USA > Nebraska > Lancaster County > Lincoln > Lincoln, the capital city and Lancaster County, Nebraska, Volume I > Part 38
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line of business is represented in Havelock to care for the needs of the army of workmen employed there. Half hour electric car service to the City of Lincoln is given.
The Farmers and Merchants Bank of Havelock was organized in 1900 by W. R. Johnson, president ; G. G. Smith, vice president ; H. K. Frantz, cashier ; and A. W. Butler and Emil Berlet. These men became the first board of directors. In April, 1907, new owners took charge of the institution and the officers elected were: Fred Whittemore, president; J. A. Espegren, vice presi- dent ; V. F. Hoffman, cashier ; and F. R. Beebe, assistant cashier. The officers are the same at present, with the exception of E. Anderson, vice president, and M. Malone, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $15,000.00; the surplus $88,000.00.
The First National Bank of Havelock was organized as the Citizens State Bank on May 18, 1909, with a capital of $20,000.00, and occupying a small brick building on the south side of Main Street. Emil Berlet was the president; A. F. Ackerman, vice president ; and F. R. Beebe, cashier. On May 9, 1910, the name was changed to the First National Bank, with a capital of $25,000.00, with the same officers as before. The present officers are: J. H. Patterson, president ; J. W. Hitchcock, vice president; E. E. Andrews, cashier; J. L. Biddlecom, as- sistant cashier. W. F. Ackerman, Charles Hall and E. I. Andrews complete the board of directors.
The Havelock Electric Light Company was incorporated May 6, 1907, by F. H. Wheeler, J. A. Aspegren, C. F. Ballard, Cornelius Moran, H. M. Eaton and C. O. Johnson. The Havelock Gas Company was incorporated February II, 1902, by V. F. Hoffman, Archie Adams, E. E. Schuler, C. L. Hempel, E. E. Anderson, F. B. Young, F. L. Sumpter, John Reenan and Fred Krochler.
The Havelock Post, an independent weekly, was established in 1913 and is published by Will C. Israel, with a circulation of 1,440. The Havelock Times, published by Dan Campbell, Jr., was established in 1890. The paper is independ- ent democratic and has a circulation of 1,400.
A new feature of the Town of Havelock, which will be erected shortly, is the new $35,000.00 high school building. The election held for the erection of this building carried in favor of the proposition by 348 to 82.
UNIVERSITY PLACE
The start of the Town of University Place was practically synonymous with the establishment of the Wesleyan Methodist University, an account of which is given elsewhere. The town was originally located upon university land. A partial list of the first settlers of the town is as follows: Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Simpson, 1889; Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Butler, 1890; Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Thomp- son, 1890; Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Wells, Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Clifton, 1890; Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Robert McCartney, 1890; Mr. and Mrs. L. S. Hullinger, Mrs. Lulu Horne, Henry Lee, J. W. Wharton, 1890; Mrs. Nelson Taylor, 1890; Mayme Taylor Hursh, 1890; Rev. and Mrs. H. L. Powers, 1893; M. V. B. Turner, 1888; Rev. and Mrs. James Leonard, 1897; Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Hursey, 1891; S. D. Fitchie, 1889; H. Augusta Harris, 1874; H. M. Wineland, 1890; WV. T. Good, 1892; E. E. Clifton, 1890;
HIGH SCHOOL, HAVELOCK
CATHOLIC CHURCH, HAVELOCK
VIEW IN HAVELOCK, SHOWING HAVELOCK CAR, ABOUT 1900
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C. D. Rose, 1891 ; Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Mosely, 1890; R. O. Castle, 1800; Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Gardner, 1894; Rev. J. R. Gettys, 1892; Loyd B. Gettys, 1893; Frances Gettys, 1896; A. Handsaker, 1889; Helen Handsaker, 1880; Dora B. Horne, 1892; Prof. and Mrs. F. A. Alabaster, 1893; C. L. Mitchell, 1892; Mrs. Anna Riggs, 1892; Mrs. G. A. Smith. 1800; Mary Alene Smith, 1800; Rude Daily, Jr., 1892; Alva Campbell, 1888. An old settlers' association was formed in University Place on April 27, 1916.
The First National Bank of University Place was organized May 12, 1905, with a capital of $25,000.00. Charles G. Anderson was the first president ; Dr. D. W. C. Huntington, vice president ; E. S. Kirtland, cashier : M. E. Burke, assistant cashier. The present officers are: B. H. Schaberg, president; E. D. Currier, vice president ; G. E. Currier, cashier ; Ralph Currier, assistant cashier. E. J. Hainer, C. H. Roper and M. Weil complete the board of directors. The capital is $40,000.00, the surplus $10,000.00, and deposits over $120,000.00.
