History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 44

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

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In April. 1913, was solemnized the marriage of Alr. Allison to Miss Dessa Morrison, a

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daughter of Amos C. Morrison, of whom spe- cific mention is made on other pages of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Allison have two chil- dren - Margaret and Frank, Jr.

BARTON E. LANE is one of the native sones of Nebraska whose fealty to the state has never faltered and whose good judgment has led him into successful enterprise as one of the representative farmers of the younger gen- eration in Scottsbluff county, where he is as- sociated with his brother Kent in the active management of a well improved ranch of one hundred and sixty acres in section 1, township 23-57, about four and one-half miles distant from Morrill, which is their postoffice ad- dress.

Mr. Lane was born at Crete, Saline county, this state, on the 11th of October, 1888, and is a son of William H. and Mary J. (Deems) Lane, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Pennsylvania. The father still re- sides at La Feria, Texas and the mother pass- ed away in 1909, at the age of fifty years. Of the children the eldest is Noble, who is now a resident of Sheridan, Wyoming, where he is engaged in the hardware business; Gertrude is the wife of F. E. Dewey, who is identified with coal mining enterprise in the state of Colorado ; Neva M. is the wife of S. E. Adams, a farmer in Morrill county, Nebraska; Kent, who is associated with the subject of this sketch in the control of the farm, has been in the military service of the government in con- nection with the World War, he having been assigned to instruction and duty at Camp Mills, New York, as one of the representatives of Scottsbluff county in the great war ordeal; and the two younger children died in infancy. The father is a Republican in politics, has served in various local offices of public trust and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He became a successful con- tractor in the construction of irrigation and drainage ditches and on his removal to Scotts- bluff county he here became identified with the reclamation service, besides which he took up a homestead of eighty acres, which he has reclaimed and improved and upon which he erected in 1919, a modern house of seven rooms.

B. E. Lane was reared and educated in Sa- line county, and in 1907 he came with his parents to Scottsbluff county, where he has gained a position of security as one of the substantial young farmers and stock growers of this section of the state, the greater part of the farm being provided with irrigation

facilities of excellent order. A loyal and pro- gressive citizen, Mr. Lane is an independent voter in political matters and is actively iden- tified with the Nonpartisan League. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, in which he has received the thirty-second degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, and also with the Modern Woodmen of America.

May 13, 1913, recorded the marriage of Mr. Lane to Miss Nellie J. Bohl, who was born in Colorado, and their attractive home is brightened by the presence of their three children - Goldie Marie, and Barton and Francis, who are twins.

AMOS C. MORRISON is one of the dis- tinctly substantial and representative figures in connection with agricultural and live-stock in- dustry in Scottsbluff county, where he estab- lished his residence on the 15th of October, 1898, and where he is now the owner of a splendid ranch property of seven hundred and twenty acres. There are many points of spec- ial interest in the record of his career. He has the distinction of being a native of the his- toric Old Dominion state, was a pioneer cattle man in Wyoming, prior to which he had been a resident of Iowa, and since coming to Ne- braska he has achieved large and worthy suc- cess in connection with farm industry, besides which he is vice-president of the American State Bank in the city of Scottsbluff.

Mr. Morrison was born in Frederick county, near Winchester, Virginia, on the 23d of March, 1860, and in the same fine old common- wealth were born his parents, Amos and Eliza- beth Catherine ( Miller) Morrison, who were residents of that state at the time of their death. Amos Morrison was a prosperous agriculturist in Virginia at the inception of the Civil War, which great struggle brought fi- nancial and industrial distaster to him, as it did to nearly all other citizens on the southern stage of the war activities. Within the progress of the war he served as a teamster in the Vir- ginia militia and eventually he again placed himself in a position of definite independence and prosperity. He attended and supported the United Brethren church, of which his wife was a member, and after the close of the Civil War he became an active supporter of the Re- publican party. Of the children only two are now living. James, the eldest of the number, was a resident of Virginia at the time of his death ; Elizabeth is deceased; Anna is deceas- ed; Belle is deceased; the subject of this re- view was the next in order of birth ; and Mil- roy and John are deceased.

