History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 49

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

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tatoes out of Morrill. Now they are asso- ciated with the Albert Miller Produce Com- pany of Chicago and ship from two hundred and fifty to three hundred carload lots of po- tatoes out of the valley yearly. Mr. Garrett well typifies the benefit to the farmer of a special course in his business and today is one of the pushing, energetic members of the younger generation of business men who are making history in the Panhandle and demon- strating that irrigation is to be the salvation of the farmer on the semi-arid reaches of the high plains of this and neighboring states.

Having such an excellent academic train- ing Mr. Garrett is not a man to let others do his thinking for him and on state and na- tional questions takes an independent stand in politics and is one of the most prominent mem- bers of the Independent faction. He votes for the man he believes will honestly give the voters the best service. His wife is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church to which they are liberal subscribers.

In 1906, Mr. Garrett married Miss Grace J. Kernohan, a native daughter of Nebraska, born at Grand Island. Her father was J. P. Kernohan, now a resident of Delta. Colorado. Six children have been born to this union: Esther, Ross, Samuel, Clarence and Clyde, twins, and Hubert, all of whom are still at home and for whom a bright future is in store as their parents are well to do and will give them every advantage in a social and educational way that the state of Nebraska af- fords to establish them in life.

CHARLES B. FOSTER. - Few of the pioneers of Nebraska have passed through more character building experiences, faced greater hardships, overcome more obstacles and in the end gained greater results than Charles Foster. His life is typical of the courageous, persevering spirit which brought about the settlement and development of the west, and he has won his way unaided from a man whose only capital consisted of his hand, a high courage and the determination to wrest a competence from the soil, directly or indi- rectly as the case might be. In the early days when the Panhandle was yet the frontier, he was a cowboy, buffalo hunter, ranchman, and later became the owner of considerable landed estate which today places him among the pros- perous and substantial residents of the Mor- rill valley.

Mr. Foster was born in Orange county, Ver- mont, January 26, 1856. the son of Gardner N. and Olive (Chapin) Foster, both natives of

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the same state where they were reared, edu- cated and married. The family lived in Union Village, where the children were born, and where the father plied his vocation of carpen- ter as long as he took an active part in busi- ness life. The Foster family were members of the Methodist Episcopal church in which they were active workers. Frederick, the youngest child is deceased while Charles has become a resident of Nebraska. The latter was reared in Union Village, and attended the pub- lic schools. When the rumor of the discovery of gold swept over the country many of the youths of the eastern states came west to gain a fortune as they hoped in the Black Hills. Mr. Foster was one of these who determined to hazard his fortune in the Dakota gold field and joined a party of fifty men who were go- ing there to dig but he stopped in Cheyenne on the way, liked the town and remained there for a year. He began to enjoy the free open life of the country and as this period was the time when the great, rich cattle barons were gaining fortunes from the vast herds that ranged from Texas to Montana he became enamoured of the cowboy's life and joined one of the big outfits, the CY company with head- quarters on Horse Creek, Wyoming. Mr. Foster adapted himself to the life of the cattle camps, road herd and spent many seasons drift- ing cattle from the early spring range north throughout the summer months to the markets in the north in the fall. He displayed great ability in handling men and cattle and for seventeen years was associated with the same company. He realized that the future of the cattle industry was to lie in the hands of the farmer, that the day of the open range was doomed; as settlement was ever encroach- ing on the pastures that were leased occasion- ally from the government and availed him- self of the opportunity to get in on the ground floor, so to speak, and in 1892 filed on a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of Scottsbluff county land, located in township 22-58, section 3, a tract that had the advantage of being easi- ly irrigated. Mr. Foster at once set about breaking his land, made good and substantial improvements on the farm. He engaged in diversified farming, planting the crops best adapted to the climate of this section and which thrived with good water. Having been in the cattle business for so many years he also established himself as a stock-raiser. As he prospered and his capital enabled him to do so, Mr. Foster bought more land adjoining the original farin until today he has a fine, well cultivated estate of four hundred acres,

all under ditch, which gives him greater returns than two thousand acres would without water rights. Mr Foster has taken a commendable interest in community affairs and has served as school moderator of his district and has served as treasurer of district number one for many years. Independent in politics, he casts his vote for the man he thinks best qualified for public office. Mrs. Foster is a member of the Christian church. Mr. Foster was superin- tendent of the Mitchell ditch for fourteen years.

