USA > Nebraska > York County > York County, Nebraska and its people : together with a condensed history of the state, Vol. II > Part 34
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Samnel R. Lichtenberger was one of nine children born to his parents and was educated in the public schools of his native county. He learned his father's trade, that of a tanner, and continued to work at that business during his boyhood years. In 1863 he migrated to Dixon, Illinois, and there continued to reside until March, 1864, when he enlisted as a corporal in Company D, Fifteenth Illinois Volunteer
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Infantry, for service with the Federal troops in the Civil war. He was mustered in at Chicago and from that point was sent to Tennessee with Sherman's army, where his company became part of the Seventeenth Corps under General Blair who accompanied Sherman on his famous march to the sea. He was in several engage- ments and continued to serve until the close of the war when he was mustered out at Springfield in September, 1865.
At the elose of his military service Mr. Lichtenberger returned to Dixon, Illi- nois, and there rented land which he operated until the spring of 1872. In that year he made the overland journey to York county by horse team and took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres located on section 8, Bradshaw township. His first house was built of sod with a sod roof and a dirt floor and here he "bached" for eleven years. The holding was all raw prairie land and he began to break it with ox teams in 1873 and in that year started to put out his first crops. In the following year he had broken fifty acres of the ground and put it to wheat when the grasshoppers eame in myriads, being so thick that he could shovel them up with a seoop shovel. In the morning of the following day they rose in a cloud and disappeared as mysteriously as they had come, leaving the wheat practically uninjured. Mr. Lichtenberger has many interesting stories to tell of those early days in the county. He was in the big storm of April 2, 1873, when on the after- noon of that date a drizzling rain started, which later turned into big soft snow- flakes which fell to a thiekness of about five inches on the ground. It froze hard all that night and the following morning a snow blizzard was raging which lasted for three days, during that time numbers of cattle, hogs and horses being frozen to death. Some time after he settled here he hunted antelopes on the spot where Bradshaw now stands, but buffaloes were not very plentiful. He did most of his trading at Lincoln and hanled his grain to market at Fairmont and Sutton, the latter being twenty-five miles distant.
In January, 1883, Mr. Lichtenberger was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Diekson, a native of Danville, Illinois, a daughter of Robert M. Diekson, who came to Nebraska and homesteaded in Custer county. Five children were born to this union : Mae, the wife of C. W. Will, of Litchfield, Nebraska : Josiah, who works on a farm in Bradshaw township; Cleon, who lives on his father's old homestead ; Aliee, who died in infancy, and Lula, now attending high school. Mr. Lichtenberger is a democrat and served as school director and treasurer of his school district for thirty years. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, affiliated with Noble Groves Post, and in the affairs of that organization continues to take a warm interest. Since 1878 he has held membership in the Masonic order and for many years has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His wife and daughter are earnest members of the Christian church and all com- munity movements intended to promote the publie welfare have their practical support. They are people of genuine personal worth, enjoying in large measure the friendship and kindly regard of those with whom they have been brought into contaet. Their own home is noted for its warmhearted hospitality and is the scene of many delightful social gatherings.
Mr. Lichtenberger continued to reside on his old homestead until 1917, when he moved to Bradshaw. During his active years on the farm he was extensively ยท engaged in stock raising and general farming, having been one of the most successful stock raisers in the county and was engaged in the buying and selling of stock
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for forty years. He was the first farmer to ship a load of grain out of Bradshaw. After the first few years of his residence on the homestead he began to see greater possibilities ahead and added to his land holdings from time to time until he had accumulated five hundred and sixty acres of prime land of which he is still the owner. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to try his fortune in this part of Nebraska. Here he found conditions favorable to the man who is willing to work. for the land is rich in its natural resources and Mr. Lichtenberger accordingly brought his diligence to play with the result that he is today the possessor of a handsome competence which surrounds him with all the necessities and comforts of life and some of its luxuries.
