USA > Nebraska > Lancaster County > Lincoln > Lincoln, the capital city and Lancaster County, Nebraska, Volume II > Part 58
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FRIEND LUTHER BUEL.
Friend Luther Buel, who is farming on section 28, Saltillo precinct, is a representative of one of the pioneer families of Lancaster county, and has ably carried on the work of development begun by his grandfather and continued by his father. He has gained financial independence and has also won the unquali- fied respect and the warni regard of those closely associated with him. His birth occurred near Hartford, Licking county, Ohio, on the 24th of April, 1851, and
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his parents were Edwin and Vina ( Greene) Buel.' The paternal grandfather was a native of New York and attended the common schools of that state in the acquirement of his education. During his boyhood he was bound out to a farmer until he was twenty-one years of age and at the close of the term of indenture, he began farming for himself, purchasing seventy acres of land in New York. In those days money was very scarce and he found that he did not have enough to pay his taxes, although they amounted to only seventy-three cents. Fearing that the land would be sold for taxes, he made strenuous efforts to secure the necessary money. He heard that a man twelve miles distant wanted to hire men to cut corn and at sundown of the day on which he heard the news he started on foot for that man's home. He did not have any horses as he did his farm work with an ox team and there was no way of making the trip save by walking. He arrived at the man's house at midnight and stated his case with such urgency that the man agreed to pay him seventy-three cents if he would cut seventy shocks of corn, although he had already hired all the help he really needed. The following day Mr. Buel worked in the corn field and suc- ceeded in cutting the seventy shocks. He had his supper at the home of his employer and then having received his seventy-three cents in money he started for home, reaching there at two .A. MI. He slept for two hours, arose at four o'clock and then walked nine miles to the county seat to pay his taxes, although a man of ordinary endurance would have been completely exhausted by his long walk and hard work of the previous thirty-six hours. At length he disposed of his seventy acres and removed to Michigan where he farmed for two years, after which he removed to Licking county, Ohio. He there purchased two hundred acres of land which was partly timber and after clearing it he devoted several years to its cultivation. He bought additional land from time to time until he owned in all seven hundred and thirty-seven acres. He paid one dollar and fifty cents per acre for the first tract which he purchased, although for some of the land he paid as high as thirty-seven dollars per acre. He later sold his entire holdings at eighty-five dollars per acre, thus making a handsome profit on the transaction. He then removed to Nebraska City, Nebraska, and took up his residence upon land which he had previously purchased in Lancaster county, his holdings here comprising the southwest quarter of section 28, the north half of section 32, and the northwest quarter of section 31, all in Centerville pre- cinet, and he also held title to two sections in Otoe county. Ile had entered this about 1856, paying therefor one dollar and a quarter per acre. In removing here in 1866 he shipped fifteen hundred head of lambs and a carload of horses to Council Bluffs. Iowa, and drove them across country to Lancaster county. He was one of the largest stockraisers of this section of Nebraska and gained a large measure of wealth. At length he gave his farm of six hundred and forty acres in Lancaster county to Joshua, Jr., and took up his residence in Nebraska City, where he died at the age of eighty-five years and where he is buried.
The maternal grandfather of our subject, George Greene, was a native of France and on emigrating to America made his way to Licking county, Ohio, of which he was the first settler. He located on Raccoon creek, which he named, and devoted his energies to farming During the latter part of the Revolu- tionary war he served in General Washington's army, thus aiding in establishing American independence. He passed away in Licking county, and was buried in
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expiration of that period he returned to Nebraska and took up his abode in Lancaster county, where he engaged in market gardening for eight years. He next went to Salem, Oregon, where he spent about four years, his death occur- ring in April, 1909, at Lincoln, where he had returned in 1896. His wife had passed away in 1895.
