History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 98

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

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HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

career has been built. After finishing his edu- cation, Mr. Willis engaged in the real estate business at Omaha, operating there for five years with the Willis Land Company. In 1899 he came to Morrill county, bought a ranch and established himself in the live-stock business. Later he took up a homestead, continued to buy land until he had a fine estate and lived on his ranch for eight years. Mr. Willis was then appointed purchasing agent for the govern- ment which necessitated his moving into Bridgeport to live. After retiring from gov- ernment service eighteen months later, he em- barked in the farm implement and automobile business. Shortly afterward he purchased an excellent business site, tore down the dilapi- dated building and erected another which gives him floor space of 6,000 square feet and has a business structure modern in every particular. He has ample room in which to display the Studebaker and Oakland cars, for which he is agent, and does a general implement and auto- mobile business. Mr. Willis owns a large amount of city realty and also holds property at Bayard and other places in the county. In large measure Mr. Willis is a self made man, his ample fortune having been built up through his own business enterprise and he can con- gratulate himself with pardonable pride upon the comfortable fortune of which he has been both architect and builder.

In 1900 Mr. Willis was married to Miss Eva J. Young, who was born at Springfield, Ohio, and they have one daughter, Laura C., who is making rapid progress at school. Mr. and Mrs. Willis are members of the Episcopal church. A sound Republican all his political life, he has been somewhat prominent in the county organization, and at Bridgeport has served on the town council and as city clerk. He is a Scottish Rite Mason and also an Odd Fellow. Utilizing his early military training, Mr. Willis was the prime mover in organizing the Home Guards, a military company that re- flects credit on Bridgeport, of which Mr. Willis is captain. During the World war he was generous with his time, labor, money and in- fluence to aid the government to "carry on" and with our Allies make the world a safer place for the coming generations.

FRED J. HOUGHTON .- In the material upbuilding of Chadron and the substantial de- velopment of this part of Dawes county, no present resident deserves more credit than Fred J. Houghton, who continues to be a rep- resentative citizen. Judge Houghton came to Chadron when it was a village of tents and

unsightly shacks, invested in land and erected the first comfortable dwelling house in the block in which he still lives. With practical ideas, he entered wholeheartedly into the busi- ness of development of this section, and for thirty-five years has been a prominent and use- ful factor.

Fred J. Houghton was born at Woodhull, Henry county, Illinois, July 23, 1853, the eld- est of the three survivors of a family of eight children born to Calvin C. and Lucy E. (John- son) Houghton. Judge Houghton has one brother, Hugh, who is a resident of Hot Springs, South Dakota, and one sister, Mrs. Winnifred L. Oliver, who lives at Packwood, Jefferson county, Iowa.

The parents of Judge Houghton were na- tives of Chester, Vermont, where his father was born in 1816, and his mother in 1824. The father survived until 1874, while the mother lived to the advanced age of ninety- four years. In many ways the father was a remarkable man, possessing business ability of a high order and a spirit of enterprise that made him prominent and useful as a pioneer in Illinois, to which state he went in 1848. He drove the whole distance and sold goods along the way, and when he reached Henry county, Illinois, had capital with which to take up a large amount of government land. A man of sturdy principles, throughout life he main- tained his views in relation to slavery, assisted in the operation of the underground railroad to assist slaves escaping to Canada, and when the Civil war came on, although not able to serve in the ranks, was a liberal contributor to the cause. The land acquired so long ago in Illinois, is still in the possession of the family. Following the close of the war, he engaged ex- tensively in raising of cattle, horses and mules.

Fred J. Houghton attended the country schools and then entered Knox College, at Galesburg, but did not complete his college course because his assistance was required on the farm, and when only fifteen years old, Mr. Houghton had the oversight of from fifteen to wenty men. He remained in his native state until he became convinced that many business opportunities could be found in the great west, and being particularly interested in Nebraska, came to the little railroad hamlet of Chadron, September 13, 1885 He found here other men of enterprise and vision, and alone and in co-operation with them, soon put the aspiring little city on a sound business basis and lias remained here ever since. He opened a real estate office, subsequently adding a general line of insurance, and has handled many thousands

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of dollars and has opened the way to a large amount of the outside capital that has been helpful in building up many important business concerns here.

