History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 88

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. Roudebush was born in Licking county, Ohio, January 11, 1846, a son of Jacob and Salome (Kuhn) Roudebush, the former a na- tive of Germany and the latter of the state of Pensylvania. Mrs. Roudebush died when forty-five years old. Jacob Roudebush, was eighteen years of age when he came from Germany to America and settled in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits until he removed with his family to Ohio. In the Buckeye state he con- tinued to farm until 1848, when he became a pioneer of Iowa, where he reclaimed and developed a good farm and where he passed the remainder of his life. He was a resident of Salem, at the time of his death, which oc- curred when he was seventy-two years of age.

Jacob H. Roudebush was reared in Iowa, where he availed himself of the advantages of the common schools and where he early began to assist in the work on his father's pioneer farm. In 1864, at the age of eighteen years, Mr. Roudebush tendered his service in de- fense of the Union, enlisting in Company A, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, which was assigned to the command of General Sully, and took part in the campaign against the Sioux Indians on the Missouri river, in what is now South Da- kota. Later Mr. Roudebush was sent with his regiment to Little Rock, Arkansas, then pro- ceeded to Fort Kearney, Nebraska, being as- signed to service at Fort Laramie, Wyoming. In Wyoming Mr. Roudebush did much scout- ing service and also participated in the fight with the Indians at Horse Creek, in which en- gagement Captain Fouch was killed. For a time the regiment was stationed at Fort Mc-

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

Pherson, then proceeded to New Mexico, where it was in active Indian service under Generals Curtis and Mitchell, as a part of a force of twelve hundred men. From New Mexico, Mr. Roudebush returned to Fort McPherson, and later he was stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he was mustered out on May 17, 1866, and received his hon- orable discharge.

After the close of this service as a soldier, Mr. Roudebush returned to Iowa, where he farmed about four years. He then removed to Osborn county, Kansas, and took a pre- emption claim, but drouth caused his crops to fail, with the result that he left his claim and made his way to Missouri, where he was engaged in farming for two and one-half years. In 1884, he became one of the pioneer settlers in that part of Cheyenne county, Ne- braska, that now constitutes Garden county. He perfected title to his original homestead, and with increasing prosperity he added grad- ually to his holdings, until he is now the owner of a ranch of more than thirty six hun- dred acres, as well as a section of school land and four acres at Oshkosh, the county seat of Garden county. He has given special atten- tion to the raising of live stock, his ranch at the present time showing an average run of two hundred head of cattle and about fifty head of horses.

Mr. Roudebush has been a leader in com- munity thought and action during the long years of his residence in Nebraska, and prior to the creation of Garden county he served six years as a member of the board of coun- ty commissioners of Deuel county. After the organization of Garden county he was chosen a commissioner, serving four years and did much to further the advancement and pros- perity of the new county. He is a Demo- crat, is affiliated with the post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Chappell and holds membership in Oshkosh Lodge, No. 268, An- cient Free and Accepted Mason, his wife be- ing a member of the Lutheran church.

The first marriage of Mr. Roudebush was solemnized September 9, 1869, at New Lon- don, Henry county, Iowa, where Miss Anna E. Brown became his wife, she having been born and reared in that county. Mrs. Roude- bush died when but thirty-five years of age, and was survived by six children: William E., who is a resident of California, has four chil- dren; Mrs. Hattie M. Sarser resides at Osh- kosh, Garden county, and her only child, Jacob C. Slater, was born of her first marriage; Frederick R., is married and resides at Osh-

kosh, as does also Ira; Jacob C. is a resident of Bayard, Morrill county, and is the father of six children, and Mrs. Laura B. Vance, of Oshkosh, has four children.

On September 21, 1891, Mr. Roudebush married Miss Sarah Isabel Hunter, who was born and reared in Missouri and came with her parents to the present Garden County, Ne- braska, about 1889. Of this union were born nine children : George and John are residents of Oshkosh, the former having one child and the latter being the father of two children; Frank remains at home; Daisy died in 1917; Harry. Mary, Theodore R., Thomas E., and Emma.

JOSEPH PEBLEY, is a well known farm- er and stockman of Garden county, where he established his residence more than thirty years ago, when it was a part of Deuel county. He has been the architect of his own fortunes, and began his career when he was a lad of sixteen years. He is one of the popular pio- neer citizens of Garden county and it is gratifying to accord him recognition in this history.

