Omaha City (part 5 of 26)

Mr. Lockner has never ceased to feel a deep interest in military affairs since he became a defender of the Union in the dark days of the Civil war. He was one of the originators of the first militia regiment of Nebraska, which was formed during the riots here, and he served as lieutenant of his company. He has been an exemplary representative of Masonry since 1874 and is now a member of St. John's Lodge of Omaha. He also became one of the charter members of the Nebraska Pioneers, of which he served as treasurer for six years, while in the year 19 14 he was the president. He likewise belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic and has filled all the chairs in Custer Post. He has taken an active interest in many projects which have worked for the development and upbuilding of the state. He was one of the men who organized the Volunteer Fire Department at Columbus, Nebraska, of which he became the chief, and while in Columbus he served for three terms as a member of the city council, during which time he was made chairman of the building committee that had charge of the construction of the waterworks there. In politics Mr. Lockner has ever been an earnest and active republican and in 1892 he was the successful candidate for the office of representative to the state legislature. He served as the chairman of committees and was the originator of a bill to assist Nebraska soldiers who served in the Indian wars. The purpose of this bill was to find those who had rendered such service, no record having been previously kept, and to recognize and pay them for the aid which they had given. It will thus be seen that in many connections Mr. Lockner has contributed to the development and progress of city and state since he arrived in Omaha more than a half century ago. His memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present and his reminiscences of the early days are most interesting.

Charles Dorsey Armstrong

Charles Dorsey /\rmstrong, engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Omaha, now operating under the name of the Armstrong- Walsh Company, was bom in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Jtine 24, 1876, and is a representative of an old Pennsylvania family. His grandfather, William Armstrong, was born in the Keystone state and in 1849 went with the rush to California following the discovery of gold upon the Pacific slope. There he passed away. The Armstrong family had been founded on this side the Atlantic in colonial days and one member of the family. General John Armstrong, gained distinction as a commander of Continental forces in the Revolutionary war. Charles Dorsey Armstrong, Sr., father of him whose name introduces this review, was born upon a farm in Jefferson county, Kentucky, in 1837 and was married in Jeffersonville, Indiana, to Miss Mary Ingram. He still makes his home in Jeffersonville, but his wife passed away in 1894. He was a soldier of the Civil war, enlisting in 1861, at which time he became a second lieutenant of the Second Kentucky V^olunteer Cavalry. He remained at the front throughout the period of hostilities and rose to the rank of colonel of his regiment. He participated in the engagements at Murfreesboro, Shilo, Corinth and Chickamauga and went on the Salt Works expedition to Virginia. He was then invalided and was placed in command of the district that included Louisville, Kentucky, where his military service ended. On several occasions he was slightly wounded.

Charles Dorsey Armstrong, of Omaha, received his education through instruction from his parents. Between the ages of fourteen and twenty-one years he was on a farm in Clark county, Indiana, and then went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he entered a real estate office. About 1898 he entered the advertising department of the Louisville Commercial and a year later accepted a position in the general office of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad at Louisville, Kentucky, there remaining for about a year. He next entered the field of railroad contracting in connection with an uncle and was so engaged for a year. In 1900 he removed to Kansas City, ]\Iissouri, where for a year he filled a position with the Cudahy Packing Company. Removing to Texarkana. Texas, he became storekeeper for the Kansas City Southern Railroad Company, but after three months the malaria forced him to return to the north and he came to Omaha, where he again entered the employ of the Cudahy Packing Company in the Omaha plant, having charge of the sales to hotels. A year and a half later he became connected with the real estate and insurance business of the D. V. Sholes Company and ultimately became a partner. Upon the incorporation of the business he was elected vice president and so continued until November i, 1910, when he with- drew from that connection and formed a partnership with Arthur H. Walsh of Lincohi in the real estate and insurance business under the name of the Armstrong-Walsh Company, lie is also the secretary and treasurer of The Rose Realty Company.

On the 20th of April. 1907, in San Jose, California, Mr. Armstrong was married to Miss Lida Cani])l)cU Lieb, a daughter of the Hon. Samuel Franklin Lieb, who served throughout the last year of the Civil war with an Ohio regiment and who had two brothers killed in the service. Judge Lieb can trace his ancestry back to the family of Ethan Allen, the intrepid commander of the "Green Mountain Boys" in the Revolutionary war.

Li his political views Mr. Armstrong is an earnest republican but not an office seeker. He belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and something of the nature of his recreation is indicated in the fact that he has membership with the Omaha Field Club and the Athletic Club of Omaha, He is also a member of the Commercial Club and is in hearty sympathy with the purposes of that organization relative to the upbuilding of the city, to the extension of its trade relations and to the advancement of its civic standards.

Joseph M. Metcalf

Joseph M. Metcalf, a typical American business man, keen, alert and active, was long prominently associated with the commercial development and progress of Omaha, where he took up his abode in January, 1881, and continued to reside until called to his final rest. He was born in Lewes, Delaware, in 1S55 and his life record covered the intervening period to the 25th of January, 1905, when he passed away. He lived in the east through the period of his early boyhood and in 1S70 accompanied an older brother and became a resident of Hamburg, Iowa. Another decade was passed in that state and in the spring of 1881 he arrived in Omaha. Here he became associated in 1882 with G. W. Lininger and H. P. Devalon in the conduct of an incorporated agricultural implement business which prospered from the beginning. From the incorporation until his death Mr. Metcalf remained as vice president of the company, the trade interests of which extended out into various sections of the state until they built up one of the largest enterprises of its kind in the west, with many branch houses.

Mr. Metcalf was united in marriage to Miss Anna Cornish, daughter of Colonel J. N. Cornish, and sister of Judge A. J. Cornish and E. J. Cornish. Mrs. Metcalf survives him and still resides in their home in Omaha. Mr. Metcalf traveled quite extensively in Europe and found both rest and recreation in so doing. He had a very wide acquaintance among manufacturers and merchants and his personal worth drew to him the warm regard of all with whom he was brought in contact, so that his death was widely mourned when he was called to the home beyond. He possessed a very genial disposition, always having a ready smile and kindly word for those who addressed him. Moreover, he was generous and tender-hearted and was constantly reaching out a helping hand to those who needed assistance.

David R. Buck

On the list of those who have contributed to the business development and subsequent upbuilding and prosperity of Omaha appears the name of David R. Buck, who became a resident of this state in 1864. He was born at Cabin Creek, in Randolph county, Indiana, December 14, 1842, and was therefore in the seventy-first year of his age when he passed away on the 28th of January, 1913.

A8Tor, Lenox And

His youthful days were largely spent in a frontier district and in 1864, when twenty-two years of age, he removed to Omaha from Fort Dodge, Iowa. For a few years thereafter he engaged in farming in Sarpy county, Nebraska, and then went upon the road as a traveling salesman for the Richmond Grocery Company of Council Bluffs, in which connection he spent several years in Nebraska and in Minnesota. On the expiration of that period he established business in Omaha as a real estate dealer and for twenty-eight years was engaged in buying, selling and improving property. Fie had great faith in the city and its development and he did not hesitate to make investments in Omaha realty. He operated in that field under the name of D. R. Buck & Son with offices for years in the Omaha National Bank building. He was also connected for a number of years with his brother-in-law. Captain David Wadsworth, in the conduct of a grocery business at Thirteenth and Jackson streets. His aft'airs were wisely and capably managed and indefatigable energy and close application led to his success.

In Omaha, May 5, 1887, Mr. Buck was married to Miss Olive D. Knapp. Her father Ethilbert Knapp, passed through Omaha in 1856 and went to North Platte, Nebraska, while subsec^uently he took up his abode upon a farm near Columbus, Nebraska, where he resided until about a year before his death, when he removed to Mitchell county, Kansas, and there died. To Mr. and Mrs. Buck was born a son, David E., who became his father's associate in business and is now his successor, occupying a prominent position in real estate circles in Omaha. He married Lydia Whistler.

Mr. Buck belonged to the Omaha Real Estate Exchange and enjoyed the high confidence, goodwill and warm regard of his colleagues and contemporaries in business. Fraternally he was connected with the Woodmen of the World and in politics he exercised his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the democratic party. Coming to eastern Nebraska in early manhood, he was thereafter more or less closely associated with its- business progress and lived to witness a remarkable change in Omaha as the pioneer settlement developed into a growing and prosperous western city.

Hon. Thomas Dorr Crane

Hon. Thomas Dorr Crane, whose personal popularity is indicated in the fact that when elected to the state legislature and to the senate of Nebraska he led his ticket, has long been a recognized force in republican circles and at the same time he has been active at the bar and in different business connections. A native of New Bedford, Massachusetts, he was yet a young lad when his parents, Charles S. C. and Lucy C. (Millard) Crane, removed to Ottawa, Illinois. His father was a native of Taunton, Massachusetts, but left New England to try his fortune in the middle west, continuing his residence at Ottawa until his death, which occurred in 1884. His widow afterward came to Omaha, where she passed away on the 17th of February, 1895.

