Portrait and biographical album of Gage County, Nebraska : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 91

Author: Chapman Brothers (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Brothers
Number of Pages: 794

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 91

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No doubt during this course of reading our sub- ject suffered many a headache from the effort to retain in his memory all the long technical terms and illustrations of that excellent writer, but per- severing to the end he finished his course in a satis- factory manner, and was admitted to the Illinois State Bar in 1881. In January, 1882, he came to Beatrice and practiced his profession until October of the same year, when, his present position in this city being offered him, le accepted it, and came to Liberty. His older brother, William W. Harden, is President of the bank, and is doing a large amount of business, having the confidence of the citizens of this thriving city.

Mr. Harden was married, on the 1st of March, 1883, to Miss Georgia A. Geer, a daughter of James Geer, of Lee County, Ill. To this established home

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there have come two children. Fred and Grace, to lighten the pathway of their parents, and brighten their home. Our subject has become the owner of a large amount of land, having 280 acres in this county, and 1.920 acres in the western part of this State and Kansas. While he is public-spirited, and takes an active interest in the public affairs of the day, he has not time to devote his service exclu- sively to outside affairs, and consequently never seeks official honors. He is a member of the social order of A. O. U. W. He affiliates with the Re- publican party in politics, and is in a fair way to attain the highest measure of success in life. At present he has discontinued the contemplation of "incorporeal hereditaments," and confines himself to the stern facts of everyday business matters. Mrs. Harden is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and is in every respect a most admirable lady.

R L. TINKLEPAUGII, of Filley Township, is regarded as one of its most solid and sub- stantial, as well as plain, matter of-fact and reliable men, whose word is as good as his bond, and whose judgment is held in universal respect. HIe was one of the earliest settlers of this part of the county, and came at a time when energetic and resolute men were most needed to develop its re- sources, and encourage to its borders an industrious and intelligent class of citizens.

Our subject is the offspring of a substantial old family. His father, Almon Tinklepaugh, was born in Smithfield, Madison Co., N. Y., Oct. 25, 1811. Upon leaving his boyhood tramping grounds he migrated first to New York City, from there to Brooklyn, and thence into Wayne County. He had learned cabinet-making early in life, which he fol- lowed until its close. He married Miss Caroline Ackerman, a native of Hackensack, N. J., who was born Aug. 15, 1813. From New York they removed to various points, finally locating in La- grange County, Ind., and from there moved to Pentwater, Mich., where Mr. T. became owner of a farm, carried on his trade, and also invested a part of his capital in dry-goods and general mer- chandise, carrying on business thus for some time.

In 1872 he retired from active life, and, with his excellent wife, is now enjoying the comforts of a nice home in the city of Pentwater.

To Almon and Caroline Tinklepangh there were born five children, two sons and three daughters. Of these the only son living is our subject. He was born Oct. 25. 1838, in Sodus, N. Y., where his education began, but before it was completed the family removed to Indiana. There he attended school and worked on the farm, remaining under the home roof until twenty years old. Wishing now for a change of occupation, he engaged as clerk in a clothing store at Lagrange. Ind., but one year later, like many another lad, returned to the farm, and was thereafter mostly engaged in agri- cultural pursuits until his marriage. When twenty- two years old Mr. Tinklepaugh took unto himself a partner and helpmate, Miss Eliza R. Gale, daugh- ter of Adolphus and Julia A. Gale, and sister of G. H. Gale, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. The wedding occurred at the home of the bride, May 18, 1861, and the young people com- menced life together in Steuben County, Ind.

The wife of our subject was born in the latter- named county, Sept. 16, 1839, and remained with her parents until her marriage, receiving a fair edu- cation, and being trained by a wise and sensible mother in those duties which have made her an ad- mirable partner for her husband and an excellent mother to her children, Mr. and Mrs. T. spent the first seven years of their married life engaged in farming pursuits in Lagrange and Steuben Coun- ties, Ind., and then our subject tried his hand at merchandising with his father one year. In 1867 he went to Story County, lowa, and purchased a farm of 160 acres, but as his father-in-law had a large tract of land in this county. Mr. T. was persuaded to sell his Iowa land and join the former in this county. The two families lived together until two years later, when our subject put up the house which he now occupies.

