History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 99

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

stationed in this locality for such purposes and turned the work over to them while he returned to the ranch. Collins was the leader of the gang and finally was captured with twenty of the sixty thousand dollars of the loot. Mr. Walrath has had varied experiences with thieves, one stole his horse and when he trailed and found him was forced to surrender and when Mr. Walrath brought him in the citi- zens hung him from a telegraph pole, for horse stealing was the worst crime on the cal- endar in the west.

In 1880, Mr. Walrath was married at Can- terbury, Connecticutt, to Miss Ida T. Appley, the daughter of Lyman and Bethia ( Pember) Appley, the mother being a cousin of Presi- dent Fillmore. Four children have been born to this union: A. Judson, lives in Detroit, Michigan, being employed in the Ford Auto- mobile Factory; Ida, a widow; Bessie, the wife of Robert Adams, of Morris, Minnesota, and Robert, at home. When Mr. Walrath brought his wife home to the ranch they left the train at Barton's Siding, the Walrath ranch station and while Mr. Walrath had been gone so many cattle had died of starvation the ground was covered with them. The winter had been cold, there was little feed and the cattle for which he had been offered fifty thousand dollars were nearly all dead. The Walrath home was fifty miles from Sidney, it was twenty-five miles to the nearest doctor and eighty-eight to North Platte, where it was necessary to go to get horses shod. Mrs. Wal- rath was the only woman for miles around but she had brought an organ with her from the eastern home and it helped while away many lonely hours and the cow boys came from great distances to hear her play, repaying her kindness by giving impromptu wild west shows. Later Mr. Walrath took up a home- stead five miles east of Julesburg and now owns four hundred acres of hay land on the south side of the railroad. All other land he has sold with the exception of his city home. In 1911, Mr. Walrath retired from the active management of his ranches but as he had al- ways been busy could not entirely settle down and has been carrying on a real estate busi- ness with success, though it is for diversion as he is a rich man from his accumulated pro- perty.

Mr. Walrath is a Democrat ; he served as county commissioner sixteen years when his land was in Cheyenne county ; was treasurer of the school board twelve years and helped organize the first school in his locality. Mrs. Walrath is a member of the Methodist Church

and Mr. Walrath has belonged to the Masonic order many years, having held all offices but that of worshipful master. He has been prom- inent in western Nebraska and eastern Colo- rado for many years and is today regarded as one of the prominent, leading and substantial citizens of Julesburg.

CARL PIDGEON, one of Deuel county's most progressive and prosperous farmers and stockmen, is a native son, born here December 31, 1893, the son of Lincoln W., and Frances (Pindell) Pidgeon. The father was a school teacher who had studied for the ministry but was never ordained. He also took a law course and is now a well known lawyer in Sumner, Nebraska. The mother died in 1910. There were the following children in the Pid- geon family: Mable, wife of Maurice John- son, of Deuel county ; Guy, Paul, Carl, of this review, all of Deuel county, and Roy, killed by a horse in 1908. The Pidgeon family came to the Panhandle in 1890 and have lived in Ne- braska ever since.

Carl Pidgeon received his educational ad- vantages in the public schools of this county and when his schooling was finished he en- gaged in farming, a vocation which he still follows. Meeting with success in his business, Mr. Pidgeon has from time to time increased his original holdings until today he is the owner of nine hundred acres of fine arable land. Eight hundred he farmrs, using the other hun- dred as range for cattle. For many years he dealt extensively in cattle but for the past three years he has devoted more land to in- tensive farming and finds that it pays. With a brother, Mr. Pidgeon owns a threshing out- fit which they run in Deuel county and the sur- rounding country. The Pidgeon farm has modern buildings and equipment, the latest machinery and a fine farm home.

On May 22, 1913, Mr. Pidgeon married Miss Elsie Ward at Chappell, the daughter of Jennie L. (Johnson) and Cyrus J. Ward, the former lives in Chappell while Mr. Ward re- sides at Elm Creek. Three children have been born to this union: Francis, Vera and Doris. Mr. Pidgeon is a Republican, while his wife is a member of the Methodist Church. He is also a stockholder in the Farmers Elevator of Julesburg, and a member of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows and with his wife belongs to the Rebecca Lodge.

