USA > Nebraska > York County > York County, Nebraska and its people : together with a condensed history of the state, Vol. II > Part 62
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Martin L. Diehl was reared on a farm in Marshall county, Illinois, and received his education in the country schools of this county. After putting his textbooks aside he engaged in farming in Marshall county and also served as county tax col- lector. In 1883 he came to Nebraska and bought eighty acres of land, borrowing three hundred dollars from his brother-in-law to make the first payment. This venture proving financially successful he soon purchased one hundred and sixty acres. In ten years' time he sold the quarter section for forty thousand dollars and purchased two hundred and forty acres which he still owns. In 1905 Mr. Diehl and his wife removed to York, bought a nice home and have resided here ever since. Mr. Diehl sometimes goes out on the farm and assists in the management but for the most part he lives a life of retirement.
In 1873, in Illinois, Mr. Diehl was united in marriage to Miss Louise Fleming, a native of West Virginia, and a daughter of Rev. James and Catherine ( Parks) Fleming. Her father was born in Pennsylvania and her mother in Ohio, their
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marriage occurring in the latter state. Mr. and Mrs. Fleming removed to West Virginia and the father preached in West Union for seventeen years. He was a Presbyterian minister. In 1869 they removed to Ilinois and Mr. Fleming retired from the ministry a few years before his death. Ten children were born to them, Mrs. Diehl being the sixth member of the family, five of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Diehl have become parents of two children : Arlo L. ; and Paul. Arlo is married and is engaged in farming three miles west of York. He has become the father of twin boys, Stanley and Stanford. Paul is also married and has a farm two and one-half miles west of York. Two children have been born to him: Marlyn, aged fourteen years; and Charline, nine years of age. The Diehl family are consistent members of the Presbyterian church.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Diehl the right of franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the republican party and the principles for which it stands. He served as assessor in Arborville township for some years, was elected county super- visor in 1912 and is now serving his eighth term. The Diehl family have never been found laeking in patriotism, giving unselfishly of their time and money in the World war. Mr. Diehl had one brother, AAlfred, who was wounded three times in the Civil war, and Mrs. Diehl had two brothers in the Civil war, Brainard and James Fleming, both of whom served throughout the entire war without receiving a wound. Mr. Diehl's land is of the best improved in the county and he has had great success in raising hogs. He is recognized as one of York county's progressive and representative citizens.
HENRY YANTZ
An extensive landowner and representative citizen of York is Henry Yantz who is living retired in York. Ile is a native of Erie county, New York, his birth having occurred there on April 16, 1854, a son of Peter and Elizabeth ( Mantz) Yantz. His parents were born in Germany and came to Erie county when children, moving to Hancock county, Illinois, in 1865. There the father purchased land on which they resided until 1878, when they removed to Jefferson county, Nebraska, in which they passed their last days. Nine children were born to this union, eight of whom are living. One son. David, was killed at the battle of Gettysburg during the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Yantz were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and the father was a stanch supporter of the republican party. Mr. Yantz was a self-made man, his success having been won by his own diligence and labor.
llenry Yantz was reared on a farm and received his education in the schools of New York and Illinois. After putting his textbooks aside he engaged in farming and purchased his first farm in Jefferson county, in 1883. He commenced with eighty acres but steadily increased his farm until he had three quarter sections of good land. This land was well improved and he raised cattle and hogs extensively. He is now in possession of a half section in Fillmore county and a quarter section in Hamilton county. On the 27th of January. 1910, he and his family removed to York and he built a fine home at 927 Blackburn avenue.
On the 28th of October, 1884, Mr. Yantz was united in marriage to Miss Panline Gutzmer, a native of Saline county and a daughter of William and Mary
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Gutzmer, both natives of Germany. They came to Saline county at an early day, homesteaded and died there. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Yantz : Leta, the wife of Carl G. Swanson who is connected with the Fidelity National Bank at Aurora; Erma, the wife of Edgar Gorham who is engaged in farming south of Aurora; Vaughan, who is connected with the Telephone Company ; and Hazel, the wife of Clarence Otto, who is engaged in dairying and the farming business in Aurora. Vaughan, the only son in the family served in the World war, receiving his training at Lincoln. He is also a highly educated young man and was graduated from the University of Nebraska in the electrical engineering course in 1919.
