USA > Nebraska > Platte County > Past and present of Platte County, Nebraska : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 48
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HUDSON INGERSOLL MURDOCK.
The building interests of Columbus find a well known and worthy representative in Hudson Ingersoll Murdock, whose handiwork is seen in every section of the city. He enjoys an enviable reputation as an excellent workman who lives fully up to the terms of his contracts and at all times conforms his business to high standards of honor as well as activity. A native of New York, he was born in Warren county, May 31. 1855, a son of J. S. and Charlotte ( Hudson ) Murdock. The father engaged in the contracting business in New York, but at the time of the Civil war put aside all personal interests and considerations, responding to the country's call for aid as a member of Company L, Fifteenth New York Cavalry, with which he served at the front for three years, participating in a number of hotly con- tested engagements. At the close of the war he returned to New York, but in 1877 removed to Rockford, Illinois, where he remained for a year and a half. There were two children in the family, Hudson Ingersoll and William, the latter now a resident of San Diego, California. When the family left Rockford they came to Columbus, Nebraska, where the father embarked in business as a merchant and contractor in connection with his son Hudson under the firm style of Murdock & Son, the father taking charge of the mercantile interests, while the son assumed the management of the contracting business. The death of J. S. Murdock occurred in 1900 and in his passing the community lost one of its valued and representative citizens. His widow survived him for several years, passing away in 1907.
Hudson I. Murdock spent the days of his boyhood and youth in his native state and is indebted to the public-school system for the educational privileges which he enjoyed. He then accompanied his parents on their removal to Illinois and later to Nebraska and became his father's partner in Columbus with the division of labor indicated above. In 1901, following his father's death, he disposed of the store and has since devoted his entire attention to the work of contracting and building. He has erected many of the beautiful homes of Columbus, including the residence of A. M. Post, M. Brugger and Dr. Martyn, Sr., as well as many attractive homes in the surrounding territory. He thoroughly understands the builder's art and has the power of combining utility, convenience and beauty in a most attractive and satisfactory way.
On the 10th of June, 1876, Mr. Murdock was married, in Warren county, New York, to Miss Sarah A. Hilkins, whose father, Samuel Hilkins, was one of the pioneers of that county. Their home is a large modern residence, built in 1909,
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and stands in the midst of attractive grounds, rendering it one of the most beautiful places in Columbus.
In his political views Mr. Murdock is a republican and keeps in touch with the questions and issues of the day but has never had a desire for public office. Fra- ternally he is connected with Columbus Camp, No. 299, M. W. A. He makes other interests subservient to his business affairs, and yet he is too well balanced to allow even his industrial activities to monopolize his time and attention. His success is attributable to close application, for early in his career he recognized the eternal principle that industry wins and he has made industry the beacon light of his life.
PETER J. PETERSEN.
Peter J. Petersen is one of the well known and enterprising agriculturists of Walker township, his home being on section 15. He has spent the greater part of his life in this county, whither he was brought in his early boyhood. He is a native of Denmark, born August 15, 1866. At the age of seven years he was brought by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Christian Petersen, to the new world and during the periods in which the family lived in Vermont and New York he pursued his educa- tion in the public schools. He afterward continued his studies in Nebraska, but the necessity for assisting in the work of the home farm caused him to put aside his textbooks. He herded cattle on the river bottoms when but fourteen years of age and has always led a life of industry, his labors being attended with a grati- fying measure of success. In addition to tilling the soil in the cultivation of the crops best adapted to climatic conditions here, he is engaged in raising Belgian horses, keeping a fine stallion.
In 1888 Mr. Petersen was united in marriage to Miss Ernette Jenson, daughter of Nels and Ellna Jenson, of Boone county, by whom he has six children, namely : Clara, Edgar, George, Lloyd, Teckla and Oscar. The home of the family is an attractive residence and all of the buildings upon the farm are exceptionally good. making this one of the highly improved properties of Walker township. The farm is fenced and cross-fenced, thus being divided into fields of convenient size, and everything about the place presents a neat and thrifty appearance. Progress char- acterizes Mr. Petersen in all that he does and his work may well be accepted as a standard for agricultural activity. Moreover, he occupies a high position in the regard of his fellowmen, many of whom count him a warm friend.
