History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 48

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

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Edwin Beard was reared on his father's farm and attended the public schools where he laid the excellent foundation for his higher studies that proved of inestimable value when he entered college. While attending high school he had already determined upon a pro- fessional career. Having grown up in a fron- tier community he was mentally advanced far beyond his years due to the many decisions and occasions when he was required to think for himself and act quickly without the opportun- ity of consulting an older or more experienced person. After graduating from the local high school Dr. Beard entered the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons, of Keokuk, Iowa, where he received his degree of M. D. in 1898, and the following summer located for the practice of his profession at Cobb, Wisconsin, where he remained three years, built up a good practice, of which he disposed to advantage when he sought a wider field and removed to the city of Milwaukee. For three years the doctor de- voted his time, talents and energies to special branches of his profession in the city but came to realize that a young man had greater oppor-

tunties for varied practice in a newer settled country than Milwaukee county and decided to locate farther west. In 1904 he came to Ne- braska, looked many towns over before settling in Stanton, where he opened an office and was soon enjoying a most gratifying practice both in the town and the surrounding country. Be- ing a student of affairs as well as medicine and human nature, Dr. Beard sized up the condi- tions in this state very accurately. He realized that the independent man is the one who does not have to rely solely upon his fellow men for a living, that a land owner is freer than the city dweller, so after six years he determined to join the ranks of the landed class and being far sighted and a good business man availed himself of the practically free land yet to be obtained in the Panhandle and in 1910 came to Scottsbluff county to take up a claim in the Henry neighborhood. He lived on the land, made the required improvements, broke the soil, planted crops for the necessary supplies for the family and his animals and at the same time engaged in the practice of his profession throughout the valley, supplyng a great need for medical and surgical attention that the residents of the section had been forced to do without or else go a long distance to obtain. During the period on the farm Dr. Beard established himself highly in the esteem of his patients, his friends and business associates and within a short period was one of the most pop- ular physicians in the Morrill district, enjoy- ing a lucrative practice which many a city man would envy. When the town of Morrill was started he became its pioneer physician and as the town has grown so has his business un- til today he is one of the most prominent men of the medical profession in Scottsbluff coun- ty and the Panhandle, being called long dis- tances for consultation on difficult and compli- cated cases. In his profession and as a man he is ever one to remember and aid "those who are forgotten," and he bears optimistic cheer and encouragement as well as professional ad- ministration to those in suffering or distress so it may well be understood that he is loved in this community in which he has lived and la- bored for a decade.

September 8, 1902, Dr. Beard married Miss Alice A. Pooley, the daughter of Robert and Esther (Rapson) Pooley, both natives of Eng- land who came to the United States when small with their parents in about 1840. Robert Pooley was a farmer of considerable success and went overland to California in the early fifties. Miss Pooley was born at Scales Mound, reared and educated in Illinois and to them

HARVEY WALLACE CRUME AND FAMILY

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two children have been born: Esther Alice and Robert A., who are growing up at home and for whom a bright future is in store as their parents will give them every advantage as to equipment for their life work whatever they may choose. Mrs. Beard is a woman of high attainments, and since her marriage has been the able and valuable coadjutor of her husband in his business and professional life. Her gracious womanhood, gentle sympathy and deep interest in the movements for civic and communal uplift have given her a distinct place in the life of Morrill where she is the chate- laine of the generous hospitality dispensed by herself and the doctor, who have a host of warm friends throughout the valley. The Beard family are active members and support- ers of the Presbyterian church while the doc- tor's fraternal affiliations are with the Masonic order and politically he is a Republican, though not bound by party lines in local elections.

HARVEY WALLACE CRUME. - There are few residents of Scottsbluff county, per- haps, who are better informed than Harvey Wallace Crume as to the advantages, in a bus- iness way and otherwise, that belong to those who can claim Nebraska for a home. Mr. Crume has spent a half century in this state and has been identified with the development of different sections.

Harvey Crume was born in Vernon county, Wisconsin, March 25, 1847. His parents were John William and Rhoda (Griffith) Crume, both of whom were born in Illinois and lived into old age, the father dying in Nebraska at the age of eighty-seven years and the mother when aged eighty-eight years. They had eight children, four sons and four daughters, Harvey being the fourth born in the family. The father followed the trades of blacksmith and wagonmaker.

