Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 88

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

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OHN II. BIERSTEDT. Perhaps a greater amount of happiness is obtained from the pursuit of success than from any other object, but there must be a goal in view, a summit toward which to rise, or labor is unfruitful. It is necessary in order to insure success to con- centrate every purpose and effort in a single direction, toward one end to be accomplished, or else the forces being scattered will fly hither and yon and fail to hit any mark. It is evident that the residents of countries aside from our own have some settled purpose, some well-defined course of action which they mean to follow, or they would not be persuaded to leave the homes of their birth and embark in the fortunes of this country. That there are inducements offered for their coming, and that they are aware of no hindrance (except such as may arise from their own inability ) to prevent them from accepting the offers of a generous Govern- ment, may in part account for the uniform success of those who have emigrated to these United States.

Our subject is one of those self-reliant, intelligent men who has given ample illustration of what may be accomplished by having a settled purpose in life, and makes all his efforts tend to that one purpose. lle is a farmer of Buda Precinct, in which he was one of the early settlers, and is the owner of 160 acres of good land on section 12. Ile was born ou the 1st of May, 1838, in Germany, and is a son of

John II. and Anna Bierstedt, who are residents of the country in which he was born. He remained with his parents until he reached an age when he felt that he must assume greater responsibilities than he had ever before done, and take into his own hands the shaping of his future course through life.

While in his native county our subject received a good education as a necessary foundation for suc- cess, and then decided to come to America, for which purpose he embarked on a steamer at Ham- burg, and was brought safely to his destination in the harbor of New York after ten days. He at once came to Nebraska, and located a homestead consisting of eighty acres of land in Lancaster County, having to begin working on prairie land on which there had not been a single furrow turned. With the determined purpose of making a valuable farm of what appeared somewhat uninviting, he lahored with much perseverance and patience, and he has not only brought that piece of land to a good state of cultivation but has been enabled to purchase another tract of eighty acres, which he de- votes to the uses of general farm produce, and it is with pleasure that we eall attention to the view of this valuable and fertile property which will be found upou another page.

Mr. Bierstedt is well known in his community. and is now serving as School Treasurer of District No. 36, having been connected with the School Board for a number of years. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and fully merits the esteem accorded to him, having done much to aid in the building up of his precinct.

G ENIO MADISON LAMBERTSON, a promi- nent attorney of Lincoln, is one of the most able and brilliant members of the legal profession in Nebraska. Ile is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth Jane ( Morgan) Lambertson. llis father was born in the year 1815, in the State of Pennsylvania, where his early years were passed. Hle now resides at Southport, Ind. He received but little schooling, but being naturally very bright and intelligent he gained from observation and careful reading, as he grew older, much valua-

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ble information, such as many a more learned man has acquired only after years of hard and patient study. Ile was early apprenticed to a mer- chant tailor and served several years, and sub- sequently established himself in Franklin, Ind., as a merchant tailor, which has been his principal busi- ness for fifty years, and by his industry and wise management he has secured a comfortable fortune, so that now, when the shadows of life are darkening around him, he ean spend his remaining years in the well-deserved enjoyment of every comfort and luxury that his heart can desire. Mr. Lambertson has never held any public office, and has had no connection with any organization except the Ma- sonic fraternity, of which he was at one time Knight Templar. Hle was also a member and a Deacon of the First Baptist Church for thirty years. He will, however, be best remembered by his fellow-citizens for his noble and patriotic course during the late Civil War, when he was among the most active in raising and equipping troops for service, and lay- ing aside all considerations of the demands of his business and other personal claims, went forth him- self to fight his country's battles. At the com- mencement of the war be raised a company known as Company F. of the 7th Indiana Infantry, of which he was appointed Captain. Ile took part in some eighteen important battles, including the battles of Antietam and second Bull Run. At the expiration of two years he resigned his commission in order to return home and drum up more recruits. He or- ganized a regiment of thirteen companies, known as the "Ilome Guards," which he uniformed and armed, and of which he was elected Colonel. His regiment was immediately dispatched by Gov. Morton in pursuit of the guerrilla John Morgan, when he made his famous raid through Indiana. The brief limits of this sketeh forbid us to make further mention of his fine war record.

