USA > Nebraska > Lancaster County > Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska > Part 42
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James H. Welsh was a lad of twelve years when he and his brother Patrick left Chicago and settled on a farm near Richmond, III. There they worked together until after the outbreak of the late war. Our subject, on the 4th of August, 1862, enlisted in Company II, 95th Illinois Infantry, and first saw the smoke of battle at Champion Hills. He was subsequently in the engagements at Black River Bridge and other encounters with the enemy in that region. During the siege of Vicksburg he was wounded, May 22, 1863, by a minie ball in the left arm, and for six weeks was confined in the hospital at Milliken's Bend. He was able to rejoin his regi- ment before the fight at Natchez, Miss., and after several more engagements with the rebels at various places was taken prisoner, June 10, 1864, at the bat- tle of Briee's Cross Roads, and held until the close of the war, being paroled April 16, 1865. He re- turned to Illinois for a brief visit with his father's family, then re-enlisted in the regular army.
The property of our subject embraces eighty acres of good land, well developed and with eon. venient buildings, a goodly assortment of live stoek and improved farm machinery. The lady who has presided over his domestic affairs for a period of seventeen years was formerly Miss Harriet Garland, and their wedding took place at the home of the
bride in Salem, Wis., Sept. 17, 1871. The parents of Mrs. Welsh, Thomas and Jane ( Marsh) Garland, were natives of England, and are now deceased. Mrs. W. was born in Kenosha County, Wis., Nov. 24, 1846, acquired a common-school education, and resided with Mr. Booth, her brother-in-law, until her marriage. She is now the mother of eight children, the eldest of whom, George H., makes his home with an uncle in Kenosha County, Wis. The others, Lilly E., Rosa Belle, Jessie Ann, Clive A., Mary E., Guy and James L., are at home with their parents.
Our subject, politically, votes the straight Re- publican ticket, and has served as Assessor and Jus- tice of the Peace, besides holding the other local offices. He was appointed Postmaster of Prairie Home in 1884. The mail comes to this place semi- weekly. and the post office is located at his resi- dence. Mr. Welsh belongs to the I. O. O. F. and Mitehell Post No. 38, G. A. R.
R OBERT PICKEL has been a resident of this State sinee he was fourteen years of age, and coming at once to this county has been a witness of its wonderful growth and devel- opment. Nor has he been an idle witness, but he has taken an active interest in the State of his adop- tion, and has given conclusive evidence that he possesses the sterling qualities which characterize the successful pioneer farmer. He has a fine farm of eighty acres of excellent land, made valuable and beantified by fruit and shade trees, and has also erected a good residence, with commodious out- buildings.
The gentleman of whom we write was born in Stephenson County, Ill., Nov. 30, 1852, while his father, Samuel Pickel, was born in Union County, Pa., Dec. 3, 1821. His father, Simon Pickel, was born in New Jersey, and was the son of a German who emigrated to the United States and settled and died in New Jersey. Simon Pickel purchased a small farm in Union County, Pa., and resided there until 1850, when he removed to Illinois, and spent his declining years with a son in Stephenson County. The father of our subject was reared to manhood in his native State, and after receiving a
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fair common-school education, learned the trade of a carpenter and continued in its pursuit until 1850. Ile then removed to Illinois and settled near Free- port, Stephenson County, where he operated rented land and remained until 1861. His next removal was to Iowa, and accompanied by his wife and seven children they made the entire journey with one pair of horses and a wagon, cooking by the roadside and sleeping in their wagon on the way. Mr. Pickel rented land in Boone County, but not yet satisfied with his Western wanderings, in 1866 he severed his connection with Iowa, and once more harnessing his team to the wagon, the family came to Lancaster County and homesteaded a tract of land on section 30, Middle Creek Precinct. There was then no railroad west of Omaha, and Lincoln was not even thought of. Nebraska City, sixty- five miles distant, was the nearest depot for sup- plies and market. Elk, deer and antelope were still plentiful, while the Indians had not yet disap- peared before the rapidly rolling waves of civiliza- tion. Samnel Pickel built a dug-out, which the family was fain to use as a residence for three years, until he could provide more commodious quarters. For several months they had no floor to this struc- ture, and as the nearest mill was at Nebraska City, Mrs. Pickel, who was in every way the worthy helpmate of her husband, ground the corn in the coffee-mill as it was needed for six months. This lady, who in her maidenhood was Nancy P. Shamp, was united in marriage with Samuel Pickel in Feb- ruary, 1847, and died Sept. 20, 1881, She was born in Union County, Pa., Feb. 9, 1824, and was the daughter of Nicholas Shamp, who was born in New Jersey, while his father, Jerome Shamp, was also, it is believed, a native of New Jersey, and spent his entire life in that State. Nicholas Shamp was a weaver by trade, and followed that occupa- tion many years. He was married in Union County, Pa., to Charity Van Horn, and subsequently re- moved to Illinois, and afterward to Iowa, where Mrs. Shamp died at the home which they had made for themselves in that State. Mrs. Pickel was a girl of fourteen when her mother died, and she lived with her father until her marriage. She now occupies the homestead which she and her husband obtained from the Government, and has lived to
see this section developed from a wild prarie to a well settled part of the country, with a city of sev- eral thousand nine miles distant.