B. Wade Haskell was reared and educated in Washington, Kansas, and in Nebraska, being but eight years of age when his parents left Iowa to seek a home farther west. He learned the shoemaker's trade under the direction of his father and followed it for three years, after which he turned his attention to farming for a time. Still later he went to Denton, Lancaster county, Nebraska, where he conducted a general store for three years. At the end of that period he bought land in Denton precinct and carried on general agricultural pursuits for five years, after which he traded his farm for a stock of general merchan- dise and a residence standing in the midst of two and a quarter acres of land at Emerald. He now has two residences in the town besides his mercantile interests. He carries a large stock and enjoys an extensive patronage. His business affairs are carefully and wisely managed and his investments are judiciously made.
Mr. Haskell was married on the 14th of December, 1897, to Miss Elizabeth Maughan, a daughter of William and Mary Jane Maughan, who were natives of England and in early life crossed the Atlantic to the new world, at which time they established their home in Lincoln, Nebraska, where they remained for a few years. They finally purchased land in Middle Creek precinct and Mr. Maughan devoted his remaining days to farming, his death occurring in 1901. His wife died in the year 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Haskell have become the parents of two children : William M., born January 22, 1904; and Harry Edward, born in March, 1913.
Mr. Haskell is the present postmaster of Emerald, which position he has occupied since February 16, 1911. His political allegiance is always given to the republican party and he is never remiss in the duties of citizenship but is always ready and willing to aid any measure for the general good. He has lived in the county continuously since 1883 save for a period of four years which he spent upon the coast and through the long term of his residence here he has gained a wide acquaintance. Those with whom he has come in contact recognize in him a substantial citizen and representative business man who throughout his entire life has always heeded the old Creek admonition: "Earn thy reward ; the gods give naught to sloth."
FRIEND LUTHER BUEL.
Friend Luther Buel, who is farming on section 28, Saltillo precinct, is a representative of one of the pioneer families of Lancaster county, and has ably carried on the work of development begun by his grandfather and continued by his father. He has gained financial independence and has also won the unquali- fied respect and the warm regard of those /closely associated with him. His birth occurred near Hartford, Licking county, Ohio, on the 24th of April, 1851, and
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his parents were Edwin and Vina ( Greene) Buel.' The paternal grandfather was a native of New York and attended the common schools of that state in the acquirement of his education. During his boyhood he was bound out to a farmer until he was twenty-one years of age and at the close of the term of indenture, he began farming for himself, purchasing seventy acres of land in New York. In those days money was very scarce and he found that he did not have enough to pay his taxes, although they amounted to only seventy-three cents. Fearing that the land would be sold for taxes, he made strenuous efforts to secure the necessary money. He heard that a man twelve miles distant wanted to hire men to cut corn and at sundown of the day on which he heard the news he started on foot for that man's home. He did not have any horses as he did his farm work with an ox team and there was no way of making the trip save by walking. He arrived at the man's house at midnight and stated his case with such urgency that the man agreed to pay him seventy-three cents if he would cut seventy shocks of corn, although he had already hired all the help he really needed. The following day Mr. Buel worked in the corn field and suc- ceeded in cutting the seventy shocks. He had his supper at the home of his employer and then having received his seventy-three cents in money he started for home, reaching there at two A. M. He slept for two hours, arose at four o'clock and then walked nine miles to the county seat to pay his taxes, although a man of ordinary endurance would have been completely exhausted by his long walk and hard work of the previous thirty-six hours. At length he disposed of his seventy acres and removed to Michigan where he farmed for two years, after which he removed to Licking county, Ohio. He there purchased two hundred acres of land which was partly timber and after clearing it he devoted several years to its cultivation. He bought additional land from time to time until he owned in all seven hundred and thirty-seven acres. He paid one dollar and fifty cents per acre for the first tract which he purchased, although for some of the land he paid as high as thirty-seven dollars per acre. He later sold his entire holdings at eighty-five dollars per acre, thus making a handsome profit on the transaction. He then removed to Nebraska City, Nebraska, and took up his residence upon land which he had previously purchased in Lancaster county. his holdings here comprising the southwest quarter of section 28, the north half of section 32, and the northwest quarter of section 31. all in Centerville pre- cinct, and he also held title to two sections in Otoe county. He had entered this about 1856, paying therefor one dollar and a quarter per acre. In removing here in 1866 he shipped fifteen hundred head of lambs and a carload of horses to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and drove them across country to Lancaster county. He was one of the largest stockraisers of this section of Nebraska and gained a large measure of wealth. At length he gave his farm of six hundred and forty acres in Lancaster county to Joshua, Jr., and took up his residence in Nebraska City, where he died at the age of eighty-five years and where he is buried.