Samuel Lambertson was first a Whig, then an Abolitionist, and finally joined the ranks of the grand old Republican party, of which he is to this day an ardent member. Ile is now a beloved inmate of the pleasant household of his daughter, Mrs. G. H. Elgin, at Southport, Ind., and is calmly awaiting life's great end. strengthened and upheld by his strong religious faith. His wife died in 1877, in the

sixtieth year of her age. She was born in the State of Kentucky, in the year 1818, and was a daughter of Lewis Morgan, a noted Baptist preacher in the early days of Kentucky and Indiana. Mrs. Lam- bertson was a woman of strong character, who exercised a marked influence on those around her, and her public work in the church and in all charit- able enterprises was potent and lasting. The fol- lowing is a record of the five children born to her and her husband: The eldest is the subject of this sketch; Mrs. G. H. Elgin, aged thirty-six, lives in Southport, Ind .: Mrs. U. M. Chaille, aged thirty- four, lives in Indianapolis, Ind. ; Mrs. I. B. Lavielle. aged thirty-two, lives in Louisville, Ky .; Dr. O. F. Lambertson, aged thirty, is a dentist in Lincoln, Neb.

Genio Madison Lambertson was born at Frank- lin, Ind., May 19, 1850. His father, being in good circumstances, was enabled to give him a substan- tial collegiate education, the preliminaries of which were obtained in the common schools of his native town. He then attended the Baptist College, lo- eated at Franklin, Ind., and then for six months he was a student of Wabash University, located at Crawfordsville, Ind., and thus well prepared he entered the Chicago University, whence he was graduated with honors in 1872. After leaving col- lege he became a law student in the office of Messrs Overstreet & Hunter, the leading attorneys in his native town, and under their instruction pursued a thorough course of reading in Blackstone and other learned commentators of the law, and being thus well grounded in legal lore he went forth to make his own way in the professional world with prom- ises of a brilliant future that have been more than realized. He selected the young and growing city of Lincoln, Neb., as a most desirable place wherein to .commence the practice of his profession, and since the 1st of June, 1874, he has been identified with its interests. The first six months of his resi- dence here he was a clerk in the law firm of Lamb & Billingsley, and Mr. Lambertson subsequently became a member of the same firm.

In December, 1878, Mr. Lambertson was ap- pointed by President Hayes United States Distriet Attorney for the State of Nebraska, which position he held with distinguished ability for eight years

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and two months, having been re-appointed by Presi- dent Arthur. At the expiration of his second term of office, in February, 1887, President Cleveland tendered him a temporary re-appointment, which was declined. Since that date he has been engaged in the practice of law, and has a large and lucrative business. He gained deserved prominence within the last year by his success in procuring the release of the Mayor and eleven Councilmen of the city of Lincoln, who were imprisoned in the jail at Omaha, by Judge Brewer, of the United States Circuit Court, for contempt of court, by a writ of habeas corpus issued out of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Mr. Lambertson was married, June 10, 1880, to Jane Gundry, daughter of Joseph Gundry, a prominent capitalist of Mineral Point, Wis. Jane Gundry was born at Mineral Point, Aug. 29, 1855. and received her education at "Kemper Hall," Kenosha, Wis. She is a lady of superior refinement, and graciously presides over their attractive home, which is the center of true culture. Mr. and Mrs. Lambertson have two children, namely: Margery Elizabeth, born Aug. 23, 1881, and Nancy Perry, Ang. 26, 1883.

Mr. Lambertson is a prominent member of the Baptist Church, of Lincoln, and contributes liber- ally to its support. In politics he is an enthusiastic Republican, is one of the leaders of the party in this State, and his eloquent voice is heard very effect- ively on the stump in every campaign. He is a man of rare energy of character, of large heart and large mind, and is using his influence to promote the best interests of this community, of which he has so long been an honored member.

DAM R. SMITHI. This worthy and intelli- gent citizen of Yankee IIill Precinet, is, with his amiable and excellent partner, comfortably located at a good home on section 26, they having around them the conven- ienees of modern rural life, and calling as their own 100 acres of prime land, which they accumulated by their united efforts, begun eleven years ago.