Mr. Pebley was born in Atchison county, Missouri, on May 30, 1866, a son of Jeremiah and Rhoda (Morgan) Pebley, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Tennessee, where she was reared and educated. Jeremiah Pebley, a farmer by vocation, passed his en- tire life in Missouri and died at the age of Sixty-six years, at Craig. His widow lived to be seventy-four years old, being a resident of Amorette, Missouri, at the time of her death.

Joseph Pebley attended the schools of his native state and early learned the lessons of practical industry, and began to farm when sixteen years old, but two years later, in 1887, came to Nebraska and settled in Butler county, where he was engaged in agriculture for the ensuing nine years. He then spent one year in Arkansas, and returned to Nebraska to settle in that part of Deuel county that now com- prises Garden county, where he has maintained his home since 1898. Here he proved up on a homestead claim. He was engaged for the

first few years in freighting from Chappell to Oshkosh, his earnings in this service enabling him to improve his land, to which he has since added another quarter-section, so that he now has an excellent form of three hun- dred and twenty acres, with good buildings and given over to diversified agriculture and the raising of cattle and hogs. Mr. Pebley is always ready to lend his co-operation in

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support of measures and enterprises tending to advance the communal welfare, and is a Democrat.

At Ulysses, Nebraska, January 29, 1888, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Pebley to Miss Mae Horner, who was born in Richard- son county, this state, a daughter of Ephraim and Mary Anna (Robbins) Horner, both na- tives of Ohio, though the latter was reared and educated in Missouri, where her marriage oc- curred and where she died at the age of forty-two years. Epraim Horner, a mill- wright by trade and vocation, was a young man when he established his residence in Mis- souri, whence he came to Nebraska and settled in Richardson county in 1887. In 1895, he returned to Missouri, but eventually he return- ed to Nebraska, and now resides at Syracuse, Otoe county, at the patriarchal age of Ninety- one year, in 1920. He was a soldier of the Union in the Civil War, throughout the en- tire course of which he served as a member of the Forty-seventh Missouri Cavalry. Mr. and Mrs. Pebley have five children: Earl J., who resides a Mumper, Garden county, married Miss Clara Johnson and they have four chil- dren; Rosa is the wife of Frank Shaw, of Oshkosh, this county ; and Harry L., Blanche and Irene remain at home.

GEORGE F. ALLEN first came to what is now Deuel county in the early pioneer days, and thought at that time he took up a home- stead, drouth and other unfavorable conditions made his farm venture a failure, with the re- sult that he returned to the eastern part of the state. A number of years later he again came to Garden county and here ample success has now crowned his activities as an agriculturist and stock-raiser, his homestead place being situated ten miles northeast of Oshkosh, and it value being enhanced by; a considerable acreage of timber. Mr. Allen has made good improvements on his farm, and each year re- cords a definite advancement along this line, as well as in the returns from the energetic and well directed efforts which he is putting forth in his agricultural and live-stock in- dustry.

Mr. Allen has the distinction of being a native of New York City, where he was born on the 6th of June, 1848. He was reared and educated in Ohio and Nebraska, as the adopted son of kindly fosterparents, Mr. and Mrs. James McLaughlin, and he was about ten years of age at the time of the removal to the latter state. Vital and self-reliant, he was not yet fiften years old when he initiated inde-

pendent activities in connection with farm en- terprise, in which he thus continued about twenty years in Cass county, Nebraska. He then came to the western part of the state and became a youthful pioneer of that part of Cheyenne county that now constitutes Deuel county where he took up a homestead and attempted to develop a farm. Protracted drouth made his success of negative order and thus he was virtually compelled to abandon his claim and return to the eastern part of the state, where he continued his farm activities several years. In 1903, he came again to Garden county, where he has since resided on the homestead which he took at this time and where his success has caused him to forget the failure that attended his efforts in earlier years. He is a substantial and popular citizen of his community, is a Republican in political adherency.

In Cass county, this state, in 1870, was sol- emnized the marriage of Mr. Allen. to Miss Rhoda Root, a daughter of Charles and Mary (Splittstone) Root, who were pioneer settlers in Cass county, as were they later in Garden county, Mr. Root having died when about six- ty years of age and his wife having passed away when about fifty years of age, she hav- ing been a native of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have three children: Charles Edward, of Oshkosh, is married and has two children ; Willis, of Big Spring, Deuel county, is married and has two children; and Mrs. Clara V. Duval, of North Platte, Lincoln county, de- ceased, had three children by a former mar- riage, Delbert, Charles and William Emmer- son.

