USA > Nebraska > Lancaster County > Lincoln > Lincoln, the capital city and Lancaster County, Nebraska, Volume II > Part 35
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John M. Adams, who is the second in order of birth in a family of six chil- dren, received the greater part of his education in Sweden but attended school for a short time after removing to the United States, thus acquiring a more thorough knowledge of the English language. He preceded his parents to this country by several years, arriving here in 1876 and locating in Kane county, Illinois. For three and a half years he worked as a farm hand there but at the end of that time came to Nebraska and purchased land seven miles northwest of Waverly. He concentrated his energies upon the improvement and operation of that place until 1900, and as the years passed his resources increased, due to his industry and careful management. On removing from the farm to Waverly he turned his attention to the grain business, in which he was engaged for nine years. He then sold out and purchased another farm, very close to Waverly, which he began operating. He farmed that place for a number of years and at the same time operated an elevator at Waverly, in which he acquired an interest in 1908. In July. 1915. he became sole owner of the elevator and is still conducting that business, which has now reached extensive proportions. He has invested his capital from time to time in land in this county, and his holdings now comprise eight hundred and forty acres, all of which is well improved. He operates a farm of two hundred acres in connection with his grain business and finds little time for outside interests.
Mr. Adams was married on the ist of November. 1880, to Miss Hannah S. Anderson, a native of Sweden, of which country her parents were lifelong residents. She too has been called to the home beyond. her death occurring in 1900. She was the mother of four children, namely: Alvin E .. at home : Esther A., who is living at home and is teaching in the Havelock schools; and Harry W. and Lillian Wis both of whom are attending school. On the 17th of August, 1904, Mr. Adams was married to Mit parkISSUE. who was born
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in Lancaster county, a daughter of John and Christina Warner, natives of Sweden. On emigrating to the United States they came to Lancaster county, Nebraska, where the father purchased land. He is still living and now makes his home with his daughter, Mrs. F. E. Peterson, who lives seven miles north- west of Waverly. By his second marriage Mr. Adams has three children : Emery W., Sylvia Christina and Vernett S.
Mr. Adams casts his ballot in support of the candidates and measures of the democratic party but has never been an aspirant for office. In religious faith he is a Congregationalist. His keen business insight, his capacity for hard work and his initiative have enabled him to gain financial independence, and at the same time he has won an honored name for he has never stooped to dis- honest dealings but on the contrary has conducted his business in accordance with the highest commercial ethics.
HENRY G. GALVIN.
Henry G. Galvin, a resident of North Bluff precinct, has for a quarter of a century or more been actively engaged in the breeding of Percheron horses and Shetland ponies, in which connection he has become widely known. Gradually, however, he is closing out his business along that line but is still the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of highly improved land, which he has operated as a general stock farm. His business affairs have always been carefully sys- tematized and wisely managed, and the success which he has achieved is the direct and merited result of his earnest effort.
Mr. Galvin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, May 29, 1856, a son of Jarvis and Charlotte (Plumb) George, who were natives of Nottinghamshire, England. At an early period in the development of Lancaster county they became residents of this locality, and the father died at Saltillo, after which the mother became the wife of Edward Galvin, who was born in Ireland and in early life came to the new world. Their marriage was celebrated about 1864, and Mr. Galvin took up his abode in Saltillo but afterward removed to a farm in North Bluff precinct, upon which he continued to reside for about forty-five years. He became an extensive landowner, and his agricultural activities were an important element in the substantial improvement of the county. He died December 13, 1904, and his widow survived until 1913.
