Biographical Sketch of George Napper

GEORGE NAPPER. Many of the residents of Christian County, Missouri, are of British birth and have engrafted upon western ways the habits of the sturdy Saxon race. George Napper was born in England about fifty-nine years ago, and when young learned the blacksmith’s trade, following the same for about thirty-two years. For some years he was in the service of the British Government, but about 1870 he came to the United States and for about three years resided at Rock, Wisconsin, where he worked at his trade. Thence he moved to Christian County, Missouri, and located north of Billings, where … Read more

Biography of Homer G. Gilmore

HOMER G. GILMORE. In no part of the world is the flouring industry of greater importance than it is in the United States, nor in any other part of the world can the same excellence of quality of flour be produced. This need not be wondered at. Where is there another country possessing so rich and productive a soil, yielding and in plenty the richest wheat? Indeed, the industry and the importance necessarily attached to it are natural resultants of nature’s generosity. In Christian County, Missouri, the flouring industry is a most important one and foremost among those engaging in … Read more

Oto Indians

Oto Indians. From Wat’ota, meaning “lechers.” It often appears in a lengthened form such as Hoctatas or Octoctatas. Also called: Che-wae-rae, own name. Matokatági, Shawnee name. Motfitatak, Fox name. Wacútada, Omaha and Ponca name. Wadótata, Kansa name. Watohtata, Dakota name. Watútata, Osage name. Oto Connections. The Oto formed, with the Iowa and Missouri, the Chiwere group of the Siouan linguistic family and were closely connected with the Winnebago. Oto Location. The Oto moved many times, but their usual location in the historic period was on the lower course of the Platte or the neighboring banks of the Missouri. (See also … Read more

Sauk Indians

Sauk Indians. From Osā’kiwŭg, meaning “people of the outlet, or people of the yellow earth.” Also called: Hotǐ’nestakon’, Onondaga name. Satoeronnon, Huron name. Quatokeronon, Huron name. Za’-ke, Santee and Yankton Dakota name. Sauk Connections. The Sauk belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock and the same subdivision as that embracing the Foxes and Kickapoo. Sauk Location. On the upper part of Green Bay and lower course of Fox River. (See also Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oklahoma.) Sauk History. The earliest known home of the Sauk was about Saginaw Bay, Michigan, which still bears their name. Shortly before appearance … Read more

Fox Indians

Fox Indians. A name thought to have been derived from that of the Fox clan and to have been applied to the tribe through a misunderstanding. Also called: Beshde’ke, Dakota name. Meshkwa kihig’, own name signifying “red earth people,” from the kind of earth from which they are supposed to have been created. O-dug-am-eeg, Chippewa name, meaning “those who live on the opposite side. Skaxshurunu, Wyandot name, meaning “fox people.” Skuakisagi, Shawnee name. To-che-wah-coo, probably the Arikara name. Wakusheg, Potawatomi name, meaning “foxes.” Fox Connections. The Foxes belonged to the Algonquian linguistic family and in one group with the Sauk … Read more

Kickapoo Indians

Kickapoo Indians. From Kiwegapaw`, “he stands about,” “he moves about, standing now here, now there.” Also called: A’-uyax, Tonkawa name, meaning “deer eaters.” Higabu, Omaha and Ponca name. I’-ka-dŭ’, Osage name. Shake-kah-quah, Wichita name. Shígapo, Shikapu, Apache name. Sik’-a-pu, Comanche name. Tékapu, Huron name. Yuatara’ye-ru’nu, a second Huron name, meaning “tribe living around the lakes.” Kickapoo Connections. The Kickapoo belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock, and in a special group with the Foxes and Sauk. Kickapoo Villages. The villages were: Etnataek (shared with the Foxes), rather a fortification than a village, near the Kickapoo village on Sangamon River, Illinois. Kickspougowi, … Read more

Menominee Indians

Menominee Indians were located on and near the Menominee River, Wisconsin, and in Michigan on or about the present location of Mackinac. The Menominee belonged to the Algonquian linguistic family and to the same section as the Cree and Foxes.

Winnebago Indians

Winnebago Indians. The most ancient known habitat of this tribe was on the south side of Green Bay extending inland as far as Lake Winnebago. They also lived in the present states of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota

Biography of William W. Driggs, Jr.

William W. Driggs, Jr.,is a capable young newspaper man and is now editor of the Bern Gazette in Nemaha county. The Gazette is one of the live papers of that county, and was established in 1898 by M. E. Ford. The editor of the paper was born in Hannibal, Missouri, December 25, 1891. His father is William W. Driggs, Sr., and together they make the firm Driggs & Driggs, publishers of the Bern Gazette. The senior Driggs was born March 25, 1856, in Pennsylvania. At the age of fifteen he learned telegraphy and began working soon afterward as a railroad … Read more

Biography of Bradford Norbury

BRADFORD NORBURY. Bradford Norbury has made his home in Greene County, Missouri, since 1862, and has become widely and favorably known to its citizens. He owes his nativity to Dane County, Wisconsin, where he was born February 5, 1835, a son of Thomas E. and Anna (Dickson) Norbury, the former of whom was born in Ireland and came to America in 1834. He was married in his native land and after coming to this country located near Lockport, New York, where he engaged extensively in the manufacture of woolen goods, but after a very short residence there moved to Wisconsin … Read more

