History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 77

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

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

ed, filling this office most efficiently for a two year term. The subsequent two years were spent in association with the Mollering Broth- ers in their mercantile establishment. Having made a creditable record as deputy Mr. Muir- head was elected county treasurer in the fall of 1901, served two years, and in the fall of 1903 was again nominated for the same office his opponent in the race being Charles Bren- nan. The contest was close, but the canvassing board declared that Mr. Muirhead had a ma- jority of two votes; Mr. Brennan contested the election declaring the majority was his, the question was carried up to the courts and the decision given was a tie. The two men were most friendly about it and rather than call another election drew straws for it and Mr. Brennan won.

On July 10, 1903, Mr. Muirhead was mar- mied at Hemingford to Miss Georgia A. Mill- er, who was born in Iriquois county, Illinois, the daughter of Alvin and Addie M. (Pear- son ) Miller, the former an Illinoisan, while the mother was a native of the Empire state. Mrs. Muirhead was the youngest of the two children born to her parents as she had an older broth- er. There are two children in the Muirhead family: Ruth A., in the eleventh grade of the high school, and Fay E., in the ninth grade. The year following his marriage Mr. Muirhead established himself in business as a real estate dealer, in Alliance, where they went to live, but they were acquainted in Hemingford and liked the people here so much that when an opening with good prospects occurred in busi- ness circles here they returned and in 1905 Mr. Muirhead became associated with his father-in-law in the flour and lumber business, a partnership that continued until 1912, when Mr. Muirhead was appointed manager of the Farmers Co-operative Association, having built up a good reputation for executive ability, and honest dealing. No more capable man could have been found and the association was for- tunate in being able to secure him for this im- portant office. He has a wide circle of business acquaintances throughout the county from his many years service in county office, has warm friends and has won the confidence of the people. In 1916, Mr. Muirhead was elect- ed mayor of Hemingford, and as in his other public offices, proved so efficient that in 1918 he was re-elected. Mr. Muirhead is one of the thrifty, farsighted men who keep fully abreast of the times, its changes and progress, and is one of the most capable and expect financiers in the Panhandle. His personal popularity coupled with his able management

of affairs has won a high place for him in the financial circles of northwestern Nebraska. He is a man who does much and says little of it. Is progressive in his ideas and methods and since becoming mayor of the city has inaugur- ated many improvements. He is public spir- ited and supports every worthy movement for civic and communal uplift and improvement both with his time and generous contributions of money. Today Mr. Muirhead stands as an excellent example of the American citizens upon whom this country must rely during the coming years of unrest and adjustment to take an important part in local and national affairs, and so tide the country over a period when the so-called "melting pot" of the United States shall have melted up the pure metals, annealed and alloyed them into a compact whole and shipped the dross and dregs back to Russia, and the Balcans, whence they came. The Muirhead family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. They are a prominent fam- ily in the community and at their home dis- pense a true Scotch hospitality to friends and acquaintances.

WILLIAM G. WILSON, is one of the fa- vored men who has so directed his affairs that he has been able to change from the stren- uous activities of farm life and take up an- other line of endeavor while the best years of life are still ahead of him, a reward that comes to but a favored few. During the time he applied himself to agricultural pursuits, he demonstrated the possession of marked abili- ties which have proved fully as successful since he engaged in commercial life, and the com- petency he accumulated has been available in his new field.

William Wilson was born in Jefferson coun- ty, Iowa, April 19. 1851, the son of Joshua and Frances (Templeton) Wilson, the former a Hoosier by birth. William was next to the oldest in a good old fashioned family of twelve children and in consequence grew up self-re- liant. When the boy was three years of age the family moved to Lucas county, Iowa, where Thomas spent his boyhood. He was sent to the public school near his home in the winter time and worked for his father in the summer. After completing the local school he entered Auckworth Academy, spending two years in higher study at that institution, which is located at Auckworth, Iowa, then started out independently in life as a school teacher be- ing engaged in that vocation four terms. Wil- liam remained at home with his parents until he attained his majority, but in 1873 started

