Richardson County, Nebraska - Biographical sketches, 1917 (part 8 of 19)

Reared on the home farm in Mason county. Illinois, VVillard M. Shubert remained there until he was eighteen years of age, when he came to this state with C. A. Pond, arriving here on October 20, 1869. He became engagetl at farm labor, helping ti> break and clear land, and after awhile rented a farm from his elder Ijrother, James M. Shubert, and was thus engaged until the time of his marriage in 1883, when he bought a quarter of a section of improved land three and one-half miles northeast of Shul>ert, paying for the same forty-five dollars an acre, and there established his home, he and his wife remaining on that place for about fifteen j-ears, or until their retirement from the farm on October 9, 1897, and removal t(^ Shubert, where they have since made their home, owning there the handsomest residence in the town and nne of the finest in the county. During his active farming Mr. Shubert farmed five hundred acres and did very well, gradually increasing his holdings by the purchase of an adjoining "eighty" and the purchase of a section of land over in the western part of the state. Since his retirement Air. Shubert has sold all his land, in 191 5, having received one hundred and lifty dollars an acre for his original quarter section that he !:)ought for forty-five dollars an acre, and has invested his money in aitpmved securities, including stock in the Citizens Bank of Shu- liert and the State Hank of Stella. Jle and his wife are extensive travelers and are living in comfortable enjoyment of the rewards of their years of industry on the farm. They spend their winters in Florida or at Hot Springs and make frequent trips to the coast, enjoying life to the utmost. Mr. Shubert is a Republican and he and his wife are members of the local lodge of the Degree of Honor.

On April i6. ]883. Willard J\I. Shubert was united in marriage to Mary Ankrom, who was born in Blackford county, Indiana, April i6. 1863, and who was not yet three years of age when her parents, Rhinehart and i'-lizabeth (Bugh) .Xnkrom, left Indiana with their family and came to Nebraska, settling in this county in March, 1866. Rhinehart Ankrom was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, August 27, 1827, and his wife was born in February 4, 1832, in Perry county, Ohio. After their niarriage on February 15, 1850, they settled on a farm in Blackford county, Indiana, and there remained until they came to Richardson county in the spring of 1866. Upon coming here Mr. Ankrom bought a tract of land in the halfbreed country in the precinct of Barada, four and one-half miles east of the present town of Shubert, and there established his home, he and his wife spending the remainder of their lives there, her death occurring on January 17, 19 1 2, and his on October 5 of that same year. Twelve years before they had celebrated their golden-wedding anniversary at their old liome in Barada precinct, all their children and grandchildren in Nebraska i)eing present, there being at that time eighteen grandchildren. Rhinehart Ankrom and his wife were the parents of eleven children, eight of whom grew to maturity, namely: \\'illiam. who died on February 17, 1912; Robert, of Barada precinct: Barney, also a farmer in tliat same precinct; Jesse, also a Barada farmer: ^lary, wife of Shubert; Mrs. Elizabeth Shafer, of Barada precinct; Mrs. Lvdia Bucholz, of Falls City, and Mrs. Cloella Slagal, a widow, of Shubert.

Mrs. Shubert recalls ^-ividly the privations she and the members of the Ankrom family underwent during the early pioneer days. They had few luxuries; sorghum was used for sweetening instead of sugar; wheat Ijread was served on the table on Sundays and when company were present. The daughters of the Ankrom family learned to cut wood and work in the fields when necessary. They spun and wove their own wool for the garments worn by members of the large family and also made their own clothes. Mrs. Shubert could harness and drive a team as well as her lirothers and made a good "hand" on occasion. When the familv would go visiting they would all crowd into a big wagon and go jolting across countr\- \ ia the nearest direct route to their destination and the "visit" would probalily last over night, the family returning the next day. "Going to church" was an occasion and required the whole day to go and return home, the family taking along their lunches in baskets. The Ankrom boys would cut wood which they hauled to Falls City and traded for the winter's supply of shoes : hats, etc., were obtained in similar manner. Of spending money such as the youth of the present day is supplied with unstintedly, the children of this pioneer household had little or none. On holiday occasions such as the Fourth of July, if they had a "nickle" or twenty-cent piece to spend, it was deemed a great plenty.

Reuben J. Hill

The Hill family have been represented in Richardson county since thai sturdy old pioneer, Elijah C. Hill, Sr., came to this part of Nebraska in 1865 and here laid the foundations of the future fortunes of himself and the members of his family, among whom is the subject of this sketch. In a biographical notice of Elijah C. Hill, Jr., in another part of this work, there is set out in detail an account of the father who came from Ontario, Canada, and settled on a homestead tract in this county, and to that account the reader is referred for further particulars in that connection.

Reuben J. Hill, the subject of this sketch, was born on July lo, i860, in Ontario, Canada, and is the son of Elijah C. and Arcosh (Kallerstinej Hill, also natives of the same country. They were the parents of twelve children, six of whom are deceased, the others being Roland, who lives at Greeley, this state; Reuljen J., of Porter township; Marshall N., a farmer and stockman, who lives iiT Porter precinct; Elijah C, Jr.; Mrs. Martha \'an \'leet, of Crete, this state, and Grant, who lives in Cameron, Montana.

Ueuljen J. Hill was reared amidst pioneer conditions on his father's farm, which the latter settled on in 1865, when he came to this county. R. J. Hill was educated in the district schools of his home neighborhood and when still a boy, he learned the barber trade. In 1882 he opened a barber siiop in .Stella and in 1883 established another branch of the same business in Humboldt and continued to operate there for some years. In 1908 he settled in Porter precinct, where he is the owner of one hundred and thirty acres of ])rime farming land and also rents one hundred and ten acres

Mr. Hill was married in 1883 to Nora Belle Harper, who was born in Metcalfe county, Kentucky, the daughter -of Wilson Harper and wife, also natives of Kentucky. To Air. and Mrs. Hill two children have l:)een born, namely: John M., who lives in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and who is an expert window dresser and show-card writer, and Mrs. Hulda Arcosh Williamson, who is the mother of two children, George Samuel and Lois. Mr. Hill is a supporter of tiie Republican party, but has never sought public office.

Joseph W. Spickler

Joseph W. S[)ickler, of Shul>ert, former member of the board of county sujjervisors for l^ichardson county, a well-known and well-to-do farmer, owner of a tine farm of four hundred acres in the precinct of East Muddy, and formerly and for years extensively engaged in the live-stock business at Shuliert, is a native of the neighboring state of Iowa, but has l)Ltn a resident of this county since he was eleven years of age, having come here with his parents back in pioneer days. He was born at Davenport, Iowa, May _><;, 1856, son of Samuel and Sabina (Selvert) Spickler, natives of Pennsyhania, who became pioneers in Iowa, later moved to Illinois and thence to Nebraska, settling in this county in 1867, spending the remainder of their li\es here, the former dying less than ten years after conn'ng here and the latter surviving for many years thereafter.

Samuel Spickler was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 18 12. and there grew to manhood. He married Sabina Selvert, who was born in that same county on January 28, 181 8, and continued to make his home there tmtil 1852, when he moved to Davenport,* Iowa, later moving to Rock Island count}, Illinois, where he remained until the fall of 1867, when he came to Nebraska with his family, arriving here on October 4 of that year, and settled on a farm one and one-half miles .south of the present village of Barada, the nearest trading point at diat time having been St. Deroin. When the Spicklers '-ettled on that pioneer farm there was but one house lielween their ])laoe and I'alls C'it}' and that was the old Ralph Anderson place. Previous to bringing his family out here Samuel Si)ickler and two of his sons had created "bachelor quarters'" on the place and had a house and some other imjirovements in readiness before returning to Illinois for the rest (if the family. Tliey clrnve acros.s country in a covered wagon and cros.-^ed the river at Brownville. The first crop raised on the place consisted of three acres of corn, one acre of potatoes and one acre of cabbage. The potatoes sold for one dollar and twenty-five cents a bushel and the cabbage at ten cents a head. Samuel Spickler was a good farmer and an earnest pioneer citizen. He helped to organize the local congregation of the Church of God at Barada and he and his wife did much toward the early success of that church. He was a Republican and took a proper part in the early civic activities of the community during pioneer days. Samuel Spickler died at his home in the vicinity of Barada in 1875, less than ten years after settling in this county, and his widow survived him many years, her death occurring on November 16, 1907, she then being past eight}--nine years of age. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the sul)ject of tliis sketch was the seventh in order of birth, the others being as follow: Charles, deceased; Elizabeth, wife of Theodore Harris, of Rosalie, this state: Mrs. Sarah Dilenbeck, of Geneseo, Illinois; Mary E., who married A. Franklin and is now deceased; Ann Martha, who married M. Davis and is now deceased; John .S., of Ft. Calhoun, this state; Mrs. Alice -Mien, of Rosalie, and one who died in infancy.

.\s noted above, Joseph W. Spickler was eleven years of age when he came to this county with his parents and he grew to manhood on the home farm in the vicinity of Barada, remaining there until he was twent^^-one \ears of age, when, in 1877. he rented a tract of land and began farming on his own acc(^unt, remaining thus engaged until 1882, in which year he bought a farm one mile south of Barada, in section 12, and there built a house and barn and set out a grove of cottonwoods and an orchard, and after his marriage in the summer of the year following established his home there and continued farming that place for nine years, completing his payments on the same in six years. In 1891 he sold that farm and moved to Shubert, where for four years he was engaged in the live-stock l;usiness. In the meantime, in 1892, Mr. Spickler had bought a tract of land in western Nebraska, but later traded the same for a part of the fine farm of four hundred acres in sections i and 12 of the precinct of East Muddy, which he now owns, and which he operates from his home in Shubert. Mr. Spickler is a Republican and in 1891 was elected a member of the board of county supervisors from his district. He later was elected to the same ofiice and served a second term, 1901-02, ever giving his thoughtful attention to the consideration of public affairs.