The property of Mr. Tinklepaugh includes a fine farm 320 acres in extent, and he makes a specialty of corn and oats. He has made all the improve- ments on his farm himself, bringing them about only by a course of plodding industry, the only sure process by which success in any undertaking

RESIDENCE OF MRS. L.R. WALDRON. SEC. 27. HOOKER TOWNSHIP.

RESIDENCE OF F. L. TINKLEPAUGH , SEC. 4. FILLEY TOWNSHIP.

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can be achieved. The lumber for his house was hauled from Nebraska City, a distance of fifty miles, and for it he was obliged to pay $33, and has lum- ber in the structure for which he paid as high as · $75 per 1,000 feet. Hle drew stone for the founda- tion nine miles, and was thus employed thirty-five days. After the completion of the dwelling and other necessary buildings, Mr. T. turned his atten- tion largely to the planting of trees. Ile has a fine apple orchard of six acres, five acres planted in cottonwood, box elder, ash and walnut, and a goodly assortment of small fruit.

In 1874 Mr. Tinklepaugh rented his farm. and going to Pentwater, Mich., spent that year mostly in visiting. Hle returned the year following, but in 1882, on account of the health of his parents and sister, and the education of his children, went hack, and this time remained until their family affairs were satisfactorily adjusted. He has always been distinguished as a public-spirited citizen, and in company with his brother-in-law, Mr. Gale, was one of the prime movers in the organization of the Farmers' Club, which has finally developed into the United Labor party in this State. This party most nearly represents his political ideas, although he votes independently. He was formerly a Repub- lican.

Of the five children born to our subject and his wife, four are now living, namely : Delphine, the wife of John Andrew, a leading farmer of Filley Township; Charles G., also carrying on agriculture in this township; Leora A. and Roy D., at home with their parents. There is also in their family a little girl by the name of Grace, whom they are bringing up. A view of the homestead owned by Mr. Tinklepaugh is presented among numerous others in this ALBUM.

G ILBERT C. FREEMAN is the enterprising editor and proprietor of the Liberty Journal, in which he sends out weekly his spicy edi- torials in behalf of the Republican party, and the newsy locals of that section of the county. The Journal is a well-printed eight-column folio, full of local and general items of information for the bene-

fit of the reading publie, and at present its cireula- tion numbers about 600 copies, with an increasing subscription list. Topics of the day are freely dis- cussed in an able manner on its pages, and the space devoted to general literature is filled by matter inferior to none.

Our subject was born in Clarion County, Pa., on the Ist of January, 1853, and is a son of Henry Freeman, of Table Rock, Pawnee Co., Neb., who set- tled there with his family in 1868. Our subject remained with his father until March. 1887, having received bis education in the schools of Table Rock, and there also learned the printer's trade. lle worked on the Table Rock Argus until the date just mentioned, when he came to Liberty, and worked for one year with B. F. Thomas, on the Liberty Journal. Ilere he received ample instruc- tion in the management of a paper, and thoroughly understanding. the editorial duties, he purchased from Mr. Thomas the office, paper and presses of the Journal, and has continued successfully to pub- lish it.

If the editor of a country paper could be present in the homes of his patrons when the paper is re- ceived, especially on the farms where newspapers do not appear too frequently, and could see the gladness with which it is received and the eager- ness with which it is perused, he would have cause for much inward gratification. Even the younger members of the family who would scarcely be sup- posed to have cultivated a taste for general read- ing, must have it in their turn, and from it they gain much information concerning their acquaint- ances in the immediate neighborhood, and a general knowledge of what is going on in the world even in the most distant parts.

The power for good which a well-conducted newspaper exerts over the people of a community can hardly be over estimated, molding and shaping at will the opinions entertained by its readers, and by its exposition of science, art and learning, it becomes a rival to the more lengthy. and thorough publications devoted to one special subject. The labors of an editor, however, are not always as fully appreciated as they should be, and he is criticized at times with much injustice by those who do not enter into the spirit of his work. The

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field of journalism is a broad one, with some dis- couragements and many encouragements tending toward success. As a rule. the patrons of a paper are the best educated, most enterprising and active members of a community. Our subjeet may well be congratulated on the amount of success and the appreciation with which his labors have been re- warded.

