Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 24

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

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and as his education was necessarily limited, he de- termined to acquire an education now so necessary to his support and usefulness in the future. He attended and taught school alternately, teaching being a necessity to procure funds with which to pay his expenses, until June, 1868, when he entered upon the study of law, which he pursued diligently until April, 1870, when he was graduated from the Law School of Ann Arbor, Mich. He at once came to Nebraska, arriving at Lincoln May 4, 1870, and at once entered upon the practice of law, which be followed until January, 1882. Having been elected County Judge of Lancaster County, he entered upon the duties of the office, which he filled with satisfaction to the people and credit to himself un- til January, 1888, having been elected three times, when he resumed the practice of law.

Taking a prominent part in all public affairs of the city and State, Judge Parker has rendered much valuable aid in shaping the policy of our new State and city ; for years a member of the Board of Edu- cation, he did much toward starting our city schools on the highway to that eminence which they have already attained; honored and respected by all his large circle of acquaintances, he is now reaping the reward which his patriotie and active life merits.

In polities the Judge is a radical Republican, taking an active part in all campaigns; an ardent and active member of the Grand Army of the Re- publie, he renders much assistance to the indigent members of the order and other old soldiers.

Our subjeet was married, Oct. 10, 1872, to Miss Mary E. Hardenbergh, of New Brunswick, N. J., who died Dec. 21. 1874, leaving him a daughter Minnie, born the same day of the death of her mother. June 27, 1876, he married Emma A. Powell, of Willoughby, Ohio, by whom he has two sons : William P. Parker, born Feb. 14, 1881, and Charles M. Parker, Dec. 30, 1883, all children still living. When not engaged in business or politics the Judge spends all of his time at his home, a lovely cottage in the eastern part of the city, where, surrounded by his wife and children, with his form still as straight as when he entered the ranks, with scarcely a gray hair, his appearance gives little evi- dence of the ravages of time or of the active life he has led and the hardships he has endured.

OHN JEFFERY, a worthy and respected eiti- zen of this county, has been a resident of this State since 1868, at which time he mi- grated from Grant County, Wis., and home- steaded eighty acres of land on section 22, Waverly Precinct. lle still resides on the original purchase, to which he has since added another eighty acres, and now has all his land well improved and under a high state of cultivation. It is provided with commodious frame buildings, and the modern me- chanical appliances which enable the agriculturist to perform his duties in the shortest possible time, and with the least outlay of manual labor.

The subject of this notice is a native of the Buck- eye State, which has furnished so much of the best pioneer element of Nebraska, and was born in Wayne County, Dec. 6, 1831. He is the son of William and Mary (Furgeson) Jeffery, the former of whom was born near Belfast, Ireland, and was the son of John Jeffery, who, with his family, came to the United States in 1826, and settled in Con- gress, Wayne Co., Ohio. He secured a tract of timber land, and engaging in the noble occupation of redeeming from the wilderness a land which should "blossom as the rose," he was thus occupied until his decease. Ilis family consisted of seven children-William, Nancy, Jane, Eliza. Archibald, John and James.

William Jeffery, the father of our subject, was born Sept. 25, 1806, and accompanying the family to this country, grew to manhood in Wayne County, Ohio, and was there united in marriage, March 10, 1831, with Miss Mary Furgeson. Mrs. Jeffery was a native of Pennsylvania, and departed this life Feb. 14, 1839, at the early age of twenty-six years, leaving two children : John, our subject, and Jane, who became the wife of Lyman Haskell, and died in York State. William Jeffery chose for his second wife Sarah Burney, who was born Dec. 11, 1801, and they soon afterward settled in Grant County, Wis., which became their home until 1872, when they directed their steps to this State, and settled in Waverly Precinct, Lancaster County. The father engaged in the cultivation of the soil, but the sands of life were almost run, and he passed away Oct. 22, 1875; Mrs. Jeffery still survives. Of the second union of the father of our subject there were born

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six children-Martin, James, Mary A., Melvin, Thomas and Rachel.