Thomas Dorr Crane acquired his preliminary education in the public schools of Ottawa, Illinois, which was supplemented by an academic course in that city, and then determining upon the practice of law as a life work, he began reading in the office of Blanchard, Silver & Corwin of that city. He was admitted to the bar at Springfield, Illinois, upon examination before the supreme court of the state, as soon as he had attained his majority, and one of his classmates at his examination was the Hon. William J. Calhoun, later minister to China. Mr. Crane entered upon active practice in Ottawa, where he remained until the 17th of June, 1887, when he came to Omaha, where he has since continued in general practice, a very liberal clientage being accorded him. In addition to a large practice in Douglas county he has many outside interests that call him into the courts of almost every county of the state. His pleas are strong, his deductions logical and convincing and he is seldom, if ever, at fault in the application of a legal pniici])lo. 1 fe has an excellent command of English which rises at times to the point of eloquence, yet he never for a moment loses sight of the turning point in his case or allows it to become enshrouded in any sentimental garb or illusion. In addition to his large private practice Mr. Crane has extended his business connections into other lines, being now a director of the Bankers Savings & Loan Association, for which he is also attorney, having occupied that position for twenty years. He is also a director of the Fred M. Crane Company of Omaha, irrigation contractors, and is likewise interested in a number of other iinancial and industrial enterjirises in this city.

On the 30th of December, 1896, in Lincoln, Nebraska, Mr. Crane was united in marriage to Miss Margaret G. Baird, daughter of the late Captain Cyrus Newton Baird. They have one son, Roderic Baird, who was born on the 24th of December, 1898, and is now preparing for college at the Lawrenceville School at Lawrenceville, New Jersey, being a member of the class of 1917.

The family are Episcopalians in religious faith, holding membership in Trinity Cathedral. Well known in Masonic circles, Mr. Crane is a life member of Oriental Consistory, A. A. S. R., of Chicago, and is a charter member of Tangier Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Omaha. His political endorsement is given to the republican party, and while interested in questions of state and national importance, he has ever held his law practice as his first consideration. However, in the fall of 1892 he was elected by a majority of more than twentyfive hundred to represent his district in the state legislature, receiving more votes in Douglas county than any other condidate for any office, state or national, and in 1894 he was elected to the state senate, receiving fifteen hundred more votes than had been given him when he was elected to the house. His work in the general assembly was efl^ective and far-reaching. He served as chairman of the committee on miscellaneous corporations and while in the senate was also a member of the committees on judiciary, municipal aft'airs, claims, banks and currency, manufactures and commerce. Every vital question which came up for settlement received his earnest consideration and his endorsement of a measure usually drew to it a large following. He is a man of fine personal appearance, broad-minded and scholarly, and association with him means expansion and elevation.

Peter E. Iler

Peter E. Her, for a half century a resident of Omaha, is now living retired in the enjoyment of well earned rest and the comforts of life, which his former industry and business ability have brought to him. He was bom in Wooster, Ohio, February 10, 1840, a son of Conrad and Julia (Strine) Her, and spent his youthful days in the Buckeye state, where he acquired a common school education. In 1866 he sought the opportunities of the growing west and, disposing of his wholesale liquor business at Tiffin, Ohio, removed to Omaha, where he established a similar enterprise, continuing active along that line until 1910. He built the Willow Springs distillery, which he operated for a long period, or until he sold out to the trust. Into other fields of business he also extended his efforts, his cooperation being sought, for his sound judgment and enterprise were widely recognized. He was one of the promoters of the Omaha Stock Yards, serving as the first secretary of the company, m which position he continued for a number of years, and as such did much to promote the interests of the business at this point. Lie also became one of the organizers of the South Omaha Land Company, of which he was elected the first secretary, and in that position still continues. It was this company which built and developed all of South Omaha, now a most populous district. He also built the six story building on Howard street occupied by the Byrne & Hammer Dry Goods Company and which at the time of its erection in igoo was the finest business block of the city. Mr. Her was also one of the organizers of the Omaha Brick & Tile Company, of which he became the first president, still occupying- that position. He erected a building at No. 1 1 12 Harney street and built and owned the Her Grand Hotel, at one time a leading hostelry of Omaha. This he subsequently sold. He has been a member of the Omaha Board of Trade for years and served as its president in 1888. He has always been active in furthering the development of the city and has been a generous contributor to all plans and projects looking to its further growth, progress and improvement.

In Ohio, in 1863, Mr. Iler was married to Miss Mary Denzer, who died March 19, 1904. They were the parents of five children, of whom four are yet living: William E., of Omaha, who has one son, William E., Jr. ; May, now the widow of J. S. Weitzell, and a resident of Omaha; Edith, who is now Mrs. H. J. Edwards, of Newark, New Jersey, and has a daughter, Bess Iler ; and Bess, who is now Mrs. R. L. Hamilton, of Lincoln, Nebraska, and has three children, Jane Lee, Iler Ervin and Edith Susan.

Politically Mr. Iler is a republican, having long given unfaltering support to the principles of that party. Fraternally he is a Mason and he is identified with nearly all the clubs of the city. Five years ago he retired from active business to enjoy a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves, his attention now being given merely to the supervision of his investments, which have been so judiciously placed that they return to him a gratifying annual income.

George W. Johnston

George W. Johnston, modest and unassuming in proclaiming his own powers, is nevertheless recognized as one of the strong and capable business men of Omaha, where he is now widely known as president of the Mid-West Electric Company. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1868. His father, John William Johnston, was born in Canada in 1824 and in his boyhood swam the river to Detroit, Michigan. There he later married Sarah Jane Wood, a native of that city, whose parents, however, were natives of Scotland. He became one of the pioneer real estate men of Detroit and continued actively in that business throughout his remaining days, his death there occurring in 1872. His widow long survived him and passed away in 1897, ^^ the age of sixty-eight years.

George W. Johnston entered the public schools of Detroit, but at the age of fourteen his text books were put aside that he might provide for his own support and for six or seven years thereafter he was connected with the Detroit Free Press, becoming secretary to the business manager of that paper. He then became secretary and treasurer of the Delbridge, Brooks & Fisher Company, manufacturers of and dealers in lumber, sash, doors and blinds, and there remained for two years. He afterward removed to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1890 and was there secretary and treasurer of the Gate City Electric Company, so continuing for eighteen months, when he went to Chicago as store manager for the Central Electric Company, in which position he continued for a year. On the 1st of May, 1892, he came to Omaha and bought out the Midland Electric Company, which he reorganized as the Western Electrical Company, of which he became the president. IBusiness was conducted under that name until 1912, when the name was changed to the Mid- West Electric Company, Mr. Johnston remaining as president and directing the business, which is one of the most extensive and important in this line in Omaha. He has thoroughly acquainted himself with every phase of the electrical trade and he possesses, moreover, a spirit of undaunted enterprise and diligence. When business activities balance up with the principles of truth and honor, and there are added thereto the qualities of industry and persistency of purpose, the results are certain. In addition to his important connections in the electrical world he is interested in oil in Wyoming.

On the 19th of April, 1910, in Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Johnston was united in marriage to Miss Isabelle Mary French, daughter of Hon. John C. French. To them have been born three children, namely : Mary Alice, Georgette French and Sarah Jane. There is also another child by a former marriage, Florence Louise, now the wife of Reginald J. S. Pigott, of New York City.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnston are members of the Episcopal church. Politically he is a republican and he is identified with various fraternal organizations and clubs, being a York and Scottish Rite Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine, while in Bellevue Chapter, No. 7, R. A. M., he is a past high priest. He also has membership with the Elks, the Woodmen of the World and the Royal Arcanum, and in club circles is well known, being enrolled as a member of the Omaha, Happy Hollow, Omaha Field, Commercial and Rotary Clubs. Appreciative of the social amenities of life, he enjoys meeting with congenial friends of those organizations but concentrates his time and energies chiefly upon his business affairs. A trade journal devoted to electrical interests had this to say of him:

