Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography Of Nebraska. Chicago: Alden Publishing Company. 1912.
John L. Burpee, farmer, Section 22, P. O. Tekamah, was born in Worcester County, Mass., January 1, 1857. He came to Burt County, Neb., in 1858; went to Denver, Colo.; returned to Burt County in 1859, where he remained till 1862, when he went to McKean County, Penn., and engaged in the stave, shingle and mill business; in 1864, returned to Burt County, where he has since resided. He owns 160 acres of land, which he cultivates.
John G. Preston, farmer, Section 19, P. O. Oakland, is a native of England. In 1842, he came to America; in 1852, he engaged in railroading and continued in this business about twenty-eight years. In 1867, he purchased this land, and in the spring of 1880, located here. He owns 800 acres in this county, also 100 acres in Douglas County; is largely engaged in livestock, and now owns 135 head of cattle, and 125 hogs. About five teams are used in working this farm, which is one of the largest in this locality.
John G. Mackay, Deputy Sheriff, was born in Thurso, Caithnesshire, Scotland, August 20, 1843. He came to America in 1862, landing in New York City. He soon afterward went to Washington, D. C., where he was employed as clerk in the Commissary Department. In 1865, he went to Providence, R. I., where he remained two years. He then returned to New York City, where he resided about seven years. In the fall of 1874, he went to Cincinnati, where he was employed as steward of the Gibson House. He then went to Chicago, holding the position of steward of the … Read more
John G. Arthur, dealer in agricultural implements, wagons and buggies; also Victor Folding and Lock Desks, and Domestic Sewing Machines, Oakland. Is a native of Oneida County, N. Y. In the spring of 1879, came to Decatur, Neb.; in September, 1879, came to Oakland, and has since been engaged in this business; he built one of the first buildings in the new town. He owns a farm of 160 acres in Oakland Precinct. Is a Justice of the Peace, a member of the M. E. Church, and Superintendent of the Union Sabbath School. He was married in December 1880, to … Read more
John Driscoll, firm of Driscoll & Parmelee, meat market, was born in Rochester, N. Y. At about the age of fourteen years, he came to Pennsylvania. He enlisted, in 1864, in Company G, Sixty-fourth New York Infantry; served to the end of the war. May, 1866, he again enlisted in the regular army; served three years, in carrying the mail and running express; August, 1869, came to Burt County and engaged in farming; in 1875, removed to Tekamah, and at once opened a meat market, and has since been engaged in this business. He has just sold an improved farm, … Read more
John Denny, farmer, Section 23, P. O. Tekamah, was born in Lawrence County, Ind.; there raised and engaged in farming; in 1866, came to Nebraska, and located on this farm. They own 640 acres of land, part of which he entered. He and his sons are largely engaged in livestock. They have 150 head of cattle and about 150 hogs, and employ five teams.
He was married in Oneonta, N. Y., in September, 1871. to Miss Lenora Spencer, who is a native of that place; they have one child, a son Le Grand. Mr. B. is a member of the Masonic order. Bronson & Hamilton, dealers in agricultural implements, Have been established since May 1, 1881. Their stock averages $6,000; their business is quite large, requiring the work of three men to carry it on during the spring, summer and fall seasons.
John D. Mann, farmer, Section 1, P. O. Tekamah, was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, in the spring of 1854; came to Canada in April, 1869; came to Nebraska and located in Dakota County in 1872. He removed to Burt County and settled on the farm he now owns-320 acres, which is largely improved. He is now serving as School Director.
John A. Goodwill, farmer, Section 10, P. O. Arizona, is a native of Stark County, Ohio. In June, 1857, he came to Omaha; worked in a brick yard about six months, then removed to Burt County, where he has since resided. He owns 358 acres of land, part homestead and part entered. Married, in 1871, Miss Mary Ray, of Muscatine, Iowa. Have five children, two sons and three daughters.
