Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 23

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 812

USA > Nebraska > Lancaster County > Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska > Part 23

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).

S AMUEL M. MELICK, Sheriff of Lancaster County, has his headquarters in commodi- ous apartments at the jail in the city of Lineoln, and is discharging the duties of his responsible office in a manner which commends him to the people by whom he was elected. Hun- terdon County, N. J., was his earliest home, and there his birth took place on the 24th of March, 1850. The parents of our subject, Peter and Jane M. (Miller) Melick, were also natives of New Jer- sey, and the father, a farmer and surveyor com- bined, for a period of several years held the office of County Surveyor of Hunterdon County. The ma- ternal great-grandfather, Samuel A. Miller, was born in Germany on the River Rhine, and his son, Samuel Miller, Esq., the grandfather of our subject, was

one of the earliest, settlers of New Jersey. Peter Melick with his family left New England about 1859, and took up his residence in Marshall County. Ill., settling on a farm, where he carried on agriculture, and where the wife and mother died in the forty- eighth year of her age.

The parental household included four children, and Samuel M. grew to manhood acquiring a good education, and completing his studies in Marshall College, of which he was a student eighteen monthis. During a vacation he made a visit to Washington County, Iowa, where he formed the acquaintance of Miss Molly Ogan, and their marriage took place in February. 1866, at the home of the bride in Washing- ton County, Iowa, and while young Melick was still a student of Marshall College. After marriage he returned to his studies until they were completed, and from that time until the spring of 1870 em- ployed himself at farming in Iowa.

Our subject now came to Southern Nebraska, and located a homestead of eighty acres in Rock Creek Precinct. He occupied this a period of nearly ten years, and in January, 1880, was appointed Deputy Sheriff under Grant Ensign, Sheriff, a position which he held four years. In the fall of 1883 he was nominated as the candidate of the Republican party for Sheriff, and elected. Serving his term accept- ably, he was re-elected in the fall of 1885, and con- tinued in his third term by the election of 1887, by a majority of 1,995. He still retains possession of his farm property, which forms a pleasant resort from the chaos and turmoil of a busy and go-ahead city.

To our subject and his estimable wife there were born three children-Minme M., Mary E. and Wal- ter W. Mrs. Molly (Ogan) Melick departed this life at her home in Roek Creek Precinet, June 19, 1880, and our subject on the 1st of December, 1882, contracted a second marriage, with Miss Katie, daughter of Milton Langdon, ex-County Treasurer. This lady was born in Janesville, Wis., and was brought by her parents to this county when a little girl six years of age, where she has since lived. Of this marriage there is one son, larry Hastings. Mr. Melick is a man brave and fearless in the discharge of his duties, careful and conscientious, aiming to not outstrip his authority, while at the same time

234

LANCASTER COUNTY.

offenders against law and good order have a healthy respeet for his keen eye and strong muscles. He is of a social nature, and belongs to the Masonic fra- ternity, being a member of Lodge No. 54, in Lin- coln, and a K. of P. in Central City Lodge No. 68. Peter Melick, the father of our subject, came with him to this county, and died in 1878, in the sixty- sixth year of his age.

OUIS IIELMER, of J street, Lincoln, is a man very widely known. He is a native of Canada, being born in Ontario, Feb. 16, 1840. His father was Andrew Helmer, also born in Ontario, Canada, while his father, the grand- father of our subject, was born in the Mohawk Val- ley, N. Y., and was the descendant of original Duteh settlers.

The father of our subjeet was by occupation a farmer; religiously, he affiliated with the Presby- terian Church, and was a prominent member of the local organization for many years. Ile died April 26, 1878. Lonis Helmer was educated in the eom- mon schools, and spent his early days on the farm. After a residenee of five years in Illinois, he came in 1869 to Lincoln and went to farming; ten years after he returned to Canada, and was united in mar- riage with Miss Ellen S. Allchin, who was born in the Dominion, March 19, 1849, was liberally educated, and a graduate of the High Schools at Toronto. The marriage was celebrated June 12, 1879, and within one month he had returned, accompanied by his young bride, to the Nebraska home. About five years before his marriage he was elected to the Nebraska Legislature. Mareh 1, 1875, he entered the County Treasurer's office as Deputy, continning for three years, then was elected County Treasurer on the Republican ticket. Public sentiment ex- pressed its appreciation by subsequent re-election on one occasion.

