History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 52

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 1882, Mr. Stewart married Miss Eliza- beth Owens, who was born in Wales and ac- companied her family to America when they came here to live; being married in Iowa. Twelve children have been born to this union : Matilda, the wife of T. B. Allcorn; Laura M., deceased ; Paul, deceased ; Edward M., a stock- man of Wyoming; John F., connected with the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad at Chadron ; A. E., Jr., garage man of Riverton, Wyoming : Frank, on a farm in Wyoming ; and Robert, Charles, Eleanor, Lester, and Htnry, all at home with their parents.

RUNEY C. CAMPBELL has been a resi- dent of what is now Scottsbluff county for nearly forty years-a period in which hos been compassed virtually the entire develop- ment and upbuilding of this now favored sec- tion of the state, probably the first actual per- manent settler in what is now Scottsbluff county. He has availed himself fully of the advantages offered in connection with agricul- tural and live-stock enterprise, and is one of the representative exponents of these indus- tries in the county, his large and well improved ranch property being situated three miles east of Gering and being devoted to diversified agriculture and the raising of excellent types of live stock, the while the place has good irri- gation facilities. As one of the county's pio- neer and honored and valued citizens Mr. Campbell is properly given recognition is this history.

Runey C. Campbell is a native of the Hawk- eye state and has the distinction of being a scion of one of its very early pioneer families. He was born at Des Moines, Iowa, November 17, 1858, and is a son of Runey and Euphemia (Fagan) Campbell, the former a native of

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Ohio and the latter of Indiana. Runey Camp- bell and his brothers were numbered among the very first settlers in the vicinity of the present fair city of Des Moines, Iowa, where they built the first store, their first camp hav- ing been on the site of the present state capitol building. They conducted the first mercantile establishment at Des Moines and Runey Camp- bell long continued as one of the leading citi- zens of that section of the Hawkeye state. He was a man of fine character and excellent mentality - one well fitted to meet the de- mands placed upon the pioneer. He died at the age of seventy-six years, and his wife pass- ed away in 1894, he having been a Democrat in politics and she having been a zealous mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. The names of both have a place on the roll of the sterling pioneers of Iowa. At this juncture is consistently entered brief record concerning the children: Clarence is a prosperous farmer in Iowa; Runey C., of this review, was the next in order of birth; Joseph is deceased ; Lillie F. became the wife of Hubert Smith and is now deceased ; William E. is a farmer near Dallas Center, Iowa ; Charles is similarly en- gaged near Camp Dodge, that state; Frank is a farmer in Polk county, Iowa; and Clara is the wife of Delbert Blake, of Iowa.

Runey C. Campbell was reared under the conditions that marked the pioneer period in the history of Iowa, and there he received the advantages of the excellent schools for which the commonwealth early became cele- brated. As a young man of twenty-three years May 8, 1883, Mr. Campbell left his native state and came to Nebraska, where he gained ex- perience in connection with cattle raising on the frontier. He arrived in the Panhandle district of the state in May of the year noted and here entered the employ of the Bay State Cattle Company, for which he herded cattle on the range for the ensuing three years. He then turned his attention to the improvement and development of the homestead which he obtained east of Gering, and during the long intervening years he has continued his active and successful association with agricultural and live-stock industry in Scottsbluff county, where he is now the owner of a well improved and valuable landed estate of four hundred and seventy-one acres, his home place being in sec- tion four, township twenty-one, range fifty- four, and three miles east of Gering, the coun- ty seat.

Mr. Campbell is a Democrat in politics and as a liberal and progressive citizen he has been influential in the activities that have forwarded

the civic and industrial development of his home county. He has never been a seeker of official preferment, but he served four years as sheriff of the county and gave a most satis- factory administration. He is affiliated with the Gering lodge of the Knights of Pythias and is one of the well known and popular pio- neer citizens of Scottsbluff county.