Henrietta Gaston, wlio was born in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, November II, 1861, daughter (if Merrinian and Mary (Wheaton) Gaston, natives of Indiana and of I'ennsylvania, respectively, who later moved to Iowa and thence to where the former died, the latter some time later moving to Rapid City, South Dakota, where her last days were spent. To this union three children have been 1)orn, Effie, who is at home with her parents; Beulah, who married T. Hill, a Shubert druggist, and Joseph Oeath Spickler, at home. ^Ir. and Mrs. Spickler are members of the -Methodist Episcopal church and have ever taken a proper part in church work, as well as in the general good works and social activities of their iiome town and of the community at large, and have been helpful in many ways in promoting movements designed to advance the common welfare thereabout.

Daniel D. Lewis

Daniel D. Lewis, farmer of Barada precinct, Richardson county, was born on March 8, 1871, in Xemaha county, Nebraska. He is a son of John M. and Margaret (Hopkins) Lewis. The father was born in Wales, December 25, 1816, and died August 27, 1904. The mother was born on August 15, 1831, and died September 25, 1915, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. These parents were married in Ohio and they came to Nebraska in 1866, settling in Xemaha county, where they engaged in farming until late in life when they retired from active work and moved to the town of Shubert, where they died. They were parents of the following children: David lives in Nemaha county; John lives in Kansas; ]\Irs. Anna McGechie lives in Oklahoma; Joseph lives near ^'erdon, Richardson county; Thomas lives in Kearney, Nebraska; Margaret and Louis live in Peru, Nebraska; Daniel D., of this sketch, and Nellie, deceased.

The gentleman whose name forms the caption of this sketch was reared on the home farm in Nemaha county and there lie attended the district schools. He liegan life for himself in 1893, and farmed on his own account, but on the home farm for two 3'ears; then engaged in mercantile pursuits at Shubert for one vear, and then moved to his present farm of two hundred acres in Barada jjrecinct, Richardson county. He has made many improvements and has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser. He has sixtv acres of timber. His home in is the midst of attractive sur- roundings. ijeing almost in the center of a quarter section. He also has an excellent young orchard. He raises a good grade of live stock for the market.

Mr. Lewis was married on February 21, 1894, to Effie Lundy, who was Ijorn April 8, 1875, in Barada precinct, this county, and here she grew to womanhood and attended the common schools. She is a daughter of Ebenezer Lundy and wife, mentioned in the sketch of J- ^^^ Lundy, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work.

To Mr. and Mrs. Lewis eight children have been born, namely; Guy Sutton, born on February 20, 1896, is at home; Dewey Ebenezer, July 14, 1898: Daniel D., October 6, 1900; Effie Marie, Octolier 18, 1904; John Samuel, April 28, 1909; Opal, October 19, 191 1; Lela May, May 29, 1914, and \ola Belle, October 25, 1916. Guy Sutton and Dewey E. Lewis are members of Company E, Sixth Nebraska Infantry Regiment, enlisted for service in the great war. This company was organized in Richardson county.

Politically, Air. Lewis is a Republican. He served as township clerk in Barada township for two \ears. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World and the Christian church.

Emery E. Bolejack

Emery E. Bolejack, cashier of the Barada State Bank of Barada and the proprietor of a fine farm of two hundred acres in section 14 of the precinct of Barada, this county, was born in that precinct and has lived in this county all his life with the exception of some years spent as a telegraph operator in the ser\ice of the Burlington railroad and later as a rancher in Blaine county. Fie was born on February 23, 1870, son of James A. and Lucinda (Barker) Bolejack, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Missouri, who became pioneers of Richardson county and the latter of whom is still living, now a resident of Shubert.

The Bolejacks' are an old family in America and have lieen represented in the Carolinas since Colonial days, the first of the name in this countr\- having l)een a Frenchman of the name of Bolejacque, who settled in North Carolina and there established his family, the family name later Ijeing Anglicized to its present form. Tames A. Bolejack was born at Moravian Falls.

I002 Richardson Cointv, Nebraska

in Wilkes cuuiu} . Xortli earoliiia, July 19, 1832, son of William Bolejack and wife, the latter of whom was a Doss, natives of that same state, who were the parents of ten children, of whom James A. was the third in order of ))irth. In 1^5-' William Bolejack came West with his family and settled on a farm in the vicinity of Lexington, Missouri, where he died in 1858. He was Ijorn in 179S. His widow, who also was born in 1798, survived him about two }ears, her death occurring in i860. James A. Bolejack was about twenty years of age when he came West with his parents in 1852 and he helped develop the home farm in Missouri and during the years 1856 and 1857 was engaged as a freighter on the old trail between St. Joseph and Sante Fe. In 1856 he married and in i86j came over into the then Territory of Xel)raska with his family and settled on a farm in the precinct of Barada. this count}', where he made his home for forty \ears. or until his retirement and removal to Shubert. where his last days were spent, his death occurring there on August 4, 1902. For years during the earlier period of his residence in this county he maintained a blacksmith's forge on his place and did much accommodation work for his neighbors in that line, the work of die farm largely being carried on by iiis sons. He and- his wife were among the organizers of the Christian church in Barada precinct and in the village of Shubert and he was an elder of the cluirch. His widow, who still survives him, now a resident of Shul)C'rt, was 1)orn Lucinda Barker, on a pioneer farm in Lafayette county, .Missouri, December 14, 1832, a daughter of William and Mar\- (Barker) liarker, natives of Kentucky, the former born in 1804 and the latter in 1805, wJio were married in that state and then moved to Missouri, where tiiey estalilished their home and where they spent the remainder of their lives, William Barker dying in 1878 and his widow surviving until 1890. were the parents of ten children, of whom Mrs. Bolejack was the fourth in order of birth. To James A. and Lucinda (Barker) Bolejack five children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-burn, the others being ^^'illianl H., deceased; Mary, deceased; Mrs. Belle Harper, of Shul)ert, and Lee I'oiejnck, a well-known farmer living in the precinct <if Barada, near Shubert.

I'jiiery I'.. Bolejack was reared on the home farm in the iirecincl of ]'.;:.rada, receiving his schooling in the schools of district No. 4, and when twenty-one years of age went to Nemaha City, where he learned the art of telegraphw In 1892 he was placed in charge of the station at Hemmingford. in the enii)liiy of the Burlington railroad, and remained as telegrapher there until in Se|)teniher, 1893, when he was made agent for the same company at Dunning and while thus engaged there hecame the owner of a ranch of four hundred and eighty acres in that vicinity, in Blaine county, and engaged extensively in the raising of cattle, having as many as two hundred and fifty head of cattle on his ranch. In 1903 Mr. Bolejack resigned his position as agent for the railway company at Dunning, sold his ranch and returned to' Richardson county, shortly afterward entering the Verdon State Bank at \'erdon, as assistant cashier. In May, 1906, meanwhile having ac(iuired an excellent working knowledge of the banking business, he left Verdon and moved to Barada, where he organized the Barada State Bank, was made cashier of the same, built the building in which the bank is now located and has ever since been cashier of the bank, one of the best-known bankers in Richardson county. The Barada State Bank, of which John Moorehead is the president, has but ten stockholders, was organized with ;i capital of .'156,500 and now has a surplus of $3,000. In addition to his banking interests Mr. Bolejack is the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres in section 1.4 of the precinct of Barada and gives his personal attention to the management of the same. He gives considerable attention to the raising of live stock on the place and has an excellent farm plant there, all the operations of the farm being carried on in accordance with up-todate methods. Mr. Bolejack is a Republican and has ever given earnest attention to local afl'airs. During his residence at Verdon he served as treasurer of the precinct and since taking up bis residence at Barada has served as a member of the local school board.

On July 17, 1893, I'-mery E. Bolejack was united in marriage to Ella Murph\-, who was born at Marvsville, Kansas, December 13, 1871, a daughter of Thomas T. and Xellie ( Ouinn ) Murphy, natives of the Dominion of Canada, who after their marriage located in Kansas, but later came up into Richardson county, where their daughter, Ella, was reared. Mr. and Mr^. liolejack have seven children, Harold, Raymond, Dale, Marvin, Ralph, I'earl and John. Dale Bolejack, the third son, is now a student at St. Benedict's College at Atchison, Kansas, where he is studying with a view to entering the jiriestbood of the Catholic church. The Bolejacks are memiiers of the Catholic church and take a proper ]iart i;i parish affairs. Mr. B(jlejack is a member of the local council oi the Knights of Columbus and of the local lodge of the Woodmen of the World and in the affairs of both of these organizations takes a warm interest.

Lena Deweese

Aliss Lena Deweese, owner of one of the model small- farms in the precinct of Grant, this connty, and one of the progressive leaders of the social activities of that community, was born in Prairie City, Iowa, daughter of the Hon. Joel W. and Rebecca (Ryan) Deweese, who later became residents of Lincoln, the capital of this state, where their last days were spent.