"With the keen intellect and Cjuick grasp of the situation, which has been the foundation of his success, he soon saw that Omaha was an ideal location for an electrical supply house, if conducted on a proper business basis. Instead of selling out the stock he bought it and servered his connection with his former employer, in spite of all inducements to the contrary. His high salary and all promises of making the compensation of his valuable services still higher had no attraction for Mr. Johnston, when he saw that he could serve a better purpose for the industrial field at large, as well as for himself, by going into business for himself. There are but few men who are as well fitted for and bound to make a success of an establishment of their own as Mr. Johnston, as he possesses all the essential qualifications of a manager, such as business acumen, promptness in all transactions, acquisition of the confidence of all with whom he deals, and a credit A-i. Hence he laid then and there the solid foundation upon which the Western Electrical Company of Omaha has been able to grow to be one of the leading electrical supply houses of the middle west, a benefit to the electrical trade of its territory and a pride to its founder. It was not always a bed of roses, but Mr. Johnston was able to put his shoulder to the wheel and push it over obstacles that to most men would have seemed unsurmountable, with only the one object in view : T will ; I must.' There are several secrets of this man's success : First, an unfailing memory; second, his pet motto, which is displayed all over his place of business in print, 'Do it now'; third, his ability to employ and associate with him men of professional knowledge and ability to carry out his orders in every detail. His first and only aim in business is his customer's welfare, and to carry out every business obligation he or his company assumes, whether such can be done at a profit or whether it necessitates pecuniary or other losses. *My word must be made good,' has sounded into the ears of many an employe of the Western Electrical Company from the manager's mouth, and it is 'made good' no matter what the sacrifice. Another secret of Mr. Johnston's success is his -high regard for a perfect system that binds all the small details of a large business into a perfect whole. He has a system for filing catalogues and like information so arranged that he can lay his hands on any item, no matter how small, in the shortest possible time and with the least amount of labor. The same refers to books, quotations, orders, letters mailed and received, shipments, etc. His punctuality in agreements and payments is still another reason for Mr. Johnston's success; his word is by all that know him considered as good as his note. T would rather pay bills than eat' is a statement of his that he has certainly proven correct. His accurate and complete system of bookkeeeping was tested in a competent manner shortly after January 4, 1902, when the XVestern Electrical Company was burned out, the fire starting in an adjoining printing office. The insurance adjusters, who are generally experts on bookkeeping, paid Mr. Johnston the greatest compliments on his bookkeeping and system, which was so complete and practically arranged that the loss, though almost total, was adjusted in a few hours. Though this fire came like a thunderbolt from a clear sky and seemed destined to undo in a few minutes what it had taken years of hard work to build up, it affected Mr. Johnston differently from the ordinary individual. He seemed to look at it as simply another test to show his mettle; with a bulldog tenacity and a sacrifice of both comfort and pleasure he stuck to it, and from the ashes of the past he wrought the triumph of the present. As an individual Mr. Johnston is as remarkable as he is as a business man. But few employes have ever left him without a feeling of love and respect, and as a friend they never have known a better or truer one. In spite of the fact that Mr. Johnston is 'business' and strictly business from the time he enters his office in the morning until he leaves it at night, which is sometimes not until eleven o'clock or after, he has come to realize what many a business man never learns, that he does not live solely to make money, but simply makes money to live. The weakest point in the manager of the Western Electrical Company is his big heart and anxiety for his fellowman's welfare - to help those that need it, is the only condition that makes it doubtful if the future shall ever see a rich man by the name of G. W. Johnston. Among the best citizens of his community, Mr. Johnston enjoys an enviable reputation; though his personal attention to his rapidly growing business has compelled him to give up many positions and offices of trust and honor, his advice is always sought by the various undertakings and orders of which he is still a member. Mr. Johnston has lately built a cozy home in the best residence part of the city. This silently admits two facts of which his many friends and the business interests of Omaha are justly proud, namely, that he has achieved the success he made his start for twenty-four years ago, and will remain a pillar for the upbuilding and prosperity of the community he has adopted as his home for the future."

Braddock Hill Dunham

Braddock Hill Dunham, attorney at law of Omaha, who has been engaged in general practice in this city since 191 2, was born on a farm in St. Lawrence county. New York, in 1863. His father, Peter C. Dunham, a native of the same county, was married in New York state to Prudence Hill and throughout the period of his residence in the east continued to engage in farming. In 1880 he removed westward, settling in Fremont, Nebraska, where he was connected with the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1888 he removed with his family to Omaha, where he departed this life in 1895, while the death of his wife occurred in 1908.

At the usual age Braddock H. Dunham became a pupil in the country schools of St. Lawrence county, New York, and afterward attended an academy at Canton, in that county, and also the St. Lawrence University at Canton. In 1882 he became a resident of Fremont, Nebraska, where he took up the profession of teaching, but turned to other professional activity as a life work. Lie studied law with the late W. H. Munger and in 1887 was admitted to the bar. In May, 1886, he became associated with the law department of the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad and also with the Sioux City & Pacific Railroad with headquarters at Fremont. In July, 1888, these corporations removed their headquarters to Omaha and Mr. Dunham removed to this city at that time, continuing with the law department of these companies and their successor, the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company, until October 4, 1912, when he resigned his position and entered upon general practice, in which he has since continued. He has a comprehensive knowledge of railroad and corporation law and his ability in that field is pronounced.

In Omaha, on the 23d of March, 1892, Mr. Dunham was united in marriage to Miss Lilhe Craven, a daughter of the late Samuel Craven, a native of Virginia. They have become the parents of two children, Helen and Llovvard.

Mr. Dunham belongs to the University and the Happy Hollow Clubs, thus expressing his appreciation of the social amenities of life. His political endorsement is given to the democratic party and at the present writing, in 1916, he is serving as United States referee in bankruptcy.

Willis C. Crosby

Willis C. Crosby, serving for the third term as county coroner of Douglas county, was born in Clarksville, Iowa, March 22, 1883, a son of Willis and Elizabeth (Cannon) Crosby, the former a native of Beloit, Wisconsin, born in 1858, and the latter a native of Newburgh, New York. In the year 1886 they removed to Omaha and Willis C. Crosby, then a little lad of but three summers, became a pupil in the city schools at the usual age. When his text books were put aside he began learning the printer's trade in a job office and was thus employed for about three years or until 1898, after which he worked for E. L. Dodder, an undertaker of Omaha, with whojn he continued until 1908. In the latter year he engaged in the undertaking business on his own account and in 1909 he was elected coroner of Douglas county, to which position he has been twice reelected, so that he is now serving for the third term in that office.

On the 17th of August, 1903, Mr. Crosby was married in Omaha to Miss Jennie A. Hazen, who died in May, 191 1, and on the 6th of November, 1913, in Lincoln, Nebraska, he wedded Charlotte C. Wagner. By his first marriage he had one son, Edward D., born June 16, 1904.

Mr. and Mrs. Crosby attend the Methodist Episcopal church and fraternally he is a Scottish Rite Mason and member of the Mystic Shrine. He is also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and in club circles he is known as a member of the Carter Lake, Seymour Lake and Commercial Clubs. His political endorsement is given to the republican party and he takes an active and helpful interest in its work, serving at the present time as a member of the county central committee. For thirty years he has lived in Omaha, an interested witness of its progress through all these decades, and at all times he has ably and cheerfully borne his part in promoting the public welfare and upholding high standards of citizenship.

Percy Albertson Wells

Percy Albertson Wells, a distinguished Omaha attorney, city builder and promoter of the good roads movement, standing in fact as a high type of American manhood and chivalry, has left the impress of his individuality and ability in large measure upon the history of the city in which he makes his home. He was born in Greenport, Long Island, New York, December 30, 1867, a son of Joseph A. and Amelia Halleck (Corwin) Wells. The father, a native of Southold, Long Island, died in 1906 and the mother's death occurred in 1908. Her ancestry can be traced back in direct line to two royal lines, a Greek princess and a king of Llungary, but the fact of which Percy A. Wells is most proud is that he can claim title to American citizenship.

Attending the schools of New York city, Mr. Wells was later graduated from the University of the City of New York with the class of 1886 and the following vear was admitted to the bar, after which he opened a law office in the eastern metropolis, there remaining in practice for about a year. Believing that the west offered better opportunities to the ambitious young lawyer, he then made his way to Nebraska, settling first at Red Cloud and also maintaining an office at Blue Hill. Later he practiced for a time at Hastings and in 1898 came to Omaha, where he has since engaged in active practice. His position is that of one of the most distinguished attorneys of Nebraska's metropolis. His clientage is large and of an important character and his devotion thereto has become proverbial, but he never forgets that he owes a still higher allegiance to the majesty of the law. Calm, dignified, self-controlled, free from passion or prejudice, he gives to his client the service of great talent, unwearied industry and rare learning, but he never forgets that there are certain things due to the court, to his own self-respect and above ail to justice and a righteous administration of the law which neither the zeal of an advocate nor the pleasure of success permits him to disregard. In 1916 he was made general attorney for the United States for the Hartford Fire Lisurance Company in its live stock department, and prior to this time he had made a specialty of Union Stock Yards business.

