Burt County NE

Biographical Sketch of J. P. Latta

J. P. Latta, banker, born in Ashland County, Ohio, October 31, 1844. At the age of two years, came with his parents to Jackson County, Iowa; assisted on their farm until 1863. Came to Burt County, Neb., and engaged in farming and stock-raising. He owns about 1000 acres, which is largely devoted to stock-raising. He commenced the banking business in 1877. Since that time his attention has been in this direction. Married Libby Jones, a native of Jackson County, Iowa, in 1870. Now proprietor of the Burt County Bank at Tekamah.

Biographical Sketch of A. N. Corbin

A. N. Corbin, farmer, Section 11, P. O. Arizona, was born in Huntingdon County, Penn.; in the spring of 1856, came to Jefferson County, Iowa; in the fall of this year, he came to Burt County, Neb.; he pre-empted 160 acres, where he now resides. Owns now about 640 acres. About 200 acres of this land is under cultivation. He now owns seventy-five head of cattle and about seventy-five hogs.

Biographical Sketch of W. W. Latta

W. W. Latta, livestock and farming, is a native of Ashland County, Ohio; in the fall of 1853, came to Jackson County, Iowa; followed farming. July 1857, came to Burt County, Neb., and located on 160 acres of land which had formerly been pre-empted by his brother. He now owns about 2,100 acres, and for the past sixteen years his business has principally been livestock. He now owns 630 head of cattle, and feeds an average from 200 to 300 head. He also owns a half interest in the hotel block, and other valuable property in town. He had but … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. P. George Thomas

Hon. George P. Thomas, retired, is a native of Wyoming County, N. Y.; in the fall of 1856, came to Tekamah, bringing with him a steam saw-mill, which he located in the timber, two and a half miles east of this place. He operated it about one year, when it was destroyed by fire. He also engaged in farming and stock raising. He owns 520 acres, 300 of which are in cultivation. He built an elevator, and has been in the grain trade several years; was also in the drug business during 1876 and 1877. He, with Mr. Latta, built … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. E. Drury

W. E. Drury, of the firm of Drury & Lewis, attorneys at law, and of the firm of Drury & Ashley, bankers, is a native of Erie County, Penn. At the age of eight years he came with his parents to Michigan. At the breaking out of the war, he enlisted in Company G, Ninety-sixth Illinois Infantry; served about one year; was discharged on account of physical disability. He re-enlisted in the Ninth Illinois Cavalry; served till November 1865, then returned to Chicago, and in the spring of 1866, came to Decatur and homesteaded 160 acres of land and improved … Read more

Biographical Sketch of E. R. Libbey

E. R. Libbey, farmer, Section 31, P. O. Lyons, is a native of Pittsfield, N. H.; in 1849 came to Dane County, Wis.; engaged in farming and lumbering; in the spring of 1867, came to this farm. He owns 240 acres of land, about one hundred and sixty acres under cultivation; is one of the first settlers in this locality. He is feeding about twenty-four head of cattle, one hundred hogs and employs two teams to run this farm.

Obituary of Levi Motz

Levi Motz was born in Pennsylvania, 21 April 1828 and died at the home of daughter, Mrs. John Taylor, in Decatur, Nebraska 26 May 1914 at 6 p.m. following several months of decline in strength and sickness aged 86 years 1 month and 5 days. When a young man he came to Tipton County Indiana. In 1854 he came to Iowa and in 1856 he was married to Elizabeth Burcham at Magnolia, Iowa. To their union 11 children were born–9 daughters and 2 sons. All of his children survive him except one daughter who died several years ago. His wife … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Frank

George Frank, farmer, Section 13, P. O. Herman, was born in Bavaria in 1849; came to Milwaukee, Wis.; worked at the cooper trade there about seventeen years; in 1867, came to Nebraska, locating on this land. He owns 205 acres, which is improved, with a good house and barn and a large number of trees. He has about forty head of cattle and about seventy hogs. Two teams are used in working this farm. Married, in 1859, Caroline Bree, of Prussia. Have three children–one son and two daughters. He has two sons and one daughter by a former marriage.