L EANDER J. CARPENTER. In the shadowy past, when Ohio was in its formative con- dition, when where the present proud city of Columbus and the State capitol now stand was unbroken, primitive forest, and the huntsman and woodman " blazed " their way through its traekless depths or wended their way across the plains, then there stood one little farm dwelling upon its some- what diminutive clearing, and and there had settled, in 1806, a family of pioneers from Montpelier, Vt. In the family was a little boy, who at that time was six years of age, and bore the name Royal Car- penter. Amid these surroundings he was reared to manhood, married and settled, and on the 2d of February, 1834, became the parent of a son, Lean- der J., the subject of this sketch. The father of our subject died in the year 1882, but his mother, who was a native of Massachusetts, still survives.

Our subject received a common-school education, and from that gravitated in harmony with his sur- roundings to the farm and its employments, and continued in the same until the last two years. He went to Jo Daviess County, Ill., in the summer of 1845, from there the following year to LaFay- ette County, Wis., where he remained until 1864, when he removed to Montana, and remained until the fall of 1865, and then returned East. In 1876 he leased a farm in Marshall County, Kan., and raised one crop; that accomplished be came in the fall of the same year to Pawnee County, and settled on Mission Creek. In 1884 he removed to Potter County, Dak., and was one to assist in the or- ganization of that county. He was elected County Commissioner in the fall of that year, and built the court-house at Gettysburg. Twelve months later he returned East, and in the spring of 1886 came

to Liberty and engaged in his present business, which is supplemented by his farm.

On the 31st of December. 1856. our subject en- tered into a matrimonial alliance with Miss Camelia Howe. This lady is a daughter of John and Polly (Johnson) Howe, who at present are residing a little to the east of Liberty. Her parents are na- tives of New York, and they have a family of seven children, of whom Mrs. Carpenter is the fifth. She was born in Morrow County, Ohio, July 9, 1841, and is, by the combined influence of her school and home training, eminently fitted and capable of sustaining the position in society she is called upon to fill. Five children have been born to her, three of whom are living. Their names are recorded as follows: Lorinda P., Lucien L. and Lura Myrtle. Lorinda is the wife of Peter Bowbay, of Liberty, and has two children.

While in the mountains engaged in mining oper- ations our subject struck the famous Carpenter's Bar, and after working it for a time sold it. The purchasers became immensely rich, some of the nuggets found being worth $40 and $50. Mr. Car- penter is connected with the society of Odd Fellows, and is somewhat prominent in the order and highly esteemed. He has developed large capacity for business enterprise to go ahead, and energy to keep in the advance; like Galileo, he believes that " the world moves," and will, if possible, move with it.

C HARLES H. PALMER is amply qualified by his experience to judge of the compara- tive worth of the different States of the Union, being a man of "much travel and many States." He was born on the 18th of May, 1849, in Detroit, Mich., and is a son of Nathaniel Palmer, of Lockport, N. Y. When he was one and a half years old his parents moved to Corfu, Genesee Co., N. Y., in which place he grew up and received his education. In 1866 he went to Lexington, Mo., thence to the Rocky Mountain region in 1868, living for awhile at Trinidad, Col. In the follow- ing year he turned his footsteps toward the sunny South, and for a time made his home in Madison, N. M., thence to Corfu, N. Y., in 1875, where he

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remained for three years. In 1881 he came to this county and settied at Liberty. where he has since remained.

On the 5th of March, 1878, during his last resi- dence in New York, our subject was united in mar- riage to Frances A. Sisson, a daughter of Nelson Sisson, of Corfu. They have become the parents of four children, whom we name as follows: Walter L .. Bessie L., Florence L. and Charles L.

Since his residence in this place our subject has been engaged in carrying on a grocery and provis- ion store, the farms, gardens and orchards in the surrounding country furnishing a supply of fine fruits and vegetables. By his gentlemanly manner of supplying the wants of his customers, and the excellent quality of the stock on hand, Mr. Palmer has built up a large trade, and has well merited the patronage which he receives. He is strictly honest and honorable in his dealings, and numbers among his patrons the best people of the city.

Among the many fraternities and social orders with which men identify themselves, the Masonic fraternity takes a leading rank, both as to its early establishment, its policy, and the amount of bene- fits which it disburses. It comes promptly to the relief of injured or ailing members, and if the father of a family is taken from them, the society comes to the assistance of the widow and orphans, not neglecting the education of the latter. It binds men together by ties of brotherhood, and in every way it strives to counteract the force of "man's in- humanity to man." Of this society our subject is a member in good standing, and part of his success in life is due to his having followed the teachings and advice so freely bestowed within its halls.