On November 6, 1895, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr. Wells was married to Miss Myrta Mulholland, a daughter of the late Irvin Mulholland, who served as a soldier throughout the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Wells attend the Episcopal church and he is identified with many of the social organizations of the city, including the University, Omaha Field, Commercial, Omaha Automobile and Carter Lake Clubs. In several of these organizations he has done splendid work. Flis eft'orts have been effective in promoting the growtli of the Automobile Club, of which he is counsel, and he has been active in its efforts toward the establishment of good roads. He is chairman of the legis|atio.y committee of the Commercial Club of Omaha and he is the president of' tile "^G-eo^rge Washington National Highway, organized for the purpose of building and improving a national highway from Savannah, Georgia, to Seattle, Washington. In politics he has always been an active and earnest republican and to'liim^is-given the greater share of the credit for the adoption of the Omaha plan of tdmmission form of government. In this connection one wrote of him :

"Of improved systems of municipal government, rather recently established in American cities, the 'Omaha plan,' by experts, is most approved. Profiting by the experience gained from the government of various progressive municipalities under. the commission form, Omaha has inaugurated a system declared to be the best possessed by any American city. In influencing public sentiment, in making mandatory the establishment of a model municipal government in Omaha, P, A. Wells proved to be more than the 'man of the hour.' Energetic, resourceful, gifted with convincing eloquence, public-spirited, farsighted, courageous, independent, progressive, strong willed, and intensely American in his ideas, Wells is a fighter who never acknowledges defeat. He simply can't be bluffed or intimidated. When pursuing any course he believes to be right, he couldn't be persuaded to stop or step aside. As an attorney, he stands very high ; as a business man his ability has been most advantageously displayed ; as a lawyer and financier he has achieved enviable success, gaining at the same time a notable reputation for straightforw^ardness and fairness. Because Wells was known, his efforts were made doubly effective in the campaign of education so successfully carried on in Omaha. When he spoke in favor of the commission form of government, great audiences applauded what he said. Because they knew% in that fight, he was not seeking personal gain or political preferment, Wells could and did appeal to the people in a way that won thousands of adherents. His speeches inspired hope ; his arguments caused confidence to be reposed in the plans suggested. The mass meetings that Wells addressed diffused enthusiasm for a new order of things throughout the city. Day after day, the truths that Wells enunciated were brought home. As voters discussed the proposed changes, the simplicity, the economy, the common sense associated with the new arrange- ments were made more apjiarent. Seeing that the movement meant their official destruction, the 'practical politicians' of Omaha attempted to roll hack the rising tide of popular opinion, l.'.ut on election day, they were overwhelmed; the reform wave swei)t the city. The spoils system was replaced by a plan of municipal government of which every good citizen of Omaha is justly proud. With good reason, Mr. Wells is highly honored in Omaha. IJut his fame is not conhncd to his home city. Throughout the state, he has gained recognition; not alone as the champion of the commission form of government for cities, but as a legal adviser and as an advocate who wins the cases that he takes into court."

His work in Omaha for the commission form of government is but one phase of his public activity, however. He has become a Nebraska leader in the good roads movement and has delivered addresses at various points to awaken interest and promote activity in support of this cause. He has studied the question from every available standpoint - that of economics, convenience, time and comfort, and he is doing splendid work in behalf of obtaining support for that legislation which is necessary to secure for Nebraska its due proportion of the federal money set aside for road improvement. His prominence in behalf of the good roads movement led to his selection for the presidency of the George Washington National Highway on the 25th of April, 1916. He utilizes each opportunity that offers to further the cause and the results of his labors are direct and beneficial. He has the faculty of making plans that seem ideal but somewhat visionary at once practical when he takes hold of them, and his efforts are at all times based upon sound common sense and a thorough understanding of prevailing conditions. He is ever a man of action rather than of theory and he has that persuasive power that enables him to secure the cooperation and assistance of others. His activities have all been directed into those channels through which flow the greatest good to the greatest number and he is, moreover, identified with many of those wholesome and purifying reforms which have been growing up in the municipal life of the city. Experts on road building and municipal government mark him as a master in those fields, while at the same time in the practice of his profession he has gained notable distinction.

Hon. George W. Doane

Hon. George W. Doane, a distinguished attorney, jurist and statesman, who became a resident of Omaha in 1864, was born in Circleville, Ohio, December 16, 1824. His father, Guy W. Doane, a native of New Milford, Connecticut, was born in 1788 and about 181 5 was admitted to the bar in New York state, following his graduation from Union College at Schenectady, New York, with the class of 181 5. Removing to Circleville, Ohio, he followed his profession until 1849, when he lost his eyesight and was accordingly obliged to retire. He was a man whose wisdom, sound judgment and public spirit made his opinions of weight in the city and state in which he lived and in 1836 he was elected to represent his district in the Ohio legislature. On the 14th of February, 1821, in Ohio, he wedded Charlotte Thrall, who was born in Castleton, Vermont, in 1800. She was left a widow in 1862 and subsequently removed to Omaha, where she made her home with her son George until her demise in June, 1878. She was very active in church work and her charitable acts were many.

Reared in Ohio, George W. Doane completed his education by graduation from Marietta College with the class of 1845. Interested in the profession of law from early boyhood because of his father's connection with the bar, he began studying along that line when his more specifically literary education was completed and in 1848 was admitted to pratice in the courts of Ohio. He then entered upon the active work of the profession in his native state, there residing for nine years, or until 1857, when he determined to establish his home in the growing west. He first made his way to Kansas but soon afterward concluded to come to Omaha and started for the territory of Nebraska. While en route he met a party of young men going to Burt county to lay out the town of Decatur and decided to unite his interests with those of the new municipality. He established himself on a tract of land beautifully located at Decatur, preempting this as a government claim, after which he at once began to improve it, but he did not find agricultural pursuits congenial and accepted the nomination for the office of district attorney of the third judicial district in the summer of that year. He was elected and occupied the position until the office was changed to that of prosecuting attorney in each county. At the time of his election Eleazer Wakeley was judge of the third judicial court and the district extended from the northern line of Douglas county to Canada and from the Missouri river to the Rocky mountains. There were no courthouses in all that territory, so court was held in private residences, stores, barrooms or any other convenient place. Mr. Doane continued to reside at Decatur until 1859 ^^^ ^^^ 1858 was elected a member of the territorial council, so that he early became a factor in shaping the legislative policy of Nebraska. He was also ex-officio probate judge in Dakota county for a short time. In i860 he located at Fort Calhoun, where he continued in the practice of law until 1862, when he returned to the east to visit friends and was persuaded to remain in Cincinnati, where he opened a law office and followed his profession until 1864, but the lure of the west with its countless opportunities drew him back to Nebraska and in that year he established his home in Omaha. The following year he was elected prosecuting attorney of Douglas county and filled that position for a term of two years. In 1867 he was again chosen to office, being elected a member of the first...territorial legislature, and in 1868 popular suffrage called him to the office of Gity^QOUUcilman in Omaha. He was once more elected to office in 1880, when he-wa-s sent .to represent his district in the state senate and again, as he had done in' jjrevious years, he gave most thoughtful consideration to proposed legislation and lent the aid of his influence and support to many measures which he believed of benefit to the commonwealth. In 1887 he was elected on a nonpartisan ticket as judge of the fourth judicial district, comprising the counties of Douglas, Burtj^VVashington and Sarpy. Upon the expiration of his first term in 1891 he was reelected on the democratic ticket and remained upon the bench until the following year, when he resigned to accept the democratic nomination for congress, but was defeated for the office by David H. Mercer. His mind was judicial in cast and his opinions were strictly fair and impartial, being based upon a comprehensive knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence, which he correctly applied to the points in litigation. While not an incumbent in office his attention was devoted to the private practice of law and he was regarded as a strong advocate and safe counselor.

On the 25th of October, 1859, Judge Doane was married in Keokuk, Iowa, to Miss Emily R. Greenhow, a native of Vincennes, Indiana, and a granddaughter of the celebrated Dr. Greenhow, of Richmond, Virginia. Her father was James W. Greenhow, who was born in Richmond, Virginia, and was one of the firm of Greenhow & Bohannan, druggists of Louisville, Kentucky. He married Augusta E. Russell and later went to Vincennes, Indiana, where he was appointed to an important position with the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad by his brother-in-law, Judge Ellis, president of that company, whose line was then being built between Cincinnati and St. Louis. Mr. Greenhow died in 1852 at the age of forty years. Judge and Mrs. Doane became the parents of five children, Cora A., Guy R., William G., Daisy C. and George W.

The death of the husband and father occurred December 22, 1912, when he was eighty-eight years of age, and thus closed a life that had contributed much to progress and improvement in the state of his adoption. He labored earnestly for Omaha's welfare and cooperated in many plans and measures for the general good. He was appointed by Governor Silas A. Holcomb as one of the board of trustees of the Deaf & Dumb Institute at Omaha and of the Asylum for the UHnd at Nebraska City, filling that position for a year, when he resigned. In 1808 he became one of the incorporators and a member of the board of trustees of Brownell Hall, an educational institution under the auspices of the Episcopal church. It is not difficult to speak of him for his life and character were as clear as the sunlight. No man came in contact with him but speedily appreciated him at his true worth and recognized in him one who not only cherished a high ideal of duty but who lived up to it. He constantly labored for the right and from his earliest youth devoted a large portion of his time to the service of others. He was at the head of important professional interests which he managed successfully, yet it was his rule to set apart some time for the labors of love to which he was so devoted. His friends miss him but the memory of his sweet and beautiful life, of his sincerity and of his worth will not soon be forgotten. They do not mourn for him as they would for a young man cut off in the flower and promise of youth, but rejoice in his memory as that of a man who laid down his task in the twilight of the day, when all that he had to do had been nobly, faithfully and fully completed.