They are people held in the highest respect in their community, having lived in that manner which, without making any very great ado in the world, has yet secured for them the esteem and confidence of all around them.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith came to this section of coun- try when much of the land around them was un- tilled, and besides the carrying on of agriculture Mr. Smith became prominent in public affairs, and always gave his encouragement to those enter- prises calculated to advance the interests of the people. He served as School Director and Road Overseer, and was prominent in the establishment of the Dunkard Church, of which he is Deacon and one of its most active members. He has been an extensive Bible reader, and in the fall of 1884 was elected by his church as a minister, and of- ficiates in the pulpit whenever occasion demands. He is thoroughly in harmony with religious work, and of late years especially has given much of his time to the building up of the Master's cause in this section,

The branch of the Smith family of which our subject is a member, settled in Blair County, Pa., a little south of the central portion of the Keystone State, where our subject was born, Dec. 27, 1833. His parents, Eli and Eve Smith, were also natives of that section of country, and traced their respect- ive ancestry back to England and Germany. John Smith, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was born in Lancashire, England, and crossed the At- lantic prior to the War of 1812, settling and spend- ing his last days in Pennsylvania. There also Eli Smith carried on agriculture and remained during his life. IIe passed away in 1887, and the mother about 1878.

Adam R. Smith, our subjeet, commenced work- ing in a woolen-mill at an early age, and was thus employed until reaching his majority. He ean with proper tools and machinery take the wool from a sheep's back and manipulate it through all the pro- cesses into material ready for the tailor's shears. He became an expert workman and commanded the best wages those days afforded. His education, somewhat limited, was acquired in the common school, but he has all his life been a close reader, and in this manner amply fitted himself for general

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business, while at the same time he became familiar with subjects of common interest to intelligent .מיומנו

The mother of our subject was three times mar- ried, and out of a large family of children eight survive. Martha, the eldest daughter living, is the wife of Levi Dell, of Chicago, Ill .; Adam R., our subject, is the next eldest; John is a resident of Pennsylvania: Benjamin F. is carrying on farming in Yankee 1Jill Precinct, this county; Catherine is the wife of David Ditch, of Stark County, Ohio; Elizabeth, Mrs. James States, continues a resident of Blair County, Pa .. where also reside Zachariah T. and Wesley, the two younger sons.

Our subject before reaching his majority was married, Oct. 25, 1854. in his native county. to Miss Mary A. Shinefelt, and they are now the parents of four children : Jacob E., their eldest son, is carry- ing on farming in Colorado; Catherine is the wife of W. H. Craig, of Kearney County, this State ; Flora C., Mrs. John Shaner, is a resident of Lincoln ; Bertha M. died when about three months old. The mother passed away at her home in Pennsylvania in 1876.

Mr. Smith, on the 4th of January, 1877, contracted a second marriage, with Miss Sarah Bateman, who was born in York County, Pa., and is the daughter of John and Christina (Hollar) Bateman, also na- tives of the Keystone State. ller paternal grand- father was of English birth and parentage, and on her mother's side her ancestors were from Germany. Iler maternal grandfather was Phillip Hollar, and spent his last years in Pennsylvania. The mother, Mrs. Bateman, was twice married, and her family included eight children, namely : Samuel, deceased ; John, a resident of York County, Pa .; Sarah and George, deceased; William, living in Blair County, l'a .; Daniel, who yielded up his life as a Union soldier in Libby Prison during the Civil War; Susan, Mrs. Henry Miller, of York County, Pa., and Eliza, the wife of Alexander McGalligher, of that State.

Mr. Adam Smith in 1879 erossed the Mississippi River and purchased 100 aeres of land in Yankee Ilill Precinct, this county. Then returning to Penn- sylvania he spent the winter there, and in Febru- ary, 1880, prepared to locate in his new home,

coming hither by himself, his wife following about two months later. The land which he had secured was practically in its primitive condition, and on it there were some small buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Smith for a number of years labored industriously and lived economically until they began to realize a solid foothold. They gradually gathered around them those comforts and conveniences which are the pleasing features of their home, and where are made welcome both friend and stranger, after the old-time Pennsylvania hospitality.

