History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 6

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

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agent at Pine Bluff. This was the entire popu- lation at that time, and the little box depot the only building. Mr. Coffee entered the door and the agent was facing the other way and did not deign to look around. In the ticket win- dow facing the cow puncher was a human skull and neatly printed on the forehead were these words, This man was talked to death by im- migrants. Mr. Coffee after surveying this gruesome object for a short time mustered up courage to say, "Mister, I may be committing a rash act by disturbing you sir, but I am strictly in it. I am driving a large bunch of cattle to Cheyenne. I understand from here on water is scarce, can you tell me where the next watering place is located?" The agent proved to be a very pleasant man after all, but knew nothing about watering places, all he knew was to board the train and go through to water. The herd was driven all that day and a dry camp made, with no water for the cattle ; they drove the next day till about one o'clock and the cattle were beginning to get pretty well fagged, when they fortunately struck a creek with a sandy bottom but no water, but found a place that still showed dampness. Mr. Coffee held his herd on this wet sand and milled the cattle around and packed the sand until the water raised suffi- ciently to water them. The next day they came out in sight of a beautiful lake of water and could see Cheyenne in the distance - the sight was a glorious one and the cowboys shouted with delight and the cattle scenting the water were bellowing as they made a wild stampede for the water, and were soon up to their sides enjoying the first good drink they had had since leaving Pine Bluffs. Looking down towards the town they saw a cloud of dust rapidly nearing them and discovered it was caused by a horseman coming toward them. They did not have long to wait to find what the trouble was, as a very red faced and angry man reined up in front of them and shouted, "Get your cattle out of here, I am the mayor of Cheyenne." One of the boys said, "The H- you are, we thought you was the butcher and wanted to buy some beef." This enraged the mayor to such an extent that he was in danger of having apoplexy. "Don't you know," he shouted, "this is the reservoir from which Cheyenne draws her drinking water?" Mr. Coffee tried to reason and con- ciliate him for nearly twenty-five minutes; he getting madder every minute, but by this time the cattle had satisfied their thirst and did not object to be again on the move to Cheyenne. Mr. Snyder met them; he had sold the cattle

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

to a rancher by the name of J. H. Durban and Mr. Coffee drove the herd to Pole Creek about thirteen miles away where the nearest grass and water could be found, and tallied the cat- tle out. He was then ordered to deliver the cattle to Mr. Durban's ranch about twenty miles distance and all his instructions consist- ed of was to follow a line of small cedar trees which Mr. Durban had cut and set in a line to mark the way to his ranch. He was told to line his cattle out single file and beat a road to the ranch which he did and that same cattle trail is the present road which Mr. Coffee started with his cattle nearly fifty years ago.

In 1879 Mr. Coffee homesteaded and pre- empted land in Sioux county, Nebraska, this land never since having gone out of his pos- session, its location being in Hat Creek Basin. In 1873, when he established his first ranch, in Goshen Hole, Wyoming, sixty-five miles north of Cheyenne, his nearest neighbor in one direction was eighteen miles distant and twenty-seven in the other. At that time the Platte river was the dividing line between the white settlers and the Indians, but the latter notably evaded every law, making the carry- ing and often the use of a gun an actual ne- cessity and Mr. Coffee for six years never went to the spring for water without carrying his trusty rifle. With other settlers Mr. Coffee lost heavily in stock at times, and once, in 1877, while he was away on a trip to the nearest town, Indians stole every horse on the ranch, all he had left being the four animals he had been driving. In an interesting way he tells how the horses were taught to recognize dan- ger when they heard shooting, and seemingly with almost human intelligence, would gallop to the corral for safety, led by a favorite horse which the Indians killed to demoralize the herd so they could drive them away, but the plan was not a success, as the horses scattered and he rounded them up the next day. Those early ranch days were hard on both man and beast and Mr. Coffee relates that often he would be out searching for his horses and cat- tle for three weeks without removing his cloth- ing. Mr. Coffee ran cattle for about thirty years before quitting the range.

