Portrait and biographical album of Gage County, Nebraska : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 98

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 98


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


G EORGE WYMORE, a very successful market gardener of the village which bears his name, was born in Kentucky, Jan. 24, 1825, and remained with his parents until reaching his majority; then, starting out for himself, he com- menced farming in Indiana. Later he moved to lowa, and purchased eighty acres of new land, which he improved. He was there married to Miss Sarah J. Hollingsworth, and remained a resident of the Hawkeye State until 1861. Later he removed again, first to Kansas and then to Missouri, finally returning to lowa, and thence came to Wymore in 1878, before the village had been laid out. He pur- chased land, and also took up other land in the county north of Odell, and after Wymore began to assume the semblance of a town established his market garden, and is now doing a very successful business, having a snug home and a good income.


He raises all kinds of fruits and vegetables, finding for them a ready market in the city.


To Mr. and Mrs. Wymore there were born eleven children, two of whom died unnamed. The others were: Robert J., Newton, Lillian G., Margaret J., William, Sarah E., George, Amanda and Oliver. Four of these are at home, namely : Robert, who is engaged in the grocery business; Oliver, Jane and Lillian. William is a resident of Kansas; he mar- ried a Miss Wymore, who is now deceased. George married Miss Alva Hollingsworth, and is the father of two children, and lives in Wymore Township; Margaret is the wife of Lewis Vanes, and a resident of Kansas; they have seven children. Amanda is the wife of W. R. Wymore, a resident of Iowa, and they have three children. Mr. Wymore and his family belong to the Christian Church.


Mrs. Sarah (Hollingsworth) Wymore was born in Iowa, in 1828, and is the daughter of John Hollings- worth. She received a common-school education, and lived with her parents until her marriage. Of this excellent lady her family was deprived by death in 1868, while they were residents of Missouri. She possessed more than ordinary strength of character, and performed life's duties in the most praiseworthy manner. Her death was greatly mourned. by her family and friends. Her father removed from North Carolina to Illinois during its pioneer days, and a few years later to Iowa, where he carried on farming extensively. He finally removed to Chase County, Kan., where he died about 1876, and his wife two or three years later.


Samuel Wymore, the father of our subject, and also a native of Kentucky, was born abont 1780. He left the Blue Grass regions while a young man, but had been married in Owen County to Miss . Prudence Hadden, and they became the parents of eight children, all of whom lived to mature years. Mr. Wymore continued farming in Montgomery County, Ind., until his death, which occurred in 1843, when he had attained a little more than three- seore years. The wife and mother survived her husband about ten years.


Mr. Wymore upon coming to this vicinity often saw wild game, and the country around bore little evidence of white settlement. He has been a very energetic and industrious man, and improved a


765


GAGE COUNTY.


large amount of land, breaking, in Iowa alone, 200 acres, besides what he has accomplished in this line in Missouri and Nebraska. Ile has a neat resi- dence, and about three acres of land.


HILLIP H. JAMES, a representative farmer and stock-raiser of Highland Township, was born in Pike County, Ill., July 4, 1842. His father, Samuel James, is now deceased, and his mother, Mrs. Catherine James, resides on the old homestead in the Buckeye State. They were both natives of Ohio, and the family is of English ancestry. The maternal grandfather served as a soldier during the early troubles between the Colonists and the mother country.


The father of our subject departed this life in January, 1862. The parental household ineluded ten children, of whom the following survive, namely : John, a resident of Kansas; Phillip H., our subject; Gilbert, of Ohio; Samantha, Mrs. William Pratt, of Jackson County, that State; Mary R., Mrs. Nelson Anderson, also living in Ohio; David, of Lancaster County, this State, and Har- riet, in Ohio.


Our subject was reared to manhood on a farm, acquiring his education in the common schools. On the 9th of July, 1861, he enlisted as a Union soldier in Company I, 26th Ohio Infantry, this being assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. He fought in the battles of Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Corinth, Inka, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and was at the siege of Knoxville. He veteranized at the expiration of his term of enlistment, remaining in the same regiment, and after a furlough rejoined his comrades, and participated in the Atlanta cam- paign, and fought in the battles of Franklin and Nashville, Tenn. He then accompanied the army in its tour of observation to Texas, and after the close of the war was mustered out, Oct. 25, 1865.


