History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 51

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

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as a miller. He and his wife are now deceased. There were nine children in the Cooper family : David, who enlisted at the outbreak of the Civ- il War in the Twenty-ninth Iowa Volunteer infantry, died at Little Rock, Arkansas ; John D., deceased ; William F., a merchant in Des Moines, Iowa; Amos C., owns a livery busi- ness at Thayer, Iowa; Cyrus; James H., a Kansas farmer ; Edward, M., deceased ; Ruth, the wife of Thomas Weeter of Union county, Iowa ; and Robert M., an osteopathic physician of Garden City, Kansas. The father was a Democrat and Prohibitionist in his views while he and his wife belonged to the Christian church.

Cyrus grew up on hs father's farm, sturdy and self reliant as a boy in a large family on the frontier must be, to survive the hard knocks incident to life in a new country. He received all the educational advantages af- forded in the public school near his home and early learned the practical business of farm- ing from his father. When he grew to man- hood he chose agriculture as a profession and followed this in Iowa until 1904. In the mean- time he had studied up on intensive farming under irrigation and when he was offered an attractive price for his place in Iowa, disposed of it and came to the Panhandle to obtain cheaper land and more of it than before. Mr. Cooper purchased eighty acres in section 12, township twenty- five, all of which is under ditch. since locating in the valley he has en- gaged in general farming to some extent but devotes most of his time and energies to gen- eral truck farming, which under his capable management has proved most profitable and he is one of the prosperous and responsible men of this line in the Gering locality, which does not lack for capable men.

In 1879 occurred the marriage of Mr. Coop- er and Miss Elizabeth Poe, a native of Iowa, now deceased. She became the mother of two children: Edna, the wife of James W. Tillman, of Stanford, Montana, and Lizzie, who married J. W. Reynolds, a ranchman of Wyoming. For his second wife Mr. Cooper married Mary E. Miller, a Canadian by birth, the daughter of William and Jerusha (Town- send) Miller, both now deceased. Five children were born to the second union, William M., a farmer of Scottsbluff county; Alice M., the wife of J. O. Rose, a Banner county farmer ; Oran C., in Wyoming, farming in Campbell county ; Mark T., who works for his brothers ; and Ward M., also working for him.

Mr. Cooper is an Independent in politics, voting for the man best qualified for office,

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while he and his wife are members of the Methodist church. While the family resided in Iowa, Mr. Cooper served as assessor for his district and while he has never held office since coming west, is a public spirited citizen who advocates and supports all movements for the development of his community and the county.

GEORGE C. CROMER, who belongs to the progressive younger element of the agricul- tural fraternity of Scottsbluff county is a na- tive son of Nebraska as well as this county, and already out of his labors he has worked the start of a successful career where the outlook of his future is very bright. His present prop- erty on one hnudred and thirty acres not far from Gering is under a high state of cultiva- tion ; he is engaged in general farming, is in partnership with his father in breeding and rearing thoroughbred Percheron horses, and since establishing himself in business has be- gun to raise irrigated fruit and is considered one of the rising horticulturists of this sec- tion, and as fruit growing has but recently been inaugurated in the upper valley as an indu- try he may be regarded as one of the pioneers in this line.

Mr. Cromer was born in Scottsbluff county, March 3, 1890, being the son of E. P. Cromer, a history of whom will be found elsewhere in this volume. George was reared on his fath- er's farm, attended the public schools where he laid the foundation for the higher educa- tional advantages which he has enjoyed. He early began to assume many of the duties about the home place and thus while a boy had a good practical working knowledge of agricultural industries. He attended the high school in Gering, and after graduation having chosen farming as a vocation, entered the agri- cultural department of the State University at Lincoln, where he devoted considerable time to the study of plant life in addition to his general course of applied farming and its methods. After receiving his degree from the college Mr. Cromer returned to the upper val- ley to form a partnership with his father in the live-stock business, specializing in breed- ing percheron draft horses for farm work. He owns, independently, one hundred and thirty acres of land, more than half of which is under ditch, upon which he raises varied farm crops and forage as well as some special products which pay remarkably well when irri- gated. He has already begun in a small way, as to acres, having only two planted to orchard yet, to devote time and work to horticulture and in 1917 sold $175 worth of plums from

this one tract, as this line has proved so grati- fying in bringing in returns Mr. Cromer con- templates increasing his orchard each year until it has attained considerable size. Plums are not the only trees as he has apples, cherries, pears, and black walnuts, all of which will bring an assured income. In the near future he is planning to erect a big barn which will also be a sorting and fruit house for use in the harvest season. Mr. Cromer has a pleasant and commodious home and other up-to-date buildings and through his progressive and en- ergetic work he is attaining credible and grati- fying success for so young a man.

