History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 62

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

USA > Nebraska > History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III > Part 62

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Palm was born in Sweden, July 21, 1857. His parents were Jonas and Anna (An- drewson) Johnson Palm. The father was born in Sweden January 29, 1827, and died there February 9, 1883, and the mother, born March 4, 1834, died December 22, 1885. The father was a small farmer and stockraiser. Both par- ents were members of the Swedish Lutheran church. Of their children, F. John was the eldest, the others being as follows: Clara, who is the wife of Carl J. Soderstrom, of Greeley, Colorado ; Emma, who is the wife of Andrew P. Malm, of Greeley ; Gust, who lives in Ban- ner county ; Augusta S., who is the wife of Peter Lundberg, of Banner county; and Charlie E., who lives at Salt Lake, Utah.

F. John Palm attended the common schools in Sweden, afterward working as a railroad man for about eight years. He was married No- vember 27, 1885, at Gockhom, Sweden, to Helga Anderson, whose people were lifelong residents of Sweden. In April, 1886, Mr. Palm and his wife came to the United States, locating at first in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he work- ed until 1890, moving then to Lyons, Colorado, where he obtained work in a stone quarry. In the meanwhile a brother of Mr. Palm had be- come established in Banner county and it was his suggestion that F. John and wife should visit him and see the country. They set out in 1894 and drove from Lyons to the brother's home in this county. The appearance of the country, although wild and a free range for cattle, pleased Mr. Palm and he decided to file on a homestead and took a Kinkaid claim of three hundred and twenty acres. He now owns eleven hundred and twenty acres of land, all valuable and improved with fences and substantial farm buildings. Mr. Palm has av- eraged one hundred head of cattle yearly and many head of Poland China hogs. Mr. Palm

carried on his farm operations with the assist- ance of his son until 1915, when he turned his industries over to Charles W., who lives on the homestead and is still further developing the property.

The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Palm: Minnie, who is the wife of W. W. Warner, of Banner county ; Charles W., who married Hazel Mercer and they reside on the Palm homestead ; Esther M., who is the wife of Victor M., of San Fran- cisco, California ; Ruth E., who is the wife of George Carlstrom, of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming ; Anna S., who lives at Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Mabel M., who resides at home. Mr. Palmı has large financial interests here, being a director and stockholder in the Pine Bluffs State Bank, and also owning stock in the Farmers Union at Pine Bluffs. He is a Re- publican voter. Mr. Palm is well known and is held in esteem for he has always been an hon- orable, upright business man and reputable citi- zen.

PHILIP R. BARKELL, who is a prosper- ous general farmer and a useful and represen- tative citizen of Banner county, is a native of Wisconsin, born in Grant county, February 7, 1876, and accompanied his parents to Nebraska in the winter of 1888.

Richard Barkell, father of Phillip R. Bark- ell, brought his family to old Cheyenne, now Scottsbluff county, Nebraska, in the above year, having homesteaded at the head of Pumpkin creek in the preceding fall, and, under rather hard conditions the family lived on that place until 1893, when the father relinquished his Scottsbluff land and filed a claim in Banner county. He died, however, February 19, 1904, before he had proved up, but his son Thomas, extended mention of whom will be found in this work, assumed responsibility and cleared the title. The mother of the family passed away on April 5, 1912.

Philip R. Barkell attended school during boyhood and gave his father assistance on the homestead. His own home place of one hun- dred and twenty acres is well improved and his entire three hundred and twenty acres is de- voted to general farming.

On June 24, 1902, Mr. Barkell was united in marriage to Miss Harriet C. Leftwich, who is a daughter of James E. and Catherine (Nelson) Leftwich, residents of Missouri but natives of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Barkell have children as follows : Mary G., Dewitt E., Edna M., Dorothy B., and Roseland. In order to afford his children the best of educational

316

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

advantages, it is Mr. Barkell's intention to retire from the farm for a, season, moving into one of the intellectual centers where school facilities may be best secured. He is a Republi- can in his political views, but, aside from school offices, has never accepted preferment, serving many years on the school board in school district number nineteen. He is one of the solid, dependable men of the county and during the World War proved his patriotism in many ways. He was a member of the Council of Defense for the county and was vice chair- man for his precinct.

GEORGE W. LEAFDALE. - A family of considerable prominence in Banner county bears the name of Leafdale, and a representa- tive member of the same is George W. Leaf- dale, of section thirty-two, town twelve, an ex- tensive farmer and enterprising young man. He has many friends in this neighborhood and his appointment as mail carrier between Kirk and Harrisburg, on July 1, 1919, met with general approval.

