USA > Nebraska > York County > York County, Nebraska and its people : together with a condensed history of the state, Vol. II > Part 65
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FRED NEHSER
Fred Nehser, a prosperous and well known farmer for many years identified with agricultural operations in York county, as well as having commercial inter- ests in Gresham, is a native of Iowa, born in Clayton county, February 27, 1860, , a son of Lewis and Mary (Myer) Nehser, both natives of Germany. The parents came to America in 1855, making the voyage on an old sailing vessel. the passage occupying thirty-one days. Lewis Nehser was one of a party of five hundred comprised of all kinds of tradesmen, who located at Communia, Iowa, and there they became a colony settlement, pursuing their usual avocations and also engaging
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in agricultural operations. Ile proceeded to clear a tract of land, removing all the timber and subsequently succeeded in getting one hundred and twenty-five acres into condition for the raising of crops. He used oxen and was the first in the district to buy a horse team for working the land. His efforts in the cultivation of his fields were uniformly successful and he had the satisfaction of seeing the prairie soil yield to the plow and harrow and produce in abundance. llis personal part in bringing about these results will stand to his credit for many generations. He died on the farm at the age of seventy years and his wife passed away in 1890.
Fred Nehser was educated in the common schools of his native county and was reared on his father's place, assisting in the labors of the farm. His early youth and young manhood were uneventful amid the surroundings of the farm home and he continued to work along steadily until his thirty-third year. It was in 1893 that Mr. Nehser came to York county and settled in Gresham. He bought one hundred and twenty acres of land on which a small frame house stood and successfully operated this place, doing general farming and stock raising, being for three years engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock which yielded financial results of a substantial character. He made some valuable improvements on his land and employed the most modern machinery in the work of the farm. Aside from his land interests he established and directed the Nehser Creamery, at the end of two years selling out to a firm at Aurora. Later in connection with his farming activities he commenced the breeding of Poland China hogs and shorthorn cattle and in this line, as in his other enterprises, his labors were adequately rewarded. The eall of opportunity has ever been to him a call to action and one to which he has readily responded, herein lying the secret of his success.
In 1897 Mr. Nehser was united in marriage to Hattie Wolford and to that union three children have been born : Raymond, who died at the age of one year and ten days : James, who served in the Students Army Training Corps, at Has- tings, Nebraska; and Lillian, who is attending high school. Mr. Nelser votes an independent ticket and is much interested in everything that pertains to the public welfare and cooperates heartily in those measures and movements which are a matter of civic virtue and eivic pride.
SILAS M. SARVER
Since 1915, Silas M. Sarver has been engaged in the eoal business in York, and is recognized as one of the prominent citizens of that community. He was born in Morgan county, Ohio. February 21, 1857, his parents being Jacob and Rosa (Ahle) Sarver, the former born in Butte county, Pennsylvania, while the latter was a native of Germany. Their marriage was celebrated in Pennsylvania and in the early fifties they emigrated to Ohio where he engaged in farming. In March, 1864, they removed to Kansas where he had purchased some land and resided there until 1886, and for some time he was superintendent of the county farm. Mr. Sarver had been successful in his farming ventures and in 1886 they removed to York, spending their last days in retirement. He was a stanch sup- porter of the republican party and belonged to the United Brethren church, while
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his wife was a member of the Congregational church. During the Civil war Mr. Sarver answered his country's call to arms and was a participant in many of the important battles of the war and in Morgan's raid. His death occurred in York and Mrs. Sarver passed away in April, 1920, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. Two children were born to this union: Silas M., the subject of this review ; and Rosa Brott, who is the wife of II. W. Brott, of York. Jacob Sarver, the grandfather, was born in Pennsylvania, lived and died there, and was one of the prominent men of his community.