April 21, 1886, recorded the marriage of Mr. Campbell to Miss Etta A. Thornburg, of Perry, Iowa, in which state she was born and reared. To Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have been born seven children: Carroll J. is at the par- ental home and is associated with his father in the work and management of the ranch; Ada F. is the wife of Roy Shaffer, of this county, and they have one daughter ; Ralph E., who is now at home, was for nearly two years in the military service of the nation during the World War, having been a member of the One Hundred and Ninth Engineers, with which he served first at Camp Funston, Kan- sas, and later at Deming, New Mexico, his honorable discharge having been granted after the signing of the historic armis- tice, having been overseas about a year ; Agnes is the widow of Frederick Franklin and now resides at home : Allie O. served as a member of the One Hundred and Ninth Engineers, at Camp Funston and Deming, accompanied his command to France and received his discharge after the close of the war, he being now at the parental home; Constance is at home and is attending the public schools at Gering, as does also Lorena, the youngest of the children.

There wasn't a white woman living in what is now Scottsbluff county when he came to this county, and they are still living on the home- stead that they filed on in May, 1886. Mr. Stewart also owns a pre-emption adjoining this property that he filed on in 1884 and prov- ed up on same in 1886, then filed on his home- stead and timber claim and proved up on both of them.

CHARLES V. GINGRICH is one of the sterling pioneers of western Nebraska for whom the state of Indiana is to be cred- ited, and well has he done his part in the furtherance of civic and industrial de- velopment, as a sturdy exemplar of farm enterprise. His well improved farm prop- erty is situated one-half mile distant from Gering, the judicial center of Scottsbluff county, and is located in section thirty-five township twenty-two, range fifty-five.

Mr. Gingrich was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, on the twelfth of December, 1859,

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and is a son of John and Anna (Manning) Gingrich, his father having been a carpenter by trade and having been a successful con- tractor and builder in Indiana, as was he also in southern states, where he passed many wint- ers. Of the four children George and Mary are deceased; Ada is the widow of Thomas Boland and resides at Kearney, Nebraska; and the subject of this review is the next youngest of the number. The father was independent in politics, was prominently affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and his wife held membership in the Presbyterian church.

Charles Gingrich duly profited by the ad- vantages of the public schools of his native state, and he was a determined and ambitious man when he decided to seek the better oppor- tunities that were afforded in the west. He wisely chose progressive Nebraska as the stage of his future activities and first located in Dawson county, where he took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, which he im- proved and to which he perfected his title. After selling this property he came to old Cheyenne county, in 1886, and here took up a tree claim in what is now Banner county. He has here developed a model farm prop- erty and has been successful in his earnest and well ordered activities as an agriculturist and stock-grower. In 1905 he came to Scottbluff county and bought one hundred and eighty acres and farmed and later sold and bought his present home. In politics he holds aside from strict partisanship and votes for the can- didates that meet the approval of his judgment. His wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church.

In 1891 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Gingrich to Miss Francis Fitzsimmons, who was born in Ontario, Canada, and they became the parents of eight children, six of whom are living : Addie, at home ; Mabel, married Louis Torgenson; Ray is the wife of Walter Leon- ard, of Scottsbluff; and Vinton, Robert and Grant are still members of the home circle.

J. S. RICE. - In section 15, township 22-55 about two miles distant from the city of Scotts- bluff, is to be found the well improved farm which is the stage of the successful activities of Mr. Rice, whose parents were pioneers of Nebraska, the family prestige being well up- held in the civic and industrial status of him whose name introduces this paragraph.

Mr. Rice was born in Farnam, Dawson county, Nebraska, on the 17th of December, 1897, and is a son of Samuel D. and Jennie

(Boyle) Rice, both natives of Illinois, where they were reared and educated, their marriage having been solemnized in Nebraska. Sam- uel D. Rice came to this state in 1884, and took a homestead near Farnam, Dawson county, where he developed and improved an excellent farm and where he continued his residence, as an agriculturist and stock-grower, until 1901, when he sold his property in that county and established himself in a similar line of enter- prise in Scottsbluff county. He stocked his farm with excellent Polled Angus cattle and became specially successful as one of the en- terprising agriculturists and stock men of the county. His wife died in 1905 and he passed away January 3, 1918-a sterling citizen whose circle of friends was coincident with that of his acquaintances. Samuel D. Rice was independent in politics and both he and his wife held membership in the Presbyterian church. Of the three children, Lena holds a clerical position in the State Bank of Scotts- bluff ; J. S., of this review, has active manage- ment of the home farm, which comprises one hundred and forty acres ; and Harry is a resi- dent of Scottsbluff county.

