Richardson County, Nebraska - Biographical sketches, 1917 (part 17 of 19)

William E. Dorrixgton

William E. Dorrington, former mayor of Falls City and a retired banker of that city, now actively engaged there in the real-estate business, a member of the J. W. Dorrington Company, which is interested in large tracts of land in Arizona, is a native of the great Empire state, but has l)een a resident of this region since the year 1857 and of Falls City since the year of the establishment of the townsite there, his father, the late Daviil Dorrington, having been the first householder on the townsite. William E. Dorrington was born at Whitestown, New York, September 22, 1847, son of David and Ann B. (Wood) Dorrington, natives of England, and was not yet ten years of age when his parents left New York in the spring of 1857 and came West, settling in Doniphan county, in the then Territory of Kansas. In the fall of that same year the townsite of Falls City was laid out and David Dorrington came up here from Doniphan county and established his residence on the townsite, his family joining him there in the following spring. David Dorrington was a building contractor and from the very beginning of his residence there took an active part in the labors of developing the new town and the country adjacent, both he and his wife becoming such influential factors in the early development of the place that they are still known in affectionate remembrance hereabout as "the father and mother of Falls City," as is set out at some length in a memorial sketch relating to this useful pioneer couple presented elsewhere in this volume. William E- Dorrington was the fifth in order of birth of the six children born to his parents, the others being as follow : Fred M., who early began to operate a store for William Brooks at Falls City, later was engaged for several years in teaching school, then went to Plattsmouth, Nebraska, where he engaged in the mail and stage business, his death occurring at Alliance, Nebraska, in 1899; George E., who made his home in the new village of Falls City until 1861. when he went to Chicago and entered the employ of the McCabe packing firm and was thus employed for several \ears, at the end of which time he returned to Falls City and was there employed for about twenty years as express agent, later becoming traveling passenger agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, some years later going to Arizona, where he died in 1910; John W., who for some time after coming to this region assisted his brother in conducting a mail route and stage line and in 1862 enlisted for service in the Union army, a member of the Second Nebraska Cavalry, and at the close of this service went to Plattsnioiith, where he resumed his activities in the stage route, going thence to Lincohi when the latter place was laid out and remaining there until 1869, when he went to Arizona as a clerk under Judge I sham Reavis, of the United States court, and there became a large landowner, remaining in Arizona until 191 5, when, after a visit to Falls City, he, with Mrs. Isham Reavis, returned to Arizona, and from there made a trip to Honolulu, where he died, September 18, 1916; Annie M., widow of Judge Isham Reavis, of Falls City, and Kittie L., wife of Edwin S. Towle, of Falls City.

As noted above, William E. Dorrington was ten years of age when his parents established their home in the new town of T'alls City and there he spent his boyhood. When a school was organized there he entered the same, but later entered the school at Plattsmouth and after a year there took a two-years course in the school at Peru, that later became elevated to the status of a state normal school, following which he entered Chicago University and upon completing the course there accepted the position of station agent for the old Atchison & Missouri River Railroad Company at Falls City, following Charles Loree, who was the first agent for the company at that place, and occupied that position during the years 1871 and 1872. He then engaged in the furniture and undertaking business at Falls City, in association with Mr. Stowe, who a year later sold iiis interest to W, ;M. Wilson, and was thus engaged until 1894, in wliich }ear he disposed of that interest. In the meantime Mr. Dorrington had been giving his attention to various other business interests in Falls City, notable of which was his connection with the State Bank at that place, of which institution he was for foiir years president. _Since retiring from the banking business Mr. Dorrington has been chiefly interested in the extensive real-estate undertakings of the J. W. Dorrington Company, Arizona lands being the principal interest of this company. Mr. Dorrington also for years has taken an earnest interest in the general civic affairs of his home community and has long been accounted one of the leaders in the Republican party in this part of the state. As a member of the city council he for some years rendered a valuable service in behalf of the promotion of the general interests of Falls City and when later he was elected maj'or of the city he gave his most thoughful and intelligent attention to the important duties of. that office.

Mr. Dorrington has been twice married. In 1873 '^^ '^^'i^ united in marriage to Emma A. Stowe, who was born at Binghampton, New York, and who had come West with her parents, M. A. and E. A. Stowe, in 1868, the family settling at Hiawatha, Kansas, and to that union fi\e children were born, namely: Mrs. Maude Kuffman, of Lincoln, this state; ^h>. May Martin, of Omaha; Lillian D., wife of Lieut. E. D. Fisher, of Falls City, an officer of Company E, Sixth Nebraska Regiment; Ann D., wife of E. P. Hyson, manager of the Omaha Cold Storage Company, and John \\'.. a well-to-do ranchman in Montana. Mrs. Emma A. Dorrington died in 1900 and in 1905 Mr. Dorrington married Emma W. Wherry, who was born at Wilmington, Ohio, daughter of Joseph and Phoebe Wherry, who located in Falls City in 1898 and who are now deceased.' Mrs. Dorrington is a member of the Christian church and Mr. Dorrington is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. They have a very pleasant home in Falls City and take an earnest interest in the general social activities of the conimunitv, helpful in promoting all good movements.

Wendelin Gerweck

Wendelin Gerweck, one of Richardson county's substantial retired farmers and the owner of nearly four hundred acres of excellent land in the northeastern part of the county, is of European birth, but has been a resident of this country since the days of his young manhood and of Nebraska since 1883. He was born in Bichig, amt of Bretten, in the grand duchy of Baden, on July 5, 1858, one of the twelve children born to Ambrose and Katherine (Gerweck) Gerweck, both natives of that same country, the former born in 1820 and the latter, in 1828, who spent all their lives in their natixc land, the latter dying in 1872 and the former in 1880.

Reared in Baden, Wendelin Gerweck remained there until he was twentythree years of age, when, in 1881, he came to this country and for a year or more thereafter was engaged working as a farm hand in New" Jersey. He then, in 1883, came out to Nebraska and located in Richardson county, beginning work as a farm hand on the farm on which he now lives and which he has owned for years. For three years he worked there, cutting brush and doing other development work, and then rented a tract of land in the precinct of East Barada and after his marriage in 1888 established his home there. In 1894 he bought the tract of two hundred and thirt\- acres on which he is now living retired, in section 30 of the precinct of East Barada, built a house and barn on the same and has since brought the place up to a high state of development and cultivation. He has an excel- lent farm ])lant and a good orchard and lias long been accounted one of the well-to-do farmers of that part of the county. In addition to his home farm ilr. Gerweck owns a cjuarter of a section of fine farm land in section i8 of the adjoining precinct of Arago and is quite well circumstanced.

Mr. Gerweck has been twice married. In 1888 he was united in marriage to Alary Harner, who also was Ijorn in the grand duchy of Baden, at Odenheim. in the amt of Bruchsal. and who died without issue. Some time later lie married Anna Koestel. who was born on June 25, 1875, at Odenheim. amt Bruchsal, Baden, and who died, leaving eight children, namely: Louisa, wife of C. Finck, of Ohio precinct; Albert, of the precinct of Arago; Katherine, wife of J. Cox, of Verdon; Edith, wife of L. Bauman, of Arago precinct; Joseph, on the home place; Amelia, wife of Alex Schultz, of Ohio precinct ; Anna, at home, and Anton, on the home farm. Since 1915 Mr. Gerweck has lived practically retired from the active labors of the farm, his sons looking after afYairs on his two farms. He is a member of the Catholic church, as was his wife, and their children were reared in that faith. Politically, Mr. Gerweck is an indepentlent Democrat and has ever given proper attention to local civic afifairs, but has never been particularly active as a precinct worker jn the political field.

Bernard W. Sterns

Among the most painstaking and energetic of the younger generation of farmers in Richardson county is Bernard W. Sterns, of Franklin precinct. He was born, April 16, 1882, -on -the place where he now lives, a son of Mandron M. and Eliza (Green) Sterns. The father was born in January. 1844, in New York state, where also occurred the birth of the mother in April, 1845. They moved to Illinois with their respective parents and there they grew up, married and made their home until they moved to .Mi><iiuri and emigration .set in strongly later to Nebraska, making the JDurnex- tn Richardson county, in 1872, and taking up their residence nn land in l-'ranklin precinct where, through their perseverance and good management they dexeloped a good farm and reared their children, four in numlier. as follow : Walter D. and Floyd B., both of whom live in Cherry county, Nebraska; Clara E., the wife of John Cornelius, now living in Canada, and Bernard \\'., the suliject of this sketch.

common scliools in his vicinity and in the town of Humboldt, later taking a course in a business college in Lincoln. He has always lived on the home farm, which he has kept well improved and well cultivated and has made a success as a general farmer and stock raiser. The place, which belongs to his father and mother, contams two hundred and eighty acres.