In partnership with his eldest son, John T. Coffee, Mr. Coffee owns twenty-one thou- sand acres of land, all being operated, the son being foreman. It is known as the Square 3-Bar ranch, brand Z, and there about six hun- dred calves are branded yearly. Mr. Coffee owns also a ranch of about fifteen thousand acres, near Lusk, Wyoming, in partnership

with a Mr. Tinnan, where they brand fifteen hundred calves annually, the brand being the 0-10, this ranch being known as the 0-10 Bar. A part of this land is irrigated. Mr. Coffee in the beginning stock his ranches with regis- tered cattle, and has kept his line of White Face cattle thoroughbred but has not contin- ued registration. He probably owns ten thou- sand head of White Face cattle.

In April, 1879, Mr. Coffee was married at Camden, Arkansas, to Miss Jennie A. Toney, who died in November, 1906. Her parents were James R. and Jane ( McClain) Toney, her father being a merchant and a former slave- holder. Mr. and Mrs. Coffee had four chil- dren, the three survivors being as follows : John T., who is associated with his father as above mentioned; Blanche M., who resides with her father at Chadron; and Charles F., who is vice-president of the First National Bank of Chadron.

Mr. Coffee first became interested in banking in 1888, when he became president of the Commercial Bank of Harrison, Nebraska, which he converted into a National bank and afterward sold his interest. In 1900, he be- came connected as vice-president, with the First National Bank of Chadron, of which he subsequently became president. In 1900, he bought the bank at Gordon, Nebraska, serv- ing first as its president and still is a director. In 1912, he still further added to his financial interest by the purchase of the First National Bank of Hay Springs, in Sheridan county, be- coming its president, and at the same time bought stock in the Stockyards National Bank of South Omaha, of which institution he con- tinues to be a director. In 1911, Mr. Coffee and F. W. Clark bought the Nebraska Na- tional of Omaha, of which he is vice-president, and in 1915, Mr. Coffee bought the First Na- tional Bank, of Douglas, Wyoming, of which he is president. He owns considerable valu- able real estate at Chadron, both residential and business, and erected the Coffee-Pitman building, a modern garage and other struc- tures.

In political life Mr. Coffee has always been a Democrat. In 1900, he was the fusion candidate for state representative from the 53d District, was nominated on the Demo- cratic ticket and endorsed by the Populists and served in 1901, so acceptably that he re- ceived the party vote for United States sena- tor, but declined to accept. Personally he is esteemed and in all business relations bears an unimpeachable character.

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

WILLIAM MORROW, who is recognized as one of the ablest members of the Scotts- bluff bar, established the business now con- ducted under the style of Morrow & Morrow, when he came to this city in May, 1906. He belongs to a pioneer family of the state, and with the exception of three years spent in Col- orado, has lived here since 1879.

William Morrow was born in Lewis county, New York, April 10, 1875, a son of Thomas and Mary (McDonald) Morrow, both of whom were born in Ireland. They came to the United States at an early age and lived in the state of New York until 1879, when they came to Nebraska. The father homesteaded in Holt county and continued there until 1906, when he sold the homestead and in the fol- lowing year he and wife retired to Scottsbluff, where they yet reside. They are well kown in this city and are highly esteemed and re- spected by all who know them. They have children as follows: John, receiver of public funds of the United States land office at Al- liance, Nebraska; Thomas M., a member of the law firm of Morrow & Morrow, at Scotts- bluff, of whom personal mention is found on other pages of this work; Lavinia, a teacher in the public schools at Bayard, Nebraska ; William, who resides and owns property at Scottsbluff; Anna, the wife of George Cron- kleton, cashier of the First National Bank at Bayard; Frank, a prominent surgeon in active practice at Columbus, Nebraska, and Mary, the wife of J. P. Golden, who is in the real estate and abstract business at O'Neil, Ne- braska.

William Morrow attended the public schools and was graduated from the high school of Atkinson, Holt county. In 1897 he entered the Nebraska State University, and in 1903 was graduated from the law department of that institution. The same year he estab- lished himself in practice at Denver, where he remained until May, 1906, when he came to Scottsbluff. Here he engaged in the practice of law, continuing alone until 1916 when he former a partnership with his brother, Thomas M. Morrow, under the firm name of Morrow & Morrow. This firm has a wide and sound reputation and individually its members are accounted astute lawyers and honorable men. The business of the firm covers a wide terri- tory.