CHARLES STONE.
Charles Stone, who was one of the early settlers of Platte county and has con- tributed to the agricultural development of Walker township, was born in Sweden, August 12, 1848, a son of John and Christine Stone. Following the father's death, which occurred in Sweden, the mother became the wife of John Anderson and they came to the United States when the subject of this review was about twenty years of age. The family home was maintained in Wisconsin until about 1870, when they
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removed to this county, and Mr. Anderson homesteaded land in what is now Wal- ker township. He and his wife both passed away here.
Charles Stone, who in early manhood became a resident of this county, home- steaded one hundred and sixty aeres of land and has now resided upon his farm for forty-two years. His first house was a dugout twelve by twelve feet, and in order to build it it was necessary to walk to Shell Creek to get poles and also to seeure the grass for the roof. There was no grass growing upon his land as it had all been destroyed by prairie fires. He at onee set to work to improve his farm and at length had his land all under cultivation. His industry and good management have enabled him to accumulate a competenee and he is now living practically retired.
In 1875 Mr. Stone was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Jensen, a native of Denmark and a daughter of Henry and Mattie Jensen. Her father died in that country, but her mother subsequently married Carl S. Steiner and they came to the new world, taking up their abode in Platte county, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Stone have nine children: Henry, who is married and lives in Alberta, Canada; Alfred, who is married and resides on an eighty aere farm in Walker township; Edward, who is married and lives in York, Nebraska; Arthur, who is also married and is farming eighty acres in Walker township; Annie, the wife of Nels C. Nelson, of Valley, Nebraska; and Daniel, Marquis, Cora and Frederick, all at home.
Mr. Stone supports the republican party at the polls and has always manifested a commendable interest in the general welfare. Since his arrival in the county there have been many remarkable changes as the conditions of the frontier have given place to those of a thickly settled and prosperous farming region. When he eame here the nearest neighbors of the family were a number of miles distant and there were the usual hardships of pioneer life to be met. He and the other settlers, how- ever, were not discouraged and at length their determination and industry conquered, the present high state of development of the county being due to their efforts.
ERWIN NICHOLSON.
Erwin Nicholson, whose agricultural interests place him among the leading farmers of Lost Creek township, where he owns and cultivates one hundred and twenty aeres, was born in Stark county, Illinois, January 4, 1859, his parents being Robert and Lucy (Brown) Nicholson. The father was born in New York and the mother in Canada and the former passed away at the age of sixty-four years. He was a farmer by occupation and on removing westward became one of the pioneer settlers of Illinois, finding that all conditions of frontier life existed at the time of his arrival in that state. Later he removed to Chicago and worked on the first railroad built out of that city. In 1860 he took up his abode in Henry county, Illinois, where he purchased land, owning and cultivating his farm there until 1870, when he came to Nebraska and took a homestead on seetion 17, Lost Creek township. There were only a few families in Lost Creek township at that period and his nearest neighbor was three miles distant, while Columbus was his trading point. He made the journey to Platte county by driving across the country and as soon as he had ehosen a traet of land he began breaking prairie, setting out
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trees and otherwise developing and improving his place, which comprised two hundred and forty acres. There he carried on general farming with growing success, for the labors of one year made the duties of the succeeding year easier. He con- tinued to own and occupy the old homestead to the time of his death in 1888 and was regarded as one of the valued and representative farmers of his community. He and his wife were the parents of two children: Erwin; and Effie Ann, who became the wife of George Alexander but died in 1894.