It must not be supposed that the early set- tlers in frontier towns, especially with the type that came to Chadron, were so given over to sordid business that amusements did not ap- peal to them, and in reminiscent mood, Judge Houghton has been heard to declare that the Fourth of July celebration at Chadron, in 1886, was one of the most interesting he ever, attended. The Indians in this section of the country were numerous and in the main friendly, and it was to the interest of the white settlers that they should remain so. Respond- ing to an invitation to come to Chadron and have a good time, they came about fifteen hun- dred strong, and Mr. Houghton was one who sat in the circle with them and smoked the pipe of peace. The town gave them a whole beeve for food, and they assisted in the enter- tainment with their exhibition of dancing, foot and horse racing, fancy roping, and even the Indian children showed their expertness with bow and arrow.

At Fairfield, Iowa, on September 8, 1879, Mr. Houghton was united in marriage to Miss Margaret R. Benn, who died August 9, 1898. Her parents were Alexander P. and Phebe (Couger) Benn, residents of Iowa but natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively. Three children were born to this marriage, as follows: Inez M., who died April 20, 1920; Hugh Manly, who was accidently killed in the railroad yards at Chadron, and a babe that died unnamed.

After locating at Chadron Mr. Houghton soon recognized the advisability of acquiring a knowledge of law, therefore applied himself to its study in the office of E. S. Ricker, and in 1889, was admitted to the bar. While he has found it helpful in his business, he has never engaged in the practice of his profes- sion, although his knowledge has contributed much to the soundness of his opinions in his many years of official life. A Republican in politics, on that ticket he was elected in early days city attorney and served several terms, afterward was city clerk for seven successive years, following which he was police judge for a long period, and subsequently, as long as he consented to serve, was a justice of the peace. He has always been actuated by patri- otic motives and has never failed in his devo- tion to the welfare of Chadron. He and daughter were members of the Episcopal Church.

CHADRON STATE BANK. - For the large volume of business transacted at Chad- ron, Nebraska, to be adequately taken care of, here has arisen an urgent demand for sound, safe, ably directed banking institutions and it was in answer to this demand that the Chiad- ron State Bank was organized. This business was incorporated October 1, 1915, and the bank opened for business on January 8, 1916.

The first bank officials were the following: H. A. Copley, of Alliance, president ; Ray Tierney, vice president ; E. K. Reikman, cash- ier, and C. A. Drews, assistant cashier. The present officers are: Ray Tierney, president ; R. L. Isham, vice president ; C. A. Drews, cashier.

The bank structure is one of the most im- pressive in the city, handsome and dignified in design. It is situated on the northwest corner of Main and Second streets, is constructed of white brick with terra cotta and marble inside finish, and is equipped with handsome fittings and most modern protective bank devices. A strictly banking business is carried on, present deposits are $500,000, careful, conservative methods are in force and all the officials are sound, reliable, representative business men.

CHARLES U. COOPER, stock raiser and well known general farmer of Carden county who is essentially a self-made man as he be- gan in the Panhandle with nothing and today is a prosperous man, is a native son of Ne- braska, born in Lancaster county October 9, 1864, the son of Ephriam and Theda (Hitch- cock) Cooper, the former a native of Penn- sylvania while the mother was born in Ohio. The father was a carpenter by trade who came to this state and settled in Richardson county in 1889; from there he moved to Lancaster county and later to Keith county in 1884. The mother died in Lancaster county in 1882, and the father in Denver in 1916. They were the parents of six children of whom four survive but Charles is the only one in this locality. Mr. Cooper was a Republican ; was judge of Keith county four years and a prominent man. He belonged to the Congregational Church while his wife was a member of the Baptist denomination.

Charles Cooper was educated in the public schools of Lancaster county and started in life independently when seventeen years of age as a farmer. Wishing land of his own he came to Garden county in 1885. took up the home- stead where he still lives and engaged in farm- ing.

