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 89
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Mr. Hinds was married to Miss Sarah Shaw, of Clayton County, Iowa, Dec. 1, 1870, and they have one son, Charles, who lives with them. Mrs. Hinds' father, John Shaw, is now living in Hanson County, Dak. Her mother died in Clayton County, Iowa, in 1858, when Mrs. Hinds was a small child.
When Mr. Hinds came here a few years ago Odell . was an insignificant place, giving but little indica- tion that it would ever reach its present importance as a lively trading city. The railway was just being built, and when Mr. Hinds commenced the erection of his present store building, the weeds were as high as a horse's back. Mr. Hinds has taken a prominent part in the administration of public af- fairs in Paddock Township, and has served as Township Clerk since its organization. Politically, he is a straight Republican, stanehly defending the principles of that party by voice and vote. Mr. and Mrs. Hinds are people of high social status in Odell. Mrs. Hinds is a member and an earnest worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Hinds belongs to Reserve Post No. 148, G. A. R., Odell; also to Odell Lodge No. 97, I. O. O. F.
G ILSON H. GALE. One of the chief points of attraction in Filley Township is the fine estate of the gentleman whose name stands at the head of this sketch. This property, a view of which we give in this ALBUM, consists of 640 acres of land, all in one body and forming a com- plete square. A beautiful residence was erected in 1885, and this, together with its numerous embel-
lishments, its shade trees, grounds and buildings adjacent, forms one of the most pleasing pictures in the landscape of this section. Mr. Gale is princi- pally interested in fine horses, of which he keeps a large number, breeding and training, having for this purpose ample barns, stables, and all the other con- veniences, including a half-mile track for speeding.
Next in importance to any man's career is that of those to whom he owes his origin, and seldom are the deeds of a man spoken of without allusion to his ancestry. The father of our subject, Adol- phus Gale, was born near the then infant city of Columbus, Ohio, in 1816. and was of Welsh and Irish ancestry on his father's side, while his mother traced her forefathers to Holland. They were an agricultural people, honest and industrious, and left a worthy record to their descendants.
The paternal grandfather of our subject died when his son Adolphus was a mere lad twelve years of age, and the boy then left his native State, and making his way to Sturgis, Mich., in company with his uncle, made his home with the latter for a period of four years. He then returned to his na- tive State, and locating in Crawford County, was occupied there on a farm until his marriage. Soon afterward, with his young wife, he moved to Steu- ben County, Ind., where he followed farming until 1867, then changed his location to Story County, Iowa,
In the Ilawkeye State Adolphus Gale experi- mented in merchandising two years, although re- taining possession of his land in Indiana. In 1869, however, he exchanged this property for a tract of land 1,440 acres in' extent, in Southern Nebraska, part lying in this connty and part in Pawnee, the larger part, however, in Gage County. He located in Filley Township, landing here with others of the family Nov. 19, 1869. On section 14 was a house, where they boarded until they could put up a dwelling, having for this purpose to transport lum- ber from Brownville, fifty miles away. By New Year's Day the house was completed, and the three families moved in, nine persons in all, including Adolphus Gale and wife, his son, our subject and family, and Mrs. F. L. Tinklepaugh, with her hus- band and family.
The "men folks" were busy all that winter build-
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ing stables, taking care of their stock, and provid- ing fuel for family use. There had been broken 200 acres of the land, and in the spring of 1870 this was sowed to wheat. The father of our sub- ject continned here until the summer of 1873, and in June of that year suffered a partial stroke of paralysis, although not wholly disabled. Two years later, however, he was stricken severely, and then sold off his stock and returned to Steuben County, Ind., where he remained nearly a year and until October, 1876. He then came back to this State, and in June, 1878, suffered the third stroke of par- alysis, which rendered him nearly helpless, but under which he survived until Sept. 2, 1882, when he passed away at bis home in Filley Township.