Mr. Yantz has always given his allegiance to the republican party and he and his wife are both consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. During his residence in Jefferson county he was very active in church work, serving as superintendent of the Sunday school for over seven years. He is now retired, enjoying the fruits of a life of diligence and industry and he is widely recognized as a successful farmer and representative citizen of York county.
C. B. COUCH
A representative citizen of York is C. B. Couch, a retired farmer and minister who was born in Tazewell county, Illinois, on the 10th of November, 1840. a son of Homer and Clarissa ( Brooke) Couch. The father was a native of New Hamp- shire, while the mother was born in Plymouth county, Massachusetts. At an early age they came to Tazewell county, Illinois, and there they were married. Mr. Couch was a carpenter and contractor by trade and removed to Peoria in company with an older brother, building the First Congregational church there. He was very successful in his line of work and built up a large patronage in Peoria, where he resided until his death in 1859 at the age of forty-one years. The mother passed away in Oklahoma at the age of eighty-four years. Ten children were born to this union of whom the subject was the oldest. Five of them are living. Mr. and Mrs. Couch were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church in the interests of which they took an active part and the father was a whig and later a stanch supporter of the republican party.
C. B. Couch was reared on a farm and received his education in the schools of Peoria. At the age of twenty years he became interested in church work and at the age of twenty-one years began preaching, first at the poorhouse in Illinois. JIe held several charges in Peoria and received the small amount of ninety-five dollars and board for his first year's services. For sixty-seven years he has been a member of the church and for twenty-four years preached in the Central Illinois conference, receiving for one year's service the sum of seven hundred dollars, the largest amount he ever earned in that profession. After retiring from the ministry he engaged in farming and in 1882 came to Nebraska, locating in York county. Ilere he bought a homestead right, located in New York township and lived on this land for a period of twenty-six years, having one hundred and sixty acres which he still owns. In 1908 he removed to York and built a house at 944 East 5th street where he is now residing. Mr. Couch made considerable money in trading and as
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a result of his own diligence and labor he owns some of the finest land in York county. When Mr. Couch first came to York the membership in the Methodist. Episcopal church was small but it has steadily increased and he assisted in the building of three Methodist churches.
Mr. Conel was united in marriage to Miss Martha K. Zoll, a native of Fulton county, Illinois, and to them two children were born: W. A. and Frank Herbert. W. A. Couch is residing on a farm five miles east of York and is married. Hle has become the father of two children: William Warren, and Robert. Frank Her- bert Couch resides at Erie, Pennsylvania. where he has charge of the electric power station on the suburban railway. He is married and the father of two sons: Ralph Edward, who is in the United States Navy; and Herbert Frank, attending high school. The Couch family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The death of Mrs. Couch occurred on the 5th of May, 1918, which was the occasion of much grief to her devoted family and friends.
Mr. Couch votes with the republican party and held the position of county assessor for a period of three years. He has always been a stanch advocate of education and to that end served as a member of the school board for a period of over twenty-two years. Fraternally he is a member of the A. F. & A. M .. and he has served as grand commander of the Grand Army of the Republic post. Mr. Couch is indeed a self-made man and has learned his lessons in the hard school of experi- ence. When but nineteen years of age his father died, leaving a debt of over five hundred dollars to be paid and Mr. Conch set out to clear this debt. As a result of his strong determination, diligence and industry he has gradually advanced until today he is one of the most prosperous and highly respected men in the county. As a lad in his early twenties he entered the Civil war, joining Co. H, Eleventh Illinois Cavalry Regiment, and he was in the army for seven months. He was at the battle of Shiloh and the siege of Corinth, but was discharged at the end of his seven months of active service because of sickness. He held the rank of corporal.
