History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 43

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 43

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

219

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

commands. He has been the owner of this drug store since 1911, and in the meanwhile he has made the best improvements on his homestead, which is now one of the valuable farms of the county and which is situated four and one-half miles distant from Mitchell.

Loyal and public-spirited as a citizen and a staunch Democrat in politics, Mr. Keebaugh has had neither time nor ambition for po- litical office. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, Mitchell Lodge No. 263, Consis- tory, Scottish Rite and Shrine of Omaha, Ne- braska.

In 1889 was solmenized the marriage of Mr. Keebaugh to Miss Myrtle Hamm, who was born in the state of Illinois, and of the three children only one is living - Clyde A., who is a field boss for the Great Western Sugar Company.

EDWARD H. REID is associated in the ownership of about twelve thousand acres of land in western Nebraska and is prominently identified with ranching enterprise upon a most extensive scale, his place of residence being the attractive village of Mitchell, Scottsbluff county, where he is known and valued as a loyal and progressive citizen of marked public spirit.

Mr. Reid is a scion of one of the sterling pioneer families of the Hawkeye state, and thus his earliest experiences were those gained in the vital and progressive western portion of our vast domain. He was born in Page county, Iowa, December 20, 1859, and is a son of Joseph A. and Margaret (Long) Reid, both of whom were born and reared in Greene county, Ohio. Joseph A Reid became one of the successful agriculturists and stock-growers of Iowa, where he established his residence in the early pioneer days and where he won substantial prosperity through his well directed endeavors. He was one of the honored pio- neer citizens of Iowa at the time of his death, in 1906. and his widow there passed away in 1908. both having been active members of the United Presbyterian church. They be- came the parents of seven children: James Harvey, is deceased; John Franklin, is a resi-

dent of Torrington, Wyoming ; Anna Laura, resides at Colorado Springs, Colorado; Ed- ward H., of this review, was the next in order of birth; Julia Elizabeth, maintains her home at Casper, Wyoming; William Lincoln, is a resident of Mileston, western Canada ; and Jes- sie Wilson, is deceased.

After completing the curriculum of the pub- lic schools of his antive state, Edward H.

Reid completed a higher academic course at Amity college, located at College Spring, Iowa. After leaving college Mr. Reid identified him- self with ranch enterprise, and for some time he was associated with the celebrated Rankin Ranch, in the state of Missouri, Mr. Rankin having been one of the most extensive cattle men of the west and having fed more cattle on his own land than any other man in the business, as may be inferred when it is stated that at times he fed as many as ten thousand head of cattle on his own grazing land and from corn raised on his own land. After severing his connection with this great enter- prise Mr. Reid went to Denver, Colorado, where he became associated with the Conti- nental Trust Company, in the position of in- spector of cattle and farm lands. From Colo- rado he went to Wyoming, and about the year 1910 he established his residence at Mitchell, Nebraska, where he has since been a promi- nent and influential factor in the exploiting of ranch industry upon an extensive scale, his operations having contributed much to the ad- vancement of agricultural and live-stock in- dustry in western Nebraska and his broad experience making him an authority in all things pertaining to the development of new land. He is a broad-minded and liberal citi- zen, is a Republican in his political allegiance and both he and his wife hold membership in the Federated church at Mitchell.

The year 1882 recorded the marriage of Mr. Reid to Miss Mary Elizabeth Maiden, a native of the state of Missouri, and concerning their children, the followng brief data is available: Earl H., is a resident of Torrington, Wyom- ing: Margaret is the wife of Lester Collins, of Mitchell, Nebraska; Jessie, is the wife of Edward P. Grant, who is in government serv- ice at Washington. D. C., his home being at Kensington, Maryland; and Dorothy, is the wife of Lee Ashbrook, Jr., who is associated with his father and lives on the Ashbrook Ranch in Sioux county, Nebraska.

WILLIAM C. REDFIELD figures as one of the representative exponents of financial enterprise in Scittsbluff county, where he is cashier of the State Bank of Haig, of which institution he became the founder in June, 1916, and to the active management of which he has since given his attention. This bank has developed a substantial business and af- fords facilities to a goodly number of appre- ciative patrons who are prominent in the vari- ous fields of industrial and business enterprise in the northern part of Scottsbluff county.