Erwin Nicholson, the elder of the two children and the only survivor of his father's family, was a youth of eleven years when, in October, 1870, he came with his parents to Platte county, and his youth was spent amid pioneer surroundings and he shared with the family in the usual hardships, trials and privations of frontier life. He lived three miles from the nearest school in his township and he had few of the advantages which the young people of the present day so easily secure. He remained at home until twenty-five years of age, when he started out in life on his own account, beginning farming for himself on section 17, Lost Creek township. Here he has since made his home and all of the improvements upon his farm are monuments to his enterprising and progressive spirit. He has one hundred and twenty acres of good land, which he devotes to general agricultural pursuits, raising the various cereals best adapted to soil and climate. He devotes all of his time to farm work and is meeting with creditable and well merited success in his undertakings. He is now one of the stockholders of the Monroe Bank.
In 1887 Mr. Nicholson was united in marriage to Miss Eva Morgan, a native of Indiana and a daughter of William and Louise (Horsley) Morgan, who, removing to Illinois, became residents of Chillicothe, that state, whence they afterward went to Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson have three children: Erma, a sixth grade teacher in the schools of Norfolk, Nebraska; Mabel, who is employed in the drug store of Mrs. Kehoe, of Platte Center; and Harry, who is upon the home farm.
Mr. Nicholson has never had political aspirations, nor has he sought to figure prominently in public life, but has concentrated his energies upon his farm work, and whatever success he has achieved and enjoyed is attributable entirely to his own labors. He represents one of the old families of the county, having for forty-five years made his home within its borders, during which time he has witnessed many notable and radical changes.
PETER PEARSON.
Peter Pearson, a prosperous farmer living on section 31, Joliet township, was born in Jemtland, Sweden, January 22, 1860, a son of Andrew and Sarah (Nelson) Pearson. He came to America and to Platte county, Nebraska, with his parents in 1882, and on beginning his independent career worked as a hired hand in this county for three years. He then purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 31. Joliet township, which he has since cultivated, and later bought an addi- tional three hundred and twenty acres, one hundred and sixty acres of which, however, he has sold to his son. His present farm comprises a half section of land and to its cultivation he devotes his time and energy. He has met with gratifying
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success as a stoek-raiser and specializes in Red Polled cattle, Duroc Jersey hogs and Belgian horses. He also raises grain and derives a good income from his land.
On the 3d of October, 1885, occurred the marriage of Mr. Pearson and Miss Hannah Nelson, a native of Sweden, who was brought to Platte county, Nebraska, by her parents, Nels and Elsie Nelson. Mr. and Mrs. Pearson have become the parents of ten children, of whom Clarence is now engaged in farming for himself. He married Anna F. Thomazin and has one daughter. The others, Elsie, Victor, Wesley, Ferdinand, Anna, Allen, Floyd. Dwight and Donald, are all at home. Mr. Pearson believes thoroughly in the value of a liberal education and has given all of his children good advantages along that line, one having graduated from the State University at Lincoln and another being now a student there.
Mr. Pearson is an independent democrat in politics and refuses to follow blindly the dietates of party leaders. He is a member of the Swedish Methodist church, in the work of which he takes a very active part, and in his daily life he exemplifies the teachings of that organization. His excellent qualities have gained him not only the respeet but also the warm regard of those with whom he has come in contact, and he is recognized as a valued citizen of his township.
PETER SWANSON.
Great eredit is due to the early settlers of Platte county, who came here when this district was but raw prairie and who persevered in spite of many discourage- ments and privations in the effort to bring the wild land under cultivation and to build up a prosperous community. Although at times the difficulties in the way seemed insurmountable their determination and energy achieved the task to which they had set themselves. Many of the pioneers have passed away but some are still living, among the number being Mr. and Mrs. Peter Swanson, who are enjoying a period of rest and leisure in St. Edward.
Mr. Swanson was born near Mattmar, Sweden, on the 25th of March, 1844, and received his education in his native land, remaining there until he reached the age of twenty-five years. He then came to the United States and, making his way to the middle west, located in Illinois, where he remained until 1872, when he came to this county and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Walker township. He at once began the development of his farm and as the years passed added improvements while carefully conserving the fertility of the soil. He was a practical and progressive agriculturist and received a good financial return from his land. He added to his holdings and now owns two hundred and forty acres in Walker township and one hundred and fifteen acres in Boone county, which yield him a gratifying annual income. He is now living retired in St. Edward.
