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 94
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99
A fine lithographie view of the Morris farm will be found on another page. Not only does it assist in the embellishment of the ALBUM of Gage County, but is one of the attractive features of the land- scape of Grant Township.
ON. NATHAN BLAKELY. The farming and business interests of Southern Nebraska have found no more enterprising and capa- ble exponent than the subject of this sketch, who has aided materially in the cultivation and de- velopment of one of the richest sections of the great country lying west of the Mississippi. A native of Litchfield County, Conn., he was born in the town of Roxbury, July 25, 1824, and was the youngest in a family of four children, the offspring of Daniel and Lovina (Chatfield) Blakely, who were also na- tives of Connecticut, and descended from English ancestry.
Daniel Blakely, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was a farmer by occupation, and spent all of his life in Connecticut, dying in Roxbury, Litch- field County, at an advanced age. Daniel Blakely.
following in the footsteps of his father, pursued the occupation of an agriculturist. The eldest brother of Nathan died when a lad; the mother and an only sister died in Roxbury, Conn., in 1839. The father in 1855 came west to Iowa. settling in Hardin County, where his death took place in February, 1861, being seventy-six years old. He was a strong Abolitionist, and as the exponent of Free-Soil doctrines voted in 1844 for the Abolition candi- date, James G. Birney, for President. In 1848 he voted for Van Buren, in 1852 for John P. Ilale, and in 1856 for John C. Fremont. His last Presi- dential vote, in 1860, was given to Abraham Lin- coln.
Nathan Blakely acquired his early education in the district school, which he attended until fif- teen years of age, mostly during the winter sea- son, being employed upon the farm in summer. Later he was a student at Roxbury Academy, where he studied two winters, and then commenced teaching, receiving for his services the munificent salary of $10 per month for his first school, and boarded around among the scholars; this school was in Westchester County, N. Y., in a neighborhood called "Mount Airy," about two miles cast of the Hudson River, about an equal distance from Peek- skill and Sing Sing. He taught the same school the succeeding fall and winter, his salary being advanced to $12 per month. This was thought by some of the patrons of the school to be excessive, and more than any "schoolmaster" could earn. In the spring of 1846 he migrated to Monmouth County, N. J., where he followed teaching until 1852, officiating as tutor nine terms at the now celebrated summer re- sort, Long Branch.
In the spring of 1852 Mr. Blakely, resolving upon a change of occupation, returned to his native State, and in company with W. S. Waterbury, pur- chased the Derby Journal at Birmingham, Conn., which they conducted together until the fall of 1853. Mr. Blakely then disposed of his interest to his partner, and in December of the same year, in company with J. E. Barnes, a friend and former teacher in New Jersey, started for Chicago, Ill., and the following winter tanght a district school near the present site of Riverside, a few miles from Chi- cago. At the close of this engagement he mi-
738
GAGE COUNTY.
grated to Newton, Iowa, there bought land, but subsequently bought land and moved to Hardin County, Iowa, but spent the following summer in the vicinity of Newton, where he made his first pur- chase of land. He returned to Chicago in the fall of 1854, and resumed teaching in the school he va- cated the previous spring, and in the spring of 1855, in company with his brother, who had just arrived from Connecticut, and his friend Barnes, left for Hardin County. Iowa, to improve their lands. At this time the railroad was only completed to Ga- lena; thence they went by steamboat to Dubuque, then by stage and private conveyance to Eldora, in Hardin County.