Mandron AI. Sterns, the father of the subject of this sketch, is the son of Newton and Lucy (Hatch) Sterns, natives of Vermont and New York state, respectively. The Sterns family is of English descent, the earliest ancestor in America coming to New England in early Colonial days - in the year 1630. Newton Sterns was born in 1810. He was a son of Daniel and Elizabeth Sterns, who located in New York state in 1818. Newton Sterns moved to Stephenson county, Illinois, in 1845, and there maintained his home until 1871, when he came to N-ellfaska and located at Humboldt. He had already become well-to-do and lived a retired life after coming to Richardson county. His death occurred in 1893. His wife had preceded him to the grave in 1873. They were parents of the following children: Mrs. Olive Miller, deceased; Mandron Mason, father of the subject of this sketch; Jeannette, the widow of L. L. Davis; Wallace and ^^'atson, twins, the former of who died in Wyoming in March, 1917, but the latter died in 1878, and Mrs. L. M. Sterns, who lives in Humboldt.

Mandron M. Sterns, after making a comfortable competence in Richardson county, homesteaded a tract of land in Cherry county, Nebraska, and now spends his winters in California. He celebrated his fiftieth wedding anniversary on February 28, 191 7, his marriage having occurred in 1867. He has seven grandchildren, namely: Floyd Sterns, Jr., born on March 30, 1903; Stevens Sterns. December 19, 1904, and Bernardine Sterns, 191 1, children of Floyd B. Sterns; Bessie May Cornelius, born. May 15. 1909, and Joseph Mandron Sterns, October 19, 1910, two children of John and Clara E. (Sterns) Cornelius, and Ural Sterns and Eula Sterns, children of the immediate subject of this sketch. Mr. and Airs. Alandron AI. Sterns have recently bought property in Humboldt and will make their future home in Humboldt.

Bernard W. Sterns was married on November 26, 1907, to Opal T. Wilson, who was born in Richardson county. Nebraska, where she grew to womanhood and attended school. She is a daughter of Lester C. and Emma (Schrader) Wilson, natives of Indiana. The mother was a daughter of Henry C. Schrader, who settled at Barada, Nebraska, in 1868, among the pioneers. Henry C. Schrader built one of the first residences at Stella, Nebraska. Lester C. Wilson lived in Iowa when a \oung man.

He was born on December 4. 1862. and died on December 2Q, 1899. His wife, Emma, was born in 1865. and came with her parents to Nebraska in 1868. and here she and Mr. Wilson grew to maturity and were married. Mrs. Wilson has lived in Richardson county over fifty years.

Two children have been born to Bernard W. Sterns and wife, namely: Ural, whose birth occurred on Octolier 11, 1910, and Eula, Februarv 13. 1914. Politically, Mr. Sterns is a Republican. He has traveled extensivelv over the United States. He attends the Methodist Episcopal church with his familv.

William H. Putnam

A name well known to the people in southeastern Nebraska is that of the late William H. Putnam, former proprietor of the Falls City Bottling Company. He was born in Gloversville, New York, October 5, 1849. a sou of Hollis McKinstry Putnam and Charlotte (Lobdell) Putnam. The father, who was of English descent, was born in Albany, New York. The mother, who was of French descent, was born in Canada. Ludwig Putnam, the subjects' paternal great-grandfather, was a brother of Gen. Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary fame, and during- the War of 1812 he was killed and scalped by the Indians by the order of the British. Ludwig Putnam had also fought in the Revolutionary War. He was one of a family of thirteen children, eleven of whom were boys, and all were soldiers in our war for independence, seven of them taking part in the famous Boston tea party and in the battle of Bunker Hill. Hollis M. Putnam, mentioned above, was a tanner by trade. He spent his early life in New York state, migrating to Chicago in 1859, and there served on the police force. He finally moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he spent his last days at the home of hi> daughter and died there. His widow survives at this writing, making her home at Knoxville, Iowa. To these parents six children were born, namely : William H., the subject of this sketch; Joseph, who lives in Minneapolis. Minnesota; Jennie, now deceased, who was the wife of Arthur Rauhos, of Salt Lake City, Utah; Charles, who lives in Chicago; George, who lives in Minneapolis; and Mary, the wife of Frank Wells, of Knoxville, Iowa.

William H. Putnam spent his childhood in New York state, being ten vears old when his parents brought him to Chicago, where he remained until 1874. He received a public school education and upon leaving Chicago went to Kendall county, Illinois, where he worked as a farm hand; then rented a farm in Lee county, that state; then moved to FiUmore county, Nebraska, in 1900. He had bought a splendid farm there the year previous. He owned a number of good farms, getting options on them and selHng out at a profit. His judgment was never at fauh in this line and he prospered. In 1899 he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, for which he paid the sum of five thousand dollars, and he sold it later for eleven thousand dollars. He sold out in Fillmore county in the fall of 1905, with the exception of one farm, which he sold in 1908. Upon leaving that county he came to Falls Cit}' and went into business, also invested in real estate here, becoming the owner of five valuable residence properties. He also was proprietor of the Falls City Bottling Works, which factory he purchased in 1905. He erected for it in 1912 a large and substantial two-story concrete building and installed much new and modern equipment. He manufactured soda water and all kinds of soft drinks and extracts and carried on an extensive trade, building up a prosperous and growing business over a wide territory, supplying Falls City and surrounding towns in Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa, and since his death the factory is still maintained. Five thousand dollars was invested in the business. Every effort is made to keep the products uniformly pure, every bottle being thoroughly sterilized before filling. Owing to failing health Mr. Putnam retired from the active management of the plant on February i, 1917, turning the business over to his son, John J. Putnam. In 1915 Mr. Putnam began operating a glove factory in the building adjoining his bottling works and this concern is also prospering and growing in prestige. It is known as the Putnam Glove Company. Seven skilled workmen are constantly employed. The factory is operated In Mr. Putnam's daughter, Charlotte Putnam.

William H. Putnam was married in Chicago, in 1872, to Catherine McNally, who was born, in Ireland, from which country she came to the United States when a child. She was born in 1847. The following children were bprn to Mr. and Mrs. Putnam: William Henry, manager of the Madison-Kipp Lubrication Company, at Madison, Wisconsin; Charles, who is engaged in merchandising in Chicago; John ].. who is manager of the Falls City Bottling Works, and Charlotte, who is managing the Putnam Glove Factory. Mr. Putnam died on April 5, 191 7.

Politically, Mr. Putnam was a Democrat; fraternally, he Ijelongecl to the Modern Woodmen and to the Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the Catholic church. He was a business man of rare foresight and soundness of judgment and had been successful in whatever he turned his atten- tion to, long having been regarded as one of the most pubhc-spirited citizens of Fails City, which he had done much to promote and advertise. He was a pleasant man to meet and his personal reputation was unassailable.

Edwix Herman Towle

Edwin Herman Towle. well-known lumber dealer at Falls City and secretary and manager of the Southeast Nebraska Telephone Company of that city, was born in Falls City and has lived there all his life, long having been recognized as one of the leading factors in the general business life of that city. He was lx)rn on September 19, 1869, son of the Hon. Edwin Sargent and Kittie L. (Dorrington) Towle, pioneers of Falls City, who are still living there and further and fitting mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume under a biographical sketch relating to the Hon. Edwin Sargent Towle, first mayor of the city of Falls City, a member of the Nebraska constitutional convention, former speaker of the House in the Nebraska General Assembly and for years one of the most influential business men in southeastern Nebraska.

Reared at Falls City, Edwin H. Towle was graduated frum the high school there in 1887, and then entered Northwestern University at E\anston, a suburb of Chicago, from which he was graduated in 189.2. Upon completing his schooling Mr. Towle returned to Falls City and there became engaged in the lumber business as a member of the Towle Lumber Company and since 1901 has been manager of the affairs of that company. In 1906 he became connected with the Southeastern Nebraska Telephone Companv. in the capacity of secretary and manager of the same, and has since occupied that position, attending to the affairs of the telephone company as well as to his own extensive lumber interests. This telephone company was organized on -April i, 1895, as the Falls City Telephone Company, and was reorganized on May i, 1906. as the Southeast Nebraska Telephone Companx, with eighty-four stockholders and with a capital stock of $68,666, the present officers of the company being as follow : President, Joseph F. Frederick ; vice-president, Aaron W. Loucks; treasurer, \\'. E. Dorrington; secretarv ' and manager, E. H. Towle, and directors, besides the above officers, Joseph H. Miles, Arthur J. Weaver and Thomas H. Gist. The operations of the Southeast Nebraska Telephone Company cover Richardson county and the company owns all toll lines in the county, together with exchanges at

Salem, Verdon and Barada. It is equipped with the latest appliances for expeditious service, has nearly two thousand subscribers, employs thirtythree persons and has an annual payroll in excess of twenty thousand dollars.

Mr. Towle is a Republican and from the days of his boyhood has giyen his earnest attention to local political affairs. For two \ears he served as police judge of the city of Falls City and for some time served as city civil engineer, in that latter capacity having had charge of the first systematic paving in the city in 1910. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and, fraternally, is affiliated with the Masons and with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, in the affairs of which organizations he takes a warm interest.

On December 9, 1897, Edwin H. Towle was united in marriage to Lillian M. Farington, of Falls City, a daughter of C. ^^'. and Marv Farington, old residents of Falls City, and to this union two children have been born, Mary D. and Edward S.

