Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 49

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

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The beautiful farm belonging to our subject ranks among the finest and best in the county, he having planted a variety of fruit and shade trees, including an apple orchard of 600 trees, besides much small fruit. Capt. Westcott also takes rank among the prominent raisers of fine stock in the county, and gives his attention largely to the breed- ing of Galloway cattle, and Percheron and road horses. He is a conspicuous member of the agri- cultural organization of the county, being Chair- man of the Board of Directors of the society.

Our subject having left his regiment and gone

home on a furlongh, was married, on the 5th of November, 1863, to Miss Angusta H. Middleton. Robert Middleton, the grandfather of Mrs. West- eott, was a native of Ireland and eame to America when he was young, settling in Jefferson County, N. Y., where be bought a farm and spent his last years. Samuel Middleton, her father, was born in Rutland, reared and married in his native county, in which he bought a farm. He lived on this farm until 1848, then sold it and moved to near Brown- ville, purchasing a farm on which he lived until 1867. Then he again sold and moved to the vil- lage, where he resided until 1873, thenee to Prince- ton, Ill., where he remained for one and one-half years, and while on a visit to Los Angeles, Cal., he died, on the 27th of January, 1887. The mother of Mrs. Westcott was Phebe Ingerson, who was born in Jefferson County, and was the daughter of Isaae and Huldah (Weed) Ingerson. She died in Princeton, Ill., on the 4th of May, 1874.

Mrs. Westcott was born in Rutland. Jefferson Co., N. Y., in August, 1841, and she is the mother of four children-Carlton II., Harry M., Mabeland Florence E. In politics, Capt. Westeott is a stanch Republican, and is quite influential in the ranks of his party. Ile is a member of the Malcolm Repub- liean Club, and also of the county Republican or- ganization, as well as Lincoln Lodge No. 19, A. F. & A. M. Without doubt the portrait of this pa- triotie gentleman will be received with pleasure by all who know nim, and may be found in this vol- ume.

W ILLIAM QUICK. The subject of this sketeh eame to this State in the fall of 1877, and selected his location in Middle Creek Preeinet, near the western line of this eounty. where, in company with his brother, T. P., he pur- chased 1,000 aeres of land, of which he had the management seven years, and then disposed of his interest in the same to his brother, and purchased a quarter of section 13, upon which was a frame house and barn and where his son now resides. About that time Mr. Quick commenced buying grain at Emerakl Station, which he is now engaged in. Our ubjeet was born near Riegelsville, in Hun-

LANCASTER COUNTY.

terdon County, N. J., on the 18th of June, 1825, and is the son of John P. Quick, who was born in Somer- set County, that State. The paternal grandfather, Theophilus Quick, spent his last years in Somerset County, N. J. The place of his birth is unknown to our subject, but he is supposed to have been of Holland-Dutch ancestry. He married Miss Rhoda Prall, and they became the parents of nine children. Their son John, the father of our subjeet, was reared to manhood in his native State, and was there married, nearly sixty-five years ago, to Miss Eliza- beth Belles, also a native of New Jersey. They are still living, having a good home in Riegelsville, and have now arrived at the advanced ages of eighty-six and eighty-eight years respectively.

John Quick during his youth entered a woolen factory and learned the art of fulling cloth, which he followed many years, finally renting a factory and carrying on business for himself. The parental family included ten children, nine of whom grew to mature years, William being the first-born. When a youth of eighteen years he began to learn the trade of his father, with whom he worked five years, becoming master of all its details, being able to take the wool and carry it through the various processes until it was ready for the tailor's shears.

At the age of twenty-one our subject resolved to change his occupation, and eommeneed an appren- tieeship at the carpenter's trade, at which he served three years and worked as a "jour" fully that length of time or more, finally operating as a contractor and builder. In the meantime he purchased a farm in his native county, which he managed for a num- ber of years in connection with his other business, then selling out removed to Frenchtown, in New Jersey. There he purchased an interest in a spoke and wheel factory, which he operated until setting out for the West.