In 1874 Mr. Swanson married Miss Nellie Anderson, who was born in Sweden on the 29th of September, 1847, a daughter of Anders and Betsy Matson. When nineteen years of age she left her native land and crossed the Atlantic to America, continuing her journey westward to Henry county, Illinois, where she lived until 1871. In that year she came to Platte county with a brother. To Mr. and Mrs. Swanson have been born seven children: Albert, who is living in California; Melvin.
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a resident of Oregon City, Oregon; Harry T., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Alma, the wife of E. P. Hedberg, of Genoa, Nebraska; Joseph and Walter, both living in St. Edward; and Mary, at home.
Mr. Swanson casts his ballot in support of the republican party but has never been an aspirant for public office. His religious faith is that of the Swedish Methodist church, and he and his wife were among the organizers of the local con- gregation, the work of which they have always favored in every way possible. At the time when they came to this county there were but poor means of communication with other parts of the country, the houses were a number of miles apart and as the result of these conditions the settlers were compelled to rely upon themselves for whatever they needed. Like so many of the pioneers, Mr. and Mrs. Swanson lived for a considerable period in a sod house and there were none of the conveniences which are today taken as a matter of course.
Not only were there the nsnal discouragements of frontier life to be met with but there was uncertainty as to whether a crop could be gathered even if weather conditions were favorable, for a number of times the state was devastated by grass- hoppers. Mrs. Swanson tells an interesting experience at the time of a visit from these pests. One day on looking out of the window she noticed that some seed corn which she had planted looked black and on going out and hitting a stalk she found that it was covered with grasshoppers. She thought that she would save some of it for the horses and at once gather an armful as there was no time to be lost, for she could see it getting shorter, so rapidly were the grasshoppers eating it. She took that armful in to the stable and returned to get some more, but when she reached the stable with her second armful she found that the first was covered with grass- hoppers and the whole stable was full of them. Seeing that there was no hope of saving any of the corn, she left the remainder of it standing in the field. As they seemed so very hungry she tossed a loaf of bread into the yard and it was imme- diately covered by the grasshoppers, who rolled it over and over until it disappeared. The grasshoppers traveled with the wind and as soon as it ceased to blow they alighted and ate everything in sight, for a number of years completely destroying the crops. The farmers built fires around their gardens in order to save the vege- tables, on which they depended for food, from the ravages of the pests, and the smoke usually proved an efficient barrier. When the wind again sprang up the grasshoppers passed on.
EDWARD CONNELLY.
Edward Connelly, who owns an excellent farm on section 8, Joliet township, has resided thereon for thirty-one years and has witnessed a great change in the county, as when he came here it still bore many of the marks of a frontier region. He was born in Canada April 29, 1854, and is a son of William and Sarah (McMaster) Connelly, natives respectively of Ireland and Scotland. They went to Canada in 1854 and resided there until 1871, when they came to Platte county, Nebraska, and settled in what is now St. Bernard township, homesteading one hundred and sixty acres. Later, when the Northwestern Railroad was built through the county, the company purchased Mr. Connelly's quarter section for a town site,
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and at his suggestion the new town was named Lindsay, after the town in which he had lived in Canada. Both he and his wife passed away in Lindsay, Nebraska. To them were born nine children: William, who is residing in this state; Samuel, who is living in St. Bernard township; Edward; James, a resident of this state; Frank, who is living in Lindsay; Catherine, the deceased wife of John Gogan; Sarah, the widow of Ed Rathram; Mary Ann, the widow of Martin Mogan; and John, who died when sixteen years old.