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A. C. Morrison was reared to maturity in Virginia, where he received his early education in the schools of the period, he having been born the year prior to the outbreak of the Civil War and thus having known as a boy the hardships through which his native state passed during the so-called reconstruction period. Af- ter leaving school Mr. Morrison continued to be actively identified with farm enterprise in Virginia until 1886, when, as an ambitious and sturdy young man of twenty-six years, he made his way west and established his resi- dence in Iowa. After remaining there about two years he went to Wyoming, where he en- gaged in the cattle business, in connection with pioneer agricultural operations. The section in which he established his home was sparsely settled, and he relates that in the early days there he frequently traversed a distance of thirty miles without seeing a single house.

Mr. Morrison continued his industrial ac- tivities in Wyoming until October, 1898, when, as previously noted, he came to Nebraska and located in Scottsbluff county. Here he bought land, and since that time he has added to the same until he now has a valuable landed estate of seven hundred and twenty acres, in the north central part of the county and not many miles distant from Mitchell, his attractive and admirably improved home place being situat- ed in section 30, township 22-55. He has brought a large acreage under effective cultiva- tion and is one of the representative agricul- turists and stock-growers of the county, be- sides being a loyal and progressive citizen who commands unequivocal esteem. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party, but he has always been a worker and has had neith- er time nor desire for political activity. It is especially interesting to record that Mr. Mor- rison and John and William M. Newell left Iowa on the same day and removed to the same locality in Wyoming, besides which all three came to Scottsbluff county about the same time, all having been successful here in their well ordered undertakings and their friendship be- ing as close as that of brothers.

In the state of Wyoming, on the 10th of February, 1891, Mr. Morrison wedded Miss Amanda M. Warner, who was born in Nebras- ka and who passed the closing years of her life at the pleasant home in Scottsbluff county, this state, where her death occurred January 11, 1904. She is survived by six children : Mel- vie is the wife of Robert Fuller, of Meadow, Sarpy county; Dessie is the wife of Frank Allison, of whom personal mention is made on other pages of this volume ; Clinton is a farmer

in Mitchell valley, Scottsbluff county, and in this enterprise he is associated with his next younger brother, Ralph; and Milroy and Mil- dred remain at the parental home.

On the 31st of March, 1906, Mr. Morrison contracted a second marriage, when Sallie R. Gross became his wife, she having been born in the state of New Jersey. She is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison have four children - Amos, Esther F., Harold and Paul.

WILLIAM W. NEWELL is a member of a specially close triumvirate of friends who have become prominent and successful in the field of agricultural and live-stock industry in Scottsbluff county, another of the number being his brother John, of whom specific mention is made on other pages, and the third being Amos C. Morrison, of whose carcer a review likewise appears in this work. The three went in company from Iowa to Wyoming more than thirty years ago, and from the lat- ter state they came to Scottsbluff county about the same time, their success having been on a parity with their enduring friendship, which is marked by mutual appreciation and utmost harmony.

William W. Newell, the owner of seven- teen sections of land in Sioux county, is here one of the most prominent and successful representatives of the cattle industry in the famous Panhandle of Nebraska, and he main- tains his home on his well improved place in the vicinity of the thriving town of Mitch- ell. He was born in Louisa county, Iowa, on the 7th of June, 1858, and is a son of Robert F. and Christina (Newell) Newell, who were sterling pioneers of that section of the Hawkeye state. Of the nine children the following brief record may consistently be incorporated at this juncture : Elizabeth, Thomas, Caroline and Hugh are deceased ; Mary is the wife of Edward Curtiss and they reside in the state of Iowa ; John is individual- ly mentioned on other pages, as previously stated; William W., of this review was the next in order of birth; Robert still resides in Iowa; and Harriet is the wife of Frank Sid- man, a resident of Kansas. The father became a successful farmer in Iowa, where he reclaim- ed and improved a good farm and he was one of the honored pioneer citizens of that state at the time of his death. He was a Democrat in politics and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity.