The Citizens State Bank of University Place is an institution established in 1908, three years after the First National Bank. The officers of this bank are: E. E. Butler, president ; J. S. Hole, vice president ; C. E. Staley, cashier ; and R. R. Ward, assistant cashier. The capital stock now is $30.000.00 ; the surplus. $2,300.00; and the deposits average over $100,000.00. Both of the banks in University Place hold a well merited reputation with the people as being solid and strong financial institutions.
One of the largest business enterprises in University Place is the Claflin Printing Company, which was started by J. L. Claflin in 1904. In 1909 a stock company was formed and continued to the present day. Besides a regular job printing business, the company publishes a weekly paper called the News, the Union Worker which is the state paper for the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the university publications, and The Teacher. A singular feature of the Claflin Printing Company is that all of the stock is owned by the employes and owners of the plant.
The University Place Telephone Company was incorporated July 8, 1907.
The Windom Bank, now out of existence, was started on April 4, 1891, with $25,000.00 capital stock. LeGrand M. Baldwin, George H. Clark and John C. Allen were the head of the enterprise.
BETHANY
The history of the Town of Bethany is coincident with the history of Cotner University, which place and university were started together and developed together. The history of this university, with sidelights upon the subject by Hon. J. Z. Briscoe, one who has given a greater part of his life for the interests of the school, is written in another part of this volume.
The First State Bank of Bethany was organized in 1905. The officers of the institution are : L. J. Dunn, president ; C. W. Fuller, vice president ; and T. Milo Keith, cashier. The bank carries a capital stock of $10,000.00, a surplus of $3,100.00 ; and the deposits average about $60,000.00.
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COLLEGE VIEW
The opening of Union College near Lincoln provided the means and oppor- tunity for the establishment of the Town of College View. Since the time of the founding of the school College View has had a fairly large growth. Most of the population is composed of members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, although in recent years numbers of people have moved in here belonging to other churches and societies have been formed by them.
Besides being the home of Union College, College View has the Nebraska Sanitarium, which has been there for twenty years. . All kinds of curable diseases are treated at the sanitarium, which employs a staff of sixty, including forty-five nurses. Many of the methods used at the Battle Creek sanitarium are in use here. At the head of the staff is Dr. J. D. Shively.
The Bank of College View was organized in the year 1906. James Schee is the president ; J. H. Morrison, vice president ; and S. J. Quantock, cashier. The capital stock is $25,000.00 ; the surplus $1,000.00; and the deposits amount to $85,000.00. P. B. Quantock is the assistant cashier.
The public library at College View was provided for in 1914-15 by a gift of $7,500.00 by Andrew Carnegie.
INTERNATIONAL BRANCH OF THE PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, COLLEGE VIEW
The foreign work done by this publishing house was formerly done by the Review and Herald in Battle Creek, Michigan, but when their main office was burned in December, 1902, it was decided to move the German, Danish-Nor- wegian and Swedish papers to College View, in order to co-operate with the strong departments in these languages in Union College.
For a time the small college printing office endeavored to do the work, but as their facilities were inadequate, the International Publishing Association was organized in the fall of 1903. The General Conference issued a call for funds to establish this foreign printing plant, a collection being taken in all of the churches the first Sabbath in February, 1904. About three thousand dollars was thus secured, which was sufficient to purchase and set up a small building for that purpose, with a lot 78 by 150 feet in size. This original building had formerly been used as a store and formed the two-story part of the building now occupied. During the summer of 1904 a new cylinder press and other facilities were added, so that at the first annual meeting in September, 1904, the total value of the property and furnishings was about ten thousand dollars, nearly all being paid for.
The same year the institution purchased from the Review and Herald their entire stock of foreign books, tracts and pamphlets, for $12,000.00, giving notes in payment for the same. As the burden of paying these notes and keeping up a stock of subscription books was heavier than the institution could well carry, the Pacific Press offered to take over the foreign subscription books for $8,000.00. This was done and they assumed the payment of notes to the Review and Herald amounting to $8,000.00. This step connected the Pacific Press in a definite and ยท substantial way with the foreign publishing work, which had developed remark-
LOOKING NORTHE ON WARREN AVENUE FROM ST. PAUL STREET, UNIVERSITY PLACE
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, UNIVERSITY PLACE
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH UNIVERSITY PLACE
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CITY HALL, UNIVERSITY PLACE
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ably since that time. This was a great relief to the International Publishing Association, and left with them the responsibility of publishing only the foreign papers, trade books, pamphlets and tracts.
