Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 45

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

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The boyhood home of our subject was in Powe- shiek County, Iowa, where his birth took place under the modest roof of his parents on the 11th of May, 1864. His father, Jacob, Jr., and his paternal grandfather, Jacob Dice, Sr., were natives of Penn- sylvania, where it is supposed the latter spent his en- tire life. Jacob, Jr., was reared in his native State, whence he removed to Iowa in 1861, and purchased a tract of wild prairie and timber land in Poweshiek County. He effected considerable improvement, but finally sold out and removed to Union County, whence a few years later he changed his residence to Montgomery County, purchasing property in Red Oak, engaging in butchering, residing there until his death, which occurred in 1876.

Jacob Dice, Jr., was married in early manhood to Miss Mary Light, who was also a native of Pennsylvania, and who is still living, making her

home with one of her sons in Preston, Iowa. She is the mother of ten children, who were named re- spectively : Jacob, Maggie, Lizzie, Lilly. John H., William, Angeline, Samuel, Isabelle and George. Samuel, like his brothers and sisters, spent his childhood in his native county, and was fifteen years of age when the family took up their residence in Union County. ITis eduation was acquired in the district school, and early in life he was taught to make himself useful around the home, He con- tinued under the parental roof until the death of his father, then commenced in Union County an apprenticeship at the nursery business, with which he became thoroughly acquainted, and remained there until 1886.

In the spring of this year our subject made his way to this county, and purchased first eight acres of land, which he traded eighteen months later for his present farm. Ile had been married, Oct. 12, 1884, to Miss Minnie E. Snell, who is also a native of the Hawkeye State, born in Mt. Pleasant, Ilenry County, Oct. 31, 1864. The parents of Mrs. Dice, Levi and Eliva (Allen) Snell, are natives of Penn- sylvania, and are now living in Lincoln, this county. Their family included six children.

To Mr. and Mrs. Dice there was born, Feb. 12, 1886, a daughter, whom they named Elva, and who is now a bright little girl and the light of the house- hold. Our subject is a strong temperance man, and forcibly illustrates his principles by vigorous sup- port of the Prohibition party.

ARWOOD M. PENN. The farm of this gentleman, located on section 13 in Waverly Precinct, comprises one of the finest bodies of land in this county, being 200 acres in extent and under an excellent state of cultivation, A handsome and substantial residence attracts the admiring eye of the traveler, and, with its surround- ings, forms one of the most comfortable and at- tractive homes in Waverly Precinct.

Mr. Penn is a young man, having been born Dec. 26. 1865, in Montgomery County, lowa. His fa- ther, William H. H., was born in Missouri, and his mother, Hannah (Osborn) Penn, was a native of

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Pennsylvania. Our subject was the eldest of their ten children, the others being named respectively : Mary, Millard, Taylor, Belle, Frances, Allie, Will- jam, John and Luey. Of these all are living and residents mostly of Iowa. The father died at his home in Iowa, in 1882; he was a farmer and dealer in stock by occupation, and an honest, straight- forward man, who provided well for his family, and is kindly remembered by all who knew him. The mother is still living, and a resident of Iowa.

Mr. Penn became familiar with farming pursuits during his boyhood, and after leaving the district schools completed a practical education at Tabor, Iowa. His life has been comparatively uneventful, being spent mostly in the rural regions, and the first most interesting event connected therewith was his marriage, which took place March 18. 1887, at the home of the bride, Miss Lulu Wright, in Iowa. Mrs. P. is the daughter of Albert and Louisa (Beem) Wright, of Montgomery County, Iowa, where she was born, and of which State her parents were natives, and where they now reside. Their family consisted of four.

Mr. Penn came to Nebraska in 1887. He car- ries on general farming and has a fair assortment of live stock, and quietly pursues the even tenor of his way, living within his income and with a pros- pect of a competence in his old age.

OHN WARNKE. Mr. Warnke, who is one of the representative men of this part of the county, is one of the oldest settlers, and most successful farmers and stock-raisers now liv- ing on section 18, in this county. His farm com- prises some eighty acres of most highly cultivated land, while his stock and farm buildings are of the best. In addition to this very desirable property, he also owns 120 acres on section 17 of this pre- cinet. This land also is highly improved, and has a fine set of farm buildings upon it.

