his first ab- stract work and was the only abstractor in the county. Later he moved to Julesburg, Colo- roda, where he engaged in the lumber business for seven years before coming to Bridgeport to open an abstract office, and has developed this business into one of great importance. In politics he is a Republican, is city clerk of Bridgeport, was census enumerator in 1900, and is secretary of the Northport Irrigation District. In 1897 Mr. Barrett was united in marriage to Miss Grace Durkee, who was born in the state of New York, a daughter of David Cook Durkee, a homesteader in Ne- braska. Later he and wife removed to Jules- burg, Colorado, and still live there. Mr. and Mrs. Barrett have three children : Maude, Barchard and Leander. The family belongs to the Presbyterian church. It is not always that men immersed in business cares find leis- ure for literary expression even if they have talent, and it must be conceded that Mr. Bar-

rett has had a fairly busy life. Nevertheless, he has found time to add to the world's con- tribution of enjoyable literature, has published one book, "Treading the Narrow Way," and has written poetry of high literary quality.

WILLIAM E. GUTHRIE, whose exten- sive business activities and public efforts have made him prominent for years in Wyoming and Nebraska, has been a resident of Bridge- port since 1904, and he is now secretary of the board of irrigation in this district. Mr. Guthrie was born at Rue, in Marion county, Ohio, July 26, 1849, the son of Isaac F. and Rachel (Fredrick) Guthrie. The father was born in Ohio, a son of Joseph Guthrie, and a grandson of Colonel John Guthrie, an officer in the Revolutionary War, who was born in Pennsylvania and settled at an early day in Pike county, Ohio. The mother was born in Virginia, a daughter of John Fredrick, an early settler of Ohio. Mr. Guthrie's parents were married in Ohio and he was the second born of their twelve children, the other sur- vivors being as follows: S. A., in the sheep business in Wyoming; a sister, who is the wife of County Clerk Clelland, of Converse county, Wyoming; P. E., in the cattle busi- ness, lives at Broken Bow, Nebraska; and another sister, the wife of J. B. Russell, a capitalist of Savannah, Missouri. The father of this family was very prominent in Marion county, Ohio, for many years. He was a successful farmer there and owned his Ohio farm until the time of his death, although, in 1885 he came to Merrick County, Nebraska, bought land near Clarks, and died on that place. In politics he was a Democrat. For twelve years he was county commissioner of Marion county and for fifteen years was a justice of the peace. He belonged to the Ma- sonic fraternity and lived up to every rule of the order. The mother of Mr. Guthrie was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the father was a liberal contributor. They were people of solid worth and their descend- ants recall them with emotions of pride and veneration.

William E. Guthrie enjoyed educational ad- vantages in the district schools in boyhood and later in the Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio. From college he returned home to give his father assistance and remained until 1878, when he came to Wyoming and there, for twenty-five years prospered in the cattle busi- ness. In 1895 he located in Omaha and short- ly afterward bought a farm and feedyard at Clarks, in Merrick county, where he contin- ued to handle cattle for the next twenty years.

ELMER Z. JENKINS AND WIFE

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

In the meanwhile he had become active in the political field and in 1890 was elected to the Wyoming state legislature on the Republican ticket and took part in bringing about some very important legislation. In 1904, when Mr. Guthrie came first to Morrill county, he became deeply interested in the irrigation pro- jects and bought land along the Belmont Ir- rigation Canal, has continued his active in- terest and, as mentioned above is secretary of the board that is expending $75,000 in putting in drains and headgate in the Morrill county irrigation district. Mr. Guthrie owns four irrigated farms and gives much of his time to their development.

In 1885 Mr. Guthrie was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Hewitt, who was born at Zanesville, Ohio, but was reared in Des Moines, Iowa. They have one daughter, Margaret, the wife of I. P. Hewitt, who is connected with the Puget Sound Navy Yard, at Everett, Washington. They have two chil- dren : William Guthrie Hewitt and Helen Hewitt. Mr. Guthrie is a York Rite Mason and a Shriner and belongs also to the Knights of Pythias and the Elks.

ELMER Z. JENKINS. - In section 1. township 23-56, near the thriving town of Mitchell, in the north central part of Scotts- bluff county, will be found the attractive and admirably improved farm home of him whose name initiates this paragraph, who is success- fully engaged in general farming and stock- growing and who is known and valued as one of the influential and representative citizens of the community.