JAMES D. PINDELL, a member of one of the old pioneer families of the Panhandle and today one of its progressive and prosper-

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ous farmers, was born in Bonaparte, Iowa, October 15, 1869, the son of Presley and Mary (Fox) Pindell, the former born in Brown county, Ohio, in 1834, died in 1916, the mother was born in Iowa in 1839 and died in 1915. The father was a wagon maker by trade, who came with his family to Nebraska in the fall of 1882, settled first in York county but came to Deuel county in the spring of 1885, and took up a homestead on section 22-14-43. Later he filed on a Kincaid claim where his son James now lives. Mr. Pindell was a Democrat but never held office. Both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church.

The Pindell family drove across country to their new home with a span of mules and a wagon; the second year all the horses were lost when James and a brother went to Ash Hollow for wood and on the way home the brother had a sun stroke, fell from the wagon and the mules ran away. This was a serious loss as water had to be hauled more than three miles. Finally a well was dug; started on Christmas Day and finished in April. The family first lived in a tent but the wind was so strong it always was dangerous and a dug out was built, the roof of that was blown off and then a frame home took its place. Den- ver Junction was the nearest town, fifteen miles away, and there was only one house in that distance. Since then, when the town con- sisted of a few houses, a store and station, the name has been changed to Julesburg. Six children made up the Pindell family of whom four are living : Frances, deceased ; Charles, deceased; Albert, of Cheyenne, Wyoming ; Nellie, of North Loupe, Nebraska ; James, and George of Big Springs.

Mr. Pindell was educated in the publics schools of Iowa and Nebraska ; he accompan- ied his parents to Deuel county in 1885, and when old enough took up a homestead in sec- tion 28 where he lived until he sold and moved to Big Springs to engage in drilling wells, a vocation he followed ten years. Buying his father's farın, Mr. Pindell reurned to agricul- tural pursuits and has become one of the well known farmers here.

February 21, 1906, Mr. Pindell married Miss Pearl Nelson, daughter of Nels and Rosetta ( Van Aken) Nelson, residents of Big Springs and have two living children; Charles and Frances.

Mr. Pindell is an Independent Democrat in politics, he and his wife attend the Presbyter- ian Church of which she is a member. For some years Mr. Pindell has been a member of the Farmers Union and is one of the progres-

sive farmers and stockmen who is progressive in ideas and methods.

ADAM H. ZIMMERMAN, pioneer settler of the Big Springs district who came here in the early days; passed through all the hard- ships and privations of frontier life and now is one of the substantial and prosperous farni- ers of the Panhandle ; all this won by his own untiring effort and courage in the face of seem- ingly insurmountable difficulties. He was born in northwestern Ohio, June 10, 1859, the son of Adam and Catherine ( Schott ) Zimmerman, both natives of Germany, who came to the United States about 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Zimmer- man located in Defiance county, Ohio, where the father engaged in farming. He was a car- penter by trade but never worked at it except for himself. The mother and father both died in Ohio, the former in 1872 and the father in 1886. They were the parents of five children but Adam is the only one here. The father remarried after his first wife died and had two more children, one of whom still lives. Mr. Zimmerman helped organize several schools and churches in Ohio.

Adam Zimmerman was educated in the pub- lic schools of Ohio, helped on the home place and at the age of twenty-one started in life for himself, as a farmer, a vocation he has fol- lowed successfully all his life. October 8. 1882, he married Miss Caroline Kurtz, the daughter of Jacob and Christina Kurtz, both natives of Germany. Ten children have been born to this union: Samuel, of Keith county ; Frederick, deceased ; James, deceased ; Ella, the wife of George Brown of Colorado ; Frank, of Deuel county; Adam, Ida, Annie, George and Ralph all at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman came to Nebras- ka in 1885, took up a homestead on April 5th, of that year ; filed at North Platte and proved up at Sidney. When they came here they had little of this world's goods but the determina- tion to succeed and that has been enough. Mr. Zimmerman and a neighbor bought a team, wagon and harness in partnership to work their land but for a time the crops were poor. Wood had to be gathered in the canyons and dis- tances were great. The family suffered severe- ly from blizzards and drought but stuck to the land and won out. Mr. Zimmerman says that several times he was completely out of money and had to work to secure even a small amount and work was almost impossible to get. Set- tlers were few and far apart and many grew discouraged and left the country.