Mr. Warnke has been a resident of this precinct since 1870. He came here from St. Louis, of which place he had heen a resident for some sixteen years. lle was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, on the 2d of January, 1828. His father, Christian Warnke,

was born in the same State, and was a farmer of good old German stock. There he was reared and educated, and there also he married Dora Beliebe, who was likewise of German parentage, and was reared and educated in the Fatherland. Mr. and Mrs. Christian Warnke's married life was spent upon a farm in their native Province. There, too, they both died, ripe in years, and esteemed by all who knew them. During a long and prosperous life they were both active members of the Lutheran Church.

The subject of our sketch was the younger son and second child, of two sons and one daughter, who lived to manhood and womanhood. Of these Mr. Warnke was the only one who ever ventured abroad. After spending twenty-five years in the Province of his nativity, he emigrated to the United States. He took passage on a sailing-ship, and after a prolonged passage of eight weeks, landed at the city of New Orleans. He soon afterward went to St. Louis, Mo., where he earned a living as a day laborer. When the Rebellion broke out, on the same day that Ft. Sumter was fired upon, he, with a number of other Germans, enlisted for three months' service. Mr. Warnke served in the 1st Missouri Regiment, and saw active service in that State only. Later he re-enlisted in the Government service for a period of three years, retaining the same regimental number, but was assigned to Company D, Capt. Shuman. Col. Ramnbouer was commander of this regiment, and he, together with his men, was as- signed to the Army of the West. This regiment was in the engagement at Camp Jackson, and at a later day saw active service at Cairo and Pea Ridge. Although always to be found at his post, Mr. Warnke escaped unhurt. At the expiration of his term of service he was honorably discharged at St. Louis, Mo. For some time after this he worked as a teamster, but eventually came to the place where he now resides, and began operations as a farmer.

After a four-years residence in St. Louis, Mo., Mr. W. returned to his native land, and married Miss Sophia Kuchenmeister. This lady was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, April 20, 1835. She was a daughter of Christian and Fredrica (Restdorf) Kuchenmeister, natives of Mecklenburg, Germany, and prosperous farmers. The parents of Mrs.

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Warnke eame to this country in the year 1866. Four weeks after his arrival in St. Louis the father died. The mother eame on to Nebraska, and here died in 1872. This worthy couple were German Lutherans, and lived to a good old age. Mrs. Warnke, wife of the subject of this sketch, was the youngest but one of a family of five sons and one daughter. Her girlhood was passed in her native land, and there too she received her education. Three of her brothers in time followed her, to seek their fortunes in the United States. Of these, Christaf Henry now lives in St. Louis, where he fol- lows the trade of blacksmithing. Christian went to California, and has not since been heard of. The third brother died in St. Louis.

Mrs. Warnke is the happy mother of nine chil- dren. Of these two, Henry and Lizzie, died young. Those living are: Carrie, wife of Otto Lindekugel ; they live on a farm in Saline County, Neb .; John HI. took to wife Kittie Menke, and follows farming in Saline County ; Fred is at home with his parents, and helps to work the farm : William J. is also at home ; he is a teacher, and received his education at Crete. Ida, a most intelligent young woman, and the two youngest, Henry and Alvina, still gladden the old homestead with their presence.

In religion, Mr. and Mrs. Warnke and family are Lutherans, while in polities, Mr. Warnke is a Re- publican.

2 HEODORE S. GANTER, a prominent and wealthy resident of the city of Lincoln, has been an important factor in the promotion of its growth and prosperity. As one of its most enterprising and intelligent pioneers, he has risen from poverty to wealth by the sheer force of his indomitable will and business tact, being a self- made man. having inherited brains instead of money. He is a German by birth, the Grand Duchy of Baden being his native place, and March 22, 1835, the date of that event.

Our subject'obtained a sound education in the ex- cellent schools of his native land, which he attended quite steadily during his boyhood. When seven- teen years of age he commenced an apprenticeship

at the trade of machinist, giving to this two and one-half years. He then traveled for a year, work- ing in different places in Germany, Italy and Swit- zerland. When twenty-one years of age he entered the German army. in accordance with the laws of his native land, and served three years. At the expiration of that time, as a reward for good con- duet, he was granted a furlough, a passport and permission to travel in foreign countries. He there- upon came directly to America, landing at New Orleans with less than a dollar in his pocket, but with plenty of courage and a steady determination to make of his life a success. Ile found work in the Crescent City at his trade, and at the end of two months had earned money enough to pay his fare to Monroe in the same State, and there he was lo- cated at the time that the war broke out. His fine drill in the German army then enabled him to give lessons to the soldiers and officers in the art of fencing, and he went with the army to Richmond, Va .. In that city, in January 1863, he was united in marriage with Miss Anna R., daughter of John Jones, and a native of Virginia. Of this union seven children were born, all of whom are deceased.