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west to seek an independent fortune. He first settled in Colorado, obtaining work as a ranch- man near Boulder, but a year later returned to Lucas county, where he again became a student at the academy, as he realized that the best equipment a man could have in the world was a good education. He again taught school until 1882, leaving Iowa to go to the Black Hills, where he began a freighting business, this led eventually to his going to Boseman where his experience as a practical transporta- tion man was of value. Seeing a good oppor- tunity to make some money by taking a con- tract for grading a section of the right of way for the Northern Pacific Railroad, which was building west, Mr. Wilson became a contractor, going in the fall of 1883, to Yackima county, where he ran a grading outfit for the road un- til 1885. Having gained much valuable ex- perience in this line of business he decided to continue in it and, in the fall of 1885, went to Maysville, Missouri, where he had bid and obtained a contract for railroad construction. The next year he came to Nebraska, having a contract for grading on the Ashland Cut Off to Omaha. Finishing this work he came to Sheridan county in 1887, to construct the road bed two miles each way from the town of Antioch, on the Burlington Railroad. Com- ing to realize that the most independent man is the owner of land, Mr. Wilson determined to avail himself of the opportunity to obtain some under the homestead act and in 1888 filed on a homestead one mile east of the present town of Antioch, which until 1912, was known as Reno, but in that year the rail- road changed the name to Antioch, which had been the name of the postoffice since its establishment in 1889. Mr. Wilson determined to become a good practical farmer and with this end in view and his experience at home on his father's place, he began to study the best crops for the high prairies, placed the best improvements he could upon his land, and from the first he found that his success was as- sured. He was optimistic concerning this sec- tion of Nebraska, and the years of drought, grasshoppers and hard winters could not dis- courage him. He remained when many of the settlers gave up and returned east, but it paid him for today he is one of the large landhold- ers and prosperous men of Sheridan county. From time to time as he made money on his crops and cattle, Mr. Wilson invested his capital in other tracts of land until today he is the owner of more than six thousand acres of fine arable and grazing land in a good lo- cation. For many years, - thirty in all - he

had annually about five hundred head of stock on his ranch. He was a short buyer, being far-sighted in his business, and a long seller so that he made money where many men who did not study business conditions lost and now feels that he was well rewarded.

On October 11, 1904, Mr. Wilson married at Granger, Iowa, Miss Mable Taylor, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, and they had two children : Mabel L., a student in the Antioch high school and Donald W., a student in Alliance who lives with Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Wilson while in school. Mrs. Wilson died on September 15, 1910, leav- ing a sorrowing husband and lonely home. Since that time a niece of Mr. Wilson, Miss Frances Wilson, has come to assume charge of his home and really make it a home for the father and daughter. She is a most estimable woman, who has seen much of life and the world, having been a nurse in Denver, Colo- rado, ever since her graduation from the hos- pital where she received her training. The family have been members of the. Congrega- tional church for many years. At the present time Mr. Wilson has just completed a modern home in Antioch, costing over $12,000 where the family will keep their usual hospitable open door for their many friends. Having spent so many years in the country Mr. Wilson decided to give up the active management of his land and in 1917 leased the whole tract as well as the stock to a nephew, J. W. Wilson, and came to Antioch to live. He soon bought a half interest in the building and stock of the Antioch Mercantile Company where he has displayed the same business ability that has been characteristic of him since his days as a contractor. Under his able management and guidance the business has largely increased and today is one of the prosperous and sub- stantial business houses of the Panhadle. Mr. Wilson is one of the pioneers of the county where he has won an enviable reputation as a sound business man, estimable citizen and has been one of the best "boosters" this section has ever had, as he is ever ready to help with time and money any laudable enterprise for the development of the community and coun- ty. He has great faith in the future of the potash industry of this section and has been active in the development of it here.