WILLIAM MORGAN
William Morgan, who has been a lifelong farmer, makes his home on his farm located in section 34, West Blue township. He was born in Bloomington, MeLean county, Illinois, January 28, 1876, a son of William Morgan who was born in County Meath, Ireland, in 1832. At the age of nineteen years the father came to the United States with his parents and first settled in Albany, New York. From there he removed to Bloomington and was for many years a member of the police force of that city. Because of an injury to one hand resulting in the loss of a finger he was not accepted for active service during the Civil war but entered the secret service. He had two brothers, however, who were in active service. In 1875 he came to Nebraska and lived for one year in Saline county at the termination of which time he came to York county and bought a relinquishment of one hundred and sixty acres on section 34, West Blue township. Here he engaged in farming until his death in 1894. In Illinois he was married to Miss Rosa Smith who was a native of County Meath, Ireland, having been born in the same year as her husband. She died on the homestead in 1886. Eleven children were born to this union, eight
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of whom are living: Three of the children are residing in York county besides William Morgan, the subject of this review, namely: Mrs. Sullivan, who is living in West Blue township; John Morgan, whose home is in Baker township ; and Mrs. Bert De Boer of Bradshaw. The Morgan family were reared in the faith of the Catholic church and Mr. Morgan was a stanch supporter of the democratic party.
William Morgan was a boy of six years when his parents came to York county and he well remembers the sod house which was their first home. He resided on the home place working with his father until his death, after which he became possessor of the one hundred and sixty acres to which he has since added an eighty aere tract of highly cultivated land. Ilere Mr. Morgan is now residing, engaging in general farming.
Mr. Morgan married Miss Eva Tous, a native of Bohemia, and a daughter of John and Mary Tous, early settlers of Nebraska who are now residing in Exeter. Eight children have been born to the union of Mr. Morgan, namely: John, Frank, William, Rose, James, Mary, Annic, and Katherine, all of whom are residing at home.
The political endorsement of Mr. Morgan is given to the democratic party but he has never been ambitious to hold office, preferring always to give his undivided attention to his agricultural pursuits. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church. In all of his business affairs opportunity has ever been a call to action with Mr. Morgan and his determined energy and intelligent direction of his labors have brought to him very gratifying success.
H. J. ROGERS
From the period of pioneer development to the present H. J. Rogers has been interested in York county and its upbuilding and is now living retired in York. His birth occurred in 1844 in Ireland, a son of John and Agnes (Neill) Rogers, the father being of Scotch birth, while the mother was a native of Ireland. His parents never removed to the United States but died and are buried in Ireland. II. J. Rogers was one of six children born to this union, four of whom are living, namely : the subject; Thomas, who resides in Texas where he is engaged in the sawmill business; Jane Ann, the wife of a Mr. Jeffers who is now retired and residing in New Jersey ; and Martha, who is the wife of a Mr. Ackerman and lives in New York. One daughter, Emma, married a Mr. Simpson. She is deceased. The father engaged in landscape gardening in which he was very successful.
H. J. Rogers obtained his education in the schools of Ireland, but in 1869, tales having reached him of the wonderful opportunities offered in the United States, he sailed for this country and first settled in Amsterdam, New York. IIere he engaged in contracting for a year, at the termination of which time he removed to Coldwater, Michigan, where he continued his contracting work and in addition engaged in carpentering. These trades he had learned in his early youth in his native country. For one year he remained in Coldwater and in 1873 came to York county where he secured a homestead. He immediately took an interest in the community which he had selected for his home and assisted in the building of several houses throughout the county. The first store in Utica was built by Mr.
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Rogers as was also the first store in Waco. The first house on his land was of sod, but in 1881 he put up a frame building sixteen feet by twenty four feet and subse- quently erected a modern home on his farm.