At one time Mr. Zimmerman went to Colo-

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rado to work; received twenty dollars for the month but when he had paid for his labor at home and railroad fare was only two and a half dollars ahead which tells us of the diffi- culties of that day. Today, Mr. Zimmerman has a well improved farm of several hundred acres, modern machinery ; raises horses and cattle and for the past ten years has had an abundance of the world's goods. He is a Re- publican ; a member of the Farmers Union and has served as school director of his dis- trict since he came here while Mrs. Zimmer- man is treasurer. Today he has retired from active life and is enjoying the fruits of his la- bors.

HARVEY K. BALD. - During the years that Harvey K. Bald has been prominent in the financial field at Bayard, he has proven his trustworthiness as a banker, his usefulness as a citizen, and his worth as a man. A leading factor in two large financial institutions, his commercial influence is wide and his public responsibility great. Mr. Bald was born in Hamilton county, Nebraska, May 15, 1888.

The parents of Mr. Bald, Louis and Matilda (Kemper) Bald, were of German parentage but both were born in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, where their fathers, Henry Bald and George Kemper, settled probably early in the forties. Both moved to Wisconsin and died there in advanced age. The maternal grand- mother of Mr. Bald still survives and lives at Aurora, Nebraska, in her ninety-fifth year. The parents of Mr. Bald were married in Wisconsin and lived in Grant county prior to moving to Hamilton county, Nebraska, in 1876, making the journey with team and cov- ered wagon. At first the father provided for his family by freighting between Lincoln and Aurora, at a time when the business was fraught with considerable danger, as the In- dians were numerous and sometimes savage. Later he bought a farm and engaged in its cultivation, but subsequently retired to Aurora and yet lives there. He is a Democrat in politics but has never been unduly active, and belongs to the order of Modern Woodmen. Both he and wife are members of the German Evangelical church. Of their family of six children, Harvey K. was the fifth in order of birth, the others being as follows: Eda, who is the wife of D. H. Oswald, a farmer in Ham- ilton county ; Frank, who is a farmer in Ham- ilton county ; Frederick A., who is an attorney at Alliance, Nebraska ; Arno, who is a physi- cian and surgeon at Platte Center, Nebraska ; and Harold, who lives on the old home place

in Hamilton county. There are eighteen grandchildren in the family.

Following his graduation from the Aurora high school, in 1906, Harvey K. Bald went to work in a drug store at Aurora where he re- mained through the summer. On January 1, 1907, he entered a bank at Aurora, as book- keeper, and continued in the institution gain- ing banking experience until he came to Bay- ard. Here, in April, 1917, he organized the Farmers State Bank, of which he is cashier, and the Farmers Loan and Investment Com- pany, of which he is secretary and treasurer. Both institutions are capitalized at $25,000, and both are in a very prosperous condition, careful and conservative methods being used in the management that assure safety under every condition of public finances.

On July 3, 1916, Mr. Bald was united in marriage to Miss Frances Savage, who was born at Aurora, Nebraska, and they have two little daughters, Loyola Eda, born July 28, 1917, and Frances Patricia, born August 24, 1919. Mrs. Bald is a member of the Roman Catholic church, but Mr. Bald early united with the Presbyterian church. He is a Royal Arch Mason and has served as secretary, senior deacon and junior warden of his lodge. Mr. Bald has always been identified with the Democratic party but at no time has he felt inclined to put aside the claims of congenial business in order to find leisure to serve in a political office, for a man of his character would not feel justified in assuming such re- sponsibility without devoting his time and at- tention to its duties.

HENRY C. HATTERMAN, is a native son of Deuel county and one of the successful farmers of this district who has grown up in the west and made good though he took part in many frontier privations and hardships. Mr. Hatterman was born May 20, 1888, on the farm where he now resides in section 6-14-41. He is the son of Anton W. and Johanna H. (Claner) Hatterman, both natives of Germany who came to the United States in 1877. They settled first in Iowa and Mrs. Hatterman tells of crossing the Mississippi river in boats as there were no bridges near their home. A year later the family came to Nebraska, locat- ing in York county, near Waco and remained there ten years. In March, 1888, Mr. Hatter- man brought his family to the Panhandle and filed on the homestead where the son Henry now lives. Here the Hattermans passed through all the hardships and privations inci- dent to life on the frontier ; the father worked