November 28, 1918, Mr. Cromer married Miss Freda Henatsch, of Scribner, Nebraska, the daughter of G. H. and Anna R. Henatsch. Mrs. Cromer is a member of the Congregation- al church in which she is an active worker. Mr. Cromer belongs to the Methodist Episco- pal church, being curator of the church at Gering; in politics he is independent, being bound by no party ties in casting his vote, but gving his influence to the man best qualified for office. He supports all movements for the development of the county and his com- munity and is one of the type known as true American citizen, who lives up to the high ideals he sets.

CARL THOMAS is one of the native born inhabitants of the North Platte valley. He is the son of Valentine Thomas, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, and was born in Sioux county on June 15, 1894. After a preliminary schooling in the public schools he graduated from the Morrill high school and attended the University of Nebraska at Lin- coln, then returned and engaged in the busi- ness of general farming and sheep feeding.

He was married May 17, 1919, to Mary Horn, who is likewise a native Nebraskan, having been born in Lincoln, the daughter of WV. H. Horn who follows the trade of carpen- ter in that city.

Mr. Thomas was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity in his college days, is a Thirty-sec- ond degree Mason, and a member of the Elks. He is Republican in politics. Mrs. Thomas is a member of the M. E. church.

Though a young man and just well started in life, Mr. Thomas has the equipment of edu- cation and lifelong friend with the country in which his lot is cast, and faces a bright prospect for the future. His father is one of the best known residents of this com- munity, and the son has a high standing among his friends and acquaintances as a progressive

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM T. WALTERS

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and enterprising young man who has the foun- dation laid for a great success in life and has the ability and energy to build on that founda- tion.

WILLIAM T. WALTERS, who came to Nebraska almost a half century ago, has wit- nessed many wonderful changes along every line of development. During his long period of residence here he has done his part in this development and is well and favorably known not only in Scottsbluff county but in other sec- tions. Mr. Walters was born in the southern part of Kentucky, August 21, 1855, a son of Isaac and Susan Jane Walters, natives of Ken- tucky. The father was a farmer prior to the Civil War, in which he served until his death. The mother died in Iowa.

William T. Walters was still young when he lost his father and in the main he is self-inade and self-educated. When he came first to Ne- braska it was not as a homesteader but as one interested in lumber. While many portions of Nebraska have never been timbered regions, there are sections in which many varieties of trees are found, and in earlier days the lumber business in Adams county was one of large importance. For twenty-nine years Mr. Wal- ters was engaged in that business at Hastings. In 1911 he came to Scottsbluff county and homesteaded and now owns a valuable irri- gated farm of 120 acres, situated on section 3, township 22-53, and well improved.

Mr. Walters was married to Julia Lechleiter, who was born at Chicago, Illinois, February 3, 1872. Her father, a stonemason by trade, came to the United States from Germany in 1865. Both he and his wife survive and live at Jack- sonville, in the state of Illinois.

SYDNEY J. DAVIS was born in Long- mont, Colorado, June 6, 1881. He is a son of John A. Davis.

After completing his schooling in Colorado he entered the farming business and has fol- lowed the calling of general farming ever since. He lived in Colorado until 1908, when he joined a good many other Colorado people in investigating the possibilities of the new irrigated country that was growing up in the valley of the North Platte river in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming. He became convinced of the superior opportunities for a young and energetic man in the new field and ended by coming to Sioux county and taking a homestead under the Reclamation Service North Platte project in 1908. He has so well taken advantage of the opportunities

offered that today he is the owner of two hun- dred and forty acres of fine irrigated land in a good state of improvement. He still sticks to general farming and is one of the most suc- cessful.