About this time reports were heard about Spirit Lake, said to be 150 or 200 miles northwest, in Dickinson County, Iowa, near the State line. It was said to be a very large lake, mostly surrounded by a large body of fine timber. This land was all in market, and subject to entry at $1.25 per acre, prairie lands being considered high in Hardin County at $2.50 and $3 per acre, and timber from $3 to $10. The prospect of "wealth" was too per- ceptible to be ignored, and they decided to get a couple of thousand acres of the cream of that sec- tion, and in August the trio loaded a wagon with a tent, a barrel of sugar, a sack of coffee, a chest of tea, hams and bacon, flour and meal, besides other articles necessary to put up cabins and make their homes in that wild and unsettled part of the State, and with two yoke of oxen, and one cow, with dogs, guns and revolvers, left Hardin County for the "promised land." No trouble appeared until be- yond the reach of settlements. Then there were no roads, and ponds, marshes and ravines were daily encountered, and travel accordingly slow, so that Spirit Lake was not reached until in October. The frost had killed the grass, and it was unfit to put up for hay; two of the party were suffering with the ague and could do nothing but eat. The bright picture of imagination of a few months before had rapidly vanished. The ague left two of the party so weak they could not travel to find out the num- bers of the land, or hunt up the corners, and after camping two nights on the margin of this lovely lake, decided to retrace their steps to Hardin County and leave all of the "wealth" to their fol-
lowers, whoever they might be. Those followers, numbering several families, settled around the lake within a year or two, secured their lands, built their cabins and opened up their farms, when the Indians appeared and massacred most of the settlers, some thirty in number.
The severity of the winters of 1855-56 and 1856-57 led Mr. Blakely to the conclusion that the climate of the Hawkeye State would not be altogether favorable to his health and comfort, and he accordingly, as soon as practicable, sought the milder atmosphere of Southern Nebraska. He ar- rived at Beatrice on the 17th of July, 1857, at a period in the history of this now flourishing town when it could not boast of even a log cabin, al- though one had been commenced by Pap Towle. A few days after his arrival Mr. Blakely took up a Government claim two miles up the river, upon which he operated until the spring of 1865, engag- ing in freighting and farming combined.
Mr. Blakely upon leaving his farm purchased a half-interest in the store of D. Latham, at Beatrice, and for the space of four years conducted a mer- cantile business; in 1867 he purchased Mr. Latham's interest in the store, and in 1868 formed a partner- ship with Reynolds & Townsend, the firm being Blakely, Reynolds & Co. In the summer of 1869 he disposed of his interest in the business to his partners, and in 1872 he associated himself with E. M. Hill, in general merchandising, until 1875.
In addition to his extensive business transactions Mr. Blakely has always maintained a lively interest in the affairs of his adopted county, and in 1858 was elected County Clerk, serving so acceptably that he was re-elected the following year. In 1861 he was chosen to represent this county in the Terri- torial Legislature, the district being composed of the counties of Gage, Johnson, Clay and Jones, now Jefferson. In 1866 he was again elected Rep- resentative, the Legislature' meeting in Omaha, for the purpose of adopting the Constitution for the State, and of electing two United States Senators. Mr. Blakely voted in caucus for T. W. Tipton and A. S. Paddock. Tipton and Thayer received the nomination and election.
Mr. Blakely in 1868 was again elected to the Legislature, attending the first session held at
739
GAGE COUNTY.
Lincoln. The year following he was appointed Re- ceiver of the United States Land Office, by Presi- dent Grant, assuming charge of the office on the Ist of October, and which he held until Oet. 1, 1875. Of the manner in which he discharged his duties, the Beatrice Express, dated October 7 of that year, M. A. Brown, editor and proprietor, speaks as follows:
"Hon. Nathan Blakely entered upon the discharge of his duties as Receiver of the United States Land Office at this place Oct. 1. 1869. On the 1st of October, 1875, he stepped down and out, Hon. R. B. Harrington having been appointed to the office. It will be seen that he had filled the important posi- tion of receiver of public moneys for precisely six years. During that time he had received and turned over to the Government $625,013.24, and when he closed his official labors his accounts were found to be correct to the cent. In these days of defalcation and dishonesty no higher encomium can be paid to a retiring officer than to say 'his ac- counts were found correct, and he had the money on hand to balance.'"
But, notwithstanding the large amount handled by Mr. Blakely, and his long term of office, this can be truthfully said of him. At times during his six years' service he had not only an important position to fill, but also one of dangerous responsi- bility. For several years after he took charge of the office there were no banks in Beatrice where he could deposit the money, nor was there any rail- road or express line connecting with this city by which he could send the money away. The Gov- ernment required him to make monthly deposits at Omaha. In order to get the money to the river he would hire his brother to take it to the bank of John L. Carson, at Brownville, which required sixty-five miles of staging; at times Mr. Blakely's brother William has staged it to Brownville with strangers, and about $60,000 in his pocket. We know Mr. Blakely has plenty of nerve, but we are of the opinion he felt easier when he had Mr. Carson's certificate of deposit.