Willis Gratz Sears

Willis Gratz Sears, who since 1903 has occupied the bench of the district court at Omaha, is thus actively connected with a profession which has important bearing upon the progress and prosperity of any section or community and one which has long been considered as conserving the public welfare by furthering the ends of justice and maintaining individual rights. He was born at Willoughby, Ohio, August 16, i860, and in the paternal line comes of English-Irish ancestry, the family, however, being established in New England at an early day. A removal was later made to New York and thence to Aleadville, Pennsylvania. In the latter state his father, the Rev. Stephen Speed Sears, served as the first county superintendent of Crawford county. He was a graduate of Allegheny College of Pennsylvania and at one time occupied the position of principal of Willoughby College at Willoughby, Ohio. He wedded Mary W. Sears, who is the oldest living alumnus of Alfred University of New York, and his death occurred in November, 1861, when his son. Judge Sears, was but a year old. In the fall of 1879 the family removed from Meadville, Pennsylvania, to Decatur, Nebraska.

Judge Sears largely devoted his youthful days to the acquirement of a common school education and was a young man of nineteen when the family home Avas established in Burt county, Nebraska. Not long afterward he began preparation for the bar, studying in the Kansas State Law School, while in 1884 he was admitted to practice before Judge Eleazer Wakeley at Tekamah. He practiced for several years at Oakland, Nebraska, and for six years he filled the office of county attorney of Burt county. In the spring of 1895 he took up his abode in Tekamah. His fellow townsmen, appreciative of his ability and public spirit, elected him to the office of mayor and his administration, characterized by needed reform and progress, led to his reelection and for three terms he remained the chief executive of that city. Still higher political honors awaited him, for in 1901 he was chosen a member of the state legislature, in which he served for two terms, acting as speaker of the house in 1901, his parliamentary rulings being characterized by the utmost fairness of procedure. In 1903 he was elected judge of the district court and since that time has been thrice reelected, so that he is still serving upon the bench, being the incumbent in the office for the fourth term. His decisions indicate strong mentality, careful analysis, a thorough knowledge of the law and an unbiased judgment. The judge on the bench fails more frequently perhaps from a deficiency in that broad-mindedness which not only comprehends the details of a situation quickly but also insures a complete selfcontrol under even the most exasperating conditions than from any other cause ; and the judge who succeeds in the discharge of his multitudinous delicate duties is a man of well rounded character, finely balanced mind and splendid intellectual attainments. That Judge Sears is regarded as such a jurist is a uniformly accepted fact. He has further held office as a member of the board of insanity for several years and as a member of the school board of Tekamah, and the same fidelity marks his discharge of every public duty.

On the 17th of May, 1887, at Turin, Iowa, Judge Sears was united in marriage to JMiss Belle V. Hoadley, a daughter of S. S. Hoadley. The children of this marriage are: Mabelle; John, deceased; Edward; Flora; Sigsby; and Charles.

Judge Sears is a York Rite Alason, belongmg to the lodge, chapter and commandery and also to the Mystic Shrine. He likewise has membership with the Odd Fellows and the Red Men and is a life member of the Elks. His family is connected with the Methodist Episcopal church and his political allegiance is given to the republican party. The wise use which he has made of his time, talents and opportunities has brought him to the position of distinction which he now occupies as an honored citizen and eminent judge whose career reflects credit and honor upon the district which has honored him.

Judge William H. Munger

Judge William H. Munger, whose broad scholarly attainments were turned to good account in developing the interests and upholding the civic standards of his state, served as a member of the constitutional convention of Nebraska and for a long period was a most prominent figure in legal circles, practicing successfully as an attorney at the Omaha bar. He was born October 12, 1845, at Bergen, Genesee county, New York, and at the age of twenty years went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he secured employment in a dry goods store owned by his uncle. He devoted the hours outside of business to the reading of law and after about a year become a law student and clerk in an attorney's ofifice at Cleveland. Two years later he made a trip to Elyria, Ohio, and was there admitted to the bar in December, 1868. Believing that better opportunities were ofl:ered to the young lawyer in the west, he made his way in that year to Fremont, Nebraska, at which time his cash capital consisted of but two dollars and a half. The day after his arrival he secured work in a lumberyard and during the winter, being then associated with E. O. Crosby, had the opportunity to try an occasional small law suit, thus earning his first professional fees. In the spring of 1869 he was admitted to a partnership by Z. Shedd, a Fremont attorney, who had a good practice. That relationship was maintained for two years, at the end of which time he entered into partnership with W. C. Ghost, with whom he remained until 1874. In the meantime his ability was becoming more and more widely recognized and his fellow townsmen came to realize that he was not only an able attorney but also possessed the elements of strong American manhood anrl citizenship. Accordingly in 1875 he was chosen a member of the state constitutional convention and aided in forming the organic law of Nebraska. In 1878 he entered into partnership with J. M. Woolworth, of Omaha, with whom he remained for a year, and then returned to Fremont, Nebraska, thereafter devoting his entire attention to the practice of his profession. He won a liberal clientage that connected him with much of the most important litigation tried in the courts of his district and the court records bear testimony to his ability in the many favorable verdicts which he won. At length he was appointed federal judge of his district, taking oath of office March 3, 1897, and remained upon the bench until his death, which occurred August 11, 1915. He was a most capable jurist, strictly fair and impartial in his rulings, his opinions being based upon a comprehensive knowledge of legal principles as well as upon the evidence in the case. He was for a time lecturer on federal practice in the law school of Creighton University, for years delivered lectures at the University of Nebraska on different branches of the law and came to be recognized as a lawyer and jurist of profound learning and ability.

On the 30th of March, 1871, in l'"remont, Nebraska, Judge Hunger was married to Miss Jennie M. Fowler and to them were born four children. May, Adda, Carrie and \\'illiam Horton. Judge jMunger held membership in the Omaha and Field Clubs and was a most prominent Alason, taking the various degrees of the York and Scottish rites, and the honorary thirty-third degree was conferred upon him in recognition of signal service rendered to the organization. Throughout his entire life he was never content to choose the second best in anything. lie held to high ideals and to lofty standards. He set his mark high and made every endeavor to raise himself to its level. Thus step by step he advanced until his continuous progress gave him rank with the eminent lawyers and jurists of the state.

Timothy J. Mahoney

There is always something inspiring in the record of a man who rises unaided from amid humble circumstances to a place of prominence, and the world instinctively pays deference to the individual who thus triumphs over fate or adversity and wins success. Such has been the record of Timothy J. Mahoney, senior partner in the firm of Mahoney & Kennedy and recognized as one of the leading lawyers of Nebraska, his efforts along professional lines and otherwise contributing in large part tow'ard molding and developing the metropolis.

Wisconsin numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred upon a farm in Crawford county on the 17th of April, 1857. His father, Patrick Mahoney, was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1820 and in 1850 came to the United States. He was married in Boston to Miss Ellen Cummins, also a native of County Cork, and in 1855 they removed to Wisconsin, settling on a farm in Crawford county. In 1864 they established their home in Clayton county, Iowa, there residing until 1871, when they became residents of Guthrie county, Iowa, which continued to be their place of abode until 1887, when they located in Omaha. The father died Aijgust 27, 1901, having for about three years survived his wife, who passed away September 30, 1898.

Timothy J. Mahoney was a little lad of but seven years when the family went to Iowa and in the country and town schools of Clayton and Guthrie counties he pursued his preliminary education, while later he studied in St. Joseph's College at Dubuque, Iowa, and in Notre Dame University near South Bend, Indiana. He afterward pursued a law course in the Iowa State University, which conferred upon him the LL. B. degree upon his graduation, with the class of 1885. In the meantime, however, he had turned to the profession of teaching as a means of providing for his later educational training and from the 8th of January, 1882, until January, 1884. served as county superintendent of schools of Guthrie county, Iowa, being then but twenty-four years of age.

Following his graduation Mr. Mahoney located for practice in Omaha, where he has since remained, and although advancement at the bar is proverbially slow, no dreary novitiate awaited him. He soon demonstrated his ability to successfully cope with intricate legal problems and won a liberal clientage which has since grown in volume and importance. In January, 1889, he became county attorney of Douglas county and by reelection continued in that office until January, 1893. A local paper, in writing of Mr. Alahoney, said: "Facilities through which to transact a city's legal business and secure representation in mat- ters calling for expert legal advice and financial guidance are essentially one of its greatest needs. Rapid civic growth carries with it the demand for those agencies equipped and prepared to meet every question of the day, safeguard the greater responsibilities of increased financial and commercial activity and guide the public along proper channels of legal procedure. Neither the resources of Greater Omaha nor the fertile country surrounding it would have come within reach of the great mass of the people but for the fact that it had unlimited recourse to this splendid legal machinery through well organized and well balanced firms such as are represented by men who compose the concern of A'lahoney & Kennedy - one of the best known associations of legal leaders in the middle west." Mr. Mahoney is now practicing as senior partner in the law firm of Mahoney & Kennedy and included in this firm are J. A. C. Kennedy, Yale Holland, Philip E. Horan and Guy C. Kiddoo. Said the World-Herald of this firm: 'As legal representatives of individuals, institutions and corporations they are daily demonstrating that confidence reposed in their ability is not misplaced. They are handling money, transacting business, advising clients and assisting business men every day in the business week. They are making Greater Omaha a larger commercial center and a better place in which to live." In 1904 Mr. Mahoney assisted in organizing the Creighton College of Law and for a number of years was dean of the faculty, while at the present time he is dean emeritus. In addition to his interests as a member of the bar Mr. Mahoney is identified with several business concerns of importance, being a director of the Union Stock Yards Company, of the Sheridan Coal Company and of the Packers National Bank of Omaha.