Mr. Quick was married, May 26, 1849, thirty- nine years ago, to Miss Lettie Sinclair, who is also a native of Hunterdon County, N. J, and born March 21, 1822. Her father, Samuel Sinclair, was also born in that county. and was the son of John Sinclair, a native of Germany, who crossed the At- lantic when a young man and located near the site of his future home, purchasing land and carrying on farming until his death, which occurred about

1873, after he had reached the advanced age of eighty-two years. Hle had married, when a young man, Miss Permelia Van Camp, who also died in Ilunterdon County, about 1836. Of this union there were born two sons only-John M. and Stew- art. The former married Miss Sallie E. Stricker, of New Jersey, and is now a resident of Middle Creek Precinct, this county; Stewart married Miss Mary Nicholas, of Pennsylvania, and is occupied as a teleg- rapher in the city of Lincoln.

Mr. and Mrs. Quick are members in good standing of the Presbyterian Church, with which they be- eame identified nearly thirty years ago. Mr. Q. east his first Presidential vote for Henry Clay, being a member of the old Whig party, but upon its abandonment cordially endorsed Republican principles, which he has subsequently supported. HIe has served in his district three years as School Director, and assessed Middle Creek Precinct two years. He and his estimable wife feel proud in the possession of six grandchildren, their son John having two children, Minnie A. and Charles S., and Stewart having four, viz: Willie T., Gertie, Russell and Edith M.

6 HOMAS JEFFERSON HUDSON. Among the names that will be handed down in the history of this State as one connected with its earliest history, establishment and progress, is that of Thomas Jefferson IFudson, of Lincoln, who was born nine miles west of Madison, Jefferson Co., Ind., Feb. 10, 1826. Ilis father was Peter V. IIudson, who was born in Georgia in 1800, and his father, Thomas Iludson, so far as is known, was born, reared and married in the same State, but in the year 1815 he emigrated with his family to In- diana, which was then a Territory, and still in all the primeval glory of towering forest and rolling prairie. The journey, which was long, difficult and dangerous, was made by the aid of teams, and was, by far, longer, more difficult and dangerous than an emigration to-day from Europe to the Far West. On arriving in Jefferson County, he entered a tract of timber land, and went to work to cut out of the solid forest acre after aere for farming purposes. His house was the usual structure, fashioned from

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the logs which had just been hewn from the trunks of the trees which had grown upon the same site. The father of our subject was. it will be noted, at that time about fifteen years of age, and this con- tinued to be his home until he had come to years of manhood and had married.

In 1834 the father of our subject, like his father before him, struck out into a new country and began life for himself. He entered land in Greene County, Ill .. elose to the present site of Berdan, and he was one of the earliest pioneers. There were no railways at all in the Far West at that time, and Alton and St. Louis were the nearest markets. His land was similar to that of his father's in that it was heavily timbered, and before any farming could be done the original occupants of the ground had to be cleared. His home also was of logs, with its open fireplace and puncheon floor, and like the rest of the pioneer community, Mr. Hudson and his family were clothed with the material woven by the loving hands of the wife and mother. Ile cleared and improved a farm, and lived on it for several years, and then sold it and removed to String Prairie, in the same county, where he bought land, improved a farm, and continued to reside for many years, when the same story was repeated. The farm was sold, and with the proceeds new prop- erty in the same county was bought and stocked, and there he continued to reside until his death.

The name of Mrs. Hudson previous to her mar- riage was Mary Settles, a native of Indiana, and daughter of John Settles, a native of England, who had emigrated to this country, and was one of the early pioneers of Indiana. This lady presented to her husband twelve children, all of whom grew to maturity. The eldest was but eight years old when the family moved to Illinois. Mrs. Iludson died while the family resided upon the homestead in Greene County, in 1875. The father survived until February, 1888, when he died at the advanced age of seventy-eight years.

Our subject continued to reside with his parents until 1852, when he bought a farm of eighty acres in Greene County, and after living there a few years sold the property and rented land in the vi- cinity until 1859, when he started for Kansas. In this journey he was accompanied by his family,

which consisted of his wife and three children. The journey was performed by wagon and team, the usual method of traveling at that time; slow, and not without its dangers. After a journey which occupied three entire weeks they reached Humboldt, on the Neosho River, in Allen County. Here he took what was called a squatter's claim, for the Homestead Law had not then been passed, two miles from the town. At this time the whole border was in the midst of what is known as the "Border War," which was the occasion of much suffering, and made the times very hard in that district. The country, of course, was new. sparsely settled. and not very much had yet been raised. Buf- falo, antelope and deer roamed in herds through the whole Territory, and could be shot almost any day within sight of the house. There was one saw- mill at Humboldt, and sometimes Mr. Hudson would work there, receiving a peck of meal for each day's labor; he relates that on one occa- sion he worked for three days, plowing corn, and received in payment a hog's jowel.