The maternal grandfather of our subject. George Greene, was a native of France and on emigrating to America made his way to Licking county, Ohio, of which he was the first settler. He located on Raccoon creek, which he named, and devoted his energies to farming. During the latter part of the Revolu- tionary war he served in General-Washington's army, thus aiding in establishing American independence. "He passed away in Licking county, and was buried in
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Greene cemetery, near Johnstown, Ohio. Ile was married to Miss Bessie Willeson, who was also born in France and whose father was one of the pioneer settlers of Licking county, Ohio. She passed away upon the Greene homestead near Johnstown. To Mr. and Mrs. Greene were born nineteen children-twelve sons and seven daughters, all of whom were reared in the log cabin which the father erected on Raccoon creek in Lieking county, Ohio. This house is still standing and is being carefully preserved by the present representatives of the family. All of the children of Mr. and Mrs. George Greene are buried in the Greene graveyard. Their daughter Vina married Edwin Buel and passed away upon their farm in Hartford, Ohio, but is buried near her parents, brothers and sisters.
Edwin Buel, the father of our subject, was born in York, the 14th of September, 1826, but in early manhood settled in Licking county, Ohio. He engaged in farming there during the remainder of his life, passing away on his homestead in October, 1896. He is buried in the cemetery at Hartford, that state.
Friend L. Buel grew to manhood in Licking county and in the acquirement of his education attended the district schools. As soon as he was old and strong enough he began assisting his father with the farm work and so continued until he was eighteen years of age, when he left home and walked twenty-five miles to Columbus, Ohio. He hired out to a farmer in that locality for eighteen dol- lars per month, but proved such a good worker that his employer paid him twenty-two dollars and a half per month. He remained there for sixteen months after which he returned to Licking county, where he rented land for two years. At the end of that time, or in 1873, he came to Nebraska, settling on Salt Creek in Lancaster county, his grandfather, Joshua Butel, having given him one hun- dred and twenty aeres on section 28, Saltillo precinet. Subsequently he bought an adjoining one hundred and twenty acres from his brother and from time to time added to his holdings until he had five hundred and forty acres in one body. lle erected good buildings upon the place and otherwise improved it, thus adding materially to its value, and in its cultivation he met with the most gratifying suc- cess. He not only harvested large crops of grain, but he also fed sheep, cattle and hogs and both branches of his business returned him a good profit. The year previous to his removal to this county, the railroad built through this sec- tion and Joshua Buel gave the company right-of-way through the farm which subsequently became the property of F. L. Buel. Later the Missouri Pacific railway was built and also secured a right-of-way through that farm. However, the company was at first unwilling to pay Mr. Buel as much money as he con- sidered the land worth and he had a great deal of difficulty in maintaining his rights. For a considerable period he camped on the right-of-way, thus pre- venting the railway from taking possession of it and finally he succeeded in settling the matter satisfactorily with the company and the road was finally built through his farm. In addition to his valuable holdings in this county, he owns three hundred and twenty acres in Trinity township, Humboldt county. California, near Eureka, which is covered with big timber and which he pur- chased for two dollars and, fifty cents an acre. lle has not developed this property, but is holding it as he _expect Sit to become very valuable in time and hopes that his descendants will have the benefit of it.
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Mr. Buel was married in Lincoln, in 1872, to Miss Laura Hale, a daughter of Amos and Mary ( Majors) Hale. Her father settled on Salt Creek, Lan- caster county, in 1866, and engaged in operating his farm there until his demise. Both he and his wife are buried in Greer cemetery, near Hickman. Mrs. Buel was born in Washington, Indiana, on the 29th of March, 1850, and grew to womanhood there and in this county. By her marriage she has become the mother of five children: Otoe Worth, Charles and Earle, all of whom own farms in this county; Beatrice, the wife of J. Ren Slote, a farmer of this county ; and Friend, Jr., who is also following agricultural pursuits.