The Hon. Joel W. Deweese, an honored veteran of the Civil War, a former member of the loM-a state Legislature and for years one of the best-known and most influential lawyers at LiiKoln, in which city he died in 1907, was a native of the state of Illinois, torn on a farm there on September 17. 1843, son of James M. and Anna (Wyne) Deweese, natives of Kentucky, who moved from Illinois to Iowa in March, 1844, becoming pioneers in the latter state, where they maintained their residence until 1863, in which year they came over into the then Territory- of Nebraska and settled on a farm a mile west of the present site of the town of Dawson, becoming useful and influential pioneers of that community. On that pioneer farm James M. Deweese made his home until late in life, when he retired and moved to Humboldt, where he spent his last days in comfortable retirement, his death occurring there in 1896. This branch of the Deweese family is one of the oldest families in America and is descended from a Deweese of Huguenot stock who came to this side from Holland in 1689, locating in New York and going thence, in 1690, over into Pennsylvania, where he established his home. He had three sons, two of whom remained in Penns\lvania, the other settling in \'irginia. I'rom this Yirginia branch tiie Dcweeses in this county are descended, members of that taniilv having made their wav from \'irginia into Kentucky following the Ivevolutionary jjeriod, and in Kentucky James 'SI. Deweese was born.

Joel W. Deweese was but an infant, about six months of age, when his parents moved from Illinois to Iowa and he grew to manhood on a farm in .Marion county, that state, receiving his early schooling in the schools at Pella, the neighboring village, and was living there when the Civil ^^'ar broke out. On August 15, 1862, he then being under nineteen \ears of age, he enlisted for service as a member of Company G, Twentylliinl l'!egiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered in as a corporal in that KJumiand on August 22 following. On December 19, 1862. he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and continued to serve with thai command until tiie close of the war, being mustered out at Harrisburg

Texas, July 26, 1865. During this period of military activity, Mr. Deweese participated in the siege of Vicksburg and went thence down the Mississippi to New Orleans, thence to Berwick, Louisiana, thence into Texas; then on with the Red River expedition, later taking part in the battle of Spanish Fort and in the capture of Mobile, besides taking part in numerous other engagements and skirmishes.

Upon the completion of his military service, Joel W. Deweese returned liome and after finishing his work in the Iowa College, entered the Law College at Iowa City and was in due time graduated from the same. After his marriage in 1869 to Rebecca Ryan, a sister of Judge Robert Ryan, of Iowa, also a veteran of the Civil War, he established his home at Prairie City, Iowa, where he was engaged in the practice of his profession until 1879, when he came to this state and located at Lincoln, engaging in practice in that city as a member of the law firm of Marquette, Deweese & Hall, attiirneys for the Chicago, Burlington & Ouincy Railroad Company, and upon the death of Mr. Marquette became head of the firm. Mr. Hall presentlv withdrew to engage in private practice and Mr. Deweese then associated with himself in practice Frank Elmer Bishop. In the meantime Fred Deweese, Mr. Deweese's younger son, had been completing his lawstudies and upon being admitted to practice became associated with his father in the Lincoln office. During Joel W. Deweese's residence in Iowa lie had served one term as a member of the Iowa state Legislature and upon coming to this state also took an interested part in political affairs, thmigli ne\-er again a seeker after public office. He occupied a high place at the l)ar of this state and spent his last days in practice at Lincoln, his death occurring there on September 2, 1907. His widow, who was born in the state of New York on December 16, 1846, survived him less than two years, her death occurring on March 19, 1909. They were the parents of four children, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, Wilford Deweese, of Stamford, this state, and Fred Deweese, a well-known landowner of Grant precinct, this county, and a sister, Mrs. Julia Lundin, of Seattle, Washington.

During the time he was engaged in the practice of law in association with his father at Lincoln, Fred Deweese suffered a mild physical breakdown and believing the free, open-air life of the farm would prove beneficial to his health came down into Richardson county, where his grandfather had lived in pioneer 'days, and he and his brother and their sister Lena bought ;i tract of land in the Dawson neighborhood, in the precinct of Grant. In i()To, the \ear after the death of her mother, Miss Lena Deweese dosed her home in L.incohi and joined her brothers in this county. She straightway fell in love with the life of the farm and decided to remain here pernianentl) and to that end made her arrangements accordingly. She is the owner of a fine farm of eighty acres in the precinct of Grant and has done much to beautify and improve the place. Xot long ago she caused to be erected there a new seven-room house of modern construction and is ver\- pleasantly and comfortably situated. Miss Deweese completed her schooling in Illinois ("ollege at Jacksonville, Illinois, and at the Nebraska State Universit} and has traveled extensively. During her college days she was an active member of the Delta Gamma. Sorority and continues to retain an earnest interest in the affairs of that organization of college women. She is a member oi the Christian church and a member of the local Kensington Club, and takes a warm interest in church and club work and in the general religicnis. social and cultural activities of the community in which she lives, helpful in manv ways in promoting such agencies as are designed to advance the coninidu welfare thereabout.

The business of fruit growing is both a profitable and pleasant one to those who like the outdoors and are willing to he vigilant and persevering. Une of the best-known horticulturists of Richardson county is Napoleon De.Mers of near b'alls City. He was born in Quebec, Canada, October 28. iSCjO. and is a son of Frank and Edwidge ( I.avigne) DeMers. The father was a native of Canada, where he grew up and was married, removing to I'all Ri\er, Massachusetts, about 1872. He was a baker by trade and there conducted a large bakery, keeping five or six delivery . wagons. He returned to Canada about 1878 for the purpose of schooling his children. Iklater came to Jefferson county. South Dakota, where his death occurred about 1903, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. His wife also was a native of Canada; her death occurring in Minneapolis, Minnesota, about 1908, at the age of sixty-six. Twelve chiklren were born to Frank Dealers, and wife, nine of whom grew to maturity, and five of ihem are living at this writing, namely: I'hilip, a homesteader in Montana; ^disael. who lives in Canada: Raphael, in North Dakota; Airs. X'irginia Garon, in Big Lake, Minnesota, and Napoleon, of this sketch.

X.-ipuleoii DfMers received his education in the parochial schools and tlie Br()therhot)d C^dlege. with his brother, Raphael. He learned the barl.er's trade at St. Hyacinthe. Canada, where he worked two years, then went 1(1 Richmond, Canada, where he assisted his father in his bakery for tliree years. His parents then moved to Sioux City, Iowa, where he worked at the barber trade awhile, later owned a shop at Elk Point, South Dakota, but returned to Sioux City, Iowa, in 1876, where he remained until 1880, when he sold his shop there and came to Falls City, Nebraska, and started a barl)er shop, which he conducted with his usual success until 1908, wlien he turned his attention exclusively to his farm, to which he had moved in 1904, but had continued operating his shop. He owns thirty-three acres in balls Cit\ precinct, eight acres being in orchard and the balance in alfalfa and general farm crops. He also keeps a "large number of hives of liees. He set lint all his trees and has a fine assortment, his excellent apples finding a \ ery read}- market owing to their superior quality. He also deals in liiiultry. specializing in the Rhode Island Red single-comb chickens and he lias Iniiit u]) (|uite a demand for them. He has made many important ini- ])i(i\enienls on his place, costing in all about five thousand dollars. Nothing but cornstalks could be seen on the land when he purchased it in 1900. He lias a comfortable modern home and numerous convenient outbuildings. He has l)een a diligent student of government bulletins and of the best books ijv experts on orcharding, poultry raising and bee culture and has therefore become well informed in all these lines, making a pronounced success of each.

Air. IJeAIers was married on April 28, 1886, to Emma Downs, who wa.^ born bniuar\- 17, i860, at Glenwood, Iowa. She is a daughter of Benjamin S. and Catherine ( Goben) Downs, natives of Virginia, where they spent their earlier years. After living in Iowa for some time they came to Richardson county, Nebraska, in the early days and here became very comfortably established through their industry. Benjamin S. Downs was born in 1818, was reared on a farm in Virginia, w-ent, when a young man. U) Ohio, where he was married, at the town of Alt. \^ernon. He subse- <|uentl\- brought his family to Alills county, Iowa, where he engaged in the milling business. In 1871 he moved to Falls City, Nebraska, and leased the Falls mills, which are no longer in operation. He continued in the flourmilling l)usiness until his death, which occurred in 1877. His wife was born in the Old Dominion in 1829 and her death occurred in 1913.

Xcliraska, after vvhicli she taught school for some time in Humboldt, Richrirdson county, and later in Fresno, California; she is now the wife of H. C. lames and they live in ]\Iodesto, California; Edith, the second child, was tjraduated from Falls City high school and the Peru State Normal, later leaching school for some time in Falls City and Richardson county, but is now living at home; Mary, third child in order of birth, was graduated from tlie' Falls City high scliool after which she followed teaching until her marriage to Guv Stump, a farmer of near Falls City. Ruth, youngest of the lamilv. also recei\eil a good education and is now engaged in teaching in district school No. Si.

Politically, Mr. Del\(ers is a Republican. He has long taken an active interest in public affairs, and while living in h'alls City was a member of the city council. Fraternally, he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Royal Highlanders, being a charter member of the last named li^dge in !*'alls City. He holds mtmliershi]) in the Catholic church, in the faith of which he was reared.

Barney Mullen, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of the northern part of Richardson county, an honored veteran of the Civil War and one of the real pioneers of this county, is a native of the old Buckeye state, born in the vicinity of Urbana, in Champaign county, Ohio, December 22, 1836, a son of John and Sarah F. Mullen, natives of Pennsylvania, and the parents of three children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, and the only present survivor, the others ha\ing been James, who died in California, and Mrs. Maggie Higgins, also deceased.