In 1844 Mr. Rogers was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Stephens, a native of Ireland, and to them eight sons have been born, all of whom are living: William, who is farming in one of the Dakotas; Charles, who is residing on his father's farm ; Walter, engaged in the lumber business at Ainsworth; Wallace, who has a lumber yard at Robinson; Harry, in the shoe business in York : Roy, in the shoe business at Fremont; Victor, who is engaged in the shoe business in York; and Russell, who is in the shoe business in connection with his brothers at York.
Mr. Rogers has always given his allegiance to the republican party in the interests of which he still takes an active part. He served on the school board at Waco for a period of thirty years, and gave one aere of his farm on which the schoolhouse was built. IIe is an exemplary member of the Masonic fraternity and was a charter member of the Utiea Lodge, Utica, Nebraska. Both Mr. and Mrs. Rogers are active members of the Presbyterian church. In December, 1909, they removed to York and he built a nice home at 1630 Lincoln avenue. For eleven years Mr. Rogers has been retired, enjoying the fruits of his own diligence and industry. He still owns his old homestead of one hundred and sixty aeres in Waco township, York county, and one of his sons is now managing it for him. Ilis life he has devoted to his family and has given all of his sons a start in the business world. They are all following in the footsteps of their father and are prominent and representative citizens of their respective communities. Mr. Rogers left his native land, coming to the United States because he was convinced of its unusual opportunities and he has found that conditions justified his expectations.
W. H. WISWELL
Among those whom death has called and who were contributing factors to the agricultural development and improvement of York county was W. H. Wiswell, who while still active in the workl's work made his home on section ?, Stewart township. He was born in Boston, August 5, 1858, a son of Charles and Mary B. (Thyng) Wiswell, natives of New Hampshire, where the father followed his trade of cabinet-maker during his active life. Members of the Wiswell family have been closely identified with the farming interests of York county for fifty years. In 1871 a grandfather and two uneles. Charles and Frank Wiswell, came to Lincoln by train and then made the journey to this county by team. Each of these men took a homestead of eighty aeres in Stewart township and commenced their settle- ment by building small frame and sod houses. With the aid of ox teams they broke the land and tilled it diligently, improved the holdings, set out trees and orchards and in due season brought their places to a satisfactory condition of culti- vation and improvement considering the time and the opportunities. The grand- father divided his labors between carpenter work at Lincoln and the care of the homestead. walking from the farm to Lincoln every two weeks. All necessary supplies had to be hauled from Lincoln and the grain had to be hanled to that city and to Columbus for marketing. During the grasshopper seare very little was
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produced, but, notwithstanding all the discouragements of the early years, they did very well and made a good living. They deserve to be ranked among the men who made living conditions in this part of the state a possibility.
W. H. Wiswell was but thirteen years old when he was brought to York county, in the district schools of which he received an education. His youthful experiences were those of the farm bred boy who divides his time between the schoolroom and the work of the fields. No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of life for him in that period. When he had passed the preliminary training in agricultural operations he purchased eighty acres of railroad land, for which he paid seven and one-half dollars an acre. By close application to work he gradually improved his holding by fencing and the erection of good buildings. He spent his active life in general farming and stock raising and in the feeding of live stock for the markets, this latter branch having proved highly profitable as a result of his care and attention. As the years went on he prospered in his undertakings and at the time of his death, which occurred February 26, 1916, he was in comfortable eir- cumstances, a just reward for his industry and integrity. He and his wife were the parents of five children, namely: Mary, who teaches in York county schools; Charles T., who farms the old place ; Francis E., physical director in the University Place schools ; Wilbur, who works with Charles T. on the home farm ; and Mercy L., who attends York College. Mr. Wiswell was a consistent member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. lle was a stanch republican and a member of the Masonic blue lodge. In all the relations of life he acted the part of a good citizen and an honest man.