The mother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Julia A. Miner, daughter of Andrew and Fanny (Dart) Miner, of Crawford County, Ohio, and was married to Adolphus Gale in 1837. An- drew Miner was born in Delaware County, N. Y., Aug. 29, 1793, his early home being near the Cat- skill Mountains. His wife was born in Connecti- ent. June 24, 1795, and when two years of age was taken by her parents to the Empire State, they settling in Delaware County, where she was mar- ried to Mr. Gale at the age of twenty-one years. From New York Mr. Miner removed to Ohio a few years after his marriage. where he carried on farming for ten years, and thence went into Craw- ford County, sojourning there a period of eight years. In 1838, still migrating westward, he souglit the prairies of Illinois, making his home in Peoria County, and then crossing the Mississippi settled in Iowa, where, with his estimable wife, he spent the remainder of his days, he passing away in 1866. Seven children, three sons and four daughters, were born to them, of whom only three are now living, namely : Betsey Maria, the wife of Thomas Miller, of Crawford County, Ohio; Luman A., who is farming in Franklin County, lowa; and Julia A., who is now living with her son, our subject. Miss Miner was born in Crawford County, Ohio, May 3, 1820, and by her marriage with Adolphus Gale be- came the mother of two children: Eliza R., the sister of our subject, is the wife of F. L. Tinkle- paugh, a well-to-do farmer of Filley Township, this county, and represented elsewhere in this volume.
G. H. Gale was born June 29, 1846, in Steuben County, Ind., and until the age of eighteen years spent his early life on the farm of his father. Upon leaving home he engaged as elerk in a store of general merchandise in Waterloo, Ind. Subse- quently he learned the trade of a barber. In 1866 he went to Story County, Iowa, and thence came to this county with his father. In November, 1869, he resumed the trade of a barber in Beatrice, but three years later returned to the farm. In 1875 he migrated eastward as far as Stenben County, Ind .. and there again resumed farming. The September of 1878 found him again in this county, where he has since been contented to remain, engaged in the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, and enjoying to the full the delights of rural life.
The father of our subject in 1878 gave him the section of land on which he now lives, and upon which he has labored to such good advantage. Previous to this, in 1870, he had set ont a fine ar- ray of forest trees along the front boundary line of the farm, and perhaps no improvement which he has made has been the source of more gennine sat- isfaction or real use. Besides these trees there is a grove of three or four acres near the house, which is the admiration of the country around. In 1885 Mr. Gale ereeted the present fine residence of the family, and which, with its surroundings, indicates in a marked degree the tastes and means of the proprietor.
For over twenty years there has presided over the domestic affairs of Mr. Gale the amiable and excellent lady who became his wife Ang. 25, 1867. and who was formerly Miss Flora A. Potter. She was born in Fulton County, Ohio, Oet. 26, 1847, and they are now the parents of five children- Carl A., May, Mell, Roe and Frank, all at home with their parents. Mrs. Gale is the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Hartzell) Potter, natives re- spectively of New York and Pennsylvania. The father was born in 1815. and died in Ohio in 1857. Mrs. Potter was born April 6, 1821. The father was a wagon-maker by trade, and they had a fam- ily of five children, three of whom are living: Ed- ward is a farmer of DeKalb County, Ind .; Charles is engaged on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad there; Mrs. Gale is the youngest living.
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She is a very pleasant and intelligent lady, and the suitable partner of such a man as her husband, adorning and keeping in order their inviting home, so that it forms an attractive spot both to her fam- ily and to strangers.
In 1878 Mr. Gale, in company with his brother- in-law, Mr. Tinklepaugh, and Mr. Welsh, of Filley Township, organized a Farmer's Club in the school- house of their district, which met the approval of its best men, and in due time made the call for a State Alliance, which was duly honored. This little movement grew and flourished, and from it sprang the present Union Labor party, in which the po- litical sentiments of Mr. Gale are the most nearly represented, and to which he gives his support. A workingman in the highest sense of the term, he believes in giving to the bone and sinew of the country its rightful representation and its rightful dues.
AMUEL I. TRIPP. Among the younger farmers of Glenwood Township there are Done more industrious and enterprising than the subject of this sketch. He has 160 acres of finely cultivated land on section 20, and is grad- nally bringing about the improvements which will place it among the most desirable estates of the township. He took possession of it in 1879, and at once commenced the labors which are now plainly noticeable in their results and speak well for the proprietor.