During the month of June, 1870, Mr. Blakely took in as Receiver $86,236.69, and on the 13th of the same month the sum of $38,126.31. These were the "big bonanza" days of his term of office.
We would be glad to be able to give a brief out- line of Mr. Blakely's history, but except as to the above figures he has not given ns any data from which to write him up. However, we learn, but not from him, that he has been a teacher, an editor, has served several terms in the Legislature, has been a farmer, merchant, County Clerk, was gradu- ated as an ox-driver (but we don't believe he ever drove mules as he doesn't swear), has accumulated property, if we owned it we would think it to be worth at least $50,000, but we don't, and what is best, he has accumulated it honestly.
Mr. Blakely is one of the self-made men of the State. He came here poor, freighted over the Cali- fornia route, and by dint of energy and honesty in this grasshoppered American desert, he has laid by a goodly sum for a rainy day. He is a positive man, hence he has warm friends and some bitter oppo- nents. He will stand by a friend through thick and thin. Almost all incumbents of land-offices are accused of resorting to ways that are dark to make a dollar, yet in this large district no man has ever accused Mr. Blakely of trickery or dishonesty. We don't know what business he intends to engage in, but wherever he is or whatever he does he will be known as a man of blunt honesty, strict integrity and undoubted ability.
The marriage of Hon. Nathan Blakely and Miss Maggie C. Tinkham was celebrated at the home of the bride, about two miles east of Beatrice, Nov. 9, 1868, and the young people began the journey of life together in Beatrice. Mrs. Blakely was born in Morrow County, Ohio, in October, 1843, and is the second daughter of Rev. A. L. Tinkham, a minister of the Methodist Church, who came to this State in 1860, settling in the embryo town of Bea- trice among its earliest residents. He is yet liv- ing. The mother of Mrs. Blakely is also living, still residing at their old homestead, near Beatrice. To Mr. and Mrs. Blakely there were born two sons, -Charles and Clarence. The latter died Sept. 21, 1873, when nearly two years old. Charles was horn Jan. 5, 1870. He graduated from the High School in Beatrice, in June, 1888, and is now a student at the Wesleyan University, at Delaware, Ohio.
Mr. Blakely has been identified with the major-
740
GAGE COUNTY.
ity of the enterprises set on foot for the advance- ment and prosperity of the county. He is a director and stockholder in the Beatrice National Bank and the American Savings Bank of Beatrice, and his landed interests are quite large, most of which is under lease. The family residence is situated in the southeastern suburbs of the city, and is a hand- some and imposing structure, constituting with its surroundings one of the finest homes in or near the city.
Among the portraits of many of the most valued citizens of the county given in this volume may be found that of Mr. Blakely, given on an adjoining page.
W ILLIAM KRAMER is an enterprising Ger- man who started in life with the determin- ation to make his mark in the world, and has succeeded in fulfilling his determination to sneh an extent that he may feel justly gratified because of his achievements. His parents, Herman and Mary Kramer, were born in Hanover, Germany. and the father was engaged in farming until the time of his death. The mother is still living, and is now seventy-five years old. There were seven chil- dren in their family, viz: Gerhard, Herman, Henry, Johnny, an infant unnamed, William and Annie.
Our subject was born in Germany, on the 24th of June, 1848, and as his father was very comfortably situated in regard to this world's goods, he received the advantages of education which might have otherwise been denied him. His parents were mem- bers of the German Lutheran Church, and he re- ceived his confirmation at the age of fourteen. He early possessed a desire to come to America, and when he was eighteen years old he embarked on the sailing-ship "Angusta," which left Bremen on the 4th of September, and reached New Orleans after a voyage of eleven weeks across the water. He re- mained in St. Louis for one month, and then went to Washington County, Ill., and lived there two years, then went to Menard County. Ill., where after a time he married Miss Minnie Sachtleban.