He whose name initiates this article was reared under the conditions and influences that

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marked the pioneer era in the history of Iowa, where he early began to aid in the work of the home farm, his educational advantages in his youth having been those afforded in the public schools of the locality and period. In his native state also did he initiate his inde- pendent actvities as a farmer, but after con- tinuing operations two years he accompanied his brother John and his friend A. C. Morri- son to Wyoming, all locating in the same vicinity and all engaging in the ranch busi- ness, their postoffice address having been the village of Spring . Hill. There Mr. Newell conducted successful activities in the cattle industry for a period of eleven years, at the expiration of which he came to Nebraska, in 1898, and established his home in Scotts- bluff county, where he has achieved large and worthy success as an exponent of agri- cultural and live-stock enterprise. He is one of the extensive land-owners of this part of the state, as previously intimated in this re- view, and virtually all of his land is devoted to the cattle industry, though he raises the various fodder crops that are an essential ad- junct. His civic liberality has been in har- mony with the success that has attended his earnest and well ordered endeavors and he is always ready to do his part in the promotion and support of enterprises tending to advance the best interests of the community. He is allied with the Democratic party and Mrs. Newell and family hold membership in the Presbyterian church.

The year 1883 recorded the marriage of Mr. Newell to Miss Sarah Parkin, and she has proved a devoted companion and helpmeet dur- ing the long intervening years. To them have been born eight children : Frederick is engaged in farming and stock-raising in Sioux county ; Vinnie is county superintendent of schools in that county ; Caroline remains at the parental home ; Louis is a resident of Wyoming ; Edith, William and Nellie are the younger members of the parental home circle; and Maggie died in infancy.

CLAUDE R. WATSON, M. D. - Within the pages of this history will be found specific mention of a goodly proportion of those who are admirably upholding the prestige of the medical profession within the boundaries of the great Panhandle of Nebraska, and in noting the representative physicians and sur- geons of Scottsbluff county is special consist- ency in according recognition to Dr. Watson, who is engaged in the successful general prac- tice of his profession in the north central part

of the county, with residence and headquar- ters at Mitchell. He is known as a man of high professional attainments and is valued as a loyal and progressive citizen.

Dr. Watson was born in the city of Louis- ville, Kentucky, on the 15th of September, 1884, and is one of the seven children of Bufford and Margaret (Miller) Watson, both likewise natives of the fine old Bluegrass state, the father being still a resident of Louisville. To the schools of his native state and city Dr. Watson is indebted for his early educational discipline, which included his pursuing of higher academic studies in the University of Kentucky. In preparation for his chosen pro- fession he was matriculated in the medical department of the University of Indiana, and after receiving from this institution his de- gree of Doctor of Medicine he served for some time as interne in the city hospital of Louisville, Kentucky, where he thus gained valuable clinical experience and further forti- fied himself for the successful practice of his profession. In 1908 he established himself in practice in Buffalo county, Nebraska, where he developed a substantial professional busi- ness and where he continued his activities un- til 1914 when he was favored in securing the splendid experience incidental to active as- sociation with the work of the celebrated hos- pital conducted by the Mayo brothers at Rochester, Minnesota, the brothers of this name having gained national reputation in the domains of medicine and surgery and their Minnesota institution being one of the most noted of the kind in America. Dr. Watson was associated with the Doctors Mayo for fifteen months, at the expiration of which he returned to Nebraska and established him- self in practice at Mitchell. He he controls a large and representative practice, and he is specially well known for his skill in the sur- gical department of his profession. He is affiliated with the Nebraska State Medical So- ciety and the American Medical Association, has received Scottish Rite degrees in the Ma- sonic fraternity, besides being identified with its adjunct organization, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and also with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and the Knights of Pythias. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Con- gregational church and in politics he main- tains an independent stand, by giving his sup- port to men and measures meeting the ap- proval of his judgment rather than being con- strained by strict partisan lines.