In the year 1860 the crops in Kansas were a fail- ure; from this the Humboldt vicinity was not ex- empt, and the settlers were many times in danger of starvation. Mr. Hudson was fortunate in being in a position to make provision for his family, and continued to live there until the fall of 1861, when, owing to the rebel raids, which were unceasing and ruinous, he took his portable property and with an ox-team and wagon started West, leaving the re- mainder of his heavy furniture and goods for the raiders, and after about four weeks of steady travel in this way arrived in Otoe County, Neb., rented a farm, and continued there until the fall of 1863, when he again removed, this time to Lancaster Connty.

Lancaster County was almost in its formative period in 1863, and the settlers very few and far between. Our subject homesteaded a tract of land, which is now included in the city of Lincoln, which city at that time had not even been thought of. Two dug-outs, besides that of our subject, were all that stood on the site of the capital. The house of Mr. Hudson was constructed as before, of logs, but there was one innovation, which was the roof, for which he had procured shingles when at McKisick's

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Island, which is below Nebraska City. When com- pleted this was the largest and grandest house, and the only shingled roof, upon the whole of the site of Lincoln. This house is still standing. where originally erected. The logs were drawn a distance of twenty-one miles, and the lumber for doors and floor from the nearest mill, a distance of sixty miles. ITis nearest market was Nebraska City, and if, perchance, a trip should be desired to be taken East, the nearest railroad depot was Des Moines, Iowa.

The subject of our sketeh now began to be more prosperous than had been at all possible in Kansas. Hle soon brought his farm to a state of cultivation, where it would yield him a large in- creasc, and in spite of the difficulties connected with being so far from a market, his grain and other farm produce began to yield him quite a revenue. As soon as the growth of Lincoln Village and town demanded, he entered the dairy business, and was the first to regularly supply the towns- folk with dairy produce. He has for some time been living the life of a retired farmer, and enjoy- ing the brightness and comfort which is his, as the result of his early struggles and hardships.

On the 30th of June, 1852, Mr. Hudson was united in marriage with Mrs. Lucinda Dailey, nee Bright, who was born in Belmont County, Ohio, on the 4th of November, 1823, and was the daugh- ter of John and Louisa Bright, likewise natives of the Buckeye State. The death of Mrs. Hudson occurred on the 12th of October, 1885. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. and in every social and domestic relation was a true woman. She was the mother of three children, viz .: Nannie, who was born on the 21st of March, 1853, in Greene County, Ill., and is now the wife of M. R. Davey, an architect and builder at Lincoln. This gentleman is now employed as foreman of the work in constructing the State capitol buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Davey have two children. John B. was born on the 2d of July, 1854, is unmarried and still resides with his father; Samuel T., born on the 10th of June, 1856, is married to Miss Mary Burks; he is one of the prosperous farmers of Seward . County, Neb., and also has two children.

Mr. Hudson in his early days was an affiliate of

the Whig party, but upon the formation of the Re- publican became a member of the same, and has so continned, at all times a loyal and true citizen of his country and State. Ile is the recipient of the highest esteem and confidence of his fellows, the oldest of whom do not fail to remember that but for him the capital of Nebraska might even now be hunting through the length and breadth of the State for a suitable location. Our subject was prom- inently connected with the movement that resulted in it being placed where it is, and donated forty aeres of his homestead to the State for that purpose, and Nebraska has a capital most admirably situated for all purposes.

Le EWIS WONG, a resident of Waverly Pre- cinct, is ranked among its earliest pioneers, coming to this region in 1866, and home- steading a quarter of section 14. Ile has now 120 acres of this under a good state of cultivation, and has erected substantial and convenient buildings, while gathering together the other appliances essen- tial to the complete modern rural home. He is ranked among his neighbors as an honest man and a good eitizen, one who gives his attention chiefly to his own affairs, votes the straight Republican ticket, and believes in everything tending to the best interests of the community.