On the 17th of April, 1893, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr. Mahoney was united in marriage to Miss Helene Lipps, her parents being John and Charlotte (Eiche) Lipps, both of whom have passed away. Mr. Mahoney is a communicant of the Catholic church and is identified with the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association and the Ancient Order of Hibernians. In club circles he is also well known, being a member of .the Omaha, Omaha Country, Automobile and Commercial Clubs. He possesses a social, genial nature and a discriminating mind has enabled him to know just how much time should be given to recreation, how much to his profession and how much to the public service. In a word, his is a well balanced character. His standing at the bar is indicated by the fact that he was honored with the presidency of the Nebraska State Bar Association for the years 1907 and 1908, and colleagues and contempo-' raries throughout the state bear testimony of his personal and professional ability and worth.

Dr. William Kellogg Foote, a specialist in the treatment of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat, was born in Belvidere, Illinois, in 1871, a son of William Sawtre Foote, a grandson of Isaac Foote and a representative of the ninth generation of the descendants of Nathaniel Foote, who settled at Wethersfield, Connecticut in 1630. William Sawtre Foote was born in Smyrna, New York, in 1824 and was married in Belvidere, Illinois, to Miss Lucy Lavinia Andrus. In 1891 they removed to Chicago, where Mr. Foote passed away in 1905, having for thirteen years survived his wife, who died in 1892.

was engaged in active professional work. In the latter year he came to Omaha, where he has since followed his jirofcssion, specializing in opthalmology, rhinology and laryngology. He has given his attention exclusively to treatment of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat since 1897 ^"'J his studies have been continuously directed along that line, so that he has gained a power in that field that renders his work of standard quality, while his opinions are largely accepted as authority. I'rom 1893 ""^i^ 1905 l^c was associate professor of diseases of the nose and throat in his alma mater. He belongs to the Omaha-Douglas County Medical Society and the Nebraska State Medical Association.

On the 19th of May. 1897. in Belvidere, lUinois, Dr. Foote was united in marriage to Miss Ella Josephine Downing, her father being the late Samuel Downing, a native of England. They have two daughters, Frances Esther and Katherine Elizabeth. Dr. and Mrs. Foote hold membership in the First Presbyterian church. His political opinions accord with the principles of the republican party, while his social interests are manifest in his membership in the Elks lodge, the Omaha Field Club, the Rotary Club and the Athletic Club of Omaha. He is eligible to membership in the Sons of the American Revolution through both the paternal and maternal lines. He has a wide acquaintance in this city and is everywhere spoken of in terms of high regard in both professional and social relations.

Fred F. Pitts

Fred F. Pitts, president of the Pitts Pipe Organ Company, has developed in this connection one of the important productive industries of the city, a business which is a credit and a contributing factor to the activity of Omaha. Today the business of the company extends largely over Iowa and Nebraska and its upbuilding is attributable in very large measure to the efforts, the enterprise and the keen discernment of the president. Mr. Pitts was born in Chicago, Illinois, February 15, 1876, a son of Frank J. and Margaretha (Rehm) Pitts, both of whom were natives of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The latter was of German descent, while Mr. Pitts came of English ancestry, the founder of the family arriving soon after the Revolutionary war. Frank J. Pitts was an organ manufacturer of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where his father, Warner J. Pitts, was among the earliest and most successful dealers in music and musical instruments, establishing his business where the present city hall of Milwaukee stands. Not long after the great Chicago fire of October, 1871, Frank J. Pitts removed to that city, where he established business under the name of the Garden City Organ Company, thus developing one of the early organ manufactories of Chicago. He carried on the business to within a year of his death, which occurred in November, 1893, when he had reached the age of fifty-eight years. His entire attention was devoted to his business and every effort was put forth to manufacture an organ of the highest grade, until he was at the head of the leading business of the kind in Chicago during his early days there. His wife survived him for more than twenty years and passed away in 1914, at the age of sixty-six. In their family were seven children.

Fred F. Pitts, the third of the number, was educated in the public schools of Chicago and when twenty years of age entered his father's organ factory, thoroughly learning the business from a practical standpoint, spending six years at work in different departments of the factory. He then engaged in the sale and installation of organs in all parts of America and this brought him into contact with a different branch of the business and constituted a further source of later success. In 19 13 he came to Omaha and established his present business, which was the first of the kind not only in this city but in a district including considerable surrounding territory. Since opening business here the firm has looked after all of the organs of this locahty, besides manufacturing and installing six different organs in Omaha, several of which are of a larger and more pretentious character than those usually seen. The company recently installed a fine organ in the Church of Christ, Scientist, and another in the Strand theatre, both of which represent the last word in organ building, embodying all of the modern improvements used in large three-manual electro-pneumatic organs. Besides the organs built for use in Omaha, the company has sent many into various states, their business constantly increasing. They have sold many organs in Iowa and Nebraska and their output enjoys a well deserved reputation because of superior tone quality. The business has proven more than satisfactory to Mr. Pitts and the company as a whole. The office and plant of the Pitts Organ Company is located at No. 12 18 Farnam street, where they occupy large and commodious quarters in the conduct of the business.

On the 6th of July, 1914, in Omaha, Mr. Pitts was married to Miss Carol R. Marhoff, a native of Omaha and a representative of one of its early pioneer families. Her father, Henry H. Marhoff, was a trunk manufacturer but is now deceased. Her mother, Mrs. Carrie Marhoff, is still a resident of Omaha.

Mr. Pitts is a supporter of the republican party and he is a member of the various Masonic bodies and of the Modern American Fraternal Order. His religious faith is that of the Episcopal church. His has been an active and well spent life. He has ever concentrated his efforts along a single line from the day in which he entered his father's plant, and this concentration of purpose and close application have enabled him to thoroughly master the business in which he is interested. There is no phase of organ building nor no feature of the sales end of the business with which he is not familiar, and his broad experience constitutes one of the strongest basic elements for the growth of the present undertaking.

Judge Jesse L. Root

Judge Jesse L. Root, assistant solicitor for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company at Omaha, has through the years of an active professional career done much to shape the legislative and judicial history of the state, and his devotion to the general welfare stands as an undisputed fact in his life record. The tangible evidences of his devotion to the public good are many and have been manifest not only during the periods of his incumbency in office but also while he has remained in the walks of private life. A native of Illinois, he was born on a farm in Tazewell county, November 27, i860. He is descended from English ancestry, the family having been founded in the new world early in the seventeenth century. Judge Root's great-great-grandfather was a Captain in the Revolutionary war and his father was a Captain in the French and Indian war. Rev. Marvin Root, the grandfather of Judge Root, was a native of Connecticut and devoted his life to the work of the ministry of the Congregational church. The father, Charles Marvin Root, was born in Connecticut in 1839 and in Illinois wedded Maria Burnidge. He took up the occupation of farming and devoted his entire life to general agricultural pursuits. In 1882 he became a resident of Nebraska and passed away in Omaha in 1906.

Judge Root began his education in the district schools of Kane county, Illinois, and afterward attended the public schools of Elgin, Illinois, while later he pursued a course in a commercial college in Omaha. He entered^ upon preparation for the legal profession as a student in the office of the Hon. Samuel M. Chapman, of Plattsmouth, Nebraska, following the removal of the family to this state when he was twenty-one years of age, and after thorough preliminary reading he was admitted to the bar in 1887 and opened an office in Plattsmouth, where developing power and ability won him distinction that placed him among the eminent lawyers of the state. He continued to practice in Plattsmouth until

1908, when he was appointed to the Nebraska supreme court commission and so continued until 1909, wlien he was appointed a member of the supreme court of Nebraska, serving upon the bench for three years, during which period he proved himself the peer of the ablest members of the court of last resort. Retiring from office, he then became associated with Edmond C. Strode in the firm of Strode & Root for the practice of law at Lincoln, where he remained for a year, when he removed to the Nebraska metropolis to become, in 1913, assistant solicitor for the Chicago, Burlington & Ouincy Railroad Company, with which he has since been thus associated.

On the 8th of June, 1888, in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, Mr. Root was united in marriage to Miss Evelyn W. Wise, daughter of Jonathan N. Wise. They have four children, namely : Elmer A., Alice E., Jesse Marvin and Flora B. Judge and Mrs. Root attend the Congregational church and his political endorsement is given to the republican party. His genial manner and unfailing courtesy make for personal popularity, and the appreciation of his worth on the part of his fellowmen has been evidenced on various occasions. While in Plattsmouth he was made a member of the school board and a trustee of the library, and he served as a member of the state senate during the famous session of 1907, during which he was chairman of the senate committee on finances and an active member of the judiciary committee. He was also chairman of the sifting committee of the senate and tor six years he served as county attorney of Cass county, Nebraska, in addition to his service as supreme court commissioner and supreme court judge. That he is a man of broad scholarly attainments has been shadowed forth between the lines of this review, and in molding public thought, opinion and action he has wielded a wide influence.