In January, 1886, our subject entered into the real-estate business, and shortly after, in order to devote his undivided energies to this enterprise, he sold his farm. To-day he possesses a most exten- sive real-estate connection and successful business. In addition to the offices previously mentioned he

has been connected with the school system, as Di- rector, and has gained the respect of all coneerned by the manner in which his duties were performed. For two years he was School Treasurer, served three years as Sehool Director, and Township Assessor for one term, and officiated as Justice of the Peace for two years.

In Masonic eireles Mr. Helmer has quite a reputa- tion. He was entered, passed and raised in the year 1867, and within twelve months was elected Worshipful Master of his lodge, thus making, we are free to say, a most unusual record, but this was done under dispensation from the Grand Master of Masons of Ontario. After sitting in the east of this lodge (No. 205, New Hamburg, Ontario) for one year, with much credit to himself and pleasure to the craft, he retired with the highest esteem of his brethren. He is also a worthy companion and member of the Chapter. He is likewise affiliated with the I. O. O. F. fraternity, Lodge No. 38, at Lincoln. His church relations are in the commun- ion of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Helmer is a member of the Episcopal Church. Their only child, Ethel Louise, was born April 3, 1880. Politically, our subjeet is a stanch, outspoken Pro- hibitionist.

ILLIAM E. KEYS. Saltillo has many beau- tiful homes, although the history of Ne- braska is but in its early days and the first tier has hardly been placed above the surface line of its foundation, and the beautiful superstruc- ture of its history has yet to be raised until it is completed with dome and spire, tower and minaret, the admiration and surprise of the Republic. Even in this early day its homes compare favorably in the point of architectural beanty, and the embel- lishments of the interior reveal a refinement. culture and artistic beauty equal to, if not surpassing, many of the bijou residences of older cities. Among those worthy of remark as exceedingly handsome and complete, is that of our subject, which is situ- ated near the village of Roca.

Our subject is senior member of the firm of Keys & Bullock, wholesale dealers in building stone, at Lincoln, and also is a successful farmer, whose

235

LANCASTER COUNTY.

property is situated on section 17, Saltillo Precinct. The family of which onr subject is a member is of Scotch-Irish extraction, and as far back as the Colonial days of the pre-Revolutionary period, it was a name honored by all. When the question came up concerning the independence of the States, the maternal great-grandfather of our subject was one of those who decided that the American eagle would be strong enough to use its own wings and make its own way from the moment it was out of the shell; and therefore took his place in the Revo- lutionary War, and served most creditably through- out the same.

The parents of our subject were among the early settlers in Ohio, establishing their home near Akron. 'The name of his father was William M .; that of his mother Ilannah F. (Carter) Keys. From Akron his parents removed, in 1847, to Clayton County, Iowa, where his father followed the pursuits of mercantile life until 1868, when they joined our subject at his present home. Mrs. Keys died at the age of seventy years, in the year 1875, IIis father is still living, and is aged eighty-three years. There have been five children born to their family, and of these two are now living: William E., onr subject, and his sister, Mary Louisa, who is now the wife of C. N. Nagle, attorney-at-law at Clarion, Iowa.

Our subjeet was born Sept. 14, 1840, at Middle- bury. Ohio. He began his schooling at that place at the age of five years, and was seven years old when he went to Iowa, attended school at Elkader, and assisted his father in his business. He then entered the university at Fayette of the same State, at the age of sixteen years, and was graduated two years later. In the spring of 1864 he came to Nebraska to settle, having made an extensive trip of exploration the previous year, during his vaca- tion. Ile purchased 320 aeres of land on seetions 17 and 20, and immediately set to work to the im- provement of the same.

While in lowa our subject had become acquainted with a young lady whose many amiable qualities and feminine graces were such that as our subject became acquainted with them he was constrained by all that was ardent and ambitiously inspiring to make his own, with the pleasing result that, Dec.