The subject of our sketch was the second in order of birth in the family of six children-Mar- garet, Robert, Harriet, Samuel. Albert and Jane, all of whom still survive-and he accompanied his parents to this State when fourteen years of age. Hle resided with his parents until the death of the father, and at the time of his marriage he settled on part of the old homestead, which he now owns and occupies.
Mr. Pickel was united in marriage, in August, 1885, with Miss Louisa Rench. and their home has been brightened by the advent of a baby hoy, whom they call Charlie. Mrs. Pickel was born in Keokuk, Lee Co., lowa, while her parents, Conrad and Louisa Rench, were natives of Germany. In politics, Mr. Pickel is a Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Pickel attend the Methodist Episcopal Church.
R EV. HENRY SIMMONS, one of the honored pioneers of Lancaster County, is the subject of an interesting history, the main points of which are as follows: His father, Lorenzo Simmons, an iron manufacturer by trade, was born in New York, and was a cousin of the well-known Daniel Simmons, late of Cohoes, that State. ITis mother, Anna (Gale) Simmons, was a native of Pennsylvania, and the parents after marriage set- tled in Licking County, Ohio, whence they removed to Cass County, Mich. In this latter place the mother died about 1846. The father subsequently took up his abode in Berrien County, where his earthly labors ended in 1854.
The children of Lorenzo and Anna Simmons, eight in number, included five sons and three daugh- ters, all of whom, with the exception of our subject, are deceased, he being the only living representa- tive of the family. He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, May 3, 1818, and spent his child- hood and youth amid the quiet scenes of country life, mostly on his father's farm, while he also was engaged in the Marion Iron Works. Ohio. When
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twenty years of age he started out in life for him- self, engaging first as a teacher, and later took up the cooper trade, which he followed for a period of five years. After this he engaged for a time in farming, which, with carpentering, has been his chief occu- pation.
Our subject left the Buckeye State in 1854, and crossing the Mississippi took up his residence in Story County, lowa, where he resided until 1862, engaged in farming. In the fall of that year he came to this county, when there were only twelve voting citizens within its limits. Its natural re- sources, however, and the possibilities which even at that time presented themselves to his practical eye, commended it to him as a place where it would be wise to locate, and here he accordingly pitched his tent and has sinee remained. He worked his way upward from a modest beginning, purchasing first 160 acres of land, and is now the owner of 530 acres in Grant and Yankee Ilill Precincts.
One admirable feature of the labors of Mr. Sim- mons in this locality is his setting out of a large number of shade and ornamental trees, which attract the admiring attention of every traveler passing through this region, and have added thousands of dollars to the value of his property. In the midst of these he erected a substantial stone house, and in time there sprung up about it the out-buildings and other conveniences which have contributed to the comfort of the family and facilitated his farming operations. The matter of tree planting is one which has engaged the attention of a large class of intelligent people of this country, and the man who has thus beautified a prairie landscape is worthy of more than mere mention.