A Scandinavian by birth, our subject first opened his eyes to the light April 20, 1813. He is thus well advanced in years, although he is still hale and hearty, as;the result of temperance and otherwise correct habits. He was reared to farm pursuits in his native country. and at the age of twenty-seven years was married, Dec. 6, 1840, to a maiden of his own neighborhood, Miss Martha Esgon, who was born Nov. 10, 1818. IIe had become proprietor of a small farm, the soil of which he tilled until 1852, and then, believing that he could do better for him- self and his family, set out, accompanied by the lat- ter, for the United States.

Our subject after gathering together his house- hold goods, embarked with his wife and children on board a sailing-vessel, and after a voyage of eight weeks, interspersed with some rough weather,

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landed safely in New York City. Thence he made his way at onee westward into Grant County, Wis., where he purchased a few acres of land, and rent- ing an additional traet, operated in the Badger State as an agriculturist for a period of fourteen years. In 1866 he crossed the Mississippi, and coming into this county, located upon the land which he now owns and occupies.

To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born eleven children, two of whom died in in- fancy : Mary became the wife of Richard Hazel. and died in Jo Daviess County, Ill., about 1865; Sarah married John D. Carpenter, of Jo Daviess County, Ill., and died about 1865; Lewis is en- gaged in farming near Salem, in Smith County, Kan .; Joseph, Samuel and Oscar are living at home; Elizabeth, Mrs. George W. Morris, lives in Cass County. Neb. ; Katie is the wife of Harry Hale, of Lincoln, and Ida remains at home with her parents.

Joseph Wong, the second son of onr subject, and a very promising and intelligent young man, was born in Grant County, Wis., Jan. 13, 1856. Ile was a lad of ten years when the family came to this county, and completed his education in the schools of Waverly Township. Ile always took an interest in farm pursuits, which he follows. In 1884 he started out for himself, taking up a homestead in Keya Paha County, which he sold two years later at a good profit. He is now occupying himself at farming on the homestead. Mr. Wong is unmar- ried.

I. CHRISTENSEN. In 1879 our subject came to Lincoln, a stranger in a strange land, seeking the boon of health in this salu- brious climate, and wishing to identify him- self with the mercantile interests of the city. The success that has attended his efforts has been such as to more than repay him for his hard labors. The first five years of his stay here he was em- ployed as a clerk in a large wholesale grocery store, and during that time he gained a thorough mastery of the business in all of its details, and the faithful performance of his duties won for him the full con- fidence of his employers. In 1884 he threw up his

clerkship, designing to go into business for himself, his experience by that time enabling him to profit by the money that he had wisely laid by for that purpose. By his unceasing industry and strictly honest dealings he has built up a large trade, and is looked upon as one of the substantial and reli- able merchants in the city.

Mr. Christensen was born in Sleswick-Holstein, Germany, Feb. 22, 1850, and is a son of Niels and Mary Christensen. The father was a native of Den- mark, and the mother of Sleswick-Holstein, Ger- many. They are both deceased.

Our subject was reared in his native land, receiv- ing a sound education in its schools, which he at- tended until he was sixteen years of age. He then commenced life as a sailor in the merchant service, and had a fine opportunity to visit the most noted ports in the world, and being an intelligent, wide- awake youth, endowed with good powers of obser- vation, he laid up during his travels a vast store of information that makes his conversation exceedingly interesting. After following the sea for five years he again entered school, for the purpose of studying navigation, pursuing a thorough course in that prac- tical study for nine months. lle then resumed his occupation as a sailor, and as mate of a vessel cruised in many strange waters, and staying his course at many interesting places in different parts of the world. He saw many of the important American ports on the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts, first visiting this country in 1869, and when he retired from his seafaring life in 1879 on account of ill-health, he decided to locate in the United States. Ile came to Lincoln. attracted hither by what he had heard concerning its fine climate and beautiful situation, and other advantages. We have related how he was employed the first few years of his residence here. When he established himself in business he rented a building, which he occupied until 1886, when he built the house where he now conducts his business, No. 924 Wood street, his residence being at No. 926 of the same street.