The education received by Silas M. Sarver was very limited and as he was reared on a farm he followed that occupation, going to western Kansas where he homesteaded. In 1882 he sold his home and the following year came to York county where he lived on rented land for two years. In the spring of 1886 he removed to the City of York and worked in a lumber-yard there seventeen years for one employer and ten years for another. In 1915 he went into the coal busi- ness on his own account, selling all kinds of coal. He also owns two farms in western Nebraska in which he takes not a little interest. The success which Mr. Sarver is now enjoying is the result of his invincible courage and diligence. When he and his wife first settled in York they had practically nothing. He had made no money on the farms, for his crops had been ruined by hail and it was only by the hardest of work and the most careful saving that they finally got ahead. Some men would have broken under the immense strain suffered by Mr. Sarver, but he was determined to win out and today he is reaping his reward.
In the fall of 1882 Mr. Sarver was united in marriage to Miss Emma Walters, a native of Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Her parents came to Nebraska from Iowa and her father, William Walters, is still residing in York. The mother passed away some years ago. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Sarver, one child, Elmer Roy, has been born. He is now residing in Denver, Colorado, where he conduets a drug store. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Sarver gives his allegiance to the republican party but has neither sought nor desired public office. Diligence and persistency of purpose are numbered among his stalwart characteristics and his life record, which is an open book that all may read, has brought him high standing and popularity.
JOHN ITTNER
For forty-two years John Ittner engaged in the brick business in York, in which line of work he was so successful that he is now residing retired at 410 East Sixth street. financially independent.
John Ittner was born on a farm owned by a former president-William Henry Ilarrison-in Miami county, Ohio, on the 21st of January, 1842. His parents were John and Mary ( Friday) Ittner, the former was born in Germany in 1806 and died in 1852, while the latter was born on the Canary islands in 1818 and died in 1912. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ittner took place in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they had both removed at an early day and in 1844 they removed to St. Louis where the father followed the trade of a baker for a number of years. They then removed to St. Paul and there the father conducted a bakery until his
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death. Nine children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Ittner, four of whom are living, namely: Anthony, who has a brickyard near Belleville, Illinois; John, the subject of this review; Nicholas, who lives retired in Apopka, Florida ; and George, who has an orange grove at St. Petersburg, Florida. One son, Benja- inin, served through the Civil war as a member of Co. J, Eighth Missouri Regi- ment. The grandfather of John Ittner was born in Germany and the maternal grandfather Friday, while crossing from Germany to the United States, was ship- wrecked and remained on the Canary islands for a period of six months. He then secured passage to the United States and his first employment in this country was for the Longworth family in Cincinnati, Ohio.
John Ittner was reared in St. Louis and there received his education. On the 20th of August, 1861, he entered the service of the Union army, joining Company B, Fremont's Body Guard. He served for the most part in Missouri but was eap- tured and taken prisoner in November, 1861. Some time later he was paroled but did not reenter the service. He then learned the trade of brick-making and brick-laying and followed it successfully until his retirement. In the spring of 1878 he came to York and started the first brick-making establishment there. Until 1904 he engaged in brick-making after which time he turned his attention to brick-laying. For sixteen years he continued in that line of work, becoming well known throughout the community, but in the spring of 1920 he decided to retire and is now living in his home which he erected in 1907, at 410 East Sixth street, enjoying the success derived from a life of diligence and industry.
On the 1st of March, 1869, Mr. Ittner was united in marriage to Miss Augusta Debro Hoyt, who was born in Milan, Erie county, Ohio, November 1, 1842, and died on the 1st of October, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Ittner were the parents of five chil- dren, two of whom are living, namely: Augusta ; and Edna. Augusta graduated from the grade and high school of York and is now living at home with her father. For five years she has been serving on the library board. Edna graduated from the York high school and the State University and she is now assistant prin- cipal of the York high school. Mrs. Ittner was reared in the faith of the Uni- versalist church but was not a member of that church.
Politically Mr. Ittner has followed an independent course ever since the election of Cleveland. Although he has devoted the greater part of his time to his business he served as councilman of the second ward for some time, having been appointed to this position by Mayor A. D. Wyckoff. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic post, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In the develop- ment of his business interests Mr. Ittner employed only the fairest and most honorable of methods and York is fortunate indeed in having him for a citizen.