Bereft of his parents 1)y death in his early childhood, Barney ]\lullen was taken in charge b\- a neighbor, Mr. Jones, and at the early age of ten \cars practically began to take care of himself, working on a farm. He received a common-school education in Ohio and in 1856, when about tweiity \ears of age. went to Illinois, where-he liegan working on a farm for a farmer of the name of Beggs. in the immediate vicinity of Ashland, in Cass countv, that state. In i860, while working there, ]\Ir. Mullen purchased from Billy Goodpasture, who had been out here in the then Territory of Nel)raska, the pre-emption right to a quarter of a section of land in Porter precinct, this county, and he came out here and entered upon possession of the same. A log cabin had been erected on the place, the farm being about six miles west of the present village of Stella, and he established his quarters there and started in to break the land and improve his place, farming with a team of oxen. When the Civil War broke out Mr. Mullen returned to Illinois and at Virginia, in Cass county, that state, enlisted on September 3, 1861, as a private in Company C, Sixth Illinois Cavalry, and with that command served until some time after the close of the war. receiving his discharge at Nashville, Tennessee, December 16, 1865. During this period of service Mr. Mullen was a participant in some of the most strenuous engagements of the war, including the battle of Nashville, the siege of Ft. Hudson, at the mouth of the Red river, and was a participant in the expedition from LaGrange, Tennessee, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and in numerous other engagements and skirmishes, the Sixth Illinois Cavalry ever giving a good account of itself.

Upon the completion of his military service Barney Mullen returned to his farm in this county and resumed here the pursuits of peace, presently getting his place under cultivation and in such a state of general improvement that he considered it fitting to ask some one to share the place with iiim and in December. 1868. he was married and established his permanent home. It was not long until Mr. Mullen found himself prospering and as he prospered lie added to his holdings until now he is the (jwner of ten hundred and eighty acres of excellent land including a half section over in the neighboring counl\- of Pawnee, l-'rom the very beginning of his operations here Mr. Mullen gave considerable attention to the raising of cattle and hogs and has for many years done a large business in live stock. As a contrast between conditions in the early days of his stock raising and those that obtain today, he recalls that in his early days out here on the plains he sold corn for ten cents a bushel and hogs for three dollars a hundred at the tiien nearest market, Brownvillc. and thought he was getting a fair price for his products. On April it. iqi". he sold a carload of hogs on the St. |<iseph market for sixteen dollars and ten cents a hundred. I\lr. Mullen is a Ivepublican and has ser\ed his communit\- in a public capacity as a school director and in other minor local offices. He is a Mason of more than forty years standing, having been a charter member of the local lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons at Humboldt, and is a charter member of the Nebraska ]Masonic \"eterans' Association at Omaha. He helped to organize the old Farmers and Merchants Bank of Humboldt and was a (64) iiienii)er of the board of directors of the same until it ceased to do business. On December 8, 1868, Barney Mullen was united in marriage to Susan M. Hays, who was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, September _', 1847,. and who was but ten years of age when her parents, George L. and Julia (Ambrose) Hays, also natives of Pennsylvania, came to the then Territory of Nebraska from Taylor county, Iowa, and settled on a pioneer farm one mile south of the present village of Stella, among the ver}- earliest settlers ni the northern part of Richardson county, where they spent the remainder of their li\t.s, earnest pioneers and useful and influential residents of that section. To .Mr. and Mrs. [Mullen three children have been born, James L., w Iio is now engaged in the lumlier business at Shreveport, Louisiana: bVank. deceased, and Benjamin G., who is looking after the management of the old home place.

Austin Grant Shueert

Austin Grant Shubert. a well-known dealer in real estate, insurance and farm loans and the owner of a fine stock farm northeast of that city, is a native son of Nebraska and has lived in this state all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm just over the line in Nemaha county, in the immediate vicinity of the present village of Shul)ert, .\pril 12. 1879, ^"d last-born of the seven living children of Henry W. and Mary E. (Griffin) Shubert, pioneers of that section and further and fitting mention of whom is made in a memorial sketch relating to the late Henry \\'. Shubert, presented elsewhere in this volume, wlierein is set out at some length something of the genealogy of the Shuberts and of the history of that prominent pioneer family in this part of Nebraska. IJenry \\'. Shuliert, a Kentuckian, came to Nebraska from Illinois in 1865 and settled in the neighborhood of what is now the thrixing- village of Shubert, that village having been established on his land when the railroad was built through that section. Fle jjecame an extensive landowner in that section and as a meml)er of the Lincoln Land Company took a ])roniinent part in the early development of this part of the slate.

Reared at Shubert, Austin C^i. Shul:iert grew to manhood well trained in the ditilcult \ocation of farming, fruit growing and stock raising and to the latter jjhase of farming gave his close attention from the days of his vouth. .\ustin Grant Shubert was ileprived of a complete education on account Lit poor eyesight when a I)oy, \t the age of fifteen years he accompanied his father on several extensive tours of the United States, the experience of which he treasures to this dixy. Among these is six months spent in the Southern states, mostly in southern Arkansas; also one year spent in California. These travels were made at the age when he, to use his own expression, was full of "pep". He had a great many experiences which at that time were amusing, but in later years found to be useful in his deahngs with the world ;it large. A practical knowledge taught by experience gained b\- working at odd jobs in all classes of employment and business, has been of great assistance to him in his negotiations with different classes. He returned- with his father to Xeniaha, Nebraska, about 1895 '^^^ being the eldest of two boys, he was then the main assistance to his father in developing the fruit business. He was the operator of the first spraying done and the first barreling and packing of apples in Nebraska, under the supervision of his father.

In the i)lanting of the extensive orchards by H. W. Shubert, Austin G. Shubert took a very "active part from the beginning. At that time he was too }-oung to do much manual labor, but was just large enough to drive a team and haul the trees from the nursery. These trips were made daih during the planting season, to what was regarded at that time as a prominent nursery located eight miles away. This sketch is given to show that Austin (t. Shuliert is certainly a pioneer fruit man of Nebraska.

I-ater, Mr. Shubert gradually developed a fine stock farm, making a specialty of registered Shorthorn cattle and Duroc- Jersey hogs. He has a well-improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres, five miles northeast of Falls City and though now giving the greater part of his attention to the extensive business he has developed in the city, continues to give his personal attention to his live-stock interests and still keeps fifteen or twenty of the finest Ijrodd sows in the state of Xebraska. A recent newspaper story relating t<i ]Mr. Siiubert, and which is riclily indicative of his business activity and hustling methods, fits in Aery aptly in this connection, as follows: "j\fr. Shubert rises early and goes t<i his farm and back before Falls City is ready for business. For instance, a few days ago, it is learned that this man went out to his farm and got back and made a trade with a man from out of town before the laisiness places were ready to do business. His quick decision and short interviews win men of decision and business acumen. He is a minute man. lie can tell you immediately what is what. There is nothing in him of the long-drawn-out drone of the scheming, tricky 'trader. He is open and aboveboard with any liusiness proposition that would be approved by any good business man in the county. He has worked up-stream and this has developed strength and energy. He seems not to be one of the cheap kind (if men that occasionally brag about their business success. Although he has a record of selling more farms than any other Falls City real-estate agent, he never advertises it. Some men are always anxious to let the newspapers known their Inisiness of selling a farm ; this man never." It was on December I, 191 5, that Mr. Shul^ert bought out a somewhat run-down real-estate business at Falls City and he has had phenomenal success in that line, in connection with which he also does an extensive business in insurance and farm loans, and is regarded as one of the real "live wires" in local business circles. On December 15, 1901, Austin G. Shubert was united in marriage to ( ;race P. Couer, who also was born in Nemaha county, daughter of Lucian Couer and wife, pioneers of that county, and to this union two children have l)een born, Inna May and Moras Lvndle. Mr. and Mrs. Shubert are memijer's of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran cluu-cli and take an earnest interest in cliurch work and in the general good works of the community. !\Ir. Shubert is a Republican and for eleven years during his residence on the farm was committeeman for the precinct of East Muddy. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and both he and his wife are members iif the Daughters of Rebekah, and he also is affiliated with the local lodges (if the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World and the Knights and Ladies of Security, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm interest.

Frank A. Hebenstreit

1-rank A. Heljenstreit, of the law lirm of Phillips & Hebenstreit at lalls City and one of the best-known and most energetic young lawyers in Richardson county, is a native of Wisconsin, Ijut has been a resident of Nebraska ever since he tlnished his college work and entered upon the practice of his profession, having been located at Omaha for some time ])revious to taking up his residence in Falls Cit\. He was born at Shullsliurg, V.'isconsin, April 12, 1891, son of Andrew and Catherine (McCarten) Hebenstreit, the former of whom was born at that same place and the latter at Kendall, Wisconsin, and who are still making their home at Shulk-^burg.

Andrew Hebenstreit was born in 1863, a son of Vitus Hebenstreit and wife, who came to this country from Prussia in 1862 and settled in Shullsliurg, Wisconsin, where \'itus Hebenstreit l^ecame employed in the lead mines, later becoming engaged in the barber business, and where he and his wife reared their family and spent the rest of their lives. Andrew Hebenstreit grew to manhood there and for a time followed his father's vocation as a barber, but later became engaged in the banking business and was actively connected with the Farmers and Merchants Bank of ShuUsl)urg until his retirement from active business, though he still continues a meml)er of the board of directors of that bank. He married Catherine McCarten, who was born at Kendall, Wisconsin, in 1869, and who also is still living, and to that union were born three children, the subject of this sketch ha\-ing two brothers, an elder, Anton Hebenstreit, a civil engineer, now residing at Toledo, Iowa, and a younger brother, Austin, now a medical student at Creighton Uni\-ersity.