George W. Leafdale was born at Central City, Nebraska, May 12, 1887, the sixth in a family of ten children born to Martin and Cecelia (Munson) Leafdale. The father of Mr. Leafdale was born in Sweden in 1849 and the mother in 1852. They came to the United States in 1886, and for some time resided at Central City, Nebraska. In the fall of 1887 the father homesteaded in Cheyenne county, on the Banner county line, and the family lived on that land until 1909. He moved then into Banner county but still owns almost a sec- tion of land in Cheyenne county, and followed ranching for about seven years, in 1916 re- tiring to Potter, Nebraska. Ever since coming to this state Mr. Leafdale has been a man of extreme worth. In his own country he had previously preached as an ordained minister of the Swedish Mission church, and after com- ing to America, as opportunity offered, he has traveled over the United States on mission work, and for ten years preached in Chey- enne and Banner counties. He assisted in the organization of the flourishing Sunday school at Kirk. While living on his homestead he served on the school board in his district, and also served in the office of justice of the peace. In addition to George W., the following members of his family survive: Anthony M., who lives in Cheyenne county, married Flora Johnson; Anna, who is the wife of Eric An- derson. of Cheyenne county ; Emil, of Chey- enne county, who married Ruth Olsen ; Selma,

who is the wife of Edward Swanson, of Chey- enne county ; Alfred, who lives with his par- ents ; Harry, who is a farmer on his father's land; Mable, who lives at home; and Esther, who is the wife of Carl Osberg, of Cheyenne county.

George W. Leafdale attended school in Cheyenne and Banner counties, and assisted his father until 1909, when he established himself as a farmer in Banner county. For eight years he rented farm land and carried on gen- eral crop production, then bought his present home place, where he carries on extensive farm industries. He now owns eight hundred and eighty acres of fine farm land and addi- tionally has a one-third interest in three sec- tions of range land. He is a member of the Farmers Union and is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company at Potter.

On December 18, 1918, Mr. Leafdale was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Larson, who is a daughter of Swen Larson, a promi- nent settler of Banner county, extended men- tion of whom will be found in this work. Mrs. Leafdale, a lady of culture and intellectual attainments, is also a practical business wom- an. After completing her education, she taught the Lorraine school from 1913 to 1914, holding the sessions in a sod house, the only available structure in the neighborhood. Later she taught one term at the Twin Tree school house. In 1915 she assumed the duties of county superintendent of schools to which of- fice she had been elected by a flattering vote, and served two terms, retiring from the of- fice January 1, 1919. Ever since reaching womanhood she has been deeply interested in educational work and as her motives have been sincere and her ideas practical, she has accomplished a great deal for the public schools of the county. She was instrumental in having the Junior Club work started in the common schools. She also brought about that admirable system of education, the Home Demonstration movement. Since girlhood she has been active in Sunday school work, and the love of reading good literature that now is a notable and encouraging feature in many homes, may, in part, be attributed to her in- fluence. As may be inferred, Mrs. Leafdale found, during the progress of the World War, ample causes to arouse her sympathy and pa- triotic interest, and she was particularly ac- tive and useful in Red Cross work, and in the war savings stamps and Liberty loan drives. Personally she is a lady of attractive pres- ence and engaging manner.

HORACE W. GURNSEY

317

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

EARL F. JONES, who is widely and fa- vorably known all over Banner county, was born in this county, May 26, 1894, and is a son of John L. and Dora M. (Clayton) Jones, natives of Warren county, Illinois. The fath- er came from Iowa to Banner county, in 1888, homesteading near Hull. He resided there as a farmer and ranchman until 1907, when he retired to Kimball, where he yet resides. The mother died in the spring of 1901. Of their six children, Earl F. was the fifth in order of birth.

Earl F. Jones attended the country schools and lived at home until he was fifteen years of age, after which he resided with his brother Glenn for eight years. During the World War Mr. Jones served one year in the na- tional army, and when released from military service in the fall of 1918, returned to Banner county. He immediately leased the farm of his mother-in-law, Mrs. Emily M. Larson, and is carrying on farming there. From boyhood Mr. Jones has been fond of horses and he pos- sesses a certain dominance over them, which combined with physical courage, has enabled him to be very successful in the work of break- ing horses and he has the record of breaking sixty-five head of horses in one autumn for Mr. Palmberg. For some years he was in the employ of a horse buyer and in this line traveled all over the county and believes he knows every road and trail and the most of the people. He left behind him many friends on these frequent trips.