Edward Connelly was reared under the parental roof and early became familiar with farm work and on starting out in life for himself decided to devote his atten- tion to agricultural pursuits. He owns three hundred and sixty acres in Joliet township, four miles south of Lindsay, and has resided continuously upon that place for thirty-one years. He also holds title to eighty acres in St Bernard town- ship, eighty acres in Walker township and a half section in Colorado. His enter- prise and progressiveness rank him among the most efficient farmers of his locality, and he receives a good financial return from the sale of his grain and stock.
Mr. Connelly was married October 7, 1884, to Miss Margaret Haney, a native of this county and a daughter of John and Mary (Quinn) Haney. Her parents were early settlers of the county and resided south of Columbus. To Mr. and Mrs. Connelly have been born nine children, three of whom are deceased, those living being: Mary, the wife of John Muck, of Lindsay; Sadie, who is teaching in the Lindsay schools; Edward, at home; Ethel, who is teaching in Joliet township; Florence, who is attending school in Fremont; and James, at home.
Mr. Connelly is a communicant of the Catholic church, whose interests he favors in every way possible, and his political allegiance is given to the democratic party. During the many years of his residence in Platte county he has gained a wide acquaintance, and all who have come in contact with him esteem and respect him because of his ability and his sterling qualities of character.
HUGH HILL.
Forty-two years have been added to the cycle of the centuries since Hugh Hill became a resident of Platte county and as ouc of its early settlers he has witnessed the greater part of its growth and development, his memory forming a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. For many years he was actively and successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising, but is now living retired, having made his home in Monroe since 1901. He was born in County Antrim, Ireland, June 14, 1840, and has therefore passed the seventy- fifth milestone on life's journey. His parents, Samuel and Jane Hill, were also natives of the same county, where the father was a landowner. He was an active man in his locality and both he and his wife held to the religious faith of the United Presbyterian church.
Hugh Hill acquired a common-school education in Ireland and remained upon his father's farm until he reached the age of twenty-five years, when he crossed the Atlantic to Canada. After spending about a month there he continued his journey to Illinois and was employed on a farm in Cook county. Later he removed to Henry county, where he worked as a farm hand near Kewanee until 1873, when
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he came to Platte county, where he has since made his home. Land at that time was very cheap and it was this that indueed him to come to Nebraska, for he was very anxious to have a farm of his own. He had carefully saved his earnings and invested in property, after which he began farming on the frontier, using ox teams to break the sod and till the fields. He found conditions indeed of a very crude character and met all of the experienees and hardships of pioneer lifc. He started in with an eighty acre tree claim, but kept adding to this from time to time by purchase until he is now the owner of seven hundred and sixty acres of valuable land. His home place comprises two hundred and forty aeres, upon which he made substantial improvements, rendering it a most comfortable home. He carried on general farming and stoek-raising, both branches of his business winning him success up to the time when he retired from active life and removed to Monroe. He is now a stockholder in the Monroe State Bank and is also interested in the Monroe Farmers Association.
In Henry county, Illinois, in 1870, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Hill and Miss Addie Leggett, a native of Philadelphia, who died in 1902, her demise being deeply regretted by many friends as well as her immediate family. To Mr. and Mrs. Hill were born eight children: Sarah, the wife of Osear Crawford, of Deseret, Utah, by whom she has one child; Edward, a farmer of Platte county, who is married and has four children; Thomas, who is married and is engaged in the grocery business at Loveland. Colorado; Harry, a farmer of Hershey, Nebraska, who is married; Fred, of this county, who is married and has one child; Louis, a farmer of this eounty, who is married and has three children; Maude, the wife of Ed Kelley, who is in the meat market at Monroe, and by whom she has a daughter, Gwendolyn; and Ida, the wife of Harlan Morrow, a farmer of this county, by whom she has a son, Harlan, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Hill are Presbyterians in religious faith and in the work of the church have taken an active and helpful interest. He assisted in building the church edifice near his farm and has always been a generous contributor to the support of the cause. In polities he is a democrat, but not an active worker in party ranks. His has been a well spent life, for he has ever been industrious and honest in business, reliable and progressive in citizenship and both he and his wife are held in high regard wherever they are known.
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