The College View plant was considerably enlarged in the fall of 1907 by building a large addition to the first floor, making the entire building sixty-six by ninety-six feet in size, More room was thus provided for the type room, and the size of the press room was increased to give room for a new Michle press which was purchased at this time. A large room was added for the bindery, which had been operated for a year in rented rooms. A steam heating plant was installed to take the place of the hot air furnace previously used. These improvements, and the linotype machine purchased in the spring of 1910, put the office in excel- lent shape for doing the work that was required.
In 1910 the publication of attractive quarterly magazines in German, Danish- Norwegian and Swedish was begun. A similar magazine in Russian is now being published, and they will be issued in other languages as the demand arises.
The bindery was provided with limited facilities for binding even the large subscription books in the various bindings, and the Pacific Press turned over the printing and binding of several good jobs of this kind, among which may be mentioned "Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation" in Danish and Swedish, and "Practical Guide to Health" in German.
In August, 1914, the International Board came to the conclusion that stronger and better work could be done by the institution if it should be taken over by one of the large English publishing houses, with a preference for the Pacific Press. A memorial was sent to the president of the North American Division Conference, requesting that the matter be given consideration at the council to convene in October. The council requested that the Pacific Press Publishing Association give favorable consideration to this transfer of the institution on the basis of an appraisement to be made by J. J. Ireland, the general conference auditor. The deal was satisfactorily arranged and the College View plant is now known as the International Branch of the Pacific Press Publishing Association.
BENNETT
On section ten, Nemaha Precinct, about seventeen miles east of Lincoln, is located the Town of Bennett, a thriving little community, representative of the better communities in the eastern part of Nebraska. The town site was formerly owned by William Roggenkamp and was laid out by him, in company with Joel N. Converse, and the plat filed for record July 29, 1871. The town was laid out at the time the Midland Pacific Railroad was brought through, and the new com- munity took its name from one of the officials of the road. John Bennett. In the early days the Town of Bennett won considerable reputation on account of the quarries adjacent to the village. The stone strata proved in later years, however, to be of insufficient extent to promote a growing business. Nemaha Branch, a creek a few miles below town, was at one time exploited on account of water power derived therefrom and the strip of timber which bordered its edge supplied plenty of box elder, ash, red and white elm, oak and walnut for build- ing purposes, quite an advantage to the carly settlers of the community. Bennett early became noted as an agricultural station, in 1881 about three hundred cars
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of grain having been shipped from the station here. The first elevator was the Nebraska City Elevator Company's plant, built in 1875, and having a capacity of about twenty thousand bushels. George Eggleston also operated a small elevator at an early day. The flouring mill of D. H. Harris was erected by A. L. Strang & Company in 1875-6 and bought by Harris in 1881 ; it had a capac- ity of 200 bushels of wheat and 250 bushels of corn per day, and had three runs of stone, two for wheat and one for corn. The plant was known as the Altamaha Mills. The first lumber yard in Bennett was operated by J. E. Vander- lip. Mr. A. Gribling was the first harness and saddlery man in Bennett, moving to the town in 1872, having settled four years previously about four miles north of the town. He was a native of New York.
Dr. Stephen A. Mecham, a native of New York State, was one of the first settlers in the vicinity of Bennett, locating on the Nemaha Branch in 1858, ac- companied by his family in a wagon. He was obliged to do his milling at Coonville on Plum Creek, the round trip requiring about two weeks' time. He had to build bridges going and frequently had to rebuild them upon his return trip. He also made some little money by gathering salt along Salt Creek, hauling it to Iowa with cattle, and there selling it. His claim consisted of 360 acres. He hired fifty acres of this broken, at a cost of $5 per acre. His medical knowledge was soon called into use, and he was probably the first practitioner in what was known as Lincoln district. He also secured the first school in that vicinity. Another of the first settlers of the precinct was James N. Miner, who came in 1869, a native of Ohio, and a veteran of the war. Dr. E. T. Piper was another pioneer physician of the county, settling in Stockton Precinct in 1868 and opened a farm. At the time he was the only physician between Lincoln and Nebraska City and his services were constantly in demand.
William Roggenkamp was born in Prussia in 1832 and crossed to the States when he was in his nineteenth year. After living in New Jersey, Indiana, and Illinois, he came to Nebraska, arriving at Nebraska City by steamboat. This was in the spring of 1860. He left his family there and walked out to where Bennett is now located. His first body of land consisted of 120 acres, which he afterwards increased greatly. His first residence was a very small log house, the material for which he hauled from Nebraska City. Afterwards he erected a large log house and it was destroyed by fire in 1871 ; then he built a new home, far better than the former ones.