FRANK H. SMITH may truly be called self-made, as his present prosperity has come through his own efforts and under a handicap that would have discouraged most men. Mr. Smith has had a varied career for he has in turn been farmer, school teacher, clerk in

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inercantile establishments, merchant, was one of the pioneer men to believe and engage in the cement business, clerk of the county, post- master, mayor of the city of Antioch, and is one of the representative ranchmen and merchants of Sheridan county. In all these vocations he displayed the business ability, financial fore= sight and thrift which he applied to his indus- tries, personal and public, and by these qualities won and kept the respect of his colleagues, while at the same time gaining a comfortable fortune for himself. Mr. Smith was born near Manlius, Illinois, July 18, 1854, the son of William H. and Phlinda ( Stickle) Smith, the former a native of Wyandotte county, Ohio, while the mother was born in Musk- ingum county of that state. Frank was the second child in a family of three born to his parents. His father was a farmer so that the children grew up in the country. In addition to his agricultural pursuits, the father became an inventor and made the first two wheeled corn cultivator on the market which was later manufactured at Galesburg, Illinois. He, how- ever, gained little for it as he sold the rights of the cultivator in 1859 or 1860 for thirty- five dollars, but the new machine revolution- ized the corn industry, doing away with the old one horse, double shovel plow, but like so many men of genius, while he could invent the machine he did not realize its value and so let a fortune for himself and his children slip from his grasp. Frank attended the district school near his home and thus laid the founda- tion for a good, practical education, which was fortunate as he lost his right hand below the elbow in his fifteenth year in a broom corn scraper. This accident would have daunted a youth of less high heart and courage, but he determined not to let this ruin his life and has "carried on," as the soldiers say, and been on the job every minute of the time and per- haps made more of a success than if he had not been forced to use all his grit and determina- tion to overcome a physical defect. For fifty or more years this brave man has faced the world and by his determination "to do, and to conquer" has achieved a marked success and fortune all of his own making. When Mr. Smith was only eleven years old his father died and he was forced to go to work for farm- ers to help support the family. He continued to study whenever he could get to school and in 1873 came west and accepted a position as teacher at Carleton, Thayer county, Ne- braska, where he taught three years, but the life of a teacher did not appeal to him and he decided to enter another field where there

seemed to be a future and resigned to go into a store in Fairbury, Nebraska, to remain five years, thoroughly learning the business. Mr. Smith was married at Wyanett, Illinois, to Miss Rosetta Aldrich, born in Bureau county, that state. Her parents were Fenner S. and Martha ( Mowery) Aldrich, both natives of the state of New York. Seven children have been born to this union: Ethel, at home with her parents ; Gerald A., engaged in the manage- ment of the pumping station of the Union Potash Company at Antioch, is also a partner with his brother, Fenner A., in the ownership and management of a fine brick garage having a building covering a hundred by fifty fect, while his fraternal affiliations are with the Odd Fellows; Frederick V., a graduate of the Chadron Academy, married Miss Josephine Hoffand, and now is engaged in the grocery and hardware business in Antioch, being the father of two sons and is also a member of the Odd Fellows and a member of the Congrega- tional church; Fenner A., a graduate of the Chadron Academy, with his brother is the own- er of the Potash Garage and his wife was Miss Alice Jackson of Dawes county, and they have two boys and are members of the Congrega- tional church ; Homer C., also a partner in the garage with his brother, married Miss Maude Cogdill and they have one child, a son; Zilma V .. a graduate of the Chadron Academy, is a teacher in Antioch, and Frank J., who en- listed in the army when war was declared against Germany and spent a year at Deming.

After his marriage Mr. Smith returned to Wyanett, Illinois, and engaged in the mercan- tile business, but the call of the west was in his ears. He longed for the freedom and oppor- tunities afforded on the prairies and returned to Fairbury where he accepted a position in a clothing store, remaining three years before he went to Emporia, Kansas, to engage in the cement business, but on account of his health returned to Nebraska in 1888, locating in Loup county and in 1892, availed himself of the homestead act and filed on a homestead. From the first he took an active part in public affairs and was elected county clerk, serving four years, and at the same time managing his farm. Two years later he moved to Dawes county, farmed, and also engaged in the cement busi- ness, building many walks in Chadron. In 1914, Mr. Smith came to Antioch to engage in the mercantile business ; the same year he was appointed postmaster, serving in that capacity five years. When Antioch was organized as a city he was elected the first mayor. He re- signed from office in 1918, because of the "flu,"

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but is still in business, owning one of the fin- est men's furnishing houses in the Panhandle, housed in a building Mr. Smith erected for the purpose in 1917, having a floor space of forty by sixty feet. He also owns a fine, modern home in Antioch. Mr. Smith is one of the pioneer residents of this section as well as one of the oldest merchants and takes great pride in this town of potash fame, and is glad that he has been able to take part in the open- ing up and development of the northwestern section of the state and as he expresses it, "helped to put Antioch on the map." He is a liberal, broad minded American, ever ready to assist in the good works of county and town, giving liberally and is a typical western booster. The family belongs to the Congrega- tional church while Mr. Smith is an Odd Fel- low.

