History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 24

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

USA > Nebraska > History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III > Part 24

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In 1894 was recorded the marriage of Mr. Goodwin to Miss Lennie Shull, who was born in Monroe county, Iowa. Her father, Isaac Shull, was born in Indiana, as a representative of one of the very early pioneer families of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin have two chil- dren : Hildred, who remains at the parental home, was graduated in the University of Ne- braska with the degree of Bachelor of Arts; and Mary, who likewise remains at the parental home, was graduated in the Mitchell high school, as a member of the class of 1919.

CHARLES F. CLAWGES, who has been identified with Bridgeport interests since the town's earliest days, serving as its first post- master and in other important capacities, is a native of Missouri, born at Trenton, February 23, 1865. He has lived in at least four states in the Union but has long claimed Nebraska as his home. He came to Cheyenne county in 1900.

The parents of Mr. Clawges were Dr. J. W. F. and Charlotte (Galander) Clawges, the for- mer of whom was born in Kentucky and died in Missouri in 1869. The mother of Mr. Clawges was born at Gottenberg, Sweden, eighty-five years ago. She vividly recalls the long voyage from Sweden to the United States made in her youth in a sailing vessel that was on the water for three months before landing its passengers at New Orleans. In her long life she has witnessed many wonderful things come to pass, but the marvels of rapid trans- portation perhaps interest her most. She was united in marriage to Dr. J. W. F. Clawges at Annawan, Henry county, Illinois. During the Civil War he was regimental surgeon of the Seventh Missouri Cavalry, and afterward en- gaged in the practice of his profession in Mis- souri until his death. He belonged to the Ma- sonic fraternity. There were six children born to Dr. and Mrs. Clawges as follows: Una, who is the wife of J. W. Cartwright, a car- penter and contractor at Bridgeport; Lottie,

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who is the wife of William Forrest, an attor- ney at Peoria, Illinois; Laura, who is the wife of W. A. Shellheimer, a farmer near Chilli- cothe, Missouri ; Charles F. and Jack, who are twins, both of whom live at Bridgeport, and Daniel F., who is assistant postmaster at Kan- sas City, Missouri. The mother, who resides with her son Charles F., is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church.

Charles F. Clawges completed his high school course at Annawan, Illinois, after which he spent some time in the Northwest Normal School at Geneseo, Illinois. For two years afterward he taught school in Illinois, then went to Kansas, where for three years he was employed in a railroad office, when he was transferred to St. Louis, Missouri, and re- mained in the same capacity there for three years, following which he spent one year at Spokane Falls, Washington. In 1900 Mr. Clawges came to Cheyenne county and went on a ranch with his brother Jack, the latter at the present time being superintendent of the boiler room in the Burlington shops at Bridge- port.

In 1895 Mr. Clawges was united in marriage to Miss Mary Leaf, who was born in Boone county, Iowa. She was the first wife and mother in the Bridgeport settlement and the first child born here was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Clawges, Dan, whose bright young life went out during the influenza epidemic, No- vember 24, 1918, at the age of seventeen years. Mr. and Mrs. Clawges have a daughter, Una, who is attending school. Mrs. Clawges is a member of the Adventist church.

In 1901 Mr. Clawges was appointed post- master of the new town of Bridgeport and continued in office for four years, and in many ways, as an intelligent and reputable citizen, was useful in bringing about stable conditions. For some years he conducted a barber shop and was influential in bringing other business concerns to the place. He invested in land as his good judgment recognized the opportunity, and now owns a valuable farm of 200 acres all irrigated. Since retiring from active business life at Bridgeport he has been a very success- ful salesman of automobiles for the Mitchell Car Company. In politics he is a Republican, and he has long been identified with the order of Knights of Pythias.

EDGAR C. PORTER. - Among Bridge- port's retired farmers are found some of the most substantial citizens of Morrill county. They are more than that, for they usually are men of such good business judgment and stable personal character, as to be a valuable

controlling element in the regulation of civic affairs and a check on unwise expenditures. They have had experience. Not many of them had wealth when they came to Nebraska, and the ample fortunes they now enjoy, have only been secured through hard work, self denial, and close economy. They are examples of the value of the above qualities that, in times of national extravagance and distress, may well be listed as virtues. A prominent retired farmer of Bridgeport is found in Edgar C. Porter, who came to Nebraska in 1894. He was born in Madison county, Iowa, February 8, 1859.