Upon completing the course in the public schools of his native town, Shullsburg, Frank .\. Hebenstreit, in 1910, entered tlie Universit}' of Wisconsin and after a two-years' course there entered the law department of Creigiiton University in 1912 and was graduated from that institution in 1915, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. In that same year he opened an office for the practice of his profession at Omaha and was there thus engaged for eight months, or until January i, 19 16, when he formed his present partnership with Clifford F. Phillips and has since been engaged in practice at Falls City, under the firm style of Phillips & Hebenstreit, which tirm has an excellent and rapidly growing practice, both young men having created a distinctl\- favorable impression upon the community during the comparatively short time they have resided here. Mr. Hebenstreit is a Democrat and since taking up his residence in FaHs City has given his thoughtful attention to local civic affairs. During the campaign of 1916 lie served as the chairman of the Falls City Wilson Club and in that connection did some excellent work in behalf of his party. He and his wife are earnest members of the Catholic church and take an interested part in parish affairs, as well as in the general social and cultural activities of their home town. Air. Hebenstreit is affiliated with the local council of the Knights of Columlaus, with the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of l^'lks, with the Knights and Ladies of Security and collegefraternity. Delta Theta Phi, and in the affairs of all these organizations takes a warm interest.

On February i, 191 7, at Omaha, Frank A. Hebenstreit was united in marriage to Irene Helen O'Neill, daughter of John and Margaret O'Neill, of that city. Concerning that happy nuptial event the Omaha Bee had the following to say: "The marriage of Aliss Irene O'Neill, daughter of A'Ir.

aii.l Mrs. John O'W-ill. t.> Mr. F. A. Hchenstreit, of Falls City, Nebraska, son of ;\Ir. and Ah>. \nilre\v Hebenstreit, of Shullsburg, Wisconsin, was solemnized on Tbursday morning at seven o'clock at Sacred Heart church, the Rev. Father Judge officiating. Miss JNIargaret O'Neill, sister of the bride, was maid of honor, and the groom's brother, Mr. Austin Heljenstreit, of Shullsburg, Wisconsin, acted as best man. The out-of-town guests were as follows : Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Hebenstreit and Mr. Austin Hebenstreit, of Shullsburg, Wisconsin; _Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Dalton and daughters, Margaret and Mary, of Washington, Nebraska, and Mr. T. A. Fahey, of Fremont, Nebraska. The couple left for a honeymoon trip and will be at home after March i at Falls City, Nebraska."

James R. Wilhite

Judge James R. Wilhite, an honored veteran of the Civil War, former judge of the court of Richardson county, former police judge and former city attorney of F'alls City and a practicing attorney in that city since his admission to the bar in 1877. is a native of Illinois, but has been a resident of Nebraska since 1865, having settled here almost immediately upon the completion of his militar\- service at the close of the war. He, was born on a farm in Morgan count}-, Illinois, March 21, 1845, son of George Washington and Nancy (Wilhite) Wilhite, natives of Kentucky, the former of whom was a son of Humphre\- A\'ilhite, a native X'irginian and of Bavarian descent. George W. aud Nancy Wilhite were the parents of six sons and two daughters, the subject of this sketch having hail a brother, William T. Wilhite, who came to Nebraska in i860 and later went to the Pacific coast, where he spent his last days, his death occurring at Los Angeles, California, on January 29, 1914. It was in October, 1831, that Geoi'ge W. Wilhite moved from Kentucky to Illinois. Pie settled on a farm in Morgan county, that state, and there remained until 1886, when he and his wife moved to Wichita, Kansas, where the latter died in September, 1888, in the seventieth year of her age. George A\'. U'ilhite later made his home at Falls City, where his last da\s were spent, his death occurring there on July 8, 1903, he then being just past ninet} \ears of age, he having been born on Januarj^ 18, 1813.

Reared nn tlie home farm in Illinois, James R. Wilhite received his" early schooling in the schools df that neighborhood and from the days of his boyhood was a \alued aid to his father in the labors of developing and impro\ino- the farm. Though liut sixteen years of age when the Civil ^^'ar broke out, he enHsted. in April, 1861, for service in Company E, Fourteenth Regiment, Illinois \'(ilunteer Infantry, and with that command served until his discharge, .\])ril 23, 1864, on a physician's certificate of disability, two serious wounds recei\ed in the battle of the Hatchie River having incapacitated him from further ser\ice. During that period of service Judge Wilhite participated in simie of the most stirring engagements of the war, having been present with iiis regiment at the battles at Ft. Donelson, at Shiloh and at Corinth, besides numerous minor skirmishes and engagements. At the notable battle of the Hatchie -River, Mississippi, in which more than forty thousand men were engaged, he was wounded in the left arm and in the thigh, injuries which left him practically incapacitated in a physical way for two \ears thereafter. Nine months after receiving these wounds he received his final discharge and returned home to recuperate.

Upon regaining something of his normal strength, James R. Wilhite came out to the then Territory of Nebraska, landing at Brownville on August 27, 1865, and at Nebraska City, in the neighboring county of Otoe, obtained a job as a "bullwhacker" on the Denver trail and was thus engaged until the fullowing January, during which time he became familiar with the life of the plains and had many interesting experiences. Determining to make his permanent home in Nebraska he then settled in this county, purchasing a tract of land in the precinct of Porter, where he began farming and where he remained until in .Ma\-, 1S73, when he left the farm and located in Falls City, where he ever since has made his home, a period of more than forty-four \ears. During the time spent on the farm Judge Wilhite had not been neglecting the studies that had been broken off when he entered the army as a 1jo\- and he presently turiied his attention seriously to the study of the law. Upon locating at Falls City he continued his law studies in a more systematic fashion and in 1877 was admitted to the bar, and opened an office there for the practice of his profession. In that same year he was elected justice of the peace in and for Falls City precinct and served in that important magisterial capacity for two years, serving also as police judge during that same period. In November, 1879, he was elected judge of the county court and served for fnur )ears in tliat ca]iacit\', afterward serving two other terms of four years each in that same capacity, these latter periods of service covering the years 1892-96 and 1902-06. In 1910 Judge Wilhite was appointed city attorney of Falls City and in that capacity served for one year. The Judge is an ardent Republican and for years has been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this county.

In October. i8y8, Judge James R. Wilhite was united in marriage tn Mrs. .Sarah K. (Crook) Schoenheit, who was born in Tennessee on Mardi _', 1849, ''"<^1 ^\li*J ^\'^s '^"t six years of age when she came to Nebraska with her parents, Jesse Crook and wife, and settled in Richardson county, the L'rooks. who arrived here on April 17, 1855, being the third family to settle in this county. Jesse Crook entered a tract of land at a point one and onelialf miles north of what later came to be the county seat of Richardson county and there established his home, becoming one of the suljstantial pioneer farmers of this count)-. Sarah E. Crook grew to womanhood on that pioneer farm and married Augustus Schoenheit, a former prominent attorney at b'alls Cit\ , who .died, leaving his widow and three sons, now deceased, and a tlaughter, Mrs. Sallie McKee, the latter of whom is now living in Colorado. Judge and Mrs. Wilhite have a jjleasant home at Falls City and have ever taken an interested part in the general social and cultural acti\- ities of their home town. Judge Wilhite is a member of the Christian church and Mrs. Wilhite is an Episcopalian. The Judge is a charter member of the local post of the grand Army of the Republic and has for years taken an earnest interest in the affairs of that patriotic organization.

William I'Raxklin Butler

William I'ranklin Cutler, a well-known merchant at Barada and a substan.tial landowner in the precinct of that name, is a native of Illinois, but has l>een a resident of this comity since he was twenty years of age, having come here with his parents in 1871). He was born in a village in Vermillion count}-, Illinois. Decemljcr 8. iS^r,, son of Epliraim P. and Minerxa J. (McCarthy) Butler, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Illinois, who became pioneers of Richardson county and here spent their last days.

l'4)hraim 1'. Butler was born on September 2, 183 1, and was but three years of age when his parents, Asa and Catherine (Porter) Butler, moved from Kentuck\ in 1834 and settled in Illinois, where they spent the remainder of their lixes As;i Butler \vas born in \'irginia in 1806 and his wife also was born in the Old Dominion, in that section of the state now comprised in West \ irginia. in 1805. L^jon moving to Illinois Asa Butler pre-empted a tract of lantl in F.dgar conntv, but later moved to \'ermillion countv. In addition to being a practical farmer he was a skilled blacksmith and operated a pioneer blacksmith shop and also made wagons. He died in November, J 876, and his widow survived him more than twenty years, her death occurring in 1S98. The}- were the parents of nine children, of whom Ephraini 1'. was the first-born, the others being as follow: William F., deceased; .Mrs. Ellen .Vdams, a widow, of Georgetown, Illinois; Elizal>eth, deceased; Walker T., of Sidell, Illinois; Samuel F., of Georgetown, Illinois; Catherine, deceased; Rosa, deceased, and one who died in infancy. Ephraim P. Butler was early trained by his father to the trade of wagon-maker and followed th;it trade all his life, working at it long after he came to this county. On June 22, 1858, in Carthage. Missouri, he married JMinerva J. McCarthy, who was burn in Edgar county, Ilhnois, April 2.4, 1837, a daughter of EHjah -McCarly, who moved to Missouri in 1857 and died in that state in "the following year, .\fter liis marriage Ephraim P. Butler continued to make his home in Illinois until 1879, \vhen he came with his family to Nebraska and settled, at l'~alls Cit\ , moving thence a year later to Barada, where he estab- Hslied himself as a wagon-maker. Though starting in a small way he prtsentl)' began doing a good business and as he prospered invested in land and became the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and sixty acres in ihe jjreciiict of Barada. He died on May J3, 1904, and his widow survived for a little less than three years, her death occurring in March, 1907. riiey were memljers of the Baptist church and their children were reared in that faith. There were four of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being Elmer E., of Heljron, Nebraska; .\ddah. wife of Charles Martin, a landowner in section 10 of the [)recinct of Barada, and Clellie, wife of M. AI. Hendricks, als<j a landowner in Barada precinct.