ANGUST BUSKE, a representative pioneer and successful agriculturist and stockman of Garden county, has gained substantial success, is a large landholder, and stands high in popu- lar confidence and esteem.

Mr. Buske was born in Stetten, Germany, May 14, 1852, a son of Charles Buske, who passed his entire life in Germany. August Buske was afforded the advantages of the schools of his native land, and there, at the age of twenty-six years, he began to farm and spent five years in this industry before becom- ing foreman on a large hay farm for one year. He then immigrated to America and estab- lished his residence at Ford River, Michigan, being employed in a saw mill for five years. In 1887, he came to Nebraska and for the en- suing five years he was employed in a stone quarry near Louisville, Cass county. He then, in 1892, became a pioneer of what is now

WENZEL HIERSCHE

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

Garden county, then a part of Deuel county, where he took up a homestead eight miles northeast of the present village of Lisco. He proved title to his claim and continued his activities as an agriculturist and stock-raiser for five years. He then removed to govern- ment land two miles north of his original claim and began operations in the cattle business, be- sides purchasing two hundred acres and de- veloping the tract for agricultural uses. Un- der the provision of the Kinkaid act he finally secured four hundred and eighty acres of land, which constitutes his present home place. Drouth nullified his labors on this place the first two years, but later years have given to him a generous return, and he is now one of the substantial men of the county, where he owns twenty-five hundred acres of valuable land, two hundred of which are under culti- vation. He runs an average of a hundred head of cattle and thirty head of horses.

Mr. Buske has always been a loyal and pub- lic-spirited citizen, his political allegiance being given to the Republican party and both he and his wife belong to the Lutheran church. He is a stockholder in the farmers' elevator at Lisco, and takes lively interest in all things pertaining to the welfare of his home county.

In Germany, November 15, 1878, was re- corded the marriage of Mr. Buske to Miss Minnie Kruger, and she accompanied him to America, where she has been his companion and helpmate in the years that have marked his rise to a position of independence and sub- stantial prosperity. To Mr. and Mrs. Buske have been born six children: August, Jr., of Lisco, is married and has one child; Mrs. Emma Barnwell is deceased and is survived by two children; Henry met a tragic death when he was sixteen years of age, having been accidentally shot by a boy friend; Mrs. Dora Morris and Mrs. Rosa Onston reside at Lisco; and Harry married Gladys Lisco and now lives near Oshkosh.

WENZEL HIERSCHE, who has long been identified with important industries and worthy enterprises in Nebraska, came to the United States in 1877 and to Scottsbluff county, Ne- braska, in 1885. He is now a resident of Scottsbluff and devotes a large portion of his time to the management of the Farmers Union Exchange.

Wenzel Hiersche was born in Bohemia, Austria, September 2, 1859. His parents were Wenzel and Anna (Engle) Hiersche, who spent their lives in Austria. They were the parents of nine children, seven of whom lived

to mature years. Besides Wenzel, three others came to the United States, namely: August, who homesteaded in Scottsbluff county in 1885; Frantz, who is a farmer in Scottsbluff county, and Anton, of whom mention is found elsewhere in this volume. In his native land Mr. Hiersche learned the trade of glovemak- ing. He was eighteen years old when he came to the United States where his brother, August, had come the year before. They located in Clinton county, Iowa, where they worked as farmers for their uncle until 1876. Subse- quently they went to Texas, where they en- gaged in farming until 1880, when they came to Nebraska. Here they purchased some rail- road land in 1882 and farmed until 1884, when they sold and returned to Texas. In the spring of 1885 they preempted land and took timber claims five miles southwest of Gering in Scotts- bluff county. Mr. Hiersche proved up on same and also on homestead. He has sold all but the 320 acres he now owns. On this farm 160 acres are irrigated and he also has an entire school section leased. He has operated his land mainly as a ranch and at first raised cattle and horses, at one time having 180 head of the latter. For some years before leaving the ranch he made a specialty of sheep, having 4000 head at one time, and still has 200 head of full-blooded Merinos on his land, which he has under rental.