220

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA.

The bank in incorporated with a capital stock of $10,000, its deposits are now in excess of $50,000, and it maintains a surplus of $1,800. It constitutes one of the most valuable ad- juncts to the business life of the community in which it is established and its success is prov- ing notably cumulative, a fact which attests its able management and also the confidence re- posed in its able and progressive founder.

Mr. Redfield was born in Peoria county, Illinois, on the 30th of December, 1860, and is a son of F. A. and Mary E. (Aldrich) Red- field, of whom a record appears elsewhere.

William C. Redfield acquired his prelimin- ary education in Illinois and supplemented this discipline by attending the public schools of Johnson county after the family removal to Nebraska. As a young man he became ac- tively concerned with independent farm enter- prise in Johnson county, and there he gained inviolable vantage place in popular esteem, as shown by the fact that in 1905 he wes elect- ed county clerk, an office of which he contin- ued the incumbant four years, after which he served five years as county treasurer. He con- tinued his residence in that county until An- gust, 1915, and moved to Lincoln and then in June, 1916, he removed to Scottsbluff coun- ty and founded the vital banking institution of which he has since been the executive head. Mr. Redfield has become a zealous advocate of the principles of the Republican party and has been influential in its local campaign ac- tivities. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, as were also his parents.

In 1885 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Redfield to Miss Mary E. Barrett, who was born at Brockport, New York and who was a girl at the time of the family removal to Ne- braska. Mr. and Mrs. Redfield became the parents of two children : Mattie, who became, in 1915, the wife of William W. Lockwood, died in December, 1917. and her only child, Marguerite, is being reared in the home of her maternal grandparents. Mr. and Mrs. Red- field; Franklin, only son of the subject of this review, entered the United States navy in connection with the nation's participation in the late World War. his enlistment having taken place in June, 1917, and he having been assigned to service in the electrical depart- ment of the submarine work, at San Pedro. California, where he continued to be stationed until the close of the war ; he is now employed by the telephone company at Scottsbluff.

HARVEY BEEBE, whose well improved ranch property is situated in the north cen- tral part of Scottsbluff county, where Mitch- ell is his postoffice address, is to be definitely credited with pioneer honors in this section of the state, where he took up his abode in 1887, when Scottsbluff county was still an integral part of old Cheyenne county. His individual success and advancement have kept pace with the splendid development of this section of the state and he is one of the leading men of his community - a substantial agricultur- ist and stockgrower and a citizen who takes loyal interest in all things that conserve civic and industrial growth.

Mr. Beebe was born in Monroe county, Iowa, September 22, 1865, and he is a pos- thumous son of Jeremiah Beebe, who was one of the pioneer farmers in the Hawkeye state, where he died fourteen days prior to the birth of the subject of this review. He was a native of Illinois and his wife, whose maiden name was Vaneta Chidester, was born in Virginia, she having passed the closing years of her life in Iowa and having been a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while her husband was a staunch Republican in his political proclivities. Of their six chil- dren, the statement above implies, Harvey, of this sketch, is the youngest; Eliza, is the wife of Lorenzo Warner, and they were residing in Cloud county, Arkansas, at the time when Mr. Beebe last ehard concerning them; Eli continued to reside in Monroe county, Iowa, where he is a successful market-gardener ; John is a prosperous farmer near Albia, that state ; Richard is deceased and was a resident of the state of Washington at the time of his death; and Isaiah died at Gering, Scottsbluff county, Nebraska, in which vicinity he owned land and had instituted the development of a farm, his widow now being a resident of Wy- oming.