Mr. Buel is a stanch advocate of democratic principles and measures and supports the candidates of that party at the polls. He was a member of the school board and is still deeply interested in educational advancement. His ability and sound judgment are indicated in the fact that he has so successfully managed his large farming and stock raising interests and the uprightness of his life is proven by the high esteem and warm regard in which he is held by all who have been closely associated with him.
ELMER W. JONES.
Elmer W. Jones was one of the leading farmers of Nemaha precinct and was also prominently connected with a number of local business interests, and there was no movement seeking the general advancement which lacked his hearty support and cooperation. His demise, which occurred in 1915. was deeply regretted by his community and those who were closely associated with him mourned him as a personal friend. He was born in Canada on the 7th of December. 1864. of the marriage of Roland J. and Alice (Vernal ) Jones. The father was born in the Empire state and in early manhood engaged in farming there but following his marriage went to Canada, whence he removed to Greeley. Delaware county, Iowa, where he followed agricultural pursuits for a consider- able period but at length retired to Greeley, where he was living at the time of his death on the 3Ist of May, 1904. His wife continued to live in Greeley until December, 1915, when she came to Lancaster county and now makes her home with her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Jones, in Nemaha precinct.
Elmer W. Jones attended the public schools of Greeley, Iowa, and following his graduation from the high school entered the Upper Iowa University at Fayette, where he completed his college course in May, 1885, when not yet twenty-one years of age. In the fall of that year he removed to Waverly, where he engaged in teaching, and for twelve years was connected with educational work in the county. His teaching. however, was not continuous as in 1892 he completed a course at the Illinois College of Pharmacy at Chicago and the following year registered with the Nebraska board of pharmacy and established a drug store at Hebron, this state. He conducted that business for three years but found the close confinement very irksome and accordingly disposed of his interests and resumed teaching, In 1900 he turned his attention to farming, buying one hundred fifty-four acres of improved land on section 9, Nemaha precinct. He brought it to a still higher state of development and concentrated
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his energies upon its operation until 1914. In addition to his home place he also owned a farm in eastern lowa and one in Hitchcock county, South Dakota, both well improved. He was president of the Farmers Bank at Bennet for eight years, or until his death on the 15th of September. 1915, and was secretary of the Lancaster County Farmers Mutual Insurance Company and of the Farmers Elevator Company, both of which he organized. His sound judgment and knowledge of business affairs were among the most important factors in the success of those institutions and he was recognized as a leader in local financial and business circles.
Mr. Jones was married in 1894 to Miss Isia Hatfield, of Firth, Nebraska, and they became the parents of four children, of whom three survive, namely: Myrtle, the wife of O. K. Deats, who is farming near Bennet ; and Iva and Ruth, both students in the Bennet high school. The wife and mother passed away at Bennet in 1902 and on the 24th of December, 1906. Mr. Jones was married at Omaha to Miss Agnes Williams, a daughter of Edson and Mary ( Boynton ) Williams, of Earlville, lowa. Her father was born, reared and educated in Michigan and for many years followed agricultural pursuits, but in Ig10 retired and took up his residence in Earlville, lowa. His wife was born in Vermont but in her girlhood removed to Jowa, in which state her marriage occurred. Mrs. Jones was born in Earlville and there received her education.
Mr. Jones gave his political support to the republican party. He served for some time as a member of the school board of Bennet, was intensely interested in the advancement of the public schools and worked untiringly to secure the issuance of bonds for the erection of a new school building in Bennet. His willingness to give time and energy to this work was characteristic of the man, for he was always ready to do anything within his power to promote the general welfare of his community, and many projects which were carried out for the advancement of the community were successful largely because of his enthusiastic effort in their behalf. Another strongly marked trait which endeared him to those with whom he came in contact was his charitableness of judgment as he always refused to believe evil of others unless there was full proof of the charges made.