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in order to supply his family with the necessi- ties of life, many times receiving only twenty- five cents a day. Conditions were bad, crop fail- ures frequent, work was hard to get and the large family had to be fed. The first teanı Mr. Hatterman used was a yoke of oxen and they were also used to haul water for family use and stock. Much of the time the trip was twelve miles, but later Mr. Hatterman made a cistern in a draw where the rain collected and this helped out on the water supply. Butter and eggs were exchanged for work. Hard work undermined the father's health and he died in 1909. The mother still lives with her son. There were six children in the family, of whom five are living: Edward and William of Deuel county; Sens, the wife of John Curley of Brule, Nebraska; Tona, the wife of James Fenwick, of Keith county ; and Henry of this review. The father was a Democrat and in his early life belonged to the Lutheran church but he and his wife later joined the Methodist denomination. Henry Hatterman received all the educational advantages afforded in this lo- cality when he was a boy, which was not much. As soon as he was old enough he began to work on the farm. While still a lad he was sent to the canyons to gather wood for the home and once after he had gather more than he could load, left the rest for another trip and on his return found that someone had stolen it. While the father was working on the railroad to earn money for supplies the boys carried on the farm work as best they could. As Mr. Hatterman grew older he as- sumed more and more of the work of the farm and when his father died took entire charge of the place and lias gained a high repu- tation as a progressive and prosperous farmer.

February 25, 1914, Mr. Hatterman married Miss Effie C. Stewart, the daughter of August and Martha (Coates) Stewart, pioneer set- tlers of Deuel county, living near Lodgepole, and three children have been born to the union : Floyd A., and Lloyd A., twins and Bertha I. Mr. Hatterman is a Democrat and for two years lias served as treasurer of the school board of liis district.

AGNEW R. RYBURN, one of the well known hotel owners and operators of Big Springs, where he has been in business for more than a decade, is a pioneer settler and ranchman of Deuel county who has taken a prominent part in the opening up and settle- ment of this section of the Panhandle. He was born in Fayette county, Indiana, Novem- ber 20, 1856, the son of Jolin and Diantha

(Gray) Ryburn, the former a native of Vir- ginia, the latter of Indiana. They were the parents of five children but Agnew is the only one in western Nebraska. The father was a farmer who located in Indiana when a boy, near Brookfield ; later bought land near Bush- ville where he died in 1872. The mother is still living at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. Mr. Ryburn was a prominent man in Indiana, engaged in general farming and stock- raising ; was a Republican and a member of the United Presbyterian church.

Agnew Ryburn was educated in the public schools of Indiana; his father was injured when the boy was fifteen years old and he took charge of the home farm and has been in business for himself since that time. In Janu- ary, 1876, Mr. Ryburn married Miss Ella M. Murray, at Oxford, Ohio, and they be- came the parents of five children: the oldest is deceased; Cora, the wife of Charles Mor- row, lives in Indiana; Carthrine, the wife of Earl Hinchman also lives in Indiana; Murray, of Wyoming, and Hinsey of Tacoma, Wash- ington. Mr. Ryburn came to Deuel county in the fall of 1886, on a visit and remained. The family followed hin in 1889. At first he work- ed for the State Line Horse Ranch, as fore- man, but his wife and oldest daughter dicd the first year and after a few years Mr. Ryburn became associated with Frank Doran. In January, 1900, he bought the hotel in Big Springs which he has since operated. During this time he has made many warm friends and gained a high standing in the community Mr. Ryburn was clerk of the election board when Deuel county voted for the county seat; the rivalry between Big Springs and Chapell. The first election was fraudulent and everyone knew it as thousands of votes were cast when there were not more than five hundred voters. The case was contested and Mr. Ryburn called to the stand; an effort was made to place the blame on him but he cleverly evaded many questions. Later another election was held and Chappell was chosen as the seat of justice. Mr. Ryburn says he will never forget the many interesting incidents created by this affair and now laughs about them. He lived in the Pan- handle at the time when the last of the Texas range cattle were driven through and since that time cattle have been raised on the ranches. Big Springs at that time was known as Lone Tree, later the name was changed. The great cattle trail crossed the river at this point splitting up on top of the table land north of town so that he has seen all the marvelous changes from the old trail days, and the old

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pioneers can hardly realize it is the same country. Mr. Ryburn has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since he was twenty-one years of age and filled all chairs.