Henry G. Galvin, who took his stepfather's name, is the only survivor of the family of four children born to his mother's first marriage, and there were no children of the second union. He attended school in North Bluff precinct but his opportunities in that direction were somewhat limited as he early began to take an active part in the work of the old home farm, on which he has since resided. At about the age of thirty-five years he began operating his business interests independently and throughout the intervening period to the present has engaged in farming and in the breeding of Percheron horses and Shetland ponies. In this connection he has conducted an extensive business, and his stock has been shipped- over a wide territory. He now has one of the most beautiful thoroughbred Arabian stallions in the state, a black and white in color,
HENRY G. GALVIN
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a clear white, with the black covering the body like a blanket, with a mauve colored border about one inch in width. The markings are most pronounced and most beautiful and the remainder of the animal is pure white. Mr. Galvin also has one of the finest black Percherons in this part of the state, an animal perfect in every respect, jet black in color and weighing two thousand pounds. Mr. Galvin is now discontinuing the breeding of stock to some extent, but still conducts his place as a general stock farm and devotes his entire attention to his agricultural and stock raising interests. However, at the present time he is leasing a part of his land.
In politics Mr. Galvin has always followed an independent course, casting his ballot for the candidates whom he deems best qualified for office without regard to party affiliation. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, but has no lodge or club relations. His has been a busy and useful life, fraught with success such as follows close application and indefatigable energy. 1Ie has always lived in this county, has a wide acquaintance and enjoys the respect of his fellow townsmen as a most reliable and progressive business man.
C. A. HOLDERNESS.
C. A. Holderness is now living retired at Havelock and the city numbers him among the veterans of the Civil war who reside within her borders. One by one the old soldiers are passing away and it is meet that the present genera- tion should pay respect and honor to those who established the supremacy of the Union during the darkest hour of our country's history. Mr. Hloklerness is now nearing the seventy-sixth milestone on life's journey, his birth having occurred at Ogdensburg, New York, November 11, 1840, his parents being John and Caroline Holderness, who were natives of England, in which country they were reared and married. Crossing the Atlantic to the United States they settled at Ogdensburg, where the father followed the occupation of farming for a number of years. However, he removed westward with his family to Wisconsin, when that state was'a territory, and there he and his wife passed their remaining days.
C. A. Holderness spent his youth upon the old home farm in Wisconsin amid pioneer conditions, which imposed upon the family many of the hardships and privations of frontier life. He assisted in the work of the home farm until after the outbreak of the Civil war when in response to the country's call for troops he enlisted in the First Wisconsin Cavalry at Kenosha and served for three years. He participated in many hotly contested engagements and had many experiences of military life. At one time he was captured and held as a prisoner of war. At another time he became ill with typhoid fever but he stuck to his post until he fell out of his saddle. A comrade was paroled to watch and care for him, the colonel believing that his end was near.
After the war Mr. Holderness returned to his Wisconsin home where he spent two days in visiting his mother and then joined a friend who was out- fitting to go across the plains tozucityciciormaoft physician told Mr. Holderness that the trip would be most beneficial and he found it a great
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and enlightening experience. Ile saw thousands of buffaloes and many elks upon the plains and with a party of eleven he returned by way of the Missouri river route. They headed for St. Louis and the trip was fraught with many interesting experiences. While making their way in the Big Horn country in boats which they had built, they saw what appeared to be the upturned roots of numerous cottonwood trees, but as they neared this obstruction in the river they discovered that it was a heard of several hundred elk with their noses on the surface of the water and their horns sticking into the air.
At Omaha Mr. Holderness found work at the carpenter's trade. Some men were laying timbers at the edge of the water preparatory to bringing across the - river the first locomotive that was ever rolled over Nebraska soil. It was there that Mr. Holderness met for the first time a seventeen year old girl with whom he has since traveled life's journey. In Omaha he wedded this maiden, Miss Emma Lettner, who was born in Des Moines, Iowa, a daughter of John Lettner, an early settler of that state. From Omaha they removed to Fillmore county, Nebraska, and Mr. Holderness worked at car building and at carpentry most of the time. For a while he lived in Nance county, and in 1891 came to Havelock, erecting the first house in the new town, while his daughter's marriage was the first marriage celebrated in Havelock and her child was the first one born in this city. Mr. and Mrs. Holderness became the parents of eight children : Ada, the wife of John Bessie living in Sheridan, Wyoming: Nellie, the wife of Lester Gleason ; Stella, the wife of Sam Cone; Herbert, who is married and lives in California ; Maud, at home; Myrtle, the wife of Walter Helwig; Lulu, the (leceased wife of Fred Ramsey ; and Sherman, at home.