Reared under the conditions that marked the pioneer period in the history of the Hawk- eye state, Harvey Beebe early gained fellow- ship with honest toil and endeavor, as is evi- dent when it is stated that when he was but thirteen years old he began to provide for himeslf and assist his widowed mother by hauling coal with team and wagon. He made good use of the advantages afforded in the public schools of his home county, but natur- ally his attendance in school was somewhat ir- regular, owing to the heavy responsibilities that were early placed upon him. He contin- ued his residence in Iowa until 1887, when,

MR. AND MRS. JESSE PICKERING

221

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

as an ambitious young man of about twenty years, he came to old Cheyenne county, Ne- braska, where he purchased land in what is now the north central part of Scottsbluff coun- ty. Here he has applied himself with all of vigor and determination, and the passing years have brought to him well merited success. His landed estate now comprises three hun- dred and sixteen acres, and of the tract one hundred and thirty-four acres receive irriga- tion from the Mitchell ditch, while one hundred acres are similarly provided for by a govern- ment irrigation project. He gives his atten- tion to diversified farming and the raising of good grades of horses and cattle, while he has erected good buildings and made other modern improvements on his place.

Mr. Beebe has been loyal in the support of all things tending to advance the general wel- fare of his home community, county and state, and is one of the popular pioneer citizens of Scottsbluff county. His political views are expressed in staunch support given to the cause of the Republican party, and while he has not sought office his civic loyalty has caus- ed his to give efficient service in the position of school director and also that of road over- seer. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mr. Beebe wedded Miss Ida May Billings, who likewise was born and reared in Iowa, where her father, L. W. Billings still resides. In conclusion is given brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Beebe: Ralph is engaged in farm enterprise in Wyoming ; V. C. is a prosperous farmer in Scottsbluff, Ne- braska; Walter and Clarence remain at the parental home and are associated with their father in the activities of the farm; Mabel is the wife of Carl Smith, of Mitchell, this coun- ty ; and Bessie, Goldie, Leo and Alda are the younger members of the ideal home circle.

JESSE PICKERING, who for many years was one of Scottsbluff county's most worthy citizens, widely known and highly respected for his sterling traits of character, was born in Fulton county, Illinois, March 1, 1847, and died on his Nebraska homestead, September 26, 1915. For thirty-three years he had been a resident of this county. He was a son of Curtis and Mary ( Stroade) Pickering, who were natives and life-long residents of Ohio, until 1848, when they moved to Fulton county, Illinois, settling in a neighborhood where there were already many Quakers, they being mem- bers of the Society of Friends.

In 1879 Jesse Pickering went to Cheyenne county and in 1886 came to Scottsbluff county,

Nebraska, where he secured a homestead of 160 acres and a timber claim of equal extent. In 1915 his wife homesteaded and still owns her 120-acre homestead, together with other land, and pays taxes on 280 acres, all well improved and the greater part of which is irri- gated. Mr. Pickering was a judicious farmer and for many years he was also prominent in the public affairs of the county. He was a vet- eran of the Civil War, after which he came to the West and a measure of military dignity always lingered with him, together with per- sonal courage and an irreproachable character. He was a Republican in politics.

Mr. Pickering was married in Illinois to Miss Lucy Reese, who was born in Ohio, Feb- ruary 3, 1850. Her parents were Alexander and Rachel (Tingler) Reese, natives of Penn- sylvania. They came to Nebraska at a later date and died on their farm here. Mr. and Mrs. Pickering had four children : William S., who manages his mother's farms; Sylvester, who married and then moved to Colorado ; and Irena, who is now Mrs. Scoffield and lives at Gering, Nebraska. Jacob, who died at the age of twenty-eight years in Missouri, grew to manhood in Nebraska. The family belongs to the Society of Friends.

ALONZO L. MOON is to be credited with being one of the energetic and broad-guaged exponents of farm enterprise in Scottsbluff county, where he is a representative of the younger generation of those who are here con- tributing much to the industrial supremacy of the county along agricultural and live-stock lines. His farm is in the Mitchell neighbor- hood and is situated in section 6, township 23- 55, where he is the owner of three hundred acres, of which about one hundred and twenty acres are provided with effective irrigation, so that his agricultural activities have the proper basis for assured success. Mr. Moon establish- ed his residence here in 1908, when he acquired his present farm by purchasing a relinquish- intent to the claim. He has made many sub- stantial improvements on the place, including the erection of good buildings, and here he diversifies his activities by raising the crops best suited to the soil and climate, and by breeding and feeding good types of live stock. He gives special prominence to the propaga- tion of alfalfa and finds this a very profitable feature of his enterprise. He is one of the popular and influential men of his community, is a Democrat in his political allegiance, and has held for eleven years the office of school director and has otherwise given staunch sup- port to those things that conserve the general

222

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

wellbeing of the community. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Congrega- tional church.