One of the most interesting and important events in the life of our subject was his marriage in Lick- ing County, Ohio, Sept. 16, 1838, with one of the most estimable young ladies of that region, Miss Catherine Walker, who was born in Muskingum County, that State, and whose parents, James and Rachael Walker, were natives of Pennsylvania, who spent their last years in Ohio. Of this union there were born twelve children, namely : Mary A., who is now the wife of J. M. Bracken, of Lincoln; John D. and Rachel, deceased; Amos is on the home farin ; Emily and James C., deceased; Caroline, who
is the wife of William Wilderdink : Anis R. ; Lorenzo A., Postmaster at Cortland; Levi, Warren and Laura.
It is hardly necessary to say that Mr. Simmons was soon recognized as a man fitted both by nature and acquirements to be a leader in his community. and he was soon elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, which he has held now for a period of probably over twenty years. He takes a lively interest in educational affairs and has served on the School Board in his district since the time of com- ing here. Politically, he supports the principles of the Democratic party, and has been a lifelong mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the pul- pit of which he labored as a minister before leaving Ohio and after settling in Story County, Iowa. Ile las also filled vacancies in the pulpit since coming to this county, but on account of ill-health has been able to preach but very little.
After a most congenial union of forty-nine years, Rev. Henry Simmons and his estimable wife were parted hy the fell destroyer, this most amiable lady passing away at her home in Grant Precinct on the 15th of September, 1887. She was a lady possess- ing all the womanly virtues, and fulfilled in a most admirable manner her duties as a pioneer wife and mother, standing bravely by the side of her bus- band as he battled with the elements of a new soil and sought to build up a comfortable home in a new country and among strange people.
S ALMON W. BEARDSLEY. "The occa- sion makes the man," and, we would add, the country. When the religio-political fugitives, after escaping the dangers and ravages of the great deep, set foot for the first time upon the soil of the North American continent, it was one of the "greatest occasions" in the universal history, a fact abundantly proved by subsequent events. This was "the occasion" of the United States of America in all its grandeur, magnificence and wellnigh benudless extent. It was "the occa- sion" of the unparalleled sublimity of its gov- ernmental principles, and the establishment of the "divine right" of citizenship, and not of "kings." This in turn became "the occasion" to many noble
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men and fearless spirits, and it is beyond question, from the record of our country and the biography of our pioneers, that the generations following are not destitute of the same nobility which character- ized their forefathers.
The maternal great-grandfather of our subject was one of the heroes of the Revolutionary War, and stood by the side of men no less heroic. The paternal grandfather served in the War of 1812 with the rank of Captain, and the paternal great- grandfather also served in the Revolutionary War. in which he was taken prisoner, and suffered all the hardships of confinement in the prison ship.
Peter Beardsley, the father of our subject, was born in Harpersfield, Delaware Co., N. Y. Arriving at man's estate, he was united in marriage with Maria (Boardman) Miller, who was early married to Joseph Miller, but was left a widow at the age of twenty years, with the care of her little daughter, Elizabeth, who is now the wife of W. II. Congdon, and resident of Napoli. At the time of his mar- riage Mr. Beardsley was a resident of the same town (Napoli), and there continued to reside for the greater part of the time until his death. For four years. beginning in the spring of 1838, he re- sided upon a farm in Whiteside, Ill., returning at the end of that period to his old home in New York State. The household circle of Peter Beards- ley comprised four children : Our subject, the eld- est; the second son, Philander E .; Abigail P. and Joseph M. Upon the staff of stenographers of the Southeastern Court District of Nebraska is found Philander; his sister is now the wife of M. D. Tiffany, of Lincoln, Neb., and for several years has held the appointment of Principal of the Capi- tol School of that city. The youngest, Joseph, is a resident of Weeping Water, Cass Co., Neb., and from his service during the years 1862 to 1865 at the front has a very fine war record.
Our subject opened his eyes upon things mun- dane for the first time Sept. 13, 1828, at Napoli, which eity was the scene of his early life; in the institutions of learning of his native town he oh- tained his education. When he was fourteen years of age his father went to Illinois in the endeavor to work a farm he had purchased, and from that time until he was almost twenty-one our subject as-
sumed much of the responsibility of caring for the family, which position naturally fell to him as the eldest son. From the attainment of his majority until his twenty-third year. he was engaged in dif- ferent occupations, but at that time was desirous of settling in life, for the reason that he was then united in marriage with Miss Ann Casten. After this important event he was engaged for a period of ten years in farming in Napoli and adjacent townships.