Joel S. Yeaton, farmer, Section 1, P. O. Lyons, is a native of Somerset County, Me. In 1864, came to Houston County, Minn.; followed farming there five years; came to Decatur, Neb., in the fall of 1869; removed to his present farm in 1870; owns 750 acres of land, and has one of the best improved farms in this county. His house was built in 1872, which cost about $3,000. He was one of the building committee in building the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a member. He has also contributed largely to the support and building of … Read more
Joel Berry, farmer, Section 34, Township 19, Range 5 west, P. O. St. Edward, was born in Rockingham County, Va., June 24, 1810. On account of slavery, his parents moved to Fairfield County, Ohio, when he was quite young. He lived there about twenty years. He then married, September 2, 1830, Miss Mary Befler, who died December 25, 1879, leaving seven children–Joshua, Elizabeth, Magdalena, Emily, Isabella, Mary and Samuel. In 1823, he moved to Seneca County, Ohio, remaining there sixteen years. He then moved to Noble County, Ind., where he resided until 1855, when he moved to Richland County, Wis. … Read more
Joe Bayer, farmer, Section 15, P. O. Alder Grove, is a native of Franklin County, Penn; came to Burt County in 1872, and located on this farm, then an unbroken prairie; he owns 440 acres, now well improved and a large part fenced; his house, barn and other buildings will compare with any others in this county. He is wintering about fifty head of cattle, about one hundred hogs, and employs three teams to work his farm.
Jesse Spielman, farmer, Section 22, P. O. Tekamah, is a native of Huntington County, Penn.; in May, 1857, came to Burt County, Neb.; has since been engaged in live stock and farming. He owns about 1,160 acres of land, a large portion of which is used for pasture for his stock. He cultivates about two hundred and fifty acres and feeds about one hundred head of cattle and about one hundred and fifty hogs. He was the first Treasurer of Burt County; held this office four years.
James S. Armstrong, attorney at law, Albion. Has resided at Albion the past three years, engaged in the practice of law; he has also carried on, in connection with his law business, a general insurance, collection, loan and real estate business. He was admitted to the bar in La Porte, Ind., in 1873, first locating in Michigan City, afterward going to La Porte, where he remained about a year. He is one of the leading Republicans of Boone County, and was the candidate of that party for County Judge at the election in 1881. He is a member of the … Read more
James Hanson, farmer, Section 12, P. O. Oakland, is a native of Denmark; there learned the trade of carpenter and wagon maker, with his father, who carried on this business; in 1866, he came to Omaha and worked at his trade there; in 1867, he came to Oakland and homesteaded 160 acres of land, which he has since owned and improved; he also owns about ten acres of timber land and twenty-five acres of meadow land. Mr. Hanson is one of the oldest settlers in this county.
James Ashley, hardware, also of the firm of Drury & Ashley, bankers, is a native of England; came to New York in 1852, and worked in Brooklyn in the iron railing business two years. In 1854, he came to Chicago and followed the same trade there. In the spring of 1857, he came to Dakota County, Neb., and there carried on the blacksmith trade during the summer. In the fall he removed to St. Louis. In the spring of 1858, returned to Dakota County, carried on the blacksmith trade at Logan. In the fall of 1858, he came to Dakota … Read more
J. Watson Riley, dealer in agricultural implements and farmer, Albion, has been in his present business over four years, handling over $5,000 in cash goods and $7,000 in commission goods per year. He employs one man permanently and several sub-agents. He is the pioneer hardware merchant of Albion. At first he carried on the business himself, afterward the firm was Riley & Gamage and afterward Riley & Clark. Since the spring of 1881, he has carried on the business himself, dealing in agricultural implements exclusively. He located near Albion in the fall of 1872, settling on the southeast quarter of … Read more
J. S. Loveland, proprietor of the St. Paul Hotel, is a native of Ogdensburg, N. Y. In about 1854, he came to Bremer County, Iowa, engaged in farming; afterward removed to Ida County. In about 1861, he came to Nebraska and located at Decatur; homesteaded 160 acres of land; was Government carpenter with the Omaha Indians about four years; then returned to Decatur, and kept a hotel about two years. In February 1881, he came to Oakland and opened this house.
J. R. Thomas, firm of Thomas & Darst, lumber, is a native of Wyoming County, N. Y. There he ran a saw-mill and farm. In 1868, came to Tekamah; was engaged in farming about ten years. In 1879, he opened a lumber yard, which he has since continued. July 5, 1881, Mr. Darst became a member of this firm.
J. R. Sutherland, contractor and builder, is a native of Woodstock, Can.; in 1866, came to St. Joseph, Mo., in 1868, came to Omaha; October 1869, came to Tekamah, and at once commenced this business. He is now the oldest contractor in Tekamah. He built the Odd Fellows’ building, school house, the Methodist and Presbyterian churches and many other buildings, and is the principal contractor in this locality; has been a member of the Council since its organization and is Chairman of the board; also President of the School Board; is a member of the Presbyterian Church.