History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 3

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

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Robert G. Simmons was born at Scottsbluff, in Scottsbluff county, Nebraska, December 25, 1891, fifth in a family of seven children born to Charles H. and Alice M. (Sheldon) Sim- mons. Both parents were born in the state of New York, and the mother died in Nebraska in 1918. The father of Mr. Simmons came to Scottsbluff county and homesteaded in 1886

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

and his family joined him in the following year. He remained on his farm until 1898 when he came to Gering where he conducted a grocery store for a time. He moved then to Scottsbluff, of which place he has been a con- tinuous resident and important citizen ever since, serving for ten years as postmaster of the town and subsequently accepting a place on the board of water commissioners, which he still fills. In politics he is somewhat active in Republican councils, and fraternally he is identified with the order of Modern Wood- men. He is a pillar of the Presbyterian church. He takes satisfaction in the fact that not only his son Robert G. has chosen Scotts- bluff county as his permanent home when choice might be made of any other section, but the other members of his family have done likewise, as follows: William L., who is in a contracting business; Otis W., who is also a contractor ; Charles S., who is a sign painter by trade; Edith, who is the wife of Lee Harri- son ; and Ada and Ida, who attend school.

Robert G. Simmons was afforded educa- tional advantages and was graduated from the high school in 1909, following which came two years in Hastings College, and a course in law in the Nebraska State University, from which he was graduated in 1915. He immediately opened a law office at Gering and in 1916 was elected county attorney, continuing to serve in that capacity until October 29, 1917, when he entered the aviation department of the Na- tional army and was sent to Fort Omaha for training. Passing every test, and they are many and exacting, he made rapid progress and won the rank of second lieutenant in the air service, for five months having command of a company, with jurisdiction over four un- der officers. When relieved from service he returned home and resumed practice at Gering where his friends and admirers are many, al- though for family reasons he is considering the transfer of his office to Scottsbluff. He possesses every requisite for professional ad- vancement.

Mr. Simmons was united in arriage to Miss Gladys Weil, on June 23, 1917. She also is a native of Nebraska and was born at Harvard, her people being old settlers of that section. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons have one son, Robert G. They are members of the Presbyterian church. Politically Mr. Simmons is a sound Republican and has the reputation of being loyal to his political friends. He is a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner.

LLOYD DENSLOW. - Because of his success in managing the affairs of the Gering

State Bank, of which he is president, it might be inferred that Lloyd Denslow has been in the banking business all his life. This, how- ever, is not the case, although, undoubtedly the business ability which he has shown here, has been a leading factor in other enterprises in which he has been equally successful. He is an example of Nebraska's native born, thor- oughly educated, steady, ambitious and enter- prising young citizens who gives great promise for the future of this commonwealth.

Lloyd Denslow was born at Hooper, in Dodge county, Nebraska, November 7, 1884, the youngest of four children born to Jeremiah and Anna (Sutton) Denslow. The father was . born in the state of New York, in 1843, came to Nebraska in 1854, and died in Dodge conn- ty, April 22, 1907. The mother was a native of Illinois, born there in 1843, came to Ne- braska in 1857, married Jeremiah Denslow at Fontanelle, this state, and died October 21, 1907. Lloyd Denslow has one brother and two sisters : J. H., who owns a large irrigated farm near Denver, Colorado; May, the wife of Charles H. Lyman, who is in the real estate business at Polson, Montana, and Nina, the wife of Dr. T. Wiglesworth, a practicing physician at Twin Falls, Idaho. Jeremiah Denslow was a freighter in early days. He became a man of wealth and prominence, at one tinte was put forward by the Prohibitionist party as its candidate for lieutenant-governor of the state. Yet, he was in very humble cir- cumstances when he came to Nebraska and has been heard to declare that his sole capital was represented by thirty-five cents and no ex- pectations. He possessed, however, capital of another kind, and in the honorable acquisition of property, and in the building up of a stable reputation, he proved that industry, prudence and personal integrity have high value. Mr. Denslow homesteaded in Dodge county and the family still have this land now grown ·very valuable. For twenty-five years before he retired from business he was president of a bank at Hooper. He was a Knight Tem- plar Mason and always an ardent supporter of the cause of temperance and a firm believ- er in its final triumph although he was not permitted to see his judgment confirmed.

