USA > Nebraska > Gage County > Portrait and biographical album of Gage County, Nebraska : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 58
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In February, 1884, Mr. Hutchinson set his face toward Nebraska with the intention of investing some of his hard-won cash in the wonderfully fer- tile farm lands of Gage County, and he then bought 160 acres on section 15, Paddock Township. Al- though he was well pleased with this locality he did not immediately locate here, but returned to his home in Illinois. In March, 1888, he came back here to settle on his land, having wound up his affairs in the Prairie State. Ile soon bought an additional eighty acres of land adjoining his first purchase, on which he has built corn eribs, wagon sheds, etc. Although he has been here but a short time, with characteristic energy he has already made many valuable improvements on his farm, all of which is under cultivation, except the part devoted to pasturage. He has set out a thrifty orchard of seventy-five apple and forty peach trees. From experience he has found hog-raising very remuner- ative, and he is going to give special attention to that branch of stock-raising, he having brought
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some full-blooded Poland-China hogs with him from Illinois.
Mr. Hutchinson bears a fine reputation in his old home as being a practical man, of sound principles and stability of purpose, one whose word was never doubted, one in whom his neighbors put perfect confidence, and as such he may be regarded as a great acquisition to this community. He and his wife are stanch members of the Presbyterian Church, and their influence will always be found on the side of the right. Politically, Mr. Hutchin- son belongs to the Republican party, and he is firm in his support of its policy.
HILLIP J. MYERS. The subject of this writing is among the most valuable citizens the country possesses. He is making it his chief business to provide the farmer as he goes about the work of producing material for the world's market, and the tradesman in the commer- cial world, with the highest class of animals, in har- mony with the law of " the survival of the fittest." He is one of the most substantial farmers and horse- raisers of the county, and his beautiful farm is lo- cated on sections 20 and 21, Midland Township. He has been a resident of this county since 1873, and of the State since 1869. He was born on the 30th of May, 1835, in Prussia, and is the son of Jacob and Margaret (Julius) Myers. The family came to the United States in the spring of 1836, and settled first in Albany, N. Y., where for about four years the father of our subject followed the occupation of gardening. In September, 1840, they removed to Kenosha County, Wis., and entered land and en- gaged in farming and stock-raising. The journey from Albany was taken by way of the Erie Canal to Buffalo, and thence by way of the lake to Wis- consin. His family included at that time, besides himself and wife, five children. The boats at that time ran only about once in three months. He brought considerable property with him in the ves- sel, consisting of household and other goods, and as this was a day before the erection of freight houses, the goods upon being removed from the vessel were piled upon the beach, where. he was in-
formed, they would be perfectly safe, but that night a storm arose and in the morning they found everything had been washed into the lake and lost, leaving them with only the few things they wore on had carried in their hands.
Left as above described, Mr. Myers, Sr., sought employment, and, for two years worked as hard as it was possible for him to do, and was successful in making a fresh start. He became the owner of an exceptionally fine and well equipped farm, and for many years prior to his death enjoyed the golden harvest of his success. He was called to his last rest at the age of seventy-nine years, in the year 1876. His widow survived him until the year 1885, and died at the good old age of ninety years. Their family of five children all grew up to years of ma- turity, and it was their pleasure to see them well started in life. Jacob, the eldest son, is one of California's "forty-niners," and is a resident of Colusa County. that State; Catherine, the second child (deceased), was the wife of Dr. Edward Hop- kins, of California, in which State her brother An- drew resides; Francis G. went to California in 1849, and raised the first grain in that State, and thrashed it with the first machine used there; it was a one-horse tread power, open cylinder thrashing- machine, and was brought by way of Cape Horn, at a cost of $5,000; he is now a resident of Kenosha, Wis. The youngest child was our subject, Phillip J.
At the time of the removal of the family to the United States our subject was less than a year old, and his early memories, therefore, center around the Kenosha homestead. Here he received his early education and training in farm work and care of stock. He continued to reside at home until he was twenty-two years of age, when he started for himself. In 1859 he was united in marriage with Mary Biehn. She was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 17, 1835, and was the daughter of Fred and Margaret Biehn. The family came to America in the year 1850, and settled in Kenosha County, not far from the family of Mr. Myers, Sr.
