History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 57

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

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The parents of Mr. Wisner are Seneca R. and Delia J. (Wells) Wisner, the former of whom was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, August 10, 1851, and the latter in Mahaska county, Iowa, February 21, 1852. The father grew up from boyhood in Iowa, has always followed agricultural pursuits and was very active until he retired in 1913. On February 28, 1888, he homesteaded in Banner county and still owns six hundred and forty acres here. He started on very limited capital and gained an ample fortune mainly through stock- raising. He owns forty-five acres of land in Florida and some city lots in Palm Dale, near

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

Okechobee, where he and the mother of Mr. Wisner have resided since the fall of 1913. While a resident of Banner county he was ac- tive in the councils of the Democratic party, and for years served in local offices. He be- longs to the order of Modern Woodmen of America and both parents of Mr. Wisner are members of the Congregational church.

William M. Wisner, the only child of his parents, remained with them until February. 1907, when he took a Kinkaid claim and lived on it until he accompanied his parents to Florida in the fall of 1913. He remained in the South two and one-half years, returned then to his Kinkaid claim for eighteen months, and for a like period had been operating his own land and his father's also, devoting consider- able attention to calves for market. He re- calls some early days of hardship on the home- stead, caused mainly by the stringency of the money market, when he assisted his father to cut and haul wood as far as Sidney, when fine cedar posts brought only eleven or twelve cents apiece.

In February. 1907. Mr. Wisner was united in marriage to Miss Maude M. Lease, who is a daughter of Asher and Lucy (Siemiller) Lease. They have two children namely : Ethel, who was born August 5, 1907, and Fannie, who was born March 11, 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Wisner are members of the Congregational church. In politics he is independent.

FRANK W. ABBOTT, general farmer and rancher who came first to Nebraska when sixteen years old, still owns the timber claim he secured in February, 1885, in Banner coun- ty. Before locating permanently, Mr. Abbott took in much of the adventurous life of this western section, and was acquainted with many men of prominence whose business or pleasure called them also to this part of the United States.

Frank W. Abbott was born at Jackson Michigan, February 7, 1857. His parents were Henry C. and Eleanor (Harpham) Abbott, both of whom were born in England, the mother on November 9, 1821, and the father on June 16, 1822. They were married in England on June 16, 1846, and came to the United States in 1847. Henry C. Abbott's father was a miller, carpenter, and contractor, and while in England, Mr. Abbott was a mill- er but after coming to America was a car- penter and builder in Michigan until 1861, when he moved to El Paso, Illinois, to become land agent for the Illinois Central Railroad.

For twelve years the family lived at El Paso, Illinois, while he was engaged with the Illi- nois Central. After leaving the railroad he returned to England to settle up an estate left the family by Rear Admiral Fox. Henry C. Abbott was a man of education and fine pres- ence and later in looking after real estate in- terests, visited Buenos Aires, South America, Havana, Cuba, and Louisiana, and died at New Orleans in 1907. He was influential in the Republican party and was a delegate in the convention that nominated Abraham Lin- coln for the presidency. Of his seven chil- dred, four died in infancy, and Frank W. is the youngest of the two survivors, the others being: Samuel H., who died December 18, 1890; and Jennie S., who has lived at Ex- eter, Nebraska, since 1873. She was mar- ried first to Schouler Roper, who died in 1885, and second, to Merritt Rogers in 1905, is living there yet.

Frank W. Abbott attended school at El Paso, Illinois, and began life on a farm. In 1873 his mother and children, came to Ex- eter, Nebraska, bought railroad land and the mother died at Exeter in 1879. In 1881 Frank W. went to Oregon and followed farming there until 1882, when he and his brother drove cattle and horses across the trail to Cheyenne, Wyoming, a journey that consum- ed five months. After a winter spent at Ex- eter, Mr. Abbott went west again and rode range for twelve years, driving over Idaho and Montana during that time. In the spring of 1884 he came to Banner county and worked for C. C. Nelson who operated the Tusler ranch on Greenwood creek, and afterward for Dicky Brown. At that time there were only three families living on Pumpkin Seed creek In February, 1885, both he and brother took pre-emption and tree claims, and his sister, then a widow, also took a pre-emption and tree claim. He lived on his pre-emption for ten years, then sold, but still has his tree claim and the heirs of his brother still retain their timber claims. In 1894 Mr. Abbott went to Wheatland, Wyoming, where he worked for two years for an irrigation company; from there going to Thermopolis, Wyoming, where he bought a hotel and bath-house, and operated it for twelve years. Then Mr. Abbot return- ed to his property in Banner county, where he owns one hundred and sixty acres and leases about one hundred and eighty acres. In addition, Mr. Abbott has a comfortable residence and some lots at Woreland, Wyom- ing, and Mrs. Abbott owns a homestead near