The parents of Mr. Porter were John and Nancy Ellen (Crager) Porter, the former of whom was born in West Virginia and the lat- ter in Ohio, in which state they were married. They were pioneers in Madison county, Iowa, where the father secured government land at $1.25 an acre, to the development and improve- ment of which he devoted the rest of his active life. Ten children were born to them and eight still live, Edgar C. being the fifth born. He has one brother, Samuel, living in Dakota, but the other brothers and sisters have re- mained in Iowa. The father supported with vigor the principles of the Republican party, and both parents were faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which the mother united when fourteen years old. Ed- gar C. Porter attended the country schools near his father's farm in Madison county, and early learned to be useful. He remained at home until about twenty-six years old and then started out for himself, pioneering after the manner of his father by coming westward, reaching Denver, Colorado, in 1885. He homesteaded in that vicinity and lived on his place for five years and then disposed of it. After eight years in Colorado, he came to Ne- braska and in 1894 settled on North river in Cheyenne county, renting land for several years. In 1903 he purchased a tract of school land, to which he has added from time to time, until he now owns an entire section, 100 acres of which are irrigated and the rest is operated under a dry farming system. It may be re- marked that the only property Mr. Porter owned when he came to Nebraska was a team and wagon, cow and calf. Now, in addition to his land above mentioned, Mr. Porter owns valuable town property as does Mrs. Porter, who also owns a section in Morrill county. They have a beautiful residence at Bridgeport into which they moved in 1913.

In 1894 Mr. Porter was married to Miss Hattie Mount, who is a daughter of William and Sarah (Stumpff) Mount, the former of

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whom was born in Shelby county, Illinois, May 2, 1849, and the latter in Fairfield county, Ohio. In 1884 William Mount came to Buf- falo county, Nebraska, subsequently lived in Logan, Weld and Sedgwick counties, and in 1894 came to western Nebraska. He bought land along the Belmont Ditch and followed farming there for six years, then bought farms in Morrill county. Later he sold his home- stead, retired to Bridgeport in 1910, and looks after several acres of land adjacent to other town property. In 1871 Mr. Mount was mar- ried to Sarah Stumpff, and Mrs. Porter is the eldest of their nine children. Mr. Mount is a Republican and has long taken an active part in political affairs, believing good citizenship demands it.

Mr. and Mrs. Porter have three children : Claudia, a popular teacher and well known in social circles at Bridgeport ; Florence, who re- sides at home, and Marjorie, who is yet in school. Mr. Porter and his family are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church. He has al- ways been affiliated with the Republican party but has never consented to hold office. He oc- cupies his leisure time pleasantly with looking over his farm and stock within a short distance of Bridgeport.

CHARLES O. MORRISON. - Foremost among the citizens of Morrill county, whose business success and high personal character entitle them to prominence, is Charles O. Mor- rison, vice president of the First National Bank of Bayard, and the owner also of a large acreage of valuable land. Although a native of another state, Mr. Morrison has passed the greater portion of his life in Nebraska, lived on a farm until he was twenty-three years old and started out for himself on a limited cap- ital. He was born at Dixon, Illinois, August 10. 1862.

The parents of Mr. Morrison, William F. and Virginia (Lichtenberger) Morrison, were born, reared and married in Pennsylvania. Of their ten children eight are living, two of them being in Morrill county, namely : Charles O. and E. W., the latter a retired resident of Bay- ard, Nebraska. The parents located at Dixon, Illinois, in 1861 and the father engaged in farming in Lee county until 1870, when he de- cided to seek better opportunities in the West. He brought his family to York county, Ne- braska, the journey being made in a covered wagon after the fashion of the old Conestoga, dear to the pioneers, and shortly after reaching here he homesteaded and both parents of Mr. Morrison spent the rest of their lives in York county, passing away at Bradshaw. The father

became a man of consequence, serving in the early organization of the county, later as coun- ty commisioner and in other offices of re- sponsibility. He was one of the early Masons in York county and assisted in establishing the Christian church.

