Burt County NE

Biographical Sketch of Watson Parrish

Watson Parrish, attorney at law and banker, is a native of Tennessee. At about the age of two years he came with his parents to Whiteside County, Ill. After receiving a preparatory course of studies, he attended the Knox College at Galesburg. At the breaking-out of the war, he enlisted in Company G, Thirty-ninth Illinois Infantry, and served three years and four months. He then went to Ann Arbor and entered the Law Department of the University of Michigan; graduated in the class of 1866. In September 1866, he came to Decatur, Neb.; opened a law office, and has since … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Fried

Samuel Fried, live stock, is a native of Sweden; in 1864, came to Henry County, Ill.; in 1867, came to Oakland, and homesteaded 160 acres of land in Section 31, which he improved; in 1868, he was appointed Postmaster, and held this office till 1875; he then opened a general store, and continued it about three years. He has held various local offices–Assessor, Treasurer of the School Board, and others.

Biographical Sketch of John L. Burpee

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.

Biographical Sketch of Franklin Everett

Franklin Everett, Postmaster, banker and live stock, is a native of Somerset County, Me.; in 1852, came to Dodge County, Wis.; in 1854, removed to Allamakee County, Iowa; in the spring of 1868, came to Nebraska; located in Everett Precinct. They were the third family in the precinct. He owns about fifteen hundred acres of land, and is largely engaged in livestock; is now feeding about one hundred and fifty head of cattle and thirty horses. November, 1874, he opened a general store; was then appointed Postmaster; closed out his store September 15, 1880; June, 1881, commenced banking under the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. W. Lyon

Hon. W. Lyon, firm of W. Lyon & Sons, proprietors of Lyon’s Mills, was born in Vermont; raised in Connecticut. In 1843, came to Dodge County, Wis.; in the fall of 1865, came to Omaha; opened a general store, continued about one year. He then removed to Arizona Precinct, Burt County, where he was engaged in merchandising and ran a sawmill. In 1869, came to Lyons. The following year he built this mill. They own over 1,200 acres of land. He formerly owned the land where Lyons now stands. He was a member of the State Senate; also a member … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John S. Lemmon

John S. Lemmon, dealer in agricultural implements, was born in Fountain County, Ind.; raised in Parke County; in 1854, came to Council Bluffs; in 1856, removed to Fontanelle, Neb., where his father owned a steam saw-mill; worked in this mill till 1861, when he enlisted, November 10, in Company D, Fifth Iowa Cavalry; was taken prisoner August 10, 1864, near Atlanta; remained in prison till April 17, 1865; was mustered out of the service June 5, 1865. In 1868, he came to Oakland Precinct, located on a farm in Section 13, which he has improved. In August 1879, he came … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. B. Atwater

W. B. Atwater, of the firm Atwater & Byram, dealers in general merchandise, is a native of La Porte County, Ind. In 1857, he came to Minneapolis, Minn. In 1861, he enlisted in Company B, Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry; served one year in the Sioux war and two years in the South; was six months in Andersonville and other prisons, then returned to Minnesota and engaged in lumbering. In 1867, he removed to Chicago, Ill., and engaged in contracting and building; in 1877, he came to Decatur, Neb., and engaged with his brother in general merchandising. In 1879, he commenced … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. H. Marshall

W. H. Marshall, of the firm of Marshall & Shaw, dealers in general merchandise, is a native of Hampton County, Mass.; removed to Connecticut, where he learned the blacksmith trade. In 1867, he came to Washington County, Neb.; worked for T. B. Bailey about one and a half years. He then took a homestead claim of eighty acres in Belle Creek Precinct, where he remained six years. In November 1875, he came to Tekamah, opened a shop, and carried on that trade till 1879, when he, with Mr. Flint, opened a general store. They continued the business till May 1881, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin L. Bean

Benjamin L. Bean, farmer, Section 27, P. O. Tekamah, was born in La Fayette County, Wis.; raised in Iowa County. He enlisted in August, 1862, in Company A, Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry. Served to the end of the war. In 1866, came to Nebraska. Worked on the Union Pacific Railroad as foreman for A. H. Johnson, contractor, till 1867, when he came to Arizona Precinct, and has since been engaged in farming. He owns 553 acres of land, 140 acres of which is under cultivation. He feeds about forty head of cattle and about fifty hogs.

Biographical Sketch of John A. Goodwill

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.

Biographical Sketch of A. A. Thomas

A. A. Thomas, County Clerk, was born in Sangamon County, Ill.; raised in Iowa; came to Lyons, Neb., in 1869; engaged in merchandising two years. He then followed farming till 1879, when he was elected Sheriff, which he held two years. In the fall of 1881, he was elected County Clerk, entering upon the duties of this office January 1882.

Biographical Sketch of John G. Preston

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.

Biographical Sketch of F. W. Barns

F. W. Barns, of the firm of A. E. Wells & Co., bankers, is a native of Racine County, Wis. During 1878-79, he attended Williams College, Williamstown, Mass.; in 1880, came to Blair; a few months later came to Oakland, and at once became a member of this firm.

Biographical Sketch of Isaac Gibson

Isaac Gibson, live stock and farming, was born in Clark County, Ind., December 8, 1814; came to Fairfield, Jefferson Co., Iowa, in 1851; kept a hotel, known as the Gibson House; also engaged in farming; in the spring of 1857, came to Tekamah; bought out a grocery, the only one in Tekamah. He had also bought a farm, which was managed by his sons, consisting of 540 acres. He closed out his store in about 1869 and engaged in real estate, live stock, and superintending his farm. His business now is principally livestock. Has been Justice of the Peace; was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William N. Haywood

William N. Haywood, live stock; is a native of Knox County, Ohio; in 1847, came with his parents to Jefferson County, Iowa; first assisted on their farm; afterward worked out, receiving $9 a month; in 1857, he removed to Burt County, Neb., and pre-empted 160 acres of land. He now owns 367 acres. He, with Mr. Templeton, also controls about 4,000 acres on which their cattle pasture. They are now feeding from 1,000 to 1,200 head, the largest stock feeders in Northern Nebraska.

Biographical Sketch of Henry Fontenelle

Henry Fontenelle, farmer, P. O. Decatur, was born at Bellevue, Sarpy County, in 1832. In the spring of 1855, he came to the Omaha Reservation and on account of trouble between the Omaha and Sioux, he returned to Bellevue and remained there till the spring of 1856, when he again returned to the reservation, where he has since resided. He also owns 160 acres of land, outside the reserve, in Section 4, Decatur Precinct, which he has improved. Mr. Fontenelle is well informed on all matters pertaining to the county. He has been United States Interpreter twelve years; was Government … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Ashley

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

Biographical Sketch of J. S. Loveland

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.

Biographical Sketch of John G. Arthur

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

Biographical Sketch of L. H. Burpee

L. H. Burpee, farmer, Section 22, P. O. Tekamah, is a native of Worcester County, Mass.; came to Nebraska in 1857; located in Arizona Precinct, where he has since resided. He entered 160 acres of land; now owns 200 acres most of which is under cultivation. He has been twelve years Treasurer of the School Board.