Biographical Sketch of W. B. Newton

W. B. Newton, Postmaster, blacksmith and farmer, Section 2, P. O. Arizona, is a native of Chautauqua County, N. Y.; came to Barry County, Mich., in 1851; came to Tekamah, Neb., in 1857; the following year removed to his present locality. He owns 267 acres of land; about two hundred twenty of this he has improved. In 1868, he opened a general store; continued this business till 1879, when he sold out to Mr. Ellis. He was appointed Postmaster in 1869, which office he still holds. He opened a blacksmith shop in 1865, which he has since continued. He owns … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John P. Anderson

John P. Anderson, farmer, Section 30, P. O. Oakland, is a native of Sweden; in 1857, came to Moline, Ill.; afterward removed to Richland Grove; in 1861, came to Rock Island; there married Miss Matilda Shenstrom, who was born in Sweden; came with her parents to Illinois when a child of two years; they have two children–one son and one daughter. In the spring of 1866, they came to Menona County, Iowa; in June, 1866, they removed to Nebraska and located on the farm, consisting of 160 acres; they boarded with John Oak while he was erecting a cabin, which … 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 M. M. Harney

M. M. Harney, farmer, Section 3, P. O. Tekamah, is a native of Jacksonville, Ill.; in 1857, came to De Soto, Neb.; in 1858, removed to Cuming City; in 1863, he enlisted in Company B, Second Nebraska Cavalry; served eleven months; in 1864, came to Arizona Precinct; the following year removed to Harrison County, Iowa; followed farming; in 1870, returned to Burt County and settled on this farm. He owns 400 acres of land. One hundred and eighty acres of this is under improvement. He is feeding forty-three head of cattle, and carrying through about seventy head; also about eighty … 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. F. Piper

J. F. Piper, firm of Blanchard & Piper, general merchandise, is a native of Franklin County, Penn. In 1865, he came to Wayne County, Ohio; in 1877, came to Tekamah, clerked for John F. Kessler about four years in Tekamah and Lyons. In August, 1881, he, with Mr. Blanchard, bought out Mr. Kessler, and have since been carrying on this business.

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 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

Biography of D. L. Mclaughlin, M. D.

D. L. Mclaughlin, M. D., was born in West Winfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y., May 28, 1834. From the age of thirteen, he attended school in New York City until the age of seventeen, when he commenced the study of medicine under Alonzo Clark, M. D., of New York City, which he continued up to the year 1854, during the time also attending a course of lectures in the Berkshire Medical College and also University of Louisiana. In 1855, he graduated from Berkshire Medical College, and at once commenced the practice of medicine in Point Coupee, La., at the same … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Capt. S. T. Leaming

Capt. S. T. Leaming, civil engineer, is a native of Schoharie County, N. Y. When four years old, he came with his parents to La Porte, Ind.; in 1852, he went to California; returned in 1855; then took up engineering, he having studied and been actively engaged in the field before going to California; in the winter of 1856-57, he was employed by the Iowa Central Air Line (now the Chicago and North-Western) Railroad; surveyed the road from Ida Grove to the Missouri River; in 1857, came to Decatur and bought a claim of 320 acres from Mr. Rose, for … Read more

Biographical Sketch of E. Shafer

E. Shafer, firm of Shafer & Wilson, hardware, is a native of Knox County, Ohio; came, with his father, to Jefferson County, Iowa, in 1844; assisted on the farm; in 1857, came to Burt County, Neb.; followed farming about twelve years; then removed to Tekamah, and, with Mr. Gibson, opened a store, which they carried on several years. The past four years, the business has been carried on by Shafer & Wilson. He owns a farm of 250 acres half a mile north of town, also two stores and three residences in town, with a half interest in the brick … Read more

Biographical Sketch of M. Olinger

M. Olinger, farmer, Section 1, P. O. Tekamah, was born in Shenandoah County, Va., and raised in Montgomery County. In the fall of 1855, he came to Tekamah, there being then but six families in this county. He pre-empted and homesteaded 160 acres of land, which he has since improved. He now owns 332 acres, also improved. He has held the office of Deputy County Treasurer. His son, William G., enlisted, 1863 in Company B, Second Nebraska Cavalry, and served eleven months.