Lloyd Denslow was graduated from the Hooper high school in 1901, and from the Fre- mont high school in 1903. His graduation from the Nebraska State University followed in 1908 and after that came one year of post graduate work at Columbia University, New York City. He then entered business and spent two years in Old Mexico, Idaho and Washington, being twenty-six years old when

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

he returned to Hooper, where he embarked in the real estate business, in which he continued for three years. Mr. Denslow owned a tract of forty acres of land and to that he added forty acres, and was engaged there in farm- ing and hog-raising, together with dealing in real estate up to 1916, when he came to Ger- ing. Here he was identified for a while with the Great Western Sugar Company. Later he sold his eighty acres of farm land, though retaining some holdings in Wyoming, and in association with William H. Lyman bought the controlling stock in the Gering State Bank, of which he was made president. This bank- ing institution is considered one of the most solvent in the state, is amply financed and carefully and conservatively directed.

Mr. Denslow was united in marriage to Miss Alda Gray, November 8, 1913, who is a native daughter of Nebraska, her birthplace being Pleasant Dale. She is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and the devoted mother of their little son and daughter, Jerry and Dorothy, the former of whom was born in 1914 and the latter in 1919. An independent voter from early manhood, Mr. Denslow has felt free to give his political support to men and measures approved by his own judgment. During the World War in which the country was engaged, he never failed in any patriotic duty and served as chief clerk on the draft board for almost a year. He is a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner, and is past senior warden of his lodge. In religious belief the faith of the Unitarians attracts him.

JOHN S. PECKHAM, at the head of a prosperous general automobile business oper- ated under the style of the Peckham Motor Company, at Gering, Nebraska, is a practical and experienced automobile man, having had special training in this line of mechanics. He has been in business for himself since 1911 and has been located at Gering since 1917. .

John S. Peckham was born at Kearney, Ne- braska, February 8, 1888, one of a family of eight children born to George F. and Roselle (Lyons) Peckham. The father was born in 1843 in Wisconsin, and died in Nebraska in 1914. The mother was also born in Wiscon- sin, seventy years ago, and still survives. Of their seven surviving children, John S. was the seventh in order of birth, the others being : Mina, the widow of Charles Esley, formerly with Booth & Co., Denver, Colorado; Nellie, the wife of H. W. Van Meter, of Lincoln, Nebraska; George, who resided at Kearney; Eva, the wife of B. P. Cutting, a traveling salesman in Nebraska for the Nebraska Buick

Automobile Company; Cornelia, the wife of Roy Flemming, a contracting painter at Scottsbluff, and Ralph, a conductor on the Burlington railroad. The father of the above family served four years in the Civil War, as a wagoner in the Eleventh Wisconsin in- fantry, escaping permanent injury although often in great danger. He came to Kearney, Nebraska, in the eighties and for a number of years afterward was in the pump and wind- mill business. He was a member of the Bap- tist church.

John S. Peckham attended the public schools of Kearney until the tenth grade, and had fur- ther advantages at Lincoln. In that city he went to work for the Cushman Motor Com- pany, in the gas engine department, and re- mained employed at Lincoln for the next ten years remaining three years with the Cushman people and the rest of the time was with the Nebraska Buick Automobile Company and the E. E. Mockett Auto Company. He had the best possible mechanical training with these repre- sentative concerns and by 1911 was ready to embark in the same business on his own ac- count. He located at Douglas, Nebraska, where he cotinued until 1917, when he came to Gering where he has done well. He is sales agent for the Buick cars, which has added to his business popularity because of the general con- fidence in these motors.

In 1913 Mr. Peckham was united in mar- riage to Miss Madge Allison, who was born at Sterling, Nebraska, and they have two chil- dren, namely : Ruth and Ray. Although not unduly active in politics, Mr. Peckham is in- telligently watchful of public events as well as local affairs, and casts a Republican vote. He has been a Mason for a number of years and is in good standing in his lodge.