Mr. Christensen was married, in July, 1880, to Miss Mary Christensen, a native of the same city in which he was born, and their marriage has been blessed to them by the birth of three children- Annie, Henry and Meta. Mr. and Mrs, Christen-

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sen are valued members of the German Methodist Church, and they in every way merit the cordial respect and esteem in which they are held by all who have the pleasure of knowing them. In politics he is a Republican.

OHN B. MAGEE, a gentleman in the prime of life, and a well-to-do citizen of Grant Precinct, lives amid pleasant surroundings on a fine farm of eighty acres, located on seetion 23, where he has operated since the spring of 1874. The improvements on his farm have been effected mainly through his own industry, as there had been little attempt at cultivation when he took possession. lIe is thoroughly in accord with his vo- cation, and having been blessed by Providence with good sense and judgment, has the faculty of laboring to the best advantage, and bringing about corresponding results.

Mr. Magee, the youngest son of his father's family, was born in Washington County, Ohio, Jan. 24, 1849, which was also the birthplace of his parents. Abner and Elizabeth (Riley) Magee. Af- ter marriage the latter continued residents of their native eounty until 1875, then turning their steps toward the farther West came to this county, and settled at once in Grant Precinct, where the father carried on farming successfully for a period of seven years, and departed this life on the 20th of June, 1882. The mother is still living, making her home with her son on the old homestead.

To Abner and Elizabeth Magee there were born four sons and four daughters, seven of whom are now living, six being residents of Nebraska, and one son remains in Washington County, Ohio. They were all reared upon the farm, John B. in common with his brothers and sisters becoming duly familiar with agricultural pursuits. Ile spent the first twenty-five years of his life in his native county, and accompanied his parents to the West. His education was begun and completed in the common schools, and he possessed the laudable ambition to become thoroughly acquainted with the best methods of farming in all its branches. This am- bition resulted in his becoming master of the situa-

tion, and is the secret of his success by which he has been enabled to surround himself and his fam- ily with the comforts of life.

Two years after becoming a resident of this county our subject, on the 9th of April, 1876, was united in marriage with one of its most estimable young ladies, Miss Florence, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Hammond) Stewart, who were na- tives of Virginia. From the Old Dominion they removed lirst to Washington County, Ohio, and thence to this county, settling in Grant Precinct, where they still reside. Their family includes eight daughters and live sons, and Mrs. Magee was the fourth child. She was born in Washington County, Ohio, July 26, 1853, and is thus four years younger than her husband. Of their union there are three bright children-Norma D., Ida M. and Alvin L.

With the exception of about eighteen months which were spent in Kansas, Mr. Magee has been a resident of this county since coming here. Politi- cally, he is now identified with the Prohibitionists, and both he and his wife are members in good standing of the Baptist Church. Their home is a pleasant place of resort for a large circle of warm friends, who meet intelligence and good cheer, and know how to appreciate the companionship of a family occupying a position among the best elements of the county.

G EORGE W. PREY is a representative pio- neer of Centerville Precinct, residing on sec- tion 24, and one of the oldest settlers of Lancaster County. Ile is a native of Wisconsin, his birthplace being twenty miles north of Milwau- kee. Ile is a son of John D. and Margaret Prey, and a brother of J. W. Prey. In the year 1856 he came to Lancaster County with his parents, where he has since resided. On the 9th of April, 1873, he was united in marriage to Estella Davis, and they became the parents of two children: John C., who was born on the 25th of May, 1874, and Estella, on the 19th of August, 1875.

Being called to mourn the loss of his wife, our subject was again married. on the Ist of November,

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1882, to Belle M. Wells, a daughter of Thomas and Mary J. Wells, of Lancaster County. They have a family of two children: Phoba J., born on the 30th of October. 1883, and George T .. ou the 29th of May, 1887.

Mr. Prey has become the owner of 160 acres of good and well-improved land, and has made most of the improvements by his own hard labor and good management. Ile has had good success in his work owing to the industrious manner in which he en- gaged in it and the thought and care which he spent in managing it. Hle is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and favors the success of the Re- publican party. He takes an active interest in the welfare of the community, is always pleased to hear of improvements and advancements, and grieved to know of any loss or hindrance sustained by the members of his community.

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Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 49

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

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