Mr. Davis was married in December, 1915, to Blanche Camp, a native of Iowa. They have one child, James Keith, aged two years.

As a public-spirited man, Mr. Davis finds time for other pursuits outside of his agricul- tural duties. He is a Scottish Rite Mason, and his wife is a member of the Methodist church. In politics he is independent. Al- though a comparatively new member of his community, he has won a place of respect and good will among his fellow citizens.

FRED L. YOUNG is a native born Ne- braskan. His birthplace was in Burt county, where he first saw the light September 19, 1880. He is the son of Andrew and Clemen- tine (Lilly) Young, and is one of nine children in that family, all of whom are living, he be- ing the oldest. The other members of the family are Edvinna, now Mrs. Louis Larson, living at Oakland, Nebraska ; Lee who resides at Carroll, Nebraska ; Dora, who is married to Waldo Christensen; Ben, living at Orchard, Nebraska; George, at Craig, Nebraska; Will- iam, at Craig, Nebraska, who recently returned from service in the United States army with the famous Eighty-ninth Division overseas ; Ethel, and Julius, who both are still at the family home in Craig, Nebraska. The father is a general farmer and stock-raiser.

After finishing the common schools course Mr. Young engaged in farming, and realizing the advantage that the trained man has in farming as well as other pursuits, he entered the State University at Lincoln and was gradu- ated from the agricultural course in 1904. He moved to western Nebraska in 1908 and took a homestead in Sioux county, and now owns a half section of well improved land, part of it under irrigation, on which he does a gen- eral farming business and raises Hereford cat- tle.

He was married February 14, 1912, to Pearl Kent, who is also a native of Nebraska. Their family consists of two children, William, aged six years. and Andrew, aged two.

Mr. Young is well known as an honorable and progressive man, and is well started on a career of prosperity. He has a deservedly high reputation among those who know him. Mr. Young is a Democrat and a member of the Presbyterian church.

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

JOHN W. YOUNGHEIM was born in Illi- nois on May 2, 1867, the son of Julius and Mary Youngheim. He was one of eight chil- dren. He and his sister, now Anna Predmore, were the only members of the family that came to Nebraska. His father was a farmer in Illinois, and died in 1890. He volunteered for service in the Civil War, and served three years and nine months in Company F. regiment unknown, was wounded twice in service. His mother died in his early youth, about the year 1870.

Mr. Youngheim, after finishing his school- ing in Illinois, came to Nebraska in 1888, lo- cating in Perkins county as a farmer. In 1899, he removed to Fort Morgan, Colorado, the cen- ter of the great irrigated district in that state, and from there came to the North Platte val- ley in 1905 and took a homestead. He is now the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of well improved land under irrigation, and has all he can attend to in tilling his land as a gen- eral farmer and stock-raiser.

He was married in 1896 to Ethel Osler, a native of Iowa, and they have eight children : Urith, Fern. Zalla, Hazel, Salla, Winford, John and Lurine.

Mr. Youngheim has a good basis on which to found a judgment of dry and irrigated farm- ing in the west, having had a number of years experience at both kinds, and having also tried the famous Colorado irrigated country ; with all this knowledge to guide him, he has chosen the irrigated valley of the North Platte as the best of them all and has definitely cast his lot here. In addition to being a successful farmer and stockman Mr. Youngheim enjoys the repu- tation of being an upright and honorable man in his dealings and has made many friends in the years he has been in his present location. His word is good and his judgment has been proved to be good by the success that has attended his efforts. He is justly regarded as one of the substantial and reliable men of his community, and has yet many years ahead of him in which to enjoy his accumulations and add to them.

CECIL FAY HUTCHINSON was born near Red Cloud, in the state of Kansas, Janu- ary 10, 1883. His father was Valley Tan Hut- chinson, and his mother Cora Belle ( Potter) Hutchinson, both of whom were natives of Iowa. The subject of this sketch was the old- est of six children, all of whom have located in Nebraska. His sister Grace, now Mrs. E. T. Purinton, and his brother Leonard reside at Wilcox, Nebraska; another brother, Charles,

has for the past three years made his home here with Mr. Hutchinson, but is now married and lives on Leonard's farm; a sister, Beulah, the wife of Hubert Munroe; and the youngest brother, Earl, lives in Sionx county.