Charles O. Morrison attended the country schools in York county and remained on the home farm until 1884 when he embarked in the mercantile business. For twenty-six years he was a merchant, first at Bradshaw, later at Phillips and then at Bayard, being in this line at Bayard for seventeen years. He disposed of his mercantile interests in December, 1916. Mr. Morrison assisted in the organization of the First National Bank at Bayard, in 1910, and has served ever since in the office of vice president. The latest bank statement gives the following facts concerning this reliable finan- cial institution : Capital, $50,000; profits and surplus, $20,000; average deposits, $450,000. The accommodations rendered by this bank and the courtesy accorded patrons have been greatly appreciated.

On September 1, 1896, Mr. Morrison was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Miller, who was born at Toledo, Ohio. Her father, James C. Miller, came to Phillips, Nebraska, in 1889 and subsequently died there. Mr. Morrison is a member of the Episcopal church. He is a Knight Templar Mason and belongs also to the Royal Highlanders and the Modern Woodmen. His political affiliation has always been with the Republican party and at times he has served very usefully in town offices and for thirteen years has been a member of the town board. Mr. Morrison has invested ex- tensively in land in Morrill county, presum- ably with the foresight of a keen and experi- enced business man, and now owns 1040 acres, 400 of which is irrigated.

WILLIAM T. McKELVEY, who is one of Bayard's respected retired citizens, can look back over thirty-three busy years in Nebraska, during which he built up an ample fortune, from a very small beginning. Mr. McKelvey was born in Clark county, Illinois, in 1857.

The parents of Mr. McKelvey were Patrick and Mary (Campbell) McKelvey, the former of whom was born in County Donegal, Ire- land, and the latter in Kentucky. They both came to Clark county, Illinois, in early life and were married there. The father of Mr. Mc- Kelvey served in the Mexican War and after- ward was a farmer and merchant in Clark county. He held a number of township offices in the gift of the Democratic party. He died in Clark county, but the mother of Mr. Mc-

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Kelvey died in Nebraska, in 1918, having lived with her son William T. for over twenty years.

Of their eight children the following are living, in addition to William T .: Lavona, who is the widow of Lafayette Beard, of Topeka, Kansas; Lydia May, who is the wife of James Beacham, a retired farmer of O'Neill, Nebras- ka ; and Horatio A., who is a farmer in Minne- sota. The parents were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church.

William T. McKelvey obtained his educa- tion in the district schools in Clark county and worked on his father's farm. He was not robust as a boy and remained at home until he was twenty-seven years old, then came west, and in the active outdoor life and strenuosity of existence on the range, found health as did one of America's greatest statesman, the late Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. McKelvey located in Cheyenne, now Morrill county, in 1886, where he homesteaded and for a number of years rode range as a cowboy. He owns a large acreage in the county yet, for years being interested extensively as a stockman, and has property at Bayard, where, for one year before he retired, he was engaged in a real estate bus- iness. Mr. McKelvey passed through the hardships that attended the pioneers in the early eighties in this section of Nebraska, but he never became discouraged and now enjoys the fruits of his endurance and toil. He has been active in the Republican party both be- fore and since locating at Bayard, has served in public office and was an exceedingly useful member of the first county board of commis- sioners. In every way, for years, he has done much to further the interests of Morrill county.

In 1892 Mr. McKelvey was united in mar- riage to Miss Jennie Webb, who was born in Clark county, Illinois. During the great war, Mr. McKelvey was foremost in patriotic work and was particularly active and interested in the Y. M. C. A. activities and was chairman of the local board.

HENRY E. RANDALL. - To the pleas- ant town of Bayard have come many men of ample fortune after many years of toil and financial struggle, finding here well earned ease with agreeable surroundings and pleasant com- panionship. These retired farmers and stock- men are desirable citizens in every respect and form a solid, dependable body that adds to the community's resources and gives assistance in the maintenance of law and order. One of the highly respected retired residents of Bayard is Henry E. Randall, who is well known all over Morrill county. Mr. Randall was born in

Trempealeau county, Wisconsin, April 25, 1869.

The parents of Mr. Randall were James M. and Lucy (Hasson) Randall, the former of whom was born in Michigan, and the latter in New York. They were married in Wisconsin, this being the father's second union. Three children of his first marriage survive, namely : Charles, who is a miner in Nevada ; Otis, who lives near Bridgeport, and Mrs. Elmer Hath- away, who is a resident of Morrill. Three children were born to the father's second mar- riage: Henry E., Dean and Arthur. Dean is a farmer near Melbeta in Scottsbluff county, Nebraska, and Arthur has been a mail carrier at Gering for a number of years. The father survives and resides at Gering. He is a member of the G. A. R. post there, having served in the Civil War as a member of Com- pany I, Thirty-sixth Wisconsin Infantry. The family came to Nebraska in 1886 and the mother died here.

