History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 81

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

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Mr. Kelly's parents were William J. and Martha (Felts) Kelly, who were born in Pennsylvania. William J. Kelly was brought in childhood to Republic county, Kansas, and when twelve years old accompanied his em- ployer to Texas and was brought up on a ranch. He was twenty-two years old when he came from Texas to Nebraska with a cattle herd, and it was at Sidney that he met and later married Miss Martha Felts. He then de- cided to stay in Nebraska and set about looking for a permanent location, stopping at first on the present site of Bridgeport, in Morrill county. In 1881, he came to Banner county, one of the first settlers, and homesteaded the land on which his son was born and on which he yet lives. There were two children in his family, Bessie and Ted. The former was the first white female child born in Banner coun- ty. She grew to beautiful womanhood and was married to Everett Walter. She died November 14, 1904, survived by three chil- dren; Clifton and Harry, both of whom live

with Mr. Kelly; and Marvin, who lives at Indian Hill Wyoming. The father of Mr. Kelly lived on his homestead until his death, which occurred December 21, 1914. The mother died November 24, 1919, at Santa Ana, California.

Ted Kelly was sent to school as soon as old enough, his father believing in general education and being one of the men who brought about the organization of the public schools in Banner county. By the time he had reached middle boyhood, conditions of living in this section had become easier, but he remembers, his parents telling of early hardships and lonely isolation. Sidney was sixty-five miles distant and that was the near- est point where provisions could be bought or mail received. Later on a post office was established one-half mile west of the home- stead, known as Livingston, the first post- master being Lee Livigston. Mr. Kelly has five hundred and twenty acres in his ranch. He raises Duroc-Jersey hogs and White Face cattle, having a hundred head annually.

On July 25, 1910, Mr. Kelly was united in marriage to Miss Tressie B. Ridge, a daugh- ter of Jesse H. and Tillie (Owens) Ridge, early settlers in Morrill county. The mother of Mrs. Kelly is deceased but the father till resides at Bridgeport. Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have two children: Carl, who was born August 18, 1911; and Alice, who was born July 30, 1915. Mr. Kelly has always been a Democrat in political faith, as was his father. He has never accepted any public office except membership on the school board and is still serving. He is interested in the aims of the organization known as the Farm- ers Union and owns stock in the same. Mr. Kelly is well known throughout the county as an enterprising business man. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias at Harrisburg.

WILLIAM A. GRUBBS, a representative citizen and extensive farmer and stockraiser in Banner county, came here thirty-three years ago, and few men have been more useful to his section. His progressive spirit has been a leading factor in the founding of enter- prises which have been of great and substan- tial benefit.

William A. Grubbs was born in Story county, Iowa, May 10, 1866, one of seven children born to Abraham and Margaret (Barnharde) Grubbs. He has one sister, Mrs. Josephine Carpenter, living in Nebraska. The father was born in Pennsylvania and came west to

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Iowa when young and lived there until his death, in October, 1865. He was a general farmer and was a man of upright character. The mother of Mr. Grubbs died in 1885.

In the district schools in the neighborhood of his father's farm William A. Grubbs obtain- ed some educational training, and he remain- ed with his mother until her death. He was nineteen years old when he started out for himself, and in the spring of 1886, came to Banner county, Nebraska. In the following year he homesteaded and still lives on the place which lies on section 2, town 18-57, in the vicinity of Harrisburg. After a residence of tweny-five years he moved into Harris- burg and took the agency of the Ford automo- biles, in 1912, and during the five years he held it sold eighty-seven cars. He owned the first Ford car in Banner county and at the time of purchase many of his neighbors doubted the expediency of the investment. He was confident, however, that he would be able to convince others of the value of the new means of transportation. Denver was headquarters and all the cars he sold had to be driven from there. Mr. Grubbs relates that when he drove his first car from Denver, he was accompanied by his wife and Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Pierson, and they had several adventures, one when they missed the right road and ran into a herd of antelope and another being caught in a heavy storm, and running the risk of having to stay all night in the car. The people did not yet look on automobiles in any other light than luxuries and farmers along the way when applied to for shelter, were not anxious to put themselves out for "wealthy eastern people," as they supposed, while there was no limit to their hospitality when they found the strang- ers were Banner county farmers. After the second trip Mr. Pierson entered into partner- ship with Mr. Grubbs and the association con- tinued for eighteen months, after which Mr. Grubbs continued the agency for three years longer. Notwithstanding the expressed fears of many of his former friends that the ven- ture would never be profitable, Mr. Grubbs made a distinct success and perhaps many of his farmer acquaintances who now own and drive cars, are ready to acknowledge his busi- ness foresight.