Mr. Jones was married at Denver, Colo- rado, September 11, 1918, to Miss Josephine Larson, and they have a sturdy little son, Melvin D., who was born June 15, 1919. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he votes in- dependently, and fraternally is connected with the order of Knights of Pythias at Harrisburg. On March 1, 1920, he moved to the Levinsky ranch, holding a two years lease.

HORACE W. GURNSEY, a well-known and popular citizen of Scottsbluff, is a repre- sentative of the third generation of the Gurn- sey family in Nebraska, within whose borders his paternal grandfather established a home in the very early pioneer period. The name has been worthily linked with the civic and indus- trial development and progress of this favored commonwealth, and its honors have been well upheld by him whose name initiates this review.

Horace William Gurnsey was born at Vesta, Johnson county, Nebraska, October 7, 1870, and is a son of Phineas B. and Susan Maria

(Hartwell) Gurnsey, the former of whom was born in Illinois, on the 25th of January, 1846, and the latter of whom was born in Ohio, November 8, 1848, their marriage having been solemnized May 3, 1868, at Vesta, Nebraska - the year following that of the admission of the state to the Union. Mrs. Gurnsey passed to eternal rest March 6, 1896, and her husband still survives her, his home being at Scottsbluff. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch came from Illinois and established his home in Nebraska in the territorial days. He took up a tract of land near Sterling. Johnson county, and on this pioneer homestead he continued to reside until his death, at the age of fifty years. Phineas B. Gurney was reared and educated in Illinois, where he continued to be associated with his father in farm enterprise until the out- break of the Civil War, when he tendered his aid in defense of the Union, by enlisting in Company G. Seventeenth Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, with which he participated in many engagements and lived up to the full tension of the great conflict. After the war he joined his parents in Nebraska, and his name will ever be worthily associated with the pioneer history of the state.

Horace W. Gurnsey was afforded the ad- vantages of the public schools of Lewiston and Tecumseh, Nebraska, and as a mere boy he gained practical experience in connection with farm work. In 1888 he became identified with railroad work, and for three years - 1891- 1894 - he was employed as a railroad bridge carpenter. He was then transferred to the track department, and this connection contin- ued about two years. In 1898 he served as chief of police at Ulysses, Butler county, and on the 23d of May, 1899, he removed to Alli- ance, Box Butte county, out of which place he had charge of the west section of what is now the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. While he was thus engaged the county court house was removed on two flat cars from Marsland to Alliance. September 10, 1899. Mr. Gurnsey was transferred to Whitman, where he had charge of the railroad section and coal sheds. He there remained until 1900. when he was assigned supervision of a section out from Scottsbluff. to which place he re- moved, and he retained this incumbency until the autumn of 1906. For the ensuing three years he had charge of the alfalfa meal mill at Scottsbluff, and the following three years found him here engaged in concrete construc- tion work, as a contractor. Mr. Gurnsey be- came well known as a practical and successful apiarist, he having taken up bee culture in 1904. in connection with his other activities,

318

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

and having had at one time 140 stands of hives. He served three years - 1912-1914 - as chief of police of Scottsbluff, and his administration passed on record as one of the best in the his- tory of this city. At the present time Mr. Gurnsey is giving his attention principally to the Great Western Sugar Co. as engineer on generators. In national affairs he gives his support to the Republican party, but in local politics he is not constrained by strict partisan lines. He is affiliated with Scottsbluff lodge No. 261, I. O. O. F., of which he served three years as secretary.

On the 31st of December, 1891, Mr. Gurn- sey wedded Miss Emeline Lockner, who was reared and educated at Bellwood, Butler county. She was an earnest member of the Baptist church and was affiliated with the Daughters of Rebekah, the Royal Neighbors, and the Degree of Honor. She passed to the life eternal on the 16th of April, 1914. Con- cerning the children of this union brief record is here offered: Lloyd William, born October 30, 1892, was graduated in the Scottsbluff high school as a member of the class of 1913, and he now resides at Scottsbluff, being in the train service of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. The maiden name of his wife was Edna Carpenter. When the nation became in- volved in the great World War, Lloyd W. Gurnsey enlisted, in April, 1917, as a member of Company G, Fourth Regiment of the Ne- braska National Guard, and with his command he was sent from Fort Crook to Deming, New Mexico, where he entered the great training camp. August 17, 1917, he was commissioned second lieutenant, at Camp Taylor, Kentucky, and he received his honorable discharge Decem- ber 10, 1918, about one month after the sign- ing of the historic armistice. Roxie Rachel, the second of the children of the subject of this review, was born August 1, 1894, and died July 28, 1900. George, born August 10, 1897, died December 19, 1913. Horace Harold, born July 12, 1898, was educated in the Scottsbluff schools and at the age of seventeen years he volunteered for service in the national army. He was sent to the military training camp at Deming, New Mexico, and there he contracted pneumonia, after which he passed twelve months in the military hospital at Fort Bayard, his discharge having been received October 20, 1918, shortly after the close of the war. Alice Olive, born February 26, 1901, is the wife of George Hays, of Silverton, Colorado, their marriage having occurred June 17, 1918. Jesse Ray, born March 6, 1903, and Marian Gladys, born October 20, 1913, remain at the paternal home.