After his discharge Mr. James remained nearly a year in Texas, then returned to Ohio, and was mar- ried, in April, 1866, to Miss Catharine Kepler, who was born in that State, and who bore him six chil- dren, namely : David F., Alice, Ada, Cora, Samuel M. and Nellie. They lived in Ohio until 1870,


then coming to Nebraska located in Nemaha County, and after living there one year came in the spring of 1872 to this county. Mr. James se- cured at once 160 acres of land on section 22, in Highland Township, settling upon it before a fur- row had been turned, and being the first man to locate in luis immediate neighborhood. Ile came to this section comparatively without means, and endured in common with the pioneers around him the hardships and privations of frontier life.


The homestead of Mr. James comprises 329 acres of good land, all of which is improved, and he has good buildings, together with the live stock and machinery, the necessary accessories of the modern and progressive farmer. Ile has been prominent in local affairs, and is a strict Republican in poli- tics. He has served as Assessor of Highland Town- ship for many years, still occupying the position. Socially, he belongs to the G. A. R. Post at Cort- land. He is a man holding a good position in his community, and one whose opinions are uniformly respected.


OHIN DWYER, commercial agent of the Bur- lington & Missouri River Railroad, and hay- ing his headquarters in the city of Beatrice, was born in Hamilton, Province of Ontario, Canada, July 21, 1856, being the eldest of ten chiil- dren, five sons and five daughters, all living. The father, Steplien Dwyer, was also a native of the Dominion, and a farmer by occupation. The mother, Mrs. Nora (Gooley) Dwyer, was the daughter of Robert Gooley, Esq., a native of the same section of country.


In 1870 the subject of this sketch came with his parents to the United States, settling in Fairfield, Jefferson Co., lowa, where the latter now reside on a farm. John obtained his education in the com- mon school, and lived with his parents in Jefferson County, Iowa, until September, 1872, when he re- paired to Burlington and entered the employ of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, in the mean- time also learning telegraphy. Six months later he was given the position of ticket agent at Chariton. In September, 1873, still in the employ of this


15


A. FUNKHOUSER


766


GAGE COUNTY.


road, he came to Nebraska and established a station at Greenwood. In October following he was trans- ferred to Wilber, where he remained as agent until July, 1876. Thence he came to Beatrice, taking charge of the office at this place, and attending to both freight and passenger business until August, 1888. He was then appointed commercial agent. and has the supervision in his line of 1,300 miles of this road.


Mr. Dwyer was married, in June, 1884, to a very estimable lady, Miss Emma V., daughter of Job and Jane Buchanan, of Beatrice. Politically, Mr. Dwyer is a stanch member of the Democratic party, and socially, belongs to Benton Lodge No. 26, A. F. & A. M .; also to Livingston Chapter No. 10, and Mt. Hermon Commandery No. 7, K. T.


ON. E. O. KRETSINGER, Mayor of Bea- trice, was born in Ogle County, Ill., July 3, 1858. His parents. Lewis and Caroline (Ziegler) Kretsinger, were born and reared in the State of Virginia, where they were married. Not long afterward they emigrated to Illinois, lo- cating among the pioneer settlers of Ogle County, where the father became one of the most successful farmers in that part of the State. The parents are both living at the old homestead.


Our subject attended the district school in his native county during his boyhood days, and later pursned his studies at Mt. Morris about two years. He entered upon the study of law in the office of Judge E. J. Mitchell, of Boone, lowa, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1879. In the spring of the year following he came to Beatrice, but later opened an office at Blue Springs, where he con- ducted a successful practice, and in 1882 was elected County Judge, serving four years. On the 1st of July, that year, he took up his residence in Bea- trice, in order to enter upon the duties of his office.


Upon retiring from the bench Judge Kretsinger resnmed his law practice in Beatrice, and in April, 1886, was elected Mayor of the city, in which posi- tion he acquitted himself creditably and with satis- faction to all concerned, proof of which is given in


the fact that he was re-elected in 1888. The mar- riage of Mayor Kretsinger with Miss E. L. Tele. ringtin, of Rock Island, Ill., took place in December, 1881, and they have one child, a son, Storey O.


ACOB BOND, a leading grain buyer and shipper of Cortland, was born in Stephenson County, Ill., Dec. 15, 1854. His parents were Thomas and Catherine Bond, who were natives of Northampton County, Pa., and are now residents of Wilber, this State. His paternal grand- father, Jacob Bond, was also a native of the Key- stone State, and said to have been of Welsh-English origin.


