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 95
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Mr. Gore has met with universal success in his business dealings, commanding the respect and es- teem of the business men with whom he engages, and he has also become an extensive land-owner,
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having possession of 160 acres of land in this county, 160 acres in Pawnee County, and 480 acres in Northwestern Kansas, in Sheridan and Gove' Counties. The character which our subject bears in his vicinity justifies the residents in electing him to the office of Justice of the Peace, which office he has filled with credit to himself for six years. Although this section of the State has been but a few years in developing to its present condition, its outlook for the future is most promising, since there are now numbered among its inhabitants so many reliable. enterprising men of good business standing to give strength and solidity to the foun- dation of its enterprises, among whom our subject is entitled to a rank with the foremost.
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ACOB HILDEBRAND. The life history of the subject of this sketch reads more like a romance than the sober statements of real life. Born amid the wild and beautiful scen- ery of Switzerland, in close proximity to the Alps and Lake Lucerne, he early in life imbibed the lib- erty-loving air of a free and independent people and the spirit with which the hero William Tell rendered himself immortal. The seventh child in a family of six sons and five daughters, he was born in the canton of Lucerne, Jan. 31, 1834, and still preserves a clear recollection of the home of his in- fancy, enshrined among the hills and made charm- ing, simple as it was, by the delights of lake, wood, field and stream.
The father of our subject, Joseph Hildebrand, was born in the same region of country as his son, and married a Miss Shedhalter; the parents spent their entire lives in their native land, both living to the advanced age of eighty years. Jacob was trained at an early age to habits of industry, and as soon as old enough began to make himself useful by doing such little jobs around his neighborhood as he was able. At the age of fourteen he started out in earnest to battle with the world, and soon formed his own ideas in regard to his future as he determined it should be-with a home of his own and some day a competency. While yet a boy at- tending school in his native canton he had con-
ceived the idea of coming to America, and in this project was warmly seconded by his brother Lone, to whom he was most warmly attached. The two boys spent many an hour discussing the future, which they determined should be spent as near as possible together.
At the age of sixteen years Jacob Hildebrand drifted over into France, where he staid three years, and his favorite brother became a soldier in the Italian army. They thus lost sight of each other, and Jacob, in October, 1853, took passage on a sailing-vessel bound from Havre, France, to New York City. He arrived upon the soil of America in November following, and for several months was employed in Cayuga County, N. Y., at 850 per month. In 1855 he started to cross the Mississippi, and on the way was employed in differ- ent places as carpenter. brickmaker, and at various other occupations until arriving in Iowa.
In 1857 Mr. Hildebrand most unexpectedly and to his great joy learned that his brother Lone was not only in America, but in the Territory of Ne- braska, located on a piece of land in Nemaha Town- ship, this county, and it is hardly necessary to say that he at once laid his plans to join him. The fol- lowing spring they were happily reunited. Lone was never married and made his home with our subject until called hence by the decree which sooner or later overtakes all mankind. After a well-spent, most honorable and praiseworthy life, he died in 1887, mourned by a large circle of friends, at the age of sixty-one years.
Mr. Ilildebrand, in the spring of 1858, necom- panied by an acquaintance, William Betler, started on foot from Iowa to this county. They walked the greater part of the way, and the meeting of the long separated brothers can better be imagined than described. Lone had pre-empted 140 acres of land, and after the arrival of Jacob the brothers each homesteaded eighty acres, and thus had together a snug area, which was destined in future to become of good value. They remained here until 1862, then repaired to Colorado, and for three years en- gaged in mining and ranching, employing them- selves in the mines at Boulder City during the winter, and repairing to their ranch when the spring came to look after their cattle. They were in
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Bonlder when the news of the assassination of President Lincoln reached them, and the Swiss brothers who in their native land stood npon the very spot where fell the tyrant Gesler by the hand of William Tell, signified their sympathy with the cause of liberty in their adopted country by in- augurating solemn services among the miners upon the death of the martyred President. A Confeder- ate in the vicinity, who expressed sympathy with the assassin Booth, was summarily dealt with.