The second marriage of Mr. Gurnsey was solemnized March 28, 1919, when he wedded Miss Virginia L. Dumphy, at Alliance, this state. Mrs. Gurnsey was born August 17, 1895, at Kearney, Nebraska, and completed her educational discipline in the Scottsbluff high school. She is the popular chatelain of the attractive family home in Scottsbluff.

LARS J. HENDRIKSON. - There were not so many permanent settlers in Banner county in 1887, when Lars J. Hendrikson came here, as now, but nevertheless there were some fine people here and among these were natives of his own land. Mr. Hendrik- son still resides on the homestead he secured thirty-two years ago, and long has been one of Banner county's foremost citizens.

Lars J. Hendrikson was born in Sweden, September 15, 1865, a son of Lars and Christina (Olson) Hendrikson, natives of Sweden. The father was a small farmer in his native land. In 1880 he came to the United States and remained two years, then went back to Sweden, but in 1884 returned to this coun- try accompanied by his family, and settled in Kansas. From there, in 1887, he came to Banner county and homesteaded in the east- ern part of the county, and resided on the same until his death, September 4, 1911, the mother having passed away April 6, 1903. Consider- ing that the father was a man advanced in years when he came here, he left an ample estate. He identified himself with the Re- publican party but was never active in politics. Both parents were members of the Baptist church. Of the eleven children, the following are living: Ida, who is the wife of Lewis Pe- terson, of Denver, Colorado; Lars J., who is of Banner county ; August, who lives at Court- land, Kansas; Betty, who is the wife of Gust Anderson, of Pueblo, Colorado; Lottie, who is the wife of Frank Peterson, of Banner county ; and Emma, who lives on the home place.

Lars J. Hendrikson obtained his schooling in his native land. He came to the United States in 1884 and spent two years at Scandia, Kansas, but in 1887 he decided to locate per- manently in Banner county, Nebraska, and se- cured a homestead adjoining that of his father. Since then he has acquired much additional land and has become financially identified with a number of flourishing business enterprises. His home ranch includes fourteen hundred and forty acres and he also owns a three-quar- ter section near Kirk. He is a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator Company at Potter and

S. N. LARSON AND FAMILY

319

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

also Melbeta; a stockholder in the Western Nebraska Telephone Company, and is also a stockholder in the Higgins Packing plant at Omaha. He has always been a hard worker and a careful business man. ·

On January 4, 1890, Mr. Hendrikson was married to Miss Louise Rasmussen, a daugh- ter of Lewis and Catherine Rasmussen. The parents of Mrs. Hendrikson were early home- steaders in Kansas, settling in Republic coun- ty in 1867, before the hostile Indians had been expelled to the reservations, or the rough ele- ment following the close of the Civil War, had been brought to a sense of law and order. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hendrikson, namely: Henry, who resides at home; Ida, who is the wife of Alec Trostrum, of Denver, Colorado; Alfred, who resides at home; Agnes, who is the wife of Paul Hen- drikson, living near Potter, Nebraska; and Isaac, Mabel and Emily, all of whom reside at home. With the help of his sons, Mr. Hen- drikson carries on his large farming opera-' tions very profitably. At one time he was in- terested in the Populist movement and served on that political ticket as county commissioner from 1892 until 1898, but since then has voted the Republican ticket. He has filled numerous local offices and for many years has been road overseer and assessor of his precinct, and at all times displays such good judgment and marked public spirit, that his fellow citizens have confidence in his opinions.