30, 1863, he became the husband of Miss Eleanor G. Brown, a step which they have neither had cause to regret or desire altered. This lady is the daughter of George James Brown, who came from Canada to Iowa. Her parents were both originally from England. Their daughter Eleanor was born Feb. 9, 1839, close to Lake Champlain, in the Province of Quebec, and was between thirteen and fourteen years of age when her parents removed to Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Keys are the happy parents of five children-Anna L., Oscar, Roy, Bernard and Perci- val. The eldest daughter is married to Mr. Ellis, of Marris, who is agent for the Burlington & Mis- sonri River Railroad, at Wahoo, and they are parents of one son, Ralph; Oscar is residing at home, and is a student at the university ; Roy is also at home, and with his two brothers is attending school.

When our subject and his wife started to Ne- braska it was by the slow and somewhat primitive method of locomotion where the power is furnished by the team, and the most comfortable carriage possible was the same wagon that held their per- sonal and household effects. To older persons this would possibly have been very prosy and tire- some, but the glamour of novelty was cast about it, and relieved the journey of everything that would be dull and suggestive of tedium. Upon arrival they started to keep house, and for some three or four years ran the Ranch House.

In 1874 Mr. Keys opened up a quarry of magne- sium limestone, and in company with his partner operated it in connection with a larger quarry. Among the buildings which have been erected from the material supplied by our subject are the State Asylum, Penitentiary, University and Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Mr. Keys and partner also operate large quarries in Auburn and Johnson, in Nemaha County, which has furnished stone for the Wesleyan University, at Lincoln, and the Me- morial Hall. Their pay-roll averages $1,500 weekly, a figure which represents about 100 employes. Their business has steadily increased from the first, and their goods are used, not only throughout Ne- braska, but in adjoining States and Territories.

Mrs. Keys is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and one of the most active mem- bers of the W. C. T. U., of which organization she

236

LANCASTER COUNTY.

is the Secretary. Her place is naturally among the elite of the city, and in that circle her many rare qualities, accomplishments, winning manner and entertaining power as a conversationalist, mingled with the refinement, intelligence, poetry and grace of womanhood, make her at all times a welcome guest and agreeable hostess.

Our subject has served as County Commissioner for three years, with mueh satisfaction to his party and fellow-citizens. He is an affiliate of the Re- publican party, which finds in him a very firm friend and vigorous supporter, a hard worker, firm in his adherence to the party principles, strong in argu- ment and in its defense. We are enjoined to give honor where honor is due, and from whatever standpoint we view the history of our subject and his family, there is nothing but what is worthy of remark upon that line.

h ORACE M. ALMY, who has been a resident of this county for the past nine years, re- sides on section 15, in Mill Precinct, where he settled in 1879. He is now the owner of 1,200 acres of land, where he is successfully carry- ing on stock-raising and general farming, and in this manner forms no unimportant factor in the agricultural interests of this section.

A native of Rhode Island, our subject was born Sept. 17, 1838, and is the son of John E. and La- vinia (Manchester) Almy, natives of the same State, and of New England aneestry, who crossed the At- lantic during the Colonial days and were intimately connected with the early history of that region. The father of our subject was a farmer by oceupa- tion and, with his estimable wife, spent his entire life in his native State, his death taking place in 1872, and that of the mother in 1869.

Nine children of John E. and Lavinia Almy lived to attain their majority, but Charles and Mary died when fifty and forty-five years of age respectively. Harriet is the wife of Brownell Snell, and with her sister Emeline, Mrs. Seabury, is a resident of Little Compton, R. I .; Henry died in Little Compton when about fifty years old; Horace M., our subject,

was the sixth child; Diana; Almira and Cornelia are deceased, and four died in infaney unnamed.

Mr. Almy learned farming among the rugged hills of his native State, where he developed into manhood and acquired a good common-school edu- cation. When twenty-six years of age he was married, Nov. 17, 1864. to Miss Abbie C., daughter of Benjamin and Lydia (Head) Grinnell, and a native of his own township. Her parents spent their last years in Little Compton, R. I. The father followed agriculture, and passed from earth April 22, 1863. The mother died in July, 1887.

The spring following his marriage our subject and his wife emigrated to Clinton County, Ill., and Mr. A. first purchased 160 acres of land in Meridian Township. To this he added later, and carried on farming until coming to Nebraska. The land which he now owns had been very indifferently cultivated, but under his wise management has become one of the most productive tracts in this region. He put the old buildings in repair and erected new ones, and has now a neat and substantial dwelling, a good barn, and all the other structures required for his comfort and convenience.