In 1869, when twenty-two years old, Harvey Crume came to Nebraska, locating first at Lin- coln and afterward teaching school for some years at Dunbar, in Otoe county. Afterward he lived in Nemaha county and for a number of years was employed at Peru. Mr. Crume has witnessed many changes and has met people from almost every part of the country and his reminiscences are very interesting. In 1910 he came to Scottsbluff county and home- steaded 120 acres, placed substantial improve- ments on his property and has one of the best irrigated farms in this section.

In early manhood Mr. Crume was married to Sadie Laughlin, who was born in Illinois, as were her parents, John and Olive Laughlin. Her father was a blacksmith by trade. To Mr.

and Mrs. Crume the following children were born : John W., who is a resident of St. Louis, Missouri; Gertrude, who is deceased; Pearl, who married Walter Carlson and is living in their home in Scottsbluff county; Roy, who attends to the operation of the homestead ; Leona and Ernest Frame, who live in Mitchell; and Ray, who is deceased. Mr. Crume and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has always voted the Republican ticket.

ZINA PHINNEY. - The experiences of Zina Phinney, now a member of the retired colony of Morrill, have had a wide range, as he is one of the pioneers of the Platte valley and has the distinction of being one of the first residents of the Morrill district. For thir- ty-two years he has resided within the borders of Scottsbluff county, during which time he has seen the country grow from the wild un- tamed prairies into a smiling country side where the growing crops in the spring seem to be an endless emerald sea, dotted with pros- perous villages and the mainstay of American- ism, the district school. Mr. Phinney has nobly assisted in all this development, his experi- ences having included the various conditions, incidents and rugged happenings of the fron- tier days to the refinements and conveniences of our modern civilized existence. His career has been a long, useful and eminently suc- cessful one, and in his declining years, he may look back with a measure of pardonable pride over his accomplishments. For many years he occupied a leading and prominent place among the progressive agriculturists and ranchmen of Morrill valley and at one time the large landholders of Scottsbluff county.

Zina Phinney was born in the Empire state, descended from a long line of worthy ances- tors who played an important part in the de- velopment of that state from its early settle- ment. He was born in Green county, New York, October 22, 1843, being the son of Henry and Mary (Carter) Phinney, both born and reared in the same great commonwealth, where they received the advantages of the excellent public schools and after attain- ing man and womanhood met and were mar- ried. To them eleven children were born of whom five are living. Henry Phinney after finishing school established himself as a New York farmer, being thrifty, hard working and an able manager he gathered a considerable competency and became one of the prosperous agriculturists of his section. He lived until 1900, being survived by his wife one year.

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

The early educational discipline of Zina Phinney was secured in the district schools of Green county, New York, where he was brought up under the training of his prac- tical father, who instructed him fully in all the departments of agricultural work, so that when he reached manhood he began farming for himself, in partnership with his father, and this business was conducted by them joint- ly until Mr. Phinney was in his twenty-fourth year. when the younger man decided to come west and obtain land of his own. He first located in Iriquois county, Illinois, rented a farm. The family moved to Iowa, where the father bought a quarter section of land upon which they lived twelve years. But ever west- ward the tide of civilization takes its way and as Mr. Phinney was a student of the times as well as his own occupation, agriculture, he knew that though Iowa is a rich farming state that a man who could grow good crops for a few years on new rich land could make more money than to remain in the older settled lo- calities. And willing to prove his faith, he dsposed of his holdings in Iowa and after looking the country over located on a home- stead in what is now Scottsbluff county in 1887. He also took up a tree claim and with the passing years proved up on both, which was the beginning of his later large landed estate. The first year in the Panhandle he was alone as he did not wish to subject his family to the hardships until he had made some preparation for their reception. The first year he broke what land he could, put in the first sod crops, erected some of his farm buildings, those absolutely required and lived in his own "soddy" warm and comfortable though the winter blizzards were severe. In 1888 the family followed and there were com- fortable quarters for them to live in, though nothing like what they had been accustomed to in their old home, but both Mr. and Mrs. Phinney were courageous souls, determined that nothing should daunt their courage, and truly nothing did, for they stuck throughout all the hard years of drought, insect pests and the severe winters when much of their stock died. They firmly believed that the Platte val- ley was to become a rich agricultural section in time and that their faith was justified needs not be reiterated. All the family worked in the early days, the older members assuming the heavy, hard tasks but the little people did their share tending cattle, milking and driv- ing plows and cultivators as soon as they were big enough to handle horses and as a reward the family prospered beyond other