After his marriage Mr. Ganter took his bride to the North, and loeating in Reading, Pa., he once more resumed his trade, and remained in that city until after the war. He subsequently went to Petersburg, Va., spending, however, only a short time there, when he proceeded to Memphis, Tenn., where he engaged in the grocery business until 1868. In the month of May, that year, Mr. Gan- ter made one of the most fortunate moves of his life, as it was then that he came to Lincoln, where he has built up the greater part of his fortune. This city was then but a hamlet, without organiza- tion, and Omaha was the nearest railway and tele- graph station. Mr. Ganter bought a lot, 50x142 feet, on the corner of Tenth and O streets, paying there- for the sum of $1,200. He first erected a large, two-story frame building, which he leased, and engaged in the real-estate business, dealing exteu- sively in wild lands and eity property to excellent advantage. Later he erected two buildings on Eleventh street, between O and N streets, which he still owns, besides several dwellings. In 1870 he purchased a tract of land which is now included

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within the city limits, which, after improving, he disposed of at a great advance on the original cost.

In 1882 Mr. Ganter, however, was obliged to abandon active business on account of failing heaith. Since then he has traveled extensively in the United States, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, from the Gulf to the British possessions, and finally crossed the Atlantic to the Old World. He is at this writing (October, 1888.) in Rome, Italy.

Mr. Ganter is a well-educated man, of quick in- tellect, and through his traveling and reading has gained a vast fund of information. Both he and his wife are important elements of the social life of Lincoln. Mrs. Ganter is an influential member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Ganter be- longs to Lincoln Lodge No. 19, A. F. & A. M .; Lincoln Chapter No. 6, R. A. M., and to Mt. Mo- riah Commandery No. 4.

OSEPII TIMMERMEIER, an enterprising German citizen of Stockton Precinct, enjoys a good position among the agriculturists of this part of the county, and gives his close attention to general farming and stock-raising, at the same time enjoying the comforts of a desirable home. He was born forty-seven years ago, Aug. 8, 1841, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, and when a youth of seventeen years left the Father- land and emigrated to America.

Our subject had been placed in school at an early age, where he acquired a good practical education in his native tongue, and on the farm of his father had become thoroughly familiar with agricultural pursuits. The latter, John Timmermeier, was of pure German ancestry, and also a native of Prus- sia. Ile was married in early manhood, and, with his wife, spent his entire life in his native country. Their family consisted of eight children.

Young Timmermeier set foot upon American soil first in the city of New Orleans, whence he migrated to St. Louis, Mo., occupying himself at farming. Later he changed his residence to St. Charles County, where he lived for a period of eleven years, and with the exception of the time spent in the army, was engaged as a farm laborer. On the Ist of

March, 1863, he enlisted in the 1st Battalion, Mis- sonri State Militia, in which he served one year, then returned to his old haunts in St. Charles County, where he sojourned until coming to the young State of Nebraska, in May, 1869.

Our subject at that date was unmarried, and homesteaded eighty acres of land on section 24, Stockton Precinct. Later he purchased eighty acres additional on the same section, and the two together comprise his present finely cultivated and valuable farm. He has a good dwelling, and the other build- ings necessary to his comfort and convenience, and these are flanked by a variety of fruit and shade trees, which give the premises a homelike appear- ance, and yield to the family the delicacies of the seasons.

Our subject took for his wife one of the most sen- sible and estimable young ladies of Stockton Pre- cinct, Miss Anna Kemper, like himself a native of Germany, who was born Feb. 9, 1846. Their mar- riage took place at the home of the bride on the 9th of September, 1869. Mrs. Timmermeier came to America with her parents when a maiden of seven- teen years, they locating at once in Belleville, III. Her father was a farmer by occupation, and, with his estimable wife, spent his last years in Nebraska.