Henry E. Randall obtained his education in the public schools of Minnesota, where his parents lived for a time before coming to Ne- braska. In the spring of 1886 the family reached what now is Morrill county, Cheyenne at that time, and in 1886 he homesteaded and kept the property until quite recently when he sold to advantage. As opportunity offered he bought other land and at one time owned 800 acres, his farms, four in number, being sit- uated at different points. On one of these farms Mr. Randall lived for twenty-five years and during that time was an extensive raiser of cattle and stock. He retired to Bayard in March, 1916, and is a stockholder and one of the directors of the Farmers State Bank.

In 1891 Mr. Randall was united in marriage to Miss Melissa Belden, who was born in Kan- sas, and they have three children: Gerald, Gladys and Mack, the youngest son being yet in school. The one daughter is the wife of Merl Garwood, of Morrill county. The eldest son of Mr. Randall has an honorable military record. He was born July 24, 1895, was edu- cated in Morrill county, and entered military service for action in the World War, 1917. He was attached to six different training camps, namely: Waco, Kelly, Field, and others, and at the time the armistice was signed with the enemy, was at Fort Sill and at Lee Hall. Virginia, just ready to sail for France. Since his discharge and return home, he has gladly resumed peaceful pursuits and has a place with the working force in the sugar factory.

Mr. Randall was quite active in Republican politics for many years and as a member of

MR. AND MRS. DENVER N. PLUMMER

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the board of county commisioners, on which he served six years, when he resigned on ac- count of ill health, he was able to greatly fur- ther the best interests of the county in many ways. He belongs to the Odd Fellows and also to the Modern Woodmen.

DENVER NEWTON PLUMMER is an- other of the progressive citizens who has shown! the skill and enterprise that make for success in connection with industrial enterprise in the favored section of Nebraska to which this his- tory is dedicated. In section 7, township 23-56, about four and one-half miles distant from Morrill, Scottsbluff county, is to be found the well improved and ably managed farm of Mr. Plummer. He came to the county in 1910 and here purchased land in the north central part of this progressive county. To his original do- main he has since added until he now has a valuable landed property of 240 acres, all under effective irrigation and having the intrinsic richness of soil that makes irrigation farming so remarkably profitable in this locality. He has made excellent improvements on his land, including the erection of good buildings, and is one of the resourceful and representative agri- culturists and stock-growers of his county, with a high personal standing that indicates fully the estimate placed upon him by his fellow men. Loyal to all civic duties and responsibilities, Mr. Plummer has given his support to meas- utres and enterprises that have been projected for the benefit of his community and county, and in local politics he is independent, though in a basic way he advocates and upholds the principles for which the Republican party stands sponsor. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church in Dutch Flats.

Denver Plummer was born near the city of Des Moines, Iowa, on the 29th of January, 1871, a son of James and Sarah Lavena (Gar- rett ) Plummer. The parents were born and reared in the old Buckeye state and the father was one of the early settlers of Iowa, where he accompanied his parents at an early age, and where he reclaimed a pioneer farm. The fam- ily later removed to Colorado and Ezra Plum- mer and his wife passed the closing years of their lives in the state of Colorado, both having been earnest members of the Methodist Epis- copal church and his political faith having been that of the Republican party. Concerning their children adequate mention is made on other pages, in the sketch of the career of John W. Plummer, an elder brother of the subject of this review.

Denver Plummer was about eleven years of age at the time of the family removal from

Iowa to Colorado, in which latter state he was reared to maturity and received the advantages of the public schools. Prior to coming to Ne- braska he had given his attention principally to farming and was owner of land in Larimer county, and the maximum success that has marked his career has been that gained since he established his home in Scottsbluff county and assumed the labors and responsibilities in- cidental to the development of a productive farm. He has not waited for success but has won it through his own efforts, though he gives full credit to Scottsbluff county for the splen- did opportunities it has afforded him.

In 1905 Mr. Plummer was united in mar- riage to Miss Cora Drummond, who was born in the state of Missouri, and their marriage has been blessed by three children - Veda Vir- ginia, Ezra Allen, and Vivian Margaret - who lend brightness and cheer to the pleasant fam- ily home.