GEORGE B. PECKHAM, well known both in Kearney and Gering in the automobile in- dustry, being an expert mechanician, belongs to an old pioneer family of Nebraska, his father coming here early in the eighties. Mr. Peckham was born in 1877, in Wisconsin. His parents, George F. and Roselle (Lyons) Peck- ham, were also born in Wisconsin, his father in 1843 and his mother in 1849. The latter survives. The father served four years in the Civil War as a wagoner in a Wisconsin regi- ment. He was in the well-digging business and after coming to Kearney, Nebraska, he engaged in that business and expanded it and for many years was the leading man in Buf- falo county in the pump and windmill business. His death occurred in 1914. George B. Peck-

yours truly 2. anderson

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

ham was the fourth in a family of eight chil- dren, the others being: Mina, the wife of Charles Esley, who died at Denver, Colorado, in 1918; William, who died in 1912 when aged forty-two years; Nellie, the wife of H. W. Van Meter, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Cornelia, the wife of Roy Flemming, of Scottsbluff ; Eva, the wife of B. P. Cutting, of Lincoln ; John S., in the automobile business at Gering, and Ralph, who resides at Lincoln.

George B. Peckham accompanied his par- ents when a boy from Wisconsin to Kearney, Nebraska, where he attended school. His first business experience was as an employee of a lumber company. Later he went into the me- chanical department of an automobile com- pany and has been interested in this business ever since. When his brother, John S. Peck- ham, came to Gering in 1917 and established the Peckham Motor Company, he accompanied him and has ever since been identified with this business, of which he will soon become a co- partner.

On December 14, 1898, George B. Peckham was united in marriage to Miss Mable Hodges, and they have one daughter, Edna, who is the wife of J. M. Branson, of Gering. Mrs. Peck- ham is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, but Mr. Peckham was reared in the Baptist faith.

VICTOR ANDERSON, M. D., proprietor of the leading drug store at Bridgeport and a general medical practitioner of wide experi- ence, has spent the greater part of a very use- ful life in the United States but his birthplace was in another country. He was born in Sweden, March 21, 1867, came to this country when twelve years old and through his own efforts not only acquired a literary but a pro- fessional education.

The parents of Dr. Anderson were Andrew and Carrie (Magnuson) Anderson, both of whom died in Sweden. Of their four chil- dren Dr. Anderson was the third in order of birth, the others being: Charles, Alice, who is a resident of St. Joseph, Missouri, and Car- rie, who is Mrs. Sangren, lives near Salina, Kansas. The parents were members of the Lutheran church. The father was a well read man but not professional, being a farmer all his life.

Victor Anderson attended the public schools in his native land. In 1880 he came to the United States and went to work on a farm in Republic county, Kansas, but soon found an opportunity to work in a drug store at Scandia, Kansas, and during his three years in that po- sition applied himself so diligently to the study

of drugs and early medical reading, that he was able to enter the University Medical Col- lege of Kansas City, Missouri, from which he was graduated in 1887. He began practice in the Wabash Railway hospital service at Peru, Indiana, moving later to Springfield Illinois. When he retired from hospital service he lo- cated at Butler, Indiana, where he en- gaged in a general practice for three years, re- moving then to Deweese, Nebraska, where he remained for eight years and then established himself at Bridgeport. Here he has a well equipped drug store and his fellow citizens know that all prescriptions are put up under his own supervision. In connection with handling drugs, Dr. Anderson has many of the other features which the public has learned to expect in a modern establishment of this kind.

In 1894 Dr. Anderson was united in mar- riege to Elsie Spanogle, a sister of Mark and Clyde Spanogle, bankers, at Bridgeport. They have two children: Howard Lloyd, who is associated with his father in the drug store, and Helen M., a graduate of the Kearney normal school. Dr. Anderson's family belong to the Episcopal church. In politics he is a Democrat and elected on that party ticket he has served as coroner of Morrill county. For many years he has been identified with Ma- sonry and has passed the Consistory degrees.

WILLIAM F. FRENCH. - An interest- ing example of business enterprise at Gering is the success attending the firm of French & Hanks, who established their general repair automobile business here in 1916, being also selling agents for a number of the best known cars now manufactured. Mr. French has had experience in other lines of business, but seems particularly well qualified for the automobile trade, and since coming to Gering has built up a sound business reputation and made many personal friends.