settlers. With the passing years as he amassed sufficient capital Mr. Phinney purchased more land until at one time he owned sixteen hun- dred acres, mostly grazing land that he dispos- ed of at $30 per acre. From first establishing himself here Mr. Phinney engaged in general farming operations, principally the stock-rais- ing business, and as he came here at the time when the cattle business of the great rich com- panies was in its heigh-day he naturally became interested in that industry and as soon as his means permitted became an extensive stock- raiser and feeder at a later date. All his var- jed interests proved profitable due to his able management, his good judgment in buying and selling at the right time and the many years of experience he had before coming west. Mr. Phinney was a man who was willing to carry out any project that tended to the benefit of his community and in 1894 accepted the Star route from Gering, which ran up the Mitchell valley and for four years served the residents of that section with marked ability so that they were sorry to see another man take his place when he was obliged to resign in order to devote his entire time to the growing de- mands of his own farm and its allied business interests. The Phinney family are active mem- bers and generous supporters of the Christian church, and Mr. Phinney has been a support- er of the principles of the Republican party since he cast his first vote, and though he has never desired or had the time to hold public office he is a public spirited citizen who helps and advocates all civic and communal move- ments for the benefit of his community and is a worthy representative of the class who live their ideas of Americanism and by their pre- cepts hand down to their children and posterity an example that it will be well for the rising generation to emulate.

On March 8, 1865, Mr. Phinney married Miss Laura Lake, a native of New York, born May 29, 1845, and to them five children were born of whom only two survive: Delbert, liv- ing southwest of Morrill; and Daniel, also a resident of the same district, where they are considered two of the most substantial and re- sponsible men of their community, and thus are carrying on the reputation of the family established in the valley so many years ago by their father.

CHARLES E. SWANSON, one of the early and prominent settlers of western Nebraska, is a native of Sweden, born December 3, 1860. He is the son of August and Matilda (Ander- son) Swanson, both parents being natives of

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Sweden who came to America and settled on a homestead in Cheyenne county, Nebraska, northwest of Sidney, in 1886. The father en- gaged in farming and stock raising. He had been a colonel in the Swedish army, was a member of the Lutheran church, and after coming to America was a Republican in poli- tics. He died in Des Moines, Iowa. The children who survive, in addition to the sub- ject of this sketch, are: John, living in Moline, Illinois ; Minnie Anderson, in Des Moines, Iowa; Matilda, in Oskaloosa, Iowa ; and Ida, in Fremont, Iowa.

Charles E. Swanson came to Iowa in 1879 and worked on a farm and in the mines. He came with his father to Cheyenne county in 1886 and took a homestead on which he later proved up, and four years later came to Scotts- bluff county and bought a quarter section of land in Mitchell valley. He now owns four hundred acres of the finest irrigated land in the world and devotes himself to general farm- ing and stock-raising.

Mr. Swanson was married September 17, 1883, to Freda Anderson, who was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, and to this union seven children were born. They are: Clem, a farm- er in Wyoming; Helen, now Mrs. Theodore Elquist, of Torrington, Wyoming; Alex, who is proprietor of a meat market at Morrill; Ruth, living in Denver ; Mckinley, who is now at home after serving in the United States army in France, with the 15th Machine Gun Battalion of the Fifth Division, having been in the front line at the Argonne Forest and Meuse River battles, wounded and gassed and dis- charged in February, 1919; and Paul, who saw thirty-eight months of service in France in the front line of battle with the Canadian army, having enlisted at the beginning of the war in Calgary. Harry M. is still at home.