Frank P. -Wilson, farmer and stockman of Falls Citv precinct, this county, was born on the old homestead in that vicinit}- on Januar\- 22, 1882, on the farm which he now owns. He is a son of Robert P. and Adaline (Gardner) Wilson. The father was born in Wilkesbarre. Pennsylvania, December 29, 1845, and died on June 13, 1894. He moved to Mt. Vernon, Ohio, with his parents when young and his father and mother spent the rest of their lives in that state. Robert P. Wilson came to Nebraska in 1872 and, in Richardson county, bought a tract of school land which he transformed by hard and persistent work into the present wellimproved and productive farm. There was an old frame house on the land, which had been used for a vinegar factory, and he li\ed in it for some time. The present comfortable Wilson home was l)uilt in 1893 and contains ten rooms, being located in the midst of pleasant surroundings. 'Sir. Wilson made extensive improvements in various ways and set out about eight acres of orchard and a grove of shade trees. He owned one hundred and sixty acres, forty acres of which now belong to his daughter, Mrs. Mabel Boose. His wife, Adaline Gardner, was born in Union count) , Indiana, November 26, 1846, and her death occurred on Januar\- 14. 1^13. To them two children were born, Frank P., the subject nf tliis sketch.

and Mabel, wife of Doctor Boose, of Falls City, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work. The ancestors of Ixjth Robert P. Wilson and wife came to America in the "Mayflower" and thus both sides of the house date back to our earhest Colonial history. Frank P. Wilson has in his possession a pewter mug which has been handed down since the year 1620.

Frank P. Wilson was reared on the home farm and attended high school in I'alls Cit\. He has always lived on the home farm, which he has kept well improved and under a high state of cultivation. He owns one hundred and twenty acres in section 16, and has made a success as a general farmer and stock raiser.

On October 11, 191 1, Frank P. Wilson was married to Jesta Houck, a daughter of John and Elnora (Tipton) Houck, natives of Ohio, where they spent their earlier years. They came to Brown county, Kansas, in 1884, and two years later established their home in Richardson county, Nebraska. Mr. Houck has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits, but is now living in retirement in Salem, this county. Mrs. Wilson was born in Gallia county, Ohio, January 21, 1881. She was reared on the farm and was educated in the public schools and in the Hiawatha (Kansas) Academy. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, namely: John R.. Francis P., Stella W., and one who died in infancy, unnamed. Politically. ]\Ir. Wilson is a Republican. Fraternally, he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and his wife is a meml:>er of the Baptist church.

Hon. Arthur J. Weaver

Hon. Arthur J. Weaver, vice-president of the First National Bank of Falls City, is a native son of Nebraska and a scion of an old American family, whose for1;)ears were pioneers in the famous Wyoming valley of Pennsylvania. His career in his native county has been such as to deserve approbation and to reflect credit upon his ancestry and himself. Having served the people of Richard.son county in the halls of the state Legislature and taken an active and influential part in the civic, commercial and agricultural development of the county, his ix)sition as one of the real leaders of the community is assured and definite. Primarily, Mr Weaver is a farmer and he and his brother are probably the most extensive orchardists and stock growers in southeastern Nebraska. Weaver brothers rank as the most successful fruit growers in the state and have extensive land holdings, which are managed ably and successfully. Mr. Weaver was born in Falls City, November i8, 1873, and is a son of Judge Archibald J. Weaver, deceased, and IMartha A. Weaver, residing in Falls City. His father was one of the prominent and outstanding figures of the early civic and political life of Richardson county. He filled the office of judge of the district court with such pronounced ability that his constituents elected him representative from the first Nebraska district in the national Congress. Extended mention of the life and activities of Judge \\'eaver are given elsewhere in this volume.

Arthur J. Wea\-er received his primary education in the public schools of his native city and pursued his preparatory course in Wyoming Seminary, at Kingston, Pennsylvania, from which institution he was graduated in 1892. He then entered the University of Nebraska and was graduated therefrom with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1895. Continuing his studies in the law department of the university, he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1896. As as student, athlete and orator he took first rank while in the university. He served as manager of the Nebraska football team and was influential in having the first football coach installed in a seat of learning west of the Mississippi river. His activity in athletic sports elevated, or was influential in advancing, the athletic standing of Nebraska Universit\-. He attained renown as an orator and for two years in succession made the opening and closing addresses in the interstate college debates in which his alma mater participated. His team won the debate presided over by William J. Bryan in May, 1896. Following his admission to the bar he practiced law successfully for eight years in his native city and built up an extensive practice. He served three terms as city attorney, was elected to represent Richardson county in the state Legislature in 1898 and sen-ed during the session of 1899. During this session he introduced and secured the passage of the bill providing for the permanent location of the state agricultural exposition at Lincoln, and served as a member of the judiciary and other important committees. He was elected to county attorney in 1900 and served for two years. He became a member of the city council of Falls City in 1910 and served as an active member and president of that body until 1916. It was during his incumbency in this office that the great improvements in Falls City, such as paving, sewerage, and the like were undertaken and completed, Mr. Weaver occupying tlie important post of chairman of the finance committee during this period. (84)

Mr. Weaver's farming and financial interests now occupy the greater part of his tirne and attention. As vice-president and manager of the First National Bank of Falls City, a position which he has held since 191 2, his place in the financial world is an important one. He and his brother, Paul B. Weaver, operating under the natne of Weaver brothers, own and manage over three thousand acres of land in Richardson county, two hundred acres of which is in producing apple orchards. Weaver brothers' orchards probably produce more high-grade commercial fruit than any other orchards in the state, their output exceeding fifty to one hundred carloads annually. The orchards are famous for the high standard quality of the fruit shipped. Two thousand hogs are raised and marketed annually from their stock farms. Five hundred cattle are raised and fattened for market on their ranges and in their feeding sheds. The payroll of this extensive agricultural plant exceeds one hundred dollars a day to the hands employed, or more than fort,\- thousand dollars annually. Mr. Weaver is associated with fonner Gov. John H. Morehead in farming, orcharding, stock raising and timber interests in Nebraska and other states. Mr. Weaver, with others, organized the National Bank of Humboldt and later sold it. He is a member of the State Horticultural Association and served as vice-president of the Farmers industrial congress held at St. Joseph in 1913 and 1914, at which meetings he delivered addresses. Although frequently called upon to speak before various important gatherings held in important cities of the country at different times he has been forced in most cases to decline because of the press of business affairs. In 1897 Mr. Weaver was married to Persa ]\Iorris. of Humboldt. a graduate of the Nebraskan Wesleyan University, who died in January. 1906. Mr. Weaver was again married. September 2, 1908, to ]\Iaude E. Hart, of White Pigeon, Michigan, daughter of Capt. B. F. Hart and Harriet Hart. Captain Hart served as captain of a Michigan volunteer regiment during the Civil War. At the time of her marriage. Mrs. Weaver was engaged as a teacher in the public schools of Falls City. Four children have blessed this union, namely: Maude Harriet, born on September 14, 1909; Dorothy Jane. July 11, 1911: Arthur, Jr., November 19, iqi2. and Ruth. November 22, 19 14.

Mr. Weaver is a Republican, has generally taken an active and influential interest in the affairs of his party and has served on the Republican state committee has a meml>er from the first senatorial district. The members of his family attend the Presbyterian church, with which religious denomination they are affiliated. He is a Knight Templar and Scottish Rite ( thirtv-second degree) Mason and a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of

Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and is also affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and various fraternal insurance orders. Mr. Weaver is a native Nebraskan, who saw opportunity in the development of his native county and state, grasped it, and with decided ability and characteristic energj^ achieved a striking success, proper note of the achievement of which is deser\'ing a place in the annals of his native county, to which he is intensely loyal.

Joseph G. Heim

Joseph G. Heim, of Dawson, this county, is a man of varied attainments in the agricultural life of the community in which he resides. As a farmer, breeder of cattle, hogs and sheep, as well as fruit growing, his life may be described as a busy one. He was born on March 9, 1857, in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, the son of Jacob G. and Regina (Gross) Heim, also natives of that same county and state.

Jacob G. Heim was born on June 15, 1832, in Pennsylvania, the son of Gotleib and Margaret (Steiger) Heim, who were natives of Wurtemburg, Germany, and who came to the United States about 1808. Jacob G. Heim, who followed the occupation of farming all his life, came to Nebraska in 1874. He located on section 15, Grant township, this county, and bought four hundred acres of land. His first experience in this place was somewliat unfortunate, as he lost the whole of his first year's crops, the grasshoppers eating every growing thing on his land. This experience, however, was not repeated and he continued to farm with much success up to the time of his retirement. A few years before his death he moved to Dawson : later he moved to the farm home of Emanuel Ulmer and died there in 1914. His wife, Regina (Gross) Heim, a daught.er of Joseph and Christena (Ulmer ) Gross, was born on July 13, 1835, and is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Sarah Ulmer, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. Her parents were also natives of Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. Jacob G. and Regina Heim were the parents of eleven children, four of whom are deceased, the others being Joseph G.. the subject of this sketch: Mrs. Sarah Ulmer. who lives in Grant township ; Samuel F. ; Jonathan W. ; Rebecca, the wife of Jacob S. Heim ; Sophia, who married Martin D. Ulmer ; and Maggie, who married Thomas Wuster, and all of whom are living in Grant township, this county.

being seventeen years of age. In 1882 he rented land from his fatlier and in 1884 he bought his first farm in section 10, Grant precinct. The tract was all unimproved and he set to work to bring it into a state fit for cultivation. He built a substantial house, put up three barns and set out ten acres to an orchard for fruit growing, in which he has been very successful, selling his fruit locally and shipping large quantities. He is regarded as one of the most progressive fruit growers in this part of the state.