James G. Southwick erected, at that time, the most imposing business house in Bennett, in 1878. Samuel Tilton and J. A. Whitlock were other prominent men in the precinct who came at an early day.
Thomas Elrod erected the first house in the town in 1871. It was used both as a dwelling and a store. During the next year H. R. Kemper built a hotel, which was first run by Thomas Price. During the year 1872, also, Walter Scott started a store.
Bennett was incorporated as a town on December 1, 1881. The first town board consisted of James G. Southwick, F. A. Sidles, J. E. Vanderlip, A. Grib- ling and J. P. Bratt. W. K. Purvis was the town clerk.
The Citizens Bank of Bennett was organized in 1886, being incorporated on April 3d of that year by J. E. Vanderlip, G. W. Eggleston, C. W. Pierce, J. H. McClay, W. F. Torbitt, W. M. Seely, M. B. Deck and T. J. Pierson, with a
OLD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BENNET
First church built in Bennet. Erected in 1880; demolished in 1914 to make way for present church
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capital stock of $50,000.00. The bank is still in existence and is officered by the following at the present day: G. W. Eggleston, president; John P. Bratt, vice president ; JI. H. Bratt, cashier; Charles P. Bratt, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $25,000.00; the surplus, $13,000.00; and the deposits amount to $213,- 000.00.
The Farmers Bank was organized in 1906 and has had a steady growth since that date. Elmer W. Jones is the president of this institution ; O. R. Springer is the vice president ; and Harry Honnor is the cashier. The Farmers Bank carries a capital stock of $12,000.00, a surplus of $3,000.00 and deposits amounting to $125,000.00.
The Bank of Bennett was an institution which was started in June, 1891, with a capital stock of $50,000.00, but which later passed out of existence.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Bennett was organized in the spring of 1879. The first church building was erected the next year, costing $1,500.00. The church now has a strong membership, a commodious house of worship, and is one of the leading churches in the township. The Danish Lutheran Church was organized in the late '70s. The Norwegian Lutheran Church was organized in December, 1874, with the following members: T. Hanson, W. Nelson, J. C. Johnson, Ole Nelson, Henry Bolt, L. Rasperson, O. Anderson, H. Peterson, C. Olson, S. Monk, J. Michilson, and others. The first services were held in a school house in 1878, Rev. C. Jansen of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in charge. After a few years the Danish membership withdrew and formed a church of their own, mentioned above, whereupon the Norwegian church was reorganized. The Church of Christ of Bennett was first incorporated in July, 1883, by R. N. Stall, C. B. Camp, John and Henry Diehl. It was reincorporated in June, 1884, by J. Z. Briscoe, Charles B. Camp, Branson J. Smith, R. N. Stall, T. L. Turner, Julia Stall, Elizabeth Harper, Mary M. Barnes, John, William S., Henry G., Elizabeth and Charles Diehl.
The Bennett Gas Company was incorporated October 28, 1910 by A. W. Dorland, J. B. Varney and Joseph Lingle.
The Bennett Sun, a weekly local publication, was established in 1911. J. H. Bratt is the editor. The circulation is about two hundred and fifty.
WAVERLY
The Town of Waverly is located on section 16, Waverly Precinct, and is about twelve miles northeast of Lincoln. The early settlement of this town dates back to a few years before the completion of the B. & M. Railroad through the precinct in 1871. John S. Green, the first permanent settler, located here in 1869. In 1874 he constructed a store and John Berg started a blacksmith shop soon afterwards. Mr. Berg was the second settler in Waverly, and James Schofield came next, the latter becoming one of the most prominent citizens. Walker and Schofield opened the first general store in the town. A. Cook and son were also' early comers to the community in the spring of 1874; they established a lumber yard. The postoffice of Waverly was started in 1871, with John S. Green the first postmaster.
There were three grist mills near the town in the carly 'Sos. One of them was located 11/2 miles north of town and was built by John Hellman, and derived
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its water power from Salt Creek. On Rock Creek, northeast of Waverly, Samuel Atkinson had a mill, also D. L. Bundy. The Cook elevator had a capacity of 12,000 bushels. The Town of Waverly was laid out by D. N. and Sophia Smith and the survey made by M. Willsie. The plat was filed for record on October 8, 1870.