Mr. Hiersche is an able, influential man in many directions. Formerly he was active in the Populist party but later identified himself with the Republican forces and from 1893 until 1896 was a member of the board of county commissioners. In late years he has become interested in such movements as the Non-parti- san League and the Farmers Union, and on March 12, 1919, came to reside at Scottsbluff in order to take charge of the Farmers Union Exchange here, which deals in farm imple- ments, feed and grain. He has additional in- terests, being vice president of the Farmers Union Transfer & Storage Company, and vice president of the Water Users Association, of which he is a director. He is prominent also in fraternal life, being a charter member of the Scottsbluff lodge of Knights of Pythias, of which he is past chancellor, and was noble grand of the lodge of Odd Fellows at Gering, and a charter member and the first noble grand of the lodge at Scottsbluff, of which lodge he was secretary for one term. Few men in Scottsbluff county are better known.

GEORGE P. RUMER, who conducts a prosperous automobile garage in Lisco, Garden county, was about two years old at the time

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his parents came to Nebraska from lowa. He was born in Jefferson county, Iowa, September 1, 1878, a son of James P. and Mary ( Gilbert ) Rumer, both natives of Iowa, where their par- ents settled in the early pioneer days. James P. Rumer was reared and educated in the Hawkeye state and there learned the painter's trade, at which he became a skilled workman. In 1880, he came with his family to Hastings, Nebraska, the county seat of Adams county, and began to work at his trade and still con- tinites to make that city his home, his wife being at the present time in Fresno, California.

George P. Rumer gained his early educa- tion in the public schools of Adams county, and at the age of eighteen years found em- ployment at farm work, in which he continued until he had attained the age of twenty-five years. Subsequently he engaged in indepen- dent farming in Custer county, and in 1905, filed entry on a homestead claim in Garden county. He began the improvement of his land, to which he eventually perfected his title, and actively engaged in general farming and stock-growing for a period of eight years. He then removed to Comstock, Custer county, where he remained about four years, at the expiration of which he returned to Garden county and established his present business en- terprise at Lisco, his garage being well equip- ped and controlling a substantial patronage. In politics Mr. Rumer is a Democrat, and in a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and belongs to the Masonic lodge at Oshkosh.

November 9, 1904 Mr. Rumer was united in marriage, at Comstock, Custer county, to Miss Lydia Allen, who was born in Iowa but reared and educated in Nebraska, her parents, Benja- min and Melissa ( Curfman) Allen, having been pioneer settlers in Custer county, where the father developed a productive farm, both he and his wife being now residents of Comstock. Mr. and Mrs. Rumer have three children : Me- lissa Emma, Bruce E., and Alden William.

WILLIAM BARNWELL, one of the in- fluential citizens and representative agricul- turists and stock-growers of the Lisco district of Garden county, was a mere boy when he came with his fosterparents to western Ne- braska. In his youth he was a cowboy on the range, besides which he was actively concerned in the construction of early irrigation ditches in this section of the state. By his own energy and ability he has pressed forward to the goal of prosperity. Mr. Barnwell was born in eastern Pennsylvania, on January 1, 1876, a

son of Patrick and Mary Barnwell, both na- tives of Ireland. Mrs. Barnwell died whcu her son William was but five years old, and at the age of seven years he was doubly or- phaned, his father having been killed as the result of an accident at the smelter where he was employed, at Pueblo, Colorado.

William Barnwell was young when he came with his fosterparents, Mr. and Mrs. James Broughton, to the wilds of western Nebraska, and here he was afforded the advantages of the pioneer schools. Mr. Broughton estab- lished a home in that part of Cheyenne county that now constitutes Morrill county, and there young William Barnwell finally found employ- ment on the ranch of Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, on Greenwood creek, twenty-five miles north of Sidney, Cheyenne county. About six months later he began to work on the construction of the Belmont irrigation canal, remaining two months. Later he was employed about a ycar in construction work on the Farmers' irri- gation ditch, after which he put in one sum- mer in farming on Pumpkin creek. His next occupation was found on the horse ranch of Barnhart & Thompson, where he remained one year. For twenty years thereafter he lived the free and vigourous life of a cowboy, in the employ of various outfits, his last em- ployer, in 1904, having been Reuben Lisco, in whose honor the village of Lisco, Garden coun- ty, was named. In 1904, Mr. Barnwell took up a homestead claim about eight miles north of the present village of Lisco, and in this locality he has since risen to prominence and prosperity as a representative of agricultural and live-stock industry. He is now the owner of eight hundred acres of land, of which two hundred are farmed, the remainder being pas- ture land. In 1919-20, Mr. Barnwell had on his ranch fifty head of cattle and twenty head of horses, and he takes pride in keeping his live stock up to high standard. He is president of the Farmers Mercantile Company of Lisco, and a director of the Farmers Elevator Com- pany. He has taken a lively interest in com- munity affairs, had the distinction of being one of the first county commissioners of Garden county, and served thirteen years as school director of his district. His political views are shown in his stalwart support of the cause of the Republican party, he is affiliat- ed with Oshkosh Lodge No. 286, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, his wife is a member of the Presbyterian church.