For many years the parents have been members of the Methodist church and have guided their lives by its teachings. In politics Mr. Holderness is a republican and it is his purpose to join the Grand Army of the Republic, having never before had an opportunity to do so because of the fact that he has lived where there was no post. He is still the owner of a ranch in Colorado on which he lived for five or six years after first coming to Havelock. He is familiar with every portion of the history of Havelock and can relate many interesting incidents concerning its development. He can also tell many an interesting tale concerning pioneer life in Nebraska, having made his home within its borders since it was a frontier state.
WILLIAM STAHLY.
William Stahly, who is living retired in Hickman. was born in Hesse Darm- stadt, Germany, November 5, 1846, of the marriage of Peter and Catherine (Guengerich) Stahly. His father was born in that province in September. 1813, and after completing his education turned his attention to farming. In 1852 he emigrated with his family to the United States and first located at Peru, Illinois, where he arrived on the 4th of July. He rented a farm there, but four years later went to Bureau county, renting land north of Princeton. After oper- ating that farm for nine years, he purchased eighty acres of raw land near Forest. Livingston county. He cultivated that place from 1867 until his death
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in June, 1869. His remains were interred in a cemetery near Forest. His wife, who was also born in Hesse Darmstadt, continued to reside nopn the home farm in Illinois until her demise in 1892 and she rests beside her husband.
William Stahly accompanied his parents to America when six years of age and received a good common school education in Bureau and Putnam counties, in Illinois. He was early trained to farm work and assisted his father until 1878 when he came to Lancaster county, and purchased a hundred and sixty acres from the Burlington & Missouri Railroad. A year previous he had visited the county and had been so well pleased with conditions here that he decided to return and make this his permanent home, His land, which is located on section 25, Saltillo precinct, was little improved when it came into his possession, there being neither house nor barn on the place, and only seventy acres had been broken. He soon brought the remainder of the farm under cultivation and as the years passed made many improvements. He harvested large crops of grain and also engaged in stock raising, specializing for thirty-five years in Poland China hogs. In 1884 he purchased an additional eighty acres, also on section 25, and six years later he bought the Larsh farm on section 24, Saltillo precinct, which comprises one hundred and sixty acres and was already well improved when he purchased it. He erected modern buildings upon that farm and in other ways increased its value. Still later he acquired title to cighty acres on section 35, Saltillo precinct, which was also an improved property. He operated all of these farms with the aid of hired help and year by year his capital increased as he was practical and progressive in his methods and judicious in the management of his business affairs. The financial independence which he has gained is doubly creditable in that it is the result of his own energy and foresight. When he came to Lancaster county, he had only two hundred dollars capital and this constituted his first payment upon his original farm. He shipped a team of horses and his farm tools from Illinois, and at once began the improve- ment of his place. For a year and a half he made his home with a cousin as he was not married at that time. In September, 1915, he retired from active life and bought a fine modern residence in the southwestern part of Hickman and has since lived there.
Mr. Stahly was united in marriage, on the 14th of February. 1882, near Peoria, Illinois, to Miss Anna Unzicker, a daughter of Christian and Margaret ( Schwarzentraub ) Unzicker, the former a native of Hesse Nassan, Germany. He was a land owner in his native country and supervised the work of those who cultivated his land and he also owned several flour mills. In addition to looking after his interests he gave considerable time to preaching, being a min- ister of the Mennonite church. In 1873 he emigrated with his family to Amer- ica and for three years lived in Chicago, but at the end of that time removed to Putnam county, Illinois. Later he resided consecutively in Tazewell and La Salle counties and passed away in Peru on the 19th of March, 1801. As he had passed the prime of life before emigrating to America and as he was in comfortable financial circumstances, he lived retired during the entire period of his residence in this country. His wife died on the ist of August, 1885. in Peru, Illinois. Mrs. Stahly's paternal grandfather was John Unzicker, who was born in llesse Nassan and marriedan microsoft® were Joseph and Katharina ( Guengerich ) Unzicker and his grandfather was George Unzicker.