Mr. Jenkins is a contribution made to Ne- braska by the fine old Buckeye state, but there is no faltering in his appreciation of and loyalty to the great state in which he has achieved prosperity through his own well ordered en- deavors. He was born in Jackson county, Ohio, September 30, 1872, and is a son of An- drew J. and Charlotte (Moore) Jenkins, he a native of Ohio, and she of Missouri, the father being eighty years of age and the mother above seventy years at the time of this writing, in the winter of 1919. Andrew J. Jenkins was a farmer in Ohio but he went as a pioneer into Kansas, where he took up and perfected title to a tree claim, a property upon which he made good improvements and upon which he contin- ued to reside several years. He was a member of a gallant Ohio regiment that did valiant ser- vice in defense of the Union during the Civil War, and in his venerable years he finds deep satisfaction in his affiliation with the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a stalwart Re-

publican in politics, and his wife is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their seven children, Elmer Z., of this re- view, is one of the two eldest, his twin sister, Bertina, now a resident of Lincoln, Nebraska, being the widow of Lafayette Sherrow; Mary is married and resides at Shenandoah, Iowa; William is a painter and decorator by vocation and resides at Kansas City, Missouri ; Albert is a street-car conductor in the city of Lincoln, Nebraska; Roy resides in Kansas City; and Lottie is deceased.

Elmer Z. Jenkins gained his youthful edu- cation in the public schools of Ohio and Kan- sas, and he has been a resident of Scottsbluff county since 1908, when he entered claim to the homestead upon which he has since main- tained his residence, the same comprising eighty acres, and the entire tract having excel- lent irrigation facilities. He has erected good buildings and made other modern improve- ments on the place, and is making definite suc- cess in connection with his vigorous enterprise as an agriculturist and stock-raiser. He has added eighty acres to his holdings by purchase. He is influential in community affairs, has served nine years as a member of the board of directors of the consolidated schools of which his district is a part, and he is treasurer of the Farmers Union at Mitchell. In politics he maintains an independent attitude and votes in consonance with the dictates of his judgment. He and his wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Mitchell and he is a valued and popular teacher in its Sunday school, as well as liberal in the support of all departments of its work.

In 1898 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Jenkins to Miss Gertrude E. Hoy, daughter of Daniel Hoy, who came from Virginia to Ne- braska and who is now a prosperous farmer near Saltillo, Lancaster county, this state. To Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins have been born four children : Arthur married Helen Lukens and will reside in this neighborhood; Carl and Clarence are at the parental home, and Inez died at the age of nine years. In a fraternal way Mr. Jenkins is actively identified with the Mitchell Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America.

ALBERT E. FISHER, who owns the con- trolling interest in the Nebraska State Bank at Bridgeport, of which he is cashier, is not only widely known in financial circles but for many years was one of the foremost educa- tors in the state. Mr. Fisher was born at Wy- anet, in Bureau county, Illinois, November 5, 1871 and was brought by his parents to Ne-

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braska in infancy. He has spent his life in this state and some years ago homesteaded in Dawes county, south of Chadron.

The parents of Mr. Fisher, Eugene K. and Hulda S. (Smith) Fisher, were born, reared and married in Illinois. Of their six children, Albert E. is one of the four sur- vivors, the others being: Henry L., a retired ranchman who lives at Chadron; Nellie M., the wife of Morgan H. Nichols, a merchant at Chadron; and Ralph W., a traveling sales- man out of San Francisco, lives at Oakland, California. In 1872 the parents came to Fill- more county, Nebraska. The father has been a farmer all his life and owns a section of land in Dawes county, but now lives retired at Chadron, where the mother died. She was a faithful member of the, Presbyterian church and a woman of beautiful Christian charac- ter. The father was reared in the Baptist faith. He has always given his political sup- port to the Republican party and for many years has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Albert E. Fisher entered Chadron Academy, from which he was graduated in 1898. He had taught school in the meantime, for six years, then entered the university at Omaha, from which he was graduated in 1905. He found teaching a congenial vocation and continued in the educational field until 1917. during this time serving as superintendent of schools at Beemer, Nebraska, from 1905 to 1908; at Neligh, from 1908 to 1910, and was superin- tendent of the Aurora schools from 1910 to 1917. when he retired from educational work. He then embarked in the banking business at Bayard where he remained one year as presi- dent of the Farmers State Bank of Bayard, then came to Bridgeport, taking over the con- trolling interest in the Nebraska State Bank of this city. This institution is a sound, re- liable, prosperous bank, with a capital of $25,000; surplus and profits $5.000; and av- erage deposits $70,000. In 1918 Mr. Fisher was elected president of the Bankers Asso- ciation of Nebraska. He has been honored many times by the Nebraska State Teachers Association, and has served in all the higher offices of that body and for five years was a member of the state examining board.