June 12, 1917, recorded the marriage of J. S. Rice to Miss Maude Ansen, who was born and reared in this state, a daughter of Freder- ick and Theresa Ansen, the former of whom is deceased and the latter of whom resides at Scottsbluff.

JESSE H. MARLIN, who resides upon and gives his active supervision to his well improv- ed farm of one hundred and sixty acres, in section 28, township 23-55, Scottsbluff county, entered claim to this land in the year 1900, and here the conditions of the present day demon- strate his ability as an agriculturist and stock- grower and his progressiveness and enterprise, for he developed the land from the raw prairie and has made it a farm notable for the excel- lence of its improvements. His knowledge of what to do and how to do it has been fortified by practical experience which he gained in Nebraska, for he is a native of this state and a scion of a sterling pioneer family of Frontier county. On the old home farm in that coun- ty he was born on the 2d of March, 1882, and he is a son of William and Amanda (Ray) Marlin, who were born and reared in Indiana and who became pioneer settlers in Frontier county, Nebraska, the father having there de- veloped a valuable farm property and having become a very successful agriculturist and stock-grower, he having done much to improve the grades of live-stock in his county, by rais-

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ing Polled Angus cattle, Poland-China swine and pure blood Shire horses, including a num- ber of stallions of specially fine type. He finally disposed of his farm in Frontier coun- ty and is now living retired at Scottsbluff, both he and his wife being honored as worthy pio- neers of this great commonwealth. In politics Mr. Marlin is known as a stalwart advocate and supporter of the principles f the Republi- can party.

On the old home farm in Frontier county Jesse H. Marlin was reared to adult age, and in the meanwhile he made good use of the advantages afforded in the public schools of his native county. There he continued his as- sociation with farm industry until 1900, when, as before stated, he came to Scottsbluff coun- ty and took up the homestead which has since continued the stage of his successful activ- ities. In politics he is an independent voter and he takes lively interest in all things touch- ing the communal welfare.

In the year 1902, Mr. Marlin wedded Miss Verl Smith, who was born and reared in Knuckles county and who is a daughter of H. W. Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Marlin have two children - Evelyn and Elwin, who add joy and brightness to the attractive home.

CHARLES H. UGLOW gives the measure of his ambition and ability in no uncertain terms when recognition is taken of the success wihch attends his progressive operations on his fine estate of two hundred and eighty acres, in township 23-54, five miles distant from Scottsbluff, where his residence, a model farm home, is situated in section twenty-seven. Ir- rigation facilities are provided for two hundred acres of this tract at the present time, and the productivity of the soil is thus brought to the maximum, while Mr. Uglow's activities as an agriculturist are scarcely less remunerative than are those which he brings to bear in the raising of excellent grades of live-stock. As one of the constructive workers and represen- tative farmers of Scottsbluff county he is properly given consideration in this history.

Mr. Uglow was born in Ringgold county, Iowa, on the 22d of June, 1875, and is a son of Nicholas and Mary (Cort) Uglow, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Eng- land. The father was reared and educated in the old Keystone state, which, as a young man, he represented as a valiant soldier of the Union in the Civil War. He enlisted in Company H, Two Hundred and Eighth Pennsylvania vol- unteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland and with which he

participated in many important engagements. Within a short time after the close of the war he removed to Iowa, where he purchased land and became a pioneer farmer in Ringgold county. Later he removed to Kansas, and he passed the closing years of his life in the sol- dier's home in that state, an institution which he entered after the death of his devoted wife. Both were members of the Methodist Episco- pal church, he was unwaivering in his allegi- ance to the cause of the Republican party and was affiliated with the Grand Army of the Re- public and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Of the family of eleven children sev- en survive the honored parents : Fannie is the wife of John P. Benson, of Iowa; Mary is the wife of William Feeney, of Kansas City, Missouri; John likewise attained to maturity but is now deceased; Ella, the wife of Henry Miller and they reside in northwest Canada ; Carrie is the wife of Peter C. Fisher, of Okla- homa ; Ethel is the wife of Jesse Johnson, of Keyapalia county, Nebraska; of the present whereabouts of Fred, other members of the family have no definite knowledge; and Charles H.