WILLIAM S. JEFFERY
William S. Jeffery. a prominent and prosperous citizen of York county of which he has been a resident for more than forty-six years, now living practically retired from active participation in farm life, has in his time played many parts in business affairs. He was born in Beaver county. Pennsylvania, January 24. 1844, a son of Robert and Mary ( Scott) Jeffery, the former a native of Allegheny county, Pennsyl- vania, where he was born in 1819 and died in 1906. having then reached the advanced age of eighty-seven years. Mrs. Mary (Scott) Jeffery, his wife, was a native of Hancock county, Virginia, where she was born in 1822 and passed away in 1884, being then in her fifty-seventh year.
Robert Jeffery had a somewhat varied career. He had been a school teacher in the Keystone state and in 1853 moved into Illinois. He became deputy clerk of MeDonough county and filled this responsible position for eleven years, enjoying the confidence of his brother officials and the public. and serving with fidelity and ability. For six years he was deputy postmaster at Macomb, Illinois, and brought to bear on the duties of that public department a keen administrative capacity. Later he became express messenger on the Chicago. Burlington and Quiney Railroad. In 1828 he moved into Nebraska, living near Red Cloud with a brother and began farming. He started for Kansas and purchased a tract of land on which he resumed agricultural operations, and there spent the remainder of his life, his death taking place in 1906, in his eighty-seventh year. To Robert Jeffery and wife six children were born : William S .. subject of this sketch ; Mary Ann. deceased : Jennie, wife of Mike Ryan, of Lincoln ; Austin N., deceased : Aina, widow of Cade Holcomb, of Illinois: and Sarah, deceased in infancy. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church and in its work took an active and helpful interest, doing all in their power to extend its growth and promote its purpose. His political support was given to sustain the policies and principles of the republican party.
William S. Jeffery was reared in the home of his parents and secured his educa- tion in the common schools of Virginia and Illinois. One of his earliest forms of employment was as a clerk in a grocery store at Macomb, Illinois, being engaged for two years in this line. Later he worked in the office of the Macomb Enterprise, a newspaper of that place, and remained there for twelve months following which he found employment as a clerk in a clothing store. While living in Illinois
MR. AND MRS W S. JEFFERY
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AAL TILDEN FOUNDATION R 1
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Mr. Jeffery started out as a farmer, bought land and carried on general farming. About that time he married Laura Louisa Dickey, a native of Ohio, and they moved to Iowa in 1869, going out to the prairie country where he purchased a tract of land on time payments, and on this place he carried on general farming and operated a threshing machine. He remained in the prairie country for about five years and in March, 1874, came to York county and bought railroad land, experiencing in common with others the effects of the grasshopper visitation of that period. Mr. Jeffery diligently applied himself to the development of his agricultural interests and finally acquired over one thousand acres at one time of well improved land, some of which he divided among his children, giving each a farm, and he is now living practically retired, having reached his seventy-seventh year, enjoying the repose to which his active years of energy and industry fully entitle him.
In 1906 Mr. Jeffery's wife passed to her reward, and was buried near Benedict. She became the mother of five children: Orman S., in charge of the home place ; W. Earl, living in Loveland, Colorado; Idella, the wife of Charles Wallace, of Hastings, Nebraska : Elmer O., of Stromsburg, Nebraska; and Basil, who died at the age of twenty-two. at that time being a medical student. Mr. Jeffery and his wife have been prominently identified with the services of the Methodist church, in which she always took a deep interest. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party and served one term on the county board, discharging the duties thereof with fidelity and ability. In fraternal circles he is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America. Itis memory practically compasses the period of pioneer development and later progress here. and he has ever borne his share in the work of upbuilding and improvement, and as a citizen he occupies a foremost place in the hearts and confidence of his numerous friends and neighbors.
GEORGE H. DICKSON
The potential possibilities of farming and stock raising in York county have no more able exponent than George H. Dickson, who is operating a fine farm on section 5, Thayer township, and in the management of which he has demonstrated his fitness for agricultural life. He was born in the county, February 18, 1890, a son of William and Mary (Troutman) Dickson, both natives of lowa who were reared in that state.