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a native of Switzerland, who died in Werth, Germany. Mrs. Stahly was born in Hesse Nassau on the 24th of February, 1845, and grew to womanhood in that country and received her education in its public schools. In 1873 she accom- panied her parents to the United States and for some time taught school in Bureau county, Illinois. She was married in 1882 and became the mother of three children: Edgar William, who was born on the ist of July, 1885, near Hickman, Nebraska, and died on the ist of August, 1909; Arnold Robert, who was born September 28, 1886, near Hickman, and is farming his father's land; and Edna Estelle, who was born near Hickman on the IIth of June, 1890.
Mr. Stahly gives his political allegiance to the republican party and for many years was school director of district No. 25. He holds membership in the Mennonite church and in his daily life exemplifies the teachings of that organization. He has thoroughly identified his interests with those of his adopted state, never failing to support movements seeking the public welfare.
JOHN H. RAUCH.
John H. Rauch, a retired agriculturist residing at University Place, has been a resident of Lancaster county for almost three decades and still owns an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Saltillo precinct. His birth occurred in South Hanover, twelve miles west of Harrisburg, in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, on the 16th of December. 1847, his parents being Jacob and Mary F. ( Felty ) Rauch, who were also natives of that county. In 1866 they took up their abode near Hennepin, in Putnam county, Illinois, where the father passed away in 1876, when seventy-four years old, while the mother died in 1874, at the age of sixty-eight years. The family is of German descent, its first American ancestor having emigrated to the United States in colonial times, while the great-grandfather of our subject fought in the Revolutionary war.
John II. Rauch was reared on the home farm in Pennsylvania and attended the common schools in the acquirement of an education. He was a young man of nineteen years when in 1866 he accompanied his parents on their removal to Putnam county, Illinois, and there turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits. In March, 1887. he came to Lancaster county, Nebraska, purchasing a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Saltillo precinct, which he operated throughout the remainder of his active business career and which is still owned by him. This was an improved property when it came into his possession, but he soon found it necessary to rebuild the house and erect a new barn and other buildings. Success attended his farming operations in gratifying degree, so that at length he felt justified in putting aside the active work of the fields and for the past seven years has lived retired. He first made his home in Bethany for a short time and then took up his abode in University Place, having a beautiful residence at No. 2409 P street. The old home farm in Saltillo precinct is now operated by his son Merle.
In 1872, in Putnam county, Illinois, Mr. Rauch was united in marriage to Miss Marion J. Stouffer,, who was born in. Shiremanstown. Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, February 15, 1851, her parents being Henry N. and Susan ( Mull)
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Stouffer, also natives of that county. They became carly settlers of Putnam county, Illinois, and spent the remainder of their lives in Hennepin. To Mr. and Mrs. Rauch were born ten children, two of whom are deceased. The surviving members of the family are as follows: Mrs. Anna Hartz, a resident of Scotts Bluff county, Nebraska; Jennie, who is the wife of John E. Mostler, of Saltillo township, Lancaster county; Mina, who gave her hand in marriage to J. F. Seacrist, of Saltillo precinct ; Madge, the wife of Clarence Dixon, of University Place; Alva, who is the wife of Dr. H. H. Humphrey, living in Daykin, Ne- braska; Irene, who is the wife of George F. Patton, of Los Angeles, California ; Merle A., operating the home farm ; and Robert, farming in Saltillo precinct.
Mr. Rauch exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and meas- ures of the republican party and is an advocate of prohibition principles. Both he and his wife are devoted members of the Methodist church, which they joined many years ago. His has been an active, useful and honorable career and now in the evening of life he can look back upon the past without regret and forward to the future without fear. His interest in community affairs is deep and sincere and he has been a proud witness of the progress and development of this part of the state for nearly three decades.
LEWIS B. BAKER.