The public schools of Iowa furnished to Charles H. Uglow his early educational disci- pline, and he not only gained valuable knowl- edge in connection with the work of the home farm. In 1900 he came from Iowa to Nebras- ka and first located in Rock county, where he remained until 1907, when he removed 'to Scottsbluff county and took up a homestead of eighty acres, the same constituting an in- tegral part of his now spacious and admirably improved landed estate, which is devoted to diversified agriculture and the raising of high- grade live-stock. Not only as pertaining to his individual affairs but also as a citizen is Mr. Uglow liberal and progressive and he takes loyal interest in community affairs. In politics he is independent of strict partisan lines and his wife's religious faith is that of the Adventist church.

At Scottsbluff, on the 16th of October, 1907, occurred the marriage of Mr. Uglow to Miss Eva C. Johnson, who was born in Missouri and whose parents, James and Catherine John- son became early settlers in Rock county, Ne- 'braska, where her father died and where her mother still resides. Mr. and Mrs. Uglow have two children - Wilma and Homer.

HENRY J. OTTE. - Gauged only by evi- dences that are definitely observable in connec- tion with his well improved farm estate in Scottsbluff county, it is certain that Mr. Otte

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is to be consistently designated as one of the progressive and wide awake agriculturists and stock-growers of the county, while his loyalty to civic responsibilities, his sterling character- istics and his genial personality are the forti- fying elements in his unqualified popularity.

Mr. Otte is a citizen who can claim the distinction of being a native of the old Buck- eye state. He was born in Auglaize county, Ohio, on the 10th of April, 1875, and is a son of William J. and Elizabeth (Sollman) Otte, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana, the father having become one of the prosperous farmers of his native state, he is now deceased but his wife is still living.

Henry J. Otte passed the period of his child- hood and early youth in his native state, where he gained practical experience in connection with the work of the home farm and where al- so he made good use of the advantages afford- ed in the public schools. There he continued to be identified with farm enterprise until 1907 when he came to Nebraska and estab- lished his residence in Scottsbluff county. In May of that year he filed entry on his present homestead farm, which comprises eighty-two acres and upon which he has made good im- provements, including modern buildings and the supplying of the entire tract with excellent irrigation facilities. Here he is successfully carrying on diversified agriculture and raising good grades of live-stock. He is one of the live men of the community and always ready to aid worthy enterprises projected for the general good. He contributed liberally to the various agencies that upheld the government during the period of the World War and in local affairs he is independent of specific po- litical partisanship. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, as a member of the Blue Lodge at Miamesberry, Ohio.

In 1896, Mr. Otte wedded Miss Mary Springman, a native of Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of five children - Ruth, Earl, Frederick, Ray and Ralph. All of the children are living except Ralph, who died in early childhood.

CHARLES HILLS, whose model farm- stead is situated in section 28. township 23-55, Scottsbluff county, is one of the younger and representative exponents of agriculture and live-stock industry in the county and is a popu- lar citizen who properly finds recognition in this publication. His home is about 5 miles distant from Scottsbluff, which is his post- office address.

Mr. Hill was born in Brown county, Illinois,

on the 2d of July, 1881, and in the same state were born his parents, George and Paulina (Green) Hill, of whom a record will be found elsewhere in this volume.

Charles Hill is indebted to the public schools of his native state for early educational train- ing and he was about twenty-four years of age when he accompanied his father to Ne- braska. In Scottsbluff county he filed entry on a claim of eighty acres, but this does not constitute his present farm, which has been brought under effective cultivation and is de- voted to diversified agriculture and the rais- ing of specially fine live stock. He sold his original claim and since that time he has accumulated a valuable property of five hun- dred acres, of which eighty acres are thus far supplied with irrigation facilities. In the cat- tle department of his farm enterprise Mr. Hill breeds from a registered Shorthorn bull and cow, besides which he has a specially fine Percheron stallion and a splendid jack stallion which is much in demand for breeding pur- poses. Mr. Hill is independent in politics and is essentially liberal and progressive in his civic attitude. His wife holds membership in the Presbyterian church.