Mr. Moon was born in Page county, Iowa, on the 14th of May, 1882, and is a son of M. C. and Frances (Anderson) Moon, both na- tives of the Buckeye state, where they were reared and educated and where their marriage was solemnized. The father was born in Ross county, Ohio, in 1850, and his death occurred in Valley county, Nebraska, in 1907, his widow, who was born in Greenfield, Ohio, in 1852, being still a resident of Valley county. Of the eight children, the subject of this re- view is the eldest of the three surviving : Dora, is the wife of Milo Russell, of Edinburg, Texas; and Stella is the wife of Charles Luedtke, a farmer near Arcadia, Valley coun- ty, Nebraska. In politics the father was not a strict partisan and his religious faith was that of the Congregational church, of which his widow has long been a devoted member. Mr. Moon served as justice of the peace and also as school moderator. From Ohio he removed to Iowa, in which state he continued his ac- tivities as a farmer until 1883, when he came with his family to Nebraska and entered home- stead and timber claims near Arcadia, Valley county, where he developed a valuable farm, where his death occurred. His widow is still living in that county. He was a man of sterling character and achieved worthy success through his association with farm enterprise in Valley county.

Alonzo L. Moon was a child at the time of the family home was established in Valley county, where he was reared to adult age. Af- ter completing the curriculum of the public schools, including that of the high school at Arcadia, he continued his studies at Crete Academy, where he finally entered Doane Col- lege, in which he continued his studies three years, the following year having found him enrolled as a student in the University of Nebraska, from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in 1906. In 1908, as previously noted, Mr. Moon established his residence on his present farm, and he has since continued as one of the vigorous and success- ful devotees of farm enterprise in Scottsbluff county, where he and his wife are held in the highest esteem.

The year 1906 recorded the marriage of Mr. Moon to Miss Rhoda Whitman, who was born in the state of Nebraska, and they have four children - Frederick, Josephine, Millard C. and David. In the home of Mr. Moon was

reared Miss Lucille Whitworth, who remained eight years and who is now married, and her sister Mary has been for six years in the Moon home circle.

HENRY E. RUSSELL, who is one of the live real estate men of Mitchell and Henry as- sociated with his brother, H. G. Russell, in the vigorous little city of Mitchell, Scotts- bluff county, is not to be denied pioneer dis- tinction in this county, where he established his residence more than thirty years ago and where he became a successful exponent of farm de- velopment. He here took up homestead and tree claims, of one hundred and sixty acres each, in the year 1887, and with confidence and prevision he applied himself earnestly to the reclaiming of the land into productiveness, an enterprise in which he succeeded admir- ably. He gave his attention to diversified ag- riculture and stock-raising and he'still owns one hundred and twenty acres of land in the Mitchell vicinity, this being one of the well improved farms of this part of the county and having excellent irrigation facilities from the Mitchell ditch. After having improved his land, a portion of which he eventually sold at a distinct profit, Mr. Russell finally retired from the farm, and from 1905 until the spring of 1919 he was manager for the Carr & Neff Lumber Company at Mitchell, save that he passed a portion of the year 1912 in the state of Washington, to which he went principally for the recuperation of his health, which had become somewhat impaired, but while in Washington he was employed for a time by a lumber company. He is one of the well known and highly esteemed pioneer citizens of Scotts- bluff county and well merits consideration in this publication.