Mr. Helm's entire acreage in sections 10, 26 and 27, in Grant township, amounts to two hundred and forty acres of choice land, all of which with the exception of the portion set out to the orchard, is operated for general farming purposes. He is an extensive breeder of Holstein cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs and has an excellent strain of pure-bred Shropshire sheep, several of which he keeps for breeding purposes. For several years Mr. Heim has been a member of the Shropshire Breeders Association of Lafayette, Indiana. In all his varied lausiness activities he has shown much enterprise and sound judgment.

On December 22, 1881, Joseph G. Heim was united in marriage to Rosa Heim, daughter of John and Margaret (Heim) Heim, who came to Richardson county in 1881, the year of their daughter's marriage to JNIr. Heim. John Heim is dead and his widow is now living on the farm in section 15, Grant township. Joseph G. Heim and wife are the parents of six children, namely: Mrs. Bertha Shively, of Calloway, this state; ]\Irs. May Belden, of Grant township; Emerson, who lives on the homestead in Grant township; Olive and John, both deceased, and Alice, who is attending high school. The Heim family are members of the United Evangelical church and are active in all its good works.

Mr. Heim is a Republican and gives active support to that party, though sometimes voting the independent ticket. For two years he acted as township assessor, giving general satisfaction in that office. He was elected to the Dawson school board about twenty, years ago and has been an active worker on the board during that time, serving as president of the board for several years. In 1892 Mr. Heim became superintendent of the Sunday school attached to the United Evangelical church at Dawson, and has continued since in that capacity. He increased the membership of the classes from twenty-five to over two hundred, thus giving evidence of his zeal on behalf of the Sunday school. He is also a trustee of the church. In June. u)i6. Mr. Heim moved to Dawson, where he built a luodern and well-e(|uipped bungalow and where he and his family are c<imfortalily situated.

William Cade

The late William Cade, one of the pioneers of Richardson county and former member of the board of county commissioners, an honored veteran of the Civil War and a well-to-do retired farmer, who died at his home in Falls City in 1908, his widow still residing in that city, was a native of the old Buckeye state and later a resident of Iowa, but had lived in this part of the country since pioneer days, having- settled in Washington county, Kansas, in 1870, coming thence in 1880 up into Nebraska and locating in the precinct of Nemaha, this county, one of the pioneers of that section of the county, and remaining there until his retirement in the fall of 1892 and removal to Falls City, where he spent his last days, one of the best-known citizens of Richardson county.

William Cade was born in Ohio on February 9, 1834, and in childhood was left an orphan, being thereafter compelled to "hustle" for himself. As a young man he came West and began to work as a farm hand in Iowa, where he was living when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted for service as a member of Company H, Thirty-sixth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and with that command served for three years, participating in some of the most notable battles and engagements of the war, but was never wounded nor taken prisoner. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Cade returned to Iowa and was there married early in 1867, continuing to make his home in Iowa until 1870, when he and his wife and their two small children came over to this part of the country and settled on an unbroken tract of land south of Hanover, in Washington county, Kansas, where they remained for ten vears. Upon settling there they threw up a sod shanty on the plain and there established their home, continuing to use that humble habitation as a place of residence until presently Mr. Cade sold a team of horses and thus secured funds with which to erect a small frame house. That sod sliant>- had a plank floor, however, a luxury not enjoyed by all the early settlers of the plains country who had their "day of small things" in this primitive sort of a home. During the second year of their residence in Kansas the season was so dry that Mr. and Mrs. Cade came over the line up into Nebraska and took employment on the construction of the Burlington & Missouri River railroad, then making its way across through this county lietween Salem and Dawson, Mr. Cade using his two teams and Mrs. Cade taking- care of boarders in a shack. At the end of the season they returned to their homestead in Kansas with money enough to tide them through the winter. During the grasshopper visitation in that section Mr. Cade's corn crop was devoured, but he had some reserve wheat in store and with this he fed his cattle, thus managing to get through that period of hardship that destroyed the hopes of so many Kansas and Nelaraska homesteaders. In 1880 Mr. Cade sold his Kansas farm to advantage and moved over the line into Nebraska, buying a tract of two hundred and forty acres, a quarter of a section and an "eighty" in the precinct of Nemaha, east of Mins City, in Richardson county, building a house and barn on the "eighty." There he continued to live, improving and developing the place, until failing health necessitated his retirement from the farm, and on October, 1892, he moved to Falls City, where the rest of his life was spent. Upon retiring he sold his land in Nemaha precinct and invested in land in Osborne count}-, Kansas, which investments turned out very well, his widow now being the owner there of one thousand acres of excellent land, divided into four farms of two hundred and fifty acres each, which are managed by her sons. Mr. Cade was a Republican and ever took an earnest part in local civic affairs, for some time having served as a member of the board of county commissioners. He was an active member of the local post of the Grand Arm}- of the Republic at Falls City and took a warm interest in the affairs of that patriotic organization, and after his death on December 31, 1908, his remains were laid away with the full honors of the post, his surviving comrades paying their last formal tribute of respect to his memory at his graveside.

On February 21,' 1867, at Keosauqua, Iowa, William Cade was united in marriage to Margaret Elliot, who was born in Scotland, Februar\- 21, 1846, daughter of Robert and Margaret Elliot, also natives of Scotland, who came to the United States with their family in 1852 and after a sometime residence in the state of Ohio moved to Iowa, where they established their home. To William and Margaret (Elliot) Cade five children were born, namely : George, a farmer, of Franklin county, Kansas, who married Ella Smith; Eva, wife of Alfred Dowell, of Council Bluffs,. Iowa; William, a farmer, of Osborne county, Kansas ; Mrs. Ethel Simpson, of Gering, this state, and Walter, who is now living in the West. Mrs. Cade has a very pleasant home in Falls City and her granddaughter, Laura Cade, is now making her home with her. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in the various beneficences of which she has for many years taken an active interest, and is also a member of the local corps of the Woman's Relief Corps, in the affairs of which she continues to take an active interest. As one of the pioneers of the plains she has many vivid recollections of the days of hardship and privation through which the pioneers passed, but in reviewing those days through the mists of the years that have since passed she does not hesitate to declare that they were happy years, despite the physical discomfort that attended the manner in which the pioneers were compelled to live, and despite the poverty of their means.

John Vv. Rieschick

John W. Rieschick, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres in section 22 of tlie precinct of Ohio, and one of the best-known farmers and stockmen of that part of Richardson county, a prize corn grower and an active member of the Poland China Record Association, was born in the neighboring precinct of Arago and has lived in that neighborhood practically all his life. He was born on April 14, 1870, son of William and Verena (Hunzeker) Rieschick, pioneers of this county, who are now living retired at Falls City and further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.

Reared on the farm in which he was born in Arago precinct, John W. Rieschick received his early schooling in the district schools of that neighborhood and supplemented the same by a course in Ritner's Commercial College at St. Joseph, Missouri, from which he was graduated in 1891. Thus qualified for a mercantile career he went to Buffalo, New York, in which city his father had for a while made his home after coming to this country, and was there engaged as a clerk in a grocery store for eighteen months, at the end of which time he returned to the home farm in this county, and was there engaged in helping in the improvement and development of the home place until his marriage in the fall of 1898, when he established his home on his present place in the precinct of Ohio. At that time he bought forty acres and as he prospered in his undertakings bought an adjoining "forty". He later inherited a similar tract and is thus now the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of fine land in section 22, in addition to which he is farming an adjoining "eiglity," and is doing very well. Mr. Rieschick is one of the best corn farmers in Nebraska and is the winner of the 1915 first prize at the state corn show for the best ten ears of corn in the amateur class. About 1903 he began to go in for the breeding of high-grade live stock and has done well in that line, his specialty being Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs, and he is a member of the Poland China Record Association, in the affairs of which organization he takes an active interest. He also is giving considerable attention to the raising of -Barred Plymouth Rock poultry.

Since taking possession of his farm Mr. Rieschick has made substantial improvements on the same, including a large and modern dwelling house,, a fifty-by-sixty barn, a modern hay and cattle barn and an ample machine shed, and has one of the best farm plants in that part of the county.

On October 2.^, 1898, John W. Rieschick was united in marriage to Emma Hahn, who also was born in Arago precinct, April 25, 1876, a daughter of Henry and Dora (Doeman) Hahn, the latter of whom was born in that same precinct, a member of one of Richardson county's first families. Henry Hahn came to this county from Germany, married here and became a substantial farmer of the precinct of Arago. Mr. and Mrs. Rieschick have six children, Anna, Elsie. Walter, Dora, Hilda and Carl. They are members of the Lutheran church and take an interested part in church work, as well as in other neighborhood good works and the general social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in promoting all measures having to do with the advancement of the common welfare. Politically, ]\Ir. Rieschick is a Republican and has ever taken a good citizen's interest in local civic affairs.