The year 1904, recorded the marriage of Mr. Hill to Miss Gertrude Ford, who was born in Butler county, this state, and they have four children - Kenneth, Rena, Gertrude and Ahlean.

GEORGE FORD, whose death occurred at his home, in Scottsbluff county, November 24, 1914, was a man who had deep appreciation of the natural advantages of western Nebras- ka and he used his mature judgment when he made investment in land here, even as he did in the improvng and developing of the property. He was a citizen whose life was guided and governed by utmost integrity and honor and thus he commanded the high regard of those with whom he was brought into contact within the period of a career marked by earnest and fruitful endeavor. His widow still resides upon the farm property which he ac- cumulated in Scottsbluff county, where her home is situated in section 32, township 23-54, about seven miles distant from the city of Scottsbluff.

Mr. Ford had the distinction of being a na- tive of Granada, West Indies, where he was born in the year 1858, and he was a scion of fine English stock on both paternal and mater- nal sides. His parents, Charles and Harriet (Fish) Ford, were born and reared in England and he became a foundryman by vocation.

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM DEBILY

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He was sent by the English government to the West Indies, and land which he there pur- chased is presumed to yet be an asset of his estate. He died in the West Indies and his widow subsequently contracted a second mar- riage, she too being now deceased. The sub- ject of this memoir acquired his early edu- cation pricipally in the schools of England and as a young man he came to Nebraska with Lord Jones, who owned a large tract of land in the vicinity of Crete, Saline county. There Mr. Ford gained in this connection wide and practical experience in the herding of cattle under the conditions of the pioneer days, and after coming to the state he had occasion to make five visitations to England, at varying intervals. His stepfather came to Nebraska about two years after he himself had here es- tablished residence, and the former took up a homestead in Butler county, he and his wife having passed the remainder of their lives in this state. Mr. Ford became actively identified with farm enterprise in Butler county and there he continued to reside until 1908, when he moved to Scottsbluff county and took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in section 20, township 23-54. Later he added greatly to his holdings, and at the time of his death he was the owner of a tract of two hundred and eighty acres, which is still in the possession of his widow and children and which is one of the well improved farm prop- erties of this section of the state, Here are conducted successful operational along the lines of diversified agriculture and stock-rais- ing, and the two sons of Mr. Ford are here well upholding the honors of the family name. In a general way Mr. Ford was a Democrat in politics, but he was a zealous advocate and supporter of the cause of prohibition and did all in his power to bring about the obliteration of the liquor traffic. He was affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and was an earnest member of the Presbyterian church, as is also his widow.

In Butler county, this state, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Ford to Miss Kate French, who was born in Illinois and who is a daugh- ter of George and Mary (Wilson) French, who established their residence in Butler coun- ty in 1882, after having made the overland trip from Illinois by medium of team and wagon. Mr. French, who was a veteran of the Civil War, in which he served three years in defense of the Union, purchased land and improved a good farm in Butler county. He passed to eternal rest in 1904 and his vener- able widow still resides in Butler county. In

conclusion is given brief record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Ford: Gertrude is the wife of Charles Hills, a farmer in Scotts- bluff county; Grace is the wife of Harry Drawbaugh, of David City, this state; and Charles I. and George I. remain upon the old home farm, of which they have the active management. Charles is married, the maiden name of his wife having been Edna Stratton; George married Jesta Andrews.

WILLIAM DEBELY, who owns one of the productive irrigated farms of Scottsbluff coun- ty, was born in Switzerland, August 9, 1860. His parents were Frederick and Sophia (Peret) DeBely. The father was born in France but went to Switzerland when young and learned the watchmaking trade, which he followed until his death at the age of sixty-two years. The mother was born in France, came to the United States in 1900 and is now de- ceased.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 52

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