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Thermopolis, Wyoming. Mr. Abbott has un- der consideration removal to a point on the Morrill and Banner county line.

Mr. Abbott was married July 12, 1912, to Mrs. Ollie Quebbemam, who had one daugh- ter, Carmel, who lives at home. In politics Mr. Abbott is a staunch Republican, and as did his father, belongs to the order of Knights of Pythias.

In speaking of early days in this section, Mr. Abbott recalls an occurrence that came un- der his own observation. It was in 1870 that a band of government surveyors were making a sectional and sub-divison survey between Wright and Hubbard gaps and suddenly found themselves surrounded by a band of outlaw Indians, of the Sioux tribe, who would have killed them without mercy had not another Indian band suddenly appeared and drove the marauders away, the latter being under orders from the government agent. The surveyors had to be men of courage and expedient, and among those whom Mr. Abbott knew well was Frank Huber, who now lives at Custer, South Dakota. Those old days of Indian danger have long since passed away in this vicinity.

ARTHUR F. BURNETT, who is a pros- perous and enterprising farmer and ranchman in Banner county, was born in Jackson county, Wisconsin, June 8, 1881, and is a son of Sid- ney D. and Kattie (O'Halloran) Burnett. Both parents were born in New York, the father on March 16, 1843. The mother died in 1901. Of their seven children, two be- sides Arthur F. are living, namely : Mrs. Belle Franklin, who lives at Bayard, Nebraska ; and Archibald, who resides in Wisconsin.

Arthur F. Burnett was young when his par- ents brought him to Nebraska. In 1886, his father moved to Box Butte county, Nebraska, homesteaded, and the family lived on the place until 1889, then moved to Bayard, where the father worked to some extent at his trade, be- ing a carpenter. In 1902 he came to Banner county and has since resided with his son. He is a Republican in politics and is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church.

In the public schools at Bayard, and in Hastings College, Arthur F. Burnett secured educational training that fitted him for al- most any calling. He chose farming and stock-raising, and after coming to Banner county in 1902 bought the land on which he lives, subsequently added to it until he now owns twenty hundred and ten acres. It is mostly ranch land and Mr. Burnett is very

much interested in stock production. He raises one hundred head of cattle, fifty head of horses, and forty head of Poland-China hogs annually. His farm industries are car- ried on with the assistance of modern machin- ery and his methods have little in common with the old time ways of other days. Mr. Burnett has made may substantial improve- ments on his property and has recently com- pleted a handsome up-to-date farm residence which is a credit in comfortable appointments, to this part of the county.

On December 7, 1904, Mr. Burnett was united in marriage to Miss Belle Skinner, who is a daughter of one of the best known and most highly esteemed pioneer citizens of Ban- ner county. Mr. and Mrs. Burnett have four children, namely: Paul, Laura, Clifford and Nettie. As a citizen, Mr. Burnett has always been active and intelligently useful but has not sought political office, the proper manage- ment of his large ranch interests rather com- pletely absorbing his time and strength. He lives in great friendliness with all who know him.

ARTHUR H. HERMANN, who is one of the solid reliable men of Banner county, has large farm and ranch interests. He accom- panied his parents to Nebraska in 1881 and has spent the greater part of his subsequent life in some part of the state. He was born in John- son county, Iowa, August 13. 1870, one of a family of ten children born to George M. and Margaret ( Wenkheimer ) Hermann.

The parents of Mr. Hermann were born in Germany and Ohio respectively. The father came to the United States when seventeen years old and followed farm life in Ohio un- til moving to Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he con- tinned tor farm until he came to Johnson county, Nebraska, in 1881. He bought land there and resided on it until the spring of 1890, when he removed to Morrill county in the hope that a change would restore the mother of Mr. Hermann to health, but it did not avail and she died on March 15, 1891. The father, after her loss, went to live with his son Arthur H. and continued there until his own death on December 13, 1913. He was a Democrat in politics but never accepted any political office. Of their seven surviving chil- dren, only two live in Nebraska, Arthur H. and Lena. The latter is the wife of William Schoemaker, of Morrill county.