The Hildebrand brothers were greatly prospered in their mutual labors, and gained hosts of friends on account of their straightforward honesty and fair dealings with their fellowmen. Upon return- ing to Nebraska, they resumed farming upon their land, hauling their wheat to Nebraska City and bringing back loads of lumber and provisions, which they landed in Beatrice, and for which they received ample returns. The country was new and they carried with them their provisions, camping out wherever night overtook them. They im- proved their land as rapidly as possible, setting out fruit and shade trees, erecting handsome and sub- stantial buildings, and instituting those comforts and conveniences essential to the well-being of the mod- ern and progressive farmer.
Jacob Hildebrand in 1875 was united in mar- riage with Miss Edith Morris, who was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in 1855. Mrs. H. re- ceived a common-school education and came to Nebraska with her uncle, David Blatchart, in 1874. Of her union with our subject there have been born six children, namely : Mary, James, Nettie, Minnie, Josie and William. Mr. Hildebrand is one of the most loyal adherents of the Republican party, and always interested in those projects calculated to ad- vance the prosperity and intelligence of his com- munity.
R EUBEN ALBERT. In the following sketch it will be the endeavor succinctly to present some of the more salient features of the life of one of Highland Township's pioneers, whose residence is upon section 4, where he has a beautiful and somewhat exceptionally fertile farm. Ile is a native of the Keystone State, having been
born in Northampton County, on the 7th of Jan- uary, 1834. He is the son of John and Mary M. (Albert) Albert, both natives of the same State. Onr subject was the eldest son, and was reared to manhood in his native county, and in its public schools received a fair, practical English education.
In December of 1863 our subject was united in marriage with Melinda Mosser. The happiness of her union with our subject has been more fully as- sured and its joys enhanced by the birth of their three children, to whom have been given the names bere following, viz: Ulysses G., Frank R. and Ger- trude.
In the summer of 1862, in answer to the bugle note from Washington, our subject stepped to the front as a volunteer in defense of the old flag, enlisting in Company D, 129th Pennsylvania In- fantry, which became part of the 9th Army Corps of the Army of Virginia, under command of the intrepid Mcclellan, and subsequently Gen. Burn- side. Besides an interminable round of minor en- gagements and skirmishes, our subject took part in a number of the larger battles, of which he has chief cause to remember that at Fredericksburg, where he was severely wounded in the right thigh, which necessitated his subsequent confinement for about three months in the Pleasant Hill ( Washing- ton) and Chestnut Hill ( Philadelphia) Hospitals. Upon recovery he received an honorable discharge in the spring of 1863. Onr subject continued to reside iu Pennsylvania until about 1869, when he removed to Montgomery County, Iowa, where he resided nntil the fall of 1871, when he came to this county. Upon arrival he homesteaded 160 acres of good land in Highland Township, the same upon which he now resides. If it was good then his industry and intelligent, careful cultivation have vastly improved it. At the time of his settlement his nearest neighbor was over seven miles distant from him, and everything was in a most primitive condition, and it has been with pleasurable pride that he and his family bave watched the surround- ings develop and improve, and the State as a whole march with unusually rapid step and lengthy stride to the front place in the rank of Western States.
Besides the above farm our subject owns another of like extent in Sheridan County, Kan., which has
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developed into quite a valuable property. Ile has served as Constable for two years, besides also some other of the township offices. Socially, he is con- nected with the G. A. R. It is hardly necessary to add that Mr. Albert is an affiliate of the Repub- lican party, at once one of its stanchest friends, stoutest defenders and steadfast supporters.
B YRON P. ZUVER. The grandparents up- on the paternal side of the family of which our subject is a member were Ilenry and Margaret (Schneider) Zuver; upon the ma- ternal side John and Elizabeth (Zuver) Kerns. Both these families were of Holland origin, and became residents of America previous to the Revolutionary War. That of the Kerns dates back to 1727. They included within their circles a large number of children, of whom were Solomon Zuver and Julia Ann Kerns, the father and mother of our subject, who were born in the year 1819, the one in Pennsylvania, the other in Ohio. They were united in marriage in 1839, in Wayne County, Ohio, whither the father of our subject had accom- panied his parents. Of this union there were born five children; the eldest of these was Byron, our subject. The others were Sarah S., John H., George W. and Henry. The latter died when quite young ; John H. departed this life in 1883, in Sonoma County, Cal; Sarah resides in Los Angeles, and George W. near Adams, of this State.