To our subject and his wife there have been born five children, all living, namely : Frank F., Flora E., Horace M., Billings G. and John E. Mr. Almy usually votes the Democratie ticket, but will not be bound by party lines. He has served as Assessor and member of the School Board in his district, and for a number of years was actively identified with the Patrons of Husbandry. His possessions are mainly the result of his own industry, as he had very little property at the start.

HARLES L. LIDOLPH is one of the repre- sentative farmers and stock-raisers of Cen- terville Precinct, residing on section 11. He is a native of Van Buren County, lowa, and was born on the 28th of December, 1857. He is a son of Charles L. and Minerva Lidolph, his father hav- ing been a native of Prussia and his mother a native of the State of Virginia. Sometime in the "forties" the father of our subject emigrated to America. and after spending a short time in Vir-

yours in F. b.L. b. M. Parker

239

LANCASTER COUNTY.

ginia he went to Van Buren County, Iowa, where he settled in the year 1851. There he resided until the year 1874, when with his family he came to Lancaster County, and settled on the farm now oc- enpied by his family in Centerville Precinct.

For five years the father of our subject engaged in farming on his new land, and being a public- spirited and sociable man, he enjoyed the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. He approved of all measures by which the education and cultivation of the people, and the fertility and general utility of the country surrounding him, could be secured. Ile was a kind and loving father, a devoted and thoughtful husband, a useful and enterprising citi- zen, and in his death, which occurred on the 15th of April. 1879, his family lost a most considerate and careful protector and the county onc of its best citizens. He was one of the representative and in- telligent German citizens of his precinct, and we are pleased to record these memorials of the esteem in which he was held in this collection of sketches.

Charles Lidolph, our subject, came with the family to Lancaster County in 1874, and has since made this place his home. He has become the owner of 100 aeres of the home farm, consisting of 320 acres, which has been accumulated by the industry of the family. On the 22d of November, 1878, he married Margaret Baker, who became the mother of two daughters: Alice M., born Feb. 1, 1881, and Maud M., born March 2, 1883, and died July 27, 1887. On the 22d of February, 1886, our subject was called to mourn the loss of his loved wife, who departed leaving a great wealth of love and affection in the hearts of her husband and daughter, and a large circle of friends to mourn her untimely death.

What we have said of the father we can with equal truth and propriety repeat of the son. He has been a live, active and energetie member of society, amply qualified by his own attainments to take an important share in the political, religious and educational movements of the day. Bereft of his helpmate and companion, he has had to work onward and upward without the encouragement of her smile and her voice, but her remembrance will ever be dear to him.

Mr. Lidolph has been active in educational matters and is now serving as School Moderator in his district.

lle gives his voice and the influence of his example in favor of the principles entertained by the Demo- cratic party in politics, and is an esteemed mem- ber in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has profited well by the example which his father set him, and that, united to his own moral worth and steadfastness of principles, enti- tles him to honorable mention among the leading citizens of his precinct.

UDGE CHARLES M. PARKER. The sub- jeet of this sketch, whose portrait is pre- sented on the opposite page, was born Aug. 28, 1840, in the village of Geneseo, in Liv- ingston County, N. Y. In the fall of 1844, his parents, William and Melinda Parker, with their three children-Bruce, Helen and Charles-moved to Tippecanoe County, Ind., where the father fol- lowed the avocation of a farmer, the boys working with him on the farm during the summer and at- tending the district school in winter; an uneventful life, with little to disturb the summer's work or winter's study until the stirring times of 1861, when the Civil War broke out, when both boys were desirous of enlisting in response to President Lin- coln's first call for 75,000 men. but the father. being in poor health and somewhat in debt on the farm, persuaded the boys to defer enlisting until a further demand for a larger army should be needed, at the same time promising them that in case a gen- eral call should be made and their services actually needed, that he would make no further objections to their both going into the service. assuring them that if his health would permit he, too, would go with them, though he was then fifty years of age.