Mr. Tripp was born in Ogle County, Ill., July 17, 1860. His father. William I. Tripp, was a native of Ohio, and born in Knox County, where he lived until twenty years of age. The mother, who in her girlhood was Miss Emily Balland. was a native of New York State, and they were married in 1858. 'They lived for the first few years in New York State, thien in Illinois, thence went to lowa, and in 1879 to Gage County, Neb., and in 1885 to Washington County, Kan., where they still reside, the father en- gaged in farming. Their family consisted of eight children, five boys and three girls, seven of whom are living and residents of Washington. Samuel, of our sketch, was the eldest, and was a little lad of five years when his parents changed their resi-
dence to Boone County, Iowa. They were among the pioneer settlers of that region ; three years later they removed to Story County, and there the early education of our subject was carried on in the im- perfect schools of that period. Subsequently he completed his studies in the High School at Ames, and in 1879 Samuel I., accompanied by his father, made his first venture into the State of Nebraska. The latter soon selected his location in Glenwood Township, and here has since remained.
Mr. Tripp, in the same year that he came here, took possession of the farm which he now owns and occupies. Ile was married, Nov. 5, 1882, in Story County, Iowa, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Will- iam and Alvina Arrowsmith, the wedding taking place at the home of the bride in Franklin Town- ship. The parents of Mrs. Tripp are natives of In- diana, and moved to Iowa about 1852, of which they are still residents, living on a farm. Their fam- ily consisted of thirteen children, all of whom are living.
To Mr. and Mrs. Tripp there have been born a daughter and son, Verna B. and Delbert J., five years and four months of age respectively. Mr. Tripp is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and Superintendent of the Union Sunday- school in Glenwood Township. Politically, he affili- ates with the Republican party.
WEN JONES is a very prosperous farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 10, Barnes- ton Township, where he owns 480 acres of well-improved land, and is busily engaged in its cultivation. lle was born in the northern part of Wales, in April, 1834, of parents who were natives of the same country, and the father is now deceased. When of suitable age to engage in business, young Jones became a railroad contractor in his native country and was successful, but wishing a broader field in which to exercise his talents he decided to try his fortune in America. Accordingly, in 1868, he crossed the ocean to the United States, first mak-' ing his home in LaFayette County, Wis., where he remained for about ten years.
In 1878 our subject came to this county, settling
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on section 7, Barneston Township, where he en- gaged in farming until 1883. He then bought the land on which he now resides, at the June land sales, and has since made his home on seetion 10. His large farm has been well improved by his own labor and industry, and on it he has erected a good house. barns, and the necessary farm buildings, made fences and planted groves of native timber, besides orchards of fruit trees. He is extensively engaged in general farming and stock-raising, receiving from his fertile fields abundant harvests of cereals and the ordinary farm produce, while his pastures are well stocked with a good grade of cattle, horses and hogs. His farm, very pleasantly located, is sup- plied with running water, and is the source of a comfortable income.
Mr. Jones was married in his native country, in January, 1864, to Miss Ruth Williams, who was also born in Wales. She grew to womanhood and received her education near the home of her birth, perfecting herself in the womanly virtues and ac- complishments which have enabled her to make for her husband a pleasant and attractive home. Since their residence in this county they have gathered around them a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances. They are members in good standing of the Presbyterian Church, and are eminently worthy of mention among the citizens of Barneston Town- ship.
NDREW S. BICKERTON, editor and pub- lisher of the Blue Springs Sentinel, has been a resident of this place since the spring of 1885. He is popular in his com- munity, and well fitted for the position which he occupies as the conductor of an important news journal. The paper is ably edited, and has become almost indispensable to the reading classes of this part of the county.
The subject of this sketch is of pure Englishı ancestry, being the son of Thomas and Margaret Bickerton, who crossed the Atlantic in 1854. Set- tling in Marshall County, III., the father engaged in coal mining nntil 1870. Then, changing his resi- dence to LaSalle County, he became engaged in mercantile business, which he continued until his
death, which occurred on the 11th of March, 1872. The mother was in her girlhood Miss Margaret Stevenson, a native of the same country as her husband, and who crossed the Atlantic with her parents in 1854. They settled in Illinois, where she was married to Thomas Bickerton that same year. They became the parents of three children, two only of whom are living : Mrs. Thomas S. Mor- gan, residing at Streator, Ill., and the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Margaret Bickerton departed this life May 12, 1879, at Streator, Ill.