As noted above, \\ iliiam V. Butler was about twent\- \ears of age when he came to this county with his parents in 1879 and he worked on his father's farm until after his marriage in 1883, when he rented a farm and began farming on his own account. In 1898 he bought a farm in section 19 of Barada precinct and set about improving and developing the same, onlv ai)out fort)- acres of tiie place having been improved when he took possession. Among these improvements made by Mr. Butler was the setting out of an orchard of ten acres. In 1908 Mr. Butler retired from the farm and moved to Barada, where he bought the Lloyd Mitchell store and has since been engaged in Imsiness at that place. In 1910 he built his present sulilOlS KlCflAKDSON COVNT^', XEBKASKA.

stanlial store Imildin.t;" and is doing an extensive business, his store being well stocked and conducted along up-to-date lines. Mr. Butler still owns his farm of two hundred and fifty acres in the neighborhood of Barada and is recognized as one of the substantial citizens of that part of the countv. He is a Republican and gives his earnest attention to local political affairs.

On March 15, T883, ^^'ilIiam F. Butler was united in marriage to Ella Underwood, who also was born in \'ennillion county, Illinois, December 16, TS63, daughter of Harrison S. and Klizalieth (Gebhard) Underwood, the former of whom \\as l)orn in X'irginia, a son of John and Drusilla Underwood, of \''irginia. wlici was one of the organizers of Vermillion county, Illinois. Achilles Morgan, her great-grandfather, settled in Vermillion county in 1822, and the latter in Illinois, and to this union six children have l)een born, namely: .\sa J-"... who was graduated from die Nebraska State Normal School at Peru and is now teaching at Hmitley, this state, married T'earl ]\Iorgan at .Minden, September 18, 1007. She died at Huntley. Nebraska, April 2t,. 1017, leaving five children. Norvall, Joy, .\sa E.. Ivan M.. and Nellie Irene : Kittie, who married Guy Sailors, a clerk in the store at Barada, and has two children, Howard and Lois; Lela, wife of Doctor Dloomenkamp, of Barada, and has one child, William Lawrence; Harley D., married August 11, 1915, to Helen Bolejack, who is farming, and Nellie and Emma, at home. Mr. ;md Mrs. Butler are memljers of the United Evangelical church and have ever taken a proper interest in church work and other neighborhood good works. Mr. Butler is a member of the local lodges of the .\ncient Order of United V.drkmen and of the Woodmen of the World and takes a warm interest in the affairs of these organizations.

The Underwood family had its beginning in America with the coming ti) this country from England of William Underwood, who became a colimist in 1637. His .son, William Underwood, settled in Virginia in 1680, and it is from that line that Harrison S. Underwood was descended. Harrison S. Underwood, son of John and Drusilla Underwood, was born on .August 25, 1832, and died on January 22, 1870. His wife, Elizabeth, was horn on August 25, 1837, and died on July 3, 1898. They were the parents (1I three children, Mrs. Butler having a sister, Mrs. Emily A. Williams, who was li(irn on FelM-uarv 15, 1858, and who is now living at Bloomington, Illinois, and a brother, Lincoln A. Underwood, born on May 6, i860, who is now living at San Francisco, California. I\Irs. Butler also is descended. on the maternal side, from the old colonial \'irginia family of Morgans.

Ernest S. Fergus

A careful and enterprising farmer of I'orter precinct, Richardson county, is Ernest S. Fergus, who was; born in that vicinity, on a farm three and nne-half miles southeast of his present home, July 11,-1872. He is a s6n of James Corwin and Frances (Forgey) Fergus. The father was born in 1846 and died on February 13, 1905; the mother was Ixjrn in 1841 and died on March 9, 1906. These parents grew to maturity in Ohio, where they were married. Shannon Fergus, the paternal grandfather, was an early settler in the old Buckeye state. James C. Fergus first came to Nebraska in 1869 ^"'1 selected a farm in section 29, Porter precinct. Richardson county, then returned to Ohio and married there in 1871. Returning with his family to Richardson county he applied himself closely to the management of his farm and prospered, in fact, he accumulated a fortune as the result of his rare ability in a business wa\-. He became the owner of one thousand two hundred and forty acres of good land, all in Richardson county, with the exception of three hundred and twenty acres in Pawnee county. He had the foresight to see a great future for the state of Nebraska and he invested all he had in land, which was cheap in those days. He farmed on an extensive scale- and handled live stock in large herds. He was one of the leading citizens of the county in his day. Politically, he was a Republican, and he belonged to the Presbyterian church. He served during the latter' part of the Civil War, having enlisted in 1864 in Company B, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Ohio \'olunteer Infantry, serving until the close of hostilities in the Army of the Potomac. He fought in the battles around Richmond, Virginia.

Ernest S. Fergus was reared on his father's farm, where he was an apt pupil under his able father in general agricultural affairs. He attended the public schools of his community and the Humboldt high school, after which he took up active farming-, remaining with his parents until he was twenty-four years of age; he then began life for himself. Most of his present farm was inherited from the estate; however, he has added one hundred and sixty acres, in section 24, Franklin precinct. The one hundred and sixty acres, his part of the homestead, lies in section 18. He moved to his present home in 1896. He has a commodious and attractive residence of ten rooms; he also has a large barn- and many other convenient outbuildings. He carries on general farming and stock raising and is very successful.

lield. who was born in York couiily, Xeljraska. She is a daughter of George and Carrie Butterfiekl, a well-known old family in Humlx)ldt, where thev still reside. The following children have been born to Ernest S. Fergus and wife, namely: Thelma, born on January 5, 1900, is now attending Humboldt high school, class of 1918; Mabel, April 22, 1902; Fern, July 18. 1913, and Ernest Harlan, January zt,. 19 16.

I'olitically, Mr. Fergus is a Republican but is not active in party affairs and he now votes independently. Fraternally, he belongs to the Modern A\^oodmen of America.

Daniel H. Wfber

Prof. Daniel H. Weber, .superintendent of schools for Richardson county, is a nati\e of the neighboring Sunflower state, but has Ijeen a resident of Nebraska since the davs of his childhood. He was Ijorn on a farm in Afarshall county, Kan.sas, Fel)ruary i-'. 1887, son of Daniel and Priscilla (Wolfgang) Weber, natives, respectively, of Germany and of Pennsylvania, the latter of Pennsylvania-German stock, born in i860, who are now living in Gage county, this state.

Daniel Weber, Sr., was liorn in 1854 and was fourteen years of age when he came to this country with his parents in 1868, the family tirst locating in Illinois, where they lived for two or three years and then, in the early seventies, moved to Kansas and settled in Marshall county, where they remained until 1889. when they came to this state and located in Gage county, where Daniel Weber, Sr., is now engaged in railroad work.

Daniel H. Weber \\as but two years of age when his parents moved from Kansas t)ver the line into Xel)raska and he grew to manhood in Gage county. From his earliest youth he was a diligent student and at the age of eighteen, in 1905. began teaching school at Barnston, in his home county, and was thus engaged at that place for three years, later teaching for two years in the vicinity of Beatrice, in the meantime continuing his studies in Wesleyan University at University Place, Lincoln, and at the Peru Normal School and was graduated from the latter institution in 1910. Before receiving his diploma he bad been called to the superintendency of the schools at Shubert, this county, and \\as there engaged in that capacity for five years, or until his election, in 1914, to the office of superintendent of schools of Richardson county. During his Hrst term of office in that incumbencv Profes.sor \\'eber ifave s^-) main- evidences of his fitness for the position that he was re-elected and is now serving his second term, continuing to give his most earnest and whole-hearted attention to the interests of the schools of the county. In his political affiliation Professor Weber is a Democrat and has ever given his thoughtful attention to civic affairs.

On December 25, 1912, Prof. Daniel H. Weber was united in marriage to Lillian Hiatt, of Shubert, a former teacher in the schools of this county and a daughter of J. A. Hiatt and wife, of Weeping Water. Professor and Mrs. Weber are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the local lodges of the Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Woodmen of the World and in the affairs of all of these several organizations takes a warm interest.

Joshua Bloom

Joshua Bloom, well-known and substantial farmer of Muddy precinct, this county, proprietor of a fine farm in section 22 of that precinct, a successful cattle breeder and treasurer of the Richardson County Mutual Insurance Company, is a native of the old Buckeye state, but has been a resident of Nebraska and of Richardson county since he was nineteen years of age, h;iving come here in 1884. He was born on a farm in Mahoning county, Ohio. May 17, 1865, son of Jacob and Clementine (Swartz) Bloom, who later came to Nebraska and settled in this county and further and fitting reference to whom is made elsewhere in this volume.