Mr. Swanson has good reason to be proud of his family as well as of his own success as a developer of this western country. He is well and favorably known for his industry and honesty and is justly regarded as one of the most reliable and substantial members of his community. By enterprise and good judgment he has made himself comfortable for the fu- ture and is still in the prime of his life with many years ahead of him. He is a Republcan in politics, a director of the school district in which he lives, and has served as assessor for a number of years. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen and is a Methodist.

HARRY E. BAIRD, was born in Osceola, Iowa, in 1879, the son of Samuel Baird, who was a native of Wisconsin, and Johanna ( Car-

penter ) Baird, also a native of Wisconsin, now deceased. The father was a general farmer in Iowa and owned land there, devoting himself to farming and stock-raising. He is now the owner of land in Scottsbluff county. There were four children in the family, Harry being second youngest. The other are: Clarice, liv- ing in Iowa ; Nellie, now Mrs. Louise E. West, of Scottsbluff county ; and Frank, who is en- gaged jointly with Harry in farming operations here. The father is a Republican in politics. The mother in her life time was a member of the Methodist church.

Harry came to Scottsbluff county in 1905 and took a homestead. He now is the owner of 160 acres of Scottsbluff county land, all under irrigation, and is engaged in general farming in conection with his brother Frank. The place is well improved and promises to keep on advancing in value as the western Nebraska territory is further developed, and Mr. Baird is in position to carry on his farm- ing and stock-raising enterprises profitably while growing with the country. During his residence in Iowa he was a dealer in pure bred Shorthorn cattle and Percheron horses. He has not yet branched out much in the pedi- greed stock line in his present location, since it has been a man's size job to take the unde- veloped land as he found it and bring it to its present high state of productiveness, but he may take up the old line in the future.

Mr. Baird is a member of the Woodmen of . the World, is a Methodist in religion, and is an independent voter though Republican in principle. He stands high in the opinion of those who know him and is well known as a straightforward and enterprising member of the community in which he resides.

ROBERT CURRY .- In recounting the life history of the men who have come to Ne- braska from other states and acquired substan- tial standing in the Panhandle, attention may be called to Robert Curry, who is a heavy landholder in Scottsbluff county, and one of the progressive and responsible citizens of the val- ley. In business operations covering a decade and a half, he has built up a reputation for astuteness as well as integrity, and today typi- fies the American farmer at his best as he stands in the forefront of the progressive movements that have placed the Platte valley at the head of the productive sections of our broad land.

Mr. Curry was born at Cassville, Missouri, in 1876, being the son of Frank and Martha (Horner) Curry, the former a native of Ten- nessee while the mother was a Missourian.

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

Frank Curry was reared and educated in his native state and being ambitious in his youth looked for wider fields and as he had chosen farming for a life's vocation located on a farm in the rich Missouri bottom lands where he soon became established as a man of worth and ability. He and his wife passed their lives in the state of their adoption. They had five children : W. N., now a farmer in the state of Washington ; Charles, in Missouri ; A. L., fol- lowing farming in Nebraska, as he owns a landed estate near Morrill; Robert; and Mary Ann, the wife of George Skelton, living in Missouri. Mrs. Curry was a member of the Baptist church during her life while Mr. Curry was an ardent supporter of the tenets of the Democratic party.

Robert was reared on his father's farm in Missouri, attended the public schools near his home and after his elementary education was completed remained on the home place assist- ing his father in agricultural work for several years. When the time came for him to become established in independent business, Mr. Curry chose farming, as the vocation to which his tastes tended and also as the one in which he had already gained practical experience. For a period he remained in his native state but Missouri had become well settled up and as he desired to become a land owner he de- cided to avail himself of the cheaper land farther west where he could take up a claim. After looking over the various localities yet open to settlement he believed that the great- est future for the agriculturist was along the Platte where irrigation insured crops and farm- ing was not quite such a gamble as many men found it who depended upon the uncertain rainfall. In 1907 he came to Scottsbluff coun- ty and took a claim in section 4, township 23- 57, where he at once began good and perma- nent improvements. He erected the necessary farm buildings, broke the sod for the first crops and soon built a comfortable home for the use of the family. Having had years of experience, Mr. Curry soon had his farm in fine shape. the soil was cultivated and raised to a high state of fertility and as he gave time and study to his business, soon was putting in the crops that brought the greatest returns. The first homestead consisted of eighty acres, this was proved up and as soon as his capital permitted Mr. Curry purchased other tracts adjoining so that today he has a landed estate of two hundred acres of land, all under ditch and this irrigated land produces as much as a farm four times its size without water rights. From first locating here Mr. Curry