On December 26, 1905. Mr. Fisher was united in marriage to Miss Katherine C. Clark, who was born at Craig, Nebraska, and they have three children : Katherine. John A. and Helen C., all attending school. Mr. Fisher and family belong to the Presbyterian church. He is active in the Masonic lodge at Bridge-

port, is past master at Aurora and Bayard, belongs to the Royal Arch at Aurora, and is a charter member and master under dispensa- tion at Bayard and now a member of Camp Clark lodge at Bridgeport. He belongs also to the order of Highlanders. In his political views he is a Republican.

CHARLES E. STEUTEVILLE, post- master at Bridgeport, from the nature of his office is one of the city's best known citizens, and because of his efficient administration of the same, is one of the most popular. He be- longs to an old and most worthy Nebraska family and was born in Nemaha county in 1885, being a son of Richard F. and a broth- er of Judge J. H. Steuteville.

Charles E. Steuteville completed the high school course at Brownville and then spent one year in the normal school at Peru, Ne- braska. He embarked in business as manager of a hardware store and lumber yard and for a number of years was identified with the lumber industry. For eight years he was an employe of the Edwards-Bradford Lumber Company of Sioux City, Iowa, and for three years filled an important position with the C. N. Dietz Lumber Company of Omaha. In 1908 he came to Morrill county and home- steaded, later worked for the Bridgeport Mer- cantile Company, and for two years acted as assistant postmaster. On May 15, 1918, he was appointed postmaster and took charge of the office, with the duties of which he was al- ready familiar. This post office is continual- ly growing in importance and Mr. Steuteville has taken advantage of every opportunity af- forded him to improve the local service.

In 1911 Mr. Steuteville was united in mar- riage to Miss Eva L. Todd, who was born in Missouri. They have one son, John Richard, born July 3, 1913. Mrs. Steuteville is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church. Postmaster Steuteville's political affiliation has always been with the Democratic party and he is a member of high standing in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Bridgeport.

MARTIN HANNAWALD. - When that great artery of transportation, the Union Pa- cific Railroad, had been completed across Ne- braska and the territory had become a state of the Union, many substantial and far-seeing men of the states farther eastward, began to take an interest in the prairie lands of the new state, and one of these was Martin Han- nawald, then a farmer in Michigan and now a retired resident of Bridgeport. For forty-

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five years this family has belonged to Ne- braska, and for almost thirty years Mr. Han- nawald was a representative farmer and stock- man in Hamilton county.

Martin Hannawald was born in the state of New York, November 11, 1848, and obtained his schooling there. He was yet a young man when he came as far west as Chicago, Illinois, where he lived for three years, dur- ing that time driving an express wagon for a livelihood, and then went to Van Buren county, Michigan, as a farm worker. It was while so engaged that he met and was sub- sequently married to Miss Elizabeth Mather, who was born in Van Buren county and is one of the two survivors of three children born to Reuben and Celia (Caveney) Mather. They were natives of New York, where Mr. Mather was a well-to-do farmer. They drove from New York in a covered wagon to Michigan, where the father of Mrs. Hannawald became a prominent man. He was a Republican in politics and served as township treasurer for seventeen years. Both parents of Mrs. Han- nawald were members of the Baptist church. Her one brother, Wright Mather, is a pro- duce merchant at Saginaw, Michigan.

In 1874 Mr. and Mrs. Hannawald come to Nebraska and bought land in Hamilton coun- ty and for many years lived on that property and then sold and came to Morrill county. Here Mr. Hannawald purchased a large ranch and was in the stock business during the rest of his active life, in 1911 retiring to Bridge- port. Of the family of eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hannawald the following sur- vive : Hattie, the wife of C. D. James, a farm- er near Ericson, Nebraska; Celia, who mar- ried M. J. Cass, a retired farmer near Long Beach, California; Thomas J., who lives at Aurora, Nebraska; N. L., who homesteaded as also did his wife and live near Bridgeport ; and Blondena, the wife of M. Beerline, a hardware merchant at Bridgeport. Mr. Han- nawald has always voted the Republican ticket but has never been willing to serve in public office though often urged, as a man of high standing and sound judgment, to accept such responsibility. He belongs to the Ma- sonic fraternity and both he and wife are members of the Eastern Star, in which Mrs. Hannawald has been active and prominent. She served as the first Worthy Matron of Bridgeport Chapter No. 260. Mr. and Mrs. Hannawald can recall many interesting events of pioneer life in Nebraska, and they cherish many kind thoughts of those who, like them- selves, had the courage and endurance to

bear the inevitable hardships and helped to bring about better conditions.