Mr. Hutchinson was educated in Colorado, and after completing his schooling began farm- ing at Wilcox, Nebraska. He came to Scotts- bluff county and took up a homestead in 1910, and now owns a valuable farm of eighty-eight acres, well improved, and all under irrigation. He does a general farming business.

July 12, 1911, he was united in marriage with Edna Weston, who is a native of Franklin county, Nebraska. Two children were born to them, one of whom was taken by death in infancy. The other is named Merville Weston.

In politics Mr. Hutchinson classes himself as a Prohibitionist, and is a member of the Congregational church.

Like every man who is the owner of an irrigated farm in the North Platte valley in a good state of development, Mr. Hutchinson is to be called a successful man. He enjoys the respect and good will of his neighbors and stands well in his community, and being still a young man he will no doubt achieve a still further measure of success, for he is well start- ed in a business and in a location where the only requirements for success are industry and honesty of purpose, and these he has proved that he possesses.

GEORGE W. LAWYER is one of the well known men of Scottsbluff county. He was born in Iowa, November 25, 1862, the son of William and Caroline (Jackson) Lawyer, be- ing one of eight children in that family. His father was a general farmer in Iowa, but came to Nebraska in 1884 and took a homestead in Custer county. He died in 1916. The mother died in 1915.

Mr. Lawyer was educated in Iowa, and up- on the completion of his schooling he took up farming and in 1886 came to Nebraska and homesteaded government land. From that be- ginning he has continued to grow with the country until he now is the owner of two fine irrigated farms and a quarter section of other land. His efforts have been devoted to farm- ing and stock-raising and have met with an excellent success.

He was married in 1885 to Stella Basin, who was born in Illinois but lived in her youth in Iowa. Five children have been born to them, four of whom are living. The names of the children are: Verne, who is married and lives in California ; Rowland D., living in Des

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

Moines, Iowa; Chester C., who died at the age of 18; Manley M., now living at home af- ter serving with the United States army in France, and Elgin, who has spent two years and a half in the United States navy.

Mr. Lawyer is a Republican in politics and is a member of the Methodist church. He has always been identified with the spirit of prog- ress and development and has been a part of the growth that has made such a remarkable change in the western part of Nebraska in the last thirty years. He stands high in the opinion of those who know him. While this section of the country has not lacked for good men no community can have too many of them and there can be no dispute that its future progress will be helped by having all it can get of such men as George Lawyer.

HARRY B. PATTISON is one of the younger men who have helped to develop the new country that is putting western Nebras- ka on the map. He is one of the sons of Al- fred M. and Martha J. (Goodman) Pattison, of whom mention is made on other pages of this volume, and was born in Indiana, on June 4, 1880, coming to Scottsbluff county, Ne- braska, with his parents in 1893.

He was educated in the common schools of Hamilton county, Nebraska, and attended the Gering high school after the family's removal to this state. After completing his schooling he took advantage of the opportunity that was then offered to lay the foundation of future success by taking up a government homestead in Scottsbluff county, which he relinquished to the government. In addition to this he now rents land from his father and is engaged in general farming.

In 1903, Mr. Pattison was united in mar- riage to Sylvia Whitis, who is a native of Furnas county Nebraska and, their household has been made happy by the birth of seven children, all of whom are living at home. Their names are Belva, Laura, Thelma, Aud- rey, Hildred, Venita, and Beulah. Mrs. Patti- son is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist church.

Harry has proved himself a worthy member of the family name which he bears, and is known as an energetic and industrious farm- er, one of those who have not stood idly by while the country moved ahead and left them behind, but went ahead with the country, help- ed to develop the productive lands that were waiting for development, and took an active part in public affairs while attending in an an honorable way to private enterprises. His

family is an ornament to the home and to the community, and he is deservedly counted as one of the substantial and upright men of the county. He still has a future to look forward to, and figures that he has not lived half of his life yet. That the future for him will be in good old Scottsbluff county goes without saying. He is independent in politics.

JOE N. PATTISON was born in Indiana on December 30, 1876. His father is Al- fred M. Pattison, one of the old and respected settlers in Scottsbluff county, of whom men- tion is made on other pages of this work, and his mother Martha J. (Goodman) Pattison, a native of Tennessee.