William Dickson was educated in the common schools of Iowa and started his farming career in his native place. In 1878 he came to York county and became the owner of three hundred and forty acres of railroad land which was in a raw condition when he acquired it. lle figured prominently in connection with the pioneer development of the county and is classed with those who aided in reclaim- ing this region for the purposes of civilization. In the early days of his residence he had to hanl grain to Seward. usually returning with necessary supplies from the same point. He improved and developed his half section of land and as his financial standing permitted he bought another quarter section, this latter holding being located near Holdrege. He made everything through his own efforts and
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may justly be termed a self-made man. William Dickson married Mary Troutman and they became the parents of seven children: Lela. the wife of Bert Tilbert, of Holdrege : Bertha, deceased ; Ilattie, wife of Dr. Frank Warner of Gresham : Ray. a farmer of Polk county; Claude, also farming in Polk county; George II .; and Earl, now attending school in Denver. Mr. William Dickson passed away in 1910. being then fifty-five years old. His widow is living in Denver and is in her sixty- fifth year. Members of the Lutheran church, they were always earnest adherents of its religious practices. While giving his political support to the republican party he never sought public office, preferring to devote his time and attention to his agri- cultural interests; nevertheless he always gave a good citizen's attention to all movements calculated to advance the welfare of the community in the development of which he played an active part.
George II. Dickson was reared on his father's homestead and early became acquainted with agricultural operations, fitting himself for the responsibilities which ultimately devolved upon him. He was educated in the public schools of the county and worked on the home farm, giving his father the benefit of his labors. He is now actively engaged in general farming and stock raising and during the period the place has been in his possession has made many excellent improvements thereon, converting it into one of the model farm properties of the county. In 1913 he was married to Hazel Warner, a daughter of George E. Warner, a native of Pennsylvania, and to this union two children have been born: Lowell and Lyle, residing with their parents. George E. Warner, father of Mrs. Dickson, was born in Pennsylvania in 1848 and married Rose B. Shrader, also a native of the Keystone state. Ile came to Nebraska in 1873, driving across the country to his destination, and settled in Polk county where he homesteaded eighty aeres of land . on which he put a sod house and later a frame shanty in which he lived for several years. He prospered as he proceeded with his farm work and bought more land as circumstances permitted, at the time of his death being the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of excellent land all well improved. He and his wife became the parents of eight children : Bertha, the wife of Herbert Richardson, of Polk county; Dr. Frank Warner, living in Gresham: Eva, living at home; Hattie, married; Ray, a farmer of Polk county; Hazel, the wife of George H. Dickson : Glenn, a farmer living in Polk county; and Merle, at home. The parents were members of the Lutheran church and had a wide circle of friends in the community where many of their best years were spent. Mr. and Mrs. Dickson are members of the Lutheran church and he is a republican in political affiliation.
H. W. FAY .
For fifty years 11. W. Fay, who is now living retired at Bradshaw, has been identified with the agricultural growth and development of York county, and during that period has made wise use of his time, his talents and his opportunities, and in laboring to promote his individual interests has also advanced the welfare and progress of his district and the county at large. Ile was born at Port Huron, Michigan, October 5. 1844, a son of Hiram and Lucy (Chapin) Fay, the former a native of New York state and the latter of Massachusetts.
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Hiram Fay was a builder and contractor who migrated from New York to Michigan when he was twenty-one years old, going thence to Chicago in 1850 and there became engaged at his trade. In 1853 he went to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and resumed his occupation there, working for several years. Later he came to Nebraska, spending the remainder of his life in this state, his death occurring in 1883, being then seventy-four years old. His wife predeceased him in September, 1874, having reached her fifty-eighth year. He was a republican in politics and in religious belief was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church, to the faith of which his wife also was attached. They were the parents of seven children : Lucy, the wife of James Sisco, of Alliance, Nebraska ; Reuben A., living at Portland, Oregon ; H. W., the subject of this sketch; Hiram, whose death occurred when eight years old ; Claude, who died in his first year; Harlow L., who passed away, aged eighteen ; and Alice, who died when eighteen months old.
