Burt County NE

Biographical Sketch of William S. Craig

William S. Craig, farmer, Section 13, P. O. Craig, is a native of Harrison County, Ohio; was there engaged in farming; in 1870, came to Nebraska; located on this farm. He owns about 1,800 acres of land and donated the land where the station and town of Craig are now being built. Mainly through his exertions the station was located here. He has under fence about 450 acres, which are largely used for pasture. His attention has been largely directed to raising sheep. Lately the number has been largely reduced. He now owns about 500. Is Treasurer of the Presbyterian … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joel S. Yeaton

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

Biography of Hon. B. R. Folsom

Hon. B. R. Folsom, retired, was born, February 23, 1809, in Fumbridge, Orange Co., N. Y. His parents soon after removed to Wyoming County, where he was raised; carried on farming, milling and merchandising about twenty-five years; September, 1854, came to Omaha, and, October, 1854, removed to Burt County, where he has since resided, and is now the oldest settler in the State north of Omaha. He, with a party of nine others, made a claim of 640 acres, on which the town of Tekamah now stands. William N. Byers, surveyor, one of this party, surveyed the town site. They … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joe Bayer

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.

Biographical Sketch of O. S. Comar

O. S. Comar, general merchandise, is a native of Bennington County, Vt.; in 1864, came to Columbia County, Wis.; followed wagon making; in 1868, came to Everett Precinct; engaged at farming and wagon-making. March 1877, he opened a grocery store, and gradually worked into a general stock. He enlisted, in 1861, in Company A, Second Vermont Infantry; remained in the service till the fall of 1864.

Biographical Sketch of F. A. Wallerstedt

F. A. Wallerstedt, druggist, was born in Mercer County, Ill. At the age of eighteen years, he commenced to learn this business, which he has since followed. In the fall of 1876, he opened a store at Orion, Ill.; continued there in business till the fall of 1879, when he removed to Oakland, where he has since been carrying on a very prosperous business.

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 J. H. Stork

J. H. Stork, farmer, Section 34, P. O. Tekamah, was born July 8, 1835, in Prussia; in June, 1854, came to Quincy, Ill.; in the spring of 1856, he removed to Fontanelle, Neb., and in the fall of this year returned to Quincy, Ill.; in 1857, he, with Mr. Sprick, returned to Fontanelle; in 1858, came to Omaha, and followed teaming about three years, He then returned to Fontanelle; worked at farming two years; enlisted in 1863, in Company A, Second Nebraska Cavalry; served eleven months, then returned to Fontanelle, where he was married to Frederica Michael; of Mecklenburg, Ger.; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of T. G. Smith

T. G. Smith, furniture and undertaker, is a native of Ontario; came to Buffalo, N. Y., in 1865; worked at house building about one year; then went to Pennsylvania oil region, where he remained about two years; came to Omaha in 1868; there he followed the carpenter trade. In 1873, he came to Tekamah, where he has since resided, following his trade. In 1878, he commenced his present business, which is rapidly increasing. He now occupies a brick store, which he built in 1881, 24×85 feet, cost about $2,500. He holds the office of Coroner of the county.

Biographical Sketch of J. R. Thomas

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.

Biographical Sketch of H. C. Lydick

H. C. Lydick, farmer, Section 2, P. O. Arizona, was born in Knox County, Ohio; came with his parents, to Jefferson County, Iowa, in 1845. There he remained till 1857, when he came to Arizona Precinct. He made claim of 160 acres, where his house now stands. Since then he has added from time to time, and now owns about 1,240 acres. Most of this land is under cultivation. He has seven tenants on his lands. He fed in 1881 about two hundred head of cattle and a large number of hogs; enlisted in 1862 in Company B, Second Nevada … 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 J. R. Sutherland

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.

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 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 Ira Thomas

Ira Thomas, firm of J. R. Thomas & Sons, grain and lumber, is a native of Wyoming County, N. Y.; in 1860, he came to Tekamah, and was afterward editor and proprietor of the Nebraska Advocate; business manager for G. P. Thomas & Co. at Oakland in 1879; May, 1880, the present firm was established. Their grain business amounts to about $90,000 a year. They own the only steam elevator in the county. Their lumber business amounts to about $45,000 a year. Their business is done principally in the Logan Valley district.

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Austin Nelson

Nelson, Austin Hon. Hon. Austin Nelson, retired, is a native of Norway. When a child he came with his parents to New Bedford, Mass., where he was raised and educated. In 1856, he came to Nebraska, soon after returning to Massachusetts. He, however, made frequent trips West, and permanently settled in Burt County in 1868; located in Silver Creek, engaged in farming and stock-raising. He owns 400 acres of land, also property in Tekamah. In 1872, he was elected to the Legislature. He then removed his family to Tekamah, where they have since resided.

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 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 R. S. Hart

R. S. Hart, agricultural implements, is a native of Monroe County, N. Y.; in 1865, came to Nebraska; located in the Logan Valley. He owns 266 acres of land, which he improved and now rents. In the fall of 1881, he removed to Lyons and established this business. He enlisted, in 1861, in Company B, Tenth Wisconsin Infantry; served three years. He then re-enlisted in the Hancock Corps; served to the end of the war. Mr. Hart turned the first sod and broke the land where Lyons is now located.