William F. French was born at Jamestown, Kansas, January 25, 1885. His parents are B. C. and Anna (Duffey) French, the former of whom was born in Canada and the latter in Wisconsin, their marriage taking place at Jamestown, Kansas. He went to that state in 1872 and followed farming there until 1893 when he moved to Oklahoma, bought a farm there and continued to operate it as long as he remained in active life. He now lives retired on his property in Grant county. In his polit- ical views he is a Democrat. The mother of Mr. French is a member of the Roman Cath- olic Church. Of their five children, William F. was the first born, the others being: An-

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

drew, who entered military service in the Na- tional army, August 15, 1918, is now in Ger- many, a member of a hospital corps of evacua- tion camp No. 37; Stella, the wife of R. L. Thompson, a farmer near Pond Creek, Okla- homa; May, the wife of Glenn R. Ratcliff, a business man of Mankota, Kansas, and Gladys, who resides with her parents.

William F. French obtained his education in Oklahoma and was graduated from the high school of Pond Creek, in 1904. For several years afterward he assisted his father and fol- lowed agricultural pursuits, then embarked in the insurance business. Later he learned telegraphy and for four and a half years was a telegraph operator for the Union Pacific railroad. He then became interested in auto- mobiling for pleasure and this led to practical results. In 1916 he came to Gering and in partnership with R. M. Hanks, established his motor repair works and the enterprise has prospered. The firm also displays and sells Maxwell, Haynes, Reo, and Mitchell cars, their territory covering Scottsbluff, Boxbutte, Banner, Morrill, and Sioux counties, Nebras- ka, and Goshen county, Wyoming. In the present favorable condition of the automobile trade, a great future may be in store for hon- est, intelligent young business men, who de- vote themselves to its best interests and iden- tify themselves only with sterling cars.

In October, 1910, Mr. French was united in marriage to Miss Lottie Brown, who was born at Clyde, Kansas. She is a member of the Christian church. Mr. French is a Scottish Rite Mason. Politically he is identified with the Democratic party but has never desired public office, his preference being for the busi- ness rather than the political field.

ROBERT M. HANKS, an automobile dealer at Gering in association with William F. French, has spent many years in Scotts- bluff county where he owns valuable property, is widely known and has been prominently identified with the great work of irrigation in this section. He divides his time between the management of his ranch on which he carries on extensive cattle feeding, and his automobile business in the city.

Robert M. Hanks was born in Montgomery county, Illinois, in July, 1859, the fourth in a family of eight children born to James and Armina (Witherspoon) Hanks, the former a native of Mississippi and the latter of Ken- tucky. They moved to Illinois in the early forties, and both died in that state. They were members of the Presbyterian church, and the father was a Republican from the time of the

organization of that party. He was a farmer all his active life. His surviving children be- sides Robert M. are one son and three daugh- ters : Ritta, the widow of Robert Hughes, of Hillsboro, Illinois; James, an agent for the Illinois Central railroad, at Martinsville; Ad- die, a teacher in the public schools of Hills- boro, and Alma, who also resides at Hillsboro.

Robert M. Hanks attended school at Hills- boro, Illinois, grew up on his father's farm and later engaged in farming for himself un- til 1886, when he came to Nebraska and home- steaded in Scottsbluff county. After residing on his land for four and a half years, Mr. Hanks went to Kearney, where he worked in a brickyard the summer of 1891, then returned to Scottsbluff county and became interested here in farming and ditch building. He built the Gering irrigation ditch and served three years on the board of directors. For twenty seasons Mr. Hanks operated a threshing ma- chine and with his outfit visited many parts of the county in earlier years. In 1916 in asso- ciation with William F. French he established an automobile repair business at Gering, which has proved a profitable undertaking, for the use of motor cars of some kind is al- most universal through this section. The de- mand for the best of well built modern cars induced Mr. Hanks and Mr. French to become selling agents for the Maxwell, Haynes, Reo and Mitchell cars, and they have a wide terri- tory and are doing a large amount of business.

In 1884 Mr. Hanks was united in marriage to Miss Nettie Kern, who was born in Ohio but was reared in Illinois. They have two daughters: Fay, a teacher, resides at home, and Alta, the wife of Miller Cooper, who manages the Hanks ranch near Gering. Mr. Hanks and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has always been interested in politics, not as a politician, but as a citizen, and casts his vote with the Republican party. He has been and still is, one of the strong men of the county, honor- able and upright both in business and private life.