It was in Johnson county, Nebraska, that Arthur H. Hermann secured his schooling. He started out for himself when twenty-one

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years old, working first as a ditcher in Morrill county, later in Wyoming, then worked on the railroad at Kimball, Nebraska. In February, 1899, he left the railroad and then worked on the Amy Scott ranch, six miles north of Har- risburg for a year. From there Mr. Herman moved to a homestead he had previously filed on section 23-19-53, which land he still owns. While not one of the earliest settlers, Mr. Her- mann experienced hardships and demonstrated his ability to overcome them. Money was scarce at that time in this neighborhood and in order to get enough to pay necessary bills, the settlers had to watch for opportunities and work hard. After cutting and then hauling a load of wood that took him two days to secure and deliver, with team, at Redington, he would get no more than three dollars, which was usually gladly accepted. He also hauled freight to Sidney from Redington for fifteen cents a hundred weight. When he worked at ditching his pay for himself and team was two dollars and fifty cents. He bought three cows for twenty-seven dollars each and it took him three years to pay for them, paying interest on a note during this time.

Mr. Herman now owns and operates sixteen hundred and eighty acres, of which three hun- dred and fifty acres are devoted to farming and it is highly improved. He breeds Polled Angus cattle, averaging seventy-five head a year; has a fair supply of Percheron horses and other stock in abundance. He operates the farm with the help of his two older sons. The scenery around the family residence is unusually beautiful, with hills in the back- ground and the Pumpkin valley in front, with a clear view for many miles. An artist would find here an irresistable subject for his brush.

Mr. Hermann was married at Kimball, Ne- braska, to Miss Norah Skinner, a daughter of Richard Skinner, of whom extended mention will be found in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Hermann were married on July 6, 1898, and they have six children and one grand-child, as follows: Ervin, who was born . April 20, 1899; Edward, who was born November 16, 1900, was married July 30, 1917, to Miss Ella Burkey, and their child was born February 15, 1918; Fred, who was born April 1, 1909; Car- rie, who was born August 22, 1909; Lola, who was born December 18, 1911; and Harley, who was born February 11, 1916. In his political views Mr. Hermann is a Republican. He has never given much time to political office, with the exception of being road over- seer for some ten years, but in the ordinary enterprises in which his neighbors engage for

the general good, he is always ready to co- operate.

JAMES JESSUP who owns two hundred acres of well improved farm land is situated on section thirty, town one, with postoffice at Mc- Grew, did not come to Banner county with the earliest settlers but nevertheless had much to do with substantial development of this sec- tion of country. It was Mr. Jessup who built the first house at Melbeta, now a flourishing town, owned and operated the first lumber yard there and furthermore his son was the first infant born there.

James Jessup was born in Orange county, New York, January 11, 1879, the fifth in a family of seven children born to James J. and Delia A. (Van Ostrand) Jessup. The other children were as follows: Elizabeth, who lives at New Castle, Wyoming; Lillian, who lives at Los Angeles, California; Alice, who lives at Palmyra, Nebraska; and Amzi A., Frank P. and Stanley, all of whom live in Banner county. The father, James J. Jessup, was born at Middletown, New York, October 31, 1845, and died August 23, 1912. The mother was born at Glenwood, New Jersey, in No- vember, 1850; and resides at Minatare, Ne- braska. When he came to Nebraska, October 4, 1894, he bought land three miles east and a mile south of Minatare, on which place he lived for twenty-one years and died there. He was a man of sterling integrity, intelligent and straightforward, and was locally prominent in the Democratic party, although he never ac- cepted any public office except that of assessor. The mother is a member of the Presbyterian church.