For several years after his marriage our subject continued farming in Wisconsin, but in the year 1869 determined to go West, and settled in Jeffer- son County, Neb., being accompanied by his brother- in-law, Zachariah Slater. They brought from Wis-
RESIDENCE OF P. J. MYERS, (BREEDER OF MERINO SHEEP.) SEC: 20. & 21. MIDLAND TOWNSHIP, GAGE CO.
CEIDE
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cousin 700 sheep, the first brought to this part of the State. Their venture proved to be an ahun- dant success. and when they dissolved partnership not long after each had 2,000 head. Mr. Myers bought sheep from the East, always seeking to ob- tain the finest animals of the best grades, until he became the owner of 2.500 head. With these he continned his ranch and business until 1873, when he removed to Gage County. remaining in that busi- ness until 1884, carrying at all times a very large stock of the most valuable class of animals. In 1884 he sold all excepting some thoroughbred Merino sheep. of which he was reputed to possess the best in the United States. In 1888 he realized from his 220 sheep 4,325 pounds of Merino wool. an average of nineteen pounds and eleven ounces, being the highest yield for any entire flock in the United States.
Mr. Myers settled upon the premises now occu- pied by him in the year 1882. while the land was yet in its unimproved state. To-day he is the owner of one of the finest farms and residences in the county. His farm comprises 240 acres, but his total real estate includes 1,360 acres. Six miles north of his home he has a farm of 320 acres; the balance of the estate is in Kansas. He is engaged now as a breeder of thoroughbred draft horses and roadsters, and in this he is just as deeply interested and thorough and successful as in sheep-rearing. In presenting the view of Mr. Myers' home place the artist has sketched some of the magnificent animals of which he is the owner. The splendid specimens of the horse and sheep shown in the view should be a source of gratification to their owner, and a satisfaction to the farmers of the community to know that they have near them such valuable stock.
Mrs. Myers died in March, 1863, leaving three children : Sophia, now the wife of Dr. B. B. Davis, of McCook, Neb .; Frank H .. and Julia L., who is the wife of J. W. Mayer, of Beatrice. Oct. 20, 1864, Mr. Myers was married a second time, the lady being Miss Anna Slater, and by this union there have been seven children, three living-Mary. Ada and Kirk; those deceased are Willie E., Ed- ward, Julius and Walter. Mrs. Myers is the daugh- ter of Jerry and Mary ( Barraclough) Slater; they were both natives of Yorkshire, England. In 1849
they settled in Racine County, Wis. Mrs. Myers was also born in Bradford. Yorkshire. Our subject was the first Supervisor of Midland Township, an office, in common with every other, he would rather be excused from. His political aspirations are to see the best men holding the reins of Government. the men who will rule and govern. direct and man- age affairs with a view to the best interests of the people. Ile is a stanch Republican and a strong supporter of the principles of that party. Ile is one eminently respected, and also regarded as among the best and most valued citizens, not only in Mid- land Township, but of Gage County.
AMES H. SCOTT came to this county in 1869, when there was not a house in sight from his home, which was situated on quite an eminence south of the place now ocenpied by the city of Wymore. His nearest neighbor lived over beyond where the city now stands, and the business portion of the neighboring city of Blue Springs consisted of only a store and a post-office. Mr. Scott bought a homestead where the city of Wymore now stands, at second hand, paying only 82 per acre. He was here for five or ten years be- fore the population was much increased, and after the city began to flourish he remained here until 1884, when he went down to his land in Kansas and remained four years, making some improvements. lle returned to Wymore in 1888.
Our subject was born in DeWitt County, Ill., in 1837, and lived there until he became a young man. when he went with his mother to Iowa, thence to Missouri, where he lived for quite a time, then com- ing to this place, dividing part of the time between his present home and his land in Kansas. He has seen the improvements as they were made since the time that a bare prairie lay stretching its undula- tions before the eye to the present thriving city of 3,000 inhabitants.
Mr. Scott was united in marriage with Miss Good- win, who died leaving two children-James W. and Levi W. Then he was married to Miss Mary C. Tisdale, and to them there have been born seven children. They are all at home with their parents,
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the older ones having the best advantages for re- ceiving their education, and we name them as fol- lows: Andrew C., Lillie May, Nancy I., Alexander, Benjamin B. and Henry J.