April 10, 1889, registered the marriage of Mr. Foster and Miss Ennice Ray, the daughter of John and Caroline Ray. She was born in Indiana but accompanied her parents to this state when aged eight years, settling in an east- ern county. In 1888, the family came to Scotts- bluff county as Mr. Ray was appointed post- master of Caldwell. Both parents of Mrs. Foster are now deceased. Six children came to brighten the Foster home circle: Edward, now at home, who was in government serv- ice during the World War, being attached to an ambulance corps in Italy; May, the wife of Bernard Andrews, of Bridgeport ; Earl, who died in infancy ; Harry, deceased, and Neal and Emmett also at home. Mr. Foster and his family are held in the highest esteem by a large circle of friends and are people of real gen- uine worth.

WALTER E. BAKER. - Among the men who have contributed materially to the growth and development of the Panhandle since the pioneer settlement of this part of the state, one who has been an eye witness of, and par- ticipant in this great growth and progress is Walter E. Baker, who lives retired in Mitchell. Mr. Baker was one of the pioneers of the late seventies and a homesteader of the early eighties, as he accompanied his father to this section as a youth, and the greater part of his business career has been passed as a farm- er and stockman. In whatever capacity he found himself, he always carried on his trans- actions and conducted himself personally in a manner that won and has held for him the respect and esteem of his fellows, so that his life history has been unmarked by stain or blemish, and today he stands as an example of what this wide western country can produce in manhood.

Walter E. Baker was born in Craw- ford county, Pennsylvania, March 25, 1862. His parents were Cornelius and Jane (Bel- knap) Baker, the former of whom was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, March 27, 1827, who

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died October 23, 1880. The latter was born in this same county October 23, 1833 and passed away May 4, 1868. The father was a farmer in Pennsylvania, emigrated from there to In- diana, when that state was considered near the frontier and then to Illinois, engaging in agricultural business in both states, where he was known as a substantial reliable busi- ness man. Mr. Baker was a natural pioneer, one of the men who have blazed the way for civilization and settlement. He was not afraid of the hardships and privations incident to a new unsettled country and played an import- ant part in developing the various sections in which he located. After spending some years in Illinois, Mr. Baker disposed of his farm there to good advantage and knowing of the broad stretches of government land to be had for the taking in Nebraska, where not only he, but his sons might take up land, came to Gosper county, in 1878, locating on a home- stead south of the Platte, where he lived but two years before his death occurred. There were five children in the Baker family: Me- della C. Bunce, the wife of J. P. Russell, of Birmingham, Alabama; Walter; William C .; Arthur C. Bunce, a physician of Omaha, Ne- braska; and Benny J., of Mitchell, who is a veterinary surgeon. After the death of his first wife Mr. Baker married her sister in 1869, and it was she who assumed charge of the family when the father died and ably she shouldered the burdens and proved up on the homestead.

Walter came west with his parents in 1878, a boy in years, and yet a man in his ability to carry on farm work and shoulder responsi- bilities as he was the oldest boy, and as his age and strength permitted took more and more of the work on the farm. He was ambi- tious to get ahead in the world and coming to Cheyenne county in 1885 saw the many oppor- tunities open to him to secure good farm land so in 1889 he filed on a claim of one hundred and sixty acres, and took up a tree claim. He placed the required improvements on the land in the first years, then made such others as he desired for himself, erected good and sub- stantial farm buildings as were required for his stock and a good comfortable frontier home for himself and wife. Mr. Baker en- gaged in general farming and cattle-raising and met with success in both branches of his busi- ness. The Baker family passed through all the hard years on the plans, those of drought, blizzard and insect pests but both husband and wife were courageous, determined that they would win and "stuck it out," and that their