OHN H. SEVERIN, whose farm is situated upon section 26, Buda Precinct, is a native of Prussia. IIe was born Dec. 22, 1844, to John C. and Elizabeth Severin. While he was still but a boy, his parents determined to emi- grate to this country, and when they did so he of course accompanied them. They settled in Clay- ton County, Iowa, where he was brought up, and made his home until he was twenty years of age, when he went to Colorado, and followed teaming and mining for a time; while thus engaged he drove across the plains from Council Bluffs with four yoke of oxen, taking a load of machinery for the use of the people in Colorado.

After leaving the above employment our subjeet resided for some time in Council Bluffs, following various occupations, and in the spring of 1867 went to work on the Union Pacific Railroad in Wyo- ming, where lie was engaged for about six months, grading for that company. Then he went to Black Hawk, Col., where he engaged in teaming; thience he came to Laneaster County in the summer of 1869, and took up eighty acres of land under the Homestead Law, and subsequently a similar traet under the Pre-emption Act; this he has brought to a high state of cultivation.

The maiden name of the wife of our subject was Margaret Clasen, a lady of German parentage, by whom he has become the parent of ten children, seven of whom survive; these are: Lora, Rosa, Henry, Emile, Alfreda, Lydia and Pauline. Mr. Severin enjoys the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens, and has several times been called

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upon to fill different offices, some of which he has accepted, among them that of School Moderator, Justice of the Peace, and School Treasurer, which latter he still holds. He is also Treasurer of the Olive Branch Aid Society ; he is a prominent mem- ber of the Buda Agricultural Society. In polities he is independent.

C ALVIN STERNS, prominent among the gen- eral farmers and stock-raisers of West Oak Precinct, is successfully operating 160 acres of highly productive land on section 32. IIe is also owner of a half-section near Stratton, in Dun- dee County, and is thus a man in good cireum- stances, enjoying with his family all the comforts of life. As a citizen, he is held in due respect by his community, of whose agricultural interests he is a thrifty representative, holding his own among its intelligent men.

The father of our subject, John Sterns by name, was born in the Dominion of Canada, in 1803, and died well advanced in years, although retaining the vigor and activity of many a younger man. He carved his way to a good position by his own efforts, having no one to depend upon but himself when starting in life, and thus there were developed in his character the best principles of manhood. Ile acquired simply a common-school education, and became familiar with agricultural pursuits in his boyhood.

John Sterns was married in his native Province, in 1835, to Miss Lucinda Banning, and their union was blessed by the birth of eleven children, ten of whom lived to mature years. In 1843 Mr. Sterns disposed of his property interests in the Dominion, and making his way to Ogle County, Ill., invested a part of his capital in land in Monroe Township, of which he remained a resident for a period of eight years. His next removal was across the Mis- sissippi into Black Hawk County, Iowa, but two or three years later he moved into Butler County, this State, where he carried on agriculture until his death, which took place on the 18th of January, 1886. He was a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, with which he united at an early day.

The mother is still living, making her home with her son Clark, in Butler County. She was born in Canada, in 1806, and is the daughter of Benjamin Banning, also a native of the Green Mountain State, but who removed to Canada before his dangh- ter Lucinda was born. There he spent his last days, passing away many years ago.

The subject of this sketch was born in the Domin- ion of Canada, Jan. 18, 1848, and was a lad eight years of age when his parents came to the States, and settled in Illinois. fle remained a member of the parental household until twenty years of age, then started out for himself. In the fall of 1868 we find him in Black Hawk County, Iowa, and in that year he met his fate in the person of Miss Frances Harmer, to whom he was married on the 26th of January, 1869. Of this union there have been born eight children, five of whom are living, namely : Eva, Albert, Winnie, Pearl and Earl.

After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Sterns settled on a farm, of which they remained residents a period of six years. Our subject then believing that he coukl do better upon the soil of Nebraska, came to this county, arriving in West Oak Precinet on the 10th of November, 1875. For five years thereafter he occupied himself at farming, and in 1880 purchased the farm upon which he has since lived, and where he has made all the improvements which now at- tract the admiring gaze of the passing traveler. Ile has a neat and substantial dwelling, a good barn, with fences and out-buildings in perfect order, the machinery of improved pattern, and excellent grades of live stock.

Our subjeet, in common with the intelligent men about him, has made a specialty of tree-planting, having put out in addition to a good orchard and the various smaller fruits, a fine lot of forest trees, which add not only to the comfort of his animals, but to the value and beauty of his property. Not only has he improved his own farm, but he lias brought to a good state of cultivation aere upon aere of other land before becoming the owner of real estate here himself. He makes a specialty of Short-horn cattle, and takes pride in his fine horses.