The year 1908 recorded the marriage of

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Dr. Watson to Miss Pfrimmer Zollman, who likewise was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and who presides most graciously as chate- laine of their pleasant home at Mitchell.

JACOB GOMPERT has the sterling char- acter and the industrious and persevering hab- its that tend to conserve personal advance- nient, so that it is not strange that in Scotts- bluff county he has became a substantial repre- sentative of farm industry, his home being in section 9, township 23-56, about four miles distant from Mitchell, which is his postoffice address. The well improved ranch which he has here developed is given over largely to the raising of cattle and other live stock, though he is equally successful in the agricultural department of his farm enterprise.

M.r. Gompert was born and reared in Rhine province, Germany, the date of his na- tivity having been November 27, 1867, and his early education having been gained in the excellent schools of his native land. He is a son of Johan and Marie (Hulser) Gompert, who became the parents of six sons and one daughter, four of the sons having eventually become residents of the United States, where each has stood exponent of loyal and appre- ciative citizenship: Herman is a resident of Sioux county, Nebraska ; Jacob of this sketch, is the next younger; Gerhard, likewise a sub- stantial farmer of Scottsbluff county, is in- dividually mentioned on other pages of this work; and John is a resident of Waterloo, Iowa. The father, who was a farmer in Germany, come to the United States in 1899, and the following year marked his arrival in Scottsbluff county, Nebraska, where his death occurred in April, 1906, his wife having passed away a number of years previously.

Jacob Gompert gained in his fatherland a valuable preliminary experience in connection with farm enterprise, and in November 1887, shortly before his twenty-fifth birthday an- niversary, he made his appearance in the state of Texas, where he remained until 1889, in which year he came to Nebraska. In 1899 he took up a homestead in Scottsbluff county, and he forthwith began improving the place, to which he has since added, by purchase, until he now has a valuable landed estate of three hundred and twenty acres, of which one hun- red acres are under effective irrigation. With characteristic energy and good judgment Mr. Gompert has pressed steadily forward toward the goal of success and independence, and he now merits classification among the substan- tial agriculturists and stock-raisers of Scotts-

bluff county. Here the consensus of popular opinion is that his success has been worthily won and well merited. He is aligned as a supporter of the principles of the Republican party and he and his wife hold membership in the Federated church.

In 1892 Mr. Gompert wedded Miss Eliza- beth Holbrook, who was born and reared in Germany and who came to America in com- pany with the father of her future husband. Mr. and Mrs. Gompert have five children - John, Gerhard, Gertrude, Mary and Fred. None of the children have yet gone forth from the parental home circle with the exception of the eldest son, whose loyalty was shown by effective service in connection with the na- tion's participation in the late World War; he was assigned to service with a hospital corps and was sent to France, where he remained for some time after the signing of the historic armistice, his return to America having occur- red in August, 1919.

GERHARD GOMPERT came from his na- tive Germany to America in the year 1889, and that year had not yet come to its close when he established his residence in the present Scottsbluff county, where he thus gained a measure of pioneer distinction. The county has gained through his loyalty as a progressive citizen and his well directed activities in the furtherance of agricultural and live-stock in- dustry. Within a short time after his arrival in the county Mr. Gompert took up a home- stead in the north central part thereof, his success being evidenced by the fact that he has since evolved from this nucleus a fine farm estate of three hundred and forty acres that are under effective irrigation and two and one-half sections of dry land. He is giving his attention pirmarily to the cattle business, in which line of enterprise he conducts opera- tions upon a large scale. In initiating this prosperous enterprise he began in the most modest way, - in fact, with only one cow, - but his energy, careful methods and mature judgment have enabled him to make consecu- tive advancement and gain precedence as one of the substantial men of the county of his adoption. His home place is situated in sec- tion 6, township 23-56, and is about six miles distant from Morrill, which is his postoffce address, and six miles from Mitchell. He takes loyal interest in all matter pertaining to the general. welfare of the community and is deeply appreciative of the opportunities that have been given to him in Nebraska. He is independent in politics and both he and his

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wife hold membership in the Lutheran church.