Charles T. Wiswell, who now manages the home farm, was educated in the York county schools and later entered the Nebraska School of Agriculture, from which he emerged fully qualified to take over the responsibilities which have since devolved upon him. His mother who is now living in York, and his uncle Charles and his wife were among the first school teachers in the county, and it is evident that he could have no better preceptors. Mr. Wiswell is now engaged in the man- agement of over a half section of land and is wisely superintending the general farming, stock raising and feeding for the markets which his place demands. Apart from these activities he finds time to attend to a tract of land which he rents. He was married February 20, 1918, to Eleanor E. Fifer and he and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church and also give freely of their time and abilities to the furtherance of all good movements concerned with the welfare of the community in which they live. lle supports the republican party and his fraternal affiliation is with the Masonic order.
FRED STAEHR
Following in the footsteps of his father, Fred Staehr, a son of Carsten Staehr of whom further mention is made on another page of this work, is engaged in farming on section four, Beaver township, and is meeting with excellent success in his chosen occupation. He was born in a sod house on the farm where he now resides, Septem- ber 5, 1881, and early in life engaged in agricultural pursuits. At the age of twenty-eight years he took charge of the old Staehr homestead consisting of one
Vol. II-41
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hundred and sixty acres and has since made the farm his home. His wife owns eighty acres in Waco township which she inherited from her father, an early home- steader in York county. Mr. Staehr has brought his land to a high state of develop- ment and he follows progressive methods in all his farm work, his land being devoted to the cultivation of the cereals best adapted to the soil and climate.
Mr. Staehr was united in marriage in early life to Miss Martha Stuhr, who was born on an adjoining farm, and a daughter of Henry Stuhr, a homesteader who is now deceased. Three children have been born to this union: Alvin, Paul and Paule.
The political allegiance of Mr. Staehr has always been given to the republican party and it is well known that he is a stalwart advocate of any cause which it espouses. The religious faith of the family is the Lutheran church. Mr. Staehr is well known in the county in which he has spent his entire life and the circle of his friends is almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintances.
CLARENCE H. WARNER
For seventeen years Clarence HI. Warner has resided in York and in that short time has won many friends who recognize his value and true worth. He was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, September 25, 1857, a son of William and Hannah (Miley) Warner, both natives of Pennsylvania. The father was born in Burks county, July 21, 1818, and his death occurred in 1902. The mother was born in Franklin county on the 17th of January, 1818, and died in 1896. Mr. and Mrs. Warner were married in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and removed to Carroll county, Illinois, in the spring of 1864. The father served in the Civil war, having entered service October 16, 1862, in Company J, One Hundred and Fifty-eightlı Pennsylvania Regiment, and he received his discharge on the 12th of August, 1863, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. For nine years he engaged in farming in Illinois and in 1873 removed to Nebraska, settling in Richardson county where he remained for two years. At the termination of that time he settled in Polk county where he acquired a homestead near Stromsburg, and there resided until his death. Seven sons were born to this union, four of whom are living, namely: M. L., who is residing at 1631 lowa avenue, York, a retired farmer ; George Upton, a farmer in the southern part of Polk county: Curtis G., a retired farmer of Hollister, California; and Clarence HI., the subject of this review. The Warner family were reared in the faith of the Evangelical Lutheran church and the father always gave his vote to the democratic party, being well informed on the questions and issues of the day. The paternal grandfather, Isaae Newton Warner, was born and died in Pennsylvania, and his father was also a native of that state. The Warner family came to America from Germany before the Revolutionary war and the Miley family also emigrated to this country at an early day, settling in Pennsylvania where the maternal grandfather, William Miley, was born.
In the acquirement of an education Clarence II. Warner attended the schools of Illinois and Nebraska and after putting his textbooks aside engaged in farming. For some time he also engaged in the teaching of school during the early 70's, but
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soon turned from that profession to devote all of his time to his farming interests. He purchased land in Polk county on which he lived from 1875 to 1903, and then came to York, placing his children in school. He returned to his farm which he sold in 1916 and then purchased two hundred and forty acres of land in LeRoy township, York county. In 1903 he removed to York where he has retired and built a fine home at 915 lowa avenue.
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