George W. Holland, cashier of the Richardson County Bank of Falls City and for years one of the most substantial and influential citizens of this county, former member of the city council at Falls City, an extensive landowner and in numerous ways identified with the more substantial interests of this community, is a native of the neighboring state of Iowa. Init has been a resident of Falls City since the days of his young manhood. He was born in Lee county, in the extreme southeastern corner of Iowa, June 13, 1852, son of the Rev. Benjamin and Mildred (Patton) Holland, natives of Ohio and both representatives of old Colonial families and ancestors of whom, on both sides, rendered valuable service to the colonies during the War of the Revolution. The progenitor of this branch of the Holland family in America was a meml>er of the company which accompanied Lord Baltimore to the colony which was granted him over here. He settled on the Isle of Wight, in Chesapeake Bay, and established his home there, his descendants in the present generation forming a numerous famih-, witlely scattered throughout the LTnited States. The Rev. Benjamin Holland was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, who left Ohio in 1843 and came West, settling in Lee county, Iowa, where for j-ears he was active as a circuit rider and where he and his wife spent their last days, useful and influential residents of that community. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born.

Reared in Iowa, George W. Holland completed his schooling in the Iowa Wesleyan University at Mt. Pleasant, from which he was graduated in 1876. In that same year he was called to Nebraska to take the position of principals of the schools at Falls City and for two years was thus engaged. He then returned to Iowa and at Ottumwa began the study of law and presently was admitted to the bar and entered upon the practice of his profession at Osceola, where he remained for two years, at the end of which time, in 1880, he returned to Falls City, where he married and where, in that same year, he assisted in the organization of the Richardson County Bank and was made cashier of the same, a position he ever since has occupied, ^Ir. Holland's activities as a banker at Falls City thus having covered a period of more than thirty-seven years, during which time he has come to be regarded as one of the leaders in financial and commercial circles throughout this part of the state. In addition to his extensive banking interests, ;\Ir. Holland is the owner of land in Harvey and Cof¥ey counties, Kansas, and has other valuable interests hereabout. He is a Republican and has ever given his earnest personal attention to local civic afifairs, but the only public offices he has held have been as a member of the city council and as a member of the city school lx)ard, in both of which capacities he has rendered valualjle service to the public, doing well his part in extending and ad\ancing the interests of the city of which he has for so long been one of tiie most vital factors in a business way.

As noted above, it was in 1880 that George W. Holland was united in marriage in Falls City. His wife, who was Ida S. Schock before her marriage, was horn in Ohio, a daughter of William Schock a^id wife, now deceased, who came to Nebraska from Ohio in 1874 and became early and prominent residents of Falls City. Mr. and Mrs. Holland have three daughters, Mrs. R. L. DePatron, a graduate of the Nebraska State Universitv. wiio is now living at Lincoln; ]\Iildred, also a graduate of the State Uni- \ersity, and Gladys, who is now a student at the L^niversity. The Hollands are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have ever taken an earnest part in church work and in the general good works of the community, as well as in tlie general social and cultural activities of their home town. Mr. Holland is a Knight Templar and Royal Arch Mason and has for vears taken a warm interest in local Masonic afifairs.

Irvin C. Maust

Through perseverance and good management, Irvin C. Maust, of Falls City, has succeeded in building up a large trade in the coal, ice and wood business. He was born. May 15, 1868, in Myersdale, Somerset county. Pennsylvania. He is a son of Elias A. and Savilla (Miller) Maust, natives of Pennsylvania, the former of whom was 1>orn on March 23, 1839. and the latter. July 2-j, 1849. ^^r. and Mrs. Maust are pioneer residents of Richardson county and Falls City and the elder Maust was engaged in the grain and live stock business for many years. Further and fitting mention of them is made elsewhere m this volume. Irvin C. Maust was associated with his father in the grain and live stock business in Falls City from 1892 to 1905 under the firm name of E. .\. Maust & Son. In 1905 his father retired and Albert Maust was taken into the firm under the name of Maust Brothers, which lasted until 191 1, when the firm dissolved and I. C. Maust has since conducted the business alone.

Irvin C. Maust was three years old when his parents brought him to Nebraska, in 1871, establishing the family home in Falls City, where he grew to manhood and attended the city schools. When fifteen years old he began working in the L^nion Hotel as porter, later engaged in various kinds of work, including employment for some time in a general store. He later located at Manley, Nebraska, in the elevator business and there bought grain on an extensive scale until 1892, when he returned to Falls City and in association with his father engaged in the coal, ice and wood business, which he has since followed, and has enjoyed a good trade from the start, which has increased constantly. He keeps a large yard and barn and handles these three commodities in Ijig quantities. From time to time he has invested in good real estate and now owns considerable valualile property in Falls City.

Politically, Mr. Maust is a Democrat and he has long been more or less active and influential in party affairs. He served as a member of the city council several different times, from 1903 to 1908, always looking out for the best interests of the people in his vicinity and for the general upbuilding of Falls City. Fraternally, he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, also the Encampment, the Knights of Pythias, the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Kniglnts Templar, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

James S. Everts

who was born in Falls City, January 27, 1872, and is a daughter of Benjamin F. and Mary L. (Whitmore) Norris, the former of whom was born on February 12, 1846, and the latter, October 19, 1849. ^^^- '"^"^^ ^Irs. Norris were parents of live children, four sons and a daughter. Three of the Norris boys are railway engineers, and another son. Jacob C. is a realestate agent, located at Hardin, Montana. Mrs. Maust was graduated from the Falls City high school, and also was graduated from the Campbell Normal School at Holton, Kansas. She taught school in the public schools of Falls City for five years prior to her marriage. She is associated with j\Ir. Maust in their business.

James Samuel Everts

Few names are held in better remembrance hereabout than tliat of the late James Samuel Everts, who became a resident of Richardson county in 1881 and whose influence in the agricultural life of this region is still reflected from many angles, that influence ever having been exerted in behalf of the promotion of better methods of farming and stock raising. The famous "Louieland Farms" en which Mr. Everts made his home for many years and which he brought up to a high state of development, bespeak the excellence of the methods he brought to bear on the development of that place. It also is undoubted that he did much - perhaps as much as any other man in this section, to improve the strains of live stock throughout this part of the country and thereby laid the whole agricultural community <>f this region under a debt of gratitude which will not be forgotten. Upon retiring from "Louieland Farms" Mr. Everts moved to Omaha, where he became engaged in business and where he spent his last days, his deatli occurring there in 1908.

James Samuel Everts was a native of the great Empire state, having Ijeen born at East Otto, in Cattaraugus county. New York, March 25, 1844, son of Samuel Charles and Ruth (Barrett) Everts, the former a native of the state of Vermont and the latter, of Massachusetts, whose last days were spent at Geneva, Illinois, Mrs. Ruth Everts dying there on May 9. 1856. She was born at Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1809, and was a member of an old Colonial family, as was her husband. The latter was born in \ermont and died on August 6, 1888. To him and his wife were born fi\e children, of whom the subject of this memorial sketch was the last-born, the others being as follow: Charles, born on October 5, 1828; Cornelia, May 14, 1833; Louis H., April 14, 1836, and Francis, June 11, 1841. The two elder of these brothers served as soldiers of the Union during the Civil War.

James S. Everts spent his youth on a farm near Geneva, Illinois, and there received his schooling. He was well trained in the ways of practical farming and in 1881 came to Nebraska and became a partner in the operation of the great "Louieland Farms," a tract of eighteen hundred acres four miles southwest of Falls City, in this county, where he established his home and where he remained until the spring of 1893, when he retired from the farm and for a few years thereafter was engaged in the map business; but later returned to Falls City and after a brief residence there went to Omaha, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there in January, 1908. At the time of his death he was a stockholder in and vice-president of the Nebraska Bridge Supply and Lumljer Company, of Omaha. Upon coming to Richardson county, Mr. Everts brought with him not only the best live stock, but an accurate knowledge of the most scientific methods of farming and stock raising and it was not long until the work he was doing on "Louieland Farms" began to attract general attention hereabout, his stallions, in particular, becoming famous all over southeastern Nebraska. Mr. Everts was instrumental in organizing the Southeast Nebraska Fair Association and for years was president of the same. His horses, cattle and hogs were widely exhibited at local fairs throughout this part of the country and at the Nebraska state fair at Lincoln and were always among the prize winners. Mr. Everts was a Republican, but did not give more than the average good citizen's attention to local political affairs, preferring to give his attention to the affairs of his farm and such other interests as he was developing meanwhile. He and his wife were members o the Congregational church.

James S. Everts was married at Geneva, Illinois, near which place he lived on a farm, to Marietta Abbott, who was born at that place on August 7. 1848. daughter of Allison and Marietta (Warner) Abbott, who were the parents I if two children. Mrs. Everts having had a brother, Hiram Emery Abbott. To Mr. and Mrs. Everts were born two daughters, Mrs. Ruth Marietta Storrs, born on May 6, 1871, and Naomi Frances, March 19, 1873, wife of John \\'. Towle. of Omaha. Mrs. Everts died on x\ugust 14, 1900. Mr. Everts was always loyal to Falls City and his old friends in this county and even after leaving here delighted to return to the scenes of his earlier activities and renew old acquaintances. For many years he was a member of the famous Falls City Gun Club and took much pleasure in the activities of that organization.