November 4, 1896, Mr. Cooper married

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Miss Libbie Bundy at Lewellen ; she was the daughter of Charles and Mary (Stubbs) Bundy, the father being a resident of Keith county, the mother is deceased. Eight chil- dren have been born to this union: Theda, the wife of Ben Grasy, of Garden county ; Ina, the wife of Ray Southard, of Deuel county ; Clara, deceased; Ephriam, Myrtle, Carl, and Ida, all at home, and Mary, Deceased.

When Mr. Cooper came here he drove across the country from Lancaster county ; had many experiences of frontier travel as he was stuck in an alkali hole; had to pay fifteen cents a pail for water for his horses and found few roads any good. The first house was the usual "soddy" and as he did not know just how to build it the wind partly blew it down while he was away from home but neighbors helped repair it and he later rebuilt. At first water had to be hauled eighteen miles but later Mr. Cooper built a well and the nearby settlers came to him for water. The first summer he went north into the hills to hunt buffalo bones for money to buy supplies. Money was scarce and hard to get and Mr. Cooper at one time was in debt but managed to get out and today is one of the prosperous men of his locality for he believed in the future of this section, remained and has been well rewarded for to- day he owns nearly five hundred acres of good land for which he would not take a hundred dollars an acre, having raised as high as fifty dollars worth of wheat an acre. For some years he bred Jersey cattle but lately has given more attention to general farming which he finds is more profitable. He has fine, well equipped farm buildings; uses modern ma- chinery and is a progressive business man. In politics Mr. Cooper is a Democrat ; he has served as road overseer two terms; is a mem- ber, stock holder and director in the Farmers Cooperative League at Lewellen, and a public spirited man who advocated progress in his district.

WILLIAM G. HATTERMAN, one of the prosperous farmers of the Big Springs dis- trict, is a native born son of York county, this state, born December 2, 1880, the son of Anton and Minnie Hatterman, who came to Deuel county when the boy was only six months old. William lived at home, attended the public schools for his education and though the Ore- gon Trail had been abandoned when his fam- ily came here he recalls finding log chains, parts of oxen yokes, Indian beads, arrows and other relics of the early days. The wind and weather had not then destroyed the deeply

rutted tracks of the trail. After leaving home Mr. Hatterman worked on farms near Lexing- ton four years and then went to Cherry coun- ty where he found employment on the ranches. February 16, 1905, he married at Day Post Office, Miss Martha Sonnenberg, the daughter of Henry P. and Caroline (Lewine) Sonnen- berg, natives of Germany who came to Deuel county in the late 80's where they farmed but now live near Sterling, Colorado. Three chil- dren have been born to this union ; Joseph, Roy, and Vera, all at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Hatterman live on the home- stead on which Mrs. Hatterman filed and proved up. She made the thirteenth person to file on this same piece of land, all the others failed to prove up, grew discouraged and gave up. Conditions were very discouraging in the early days for there had been droughts; there was no work to be obtained as many men were trying to get jobs ; then a few years came with good crops followed by the poor years of the early 90's, but the Hattermans retained their land and today it is worth nearly a hundred dollars an acre. The change in weather con- ditions, the general raise in land values and the improvements on the farm have placed them in easy circumstances. Today Mr. and Mrs. Hatterman own and operate three hundred and twenty acres of land ; for many years they raised cattle but of late have devoted more attention to scientific farming, using the latest machinery and modern methods. Today Mr. Hatterman has only well bred Hereford cattle and Red Jersey hogs. Since his marriage he says that he and his wife had few of the hard- ships to contend with of the early days. They then had to go for water from a mile and a half to six miles and this continued eighteen years as there was only one well in the vicinity, W. W. Waterman's and a spring at Ash Hollow. Mrs. Hatterman's family lived in Gage coun- ty but decided to come west and take up a homestead, locating in Lincoln county. They made the trip in true pioneer style, driving across country in the spring of 1890, using two cows to draw their wagon with two year- ling calves on leads. The cows were hitched with the usual yoke for oxen. On reaching the homestead near Maxwell, the family was practically out of money and breaking the sod was slow work, only a little being put under cultivation each year. As a result they suf- fered privations as crops were poor some years. Finally the father secured horses to work and then farming became easier. When they drove through to Deuel county horses were used and the family lived on the land

CHARLES F. MANNING

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here for which they had traded until they sold out and went to Colorado. Mrs. Hatterman and her older sister had to help break the land and do other work on the farm so that she has experienced all the privations and hardships of frontier life to the full. Today Mr. and Mrs. Hatterman are well fixed with a good productive farm. Mr. Hatterman is indepen- dent in his political views, has been treasurer of his school district for the past fourteen years, is a member of the Methodist Church at Day, and also belongs to the Farmers Union at Big Springs, holding stock in the Farmers Elevator and Farmers Store. He is a substan- tial and reliable business man of progressive methods and ideas.