At the tender age of seven years our subjeet sus- tained an irreparable loss in the death of his loving mother, and when fourteen years of age he re- moved with the family to Grant County, Wis., where he assisted in the duties of the farm. Before his arrival in Grant County he had attended the public schools of his native township, and received an elementary education. On the 13th of January, 1861, he contracted a matrimonial alliance with Miss Lorena Hall, a native of Trumbull County, Ohio, born Oct. 23, 1837, and the daughter of Ja- cob and Electa (Waldrof) Hall, natives respect- ively of New Jersey and Ohio. In 1845 the par- ents settled in Grant County, Ohio, and removed from Ohio to Wisconsin, where the devoted wife died five years later, Dee. 31, 1850. The father subsequently came to Nebraska with our subject, and died at his residence, Dee. 4, 1878. They be- eame the parents of seven children-Lorena, Nel- son, Albert, Dudley, Warren, Elizabeth and Jacob.

After marriage our subject pursued farming in Grant County, Wis., which he continued to make his home until 1868, when he came to Nebraska as above stated, Of his union with Miss Lorena Hall there were born fourteen children : Ira D., deceased ; Volney W., Dudley M .; Walter A., Mary Electa and William, all deceased ; Sarah J. ; John, deceased; Minnie L .: Nelson, deceased; George, Charles, Maggie and Ida. In polities the sympathies of our subject are with the Democratic party, but he yields to no slavish obedience, and holds himself free to support what he considers the best meas- ures, regardless of the party by whom they are introdneed.

R OBERT MCCARTNEY. Ireland is peopled by two different raees, naturally dividing themselves into two sections by a line only .visible by the differences in the people, which are marked. Sonthern Ireland is the Catho- lie portion, and was peopled by the Celts, with, it may be, some sprinkling of ancient Britons. Northern or Protestant Ireland is peopled by the

Scotch or Gaelic, These two raees can never be mixed or amalgamated ; they are and must continue opposites. This has long been recognized by thoughtful students of the subject as one of the great difficulties of the "Irish Question." In North- ern Ireland is County Down, a prosperous seetion of the country, where was born, Dec. 11, 1809, Nicholas McCartney, the father of the subject of this sketel.

In the year 1834 Mr. MeCartney left his native country and came to the United States, landing in Baltimore, going on to Philadelphia, where he en- gaged in the business of distiller. In 1836 he was married to Catherine Hibbert, a daughter of Robert Hibbert, who was an aid-de-camp in the British service. His wife was born July 31, 1813, near Molton Church, England. In 1826 she came with her parents to Philadelphia, where she lived until her marriage. Herself and husband now reside near Sand Spring, Delaware Co., lowa, where he is now farming, an oeeupation in which he has been en- gaged ever since the removal from Philadelphia. His life has always been marked by a benevolent philanthropy, and intelligent helping of the needy.

The family circle of Mr. and Mrs. MeCartney comprised eight children, who are named as fol- lows: William, John, James, Robert, Nicholas, Mary, David and Ellen. The eldest son is a farmer at Plymouth; the next is prosperous in the same calling in Delaware County, Jowa; James, who has a good war record, was wounded at Vicksburg, while serving in Company K. 21st Iowa Infantry ; he is now a successful grain-buyer, and resident at Le Mars, Plymouth Co., Iowa; Nicholas is farming in North Bluff Precinct; Mary is the wife of Alexan- der Phillips, a farmer in Webster County, this State; in the recent unpleasantness this gentleman served in the 9th lowa Infantry until the expiration of his term, and afterward re-enlisted, in Company K, 21st lowa Infantry, for three years. Ellen is now Mrs. George Thornton, whose husband is a farmer, resident in Antelope County, near her brother David, who follows the same calling.

Our subject was born June 27, 1844, near New- ark, Del., where he continued to reside until the year 1857. when his father removed his family to Dela- ware County, Iowa, where he lived until he was

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twenty-two years of age. From that until the year 1867 he worked in a broom factory, but in that year lie determined to move West, and came to this county, and made his home at Lincoln May 28, 1869. On the 4th day of June following he pre- empted eighty acres, and in the following year filed a homestead claim. His first home here was a dug- out, which he occupied four years, when, doubtless owing to the fact that he was about to enter upon a new order of things and take to himself a wife, he erected the present dwelling, a pleasant and com- fortable farmhouse.