realized that a farmer did best by having sev- eral lines so that he has carried on diversi- fied agriculture and stock-raising in all of which he has been markedly successful, due to his work, foresight in planting and selling, and his executive ability and today is rated one of the most substantial agriculturists of the Morrill district. He is a man of public spirit, who has kept fully abreast of the times, and believes that the world moves and its citi- zens must do the same or fall behind and as a result has advocated all the progressive movements that have played such an import- ant part in the development of this country. He has served his district as school director for a number of years to the great satisfac- tion of the men who elected him, is a member of the Presbyterian church to which his wife also belongs, believes in the principles of the Democratic party though not tied by strict party lines in local elections. He is a Mason of high standing, having taken the Thirty-sec- ond degree.

In 1902, Mr. Curry married Miss Dora B. Skelton, the daughter of J. N. Skelton, of Missouri, where she was born. The Curry family consists of two children : Frank J. and Julia Alice, both at home.

The Curry family has become well known in the Morrill district, where they have a host of friends and as both Mr. Curry and his wife are ever ready to do their full duty for the home locality and the nation, are the type of true Americans to whom the future of our country may well be instrusted.

VINCENT A. GARRETT, a son of the Golden State, who typifies the best in Ameri- can manhood and today stands in the foremost ranks of that great body of men who are so prominently in the eyes of the world, the "Great American Farmer," has already scored a gratifying success for so young a man.

Vincent Garrett was born in Nappa county. California, in 1879, the son of Samuel and Esther (Bodwell) Garrett, the former a Buck- eye by birth, as was his wife. They were reared and educated in their native state and later went to the Pacific coast where some of their children were born. After some years in the Golden State Samuel Garrett removed with his family to Red Willow county, Nebras- ka and later to Colorado in 1890, where he located on land near Fort Collins and for six- teen years was engaged extensively in feeding sheep along with his general farming opera- tions. In 1906 he came to Sioux county, pur- chased land which he farmed and also en-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

gaged in stock-raising. After his farm was in satisfactory condition Mr. Garrett opened an office in Morrill, in partnership with Nichols and Carpenter, the firm handling real estate. He continued to carry on these varied busi- ness lines until his death, being survived by his wife who still resides in Morrill. Mrs. Garrett is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, while during his life her hus- band attended with her. Mr. Garrett was a Republican in politics. There were five chil- dren in the family: H. R., on a farm near Morrill; Vincent, the subject of this review ; John A., a Sioux county farmer ; E. E., also farming in Scottsbluff county ; and Roy J., engaged in farming with E. E.

Vincent lived with his parents on the farm in Colorado, attended the public schools of his district where he laid an excellent founda- tion for his higher education. Both he and his father were ambitious for his success in life and after the boy graduated from the public school he matriculated in the State Agricultural college of Colorado as he had decided on farming as his life vocation and realized that the best equipment for it would insure a success not to be otherwise obtained. Mr. Garrett finished the long agricultural course and then, after his studies were com- pleted, came to Sioux county in 1906, took up a homestead of eighty acres and there at once began to put into execution both the prac- tical knowledge he had gained as a boy on the farm and the theoretical ideas of the college experts. The land he chose is located in sec- tion 28, township 24-57. He placed the land under cultivation, established good improve- ments in the way of buildings and then erected a fine home, as he was married the year he located on the farm. All Mr. Garrett's land is under ditch as he was too far sighted and too well up on the subject of his business to think of farming without assured success. From first locating in the valley he has put into practice the modern methods advocated by the professors of the college and the state and government experts and as a result has achieved success far beyond that of most young farmers of the section which does not lack for capable and prosperous members of the agricultural profession. Mr. Garrett has specialized in raising potatoes and as his farm began to produce abundantly entered into the produce business in partnership with his broth- ers in Morrill, where he has erected a ware- house with a capacity of sixty thousand bu- shels and ship in car load lots. He has the dis- tinction of having shipped the first car of po-

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 48

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