After giving up the Ford agency in 1916, Mr. Grubbs established an auto-truck line be- tween Kimball and Scottsbuff, carrying both freight and passengers, and continued to op- erate it about two years. Circumstances then seemed to require his return to the farm. Three of his stalwart sons had entered mili-

tary service in the World War and the fourth was making ready to depart, hence the respon- sibilities of conducting an estate of sixteen hundred acres fell upon their owner. Since that time he has remained on his farm and carries on his extensive industries under his own supervision, setting the example of farm- ing with tractors, which has been followed by many of his neighbors.

Before returning to his farm, Mr. Grubbs operated the telephone exchange at Harrisburg for seven months, the introduction of this necessary invention of modern life, being large- ly due, in this section, to his foresight and mechanical skill. The subject had interested him for several years previously. He put in the first telephone line in the county, beginning by borrowing two "series phones" as they were called, barb wire being used for connections. Now there are few farm residences which do not have telephones and credit may well be given Mr. Grubb's progressiveness for their introduction. In many other ways than those mentioned he has been foremost in county mat- ters. Mr. Grubbs was an early supporter of "The Herd Law:" helped to organize school district number eleven and served as director many years, and assisted in establishing Gabe Rock cemetery, helping to dig the first grave therein.

On January 23, 1888, Mr. Grubbs was married to Miss Lucinda M. Fuller, which was the first wedding in Banner county. Mrs. Grubbs is a daughter of William D. and Elizabeth (Kimberly) Fuller, early residents of Banner county, now living retired at Bush- nell. To Mr. and Mrs. Grubbs the following children have been born: Minnie, who is the wife of Leslie Barrett, of Harrisburg ; Walter L., who lives on his homestead near Dubois, Wyoming, was a soldier in the World War; Vernon M., a farmer living thirteen miles west of Harrisburg, married Vivian Heintz; and Dallas B., Leon C., Nellie F., Violet, Arlo R., Alvin E., Barton J., Carrie M., Wilbur A., Junella M., and Franklin A., all of whom live at home, a happy, wholesome family illustrative of sturdy stock. Mr. and Mrs. Grubbs were active members of the United Brethren congre- gation when there was a church of that de- nomination here, but now attend other religi- ous bo lies, as for several years no minister of their own faith has been stationed in their neighborhood. Mr. Grubbs is a man of sound judgment and of wide experience but has not identified himself with any political party, for these reasons perhaps, voting independently. For many years in early days here he served

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H. LESLIE SMITH

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

in the office of constable and at that time his duties included those of sheriff. Mr. Grubbs is a mine of information in reference to much of the development of Banner county in the last thirty years, and a great many illustra- tions seen in volume two of this addition were taken by Mr. Grubbs, a business he followed for ten years, being at that time a great source of the resources that were so needed. He suc- ceeded in obtaining a great many scenes of interest in the county.

H. LESLIE SMITH, the acknowledged leading criminal lawyer of the Scottsbluff bar, may easily claim inherited tendencies as well as choice in his selection of a profession. On both sides of his ancestral line there have been men of unusual distinction at the bar. He grew up in an intellectual atmosphere, and recalls the veneration he felt in boyhood for a father whose knowledge and practice of the law brought so wide a reputation and attracted to him so many men of high purpose and deep learning like himself. Although Mr. Smith came to Scottsbluff at a comparatively recent date, it was not altogether as a stranger, for his work in the lecture field for a number of years had made him a familiar figure to many. His remarkable gift of oratory assists in the success which attends his efforts as a criminal lawyer, which branch of his profession he prefers be- fore others. Mr. Smith was born at Aurora, Nebraska, December 28, 1879, the son of J. H. and Roseltha (Likes) Smith, both of whom were born and reared in Iowa, in which state they married. The paternal grandfather was Thomas Smith, born in Pennsylvania, and was a cabinetmaker by trade and an early settler in Iowa. The maternal grandfather, Philip Likes, also settled at an early day in Iowa and became one of the greatest criminal lawyers of that state. The father of Mr. Smith began the prac- tice of law at Osceola, Iowa, from which place he moved to Nebraska and in 1878 located at Aurora, where he became a corporation lawyer, to which difficult branch of the law he subse- quently mainly devoted himself. He was dis- trict judge while in Aurora, then moved to Lincoln and engaged in corporation law, hav- ing no practice except in district, supreme, and United States courts. Needing a wider field for his talents, in 1904 he moved to Lincoln and subsequently was made judge of the dis- trict court. He practiced all over Nebraska and had many cases in the superior and United States courts. While in practice at Lincoln, he was attorney for the Burlington Railroad, the Beatrice creamery, the Royal Highlanders, the