James Jessup attended the public schools at Lincoln, in boyhood, then went to work in an upholster's shop and learned the trade. His brother Amzi had the job of driving the stage from Camp Clark to Gering and Torrington, but later joined his brother James and both went to work on the Bayard ditch. It was hard work to do for seventy-five cents a day and board themselves when not working, but times were hard, corn selling for ten cents a bushel, and therefore the Jessup brothers con- tinued laboring for a time through frozen mud and water. Of course on off days, Mr. Jessup further relates, that during one fall and win- ter he made seven trips to Marsland, sixty miles distant often in frigid weather, where he exchanged wheat for flour, which he sold in his neighborhood for one dollar a sack of forty-eight pounds. During one winter he herded two hundred head of cattle in Red Wil-

MR. AND MRS. D. E. WALLAGE

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low Canyon, northeast of Bayard. He also hauled wood out of the hills, making sixteen trips one year, and sold at Bayard and Mina- tare. Then corn was so cheap it sometimes was used as fuel.

Mr. Jessup homesteaded on section 30- 20-53, on which land he now lives, own- ing, as mentioned above, two hundred acres of fine farming land. For three years Mr. Jes- sup was a resident of Melbeta, then sold his lumber interest to Cox & Company and for three years was with the Proudfit Lumber Company at Minatare. Since he has given his entire attention to his farm industries and has been very successful.

On April 4, 1904, Mr. Jessup was married to Miss Flossie M. Learned, who is a daugh- ter of Orlando and Lucy A. (Davis) Learned who came here in 1888. The mother of Mrs. Jessup died in November, 1916, but the father, who is a Civil War veteran, lives in the Sol- diers' Home at Grand Island. He was nine- teen years old when he enlisted at Quincy, Illinois, in Company G, Sixteenth Illinois vol- unteer infantry, in which he served four years and three months, and was wounded March 19, 1865. He took part in many of the serious battles of the war. In April, 1888, he home- steaded in Banner and Scottsbluff counties, and still owns the land. Mr. and Mrs. Jes- sup have two children, namely: Mildred O., who was born July 28, 1905; and James Lor- en, who was born May 6, 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Jessup are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church. He is an independent voter and has never accepted a political office. He be- longs to the Modern Woodmen of America.

ELMER WALLAGE. - The vigorous and progressive population of Scottsbluff county is made up largely of successful exponents of the agricultural and livestock industries. In every part of the county farmers seem to thrive, and as an able and honored representative of this oldest of industries, as well as being entitled to pioneer honors in Nebraska, Mr. Wallage is specially entitled to consideration in this history. He is descended from a long and honored line of ancestors who played an important part in the history of the Old Dominion, as his father was a native of Virginia who emigrated from the eastern part of the United States and be- came one of the hardy and rugged pioneers of the eastern part of Illinois, when the middle west was being settled up. As a young man David Wallage located on a homestead just west of the Indiana line and there conducted general farming operations as his land was

cleared and he was able to put the rich soil under cultivation. Not confining his operation to one line, Mr. Wallage also raised stock and for many years was one of the representative agriculturists of the eastern section of Illinois, where he engaged in business until his death at the advanced age of seventy-two years. David F. Wallage married Louisa Tweedy, born in Indiana, who was his faithful helper and de- voted wife and survived him for some years, passing away after a long and worthy career at the age of eighty-eight years. Elmer Wallace was born on his parents' farm in Illinois, May 9, 1875. He was reared in the healthy atmos- phere of the country, attended the excellent public schools afforded by the state and as soon as his age and strength permitted began to as- sist his father in the farm work and thus at an early age was a good practical farmer, fully able while yet a youth, to conduct many of the enterprises carried on by the older members of the family. He learned when to plant crops that were best suited to the climate and soil of the rich river bottom lands, what kinds of live- stock brought the greatest returns and was an all-around business man. For some years after attaining his majority Mr. Wallage remained in Illinois, but he was ambitions, and hearing of the free lands and the many advantages af- forded farther west, determined that he, too, would share in the bounty of the government and in 1904 came to Nebraska, locating in Sioux county, where he at once began his promising career as a cattle man, for the great plains at that time were the Mecca of all the livestock men of the country. Putting his knowledge of farming and the animal industry to excellent use, Mr. Wallage soon was engaged in an extensive business that brought him well earned and well deserved success. He soon became the proprietor of a well developed and cultivated landed estate on which he had an at- tractive and practical home, and through his association with the varied farm industries of the region was known as a vigorous and pro- gressive farmer and stock raiser. By hard work, keen foresight in calculating the cattle market and the progressive methods he inaug- urated on this western land, Mr. Wallage achieved his own financial success and had the satisfaction of knowing that all his fortune was of his own making as he had no assistance of any kind. From first coming to the west, he had studied on the great agricultural problems of the day and in his wide reading soon became interested in the question of irrigated land, and being a man of vision soon came to believe that the man who could have a plentiful supply of water on the high plains with the never-fail-