CHARLES F. MANNING. - While many business enterprises are desirable and even necessary in a community and may be carried on with more or less care as to safety and satis- factory results, the business of the druggist is regulated by stern laws and he is no less responsible for the health and life of his pa- trons than is the physician whose prescriptions he puts up. Bridgeport is fortunate in having a pharmacist in whom full reliance can be placed, in Charles F. Manning, who has been a drug- gist all his business life, and since the summer of 1914 has been established in this city. Mr. Manning was born in Mercer county, Missouri, December 9, 1864, the son of Marshall Green and Carolina Virginia (Myers) Manning, who were reared and married in Missouri. They had four children, the two survivors being Charles F. and his older brother, Oscar G., who is a retired merchant living at David City, Nebraska. In 1870 the parents of Mr. Man- ning came to Nebraska and homsteaded in But- ler county. For a number of years the family lived on the farm, then moved to David City where the father died and where the mother still lives. Quite recently she sold her farm of eighty acres for $20,000. Both parents were members of the Christian church. In politics the father was a Democrat. During the Civil war he was a member of the Home Guards in Butler county, and at one time held an official position.

Charles F. Manning attended the public schools in Butler county and when sixteen years old became a clerk in a drug store and a student of pharmacy, and later owned a drug store at David City, which he sold in 1902, but bought another store at Bayard. In the mean- while he homesteaded in Morrill county and re- sided on his farm for four years, keeping in touch, however, with his profession, and in

1908 he came to Bridgeport and entered Dr. Anderson's drug store, where he remained five years, then purchased and operated a drug store at Lincoln for ten months. After dis- posing of his Lincoln business he bought an- other at Nebraska City which he moved to Bridgeport on August 1, 1914. He carries a full assortment of the most reliable goods in his line, pure drugs and patent medicines, to- gether with the articles which the public has learned to expect in a druggist's exhibit. He has a very attractive store and it is one of the representative business centers of the city.

In 1884 Charles F. Manning was united in marriage to Miss Paulina E. Hainline, who was born in Illinois. Her parents, Obed Hain- line and wife now reside in Los Angeles, Cali- fornia. The father formerly was a successful farmer in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Manning have had two children : Thornton Benton, who was born September 10, 1885, at David City and educated there, is now his father's as- sistant in the drug store; and Jesse F., who died at Bayard, Nebraska, at the age of thir- teen years. The family belongs to the Chris- tian church. In his political views a staunch Democrat, Mr. Manning has always been a loyal party man. While a resident of David City he served as city treasurer and at the present time is a member of the town council of Bridgeport. Mrs. Manning is a member of the Eastern Star, in which order she has been very prominent. For fifty-one years her father has been a Mason and she is past matron of Bridgeport Chapter No. 260, having held that office two years and also served as the third matron after the chapter was estab- lished here.

FRANK E. JOHNSON, well known stock- man of Garden county, is a member of a pio- neer family that ran the full gamut of priva- tions and hardships incident to life on the frontier. He was born in Sweden, January 17, 1871, the son of John G. and Lottie Johnson, both natives of Sweden, where the father was a farmer. The family came to the United States in 1882, locating first in Iowa but two years later came to Nebraska and took up a homestead in old Cheyenne county, that part which has since been erected as Garden coun- ty, where they lived until 1915, when Mr. Johnson retired and went to Denver to live. He died in May, 1916, and his wife still resides in that city. There were nine children in the family: Emma, the wife of Harry Geier, of Denver ; one deceased; Charles, of Denver ; Lenius, deceased ; Gust, deceased ; Teckla, the

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wife of August Geier of Denver ; one deceased in infancy; Oscar, of Garden county, and Frank of this review.