In the month of November, 1873, Mr. M. went to Philadelphia, and on the 27th of that month led to the altar Theresa Jane Walker, daughter of William and Ann (Allen) Walker. Her father was born in Ireland, about the year 1818, and in the same year her mother was born in England. He was about eighteen years of age when he came to America and settled in Delaware. He began to work as a bricklayer and builder, which he followed for sev- eral years. His death occurred in Delaware, in 1857. His wife came to this country with her parents when nine years of age, and continued to live with them until her marriage, at Wilmington, Del. Their home circle grew to include eight children, seven of whom still live; they are: Mary E., Eliza- beth A., Theresa, Drenda, Samuel A., Wilhimina and Andrew A. Mary is the wife of John F. Harvey, of Philadelphia, who also served in the late war; the second child is Mrs. Frederick Pierce, of Chester County, Pa. ; the fourth child is the wife of Robert McCartney, of Philadelphia, and a boot and shoe dealer; Samuel, a resident of the city, is a cigar- maker, and Wilhimina is happily married to Mr. Seth Porter, likewise a resident of the Quaker City, and by trade a machinist ; there the youngest child, Andrew, is a weaver. The mother still lives in that city. Our subject was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1870, and has since been elected to serve a period of four years. He was elected Assessor in 1873, and held that office one year, and has been continually re-elected as member of the Board of Elections. In 1878 our subject canvassed the county as candidate for State Senator, on the Greenback ticket. The estimation and respect in which he is held and also his popularity, are at-

tested by the fact that he was only defeated by a majority of 600 votes, having run ahead of the ticket. He is a man who takes great interest in the advancement of the county. and is at all times ready to lend his energies to that end. IIe is a prominent member of the society known as the Farmers' Club, and ranks among its most active members.

In farming Mr. McCartney is very successful, and has 160 acres of land, and makes a specialty of his dairy and corn and hog raising. When he came here the total credit account of his exchequer was represented by the figures 855. Since that time, however, he has made a fortune, although he has suffered several times by drouth and by fire. llis farm is now valued at $5,200, and he has besides about 83,000 worth of property in various parts.

Mr. M. and wife are members of standing and undoubted consistency and devotion in the Method- ist Episcopal Church, of which he has been Class- Leader, with much acceptance to the members thereof, for over three years. Since the spring of 1887 he has been also Steward of the church, and in the same year was elected one of the lay delegates to the General Conference at Lincoln. Nebraska is by no means behind any of her sister States in the matter of Sunday-schools and Sunday-school workers; whoever holds a prominent place in that department must be in the front rank in those quali- ties which go to make a leader; possess aptitude to intelligently convey instruction, and the magnetism to attract and hold the affectionate confidence of those associated in the same. That our subject possesses these is attested in that he has been Sun- day-school Superintendent and Bible Class teacher for many years, also active at all times in every de- partment of church work, in which his wife is by no means behind him. Their married life has al- ways been happy and bright, notwithstanding they have met their full share of difficulty. This has doubtless been by no means lessened by the ap- pearance of five little ones in their home. The first, named Robert Allen, was born Sept. 11, 1874; Drenda F., June 25, 1876; May Ellen, March 17. 1579; Lucy Emma, Feb, 5, 1881 ; Albia Alice, June 4, 1883; the latter died Jan. 10, 1886.

The first vote of our subject was cast for Hora-

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tio Seymour as President, and in after years. as noted above. he was upon the ticket of the Green- back party for Senator; this nomination was heartily indorsed by the Democratic party. He has for many years thought deeply and earnestly upon the temperance question, and watches with deep inter- est the progress of the Prohibition party, attend- ing its meetings, and largely aiding in support of that cause. Our subject is a man of restless energy, and an earnest promoter of every cause which he deems to be just, right and beneficial, so that in church and other works calculated to benefit the community, he is a leading worker, and as such stands committed before the community. It is a pleasure, also, to be able to state that the place is not only ably but also worthily filled, and that he is regarded by the community as consistent and honorable in every relation and service.

W ILLIAM B. MORRISON is a very popular grain dealer and business man, residing at Hickman, Neb. He may well remember with pride the deeds of his illustrious ancestors, the eminence to which his father attained as a promi- nent jurist, and his own patriotie war career and subsequent success in business. Our subjeet is a son of Robert D. and Sarah (Sawyer) Morrison, both of Tennessee, the former of Bedford and the latter of Taylor County. The father's ancestors came to Pennsylvania from Scotland and Ireland, and those of the mother were German-English Puri- tans, who came to America during Colonial times. The grandfathers of our subject, on both the pater- nal and maternal sides, served in the War of 1812, the grandfather Sawyer also being engaged as a teamster in bringing supplies to Gen. Jackson, after- ward serving in the Seminole War. Cyrus Morri- son, a relative of our subject, figured prominently in defending the rights of the patriots of North Carolina in the Revolutionary period.