Biography of Judge W. I. Wallace

JUDGE W. I. WALLACE. Biography should be written for the sake of its lessons; that men everywhere may place themselves in contact with facts and affairs, and build themselves up to and into a life of excellence, where they may keep and augment their individuality. For this reason a sketch of Judge W. I. Wallace is here given, his career having been both honorable and useful. He was born in the Green Mountains, Franklin County, Mass., December 25, 1840, his parents being Zebina and Lucinda (French) Wallace, who were of Scotch-Irish lineage. The Wallaces trace their genealogical ancestry back to … Read more

Biography of Thomas C. Galloway

Thomas C. Galloway. The first settler of Weiser was the gentleman whose name introduces this article. Before the town was founded he located on land that is now within its borders, and since that period has been actively identified with the growth and development of the little hamlet which has become one of the flourishing cities of Idaho. His residence in the state covers a period of thirty-six years, and as time has passed he has risen to a position among the most successful stock-dealers and business men of the commonwealth. His landed and other possessions are now very extensive, … Read more

Dakota Indians

Dakota Indians. The earliest known home of this tribe was on and near the Mississippi in southern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, and neighboring parts of Iowa. In 1825, after they had spread somewhat farther west, Long (1791) gives their boundaries thus: They were bounded by a curved line extending east of north from Prairie du Chien on the Mississippi, so as to include all the eastern tributaries of the Mississippi, to the first branch of Chippewa River; thence by a line running west of north to Spirit Lake; thence westwardly to Crow Wing River, Minn., and up that stream to its head; thence westwardly to Red River and down that stream to Pembina; thence southwestwardly to the eastern bank of the Missouri near the Mandan villages; thence down the Missouri to a point probably not far from Soldiers River; thence east of north to Prairie du Chien. At a later time they occupied less territory toward the east but extended much farther westward between the Yellowstone and Platte Rivers.

Biography of Wolf Lewis

Wolf Lewis. The modern merchant is the man who knows what the people want and supplies the best facilities for meeting those wants. He acts on that solid commercial principle that real success is only a return for an adequate service rendered. Of Champaign merchants of this class there is no more conspicuous example than Wolf Lewis, whose department store in the large Illinois Building means to Champaign County about what the Marshall Field store means to the shopping public of Chicago. Mr. Lewis is a merchant almost by birthright, but has profited by a long and thorough experience and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Michael McNamara

MICHAEL McNAMARA. – This prominent resident of Skagit county was born in Woodstock, Canada, in 1848. His early years, however, were spent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and at Chicago, where he completed his growth and education at Chatham, Canada. In 1865 he came overland to California, and the next year reached Puget Sound, finding employment ten years in the logging camps. In 1876 he was able to set up a business of his own, keeping a hotel at Stanwood, and three years later building his present commodious hotel, the Ruby House, which is first class in every respect. His own residence … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Myron W. Packard

MYRON W. PACKARD. – This leading citizen of the lower Sound was born in Madrid, St. Lawrence County, New York, in 1830. At the age of twenty-three he left his native place, where he was in the mercantile business, coming as far west as Illinois, and in the same year journeyed on to River Falls, Wisconsin. That was his home for seventeen years, three of which were spent in the Union army, from which he was mustered out as a quartermaster-sergeant. In 1870 he came to Washington Territory, bringing his wife and family of five children, and located on White … Read more

Biography of Pearl M. Hollingsworth

Pearl M. Hollingsworth. A newspaper which has had a fine and vitalizing influence in its community is the Fisher News, of which Mr. Hollingsworth is editor and proprietor. This publisher and editor is a journalist from the ground up, had his first acquaintance with the printing trade when a boy and has done much to develop the power of the press in this section of Champaign County and has made his paper indispensable to business men, farmers and citizens generally. Mr. Hollingsworth is a native of Vermilion County, Illinois, where he was born December 20, 1890. He is the youngest … Read more

Biography of Hugh Jackson Robinson

Hugh Jackson Robinson. Going about the streets with firm step, attending to his affairs with unclouded mind, Hugh Jackson Robinson has attained the dignity and distinction of eight-three years of useful and honorable life. He is one of the oldest residents of Champaign County and has known this section of Illinois for over sixty years. He was born near Belfast, Ireland, March 28, 1833, a son of Robert and Maria Margaret (Jackson) Robinson. His mother, it is said, was a first cousin of President Andrew Jackson. The Robinsons are of Scotch stock. The mother died in Ireland and the father … Read more

Biography of Eugene F. Skinner

EUGENE F. SKINNER. – Eugene F. Skinner, whose name is a household word throughout the length and breadth of Lane county, located in June, 1846, the Donation claim on which Eugene City, named for him, now stands. He was born at Essex, Essex county, New York, September 13, 1809, and is the youngest son of Major John Joseph Skinner of East Windsor, Connecticut, and a brother of St. John B.L. Skinner of New York, who was an influential officer in the Postoffice Department at Washington City, District of Columbia, under President Lincoln, and first assistant postmaster-general under President Johnson. Having … Read more

Biography of James A. Wilson

James A. Wilson.One of the richest oil land districts of Kansas is the territory lying in the vicinity of El Dorado, the county seat of Butler County. Among its citizens who have become prominent factors in oil production is James A. Wilson. All through this locality rich strikes have been made, and one of the best was on the land owned by Mr. Wilson, just 1 1/2 miles north of El Dorado. This copious pool was the third one developed and had become famous as the Derby-Wilson lease of 480 acres. Mr. Wilson had twenty-one producing oil wells on the … Read more