faith in the country has been justified is attest- ed by the comfortable fortune which they now possess. With the initiation of irrigation in the Platte valley, Mr. Baker was one of the first residents of the section to realize and ad- vocate it as the salvation of this semi-arid section and today all his land is under ditch. From first locating in this section of the Pan- handle Mr. Baker has taken an active and interested part in the development of the coun- try and has advocated all civic and communal movements for the benefit of the community. In politics he is a staunch adherent of the principles of the Republican party to which he has belonged since casting his first vote, and served as county commissioner for three years. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while during the World War he was associated with all the movements inaugurated in the county to aid the govern- mment in the prosecution of the war.

January 22, 1891, marks the date of the marriage of Mr. Baker and Miss Alva Ray, the daughter of John Ray, who came west in 1888 and located in Scottsbluff county. Mrs. Baker was born in Indiana and died in Scotts- bluff county September 19, 1915, having all the years of her married life been the able helper and loving wife and mother, who in her passing left a sorrowing family and many friends. There were nine children in the Bak- er family : Abbie E., the wife of William Gehrt ; Bessie J., who married Lester Fox, of Scottsbluff county; Ruby H., married George Yocum, also of Scottsbluff ; Ada M., the wife of Perry Wright, who is at home keeping house for her father ; Dora M., Alice F., Mary Bertha, and Walter E., Jr., all of whom are still at home under the family roof tree.

JOHN A LARSON. - The ultimate and consistent reward that should prove the crown of years of earnest endeavor and effective toil is the prosperity that may be had by men and women who have arrived at the stage on life's journey where the shadows begin to lengthen from the crimson west, where the sunset gates are open wide. Such reward has been granted to the sterling man whose name heads this review.

Mr. Larson is of Scandinavian descent, born in Sweden in 1859, one of the members of a race that has contributed so largely to the better class of settlers in our country and to whom we owe a great debt for the examples of thrift and industry, characteristics which they brought with them when they crossed the stormy Atlantic to this land of promise,

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where they entered every walk of life and in so many cases made good. John Larson was the son of P. A. and Ann (Peterson) Larson, both natives of Sweden, where they were rear- ed and received the excellent educational ad- vantages provided by the government. They met and married in their native land and there some of their children were born before they determined to seek greater opportunities for themselves and their family across the sea, in the new country where land was to be ob- tained for the taking, an almost incredible idea to these people of a European country where land was high in price and held from genera- tion to generation in one family, so that the younger sons must emigrate if they desired land for themselves. Mr. and Mrs. Larson were ambitious and severing all the sacred ties that bound them to family and native land, came to the United States in 1873, locating in Colorado on a homestead of a quarter section of land, on which they proved up. Here the father engaged in general farming and stock- raising for the remainder of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Larson were members of the Luther- an church, while Mr. Larson was an adherent of the Republican party.

Eight children completed the circle of the Larson home: John, the subject vi this re- view ; P. A., an implement dealer of Grover, Colorado ; Emma, the wife of Peter Johnson, of Boulder, Colorado; Charles, a carpenter in Denver; Ida, is the widow of Edward Bru- baker ; Otto, a miner near Boulder ; Jennie, the wife of Nels Nordquist, of Victor, Colorado; and Albert, the proprietor of a restaurant at Greeley.

John Larson attended the elementary schools in Sweden before his parents came to America, and after the family was settled here was giv- en the educational advantages obtainable in the public schools. After finishing his schooling he began work as a miner, as did most of the young men of vocational age, as mining was the chief business of a greater share of the population for many years, when the gold boom was on. Mr. Larson was employed in sev- eral different places where mining operations were being carried on for about twenty years, but as he was a man who gave thought and study to many questions of the day he began to realize from his readings that the proprietor of land was the most independent man in the world, especially if his holdings consisted of farm land. He studied up on the question of agriculture though he had a good practical knowledge from his life on his father's farm, but methods had changed and he was far