In June, 1905, Mr. Barnwell wedded Miss Emma M. Buske, a daughter of August Buske, of whom individual mention is made on other

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pages of this work. Mrs. Barnwell died in 1912, and is survived by two children : Glenn, who remains with his father, and Erma, who lives in the home of her maternal grandpar- ents. February 16, 1916, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Barnwell to Miss Laura E. Davis, who was born and reared in Buffalo county, this state, and who was a popular school teacher in her native county, as well as in Colorado, as was she also at Lisco, Gar- den county, at the time of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Barnwell have a winsome little daughter, Ruby Jeanette.

SEWELL E. BENNETT, has been a resi- dent of Garden county since 1908, and de- veloped and improved one of the excellent farm properties of the county, consisting of three hundred and twenty acres situated about nine miles from Lisco. Mr. Bennett is one of the substantial citizens of Garden county and his career has been one of signal industry.

Mr. Bennett was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, May 12, 1849. His father, George W. Bennett, was born at Little Washington, Penn- sylvania, in 1821, and was but six months old when his parents became pioneer settlers in Guernsey county, Ohio. The father took up a pre-emption claim of one hundred and sixty acres and reclaimed the forest, making it into a productive farm. On this old homestead his parents passed the remainder of their lives, his father having attained the patriarchal age of ninety-seven years. George W. Bennett was reared and educated in Guernsey county, and in 1852, when twenty-six years of age, he removed to Monroe county, Ohio, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits and where he passed the remainder of his useful life, be- ing seventy-one years of age at the time of his death. His wife, whose maiden name was Olive Payne, was born in Vermont and was a child at the time of her parents' removal to Ohio, where she was reared and educated and where she was for two years engaged in teach- ing school at Little Point Pleasant, Guernsey county, prior to her marriage. Mrs. Bennett died in November, 1920, at her home.

Sewell E. Bennett was reared in Monroe county, Ohio, and after attending public school at Malaga, he was a student for one term in the normal school at Hopedale, Ohio. After that he taught school one term, at Boston, Ohio, and the following summer he assisted his father on the home farm. He then entered Hiram college, where General James A. Gar- field and many other distinguished men were graduated, and of which General Garfield was

for a time president many years prior to his election to the presidency of the United States. In this institution Mr. Bennett continued his studies one term, and for one year engaged in farming in Monroe county, Ohio, and four years in Guernsey county. He then, in 1881, removed to Iowa and became a farmer in Adair county, where he remained for twenty- five years. From Iowa Mr. Bennet returned to Ohio, but two years later he again respond- ed to the call of the west, by coming to Nebras- ka, in 1908, and taking up the homestead on which he has since resided and upon which he has developed a prosperous enterprise in di- versified agriculture and the raising of hogs, cattle and horses. He is a man of broad views, is a Republican in politics, and he and his wife are members of the Seventh Day Ad- ventist church.

On February 25, 1875, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Bennett and Miss Rachel Naylor, who was born and reared in Ohio, a daughter of Louis and Rachel (Bailey) Nay- lor, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Ohio. Louis Naylor was born in 1819, and was about four years old at the time of his parents' removal to Ohio, and the greater part of his active life was devoted to work at the carpenter's trade, in connection with which he became a successful contractor and builder. He died at the age of eighty- seven years, in Belmont county, Ohio, and his widow died in January, 1919, at the venerable old age of ninety-seven years. There were the following children in the Bennett family : Roy L., who resides in Morrill county, Ne- braska, is a widower and has two children; Albert Oscar and his wife reside in Morrill county, and they have seven children; Mrs. Lena Patrick, of Lisco, Garden county, has two children; and Mrs. Belva L. Carrigan, or Lisco, has one child.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 88

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