WALTER J. ERICSON, who is one of Bayard's representative citizens and substan- tial business men, is president of the Farmers State Bank and is also the head of the Ericson Hardware Company. In many ways he has been active in the development of Bayard and stands deservedly high in public esteem. He was born at Bertrand, in Phelps county, Ne- braska, in 1885.

The parents of Mr. Ericson, John and Mary (Peterson) Ericson, were born in Sweden. They came to the United States in the early eighties, acquired land in Phelps county, Ne- braska, that is still in the possession of the family, and the father died on the homestead in the spring of 1919. The family lived at first in a sod house, as did many of their pioneer neighbors, and the father cultivated his land with oxen. Of his family of nine children, Walter J. was the fourth in order of birth. The other survivors are: Charles, in the drug business at Loomis, Nebraska; Frank, a gen- eral merchant at Hillrose, Morgan county, Col- orado; Axel, a druggist at Bayard; Harry, also in the drug business at Bayard; Esther, the wife of Victor J. Johnson, operating the old Ericson homestead, and Emil, associated with his brother, Walter J., in the hardware business. He was born at Bertrand in 1890 and came to Bayard in August, 1915. On No- vember 21, 1917, Emil Ericson was married to Miss Alta Durnal, who is a daughter of R. F. Durnal.

Walter J. Ericson was reared on his father's farm near Bertrand, where he attended school, and remained in Phelps county until 1911, when he came to Bayard, where his brother

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Frank was conducting a hardware business. He purchased his brother's hardware store and reorganized the business and it is now widely known as the Ericson Hardware Company, his brother Emil, as mentioned above, being asso- ciated with him. As president of the Farmers State Bank, he is additionally well known in commercial circles. While business claims much of his time, Mr. Ericson, as an earnest citizen, has concerned himself with civic de- velopment and betterment, and is an active, fearless and useful member of the city council, in which body he is serving his second term. In politics Mr. Ericson is a Republican, as was his father. He belongs to the Masons and the Odd Fellows.

GEORGE G. CRONKLETON, who is cashier of the First National Bank of Bayard, has been identified with the banking business during many years of his life and has been connected with the above institution since the spring of 1911. Mr. Cronkleton is held in high esteem at Bayard, where he has, on numerous occasions, been called to public office, in which he has served faithfully and conscientiously, and he has furthered many desirable public enterprises by the influence of his active in- terest. He is a native of Iowa, and was born March 14, 1876, at Dunlap, in Harrison county.

The parents of Mr. Cronkleton were Ezra J. and Julia (O'Hare) Cronkleton, the former of whom was born in Ohio, and the latter in Ireland. The father went to Iowa when a young man and served in the Civil War as a member of Company C, Second Iowa Cavalry, until captured by the enemy. He was a pris- oner of war for ten months in Alabama. After returning from his exhausting experiences in the war, he traveled about for a time and then was married at Boone, Iowa, located soon afterward at Dunlap, and for many years was engaged in business there as a contractor and builder. His death occurred at Dunlap on Au- gust 17, 1913. In his earlier years he belonged to the Christian church but later became a Catholic, of which church his wife was a de- voted member. Of their five children, George G. is the third of the survivors, the others be- ing: Charles J., who is a resident of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Mary J., and Eugenia, both of whom live at Council Bluffs.

After completing the high school course at Dunlap, Mr. Cronkleton became deputy post- master and subsequently deputy county auditor of Harrison county, his financial talents being thus early recognized and called into play. After retiring from office he accepted the posi-

tion of assistant cashier in the First National Bank of Dunlap and remained with that insti- tution for six years. He then made a visit to the Pacific coast and during his sojourn there served as cashier of the First National Bank of Ritzville, Washington. In the meanwhile his brother had engaged in the grocery trade at Council Bluffs, and when Mr. Cronkleton re- turned to Iowa he entered his brother's store and remained there three years. He then vis- ited Wyoming and once more became identified with a large financial institution, serving for one year as assistant cashier of the bank of Noble, Lane & Noble, at Lander, Wyoming. He then accepted the office of cashier of the bank at Henry, Nebraska, and continued as such for eighteen months. In 1909 he came to Bayard and in May, 1911, became cashier of the First National Bank, an institution of which city and county are proud. It operates with a capital of $50,000; surplus, $10,000; average deposits, $450,000.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 24

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