Warren Hutchins

W'arreii Hutchins. Ijanker and retired farmer, now living at l-'alis City, and one of Richardson connty's most substantial pioneer citizens, is a native of the old Buckeye state, but has been a resident of this county since pioneer days and therefore has seen this region develop from its wilderness state to its present high state of development along all lines. He was born on a farm in Ashtabula county, Ohio, October 8, 1844, son of Avery ]\I. and Sarah (Cleveland) Hutchins, the former a native of the Dominion of Canada and the latter of the state of New York, both of old New England stock and of Revolutionary descent, who later came to Nebraska and settled in this count}', where their last days were spent.

Avery J\L Hutchins was born at Hatley, in Stanstead county, Quebec, January 12, 1809, son of Amos Hutchins and wife, natives of Maine, who had settled there after their marriage. Amos Hutchins was a soldier in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War and his father was the captain of a company during that struggle for the independence of the colonies. For service rendered in the army Amos Hutchins was given a grant of land in the Western Reserve in Ohio and returned from Canada to settle on the same, establishing his home in Ashtabula county, Ohio, where his son, Avery i\I., grew to manhood and married Sarah Cleveland, who was born in New York state in 1810, also of Revolutionary parentage and whose parents likewise had settled on a land grant in Ashtabula county, in the Western Reserve. In 1856 Avery M. Hutchins left Ohio with his family and moved to Clavton county, Iowa, where he settled on a pioneer farm, which he developed and on which he continued to make his home until 1869, '" which year he came to Nebraska and bought a farm in the precinct of Barada, this cijunty, where he established his home and where he spent the remainder of his life. His wife died on that pioneer farm in 1879 and he survived her for more than ten years, his death occurring on October i, 1890. They were the parents of hve children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being as follow: Lovica, deceased; Lovica, second, who married J. A. Clark and died in Minnesota ; Lucia, who married W. J. Reymish and lives at Liberty, in Gage county, this state, and Adella, wife of Edward Rogers, of Lj-on county, Iowa.

Warren Hutchins was twelve years of age when his parents moved from Ohio and in the latter state he completed his schooling. Being the only son in the familv he was an able assistant to his father in the labors of the farm and wlien he was twenty-five years of age accompanied his father to this state and settled in the precinct of Barada. Soon after coming here he secured a farm of eighty acres of his own in that precinct and after his marriage in 1874 established his home tliere. Though he had much faith in this country from the day of his arrival and from the very first was able to discern the immense possibilities that awaited the courageous and energetic pioneer, that faith was severely shaken during the days of the grasshopper visitation and there were times he wished he could sell and get out, but he stuck to it and presently began to prosper and it was not long until he was looked upon as one of the leading farmers in that section. As he prospered he gradually added to his holdings until he became the owner of more than eight hundred acres of excellent land, including a tract of a lialf a section over in the adjoining county of Nemaha. In 1903 Mr. Hutchins retired from the farm and he and his wife spent the following winter in California. They then returned and established their home in Falls City, where Mrs. Hutchins died a year or two later and where Mr. Hutchins continues to reside, being \ery comfortably situated there. In addition to his extensive agricultural interests, Mr. Hutchins has for years Ijeen actively identified with the banking interests of this county. From the date of its organization he was a member of the board of directors of the Richardson County Bank of Falls City and is still interested in that sound old financial institution. From the date of its organization until Januarv i, 191 7, he served as president of the Farmers State Bank of Shubert. in which he still retains an interest, and is also a stockholder in the State Bank at Stella. Politically, Mr. Hutchins is an "independent" and has ever given his thoughtful attention to local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and in the ai¥airs of these organizations takes a warm interest.

On February 5, 1874, Warren Hutchins was united in marriage to Rachel E. Slocnm, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1851 and who was a sister of J- L. Slocuni, a biographical sketch of whom, presented elsewhere in this volume, gives details of the Slocum family, one of the pioneer families of Richardson county. Mrs. Hutchins died in 1905, leaving four children, namely: Guy S. Hutchins, cashier of the Farmers State Bank of Shubert, who married Clara Shafer and has two children. Hazel and Harlan : Sarah, wife of I. N. Lyon, of brails City, proprietor of an extensive ranch in W'voniing: Ethel, wife of John W. Rol)erts, who is connected with the work of the department of agriculture at Washington, D. C, his duties, having special reference to the forestry and fruit section of that department, and James, born on March 17. 1893, who died on February 5, T912.

One of the mot promising of the younger physicians of Richardson county is Dr. Roy W. Fonts, of Dawson, who is also well-known in business circles there. He was born in Davis county, Iowa, May 10, 1885, a son of Allen R. and Elizabeth (Mitchell) Fonts. The father was born, December 20, 1863, a son of Jesse and Elizabeth (McCullough) Fouts, natives of Indiana and early settlers of Davis county, Iowa, where they spent the rest of their lives and where their son, Allen R. Fouts, still makes his home on a farm. The mother, who was born in October, 1867, is a daughter of Thomas and Martha (Pickler) Mitchell, also natives of Indiana and early settlers of Iowa, where they spent the rest of their lives. Nine children, seven of whom are still living, were born to Allen R. Fouts and wife, the subject of this sketch being the second oldest in order of birth.

Soon after lea\ing college Doctor Fouts began the practice of medicine and there he attended the common schools, and later a business college at Bloomfield, that state, from which he was graduated in 1902. He then taught school five terms, but, although he was making a success as an educator, he decided that his true bent lay in another direction and in 1905 he entered the Keokuk Medical College at Keokuk, Iowa. Later he studied at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Chicago, Illinois, from which institution he was graduated, June 3, 1909, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine.

Soon after leaving college Dr. Fouts began the practice of medicine at Olds, Iowa, but on August i, 1909, he moved to Dawson. Richardson county. Nebraska, where he has since engaged successfully in general practice, devoting considerable attention to surgery.

Doctor Fouts was married on Xo\ember 13, 1903, to Edna T. Johnson, who was born in Davis county, Iowa, a daughter of U. G. and Ella I Jolinson) Johnson, natives of Iowa and Missouri, respectively. Three children have been born to Doctor Fouts and wife, namely: Xenia Aileen, Eowell \^'., and Leon G. The last two named are twins.

Politically, Doctor Fonts is a Democrat. He was former])- ;i member of the town coiuicil of Dawson, also served as ma^'or. has been iiresident of the local board of education for the past six years and has done much for the general good of the town. He is a member uf the Richardson County Aledical Society, the Nebraska Medical Association and the American Medical Association.

Orion Ole Marsh

Orion Ole ^larsh. the efficient and capable county clerk of Richardson county, is a native born Nebraskan and a son of one of the oldest Nebraska pioneers, his parents having settled at old St. Deroin, on the banks of the Missouri river, in 1859, at a period when this now almost forgotten river village was in the heyday of its prosperity and was an important steamboat town. Mr. IMarsh was born on a farm near A'erdon, in Richardson county, November 18, 1871, and is a son of William Sumner and Lillie Lucretia Marsh, who still reside upon their farm in Muddy precinct and are counted among the most respected and oldest pioneer residents of this county. The senior Marsh is a veteran of the Civil War, born in Wisconsin, a son of Elijah S. and Rachel (Calvert) Marsh, both of whom were descended from old American families. Besides Orion O. Marsh the other members of the family of William Sumner Marsh are as follow : William E. Marsh, of Shubert. Nebraska ; Mrs. Josephine G. Ray, of Verdon, Nebraska, and George Roy r\Iarsh, of Lewistown, Montana. Further and fitting mention nf William Sunnier Marsh is made elsewhere in this volume.

Orion O. Marsh was reared on a pioneer farm in Richardson county and received his early education in the district schools, followed By a course of study in the Verdon high school. He Ijegan teaching school when twenty years of age and taught a total of one hundred and thirteen months in the schools of his native county, varying the time with farming activities. 'Mr. Alarsh taught school during the winter months and followed farming during the summer months, thus keeping himself diligently employed during the entire year. He further fitted himself for the teaching profession by a course of study and training at the State Normal at Peru, and continued teaching successfully until 1908, in which year he decided to devote his attention entirely to farming. The lure of tlie school room was too strong for him. however, and he again taught a term of school during the winter of 191 3-14. Mr. Marsh has been a continuous resident of Richardson county since his birth, with the exception of seven years spent in Chase comity. Nebraska,

Mr. Marsh's teaching experience gave him a wide and favorable acquaintance throughout the county and he made many warm and steadfast friends. It was only natural that a man of his abilities and attainments should take an active part in civic and political matters and he served as assessor of Muddy precinct for eight years in succession. In November of 1914 he was nominated as the candidate of the Republican party for the ofhce of county clerk and was successful in the election. He was re-elected to this important office in 1916 and his conduct of the duties of this important office has been eminently satisfactory to the people of the county regardless of political affiliations, he being recognized as a very capable and obliging county official. In addition to his official duties Mr. Marsh is serving as a member of the local exemption board, which has charge of the task of examining the young men conscripted for the selective draft army, which is being raised to fight the battles of the free peoples of the world in Europe.