In 1862 the old spirit which flashed and burned in the hearts of his forefathers took possession of our subject also, and when the tocsin of war was sounded he enlisted upon August 11, in Company G, 154th New York Infantry. Until January, 1863, our subject served as a private, and as such saw much service. His bearing in the different engage- ments was such as to attraet especial notice, and at the above time he was commissioned as Second Lieutenant, and assigned to Company K of the same regiment. On the 11th day of the following June, as the reward of merit, he was created First Lieutenant. and given command of Company E, of his regiment, which commission he held until March 19, 1864, when he was discharged incapaci- tated for service. In the previous August, while upon a forced night march, he fell down a steep embankment which severely injured him, and was the immediate occasion of a painfully severe rup- ture, which finally disabled him. After that acci- dent, however, he was still in the field, and served under "Fighting Joe Hooker" and Gen. Sherman, was in the battle at Missionary Ridge and Won- hotchie, Gettysburg and Williamsport. In the early part of 1863. at the battle of Chancellorsville, he was taken prisoner, and for the space of forty days the privations and terrors of this hard lot were added to the bitterness of war's experience. Thus, vith health broken but with spirit unsubdued, he returned to his home, bearing the marks of honor- able service, and the distinction of double promo- tion, the recognition by his country of faithful and loyal sacrifice on his behalf.
From the time of leaving the army until the spring of 1874 our subject was upon his farm at Napoli, in which he was exceedingly prosperous. Leaving the home State in the above year. he set- tled in Cass County, Neb., and with the proceeds
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from his late property purchased a tract of land, continuing to operate it for five years, then came to this county. In the spring of 1883 he took 320 acres in Stockton Precinct, being one-half of see- tion 29. Upon this he speedily erected a comfort- able farm dwelling, and the usual barn and out- buildings, and started to improve the land and bring it under cultivation, and afterward greatly added to the pleasantness of his home by judicious but extensive planting of fine shade and forest trees in its vicinity. From that time until the pres- ent he has continued general farming, though lat- terly considerable thought, care and capital have been devoted to the dairy. lle has taken a great interest in milk churning, and was for a long time Secretary and general manager of the Bennet Creamery Company, and is still a heavy stock- hokler in the same.
At Leon, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., our subject was married to Ann E. Casten, Jan. 1, 1852. This lady is the daughter of James and Amanda ( Wheeler) Casten, of English ancestry. Her parents first set- tled in what is now a part of Buffalo, removing afterward to Collins, Erie County, and thence to Leon, where they died, the wife Jan. 13, 1887, the husband March 2, 1888. Their family included nine children, the wife of our subject being the eld- est. The names of her brothers and sisters are as follows: James W., John G., Ira L., Emily A., Mary J., William H., Eunice L. and Stephen W. Ann was born in Pleasant Valley, Dutchess Co., N. Y., Ang. 30, 1829.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Beardsley has been most happy. Their family circle includes five chil- dren-Flora A., Alice M., Abbie E., J. William and Manley J. Flora has become the wife of George Ashman, a resident of Cass County, Neb. Our subject and family are members of the Pres- byterian Church at Bennet, and were for many years connected with the church at Napoli. Mr. Beardsley has held with much honor and dignity the office of Justice of the Peace, in a manner that has won the hearty appreciation of the community. Our subject is one of the strong members of the Republican party, ever ready to give his heartiest support, and lend his best energies for the advance- ment of Republican principles.
As a boy, Mr. Beardsley was noble and earnest in taking as far as possible the responsibilities of head of the family during his father's absence; as a sol- dier, his career was marked by the spirit of patriotic self-abnegation and martial honor; as a citizen, a pattern to those who are following after him; as a man, husband and father, most praiseworthy and honorable.
RS. ELIZA STATES. The Emerald Isle has given to us many statesmen, poets, orators, and lesser lights in the social and political arena, and has also supplied many of our best and most respected citizens, most self- denying and hardy pioneers, intelligent and pros- perous farmers and stock-raisers. In presenting the present sketch, we shall have before us a native of the above country, who at present resides on section 12, West Oak Precinct. Our subject, with her hus- hand, the late George L. States, was among the very early pioneer settlers of the district, hav- ing settled in 1870 upon the then wild prairie, which, under their diligent and united efforts, has become one of the best farms in the county.