ROBERT A. CLARK
Robert A. Clark, who since 1913 has been living retired in Bradshaw, York county, after many years of successful farming, is a native of Virginia, born in Berkeley county, October 24, 1841. When he was seven years of age his parents moved to Ohio and settled in Champaign county, where they lived until 1857, in that year going to Marshall county, Illinois, and in that state Robert A. Clark
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grew to manhood, having early started to earn his own living. On August 6, 1862, Mr. Clark enlisted in Company B, 86th Illinois Infantry, and served as a member of that company in the Civil war, his service covering about three years. During that period he was in some thirteen engagements and battles, notably those of Atlanta, Chickamauga and Stone River and was slightly wounded on three different occasions. His regiment was a unit of the Fourteenth Army Corps and he was with General Sherman on the famous march to the sea. He partiei- pated in the grand review at Washington, D. C., and was finally mustered out, receiving his honorable discharge. Following the elose of his military service he returned to Illinois and took up farming, so continuing for about twenty-five years, during that period acquiring a sound knowledge of agricultural operations and his labors bringing satisfactory results.
It was in 1890 that Mr. Clark came to York county and settled in Arborville township where he purchased two hundred acres of land for which he paid twenty- five dollars per acre. There were not many improvements on the place when he took it and he immediately proceeded to improve and develop the holding, erecting substantial buildings and otherwise increasing its value until he finally brought it to a condition the equal of any in the township. Ile met with considerable success, the outcome largely of his business-like methods, the soil yielding him results proportionate to the energy and skill which he brought to bear on the undertaking. At length, feeling that he had earned a rest, he retired in 1913 and now leaves to others the active work of the fields. In that year he moved to Bradshaw, where he has a comfortable home, spending the evening of a busy life in domestic peace, surrounded by numerous friends who have naught but good to say of him.
On March 2, 1869, Mr. Clark was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bramble, a native of Meggs county, Ohio, and to their union four children were born : Wil- liam R., living in Custer county, is the father of seven children : Edwin J., the father of three children : Pearl, the third of Mr. Clark's children ; and Harry B., the fourth, who is the father of two children. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have five great-grandchildren. Mr. Clark is a member of the Grand Army post at Brad- shaw, being deeply interested in that patriotic organization. He has always voted the republican ticket, but has never been a seeker after public office. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren church and in community affairs the weight of their influence has been given to those movements designed to advance the moral and material welfare of the people.
WILBUR W. FEASTER
Wilbur W. Feaster has been prominent in the business circles of York county for over twenty years. He has engaged in farming and stock raising, the car- penter business and since February, 1920, has been active in insurance and real estate circles.
Wilbur W. Feaster was born July 23, 1875, in Rock Island county, Illinois, a son of John H. and Naney J. (Walker) Feaster. The father was born in Mary- land in 1841 and his death occurred in 1890, while the mother was born in 1848
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in Rock Island county, Illinois, and is still living. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Feaster took place in Illinois and there the father engaged in farming for some time before removing to Saline county, Nebraska, in 1881. He purchased a farm in this county on which he resided until two years before his death when he retired and removed to Friend. Mr. Feaster was a veteran of the Civil war, serving over four years. He was a member of Company G, Seventy-fifth Illinois Regiment, and while in active service with his company received a wound in his shoulder which later in life caused paralysis and resulted in his death. Two children were born to this union: Frederick K. and Wilbur W., the subject of this review. Frederick K. is now residing in the state of Washington. He has engaged in the hotel business, has managed a store, and has farmed. Mr. and Mrs. Feaster were consistent members of the United Brethren church and Mrs. Feaster still takes an active interest in the organization. The father was a member of the democratic party which found in him a stanch advocate. Mr. Feaster came to Nebraska with practically no financial backing. His possessions consisted of three horses and it was necessary for him to go into debt for his land. However, by hard labor and careful saving he managed to get a start and from then on steadily progressed until at the time of his death he was financially independent. The grandfather of Wilbur W. Feaster, who was Jonathan Feaster, was born in Maryland and came to Nebraska with his son John. His death occurred in 1882 in Saline county at the age of eighty-seven years. The maternal grandfather, Itiram Walker, was a native of Kentucky and came to Illinois at an early day. He engaged in farming in that state, was very successful and there his death occurred.