After their marriage, which occurred on the 18th of March, 1875, Mr. and Mrs. Kramer rented a farm, on which they remained for eleven years and pros-
pered well. In 1886 they came to Nebraska, and bought their present farm, consisting of 240 acres, 160 on section 3, and eighty acres on section 10, Nemaha Township. Our subject has improved his farm and increased its value, until now it presents a fine appearance and is the source of a lucrative income. He has built an attractive looking and commodious new house, set out groves of trees and various kinds of shrubbery, and has supplied his farm and stock with water by means of a good wind-pump. An observer would scarcely imagine all of these improvements to be possible from the hands of so recent a settler, but our subject is ener- getic and enterprising, as the results of his labor plainly indicate.
The family of our subject and his wife includes five bright, intelligent children, whose names are Annie, Johnny, Henry, Maggie and Minnie, all of whom are at home. The parents are members of the German Lutheran Church, and in the time of their residence here they have gained a large circle of friends. Our subject takes an active part in matters pertaining to education as well as those pertaining to church and State. He is a Democrat in politics, and at present is serving as School Moderator, his election to that office so soon after his removal here speaking well for his intelligence and the favor with which he has been received by the best men of the township. He received his naturalization papers in 1872. and in every way is a loyal citizen of his adopted country.
G EORGE R. FOUKE. There are few indus- tries that have grown more rapidly or ex- tensively than that of house and general fur- niture. The age has forever passed when the people will be content with the ancient order of things in this department, and even in the Far West in some little claim shanty or sod house are found articles of furniture that for value. perfection of work, and beanty of finish, would grace a Fifth ave- nue mansion. Among the tradesmen of Liberty few are more successful or have a better knowl- edge of the minutia of their business than has our subject, who is engaged in business as a general
741
GAGE COUNTY.
honse furnisher and implement dealer. Mr. Fouke was born in Ilagerstown. Md., upon the 10th of February, 1853, to George J. and Elizabeth (Neg- ley) Fouke, the former of whom was a native of Maryland and is now deceased, and the latter of Franklin County, Pa. Two uneles of our subject were soldiers in the Mexican War, his uncle Henry serving as a Colonel.
Our subject continued to make his home in his native place until he was sixteen years old. Ile then decided to strike out for himself; his father thereupon furnished him with a ticket to San Fran- cisco, and $20 in cash; with that he started in life. Owing to the ravages of war he had little or no opportunity to obtain an education, and was, there- fore, minus this great help. He had a brother and uncle somewhere in the mountains of El Dorado County, and he went to work to locate them aud renew their acquaintance. After some time he was successful in his search, and shortly afterward started out in the endeavor to obtain work. The first day he walked over forty miles, meeting only failure, but the following morning he found himself in the company of an English sheep-raiser, John Richardson by name, and with him engaged as a shepherd, continuing in that employment several months. After that he was employed upon a farm for about twenty-seven months, and thence went to the Sacramento Valley and drove a team, uniting with this employment that of farming for about twenty-seven months, at a salary that ranged from $35 to $65 a month. During this time he occa- sionally attended school, usually at night, and also for a time the school at Sacramento City. In the fall of 1877, owing to a protracted sickness,. he re- turned to Iowa, stopping in Cedar County, where he worked upon a farm for about a year, and for the following five years rented property in different counties, farming upon his own account.
Onr subject entered the marriage state upon the 11th of February, 1879, and was united with Emma Shaw, a daughter of Charles Shaw, of Scott County, Iowa. This lady died in November, 1881, leaving one daughter, who was named Florence. A second alliance was entered into on the 18th of December, 1883, the lady of his selection being Miss Sarah Wherry, a native of Guernsey County, Ohio.
Our subject came to Liberty in July, 1885, and embarked in the business of general house furnisher. Recognizing the need of a reliable implement firm, the following year he added that department. In 1886 he received into partnership his nephew, Da- vid Wherry, his business having grown so rapidly as to demand some such step. Mr. Fouke is one who realizes the march of time and progress of the age, and endeavors to keep in the front rank of those who are engaged in business, especially of his particular calling. His religions connections are with the United Presbyterian Church, and in this communion he is received as one of its ablest sup- porters.
RS. REBECCA (LONG) PRICE. This estimable lady resides in Odell, where she has a beautiful home, which she shares with her son and daughter, and in their. pleasant companionship she is quietly passing the closing years of a useful life, surrounded by every comfort that heart could wish, enjoying in the high- est degree the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends. who have been attracted to her by her many amiable qualities. She is the widow of the late lamented Rev. William B. Price, whose death occurred Nov. 14, 1886. when he was seemingly scarcely past the prime of life, being but fifty-one years of age, and in the midst of a busy and honor- able career as an agriculturist and as a preacher in the German Baptist Church.