The paternal grandfather of our subject, also Thomas by name, was a native of Northumberland, England, and there spent his entire life engaged as a coal miner. Andrew S., our subject, was born at Sparland, Marshall Co., Ill., and there received his early education in the common school. Later he attended the High School at Streator, and after- ward assisted his father in business, until learning the printer's trade. IIe was first employed in the office of the Monitor, and was connected afterward with various offices in that part of the State. IIe finally drifted to Chieago, and was employed in various job offices in that city until 1885, in the spring of which year he came to Blue Springs, and shortly afterward established the Sentinel, and is rapidly bringing it to the modern standard of the local newspaper.
A Republican politically, Mr. Bickerton is promi- nent in political affairs, and has been sent as a dele- gate to the State Conventions for the nomination of important officials, and otherwise making him- self indispensable to the well-being of the party in this section. He resides with his family in the. western part of the city, where they are in the en- joyment of a snug home, and all the other comforts of life. The wife of our subject, to whom he was married in Streator, Ill., Nov. 25, 1880, was for- merly Miss Hettie E. Persons, who was born at the farm homestead of her parents, near Chatsworth, Ill., Aug. 24, 1857, and is the daughter of Elilin and Emily (Gunsul) Persons, both natives of New York. Mr. Persons was reared to manhood in the Empire State, where he resided, occupied as a far- mer, until emigrating to Illinois, and was one of the earliest settlers of Kendall County. Late in life he retired from active labor, and spent his last years
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in the town of Salem, Ill., where his death took place in the fall of 1874.
The mother of Mrs. Bickerton, Emily (Gunsul) Persons, is now living in Streator. The family in- cluded four children, three daughters and one son, all of whom are living. The daughters remain with their mother, assisting in the duties of the hotel, restaurant and bakery, in which they became in- terested in 1879, after the death of the father. Het- tie, Mrs. Bickerton, received a fine musical education, having at an early age evinced more than ordinary talent in connection with this art. She excels as a vocalist, and her voice is considered one of the finest in this part of the county. She is also a skilled performer on the piano and other musical instruments.
To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born two children, one of whom, a son, died when nine months old. The remaining child, Emily Belle, was born May 19. 1882, and is now a bright little girl of six years.
OHN O. SAMSEL has seen a great deal of pioneer life, having been one of the first settlers in Elm Township, where he now owns a fine farm on section 12. His father was John G. Samsel, who was born in Frederick County, Va., and was a harness-maker by trade. He died in Virginia, after having reared a family of six children, of whom our subject was the fourth. His wife, the mother of our subject, was Rosa (Grim) Samsel, who was born in Winchester, Va., and is still living at the advanced age of eighty- two years. Her father served as a private in the Revolutionary War.
The gentleman in whose honor this sketch is written was born in Frederick County, Va., on the 8th of September, 1830, and there he attended the common schools, and received a fairly good educa- tion. When he reached the age of twenty-two years he began to carry on business for himself, and engaged in farming. In 1859 he moved to Henry County, Ind., where he continued his voca- tion for a period of eight years, after which he moved to Woodford County, Ill. Desiring to see
still more of this great undeveloped section, lie came farther West, and in 1875 settled in Elm Township, this connty, on his present farm, con- sisting of 160 acres. There were but a few families here when he came, and in common with them lie had to undergo many hardships and labor under many disadvantages in bringing his farm to its present state of cultivation.
In October, 1851, our subject was married, in Monongalia County, W. Va., to Miss Caroline Davis, who was born in that county in 1826. Her parents, Peter and Kezia Reed Davis, were both natives of West Virginia, and reared a family of seven children, of whom the wife of our subject is the eldest. The mother died in the year 1846, and the father in 1887. Mrs. Samsel is a woman of great courage and force of character, and it was by her encouragement, sympathy and womanly aid that her husband was enabled to persevere and overcome the difficulties which surrounded their early life in this section, she having patiently sub- mitted to the discomforts, hoping thereby to be more pleasantly situated in the future. As a reward of their labors they now have a very excellent farm, on which . they have made many improve- ments, and have set out beautiful groves of forest trees. and an orchard of fine fruit trees.