H. W. Fay was educated in the common schools of Iowa, the schoolhouses at that time being constructed of logs and slab benches doing duty for the regulation desks of a more modern day. He lived with his parents until his twentieth year, nothing occurring in his young manhood worthy of note until he decided to enter the military service of the country. Ile enlisted at Belle Plaine, Iowa, in the Forty-seventh lowa Infantry and was mustered into the Federal army at Daven- port, that state, in June, 1864, his entire period of service being about seventeen months. In October, 1864, Mr. Fay had a fortunate escape from being wounded, a memorandum book in his pocket cansing a bullet to deflect without causing him any injury. He saw considerable activity while with the Federal army and was in many engagements and at the elose of hostilities was mustered ont, receiving an honorable discharge. In 1865 he returned to Iowa and started work on the railroad, being employed by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, remaining in that line for four years.
About 1871 Mr. Fay migrated to Nebraska and settled in York county, making the overland journey from lowa with the aid of a team of ponies. He took a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in Henderson township and commenced without delay to break the sod and prepare it for tillage, at the end of a few years having twenty acres fit for cultivation. His first house was constructed out of poles and in this he had to live during the winter season. The barns were of sod and later he built a sod and log house for a residence. All freighting liad to be done from Lincoln, over roads which at certain periods of the year were impassable. His agricultural operations turned out satisfactorily, notwithstanding the disad- vantageous experiences entailed by visits from grasshoppers. hailstorms and chinch- bugs. As he prospered he added many valuable improvements to the farm, on which he continued to reside until 1915 when he moved to Bradshaw and began buying and shipping produce. He still retains ownership in one hundred and sixty acres, all of which is in an excellent state of improvement.
On January 2, 1870. Mr. Fay was united in marriage to Frances E. Brown, a native of Iowa, and of that marriage there are seven children now living: Hiram W., who lives at Havelock, and who served for eighteen months with the First South Dakota Volunteers in the Philippines, and was wounded at the Block House No. 2; Cora E., the wife of Leroy Perine, who lives in New York City: Henry A., a ship carpenter ; Clark D., who farms the home place; Maude M., the wife of P. O. Ferree, of Hershey; Gaynelle, a teacher in the Dundee schools at Omaha ;
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Allen E., living at Hershey, who served for eighteen months with Battery F, One Hundred Twenty-seventh Heavy Field Artillery, training at Camp Cody; Leonora, who died at the age of four; and Cornelins, who died in infancy. Mr. Fay has always voted for the republican cause and for years has been identified with the Grand Army of the Republic and with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He served the public as postmaster of Henderson for five years. He is a man of sound business judgment, sagacious and far-sighted, and his well defined plans have always been carried to successful completion.
HENRY WELLMAN
lIenry Wellman arrived in the United States in 1870 a young man with little capital, and he is now living in Waco, York county, having retired from active business affairs. His career was at the outset a struggle for existence, but since then he has steadily progressed and his record indicates clearly what may be accomplished when there is a will to dare and to do. He was born in Germany, a son of George and Louise Wellman, also natives of that country.
Henry Wellman received his education under the excellent system prevailing in the schools of Germany and in 1870 he immigrated to this country, making the voyage on a steamship which took fourteen days to cross the Atlantic. In that year he came to Nebraska and settled in York county, which then was in a state of infancy and was sparsely populated. He has seen the county when it had but a few frame buildings and one sod house in its entire area. He reached Nebraska City by train and there bought a team and wagon and completed the journey to York county, which took a week owing to his missing the road. He walked from Nebraska City, driving a couple of cows behind the wagon, and when he became of age in 1873 he filed on a homestead, on which his first house was of the dugout type. Later he built a sod house with a dirt floor and subsequently erected the biggest frame house in the township at that time, the Inmber being hauled from Utica, Nebraska. He then plunged actively into the work of developing and in- proving the homestead, cultivating crops, planting quantities of trees and setting out an orchard, which died in later years. Mr. Wellman was getting along splen- didly when the grasshoppers came and destroyed every growing thing on his place. He asserts that within two hours after the pests visited the farm a leaf could not be seen on the cornstalks, so complete was the destruction. In time he recovered from the setback caused by the grasshoppers and by economy and indus- try was enabled to purchase more land and also bought a tract of land in Minne- sota. From time to time he invested in holdings in York county which he in- variably disposed of at terms that left substantial profits. During his active con- nection with agricultural operations he displayed a marked spirit of progress. He has ever been watchful of indications pointing to success and has never feared to venture where favoring opportunity has led the way.