Mr. Solomon Zuver became quite prosperous in his farming and mercantile business, which very rapidly extended, and in a short time he became comparatively well-to-do, but reverses followed rap- idly upon the heels of successes, owing to some unfortunate transactions, and his fortune melted away and left him nothing but the unsubstantial memory and sometimes bitter reflections of baffled hopes and desires. In 1855, a poor man and start- ing life a second time, he removed to Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, where he was one of the early pio- neers. He there engaged in keeping hotel, and in the summer of 1864 had so succeeded in business as to be able to take quite an extensive trip to the Pacific and through the Northwestern States. Upon
his return home he removed to Kansas, where he lived until Oct. 5, 1878, when he departed this life, aged fifty-eight years. He was married three times, but had no children by the last two marriages.
Our subject was born Nov. 8, 1840, in Wayne County, Ohio. After the removal of the family to Iowa he attended the common school, and in the winter of 1860 taught school. Ile left the teacher's desk to attend the classes of the Western College, in Linn County, and April 28, 1861, enlisted in Company D, 12th Iowa Infantry, being the first to enlist from this county. Owing to the fact that no more three-months men could be utilized to ad- vantage, he was obliged to re-enlist on the 20th of September, 1861. The organization of this com- pany for service was at Cedar Rapids, where the ladies of the city presented them with a silken flag that was afterward carried into the conflict and be- came a source of inspiration and courage to the faint-hearted or weary soldier. From that city they went to Dubuque, and November 28 went by car to St. Louis, where they were stationed until Jan. 28, 1862, and then went to Smithland, Ky .; thence to Ft. Henry, which was reached February 6, and that very day the fort surrendered. Our subject was an active participant in the battle and splendid victory of Ft. Donelson. At Mineral Landing they took the boats for Pittsburg Land- ing, where they arrived March 20, and on the 6th of the following month were in the battle of Shiloh. On the evening of that day several regiments were taken prisoners, and among them the 12th Iowa, that having been in the conflict all day and fought to the bitter end in the portion of the field known as Hornet's Nest and Hell's Hollow by the enemy.
The prisoners-among them our subject-were hurried off to Corinth, thence to Memphis; from Memphis successively to Granada, Jackson, Merid- ian. Miss., and Mobile. There they were put upon the boats and sent to Tuscaloosa, Ala., where they arrived on the tenth day of their imprisonment. It was the great misfortune of these prisoners to be under the charge of the notorious tyrant, Henry Wirz, of Andersonville fame, from whom they suf- fered, directly or indirectly, the most scandalous treatment and untold brutality. Leaving Tusca- loosa, they were then taken to Montgomery, and
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were there paroled on the 22d of May. Our sub- ject joined the army again at Huntsville, Ala., on the 30th of the same month. and as a paroled pris- oner-of-war was sent to Nashville, Louisville, Cairo, and finally, on the 10th of July, to Benton Bar- racks, at St. Louis, where he remained until the re- organization of the regiment, on the 1st day of January of the following year, i. e., 1863.
Leaving St. Louis on the 9th of April, our sub- jeet with his regiment started once more to the front. Their first battle was that of Grand Gulf, La., and this was speedily followed by the engage- ments at Ft. Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Clin- ton, Edmund Station, Champion Hills, Black River Bridge, and then on to the siege of Vicksburg, near which place they remained until its fall, July 4, 1863. They next engaged in the eight-days siege of Jackson, Miss., which fell in the same month. Next was the battle of Brandon, which was fought upon the 19th of July. Returning to Vicksburg, they were stationed there until the Canton expedi- tion in October, in which they took part. In the next month they went back to Memphis, guarding the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, and in this work the regiment continued during the winter of 1863-64, at Chewalla, Tenn.
On Christmas Day of the year 1863 Mr. Zuver re-enlisted as a veteran, and February 1 following started onee more for Vicksburg, where the regi- ment was engaged in guard duty at the Black River Bridge until the 4th of March. The next four days were spent in Vicksburg, and March 8 they left for home, and arrived at Davenport on the 22d. After a much-needed rest and recreation they re-assembled at Davenport, on the 26th of April, and proceeded immediately to Memphis, where they arrived May 1, and were engaged until the 16th in picket duty. Then Company D, with five others, was detailed to go to the mouth of the White River, Ark., for garrison duty, and re- turned on the 3d of June to Memphis and again took up picket duty. Active hostilities for this company recommenced with the battle of Tupelo. which lasted from the 13th to the 16th of July. This was the occasion when the 12th Iowa Regi- ment covered itself with a mantle of glory that can never grow old or dim; they were the heroes
of the day. Upon the 22d they were back to Mem- phis. and on the 31st of the same month started out for the Oxford expedition. At this time our sub- ject was detailed for provost duty part of the time at Holly Springs, and also took part in the battles of Abbeville and Tallahatchie, Miss.