On September 18, 1912, Mr. Morrow was united in marriage to Miss Philomena Cong- don, who was born at Flint, Michigan, and they have had three children, namely : Helen, who is five years old; William, who died at the age of fourteen months, and John Philip,

who is not yet a year and a half old. Mr. and Mrs. Morrow are members of the Roman Catholic church. He is active in Democratic politics in the county, formerly was city attor- ney of Scottsbluff and was county attorney from 1907 to 1911. Fraternally he is identi- fied with the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, the Royal Highlanders and the Woodmen of the World.

During the World War Mr. Morrow almost abandoned the practice of his profession and devoted himself almost entirely to the vari- ous war activities. He was the first financial chairman of the Red Cross of Scottsbluff county, was a member of the County Council of Defense, a member of the Liberty Loan Committee, town chairman of the War Savings campaign, besides serving on various other committees of less importance.

ARTHUR, R. HONNOLD, LL.B., an able member of the Scottsbluff bar, is devoting his entire attention to private practice. He is a Nebraska man, born, reared and educated in the state, and has all the local pride in the re- sources, development and wonderful progress of his native commonwealth, that marks the true Nebraskan. Mr. Honnold was born March 7, 1876, at Ord, Nebraska.

The parents of Mr. Honnold were Richard and Eceneith (McMichael) Honnold, both of whom were born in Ohio. His father died on his farm in Valley county, Nebraska, April 6, 1906, at the age of fifty-five years, and his mother now resides at Denver, Colorado. Of the three survivors of their family of four children, Arthur Rankin is the eldest, the two others being Irving T., who is secretary of an oil company at Louisville, Kentucky, and Chester W., who returned to private life, and his former occupation as a druggist, when honorably discharged from military service in the American Expeditionary Forces, in March, 1919. His sister, Nora (Honnold) Cromwell, died at Thomas, Oklahoma, in 1919.

The father of the above family came to Ne- braska, and homesteaded near Ord, in Valley county, in 1874, and engaged in farming there until the close of his life. In politics he was a Republican.

Arthur R. Honnold graduated from the high school at Ord, in 1898, and from the Grand Island business college in 1902. His first offi- cial work was as a state accountant at Lincoln, Nebraska, where he remained two years. He entered the University of Nebraska, graduat- ing from the law department in 1904, with an LL.B. degree. The same year, he entered into the practice of his profession at Ord, but three

Charles & Lockwood

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

years later moved to Denver, Colorado, for family health reasons. He continued his law practice in his new home until 1909, when he was appointed district counsel of the United States Reclamation Service, which legal divi- sion includes the states of Nebraska, Wyom- ing, South Dakota, and Oklahoma, and the onerous duties of this position he performed for ten years.

Desiring to resume private practice of law, Mr. Honnold resigned his federal office on April 1, 1919, the government thereby losing a faithful and tireless official. In connection with his general practice, he now gives special attention to irrigation and water law, and to oil and corporation practice.

In 1904, Mr. Honnold was united in mar- riage with Miss Julia Christianson, who was born at Le Seuer, Minnesota, she dying in Denver, in 1909. Mr. Honnold's second mar- riage took place in 1912, to Miss Marguerita E. Van Horn, who was born in Belle Bourche, South Dakota. They have one son, Arthur Rankin, Jr. The family attends the Episcopal church at Scottsbluff. In his political attitude, Mr. Honnold is a Republican. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masons and Eastern Star organ- izations, and also to the Modern Brotherhood of America, and the Modern Woodmen. A man of intellectual strength and wide reading, historical facts have always engaged his inter- est, and he has been a member of the Nebraska State Historical Society for a number of years.

CHARLES ELMER LOCKWOOD. - In noting the representative men of the Pan- handle who qualify as early settlers, there are few who came here with more determined pur- pose to secure a permannt home in what was then a veritable wilderness than the man whose name heads this review. Pioneer, farm- er, stock-raiser and real estate dealer, he has played an important part in the development of Boone and Kimball counties and it is to such men that the opening up and settlement of the Panhandle has been due, as he came here in the early days, had courage to hold out during the hard years of drought, winter bliz- zards and other hardships, for he had faith in the country and this has been justified, for today there are few more prosperous men in this section and not many of them have achieved such a fortune with so small a start.