UGUSTINE W. BRADT, Councilman from the First Ward in Beatrice, is numbered among the prominent men of this section, and one who is closely identified with its most important interests. A native of the Domin- ion of Canada, he was born near Niagara Falls, April 1, 1844, and when a little lad six years of age removed with his parents to the vicinity of Buffalo, N. Y., where the father engaged in shipping

grain from Chicago to Buffalo. lle was the owner of several vessels. In Buffalo the family lived about four years. Thence they removed to Win- nebago County. Ill .. settling near Rockford. The father, William Bradt, was a manufacturer of woolen goods. but after his removal to the Prairie State turned his attention principally to agricultural pur- suits. The family came to Nebraska in 1869, and the father passed away in April of 1876.

The mother of our subjeet before her marriage was Miss Rosana Hansler, also a native of Canada, and of German descent. The parental household included five children, four sons and one daughter, namely: Byron; Mary, the wife of C. W. Snure; William H., and Augustine W., our subject. . James H. died in Beatrice when seventeen years old. Augustine was reared in Winnebago County, Ill., where he was mostly educated. but completed his studies in the commercial department of Eastinan's Business College, at Chicago. Upon emerging from this institution he engaged in farming near the homestead in Winnebago County, remaining there until March of 1870, which witnessed his arri- val in this county. His first business venture here was the opening of a meat-market at Beatrice, and he also engaged in the shipping of stock, which netted him excellent returns. A year later he dis- posed of the market and gave his whole attention to his stock business, adding thereto that of an ice dealer, and in due time handled annually 1,500 tons. Thus was formed the basis of the snug fort- une which he to-day enjoys.

One of the most important events in the life of our subject was his marriage, Nov. 19, 1869, his bride being Miss Lottie Graham, of Ogle County, Ill. Mrs. B. is also a native of Canada, and was born near the city of Prescott, on the 12th of Au- gust, 1844. Iler parents were William and Mary A. (McCullom) Graham. About 1868 she and her brother came to the States and located in Ogle County, Ill., where her marriage took place. Of this union there have been born three children- Mary, Gertie and Anna.

Mr. Bradt in 1876, having evinced more than ordinary capability and worth as a member of the community. was elected a member of the City Council, which position he has held continuously

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for a period of eight years by successive re- elections. He is now President of the Council, and has been a member of the School Board three years. He owns and occupies a tasteful and commodious residence at No. 803 Market street, at the intersec- tion of Eighth street, and which was built in 1870. Its grounds and surroundings are pleasant and at- tractive, and it is furnished in modern style, in keep- ing with the taste and means of the proprietor. Mr. Bradt is Republican in politics.

Andrew Hansler, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was a native of Canada. to which his par- ents removed from the State of Pennsylvania. He married Miss Mary Sonre, whose father was a na- tive of Germany, whence he emigrated to the United States during the Colonial days. The Bradt family traces its ancestry back to Holland, and the first representatives in America settled in Genesee County, N. Y., securing a grant of land eleven miles long and eight miles wide. This property on account of the Revolutionary War was lost to the family.

G ILBERT E. BENTLEY. There are few homes of Riverside Township better situated, more pleasant or complete in their arrangements, than that of our subject. He stands in the front rank as a farmer and stock-raiser, and makes a spe- cialty of hogs. His admirably operated and well- kept farm, a view of which may be seen on another page of this volume, is situated upon section 29, and includes 240 acres. It originally comprised 320 acres, but eighty acres of this was given to the eldest son.

Mr. Bentley was born in Chautauqua, N. Y., July 18, 1833. Here he made his home for the first eighteen years of his life, received his education, and was afterward instructed in all things pertain- ing to the management of the farm and stock. Upon leaving New York State he went to Ogle County, Ill., and settled near Polo and engaged in farming. The success that comes as a reward of practical knowledge, accompanied by energetic industry and patient perseverance, here became his. He was a resident of Ogle County until November, 1877, when he removed in order to locate upon his pres-

ent property, which at that time was in a totally unimproved condition.