SWEN N. LARSON. - To mention the name of the late Swen N. Larson in Banner county, is to hear of one of the best known and most highly esteemed men who ever lived here. He was a man of real worth in every relation of life. Not only did he provide well through his industry for his own family, but took an interest in the welfare of others who had no claim on him except humanity, and was never so happy as.when rendering assistance of some kind. He was universally respected and trust- ed by his fellow citizens, and was greatly be- loved by those who knew him best.

Swen N. Larson was born in Sweden, Janu- ary 4, 1854. His father's name was Nicholas and both parents lived and died in Sweden, Swen N. being the only one of the four chil- dren to come to the United States. He had some schooling there, but his youth was one of hard work spent in assisting his father on the little home farm and in the charcoal pits, the burning of charcoal being the latter's main business. In the meanwhile Swen learned the carpenter trade and made some money as a

salesman of timber. By the time he was twen- ty-four years old he had saved enough to war- rant his emigrating to the United States. The Mattsons, old neighbors of the Larsons, in Sweden, had gone to America and were well established at Galesburg, Illinois, and this fact led to Mr. Larson making his way also to Galesburg, where he remained for the next five years, finding employment on neighboring farms and in selling cattle.

On September 4, 1883, Mr. Larson was married to Miss Emily Mattson, who survives him. Her parents, Benjamin and Pernellia (Anderson) Mattson, came from Sweden to Knox county, Illinois, at an early time of settlement there, making the voyage to the United States in a sailing vessel that was on the ocean for thirteen weeks. They found no railroads completed to Galesburg, which was but a little settlement. Some years afterward Mr. Mattson removed to Knoxville, Illinois, where he operated a brick kiln and farmed. Both parents of Mrs. Larson died there, but one day apart, and their burial was in the same grave. Of their nine children four are living. At one time a brother of Mrs. Larson filed on a homestead in Banner county but la- ter relinquished it and returned to Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Larson the following children were born: Burt W., who was born June 5, 1884, married Edith L. Neely, and they live at Kimball, Nebraska; Annettie, who was born March 25, 1886, is the wife of George A. Jones of Gering, Scottsbluff county ; Ralph E., who was born September 29, 1888, married Margaret A. Coleman, and they live at Kim- ball; Minnie, who was born September 20, 1892, is the wife of George W. Leafdale, of Banner county; Josephine, who was born June 29, 1895. is the wife of Earl F. Jones, of Banner county: Josephine, who was born August 9, 1898, resides with his mother; and Pearl D., who was born June 7, 1905, also resides at home.

Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Larson moved to Kansas. He engaged in farming there for five years, during which time the delicate health of their little son gave them uneasiness and when the family physi- cian suggested moving into a different climate, Nebraska for instance, they determined to take his advice. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Larson homesteaded in Banner county, Mrs. Larson is still residing on that land, the southeast quarter of section six. In early April, 1888, the family reached here, Mrs. Larson and the children coming to Potter by railroad, and stopping with the family of Alfred Olson un-

320

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

til Mr. Larson arrived with the livestock and household goods. He was three weeks making the trip from Kansas with two covered wagons and teams, a saddle poney and a few cattle. Mrs. Larson says that in the drive from Pot- ter to the Olson homestead, a distance of twenty-six miles, she saw but one house, that standing on the old Bracken place, now the property of Grant Brady.

In speaking of the great blizzard that swept over this section shortly after the family came here, Mrs. Larson gives many interesting de- tails of how the pioneers had to meet such dis- asters, and in speaking of Mr. Larson's heroic efforts, she mentions his going as far as twelve miles to drive home his bewildered cattle, and carried the young calves on his back, bringing them into the dugout to warm them by the fire. In the following summer the family moved into a sod house, Mrs. Larson losing all interest in the dugout after finding a mouse and a rattlesnake there, and later they had a comfortable log house constructed with a car- penter's skill by Mr. Larson. At first they hauled water either four miles from the south or the same distance from the north, but Mr. Larson had about the first satisfactory well in this section. He practically laid out all the roads here, for when he came there were no landmarks by which a driver could shape his course. On his first trip to Kimball and other points he carried stakes with him and like other trailmakers before and since in a new country, thus "blazed" the path. In early days he hauled his wheat to Sidney, a distance of forty-five miles and accepted twenty-two cents a bushel for it. He lived to see wonderful changes take place and to be the owner of over twenty-five hundred acres of fine land, all well improved. This property is now known as the Little L. ranch, and is managed and operated by Mrs. Larson with the help of her son and her son-in-law, Earl F. Jones. It is a profitable enterprise both as to stock and grain. In 1919 the five hundred acres devoted to wheat growing yielded from eighteen to twenty-five bushels an acre.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 62

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