Mr. Gompert was born in Rhine province, Germany, on the 29th of December, 1864, and is a son of John and Marie Gompert, of whose six sons four came to the United States ; Her- man is a resident of Sioux county, Nebraska ; Jacob is a substantial citizen of Scottsbluff county and is individually mentioned on other pages ; John is a resident of Waterloo, Iowa; and Gerhard of this review, is the other one of the four. The father, who was a farmer in Germany, came to the United States in1888 and returned to the old country after one year. In 1900 he came again with his family and took a homestead. His death occurred in 1906.

Gerhard Gompert gained his early education in the schools of his native land and was twen- ty-four years of age when he came to Ameri- ca, where he felt assured of better opportun- ities for achieving independence and prosper- ity through his own efforts. The passing years have fully justified his hopes and ambition, and he has reason to be proud of the success which he has achieved in connection with farm en- terprise in Scottsbluff county.

In 1889, shortly after his immigration to this country, Mr. Gompert was united in mar- riage to Miss Elizabeth Langenfurth, who ac- companied him on the voyage across the At- lantic and who has been his loyal coadjutor in the labors and responsibilities that have mark- ed the passing years. Of their seven children the eldest is William, who is associated in the work and management of the home ranch, he was in service of the United States during the late war ; Henry is actively identified with farm enterprise in Scottsbluff county ; Herman went forth as one of the loyal young men who served with the American Expeditionary Forces in France during the progress of the great World War, he having been assigned to duty in the veterinary corps and his return to his home state having occurred in the sum- mer of 1919; Jacob, who was in the serv- ice of the United States during the war; John, Anna and Carl are the younger members of the parental home circle.

GEORGE IRELAND, who conducts a well equipped mercantile establishment at Mitchell, one of the vigorous and progressive little cities of Scottsbluff county, is properly assigned prestige as one of the representative business men of the county, and further interest at- taches to his career by reason of the fact that he is a native of Nebraska and a representative of a sterling pioneer family of this common- wealth.

Mr. Ireland was born in Sarpy county, Ne- braska, on the 4th of March, 1879, and is a son of George M. and Mary E. (Sexton) Ire- land, the former of whom was born in West Virginia and the latter of whom was born in Iowa, where her parents were pioneer set- tlers and where her marriage to Mr. Ireland was solemnized. George M. Ireland and his wife now maintain their home at Arapahoe, Nebraska. They became the parents of eight children, all of whom are living.

He whose name initiates this review is in- debted to the excellent public schools of Ne- braska for his early educational discipline, and after leaving school he continued his associa- tion with farm enterprise until 1914, when he removed from the farm upon which he had been conducting operations, in Scottsbluff county, to Mitchell, where he has since been successfuly engaged in the mercantile business, with well selected stocks of groceries, shoes, furnishing goods, etc. He became a resident of the county in 1907, in which year he here took up a homestead and instituted the recla- mation and improvement of the same. He developed a good farm and on the same con- ducted successful operation until 1914, when he sold the property and established his pres- ent business enterprise. He is a Republican in his political proclivities, is affiliatd with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Metho- dist Episcopal church. They have an attrac- tive home at Mitchell and the same is known for its generous hospitality - a place where their many friends are always assured of cor- dial welcome.

The year 1907 recorded the marriage of Mr. Ireland to Miss Mabel E. Henderson, who was born in the state of Iowa, and they have three children - Helen, Wilma and George, Jr.

JOHN W. PLUMMER. - In the north- western part of Scottsbluff county to mention the name of John W. Plummer in even a casual way, is sure to bring forth words of commendation and good will, for he is a man whose characteristics are such as to make and retain to him the confidence and esteem of those with whom he comes in contact, besides which he has thoroughly proved his value as a loyal citizen and a man of productive en- terprise. He is one of the representative agri- culturists and stock-growers up in the Morrill neighborhood, his farm being situated in sec- tion I, township 23-57, a few miles dis- tant from the village mentioned. He has had his full share of the varied experiences that

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 44

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