Mr. Lockwood was born in Odessa, Iowa, June 9, 1866, the son of Alfred O., and Mary Vesta Lockwood, the former born in Dela- ware, December 21, 1841. He was reared and educated in his native state, then came west as did so many young men of the period, to

engage in farming and stock-raising in Iowa. During the Civil War Alfred Lockwood en- listed in the Union Army as a member of the Iowa Volunteers, serving till peace was estab- lished, when he returned to his farm and soon afterward married. His wife was the daugh- ter of Aaron and Mary Brown. Eight chil- dren were born to this union: Ella, became the wife of Frank Phillips, both now de- ceased; Charles Elmer, of this review ; Birt O., who lives in Roseburg, Oregon ; Maggie M., the wife of Fred Kinney, of Ellenburg, Washington ; Emily S., the wife of James Gar- ner, of Rathdrum, Idaho; Alfred J. D., a farmer of this county; Carrie Pearl, the wife of Mr. Ring, Falls City, Oregon.

In 1878 the Lockwood family left Iowa as the father was desirous to secure some of the good cheap land in Nebraska. Coming to this state he located on the prairies of Boone coun- ty, took up a large tract of land and so became one of the earliest settlers of this section. He worked hard to place as much land as possible under cultivation but passed away January 5, 1885 and was followed by his wife almost a year later, leaving the family of children alone. Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and its staunch supporters in the new territory in Boone county.

With the death of the father, the care of the family fell upon the shoulders of Charles Lockwood, then a young man of nine- teen years. He had been reared on the ranch, early learned the practical side of farm industry and cattle raising and so as- sumed entire charge of 'the business. In 1887, Mr. Lockwood bought the ranch when it was sold to settle his father's estate, he borrowed every dollar it cost as he had noth- ing of his own to start with and the old home- stead became the start of his extensive ranch- ing properties, for he continued to buy more land as he had the money and saw where he could buy advantageously, until he was the owner of 5,400 acres of grazing and farm property in a solid body. Most of this lay in the famous Beaver Valley and nearby. Start- ing with little but his determination to suc- ceed, and his known ability, which gave him excellent credit. Mr. Lockwood began to handle from 1,000 to 1,500 head of sheep and from three to six hundred head of cattle, about 500 head of hogs and in addition pas- tured many hundred head of cattle and horses. N. P. Dodge, a distant relative, believed in the young man and it was through him that credit was obtained in Council Bluffs, Iowa. This

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

Dodge was a brother of the well-known Gen. G. M. Dodge, of Union Pacific fame.

In 1909 Mr. Lockwood sold his ranch in Boone county and came to Kimball county, lo- cating his home in the town of Kimball in 1910. He at once bought several sections of land here and at the same time conducted a real estate office. During the short time he was engaged in this business, Mr. Lockwood sold a large amount of land in the county. From time to time he has purchased other ranch property and today holds some 8,000 acres of valuable Kimball county land. He has invested in property in the states of Ore- gon and Florida, owns valuable holdings in the city of Kimball and has a fine home at Long Beach, California and today is regarded as one of the successful and substantial citi- zens of Nebraska, where he has resided for more than forty years.

January 8, 1890, Mr. Lockwood married Mrs. Abbie Derbyshire, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph St. Louis, of Boone county, Nebraska. They were of French Canadian an- cestry, though born near Oswego, New York. Three children were born to this union : Myr- tle, the wife of Roy H. Kennedy, a merchant of Grand Island, Nebraska, and they have two fine children ; Joseph Alfred, associated with his father in business is now farming in Kim- ball county, this son entered the army during the World War and was sent to Manhattan, Kansas, for his training and received his hon- orable discharge at the close of the war; and Lloyd Lincoln, who married Miss Nellie Rose, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Rose, of Kimball county. This son entered the army during the World War and was sent to Camp Funston for his training. At the signing of the Armistice he received his honorable dis- charge and returned home and has been asso- ciated with his father in the real estate busi- ness. ' Mrs. Lockwood died Dec. 21, 1899, in Boone county. She was a member of the Christian church and the Royal Neighbors. January 2, 1901, Mr. Lockwood was married a second time to Mrs. Anna R. Sams, the daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Brooks, of Car- thage, Missouri, where they had settled at an early day and became well and favorably known in the southwestern part of the state. Three children have been born to this union : Charles Oliver Martin, now in high school in Kimball and a well-known athlete of the west- ern part of Nebraska; Nadine Onetta, also in the high school, and Odetta Vesta attending the grade schools.