Mr. Russell was born in Grant county, Wis- consin, on the 14th of October, 1865, and he is the son of Calvin W. and Lydia (Spargo) Russell, the former of whom was born in the state of New York, in 1832, and the latter of whom was born in Ohio, in 1835. Mrs. Rus- sell passed to the life eternal in 1896, and her husband survived her by more than twenty years, his death having occurred in February, 1917, after he had attained the venerable age of nearly eighty-five years. Calvin W. Russell became a pioneer farmer in Grant county, Wis- consin, where he continued his residence until 1888, when he came to Nebraska and estab- lished his residence in that part of Cheyenne county that is now comprised in Scottsbluff county. Here he filed entry on a homestead and a tree claim, to which he perfected his

223

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

title in due course, and he developed a con- siderable portion of the three hundred and twenty acres into productive farm land, the while he was honored and valued as one of the sterling pioneer citizens of the county, where both he and his wife passed the closing years of their lives, both having been consistent members of the Christian church and his po- litical faith having been that of the Republi- can party. Of the ten children two died in infancy, another died at the age of one year and Esther at the age of twelve years; Mary, married Charles F. Peckham, of Gothenburg, Dawson county; Henry E. is the immediate subject of this sketch: James R. is a success- ful farmer near Mitchell; Rose is the wife of Joel Jackson, of Mesa, Arizona; Lawrence likewise resides at Mesa ; Clarence is engaged in the real-estate business at Gilbert, Arizona ; and Herbert G. is similarly engaged at Henry, Scottsbluff county, Nebraska.

Henry E. Russell was reared to manhood in the old Badger state, where he was given the advantages of the public schools and where he continued his association with farm activities until 1887, when he came to what is now Scottsbluff county, Nebraska, and took up gov- ernment land, as has been noted in a preced- ing paragraph of this review. He has been a true disciple of civic and industrial progress in this favored section of Nebraska, where he has achieved independence and prosperity through his own well directed endeavors and where he commands secure place in popular confidence and good will. His political allegi- ance is given to the Republican party, and he has served as a member of the township board of supervisors, as precinct assessor and as school director. He is affiliated with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellow, the Masonic fraternity, including the Order of the Eastern Star, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Brotherhood of American Yeoman, both he and his wife being members of the Christian church at Mitchell.

The year 1896 made record of the marriage of Mr. Russell to Miss Blanche Nichols, who is a native of the state of Kansas, and they have three children, all of whom remain mem- bers of the family home circle - Warren S., Ruth and Doris. The only son is giving his at- tention to the operation of a farm tractor and is one of the popular young men of Pheonix, Arizona.

FRANK ALLISON has been a resident of Scottsbluff county since 1910 and is one of the enterprising and vital younger representa-

tives of farm industry in the north central part of the county, where his well improved farm comprises eighty acres, all of which tract is to be covered by irrigation facilities provided through the government irrigation project in this locality. Further interest attaches to the career of Mr. Allison by reason of the fact that he is a native of Nebraska and has in- herited the full measure of energy and pro- gressiveness for which this commonwealth al- most invariably makes provision.

Mr. Allison was born in York county, Ne- braska, on the 28th of January, 1888, and is a son of Frank and Rose (Jacobs) Allison, both of whom are now deceased, the father having passed away when fifty-six years of age. Of the four children the subject of this sketch is the youngest; Ray is a resident of Stratton; Lloyd is identified with real estate enterprises in the state of Washington; and Harry is a prosperous farmer near Mitchell, Scottsbluff county. The father became a successful farm- er in York county and also gave attention to the teaching of music, in which domain he had much talent. He was successful as an agri- culturist and also in the raising of fine grades of cattle and horses. the while he was a citi- zen who ever commanded the confidence and esteem of all with whom he came in contact in the various relations of life. He was a Demo- crat in politics and his wife was a devoted members of the Christian church, she having assisted in the erection of the church of this denomination at York and also in the estab- lishing of the college there maintained under the auspices of this denomination.

He whose name introduces this review gain- ed his youthful education in the public schools of York county, where he early gained ex- perience in connection with the varied activi- ties of the home farm. He continued his residence in that county until 1910, when he purchased a farm in Scottsbluff county where he lived until 1919 when he bought his present farm where he is notably successful in his pro- gressive activities as an agriculturist and stock- grower, his being one of the model smaller farms of this section of the county.

In politics Mr. Allison is not constrained by specific partisan dictates, but votes in accord- ance with his judgment. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Royal Highlanders, his religious faith be- ing that of the Methodist Episcopal church and his wife being a member of the Presbyterian church.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 43

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