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ing sunshine, would be the great factor in food production of the future. With this in mind, Mr. Wallage disposed of his large holdings in Sioux county, and in 1911, came to Scottsbluff county, purchasing eighty acres of land under ditch. This farm has been raised to a high state of cultivation under his careful manage- ment, is all irrigated and today is one of the finest farming estates in this section, noted for its progressive and prosperous business men. For this section is known not only in the middle west, but all over the country as the "Gar- den Spot" of Nebraska, which is one of the richest farming states in the Union. Since locating in this far western section with the never-failing water, Mr. Wallage has been en- gaged in diversified farming, which he believes pays the best, as large crops of all products find a ready market.

Mr. Wallage married Ella Wendle, a native of Indiana, who was born in Parke county, that state, on March 14, 1882. She was the daughter of a substantial Indiana farmer, who now lives retired in Parke county, her mother having died some years ago. Mrs. Wallage re- ceived her educational advantages in the public schools of her native county, grew to woman- hood there and after her marriage accompanied her husband to the new home in the west, taking an energetic and active part in the up- building of the comfortable fortune which has been the reward of their joint labors and today is regarded as one of the broadest, and most worthy women of the community in which she and her family make their home. Three chil- dren have blessed this union : Oather W., Jar- vis W., and Juanita, all of whom are still at home and are fortunate children, as their par- ents have determined that each one of them shall have every advantage in an educational way that county and state afford to equip them for whatever their life work may be.

The family are members of the Baptist church, of which they are generous supporters, while Mr. Wallage is a staunch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party.

JOHN McNETT, who is one of Banner county's most respected and best known pio- neers, still lives on his ranch on section thirty, township twenty, range fifty-three, land which he pre-empted thirty-five years ago. Coming to this section originally in search of health, he not only long since attained his object, but at the present time is an example of vigorous robustness for his years, that reflects great credit on Nebraska's climate. He was born February 8, 1855, on the river Raisin, on the old Tecumach camping ground, Michigan.

The parents of Mr. McNett were William and Jane (Deming) McNett, the former of whom was born in Gattaraugus county, New York, in 1817, the latter of whom was born at Troy, New York, in 1820. As long as she lived she took pride in the fact that when a child of five years General La Fayette, shook her hand and that her grandfather was an aide on the staff of the great French com- mander during the Revolutionary War. Her father had charge of the Continental fleet and her mother was a niece of Benedict Arnold. The paternal grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and John McNett, an uncle, was made a guard at Buffalo, when he was but twelve years old, and Mr. McNett of Banner county was named for this uncle.

In 1883 the father of Mr. McNett located in Michigan. He was a cooper by trade. He grew up in hatred of human slavery and was a pronounced Abolitionist prior to the organ- ization of the Republican party in 1857, at which time he united with it. When the Civil War came on he enlisted and has the unique record of serving one day. He was delegated a mechanic in the Fusileers, an organization that existed one day and was disbanded on the next. Thereafter, during the continuance of the war, he exerted his influence as a civil- ian. He survived until 1873, dying while on a visit to New York state, when aged fifty- three years. The mother of Mr. McNett lived into old age, passing away at Gothenburg, Dawson county, Nebraska, in 1911, having passed her ninety-first birthday. Of their sev- en children, three are living: a son and a daughter in California, and Mr. McNett, and his sister, Anna Miller, died in August, 1919, in Nebraska.

John McNett had educational opportunities in the common schools of both Michigan and Indiana. He remained at home and was the mainstay of the family, assuming responsi- bilities and over taxing his strength until twenty-eight years old. It was then he came to Nebraska, locating in Cheyenne county in 1886, now Banner county. He pre-empted land and now owns ten hundred and thirty three acres, much of it range land but two hundred acres in timber and farm land. He has raised as many as twenty head of calves a year, but is not as active in the stock busi- ness as at one time.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 57

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