A. J. BAKER.
.A. J. Baker, of Havelock, who is familiarly known as Judge Baker, has been a resident of Lancaster county since the 4th of March, 1880. He and his brother, F. II. Baker, first visited the county in 1878 and each purchased a quarter section of unimproved land near Bennet but did not take up their permanent abode here until two years later. A. J. Baker was born in Pennsyl- vania, January 14. 1856, and when five or six years of age settled near Amboy, in Lee county, Illinois, whither he was taken by his parents, Jacob and Mary Baker. The father was a native of Germany and the mother of Pennsylvania where they were married, while their last days were spent in Lee county, Illinois.
Reared in Illinois!/W21. Baker pursued miseducation in the public schools of Amboy and in 1880 he returned to Nebraska, then a young man of twenty-
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four years, in order to locate upon his claim and engage in farming. From 1874 until 1882 he taught in the district schools through the winter seasons. He continued to devote his attention to general agricultural pursuits until 1890, when he came to Havelock. In June, 1892, he took up his permanent abode here and has since been engaged in the real estate and insurance business. His identification with the town begins with the location of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad shops here and he heard the first whistle of the first train to enter the city. He has since dealt in real estate and has negotiated many important property transfers. He has also served as justice of the peace for twelve years and also acted as police judge. In these connections his duties have been discharged with marked fairness and impartiality.
On the 5th of February, 1880, Mr. Baker was united in marriage to Miss Jennie C. Youngren, a native of Lee county, Illinois, and a daughter of Charles William and Ann Maria ( Marryatt) Youngren. Mr. and Mrs. Baker now have seven children, as follows: Harry, a druggist of Havelock; Walter, who is engaged in the drug business at Wahoo, Nebraska; Lulu, at home; Earl, a student in Rush Medical College of Chicago; and Bessie, Stella and Erma, who are also yet under the parental roof. The religious faith of the family is that of the Methodist church and Mr. Baker gives his political support to the repub- lican party. He is also identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Fraternal Aid Union. He always casts the weight of his influence on the side of right, reform, truth and progress and his many sterling traits of char- acter commend him to the confidence and good will of all.
CHARLES JOSEPH GRADY.
Charles Joseph Grady, who is engaged in general farming on section 7, Oak precinet, was born at Elizabethport, New Jersey, February 22, 1855, a son of Bernard and Annie (Kennedy) Grady. The father was born in Germany in 1826 and obtained his education there, remaining in the fatherland until he reached the age of twenty years, when in 1846 he crossed the Atlantic and settled in New Jersey. He had previously learned cabinetmaking and he followed that trade in New Jersey until 1874, when he removed westward to Madison county, Wisconsin, then to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and subsequently to this county, after which he rented land in Oak precinct for four years. He finally became the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of raw railroad land in West Oak precinct, upon which he erected a two-story frame residence-an excellent house for that period. He bent every energy toward the further development and improvement of his farm, upon which he continued to reside until he retired from active life, renting the place. He removed to Raymond, maintaining his home in the town to the time of his death, which occurred March 27, 1903, when he had reached the age of seventy-seven years, his remains being interred in Oak Creek cemetery. His wife was born, reared and educated in Ireland. With her husband she removed to ,Watertown, Wisconsin, and in that state passed her remaining days, In-their family were three children, who are yet
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living : Mrs. Anna Leckliter, a resident of Lincoln ; Charles Joseph ; and John, who follows farming in Elk precinct, Lancaster county.
Charles J. Grady was but a young lad when he accompanied his parents on their westward removal to Wisconsin and his education was largely acquired in the district schools of Fond du Lac county. There he engaged in farming for his father and in 1877 came to Lancaster county, settling in Oak precinct, where he rented land. He diligently applied himself to his work and at length his industry enabled him to purchase property, so that in 1882 he became the owner of eighty acres on section 7. Oak precinct. He further improved the place and all of the equipment upon the farm at the present time was put there by him. He brought his fields under a high state of cultivation and continued to engage in farming until 1911, when he rented the land, although he still lives at the old home.
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