On June 18, 1908, at Lincoln, Nebraska, Mr. Marsh was married to Ellen Elizabeth Thomas. One child has blessed this marriage, namely: Harper Thomas Marsh, who was born on December 28, 1909. Mrs. Marsh was born at Corning, Adams county, Iowa, February 18, 1877, "^^^ educated in the State University at Lincoln, Nebraska, and has been a successful teacher in the public schools of Richardson county, she having taught a total of one hundred months in various schools in Nebraska. She is a daughter of David L. and Eleanor I. (Jones) Thomas, tlie former of whom was born in Cardiganshire, Wales, March 9, 1849. When three vears of age he was brought to America by his parents, the family settling in Wisconsin, where he was married to Eleanor I. Jones, who was born at Spring Green, Sauk county, Wisconsin, March 30, 1858. The Thomas family removed from Wisconsin to Iowa in 1875 and resided in that state, engaged in farming, until 1879, when they came to Nebraska. They were successfully engaged in farming in Richardson county until 1903, when Mr. and Mrs. Thomas removed to Lincoln, Xeiiraska, where they now reside. A most notable accomplishment on their part is the rearing of a family of well-educated sons and daughters as follow : Mrs. Ellen Elizabeth Marsh; Prof. David E. Thomas, a graduate of the Urtiversity of Nebraska and of Yale University, who received the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nebraska, the degree of Bachelor of Divinity from Yale, and the degree of Doctor of Philosophv from Chicago Universitv, and who spent three years (85) as a member of the faculty of the college at Le Mars, Iowa, part of which time he served as president of the college, and is now serving his fourth year as professor at Edmonton College, Alberta, Canada, and is acting president of this college during the present year; H. May Thomas, teacher of English in the Moody Institute, Chicago, Illinois; John Willard Thomas, county superintendent of schools at Sisseton, South Dakota; James Lloyd Thomas, a teacher and farmer living at University Place, Nebraska; Margaret G., deceased; Mrs. Merle (Thomas) Rice, a missionary in India, who has spent three years in the service of the missions department of the Christian denomination, and Dwight P. Thomas, senior at the State University at Lincoln. Nebraska.

Mr. Marsh is affiliated fraternally with the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Falls City. He also is a warm supporter of religious works, and Mrs. Thomas is a member of the United Evangelical church. Mr. and Mrs. Marsh take an active part in social affairs in Falls City and have a liost of friends and well wishers, who esteem them for their mimy good qualities. Their home, at 1902 ^Morton street is a pleasant and hospitable one. and there tlieii" friends and acquaintances are always warmly welcomed.

William D. Easley

"Through struggle to triumph" seems to be the maximum which holds sway with the majority of people ; that is, those who attain to a successful goal at all, must find it after arduous effort, and though it is undoubtedly true that many fall exhausted in the conflict, a few, like William D. Easley, by their inherent force of character and strong mentality, rise above their environment and all which seems to hinder them, until they reach the heights to which they originally aspired.

Mr. Easley, who is now living in honorable retirement in tlie city of Lincoln, was for many years one of the progressive merchants, lumlier tlealers and representative men of affairs in Richardson county, Nebraska. He is a scion of a sterling old Southern family and his birth occurred in Halifax county, Virginia, February 11, 1853. He is a son of Albert L. and Elizabeth (Ballon) Easley, both natives of \'irginia also, the latter of whom, born in 1826, died in 1889. The father was born in Halifax county, in March, 1 81 2, and there he grew to manhood, attended school and married, continuing to reside in the Old Dominion until in October. 1868, when he mo\ed to Nebraska with his family, settling on a farm near Rule, in this county, Ijeing among the pioneers of that locality, and there he engaged successfully in general farming for many years. About 1884 he moved to Falls City, where his death occurred in 1888. He had spent his last 3'ears in retirement. He became well and favorably known in the eastern part of Richardson county and was influential among the early settlers there.

To Albert L. Easley and wife five children were lx)rn, namely : Mrs.- Susan Carter, who resided in Kansas and is now deceased; William D., the subject of this review; Mrs. Alberta Jones, who lives in Boulder, Colorado; James, deceased, and Sally B., the wife of A. B. Wanner, a druggist of Falls City.

William D. Easley spent his early boyhood in Halifax county, Virginia, being fifteen years old when his parents brought him to Nebraska. He grew up on the farm in this county and, like all sons of pioneers, worked hard assisting his father develop the homestead near Rulo. He received his early education in the rural schools of his district and began his business career as a clerk in a general merchandise store at Rulo in 1869, when only sixteen years of age. He continued there until 1872, when he went to Colorado, where he clerked in a store six months, then went to Pawnee, Nebraska. In 1877 he engaged in the lumber business at Humboldt, Ricliardson county, and was there thus engaged until 1886, when he bought the lumber yard at Falls City, which he operated until 1904, when he went to Kansas City, Missouri, continuing the lumber business . there until 1909. He has lived in most of the towns of Richardson county and is well known throughout southeastern Nebraska. While at Rulo he hauled lumber from that town to Salem, before the days of railroads in eastern Nebraska; a lumber yard having been established at Salem prior to the coming of the Chicago, Burlington & Ouincy Railroad.

Mr. Easley was very successful in the lumber business, every phase of which he soon mastered and he kept well abreast of the times in all that pertained to his chosen line, being not only a close observer but a wide reader of the lumber journals and periodicals published in the interests of lumber men. He is a man of sound judgment and foresight and of industrious Iiabits. He is one of the best-known lumbermen in the state of Nebraska ami also up and down the Missouri river for a great distance. He is living in Lincoln and is not actively engaged in business at this writing. He located in that city in 1909 and was successfully engaged in the lumber and coal business there until 19 16.

to Alice C. Wheeler, who was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. She is the fifth child born to Ephraim and Lucindia (Fellows) Wheeler, who came from Pennsylvania to Nebraska in 1866, taking up a homestead four" miles southeast of Pawnee City, and who were among the early pioneers of Pawnee county. They developed a good farm there through hard work and perseverance and there they spent the rest of their lives, both dying many years ago at Table Rock. Mrs. Easley was reared on the home farm and attended the early-day schools. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Easley has been without issue.

Mr. Easley is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Falls City. Politically, he has never been very active in pubHc affairs, further than to do his duty as a good citizen. He is a man of obliging and genial disposition and makes and retains friends without effort.

Wenzel Skalak

The colony of Bohemians that settled in Richardson county has benetited alike themselves and us, for they have made good citizens in every respect, have helped develop this semi-wild section of our vast republic and established comfortable homes through their industry. One of this number who is deserving of special mention in this volume is Wenzel Skalak, a wellknown business man of Humboldt. He was born at Sokolec, Bohemia, April 25, 1852, a son of Frank and Elizabeth (Pohanka) Skalak, also natives of Bohemia, where they grew and were married. The father came to Richardson county, Nebraska, in 1865 and settled four miles south of Humboldt, built a log cabin and broke up the virgin prairie sod with a team of oxen. He worked hard to get a start in the new country and as the years passed became wellestablished and the possessor of a good farm. His nearest markets were Brownville and Arago. He bought his bacon and flour at Nebraska City. He sold hogs as low as two and one-half cents per pound and corn for ten and fifteen cents per bushel. He paid fourteen dollars and fifty cents an acre for his homestead rights. When he came here he had three hundred dollars which he loaned to a stranger who was in trouble, owing a debt of three hundred dollars. The man then helped him locate a good homestead. Mr. Skalak lived with his family in an old saw-mill a while when he first came. During the grasshopper years, he had hard sailing. He set out a large cabbage patch and he covered some the plants with old hats through wliich the insects ate their way and destroyed the cabbage. He had ten acres of wheat which he cut with a cradle and bound into sheaves by hand, threshing it by horsepower. He followed this method for several years, or until the latter sixties. He lived in a log cabin fifteen years. He spent the rest of his life on his homestead, as did also his wife. To these parents three children were born, namely: Wenzel, subject of this sketch: Mrs. Rosalia Prachejl, a widow living at Fairbury, Nebraska, and Frank, a farmer in Humboldt precinct, Richardson county.

Wenzel Skalak spent his childhood in Bohemia, being thirteen years old when his parents brought him to Richardson county, Nebraska. He attended the common schools, and helped his father develop the home place, working hard, as did all sons of pioneers. He also worked out as a farm hand at a salary of forty dollars a year until 1867, when he began clerking in a general store, owned by Ruel Nims, who had the first and only store in Humboldt for some time. In 1880, Mr. Skalak began working for William Stearns, and several years later started a mercantile business for himself in partnership with E. A. Loper, handling clothing, boots and shoes. Later, he was in partnership with G. A. Walch. Selling out the clothing business, he formed a partnership with H. H. Scott, with whom he conducted a hardware store for seventeen years at Humboldt. In 1904 he opened up his present store in partnership with C. W. Atwood, which they conducted together until 1907, when Mr. Skalak began his present hardware store and implement business. He carries a large and well-selected stock of hardware and implements, all kinds of farming machinery, also plumbing and heating apparatus. He has built up a large and lucrative business, his trade extending all over the western part of the county. He is also a stockholder in the Humboldt brick yard, the creamery company and the local telephone company. He is also owner of three hundred and twenty acres of good land in Butler county, Kansas, in the oil fields, and of one hundred and eight-five acres at Crab Orchard, Nebraska.