During the period of his residence in Ogle County, Ill., Mr. Bentley made the acquaintance of Miss Melvina A. Wilber, a resident of that county, but a native of Delaware County, N. Y. This acquaint- ance revealed to him that this estimable young lady was possessed of a disposition, education and quali- ties that were calculated to make her companionship the one thing to be desired, and they were united in wedlock npon the 6th of April, 1851, at Oregon, Ogle Co., Ill. This lady was born in the above county and State, March 2, 1833, and is the dangli- ter of Anthony and Lucy Ann (Grant) Wilber, natives of Delaware County, N. Y. The father is dead; the mother is now a resident of Florida.

Mr. and Mrs. Bentley are the parents of a very interesting family of seven children, as follows: Ed- win L., who died at the age of twenty-five years, on the 20th of September, 1887, was the second son; Uriah G. married Addie Gifford, and lives on what was a part of the home place; William W. is single and at home ; Charles; Herbert; Marion E. is unmarried, and is a teacher in the public schools of Ogle County; the youngest daughter, Addie, is most happily married to Mr. James Russell. One interesting feature of the birth of the above chil- dren is the fact that three children, viz. : Marion, William and Addie, were each born in the month of February, upon the 8th, 4th and 2d of the month, and are now thirty-three, twenty-five and twenty- two years of age respectively. It is here noted that each was born in the same month of the different years; also, the even division of the month date is unusually even; the combined total of the years of their lives will be found to aggregate eighty years.

The farm of our subject is fully equipped with the various machines, implements, conveniences and devices for its complete operation. There are also provided substantially built and well-arranged farm buildings for every needed purpose. In the viein- ity of the house our subject has thoughtfully pro- vided an extensive orchard, containing over 100 fruit trees of various kinds, all of high grade and choice selection. As noted above, he gives con- siderable attention to stock-raising, and possesses some very fine Short-horn cattle, but his principal

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business in this line is with the Poland-China hog, of which he has seldom less than 100 head upon his property at one time; he usually ships large num- bers every year.

Mr. Bentley does not usually take a prominent part in politics, neither is he what would be called a politician. At the same time he is deeply inter- ested in the great issues before the people, and usually votes irrespective of party, and solely ac- cording to the dictates of his conscience and intel- ligence for that candidate whom it would appear was best fitted for the office. In principle he is a very strong Prohibitionist and very earnest in his ad- vocacy of the right, as he understands it. Both he and his family move in the best local society, and are very highly esteemed by the community. For five years he served as Road Supervisor of the township; he is now Justice of the Peace, and has repeatedly demonstrated his fine sense of justice and right, and won to himself many friends by the impartiality of his judgment.

Le EWIS FINK was born in Europe on the 14th of December, 1830, and came to the United States with his parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Fink, when he was about eleven years old. In 1841 his parents located in Milwaukee County, Wis., where our subject remained until 1886, when he came to Nebraska and located on his present farm, consisting of 240 acres on seetions 25, 2 and 6, Sicily Township. He bought his land in 1878, and since his residence here he has also bought 160 acres adjoining his home farm on the east, and in Blue Springs Township. The parents of our sub- ject died while he was living in Wisconsin. In July, 1856, onr subject was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Schlosser, who was also making her home in Wisconsin. By this marriage they became the parents of six children, all of whom are now living. Mrs. Fink died in Wisconsin in June, 1869. Our subject was then united in marriage with Miss Theresa Mannet, by whom he had three chil- dren, all of whom are now living. The mother of these three children died in June, 1882, since which time our subject married Augusta (Garlt) Wor-

sehnkiky. Our subject and his parents were inem- bers of the Free Thinkers' Society in Wisconsin, and the former is an able advocate of the princi- ples of that society. He is eminently a self-made man, having started in life with but very little means and being obliged to depend upon his own labor for his success, and by much hard work and careful management he has secured a very good home with fine improvements, which places him in a position to make and save quite a competence for his older days. He is extensively engaged in farm- ing, combining with that vocation the raising of a good grade of live stock, giving special attention to the breeding of cattle and hogs.

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Portrait and biographical album of Gage County, Nebraska : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 91

Author: Chapman Brothers (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Brothers Number of Pages: 794

Author: Chapman Brothers (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Brothers
Number of Pages: 794