The parents of our subject were blessed with a large family of children, five ouly of whom survive, namely: Sarab, the wife of William Keller, of Junction City, Kan .; Hattie S., Mrs. B. F. Eyer, of Cortland, this county; Jacob, our subject; Rosa, Mrs. W. L. Hauck, of Wilber; and Emma I., the wife of O. T. Keller, also of Wilber. Thomas Bond established in the mercantile business at Wil- ber in the spring of 1879, in which he has since been successfully occupied, having a good trade. While a resident of Illinois he was a Commissioner of Stephenson County, and politically, he is a stanch Republican. Socially, he belongs to the Masonic fraternity.


Our subject was reared to manhood in his native county, and pursued his education in the graded schools of Davis and Durand, Ill. In the fall of 1876 he entered Arnold Business College at Rock- ford, where he completed his education after an attendance of two terms, six months each. The year following he was married, Dec. 25, 1877, in Stephenson County, to Miss Mary A. Kurtz, a native of Center County, Pa., and the daughter of Levis Kurtz, who later became a resident of Ste- phenson County, Ill. Of this union there were born two children : Beulah B., now deceased, and Ray T.


In the spring of 1879 Mr. Bond came to Ne- braska and engaged in the mercantile business with his father, with whom he continued about five years. He came to Cortland in the spring of 1884, as soon as the town was started, and was one of its


I 'A. FUNKHOUSER


767


GAGE COUNTY.


pioneer merchants. He sold out two years later, however, and turned his attention to the grain trade. He handles annually about 300,000 bushels, the bulk of this being corn and oats, and ships princi- pally to Chicago.


Mr. Bond is serving his third term as Village Clerk of Cortland, to which office he was elected in the spring of 1885. Politically, he is a stanch Re- publican. He possesses considerable musical talent, being one of the organizers of the Cortland Brass Band, and is now its Treasurer. He is a stirring business man, and is doing well financially.


b ENRY D. BIXLER, of Glenwood Township, is numbered among its most public-spirited and enterprising men. He has a good farm of 160 acres, whereon he settled in the fall of 1885, and gives his attention largely to stock- raising, although his fertile fields yield a goodly proportion of the other rich products of this section.


David Bixler, the father of our subject, was a native of Maryland, and married Miss Magdalena Grover, who was born in Germany, and came to America with her parents when a little child two years of age. David Bixler and his wife are now residents of Cedar County, Iowa. Their family consisted of four children, all sons, of whom Henry D. was the third in order of birth. His native place was Stark County, Ohio, where he first opened his eyes to the light March 1, 1848. From the time he was nine years old he was reared upon a farm, and made his home with his parents until a man of twenty-five. In the meantime they had moved to Iowa, and he purchased a farm in Cedar County, adjoining his father's homestead, upon which he lived for a time, then sold it and purchased another in that vicinity.


With the exception of four years spent in a creamery at Clarence, Iowa, our subject has been continuously engaged in farming pursuits. He was married in Jones County, Aug. 24, 1871, to Miss Martha Fortney. This lady was born in Pennsyl- vania, Dec. 6, 1852, and is the daughter of Benja- min and Cornelia (York) Fortney, the former of whom died in Fayette County. To Mr. and Mrs.


Bixler there have been born two sons only-Walter I. and Warren O. Mr. B. is accounted one of the most reliable men of his community, and votes the straight Republican ticket.


C. EMERY, Deputy Recorder of Gage County, was born in Lawrence, Kan., Dec. 23, 1860. His parents were Charles and Mary (Benson) Emery, the former a native of Augusta, Me., and the latter of Dublin, Ireland. The paternal grandfather was a lumberman by occu- pation, and traced his ancestry to England. IIc served as a soldier in the War of 1812.


The father of our subject emigrated to Kansas in 1853, during its pioneer days, and began freight- ing to Denver and west to the mountains. For further information of the family history see the sketch of Charles Emery on another page of this work. He came to Beatrice in 1870, when J. C. was a lad of ten years, and has since been a resident of this city, together with his excellent wife. They are aged fifty-eight and fifty-three years respect- ively. Their family consisted of two sons: George, the County Clerk, and Jack C., of our sketch. Our subject attended the Catholic School at Atchison, and later accompanied his father in his freighting expeditions over the plains, enjoying the adventures connected therewith in a high degree. He came to this county in a wagon, riding a distance of 200 miles through a wild and romantic country, the scenes of which he often reverts to as one of the most interesting reminiscences of his life. After the family settled in Beatrice he attended the Iligh School, and entered upon the more serious business of life in 1879 as Assistant County Clerk under Capt. Hill, who was this year (1888) candidate for State Treasurer.