In 1873 Mr. Wellman was united in marriage to Augusta Bolgren, a native of Wisconsin, and they became the parents of the following children: Arthur, living in Waco; Rinehart, residing in Waco; Arnold, a farmer of Dodge, Nebraska ; Laura, the wife of Paul Kottke of Beaver township. Mrs. Augusta Wellman died in 1888,
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and some time later he married Miss Clara Bolgren, a sister of his first wife, and they became the parents of six children: George, who farms in Minnesota; Herbert, living in Hebert, Nebraska; Henry, who enlisted during the great war in the naval service, but being a carpenter was transferred to shipbuilding ; Walter, who enlisted in the aviation service, served as a mechanic for two years; Elsie, the wife of Harry Lawyer, of Waco; and Hilda, who lives at home. The second wife died in 1913.
Since moving to Waco to make his permanent home Mr. Wellman has built a well finished and comfortable house, modern in all respects, and here he enjoys the fruits of his early enterprise and persistent industry. He has always cast a consistent ballot for the republican party and has filled various public offices, among others having served on the county board for two terms and on the Beaver township school board for many years. Ile has been president of the German Mutual Fire Insurance Co. for twenty-nine years-its first and only president. So well do the people think of him that he is now filling the office of mayor of Waco, and in this position the interests of all the people are his first care, the same ripe intelli- gence and characteristic energy which marked his business affairs being also evident in discharging the duties of his publie trust. In all his dealings he is thoroughly reliable as well as progressive and his word is considered as good as any bond solemnized by signature or seal.
RAYMOND L. BROTT
Raymond L. Brott a prominent figure in the insurance circles in York, his native city, was born March 7, 1890. He was educated in the public schools passing through consecutive grades to his graduation from the high school, with the class of 1910. He then entered the employ of the American State Bank, at York, and was advanced to various positions in that institution until he resigned as assistant cashier. In 1918 he became district manager of the Franklin Life Insurance Company, of Springfield, Illinois, and has since built up an extensive business, having now twenty sub-agencies. His clientage has become a very important one and in a period of the first seven months of 1920 he wrote insurance to the amount of one million dollars. ITis close application, his systematic methods, his unfaltering energy and his landable ambition have been the salient features in the attainment of his success,
On the 18th of September, 1912, Mr. Brott was married to Helen L. Kingsley, a daughter of Jonathan C. Kingsley, who was a captain in the Civil war and became one of the early residents of York, where for many years he figured . prominently in financial circles as vice president of the First National Bank. Mr. and Mrs. Brott have one daughter, Patricia, who is five years old. Their religious faith is that of the Congregational church and Mr. Brott is also a member of the Masonie fraternity, having taken the York Rite degree. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias Lodge, to the Rotary Club, to the Young Men's Christian Association, the Country Club, the Sons of Veterans, the Old Settlers Association and other organizations which indicate the nature of his interests and activities. He has served as secretary of the Knights of Pythias and Business Men's Association also
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of the Young Men's Christian Association, and at all times is an active worker in support of any project which seems of benefit to the community in any way. His political allegiance is given to the republican party but he has never been ambitious for office, devoting his entire time to business, save where a leisure hour permits him to engage in a game of golf in which he and his father are much interested as well as in other clean outdoor sports. He is regarded as one of the alert and progressive business men to whom opportunity is ever a call to action.
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