Mr. Skalak was married to Frances Radek, who was born on June 25, 1857, in Kuklik, Bohemia, and there she spent her girlhood, emigrating to America, with a friend, in 1875, she came to Humboldt, Nebraska, where she worked as a domestic for some time. To Mr. and Mrs. Skalak five children have been born, namely: WiUiam, who is working with his father in the store; Ludvik, in partnership in business with his father; Evan, a farmer near Dubois, Nebraska, and two children who died in infancy.

Politically, Mr. Skalak is a Democrat. He has served as a memlser of the city council of Humboldt. He has l^een one of the principal promoters of the local telephone company, being for some time chairman of the board of directors, and he is now vice-president of the company. He is also vicepresident of the compan\- that operates the brick plant at Humboldt, and is a director of the same. Fraternally, he is a member of the local lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted :Masons. :\Iodern ^^'oodmen of America. C. S. B. S., and the Bohemian lodge. He was reared in the Lutheran faith.

The Old Dominion has sent many of her industrious citizens into Nebraska to help reclaim the great plains and among these is James W. Burns, farmer and stockman of Liljerty precinct, Richardson county. He was bom in Rockbridge county, Virginia, September 5, 1853, ^'^^ i^ '^ ^on of Thomas H. and Lucy (Crockett) Burns. The father was born in Virginia about the year 1806 and his death occurred in 1869. He grew up in his native state, in fact, lived and died there. He was overseer in an iron foundry for many years. All the children born of his union with Lucy Crockett are deceased but James W. Burns, the subject of this sketch. After the death of his first wife he married Ellen Obenchain, to which union two children were born, one of whom is living - Dillie, wife of William Kemper, who makes her home in Botetourt county, Virginia. Thomas H. Burns's first wife, Lucy Crockett, was born in Mrginia, where she was reared and spent her life, dying in 1859. She and her husband were both members of the Baptist church.

James W. Burns grew to manhood in \'irginia and received a commonschool education. He assisted his father with the work on the home farm during his boyhood and young manhood. In 1870 he went to Lafayette county, Missouri, where he worked out by the month as a farm hand. Li 1878 he came to Nebraska and rented land in Arago township, Richardson county. In 1884 he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in western Kansas. Selling out there in 1889. he moved to \'erdon, this county, and in 1892 bought his present farm in Liberty precinct, which was unimproved. He set out trees, built fences, a house and barn and in due course of time had the land under excellent cultivation. The place consists of one hundred and sixty acres, in section 20. In connection with general farming he has always kept graded Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs.

daughter of George W. and Sarah L. (Everet) Bennett, early settlers of Ohio, from which state they later moved to Wisconsin in the early days there, and finally came to Richardson count}-, Nebraska, from Minnesota, Mrs. Burns being born in the last-named state, on December 29, 1863. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Burns : William A., who lives in Salem precinct; Charles E., who lives in Porter precinct; Ira C, who lives in Liberty precinct; Clara L., wife of W. Schultz, of Liberty precinct; Harry T., who lives in Porter precinct; Emily K., who was graduated . from the Verdon high school and is teaching in the. district schools; Amos Schley, who enlisted for ser\-ice in the United States army on July 4, 1917, a member of Company D, Fifth Nebraska Infantry; Nellie A. and Anther C, the two latter of whom are at home; Ella E. is deceased, and one died in infancy.

Politically, Mr. Burns is a Democrat. He has served as road overseer in his community, and was a member of the school board in his district for a period of twenty-one years. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Woodmen of the World. His wife belongs to the Knights and Ladies of Security. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They have worked hard and finally achieved marked success in agriculture.

Richard A. Coupe

The old Empire state has contributed many of her most enterprising sons to the great West and they have played a very important role in the development of the same. One of this number in Richardson county, Nebraska, who is deserving of special mention is Richard A. Coupe, one of the leading farmers and cattlemen of Falls City precinct. He was born in Utica, New York, June 9, 1855, a son of James and Jane (Latus) Coupe. The father was born in Lancashire, England, in 1812 and there he spent his earlier years, emigrating to the state of New York in 1844, where he died in 1861, after devoting his active life to general farming. The mother was also born in Lancashire, England, in 1814, there she grew to womanhood and came to America about 1844, locating at Utica, New York, where she and James Coupe were married. Her death occurred in 1867. Twelve children were born to them, seven of whom are living at this time, namely: Ellen J., who married John O'Brien, deceased; Mary L., the widow of John Roscoe, living in L^tica. New York; Elizabeth, deceased; Henry F., who lives in L'tica, New York: Thomas A., a drv goods merchant at Utica,

New York; James F., a lawyer in Utica, that state; Joseph B., deceased, whose family lives in Effingham, Kansas, but at one time lived in Ricliardson county, Nebraska, where he filled the office of county judge for three terms; Margaret A., deceased; Richard A., of this sketch; Sarah, who lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is a sister of charity, one of the volunteers at the hospital for lepers, known as Sister Cyril; two children, who died in infancy.

Richard A. Coupe grew to manhood in Utica, New York, where he received a common school education. He came West in 1878, locating at Rulo, Richardson county, Nebraska, and, in the following year, took up his residence in Falls City precinct, where he soon engaged in stock raising, fie rented land about two years, and in 1882, bought one hundred and sixty acres near Wymore, Nebraska, which land he improved and sold in 1887, then moved to McCook, this state, where he conducted a meat market until 1892. In that year he returned to Richardson county and bought two hundred acres in Falls City precinct, his present farm, and here he has since been successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. He has made many important improvements, remodeling the dwelling throughout,, and from his home may be obtained one of the finest views in the locality. Falls City being within the range of vision. He has appropriately named his place "Pleasant View." He has prospered by good management and persistent industry, and has added to his original farm until he now owns two hundred and forty acres in section 27, Falls City precinct. He also owns five hundred and forty acres of good land in Anderson county, Kansas. He is a breeder of Poll Durham cattle and Poland China hogs, being in partnership with his sons, under the firm name of R. A. Coupe & Sons. They began breeding thoroughbred cattle and hogs in 19 14. Mr. Coupe has been a very extensive and successful cattle feeder, feeding from five hundred to one thousand head annually, which he ships to the Kansas City market. In 1885 he engaged in the butcher business at Falls City, continuing the same several years.

Mr. Coupe was married on November 24, 1885, to Mary M. King, who was born on December 14, 1863, in Canada. She is a daughter of John and Catherine (Simmer) King, natives of Canada, from which country they came to Richardson county, Nebraska, in 1867, settling eight miles north of Falls City, where they developed a good farm from the vngin prairie and there spent the rest of their lives. Mrs. Coupe was a child when her parents brought her to this county, and here she grew to womanhood and attended school. To ]\Ir. and Mrs. Coupe ten children have been born, as follow : James F., a field man for the Twentieth Century Farm Journal, published at Omaha, Nebraska; Nellie, the wife of Thomas Kanaly, living in Jefferson precinct, Richardson coiuity; Henry A., is a live stock commission merchant in Kansas City; Thomas, George L., John B., Catherine, Elizabeth, Mary and Richard, all at home.

T'olitically, Mr. Coupe is a Democrat. He was elected county supervisor in 1908, which office he held two terms in a highly acceptable manner. Fraternall}', he belongs to the Knights of Columbus and the Royal Arcanum. He is a member of the Catholic church.

Lewis Clifford Edwards

The early environment, education and training of Lewis Clifford Edwards, author of this history of Richardson county, have peculiarly fitted him for the task of writing and compiling a history of his own county, for he is a true lover of history trained in the newspaper field, a student of archaeology, a delver into the wonders of the past qnd a seeker after knowledge of what has happened in the years gone by. Mr. Edwards was born in a typical Nebraska pioneer cabin and was reared amid pioneer surroundings during his earlier years. He is self-made and self-educated and has worked his way into a position of confidence and esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens of Richardson county. He is modest, withal, and in writing this history, his sole aim has l^een to present such a work to the people of his county as will endure for all time to come as an authentic and reliable record of the important happenings in this county, since the advent of the first pioneer to the present time. The writer is certain that he has succeeded, and the work, with its contents, speaks for itself.

Lewis Clifford Edwards was born, September 28, 1878, on a farm located one and a half miles south of Glen Rock, Nemaha county, Nebraska, in a typical frontier cabin built of stone and hewn logs. He is a son of Andrew Jay and Elvira Belle (Houchins nee Mullins) Edwards, natives of Ohio and Indiana, respectively. Andrew Jay Edwards was born at New Lisbon, Columbiana county, Ohio, September 9, 1835, and was left an orphan by the death of his father in 1840 and that of his mother in 1845. The parents of Andrew J. Edwards were of Welsh descent.