GOTLEIB C. MANSER, pioneer settler and well known business man of Big Springs, is one of the essenially self made men of the Panhandle who came here with little but the determination to succeed and two willing hands with which he worked, and he has made good. Today, he is one of the most substantial men of the community and has the distinction of being the first blacksmith of Big Springs. Alr. Manser was born in Germany, December 24, 1860, the son of Jacob and Rosina ( Meist- er) Manser, both natives of that land. The father was a blacksmith in his native land who came with his family to the United States in 1886; settled in Amherst, Colorado, where he engaged in business at his trade. The mother died there in 1911 and the father in 1913, leaving a family of nine children, but Gotlieb is the only one living in the Panhandle. He was educated in the public schools of Germany and also learned the blacksmith's trade from his father. Mr. Manser came to this country ahead of the rest of the family, sailing from Europe in 1882. Soon after reaching our shores he located in York county, Nebraska, where he engaged in business as a blacksmith two years before coming to Deuel county to file on a homestead northeast of Big Springs in Keith county, but lived their only two years as he came to Big Springs in 1886 and opened a blacksmith shop, the first in the town. For eight years Mr. Manser carried on this busi- ness then moved back to his farm to engage in agricultural industries for nearly a quarter of a century. He was sober, industrious, not afraid of hard work and by these qualities be- came a successful rancher. When he came Mr. Manser says that all he had was his two bare hands and today he has two sections well im- proved. He has made his way independently, is essentially self-made by steady work, his native ability and perseverence and is still a young man in years. At first he did not do much farming as the country was not yet adapted to that but raised cattle and fed some, having at one time over a hundred head. Since he retired from the land his sons have charge of the farm. Mr. Manser recounts that at first the settlers had no wood and burned buf- falo chips; wagons were the only means of transportation and for three years he hauled water six miles for family and stock, paying

five cents a barrel for it. Since returning to town Mr. Manser has again turned to his trade as he feels he is too young to give up all ac- tive life. He owns a fine home in Big Springs.

February 2, 1888, Mr. Manser was united in marriage with Miss Anna Miller, the daugh- ter of John and Anna miller, pioneer settlers of Deuel county, and seven children have been born to the union: Otto, at the home place ; Charles, married, lives on a home farm ; Tillie, Emma, Lillian, Bennie and Mattic all at home.

Mr. Manser is a Republican and a member of the Methodist church. He is a progressive man in his business and ever ready to help any movement for the development of his commun- ity and county.

RILEY FORD, early settler. well known ranchman and today a member of the retired colony of Big Springs, is one of the few men today who knew and associated with the cow- boys who had charge of the great herds of cattle that ranged over the anhandle in the early eighties. He was born in Rockford, Illi- nois, June 15, 1862, the son of Cebra and Harriet (Gates) Ford, the former a native of Ireland while the mother was born in France. Mr. Ford came to the United States to engage in farming ; settled first in Ohio, then Illinois and from that state moved to Iowa in 1865. Mrs. Ford died there in 1872, and her husband in 1892. He was a general farmer, a Republican in politics but never held office. There were four children in the family but Riley, of this review, is the only one living. He received his education in the public schools of Iowa and when old enough determined to have a farm of his own. Learning that there was plenty of cheap land in the Panhandle he came here in 1885, locating in Deuel county in June of that year. The trip was made across the country in true pioneer style in a wagon drawn by horses, living in the covered wagon on the way. Locating on a homestead five miles south of Big Springs, Mr. Ford at once erected the usual frontier home - a sod house - a sod stable and was ready for his family when they come five months later. At that time there was only one habitation between Big Springs and Julesburg, the land being un- broken prairie. The family was discouraged many times due to the poor crops so many years from drought and at first they had to haul water over two miles for family use and the stock. However, they could not sell, stuck it out and in the end won out with a comfortable fortune. Settlers made the best of the situation in those days ; held parties in

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the sod houses and Mr. Ford says had a bet- ter time than people do today. He has seen the many changes in Deuel county which today is rich farm land well settled, and has taken his part in this development. During the early days Mr. Ford made friends of the cow-boys who were with the great cattle outfits and they often gave the family meat when they butcher- ed. Accepting an invitation from one outfit to go to Julesburg with them he had an adven- turous time as they shot up the town, but the foreman paid all damages and all had a good time. They put on an imprompteau "Wild West Show" with a colored man doing the riding in the dark on a rainy night and all he spectators saw was the glow of the point of the cigar in his mouth as the horse bucked. In the spring of 1919, Mr. Ford sold his farm land and retired from active life and now makes his home in Big Springs. He made a comfortable fortune from land that was thought worthless and is enjoying the sunset years of life.

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History of western Nebraska and its people, Vol. III, Part 99

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