sighted enough to realize that times do change. After looking the country where homsteads could still be obtained over, he decided to en- gaged in farming in Colorado. Twenty years passed while he carried on both farming and at times mining until in 1906 he came to Ne- braska, locating in Sioux county where he took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in township 24-57, section 22, where he began improvements as soon as a home could be built for his family and they became set- tled. Having had long and varied experience by this time in agriculture, Mr. Larson had chosen his land well as a hundred acres of his holdings are under ditch. He has made ex- cellent improvements, purchased the most mod- ern farm equipment to lighten labor and also assist in greater production from the land, and today is rated as one of the most well-to-do and prominent men of the valley. He carries on general farming industries and as his irrigated land yields generous forage crops has branched out in an allied business, sheep and hog feeding. in all allied business, sheep and hog feeding. He buys lambs and sheep off the range, feeds heavily for a period varying from sixty to ninety days and then ships to the eastern mar- kets. Mr. Larson is a shrewd buyer and long seller so that his returns from this branch of his enterprises has brought in most gratifying results, especially since the beginning of the war, as meat has been so high.

In 1895, Mr. Larson married Miss Christine Peterson, a native of Sweden, the daughter of Peter Peterson. Mrs. Larson accompanied her father when he immigrated to this country and lived in Denver, before her marriage. Four children have been born to this union: Stella, the wife of Charles Hutchison, a farmer of Sioux county ; Rose, who married Harold Gil- bert, of Sioux county ; Harry, and Edna, both of whom are at home with their parents. Mr. Larson is a Democrat in his political affilia- tions. Mr. Larson has never been willing to accept public office, but lives his citizenship every day in the manner in which he orders his life, and today is rated one of the reliable men of his section who advocates every move- ment for the benefit of the community.

WALTER D. HUFFMAN. - Here is a younger member of the agricultural profession, a self-made man who though young in years has already scored his initial success and whose life record deserves a place among the repre- sentative and progressive men of the Pan- handle who are making history in this section of Nebraska.

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Mr. Huffman was born in Iowa, March 11, 1881, being the son of Lorenda and Sarah P. (Kirk) Huffman, the father born in Illinois, and the mother in Iowa, where they were rear- ed, educated and later married. To them nine children were born : Marcus, living at Fort Col- lins, Colorado; Frederick, a resident of Jules- burg : Herbert, of Scottsbluff county, employed in a sugar factory ; Charles, living in Sedgwick, Colorado ; Millie, deceased; Lennie, the wife of George A. Monroe, of Sioux county ; Ernest, also living in Morrill, and Ella, the wife of Ralph Bookout, of Fort Laramie. The father of this family was one of the gallant sons of the Union who responded to the president's call for volunteers during the Civil War, serv- ing in the One hundred and forty-second Illi- nois infantry. After the cessation of hostilities he located in Iowa, where he was a well to do farmer, a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Methodist church. He died in 1915, being still survived by his wife who lives with her children.

Walter was educated in Colorado, as the fam- ily moved there while he was a small boy. Af- ter his school days were over he decided to be- come a farmer and establish himself in inde- pendent business and followed this vocation in the Mountain state until 1909, when he decided to avail himself of the fine chancer of farm land in the Panhandle where irrigation was well introduced and where at the time, there was still government land open for claims un- der the homestead act. Coming to Nebraska Mr. Huffman filed on eighty acres in township 23-57, section 8, Scottsbluff county. Having had years of, practical experience in agricul- tural pursuits, he soon had his farm in fine

shape, erected good permanent farm buildings and a comfortable home which is one of the social centers of the Morrill valley, as he and his wife have made a host of friends and Mr. Huffman is regarded as one of the enterprising and progressive men of the vicinity.

In 1905 occurred the marriage of Mr. Huff- man and Miss Louetta Mccullough, who was born and reared in Iowa. To this union three children have been born: Clarence, Edith and Ethel, all at home. The family are members of the Presbyterian church, in which they take an active part. Mr. Huffman is a Republican, but has found no time to enter politics as a candidate for public office though he is public spirited and has marked civic pride, and his work in behalf of beneficial movements in his community is always of a constructive char- acter. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Yeo- men.