EVAN G. DAVIES, who conducts a grain, feed and draying business at Gering, is not an old-time resident of Scottsbluff county, but has become well-known and esteemed as a business man since he established himself in the above city. Mr. Davies had experience in handling wheat and other precious grain products of American farms, on which the eyes of a hungry world are centered at the present time, before he became a grain buyer, for he was a grower on the old homestead

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

farm in Hitchcock county for many pears pre- viously.

Evan G. Davies is proud of his sturdy Welsh ancestry. He was born in Hitchcock county, Nebraska, June 24, 1886. His parents were Samuel and Margaret ( Morris) Davies, both of whom were born and reared in Wales. Shortly after their marriage in their native land they came to the United States and set- tled at first in Iowa and then came to Hitch- cock, Nebraska, where the father homesteaded. The mother died on the farm but the father died at Trenton, where he had lived retired for some time. Of their eleven children, ten are living, Evan G. being the tenth in order of birth. The parents were members of the Con- gregational church.

Evan G. Davies obtained his education in the Trenton schools. He was reared on the home farm and for a number of years confined his attention to agricultural pursuits. In Oc- tober, 1915, he came to Gering and began to buy grain and feed. He opened a grain and feed store in a good business section and sub- sequently added draying, exercising business prudence in all of his ventures. He is doing a fine business and a safe one, and is the lead- ing merchant in his line in the city.

In December, 1908, Mr. Davies was united in marriage to Miss Amy Houser, who was born in Seward county, Nebraska, and is a daughter of William W. and Alma (Coover) Houser. The father of Mrs. Davies was born in Hardin county, Ohio, and was taken to Iowa when young and grew up there. In Feb- ruary, 1884, he went to Hastings, Nebraska, where he became interested in farming but later moved to Seward county and still later to Lincoln, his present home being at Cam- bridge, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Davies have two children: Heath and Inez. The family belongs to the Christian church. In politics he is a Republican.

OTTO J. PROHS. - An important busi- ness enterprise at Gering is the Prohs Brothers Hardware Company, a name that covers sev- eral lines of merchandising, several industries and also undertakings. This business is a growing concern. It was founded in this city early in 1914, on a small margin of capital, which has been greatly increased with the rap- id development of five years of legitimate dealing, until now a stock value of $30,000 is carried. The firm is made up of three brothers, William, Otto J., and Edward S. Prohs.

Otto J. Prohs was born October 14, 1887,

at Juniata, Adams county, Nebraska. His parents are Louis and Emma (Doll) Prohs, the former of whom was born at Stuttgart, Germany in 1857, and the latter at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1861. They were married at Hol- lowayville, in Bureau county, Illinois, and eleven children were born to them, eight of whom are living. They are members of the Evangelical Lutheran church. In 1884 the parents of Mr. Prohs came to Nebraska and the father rented land in Adams county, but in 1888 the family returned to Illinois and the parents have resided at Peru ever since.

Otto J. Prohs attended the public schools in Peru until he finished tenth grade work, af- ter which he was a student for a time in Brown's Business college and also took a business course with the International Cor- respondence school. He went to work first in a printing office, but soon afterward found a position with the Big Ben Clock works, start- ing to work for $3 a week. That Mr. Prohs remained with this company for the next four- teen years speaks well for his industry and efficiency and when the further fact is men- tioned that when he severed his long relation he was receiving a large salary as assistant stock manager, it may be inferred that he had proved faithful to every responsibility he had assumed. On March 9, 1914 he came to Ger- ing and with his brothers established the pres- ent business. The firm handles a general line of hardware furniture and carpets, do tinning and plumbing and also are undertakers. In all their business transactions they have been fair and honorable and they enjoy the respect and confidence of the public.

In 1913 Otto J. Prohs was united in mar- riage to Miss Flora West, who was born at Peru, Illionis. They have one son, Wesley Richard, born at Gering, Nebraska, in Septem- ber, 1914. Mr. Prohs, like his father, is a Republican in politics, and, while never par- ticularly active, feels a citizen's responsibility and keeps well informed on all public ques- tions. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and also to the Knights of Pythias.

WILLIAM LAMM. Sr., one of the ex- tensive landowners of Scottsbluff county, and for many years one of the heaviest cattle feeders, has been a resident of Gering since 1909, where his judgment on business mat- ters and public affairs is considered of great value. Although Mr. Lamm has been a capi- talist for many years, he began his business career a penniless boy thrown upon his own resources, hence his advice from lessons

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 3

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