For nineteen years our subject has lived in this vicinity, and has built for himself a fine house on the bluff south of the city. He has improved his farm and divided up a goodly portion of it into city lots, which of course were very valuable. He has given attention to general farming and stock- raising, and is the owner of seventy acres of land, part of which lies within the city limits, besides other town lots; and in Hodgeman County, Kan., he has a half section of good land. He enjoys the best reputation, and by all of his townspeople he is highly mentioned as an honorable friend and neighbor. William Scott, his father, was born in the East, afterward moving to Ohio, and died when our subject was only five or six years old. Scott's Addition to Wymore was made and recorded six years ago, and is now all improved. Much credit is due our subject for his enterprising and honora- ble mode of conducting business, and to him is the city indebted for a goodly share of its improve- ments.
P ERCY J. SMETHERS. There are few more attractive homesteads within the lim- its of Gage County than that owned and occupied by the subject of this sketch, who is one of the younger members in its farming com- munity, and who is pleasantly located on the south- east quarter of section 29, in Glenwood Township. Here he has a neat and substantial residence, a good barn, and the other buildings necessary for the suc- cessful prosecution of his calling. He has planted a large number of fruit and shade trees, and grad- ually added the other embellishments which form the complete home and serve to increase the beanty and value of his property. The traveler passing through this section will notice this farm and form his opinion as to the habits and character of the proprietor.
Mr. Smethers comes of good Pennsylvania stock, his parents, Josiah and Mary (Hill) Smethers, hav- ing been natives of the Keystone State, born, reared
and married in Luzerne County. From there in about 1853 they emigrated to Lee County, Ill., settling near Dixon, where the father carried on farming. They came to the State of Nebraska in the year 1878 and here settled on a farm in Glen- wood Township, where they lived until 1887, then took up their abode in Lanham, where they now reside. They became the parents of ten children, five sons and five daughters, of whom Percy J. was the third child. He was born in Lee County, Ill., Sept. 30, 1856, where he lived until a young man of twenty-two years, becoming familiar with farm pursuits and acquiring his education in the com- mon schools.
Not long after reaching his majority our subject was united in marriage with one of the most esti- mable yonng ladies of his native county, Miss Mary Uhl, who was born June 17, 1857. and is the daugh- ter of Hiram and Margaret (Wilhelm) Uhl, who were natives of Pennsylvania. The mother departed this life in Lee County, III., about 1858, and the father still resides there. Their family consisted of four children, two now living. Mr. Uhl subsequently married Nancy Hughes, by whom he had four children.
Mr. and Mrs. Smethers lived in the Prairie State a year after marriage, then came with the parents of our subject to this county. They located in Beatrice, where they lived one year and one-half, when Mr. S. bought 160 acres of Government land which comprises his present farm, and which was a part of the Otoe reservation. It was in an unculti- vated condition, and it is hardly necessary to say that it has required no small amount of labor and good management to bring it to its present state. Each year sees something added to its value, and already in its appointments there are mirrored the essential requirements of the complete rural home, the abode of peace and plenty, and one of the best monuments of industry and perseverance that a man can build for himself.
Mr. Smethers signified his early political views by casting his first Presidential vote for Gen. Han- cock, and has since uniformly supported Democratic principles. Religiously, he and his excellent wife belong to the English Lutheran Church. They have three children : Nettie V., Elroy and Stella F.,
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the eldest ten years of age and the youngest two. Mr. Smethers believes in the education of the young, and his children will be given the advan- tages suitable to their position in the community. He has always maintained a warm interest in the social and moral welfare of his township, and in his district has served as Treasurer of the school fund.
OHN HAND is an honored pioneer of Pad- clock Township, he being one of the very first settlers in this neighborhood. When he came here in 1878, and bought of the Gov- ment his present place, comprising 160 acres on sec- tion 26, there was but one other settler here, S. S. Spires, who had preceded him only a short time previously. Then A. MeClung settled on a quar- ter of section 34, a few weeks later. All the conn- try around was wild, unbroken prairie, the hannt of numerous Indians, and the home of wolves, deer, and other wild game. In the decade that has elapsed since then Mr. Hand has witnessed many wonder- ful changes, and has taken an active part in bring- ing about the present advanced condition of the township and county. His experience as a pioneer was fraught with many interesting incidents, and as related by him, are well worth listening to; we are sorry that the brevity of this biographical sketch will not allow us to insert an account of his early life in this county in these pages.