Reared on a farm in Ohio, Joshua Bloom early became a practical fanner and a self-reliant workman. Upon coming to this county in 1884 he began working in the neighlx)rhood of Falls City and later rented a tract of land north of \'erdon and began fanning on his own account. In the fall of 1894 he married and in 1902 bought the first "eighty" of his present farm in section 22 of the precinct of Muddy and proceeded to de- \el()p and improve the same, building a house and barn, setting out trees and Ijringing the place up to a high state of cultivation. Pie later bought ,'in additional "eighty" there and now he and his wife are the owners of a line place of two hundred and forty acres. They remodeled their house in i<)09 and are now very comfortably and very pleasantly situated. Mr. Illooni has made a specialty of the breeding of Shorthorn cattle and is doing very well. In addition to his farming operations he has al.'^o given attention lo general business affairs of the communitj' and for some time has been serving as treasurer of the Richardson County Mutual Insurance Company, in the affairs of which he takes an active intere"*.

(In Sei)tember 6. 1894, Joshua Bloom was united in marriage to Lillie -M. Weaver, who was born on a pioneer farm in the precinct of Muddy, this count)-, daughter of Jesse and Emma R. ( Kroh ) Weaver, natives of Pennsvlvania, who were married in Illinois and about 1874 came to Nebraska and settled in Richardson county, where their last days were spent. I\Ir. and Mrs. Bloom have two sons, Bernard and Myron, both of whom are at Imnie. Tlie\ are memljers ni the Christian church and take a proper interest in chnrcli work, as well as in the general good works and social activities of the community in which they live. Mr. Bloom is a Democrat and is now ser\ing as a memljer of the school board in district 16 and as overseer of road district No. 4. He is a memljer of the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Woodmen of the World, becoming a charter member, and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same.

Lester C. Wilson

The name of the kite Lester C Wilsun will long be remembered in Richardson county, for all those wlio knew him say he was an industrious and puWic-spirited citizen, who stood well among his neighbors and friends during his long residence in I'ranklin precinct. He was born on December 4, 1861, in Marion county, Iowa. He was a smi ui Lilierty and Kitty (Wilson) \\'ilson, natives of Illinois, from which state tliey moved to Iowa, where thev spent the rest of their lives.

Lester C. Wilson attended the public schools in Marion county, fowa, and remained in iiis native state until in 1880, when he came to Nebra.ska, and here he was married on h'ebruary 27, 1884, to lunma Shrader, who was born on July c). 1865, in l\ush county, Indiana. She is a daughter oi Henri- C. and .Martha M. (Overheiser) Shrader. Mr. Shrader was born on Januar\- 17, 1832, and died on January 14, 1907. His wife was born on April 17, 183-', and dieil on March 16, 1880. She was a daughter of George Overheiser, who was a son of John Casper antl .Mary (Near) Overheiser, who were parents of twenty-one children. George Overheiser was a grandson of Conrad and Mary ( Stor\ I Overheiser, and was born in O*sego county.

New York, August 21, 1804, and he died in Indiana in i86j. In 1826 lie married Elizabeth Storms, a daughter of Peter and Dorcas ( Ballard) Storms. She was a granddaughter of Thomas and Acenath Ballard. She was Ijorn on June 30, 1807, in New York state, and died in Indiana in i860. In 1838 he moved to Indiana, settling first in Fayette county; later moved to Hancock CduntN and finally to Blackford county, that state. His family consisted of tiiirteen children, namely: Belinda, born on December 18, 1827; John P., NoveniI)er y, 1828; Mary, July 26, 1830; Elvira. March 25, 1832; Martha M., April 17, 1833; Henry S., January 2, 1835; Alanson, June 2, 1836; Ann H.. March 16, 1838; Charles, February 15, 1840; Willard B., November i. 1841; (]eorge il., January 21, 1843: Sarah E., Alarch 6, 1845; Keturah, A])ril 20, 1847.

Henry C. Shrader went from Rush county, Indi;ina, to Rockport, Missouri, arriving there on March i, 1868. He crossed the river into Richardson county and l)ought fort_\- acres north of Rulo, and three miles east of Barada. and lived there seven years. In 1875 he moved two miles nearer Barada onto the prairie; then moved to Barada. He experienced the hardships of the three grasshopper years, from 1871 to 1873, inclusive, when his family nearly starved to death. He moved to Stella, Nebraska, in 1882. His family consisted of the following children : Ida, the wife of W. D. I-'lmore and they live in Nemaha township; Belle lives in Chicago: Harvey li\es at I^rcjken Arrow, Oklahoma; John also resides at Broken Arrow; Willanl and Alice are both deceased, and Mrs. \\'ilson.

After their marriage Le.ster C. \\'ils()n and wife settled in FrankHn precinct, Uichardson county, in 1884, at FrankHn Center, living on a farm there six years: then moved two miles east of that place, where they spent two years. In i8g2 they bought one hundred and twenty acres, half a mile north of the present Wilson homestead, and there Mr. Wilson made a number of impro\ements, remodeling the d\\elling house, dying soon thereafter, on December 28, 1899, at the age of thirty-seven years and twenty-four flays. After his death Mrs. Wilson moved to the town of Humboldt, where she spent three vears, sold (nit and bought a cheap tract of land in Butler count}-, Kansas, but not liking that country as a place to live, .she returned to Kichardsoii county in 1906 and bought her present farm of eighty acres in Franklin precinct, which place she has managed successfully. She has an attractive home and good outbuildings, and everything about the place shows thrift and good taste. She has a rich bottom land farm, well improved and under a high state of cultivation. Her only child. Opal P., is the wife of B. W.

I'dlitically, Lester C. Wilson was a Democrat. He belonged to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He was a member of the Methodist l'"piscnpai church, of whicli Mrs. Wilson is also a member.

Leopold Porr

There is a large element of foreign-born citizens in Richardson county, most of whom came here in pioneer days, with little or no capital. Here i.hey have found comfortable homes and have developed one of the fine agricultural sections of the West. Of this number the name of Leopold I'orr, fanner and stockman, of Speiser precinct, should be mentioned. He was born in the Rhine country of Bavaria, Germany, August 31, 1835. He is a son of Leopold and Elizabeth (Hoffman) Porr, and is the eldest of a family of four children, the names of the other three being, Katherine, who died in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1858; Charles, who died on December 16, 1 916, and Elizabeth, wife of Henry Lueck, of Jackson county, Kansas, and her death occurred on November 25, 1907. The father of the above named children was born in Germany in June, 181 1, and he was killed in a runaway in 1879. He grew up in his native land, married there and on March 7, 1857, he left his native land for America, and settled in Andrews county, Missouri, but three months later came to Richardson county, pre-empting one hundred and sixty acres, the present liome of the Porr family. The family made their l^rst trip to this farm from Missouri on foot, selected their future home, and moved their houseluild effects Iiere with an ox-team, which they also used to break up the prairie sod. Tiiey started in the usual pioneer manner, built a .small log cabin, twelve by fourteen feet, with a dirt floor, which the family lived in for two years, then the father built a larger one, which still stands. They worked hard and in due course of time had a good farm and a comfortable home. Their nearest markets were St. Joseph, Missouri, and P>ro\vnville, Nebraska, whither they hauled wheat, bacon and other products I if the farm, which were usually exchanged for wearing apparel. They received very low prices for their grain and meat and there was often no market for butter at any jirice, so they sometimes gave it away or dumped it into the Missouri river. On June t, 1857, Leopold Porr, Sr., took out his fust naturalization pajiers and in 1862 received his second papers. He worked hard, lived frugally and endured the hardships of frontier life as well as his neighbors. For some time he herded cattle on the plains. He did his farm work with oxen, having no horses. The nearest grist-mill was at Salem. He came near losing his life by drowning in the river, which had become swollen by rains while he was at the mill at Salem, accompanied by his brother.

Leopold Porr, Jr., subject of this sketch, grew to manhood in Germany and was educated there; he was twenty-one years old when he came to Richardson county. He was married on February 8, 1872, to Minnie Guyer, who was born on May 31, 1853, "ear Davenport, Iowa. She is a daughter of Jacob and Barbara (Zimmer) Guyer, natives of Germany, from which country they came to Richardson county, this state, in 1856.

To Mr. and Mrs. Porr six children were born, namely: Otto L., who lives near Sabetha, Kansas; Sophia, keeping house for her father; Henry, deceased; Ernest F., who lives in Speiser precinct, Richardson county; Frank R., operating the home place, and Alvin A., who lives on a farm in Speiser precinct.

Mr. Porr, of this sketch, has devoted his life to general farming and stock raising and he is owner of a well-improved and productive farm of four hundred and forty acres, in sections 15 and 16, Speiser precinct. He has always kept high-grade live stock, making a specialty of Hereford cattle. He has managed well and worked hard and has met with success all along the line. Politically, Mr. Porr is a Republican. He has been a member of the German Reformed church since 1849.

In 1862 Mr. Porr took a load of wheat to Leavenworth, Kansas, for the soldiers at the army post, making the trip with Ulrich Beutler, taking forty bushels for which they received ninety cents per bushel. The snow was so deep that they had to remain at Lancaster, Kansas, a few days before they could resume their journey, waiting for the snow to melt. They returned by the Kickapoo Indian reservation, and there they camped on account of the cold. Upon their return trip home they had hard work keeping from freezing to death. During the period of the Indian troubles in the West, Mr. Porr assisted in organizing a company for the protection of Richardson county. One morning he started out with Peter Stephen on a scouting expedition and encountered a party of over five hundred hostile red men, who gave chase. They finally surrounded him but did not harm him.

the old country, in the saiHng vessel that took fifty-six days to cross the Atlantic. The clock was made for Grandfather Porr; it is ten feet high and eighteen inches across. Although it is two hundred years old, it still keeps good time, and has been in constant use ever since it was made, and has had no attention by clock repairers.