Mr. Emery has been connected with the Re- corder's office a number of years. He was married, in 1881, to Miss Helen, daughter of HI. C. Jaymes, of Wymore Township. Mrs. Emery was born in Oshkosh, Wis., Jan. 3, 1863, and came to Beatrice in 1879. She received a good education, being a gradnate of Wisconsin University. She is a very


AUG 5 934


A FUNKHOUSER


768


GAGE COUNTY.


amiable and estimable lady, and the little house- hold has been increased by the birth of one child, a daughter, Mollie. Mr. Emery votes the straight Republican ticket, and in 1880 was Deputy County Treasurer. J. A. FUNKHOUSER


ESSE R. THOMPSON, a settler of May. 1866, in Blakely Township, owns and occu- pies a farm of 160 acres taken as a home- stead at the time mentioned, and pleasantly located on section 1. He has made good improve- ments and gives special attention to stock-raising, having Jersey red swine, good grades of cattle and fast trotting stoek, including some very promising young horses, principally Hambletonians. In this industry he has been quite successful, and is rated among the substantial men of Gage County.


Mr. Thompson came to the State of Nebraska from Washington County, Iowa, where he had lived with his parents since a boy eight years of age. He was born near Danville, Highland Co., Ohio, Sept. 5, 1831, and is the son of James Thompson, a native of New York, of New England parentage and English descent. The latter emigrated to Ohio when a young man, and was married in Highland County to Miss Mary Lander, who was born in Lower Canada, of German parents. The maternal grandfather of our subject served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and lived to be one liun- dred and ten years old, preserving to the last a large portion of his remarkable physical strength.


The parents of our subject after their marriage settled on a farm in Highland County, Ohio, among the pioneers ot that region, but in 1839 came to the farther West, locating on a tract of new land in Washington County, Iowa. There they spent the remainder of their days, the mother dying when forty-seven years old, and the father at the ad- vanced age of eighty-eight. They were people of sterling worth, and the mother was a member of the Dunkard Church. Jesse R. was the youngest of two sons and three daughters, of whom there are living only himself and his sister, Mrs. Snyder, of Johnson County, Iowa.


Mr. Thompson lived in Iowa with his parents


until a youth of eighteen years, then set out on his own account. Ile, however, selected his wife from one of the maidens of Washington County, Iowa, Miss Martha J. Bunker, a native of Wayne County, Ind., and who was born in 1836. Mrs. Thompson is the daughter of David and Marion (Hunt) Bunker, both of whom are now deceased, the father dying in Washington County, June 25, 1886, at the age of seventy-four years, and the mother also dying there in middle life. They likewise were among its pio- neer settlers, and Mrs. Thompson was but a bahe of six months when she was taken by her parents from her native State.


To our subject and his wife there have been horn five children, two of whom, DeWitt C. and an in- fant unnamed, are deceased; David, the eldest living, is at home with his parents, having the man- agement of the farm; Maggie is the wife of Peter Goom, a farmer of Beatrice Township; Anna re- mains at home with her parents. Mr. Thompson belongs to Lodge No. 111, A. F. & A. M., at De Witt, and David is identified also with the fra- ternity. Our subject, politically, is a solid Repub- lican, and has held the various school offices of his district.


LINCOLN BURGESS, the veterinary sur- geon of West Beatrice, and who has followed the practice of his profession successfully for a long period, is a genuine New En- glander, having been born on the Atlantic Coast in Calais, Me., Aug. 14, 1855. The first ten years of his life were spent in the Pine Tree State, where he attended the common school. His father, Rev. I. J. Burgess, was a minister of the Baptist Church, and born of English parents. in the West Indies.


When our subject was a lad of thirteen years his parents removed to Middleboro, Mass., where he resided a period of ten years. Upon reaching man's estate he drifted westward to the home of his uncle, John Milne, in Minnesota, where he spent two years. Then returning to Middleboro, and desirous of brightening .up his knowledge, he en- tered the High School, where he studied two years; later he engaged as book-keeper for the firm of Milne & Mckenzie nearly three years. From this


MIA FUNKHOUSER


AUG 5 1934


769


GAGE COUNTY.


place he went to the Connectieut Hospital, where he studied medicine and spent three years and ten months. Later he studied a year with Prof. Blais- den, of Middletown, Conn., and one of the most noted veterinary surgeons of that region.