After attending school in Hamilton county, Nebraska, Mr. Pattison came to Scottsbluff county and took up farming and stock-rais- ing, renting land from his father for that pur- pose. He has a good home on a well improv- ed place and is sharing i nthe general prosper- ity of western Nebraska, where it is only ne- cessary for a man to be industrious and stick to it in order to be successful.

On July 21, 1901, the subject of the sketch was married to Carrie M. Snook, a native of Nebraska, and one child, Edward P., has been born to them. Mrs. Pattison is a member of the Christian church.

Mr. Pattison is independent in politics, but comes from a Republican family, his father having been active in that party in Civil War times, and his grandfather having been identi- fied with it when the party was first started.

Among his friends and Neighbors Joe Pat- tison is known as a man who stands for progress and industry. In connection with his father and brothers he has achieved sub- stantial success in the field that he has chosen, and being yet a young man he has a right to feel that the best part of his life is yet before him. He enjoys the respect and esteem of those who know him. A fitting compliment to him is to say that he is a worthy member of the family that is well known throughout the county as the Pattisons.

ALLISON E. STEWART. - If the ability to do hard work cannot be designated as a tal- ent, then it is one of the best possible substi- tutes for that desirable possession. Things do not turn up in this work-a-day world unless someone turns them and industry and perse- verence lead to the goal, success, as in the case of Allison Stewart, a resident of Ne- braska since 1885, so that he takes true rank among the hardy pioncers of the Panhandle

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who have played an important part in open- ing up and developing this now favored sec- tion.

Mr. Stewart was born in Fond du Lac coun- ty, Wisconsin, being the son of Henry A. and Ruth (Grant) Stewart, the former a native of the Empirestate, where he was reared and educated, while the mother was a Buckeye by birth. The Stewart family are of old colonial ancestry, the first members having come to America before the War of the Revo- lution and they played an important part in the political and social life of their respective communities while the tide water region was being settled and developed. Henry Stewart came west from New York State by way of the Great Lakes on a boat at the period when Michigan and Wisconsin were on the frontier. He located on a farm in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin where he engaged in farm- ing. He was a man of varied talents, being a prominent member of the Republican party and active in the social and political life in eastern Wisconsin all the time he resided in the Badger State. In 1867 he removed to Iowa, ever the lure of the "farther west" urged him toward the new open country, locating first on the western border, he later removed to Mills county, where the sands of his life ran out.

Allison Stewart was reared on his father's farm, early learning the lessons of reliance on self and thus has ever been able to cope with emergencies when they arose, as he was quick of judgment and discernment. He re- ceived the educational advantages obtainable in the frontier schools as his boyhood and early youth were lived on the ever changing fron- tier. When a boy he displayed great ability in handling stock on the home farm and after coming to Nebraska in 1885, was employed as a cowboy at different times by some of the great cattle companies who ranged their vast herds over the prairies at that period. Mr. Stewart filed on a claim in Dawes county, the year he came to this state and after he gave up life on the range, established himself as a farmer and stock-raiser there. He put good and permanent improvements on the place but he knew that there was fine land to be had in the upper Platte valley and having an opportunity to dispose of his land at a good figure in 1901 sold out and came to Scotts- bluff county, buying two hundred and forty acres in the Morrill district on section twelve, township twenty-three-fifty-seven, where he has since resided. As most of the farm is un- der ditch Mr. Stewart has inaugurated inten- sive farming using modern machinery to light-

en the work on the place and also increase production. He has erected good, permanent farm buildings and a fine modern home for his family where they keep open house to the many friends they have made since coming to the Panhandle. In addition to his own hold- ings Mr. Stewart rents a quarter section of land to enable him to conduct the varied in- dustries which he finds are so satisfactory from a financial point of view. He is an indepen- dent voter, being guided as his conscience dic- tates and giving his influence to the best man for office; he is public spirited though inter- ested in civic affairs only as a good citizen, not as an office seeker. Mrs. Stewart is a member of the Baptist church, which the fam- ily attends while Mr. Stewart's fraternal af- filiations are with the Modern Woodmen.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 51

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