The regiment returned to Memphis on the 30th of August, and proceeded to Duval's Bluff on the 8th of September, thence to Brownsville on the 11th, then leaving to go on the "Pap" Price ex- pedition, whom they followed for 350 miles. Land- ing at Cape Girardeau on the 5th of October, they went to St. Louis, thence to Jefferson City, arriv- ing on the 18th; thence by cars to LaMine Bridge, and there commeneed the mareli to the seene of action. On the way they passed through Sedalia, Lexington and Independence, and arrived on the battle-field of the Big Blue on the 24th of the same month, just after the fight was over. From that place they went to Santa Fe, Kan., reaching Ilarrisville, Mo., on the 26th. They left again on the 30th for St. Louis, via Sedalia.
Upon the 8th of November our subject voted in the capitol building of Missouri in favor of Abra- ham Lineoln. This is memorable to him as being his first Presidential vote. Our subject was just twenty-four years of age at the time. Leaving St. Louis on the 23d, he proceeded with his regiment to Cairo, which was reached in four days; thence on to Nashville, where they supported Gen. Thomas. In the battle of Nashville, December 15 and 16, our subject and his brave comrades were again under fire, and added fresh laurels to those already won. After this they went on the Hood expedi- tion. Our subject and his regiment belonged to the 16th Army Corps, which became known by the opprobrious appellation "Smith's Guerrillas." The expedition was continued to the Tennessee River, where they arrived Jan. 2, 1865. On the 10th they were at Eastport, Miss., and there remained until the 7th of February. Then they went to Paducah, Cairo, Memphis, Vicksburg and New Orleans, where they arrived on the 21st. During this time our snbjeet, being detached from his regiment, was transferred to the ordnance department of the division as Ordnance Sergeant, in which he re- mained until near the close of the war.
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From Lake Pontchartrain they left for Mobile Bay, thence to Spanish Fort, participating in the siege of that place, and also at Ft. Blakesley, which fell April 10, 1865, aud was the cause of the evacu- ation of Mobile the next day. From there they marched to Montgomery, Ala., which was reached upon the 25th. During said march they learned of Lee's surrender, and shortly after of Johnston's. During the summer and fall of 1865 they did duty at Selma and Talladega, then turning their faces northward they took up their march to Memphis, Tenn., then to Demopolis, Meridian and Corinth, where they arrived Jan. 3, 1866. Our subject re- turned to his company on the 19th of July, 1865, with the rank of Sergeant. Leaving Memphis upon the 18th they reached Cairo on the 20th and Dav- enport on the 23d. The regiment was mustered out, to date the 20th of January, and was paid off on arrival at Davenport, where they who had marched, labored, fought and suffered together so long, answered the words of command for the last time, bade each other their affectionate farewells, and dis- banded.
Our subject was in the service of his country a period of four years and four months. During this time he marched over 4,000 miles in all weathers, suffering from heat and dust, frost and wet, over roads rough, hard and rocky, and through streams and swamps, or plodding wearily through deep clay and mud ; no easy task or pleasant journey. The miles covered in the journey by railroad amounted to 5,000, and upon the steamboat 8,000. It is some- what remarkable that in spite of the fact that Mr. Zuver was so long in the service, so often an active combatant, so frequently engaged in lesser hand- to-hand conflicts, he only sustained one wound, and that of comparatively slight nature, which occurred at the battle of Shiloh. Our subject kept a very careful record of all the happenings and circum- stances of any importance from the first to the last of his military experience, and has since written a very complete, accurate and interesting history of Company D, 12th Iowa Veteran Volunteers, and has received the honor of an appointment as a member of the Regimental Historical Committee.