To Mr. and Mrs. Timmermeier there were born six children, two of whom, Georgeand Norah, died at the ages of nine and three years respectively. Those surviving are Mary, Louisa, Lena and John, all living at home with their parents. Our subject votes the straight Democratic ticket, and is a mem- ber of the German Catholic Church, at Palmyra.

G EORGE J. LAMBORN is a prosperous far- mer, living on section 9, Nemaha Precinct. He is a son of Ephraim and Sarah (Fleegal) Lamborn. The father comes from an illustrious English family, the first records in possession of the family dating back to Sir Robert Lamborn, who lived on his estate in the Lamborn Parish, England, and who was born in 1199. The history of the family in America dates back to the great-grand- father of our subject, Robert Lamborn, who came from Berkshire, England, in the year 1714, settling

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with the Penn Colony, on the ground where now stands the Kennett Meeting-House. They belonged to the Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers. The grandfather of our subject was Josiah Lamborn, whose youngest son, Ephraim, was the father of our subject. The father lived and died in Center County. Pa., and was buried in the old Friends' burying-ground.

The maternal ancestors of our subject resided in Maryland, having come from Germany. The mother of our subject was born at Hagerstown, Md., and went to Pennsylvania when she was nine years old, where she grew up to young womanhood and met our subject's father in Center County, Pa., he hav- ing gone there when he was five years old. They were married in Center County, there spent their lives, and died there. The father was well known in county and township affairs, and was a very prominent politician. Ile died in 1852, aged sixty-six years, and his wife died in the year 1885, at the age of ninety years. The husband was a very kind and generous man, perhaps too much so for his own good, if that could be. Longevity is characteristic of their family. They had five children-George J., Adeline, Isaac, Eliza and Har- riet.

Our subject was born at Walkersville, Center Co., Pa., on the 15th of October, 1819, where he grew up on his father's farm full of life and vigor. As is often the case with children, it was necessary to use the rod in chastening him, his father preferring to use the rod and save the child, but he became steady as soon as he grew up to young manhood, having a great deal of pride of character. While a young boy he was full of mischievous pranks, and fre- quently indulged in being truant from school. He would go off and spend the day by himself, and no doubt at the time he enjoyed it much better than he would have liked being in the school-room. One day on which he was truant he bent down a sapling. to which he tied his dinner-pail, and fast- ened it to the ground, but the fastening broke loose, and the tree swinging up to its full height carried the dinner-pail with it, where it swung out in full view of the passers-by. Ilis father saw it, and on the arrival of our subject at his home in the even- ing, his vagrancy and the way in which it was de-

tected was the subject of much hilarity and ridicule. Being thus laughed out of it he never played truant again, though he confesses that it was not the rod that cured him.

At the age of fifteen our subject began to learn the plasterer's trade, at which he worked in Pitts- burgh. where he met his wife, then Miss Jane Jordan, who was born in Mifflin County, Pa. Being a stranger in the place, alone and without friends, the acquaintance which he made was doubly appreciated, so that it led to friendship, and from friendship to love, which resulted in their marriage on the 6th of May, 1839, at Pittsburgh. Settling in that city, they led a very happy and congenial married life. Our subject's taste and love for the beautiful led him to devote his attention to decorating and frescoing. This love of the beautiful has been a characteristic trait which has been indulged in whenever possible, so that wherever he went our subject improved and adorned his surroundings with exquisite taste, as far as he was able.

The children from this happy marriage were Lo- retta, Adella, Eleanor, Ephraim and Sarah, the last named of whom died when she was thirty-six years old. Loretta resides in Cedar County, Iowa, the wife of George Ward, a son of Capt. William Ward, of Pittsburgh; Adella resides in Bennet, the wife of Joel Montgomery, formerly of Cedar County, Iowa, but now Assistant County Recorder of Lancaster County ; Eleanor married John Simpson, and their children are Charles, Lillian, Blanche and John, Lillian being an accomplished pianist and a teacher of instrumental music; Ephraim is a business man residing at San Angelo, Tom Green Co., Tex .; he married Miss Mary Violet, of Bennet, and is the father of two children-George J. and IIelen.