A part of the Morrison family, from whom our subject springs, moved to Tennessee, his grand- father being one of the earliest pioneers of that State. His father taught school for a time, and then reading law, he was admitted to the bar at the

age of twenty-three years. about that time moving to Milan, Mo., at which place he practiced his profes- sion until his death, which occurred on the 4th of June, 1888, at the age of seventy-five years. He was regarded as one of the best lawyers of Sullivan County, and was also highly esteemed as a local preacher. So talented and exemplary a man can- not withdraw from a community without being much regretted, and the death of this honored gen- tleman was sadly and sincerely mourned by the resi- dents of that county. He had demonstrated be- yond a doubt the fact that there is honor connected with the legal profession, and that he had attained it to an eminent degree, having been County and District Attorney for three terms in Missouri, and being Probate Judge at the time of his death. His bereaved wife still lives at Milan, Mo., at the ad- vanced age of seventy-two years. She is the mother of ten children, five boys and five girls, but five of whom are now living, our subject being the eldest.

William B. Morrison was born in Somerville, Ala., on the 14th of April, 1835, and came with his father to Northern Missouri when he was eight years old. The educational facilities being limited, and the as- sistance of our subject needed at home, he worked for two years to pay expenses of living for the fam- ily. He had a great pioneer experience in Missouri, and spent many years as clerk in general stores. His father being appointed Register of the United States Land Office at Milan, Mo., he elerked for two years for his father, but before this time, at the age of twenty-one, he was married, in 1856, to Miss Nancy Montgomery, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Montgomery. They were also prominent people of Milan, and were formerly from Pennsylvania, their daughter Nancy having been born Oct. 19, 1837, near Doylestown, Wayne Co., Ohio, and having re- ceived her education in the common schools.

After his marriage our subject farmed for one year, clerked for two years in the land-office, and then was engaged in merchandising for two years, until the breaking out of the war. He had one brother in the United States army and another in the Southern army. To meet an enemy for whom he rightly entertains a loathing, in a fair field, and spend a just rage in giving him a thorough chas- tisement, may be a relief to a man's wounded feel-

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ings, but to be actually forced into the field to take up arms, not only against fellowmen and brothers, but against a brother of his own flesh and blood, truly that is harassing in the most extreme degree ! Such was the fate destined for our subject, and, al- though he tried to oppose it, his resistance was in vain, and being loyal, he decided like Lee to go with the mother State.

Our subject enlisted toward the fall of 1861 in the Missouri State Guards, under command of Gen. John B. Clark. Subsequently he went into Com- pany 11, 6th Missouri Infantry, enlisting as a pri- vate and serving throughout the war. He was iu the Western Division of the army and participated in fifteen pitched battles, including the sieges of Atlanta and Vicksburg, was taken prisoner at the latter place, was wounded three times, and laid down his arms at Mobile Bay, From that place he was taken to Jackson, Miss., where he was paroled, remaining in Mississippi nearly twelve months, and while there he took the "Ironclad" oath, regaining his right to American citizenship in 1866. Wounded and distressed, his means utterly exhausted by the late engagement, doubtless the thought may have occurred to him that he might better have been released from it all. But there was hope and love waiting to sustain him, and with this encouragement his dauntless spirit brooked no delay, and he at once commeneed to carve out a place for his name when he should have attained success.

Mr. Morrison came to Nebraska in the spring of 1868, bringing his wife and four children by slow travel over the wagon roads, stopping in Nebraska City for eighteen months, and again in Gage County, where he farmed for one year. On his ar- rival in Lancaster County, in 1870, he was the owner of one team and wagon, one eow, seven hogs, and household utensils, with $5 in his pocket and $250 in debt. He fashioned a log house with floor and roof of " mother earth," and made im- provements as fast as his purse would allow. There were some encouragements and many discourage- ments. It is well that a youth cannot foresee the burdens before him, else, overwhelmed by the vast difficulties and hardships looming up before him like a dark cloud, which he must encounter and

successfully combat if he would rise to eminence, often and often his courage would fail him and he would sink beneath the threatening pressure. For a man of experience to review his past life, to take note of the disasters, the encounters through which he wearily toiled until they were overcome, is to thrill him with wonder that he was able to endure so much, and to till him with a sense of thankful- ness for the divine care and protection that are un- consciously enjoyed by every living being.