Modern Woodmen, and many other corpora- tions. He was a Republican in his political views and was a member of the Christian church, as is the mother of Mr. Smith, who yet resides at Lincoln. The father died in 1912. Of their family of six sons, H. Leslie is the second of the five survivors, the others being : Herbert H., of Lincoln, who is a well known musician and artist; Roscoe L., who also re- sides at Lincoln, is an X-ray specialist ; Jerome H., of Scottsbluff, is in the real estate business, and Philip P., a veterinary surgeon, lives at Ogallala, Nebraska. The fourth son, Fred, suc- cumbed to influenza, during the recent epi- demic.

H. Leslie Smith received his elementary edu- cation in the public schools, followed by a course in Wentworth Military Academy. After leaving the academy he entered the University of Nebraska for a literary course before taking up the special study of law in that department, from which he was graduated. He received his A.B. degree in 1902, and that of LL.B. two years later. He entered into practice at Estan- cia, New Mexico, where he remained one year, then accepted a flattering offer from a lecture bureau, and for the next five years appeared on the lecture platform all over the country, filling engagements in Iowa, Missouri, Florida, and Nebraska. For several years afterward he devoted himself to commercial pursuits. In December, 1915, he came to Scottsbluff and has engaged in the practice of law here ever since. He has always been quite active in politics and while in New Mexico was permanent chairman of the Republican territorial committee.

In 1913 Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Beulah Garman, who was born in Iowa and is a member of the Christian church. They have one son, H. Leslie, who was born March 8, 1917. Mr. Smith is prominent in advanced Masonry and belongs also to the Royal Highlanders. As a citizen he has been warmly welcomed and as a token of apprecia- tion he was elected in January, 1919, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Scottsbluff.

RICHARD SKINNER .- A widely known and highly respected pioneer of Banner coun- ty, Richard Skinner, came here when most of the present flourishing towns were still prairie, and when the only pretension of Ger- ing to being more than a hamlet, lay in the fact that it had a general store. Mr. Skin- ner has been a judicious farmer and at one time owned large bodies of land, still retain- ing a hundred acres. As one who has lived continuously in Banner county for thirty-three

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years, he has had many experiences, the re- cital of which would add value and interest to the county's official history.

Richard Skinner was born in Perry County, Ohio, December 13, 1841, one of four children born to Eli and Emma (Allen) Skinner, three of whom are living. Mr. Skinner has a broth- er in Wyoming and a sister in North Dakota. The father was born in Ohio and the mother in Virginia. The father died when Richard was three years old, but the mother, coming from a long lived race, lived to be eighty-six years old and her mother survived to the un- usual age of a hundred and five years. The father was a small farmer in Ohio all his life. He was a Democrat in politics, and both par- ents were members of the Baptist church.

Richard Skinner had some schooling in Perry county when a boy, but work claimed him before he was very old, and after some years on a farm he went into the coal mines and spent fifteen years in that industry, in the meanwhile becoming bank and track mine boss. Thus, he was already a man of busi- ness experience when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering the Sixty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, and served during the clos- ing eighteen months of that war. He was never wounded or taken prisoner, although he was on the picket line between the two oppos- ing armies at the siege of Richmond, when the cross fire for three continuous days so injured his sense of hearing that it still annoys him in the right ear, and he still has some rheumatic reminders at times of the long nights of army exposure. He relates a tragic incident of this time, and tragedy belongs to all war, that many of his comrades witnessed. After a long period on duty the men were parched with thirst and when relieved hastened to the nearest well for water without carefully ob- serving its location. Mr. Skinner's cousin was in the act of drinking when a Confederate sharpshooter shot him and he fell at Mr. Skinner's side and later died.