Mrs. Price is a native of Washington County, Md., and a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Fridley) Long. When our subject was thirteen years of age, her parents removed to Ogle County, Ill., where they located, and where, in 1848, oc- curred the death of the mother. Mrs. Price fromn that time faithfully cared for her father's welfare until his death in 1856. She still continued to re- side in Ogle County, and there, on the 17th of November, 1858, her marriage with William B. Price was solemnized. lle was a native of Vir- ginia, born near Harper's Ferry, and a son of John Price, a native of Virginia, who died in Illinois.
In 1873 Mr. Price settled up his affairs in Illinois, having decided to make his home for the future
742
GAGE COUNTY.
under the sunny skies of Nebraska, to receive the benefit of its fine climate and the advantages of its rich soil. On his arrival here with his family he selected a suitable location near Beatrice, and he thus became an early settler of Gage County. In 1882 he removed with his wife and children to Odell, where he purchased the 100 acres of land that forms the fine farm on which his family still live. He erected a commodious house and other necessary buildings, besides making other substan- tial improvements. In the pleasant home that he thus secured to his family, in the few years given him to labor here, he laid down the burden of life one autumn day, and fell into that dreamless sleep that knows no waking this side of eternity, leaving a devoted wife, a son and a daughter to hold his memory in sacred remembrance. His death was a severe blow to the moral and material interests of Odell, as he was a public-spirited, conscientious citizen, and labored to sustain the religious as well as the financial prosperity of the community, and he was revered and beloved by all who had the pleasure of associating with him. He was connected with the German Baptist Church, in which for ten years he was an earnest preacher; he died fearless 'and triumphant in the faith, and now, across the River, he, with the friends who have gone before, awaits those who have yet to enter the Golden Gate.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Price was blessed to them by the birth of two children-Olin L. and Anna R. The son manages the farm, keeping it up to the same high standard of cultivation that it had attained under his father's supervision, and he is also quite successfully engaged in stock-raising.
Mrs. Price is a member of the church in which her husband labored so long and faithfully; she cherishes his memory, and in many ways forwards the good work in which he was engaged.
W ALTER T. GORE is well known and lias built quite a reputation for himself as a general merchant and stock dealer of Lib- erty. His father, George W. Gore, is a native of Loudoun County, Va., and now a resident of
Clarksburg, in the same State. Our subject was born on the 12th of February, 1854, in Hampshire County, Va. (now West Virginia), and spent the early part of his youth on a farm in his native county. In the year 1868 he removed with his parents to Blacksburg, Montgomery County, in the same State, and while residing there he took a three-years course of instruction at the Preston and Oland Institute.
In March of the year 1871 our subject went to Ma- rion County, Iowa, and engaged in teaching school for two or three winters, spending his vacation dur- ing the summers on a farm. Subsequently he re- moved to Chariton, Iowa, where lie continued the occupation of a farmer, combining it with the buy- ing and selling of live stock until the year 1879. Then he came to this county and located on Wolf Creek, six miles north of this city, though at that time the city had not yet been platted; but after it was founded he came here, and has since made his home in this place. In company with Mr. D. S. Hardin he established the first real-estate office of this city, and they are still carrying on the business.
In 1884 Mr. Gore engaged in the mercantile business, carrying a general stock of goods, and by honorable dealing and giving strict attention to the management of his business he has built up a large trade and has been meeting with good success, He also pays especial attention to the buying and sell- ing of live stock, which he ships to Chicago, Kan- sas City and Omaha, and in that also he is doing a flourishing business.
Our subject was married, on the 11th of March, 1884, to Miss Mellie A. Nelson, a daughter of Jesse Nelson, of Liberty. They had one child to bless their home, Tilghman M., but the mother was not permitted to remain in her home for a long time, being called by death on the 18th of February, 1888, and while the husband was in the depth of his mourning for her, the little child was taken from him on the 31st of July, 1888, at the age of six months, making the bereavement double and al- most unbearable.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.