Our subject was born Dec. 25. 1824, in the North of Ireland. Other festive seasons and Yule- tides have come and gone in the family of her parents, but none left behind them so satisfac- tory, so substantial and pleasing a souvenir as this Christmas gift. She is the danghter of John and Jane Graham, natives of Ireland, who emigrated to America when our subject was about ten years of age, and settled in Huron County, Ohio, in 1834. At this time Ohio spread before the pioneer settler in all its newness. The virgin soil was a stranger to the implements and artifices of mankind, and was ready to yield her wealth to any and every settler who had the push, intelligence and spirit to woo and win her treasures. On the arrival of the family, a farm was purchased in the above county, and here the years of youth and carly womanhood were spent. She obtained her education in the common schools of the district, and afterward con- tinued to live at home until, in 1846, upon her marriage, she removed to the home of George L.
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States, which from this time became hers. Ten happy years were spent in this new home, when they removed to lowa, in the year 1856, where they continued to reside until 1869, when they removed and located as at present, and where Mr. States bought a tract of land.
Our subject, it will be seen, has been a pioneer throughout the whole of her lite-first in the Ohio home in the earlier days of that State, while it was yet a Territory, afterward in Iowa, and then in this State. At the time of her settlement in Nebraska the lumber for the first house had to be brought in and hauled from Fremont. and all the necessaries of life had to be purchased in Lincoln, which was also the only market for their farm produce. All the usual hardships and difficulties of pioneer life fell to her lot.
After a residence of two years in this State, Mrs. States was bereaved of her husband, and left to fight alone in the life which was no less hard upon her because of her sex, and in addition to which she had to bear the sorrow and desolation of the cloud which at this time had darkened her home. Although the blow has been so heavy, our subject did not sit down in helpless grief, but, with a spirit worthy of the wife and daughter of New World pioneers, she bestirred herself in the affairs of home and business, and with the help of her son, now a young man, carried on the work of the homestead. Their united efforts have been re- warded, and the farm has been brought to its pres- ent high state of cultivation. Beside this. all the buildings found upon the farm have been added by Mrs. States, who has also completed the planting of the shade trees in the vicinity of the house, has set out the orchard, which is in very fine condition, besides several other improvements.
Throughout the years of her pioncer life, in spite of its dangers and trials, the hardships do not seem to have had an ill effect upon her health, for she is still in the enjoyment of every faculty, and is by no means intimately acquainted with that profes- sion which devotes its efforts to the relief of the sick. The father of our subject, John Graham, as his name plainly sets forth, was a native of Scotland. While quite small, his parents removed to Ireland, which was his home until the removal to Ohio in
1834. Hle was united in marriage with Jane Cro- sier, who was born in Ireland. To them were born ten children, two only of whom did not reach ma- ture years. Mr. and Mrs. Graham both died in Ohio, at a good old age.
George L. States, the late husband of our sub- ject, was born in New York State in 1822. While yet a child, his parents moved to Ohio, which was at the time in all its native wildness, and upon the present site of the prosperous city of Sandusky stood the wigwams of the tribe and their chief, after whom the present city is named. Mr. States continued to live with his parents until the time of his marriage. Ile was a man of fair education, more than average ability, and was called upon in every State in which he lived to fill the township and school offices, which he always did, having in mind the best interests of the community he served. To Mr. and Mrs. States have been given nine chil- dren, and of that number only one has since died. The names which follow are those of the living children, and are given in the order of birth: George F., Gustavus J., Adeline A., Thomas B., Mary E., Eliner E., John G. and Jane. The eldest son is residing in Colorado; all the others continne to live in Nebraska, Elmer and Jane being still at home. The church membership of our subject and her late husband was in the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which communion they were highly es- teemed, and which continnes to extend to our sub- ject its Christian affection. The present efforts of our subject upon the farm are upon the line of general mixed farming and stock-raising, in both of which she has attained unusual success and pros- perity.
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