After thirteen years of happy domestic felicity, the wife of our subject died on the 13th of May, 1852, leaving her husband in a bereaved condition in charge of a large family of small children. IIe strove to do his duty toward them as a father, and remained unmarried for nine years, at the end of which time he was united to Miss Jane Ball, a daugh- ter of Joseph Ball, of Salem, Ohio, at which place he made her acquaintance. They were married in Salem, but made their home at Pittsburgh, Pa. The children of this second marriage are Isaac B. and

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Mabel. Isaac resides at home with our subject, having charge of the farm under the direction of his father; he was married to Sophronia Hemming- way, of Cedar County, Iowa, and has two children -Paul and Pearl. Mabel resides at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Lamborn continned living in Pitts- burgh until the year 1863, when they moved to Cedar County, Iowa. Here our subject devoted himself principally to farming, but worked some at the plasterer's trade also. He became the owner of eighty acres of land, and improved it so much that he had one of the nicest and best improved farms on the whole road from Burlington to Cedar Rapids. There his wife died on the 13th of October, 1875, aged forty-eight years. While in Cedar County he prospered very well, but he sold his farm for $7,000, and for some reason best known to himself he re- moved to Nebraska in 1884, stopping for awhile at Lincoln.

For the next two or three years our subject trav- eled very extensively throughout Nebraska, Kan- sas, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and Iowa, At one time he thought he would locate at Ft. Worth, Tex., but after living there for six months his cousin was accidentally killed, and a severe drouth set in so that he came back to Nebraska. In March, 1887. he purchased his present farm of 120 acres in Nemaha Precinct. near Bennet. With its nat- urally fine location, this piece of property bids fair to become a paradise under the direction and man- agement of its owner, who is an admirer of the beautiful in nature as well as in architecture. A commodious house, erected in 1887, adds greatly to the attractiveness of the farm, while an excellent well furnishes an inexhaustible supply of water, which is conducted underground to each barn.

The location, fertility of the soil, and improve- ments, make the farm of our subject one of the most valuable in Lancaster County. Groves of catalpas and Colorado blue spruce trees add much to the beanty of the place, while the young orchard, vine- yard and shrubbery, yield an abundant supply of delicious fruits for the table. Where Nature is beautiful she has been left undisturbed, but where art can add to the attractiveness of the place it has been brought into requisition.

Mr. Lamborn takes a great interest in educational

matters, and although almost seventy years old. he has lost none of the interest which he manifested years ago in acquiring a good fund of information, and his storehouse of knowledge is constantly be- ing filled with new and entertaining facts, through general reading and a habit of careful observation. The interest which he takes in educational matters justifies the citizens of Bennet in electing him President of the Board of Education of that city. He is a thorough temperance man, though not fanat- ical. In politics, he is a Republican, and was formerly a strong Whig, when he voted for William H. Harrison in 1840. He will undoubtedly live to cast his vote for that gentleman's grandson.

AMES C. MAHAN. In the present sketch is offered an outline of the life of one who is a member of a vocation and branch of trade most important in any agricultural district, more especially in a comparatively new and unde- veloped district. Mr. M. is the principal of a large hardware firm, dealing also extensively in lumber. His business largely represents the supplying of the multifarious and innumerable appliances and im- plements in hardware which are in daily demand upon a farm, from the lock upon the stable door or the pin in the wagon-wheel, to the cultivator, plow or hay-rake.

Our subject was born in Sullivan County, Ind., Jan. 14, 1840, His grandfather, John Mahan, was, it is believed, by birth a German, who settled in this country with his parents while still a child. Ile was a resident of Kentucky for a number of years, and was one of the early pioneers of Indiana, where he settled in 1837. The father of our sub- ject, Asa Mahan, was born in the Kentucky home near Maysville. Upon the removal to Indiana he entered a tract of timber land, which was duly cleared and a farm redeemed from the wilderness of forest. This home continued to be his place of residence until his death.

In his younger days Mr. Mahan learned the trade of cooper, and continued in the same until 1876. when he removed to Sullivan County and took up a tract of Government land, which he immediately

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set to work to improve. He put up a very good log cabin, with the usual dirt and stick chimney, and then turned his attention to farming. In this home our subject was born. Mr. Mahan continued to work at his trade in addition to his farm work, until old age compelled him to desist, and in 1885 he also sold his farm. During his residence there he had seen the primitive forest give place to broad fields and fertile farm lands; had seen the village spring up and grow until it became quite a town, with its business blocks, handsome residences, and other interesting and incidental details. The maiden name of his wife, the mother of our subject, was Ferraby Browning, a native of Kentucky. She died in 1841.

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Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 45

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

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