John Franklin Stout

John Franklin Stout, who for twenty-one years has engaged in law practice at the Omaha bar, was born near Middlebourne, Ohio, July 12, 1861, and is a representative of an old New Jersey family of Dutch extraction, early ancestors having removed from England to Holland. His grandfather, Isaac Stout, was a native of New Jersey and spent his entire life in that state. His father, Isaiah Stout, was born in New Jersey in 1822 and traveled on foot to Ohio when seventeen years of age. He was married in Guernsey county, that state, in 1844, to Miss Emeline Cochran, who was born in Ohio in 1826.

Their son, John F. Stout, pursued his early education in the schools of Guernsey county and also studied for one term in the Ohio Wesleyan College at Delaware. Leaving that institution at the age of eighteen years, he took up the profession of teaching, which he followed in Guernsey county for several years, and through the summer months he engaged in farming, but ambitious to enter upon a professional career, he turned to the study of law and in 1885 entered an attorney's office at Cambridge, Ohio, there reading for two years. On the loth of June, 1887, he successfully passed the required examination which secured him admission to the bar, and going to LIutchinson, Kansas, there opened a law office. He remained in practice at that point for eight years, or imtil 1895, when he came to Omaha, where he has since followed his profession. He prepares his cases with thoroughness and care and the zeal with which he has devoted his energies to his profession, the careful regard evinced for the interests of his clients and his assiduous and unrelaxing attention to all the details of his cases have brought him a large business and made him very successful in its conduct.

On the 24th of December, 1890, at Cambridge, Ohio, Mr. Stout was married to Miss Lida M. Stitt and they now have two children, Robert I. and Gertrude E., the former a graduate of Amherst College of the class of 1913.

John F. Stout

is given to the republican party. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons and in club circles he is well known, having membership in the Commercial Club, the Omaha Country Club and the Omaha Club. His advancement and success are attributable entirely to his own efforts. Dependent upon his own resources from the age of eighteen years, he has made good use of his time and opportunities and his developing powers in the practice of law are now indicated in the large and important clientage accorded him.

John C. Kruger

John C. Kruger, an attorney of Omaha, practicing since 1910, was born at Vail, Crawford county, Iowa, in 1887. His father, Emil Kruger, a native of Germany, was born in 1867 and in 1884 came to the new world, settling in Crawford county, Iowa, where he married. He became a merchant of Vail, Iowa, and also served for two terms as clerk of the district court at Denison, Iowa. Later he was made cashier of the German Bank at Schleswig, Iowa, continuing in that position until his death, which occurred in 1906. He had long survived his wife, who passed away in 1892, after which time he again married. In the family are six children all of whom are living in Omaha.

In the public schools of Denison and of Schleswig, Iowa, John C. Kruger pursued his early education and, determining upon the practice of law as a life work, he became a student in the Omaha- Law School, from which he was graduated with the class of 1910. Immediately ; afterward he opened an office in this city, where he has since practiced, and as the years have passed he has gained a good clientage, being connected with some of the important cases that have been heard in the courts of the district.

In religious faith Mr. Kruger is a CathoHc,;,.;His club relations are with the Athletic Club of Omaha and in politics he is- a democrat with independent tendencies. He has not been active in political circles, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his professional duties in the hope of being able to build up a large law practice and this hope is being steadily realized, for his clientele is continually growing.

Arthur Chase

Arthur Chase has gained a large clientage in the field of real estate and insurance and while handling city investments he makes a specialty of western lands and ranches. . He was born upon a farm in Cayuga county. New York, in 1864. His father, Alonzo Chase, a native of the same county, was born in 1834 and comes of a family of English lineage. His great-great-grandfather, Ezra Chase, was a native of Rhode Island. His great-grandfather and his grandfather bore the name of Henry Chase and they were natives of New York. Alonzo Chase devoted his entire life to general agricultural pursuits and passed away in Cayuga county, New York, in 19 13. In early manhood he had wedded Emily Glentworth Carmichael, who was born in Hempstead, on Long Island, a daughter of the Rev. William Carmichael, an Episcopal minister. Her death occurred in 1913, when she was seventy-eight years of age.

After attending the country schools of Cayuga county. New York, Arthur Chase became a student in Tillotson's Academy, a select school of that county, and afterward was graduated from the Elmira (N. Y.) Business College with the class of 1884. The year 1886 witnessed his arrival in Nebraska, at which time he made his way to Chadron and entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, complying with the laws concerning occupancy and improvement, whereby he secured title to the property. He Hved upon his claim and in Chadron for iive years and durinj^ two years of that period was editor of the Chadron Indel)endent, a weekly paper, which followed an independent i:)olitical course. For the remainder of the time, or three years, he was engaged in the oil and fuel business in Chadron. He left that city in 1891 and came to Omaha, where he entered the branch establishment of the American Type Founders Company, spending four years in that connection, during which he filled every position from that of shipping clerk up to manager and then closed out the Omaha branch in 1897. in 1898 he was connected with the admissions' department of the Omaha Exposition and on the expiration of that period he turned his attention to the real estate business, with which he was connected in a clerical capacity for two years. In 1901 he opened a real estate and f^re insurance office and remained in that held until 191 1, when he sold out the business and turned his attention to manufacturing interests in connection with the Brown Truck Manufacturing Company, of w^hich he became the secretary, but the plant was destroyed in the tornado of March, 1913. He sold out his interest in that business in 1914 and again entered the field of real estate and fire insurance, in which connection he has made a specialty of handling western lands and ranches, while at the same time he has negotiated a number of important transfers of city realty.

On the 2d of August. 1888, in Chadron, Nebraska, Mr. Chase wedded Miss Florence A. Wilson, a daughter of the late Rev. James A. Wilson, who served throughout the Civil war, as chaplain in an Iowa regiment. Three children have been born to Mr. and Airs. Chase : Emily M., now the wife of Edwin D. Hazard, of Omaha; Mary E. ; and Dwight A., who was born in 1897.

Mr. Chase gives his political support to the republican party and in his religious belief is a Cwigregationalist. He has been identified with Nebraska and its interests for more than a third of a century and has been a witness of and factor in much of its development as the state has emerged from pioneer conditions and taken its place among the progressive and growing states of the Union.

George McBride, who was serving as county surveyor of Douglas county when death called him on the 14th of October. 191.3, spent many years of his Hfe in Omaha. He was born in Council BluiTs in 1858, a son of Edward McBride, who removed to the west from New Jersey and became one of the first merchants of Council Bluft's, shipping his first stock of goods by boat from St. Louis. He afterward removed to Missouri Valley, Iowa, where he conducted a large store, and later established a mercantile enterprise at Sioux Falls, where he likewise conducted a soap factory, becoming one of the important and prominent business men of that locality. In St. Louis he wedded Miss Harriet Packard, a native of Glens Falls, New York.

George ]\IcBride first came to Douglas county in 1884 and helped stake out South Omaha, afterward assisting in the work of laying out the town. Subsequently he went to Lodgepole, Nebraska, where he was editor of a paper for about two years, and on the expiration of that period he removed to Julesburg, Colorado, where he conducted the Julesburg Times. Eventually he sold that paper and returned to South Omaha, where he again engaged in survey work. For three years he filled the office of assistant city engineer of Omaha and then became a candidate for the position of county surveyor. He was serving as deputy surveyor under County Surveyor King when the latter resigned and was appointed to fill out the unexpired term, after which he became a candidate for the position and was elected and reelected, serving for two terms. He was then nominated for the position of sheriff but lost the election and entered the employ of the Standard Bridge Company as engineer, continuing in that capacity for nine years. At the end of that period he was once more elected county surveyor and was thus serving in the position for the fourth time at his death.

On March 21, 1889, at Grafton, Nebraska, Mr. McBride was married to Miss Anna M. Strater, born in Atlantic, Iowa, and a daughter of John Strater, who removed with his family to the west, settling at New Springs, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. McBride became the parents of three sons, George S., Wesley M. and Melbert J.

Mr. McBride was a member of the First Presbyterian church of South Omaha and was a very prominent Mason, having attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, while with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine he crossed the sands of the desert. Mrs. McBride is a member of the Eastern Star and also of the King's Daughters. Mr. McBride likewise had membership in club circles, belonging to the Seymour Country and the Rod and Gun Clubs. His friends, and they were many, speak of him as a good neighbor and a man of most kindly spirit, ever ready and willing to extend a helping hand to assist a fellow traveler on life's journey. He was devoted to the welfare of his city and sought its progress along material, intellectual, social and moral lines. At all times he adhered to high principles and in many respects his life is indeed worthy of emulation.