HENRY H. SMICE, one of the leading merchants of Antioch, is entitled to pioneer honors in Nebraska and for that reason should be accorded a record in this history of the Panhandle. He was born in Louisa county, Fowa. January 18, 1864, the son of William H. and Carlista (Day) Smice, the former a native of Germany. Henry was the only child born to his parents. At the outbreak of the Civil War his father enlisted in an Iowa regiment for eighteen months, but after his discharge from the service again enlisted at Memphis for the period of the war. He died and when Henry was eighteen months old his mother married a second time, a Mr. Daniel Wain- wright, and Henry has thirteen half brothers and sisters from the second marriage. The family moved to Columbus, Nebraska, when Henry was a small boy so that his childhood was spent on a farm here. The trip was made by boat and rail as far as Columbus and the remainder in true pioneer style in a prairie schooner overland to the farm, situated south of Grand Island on the Wood river in the Alda district. While still a youth Henry well re- members that he shocked grain for fifty cents a day and obtained what educational advan- tages he could in the winter time. At the age of eighteen he started out independently to earn his living and from that day to this has done so. He began to farm for himself near Alda, but when the grasshoppers came and ate up two crops in succession he grew discouraged and sold out for a team of horses, land that today is worth two hundred dollars an acre. Mr. Wainwright built a mill on the Wood river and settlers came from great distances to have

their grain ground, sometimes more than a hundred miles as people lived far apart and mills were still farther in that early day. Mr. Smice remembers that hundreds of Indians came, some from nearly every tribe in the vicinity, making a stop at the mill on their yearly hunting trips and to barter furs and hides for meal and flour. One time when the father was away some Pawnee Indians came to trade and seeing no man just took posses- sion of the place but the mother called to a woman to get a musket and when they saw it the Indians knew they were covered and va- cated, contented with the flour and meal Mrs. Wainwright had given them. In 1882, Mr. Smice returned to Kearney county and accept- ed a position with the men who were building the branch of the Burlington Railroad from Hastings to McCook, remaining with this out- fit until the cold weather stopped the work. He then went to Hastings and soon was offered the management of the old Hollard Ranch which he ran for two years, leaving it to estab- lish a feed and livery business at Hartwell, Nebraska, being engaged thus for six years. In 1885, Mr. Smice married Miss Nellie Hol- land at Hastings, Nebraska, who died in 1887, and Mr. Smice was married a second time on December 31, 1887, to Miss Nellie Howard, at Bedford, Iowa. She was the daughter of Pet- er Howard. Mrs. Smice is a graduate of the Nodaway high school, Nodaway, Iowa, and was the oldest in a family of six children. Mr. and Mrs. Smice have two children: Bulah M., who married Joseph Rum, storekeeper for the Hoard Potash plant at Lakeside and they have two children : and Orville M., a little lad of five

In 1888, Mr. Smice became one of the pio- neer settlers of Box Butte county, locating in Alliance where he held a position with the railroad for about eleven months before he located on a ranch about twelve miles south of Antioch where the family remained two years then went to Iowa, but five years later they were back in Alliance, where Mr. Smice was variously engaged until February, 1919, when he purchased a building fifty by thirty feet on Second street in Antioch and opened an up-to-date second hand store, for he saw that with the climbing prices there was a good opportunity to make money in handling used furniture. He also manages an excellent re- pair shop where he is equipped to handle all kinds of repair work. Within a short time he expects to add a line of fine new furniture and the prospects of a fine business are as- sured.