Our subject and his wife have been blessed with a family of seven children, some of whom have already gone forth from the parental roof, and are nicely established in homes of their own. Their names are: Jolin W., Rosa, Amalva, Millard F., Ulysses S., Della and Ennice. John W. married Miss Mary Richison, and they reside at Beatrice, at which place he is baggagemaster; they have two children-Daniel and Rollin. Rosa is the wife of Henry Burke, and they also reside in Beatrice, where Mr. B. is engaged in the insurance business; they have four children -- Carrie H., Effie, Henry and Eugene. Amalva M. is the wife of Daniel R. Wilson, who is engaged in the mercantile business in Beatrice, and in their home they have four chil- dren-Stella, Albert, John and Russel; Eunice is the wife of William Lenhart, who is a molder in the foundry at Beatrice, and they have two chil- dren-Lulu and a babe; Millard F. married Miss Marietta Andrews, and is farming in Sicily Town-
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ship; they have two children-Osa and Ora, Ulys- ses and Della are living at home with their parents.
While our subject has been so successful as an agriculturist, he has yet shown a great deal of enterprise and interest in behalf of the publie wel- fare, and for five years has acted in capacity of Treasurer of the schools of his township. He is a Republican in politics, and is anxious that the best methods should be adopted for the government of the country. He and his wife are esteemed and active members in the Methodist Church, and as a family who have done much toward the building up of this township they merit an honorable men- tion in this work.
A view of our subject's place appears elsewhere in this volume.
W ILLIAM E. MUDGE, a view of whose homestead appears elsewhere in this vol- ume, is a well-to-do farmer of Elm Town- ship, having his residence on section 1. A man but a trifle past his prime, he comes of an excellent family, being the son of Edwin and Katherine (Woolley) Mudge, both of whom were born in Kent, England, where the father in early life fol- lowed farming a short time, then became a brick- maker. The parental family consisted of four-chil- dren -- William E., Rosanna, Edwin and Eliza.
The subject of this sketchi was born'on the 6th of October, 1833, in Kent, England, and remained at home with his parents until he became of age. In receiving his education he attended the district school of his neighborhood until about nine years of age; after that time he was employed in the brickyard assisting his father. A short time after reaching his majority he was married, Dec. 25, 1854, to Miss Elizabeth Homdin, in Kent. This lady, a native of the same place as her husband, was born on the 8th of April, 1836. Her parents, Thomas and Cordelia (Berry) Ilomdin, were also natives of Kent. The parental household included eight children, namely: William, Thomas, John, Richard, Robert, Sarah, Mary Anne and Elizabeth.
On the 23d of March, 1855, Mr. Mudge with his wife and family took passage on the sailing-vessel
"Webster" for America, and landed in New York City on the 30th of April following. They at once proceeded to the vicinity of Utiea, N. Y., where Mr. Mudge engaged in farming three years. In 1858 they removed to Chillicothe, the county seat of Livingston County, Mo., in which place our sub- ject continued to work at his old trade of brick- making three years, and nutil near the opening of the Civil War. There then being a company of hostile Southerners known as Quantrell's Band, lo- cated in the neighborhood near which our subject lived, he being a strong Union man was com- pelled to go further north in order to be free from molestation from them.
In the spring of 1861 Mr. Mudge moved to Mnd Creek, Gage County, this State, where he bought forty acres of land, and for two years carried on farming. He took an interest in the improvement of the country and helped to build the first school- honse at Beatrice. In the spring of 1863 he went further west, and started "Buffalo Ranch" on the Little Blue, in what was then Nuckolls County, which he operated for a little over three years, and was meeting with fair success until August. 1868, when the Indians made a raid on the neighborhood, drove away nearly all the cattle, and Mr. Mudge and his family were again compelled to seek safety in flight. He lost all his stock, which was driven off by the Indians, together with his household goods. About all he and his family saved was the wearing apparel which they had on. The loss of Mr. Mudge and his partner was found by careful calculation to be $7,450.50.
Mr. Mudge served five months in the Territorial militia called out by Gov. Butler, and took part in the efforts made to disperse the Indians. Ile re- ceived for his own services $16 per month, and for his horse $12 and rations. They had no actual battles with the savages, but our subject gained quite an inkling of general warfare. After the command was disbanded Mr. Mudge went back to his ranch, where he remained about sixteen months. Hle was obliged to commence at the foot of the lad- der again, having lost everything, and in August, 1866, sought refuge in Elm Township, this county, where he homesteaded his present farin of 160 acres, which is located on sections 1 and 2, and
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