Herbert Henry Neale

Herbert Henry Neale, engaged in the abstract business as president of the Midland Guaranty & Trust Company of Omalia, was boni iii Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, in 1864. liis father, Richard Neale, was a native of the same locality, as were his ancestors back to the time of William the Conqueror, and Richard Neale spent his entire life in England.:,..,.;:..:.. j

In the schools of England Herbert H. Neale puTsued his education and in April, 1882, he severed the ties which bound him to his native land and came to the new world. For a year he resided at Middletown, New York, where he was connected with the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. He then came to the west and after visiting various places arrived in Omaha on the loth of October, 1884. Here he entered the employ of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad in the general offices of the company, remaining there for two years. He afterward spent six months in Oregon, where he engaged in hunting and in other phases of outdoor life for the benefit of his health. He was then offered a position in the office of the C. E. Mayne Real Estate & Trust Company, with which he continued until October, 1887, after which he remained with the successors of that company, the firm of Benson & Carmichael, until the Omaha Abstract Company was organized in 1889. There he continued until he was chosen secretary of the Omaha Abstract & Trust Company in 1890 and occupied that position until the consolidation of the company with the Midland Guaranty & Trust Company, with which he remained as an abstractor until 1896. He then embarked in the abstract business on his own account and remained alone until 1904, when he was joined by Frank J. Norton under the firm style of Neale & Norton. That relation was continued until October, 191 1, when the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Neale selling out to Mr. Norton. In connection with John Campbell he then purchased a controlling interest in the Midland Guaranty & Trust Company, of which he became the president, with Mr. Campbell as the secretary. They are now conducting an extensive business.

On the 22d of June, 1898, in York, Nebraska, Mr. Neale was united in marriage to Miss Grace Eagleson and to them have been born three children, Darrell Roberts, Beatrice and Richard Herbert. Mr. Neale exercises his right of franchise in support of the principles and candidates of the republican party and fraternally is connected with the York Rite in Masonry and with the Mystic Shrine. He also belongs to both the Tangier and Omaha Automobile Clubs, which indicates something of the nature of his recreation. For three decades he has been connected with his i)rescnt hne of business and his advancement has been the direct and legitimate outcome of a thorough mastery of every branch of the work, combined with laudable ambition and persistency of purpose.

James P. Jensen

James P. Jensen, president of the P>rinn (S: Jensen Company, wholesale dealers in paper, has since 1893 been connected with the paper trade and for a decade has been active in his present business relations. He was born in Denmark in 1868, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Jensen, who are natives of that country, where they have spent their entire lives. In 1913 they celebrated their golden wedding.

In the schools of his native country James P. Jensen pursued his education and in November, 1884, when a youth of sixteen years, came to the United States. Pie made his way at once to Omaha and for a year was employed in an overall factory, while the succeeding year was spent in the service of a mattress company. In 1893 he became connected with the Marshall Paper Company of Omaha, with which he continued for fourteen years, gradually working his way upward and mastering every phase of the business, so that he was well qualified for the successful management of a similar enterprise when in the spring of 1907 he embarked in business on his own account as a wholesale paper dealer. He entered into partnership with C. W. Brinn under the firm style of Brinn & Jensen, which association was maintained until the death of Mr. Brinn in April, 191 1. The business was incorporated in 1907 and has since been conducted under the name of the Brinn & Jensen Company, of which Mr. Jensen is the president.

On the 14th of August, 1890, Mr. Jensen was married in Omaha to Miss Eveline Jensen and their children are: Lothardt M., who married Alma Jensen and is connected with his father's business; Leola ; and Myron.

The religious faith of the family is that of the Danish Lutheran church and Mr. Jensen has membership with the Danish Brotherhood. He votes with the republican party and manifests a commendable interest in the city's welfare as a member of the Commercial Club. He also belongs to the Athletic Club of Omaha. That he wisely planned for his future by coming to America is evidenced in the success which has rewarded his eiTorts during his connection with the business interests of Omaha. His activities have constantly increased until his trade connections are now of wide scope and importance, making him one of the representative business men of the city.

There are few men in Nebraska as well known in banking circles and among cattle dealers as Jesse C. McNish, who is identified with various banking institutions and is the president of the McNish Cattle Loan Company of Omaha. In developing the last named enterprise he has carried out a long cherished ambition, knowing that the prosperity of the state and of the west at large must greatly depend upon the development of the cattle raising interests, and he is therefore putting forth every effort to promote the growth of the business. His plans are always well defined and promptly executed and he is notably energetic and reliable.

Nebraska claims Mr. McNish as one of her native sons, his birth having occurred at Wisner on the 5th of July, 1878. His father, Clark Chadwick McNish, was born in Monroe, Wisconsin, on the 14th of February, 1854, and on the 17th of March, 1877, when a young man of twenty-three years, rNcmoved to

Wisner, Nebraska. There he married Miss EHza M. Graham, who is now a resident of Los Angeles, Cahfornia, but Mr. AIcNish passed away on the 20th of September, 1907.

In the schools of his native city Jesse C. McNish pursued his early education, which was supplemented by a course in the University of Nebraska, which he completed by graduation with the class of 1901. He afterward studied law in the State University and won the LL. B. degree in 1903. He then returned to Wisner, where he entered the First National Bank as assistant cashier, continuing his active connection with that institution until the 15th of February, 1916, having in the meantime risen through intermediate positions to the presidency of the bank. He is still filling that office although now largely concentrating his attention and efi'orts upon other activities. In the meantime he had continually broadened his banking connections and is now president of the Sidney State Bank at Sidney, Nebraska; president of the Scottsbluff Mortgage Loan Company of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; president of the Farmers State Bank at Altona, Nebraska; president of the Farmers & Merchants Bank at Morrill, Nebraska ; vice president of the Scottsbluff National Bank; and a director of the Empire National Bank of Lewiston, Idaho. Lie is likewise president of the AIcNish Land Company of Wisner and his high standing in banking circles is indicated in the fact that he was honored with the presidency of the Nebraska Bankers' Association in 191 5 and is now a member of the executive council of the American Bankers' Association from Nebraska.

His long connection with the banking business in the middle west had brought to him a thorough understanding of existing conditions concerning the sources of the state's wealth, its opportunities, and its possibilities. He had become convinced that one of the surest methods of promoting prosperity throughout the west was the development of its stock raising interests and to do this loans were necessary. It was, therefore the fulfillment of a long cherished dream of his when he, in association with R. V. McGrew, organized and incorporated the McNish Cattle Loan Company of Omaha for the purpose of "buying, selling, handling, discounting, owning and holding all forms of notes, securities, bonds, mortgages, debentures and other forms of indebtedness, principally and particularly those forms of idebtedness secured by chattel mortgages on live stock." The company was formed with a paid up capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars, owned by the two incorporators, Mr. AIcNish becoming president of the company and Mr. McGrew secretary and treasurer. The plan of the company was the transaction of its business exclusively through the country bankers with the purchase of only such paper "as is recommended, endorsed and absolutely guaranteed by the active officers of the local banks in the vicinity of the loan." Every possible precaution has been taken to safeguard the placing of loans and the business has shown a steady development, indicating the wisdom of the officers and a thorough understanding of the work which they have undertaken. Back of Mr. AIcNish's eft'orts in this direction are his broad practical experience, not only as a banker but as a cattle raiser, and he has always kept in close touch with every feature of the business and every point of knowledge bearing thereon. During his twelve years' presidency of the First National Bank of W^isner he supervised not only the four hundred thousand dollars worth of loans shown in the bank's statement but also handled cattle feeding paper upon his own personal endorsement to the amount of approximately half a million dollars annually. The capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars has been placed in various eastern banks for the sole purpose of creating a line of credit for the handling of these maturities and assistance in a tight money market. In all his business activities Mr. McNish has handled his interests in a conservative, successful and businesslike manner. The company has formed permanent and exclusive connections with a large number of banks and bankers throughout the states of Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado. Wyoming, South Dakota and Iowa and through these banks they are making giltedged loans on cattle. Mr. McXish at the present time personally operates a ranch of six thousand acres in Keyaj^aha county, Nel:)raska, a business in which he has been engaged (hiring the past iifteen years. He is thoroughly (lualified to judge cattle paper from the standpoint of the security and from all other points of view. Already the business has reached gratifying proportions and with years of experience and insight back of it on the part of the officers its success is assured.

On the 25th of October, 1903, in Lincoln, Nebraska, Mr. McNish was united in marriage to Miss Clara H. Hammond, a daughter of the late Charles H. Hammond, a retired capitalist. Fraternally he is a Scottish Rite Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine and also a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He also belongs to the University Club, to the Omaha Country Club and to the Athletic Club of Omaha. In politics he has for a number of years been a central figure. For two years he was chairman of the Nebraska republican state central committee and for fifteen years has been a member of the executive committee of the state. Fie exercises a wide influence over politics just as he does in financial circles and the reason therefor is his sound judgment and clear insight into all the vital and significant problems of the day. His opinions are never superficial, for he delves down to the root of the matter and reaches the motive spirit back of all political activity. He is actuated in his work by a publicspirited devotion to the general good with no desire for personal reward. The honors and emoluments of office have no attraction for him as he prefers to concentrate his time and attention wholly upon his business afl^airs, which have brought him prominently before the public as a banker and financier.