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CLAUDE D. RICE is one of the merchants of the Panhandle who, while a recent resi- dent of this section, has made a fine record in commercial circles in Sheridan county and the town of Antioch. Mr. Rice was born near St. Joe, Michigan, February 4, 1881, the son of Alonzo and Jennie (Aldrich) Rice, both natives of that state. Claud was the fourth in a family of seven children. The father en- listed at the outbreak of the Civil War in one of the Michigan Volunteer regiments and served under the stars and stripes four years, taking part in many of the hardest fought en- gagements and battles of that conflict. He en- tered the army at sixteen years of age as a drummer boy but showed such ability and mili- ary strategy that he was rapidly advanced from one office to another, so held that of brig- adier general when he was mustered out of the service in 1865. After the war Mr. Rice learned the trade of millwright and followed this vocation in the great lumber mills of his native state for many years. When Claude was three years old his father came west, lo- cating on a homestead near Hay Springs and there the boyhood days of the child were spent. As there were no district schools in that coun- try at that early days, Claud studied at home until he was nine years old. The family lived at first in the typical "soddy" of the plains but later the father freighted logs from Pine Ridge, forty miles away, and erected a com- fortable log house for his family. About the time of Claud's ninth birthday the Rice fam- ily moved into the village of Hay Springs and he then entered the public school. As he was an ambitious boy and wanted money of his own he caught fish in the Niobrara river, dug a hole in a sand bar and kept them there for sale. When he earned his first money he felt quite a capitalist. From the time the boy was twelve until his sixteenth year the family lived in Custer City as Mr. Rice was engaged in running a saw mill there as timber was cut and sent to the mines. Claud worked in the mill under his father as all-around-man and practically learned the milling business. How- ever, he was anxious to be financially indepen- dent and in 1897, went to Chicago, arriving in the spring he soon found a position in a piano factory where his knowledge of wood working stood him well. After a year in the city he went to St. Joe and worked in a paper fac- tory there three years, learning the trade of paper making. On leaving Michigan he re- turned to Chicago soon to work for the street car company, a position he held a year and a half. In 1901, Mr. Rice was married in Chi-

cago to Miss Nellie Allen, a native of Glasgow, Scotland. Five children were born to this union, but in 1908 the family all came down with typhoid and when Mr. Rice recovered all were dead but the youngest boy, John, who now lives with an aunt in Chicago. In 1910, Mr. Rice was married a second time in Alli- ance, Nebraska, to Miss Grace Culliver, of Box Butte county and one little girl was born to them. Ten days after she was born the mother died and more than a year later, in 1911, Mr. Rice was united in marriage with Miss Aurie Smith, at Alliance. She was a na- tive of Custer City, South Dakota, and their family consists of one boy and two girls : Jen- nie, a student in the kindergarten, Claud, Jr., and June, a baby. Mr. Rice came to Antioch in 1917, to become a partner with his brother Alonzo, Jr., in a fine meat business. They own and operate one of the finest markets in this section and have built up a most gratifying trade which brings in good returns. Both brothers are progressive in ideas and methods and are fine citizens of the community.

FENNER A. SMITH. - In the thriving community of Antioch, one of the live and en- terprising business men is Fenner Smith, who with his brother Gerald, is actively engaged in the management of an automobile garage which they own. Mr. Smith also has the dis- tinction of being the pioneer merchant of the town and though still a young man is deserv- ing of pioneer honors and mention in this his- tory of the Panhandle. He is a native son of Nebraska, born in Loup county, February 15, 1890, the son of Frank H. and Rosetta (Ald- rich) Smith, whose biographies appear upon another page in this history. Fenner, named after his grandfather Aldrich, was the fourth in a family of seven children. Frank Smith owned a ranch in Loup county and there the children spent many of their childhood days. When Fenner was about seven his father left this place and moved to a new farm near Chad- ron. The boy was sent to the district school nearest his home where he laid the foundation of a good practical education. He early learn- ed habits of thrift and under the tutelage of his father became a good, practical farmer. When only eight years old Fenner began to earn money for himself by herding cattle, receiving the munificient sum of a dollar a week for the work. After completing the course in the country school Mr. Smith entered the Chadron Academy where he graduated in 1909. Soon after this he accepted a position with the Northwestern Railroad, as time-keeper at the

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 77

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