In the acquirement of an education Wilbur II. Feaster attended the high school in Friend for three years and York College for a period of two years. He began life as a farmer and purchased a farm in Saline county. Ile sold this farm some time later for a substantial sum and in 1900 removed to York county. For four years he engaged in the live stock business in York at the termination of which time he engaged in carpentering. While engaged in this line of work he was elected to the office of county recorder by a large majority and he held this position for a period of five years. At the expiration of his term of office he again resumed the carpentering business but in February, 1920, became interested in real estate and insurance. In this line of work he is proving his ability and his business is steadily growing.
On Christmas day of the year 1900 Mr. Feaster was united in marriage to Miss E. Grace Foster, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Joel H. and Rebecca Foster. Her parents removed from New York state to Illinois and in 1893 came to Nebraska, settling in York county, where they died. Mr. and Mrs. Feaster have become parents of five children: Dorothy, who is attending York College; Donald, attending school; Reatha and Wallace Rex, who are in school ; and Burton, who is four years of age.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Feaster the right of franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the democratic party. Although the greater part of his time has been devoted to his business he served York as postmaster during nine months of the year 1913 and at present is serving on the city council. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Woodmen; Highlanders; Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and in each order he is an exemplary member. Both he and Mrs. Feaster are
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members of the Presbyterian church and active in the various affairs of that organization. Mr. Feaster is widely recognized as one of York county's representa- tive citizens and business men.
WILLIAM REETZ
For almost four decades William Reetz has been a resident of York county and during that long period has made valuable contributions to the work of development and progress in this part of the state and has won a substantial measure of business success being now the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of valuable land. Ile was born in Germany, March 16, 1864, a son of Carl and Henrietta Reetz, also natives of Germany, who in 1882 immigrated with their family to this country. Following his arrival at the port of New York Carl Reetz started for Nebraska and settled in York county, buying a farm of eighty acres located in Stewart township for which he paid the sum of eight hundred dollars. It was wild land, without improvements of any description, and there he lived with his family in a dugout of two rooms for three years, tilling the soil and developing the place.
William Reetz was educated in the schools of Germany where he remained until he was cighteen years old, when he accompanied his parents to York county. He worked on his father's place until he was twenty-four years old, at that time his father giving him a team, harness and wagon to enable him to start work on his own account. Ile began by renting land and worked steadily for many years in this way, saving his money and later was in a position to purchase eighty acres in Thayer township, paying fourteen hundred dollars for the land on which he continued to reside for three years. He then bought one hundred and sixty acres on which he and his family lived for ten years, after which he moved to Saline county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres, residing in that county for one year. He returned to Stewart township and bought a quarter section of land which he operated for five years with considerable success. lle next bought a quarter section in Thayer township but never took up residence on that holding and later moved to the holding on which he now resides, consisting of one hundred and sixty-two and one-half acres, located on section 31. Stewart township. Here he is actively engaged in general farming and the feeding of stock for market and has met with a substantial measure of success. He is now the owner of over four hundred acres of excellent land laid out in three separate holdings, a quarter section being in Bradshaw township, a quarter section in Thayer township and the home farm on which he is residing, with splendid buildings on all three farms. Ilis farming operations have been conducted along modern lines and with good farming machinery and everything about his place indicates his careful supervision and his practical and progressive methods.