JOSEPH G. NEIGHBORS, who owns one of the best improved farms of Scottsbluff county, has lived in Nebraska since 1887 and is a representative and respected citizen of this section. He was born in northern Missouri, September 21, 1863, and is a son of Joseph and Nancy (Carter ) Neighbors. The father of Mr. Neighbors was born in Virginia and the mother in Ohio and both are now deceased. The father was a farmer before he became a soldier in the Civil War, and died while in service.

Joseph G. Neighbors was an infant when his father died. He was reared in Missouri and from that state came to Nebraska some thirty- two years ago, and homesteaded in Scottsbluff county. Like other settlers at that time, he was called on to endure many hardships, but he was industrious and resourceful and in the course of time made encouraging progress and now has a valuable property, his land being all irri- gated. He carries on general farming and stockraising.

Mr. Neighbors was carried to Miss Carrie A. Franklin, who was born in Missouri, Septem- ber 11, 1869, a daughter of Thomas and Han- nah ( Minear) Franklin. Thomas Franklin was born in Kentucky and the mother in Vir- ginia. They married in Indiana and moved to Missouri. Mrs. Neighbors was seven months old when her mother died. The father of Mrs. Neighbors was a physician. He came to Ne- braska in 1886, locating at Gering, where he practiced his profession until his death at the age of sixty-three years. He and Frank A. Garlock built the first hotel and the first store in the town. He owned the first drug store. He was a soldier in the Civil War, serving the full term, and came out with the rank of cap- tain. Mr. and Mrs. Neighbors have three chil- dren : Grace, who is the wife of Samuel Shove, lives in Wyoming ; Thomas, who is an attorney, resides at Bridgeport ; and Melville, who is a farmer in Scottsbluff county. They are mem- bers of the Baptist church. In politics Mr. Neighbors is a Democrat.

FRANK E. POWELL. - One of Sioux county's successful and well-to-do citizens whose present prosperous condition is due to his own industry and good judgment, is the gentleman whose name introduces this paragraph.

Mr. Powell is a native of Ohio, born in Morrow county, April 17, 1862. His parents were Evan and Elizabeth (Everett) Powell, natives of Virginia, who were the parents of thirteen children, eight of whom are living, but only two came to Nebraska, Walter and

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Frank. The latter was reared in Ohio, ob- taining excellent educational advantages in the public schools of that state. His father was a farmer and at an early age the boy learned the practical side of agricultural business as well as stock-raising as conducted in his native state. The father died in 1904 but the mother survived until 1913.

After his school days were over, Frank left home before he was twenty-one years old and went to North Dakota and took a homestead. He had heard and read of the west and the lure of the wide spaces of the prairies called him. He came first to North Dakota, where he established himself as a farmer on a home- stead, subsequently he went to Kansas and was there fifteen years. Mr. Powell had read of the great strides agriculture was taking in the val- ley of the Platte with the introduction of irri- gation so he came here in 1902, filed on a claim in Sioux county not far from Morrill and proved up on it, making good and permanent improvements on the place and erecting a com- fortable home. When his capital permitted he purchased land adjoining the home place and today owns one hundred and sixty acres of land, nearly all under ditch, where he is conducting a general farming business. He is a thorough advocate of intensive farming and irrigation, gives study to the agricultural prob- lems that arise, has the latest modern equip- ment for his land and is accounted a man of weight and means in the valley, where he is known for his integrity, high ideals and the care with which he carries out his business obligations. Mr. Powell is allied with no po- litical party, voting as his conscience dictates, for the men best fitted to fill office, whether lo- cal, state or national in character.

In 1889, occurred Mr. Powell's marriage to Miss Dema Smith, who was born in the state of Michigan, and to this union two children have been born : Frances and Winifred.

While he has made a success of his under- takings, Mr. Powell has not been unmindful of his duties of citizenship and is held in un- qualified esteem by all who know him.

JOHN H. KELLUMS. - The subject of this record is one of the honored early settlers of Scottsbluff county and through his own ef- forts, marked by diligence and good manage- ment, he has achieved substantial success.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 49

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