When the war was over, Mr. Skinner return- ed to his old home in Ohio and from there moved to Missouri in 1873, farming there until 1886, when he came to Banner county, Nebraska, and homesteaded on the tract that adjoins his present home farm. The first home of the family was a dugout. They left Missouri with four horses and two covered wagons, and reached their new home with the two wagons, two horses and twenty dollars cash capital. They had reached Sidney and re- mained over night there, but yet had to drive across the country a distance of forty-five

miles, and on the way an electric storm came up. Although there were nine people in the party none was injured to any extent but one of the horses was killed by lightning and the other so shocked that he never recovered. Mr. Skinner and family lived in the dugout for two years but it was never felt to be a safe place of residence because of the great number of wild cattle then on the range, that had to be continually driven away to keep them from trampling over the little home in the ground and breaking in on the inmates. At first they had a neighbor two miles away who afterward left the country, and then they had to go from eight to ten miles for a friendly little visit. There was very little money in circulation in this section and Mr. Skinner with others gathered bones on the prairie and wood in the hills and hauled to Potter and Sidney, selling bones for eight dollars a ton and getting eleven to twelve cents apiece for cedar posts. The government at that time ran a stage line from Sidney to the Black Hills, crossing a bridge at Camp Clark, between Bridgeport and Bayard. This bridge was own- ed by a man named Clark who charged toll of twenty-five cents for every wagon and an ad- ditional twenty-five cents for every person in the wagon. He was said to have become wealthy through operating this toll bridge.

After proving up on his homestead, Mr. Skinner borrowed money on it in order to buy cattle for livestock had long been recognized as the foundation of a fortune in the west. How- ever, when sickness fell on the children Mr. Skinner found his money had to be spent for medicine and doctors, Dr. Lonquest visiting them from Bayard. After two years in the dugout the family moved into a sod house and lived there for ten years, when Mr. Skinner bought the land adjoining his homestead and built a still more comfortable sod house, in which they have since lived. For a number of years Mr. Skinner was an extensive farmer and at one time had three hundred and ninety acres in alfalfa alone, but with added years he gradually relieved himself of many responsi- bilities, keeping only a hundred acres, in the management of which he has his son Edward as assistant.

On August 2. 1868, Mr. Skinner was united in marriage with Miss Emma Powell, in Perry County, Ohio, the only one living in Nebraska of a family of eight children born to Moses and Elnora (Barnes) Powell, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively, both of whom died in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Skinner have nine children: Darlington, who lives in Ban-

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ner county, married Clara Sickels, and they have three children; Jennie, the wife of Sam- uel Kelly, has seven children; Nora, is the wife of Arthur Hermann, and they have six children ; Laura Belle, is the wife of Arthur Burnett, and they have four children; Mar- garet, is the wife of Charles Hutchinson, and they have two children; Eunice, who is the wife of Bernard Hutchinson, and they have four children ; Bessie, the wife of Omar Smith, and they have two chidren; Ona, is the wife of Harry Bartling, of Riverton, Wyoming, and they have one child ; and Edward, who resides at home. Mr. and Mrs. Skinner have the satisfaction of having their children all happily located and within an easy automobie ride. When they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, August 2, 1918, their guests in- cluded their nine children, twenty-nine grand- children and one great-grandchild. They are members of the Seventh Day Advent church. Since the Civil War Mr. Skinner has been a Republican. He served many years as road overseer, as precinct assessor and as school director. He belongs to the order of Odd Fellows.

THOMAS U. VAN PELT, has for years been identified with history-making events in Banner county, and it will be many more years before his name is forgotten by those who hon- ored him in life or now benefit by the benefi- cent agencies he led in organizing and all his life labored to maintain. He was the owner of D bar ranch in Banner county, later known as the Van ranch.

Thomas U. Van Pelt was born in Marion county, Iowa, November 12, 1860, and died in his home in Banner county, August 6, 1912. His parents were Thomas and Nancy (Lucas) Van Pelt, natives of Ohio. The father was a soldier in the Civil War, enlisting at Iowa City, Iowa, under Captain Johnson, in the Fortieth Iowa infantry, and died while in the service. His six children were: Sarah J. John- ston, who lives near Harrisburg; Mary, who is the widow of August Stanfield, lives at Greybill, Wyoming; Jonathan, now deceased, left a widow who lives at Omaha, Nebraska ; William, who lives in Banner coun- ty, married Blanche Snyder; Cyrus, who lives south of Harrisburg, married Jennie McKee; and Thomas U., who came to Banner county in June, 1887.