Mr. Hand was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, March 7, 1830. His parents were Thomas and Char- ity (Andrews) Hand. natives respectively of Ohio and Maryland. The father was born in 1804, and died in his native State, Aug. 28, 1852, having scarcely passed the prime of life. His estimable wife survived him many years, her death occurring in Ohio in 1873. She was born in 1798, and when fourteen years of age left her native Maryland to live in Ohio, where she spent the remainder of her life.
The son of that worthy couple, who forms the subject of this sketch, was reared in his native county, and made his home there until twenty-one years of age. Being a vigorous, enterprising young man, ambitious to make his own way in the world,
he left Tuscarawas County when he attained his majority, and went to Van Wert County. in the same State, where he lived for several years. There he met Miss Julia A. Whitby, and they were united in marriage Jan. 21, 1855. She is a model wife and mother, devoted to the interests of her family. Of this marriage eight children have been born, five of whom survive.
After marriage Mr. Iland continued to reside in Ohio for some years, but in 1868 he removed with his family to Clinton County, Iowa, where they lived until 1878, when they came to Nebraska, and located in their present home. At that time Mr. Hland's financial condition was at a low ebb, and after arranging for the purchase of a quarter-section of Government land which formed a part of the reservation, he had just enough money left to make the first payment. Prosperity has since smiled npon him, and he has been enabled to improve his land into as fine a farm as there is in this neighborhood, and the harvests that he reaps from it put him in possession of a good yearly income. Ile has erected a cozy and conveniently arranged house, a stable, and has other necessary out-buildings, and his place is neat and well-kept in appearance.
Mr. and Mrs. Hand are highly respected in this community ;"they are sincere Christians, and were formerly connected with the Wesleyan Methodist Church, while they were residents of Ohio. Mr. Iland is a man of nublemished repnte, is careful and considerate in his dealings with others; he is a hard and constant worker, with much practical sagacity. and is highly deserving of the prosperity that has resulted from his efforts. Ile is a straight Repub- lican in his political sentiments, and never fails to give his hearty support to the candidates of his party at the polls.
OHN KEPPLE, one of the progressive and prosperous farmers of Barneston Township, was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., on the 12th of November, 1835. His father, Ja- cob Kepple, now deceased, was born in the same place, of German descent. The maiden name of his wife, the mother of our subject, was Martha
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Deemer, a native of Pennsylvania to whom he was married about 1825. Their family circle included ten children, and of these our subject was the fifth child. It was their privilege to see their children grow up and enter apon honorable and useful ca- reers. They are scattered in various parts of the Eastern States, and so far as is known the circle is yet unbroken by death.
In the public schools of his native county our subject busily employed the days of his youth, and is possessed of a fairly thorough English education. On leaving school he engaged in farming, and in the spring of 1865 went to St. Anthony Falls, Minn., but before the winter set in had removed to Rock Island County, Ill. In the former place he had worked in a sawmill. but upon moving to Illi- nois he engaged on a farm, and so continued un- til 1872, when he went to New Mexico, and was occupied in mining, and thence three years later he went to the Black Hills, traveling through the mountains, mining a little and prospecting. This continued for about three years, by which time he came to Nemaha City ; that was in the year 1878. His removal to this county dates from 1881, when he settled upon his present farm.
Mr. Kepple is one who has never drained the cup of matrimonial bliss, and yet withal seems to thrive and prosper, although denying himself such com- panionship.
ILAN E. CHAPMAN, operating as general insurance agent and auctioneer at Beatrice, cast his lot with the people of Southern Nebraska in July of 1886, and has been closely identified with the interests of this county since that time. He previously lived a year in the western part of the State. A native of Bureau County, Ill., he was born near the little town of Walnut, July 18, 1861, and was the fourth in a family of five sons, the offspring of Ozias E. and Sarah (Beeman) Chapman, who were natives of Medina County, Ohio. Our subject is the name- sake of his paternal grandfather. Ozias Chapman was a successful farmer and stock-raiser, and, leaving the Buckeye State at an early period in his
life, settled in Bureau County, Ill., where both par- ents still live at the old homestead.