David Kean

David Kean, one of Richardson county's well-known and substantial farmers and the proprietor of a fine farm of a quarter of a section in the Dawson neighborhood in the precinct of Grant, is a New Englander by birth, but has been a resident of this county ever since he was fourteen years of age, with the exception of two years during the time of the grasshopper plague back in the middle seventies, when the family was compelled to return East to await the return of normal conditions. He was born in the state of Connecticut on June 15, 1859, the eighth in order of birth of the ten children born to his parents, Thomas and Bridget Kean. natives of Ireland, and the former of whom died in Connecticut in 1869.

After the death of her husband the AMdow Kean maintained her home in Connecticut until 1873, when she disposed of her interests there and with six of her children, Thomas, James, Ellen, Elizabeth, Sarah and David, came to Nebraska and settled in this county. She bought a quarter of a section of raw prairie land in the precinct of Grant, this county, the place now occupied by the subject of this sketch, and there enlisted her home; but the next year, 1874, when the grasshoppers came and took everything in sight she returned to Connecticut with her family and remained there until 1877, by which time things out here were beginning to resume their normal aspect, when she returned here and resumed her place on the farm, the cultivation of which she successfully directed. Years afterward she went to California to make her home with her daughters, who meanwhile had gone to that state, and there she spent her last days, her death occurring in 1903, she then being in the eighty-second year of her age. Before her death her son, David Kean. bought from her the home place which meanwhile he had helped to develop into one of the best farms in that neighborhood and on which, after his marriage in 1883, he had established his home, and he ever since has resided there, he and his family being very comfortably and very pleasantly situated. The Kean place is situated just three miles northeast of the village of Dawson and Mr. Kean has created there one of the best farm plants in the east central part of the count}-. Mr. Kean also owns fifty acres a half mile east of Dawson. He is a Democrat and from the days of his boyhood has taken an interested part in the political affairs of his home county and has filled various precinct offices at one time and another.

On January 28, 1883, David Kean was united in marriage to Mary A. Fenton, of this county, who was born on October 5, 1863, in Virginia, a daughter of Jeremiah and Catherine (Callan) . Fenton, natives of Ireland, who came to this country in the fifties and settled in Connecticut, later moving to Virginia, where they were living when the Civil War broke out. Successfully resisting an attempt to force him into the Confederate army, Jeremiah Fenton escaped back to Connecticut and in 1867 came from that state to Nebraska and settled with his family on a farm in the precinct of Grant, in this county, early becoming recognized as among the most influential pioneers of that section. In 1878 he was elected a member of the state Legislature from this district and in other ways gave his service to the new commonwealth back in pioneer days. His brother, William Fenton, also served as a member of the Legislature from this district years ago. William T. Fenton, a brother of Mrs. Kean, is warden of the state penitentiary. Mr. and Mrs. Kean have twelve children, a family of which they are justly proud, namely: Bridget, who is keeping house for her bachelor brothers on their farm northwest of the old home place; Jeremiah, a farmer, in the neighborhood of his father's farm, whq is married awd has three children; Thomas F. and Joseph, who are farming the old Clancy farm, northwest of the home place; David, also a farmer, who is married and has one child; WiUiam £., who is farming with his brother, David, a mile and a half northeast of town ; Katie, who is at home ; Emmet, a farmer ; Hannah, at home, a teacher in the home district. No. 34; Mary, also a teacher, teaching the Arnokl school, district No. 24; Leo, at home, and John, who is attending school at Dawson. Thomas, David, Joseph, William and Emmet have all registered for service in behalf of their country in the great war.

The Keans are members of the Catholic church and have ever taken an earnest part in parish affairs, as well as in the general goc;d works of the neighborhood and in the general social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in many ways in advancing the common interest thereabout. Mr. Kean is a member of the local lodge of the Knights and Ladies of Security and in the affairs of that organization takes a warm interest. Mr. Kean is serving as vice-president of the local Red Cross chapter and has taken a very active part in the organization and raising of funds. Every member of his family has joined the Red Cross society.

John F. W'eddle, vice-president of the State Bank of Stella, a well-kiKnvn merchant of that thriving little city, a successful dealer in hardware and furniture there, and a well-to-do landowner, is a native son of Richardson county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm not far from the county line in the precinct of East Muddy on October 15, 1875, son of Lewis M. and Martha E. (Fleener) Weddle, natives of Indiana, who became early residents of this county and the latter of whom is still living here, one of the honored pioneers of Richardson county.

The late Lewis M. Weddle, an honored veteran of the Civil War and a former member of the board of county commissioners of Richardson countv, was 1x)rn in Indiana on October 6, 1843, and as a young man went to Illinois, where he engaged in farming and where he was living when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted his services in Wialf of the Union and not long after the completion of his military service came west with his family and settled at Nebraska City, remaining there until about 1873, when he came down into this part of the state and settled on a farm in section 15 of East Muddy precinct, this county, where he established his home and where he spent the remainder of his life, one of the most useful and influential pioneers of that part of the county. Lewis M. Weddle was a good farmer and as his affairs prospered he added to his holdings until he became a considerable landowner in the northern part of the county. He gave considerable attention to the raising of live stock and in the height of his efforts in that direction was accustomed to keeping seven hundred or eight hundred head of cattle on his place. Politically, he was a Democrat and but a few years before his death had served a term as a member of the board of county commissioners from his district. Fraternally, he was a member of the local lodges of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons at Nemaha City and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Woodmen of the World at Shubert, and in the affairs of these organizations took a warm interest. He was a member of the Christian church and took a proper interest in church work, as well as in the general good works of the community, and was helpful in advancing all movements designed to promote the common welfare hereabout. Lewis M. Weddle died on November 24, 1915, and Mrs. Weddle also is dead. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the seventh in order of birth, the others being as follow. William M.. a farmer and landowner in section 15 of East Muddy precinct, this county;

Selnioii, of Quincy, Illinois; Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Brisby, of East Muddy precinct ; Mrs. Allie Lewis, of Aspinwall township, in the neighboring county of Xemaha; James A., a farmer of the precinct of East Muddy; Mrs. Lenora Colglazier, of Falls City; Walter J., of Hemingford, this state; Oscar E., of East Muddy precinct ; Lawson W., now a resident of the state of Wyoming, and Mrs. Gertrude Harris, of East Muddy precinct.

Reared on the home farm in East Muddy precinct, John F. Weddle grew up there and from boyhood was familiar with pioneer conditions, his boyho(xl recollections preserving many interesting incidents of the early days in that part of the county. He received his schooling in the schools of district No. 84 and district No. 103 and from the days of his boyhood was a valued assistant in the labors of improving and developing the home place. \\hen eighteen years of age he began farming on his own account, renting a tract of ground from his father, and after his marriage in 1892 established his home on the farm, continuing to make that place his home until his retirement from the farm in 191 1 and removal to Stella, where he since has made his home and wliere he and his wife are very pleasantly situated. Upon moving to Stella Mr. Weddle bought the J. W. Vaught hardware and furniture store and has since been conducting the same, doing very well in his business venture, and has built up an extensive hardware business there. For some time Mr. Weddle had been a stockholder in the State Bank of Stella and in 19 16 was elected vice-president of the same, which position he still occupies. In addition to these holdings he is the owner of a well-kept farm of eighty acres in section 15 of East Muddy precinct,- a part of the old home place. Mr. Weddle is a Democrat and for four years during his life on the farm served as treasurer of his home precinct.

On November i, 1892, John F. Weddle was united in marriage to Effie M. Weaver, daughter of H. D. and Martha (Shafer) Weaver, natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and of Illinois, who became pioneers of Richardson county, the former of whom is now deceased and the latter of whom is still living, making her home at Stella, and to this union was born one child, a daughter, Ruby Fayette, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Weddle have a very pleasant home at Stella and take a proper part in the general social activities of their home town, helpful in promoting such agencies as are designed to advance the common welfare. Mr. Weddle is a Mason and a member of the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Modern Woodmen of America and in the affairs of these fraternal organizations takes a warm interest.

Clifford F. Phillips

Clifford F. Phillips, of the law firm of Phillips & Hebenstreit at Falls City, secretary of the famous Falls City Boosters' Club, secretary of the Republican central committee of Richardson county and one of the bestknown young lawyers in this part of the state, is a native son of Nebraska and has lived in this state all his life. He was bom at Beatrice on March 17, 1890, son of John Thomas and Mary Lillian (Tice) Phillips, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio, who are now living in Beatrice, where Mr. Phillips has a fine business.

. John Thomas Phillips, who was born in 1859, was fifteen years of age when he accompanied his parents from Virginia to Ohio and in the latter state he completed his schooling and grew to manhood, becoming an expert plasterer. There he married Mary Lillian Tice, who was born in Ohio ii) 1864, and in 1885 he and his wife came to Nebraska and located at Beatrict, where Mr. Phillips began working at his trade, presently becoming a general contractor in that line and has ever since been thus engaged there. He and his wife have three children, those besides the subject being another son, James Tice Phillips, who is the general auditor for the Oahu Railroad and Land Company at Honolulu, Hawaii, and a daughter, ]\Irs. Hazel Steinmeyer, of Beatrice.