The three years following Dr. Burgess spent with his father-in-law, D. H. Smith, an extensive dealer in horses, who shipped from Indiana and the Cana- das to the Eastern markets. In October, 1883, he came to Nebraska, bringing to Beatrice a herd of thirty-three head of fine. Jersey cattle, which he disposed of here. From this time on he gave his


entire attention to the practice of his profession, which extends throughout the city and into the country, and in which he has been successful. Not only does he treat the equine race, but also cattle and swine. He makes his headquarters in a con- venient office at the corner of Court and LaSelle streets.


Dr. Burgess was married in Middletown, Conn., Aug. 14, 1878, to Miss Nellie R., daughter of D. H. Smith, of that place. Of this union there has been born one child only, a son, D. Julien, now (1888) seven years of age. The Doctor has been quite prominent in local affairs, and was elected the first Couneilman of the Third Ward in West Bea- trice. Socially, he belongs to the Knights of Honor. His family connections are quite distinguished. His father is still living, making his residence at Wal- nut Hill, Mass. His brother, Isaae B., a finely edu- cated gentleman, is a graduate of Brown University, and at present occupies the position of Latin Mas- ter at the Newport High School. His sister, Hattie B., is the wife of the Principal of Cohasset High School. Another sister, Mary H., has charge of one of the largest kindergardens in the city of Boston.


NDREW J. HALE, prominent among the extensive farmers and stock-raisers of Gage County, and at present a resident of Bea- trice, was born in Chittenden County, Vt., near the town of Burlington, March 8, 1842. His parents, Stephen and Mary (Luce) Hale, were natives respectively of New Hampshire and Vermont, and Andrew J. was their only child. He spent his boy-


hood and youth in his native county, attending first the common school, and later entered Fairfax Institute, where he spent three years. At the ex- piration of this time he entered the Albany Law School, from which he was graduated with honors and admitted to the bar.


In the summer of 1867 Mr. Hale turned his face toward the farther West, coming to this State, and first taking up his abode in Nebraska City, of which he remained a resident a period of ten years, en- gaged in a successful law practice. From there he came to Beatrice, and acquitted himself creditably among his legal brethren until his retirement from the profession in 1886. Since that time he has given his attention to the breeding of fine horses, and has become quite an extensive land-owner, hav- ing purchased three farms in this county. He has five horses of fine Kentneky stock, and some seven head which are devoted entirely to breeding pur- poses. He exhibits some of the handsomest and most valuable animals in Southern Nebraska.


Mr. Hale was first married, in 1864, to Miss Irene Powel, who died three years later, leaving two children, a son and daughter, Stephen Fremont and Laura. Of his present marriage there have been born two children-Clyde H. and Helen H. He is a man generally respected in his community, and possessed of more than ordinary capabilities. He keeps himself well posted on political matters, and uniformly votes the Republican ticket. The main farm of 320 acres lies about eleven miles from the eity, and besides his horses Mr. Hale has a fine herd of Short-horn cattle. He has developed the quali- ties essential to the successful stock-raiser, and in connection with this industry has contributed in no small degree to the reputation of this section of country. While having large personal interests to absorb his mind and time, he has the reputation of a liberal and publie-spirited citizen.


The parents of our subject remained at their old home in the Green Mountain State until 1878, then, making the long journey to the home of their son, our subjeet, lived with him until their decease, the father passing away in 1885, at the age of eighty- seven years, and the mother in 1886, when seventy- six years old. Mr. Hale, Sr., was a man of fine busi- ness capacities, and speculated considerably in lands.


٢


Éljük Filery


Mrs. Emily G. Jilly


775


GAGE COUNTY.


ON. ELIJAHI FILLEY. No one sojourns long within the precincts of Gage County without beroming familiar with the name of the subject of this biography, a man who has borne no unimportant part in its develop- ment and prosperity. A self-made man in the strictest sense of the word. he has risen from a modest position in life to one of wealth and influ- ence, and is, distinguished for his publie spirited- ness, liberality. intelligence and good judgment. Hle has one of the most beautiful homes in the county, and with a refined and interesting family, is surrounded by all the comforts and luxuries of life.


Our subject is the scion of a substantial old family. being the son of Ammi Filley, who was born in Bloomfield. Conn., JJan. 2. 1808. The latter sojourned there until a man twenty-nine years old, then in 1837. leaving New England, emigrated to Michigan about the time of its transformation from a Territory to a State, settling in Jackson County. In Connectiont he had been engaged with his father in the slaughtering and packing business, but upon coming West took up the pursuit of agriculture. and prosecuted this in the Wolverine State for a peried of thirty years. In the summer of 1867, retiring from active labor, he came to this eounty. and made his home with lis son Elijah until his leath. which occurred May 13, 1880. at the age of seventy-two years.




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.