The subject of this sketch was reared a farmer's boy, and pursued his first studies in the district school. He was fond of his books and ambitious to learn, and at an early age developed into a teacher, officiating as pedagogue in the building where his father and subsequently his four brothers had discharged the same duties. Young Chapman, in the spring of 1885, striking out for himself, started for the State of Nebraska, and located first at Clay Center in Clay County, establishing in the business to which he still gives his attention. Six months later he removed to Phelps County, and became editor of the Bertrand Journal, with which he was engaged four months. Then returning to Illinois he was married, June 30, 1886, to Miss Lizzie A. Waterhouse, and then, selecting Beatrice as his future field of operations, came to this city, where he has since resided. Not long afterward he associated himself in partnership with J. W. Eber- sol, and as Ebersol, Chapman & Co., they operated together for eighteen months, when Mr. Chapman purchased the interest of his partner and succeeded to the business, which he has since carried on alone. His insurance transactions represent the leading companies of the United States, including the Hartford of Connecticut, the German-American of New York State, and many others equally prominent and popular. He also represents the Mutual Life of New York, and the Union Central, of Cincinnati, Ohio. In politics he is a stanch Republican.
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USTIN L. WAY was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio, on the 26th of October, 1829, and is the son of Elisha and Anna Way, who were natives of Connecticut and Massachusetts respectively. The early years of his life were spent on a farm in his native county, where he remained until the year 1854, the greater part of the time at the home of his parents. In that year he moved to Henry County, Ill., and settled near Kewanee, in which place he made his home until 1871, being engaged in farming. He then went to Page County, Iowa, and again en-
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gaged in farming on some land which he had formerly purchased, remaining there until 1881, when he came to this county and settled in Glen- wood Township. He owns 160 acres of good farm- ing land on section 2, on which he has made noticeable improvements, both in the state of its cultivation and in the manner in which he has adorned it with a good house, barn, and all the nec- essary farm buildings and fences. He is engaged in general farming and stock-raising.
On the 26th of October, 1879, our subject was united in marriage, in Kewanee, Ill., with Miss Anna Butterwick, who is a native of Newcastle, England. She is the daughter of Thomas and Anna Butterwick. By this marriage they have be- come the parents of seven children, who are named : Ella, Bertha, Ross, Daisy, Haven, Howard and Lloyd. Both Mr. and Mrs. Way are active mem- bers of the Baptist Church, and are highly esteemed in society. The former advocates the cause of the Republican party in politics, and as far as he is able aids in the upbuilding of his section. Among business men his word is as binding as would be a written agreement, and it is always understood that he can be relied upon doing whatever he promises to do. His integrity and uprightness of character are unimpeachable, and among good and public- spirited citizens he stands in the first rank.
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AMES C. BRINKWORTH is Chairman of the Board of Public Works of the beantiful and tasty city of Beatrice, upon whom rests largely the responsibility of many of the most important works that have for their object the public welfare. In Somersetshire, England, onr subject was born on the 20th of July, 1853. His father, John Brinkworth, a native of the same county, was a farmer, and had charge of some 600 acres, so that our subject became fully accus- tomed to agricultural life even from his earliest childhood. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Fannie Uncles. Of this union thir- teen children were born, ten of them grew to ma- turity, and all of them have come to this country.
It was the good fortune of our subject to receive
that valuable inheritance, a good education, first under a private governess, who instructed him in the more elementary branches preparatory to his admission to the Crosscombe Academy, at Cross- combe, England, which he attended for several years, and from which he was graduated. He was seventeen years of age when he came to this coun- try in company with his parents and the other members of the family. They settled in Living- ston County, Ill., and engaged in agricultural pur- suits, in which also our subject continued for three years. For the six years immediately following he was engaged working with one man at the carpen- ter trade, and in that time became a very expert master workman, fully competent to take charge of anything in his line and execute it in a proper manner.
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