After the war our subject returned to Mason City, Iowa, and engaged as clerk in a mercantile
house, and in the fall of 1866 engaged in the hotel business at Waterloo, Iowa, continuing until the spring of the following year, then came with his brother, George W., to Nebraska City, where he arrived on the 1st of July, reaching Brownville the next day. During the summer he engaged in farming, and in the winter as teacher. Upon the 17th of July, the following year, 1867, he took a homestead in Hooker Township of this county, and it was during this time that he became acquainted with Miss Nancy Adams, the daughter of John O. Adams (see sketch of Nelson Adams), the veteran pioneer; to this lady our subject was united on the 16th of October, 1873, by nuptial vows. Of this union have been born six children : George L., who died when twelve years of age ; Mary A. and Martha A. (twins) ; Anna A. and John Arthur, both of whom died in infancy, and Byron Price.
Mrs. Zuver's great-grandfather. John Lawrence, was born in England, and left in infancy an orphan and adopted by one Mr. Adams, of Massachusetts, and from that time took the name of his adopted parent. He came to America a lad of about nine or ten years of age, and settled in New York State, and upon reaching manhood was married. He made his home in New York for some years, then removed to New Jersey, next to Kentucky, and after several years went to Dubois County, Ind., where he died in 1839, aged ninety-four years. The grandfather. David Adams, was born in New York, was married to Ester A. Ross, and died in Indiana, aged sev- enty years; the father was born in New Jersey on the 17th of July, 1808, and was married on the 13th of February, 1840, to Miss Letitia Ilarris. The Harris family had settled in Virginia in its earlier days, and had taken quite a prominent place among its citizens. Grandfather Harris was born in that State in the year 1788. Grandmother Harris was Polly Corn, a lady who was of Scotch-Welsh extraction.
Miss Nancy Adams, now the wife of our subject, was born Oet. 16, 1842, in Dubois County, Ind., where she continued to make her home until she was fourteen years of age, removing with her par- ents to Nebraska in 1857. Her education was by force of circumstances quite meager so far as schooling was concerned, although she has earnestly
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endeavored to make up for any loss in that direc- tion. The home in Indiana was in a district where the settlers were nearly all German Catholics and had their own schools, which were, however, not the place for Miss Adams. Upon removal to Ne- braska, the country being qnite new and settlers few, the only schools available were a few private schools, which were located in the more developed part of the State. The first school in the Upper Nemaba Valley was held in her father's house, who did everything in his power to advance the interests of the young people in this regard.
Our subject's farm comprises 160 acres of well- improved, rich, arable land, which he homesteaded, and which is situated in Hooker Township. His Adams Township property comprises 160 acres be- longing to both parties jointly, as fine land as lies out of doors where they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Zuver are members of the Adams Methodist Epis- copal Church. Our subject is a prominent member of the Sergt. Cox Post No. 100, G. A. R., Adams, and has been Commander for two years, and is now serving his second year as Adjutant. He is also a Mason. For several years he was Justice of the Peace of Hooker Township, and occupies the same position now in that of Adams; also both Township Assessor and Deputy County Assessor. He has served on the Petit Jury and the United States Cirenit Jury. For a number of years he was ap- pointed by the Governor Register of Voters. His connection with the Mail Department is both long aud honorable. He was route agent for this depart- ment from Omaha to Ogden, Utah, from Jan. 1, 1880, and was transferred at his own request to the ronte from St. Joseph, Mo., to Grand Island, Neb., iu June, 1880, serving on this division until in 1883, and was then Postal Clerk from Columbus, Neb., to Atchison, Kan., until Dec. 10, 1886. It is hardly necessary after the foregoing military and official record to state that in political matters our subject is entirely Republican, and that all his influence and energy are at its service.
Our subject has always been deeply interested in everything that pertains to the education of the young. For more than twelve years he has served heartily and faithfully in the various school offices, and is still the School Treasurer of his district. An
intimation has already been made to the effect that our subject has made a reputation as a writer upon* the thrilling, painful and patriotic history of the war. To this department of literature he has added that of a writer of travels. The productions of his pen in this department are very interesting, because he is a man of keen perceptions and knows what to observe and how to observe it, and what is perhaps more rare, how to present it. In 1884 he made a trip to California, and supplied the columns of the Beatrice Express with regular letters of deep inter- est concerning the journey. Comment upon such a history as the foregoing is superfluous; it is its own compliment as to the character of the subject and the estimation in which he is held by his fel- lows.
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