For over thirty years Mr. Lockwood has

been a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, he is also a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Royal Highlanders, while the family are members of the Presbyterian church in which the children take an active part, as Charles has served as delegate to the Christian Endeavor Society conventions of the state.

Mr. Lockwood is one of the progressive men of his community, stands for progress and advocates those measures which tend to the upbuilding of his county and city; for years he has been a leading factor in every important public-spirited movement promul- gated and his high standing in business circles makes his influence a valued and valuable one.

JOHN B. COOK, one of the younger gen- eration of business men at Scottsbluff, is set- ting an example in energy and enterprise that may well be imitated. Within the compara- tively short period that he has resided here, he has displayed business ability of a high order, and has exhibited both business and social qualities that reflect credit on his upbringing. Mr. Cook was born in his parents' beautiful home at Beatrice, Nebraska, March 24, 1897, the youngest of four children born to Daniel Wolford and Elizabeth (Case) Cook.

The late Daniel Wolford Cook, was a man of large affairs in Gage county, Nebraska, where his death occurred in March, 1916. He was born March 27, 1860, at Hillsdale, Mich- igan, a son of John P. and Martha (Wolford) Cook, and a descendant in a direct line from William Bradford, who came to the shores of America in 1620, in the Mayflower, and who for thirty years was governor of Plymouth colony. His great-great-granddaughter, Mary Bradford, who married Captain David Cook, who distinguished himself in the Revolution- ary War. But Daniel Wolford Cook needed no long line of illustrious ancestors to estab- lish his place in the history of his country or the hearts of his fellow men. In his thirty years of active business life at Beatrice, he was largely, although not exclusively, interest- ed in the Beatrice National Bank and was president of its board of directors from 1905 until his death. He devoted a part of his time to agricultural pursuits, and took much inter- est in the breeding of fine stock. In business, however, especially banking, Mr. Cook was best known. From 1891 until his demise, he was vice president of the Bankers Life Insur- ance Company of Lincoln, Nebraska, and in this enterprise was associated with large finan- ciers in the state. Always interested in the growth and development of Beatrice from the

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

time he located there in 1884, he contributed generously to many public enterprises, notably to the establishment of the numerous beautiful parks of the city. His marriage to Miss Eliz- abeth Case was celebrated December 22, 1883, and the following children were born to them: Daniel Wolford, cashier of the Beatrice Na- tional Bank; Mary E., the wife of William C. Ramsey, of Omaha ; William W., who was ac. cidentally drowned in the Big Blue river, in August, 1905, and John Bradford, who is now a resident of Scottsbluff. A more extended memoir of Mr. Cook may be found in the His- tory of Gage county, recently issued by the Western Publishing & Engraving Company.

John Bradford Cook was graduated from the Beatrice high school in 1914, and from the State University in 1918, in March of the lat- ter year coming to Scottsbluff. Here he was bookkeeper in the First National Bank for four months, at the end of which period he entered the naval service on the United States Steamer Philadelphia and belongs yet to the reserves. On his return to Scottsbluff, he went into the real estate and farm loan busi- ness and sold $70,000 worth of real estate dur- ing his first month of effort. He proposes to continue in this line and also to utilize his 1080 acres of irrigated land in cattle feeding, going into this as a profitable prospect and as a patri- otic measure.

At Chadron, Nebraska, Mr. Cook was united in marriage to Miss Edna Coffee, who is a daughter of Buffington Coffee. She is a highly accomplished lady, was educated in the Chadron schools and the State University, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Cook retains his interest and membership in his college fraternity, the Phi Kappa Psi.

FRANK A. McCREARY, mayor of Scotts- bluff, has been an active business man of this city for a number of years. Because of his sterling character and upstanding American citizenship, he has been a man of influence in the community, and his circle of friendly ac- quaitance reaches all over the state. He was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, March 23, 1868, a son of James and Catherine (Craig) McCreary.

Mayor McCreary's parents came to Nebras- ka from Illinois. The father was born in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, September 26, 1838, and the mother in 1843. She is a much esteemed resident of Scottsbluff, but the father died here in March, 1919. In politics he was a Republican, and he belonged to the order of Modern Woodmen. He was one of the pillars of the Methodist Episcopal church,

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 6

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