The Bank of Waverly was started in 1885 and incorporated in 1890 by N. H. Meeker and J. T. Beale. The bank has survived the several storms which have wrecked other banks of the state in the past years and is still in existence, doing a strong business and enjoying a great popularity. R. M. Beale is the president of the institution and H. S. Beale is the cashier. The capital stock is $10,000; the surplus, $2.500; and the deposits, $75.000. The Lancaster County Bank at Waverly is a comparatively new institution, but has been singularly successful. The officers are: G. R. Buckner, president ; George H. Danforth, vice president ; and R. L. Tiger, cashier. The capital is $10,000; the surplus, $2,500; and the deposits, $130,000. The bank was started in 1907.
The Congregational Church of Waverly was first incorporated December 9, 1878, by A. McMurray, David Hedges, S. Rogers, Charles M. Headrick, Jacob B. Linninger. The church was reincorporated February 10, 1881, by Rev. E. Cressman and wife, E. O. Wart, mother and wife, Marion McMurray, William McMurray, Albert McMurray and wife, David Hedges, John Reitz, Jennie Irwin, Ella Rogers, Eva Rogers, William Mocroft, Herbert Mocroft. E. P. Fruit, Mary Mocroft, Edwin Post and wife, Charles Post, Ida P., Delia P .. J. G. E., llenry E., and Mrs. James Walker. The Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was formed by Prof. Samuel Aughey of Lincoln and Reverend Kuhlmann, the latter a missionary preacher. The former held religious services in Waverly for a number of years, but it was not until July, 1880, that a regular pastor was engaged in the person of Rev. M. L. Melick. The first church building was completed in 1881. Jonathan, Samuel. and David Reitz, Jeremiah Heilman and Franklin Fisher were among the original members. The Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated December 4, 1882. It was organized August 29, 1882, at a quarterly conference of the Waverly charge. William Hotaling was elected secretary and Harry Wells, W. H. Worley. M. B. Bainbridge, Phipps Opp and Henry Sudduth, trustees. The Church of Christ, Scientist, was organized Sep- tember 9, 1902, at the residence of T. J. Beale.
There is one newspaper, published at Lincoln by the Interstate Company, called the Watchman, which devotes a small space to the Waverly interests.
The first hotel in the town was constructed in 1874 at a cost of $1,600.
FIRTH
The Town of Firth is located on section 35, South Pass Precinct, near the headwaters of the Nemaha River. The town was laid out by the railroad and the plat filed for record July 28, 1873. The name was given in honor of Superin- tendent Firth of the A. & N. Railroad. In the early 'Sos Firth was the third largest grain market on the railroad, between Atchison, Kan., and Lincoln, Neb., shipping about seven hundred cars of grain and stock in 1881.
Firth was organized as a village in 1879. The first chairman of the board of trustees was G. G. Beams, the clerk at the same time being W. H. Moore. Others
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on the board were : C. Bailey, F. S. Fielding, Dr. G. A. Pogue, and Robert Hay. C. F. Fleckinger was the treasurer of the village. These men were among the most prominent of the citizens at that time.
Early in her existence Firth had a number of successful stores, two elevators, a steam grist mill and two hotels. One elevator was operated by Worl & Beams and Schmidt Brothers, the grist mill by Kilbourne & Cooper. The Firth Mills were completed in September, 1881, by the Kilbourne Brothers. The brand of flour made by the mill was known as Golden Crown.
The Kent House, the first hotel in Firth, was erected by If. W. Gable in 1873-74. Another hotel was constructed in 1879 and was owned by Mrs. Kate Morrison.
The Firth Bank was organized in August, 1891, with $40,000 capital stock. The principal men in the organization were: E. R. Spencer, Charles F. Collins, J. J. Harms, G. O. Adams, E. Harms, William Kramer, S. H. Heckman, 11. Southblin and H. J. Pebmuke. The present officers are : H. H. Kramer, presi- dent ; H. Sachtleben, vice president ; and C. E. Groves, cashier. The present capi- tal stock of the bank is $15,000; the surplus, $5,000 ; and the deposits amount to $175,000.
The Presbyterian Church of Firth was organized in 1881 by Rev. E. M. Lewis of Lincoln, who later became its pastor. The first church building of this society was erected in ISSI, costing the sum of $2,000. The First Reformed Church was organized in July, 1890, prominent among the early members being : Il. J. Leselle, D. Shutte, G. J. TeKolste, J. W. Tempulzen, D. DeBoer, D. Wessink, G. W. Tempulzen and J. Wessink. At a meeting held March 16, 1899, the Church of Christ was organized. Among the early members of this society were: James M. Murphy, W. F. Deitz, Edward Rogers, Jacob Groves, Edward D. Champion.
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