When the family came here they began their farm work with a borrowed pony team; there were no crops the first year so the father went to work as a section hand on the railroad, while the mother took care of the family and hauled water from three to sixteen miles and managed things as best she could. Once she was caught in a blizzard and spent the night alone in the manger of a barn to keep from freezing. They suffered much from droughts, grass hoppers and hail storms, but remained and became prosperous by raising cattle.

Frank Johnson was educated in Sweden until the family came to this country when he was twelve years old and then attended the frontier schools when he could. He took up a homestead but soon sold and went to Denver ; worked as a farmer and dairyman there for four years before becoming a motorman on he street railway. Three years later, return- ing to Garden county, Mr. Johnson bought a farm and now is the proprietor of more than eleven hundren acres, five hundred of which is in pasture. He has gained a reputation for breeding Hereford cattle and Belgian horses, also Poland China hogs, and today is regarded as one of the substantial business men of his district. His farm is well improved and for years he has used the latest machinery. In politics he is a Republican and for fourteen years has been treasurer of school district No. 40. He is a member of the Farmers Union of Garden county.

November 15, 1899, Mr. Johnson married Miss Anna Anderson, of Minnesota, and seven children have been born to this union: Gladys, Mildred, Ellen Violet, Evelyn, Loraine and Loes, all at home.

ANDREW J. WALRATH, well known in western Nebraska and eastern Colorado dur- ing the early days as rancher, range rider, In- dian scout and sharp shooter, is one of the few men left in this section who took part in the stirring events before settlement and railroads had civilized the great plains. He was born at Lodi, Boone county, New York, in August, 1850, the son of Andrew J. and Amanda ( Stulphen) Walrath. The father was a horse- buyer, knew his business well and commanded a large salary. He and his wife spent their lives in New York. They were the parents of two children but Mr. Walrath is he only one in his locality. His father and mother were members of the Baptist Church and highly respected in their community.

Andrew Walrath was educated in the public schools of Cherry Valley, New York, and be- gan his independent career when only sixteen years of age, going to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and then to Laramie. He began to work for the Union Pacific Road in 1867, at Evans, Colorado, the end of the line, also checking freight for a line that ran cars to Denver, the motive power being mules and oxen. Later the railroad was constructed to Denver and the Evans office discontinued. In 1871, Mr. Walrath established his first ranch, the "Wal- rath Double OO Ranch," six miles east of Julesburg. Mr. Walrath took an active part in the frontier life, became a well known figure as ranchman, range rider, Indian scout and cow boy, while his reputation as a sharp shoot- er was hardly excelled. His honesty was un- questioned and he became known as a man whose "word was as good as his bond," and holds that reputation to this day. Julesburg was then a stage station but was abandoned when the railroad was built and the town moved to its present site. The Double OO Ranch consisted of some three thousand acres ; Indians and buffalo were thick in those days and Mr. Walrath tells most interestingly of hunting on the ground now covered by Jules- burg. He learned the Indian's methods of hunting and preserving meat and hides and as the Sioux often came to his locality to hunt he accepted an invitation to go on one of their big hunts. On the trip they served him dog meat and worst of it all it was his own dog, but he could do nothing as there were hundreds of Indians. This banquet was served at Wal- rath's Ranch. In 1873, Mr. Walrath bought another ranch which gave him two fine prop- erties, one sixteen miles east of Julesburg and the other near Weir, then known as Old Hay Bottom, which was used as a head quar- ters for both properties. Here were the cor- rals, stables and house for the men who kept the cattle on the six mile range. From this ranch the supplies were taken to the other, where a foreman had charge. The Indians burned this place just before Mr. Walrath reached it on one trip with supplies. He started for help and the Indians saw him and a running fire was kept up while he rode for his life. His foreman and helper had returned to their ranch, concealed themselves in a hole for the purpose and drove the Indians off so that Mr. Walrath was saved. Mr. Walrath recalls the sensational train hold up at Big Springs in 1876, when he took part in tracking the bandits who committed the crime, follow- ing the trail until he came up with soldiers

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 98

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