At Essex, Iowa, on February 22, 1880, Mr. Van Pelt was united in marriage to Miss Lot- Brookheart, a daughter of Henry and Matilda (Middaugh) Brookheart, both now deceased.

The father of Mrs. Van Pelt died August 3, 1888, and the mother, April 14, 1910, hav- ing spent the last five years of her life with Mr. and Mrs. Van Pelt. To the latter were born ten children, as follows: Lester, who lives in Banner county, married Nellie Noyes ; Charles, who lives at Pine Bluff, Wyoming, married Miss Lottie Noyes Schindler, who was accidentally killed August 10, 1907, Ra- chael, who was the wife of Lester Nighswong- er, of Wheatland, Wyoming; Myrtle, who is the wife of A. C. Hottell, of Banner county ; Lewis, who is a farmer in Banner county, married Hazel Grubbs; Alonzo, who lives on the old home place, married Frances Wilson, now deceased; Frank and Gertrude, both of whom died in infancy; Alice, who is the wife of Arthur Lundberg, of Banner county ; and Brookheart, who lives at home on the Van ranch.

In the spring of 1887, Mr. and Mrs. Van Pelt shipped their teams from Vincennes, Iowa, to Schuyler, Nebraska, to select a homestead in Banner county (then Cheyenne). Mr. Van Pelt had two mule teams and two wagons and found not enough vegetation to picket the ani- mals. The had shipped their teams from Des Moines to Ashland, Nebraska, where they had spent the winter, during which time Mr. Van Pelt and Mrs. Van Pelt's brother Alex- ander, had worked on the B. & M. railroad. The immediate necessity being water, the men borrowed barrels from the nearest neighbor after fixing up a shanty, started out to find water which they had to haul a long distance. While they were gone Mrs. Van Pelt saw men running wild horses and with a fear of Indians in her mind, got out a revolver. The men came and asked for something to eat and gave their names as Frank Pearce and Charlie Hall. After Mr. Van Pelt had built a sod stable he went to Grand Island and bought cows, hogs and chickens, and also a year's stock of oats, corn and flour. After he came back he built a dugout of two rooms. Mr. Van Pelt's filing on his homestead was at Sidney, July 2, 1887, and is the second filing recorded at that place.

Mr. Van Pelt hastened to get a well dug as water had to be hauled a distance of nine miles, and secured a good flow of water at a depth of two hundred and twenty-seven feet. In the fall of 1889, he harvested a scant crop of wheat but the range cattle were so numer- ous that they had to be constantly driven away or they would have trampled every field. Ante- lope came also and often provided meat for the larder. Money was needed and as pre-

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viously Mr. Van Pelt had been a locomotive engineer he secured work on the run between Cheyenne and Sidney, and Mrs. Van Pelt agreed to teach the school at Fowerfield. al- though that necessitated her driving a distance of seven miles morning and evening. The school house in district number twenty-two stood on the present site of Gary. At one time, when the Cherokee Indians were hostile, there was talk of building a fort here, but the necessity of it grew iess and less and now, the beautiful place known as Flowerfield, would be about the last location where war or sav- agery could be imagined.

In fall of 1890 the state of Nebraska voted on the prohibition amendment for which Mr. Van Pelt had worked long, but at that time was lost, only to be victorious at a later date. All his life Mr. Van Pelt was a strong advo- cate of temperance. He helped to organize the United Brethren church and meetings were held at Gabe Rock school house. He was vice president of the Banner County Sunday School Association for a number of years. The early Sunday school history is interesting. At first each attendant brought along a chair or bench and the building was used for day school and other meeting purposes.

In 1894 a Baptist church edifice in Lorraine district was bought and moved by Mr. Van Pelt and his brother-in-law, and it is still in use and was known as the Long Ridge School, later the Van School and now the Flowerfield school. Mrs. Van Pelt was the first teacher in the new school house. Later she taught two years at Gary, one year at Clearfield, two years more at Flowerfield, two years at Mc- Kinnon and two years, 1915 and 1916, at Gabe Rock. During the World War she was county chairman for the Woman's Council of Defense ; helped to organize the county W. C. T. U., of which she is president, has been sec- retary and treasurer of the Sunday School Association for six years and for a number of years previously was vice president. During the war she visited Camp Cody to investigate hospital conditions, on her own responsibility.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 81

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