When by his own carelessness or mismanagement a man is brought to suffer reverses, he knows that the blame lies with himself, and philosophically ac- cepts the fruit of his own garnering; but to see property, that has been accumulated only by unre- mitting labor and wisest of husbandry, swept away or devoured by a remorseless enemy, and not be able to stretch forth a hand to save it-nay, must perforce stand by and watch its steady destrnetion- O, that is hard, indeed, and trying to men's souls! Through such disasters has the subject of this sketeh passed, his resources devastated by war, the finan- cial panie of 1875, and the grasshopper era of 1876. But, surmounting these misfortunes, assisting in ob- taining supplies for the destitute, he has risen by the exercise of his own intrinsic merits, and has stemmed most gloriously the tide that lashed about him. He began to work by the month for Chris. Bretlower, grain buyer, working for him five or six months, when, his employer being unfortunate, our subject rented the grain houses and began business for himself. Enjoying good trade and being sue- cessful from the start, he has continued since then dealing in grain and coal. In 1885 he formed a partnership with William P. Larsh in general mer- chandise. the new firm enjoying good trade, carry- ing a stoek worth from $5,000 to $6,000. In 1879 he entered into partnership with Mr. Lowery in the grain business. They ship 125,000 bushels of grain annually, and our subject handles from fifty to seventy-five ears of coal per year, besides paying strict attention to business.

Our subject has erected a handsome residence in Hiekman, and is the father of eight children, as fol- lows: Richard T., who married Miss A. Beck, is a farmer in Saltillo Precinct, having eighty acres of land; they have four children-Guy L., Gracie,

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Mamie, and the fourth unnamed; A. Maude, who married E. L. Vicker. real-estate agent residing in Lincoln; Alma E., who married H. F. Bair, resid- ing at Roca, engaged in grain buying, who have one child unnamed; Mary A., Sadie L., William R., Claude L. and Nanie M. are living at home and at- tending school. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison favor the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. Morrison is a great Democratic politician, one who does not swerve from the views and prin- ciples promulgated by that political organization. lIe keenly appreciates the demand of the country for constant watchfulness. He has been a member of the Board of Education, and is at present a mem- ber of the village Board of Trustees. He has been the Assessor of South Pass, delegate to county con- ventions and to three State conventions, and in 1884 he was the unsuccessful candidate for the State Sen- ate. Our subject is a successful business man, hav- ing perhaps more warm friends than any other man in Southern Lancaster County ; his wife is a splen- did lady, his daughters the "belles of the burg" __ all this combined makes him one of the happiest of fathers in his beautiful home.

ON. LEVI SNELL was a pioneer of Lancas- ter County, and for several years he was a prominent factor in developing its agricult- ural resources. Ile was identified with the mercantile interests of Lincoln in its early days, and he has now returned to this city to pass the evening of a life that has been nobly spent, free from the cares and labors that infested the day, having by the quiet force of persistent effort, directed by sound discretion and constant devotion to duty, accumulated a competeney more than sufficient for all his wants.

Mr. Snell was born in Lewisberry, York Co., Pa., Oct. 23, 1828, and was a son of Michael Snell, a native of the same county, as was, it is supposed, Christian Snell, the grandfather of our subject. The latter was a farmer, and as far as known spent his entire life in York County. The father of our sub- ject was reared in his native county, and there married Margaret Grissinger, who was born in

Lewisberry. and was a daughter of John Grissin- ger, a native of Montgomery County, Pa. Iler father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was with Washington at Valley Forge. He was a farmer by occupation, and was well-to-do for those days. Ile was a consistent member of the Lutheran Church. and was of a joyous, genial disposition, and retained much of his youthfulness until the Jast, although he died at the advanced age of ninety- eight years. At the time of his death he had 335 descendants living and dead. There were nearly 700 of his posterity, and it is a fact to be proud of that they are all honorable men and women, not one of whom has ever been arrested for a crime. Mr. Michael Snell was an architect and bridge-builder, and followed that business for many years in Penn- sylvania and Maryland, always making his home in York County, however, where in middle life he was gathered to his fathers, bearing with him the respect and honor of many with whom he had been associated in the course of a busy life. He was reared a member of the Lutheran Church, and al- ways held to that faith. He was a Democrat in politics, and was often called upon to fill various offices in the county, and he was Captain of the State Militia. His amiable wife, to whom he was married in early manhood, died in her native county when quite young, our subject being the only child of that marriage. The father of our sub- ject was married a second time, and reared a family of children.

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Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 24

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

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