The wife of our subject was born in Fond du Lae County, Wis., Oct. 23, 1852, where she ac- quired her education, and was reared to woman-

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hood. Her parents, Joseph and Harriet (Stickney) Harmer, were natives respectively of England and New York. The father was born Feb. 26, 1825. and came to America when a youth of eighteen years, locating m Ogle County, Ill., where he be- came acquainted with and married his wife. Their family originally included nine children, five of whom are living. and residents mostly of Wiscon- sin. In 1845 they removed from Illinois to Wis- consin, where the father lived and labored until the last illness, which resulted in his death Oct. 31, 1865. Mrs. Harmer was subsequently married to Mr. Grady, reference to whom is made in the sketch of B. Grady in another part of this work. They are now residents of Raymond, this county.

R ICHIARD WALLINGFORD, a resident of Lincoln, is distinguished as one of the origi- nal settlers of Lancaster County, and it has been his privilege to watch its growth from the very earliest days of its settlement, and to aid in its development from a wild condition to one populous and wealthy. When he arrived here, which was on the 29th of May, 1859, the wide-roll- ing prairie lay before him with searce a sod turned, fresh as from the hands of nature in ages gone. There were but few families throughout the length and breadth of the county, and the land now occu- pied by the city of Lincoln was then owned by the Government, and for sale at $1.25 an acre, the nearest settlement at the time being two miles from the capital, and Nebraska City was the nearest depot of supplies. Deer, prairie wolves and other wild animals were abundant, and Indians used to frequently pass his dwelling on their way to and from their hunting-grounds.

Our subjeet was born in Clarke County, Ohio, Jan. 20, 1819. Ilis father, Benjamin Wallingford, was a native of Kentucky, but the birthplace of his father, likewise named Benjamin, is unknown. Benjamin Wallingford, Sr., moved from Kentucky to Ohio and became an early settler of Clarke County, where he cleared a farm from the wilderness, on which he resided until his death. The father of our subject was a young man when he moved to

Ohio with his parents, and there he married. Ilis first wife was a Miss Hancock, by whom he had three children, who grew to maturity; after her death he was united in marriage with Margaret Miller, like himself a native of Kentucky. IIe bought a tract of land in Clarke County, Ohio, and assiduously devoted his time to clearing the trees from it and tilling the soil, until about 1830, when he moved to Shelby County, Ohio, and bought a tract of land, where he lived until about 1856. Hle then sold all his property in Ohio and went to De- catur County, Iowa, to make his home with his children, and there closed a useful and honorable life. Ilis estimable wife survived him about three years, her death occurring at the home of her son, A. J. Wallingford (whose farm adjoined that of our subject), in Lancaster County, in 1861.

Richard Wallingford was reared on his father's farm in Ohio, and assisted his father in the pioneer labors of felling trees and clearing the land for culture. lle married in his native State, Jan. 11, 1844, Miss Eliza Allen, who was born in Medina County, Ohio, Jan. 17, 1824. Her father, John Allen, was born in the State of New York, and his father was, it is thought, a native of Vermont, and was a cousin of the famous Revolutionary hero Ethan Allen. He spent his last years in New York State. Mrs. Wallingford's father was left an orphan at an early age, and when a young man he went to Ohio and there married, and settled in Medina County, becoming a pioneer of that county. He bought a tract of timber land and built a log house. His thrifty wife used to cook the meals of the family over a fireplace, and she used to spin, weave and make all the clothes worn by the family. Mr. Allen cleared quite a farm and lived in Medina County several years, but he subsequently disposed of his farm and other property and moved to Champaign County, where he spent his last years. The maiden name of his wife, mother of Mrs. Wal- lingford, was Alaney Smith, a daughter of Elijah and Lydia (Rose) Smith, and a native of Vermont. Mrs. Wallingford resided with her parents until her marriage, and under the careful directions of her mother she became an admirable housekeeper, learning to spin and weave, and to do many other household duties then considered the necessary ac-

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Portrait and biographical album of Lancaster county, Nebraska, Part 88

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

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