RALPH O. CANADAY, one of the younger members of the Bridgeport bar, came to this city to establish himself in his profession in March, 1919, after his return from military service during the World War. Lieutenant Canaday was born at Minden, Nebraska, April 4. 1891, the elder of two sons born to Joseph S. and Mary Jane (Winters) Canaday. His brother, Walter A. Canaday, is in the real estate business at Bridgeport ; and his sister, Mary Golda, is a senior in the State Univer- sity.

Senator Canaday, father of Ralph O. Cana- day, was born in Sullivan county, Indiana, a son of John Canaday, who was born in Ken- tucky, lived subsequently in Indiana, Illinois and Nebraska and died in the last named state in 1900. The Canadays probably settled in Ken- tucky contemporary with Daniel Boone and the grandfather of Senator Canaday was the the only member of his family that escaped during an Indian attack on the unprotected settlements. Joseph S. Canaday was married in Illinois to Mary Jane Winters, who was born in Crawford county, that state, and in 1887 they came to Nebraska. He bought land in Kearney county and still lives at Minden. He has been very prominent in Democratic politics in the county, served in the state sen- ate, was county superintendent of schools and also county treasurer and has frequently been suggested for other public positions of respon- sibility. He was the organizer of the Co-op- erative Elevator Association found all over the state and is president of the same. With his family he belongs to the Christian Science church.

Ralph O. Canaday was graduated from the Minden high school in 1909 and spent six years in the State University, in 1915 being graduated with the degree of A. B. and in 1918 received his LL.B. degree. He was admitted to the bar in 1917 and practiced at Minden until May 17, 1918, when he entered the Na- tional army, going to the officers' training school at Camp Dodge, and was commissioned second lieutenant of Company D Eighty- eighth infantry on August 26, 1918. The end of hostilities came before his regiment left Camp Dodge, and he received his discharge January 31, 1919. In March following he came to Bridgeport, formed a partnership with William Ritchie, Jr., and has been en- gaged in the practice of law here ever since with encouraging success. He has charge of the Central States Investments Company's

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business in Morrill county. In politics Mr. Canaday is a Democrat and fraternally a Ma- son, belonging to Lodge No. 19 A. F. & A. M. at Lincoln. He belongs to the Christian Sci- ence church.

WALTER A. CANADAY, second son of Hon, Joseph S. Canaday and Mary Jane (Winters) Canaday, was born at Minden, Ne- braska, March 22, 1893. He was graduated from the high School of Minden in 1913, after which he took a commercial course in Boyle's Business college at Omaha. He then went on his father's farm in Kearney county and re- mained interested there until in August, 1917, when he joined a medical corps for service in the World War, accompanied the Ameri- can Expeditionary Force to France, where he served from August, 1918, until May, 1919, when he was discharged. He returned home and visited one week, then came to Bridge- port and embarked in the real estate business in partnership with R. C. Neumann. Mr. Canaday's business future looks bright. Like his brother he belongs to the Christian Science church. Both are held in the highest possible esteem.

RAYMOND C. NEUMANN, a leader in the real estate business at Bridgeport in part- nership with Walter A. Canaday, is widely and favorably known. For many years he was identified with agricultural interests in the state and later with business enterprises in this city. Mr. Neumann is a native of Nebraska and was born at Sidney, July 19, 1875, a son of Henry and Fidelia (McMurray ) Neumann, the former of whom was born in Hanover, Germany, and the latter in Iowa. They were married at Sidney, Nebraska, and three of their four children survive, Hank R., Ray- mond C. and Rosebud. The father came to the United States when fourteen years of age and shortly afterward enlisted at New York in the United States army, came to the western country as a soldier, took part in Indian war- fare and assisted in guarding the railroad workers when the Union Pacific Railroad was being built into Sidney. Later he became a stockman in Cheyenne county, Nebraska, and his death occurred at Denver, in 1910, where the widow yet survives. Mr. Neumann was a prominent factor in Republican politics in Cheyenne county and served as county com- missioner.

Raymond C. Neumann obtained his educa- tion in the public schools and later taught school for two years, during 1896-97. He be-

gan life on a farm and early became inter- ested in stock and particularly cattle, and there is a story told in the family that he was but six years old when he attended a round up and surprised the other cow punchers with his skill as a rope thrower. In later years he substantiated this reputation. Sometime later he rented his father's ranch for five years and went into the stock business, rais- ing many horses and some cattle and making a success of his enterprise. Afterward he en- gaged in the oil business at Denver for a time. In 1905 he came to Bridgeport and was one of the first business men to go into the restaurant business here and two years later widened his business by opening a hotel, which he conducted until August, 1917, when he sold out and retired from that line, although he still owns the building. Since then Mr. Neumann has been interested in the real estate and in- surance lines of business in which he has demonstrated his usual enterprise and good . judgment.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 22

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