Lewis B. Baker is a young man but he has already gained a position among the most successful farmers of Grant precinct. He was born in Saline county, Nebraska, on the 26th of April, 1886, a son of Eugene F. and Rachel Amy (Hull) Baker, natives of Illinois and Ohio. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, removed to Saline county, Nebraska, about 1883 and followed agri- cultural pursuits there until 1903, when he sold his farm and came to Grant precinct, Lancaster County, Nebraska, purchasing one hundred and sixty acres on section 14. He made a number of improvements upon the place and culti- vated the land until 1908, in which year he retired and removed to Bethany, where he and his wife are still living.
Lewis B. Baker was reared in Saline and Lancaster counties, and is a gradu- ate of the Lincoln high school and the Lincoln Business College. He began helping with the farm work as soon as he was old and strong enough and for a number of years farmed in partnership with his father, but upon the latter's removal to Bethany he took entire charge of the operation of the home place. He is both practical and progressive in his methods, watches the markets carefully. manages the business phases of farming well, and as a result of his well directed industry has already accumulated a competence.
On the 27th of August, 1913, Mr. Baker was married to Miss Norma Dell Magee, a daughter of John and Florence V. ( Stewart ) Magee, natives of Ohio, who became early settlers in Lancaster county, Nebraska. The father pur- chased land in Grant precinct and devoted his time to its operation until his death in 1900. The mother survives and is living with our subject. To Mr. and Mrs. Baker has been born a sont lowell Fremont, Whose fand Hay was the ist of January, 1915.
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Mr. Baker is a republican in politics, in religious faith is a Baptist, and fra- ternally is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. He concentrates his energies largely upon his farm work, but also finds time to cooperate with various movements calculated to advance the general good. He is energetic and thoroughly understands farming and stock raising and his continued success in these occupations seems assured.
WALTER SAMUEL EIS.
Walter Samuel Eis owns and operates two hundred and forty acres of fine land on section 2, Centerville precinct, and is specializing in raising registered Poland China hogs and high grade cattle. He was born near Fairport, Muscatine County, Iowa, on the 24th of January, 1858, a son of Jacob and Mary ( Irwin) Eis. The father was born in Prussia, on the 21st of November, 1829, and remained in that country until he was seventeen years of age, when he emi- grated to America. He first located in Ohio, where he worked on the canal, but in 1852 he removed to Muscatine, Iowa. He farmed there for many years and at the time of his demise, which occurred on the 27th of November, 1906, he was one of the substantial men of that county. He is buried in Paris ceme- tery, near Pleasant Prairie, Iowa. His wife was born in Alleghany City, Penn- sylvania, in 1830, but when fourteen years of age became a resident of Iowa. She passed away in Muscatine county, when only thirty years of age and is buried in Parr's cemetery.
Walter Samuel Eis received his education in the district schools of Musca- tine county and farmed with his father until he was twenty-three years old. He then began his independent career and for a year worked by the month, but in 1882 removed to Otoe county, Nebraska, where his father owned a half section of land in South Russell precinct. He received eighty acres of that place as a gift from his father and as soon as he was able added to his holdings by purchasing an additional eighty acres of the same section. Ile followed agricultural pursuits in Otoe county until 1906, when he disposed of his farm there and bought two hundred and forty acres on section 2, Centerville precinct, Lancaster county, his farm comprising the southeast quarter and the south half of the northeast quarter of that section. The place was well improved when it came into his possession and he has kept everything in excellent repair, so that it is one of the attractive and valuable farms of the precinct. He breeds registered Poland China hogs and also raises high grade cattle and finds ready sale, at good prices, for his stock.
Mr. Eis was married at Muscatine, lowa. in 1882, to Miss Effie Baker, who was born in that city on the 2d of June, 1862. She was a daughter of Andrew and Mary ( Eaton ) Baker, both of whom were natives of Indiana, whence they removed to Muscatine, lowa, in the early days of the history of that county. The father engaged in farming there and both died there. Mrs. Eis passed away in Otoe county, Nebraska, on the 12th of October, 1885, and is buried in the Hopewell cemeterytin that counts fi She was theAnother of two children: Jacob Hugh, who was born in Otoe county, on the 29th of January. 1883, and
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