Mr. Reetz was united in marriage to Augusta Hoffman and to that union eight children were born : Fred, Lizzie, Otto, William, Rena, Emma, Louise and Varner. The family attends the services of the Lutheran church, in the faith of which the parents were reared. Mr. Reetz exercises independent action in political affairs and at all times has been actuated by a desire to promote the public welfare along sane
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and sound lines. He is a self-made man, whose success in life is due to his own unaided efforts and he is now regarded as one of the enterprising farmers of York county.
OSCAR FROID
Osear Froid, deceased, was for many years identified with the shoe business in York. He was born in Sweden, October ?, 1853, and died in York on the 2nd of December, 1899. His father lived and died in Sweden where he followed the occupations of farmer and soldier. The mother, however, after her husband's death came to the United States with her little family and her death occurred in Boulder, Colorado, where she had made her home for a number of years. Six children had been born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Froid, of whom Oscar the subject of this review was the third in order of birth. Five children came to this country to make their home. The Froid family were reared in the faith of the Lutheran church.
Oscar Froid obtained his early edneation in his native land and at the age of fourteen years came to this country with his mother, brothers and sisters and settled in Jefferson county, Iowa. Later they removed to Boulder, Colorado, and in 1881 Osear Froid eame to York county. Here he engaged in the grocery busi- ness for a number of years but later sold out and launched into the shoe business, in which he was engaged at the time of his death. He had learned the trade of shoe-making in his native country at the age of seven years and he proved so adept at this line of work that his business soon grew to large proportions. Hle was a man of strong character, of firm purpose and of high ideals and his life work was crowned with successful achievement.
In 1877 Mr. Froid was united in marriage to Miss Tillie Sandall, a native of Jefferson county, Iowa, and a daughter of Fred Olsen, but was reared by John Sandall, her mother being a Sandall and these were her grandparents. Her father was a pioneer of York county and prominent throughout that county. Eight chil- dren were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Froid, namely : Clarence M. ; Viola; Ivan ; Windell ; Paul; Elon; Irene; and Waldo. Clarence M. is a physician and surgeon of prominence in Denver, Colorado. He received his medical education at the Northwestern University, Chicago, and in Denver. Dr. Froid has one child, a daughter Carroll, who is ten years of age; Viola is the wife of Bert Miller who is engaged in farming near McCool. She has become the mother of four children, namely: George, Clarence, Irene Marie and Raymond; Ivan is living at home with his mother and is employed in the post office: Windell is also living at home. Ile is manager of the Rystrom Implement Company, at York; Paul has rented his mother's farm near McCool and here resides. He married Miss Lillie Donivan : Elon resides in York where he is a mail carrier. His wife was Miss Bessie Roberts and they are the parents of three children : Clarice, Elaine, and Robert Oscar; irene is a stenographer residing in Laurel; Waldo, the last member of the family, is living at home with his mother.
When age conferred upon Mr. Froid the right of franchise he supported the democratic party which found in him a stalwart advocate. Fraternally he belonged
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to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; the Ancient Order of United Work- men ; the Woodmen; and the Knights of Pythias. He was likewise a consistent member of the Congregational church. Following the death of her husband Mrs. Froid purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres near McCool on which one of her sons resides. The fam is well cultivated and improved and is one of the finest in the county. Mrs. Froid is prominent in the activities of her com- munity and is residing with her children at her home, 2120 Nebraska avenue.
JOHN MCFADDEN
Business enterprise at York finds a worthy representative in John McFadden who for over twenty years has been agent for the Chicago and Northwestern Rail- road there. Hle was born in Ireland on the 6th of June, 1865, a son of John and Margaret B. (Conroy) McFadden, also natives of that country. The father's birth occurred in 1834 and he died at the age of fifty-five years, while the mother who was born in 1836 passed away at the age of sixty-two years. They spent their entire lives in Ireland where the father was a blacksmith, making their home at Athlone on the river Shannon. Mr. MeFadden was very successful in his line of work and he and his wife were respected citizens of the community in which they resided. They were both consistent members of the Catholic church.
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