It was at such times as this and such conversa- tions that the father related his recollections of his grandfather, William Parker, who served seven full years in the Revolution, participating in all of the principal engagements of that war, from Lexing- ton, Monmouth, Bennington, Bunker Hill, etc., and finally at the siege and surrender of Yorktown, coming home with a bundle of worthless Continental money. and his faithful musket which for years passed

240

LANCASTER COUNTY.

from generation to generation as an heirloom.

Thus it will be seen that our subject came from good okl Revolutionary stock, hence it is no wonder that during the first few months of the war he chafed and fretted "in the harness" on the farm, and that farm work no longer had anything like the usnal charms for him. The fires of 1776 had deseended to him from his illustrious great-grandsire, and were burning in his veins. He longed to be at the front, to stand between his country and ber enemies, and to show that he was worthy the name he bore. His coun- try, the saered heritage received from the hands of his forefathers, he deemed too sacred to he assailed by any enemy, more especially by his own country- men; the fact that her assailants were those who should be her defenders made her cause the dearer to him.

When President Lincoln issued his call for 300,- 000 men he could be no longer restrained, especially as he had just attained his majority, but his father made no further objections to his enlisting, con- cluding that the time had come when he too must surrender a father's claim to his country's good. Sept. 5, 1861, our farmer's boy enlisted in Company A, 46th Indiana Volunteers, under Capt. John H. Gould, which was assigned to the 46th Indiana In- fantry, commanded by Col. Graham N. Fitch, after- ward by Col. T. H. Bringhurst. The new regiment went into eamp for instruction and organization at Logansport, Ind., where it remained until Decem- ber 8, when it was ordered to the front. It pro- ceeded by rail to Indianapolis, where it was reviewed by Gov. Morton, then to Madison, Ind., by rail ; by steamer to Louisville, Ky. From Louisville the regiment marched to Green River, in the same State, where it went into winter quarters near Bards- town, Ky., where it remained until spring. When Gen. Grant was knocking at the doors of Fts. Henry and Donelson, the 46th Indiana was or- dered forward in great haste to reinforce him, when the regiment reached the mouth of the Cum- berland, where the joyous news was received that Donelson had surrendered ; the regiment was then transferred to Gen. Pope's army on the Mississippi, and at once entered in earnest upon the rigorous duties of opening the Mississippi, first in reducing Island No. 10. The regiment participated in all

of the engagements in that vigorous campaign, and was "in at the death and capture."

The regiment was then at Ruddles' Point, at Ft. Pillow, at Memphis June 6, 1861, where the 46th and 43d Indiana Regiments were the first troops to enter the city after the rebel fleet had been de- stroyed, our subject being one of the very first to set foot on the wharf amid that turbulent and enraged populace from Memphis, which had been reduced to order. The 46th was ordered on a cruise up the White River in Arkansas, where a severe engagement was fought at St. Charles, then returned and went into camp at Helena, Ark., where it remained most of the time until February, 1862, and then it was engaged in the Yazoo Pass expedition under Gen. Grant, thence down the river to join the Vicksburg campaign. His regiment bore a prominent part in the campaign, being en- gaged in nearly all of the skirmishes and battles of that memorable campaign, but more prominently at Hard Times Landing, Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Twelve-Mile Creek, Edwards' Station, Raymond, and (for him) finally at Champion Hills, May 16, 1863, where his regiment and the division to which it belonged (Alvin P. Hovey's) bore the brunt of the battle, leaving more than one-third of the entire division on the field either dead or wounded.

Up to this time our subject had been universally fortunate, had enjoyed good health, participated in every engagement in which his regiment partici- pated, accompanied it in all of its campaign marches, ete., had never been known to fall behind, no matter how hard the march, but was always in his place at the end of the day's march ready to "stack arms." But at Champion Hills his good fortune seemed to desert him ; he came out of the engagement with the loss of his left arm near the shoulder, a severe wound in his left cheek and a bullet hole through his left car. Possessed of a good constitution, he soon re- covered from his wounds, and received an honorable discharge July 20, 1863.

Upon his return home Mr. Parker was tendered a commission as Captain by Gov. Morton, as he was unfit for further duty in the ranks, but as his father had died during his absence he declined the commission, deeming it his anty to remain at home with his widowed mother, who was in feeble health,

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.

Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 23

Author: Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman brothers Number of Pages: 812

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 812